Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Tatler Singapore

Cover star Dewinta Pringgodani wears many hats. She's director of her family's mining business, founder of a digital media group, a fashion maven, and a respected political commentator. She also regularly offers opinions on the country's legal and social affairs to the media and at major political events. Having conquered the charts, singer Siti Nurhaliza has released 17 albums, won more than 300 local and international music awards and sold more than six million records. Now, the businesswoman is turning her attention to her cosmetics brand SimplySiti. Fitness fanatic Felicia Atienza reveals how she balances her gruelling workout and wellness regime with her day job as founder, president and CEO of the Chinese International School Manila and the Domuschola International School. Actress Tao Hong has starred in both critically-acclaimed films,…

When Yeo Siew Hua decided to shed light on the dark side of Singapore’s urban development in his sophomore feature film, A Land Imagined, he resolved to tell the story from the perspective of the oft-forgotten foreign workers helping to build the city. “I was inspired by the lives of those whose personal dreams have been buried in the process of building our city. These are the migrant workers, who have been left out of our national narrative, and making a film about Singapore’s expanding land with them as the focus was a way for me to recentre this conversation,” says the film-maker, who made his directorial debut in 2009 with In the House of Straw, which explores the world of vice and deception set in urbanised Singapore. Despite its…

Trust a writer to be attuned to the communicative power of a symbol. At one point during this interview, author Pico Iyer shows me the key card he has been given for his stay at Raffles Singapore as its first writer-in-residence. Its technological guts are encased in leather, which is embossed with the face of British novelist Somerset Maugham—just one of the many renowned guests to have stayed in the iconic hotel. “It’s perfect, isn’t it?” Iyer remarks, regarding the key card with distinct pleasure. “This is an emblem of Raffles’ elegant past, and I’m so glad it’s Maugham because he’s been my hero since I was a boy. But it’s also opening the door, literally, to a cool digital future.” “CUBA IS THE MOST EXUBERANT PLACE I’VE VISITED, AND…

The TREND Coffee & Cream Whether you prefer a dark and smooth espresso or light and creamy latte, designers across the board are serving up the full cosy spectrum in spades this season The LABEL Khaore New York-based accessories label Khaore, founded in 2017 by young designers Wei Hung Chen and Raiheth Rawla, is the under-the-radar handbag brand every discerning fashion lover needs to know. Hailing from Taiwan and India respectively, the duo met at The New School in New York and are inspired by the geometric shapes of everyday objects—from tufted cushions to table corners. Their daring, minimalist designs won them the 2019 ANDAM accessories prize and mentorship from Hermès. “Winning the award allowed us to become more ambitious with our goals for the next three to five years,”…

It is no secret that the James Bond movie franchise is a money-spinning machine sought after by the world’s biggest brands, from Smirnoff and Heineken to Tom Ford. But while the association is to be shared among a wide variety of names, it is clear that agent 007’s debonair charm matches best with only a select few. Above his impeccable sense of style and refined drinking tastes, Bond is also known for his fast cars and gadgets. But truth be told, nothing is quite as essential to a secret agent’s work as a high-performance timepiece that acts as a crucial tool in life-threatening missions. What would the Secret Service agent, who was a commander of the Royal Navy, wear on his wrist? An Omega Seamaster makes a fitting choice. Bond…

Today’s high jewellery connoisseur wants something unique—a one-of-a-kind piece that won’t be seen on anyone else. This is why Boghossian has branched out from standard styles to offer jewellery with a difference. Home to some of the world’s most exquisite gemstones, the jeweller has launched a limited edition of its 2017 Merveilles Icicle collection. Its near-invisible setting allows for interlocking jewels to cover the entire surface of each creation. Soft shades of pink and blue sapphires, as well as brown, orange and yellow garnet varieties are carefully arranged along spiral designs that allow for the maximum amount of light to shine through each piece.…

The trend began a few years ago. Rock crystal, which was considered too common a stone to be used in jewellery design, started to feature alongside some seriously rare and expensive precious gems in high jewellery collections by the world’s most well-known luxury brands. But what exactly is rock crystal? It is a type of quartz, a mineral that exists in a myriad of colours and forms—of which the most commonly known and popularly used in jewellery are rose quartz (pink), smoky quartz (grey), citrine (orange) and amethyst (purple). Rock crystal, however, is completely clear, colourless and flawless, giving it a unique ice-like allure. Many of us may be used to seeing rock crystal on silver accessories that are relatively wallet-friendly, but don’t let that stop you from seeing the…

Yangon is a city that builds among, rather than against, its ruins. Stately heritage buildings loom over a classic Southeast Asian scene of smoky street food stalls and swarms of scooters. Early mornings are particularly lively, as women sashay while balancing bags or baskets filled with produce on their heads, and men—many dressed in the traditional sarong-like longyi—crouch over small plastic stools for morning coffee as well as banter. Monks roam around the city, barefooted and often with a briefcase and smartphone in tow. It was only seven years ago that the veil was lifted on Myanmar, also known as Burma. The once closed-off nation’s military government began transferring power to civilian leaders in 2011, and subsequently opened the country to visitors the following year. Since then, it has been…

Ernest Hemingway once said: “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.” An overwhelming feeling of happiness and gratitude is not uncommon when visiting the continent—especially so when you go on a safari. “Safari used to be a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, but more and more people are bitten by the safari bug,” says Nico Heath, co-founder of luxury travel agency Lightfoot Travel. For many, seeing lions and leopards in their natural habitats represents the ultimate in transformative travel. “Unfortunately, human incursion and climate change are placing environmental pressures on the wildlife and the landscape. Droughts and poaching are having a detrimental effect on animal numbers, and habitats are shrinking,” Heath says. As an added incentive to return to the savannah, many safari…

PANDAN LEAVES Pandan’s visibility in the Western bar scene is growing, thanks largely to the efforts of globetrotting bartender Nico de Soto, who uses the fragrant leaves in various infusions at his New York bar Mace and Paris bar Danico. The long, leek-like, green leaf is often referred to as the “vanilla of Southeast Asia”—its floral and grassy notes make it a common sweetener in the region. As lauded bars like Kuala Lumpur’s Knowhere spotlight it in drinks, so might the profile of pandan increase globally. GULA MELAKA To amp up the sweetness in cocktails, bartenders have traditionally looked to demerara syrup, the brown sugar-based counterpart to garden variety simple syrup. For a simple Southeast Asian twist, consider the—in our opinion—superior gula melaka, a smoky, caramel-accented palm sugar that’s ubiquitous…

“What exactly is the point?” I’ve found this to be the almost universal reaction to low- and no-alcohol wine among both wine lovers and people in the wine trade. To be honest, it isn’t something I seriously considered either—until I spent many months between late 2016 and the present either pregnant or nursing. As a wine professional (and Master of Wine student for some of that time), it gave me pause. Though pregnancy is one obvious reason someone might wish to curb her alcohol consumption, I quickly realised I wasn’t alone. The reasons are myriad, from the inability to process alcohol (pretty common in southern China) to any number of health issues, religious prohibitions, as well as the need to drive, operate machinery or otherwise stay clear-headed. Maybe you just…

While he was growing up, Bryan Lee’s parents worked several jobs to make ends meet and it didn’t help that his father was a compulsive gambler. But with support from the generous donors of South Central Community Family Service Centre’s Dreams Academy, he made it through university and is now the country manager of a tech start-up in Vietnam. Lee shared his story during the Education Benefit Gala 2019 held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore last December and thanked those who gave him a chance to pursue his dreams. The charity dinner organised by healthcare firms Novena Global Lifecare and The Sylvan Group raised $5m for Dreams Academy and three other local organisations—Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations Service Fund, Daughters of Tomorrow and Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapurato champion education and…

ONGOING THE LINES WE DRAW Singaporean visual artist Robert Zhao Renhui explores the concepts of migration and extinction in the natural world and geographical boundaries in his latest solo exhibition of photography, video and installation works at ShanghArt Singapore. Till April 15. shanghartsingapore.com 7 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Theatre company Wild Rice returns with another staging of its award-winning adaptation of this Oscar Wilde comedic masterpiece, with an all-male cast and accompanied by new professional string ensemble, Concordia Quartet. Till March 8, at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre @ Wild Rice. wildrice.com.sg 7 THE DOORS REIMAGINED The music of American rock band The Doors and its legendary frontman Jim Morrison is brought to life through this orchestral concert featuring hit songs, including Light My Fire, performed by Justin Burford…

DRINK UP Calling all peripatetic oenophiles: the newly established WS New York is the drinking den of your dreams. Located next to the Vessel at Hudson Yards, the private members club has a 15,000-bottle wine list assembled by master sommelier Michael Engelmann and his team. The selections focus heavily on Californian wines—with gems like the 1986 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignonas well as wine from the Burgundy region, with over 40 different references from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. GAME OF THRONES , discerning jetsetters, has unveiled its 2020 event programme and we can’t wait to join the High Art and Highland Culture experience in September. The trip is centred around the Braemar Gathering, the annual Highland games religiously attended by the Royal Family. After rubbing elbows with royalty, guests…

For the first charity gala they have ever organised in their lives in December last year, cousins Terence (pictured left) and Nelson Loh scored a coup—they convinced former US president Barack Obama to be the event’s VIP speaker. The duo behind Novena Global Lifecare, one of the region’s largest integrated medical healthcare and aesthetic groups, knew they had to raise the bar to get donors to support their cause of empowering individuals by offering equal opportunities through education. “We wanted the event to be different and knew that our guest speaker shouldn’t follow a stereotype of the people who typically speak [at such events],” says Nelson, on the inaugural Education Benefit Gala. Held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Lohs’ medical business—a subsidiary of private investment company Dorr Group,…

Panerai’s latest ambassador, Jimmy Chin, is an acclaimed American filmmaker, who has won an Academy Award for Best Documentary, a Bafta, and seven Emmy Awards for his latest project, Free Solo. It documents rock climber Alex Honnold’s attempts to scale, under extreme conditions, the 3,000ft vertical wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. “Often as a professional climber, you are doing things that people might say or think is impossible, but I found that when you really commit to something you can achieve great things.”…

SIMPLY PEARLS A far-flung destination and superlative stones inspired Mikimoto’s latest high jewellery range, which celebrates the brand’s long-standing love affair with the French capital. “Jardin Mystérieux has taken nearly two years to develop,” reveals its Asia-Pacific managing director Yasuhiko Hashimoto. “And we’ve taken inspiration from Paris’ beautiful gardens.” Expect clutches of diamonds, coloured gems and pink conch pearls. Jardin Mystérieux collection by Mikimoto POSTCARD FROM PARIS Place Vendôme in Paris has been Boucheron’s main residence since 1893. In its honour, the brand has unveiled Paris, vu du 26, a collection influenced by the architecture of Boucheron’s Place Vendôme space which, rather enviably, boasts superb views of the Eiffel Tower. Paris, vu du 26 collection by Boucheron TIES THAT BIND Van Cleef & Arpels Contes d’Hiver collection’s wintry designs comprise…

BANGKOK: ASIA TODAY Taking advantage of Bangkok’s Wild West allure, bartender Niks Anuman-Rajadhon bucks global cocktail trends and does things his own way. The ethos here is local: the menu prominently features Thai rum along with dozens of varieties of foraged wild honeys and lesser known ingredients like bai hor wor—a herb coming from the Pga K’nyau indigenous tribe of northern Thailand. HO CHI MINH CITY: RABBIT HOLE Advertising professional Leon Nguyen’s self-proclaimed avant-garde bar transports drinkers to pre-war Saigon. Art deco furnishings, velvet curtains and live jazz sessions contribute to the image. One notable nouveau spirit to try: Hanoi’s small-batch Song Cai gin, a wholly Vietnamese bottling fused with hand-foraged botanicals and heirloom grains. HONG KONG: PONTIAC Pontiac is worth a visit for the music alone—a jukebox loaded with…

FEATHERWEIGHT (12.5% AND UNDER) Bolney Pinot Noir West Sussex 2016 (12%) As the climate warms, wine lovers are looking to England for cool climate wines—and the still pinots are garnering a lot of excitement. Bolney has gone all in with its effort, choosing grapes from its ripest sites and gently maturing the wines in oak, while still respecting the fruit’s underlying delicacy (don’t expect any over-extracted, brambly purple fruit here). Quinta do Ameal Loureiro Vinho Verde 2017 (11.5%) A hero producer in a category not known for its seriousness, this features the focused, citrussy loureiro grape (as opposed to the blends favoured by most vinho verde producers), creating a finely etched, clear-eyed rendering of this lush, hilly green area of Portugal. Rivera Pungirosa Bombino Nero Castel del Monte Rosato 2018…

It was a Merry British Christmas for the over 660 guests at The Great British Ball last December. Jointly hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore and The British Club, the celebration held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore shone the spotlight on all things British, from a town crier and bagpipe band, to Christmas carols. Before dinner commenced, guests enjoyed a performance by the Dover Court International School choir over a champagne reception. The ballroom was later declared open by the town crier and everyone made their way inside. After the main course was served, guests joined Daniel Jenkins, the effervescent host of the evening, and sang their hearts out to the classic song, The 12 Days of Christmas. After which, the live entertainment continued with Singapore-based showband The…

1 IL BARETTO AL BAGLIONI One of my favourite restaurants is Il Baretto al Baglioni for classic Milanese cuisine in an antique setting. Make sure to get the spaghetti—they make some of the best in the city. 2 LATTERIA DI SAN MARCO For a quick, light lunch with healthy options I go to Latteria di San Marco, where I usually get the crudaiola all’ arturo. It’s a traditional vegetable soup that’s a speciality of the restaurant’s chef, Arturo Maggi. 3 ANTICA LOCANDA SOLFERINO My favourite hotel is Locanda Solferino in Via Solferino. It’s not necessarily the fanciest, but it’s incredibly charming and has been frequented by many artists and authors since it opened in 1926. 4 GALLERIA KAUFMANN REPETTO Art lovers must visit Galleria Kaufmann Repetto, which houses pieces by…

For this month’s cover shoot, the Singapore Tatler crew made our way to Bali, Indonesia to meet with Francesco and Birgit Galli Zugaro, the couple behind boutique luxury cruise company Aqua Expeditions. The air was balmy as we made our way through a local port, where we boarded a tender that took us to Aqua Blu, the company’s newest vessel. On board, we showed the couple all the outfits we had prepared for them. Francesco was open to the idea of moving away from the somewhat cliched linen look for a simple but sharp burgundy turtleneck sweater paired with board shorts. And because style is always an amalgamation of different ideas, he decided to pick his own accessories. We are guessing Francesco’s delight with his new look encouraged Birgit to…

DOUBLE TROUBLE This newbie to high society was recently spotted at a charity gala handing out samples of her latest make-up products. Her banker husband was similarly lacking in social graces, annoying their tablemates all night by name-dropping the politicians he knew “like family”. Now, that’s two names struck off future guest lists! SMOKE & MIRRORS Unhappy with the photo her go-to jeweller posted of her on its Instagram account, this VIP client insisted that the post be deleted and replaced with a selfie she took wearing her new necklace—never mind she had clearly (and poorly) given herself a digital nip and tuck.…

Couples get to know each other on a whole new level when they travel together, and tiffs triggered by life on the road and constant togetherness are not unheard of. When Francesco and Birgit Galli Zugaro took their first major trip together, however, perfect harmony prevailed. Considering they were backpacking around the world for a year, spanning 1996 to 1997, that harmony was a very impressive achievement indeed. “He was a great companion. We never got tired of each other,” says Birgit. They met as students at Boston College in the US in the 1990s and by the time they embarked on this epic adventure, they had already been in a relationship for six years. They had gone on weekend vacations, visited each other’s families (hers in Ecuador, his in…

Since arriving in Galway in 1999, I have always been struck by its bohemian character. It is a city in thrall to the arts. One of my most abiding memories is of the Macnas Parade, a street performance that winds its way down through the medieval city, with larger-than-life puppets controlled by performers. It elicits a magical sense of wonder from onlookers, whether they are children or adults. Music and fire are common features—they light up the city and crystallise the way in which the west of Ireland is a place apart from the rest of the country. People come to Galway to encounter its magic, which can be found in the many theatres, bars, restaurants, cafes and music venues that give the city its international reputation for great hospitality.…

Suite Dreams Get the full royal treatment with three of the world’s best first class experiences, where nothing is too much to ask for EMIRATES FIRST CLASS Emirates’ new first class suites onboard its B777-300ER aircraft are the first in the industry to be fully enclosed, with sliding doors that extend all the way from the cathedral-like ceiling to the floor. Each suite features its own temperature control unit and you can request room service, as you would in a five-star hotel, via the video call function of your personal entertainment system. It is also the first airline to have found a creative solution to the unpopular middle seats. On its new 777s, Emirates has installed virtual windows, and the view is exactly the same as through the real windows.…

The first thing you see is an 8m-tall gilded tower whose brightly lit shelves are neatly lined with seemingly hundreds of liquor bottles. Below, bartenders in crisp white blazers shake and stir with equal parts poise and bravado. You order a gin martini, which arrives in a custom etched coupe glass with one of those thin, rounded lemon peel twists floating in it. But even before you take a sip, you’ve already forgotten where (and when) you’re standing. You’d be reasonably forgiven for losing yourself in Atlas, the legendary gin-centric bar that opened in Singapore in 2017 yet feels like New York City circa 1920. After all, the 7,400sqft bar is set in the lobby of Parkview Square, one of the city-state’s iconic art deco skyscrapers whose grandiose bronze facade…