Don the Beachcomber Zombie
For an island nation, we sure don’t pay a lot of attention to Tiki drinks. Right that oversight with this rendition of Tiki standby, the Zombie. Tiki rum potion, apricot brandy, pineapple, bitters and passion fruit are given a good shake, then poured into a tall glass. Ready yourself for a high impact showpiece: a brown sugar cube and drop of absinthe are added to the sweet amber mix, which is flamed before serving.
$27 from Tippling Club.

For Whom The Bell Tolls
Fans of Ernest Hemingway will appreciate this tart but well-balanced rum-based short number with Maraschino, pink grapefruit and lime. It’s accompanied by a paper airplane folded from a page out of the novel which inspired it. Remove the paper clip and imbibe the pale pink libation to feel like a literary genius.
$21 from The Cufflink Club.

Ti Punc
The ingredient list for this understated drink may be the simplest of the bunch but it doesn’t compromise on flavor. A clean hit of French Caribbean rhum agricole (rum made from sugar cane juice rather than the usual molasses) and tangy freshly squeezed lime are tamed by a spoonful of sugar and a handful of ice cubes for an utterly refreshing glassful. It’s the perfect antidote to a hot day.
$16 from Balzac Brasserie.

What’s different about your new album Driving Towards The Daylight?
I think I’m singing better on this album. Years on the road and all those singing lessons are paying off.

This is your 13th album. How do you feel about that? Are you superstitious?
I haven’t even thought about it. All I know is that it’s my biggest album and I think the best. Only took me 13 tries to get it right... I feel like a late bloomer.

Who are your biggest influences?
B.B. King, Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton are pretty much tied for first.

Who would you like to work with next?
I would love to work with Mark Knopfler or Joe Walsh one day. Walsh’s a personal hero who I have never met.

You have quite a collection of guitars. Which is your favorite?
My favorite guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Standard 9-1951, made in 1959. Unfortunately, I don’t bring any of the old ones abroad due to airline restrictions.

What do you want audiences to take away from the concert?
I want audiences to feel they got their money’s worth—enjoying the great sound and not realizing two hours just flew by.

Joe Bonamassa plays on September 17 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

I caught the writing bug after I quit my job as a lawyer to be at home with my daughter.

The high tide of maternal hormones ebbed fairly quickly.

I’d like my books to make a difference—even if it is to just one person.

I’m proud that I’ve kept working at this writing business even if it can on occasion seem discouraging.

I imagined, when I was in the UK studying law that I would return to Malaysia, fight for things I cared about—human rights, accountability and democracy. One day I would be elevated to the bench and write judgments on important issues that would stand the test of time as precedents.

I’m not the first ambitious woman to discover that children change one’s priorities, at least in the short term!

My husband reads my drafts, tells me they’re great and holds my hand when the rejection letters come in. Also, he tells me whodunit in my crime novels when I can’t decide between all the potential murderers.

A small part of me would like to go back to full-time employment. But I hope very much to keep writing about the things I care about—politics, sport and the environment—for both adults and kids.

I miss being a lawyer. It’s such an interesting, surprising and occasionally amusing subject.

Law is the means by which humanity seeks to maintain a standard of individual and social behavior.

There’s usually a legal angle to my crime fiction books somewhere! I still have this idea that I might go back to practice sometime. But it seems more and more unlikely.

I don’t think anyone is going to hire me as it’s been a long time since I followed an instruction.

My most secret desire is to be a soccer star! I make up for the disappointment by training my children to play the sport and writing children’s novels about it.

I take a break by watching Fox News and shouting rude things at the telly. It’s shocking what right-wing propaganda they dish out as news.

My last thought will probably be that I wish I’d spent more time watching TV.

On a perfect day, Obama wins the re-election and I have Thai food and Champagne for dinner to celebrate.

In a word, I’m dissatisfied. It’s an exhausting way to be but I always think I can do more, work harder and try something else. I expect I’ll keep it up until I keel over one day.

I’m not the sort of person who ever thinks a job is done. I just move the goalposts a bit further out.

If I were an animal, I’d be a sun bear. I’m brown, cuddly and short-tempered as well.

We deprive our children of a future if the government and society fail to deal with climate change in a rational way.

Don’t limit your world to what you can see and touch. Read a book and expand the horizons of the mind. I promise I’m not just saying this because I’m a writer!

How did you come up with the idea for this company?
Tay Lay Suan: We noticed that travel agencies could not cater specifically to our needs, interests and safety requirements. On top of this, we found our female friends often unable to find travel companions.

What were the biggest challenges you faced?
TLS: Women-only tours have been around in the West for more than 10 years. However, getting Asian customers to buy into this new concept takes time and patience.

Do you have any advice for budding entrepreneurs?
TLS: Be prepared to do what it takes and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. After all, you only live once.

How do you see the business growing over time?
Anna Koh: Singaporeans love traveling. Women, whether single, married or retired do it. We expect our business to show healthy growth.

Why was the Singapore market suitable?
AK: Ladies in Singapore are adventurous, mature and sophisticated. They want to interact with foreign people and experience overseas culture. At the same time, they enjoy doing feminine things and like to travel without their family in tow.

What do you think of the startup scene in Singapore?
AK: Definitely vibrant! New businesses are sprouting everyday and the founders are younger too.

What are your expansion plans?
AK: Our target is to add 10 new locations in the next 12 months. We will also extend our reach to women outside of Singapore, to the entire region.