Spring Fever
What is it about: Acclaimed Chinese director Lou Ye (Suzhou River, Summer Palace) presented his latest work at this year’s Cannes Film Festival to mixed reviews. Like most reviewers, we absolutely love the lucidity and rawness of the film (think Happy Together meets Breathless), although the plot does get a tad melodramatic. A woman (Jiang Jiaqi) learns that her husband (Wu Wei) is having an affair with another man (Qin Hao) after hiring a male detective (Chen Sicheng) to spy on him. But soon the detective gets smitten by the other man, and has an affair with him instead, to the disapproval of the detective’s girlfriend (Tan Zhou), who must decide if she still wants in on the relationship or to walk away.
Who’s in it: Mostly unknown mainland Chinese actors, although the acting is convincing throughout. Qin Hao, who bears a slight resemblance to Happy Together’s Chang Chen, received a Best Actor nomination nod at the 47th Golden Horse Awards (Taiwan’s equivalent of the Oscars).  
Behind closed doors: Like Happy Together, the film opens with a torrid sex scene. Later on, we see more male on male action between the other man and the detective in the shower which looked it like it was played for real. Oh, and there’s another scene involving the detective and his wife, too. Yes, it all gets very, very complicated.
Overall sexiness: . All the men in the film are bisexual in some inexplicable way, and it seems like they’ll pretty much have a go at anything that moves. Director Lou Ye conveys the transient and lucid nature of love and sex beautifully in this film through fiercely spontaneous performances and gritty cinematography which adds to its French New Wave feel. TO

The Housemaid
What is it about: A Fatal Attraction type horror thriller based on a 1960 Korean classic of the same name, The Housemaid aims to shock and pretty much nothing else. Unlike its century old, black and white counterpart, this one bears not a shred of social conscience—every main character seems to be equally and exceptionally flawed. A wide-eyed, (deceivingly) innocent woman (Jeon Do Yeon) moves into an opulent household as the family’s “hanyo” (housemaid) and gets involved in a sordid affair with the man of the house (Lee Jung Jae), resulting in very extreme (and predictable) consequences.
Who’s in it: The award-winning Jeon Do Yeon is no stranger to the image of the desperate, broken woman, having played similar roles in Secret Sunshine and My Dear Enemy. She lends a certain emotion (we’re not sure if it was pity or disgust) to an otherwise cold film. Look out for the waif-like, doe-eyed actress Seo Woo who plays the young benevolent wife—she’s a stunner.
Behind closed doors: It basically goes like this: The maid is naked in bed with her laptop. Her boss walks into her bedroom with a bottle of wine. She seduces him—yawn. Once you’ve gotten over how the “victim” doesn’t seem to be victimized at all, you will notice how the beautiful and heavily-pregnant wife punctuates every few scenes with some extreme yoga poses—the sexiest bit of the film as far as we’re concerned.
Overall sexiness: . It seems director Im Sang-Soo merely rode on the success of Kim Soo-Hyun’s original to make this movie work. Besides the skeletal plot, almost nothing else is similar. What you’re left with, then, is the rudely shocking ending typical of most Korean thrillers. HS

The Housing and Development Board’s latest Sample Household Survey reveals that the number of Singaporeans living in high-rise flats has increased, which means there’s more of us than ever before struggling to find space in our homes. Fortunately, furniture stores offer a variety of ingenious storage devices to help reduce clutter. We pick out the ones that caught our eye so you can maximize what little space you have, without compromising on aesthetics.

Kartell Panier
Where to put it: Living room
What it is: Designed by dynamic duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, this container doubles up as a neat coffee table when an acrylic or glass cover is placed on top ofit. You can use it to store your reading material or coffee mugs, and even turn it into a showcase for your stuffed toy collection.
Why we like it: Stacking one on top of the other reveals no end of funky arrangements—and we’re suckers for the rocket launcher look.
$428 from Space Furniture, 2/F Milennia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd., 6415-0000; Kartell Flagship Store, #05-14 The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Rd., 6238-7323.

Arflex Live bookshelves
Where to put it: Study room
What it is: European designer Giuseppe Vigano takes the industrialist approach to design, which is apparent in the minimalist lines of these wall shelves. Not only do they take up zero floor space, they also create an interesting visual for your wall.
Why we like it: Arranged in a certain way, you can even make them spell your name. How cool is that?
$3,600 per piece from Mod Living, #01-01/02 Central Mall, 7 Magazine Rd., 6336-2286.

Tragg Buffet cupboard
Where to put it: Living room or bedroom
What it is: It’s a cupboard with a mighty strong American Black walnut finish from AIR’s Plank Living collection. It’s 150cm long, making it perfect as a TV console and a storage unit for all your DVDs, albums and remote controls. Now you have no excuse for leaving your porn collection lying around.
Why we like it: If you’re a strong advocate of Team Green like we are, you’ll like that this classic piece is made up entirely of sustainable resources.
$6,036 from AIR Flagship Store, #01-01 Sophia Flats, 28 Wilkie Rd., 6336-0662.

Ikea Godmorgon box
Where to put it: Bathroom
What it is: You know those cool black boxes makeup artists carry around? This one works and looks just like those except you fit this multi-compartment tray into the top drawer of your washstand.
Why we like it: There are compartments of all sizes here so you can keep your nail polishes, brushes, creams and even accessories within reach. This one even has a hidden compartment where you can stash your spare credit card. Vanity tables are so last year.
$25 from Ikea Tampines, 60 Tampines North Drive 2, 6786-6868.

Let’s face it—nice art is something we’d all like to have on our walls, but it’s something few of us can afford. Well, that’s all about to change with the arrival of the Affordable Art Fair, an art extravaganza selling everything from paintings and sculptures to prints and photography, all priced below $10,000 and all clearly labeled, so there’s no question about what you can and can’t afford. 

What is it about the Fair that you think resonates with the public?
It’s approachable, accessible and fun!

What are some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the AAF?
People seem to think that affordability means low quality. There are both established and young artists who sell a good range of quality works for under our price ceiling. Furthermore, when we go to new cities, the ‘established art market’ tends to make the assumptions that there is no space in the market for this kind of show, that the buyers we attract don’t exist because they don’t even go to the galleries. It is always a great feeling when the galleries actually see the show and think, “Wow, I have never seen these people before in my gallery. They are really interested and they are buying.”

How is the AAF Singapore different from the other editions?
Each market that we go to is, of course, different – even if they come from the same region (for example, in Europe, Italy, France and the UK are all very different). With Singapore, the art market is growing quickly and is very dynamic, more so than other new markets that we have entered recently. There is strong support from the government. It’s a very exciting market to enter and also interesting because there is such a diverse mix of people here.

Can you describe a typical day for you during the fair?
I like to spend a lot of time with the galleries and see them interacting with the visitors. I also like to see what is being bought.

What’s next for the AAF?
The next new fair that we have is in Milan in February 2011, which we are excited about. Aside from that, we are looking at a number of potential cities in Europe, Asia and also Latin America, although these are at the early stages of research!

The Affordable Art Fair will be running from Nov 19-21, 11am, 6pm at the F1 Pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd., 6736-1430. $25-30 from Sistic.

How did you guys get together?

I was born in Southwick, next to Manchester. Most of us were either born or grew up in the West Midlands and that’s where The Charlatans were formed.

You’ve had an illustrious career; which album was the most memorable?

Our first record Some Friendly was definitely memorable because it became so successful so quickly. They all took a lot of energy to make and made up a lot of my personality; of who I am now.

Recently your pal and drummer Jon Brookes was diagnosed with a brain tumor. How has that affected the band?

It’s changed us a lot, having to watch our friend collapse on stage with the audience filming him. The whole diagnosis has been playing on our minds throughout our tour. Anyway, we’re lucky to have a replacement of such high caliber as Pete Salisbury from The Verve.

Does this take you back to the mid 90s, when keyboardist Rob Collins died in a car accident?

Rob’s death was instant. It was instant closure. With Jon’s sickness, there’s still optimism.

What’s the biggest lesson singing for The Charlatans has taught you?

To believe in myself. In 80 percent of the things I do, I experience those moments where there is a lot of self doubt. I’ve learnt to keep telling myself I’m always right.

What would you change about the band if you got the chance to meet yourself from 20 years ago?

I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, there have been some distressing times but I always remind myself that this whole thing is about music.

Tell us a little bit about your latest album Who We Touch.

We created it so that it would tell a story and grab the listeners’ attention. It’s sometimes disturbing, and sometimes triumphant and optimistic—it’s an interesting one.

Catch The Charlatans featuring Pete Salisbury from The Verve on Nov 23, 8pm at The Warehouse, Scape, 2 Orchard Link, 6521-6565. $75 from Sistic.

The buzz: This Korean makeup and skincare brand was already famous in Singapore despite not having opened an outlet here—until now that is.

The vibe: From the day of its opening, the store has been inundated with squealing girls and we suspect it’s because Tony Moly’s products are so adorably packaged that the whole place looks like a giant pantry full of goodies. Look out for their gondola of apples (pots of face cream) and row of eggs (tightening clay masks). The brand is also endorsed by Korean superstars the Brown-eyed Girls, whose picture-perfect poses printed everywhere around the store might make for a higher male patronage.

The goods: Fans of Tony Moly used to have to travel approximately six hours to Korea to get their hands on their favorite products. Well, not anymore. The store is stocked with skincare bestsellers such as the Egg Pore series, the Tomatox and the Appletox, plus colorful makeup options.

Why you’ll be back: They must be doing something well as only one month into the opening of the first store, Tony Moly has already announced the launch of its second store at Bugis Junction later this month.

#02-151 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Blvd., 6336-9186. Open 10am-10pm

Singapore is something of a golfers’ paradise. We should know; we’ve given birth to one of the bigger golf champions in Asia, Mardan Mamat. So if you’ve been thinking about taking up the sport, the city is a good place to start. Golf coach Nathan Koh says it is not hard to pick up golf. “If you can master the swing right from the start, you’re all set,” he says. But if you need a wee bit more guidance than that, we’ve rounded up all the necessary details to get you on your way to becoming the next Tiger Woods. Just remember, it’s a precision sport, so if things don’t go right initially, keep practicing.

The Essentials
Of course, before you begin, you need to get the gear. Usually, beginners get a so-called “half set” of clubs to get started. A half set includes a driver, a putter, a 3-wood, a 7-iron, a 9-iron and a pitching wedge. The main difference between clubs is the shafts. A graphite shaft is best for beginners. A beginner’s set of clubs can cost up to $1,200.

Besides clubs, you will also need gloves, a golf bag and shoes. According to Salamat Kasmani, a retail supervisor and an avid golfer of over 20 years, beginners should buy a Sunday bag, which can carry approximately three to four clubs. “Stand bags are usually for pros who are already active on the walking course, where you have to carry your own clubs around because there are no caddies. Typically, golfers carry the buggy bag but I recommend that beginners use the Sunday bag, which is lightweight and convenient for a trip to the driving range,” he says. Gloves are also necessary because they provide a more secure grip on your club and prevent blisters. Golfers without proper shoes with spikes on the sole (essential for grip as the green can get pretty wet) are not allowed to step on the turf. Source for these golfing essentials at Pan-West (#02-06 Far East Shopping Centre, 545 Orchard Rd., 6733-4331) and TransviewGolf (3/F Shaw House, 350 Orchard Rd., 6735-4241).

Get some tips on buying golf clubs

Take a Class
All beginners are required to take a proficiency certificate (PC) test before competing on a bona fide golf course. This helps to measure your skills in technical aspects such as driving, pitching and bunkering as well as prepares you mentally for your game. Sounds intimidating? Don’t worry, there are many places in Singapore equipped to polish you up for that big swing. Here are some.

Heartland Golf Schools
At Heartland, you can register for an introductory one-hour session to decide if this is really the sport for you. Once you’ve set your mind on it, you can go further and learn how to swing the club, hit the ball and develop more advanced skills on the golf course, as well as gain an understanding of the safety principles and etiquette involved. You can even ask for the instructors to design a program for you (or your group of like-minded pals) to pass your PC test or obtain your handicap. 1/F Driving Range, Jurong Country Club, 9 Science Centre Rd., 6563-2455. Private lessons go for $125 per session. Group rates and a 15 percent discount for Jurong Country Club members are also available.

MaxSwing Indoor Golf
Once you’ve gotten into the swing (heh!) of things, you’ll want to keep on practicing regardless of weather conditions. This virtual indoor golf center ensures you can do just that with its official PGA Golf Simulator, the only of its kind in Singapore, which is known for its unmatched accuracy, life-like 3D graphics and amazing ability to accurately replicate ball flight and a golfer’s true play putt at any length. Perfect your swing with their frame-by-frame analysis, which breaks down every detail of your game play so that you can monitor and improve it. If you need a little more guidance than that, you can engage their in-house PGA professional coaches Alan Murray and Garry Overy, who are available upon request. Coaching costs $45-120 for 30 to 60 minute sessions. Beginners’ crash courses cost $400 for five hourly sessions. #04-29/30 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6502-0200, www.maxswing.com.sg.

Practice even when you’re on holiday at Bintan’s finest

Ria Bintan
Named one of the top three golf courses in the Asia Pacific by the Asian Golf Monthly, the Ria BintanGolf Club is a 36-hole championship golf course designed by South African pro Gary Player. It consists of the scenic Ocean and Forest courses, a golf academy, putting green, driving range and impressive spa facilities. And that’s not all it’s known for. Ria Bintan is also a Club Med holiday destination, complete with free flow beers and wines at lunch and dinner, a circus trapeze and a private beach. Bliss. Contact their Singapore office at #14-01/10 Bugis Junction Tower, 230 Victoria St., 6338-8111,
www.riabintan.com.

Bintan Lagoon
The resort consists of the Jack Nicklaus Sea View and the Ian Baker-Finch Woodlands golf courses, which offer spectacular signature holes, immaculate greens, undulating fairways and scenic water hazards. Their resort is also immensely popular with its Asian chic suites and villas as well as modern conveniences, making Bintan Lagoon the perfect holiday destination for golfers around the world. Contact their Singapore office at #08-08 Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Rd., 6750-2280,
www.bintanlagoon.com.

The best thing about growing up during my era is experiencing living in both the kampong and the newly-developed urban residences. They’ve made me what I am.

My parents were the only children in the family so they basically lived on their own. We didn’t really have any relatives. They were always very encouraging. The best advice I’ve received from them is to choose the right friends and read the right books.

I wasn’t a good student. I don’t remember ever enjoying my studies. What I do remember is that I really loved reading dance magazines. All I wanted to do then was to join the army and its Music & Drama Company (MDC).

I left Singapore to study dance theater in London. I was 20 when I left. I had received a scholarship from the British Council and stayed there for three and a half years. It was such a great feeling then. I still go back there every year.

When I was in London, I realized how small Singapore truly was. This whole idea of globalization had not yet descended upon us, so it was in London that I truly saw the whole world. It was so cosmopolitan, with people from all over. For a kampong boy, being exposed to such a big city truly shocked me.

My whole life is about people. People are my inspiration. The makcik at the nasi padang stall is my inspiration. The auntie who sits beside me in the MRT is my inspiration. Because I’m a known person, people stop me all the time so that they can start a conversation with me.

A sabbatical, as much as it can be rewarding, is not relevant to me because I work in TV. The best thing to do is to listen to the viewers who have made you the person you are. Being with people and listening to them make me relevant. I don’t need to go on a sabbatical.

You need to be a Jack of all trades and a master of one to be in this business. I’m a master at writing and hosting but I also want to be able to do more things, so I produce. People in the entertainment industry who’ve lasted many years are all still here because they do one thing really well, but they can also do many other things.

Singapore as a consumerist nation doesn’t really push the entertainment envelope very far. People here still perceive entertainment as a mere distraction from which you cannot earn money. It still hasn’t been portrayed that entertainment can be inspirational and help build character. That needs to be brought forward to the people.

My biggest pet peeve is technology—it annoys me. It really drives me crazy having to learn how to use all these new phone and computer applications.

People need to learn how to give time to their happiness. You must give time for your own personal evolution; for yourself to change. Everyone seems to be in such a rush to make it, when they should be slowing down so they can allow growth.
 

This month, J-Rock overrides the Korean wave with the I Love Anisong Mega Music Concert, which is part of this year’s Anime Festival Asia (AFA X) 2010.

You describe yourself as “the most powerful girlie pop rock” band. What’s so powerful about you?
That term was initially given to us by the media but we really like the vision. Girls are getting more powerful nowadays and we hope that our music can reflect this.

What’s with the sweet school girl image then?
We never intended to portray that image but as girls, we’ve always wanted to be pretty and beautiful, hence the result.

Why call yourselves Scandal?
A shop near the studio we used to go to was called “Scandal.” We thought it sounded a little naughty.

Your debut album ranked No. 5 on Japan’s famed Oricon chart.  How do you feel about that?
It’s unusual for us to have achieved something like that because it has been a long time since a girl band last ranked so high on the charts. We are honored.

Tell us a little bit about your favorite songs from the album.
“Scandal Baby” is one of our favorites! It always gets the audience hot and excited at live performances. The lyrics also express our resolution when our first album was released, which is why we’re very fond of it. We hope to play it at AFA X!
 

Get naughty with Scandal at the I Love Anisong Mega Music Concert on Nov 14, 6:30pm. Suntec Convention & Exhibition Hall 402, 1 Raffles Blvd., 6337-2888. $118 from Gatecrash.

The buzz: The Pink Parlour waxing chain is already well known for its complete menu of hair removal services and even more so for its gaudy, boudoir-like premises.

The vibe: The interiors will either make or break your beauty session. If you’re the catty sort who likes a lot of black and pink, plush carpeting and blinding baubles, the décor will probably help ease you into getting waxed off. However, if you’re not into the whole Showgirls aesthetic, we suggest you opt for a more relaxing session, such as a facial treatment.

The facilities: This new flagship outlet spans over 1,500 sq. ft. of space divided into three private rooms, one cozy en suite room and even a couple’s waxing room (though we think this will be more popular with giggly girlfriends than straight couples, to be honest).

Why you’ll be back: The same reason why all the ladies go back to Pink Parlour despite it being so in-your-face—everything you need to pretty yourself up is available here, from waxing and spray tanning to body polishes and caviar hand treatments.

#03-19/20/22 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6238-1051. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-9pm, Sun 10:30am-7pm.