Aldo’s

Cascade Club, The Ascott, 187 Sathorn Rd., Yannnawa, Sathorn Bangkok, 02676-6969.
Aldo’s is divided into a large air-conditioned room and an outdoor pool area, which features romantic cabana dining. Offers delicious and healthy Mediterranean cuisine and a great wine list. Dining under the roof of a sala with a pool beside you—that’s one romantic Songkran.

AQUA

Four Seasons Hotel, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-254-1137. BTS Ratchadamri. Open daily 11am-midnight.
The ducks as well as the punters love the misty fans in this cool outdoor hangout. Dipping yourself in the pond or using that water to splash into your date’s face is not recommended—unless you really hate him/her.

Bay Ta Ra-Bar Ta Le

100 Jakraphong Rd., Soi Rambutri, Pranakorn, 02-281-2899, 08-6323-5403. Open daily 6pm-1am.
Secluded bar with vivid blue pool and painfully hip glass building as a backdrop. The alfresco area gives you space to chill out on white beach chairs while the band plays Thai and English songs nightly. Nice.

WATERSIDE

13/16, Moo 9, Pradit Manootham Rd., Bueng Koom, 02- 943-9496/-7. www.waterside-bkk.com. Open daily 5pm-1am.
This establishment actually sits on the water. The sophisticated lighting creates a convincing illusion of intimacy. Live music performed by in house bands starts at 7pm. Expect Thai pop rock, commercial pop and inter songs, plus lots of golden oldies of Thai/inter pop tunes.

Sony Marine Pack for DSC N-2 MPK-NA. Water-resistant up to 40 meters. Perfect for both diving and waterfights. B9,990.

This Olympus Mju 725 SW is tougher than it looks. Shockproof to 1.5 meters, waterproof to 5 meters (40 meters with PT-033 underwater case) and a cool 7.1 million pixels. B16,990.

DMW-MCFX01, Panasonic Marine Case for Lumix DMC TZ1. Water-resistant to 40 meters. B9,890.

Snap away, but be quick, with the Pentax Optio W20. Water-resistant to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. B13,990.

The one and only Lomo underwater camera, Frogeye. Unlike the others, it’s not digital. Works with 35mm (normal) film and AAA batteries. Highly recommended for outdoor shots. If you love over-exposed pics, try using slide film, then ask a photo lab to cross-process your photos. B3,900.

In case you don’t know, yoga is different from Pilates. While yoga seeks to fuse the physical, intellectual, mental and spiritual aspects of your body, Pilates actually combines precise movements to stretch muscles and improve the body alignment, breathing and general body movement. So in a nutshell, Pilates is a purely physical activity while yoga also focuses on your inner calm. Here’s our pick of some good Pilates places.

Ivana Daniell Studio

Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Blvd., 6736-2991.
Ivana Daniell and her team of instructors have over 16 years’ experience under their belts. They teach Pilates and Gyrotonic classes, which are different movement systems that develop coordination. Pilates Classes are capped at eight students and three for Gyrotonic.

Pilates Bodyworks

#19-01 Commerce Point, 3 Philip St., 6538-8922.
This is the studio certified by Ron Fletcher—the protégé to Joseph Pilates, the founding father of Pilates (duh). It’s also Asia’s largest Pilates-only studio. Classes are pretty small, but there are one-on-one classes as well.

Sky Pilates

#05-03 Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Rd., 6100-7597.
“Strength, flexibility and posture”—that’s the guiding mantra of these guys who offer quality fitness. Get a great treetop view of Orchard Road as you work those limbs. They use only proper Pilates equipment and have fully-trained experts teaching more than 40 small classes every week.

Yoga Studios

Bikram Yoga City Hall

#02-14 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6339-6639.
This yoga studio has the official authorization of the Bikram Yoga College of India. It’s also the only yoga studio here to judiciously follow the original hot yoga practice. You’ll find 26 hatha yoga postures here, two breathing exercises and sessions with 40-degree temperatures. Sweat it out.

COMO Shambhala Urban Escape

#06-05 Forum The Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd.,
6735-2163.
Run by the famed Club 21 boutique, this yoga studio allows fans to pick from hatha and ashtanga. This place is great for novices and experts as there are different levels available.

Gaia Yoga Centre

#03-01 Thongsia Building, 30 Bideford Rd., 6738-2028.
An extensive range of yoga is taught here—hatha, flow, pranayama, women’s health, and gentle yoga. People who like to go into Zen mode can also try the meditation classes. Gaia also organizes yoga retreats in Manado, Indonesia.

Pure Yoga

#18-00 Ngee Ann City Tower A, 319 Orchard Rd., 6733-8863.
This yoga studio hails from Hong Kong. They have five studios here and over 180 classes. You’ll find the works here—ashtanga, vinyasa yoga, hatha, power yoga and hot yoga for true-blue yoga fans. Classes have about 15 students in them.

True Yoga

4/F, Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Rd., 6733-9555
2/F, Ocean Towers, 20 Raffles Place, 6536-3390.
Classes are quite big but extremely varied. There are ashtanga, hatha, power yoga, hatha vinyasa and even yoga therapy classes available.

Whatever Yoga & Healing Space

20, 29A and 31 Keong Saik Rd., 6224-0300.
Big fans of ashtanga and hatha vinyasa yoga, mediation and homeopathy, intuitive massage, reiki and psychic readings will love this yoga hangout. In addition to classes, there are also workshops and talks you can attend.

Yogaffinity

2/F, 157A Telok Ayer St., 6223-8254.
This is the first hot yoga studio in Singapore, and a good place for beginners. About 25 classes of Bikram and power yoga are held weekly in a sweltering 37-degree room. Plus you can check out their range of pricey-but-nice-and-funky yoga togs.

The Yoga Place

King George’s Building, 328B King George’s Ave., 9270-2670.
Followers of ashtanga yoga flock here. The classes are capped at seven students, and are intimate instead of large and rowdy. Raj, the resident instructor, not only knows his stuff but also has a great sense of humor.

Fitness Centers/Gyms That Offer Yoga

Everyone loves a two-in-one, which comes in great use when you don’t even have time to wash your hair. Here are some nifty establishments that are both a gym and a yoga studio, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

California Fitness Jackie Chan Sport

3/F, Velocity @ Novena Square, 238 Thomson Rd., 6250-2345 and other outlets.
The big name in fitness has teamed up with Asia’s big name—Jackie Chan—of late, offering members a wide variety of fitness regimes. Classes can be rather big, but pretty much everything is under one roof. There’s boxercise, Bodyjam, hip hop, Fitball, Bodypump and tai chi. Hatha and basic yoga classes are on the yoga programs.

Fitness First

8/F, One Raffles Quay, 6327-5550 and other outlets.
This well-established gym has just opened a new outlet at One Raffles Quay, which boasts advanced gym equipments—like a kinesis studio, free-weight and strength equipment, Technogym cardio equipment (including the CardioWave), plus bikes and cross trainers. Yoga classes at this outlet include hatha and power yoga. The other outlets teach mostly hatha yoga.

Planet Fitness

#07-00 Caltex House, 30 Raffles Place, 6438-3000
#03-10 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk, 6278-3000 and other outlets.
Another gym which has a large chain islandwide, Planet Fitness has its share of free weights, fitness cross trainers, treadmills and elliptical machines. Members are evaluated regularly over six months to gauge their progress. This outlet also has a hot yoga studio.

TRUE Yoga & Fitness Centre

#01-22 OUB Centre, 1 Raffles Place, 6536-7707.
This is the only TRUE outlet that integrates a gym with a yoga studio of sorts. The new outlet in Shenton Way has got hatha, hot, gentle, therapy and ashtanga yoga classes. The huge, funky gym is fitted with fibre optic lights and groovy disco balls.

PLUS: Who you might meet at the yoga center.

Just ask around in your circle of friends and chances are that at least one of them is attending a yoga class, or has attended one before in his or her lifetime.

Numerous yoga studios and fitness centers have sprung up all over the island in the past two years, all eager to rake in what some term as the “yoga dollar”. According to a The Straits Times article in Feb this year, yoga was voted as one of the country’s top ten sports last year—which means Singaporeans are finding it an effective way to tone up and wind down.

So now you know: Yoga is the new way to attaining better health, peace and a erm, rubbier physique (you know what we mean). Not only will you surprise yourself with never-before known feats of dexterity, but you’ll also enjoy a new inner calm. So read on for a guide to this yog-tastic sport.

Yoga Stereotypes

Once you embark on your yoga travels, we’re sure you’ll be rubbing shoulders and yoga mats with a few recurring types that you will no doubt have many encounters with (for better or worse). Here’s our pick of some. Recognize any?

The Yoga Bunny (read: Vainpot)

While the rest of us sweat it out in totally unglam positions matched with angst-ridden expressions, this said species just waltzes in wearing the tiniest (and trendiest) gym outfit with matching yoga bag and mat, plus the latest perfume, accessories and matching colored nails—looking like a Barbie Yoga Doll. It makes you wonder if they’re there for yoga or to be a human exhibit of bimbotic-ness. No wonder you can’t master the moves. You’re puking inside half the time.

How to deal with them: “Accidentally” spill your half-drunk latte in their yoga bag, then casually offer them your most hideous, ah-soh (auntie) T-shirt to wear home. Then, as she puts it on reluctantly, glossed lips trembling, take a picture of her and stick it on her locker. That’s sure to make her famous.

Yoga studio most likely to frequent: COMO Shambhala Urban Escape. It’s run by Club 21. Enough said.

The Royal Whiner

While to complain is to be Singaporean, this species takes the cake. You can hear them before you see them—whining about how hot the room is during a hot yoga session, how difficult it is to touch their small toe, how prickly the bath towels and yoga mats are, how slowww the instructor is, and when he picks up his speed, how they can’t keep up because the instructor is “too fast lah!”. The classes are too big (or too small) depending on their mood, and virtually every type of yoga is too tough for them. In short, nothing is ever good enough for these guys—the Yoga Malcontent.

How to deal with them: Whatever you do, don’t be a fool and complain along with them. That will fuel their dissatisfaction and they’ll follow you to the ends of the earth, still bitching away. Just ignore them. Walk away halfway while they are poised in mid-bitch. Or just hiss savagely “shaaaaad dup lah.”

Yoga studio most likely to frequent: The Yoga Place. Classes are pretty small here, so the Royal Whiner has ample time and space to air their one million and one grievances.

The Showoff

This yoga specimen thinks they’re too good to walk on the same ground as you—the inadequate yoga duckling. Unfortunately good at the yoga game, they make no bones about letting everyone know it. You’ll see them executing the most excruciating pose without the slightest effort, then coolly telling you to try it. They’ll be the smart ass raising their hand and offering information when the instructor asks the class a question. Sometimes, they even teach the instructor a move or two, while casting a pitying glance at the rest of us poor mortals. They reek completely of a barely-disguised air of superiority.

How to deal with them: These types of cretins crave attention, so never gawk at their moves. They’ll lap it all up. Instead, read up on the obscurest yoga info you can find then quiz them. And if they don’t know, screech loudly “You mean YOU DON’T KNOW? HOW CAN?”, making them drop dead with shame. The easy way out is of course to just ignore them. Your choice.

Yoga studio most likely to frequent: Bikram Yoga City Hall. It’s endorsed by the Bikram Yoga College of India, so the Showoff will be able to feel superior once he steps in (not that he needs any help on that).

The Unabashed Nudist

Most of us are shy about how we look and try to hide behind closets to disguise our not-so-glorious bits, but there are a few unwelcome exceptions. You can spot them a mile away—unembarrassed, blatant types shoving their pastily pale, horrendously flabby bits at whoever that’s unfortunate enough to be near. Their one favorite move is bending over—thereby exposing their creased and corpulent parts to all and sundry who are immediately and irrevocably traumatized. If you’re super duper unlucky, they may even release a fart or two while bending over, causing a nuclear holocaust.

How to deal with them: Two words: Wet towel or alternatively—Rubber band

Yoga studio most likely to frequent: Pure Yoga. Classes have more than ten students in them, so they can be the flesh flasher (get it?) to a larger crowd.

The Newbie

You can spot them a mile away—with a lost, vague expression, scratching their neck and haplessly clutching their mat. They flout all the unsaid rules unknowingly—changing in the toilet cubicle, mispronouncing yoga jargon and messing up their locker combination. While you were probably once like that yourself, the savvy yoga expert in you has hardly sympathy (or time) left for the floundering newbie. Tough luck.

How to deal with them: If you’re feeling wicked, sign them up for the “Advanced Über-Yoga” course and giggle to yourself as they cry helplessly, trying desperately to touch their foot to their ear.

Yoga studio most likely to frequent: True Yoga. Knowing how lost these guys always are, they’re likely to enroll in a well-established name like True so as to feel more secure (as if).

Where to get your dosage of yoga

The Truth About Yoga and Pilates

Porn or Yoga Ad?

After hours of being cooped up in a cubicle or being yelled at by your bosses, a drink is what you need—urgently—so that you can keep your sanity. (Well, even if you don’t have a cubicle or an over-demanding boss, you know you still deserve a good drink for some reason or another.) And if you work in the very heart of the CBD area (you know, the Shenton Way and Raffles Place vicinity), check out our list of hot picks to get a quick chill time after or during work. Don’t get stressed—get drunk.

Rogues

#01-42/45 146 Market St., 6557-0040.
Open Mon-Wed 11am-midnight; Thu-Sat 11am-1am.
Decked in scarlet hues, the first floor of this glass-encased restaurant and bar is trendy, sophisticated and plush. Head upstairs for a more comfy and casual rooftop bar. There’s no lift, so try not to get drunk and roll down the stairs. Signature drinks include the Rum and Jam Cocktail and the Breakfast Cocktail.

Best time to come: Evenings on Wed, Thu and Fri are ideal. Rogues will be serving guests complimentary mini burgers and vodka shots during this period, though the exact times they will be served are not fixed yet.

J Bar

9/F, M Hotel, 81 Anson Rd., 6421-6233.
Open Mon-Thu, Sat 5pm-1am; Fri 5pm-2am.
Popular J Bar still draws the crowds because of its intimate and loungy vibes, making it a good place to wind down with colleagues and catch up on the latest gossip. Hang out at its patio or simply chill out at its cozy semi tatami space which has scenic views of the port. The duo Vibe dishes contemporary, soul, R&B and jazz from Mon to Wed while the band By Definition plays rock, alternative and pop from Thu to Sat.

Best time to come: Between 5-8:30pm is good. You’ll get to enjoy the one-for-one deal for house pours and selected bottles. Martinis and Mumm’s Champagne are going at one for one all night too.

Harry’s Bar @ Raffles Quay

#01-01 Robinson Tower, 30 Robinson Rd., 6324-8076.
Open Mon-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am.
When neckties begin to seem more like a noose, its time to head over to Harry’s Bar @ Raffles Quay. Sprawl-friendly sofas and comfy chairs make up the seating arrangement here. And with food meant to line the stomach and a reasonably priced bar on offer, this is a great place to loosen those neckties and have that post-work pint or two with friends.

Best time to come: With a happy hour from 11am-9pm everyday where drinks are cheaper, and a crazy hour from Mon-Fri 5-7pm, where its one-for-one on house pours, wine and spirits for $10, anytime of the day is good.

Superfamous

67 Chulia St., 6223-0038.
Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-midnight.
An alfresco bistro cafe by day and a bar by night, it’s a 1,000 sq. ft. space with clean, minimalist furnishings and breezy vibes. And to up its hip quotient, owner Michel Lu has recently launched new menu items to tantalize the taste buds of the lunchtime crowd, and a decent selection of single malt whiskies to sate the thirsty.

Best time to come: Arrive between 5-7pm on weekdays and enjoy a complimentary mini Wagyu burger with every drink you order. And best of all, grab a glass of champagne or martini at only $10 before 9pm.

Post Bar

G/F, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, 1 Fullerton Sq., 6877-8135.
Open Mon-Fri 3pm-2am; Sat-Sun 5pm-2am.
Loved for its killer mojitos and shaken martinis, the stylish Post Bar, which comes revamped with a cool alfresco space last Nov, is still a classic favorite among expats, PMEBs and the well-heeled. Latest happenings in this bar include the introduction of two new cocktails—Monte Carlo Hairpin and Fullerton Hairpin—to kick off Formula 1 Grand Prix 2007.

Best time to come: Thu nights. Not too packed and not too empty, Post Bar attracts a good crowd at this time, radiating a feel-good buzz that’ll keep conversations at your table going.

Cuvée

#01-22 Republic Plaza Tower 1, 9 Raffles Place, 6438-0591.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm.
Found right at the heart of rat race central, Cuvée has an extensive wine list that reads like a who’s who of the wine world. Alongside that, they have a menu prepared by one of the best chefs in Singapore, Felicien Cueff of Tower Club.

Best time to come: Anytime, but for those wanting their hard-earned dollar to go that bit further, come after 5pm where you can indulge in a set of three mini beef sandwiches for $10. On Tue and Wed after 5pm, enjoy a glass of wine for just $5.

Good excuses to get off work early for a drink

Biddy Low, 27, Teacher
“You can always say you’re going for a business meeting!”

Jessie Song, 24, Analyst
“I need to clear the excess cash in my wallet.”

Iswardy Hamzah, 25, Investor/Chef
“Complain to your boss that you have a really bad stomachache. Even if you’re asked to go to the doctor, it’s hard to get detected.”

Ian Toh, 22, Teacher
“Just tell the boss the truth. Any humane and logical boss will allow it. Everyone has needs. Or, invite him along to the bar. And dump him halfway there.”

Lin Jun Jie, 26, Manager
“My neighbor just informed me that my cat jumped out of the window.”

Crazy in Love... with Samsung

Samsung has just announced its next music phone. The Ultra Music F300, will be launching in Singapore in mid-May. With a dual face function—one side being a phone with a host of functions and the other devoted solely to the music functions—this one looks to be quite the competitor for Sony Ericsson and Nokia, who’ve been dominating the music phone market for quite a while. What more, the phone’s global brand ambassador certainly knows a thing or two about moving to the beat—she’s none other than actress/singer Beyonce.

Snap It Up

For those more hardcore shutterbugs, the latest camera from Olympus, the E-510 DSLR, will probably be more to your liking. With a new professional grade Live MOS sensor, you can be assured of a whopping 10 megapixels of completely hi-definition pictures. What more, this cam also features an advanced version of Olympus’s popular Live View function. Watch out for this one in June.

Think Thin

Canon’s latest camera the Ixus 70 ($529) also happens to be the slimmest in the line, measuring in at a mere 19.4mm in thickness. As skinny as it may be, however, this baby certainly packs quite the punch; its Digic III imaging processor is also the line’s most powerful to date, allowing for high speed ISO 1600 shooting, noise reduction and even face detection technologies. Pick it up now at Cathay Photo (#01-11/14 Peninsula Plaza, 111 North Bridge Rd., 6337-4274).

A Sound Partnership

Razer has teamed up with George Lucas’ THX Ltd to produce the Razer Mako 2.1 multimedia speaker system, the first desktop speakers to feature THX Ground Plane and THX Slot Speaker technologies. The Mako 2.1 debuted in Germany recently and, while a local release date has yet to be set, keep a look out for news of its imminent arrival on our shores.

Motorola and Oakley O-ROKR

What is it:
Bluetooth-enabled eyewear from Motorola and Oakley.

Why you need it:
Because sometimes jogging on treadmills just doesn’t cut it. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, you might want to strap on this shades-cum-Bluetooth device before heading out for a run. Aside from filtering UV, this baby’s also got stereo sound, whether you’ll need it to answer calls or listen to music while jogging.

The details:
$434. MOTO Service One, #B2-23 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., Hotline: 1800-882-8828.

Nike Triax C8

What is it:
The stylish heart-rate monitor from Nike.

Why you need it:
This baby’s customizable helps you know when you’ve reached your target heart rate. Also, unlike other bulky or clumsy heart-rate monitors the Triax C8 is ergonomically designed to fit your wrist and the chest strap. Likewise, it’s comfortable and feels neither constricting nor clunky.

The details:
$259. Nike Cineleisure, #03-08 Orchard Cineleisure, 8 Grange Rd., 6235-4125.

Nike + iPod Sports Kit

What is it:
A pair of Nike shoes that synchs up with your iPod Nano.

Why you need it:
You mean aside from looking oh-so-cool while you work out? Well, how about the fact that this combination allows you to keep track of essential fitness information like distance, time, pace and calories burned, via your Nano? A sensor that slips into a built-in pocket in the shoes keeps track of all this info and sends it to a receiver that you can plug into your iPod and—voila—it’s that easy to keep track of how your workout’s going.

The details:
While it’s been the talk of the town in the States for a while, it isn’t in stores here just yet. But keep an eye out: This great combination is set to hit our shores some time this year.

Samsung K3

What is it:
The new, super-slim MP3 player from Samsung.

Why you need it:
The last thing you want is a bulky MP3 player making peculiar shapes in your itsy bitsy exercise shorts. (It might make things a little awkward in the locker room.) Measuring in at a diminutive 44 x 96 x 6.95mm, you’ll barely even notice the K3’s there while you hit the treadmills or go for your run around the neighborhood.

The details:
1GB, $178; 2GB, $248; 4GB, $348; 8GB; $428. Aik Leong Electrical Enterprise, #01-16 Blk. 121, Bukit Merah Lane 1, 6271-9365.

Sennheiser MXL 70VC Sport

What is it:
The headphones that have been tailor made for the sporting life.

Why you need it:
Designed for comfort while you’re working out, these headphones will assure that no stray wires start bouncing around and smacking you in the face while you’re pumping weights. With the sound quality that the brand’s become known for and a secure fit, this one’s a must for sporty types who need their grooves while working out.

The details:
$69.90. Challenger Superstore Funan, #06-00 Funan DigitaLife Mall, 109 North Bridge Rd., 6336-7747.

Tech-ercise

Alright, so maybe some techies are a bit too lazy to get out and enjoy a good workout. Nevertheless, here are some “exercises” designed for all you laptop jockeys out there.

• Stretching your fingers and turning your wrist. Hey, you don’t want to get carpal tunnel syndrome from all that gaming, do you?

• Regular brisk walks—to the kitchen or the toilet while waiting for videos to load on YouTube.

• Stretching your arms—to reach for your CD-Rs.

• Work those arms by constantly banging your computer in frustration every time the damn thing “hangs.”

Goth—the dark and morbid subculture that’s synonymous with music from the likes of Depeche Mode, The Cure and Nine Inch Nails—has never had a very vocal presence in Singapore. Mark Koh, marketing manager from Gas Haus, however, decided to change that recently when he launched Heart of Darkness (HOD), the first ever night dedicated purely to the Goth/fetish/alternative subculture.

“The Gothic subculture has always been close to my heart,” says Koh. “I get nostalgic every time I recall the experiences I had, particularly those abroad when I was part of the Perth Order of Gothic Societies and Submerge, both non-profit gothic community bodies. I got to see Marilyn Manson, Covenant, KMFDM and even the Prodigy live! The atmosphere of these concerts was so dark and romantic. My wish is to see this vibrancy emerge in Singapore as a cultural movement. Moreover, no one has attempted to do a dedicated Gothic night, so if I, with all my opportunities, don’t do it, I believe no one will.”

Debuting earlier this month, HOD features a mix of DJ sets and live bands. While acts like Absence of the Sacred rock the crowd with metal, Koh himself, Singaporean icon X’Ho (under the guise of DJ Mentor) and Australian DJ Saito Nagasaki work the decks, providing an even more eclectic mix and bringing in other genres synonymous with the subculture like ’80s synthpop, industrial, hardcore and EBM.

With all these nasty sounding labels, of course, the next question would be the sort of crowd HOD attracts. While, yes, there are the metal heads and the punks, there’ve actually been tons more “normal” people than devoted Goths showing up, offering a nice blend.

“We have had more of the curious than the actual scenesters,” says Koh. “I do know for sure that the fetish community had representatives, but they don’t wear their gear in public. Funnily enough, more than half of them have given me business cards hailing from major banks! I’ll never look at a trader the same way again.”

With a one-for-one on Jack Daniels and beers during Happy Hour (8-10:15pm), some great music and, most importantly, an interesting crowd, Goth may be the dark and gloomy subculture, but that’s not going to stop HOD from being one hell of a party.

Art space 72-13 looks set to be the roaming place of video heads, electronic music freaks and performance art enthusiasts come Apr 5-7. Not surprising, considering the eye-opening activities lined up for the show A Wonderful Weekend. Curated by artists Bertrand Peret and Sandrine Llouquet, the show will comprise installations, live music, videos, talks and more, involving everyone from architects to filmmakers, visual artists to DJs.

Why the jumble of art forms and creatives? “We believe that there are a lot of people who don't care about contemporary art only because they have never seen a piece of contemporary art. By mixing exhibitions, concerts and theatre in the event, we want to mix audiences and make the public discover something they were not interested in before,” Llouquet quips. “And I think the borders between art forms are getting less clear. Contemporary creation mixes competences. Visual artists are making music and musicians are working with architects."

Llouquet’s own works for A Wonderful Weekend include an installation that plays with the space and the architecture of 72-13. Other artists who are involved include Stephane Cochard, Madame Patate, Toma, Vu Nhat Tan, Jean Phan, Robert Cianchi, Rich Streitmatter-Tran, Pilooski, Tam Vo Phi, Quynh Pham, Pleix and Leila Albayati, most of who are either Vietnamese artists or French artists based in Belgium and Vietnam.

Whatever you’re interested in, count on A Wonderful Weekend to deliver something that’ll capture your attention. If you’re intrigued already, hop over to see what’s in store. It’s a fun way to spend your Easter weekend too, if you ask us.