Yes, news of a good concert brings a smile to our faces. But with two smashing concerts just three days apart, now, surely that’s reason enough to get us grinning from ear to ear. If you haven’t heard by now, blues musician Eric Clapton is coming to electrify audiences on Jan 13, while Brit rock act Muse will seize the stage on Jan 16. We bring you a quick lowdown on these two live acts, so that you’ll be able show off your pop culture knowledge to other music lovers while queuing to enter the concert arenas.

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton, nicknamed “Slowhand” has garnered three inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with his talent, and is arguably, one of the most influential and respected guitarist cum singer around. Surely, many would agree with the graffiti in London and New York, which proclaims the famous slogan “Clapton is God” in the late ’60s. And he is most known for hits such as “Tears in Heaven,” a song which is inspired by the death of his son Conor.

Clapton has a whole host of musical experience under his belt. Obsessed with blues, he was expelled at 17 for playing guitar in class, and in time, he was a member of bands such as Yardbirds, Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos. His career came to a hiatus in early ’70s, when he had a heroin addiction, but made a successful comeback with albums such as Just One Night, Another Ticket, Money and Cigarettes, Behind the Sun, August and Journeyman, safely acquiring for him, an increasing number of fans. Clapton is no stranger to Grammys either. So anticipate nothing short of a spectacular concert from this veteran who has collaborated with people to the likes of George Harrison, Phil Collins, Roger Waters, BB King and John Mayer come Jan 13.

Muse

Formed in 1994, Muse is a Brit band comprising vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Matthew Bellamy, drummer Dominic and bassist, vocalist and keyboardist Chris Wolstenholme. The band was contemplating names like Gothic Plague, Carnage Mayhem, Fixed Penalty and, hold your sniggles, Rocket Baby Dolls, before members finally settled on the name Muse. To date, Muse has released five albums and has performed in major festivals such as Glastonbury and Big Day Out. Their dancey rock tracks have also led them to open for acts such as Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Muse’s sound is a searing blend of indie rock, electronica, progressive rock and metal, and critics have compared the band with Queen and Radiohead. And much of Muse’s works have dabbled with themes relating to conspiracy theories, science, supernatural, the apocalypse and the works. In the album Origin of Symmetry for example, the song “Space Dementia” is named after a mental disorder that astronauts may face due to spending long periods in space. And in Black Holes and Revelations, the band’s interest in space, Mars, the Book of Revelation and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were apparent in the artwork and the lyrics. Intrigued yet? Drop by Muse’s concert for more. We think this band has more up its sleeves.

Be Gentle, man

The latest branch of the British-style shirt-maker Meticulous (2/F, Zone A, Central World, 02-613-1040. www.meticulousshirt.com) is now open in the new hub of trendy brands, Central World. The black and white store is now considered the flagship of the Thai company.

Wear ’em Everywhere

For chic streetwise clothing, women in the know hand their money over to Thai designer T-ra Chantasawasdee. His recently opened shop, T-Ra (Unit 109, 1/F, All Seasons Place Retail Centre, 87/2 Wireless Rd., 02-654-3277. www.t-ra-design.com), is now featuring his Autumn/Winter 06/07 collection, made up of loose-fitting garments in urban monochrome. T-Ra clothing can also be found at Zen (CentralWorld, 02-264-5555).

This autumn on the catwalks of Rome, Milan and London the world’s top designers have been moving away from the feminine lines and flamboyant dresses of the past few seasons towards a stronger, more androgynous look. Dubbed Tomboy style, this new craze is for tailored suits, skinny trousers, dress shirts and fitted jackets all with a masculine edge. The clamor for manly clothing is proving so popular that big fashion names such as Jean Paul Gautier and Paul Smith are recalling their men’s ranges for women’s sizes. For once Thailand, not always known for leading the fashion world, might actually be ahead of the game. It seems that the Tomboy look is already alive and well in Bangkok thanks to small fashion label Damen.

Damen are designers Meena Apiradee Piankusol and Satawat Honghin, who met while doing a textile science course at Kasetsart University. As part of their degree they were asked to complete a project to identify a target market that wasn’t catered for and design a collection to appeal to their specific needs. Their research revealed that there was nothing out there aimed at those members of Thailand’s lesbian community who liked to dress a little more male than most. The Damen line of Tomboy clothing was the result.

Their first collection, with its emphasis on a look that the pair says is “manly, sporty but still attractive,” proved a remarkable success. As well as generating a positive buzz among their target market, they found it also appealed to other sections of Bangkok’s fashion aficionados.

“We’ve got customers who are gay guys, straight women and even straight men,” says Meena. “I think it’s proved popular because these clothes are so wearable and they suit so many types of people and can be worn in different situations.”

They describe their first collection as “groomed but a bit naughty,” featuring as it does somber suits and sharp trousers combined with collared shirts imbued with subtle sixties details and splashes of color. Their recently released second range titled “Tomboys and Their Toys” takes a more fun and sporty feel bringing in bright pastel knitwear and three quarter length shorts along with a tongue in cheek toys motif.

For those of you who may be thinking that Tomboy style is just men’s clothes for women, think again. Damen stress that while their range is based on classic menswear, it is given a distinctive twist through their own unique touches. Details such as intentionally lopsided shirts and toy themed necklaces reinforce the concept that this is a range of clothing for people who think of themselves as slightly different from mainstream society.

“We have tried to maintain what they [tomboys] want, but at the same time we have added little details that show the uniqueness of the people who wear it,” says Satawat.

What is so great about the Tomboy look is its flexibility. It can be easily adapted to suit your social calendar. Go for a fitted jacket with a slim fit shirt and tie for the office or for a bright polo shirt and shorts for that big night out. This is clothing that can be mixed and matched so you don’t have to go out and buy a complete new outfit.

After three shows and two collections, Meena and Satawat are unsure of where their newfound success will be taking them, but even if Damen aren’t still around next year, you can guarantee that the Tomboy look will be appearing on a soi near you very soon.

Amapola

The scene: A casual summer house party—lounge on lawn sofas and take advantage of the gazebo bar in front or pool area out back.
The grub: Japanese steak dishes here are filling, well made and not too greasy.
72/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, 02-258-7077. Open daily 11:30am-2pm, 6pm-midnight

The Great American Rib

The scene: Yankee backyard barbeque in the heart of Bangkok.
The grub: Cheesy nachos, juicy pork ribs, baked potatoes, tortillas and salsa. Oh, and beer.
32 Sukhumvit Soi 36, 02-258-5942. Open daily 11:30am-11:30pm

Samsensoisam

The scene: No frills riverside dining with a view of Rama 8 bridge and the river.
The grub: Traditional Thai cuisine such as tom khaa kai and beef salad.
10 Samsen Soi 3, 02-268-8362. Open daily 5pm-1am

Pickle Factory

The scene: Another house party with tables on the poolside patio. Great music, from bossanova to Britpop.
The grub: The focus is on Italian, Thai as well as other Asian-inspired cuisine—try the signature Pizza alla Vodka (B175, B315).
55 Ratchawithi Soi 2, Samsen Rd., 02-246-3036. Open daily 5pm-1am

Kin Lom Chom Saphan

The scene: Like eating in a packed outdoor cafeteria alongside backpackers and university students but with a nifty river view.
The grub: From simple fried rice to sushi and oysters.
11/6 Samsen Soi 3, 02-628-8382/3. Open daily 11am-2am

Spring/Summer

The scene: Garden party with beanbags, low tables and a huge lawn for you and your trendy friends.
The grub: Fusion Thai food, don’t forget to order some dreamy desserts from Summer to end your night.
199 Soi Promsri 2, Sukhumvit Soi 39, 02-392-2747. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-11pm

Next2 Café and Terrace

The scene: Buffet eatery is right ”Next2” (next to—chuckle, chuckle) the busy part of the Chao Praya.
The grub: Wide variety of international dishes. Or order a la carte if you’re too lazy to browse.
Shangri-La Hotel, Soi Wat Suan Plu, Bangrak, 02-236-7777. Open daily 6am-10:30am, 11:30am-02:30pm, 06:30-10:30pm

Café Chili

The scene: Fight for one of the coveted outdoor tables for lagoon-side dining amid fairy lights.
The grub: Real Isaan home cooking made with premium ingredients in a clean kitchen—at shopping mall prices, of course.
G/F Siam Paragon, 02-610-9877/8. Open daily 10am-11pm

Pla Dib

The scene: A place for the local dek naew to hang out in the “unfinished” space and enjoy the indie soundtrack; more of the same raw look and feel on the patio.
The grub: Sushi and other Japanese dishes with Thai and Australian twists.
Soi Aree Samphan 7, Rama 6 Rd., 02-279-8185. Open Tues-Sun 5pm-midnight

Suan Thip

The scene: As the name suggests, it’s a heavenly garden setting.
The grub: Traditional Thai food served up for the discriminating Thai palate, ranging from somtam (B200) to plaa koong (B195). Bonus points for the attentive wait staff.
17/9 Sukhaprachasan 2 Rd, Pakkred, Nonthaburi, 02-583-3748. Open daily 11am-11pm

Tamarind Café

The scene: Dine inside surrounded by walls of photographic art or take your own pictures from their serene rooftop garden area.
The grub: Creative vegetarian dishes are healthy, trendy and delicious.
27 Sukhumvit Soi 20, 02-663-7421. Open Mon-Fri 3pm-midnight, Sat-Sun 10am-midnight

Kakao Café

The scene: Vintage décor makes tasting chocolate out on the porch much more posh.
The grub: For the love of chocolate, order yourself some mini treats or go full-blown with choco dessert for dinner.
99/361-8 Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-661-1766/7. Open daily 10am-10pm

Ici

The scene: Jungle within the concrete jungle three stories up.
The grub: European and fusion dishes; food not always up to scratch, though.
3/F Metha Wattana Bld., 27 Sukhumvit Soi 19, 02-690-9999. Open daily 11am-11pm

Indus

The scene: The restaurant features a well-lit temple interior motif with contemporary, homey decoration; outdoors it’s a dimly-lit Bedouin tent.
The grub: Artfully prepared light(er) Indian cuisine.
71 Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-258-4900. Open daily 11am-10:30pm

The Deck

The scene: Right on the Chao Praya with a spectacular view of Wat Arun—especially at night.
The grub: Traditional Thai cuisine and international dishes made with high quality ingredients. Try yam nuea, yam som o and roasted rack of lamb.
Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Pratu Nokyung, Maharat Rd., 02-221-9158. Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 11am-11pm

Agalico

The scene: Sip on a cup of Earl Gray like real ladies and gentlemen in their Olde English garden.
The grub: Fine teas from England and Sri Lanka. Get there early for their famous scones.
G/F, 20 Boonchiradorn Bld., Sukhumvit Soi 5, 02-662-5857 ext 111. Open Fri-Sun 10am-6pm

Le Vendome

The scene: In theory you can dine alfresco by the immaculate pool, but the outdoor tables are usually for after dinner drinks and smokes.
The grub: Exquisite (albeit pricey) French cuisine.
267/2 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02-662-0530. Open daily 11:30am-2pm, 6:30-10pm

Cy’an

The scene: Poolside dining is “just” like the Mediterranean Sea—ogle swimmers and sunbathers during the day; nights are more romantic, with cool lighting and just the sound of your heavy breathing.
The grub: The menu covers all the food groups, but the seafood is especially nice. After a dozen oysters on the half shell, try the black ink spaghetti with sautéed squid (B580).
G/F, The Metropolitan, 27 South Sathorn Rd., 02-625-3333. Open Daily 6-10:30am, noon-2pm, and 6:30-10:30pm

We all know about broken New Year resolutions, but perhaps one resolution that you should keep is your age-old silent promise to clean out your flat. After all, there’s no better way to start off the New Year with a spanking new space to call your own. Follow this simple rule: Do away with the old, make space for the new and redecorate along the way. Let’s get started, now!

Phase One: Clear Out and Clean Up

Like anyone else, your flat is probably swamped with items that you no longer need but have never gotten round to throwing. One thing to remember is to make space at all cost—so if you don’t need it, never used it and will never have the use for it, into the bin it goes!

According to our resident smart aleck Mr. Know-It-All, the simplest way to clearing out is to throw out everything that you don’t need, which includes the likes of:

• Super old, yellowed magazines with faded articles of your past idols.
• Old board games you don’t play with anymore.
• Gifts from people you don’t like.
• Dodgy videotapes/VCDs/DVDs that local video store will not want.
• Old books that are breeding grounds for the local silver fish community.
• Strange-smelling cosmetics.
• Shoes that even your grandfather won’t wear.
• Best-forgotten fashion faux pas that you only kept because they cost you a bomb.

... you get the picture. Things with sentimental values, like unused but beloved birthday presents, collectible CDs and vinyls should still be kept and stored accordingly.

After all the necessary clearing out, it’s time to tidy and clean up your living space. Local whiz cleaning company Amahs on Wheels (56B Somme Rd., 6837-2708, www.amahsonwheels.com) has the following valuable tips to dispense on how to clean up one’s space—in a snap:

• When it comes to cleaning, start from the top down. This is to enable the dust to settle on the bottom so that you can clear it last.
• Use wet wipes and hand-held dusting services to clean the floor, as they are easier to use than a mop. Plus, wet wipes are disposable, so you can just throw them away after use.
• After cleaning and dusting, open up a few bottles of baking soda and place them in different corners of the room. Baking soda absorbs leftover bad odors.
• It’s important to keep the momentum going. Procrastination or lapses only mean a return to clutter and a potentially bigger to-do list in the long run.

We asked five personalities what are some of the things they would like to get rid off.

Don't throw your junk just yet! Donate them at these places.

Phase Two: Reorganize

Without some sort of organizational structure (no matter how vague), let’s face it—your home would be a chaos. The key thing to keep in mind is the big picture. While you want to get organized, there’s no need to kill yourself over minor details. Just keep it simple and everything will flow.

The main thing you need to achieve when it comes to reorganizing is to know where your stuff is, and that you can get it when you need it. Think about your personal habits, likes and dislikes, your needs and your lifestyle—then plan your organizational system from there.

Start with the big stuff—like your TV and the various types of activities you might want to engage in the storage area. If you also play video games and watch DVDs in your living room, you might want to invest in a multi-entertainment storage unit for your Playstation and DVD player.

Aside from the floor, walls make good storage options too. If you’re out of floor space, stick some open shelves, CD or shoe racks on your walls and you’re set for action. But don’t put frequently used items high up—they should always be within close reach for maximum convenience.

If you’re still confused, just follow Mr. Know-It-All’s five-step guide to getting organized below:

1. First, you must sort your things according to categories that make sense to you. Think about grouping items together by type, activity, frequency of use and physical characteristics. For example, you might want to stuff incriminating magazines and DVDs into harder-to-reach places that only you know about.

2. Reduce the amount of your junk by selling or discard items that are worn or broken out. This is the perfect excuse to give away that Playstation that don’t work anymore (it ain’t going up in value, honey).

3. Give each category a specific storage location and store items close to where you need and will use them. Meaning, this will give you quicker access to your favorite magazines and DVDs that we talked about earlier.

4. Count and measure the items in your categories and determine the amount and type of space required. You wouldn’t want to break your favorite collector’s toy if it doesn’t fit into a miniscule storage unit now, would you?

5. With that all done, you can now determine your storage solution. Select storage solutions that match the physical requirements of your items, the space available and your taste. Make sure your storage units work for you, and not the other way round.

Tips on how to maximize your storage space

Phase Three: Redecorate

Here comes everyone’s favorite bit—buying new stuff and sprucing up your flat with spanking new items from swanky furniture shops and funky home décor stores. Mr. Know-It-All reckons that you might want to splash out a bit, so he’s included some extravagant main pieces, but threw in some affordable, yet funky touches as well so that you can be sure that no one else’s living room will look like yours. Read on to see how you can transform your living room into a heavenly boudoir:

1. This gorgeous, dramatic two-seater Emperado sofa in mysterious maroon will make a stunning centerpiece to your living room. Everyone will be dying to lounge on it. $3,000 from Bulb.

2. This über cool alternative to boring ceiling lights is quietly stylish and effortlessly functional. $79 from IKEA.

3. Colorful, bright, functional and funky, Every living room’s gotta have of these Elvis stolls. $100 each from Air.

4. This simple but striking coffee table with built-in lamp will light up your drab living room anytime. $2,100 from Air.

5. With a lamp as brilliant and lovely as this birdcage pendant lamp with light purple crystals, you’d never want to leave your house again. $2,600 from Bulb.

6. This Artistic Bettan Linje rug will funk up your living room floor the fuss-free way. $79 from IKEA.

7. Reflect your best side, every time, with this dramatic full-length Fuze mirror that will also help make your living room look a little bigger. $89 from Courts.

Useful Tips

Want to make the most out of the decorative space you have? Eddy Kuswandi from EJ Square Design Pte Ltd and George Budiman from Cynosure Design have some clever tips to dispense.

• Have correct space planning—this will really help you to maximize space.
• Spend some time thinking about the most space-centric way to arrange your furniture. The wrong arrangement can cause a lot of space to get taken up unnecessarily.
• A few well-placed mirrors and glass panels can enlarge your apartment and create an illusion of space.
• Don’t be hasty when choosing materials—pick them when you’re in a good mood to avoid making decisions you might regret.
• Consider the overall look of your home before picking your wall color. For instance, an urban chic resort home with natural materials would probably have a different wall color from a modern classical home with chandeliers.
• If you want more space, don’t pick oversized furniture for your home. Don’t buy more chairs than you really need.
• If you have a raised floor, make use of it and store stuff underneath.
• Try not to be too adventurous or overly ambitious—stay focused and don’t be half-hearted.

Enlist help from these people to decorate your room

Address Book

Air #01-18, Park Mall, 9 Penang Rd, 6352-7307

Bulb 8 Gemmill Lane, 6225-0158

Courts 50 Tampines North Drive 2, 6309-7888

IKEA 317 Alexandra Rd, 6474-0122

In case you’re one of those clueless ones with no inkling of how to revamp, redecorate and rework on your own, just ring one of these talented maestros (read: interior designers) and help is on the way.

• Eddy Kuswandi of EJ Square Design Pte Ltd (417A River Valley Rd.,
6887-5240)—Kuswandi is fantastic with great space solutions, and offers fabulous décor and design materials.

• Adrian Chua of SEVENVINE Pte Ltd (69A Carlisle Rd., 6729-7219,
www.sevenvine.com)—Chua offers designs that are creative and practical all the same. For those into fuss-free designs.

• Adrian Heng of SpaceONE ID Consultancy (9686-0165)—Heng offers designs with contemporary feel, fusing excellent graphics and funky materials.

• George Budiman of Cynosure Design (#02-01, 7 Purvis St., 6342-1200, www.cynosuredesign.com)—Budiman is the perfect designer if you’re into quality design that is high-end and extravagant—think tai-tai with a touch of elegance.

As part of Singapore’s eternal quest to be hip and happening, any area on the island that displays the remotest potential of being cool is sure to be snapped up by the urban planners at some point and re-made, re-named and re-branded.

Dempsey Road was no exception. The old British military buildings in this largely forested neighborhood have been home to antique and furniture stores for some time, the gorgeous red brick St. George’s Church, and expat football and rugby groups that play on its fields on weekends. Places like Wine Network (#01-03A, 13 Dempsey Rd., 6479-2280) are familiar establishments here; rustic, outdoorsy places where people stop by for a drink and snacks.

More recently trendy establishments like PS Café and The Hacienda moved in, bringing with them the fashionable set and pushing this neighborhood a few rungs up on the ladder of cool.

And now all this is Tanglin Village, a collection of over 30 businesses and organizations in three clusters Minden, Dempsey and Loewen—with new businesses joining this year. Here’s a peek at some of the cooler kids on the block.

NEW - Oosh & Yen Dining

(22 Dempsey Rd., 6475-0002)
A wine and dine development, this is a great place to hang out with friends. Enjoy the chill out alfresco bar and restaurant, cigar and wine cellar lounge, man-made waterfall—and superb Italian, Spanish, French, Asian and fusion cuisine to boot. Dine in style upstairs at Yen Dining, a spacious indoor Japanese restaurant with a gorgeous view of the landscape garden.

The Wine Company

(14D Dempsey Rd., 6479-9341)
Wine lovers sit up and take notice. The Wine Company has nothing but complete passion for wines and stocks an extensive variety of quality wines from most international wine-producing countries. Particular must-tries are the South African wines. Plus, you can organize events on the premises of this cozy establishment.

Linda Gallery

(#01-03, 15 Dempsey Rd., 6476-7000)
Established in 1999, this gallery specializes in contemporary Indonesian paintings and showcases works by reputable Asian artists like Jiang Shou, Wu Shaoxiang, Guo Jin and Li Zi Jian. It also provides art collectors with professional consultation.

Highwood Café

(40C Harding Rd., 6474-7282; Open daily 11:30am-11:30pm)
Highwood is a wine seller, deli and bakery all in one. It hosts private functions over the weekend and sells French-style baguettes, butternut pumpkins and corn canolas at the deli.

NEW - The Ballroom

(18D Dempsey Rd., 6479-9442)
Another innovative dining venture at Tanglin Village, The Ballroom is both a dining establishment and a dance floor of sorts for novices and experts alike. Boasting a modern interior and lots of glittering mirrors, this makes an interesting departure from an ordinary restaurant.

PS Café

(28B Harding Rd., 6479-3343)
Come here to watch the fashionistas and trendy types blow kisses—if you can get a table, that is. This uber chic café, which by the way only opens for dinner, is hugely popular and is often booked up days in advance. People come here not just for the excellent modern café food, but also for the buzz in the air.

NEW - Hacienda

(13A Dempsey Rd., 6476-2922)
This newly-open bar has already become a firm favorite with some. The brainchild of Michel Lu (the man behind Suba and Centro), Hacienda is fitted with lovely white drapes, minimalistic décor and a totally inviting alfresco area with neatly pruned bushes, fire torches, swings and candle lights. Look out for its refreshing, eclectic blend of music and the affordable fruit cocktails.

It’s true; we take for granted what we have in abundance. Light is plentiful and powerful, gives us sight, and one of the basic subsets of design that is often disregarded by almost everyone.

Which is why the Lightouch Design Competition 2007, organized by the DesignSingapore Council and Italian lighting company FLOS, is back in its second year after its inaugural event in 2003, to encourage professional and aspiring lighting designers to create lighting works that are practical, adaptable, yet imaginative. The first installment attracted 69 entries from countries like Asia, Europe, Australia and the US. Don’t fret if you are a total newbie to the scene, as the competition is open to anyone who is interested in design, or has a brilliant concept to share.

“Design competitions are the best way to freely share ideas,” say previous winners Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen from Canada, who won for their creative and adaptable translucent piece with a honeycomb structure design (see box). “The Lightouch competition is in the best spirit of open design competitions because the brief is so open to imaginative interpretation.”

Maurizio Mussati, director of international operations of FLOS, agrees. “Lightouch is a quest for a creative and interactive live-work-play environment that is shaped by a unique non-intrusive lighting system,” he says. “It is about using light for its full spectrum of qualities, and less about lamps as technology.”

But more than just a lighting competition, Lightouch also aims to highlight the importance of lighting concepts in everyday living, and is one of the more concerted efforts by DesignSingapore Council to bring the ideals of design closer to Singaporeans.

“Light is everywhere, a sensory experience that encapsulates both physical and emotional nuances,” says Moses Wong, Director of Temasek Design School, Temasek Polytechnic, and one of the judges in Lightouch. “Think the neon green laser beams in clubs, as opposed to the dim, soft lighting of a jazz lounge. Lighting design can put us in the mood to shake those hips or just melt into a comfy armchair."

Indeed, considering all the different permutations of light (from oil lamps to laser beams, from ceiling lights to decorative desk lamps), lighting design and technology have come a long way. And with the Lightouch Design Competition 2007, things are only going to get more exciting and illuminating.

Winning Lightouch design

Confucius once said, “Study the past if you would divine the future.” And in fewer places is this little adage more apparent than in the realm of technology. Mobile phones, big screen televisions, even the Internet—before any of these became mainstays in our very real lives, they were envisioned in some form or another by science fiction creators. We look back at technology that once existed only in science fiction, which has become reality.

Ring Me Up, Scotty

Then: It was 1966 when the voyages of the Starship Enterprise and its crew first invaded popular culture’s psyche through the cult sci-fi series Star Trek created by the late Gene Rodenberry. The show’s mission: To boldly go where no television series had gone before. Since then, the show has spawned numerous spin-off series and movies featuring memorable alien races like the Vulcans and Klingons. Clearly set waaaaay ahead in the future, Star Trek featured all sorts of cool gadgets and doohickeys—one of which was a rather familiar looking mobile communicator.

Now: Captain Kirk’s groovy little device has evolved into—the modern mobile phone. While you can’t use your phone to order someone to teleport you into a spaceship, you can most certainly take photos, send text messages, surf the Internet, play games and, oh, make calls too—tons of functions that the good Captain didn’t have access to in his funky communicator.

Even Dr. Martin Cooper, inventor of the modern cell phone, has said that he was directly inspired by the Star Trek communicator. Things have come full circle with US phone company Sona producing a Trek phone last year that resembled the original device (sorry, Singaporean Trekkies—it isn’t available here).
Accuracy:

You Speak-a English?

Then: In 1978, the BBC began airing a radio series by writer Douglas Adams’ called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For those of you who have managed to get through life so far without having read the book that the series spawned, H2G2 (as it’s commonly referred to) is the story of Arthur Dent, an ordinary Englishman who finds himself whisked off into outer space after the Earth is destroyed to make way for an intergalactic expressway. This novel eventually grew into a series that starred entire races of extra terrestrials, most of whom Arthur communicated with through something called a Babel Fish, an organism translated alien languages into English for him, and which he wore—in his ear.

Now: While we certainly don’t slide strange creatures into our ears in an attempt to talk to other life forms, we do have a Babel Fish of our own—a website by Alta Vista called www.babelfish.altavista.com that provides translations to and from about a dozen major languages. Just type in the text you want translated, select from a drop down menu which language you want your text translated into and click! But, there are absolutely no alien languages in Babel Fish’s options! What’s up with that?
Accuracy:

Blogged It Out

Then: The year is 1997 and blogging was barely even in its infancy. It was during this time that writer Warren Ellis and illustrator Darick Robertson created the comic series Transmetropolitan (otherwise known as Transmet), which featured a futuristic society that consisted of an endless supply of mad technology—from gene-splicing body modifications to cameras embedded in sunglasses. One technology that was prominent in the series were feed sites—website-type pages that were maintained by ordinary people and that consisted of everything from a journal of a user’s daily life to current affairs.

Now: Blogs have become the platform by which everybody and his brother reaches an international audience, whether it’s to give his two cents worth or to report from a personal point of view on current events.While Transmet came a little too close to the advent of blogging technology to really count as a prediction, the series seemed to have accurately foreseen the phenomenon of blogging culture.
Accuracy:

Plugged In

Then: William Gibson’s debut 1984 novel Neuromancer brought us into a three-dimensional virtual landscape ripe with data, created by a network of computers, called the matrix. To log on, users had to jack into machines and abandon their corporal forms.

Now: We’ve got our own matrix today. You might have even heard of it—it’s called the Internet! Sure, the origins of the online world itself can be traced back to as early as 1958, but it was only during the mid-’90s that the World Wide Web became a commercial platform, available to anyone and everyone with a computer and a phone line—something Gibson envisioned nearly a decade earlier.

While we don’t literally abandon our physical bodies when we log onto the Internet; we’ve seen, time and again how people completely lose themselves in the Web and forget about things in the real world (like the person sitting next to you). Gibson’s take may have been a rough idea that didn’t resemble what the Internet actually looks like today, but Neuromancer certainly understood the social impact of this life-changing invention.
Accuracy:

Crazy Kitsch

Who would have thought zebra crossings, The Joker and chubby faces will look so good on bags? Zebras prints, traffic lights and other colourful images have made their way onto various totes, purses and shopping bags. Made exclusively by Louis Farnay for Nué, this range of collectible bags is a must-have for lovers of Pop Art and everything funky. Available from Nué (#03-31/32 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd, 6836-7677).

Dressed to Kill

Queen of dresses Diane Von Furstenberg strikes again with her Spring/Summer collection that is all about casual attitude with elegance. Dubbed “All About Eve,” this flirty collection makes heads turn with fluid modern dresses, gorgeous prints, cute ladybug designs and all-round structured tailoring that will make any woman look good—a trademark of DVF’s, definitely. Available from 2/F, Takashimaya, Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd., 6736-3691.