Albert Camus once said, “We have art in order not to die of life.” With the myriad of shows lined up for the coming Singapore Arts Festival 2006, we must say we never felt more alive.

The festival is reputed for its revolutionary shows. As Festival Director Goh Ching Lee quips, “It is an iconic festival with a bold and progressive programming. It is known for its embrace of the contemporary and cutting-edge, for presenting recent works and developing new commissions by leading contemporary artists from Singapore, Asia and beyond.”

This year’s lineup is no less radical. Experimental and collaborative shows abound to expand the boundaries of different arts genres. We bring you our picks. Look out for these revolutionary performances that’ll keep our hearts thumping.

Made in Singapore

Quest (Jun 1-3) is a triple bill consisting of contemporary dance offerings by Korean choreographer Kum Eun Hee, Chinese artist Gao Jin Zi and our own Jeffrey Tan. The talents from the Singapore Dance Theatre will exhibit a range of dance moves, from the explosive to the subtle, as they perform one bill after another. Expect them to groove not to the usual Western music but to Chinese music delivered by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra in this world premiere.

The central theme linking all three dances is man’s struggle for release and freedom. Jeffrey’s offering in “Quest, F.U.S.E.” specifically unveils the intricate relationship between man and nature. A ballet to folksy music composed by Tang Jian Ping, it is one of his more experimental works to date.

Also taking to the stage is the world premiere Forward Moves (Jun 9-10), a quartet of dances that speak of hope, tenderness and heartwarming moments. Catch these innovative works by Aaron Khek, Kuik Swee Boon, Danny Tan and Elysa Wendi.

For a mix of Indian and Chinese music, catch Ghana Sangam (Jun 11). A spectacular concert making its premiere this festival, it will be led by local composer and flautist Ghanavenothan Retnam. Joining him are Sri Nantha Kumar and Wu Tong, well versed in the Indian instrument tabla, and the Chinese instrument, sheng, respectively. Get set for a unique musical journey where boundaries take a back seat to artistic creativity.

The Phiharmonic Winds (Jun 3) isn’t a stranger to applause and standing ovations. This wind ensemble will dish out energetic pieces by composers, Frank Ticheli and Leonard Bernstein. Highlights of this concert include the performance of Josephs Schwantner’s work: More than 50 percussion instruments will belt out rousing beats on stage.

Besides impressive dances and concerts, our local acts have a slew of compelling theatrical productions lined up as well. In Geisha (Jun 9-10), New York-based performer Karen Kandel and classical Japanese dancer Gojo Masanosuke will weave magic with tales of geishas, maikos (apprentice geishas), clients, and okamisans (mama-sans).

Stereotypes and preconceived notions are overturned in Geisha. As director Ong Keng Sen explains, “Geisha is a piece with a Japanese man, then a black woman, as the geisha. Cultural codes are scrambled, and there’s gender-bending. It will be fun.”

Intercultural project Mobile (Jun 17-18) throws the limelight on foreign workers with whom we rub shoulders with everyday. An offering by The Necessary Stage, it involves local artists as well as performers from Thailand, Philippines and Japan. Mobile questions the nature of relationships as cross-cultural interactions increase.

More than a year’s work went into Mobile, due to the extensive research involved. Members of non-government organizations in Bangkok and Tokyo were interviewed. Shelters were visited and migrant workers were met. As such, it’s not surprising Mobile is The Necessary Stage’s greatest attempt to date in deconstructing the concept of a homogenous Asia by means of intercultural works. As Co-Director Alvin Tan claims, “Mobile marks our largest effort to reintroduce Asia as multiple ‘Asias’ on the world stage and resist a reductive reading of the exotic Asia.”

For a peek at how urbanization affects our feelings, identities, desires and memories, check out A Stranger at Home (Jun 8-10). This Mandarin production by the Drama Box tells the experiences and hopes of a teacher, a lover, an old woman, a medium and a terrorist. Searching for security, these individuals make pertinent decisions which affect their lives.

Directed by the award-winning Kok Heng Leun, this combination of theater, music, film and words will be unveiled together with a film by acclaimed filmmaker Royston Tan.

Foreign Talent

It’s a wild ride with ropes, horizontal bars, harnesses and prostheses in bODY_rEMIX/gOLDBERG_vARIATIONS (Jun 15-16). Under the guidance of Canadian choreographer Marie Chouinard, dancers utilize strange devices to execute innovative dance movements and showcase unusual body shapes to Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

This outrageous and playful dance was inspired by life itself. As Marie quips cheerfully, “I am trying to celebrate the mystery of life and its manifestations. Since I was born, I am always fascinated by the body. I am amazed that I can stand, that I can walk, and more.”

Prominent choreographers from Europe, Jiri Kylian, Lightfoot Leon and Johan Inger present an awe-inspiring contemporary triple bill, Bella Figura (Jun 20-21). Kylian blurs the boundaries between dreams and reality in a sensual ballet, while Lightfoot Leon amuses with a refreshing work revolving around space and perception. To keep things at a high, Inger will put on an uplifting dance telling the experiences of three women and the men in their lives.

Set against the mesmerizing music of avant-garde composer Steve Reich, Rain (Jun 23-24) is an exhilarating dance performed by the dancers from Brussels-based company Rosas. Watch out for the eminent Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker who leads the dance troupe.

If you are in the mood for some ingenious theater, check out Phobia (Jun 21-24). This eerie and cheeky piece by Australia’s Chamber Made Opera takes the audience back into the world of sound effects’ mavens in the ’50s and ’60s. Performers use weird props and methods of making sound effects to Hitchcock’s film Vertigo. Windscreen wipers, ice, celery, rubber bands are all collaborators in this original performance. It’s an eye—and ear—opener.

An innovative theater that cuts across time and space—that’s Play on Earth (Jun 15-18, 22, 24-25) for you. This transcontinental world premiere is a collaboration between UK’s Station House Opera, Brazil’s Philarmonia Brasileira and our very own TheatreWorks. Artists from these three organizations will stage the performance in their respective locales simultaneously. Together, they will act out a tale that will be screened to audiences in all three countries. Directed by Jeffrey Tan, Singapore’s production stars Gerald Chew, Lim Yu-Beng and Noorlinah Mohamed.

This cutting-edge play sets itself apart from other plays by its production process. “The major difference in the production process as compared to an ordinary play is the technical challenges involved—from the equipment to the Internet connection. As we seek to make connections visually and emotionally across all three countries, there is also a lot of coordination and synchronization as well,” says Tan.

The Great War (Jun 16-17) is a brilliant show which uses miniature sets to enact battle scenes. Watch how beans, plasticine, parsley and matches are animated, and projected onto a screen in real time. Speaking of the mindlessness of war, this creative production by The Netherlands’ Hotel Modern is worth catching for its ingenuity.

If you dig anime and comics, don’t miss Austria’s offering Samovar—Check out Chekov (Jun 3-4). Cartoons created by playwright Anton Chekov will be penciled live by Marcel Keller and Anja Sebanz and projected onto a screen with the help of clever camera techniques. Watch how these cartoons tell familiar stories which can be related to. It’s irony and dark humor at their best.

It’s a matter of life and death in Death and the Ploughman (Jun 2-4). Staged by USA’s SITI Company, the story was written by German Johannes von Saaz during the Medieval and Renaissance period of 1400 and adapted into English by Michael West. A restless farmer debates with death over the passing of his beloved, questioning faith, authority and hierarchy. Look out for razor sharp dialogue and rigorous acting.

And there you have it. A smorgasbord of daring and adventurous works are lined up in the coming Singapore Arts Festival 2006. With the myriad collaborations and inventive shows, the festival seeks to bring our arts scene to new heights. It’s bold and progressive art.

Singapore Arts Festival 2006 is from Jun 1-25 at various locations in town. Log on to www.singaporeartsfest.com for more information.

Safe Bets

Singapore Arts Festival hosts a wide diversity of shows. You bet there’s something for you if you dig more traditional entertainment as well.

Drought and Rain—Two Memories, Two Generations (Jun 2-3) Dancers from Vietnam exhibit their dexterity. Franco-Vietnamese choreographer Ea Sola presents a moving show about Vietnamese society.

The Vegetable Orchestra (Jun 7-9) This is where playing with food is allowed. Check out this orchestra which ditches flutes and trumpets for carrots and cucumbers to make music.

Jerusalem Dreaming (Jun 15-16) It’s a haunting concert with Israeli artist Victoria Hanna singing ancient music. She will share the stage with ensemble Israeli Contemporary String Quartet, and musicians from Mongolia and Germany.

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Jun 21-22) Presenting Nordic works and acclaimed classical pieces, Norway’s respected export is bound to thrill.

John Williams and Richard Harvey’s World Tour (Jun 9) Find two amazing musicians fiddling with over 20 musical instruments. From the Irish harp to African drums, this concert promises to be memorable.

In our safe and predictable arts climate, where most art exhibitions and theatrical plays are staged based on commercial viability, it’s enlightening to see a bunch of young artists who are sticking to their guns and doing their own thing. These artists are uncompromising in their artistic vision, and some have achieved nationwide acclaim through their impressive bodies of work over the years. They are a new breed of artists who are providing the edge in the local arts scene today, and will hopefully continue to push boundaries with critical acclaim. I-S profiles some of our very best.

The Young Gun: Brian Gothong Tan

Boyish 26-year-old multimedia artist Brian Gothong Tan first caught our attention in 2001 with his beautiful and stark lighting works in the play The Optic Trilogy, part of ACTION Theatre’s 42 Theatre Festival. Since then, he has gone on to create playful mesmerizing video and installation works that have graced the walls of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and Sculpture Square, and been shown at the 9th Venice Architectural Biennale last year, to critical acclaim.

Tan has certainly come a long way from his early days creating low-budgeted videos that costs as little as $50, using cheap fluorescent tubes and found objects, and getting actors to work for free. “Today, I get much bigger funding, which means I can invest in better equipment and hire professional people to help me out,” he says. “But because I have been so used to working with so little funds, I am able to push the value of my funding to do more things and cut down on unnecessary costs. Besides, it’s really not about the money, but the ideas behind it. Even though the final product might look good and slick, if it doesn’t have a clear message, people will just walk away from it.”

Tan’s multi-faceted fantasy-like works, such as The Mysterious Book of Invisible Children exhibition at the Esplanade, Heavenly Cakes and Sentimental Flowers at SAM, and other video works like Psychoanalytical Neofeminist dwell into pop culture, juxtaposing images and sculptures of Astro Boy with experimental and edgy video imageries, featuring scenes that would not look out of place in a Final Fantasy video game or the movie Tron. “My work incorporates fashion elements as well as and borrows a lot from the MTV aesthetic, as opposed to more coolly intellectual and highbrow works in the local arts scene,” he explains. “I don’t shy away from fusing low and high culture together. I think it stems from the fact that I like a lot of things, like watching movies, drawing, photography etc., and I like to do a lot of things at once. So I merge these different disciplines quite naturally.”

Indeed, Tan’s works are some of the funkiest and freshest that we’ve seen, and his works are both accessible and cutting-edge too. A testament to his popularity: One of Tan’s Astro Boy sculptures from The Mysterious Book of Invisible Children was stolen a few days into the exhibition. ”Judging from public reaction, I think my works from that exhibition are the most acclaimed. It has something to do with the imagery I used, which was very youth-oriented. But I think the main appeal of my work was that it was accessible, that means when people on the street see it, they understand it or are able to engage with it on a certain level. Which I think is very important for art to function effectively.”

The Sound Man: George Chua

For a secondary school dropout, multidisciplinary artist George Chua has done well for himself. Not only has the 33-year-old established himself as one of Singapore’s most well-known sound and performance artists, he has also immersed himself in numerous theatrical projects, including TheatreWorks’ Balance (2004) and spell#7’s Beautiful Losers (2003). Chua even nabbed himself an honorable mention for special achievement in music for Balance at last year’s Life! Theatre Awards.

Not bad, considering Chua has only dabbled in the arts full-time since 1999. “Prior to that, I worked in the music industry for a while and DJ-ed in clubs, playing mostly indie rock tracks. But even as a kid, I was always into drawing and artistic things. I even studied Chinese painting for three years.”

Following his decision to go full-time, Chua joined his friend, multidisciplinary artist Zai Kuning, and his dance troupe, Metabolic Theatre Company, and was actively involved in dance and performance art for a good three years. But Chua’s numerous dance and theatrical contributions aside, it is his austere and absorbing sound art, which he has dabbled in since 2003, that sticks. So compelling are his moody sound works, Chua has even garnered a sizeable underground following. Among some of his most innovative works are I Have Escaped Even Myself, a collaborative music performance using laptop computers with Zai Kuning, Yuen Chee Wai, The Observatory’s Evan Tan, and Danish sound designers Lasse Mauhaug and John Hegre. Chua’s personal favorite is Lamentation for Uncle Song, the first in a series of many that explores the lives and imagination of a fictional theater director called, well, Uncle Song. It is an evocative and moody performance, conceptualized and directed by Chua, with the help of a female singer and mime artist. In some of the show’s quirkier segments, Chua introduces to audiences found objects that supposedly belonged to Uncle Song, adding to the show’s depth and dexterity, which will be further explored in the upcoming art exhibition The Unnamed Servant or The Goat Slayer in June.

Chua’s idiosyncrasies and quirks are just part of his multifaceted works. “They are all interconnected, from my earlier body movement works to my exploration of sound art,” he says. “The main thread that runs through my work is: where does sound come from? My works essentially explore the origin of sound … and try to understand and unravel its complexity. I want audiences to appreciate the implications that sound has: Socially, philosophically and spiritually.”

Chua’s next big project, alongside friends and longtime collaborators Yuen Chee Wai and Alvin Lim, is a sound and installation piece for the Singapore Biennale in November. “I will further explore the themes of inhabitation, and how sound basically inhabits space. It’s going to be mind blowing.”

The Unsung Hero: Zai Kuning

You must have heard of Zai Kuning. Or perhaps not. The reclusive and highly gifted 42-year-old multidisciplinary artist only recently took home the best sound accolade at the Life! Theatre Awards, but he has been a full-time artist for as long as he can remember. Zai, who employs a wide range of practices to his craft—from documentary video, poetry and dance to theater, music and performance art—has been consistently pushing the boundaries of contemporary art here and is certainly regarded as one of our most avant-garde practitioners.

The son of a musician father, Zai first discovered music and the arts when he was 16, even if he never had formal education at the time. “I was a wedding singer in the kampongs that I grew up in,” he says. “Thus, I was introduced to music at a very young age.” To further his interest in the arts, he studied ceramic art at LaSalle in 1985, before moving on to study natural chemicals in 1987 in Japan.

Following his return to Singapore in 1990, Zai joined the then influential art collective The Artists Village, founded by revered local painter and performance artist Tang Da Wu. “It was then that I started to know about performance art,” he says. “I learnt about the disciplines and techniques involved … and I began to lean towards dance and theater as a potential for me to express myself creatively.” It was a natural progression for Zai to set up his own art and dance company, Metabolic Theatre Laboratory (1994-1999), and immerse himself in various dance forms.

While garnering a strong following, Zai has never really received commercial acclaim until recently, which is a good thing, as his guerilla-like status lends his works the extra edge. Consider some of his more obscure and little known works: The highly personal documentary Riau (2000), which explores the lives of gypsies living in the Riau islands, the confounding Erocicism. Flower of Evil (2003) and the weird and entertaining Prodigal Song (1996), which featured male dancers prancing around in their underwear, was considered by many as a work that was ahead of its time. Zai’s most recent exhibition at Sculpture Square last year, the simple, yet disturbing Tree in a Room, is also one of his most impressive, as it featured a sinister looking solitary tree, possibly straight out of an episode from Tales from the Darkside.

“I feel like a nomad who is moving from river to river, changing myself accordingly, and doing different types of art,” Zai explains of his artistic instinct. “I really do prefer to do different things as I do not want to be involved in just one aspect of art.”

Like his fellow compatriot, George Chua, Zai also dabbles in sound art, and is as comfortable tempering with the guitar as performing in the dance form. For his upcoming Singapore Biennale piece, Zai will be creating a video and installation piece which has viewers strapped to a chair in a confined room, while a video featuring numerous arts figures lament the state of the arts. “It is a six-hour video, and those who want to watch it must watch the whole thing. There will be no alternative,” he says with a slight chuckle. With such an uncompromising approach towards art, no wonder Zai Kuning is regarded as one of our most longstanding underground artists, bar none.

The Puppet Master: Chong Tze Chien

Playwright, actor and director Chong Tze Chien has come a long way. While it was just six years ago in 2000 that the 31-year-old first entered the theater scene as Associate Playwright for The Necessary Stage (TNS), today the amicable Chong has managed to establish his own turf. Chong left TNS two years ago after working on notable projects such as Pan Island Expressway (2001) and Spoilt (2001), before joining the then fledgling puppetry and theater company The Finger Players in 2004, turning it around 180° degrees.

Helming as Company Director, Chong led the company into two major wins at the Life! Theatre Awards recently: Best Director for Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (2006), and Production of the Year and Best Ensemble Acting for Furthest North, Deepest South (2005). From an obscure puppetry company that almost closed in 1998 because of financial crisis, The Finger Players has emerged as one of the most profiled and cutting-edge theater companies today.

“It was almost serendipitous as I had just left TNS, and I received a call from Players’ Artistic Director Tan Beng Tian on the day itself to work on a script,” says Chong. “The company had wanted to branch out from doing just children’s puppetry to adult theater. There was a change in artistic direction and management structure … and I was there.”

Chong’s first production for the company, the unanimously lauded Furthest North, Deepest South, about the travels of Chinese navigator Eunuch Cheng Ho, is a breath of fresh air in our stale theatrical arena. Fusing live-sized puppetry with stage actors and a minimal set, the $50,000 production (a small sum as most plays are staged from $80,000 onwards) is innovative for its unconventional approach to theater, and is a joyous watch from the get go, thanks to an entertaining script, also penned by Chong. His follow-up, the darker and more dramatic Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, staged at The Arts House last year, also fuses puppetry to highlight the play’s darker themes such as alienation and deteriorating relationships.

“Usually, people associate puppets with something decisively childlike … but we manage to utilize the puppets to explore adult topics, changing perceptions on what makes local theater and puppetry,” says Chong, on what makes his plays tick. “Compelling theater is about telling good stories. All I want is to create works that people will remember and talk about in 10, perhaps 100, years from now.”

The Mad Scientist: Donna Ong

Don’t be fooled be her appearance. Pretty, diminutive artist Donna Ong may look like a sweetheart in person, but her intricate installation artworks and drawings are anything but. Most well known in the local arts circuit for her successful first solo exhibition Palace of Dreams last year, where she presented a series of detailed pencil drawings of insect wings as well as an installation, Ong is one of Singapore’s youngest, and possibly most morbid, local artists yet to emerge from the woodwork.

The 27-year-old architecture and arts graduate from University College London and Goldsmiths College, respectively, has had many group exhibitions in the UK prior to her return to Singapore. And it was then that she discovered her inner demons. “It took a while before I realized that I had a certain art style,” says Ong. “The tutors in UK helped a lot in gearing me towards where my artworks are now … which explore the themes of obsession, desire, faith and hope through the use of different personas.”

For the 2002 mixed media piece “Sing O Barren Woman,” for example, Ong constructed what looks like a project that Dr. Frankenstein would be proud of. The piece, which is reminiscent of a science laboratory, consisted of test tubes, jars, tubing and a children’s doll. Ditto the fantastic Pause, which took six months to conceive. The piece’s setup, which also doubles up as a work space for an imaginary obsessive compulsive scientist, delves into the subject of physical excess.

The same amount of obsession that Ong puts into her works, which usually takes a few months to complete, is equally fascinating. “It’s a way for me to relive certain roles, to be able to step out of myself, look at different situations and relish in them,” she explains. “My work is about adopting a certain identity … to live out what my characters would be thinking and doing. If I want to show the themes of belief and faith in my work, I should be reliving the themes myself. It’s about believing in something even though there is no reward. Like the famous philosopher Kierkegaard, who pretended to be different characters during his lifetime, you have to practice what you preach.”

For the upcoming Singapore Biennale in November, Ong will be showcasing three works at the Supreme Court in City Hall. It will be a dreamy and dark mélange of drawings, installations and other weird objects. “The works will center on the secret fantasies of three judges, and how they have their whims and fancies about caves, flying machines and Frankenstein complexes.” We can’t wait already.

The Necessary Newbie: Natalie Hennedige

While her previous performances with TNS were more emotionally wrought, it seems that Natalie Hennedige, who set up new theater company Cake Theatrical Productions in August last year, has now gotten the chip off her shoulders. At TNS, she was resident actress and director for plays such as Beginnning of the End (2002) and Abuse Suxx!!! (2002).

The chatty actress is extremely excited about her role as Artistic Director for her own theater company. “I got comfortable and stable after working with TNS for a few years,” explains Hennedige, on her decision to move on. “And when you work for a company that doesn’t belong to you, you are basically working for someone else … and working on their artistic vision, rather than your own. I wanted to do my own thing and challenge myself artistically.”

Hennedige’s directorial debut with Cake, the $170,000 Animal Vegetable Mineral last year, was a fun and sometimes serious tale about taking the leap of faith. Balancing comedic and dramatic elements, the second half of the play was particularly notable as its narrative became increasingly surreal and messy, but in a good way. “The plays that I want to make will reflect the name of the company itself, which is ‘cake,’ which is fun, sweet and sometimes unexpected with a lot of layers. I want to create very contemporary works, but without taking myself too seriously … focusing on pieces that are adventurous, unique and edgy, drawing on pop culture and suitable for the MTV generation.”

Hennedige’s latest work, Queen Ping, which was a collaboration with Esplanade’s The Studios series, is equally fun and infectious. The play centers on a dysfunctional family, and features talents such as visual artists Rizman Putra and Brian Gothong Tan, and actors Norlina Mohamed and Michael Corbridge. Brimming with an innovative stage design courtesy of Tan, who also acts in the play, Queen Ping is vibrant and memorable.

Next up for Hennedige and Cake: An adaptation of Sophocles’ classic Antigone, but reworked with a modern edge. “I know I took a huge risk starting Cake, especially learning the ropes in TNS and knowing how hard it is to run a theater company. But I knew I needed to put up all the stops and run with the idea. Hopefully, with the kind of multi-sensory plays that I am doing, audiences will find local theater fun again.”

For years those fat-asses in the West have been stressing over calories and carbs, letting Atkins and South Beach rule their lives, while we guiltlessly enjoy plate after plate of khao phat and bowl after bowl of ba-mii. Oh, and kalamang after kalamang of full-strength beer. Alas, all of this unselfconscious consumption has finally caught up with us, apparently. The proof is the arrival of “light” beers on the scene—only three so far, but three officially makes it a trend (and if it’s a trend it must be time to write about it).

Branding and marketing aside, there are three main reasons why people drink “light” brew instead of the regular stuff: One is that they’re (supposedly) lower in calories, and calories are those nasty little things that are magically transformed into highly unattractive fat on yer bod’ if you’re not careful. Another reason is that they’re (supposedly) “lighter,” “less filling” and more refreshing. And a third reason is because—pay attention here, kids—they’re (supposedly) lower in alcohol.

Of the three our panel of self-proclaimed experts sampled, only San Mig Light (B26.50) proudly boasts (on the can) that it is “low calorie.” It also has the highest alcohol content, a respectable 5%. Once the numbers were crunched by the BK computer, SML came a close second in the voting—mainly due to its pleasant, clean smell, which was described as “floral” and “citrusy.” Those who liked it praised it as a nice, easy-drinking beer; however, some complained that it had too much gas, like soda water, and one said it tasted like water.

The folks at Chang apparently forgot the rule that says the packaging for a light beer should be lighter in color than the original version—silver is best, but white works as well. Instead they’ve just added the word “light” to the familiar green-and-gold bottle. If you want a light with balls, or like your beer bitter, Chang Light (B28) is the one for you. The more experienced beer drinkers in our panel (who turned out to be a majority) preferred Chang Light as the most full-bodied of the trio and “bitter in a nice way.” It was also praised for its “hoppy” and “nice burnt toast or coffee” aromas. But those who didn’t like it really hated it, calling the poor little elephant various names like “not at all satisfying,” “dirty-smelling,” “harsh” and “sour.”

Our panel rated Singha Light (B22) behind the other two. At a delicate 3.5% alcohol, you’d think it would at least taste (or smell) good, but only one of our experts had anything “good” to say about it: “watery, but not bad.” “Weak” was the main criticism (“like flat beer in a glass with melted ice—from the night before”), but our panel members also described Singha Light as “stinky” and “rubbery.” We also found the foam to be “funny,” “strange” and “artificial.” Sorry, little Singha, but look on the bright side—you came in third! Now you just have to wait for more competition.

People say that Bangkok is an animal-friendly city, but after being rejected from bringing your four-legged child into department stores, restaurants, hotels, and even Suan Lumpini—where herds of soi dogs are seen strolling everyday—you might start doubting the notion. At least now there’s a place where you and your furry friend can eat, drink, shop and wander in the greens together with other pets and their owners.

At Ozono (307 Sukhumvit 69, 02-662-3280. Open daily 7am-midnight), a white mall complex for pet lovers, they treat your beloved pet as a VIP guest wherever it goes. You can take it along while you go eat homemade Italian ice cream at Tuscanini (09-449-6557), tailor a new dress at Present by Anurak Roumsook, pick out a pastel skirt at the local brand Rebecca, select new furniture or whatever you can do in a proper mall. If you don’t want your little one to be bored when you shop, hire a professionally trained dog walker (B150/30 minutes) to help.

What’s so amiable about Ozono, apart from its surroundings (a nice, white two-story building that surrounds a long green court), is that your pet can have all the entertainment and luxury that you can. It has Aqua Dog (02-259-2786) where Mr. Hiroaki from Japan designs the hippest hair styles for your pooch in a glass-walled salon so you can see what he’s doing to your pal. Your pet can also get a massage, bath, haircut and grooming there. While your dog is getting an aromatherapy treatment, you can go out and treat yourself to a nice, reasonably priced coffee at Coffee Berry (02-259-5960) or self-indulge at Naomi Hair Solution (02-662-0736, 02-662-0783), Nail Concept Exclusively O.P.I. (02-662-1845) or Sabai Body Massage (07-004-8475).

Next to Aqua Dog is Doggie Bag Living (02-259-2788) that offers snacks, custom-made clothes, furniture and even jewelry for dogs. Their homemade signature cookies—bacon and liver, tuna, and chicken—cost B20-25, so Fido can have a special little treat. Under the same roof is Cat Societe (02-259-2788) where cats can socialize or stay over night. The fluffy hosts Blaire, Thonglor, Ferbie and others will welcome your cat with hospitality. At the far end of this complex is The Petropolitan Hotel (02-259-2785) or The Pet—sound familiar?—where your dog can stay in a comfy cage (you can think of it as a suite) for B400-2,000. The Pet promises to take good care of your dog, bring it out for a walk often, and if it behaves itself, it can go out and party with its friends, which is a good option when you have to be away. At the back is a two-rai Thai-style garden, exclusively for members—meaning your pet, not you. Dogs can run freely up and down the rises or dig around near the stone pool. You can enjoy a book at the bench, letting the dog run wild. Please note: The membership rate for the park is B20,000-80,000 per year.

Both you and your cuddly critter will love everything about Ozono.

Work From Home, Earn $$$!

Have you ever seen some of the ploys to get you working from home, most of which involve a lot of people and guarantee a boatload of money? If you’re like us, you may have wondered whether or not these claims are true. Well, Kit Chanyaprasert is someone who actually did get rich from working at home…and wrote a book to prove it. Two, actually. The author of Get Rich on eBay (Ruay Duay eBay) and Get Rich on eBay: Advanced claims to have become well off from his exploits on the online auction site. And he vows that if he can do it, you can, too. He has now organized a seminar called Ruay Duay eBay which starts you off on the online merchandising gambit. Seminars vary in levels of experience from eBay pro classes to absolute beginners. Prices run B3,000-4,000 (9am-5pm with lunch and snacks). Seminars take place at Rajabhat Suan Dusit University on May 24 and 28. More details at www.megabaht.com or 01-496-8804.

Slim and Sexy TVs

No more big, bold TVs in our stylish lives. The Korean brand Samsung has just launched a series of anorexic audio-visual (AV) products to suit our low carb lifestyles.

Among the modish generation, Samsung R7 LCD TV is the finest with screen sizes of 26, 32, and 40 inches. These sexy screens cost B59,900, B79,900, and B119,900 respectively.

If LCD screens are a bit too sexy for you, maybe you’d rather try the Slim Fit. Samsung Z40 SlimFit TV is one-third slimmer than your normal flatscreen TV. It also offers a higher definition picture in comparison to plasma and LCD TVs and comes at a much more affordable price: 32, 29, and 21 inch screen SlimFit models cost B37,990, B13,990, and B6,990 respectively.

In case, you are the sporty type, The Samsung Q7 Plasma TV might be your best choice because it enhances clear and vivid moving images with the highest possible contrast of colors. Just in time for World Cup, these gargantuan screens are available in 42 inch (B109,900) and 50 inch (B199,900) sizes.

The Italian Job

Long-time favorite Italian brand Francesco Biasia has just launched its new store in Bangkok’s premier shopping nexus, The Emporium. This store debuts with the summer collections from some of the best loved designers. Coco Décor’s summer line is inspired by African colors and cultures, while Tropical Chic’s is derived from Brazilian rhythms. 1/F, The Emporium, off Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-259-8979.

It was a tough job but, dedicated to finding the best for our readers, we submitted ourselves to scrubs, facials and massages to find the ultimate in luxury treatments. These are places where you get more than just a massage and an exotic tea. Here’s where you should come to be pampered and pummeled like a millionaire (with the price tags to match).

Spa Botanica

2 Bukit Manis Rd., The Sentosa Resort and Spa, 6371-1318
This spa has the best outdoor facilities of any in Singapore—hands down. There are outdoor pavilions (each with its own Jacuzzi or Japanese spa), a flotation pool, deck chairs—and a facility where guests can cake themselves in mud, bake in the sun, and then wash it all off. Best of all, these can be used for as long as you like on the day of the treatment. To really splurge, there’s the Spa Botanica suite, which has a Jacuzzi, lounge area, and balcony. The array of treatments on the menu is astounding (there’s the Vichy shower, a special Thai massage room and a solid bronze bath, to name just a few), but perhaps its most distinctive treatment is the Galaxy Steam Bath ($95). In this steam room, four people relax as three types of mud and the steam from the Turkish style “oven” work their magic. But this is not for the bashful, as the only clothing worn are the disposable paper knickers.

For May, Spa Botanica is offering a 15 percent discount on five different treatments including their latest New Mother’s Retreat two-and-a-half hour treatment ($280 before discount) and the three-and-a-quarter hour Expectant Mother’s Treatment ($350 before discount).

The Oriental Spa

5/F The Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Ave., Marina Square, 6885-3533
It’s all about creating a feeling of peace at The Oriental Spa. Dark wood panels, dim lighting and Oriental architectural features give the spa a feeling of calm to keep guests relaxed and at peace. And get ready, because they really know how to massage here. Unlike many other places, where the massage is either far too hard to be relaxing or too gentle and tactile to have any effect on the muscles, these therapists use a firm yet delicate touch to achieve the optimal balance between working the muscles and still giving you a pleasurable experience. There is a brief interlude when the therapists try to tempt customers to buy retail products, but it’s worth putting up with this annoyance to chill out in the soothing relaxation area where you can enjoy some fresh fruit while listening to relaxing music in a private mini-booth.

Until May 14 The Oriental Spa is offering three different Mother’s Day packages ranging from the 90-minute Tranquility treatment ($65) to the 135-minute Harmony treatment ($300).

RafflesAmrita Spa

6/F Raffles The Plaza, 80 Bras Basah Rd., 6431-5600
At RafflesAmrita Spa, it is the little things that make a difference. Its most luxurious treatment is the Anti-Aging Caviar Facial. Although you might gasp at the price (a cool $280), this goes well beyond a standard facial. The treatment includes two masks, an enzyme peel, pore extraction and a light massage. Especially nice are the thoughtful details, like wrapping the feet in warm towels during one of the masks. These little touches are what really distinguish the RafflesAmrita’s treatments from others on offer in the market. Afterwards a darkened relaxation lounge awaits, but we prefer the hot spa, steam room and cold plunge pool. They are located in the changing areas, but after a prolonged relaxing pampering one barely even notices this peculliarity.

Until May 31 RafflesAmrita Spa is offering a special Mother’s Day spa package ($210) that includes a 55-minute aroma massage, a 70-minute facial, a 20-minute milk hand treatment and a scalp massage.

SK-II Boutique Spa

Senze Salus, 31 Scotts Rd., 6836-9168
Perhaps the best way to decide if luxury skincare brand SK-II is worth its price tag is to try out a facial at their spa. Here, skin treatments use the Pitera-laden SK-II products and therapists recommend those that are best for the customer’s skin type. Skin treatments start with an analysis of skin type and condition using a camera linked to a computer screen to highlight problem areas. Treatment beds come with vibrating massage facilities which, despite being a little weird, are actually quite relaxing. Their signature treatment is the Senzational Facial ($218) that lasts for 100 minutes and includes a 55-step massage on the face, neck and shoulders. The boutique spa has also just introduced a range of body treatments, their signature being the Aromatic Indulgence massage ($148 for 60 minutes, $198 for 90 minutes) using Australian certified organic evening primrose essential oil. It’s also worth checking out the new more convenient range of LXP products.

Throughout May, SK-II Boutique Spa is offering a Mother’s Day Up-Lifting Package ($158) which uses a biotechnology instrument to stimulate facial tissue, helping to regain a youthful appearance.

St. Gregory

#08-01 Novena Square Shopping Mall, 238 Thomson Rd., 6298-2234
St. Gregory has earned a reputation as one of the most exclusive spas in town with good reason: Although spa users can pay an additional fee for access, most of the facilities here are reserved for members. Filled with natural light, it’s hard to believe this is humble Novena Square when you step inside. Touted as both a gym and a spa, there is a large workout area and small studios for intimate classes limited to 10 people. The pool has a spa section with jets along the entire body, while around the pool various water features provide massage for different parts of the body. The treatment rooms without a view are nothing spectacular but those with the windows definitely give you a reason to try to keep your eyes open during your treatment. Members also have unlimited access to the oxygen lounges, which are replenished periodically with food and tea. Try their Japanese Jacuzzi baths or the traditional Ayurvedic treatments in the specially designed room.

St Gregory is offering a Mother’s Day Revival Retreat package ($460) that includes the aromapure signature facial treatment, a luxury hand and feet treatment, and a bottle of Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Available until May 21 at all St Gregory outlets except Marina Mandarin.

Nothing against Q Bar, but you’d be forgiven for assuming that the new Japanese restaurant on the second floor of the complex was a lame, inauthentic Koi copycat built on the cheap, not the surprisingly serious sushi-ya (“sushi shop”) that it is. After all, the proprietor is Canadian and the concept originated in Indonesia. And to be (perhaps too) frank, few of the punters that pack the Q these days seem like they would appreciate the subtleties—let alone the expense—of high-level Japanese cuisine. And by “serious” we don’t mean uptight and academic, but that the quality of the sashimi and sushi is arguably among the best you’ll find in Bangkok.

Co-owner David Lombardi is originally from British Columbia, Canada, and an architect and designer by trade, but he knows a bit about Japan and its food having lived there for more than a decade—plus his wife is Japanese. While working as an architect, Lombardi also ran restaurants in Japan and then in Indonesia, including Wasabi in Bali, which was named to Conde Nast’s international “hot tables” list shortly after it opened three years ago. Lombardi might still be there, if not for a “dispute” (to put things mildly) with his former partners. But Bali’s loss is Bangkok’s gain.

It is obvious that Lombardi delights in the small details, which are everywhere in Wasabi@Q—details like the Japanese dolls that mark the men’s and women’s bathrooms, or the curve of the passage that is meant to resemble the curve of a ship. Another is the bare walls that may look unfinished but can be explained by the concept of “wabi sabi,” which can be roughly translated as “rustic, or unfinished, beauty.”

The L-shaped restaurant is quite small, with a half-dozen or so tables and seating for a few more at the sushi counter. On the opposite end of the narrow room is a glass wall through which you can watch the congested traffic and comings and goings of Q Bar punters below. The room is dark and darkly decorated, save a brightly lit showroom-like space in the center of the room—a “lounge” with stools inspired by wooden crates.

The same attention to detail can be seen, and tasted, in the food. For example, the lobster (in the beef rolls) is Atlantic lobster, the soft-shell crab in the Black Spider Roll (B560) is from Martha’s Vineyard and the kani (crab) salad (B300) is made with real crab, not crap crabstick. The menu is limited to a few starters, sashimi, sushi and signature fusion rolls, some of which, purists should be warned, don’t contain rice. Thinly sliced beef takes the place of dried seaweed in the Beef Rolls, for example, with three choices of filling: foie gras (Australian beef (B640), Kobe (B1,280), shrimp tempura (B640, B1,280) or lobster tail (B840, B1,490). The fusion creations get the most press, but connoisseurs will appreciate Wasabi’s more traditional—specifically, raw—fare. The sushi here is Niigata-style, named after the coastal prefecture where Lombardi lived in Japan that is famous for its rice, sake, seafood and ski resorts. So the sushi rice is a bit more firm (what the Italians call “al dente”) than what most of us are used to, and the fish is cut in bigger pieces.

The best days to visit Wasabi are Tuesday and Friday, when the seafood arrives from Tsukiiji market in Tokyo. While the majority of Japanese restaurants in Thailand are supplied by the same handful of importers, Lombardi has his own agent, which, he says, is the only way to insure top quality. (Evidence it's working: The uni sushi, B560, is potentially orgasmic.) But this of course comes at a price: Be prepared for a shock if your idea of Japanese is set lunch at Fuji. At Wasabi, sushi sets range from B560 to B1,200, and the sashimi set with two slices of five kinds of seafood is B1,900. Or you can order a la carte—from B160 for two slices of tuna or salmon to B2,100 for a pair of succulent o toro. Outrageous? No, serious.

Dining Details

Try serious sashimi at Wasabi. Open daily 7pm-midnight, at 2/F, 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11, 06-002-1727. AE, DC, MC, V.

A familiar pepper brand in Thai kitchens, Phrik Thai Tra Meu Thi Nueng or Hand Brand No.1 has been produced by Nguan Soon since 1954. Recently, Hand Brand No.1 has been repackaged stylishly and displayed along with more than 200 herbs and spices at a shockingly pink showroom called Spice Story (G/F Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-7505-6. Open daily 10am-10pm).

Appearing in a dazzling chic Chinese design, Spice Story easily attracts passing shoppers. This intriguing spice store is the brainchild of the Limprana family who run leading spice distributor, Nguan Soon. Led by Wisit Limprana, Nguan Soon has produced and exported herbs and spices from chili powder and Thai curry paste to oregano, serving more than 20 countries.

Exported products are now displayed on the shelves of Spice Story including instant khanom jiin (Chinese rice noodle, B23), laap seasoning (B25), shitake mushroom (B140) and roast barbecue pork seasoning (B25). Popular items are pepper (B53), lime leaves (B100) and dried lemongrass (B30). “Spice Story is located opposite the supermarket, and we have some products that the supermarket doesn’t have, such as Yunan ham and scented chili for casseroled prawns with glass noodles,” Wisit said.

Though the number of shoppers visiting Spice Story is high, Wisit admitted that Thai people aren’t really familiar with these spice and herbs. “A lot of Thais come in and admire our beautiful packages, then leave because they don’t know how to use our products. Our regular customers are mostly foreigners.”

To help people understand more about the products, a corner of Spice Story serves food that was prepared with their spices, such as duck noodle soup (B190), bah kute (B190), fusion spring rolls (spring rolls stuffed with smoked bacon, spinach and cheese, B70) and cooling herb tea (B40). “From the dishes we prepare, customers can see how spices in the shop are used.” In the future, the shop plans on holding demonstrations on how to cook dishes using their spices.

Another product that can draw customers into the store is their creatively spiced ice cream, which comes in seven flavors including pepper ice cream, chili ice cream and morning glory sorbet (B50/scoop). Wisit explained his strategy. “This area has a lot of teenagers passing by. We tried to figure out which products we could sell to this group and my sister created spice ice cream.” This strategy works well. The ice cream case is always busy though some kids have said the chili ice cream is too spicy.

The next step of Spice Story is to expand its store as a franchise or let Nguan Soon be a co-partner in a new shop. “We won’t sell our products separately. If someone likes our products or our shop, he has to buy the whole shop and set it up just like this Spice Story.”

The future of this spice shop seems bright. “We’ve been contacted by German and Filipino people who want to set up a Spice Story franchise. We’re still discussing the details.”

Traphic

This adorable bar, the width of which can't accommodate two people lying head to toe (which can happen), is decorated in contemporary Asian style and so chill chill. You can hang around the two small tables, sit on the couches or rub elbows standing at the counter. Twenty is a crowd here. The customers and songs (on vinyl) are more farang, but the price is very Thai baan baan.
171 Tanao Rd., Phranakorn, 06-539-2510, 04-052-2723. Open Tue-Sun 4pm-1am.

Say Play

This tiny bar is one of the smallest joints in Soi Chamchan, so don’t bring many friends—and don't tell any strangers about it. The somber black decoration is somewhat in contrast to the bright and casual acoustic pop rock tunes that both amateur and professional musicians play. Friendly vibe and service. Familiar dance songs on Friday and Saturday.
75/1 Soi Chamchan, Sukhumvit 63, 01-269-1345. Open daily 6pm-1am.

Someday

At Someday, every day is filled with good music. You can listen to rare English grooves while lazily sitting back amid the white and bright interior. Food is cheap and very yummy. It’s so small that it may seem invisible if you don’t look carefully for it.

75/2 Ekamai 21, Sukhumvit 63, 01-854-8404, 02-711-6653. Open daily 6pm-1am.

Adhere

This Banglamphoo bar features live blues and jazz belted out by energetic musicians sitting casually in the middle of a group of punters. Try it on weekend nights if you want a warm atmosphere, but it will be hard to get a table as it can pack out with less than 20 people in the place. Mostly it’s for regular customers who love live music. Don’t worry about going there alone as you can easily find someone to talk to.
13 Samsen Rd., Phranakorn, 09-769-4613, [email protected]. Open daily 6pm-midnight.

LG M6100

This small, sleek slider offers average functionality for ladies with small hands. It’s not the most stylish phone, and looks alone can’t justify the price. However, taking sophistication into consideration (this phone has bits of everything in it), this could just be the item for you. B12,900. http://th.lge.com

What we like…

• Light and very compact—only 88 grams in weight.
• Good for carrying around the neck.
• Cool look and groovy slide.
• All interface connectors—whether to charger, earphones or computer—come with solid plastic covers and attach to the phone with elastic, keeping them dust free and protected.
• Bluetooth, global clock, SMS and MMS, plus a decent digital camera.
• Very user friendly and easy to use.
• The quality of the sound for MP3s is quite good.

What we don’t like…

• The screen is small, so it’s not good for shutterbugs.
• The navigation buttons are far too small for a guy’s hand, and even pretty small for a standard lady’s hand.
• Just 128MB for a multimedia phone? You’re kidding.
• No slot for memory card.
• The stereo headset seems like a kid’s toy.
• Basic organizer and small phonebook make it inappropriate for business use.

Sony Ericsson W810i

Sony finally live up to their reputation as audio pioneers with the W810i. The latest in the Walkman series is the best so far, offering obviously music but also a 2-megapixel camera, an easy-to-use interface and handsome looks—all in one small package. B19,900. www.sonyericsson.com

What we like…

• Great sound out of the box, even better than our iPod, thanks to Sony Mega Bass and snug earbud headphones.
• Can be used with any standard headphones—not just Sony Ericsson—or even plugged into external speakers.
• Made for music with access to functions from side buttons, including a dedicated music player button.
• High-resolution camera, smooth panning on clear display.
• Can downloads songs via USB or Bluetooth.
• Flashlight and SOS mode.
• Cool graphics.
• Comes with 512MB memory card, upgradable to 2GB.

What we don’t like…

• Sony Ericsson jack is annoying: difficult to connect, exposed wires can get bent and it pops out when you don’t want it to.
• Can’t plug headphones or speakers directly into phone without special jack.
• Playlist software isn’t nearly as good as iTunes.
• Sound quality as a phone is disappointing.
• Not compatible with Mac.
• Price.

Motorola RAZR V3i

If you can’t wait for Apple to come out with a phone, here’s the next best thing. Well, almost: It can only hold 50 songs. But music or no music, the sleek design is sure to get you noticed. B13,900. www.motorola.co.th

What we like…

• Looks awesome. Plus the blue model will help you stand out in a crowd (if you hurry).
• Thin shape.
• iTunes. Works just like our iPod.
• Sounds just like our iPod.
• Compatible with Mac.
• Did we mention how cool it looks?

What we don’t like…

• Limited memory equivalent to about 50 songs.
• Metal keyboard doesn’t work well when covered with just a little moisture (i.e., your sweat).
• Can’t use standard headphones.
• They insist it’s spelled “RAZR,” not “Razr.”