Some might not consider it high art, but for those who are into contemporary and urban artworks, Singapore-based French artist Agathe De Bailliencourt’s frantic and fantastic scribbling and acrylic on canvas works are top notch. The Ecole des Beaux Arts de Cergy Pontoise (one of France’s most prestigious art schools) graduate, who has been based here for the past two years, is holding her first solo art exhibition J’aime-J’aime Pas at Taksu Gallery through Mar 18. Her massive 156 x 126.5 cm works are mostly priced above $4,000, but serious art investors should find these a steal.

After all, some of De Bailliencourt’s best pieces are also exhibited at the established Galerie Catherine et Andre Hug—Jacob1 in Paris, and her works are collected by many private collectors and museums worldwide. The artist has also collaborated with cult fashion label Comme des Garçons on a few projects, including a wall mural for its guerilla store here in 2004, and some drawings for the upcoming Singapore Biennale poster design.

“My works are about repetition, and it’s a technique that I’ve been using for nearly a decade,” says the affable artist. “I’m quite an extreme and spontaneous person … I repeat because I feel the need to repeat, and it’s a theme that is constantly running through my head. It is how I express myself.” Growing up listening to underground rock bands such as Sonic Youth, De Bailliencourt started this heady style when she first incorporated the words “I Take the Expressway to Your Skull,” a line taken from Sonic Youth’s 1986 rock number “Madonna, Sean and Me” from the album Evol, over and over again in her first few art pieces.

And she hasn’t looked back since. Today, with the same style intact, her later works from 2004 onwards incorporate energetic smatterings of the phrase “J’aime-J’aime Pas” (“I Love, I Don’t Love”). While old school art aficionados may find De Bailliencourt’s works unsophisticated, younger art lovers are more appreciative of the artist’s colorful and erratic scribblings and paintings, done in mostly acrylic and pencil, and reminiscent of the late and brilliant American artist Jean Michel Basquiat’s works. “Basquiat’s works have had a huge influence on me,” admits De Bailliencourt. “I love everything he does, as they are so strong. There’s a sense of strength and sincerity to them, and that’s very important to me because art is all about that. When I do my works, I want to be free, and to just let go. As long as there’s sincerity in one’s works … that is art.”

The Chao Phraya is a marvelous thing, and anyone who isn’t captivated by it—the views, the lights, the boats, the riverside dining opportunities—should have their head examined. If, like us, you never tire of a meal by the river, check out these suggestions.

Samsensoisam

Vibe: Feel like you’re having your own private party in your own lovely garden. And that you’ve acquired a pool table along the way. Find a lot of university students, young office workers and couples here having a good time. The place can be quiet, so it’s a good spot for romance amidst the sounds of mellow pop, jazz, and bossanova. Service here is terrific.

View: The riverside tables win the best view prize. If you’re annoyed by the noise from the passing boats, grab a table inside the adorable house, decorated in a modern white color scheme.

Victuals: They serve nicely styled Thai food, which will cost you a very reasonable B200-300. Try the kai ta-khrai samsen (deep-fried chicken with lemongrass served with spicy sauce, B150), and sii krong muu ob sauce Tokyo (roasted pork rib with Tokyo sauce, B180).

Venue: 10 Soi Samsen Soi 3, Samsen Rd., 02-628-8362. Open daily 5pm-1am.

Baan Klang Nam 2

Vibe: The restaurant has a retro vibe and dark wooden tables and chairs with music comprised of old Thai songs. The now famous Baan Klang Nam 1 has paved the way for Baan Klang Nam 2’s popularity: A lot of loyal customers come here. On weekdays the place is packed with office workers, while weekends see the family crowd. Riverside tables are always occupied, so book ahead if you want one. Attentive waiters are energetic and work fast.

View: Sunset brings a gorgeous view. Across from the restaurant is a lush forest, making you feel like you are sitting in suburbia.

Victuals: Seafood cooked Chinese style is the way to go. Try plaa ka phong tod nam plaa (deep fried white sea bass in fish sauce B500), puu phat phong karii (stir fried crab in curry powder B300).

Venue: 762/7 Chatuchak Market Rama 3 Rd., 02-819-3880/-2. Open daily 11am-10:30pm.

Buri Tara

Vibe: Decorated in a classy black and red theme, with a mix of Balinese and Thai styles. Tables and seats are big and comfortable. Bands take turns playing soft jazz and acoustic music. Wear your most fetching new outfit: everyone here is well-dressed. Service is supreme: the staff is both well trained and well mannered.

View: Surrounded by trees, with the river nearby, the view is quite magical. At night, candles and red lamps are lit, adding to the romantic atmosphere.

Victuals: They serve three different cuisines—Thai, European and Chinese. Try puu lon song khreuang (chopped crab and pork with coconut milk served with vegetables B450), plaa ka phong rad sauce wine kao (white snapper with white wine B450) and paw pia thawd sot sai phak khom kab cheese (deep fried spring roll with baked spinach and cheese B150).

Venue: 762/2 Rama 3 Rd., 02-682-9457-9. Open daily 6pm-1am.

Khin Lom Chom Saphan

Vibe: This casual restaurant is the place to go for university students. But their exuberance doesn’t scare off the large contingent of office workers. Hear live music in the form of pop, acoustic, country and folk. Reservations during weekend evenings are highly recommended.

View: The place is popular for its fabulous view of the Rama 8 bridge stretching over the Chao Praya. The sunset view is perfect and the traffic lights at night create a memorable picture.

Victuals: The kitchen isn’t known for consistency, but we always have good luck with these dishes: miang kung foy (baby shrimp with herbs B90), paa thong ko yad sai (fried wheat pastry B100) and ruam mit talay (mix charcoal grilled seafood B380).

Venue: 11/6 Soi Samsen 3 Samsen Rd., 02-628-8382-3. Open daily 11am-2am.

River Bar

Vibe: This chic restaurant next to the river is a great choice for senior university students and young office workers, as well as couples out on a date. At the bar the DJ plays hip hop and other hits at 9pm, while at the restaurant side live bands play jazz and blues.

View: River Bar is one of the most attractive riverside dining places in town. The restaurant offers a great view of the Sang Hee bridge, the dimming lights of Bangkok and, of course, the Chao Praya. In the moon light, reflections are gorgeous.

Victuals: Choose from a variety of delicious food, including kung sa dung fire (sizzling prawn, B300) and yam sam lao thap (squid, shrimp and oyster spicy salad, B120).

Venue: Soi Chaopraya Siam Rachawitee Rd, 02-879-1747-8. Open daily 5pm-1am. (Take the express boat and get off at Saphan Sang Hee pier.)

To Sit Pier 92

Vibe: This well-known Mediterranean beach style hangout (with lighthouse) looks simple with white plastic tables and chairs. On Friday, the place is filled with office workers, while weekdays see university students and families. The music is Thai pop songs. Staff is nice and service minded.

View: Your best bet for a view is the second floor terrace of the lighthouse.
Victuals: Authentic Thai food includes laap muu tod (deep fried, mince pork salad, B90), and paw pia To Sit (spring roll stuffed with lichee and shrimp, B90). You’ll spend about B250-300.

Venue: 115 Charunsanitwong Soi 92, 02-879-1717. Open daily 5pm-midnight.

First, you need to monitor your lifestyle. Incessant late nights, smoking and drinking will take their toll on your immune system, and those nasty germs will find a way in. Smoking weakens the mechanisms that keep bacteria out of the lungs and alcohol causes dehydration and damage to the liver–your body’s primary filtering system–making you more prone to infections.

Dr Li Jie, a certified TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) doctor, reminds us of a few simple but effective lifestyle factors: “Open your windows regularly to keep the flow of fresh air around the room, wash your hands frequently and cook your food thoroughly–particularly with the current threat of bird flu. Be sure to exercise regularly and wrap up with some heat!”

Oriental Medical Doctor Doris Rathgeber signals that saunas or steam rooms are a good way to strengthen the immune system. Viruses can’t survive in that stifling, misty heat. She advises, “Be sure to always take a cool shower after, to restore the balance of heat.”

Food for Thought

There are ways to beat the bug before it gets you. Since childhood, we have been told to eat our greens, but you shouldn’t underestimate their potential. Fruit and veg’ are a great source of vitamins C and E, and contain antioxidants, which boost the immune system.

Dr Zhang Yifang, a Chinese Medicine professional, recommends stocking up your shopping trolley with oranges and dark green vegetables like spinach or broccoli. “It’s also important to eat lots of protein,” explains Zhang. “Protein helps build up your immune system and build antibodies to fight against viruses–meat and nuts are the best source of this.”

Zhang also sings the merits of dates. “They are a good source of nutrition and they help blood circulation.” They may smell bad, but garlic and spring onion also provide great protection against infection. So start popping those cloves, but just make sure no one gets too close.

“Eat the fruit of the season,” says Rathgeber, “Apples or pumpkins are good and pear juice is good for coughs, particularly if mixed with almond.”

Remedy it

Our bodies are subject to enough chemicals, so rather than diving straight for the medicine cabinet, there are a few natural means of reducing those nagging symptoms. Dr Zhang warns against dairy products. “Try and avoid an overload of dairy products for a while because they will increase congestion. And combat the early signs of a runny nose by eating chili peppers–they clear the sinuses.”
To fight the fever, look to the herb–peppermint tea, in particular, has soothing properties. “You can also apply pressure to the tops of your ear with your finger tips,” says Zhang. Alternatively, Rothgeber advises wrapping cold towels around the calves and neck.

For sore throats, honey and lemon in hot water is an age-old remedy, as is gargling with salt water. “It’s important to drink lots of fluid if you are suffering–plenty of water,” adds Zhang, as this will help loosen mucus and re-hydrate you–flushing your system clean of toxins. Steam inhalation is also an easy and effective method to clear those passages–add some chamomile, eucalyptus or thyme essential oils.

Fancy a cuppa?

A lot of teas contain natural antibiotics that counterbalance some of the effects of colds or flu. The experts stress the antiviral qualities of ginger tea. “It helps with congestion, coughs, and tickly throats. It has quite a pungent taste so restrict yourself to two cups a day. You can sweeten with a drop of honey too,” advises Zhang.

To make the tea, boil one tablespoon of grated fresh ginger per cup of water for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes.

Shopping List

A by all means non-exhaustive list of stuff you should munch on:
Green Vegetables
Apples
Pears
Lemon
Pumpkins
Nuts
Nuts
Garlic
Onions
Honey
Ginger
Peppermint Tea

As a dining concept, wine and tapas has caught on in a big way and many tapas bars have opened their doors in the last six months. “Tapas,” though, is no longer confined to Spanish snacks, and is now loosely used to refer to snacks and small eats of any variety. In September last year, The Moomba opened a tapas bar on its upper level, and since then Keyaki Bar, La Viva and Meze have joined the fold.

The Moomba @ Level 2

52 Circular Rd., 6438-0141.
Everyone knows The Moomba, which has been serving quality Australian cuisine in Singapore for several years now. Fewer, however, know of The Moomba @ Level 2, the wine and tapas bar located on (no prize for guessing) the second floor of the restaurant. While this establishment lacks an imaginative name, it dishes up pretty creative cuisine in line with what’s served downstairs. Try Chef Leonard Oh’s goose rilette ($15), tea smoked chicken with mustard ($10), flame torched Wagyu rib eye ($37) and a substantial cheese board ($12). Special requests for food are also entertained—and the chef is open to unusual suggestions.

As for the wine, it too is good. Over 180 labels are on offer, mostly from boutique Australian wineries and mostly exclusive to this wine bar. A large selection is available by the glass, in the very affordable price range of $9-14. Seating only 30, this is a cozy wine bar suitable for small groups who want to congregate after work for a drink and a chat. It can feel a little squished, but after a few glasses of nice wine, you might not notice.

Keyaki Bar

G/F, Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd., 6826-8330.
Tapas takes on a twist at this swanky bar. Specializing in sake and shochu, Keyaki Bar also presents a cute international menu of snacks (from $7). At the Japanese end of the spectrum are items like grilled duck with asparagus and yellow mustard, or roasted octopus balls, while Western options include prawn ragout with melted cheese on toast and seared tuna with olive salsa on potato pancakes.

But the real stars here are the drinks. The good folks behind this bar have concocted the lethal “saketini” ($25 per glass)—a combo of sake and martini, as its name implies. Available in lychee, peach, melon, orange and other flavors, this drink is touted as a “ladies” cocktail, and we presume that means it is elegant and not that it is mild. Purists might prefer straight sake and shochu, served in varying strengths and, for sake, temperatures. After a few down here, head up to Pan Pacific’s well established Keyaki restaurant for a real Japanese feast.

Meze—Asian Tapas Bar

2/F, Grand Tower, Meritus Mandarin, 333 Orchard Rd., 6737-4411.
Opened in December last year, Meze is part of Meritus Mandarin’s much talked about revamp that included two of its restaurants, Chatterbox and Pine Court. As the name of this bar suggests, it serves Asian snacks such as crispy seafood “pencils” ($4) and shrimp and parsley sand dollars ($6). Although it calls itself a tapas bar, it is quick to emphasize that it offers so much more than just small eats and drinks. Bartenders concoct flamboyant, brightly colored cocktails presented in fancy glasses with frilly garnishes, and whole look and feel of the place is more clubby than laid back. DJs spinning funky tunes add to the atmosphere, as do live bands. It seems as though this place is trying to be everything all at once—let’s hope it pulls it off.

La Viva

#01-12/14/14 CHIJMES, 30 Victoria St., 6339-4290.
At La Viva, traditional Spanish tapas is served with a wide variety of sangria (from $12 per glass), some of which are quite inventive. To suit our muggy climate, a tropical fruit sangria has been concocted comprising lychee, pineapple and mint in Chardonnay and brandy. Also fresh and fruity is the peach sangria, with peach slices floating in peach flavored Chardonnay and brandy. Just peachy! For something stronger, try sangria with Pimm’s, sparkling white wine (cava), orange juice and cucumber, or champagne with cranberry juice and brandy soaked cranberries.

To line your stomach, there are brushcettas ($6-8), Mediterranea salads ($10-13), gazpacho ($7), as well as more substantial fare such as Spanish omelettes ($8), beef stew ($12) and paella ($22). Sangria makes its way into the food menu too: There’s sangria-marinated choriza ($12) and pears poached in sangria ($7) for a heady finish to your meal.

Namuskaar, meaning “greetings” in Hindi, is a fitting name for this warm and friendly restaurant, as the staff eagerly greets you with a very warm reception. Usually, Indian food is synonymous with really thick and heavy curry dishes, but aside from the hospitality, people are drawn here for the light Indian food and the customized dishes. “When people look at a menu, they usually know what they want to order, but we don’t know how they like the food. So, we ask every single customer how they want it—mild, medium or spicy,” said the owner Atul Hora.

Tucked away only 200 meters into Sukhumvit 8, Namuskaar is bright pink with ceiling fans but its simple and clean nonetheless. It looks more like a khao kaeng shop, but it isn’t. In fact, its food has great flavor similar to a high-class restaurants with lighter food selections. “Indian food is generally oily and heavy which isn’t good for health.” Growing up with this heavy fare, Atul was inspired to serve light dishes as his first dish were too greasy for his first customer. “I apologized and changed the dish immediately, only the second time around, I changed the recipes and used less oil and other fatty ingredients.”

To create lighter fare, Namuskaar substitutes ghee—unhealthy doses of fermented butter—with vegetable oil and uses less of it to boot. Atul gives an example of a dish called mutton rogan josh (mutton cooked with thin dark sauces, B170). “It’s extremely oily ‘cause the word rogan means oil and josh means more oil.” But Atul guarantees, “Our mutton rogan josh isn’t oily.” And although It’s not quite the same, Atul still stands behind his tasty dishes. “We let the spices do the talking—not the oil.” In the end, the spices are able to pack even more punch because it has less oil to contend with.

The restaurant serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine cooked by a couple of amazing Indian chefs with over a decade of experience each. Spices and basmati rice are imported directly from India. Dishes aren't specially decorated but it’s not about the looks here ‘cause the food speaks for itself. For meat lovers, try the recommended mutton seekh kabab (minced mutton mixed with spices Indian herbs and cooked in clay oven, B170) and chicken tikka masala (barbeque chicken chunks cooked with thick spicy sauce, B170). Vegetarians can enjoy aloo samosa (two pieces of deep fried puff patties filled with minced potatoes and green peas, B30) and keema samosa (two pieces of deep fried patties filled with minced mutton and green peas, B80). Accompany any of the main dishes with the super-delicious stuffed naan (Indian bread with choices of flavors—butter, garlic, onion, potatoes or mix, B50). Don’t forget to drink lassi (a creamy drink made from yogurt, B60) which comes in two flavors—sour flavor or sweet. If you don’t like yogurt, go for Indian tea (B40) or coffee (B50).

After we gorged ourselves with great light Indian food, we insisted Atul take a break and sit down to talk more about his restaurant.

The sign outside said the restaurant serves north Indian food. Why north Indian and not other regions?
To be very honest, the greatest Indian food is from north India. The region is famous for it’s strong agricultural roots. The north is abundant with everything including rice, vegetables and meats. Also, north Indian food is much healthier where as south Indian food is oilier. Its cuisine has a lot of deep fried stuff.

The emphasis here is on “light.” Are you a health-conscious person?
Of course! It’s very important. My mother has health problems because of her diet, so I have to be careful too. I told my chefs to use less oil, and if they don’t, I’d deduct their wages.

Dining Details

Try light Indian food with your choice of spiciness. Open daily 11:30am-11pm, at 9 Sukhumvit Soi 8, 02-255-1869.

Fashion Trend Center

The Face: Its name grabbed our attention, so we gravitated towards this “trend center.” A cool book and magazine cubby. Trend books are kept on lock-down behind the reception counter. The magazine selection is fab and up to date. Sit and peruse pricey fashion books you’d normally just skim through at Asia Books.Quiet, isolated (no neighboring offices) and staff are helpful but sometimes don't have a clue. No photocopy services available but they'll scan and do print outs at B20 per page for black and white and B50 per page for color. (That feeling that you've been robbed comes at no extra charge.)

The Feeling: A place for a work-free afternoon to read and hone on your fashion prowess. The primo trend books tempt you into passing ideas on to your tailor for your next big outing. However, if you couldn't care less about fashion, it’s really nothing spectacular—Asia Books or Kinokuniya will do just fine.

The Fees: Members fees and privileges vary from B200-4,000.

6/F, The Office at Central World Tower, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-264-5353, www.fashiontrendcenter.com. Open Tue-Fri 10:30am-8pm. 

Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC)

The Face: A huge location with a very impressive presence. The first gallery is very informative and highly entertaining, great for insight on the origins and inception of design, which are displayed through objects, descriptions and multimedia showcases. The second gallery shows monthly exhibitions. Staff are helpful and informative—though, somehow invisible. The global material collection of Material ConneXion is massive and useful for designers and trade people.

The Feeling: It's all above standard and beyond our expectations, though the membership fee is heartbreaking. If you need any inspiration or are looking to expand your right-brain creativity, this is definitely the place. It can be used as a temporary office in the afternoons or as a great spot for a "creative" first date.

The Fees: B600-600,000. Free for first time visitors.

6/F, The Emporium, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-664-8448. www.tcdc.or.th. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phong.

Maruey Knowledge & Resource Center

The Face: The hall is bright and airy with ceiling-high glass windows and modern décor. Book collections are plentiful but most of them focus on finance and investments. Audio-visual learning is available as well as chess, a big screen projector and 30 plus computers. People can enjoy a morning chat over a cup of joe on the ground floor but upstairs is reserved for serious study only. The second floor houses academic, financial and business information of the companies listed in the stock market. Librarians here are as typically stuffy as they usually are. Free WiFi is provided and a coffee shop next to the library serves up Starbucks-like coffee; upstairs is a B2S bookstore.

The Feeling: Their early-bird opening and night owl closing hours are great. It gives you a chance to visit either before or after work. Some casual reads are also available too. This library brilliantly combines the old and the new into one place.

The Fees: Free entry for all but only members can check out books. Member fees are B100, but gold and silver members have to pay B300 and B500 respectively, in case of damaged books.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand building, 62 Ratchadaphisek Rd., next to Queen Sirikit Center, www.maruey.com, 02-229-2063-4. Open Sun-Thu 8:30am-11pm, Fri-Sat 8:30am-midnight. MRT Queen Sirikit Center.

TK Park & ICT Learning Center

The Face: TK library is a quirky interpretation of the typical library with comic books and casual reads. Computer services are provided at B10 for every 30 minutes by use of a refillable member card. A minimum value of B300 on your card enables you to check-out two books at once and return them within seven days. There's a music library too but good luck finding a spot thanks to all those kids. A VR (virtual reality) room is across the hall and an ICT learning center is next door. With about a 100 computers available, service fees are B10 per hour but you have to take a tiring hop-around-the-hall for the pre-pay process. A computer library's on the left and a seminar room is next to it. On the right, find a 4D Theater, E-training class and British Council rooms in that order.

The Feeling: It has a lovely, family-friendly environment that kids just love. It mixes a grandpa-library with a young, cutting-edge one. Stuck baby-sitting tiny tykes? Bring them here while you surf for porn next door.

The Fees: Free entrance. Membership cards are B50 for children and seniors and B100 for adults.

4/F, Central World Plaza, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-250-7620. www.tkpark.or.th, BTS Chitlom. Open Mon-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm.

The Style by Toyota

The Face: The first floor has a prototype car display, café, and an IT terminal with content ranging from fashion, music, moviez, design, sports and technology. Discover the Ubiq window—a touch screen panel for designing screen savers, pictures or cars that you can burn onto CDs or download into phones. Their see-through LED screen boasts to be the biggest in Asia—and is actually the outside wall of the building. The DJ booth and design lounge are on the second floor. The third floor is an event and workshop hall.

The Feeling: It’s geared for teens that like to cruise around Siam but everyone is welcome and the content of the IT terminal is quite enjoyable. The touch screen computers and the Ubiq window don't 100% work. It’s a good place to come after a long hard day of shopping—and could possibly evolve into the new "center point," who knows?

The Fees: Free.

240/9, Siam Soi 2-3, Rama 1 Rd. 02-658-4444. Open daily 10am-8pm. BTS Siam.

It’s not exactly a long time coming, but four-year-old Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand’s rock gig in Singapore is already the next big thing that every self-declared hipster should be looking forward to (us included, of course).

The reason why lead vocalist Alex Kapranos, bassist Bob Hardy, guitarist Nick McCarthy and drummer Paul Thomson formed the band is simple—they wanted to make girls dance, and dance some more.

When they started out, this wacky outfit had also managed to wire their hangout such that they didn’t have to pay electricity bills. Besides that, Kapranos was nearly charged for running an illegal bar and violating various health and safety, fire hazard and noise abatement laws. Not surprisingly, the list of madcap escapades of this band goes on, even in their groovy and playful videos that fuse high camp and high art, including the monumental “Take Me Out” and recent single “Do You Really Want To.”

Franz Ferdinand may be fairly young, but their fun and infectious tunes are already topping charts and causing commotions on the airwaves. Definitely “Take Me Out” has ruined many CD players as their owners looped the self-titled debut album ceaselessly on that track. You Could Have It So Much Better, their sophomore effort, fared well too. It has made music lovers jump around crazily in their bedrooms, toilets, garages, and even clubs. Now that this act is arriving for a live gig, fans need not indulge themselves within the four walls of their homes any longer. It’s time to dance wildly with many others in a gigantic stadium, preferably with an air guitar in hand. Rock on.

If you find yourself running out of shopping bags along Orchard Road this weekend, fret not. Just pop by Instinc art gallery, located just a few units from popular bars Ice Cold Beer and No. 5 at Emerald Hill, to get your hands on unique shopping bags.

The exhibition Bag It!, which features more than 20 artworks—including said bags, digital prints, photographs and installation pieces—are the collaborative efforts of a group of young local artists, including Yeo Shih Yun, Wyn-Lyn Tan, Warren Khong and Terry Ong. It’s a diverse selection of works which revolves around the theme of shopping and why Singaporeans are obsessed with it.

“Shopping is always close to our hearts,” says artist Yeo Shih Yun, the curator of the exhibition. “Be it having to elbow the incessant crowds everyday as we make our way to our workplaces, or having to dodge jewelry salesmen shoving flyers in our faces, shopping is significant to all of us.” But the artworks at Bag It! explore the diverse (and sometimes dark) notions of shopping—beyond the superficial connotations usually associated with simply spending one’s moolah.

Warren Khong’s digital prints, for example, a collaborative piece with design collective JKYRD, is a colorful depiction of the perception and influences of pop culture and modern society on arts and design. Wyn-Lyn Tan’s colorful and lovable bag “Candy Land” is just that: A bright and lively discarded green suede Mango bag stuffed with little handmade felt toys. Danish artist Anne Vilsoe mixes acrylic, spray paint and varnish on plastic bags in her piece “Liquidity,” creating an organic visual piece that comes replete with handles that resemble drinking bags for coffee (you have to see this for yourself). Terry Ong’s “Elegantly Wasted (With Thanks to Aimee Chan),” explores the concept of waste, and links shopping to getting drunk.

It’s certainly a mixed bag of works at Bag It!, but with a little imagination, shopaholics can find new meanings to associate their favorite pastime with, and perhaps have a little fun at the exhibition.

For those who are hopeless when it comes to picking up total strangers, the friend-of-a-friend concept is the beacon of hope for anyone looking to meet new people. It’s certainly a lot less awkward and there’s the added benefit of having a mutual acquaintance completely exaggerate all your positive attributes. The Kevin Bacon Game, Six Degrees of Separation—whatever you want to call it—it’s this concept which social networking sites are based on. If you’re looking for love in all the wrong places, you might just want to bookmark these sites.

Friendster, www.friendster.com

You don’t just make friends online anymore; you Friendster them. The first and still one of the most popular social networking sites, with more than 24 million members worldwide, Friendster is designed so that the closer you’re connected to someone, the easier it is to get to know them, which sort of works as a screen for stalkers as well.

The ability for members to leave their friends testimonials and the bulletin board are arguably the site’s most popular features, but it also delivers other impressive functions such as blog hosting, private messaging, the ability to start your own discussion groups and a large capacity for photo storing.

Browsing the membership base is pretty straightforward and, honestly, a little addictive. Whether you’re looking for anyone who’s into that band you really dig or simply for someone that’s just downright hot, you’re probably going to find them here.

The coolest thing about Friendster, though, is simply the fact that practically everyone we know—and everyone they know—is using it. It may be trailing behind a few other similar sites on a global scale, but over here, Friendster is still the place to get to know people online.

MySpace, www.myspace.com

Formed in January 2004 and once considered nothing more than “that other Friendster,” MySpace’s membership has nearly doubled that of its precursor over the last year or so, with 47.3 million members all around the world.

While still relatively less popular locally than Friendster, MySpace certainly has made waves overseas, particularly among the more alternative crowd—artists, photographers, fetishists and even fictional characters have MySpace homepages. Looking for that certain someone whom you’ve been waiting for all your life won’t really be much of a problem if you’re cool with that person very likely living halfway around the world. Or potentially not even existing.

MySpace’s features are pretty similar to Friendster’s, but the main draw of the site is that musical artists from practically every genre are using its bulletin boards and blogs to keep in touch with their fans.

A real pain about MySpace, though, is that it’s practically littered with pop-ups. Even with our blocker on, some parts of the site send up to two ads at a time into our face. It’s generally as easy to work with as Friendster, but these distractions interrupt our browsing a little.

In the end, MySpace isn’t nearly as conducive for hooking up as it is for you to just meet people in general. But that still doesn’t make it any less fun.

WhoLivesNearYou, www.wholivesnearyou.com

At the other end of the spectrum, WhoLivesNearYou is designed to help you hook up with people a lot closer to home. How much closer, you ask? Try right next door.

Working in a slightly different way from other social networking sites, WhoLivesNearYou keeps you connected to others not based on who you know, but—you guessed it—who lives near you. We thought that this was a pretty interesting concept, keeping a similar vibe to Friendster or MySpace, but also incorporating a sort of kampong feel to it.

The site’s got a casual and laidback vibe. If some one-on-one time with that hottie whom you’ve seen walking her dog in the park seems a little intimidating, there’s always the Coffee Shop, the site’s message board function that let’s you get to know your neighbors through… well, coffee shop talk.

We were a little irked, however, when we found out that, if you want to send another user a private message or even view their profile, you’re going to have to cough up SGD$2 per year to be part of their Verified Account. Sure, it does keep out the trouble-making trolls and it is only $2, but considering other social networking sites are completely free, this was a slight turn off.

Some other features that come with the Verified Account include being notified of new neighbors, those who have moved out of your neighborhood, and even info on how far you live from your friends.
It may not be nearly as popular as either Friendster or MySpace, but, if you’re willing to fork out the cash, WhoLivesNearYou is quite an effective and relaxed way of meeting new people online.

Asia City Friends, www.asia-city.com/personals

Yes, Asia City Friends is indeed part of our publishing company’s homepage, but hold those groans for a minute, OK?

Although it was launched only in November 2005, Asia City Friends already has a focused base of over 850 (and growing) members from all across the region.

The site sets itself apart from its predecessors simply by being much more Asia-centric. Sure, it has members from the US and Europe, but browse through the users and you’re going to find that the majority of them are our regional neighbors. Signing up with Asia City Friends means you can swap tickets to events, find a buddy to go out with or find out about events you can tag along to. There’s also a blog host, as well as a reasonably sized place to store your photos.

The website also provides PDFs to all of the company’s regional magazines, restaurant reviews (you can write in your own reviews and ratings), updates of upcoming regional events, as well as exclusive shopping discounts and privileges.

It’s still too early to tell how Asia City Friends is going to match up to other social networking sites, especially considering how steep the competition is, but it’s certainly off to a good start with all the essential features, as well as a little bit more.

It’s a bit hard to recommend which of these is the best to meet that certain someone; that really depends on what sort of person you’re looking for. Whichever you choose, suddenly Cupid’s digitally enhanced arrow flies a lot further.

Originally opened in 1949, Bharani was named after the current owner’s mother. The recipes were created by his grandfather, Lieutenant Apai Isarapakdi. Inspired by his travels to the UK and US, he came up with original dishes that used farang ingredients and flavors but made them more Thai. In 2003, Bharani was closed after its parking lot was taken over and has just recently reopened again on the same road in Sukhumvit with parking now available around the sidewalk.

The new Bharani is decorated like a cozy western cottage with only five tables (seats about 24), so advance reservations are always a good idea. To remind customers of the old times, many antique items are displayed in the corner of the restaurant such as a lamp, an iron, a typewriter and a family photograph. The atmosphere is homey in warm tones of yellow and orange. Ease yourself down on a wicker chair and chill out with jazz and a variety of easy music from the owner’s own CD collection.

The new menu has been extended with more choices in a variety of cuisines—Mexican, European, American, Thai and fusion. All dishes have a simple, homemade look to them and taste outstanding. Taco pizza (beef/chicken or pork, B180) and pla ham (smoked ham and chili salad, B150) are great choices for fans of spicy food. Khao phat neua khem (salted beef fried rice, B80) and roti kaeng ped neua luk wua phrik khi nu saun (veal curry served with roti, B150) are also full of flavor. The crispy Thai-style dessert kluay haem thawt (fried banana in crispy flour, B60) is yummy but order a little in advance as it takes 10 minutes to prepare. Also don’t miss the sumptious sai grog Bharani (Vienna sausage, B80).

After learning about our future from our American-style fortune cookies, we sit with Khun Air, the son of Bharani’s owner to talk about his family restaurant.

How did your grandpa come up with his original menu?
My mother went to the UK and the US to study, and my grandpa went to visit her. He loved cooking and tried a lot of the food there. Restaurants which served farang food were hard to find here in those days. So, my grandpa opened Bharani to dish up western food for foreigners, flight attendants and other people who liked farang food, but he also adapted it to suit Thai tastes.

You added fusion food to your new menu. Why?
Actually, I don’t like fusion food; especially if it only has a stylish appearance, but is flavorless. But it’s interesting and adds more variety to the menu. Our fusion dish is pla ham (smoked ham and chili salad, B150), which I believe is a good one.

Dining Details

Thai-style Western food awaits you at Bharani. Open Tue-Sun 10am-10pm at 96/14 Soi 23. Sukhumvit Rd., 02-664-4454.