Womenswear

hansel
Jo Soh’s quirky label turns 10 this season and the designer is celebrating this milestone with a quintessentially Singaporean collection. Full of kitschy charm, it features prints of hand-drawn HDB buildings set against a backdrop of happy hues like sky blue and sunset yellow. Classic, feminine cuts and lightweight fabrics keeps clothes practical. $99 upwards at #02-14 Mandarin Gallery, 6836-5367, www.ilovehansel.com.

In Good Company (IGC)
The tailored-minimalist aesthetic has been the defining look for IGC since the beginning but, this time, the label’s founders-designers have gone a step further with new fabric treatments. Hemlines and edges are cleaner, thanks to a bonding technique that gives soft cottons structure without adding bulk. $89 upwards at the IGC pop-up store, TANGS Orchard, 310 Orchard Rd., 6737-5500, www.ingoodcompany.asia.

YOUYOU
One-year-old local label Youyou’s third collection for fall is, fittingly, named light. Breezy, luxurious fabrics are pleated and twisted and ruffled to inject volume to boxy silhouettes, while pastel colors and shimmering fabric complete the overall feminine look. Not too big on color? Play it safe with their comfy, black and white staples. $59 upwards at Threadbare & Squirrel, 660 North Bridge Rd., 6396-6738, www.iloveyouyou.com.

Menswear

Foon Foono
Visual artist Foon, who has been crafting leather bags since 2011, is now onto menswear, and his recently launched first collection is steered in a different direction. While there are echoes of a sharp, fuss-free aesthetic like his pared-down accessories, the new collection steals the show with surreal prints of sea creatures on its T-shirts. $89 upwards at Matchbox, #02-20 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6884-4396, www.foonoart.blogspot.com.

Reckless Ericka
The color palette for Reckless Ericka’s latest collection may be subdued, however the clothes are anything but. Inspired by the film The Grey and Japanese animation Princess Mononoke, the label’s signature suiting is given a softer, quirky spin with rope details, drapes and a slightly exaggerated silhouette.  Just perfect for the fashion-forward dandy. $139 upwards at The Reckless Shop, #02-08/09 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6338-8246, www.recklessericka.com.

Coupé-cousu
Head honchos Alex Yeo and Xie Shangqian put the fun back into classic tailoring with geometric patterns like herringbone and polka dots, cast in gradient hues from bright to dark on shirts. Completing the look are dress pants and blazers, some of which even feature edgy patchworks. $79 upwards at PARCO next NEXT, 2/F Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd., 6595-9100, www.coupecousu.com.
 

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante
The two-storey dining room’s interior channels the same regal air with starched table linens and understated furnishings, ideal for a special occasion; it even accommodates a cheese and charcuterie room in the center.

GRUB
GRUB’s part of these new generation shack restos and it’s got a sweet location at Bishan Park, right next to a lovely stream. The eatery has great vibe: Fresh, idealist and full of bohemian values.

Lower East Side Taqueria
This Mexican eatery offers items like octopus and squid burrito ($18) and chilli con carne tacos (from $13)—in three levels of spiciness—which you can wash down with milky horchata ($5), craft beers (from $7) and tequila tasting flights (from $28).

Madame Patisserie
Very femme, with lots of pink and adorable plant fixtures on each table. There’s also a charming alfresco area out front covered with faux grass—it’s quite the serene oasis in nightlife-centric Boat Quay.

Tamarind Hill
It feels just like a tropical resort. Located in a historic colonial building, the place is outfitted with Asian-inspired elements such as golden Buddha statues, swatches of fabric with ethnic embroidery, and dark wooden furnishings.

TWO FACE Pizza & Taproom
Gussied up with blackboard dividers and playing smooth tunes by crooners like Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra, the coffee shop becomes a cool yet comfortable spot to chow down on simple Western recipes with a local twist.

The Green Door
There’s an alfresco area amid lush greenery for outdoorsy types, while the rest of us who need air-conditioning can still enjoy the kooky interiors stuffed with vintage trinkets.

Wild Oats
An intimate bar-café where you can stretch out on rattan chairs on the sprawling alfresco area, enjoy cold beers, cool cocktails like the honey Choya martini as well as lemongrass and blueberry margarita while grooving to the laid-back music.

Afrojack
Trance and techno is always a favorite with the crowd. Times are yet to be confirmed, but if previous years were anything to go by, this headliner who ranked number 9 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list will play from 3am till the sun comes up.
Afrojack plays Dec 13.

Example
A live act this one, with the critically lauded Brit rapper-singer-songwriter performing alongside spinmeister DJ Wire. This is the kind of collaboration that’s been missing from the bigger tents so far.
Example performs Dec 13.

Alesso
The young Swede’s interpretation of summer dance anthems are almost legendary in the circuit, having worked with the likes of Armin van Buuren and Tiesto.
Alesso plays Dec 14.

Danny Avila
Another young gun to look out for, Spain’s Avila’s scorching sets are a must for those seeking the latest trance anthems.
Danny Avila plays Dec 14.

Seth Troxler
The purveyor of house and techno will drop his always infectious and trendy prog-houe tunes, inspired from his stint at the BBC Radio One.
Seth Troxler plays Dec 14.

Solomun
The Singapore debut of underground figure turned superstar producer Solomun is another reason to hit the sand. The latest name in progressive and disco-house was recently named DJ of the Year by Mixmag, and it’s his meticulously constructed dance mixes that we’re really looking forward to.
Solomun plays Dec 14.

Kölsch
A live techno DJ set in the vein of Richie Hawtin and Sven Vath. Kolsch’s debut here, off the back of a rich discography under different monikers on the Kompakt label, is a good place to start if you’re all about IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).
Kolsch plays Dec 14.

ZoukOut is on Dec 13-14, 8pm. Siloso Beach, Sentosa. $98 (one-day pass)-168 (two-day pass) from Sistic. For the full lineup, log onto www.zoukout.com.

Night Moves
After its successful stint at Dempsey, Ryan Clift’s Tippling Club has finalized its new location in three units of shophouses at 34-38 Tanjong Pagar Road near the CBD. To open in December, Clift’s signature gastronomic fare and cocktails will remain intact (though the cocktail menu is being completely overhauled); with the new space comprising a bar, dining room and a private dining room on the second floor. For clubbers, the folks at St. James Power Station are in talks to open new dance space Club Toxic. Although details are still being firmed up, rumor has it that it might open by the end of this month. Stay tuned for more info.
 
Step To This
Meanwhile, dance fans of the arty kind can look forward to Singapore Dance Theatre’s (www.singaporedancetheatre.com) exciting list of performances scheduled for next year. One of our most hardworking arts groups (they’re certainly one of the few that plans that far ahead), highlights include a reworking of Romeo and Juliet in March, another edition of Ballet Under the Stars at Fort Canning Park in July and the epic Don Quixote in December.
 
For Art’s Sake
More exciting news for the year ahead. With art blockbuster Art Stage (www.artstagesingapore.com) taking place in Jan 16-19, major galleries and museums will also be putting up on special exhibitions, talks and tours throughout the month in conjunction with Art Week (Jan 13-19). To help you navigate through the smorgasbord of events, we’ll be putting together a special guide that will be available free with the January 10 issue of I-S, featuring the lowdown on all the major shows happening during the period, as well as interviews with industry experts and first-hand previews you won’t read anywhere else.

Heimat Nature’s Table

Chalong Bay Rum

The Magic Alambic Rum

Goodfood4uBKK

Bon Appetit- la-Cuisine-de-Nathalie

CSA Munching Box

Essentials:  spring water  mountainous  hot climate river  lake  sea/ocean  forest

Wagyu is just a breed, that’s why you can get it from places other than Japan, such as Australia. Kobe is a place, which makes some of the best wagyu beef in the world. Now there are actually four breeds of wagyu—although even in Japan kuroge washu, or black hair cattle, accounts for 90% of what gets eaten. (The other breeds are red hair, shorthorn and polled horn.) More importantly, what really distinguishes one chunk of wagyu from another is where it was raised, as the land, weather, feed and local farming traditions can greatly influence the meat’s flavor. Here are the regions you should be keeping an eye out for, and why chefs in Bangkok love them so much.

Miyazaki (Kyushu Island, Kagoshima Prefecture)  

Kagoshima (Kyushu Island, Kagoshima Prefecture)  

CHIANG RAI

Chiang Rai Dok Mai Ngam 10th

LOEI 

Phurua Marigold Field

CHIANG MAI

Flora Festival 2013

NAKHON RATCHASIMA

Flora Park 2013

PHETCHABUN

Phutubberk Winter Flower Festival

SARABURI, LOPBURI AND SUPHAN BURI

Sunflower Festival

HUBBA

19 Ekkamai Soi 4. Sukhumvit Soi 63. 02-714-3388. Open daily 9am-10pm. hubbathailand.com

A year after their opening, there are now a lot more choices around town, but you could say HUBBA Thailand was the first to really kick off the co-working space scene in Bangkok. The old house painted white reminds us of those charming home-come-bars like 6ixcret and Sua-Non-Kin, only it’s designed for working in the daytime. The place is very organized, with zones like the “hot desk,” where individuals can come together to share a long wooden table, as well as private rooms for setting up mini offices. There’s a library corner with sofas and a sizable play yard out front where you can take a break from your work or even organize events. Other facilities include high-speed Wi-Fi and LAN internet connection, meeting room, post box rental services, complimentary coffee, tea and snacks, 24-hour CCTV, pantry, canteen and, perhaps most impressive, shower rooms. Packages for members start from B1,295/week up to B36,500/year, while newcomers can get a one-day trial pass for B265. HUBBA is now expanding another two branches in Bangkok (Wong Wien Yai and Ekkamai Soi 4) and another one set to open in Hua Hin by mid-December.

Kliquedesk 

93 Sukhumvit Soi 23. 02-105-6767. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm. www.kliquedesk.com   

Kliquedesk opened this co-working space last February. The modern design building features a cheerful yellow, black and grey color scheme. Kliquedesk delivers a more formal office atmosphere, although rental packages can still be considered pocket-friendly for freelancers and new ventures. There are three packages available: Hot Desk recommended for freelancers who want a proper and ready-to-use office on a monthly basis at B3,900 or one-day-trial at B200; and Serviced Offices for real-deal ventures but with flexible leasing terms (B18,000/month). Spaces are available from one up to six people.          

Muchroom Co-Working Space

61 Pradipat Soi 23, 081-699-9872, 02-618-7800. Open daily 9am-8pm. [email protected]

Rather than present themselves as a proper office building, the team behind Muchroom have given this 50-year-old house in Pradipat Soi 23 a café-like atmosphere, with plenty of work desks and five private rooms for rent. The starting price is B220/day while member rates start from B1,085/week, B3,900/month, up to B29,200/year. For those who want to set up a proper office, a private room for two people starts from B10,000/month and for 2-4 people at B17,000/month. Facilities include a common printer, Wi-Fi, a phone operator and messenger. Aside from the office basics, they’re trying to create a warm atmosphere by coming up with cute ideas like Tuesday afternoon tea break and Wednesday yoga class. 

Launchpad Co-Working Space

1/F Sethiwan Tower Silom, BTS Surasak, 02-266-6222. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-8pm and Sat 10:30-6pm. www.facebook.com/launchpadhq

Located in the Silom business district, in Sethiwan Tower, Launchpad has created a professional yet playful environment for entrepreneurs to collaborate and exchange ideas. They’ve taken the first floor and filled it with plenty of work spaces for startup companies, including private offices as well as fixed and flexible desks. There are six meeting rooms that can hold 4-12 people and an event space with a capacity for 250 people. Individual desks start from B260/day or B7,500/month. Facilities also include lockers, 24-hour security, leased line internet from TRUE, a recreational room with a ping pong table and various game consoles. Members can also enjoy their café, BRUSH, which is operated by Roast Coffee & Eatery and located just outside the co-working space.

Glowfish

219 Asoke Towers, Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Soi Asoke). 02-120-9600. Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm. www.glowfishoffices.com

If fast-paced connectivity is essential to your business, you might want to check this co-working space managed by Heritage Estates, who also operate The Pride office building, where the focus is more on technology. Here, apart from the usual Wi-Fi, they offer a VoIP phone system meaning smoother connectivity and saving you the costly installation yourself. There are over 36 rooms to accommodate different needs, ranging from the co-working space from B200/day to 5,500/month, serviced office spaces at B20,000/month and meeting rooms which start from B300/hr for capacity of 4 people, as well as virtual offices start at B2,500/month in case you don’t need a physical space at all. The location is attractive, too, close to BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit. Under the theme “Meet Think Play,” it also boasts a welcome lounge where business meetups and networking events are held regularly, so there’s a chance you will bump into a collaboration opportunity.

Ma:D

42/3, Soi Sukhumvit 63, Ekkamai Soi 4, Open 9.00am-9.00pm, 085-917-7795, www.facebook.com/madeehub  

Casa Lapin x 26

Sukhumvit Soi 26. Open daily 7:30am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phrong.

The fourth branch of the hip café Casa Lapin is much more than a coffee shop. Far from its humble beginnings as a counter-top in Thonglor, Casa’s new spot on Sukhumvit Soi 26 features a hostel, co-working space and even a flower shop. The café itself opened earlier in May, and now the co-working space and hostel side of things, dubbed Oneday: Pause and Forward, is ready for business. Pause will offer dorm-style accommodation priced at B650-B1,900, while Forward is a co-working space that costs B350 per day and offers four types of work spaces: individual desk, group work, coffee shop style and meeting room for 12-20 people.  

The Hive Bangkok

46/9 Sukhumvit Soi 49 (opposite Grease). 02-662-6062. www.facebook.com/TheHiveBangkok  

Located in Sukhumvit Soi 49, just opposite Grease, The Hive Bangkok is the first international branch of this co-working space brand that already has three addresses in Hong Kong. On top of a communal space, it has meeting rooms, post boxes and storage units. The wood-dominated loft design has the requisite coffee shop chic with lounge seats and access to a rooftop garden and bar. Prices start from B250 for a day-pass trial, while you can also rent it out for B3,200/month for 10 full days (and one-hour of meeting room use) or B5,500 for 20 days (and two hours of meeting room use). Teams can opt for the B6,500 per person per month plan, with a private office (min 3 people) and three-hours of meeting room use. Head up to the roof to grab a drink after work or catch the films screened every last Saturday of the month. 

Start Up House Asia

Baan Chicha Castle 199/17, Sukhumvit soi 31. 099-497-2752. startuphouse.asia

NBA Live 14

Release date: Nov 19 for PS4 

Pitch: The 14th edition of the NBA’s only official basketball simulator.

Who made it: EA Sports.

Most anticipated feature: BounceTek; a new dribbling physics-based system that allows the players to have more control over the ball and better responsiveness. 

Bonus drama: Six of the league’s youngest point guards lend their faces and physiques to the game: Kyrie Irving (NBA All Star 2013), alongside Damian Lillard, John Wall, Kemba Walker, Ricky Rubio, and Victor Oladipo.  

Perfect for: Those too short to make the high-school team. 

Need for Speed Rivals

Release date: Nov 15 for PS4; Nov 19 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC; and Nov 22 for Xbox One.  

Pitch: Your usual Need for Speed format: cops chase you, you shake them off your tail, you challenge rival racers, your reputation grows. This time around, you can also play as the cops, though.

Who made it: Ghost Games and Criterion Games.

Most anticipated feature: AllDrive is a new online feature that allows players to seamlessly transition between single player, co-op, to multiplayer mode.  

Bonus drama: Ken Block is the series’ appointed racing advisor. He’s this mad Gymkhana driver who can pull some awesome driving stunts.

Perfect for: Guys who crashed their car trying to pull these stunts in the real world.

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Release date: Nov 5 for Xbox One; Nov 15 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PS4

Pitch: This is the first-person shooter of choice. And while most kids on the multiplayer maps won’t care about the plot, here goes: The game is set 10 years in the future, after a nuclear bomb detonated in the Middle East, leaving the USA crippled. South America’s oil-producing nations have formed The Federation, which invades and conquers Central America. They then hijack an orbital super weapon, ODIN, and use it to destroy cities in the southwestern United States. 

Who made it: Infinity Ward, Neversoft, and Raven Software. 

Most anticipated feature: “Dynamic Maps” introduce mid-game events that can flatten entire portions of a map, while players can strategically destroy parts of the map to open or block passageways. 

Bonus drama: Tony-Award nominated Stephen Lang (Col. Miles Quaritch from Avatar) is the voice of Elias Walker and the game’s script is written by Stephen Gaghan (Traffic and Syrianna). 

Perfect for: Your typical gamer who needs a little more violence in his life.

Dead Rising 3

Release date: Nov 22 for Xbox One.

Pitch: Following the well-received previous installments, Dead Rising 3 takes place 10 years after the events at Fortune City. The protagonist, a young mechanic named Nick Ramos, attempts to survive a massive zombie outbreak. To do so, Nick has a tendency to build madcap contraptions that cause massive mayhem.

Who made it: Capcom Vancouver and Microsoft

Most anticipated feature: Players now have the ability to create weapons and vehicles on the go. Rollerhawg, anyone? It’s the combination of a chopper and a steamroller. 

Bonus drama: This is a Capcom game and its many references to Hollywood zombie flicks have trickled through Japanese arcade game culture, making it a pretty brain-dead experience. But hey, you’re here to kill zombies, not watch Oscar-winning performances.

Perfect for: Walking Dead fans who would like to experience the thrill of crushing hordes of zombies. 

Battlefield 4

Release date: Oct 29 for Xbox 360

Pitch: Battlefield differs from your usual first-person shooters in its ability to give you control of vehicles and jump around from soldier to soldier, giving you the impression of leading an entire campaign at both a strategic and tactical level. This edition of the beloved game, set in the near-future, pits the USA, China and Russia against each other.

Who made it: EA Digital Illusions CE (DICE) it’s published by Electronic Arts.

Most anticipated feature: Battlefield 4 will run up to 60 frames per second and it will feature support for 64-player multiplayer matches on PS4 and Xbox One.  

Bonus drama: There’s an actual Jason Bourne-style plot in the single player campaign by Jesse Stern, who has writing credits on scores of US TV series like NCIS (about the Naval Criminal Investigative Service). His series have a tendency to never make it past the first season, though. Just sayin’.

Perfect for: Those who dodged their military service and are having second thoughts.

TECH KNOW

Meet the Consoles

Xbox One

Microsoft welcomes the Xbox One, the third console in the Xbox family this month. It has been nearly six years since the release of the previous Xbox console, Xbox 360. 

Release Date: Nov 22 in the USA and 2014 for Thailand.

New Features: 

• Blu-ray player, 500GB hard-drive and 8GB of system memory.
• Multitasking with music, video, Skype and Internet Explorer.
• Improved cloud computing and on-demand streaming of games onto your consoles.
• Improved Kinect functionality: a  1080p wide-angle camera that captures your movements and gestures allowing you to control the on-screen action.
• Kinect microphone that remains active at all times, and can be awoken with a voice command when in sleep mode. 
• The new wireless Xbox One controller features new vibration motors in the triggers.  
• Expanded TV and entertainment options.

PlayStation 4

Sony launches its fourth video game console, PlayStation 4. The PS4 is the successor of PlayStation 3, which was released in 2006. 

Release Dates: Nov 15 in the USA and 2014 for Thailand.

New Features: 

• New controllers have a “Share” button for easy access to social features like the “view-in-game” live stream from friends.
• A cloud-based gaming service that streams video games and connects to your Sony smartphones, tablets and PlayStation Vita.  
• It includes a blu-ray player (like the previous model), 500GB hard-drive for additional storage, 8GB of system memory, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and two 3.0 USB ports.
• The PlayStation Camera, a motion-sensing digital camera.
• There are other audio/video output options such as HDMI TV and Optical S/PDIF audio to use your PlayStation 4 as a one-stop media center.

Piedmont
Executive chef at Hilton Singapore Fabrizio Aceti, who hails from Piedmon says, “Christmas is very close to my heart, since I am away from my family, I’d like to share a taste of home with my guests in Singapore.” For the Christmas buffets (Dec 24- 25; from $175) at Checkers Brasserie, he'll put out northern Italian dishes like gnocchi Castelmagno, utilizing produce from the region.

Liguria
Chef Kentaro Torii of Forlino says, “The most underrated cuisine has got to be from Liguria.” The chef’s tagliolini verdi ($28), green tagliolini with basil pesto (a specialty sauce from the area), showcases the flavors of the north-western region.

Tuscany
There are plenty of restaurants dedicated to the food of central Italian region Tuscany, but our favorites are Burlamacco Ristorante, which puts out a mean beef tripe stew ($18)—a speciality from the regional capital Florence—and Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse for their gargantuan Fiorentina ($178), a hefty 1-1.2kg T-bone steak of (marble score six) Aussie Wagyu. Also, inITALY Bar Ristorante does a comforting version of lesser known Tuscan specialty gran bollito misto ($28), a pot of boiled beef, veal and veal tongue, as well as pork and chicken.

Sardinia
Retro glam newcomer Sopra Cucina & Bar—tucked away at the back of fivestar hotel Pan Pacific Orchard, right by Orchard Towers—is a pioneer in putting out Sardinian specialities, including fregola pasta and carasu bread. For a good overview of what the cuisine has to offer, there’s a four-course degustation menu ($98).

Lombardy
Warming family favorites from chef Carlo Marengoni’s hometown Bergamo in Lombardy are on offer at Trattoria Gallo D'Oro. The landlocked region is best known for meaty, rich recipes with plenty of lard and butter, so loosen your belt and dig into the house specialty of veal ravioli stuffed with bacon and sage ($20).

Veneto
Chef Denis Lucchi of Buona Terra has launched a series of Gastronomic Tour dinners, each featuring a different regional cuisine. The next event spotlights the food of coastal Veneto, on January 14, with a five-course meal featuring traditional recipes like fegato alla veneziana, calf liver and polenta. Also check out Cicheti, a brand new Venetian snack bar serving classic bites like spicy prawns.

Emilia Romagna
OTTO Locanda recently introduced regional set dinners ($58). Through to the end of November the focus is Emilia Romagna, with four courses of dishes like parmesan risotto (the region’s most famous cheese).

Puglia
The “heel” of bootshaped Italy is the south-eastern region Puglia, home to OTTO Locanda’s (see Emilia Romagna, above) head chef Marco Violano who cooks up specialties like frittelle alla pugliese ($18), ham wrapped scamorza cheese served with dough fritters.

Sicily
Sicilian restaurant Gattopardo Italian Grill & Pizzabar’s last day at its current location is December 31—so get there quick. Helmed by Sicilian native Lino Sauro, the restaurant puts out dishes like angel hair pasta with sea urchin ($38), a classic from the seafood-loving island. Alternatively, visit their new address (34 Tras St.), when it reopens in January.