What’s the difference between dyeing your hair at home and at the salon?
Getting your hair dyed at the salon is much healthier because everyone has different hair, and the products in the supermarket might not be very suitable for your specific hair type. They can actually cause a lot of damage. Professionals have the knowledge required to choose the best solution possible. Professionals also have the ability to make your hair color come out looking better than doing it on your own.

Any tips for home dyes?
Hair’s roots are actually hotter than the ends, so you should apply the color starting at the ends of your hair, and then gradually apply it in the direction of your roots. 20-30 minutes is enough time for the dye to achieve the correct color.

Why are sausages common to almost every cuisine from English to Thai?
Every culture does seem to have a love of sausages of one type or another, whether it’s based on the Italian, Spanish and French cured sausages or on the German or British style fresh sausages. Apart from the fact they so delicious and easy to cook, I think it’s also because it’s a great way of keeping meat longer than you could when kept fresh. After all, the word sausage comes from the Latin salsus meaning salted or preserved.

There are fresh sausages and cured sausages. But are there further categories within fresh ones?
You could come up with many different categories, but most fresh sausages can be put in one of two: either ground/minced sausages like the British favorite cumberland, or a German-style emulsified sausages like a weisswurst. On top of this you also get sausages that aren’t stuffed into a casing like Mexican chorizo and the American Italian sausage. Then there’s smoked/unsmoked etc; the list could go on for ever.

What are some ways, other than on a grill, to cook sausages at home?
We do get numerous other varieties these days, but apart from a few exceptions sausages are traditionally made from pork, so they should really be cooked through and never served rare. Ideally a sausage should be cooked to about 70 C, but try not to overcook it, as they will start to lose their moistness. Sausages can be grilled, sautéed or baked in an oven, but the real trick is to cook them slowly.

What’s your advice on how to store and defrost meat?
My main tip would be to make sure you never re-freeze anything that’s already been frozen and then defrosted. Not only is this extremely bad due to the growth of bacteria, but you’ll ruin the texture of the meat. But as long as the meat/sausages are fresh, then they will freeze well for up to three months. Just make sure you wrap them up well and always try and defrost them slowly overnight in the fridge.

What are some things to look out for when purchasing sausages for home use?
Look for the same things you would when choosing a piece of meat; make sure it looks fresh, if it’s looking a little tired around the edges it’s probably been sitting there for a while. For ground/minced British style sausages look at the marbling of the fat. It should have a good mix of fat through the meat and have a nice amount of herbs showing.

As a child: I wanted to be a scientist and a rock star.
First job: At Silk Bar in Khao San.
Rule for life: To be myself, trust in the forces and live a moderate life.
Happiest moment: Hasn’t come yet.
All time fave song: “Another Day” by Dream Theater.
Favorite crowd: Songkran Fest 2007 on Khao San Road and New Year 2008 at Silver Sand Koh Samed.
Most inspirational person: The King and Ernesto Che Guevara.
Listening to: 90s rock music.
People always assume I’m: a nobody.
But I’m really: an underground DJ.
Most annoying thing I have to encounter everyday: Selfish people, politicians and the question, “Can you play Lady Gaga?”
On a night out, I: drink, listen to the DJ and look for real love.
In 20 years: I’ll still be spinning or become a farmer.
Would like to be remembered as: a good DJ and a good man

Technique and medium: Computer graphic, projection.
Tell us about the concept behind this exhibition.
The exhibition consists of three parts: my self-portrait, an installation, and pieces of text. The 28 self-portraits come under the theme of “Me, Myself and I.” The installation will represent my death scene, using a plaster mannequin as a body, and two small screens serving as the eyes. On top will be a projector screen showing what I’m thinking and would like to say at the moment of my death. The text pieces will be quotes about my life experience. For example, one of the quotes will be “Stop watching porn, and you’ll be more productive.” There will be 20 such quotes.

What about this image of the brain scan in particular?
It is one of the scenes presented on the screen in the installation part. The brain represents my own brain if it could speak, what it would confess in its last moments.

Do the colors red, yellow and green represent anything?
The color usage was selected from my own preferences, as it was my brain, but they do not have some specific meaning. I simply used them to separate the parts of my brain.

Why was the idea of the deathbed confession appealing to you?
In art, we often see artists like Marcel Duchamp and Goya and their work about death. Even in movies, many have significant death scenes, where the actor has something to say before he or she passes away. The concept of the deathbed confession comes from that same impulse, but this exhibition is not the last work before I die; rather, it’s a confession of myself on what art is in my perspective, a confession of my own philosophy.

What do you expect the audience will get out of your work?
I don’t know what exactly they will get out of it. The best I can do is to express my message through my work and let it speak for itself. Vasachol Quadri

What is the story about?
In brief, I would say it is about the unconscious sexual desires of humans.

What style of theater would you say it is?
It’s not a traditional play with a full story line and lots of dialogue. It’s more a piece of conceptual art that uses performance, installation, graphics and film in expressing a whole thought. I would call myself a performance designer rather than a director.

The play is inspired by a short story by Tomorn Sukpreecha. Tell us more about the adaptation.
The story is about a boy who is in love with his mom’s high heels. His mom punishes him for having sex with her shoes. The story made me think that everyone has their own way of enjoying sex. So, I created the characters and the story to express this idea. The show is like a sex discussion, except done through a variety of characters and techniques. The challenge is to go beyond people’s expectations that this is merely an erotic play. It’s more than that.

Do you see a relationship between your previous play, Silent Scream: Journey to the Dream of a Murderer, and Fin?
The concept for both plays came from short stories. For Silent Scream, I was inspired by the female character in Albert Camus’ The Misunderstanding. The differences are in the staging techniques. As the name implies, Silent Scream was largely a silent performance with very little dialogue. But for Fin, I decided to use more visual art.

Who should watch this play?
Certainly not those who are expecting a fun, romantic stage play. I’d recommend it for anyone who loves theater or anyone who just loves experiencing works of art.

What would you say is the highlight of the show?
This is collaborative show, involving artists who are experts in particular types of art, each creating their own presentation to represent our concept. Making the play has been like mixing a salad, with me as the chef. Vasachol Quadri

Check out Fin: Fetishism Story at Democrazy Theater Studio

How did you guys meet?
Tabula was originally formed eight years ago by Arron and me. We met through mutual friends and shared common musical interests, played a couple of virgin gigs and the rest was history.

What kind of music do you play?
We play rock, Brit, alternative and, ultimately, party and fun music for people to have a good time. Memorable performances? The big break for us was as opening act for Hoobastank in 2004 at Sentosa. Nonetheless, the last NYE Countdown Gig we did with Power 98 at Marina Barrage was unbelievable; the fans were amazing.

Where would your dream gig be?
Madison Square Garden! Also, I’d definitely like to play at Woodstock or Big Day Out.

Who do you look up to in the local music scene?
I enjoy watching Jive Talkin' and John Molina & Kruger during my off nights; they have been in the scene for the longest time. They’re not just awesome musicians but also excellent entertainers! Jack & Rai, Dawn Ho and Shirlyn from Unxpected are also worth mentioning.

Tabula perform every Wed, 9pm at Hard Rock Café Singapore, HPL House, 50 Cuscaden Rd., 6235-5232.

How did you first get into DJ-ing and producing?
One of my friends showed me this crappy DJ software called Virtual DJ. I used that for a while, then started producing in proper Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and DJ-ing soon after that. It was always through friends.

What is the Australian electronic dance scene like at the moment?
I think it's in a pretty good place! It was pretty great in 2007 during the electro trend but went downhill quite a lot after that. It's beginning to recover now and people are starting to pay attention to new sounds in house, disco and techno. There is a bunch of great new guys and also a bunch of older guys returning to a more organic sound.

Is there something about the scene that you like or dislike?
My only qualm with Australia is the constant requests you can get at some clubs. Dubstep, Afrojack, Tiësto, David Guetta. I think a lot of Australians have a pretty cheesy taste in music. That said, most of the clubs I play at, people are really open and just keen to party as long as the music is good!

What are you currently working on?
Well, my new EP has just come out so I'm taking a short break from producing my own original stuff. I've got a few remixes in the works. I've started a new project with Shazam, and we're going under the name "Country Club." Expect to hear more about that really soon! You’ve done remixing duties for the likes of Miami Horror, Classixx and Empire of the Sun.

What is your production process like? Do you have some weird-ass ritual?
First of all I drink a bottle of whiskey, then I take off all my clothes and the rest is history. No, it’s pretty mundane; I usually start out with a musical idea or with the drums and then go from there. It usually involves a bit of dancing and fist pumping at certain stages. I'd describe the whole process as an emotional rollercoaster. I think anyone who makes music or any other kind of art would understand what I mean!

Where were some of your most memorable sets?
There have been quite a few! Opening for Calvin Harris at a festival in Australia, a Bang Gang records night we once had and a few of the gigs I just did in the US and Europe.

What’s your idea of the perfect set?
Just to have the crowd loving every song you play. If it's a headline set then to start off where the previous DJ left off (presuming they did a good warm up set) and slowly build it to a peak. Then bring it back down a little and end with a classic. Two nights ago in Milano my last track was "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones.

What can we expect from your gig here?
Mainly house and disco and lots of new stuff that you won't be able to hear anywhere else! Also some awesome new dance moves that I've been perfecting over the last few months.

Cassian will be helming the decks on Mar 25, 10pm. Zirca, #01-02/05 Blk. C The Cannery, Clarke Quay, River Valley Rd., 6333-4168. $15-28 includes two drinks.

How tricky is that for you as a chef? Any tips to share?
I don’t think it’s that tricky at all. What’s important is the quality of the produce and to bring out as much flavor as possible. I just try to keep it pure and simple, definitely seasonally and locally sourced, organic where possible. Experiment with different spices, fruits and vegetables, even marinating something can do wonders. I would also say reading recipes from various sources, as well as trial and error, because practice makes perfect. One of the easiest things to have is a well-stocked pantry, so you have ingredients such as spices readily available to you at home. Then the cooking process isn’t so laborious and all you need to do is pick up fresh ingredients.

So you cook healthy, but do you eat healthy as well?
I’m a bit of a salad freak. I love tomatoes, avocadoes, romaine lettuce and sweet corn, so I always make salads around those ingredients. I don’t have a real hankering for junk food. I just need to do more exercise and stop eating too much, that’s my problem. I’m not a big beef eater. I would never order a steak unless I was in a steakhouse. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever cooked a piece of steak at home in my life.

You travel quite a bit, what are some particularly memorable meals you’ve had?
Grilled lamb brains in Morocco where they have a big night market. I was a little starved for some good street food. In Thailand, you’re always getting weird and wonderful things such as bugs and rice roaches. David Thompson uses rice roach fish sauce in this particular green chili relish and it imparts the most unusual flavor, but if you have it by itself, it just tastes like ammonia. It’s terrible. I did a charity dinner with Jean Georges, David Thompson and Neil Perry in Bangkok. David took us out for dinner after and made us all eat the actual rice roach. It was in a salad and they had the rice roach fish sauce, as well as pounded up rice roaches.

Chef Amanda Gale will be in town on Apr 11-15 for Superfoods Revolution: Cuisine for Life. She’ll be cooking up lunch and dinner at One-Ninety (G/F Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, 190 Orchard Blvd., 6831-7250) with organic ingredients from SuperNature (#01-21/23/27 Park House, 21 Orchard Blvd., 6304-1338), and conducting three cooking demonstrations ($120) on Apr 12-14, 4-6pm.

Tell us about the 48 Hour Film Project.
The 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP) is the world’s largest time-based film making competition. It started 10 years ago in Washington DC, and since then the festival has grown. The 48HFP now takes place in over 100 cities around the world. I think it’s quite remarkable and inspiring that there are so many people all over the world willing to give up a weekend of sleep to go out there and make a film.

How does it work?
Teams of filmmakers have one weekend to create a short film (between three and seven minutes long). We give them elements they need to include in their film; a prop, a character, a line of dialogue and a genre. Teams get these “ingredients” on Friday night and 48 hours later they must return with a finished film! Genres range from comedy and mockumentary to period piece, sci-fi, and superhero. Lines of dialogue have included, “It was like that when I got here,” and, “Well that certainly changes things.” Props have included a pair of scissors, an ang bao and a pillow.

How should would-be contestants prepare themselves?
Teams should think about their work flow. It helps to have a team lined up with a diverse range of production talents including actors, editors, and camera people. We recommend that teams think about locations that they would like to/have access to shoot in before the competition kicks off. Test your equipment ahead of time; it’s not fun to realize on the Friday night of the competition weekend that your batteries are dead. I’d recommend having someone designated to make food and drink runs.

Tell us about a 48 Hour Film Project success story.
We take the 48 hour time limit very seriously. Teams can’t be considered for the competition and awards if they are even one minute late. During the 2009 competition we had one team reach the finish line two minutes late. It was majorly disappointing for the team, The Singapore Malay Film Society. The next year they got to the finish line with time to spare and ended up winning the whole event, taking home “The Best Film in Singapore” award. I think it’s a great success story and a testament to the team’s perseverance.

What are the qualities that stand out in a good entry?
At the risk of stating the obvious, the best films are written, shot and edited well. Often the best films are the shorter ones. With such a tight timeline it’s best to think about every line of dialogue and every shot. Keeping it short and simple often is the best strategy.

What’s in it for the winners?
Fame and glory in the world of 48-hour filmmakers. The winners also take home an Avid Media Composer 5 (editing software worth US$2,495). The winner of “Best Film” in Singapore goes on to compete at the annual Filmapalooza event in the US, where all of the winning films from the 100 participating cities are screened.

The 48 Hour Film Project takes place Apr 29-May 1. $120 ($140 after Apr 10). Visit www.48hourfilm.com/singapore to sign up.

I was born in Nan province. My dad was a cop and my mom has a grocery shop in a market.

I don’t know when I first wanted to be a girl. It was just instinctual.

I used to have personality problems because I wanted to be a girl even though had a boy’s body. I tried so hard to be a girl, and my parents didn’t know how to handle it or raise me.

My dad was so upset about my behavior. He threw a combat boot at me when I was in sixth grade. My mom said that she couldn’t accept my behavior and that I should just pick a gender, that if I wanted to be a girl, I should act like a real one. I have acted like a normal girl since then because I didn’t want to grow up a freak.

I skipped the last two years of high school because I was able to get into Thammasat University’s Food Science Program when I was only 16. I wanted to move to Bangkok as soon as possible when I found out that sex change surgery was available here. I didn’t want my penis anymore.

I don’t think of surgery as a choice but rather as a solution. My body was wrong, and I never accepted that I was a man. I had to go back to being a woman.

I underwent psychological testing for a year, in preparation for the surgery. Many people can’t pass this long term test. I did and was finally able to have the operation. I had to ask my mom to sign a consent form for me, as I was a minor back then.

My mom asked me, “Are you sure?” I told her that if she didn’t sign it, I would do it anyway as soon as I became of legal age.

When I woke up, I felt that this was my true life. I finally became what I should be, a woman.

I didn’t have to suffer anymore. This is my right body.

I decided to participate in beauty competitions because I felt that I was a woman and should have the right to go to the beauty pageants. But I was caught in one competition after they learned that I was a man with a fake ID card.

I was arrested but I didn’t feel any guilt. I believe that the law is wrong and forced me to act illegally.

I want to be a mom. I want to have children just like most women do. But I don’t know how. If there were wombs for sale in the market, I would buy one.

I told my boyfriend right away that I am not a real woman and he was fine with it. He just said, “Which part of your body is not a woman?” He sees me as a woman so we have a heterosexual relationship, not homosexual. Besides, now that I have some exposure in the media, I couldn’t have hidden the fact anyway.

Now I have established a cable channel called theJewelry Channel to sell my jewelry line, Carat & Secret.

After establishing the TransFemale Association of Thailand, I created the Sister’s Hand project to help those who suffer like I once did, but don’t have money to have the surgery. It was really traumatizing for me to be in the wrong body for 16 years, but what about those who are still stuck?

[The reality series] Kon Khon Kon, which follows people undergoing the surgery for a year, was cancelled because the censors misunderstood GID (Gender Identity Disorder) and felt that the surgery is merely cosmetic.

They don’t understand that having GID really impacts our mind. The surgery is the only way to fix our bodies to match our minds. The program also intends to make people understand GID as well as help those who are still confused about what they are.

I don’t judge who is better. Everyone is equal. We’re not trying to create conflict with this show. We have only one world to live in together. We can’t move to live on another planet.

The hardest thing that people like me are facing is violence. It comes from family and from society. People see us as clowns and some abuse our rights as human beings.

Please stop treating us like this. Our life is already miserable because we can’t have the body that corresponds to our mind. Only understanding can help us.

I will continue this project to help those in need. If anyone wants to stop it they have to ban sex change surgery, too.