Su Vien Tan, legal executive

“The profiteroles at Cafe & Bar Gavroche—they’re the perfect combination of chocolate and cream.” 

Yap Seng Gim, bank executive

“I’ve been on a hunt for the best prata, and found it at Simpang Bedok at Mahamoodiya Restaurant (335 Bedok Rd, 6446-5176). It’s got the right degree of crispiness and softness, and they have a butter chicken curry dish that goes with it perfectly.” 

Li Min Tan (right), founder of clothing brand Cloud & Victory 

The buah keluak fried rice from Immigrants. It’s very homey and comforting, and the flavors are presented in a different—yet not unfamiliar—way."

Chua Chin Chin, founder of creative studio and publicity company Arm Collective

“I love Joe & Dough’s grilled vegetables sandwich. It’s crusty, with a great combination of sundried tomato pesto with vegetarian cheese.”

PLUS: 50 things to eat in Singapore before you die, according to I-S Magazine and what you have been saying about it:

er, no. just no. if this is all you are eating in Singapore, you are so missing out. http://t.co/NswWK4igOi

— Stanley Lai (@_stanleylai) October 29, 2013

Just planning my next 50 weekends... #50ThingstoEat http://t.co/CODhUcXm5P

— Jyotirmoy Saha (@moysphere) October 29, 2013

50 things to eat in Singapore before you die. Really? I'll go for grilled chicken wings or kaya toast. http://t.co/fXtYyW6IYv

— me.dha (@greyskies) October 29, 2013

Ok, one for the foodies :) Quite an exotic list.... http://t.co/0ECgDF8qed

— Andy Tay (@andytayhk) October 27, 2013

How can you improve sound quality at home without purchasing new gadgets?
If you are playing your digital music on your phone or laptop, make sure that the audio file is ripped in the highest quality. Carpets, curtains and soft wall coverings absorbs sounds so it doesn’t bounce off the walls

What about setting up a home-theater system?
The best option is to get a professional set it up for you since there are a lot to consider, like the size of the space. But if you’re doing it on your own, take note that speakers should be at ear level, or playing towards ear level. Subwoofers should preferably be location in the front of the area. The quality of the center speaker is very important as it plays all the vocals and speech.

Does size matter?
Yes, bigger speakers are typically better than a smaller one, because of the size of the cabinet and the speaker drivers. A bigger interior space also requires a more powerful sound system, like a bigger car needs a more powerful engine. It’s physics, really.

My path in life has been fairly linear. I have wanted to be a writer since I was seven. Most of my choices since then have been in support of this goal.

This persistent emphasis on money, money, money at the expense of almost everything else, including happiness, is anathema to my sensibilities.

If your head is so far up your ass that you can’t bother to show the slightest shred of human empathy or kindness, then you are utterly wasting your time on this earth.

I like to think of myself as a classy, reasonably sophisticated guy, but fart jokes just crack me the hell up.

I write literary speculative fiction, which is set in a place that looks an awful lot like our world, but one that is slightly off-kilter, so the fantastic is possible and metaphors can become literalized.

I was a teacher for four years and the principal was shocked into silence when I turned down a promotion in favor of fewer working hours.

The most difficult part of my day job (as literary fiction editor at Epigram Books) is actually finding the time to read manuscripts.

Writers never get a break. The times when I’m not directly writing or revising, I’m still constantly thinking about the current work-in-progress, and counting the minutes until I can get back to it.

I’m a Humanistic Buddhist, in that I treat Buddhism more as a life philosophy than a religion. I don’t necessarily do a lot of chanting of mantras or meditation.

I have little patience for stupidity, so people who display intelligence are almost immediately attractive to me. I try to surround myself with as many of them as possible.

I recently bought a PS3, and have so far finished L.A. Noire, Sleeping Dogs, Red Dead Redemption, Uncharted 3, LEGO Batman 2, and Rocketbirds. I’ve got Bioshock Infinite and the Mass Effect trilogy, too—but won’t start until I’ve finished revising my novel.

I love Junot Díaz. He’s so effortlessly smart, I could just listen to him talk all day on YouTube.

I tried writing under the influence a few times, but the prose turned out far less shiny in the sober light of day. It was a lot like dictating a dream—it may make complete sense within the dream world but reads like utter nonsense once fully awake.

I write while listening to Nine Inch Nails and Trent Reznor’s other sonic projects. His songs often put me into a sort of in-between dream state that facilitates creative thinking.

Every so often, I’ll eavesdrop on conversations in cafés in the CBD, which are full of corporate speak and euphemistic buzzwords—all are concerned with either the acquisition or retention of wealth.

I saw the South Park movie on opening weekend in 1999, and was sore all over for a week afterwards, for all of the laughing.

The Internet is fantastic for finding a wealth of visual stimuli.

In terms of politics, I definitely lean leftward. For a while I was a member of the Green Party in the USA.

The only Nine Inch Nails song I didn’t have in my collection was “Home”, and its absence drove me batty. A friend eventually emailed me an MP3 of it. Otherwise, I consider myself a law-abiding citizen.

I make enough money to live on, and a bit more for the occasional nice dinner out, movie or new book. That’s enough for now.

Lundberg’s short story collection Strange Mammals ($18), chapbook Embracing the Strange ($10), speculative fiction journal LONTAR ($22) and anthology The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories ($24.90)—phew!—are available at BooksActually.

Why the name?
We believe that music has the strange ability to free the soul—the expression of feelings through music is a means to liberate oneself and [the actor] Steve McQueen's portrayals of the anti-hero in iconic films like The Getaway, The Great Escape and Papillon make him the perfect symbol of anti-establishment.

How did the group come together?
A few of us were at the Java Jazz Festival earlier this year and were inspired by so many of the acts; so much so that we decided it would be fun to form a band and write our own music when we got back. We all knew each other through various music circles and when it came together, we just knew it was something special.

Has it been tough finding places to play in?
It’s a good gigging situation, but of course, we could always play more. We play at Blu Jaz at least once a month and at Marina Bay Sands twice a week. We have a bit of a following at these places.

What are some of the band’s musical influences?
Well, there are the neo-soul influences of D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and Maxwell as well as the more improvisational approach and sound of modern jazz instrumentalists like Robert Glasper and Darryl Reeves. Lump that together with soul and R&B icons like Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Bill Withers—you get the picture.

Where do you see yourselves five years from now?
Touring and stuffing ourselves endlessly with cuisines from all over the world.

The Steve McQueen Band perform Nov 14 at Blu Jaz, 11 Bali Lane, 6292-3800 and every Fri-Sat at Jazz @The Shoppes, 10 Bayfront Ave, 6688-8868. Free.

What was the problem?
We were licensed to a Category 2 for Public Entertainment level, stipulating “No live music” but recorded music was permitted, which we presumed meant we were permitted to have DJs. Singapore Police Force officers, during one of our nights, highlighted that DJs were considered to be live performance. We stopped all our DJ nights while we appealed to obtain a category 1 license, but after several months, our appeal was rejected.

How did the closure dampen the scene?
It means there is one less venue that is willing and motivated to support local music and artists. More broadly, we think that people considering a similar concept in Singapore will think twice before trying to execute it. Without a doubt, all healthy local music scenes around the globe have developed through a strong grass roots music scene. This is impossible to develop if artists don’t have venues that will employ them, promote them and provide them with a forum to get their music out to the public. If there is no support for PE Category 1 licensing outside the main entertainment hubs, there will be no strong alternative music scene.

What is Zine?

Zine is actually an event that originated in New York. It’s a place where artists, designers, photographers and other creatives gather to show off their handmade magazines. 

How did it come to Bangkok?

My friends in Tokyo launched Here is Zine Tokyo, which has taken place for six years now. I’ve also played a part in it. After talking to them, I decided it was time to launch this in Thailand. I have invited 18 Thai designers and another 20 Japanese designers to show off their works which are all limited edition. This is the first time that the event is being held outside Japan. 

As the head of a leading design company, how do you see the Thai graphic design scene?

It’s always growing and will continue to grow further in the future. There’s more to communication than just a language. The term “graphic designer” has come a long way but some people still think that it’s something related to computer programming, which is a viewpoint we want to change. While graphics are defined as a 2D-form, it is something more than that. It’s a form of communication involving different senses. Many graphic works involve speech, too, and take time to be made. Our industry is not lacking in designers, but we need people who simply love designing and can adjust their work to different fields.

What’s next for you?

I’m going to be part of Bangkok International Typographic Symposium 2013 (BITS MMXIII) as a speaker. This time I’ll be talking about fonts that have become part of our everyday usage. The starting point of my interest came when I went to a public library here in Thailand where they keep ancient documents with old fonts. I felt a connection with the past and found it interesting that here in the present we still use a lot of stuff from the past.

Every art show ignites some sort of change in me. My art is drawn from my experiences, my learning and my fondness for certain things. So, when I get comments from people about my work, it helps me shape things in my head.

My shows at the Venice Biennale helped me connect with the feelings of Thai people living abroad. Some came to see my show and cried with pride at the fact that Thai artists were present at this big international event. I never thought such a thing was important, but now I do. Thai art helped them come together.

Communities are key to a long-lasting art scene. I’ve tried to bring the arts into people’s daily lives, but it means nothing if they don’t participate or connect with it.

It’s important to encourage people to make art by whatever means possible. I’m supportive of people creating any type of art, even sewing bags. This can only help our art grow. 

People are drawn to art when they see some benefit. I admit that not everyone in Ratchaburi admires art. But when it brings benefits, like more visitors, it might encourage them to participate more. It depends on them understanding [the benefits].

Art isn’t something that has to be put in a frame. Thai society still treats art as this standalone concept. People aren’t really aware that it’s part of their daily life. The way you hang a picture on your wall or decorate your desk—art is all around you. 

Crafts haven’t always been in my interests. I used to feel opposed to it when I found out I was to be the next generation to take care of Tao Hong Tai. I didn’t care about studying as I knew that no matter what, I had to come back to run the business. I even studied to be a librarian for a semester before my dad sent me to study overseas.

Studying in Germany was my destiny. I felt so depressed about being sent there. I even wondered, why did I have to be put through all this shit? I had no choice but to take a pottery class to get a certificate to get into university. After two years, I started loving it. 

The way Germans live surrounded by art inspired me to create that kind of environment back in Thailand. They have beautiful architecture, galleries and city planning. I want our kids to have that here. I’ve started doing it myself—it might not be much but it’s better than having nothing.

Being surrounded by art doesn’t automatically make someone an artist, but living in beautiful surroundings can stimulate imagination and creativity. It can also help people feel a bond with their place. Even getting one person to feel this way is a success. 

Dealing with bureaucracy is really exhausting. I’m fed up with talking to administrators and having to really push for some art project or another to take place in town. 

Doing what you love can help you conquer anything. No matter how down I feel, I know what I’m doing and what I’m aiming for. 

Everyone needs something to hold on to. Some people love to collect cars, watches or brand names. I don’t have anything I like to collect. All I want to do is continue to push my art. 

People might think I have so much money that I can make all this stuff happen, but I don’t. I have to run my family business, earning my normal salary, while trying to put on art projects in town at least twice a year. I can’t take a break, otherwise we’d have to start all over again.

It’s good that art elicits a reaction from people, whether it’s good or bad. The R.C.A. Ratchaburi Construction Workers project by Ralf Tooten got complaints from locals who said it disturbed their neighborhood—which, for me, was a good thing. At least, it helped them realize that they cherish their neighborhood. 

Really study an artwork before criticizing it. I’m OK with comments that my work isn’t any good, but other comments made without any real understanding are simply unfounded.

I don’t have any big dreams. My ultimate goal is to simply run my business and help the art community grow. That’s it. I don’t want to be at the center of everything, either—it’s up to others to support it. 

There’s no right time to help others. Many people seem to wait for the perfect opportunity to stand up and do something for society. But from my experience, no matter how ready you are, you will always encounter challenges. So, you may as well just get started.

What are the most common words you use to describe wines?
I tend to be quite descriptive, for example I love full bodied, vivacious and fruit driven wines. I also tend to focus in on the fruit flavors in wine like blackcurrant in reds and the gooseberry and passion fruit in a sauvignon blanc, which is always amusing to the wine novice because it smells of these fruits but all wine is only made from grapes.

Would you say many wine terms are quite culturally specific? For example, what might usually be described as rhubarb, might to someone who grew up in Asia recall hawthorne flakes.

Absolutely, I recall when I first started in the industry in Australia someone was describing a wine saying it smelt of asparagus. I grew up with a mother of Italian background who would serve us fresh asparagus char-grilled and smothered in olive oil, salt flakes and ground black pepper, so I didn’t get it at all. But upon more questioning, I found that he was talking about an old Aussie favorite, which was tinned asparagus often served on dry biscuits and it smelt completely differently. However, a lot of wine terms are universal. For example, if I describe a wine as opulent, it means that the wine is rich, smooth and bold, such as the Penfolds Grange Shiraz.

What are some ways to get around confusion?
A simple rule to remember is that most wines from France or Europe are named after the region. On the other hand, wines from the United States, Australia and other non-European countries are named after the variety of grape used. For example, one of Australia’s most renowned wine brands, Penfolds, names its wines according to the variety of grapes used, such as the Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon. A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous but go to tastings, ask your wine merchants and never be afraid to ask. Wine is a complex category but lots of fun once you jump in and start asking questions. Don’t let yourself be intimidated—at the end of the day it’s a great social lubricant.

What words do you wish people would use more to describe wines?
I have a saying that “wine should be taken regularly not seriously”. So describe what you smell and what you taste, look for wines and enjoy wines that you like the taste of not what someone tells you to like.