MAY 2022

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MAY 2022

ALFRESCO FITNESS

FRIZZY HAIR BEGONE! & SIDEBOARDS

CAMPS

MOST DIVERSE INVENTORY AND AMERICA’S UNIQUE FINDS

I made it! I got to see my youngest in Australia after more than two years – and I got back with no delays. Travel isn’t what it used to be, and I was getting pretty stressed about all the paperwork, but on the whole it was better than I expected. On the way back, I stopped by in Bali for business for two days and apart frommy suitcase not arrivingwithme, it was smooth too – visa on arrival took me a couple of minutes. There are loads of testing places that are cheap and easy for pre-departure tests too. I do hope that income (and hope!) will start flowing back into the areas around the world that are so reliant on tourism, like Bali. The number of empty shops and offices there is pretty alarming, as you can imagine. If you’re longing for cool, fresh air and lots of outdoor activities, we’ve bought you a little snippet of New Zealand on page 120, and a few ideas for short breaks closer to Singapore on page 114. I know someone who has been travelling around the world since the pandemic started. She wasn’t going to be able to do her line of work, so she rented her flat out – and she’s had an amazing time. She just travelled to the places that weren’t testing or monitoring; I hadn’t heard of half of them! What are your plans for the year? I imagine most of us will be catching up with family in different parts of the world. Make sure to throw into the mix a little of something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time. My brother-in- law just did gliding as part of a trip to see his kids and grandchildren. It had been on his bucket list for ages and it looked so cool! Happy planning. And, don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day this month!

REBECCA BISSET Editor-in-Chief

Every May, we feature some of Singapore’s colonial black-and-white houses. Turn to page 28 to see more of this one!

MAY2022

Editor-in-Chief REBECCA BISSET

Group Editor SHAMUS SILLAR Copy Editor JULIET KEYS Editorial Team HEALTH & FITNESS: AMY GREENBURG LIFE & FAMILY: PATRICEA CHOW

WINE & DINE, LIFESTYLE: DINESH AJITH FASHION & BEAUTY: ZAWANI ABDUL GHANI HOME & PROPERTY: AMY BROOK-PARTRIDGE Online & Digital Content MICHAELA BISSET Client Services (Ads) Manager NUR HANANI KAMAL LUDDIN Production Manager JUDIT GÁL Graphic Designers MICHAEL BERNABE | JEANNE WONG Marketing, Circulation & Administration ANNA TSERLINGAS | VEENA GILL | SITI SHAHIRAH KHIRUDEEN Advertising Sales KARIN GALLEY | DANIELLE ROSSETTI | LARA SAGE | JACQUI YOUNG

Events & Partnerships SUSAN KNUDSEN-PICKLES IT & Web Support RENE YUTIAMPO | HANADDI REY DIAZ MAMBA Chief Operations Officer COLIN PURCHASE Contributing Writers HARSHARAN KAUR | SUZANNE SCOTT TOMITA

Contributing Photographers DELON HO | BEATRICE CONTRINI

General Enquiries: info@expatliving.sg Advertising Sales: sales@expatliving.sg Subscription: subscription@expatliving.sg Production: production@expatliving.sg Editorial & Media Releases: editorial@expatliving.sg Calendar of Events: calendar@expatliving.sg Events: events@expatliving.sg Websites: expatliving.sg | expatliving.hk Printed by Ho Printing Singapore Pte Ltd (hoprinting.com) Published by Expat Living Publications Pte Ltd 36 Carpenter Street, #02-01 Carpenter Haus, Singapore 059915

Anne-Kristin Vaudour’s home @ The Grand Duchess Photography: Delon Ho

MAY2022

Upfront 15

What’s been going on around town? Cool things to do and see in the month ahead Singapore Pages: Interesting facts about where we live Subscribe and join us at an event or online talk

Home & Property 24

New furniture finds and store updates Getting your IT needs sorted at home

Searching for a sideboard? 45

Inside Singapore’s Black-and-Whites 28 We visit a heritage home in the grounds of a condo 38 A gorgeous colonial house off Stevens Road

Life & Family 70

The latest news for parents and kids Noticeboard: Baby births, plus dogs for adoption What to watch and read this month Find out which school is changing curriculum All about the new wing of the Canadian International School A walk down memory lane at Dempsey Hill Ten minutes with Jayne Nadarajoo Thoughtful baby accessories by Elly Milley Cool camp activities for school summer holidays

Buying Guide: Beautiful benches, sideboards and consoles Meet the artist behind an inspiring new collection of paintings Tips for styling a black-and- white home The Cinnamon Room owner on her move to Sri Lanka An expat with feng shui as her focus What it’s like living in Alexandra Park A reader recommends a moving company Keen to buy property in Sydney?

MAY2022

Top places to visit in NZ 120

Wine delivery services in Singapore 100

Wine & Dine 98 Foodie news, restaurant updates and more 100 How to get your drinks delivered to home 102 Play your next gourmet dinner party 103 Sugarhall makes its much- awaited return 104 Recipe Corner: Seafood dumplings and a terrific tart 106 The team reviews meat-free nuggets Travel 110 Trip-planning inspiration and hotel news 114 Where to head for a much- needed beach break 116 Back to Bangkok: The latest from the Thai capital 120 New Zealand is open for travel – here are some highlights!

MAY2022

Cluny Court fashion finds 128

Style & Beauty 126

The latest fashion news and advice

128 Seasonal, chic and contemporary clothes 130 Comfy sandals for a resort getaway 132 A pink collection to perk up your wardrobe 134 The latest beauty products and services 136 How (and why!) to keep a fuss-free facial routine 138 A business combining gorgeous fabrics and giving back 140 Tackling pesky pigmentation marks 142 Salons that will smooth your wild mane 146 Tried & Tested: Solutions for supple skin Medical updates and health tips from experts 158 Treating two common ENT conditions 162 Five outdoor activities to keep you fit 165 Signs of hip injuries – and getting them sorted 166 A look at the phenomenon of pain 168 The fitness expert transforming women’s lives See how well you do in our Puzzle Pages 172 What’s in your stars this May? 174 Important contacts and this month’s advertisers 176 Parting Shot: This could be home Health & Fitness 154 Regulars 170

136

138

A simple skincare routine

Cool fabrics and workshops

MAY2022

AROUND TOWN

MacRitchie Reservoir

Expat Living Walks We’ve been having some great walks recently, meeting our readers and some of Singapore’s creatures all at the same time! There are lotsmore coming up, as well as other fun things to do – keep an eye out at expatliving.sg.We’d love you to join us!

Windsor Nature Park

Bukit Brown Cemetery

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

A New International College Adding an extra dimension to Singapore’s education system, The GUILD International College has opened its doors to students aged 12 to 25. To mark the occasion, an official opening ceremony was heldwithMember of Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment, Poh Li San, officiating proceedings alongside the school’s Founding Director, Jayne Nadarajoo. The GUILD is at Phoenix Park on Tanglin Road.

15 MAY2022

CALENDAR

WHAT’S ON Designing Hotel and Restaurant Concepts (9 TO 11 MAY) This professional short course is conducted by the renowned EHL Hospitality Business School and is designed for entrepreneurs and managers in hospitality-related businesses. You’ll learn how to design and develop a successful hospitality concept from strategic, creative and operational aspects. You’ll also find out how existing businesses can be transformed with a strong concept. Course instructor Youri Sawerschel is the branding expert and founder of Creative Supply. Interested parties can sign up at ehl.edu/en/ study/short-courses/singapore/hotel-and- restaurant-concepts .

QUEERS – Volume 2 (UNTIL 24 MAY)

Written by some of the UK’s best LGBT writers and curated by Mark Gatiss, this hilarious and heartwarming live theatre show takes a historical look at a century of LGBT experience in Britain, seen through the eyes of working- class folks. Each monologue brings a London pub to Singapore with lively and intimate stories. The characters may be fictional, but they’re inspired by real events. (Note: The show has an R18 rating; you must be 18 or older to be admitted.) Tickets are $29 to $39 from queers2.peatix.com .

Singapore HeritageFest 2022 (2 TO 29 MAY)

Uncover the secret stories of Singapore’s lively travel history and rich natural heritage. From exhibitions and guided tours to hands-on workshops and a range of digital offerings, this year’s HeritageFest promises 100 heritage programmes presented with festival partners. So pack your bags and go on a journey to explore the evolution of travel to and within Singapore, and the island’s flora and fauna. Find the full schedule at sgheritagefest.gov.sg . Apa Khabair? – Peranakan Museum in the Making (UNTIL 29 MAY) Taking its name from the familiar Baba Malay greeting meaning “What news is there?”, this free pop-up exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum is a revisitation of the Peranakan Museum’s past, plus a teaser of what to expect when it reopens in the first half of 2023. Highlights include community collaborations, a timeline tracing the reconstruction of the Old Tao Nan School into the Peranakan Museum, and a selection of 17 objects reflecting the Peranakan way of life. Book tickets at nhb.gov.sg/acm/whats-on/ exhibitions/apa-khabair .

Relocation – The Emotional Impact of Moving (13 MAY)

According to Dr Sanveen Kang of Psych Connect, the emotional impact of moving countries is among the top five most stressful situations we can experience in our lives – up there with divorce. People develop attachments to their houses and communities that can be as strong as their relationships with family. Join Expat Living on Zoom for this very informative and interesting discussion with Dr Kang on relocating, whether you’re heading on for your next adventure or moving back “home”. For more information, visit bit.ly/3LIkfNZ .

Hari Raya Open House (27 TO 29 MAY)

This year’s Hari Raya celebrations at the Malay Heritage Centre will take place both onsite and online, ensuring there’s a broad range of activities for the whole family to enjoy. This also marks the last edition before the centre undergoes a revamp. Visitors can expect a fun weekend of live performances, art installations, drop-in craft workshops, storytelling sessions and more. There are both free and ticketed events. Keep an eye out here for updates: facebook.com/malayheritage .

MAY2022

CALENDAR

Colour Socks Parade (UNTIL 31 MAY)

Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 (20 MAY TO 5 JUNE)

This nationwide challenge tasks the community with achieving a total coverage of 60,000km in 60 days by walking, running, swimming and cycling. It aims to advocate for greater social acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs). You can make a donation or organise a fundraising campaign in support of the event, and rally your family and friends to organise joint activities with PWIDs to further the cause. For more information or to register, visit coloursocksparade.sg . This is a free cultural event taking place at the Sun Yat-Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. Discover the story and traditions behind the Dragon Boat Festival, one of the oldest cultural festivals in the world, through a line-up of live performances, workshops, heritage walking tours and more during the weekend open house on 28 and 29 May. In addition, keep a lookout for festival- related digital programmes via the Facebook page, facebook.com/sysnmh . Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival 2022 (16 MAY TO 3 JUNE)

This year’s SIFA welcomes a new festival director and the start of a three- year curatorial theme, The Anatomy of Performance. The focus for 2022 is on ritual in the narratives and perspectives of performances. The festival takes place at various locations and emphasises the intersection between local and international art forms. Highlights include The Once and Future by award-winning filmmaker Yeo Siew Hua, Delicate Spells of Mind by Lucy McRae (Australia), MEPAAN by Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Tuyang Initiative (Malaysia) and Ubin by Drama Box. Tickets from sifa.sg .

Luxury Brand Management (16 TO 18 JUNE) This professional short course by EHL Hospitality Business School is designed for young supervisors or managers interested in the luxury industry. You’ll learn

how to develop and implement innovative strategic solutions for luxury branding. The course Instructor is Dr Florent Girardin, who holds a PhD in Management, HEC Lausanne. Interested participants can sign up at ehl.edu/en/study/short-courses/singapore/luxury-brand-management .

Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022

17 MAY2022

Investigating the island past and present, with tips, trivia and time travel – and the occasional tricky challenge for readers!

5 THINGS ABOUT SLINGS

Did you know? Singapore Sling is also the name of … • an Icelandic rock band – they formed in 2000 and had a song appear on Long Way Around , the travel/motorcycle documentary by Ewan McGr ego r and Charley Boorman; • a Greek underground black

It’s World Cocktail Day this month (13May), andnococktail is more closely associated with the Lion City than the iconic Singapore Sling. Here’s a fact file on the fruity, boozy, pinkish-red drink. #1 Though there were drinks cal led “slings” as early as the 19th century, the Singapore Sling was likely invented in 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at Raffles Hotel. #2 Ngiam createed the colourful cocktail to appeal to the eyes – and taste buds – of colonial ladies; it also may have been a way of disguising an alcoholic beverage to make it look like a “socially acceptable” drink for women at the time. #3 Singapore Slings were originally made with fresh pineapple juice from Sarawak pineapples, which gave them an extra- foamy head. #4 While the Long Bar at Raffles is considered the “home” of the Singapore Sling, other bars such as Smoke &Mirrors, The Spiffy Dapper, Nutmeg & Clove, Southbridge and Bitters & Love have offered the drink (or a variation of it) at one time or another. The Fullerton Sling is another popular take on the classic. #5 Hunter S Thompson was a big fan of the drink, which appears in his 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (and the Johnny Depp film adaptation). The only difference is that the characters, in typically debauched style, drink their Singapore Slings “with mezcal on the side and beer chasers”.

and whi te horror f i lm released in 1990 (there was an Australian TV movie released with the same name in 1993); • quite a few racehorses

around the wor ld, inc luding a South African import who raced success ful ly in Asia, winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup in 2018.

Singapore ’s basketbal l t e am , t h e S i n g a p o r e Sl ingers, compete in the ASEAN Basketball League.

The recipe If you’re keen to replicate the original Singapore Sling at home, here’s how: • 30ml gin

• 15ml cherry brandy • 7.5ml Bénédictine • 7.5ml curaçao • 120ml fresh pineapple juice • 15ml fresh lime juice

• 10ml grenadine • Dash of bitters

Pour everything but the bitters into a cocktail shaker then add ice and shake. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice and garnish with bitters, a maraschino cherry and a slice of pineapple.

MAY2022

MASK MAGIC An international exhibition of face masks from around the world includes a striking entry from the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM). It wasn’t long after people realised masks were here for the long haul that creatives began to design variations that went far beyond the standard white or blue medical style. Now, some of the world’s weirdest and wildest have been brought together in a virtual exhibition called Clothing the Pandemic. One standout is an entry from Singapore, from a current collection on display at the ACM. “Butterfly People” ( pictured ) is an elaborate mask by Indian designer Rahul Mishra, made of silk and wire, and hand-embroidered and assembled by his team of kaarigars (artisans). Stunning! clothingthepandemic.museum | nhb.gov.sg/acm

Think you know Singapore well?

Which major road is this? (For bonus points, what golf course is on the right? And is the sun rising or setting?)

Last month: The photo showed the pedestrian bridge that leads from Changi Village across to Changi Beach Park.

CLICK!

LITTLE INDIA STALWARTS we put the spotlight on a trio of timeless restaurants in one of Singapore’s most colourful neighbourhoods. For the past three years, the National Heritage Board (NHB) has been setting up a series of “mini-museums” in different Singapore shopfronts to highlight the heritage of various businesses and trades. The project is called Street Corner Heritage Galleries; in 2020, Balestier was the focus, followed by Kampong Glam in 2021. Now, it’s Little India’s turn. Businessowners have plied their trade in Little India for over a century, selling garlands, gold, saris and spices. A number of stores that have become household names are featured in Street Corner Heritage Galleries, including Jothi Flower Shop, Haniffa Textiles and jewellery store Ani Mani. Also included are three renowned Little India restaurants. Here are a few facts about them! Ananda Bhavan • Among Singapore’s oldest Indian vegetarian restaurants, Ananda Bhavan was founded in the 1920s by brothers from India. • In the early years, the family lived above the restaurant, with different members taking on roles such as cleaning tables and handling accounts. • Ananda Bhavan has been vegetarian from the start, serving rice and vegetable dishes on banana leaves – an affordable meal for labourers in earlier times. • The restaurant was one of the first in Little India to introduce a self-servicemodel, where customers order food at a cashier counter.

Komala Vilas • Komala Vilas was established in 1947 by Murugiah Rajoo, who took over an older restaurant premises after the owners returned to India. He named his restaurant Komala after the wife of the former owner. • Murugiah’s brother Sinnakannua was known as “the lieutenant” for keeping the business running smoothly. • Children and grandchildren learnt the trade as they grew up, then more staff were hired as the restaurant flourished. • Komala Vilas was among the first eateries in Little India to employ women in a customer-facing role as cashiers, and to offer an air-conditioned dining area on the second floor. Banana Leaf Apolo • Banana Leaf Apolo was founded in 1974 by S. Chellappan, who started in the F&B business by operating a small thosai stall. • The restaurant is apparently named

after the Apollo 11 space mission (with a unique spelling adjustment!). Chellappanwanted his establishment to take off like the NASA rocket itself. • The most famous dish here is the fish head curry, which became a signature thanks to a secret blend of spices and the use of pineapple. • Today, there are five branches of the restaurant, managed by Chellappan’s son. Find out more at go.gov.sg/schglittleindia.

19 MAY2022

Don’tmiss ourmonthly events!

6 & 7 MAY 10am

Lampshade Workshop with The Lampshade House

13 MAY 11am 18 MAY 8.30am 25 MAY 8.45am 27 MAY 10am

The Emotional Impact of Moving How to prepare yourself for the rollercoaster emotions of moving countries

AquaAerobics with The Ripple Club

TreeTopWalk

Explore and make new friends

Helpers &Money Management How to handle the household finances with JiPay

expatliving.sg/ELevents Scan or register online at

MAY2022

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MAY 2022

May 2022 Issue 238 S$6.90 MCI (P) 059/02/2022 BLACK & WHITES • OUTDOOR FITNESS • BEACH BREAKS ALFRESCO FITNESS

MAY 2022

May 2022 Issue 238 S$6.90 MCI (P) 059/02/2022 BLACK & WHITES • OUTDOOR FITNESS • BEACH BREAKS ALFRESCO FITNESS

FRIZZY HAIR BEGONE! & SIDEBOARDS

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A 2-night luxe staycation for two at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore with breakfast included!

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This subscription offer and giveaway is valid till 31 May 2022. Prize winner will be announced on 2 June 2022 on expatliving.sg/competition-winners. Orders received after 15 May will start with the July 2022 issue.

21 MAY2022

Poltrona Frau

28 We look inside two of Singapore’s iconic black-and-white homes 45 A buying guide for benches, consoles and sideboards 62 What it’s like living in Alexandra Park

HOME & PROPERTY

Say It With Candles The “I Am Loved” affirmation candle by Innerfyre Co makes a great gift, and with Mother’s Day this month, what better way to show a mum just howmuch she is appreciated? Warm and luxurious with the scent of jasmine, lily and vanilla essential oils, this candle is made from a sustainable wax blend that contains coconut wax and rice bran wax. Adding to its message of self-care and positivity, the candle also includes a rose quartz crystal – the stone of universal love. Check out the entire range at innerfyre.co .

NewDécor Store Bring modern Mediterranean living and natural elements into your home with Casa Alessia. The store’s unique, beautifully crafted home and lifestyle products combine traditional and contemporary design, focusing on both function and style. Each product is ethically made, with a Fairtrade agreement with the makers from developing countries, helping improve the economic conditions of their communities. Transform your space into a soothing sanctuary with a sleek vase, pot or basket. Special offer: Get ten percent off your first order by visiting the showroom at #05-16, 18 Kaki Bukit Road 3 or signing up to the newsletter at casaalessia.com .

Stylish Shipment

Just Anthony, the antique, reproduction and vintage s pe c i a l i s t , ha s j u s t received a new shipment of interesting pieces. It’s packed with variety, too – you’ll find antique doors, cabinets, benches and stools, as well as plenty of new ceramic items such as vases, jars, umbrella holders and figurines. Whether you’re looking for something for your own home, or a gift for someone else, a visit to Just Anthony will give you plenty of furniture for thought. 379 Upper Paya Lebar Road. justanthony.com

Cool Cleaning Ecovacs Robotics’ Deebot X1 OMNI vacuum cleaner is the first to manage the entire floor cleaning process, from sweeping, vacuuming and mopping, to washing and drying the mopping pads and collecting more dust with its base station. This robotic cleaner does it all! Available at shopee.sg/ecovacssg and lazada.sg/shop/ecovacs .

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Italian Evolution Poltrona Frau, the high-end Italian furniture maker, celebrates its 110th birthday this year. The brand has been busy in the past decade, launching over 200 products, including indoor and outdoor furni ture and leather accessories, and experimenting with new brand aesthetics and sustainable production. Go t o proo f . com. sg / collections/poltrona-frau to view the collections.

How to use colour and still create timeless interiors

Did styling your balcony start with the best of intentions, only to become a makeshift storage space? It happens to the best of us. This month, learn how to refresh your outdoor space no matter how big or small it is!

Arete Culture’s founder and creative director CAROLINE CHIN GEYLER shares her professional tips on home design and décor.

#1 Have a narrow balcony? Opt for a single statement lounger, or a narrow bench and side table set that can be easily moved. A bar table also works for functional dining. #2 If you’re shopping for outdoor furniture, begin with the materials. I like all-weather resin wicker and solid teak. Live near the sea? Skip iron for stainless steel. #3 Already have an outdoor set? Pep up the space with soft furnishings! Lighting, cushions, art and mirrors can change the look of your space. #4 The outdoors is the perfect space to try bolder colours and patterns. Use the same accent colours indoors to facilitate a seamless indoor/outdoor flow. Use no more than three main colours in your outdoor space to maintain a sense of serenity.

Arete Culture | 20 Depot Lane, #01-01/02 | 9640 3829 | areteculture.com

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

The team from Tekkie Help recently worked on a four-storey house in Singapore, installing eight access points throughout the home, plus an IP camera system for security purposes. Their customer Chandru Tilani had reached out at the ideal time – during the planning stages of his renovation. Tekkie says this is the optimal time to plan your network and IT architectural layout, as you can look at where you needWi-Fi coverage, the ideal position for access points, cameras, TVs, power and so on. Early planning means that all the unsightly wires can be concealed and the best results achieved for coverage – and for less disruption in the future. What Tekkie Help did After an initial site visit to determine where to position the cameras and access points to ensure seamless and strong coverage throughout, they then liaised with the contractors and interior designer to ensure all the CAT6 cables and power sockets were laid in the correct places during the build. High-quality Wi-Fi access points were installed in strategic locations using sleek circular round access points on the ceilings, which are very discreet – no back routers or wires on surfaces! Tekkie Help can install Wi-Fi equipment in homes and offices that allows them to remotely monitor the network and troubleshoot, while at the same time ensuring confidentiality around data and user activity. The team also installed high-quality IP security cameras with very high resolution and night vision, including mobile access and footage recorded onto a hard drive. All the equipment was wired back to the main distribution point and housed in a well-ventilated equipment rack – neat and tidy and tucked away. The family’s TV and multimedia home entertainment is on an Annual Home Maintenance Plan so the system is routinely checked for updates and security patches; the Tekkie team physically cleans out the equipment and conducts computer “health checks”. at Home IT installation is pretty key for most of us, but if you’re about to renovate, it’s an even better time to sort it. Get all those wires hidden! Getting Your IT Sorted

A word from the customer “The setup in my home is fantastic,” says Chandru, “and aside from great performance, what we also like is that all the wires are nicely concealed and out of sight. “They’re a fantastic team – very humble, patient, knowledgeable, cooperative and responsive. And Mr Bo at the helm has a five-star personality and is a gentleman. They have all the latest tech knowhow, and their work and recommendations are way ahead of many other tech providers. You get the sincerity from Tekkie that’s sadly lacking in many other companies.”

If you need help with Wi-Fi or camera installation at home or have other IT requirements, contact Tekkie Help at 8113 8682 or visit tekkiehelp.com.

27 MAY2022

Best Both of Worlds! ANNE-KRISTIN VAUDOUR and her husband Arnaud love heritage homes; they previously lived in shophouses before moving into this historic black-and-white house. The bonus is that it’s set in the grounds of a modern condo, so they get all the facilities and community – but still the grand space!

ABOUT THE HOME Size: 6,000 square feet Location: Within the Grand Duchess condo complex on the East Coast Who lives here? Anne- Kristin and Arnaud, daughters Lou (18) and Salome (15), sons Sacha (10) and Elias (5), helper Meliza and dog Zola (Lou, Salome and Sacha live in France with their mother but spend time here during vacations)

BY REBECCA BISSET PHOTOGRAPHY DELON HO

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

29 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Where are you from and how did you end up in Singapore? My husband is from France and I’m from Germany. We met in Singapore eight years ago – I had come to Asia as a young student in the mid-90s, studying journalism in Shanghai and later working there in advertising. In 2000, I moved to Hong Kong, where I worked in arts and cultural management and later in luxury retail. In 2012, I asked my employer if I could transfer to Singapore to open our operations here. Two years later, I met my husband – he works in the video games industry. His job took us back to Hong Kong in 2017. That was the time when I decided to realise my dream of becoming an artist – and it’s been an amazing journey so far. Our stay in HK was always meant to be temporary, and we finally moved back to Singapore two years ago. That’s when we settled in this house. What kind of place were you looking for? Before moving to the Grand Duchess, we lived in two different shophouses in Joo Chiat. We absolutely adore living in heritage houses – they have all those ornaments, decorations and little details that the Bauhaus art movement deemed unnecessary. But they were built for a more individualised lifestyle and we appreciate that very much. Further, we needed space for four kids, so we were looking for a five-bedroom house. Last but not least, we’ve always enjoyed living on the East Coast and close to Joo Chiat. It’s such a unique neighbourhood with its many local fusion restaurants and specialty stores, and the vicinity to East Coast Park.

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

The Grand Duchess offers everything we were looking for and more. It’s very unusual for a heritage building to be found inside a condo complex. But this gives us the bonus of having access to a big pool and other facilities. We enjoy mingling with the condo community and our son has many friends here. Initially, we were looking for a shophouse again. But two years ago, due to COVID and the fact that more people were working from home, there weren’t many available that matched our need for five bedrooms. Luckily, we came across the Grand Duchess on PropertyGuru and, after our first visit, we knew it was for us. It’s such a unique property in Singapore. We adore the colonial-style façade, the shaded and spacious verandah, the tall ceilings and the arched windows. I don’t know howmany of those types of houses are actually available as residential homes in Singapore. There’s also ample space to entertain guests and host our family whenever they come to visit us. The house ticked off everything on our list, it had been newly renovated and we were ready to move in. Tell us more about the property. The house was built in 1925 by Tan Soon Guan, a descendant of the renowned Peranakan merchant Tan Kim Seng. Since the 19th century, the Tans have been influential businesspeople and a philanthropic family in Singapore. Two Victorian-style heritage houses were built here (the other in 1914) and are the foundation of the new Grand Duchess condo, completed in 2010. The bungalows have been restored by ADDP Architects with great attention to detail. They feature Peranakan- Arabesque glass windows, cast-iron railings and vintage brass doorknobs – they even re-used the old lamps and lanterns. Wereyou lookingfor ablack-and-whitespecifically? How did it happen that you chose one?

31 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

The larger of the two bungalows (the one built in 1914) now serves as the condominium’s clubhouse. Few luxury residential developments in Singapore enjoy the privilege of having their own architectural heirloom, much less two. As a huge fan of heritage buildings, I’m happy about this great opportunity to live in such a rare gem. How would you define your home décor style? Our style reflects our wanderlust and eclectic personalities. We’ve been living in different countries in Asia and Europe and each of themhas filled us with new impressions and taught us a different lifestyle. We wanted to see that reflected in our abode, and we wanted a congenial space where mymodern artworks, period antiques, and ethnic and contemporary furniture could be arranged together. You could define it as mainly a tropical Indochine style. We have furniture from Bali, combined with locally sourced rattan furniture, some more contemporary accent pieces and baroque elements. While we have some brighter accents in the accessories, our main colour scheme is black and white – it’s an elegant contrast and reflects the heritage history of the building. What’s your favouritepart of the house andwhy? My studio – I spend most of my time here. It’s such a bright space and I love the tall arched windows all around that open to the tiled roof with its little round turret in the middle. They give me a feeling of time travelling every day and spark my imagination.

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

33 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

selection of carpets and is 100 percent focused on his customer’s needs. He went out of his way to make us happy – I would always go back there if I needed a carpet. J&C upholsterers did some magic when it came to giving a second life to our sofas. They also produced two matching ottomans for us and customised most of our pillows. Our accessories are mainly brought back from travels – mostly from China, Bali, India and Italy – and some are from Raffles Boutique inside Raffles Hotel. The art pieces come from various places. I follow a lot of interesting and talented artists on Instagram and Facebook. Many of them have become friends and I like to purchase from them – it’s more direct and I can support my fellow artists. I also find some unique and low-budget art on antique markets, especially in Paris and Rome but also Hong Kong and India. Our main piece is by Indonesian artist Deddy Paw. I spotted it at Art Seasons, my favourite gallery in Singapore; they showcase pop surrealist art by Asian artists, a genre which is rarely a focus for galleries here. Other purchases have been made at the Affordable Art Fair.

Where did you source your furniture and décor? When we moved in, I consulted with my friend and interior designer Alessandra Giardina about how to furnish and decorate the house. Alessandra has a lot of experience with colonial-style buildings in Asia and gave us many excellent ideas. I especially liked her sustainable approach. Instead of letting us buy all new furniture, she encouraged us to up-cycle some of our old pieces. Our sofas, for example, were in a bad shape after three moves and months in storage, and we intended to dispose of them. But she advised us to call an upholsterer and we’re super happy with the result. She also found solutions around incorporating our existing furniture into the new concept. As this house is much bigger than our Hong Kong home, we also had to get new pieces, which she helped us to source locally – mainly from Bungalow55, Crate & Barrel, Rooma and Snow Globe. Our plants are from The Nursery; they come to your home to consult you on which plants to place where. The carpets are from Nasser Nishaburi in the Tan Boon Liat Building; he has an amazing

35 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Singapore Favourites Anne-Kristin and Arnaud tell us 12 things they like to do in Singapore in their spare time: #1 Explore our neighbourhood, Joo Chiat #2 Read a book in the Raffles Hotel courtyard #3 Take an Art Walk at Gillman Barracks #4 Have tea at Halia in the Botanic Gardens #5 Treasure hunt at Junkie’s Corner #6 Watch the sunset at Aloha beach bar #7 Go for brunch at Dempsey #8 Eat a Turkish dinner at Arab Street #9 Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir #10 Head to Bras Basah to find rare books, especially at Basheer Bookstore #11 Shop for pottery at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle #12 Visit the Asian Civilisations Museum

Naturally, a lot of wall space is allocated to my own artwork. For example, along the staircase, I’ve displayed my iconic Imperial Eyewear collection, and the TV room is decorated with my Humanoids. Samples of my artwork can be found in every corner of the house. What are your favourite pieces of furniture? I’m quite fond of the baroque sofa in the music room. It was left behind by the previous tenant in our first shophouse and had seen better days, but somehow we liked it and moved it around with us, despite the massive weight and bulky shape. I’m glad Alessandra had the idea to call an upholsterer! They did an amazing job to restore it to its original glamour. My husband is in love with our blue and white cabinet, which is an artwork by Steve Lawler, aka Mojoko. He printed his whimsical, locally inspired pop art on an antique Chinese wooden cabinet. What do you love about Singapore? It’s beautiful, clean and safe, and everything is convenient. We love the tropical flair, and the eternal summer works for us very well. There’s so much greenery and we indulge in trying out the many feel-good hangout places. You can find loads of great restaurants and coffee shops all over the island, and enjoy everything from a jungle setting to a first-class design bar, an artsy environment, a traditional Chinese restaurant or an outlook over the sea while having drinks or a good meal. Singapore has first-class medical practitioners and an amazing airport, and you can find nearly everything you could possibly need or desire. It’s the home of many cultures, which makes it very interesting in terms of food, architecture, shopping and making friends; and the multicultural aspect is a great benefit for the education of our son Elias. We also can’t wait for the world to open up again soon so we can explore more of Southeast Asia.

37 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

White & Black

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Most of us would dream of living on 30,000 square feet of land – anywhere in the world! This couple are lucky enough to live in this gorgeous black-and-white in a quiet cul-de-sac off Stevens Road – and they have the yard space to shout about too! RADHAMANWANI talks us through their journey.

BY REBECCA BISSET PHOTOGRAPHY BEATRICE CONTRINI

39 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Who lives in the house with you? My husband Harish, our two helpers Jenalyn and April, and our two dogs, a long-haired dachshund called Joey, and a Shih-tzu, Lola. Tell us where you are from and how you ended up being an expat in Singapore? We’re originally from India and we relocated here from London at the tail end of 2009. My husband was a lifer at Unilever and we moved here with the company. He had many friends in Singapore from his business school days and I had many from my university days, so settling in was a breeze. And we continue to be grateful to have them close by. We are here to stay, so knowing one has this kind of support system is important. Where have you lived in Singapore? We lived in privately owned homes in Chatsworth Park and Leedon Park before opting to move into our current heritage home. We are a strange amalgam of city people who like being in the thick of things, yet wanting a sense of isolation – and this particular clutch of houses met that brief. It’s a five-to-ten-minute walk from the Tanglin and American Clubs as well as Orchard Road. While both of us grew up in cities, our ancestral homes in India were large British-style manors, and this particular style held great memories for us. We were very comfortable in our previous home but felt we had to experience this journey back to our childhood that Singapore offered.

41 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

43 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Tell us about your home décor. Our home, like those of many expatriates, has an eclectic style, with pieces collected from our stints and travels in different parts of the world. My husband has been very indulgent about hand-carrying things from every continent if it has caught my fancy. Once, I was eyeing an elaborate mirror frame and when someone asked us how we would take it back to Singapore, he half-jokingly said, “I will string it around my neck.” It wasn’t too far from the truth! What’s a special place in your home? The favourite corner of our home has to be the patio, where we spend many languorous evenings with friends, stretching into the early hours of the morning. But when we are on our own, we can be found at all times of the day in our family room, which has glass on three sides and is bathed in light and greenery from all the trees on the property. There’s bamboo on one side, frangipani on another, and coconut palms on the third. It’s easy to forget that this is city living! A favourite piece of art has to be my set of five monks standing atop a long Shanxi console and my reclining Buddha. Again, these were bought on my travels (but mercifully not by stringing them around my husband’s neck!). One thing I am particularly obsessed with are candles and candle holders. I could probably open a shop! Favourite things about Singapore? It’s something we keep forgetting but which is brought home to us every time we travel, and that is the ease of movement around the city. Traffic is so much better compared to other global cities. And, equally important, the ease of conducting the business of life here. Everyone is helpful, efficient, kind and polite. And systems work. We are very appreciative of the value of all that. And now that we have a granddaughter, Mia, we really value the safety the city provides. Where do you like to dine and shop? We live in the heart of the city so recommendations are pretty well known. Dempsey, with its elegant restaurants and pretty surroundings, is a family favourite. The TanBoonLiat buildingwith its home stores always throws up something interesting. And, while this isn’t in our neighbourhood, I simply love a tiny, family-run Sichuan restaurant in Mosque Street, Si Wei Mao Cai. Explore more black-and-white houses in Singapore at expatliving.sg/homes.

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

Something

on the Side

From a p l ace to drop your keys as you walk in the door after a long day, to a piece of furniture f i tt ing enough to display your most precious items, here’s a shopping guide to some beautiful sideboards, consoles and benches.

45 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

1 Graphic teak sideboard with four doors, Originals 2 Upholstered bench, WTP The Furniture Company 3 Colour BeBop sideboard in teak, with metal mesh sliding doors, Soul & Tables 4 Italian Dressing sideboard in hardwood solids and maple veneers, with nine drawers and jewellery tray, Taylor B 5 Cabinet with blue Moroccan inlay pattern, Hacienda Blue 6 Linear minimalist collection of stools, benches and short tables, OHMM 7 Alivar Kube lacquered modern sideboard with leather handles, Pure Interior 8 Customupholstered bench with tufted top and metal legs, Arete Culture

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

9 Belladonna two- or three-seat sofa in natural cane and wicker weave frame, with upholstery cushion, Gallery 278 10 Java four-door sideboard, made from whitewash reclaimed elm wood, Island Living 11 Roolf Dotty sunbed bench/bean bag, withstands sun and rain, House of AnLi 12 Grid sideboards, Gallery 278 13 Moritz sideboard, in teak, Arete Culture

47 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

14 Highs and Lows s ideboard, in bi rch, with printed white spalted maple veneer, Taylor B 15 Gili TV console in whitewash rattan and sustainable kiln mango wood, Island Living 16 Tim Mindi sideboard buffet in old beech wood with bronze powder-coated legs, WTP The Furniture Company 17 Montreal TV sideboard in mango wood with iron legs, WTP The Furniture Company

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

18 Oval sideboard made from sustainably sourced teak, available in walnut and candy brown finish, Nestify 19 Teak wood three-drawer console, with U-shape base, Arete Culture 20 Ethnicraft marble console, Soul & Tables 21 Duo swivel bench with movable backrest, Scanteak

49 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

2 2 E n k e l 1 2 0 c m sideboard with gently rounded edges, ideal for storing tableware, Scanteak 23 Console t a b l e w i t h b l a c k geome t r i c pa t t e r n inlay, Hacienda Blue 24 Koppar sideboard in teak with smooth curves, Soul & Tables 25 Lafayette sideboard, engineered wood frame with oak veneer, nine compartments, Black & Walnut 26 Todd daybed with solid teak wood frame and Ostara fabric upholstery, Gallery 278

MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY

27 Montecristo sideboard in solid oak, House of AnLi 28 Antique elmwood benches from Zhejiang Province, China, Just Anthony 29 YuYu teakwood bench from Indonesia, Woody Antique House 30 Customised console, handmade from solid wood, The Furniture Makers 31 Antique sideboard in elmwood, from Tianjin Province, China, Just Anthony 32 Shadow oak sideboard, with one door and three drawers, Originals 33 Customised sideboard, handmade from rattan and cane, The Furniture Makers 34 Venus bench in teak, Soul & Tables 35 Chinese low console table with recycled elm top, Woody Antique House

51 MAY2022

HOME & PROPERTY