If the kitchen is your favourite room in the house, then you will be right at home at Kappabashi Dori in Tokyo. Every time I visit, I spend hours eagerly trawling the entire stretch of the street, fascinated by the myriad of kitchenware displayed in the shops Kappabashi is so famous for. From the sharpest Japanese knives, to realistic plastic food-lookalikes, to exquisite ceramic ware; if you need it, I’m sure Kappabashi has it. But for a street that has everything to do with preparing food, there is nary a spot for weary shoppers to rest and grab a drink to recharge. I am in for a pleasant surprise this time. Continue reading
Colour, the incorporeal attribute that complements form, texture and motion to shape our everyday world. Colour invigorates, adds dimension and conveys emotions. Under the right pair of hands, colour can be composed to spellbinding effect. In Singapore to open his inaugural solo exhibition in South-east Asia, the talented British abstract artist Ian Davenport shared with us his creative technique where colour takes centre stage. Continue reading
While in Tokyo, we asked a couple of new friends made over dinner to recommend a restaurant they would go back to time and again. In a heartbeat, Nogizaka Uoshin. Why? For freshness, good service and great value.
Uoshin is a fish izakaya chain and the Nogizaka outlet is a favourite for its character. A hop, skip and a jump away from the upscale Tokyo Midtown complex, Uoshin is a popular after-work hang-out for office workers from the neighbouring business districts of Akasaka and Roppongi. Continue reading
Filed under Japan, Restaurants, Travel
Snow sports fashion is mind-blowingly awesome; the variety of designs and styles out there are certain to awaken your inner shopaholic. A trip to a few snow sports shops to browse last year very quickly turned into an uncontrollable shopping frenzy. After three hours…jacket, check. Pants, check. Inner wear, check. Goggles, beanies, socks, all check. All that remains now is just some snow. Not so easy if you live in the tropics or suck at predicting weather! Continue reading
Qun Zhong fans rejoice! Since this local establishment shut for business some ten months ago suddenly and without apparent reason, lovers of the restaurant have grieved and despaired. Well fret no more! The restaurant has finally re-opened on 9th February with as little fanfare as it had closed, spruced up and bigger. And lucky us, the menu has stayed true to the original in offering, quality and price! Continue reading
Filed under Restaurants, Singapore
The annual Arts Festival for Social Causes, i-AM Festival is into its fourth year, with a 2012 theme of Many Hearts, Many Hands, expressed through a series of visual art exhibitions, performing arts performances and outreach programmes. Altruism through the platform of the arts is an ideal close to my heart. What is even more impressive is that the team that organized the visual art exhibition Don’t Forget to Remember, are six students of the Arts Management Programme at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Continue reading
Fresh from the heady arrival of the lunar spring, Jack and friends’ pleasure of the senses is unsatiated with the promise of 14th February!
When I was in London several years ago, I bought a bottle of Penhaligon’s Malabah, and long after I finished the fragrance, it has lingered in my mind, haunting my olfactory senses like a seductive old flame. When I passed ION Orchard after having a meal with Jack at Canton-I, I recalled my wonderful experience in London and that intriguing scent and implored Jack and friends to step in. Continue reading
We have long heard of the beauty of Yosemite National Park, and while we were in that part of town, we couldn’t possibly give it a miss. The park is a World Heritage Site that spans more than 3000 km2. Well known for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, Giant Sequoia groves and biodiversity, it is a wilderness haven that attracts millions of tourists, photographers, rock climbers, geologists and biologists every year. Continue reading
Jack and Friends are back at Art Plural Gallery!
When we last visited the gallery, we were floored by the four levels of art. Argentinian-French artist, designer, architect and researcher Pablo Reinoso’s solo exhibition did not disappoint. Continue reading
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