Tropicana Mar-Apr 2018 #117 Edge of Excitement

Vol. #117 March / April 2018 

EDGE OF EXCITEMENT 

EDGE OF EXCITEMENT 

KDN No. 1505 (7892) | Vol. # 117 March / April 2018 

DATUK RAMLI 

IBRAHIM 

From Kuala Lumpur to the 

Konark Dance Festival 

JOEY WOO AND 

JEFFREY YANG 

Of The Art Of Tree 

Why sustainability and closing the 

loop is a thing of beauty 

SINGAPORE 

SIZZLE 

When it gets hot in the city 

slake your thirst in style 

THE COME 

BACK KID 

Mercedes 300 SL roadster still 

mighty 60 years on

Mirror and an Oven 

Reflection of Your Lifestyle 

36 

MONTHS 

WARRANTY 

FL Slim Hood FL One Touch 

FL Steam Oven FL Blast Chiller 

BEAUFIX ENTERPRISES SDN. BHD. (39435-W) 

68, 

BEAUFIX 

Jalan TSB 

APPLIANCES 

9, Kota Damansara, 

SDN. 

47000 

BHD. (1238069-T) 

Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. 

T Showroom: +603-6156 68, 6888 Jalan F TSB +603-6156 9, Kota Damansara, 1818 E 47000 enquiry@beaufix.com Petaling Jaya, Selangor, W www.beaufix.com 

Malaysia. 

T +603-6156 6888 F +603-6156 1818 E enquiry@beaufix.com W www.beaufix.com 

www.facebook.com/beaufix 


Beaufix reserves the right to make changes to the models, specifications, construction, colors and materials in order to conform with technological 

developments 

Beaufix reserves 

and as 

the 

part 

right 

of 

to 

normal 

make 

product 

changes 

development.Colors 

to the models, specifications, 

on print may 

construction, 

differ from actual 

colors 

products. 

and materials in order to conform with 

technological developments and as part of normal product development.Colors on print may differ from actual products. 

Sole Distributor:

EDITOR’S NOTE 

The 

Edge Of 

Excitement 

Deep into March, any tentative 

steps you’ve made into the New 

Year be must now be full-on 

strides. This issue of Tropicana 

is about forging forward with 

confidence and taking that leap 

– not into the unknown, but 

after having calculated the risks 

and weighing out the pros and 

cons – into something relatively 

unchartered. 

Eschewing the obvious travel 

destinations, how about escaping 

to a small isolated outcrop in the 

middle of the Atlantic surrounded 

by the ocean and some of the 

most pristine diving available? 

The island of St Helena is the very 

definition of far flung, the kind 

of place you’d go because you’ve 

already done it all, or because it 

promises something quite unlike 

anything you’ve done before. 

Even the celebration of Easter, 

resurrection and rebirth needn’t be celebrated the same with recipes for chocolate eggs 

that are, wait for it … vegan. 

Perhaps no other cover personalities epitomise the quality of forging their own path 

more than Joey Woo and Jeffrey Yang of Art Of Tree. Partners in life and business, their 

successful furniture business makes use of salvaged timber as opposed to wood logged 

from precious forests. This route was neither the easy or obvious one, but not only 

does it make environmental sense, it makes business sense. Their company produces 

dramatic conversation pieces for residential and commercial use that buyers are sure to 

love for a lifetime. 

We hope you enjoy this issue. If there’s one thing we hope you take away from it is 

a reminder that when you are teetering on the edge of excitement, it can be frightening 

and thrilling at the same time, but it will never be boring. So go ahead, take that leap.

TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

YBHG Tan Sri Dato’ Nik Hashim Bin Nik Ab Rahman 

CHAIRMAN 

Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Bin Zakaria 

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN 

Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Chee Sing 

GROUP EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN 

Tan Sri Datuk Lee Fook Long 

Dato’ Dickson Tan Yong Loong 

DEPUTY GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

Dion Tan Yong Chien 

Dillon Tan Yong Chin 

Datuk Tang Vee Mun 

Diana Tan Sheik Ni 

Din Tan Yong Chia 

DIRECTORS 

EDITORIAL 

Dato’ Dickson Tan Yong Loong 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Daphne Wong 

DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Royce Tan 

EDITOR 

Evelyn Wan 

SUB-EDITOR 

GROUP 

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS 

Daphne Wong 

GENERAL MANAGER 

Winnie Ooi 

MEDIA ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Jason Kok 

Heather Ng 

MEDIA ADVERTISING SENIOR EXECUTIVE 

PUBLISHER 

Tropicana Golf & Country Resort Berhad 

(203361-T) 

[A Member of Tropicana Corporation Berhad] 

Herman Tan 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

FEEDBACK & INQUIRY 

GROUP CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS 

Tropicana Corporation Berhad (47908-K) Level 2, 7, 9, 10, 11 & 12 Tropicana City Office Tower, 3 Jalan SS 20/27, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. 

T. 03-7710 1018 F. 03-7725 3035 

corp.comm@tropicanacorp.com.my / www.tropicanacorp.com.my 

PRODUCED BY 

Mongoose Pacific (M) Sdn Bhd (403251M) 

Level 28 Integra Tower, 

The Intermark, 

No. 348 Jalan Tun Razak, 

50400 Kuala Lumpur 

www.mongooseasia.com 

EDITORIAL 

Muna Noor 

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 

Chai Tze Yuen 

SUB-EDITOR 

DESIGN 

Nor Hamimah Abdullah 

ART DIRECTOR 

Shirley Chia 

ART DIRECTOR 

Rozalya Rayceal Ramlin 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Bosco Lim, Daniel J, Joey Yap, 

M8 Studio, Sharmini M.Rethinasamy, 

Tan Lee Kuen, Zaim Zariff 

When 

you have 

finished 

with this 

magazine, 

please 

recycle it

VOLUME 

#117 

ON THE COVER 

18 Against The Grain 

THE SCENE 

14 The Happenings 

PROPERTY NEWS 

50 Annual Family Carnival @ 

Tropicana Golf & Country Resort 

51 10 th Chinese New Year Prosperity Food 

Preview @ Palm Coffee House, Tropicana Golf 

& Country Resort 

52 Lucky Start To 2018 @ Tropicana Metropark 

Property Gallery 

53 A Healthy Start @ Tropicana Gardens 

Property Gallery 

53 Tropicana City Mall Property Gallery & 

Office Lion Dance 

54 Tropicana Golf & Country Resort 

Bags Award For Country's Top 

Golf Courses 

CULTURE 

28 Books 

30 Film 

32 Music 

THE HOME 

36 Boom Boom Pow 

37 Masculine Appeal 

42 Music To Your Eyes 

130 CONTACT US 

132 THE LIST 

134 THE END 

THE SWING 

56 Fairway Flare 

58 The 18 Hardest Golf Holes 

In The World 

THE TIME 

64 Piaget Party 

THE LOOK 

66 Hot Off The Runway 

76 Heart Strings 

HEALTH 

84 Power Up From Start To Finish 

THE COOKBOOK 

88 Sweet Easter Treats 

94 THE DISHES 

THE DRINKS 

100 Sling When You're Winning 

THE GAME CHANGER 

106 The Shape Of Things 

THE DRIVE 

116 The Come Back Kid 

THE VACATION 

124 Far And Away 

TM | MARCH/APRIL 2018

THE DIARY 

2/4 – 29/4 

WORLD GOURMET SUMMIT 

Southeast Asia’s premier haute cuisine festival, World Gourmet 

Festival is where you’ll enjoy back-to-back epicurean experiences, from 

vintner dinners to themed and celebrity meals. Step into some of the 

most celebrated restaurants in Singapore the likes of Bacchanalia and 

Tippling Club for special menus, or opt for the specially designed wine 

tasting sessions and try the best vintages at specially paired dinners 

hosted by visiting Master Chefs. Serious foodies can also listen in on 

gastronomic talks with world-renowned Michelin-star chefs or pitch in 

at hands-on cooking workshops. 

Various locations across Singapore 

www.worldgourmetsummit.com 

TM | MARCH/APRIL 2018 

14

THE DIARY 

30/3 – 31/3 

TALITHA TAN LIVE 

One of the capital’s most consistently reliable dining spots, Alexis 

Ampang’s weekends are when the lights dim, the wine glasses clink 

and avid live music lovers come to catch performance showcases 

from mostly jazz-inspired artists. Putting a spin on things, local 

singer songwriter Talitha Tan takes to the stage at the end of March. 

Grabbing the spotlight for her single ‘Okay’ released in 2016, she’s 

performed at major festivals such as Urbanscapes and Good Vibes; 

here’s your chance to catch her in a more intimate setting. 

Alexis Ampang 

Lot 10 & 11, Great Eastern Mall 

303 Jalan Ampang 

50450, Kuala Lumpur 

03-4260 2288 

www.alexis.com.my 

8/12 – 

30/3 

SYRIA, YEMEN, 

IRAQ: THE RISK 

OF FOREVER 

BEING LOST 

Held in 

collaboration with 

the International 

Committee of the 

Red Cross (ICRC), 

this photographic 

exhibition 

brings tragic life to the destruction taking place in Syria, Iraq and Yemen 

resulting from the current armed conflicts. Divided into four sections: 

Religious Edifices, Commercial Structures, Social Dwellings and Historical 

Monuments, it attempts to record the before and after destruction and 

recollect the memories of the shared heritage shared between its denizens 

and the rest of the world. 

Open Space Gallery 

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) 

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia 

Jalan Lembah Perdana 


03 2092 7070 / 2274 2020 

www.iamm.org.my 

21/3 

RUTH SAHANAYA 

Divine Indonesian diva Ruth 

Sahanaya makes her debut on the 

Petronas Philharmonic stage at this 

mid-week evening performance. 

Sure to enthrall her fans with her 

evergreen and latest hits, she will be 

accompanied by her band in a special 

one-night-only concert celebrating 

her glorious 30-year career in music. 

Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS 

PETRONAS Twin Towers 

Kuala Lumpur City Centre 


03-2331 7007 

www.mpo.com.my 

14/4 – 29/4 

PENANG INTERNATIONAL FOOD 

FESTIVAL 

This two-week event serves up a smorgasbord 

of dining experiences in an explosion of heady 

aromas, and mouthwatering taste profiles. 

Highlighting the endless delectable food choices 

available, PIFF2018 will celebrate Penang as 

a food capital and recognise some of its food 

heroes. Weaving food, stories, experience, 

culture and traditions, satiate your curiosity as 

well as your appetite. 

Various locations across Penang 

piff.com.my 

15 MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TM

THE DIARY 

28/4 – 29/4 

HSBC WORLD RUGBY SEVENS 

As the only Southeast Asian stop on the 10-leg HSBC 

World Rugby Sevens Series, the Singapore Sevens sees 

the world’s best rugby teams face off for sporting glory 

at the country’s iconic 55,000-seater National Stadium. 

With a shorter game and fewer players on a full-size pitch 

compared to traditional 15-a-side rugby, Rugby Sevens 

offers explosive pace and gives players more room to 

showcase their skills, across the two-day tournament. 

Singapore National Stadium 

1 Stadium Drive 

Singapore, 397629 

+65 66 53 8900 

www.singapore7s.sg 

19/4 – 22/4 

30TH MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL 

JEWELLERY FESTIVAL 2018 

Established in 1994, Malaysia International 

Jewellery Festival is recognised as a pioneer 

in the industry, and in 1997 was accredited by 

the Malaysia Book of Records as the biggest 

international jewellery fair in the country. The 

dazzling event is an opportunity to connect with 

international jewelers, admire some of the most 

luxurious jewellery collections and even pick 

up some wearable pieces and add some glitz and 

glamour to your wardrobe. 

Hall 5, KL Convention Centre 

Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur City Centre 


03-2333 2888 

www.mijf.com.my 

26/4 – 29/4 

HOME DESIGN AND INTERIOR EXHIBITION 

2018 

An annual event for the house proud, HOMEDEC 

brings ideas and inspiration to Malaysian 

homeowners. With 16 years of experience, it’s 

become the place to meet with industry experts 

and professionals and consult with experts in home 

designs, trends and interior solutions. A one stop 

shop, you’ll also find everything you need here to 

fit out, decorate or even renovate your space be it 

commercial or residential, from soft furnishings and 

home appliances to solar heating and home security. 

KL Convention Centre 

Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 


03-2333 2888 

homedec.com.my 


16

THE DIARY 


JEFFREY YANG AND JOEY WOO 


18


against 

the grain 

Art of Tree is a Malaysian furniture business that combines practical, 

poetic beauty with leading-edge thinking befitting times when resources 

are scarce and global warming and environmental degradation is a 

concern. Tropicana meets its founders Jeffrey Yang and Joey Woo. 

On Jeffrey Yang 

Suit from 

Hugo Boss 

On Joey Woo 

Lace top, pleated lace 

skirt and earrings all 

from Kate Spade 




Suit from 

Hugo Boss 

On Joey Woo 

Chiffon dress from 

Villiam Ooi 

Serpent bangle from 

Giuseppe Zanotti 

Earrings from Kate 

Spade 


20


It takes insight to see beauty in places 

where it isn’t apparent, it takes 

acumen to turn it into a successful 

business. Partners in life and in 

business, I met Jeffrey Yang and 

Joey Woo, Founders of Art of Tree. at their 

showroom hidden away in an industrial estate 

in Shah Alam. 

We took a seat at a table in the corner. Large slabs of wood 

lined the walls, the floor was a maze of wood furniture. There were 

benches, chairs, and coffee and dining tables, all stunning pieces, 

their surfaces rippling circles of gold, brown and black. Each is a 

work of art, many impressive in size. In and of themselves they are 

conversation pieces, but what makes these items truly remarkable 

is their source. 

“It is not very often that we are presented with an opportunity 

to run a business that makes a positive impact on the environment. 

A lot of people when they talk about timber furniture, they 

immediately think of deforestation,” Art of Tree Creative Director 

Jeffrey explained. Art of Tree supports zero deforestation. Its 

raw material is not procured from precious million-year-old 

rainforests, but instead from salvaged wood. 

Grown in cities, the salvaged wood his business uses were once 

urban trees that were uprooted in a storm, struck by lightning, or 

felled to make way for development. 

For progressive-minded, environmentally-conscious 

consumers concerned about the ethics and the sourcing of wood 

used in their furniture and household items, this is a timely 

revelation. 

You don’t have to be a champion of the environment to want 

to own one of the remarkable pieces of furniture by Art of Tree. 

Solid, and practical, they are pieces around which families will 

share stories. “I look at Art of Tree from a business aspect first, 

it has to be sustainable. For consumers, [being green] is not their 

top priority. Ultimately, it is the aesthetic. We have to put a lot of 

effort to making sure that our products stand out and are better 

than the rest,” Jeffrey said pragmatically. 

“It is not very often 

that we are presented 

with an opportunity 

to run a business 

that makes a positive 

impact on the 

environment.” 

This combination of practical, poetic beauty and leadingedge 

thinking befit times when resources are scarce and global 

warming and environmental degradation is an international 

concern. It has brought Jeffrey some well-deserved recognition 

from Entrepreneur Insight magazine’s 100 Most Influential 

Young Entrepreneurs 2017, and seen Art of Tree bag SME 

Magazine’s SME100 Award 2017. The company also recently 

placed Top 35 SMEs in the AmBank BizRACE 2018. 

THE BEGINNINGS 

Like a trail through the forest, the path that led Jeffrey and 

Joey, Art of Tree’s General Manager, to this point was not always 

clear or straight. 

Jeffrey, who is originally from Johor, has a background in 

electronic engineering from the University of Manchester 

Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). It was his passion 

for exotic tropical fish, which he bred and exported to foreign 

markets, that led him first to driftwood for aquariums and 

eventually to salvaged or aged wooden furniture, which formed 

the start of his personal collection. 

Jeffrey’s understanding of wood, its inherent unique traits, 

different strengths and durabilities came from years of deep 

research. It took two years of trial and error for him to master 

the art of transforming these discarded pieces into objects of 

beauty. Even YouTube was an important learning source for 

increasing skills, tips and tricks for his hands-on approach to the 

business. 



On Joey Woo 

Chiffon dress and 

earrings from Kate 

Spade 

Serpent bangle from 

Giuseppe Zanotti 


22


“Working with each 

tree’s natural 

form including its 

irregularities, the 

result is a piece of 

furniture that is 

always unique.” 

Jeffrey credits 2016 as the year their business took off, 

and thanks to Joey, whose focus is on marketing and business 

development, Art of Tree began exporting to Singapore and Saudi 

Arabia in 2017. They are predominantly residential bound, Joey 

explained. In a bid to expand their reach for 2018 more emphasis 

will be placed on commercial use in offices, hotels, restaurants and 

bars. 

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS 

Crafted from tree species such as Raintree, Acacia, Angsana, 

Chengal and Mahogany, Jeffrey leads the Production & 

Designing team to work with each tree’s natural form including 

its irregularities. The result is a piece of furniture that is always 

unique, and often oddly shaped. Even what is typically viewed as 

an imperfection, like the tree’s cavities, is preserved. 

The process begins with the selection of wood, often from 

sawmills and through local municipalities. After being left to 

dry, slabs are marked out and cut, and then the magic happens, a 

process that typically takes two weeks, but special commissions can 

take up to two months. 

Breathing new life into what would have otherwise been 

consigned to the mill for wood chips or the incinerator, the wood 

is sanded, polished and its cavities filled with resin, and a final 

coat of water-based polyurethane is applied to its surface once 

dried. The legs of the table or chair uses powder-coated steel (which 

is aesthetically appealing and practical) once it has been welded 

and glasstable tops are cut to fit. It’s a time-consuming, laborious 

process but the result is its own reward. 

Unlike Jeffrey, Joey’s love of timber came gradually as 

she immersed herself in Art of Tree’s day-to-day operations. 

Possessing a business and finance background with extensive 

experience in the oil and gas sector, she has been the business end 

of Art of Tree. As the person who oversees the brand’s marketing 

she sees perception as one of her main challenges. 

“Whatever you share on social media, there will be someone 

who inputs something negative about what you do,” she shared. 

Her response is always non-confrontational. “The last thing that we 

should be doing is fighting back; instead, we try to explain.” 

FAMILY AND SHARED GOALS 

Jeffrey and Joey feel even more passionately about Art of Tree and 

its philosophy with children in the picture. The pair has two boys, 

aged seven and four. 

“Because we have kids, we are always thinking about them, the 

next generation, how many trees will actually be left for them.” 

Though Joey doesn’t describe herself as being an eco-warrior, being 

a mother and a partner in the business has stirred a passion in her. 

“I’ve started to see a lot of things differently. If there are no 

customers in the showroom, I feel reluctant to switch on the airconditioning. 

We bring our own containers to pack food instead of 

having them pack it for us in plastic containers, we recycle plastic 

bottles…” She continued with a list of little things that make a big 

difference, values she and Jeffrey instills in their children. 

The pair, who met in Singapore in 2008 during a mutual 

friend’s wedding, complement each other perfectly. They make a 

beautiful couple and their passion for their business, their family, 

each other and life was apparent in our conversation. Joey and 

Jeffrey recognise that their business is still in its infancy and has 

room for growth but they are prepared to make certain sacrifices 

to ensure their business meets its full potential. 



“When the business is expanding, we don’t spend a lot of time on 

ourselves,” Joey revealed. “I think the only time that we have is 

during work. I know that sounds very unhealthy for a relationship 

but this is the prime time to grow the business, and both of us have 

the same mission.” 

Jeffrey is an early riser; Joey’s workday begins later so she can 

spend breakfast and homework time with them in the mornings 

before the eldest heads off to primary school. The school is also 

conveniently located opposite the showroom so that when it lets 

out, the kids can come straight to the store. A play area in the back 

keeps them and customers’ kids occupied as parents pick out their 

favourite piece. However, when 7pm rolls around, it’s all about 

family. Joey revealed that they don’t even have a TV or flip open 

iPads at home. 

Understanding and commitment to a common cause is so 

important as certain things have had to take a backseat for the 

couple. Holidays to far-flung destinations or any holidays at all, 

for example. With the exception of Mondays, the showroom is 

open all week including weekends when the children are not in 

school. 

“We’re very lucky,” Joey beamed, “My kids are easily contented.” 

Jeffrey concurred, “We are pretty much grounded here in Malaysia. 

But that is okay with us, because Malaysia is a very beautiful 

country and there are still a lot of places that we could explore,” 

citing Penang as his favourite. 

The New Year has seen the couple develop a strong resolve 

to make more time for short getaways, adventures to parks and 

waterfalls, and getting fitter and eating healthier. “We’re trying to 

run every week, have a more balanced diet, with more fresh fruit 

and vegetables, and less fried food and meat,” cheered Jeffrey. 

Taking care of their lifestyle is important for themselves and for 

the business as there is still so much to achieve in life. 

“joey and jeffrey 

recognise that their 

business is still in its 

infancy and has room 

for growth but they 

are prepared to make 

certain sacrifices to 

ensure their business 

meets its full 

potential.” 

GROWING THE BUSINESS 

Though some would assume the supply in salvaged timber would 

be short, Jeffrey feels it is untapped and that Art of Tree has much 

growth potential. Together with Joey, they have mapped out plans 

to continue expansion. 

“The first stage is to create a stronger presence here in Malaysia, 

to cover a wider range of products, and grow our search channel 

by opening up other showrooms and having a stronger online 

presence through e-commerce and perhaps even e-commerce 

partnerships,” Jeffrey revealed. 

The pair is also interested to explore collaborations with 

different designers, celebrities and influencers, recognising it as 

an effective way of sharing their unique selling point with a wider 

audience. 

THE BUSINESS OF MAKING THE WORLD BETTER 

Art of Tree’s unique selling point also underpins Jeffrey’s and 

Joey’s desire to gain ecolabel certification, which would give the 

brand the consumer confidence it needs in Europe and USA. The 

process is long, complicated and not without its challenges. 


24



Clothing, Jeffrey’s own. 

On Joey Woo 

Off-white cotton top 

from H&M Studio 

High waisted pants 

from H&M 

Earrings from 

Kate Spade. 



TAKING CARE OF YOUR ART OF TREE 

FURNITURE 

Art of Tree pieces require very little 

maintenance and have a half-year 

warranty against cracking. Founder and 

Creative Director Jeffrey Yang suggests 

resurfacing once every three to five years 

and avoiding the following to ensure the 

longevity of any piece purchased. 

1. AVOID THE ELEMENTS 

“ Most natural products, timber 

especially, are more suited to being used 

indoors. Exposure to UV rays from 

sunlight can affect the coating and cause 

the colour to fade and lose its lustre.” 

2. BE CAREFUL WITH SHARP OBJECTS 

“Anything that compromises the coating, 

such as sharp objects used with force can 

cause a deep scratch that penetrates the 

wood. If this happens and you spill wine 

or curry onto the table, it could seep 

through and stain.” 

3. AVOID EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES 

“Art of Tree pieces have been tested 

against hot water up to 100°C. Anything 

hotter, such as a pan straight off the 

stove, is going to burn the coating.” 

4. DONT USE CORROSIVE CLEANERS 

“ When cleaning the table, avoid things 

that could damage the coating like 

thinner, which is often used when 

painting or removing nail polish. “Water 

and detergent are fine.” 

Jeffrey nodded in the direction of an elegant chocolate 

coloured slab. “It came from Taiping Lake Gardens,” he recalled 

“August 23, 2012. It was in the papers, caused by a storm. [The 

salvaged tree] was kept with Majlis Perbandaran Taiping for 

three and a half years before they decided to sell it.” He spoke of 

the slabs with the familiarity of a friend. But tracing the precise 

source of Art of Tree’s timber is not always possible, though it is 

a lofty goal worth striving for. As Joey underlined, “We have to 

start somewhere.” The good news is that government agencies 

and establishments are already recognising their efforts. “FRIM is 

going to, hopefully, work very closely with us and provide us with 

the traceability of their trees,” Jeffrey added. 

Repeatedly, both Jeffrey and Joey talked of “closing the loop”, 

to give back to where it makes a difference, and are in negotiations 

with NGOs like PEKA – which was formed to stop the destruction 

of natural resources – and Future Forest (a forest management 

company) to channel part of the proceeds of Art of Tree’s sales 

into planting trees, rehabilitating forests and contributing to the 

source of their livelihood, Mother Nature. As Jeffrey put it, “to 

become a company that absorbs carbon rather than produces it.” 

Adopting a ‘closing the loop’ philosphy would not only transform 

the company into one that is carbon neutral but has the potential 

to transform it into one that is carbon negative. 

This thoughtful approach doesn’t stop there. Heavily involved 

in corporate social responsibility (CSR), Art of Tree has also 

supplied initiatives like Pitstop Community Café with furniture, 

and donated items to be sold to raise funds for homes for the 

handicapped. 

Jeffrey summed it up perfectly. “Every tree that we salvage, and 

every market share that we gain from making the furniture from 

salvaged trees is market share we are taking from furniture makers 

that use forest trees. If that market share is three percent to five 

percent, then it means we are making the world three percent to 

five percent better. And if we can plant 10 or even 100 more trees, 

that will make an impact for the generations to come.” 

Sustainable, eco-conscious and shrewd, Art of Tree is the kind 

of business run by the kind of business people Malaysia and the 

world needs more of. 

PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN FANG, M8 STUDIO 

ART DIRECTION NOR HAMIMAH ABDULLAH STYLIST BOSCO LIM 

MAKE UP AND HAIR JOEY YAP 


26



Leather jacket from 

Armani Exchange 


CULTURE | BOOKS 

Thrilling Tomes 

Page-turners you won’t be able to put down. 

AND THEN THERE 

WERE NONE 

AGATHA CHRISTIE 

Ten strangers are invited to a 

private island of a mysterious 

millionaire. Over their 

first dinner, a gramophone 

recording accuses each 

individual of a secret, a crime 

they have committed but 

have somehow evaded justice 

and have not paid for. By the 

end of the night, one of the 

guests is dead. With no form 

of escape and stranded by a 

storm, the remaining guests 

die one by one in eerily similar 

and parallel circumstances 

to the children’s rhyme, Ten 

Little Indians, hanging in each 

of their bedrooms. 

REBECCA 

DAPHNE DU MAURIER 

This thriller tells the story of a 

young lady swept off her feet by 

a charming widower, Maxim de 

Winter. After a brief courtship 

he proposes, and she begins 

her life as the second Mrs de 

Winter. When they return 

home, she discovers the shadow 

of his dead wife haunting their 

estate, and an old menacing 

housekeeper devoted to her 

memory. With a foreboding 

sense of evil and her marriage 

threatened, the protagonist 

sets out to unravel the mystery 

and uncover the darkest secrets 

of the first Mrs de Winter, 

Rebecca. 

IN THE WOODS 

TANA FRENCH 

What happened in the woods 

near his home in 1984 has 

always been a puzzle to Rob 

Ryan, a detective with Dublin’s 

murder squad. Twenty years 

ago, Rob and two friends failed 

to come home after playing in 

the woods, and hours later only 

Rob is found, clinging to a tree 

in blood-soaked sneakers, with 

no recollection of the previous 

hours. When the body of a 

12-year-old girl surfaces in the 

same woods where his friends 

disappeared, Rob must wade 

through repressed memories for 

the chance to solve her murder 

and the mystery of his own past. 

BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD 

ATTICA LOCKE 

The setting for this novel 

of race and justice is the 

backwater town of Lark, 

East Texas – the people are 

poor, racial tensions are 

high, and a double murder 

has been committed, that 

of a local white woman and 

a black male lawyer from 

Chicago. Darren Matthews, 

an alcoholic black Texas 

Ranger facing suspension and 

a broken marriage, returns 

home to Lark to solve the 

murders, working against 

local law enforcement with 

questionable morals and 

against time before the 

hostility between the races 

erupt into an all-out war. 

CURATED BY CHAI TZE YUEN 

Our Pick... 

THE LONG DROP 

DENISE MINA 

Three women are dead, murdered in their home in Glasgow. William Watt, 

the man of the house, is charged with the murder of his wife, daughter and 

sister-in-law despite having an alibi. Determined to clear his name, Watt 

meets with Peter Manuel – a criminal who would do anything for a quick 

buck – who offers information on the real killer, and they spend the whole 

night on an inexplicable pub crawl. The next time they meet, Manuel is on 

trial for the murder of Watt’s family (and others) and calls Watt to the stand. 

This true crime story explores what happened during those missing hours, 

and examines how a story isn’t always what it seems. 

“A masterpiece by 

the woman who 

may be Britain’s 

finest living 

crime novelist.” 

Daily Telegraph 


28

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CULTURE | FILM 

Major Thrillers 

Films that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll. 

CURATED BY CHAI TZE YUEN 

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD 

MEN [2007] 

When Llewelyn Moss 

discovers two million dollars 

in cash surrounded by dead 

men, he takes the money 

and sets off a chain of events 

that puts his family in 

danger. Moss finds himself 

being pursued by various 

parties who want the money 

back – including a chilling 

mercenary played by the 

brilliant Javier Bardem – and 

hot on everyone’s trail is the 

local sheriff, who soon finds 

that these events may be too 

violent for him to control. 

Starring: Josh Brolin, Tommy 

Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and 

Kelly Macdonald 

DON'T BREATHE [2016] 

It was supposed to be an easy 

job – break into the house of a 

blind man, and walk out with 

his rumoured fortune. Sounds 

simple enough. But once 

Rocky, Alex and Money – the 

three friends who planned 

this – are in the blind man’s 

house, they soon realise he isn’t 

as helpless as he seems. What 

follows is a gripping cat-andmouse 

chase as the blind man 

tries to locate the three thieves 

in a house he knows like the 

back of his hand. 

Starring: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy 

and Dylan Minnette 

Our Pick... 

NORTH BY NORTHWEST 

[1959] 

One of the greatest thrillers 

of all time tells the classic tale 

of mistaken identity when 

New York ad executive Roger 

Thornhill is mistaken as 

government spy George Kaplan 

and chased across the US by 

enemy spies, getting kidnapped 

and being framed for the 

murder of a UN diplomat. 

Hoping to clear his name and 

on the run from the enemy 

spies, Thornhill must now 

determine who he can trust in a 

plot filled with twists and turns 

that culminates in a dramatic 

chase on Mount Rushmore. 

Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie 

Saint and James Mason 

MEMENTO [2000] 

The story is told as two different sequences interspersed with each other – one 

chronologically, the other in reverse chronological order; this fractured timeline makes 

things as confusing for the audience as it is for the lead character who suffers from short 

term memory loss and is unable to form new memories. In this situation we find Leonard, 

who is searching for the people who murdered his wife and having to rely on notes, Polaroid 

photos and tattoos to bring him closer to the truth of what happened. 

Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano 

SE7EN [1995] 

Young detective Brad Pitt 

is teamed up with retiring 

Morgan Freeman, who 

reluctantly takes up one last 

case, to investigate a series of 

gruesome murders that have 

been occurring around the city. 

These murders are elaborately 

set up and brutal in nature, 

and each one represents one 

of the seven deadly sins. As 

the investigation progresses, 

it soon becomes clear that the 

culprit has something even 

more sinister in store for the 

detectives. 

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad 

Pitt, Kevin Spacey and Gwyneth 

Paltrow 


30


CULTURE | MUSIC 

Good as new 

The best new music coming out of the speakers. 

COLORS 

BECK 

After the folk rock stylings of 

Morning Phase, Beck is done with 

watching from the sidelines and 

being a spectator. Colors, his 13th 

album, is an unabashedly perky 

slice of pop that sees this musical 

chameleon take to the dancefloor. 

The title track is a perfect 

example of this, bristling with 

energy, happy handclaps and 

nostalgic 80s electro pop patterns. 

Pop producer and repeat Beck 

collaborator Greg Kurstin is 

partially responsible for the slick 

shiny packaging. ‘Dreams’ and 

‘Up All Night’ are similarly so 

uplifting, they could soundtrack 

summer. On paper ‘Wow’ shouldn’t 

work. Weighted by an 808 beat that 

could have been lifted from Ying 

Yang Twins’ ‘Wait (The Whisper 

Song)’ and Beck’s trap rap flow, it 

comes across as a pastiche of the 

latest hip hop chart toppers, yet 

manages to sound convincing. 

Colors might not suit hardcore 

Beck fans; the album sounds like 

a celebration, and one having 

recovered from a spinal injury it 

might be. But given how different 

it is from Beck’s previous outputs, 

all of which have been creatively 

varied, it just goes to show that the 

more you think you know Beck, the 

less you know Beck. 

AMERICAN DREAM 

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM 

When LCD Soundsystem 

issued their grand farewell 

in 2011 with concerts in 

Madison Square Garden and 

a documentary, clubbers were 

despondent. Who else could 

deliver dancefloor beats and 

truth like James Murphy and 

his cohorts? Then when the 

band started doing the rounds 

in 2015, fans felt betrayed. Was 

it all a ruse? With the late 2017 

release of American Dream, 

a tight 10-track album that 

creatively picks up where the 

band left off, who really cares 

what the band’s motivations 

were; LCD are back. 

Admittedly American 

Dream is darker and more 

sombre than previous efforts. 

Less the life of the party, more 

the after-party comedown, 

it’s Murphy’s brutally honest 

reflection on age and mortality. 

At 47, the frontman has lost 

friends and heroes, notably 

Bowie, who is also a major 

influence. The title track sets 

the pace with starry synths 

and a dirgey quality. The wry 

art rock track ‘Tonite’ features 

cowbells and Murphy’s caustic 

yet comedic narrative. Besides 

‘Other Voices’ and its bass 

thumping electro funk beats, 

it’s the album’s most upbeat 

number and, like the rest of 

the album, is bittersweet and 

brilliant. 

NO ONE EVER 

REALLY DIES 

NERD 

Almost everything 

Pharrell touches 

turns to gold. This has 

included appearances 

on ‘The Voice’, a 

fashion line, and 

being spokesperson 

for various 

environmental causes. 

His band NERD, with 

co-conspirators Chad 

Hugo and Shay Haley, 

however, has not been so lucky. As a solo artist, Pharrell has gained 

recent plaudits for his carefree bright soul pop, whereas NERD, as 

Pitchfork once painfully put it, is “ a reliable repository for all of 

Pharrell’s worst ideas.” Until now, that is. 

NERD’s fifth output, something of a work of protest, is 

consistent in its direction and purpose, something that previous 

efforts have lacked. It also calls in favours from famous friends 

and features, among others, Ed Sheeren, MIA, Frank Ocean and 

Kendrick Lamar. Not everything works, but even the weaker tracks 

have the capacity to grow on you. Floor fillers include ‘Lemon’, a 

bleepy bouncy number with a wicked Rihanna rap, and ‘Voila’ which 

features a memorable robotic vocal refrain that’s a little Will I Am. 

Meanwhile, the jaunty ‘Deep Down Body Thurst’ comes closest to 

‘Happy’’s all-together-now sing-a-long vibe. 

Our Pick... 

MELODRAMA 

LORDE 

New Zealand artist 

Lorde seems so 

ensconced in our 

musical psyche 

that it’s difficult 

to remember that 

Melodrama is only 

her sophomore 

album. Her debut, Pure Heroine was released when 

she was only 16. Despite the pressure that might have 

been laid on her shoulders, Time magazine named 

her one of the world’s most influential teenagers. On 

the cusp of being an adult of voting age Melodrama is 

a more mature effort, managing to be introspective 

without being indulgent. Lorde’s knack for cuttingly 

honest poetry skips over syncopated beats that, while 

dark, remain firmly in the pop realm. Standout tracks 

include ‘Liability’ – a haunting tale of rejection and 

loneliness that harks back to the emo angst of My 

Chemical Romance – and the strident ‘Writer in The 

Dark’. Its shrill vocal acrobatics, not unlike that of 

Kate Bush, provide a hint of things to come from this 

talented young lady. Lorde is just getting started. 

CURATED BY MUNA NOOR 


32

THE HOME 

Boom 

Boom Pow 

B & O’s BeoLab 50 speaker system 

packs a punch 

If you like your musical and cinematic experiences 

of the “in the club” or “at the movies” 

variety, Bang & Olufsen floor standing 

BeoLab 50 loud speakers deliver exceptional 

performance. 

Featuring innovative sound controls 

that can be accessed via the Bang & Olufsen 

app from a mobile device of your choosing, 

the BeoLab 50’s has a uniquely unfolding 

Acoustic Lens that can be adjusted according 

to your listening preference: focused 

towards a preferred listening spot or for a 

room-filling sound performance. 

Active Room Compensation technology 

creates custom filters that compensate for 

the acoustic behaviour of your room for 

superior performance and the aluminium 

surface and warm oak lamellas of the unit 

add a touch of refinement. 


36

THE HOME 

Masculine 

Appeal 

From sleek leather sofas to pop art accessories, Gabrielle Fagan reveals the looks to consider. 

WORDS BY GABRIELLE FAGAN / PRESS ASSOCIATION / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

Some things may shriek male style – oversized leather 

sofas, black bed linen, coffee tables overloaded with 

video games and collections of beer mats – but there 

are all sorts of ways to style up a bachelor pad, man cave or 

fella’s flat, and ensure it’s more ‘designer cool’ than ‘macho 

mistake’. 

REGULAR GUY 

Steady, loyal and reliable by nature, he likes decor to match 

– practical, comfortable and low-maintenance. Think 

traditional-style and leather sofas, sturdy coffee tables, and 

lots of brown and black (doesn’t show the dirt!). 

“Men’s spaces needn’t be boring these days, especially if 

they incorporate good design and embrace a cohesive look 

by sticking to natural materials and neutral shades,” says 

Emma Brindley, group interior design manager, Redrow 

Homes. 

“An oversized sofa – curves give a softer look – can be 

the ultimate statement piece. Add warmth and comfort with 

knitted throws, and show off your style credentials with geometric 

trend patterned cushions, and a rug in monochrome tones or colour. 

Add more personality by creating a gallery wall of favourite movie 

posters or sporting icons.” 

THE ENTERTAINER 

It’s all about parties and socialising for him and his ‘open house’ policy 

means there’s always someone calling in for drinks, so a well-furnished 

dining/kitchen area is essential. 

“Country style chic has been a big trend – with white washed or 

pastel toned rooms, solid wood floors and furniture, and aged leather 

furnishings in vintage tan leather,” says Leanne Dixon, head of product 

for chair specialists, HSL. 

“It’s all about understated style for men’s rooms, where the look 

doesn’t overpower and is versatile to suit any occasions without fuss or 

frills. Bachelor spaces are often multifunctional, so furniture should be 

sleek and stylish.“For a colour palette to please both sexes in a shared 

space, take on the trend for deep, moody greens and blues.” 

(See next page.) 

ALL IMAGES BY PA PHOTO/HANDOUT/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 


THE HOME 

BRAND MAN 

This guy loves his designer labels; 

everything in his wardrobe and home shows 

off his taste and is chosen with care. A fan 

of Pinterest and Instagram, he’s always 

one click away from his favourite designer 

furniture outlets. 

“There’s an increasingly design-literate 

male audience, who are looking for product 

aesthetics as well as functionality and 

performance, from technology to the home,” 

says Naomi Shedden, senior trend analyst at 

Trend Bible. 

“Interior design is becoming a more 

democratic process, where a balance has 

to be achieved between the preferences of 

all family members. We’re seeing a move 

towards simpler, cleaner and more modern 

trends as a result, but balance is key. 

The trend for a grey palette is a classic 

sign of this move towards a more masculine 

look, which can be softened through 

accessories and lighting. We’re even seeing 

a move towards including softer shades like 

pink, to create a balance of warm and cool 

tones. Adding industrial details will ensure 

a setting doesn’t look ultra-feminine or 

overly-decorative.” 


38

THE HOME 


THE HOME 

GAME BOY 

He’s fun, with that essential GSOH, and adventurous – so he’ll 

experiment with his decor. As long as it has personality, colour and 

boyish charm, he’s happy. Bright, primary colours, pop art posters 

and fun collections of toys from his childhood or memorabilia are 

key ingredients in this interiors recipe. 

“Men have, stereotypically, always had a set area of the home 

which they can call and style their own way; the shed down the 

bottom the garden being a classic example. However, in the last 10 

years, the man pad has become less masculine in its tone,” Mark 

Turner, of interiors brand We Love Cushions, says. “Cool designer 

gadgets and softer furnishings have made for a more relaxing – as 

well as practical – space. When it comes to sharing a home, a retro 

vibe can be perfect for both men and women – archival collections 

and vintage poster designs in light and bright hues add a visual 

twist to a neutral palette, with textures being key to a softer feel. 

“A man’s bedroom is a personal space which can be a real 

reflection of his taste. There’s room for playful, witty touches, such 

as posters or displays of photographs.” 

“When it comes to 

sharing a home, a retro 

vibe can be perfect for 

both men and women” 


40

THE HOME 

MUSIC TO 

YOUR EYES 

Concert halls and opera houses as wondrous on the eyes as they 

are on the ears 

TEXT BY MUNA NOOR 

A 

date with a symphony orchestra or 

an operatic tenor has always been 

an occasion. But a recent crop of 

concert halls and opera houses designed 

by star architects has elevated the 

experience to one that is multi-sensual. 

Marrying fabulous form with perfect 

function, these astounding structures 

are not mere works of beauty, but 

engineering feats. Here acoustic design 

is the unseen, unbilled performer 

equally deserving of a rapturous 

applause. We survey six performance 

halls, some modern others classic, that 

simultaneously enthral one’s sense of 

sight and sound. 

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, LOS ANGELES 

As part of a number of initiatives undertaken to revitalise Downtown Los Angeles, there 

was little doubt that Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall would have the capacity to 

transform particularly given the magical spell his Guggenheim Museum cast in Bilbao. 

A mere stroll from City Hall and Grand Central Market, its shimmering metal curves 

and crisp silver folds are an undeniable attention grabber particularly against the glass 

towers and rectangular brownstone buildings typical of the area. As a result, Walt Disney 

Concert Hall has already secured countless cameos in a number of films and TV shows 

since it was unveiled in 2003. 

The building, which is home to the LA Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master 

Chorale was a gift to the city partially funded by Lilian Disney, widow to Walt, and later 

when project costs escalated by the Disney family and Walt Disney Company. 

Standing in stark contrast to its exterior, its Concert Hall, designed in a shoebox and 

arena arrangement by Japan’s Nagata Acoustics, utilises hardwoods like Douglas Fir and 

Oak. The Walt Disney Concert Hall also has fans in the city’s Transportation Authority. 

Noise suppression measures were utilised during the construction of the Metro which 

runs under the auditorium. Now that deserves an encore! 


42

THE HOME 

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE 

Australia’s most iconic building, the 

Sydney Opera House had difficult 

beginnings. Perched at the end of 

Bennelong Point in the busy but 

beautiful Sydney Harbour, the celebrated 

masterpiece was disowned by its 

architect, Denmark’s Jorn Utzon before 

it was completed due to clashes over 

budget cuts and changes in his design. 

When it was eventually officiated in 

1973 by Queen Elizabeth, 16 years after 

it was first conceived, Utzon was neither 

invited nor mentioned at the reveal. 

Fortunately his architectural genius has 

been recognised; he was awarded the 

prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize 

for it in 2003. 

As the son of a naval draftsman, who 

grew up in Denmark surrounded by 

ships and boats, the Sydney Opera House 

was perhaps the building he was destined 

to design. Meant to resemble white sails 

billowing in the wind, it was declared a 

UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. 

Breathtaking to behold particularly 

from Sydney Harbour Bridge, nothing 

compares to seeing the multi-event 

performance space up close as details not 

apparent like its tiled roof, glass walls 

and concrete and white birch interior are 

revealed. 

HARBIN OPERA HOUSE 

Located in the frigid far north of China, until 

2015 Harbin was known to the outside world 

for its Ice and Snow Festival. The Harbin Opera 

House changed all that. 

Part of the Harbin Cultural Island, an arts 

hub set on the Songhua River wetlands, the 

Harbin Opera House’s sheer scale is enough to 

wow. Yet it is its sinewy form, at once futuristic 

and otherworldy, that is truly breathtaking. The 

visionary work of Beijing firm MAD Architects, 

in an article by CNN Edition MAD Architects 

principal Ma Yansong revealed his inspiration, 

"I took this pattern of the water flowing from 

the river banks, and I turned it into modern 

architecture." 

Comprising a 1,600-seat grand theatre and 

a smaller 400-seat performance space, Harbin 

Opera House’s interior is just as breathtaking. 

Nature inspired, glass walls and skylights 

provide continuity and connectivity with 

surrounding landscape. Its Grand Theatre is 

particularly striking. Nestled inside walls sculpted 

from Manchurian ash, its curves and hollows 

resemble the living breathing innards of some 

supernatural beast. Designed to evoke emotion, 

Harbin Opera House does so even before the first 

precision perfect note is played. 


THE HOME 

PALAU DE LA MUSICA 

CATALANA 

In a city famed for the fantastical design 

flourishes and fanciful architecture of 

its first son Antoni Gaudi, the Lluis 

Domenech I Montaner designed Palau 

de la Musica admirably stands its ground. 

Located in Barcelona’s central Barri Sant 

Pere, and constructed at the turn of the 

20th century, it is a wondrous example of 

Catalan modernista style. 

One only needs to look at the bright 

pretty floral mosaics that curl around the 

arches of the Palau’s ticket window and 

climb its ornate columns to be charmed. 

Commissioned for the highly influential 

Orfeo Catala choral society and funded by 

benefactors who supported the group’s 

proudly Catalonian cultural movement, 

Montaner gave local artisans similar 

creative freedom. 

Inside the choral connection remains 

evident in the busts and sculptures that pay 

tribute to composers of choral masterpieces 

such as Bach, Beethoven and Wagner, 

and even Greek mythology. That the 

Palau’s 2,200-seat concert hall has hosted 

not just the choirs and choral groups it 

was intended for but orchestras and jazz 

bands is remarkable given the building’s 

significant use of decorative glass. Designed 

by Antoni Rigalt, colourful stained glass 

panels set in arches along either side of 

the auditorium and a spectacular inverted 

dome skylight that mimics the glorious 

golden rays of the Spanish sun also 

makes it unique to Europe. 


44

THE HOME 


THE HOME 

PALAIS GARNIER OPERA 

As much a cultural landmark of the city 

as Sacre Coure or Louvre, the centuries 

old Palais Garnier Opera is as much a 

work of art as the ballet performances to 

which it has become reknown. Designed 

by French architect Charles Garnier in 

a Beaux Arts style, even to describe it as 

opulent is an understatement, as the finest 

artists, sculptors, mosaicists and painters 

of the time were engaged to complete this 

lavish tribute to arts and culture. 

The Neo-Baroque ornamentation 

on the building’s external facade is a 

mere taster of what lies within. From 

its sweeping marble staircase, gilded 

archways and alcoves, and painted ceilings 

depicting operatic movements and the 

history of music, no expense or detail was 

spared. The Grand Auditorium, which 

seats 1,979 in a horse-shoe configuration, 

has the largest stage in Europe, and is 

the infamous setting of Gaston Leroux’s 

gothic tale The Phantom Of the Opera, 

itself inspired by a tragic accident 

involving the auditorium’s seven ton 

crystal and bronze chandelier. 

Yet it is the sumptuously elaborate 

hallways of the grand foyer that stands 

out the most. Befitting the high society 

for which it was originally intended, its 

ostentatiousness is dazzling. 


46

THE HOME 

HAMBURG ELBPHILHARMONIE 

Sat atop the Kaispeicher A, a 1960’s warehouse in the HafenCity quarter, 

the ambitious Elbphilharmonie was, during its construction, the subject 

of derision by Hamburg’s residents. Targeted to open in 2010, the Herzog 

& De Meuron designed urban complex was four times over budget when 

finally officiated in January 2017 six years behind schedule. But as proof 

of the redemptive powers of art, design, culture and music, performances 

at the Elbphi, as it’s now affectionately known, have been sold out since, 

and its transformative space has attracted millions. 

The building draws in its audience even from a distance. 108 metres 

at its highest point, it is Hamburg’s tallest building, and has a rooftop of 

surging waves that rise over the industrial waterfront like a charging 

tsunami. Inside star architects Herzog & de Meuron apply a maze of 

stairways, curved 80-metre escalator and dramatic foyer and curved glass 

windows that frame the city to such impressive effect that it renders 

the building’s residential complex and string of restaurants and cafes an 

almost unnecessary diversion. 

Not so Elbphi’s three performance spaces, which are are considered 

to be among the world’s most acoustically advanced. Master acoustician 

Yasuhisa Toyota (his Nagata Acoustics also worked on LA’s Walt Disney 

Concert Hall) used 10,000 algorithmically designed gypsum fiber panels 

to disperse sound waves in the 2,100 seater Great Concert Hall. 

Combined with the hall’s vineyard arrangement, which puts performers 

at the centre of attention and its audience no more than 100 feet away, 

the result is not just parity in sounds and performance, but the kind of 

precision engineered acoustics and clarity that could render a pin drop 

audible. 


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we at Beaufix have combined style and performance to deliver 

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Beaufix reserves the right to make changes to the models, specifications, construction, colors and materials in order to conform with technological 

developments and as part of normal product development.Colors on print may differ from actual products. 

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PROPERTY 

NEWS 

ANNUAL FAMILY CARNIVAL @ 

TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT 

10TH CHINESE NEW YEAR PROSPERITY 

FOOD PREVIEW @ PALM COFFEE HOUSE, 


LUCKY START TO 2018 @ TROPICANA 

METROPARK PROPERTY GALLERY 

A HEALTHY START @ TROPICANA GARDENS 

PROPERTY GALLERY 

Prestigious. Award-winning. 

Quality. Innovative. High 

capital appreciation. 

These are just some of the 

signatures of the property 

projects undertaken by 

Tropicana Corporation 

Berhad. The following pages 

showcase some novel and 

stunning residential and 

commercial developments 

as further testament to 

the organisation’s flair in 

this industry. Tropicana 

Corporation hopes to create 

a more compassionate and 

supportive community, 

especially within its 

circles of influence. As 

a responsible developer, 

Tropicana Corporation 

continues to deliver on its 

responsibility to give back 

to society by supporting 

various charitable 

causes and participating 

in celebrations and 

community events. 

TROPICANA CITY MALL PROPERTY 

GALLERY & OFFICE LION DANCE 


BAGS AWARD FOR COUNTRY'S TOP 

GOLF COURSES

PROPERTY NEWS | NEWS 

ANNUAL FAMILY CARNIVAL @ 

TROPICANA GOLF & 

COUNTRY RESORT 

28 JANUARY 2018 

ABOVE: FUN, GAMES AND PRIZES TO BE 

WON AT THE CARNIVAL BOOTHS. ABOVE 

RIGHT: THE LIFESTYLE BAZAAR PROVIDED 

VISITORS WITH LOTS OF SHOPPING 

OPPORTUNITIES AND UNIQUE GIFT IDEAS. 

For those of you who made it out to Tropicana Golf & Country Resort’s Annual Family 

Carnival, what a fun filled occasion it was. Held all day on Sunday 28th January in the 

Golf Wing, the event, now in its 24th incarnation, brought together fun, games, food, 

fashion and more. 

With rows of stalls selling arts and crafts, as well as clothing and jewellery to browse 

at the lifestyle bazaar, there were plenty of brilliant gift ideas to consider and unique items to 

purchase if you wanted to treat yourself. 

For those who wanted to be a bit more hands on, workshops like flower arranging were lined 

up and carnival booth challenges like Hole in One and Ring Toss beckoned those who fancied their 

chances at taking home a hard-earned prize. With lots of delicious food offerings to indulge in, 

performances to watch (including belly dancing and a magic show), and an animal petting area to 

enthrall children of all ages, the carnival proved to be a great way to spend quality time with family 

and friends. 


50

NEWS | PROPERTY NEWS 

10TH CHINESE NEW YEAR PROSPERITY FOOD 

PREVIEW @ PALM COFFEE HOUSE, TROPICANA 

GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT 

5TH FEBRUARY 2018 

The reunion dinner that precedes Chinese New Year is 

such an important part of festivities that it has become 

a beautiful tradition for families to return home no 

matter how far away they may now live or work. 

To usher in the 2018 Year of the Dog and celebrate 

great food in greater company, Tropicana Golf & 

Country Resort hosted its 10th Chinese New Year 

Prosperity Food Preview at the Palm Coffee House 

located in the main wing of the Tropicana Golf & 

Country Resort clubhouse. 

Introducing its festive promotion, which ran until 

28th February, the mouth-watering spread provided 

a taste of some of the delectable seasonal specialties 

that were being offered. Among them the colourful 

and refreshing Yee Sang in Fruity and Salmon Saffron 

varieties. A favorite Malaysian Chinese New Year dish 

because of its communal nature, the act of coming 

together to toss this delicious delicacy and wish for 

good things is an annual attraction amongst friends, 

colleagues and business associates. 

The BIG Prosperity Pot Luck was a decadent treat 

best shared. A superior broth steamboat served with 

seafood, mixed vegetables and a choice of noodles in one 

convenient pot, diners could also add various premium 

side dishes such as Sabahan lobsters, king prawns, sea 

cucumber and abalone to elevate it into something truly 

indulgent. 

No reunion meal is complete without roasted dishes. 

The Hang Fook Prosperity Delights corner included 

succulent dishes like Prosperity Crispy Roasted Duck, 

Wealth Roasted Pei Pa Chicken, and Fortune BBQ Char 

Siew Beef, which were all savoured with delight. 

Those who preferred to dine at home did not miss out. 

Tropicana Catering Specialists conveniently catered for 

off-site Chinese New Year gatherings with their affordable 

Happiness and Harmony packages too. Huat ah! 

CLOCKWISE FROM 

TOP LEFT: WISHING 

FOR GOOD LUCK 

AND GREAT HEALTH 

AT THE TABLE- 

LONG YEE SANG 

TOSSING; WAITING 

EXCITEDLY FOR THE 

BIG PROSPERITY POT 

LUCK STEAMBOAT; 

THE SUCCULENT 

ROASTS OF THE HANG 

FOOK PROSPERITY 

DELIGHTS COUNTER. 



LUCKY START TO 2018 @ TROPICANA METROPARK 


27 TO 28 JANUARY 2018 

The Year of the Dog was welcomed with open arms by all at 

Tropicana Corporation with a special series of events held 

at the Tropicana Metropark Property Gallery in Subang 

Hi-Tech. Two afternoons of interesting talks and exciting 

tutorials were organised across the weekend of 27th and 

28th January. With most zodiac signs being encouraged to 

be careful with their finances, it was the perfect time to pick 

up some tips and listen to some sage advice from Feng Shui 

Masters Prof Joe Choo and Master Kenny Hoo. The pair 

spoke on how to Jumpstart Your 2018 For A Better Year 

and Greater Wealth & Prosperity in 2018, respectively. 

There were also tutorials on Chinese New Year beauty 

for looking your best when the Lunar New Year rolled 

around. Guests were treated to refreshments and had the 

chance to win Tai Thong dining vouchers worth RM100. 

Those less fortunate were not forgotten, as a charity wishing 

tree was erected in the space to share in the prosperity. 


52

NEWS | PROPERTY NEWS 

TROPICANA CITY MALL PROPERTY GALLERY & OFFICE LION DANCE 

20 FEBRUARY 2018 

You couldn’t escape the thunderous sound of drums and clanging of cymbals that 

reverberated across the mall. The Year of the Dog had arrived. In recognition of the 

hard work and dedication of the staff of Tropicana Corporation, the auspicious occasion 

was celebrated with a thrilling Lion Dance performance at the Tropicana City Mall 

Gallery Office. As the nimble lion leapt about, its athletic feats drew gasps, cheers and 

clapping from the appreciative crowd. By the time it left the building, it had generously 

left each office table with a peeled mandarin for good luck and continued good fortune. 

Gong Xi Fa Cai! 

SMILES & 

LAUGHTER 

FOLLOWED THE 

AUSPICIOUS 

LION DANCE 

AT OUR 

TROPICANA 

CITY MALL 

GALLERY 

OFFICE. 

A HEALTHY START @ TROPICANA GARDENS 


27 TO 28 JANUARY 2018 

The last weekend of January was an exciting one 

across multiple Tropicana related properties. At 

Tropicana Gardens Property Gallery, the Lunar New 

Year was ushered in with a strong resolve to get 

fitter and healthier. Helping visitors to gain insight 

into their physical wellness and take control of their 

health, BP Healthcare Group were on hand to provide 

free health screenings and informative health talks. 

Mental health was not forgotten either, and the Mayi 

Ayuryoga Academy’s yoga and breathing workshop 

was a rejuvenating reminder to pause and be mindful, 

a great practice in this increasingly fast-paced world. 

ABOVE LEFT: STARTING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR 

OFF FITTER, STRONGER AND HEALTHIER WITH A 

YOGA AND BREATHING WORKSHOP. 



TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT BAGS 

AWARD FOR COUNTRY'S TOP GOLF COURSES 

We’ve always known it but it isn’t official 

until Golf Magazine says so. Announced in the 

November/December 2017 issue of Golf Magazine, 

Tropicana Golf & Country Resort proudly ranked 

#2 in the magazine’s list of Top 10 Courses in 

Malaysia. 

Judged on criteria such as terrain, design variety, 

overall playability, conditioning and maintenance, 

location and overall service among other things, 

the award is voted for by readers in an annual poll 

and includes prestigious golf courses from all over 

the county. Tropicana Golf & Country Resort was 

pipped only by Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club; 

you can bet we’ll be vying for the top spot in 2018. 

Malaysia 2017 

1 Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club 

2 Tropicana Golf & Country Resort 

3 Kota Permai Golf & Country Club 

4 Sungai Long Golf & Country Club 

5 East Course, TPC Kuala Lumpur 

6 Templer Park Country Club 

7 The Mines Resort & Country Club 

8 The Els Club Teluk Datai 

9 Royal Selangor Golf Club (Old Course) 

10 West Course, TPC Kuala Lumpur 

ANOTHER FEATHER IN TROPICANA GOLF 

& COUNTRY RESORT'S CAP WITH ITS 

IMPRESSIVE PLACING IN GOLF MAGAZINE'S 

ANNUAL TOP 10 COURSES IN MALAYSIA 

AWARDS. 

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2017 GOLF MAGAZINE / GOLFMAG.COM.MY 75 


54

THE SWING 


THE SWING 

ADIDAS 

3-Stripe Trucker Cap 

www.adidas.com 

ADIDAS 

Climacool Knit Golf Shoes 

www.adidas.com 

Fairway 

Flare 

Add some “pro” to 

your game! 

TITLEIST 

Scotty Cameron Select 

Fastback 

www.titleist.com 

GALVIN GREEN 

Abigail VENTIL8 TM Windbreaker 

www.galvingreen.com 

PING 

Boonie Hat 

www.ping.com 

GALVIN GREEN 

Miriam VENTIL8 TM Plus Jumpsuit 


GALVIN GREEN 

Wyatt Belt 


CURATED BY DANIEL J. 

TAYLORMADE 

Supreme Cart Bag 

www.taylormade.com 

PING 

Glove 

www.ping.com 

TITLEIST 

Velocity Golf Balls 

www.titleist.com 


56

THE SWING

THE SWING | NEWS 


58

NEWS | THE SWING 

THE 18 

HARDEST 

GOLF HOLES 

IN THE 

WORLD 

Hang tough and tee them off. 

THE TELEGRAPH / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

PEBBLE BEACH, 

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA 


THE SWING 

laying golf is like being in a relationship. If 

you commit time and energy to it, it can be 

rewarding and the outcome satisfying. But 

some people love the drama. In which case, 

playing these courses, and specifically these 

holes is like having a relationship status that 

reads: complicated. 

P1 

1. Cliff House Hotel - garden 

Not a traditional starting point for our 

Mephistophelean course, but will give the player 

a taster for what awaits. At the five-star hotel in 

Ardmore, Waterford you drive from the tee box at 

the top of the cliffs towards an artificial green on a 

floating pontoon out at sea with environmentally 

friendly golf balls made of fish food that dissolve 

after they land in the briny. It’s a hole in one or 

nothing. 

2. Pebble Beach – 8th par 4, 428 yards 

You have to tee off blind at the first of a trio of 

holes known as ‘The Cliffs of Doom’ at ‘America’s St 

Andrews’ and make sure the drive stays short of the 

abyss that drops on to the beach and Pacific Ocean 

below. The second shot is, if anything, even more 

difficult, a 200-yard five iron across Stillwater Cove 

to a green protected by five bunkers that slopes at a 

devilish gradient from back to front and a fairway 

that tilts the ball towards the sea. 

3. TPC Sawgrass - 17th par 3, 137 yards 

More terrifying than the Island of Doctor Moreau, 

the three-par monstrosity designed by Pete Dye tests 

the best players’ nerve, setting them the challenge 

of chipping on to the Island Green (actually a 

peninsula, with a narrow path to access it) across the 

lake. You either land it safely or play your third shot 

from the tee and though it’s technically well within 

a professional’s capabilities, the position of the trees 

creates an unpredictably hazardous, swirling wind 

over the hole. More than 100,000 balls a year hit the 

drink. 

4. Royal Portrush - 14th par 3, 210 yards 

Uphill holes are usually challenging but none more 

so that ‘Calamity Corner’ whose green is protected 

by vicious winds whipping off the Atlantic, thick 

punitive rough on the left and a 75ft deep ravine on 

the right with dense rough. Precision and an iron 

psyche are key - once you have managed to cross the 

‘yawning chasm’, the green itself is positioned on a 

precipice with a 100ft drop. 

55. Carnoustie - 18th par 4, 444 yards 

In Angus 444 is the number of the beast. The Barry 

Burn snakes through the fairway to punish hookers 

and slicers then venomously curls back again to 

present a nasty obstacle for the second shot as Jean 

van der Velde found out when it cost him his dry feet 

and the Claret Jug. Add in the fairway bunkers on the 

right and a regular hoolie blowing off the North Sea 

and most amateus would be grateful to get down 

in eight. 

66. 

PGA National - 15th par 3, 179 yards 

Kicks off a trifecta of demanding holes known as ‘The 

Bear Trap’, named in tribute to the course’s designer, 

Jack Nicklaus. Looks relatively straightforward on a 

still day but the winds rarely relent. If it blows right 

to left the chances are that your tee shot will end 

up in the bunker at the back of the green. If it’s a 

headwind off the tee the likelihood is that you will 

end up rinsing your ball in the lake which surrounds 

the green on three sides just as Raymond Floyd did 

twice to blow a four-stroke lead in the 1994 Senior 

PGA Championship with four holes to play. 


60

THE SWING 

“You probably get a sense 

of what is to come when 

you board your helicopter 

after finishing at the 18th 

so you can ascend to the 

top of the nearby Hanglip 

Mountain to play your tee 

shot” 

CAPE KIDNAPPERS, 

NEW ZEALAND 

7. Cypress Point - 16th par 3, 219 yards 

One of the greatest challenges in the game on the course called 

‘The Sistine Chapel of golf’. Alister Mackenzie gave the player 

two options, either to drive over the Pacific Ocean to the green 

or play safely to the fairway on the left. Few can resist the 

temptation to see if they can carry the 233 yards that span the 

inlet to the tiny green and Jack Lemmon, during one year’s 

Bing Crosby Pro-Am, had to be propped up by Clint Eastwood, 

Peter Jacobsen and Greg Norman to stop him falling 30ft down 

the cliff when he played his precariously positioned second. 

Three-times Masters champion Jimmy Demaret said of the 

hole, "There is no relief. The only place you can drop the ball 

over your shoulder is in Honolulu.” 

8. Doral - 18th par 4, 473 yards 

Refreshed by course arcitecht Gil Hanse two years ago, 

the hole is the original ‘Blue Monster’: a spiteful par-four, 

presenting water on the left and trees on the right, studded 

with unforgiving bunkers. Thirty balls ended in the drink off 

the tee on the PGA Tour last year, while only half of those who 

attempted it hit the fairway. Nobody has made an eagle here 

since 2005. As Bubba Watson put it, "It’s an impossible hole.” 

9. Kiawah Island - 17th par 3, 221 yards 

One of the most beautiful holes on a pretty spectacular course: 

fescue grass, palm trees and oaks fringe the fairway, and the 

water presents an enticing backdrop. But be distracted by the 

view at your peril: the tee shot, which carries entirely over 

water and features two horrible bunkers on the left, is a brute. 

10. Cape Kidnappers - 15th, par 5, 650 yards 

One of the most dramatic holes on any course, anywhere - and 

one of the most challenging. Quite apart from its monstrous 

length, the Tom Doak-designed hole on New Zealand’s North 

Island features drops into oblivion on both sides of a narrow 

fairway and winds which make some of gales which batter 

British links courses look like gentle zephyrs. No wonder it is 

known as the ‘Pirate’s plank’. 

11. Ko'olau Golf Club 18th par 4, 476 yards 

This Hawaiian course reserves its grimmest challenge for its 

final hole, a nightmare par-four which requires two shots 

over sheer ravines to even reach the green. Players have been 

known to give up after seeing ball after ball disappear into the 

abyss. 

12. Royal Troon - 8th, par 3, 123 yards 

The ‘Postage Stamp’ was given its ominous nickname by a Golf 

Illustrated writer, describing the treacherously small scale of 

the putting green. Finding that surface is one of the biggest 

challenges in links golf: a tee shot struck from high ground has 

to sail over a gully and onto a green set into a sandhill. Deep 

bunkers add to the sense of peril on the shortest hole on a 

course that hosts the Open Championship. 


THE SWING 

13. Whistling Straits - 18th par 4, 500 yards 

or ‘Dyeabolical’, as it’s also known. A huge par four where 

birdies are nigh-on impossible starts with a tee shot that must 

avoid sand dunes, bunkers and a creek, before a downhill 

approach shot that has to deal with often violently gusting 

winds. The green itself is huge, inviting three putts-aplenty. 

14. Royal Melbourne - 6th par 4, 428 yards 

Designed by Alister MacKenzie, this horror forces players to 

dodge a cluster of sculpted bunkers - so deep and vast players 

must feel they are in the desert - as they try to negotiate a 

sharp dogleg right. The approach shot can then be considered 

relatively simple but then you get to the green: elevated and 

so steeply angled from back to front than players have been 

known to put off the surface entirely and end up in one of the 

surrounding sand traps. 

15. Augusta National - 12th par 3, 155 yards 

The scariest par three in golf? One of Augusta’s (many) 

landmark holes has been known to sink many a Masters 

wannabee, guarded as it is by swirling winds all around, Raes 

Creek in front and - of course - the azaleas which flower behind 

the hole. Tom Weiskopf, four times a runner-up at Augusta, 

hit five balls in the water on his way to a 13 here in 1980. Nick 

Price puts it thus: "It’s the one hole I’ve played that demands 

absolute commitment mentally. Wind or not, if you don’t have 

that, you will pay serious consequences.” 

16. Oakmont - 1st par 4, 482 yards 

Oakmont can shred the nerves of even the steeliest golfer right 

from the start thanks to its brutish first hole. A fairway that is 

only 24 yards wide allows no room for error, surrounded as it 

is by bunkers and horrible rough. Approach shots can be hit 

blind if the effort from the tee ends up short, and - just to cap 

things off - the green slopes front to back. 

17. St Andrews Old Course - 17th par 4, 495 yards 

The Road Hole is the most famous in the Open rotation with a 

reputation as the toughest par 4 in championship golf. Drives 

should carry 260 yards over the replica railway sheds to reach 

the right edge of the fairway. Approach should be to the right 

half of the green to avoid the Road Hole Bunker. Anything 

long will result in a shot from the road behind the green. 

Nasty. 

18. Entabeni Safari Reserve - 19th par 3, 395 yards 

The strangest hole in golf, and certainly the hardest. You 

probably get a sense of what is to come when you board your 

helicopter after finishing at the 18th so you can ascend to the 

top of the nearby Hanglip Mountain to play your tee shot. The 

longest tee shot on any par three in golf then takes almost 30 

seconds to land, with a spotter on the ground being told the 

rough direction of the shot before going off to search for it. 

Incredibly, 15 players have managed to score a birdie. 


62

THE SWING 

ST. ANDREWS, 

SCOTLAND 


THE TIME | NEWS 

Piaget Party 

At the time of writing, SIHH – Geneva’s annual invite-only watch trade show – was in 

full swing, and few parties were as celebrity studded as Piaget’s. 

WORDS BY MUNA NOOR IMAGES BY PIAGET 

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate 

910P in 18K white gold 

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate 

910P in 18K pink gold 

COCO ROCHA 

WEARS PIAGET 

DESPITE THE WINTER COLD OUTSIDE, 

guests to Country Club de Genève were 

surrounded by lush vegetation and pink 

flamingos, and sipped on colourful cocktails in a 

celebration of living life on the bright side. That’s 

the theme of Piaget’s 2018 global campaign, which 

was unveiled by supermodel and campaign muse 

Doutzen Kroes. Also in attendance were Piaget 

CEO Chabi Nouri, Piaget International Brand 

Ambassador Ryan Reynolds and friends of Piaget 

Coco Rocha, Barbara Palvin, Shanina Shaik and 

Joel Dicker. 

Founded in 1874 in La Côte-aux-Fées by 

Georges-Edouard Piaget, the luxury maison’s 

signatures have been the design and manufacture 

of ultra-thin movements, as well as its refined 

sense of style. Not to be outshined, Piaget’s watch 

and jewellery novelties such as the Altiplano 

Ultimate Automatic watches, which at 41 

millimetres is the world’s thinnest mechanical 

automatic watch, as well as Possession pendants 

and bangles were also part of the celebration 

and were worn by the brand’s VIP guests and 

ambassadors. 


64

NEWS | THE TIME 

IMAGES BY IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN 

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN: IN CELEBRATION OF 150 YEARS 

IWC Schaffhausen turns 150 this year and to mark this important milestone, the company unveiled 

a special Jubilee collection at SIHH that comprises 27 limited-edition models from the Portugieser, 

Portofino, Pilot’s Watch and Da Vinci families. IWC also commemorated the occasion with the 

launch of its first-ever wristwatch to feature the original digital hours and minute display – just as 

it appeared on its Pallweber pocket watches back in 1884. Sadly we can’t feature all 27 pieces, but we 

can pick some of the brand’s historical highlights. 

JAEGER-LECOULTRE 

X BENEDICT 

CUMBERBATCH 

The English are excellent timekeepers – 

punctual to a fault; which makes the pairing 

of Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre and 

its new brand ambassador actor Benedict 

Cumberbatch well, elementary of course. 

Best known for playing the title role 

in the BBC production of ‘Sherlock’, the 

multi-award-winning actor famously wore 

a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin 

Perpetual engraved watch in the Marvel 

adaptation of ‘Dr Strange’. 

The actor who attended SIHH 2018, an 

annual invite only watch trade show held 

in Geneva, clearly relishes his new role, 

declaring himself, “ a great watchmaking 

enthusiast … delighted to be associated with 

such an outstanding watch manufacturer”. 

You’ll see him next playing Patrick Melrose 

in Showtime’s limited series ‘Melrose’ due 

for release later this year. 

www.jaeger-lecoultre.com 

Big Pilot Watch (1940) 

1,000 pieces were supplied to the German Air Force in 1940 and was the 

biggest wristwatch ever built by IWC. 

Portugieser Wristwatch (1954) 

Built in 1939 at the request of two Portuguese merchants, it uses pocket 

watch movement calibres 74 and 98 for its precision timing. 

Aquatimer (1967) 

Released when diving was growing in popularity as a sport, the brand’s 

first dive watch was watertight to a depth of 200 metres and featured a 

rotating bezel for adjusting the diving time situated under the glass. 

Da Vinci Lady Chronograph (1988) 

Featuring a semi-mechanical chronograph movement and a date and 

moon-phase display, this women’s watch was available in 18 carat yellow 

gold and stainless steel versions, set with or without 95 diamonds. 

Savonette Pocket Watch Pallweber (1886) 

The culmination of the 1884 deal between Johann Rauschenbach and 

Salzburg watchmaker Josef Pallweber, this was the first digital watch 

assembled by IWC, where time is shown as a sequence of numbers. 

IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition "150 Years" (2018) 

Available in a limited edition of 250 pieces, this “digital” timepiece, in an 

18-carat red gold case, utilises a patent-pending solution to advance the 

watch’s single-minute disc. Where the historical version used toothed 

cogs, this reverential update uses an ingenious separate wheel train and 

barrel. 


THE LOOK | HOT OFF THE RUNWAY 

SUIT 

YOURSELF 

Up your work wear game. 

TAGLIATORE 

Cotton Blazer 

www.tagliatore.com 


66

HOT OFF THE RUNWAY | THE LOOK 

Stripe Hype 

Whether chevron, vertical or 

horizontal, embrace the striped life. 

SACAI 

Short Sleeved Shirt 

www.sacai.com 

BALMAIN 

Cardigan 

www.balmain.com 

ETRO 

Cufflinks 

www.etro.com 

PRADA 

Belt 

www.prada.com 

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO 

www.ferragamo.com 


MCQ BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 

Shoes 

www.alexandermcqueen.com 

THOM BROWNE 

Eyewear 

www.thombrowne.com 

THOM BROWNE 

Backpack 

www.thombrowne.com 

ETRO 

Fedora 

www.etro.com 



FRINGE 

BENEFITS 

Let loose and play with these 

stringy details. 

DIOR 

J’adior Flap Bag with 

Beaded Fringing 

www.dior.com 


68


Pearls of 

Wisdom 

The allure of old 

fashioned pearls. 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 

Choker 


OSCAR DE LA RENTA 

Pearl Burst Cuff 

www.oscardelarenta.com 

MOY PARIS 

Bib Necklace 

www.moyparis.fr 

DOLCE & GABBANA 

Sunglasses with Pearl Embellishments 

www.dolcegabbana.com 

GUCCI 

Single Double G Earrings 

with Pearls 

www.gucci.com 

CELINE 

Baroque Necklace in 

Leather with Agate 

www.celine.com 

SIMONE ROCHA 

Scalloped earrings 

www.simonerocha.com 

CHANEL 

Camilia Necklace 

www.chanel.com 

GUCCI 

Pearl Studded Pineapple Ring 

www.gucci.com 




A SHOE-IN 

Get your kicks with Sicilian Majolica-inspired tile and 

floral accents. 


Mondello Wedges 



70


PRABAL GURUNG 

www.prabalgurung.com 

Sheer Genius 

Ace the trend with a fine layer. 

TOM FORD 

Pointed Pumps 

www.tomford.com 

GIVENCHY 

Black Blouse 

www.givenchy.com 

ALBERTA FERRETTI 

Capelet 

www.albertaferretti.com 


Semi Sheer Clutch 


PRADA 

Floral Blouse 

www.prada.com 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 

Red Dress 


71 MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TM 

CURATED BY DANIEL J.


Fun, fierce and fishy 

The Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2018 line will catch you hook, line and sinker 

with its colourful love of the sea and elegant new shapes. 

WORDS BY REMI DUTTA 


72


At time of print, the Beast from the East was 

wreaking havoc on UK and the US. What should 

have been spring was plunged again into winter – 

bitterly cutting, cold, wild winter. 

British designer Paul Smith might not have 

known it when he put together his latest Spring 

Summer Collection of women’s and menswear 

and accessories. But if there was ever a time to 

embrace the sun and warmer climes, it’s now. 

80S NOSTALGIA 

Going boldly where many British designers have 

feared to tread, this season Paul Smith turns the 

focus is on vibrant block colours such as bright 

purple and bottle green. Traditional British 

tailoring cloths are also a key theme this season, 

including classic check and houndstooth fabrics 

in more muted colours. 

Featured throughout the Spring/Summer 

’18 show, a new 1980s-inspired jacket shape has 

been created for men this season with a strong 

shoulder line and a single button to accentuate 

the waist and create a sharp and structured 

silhouette. The jacket is also 1.5 cm longer than 

the existing Paul Smith Soho fit and features 

ticket pocket detailing. 



Paul Smith women’s suits are equally 

alive with colour, print and detail this season 

with emphasis placed on relaxed but elegant 

tailoring. Taking its cues from the men’s 

collection, the women’s double-breasted suit 

jacket comes with exaggerated 1970’s lapels and 

a strong shoulder line, and is available in classic 

checked cloths, unique colour-blocked designs 

and a vibrant jacquard of the Midnight Hawaii 

print that depicts a tropical sunset. Echoing the 

surfer feel a relaxed fit suit in sun-bleached blue 

with a gentle floral design printed on reverse is 

offered as a key look. 

Wearing suit jackets and trousers as separate 

pieces is a theme this season across both the 

men’s and women’s collection, and demonstrates 

the versatility of Paul Smith tailoring, showing 

how the individual elements of a suit can be 

worn in a more casual, everyday way. Men’s 

trousers are pleat fronted and softened to offer a 

relaxed silhouette with a taper at the ankle. For 

women, suit jackets are styled over dresses and 

contrasting patterns and checks are clashed. 

At the other end of the spectrum, formal 

eveningwear also stands out. Exaggerated, 

1970s-style lapels feature velvet detailing on 

some jackets and the key Ocean print (more on 

that below) is seen embroidered on other lapels. 

A luxurious night scene in jacquard features 

in both men’s and women’s versions of a jacket 

to further emphasise eveningwear options. For 

women formal eveningwear is given a delicate 

embroidered treatment as elements from the 

Ocean print are presented as colourful embroidery 

on the shawl collar on an evening jacket. 

“The Ocean print of Paul Smith’s Spring/ 

Summer ’18 collection is a bright and cheerful 

take on a classic Hawaiian shirt motif that 

evokes a 1950s surfer spirit” 


74


FOUND AT SEA 

As ever with Paul Smith tailoring, linings are 

given special attention and feature a range of 

seasonal prints and surprises for the wearer. 

The Ocean print of Paul Smith’s Spring/ 

Summer ’18 collection is a bright and cheerful 

take on a classic Hawaiian shirt motif that 

evokes a 1950s surfer spirit. Included in the 

print are elegant floral formations, undersea 

corals and Japanese koi carp. Similar links to 

Japanese culture have been central to Paul 

Smith designs since Paul made his first trips to 

the country in the 1980s. 

As with previous seasons, this key print 

acts as a focal point for the collection and 

features in every product group including 

clothes, shoes and accessories for men and 

women. The Ocean motif is also presented in 

many different scales and applications: from 

all- over prints on T-shirts and shirts to subtle 

placement graphics and embroidery. 

Key Ocean print products for men include 

a Ripstop field jacket that features in the 

advertising campaign and colourful shortsleeved 

Hawaiians shirts. For women, notable 

Ocean print products include a full-length 

Ripstop mac and repeating Ocean print tops 

and long dresses, presented on either a black, 

yellow or blue base. 

PS I LOVE YOU, JAPAN 

As a regular visitor to Japan since the 1980s, Smith 

has made many visits to Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji 

Fish Market. The discovery of vintage food 

packaging on one visit inspired two graphic fish 

prints that feature throughout the new men and 

women’s collection. These Aquatic prints blend 

Japanese landscape scenes, graphic text 

and two types of fish: a tuna on a red and blue 

design, and mackerel on a mainly yellow base. 

Although a major theme in the Spring/ 

Summer ’18 line, the most eye-catching and 

unexpected use of the Aquatic print appears in 

accessories; for men, on ties, belts and leather 

accessories; for women, on the box bag; and in on 

Smith’s signature Basso trainers and espadrilles. 

These perfectly compliment the single graphics 

from the Ocean print that have been isolated as 

solo applications on key shoes, bags and leather 

accessories, notably the koi carp wallets for men 

and floral leather bags for women. 

Get ready to dive in. The Paul Smith Spring/ 

Summer ‘18 Women’s and Men’s Tailoring 

collection is available online and in stores now. 


THE LOOK 

On Samantha 

white denim jacket with 

fringe and BK initialed 

embroidered corset 

from BRIAN KHOO 


76

THE LOOK 

HEART 

STRINGS 

Move to the rhythm of 

sensuality with pieces 

that will tug on your 

heartstrings 


THE LOOK 

On Lidiana 

gold fringe dress 



78

THE LOOK 

On Samantha 

fringed bra top and 

high waisted hot pants 



THE LOOK 

On Lidiana 

off shoulder top and 

fringed skirt 



80

THE LOOK 

On Samantha 

gold fringe dress 



THE LOOK 


82

THE LOOK 

On Lidiana 

backless goldfringe dress 


PHOTOGRAPHY 

BRIAN FANG (M8 STUDIO) 

ART DIRECTION 

NOR HAMIMAH ABDULLAH 

STYLING 

BOSCO LIM 

MAKEUP & HAIR 

JOEY YAP 

MODELS 

LIDIANA & SAMANTHA @ 

ANDREWSMODELS 


HEALTH | THE SUSTAINABLE DIET 

Fuel For Marathoners: 

Power Up From 

Start To Finish 

When it comes to a race, nutrition strategy is equally important to your 

success as the months you spend in training. 

WORDS BY SHEREEN KHOO 


84

THE SUSTAINABLE DIET 

| HEALTH 

In endurance sports competitions, “hitting the wall” is a much-feared 

phenomenon. Amongst runners, this challenge is particularly real during 

the second half of the race. It is a condition characterised by sudden 

fatigue and loss of energy due to the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver 

and muscles. 

Glycogen is the body’s most preferred form of energy. When glycogen 

stores are depleted, the body turns to fat as its next energy source. However, 

fat is less efficient as an energy source because the body has to work harder 

to convert fat into fuel. With all these physiological changes happening 

inside the body, runners may start to feel lightheaded, tired and demotivated 

to complete the race; they are basically “hitting the wall”. Applying the right 

nutrition strategy will help runners avoid or minimise these effects. 

PRE-RUN 

The Day Before 

Contrary to popular belief, there is no good reason to feast the day before 

your run as it may overwork your digestive system and disrupt sleep. Instead, 

aim to top up your glycogen stores and stay hydrated by choosing highcarbohydrate, 

low-fat and moderate-protein meals the day prior to the race. 

This can be achieved by eating a higher-than-normal amount of bread, pasta, 

rice or other carbohydrates at every meal. 

And just for one day, you don’t need to feel guilty reaching out for the salt 

shaker as you’ll need to boost your sodium intake in anticipation of the loss 

through sweat the next day. Gas-forming foods such as baked beans, pulses, 

cruciferous vegetables, bran cereals and spicy foods should be avoided. Stick 

to foods that you are familiar with; it is not a good time to be adventurous. 

• Cereal with milk and banana 

• Roll with peanut butter 

• Oatmeal with banana 

• Toast with honey or jam 

• Milky drink 

• Fruit smoothie 

4 HOURS OR LESS 

On race day, eating a carbohydrate-rich meal two hours before your run 

helps to ensure an optimal fuel level. 

Try any one of these pre-run meals at least two hours before flag off, and 

optimise your hydration level by accompanying the meal with one to two 

cups of water (240ml per cup). 

DURING THE RUN 

Whenever a run goes beyond an hour, refuelling should be taken into 

account. The general rule of thumb for a marathon nutrition strategy is 

to refuel carbohydrates every 40 to 45 minutes, which means that you 

may need five to six refuellings to cover the full 42-kilometre distance 

adequately. Water, electrolytes and carbohydrates need to be replenished, 

but carbohydrate is the main refuelling energy nutrient during a marathon. 

Guidelines from The American College of Sports Medicine recommend 30 

to 60 grammes (120 to 240 calories) per hour. 

In a tropical country with a warmer than average climate such as 

Malaysia, glycogen stores tend to empty more quickly, which means 

refuelling may need to be done more often, possibly every 30 minutes. There 

are a few refuelling products that you can opt from, with pros and cons 

attached to each option. 


HEALTH | THE SUSTAINABLE DIET 

Sports drinks 

Sports drinks are easy to take in. 

Consuming beverages containing 

electrolytes and carbohydrates can 

provide benefits over water alone. These 

drinks help replace minerals lost through 

perspiration while keeping you hydrated 

at the same time. Based on experts’ 

opinion, 180 to 240 millilitres of glucoseelectrolyte 

solution containing 6 to 10% of 

carbohydrates is recommended at 10- to 

15-minute intervals. 

Gels 

Gels have an advantage over sports drinks 

as they are more energy-dense and can 

replenish higher levels of carbohydrates 

and electrolytes per feeding. Despite this 

efficiency, runners who rely on them should 

also remember to rehydrate as gels do not 

address this need. 

Sweets 

Eating jelly beans or gummy bears may work for some runners as these are 

considerably tastier than gels, bars or drinks. However, this mode of nutrient 

delivery is slower and less nutritious, so why bother? The simple answer is 

gratification. During a long distance run, it helps to have a tasty treat to look 

forward to during the last few clicks and if you’re 15 to 20 minutes away from the 

finish line, they’ll make a great pick-me-up. 

Sports bars 

Sports bars are energy-dense and pack 

the most carbohydrates, proteins and 

micronutrients. However, they may not be 

a practical choice for high intensity events 

as solids tend to increase the likelihood 

of a gastrointestinal upset. Many sports 

bars include protein, which may not be 

important to drive performance during 

your run but will help accelerate the 

recovery process if you consume it right 

after. 

POST-RUN 

Your post-run goal should be recovery. When done right, not only are your 

glycogen stores, fluids and electrolytes replenished, but protein synthesis can 

also be optimised to repair damaged muscle tissue. The tip is not to wait too long 

after the race to refuel. A study at the University of Texas found that the body 

replenishes glycogen at three times the normal rate immediately after exercise 

and this rate slows as the clock ticks. So if “speedy recovery” is what you are 

looking for, consume a recovery drink or a recovery sports bar with a 4:1 ratio of 

carbohydrates to protein within 30 minutes after picking up your finishers tee and 

medal. 

One last thought: whether your choice of fuelling is via a fruit or sports bar, 

drink or gel, it is always a good idea to test the product while training so that you 

know what to expect on the actual day. Sure, you can take advice and refuelling 

cues from your running buddies, but exact calorie needs vary from person to 

person. Experiment with what works best for your own body and remember that 

practise makes perfect. 


86

BEAUTY & WELLNESS 

RESTORE & REFRESH 

Business at neighbouring Singapore needn’t all be meetings 

and presentation pitches. Think ahead and book the Mandarin 

Oriental Singapore’s Restore & Refresh programme and return 

reinvigorated. 

Priced at SGD 1,350 per room based on double occupancy, 

and valid from now until 30 June 2018, the Restore and Refresh 

package includes two nights accommodation in a Marina Bay View 

room, Mandarin Oriental’s Quintessence’s Spa Music Collection 

and bespoke Bath and Shower Oil, return limousine transfers to 

Lululemon Duxton Road with in-store personal fitness session, a 

wellness lunch at Dolce Vita and daily buffet breakfast at Melt Café 

for two at the hotel. 

Among the restorative treatments you’ll be treated to are a 

pampering Abhyanga healing treatment that includes a full body 

massage with warm neem and traditional ayurvedic triphala oil, 

a revitalising body scrub, and a private Yamuna body rolling 

experience to ease tension and increase flexibility. Ohm. 

www.mandarinoriental.com. 

WORDS BY REMI DUTTA 


THE COOKBOOK 


88

THE COOKBOOK 

Sweet 

Easter 

treats 

Can a dairy-free chocolate treat cut the mustard at Easter? 

Vegan chocolatier Pana Barbounis certainly thinks so. Here are 

three recipes from his book, Pana Chocolate The Recipes, so you 

can test the theory at home 

WORDS BY KEELEY BOLGER / PRESS ASSOCIATION / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

Have a cursory glance at the Easter treats available online and in the 

supermarkets and you might be surprised by what's on offer. 

Where once creme-filled eggs, sugar-shelled treats and hollow 

chocolate bunnies were the norm, nowadays you're just as likely to 

have your head turned by chocolate 'Scotch' eggs, cheese flavoured 

hot cross buns and savoury 'cheester' eggs. 

Adding to this alternative trend is chocolatier-with-a-difference Pana 

Barbounis. 

The Melbourne-based entrepreneur founded Pana Chocolate three years ago, 

creating dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free luxury chocolate bars containing no 

refined sugar. Including enticing flavours like ginger and pineapple, fig and orange 

and coconut and goji, the bars are now sold worldwide and stocked in more than 20 

countries. 

And with his first book out, Pana Chocolate The Recipes, Barbounis is keen to 

show that despite the untraditional ingredients, his raw vegan offerings certainly 

aren't taste and fun-free. 

Truthfully, they do require a bit more welly to make - as well as some more 

involved searches for ingredients and, in some cases, equipment - but if you're after 

a different kind of Easter showstopper, this could be a good place to get cracking. 

Tempted to tackle the challenge? Here are three recipes from Pana Chocolate to 

give a whirl.... 


THE COOKBOOK 

Ingredients 

Makes 4 bars depending on size of moulds. 

15g sour cherries, chopped 

13 almonds, roughly chopped 

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds 

2 dried apricots, finely diced 

45g bar of Pana Chocolate Raw Cacao (or a 

raw chocolate bar of your choice) 

BLOOM BARS 

Step to make 

1. Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate 

in a small bowl and mix them together with your 

fingers. 

2. Press the mixture evenly into four 12cm x 3cm 

moulds, the fruit should help the nuts and seeds to 

stick together. Freeze the mixture for 30 minutes 

to make it easier to pop out of the mould. 

3. Melt the chocolate slowly over a bain-marie. 

Remove the bar mixture from the moulds and, 

using a fork, dip the bars into the melted chocolate. 

Tap the fork against the side of the bowl to remove 

any excess chocolate. Place the bar on a tray 

lined with baking paper and refrigerate until the 

chocolate has set. 

4. Tip: For a different method of presentation, line 

the moulds with half the melted chocolate and set 

in the fridge. Once set, add your seeded nut mix, 

then pour the remaining chocolate on top and 

return to the fridge. When the chocolate has set, 

knock out the bar. 

ALL IMAGES BY PA PHOTO/HARDIE GRANT/AMELIE HABIB/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 


90

THE COOKBOOK 

Ingredients 

Makes 18. 

65g psyllium husk (available from various 

online health food stores) 

200g Brazil nut pulp (use online tutorials 

to make this) 

1 tbsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp ground nutmeg 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds 

scraped 

70g flax (linseed) meal 

150g coconut sugar 

2 pinches of Himalayan pink salt 

165g chopped medjool dates 

1 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra for glazing 

220ml filtered water 

80g sour cherries 

35g dried cranberries 

100g Pana Chocolate Raw Cacao, broken 

into chunks (or a raw chocolate bar of your 

choice) 

CHOC-CHERRY 

HOT CROSS BUNS 

For the chocolate cross: 

120g cashews, soaked 

2 tbsp filtered water 

2 tbsp cacao powder 

Step to make 

1. In a bowl, combine the psyllium, Brazil 

nut pulp, spices, vanilla seeds, flax meal, 

coconut sugar and salt. Ensure there are 

no clumps in the mixture. Pulse the dates 

in a high-speed blender until they form a 

chunky paste (approximately four to five 

seconds). 

2. Add the maple syrup, filtered water and 

date mixture to the dry mix and massage 

together with your hands until combined. 

Continuing to use your hands, fold 

through the sour cherries, cranberries and 

chocolate chunks. 

3. Form the mixture into balls of 

approximately three tablespoons each, 

and place them on a non-stick sheet, 

leaving a few centimetres between each. 

Using a pastry brush, glaze each bun 

with maple syrup (not too much - they 

shouldn't be dripping). 

4. To make the mixture for the chocolate 

cross, blend the cashews, water and cacao 

powder until smooth. Using a piping bag 

with a small nozzle, pipe the mixture into 

a cross onto the top of each bun. 

5. Dehydrate the buns at 40C for at least 

12 hours. If you don't have an electric 

dehydrator, search online for advice on 

how to dehydrate the buns in an oven. 

" Barbounis is keen to 

show that despite the 

untraditional ingredients, 

his raw vegan offerings 

certainly aren't taste and 

fun-free" 


THE COOKBOOK 

Ingredients 

Makes approximately 8 medium eggs. 

11 medjool dates, pitted 

85 ml filtered water 

1.5 tbsp lemon juice 

2 tbsp coconut sugar 

1.5 tbsp coconut butter 

1 tbsp tahini 

2 pinches of Himalayan pink salt 

2-3 45g bars of Pana Chocolate Raw Cacao 

(or a raw chocolate bar of your choice) 

Step to make 

1. Using a 7cm chocolate egg mould, or 

similar, first make sure the mould is 

completely dry, then begin lining it. 

2. Melt the chocolate slowly in a bainmarie. 

3. Hold the chocolate mould on a slight 

angle. With a ladle, spoon the chocolate 

over each mould to fill. Tap the edge 

of the mould with the ladle handle to 

release any air bubbles. Tip the mould 

upside down over the bowl of chocolate 

and let the excess drip out, tapping 

gently with a metal spatula. Run the 

spatula over the top and sides of the 

mould to remove all excess chocolate. 

Set in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

4. To create a date paste, blend the medjool 

dates, filtered water and one tablespoon 

of the lemon juice in a high-speed 

blender until smooth. Pass through a 

fine sieve, if desired. Set aside. 

5. Combine the coconut sugar and the 

remaining half tablespoon of lemon 

juice in a bowl. Mix until the sugar 

dissolves. 

6. Fold together the coconut butter, tahini, 

salt and 80g of the date paste. Transfer 

the mixture into a piping bag and 

pipe into each lined chocolate mould. 

Squeeze some filling into each chocolate 

mould, leaving a gap of approximately 

2mm at the top of each mould. Close the 

moulds with chocolate. 

7. Using a metal spatula, scrape off the 

excess chocolate. Keep your hand and 

spatula flat to ensure you don't puncture 

your chocolates. 

8. Set in the fridge for two hours. Once set, 

knock the chocolates out of the moulds. 

Any extra filling can be used as a spread 

on banana bread or toast! 

CARAMEL 

LAVA EGG 


92

THE COOKBOOK 


THE COOKBOOK 

DISHES 

CLUBHOUSE 

Tel: 03-7805 3935 

www.jojoitalianrestaurant.com 


Monday to Thursday 

11.00am to 11.00pm 

ROASTED AUSTRALIAN BEEF RIBS 

Slow-roasted to coax out the hearty flavours and ensure that the beef 

retains all of its umami goodness, the meat on this popular dish literally 

pulls off the bones without much difficulty. Basted in liberal amounts 

of sweet smoky barbeque sauce, it is glazed to a mouthwatering delight 

and served with potato wedges and vegetables on the side, for a tangy 

dish that is a surefire winner. 

Friday to Sunday 

11.00am to 1.00pm 


94

THE THE COOKBOOK DISHES 

CLUBHOUSE 

Tel: 03-7804 8888 

www.facebook.com/ginshuitei 


Monday to Sunday 

Lunch 12.00pm to 3.00pm 

Dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm 

BEEF KAKUNI RAMEN 

Ramen noodles cooked in beef broth and served piping hot with slivers of braised beef, 

seaweed and cabbage on the side makes this delectable meal. By using the slow cook 

method, the meat’s juices are retained, making it tender and easy to pull apart. The light 

broth is moreish, and the simple ensemble of cabbage and seaweed makes this dish a 

wholesome one. 


THE COOKBOOK 

DISHES 

Lot 413, 4th floor, 

Suria KLCC , 


Tel: 03-2166 9881 

www.taithong.com.my 


Monday to Saturday 11.30am to 10.30pm 

Sunday and Public Holidays 10.30am to 10.30pm 

GOLDEN OYSTERS 

Oysters are considered a great delicacy in 

many parts of the world. These premium, 

imported oysters are given a different twist 

from the usual raw variety. Individually 

crystallised in a sweet concoction, the platter 

consists of eight golden oysters and are 

sumptuous whether eaten on their own or 

with rice. A slight crunch on your first bite 

leads up to a succulent burst of flavour inside. 


96

THE THE COOKBOOK DISHES 

CLUBHOUSE 

Tel: 03-7804 8888 (ext 306/309) 

www.tropicanagolf.com 


Monday to Friday 7.00am to 12.00am 

Saturday to Sunday 7.00am to 8.00pm 

PETTO DI POLLO RIPIENO 

Stuffed chicken breast, succulent to the bite, makes this 

dish a must-try! Ample portions of cheese, mushroom, 

turkey ham and fresh herbs are stuffed into a wellmarinated 

chicken breast. Roasted to perfection, the 

chicken is then served with a dollop of mash potato and 

fresh greens, and is topped off with mushroom cream 

sauce to complement the lusciously rich taste profile. 


THE COOKBOOK 

DISHES 

Clubhouse 

Tel: 03-7805 3935 

BUSINESS HOURS 

11.30am to 3.00pm 

5.00pm to 10.30pm 

SAMGYETANG 

A hearty bowl of healthy goodness, the Korean Samgyetang Chicken 

Ginseng Soup is simple but thoroughly satisfying. Served hot, it features 

chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng and garlic and is garnished with enoki 

mushrooms, scallions, and red and green chilies. Contrary to what you’d 

imagine, it’s traditionally eaten during the hottest days of summer. Meant 

to energise the body, take a cue from our Korean friends and eat up. 


Monday to Sunday 

Lunch 

11.30am to 3.00pm 

Dinner 

5.00pm to 10.00pm 


98

THE COOKBOOK 


THE COOKBOOK 

DRINKS 

ATLAS 

SLING WHEN 

YOU’RE WINNING 

A toast to some of the best bars our 

southern neighbour has to offer. 

WORDS BY MUNA NOOR 


100

THE DRINKS 

Having made over its culinary scene and defined itself as a gastronomic 

capital, Singapore has now turned its attentions to mixology and 

liquid libations, and is already earning plaudits for its efforts. 

Innovative and imaginative, their cocktails are only rivalled by the fantastic 

spaces in which they are served up and celebrated. From gilded bars and secret 

spaces to exotic dens and prohibition style watering holes, here’s toasting some 

of the best after-dark haunts to imbibe at, and not a Singapore Sling in sight. 

ATLAS 

Gracing the ground floor of Singapore’s iconic Parkview Square building 

in Bugis, Atlas is grand on an immense scale with a rarified elegance lifted 

from a bygone era. The bar, like the building it takes up residence in, is a 

celebration of the grand Art Deco lobbies of Europe and New York, and its 

cocktail menus feature a bewilderingly long list of liquid libations for every 

decadent age – golden, gilded and crazy. 

There’s a special emphasis on gin and champagne, with the bar hosting a 

monthly Juniper Tuesday tasting session for members of the Juniper Society. 

However, if spirits or wine are more your speed, the bar generously throws 

open the doors to its 40-year old family cellar to like-minded connoisseurs and 

features an impressive list of bottles meticulously curated from around the 

world. Whatever your choosing, Executive Chef Daniele Sperindio supplies 

European cuisine befitting the sense of occasion a night here promises. 

Atlas, Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road, 188778, Singapore. 

T: +65 6394 4466 

W: atlasbar.sg 

Open: Monday to Thursday, 10am to 1am; Friday; 10am to 2am; Saturday, 3pm to 2am 


THE DRINKS 

TIPPLING CLUB 

Few establishments can boast Top 50 

appearances on both Asia’s best restaurants 

and best bars lists, but the pairing of British 

Chef Ryan Clift and Head Bartender 

Joe Schofield has proven a winning 

combination. Adopting an equally novel 

and experimental approach to its drinks as 

it does its food, Schofield’s expertly crafted 

cocktails are as playful as they are inventive. 

Even the most classic concoction is subject 

to cutting-edge wizardry like thermo 

infusion and sonic wave ageing. 

Their latest culinary adventure, 

Dreams and Desires, launched in 

November 2017, is a selection of edible 

cocktails – 12 alcohol-spiked gummy bears 

served up in a traditional confectionary 

store paper sweetie bag. Each is meant to 

evoke a passion or pastime. With names 

like Holiday (coconut, pineapple, lime leaf 

and rum) and Happiness (yuzu, lemon, 

orange, honey and tequila), you just need 

to ask yourself what life holds for you? 

Tippling Club, 38 Tanjung Pagar Road, 

088461, Singapore. 

T: +65 64 75 22 

W: www.tipplingclub.com 

Open: Monday to Saturday, 12 noon to 12 

midnight 


102

THE DRINKS 

APOTHECARY BAR 

The speakeasy phenomenon shows no signs of going away and Singapore 

is no exception. Joining the fray is Apothecary, a themed bar hidden away 

in Oxwell & Co’s four-floor British gastropub institution. Access into this 

hallowed space is through a secret door located in the private dining room 

on the third floor, and space is somewhat limited with room for only 12. 

But once ensconced inside, your spirits may be lifted. 

Surrounded by wooden cabinets filled with mystery potions in glass 

jars and curiosities that wouldn’t look out of place in a Victorian chemist, 

the concoctions here promise to treat all that ails you. Among those 

dispensed by the bartender from the small but intriguing menu is the 

Croak and Wheeze Relief, an elixir made with 12-year-old Glenfiddich 

whisky infused with honey, orange bitters and cigar-smoked sage. Wash 

down your “ meds” with the best modern British cuisine; it could be just 

what the doctor ordered. 

Apothecary, 3rd Floor, Oxwell & Co, 5 Ann Siang Road, Chinatown, 


T: +65 6438 7036 

W: oxwellandco.com 

Open: Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm until late 


THE DRINKS 

GIBSON 

Name checked on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 

2016 and 2017, Gibson is the recent addition 

from husband-and-wife duo Indra Kantono 

and Gan Guo Yi. A sexy, vintage-styled cocktail 

bar with brass-edged marble tables, an emerald 

green long bar and swing and jazz on repeat, 

their latest foray elevates a night at the bar into 

an occasion, without being stuffy about it. 

Led by award-winning bartender and alcohol 

ambassador Aki Eguchi and Rhyse Borland, 

formerly from Eau De Vie in Sydney, the team 

have 24 ingenious cocktails inspired by the 

theme “ People, Time and Place”. Take their 

Botanic Gardens for example: made with bee 

pollen infused gin and mixed with apple juice 

and fermented honey, it’s served in a hanging 

beehive-shaped glass garnished with orchids, so 

you have to sup it like a hummingbird. The food 

here is just as exciting and celebrates seafood and 

its sweet briny flavours. 

Gibson, 2nd Floor, 20 Bukit Pasoh Road, 


T: +65 9114 8385 

W: www.gibsonbar.sg 

Open: Mondays to Thursday, 6pm to 1am; Friday 

and Saturday, 6pm to 2am 

JIU ZHUANG 

Nestled in a secluded corner of Dempsey Road, the exotic 

Jiu Zhuang pays tribute to Singapore’s rich and storied 

history with its intricate oriental bar and innovative 

Chinese menu. Taking a leaf out of 1920s Shanghai, this 

intimate space with a courtyard garden has been designed 

in a neo-Siheyuan style and is liberally decorated with 

antique pieces. 

Cocktails here are inspired by the seasons, and its list of 

premium spirits and wines is as ample as it is impressive. 

What sets it apart is its emphasis on Asian tipples. Expect 

Tsingtao beer served in bowls and a curated ‘Owners’ 

Collection’ that boasts award-winning saké like the 

Iwamura Brewery Junmai Daiginjo Premium with Gold 

Flakes, which is unique to Singapore. Complementing the 

setting, Jiu Zhuang serves up excellently executed modern 

Chinese bar bites and daily dim sum. For a burst of flavour, 

try the Jiu Zhuang Xiaolongbao with Single Malt Whisky 

Infusion and aromatic Double-boiled Jiu Zhuang Wanton 

Dumplings with Dried Scallops in Superior Broth. Yum 

seng! 

Jiu Zhuang, 6D Dempsey Road, 249683, Singapore. 

T: +65 6471 1711 

W: www.jiu-zhuang.com 

Open: Monday to Saturday and public holidays, 5pm to 1am 


104

THE DRINKS 

“Too much of 

anything is bad, but 

too much Champagne 

is just right.” 

- F. Scott Fitzgerald - 

BANK BAR 

You don’t need to work in the banking and finance sector to want to invest some 

time in this bank. Despite its smart dark wood interiors, grand chandeliers and 

marble top counters, Bank Bar is equally welcoming to the shorts and sandals set 

as it is the suits. 

Located in the city’s business district, this sophisticated and somewhat 

sprawling bar and bistro serves up hearty platters of comfort food alongside 

beers and cocktails with names that riff on money and millionaires. Among 

their signature drinks is the Offshore Account, which is an apt mix of rum and 

rich Caribbean flavours. For something with a little more privacy, plump for the 

20-seater lounge, which serves up premium wines and whiskies. Ultimately, you 

don’t have to be rolling in it to pull up a chair here. 

Bank Bar, One Shenton, #01-01 Shenton Way, 068803, Singapore. 

T: +65 6636 2188 

W: wwwthebankbar.com 

Open: Monday to Saturday, 11am-12 midnight 



A recent recipient 

of the Padma Shri 

award, one of the 

highest awards in 

India, Datuk Ramli 

Ibrahim frequently 

travels to India to 

perform. On one of 

his recent tours, Lee 

Kuen was there to 

chart this legend’s 

every move and 

Odissi pose. 

WORDS BY 

TAN LEE KUEN 


106


It is close to midnight when the AirAsia 

flight lands at Biju Patnaik International 

Airport in Bhubaneswar, India. As the 

journalists and dancers stumble out 

groggy and with sleep in our eyes, Datuk 

Ramli Ibrahim is waiting to welcome us at 

the arrivals hall, the warmth of his megawatt 

smile warding off the cool of the winter 

night. He personally greets the journalists he 

knows while ensuring the ease of everyone 

else. As we ride the van to our hotel, he keeps 

up a lively chatter to revive flagging spirits. 

It is surprising, and not a little heartwarming, 

to have Datuk Ramli meet us 

personally. We are in Odisha as part of a 

special group by the Sutra Foundation – 

made up of parents, important guests and 

journalists – to attend the Konark Dance 

Festival where Datuk Ramli and his dancers 

were to perform ‘Ganjam’. 

This is only the second time Sutra has 

organised a cultural tour to India, and part 

of the charm is seeing Datuk Ramli’s Odisha, 

a place he has been coming to on-and-off for 

the past 40 years – first as a student, then as a 

performer, and now, a star. Despite his busy 

schedule, he would take time to join some of 

the excursions in the tour. With his quick 

intelligence, extensive knowledge, personal 

connections and flair for storytelling, Datuk 

Ramli is the perfect guide. 

Odisha, formerly known as Orissa, is 

an off-the-beaten-track eastern state on the 

Bay of Bengal in India. It was once the seat 

of the Kalinga kingdom with far-reaching 

influence all the way to Southeast Asia. The 

area was a confluence of Hindu, Buddhist 

and Jain heritage, and its current capital city, 

Bhubaneswar, is known as the Temple City 

– it boasted 7000 temples at its zenith; less 

than a tenth of that remain today. This rich 

heritage can be viewed at the Odisha State 

Museum, a quiet but interesting building 

with a rich collection of antiquities, some 

dating back to the 3rd century B.C. On our 

visit, Datuk Ramli is keen to point out his 

favourite statues holding Odissi poses while 

explaining their significance to his dancers. 



“When Datuk Ramli first 

arrived in Bhubaneswar 

in 1976, it was a bare 

and dusty city, a wild 

contrast to Europe 

where he had just 

finished a ballet tour 

with the Sydney Dance 

Company.” 

Odissi is the oldest surviving dance form 

in India, and a distant precursor to today’s 

Odissi was practised in the shrines by female 

temple dancers called mahari or devadasi. 

The ceremonial aspect of the dance was lost 

during the state’s turbulent history with 

successive foreign rulers and was replaced 

by the gotipua, a traditional dance of Odissi 

elements and acrobatics performed by 

young boys dressed up as girls. This style of 

dancing would have a heavy influence on 

what is practised today. 

Datuk Ramli’s journey with Odissi 

started in Australia in the 1970s. Whilst 

studying for his engineering degree and 

pursuing a career in ballet, he fell in with 

fellow Malaysian student, Zamin Haroon 

(who would later become celebrated Indian classical dancer, Chandrabhanu). 

One afternoon, while hanging out at Zamin’s home and listening to records, 

Datuk Ramli heard his first Odissi song, a track by renowned vocalist 

Raghunath Panigrahi, and he was hooked. “ I fell in love with the music first 

and it triggered my interest in Odissi,” he says. As a perfectionist, it was 

inevitable then that the young Ramli Ibrahim would make his way to Orissa 

to learn from the gurus. 

“ I met with the great dancer Indrani Rahman who told me that if I was 

learning Odissi, I must meet with Debaprasad Das,” remembers Datuk Ramli. 

Debaprasad Das is one of the pioneering Odissi gurus in India, known for his 

naturalistic style. “ Eventually I met with him in Bhubaneswar. When I saw his 

then-student Gajendra Panda performing, I knew that this was the style that 

I wanted. I took to Debaprasad and started learning from him,” relates Datuk 

Ramli as we settle in for our interview at the spartan reception area of the 

Odisha State Guest House, where he has a suite. 

When Datuk Ramli first arrived in Bhubaneswar in 1976, it was a bare and 

dusty city, a wild contrast to Europe where he had just finished a ballet tour 

with the Sydney Dance Company. But he was unfazed. “ There was no culture 

shock,” he insists. “ I love the chaos and flexibility of life.” 

By now he is comfortable in this city that he regards as a second home, 

constantly pointing out landmarks as we travelled around Bhubaneswar. “ The 

city has changed a lot since then. One of the differences I’ve seen is that the 

city has gone through a greening campaign. It wasn’t so green before. There’s 

been a great improvement in town planning here and it’s on the cusp of being 

a Smart City,” he says. 

In 1982, Datuk Ramli returned to Kuala Lumpur and embarked on a 

stratospheric career as an Odissi dancer and choreographer. A part of the 

dynamic 1980s arts scene in Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Ramli was certainly a 

force to be reckoned with, introducing a little-known Indian classical dance 

to Malaysian audiences and single-handedly nurturing it to become a part 

that is well entrenched within the local Malaysian dance industry today. 

In 1983, he formed Sutra Dance Theatre, followed by the Sutra Foundation 

in 2007, under which umbrella he now operates the dance company, an 

academy and an art gallery. 


108





110


“Datuk Ramli and his dancers 

put on an exceptional show, 

a sensorial feast against the 

backdrop of the 13th century 

Sun Temple…” 

“ Odissi has become synonymous with me and 

the foundation because we have transformed a dance 

that was not known to one that is. Sutra is not a fringe 

company. It is a mainstream company that is able to 

conduct performances for a week. We were the first to 

do so when it was unheard of,” he says. 

His fame is not only confined to Malaysia. Sutra 

has performed in over 150 cities worldwide, including 

Carnegie Hall in New York City. In India, where it 

all began, he is a celebrated guest. In 2011, he was 

awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for his 

contributions to Odissi, a prestigious honour in the 

arts that he shares with gurus such as Kelucharan 

Mohapatra and Debaprasad Das. [We are thrilled to 

find out that after this story was written, Datuk Ramli 

had received the Padma Shri award in January 2018, 

one of the highest awards in India.] 

When Datuk Ramli Ibrahim performs in India, it 

makes the news. Stories of his troupe performing and 

of his Malaysian guests are in The Hindu. The Konark 

festival billboards, which features Datuk Ramli, are 

plastered all over the city. “ It’s a bit of an overkill,” he 

had modestly said to the Director of Odisha Tourism, 

who replied, “ But you rise to the occasion.” 

Sure enough, Datuk Ramli and his dancers put on an 

exceptional show, a sensorial feast against the backdrop of 

the 13th century Sun Temple, famous for sculptures frozen 

in Odissi poses (as well as ones of a more erotic nature). The 

production, ‘Ganjam’, which first premiered at Istana Budaya 

in 2015, is Sutra’s final collaboration with Dr Dinanath 

Pathy, who passed away in 2016. Datuk Ramli has known and 

collaborated with the Odisha artist and art historian for over 

20 years, and it felt like a fitting tribute to perform the work 

in this hallowed space. The video of the performance, posted 

up on the Odisha Tourism’s Facebook page, had the highest 

number of views of the entire festival. 

After the show, the group has a late dinner at the outof-the-way 

Lotus Resort, an eco-resort in Puri by the Bay of 

Bengal. It has been a full day, followed by the emotional rush 

of the evening’s event, and everyone is visibly tired, including 

Datuk Ramli. Even so, he sits, ramrod straight, in the bus 

with the rest of us for the hour-and-a-half journey back to our 

hotel in Bhubaneswar. Tomorrow is another full day for him 

– including site visits, a talk and an interview – before he joins 

the rest of the group for Bollywood night. The razzmatazz 

of Bollywood is not for him, but he knows it is good for his 

dancers’ morale to have a bit of fun. 

Perhaps the constant go-go-go is taking a toll because 

Datuk Ramli says he hopes to take some time off soon. 

“ I hope to fall back a little bit next year, to rest so as to 

rejuvenate. I want to take a sabbatical. I feel I would function 

much better if I take some time out to reflect.” From India 

to Malaysia and all over the world, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim has 

long carried out the Herculean task of championing Odissi – 

so yes, he deserves a break. 


THE DRIVE | NEWS 

BMW 5 SERIES HYBRID WITH EDRIVE TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHED 

The All-New BMW 530e Sport is the 

fifth BMW iPerformance model to be 

introduced in the country. Offered in 

Sport Line it features LED headlights for 

both low-beam and high-beam, side lights, 

as well as daytime running lights, which 

complements the elegant high-gloss black 

front bumper, ready to turn heads on the 

road. 

Accentuating its sporty vibe is the 

double round exhaust tailpipe on both 

left and right and 19” V-Spoke light alloy 

wheels. The All-New BMW 530e Sport 

also offers Comfort Access providing a 

seamless owner experience without having 

to reach for your car key and contactless 

boot operation. 

Powering the All-New BMW 530e 

Sport is the latest-generation inline 

4-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo 

2-litre petrol engine, which generates 

184hp and 320 Nm of torque. Combined 

with the BMW eDrive system’s state-ofthe-art 

electric motor, the All-New BMW 

530e Sport has an overall system output 

of 252hp and 420 Nm of torque, enabling 

the car to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.2 

seconds. With a top speed of 235 km/h, 

the All-New BMW 530e Sport enjoys 

segment-leading figures of consuming only 

2.0l/100km of fuel with a significantly low 

CO2 emission of 46g/km. 

It also offers an all-electric driving 

range of up to 48km with a maximum 

speed of up to 140km/h – the best in its 

segment, and has three innovative driving 

modes: AUTO eDrive, MAX eDrive, and 

BATTERY CONTROL. 


112


Command over the new premium 

plug-in hybrid business sedan can be 

achieved via the BMW Connected app, 

which allows one to not only monitor 

the performance of the car, but also 

dictate the interior atmosphere. It also 

empowers one to monitor charge levels of 

the high-voltage battery, the locations of 

charging stations, and the distance covered 

on electric power alone as well as the 

consequent amount of petrol saved. 

Available in Bluestone Metallic, 

Mediterranean Blue, Alpine White, and 

Black Sapphire for RM 343,800 on the 

road, without insurance, and with BMW 

Group Malaysia’s latest 5 Years Unlimited 

Mileage Warranty, Free Scheduled Service 

Programme and BMW Tyre Warranty 

Programme. 

HONDA MALAYSIA HAS A BUMPER YEAR 

In 2017, the Honda Malaysia recorded total sales of 109,511 units, 

setting an all-time high record in the history of the company since 

it was established in 2003. 

Despite the challenges in the market last year, Honda Malaysia 

launched 6 new models: the BR-V, City, Jazz and Jazz Hybrid, City 

Hybrid, CR-V and All-New Civic Type R, with the City emerging 

as Honda’s best-selling model contributing 27% of its total sales. 

Honda Malaysia also introduced Honda Pride. With 12 

specially designed benefits such as 5-years warranty with 

unlimited mileage and genuine parts, Honda Pride is dedicated 

to the customer’s experience in after sales. The company also 

increased the number of dealerships in 2017 to cater to the 

expanded customer base. Interestingly Honda’s Sport Hybrid 

i-DCD made local history as Malaysia is the only country outside 

of Japan to introduce the technology. 



FERRARI 488 PISTA’S TRACK- 

DERIVED PERFORMANCE 

Unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor 

Show, the 488 Pista is the successor to 

Ferrari’s V8-engined special series – the 

360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 

458 Speciale, and marks a significant step 

forward from the previous special series 

in terms of both sporty dynamics and for 

the level of technological carry-over from 

racing. 

Compared to the 488 GTB, the new 

model weighs an impressive 90 kg less 

which, when combined with the largest 

ever increase in engine power for a 

special series car (+50 cv), results in a new 

benchmark for Ferrari’s V8 sports cars. 

Its engine is the most powerful V8 in 

Ferrari history and punches out 720 cv with 

the highest specific output in its class (185 

cv/l). Torque is higher at all engine speeds, 

delivering a feeling of consistently smooth, 

powerful acceleration with even faster 

turbo response times, and an engine sound 

that is uniquely and unmistakably Ferrari. 

The design of the 488 Pista is focussed 

on functional aerodynamic concepts. 

The concept of the front is echoed in the 

dolphin-tail rear spoiler, which appears 

suspended. The 20” carbon-fibre wheel 

rims are optional while other carbon-fibre 

parts include the engine cover, bumpers 

and rear spoiler. 


114

ADVERTORIAL 

THE DRIVE 

The Avant-Garde Spirit New 

Flagship DS 5 

DS has finally been officially launched as a go-it-alone brand with the unveiling of the new DS 5. 

With its avant-garde style, dynamic performance, refinement, attention 

to detail and array of advanced technologies, New DS 5 perfectly 

characterises the DS Automobiles brand. Superior and ultra-high tech, 

the high-powered DS 5 provides highly advanced aerodynamics. DS 

5's avant-garde styling is the ultimate expression of timeless elegance 

with a premium blend of technology, style, comfort and workmanship. 

STYLE ICON 

DS 5 looks like nothing else on the road with sabre design cues 

including the new chrome hexagonal frame grille with the DS 5 

monogrammed in the centre, stunning front end referred as DS Wings 

and the integrated ‘flame thrower’ tailpipes at the rear fashioning a 

signature style of the future. The stylish features seamlessly connect 

into the xenon headlights while the LED feature pioneered by DS, 

follows the steering, to light up corners providing a wide, white light 

beam. 

ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE 

A 1.6-litre turbo high-powered engine with direct petrol injection that 

supplies 165ps at 6,000rpm and 240 NM of torque and fitted with a 

six-speed automatic gearbox powers the DS 5. Its fuel consumption 

over a combined cycle, has improved to 5.9litres/100km with CO2 

emissions of 135g/km. 

FORM WITH FUNCTION 

The aviation-inspired cockpit style layout depicting first class travel 

compliments the regal exterior of DS 5. A nod to the classy world of 

aviation, the driver’s station wraparound dashboard, broad central 

console and toggle switches is designed to transform your driving 

experience. The button and toggle switches are in two groups: one 

around the gear selector, one overhead and all the switches and 

buttons are placed exactly where it should. The intuitive design 

amalgamates perfectly with supportive leather seats and three 

glass roof panels with electric sunshades for the effortless drive in a 

luxurious ambience. 

TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE 

Combining innovative high-tech elements, the DS 5 is equipped with 

a 7-inch colour, touch-driven interface. The system works with any 

smart mobile device and improves driving conveniences by keeping 

you connected when you are on the go. The same screen serves as 

a navigation system, DAB radio and even acts as the monitor for the 

reversing camera. Entertain yourself and stay connected with your 

favourite music through USB/iPod with Bluetooth connectivity with 

the built-in Denon Hi-Fi audio system with six speakers and a bootmounted 

subwoofer for the perfect sound. 

PREMIUM SAFETY 

The DS 5 encompasses the highest standards in safety that include 

six airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Anti-Lock Braking 

System (ABS), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake 

Distribution (EBD) and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). 

The bespoke services offered by DS 5 include a five-year Peace 

of Mind warranty or 120,000km (whichever comes first), 24-hour 

Roadside Assistance service and exclusive access to the Sky Lounge 

by Naza at Subang Airport. Available in five stylish colours 

of Artense Grey, Noir Perla Nera, Bleu Encre, Pearl White and 

Whisper Purple, the DS 5 is priced at RM193,290.21 (on-the-road 

price without insurance). 


THE DRIVE 

THE 

COME 

BACK 

KID 

Mercedes 300 SL roadster still mighty after 60 years 

WORDS BY 

THOMAS GEIGER / DPA / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

he strikingly elegant coupe version of the Mercedes-Benz 300 

TSL with the gullwing doors is the most famous and also the most 

expensive version of the car to buy at auction. 

Fortunately, the conventional 300 SL roadster is a tad cheaper 

and more plentiful. For those seeking grace, pace and comfort, it is 

the better buy, say experts. 

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's just rewind back 

to 1954, when the advent of the gullwing was the automotive 

equivalent of a flying saucer landing on earth. It was also arguably the world's 

first supercar. 

IMAGE BY STEPHEN REUSS/DPA/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 


116

THE DRIVE 

“The roar of the 

six-cylinder engine 

still sends a 

tingle down the 

spine of enthusiasts. 

This was one of 

the fastestproduction 

cars 

of its day.” 


THE DRIVE 


118

THE DRIVE 

The brand with the three-pointed star 

was persuaded by its American importer 

Max Hoffmann to adapt the racing issue 

of the 300 SL for road use. The car boasted 

a unique shape, and performance which 

shamed contemporary products from 

Porsche and the rest of the competition. 

The up-and-over doors made the 300 

SL into a star, and celebrities queued up to 

be seen in one or to call the car their own. 

Unfortunately, stars are apt to wane, and 

that is what happened to the 300 SL. 

It hardly seems possible today, 

when a fine example of the car will fetch 

around USD 1.4 million, but in the 1950s, 

enthusiasm for the exotic German car faded 

fast. 

In 1957 – only three years after the 

gullwing made its debut – the company sold 

just 70, says York Seifert, who publishes the 

magazine of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Club 

in Germany. 

It was just as well for the Stuttgart maker 

that importer Hoffmann agreed to take 

several hundred more examples, thereby 

persuading Mercedes-Benz not to stop 

production. Hoffmann imposed only one 

condition: If Stuttgart wanted him to sell 

more gullwings, then they would have to 

produce a drophead version of the 300 SL. 

Blueprints for a fresh-air variant already 

existed, and the car was ready to roll in 1955. 

Stuttgart opted to phase out the gullwing in 

favour of the ragtop, and business took off. 

Hoffmann was a shrewd salesman, 

and he saw that many customers for 

the glamorous gullwing found the car 

impractical. Ventilation was poor and the 

doors made for a high side entry. 

IMAGE BY ROYCE RUMSEY/DPA/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

“The advent of 

the gullwing was 

the automotive 

equivalent of 

a flying saucer 

landing on earth. It 

was also arguably 

the world's first 

supercar.” 


THE DRIVE 

The roadster version was a comfortable cruiser, and a 

new swing axle improved the car's cornering behaviour and 

predictability. 

Weight was up, but the fun factor increased a lot too. 

At 250 kilometres per hour, top speed was still sensational. 

There were wind-up windows on conventional doors, and a 

cloth hood which made getting in and out of the cabriolet 

much less of a pain. 

“ Gullwing drivers even started saying the roadster was 

designed for softies and called it a rolling lounge,” says 

Hoffmann. 

Today, the roar of the six-cylinder engine still sends 

a tingle down the spine of enthusiasts. This was one of 

the fastest-production cars of its day and it needs only 10 

seconds for the surge to 100 km/h from a standing start. 

Naturally, this is no cheap classic either, and roadster 

examples in excellent condition change hands for around 

USD 1.25 million. 

Detractors of the gullwing used to say that getting 

out of one was like escaping from an egg cooker, since the 

cockpit quickly became unbearably hot. 

After stepping out of a roadster, by comparison, a 

lady or gent will feel refreshed and maybe just a little 

windswept. 

IMAGE BY STEPHEN REUSS/DPA/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE IMAGE BY DAIMLER AG/DPA/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 


120

THE DRIVE 

IMAGE BY STEPHEN REUSS/DPA/THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 


THE VACATION | NEWS 

WORDS BY MUNA NOOR 

IMAGES BY GENTING STAR CRUISES 

SUPERSTAR LIBRA CRUISES TO MACLEOD ISLAND MYANMAR 

If it’s not enough that you can escape 

the city to the tropical high seas and 

islands on Malaysia and Thailand’s 

west coast via any of SuperStar Libra’s 

triple homeports of Kuala Lumpur/Port 

Klang, Penang and Phuket, Genting Star 

Cruises has added another emerald gem 

to its list of places to exotic islands to 

explore. 

Launched in November 2017, the 

unspoiled MacLeod Island is part of the 

Mergui Archipelago on Myanmar’s south 

coast, an area of rich biodiversity and home 

to the indigenous seafaring Moken people. 

Surrounded by the azure waters of the 

Andaman Sea, it remains an insider secret of 

untapped diving, snorkeling, fishing, jungle 

trekking and sun soaking potential. 

En route, expect exciting activities and 

world-class service on board SuperStar Libra’s 

ten-storey cruise ship, including shopping 

experiences, live international performances, 

sports and recreational activities, and for those 

who love to live life at a leisurely pace, spas and 

swimming pools galore. 

www.starcruises.com/my/en/ships/libra 


122

NEWS | THE VACATION 

IMAGES BY WWW.SLH.COM 

OVOLO, SYDNEY 

Heritage meets modern luxury at the Ovolo 

Woolloomooloo. Overlooking the iconic 

Sydney Harbour, the hotel is housed in an 

historic building and has a warehouse style 

exterior. All 100 rooms continue the theme, 

being spacious and bright with eclectic pieces 

and bespoke bed head art. Many are also split 

over two levels taking full advantage of the 

views. Guests can enjoy some downtime in 

the Lo Lounge – be sure to download the 

Secret DJ app to pick the next song – and 

extras such as mini-bar, happy hour and 

laundry are all included in the room rate. 

www.slh.com/ovolo 

IMAGE BY NICCOLO HOTELS 

THE MURRAY, HONG KONG 

Now open, The Murray is the latest 

addition to the luxury contemporary chic 

collection by Wharf Hotels. Built in 1969, 

the hotel’s building is an architectural icon 

in the heart of the city and one of eight 

historic landmarks under Hong Kong’s 

Conserving Central initiative, and the 

legendary Foster + Partners were tasked 

with its conversion into luxury hotel. The 

result is a contemporary stylish sanctuary 

consisting of 336 spacious suites and 

guestrooms. Gourmands will be pleased 

too – The Murray offers five restaurants 

and bars including Michelin-starred 

Cantonese restaurant, Guo Fu Lou. 

www.niccolohotels.com. 


THE VACATION | NEWS 

FAR AND 

AWAY 

Wild and windswept, the island of St Helena 

is so remote, the British outpost would 

attract few travellers, until now 

WORDS BY 

CLAIRE SPREADBURY / PRESS ASSOCIATION / 

THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE 

ISTOCK 


124



THE VACATION 

SANDY BAY 

Until last year, St Helena was one of the world’s 

most remote inhabited islands. Set adrift nearly 

2,000 miles from the tip of South Africa, it took 

a full six days to sail there on the mail boat from 

Cape Town – and that ship sailed only once every 

three weeks. 

But in 2017, weekly flights began operating to the 

tiny volcanic island where Napoleon lived his last years 

in exile. Now visitors can get there in just six hours from 

Johannesburg (including a refuelling stop). 

There are hopes that tourist numbers will swell as a 

result. Previously, only a few intrepid adventurers made it 

to St Helena – between May 2016 and May 2017 the island 

welcomed just 4,000 of them. Now the aim is to attract as 

many as 30,000 visitors a year. 

But the British Overseas Territory marooned in the 

South Atlantic Ocean, only measures 16km by 8km. 

The question is: Will anyone actually bother to go? 

WHY GO THERE? 

The sheer bragging rights alone! It’s been touted as one of 

the world’s last undiscovered destinations and very few 

people have actually been. With between 400 and 502 unique 

species, and impressive marine biodiversity, it is on the 

United Kingdom’s list for possible future UNESCO World 

Heritage Site status. 

WHAT IS THERE TO DO? 

St Helena’s natural beauty is undoubtedly its biggest draw. 

Various walking routes wind along rugged coastlines, 

through stark deserts and across cloud forests. Diana’s Peak, 

which rises 823 metres above sea level, is one of St Helena’s 

great attractions and forms part of a national park. 

A 200 nautical mile maritime zone in the seas around the 

island has been designated a Marine Protected Area (MPA), 

boosting its status as a world-class diving destination. From 

November/December until March, it’s possible to see and 

even swim with whale sharks, and year round 18th century 

wrecks are accessible. Visibility is generally good and the 

water temperature ranges between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius. 

There are also several historical landmarks on the island, 

including Plantation House, home of the island’s Governor 

since 1792. Jonathan the 185-year-old giant tortoise, who is 

possibly the world’s longest living animal and definitely an 

internet celebrity, resides in the grounds. House tours cost 

£10 per person including tea or coffee. 

JAMESTOWN ARCHWAY LEADING 

TO THE SEAFRONT 

WHY HAS ST HELENA BEEN CUT OFF FOR SO 

LONG? 

Costing the British government £285 million, the airport 

was delayed by several years due to environmental and 

geographical challenges, and was subsequently crowned “ the 

world’s most useless airport” . 


126

THE VACATION 

“Marooned in the 

South Atlantic 

Ocean, St Helena 

only measures 

16km by 8km” 

THE RUGGED COASTLINE 

OF JAMES BAY 

EXPLORE COASTAL 

MARINE CAVES 

CLIMB LADDER HILL 

FOR VIEWS LIKE THIS 


THE VACATION 

PLANTATION HOUSE AT 

MANTIS ST HELENA 

JONATHAN, 185 YEARS OLD 

HERITAGE ROOM AT MANTIS ST HELENA 

WHERE TO STAY? 

Revel in the island’s history by booking a room at Bertrand’s 

Cottage, once home to one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s most 

famous officers, Grand Marshall Bertrand. Restored by 

Enterprise St Helena (ESH), it has three en-suite bedrooms 

and a lounge and restaurant with views across the garden 

to Deadwood Plain, where horse-racing took place in 

Napoleon’s time. Rooms start from £130 per night with 

breakfast. Book it at sthelenatourism.com. 

For something more luxurious, try the four-star, 

30-bedroom Mantis St Helena on Main Street in Jamestown 

(pictured on this page). Three Georgian properties have 

been carefully restored to make up the property, where 

rooms costs from £210 per night with breakfast. Make your 

reservations through mantishelena.com. 

DES JACOBS 

LEARN THE LINGO 

Everyone on St Helena speaks English but there are a few 

local terms it’s worth adding to your holiday vocab. ‘Eierce’ 

(pronounced like pierce) means yes, ‘mussie’ is the phrase 

for ‘it must be’, and if you want to sound exasperated about 

something, simply say ‘phew ya’. 

Flights are now available to book via SA Airlink (flyairlink. 

com), from Johannesburg to St Helena. 


128



PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OFFICES 

TROPICANA MANAGEMENT 

SERVICES SDN BHD (TMS) 

Property Management Office 

CASA INDAH 1 

CONDOMINIUMS 


MERCHANT SQUARE 

BUSINE SS PARK 


CASA KIARA 2 

CONDOMINIUM 


CASA TROPICANA 

CONDOMINIUMS 


Jalan Kelab Tropicana 

Tropicana Golf & 

Country Resort 

47410 Petaling Jaya 

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 

Tel: +603 7804 1533 

(Direct Line) 

+603 7804 8888 

(General Line) 

Fax: +603 7806 5044 

tms@tropicanagolf.com 

Office hours: 

9am – 6pm (Monday – Friday) 

9am – 1pm (Saturday) 

Closed (Sunday) 

B-G-05, Casa Indah 1 

Condominiums 

No 2A, Persiaran Surian 

Tropicana Indah, 

PJU 3 Kota Damansara 



Tel: +603 6140 9194/6140 9166 

Fax: +603 6140 9168 

casaindahcondo@yahoo.com 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm (Monday – Friday) 



No 1, Jalan Tropicana 

Selatan 1, PJU 3 



Tel: +603 7883 0866 

Fax: +603 7883 0966 

merchantsquare@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 

(Monday – Friday) 



Dicasa Management 

Services Sdn Bhd 

Lobby Level 

No 14, Jalan Kiara 5, Bukit Kiara 


Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia 

Tel: +603 6203 9229 

Fax: +603 6203 9339 

casakiara2@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5pm 




B-5-17, Block B 

Casa Tro picana 

No 5, Jalan Persiaran Tropicana 

PJU 3 

Tropicana Golf & Country Resort 



Tel: +603 7883 0982 

Fax: +603 7883 0292 

casatropicana@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 




CASA INDAH 2 

CONDOMINIUMS 


A-02-01, Management Office 

Casa Indah 2 Condominiums 

No 2B, Persiaran Surian 

Tropicana Indah Resort Homes 

PJU3 

Kota Damansara 



Tel: +603 6142 6288 / 6388 

Fax: +603 6142 6788 

casaindah2@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 




ARENA MENTARI BUSINESS 

PARK 


Block C, Wisma TT 

No 1, Jalan PJS 8/15 

Dataran Mentari 



Tel: +603 5621 1979 

Fax: +603 5621 1980 

istimabudi@gmail.com 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 




TROPICANA INDAH SDN BHD 


Jalan Kelab Tropicana 

Tropicana Golf & 

Country Resort 



Tel: +603 7804 4722 

+603 7805 5855 

Fax: +603 7806 5044 

tisb@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 6pm (Monday – Friday) 



TROPICANA GRANDE 


Level 1, Management Office 

Block A, Tropicana Grande 

Condominiums 

No. 3 Persiaran Tropicana 



Tel: +603 7610 0965 

Fax: +603 7610 0968 

stephaniechua@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 9am – 6pm 




TROPICANA CHERAS 


To be ready soon 

For more information, please 

contact Sales & Marketing 

Department at: 

Tel: +603 7710 1018 

DAMANSARA INTAN 

E-BUSINESS PARK 


A328, Block A 

Damansara Intan 

No 1, Jalan SS 20/27 



Tel: +603 7118 3111 

Fax: +603 7118 3222 

gracewong@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 




FORTUNE PARK APARTMENTS 


A-5, Pangsapuri Suria Perdana 

(Fortune Park Apartments) 

Taman Serdang Perdana 

Seksyen 4 

43300 Seri Kembangan 


Tel: +603 8944 9331 

Fax: +603 8944 9332 

fortunepark@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9am – 5.30pm 




TROPICANA HEIGHTS 

Property Management Offi ce 

Off Jalan P6/2, 43500 

Semenyih, Kajang 


Tel: +6013-2020746 

Fax: +603 7806 5044 

tisb@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Monday – Friday) 

9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Saturday) 

Closed (Sunday & Public Holidays) 

TROPICANA CHERAS 

Admin Of fice 

6, Jalan Tropicana Cheras 1, Taman 

Tropicana Cheras, 43000 Kajang, 

Selangor. 

Tel: +6013-2020746 

Fax: +603 7610 0968 

stephaniechua@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Office hours: 

9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Monday – Friday) 

9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Saturday) 

Closed (Sunday & Public Holidays)

THE LIST 

FACILITIES AND TENANTS AT 

TROPICANA GOLF AND COUNTRY RESORT 

TROPICANA GOLF AND COUNTRY RESORT 

SITE LAYOUT PLAN 

N 

Buggy Track 

DRIVING R 

WESTERN COURSE 

Practice Green 

Children’s 

Playground 

Landscape 

18th Green 

18 

14 

Tai Thong 

13 

32 

Children’s 

Playground 

21 

48 

19 

20 

17 

22 

15 

16 

M 

L 

17 

33 

Landscape 

30 

31 

29 

Administration 

Office 

24 23 

25 

26 

MA 

C 

34 

35 

36 

Landscape 

28 

27 

Poolside 

Cafe 

38 

37 

39 

SPORTS WING 

41 42 

43 

44 

40 

Carpark 

Lake 

45 

46 

LEGEND 

Lower Ground 

Ground 

Level 1 

47 

To Basement 

C 

With a gross built-up area of over 380,000 

square feet (35,303 square metres), Malaysia’s 

largest and award-winning Clubhouse 

at Tropicana Golf & Country Resort is 

truly impressive. This is a listing of all the 

facilities and amenities that are built for 

the convenience of all Tropicana members, 

residents and their guests 

Golf / Sports Membership 03-7804 8888 

Vivian ext 208 

Membership Email membership1@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Golf Email 

golf@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Sports Department 03-7804 2087 

Operating Hours 9.00 am – 6.00 pm (Monday to Friday) 

Email 

gm@tropicanagolf.com 

Website 

www.tropicanagolf.com 


132

THE LIST 

VING RANGE 

Practice Green 

Buggy Track 

9th Green 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE 

Main Wing 

7 Twenty7 03-7804 8888 

(Ext 326) 

15 Gin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant 03-7886 9168 

36 Poolside Café 03-7804 8888 

(Ext 327) 

9 Spring Garden Tropicana 

Chinese Restaurant 03-7880 7226 

11 The Palms Coffee House 03-7804 8888 

(Ext 306) 

The Palms Wing 

8 Royce 017-322 3668 

26 J Italian Restaurant 03-7805 3925/3935 

25 Myeung Dong Korean BBQ 016-3684500 

13 

Main 

Lobby 

Landscape 

8 

Car Porch 

12 

MAIN WING 

11 

10 

9 

7 

asd 

Main Kitchen 

6 

GOLF WING 

1 

2 

5 

Golf 

Counter 

4 

3 

Buggy Station 

EASTERN COURSE 

1st Tee 

SPORTS AND RECREATION 

Sports Wing 

46 Outdoor tennis court 

43 2 indoor tennis courts 

45 4 indoor badminton courts 

31 12-lane computerised bowling alley 

33-34 2 play pools with water slides and waterfall 

42 3 squash courts 

23 Multipurpose studio 

38 Japanese bath and Jacuzzi 

3-4 Male changing rooms with 

360 private lockers 

35 Resort-style larger-than-Olympic-size 

swimming pool 

41 Sauna and steam bath 

24 Snooker room 

39 2 table tennis courts 

40 Well-equipped gymnasium 

44 1 VIP badminton hall 

47 1 futsal court 

Fountain 

Buggy Pick-up Area 

LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT 

24 Havana Lounge 017-885 4188 

27 Thai Odyssey Spa & Massage 03-7803 1233/ 

03-7804 1129 

29 Bowling & Café 03-7804 8888 

16 Gaming room 

37 Library 

22 Spine & Joint Tropicana 03-78042072 

rk 

Carpark 

Carpark 

FUNCTION AREAS 

6 Greens I 

10 Greens II 

30 Greens III 

32 Poolside Terrace 

28 Spanish Courtyard 

12-14 The Grand Ballroom (First floor) 

Carpark 

asement Carpark 

Sales & Marketing (Banquet Function) 03-7804 8888 

Liza ext 141 

Sandy ext 142 

Siti Fairuz ext 155 

Mas Suria ext 517 

Email 

salesmarketing@tropicanacorp.com.my 

Toll Free 1800 88 8128 

Lake 

GOLFING FACILITIES 

Golf at Tropicana 03-7804 8888 

(Ext 211/212/200) 

Tropicana Driving Range 016-243 4801/ 

012-278 3172 

Buggies and turf mates 

56-bay driving range 

27-hole championship golf course 

18-hole putting greens 

5 Female changing rooms 

with 60 private lockers 

AMENITIES 

20 Alam Convenience Store 03-7804 3095 

1 De Manshop Tailoring 03-7880 4063 

21 Eco Hair Saloon 03-7804 9316 

2 Pro-Shop Golf Shop 03-7804 6348 

17 Kain 017-200 8142 

18 Kindyland Tropicana 017-314 6754 

48 Klinik Tropicana 03-7805 5461 

19 The Green House Florist 03-7880 1388 

3-4 Prayer room 


THE END | KAPALUA BAY BEACH, HAWAII 

“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is 

either a daring adventure or nothing.” 

–Helen Keller– 


134

Tropicana Mar-Apr 2018 #117 Edge of Excitement

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