Tropicana Jan-Feb 2018 #116 A Start from the Heart
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Vol. <strong>#116</strong> <strong>Jan</strong>uary / <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2018</strong><br />
A START FROM THE HEART<br />
A START FROM THE HEART<br />
KDN No. 1505 (7892) | Vol. # 116 <strong>Jan</strong>uary / <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2018</strong><br />
Kengo<br />
Kuma<br />
Cutting Edge Architecture<br />
<strong>from</strong> Natural Materials<br />
Ian<br />
Temple<br />
Of Tenby Schools<br />
On Being a<br />
Modern Principal<br />
Enter <strong>the</strong><br />
New Year<br />
Qi Pao That Pack a<br />
Seductive Punch<br />
Up All<br />
Night<br />
Hidden Gems of<br />
Melbourne's Bar Scene
EDITOR’S NOTE<br />
A start <strong>from</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> heart…<br />
It’s <strong>the</strong> New Year! The time is ripe for<br />
new beginnings and aspirations to drive<br />
you through <strong>2018</strong>. Enter with new<br />
resolutions and new resolve.<br />
As always we provide you with an<br />
inspirational read <strong>from</strong> cover to cover.<br />
Aptly <strong>the</strong>med ‘A start <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> heart’, this<br />
issue brings to you <strong>the</strong> people, places, style<br />
and object d’art that inspire us with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
strength and beauty.<br />
Our cover personality, <strong>the</strong> Principal<br />
of Tenby Schools, Ian Temple, gives<br />
us plenty of reason to get motivated.<br />
His unrelenting passion for teaching<br />
and moulding young minds, as well as<br />
reinventing his style of teaching, tells us<br />
that by thinking out of <strong>the</strong> box, we can<br />
achieve more no matter <strong>the</strong> geographical<br />
surroundings.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r personalities in <strong>the</strong> mix are<br />
Michelin-restauranteur Nobu Matsuhisa<br />
and renowned model, Soo Joo Park.<br />
Their tales of overcoming adversity and<br />
carving out a name in <strong>the</strong> bright lights are<br />
inspiring – a journey of gaining recognition and respect that didn’t come easy.<br />
Change is refreshing, not just for yourself but for your living space too. Reinvent<br />
your home to reflect your favourite travel destinations. Include key décor items around<br />
your home that you’ve picked up during your travels. It’s a great way to ignite fond<br />
memories of a particular holiday, and makes for a great conversation piece when guests<br />
visit.<br />
It’s also time to usher in <strong>the</strong> Year of <strong>the</strong> Dog. Pay heed to some astrological advice on<br />
how best to make <strong>the</strong> dog year work in your favour. Dress <strong>the</strong> part during <strong>the</strong> festivities<br />
in gorgeous qi paos with a modern twist <strong>from</strong> local designers Melinda Looi and Khoon<br />
Hooi.<br />
Make a fresh start and don’t be dogged by old, nagging issues. Get ahead with our<br />
health tips and keep your head above <strong>the</strong> water at all times.<br />
As a new chapter unfolds, <strong>the</strong> team at <strong>Tropicana</strong> wishes you an awesome <strong>2018</strong>!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
YBHG Tan Sri Dato’ Nik Hashim Bin Nik Ab Rahman<br />
Chairman<br />
Dato’ Sri Mohamad Norza Bin Zakaria<br />
Deputy Chairman<br />
Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Chee Sing<br />
Group Executive Vice Chairman<br />
Tan Sri Datuk Lee Fook Long<br />
Dato’ Dickson Tan Yong Loong<br />
Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer<br />
Dion Tan Yong Chien<br />
Dillon Tan Yong Chin<br />
Datuk Tang Vee Mun<br />
Diana Tan Sheik Ni<br />
Din Tan Yong Chia<br />
Directors<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Dato’ Dickson Tan Yong Loong<br />
Editor-In-Chief<br />
Daphne Wong<br />
Deputy Editor-In-Chief<br />
Royce Tan<br />
Editor<br />
Evelyn Wan<br />
Sub-Editor<br />
GROUP<br />
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS<br />
Daphne Wong<br />
General Manager<br />
Winnie Ooi<br />
media advertising manager<br />
Jason Kok<br />
Hea<strong>the</strong>r Ng<br />
media advertising senior executive<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Golf & Country Resort Berhad<br />
(203361-T)<br />
[A Member of <strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation Berhad]<br />
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Executive Director<br />
FEEDBACK & INQUIRY<br />
GROUP CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation Berhad (47908-K) Level 2, 7, 9, 10, 11 & 12 <strong>Tropicana</strong> City Office Tower, No 3 Jalan SS 20/27, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.<br />
T. 03-7710 1018 F. 03-7725 3035<br />
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www.mongooseasia.com<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Muna Noor<br />
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR<br />
Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
Project manager<br />
Grace Edward<br />
Sub Editor<br />
Tania Jayatilaka<br />
staff Writer<br />
DESIGN<br />
Nor Hamimah Abdullah<br />
ART DIRECTOR<br />
When<br />
you have<br />
finished<br />
with this<br />
magazine,<br />
please<br />
recycle it
VOLUME<br />
<strong>#116</strong><br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
10
THE DIARY<br />
Curated by tania jayathilaka<br />
16/01<br />
Fleet Foxes In KL<br />
Grammy-nominated American indie folk band Fleet Foxes will be<br />
performing at KL Live <strong>from</strong> 7pm onwards. Fleet Foxes band members<br />
Robin Pecknold, Skyler Skjelset, Casey Wescott, Christian Wargo and<br />
Morgan Henderson gained popularity in 2007 and 2008 for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
unique blend of folk, rock and pop, receiving rave reviews for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
first full-length album, Fleet Foxes. Their third album, Crack-Up, was<br />
released last year, featuring 11 songs written by vocalist and multiinstrumentalist<br />
Robin Pecknold.<br />
KL Live at Life Centre<br />
20 Jalan Sultan Ismail<br />
Kuala Lumpur<br />
03-5481 5077<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
12
THE DIARY<br />
19/1 – 20/1<br />
Kenny Sebastian Live In Malaysia <strong>2018</strong><br />
Dubbed ‘The No. 1 Young Indian To Watch Out For<br />
In 2016’ by Buzzfeed, Youtuber and stand-up comedian<br />
Kenny Sebastian is set to entertain Malaysian audiences<br />
this <strong>Jan</strong>uary. Sebastian released his fifth comedy special,<br />
Don’t Be That Guy, on Amazon in 2017. He also wrote<br />
and hosted a season of sketch comedy shows, The<br />
Living Room, on Comedy Central India in 2014.<br />
Pentas 1, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre<br />
(KLPAC)<br />
Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,<br />
Sentul, Kuala Lumpur<br />
03-4047 9000<br />
6/1 – 7/1<br />
The Best Of Bernstein’s Broadway<br />
Watch as <strong>the</strong> Malaysian Philharmonic<br />
Orchestra kicks of <strong>the</strong> centennial celebration of<br />
American composer Bernard Bernstein with a<br />
programme featuring Bernstein’s most iconic<br />
Broadway hits, including scores <strong>from</strong> West<br />
Side Story, Peter Pan, On The Town, Candide<br />
and more. Conducted by Louisville Orchestra<br />
Music Director Teddy Abrahams and featuring<br />
Broadway singer and songwriter Morgan James,<br />
<strong>the</strong> show is a must-see for Broadway fans.<br />
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra<br />
Level Two, Tower Two,<br />
PETRONAS Twin Tower<br />
Kuala Lumpur City Centre<br />
03-2331 7008<br />
8/2 – 11/3<br />
Ola Bola The Musical<br />
Directed by Tiara Jacquelina, this all-Malaysian<br />
musical will re-enact <strong>the</strong> events surrounding<br />
<strong>the</strong> 1980s Harimau Malaya football team, as told<br />
in <strong>the</strong> 2016 film Ola Bola by Chiu Keng Guan.<br />
Watch this inspiring story unfold on stage in<br />
between rap and hip hop numbers featuring<br />
some original cast members <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> film and<br />
music by composer-lyricist Mia Palencia and<br />
Rapper-lyricist Altimet.<br />
Istana Budaya<br />
Panggung Sari Istana Budaya<br />
Jalan Tun Razak<br />
03-6142-8225<br />
25/1 – 28/1<br />
OCD<br />
Presented by The Actors Studio Seni<br />
Teater Rakyat and under <strong>the</strong> direction of<br />
Ho Lee Ching, OCD is a physical <strong>the</strong>atre<br />
performance exploring what life is like with<br />
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with all its<br />
accompanying compulsions and anxieties.<br />
This hour-long production features cast<br />
members Emma Megan Khoo, Amanda<br />
Xavier, Riena Aisya and Jun Vinh Teoh.<br />
Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing<br />
Arts Centre (KLPAC)<br />
Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,<br />
Sentul, Kuala Lumpur<br />
03-4047 9000<br />
25/2 – 2/3<br />
The 2nd Malaysian International<br />
Film Festival<br />
This year’s Malaysian International Film<br />
Festival revolves around two concepts of<br />
Hope and Despair, under <strong>the</strong> overall <strong>the</strong>me<br />
of Humanity. Drawing <strong>from</strong> its success last<br />
year, <strong>the</strong> festival will feature 20 local and<br />
international films <strong>from</strong> across <strong>the</strong> globe<br />
and showcase <strong>the</strong> work of filmmakers <strong>from</strong><br />
Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam<br />
and Singapore with its newly added ‘Sou<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Asian Film Focus’ category.<br />
03-5622 1600<br />
13 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE SCENE<br />
The Scene<br />
The hottest events to have set society abuzz.<br />
joey woo, director of art of tree receiving <strong>the</strong> award.<br />
THE ART OF WINNING<br />
majestic hotel, kuala lumpur.<br />
8 december 2017<br />
joey woo with her husband and director of art of tree, jeffrey<br />
yang make a winning combination.<br />
Art of Tree has clinched <strong>the</strong> coveted SME100<br />
Award for being one of <strong>the</strong> Fastest Moving<br />
Companies of 2017. The accolade is awarded<br />
to small and medium enterprises through<br />
stringent qualitative and quantitative<br />
criteria. Focusing on <strong>the</strong> company’s growth<br />
and resilience, <strong>the</strong> SME100 award strives to<br />
recognise top businesses in <strong>the</strong> SME sector<br />
and it comes as no surprise that Art of Tree<br />
was a strong contender.<br />
Resilience is <strong>the</strong> mainstay of this home<br />
-grown business allowing <strong>the</strong>m to persevere<br />
through challenges in <strong>the</strong> timber industry.<br />
Art of Tree continues its winning streak<br />
by ensuring all its products are made <strong>from</strong><br />
salvaged trees and not deforested ones.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
14
THE SCENE<br />
ACE-R YOUR GAME!<br />
Subang Jaya.<br />
24 October 2017<br />
The Product team <strong>from</strong> Acer Malaysia with <strong>the</strong> newly launched Acer Spin 5.<br />
From Left to Right: Edmund Hoh, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia, Chan Weng<br />
Hong, General Manager of Products, Sales and Marketing, Acer Malaysia,<br />
Jeffrey Lai, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia, Johnson Seet, Director of<br />
Products, Acer Malaysia<br />
IT giant Acer is all out to make <strong>2018</strong> an<br />
amazing and powerful experience for IT<br />
enthusiasts throughout <strong>the</strong> country with its<br />
latest offerings. The new convertible Spin 5 is<br />
equipped with <strong>the</strong> latest 8th Generation Intel<br />
Core processor and easy interchangeability<br />
to four useful modes, making it a perfect<br />
platform to create and share content.<br />
The new Acer Swift 3, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand, is available with NVIDIA GeForce<br />
MX150 graphics for <strong>the</strong> 15.6-inch model.<br />
Featuring a 37.5-inch IPS curved screen,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Acer XR382CQK is Acer’s first monitor<br />
that features an UltraWide QHD+ (3840<br />
x 1600) in a zero-frame display, supports<br />
FreeSync and is paired with special features<br />
like <strong>the</strong> PIP/PBP and Daisy Chain to take<br />
productivity to a new level.<br />
Acer also presents <strong>the</strong> first projectors<br />
equipped with a blue light filter – <strong>the</strong> P series<br />
projectors, which offer best value for work<br />
and fun. Last but not <strong>the</strong> least, <strong>the</strong> wellcrafted<br />
All-In-One PC, Acer Aspire C22-860<br />
packs all you need into a frame that is merely<br />
11mm thin at <strong>the</strong> top, while delivering a<br />
smooth computing experience.<br />
Acer Malaysia Product Manager Edmund Hoh with <strong>the</strong> newly launched<br />
Acer’s first monitor that features an UltraWide QHD+ in a zero-frame<br />
display - <strong>the</strong> XR382CQK monitor.<br />
15 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
Ian Temple<br />
Head<br />
Above<br />
The<br />
Rest<br />
Ian Temple of Tenby Schools is a model educationist who shares his path<br />
to moulding <strong>the</strong> leaders of tomorrow.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
16
Ian Temple<br />
17 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
Ian Temple<br />
Shirt and sweater<br />
TOMMY HILFIGER<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
18
Ian Temple<br />
It was interesting to note that<br />
at every instruction given<br />
by <strong>the</strong> photographer to Ian<br />
Temple, Ian would act upon it<br />
accurately and professionally.<br />
It gave rise to some suspicion before Ian<br />
was egged on to admit, “Yes, I did some<br />
modelling in my younger days!”<br />
Ian had modelled for about four to five<br />
years <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> age of 17. His fit physique,<br />
attributed to hours of squash, primed him<br />
for <strong>the</strong> modelling industry. It was no wonder that <strong>the</strong> photography<br />
shoot wrapped up quickly as Ian made it all <strong>the</strong> more easier with<br />
every pose and shot.<br />
He eventually ventured into television commercials.<br />
“It was for Black and Decker,” he divulges. “It was for a new<br />
lawn mower and <strong>the</strong> commercial was shot in a garden that<br />
had just won a national gardening competition, and it was an<br />
absolutely beautiful garden. It was a good stint and it didn’t get<br />
in <strong>the</strong> way of my studies. If at all, it gave me extra pocket money<br />
and I was able to afford little luxuries like holidays and buy<br />
nice things.”<br />
So, did modelling influence a sense of style in Ian? “The<br />
only thing modelling taught me was to never go into <strong>the</strong><br />
entertainment industry. A few people I modelled with did go<br />
on to become well known personalities but somehow a career in<br />
this field was not appealing to me.”<br />
Ian is far <strong>from</strong> home – Sunderland, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn England to<br />
be exact. “We have a bad football team but a very good cricket<br />
team, which is <strong>the</strong> Durham County Cricket Club. If <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />
anything I miss about home, it would be cricket.”<br />
Into his eighth year away, Ian has somewhat acclimatised<br />
to life in Malaysia and Dubai six years prior. His passion for<br />
teaching has somewhat numbed any feeling of homesickness<br />
and has him forging ahead with purpose.<br />
Born to educationist parents, it never crossed his mind that<br />
one day he too would follow suit. With an older bro<strong>the</strong>r who<br />
studied accounts management and who has since moved into<br />
<strong>the</strong> software management industry, Ian was a little uncertain of<br />
his future undertakings.<br />
“I won’t say I got into this line by mistake,” says <strong>the</strong> 47-yearold.<br />
“I just decided to give it a shot and literally <strong>from</strong> day one<br />
<strong>the</strong>re was no looking back!”<br />
“The education system in <strong>the</strong> UK wasn’t great in <strong>the</strong> 70s and<br />
“If anyone told me in<br />
1993 when I started<br />
teaching, that I would<br />
be a head teacher, I<br />
would have laughed<br />
it off. It just hadn’t<br />
crossed my mind.”<br />
80s. You sat in <strong>the</strong> classroom for one<br />
hour periods, six hours a day. They<br />
gave you information and at <strong>the</strong> end<br />
of your five years, you sat for an exam<br />
and that’s when you discovered if you<br />
were really good or not. I found it to<br />
be a negative experience because that’s<br />
not <strong>the</strong> way I want to learn; I’m a doer.<br />
I like to get out <strong>the</strong>re and do things,<br />
and what I learn sticks with me.”<br />
“I went through my education and<br />
as I got older, I started to appreciate it more, especially when<br />
I was doing my degree. After a four to five year wait, I did my<br />
Masters in Education in Sunderland University followed by<br />
<strong>the</strong> National Professional Qualification for Headship a few<br />
years later.”<br />
Ian was in his first Deputy Headship in a school in<br />
Newcastle when he really started to look at how he could make<br />
a difference.<br />
“My work was concentrated in <strong>the</strong> classroom, but when you<br />
can do what you do in a classroom across a whole school, it<br />
got me thinking. People will listen to me, and if <strong>the</strong>y do <strong>the</strong>se<br />
things that I say, things could get better for <strong>the</strong>m. One of <strong>the</strong><br />
first things I learnt in management was that if I make people’s<br />
lives better, <strong>the</strong>n we can make <strong>the</strong> whole place better.”<br />
“It’s actually my job to feed information down to <strong>the</strong>m to<br />
make it better and not <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r way around,” he explains fur<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
Today, Ian continues to teach despite being <strong>the</strong> Principal of<br />
Tenby Schools. There’s just no keeping him away <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
classroom no matter how high up <strong>the</strong> career ladder he climbs.<br />
A Business Studies teacher for <strong>the</strong> Cambridge IGCSE syllabus,<br />
he takes students right through to <strong>the</strong>ir exam year. You would<br />
think running <strong>the</strong> school would already take a huge chunk<br />
of time but Ian is adamant about getting his time in <strong>the</strong><br />
classroom.<br />
“Teaching evolves and it is essential to be at <strong>the</strong> ground<br />
level to keep abreast of new techniques and developments<br />
in teaching,” he says. “No teacher wants to let <strong>the</strong>ir students<br />
down. So, I put pressure on myself to keep up to date. I feel<br />
good doing that, as it is crucial to practise what you preach<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rwise you could lose your staff ra<strong>the</strong>r quickly.”<br />
Is Ian a fun teacher? “I used to be!” he laughs. “I didn’t have<br />
a problem when I taught in <strong>the</strong> Middle East but Malaysian<br />
children are not getting my jokes. I did manage to get a few<br />
19 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
Ian Temple<br />
INTERVIEW Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
photography Brian Fang, M8 studio<br />
ART DIRECTION Nor Hamimah Abdullah<br />
make up and hair joey yap<br />
laughs today and <strong>the</strong>y are getting used to me but I guess mine<br />
is a completely different sense of humour. The poor kids! They<br />
are getting <strong>the</strong>re but hopefully by year end, along with business<br />
studies, <strong>the</strong>y will learn some British humour, which is a cultural<br />
exchange of sorts.”<br />
Quite <strong>the</strong> introvert when he was in school, Ian was a shy boy.<br />
“I would actually just take my time and observe an entire situation<br />
until I was comfortable knowing that I would get it right,” he<br />
shares. “I was <strong>the</strong> type who would look after myself and wasn’t a<br />
loud mouth or show off. I just enjoyed my game of squash and was<br />
pleased that I played it at a decent level. It kept me motivated and<br />
got me through <strong>the</strong> school day with a smile on my face.”<br />
Ian was so into <strong>the</strong> sport that at <strong>the</strong> age of 18, he took a year<br />
out of study to play squash and see if he could achieve more in<br />
<strong>the</strong> game. “Unfortunately, I didn’t but I had some great times<br />
playing it. I got to train with World Number One, <strong>Jan</strong>sher<br />
Khan, who was just a few years older than me, at <strong>the</strong> quarter<br />
finals of <strong>the</strong> Scottish Open. It was a great experience, though<br />
he absolutely wiped <strong>the</strong> floor with me, but it didn’t matter as<br />
I played with <strong>the</strong> World Number One and made some great<br />
friends on <strong>the</strong> circuit.”<br />
As any hope for a stellar career in <strong>the</strong> sporting arena was<br />
dashed, it was a turning point and Ian knew he had to do<br />
something else. Hence, he pursued his degree.<br />
“I can’t understand why I didn’t pursue a degree in<br />
geography though,” says Ian. “I love <strong>the</strong> physical side of<br />
geography and get fascinated with geographical barriers.”<br />
“Probably one of <strong>the</strong> most positive experiences in <strong>the</strong><br />
classroom during my school time was my geography teacher,<br />
Mrs Whitehead. She was tough as boots but wonderful all <strong>the</strong><br />
same. Really <strong>the</strong> kind of authority a teenage boy needs. In<br />
those days, we could get caned in school as a child.” He quickly<br />
adds, “I was a good child; in fact, I was very good. It’s a little<br />
embarrassing as I was only ever put in detention once. My<br />
whole class was late for a lesson. It was my only ‘criminal’<br />
record in school!”<br />
Ian has, over time, learned to adapt to <strong>the</strong> different social<br />
and cultural environments he has taught in. Having worked in<br />
Dubai for a while and now in Malaysia, he has come a long way<br />
to bridging <strong>the</strong> gaps in cultural differences.<br />
“I come <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>ast of England where you may have<br />
three Muslim families in your entire community,” he explains.<br />
“Having those Muslim students come to your school is a moving<br />
experience for those children who have never been out of <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
geographical region. It’s been a great learning curve for most of<br />
<strong>the</strong>m. I went <strong>from</strong> being a deputy principal of an outstanding<br />
school to <strong>the</strong> principal in Dubai not knowing what I was going<br />
to get myself into. I had never even visited Dubai, but I did have<br />
friends <strong>the</strong>re and <strong>the</strong>y persuaded me. It was a hotbed of multiculturism.”<br />
“They [UAE] still have <strong>the</strong>ir visions for what <strong>the</strong>y want <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
citizens to be, to be able to accept all cultures. It was really <strong>the</strong><br />
first time I was working with <strong>the</strong> Chinese and again <strong>from</strong> Persia<br />
and Iraq, you name it, to Brazil, New Zealand and Kazakhstan.<br />
It was absolutely fantastic. We used to celebrate International<br />
Day, and everyone would celebrate <strong>the</strong>ir cultures. That’s where<br />
I really learnt about my international mindedness, my multiculturism<br />
in Dubai. You don’t have a choice, a lot of <strong>the</strong> schools<br />
are like that, to <strong>the</strong> point where <strong>the</strong>re’s only around 20 per cent<br />
of locals in a school. Whereas here [Tenby], we have 70 per cent<br />
Malaysians, and on <strong>the</strong> flip side, we only have 30 per cent of o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
nationalities in <strong>the</strong> schools, so you can still get that international<br />
mindedness.”<br />
Ian is motivated to come to school every day to get things<br />
done. No matter how good <strong>the</strong> school is he knows <strong>the</strong>re is always<br />
room for improvement.<br />
“I would absolutely be bored stiff if I didn’t get to teach and<br />
have those relationships in student-teacher-management levels<br />
with everybody,” he says. “That excites me even if it’s just <strong>the</strong><br />
everyday matters of fixing <strong>the</strong> roof and ensuring <strong>the</strong> drains are<br />
not blocked.”<br />
“If anyone told me in 1993 when I started teaching, that<br />
I would be a head teacher, I would have laughed it off. It just<br />
hadn’t crossed my mind, because I was embarking on this<br />
new career, and I just wanted to be a good teacher. I still want<br />
to be a good teacher and I will always be a teacher. That’s <strong>the</strong><br />
fun side of life. That’s why dabbling in modelling, music and<br />
squash made it is so clear. I hope to be able to drive that, so<br />
that children know that <strong>the</strong>re’s got to be a life/study balance.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rwise, you’re just going to be this boring academic making<br />
no difference.”<br />
There’s no stopping Ian as he continues to grow as a school<br />
principal and teacher, but most importantly as a mentor to <strong>the</strong><br />
young. Has he any regrets leaving <strong>the</strong> UK to come teach in a<br />
country so far away?<br />
“It’s <strong>the</strong> best decision I’ve made, cause I’ve made friends, got<br />
to know various cultures and people; it will stay with me for <strong>the</strong><br />
rest of my life.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
20
Ian Temple<br />
Knit turtleneck,<br />
Michael Kors<br />
Collection. Bangle<br />
Suit by<br />
MASSIMO and<br />
earring,<br />
DUTTI<br />
Kate Spade<br />
New York.<br />
21 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
Looking East<br />
From traditional artworks to dystopian-like architecture, <strong>the</strong>se coffee table books will<br />
liven up your interest in eastern art.<br />
NEWS | BOOKS<br />
Midnight Tweedle<br />
Zhang Lijie<br />
The frantic atmosphere of<br />
China’s cultural and political<br />
scene is given a new take in<br />
this compilation of artwork<br />
ranging <strong>from</strong> collages,<br />
posters, photographs and even<br />
objects <strong>from</strong> everyday life<br />
that perfectly describes <strong>the</strong><br />
republic’s complexities.<br />
Zhang Lijie does a<br />
fantastic job in portraying<br />
<strong>the</strong> political climate of <strong>the</strong><br />
country giving you a unique<br />
look on China whe<strong>the</strong>r as a<br />
local or through a foreigner’s<br />
eye. showcasing exoticness as<br />
well as its progress towards<br />
modernisation.<br />
Our Pick...<br />
Warm Modernity: Indian<br />
Architecture Building<br />
Democracy<br />
Maddalena D’Alfonso<br />
This book provides a unique<br />
and insightful look at city<br />
planning in India shortly after<br />
its independence. Greatly<br />
influenced by modernist<br />
and western architecture,<br />
<strong>the</strong> planning of several of<br />
India’s cities took much<br />
more than just designing <strong>the</strong><br />
right infrastructure to fit<br />
<strong>the</strong> region; creating better<br />
opportunities and living<br />
conditions for <strong>the</strong> locals<br />
and, lessen <strong>the</strong> burden of its<br />
communities.<br />
Timeless Beauty:<br />
Traditional Japanese<br />
Folk Art<br />
Edmund de Wall<br />
The artwork featured in this<br />
book ranges <strong>from</strong> everyday<br />
life objects <strong>from</strong> 14th century<br />
Japan to <strong>the</strong> more familiar<br />
artworks and utilitarian<br />
objects of <strong>the</strong> 20th century<br />
made by people <strong>from</strong> all walks<br />
of life. The book is a stunning<br />
display of <strong>the</strong> Japanese’s<br />
commitment to detail and<br />
beauty with insightful<br />
anecdotes by respected<br />
Japanese art historians.<br />
Project Japan:<br />
Metabolism Talks<br />
Rem Koolhaas and Hans<br />
Ulrich Obrist<br />
Launched in 1960, The<br />
Metabolism movement<br />
provided a radical perspective<br />
on architecture and design in<br />
Japan during a time of healing<br />
and progress. The architecture<br />
and design of <strong>the</strong> movement<br />
depicted an almost dystopian<br />
landscape fit for a sci-fi film<br />
and progressive designs that<br />
were way ahead of its time.<br />
The book is filled with<br />
rare photographs, sketches<br />
and interviews with <strong>the</strong><br />
surviving members of <strong>the</strong><br />
movement.<br />
Curated by Noor Amylia Hilda<br />
Hiroshige<br />
Adele Schlombs<br />
Hiroshige was known as one of <strong>the</strong> most popular artists of <strong>the</strong> Ukiyo-e<br />
genre, which translates into ‘pictures of <strong>the</strong> floating world’ and is a type<br />
of woodblock print art. His paintings are often defined as depicting <strong>the</strong><br />
very essence of Japanese living and <strong>the</strong> Japanese way of life.<br />
Filled with full-colour paintings of Hiroshige’s most well known<br />
works of blooming Sakura cherry blossom trees, women frolicking in<br />
colourful kimonos and crashing waves across <strong>the</strong> shores of a serene<br />
island, <strong>the</strong>re’s always something new to discover when you flip <strong>the</strong><br />
pages of this meticulously crafted book.<br />
“Some of <strong>the</strong><br />
greatest prints in<br />
<strong>the</strong> history of art.”<br />
The Wall Street Journal, New York<br />
23 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
NEWS | MOVIES<br />
Eastern Cinema<br />
Immerse yourself in <strong>the</strong>se gripping new foreign films.<br />
The Red Turtle<br />
This charming Studio<br />
Ghibli production follows<br />
a shipwrecked man on a<br />
deserted island. The wordless<br />
animation is directed by<br />
Dutch animator Michaël<br />
Dudok de Wit and supervised<br />
under Studio Gibli’s<br />
Takahata and Toshio Suzuki.<br />
The moving story filled<br />
with bittersweet moments<br />
and e<strong>the</strong>real sequences is<br />
meant to signify milestone<br />
moments of <strong>the</strong> shipwrecked<br />
man’s life. The film is a joy<br />
to watch <strong>from</strong> beginning to<br />
end and portrays <strong>the</strong> human<br />
condition in a way only<br />
Studio Ghibli can. Better<br />
keep <strong>the</strong> tissues at hand.<br />
After <strong>the</strong> Storm<br />
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s family<br />
drama tells <strong>the</strong> story of<br />
Shinoda, a private detective<br />
with a gambling addiction,<br />
who uses his private eye skills<br />
to spy on his ex-wife and her<br />
new partner while also trying<br />
to reconnect with his young<br />
son following <strong>the</strong> death of<br />
his own fa<strong>the</strong>r. All this takes<br />
place in <strong>the</strong> midst of a typhoon<br />
brewing.<br />
Language: Japanese<br />
Starring: Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki<br />
and Yōko Maki<br />
Language: No dialogue<br />
Genre: Animation Fantasy<br />
Curated by Noor Amylia Hilda<br />
The Handmaiden<br />
This provocative psychological thriller features a mesmerising<br />
narrative where an event is witnessed <strong>from</strong> multiple perspectives,<br />
each one revealing even more eyebrow raising truths than <strong>the</strong> last.<br />
Originally inspired by Sarah Walter’s novel, Fingersmith, that<br />
was set in Victorian era England, The Handmaiden is adapted into<br />
a Korean setting set in <strong>the</strong> 1930s when it was under Japanese rule.<br />
It’s a tale full of deceit, seduction and mind-games and breathtaking<br />
cinematography.<br />
Language: Japanese, Korean<br />
Starring: Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong<br />
Manhunt<br />
This police crime thriller by<br />
master of action cinema John<br />
Woo is a cinematic, almost<br />
parody-like, action-packed film<br />
that will be familiar to fans of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Hong Kong director’s work.<br />
Set in Osaka, Japan and based<br />
on <strong>the</strong> Japanese novel Kimi<br />
yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare<br />
by Juko Nishimura, <strong>the</strong> movie<br />
stars Zhang Hanyu as a Chinese<br />
lawyer who is framed for<br />
crimes that he didn’t commit.<br />
Similar to Woo’s previous<br />
work, <strong>the</strong>re’s plenty of plot<br />
twists and over-<strong>the</strong>-top action<br />
that’s bound to keep you on <strong>the</strong><br />
edge of your seats.<br />
Language: Japanese, English and<br />
Mandarin<br />
Starring: Zhang Hanyu,<br />
Masaharu Fukuyama, Qi Wei,<br />
Ha Jiwon and Jun Kunimura<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
24
NEWS | MUSIC<br />
Familiar Names, New Tunes<br />
Highly anticipated new releases <strong>from</strong> some of <strong>the</strong> biggest names in <strong>the</strong> scene.<br />
“If you’re old enough, you remember a<br />
different JAY-Z, <strong>the</strong> JAY-Z who became king<br />
of New York through sheer, sneering, cold,<br />
unemotional, arrogant confidence,”<br />
- Tom Breihan , Stereogum<br />
High Flying Birds<br />
Noel Gallagher<br />
Noel Gallagher’s third<br />
solo album with High<br />
Flying Birds, Who Built<br />
The Moon? has already<br />
garnered some great<br />
reviews ahead of its<br />
release in November 2017.<br />
The former Oasis<br />
member took two years<br />
on this album as a follow<br />
up to 2015’s Chasing<br />
Yesterday and features<br />
collaborations with Paul<br />
Weller and former The<br />
Smiths guitarist Johnny<br />
Marr who plays guitar<br />
and harmonica leads in If<br />
Love Is The Law.<br />
While Gallagher’s<br />
latest album provides<br />
a more upbeat tempo<br />
compared to his previous<br />
solo works, it still carries<br />
<strong>the</strong> same bold voice,<br />
rhythms and sing-along<br />
an<strong>the</strong>ms familiar to Oasis<br />
fans.<br />
Red Pill Blues<br />
Maroon 5<br />
Three time Grammy<br />
award winners Maroon<br />
5’s latest album Red Pill<br />
Blues doesn’t disappoint.<br />
With special appearances<br />
by A$AP Rocky, Julia<br />
Michaels and Kendrick<br />
Lamar among o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong><br />
15 track album features<br />
catchy singles such as<br />
What Lovers Do and <strong>the</strong><br />
mega hit Don’t Wanna<br />
Know which was ranked<br />
top 10 in 10 different<br />
charts in different<br />
countries.<br />
The album stays true<br />
to <strong>the</strong> band’s upbeat,<br />
dance driven tunes but<br />
with a bit more electronic<br />
inspiration thrown in this<br />
time.<br />
Songs of Experience<br />
U2<br />
As a follow up to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
2014 hit album, Songs of<br />
Innocence, U2 is releasing<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir 14th studio album<br />
taking inspiration <strong>from</strong><br />
Irish poet, novelist and<br />
Trinity College Dublin<br />
Professor Emeritus<br />
Brendan Kennelly’s advice<br />
to lead singer Bono to “write<br />
as if you’re dead”.<br />
The result is an album<br />
with tracks that are a lot<br />
more personal and intimate<br />
than <strong>the</strong> band’s former<br />
work. The album is quite<br />
melancholy too, especially<br />
on tracks such as You’re <strong>the</strong><br />
Best Thing About Me and<br />
<strong>the</strong> opening track, Love is<br />
All We Have Left. It’s a new<br />
yet familiar side to U2 that<br />
will definitely be a delight<br />
to <strong>the</strong>ir loyal fans.<br />
Our Pick...<br />
Pacific Daydream<br />
Weezer<br />
One year after <strong>the</strong><br />
release of <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
White Album,<br />
Weezer has released<br />
Pacific Daydream,<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir 11th studio<br />
album filled with<br />
lyrics reminiscent<br />
of days spent at <strong>the</strong><br />
beach with track names like Mexican Fender, Beach<br />
Boys and Feels Like Summer.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> opening track, Mexican Fender, Weezer<br />
frontman Rivers Cuomo was inspired by a cute nerdy<br />
girl at <strong>the</strong> popular musical instrument repair shop<br />
Truetone in Santa Monica, only to find out she isn’t<br />
single. Such is <strong>the</strong> emo-pop lyrics and melodies that<br />
remain true to <strong>the</strong> American band’s alternative rock<br />
tunes <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir previous work, only this time, with<br />
a heavier Californian pop-rock influence that almost<br />
mimics Beach Boys-esque riffs.<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
25 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
BEAUFIX APPLIANCES SDN. BHD. (1238069-T)<br />
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Sole Distributor:
Mirror<br />
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Reflection of Your Lifestyle<br />
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36<br />
MONTHS<br />
WARRANTY
CHINESE ZODIAC<br />
Is <strong>2018</strong> going to<br />
<strong>the</strong> dogs?<br />
Find out what <strong>the</strong> Year of <strong>the</strong> Dog has in store for you.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
28
CHINESE ZODIAC<br />
Rat<br />
It’ll be a fast-moving<br />
year for <strong>the</strong> rat.<br />
Events switch<br />
<strong>from</strong> highly<br />
positive to<br />
extremely<br />
negative with<br />
businesses facing financial loses. Take <strong>the</strong> cue –<br />
it’s also not a good time to start a new business.<br />
Take a backseat and refrain <strong>from</strong> spending<br />
lavishly or investing in property and capital<br />
purchases. Those who are creative including<br />
writers, artists and actors, may see a slight growth<br />
in <strong>the</strong>ir careers or enjoy a giant leap forward.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rs may be rewarded for <strong>the</strong>ir loyalty and<br />
persistence. Avoid discussions and disagreements<br />
which will transform into heated arguments. It’s<br />
not a good year for love and romance. Focus on<br />
friendship for now. Wait it out till next year and<br />
it might just grow into romance. Those already<br />
in a relationship, pay heed as arguments may be<br />
more frequent.<br />
Ox<br />
Be thrifty as it’s not <strong>the</strong> best of years for <strong>the</strong><br />
ox. Beware as hidden competitors and enemies<br />
will rear <strong>the</strong>ir ugly head at <strong>the</strong> least auspicious<br />
time. Your emotional state is volatile and far<br />
<strong>from</strong> calm. It will have a negative impact on<br />
an already difficult year. To balance this out,<br />
it’s best to focus on friendship and loyalty over<br />
profit. Stay put and focus on what’s at hand, and<br />
have no doubt, your friends will have your back.<br />
There are areas that are safer than o<strong>the</strong>rs and<br />
<strong>the</strong>se include businesses that focus on creativity.<br />
Never<strong>the</strong>less, steer clear and do not invest in a<br />
loan to diversify, as <strong>the</strong> year is already lined with<br />
financial losses. Romance is positive but bear in<br />
mind, traditional connections trump love at first<br />
sight. Best to avoid any form of disagreements<br />
until 2019.<br />
Tiger<br />
Tigers and dogs make a great combination.<br />
There is wealth in <strong>the</strong> cards and those<br />
employed will see an increase in<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir income. Those who have made<br />
investments will start to reap <strong>the</strong><br />
benefits. Look out for lawsuits, traffic<br />
offences and arguments that get blown<br />
out of proportion.<br />
Focus on selfcontrol<br />
and<br />
move forward<br />
carefully.<br />
Respect<br />
relationships<br />
with <strong>the</strong> people<br />
around you. Be<br />
mindful of selfdiscipline<br />
and<br />
control to avoid losing<br />
what you could gain<br />
this year. Whilst love<br />
isn’t on <strong>the</strong> cards, lay<br />
<strong>the</strong> groundwork even<br />
though <strong>the</strong>re aren’t<br />
opportunities or time for romance.<br />
Never<strong>the</strong>less, if work and money are<br />
running smoothly, <strong>the</strong>re is a possibility<br />
of meeting more people or spending time<br />
with a loved one, which could pay off.<br />
Rabbit<br />
This year looks good after a rough<br />
2017. Even though <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong><br />
possibility of a small loss, <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />
a light at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> dark<br />
tunnel with increased money<br />
and even fame and fortune.<br />
Those employed will find<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves promoted with a<br />
raise. Business owners will<br />
find <strong>the</strong>ir businesses –<br />
anything that promotes<br />
creativity – flourishing.<br />
It is a good year for<br />
rabbits to market <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
services. Relationships will<br />
make new breakthroughs<br />
with opportunities to meet ‘<strong>the</strong><br />
one.’ However, beware if you are a<br />
man. You could easily be taken in<br />
by <strong>the</strong> wrong woman, so take it slow.<br />
There’s a good chance of financial<br />
loss and a quick split should you<br />
not heed this advice.<br />
29 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
CHINESE ZODIAC<br />
Dragon<br />
Not a lucky year for <strong>the</strong> dragon; ra<strong>the</strong>r rocky<br />
indeed. There will be loss of money and events<br />
that will affect you negatively. Steer clear of<br />
arguments and disputes as <strong>the</strong>y will escalate out<br />
of hand. Changes are probable, as <strong>the</strong> dragon has<br />
nothing to lose. The dragon might do well to start<br />
a venture on <strong>the</strong> side if <strong>the</strong> investment is small.<br />
Cut down on expenditure and do not invest in<br />
anything risky. Save what you have and only<br />
spend small amounts where a loss will not be to<br />
your detriment. Obstacles, arguments, disputes<br />
and plain bad luck are in store. All this won’t be<br />
made better by poor relationships, so practice<br />
some self-control and discipline when dealing<br />
with o<strong>the</strong>rs. Tread carefully when it comes to<br />
love. Spouses will need special care to keep <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
marriage in check. For <strong>the</strong> single dragon, slow<br />
and steady wins <strong>the</strong> race.<br />
Snake<br />
Much of <strong>the</strong> snake’s ability will be rewarded<br />
during this period. You will win big in your<br />
job. People who have helped you out of a<br />
difficult situation will become friends. If you<br />
are in a business, it will work out well. New<br />
inventions, discoveries and innovations will<br />
pay big dividends and your marketing<br />
campaigns will be rewarded. Watch<br />
your tongue because <strong>the</strong> opportunity<br />
for disputes to arise <strong>from</strong> even mild<br />
words is high. Avoid potential conflict<br />
by smiling more and talking less.<br />
Listening is key to getting you far.<br />
Love is on <strong>the</strong> cards, as you will meet<br />
someone where attraction is mutual.<br />
Existing relationships will flourish but<br />
ensure intense emotions don’t impact<br />
negatively on your beloved.<br />
Horse<br />
Compatible with <strong>the</strong> dog, <strong>the</strong><br />
horse will relish all <strong>the</strong> good<br />
aura <strong>2018</strong> has to offer. Doors<br />
will open for <strong>the</strong> horse’s day<br />
job but not necessarily in a<br />
business venture. As it is a year of<br />
unexpected expenses for most, pay<br />
heed and save or invest conservatively<br />
with any extra income that may come<br />
your way. Analyse where your money is<br />
being spent and plug any holes. Best to not get<br />
involved in disputes, gossip, angry discussions,<br />
and <strong>the</strong> like. Romance is sexy and exciting but<br />
also rocky. Avoid long-term relationships. Just<br />
enjoy.<br />
Goat<br />
It’s a bit of a mixed bag for <strong>the</strong> goat. Keep your<br />
life in order by facing stumbling blocks with<br />
courage and persistence. The stress of this<br />
will be mitigated by new opportunities that<br />
come your way. This comes by way of highly<br />
influential people, hence you should cultivate<br />
your relationships. Your attitude is crucial in<br />
maintaining success. Business ventures will reap<br />
<strong>the</strong> rewards. As an employee, you will do well and<br />
will be rewarded for<br />
competence and<br />
service. Don’t give<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs who you are<br />
not well acquainted<br />
with <strong>the</strong> ammunition<br />
to work against you as<br />
this will pose challenges.<br />
Where relationships<br />
are concerned, it’ll<br />
be largely stable but<br />
nothing overly exciting.<br />
Just avoid anything that<br />
would annoy you.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
30
CHINESE ZODIAC<br />
Monkey<br />
It’s not a good year for <strong>the</strong><br />
monkey. Never<strong>the</strong>less, all is<br />
not lost. If you are studying<br />
and wish to embark on<br />
something different and<br />
change directions, this would<br />
be <strong>the</strong> year to do it. You are<br />
not going to make any extra<br />
income this year so just stick to<br />
your job and do it well. Changes<br />
at <strong>the</strong> workplace could happen,<br />
so it is best to cut down on expenses. Should you<br />
be offered a promotion or different job scope, it<br />
will work out well as it offers an opportunity to<br />
learn new skills. The monkey is doomed where<br />
relationship matters are concerned. It’s best to<br />
treat all <strong>the</strong> people in your life with an extra dose<br />
of friendliness and respect. Love will be volatile<br />
so plan ways to please your partner. This will help<br />
your relationship survive. In addition, travelling<br />
will be a good option.<br />
Rooster<br />
It is not a totally dismal year for <strong>the</strong> rooster as<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are some nice moments to look forward<br />
to. If you are in business, you will have a steady<br />
flow of income, and as an employee you are in<br />
line for a promotion with increased pay. For<br />
both business person and employee, because <strong>the</strong><br />
energy of <strong>the</strong> year is prone to fights and disputes,<br />
it’s best to play it safe in all aspects. This could<br />
lead to <strong>the</strong> loss of money so play everything by<br />
<strong>the</strong> book. Arguments are rife and will not benefit<br />
you, so keep clear. It’s going to be a slow year, and<br />
you will need to do everything in a methodical<br />
way with evidence that you did it. Marriages<br />
could bring change, whe<strong>the</strong>r a child is born or<br />
a divorce as a result of an affair. Those who are<br />
single may find <strong>the</strong>mselves more serious about<br />
a long-term partnership, and this could lead to<br />
marriage.<br />
Dog<br />
It’s a ra<strong>the</strong>r topsy-turvy<br />
year for <strong>the</strong> dog with<br />
one day being lucky<br />
and <strong>the</strong> next day, not<br />
so lucky. Due to your<br />
friendly nature and kind<br />
disposition, you have <strong>the</strong><br />
ability to turn dismal days<br />
to your favour. Just don’t<br />
let your emotions get <strong>the</strong><br />
better of you as it could<br />
go badly if you are in a<br />
dispute. Financial fraud<br />
may haunt you but don’t<br />
be tempted to go down that<br />
path again. Steer clear and stick to <strong>the</strong> rules. Don’t<br />
expand your business or ask for a raise. Don’t hang<br />
onto <strong>the</strong> promises of those who would take what you<br />
have. You could make loads of money in <strong>2018</strong> and<br />
lose it just as quickly. Don’t get overly emotional, as<br />
you have to practice self-control not to get involved<br />
in fights. Less involvement is best, and <strong>the</strong> situation<br />
will remedy itself. Focus on entertainment and <strong>the</strong><br />
arts this year. One of <strong>the</strong> biggest challenges this<br />
year is your health. You may suffer a breakdown<br />
or accident and it could cost you a hefty sum. Take<br />
<strong>the</strong> time to do things with care and diligence. For<br />
love and romance, it’s a rocky road ahead. Make<br />
friends and don’t dominate your<br />
partner or you stand to lose<br />
<strong>the</strong> relationship. There<br />
could also be a marriage<br />
on <strong>the</strong> cards for those<br />
who are single.<br />
Pig<br />
The pig gets lucky this<br />
year being blessed with<br />
prosperity and auspicious gettoge<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
Because all outcomes<br />
are dependent on <strong>the</strong> events that<br />
precede <strong>the</strong>m, this will only come to a pass if <strong>the</strong> pig<br />
behaves and considers <strong>the</strong> energy of <strong>the</strong> dog year.<br />
Employees stand to benefit if <strong>the</strong>y show skill and<br />
foster good relations with o<strong>the</strong>r co-workers; likewise<br />
for <strong>the</strong> business person. Personal relationships will<br />
be a decisive factor in wealth creation for <strong>the</strong> pig,<br />
hence you will need to work hard. Marriage is on<br />
<strong>the</strong> cards for those in a relationship and single pigs<br />
can look forward to romance. With disputes and<br />
arguments posing as obstacles for progress, practice<br />
self-control and pace yourself.<br />
31 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
ADVERTORIAL<br />
For <strong>the</strong> Love of Trees<br />
With Mo<strong>the</strong>r Nature on <strong>the</strong>ir side, Art of Tree brings home furnishings to a whole new level.<br />
Jeffrey Yang and wife, Joey Woo, have made<br />
fallen urban trees <strong>the</strong>ir business, one that<br />
has garnered a seven-figure money-spinner.<br />
Odd shaped wood slabs appealed to Jeffrey,<br />
who was initially in <strong>the</strong> business of exporting<br />
ornamental fishes. He soon became an avid<br />
collector of nature’s little wooden treasures.<br />
His collection grew and so did <strong>the</strong> prospects<br />
of turning his hobby into a business.<br />
Turning his hobby into a business was an<br />
accidental one. Their bespoke showroom,<br />
located In <strong>the</strong> industrial surroundings of<br />
Kampung Baru, Subang , was intended to<br />
exhibit Jeffrey’s personal collection.<br />
With a little help <strong>from</strong> Mo<strong>the</strong>r Nature, who<br />
provides exceptional pieces of raw materials<br />
with beautiful and diverse wood grains, Jeffrey<br />
works around <strong>the</strong> woods’ imperfections and<br />
irregularities to form masterpieces.<br />
Art of Tree offers an array of masterfully<br />
designed dining tables, coffee tables, and<br />
benches to less common items such as wall art<br />
pieces and pedestals. Each and every piece<br />
is unique, hence making <strong>the</strong>m all <strong>the</strong> more<br />
special and valuable.<br />
The company procures <strong>the</strong>se beautiful raw<br />
materials <strong>from</strong> developed areas. The species<br />
are carefully selected by town councils for<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir fast-growing attributes and widespread<br />
canopy to lend shade in urban developments.<br />
These date as far back as <strong>the</strong> colonial times.<br />
Jeffrey procures <strong>the</strong>se pieces at <strong>the</strong> end of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir lifespan. Instead of being incinerated<br />
and leaving a hefty carbon footprint, Jeffrey<br />
takes <strong>the</strong>m in and weaves a little magic. With<br />
<strong>the</strong> use of glass and resin to fill up <strong>the</strong> natural<br />
cavities and decay found in wood, Jeffrey<br />
turns an o<strong>the</strong>rwise imperfection into an eyecatching<br />
work of art. Powder coated steel<br />
for base legs for table-tops give an aes<strong>the</strong>tic<br />
finish to dining tables.<br />
The question of sustainability has always<br />
been foremost in people’s minds. As <strong>the</strong><br />
business involves <strong>the</strong> use of salvaged trees and<br />
that supply could be limited, <strong>the</strong> couple are<br />
aware that <strong>the</strong> naysayers would quickly jump<br />
at <strong>the</strong> possibility that <strong>the</strong>y would eventually<br />
derive <strong>the</strong>ir raw material irresponsibly.<br />
While making a conscious choice to only<br />
use salvaged trees could be a challenge to<br />
grow <strong>the</strong>ir business exponentially, <strong>the</strong>y are<br />
confident that faith in <strong>the</strong>ir creative ability to<br />
produce cutting-edge ideas will not limit <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
business capabilities.
THE HOME<br />
New<br />
Beginnings<br />
Key accents for <strong>the</strong> new home<br />
this New Year.<br />
CERAMIC CULTURE<br />
Everyday ceramics teach us about humility and to access things with love and<br />
small touches. The Dine ceramics <strong>from</strong> tinekhome is full of Asian richness, Japanese<br />
inspiration and invitations to slow down and enjoy <strong>the</strong> details and materials<br />
of <strong>the</strong> ceramics, as well as <strong>the</strong> taste and smell of <strong>the</strong> served food. The elegant<br />
porcelain bowls bring magic to <strong>the</strong> dinner table through <strong>the</strong> texture and colours<br />
of <strong>the</strong> glaze. The use of elegant porcelain and genuine craftsmanship make <strong>the</strong><br />
natural calmness of <strong>the</strong> material go hand-in-hand with <strong>the</strong> exclusive simplicity<br />
culminating in a beautiful milky white magic, dramatic dark tones, and marvellous<br />
green colours. Let <strong>the</strong> ceramics find balance in your home and experience how<br />
lively <strong>the</strong> white glaze is when it reflects light, or how deep <strong>the</strong> dark glaze is when<br />
<strong>the</strong> darker colours absorb light.<br />
www.tinekhome.com<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
34
THE HOME<br />
SOM-E KIND OF WONDERFUL<br />
The ELISE SOM brand prides itself on being ethically<br />
responsible, cruelty free and eco-conscious while still<br />
upholding <strong>the</strong> luxury of <strong>the</strong>ir products. ELISE SOM is<br />
certified RSPO and <strong>the</strong> linens are GOTS certified, 100<br />
per cent organic cotton.<br />
Elise’s work is rooted in nature, culture and<br />
traditions. They utilise <strong>the</strong> handiwork of local artisans<br />
to uphold tradition, and invest in <strong>the</strong> communities<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir products are made in. The new Cube collection is<br />
made of 95 per cent recycled glass. Using components of<br />
water, wine or beer bottles, broken TV screens, mirrors<br />
and seashells, <strong>the</strong> furniture is proudly sourced and made<br />
locally in <strong>the</strong> UK. The collection consists of modular<br />
stools that transform into side tables and each piece can<br />
incorporate a charging device.<br />
www.elisesom.com<br />
KAYNE RESIST<br />
In contrast to some flashier forays into decor by o<strong>the</strong>r renowned<br />
designers, Jenni Kayne’s line prioritises comfort and quality for<br />
a collection of accessories that reflect Kayne’s own laid-back,<br />
California style. The 30-piece assortment ranges <strong>from</strong> lush,<br />
alpaca throws and pillows, handwoven by a fair-trade women’s<br />
collective in Peru and linen pillows in neutral tones, to candles<br />
hand-poured in Los Angeles. The home collection is cosy,<br />
timeless, organic, natural, special, and effortless.<br />
www.jennikayne.com<br />
35 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME<br />
The World<br />
is Your Oyster<br />
How to decorate your home with a favourite<br />
destination in mind.<br />
Words by Gabrielle Fagan/Press Association/The Interview People<br />
Be inspired by those exotic, faraway places you have visited to create a holiday vibe all<br />
year round.<br />
Holidays may be just a memory but take inspiration <strong>from</strong> your favourite<br />
destination for your decor and you’ll enjoy that vacation vibe all year round.<br />
“Destination decor is on <strong>the</strong> rise as homeowners seek to evoke far-flung styles that last<br />
well beyond <strong>the</strong>ir travels,” says Samantha Parish, interior design account manager at bed<br />
specialists Hypnos.<br />
“What we see and experience on our holidays has an increasing influence on our homes.<br />
Few of us can resist a souvenir <strong>from</strong> our favourite or most interesting destination – choose<br />
well and it can be <strong>the</strong> inspiration for a whole new look, or simply add an instant international<br />
feel to a space.<br />
“Soft furnishings such as bedding, rugs, curtains and throws can also change <strong>the</strong><br />
dynamic of your interior, transforming it into anything <strong>from</strong> an Asiatic-inspired retreat to a<br />
Mediterranean getaway.”<br />
Bring that tropical feel indoors<br />
Jenny Hurren, founder of <strong>the</strong> eclectic Out There Interiors, says: “While many of us love <strong>the</strong><br />
idea of an outdoors lifestyle, <strong>the</strong> climate can make it somewhat tricky.<br />
“One way to achieve that sultry feeling is by embracing <strong>the</strong> tropical interiors trend as it<br />
allows us to create our own interior paradise that can be adapted all year round.<br />
“Big leafy palms, rustic honey-coloured woods and touches of black conjure jungle vibes for<br />
every room of <strong>the</strong> home. Simply adapt with splashes of bright, vibrant tones for <strong>the</strong> summer<br />
months, and switch in plums and navy colourways for an updated winter feel.<br />
“The jungle trend is a strong look, but surprisingly versatile, warming up <strong>the</strong> wet<br />
days.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
36
HOW TO DECORATE WITH<br />
HOLIDAY SOUVENIRS<br />
1. Display your smaller worldly<br />
goods on beautiful trays<br />
as this helps prevent <strong>the</strong>m<br />
<strong>from</strong> getting lost or dusty on<br />
shelves.<br />
2. Put your travel treasures<br />
on trunks, ornate boxes<br />
or chest of drawers in<br />
varying sizes. These highly<br />
functional pieces can double<br />
up as coffee tables, shelves to<br />
showcase ornaments and art<br />
pieces.<br />
3. Stack your photographyfilled<br />
coffee table books to<br />
celebrate your travels. They<br />
make eye-catching tabletop<br />
displays and evoke fun<br />
memories <strong>from</strong> your travels.<br />
4. Pillow cases and o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
assorted soft furnishings<br />
are such a no-fuss souvenir<br />
to bring home. They travel<br />
well and can make a brilliant<br />
addition to a living area.<br />
37 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
38
THE HOME<br />
Work <strong>the</strong> Caribbean <strong>the</strong>me<br />
Sian O’Neill, head of marketing and online at Topps Tiles,<br />
says: “Using precious memories <strong>from</strong> trips abroad provide ideal<br />
inspiration for homeowners, as <strong>the</strong>y look to introduce exotic<br />
influences into <strong>the</strong>ir living space.<br />
“The Caribbean vibe is particularly popular and can be easily<br />
emulated with <strong>the</strong> right colour scheme and accessories. This<br />
trend celebrates vibrant tones – <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> lush greens of island<br />
foliage to <strong>the</strong> crystal blues of turquoise seas; <strong>the</strong> combination of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se colours creates a space which radiates warmth and holiday<br />
happiness.<br />
“Style-conscious homeowners should also consider<br />
incorporating accents of punchy pink – opt for hues of seashells<br />
and flamingo fea<strong>the</strong>rs for an attention-grabbing look.<br />
“Once complete, homeowners will be able to immerse<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves in true Caribbean-style decor that lets <strong>the</strong>m indulge<br />
in a year-round vacation <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> comfort of <strong>the</strong>ir own home.”<br />
“The Caribbean vibe is<br />
particularly popular and<br />
can be easily emulated with<br />
<strong>the</strong> right colour scheme and<br />
accessories.”<br />
39 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME<br />
Embrace <strong>the</strong> Eastern<br />
philosophy<br />
Jenny Hurren believes an Eastern <strong>the</strong>me can<br />
be striking with its mix of extravagance and<br />
simplicity.<br />
“Nothing says ‘holiday’ like an Easternstyle<br />
interior,” she says. “Jewel colours,<br />
indulgently sumptuous fabrics and decadent<br />
patterns are perfectly suited to <strong>the</strong> neutral<br />
background of contemporary spaces.<br />
“You can achieve a wonderful effect<br />
by combining extravagant detailing with<br />
simple black, white and bronze pieces, for<br />
an everyday look that’s both usable and<br />
beautiful.<br />
“Channel <strong>the</strong> riads of Marrakesh in<br />
your own home, with statement lighting<br />
and accent cushions, for a hint of holiday<br />
all year round.”<br />
“Jewel colours,<br />
indulgently<br />
sumptuous fabrics<br />
and decadent<br />
patterns are<br />
perfectly suited<br />
to <strong>the</strong> neutral<br />
background of<br />
contemporary<br />
spaces.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
40
THE HOME<br />
41 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME | natural selection<br />
Natural<br />
Selection<br />
There’s no denying <strong>the</strong> reluctant celebrity architect, Kengo Kuma<br />
Text by Muna Noor<br />
It’s impossible to wander <strong>the</strong> streets of<br />
Tokyo and not be beguiled by <strong>the</strong> work of<br />
contemporary Japanese architect Kengo<br />
Kuma. Stay in One@Tokyo in Oshiage or<br />
traipse past Asakusa Tourist Information<br />
Centre located opposite <strong>the</strong> impressive<br />
Sensoji temple; both are Kuma masterpieces<br />
and will not fail to draw your attention.<br />
While much of his work is located<br />
in Japan, you’ll find his work all over <strong>the</strong><br />
world. Prolific by any measure, his firm<br />
Kengo Kuma & Associates, which has<br />
offices in Tokyo and Paris, works on a<br />
diverse range of projects that vary in both<br />
size and purpose: From ambitious social<br />
initiatives like hospitals, schools and railway<br />
stations to ID for hotels and boutiques;<br />
short run product design collaborations and<br />
installations, to large scale builds that occupy<br />
vast tracts of land.<br />
What makes his work distinct has been<br />
his approach to design and his view of <strong>the</strong><br />
environment with which it interacts. It<br />
was in Anti-Object: The Dissolution and<br />
Disintegration of Architecture that he<br />
championed <strong>the</strong> idea of respecting ones<br />
surroundings ra<strong>the</strong>r than dominating<br />
<strong>the</strong>m. This professional philosophy has<br />
manifested itself in a variety of ways; <strong>from</strong><br />
how <strong>the</strong> structure is positioned against <strong>the</strong><br />
land, to <strong>the</strong> types of materials he favours<br />
and <strong>the</strong> harnessing of natural elements<br />
to create a structure with a constantly<br />
evolving character.<br />
“For Kuma, wood<br />
is <strong>the</strong> material<br />
of <strong>the</strong> 21st<br />
century due to<br />
its strength,<br />
flexibility and<br />
ability to age and<br />
be replaced.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
42
NATURAL SELECTION | THE HOME<br />
Suntory Museum<br />
Of Art, Tokyo,<br />
Japan, Overall<br />
Interior View.<br />
43 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME | natural selection<br />
Hoshakuji Station, Tochigi,<br />
Japan, Staircase View.<br />
Much consideration is given to <strong>the</strong> setting in which<br />
his work is developed and it all starts with what Kuma<br />
calls “a conversation”. In a video interview for Arch Daily,<br />
Kuma reveals his methodology – walking <strong>the</strong> site, feeling<br />
out <strong>the</strong> reality of <strong>the</strong> place, and sensing its energy. The<br />
results have been astounding. Standing out among <strong>the</strong>m<br />
is <strong>the</strong> Folk Art Museum in Hangzhou, China, which<br />
has been stepped against <strong>the</strong> sloping terrain, giving it<br />
<strong>the</strong> appearance of tumbling down <strong>the</strong> hillside <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
forested peak.<br />
This melding with surroundings hasn’t always been<br />
his position.<br />
Like many young architects finding <strong>the</strong>ir feet,<br />
Kuma’s early style was informed by experimentation<br />
and his initial grounding in <strong>the</strong> history of European and<br />
American schools of architecture.<br />
An architecture graduate and professor at <strong>the</strong><br />
Graduate School of Architecture at <strong>the</strong> University of<br />
Tokyo, ironically it was while studying at Columbia<br />
University in New York that Kuma was to discover<br />
a newfound respect for <strong>the</strong> traditions of Japanese<br />
architecture. This was fur<strong>the</strong>red when his firm took to<br />
<strong>the</strong> bucolic Japanese countryside to spend <strong>the</strong>ir time<br />
learning <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> country’s master craftsmen. At a time<br />
when <strong>the</strong> Japanese economy was struggling, this handson<br />
experience proved invaluable.<br />
It is this reinterpretation of traditional practices for<br />
<strong>the</strong> 21st century that has marked Kuma’s practice out<br />
<strong>from</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs and can be seen in <strong>the</strong> use of materials and<br />
his manipulation of <strong>the</strong>m. A collaboration with Czech<br />
lighting brand Lasvit, for example, took <strong>the</strong> ancient<br />
Japanese technique of preserving timber by charring<br />
called yakisugi and used it to fashion a unique cracking<br />
effect on <strong>the</strong> blown glass of its line of pendant lamps.<br />
Kuma and his team also favour <strong>the</strong> use of natural<br />
materials like stone and wood. For Kuma, wood is <strong>the</strong><br />
material of <strong>the</strong> 21st century due to its strength, flexibility<br />
and ability to age and be replaced. His firm has used timber<br />
extensively and in innovative ways: Moulded to form <strong>the</strong><br />
eaves of Hoshakuji Station in Tochigi, as a latticed grid<br />
around <strong>the</strong> enigmatic Sunny Hills cake shop in Tokyo, or<br />
layering <strong>the</strong> facade of University of Tokyo’s computing<br />
facility like golden fish scales. The latter used <strong>the</strong> art of<br />
repetition to create something quite mesmerizing.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong> 44
NATURAL SELECTION | THE HOME<br />
Sunnyhills cake shop in<br />
Aoyama, Tokyo. THE joint<br />
system in <strong>the</strong> wood lattice<br />
is used in making shoji paper<br />
doors and is called Jiigoku<br />
Gumi. despite its modern<br />
look it’s a traditional<br />
method used in Japanese<br />
architecture.<br />
45<br />
january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE HOME | natural selection<br />
The elements are ano<strong>the</strong>r important ingredient in<br />
Kuma’s work – wind, temperature, humidity and most<br />
importantly light. Employing a technique adapted <strong>from</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> traditional Japanese home or minka which lacks<br />
windows but instead used paper and rice straw to filter<br />
sun and moonlight; Kuma’s firm manipulates materials<br />
in unlikely ways to achieve <strong>the</strong> same effect.<br />
Among his most ingenious solutions has been <strong>the</strong> use<br />
of translucent walls. Creating bricks <strong>from</strong> polyethylene<br />
plastic, his firm created what appeared to be building<br />
blocks for a private member’s club in Beijing. If it were<br />
anywhere else it would have looked awkward and out of<br />
place but set within striking distance of <strong>the</strong> Forbidden<br />
City, <strong>the</strong> Beijing Tea House simultaneously stood out and<br />
adapted to its surroundings.<br />
A similar effect was used for a Japanese furniture<br />
manufacturer, this time using moulded ETFE plastic to<br />
create undulating outer walls and transparent PVC and<br />
mesh for its inner walls. This exploitation of natural<br />
light and <strong>the</strong> insulating properties of <strong>the</strong> materials<br />
additionally reduced energy use, which is an important<br />
consideration – after all, architecture and design are not<br />
merely about form but function.<br />
Beguiling as his work is, it is <strong>the</strong>re to solve a<br />
problem. His technique of chequering, criss-crossing<br />
and lattices on facades, and repetitive patterns and use of<br />
textures, do this with aplomb. One need look no fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
than <strong>the</strong> Suntory Museum Of Art in Tokyo whose quiet<br />
minimalism creates a sense of space and calm, its moods<br />
changing with <strong>the</strong> time of day and seasons.<br />
By fashioning forms <strong>from</strong> materials, bending and<br />
folding in <strong>the</strong> style of origami, his structures are strong<br />
and beautiful. Take, for example, his use of perforated<br />
aluminium mesh on <strong>the</strong> exterior of <strong>the</strong> award-winning<br />
Hongkou Soho building in Shanghai. Resembling soft<br />
draping, like a skirt twirling at <strong>the</strong> ankles of some<br />
debutante, it appears to morph according to <strong>the</strong> pattern<br />
of light striking it.<br />
Regional Fund for<br />
Contemporary Art (Frac)<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Provence-Alpes-<br />
Côtes d’Azur (PACA)<br />
“It is this<br />
reinterpretation<br />
of traditional<br />
practices for <strong>the</strong><br />
21st century that<br />
has marked Kuma’s<br />
practice out <strong>from</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs and can be<br />
seen in <strong>the</strong> use of<br />
materials and his<br />
manipulation of<br />
<strong>the</strong>m.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
46
NATURAL SELECTION | THE HOME<br />
Chokkura Plaza And Shelter,<br />
Tochigi, Japan<br />
Asakusa Tourist<br />
InfoRmation Centre Cultural<br />
Institution Asia, Japan<br />
Yet Kuma’s work is not without<br />
controversy. After beating out compatriot<br />
Toyo Ito to replace Zaha Hadid in <strong>the</strong><br />
design and construction of Tokyo’s<br />
National Stadium for <strong>the</strong> upcoming 2020<br />
Olympics – already a controversial act on<br />
<strong>the</strong> part of <strong>the</strong> Japanese government – <strong>the</strong><br />
government was <strong>the</strong>n accused of using<br />
precious tropical woods dubiously sourced<br />
<strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> last remaining rainforests of<br />
Sarawak for concrete moulds. This not<br />
only contradicted Tokyo 2020’s vision of<br />
hosting <strong>the</strong> greenest games ever and <strong>the</strong><br />
Olympic authority’s Sustainable Sourcing<br />
Code for Timber, it went against Kuma’s<br />
own ideals regarding people, nature and<br />
sustainability.<br />
Yet through it all, <strong>the</strong> brickbats and<br />
bouquets, Kuma is a studied man, his<br />
responses measured, his thoughts carefully<br />
considered, his outlook humble. In a<br />
<strong>Jan</strong>uary 2017 interview with architecture<br />
and design website Dezeen.com, Kuma<br />
openly admitted to being embarrassed by<br />
some of his buildings. He needn’t be.<br />
For all his protestations against<br />
architectural icons and <strong>the</strong>ir grandeur,<br />
Kuma has honed a distinct style, one that<br />
is quiet but no less effective or evocative.<br />
His is not about a cult of personality. In<br />
this modern age of Instagram fame, inyour-face<br />
self-promotion and celebrity<br />
you name it, footballer, chef, architect …<br />
Kengo Kuma lets you come to his work<br />
softly, like a true master.<br />
47 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
PROPERTY<br />
NEWS<br />
TROPICANA CORPORATION ACHIEVES<br />
TOP RANKING<br />
TROPICANA CORPORATION IS THE<br />
CONSUMERS' FAVOURITE<br />
TROPICANA SURPRIZE UPSIZE<br />
A MAGICAL SURPRIZE @ TROPICANA<br />
HEIGHTS<br />
BIG BOOST FOR TROPICANA IN Q3<br />
Prestigious. Award-winning.<br />
Quality. Innovative. High<br />
capital appreciation.<br />
These are just some of <strong>the</strong><br />
signatures of <strong>the</strong> property<br />
projects undertaken by<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation<br />
Berhad. The following pages<br />
showcase some novel and<br />
stunning residential and<br />
commercial developments<br />
as fur<strong>the</strong>r testament to<br />
<strong>the</strong> organisation’s flair in<br />
this industry. <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
Corporation hopes to create<br />
a more compassionate and<br />
supportive community,<br />
especially within its<br />
circles of influence. As<br />
a responsible developer,<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation<br />
continues to deliver on its<br />
responsibility to give back<br />
to society by supporting<br />
various charitable<br />
causes and participating<br />
in celebrations and<br />
community events.
PROPERTY NEWS | NEWS<br />
TROPICANA CORPORATION<br />
ACHIEVES TOP RANKING<br />
The Edge Malaysia Top Property<br />
Developers Awards honours ten of<br />
Malaysia's best property leaders<br />
each year; <strong>Tropicana</strong> is proud to be<br />
selected once again for 2017.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation was ranked<br />
10th Top Property Developer in<br />
Malaysia at The Edge Malaysia<br />
Property Excellence Awards<br />
2017. The award was presented<br />
at a gala dinner at <strong>the</strong> Grand Hyatt Kuala<br />
Lumpur, with more than 450 real estate players<br />
and experts in attendance.<br />
In his speech, The Edge Media Group<br />
publisher and group CEO Ho Kay Tat noted<br />
that <strong>the</strong> objective of The Edge Property<br />
Excellence Awards (TEPEA) is to recognise<br />
and celebrate excellence in <strong>the</strong> real estate<br />
industry, starting with <strong>the</strong> ranking of <strong>the</strong><br />
country’s top property companies which<br />
have shown consistent financial strength and<br />
delivered quality products to <strong>the</strong>ir customers<br />
to be used as home or investment assets.<br />
“We wanted to set a benchmark to<br />
50<br />
guide homebuyers and investors, and in<br />
<strong>the</strong> process, we believe it has also become a<br />
benchmark for property companies too. The<br />
end result has led to <strong>the</strong> overall improvement<br />
of <strong>the</strong> industry,” he said.<br />
The Edge Malaysia Top Property<br />
Developers Awards, <strong>the</strong> anchor of TEPEA,<br />
recognises Malaysia’s best property players<br />
based on <strong>the</strong>ir quantitative and qualitative<br />
attributes. The ranking is based on <strong>the</strong><br />
conviction that <strong>the</strong> quantitative attributes of<br />
a developer alone are not sufficient to earn<br />
<strong>the</strong> title of an outstanding player. In short,<br />
a developer is not judged solely on how<br />
profitable it is, or <strong>the</strong> number of homes it<br />
builds and sells each year. This is imperative<br />
because Malaysian property buyers are<br />
becoming more discerning and demanding<br />
in terms of quality and innovation.
NEWS | PROPERTY NEWS<br />
People’s Choice Award<br />
TROPICANA CORPORATION BERHAD<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> is recognized and awarded with 5 highly-acclaimed<br />
award categories this year at <strong>the</strong> iProperty Development<br />
Excellence Awards (iDEA) based on marketing, value creation,<br />
innovation, potential capital appreciation and sustainability.<br />
TROPICANA CORPORATION IS THE<br />
CONSUMERS' FAVOURITE<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation was voted <strong>the</strong> ‘People’s Choice’<br />
at The iProperty Development Excellence Awards<br />
2017. This special award category is a consumer choice<br />
award, selected by <strong>the</strong> Malaysian audience through<br />
an online voting process. Winners and finalists are<br />
recognised for <strong>the</strong>ir best efforts in brand building and<br />
project marketing efforts.<br />
This year at iDEA, hundreds of developments across<br />
Malaysia were evaluated and only those that met <strong>the</strong> criteria<br />
identified were invited to be judged by an acclaimed panel<br />
of advisors comprising some esteemed industry players.<br />
iDEA is organised by iProperty.com Malaysia with<br />
an advisory panel consisting of real estate professionals.<br />
iDEA recognises and awards <strong>the</strong> industry’s best with<br />
15 highly-acclaimed award categories, selected by<br />
<strong>the</strong> judges and consumers. A panel of eight experts<br />
<strong>from</strong> various fields related to <strong>the</strong> property industry<br />
select finalists and winners based on marketing,<br />
value creation, innovation, concepts, potential capital<br />
appreciation, sustainability and more.<br />
51 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
PROPERTY NEWS | NEWS<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
Surprize Upsize<br />
winners were<br />
delighted to<br />
have walked<br />
away with<br />
a RM80,000<br />
interior design<br />
package, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Grand<br />
Prize winner<br />
received a free<br />
upsize to a<br />
bigger home.<br />
TROPICANA SURPRIZE UPSIZE<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation Bhd launched a new campaign<br />
called <strong>Tropicana</strong> Surprize Upsize. The campaign offered<br />
home buyers an opportunity to win a free upsize on a house<br />
purchased across six properties located in <strong>Tropicana</strong>’s<br />
signature townships and developments in <strong>the</strong> Klang Valley.<br />
Properties include high-rise apartments, serviced<br />
residences, and landed homes in <strong>Tropicana</strong> Gardens (Kota<br />
Damansara), <strong>Tropicana</strong> Heights (Kajang), <strong>Tropicana</strong> Aman<br />
(Kota Kemuning), and <strong>Tropicana</strong> Metropark (Subang<br />
Jaya). The campaign ran online <strong>from</strong> 11 November to 22<br />
December.<br />
Ung Lay Ting, senior executive director of Marketing<br />
and Sales said following <strong>the</strong> success of <strong>the</strong>ir ‘Just Bid It’<br />
digital campaign in 2016, <strong>the</strong> engagement and awareness<br />
of <strong>the</strong> company’s townships and developments have grown<br />
tremendously.<br />
“More excitingly, our annual campaigns have<br />
developed a strong following and fanbase. Hence, <strong>the</strong><br />
‘<strong>Tropicana</strong> Surprize Upsize’ is a much-awaited campaign<br />
ideated to meet <strong>the</strong> demands of <strong>the</strong> public and our home<br />
buyers. We always go all-out to be different. This year, we<br />
aim to introduce a campaign that is not only engaging, but<br />
addresses purchasers’ needs and wants,” he added.<br />
To be eligible for <strong>the</strong> promotion, participants had<br />
to purchase a <strong>Tropicana</strong> property during <strong>the</strong> campaign<br />
period which also gave <strong>the</strong>m a chance to win an interior<br />
design package worth RM80,000 each. The winners were<br />
announced during a live draw at <strong>the</strong> end of December 2017.<br />
“We see <strong>the</strong> concept of an upsize or upgrade across<br />
various industries, <strong>from</strong> fast-food and hotel stays to<br />
flight tickets. We are proud to be <strong>the</strong> first property<br />
developer to offer <strong>the</strong> opportunity for our purchasers to<br />
upsize <strong>the</strong>ir home.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
52
NEWS | PROPERTY NEWS<br />
A MAGICAL SURPRIZE @ TROPICANA HEIGHTS<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Heights went all out with activities to entice<br />
families to take part in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Tropicana</strong> Surprize Upsize<br />
contest. Visitors to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Tropicana</strong> Heights Properties on<br />
November 25 and 26 were treated to a mesmerising magic<br />
show and carnival. Activities such as sand art, a giant bubble<br />
magic show, juggling clowns, photo booths, popcorn and<br />
cotton candy as well as ice cream were just some of <strong>the</strong><br />
treats enjoyed on <strong>the</strong>se two days. There were even amazing<br />
prizes such as a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, Samsung Note 8,<br />
iPhone 8 Plus, iPad Pro, or an Apple Watch! up for grabs.<br />
It was a fun-filled weekend amidst a scenic environment.<br />
A day of christmas wonder for families at <strong>Tropicana</strong> Height's 199-<br />
acre FREEHOLD master plan development.<br />
53 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
PROPERTY NEWS | NEWS<br />
above are artists impressions <strong>from</strong><br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation Berhad's<br />
expanding portfolio of developments.<br />
BIG BOOST FOR TROPICANA IN Q3<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Corporation Berhad has<br />
announced its unaudited financial results<br />
for <strong>the</strong> third quarter ending 30 September<br />
2017. Q3 has higher progress billings<br />
<strong>from</strong> development projects which has<br />
boosted <strong>the</strong> Group’s revenue of RM463.5<br />
million. This is a positive rise of 29.8<br />
per cent compared to <strong>the</strong> corresponding<br />
quarter last year. For <strong>the</strong> first nine<br />
months, <strong>Tropicana</strong>’s revenue increased by<br />
28.7 per cent, registering RM1.3 billion<br />
compared to RM1.0 billion previously.<br />
The increase was mainly contributed by<br />
higher revenue recognition as a result of<br />
an increase in <strong>the</strong> progress of development<br />
works in <strong>the</strong> Klang Valley and nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
region. The Group’s PBT increased by<br />
39.4 per cent <strong>from</strong> RM127.3 million to<br />
RM177.5 million, and net profit rose 46.4<br />
per cent to RM125.2 million against <strong>the</strong><br />
corresponding period last year. While<br />
<strong>the</strong> short-term prospects for <strong>the</strong> industry<br />
are expected to remain challenging, <strong>the</strong><br />
Group is confident that it will continue<br />
to demonstrate its resilience moving<br />
forward. This is backed by RM1.9 billion<br />
of unbilled sales, which will contribute<br />
strongly to <strong>the</strong> Group’s earnings over <strong>the</strong><br />
next few years. <br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> plans to fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>n its<br />
brand presence and maximise shareholders’<br />
value by unlocking <strong>the</strong> value of its 898.6<br />
acres of land bank with a potential gross<br />
development value of RM42.8 billion.<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> has declared a first interim<br />
single-tier dividend of 2.0 sen per share<br />
to date.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
54
NEWS | THE SWING<br />
OAKLEY<br />
Trillbe TM X Sunglasses<br />
www.oakley.com<br />
GALVIN GREEN<br />
Stella Golf Cap<br />
www.galvingreen.com<br />
TITLEIST<br />
Year of <strong>the</strong> Dog Pro V1<br />
and V1x Golf Balls with<br />
88 Play Numbers<br />
www.titleist.com<br />
Geared<br />
Up<br />
Storm <strong>the</strong> fairway and<br />
roam <strong>the</strong> course with<br />
<strong>the</strong>se golf must-haves.<br />
Callaway<br />
OptiColour Gloves<br />
www.callawaygolf.com<br />
OGIO<br />
Ogio Silencer Cart Bag<br />
www.ogio.com<br />
PUMA<br />
Ignite Disc Extreme Golf Shoes<br />
www.cobrapuma.com<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
GALVIN GREEN<br />
Maxine Ladies Ventil 8<br />
Plus Skorts<br />
www.galvingreen.com<br />
PUMA<br />
Volition Asym Road<br />
Map Polo<br />
www.cobrapuma.com<br />
55 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE SWING<br />
Tee in<br />
China<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
56
THE SWING<br />
Golf in China is a growing industry with numerous clubs being established.<br />
We uncover five stellar courses to whet your appetite.<br />
WORDS by<br />
Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
The Dunes,<br />
Shenzhou<br />
Province<br />
57 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE SWING<br />
olf in China attracts foreign investment and<br />
golfers who come <strong>from</strong> as far as Australia to play<br />
given <strong>the</strong> country’s inexpensive fees. The courses<br />
here have become renowned for <strong>the</strong>ir worldclass<br />
facilities and design, and it should come as<br />
no surprise that it is <strong>the</strong> location of choice for<br />
major tournaments: <strong>the</strong> WGC-HSBC Champions<br />
in Shanghai; <strong>the</strong> TCL Classic on Hainan Island; <strong>the</strong> Volvo<br />
China Open; and <strong>the</strong> BMW Asian Open. Amongst <strong>the</strong><br />
country’s most successful golfers are Zhang Lianwei and<br />
Liang Wen-Chong.<br />
There are currently about 500 golf courses in China,<br />
<strong>the</strong> first of which was constructed in 1984. Mission Hills<br />
is one of <strong>the</strong> leading firms owning courses around <strong>the</strong><br />
country. Its Mission Hills Golf Club near Shenzhen has 12<br />
courses, making it <strong>the</strong> world’s largest golfing complex. We<br />
list some links that are at <strong>the</strong> top of our list:<br />
1. The Dunes, Shenzhou Province<br />
Regarded as one of China’s top golf courses, The<br />
Dunes is located in Wanning, Hainan Island, in<br />
South China. This golf complex was fashioned by<br />
Tom Weiskopf and his design associate Phil Smith.<br />
There are two 18-hole golf courses – West and East –<br />
which were formerly used as an old watermelon farm.<br />
These predominantly Links-styled layouts test your<br />
golfing skills throughout your game. With massive<br />
dunes, local indigenous plant species combined with<br />
unparalleled breathtaking views, each hole provides<br />
a different experience. With many bunkers and tight<br />
fairways, The Dunes will play fast and long with ocean<br />
winds posing a challenge to any player’s strategy. Both<br />
courses are routed, in part, along <strong>the</strong> South China Sea<br />
and feature holes that touch pristine bays and beaches<br />
providing <strong>the</strong> finest golfing experience in <strong>the</strong> region.<br />
2. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort<br />
This premier integrated golf resort located in Kunming<br />
comprises of two championship golf courses: <strong>the</strong><br />
Mountain Course designed by Jack Nicklaus; and <strong>the</strong><br />
Lake Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The courses have<br />
been bestowed over 70 world-class awards since <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
inception in 1998. The Mountain Course has a natural<br />
undulated terrain coupled with challenging side hills<br />
and elevated greens and tees to provide hours of golf<br />
strategising. The natural beauty of this course amidst<br />
beautiful native pines, rocky outcrops and <strong>the</strong> stunning<br />
view of Yang Zonghai Lake provide a gorgeous backdrop<br />
to golfing challenges. The Signature Hole 8, Par 3 and<br />
<strong>the</strong> world famous Hole 18, Par 4 will definitely provide<br />
inspiration to <strong>the</strong> discerning golfer. The Lake Course,<br />
sprawled along <strong>the</strong> scenic Yang Zonghai Lake, is an<br />
invigorating play. The course steps down to <strong>the</strong> lake in a<br />
series of terraces and palisades providing a combination<br />
of spellbinding view and a challenging round of golf at<br />
<strong>the</strong> same time. The Signature Hole 8, Par 3 is deceptive,<br />
challenging and unforgiving.<br />
3. Mission Hills, Shenzhen<br />
Mission Hills is China’s highest rated golf and leisure<br />
resort, and <strong>the</strong> world’s largest golf club according to <strong>the</strong><br />
Guinness Book of World Records. This golf complex<br />
features seven out of twelve 18-hole championship<br />
courses by Mission Hills in China designed by golf’s<br />
greatest legends and architects. The historic World<br />
Cup of Golf in 1995 was China’s first-ever international<br />
golf tournament held at <strong>the</strong> World Course. This course<br />
was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is heralded as one<br />
of <strong>the</strong> ten most significant and influential courses of<br />
<strong>the</strong> last 20 years, providing one of Asia’s best golfing<br />
experiences. Vijay Singh’s course includes a 150-yard<br />
beach bunker on <strong>the</strong> Par 4 third hole and <strong>the</strong> green<br />
complex at <strong>the</strong> Par 5 10th which is literally perched<br />
atop a rock wall. The Ozaki Course offers elevated tees<br />
and fairways flanked by naturally occurring slopes.<br />
Large areas of turf and wide fairways are punctuated by<br />
strategic bunkering.<br />
“The Mountain Course has a<br />
natural undulated terrain<br />
coupled with challenging<br />
side hills and elevated<br />
greens and tees to provide<br />
hours of golf strategising.”<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
58
THE SWING<br />
Spring City Golf<br />
& Lake Resort<br />
Jinshi<br />
Golf Club<br />
Mission Hills,<br />
Shenzhen<br />
59 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE SWING<br />
Jade Dragon Snow<br />
Mountain Golf Club<br />
The Faldo Course is China’s first ‘stadium course’<br />
featuring <strong>the</strong> region’s only island green at <strong>the</strong> Par 3<br />
16th. The 16th hole and drivable Par 4 15th are two<br />
of Asia’s most exciting holes. The Els Course follows a<br />
unique ‘core’ layout in which no two holes run parallel.<br />
The Zhang Lianwei was designed by <strong>the</strong> first Chinese<br />
golfer to compete in <strong>the</strong> Masters. It features design<br />
elements and green complexes borrowed <strong>from</strong> many of<br />
<strong>the</strong> world’s most famous golf venues and presents an<br />
ideal setting to introduce beginners to <strong>the</strong> game. The<br />
Peter Dye Course presents golfers an opportunity to<br />
encounter small pot bunkers, long tee to green waste<br />
areas, railroad ties used as sleepers and walkway steps<br />
framed by tall, native grasses to provide a sharp, visual<br />
contrast.<br />
4. Jinshi Golf Club<br />
Dalian Jinshi Golf Club, also known as Dalian Golden<br />
Pebble Beach Golf Club, was established in 1995. It is<br />
known as <strong>the</strong> waterfront golf course because it is located<br />
near <strong>the</strong> Huanghai Sea waterfront in <strong>the</strong> east. The Divine<br />
Tortoise Course is an 18 hole, Par 72 course with a<br />
beautiful coastal landscape and unique hill features with<br />
paths built along <strong>the</strong> seashore. Some greens are built on<br />
top of <strong>the</strong> hill, and some teeing grounds and greens are<br />
separated by a bay. All <strong>the</strong> greens are located at <strong>the</strong> head<br />
of <strong>the</strong> sea, which makes <strong>the</strong> golfing incomparably exciting.<br />
It’s no wonder it is listed in <strong>the</strong> world’s top ten courses.<br />
“It’s no wonder it is listed in <strong>the</strong><br />
world’s top ten courses. Fairway 7,<br />
also known as <strong>the</strong> ‘Devil Fairway’,<br />
is <strong>the</strong> most challenging one and<br />
has gained a reputation as Fairway<br />
Number One in <strong>the</strong> world.”<br />
Fairway 7, also known as <strong>the</strong> ‘Devil Fairway’, is <strong>the</strong> most<br />
challenging and has gained a reputation as Fairway<br />
Number One in <strong>the</strong> world.<br />
5. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club<br />
The Jade Dragon Golf Club is currently <strong>the</strong> longest<br />
regulation Par 72, 18-hole golf course in <strong>the</strong> world, earning<br />
it a place in <strong>the</strong> Guinness Book of World Records. The<br />
course ‘plays’ to a more traditional 7000 yards thanks to <strong>the</strong><br />
effect of <strong>the</strong> altitude – at 10,000 feet above sea level, <strong>the</strong> ball<br />
travels some 20 per cent fur<strong>the</strong>r. Set in a beautiful valley<br />
at <strong>the</strong> base of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, <strong>the</strong> course<br />
was designed with on-site input <strong>from</strong> China’s number one<br />
golfer, Zhang Lian Wei. Three of <strong>the</strong> four Par 3s measure<br />
more than 260 yards and <strong>the</strong> shortest one is 236 yards long!<br />
This club offers <strong>the</strong> shortest Par 4 at 436 long and <strong>the</strong> fifth<br />
Par 5 plays to 711 yards, which is <strong>the</strong> longest Par 5 in <strong>the</strong><br />
world.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
60
THE TIME | NEWS<br />
Chasing<br />
Time<br />
Baume & Mercier honors racing legend<br />
Burt Munro<br />
www.baume-et-mercier.com<br />
Unveiled in Milan in November 2017 at<br />
EICMA, <strong>the</strong> world’s most important motorcycle<br />
show, Baume & Mercier’s Clifton Club Burt<br />
Munro Tribute Limited Edition celebrates a<br />
hero of speed, while at <strong>the</strong> same time christening<br />
<strong>the</strong> new partnership with <strong>the</strong> Indian Motorcycle<br />
Company.<br />
The watch takes its name <strong>from</strong> Burt<br />
Munro, <strong>the</strong> record-breaking daredevil rider,<br />
immortalised in <strong>the</strong> 2006 film ‘The World’s<br />
Fastest Indian’ and starring Anthony Hopkins.<br />
Obsessed with speed, Munro spent 40 years<br />
modifying his 1920 Indian Scout using basic<br />
tools and engine parts made <strong>from</strong> salvaged<br />
metal. Following repeated visits to <strong>the</strong> famed<br />
Bonneville Salt flats in Utah testing out<br />
<strong>the</strong> limits of his bike, <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n 68-year-old<br />
grandfa<strong>the</strong>r eventually set <strong>the</strong> under 1000cc<br />
record speed of 184.087 mph (296.11 km/h), a<br />
record that still stands today.<br />
Paying tribute to this 50th anniversary,<br />
Baume & Mercier’s Clifton Club Burt Munro<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
62
NEWS | THE TIME<br />
Three o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
chronographs<br />
to covet<br />
Mido Multifort Special<br />
Edition Chronograph (Orange)<br />
www.midowatches.com<br />
Rolex Oyster Sea Diver<br />
www.rolex.com<br />
Tribute Limited Edition has been designed<br />
to capture <strong>the</strong> iconic spirit of America’s First<br />
Motorcycle Company, and celebrating <strong>the</strong><br />
grit, determination and sheer passion of an<br />
extraordinary man.<br />
Limited to 1967 pieces, to recall <strong>the</strong> year that<br />
Burt Munro set his iconic record, <strong>the</strong> limited<br />
edition automatic features <strong>the</strong> number 35 –<br />
Munro’s lucky number – writ large in yellow in<br />
<strong>the</strong> chronograph seconds counter, an “Indian<br />
Red” calfskin strap to evoke <strong>the</strong> deep vermillion<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Indian Motorcycle Company, and a dial<br />
in a silver-colored with sandblasted and snailed<br />
finished to mimic <strong>the</strong> surface of <strong>the</strong> Bonneville<br />
Salt Flats. In addition <strong>the</strong> counterbalance of <strong>the</strong><br />
chronograph seconds hand is <strong>the</strong> immediately<br />
recognizable Indian “I”; <strong>the</strong> 44mm stainless steel<br />
case has a tachymeter scale on <strong>the</strong> bezel with <strong>the</strong><br />
record 184 mph, highlighted on it; and on <strong>the</strong><br />
back, <strong>the</strong> famous Indian Headdress logo of <strong>the</strong><br />
Indian Motorcycle Company is engraved, as well<br />
as <strong>the</strong> number of <strong>the</strong> limited edition.<br />
Victorinox INOX<br />
Professional Diver<br />
www.victorinox.com<br />
63 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK | HOT OFF THE RUNWAY<br />
Twirls<br />
of Thrill<br />
A quirky touch to <strong>the</strong> traditional<br />
qi pao ensemble.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
64
HOT OFF THE RUNWAY | THE LOOK<br />
Oriental<br />
Cravings<br />
Hints of eastern charm for<br />
this New Year.<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
65 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK | HOT OFF THE RUNWAY<br />
A Brush<br />
of Colour<br />
Arty yet functional must-have!<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
66
HOT OFF THE RUNWAY | THE LOOK<br />
Cruise<br />
Control<br />
Turn up <strong>the</strong> heat in tropical wear.<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
67 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK | HOT OFF THE RUNWAY<br />
Arm Candy<br />
Fashion's favourite accessory that never goes out of date.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
68
HOT OFF THE RUNWAY | THE LOOK<br />
Lilac Lust<br />
The must-have colour for this season!<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
69 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
FASHION FEATURE<br />
The Allure<br />
of The<br />
Cheongsam<br />
From swinging Shanghai to Suzie Wong, <strong>the</strong> slit skirt cheongsam<br />
has been thrust into modern, popular fashion consciousness.<br />
WORDS by Jean Knill<br />
Wardrobe by Khoon hooi<br />
The current incarnation of <strong>the</strong> Chinese Cheongsam adorns lovely<br />
women <strong>the</strong> world over. The name evokes a vision of willowy, modellike<br />
beauties clad in figure-hugging, shiny fabric, buttoned up on <strong>the</strong><br />
right, with high mandarin collars and sexy slit skirts.<br />
It hasn’t always been like that. The garment originated in nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
China in <strong>the</strong> 17th century, <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> Manchu rulers. The straight up<br />
and down, long dress with sleeves was first worn by women and later also by<br />
men. By <strong>the</strong> middle of <strong>the</strong> century, wearing it was <strong>the</strong> law, with execution<br />
<strong>the</strong> penalty for not conforming. Its name was different too. They called it a<br />
qipao, a word still used in <strong>the</strong> north of China, while people in <strong>the</strong> south call<br />
it by <strong>the</strong> name recognised in <strong>the</strong> western world – <strong>the</strong> cheongsam.<br />
Qipao means banner dress, and <strong>the</strong> origin of this name is political.<br />
The Manchu were all Banner People who were placed in an administrative<br />
system based on Eight Banners. The banners depict Chinese dragons on<br />
four different coloured backgrounds, with or without borders. Their nature<br />
was hierarchical, with <strong>the</strong> plain yellow, <strong>the</strong> bordered yellow and <strong>the</strong> plain<br />
white banners at <strong>the</strong> top of <strong>the</strong> tree, and initially under <strong>the</strong> direction of <strong>the</strong><br />
Emperor. Originally set up to form armies, <strong>the</strong>y later took on administrative<br />
duties and became <strong>the</strong> basis of a society made up of Manchus, Han Chinese<br />
and Mongols. Hence, <strong>the</strong>ir national costume was called a banner dress.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
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FASHION FEATURE<br />
As usual with everything Chinese, <strong>the</strong><br />
qipao has a legend attached to it. High in <strong>the</strong><br />
mountains in <strong>the</strong> north of <strong>the</strong> country lies <strong>the</strong><br />
wondrous Jingbo Lake, which was formed when<br />
volcanic eruptions dammed <strong>the</strong> Mudanjiang<br />
River. It was here that a lowly fisher girl lived<br />
in <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> Manchu. She had brains as<br />
well as beauty, and when she found her long<br />
skirt hampering her work, she made herself<br />
a dress with slits so that <strong>the</strong> skirts could be<br />
looped up when necessary.<br />
Meanwhile, <strong>the</strong> ruling emperor dreamed<br />
of making <strong>the</strong> beautiful fisher girl <strong>from</strong> Jingbo<br />
Lake his queen. He sent his courtiers to search<br />
for her and bring her to him. Of course <strong>the</strong>y<br />
immediately fell in love, and <strong>the</strong> new queen<br />
brought her slit-skirted qipao to <strong>the</strong> palace of<br />
<strong>the</strong> emperor. So <strong>the</strong> ladies of <strong>the</strong> court all had<br />
to follow this new fashion.<br />
Traditionally <strong>the</strong> fabric used in <strong>the</strong> qipao,<br />
or cheongsam, was decorated with symbolic<br />
emblems. The Emperor always had a dragon<br />
facing outwards, while some of his courtiers<br />
wore dragons facing inwards, or dragons in<br />
profile. The Empress might also have a dragon<br />
motif, while o<strong>the</strong>r female members of <strong>the</strong><br />
imperial household would have <strong>the</strong> phoenix as<br />
<strong>the</strong> emblem on <strong>the</strong>ir qipao. O<strong>the</strong>r birds would<br />
decorate <strong>the</strong> gowns of lesser members so that a<br />
hierarchy was visible to all.<br />
71 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
FASHION FEATURE<br />
“While <strong>the</strong><br />
communist<br />
revolution of 1949<br />
paused <strong>the</strong> fashion<br />
developments in<br />
China for a while,<br />
refugees brought<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir clothing out<br />
of <strong>the</strong> country.”<br />
The common people might choose a flower<br />
symbol. The peony – China’s national flower –<br />
symbolises affluence and prosperity; <strong>the</strong> lotus,<br />
purity and loveliness; <strong>the</strong> chrysan<strong>the</strong>mum,<br />
longevity. Fish are also believed to bring<br />
prosperity. All <strong>the</strong>se were common designs for<br />
<strong>the</strong> material of <strong>the</strong>ir garments.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> qipao became popular in <strong>the</strong><br />
south, it was given <strong>the</strong> name cheongsam which<br />
simply means long dress in Cantonese. The<br />
qipao/cheongsam migrated south through<br />
China in <strong>the</strong> 20th century. By <strong>the</strong> 1920s, it<br />
was popular all over <strong>the</strong> country. It was also<br />
changing and becoming more like <strong>the</strong> close<br />
fitting, shorter version we recognize today.<br />
But it always retained <strong>the</strong> main features of <strong>the</strong><br />
high mandarin collar and slitted skirt, and<br />
usually <strong>the</strong> right side buttoning. In <strong>the</strong> south,<br />
Shanghai became <strong>the</strong> cheongsam capital where<br />
fashion designers promoted <strong>the</strong>m and factories<br />
mass-produced <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
While <strong>the</strong> communist revolution of 1949<br />
paused <strong>the</strong> fashion developments in China for<br />
a while, refugees brought <strong>the</strong>ir clothing out of<br />
<strong>the</strong> country. The style soon became popular<br />
in Hong Kong, Singapore and o<strong>the</strong>r Asian<br />
countries, <strong>from</strong> where it reached Western<br />
fashion designers. Around <strong>the</strong> modern world,<br />
including in China, versions of <strong>the</strong> cheongsam<br />
are now worn for high society occasions, for<br />
party-going and for dressed-up events.<br />
They are also often chosen as uniforms to<br />
give an oriental flavor to services or events.<br />
For example, <strong>the</strong> medal bearers of <strong>the</strong> 2008<br />
Olympics in Beijing wore <strong>the</strong>m, as did some<br />
of <strong>the</strong> participating teams in <strong>the</strong> opening<br />
ceremony. And we would not be surprised to<br />
find those delightful female flight attendants,<br />
on some of <strong>the</strong> eastern airlines, wearing <strong>the</strong>m<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y check seat belts and serve food and<br />
drink. Nor would we blink at a cheongsam-clad<br />
waitress in a Chinese restaurant anywhere in<br />
<strong>the</strong> world.<br />
The cheongsam is now available in many<br />
different versions and <strong>the</strong> average woman<br />
can usually find a type that suits her best.<br />
Different kinds of cheongsam can play up your<br />
best features and play down those you’d prefer<br />
to hide.<br />
For example, you can show off your<br />
beautiful shoulders and back with a cheongsam<br />
halter neck collar and low backed dress.<br />
Alternatively, you can choose between<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
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FASHION FEATURE<br />
All clothing seen, <strong>from</strong><br />
khoon hooi<br />
sleeveless, short sleeves, or three quarter length<br />
if you want to hide <strong>the</strong> upper arm flabbiness<br />
that comes as we age.<br />
If you have a large behind, buy <strong>the</strong><br />
cheongsam as a top and skirt, and make <strong>the</strong><br />
most of <strong>the</strong> straight skirt with side slits. Get<br />
<strong>the</strong> separates as well if you have a large bust,<br />
choosing a simple top in a single color.<br />
Shorter women should avoid shoulder<br />
pads and overlong skirts. If your shoulders are<br />
broad, select a soft, silky fabric and never wear<br />
shoulder pads. But if you are all over skinny,<br />
choose a heavy brocade with a raised design.<br />
Some cheongsam collars are high, flattering<br />
anyone with a long neck. Those whose necks<br />
are short should seek out a lower collar line.<br />
You can find a cheongsam to suit any<br />
season. Light fabrics like cotton, silk and<br />
poplin suit summer’s warmer days. Satin<br />
and velor will keep you cozy in winter. The<br />
cheongsam even makes a beautiful white<br />
wedding dress, appearing at <strong>the</strong> same time<br />
demure and voluptuous.<br />
There is bound to be an event coming up<br />
in your life that calls for one, and you will feel<br />
beautifully feminine if you choose to wear<br />
your own Chinese Cheongsam.<br />
73 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK<br />
Eastern prints shine and hit new heights of allure.<br />
From left, on Alyona<br />
Sleeveless cheongsam<br />
in coral Khoon Hooi<br />
Short sleeved<br />
cheongsam in pink<br />
with embroidered motif<br />
Melinda Looi<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
74
THE LOOK<br />
75 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK<br />
Graphic T-shirt and<br />
A-line brocade skirt<br />
Gucci<br />
Crossbody bag<br />
Mulberry<br />
Faux cheongsam collar<br />
Melinda Looi<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
76
THE LOOK<br />
Multicoloured short sleeved<br />
cheongsam Khoon Hooi<br />
Gold bangle Kate Spade<br />
New York<br />
Lea<strong>the</strong>r handbag Mulberry<br />
Sunglasses Marc Jacobs<br />
77 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK<br />
Pink sweatshirt and<br />
sun print dress<br />
Paul Smith<br />
Faux cheongsam collar<br />
Melinda Looi<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
78
THE LOOK<br />
On Alyona<br />
Embroidered cheongsam in soft pink<br />
Khoon Hooi<br />
On Ada<br />
Embroidered cheongsam in light<br />
green Khoon Hooi<br />
Sunglasses Dior Homme<br />
Handbag with floral applique<br />
Kate Spade New York<br />
79 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
80
THE LOOK<br />
Left: Red lace<br />
cheongsam Melinda<br />
Looi<br />
Lea<strong>the</strong>r handbag with<br />
floral applique, gold<br />
earrings Kate Spade<br />
New York<br />
Top: Floral prints silk<br />
cardigan (worn as a<br />
kimono top) and pants<br />
Gucci<br />
Flower earrings and<br />
crossbody bag Kate<br />
Spade New York<br />
Photography Brian Fang (M8 Studio)<br />
ART DIRECTION NOR HAMIMAH ABDULLAH<br />
Styling Voonwei @ The Style Animal<br />
Makeup & Hair Joey Yap<br />
Models Alyona & AdA @ AndrewsModels<br />
81 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE LOOK | KIDS FASHION<br />
Spring<br />
into style<br />
Get fashion savvy with <strong>the</strong> latest trends,<br />
no matter how small you are.<br />
Curated by Sharmini M.Rethinasamy<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
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KIDS FASHION | THE LOOK<br />
83 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
HEALTH<br />
Eat Your Way To<br />
Great<br />
Health<br />
in<br />
<strong>2018</strong><br />
<strong>Start</strong> <strong>the</strong> New Year on a clean<br />
slate — and plate!<br />
Words by<br />
shereen khoo<br />
Around this time of <strong>the</strong> year, New Year’s resolutions are<br />
set and many of <strong>the</strong> most popular resolutions focus on<br />
living a healthier lifestyle. Let <strong>2018</strong> be a year where<br />
you go fur<strong>the</strong>r with food. Whe<strong>the</strong>r it is to start <strong>the</strong> day off<br />
right with a healthy breakfast or fuelling your body up with<br />
optimum nutrition, <strong>the</strong> foods you choose can make a difference<br />
and positively impact <strong>the</strong> rest of your day. Go back to basics by<br />
filling up your plate with <strong>the</strong> five food groups: Fruits, Vegetables,<br />
Grains, Protein and Dairy products.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
84
HEALTH<br />
Fruits<br />
Fruits and vegetables fall into various<br />
colour categories including red, purple/<br />
blue, orange, green and white. The<br />
colour denotes its unique disease fighting<br />
phytochemicals. Therefore, <strong>the</strong> right<br />
way to eat <strong>the</strong>m is to select fruits and<br />
vegetables <strong>from</strong> different colour groups.<br />
The berry family (blueberries, cranberries,<br />
raspberries, strawberries, blackberries)<br />
are particularly rich in vitamin C, fibre<br />
and also a number of potent antioxidants;<br />
<strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong>y are known to be <strong>the</strong> star<br />
performers of <strong>the</strong> fruit family.<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> Malaysian Adult<br />
Nutrition Survey 2014, six out of 10<br />
Malaysian adults consumed fruits below<br />
<strong>the</strong> recommended two servings per day.<br />
This could be due to a lack of awareness of<br />
<strong>the</strong> importance of fruits or perhaps <strong>the</strong> fact<br />
that many fresh fruits have a short shelf<br />
life which leads to wastage. Frozen fruits<br />
are able to retain nutrients and can also be<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r option to increase fruit intake. Try<br />
incorporating frozen fruits into breakfast<br />
smoothies which will boost your nutrient<br />
intake first thing in <strong>the</strong> morning.<br />
Vegetables<br />
Low fruit and vegetable intake in itself is<br />
among <strong>the</strong> top 10 selected risk factors for<br />
global mortality. It is alarming to find that<br />
<strong>the</strong> same survey also revealed that 81.7<br />
per cent of Malaysian adults consumed<br />
vegetables below <strong>the</strong> recommended<br />
three servings per day. In ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
survey, it was found that 93.7 per cent of<br />
adolescents consumed vegetables below <strong>the</strong><br />
recommended three servings per day.<br />
Find creative ways to increase<br />
vegetable intake especially when meals are<br />
prepared at home.<br />
• Add chopped onions, spring onions,<br />
green beans or shredded cabbage into<br />
fried noodles.<br />
• Serve vegetable based soups such as<br />
spinach soup or watercress soup as an<br />
appetizer.<br />
• Add tomatoes, shredded carrots or<br />
capsicums into your pasta dish.<br />
• Enhance <strong>the</strong> flavour of your broth<br />
by adding leeks, celery, tomatoes or<br />
carrots.<br />
• Modify recipes of pies or muffins by<br />
adding peas and shredded carrots.<br />
• Add cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes<br />
into sandwiches.<br />
Grains<br />
Grains such as rice, noodles, bread and<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r cereal products provide energy.<br />
Choose unrefined or wholegrain cereals<br />
(e.g. brown rice, wholemeal bread,<br />
wholegrain pasta) for additional benefits<br />
of improving gut health, while helping to<br />
reduce <strong>the</strong> risk of chronic diseases.<br />
Rice is <strong>the</strong> staple food in Malaysia,<br />
just like in o<strong>the</strong>r Asian countries. If rice is<br />
preferred at main meals, choosing black<br />
rice, red rice or purple rice will increase<br />
intake of <strong>the</strong> antioxidant anthocyanins<br />
compared to white or brown rice. Ready to<br />
forgo rice and try o<strong>the</strong>r alternatives? Swap<br />
your rice with quinoa or amaranth for<br />
more fibre and protein. Quinoa also serves<br />
as a better source of iron and magnesium<br />
than brown rice and <strong>the</strong>se minerals help<br />
you to build red blood cells and maintain<br />
healthy bone tissue.<br />
85 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
HEALTH<br />
Dairy<br />
Milk is a nutritious food with a variety of<br />
essential nutrients, including calcium. Milk<br />
and milk products are recommended to be<br />
taken one to three times per day. Getting<br />
sufficient calcium <strong>from</strong> childhood through<br />
adulthood helps build strong bones and<br />
reduce <strong>the</strong> risk of osteoporosis later in life.<br />
• <strong>Start</strong> your day with milk by adding<br />
low-fat high calcium milk into your<br />
morning cereal or oatmeal.<br />
• If you are a coffee drinker, have café au<br />
lait instead of a latte as <strong>the</strong> former uses<br />
more milk.<br />
• Having trouble falling asleep? Try<br />
a glass of milk before bedtime.<br />
Tryptophan, a naturally occurring<br />
amino acid found in milk protein has<br />
relaxing and calming properties.<br />
• Replace sweetened condensed milk and<br />
sweetened condensed filled milk with<br />
unsweetened or powdered milk.<br />
Protein<br />
Protein is made up of smaller units known<br />
as amino acids. There are nine essential<br />
amino acids that cannot be made by <strong>the</strong><br />
body and must be obtained <strong>from</strong> food.<br />
Omnivores are likely to receive ‘complete<br />
proteins’ containing all essential amino<br />
acids by eating meat, poultry, fish or eggs.<br />
Many plant-based proteins on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
hand, are incomplete proteins because <strong>the</strong>y<br />
provide some but not all essential amino<br />
acids. But here is a piece of good news<br />
for those who adopt a vegetarian diet.<br />
Unlike o<strong>the</strong>r vegetarian sources of protein,<br />
edamame, a Japanese food favourite,<br />
contains all nine essential amino acids that<br />
<strong>the</strong> body requires but cannot manufacture<br />
on its own. Include steamed or boiled<br />
edamame served lightly salted as part of a<br />
varied diet or even as a form of a healthy<br />
snack to provide your body with wellrounded<br />
nutrition.<br />
Spices and Herbs<br />
Last but not least, spices and herbs may<br />
be used as a seasoning to replace and<br />
reduce salt intake and improve health.<br />
This offers an advantage because most<br />
spices and herbs have a particularly high<br />
antioxidant content, even in its dried form<br />
as <strong>the</strong> drying process leaves most of <strong>the</strong><br />
antioxidants intact in <strong>the</strong> end product.<br />
Although spices and herbs contribute<br />
little weight in a meal, <strong>the</strong>y may still be<br />
important contributors to our antioxidant<br />
intake, especially when used regularly.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
86
MAKE FITNESS<br />
YOUR LIFESTYLE<br />
TM<br />
PRESENT THIS TO ANY OF OUR CLUBS & RECEIVE A 3-DAY EXPERIENCE PASS *<br />
* Terms & Conditions Apply.
HEALTH | NEWS<br />
Wellness From Within<br />
Chateau Spa and Organic Wellness Resorts recently released its La Therapie Culinaire<br />
dining concept at its French fine dining restaurant, L’assiette, comprised of seven new<br />
menus inspired by guests’ requests for dining options that meet special dietary needs. The<br />
new menus are designed to improve heart health, cleanse <strong>the</strong> body, offer low glycemic<br />
index food choices (for diabetic diets), and provide a balance of antioxidants, proteins,<br />
vitamins and minerals.<br />
The Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort<br />
Berjaya Hills, KM48 Persimpangan Bertingkat,<br />
Karak Highway, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang<br />
Tel: 09-221 3888<br />
www.<strong>the</strong>chateau.com.my<br />
Alpine Escapes<br />
Visitors at <strong>the</strong> recently opened Aman<br />
Le Mélézin Resort in <strong>the</strong> French Alps<br />
can now enjoy sublime relaxation at<br />
<strong>the</strong> resort’s new 767-square metre spa.<br />
The first of <strong>the</strong> spa’s two spacious floors<br />
will house five treatment rooms with<br />
two double suites, a signature Thai<br />
massage suite, a hammam bath, and a<br />
well-equipped yoga studio. The second<br />
floor offers experiential showers, a cold<br />
plunge pool, a relaxation lounge, a sauna<br />
and a Capri-stone hammam.<br />
www.aman.com/resorts/aman-le-melezin<br />
A Merry Little New Year<br />
Rest and relaxation marks <strong>the</strong> start of <strong>the</strong> New<br />
Year at <strong>the</strong> beachfront Four Seasons Jimbaran<br />
Bay Resort, where guests can get a fabulous<br />
new hairstyle with celebrity hair stylist Eric<br />
Rosado or feel <strong>the</strong>ir tiredness ebb away with a<br />
pampering pedicure, a hot stone yoga session<br />
or a cutting-edge transdermal facial <strong>from</strong><br />
now till 10 <strong>Jan</strong>uary. Meanwhile, travellers<br />
at <strong>the</strong> riverside Four Seasons Sayan Retreat<br />
can expect traditional wellness and massage<br />
<strong>the</strong>rapies up to 7 <strong>Jan</strong>uary, and revisit <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
childhood with a ‘sacred nap’ in a suspended<br />
silk cocoon on New Year’s Day.<br />
www.fourseasons.com/Bali<br />
WORDS by tania jayathilaka<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
88
THE COOKBOOK<br />
NobuA Byword<br />
Nobu has an empire of nearly 40 restaurants and hotels with film<br />
star, Robert De Niro. Meet <strong>the</strong> man whose name and skills have<br />
made him a force to be reckoned with in Japanese cuisine.<br />
for Japanese<br />
Cuisine<br />
Words by Nick Curtis/The Times/The Interview PeopleI<br />
meet <strong>the</strong> world’s best-known Japanese chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, during his<br />
"Do I ever argue with<br />
Robert De Niro? Yes, it’s<br />
like a marriage."<br />
fleeting visit to Britain amid a typically jet-setting week. A compact, genial<br />
figure with cropped grey hair and smooth burnished skin, <strong>the</strong> 68-year-old<br />
has a punishing schedule supervising <strong>the</strong> global empire that he runs with his<br />
business partner Robert De Niro. It encompasses more than 30 restaurants and<br />
seven hotels serving a modern version of Japanese cuisine and hospitality to <strong>the</strong> rich<br />
and famous <strong>from</strong> Los Angeles to London, Beijing to Budapest, and Kuala Lumpur<br />
to Qatar. Some of <strong>the</strong> restaurants bear <strong>the</strong> chef’s surname, including <strong>the</strong> flagship he<br />
opened in 1987 in LA, but it’s as Nobu that he has become a one-man brand.<br />
“ I travel 10 months of <strong>the</strong> year,” he says. “ This week I went back to LA for one<br />
day, now London, <strong>the</strong>n Moscow. They are going to send us on a private jet. This is a<br />
good deal.” He sounds ridiculously pleased, like a simple sushi chef whose pursuit of<br />
perfection has paid off. Which, deep down, is possibly what he still is.<br />
From <strong>the</strong> outside, Nobu Hotel Shoreditch in east London looks like a spacebattleship,<br />
its roof terraces bristling like gun turrets, but inside, its all understated<br />
calm with blond wood predominating in <strong>the</strong> restaurant and spa. Matsuhisa’s suite<br />
has subdued lighting and lea<strong>the</strong>r furniture. At one point <strong>the</strong> lights mysteriously<br />
dim. “ Maybe time’s up,” he says.<br />
His visit is to mark <strong>the</strong> launch of a new spa and wellness centre at <strong>the</strong> hotel. Its<br />
signature treatment, Nobu Zen, will set visitors back up to £245. Matsuhisa, who<br />
has just put <strong>the</strong> new facility to <strong>the</strong> test, sweats <strong>the</strong> details of his own regimen. “After<br />
a flight, <strong>the</strong> body, <strong>the</strong> muscles, are tight, tired, so I do a lot of exercise — treadmill,<br />
swimming if <strong>the</strong>re is a pool. After <strong>the</strong> gym, it’s good to have a massage. I had a shiatsu<br />
massage in <strong>the</strong> spa. Now I’d like to go to bed for a couple of hours, but <strong>the</strong>y’re keeping<br />
me working.”<br />
A pile of cookbooks on <strong>the</strong> coffee table waits for his signature. After our chat,<br />
he is hosting dinner in Shoreditch for about a hundred people who have paid a tidy<br />
sum for <strong>the</strong> pleasure; <strong>the</strong> next night he is marking <strong>the</strong> 20th anniversary of his British<br />
flagship, Nobu Park Lane, with a party. There are eight more Nobu hotels in <strong>the</strong><br />
pipeline in locations as diverse as Toronto, Riyadh, Sao Paulo and Bahrain, and more<br />
restaurants to come. “ Jet lag is tough,” he says. “ I used to take a sleeping pill, but I<br />
don’t take any drugs any more.”<br />
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What about booze? Gordon Ramsay swears by red wine to<br />
combat jet lag. Although Chef Nobu — as everyone calls him —<br />
has been credited with popularising <strong>the</strong> rice-wine saké in <strong>the</strong><br />
West as he did sushi in <strong>the</strong> nineties, I’ve heard that he prefers<br />
tequila. “ No, no, no, I am not an alcoholic,” he says with a laugh.<br />
When he’s celebrating a special occasion with his staff, his<br />
managers will sometimes break out <strong>the</strong> Mexican spirit. “ But not<br />
every day. Maybe two or three times a year.”<br />
He enthuses about <strong>the</strong> wine and saké in his restaurants, again<br />
sold under his name, but<br />
says that he now drinks<br />
less. Eating is ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
matter. “ I am a chef, so<br />
I have to eat everything;<br />
taste what my chefs make.”<br />
Although arguably a<br />
forerunner of <strong>the</strong> cleaneating<br />
movement, he has<br />
no time for it. “A lot of<br />
people are vegetarian or<br />
gluten-free because <strong>the</strong>y<br />
want to lose weight and<br />
be healthy, but for me <strong>the</strong><br />
way to do that is to eat<br />
everything and exercise.”<br />
His tastes are broad. “ I<br />
like Italian, Chinese, Greek,<br />
but simple cooking,” he<br />
says. “ In London, a long<br />
time ago, I’d go to <strong>the</strong> River<br />
Café, where I knew <strong>the</strong> chefs<br />
[Ruth Rogers and Rose<br />
Gray]. Or Giorgio Locatelli,<br />
who’s a close friend.” When<br />
he opened Nobu Park Lane<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Metropolitan hotel<br />
in 1997, he had a soft spot<br />
for <strong>the</strong> tapas at El Pirata, a<br />
restaurant behind <strong>the</strong> hotel.<br />
He used to travel with his<br />
own knife, but now each<br />
outlet of <strong>the</strong> Nobu Empire<br />
keeps one for him. And a<br />
pair of gym shoes.<br />
His globetrotting habits<br />
are partly to ensure that<br />
every outlet adheres to <strong>the</strong><br />
‘Nobu Style’. Innovation is<br />
fine within reason — it has,<br />
after all, enabled him to branch out <strong>from</strong> restaurants to hotels, spas,<br />
sauces, dried miso and tableware — but a certain Japanese essence<br />
must be preserved. When a new Nobu opens, local ingredients are<br />
used and Matsuhisa is always keen to see what dishes his chefs, of all<br />
nationalities, come up with. “ I never say no, but I try to make it better<br />
as a challenge,” he says. He has, however, outlawed <strong>the</strong> use of sausage<br />
in a Hawaiian Nobu and replaced <strong>the</strong> bun in a Wagyu slider with a<br />
tofu cake.<br />
He recently gave The New York Times a tour of <strong>the</strong> new<br />
sushi bar in his Los Angeles home (he has lived in <strong>the</strong> US since<br />
<strong>the</strong> eighties), where he makes food “once or twice a year. When<br />
I make sushi in a restaurant it is a business, but I love to make<br />
sushi, so I want to share my passion with my family.” He jokes to<br />
friends that he has a private chef at home — his wife.<br />
Matsuhisa has been married to Yoko, who helped him to<br />
run <strong>the</strong> business when he was starting out, for 45 years and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
have two daughters: The elder runs Nobu Tokyo, <strong>the</strong> younger is a<br />
housewife in Los Angeles and<br />
each has a daughter, one aged<br />
seven and one aged three. “ I go<br />
to Japan once a month and I see<br />
[<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side of] my family<br />
whenever I go back to LA,”<br />
Matsuhisa says, adding that<br />
his absences keep his marriage<br />
fresh. “ But I call or email my<br />
wife two or three times a day.<br />
Communication and trust are<br />
important.”<br />
He was born in <strong>the</strong><br />
Saitama province of Japan<br />
in 1949. His fa<strong>the</strong>r, a lumber<br />
merchant, was often away<br />
<strong>from</strong> home, and died in an<br />
accident when Matsuhisa<br />
was young. The chef’s desire<br />
to travel was sparked by his<br />
fa<strong>the</strong>r’s lifestyle — one of his<br />
most powerful childhood<br />
memories is of his fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
receding into <strong>the</strong> distance on<br />
his motorcycle.<br />
Raised mostly by his<br />
grandmo<strong>the</strong>r, Matsuhisa<br />
got his first job at 17<br />
as a dishwasher in <strong>the</strong><br />
restaurant Matsue-sushi in<br />
Shinjuku, Tokyo. He slowly<br />
worked his way up <strong>the</strong><br />
kitchen pecking order, and<br />
shortly after he married<br />
Yoko at <strong>the</strong> age of 23, he<br />
opened his own sushi bar<br />
in Peru with <strong>the</strong> backing<br />
of a former customer.<br />
After <strong>the</strong>y fell out over his<br />
insistence on using <strong>the</strong> best<br />
ingredients, he moved to Argentina, but that didn’t work<br />
out ei<strong>the</strong>r, and he returned shamefacedly to Japan. Ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
former customer set him up in a restaurant in Alaska,<br />
which went well until it burnt down.<br />
“ I almost tried suicide,” he says, making a throat-slitting<br />
motion, “ but even though I lost everything I was healthy,<br />
which is why I woke myself up.” By now, with two daughters to<br />
support, he struck out on his own in Los Angeles, working in<br />
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restaurants where he invented some dishes that would<br />
become Nobu staples, including black cod with miso<br />
and soft shell crab sushi rolls. His own restaurant, <strong>the</strong><br />
38-seat Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, followed in 1987.<br />
The great and <strong>the</strong> good started to come, hungry for his<br />
healthy, simple fish.<br />
A waitress once whispered that Barbra Streisand<br />
was in. Matsuhisa went to say hello, but didn’t know<br />
which woman at <strong>the</strong> table was <strong>the</strong> diva. And it was so<br />
busy that Tom Cruise was repeatedly turned down<br />
when he phoned for a table. “ He told his agent, Mike<br />
Ovitz, who is also one of my regular customers, who<br />
called me and said, ‘You really should take Tom<br />
Cruise’s reservations.’ ”<br />
These days, celebrities are shown more love and<br />
reciprocate in kind — check out Jennifer Lawrence<br />
with chopsticks in her mouth, goofing around for <strong>the</strong><br />
paparazzi outside Nobu in New York. These days, Nobu<br />
ensures that a house table is kept free for famous walkins<br />
— <strong>the</strong> Beckhams having dinner in Los Angeles, say,<br />
or Kanye West popping in for lunch in Malibu — but<br />
back <strong>the</strong>n, Madonna sometimes queued for a seat at<br />
Matsuhisa’s sushi counter. “ I didn’t know anybody,” he<br />
shrugs.<br />
That changed, to <strong>the</strong> point where he could extend<br />
<strong>the</strong> omakase concept of tailoring food to a customer’s<br />
tastes into <strong>the</strong> creation of a special Cindy Rice for Cindy<br />
Crawford. This caused problems when she ordered it<br />
in Nobu New York and no one knew how to cook it. “ I<br />
knew Cindy before she married,” he says. “ Now she has<br />
beautiful children and <strong>the</strong>y come [to my restaurants]<br />
without <strong>the</strong>ir parents. It makes me very proud that <strong>the</strong>re<br />
is a second generation.”<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r visitor was De Niro. The actor first came<br />
with a regular — Roland Joffé, <strong>the</strong> director of The Killing<br />
Fields — and although Matsuhisa was unable to put a<br />
name to <strong>the</strong> famous face, he clocked <strong>the</strong> excitement in<br />
<strong>the</strong> restaurant. De Niro often returned when he was<br />
in Los Angeles, and became so enamoured of Nobu’s<br />
black cod and Hokusetsu saké that he asked <strong>the</strong> chef<br />
to open a restaurant with him in New York. Matsuhisa<br />
visited Tribeca, <strong>the</strong> down-at-heel neighbourhood that<br />
<strong>the</strong> actor was intent on developing, but he turned down<br />
<strong>the</strong> offer and De Niro opened <strong>the</strong> Tribeca Grill instead.<br />
Four years later, <strong>the</strong> star asked Matsuhisa to reconsider<br />
his offer — <strong>the</strong>y have been partners since. “ Of course he<br />
is a great actor and <strong>the</strong> biggest Hollywood star, but we<br />
do business toge<strong>the</strong>r and I appreciate him because he<br />
understands what I want to do,” Matsuhisa says.<br />
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Do <strong>the</strong>y ever argue?<br />
“ Yes, like in a movie,” he says with a laugh,<br />
pointing finger-guns at me. “ Sometimes<br />
arguments are good for <strong>the</strong> future. People have<br />
stress, <strong>the</strong>y argue, and after, <strong>the</strong>y understand<br />
each o<strong>the</strong>r more. Like a marriage.” I would not<br />
bet on De Niro winning: When Nobu Milan<br />
opened in partnership with Giorgio Armani,<br />
<strong>the</strong> chef persuaded <strong>the</strong> designer to accept his<br />
no-smoking policy in <strong>the</strong> dining room, and to<br />
make him a set of chef’s whites.<br />
The De Niro connection and <strong>the</strong> wider<br />
endorsement of <strong>the</strong> great and <strong>the</strong> good —<br />
none better than Kate Winslet’s assessment:<br />
“ Heaven on Earth, sex on a plate” — have<br />
led to some surprising turns in his life.<br />
He acted in Casino and Austin Powers in<br />
Goldmember, and “ when Donald Trump<br />
owned Miss Universe, I was a judge several<br />
years ago in Moscow, with [Aerosmith’s]<br />
Steven Tyler”. (The Trump daughters frequent<br />
his restaurants in New York and Aspen, but he<br />
has yet to create a dish for <strong>the</strong>m: There’s no<br />
Ivanka Rice.)<br />
The English-language version of<br />
Matsuhisa’s autobiography is published today<br />
(it is, of course, titled Nobu). In spare style, he<br />
discusses his life, business and famous friends,<br />
but also what it is like to be a grandfa<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong><br />
‘fourth corner’ of life. He was hit hard by <strong>the</strong><br />
recent suicide of his childhood friend Sakai,<br />
who supported him through his early travails<br />
and designed <strong>the</strong> family’s Japanese holiday<br />
home in Hakone: He becomes speechless with<br />
tears when we discuss it. Unbeknown to him,<br />
Sakai’s construction business had suffered<br />
financial problems. Matsuhisa, calling <strong>from</strong> LA,<br />
noticed his friend sounded offhand. Irritated,<br />
he didn’t probe.<br />
“That is why I feel so guilty,” he says. “ If<br />
I had asked him and he talked to me about<br />
more money or what is going on, maybe<br />
I could have saved his life. But he died, so<br />
. . .” The loss has left him with a terrible<br />
sadness, but also a desire to embrace every<br />
opportunity that comes his way. “ I never<br />
think about retiring because I appreciate my<br />
life,” he says. “And I like to pass [my ideas] on<br />
to <strong>the</strong> next generation of people. Retirement<br />
means nothing to do for me. I like as much<br />
as possible to work, to see people, stay in <strong>the</strong><br />
kitchens. This is my tomorrow.<br />
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DISHES<br />
Clubhouse<br />
Tel: 03-7805 3935<br />
www.jojoitalianrestaurant.com<br />
Operating hours<br />
Monday to Thursday<br />
11.00am to 11.00pm<br />
Friday to Sunday<br />
11.00am to 1.00pm<br />
Barramundi Fish with Sautéed<br />
Broccoli and Spaghetti Aglio Olio<br />
Classic spaghetti in aglio olio style is given a<br />
boost with <strong>the</strong> addition of grilled barramundi<br />
and sautéed broccoli on <strong>the</strong> side. The<br />
barramundi is grilled to perfection with a<br />
slight crispy crust with juicy, fresh white flesh<br />
on <strong>the</strong> inside. The spaghetti, done al dente, is<br />
tossed lightly in olive oil with garlic and chilli<br />
flakes in <strong>the</strong> right proportion, and finished<br />
with a light sprinkle of chopped parsley.<br />
The sautéed broccoli serves as <strong>the</strong> perfect<br />
complement to <strong>the</strong> entire dish.<br />
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Clubhouse<br />
Tel: 03-7804 8888<br />
www.facebook.com/ginshuitei<br />
Operating hours<br />
Monday to Sunday<br />
Lunch<br />
12.00pm to 3.00pm<br />
Dinner<br />
6.30pm to 10.30pm<br />
Japanese Yee Sang<br />
The traditional Chinese New Year prosperity<br />
dish, Yee Sang, gets a new twist Japanese-style.<br />
Freshly-cut thick slivers of salmon sashimi are<br />
ready to be thrown into a hodge podge of classic<br />
Japanese ingredients. Julienned and deep fried<br />
crabstick teams up with hotate, fried salmon<br />
skin, shredded carrots and daikon radish for<br />
<strong>the</strong> annual toss. Piquant pickled ginger, crushed<br />
peanuts and ruby red pomegranate add to <strong>the</strong><br />
flavour. Fruity and fresh, this delectable salad<br />
is tossed toge<strong>the</strong>r with a mix of vegetable oil<br />
and roasted sesame dressing. A must-try this<br />
Chinese New Year.<br />
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DISHES<br />
Lot 413, 4th floor,<br />
Suria KLCC ,<br />
50088 Kuala Lumpur<br />
Tel: 03-2166 9881<br />
www.taithong.com.my<br />
Operating hours<br />
Monday to Saturday<br />
11.30am to 10.30pm<br />
Sunday and Public Holidays<br />
10.30am to 10.30pm<br />
Shredded Chicken and Mango<br />
served with Sweet Spicy Sauce<br />
Tropical flair in <strong>the</strong> form of tangy mangoes<br />
is added to juicy shreds of steamed chicken.<br />
Add a sweet and spicy sauce and viola! A<br />
kerabu-style concoction that is perfect as a<br />
stand-alone salad dish or added to rice. The<br />
chef’s option of fried mantou buns work<br />
well, dipped into all that tangy, sweet and<br />
sour goodness!<br />
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Clubhouse<br />
Tel: 03-7804 8888 (ext 306/309)<br />
www.tropicanagolf.com<br />
Operating hours<br />
Monday to Friday<br />
7.00am to 12.00am<br />
Saturday to Sunday<br />
7.00am to 8.00pm<br />
Grilled Big River Prawns with<br />
Cheese<br />
Big River Prawns are all <strong>the</strong> rage now.<br />
Succulent, juicy flesh cooked to perfection,<br />
<strong>the</strong>se crustaceans have been given a new<br />
twist. Melted cheese in just <strong>the</strong> right<br />
amount does not drown out <strong>the</strong> sweetness<br />
of <strong>the</strong> prawns. Grilled to perfection, <strong>the</strong><br />
prawns sit majestically on an assortment of<br />
garnish to fur<strong>the</strong>r enhance <strong>the</strong> flavours.<br />
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Clubhouse<br />
Tel: 03-7805 3935<br />
Business hours<br />
11.30am to 3.00pm<br />
5.00pm to 10.30pm<br />
Rabokki<br />
This dish is cooked at <strong>the</strong> table on a hot plate. It is a combination of two<br />
awesomely delicious things: Ramen noodles and teokbokki which are<br />
rice cakes. A sumptuous Korean masterpiece of chewy tteok (rice cakes)<br />
and ramyeon (ramen noodles) in an addictively rich chili sauce topped<br />
with cheese. Classic Korean pickled vegetable or kimchi is thrown in for<br />
a complete delectable fare.<br />
Operating hours<br />
Monday to Sunday<br />
Lunch<br />
11.30am to 3.00pm<br />
Dinner<br />
5.00pm to 10.00pm<br />
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THE DRINKS<br />
Bar<br />
Rumble<br />
Melbourne’s coolest bars will keep <strong>the</strong> light on for you –<br />
well after <strong>the</strong> last tram has gone home.<br />
Words BY muna noor<br />
Melbourne may be better known for its café culture, but perhaps one reason its<br />
denizens rely on great coffee as an essential pick me up is because <strong>the</strong>y have such<br />
terrific bars too. There are plenty of places in Melbourne to tuck into a tipple<br />
while everyone else is tucked in bed. From sleek wine bars, bars upstairs, downstairs and in<br />
laneways, you just need to know where to look.<br />
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THE DRINKS<br />
heartbreaker<br />
<strong>Heart</strong>breaker<br />
If you like a whole lotta rock n roll, <strong>Heart</strong>breaker won’t<br />
disappoint. The anti<strong>the</strong>sis to owner Michael Madrusan’s<br />
first bar, The Everleigh, <strong>Heart</strong>breaker is a dimly lit,<br />
taxidermy-filled den with a jukebox loaded with close<br />
to 100 rock albums <strong>from</strong> 1968 to 1980. Dancing is a<br />
certainty and as such refreshments are a must. Options<br />
include local and American craft beers along with an<br />
enticing selection of whisky, mezcal and tequila – but<br />
<strong>the</strong> real standouts are <strong>the</strong>ir sophisticated cocktails.<br />
Choose <strong>from</strong> a Negroni, a Martini, a Manhattan or an<br />
Old Fashioned. If you like what you imbibe, you can also<br />
take <strong>the</strong>m home. The Everleigh Bottling Co prepares and<br />
packages <strong>the</strong>se timeless cocktails by hand as pre-batched<br />
bottles you can pick up at <strong>the</strong>ir bottle shop, Liquor to Go.<br />
<strong>Heart</strong>breaker, 234a Russell Street, (Lonsdale Corner),<br />
Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000, Australia<br />
heartbreakerbar.com.au<br />
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THE DRINKS<br />
Storyville<br />
StoryVille<br />
Themed around fantasy and fairy tales, enter StoryVille and you will find yourself on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
side of <strong>the</strong> proverbial looking glass down where pages <strong>from</strong> your favourite books have been<br />
magically brought to life. Pull up a seat underneath one of <strong>the</strong> toadstools in <strong>the</strong> Mushroom<br />
Palace and try one of <strong>the</strong> artisan cocktails, which have been inspired by some of <strong>the</strong> most<br />
celebrated pieces of literature, like ‘Mr Pilkington’s Neighbour’, which has been drawn <strong>from</strong><br />
and some of your favourite children’s books, ‘Through The Looking Glass’ stars alcoholic<br />
Vanilla Cream tea served in a teapot with dry ice. And in honour of George Orwell’s Animal<br />
Farm and features pork-chop-fat washed bourbon, apple liqueur and animal crackers.<br />
StoryVille, 185 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia<br />
www.storyvillemelbourne.com.au<br />
<strong>the</strong> carlton<br />
The Carlton<br />
An award-winning venue, The Carlton is several floors<br />
of fun and frivolity. <strong>Start</strong> at <strong>the</strong> hip Hasti Bala bar and<br />
work your way up to its roof top bar, Palmz Deck. Both<br />
are lush jungle hideouts, decorated with curiosities like<br />
stuffed mounted animals and tropical foliage. With its<br />
reputation for unpredictable wea<strong>the</strong>r than can span<br />
all four seasons in one day, you wouldn’t think <strong>the</strong><br />
open-air rooftop would turn into such an attractive<br />
watering hole, but with its retractable roof awnings<br />
and breathtaking views, it’s <strong>the</strong> perfect oasis to escape<br />
<strong>the</strong> concrete jungle and take a walk on <strong>the</strong> wild side.<br />
The Carlton, 193 Bourke Street, Melbourne,<br />
VIC 3000, Australia.<br />
www.<strong>the</strong>carlton.com.au/function-rooms-melbourne<br />
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THE DRINKS<br />
<strong>the</strong> croft institute<br />
The Croft Institute<br />
The first of Melbourne's laneway bars, The Croft Institute wins hands down for<br />
weirdness. Getting <strong>the</strong>re is part of its quirky charm as you’ve got to navigate your<br />
way down Chinatown’s back lanes past colourful streetart. Once inside, prepare to<br />
be creeped out. This eccentric hole-in-<strong>the</strong>-wall is designed to resemble an old school<br />
science lab, and would look straight out of a horror flick weren’t for its good looking<br />
crowd, great music and exceptional drinks. The clinical approach extends to its<br />
cocktails which are served in a syringe, and its toilets or <strong>the</strong> Departments of Male and<br />
Female Hygiene which look unnervingly like hospital examination rooms. It’s all in<br />
good fun though, as <strong>the</strong> staff is friendly and <strong>the</strong> drinks expertly mixed.<br />
The Croft Institute, 21 Croft Alley, Melbourne,<br />
VIC 3000, Australia.<br />
www.<strong>the</strong>croftinstitute.com.au<br />
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harry & frankie<br />
Harry & Frankie<br />
Located in <strong>the</strong> Port Melbourne area of <strong>the</strong> city, Harry<br />
& Frankie is a beautiful wine bar and shop whose<br />
underlying philosophy is to champion <strong>the</strong> pleasure of<br />
a great bottle or glass at every social occasion. With<br />
over 600 wines, beers and ciders to choose <strong>from</strong> you<br />
will never run short of reasons to imbibe. Best when<br />
paired with any number of <strong>the</strong>ir sharing dishes like top<br />
quality charcuterie and cheese or rotation of mains,<br />
bar’s wide cork-inlayed curved ceiling with grape vine<br />
silhouettes, and friendly staff who are able to offer on<strong>the</strong>-money<br />
wine recommendations, conspire to make<br />
this atmospheric place <strong>the</strong> perfect hideout to huddle<br />
up with friends or on your own.<br />
Harry & Frankie, 317 Bay St, Port Melbourne, VIC<br />
3207, Australia.<br />
www.harryandfrankie.com.au<br />
Boilermaker House<br />
Boilermaker House is an industrial yet sophisticated<br />
blues filled temple devoted to all things whisky and craft<br />
beer. In terms of variety and scale it’s hard to match,<br />
with more than 900 whiskies, 50 craft beers including<br />
12 rotating taps and a spectacular cocktail list to sample<br />
<strong>from</strong>. Zero in on its specialty – <strong>the</strong> eponymously named<br />
boilermaker, which is a beer and whisky pairing. Served<br />
on rustic slabs of natural wood in elegant glassware,<br />
each is accompanied by artisanal meats and cheeses to<br />
enhance <strong>the</strong> flavours. The sheer number of drams and<br />
drinks on offer make <strong>the</strong> flavour profile combinations<br />
pretty much limitless, but if a thirst of knowledge<br />
is what you seek, Boilermaker House’s whiskey<br />
masterclasses should not be missed.<br />
<strong>the</strong> everleigh<br />
Boilermaker House 209-211 Lonsdale Street,<br />
Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.<br />
boilermakerhouse.com.au<br />
boilermaker house<br />
The Everleigh<br />
A staple on any respectable world’s best bar awards list, no trip to <strong>the</strong> vibrant city of<br />
Melbourne is complete without a night spent propping up The Everleigh bar. Hid<br />
down a dim-lit hallway behind an American diner, its vibe is of a 1920s American-style<br />
speakeasy with vintage chandeliers, tables ba<strong>the</strong>d in candlelight and old-world wood<br />
paneling walls. This sophisticated spot has a purist approach to mixology and places an<br />
emphasis on classic cocktails. Plump for <strong>the</strong> Honeysuckle, which is a mix of light rum,<br />
lime and a dash of honey; <strong>the</strong> Professor, a potent blend of gin, pomegranate, lime and<br />
a dash of absin<strong>the</strong>; or better yet ask for Bartender’s Choice for a custom-made tipple<br />
especially concocted to match your taste in fresh fruits, flavours and spirits; you can<br />
enjoy yours by <strong>the</strong> bar or in <strong>the</strong>ir private Elk or Starling rooms.<br />
The Everleigh, 156/150 Gertrude St, Melbourne VIC 3065, Australia.<br />
www.<strong>the</strong>everleigh.com<br />
105 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
GAME CHANGER<br />
Soo<br />
Joo<br />
Park<br />
IN<br />
Control<br />
Supermodel Soo Joo Park talks<br />
perfectionism, insomnia and<br />
accidental fame.<br />
Amy Verner/Evening Standard/<br />
<strong>the</strong> interview people<br />
Despite <strong>the</strong> fact that she is this evening<br />
dressed down in skinny jeans and a Stevie<br />
Nicks T-shirt, sporting a messy mop of<br />
peroxide-blonde hair, Soo Joo Park is<br />
still an unmistakeable presence when she<br />
glides into <strong>the</strong> lobby bar of Paris’s glamorous Le<br />
Roch hotel, near <strong>the</strong> Place Vendôme. But if even<br />
off-duty she seems to exude an outward air of<br />
confidence, in person she is unassuming.<br />
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getty images<br />
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GAME CHANGER<br />
getty images<br />
“I’m a horrible<br />
perfectionist. I’m<br />
almost never happy<br />
with anything I do,<br />
100 per cent.”<br />
“I was worried, I was in <strong>the</strong><br />
car and I was like, “Do you have<br />
any powder?”” she says, when I<br />
make a (positive) comment about<br />
her complexion. “There are little<br />
breakouts. I’m wearing a little bit of<br />
make-up right now but underneath<br />
are very dark under-eye circles…<br />
I was thinking I wasn’t looking so<br />
normal.”<br />
While she does not exhibit <strong>the</strong> same self-assuredness<br />
as a Kate, Naomi or Christy might do, Park has still<br />
managed to follow <strong>the</strong>m into mononym status. And<br />
though <strong>the</strong> Korean-American supermodel may not have<br />
been around for as long, she’s a regular on <strong>the</strong> Chanel<br />
catwalk, and has been an agent of change in <strong>the</strong> beauty<br />
world as <strong>the</strong> first Asian model to land a multi-million<br />
dollar contract with L’Oréal.<br />
It’s thanks to Chanel that we’re meeting today. Park<br />
counts <strong>the</strong> house’s creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, as one<br />
of her greatest supporters and has spent <strong>the</strong> day shooting<br />
at <strong>the</strong> grand Château de Vaugien, south-west of Paris,<br />
clad in <strong>the</strong> fashion house’s latest couture collection; all<br />
flamboyant frothy gowns and pastel-hued tweeds.<br />
This is a world in which Park is now in control.<br />
Millennial models such as <strong>the</strong> Hadid sisters and Kendall<br />
Jenner might have had to walk in show after show this<br />
year alone, but Park, 31, can decide how busy she wants<br />
to be — partly because “I’m a horrible perfectionist. I’m<br />
almost never happy with anything I do, 100 per cent.”<br />
Compared with previous seasons, this most recent month<br />
of ready-to-wear shows was a breeze; aside <strong>from</strong> appearing<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Baja East presentation in New York she only<br />
walked <strong>the</strong> Chanel show with its unforgettable simulated<br />
rocket launch within <strong>the</strong> Grand Palais.<br />
The trade-off of such success is that she has outgrown<br />
<strong>the</strong> desirable niche of newness. “Even though <strong>the</strong>re are a<br />
more diverse group of [models], you still are categorised<br />
as a person into a certain type; and a lot of <strong>the</strong> time, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
want something new. I had my time, <strong>the</strong> blonde hair was<br />
new and refreshing to <strong>the</strong> scene at that point,” she says,<br />
matter-of-factly.<br />
In many ways she still doesn’t fit <strong>the</strong> traditional<br />
model mould. The industry might give <strong>the</strong> impression of<br />
pursuing greater diversity but she remains among a small<br />
group of internationally known, in-demand Asian models<br />
that include Liu Wen and Fernanda Ly. Unsurprisingly,<br />
models.com has ranked her one of its ‘Money Girls’, a<br />
benchmark of <strong>the</strong> size and quality of her contracts. This<br />
puts her in <strong>the</strong> company of <strong>the</strong> ‘new supers’ such as Karlie<br />
Kloss, Cara Delevingne and Joan Smalls.<br />
Park made history in 2015 as L’Oréal’s first Asian-<br />
American spokesmodel (<strong>the</strong> French beauty behemoth<br />
dates back to 1909) and she is <strong>the</strong> face of Redken, making<br />
her <strong>the</strong> first Asian-American to front two large beauty<br />
brands. Her hair happens to be a pearly shade of white,<br />
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gAME CHANGER<br />
getty images<br />
109 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
GAME CHANGER<br />
Soo Joo Park seen in <strong>the</strong><br />
streets of Paris after<br />
<strong>the</strong> Chanel Fashion Show<br />
during Haute Couture<br />
Fashion Week on <strong>Jan</strong>uary<br />
24, 2017 in Paris, France.<br />
“I was flying <strong>from</strong> one place to<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r, and every successful<br />
model has to learn how to<br />
cope with that; mine was even<br />
worse because I just get too in<br />
my head. It takes a lot for me<br />
to just kind of pat myself on<br />
<strong>the</strong> back.”<br />
which defines her <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> above group, imbuing her<br />
with a non-conformist edge. Only after dyeing her<br />
hair did she end up on Chanel’s radar thanks to former<br />
French Vogue editor-in-chief, Carine Roitfeld. The<br />
bleaching takes its toll to be sure, but it has helped<br />
maintain her visibility. And Park is unlikely to run<br />
out of defining moments soon. The current issue of<br />
W Korea features three covers of her shot by three<br />
top Korean photographers; unbelievably, this is <strong>the</strong><br />
first time <strong>the</strong> magazine has devoted <strong>the</strong> cover to a<br />
single Korean model. She realises all <strong>the</strong>se firsts have<br />
a cumulative effect. “It means something more and<br />
more,” she explains. “And that, in a way, shows who I am<br />
in this industry, especially because it’s an opportunity<br />
for me to kind of make my culture; and I am.”<br />
Interestingly, modelling was an accidental career<br />
for Park. She grew up in Seoul until <strong>the</strong> age of 10 when<br />
her family moved to California. Before fashion, she had<br />
studied architecture at <strong>the</strong> University of California,<br />
Berkeley (she can wax poetic about Bauhaus and Mies<br />
van der Rohe). She is also a keen linguist: “I speak<br />
Korean and English fluently. I picked up French when<br />
I was studying in high school [and] speak a tiny bit of<br />
Japanese, because it’s very similar to Korean.”<br />
It was in 2010 that she was first scouted in a vintage<br />
shop in <strong>the</strong> Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.<br />
She recalls a woman approaching her with questions<br />
about her height and age. Upon learning that Park was<br />
23 at <strong>the</strong> time she apparently said, “You’re a lot older<br />
than I thought.” Park’s reaction: “What a terrible thing<br />
to say.”<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> 110
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getty images<br />
111 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
GAME CHANGER<br />
Was <strong>the</strong>re ever any resistance <strong>from</strong> her<br />
parents over dropping out of university and<br />
pursuing modelling? “They’re very proud of<br />
me. At <strong>the</strong> same time, I think as parents, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
worry about <strong>the</strong> next step, because modelling<br />
isn’t a lifetime thing for most people.” This<br />
might be why she hasn’t, she says, missed a<br />
single Chanel show since she started. When<br />
Lagerfeld presented his Resort 2016 offering in<br />
Seoul, Park opened <strong>the</strong> show and took <strong>the</strong> final<br />
loop with <strong>the</strong> designer and his godson, Hudson<br />
Kroenig.<br />
Spending time in a lower register —<br />
listening to music, watching Netflix or<br />
practising meditation — is critical to staying<br />
equalised, Park insists. She’s swapped <strong>the</strong> West<br />
Coast for New York and is currently based in<br />
trendy Bushwick while she has her apartment<br />
in <strong>the</strong> East Village renovated.<br />
At one point, she says that she was<br />
experiencing severe insomnia — an<br />
occupational hazard primarily, but also because<br />
she says she has a tendency to get caught up in<br />
her own thoughts. “I was flying <strong>from</strong> one place<br />
to ano<strong>the</strong>r, and every successful model has to<br />
learn how to cope with that; mine was even<br />
worse because I just get too in my head.” She<br />
admits that her perfectionism doesn’t help: “It<br />
takes a lot for me to just kind of pat myself on<br />
<strong>the</strong> back.”<br />
Enter meditation, kundalini yoga and<br />
breathing exercises, which complement her<br />
fitness routine that includes kickboxing and<br />
floor exercises with a trainer friend who owns<br />
Rumble Boxing in New York. “I’m trying to<br />
diversify my regime,” she says, citing regular<br />
facials and massages as additional essentials.<br />
“I’m more low-maintenance than most people,”<br />
she says, before clarifying, “Not most people —<br />
most models, I guess.”<br />
Indeed, <strong>the</strong>re is a grounded nonchalance<br />
in her attitude, which she chalks up to having<br />
a sense of who she was before she began. “This<br />
industry can make you very disillusioned,<br />
but I started later so I think I was able to kind<br />
of forge who I was a little bit more. I also<br />
have really good people around me whom<br />
I love.” This group includes her boyfriend,<br />
photographer Jack Waterlot, and an architect<br />
university friend who is currently overseeing<br />
works on <strong>the</strong> East Village flat. “It’s going to<br />
be sick,” she enthuses, naming Paris architect<br />
Joseph Dirand as inspiration. Certainly, for<br />
someone who is fast becoming a global fashion<br />
icon, a sanctuary-type home feels as much like a<br />
necessity as an indulgence.<br />
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112
THE DRIVE<br />
ADVERTORIAL<br />
PEUGEOT 3008 SUV:<br />
THE BEST HAS ARRIVED<br />
Discover <strong>the</strong> not-so-humble offerings of <strong>the</strong> new SUV<br />
that’s taking <strong>the</strong> urban driving experience to a whole<br />
new level.<br />
The elegant curves and dominant features of <strong>the</strong> new<br />
Peugeot 3008 give it a bit more edge. Grilles, bonnets<br />
and windows trimmed with chrome, and new full LED<br />
headlights lend itself to <strong>the</strong> overall allure of <strong>the</strong> cars allnew<br />
bold styling. The car comes with a choice of two<br />
trim levels of Active and Allure.<br />
Complementing <strong>the</strong> bold styling is <strong>the</strong> technologydriven<br />
new Peugeot i-Cockpit complete with 8.0”<br />
capacitive touchscreen, configurable 12.3” head-up<br />
digital display instrument panel, a compact steering<br />
wheel featuring integrated controls and an electronic<br />
automatic transmission control system.<br />
With a lighter chassis, BlueHDi and award-winning<br />
PureTech petrol engines and EAT6 automatic gearbox,<br />
this set of wheels uses more environmentally-efficient<br />
technologies without compromising on comfort for both<br />
driver and passengers. In addition to this, <strong>the</strong> Peugeot<br />
3008 also comes with a 3D Connected Navigation<br />
system, smartphone charging plate, electric tailgate and<br />
a panoramic glass sunroof.<br />
The Peugeot 3008 with autonomous driving, offers <strong>the</strong><br />
options of Lane keeping technologies and AEBS, reversing<br />
cameras, automatic headlights, Hill Assist Descent Control<br />
and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop function.<br />
The comfort element has been taken to new levels<br />
in <strong>the</strong> new Peugeot 3008 with front seats producing<br />
heightened sensations of comfort and support. There is<br />
even a multi-point massage function making long drives a<br />
lot less tiresome. Backseats can be folded completely flat<br />
offering a large space to lug your cargo despite previous<br />
space constraints. Even <strong>the</strong> boot is stylised to two height<br />
levels, with a standard flush against <strong>the</strong> boot entry and<br />
<strong>the</strong> slightly deeper to accommodate larger items.<br />
The entertainment system gets bolstered with FOCAL<br />
Premium HIFI speaker systems with a whopping ten<br />
speakers throughout <strong>the</strong> car! The Apply CarPlay and<br />
Android Auto integration, a standard feature on allmodels,<br />
offers <strong>the</strong> ‘plug-in-and-play’ function with your<br />
smartphone.<br />
With state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art capabilities, it’s no wonder <strong>the</strong><br />
Peugeot 3008 SUV clinched top accolades as Car Of The<br />
Year 2017. Selling <strong>from</strong> RM142,888, this SUV is in a class<br />
of its own, making every turn on <strong>the</strong> road an adventure.<br />
CONTACT PEUGEOT CARELINE: 1-800-88-6292<br />
FOR YOUR SALES AND SERVICES INQUIRIES<br />
113 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE DRIVE<br />
Run with <strong>the</strong> horses<br />
In Italy, no trip would be<br />
complete without a trip to <strong>the</strong><br />
Ferrari Museum. There are<br />
two, in Modeno and Maranello,<br />
and both are amongst <strong>the</strong><br />
most visited in Italy, attracting<br />
petrolheads and fans of <strong>the</strong><br />
prancing horse brand.<br />
The stunning Museo Enzo<br />
Ferrari in Modeno, which<br />
combines a futuristic 2,500<br />
square metre main pavilion<br />
with <strong>the</strong> meticulously restored<br />
workshop of Enzo Ferari’s<br />
fa<strong>the</strong>r – now <strong>the</strong> Ferrari<br />
Engines Museum – recorded<br />
a record numbers of vistors in<br />
2017.<br />
The Ferrari Museum in<br />
Maranello has also taken in<br />
growing ticket sales thanks to<br />
its “Rosso Infinito” (‘Infinite<br />
Red’) exhibition and “Under <strong>the</strong><br />
Skin” exhibit, which has now<br />
been transferred to <strong>the</strong> Design<br />
Museum in London, and will<br />
run up until 15 April <strong>2018</strong>. If<br />
that’s <strong>the</strong> stuff that gets your<br />
engine gunning, <strong>the</strong>n get in<br />
gear and go.<br />
More at www.ferrari.com<br />
The Maserati Levante S<br />
powers into <strong>the</strong> Malaysian<br />
SUV market<br />
Naza Italia, <strong>the</strong> official importer and distributor<br />
for Maserati in Malaysia, has officially<br />
introduced <strong>the</strong> Maserati Levante S. Maserati’s<br />
first SUV.<br />
It features an array of hi-tech features that<br />
inject extra power and performance into an<br />
already impressive luxury SUV. Among <strong>the</strong>m<br />
are Electric Power Steering and Advanced<br />
Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) with active<br />
functions like Highway Assist, Lane Keeping<br />
Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist and Traffic Sign<br />
Recognition.<br />
Featuring four drive modes: Normal, ICE,<br />
Sport and Off-road, <strong>the</strong> Levante S accelerates<br />
<strong>from</strong> 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and has a<br />
top speed of 264 km/h, without a loss of fuel<br />
efficiency at 10.9 l/100 km.<br />
Officiating <strong>the</strong> launch at Desa Park City in<br />
Kuala Lumpur was Datuk Wira Hj SM Faisal<br />
Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Group Executive<br />
Chairman of Naza World Group of Companies,<br />
who said, “The petrol-powered Levante S has<br />
been eagerly awaited and will no doubt be<br />
a popular new addition to Malaysia’s luxury<br />
automotive market.”<br />
Displaying unparalleled agility and stability<br />
thanks to low centre of gravity and streamline<br />
shape, <strong>the</strong> Levant S’ spacious interior allows for<br />
five people to be seated comfortably, and comes<br />
in two distinct trim options.<br />
The GranLusso trim features metallic-finish<br />
front skid plates and roof rails, black-painted<br />
brake calipers, 19” Zefiro alloy wheels, and a<br />
cabin with a choice of Ermenegildo Zegna silk or<br />
full premium Italian upholstery.<br />
The Levante S GranSport stands out for its<br />
Piano Black front grille, skid plates and roof<br />
rails, red brake calipers, 20” Nereo wheels and<br />
will have a sport steering wheel with standard<br />
gearshift paddles and power-adjustable Inox<br />
sport pedals inside.<br />
Prices start at RM788,800 inclusive of local<br />
taxes and duties, and includes 3 years Standard<br />
Warranty coverage with no mileage restriction<br />
plus a *Maserati Premium Service Plus of 3<br />
years/ 60,000km, whichever comes first.<br />
More at @maserati.malaysia (Instagram) and<br />
www.facebook/maserati.malaysia<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
114
THE DRIVE<br />
When it comes to driving, one of <strong>the</strong> most difficult conditions to deal<br />
with is snow and ice. All-wheel drive and winter tyres are only one<br />
part of <strong>the</strong> equation when trying to overcome this.<br />
Words by<br />
Aswan Yap<br />
f you’ve ever travelled far enough north during <strong>the</strong> winter<br />
months, chances are you were treated to beautiful snow-covered<br />
sceneries and frozen lakes. It’s picturesque, no doubt, but <strong>the</strong><br />
same snow and ice that looks beautiful on a postcard can be<br />
incredibly treacherous when you’re behind <strong>the</strong> wheel. Advances<br />
in both car and tyre technology have helped a great deal with<br />
making it both easier and safer to drive in <strong>the</strong>se conditions —<br />
but more important than all of that is <strong>the</strong> training that drivers go through to<br />
better prepare <strong>the</strong>m for <strong>the</strong> challenge of winter driving.<br />
All <strong>the</strong> technology in <strong>the</strong> world can’t fight <strong>the</strong> laws of physics. In parts of<br />
Europe where snowfall is particularly heavy for a significant portion of <strong>the</strong><br />
year, <strong>the</strong> learning period for a license is far longer as well as far more intensive<br />
in nature, with <strong>the</strong> aim of teaching new drivers <strong>the</strong> basics of car control.<br />
Beyond that, <strong>the</strong> need to deal with <strong>the</strong>se harsh conditions repeatedly, year by<br />
year, helps ingrain <strong>the</strong> techniques and skills required in <strong>the</strong> memory.<br />
During one of our recent trips to Sweden we had <strong>the</strong> pleasure of being<br />
chauffeured by, of all people, a nineteen-year-old girl. She was piloting a bulky<br />
Volvo XC90 SUV, running guests between a ski resort and a restaurant out in<br />
<strong>the</strong> countryside — and all of this in <strong>the</strong> dead of night with hardly a streetlight<br />
to guide her way. The way she tackled <strong>the</strong> iced-over roads running through<br />
<strong>the</strong> mountains, reacting to loss of traction and grip in such a calm, controlled<br />
manner — it would make even a seasoned driver green with envy.<br />
This teenage girl wasn’t an exception ei<strong>the</strong>r, at least around that part of<br />
Sweden. It is common for college kids to have to commute great distances,<br />
ei<strong>the</strong>r to get to class or work, and in <strong>the</strong> winter months, <strong>the</strong>y simply have<br />
to adapt to <strong>the</strong> change in conditions. Admittedly, newer, more modern cars<br />
tend to have more technology that helps with keeping <strong>the</strong> car stable, but not<br />
everyone has access to a new, modern car when <strong>the</strong> snow starts to fall.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
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THE DRIVE<br />
Volvo V90 Cross Country<br />
117 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE DRIVE<br />
Arguably, it is more <strong>the</strong> European auto<br />
manufacturers that take a significant interest in winter<br />
driving. BMW, for example, introduced all-wheel drive<br />
on <strong>the</strong>ir 3 Series and 5 Series models as far back as <strong>the</strong><br />
1980s. This was less known at <strong>the</strong> time, as <strong>the</strong> company<br />
had more of a reputation for front-engine, rear-wheel<br />
drive sports sedans — and yet it was still a necessary<br />
marketing decision to help make <strong>the</strong>ir cars more<br />
appealing in a wider range of markets. Granted that<br />
system has been developed and improved a great deal<br />
since <strong>the</strong>n, eventually becoming <strong>the</strong> xDrive system you<br />
see on modern BMW SUVs.<br />
Audi was a little different with <strong>the</strong>ir approach. Their<br />
participation in rally, culminating <strong>the</strong> era<br />
of Group B, resulted in <strong>the</strong> original Audi<br />
Quattro; it was an incredible car, albeit<br />
running a primitive four-wheel drive<br />
system (Note Not all-wheel drive. The<br />
distinction between four-wheel drive and<br />
all-wheel drive is <strong>the</strong> latter can adjust how<br />
torque is distributed). This system was<br />
refined over <strong>the</strong> years, with <strong>the</strong> inclusion<br />
of electronic systems and torque biasing<br />
that made it <strong>the</strong> highly adaptive, effective<br />
all-wheel drive system you see today.<br />
But what is really surprising is<br />
Volvo. Despite hailing <strong>from</strong> a country<br />
that experiences snowfall on a regular<br />
basis, Volvo was not too fussed about<br />
adopting all-wheel drive systems. Their<br />
cars were initially rear-wheel drive<br />
through <strong>the</strong> 1970s, transitioning to<br />
front-wheel drive later on as front-wheel<br />
drive made for a safer chassis design and was easier to<br />
drive in slippery conditions. While <strong>the</strong>ir SUV models are<br />
now primarily equipped with all-wheel drive, <strong>the</strong>y were<br />
more a pre-requisite for markets where SUVs are taken<br />
off <strong>the</strong> beaten path.<br />
Perhaps Volvo’s approach was most indicative of<br />
Swedish mentality and mindset — <strong>the</strong>y did not need<br />
all-wheel drive to get through difficult conditions, even<br />
though it would be a great help. Their focus was on driver<br />
development itself, and <strong>the</strong> average Swede can handle<br />
a bit of snow regardless of what car <strong>the</strong>y’re driving. But<br />
<strong>the</strong> question remains: If you don’t happen to be born in<br />
a country with icy roads or have years of experience, how<br />
do you get up to speed?<br />
"The first step to<br />
learning how to<br />
drive on ice and snow<br />
is overcoming <strong>the</strong><br />
fear of a loss of grip<br />
because even with<br />
studded winter tyres<br />
<strong>the</strong>re will be moments<br />
when <strong>the</strong> car is going<br />
to break traction."<br />
The answer lies in driver training programmes. BMW is<br />
<strong>the</strong> most prominent of <strong>the</strong> lot, with driver training courses<br />
that cover multiple aspects of driving. The more traditional<br />
courses focus on accident avoidance and reactions,<br />
eventually pushing participants up to track driving and high<br />
speed car control if <strong>the</strong>y choose to stick with <strong>the</strong> programme.<br />
But <strong>the</strong>re are particular subsets, such as <strong>the</strong>ir Ice Driving<br />
programme and off-road courses that train participants in<br />
<strong>the</strong> various skills necessary to navigate treacherous terrain.<br />
Porsche also offers an ice driving experience, although it<br />
is far less regimented or restrictive in nature. Unlike BMW’s<br />
courses which are structured and require participants to<br />
progress through each level, Porsche opens it up to anyone<br />
willing to put money down and pay for a flight<br />
ticket out. Arguably, <strong>the</strong> skills that Porsche<br />
offers are also a little less relevant in <strong>the</strong> real<br />
world, but it is more an experience than a<br />
training course after all.<br />
One would expect Audi to focus on driver<br />
training as well — especially since <strong>the</strong>y proudly<br />
display <strong>the</strong>ir Quattro models at multiple<br />
airports around Europe during <strong>the</strong> winter<br />
months — but again <strong>the</strong>y provide more of an<br />
experience than an actual learning course.<br />
Participants have a chance to throw a fleet of<br />
Audi Quattro models around manufactured<br />
tracks on frozen lakes, although <strong>the</strong> instruction<br />
is a little less closely monitored.<br />
But what all of <strong>the</strong>se programmes achieve,<br />
at <strong>the</strong> very least, is <strong>the</strong> ability to get drivers<br />
accustomed to <strong>the</strong> feeling of low grip conditions.<br />
The first step to learning how to drive on ice<br />
and snow is overcoming <strong>the</strong> fear of a loss of grip,<br />
because <strong>the</strong> reality is that even with studded winter tyres<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are going to be moments when <strong>the</strong> car is going to break<br />
traction. Uneven road surfaces and transitions between snow<br />
(slightly slippery) to ice (extremely slippery) can mean <strong>the</strong> car<br />
will unsettle itself as you drive along even at a leisurely pace,<br />
and so it is important not to panic.<br />
The next step is to understand how throttle and steering<br />
inputs affect <strong>the</strong> behaviour of <strong>the</strong> car. Most drivers will<br />
already understand that driving on slippery surfaces means<br />
slowing down, but it is also how <strong>the</strong>y accelerate and steer that<br />
affects how a car manoeuvres through bends and corners.<br />
A little too much steering might throw <strong>the</strong> car into a spin,<br />
while too much throttle may cause <strong>the</strong> car to lose front end<br />
grip and drive it into a snow back — or worse, a tree.<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
118
THE DRIVE<br />
<strong>the</strong> BMW Driving<br />
Experience intensifies<br />
with a close partnership<br />
with training venues in<br />
Ötztal and Pitztal<br />
119 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE DRIVE<br />
911 turbo s porsche driving experience<br />
ice force levi finland 2015 porsche ag 1<br />
neel jani 918 spyder porsche driving<br />
experience levi finland 2015 porsche ag<br />
Beyond that, it is a matter of vision and<br />
understanding how to control <strong>the</strong> car once you drive<br />
beyond <strong>the</strong> limit of grip — keeping your head up and<br />
looking in <strong>the</strong> direction you want to go, and steering in<br />
that direction. Of course, all of this is easier said than<br />
done but this is also difficult to understand until you are<br />
in <strong>the</strong> situation yourself. Ultimately, nothing beats seat<br />
time and practice in <strong>the</strong>se conditions.<br />
If you are truly interested in trying ice driving for<br />
yourself, it would be worth your money to book a flight<br />
out to Sweden during <strong>the</strong> winter months and sign up for<br />
one of <strong>the</strong> many ice driving programmes. When <strong>the</strong> lakes<br />
freeze over, <strong>the</strong>re are usually outfits that set up courses<br />
to teach drivers how to handle <strong>the</strong>se tricky conditions<br />
— and <strong>the</strong>re’s no safer place to pirouette around in an<br />
out-of-control slide than an empty frozen lake. If you’re<br />
<strong>the</strong> kind of person who enjoys driving, it’s definitely <strong>the</strong><br />
experience of a lifetime.<br />
"<strong>the</strong>re’s no safer place<br />
to pirouette around<br />
in an out-of-control<br />
slide than an empty<br />
frozen lake."<br />
TM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
120
THE DRIVE<br />
121 JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE VACATION | NEWS<br />
Heaven in Hua Hin<br />
Historically <strong>the</strong> stomping ground of <strong>the</strong><br />
Thai Royal family, Thailand’s blissful<br />
seaside town of Hua Hin, just two hours<br />
south of Bangkok, welcomed <strong>the</strong> opening<br />
of AVANI Hua Hin Resort and Villas. The<br />
resort’s 196 guest rooms, villas and suites<br />
spread out across lush gardens that connect<br />
to a large lagoon pool. Guests can choose<br />
<strong>from</strong> seaside excursions in <strong>the</strong> local area,<br />
food market tours and an AVANIKIDS<br />
club for family-friendly activities in this<br />
tranquil beach paradise.<br />
WORDS by tania jayathilaka<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
122
NEWS | THE VACATION<br />
Yes to Yachts<br />
Get ready for a dazzling display of<br />
maritime luxury with <strong>the</strong> third edition of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Thailand Yacht Show, set to take place<br />
this 22 to 25 <strong>Feb</strong>ruary at <strong>the</strong> gorgeous Ao<br />
Po Grand Marina close to <strong>the</strong> stunning<br />
cerulean Phang Nga Bay, Phuket. The<br />
show will present a chance for potential<br />
buyers and charterers to climb aboard<br />
and try a wide range of watercrafts like<br />
sailboats, dinghies, tenders, day-cruisers,<br />
and a stunning variety of superyachts<br />
and regional debuts amidst upscale social<br />
events and o<strong>the</strong>r exclusive experiences.<br />
Decked Out<br />
An unbeatable view of Hong Kong’s<br />
glistening Victoria Harbour is now<br />
within easy reach of travellers visiting<br />
<strong>the</strong> country’s largest shopping<br />
complex Harbour City, thanks to<br />
its newly opened Ocean Terminal<br />
Deck. This free-of-charge rooftop<br />
observation deck overlooks Hong<br />
Kong Island, Kowloon up north, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> harbour, said to be <strong>the</strong> ideal spot<br />
<strong>from</strong> which to enjoy Hong Kong’s<br />
sunset view.<br />
123 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE VACATION<br />
Sunset, Twilight, Dusk,<br />
Hong Kong, China<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
124
THE VACATION<br />
48 Hours In<br />
Hong<br />
Kong<br />
Enjoy home comforts, fine dining and<br />
designer discounts in Eastern Asia.<br />
Words by<br />
Cynthia Rosenfeld/London Evening Standard/<br />
The Interview People<br />
125 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE VACATION<br />
Pyeongchang, South Korea<br />
Ra<strong>the</strong>r than stamp out a start-up spirit, recordsetting<br />
commercial rents in Hong Kong’s wellestablished<br />
neighbourhoods — Central, Wan Chai<br />
and Sheung Wan among <strong>the</strong>m — have inspired<br />
an unprecedented sprawl towards this polyglot<br />
island’s four cardinal points.<br />
One headed south to eat <strong>the</strong> day’s catch around Aberdeen<br />
Harbour, a natural typhoon shelter still home to a dwindling<br />
community of Tanka and Hoklo boat-dwellers. Then came<br />
Wong Chuk Hang, a ‘go down’ or warehouse district of<br />
wholesale food distributors, car mechanics and Chinese<br />
furniture-makers-turned-breeding-ground for space-seeking<br />
art galleries and o<strong>the</strong>r creative enterprises; a mass transit<br />
station is now planned for late 2016.<br />
To help first-timers ferret out <strong>the</strong>se often-unmarked<br />
addresses, pioneers formed <strong>the</strong> South Island Cultural District<br />
(sicd.com.hk). The nearly two-dozen-strong, mostly gallery<br />
members scattered around Wong Chuk Hang and <strong>the</strong><br />
neighbouring former fishing villages of Ap Lei Chau and Tin<br />
Wan regularly host art walks and sponsor shuttle buses <strong>from</strong><br />
Wan Chai on <strong>the</strong> Victoria Harbour waterfront. During <strong>the</strong><br />
day around Wong Chuk Hang, named after Aberdeen’s main<br />
thoroughfare, watch for pencil-thin glamazons navigating<br />
<strong>the</strong>se still gritty sidewalks in this season’s stilettos. They’ll<br />
be heading to One Island South, Hong Kong’s fashion<br />
headquarters, after lunching — gluten-free — at <strong>the</strong> array<br />
of eateries hidden within Wong Chuk Hang’s deceptively<br />
dilapidated edifices.<br />
Bed down: Industrial chic with home<br />
comforts<br />
Luring international art lovers to abandon <strong>the</strong>ir hotel<br />
loyalty point tallies, and locals to head south, Ovolo<br />
Southside’s (64 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen; 00 852<br />
3460 8100; ovolohotels.com; doubles <strong>from</strong> £120) 162 pareddown<br />
guestrooms balance backdrops of exposed pipes and<br />
raw brick with creature comforts including puffed-up beds,<br />
powerful rain showers and cosy couches angled towards <strong>the</strong><br />
South China Sea. Cool-kid concierges are on hand to lead<br />
guests past loading docks and up industrial elevators to<br />
invitation-only pop-ups and a handful of Hong Kong’s top<br />
private kitchens.<br />
Some of <strong>the</strong> best Wong Chuk Hang meals, however, can<br />
be had in-house, starting with <strong>the</strong> tapas menu at <strong>the</strong> hotel’s<br />
23rd floor rooftop lounge, where happy hour cocktails run a<br />
very reasonable HKD$150 (£13) and include complimentary<br />
bites <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> kitchen. The hotel’s restaurant, Cirqle, is<br />
home to one of Hong Kong’s best burgers as well as higherbrow<br />
dishes such as Lebanese goat’s cheese and fig salad,<br />
and seared Saltbush lamb chops with orzo tzatziki in shallot<br />
salsa. Fur<strong>the</strong>r freebies include citywide Wi-Fi, an all-day<br />
snack buffet featuring bottomless jars of homemade cookies,<br />
flexible checkout and DIY laundry.<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
126
THE VACATION<br />
“During <strong>the</strong> day around<br />
Wong Chuk Hang, named<br />
after Aberdeen’s main<br />
thoroughfare, watch for<br />
pencil-thin glamazons<br />
navigating <strong>the</strong>se still gritty<br />
sidewalks in this season’s<br />
stilettos.”<br />
Fed and watered: Prime cuts, fine dining<br />
and super juices<br />
Vegetarians you’ve been warned; Butchers’ Club (13/F Sun<br />
Ying Industrial Centre, 9 Tin Wan Close, Tin Wan; 00<br />
852 2552 8281; <strong>the</strong>butchers.club; three-course set menus<br />
HK$550/£46) doesn’t deviate <strong>from</strong> its name. Credited with<br />
introducing dry-aged beef to Hong Kong, owner Jonathan<br />
Glover has spawned a mini-empire around Hong Kong<br />
Island with a New York-style deli and burger joint. However,<br />
it’s this artisan butcher shop-turned-after-dark-privatekitchen<br />
for up to 18 that draws plaudits, as much for <strong>the</strong><br />
succulent cuts (and duck-fat fries) as for <strong>the</strong> free-flowing<br />
chats with <strong>the</strong> butcher and chef.<br />
At Culinart (40 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen; 00<br />
852 2580 0919; culinart.com.hk) a hard-to-book private<br />
kitchen for eight to 24 diners, Chinese-German chef Stanley<br />
Wong’s artful dishes taste as beautiful as <strong>the</strong>y look, and <strong>the</strong>re<br />
is plenty to admire on <strong>the</strong> monthly seven-course tasting<br />
menu (HK$1,200/£100) in which white asparagus dappled<br />
with chives and herring roe prep appetites for barramundi<br />
sashimi with pickled watermelon, rhubarb gazpacho and<br />
roasted black cod with turmeric kombucha.<br />
Take <strong>the</strong> lift up to 3/3rds (6 Yip Fat Street 00 852<br />
3462 2951; three-3rds.com; mains <strong>from</strong> HK$90/£8), an<br />
industrial furniture showroom that’s also an eatery with<br />
exposed everything, plus compelling views through <strong>the</strong><br />
wall of windows to Aberdeen Harbour. What <strong>the</strong> owners<br />
save on rent goes into high-quality imported and organic<br />
ingredients in <strong>the</strong> rice paper-thin pizzas, inventive salads<br />
and delicious homemade desserts.<br />
At Mum Veggie + Coffee + Sweet (One Island South,<br />
Aberdeen; mum-hk.com) morning yoga classes inside this<br />
polished concrete, stone-walled enclave give way to some of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Southside’s healthiest cuisine. After a Super C juice with<br />
freshly squeezed oranges, apples and lemons (HK$34/£3)<br />
tuck into crispy burdock root salad with carrots, bean<br />
sprouts and salad leaves. It’s filling but not so much that one<br />
has to forgo vegan banana cake or tofu brownie (mains <strong>from</strong><br />
HK$50/£4.20).<br />
127 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE VACATION<br />
interior of Lane Crawford<br />
store. Lane Crawford is<br />
a retail company with<br />
specialty stores selling<br />
designer label luxury<br />
goods in Hong Kong<br />
istockphoto<br />
Prada boutique,<br />
hong kong<br />
In <strong>the</strong> bag: Designer discounts<br />
Ask your hotel concierge to put you on <strong>the</strong> list for any<br />
private sales that may be taking place among <strong>the</strong> showrooms<br />
at One Island South, where fashion doyenne Joyce holds<br />
regular friends and family sales at her seventh floor<br />
showroom, rightly famous for its 75 per cent discounts.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rwise, head fur<strong>the</strong>r south to Horizon Plaza (2 Lee<br />
Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, 00 852 2554 9089), a veritable hub<br />
of markdowns. Regulars know to start <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> top, on <strong>the</strong><br />
27th floor, where prices at <strong>the</strong> Marni outlet dip at least 50 per<br />
cent below retail.<br />
Two floors down, <strong>the</strong> Lane Crawford outlet is a minefield<br />
of European designer finds for those willing to pick through<br />
<strong>the</strong> scattered piles while <strong>the</strong> more organised Ralph Lauren on<br />
<strong>the</strong> 18th floor offers an edited selection of men’s, women’s<br />
and children’s frocks <strong>from</strong> recent seasons. Die-hard discount<br />
shoppers continue on to <strong>the</strong> Prada Outlet, above a wet<br />
market (Marina Square, South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau; 00<br />
852 2814 9576).<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
128
THE VACATION<br />
“At Art Statements, modern<br />
Asian art pioneer Dominique<br />
Perregaux’s roster ranges <strong>from</strong><br />
Salvador Dali and American<br />
graffiti artist JonOne to<br />
‘outsider’ Chinese photographer<br />
Weng Fen and <strong>the</strong> nostalgic<br />
Japanese kitsch of Yuichi Sugai.”<br />
Cultural agenda: Industrial art<br />
Though undeniably industrial, Wong Chuk Hang and its<br />
satellites Tin Hau and Ap Lei Chau are easily navigable on<br />
foot, so download <strong>the</strong> SCID map (sicd.com.hk/map.html)<br />
<strong>the</strong>n seek out two of <strong>the</strong> district’s top art spaces.<br />
At Spring Workshop (Remex Centre, 42 Wong Chuk<br />
Hang Road; 00 852 2110 4370; springworkshop.org), expat<br />
dynamo Mimi Brown helms a pioneering yet inviting<br />
not-for-profit artists’ residency, with multiple studios for<br />
visiting artists, a cavernous exhibition space plus open<br />
kitchens and outdoor terraces.<br />
At Art Statements (Gee Chang Hong Centre, Factory D,<br />
65 Wong Chuk Hang Road; 00 852 2696 2300; artstatements.<br />
com), modern Asian art pioneer Dominique Perregaux’s<br />
roster ranges <strong>from</strong> Salvador Dali and American graffiti<br />
artist JonOne to ‘outsider’ Chinese photographer Weng Fen<br />
and <strong>the</strong> nostalgic Japanese kitsch of Yuichi Sugai.<br />
Spring Workshop at<br />
wong chuk hang road<br />
3/3rds’ high quality<br />
and organic fare<br />
129 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OFFICES<br />
TROPICANA MANAGEMENT<br />
SERVICES SDN BHD (TMS)<br />
Property Management Office<br />
CASA INDAH 1<br />
CONDOMINIUMS<br />
Property Management Office<br />
MERCHANT SQUARE<br />
BUSINE SS PARK<br />
Property Management Office<br />
CASA KIARA 2<br />
CONDOMINIUM<br />
Property Management Office<br />
CASA TROPICANA<br />
CONDOMINIUMS<br />
Property Management Office<br />
Jalan Kelab <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Golf &<br />
Country Resort<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7804 1533<br />
(Direct Line)<br />
+603 7804 8888<br />
(General Line)<br />
Fax: +603 7806 5044<br />
tms@tropicanagolf.com<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 6pm (Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
B-G-05, Casa Indah 1<br />
Condominiums<br />
No 2A, Persiaran Surian<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Indah,<br />
PJU 3 Kota Damansara<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 6140 9194/6140 9166<br />
Fax: +603 6140 9168<br />
casaindahcondo@yahoo.com<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm (Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
No 1, Jalan <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
Selatan 1, PJU 3<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7883 0866<br />
Fax: +603 7883 0966<br />
merchantsquare@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
Dicasa Management<br />
Services Sdn Bhd<br />
Lobby Level<br />
No 14, Jalan Kiara 5, Bukit Kiara<br />
50480 Kuala Lumpur<br />
Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 6203 9229<br />
Fax: +603 6203 9339<br />
casakiara2@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
B-5-17, Block B<br />
Casa Tro picana<br />
No 5, Jalan Persiaran <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
PJU 3<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Golf & Country Resort<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7883 0982<br />
Fax: +603 7883 0292<br />
casatropicana@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
CASA INDAH 2<br />
CONDOMINIUMS<br />
Property Management Office<br />
A-02-01, Management Office<br />
Casa Indah 2 Condominiums<br />
No 2B, Persiaran Surian<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Indah Resort Homes<br />
PJU3<br />
Kota Damansara<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 6142 6288 / 6388<br />
Fax: +603 6142 6788<br />
casaindah2@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
ARENA MENTARI BUSINESS<br />
PARK<br />
Property Management Office<br />
Block C, Wisma TT<br />
No 1, Jalan PJS 8/15<br />
Dataran Mentari<br />
46150 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 5621 1979<br />
Fax: +603 5621 1980<br />
istimabudi@gmail.com<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
TROPICANA INDAH SDN BHD<br />
Property Management Office<br />
Jalan Kelab <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Golf &<br />
Country Resort<br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7804 4722<br />
+603 7805 5855<br />
Fax: +603 7806 5044<br />
tisb@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 6pm (Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
TROPICANA GRANDE<br />
Property Management Office<br />
Level 1, Management Office<br />
Block A, <strong>Tropicana</strong> Grande<br />
Condominiums<br />
No. 3 Persiaran <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
47410 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7610 0965<br />
Fax: +603 7610 0968<br />
stephaniechua@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours: 9am – 6pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
TROPICANA CHERAS<br />
Property Management Office<br />
To be ready soon<br />
For more information, please<br />
contact Sales & Marketing<br />
Department at:<br />
Tel: +603 7710 1018<br />
DAMANSARA INTAN<br />
E-BUSINESS PARK<br />
Property Management Office<br />
A328, Block A<br />
Damansara Intan<br />
No 1, Jalan SS 20/27<br />
47400 Petaling Jaya<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 7118 3111<br />
Fax: +603 7118 3222<br />
gracewong@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
FORTUNE PARK APARTMENTS<br />
Property Management Office<br />
A-5, Pangsapuri Suria Perdana<br />
(Fortune Park Apartments)<br />
Taman Serdang Perdana<br />
Seksyen 4<br />
43300 Seri Kembangan<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +603 8944 9331<br />
Fax: +603 8944 9332<br />
fortunepark@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9am – 5.30pm<br />
(Monday – Friday)<br />
9am – 1pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday)<br />
TROPICANA HEIGHTS<br />
Property Management Offi ce<br />
Off Jalan P6/2, 43500<br />
Semenyih, Kajang<br />
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia<br />
Tel: +6013-2020746<br />
Fax: +603 7806 5044<br />
tisb@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Monday – Friday)<br />
9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday & Public Holidays)<br />
TROPICANA CHERAS<br />
Admin Of fice<br />
6, Jalan <strong>Tropicana</strong> Cheras 1, Taman<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Cheras, 43000 Kajang,<br />
Selangor.<br />
Tel: +6013-2020746<br />
Fax: +603 7610 0968<br />
stephaniechua@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Office hours:<br />
9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Monday – Friday)<br />
9.00 am to 5.30 pm (Saturday)<br />
Closed (Sunday & Public Holidays)
THE LIST<br />
FACILITIES AND TENANTS AT<br />
TROPICANA GOLF AND COUNTRY RESORT<br />
TROPICANA GOLF AND COUNTRY RESORT<br />
SITE LAYOUT PLAN<br />
N<br />
Buggy Track<br />
DRIVING R<br />
WESTERN COURSE<br />
Practice Green<br />
Children’s<br />
Playground<br />
Landscape<br />
18th Green<br />
18<br />
14<br />
Tai Thong<br />
13<br />
32<br />
Children’s<br />
Playground<br />
21<br />
48<br />
19<br />
20<br />
17<br />
22<br />
15<br />
16<br />
M<br />
L<br />
17<br />
33<br />
Landscape<br />
30<br />
31<br />
29<br />
Administration<br />
Office<br />
24 23<br />
25<br />
26<br />
MA<br />
C<br />
34<br />
35<br />
36<br />
Landscape<br />
28<br />
27<br />
Poolside<br />
Cafe<br />
38<br />
37<br />
39<br />
SPORTS WING<br />
41 42<br />
43<br />
44<br />
40<br />
Carpark<br />
Lake<br />
45<br />
46<br />
LEGEND<br />
Lower Ground<br />
Ground<br />
Level 1<br />
47<br />
To Basement<br />
C<br />
With a gross built-up area of over 380,000<br />
square feet (35,303 square metres), Malaysia’s<br />
largest and award-winning Clubhouse<br />
at <strong>Tropicana</strong> Golf & Country Resort is<br />
truly impressive. This is a listing of all <strong>the</strong><br />
facilities and amenities that are built for<br />
<strong>the</strong> convenience of all <strong>Tropicana</strong> members,<br />
residents and <strong>the</strong>ir guests<br />
Golf / Sports Membership 03-7804 8888<br />
Vivian ext 208<br />
Membership Email membership1@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Golf Email<br />
golf@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Sports Department 03-7804 2087<br />
Operating Hours 9.00 am – 6.00 pm (Monday to Friday)<br />
Email<br />
gm@tropicanagolf.com<br />
Website<br />
www.tropicanagolf.com<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
132
THE LIST<br />
VING RANGE<br />
Practice Green<br />
Buggy Track<br />
9th Green<br />
Food and Beverage<br />
Main Wing<br />
7 Twenty7 03-7804 8888<br />
(Ext 326)<br />
15 Gin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant 03-7886 9168<br />
36 Poolside Café 03-7804 8888<br />
(Ext 327)<br />
9 Spring Garden <strong>Tropicana</strong><br />
Chinese Restaurant 03-7880 7226<br />
11 The Palms Coffee House 03-7804 8888<br />
(Ext 306)<br />
The Palms Wing<br />
8 Royce 017-322 3668<br />
26 J Italian Restaurant 03-7805 3925/3935<br />
25 Myeung Dong Korean BBQ 016-3684500<br />
13<br />
Main<br />
Lobby<br />
Landscape<br />
8<br />
Car Porch<br />
12<br />
MAIN WING<br />
11<br />
10<br />
9<br />
7<br />
asd<br />
Main Kitchen<br />
6<br />
GOLF WING<br />
1<br />
2<br />
5<br />
Golf<br />
Counter<br />
4<br />
3<br />
Buggy Station<br />
EASTERN COURSE<br />
1st Tee<br />
Sports and Recreation<br />
Sports Wing<br />
46 Outdoor tennis court<br />
43 2 indoor tennis courts<br />
45 4 indoor badminton courts<br />
31 12-lane computerised bowling alley<br />
33-34 2 play pools with water slides and waterfall<br />
42 3 squash courts<br />
23 Multipurpose studio<br />
38 Japanese bath and Jacuzzi<br />
3-4 Male changing rooms with<br />
360 private lockers<br />
35 Resort-style larger-than-Olympic-size<br />
swimming pool<br />
41 Sauna and steam bath<br />
24 Snooker room<br />
39 2 table tennis courts<br />
40 Well-equipped gymnasium<br />
44 1 VIP badminton hall<br />
47 1 futsal court<br />
Fountain<br />
Buggy Pick-up Area<br />
Leisure and Entertainment<br />
24 Havana Lounge 017-885 4188<br />
27 Thai Odyssey Spa & Massage 03-7803 1233/<br />
03-7804 1129<br />
29 Bowling & Café 03-7804 8888<br />
16 Gaming room<br />
37 Library<br />
22 Spine & Joint <strong>Tropicana</strong> 03-78042072<br />
rk<br />
Carpark<br />
Carpark<br />
Function Areas<br />
6 Greens I<br />
10 Greens II<br />
30 Greens III<br />
32 Poolside Terrace<br />
28 Spanish Courtyard<br />
12-14 The Grand Ballroom (First floor)<br />
Carpark<br />
asement Carpark<br />
Sales & Marketing (Banquet Function) 03-7804 8888<br />
Liza ext 141<br />
Sandy ext 142<br />
Siti Fairuz ext 155<br />
Mas Suria ext 517<br />
Email<br />
salesmarketing@tropicanacorp.com.my<br />
Toll Free 1800 88 8128<br />
Lake<br />
Golfing Facilities<br />
Golf at <strong>Tropicana</strong> 03-7804 8888<br />
(Ext 211/212/200)<br />
<strong>Tropicana</strong> Driving Range 016-243 4801/<br />
012-278 3172<br />
Buggies and turf mates<br />
56-bay driving range<br />
27-hole championship golf course<br />
18-hole putting greens<br />
5 Female changing rooms<br />
with 60 private lockers<br />
Amenities<br />
20 Alam Convenience Store 03-7804 3095<br />
1 De Manshop Tailoring 03-7880 4063<br />
21 Eco Hair Saloon 03-7804 9316<br />
2 Pro-Shop Golf Shop 03-7804 6348<br />
17 Kain 017-200 8142<br />
18 Kindyland <strong>Tropicana</strong> 017-314 6754<br />
48 Klinik <strong>Tropicana</strong> 03-7805 5461<br />
19 The Green House Florist 03-7880 1388<br />
3-4 Prayer room<br />
133 january/february <strong>2018</strong> | TM
THE END | Kapalua Nikko City, Bay japan Beach, HAWAII<br />
“For last year’s words belong to last<br />
year’s language And next year’s words<br />
await ano<strong>the</strong>r voice And to make an end<br />
is to make a beginning.”<br />
–TS Elliot–<br />
TM | january/february <strong>2018</strong><br />
134