Life

The musical The Phantom Of The Opera, back in Singapore till June 8, has enthralled millions since it opened on West End about three decades ago. When I saw it last week for the third time, I was impressed by the improved set and the lead actor’s pitch-perfect vocals. This is Phantom at its finest, […]

In a daring move, the makers of Game Of Thrones Season 8 Episode 3 decided to release the Battle of Winterfell as a radio play. Against a black screen, one could hear thrilling sounds of the combat promised in last week’s episode. However, it becomes clear that this is a normal episode, not a radio […]

The Cool Kids is a sitcom about a rambunctious group of friends living in a retirement community. But do not expect the usual “old people jokes” and cliches, say its producers and cast, which includes veteran performers Vicki Lawrence (The Carol Burnett Show, 1967 to 1978) and David Alan Grier (In Living Colour, 1990 to […]

Avengers: Endgame has broken Singapore box-office records by ringing up $7.52 million in ticket sales during its Wednesday to Sunday opening weekend. The Marvel superhero movie, the second of a two-part story, beat the $6.13 million five-day opening weekend record set last year by the first chapter, Avengers: Infinity War. Endgame had built up such […]

When Marylyn Tan published her debut poetry collection Gaze Back, she received this glowing endorsement from her mother: “Eh, not very nice to write like that.” Gaze Back is not in the least “nice”. Tan, 25, writes about women, bodies and sexuality with unflinching frankness. She re-imagines Jesus as a teenage girl who “finds walking […]

The works of art-world giants Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat are on display at Opera Gallery. American Icons, which marks the international gallery’s 25th anniversary, brings together about 50 works worth nearly $60 million from some of the biggest names in American art. It runs until May 12 at the gallery in Singapore’s […]

CHILDREN’S USE YOUR FEET By Felix Cheong, illustrated by Mona Chellie Straits Times Press/Paperback/ 40 pages/$16/Major bookstores In this sequel to Cheong’s Use Your Head, young Kayden is reluctant to go to school. To change his mind, his father transforms the journey into fantastic scenes such as marching in a parade, finding his way through […]

BEIJING • The gradual comeback of Fan Bingbing shows no signs of abating, as the Chinese superstar accepted a media interview for the first time since her tax-evasion scandal broke in May last year. The 37-year-old actress disappeared from public view for several months last year over the scandal before resurfacing on social media in […]

To cater to the modern, savvy cocktail drinker, the upcoming Singapore Cocktail Festival (SGCF) is stepping up the educational aspect of cocktail drinking by introducing masterclasses by some of the world’s top bartenders. The fifth edition of the festival, which started out as Singapore Cocktail Week in 2015, will take place from May 10 to […]

Foodies in Singapore are used to noshing on exotic offerings, from Spanish Iberico ham to Turkish apricots. But the most novel produce one can consume today could be food that is grown locally. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST’s best […]

Walk past a bus stop and it is likely you will see an advertisement shilling fruit juice with less sugar. In supermarkets, the Healthier Choice logo is emblazoned on thousands of products. Bags of brown rice are prominent in the grains section. Bubble tea shops give customers the option to choose how much sugar they […]

Some pre-schools in Singapore are promoting a zero-waste lifestyle, hoping to instil green habits in a generation who will probably face the pressing challenges of climate change when they grow up. In January, the Shaws Preschool group launched efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle – popularly known as the 3Rs that help cut down the […]

My daughter came home recently with a report on her performance in the first school term. It was a holistic profile which assigned achievement levels – accomplished, competent and developing – instead of grades to students’ learning progress. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy […]

Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan, is a popular ski destination with Singaporeans. But in the past decade, the town has practically become a Singaporean outpost – what with Singaporean chef Willin Low setting up a restaurant there and Singaporean companies such as Cathay Organisation and SC Global developing properties there. For enthusiasts keen to explore other […]

The radiation meter – a Geiger Counter – bleeps frantically. It is now 24 times higher than an earlier reading taken outside the exclusion zone – 30km away. Adding to the fear factor, the tour guide hides the meter behind her back to keep it out of our sight. Please subscribe or log in to […]

Add a personal touch with Chateraise’s customisable Mother’s Day cake. Although there is no actual portrait on the cake as the name suggests, customers can write messages on the cake and decorate it with a chocolate-filled pen. The vanilla sponge cake features three layers of fresh cream, strawberry sauce and is topped with fresh strawberries. Please […]

It is two weeks to Mother’s Day and time to indulge mummy dearest. Restaurants are rolling out new dishes and set menus, while chefs are enhancing buffet spreads with off-menu items. From nostalgic Chinese restaurants to Mexican and Italian fare, The Sunday Times rounds up 12 places to celebrate the occasion. Please subscribe or log […]

When it comes to petai, you either love it or hate it. Colloquially called stink bean, the petai bean (parkia speciosa) is so pungent, if you do not like it, you may even find it offensive to be near those who eat it. It also has a bitter edge and is an acquired taste. The […]

CELEBRATING UNESCO INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY  Head with your family to the Singapore Botanic Gardens for this concert by The Jazz Association Singapore Youth Orchestra, which is conducted by associate music director Tan Weixiang. The concert will feature Singapore’s “King of Swing” Jeremy Monteiro (left), as well as vocalists Rudy Djoe and Lily Hargrove, who will […]

EUROPEAN UNION FILM FESTIVAL The 29th edition of the festival will showcase 27 films from across Europe, in a variety of genres. The 2017 Austrian period drama, Mademoiselle Paradis (M18, 97 minutes), is based on the inspiring true story of the 18th-century pianist Maria Theresia von Paradis and her relationship with the doctor trying to […]

In this era of instant gratification, raw denim is deliberately slow. It takes a lot of consistent wear and patience before the original untreated denim becomes what it is supposed to be – something that is personally yours, where initial stiffness and dark indigo eventually give way to a softer, more individual fit, and all […]

Who: Ben Cheong, 60, philanthropist and founder of Magical Light Foundation, a charity which provides humanitarian aid and sustainable social development programmes for disadvantaged communities in Asia. My watch: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust with diamond and sapphire bezel. How much I paid for it: It was bequeathed to me by my late younger brother Cecil. […]

One of the most talked-about watches at this year’s Baselworld watch fair was the L.U.C. Flying T Twin – Chopard’s first flying, and automatic, tourbillon. A handsome and technically outstanding timepiece, it is – at 3.3mm high – elegantly slim. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST […]

One of the biggest American names in fashion recently announced a change of direction. Calvin Klein, one of the few fashion brands to become a household name, had let go of its chief creative officer Raf Simons and followed that by shuttering its 205W39NYC runway line. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the […]

The Straits Times Book Club held its first double bill on Wednesday, with two non-fiction books on economics and international relations. ST associate editor Vikram Khanna took the stage with his new collection, Headwinds And Hazards: Economic Snapshots In An Age Of Populism, alongside Indian-American global strategy adviser Parag Khanna, who spoke about his latest […]

Chef Kirk Westaway has been doing fantastic things since he took over the kitchen of Jaan in 2015. Every season, he comes up with a new menu and those I have tasted over the past year are testament to his growth in confidence and skill. His latest spring menu is impressive. Continuing his focus on […]

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Last week, the US$1,980 (S$2,680) Samsung Galaxy Fold – the Korean giant’s first smartphone with a foldable screen – hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, with several reviewers reporting broken screens, flickering visuals and lost pixels. While other reviewers have reported no major issues with their review units, Samsung has decided to delay the […]

My anticipation for the Panasonic Lumix S1R has been building, having first encountered it as a non-working prototype in last year’s Photokina show before trying a working model two months ago at the CP+ international camera and photo imaging show. This is the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Panasonic. The review unit is the 47.3-megapixel […]