I love Tyler Brûlé!

It is indeed a rare thing to encounter someone who, time and again, just knows exactly what you crave for and delivers exactly that in the most exquisitely-packaged manner. Tyler Brûlé is just that person. Back when Wallpaper* first came out, I read and collect each issue religiously. It was a category breaker, the first "lifestyle" magazine before lifestyle stores and designer hotels came into vogue and now into the mainstream. But then, its freshness and edginess waned, especially after its acquisition by Time Warner. I haven't bought a copy of Wallpaper* in years, although I do flip through them when I have a moment of leisure in Starbucks. Wallpaper* has just become another fluffy, cotton-candy mag, all sweetness, no substance.

Yet again, Tyler Brûlé engineers another heroic rescue from my mundane business-as-usal magazine existence with the launch of Monocle (yes, the first issue came out in March and issue 3 just came out, so am a bit behind the curve on this one. Thanks to DY for enlightening me last night over our dinner discussion of my overly-ambitious airport project idea in Pressroom). DY just had delivered to my office the inaugural issue and it's truly a gem of a read coving global affairs, business, culture, design and all the rest one needs to know to be in-the-know. It took me all of 2 minutes to get on the website and subscribe.

Monocle, of course, is not the first magazine to meld politics and business with the glamour of fashion and lifestyle. Vanity Fair is one such example, but it tends to focus more on issues relevant to established American and European society and Hollywood. It's a brainier, geekier Tatler. Back in 1995, there was John F. Kennedy Jr's George. Then, in 1999, Tina Brown launched Talk magazine. Neither are still around today and neither really dealt with politics and business on a global scale, covering developed and developing worlds from such a fresh perspective, and in a visually-palatable and unforceably-fashionable way (George and Talk tried so hard to be fashionable that they became boring). For example, in issue 1 of Monocle, there is a 10-page report on China's influence in Africa. But it's their bite-sized briefings that I love with topics spanning from Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar's international expansion plans to deconstructing the wardrobe of world leaders such as Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or a glimpse into a-day-in-the-life of a Kabul radio DJ. All fascinating and intriguing tidbits.

Basically, Monocle is a Wallpaper* for grown-ups. It's for those who still want to know which architect to get to design their house and what cutting-edge pieces to fill it with, but also need to know all the political, macro-economic and commercial forces that might affect the performance of their investment portfolios. It's the world as seen through Tyler Brûlé's inquisitive, creative mind and constantly roaming, aesthetically-disciplined eyes.

Sites & Sounds

It's a wonderfully blush-inducing feeling when someone you consider the ultimate foodie blogger mentions your own blog in an interview on seriouseats.com. Thanks Chubby Hubby!

If you're looking for Mother's Day gift ideas, check out Violet.com, a brand-new gift site that makes gifting so much easier. Of course, you'll find Little Cream Book in their selection.

Was delighted by Bebel Gilberto's new album, Momento. It's perfect for lazing around on the deck of a yacht cruising through crystalline waters on a late afternoon going into dusk; just listen to Cadê Você or her rendition of Cole Porter's Night & Day.


And last, but definitely not least, Heroes is back!!

Making Sense of Mao and Virgina Tech's Seung-Hui Cho

Lying in shavasana, the final relaxation pose, in Wendy's yoga class just now, thoughts of Virginia Tech and Mao flowed through my mind. Ever since last Monday's shooting, I had been trying to come to grips with how and why a person could be driven to hate so much to want to kill so many people. I had also been reading Jung Chang and Jon Halliday's painstakingly-researched biography of Mao Zedong, founding father of Communist China. And the same questions kept gnawing at me as I read about his seemingly opportunistic and haphazard rise to power and the senseless havoc and suffering he wreaked on the Chinese people throughout his rise and reign. Even this afternoon when TB, who has a masters in Forensic Psychology, visited the office I sought his views on the how Cho's psyche could come to create such a horrific endgame.

But then, during those quiet moments in yoga class, it hit me. Isolating both Cho and Mao, treating them as exceptional cases, led me to ask the wrong questions. The question should not have been why or how they came to be what they are, but why and how we as a society allowed them to become what they are. It's easy to isolate them as cancers of society and wipe our hands clean of any responsibility. And since Cho took his own life, it's even easier to place all the blame on him and then go back to our lives thinking that there won't be another Cho and avoid addressing the root issues -- that most of us don't care enough about a person suffering in isolation; that most of us choose the easy route of self-preservation over a seemingly hopeless battle; that someone else's problem is just that, someone else's problem. We never see how bad things can get until it's bad for us.

With Cho, news report after news report feature interviews with neighbors, classmates and teachers who knew that he was unhappy, isolated and angry. Some reached out to offer a helping hand, but found it an impossible task to break through. Others gave up trying to talk to Cho. There's been so much talk about how this all could have been prevented and much of the debate centers around lax gun control and the corrupting force of American culture and media (one article I read even surmised that it was a psychologically-castrated Cho's desire to prove and assert his masculinity that drove him to this massacre). With Mao, people around him feared him more than they despised him and therefore chose not to challenge him.

This also made me think of RT's wise advice about how to deal with difficult people. Rather than fear their moods and reactions and be sucked into a state of dread, it's more productive to try and alter someone's negative moods with a smile or a joke on first contact. It's the difference between feeling helpless in a situation and taking an active role in shaping the situation.

So instead of blaming Cho, university officials, lax gun control, the media and what not, we should be asking ourselves if we know anyone like Cho and reach out to these people. In any situation, we can choose to do nothing or do something. We can choose to accept or to change. We can choose to be a helpless victim or a hopeful fighter. The choices are not alsways obvious or easy, but we always have a choice. As we look for answers and closure in the aftermath of Virginia Tech, we can choose to dwell on the dark past that was Cho's life or work towards creating a future where each life is worth cultivating.

As I write this, there's news of 74 people killed by gunmen in Ethiopia and there will continue to be Iraqis killed in Iraq. Are any of those lives any less valuable than the 33 dead at Virginia Tech? Judging from media coverage, it would certainly appear so. In the end though, Cho is like any suicide bomber or terrorist, desperately wanting to be noticed.

Hong Kongers: Please Join the Clean Air Foundation!

I returned to a very grey, gloomy, hazy, rainy Hong Kong after 4 days of blissful blue skies and fresh, clean ocean breeze. We, in Hong Kong, all complain ad nauseum about the poor air quality and visibility, so here's our chance to do just a tad bit more constructive than complain!

Please join the Clean Air Foundation (please see below for brief summary of what they are doing) by taking just 1 minute of your time to click this link and fill in your basic contact details.

The Clean Air Foundation is a recently created not-for-profit Hong Kong company aimed primarily to promote and protect the right of the people of Hong Kong to breathe clean air. The Clean Air Foundation will pay particular attention to local sources of air pollution and to the role of Hong Kong in both causing and solving local environmental problems.

The air in Hong Kong is killing us slowly but surely.

The government of HKSAR is not fulfilling its most basic responsibility to provide clean air for its citizens. The aim of the Clean Air Foundation is to galvanise the support of citizens and concern groups to find appropriate recourse to exhort the HKSAR government to leave behind its empty promises and hollow rhetoric. We must immediately begin to address the many local sources of air pollution for which something can and must be done.

Please join the Clean Air Foundation and be part of promoting and protecting the rights of Hong Kong citizens to breathe clear air. To make your voice heard, please press "reply" and fill in the information below and send to: info@cleanairfoundation.hk or visit our website and fill in the form online at www.cleanairfoundation.hk

Membership Applicant Information

*Last Name:

*Given Name(s):

Organisation:

Address:

Contact Phone:

*Email:

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Survivor meets Robinson Crusoe Weekend

Three days of freeflow Champagne and hot, sun-drenched beach locale are finally getting to me. Woke up at 5am this morning to see the first group of executives off after their weekend retreat here at Evason Hideaway. Thought I would stay up, but ended up going back to the villa and falling back asleep for the next 4 hours. Am now catching up on my LCL posts poolside, with an yummy iced Vietnamese coffee and bowl of pho bo for sustinence. Am taking the afternoon flight out with Jung Chang and Jon Halliday along with the Japanese and Australian contingent.


It's been an absolutely awesome 6 days here. I arrived Wednesday evening. Woke up for an 8am yoga class on the beach Thursday morning under overcast skies. It got me a bit worried about rain contingency plans. I kept grilling the staff about timing each morning to decide whether meal venues would be moved to rain option. Of course, they urged me not to worry. "It will beautiful and sunny. You should worry about heat rather than rain". Leave it to the professionals; they were right of course. Because when I woke up Friday morning, I got just that -- clear, blue skies.


And it's been like this through today. I spent most of Friday shuttling to Nha Trang airport greeting the 21 executives of my favourite luxury wines & spirits house (they're also one of my most fun-loving, easy-going group of clients and I usually end up partying with them) plus our two speakers, authors Jung Chang and Jon Halliday (Wild Swans and Mao). We had a welcome cocktails and dinner on the terrace overlooking the bay. After dinner, we headed poolside for a nightcap. BN & JP, as per usual, ended up in the pool. But the rest of us stayed dry (only in the physical sense; as there was plenty of Glenmorangie and Hennessy flowing).

Saturday was a morning of meetings. Everyone had to hike up 50+ steps to the air-conditioned wedding chapel that we converted into a meeting room. Most were drenched with sweat by the time they arrived. Following the morning presentation, there was a rather bucolic lunch set in the organic garden. Satays were grilled on the spot as were steaks and shrimp. The food was fresh and delicious. I loved the crab meat and shrimp papaya salad. Following lunch was the highlight of the weekend for me, hearing Jung Chang and Jon Halliday speak about their experiences (more on that in another post).


After the speakers, there was leisure time for the group. I had this brilliant idea of trying to write my posts from the beach. I laid down the towel on one of the chaise lounges on the beach, brought my iPod and portable Altec Lansing speakers and my laptop. It was another one of those perfect, Little Cream Life moments -- writing under the sunny, blue skies, with the view of clear, blue water and verdent palm trees in the distance and happy tunes in the background. One problem, the sun was so bright, I couldn't see my screen. So I gave up on the idea of working and walked down the beach where I found a beached and nearly sunburnt JP in shallow waters and JM. After an hour in the water, I had to go sort out the seating plan for the poolside dinner. We had a water puppet show set up in the pool, which looked quite stunning. But the show that PS, BdV, BY, BN, JP and SM put on was even more spectacular and memorable by all I'm sure. Dinner evolved into a full-on pool party with Dom spilling in the pool and pool water getting mixed with tumblers of Glenmorangie. At one point, I was balancing a try full of drinks on my head in the pool. Fortunately, I didn't drop the try!


Sunday was another morning full of presentations. The afternoon was the mini scavenger hunt, very loosely based on Survivor. My favourite bit was where they had to row out in the local, round fishing boats to markers to retrieve a bamboo cannister containing a coded message. It was great fun watching them. Most teams resorted to using the local, professional rower on board, which resulted in a 5-minute penalty. There were other tasks involved and wonderful acts of sabotage. They all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Nothing like a bit of friendly competition! Everyone's favourite for the weekend was the private beach dinner. It was the first time the resort had attempted something like this. They had to transfer generator, lights, grills, furniture, cutlery etc. to a nearby private beach. But we had a blast. It was simply a perfect setting under a clear, starry sky. Many thanks to the entire team at Evason Hideaway for the fabulous job hosting the whole group; from out-going GM JPR, Executive Asst Manager HM, Chef DT, F&B Manager AH, to all the butlers and support staff!

And now, it's back to the real world!

SGN airport: recharge & relax

I just recharged my laptop while getting a foot massage at Viet Spa in the domestic terminal's waiting area. An hour of electricity for my laptop and a relaxing foot, shoulder and hand massage cost VND200,000 (US$12.50). Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately), the wifi wasn't accessible. Each of the seats has 2 power outlets, so you can charge your laptop/blackberry/phone/digicam. Certainly made my long wait much more tolerable. Only one hour left!

SGN airport: free wifi!

Got this 4.5 hour transit between Saigon and Nha Trang. I am soooo thankful for free wifi at the airport (makes up for the idiotic transfer between international and domestic terminals where my bags were x-rayed 3 times within 5 minutes)! Otherwise, it's pretty much an desert here, especially in the domestic terminal where I don't even have access to the Vietnam Airlines lounge (no agreement with CX). So at least I've been able to clear through this morning's inbox and take care of a few urgent items as well as get on Skype and MSN. Now I just have to find a power outlet. Maybe the intel Core 2 duo kiosks will have a spare outlet.

Hotels Using Alternative Energy

My bedtime reading of late has mainly consisted of research reports on alternative energy investment opportunities. All that got me thinking about which hotels use alternative energy. As always, the answer was just a quick Google search away:
1. A recent Interior Design article: "Green Upscale Hotels -- No Longer an Oxymoron"
2. Environmentally Friendly Hotels website
3. Alternative Energy blog

Am sure there's a lot more hotels out there. Could be another Little Cream Book in the making.

Easter Weekend Wrap-Up

I'm smitten with Luang Prabang. I expected to be charmed by the UNESCO World Heritage town, but it is the people who have got me head over heels. There were Mung and Don, our guides who were such good sports (putting up with our group's silly pranks) and gracious hosts. Everywhere we went, from the staff at the hotel to waiters at restaurants, the level of sincerity and service far exceeded our expectations. I dare say it's the best I've encountered in Asia. Not only are they extremely warm and kind hearted people, but they also approach service with a very proactive, common-sensical attitude (which is often lacking even in a supposedly cosmopolitan city such as Hong Kong). There were instances where they knew what we would want even before we asked. For example, the staff at the wonderful JoMo coffee shop and bakery (an American-owned establishment on the same street as La Maison Souvannaphoum on the way to the night market) that brought us all glasses of water to go with out lattes and carrot cakes (which was absolutely divine) before we even asked. There was the hotel restaurant waiter who asked if we would want our individual drinks orders charged back to our own rooms. Waiters would see that we had run out of something and bring us more. Admittedly, the restaurants and hotels we visited were staffed with people who spoke very good English. But what stands out among the people of Luang Prabang is not their skills and abilities, but their pride in what they do and the town in which they live.

Luang Prabang Highlights:
1. If you visit only one temple, it should be Wat Xieng Thong, the most beautiful one of the three we saw. Love the adorable disco, white elephant that spouts water when the Buddha figures are washed.


2. Go on the leisurely, 2-hour boat ride up the Mekong to visit the Pak Ou caves containing thousands of Buddha scultures.



3. Laotian cuisine. The food is not as spicy as Thai food and is a blend of Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese influences. Everywhere we ate, the food was good. We had dinner at L'Elephant, lunch at Three Elephants (Sisavangvong Road; T: +855 71 252525) and another dinner at our hotel's Elephant Blanc. Would have loved to try the restaurant at Apsara, but didn't have time.

Bangkok Highlights:
1. The Eugenia is a wonderful home in Bangkok.
2. Spring (199 Soi Promsri 1; T: +66 2 3922757) is my constant favourite. It serves up great Thai/Asian fusion dishes, and the lawn is absolute bliss to lounge around with friends before and after dinner.



Spa Comments:
1. Blooming Spa in Bangkok was great value for money. A 2 hour, 45-minute combination of foot reflexology and Thai massage came out to only THB1,000.
2. Skip the Angsana spa at La Maison Souvannaphoum. The treatments are done in tents that are set next to the main street. It's noisy and the therapists need more training and experience when it comes to giving massages.

Luang Prabang Monk's Procession

Morning call came at 5:30am. Rolled out of bed so that we could go see the morning ritual of Luang Prabang's citizens making their rice offering to the procession of monks. It was pouring down with rain, which added a certain romanticism to the whole setting. People do this day-in, day-out; rain or shine. For us tourists, this was a spectable. For them, it is their way of life, like waking up and brushing one's teeth each morning, yet infused with so much more meaning. I felt like such the voyeur though, observing this rite, documenting it with snaps from my digicam, commenting and questioning. Somehow, I felt like I was trivializing this beautiful ritual, made even more beautiful by the contrast of the long line saffron-coloured robes snaking amidst lush, jade green of the trees lining the street. Tourists make a show of the procession. Yet, its the sincerity of the people making their offerings and the solemnity of the monks walking the streets in their bare feet to receive them, that makes this such a precious experience to behold. It's getting harder and harder to find such places around the world, where people manage to hold on to their own way of life with such integrity. Luang Prabang really is a special place, made so by its people.

Luang Prabang: So Chill

Here I am, sitting by the pool again; this time at Luang Prabang's La Maison Souvannaphoum. Arrived from Bangkok yesterday on a Bangkok Airways ("Asia's Boutique Airline") twin-prop plane, which least favoured form of air transport. I pretty much fell in love with Luang Prabang on landing. Maybe it's the tiny airport that makes me feel like I've landed back in time. The Canadians in our group got a bad first impression though. Of all the nationalities, they had to pay the highest visa fee -- US$42. Being American, I only paid US$35. But Chinese pay the least -- US$20.

By the time our group of 8 had checked into La Maison (hardware a tad disappointing, especially the small, single vanity, shower-only bathroom, but the staff are superb) and had our leisurely lunch, where I managed to stuff myself with spring rolls, Luang Prabang Fur (very similar to Vietnamese Pho) and a minced chicken salad, we had very little time to go temple-seeing. We breezed through two Vats and a quick hike up to a stupa before heading to La Residence Phou Vao for a cocktail and dinner at L'Elephant. La Residence is more a romantic retreat, whereas La Maison is a very convenient and comfortable base for chronic market shoppers.

Damn. Running low on battery. Will have to finish this post after massage and early dinner. We're getting up early tomorrow morning for the monk's procession.

BKK: Little Cream Life Moments

Every so often, there are moments that just strike me as being the perfect embodiment of the Little Cream Life. There was one such moment this morning. I rolled out of bed, got into my swim suit and headed downstairs to the pool with my laptop at 9am. By the time I had swum a few short laps in the pool, my breakfast (freshly-squeezed orange juice, a double espresso, eggs benedict with smoked salmon and a bowl of tropical fruit) was laid out beside my chaise lounge. So here I am, lounging poolside (the weather, incidentally, is also perfect, not too hot because it's slightly overcast), breakfast laid out beside me (most importantly, there's a fresh cup of double espresso waiting), and the wifi is working well so that I can blog about this moment (there's even a power socket behind one of the planters beside my chaise lounge!). This is what the Little Cream Life is all about! Was just joined by LP and BM, sounding very raspy from drinking vodka on the balcony until 3am and quickly gulfing down breakfast before heading off for his morning round of golf with the other guys.



Great service moments at The Eugenia this morning: I later asked for a big bowl of cappuccino, and got a puzzled look from the waiter. But when it arrived, it was exactly what I wanted. The waiter actually said it was his first time making such a huge cappuccino! Also, I had left my SPF60 sunscreen at the Sukhothai pool yesterday. I asked for, and got, some SPF30 sunscreen.

We girls have got spa bookings this afternoon. I'll be lounging here, working on LCB: Drives until then...

BKK: Wedding Party Easter Weekend

All of Hong Kong is in Bangkok this Easter weekend. Arrived yesterday and had lunch with friends who are staying at Sukhothai. Had lunch at the hotel's Thai restaurant, Celadon, where we met up with FL & TC, who are in town from Paris (made me wish I was in Paris so that I could have the pleasure of enjoying another one of FL's excellent home-cooked French meals!). FL has just completed filming on his upcoming movie about neglected elephants (actually, it's a much more touching story than I make it sound, but I didn't catch the whole plot line). AW was supposed to have a bit part in it, but filming finished much earlier than expected. But it turns out that AW's Thai helper's son was in the movie by chance (his shop was used in a recreation of Bangkok's Patpong); what a small world.

Checked into Eugenia around 4:30pm. Love this charming, little 12-room hotel. JM & NL are having their pre-wedding celebrations with 14 of their friends this weekend. We've booked out the whole place for our 2-night stay here in Bangkok before heading to Luang Prabang. The staff at Eugenia are all incredibly wonderful; they really make you feel at home. Because of its size, you really do feel like you're the guest at someone's very well done up home. There are quirky, individual touches everywhere.


And of course, what I love most, is their fleet of classic cars to drive you around. But best not to be in a hurry, because they are slow.


My room, a Siam Suite, is very comfortable and spacious. But, of course, what I love most is the free wifi.






We met up for a quick drink in their lounge before heading to dinner at Ruen Mallika (royal Thai cuisine served in an old Teak house), where we ordered way too much food, though all of it was delicious if a bit too spicy for my taste. There had been plans to hit the town after dinner -- Club Astra, Three-Sixty, Bacchus. In the end, we headed back to Eugenia where everyone just chilled with bottles (we had brought our own) of Champagne, whisky and vodka on the balcony.

In the movies

Just got a bunch of complimentary tickets to Super Fans, the Eric Kot-directed movie starring Charlene Choi (one of the Twins) and Leo Ku that borrowed our office as a set back in January. Am amazed that it'll be showing on the big screen starting tomorrow!