LPO/Gardner review — Mahler's Eighth Symphony, with added visuals
It's fair to say that the musical performance — by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the London Symphony Chorus and Tiffin Boys' Choir under Edward Gardner's high-voltage direction — would probably have been just as thrilling if absolutely nothing had happened visually. With the two adult choruses
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Tatler Asia
04-07-2025
- Tatler Asia
Desserts and traditions: 10 fascinating sweet rituals in Asia
2. Kakanin (Philippines) Derived from the word 'kanin', the Tagalog word for rice, kakanin is the Philippines's umbrella term for sticky rice-based desserts (or snacks, depending on what type of day you enjoy it). Each piece is a showcase of colour and texture: the indigo sheen of puto bumbong, the layered jewel tones of sapin-sapin or the rustic caramelised top of bibingka. Rooted in community and often tied to Catholic traditions like Simbang Gabi, kakanin is as much about ritual as it is about taste. For heritage versions, Via Mare in Manila remains a staple, while Wildflour and other modern bakeries offer reimagined takes for the next generation of dessert lovers. See more: Grain of nostalgia: Honouring kakanin across the Philippines 3. Luk chup (Thailand) A legacy of the Thai royal kitchens, luk chup is where desserts become miniature sculptures. Mung bean paste is carefully moulded and hand-painted to resemble hyper-realistic fruits and vegetables, then glazed for shine. A symbol of culinary sophistication and status, these tiny works of art were once reserved for aristocratic tables. Today, you'll find them displayed with pride at Bangkok's Or Tor Kor Market or reinterpreted at Baan Khanitha Thai Dessert Café, where artisans continue the painstaking tradition. 4. Kuih (Malaysia and Singapore) More than just sweets, kuih (or kueh) embodies a tapestry of Southeast Asian culinary history, with influences from Malay, Peranakan and Chinese cultures. Bite-sized and often steamed or baked, kuih comes in vibrant hues and playful textures: layered kuih lapis, molten-centred onde-onde or coconut-studded kuih talam. Essential to tea time, religious festivities and family milestones, kuih is both daily comfort and ceremonial showstopper. 5. Banh da lon (Vietnam) Translating cheekily to 'pig skin cake' thanks to its chewy, elastic texture, banh da lon is a Vietnamese steamed layer cake made with mung bean, pandan and rice flour. The green and yellow layers, translucent and glistening, speak of good luck and harmony, making the dessert a fixture at family celebrations and ancestral offerings. Street vendors across Vietnam sell banh da lon in humble plastic trays. 6. Khao niew moon (Thailand and Laos) Above A modern interpretation of mango sticky rice (Photo: Michala Li / Unsplash) Sticky rice never looked this elegant. Khao niew moon, with its coconut-sweetened grains, is often paired with ripe mango (as in Thailand's iconic mango sticky rice) or lush durian. Its lustrous finish, thanks to a generous drizzle of coconut cream and a scatter of toasted mung beans, makes it as photogenic as it is filling. Beyond tourist dessert lists, khao niew moon holds deep cultural weight, marking new year celebrations like Songkran and Pi Mai Lao. 7. Mont lone yay baw (Myanmar) A playful, almost participatory dessert, mont lone yay baw are glutinous rice balls stuffed with palm sugar, boiled until they float, then rolled in shredded coconut. Traditionally made during Thingyan, the Burmese New Year water festival, they're as much about the making as the eating. Friends and family gather to roll the dough, sometimes mischievously slipping in one chilli-filled dumpling for comic effect. Look for them at neighbourhood celebrations in Yangon or in local eateries, where traditional desserts still hold space on the menu. 8. Num ansom (Cambodia) Above Num ansom (Photo: Dion Hinchcliffe / Wikimedia Commons) One of Cambodia's most symbolically charged desserts, num ansom is a sticky rice cake often filled with mung beans or pork belly, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until firm. Traditionally prepared for Pchum Ben (Ancestor's Day) and Khmer New Year, the cylindrical shape and intricate wrapping techniques speak to themes of continuity and familial bonds. While homemade versions are common, markets like Phsar Chas in Siem Reap sell ready-to-eat bundles for travellers curious to taste Cambodian festive sweets. 9. Mango pomelo sago (Hong Kong) Above The original mango pomelo sago (Photo: Blowing Puffer Fish / Wikimedia Commons) Born in the late 1980s at the Hong Kong fine-dining institution Lei Garden, Mango Pomelo Sago is arguably one of the city's most famous modern dessert exports. Originally created by the restaurant's culinary team as a refreshing finale for Cantonese banquets, the dessert blends fresh mango purée, pomelo sacs, chewy sago pearls and coconut milk into a bright, creamy bowl of tropical flavours. It's since become a staple in dessert shops across Hong Kong and beyond. 10. Wagashi (Japan) Above Wagashi (Photo: Vicky Ng / Pexels) Japan's approach to dessert is as much about aesthetics and seasonality as it is about taste. Wagashi, the umbrella term for traditional Japanese sweets, are often crafted to reflect the time of year—think cherry blossom-shaped sakura mochi in spring or autumn leaf-themed nerikiri in fall. Made from ingredients like sweetened red bean paste, glutinous rice and agar jelly, these confections are delicate, intricate and meant to be enjoyed alongside a cup of matcha. Beyond the visual appeal, each wagashi carries poetic symbolism tied to Japanese nature and philosophy. For a taste of tradition, head to Toraya in Tokyo or Kyoto, a centuries-old wagashi maker still revered for its meticulous craftsmanship. See more: 5 places to cool down with Japanese shaved ice desserts
Tatler Asia
04-05-2025
- Tatler Asia
Unprude and unapologetic: Dr Rica Cruz is making sex education mainstream in a conservative country
Starting a nationwide conversation about sex In 2023, Cruz hosted a television show entitled Private Convos with Doc Rica . 'I'm not a talk show host, I'm a therapist,' she says. 'I was just talking to people about their sex lives. And then I found out MTRCB [the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board] banned my show.' MTRCB monitors the movies and TV shows broadcast in the Philippines, ensuring they reach age-appropriate audiences. 'This was the first time the attacks were not on me, but on the advocacy,' Cruz says. 'I didn't know how to push forward because I felt so alone in the fight.' She was ready to move abroad with her family, restarting her practice there. 'But [journalist and podcaster] Stephanie Zubiri messaged me, saying, 'I'm so angry because this happened to you.' That made me realise I wasn't alone after all.' This laid the groundwork for Unprude, a sexual wellness platform that makes sex education and therapy accessible to people from all walks of life. The app offers personalised, self-paced programmes that include expert insights, reflective activities and comprehensive sex education. It also features games and podcasts to encourage self-reflection and open up conversations about sex and relationships. 'Our goal is to help you decrease sexual shame and embrace your sexual self—on your own terms,' emphasises Cruz. 'We invite people to approach sex from a place of love and respect. Sex is at the core of our being, it influences how we identify, express ourselves and relate to others. That sounds so abstract, but after 11 years, I see how a community that shares these values is coming to life.' More from Tatler: Emer founder Celine Ventalon on why she wants women to switch to menstrual underwear—for their health and for the planet The process of designing the Unprude app The Philippines is a deeply Catholic country, which emphasises values of chastity and modesty, especially for women. But for Cruz, conversations about sex and relationships were in dire need of more nuance and openness. She first designed the Unprude platform to sell products to improve sexual wellness and enjoyment. While this did help to destigmatise toys and the idea of advocating for one's own pleasure, Cruz wanted to do more than that. She realised the value of her area of expertise, which lay more in psychology than manufacturing. To make her teachings more accessible to people, she started brainstorming what would one day become the Unprude app. 'It's not easy to make an app–and it's quite expensive too,' Cruz says. She pitched the idea to a femtech company headed by two women. Upon seeing sex toys on the Unprude e-commerce site, one of the founders shut the idea down. She had a firm background as a church leader, which made her disinclined to pursue the project further. Still, she agreed to meet with Cruz over lunch to give her a chance. Over the meal, she shared her own life struggles. 'I realised this was what I wanted to do, to help people feel less alone in their struggles,' says Cruz. 'Right then and there, she told me, 'Okay, let's do it.' They became my partners that very day.' In an app that generates conversation about sexual activity, there is a tendency for the conversation to go in a crude direction. Now, Cruz and her team are finding ways to find a balance, ensuring that the discussions maintain a sense of respect and maturity. As the app expands to users in other countries, it is more important than ever to foster a supportive, safe environment for all. Mother versus therapist Working behind the scenes on this app has blurred the work-life boundary for Cruz, who is mother to two girls. 'I choose to be a mother before anything else,' she says. Her older daughter was her first-ever student, as she engaged her in age-appropriate conversations about sex and gender from a young age. 'She's handled it very well because there was no malice in the conversation,' Cruz says proudly. The mother-daughter duo has paved the way for more open conversations among Filipino families through a sex ed column on the Smart Parenting website. There, they discuss topics such as teenagers using AI chatbots for sexual discovery, navigating the menstrual cycle, and more. Both Cruz and her daughter answer the questions in their own words, making taboo topics easier to digest and discuss. Aside from that, Cruz is learning how to parent her neurodivergent younger daughter. 'I want to learn how to talk about sex with her. As much as possible, I want to protect her from what I experienced as a child, but I also want her to know how to advocate for herself,' says Cruz. Destigmatising sex education for all Above Dr Rica Cruz, a sex and relationships therapist breaking the stigma around 'taboo' topics in the Philippines For Cruz, it is parents that need to prioritise their sexual well-being, even—and perhaps especially—as they age. This can be particularly challenging for women, who have to unpack decades of misogynistic rhetoric and traumatic experience. 'We want these women to reclaim their sexual selves and to realise there's nothing to be ashamed of,' says Cruz. She also points out that 40 per cent of Unprude's clientele are men. 'They have questions about a wide range of topics and no one to turn to,' she says. 'But they thank me for creating Unprude as it helps them understand themselves and their partners better.' The patriarchy's impact on men is not to be underestimated, especially as younger generations are exposed to more alarming content that objectifies and demonises women on social media. 'Aside from educating [these boys] in schools, the entire community around them at home has to get involved,' she says. 'The group to focus on is the parents. I've taught sex ed in schools, and what happens is when the students get home, their parents shoot the lessons down immediately. The kids are more confused than ever. They turn to pornography or their friends, many of whom don't understand sex any more than they do.' She understands the struggle of parents to open up about such taboo topics. But for those who are willing to see the value in her teachings, she is ready to start the conversation. 'Sometimes, it's just lacking the language and tools to navigate this new stage in parenting,' she says. 'None of these things have been given to them. Sometimes, even I forget that we didn't have this level of access to information during my parents' time. So we have to extend that grace to them, and be patient with them as they undergo the hard work of this journey for themselves.' Front & Female Changemakers celebrates the extraordinary journeys of inspiring women who have emerged as powerful changemakers in a range of fields, offering a glimpse into their lives and showcasing their courage, vision and relentless pursuit of change and progress. From social entrepreneurs and business leaders to educators, artists, activists and scientists, Front & Female changemakers exemplify the ability to challenge the status quo and demonstrate the power of women to effect change. NOW READ Explore these 5 recent interior design projects by Benilde students The weaving revival in Cebu that's empowering women and preserving Filipino craftsmanship Amplifying trans men's voices in and out of the workplace with the Spill The T podcast team
Times
28-04-2025
- Times
LPO/Gardner review — Mahler's Eighth Symphony, with added visuals
Mahler conducted plenty of operas but never wrote one. He probably thought he had put enough drama, life, love and mortal terror into his symphonies. The question raised by this concert-hall staging of Mahler's gigantic Eighth Symphony — that philosophically eccentric but sonically overwhelming amalgam of an ancient Catholic hymn and the last part of Goethe's Faust — was whether all that symphonic anguish and ecstasy is enhanced or confused by stage movements and big-screen video images. It's fair to say that the musical performance — by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the London Symphony Chorus and Tiffin Boys' Choir under Edward Gardner's high-voltage direction — would probably have been just as thrilling if absolutely nothing had happened visually. With the two adult choruses
