Book review: Carissa Foo's Almost A Love Story is more literary than lusty
Fiction/Epigram Books/Paperback/233 pages/$20.90
The qualifier 'Almost' in the title is fair warning that this is not your average romance. Singaporean author Carissa Foo's fourth novel offers a meta, nested narrative that is more literary than lusty.
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Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
My Perfect Weekend with actor and artist Chen Xi
Chen Xi makes time to reflect after reading and enjoys sketching in his free time over the weekends. Who: Singaporean actor and artist Chen Xi, 34, is the son of celebrity acting couple Edmund Chen, 64, and Xiang Yun, 63. He has a younger sister, 25-year-old actress Chen Yixin. Chen Xi's acting credits include Mediacorp series like Fix My Life (2023), Soul Doctor (2022) and Nightwatchers (2021). He was also nominated in the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes category at the 2021 and 2023 Star Awards. He took a break from acting when he pursued a year-long arts and cultural management masters course at King's College London, which saw him graduating in January 2025, before returning to Singapore for good. On July 14, Chen married his 33-year-old Japanese girlfriend, who is known only as Mami. The couple will also be holding a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony in her home town of Kyushu. He is currently partnering local energy company Geneco on its Lost To Be Found mental health and wellness initiative, through six black-and-white illustrations and an infinite-loop video journey. The exhibition, at wellness centre Grovve in youth space *Scape, runs till Sept 30. Chen Xi currently partners local energy company Geneco on its Lost To Be Found mental health and wellness initiative. PHOTO: GENECO 'A perfect weekend for me is about balance. I see it in three parts: time with family, time for self-interest, and time for introspection. I usually begin or end the day sharing a meal with my family, either breakfast or dinner, where we will catch up on the week. My comfort meal is simple: two soft-boiled eggs and kopi. I missed it terribly while I was in the UK, so now it feels extra special, especially when I share it with my dad. Around 1pm, I like to make myself a decaf oat latte, a skill I picked up while working in cafes in the UK. On weekends, I often teach urban sketching and watercolour at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, usually in the morning or early afternoon before it gets too hot. After class, I spend time creating content or sketching, often blending the two so it is both fun and efficient. I also try to sketch for myself, just something personal, to keep my creative fuel alive. Chen Xi enjoys sketching in his free time over the weekends. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHEN XI Later in the day, I hang out with my wife or family, and if time allows, I squeeze in a quick workout. Evenings are for winding down, either with a book, some light gaming, or simply resting. Lately, I have also been catching up with my online friends. We have been trying to play badminton together, though I have discovered that booking a court in Singapore is a sport in itself. One of the most memorable weekends I had was a glamping trip with my wife in the outskirts of London. It was quiet, rural and simple, the kind of city detox I did not know I needed. Making a fire as the day turned to golden hour is one of those snapshots I will always carry with me.'
Business Times
a day ago
- Business Times
New S$30 million members-only club Vanta to open in MacDonald House
[SINGAPORE] New members-only club, Vanta, will open in MacDonald House in December, after a S$30 million renovation. The club, which will span 16,000 square feet across two levels in the national monument, is initially targeting 1,000 members, with plans to gradually expand to 2,000. Touting itself as 'Singapore's most influential private members club, designed for the city's most discerning elites, visionary industry leaders and global influencers', its facilities will include a main salon, mezzanine, private dining rooms and a state-of-the-art golf simulator. Michelin-starred Canadian chef and TV personality, Alvin Leung (also known as 'Demon Chef') of Hong Kong's Bo Innovation, will curate the club's culinary programme. Meanwhile, a whisky, wine and sake programme featuring tastings of spirits, masterclasses with distillers and sommeliers and an immersive exploration of sakes is set to be a cornerstone of the club's identity. In addition, Vanta will hold art exhibitions, talks and cultural salons. Michelin-starred Canadian chef and TV personality, Alvin Leung, will curate the club's culinary programme. ILLUSTRATION: VANTA The club's chief executive officer, Wayne Lin, is a Chinese national with two decades of experience in the food and beverage (F&B), luxury hospitality and entertainment sectors in Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Guangdong, said Joanna Seet, Vanta's chief marketing officer. 'We've designed this club for individuals who are actively shaping conversations and leading change across industries,' said Lin. 'It will be a place where connoisseurs, especially those with a passion for whisky, wine and sake, can connect, collaborate and define what's next for business and culture.' A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Vanta's chief operating officer is Singaporean Andrew Carver, who launched nightclubs including Throne in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and Dom in Marina Bay Sands and Johor Bahru. 'While his roots are in nightlife, Andrew now contributes his operational expertise to helping elevate every aspect of the Vanta club experience,' Seet told The Business Times in response to queries. 'Vanta is positioned first and foremost as a luxury private social club, distinctly different from a nightlife concept.' Seet said the club will be centred on people and meaningful programming in a 'refined environment' for professional networking, cultural engagement and world-class dining. Vanta's partnership and business development director is Alex Chew, co-founder of members-only club, Madison Rooms, which opened at Coleman Street in 2016 but went into liquidation in 2019. Chew, whom Seet says has been instrumental in shaping Vanta's F&B programme, is also the former owner of one-Michelin-starred The Kitchen at Bacchanalia. The club has a joining fee of S$6,000, which will be waived during pre-opening, plus an annual fee of S$6,800. There are no monthly fees. Seet said Vanta's community will be 'carefully curated' to ensure a balanced mix of 'influential leaders' across all industries. Vanta's entry into the local members-only club scene comes on the heels of the collapse last month of another club, 1880. Since then, both Mandala Club and 67 Pall Mall have announced expansion plans, while the landlord and staff of the former 1880 will reopen it under a new name next month. Operators say private clubs are profitable businesses, with the debt-laden 1880's failure attributed to its aggressive expansion to Hong Kong and Bali.
New Paper
2 days ago
- New Paper
Malay rock legend Rosli Mohalim is a busker now
He was a rockstar who performed in huge venues across Singapore and Malaysia. But today, Rosli Mohalim, ex-lead guitarist of Singapore's most illustrious Malay rock band Sweet Charity, has a more humble stage - you can catch him busking in Changi Village, Tampines, Admiralty Village, and Jurong Park. The Singaporean musician suffered a stroke in 2021. After a year of treatment which included acupuncture and physiotherapy, the 71-year-old found his proficiency as a guitarist had drastically diminished. "I was slowly recovering, but I still could not play the guitar like before," he told Berita Harian. He felt his dexterity returning in 2023, but performance offers were not forthcoming. Rosli then decided to take matters into his own hands - he started busking in Johor Bahru, where he has lived since 2002. Last year, he auditioned successfully for a busking licence in Singapore, and now performs here three to four days a week. He makes a two-hour trip from his home in JB, arriving in Singapore between 11am and noon, and performs for three to four hours before heading back across the Causeway. He also performs weekly at Plaza Angsana in JB. "I'm grateful that I'm earning quite well as a street musician," he told Malaysia's New Straits Times. "I've recovered about 90 per cent, but the stroke did affect my performance slightly. Nevertheless, many people still come to listen to my music." A rock legend Sweet Charity ruled the Malay rock scene in Singapore and Malaysia from the 1970s to the 1980s, and hits such as Teratai (1979) and Kamelia (1980) enjoy regular airplay on Malay radio. As recently as 2023, Rosli performed with the band in a reunion tour which included shows at the 3,000-seat Stadium Arena Larkin in JB and the 5,000-capacity Star Theatre in Singapore, along with stops in Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak. Busking seems like a much smaller gig compared to those, but Rosli is unfazed. For him, it beats doing nothing. "At this age, it's not good to just sit still. I have to stay active. I occasionally bump into my old bandmate Datuk Ramli Sarip, and he approves of what I'm doing," he added.
