The UrbanWire      

Each year when the calendar page shows December, my girlfriends would arm themselves with a battery of vigorous workout sessions and insane diet regimens.

Nope, they’re not having a mass wedding or renewing their vows together. This is but a preparation all of them go through in the name of enjoying their Christmas parties while keeping the guilt trip to blubber-land at bay.

With so many high-calorie sinful temptations during the festive celebrations, it’s only right that one should fear the battle of the bulge afterward. Zenxin Agri-Organic has concocted several solutions for great tasting reduced-calorie dishes for that purpose.

I used to be a staunch believer that anything healthy can’t taste half as good as the real thing.. After securing a date with Mrs Ceridwen Wolf, Zenxin Agri-Organic’s Product Manager, I went down to the hypermart certain that Mrs Wolf wouldn’t succeed in budging my judgement, much less my taste buds.

But I was so wrong.

Upon reaching my destination I found myself shoved aside, between a Christmas tree and the demonstration table, by an army of “aunties” determined to learn how to make healthy yummy dishes.

^{Mrs Wolf whipping up some Christmas cheer.}

Undeterred, I watched as the amiable Mrs Wolf quickly whipped up a batch of Delish Christmas Eggs, and at the same time, good-naturedly fielded the fast, strong queries the spectators threw at her.

“Whatever your grandmother ate would be the best thing for you to eat,” Mrs Wolf announced as she offered the plate of delish eggs all around. These were, in my opinion, named aptly as they were quite scrumptious.

The mix of tangy, sweet and tasty herbs was balanced out perfectly and will do great as starters or finger food.

^{Zesty Cranberry Sauce}

Next up, she put together a saucer of Zesty Cranberry Sauce to go with turkey, and boy did it smell like Christmas. Not only was the sauce tasty with a nice tart, sweet finish, but it was also a visual treat. Its natural ruby red colouring is sure to bring out the Christmas spirits and smells when drizzled over desserts or turkey.

But the one thing that sold me was the Sweet Potato Pie. One bite into the sweet potato and the whole floor went silent. The filling was smooth, sweet and absolutely decadent, with the right touch of spices. I was pretty sure this is one dessert I’ll be lugging to many potluck parties over the Christmas and New Year’s period. The best thing about all of them is, they’re dead easy to prepare!

^{Sweet Potato Pie}

Fret not if you are hankering after the recipes! It’s here for all to see!

Ingredients:

6 organic eggs
1 pkt fresh organic chives
1 pkt fresh organic Italian parsley
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp gourmet mustard
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Preparation:

1. Bring cold water and room temperature eggs to the boil gently and simmer for around 5 minutes. Any longer and your yolks will turn pale and lose their vibrant yellow.

2. Plunge the eggs into ice-cold water to cool them off. This will contract the eggs from the shells and allow them to be peeled without getting craters in their skin.

3. Peel the eggs carefully and halve them.

4. Remove the yolks again with care and mash with the other ingredients. Take a teaspoon and replace the mixture into the white half eggs and serve on a bed of lettuce.

Ingredients:

2 cups washed fresh organic cranberries
1 stick of cinnamon
6 cloves
Juice of 1 orange
6-8 thinly pared strips or orange peel or organic orange zest
1⁄2 cup organic brown sugar
1⁄2 cup of water

Preparation:

1. Dissolve the brown sugar in the water by heating it in a saucepan.

2. Add the spices and orange zest and let this simmer for 3 mins until the room smells like Christmas, then add the cranberries and orange juice.

3. Simmer gently until thickened to desired consistency. Be very careful as the cranberries will pop and fly out of the pan unless you keep the lid on.

Ingredients:

2 cups Zenxin organic baked sweet potato
1⁄2 cup butter
1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
1⁄2 cup organic brown sugar
2 organic eggs
1⁄2 cup organic cream
1 tbsp organic self-raising flour
1⁄2 cup organic walnut pieces
230g instant shortcut pastry
9 inch flan pie tin

Topping:

2 tbsp butter
1⁄4 cup organic brown sugar
1⁄2 cup walnut pieces
A pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Bake 4 medium sized sweet potatoes in the oven at 180°C for approximately 70 mins. Leave to cool and then peel off the skin. The longer you bake this, the sweeter the filling will be as the sweet potato will caramelise.

2. Butter the flan tin and cover with the pastry.

3. Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato and add the butter, spices and vanilla and mix well.

4. Stir in the 2 eggs, brown sugar, organic cream, flour and finally the walnut pieces.

5. Place mixture in flan dish and place this in the oven to bake  for approximately 55 minutes. If you stick a knife into the pie and it comes out clean, it’s done.

6. While the pie is baking, prepare the topping.

7. Dissolve the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan using low heat. Wait until the mixture is bubbling then add the walnuts and a pinch of salt.

8. Stir for another 2 minutes then remove from the heat and pour onto a marble slab to cool or leave it aside in the pan to cool. Crumble and sprinkle over the pie to finish.

You can find more recipes by Mrs Wolf here.

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I have Owl City’s “Vanilla Twilight” running through my brains and quite honestly, I couldn’t help but feel that the stars are leaning down to kiss me.

VivoCity celebrated its third year anniversary on Dec 2 with, quite literally, a bang, especially with fireworks choreographed by Korean pyrotechnics maestro FUEGO21. The sky lit up for a full 7 minutes of a magical show and shoppers stopped to stare and marvel at the fireworks display.

^{(Photos by Lim Zhee Yen)}

Samantha Row, financial planner, 37, has been to the shopping mall in the past 3 years for the fireworks alone. She said, “For me, this is one of the few amazing moments where family could come together, have a nice dinner and be enthralled by the beautiful fireworks.”

“My husband and I plan our schedules together with the kids to spend some quality time every Dec 2.”

Her thoughts were echoed by Jason Lim, store supervisor, 44, who came with his wife. “My kids are all grown up so they (are) hardly home. This gives me a chance to spend more time with my wife and it has become a tradition for us.”

The anniversary programme opened with the Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra playing a medley of songs from ABBA and Ponyo, the little fish girl, obviously set to enthral the young ones in the crowd.

This was then followed by the Disney Classical Christmas meet and greet, a part of the VivoCity Christmas special this year with Mickey and friends.

Also, look out for VivoCity’s Christmas tree in their Sky Park. Standing tall at 103 feet (3139cm), the decadent tree dripping with pretty baubles is the tallest Christmas tree in Singapore.

But that isn’t all. Young shoppers had fun during the Christmas programmes lined up for them. Events such as the Disney Classical Christmas meet and greet with Mickey and friends had mothers rearranging their schedules and little ones squealing from delight.

Maisarah, 9, was so excited with her opportunity to meet Mickey that she begged her mother to take a day off work so that she could accompany her and her sister, Nadiah, 5, to the event.

The 2 girls not only managed to take photos with their favourite Disney characters, but also managed to attend the Princess Party where girls from ages 4 to 10 received a chance to dress up as their favourite Disney princess.

VivoCity’s third year Christmas celebration programmes ends on Dec 31.

Wow.

If you were at the National Museum of Singapore on Nov 27 and felt like you’re in a different place, you’re not alone.

The first instalment of “I Love Museums” showed about 1000 unique patrons just what an awesome time Explore Singapore! could show them.

I Love Museums made its debut on Nov 27 as part of Explore Singapore! 2009 in its fourth season.

Organised by the National Heritage Board, it aims to create a congenial atmosphere for the patrons –the youth in particular, to fall in love once again with museums. UrbanWire snooped around the National Museum of Singapore to find out what’s abuzz.

What kept them coming

Cheery cherry balloons and colourful stalls spread over a distance greeted me as I stepped into the National Museum of Singapore. The event started off with a full photography workshop led by Mr Lim Seng Tiong at 10.30 am. This writer tried to squeeze a seat into the workshops but she was politely directed to the other stations, as the workshops were fully booked.

Unfortunately for her, the other 2 workshops, namely the wine appreciation workshop headed by wine maestro Mr Edwin Soon, and the chocolate appreciation workshop with Valrhona chocolate guru, Mr Vincent Bourdin,  were sold out too.

Mr Edwin Soon is a qualified oenologist from Roseworthy College, Adelaide University, Australia’s renowned wine school. In addition, he has also contributed as an editor to several wine magazines such as Wine and Dine and Harpers Bazaar.

Mr Vincent Bourdin on the other hand, is currently a chef instructor with Shermay’s Cooking School. He established the Valrhona Regional Representative Office for Asia Pacific in Singapore in 1996 and was the co-founder of the Asian Pastry Cup Board.

Sharon Ng, 21, exclaimed, “We’re (her boyfriend and her) so lucky to get places in all the workshops! Workshops with experts don’t come with such affordable prices or free even!”

Claire Tan, 18, who only managed to get into the chocolate appreciation workshop, was disgruntled that she only managed to get into 1 of the 3 workshops offered. However, she declared that the I Love Museums organisers did a good job with the rest of the activities, having been thoroughly entertained.

Fortunately, the disappointment for the patrons who missed a chance at the workshops was kept at bay. The other stations were ready gave them an interesting line up to choose an activity from.

Booths such as Cultural Chic! gave patrons a chance to try on and take a photo in costumes from various cultures. Love Pictionary challenges that took place at hourly intervals soon filled the spacious auditorium with shouts of delight from participants.

^{Ms Wong having a ball at the museum}

Ms Arnette Wong, 23, who was trying on a Mexican costume, said of the booth, “This is so awesome! You could try on any audacious costumes and not feel silly! I also like the little quizzes they give us in the goodie bags! Good knowledge titbits!”

Other than the quizzes, they were also invited to tweet on their Twitter page about their day at the museum. Vocal group VoCollision was also present to serenade the crowd with acapella performances.

^{Ms Ng tweeting about her day at the museum}

But what garnered the most attention had to be the chance to bring back mementos such as calligraphy of their name or a caricature sketch of themselves. Headed by Ms Jessie Ren and Mr Kamal Dollah, the booths were popular and had inexhaustible queues.

Although it rained cats and dogs halfway through the events, those who came had a great time.

Ms Gim Ng, 23, said “This is my first visit to the museum and I am pleasantly surprised that the event was youth-friendly. The museum is also a great peaceful place to hang out at!”

Having said that, she felt that this event could’ve done better if the stations were spread throughout both levels of the museum to allow the patrons a chance to reacquaint themselves with the museum.

Ms Steffi Sim, 19, who found out about the event through its Facebook page added, “There’s a really big potential for this event but it’s scale for the event is a lot smaller than what I’ve expected.”

Ms Christine , 20, added that “the execution and marketing efforts” using new media such as Twitter and Facebook “was smart cause we’re (youth) are always on it”.

In addition to that, she also echoed the thoughts of all the previous interviewees on looking towards museum as a new place to explore and hang out at.

The next instalment of I Love Museums is tentatively set in Feb 2010.

Situated in Paragon, 33 thirty three is a first of its kind, exclusive multi-label shoe boutique in Asia. It retails the elite designer brand G-Star Raw Footwear that specialises in alternative footwear that gives a rugged feel.

The trendy London-based Double Identity and established Italian brand Iceberg debut alongside that label.

33 thirty three was named thus, “so as to commemorate the significance of the G-Star denim and its quality,” according to Mr John Ng, Director and General Manager of Sidefame Singapore, the premier fashion retailer that manages G-Star Apparel and 33 thirty three.

G-Star Raw Footwear carries the emblem of 3301 on all their products. 33 represents the number of the first batch of raw denim brought in for its apparel and 01 was an indication of the denim’s quality.

Sidefame is also the only local spokesperson for Milan-based upscale fashion labels such as Anteprima, well known for high-end leather goods.

Shoes from G-Star, a celebrated brand from Amsterdam that was noted for innovative work on raw denim, occupy 70% of the footwear display in the shop. They are segregated into 3 categories namely – utility, military and sports.

Retailing from $193 onwards, each pair may seem a tad pricey but Mr Ng assured that they are well worth the money if you’re looking for something that’s fashionable and durable.

Pointing out the unique make and design of each shoe, Mr Ng explained to UrbanWire, “The shoes are sturdy fashion items by themselves. It isn’t just about the design that you can see! The soles in itself are a character.”

The unique serrated soles are made based on an inspiration of a pair of “old fisherman boots” and will give consumers excellent grip when in use. The shoes are also styled to be hip and edgy but at the same time designed for comfort.

Take, for example, the military Patton Cinch Collar Leather Boots for men, which are made from calf leather and with an inner sock detail to provide comfort and style.

The Auger Samovar Denim high top sport trainer combines the unexpected blend of “full-grain leather, denim, suede and micro-meshes” to construct a pair of avant-garde sneakers. This serves G-Star Raw Footwear’s “form follows function” philosophy and at the same time is sturdy enough to withstand tough treatment.

Says the enthusiastic manager about the G-Star Raw Footwear, “These shoes cost a lot to produce because they are made from high quality raw materials. They are vulcanised and treated at high heat so they can withstand wear and tear for a very long time.”

Vulcanisation is a process often used to produce tyres. The rubber parts of the shoes are treated at very high temperatures with sulphur and moulded with steel frames that make the material stronger, yet more supple. Unlike shoes that are put together by glue, they are more “lasting and also hold their shape very well”.

Each of the brands, according to Mr Ng, brings in a slightly different twist to what 33 thirty three has to offer despite its common theme of alternative and industrial feel.

Iceberg brings an extravagant and stylish feel to sneakers. The 35-year-old label is run by the Gilmar Group, a reputable Italian company.

The Iceberg Ladies Vernice Nero is decorated with sequins to amplify the glam factor.

Meanwhile, Double Identity presents a “quirky, individualistic take” on sneakers with its prominent double Velcro straps and its 2-lace details.

Like the other stores in Paragon, this has a minimalist almost clinical look, although the shop was intending to convey the alternative, rugged feel of the footwear, using metallic frames and metal nets as part of the décor.

^{Edmund Chen and family at 33 thirty three}

^{Dennis Chew at 33 thirty three}
Those present, such as Y.E.S 93.3 FM deejay, Dennis Chew, gave the look 2 thumbs up. He was seen trying on a few pairs of shoes and said to UrbanWire, “I love the clean and open display. I can instantly pick out the designs that I really like from it and make a choice quickly.”

With a mob of messy curls, rotund cheeks and an easy laughter, Datuk Mohamad Nor Bin Khalid, or better known as Lat, is the splitting image of the adorable Mat, the main character in his bestseller – The Kampung Boy.

Born in Kota Bahru, Perak, in 1951, the astute celebrity cartoonist has always been fascinated by cartoons. The first few cartoons he saw were in a Movie News magazine and it made an impact on him because it was funny but “very badly drawn”.

“I was laughing in my sarong [a long cloth worn around the waist by the Malays]. I didn’t know what a vegetarian was. I thought a vegetarian was someone who studies vegetables!” he said of the first cartoon strip he saw.

Lat, who was recently awarded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as one of the 6 awardees for the Ikon 1Malaysia Negeri Perak in October, regaled his fans with humorous tales of his childhood and how he took inspiration from his memories as well as the everyday life in Malaysia.

This award was specially gifted to those whose works were believed to unite Malaysians and create a sense of harmony. One of the other awarded was the late Yasmin Ahmad, film director and story-teller extraordinaire.

The artist was in town on Oct 31 for a meet-the-author session during the Singapore Writers Festival 2009.

The Kampung Boy meets the American Boy

Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, was a fan of Lat way before he created the popular cartoon. When UrbanWire asked Lat if there was a chance for Mat, The Kampung Boy to meet Bart Simpson on paper or on screen, he answered in Malay, “That would be near impossible because Mat and Bart serves different audiences and they [the audience] have different tastes.”

Credits: Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd

This however, didn’t stop The Kampung Boy from being translated to English and being launched in America in 2006.

The road to becoming a celebrity cartoonist

At the tender age of 13, Lat published his first works, Tiga Sekawan, a story about 3 friends who came together to catch thieves, with Sinaran, a publishing house that printed textbooks in 1964. He was paid 25 ringgit for it. However, the thought of drawing cartoons as a career never crossed his mind.

He told UrbanWire in Malay, “Although I was earning money, it never crossed my mind to work as a cartoonist because back then, in Ipoh, such a job did not exist. At 13 years old I was too young to decide and people would have labelled me insane if I told them I wanted to draw cartoons for a living. I only knew I wanted to do something related to drawing. I was 17 when I realised that I wanted to do this [for a career].”

Lat continued to draw through his schooling days, encouraged by his parents and his art teacher Ms Moira Hew. He drew for the Malay papers, Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian before being hired as a crime reporter with the New Straits Times when he was 19.

Even with a stable job as a reporter, he didn’t relinquish his hold on his passion and continued drawing for Berita Harian. However, he admitted to faring fairly as a reporter as he lacked the inquisitive nature needed in the job.

“I wasn’t very good at it because I was not nosy enough. I did not ask enough questions or dig around very much,” chuckled the soft-spoken artist.

Having said that, working as a crime reporter for 4 years did help him expand his social circle and allowed him to understand how different Kuala Lumpur really was from his hometown and it made an impression in some of his cartoons.

It also taught him to be less shy and to be more vocal when he’s around people.

In 1974, he was made the editorial cartoonist of the New Straits Times and proceeded to publish his first book, The Kampung Boy in 1979.

In 1994, he was bestowed the honorific title of Datuk and continued to draw cartoons for the New Straits Times.

Lat on family, drawing and childhood memories

A set of drawings sent to the Asia Magazine in Hong Kong depicting the hilarious events during his circumcision ritual and managed to obtain a wide circulation for the set in the region.

He recounted to the room full of laughing fans, “the Tok Molek [which means ‘circumcision specialist’ in Malay] told us that once we are circumcised, we’ll go through life without any problems and we believed him. Then I saw my cousin fainted during the circumcision ceremony and thought to myself, “Oh my God, I am going to die! But in the end it just felt like an ant-bite.”

Lat’s cartoons are quite simply a caricature of his memorable childhood and he said to the audience, “If you want to tell stories that make people laugh, make sure it is true.”

Needless to say, the characters in his books are people who have entered his life and left an indelible impression.

When asked how he keeps his creative juices flowing for over 30 years as a cartoonist, he answered to UrbanWire in Malay.

“I draw everywhere I go. I have this felt pen that I bring with me and draw [with] when I’m sitting in the car waiting for the wife. Everything I see can be my source of inspiration.”

However, this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t get an artist-block.

“I wanted to quit [freelance] drawing for the New Straits Times once because I was tired but they [the editors] persuaded me to stay on because I’ve been with them for so long. I decided that I would draw for them as long as there is a following and now submit my drawings every Sunday night.”

The affable artist laughed when asked if any of his 4 children would follow in his footsteps. “They’re not interested in my cartoons and they don’t laugh at it. But this doesn’t mean they can’t draw.”

Tips for the aspiring artist

When UrbanWire asked Lat if he had any tips for the aspiring artists, he replied, “Look out for the thin lines. It’d be better if you can draw with a brush because then the cartoon will “pop” and have interesting dimensions. But if you have too much of them [thin lines], the drawing would be weak.”

The cartoonist also encouraged artists to draw for passion and stressed the need for one to be truthful in their work.

Credits: Photobucket.com

Up to date, the celebrated cartoonist has over 20 books to his name and a cartoon series depicted from his first book The Kampung Boy aired in Malaysia in 1998. The Kampung Boy was translated into over 5 languages and has also decorated the Air Asia Boeing 737 in 2004.

His recent work, entitled “Lat’s Window to the World”, has been staged as visuals alongside the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra performance, which was conducted by Hollywood’s conductor and composer, Carl Davis in May 2009.

Fans were applauding and catcalling after every number, some even giving a standing ovation, treating the sold-out premiere of Michael Jackson’s This Is It at the Shaw Lido One on Oct 28, like a concert.

“I was very touched by this other side to him,” said Yvonne Wong, a fan who was cheering throughout the movie, “He was very dedicated.”

For fans like Yvonne, it was a chance for her to see her idol as a creative director, a mentor and a music genius, besides the exceptional performer he usually is when he stages a concert.

The movie of Michael rehearsing for his sold-out concert that would’ve been held at The London O2 Arena pre-sold a whopping 22,000 tickets confirmed David Glass, Managing Director of Golden Village Multiplex Pte Ltd.

It kicked off on an emotional note, with a montage of overwhelmed dancers and singers describing how it felt like to have a coveted spot as part of Michael Jackson’s crew. The videos were taken after they were personally selected by Michael for his concert. This was before the global hysteria that came in the wake of his death on Jun 26.

It then segued into a scene where Michael is rehearsing “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, a track off the 1982’s Thriller, this being followed by his other hits such as “They Don’t Care About Us”, “Smooth Criminal” and “Billie Jean”.

Directed by Kenny Ortega, Michael’s creative partner and director-choreographer, the movie showed Michael to be the very picture of a perfectionist and not just a talented performer.

Michael was fussy about the minute details of the performance. Simple things such as his back up singers hand gestures during a number, or their expression were critiqued.

In just 112 minutes, the movie showcased just how physically and emotionally taxing it was for Michael to prepare for his mind-blowing concert.

For instance, in a scene he was seen breathlessly singing, struggling to finish a song from having practised for too long, but he still pushed on. Once he even got frustrated with a malfunctioning earpiece and said, “It feels like someone’s fist is being shoved in my ear,” before continuing practice.

Zaldy, Michael’s personal costume designer said, “Michael Jackson is about pushing boundaries.”

Laced with high-gloss technology, segments of his show such as “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Thriller” were accompanied by extensive visual works and even featured an elaborate graveyard for a majestic stage set. At a point in the concert Michael would emerge from beneath a huge mechanical spider  to create a grand entrance.

The star that was described by his crew in the movie as a “hands-on genius” was involved in every aspect of the then upcoming concert, from the making of the 3-D visuals to tuning instruments and directing the concert’s musical tenor.

Notwithstanding the years of not performing, the King of Pop, who was 50 years old, sounded better than he ever did, and was seen energetically keeping up with his dancers, some of whom are less than half his age.

The movie is not, however, just about how much sweat and tears Michael and his crew put into preparing for a concert. Rather, it’s a platform for Michael’s fans to feel closer to him and understand how he really felt about his music.

Michael’s humorous and friendly personality was captured in the film, as he was often seen cracking jokes with his crew. Once when his music director Michael Bearden said a piece needed more “booty”, Michael burst out laughing and responded, “A little more booty, that’s funny.”

Despite many accusations of being childish or having arrested emotional development, he was also seen as a fatherly figure and a mentor to his supporting performers, musicians and production crew.

After a rehearsal, he said, “Everyone is doing a great job. Thank you for your patience and endurance. We are a family. I love you. We will take them places they have never seen before. We want to show them talents we’ve never seen before.”

One thing is sure, fans were really touched by the film. Camilla Lee,  said, “Michael had meaningful messages in his songs. They were about love and how we should love nature and everything around us. I feel a little bit closer to him after watching this.”

This was thanks to scrupulous choices made from clips gleaned off recordings amounting to 120 hours. This is a must watch for people who listen to his music and continue to mourn his loss.

As well put together as it was, This Is It is still a sad shadow of what would’ve been a phenomenal concert. The world has missed out on something great with his passing.

This Is It screens in cinemas islandwide from Oct 29 for 2 weeks.