Lifestyle

The first day of Chinese New Year has a number of no-nos. Sweeping the floors,  cutting hair, breaking plates, wearing of black colour clothes and voicing vulgarities – to name a few. There are other things to bear in mind. “Don't...

While studying in Melbourne, this is what I do for Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration. The first year, my Chinese friends and I dutifully went through the eve of CNY in the following order: we called home, we cooked...

Herbal chicken, check. Abalone, check. Treasure pot, check. Double-boiled treasures soup, check! The once-in-a-year reunion dinner is now a click away – you can order your reunion dinner set online. Having a sumptuous reunion dinner in the comfort of your...

With its cheerful ambiance, kooky graphics and swirling fans, Ow Meeting Place in Kim Tian Road is the epitome of a Singaporean family-owned and run kopitiam or foodcourt – the type that was everywhere in Singapore in the '80s. The...

The first day of Chinese New Year is supposed to be an auspicious day to usher in the new year. But it is also a day for interrogation: the one thing that annoys people, especially young adults, is the...

I stare at the clock, then back at my red shoes, and back at the clock again. How I wish time would pass quickly. The waiter walks pass me, swiftly pouring tea into our cups that would not last one...

With the passing of the older generation, traditional festivals like Chinese New Year (CNY) are becoming harder to sustain. The once-a-year visits to relatives' homes will be hard to continue: when my child was younger, the “incentive” came in...

Fussy, choosy and kiasu – these words best describe Singaporeans' attitude towards one of their favourite festive foods, bak kwa (barbecued sliced pork). Three generations (and counting!) of Singaporeans grew up loving this quintessentially Hokkien delicacy that is usually...

You might think that you are doing yourself a favour by paying between S$150 and $300 for a full-body massage at a boutique spa in Orchard road or a four-, five-star hotel. But are you doing justice to your...

by Tan Bah Bah Run Run Shaw’s death brought to close an era of giant East Asian film-makers. Reports rightly describe the most productive period of the legendary Shaw brothers as part of the Golden Age of Hong Kong...