The Blinker House takes its name from horse blinkers—to frame the views and cut out unwanted distractions for its occupants. While the intention was to create a functional family abode for four generations to live in together, the way it is done is poetic and well-integrated with the site, wind, material and form. Designed by Super Assembly, this three-storey house in Singapore replaced a conventional two-storey home and contains wonderfully choreographed sequences.

The elegant journey takes the occupants and visitors into the house and outdoors: up the winding momentum of a swooping spiral staircase, through quiet pauses via a Japanese stone garden and to timber benches with front-row views of expansive vistas, and along intimate, narrow corridors that draw the eye to picture windows framing greenery and light.

“The context played a crucial role in shaping the massing and design of views for the house,” comments Super Assembly’s principal architect, Iskandar Idris. The rear of the corner plot faces a lush patch of land; this is where the house turns towards, instead of the other three elevations that face two roads as well as a neighbouring residence. Its architectural design reads as a neat series of stacked orthogonal volumes with strategically placed openings.

In a counter-intuitive move, the main living and entertainment spaces were elevated to the second storey, alongside the swimming pool and a generous outdoor terrace.

Enclosed spaces such as the kitchen and the movie room were positioned to block undesirable views of the road and the neighbouring property. An arresting feature here is a coffered ceiling, which adds depth to the interior and gives this zone the feeling of a large cave looking out to an outdoor space.

The second-storey living area flows outwards to a terrace, where ample seating encourages conversations and activity outdoors. Translucent white curtains along the perimeter of the linear trajectory of communal spaces soften the predominantly rectilinear architecture and diffuse the tropical light. In the screened volume that caps the house, the bedroom spaces lend privacy.

Within the house are two staircases, crafted as design highlights. The more dramatic is the spiral staircase that twirls from the ground floor to the second storey. Like a sculptural piece, it rises from a bed of gravel, which appears as a Japanese-style garden. From the second to the third levels, the open risers of a cantilevered staircase endow it with a lighter character as it almost seems to float, as opposed to the solidity of the sinuous central staircase.

All these components are mini delights enclosed in a larger sculpture, which is that of the house itself. What is commendable is that despite how well knitted the interiors are with the exterior, the architecture itself maintains a strong identity.

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Many Korean celebrities can easily catch everyone’s attention just with visuals alone. However, only a few can tick all the boxes like a complete package. One such personality is the multi-hyphenate Ahn Hyo-seop, or Paul Ahn, who not only possesses a stunning physique and an angelic face but is also a versatile actor, a prolific musician, and an intelligent individual with a degree in international business under his belt.

“Ahn Hyo Seop is an ace. He has the visuals, possesses a golden voice, and can dance. And then we remember that he is such a top-notch actor first!” exclaims Ben Chan, founder of retail empire Bench and Tatler Asia’s Most Influential honouree. It was almost a year ago when the fashion giant announced Ahn’s inclusion in the brand’s growing roster of #GlobalBenchsetters, which includes the likes of Lee Min-ho, Hyun Bin, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Seon-ho and the phenomenal K-pop group, Enhypen. “As a Bench endorser, he stands out with his model built. He is well-mannered off-stage and an amazing performer onstage and onscreen,” adds Chan.

This October, the Korean superstar lands in Manila for his Asian tour titled Here and Now. “The idea is that we want fans to feel happiness right here and right now…to make the most of the time right here and right now,” explains Ahn. The Asian tour covers Seoul, Bangkok, Taipei, Jakarta, Manila, and ultimately, Tokyo. “The most important for me is to see my fans face to face and [be able] to talk to them,” says the actor. 

Ahn grew up in Toronto and returned to Korea when he was 17. He then got scouted, became a K-pop trainee, and had almost debuted as part of the group, Got7. But fate had other plans. He shifted gears and ventured into acting, where he got several famous roles today.

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Shanghai has evolved in many ways, especially when it is viewed in the eyes of someone that has been residing there for more than 20 years. Most of the dining places which were popular at one point of time twenty years ago are no longer in operation today. Hence, “What are the best restaurants in Shanghai” is a complex and easy question depending on who you ask.

For Singaporean celebrity chef Jereme Leung, he has different reasons when it comes to why he likes a restaurant. Some of them are because of nostalgia with their authentic flavours and longstanding history, and some of them for their innovative flavours that they adapt with novel culinary techniques and adaptation to suit their locale. Altogether, they reflect how he is inspired by new and old, and his passion of blending cultures and flavours, connecting tradition and contemporary elements.

For example, Lao Ji Shi Restaurant was the first Shanghainese restaurant that he dined in when he first arrived in Shanghai in autumn of 2002. While Pan Xiao Shao Yunnan Barbecue is a Yunnan style grill restaurant that serves authentic Yunnan style grill and skewers. He explains that Yunnan is one of his favourite places for inspiration due to its abundance of great food produce throughout the year. 

Of course, on top of memorable experiences, Leung likes these restaurants because they serve delicious dishes from the heart. For one, Wan Huo Restaurant has been around for more than a decade and a decent wine and sake list which complements its delicious food. Another favourite is Home Town, a Chinese restaurant that is operated by well-known veteran Singapore chef Jack Awyong.

For Italian flavours, he enjoys Bambino, a new restaurant by Italian chef “Lucky” who takes pride in hand making everything from pastas to focaccia at his cosy establishment.

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It’s impossible to walk down the street in Paris and not be struck by the gauze of history that careens across the city. Mascarons sit above the arches of heavy wooden doors, gargoyles snarl from stone turrets, and wrought iron railings twist and turn across beige terraces with the arabesque of grapevines.

Much of this is centuries old—a reflection of the design language that stems from France’s deep‐rooted appreciation of art, culture and history. It is little wonder that the city is a magnet for buyers, purveyors and connoisseurs of antiques and vintage objects looking to decorate their living spaces.

Indeed, the country’s proclivity for aged beauty stands as an antidote to these fast times, when everything can be purchased through an app and even coveted designer furnishings tend to be delivered straight out of a factory. That may have its appeal, but those who hanker after unique one‐off pieces with a backstory will revel in Paris’ antiques and vintage offerings.

Visiting aficionados looking to purchase antiques with a clear lineage can rest assured that the many bricks‐and‐mortar antiques stores make it a breeze. Many of these sellers are part of an association called the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, one of the oldest associations of antiques and art dealers in France. The nearly 300 members strong group have pledged themselves to a powerful code of ethics‐based authenticity, quality and honourability.

Of course, not every visitor actually requires a rococo privacy screen or a massive chandelier to rival those in the glass hall at Versailles. For casual hobbyists looking for a small memory to take home, there are plenty of markets carrying objects of every size and price point. For them, Ferré advises examining the quality of the objects, speaking to the sellers, and looking for those who are “knowledgeable and open to having a conversation to explain what the [objects] are”. She quips: “That is, provided there’s no issue with the language!”

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