on the Go with Bo!

6K on a hot Sunday morning

We ran a 'marathon' this morning!  The Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2011.  Well, that’s what I tell everyone, even though that’s not entirely true.  I ran 6 km and Robin walked ... ok, ok, it's not quite a full marathon, none the less, still a great achievement ... especially since we’ve never done this before.

Robin’s office organized a team months ago and of course we both signed up.  It was for a great cause:  to raise awareness for ex-offenders who are trying to integrate back into society as they come out of prison.  Basically, to give them a second chance.

And my gosh, there were 8,000 of us doing this on a hot and humid Sunday morning!

We got up at 0530 to get ready and take the MRT to Changi Prison where it all started.  As we’re riding the metro I’m observing a whole new sub-culture that I’ve never quite related to.  The runner.

They have special sunglasses that don’t fall off when you run.  They had iPods strapped to their biceps to distract themselves with music.  Water bottle holders.  Fanny packs for the essentials.  Proper running gear.

We had nothing!  Only our canary yellow tank-top with a number that was given to every participant.

Last night, as I was chatting with various people at a cocktail reception, the idea of getting up at 0530 and going for a run didn’t seem such a great idea after all.  Yet now after the run I feel great.  Energized.  Fit.

Maybe I’ve discovered something new.  The world of marathons?

Do you have expensive diamonds to store?

Size is not everything.  At least when it comes to diamonds!

That was my lesson for the day.

Today we were invited to visit the Singapore Freeport.  How does one explain such a facility?  On its website it says 'Welcome to the ultimate safe for the world's finest collections.'  It's a Fort Knox type structure where collectors, museums and auction houses store and trade very expensive diamonds, art pieces, wines, vintage cars and anything else that is of great value.

The infrastructure is absolutely amazing!  Its like walking into a James Bond movie!  The eco-building, which is located adjacent to Changi Airport, was designed by Swiss architects Benedicte Montant and Carmelo Stendardo of Atelier d'Architecture 3BM3.  The exterior walls are green gardens and give not indication as to what is hidden inside, other than the very assuming fence at the entrance to the facility.

As you enter the Freeport and walk from one security chamber to another you enter the central nave of the building with the most amazing free-flowing sculpture I have ever seen!  Designed by Ron Arad and titled Cage Sans Frontières, the installation is in the shape of a twisted loop made out of what I presume is a metal grid, that is inlayed with mirrors.  The effect, coupled with the stunning lights from Johanna Grawunder, is totally amazing!  As you walk around the structure, under supervision of course, the loop changes dimensions, the effect being augmented by the many mirrors incorporated into the art installation.  It's a very fluid piece.

Check this link for photos of Ron Arad's amazing art installation ...

After having had absorbed the beauty of this piece, I realized that actually, not many people will get a chance to view it.  Shame!  You've basically entered a safety box where exclusivity and security are the name of the game.  This is not for the masses!

As we were taken upstairs to see the diamonds that were being auctioned off, we had to walk through corridors of nondescript doors that made everything look very anonymous.

Now, we saw 11 diamonds in the privacy of a very secure room, and this is where I had my thinking all wrong.  The biggest diamonds were not necessarily the most expensive.  Who knew!
There were some very small brilliant diamonds that I could have easily swallowed if I had to :-)  Of course when I presented this idea to the security staff in the room, they just laughed.  If I did that, I was not going to be going anywhere!

To scan each individual diamond we had to pick them up with a white glove that we were given, and then could observe them under a very bright light and magnifying glass.  Some were so small that I was afraid that they would fall onto the floor as I was trying to grab them with my gloves, in order to turn them around so that I could get a better view of all the angles!

Besides diamonds, we also saw two rooms of magnificent paintings, all part of Ikkan Art Gallery.  The untitled abstract piece by Sam Francis just blew me away.  When they opened the door and I set my gaze on the large 4.7m X 2.7m colorful blobs I felt an intense rush of emotions.  It's a powerful piece … and very expensive!

Besides Sam Francis, he also had a Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist and some others.

Of course, the thinking here is that as you come to store your jewelry or participate in a silent auction, you will also drop by the gallery and splash down another $5 million on a Matisse painting.  

Today's experience was very unique, for there is no other such facility and of this scale anywhere else in the world.  And obviously it's doing well for they are already beginning the expansion of this ultra secure facility where the ultra rich store and buy some totally amazing art.

Now … where the heck is that little diamond that I threw into my man purse while distracting the security staff, and that I now can't find …

Kylie brings her unique brand of fluff to Singapore

She had me dancing for 2 hours straight ... which is exactly what I needed / wanted / expected.

Singapore Police Force and GoGreen Holdings / Segway Singapore nab the culprit who stole my Segway!

Look who's back.  My long lost Segway!  Yeah :-)

I don't know, part of me thought it had gone forever, yet part of me was hopeful that if it had stayed in Singapore, that it would be found.  After all, the person who stole it on May 06 (here's my blog posting from that day) obviously didn't know what he was doing for he stole a 50kg machine with no electronic key and thus no way of using it!

And that stupidity is exactly what got him caught!

On that dreadful day nearly two months ago, as soon as I got home all discouraged and upset, I contacted all the Segway offices in the region (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia) informing them that my i2 was stolen and giving them my serial number.

Over the last few weeks I've been in touch with Suhailah Mohamed from the Orchard Neighbourhood Police Centre and Janice Lim from GoGreen Holdings Pte Ltd, the official Segway distributor in Singapore, always hoping that they would find it.

This is how the drama unraveled …

Last Thursday, when I was in California, I woke up to 6 missed calls from a blocked number.  Someone had been trying to reach me during the night, but given the time difference I was sound asleep.  When I checked my email in the morning I had an email from Janice from the Segway office asking me to call her back.  Didn't think much of it and replied that given the awkward 15 hour time difference, it would be easier if she wrote to me if it was something urgent.

When I received her email, I understood why the urgency.

A guy from Singapore had contacted the Hong Kong Segway office telling them that he had lost the electronic key and if he could get a replacement one.  In order to do that, they needed the serial number of the Segway, which they proceeded to request from him.

Wouldn't you know that the serial number he gave … was mine!

The Hong Kong office immediately stalled the process, telling him that they would let him know shortly re when they could ship the key to him.  In the meanwhile, they contacted Janice in the Singapore office who then called my investigation officer Suhailah and together they arranged to go to this guy's home.

As soon as they entered his home … there was my Segway.  When the undercover police identified themselves, he claimed that he had bought the Segway in Little India for $500.  Yeah right … bought something with no key to turn it on!

Anyhow, given his claim, the police have to investigate his case.  Not sure what is going to happen to him … the police department will keep me posted.

Frankly, I actually don't care.  All that I care is that I've got my Segway back.  I've done more than 2,000km with him, I drive him every day and go everywhere with him.  So am veeeeeeery happy that he's back.

I couldn't thank enough the Singapore Police Force, including my investigation officer Suhailah Mohamed and her team for their efficiency, and of course Janice Lim, her director Matt McGuire and the entire Singapore and Hong Kong Segway team for assisting me find my i2.

Forever grateful to you all.

And as for the guy who stole it to try and make a buck … I hope he learnt a lesson and will think twice the next time he tries to steal something!  Am curious to find out what he will be accused off.

My beloved Segway, gone ... Stolen!

And yes, in Singapore, where you would never expect it!

As the posters around town say 'low crime doesn't mean no crime'.

I did my usual routine, went for lunch and then to the gym at Ngee Ann City, so for a change I parked my Segway right next to the bus stop behind the shopping mall.  I usually park it with the bicycles, next to the railings by the truck delivery entrance, but for some unknown reason decided to try something different last Tuesday.

When I came back ... Shock!  My Segway was gone!  Initially I didn't believe it.  I thought perhaps the security from Ngee Ann took it for it would be obstructing something or other.  Went to check with them.  Nothing!

I actually really stood there for a while, a bit stunned, trying to recall if I was sure that i parked it there.  But I was certain.

I even ended up walking all around the block to see if someone moved it.  Perhaps a prank.  Nothing.

There was one last thing I could think of and that is to call the LTA (Land Transport Authority) in case they thought I was obstructing public property, namely the bus stop, and decided to remove the obstacle.  Unfortunately, they also had no news.

There was nothing left to do but call the police and file a report.

What pisses me off the most is that a Segway is not that easy to steal.  First of all it's heavy.  50 kg of dead weight.  Secondly, without the electronic key you cannot do anything.  You can't turn it on, it’s very heavy to drag while turned off due to the electronic mechanism and if you try stepping on it you fall off immediately for the sensors are not activated to keep the balance.

So it's sheer stupidity to try and steal it for there is nothing you can really do with it.  Other than totally inconvenience the owner.

Whoever took it must have come with a truck or something, for you would need at least two people to lift it up and put it into a vehicle.  Quite gutsy, if you ask me, to do this next to a bus stop that is always full of people.

Given all this, the police said it's likely that someone has been observing me and planned this out.  And given that this time I parked by the bus stop, with easy access to the road, I enabled a perfect getaway.

My only consolation is that I can already see the faces of the thieves, as they realize they’ve stolen something useless, for they cannot do anything with it.  I hope they feel as pissed as I am for them stealing it!

I'm somewhat still hoping that whatever idiot did this, will decide to abandon my Segway for it’s ultimately of no use to them, and that someone will report an odd looking item sitting in the bush for days.

I can still hope.  But as the days go by ... I really think I'm going to have to say goodbye :-(

2,200 km and daily use for more than two years.  It's been my companion through rain and shine for a couple of years now.

RIP ... Will miss you!

Macbeth in the park ... a must see!

Never Odd or Even ... visual palindromes

As we're waiting for a friend, we look across the street and there's a sign that says 'Never Odd or Even ... visual palindromes', with two sets of flowers next to the door.  In Singapore that means something has just opened.

Curiousity prevails ... why not check out what this is all about.  We walk in to a small and intimate gallery (which btw is named Evil Empire - 48 Niven Road, behind Dhoby Ghaut MRT) with new works from Singapore-based Australian-American artist Jill Pickering.  The art pieces are created by painting on half the canvas and then folding it over, to create a duplicate, mirror image.  Thus palindromes.

Everything looked like vaginas to me!  Luved it!

We were in there for less than 10 minutes, for the space is really not that big.  But in those 10 minutes we got a spontaneous and unexpected infusion of art.  It was uplifting ... and made me even more hungry ... time for dinner ...

If you're in the neighbourhood, drop-in ... Jill is a character and it never hurts to let some creativity into your soul.

Singapore Biennale - Part Deux

Time to do part deux of the Singapore Biennale.  This time went to SAM - Singapore Art Museum and the exhibition here was much more manageable (in terms of size) than at Old Kallang Airport, which was vast.

My favorite piece was straight out of Robin Cook's book/movie Coma.  Nine suspended bodies with their limbs stretched out, in varying colours.  The bodies were covered in beautifully textured and patterned fabrics … and best of all … each body had a plug going straight into its head.  Fantastic!

Then we came across these huge angel wings that just demanded that we take a photo with them, posing in such a way as if the wings belonged to us.  But the wings were made of old flip-flops, and as we read the title to the piece, we realized they had been collected from Singapore prisons.  Powerful!

Add to that paintings made out of mud, some horrendous photos of the student uprests in Thailand and someone gone crazy with a whole collection of newspaper articles on art spanning god knows how many decades and filling up an entire room.

This time perhaps there were a few too many video installations.  Video takes time to absorb and seeing several in a row creates a vacuum in your head ... at least my head.

Next on the list … the National Museum … for the last installation of the Biennale.  Got to get there before May 15th when it all shuts down!

Sam Neill drops by the Screening Room ... to showcase his movie

I really didn't know what I walked into when Kate invited me to a movie night, wine tasting and talk with some actor last night.

When she summarized the evening to me I just quickly said yes, and that was it!

I've been to the rooftop bar of the Screening Room countless of times.  In fact it's one of my favorite places.  And I know they do regular movie nights, but this was not one of those.  This was more special.

Since we had been to the Biennale all afternoon, and it was a hot, hot day, I was wearing my typical tropical uniform - shorts and T-shirt.  And that's how I went to this event at the Screening Room.

We walk in to a reception with about 35 well-dressed and well-heeled people, a very artsy crowd.  And there's me looking like I just came back from the beach.  Experience tells me that in these situations the best thing to do is to quickly grab a drink.

As we are ushered to their third-floor comfy in-house theatre, we're told that the movie we initially came to see, called Yes, was not to be tonight.  Instead we were going to watch Dean Spanley.  In any case, I had heard of neither.

The movie was an Edwardian story about father and sun and their distant relationship.  The reconciliation happens at the end after many drinks of Imperial Tokay and countless dog analogies.  The storyline may sound weird right now, but actually it was captivating as well as brilliantly acted, with none other than Peter O'Toole playing the father.  It was an art house movie that you were most likely never to see, which would actually be a shame.

While watching the movie we were being poured some great Pinot Noir from a New Zealand winery called Two Paddocks, of which I also had never heard of before.

As the movie ended, the whole group moves to the restaurant below, where we're confronted by a delicious spread of Middle Eastern food prepared by Samia, who together with her husband own the Coriander Leaf Restaurant and the Screening Room.  The food was extraordinary!

No sooner than we sat down, Samia's husband (the sound of his name is in my head yet it's the spelling that escapes me) stands up and starts commenting about the movie and a discussion entails.  People are asking questions that are targeted at this older handsome bloke with a very British demeanor.  He's telling us his life story, introducing his wife, talking about his wines, his acting … and slowly I start piecing the story together.

The man standing and talking about himself is Sam Neill, the actor.  He was one of the protagonists in the movie we had just seen, as well as played in The Piano, Jurassic Park and several other movies.  And besides acting, he has found his passion in wine making, which is where the Two Paddocks brand comes in.

Can you say clueless?!

I really had no idea how my evening was going to turn out, but it ended up providing such an insightful view into the life of an actor, his passion the movies and wine, watched a jewel of a movie and had a wonderful discussion with a small group of movie aficionados which created a delightfully memorable evening.

Thanks Kate for dragging me out.

The Screening Room organizes these exclusive evenings randomly, so I recommend you somehow get on to their mailing list.

Singapore Biennale 2011 - Expect the unexpected

Kate calls me up and says 'do you want to go see the Biennale tomorrow?'

I didn't really have any definite plans of seeing it, but why not.  I was in the mood of being surprised and isn't that what art is about?  Evoking an emotion out of you that you didn't expect?

The Singapore Biennale 2011 is being held in 4 locations:  Singapore Art Museum, National Museum of Singapore, Old Kallang Airport and Marina Bay.

We chose to go the Old Kallang Airport, simply because it was the furthest away, as Kate put it.

It was an awesome choice.  I've driven past the old airport terminal building countless of times, on the way to Kallang.  What always intrigued me is that in Singapore, where everything gets torn down and replaced by something modern and big, there was the old terminal, untouched since 1955!

I was a bit mistaken, for actually the building was used as the headquarters of PAP till April 2009 and thus was not sitting empty for decades.  This is all courtesy of Wikipedia!

The building in itself is impressive!  With its circular design and large bright interior areas, the historic structure has got some amazing internal spaces making it perfect for art installations.

We spent a whole afternoon there.  There were so many great installations that intrigued me.  And you know how art installations are a hit and miss … well, there were quite a few that hit me.  From the simplicity of two clocks side-by-side that show the exact same time, to walking into a dark room with a bright yellow neon sign that said 'Don't Worry'.  Simple, yet it put a smile on my face.  Not to mention the hunt for little scribbles in a stairwell ... and when you found one you knew there had to be another one, and another.  You have to see it to understand!

Then there was a room filled with ticking metronomes, all 30 of them lined up ticking at different speeds.  A cacophony of sound that would drive you crazy with time, yet appealing in as far that these little unassuming wooden boxes can create such a chaotic sound.

For some reason I also liked the big Danish barn in the hangar and several of the interactive projection rooms.  Had fun with those.

And the most shocking part, this great experience was free!  The Old Kallang Airport venue has no entrance fee!

The Biennale runs from March 13 - May 15, 2011.  For more information go to  www.singaporebiennale.org