The Bowl & The Bald

His initials are the same as mine. He's also a 'Leong' and Cantonese. He loves his food and gives due consideration to the need to exercise. That's as far as the similarities go.

S.L. not only cooks, but his dishes and presentations have earned him prestigious awards and titles. Among them, 'Asian Ethnic Chef of the Year' at the World Gourmet Summit in 2001, 2002, 2004 and this year's regional award. Celebrity Master Chef Sam Leong has also been Singapore's representative at some of the world's most esteemed culinary events and food festivals.

Despite being the creative maestro behind the menus and kitchens of more than 30 of Tung Lok world-class restaurants, Sam is a man with simple tastes and home-cooked meals. In The Living Room, he reminisced about a simple dish his mother used to prepare for him when he was a child. It was rice steamed to moisture packed perfection, and then with a raw egg cracked open and poured into a holed-out centre of the ball of rice, it is mixed with salt and pepper. He says that his wife, Forest now prepares the same dish for his children, who also love the dish. Sounds like a must-try in my own kitchen. It also sounds pretty harmless since there's no need for an open flame that may spark a kitchen fire in my home.

But does Sam cook for his family at home? Don't expect him too. He puts it down to the choice of food courts and food so varied and easily available when he lives (in Jurong) that it doesn't make any sense for a corporate chef to go home and wear the same hat. Yes, even chefs need a break from the kitchen.

Yet his break doesn't extend to the writing of cookbooks. Fresh off the printing house of Marshall Cavendish is Sam's third cookbook, A Taste Of Home. With a focus on simple-to-prepare home-cooked dishes, the book was born from public feedback received that his two previous titles included recipes that required ingredients or condiments that were not easily available for purchase by the ordinary 'auntie'. So their cries have not gone unheeded. A Taste of Home (RRP: $29.96, incl. of GST) is available now at all major bookstores.

By sheer coincidence, our other guest in The Living Room today had also recently released a book published by Marshall Cavendish. Listing the issues relating to men as they age and how these can be taken in their stride, the book's titled Managing Male Ageing (RRP: $19-79, incl. of GST) and is written by Consultant with the Department of Urology at Changi General Hospital, Dr Ng Kok Kit.

It's about time the men had a book that gives overdue attention to male ageing issues beyond the battle of the bulge and male pattern hair loss. The 156-page book is simple and well-structured. Among the easy-to-read chapters are dedicated sections that address erectile dysfunction, weak urine stream, osteoporosis and forgetfulness. So if you're in or beyond your 40s or know a man who is, a most useful book to take into your senior years. Who says the men don't get it?!

Serenaded by a Teen Jazz Heartthrob

He's 18. He's from ACJC. And he's doing his A-levels exams this year. On most counts, he's a regular teenager - albeit a charming & handsome one - who struggles with school work, finding time for friends and pursuing his passion.

But then Nathan Hartono is not quite the boy-next-day. Last year, he performed at the National Day Parade in front of some 28,000 people (excluding TV audience), he recently performed the theme song of the Asian Youth Games 2009, and he has 2 CD albums under his belt. In fact, he's been called a "teen jazz heartthrob" - a title he's a tad bashful about.

Teen sensation Nathan Hartono graces The Living Room.

Recently, he released an album called Realise and on it, a self-penned song entitled Stay. We invited Nathan to perform it for us 'live' and the charming lad gladly obliged. To say the least, I'm impressed! In fact, Stan & I concur that he sounds better doing an unplugged. And he looks so laid back, so Jason Mraz, that I just had to upload this video to share with you!

Well, with the Living Room blog, you don't just hear our guests on-air, you get to watch them too. So we proudly present to you *drum roll*... Nathan Hartono Unplugged on 938LIVE!

Recession Laughter Package

We had a minor heart attack today. It was 10am. Emma Yong, Hossan Leong & Najib Ali were nowhere in sight. Where are they??? *panic*

It turns out the PR folk and us had a miscommunication. I thought I had told them 10am and they thought it was 11am. Yes, one of those unfortunate boo-boos from too much rescheduling (due to H1N1 fears).

But thank God these wonderful actors were early (i.e. based on their 11am understanding) and so we managed to go ahead with our interview! *collapses in relief*

But in the meantime, Stan had to give an 8 min soliloquy on air - for which I will now give him a standing ovation! *applause*

Comedians on the Couch: SING! Dollar cast members Najib Ali, Hossan Leong, Emma Yong.

Emma, Hossan & Najib came down today to tell us more about Dream Academy's upcoming musical, that's all about money & the current recession, called SING! Dollar. The way I see it, there's no better time to laugh at ourselves than now, in the midst of this economic crisis!

And who better to make us laugh than this brilliant ensemble? Selena Tan (who's also scriptwriter), Pam Oei, Emma Yong, Hossan Leong, Lim Kay Siu, Sebastian Tan, Najib Ali & Kumar! Tell me, can you bring together a more power-packed bunch of local comedians than this?! The synergistic possibilities are astounding, and I already feel it in my bones that it's gonna to be a winner.

What happens when a cruise ship gambler, Tiger Beer aunty, retrenched banker, beef hor fun hawker, moonlighting maid, Chinese prostitute, Bangladeshi dishwasher & cleaning makcik find a bag of money in the midst of the recession?

Well, find out when SING! Dollar hits town, 23 July - 8 Aug @ Esplanade Theatre. Tickets available from Sistic. This is one 'stimulus package' that won't cost much, but will definitely lift your spirits (if not the economy)!

We had such a hilarious time guessing who plays which characters. The thing is, with this bunch of veterans, any one of them can play any one of the characters! And these loonies were confusing us with their repertoire of accents. Alamak, we give up lah!

It was a load of campy fun & boisterous banter all round on a Friday morning. It seriously made our earlier panic attack vanish! *poof* I can't wait to catch this musical!!!

Get An Urban High!

When I first cast my gaze upon this wall, my initial reaction was OMG lor, I have to climb this?! *gasp* It's the world's tallest indoor Via Ferrata wall and stands at 30 metres or 5 storeys!

The Via Ferrata wall in Orchard Central, Level 4.

Our friend Poh Yu Seung gave us a heads-up about Border X's Via Ferrata wall some time ago but nothing quite prepared me for this slick urban mega structure that loomed majestic before me at Orchard Central.

But climb the wall I did - and it was exhilarating! *woohoo*

Via Ferrata is Italian for "Iron Road", but not all Via Ferrata routes are vertical. In Europe, you can find these iron rungs on flat hiking trails. Basically, Via Ferrata can best be described as a "system", an alternative way of climbing.

What's unique about the Via Ferrata system is that you climb on iron 'ladder-like' rungs, and you have a safety mechanism called "lobster claws" which are attached to you and which you use to secure yourself to cables running parallel to the rungs. A secondary safety measure is that you climb as a team, so each member is attached to the others.

Unlike regular rock-climbing, there is no belayer to support you below so you're basically responsible for your own safety.

Let's just say it's challenging because not only do you need to exert some amount of physical strength, you also have to stay calm & think. There are several procedures you need to follow in Via Ferrata - especially since you climb as a team of 3 or 4. It helps if you take your time and enjoy the process at your own pace. *grin*

Stan & I make it to the midway ledge, but we're game to go back and scale all the way to the TOP!

Yu Seung keeps telling us that the "Nest" right on top is worth the sweat. The guy makes this summit experience sound like some exclusive club that only successful climbers enjoy. But we're sold, so now die die must climb up and see! *haiz*

Well, Yu Seung - whose title is "Base Camp Manager" - came down to The Living Room today to share about Border X's Via Ferrata wall and we had a smashing time chatting with him & one of his female instructors, Lydia Ang. This lithe & tanned young lady is fascinating to watch (she did a demo for us at the media launch). Unlike us, she climbs with a slow, steady, almost dance-like rhythm. And to think she has been climbing for only 2 years!

Well, for a true urban high, I say head down to Orchard Central for a try! I guarantee you it will not disappoint. It may even be addictive... Don't say I didn't warn you.

And here's a heads-up: Keep your ears tuned to 938LIVE for some exciting news to be announced real soon. I suggest you keep your eyes pealed on our blog as well. See, we told you it pays to be a 'Follower' of the Living Room blog! If you have not signed up yet, do it NOW.

"Base Camp Manager" Poh Yu Seung with instructor Lydia Ang.

Of Body & Body of Work

There's the body of work and there's the body. Whichever reference you wish to make, they're both prize-winning, respectable and worthy of recognition. Chan Wai Teik recently came away with the title of 'Mr Singapore' at the 47th National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships.

(above: A foregone conclusion about how the arm-wrestling match turned out!)

Although Wai Teik's been bodybuilding for the last 14 years, it wasn't till just two years ago that he decided to raise it a notch by pursuing it competitively. The impetus, he said, was a diagnosis that showed he suffered a prolapsed disc. So in two years, he raced against time to be the best bodybuilder he could be. His determination and perseverance has reaped rewards.

Despite his frame, the 187-pound thirty-seven-year-old is modest of his achievements and most personable. Barely into the first five minutes of conversation, Wai Teik came across as just an ordinary fella whom you could easily have mistaken to have been a classmate from years back or perhaps in the same soccer team in school.

Though off-putting pride exuded by celebrities didn't seep through, I sensed pride - the unassuming self-deserving sort of pride, that comes with his meeting his mark. About three quarter way through our chat and with a twinkle in his eye, he disclosed that his series of works entitled 'Nocturnal Solitude' had won an honourable mention at the prestigious Prix De La Photographie in Paris. "It was announced just two days ago!", he beamed. It was 'breaking news' at that precise moment in The Living Room; you heard it first on 938LIVE from the photography buff of eleven years.

Many people would see a marked distinction of disciplines when you hold up bodybuilding to photography. What possible similarities could they have? Well Wai Teik didn't think they were worlds apart, in fact, he saw a lot of similarity in the disciplines. "Photography to me is sculpting with light, whereas bodybuilding is sculpting with the physique".

He explains how he melds his knowledge and understanding of the two. "As a photographer, I go on stage and look out for where the stage lights are and how it falls on me. When I photograph a bodybuilder, I look at how light falls on his physique and I think that gives me a slight advantage over the rest".

(above: Wai Teik opting to lift my colleague Evelyn rather than free weights at 938LIVE!)

And if there was just one thing I learnt about health and nutrition, it would be that bodybuilders are prone to water retention too! Wai Teik shared that in their 'off seasons', bodybuilders can look between 5 to 10 kilogrammes heavier due to the rentention of water in their bodies. It's a period when training becomes less intense and muscles get more rest. So women, who says men don't suffer water retention?

Stan on the Other Side!

When I first joined The Living Room in Oct last year, Stan did an interview with me on our blog. Well today, I had the privilege of interviewing him on-air, and oh what a blast!

Stan on the other side: With Agapella team-mate & renowned artist Namiko Chan-Takahashi.

Stanley is part of an a capella group called Agapella and this year, they turn 7! *grin* In celebration of their 7th birthday, they're putting up a concert called seven@8, and tickets will go for a "whoppingly" cheap $7!

I heard them sing @ the Esplanade last Christmas and it was really heartwarming. The thing that strikes me most is that Agapella is more than just a "singing group". They're like family.

Listening to Namiko Chan-Takahashi & Stan share about how the members hang out, how some members are married to each other, others with kids.. gave me a sense of the bond they share. I think that's gonna make the greatest difference, compared to many other a capella groups out there.

These guys may not be celebs (well, except maybe for Stan!) but their YouTube vid, which was recorded a year ago at one of their regular practices, has received more than 22,000 hits... and counting! *gasp*

I'm told it's a rehearsal for a friend's wedding, and Agapella has never performed Pachelbel's Canon in D 'live'. But for this upcoming concert, they will. So don't miss it!

SEVEN@8

10-11 July, 8pm

NAFA Lee Foundation Theatre

NAFA Campus 3

To access their updates & pics, go to Agapella's blog by clicking here.

I'll be there on Fri 10 July to catch my buddy in action (yes, he's dancing!). Hope to see you there! :o)

Bringing Justice to Khmer Rouge Victims

I first visited Phnom Penh when I was doing a travel feature story for SilkWinds - SilkAir's inflight magazine. I was sent there with a photographer to capture the pulse of Cambodia's capital city and to write a destination story.

But after four days there, the story I felt compelled to tell was not about Phnom Penh's tourist attractions, but a sombre account of how this fragile, battered & grieving city is slowly rising to her feet and recovering from her horrific past under the Khmer Rouge regime. I entitled my article: The Pulse of Post-War Phnom Penh.

To this day, I'm surprised SilkWinds published my story, wholesale.

What really happened under the Pol Pot regime? As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And so, I post this YouTube link as a brief "visual" history lesson for you, and to explain in part why the Khmer Rouge Tribunal - which is currently putting war criminals on trial - is so important to the Cambodian people & the international community.

Several months ago, I learnt that a Singaporean lawyer Mahdev Mohan, who was lecturing at the Singapore Management University, had been appointed an international civil party lawyer by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, representing victims of the Khmer Rouge. I decided then that I wanted him on our show, so I tracked him down!

BUT at the time, Mahdev had just left for Stanford Law School in California to pursue his PhD. Through email exchanges, he told me that it was his wife Vinita Ramani Mohan who first inspired him through her work as an Asia Fellow back in 2007. The couple had lived 6 months in Cambodia, where she was exploring the use of the arts to help victims deal with trauma and jump-start the process of healing. What a powerful couple!

I wanted both of them in TLR and I was prepared to wait. Vinita told me they'd be back in June, so I kept in touch with her via Facebook. About 2 weeks back, Vinita emailed me to say they're coming home, and so this interview (months in the making!) is finally brought to you...

Mahdev and Vinita are founders of a Singapore-based NGO called Access to Justice Asia LLP, where he's the Director & Lead Counsel, and she Head of the Arts & Justice Programme.

Using their unique gifts, they are doing what they can to make a long-term, sustainable difference - bringing justice to the 2 million Cambodians who perished during the Khmer Rouge regime, and closure to those they've left behind. And they welcome YOU to join them, if you have a gift you'd like to share. You can email them directly at accessjusticeasia@gmail.com.

Come early 2010, the couple will again uproot and live 6 months in Cambodia. That's when Mahdev's legal duty on the Tribunal begins. At this juncture, we wish them all the best! And if you're keen to follow the proceedings of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, click here.

Justice League: Mahdev & Vinita Mohan @ the 938LIVE newsroom.