Crack My Bones | The Shoes
For those old enough to remember, The Shoes were a cool American power pop act of the late 70’s from Zion, Illinois who used to be popular on MTV. A band I haven’t heard from for 3 decades making a move to a French label? Woah. However, upon closer inspection I realized that the band...
The Best of the FRENCH CONCESSION
In recent years, and with the recently concluded World Expo last year, Shanghai has truly emerged as one of the most dynamic global cities in the world. Progress came at a fast pace, and many that blocked its path were bulldozed and buried, to make way for a fresh, brash and gleaming new world. Despite...
Bespoke | Dylan & Son Sartorial
“Labels say you are one of the boys, but a bespoke suit says you are the man.” Dylan & Son Sartorial, a Singaporean custom tailoring service launched in 2010, has taken the traditional definition of a haberdashery and turned it on its head, while throwing in a complete makeover for good measure. Gone are the...
The Guilty Ones
Think cabaret, with singing and dancing, bright lights, short skirts, a myriad of crimson and black and a pair of bright yellow eyes watching as the drama unfolds. This year, Stage 52 a co-curricular activity (CCA) under the School of Film and Media Studies (FMS) of Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), drawing inspiration from the sexiness...
Profiling | Lui Hon
Lui Hon is an independent Australian fashion designer who creates beautiful, structured and texturally intriguing pieces. Having been listed as a finalist in the L’oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Design Awards 2011, his path towards carving a name for himself in Australia’s fashion landscape seems clear. We met in his studio in Melbourne, surrounded by dress...
Feline Amalgamation | KittyWu x MONSTER CAT
For those of you who’ve read our review of the Arms and Sleepers gig on the 9th of June (if not, you probably should; just a suggestion. Well actually you should read it right now, but we’re not trying to be obnoxious about it) you’ll know we were immediately enamoured by the introspective and enigmatic...
YOU ARE LOVE | Somaly Mam & Sex Trafficking
Somaly Mam from Guggenheim Productions on Vimeo. Sex trafficking is a booming business all over the world and goes alarmingly unnoticed by just about everyone. Some organisations are so intimidating that activists have a hard time just getting in contact with the children involved, let alone saving them. It has been estimated that at least...
People in the world | DJ Enso
A while ago, we posted about XXX Gallery in Hong Kong. Now it’s time to meet the mastermind behind it. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, DJ Enso has always had a passion for building things from scratch. As a teenager, he threw drum and bass warehouse parties in Oakland, CA, before he...
UnCENSORED | Totally SFW
UnCENSORED, for some, is Thailand’s solution to anyone who seeks to live an edgy, modern lifestyle but can’t find the wares. UnCENSORED stocks well-designed items that are selected to leave their customers with freedom from having to ‘censor’ their creativity or creative expressions. Available items are created by edgy designers who are passionate in a...
Melk Z da | Spring/Summer 2012
“Leaves, leaves, beautiful leaves… I saw them as the background on many self portraits of the famous Mexican artist Frida Khalo, and I tried to revisited them through the thousand species of the Brazilian flora, giving them shapes for the looks of Spring-Summer 2012.” says designer Melk Z da at his atelier on northern city...
A Weekend Brunch at MAISON BOULUD BEIJING
The idea of fine french dining in the capital city of China was not something that I would usually consider, but when a friend suggested a weekend brunch at Maison Boulud, something clicked and I said yes without any hesitation. Maison Boulud in Beijing was the first restaurant opened outside of USA by celebrity chef...
Arms and Sleepers | 9th June
The Arms and Sleepers gig at Home Club on the 9th of June, which was opened by local indie folk band Monster Cat, was not without its glitches. Of the two that were on tour, Ben Shepard, who provides vocals for some of the songs, was unable to attend. Not only that, but Singapore also...
XXX Gallery | Literally Underground
“So where are we going after dinner?” Everyone was asking at dinner. As with Hong Kong on a Friday night, the options were plenty. “We can go to the art exhibition across the road at Kapok?” “How about ‘Leather & Alcohol‘ at Square Street?” “I know a party… at this new art gallery and this...
A Day In… ANN SIANG HILL
You might be familiar with the location; you might not. Either way, it doesn’t matter, because ActuallyMAG took the nosedive and explored the mythical place of legend for you. In this sophomore installation of getting lost in the city, we now find ourselves exploring the district surrounding Ann Siang Hill. Located somewhere between Chinatown and Telok...
Alex Turner | SUBMARINE
Has it really been five years since the Arctic Monkeys released their debut album? Time certainly does fly. In 2006, Alex Turner would masticate his lyrics and spit them out with venom. Today, all he simply wants to do is to croon. It’s amazing how his lyrics reminded us of an angry Paul Weller then,...
Pink Dot SG 2011
The time has come again for all our liberal hearts and open minds to come together and celebrate, appreciate and advocate the freedom for anyone to love anyone they please! Of course, we're talking about this year's Pink Dot, a national event that gathers all participants to create a pink dot to show support for...
Aubrey Edwards | Through the Looking Glass
Aubrey Edwards is a Brooklyn and New Orleans-based portrait photographer and educator. But don’t try to pin her down! She was an award-winning, primary music photographer for the alt-weekly Austin Chronicle from 2004-2008; her present client list includes the United Nations, Magnolia Pictures, Playboy, SPIN, XXL and Comedy Central. Aubrey teaches photography and videography in...
NOKO Jeans | Maneuvers in the Dark
Noko Jeans is not just a label. It is a story of three adventurous Swedes and the power of possibility. The project started in 2007 when Jacob Åström, Tor Rauden Källstigen and Jakob Ohlsson e-mailed the North Korean government, inquiring about the possibility of producing jeans, after which the project swiftly grew to a more...
No Cameras, Just Moments
No cameras, no phones. Outside of silicone, probably the two things Los Angeles is best defined by are both banned here. This is Soho House, West Hollywood; a private members club and haven for the Hollywood elite who come to escape the masses. It’s as “Entourage” as it gets, from the underground entrance accessed only...
The Make Up Room
The evolution of the beauty services industry, much like the cosmetics industry, has long evolved from its humble beginnings. It has seen the likes of barbers to hairdressers to spas, but while the services themselves have been through a ton of face-lifts, their objectives remain quite untouched. Beauty services fulfill the basic desire of the...
Budak Pantai
When I first heard of Budak Pantai, my first thought was “What kind of name of a band is that?” Apparently, it is the name of a well-received A Cappella group in Singapore. Budak Pantai means Beach Boys in Malay. In my mind, I conjured the image of a group of young male singers in...
Fashion Climate SG 2011
As the polite half-clapping of the crowd draws to a slow and silent murmur and Fashion activities and festivals come to an end, we come to a point where we have to analyse the fashion climate of our nation. With all the hype surrounding the Audi Fashion Festival and the Blueprint Tradeshow, it is only...
Profiling | Vibe Harsløf
The interplay between form and function is epitomized in Denmark designer Vibe Harsløf‘s jewelry designs. Based in Copenhagen, Vibe is an accomplished goldsmith and has had more than ten years of experience in her field. She artfully combines the formalism expected in conventional jewelry and turns it on its head by combining it with various...
Joan As Police Woman – The Deep Field
Before I review this album, I’d first like to introduce this amazing woman. Joan Wasser, the genius behind Joan as Police Woman, was the girlfriend of Jeff Buckley at the time of his death. An accomplished violinist, guitarist and pianist and a woman I now deeply respect. As a general rule, I am attracted to...
From The Editor’s Desk
Dear Readers, It is now officially mid-2011 and changes have been a-brewing in the Actually office. We welcome Jolin and Yi Shu aboard as our new editors, as well as Sham our resident graphic designer. With a little bit more experience under our belt, we’ve also been busy coming up with marvelous new ideas and...
Let Them Eat Cake | Felicia Khoo
Felicia Khoo is only 21 this year, but she already has a whole slew of baking-related accomplishments under her belt that would put aspiring masterchefs to shame.
Bangkok | The READING Room
The Reading Room is one of Bangkok’s most exciting contemporary art spaces that functions both as an art library and a place for alternative programs to commercial museums and galleries. Young and dynamic Narawan Pathomvat set up The Reading Room in 2009 when she was just 29. “I always hoped to achieve something concrete professionally...
