Celebrity Life
Getting to Know Actress Lauren Tsai of ‘Legion’
In Prestige Online’s Getting to Know series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
You might know her from popular reality TV show Terrace House, or the character Switch in the third season of Marvel's TV series Legion, but who exactly is the Asian-American beauty named Lauren Tsai? We went behind the scenes to check in with the rising star and find out more about her off-camera life.
What are you doing this weekend?
Oh my God, I haven’t even thought about that yet, it’s been so crazy. I hope this weekend I can see some friends for dinner. It’s actually been a while since I’ve hung out with friends and I hope to watch another episode of Pose [a drama set in 1980s and 1990s New York], which is a wonderful show on FX.
What was the last meal you had?
Let me think… what did I have today? I had a salad for lunch which is probably the most basic LA answer, but some days are like this.
What’s on your playlist right now?
I’ve been working on a painting recently, so I’ve been listening to this Studio Ghibli YouTube video, a live concert performance of all their music by Joe Hisaishi. I’ve been listening to this instrumental track a lot. And on my normal playlist I have Tyler The Creator’s new album because I just love it!
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I spend a lot of time in Japan and there’s a strong whisky culture there. I am a big fan of whisky, so usually I like to order whisky on the rocks. Japanese whisky is my favourite! But since coming to LA, actually I’ve been influenced a lot by their tastes and preferences, so nowadays I’d probably get a vodka soda.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I don’t know what’s guilty -- I love pancakes. To be honest, that’s my favourite food. But I don’t know if that’s guilty, it’s just the beauty of life. My guilty pleasure is probably Twitter, I spend too much time on Twitter and probably shouldn’t, but I just love it. It’s rough, its natural, it’s a space where people share what they want to and it’s a great way for me to turn my brain off at the end of the day.
Tell us something that not too many people know about you.
I went to boarding school in Massachusetts for my freshman year of high school. That’s probably something people don’t really know about me. Looking back, I really enjoyed it. It was very emotional at times, being a 14-year-old kid living amongst other kids is kind of a crazy situation, but I loved it. I had many great adventures that year.
Who was the last person you called?
The last person I called was my mum actually. I talk to my mum basically as much as I can everyday.
Have you ever had a fan-girl moment? If so, who was it?
Yes, I’ve had a couple. My first fan-girl moment I remember as bright as day. I was at LAX on summer vacation a long time ago. I think I was transiting there because growing up in Hawaii, LAX is the mid-point [to Asia]. I saw Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute on The Office. I was getting my nails done at the airport salon, and I saw him in sunglasses and a hat walking into the salon. [The reception] asked for his name and he said “Rainn” and that’s when I knew it really was him. I freaked out! I was absolutely silent, like a deer in the headlights. I really didn’t want to bother him so I said nothing. But then after that I walked around the airport hoping I would bump into him again.
What does playing Switch on Legion have in common with playing yourself on Terrace House: Aloha State?
Interesting question. Well, Switch is a scripted character and being on a reality show is like playing myself. Because you are being yourself, you are aware that you are being filmed, so there is this wall of caution before you and everything you say. I think what’s similar is that Switch and I are both awkward at times, so we have that in common. Switch is very much in her head, and I think I’m like that on Terrace House, too, because I was quite nervous, so we also have that in common.
Travel plans? Where are you off to next?
Next, I am going back to New York. I just got back from New York recently as there’s been a lot of work there, but I love it. New York is my second favourite city, very close to Tokyo, but Tokyo has to be number one. So yeah, I’m excited for that.
What projects do you have coming up in 2019?
I wish I could say! I’m working on a very exciting project with a musician -- I think that’s about the extent of what I can say right now, but that’s something I’m very excited for. I’m also working on another [art] project which is entirely my own creation featuring my own world of characters. I’m looking forward to building more with my art and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
The post Getting to Know Actress Lauren Tsai of ‘Legion’ appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Meet Celebrity Equestrian Hannah Selleck
Born of Hollywood royalty, equestrian Hannah Selleck discusses her daily routine, life after an injury, Palm Beach favorites, and more.
The post Meet Celebrity Equestrian Hannah Selleck appeared first on Palm Beach Illustrated.
Prestige 15th Anniversary Issue Cover Stories Part I
Prestige turns 15 this year! We celebrate it with some of our favourite cover girls: Irna Mareta, Andrea Affan, Vicky Supit, Amalia Wirjono, Finna Huang, Emily Jaury, Vannya Istarinda, Rosalindynata Gunawan-Bakrie, Patricia Panigoro, Kezia Toemion, Marsha Timothy, Linda Tan, Cindy Angelina, Kelly Tandiono, and Dian Sastrowardoyo.Get the new issue NOW.
[caption id="attachment_152396" align="alignnone" width="833"]
Outfit credits: Angelina Cindy and Kezia Toemion in Jeffry Tan, Kelly Tandiono and Linda Tan in Andreas Odang, Vicky Marcia in Vicky Supit. All jewellery by Prestige Jewelry. All headpieces and earcuffs by Rinaldy A. Yunardi.[/caption]
KEZIA TOEMION - EXPANDING THE BRAND
Kezia Toemion is the co-founder of vegan makeup company ESQA Cosmetics with her longtime best friend Cindy Angelina. “We’re currently focusing on expanding the brand and producing a wider range of beauty solutions for our clients. So we are targeting a lot more new product launches this year as well as more retail presence," she informs us during her cover story shoot. “I’m also involved a lot in the beauty community these days, as I have created my own YouTube channel. It’s fun to do, because I get to share my own makeup and skincare tips and tricks online.”
Speaking about her thoughts on Prestige through the years, “I think Prestige is very inspirational because not only does it set trends in the fashion industry, it also covers stories of female entrepreneurs that is very motivational to young female entrepreneur like myself.”
Kezia tells us: “Best wishes for the next 15 years! I really hope that Prestige will continue to inspire more Indonesian young generations and also create awareness about the important topics and issues in Indonesia.” Says the young entrepreneur.
on KEZIA TOEMION:
DRESS SOKO WIYANTO
JEWELLERY PRESTIGE JEWELRY
HAIR: CARRY FROM SHOWCASE JKT (62 877) 7034 7585
CINDY ANGELINA - NATURAL BEAUTY
Cindy Angelina is the Prestige It Girl who loves everything about fashion and beauty. Yet she’s slowly but surely branching out into the business. Interviewing for out 15th anniversary issue, she reveals: “Besides running my beauty company (ESQA Cosmetics), I’m about to launch my first ever project in October.”
She’s been extremely busy lately. “I’ve been very occupied preparing everything, from construction to creating the right menus for the Indonesian market,” Cindy explains. “The brand I’m collaborating with is from Paris, and it’s also in the fashion world. So, stay tuned for more exciting news!”
Cindy is co-founder and CEO of ESQA, a vegan cosmetics brand. “Our products are formulated without harmful ingredients to enhance your natural beauty,” she declares. “We started with just a lipstick line, but we have now expanded to other make up products, such as highlighters and bronzers.”
The products are available on the ESQA website and in stores. “I’m super honoured to be one of the 15 ladies on the cover of your anniversary issue,” Cindy says. “I wish Prestige even more successful and fabulous years in the years to come, especially in support of local beauty and fashion brands.”
On CINDY ANGELINA:
DRESS JEFFRY TAN
JEWELLERY PRESTIGE JEWELRY
HAIR: CARRY FROM SHOWCASE JKT (62 877) 7034 7585
LINDA TAN - INTREPID WANDERER
Linda Tan was our globetrotting cover girl in the May 2017 issue, well known for her love of adventurous travel and amazing gastronomical experience. From the Uhuru Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the world’s seven highest, to the exotic Red Sea and off the beaten path Goby desert, she’s been there, along with her equally intrepid husband.
The mother-of-two and CEO of Sandimas Group, a leading importer and manufacturer of building materials, enjoys getting out and about: hiking, diving, skiing. Running is a real passion for Linda. She has completed no fewer than seven marathons since 2012, five of them in the six World Marathon Majors series. Last year, she challenged herself and took up extreme ultra trail running and completed 70km and 100km races.
It’s not all blood, sweat and tears for Linda though. She’s a foodie who likes nothing better than sampling the delicious dishes at some of the world’s most critically acclaimed restaurants.
Linda is also a board member of The Nature Conservancy Indonesia. She is inspired to create awareness of the environmental crisis we’re facing now. “I notice that Prestige has recently discussed social and environmental issues in some depth, this really helps to educate and shape the attitudes and behaviors that can make a difference.”
On LINDA TAN:
DRESS AND CAPE PRIYO OKTAVIANO
JEWELLERY PRESTIGE JEWELRY
MAKE UP: JACQUELLINE STEPHANIE (62 812) 2888 2088
HAIR: CARRY FROM SHOWCASE JKT (62 877) 7034 7585
VICKY SUPIT - FASHION FORWARD
Vicky Supit was our very first cover girl in July 2004. She appeared on the cover again in November 2009 and in July 2015. Through the years, the statuesque beauty has been busy with her entrepreneurship, and has so many things in her bag. She is the Creative Director for Visuu Gallery, and has florists, Victoria Flower Boutique.
The timing for our cover shoot was perfect for Vicky, because she had just finished the Spring/Summer Trunkshow for her ready-to-wear line, Vicky Svpit, and is now working on a few limited collection.
“I designed the dress specifically for this special Anniversary cover,” she smiles when she talked about the white gown she wore on the cover. Vicky has every right to be proud of her fashion design work, for her clothes are truly beautiful, whether it’s one of her glamorous dresses or a ready-to-wear creation.
“Prestige is a magazine I always look forward to reading, and I can’t believe it’s been 15 years since the Premiere Issue,” she grins. “Whenever a new issue comes out, I can’t wait to see what’s in it.”
On VICKY SUPIT:
DRESS SOKO WIYANTO
JEWELLERY PRESTIGE JEWELRY
MAKE UP: UPAN DUVAN (62 818) 6858 58
HAIR: REY (62 815) 842 7526
KELLY TANDIONO - IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Kelly Tandiono is no stranger to the spotlight. The Singapore-born top model and actress has no fewer than three movie projects in her bag right now: Bumi Manusia, an adaptation of the critically novel by Pramoedya Ananta Toer; Gundala, an Indonesian superhero movie by Joko Anwar in which she will star alongside Tara Basro and Rio Dewanto; and a biopic of badminton legend Susi Susanti.
“I have so many things coming up this year and I’m really excited about it all,” she says with excitement. Kelly is also occupied with her Supermodels Project, in which she helps aspiring models develop an in-depth knowledge of modelling, acting and public speaking. She gives classes in character development, self-confidence, workplace ethics and healthy lifestyles.
“In addition to all that, I have my own bikini and flip flop line called Cover Me Not, and I’m also taking over my dad’s business,” grins the 32-year-old celebrity, who got married last year. “I hope Prestige will always be the number one high-end magazine in Southeast Asia,” Kelly says. “I look forward to reading lots more stories about inspiring people, especially successful women.”
On KELLY TANDIONO:
DRESS HARRY HALIM
JEWELLERY PRESTIGE JEWELRY
MAKE UP: NOVEO ALEXANDER (62 821) 2337 8371 HAIR: GILANG (62 812) 9289 2212
[caption id="attachment_152613" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Outfit credits: Angelina Cindy and Kezia Toemion in Jeffry Tan, Kelly Tandiono and Linda Tan in Andreas Odang, Vicky Marcia in Vicky Supit. All jewellery by Prestige Jewelry. All headpieces and earcuffs by Rinaldy A. Yunardi.[/caption]
ALL PHOTOS' CREDITS:
Photographed by Robby Agus / Styled by Peter Zewet / Styling Assistants Coco Namara, Lintang Hutami, and Jerdi Anarchi / Interior Consultant Ruddy Walakandou / Flowers Blooming Elise Flowers / Selected Accessories Klots Home. Furnishing / Shot on location: Javier & Emanuel Ungaro Home, both located at Jakarta Design Centre.
Find more cover stories in Prestige's 15th Anniversary Issue, CLICK HERE.
Subscribe to Prestige and get your latest issues, CLICK HERE.
The post Prestige 15th Anniversary Issue Cover Stories Part I appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
‘Still Human’ Stars Anthony Wong and Crisel Consunji on Their Roles of a Lifetime
Anthony Wong Chau-sang cuts a curious figure. The Hong Kong star has arrived for his Prestige cover shoot looking relaxed and ready for action but his attention has been taken by the full-to-overflowing assortment of collectibles that surround us.
They are distinctly “Hong Kong”, ranging from an aluminium-sided drinks fridge of the kind still used in crusty village corner stores to posters of film stars whose names have long faded into history. They’re used for such purposes as the backdrops for vintage-style wedding photos, or for fashion shoots (like ours), and Wong has for the moment been taken by a set of drinks glasses that seem to have transported him elsewhere.
[caption id="attachment_151262" align="alignnone" width="5906"]
Jacket by Cerruti 1881 and Shirt by Ermenegildo Zegna[/caption]
“I can remember seeing these sorts of things many times but I’m not sure they were actually in my own home,” says the 57-year-old, smiling. “You know this is a bit like looking at my own history.”
Such reflections have been common for Wong over the past few months. He reveals he has spent a lot of time lately – “Really, a lot!” – thinking back over his life.
Word started to spread about his most recent film -- the drama Still Human from first-time local director Oliver Chan Siu-kuen -- at this year’s Hong Kong Filmart industry gathering in March and about how Wong’s role in it would provide a timely reminder to Hong Kong of his talent.
Arguably, Hong Kong has never really had an actor so able to master the range of roles Wong has taken on, and been acclaimed for, across more than 200 films. Three times a Best Actor winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards, Wong has tried his hand at everything from an utterly psychotic serial killer (Ebola Syndrome, 1996) to a social activist (Ordinary Heroes, 1999), to a simmering triad thug (Vengeance, 2009). His oeuvre makes for a line-up best described as enigmatic, a phrase quite often used when people are trying to pigeon-hole the man himself.
We’re here today as a direct result of that latest star turn from Wong, as the curmudgeonly, wheelchair-bound man who forms a bond with the caregiver played -- to equal acclaim -- by first-timer Crisel Consunji.
[caption id="attachment_151260" align="alignnone" width="6192"]
Coat by Alexander McQueen[/caption]
Both actors are being shot, separately and together, and their ease at interplay reflects an obvious closeness the past year has brought, as the journey has taken them from pre-production, to the filming, to the release and on to the reaction to Still Human as it swept the 2019 Hong Kong Film Awards, garnering the Best Actor Award for Wong, Best New Performer for Consunji, and Best New Director for Chan.
“I never really expected it, to be honest,” Wong says, as he waits for his turn in front of today’s cameras to begin. “I didn’t have much on with work. It’s been that way for a while. But I read the script and I just liked it. I didn’t really ask for any money. I thought it would be a small film, nothing more. Now look.”
Still Human has exceeded all expectations since its April release. It was made on a next-to-nothing budget but has returned a few million dollars for investors, giving a beleaguered local film industry a welcome boost of confidence as small Hong Kong filmmakers increasingly find their work buried under a flood of foreign blockbusters.
Back at the start of May, Wong and Consunji, along with director Chan, arrived in Udine, Italy, for the Far East Film Festival unsure of how their film might be accepted by an international audience. They walked away with the festival’s top prize.
Wong also picked up the festival’s Golden Mulberry Award for outstanding achievement, later posting on social media that the Udine experience had been the greatest of his life.
[caption id="attachment_151256" align="alignnone" width="4961"]
On Crisel: Top by Celine, Dress by Bottega Veneta | On Anthony: Coat by Cerruti 1881, Shirt and Trousers by Ermenegildo Zegna[/caption]
“This has really been out of all my imagination and all my expectation,” Wong says. “I’ve really been able to feel a truth in the applause, a respect, and that has been really touching.”
Local media have claimed 2019 to be the year that marks Wong’s triumphant return, but if he was hiding anywhere it was in plain sight. There’s been a procession of supporting roles, as well as parts on TV and in theatre, the medium that gave Wong his start.
What has made Wong relatively anonymous, at least in media terms, has been the lack of fanfare surrounding his recent work, ever since an apparent ban was placed on him by Chinese authorities for his support of the 2014 Occupy Central protests.
“I don’t really know,” is Wong’s explanation. “You know, I’ve never officially been told anything. Nothing. So I’ve just been carrying on, you know, living my life.”
Little wonder Wong came out in support of the local community, as it’s one that has always returned the love, ever since he first appeared on the big screen in the Angie Chan-directed My Name Ain’t Suzy back in 1985.
Wong grew up in Wan Chai with his mum, his English father having left when he was a small boy. He worked his way through classes at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts before training at the TVB Studios -- as has been the case for so many Hong Kong actors -- turned him into a ready-made star. Roles in such seminal local hits as John Woo’s Hard Boiled (1992) and the multiple award-winning Infernal Affairs (2002) saw the city take him to heart.
Those hearts were touched with the story of Wong reuniting with his father’s side of his family last year, brought together via social media. His father had passed away but Wong found he had brothers, and a new sense of his own identity.
“So much has happened to me lately,” he says. “I’ve found a new family that I didn’t know I had. It’s like a new chapter for me now, like I’ve turned a page.”
[caption id="attachment_151263" align="alignnone" width="5551"]
Jacket by Cerruti 1881 and Shirt by Ermenegildo Zegna[/caption]
Crisel Consunji’s story is almost as old as cinema itself. “It’s sometimes hard to believe it has happened, and all so quickly,” she says. But Tinseltown was built on the belief that dreams can come true, that people can be plucked from obscurity and turned into stars. Just look to the classic 1937 drama A Star is Born, with a young Janet Gaynor playing the actress who appears out of nowhere to become an overnight sensation. There have been three repeat performances, starring Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and, most recently, Lady Gaga as the unknown hopeful who rises to the top.
Those films, it must be noted, were all about pure fantasy. What lifts the story of Consunji out of mere fiction and into modern reality -- and what gives it a distinctly Hong Kong flavour -- is how she landed her first film role and how the 34-year-old Philippine actress has reacted to the commotion that’s swirled around her debut.
In Still Human, Consunji plays a domestic helper coming to terms with an often difficult relationship with the man she’s employed to care for. But before she won the role -- and before she was named Best New Performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards and was nominated for Best Actress -- Consunji had given the entertainment industry away. Her life for years had become focused instead on the early learning centres she’d opened in Hong Kong with her husband. But then Consunji was discovered, famously now, via Facebook.
[caption id="attachment_151255" align="alignnone" width="4961"]
Jacket by Miu Miu, Top and Trousers by Dior[/caption]
“A callout was being sent around the Philippine community in Hong Kong and one particular friend said, ‘I think this has your name on it,’” says Consunji. “It was the nth time that I had received it so I thought, ‘Whatever, let’s go and see what happens.’”
Consunji’s talent won her the part but it sounds as though fierce determination was among the deciding factors. Once she’d read for the role, Consunji realised it was one that would help build on the conversation -- both in Hong Kong and across the world -- about the role domestic helpers and caregivers play in modern society. Then, there was no saying no.
“I really felt, after speaking to [director Oliver Chan] Siu-kuen, that here was a director who wanted to produce a narrative that was fair, that was empowering,” she says. “It wasn’t going to portray my people as people who didn’t have the opportunity to take hold of their lives on their own. Part of the push factor was thinking: what if someone took on the role and didn’t have an understanding? How would the story be portrayed? When the discourse began, who would be responsible to actually give a bit more of an accurate description of the topic? After reading the script I felt like I wanted to be involved, even if I didn’t get the part.”
Consunji’s own narrative begins with a stage career during childhood that took root with Manila’s Repertory Philippines theatre group. Film, back then, was never a factor.
“Those days, there wasn’t a lot of mobility from one medium to another,” she says. “Now, across the world, it’s more fluid. Before, if you worked in the theatre you were labelled, and there weren’t many independent films. My family always told me to remember that this might not be my life or my livelihood. There just weren’t the opportunities.”
At 23, Consunji moved to Hong Kong to take up a role at Disneyland and she would perform there for around three years in such productions as High School Musical.
[caption id="attachment_151258" align="alignnone" width="4843"]
On Anthony: Jacket by Cerruti 1881, Shirt and Trousers by Ermenegildo Zegna, Shoes Anthony's own | On Crisel: Outfit by Fendi[/caption]
It’s the type of all-round grounding -- acting, singing, lead roles and support -- that directors cherish. Someone able to fill any vacancy, and with a passion for their craft. It was that emotion -- passion -- that drove Consunji towards the next chapter in her life when she decided her life was ready for a new challenge, and when she talks about working with children it’s impossible not to be swept up in the thrill she finds in helping shape young lives.
“As an artist you live and breathe wanting to bring a little more empathy into the world -- and that’s why I got into teaching,” she says. “That’s how we can make a difference. At our centres every day is a new day and every day is special. Entrepreneurship in Hong Kong is really tough. It really is sleepless nights. Hopefully now I can find a happy medium as I want to do both -- work at our centres and be an actress again. This whole new world has opened up so it’s made me wonder if there’s something here that will allow me to stay true to my values. Now that I’m here I want to learn more.”
Sit with Consunji for any length of time and you’ll walk away convinced that’s how, despite all the acclaim that has followed her debut film role, she seems to have remained so grounded. Over a break during our cover shoot, she recounts how, on returning home to Hong Kong after travelling to Italy for the Far East Film Festival, the mother of one of her students rushed up to her, super excited.
“She said to me, ‘You must be so proud!’,” recounts Consunji. “And I’d been so swept up in the film that I thought she must have been talking about that. But she was talking about the opening of our new school. She didn’t know about Italy or the awards, she was more concerned with real life. So, you know, in terms of getting carried away, I think I’ll be fine. The other side of my life keeps my feet on the ground.”
Photography Ricky Lo | Creative Direction and Styling Anson Lau | Hair Jean Tong for Crisel, Taky Chung for Anthony | Make-up Angel Mok for Crisel | Grooming Jolinn Ng for Anthony
The post ‘Still Human’ Stars Anthony Wong and Crisel Consunji on Their Roles of a Lifetime appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Startup Life: Greg Lambrecht of Revolutionary Wine System Coravin
Avid oenophiles will have likely heard about the Coravin already: a device that allows you to drink wine without ever having to uncork the bottle. Now there’s a newer, and even cooler, iteration: the Model Eleven, which made its Asian debut in Hong Kong recently. It’s the brand’s first connected and fully automatic device that links to an app called Coravin Moments. Not only does it enable wine lovers to create a virtual cellar, but it also displays them all on a flavour map, while offering curated pairings with food, music, moods and movies, too.
But perhaps what you don’t know was how it all began. With a background in nuclear engineering from MIT and a career in medical technologies, Coravin’s inventor and founder, Greg Lambrecht, was merely trying to meet his wine-drinking needs when his pregnant wife was unable to join him. Read on to find out just how Lambrecht’s startup life began, what he learnt along the way and the incredibly sound advice he has for others.
Name: Greg Lambrecht
Profession: Founder & Inventor of Coravin
Industry: Wine
Start up since: June 2011
Tell us about the business. What does Coravin do?
When I founded the company, I wrote the mission statement on a sheet of paper and it said, "Any wine, any amount, any time, without having to think about when you’re going to drink from that bottle again. Independent of closure, still or sparkling. Faster, easier and more fun than opening a bottle." That’s still our mission statement. This is what we’re trying to achieve and I’d say we’re about 80%* of the way there. Model Eleven being a big leap forward for us.
*On top of the wine access system, Coravin offers accessories for screw cap wines and an aerator that immediately adds air, allowing your wine to breathe as you pour. The brand has yet to achieve access to sparkling wines.
[caption id="attachment_151349" align="alignnone" width="1654"]
The Coravin Aerator immediately mixes air with the wine as you pour.[/caption]
What’s behind the name, Coravin?
The first name for the company was Wine Mosquito. It was named by my eldest son who was three years old at the time and helped me with the testing. During the launch, this great CEO I had hired said, “We can’t call it Wine Mosquito. People hate mosquitos!”. We talked for a while and I started to recall my Latin, which I studied in high school -- I really am that geeky! So, cor is Latin for "heart" and for me, Coravin is about getting to the heart of wine.
Tell me about your best and worst day at work?
One of my best days at work was launch day [of the first product] in New York, July of 2013. To actually take an idea written on a page, to a prototype, to the testing that validates it works, to building the team, to raising the money, to putting the initial product together. That feeling, the elation you have being at that point was incredible.
The worst day... well, I did a blind tasting for [British wine critic and writer] Jancis Robinson, who has one of the best palates in the world. I contacted her and she asked, “What bottles do you have?”. So I laid out 30 bottles of wine on the floor, took a photograph and sent it to her. She told me the row and column of 2 different wines. I grabbed them and flew out to London. It was pouring down with rain and I show up at her house, completely drenched with my bag of wine.
We do the blind tasting [an experiment to prove Coravin does not adversely affect the wine] and she says, “It’s glass 1 and 3, or it’s 2, 4 and 5 -- they’re not oxidised but they taste different”. No one else had gotten it right before. I thought, “We’re screwed!” Next, she tried the other wine and said they’re the same and chose wrong. At this point, she typed so much on her keyboard and then looked up and said, “You know you brought the wrong control bottle for your first wine.” I had brought two different vineyards! Same year, same producer, but different bottlings! First I was a failure, and now I’m an idiot. Thankfully, she wrote about the idiot in her article.
[caption id="attachment_151348" align="alignnone" width="1323"]
A Coravin prototype.[/caption]
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I’m a distance runner. I run mountains -- Pike’s Peak [the highest summit of America’s Rocky Mountains] and the Boston Marathon, too. Running keeps me sane. The beautiful thing about running is it’s time on your own and you can focus on one thing. I usually pick a topic before I start my run, and I think about that for however long I’m running. That peace of mind that comes from it, it’s almost like meditation.
Looking back now, what would you have done differently?
We’ve made mistakes, every company does. But I would say two things. Firstly, we should have started earlier. I knew that it worked in 2008 -- why didn’t I start the company then? Secondly, I thought being CEO was the most important role, and therefore I had to have it. It wasn’t until a good friend of mine, and an investor, asked, “Are you sure your talents are best utilised that way? You’re creative, you invent, you set the vision, you’re passionate and you sell. But do you like managing the day-to-day operations and the core team?” And it was just the most insightful comment. I stepped back from being CEO and became Chairman and Founder of Coravin. It was in this avenue that I’ve been able to create. Had I been CEO, I probably wouldn’t have.
[caption id="attachment_151346" align="alignnone" width="1417"]
Lambrecht with an engineer on the Coravin team.[/caption]
What advice would you give to someone looking to start up?
The one sin is running out of cash. It’s game over when the cash is gone, so always make sure you have it. And try to have cash before you need it, because raising money when you’re out is the most deluded thing you can do. You should raise twice as much money as you think you need. You’re underestimating, and things are going to go wrong.
Also hire well. Great people make great companies. Great ideas fail with bad people. If someone isn’t working out, do not hesitate to terminate. If you don’t, it will bring down the team and your business. You cannot tolerate that. As a startup you don’t have the extra time. It’s not personal; they just aren’t the right person for the job. Move fast!
If you can, raise money from people that have the same incentives as you have. Because the more aligned they are, the better the future will be. The difference can cause conflict, so try to gauge the true incentives of investors to make sure they are aligned.
As a child, what did you aspire to be?
My grandfather was a famous weapons designer. First for the German military and then when he was captured by the Americans, for the United States. And he came to me when I was 11 (he passed away when I was 12), and said, “I’ve built enough weapons, you should work on medicine or power. We’ll never run out of our need for either.” That set the tone for my career. I started in nuclear physics and plasma physics, then I worked on medicine. But the core of my thinking was: how do I positively impact the lives of as many people as I can? That’s why I didn’t become a doctor [but rather] invented medical therapies: because they can be used on hundreds of thousands of people, not only one at a time. With Coravin, if they recognise what it can do for them, it can really change their lives. It’s a positive influence and I want to do that as much as possible.
[caption id="attachment_151345" align="alignnone" width="1370"]
Coravin Model Two and Model Two Elites.[/caption]
Why is Hong Kong such an important market for Coravin?
There are more ‘better wines’ being poured in Hong Kong on a daily basis than any other city in the world. I wanted to be in a place where there was a large variety of wine, and where people are willing to drink wine from anywhere.
It’s also a ferociously competitive environment, and one of the things I learnt early on is, if you want to learn how to be successful, you need to be in a competitive environment. If you are around the best people in the world, you will raise your game. We have learned so much from this market already. Our manufacturer for Coravin is here in Hong Kong, too. She's one of the best in the world for consumer home goods.
If you were to invest in another start up, which would it be?
One of the things I’m looking at is distributed agriculture, which is moving the growing of food into the house. It’s happening in New York and Boston, and I think it’s almost there. It will measure and track everything, while tuning elements for the plants’ growth automatically. It’s a really cool concept.
What are your goals for 2019?
It's still to make the wine experience faster, easier and more fun. Model Eleven is the beginning of that, and with the software, we can keep making it better. 2019 is the year that we advance the Coravin Moments app.
[bc_video video_id="6055040655001" account_id="5537314740001" player_id="HkciYHERZ" embed="in-page" padding_top="56%" autoplay="" min_width="0px" max_width="640px" mute="" width="100%" height="100%" ]
Do you consider yourself successful?
Not yet. We still need to reach people. I measure success as the volume of wine poured through Coravin relative to the volume of wine consumed on an annual basis. And we are tiny right now. I don’t hope to be 100%, but I’d love to be 20%. If I can get to that, then I’ll consider us successful.
Coravin Model Eleven is available in Hong Kong at selected stores including Watson's Wine and Enoteca.
The post Startup Life: Greg Lambrecht of Revolutionary Wine System Coravin appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
She’s the chef and owner of one Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room, but who is Vicky Lau beyond being one of Asia’s best female chefs? We took the chance to find out more about the ex-graphic designer and found out what she gets up to when the chef whites come off.
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
Well, weekends for me are actually only Sundays as I work on Saturdays. Tate [Dining Room] is closed on Sunday, so I have one day off and I always spend it with my daughter. She’s two and a half years old. We do a lot of family activities on that day and explore new places with her. Last week, we went to the library. That’s the kind of thing we do together. This weekend, maybe we’ll go swimming. I like hanging out in Repulse Bay and just generally in the midst of nature. I think kids also enjoy that, too.
What’s on your playlist right now?
Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of [American three-piece band] Khruangbin. It’s hard to define this type of music, but I guess it’s alternative. I like alternative music, trip-hop, jazz and easy listening music. Bonobo is one of my favourites too.
I’ll listen to music in the car but also in the kitchen -- especially if I’m doing something repetitive because I need to encourage myself to keep going! If you need to make the same thing [for a dish] 200 times, you really need music to get you through it!
[caption id="attachment_149945" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Khruangbin is a band from Texas formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums.[/caption]
When you’re not in the kitchen, what else are you up to?
I do Thai boxing at the gym… I also meditate, which I try to do everyday for 20 minutes before I sleep. I do it in silence mostly, but if your thoughts are a little crowded you can use music or do some guided meditation. For me, I need that peace of mind. I’m actually a quiet person, but when you’re in this industry you need to face a lot of people, handle them and get along with them, so I need that quiet time to reset. Meditation really helps you to dump any negative feelings and be more neutral.
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I enjoy a lot of cocktails, but especially Negronis. I love the classic version but I will also explore different kinds of cocktails. It’s actually really tough to get flavour in liquid, but a lot of people do such a good job, so it’s worth exploring. The Old Man makes a great Negroni!
[caption id="attachment_149944" align="alignnone" width="1135"]
The Old Man took the top spot in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019.[/caption]
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I love eating in bed. I do that a lot actually. Especially at the end of a work night when I’m tired and feel like falling asleep, but I really want to eat. During service I don’t have much of an appetite, so I’ll just have something in bed instead. It’s the best when I’m staying at a hotel, and I can just order some room service and eat a club sandwich in my pyjamas, in bed!
Have you ever met any chefs that turned you into a fan-girl?
So many! Thomas Keller is definitely at the top of my list. [Joël] Robuchon and Pierre Hermé, too. They’re all big names but they’re so humble. I think there are a lot of people that are at that high level, but are more normal than you think.
[caption id="attachment_149946" align="alignnone" width="2445"]
Pierre Hermé and Chef Vicky Lau.[/caption]
Who was the last person you called?
My daughter. We FaceTime and she sings to me -- she loves singing. She makes up her own songs even. I took her to a Mozart concert once and she came out telling me she wanted to learn the violin.
What was the last meal you had?
Recently, we went to Sing Gor [a popular two-table-only private kitchen in Macau]. It was really delicious. They cook up that classic Cantonese flavour which is so tough to find these days. All that wok hei [smoky, charred flavour you get from using a wok]. He made this soup with pork belly, intestines and seaweed -- it had so much flavour and was a very dark soup, so you could tell it had so much work put into it. You can’t find this kind of traditional Cantonese flavour anymore and I crave for it. A lot of my childhood memories are of food with this classic flavour.
[caption id="attachment_149943" align="alignnone" width="1600"]
Lau also enjoys fine dining and here she is at a dinner with fellow chef Daniel Calvert [of Belon] and friends at a Michel Troisgois Dinner.[/caption]
The post Getting to Know Chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Winemaker Gaëlle Goossens of Veuve Clicquot
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
Inspired by the original La Grande Dame of Champagne -- Madame Barbe-Nicole Cliquot Ponsardin -- the new Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2008 is an homage to the French woman that took over her late husband's business and turned an almost failing winery into one of the biggest Champagne houses in the world.
To celebrate the launch and in honour of Madame Clicquot’s enterprising spirit, one of the house’s three female winemakers, Gaëlle Goossens, hosted a lunch at Hong Kong’s SEVVA. We caught a moment with her to talk about the female forces that have inspired her and what she’s like without the wine.
[caption id="attachment_149349" align="alignnone" width="3445"]
Gaëlle Goossens at the Hong Kong launch of La Grande Dame 2008.[/caption]
What’s a normal weekend like for you?
I just bought a house in the countryside, and I like spending my weekends there, in my garden, enjoying the sun and getting some rest. Sometimes I’ll escape to the north of France too, where there is a nice seaside town called Le Touquet. It’s nice to get some oysters and fresh air there.
What’s on your playlist right now?
I like jazz music. Modern jazz mostly. I like Pink Martini -- it’s a group that sings in a lot of different languages. So French, Spanish and even Japanese!
When you’re not making wine, what else are you up to?
I have a little boy at home. He’s four years old, so I try to spend as much time as I can with him. I like to travel and take my son with me. I want him to see the world. Last summer we went to the Canary Islands to have a good rest. I also took him to Italy, but I want to take him somewhere more exotic next. Maybe Asia!
[caption id="attachment_149352" align="alignnone" width="1046"]
Image credit: AFP / Charly Triballeau[/caption]
What are you most likely to order at a bar?
I love craft beer. There are a lot of different beers now -- and like wine, there are a lot of aromas. We don’t have a lot of cocktail bars in France, it’s more craft beers and wine.
I particular like Abbey beers made by monks, there are a few in France.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Eating too much chocolate? [Laughs] I like to finish my lunch or dinner with a piece of dark chocolate. It’s not a lot as it’s strong. I like the ones with 90% pure cocoa content.
I watch a lot of Netflix series, too. The most recent is The Rain, which is a drama based in Scandinavia where they find a virus that kills the world.
Tell us something not a lot of people know about you?
I’m a big countryside girl. Maybe people don’t expect that of me, but I love nature and animals. I love dogs and have two at home actually. A big Dogue de Bordeaux [or French mastiff] and a little dog, it’s a cross-breed. So it’s like Timon and Pumbaa, little and large! I also used to horse ride, but I fell off once and broke my shoulder. I haven’t been back on one since. I would like to but I’m a bit scared.
[caption id="attachment_150302" align="alignnone" width="1600"]
Gaëlle's dog goes with her to Reims, the unofficial capital of the Champagne wine-growing region.[/caption]
What’s on the cards for you and Veuve Clicquot this year?
This year, the focus is on the launch of La Grande Dame 2008. We’re traveling around the world. Last fall we launched in the United States. And we just came from China and now [we’re in] Hong Kong. Up next is Australia and Eastern Europe. Right now, we’re preparing the harvest too, which we expect will be [ready] in mid-September.
In the spirit of Madame Clicquot, who are your top 3 power women?
- Simone Veil -- a French woman who was a Holocaust survivor and later became a politician. She did a lot for women's legal rights. She’s my top power woman.
- Colette [full name Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette] -- she was a French author at that time she couldn’t write or publish herself, so she was writing for her husband who took credit for it all. She had to fight for her rights to write.
- Michelle Obama -- she’s a strong black woman and represents so much for women’s rights. She’s the First Lady that wasn’t just tied to her husband. She has her own path, and does her own things. She’s the female leader we need. A great role model.
[caption id="attachment_149347" align="alignnone" width="2362"]
The 2008 Veuve Clicquot "La Grande Dame" Brut Champagne launches in Hong Kong.[/caption]
Who was the last person you called?
I called my husband last night. But really to get to my son. We were FaceTiming. It was funny because he takes the iPad everywhere around the house while we’re talking. So I can’t see too much on the screen, but I guess I’m in the bedroom? He’s playing with me and taking me everywhere!
What was the last meal you had in Hong Kong?
I haven’t had much time to explore Hong Kong, but I did have Peking duck in Beijing recently. It was my first time to try the specialty from a local place and I really enjoyed it. With local beer as well! But next time, I would like to take a day off in Hong Kong so I can try some places.
The post Getting to Know Winemaker Gaëlle Goossens of Veuve Clicquot appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Blue Bird Group Director Andre Djokosoetono Launches the First Electric Taxi in Indonesia
Fancy zipping around town in an awesome all-electric Tesla? Blue Bird Group, always the innovator in taxi services here, has already launched its first electric cars. It plans to have 200 on the road by next year and 2,000 by 2025, as Director Andre Djokosoetono told Ajeng G. Anindita.
It’s no secret that Jakarta’s notorious traffic congestion has increased massively in recent years. And with all those extra vehicles have come negative impacts on the environment and our health due to the increased consumption of fossil fuels and creation of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
A grim reality that most Jakarta people have to face in their day-to-day lives is having to put up with heavy traffic for long, long hours. It’s no wonder that so many of us are prone to tiredness and ill health. Moving towards sustainable transportation is one of the most effective ways to at least minimise the effects and preserve the planet as a place in which to live for the next generations. To quote Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space: “The Earth doesn’t need us, we need the Earth.”
Blue Bird Group, the largest listed and most admired taxi cab operator in Indonesia, launched its first electric taxi fleet on Monday, April 22, which also happened to be Earth Day. The fleet initially consists of 25 BYD e6 A/T vehicles for regular Blue Bird taxi services and five Tesla Model X 75D A/T cars for the company’s premium Silver Bird services.
[inline_related_article article_id="147451"]
All-electric vehicles are deemed to be the most effective alternatives to regular fuel-based cars, as they will not cause tailpipe emissions that results from fuel combustion in a conventional car’s engine. Since the company’s inception in 2003, Tesla’s mission has been to accelerate the world’s transition to a sustainable energy future. Meantime, BYD describes itself as “a high-tech company devoted to technological innovations for a better life”.
How did the move into electric cars begin for Blue Bird? Says Director Andre Djokosoetono in an exclusive interview at the company’s head office in Mampang, south Jakarta: “It came about in the first place through a discussion with Ignasius Jonan (Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources). After that meeting, my team and I talked about the possibilities of introducing electric cars as one of Blue Bird’s products. This project is obviously a major milestone for the company.
It’s the first ever electric taxi fleet in the country, as listed in the records of MURI (Indonesia World Records Museum).
“As a result of doing some extensive research and thorough testing, we chose BYD and Tesla models as they are very suitable for the purposes of public transport, especially for taxi cabs. And these two brands have proven themselves to be the best in their industry.”
China’s BYD is a high-tech company that specialises in clean energy, with a mission to help reduce the world’s reliance on petroleum and dedicated to providing zero-emission energy solutions. BYD stands for “Build Your Dreams”. The company started off in 1995 as a manufacturer of batteries for cellphones and digital cameras. Now the company is the world’s largest electric vehicle maker in terms of units sold. It has sold as many as 113,000 plug-in electric vehicles globally and it has nearly 40,000 electric buses in service around the world.
Meanwhile, Tesla is a state-of-the-art automotive and energy-based company based in Palo Alto, California. It was founded in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning under the name Tesla Motors, as a tribute to inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).
[inline-quote author="Andre Djokosoetono"]"“We’re confident that the 30 electric taxis we are starting with will be a great start in the history of sustainable transportation in Indonesia”"[/inline-quote]
Elon Musk, who came to the fore as a co-founder of PayPal, joined Tesla as its Chairman in 2004. He has a reported net worth of US$22.3 billion and is listed by Forbes as the 40th-richest person in the world. His goals include reducing global warming through sustainable energy production and consumption, and reducing the risk of human extinction by establishing a colony on Mars.
“Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy through increasingly affordable electric vehicles and renewable energy generation and storage systems,” states the company on its website. Aside from cars, the company also makes solar panels that produce renewable, clean energy.
Becoming available to the public this month (June), Blue Bird’s electric taxis will charge the same fares as any of its taxis. The taxi operator also collaborates with PLN to provide charging stations in its pools, enabling the company’s drivers to easily charge their cars. A full charge takes about two hours, giving the cars a range of 300 km.
[inline_related_article article_id="147156"]
Laughs Djokosoetono: “I guess the people who are most excited about the charging stations are the drivers, as they don’t have to wait in long lines again in public gas stations. We’re confident that the 30 electric taxis we are starting with will be a great start in the history of sustainable transportation in Indonesia. We don’t just aim to improve the quality of service and comfort of our customers, but it is also part of Blue Bird’s commitment to preserve the environment, especially to increase the air quality in Jakarta.”
If Blue Bird sticks to its plan, the company will eliminate some 434,095 kg of CO2 emissions, or fuel consumption of 1,898,182 litres; and the addition of 2000 units of electric cars in 2020-25 will eliminate 21,704,760 kg of CO2 emissions, equivalent to fuel consumption of 94,909,091 litres.
“We see electric vehicles as the future of transportation,” says Djokosoetono. “Other countries have been moving in this direction for years, so it’s about time Indonesia started doing it too.” Talking about sustainability as a lifestyle, he thinks that Indonesians are ready to use electric vehicles as part of their day-to-day lives, whether it’s for personal use or for public transport. “I guess it is really now up to the government to set the regulations and to create clear rules about electric vehicles and transportation providers like us, to open access to the new technology to the whole of society.”
One of the most important aspects of Blue Bird’s electric car initiative is its One Ride One Seed programme, set up in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Jagha Bumi. In this programme, Blue Bird and Silver Bird riders will contribute to the numbers of trees planted in the Ciliwung River area and also in the greater area of Jakarta. “One Ride One Seed will start in June, and we are targeting to plant more than 2,000 trees,” says Djokosoetono.
Recently, Blue Bird has also worked together with WWF in Bali to help reduce the problem of single-use plastics. All Blue Bird Bali staff members, for example, have eliminated the use of plastic cups and bottles in favour of carrying around tumblers. Blue Bird has also worked with Danone-Aqua to support the environment. The two companies gathered up all of the plastic bottles to be found in the Blue Bird taxi pools and gave them to Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya Tangerang Selatan, Danone-Aqua’s official waste management partner, to be recycled.
At the end of the interview, Djokosoetono expresses his thoughts and views on what we can do to fight the climate change crisis that’s happening to the world in real time. “The key is to start right now,” he declares. “We need to realise that we are currently living in an ecological crisis, and as human beings who care about the planet we need to become a part of the solution. Each person is responsible in his or her own way for their carbon footprint, and one small step in the right direction by each of us will impact the whole world.”
The post Blue Bird Group Director Andre Djokosoetono Launches the First Electric Taxi in Indonesia appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Passing the mantle: Advice from our fathers
This Father’s Day, we ask 9 young individuals to share valuable lessons they’ve learnt from their fathers.
This story was first published in Prestige Malaysia June 2019 issue
The post Passing the mantle: Advice from our fathers appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Entrepreneur Ronald Akili Builds a Sustainable Desa Potato Head
“The moment I was surfing in a sea of plastics 100 metres out from the beach, I realised the chances of my kids enjoying the gifts of nature would be very slim. I want to pass on to future generations a better world,” says Ronald Akili, CEO of Potato Head Family, in an interview with Chris Hanrahan.
"As a surfer, I feel terrible when I head out and find myself surrounded by ocean plastics any time of year,” says Ronald Akili. “My resolve to ensure Potato Head does minimal damage to the environment is only strengthened by this. I want to pass on to future generations a better world - something that I think is innate in all of us.”
The young entrepreneur behind Potato Head Beach Club in Bali and Potato Head eateries in Jakarta, Singapore and Hong Kong, has embarked on an extraordinary sustainable initiative in Seminyak. Akili describes Desa Potato Head as an “experiential playground [that] combines good times with doing good in the world”.
He goes on: “Potato Head Family has always been sustainably driven - from the careful construction of our venues to the ingredients in our kitchens, or from our emblematic art installations made of rubbish to the ways we help preserve the island’s historic handicrafts. But these are trying times for our dear friend, the environment, so now we’re taking it to the next level across our entire flagship property with Desa Potato Head.
[inline_related_article article_id="147451"]
“In Bali, desa means village, but at Potato Head it means so much more. We consider our desa a multi-disciplinary hub of the future. It’s an experiential playground for guests to become engaged and inspired, whether that’s dancing till dawn or learning how to upcycle plastics into products. We see Desa Potato Head as a place where ideas can be shared and spread, as a way to incite change both at home and abroad.”
What got Akili (whose father Rudy founded Smailing Tour and is an eminent art collector) interested in sustainability? “We saw that there was a need for a significant shift in the way businesses conduct themselves, both in terms of environment and community,” he replies. “So around four years ago we set out to make those changes, with great respect to the fact it’s a pretty urgent need. We sought to set new industry standards and infuse our love of creativity and design into sustainability to show others that, to truly inspire, we must reinvent ourselves and what we bring to our customers.”
He could simply focus on running a successful business. Why go to the trouble and expense of making sustainability part of his operations? “I have four young children and, selfishly, I want to preserve the gifts of our mother earth for them and their generation,” Akili says. “I’m an ocean lover and the moment I was surfing in a sea of plastics 100 metres out from the beach, I realised the chances of my kids enjoying the gifts of nature would be very slim.
“I started thinking about how I could utilise my business to create a bigger impact. We are not fulfilling the role of scientists, activists or engineers to try to solve this natural disaster, but we have realised we can be a great connector. We can gather these solutions and with creativity represent it in ways that are relevant to our market. We connect with 10,000 people through guests, communities and other stakeholders on a daily basis – that’s more than 3 million people annually! We can create mini ripples in our communicators and hope to one day inspire others to do the same.”
Potato Head says it has become the first Indonesian hospitality company to be independently verified as carbon neutral. How did Akili feel when he find out about this achievement?
“I am very proud of this accomplishment,” he declares. “As one big family we are able to stick together and commit to a better future. My team made this happen, not me. We’re far from perfect and we don’t have all of the answers, but we’re very happy to share all that we’ve learned about sustainability and we’re committed to making step-by-step improvements. For us, it’s more about the path and philosophy than the destination. We will keep evolving to achieve greater levels of sustainability and continue to innovate and share those ideas with the world.”
His customers, Akili says, appreciate Potato Head’s focus on sustainability. “We’ve found that our sustainability initiatives offer a more enriched experience. Our biggest concern is single-use plastics, which we banned across Desa Potato Head earlier last year. Now the government has put a ban on them island-wide, which we’re really excited about.
“Our ancestors used organic materials, like banana leaves as packaging, so Bali wasn’t prepared for the current situation. But, ironically, we feel like tourism can be a vehicle that helps solve it. We showcase art installations made from waste around the Desa. We have Sustainism Lab, an R&D workshop that guests can visit to see how we turn plastics and other waste into new materials, and we’ve gone beyond using bamboo or glass straws in all our F&B venues and built an entire restaurant (Ijen) out of recycled materials.
“These are just a few of the ways we’re showing guests that there are solutions to this crisis, in the hope that it will inspire them to take make changes back home. For example, Ijen follows a zero waste philosophy. Here, we have created different solutions reducing the waste to almost zero. From dehydrating fish scales and turning them into crackers to asking our suppliers to deliver goods wrapped in banana leaves, we’ll continue to refine our process and find solutions for what gets left behind after a meal.”
[inline_related_article article_id="87552"]
In another initiative, Potato Head Family is providing scholarships to John Hardy’s Green School in Bali. “We currently sponsor four young Indonesian students to attend the Green School through their graduation,” Akili says. “We also are the main sponsor of their Bio Bus programme, which converts used cooking oil into biofuel for their vans. We’ve formed a strong relationship with the Green School because they embody a critical aspect of the sustainability challenge: education and awareness. They create future change makers, young members of our local community that understand, embrace and seek to make the changes needed for future generations.
Another exciting project, Future Design Week, was held in Bali in May. Akili invited Virgil Abloh, fashion designer, entrepreneur and DJ, and Alex Olson, skateboarder, company owner and entrepreneur, to support the event. “One of Potato Head’s greatest passions is design, but we know our planet faces a difficult future if there aren’t major shifts in the products we make, the amount we consume, and the ways we treat waste,” Akili says of this project. “A lot of people believe that sustainable design may be inferior or they think they have to sacrifice on aesthetics, but we know the opposite to be true. A beautiful yet sustainable lifestyle is attainable, and Future Design Week will demonstrate that through exhibitions and installations which showcase new materials - upcycled, grown in a lab or other - as well as natural materials and approaches that greatly reduce our environmental footprint.
“Virgil and Alex are two people we admire very much from a cultural standpoint. Virgil has been increasingly working within the realm of sustainability and Alex is a very consciously minded individual. To have them both DJing at Future Design Week seemed the perfect combination, and we know that in addition to providing a night of music and good times, their presence will draw attention to the pressing issue we’re facing not just in Bali, but on a global scale.”
[caption id="attachment_148868" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Salvaged flip-flops installation by Liina Klauss for Potato Head[/caption]
From December to March each year Bali’s beaches are swamped with plastics and other garbage, and sometimes even have to be closed to the public. Are there ever times when Akili feels despair? “I don’t,” he answers. “I’m encouraged by the changes I see happening now in our community with single-use plastics, and will push to see more goals are achieved with urgency.
“The ban on single-use plastics in Bali is a good start and I congratulate the Governor for the great step of curbing single-use plastics we know to be entirely unnecessary, like straws and bags. What’s needed now is a cultural shift to entirely change the way we think about all single-use materials and a return to reusable and organic.
“There are so many young Indonesian and foreign entrepreneurs creating solutions now, and more than ever they need government support, commercial investors and the local community for those ideas to become reality. We believe in innovation, creativity and resolve and we will always remain committed to building a world that is better than the one we inherited.”
[gallery ids="148869,148867"]
The post Entrepreneur Ronald Akili Builds a Sustainable Desa Potato Head appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Interview: Ben Law, Future Sound Asia Founder on Good Vibes Festival’s biggest year yet
Imagine this: organising a two-day music festival for 15, 000 people, bringing some of the biggest acts from around the world not just to impress Malaysian standards but an international one, while working with vendors to provide the best experience for everyone, VIP and general. A festival that brands itself as 'Good Vibes' has that promise of deliverance to upkeep, and we all know the wrath of the internet. Sunday brunch plans are a stark contrast (and suddenly, we're glad).
The Good Vibes Festival 2019 is set to take place on 20 and 21 July 2019 at The Ranch at Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highlands. Headlining acts announced as part of the first line-up include hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, Grammy award-winning R&B singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar, and the American ambient pop band Cigarettes After Sex. Setting sights further this time, the festival grounds will be expanded into an adjacent field housing the new and improved Electric Fields; the festival's fully fledged third stage.
[caption id="attachment_148685" align="alignnone" width="2682"]
Ben Law. Photo credit: All Is Amazing[/caption]
GVF, as its fondly called, is a homegrown festival now in its sixth year. To compare it to the likes of Singapore's Laneway, or other festivals like Ultra (and for the internet trolls, Coachella), isn't unfair, but impossible. What makes GVF, GVF, is its love for locality. Malaysian acts are also put in the spotlight, where this year we'll see BATE, RYÖT JONES, Midnight Fusic, The Impatient Sisters and more. Even Korean acts Dean and Rad Museum have signed on.
Warming up for the biggest year of Good Vibes Festival yet, we speak to organisers Future Sound Asia's founder and director Ben Law for a look behind the scenes of Malaysia's top festival.
[caption id="attachment_148675" align="alignnone" width="949"]
Rae Sremmurd will headline Good Vibes Festival 2019[/caption]
With Good Vibes Festival 2019 a month away, what are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to seeing how the new, expanded festival layout will turn out and how fans will react to it – the expansion is a major step moving forward for Good Vibes Festival and we hope everything works out well!
Managing expectations can't be easy for the team. How do you cater to what people expect while being realistic?
We always strive to do the best we can and give people what they want, but of course there will always be challenges or setbacks along the way. We’ve found that being transparent and honest about what’s happening, and taking responsibility for any mistakes or shortcomings, goes a long way towards earning goodwill and faith from festival goers.
[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="148737,148738,148744,148747,148743,148739,148741,148742,148745"]
Festivals recently have had some, let's say, 'bad luck'. Thoughts?
Running a festival is never easy, especially with challenges that are unique to Malaysia – we always have to be aware of how to balance our content with the sensitivities and realities of living in a multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-racial society. We do our best to work closely with the all relevant authorities and agencies in order to ensure that everyone can have a safe and fun experience at the festival.
What's been a memorable and challenging moment for GVF so far?
The most memorable moment was definitely selling out the festival two years ago, in 2017. It was a huge achievement for us and vindication that we were doing the right thing.
What was probably the most challenging was actually the year before that – in 2016 – which was the first year we moved to Genting and expanded to a two-day festival, but still didn’t hit our targets and almost pulled the plug on the whole thing. Fortunately, we stuck to our guns and sure enough the festival was sold out the next year.
[caption id="attachment_148660" align="alignnone" width="2754"]
Good Vibes Festival 2018: Petit Biscuit. Photo credit: All Is Amazing[/caption]
All festivals have their own forte. What would you say is GVF's?
I would say that GVF stays relevant with current trends in music, and our lineup is a reflection of what our demographic – young, trendy, mostly 18-25 years old – wants in a festival. Anyone can probably start a festival but to sustain it takes experience and keen insight into what works and what doesn’t.
How would you describe GVF's celebration of Malaysian culture?
We always try to inject some Malaysian culture into certain aspects of the festival, such as the festival artwork, local performers, on-ground and content -- for example, last year we had local photographer Daniel Adams who was conducting his Batik Project at the festival -- but at its core GVF represents Malaysians of all races and backgrounds coming together for a common cause: the love of music.
[gallery size="full" columns="1" ids="148758,148757,148756,148755"]
What would you like to try and bring to do to future GVF editions?
We’d like to feature more art pieces or installations by local artists at the festival. We actually did have an art installation for the first ever GVF but have since focused more on the music and other content for the festival. However, this year we’ve commissioned two local artists to create art installations at the festival and hopefully we’ll expand on this in the coming years.
Flags, big signs and people sitting on shoulders -- acceptable or avoid?
Try to avoid anything that would block other people’s views – be a considerate festival goer! And always be safe.
Lastly, if you're heading to the festival this year you should...
Plan your festival weekend accordingly, be prepared for rain or shine, and most importantly get ready to have fun at the biggest and best GVF ever!
The post Interview: Ben Law, Future Sound Asia Founder on Good Vibes Festival’s biggest year yet appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Like father, like daughter: Victor and Carmen Ow
Carmen Ow, who is a director at Clydesbuilt Group, affectionately calls her father “The Boss”, while Victor calls her “Princess”, but for this article, she’s the boss. “Since she asked, I agreed to do it,” he says with a laugh.
They are a riot at our shoot with their witty banter. Victor — he is chairman and CEO at Clydesbuilt Group — cracks the crew up with jokes and funny stories, but when he looked a bit solemn at one point as the shutters were clicking, Carmen, without prompting, poked him in the ribs, making him break out into a big smile and giggles. Within 10 minutes, we got the winning shot!
The stylish father-daughter duo loves shopping together – a family past-time since she was a wee lass in a pram. “My father has a larger wardrobe than mine or my mother’s,” Carmen lets on. “He never throws anything away!”
Their next favourite things to do as a family, she says, are eating (“but I wish he’d stop eating all my ice cream without telling me or replenishing my supply!”) and holidaying.
[caption id="attachment_148383" align="alignnone" width="1339"]
Victor Ow and Carmen Ow (Photo: Joel Low)[/caption]
As the self-appointed designated travel planner, Carmen loves tagging along on holidays with her dad and mum Pui Yee. Victor shares: “When she is with us, she does all the planning, like which restaurants to go to, which wineries and even driving the family around as she is worried that all the driving will make me too tired.”
His heart swells in seeing her sense of family values and character. “She has grown up to be a fine young lady who respects and loves all her friends and relatives. For example, when she was young, she learned to speak Cantonese so she can communicate with her grandparents.”
Carmen says he has set her a good example. “My dad is my hero and inspiration because he never gives up when he puts his mind to something. Like learning the piano. When I started taking lessons years ago, he decided to buy some books and pick it up himself. He’s even learning a South Korean song now for my mum! It’s inspiring because although it has taken him some time to learn, he has never given up, and it truly shows me that learning can be lifelong; age should not be a factor.”
Explaining that his family couldn’t afford piano lessons for him when he was younger, Victor says he challenged himself to be good enough to play a few songs, even though it seemed like an impossible task. To him, “determination and perseverance lead to success”.
“This principle applies to everything we do in life, as nothing can be achieved without labour. I’m also trying to be a living example to Carmen, since actions speak louder than words.”
[inline-quote author="Carmen Ow"]"My dad is my hero and inspiration because he never gives up when he puts his mind to something. "[/inline-quote]
Art direction: Audrey Chan
Photography: Joel Low
Hair: Sean Ang
Make-up: Keith Bryant Lee, using Armani Beauty, and Sophia Chia/Makeup Pros
Photography assistance: Alfie Pan
Location: Siri House
The post Like father, like daughter: Victor and Carmen Ow appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.