mancave magazine
DESCRIPTION
This is a premium men's magazine created for my final year assignmentTRANSCRIPT
Eugene Chan // Owner/ Photographer
One of the things that is a major part of my personality is a profound
passion for cars and all things that generally have wheels and a motor, be it
two wheeled or four wheeled.
I believe that speed is dangerous, but it is one of the best ways that a person’s
character can be nurtured and molded from the way that person drives a car
or rides a bike in a situation where going fast is a requirement, it builds cour-
age, thinking skills, efficiency in making decisions and a whole plethora of other
senses that are trained just by something as simple as going round a corner.
As Jason Statham stated in The Expendables movie, you can’t beat a classic
and that is where my heart and soul lies. Classic cars and bikes are just so full
of character and is the purest form of driving, just you, and the machine, none
of that electronic assistance malarchy which is what we as a company aim to
be, a dynamic form of conveying information and full of character.
I hope you enjoy our maiden issue of Mancave magazine and your stay with us
will be most certainly appreciated.
Nigel Sebastian // Editor in Chief / Fashion specialist
I have always been something of a curious george, always learning
and am a strong believer that to be happy one must have a positive attitude
towards all things irregardless of how difficult things become.
Fashion has been a passion of mine for a long time and to many people that
see clothes as just something to cover up their private parts and body I see
fashion as a great way to portray your personality. From the clothes a person
wears you can already begin to decipher what type of person they are but
that does not necessarily apply to every person. Passion and teamwork are
great fundamentals in order to flourish and these are the things that I live by,
also keeping organised makes life easier to tackle.
We will be working hard (and have fun of course) to bring you the best possi-
ble content we can, hope you enjoy your copy of Mancave.
Tiffany Lie // Curator / Head of art direction
I am an art director at heart in a business where we joke everyone
wants to be one. Writers, suits and clients, all at times playing the role. Maybe
even more reason to tr y differentiate
myself here with an attention to crafting that I ’ve been told is transparent. I am
also a writer by default.
My proudest accomplishments have come from breaking stereotypes. Doing
the things people said couldn’t be done. Establishing smaller agencies and
improving established ones. Leaving places better than I found them. Jumping
into unfamiliar and conservative categories and selling ideas people said
couldn’t be sold. Work that more often than not, exceeded expectations.
I have a steadfast belief that good can almost always be bettered. That ’s why
I ’m so against good ideas. I believe being a yes person will only get you so far
and eventually people will expect more of an answer. I believe you can stand
for everything and blend in. Or stand for something and stand out.
CONTENT
18-19 ....... GODS OF MACHINE: Deus Ex Machina - Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride - Bali
20-21 ....... A Wife’s understanding of her hus-band’s Italian mistress, travelling together in france
26-27 ...... Designer feature: Kak Han Chong - Idioms Visualized
30-31 ...... The Original Car Shoe X Automo-bili Lamborghini 50th Anniversario
36-37 ...... Konnichiwa Tokyo! Our top 8 things to do when you visit the land of the rising sun
42-43 ...... blast to the past with some authen-tic nyonya delicacies
44-45 ...... Coffee addicts rejoice: VCR is the go to place for some of the best artisanal coffee and scrumptuous cakes.
46-47 ...... we team up with Stephanie Le from “iamafoodblog.com” to bring you a heartwarming squid ink pasta recipe.
50 ...... The ART OF SPEED: Our feature on Mike Kim, head designer of Toyota and his passion for painting racing legends in his spare time
pg. 50
pg. 46-47
pg. 30-31
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ONLiNE CONTENT
(V) SIGNALS - Mike Flores: Celebrated videographer Mike Flores creates this utterly magnificent timelapse of different sceneries, including vast starscapes and epic sun rises. Why we love this video? What’s not to love about watching the world we live in go by in slow mo-tion and sultry High definition footage? In this series titled Signals, it is just such a surreal and amazing dis-play of timelapse technology. As the saying goes, aim for the moon and if you don’t get it, at least you’ll be among the stars.
(Y) AN ANIMAL TO DRIVE - Petrolicious: Petrolicious are the absolute go to channel on youtube if you are into classic exotic cars. from pure bred classic Le Mans rac-ers to seductive privately owned vehicles in this episode of Petrolicious the Datsun 240Z is featured and not just one, but 3 of these. The Datsun is such an iconic car that is well and truly appreciated by fans worldwide and these cars are currently residing in the United States of America.
(V) MELTING POINTS - General Electric: General Electric engineers have come up with this quirky little video by filming some cool stuff melting in slow motion in order to study materials to understand their strengths and limitations. While most metals have high melting points, they tend to be heavy. And lighter materials like ceramics break down under intense heat and pressure. But when we combine the heat resistance of metals and light weight of ceramics, we get hybrid super materials like ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs).
(Y) HONDA THE OTHER SIDE - Hondavideo: Honda and Wieden + Kennedy London have come up with an interactive dual-story video for the Civic and it’s sport-ier version, the Civic Type R. Titled “The Other Side”, the film tells the tale of an ordinary guy who leads an intriguing double life. The original video featuring the Civic switches to a parallel storyline featuring the Type R when you press and hold ‘R’ on the keyboard. Direct-ed by Daniel Wolfe, the films have been meticulously edited to sync seamlessly with each other. This is inter-active advertising/filmmaking at its best.
Follow our online contents coverage for our latest picks of some of the most epic videos that our team hand picked. To watch online, type in the title into Vimeo or Youtube.
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CORRESPONDENTS
Owner/DirectorEugene [email protected]
Editor in ChiefNigel [email protected]: 101-146-13477
Art DirectionTiffany [email protected]
DesignerAlison [email protected]
Editorial administrationLyanna [email protected]
Business planningAdam [email protected]
InternFatimah Hummam
Contributor AustraliaJoshua [email protected]
Contributor JapanHikaru [email protected]
Contributor New YorkKathy [email protected]
Contributor SingaporeTAN SIANG [email protected]
Contributor ThailandAlongkorn [email protected]
Contributor Hong KongHam Sap [email protected]
Contributors Malaysia
Kak Han [email protected]
Michelle Yu Xue [email protected]
Contributors United Kingdom
Andy [email protected]
Barbara [email protected]
Advertising SponsorsTag Heuer, BMW GmBhWacom, Aston Martin, Audi GmBh, Omega Watches.
PrintingAssociate Press Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Associated schoolsTaylors Lakeside Campus
SponsorshipBenson Lau (Alternatum)Lowly gentlemen (79)Mercedes AMG GmBh
PhotographyVinod [email protected]
Martin [email protected]
PartnersKinfolk magazineBoat magazineCereal MagazineMonocle International
PaperLap Soon Printing SolutionsCover - Printed on 260GM art card matte laminatedInternal - 40-60gsm news print paperPaper supplied by Hiap Moh Paper factory Sdn. Bhd
(C)Copyright All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro-duced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, an no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the content of this publication.
While the Canggu Scramblers were out riding dirt and cracking bones, a few of the other Deus boys took a more relaxed approach to their Sunday off. Donning their most dap-per threads, they tipped their hats to the Dis-tinguished Gentlemen’s Ride.
A bunch of Australian pals came up with the idea for a classic motorcycle & suit ride in 2012, and two years later it’s grown into a global event. This year there were 20,000 riders joining for 258 separate rides, taking place in 220 cities across 57 different countries. It’s not compulsory, but all of the rides raised money for prostate cancer research. What is compul-sory is a classic bike and styling your Sunday best.Meeting at the Temple first thing, there’s no denying the Deus boys were looking fresh in their bow ties and waistcoats. Last year 7 riders took part in the ride, and this year that number snowballed. 6 different groups of guys in tai-lored suits came together to create a fleet of 70 motorcycles.
An eclectic blend of custom bikes, cafe rac-ers, scramblers, bobbers, vespas and even old school bikes like the BMW R20 came out for day, with expats and locals riding side by side. The Balinese gods blessed the ride with sunshine and blue skies, and the suited bikers turned heads along the scooter filled highways through Kuta up to Sanur. Travelling through the countryside of Batubulan and up into Ubud, it was time for a half-time pitstop and a break from the heat.
All the groups came together, checking out each others bikes and getting to know each other, everyone feeling the camaraderie of the ride. Before the crowd of fascinated onlookers grew too thick the guys were back on the road.
To wind up a truly distinguished day some of the riders hung out at the Temple, sharing a few beers and soaking up the sounds of the psychedelic rock performed by Mata Jiwa. The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, doing good and having fun, it’s definitely here to stay.
The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride: BAli
words and photos by - Deus Indonesia
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19
A FRENCH WEEKEND WiTH MY HUSBAND’S DAYTONA MiSTRESS
Words and Photos - Danielle Butler, Lucile Pillet and Jonny Shears
I have just returned from a quick weekend in France with my husband and his mistress. I know what you must be thinking, but I do rather like her. Although she’s loud (and I hate her perfume), she’s undoubtedly beau-tiful (stunning really) and being with her inevitably makes us the centre of attention–whether we want it or not. She is the key to invitations to all man-ner of interesting events. People want to see her. They want to know her. When she’s around, they always come up to talk about her and how lovely/excellent/awesome/expensive/powerful she looks. I don’t mind. I just smile. I just get frustrated when she decides to be, let’s say, moody. My husband once joked that she was nearly as tempera-mental as me but who are we kidding? She’s definitely got me beat and if she’s feeling testy, no one is happy. Although, for the most part, she’s a load of fun and since she used to be my father-in-law’s, she really is part of the family.
At this point I suppose should explain that The Mistress is my husband’s red 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. You may know of her as she’s a bit of a minor celebrity. My husband is well and truly besotted and she’s often the central fo-cus on blogs and in articles he writes about their adventures together. I don’t mind his infatuation. As I said, she’s of-ten the reason we get invited to some really exceptional events.
Last weekend we travelled down for the Journées d’Automne (Autumn Days) 2014 taking place in the Champagne region of France. Beautiful medieval villages, suave French people, pasto-ral landscape, and copious amounts of bubbly (after the driving of course) all were the icing on the cake of a weekend filled with other lovely/awesome/excel-lent/expensive/powerful cars. Journées d’Automne is truly special.
It’s an event weekend–meet up with other enthusiasts for a casual dinner on Friday, spend the day at the track testing the cars’ limits on Saturday, followed by a lovely meal Saturday night (in the ru-ins of a fort from, like, 1200 something, natch), and a drive around the French countryside in a huge convoy on Sun-day. All accompanied by Veuve-Clic-quot. This year we missed out on Friday and half of Saturday. Partially this was my fault (work) and partially it was The Mistress’ fault (broke down in Chun-nel). There’s nothing so fun as holding up half a train of cars while we 1) wait for a tow truck to reverse down the en-tire length of the train only to discover The Mistress doesn’t have a towing eye, and then 2) push her the entire length of said train and then 3) watch oth-er (annoyed) drivers pass up by while we smile sheepishly and wonder if we shouldn’t just get her back on the train and head back north.
The tow truck driver helped us bump start her and we found a garage where I tried to explain in rusty French what the issue was, but The Mistress decid-ed she had caused enough havoc for a morning and started on the first try without any coaxing. She was well be-haved and got us to Circuit des Ecuyers in time for one of the organizers, Éti-enne, to ask if I wanted to drive in the Women’s Only run (much to husband’s quiet panic and my hilarity). Alas, The Mistress is not insured for tracks and I am not insured to do anything but sit in the passenger seat and read road maps.
Now, I was not born or bred into a love of cars; I married into it. I wouldn’t say it is a passion but being around beauti-ful vehicles speaks directly to the eight-year-old me who collected Matchbox cars–chosen for how “cool” they looked rather than make and model. I wish I was one of those women that could point out all the various models and spout their history and horsepower but I am not.
I want to look at how pretty it is and, more importantly, consider if I would look good in it. Maybe I am not so shal-low but I am inevitably the one who says, “I liked the (insert relevant colour here) one.” After the track, we headed back to our gîte to get ready for din-ner. We were staying with friends: Jon-ny and his dad, Mark, driving an Alfa Romeo GTV (blue) and their friends Richard and Mandy, driving a Morgan Plus 8 (silver). I like both these cars, especially the Morgan because, first, I am partial to convertibles and, second, she made The Mistress look good as she needed a bump-start almost every time.
After freshening up and trying to find the clothes least smelling like gasoline (or eau de Daytona), we headed over to the Chateau de Nesles where we were met with glasses of champagne upon arrival. My glass was never empty–so there is something to be said for be-ing Ferrari-uninsurable. The Mistress preened underneath the stars and be-haved herself despite being surrounded by cars (nearly as) beautiful as her while we enjoyed three excellent courses and more wine.
We had an early-ish start the next day in the main square of Fère-en-Tarde-nois with all the vintage cars lined up and causing a stir with the small Sun-day morning crowd of locals. We had coffee and croissants and wondered how the people that outlasted us the night before (and who had moved on to the vodka) were so chipper. I guess it’s a Continental thing. We were issued road books. In French. And we set out. At one point in my life, when I was liv-ing in Switzerland and had a Swiss-Ro-mande boyfriend, my French was pret-ty darn good. These days, not so much. Still, I was able to follow the step-by-step fairly consistently and keep us up with the line of cars snaking through the Champagne countryside.
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Mark wanted to ride in The Mistress (of course) so at our first break in the centre of the medieval, cobble-stone-lined Laon, I switched out and rode with Jonny. The Alfa was a bit of a bumpier ride but we managed to (most-ly) stay on course and I did get the low-down on Jonny’s new girlfriend.
After a rather harrowing stint through a pot-holed, pocked stretch of side road, we concluded our Sunday drive and made our way to the lunch venue at Chateau de Courcelles–which is a four-star hotel that had at one time been on the front line of a couple of World Wars. While I sipped a bit more champagne, my husband placed The Mistress in a prominent place alongside another beautiful Daytona (black).
To see these two cars together was a sight and not just because they were my wedding colours. The sun was high and bright and everyone joked that we should be calling it Journées d’Été this year. We enjoyed a buffet lunch, had more champagne and soaked in the warmth before it was time to head back to the coast to make our train crossing.
We made the drive back without incident and while my husband cooed and fussed over The Mistress I threw every last piece of clothing worn or taken on this trip into the wash. As I said, The Mistress is great but I really hate her perfume.
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STYLE UP
THE LOWLY GENTLEMEN DRIVING GLOVE: Quintessential gear for Petrolheads
By - Christophe L Runge
In the world we live in, it’s almost impossible to find hand-made goods that carry the quality and workmanship you would see 60 years ago. Lucki-ly, the guys from Lowly Gentlemen have taken the time and done their homework in producing what we think is one of the nicest driving gloves avail-able on the market today.
These skillfully hand-crafted gloves are made by a 3rd generation Hungarian glove-maker. Not only are they made by hand but the Ethiopian Lamb leather makes for an incomparable fit and feel. Priced at $150.00 you can’t go wrong. Available in two styles, The Hollywood and The Monterey. Check them out here and buy a pair for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
www.thelowlygentlemen.com
RRP : $150
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Get your groom on Compiled by - Lee Kynaston - Fashionbean.com
Here are 10 expert tips for growing & maintaining a Moustache regardless of whether it is for movember or simply because they’re the trend at the moment and who better to give some advice on moustache maintenance than ten guys who either have one or look after ‘taches for
a living (and in some cases both)?
3. SHAMPOO AND CONDITION. ^“Facial hair can be very coarse, which can make your skin feel dry and itchy – so try using a little two-in-one shampoo and hair conditioner to keep your moustache clean and conditioned.”
- Kate Wingrove, Director at Trevor Sorbie salons in London and Brighton.
5. GIVE IT SOME WAX. ^“I try and keep my ‘Mo’ as natural as possible but understand that some maintenance is needed from time to time. For special occasions I might give my ‘tache a little treat and get out the moustache wax to give it some definition. My personal favourite is the Captain Fawcett Sandalwood Moustache Wax – it smells very manly and a little goes a long way. Warm between your fingers thoroughly before ap-plying.”
- Ex Royal Marine commando, salt ‘n’ pepper ‘tache owner and founder of British grooming brand The
4. DO NOT TRIM WHEN WET. ^“Do not try to trim a wet moustache. Wet hair is heavier and will hang longer. When it dries and re-tracts you may find you’ve trimmed too much.”
Chris Martin, Author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Beard and Moustache Management.
2. GET SCRUBBING. ^“I always recommend using a good face scrub to remove any unwanted food or dead skin cells building up in your moustache, particularly in the early stages.”
- Bearded Liverpool barber, Peter ‘Cut Throat Pete’ Cranfield.
1. GET YOUR TIMING RIGHT. ^“The easiest way to trim your moustache in the ini-tial stages is with clippers or a beard trimmer, but after three to four weeks graduate from these to a quality pair of facial hair scissors to trim around the mouth.This is also the time to start using a mous-tache comb, along with a little wax. These will help shape your moustache but will also even it out, helping fill any gaps and prevent it from looking fluffy.”
- Michael Beardsley, stylist at Pall Mall Barbers in London and owner of a beautifully maintained
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Get your groom on Compiled by - Lee Kynaston - Fashionbean.com
Here are 10 expert tips for growing & maintaining a Moustache regardless of whether it is for movember or simply because they’re the trend at the moment and who better to give some advice on moustache maintenance than ten guys who either have one or look after ‘taches for
a living (and in some cases both)?
6. GET COMBING. ^“A moustache comb is an excellent investment if you’re growing a Mo. Not only can you use it to evenly distribute moustache wax and help part your moustache in the middle, it’s also a useful aid when trimming. Use the comb to lift your ‘tache hair – it’ll make cutting it with scissors much easier – and angle the comb in the same direction as your lips.”
- Brendon Murdock, Founder of uber-cool barbers Murdock London.
7. FEAR NOT OF STUBBLE. ^“If you’re worried about how a standalone mous-tache might look, try growing the moustache lon-ger, shape it with a beard trimmer, and shave the rest of your beard down to a number two or three so your ‘tache is surrounded by stubble.”
- Chris Camplin, moustachioed model
10. MOISTURIZE! ^“The skin underneath a moustache can become ex-ceptionally dry as the hair draws moisture up from the skin, allowing it to evaporate. To avoid ‘tache dandruff ’, moisturise the skin under your mous-tache daily using your fingertips.
Make sure you rinse thoroughly after washing too, as face wash, shampoo or shower gel residues can irritate skin and exacerbate dryness.”
- Lee Kynaston (yes, that’s the final one from me.)
9. KNOW HOW TO TWIRL. ^““To achieve up-turning points on your moustache, take a smidgen of moustache wax, rub between your thumb and index finger and twirl the end with a technique much the same as snapping your fin-gers.”
- Allan Peterkin, author of One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair.
8. MATCH MO TO FACE SHAPE. ^“It’s crucial to take into account your face shape when choosing a moustache style. Not everyone can pull off the ‘Tom Selleck’ or a pencil moustache, so make sure to strike a balance between your face shape and the style you choose.If you’ve a square face opt for a heavy, longer mous-tache and if you’ve an oval one go for a medium width style with a slightly triangular shape.”
- Asgar Saboo, creative director at Daniel Galvin.
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WEEKLY iDiOM
成语
In this feature of Mancave, we will showcase a traditional chinese idiom
weekly.
Idioms are typically four worded sayings that are simple on the surface but hold a much deeper meaning within. Designer Kak Han Chong has taken this usually mundane and scholarly traditional chinese Expression of knowledge and has visualised it and making print on postcards, so that people who are completely unaware of this traditional chinese phenomenon can gain some knowledge about it.
I LOST MY PHONE THIS MORNING.
Normally that’s impossible. My phone is al-ways either in my pocket or in my hands, be-
cause missing an email or a text or a killer snap is just entirely unfathomable. But this morning,
I was reading an email on my wrist, and walked out the door without even checking my pockets.
That’s what the Moto 360 has done to me: I al-ready feel naked without it, but I don’t notice my
smartphone so much anymore.
The Moto 360 is the smartwatch I’ve been wait-ing for, the $249 timepiece that promised to be
the first Android Wear device I’d actually want to wear. It’s designed to prove that smartwatches
don’t have to be ugly. That they can, and must, be beautiful. That a smartwatch should be a watch,
and that being a watch is ultimately the only thing that matters.
Motorola has said all the right things for months, but it’s time to put up or shut up. The 360 goes
on sale today, and it does so under the watchful eye of the smartwatch industry. Everyone from
Apple to Rolex to Swatch is looking on, waiting to see what happens next.
ITS GO TIMELATEST TECH - MOTO360 SMART WATCH
MotorolA’s long-AwAited smArtwAtch is finAlly reAdy for your wrist
By - David Pierce - Theverge.com
AVAilABLE AT:www.amazon.com
RRP: $249
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This really is like a Cinderella story for guys, for if this ‘slipper’ fits it means you are Prince Charming and your golden carriage is a Lamborghini. Car Shoe (Grup-po Prada) was founded in 1963 by Gianni Mostile, whose passion for racing cars led him to design handmade moc-casins made from very soft leather and soles set on tiny rubber studs to enhance adherence to car pedals and were particularly suitable for driving sports cars. The Car Shoe driving shoe design was awarded a registered patent from the Italian Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1964 which has since expired. The brand has since become an Italian classic for driving shoes, known for its technical-design originality with high-quality leather and handmade crafts-manship.
Car Shoe is a symbol for exclusive lifestyle and luxury driving. Particularly suited for leisure time and informal occasions, Car Shoe products are targeted at a sporty and elegant clientele. Recently the brand is celebrated the 50th anniversary of another iconic Italian brand, Automobili Lamborghini, by producing a limited edition of their fa-mous moccasin. It was Gianni’s passion for race cars that inspired him to invent a moccassin with a sole set on tiny rubber nubs, earning him a patent from the Italian Minis-try of Industry and Trade and an international following of high profile connoisseurs – think JFK & Ingrid Bergman.
So what is so special about this moccasin? Well a metal logo of the 50th anniversary features on the lace and the Lamborghini shield is enameled on the back and printed on the insole. Hand made, the finest Italian craftmanship, made of “toro” calf leather, rubber studs made with tyre tread compound – parallels between the two iconic Ital-ian brands are easily drawn. If you are given one of these commemorative moccasin’s, then you must be one of the crews of the 350 Lamborghini’s currently driving 1200km through beautiful Italy as part of the Lamborghini Grande Giro. Tough life hey… If you cant afford a Lamborghi-ni maybe you can still afford the ‘supercar’ of moccasin’s, available at all Car Shoe flagship stores or online.
TRACTiON CONTROL
The originAl cAr shoe X Automobili LAmborghini 50 AnniversArio
Article by - Torque Marius
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THE SLS AMG ELECTRiC DRiVE
PowerElectronics
All Wheel Drive
High-VoltageBattery
GearboxF1 Engineered Push rod struts
Ceramic compositeDisc brakes
One electric motor per wheel
Carbon Fibre Battery Monocoque as “Zero Intrusion Cell”
AMG Light-WeightPerformance chassisAluminum Spaceframewith CFRP components
MAX. OUTPUT - 552 KW (751 HP)
TORQUE - 1000 NM
0 - 100 KM/H - 3.9 S
RANGE - 250 KM (ACCORDING TO NEDC COMBINED)
BATTERY ENERGY CONTENT - 60 KWH
BATTERY VOLTAGE - 400 VOLTS
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The futureis
electrifyingFeature by - Jeremy Clarkson - Top Gear UK
Guess what’s the most powerful AMG on sale? We bet you’ll plump for the SLS Black, but you’d be wrong. It’s this SLS Electric Drive, with 740bhp and 738lb ft. That’s an enormous 118bhp and 270lb ft more than the Black - hardly a slouch when it comes to bare stats. And yet it produces precisely no
local CO2 emissions.
Comfort mode is slightly ponderous. Still fast, yes, but the chassis isn’t quite as sparkly as you’d like - it feels like every bit of its portly 2.1 tonnes. A situ-ation easily fixed by switching settings from Comfort to Sport+. Do so, and your world changes. Sudden-ly, what previously felt like a slightly slow-witted SLS becomes a super-sharp sports car. Understeer disap-pears completely, the car pivots around the middle and the ED comes alive. It feels even better than a standard SLS because it’s so well balanced, for which we can thank that clever torque-vectoring and super-lative programming from AMG.
The only criticism concerns the noise, or lack of. AMG has created a fake engine note for the SLS ED, so that there’s some sound in the cabin, but it’s too quiet. At idle, it sounds a bit like a Star Wars sample, but above 30mph, wind/tyre noise drown it out. But it’s a minor blot. This is still one of the most impres-sive AMGs. Ever. And the amazing thing is that you’ll actually be able to buy it. Well, you will if you happen to have a spare €416,500.
But, honestly, who cares? It exists. And it’s brilliant. Don’t believe us? Turn the page. standby your tissues because you’ll be drooling. Alot. >>>>
So what is it? Bluntly, the SLS ED is possibly the most brilliantly revolutionary thing that the al-ready-bonkers lot at AMG have ever created: a ful-ly electric AWD supercar. It’s a serious bit of engi-neering, too. The ED uses four motors (one for each wheel) connected to two gearboxes, and there are 12 battery modules, most of which are mounted nice and low in the unused space where the transmission tunnel would normally be.
The location is key: the batteries weigh a whopping 548kg, so they need to be low down. Mounted as they are and with the car driven carefully, the cells give a theoretical range of 155 miles.It’s a shame to focus on the green and serene engineering of the Electric Drive, though, because its pure, visceral pace is sim-ply extraordinary.
I can’t think of anything other than perhaps the Vey-ron that has this tsunami-surge of torque.It’s not a one-trick pony, either: the world’s only elec-tric hypercar also drives surprisingly well, if you’ve got it in the right mode. There are three different torque-vectoring settings that not only alter how much each electric motor brakes individual wheels to maintain traction slingshotting out of corners, but also how much power is sent to the wheel with the most grip.
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YOKOSOJAPAN
It’s huge, it can jangle your nerves and it tends to be expensive, but for an experience that feeds all of your senses and leaves you wanting more, go to Tokyo and go now, before the construction insanity gets even worse as the city ramps up to host the 2020 Olympics.
It is not an “easy” destination….that’s not to scare you off, but so you’ll know that standing around feeling like a complete idiot (and usually a lost idiot who can’t determine north from south) is TOTALLY normal for a visitor to Tokyo. The good news is that the transportation system is superb and you can get anywhere you need to go via prompt, clean trains and bus-es. You’ll never be thirsty, either, thanks to those well-stocked drink vending machines on every corner.
Here is our top 8 tips and must see spots when you are there, especially if you are a car fanatic, you will love option number 7.
Words: Multiple owners Photos: Eugene Chan
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1 - ASAKUSA The Asakusa neighborhood and a stroll up Nakamise Dori to the Sensō-ji (Kannon) Temple. Some sections of Tokyo feel “glass-and-brass” generic to me, but Asakusa (pronounced a-SAK-sa) is still human-scaled and very Japanese. Ogle the giant Kaminarimon “Thunder Gate” red lantern at the entrance, then wander in and out of the little souvenir shops that line Nakamise Dori (street.) Don’t be alarmed at the proprietors shouting “Irrasemase!!” when you walk in; they are just saying “Welcome.” Step up to the cauldron in front of the temple….the smoke is supposed to help cure what ails you, so waft some towards your face (to make you pretty) and rub the smoke on your head (to make you smart.) It hasn’t worked yet for me, but I’m ever the optimist.
5 - AKiHABARAAkihabara, also called Akiba after a former local shrine, is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops. In more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture, and many shops and establish-ments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. On Sundays, Chuo Dori, the main street through the district, is closed to car traffic.
Akihabara has been undergoing major redevelopment over the years, including the renovation and expansion of Akihabara Station and the construction of new buildings in its proximity. Among these newly opened buildings were a huge Yodobashi electronics store and the Akihabara Crossfield, a business complex with the aim of pro-moting Akihabara as a center for global electronics technology and trade.
2 - Divercity X MegawebDiverCity Tokyo Plaza leverages its great setting in Tokyo Water Front City, one of the foremost Japanese tourist spots, to become a new Tokyo landmark. With its theme of “Theatrical City Space”, the facility provides not just shopping opportunities but a full range of entertainment, relaxation, surprises and uniqueness. With its slogan of “Look, Ride, Feel – Car Theme Park,” Mega Web, one of the world’s largest auto showrooms, run by Toyota Motor Corpora-tion, is proving popular among car enthusiasts. This 24,000 square meter showroom has about 150 vehicles on display, including 70 different models with the Toyota City Showcase as the centrepiece of the place. Though it has been open for less than eight years, it has already attracted more than 50 million visitors.
6 - TsukijiThe Tsukiji Market Tsukiji shijō supervised by the Tokyo Metropol-itan Central Wholesale MarketTōkyō-to Chūō Oroshiuri Shijō of the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind.
The market is located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo, between the Su-mida River and the upmarket Ginza shopping district. While the inner wholesale market has restricted access to visitors, the outer retail market, restaurants and associated restaurant supply stores remain a major tourist attraction for both domestic and overseas visitors.
4 - GiNZAGinza is Tokyo’s most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, bou-tiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes. One square meter of land in the district’s center is worth over ten million yen, making it one of the most expensive real estate in Japan. It is where you can find the infamous $10 cups of coffee and where virtually every leading brand name in fashion and cosmetics has a presence. Most shops in the Ginza district are open every day of the week. A visit is most pleasant on weekend afternoons when the central Chuo Dori street is closed to automobile traffic and become a large pedestrian zone.
8 - JAPAN RAiL SYSTEMJapan’s four major islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku are covered by an extensive and reliable network of railways. Trains are a very convenient way for visitors to travel around Japan, es-pecially in conjunction with the Japan Rail Pass. About 70 percent of Japan’s railway network is owned and operated by the Japan Railways (JR), while the remaining 30 percent belongs to dozens of other private railway companies, especially in and around metro-politan areas. Elsewhere on the site are guides on shinkansen, night trains, tickets, timetables and how to ride the trains.
Japan Railways (JR Group) is the successor of the national Japanese National Railways (JNR), which was privatized in 1987 due to huge debts and mismanagement. The JR Group is made up of six regional passenger railway companies, which are JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku, and JR Kyushu, and one nationwide freight railway company, JR Freight. Together they operate a nation-wide network of urban, regional and interregional train lines, night trains and shinkansen (bullet trains).
3 - SHiBUYAShibuya in my opinion is the absolute must visit spot if you are in Tokyo. It is one of the busiest places in the city if not the world, It would be a shame to come to Tokyo and not see Hachiko, the fa-mous Shiba Inu dog that is the symbol of loyalty, and also take a walk across the famous intersection outside Shibuya Station. On sunny afternoons or clear evenings, the surrounding area is packed with shoppers, students, young couples and commuters. When the lights turn red at this busy junction, they all turn red at the same time in every direction. Traffic stops completely and pedestrians surge into the intersection from all sides, like marbles spilling out of a box. You can observe this moment of organized chaos from the second-story window of the Starbucks in the Tsutaya building on the crossing’s north side.
7 - HAKONE X iNiTiAL DRiVE7Tune has teamed up with Fun2Drive to offer a fun-filled driving tour, you will be put behind the wheel of legendary Japanese sports cars. You will be driving on the famous mountain roads of Hakone, with the undulating roads that will offer even the most experienced driver a great time. These roads spawned a manga series called Initial D, you will be able to see specific scenes from the manga series. The tour starts at 10am. You will be driving behind a skilled driver who will be monitoring your driving abilities and adjusting to accomo-date you. This is the best way to experience these roads for the first time, as you can see the braking points and know when to acceler-ate. There will be many scenic spots along the way to stop at and take photos. Lunch will be a well-deserved rest to marvel at the sheer drop from the top of the mountain. After lunch be prepared for more winding roads and spot more manga trivia.
At the end of the tour you can choose to add on something called “Comparative Drive”, this is a chance to drive another car other than your main car and experience a particular stretch of road called the Izu Skyline. Filled with wide bends and steep inclines, this private road offers much excitement.
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03 - SHiBUYAThe most iconic destinAtion in JAPAN is here, where the busiest pedestriAN crossing lies. Don’t forget to visit HACHiKO, the fAMOUS ShibA inu thAT hAS BEEN immortALized in history As a symbol of loyALTY. The dog, As locAls AffectionAtely know it by is Also the MOST POPULAR meeting plAce.
01 - ASAKUSA
One of the most FAmous Buddhist shrines in JAPAN AND ALSO THE LARGEST, Go to the mAin incense furnACE AND BASK in the incense fumes, it is sAid to cure whAtever Ails you. Also pick up A lucky ChARM from the temple, they are lov-ingly CRAFTED BY HAND And ARE SAiD TO BE EXTREMELY AUSPiCiOUS FOR MAKiNG WiSHES COME TRUE.v
02 - Divercity X MegAweb
Divercity And meGAWEB Are the must see place if you Are A dude. A mAssive GunDAM ROBOT Guards the enTRANCE of the mALL, And the megAweb fAcility houses the toyotA rAcing heritAge And history gArAge.
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05 - GiNZATAke a stroll through the most pre-mium district in JAPAN, with a square metre costing a whopping 10 million
yen.
02 - HAKONE X iNiTiAL DRiVE
Rent ANY one of 9 AVAiLABLE iConiC JAPANESESPORTS CARS AND GO FOR A SPirited drive through some of the fAmous routes of HAKONE MOUNTAIN PASS thAT WERE FEATURED in
THE POPULAR ANiME iNiTiAL D
05 - AkiHABARAThe one stop plAce for All things electronic And quirky, TAke the Route less trAvelled through one of the bAck streets, you’ll never know whAt you might stumble upon.
05 - Tsukiji
JAPAN is A Country well known for seAfood whose freshness is second to none. This is the one stop loCAtion to sAtisfy your tastebuds with the freshest catch in the world.
08 - JAPANESERAil SYSTEM
One of the most intricate and detailed public trAns-port systems in the world, this will be the primary form of transportation for your visit to jApAn.
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Maziar Behrooz Architecture was founded in the 1990s in Manhattan and established an of-fice in East Hampton in 1996. Over the past 18 years we have created a variety of projects and buildings from sustainable single family homes to affordable housing & public projects, from East Hampton to Montauk, and in New York, New Orleans and overseas.Our work has been recognized for its functional-ism, innovation and sustainable design.We often engage in civic, community and art projects. They affirm our mission to have a last-ing and meaningful impact on our surroundings.
Maziar’s work has been exhibited at the Salomon Contemporary Gallery and the Parrish Museum of Art Road Show (where he conducts conversa-tions with architects in a program titled Archi-tectural Sessions).
Folklore has it that the property where the Arc House is located was the site of an old Ameri-can Indian settlement and a burial ground for its princess.
The choice of the arc structure itself reflects our desire to pursue a one-room ideal, uninterrupted by columns that would spill out into the land-scape. Large openings at the two ends of the arc are closed with extremely low U-value glass and optimize natural light. The visual boundary of the living space is extended to the pine trees sur-rounding the house.
The corrugated galvalum arc roof shares an in-dustrial vocabulary with planes and trains that pass by.
ARC-HiTECTUREBy - Alfonso Caroll - Archinect.com
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FOOD-SCAPADE
Words - Edwan S. | Photography - Edwin S.Friedchillies.com
Fancy travelling back in time and indulging in deli-ciousness? Take a trip down memory lane, as you savour authentic Peranakan dishes cooked with love and care at Limablas Restaurant.
Off Changkat Bukit Bintang, away from the vibrant nightlife, lies a quieter street: Jalan Mesui. Near the end of this street is a place out of time; a place where, when you step in, you’re taken to a life from ‘ago’. Welcome then, to Limablas Restaurant. Limablas is a small, maybe 25 seat restaurant specializing in Peranakan classics. The seating is spartan but comfy, and the whole restaurant is made to look like a period-piece set; you’ll see old school tele-phones, a rickety bicycle, old-timey posters and various other retro knick-knacks adorning its walls and shelves. It really does seem like you’re in one of those small, fami-ly-run kopitiams in Jonker Street or Penang! But the place is young; only about ten months old.
The menu is not that extensive, features all time Per-anakan favourites. Experience though, has taught me that restaurants that have smaller menus tend to excel more than ones with hundreds of dishes. My colleagues and I eventually settled on the Pai Tee (RM1.50/piece), Ayam Pongteh (RM15), Gerang Pedas Pari (RM25), Sambal Ben-di (RM12), Sambal Petai Udang (RM25), Telur Cincaluk (RM9) and the sambal belachan (RM2). We had this with rice, and for refreshments, Longan and home-made Per-anakan Ginger Ale. The food, was, to put simply, delicious. The Pai Tee shells were crisp and crumbly, with a fat prawn on top of the wonderfully cooked jicama filling that was a bit sweet. A perfect starter, light and whetting the appetite. Limablas’ Ayam Pongteh featured tender bone-in chicken, potatoes and mushrooms that soaked up the savoury, salty tempeh based sauce brilliantly, making every bite full of flavour and oomph.
Next, the Telur Cincaluk, which is basically an omelette cooked with cincaluk, was so sedap! The eggs were cooked nicely, and the cincaluk lent a mineral-ly, oceany touch to each bite. The two sambals were equally delicious; the Sambal Bendi was featured lightly cooked okra bathed in a not-too-spicy sambal that went great with the white rice, and the Sambal Petai Udang had plump and sweet shelled prawns paired to bitter and crispy petai in the same thick luscious sambal. But my favourite dish of the night was the Gerang Pedas Pari, which is Assam Pedas, really. The gravy was thick and unctous, tangy and spicy and the ikan pari were cooked to perfection inside. A wonderful example of the dish, if ever.
We finished the dish with a classic: Sagu Gula Melaka (RM5), which was simply one of, if not the best, versions I’ve ever had. The gula melaka was pure and unadulterated, tasting slightly smoky, and the coconut milk was creamy with a hint of salt, an excellent blanket for the chewy, well done sago balls.
But I shouldn’t have been surprised at the quality of the food though; Uncle John, as he affectionately refers to himself to, is the husband to renowned local Nyonya chef Florence Tan! He owns, and runs the place, and all of the dishes are personally overseen and cooked by him. He even introduced himself as ‘I’m the cook!’ when asked if he was the owner. Uncle John said we missed a special, seasonal dish; a mangga kerabu that was only available depending on how nice the mangoes are to him, by a few days.
Limablas is a wonderful touch of the past, and a fine example of authentic Peranakan cooking in Kuala Lumpur. Plus, the portion sizes are generous and the price isn’t too hard on the wallet, too, especially considering its location in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
A word of caution though: according to Uncle John, they’ll be relocating. Where, he did not say. So while it is still there, go while you can!
Address:15 Jalan Mesui, Off Jalan Nagasari, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTel: 03-2110 1289
Open: Monday - Saturday, 12pm - 3pm & 6pm - 11pm
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1 - Cozy rustic ambience2 - Reminiscent of the good old days3 - cincalok (pickled baby shrimp) fried egg4 - Chicken Pongteh5 - Stir fried petai beans with Shrimp6 - Spicy belacan stirfried ladie’s finger beans
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COFFEECONNECTiON
Words/Photos: Eugene Chan
Artisan coffee spots are on the rise lately and this profound culture of an almost cult-esque approach to coffee has been well and truly established just across the border from neighbouring Singapore, more spe-cifically in the Tanjong Pagar area where I first discov-ered the beauty of artisanal coffee places introduced to me by a friend.
This craze of beautifully decorated cafes that serve skillfully hand crafted coffee, beverages and cakes are quickly picking up pace here in Kuala Lumpur but out of the many that claim to be artisanal in their craft only several few can truly proudly stake claim to the coveted term of artisanal.
VCR, (a quirky name, I know) is one of those places where I just can’t help but keep going back for more. The baristas are very knowledgable and friendly, the coffee, the cakes on offer are astoundingly good and the usual items I never fail to pick up when I am there are the flat white coffee and the black velvet cake.
Let’s talk about the flavour: The flat white has always been an all time favourite coffee of mine, the best type of flat whites usually have the perfect consistency of creamy milk flavour and rich aromatic coffee. The beans that VCR utilise are imported from Singapore, roasted by one of the best bean producers in asia, Papa Palheta.
The beans consist of 4 different beans and when paired with fresh steamed milk, gives of a velvety chocolatey fla-vour which is just astonishing. They always say a good coffee does not require sugar and the stuff that VCR serves, absolutely no sugar required. Adding anything to the concoction will seem almost sacrilegious, throwing the aroma and flavour off context.
The ambience is pleasant, a minimalistic industrialistic look, with alot of wood, concrete and metal accents. The items on offer are fairly reasonably priced, but the break-fast offerings such as the big breakfast is a little too pricey, at RM32 for your basic big breakfast fix.
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Squid ink is kind of a weird ingredient – jet-black, inky and distinctively rich and briny. It pairs well with, you guessed it, seafood. Last year, while travelling through Europe, I saw it everywhere: in pasta, in rice and even in bread. Of course we tried squid ink everything. I even had a chance to cook with it myself – I made a quick squid ink pasta with fresh squid and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since.
Squid ink isn’t as common in North America, but you can buy some stuff on Amazon. Recently, Mike surprised me with a present wrapped in brown parchment. When I peeled it back I found a box of inky-black squid ink pasta. That man sure knows his way into my heart! I made a simple aglio e olio type sauce and bumped it up with shrimp, peas and burrata. It was crazy delicious.
On a side note – squid ink isn’t for everyone. When were were in Valencia I saw a family of three tourists digging into a squid ink paella. They didn’t look happy with it. The thing is, everyone around them was happily enjoying the typical Valencian paella with it’s signature yellow-hued saffron rice so I think they felt a little out of place with their pan of inky rice. That being said, don’t stop yourself from trying it. And if squid ink pasta isn’t your thing, definitely give this recipe a go with your favourite regular long pasta. It’s a keeper!
THE iTALiAN JOB
Words/Photos - Stephanie Leiamafoodblog.com
SQUiD iNK PASTA WiTH SHRiMP AND BURRATA
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SQUiD iNK PASTA WiTH SHRiMP AND BURRATA RECiPE
serves 2
4 OUNCES - SQUID INK PASTA OR LONG PASTA OF CHOICE
2 TABLESPOONS - OLIVE OIL
3 - GARLIC CLOVES, SLICED
1/4 TEASPOON - CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
1/2 CUP - PEAS
12 - LARGE SHRIMP, PEELED AND DEVEINED
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER, TO TASTE
1 BALL BURRATA, TORN
OLIVE OIL, TO FINISH
Cook the pasta according to the package. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set pasta aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and
cook until the garlic is golden. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once, until firm and cooked
through, about 1-2 minutes per side. Add the pasta to the pan, as well as the peas. Turn the heat
down to medium-low. Toss and add pasta water in 1 tablespoon increments if needed. Taste and
season with salt and pepper. Plate, topping with torn burrata and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy hot!
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After graduating with a degree in fine arts from The York University of Toronto, Mark paid his dues for a few years before returning back to Hong Kong in 1997.
Since the opening of Mark Chung’s photography studio doors The es-tablishment has been in service to clients in advertising, editorial and private sectors for over 15 years, the clients include Giordano, Bossini, Standard Chartered, Cathay Pacific Airlines and when it comes to jobs, there are no segregation between cli-ents big or small.
When the studio lights are switched off, chances are Mark is taking some-thing apart and re-building it, if you have any questions regarding a proj-ect you would like to work on or an engine that needs some restoration, he’s the one to call.
PiCTUREPERFECT
photogrApher feAture:
MArk Chung
Contact details:
mceepee.com
(852)257 257 [email protected]
1 - King Sing Street, 1/F Wanchai Hong Kong
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THE ART OF SPEEDBy - Petrolicious Productions
TOYOTA DESIGNER, MIKE KIM, PAINTS RACING LEGENDS IN SPARE TIME
Mr. Mike Kim, from Los Angeles, California, is an exterior designer for Toyota and has been working there since his graduation from Art Center College of Design in 2010. Born and raised in Southern California, he describes himself as a “simple guy with a complex obsession for cars and objects that move people around.” A lot of younger boys go through this obsession with cars and machines, but “I just happened to get more and more into it as time went on. I remember in high school I could just sit around and
try to imagine what man-made machines would look like in 100 years and it always brought me a sense of wonder.”
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