The Yuletide season is usually a time for togetherness, for gathering around the table to celebrate this time of the year.
Born in Manila where she spent every single Christmas growing up, serial expat Roselyn Sugay Helbling remembers past Yuletide celebrations attending an early evening mass, Christmas Eve dinner at her grandparent’s home with her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and assorted cousins. They would gather around the table for what was usually a feast — roast suckling pig, roast turkey, roasted chestnuts, lots of fruit, decadent desserts and countless presents under the tree.
"I promised myself I’d keep the spirit of these heartwarming traditions alive wherever I’d be in the world,” writes Roselyn in a heartwarming story for Weekly Sparks. On the move since 1992, she has kept her promise on every occasion, having celebrated Christmas past in France, Russia, Canada, Italy, the UK, the USA, Indonesia, Singapore, Dubai UAE, Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Chile.
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Nature must have bequeathed all its treasures to NZ that it seems like the perfect place to shoot a movie. Its stunning landscapes left audiences so awed that the UK Sunday Express once wrote: “If locations were awarded Oscars, New Zealand would scoop the lot.”
Oscar-winning Sir Anthony Hopkins, who played the lead role in The World’s Fastest Indian (filmed in NZ), told local Maori that he had never known such peace as he experienced in the deep south of the country and described the movie as “the best thing I've done - the best experience I've had”.
Long before the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit series hit the screens, the country’s breathtaking natural scenery has served as a backdrop to scores of international films and television series including The Last Samurai, Mission: Impossible: Fallout, Mulan (2020), The World’s Fastest Indian, River Queen, The Legend of Zorro, X-men Origin, Vertical Limit, Hercules, Xena, Power Rangers, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – were filmed in different parts of the country.
We curated some must-see film locations that have become awe-inspiring epic attractions that will take your breath away.
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The most dazzling time of the year is here. Streets are draped in twinkling festive colours from shimmering green-and-gold giant trees and red-suited Santa on his sleigh to dazing shop windows adorned with whimsical shades of silver, blue and frosty white.
Weekly Sparks gathered some glistening snapshots that will put you in jing-a-ling mood. May the sparkling sights of the Season add more cheer to your celebration.
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Japan is famed for its flavoursome food, cherry blossoms, sumo wrestling, manga and anime, onsens, tea ceremonies, and Zen gardens. Make room for some of its quirky museums for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here are a few cool museums you will only find in Japan (some of which you would never have imagined existed). Include them in your holiday itinerary to add more joy to your day. Don’t forget your fully-charged cam-phones to share real-time actions with family and friends back home.
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It’s that time of year when the mood shifts from moody to jolly as we go about decking our homes with boughs of holly, planning festive menus for get-togethers and drawing up shopping gift lists. As we wrap presents for our loved ones and stack them under the Christmas tree, wouldn’t it be nice to spread the Yuletide cheer to the less privileged in our communities, too? Browse through Weekly Sparks’ curated Santa list. Chances are high that you’ll find one that’s close to your heart and can spark joy in someone who has less in Singapore. All we ask from you is to make sure that items you donate are in good condition – clean, wearable, reusable and edible.
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Dreaming of a white Christmas with a touch of gold, blue and green? Head to Boracay (Phils) for an indulgent tropical holiday. Here are a few blissful reasons why: the serenity that engulfs you as you leave footprints on the sand, the mesmerising sunset inducing an explosion of colours as you watch it slowly fade on the horizon, the gentle breeze blowing on your face as you gaze at the blue sea, the gleeful sound of people frolicking on Boracay’s famed white sand beach, twinkling stars are you lie on the beach at night. These sights and sounds work like a charm, no wonder Boracay has been consistently voted one of the best island beaches in the world.
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Volunteering to build a kindergarten school in Bali, 18-year-old Daniel Aquino gets out of his comfort zone in Singapore as he waits for his university term to start in 2023. The valuable lessons he learned while doing manual labour tasks made a huge impact on him. “Bali taught me a lot. Volunteering thrust me into a totally new environment. I had never travelled on my own so that was a first. I didn’t know anyone at all on this trip so... I had to connect and make friends… to change my mindset completely,” he says.
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The popular TED Talks series of Pico Iyer, Taiye Selasi and Mariana Atencio provide three compelling insights on "Where are you from?” Each grew up outside their passport countries and their personal take-away views will make you pause and ponder. For Pico, home has really less to do with a piece of soil than, you could say, with a piece of soul. For Taiye, home is the place where you live within the framework of local experiences shaped by relationships, rituals and restrictions. For Mariana, embracing what makes you different is the first step in becoming more inclusive and is recognising and appreciating what makes others special.
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The Nail Social is not just a trim-and-polish salon where you can get a suite of mani-pedi indulgences. It is also Singapore’s first socially-conscious salon that provides training and employment to help provide a source of livelihood to marginalised members of society comprising single moms, ex-offenders and youth-at-risk facing a high barrier to employment. Who would have thought that an indulgent mani-pedi could spur social change?
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Food paradise Singapore offers an abundant spread of diverse cuisines, from gourmet to street hawker fares. Amidst its hearty smorgasbord are F&B social enterprises that are hard at work to improve the lives of those who have less. The bucks we pay for good food help feed meaningful causes and sustain the business.
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The mere mention of Art conjures up images of paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Rarely, if ever, do fashion, furniture, photographs, posters and such considered conversation pieces. They are often under-appreciated and under-rated since many do not associate them as works of art. We beg to disagree. We think that it’s about time to include fashion and decorative art museums in your travel itinerary for they are worth it. They are rich in culture, history and human-interest stories.
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Pamela Chng took her love of coffee a couple of notches higher by establishing Bettr Barista, a social entreprise in Singapore, to upskill and empower the underprivileged to be baristas by arming marginalised women and at-risk youth with the skills and tools to make their lives better; and to lift the overall coffee standards in Singapore by producing better baristas and coffee professionals. Bettr Barista has evolved over thousands of cups of coffee since 2011.
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The human body as canvas? Is it art? Is it fashion? Is it art-and-fashion stitched together to adorn the body? New Zealand’s epically spellbinding World of WearableArt (WOW) takes its place alongside the iconic All Blacks Rugby team and the traditional Maori ancestral war dance Haka as a distinctly Kiwi phenomenon. WOW creator and founder Dame Suzie Moncrieff still remembers a quote from TIME Magazine WOW: “It’s Carnivale meets Mardi Gras meets Haute Couture meets a Peter Gabriele concert, all showing on Broadway, all directed by Salvador Dali.”
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Raise your happiness index by taking a trip to K-drama Land. Summon your inner fan. Step into the world of your favourite dramas’ picturesque filming locations. It just might be the mental health booster you need after being grounded for over two years. Here’s a short list of filming locations in South Korea, just enough for you to play out the scenes of your favourite dramas to spark joy to your holiday.
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I want my mommy!” A call for affection. A cry for help. Rarely do we hear “I want my daddy!” when such a need for attention arises. It can’t be helped since, typically, moms do the lion’s share of childcare. Dads are still very much the breadwinner and consigned disciplinarian. But the world has changed. One of the most tangible changes in recent years is the surge in more invested dads, who are more hands on in child rearing.
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Many times the best way to develop an area is to honour what’s already there. Such is the case of Isla Hermana Mayor, an exquisite private island in the Philippines. Steeped in history and drenched in serenity, decades of nurturing nature have transformed the unblemished island into an awe-inspiring ecological legacy.
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City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you’ll hear…
The holiday mood is swelling. Yuletide carols are playing. It is that time of year when we all get high at the sight of city streets dressed for the occasion. Weekly Sparks gathers some festive images of cities that will put you in a Christmasey mood.
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Gifts can give back double the dose of positivity, especially this time of the year. What better way to spread Yuletide joy than to support the underprivileged, to help preserve age-old traditions, to give voice to the voiceless and to help nurture talented handicapped.
Weekly Sparks has been sharing inspiring stories of people and places that have given us so much joy since we launched in June this year. As the Christmas–New Year season approaches, we curated a list of worthy causes that appeared on our pages to kindle inspiration as you draw up your gifts list.
Skylines can bring joy, awe and wonder all at once through an interplay of colours. Slivers of white. A flush of crimson. A splash of aqua. A swash of yellow. A dash of grey. A sprinkle of gold. A fusion of purple and pink.
Friends of Weekly Sparks share evocative skylines captured in various seasons.
Chill out in the Museum of Ice Cream to experience an unlimited delicious sugar rush like no other. This pink wonderland is a sweet dream space that houses multi-sensorial expressions of ice cream that appeal to multi-generational appetites.
Chinese street opera and puppetry. Indian parrot astrology. Taoist spirit communication and the dance of a fiery dragon. These are but a few of the disappearing folk customs that I’ve been covering here for almost two decades. I’ve photographed their practitioners, all passionate men and women who strive to keep their chosen art forms from dying out. In a country like Singapore that’s perpetually obsessed with the future, it seems there is little room left for these icons of the past. Nevertheless, they are timeless bits of heritage that deserve to be passed on to succeeding generations.
Ng Li Jie is among the many artists on the autism spectrum who are represented by The Art Faculty (TAF), which is a social enterprise by Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) to promote the special talents of people on the autism spectrum. It features the artwork and merchandise of talented students and alumni of Pathlight School who are in the school’s Artist Development Programme (ADP).
Since Lia Padilla-Medalla and family moved to Japan two years ago, they continue to encounter the unexpected. They have lived in and visited many countries, but Japan is the one place that doesn’t cease to amaze. Their Japan finds are mind-blowing. Here are just a few reasons for Lia’s enduring fascination with Japan.
No child should ever have to live or die in pain. Dealing with a dying person is a heartbreaking affair for caregivers.
Rachel House is lending a hand and bringing new light to the support of terminally ill children in Indonesia.
It takes a village to raise a child. It definitely takes a community to care for a child living with life-threatening illnesses, according to Lynna Chandra, founder and trustee of Rachel House.
Dreaming of a blissful holiday? Whether it’s a place you want to revisit or one that’s been on your bucket list, now is a good time to ponder that vacation as travel measures ease up.
Resorts are a good option for those who like planned activities, as well as those who are less adventurous or do not want to structure their vacation. Go with your besties, have a shrieking fambam with the kids, or enjoy blissful “me time”. Here are a few that we have been to and dream of visiting again. Pure bliss from sunrise to sunset.
Signs of habitation are few and far between in Iceland’s countryside. Iceland is roughly one third of the size of Malaysia or the Philippines, but has a population of only around 370,000. Nearly 60 percent live in Reykjavik.
Guest contributors Frankie Joaquin Drogin and Bob Drogin share stunning photos from their recent self-drive trip to the Land of Fire and Ice.
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There are no dragons spewing fire in dragon kilns, which were once essential to the ancient art of traditional pottery. Sadly, the art of wood-firing dragon kilns might just be on its way to extinction if they are not preserved and passed down to next generations.
The oldest surviving dragon kiln in Singapore is hidden in the deep west of the city-state. Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle is a treasure trove of clay and ceramic works that has been kept alive for three generations here in Singapore.
Art Forum’s “Significant Works On Display” showcases artworks that convey a spectrum of emotions. From colour tones and brushstrokes to subject and mood, each painting appeals to us differently. It’s up to us to find the meaning or significance of each piece. Hence, the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.
The founder and president of Voices For Animals (VFA) in Singapore, attests that his love for animals saved him from himself, quite literally.
“I’ve always loved animals since I was young. They make me happy,” says Derrick. To say that he has a soft spot for homeless furry creatures is an understatement. He made it a personal advocacy to rescue them – and he has saved plenty.
Getting up close and personal with nature in Singapore is fairly easy. There are several walking and cycling trails that wind through nature reserves swathed in lush greenery and forests where you can spot large numbers of biodiversity, birds and other species.
Food is always a hot topic amongst our local friends. We could spend hours talking – sometimes arguing – about where to find “the best” chicken rice, nasi lemak, chilli crab, bak chor mee, etc. Regardless, food is a reflection of Singapore’s rich and diverse food culture – a full-flavoured spread of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and some Eurasian and Asian fusion cuisines. Local classics from hawker centres have found their way to restaurants.
When Soneva Fushi opened in 1995, it held a firm belief that a company must have a clear purpose beyond just making money. Today Soneva (Maldives and Thailand) is a testament that if one is truly committed, humanity, sustainability, and accountability can all fully complement luxury.
Singapore lives up to its reputation as Asia’s Garden City, where pervasive greenery is an inherent part of its urban landscape. Health wellness and fitness advocate Amanda Griffin Jacob shares with WS the day she explored Singapore on foot, traversing the 36-km Coast-to-Coast Trail, one of the few walking attractions in the Lion City.
Elderly hawkers see light at the end of a tunnel when a group of young Singaporeans help create and raise awareness of their favourite elderly hawker stalls. Confronted with the need to keep their business afloat, Where To Dapao helps hawkers stay above water.
“Self Help, Not Charity.” They may have been deprived of the use of their limbs due to illness, injury or birth defects, but these brave creative artists, like Aaron Yeo Kwok Chian and Zhang Kaini, have painfully overcome their handicap to make a living through their paintings.
The term ex-offender breeds public antipathy. Who would want to hire an ex-offender? No one understands this better than ex-convict-turned-restaurateur Benny Se Teo, who co-founded Eighteen Chefs to help juvenile delinquents and those with criminal background get a second chance in life.
Prepare, cook, deliver, donate. A volunteer recaps a day at Willing Hearts soup kitchen. Discover how you can help out as a volunteer.
Hues of orange and tints of glimmering gold cloak Singapore’s skyline at sunset. Be awed by the gorgeous images as shared by friends of Weekly Sparks.
“Life takes you to unexpected places; love brings you home.”
- Melissa McClone -
Spark dreams and lasting memories under a canopy of blue skies with sand between your toes.
Images courtesy of Chit Consunji, Debbie Coloma, Helen Lewis,
Roxanne Aquino and Swati Mitra
The Gower Peninsula, Wales
Haast, West Coast, New Zealand
Brevik, Norway
North Male Attol, Maldives
Boracay, Philippines
Caiscais, Portugal
Bali, Indonesia
Sicily, Italy
The Hamptons, New York, USA
Cebu, Philippines
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Port Stephens, Australia