What is it like to live in complete darkness? City News sends a reporter to Dialogue In The Dark, an exhibition one never gets to see.

PHOTOS: Dialogue In The Dark

Some have felt instant nausea, others, extreme fear. One visitor even passed out midway and had to be carried back into the light.

But this was no horror show I was stepping into, and my guide wasn’t Frankenstein.

Wesley has been legally blind for all of his 40 years, and he was about to introduce me to his world.

Curiosity led me to Dialogue in the Dark Singapore, the first permanent exhibition of its kind in Southeast Asia, and the only one to be strategically located within an educational institution—Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

“We want to change mindsets. We want to promote empathy, and not sympathy, for the visually-impaired,” said Glen Ng, project manager of the social enterprise, which offers employment for the blind as well as experiential learning experiences and research opportunities. Visitors are led in small groups through a series of ordinary situations in complete darkness, helped by a blind guide.

Robbed of my most adept sense, I could see (pun intended) why many found it unnerving. Poised in the precarious dark, I could not help feeling that one misstep would send me freewheeling into an unexpected void. Sightlessness is a messy, cacophonous affair, where the most mundane of sounds and textures become magnified and alien. Cold water running through my fingers, the rough skin of a pineapple, the buttons of an ATM machine—these seemed somehow more real, but not as precious as the reassuring solidity of the long white cane in my fingers.

“Come toward my voice,” Wesley repeated patiently and often. His voice became my compass during the hour-long tour, and I found the role-reversal fascinating. Disability, I was now keenly aware, is truly a social construct. Simple tasks, like navigating a street curb, climbing aboard a boat, and sticking a straw into a juice box, confounded me, yet Wesley breezed through them because he saw his world in a different way.

Wesley shared that every guide has a unique style of bringing visitors through the tour, so most repeat guests gain new experiences. He said he enjoyed his work immensely because of its unique challenges and rewards, and is especially heartened when visitors tell him they see with renewed color and treasure their eyes more after the experience.

Mostly, he hopes that the exhibition will become an iconic regional attraction like its foundation stone in Germany, which has attracted over six million visitors since its opening in 1988. The social enterprise has also provided jobs for more than 6,000 blind people.

So far, the numbers have been encouraging. Dialogue in the Dark Singapore officially launches on April 28 this year, but already almost 1,000 tour groups, some as big as 10 people each, have passed through its doors. Wesley has guided children as young as seven, elderly and disabled in wheelchairs, and tourists.

At the end of the tour, I was relieved to be back in the light, although not entirely sorry that my guide would never emerge from his darkness. I now understood how multi-dimensional his world was. It’s likely that few exhibitions will impact you as much as the one you cannot see.

Without giving too much of the game away, here are some useful tips for new adventurers:
• Wear sneakers with a decent grip. You do not want to be stumbling around on mud or other uneven terrain in stilettos.
• Bring dollar notes in smaller denominations. This reduces embarrassing confusion when you have to make transactions in the dark.
• Do not wear glow-in-the-dark accessories or nail polish. You will be asked politely but firmly to remove them!

For more information about Dialogue in the Dark Singapore, go to www.dialogue-in-the-dark.com.

For founder of Gryphon Tea Company, Lim Tian Wee, the cuppa is far from a sunset industry.

Gryphon Tea. One might be forgiven for thinking it is a chi-chi label from some far-flung country, but nothing could be further from the truth. Artisanal tea it may be, but the founder of Gryphon Tea Company, Lim Tian Wee, 40, comes from three generations of local tea manufacturers who have been operating under the family business name of Lim Lam Thye since 1918 when it was started by his great-grandmother.

Says Lim, who has been drinking a cup of tea every day since his secondary school days, “Instead of going into another commodity business, I wanted to create something with more value. For example, it used to be there was only beef and pork, but now you have Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork.”

Having honed a keen sense of business acumen through a marketing degree (majoring in nutrition and food marketing) and working experience in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, Lim made the eventual leap from employee to entrepreneur in 2001.

Since then, business has grown by fourfold in terms of revenue. This year, Gryphon plans to expand by 50 per cent, by virtue of the developments in the local fine dining scene. To quote a cliché, there is no magic formula to the success Gryphon Tea is enjoying today but sheer hard work, faith and perseverance. Starting out with all of S$2,000, which he used to buy tea and experiment with other ingredients, Lim recalls, “My first three years in the business were miserable. During that period, God alone was my fuel.”

His breakthrough came when he got his first big customer, who only started buying from him two years after he first spoke to them. “Whatever business you do, you need an anchor customer, just like the shopping malls. With that, your business will get by through word-of-mouth, and it’ll be easier for you to grow.”

While it always requires a leap of faith to start a business, the fundamentals apply. “You must understand the market and know how your business proposition and marketing mix fits in. Before Charles and Keith came along, people were already saying that the fashion retailing industry was too congested—now look where the brand is. So, just as there is always a better shoe shop, there is always a better tea company. In order to keep re-inventing oneself and stay ahead, you need to know where the trends are heading,” Lim advises.

And in order to trend-spot, here’s his tip—look at what’s happening at the top. “What you see in the mainstream segment today, be it in dining or fashion, first trickled down from fine dining and haute couture.”

Some say that tea is a sunset industry, but Lim disagrees. “There is no sunset business as long as somebody somewhere is consuming the product—and people are definitely not going to stop drinking tea overnight. What might change, though, is the way people consume it, hence the importance of constant innovation.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIM TIAN WEE

Gryphon’s unique blends traverse the world with ease: Yuzu Pear Blossom (sencha with pear overtones), Winter Dream (black tea with nutmeg and almond), Pomegranate White Tea (caffeine-free white tea with juicy pomegranate) are just a few of the imaginative blends available. Even its teabags have taste—whole tea leaves nestle in a silken mesh, suspended by a braided thread. You’ll never touch a paper teabag again after trying Gryphon’s.

Gryphon Tea Company is doing more than just pleasing discerning palates. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that his father was once a full-time artist until he married Lim’s mother and surrendered his brushes, but for the past few years the company has been an ardent supporter of the local arts scene. It has involved itself with events such as the Singapore Arts Festival and the Singapore M1 Fringe Festival.

Its latest project is a collaboration with the National Heritage Board’s Heritage Industry Incentive Programme. The company will be commissioning three local artists to create personal interpretations of how a particular element of Singapore’s heritage inspired them. The completed works of art will then be featured on the packaging of several tea blends, with each set inclusive of tickets to selected museums.

“Most Chinese companies won’t do things like this—not only are there no tangible financial returns, extra cost has to be incurred to commission the artists. But it’s Gryphon Tea’s way of paying it forward. We may not be a big company with the ability to make huge cash donations, but we can help a fellow Singaporean grow their career and help bring their products to the market.”

While the original artworks of the series will be auctioned off at the World Gourmet Summit Charity Gala Dinner in aid of Community Chest later this month, the limited-edition tea sets are available at the National Museum and Singapore Art Museum, among others, as well as duty-free shops and Changi Airport. “The idea is to bring the product overseas, to reach people who want to know a bit more about Singapore. Hopefully, people will be able to appreciate their works and they will become successful in their own rights.”

Lim’s love of creativity is not limited to the creative arts. As a creator, he recognizes and appreciates innovation, even from those who might be perceived as competitors. He says of the newly-opened Arteastiq Tea Lounge by luxury furniture boutique Marxx at Mandarin Gallery, “What’s interesting is that they’ve created the buzz from the furniture industry, people who are outside the tea business, as opposed to those who are in it and who are more prone to seeing things through a funnel. It’s great that they have created new items (a unique selling point are the alcoholic and fruit-infused teas) to excite the market and create a buzz.”

On tea-pairing: “There are generally two principles in tea-pairing—that of complementing and accentuating.

Teas like Darjeeling, which is a kind of black tea, very mild, ‘well-behaved’ with aromatic, floral notes goes very well with sandwiches or cakes like strawberry shortcake. But if you’re drinking something like Chinese black tea, which is complex and full-bodied yet not astringent, it goes well with the musky flavors of smoked beef sandwich. If you’re looking for something that’s very dominant, the idea is to accentuate the taste notes. For example, if you eat something with coffee, for example, and all you taste is the coffee, that means it’s not a good pairing.”

Personal favorite pairing: “Gryphon Tea’s Straits Chai spiced tea with plain butter cookies.”
How to tell if it’s good quality tea: “Generally, a good brew does not require any sugar to taste good.”

Gryphon Teas are available at leading supermarkets including Cold Storage and Fairprice Finest. Gryphon Teas are served at TCC, The Coffee Club and Spinelli.

A group of enterprising youth organize a runway show-cum-bazaar to raise funds and have fun at the same time.

Buy a dress, heal the world? That was the lofty ambition of Fashion In The Sky, an evening of fashion, music and art that broke all the rules with youthful panache, held on the rooftop of the YMCA clubhouse.

“The idea was to centralize budding talents in a showcase event to accelerate their discovery,” said organizer Jamie Lai, 22, a fashion enthusiast and college student. The three-hour runway show-cum-bazaar sale was the first of its kind in Singapore that did not feature any high-end or established brands, Lai added.

This community’s rallying call echoed that of Naomi Campbell’s fashion fundraiser for Haiti in New York in January, and the event drew support from artists and audience alike. Hours before the runway show was due to begin, fashionable young people were already thronging the poolside area on the roof, fending off the sweltering remains of the day with aviator shades, straw beach hats and cups of juice. The blogshops at the bazaar seemed to be making brisk business.

“We were excited to contribute to this one-of-a-kind fashion showcase,” said Xuan, 19, and Jacklyn, 22, co-owners of popular blogshop Le Flirtini. The entrepreneurial pair attested to the popularity of online shops because of the low start-up capital required, although they hope to expand into a physical shop within the next few years. Along with several other blogshops like Chasing Black, Le Flirtini sponsored the rental fees for the evening because they believed strongly in the event’s community significance.

A veritable stable of models, photographers, make-up artists and singers also lent their talents pro bono to the event, according to Lai.

Various musicians took to the stage to serenade guests with feet-tapping acoustic hits, kick-starting the fashion show at sundown with a group rendition of “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. The runway was dominated by breezy, endless-summer aesthetics, with both professional and amateur models trotting around the pool in flirty printed dresses and graphical heels from the various blogshops.

Throughout the program, Fashion In the Sky took on an unconventional approach to charity by encouraging its audience to donate online to the Haiti disaster relief works at give.sg. This social medium was easily accessible to young people and allowed the organizers to bypass administrative red tape that would have caused weeks of delay in the fund collection process, Lai explained.

Acknowledging new media’s impact on fundraising, Aseem K. Thakur, marketing director of give.sg said, “People are now using what they are good at to help others.” He added that the S$500 target amount of online donations to Haiti was exceeded even before the event started.

CN PHOTOS: Gay Sen Min

According to Lai, they have now raised the target to S$3,000 to be achieved by March 30, an amount she believes is entirely attainable.

The passion and derring-do of the young organizers, all of whom are local university students, were not lost on fashion and media industry professionals.

“It’s a refreshing idea, and I’m in awe of the huge turnup,” said guest-of-honor Janet Chew, author of The Mile Hi! Club and director of social media agency Peppercorn, who was keen to talent-scout at the event.

As the show wound to a close amid photographers’ flashes, it was clear that lofty ambitions or not, the young people behind Fashion In the Sky certainly did not have their heads in the clouds.

PHOTOS: Alvin Loh

A special service was held to herald in 2010 with gifts galore.

The ministry in City Harvest Church catering to people with special needs, Jesus For All Minds, witnessed a record-breaking crowd of 522 at its first weekend service of 2010, where six lucky recipients took home a hi-fi set or MP3 player each.

“We wanted to celebrate the start of 2010 by blessing the people,” said Lily Yong, supervisor and driving force behind the JAMs New Year Giveaway. “The lucky draw also brought back the new friends who came for our Christmas services,” she added.

While anticipation lay thick on both fresh and familiar faces, the loudest gasps and cheers of the day were saved for Cai Wei Jie, 21, a hair’s breadth away from missing her prize.

“We called out a few times for the winner, but she had gone to the washroom,” laughed Yong. Just as another name was about to be drawn, an elated Cai was brought to the stage by the ministry volunteers.

The gifts of hi-fi sets and MP3 players mark a hopeful beginning to the year for Cai and many others who come from lower-income families. “I have never won anything before in my life!” said Cai.

“A simple gesture of generosity is able to light up their lives and let them know that they are valued,” said volunteer Cher Jin Zhi, 28, a senior events executive.

It is this message that the organizers hope will resonate with JAMs members and the public alike. “We want to show that people with special needs are not simply takers but givers as well,” shared Santhi Singaram, 37, a ministry zone supervisor, who added that they are planning for three other care projects along the same vein.

“As the members experience the joy of receiving, we believe they will also be motivated to provide the same joy to others through their own generosity,” she said.

It was balloons, hip-hop and flames for the old and young this Christmas at Old Airport Road, where merrymakers in three generations gathered for a heartwarming festive celebration — Christmas Fiesta @ Mountbatten.

Some 400 families and residents of MINDSVille centre for the intellectually disadvantaged streamed in across confetti-strewn grass to enjoy a Hokkien re-telling of the Christmas tale, as well as to take photos with Santa Claus at a mock “fire place.”

Although the Dec. 28, 2009 event was scheduled to roll out at 630pm, by 5pm there were already grannies with toddlers in tow, picking out finger food at the flea market stalls, and blind-folded youth squealing their way across colorful obstacle courses. Volunteers handed out fistfuls of candy canes — accounting for the sticky grins of half the children present.

Organized by City Harvest Community Services Association (CHCSA), Mountbatten Community Centre Club, Old Airport Residents’ Club and Pine Close Residents’ Club, the day’s program also included song items, line dances, Cantonese dances and a thumping hip hop act. Marine Parade MP Mr. Lim Biow Chuan graced the festive event with his presence.

At the end of the day, it was the fire eating demonstration that brought the carnival atmosphere to a feverish pitch. Cheered on by the enthusiastic audience, an elderly member of the crowd was invited onstage, where he gamely joined in the fiery display.

As CHCSA’s acapella group, NP Voices, serenaded the crowd with Christmas carols, warm smiles glowed on both fresh and wrinkled faces alike, telling of a satisfying and thrilling Christmas celebration.

PHOTOS: Mr Chris Tham

No one can say that Band.Se7en is boring.

The group is an assembled treasure chest of diverse talents from pop, rock and jazz, with members whose musical resumes are enough to give any purist the chills.

Stellar vocal-trio Allan Moo, Sherlyn Chia and Annabel Soh have each released albums and worked on high-profile performances in their respective genres of Mandarin and English pop. Moo enjoys tenures on Top 10 Charts throughout Asia, while Ocean Butterflies vocal coach Chia counts Taiwan-based actss like By2 as her students.

Add to the fray veteran drummer Daniel Chew, bassist Stanley Chng, guitarist Shadrach Chew and keyboardists Ivan Ong and Estella Sia, and the band’s name seems like an embarrassing miscalculation to anyone with ten fingers. You can almost hear mental lightbulbs clicking on around the room when Moo leans over the mic to announce, “There are eight of us in the band, but we’ve named ourselves after seven, the number of completeness!”

PHOTOS: Gabriel Seow

Band.Se7en may be new on the block, but they have already hit the ground running. Despite grueling individual work schedules and having only three weeks to get their act together, the band debuted to packed bodies and set-long raucous applause. It was on no modest stage either — DXO has played host to music events like the Singapore Battle of The Bands Semi Finals, and famous performers like Boy George and Melanie C (of the Spice Girls).

In the club was a veritable list of who’s who, most of whom were no stranger to the stage themselves — including MediaCorp actress Belinda Lee. The mix of yuppies, youngsters in skinny jeans, as well as the occasional suit, meant the band was serenading an audience as patchwork as themselves.

By 9pm — early for a Friday night — elbow space was a scarcity, and a DXO regular was overheard saying, “It’s very happening tonight! More crowded than usual.” A quick check at the door confirmed that the tickets at $20 were almost sold out.The night truly began when Moo’s warm voice spread over the room like an undulating blanket, bringing in hit after hit of familiar Mandarin numbers.

Chia followed up quickly with her own brand of powerhouse vocals, rousing the audience with deliriously joyful English tunes like ‘I Love You Baby’.

The loudest cheers of the night were saved for Soh, whose sweet, soaring vocals wove prettily around delicate keyboard lines and thumping bass beats.

As any bar lizard familiar with the likes of Crazy Elephant, Blu Jazz and Wala Wala will testify, the acid test of a good live band is how well it manages to engage, long after the audience has peered down the bottoms of countless beer mugs. Band.Se7en suffered few moments of disconnect with its capacity crowd, and in between the pulsating strobe lights and emotive wail of Shadrach’s metal strings, the audience stayed riveted, their arms frequently aloft and waving to the beat.

Taking a breather between sets, keyboardist Sia, 26, was glad of the response and energy from the crowd. “It’s our first performance as a band, and we can’t wait to see what comes out of this,” she added optimistically.

With roars of approval still ringing in his ears, at least one member of the audience has little doubt about the band’s potential. “They were fantastic!” said Benji Goh, 24, “If they wrote original songs I wouldn’t mind buying the album.”

Now that Band.Se7en has successfully fleshed out the unique East-West theme with their complementary musical strengths, that looks like the most rewarding progression to take. The rest of us should stay tuned.

For more info on the band, go to www.bandse7en.com

Unfazed by the busy chatter of adults more than twice his age who can whip up complex digital images with just a few clicks of the mouse, Joel Tan, 14, types away with unwavering concentration on his laptop. His tender age belies an awe-inspiring talent — he knows six animation programming languages at his fingertips, all of which are self-taught.

Joel was part of a quirky ensemble of creative minds who gathered for the first time last Sunday for an exclusive viewing of submissions for the Animation and Illustration Ministry’s (AIM) inaugural animation competition — Illuminate 2009. AIM is a ministry group within City Harvest Church consisting of members with an interest in digital animation and illustration.

While there was S$2,000 worth of prizes to be won, there was a bigger draw for many of the participants. “I joined because this is a good chance to network with other creative people, and to showcase my talents in this competition,” said fulltime illustrator Joanna Low.

Indeed, the mood was more friendly than competitive at the AIM headquarters in Kallang, as participants mingled, exchanging tips on design and animation. Other activities included a mini digital imaging workshop and a “Wall Doodle,” where guests left their sketches on a large mounted paper collage.

Illuminate 2009 is unique in that this competition was open to non-church members. The applicants formed teams to develop a short animation based on the theme “Illuminate.”

“Illuminate 2009 has proved to be a great tool for networking and sourcing for new talents,” said AIM team coordinator Yoseph Ade Setiawan. Since the competition was announced last month, 13 teams of 30 participants have signed up, eight of them members of the public.

PHOTOS: Yoseph Ade Setiawan

“We aim to foster friendships & create a vibrant community of illustrators and animators, and in the process, establish a platform for them to exhibit their talents and interact to generate creative ideas,” shared AIM ministry leader Valerie Lim. She said she was impressed by the diversity and skills of the participants, particularly individuals like Joel, who are not professionally trained, yet able to display skills comparable to those in the industry.

The winning animations will be announced in mid-April this year. To keep abreast of the creative works as they develop, visit www.illuminate.sg.

If you have ever walked out of local home décor supermart IKEA with a carrier in hand that is tagged, “Make Room For Ideas”, then you have seen the genius of City Harvest’s own idea-smith Troy Lim.
Troy is an award-winning copywriter who flies the creative flag high, brewing wild advertising concepts for a host of famous client brands that include Visa, MTV and DBS.

We sit Troy down on the City News Couch of Truth, and pick his brains on what keeps his creative juices flowing.

CITYNEWS: We adore your work. Which ad agencies have you honed your craft at?

TROY: Thanks, I’ve been working at Ogilvy & Mather Singapore for a little over three years now. Ex-agencies include Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO and Lowe.

CITYNEWS: What are some of the more familiar ads you have done?
TROY: One of my personal favorites is a TV spot for SilkAir in which a man finds himself stalked by a native. It turns out that it was an unforgettable memory he got while on a SilkAir holiday. You may also remember a Visa Mini commercial in which everything shrinks, including a guy’s derriere. How about the DBS Live Fresh where a girl walks through an ideal world completely made up of cardboard buildings and a painted backdrop. Oh yes, I always get a kick when I see someone carrying an IKEA carrier with the tagline I wrote: “Make room for ideas”.

CITYNEWS: You’re brimming with ideas; we especially love the concepts you’ve done for Ikea, Tiger Beer Pajero… Where do you get your inspiration from?
TROY: I’m inspired by anything and everything around me. If there’s no input, there won’t be any output. So I make it a point to observe and look out for new ideas, be it in movies, music, design or on the Internet, for example.

CITYNEWS: Some say the advertising industry is full of ethical blackholes. How do you reconcile your Christian beliefs with your role in the marketplace?
TROY: Being in a creative industry, stress levels can go through the roof, especially when you’re expected to come up with creative ideas on demand. But when I start praying, I begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And inevitably, with a little faith, the solutions will come.

CITYNEWS: What are some awards you’ve won?
TROY: During the first two years of my career, I was voted Best New English Copywriter at the Singapore Creative Circle Awards. When I turned 30, I was awarded two Gold Bullets at YoungGuns, an international award for Creative talents under 30. In the past two years, I won Gold Lions at the prestigious Cannes Advertising Festival. In New York, I’ve also won One Show Gold Pencils.

CITYNEWS: How has your success in the marketplace helped you to make an impact for God?
TROY: I’d like to think that I’m a positive role-model for young people in the industry. That said, I believe God has even greater things in store that will allow me to make an even greater impact in the world for Him!

Fire up your imaginations at Troy ‘s online portfolio of wicked ideas – www.troylim.com

PHOTOS: Alvin Loh

Highly fêted designer, Leonard Lee is a picture of suave and charm.

Beyond his quiet, reflective personality, the laurels in his cap include international awards for the best hotel, guestroom and restaurant designs, as well as the much-coveted Wave of the Future Award for up-and-coming young designers of the year (previous winners include famous designers and architects like Philippe Starck and Frank Gehry).

Now, as Executive Design Director at one of the largest hospitality interior design firms in the world, Wilson Associates Inc., Leonard shares his formula for success: “Desire and faith in prayer.”

“Your desire to seek God should not be a duty,” says Lee, who sets aside time daily from his hectic schedule to come before the Lord in prayer. He quotes Mark 11:24, saying, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

Looking back on 12 years in the design industry, Lee admits that the road to the top was rocky at times. However, he sees problems as gentle reminders of his need to draw strength from God.

“Success has a lot to do with patience, perseverance and humility,” explains Lee, who has had his fair share of dealing with difficult clients and consultants. “You have to be able to pick yourself up when you fall, and keep trying even when the odds are stacked heavily against you.”

Lee also attests to the power of giving and tithing, attributing his wealth of bonuses, increments and awards to the faithfulness of God’s promise in Malachi 3:10.

His testimony has gone down well with friends and colleagues in the marketplace, who are eager to learn what Lee has gleaned from the Bible and church sermons.

Despite his achievements, Lee is determined not to let success get to his head, saying, “My goal is to constantly improve myself even when others tell me that I’ve done well.”

SINGAPORE, 1 NOVEMBER 2008 — Christian communities around Asia are abuzz with anticipation as the countdown to Asia Conference 2008 (17 to 23 November) begins. Understandably so — the conference boasts internationally-renowned and anointed speakers like Benny Hinn, Dr AR Bernard, Phil Pringle and Kong Hee sharing the stage for the first time in five power-packed days of impartation.

Conference-goers can also expect to be treated to performances by dynamic worship singers Don Moen and Carola Häggkvist, among others.

If the stellar lineup alone does not whet the appetite, there is also a veritable feast of conference electives ranging from pastoral and community service workshops to creative arts and self-image classes.

Expect non-stop action and big celebrations: There will be colourful displays and performances from City Harvest’s ministry groups and crackling competitions. All are anticipating a great move of God during Asia Conference 2008 — don’t miss it!

To find out more, visit www.asiaconference.sg