- Flying private planes
Instead of taking commercial flights, Internet entrepreneur Fabian Lim, 43, and businessman Gregory Ang, 55, pilot their own aircraft on business trips. To enjoy roti prata on weekends, they fly to Malaysia.
These private aircraft owners fly their big toys near and far, to places both familiar and exotic. Think the Red Sea, Greenland, Iceland and beyond. Read The Life for their stories and my experience travelling in Mr Ang's four-seater piston aircraft, a Diamond DA-42 Twin Star, to Tioman for lunch.
Bryna Singh
- Bhutan from the air
Ballooning across Bhutan with its endless valleys and soaring mountains is as surreal as it sounds. Herds of yaks, distant fortresses and solitary monasteries in the Himalayan kingdom evoke the same sense of serenity that lends much credence to its legendary pursuit of happiness.
Appropriately for a country known as The Land Of The Thunder Dragon, the hot-air balloon is a red globe emblazoned with golden dragons, while the occasional bursts of flame from its butane cylinders resemble nothing so much as a dragon's breath. Follow travel writer Martin Fletcher as he describes his inaugural flight of the world's highest commercial hot-air balloon service.
Tan Jia Hui
- Soiree at home
After the heat-laden month that was June, cool off in July with a midnight outdoor soiree.
Objects to complete an evening of rejuvenation might include the Dedon NestRest - seating shaped like a huge delicate raindrop, which presents guests with a peaceful haven and a conversation starter.
For bibulous guests, drinking is that bit more pleasurable with the stylish Navigator Folding Bar from Teak&Mahogany.
Also admire works of art, such as the aptly named Pool Party piece by Knakorn Kachacheewa, or simply recline in one with the graffiti version of the Little Albert Chair by Fadzli Aris.
Download The Life for more objects of desire for an outdoor party at home.
Tan Jia Hui
- Dining in Chengdu
Chengdu is unlikely to come to mind when you are looking for gourmet meals, but the city has more to offer than just palate-numbing Sichuan cooking.
Three private-dining restaurants in the Chinese city - Zi Fei, Yu Zhi Lan and Yu's Family Kitchen - offer unique dishes that are presented as works of art. All three do not have a la carte menus, only fixed-priced sets.
Zi Fei is the most elaborate, with more than 20 dishes that mostly look like sculptured art. And they do not just look beautiful, they taste good too. Its most expensive menu, at RMB3,000 (S$650) a diner, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth saving for.
Wong Ah Yoke
