My Perfect Weekend with Wonderland actress Xenia Tan
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Local actress Xenia Tan (right) and her fiance, content creator Shawn Thia, and their dogs Aiko and Miyo.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF XENIA TAN
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Who: Singaporean actress and content creator Xenia Tan, 30, best known for her lifestyle and travel videos on TikTok.
She was one of the hosts of Mediacorp travelogue The $100 Nomad (2019), in which saw her spending three days and two nights in various Asian cities on a $100 budget each trip. She then branched into acting and had supporting roles in local TV series Kin (2018 to 2022) and Sunny Side Up (2022 to present).
Tan made her feature film debut in local director Chai Yee Wei’s Wonderland, now showing in cinemas. Set in 1980s Singapore, the Hokkien-Mandarin tearjerker revolves around illiterate single father Loke (Mark Lee), who works hard to ensure his only daughter Eileen (Tan) fulfils her dream of studying in New York City.
Tan can next be seen in local director Yeo Siew Hua’s Stranger Eyes in a small supporting role, which will be the first Singaporean film to compete for the Golden Lion at the upcoming Venice Film Festival. The mystery thriller, starring Taiwanese actors Lee Kang-sheng and Wu Chien-ho, follows the story of a young couple searching for their missing daughter.
The actress lives with her fiance, Singaporean actor and content creator Shawn Thia, and their two dogs Aiko and Miyo in the east.
Home-grown actress Xenia Tan stars in Wonderland.
PHOTO: MOCHA CHAI LABORATORIES
“Shawn and I are freelance artistes, so we rarely have weekends when we do not need to work. A perfect Saturday for me is to wake up naturally, without using the alarm clock, at about noon to 1pm, which gives me a good eight to nine hours of rest.
When I was younger, I used to cram a lot of activities into my day when I was free. Now, I want to do absolutely nothing. I don’t want to look at my mobile phone or reply any messages.
We will take our furkids to our favourite pet-friendly cafe, Plain Meredith at One Holland Village. It is so good to chill and enjoy a long brunch. The cafe has a corner where dog treats are sold by weight. It is cool as your dogs can try out different snacks.
Local actress Xenia Tan and her two dogs, Aiko and Miyo.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF XENIA TAN
Shawn and I will also do housework together on the weekends. I love vacuuming the floor, while he enjoys steam-mopping. It is very therapeutic.
We will also go grocery shopping. It is my favourite activity and a great bonding session for us.
If we have friends over on Saturdays, I’ll make air-fried broccoli, which is quite a hit with our guests. We’d have drinks and watch TV shows together. Our current favourite is House Of The Dragon (2022 to present).
My best Sunday is when we can have brunch at Fengshan Food Centre, one of our regular places. We usually order a lot of food, perhaps enough for three to four people.
One of my guilty pleasures is to have a two-hour nap in the afternoon. We also take our dogs for a long walk around the neighbourhood, followed by dinner at my parents’ place or with Shawn’s family as we can indulge in home-cooked food.
Sunday nights are me-time. I binge-watch (American sketch comedy show) Saturday Night Live videos on YouTube. I will also do an extensive body- and hair-care routine to pamper myself. For instance, I’d use a pre-shampoo serum before washing my hair, followed by a hair mask. I will also exfoliate my skin thoroughly with a pore-cleansing routine, shape my brows and use a facial sheet mask.
This self-care session takes about two hours, and it helps me wind down and prepare for the new week.”
Correction note: An earlier version of the story misspelled Shawn Thia’s name. We are sorry for the error.
