Wine in a Tube. Wine Not.

Wine by the glass . . . in a tube. What an amazing concept!

The concept behind Wine by the Glass is to debunk the theory that premium wine is inaccessible and the preserve of the few. 88% of industry experts acknowledge that consumers are demanding more interesting wine by the glass, and are willing to spend more to have a great glass of wine, rather than a bottle.

Drink In Tube believes that everyone should be able to taste, appreciate and enjoy premium wine, in a casual, unpretentious environment.

Wine (sometimes aged wine) is taken out of the wine bottles . . .

 . . .  and is put into tubes. Before the tube is sealed, oxygen is taken out so that the wine does not age anymore and the wine does not expire.

The plant where the wine is transferred into tubles in located in Gironde, region of Bordeaux. This process is done under controlled and oxygen free atmosphere, so that the wine undergoes no organoleptic degradation.

Prices start from S$13.50 per tube.The owner thinks this is better value for money than what you get in the restaurant as this is premium wine.

Wine by the glass have wines from the Bordeaux, Burgundy, Languedoc Roussillon, Provence and Rhone Valley Regions in France.

There are also a lot of other goodies to look at and to purchase. . .

What REALLY drew me into to this store was the 'Cocktails in a Tube' . . . 

Absolutely love this concept, why waste a bottle of good wine when you can have a glass (tube).

They have two locations:

55 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-53
Singapore 160055

8A Marina Blvd
Marina Bay Link Mall
B2-52
Singapore 018984

For more information and prices, check out their website.

Boutique Store at Marina Bay Link Mall

i Light Marina Bay 2014 - Media Launch

From 7 to 30 March 2014, you can catch a strong line-up of 28 sustainable light art installations by local and international artists.. In its third year,i Light Marina Bay 2014 will bring greater variety and interactive installations for festival-goers of all ages.

The theme for this year is "Light+HeART" to convey that "in the heart of the sustainability matters, is the matter of the heart." Through this, the curatorial team hope to inspire a collective change in our attitude and a widening of our perspective towards issues relating to sustainability.

For the first time, the Festival will showcase installations by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and students from the Republic Polytechnic (RP).

Five local schools, Temasek Junior College, St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School, Victoria School, Dunman High School and Singapore Polytechnic have also come on board for the first time this year.

For example #WeHeartLight is a collaboration by Light Collective (United Kingdom) and students from the above mentioned local schools in Singapore to build the first installation for i Light Marina Bay that is made and inspired entirely by the people who live in Singapore.

 

Here are a few of my favourite installations:

This art piece is titled Floating Hearts and is presented as a wall of illuminated hearts, which invites people to play with it to form new visual spectacles with each contact.

Floating Hearts - Travesias De Luz, Spain

Kids interacting with the art piece

Travesias De Luz are a group of artists from Spain who are inspired by the participatory process in the presentation of arts, and how their art take on a different visual character through interaction.

This next art piece titled JouJou-Ours proves that interactive arts are not just about technology, but should reflect the simple act to express love. This installation encourages all to come close and embrace these light installations, and with close interactions, the embedded lights will create a magical kaleidoscope of colours.

JouJou-Ours - Uno Lai, Taiwan

JouJou-Ours - Uno Lai, Taiwan

Uno Lai was born in Taiwan, and is an accomplished lighting designer and lighting artist.

The Pool is a group of giant circles created from interactive circular pads. Visitors can enter a world where play and movement create different effects of light and colour. This installation is best enjoyed when a group of people play with the different pads together.

My all-time favourite installation would have to be Celebration of Life by local artist Justin Lee. This is just one out of seven headline installations by invited artists participating in this Festival.

This is a playful commentary (projected on the ArtScience Museum) which depicts the role and value of the traditional culture in our contemporary society.

There is a lot more to see throughout the month of March, and I will certainly be making a trip back down to Marina Bay to check out what art installations I missed.

i Light Marina Bay 2014 is on now until 30 March 2014, daily 7.30pm to 11.00pm, Marina Bay Waterfront and admission is free.

Thank you to the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the opportunity to preview these art installations.

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There are more things to do around Marina Bay during the i Light Marina Bay Festival:

Savour 2014 - this concept remains the only one of its kind in Singapore; a relentless pursuit to unite the best in food and drink with a wide range of unique activities that is accessible to all. From now until Sunday 9 March 2014 Tickets are selling fast.

Pasarbella Goes to Town - there will be 12 traders bringing you fabulous goodies and treats in conjunction with iLight at the Marina Bay Sands. Pasarbella’s Friends will be there too to delight you with a night of Tastes, Sights and Sounds. From now until Sunday 30 March 2014. Open weekdays 4.30pm to 10.00pm and weekends from 10am to 10pm.

Earth Hour 2014 will be held at The Float @ Marina Bay on Saturday 29 March, and marks the official celebration of Singapore’s commitment to sustainability. There will be an exciting line up of performances, a carnival and other fringe activities to lead up to a spectacular city “Lights Off” at 8.30pm.

Check out the i Light Marina Bay 2014 Events Calendar for more information.

You Khin House - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

You Khin House is a special, secluded hideaway in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This House is owned and managed by the Cambodian non-profit Seametrey Organisation which enables children of underprivileged Cambodian families to get a quality education. All revenues generated from the guest house go to Seametrey Children’s Village, the nursery/day care and primary school, which is located next door.

This 3-story guest house was built in 2006, and is located in the quiet residential neighbourhood of Tonle Bassac. It offers a homely and comfortable environment.

There were seven of us on this trip, so a friend had booked all the rooms in the guest house, they have single, triple rooms and a self-contained unit, which has 1 double-room, 2 single beds and a kitchen corner, which is the room I stayed in.

This is one half of the room wich contained the two single beds.

The double-bed in the separate room.

 Here are a few pictures of different chillout areas throughout the guest house . . .

 The guest house also has a pool, next to the main dining area, I didn't get a chance to use the pool though.

Continental Breakfast was included during our stay, and this was the spread every morning.

The breakfast included fresh bread, fresh fruit, homemade spreads, with coffee. With extra being charged for milkshakes and fresh fruit juice.

I had an enjoyable and relaxing stay here. Although the guest house is located in a residential area, guests must be aware that there is a school located next door and there may be children running around, though I think this is a unique experience.

This is why I am glad to have stayed here:

Poverty is a serious threat to a large part of Cambodia’s population (one third of the population lives below the poverty line). It forces many parents to take their children out of school to survive. The children are sent to work in factories or to sell souvenirs to travelers at tourist locations to financially support their families. Once these children reach adulthood, they are very often forced to take on low-paid jobs due to lack of education.

You Khin House is located at:

13A, street 830
Sangkat Tonle Bassac
Phnom Penh, Cambodia