When M. and I both got the chance to move abroad and start new, but separate (if temporary) lives, we started Fortylove.tv to make the best out of two exciting but disparate cities: London, Dubai. Both are cosmopolitan cities. One had a long history, remarkable culture, and was a major world city. Another was desert until 20 years ago, yet rose convincingly from the sand to try to be a major world city. Both, quite notably, had made it simple — and cheap — to gain access to the countries in their respective regions through their low cost carriers. We saw in this an opportunity to go, as my father would say, gallivanting around Europe, the Middle East and India; sometimes together, mostly on our own. We’re talking about US$10 return tickets to Barcelona, US$100 tickets to Istanbul and Sana’a, and that’s after picking from the very difficult list of places like Paris, Valencia, Fez, Marseille, Brussels (for her); Athens, Casablanca, Beirut, Damascus, Cairo, and more, for me.
Another little known reason why we started Fortylove.tv: it was our excuse to travel more, do more silly things, meet (and befriend) interesting people. I was particularly interested in making the effort to get the most out of my Dubai experience. That sounds simple enough, but in reality it was quite difficult. In a city like that it was too easy to be immersed in working, partying, and… more working and partying. Many people move to Dubai with the idea that they will see more of the Middle East. Many of them never get around to doing it; it’s too easy to just stay put in the city of fast cars, bright lights, gleaming towers. The fast cars, gaudy architecture and bright lights did nothing for me except make me feel sick. I did not like Dubai very much; I still don’t. I needed to discover the real, gritty bits of a city that wasn’t trying to be something else. I found that in the back streets of Deira and Bur Dubai, in neighbouring Abu Dhabi; in the Friday khushti wrestling matches at the fish market and the freshly baked Afghan breads, in the camel races on weekends. And in the haunting strains of Middle Eastern hiphop.
I went in search of Middle Eastern hiphop but came away wanting to know more about the deeper issues behind their music. It was political, yes, but intense, raw, and ultimately touching. It was very, very good (check out DAM Palestine and The Narcicyst for a start, if you’re interested). The pressing issues weren’t about sex, women, guns or bling, but about ideas such as identity, ‘homelessness’, displacement, exile, war, oppression. Whether or not you agree with their message (a pertinent one that cannot be ignored any longer), it’s still good music.
While seeking out Dubai-based group Diligent Thought, I came across one of their sisters, a Sudan-born, Dubai-raised poet and musician who performs by the alias of Miss Lyrikal Nuisance. That we worked in the same media hub area meant we became fast friends and I learned a lot about life, the world, and that particular region, from her. I took her to the historic conservation area of Bastakiyah (a must, if you’re ever in Dubai) and got her to perform for me. There’s music by The Narcicyst, the Iraqi-Candian Dubai-based performer, as well. You can read more about it here (as well as watch the video), or just watch the video:
If you’d rather watch the YouTube version, it’s here.
After a long hiatus, we’re (finally) back with new Fortylove.tv videos.
This week: we go to Belgium in search of some of the best beers in the world at Brouwerij Westvleteren, where Trappist monks still produce beer according to ancient recipes.
Next week: we circle back to Dubai to feature Hiba Rasheed, the Sudanese spoken word poet (and sometimes rapper) about life in Dubai, displacement, and music.
For now, check out May Yee’s beer road trip across Belgium (with her hot blonde beer historian friend in tow)!
And if you haven’t heard, we’re giving away Creative Vados, Mandarina Duck bags and Wallpaper City Guides in our travel photo contest! You have two more weeks to hit us with your best shot.
A surprising thing about Singapore that few people know about, other than those of us who live/lived here, is how much great ice cream there is. Or to be more specific: how much great ice cream there is that isn’t international chain ice cream. Those can be lovely too, but you get the same stuff all over the world. Something happened in the last 5-7 years when the ‘homemade local premium ice cream’ trend took off and really came into its own. I’m proud to say that we have great local ice cream wizards doing great things with local flavours and ingredients. Some of it is highly innovative. Most of it is just tasty and… a hell lot cheaper than the inferior stuff produced by ice cream chains. They’re usually free from additives and preservatives (for that reason, they don’t last more than 3 days when you take them home) too. Some are even egg or gluten-free.
The local flavours available are tremendous: these days, Horlicks and Teh Tarik flavours are regular ice cream flavours Singaporeans know and love, largely (I think) due to the efforts of the pioneering stores like Island Creamery and Tom’s Palette. They’re two of my absolute favourites.
Our latest craze: we’ve been trying to replicate some of these flavours at home with our cheapo Cuisinart home ice cream machines. Next week we’re driving 400 kilometres back to Singapore to attend an ice cream class run by the ice cream genius maniacs at Tom’s Palette. To help the Malaysian ice cream making entourage I’m heading south with, I’ve put together a little ice cream map.
Did I miss anything?
Note: I’m only adding local and homemade ice cream shops here so don’t ask why I left out Ben and Jerry’s. None of us are fans of the “Coldstone-style” of ice cream: the icky super sweet kinds that get all kinds of rubbish mixed into them. Not big on gelato either unless they’re done very very well, which very few Singapore places manage to (are there any!?).., so I’ve left out one or two obvious places because of this… peculiar ice cream preference.
Have fun, go nuts, eat more ice cream, and remember to use GoThere to figure out how to get to these places by public transport.
Hi, the fun is over here, where May Yee and I are running our first ever Fortylove.tv contest! (Yes, there are more up ahead…)
We don’t care what you shot it with. We just want to see interesting travel photos that preferably have cool stories behind them. We don’t care where you live. To enter, simply send us a handful (any number, within reason; just don’t send us an entire album) of photos via the form here, or send them as attachments to the email address listed there. We’ll post every picture we get on the submissions gallery.
The prizes: Vado pocket video cam, Mandarina Duck Flight Weekender Bag (worth US$175), and a set of Wallpaper City Guides courtesy of our partners Creative and wejetset.
P.S. Keeping this post sticky for a while, so be sure to look underneath… in case it hits me to post here more regularly than I currently do (or don’t).
If this looks a bit bare to you, I'm in the midst of a major content and design overhaul. Great things, like delicious cookies, take some time to bake.
Neither Here Nor There
When M. and I both got the chance to move abroad and start new, but separate (if temporary) lives, we started Fortylove.tv to make the best out of two exciting but disparate cities: London, Dubai. Both are cosmopolitan cities. One had a long history, remarkable culture, and was a major world city. Another was desert until 20 years ago, yet rose convincingly from the sand to try to be a major world city. Both, quite notably, had made it simple — and cheap — to gain access to the countries in their respective regions through their low cost carriers. We saw in this an opportunity to go, as my father would say, gallivanting around Europe, the Middle East and India; sometimes together, mostly on our own. We’re talking about US$10 return tickets to Barcelona, US$100 tickets to Istanbul and Sana’a, and that’s after picking from the very difficult list of places like Paris, Valencia, Fez, Marseille, Brussels (for her); Athens, Casablanca, Beirut, Damascus, Cairo, and more, for me.
Ryanair, Easyjet, flydubai, AirArabia, and the like, really did for us in those parts of the world what AirAsia did for us here.
Another little known reason why we started Fortylove.tv: it was our excuse to travel more, do more silly things, meet (and befriend) interesting people. I was particularly interested in making the effort to get the most out of my Dubai experience. That sounds simple enough, but in reality it was quite difficult. In a city like that it was too easy to be immersed in working, partying, and… more working and partying. Many people move to Dubai with the idea that they will see more of the Middle East. Many of them never get around to doing it; it’s too easy to just stay put in the city of fast cars, bright lights, gleaming towers. The fast cars, gaudy architecture and bright lights did nothing for me except make me feel sick. I did not like Dubai very much; I still don’t. I needed to discover the real, gritty bits of a city that wasn’t trying to be something else. I found that in the back streets of Deira and Bur Dubai, in neighbouring Abu Dhabi; in the Friday khushti wrestling matches at the fish market and the freshly baked Afghan breads, in the camel races on weekends. And in the haunting strains of Middle Eastern hiphop.
I went in search of Middle Eastern hiphop but came away wanting to know more about the deeper issues behind their music. It was political, yes, but intense, raw, and ultimately touching. It was very, very good (check out DAM Palestine and The Narcicyst for a start, if you’re interested). The pressing issues weren’t about sex, women, guns or bling, but about ideas such as identity, ‘homelessness’, displacement, exile, war, oppression. Whether or not you agree with their message (a pertinent one that cannot be ignored any longer), it’s still good music.
While seeking out Dubai-based group Diligent Thought, I came across one of their sisters, a Sudan-born, Dubai-raised poet and musician who performs by the alias of Miss Lyrikal Nuisance. That we worked in the same media hub area meant we became fast friends and I learned a lot about life, the world, and that particular region, from her. I took her to the historic conservation area of Bastakiyah (a must, if you’re ever in Dubai) and got her to perform for me. There’s music by The Narcicyst, the Iraqi-Candian Dubai-based performer, as well. You can read more about it here (as well as watch the video), or just watch the video:
If you’d rather watch the YouTube version, it’s here.