Lifestyle

Next level refinement characterises the fourth generation Škoda Superb Combi “L&K”

Something is intriguing and cool about a well-designed station wagon (or wagon for short), especially one that is as sleek and chic as the Superb Combi.

If you are wondering, "Combi" is Škoda-speak for station wagon — a body style that is a leftfield, nudge-wink choice that evokes nods of approval from those in the know.

The all-electric ID.Buzz is a happy camper that channels the “feel-good” vibes of the original Type 2 Campervan

Some cars just put a big smile on your face and VW’s all-electric ID.Buzz happens to be one of them. To many enthusiasts, it is the long-awaited heir to an illustrious legacy of iconic VW Campervans, a lineage that can be traced back over 75 years.

Seated across from us in Devialet’s new Singapore flagship store is Jacques Demont, the French audio brand’s chief executive. The room we are in is silent for now, but a quick scroll and tap is all it takes to turn the space into a veritable concert hall.

Demont picks out a song, then invites us to lean back and listen. Obliging, we close our eyes and take in the sounds coming at us from just about every angle imaginable. It’s almost like that Dolby jingle that plays before a movie at the cinema, just a lot less eerie.

Coffee is facing a crunch. Rising costs and environmental concerns have cast a shadow over one of the world’s most consumed drinks — coming in third behind only water and tea — putting a damper on the cup of joe that starts many a worker’s day.

QA Engineer

For one start-up in Singapore, this all presents an opportunity. Prefer, founded in 2022 by Tan Ding Jie and Jake Berber, is tackling coffee’s problems head-on with an alternative that takes the crop out of the equation.

Nine months have passed since Julien Tornare took on the top job at Hublot. The long-time LVMH executive was appointed CEO of the brand in September 2024, in a reshuffle that saw him move from TAG Heuer.

“It’s been great,” says Tornare of his journey with Hublot thus far. Describing the brand as energetic, he tells Options that all teams are constantly coming up with new ideas to push things forward. “That level of dynamism is really the most exciting part.”

With a strong focus on wellness, JW Marriott Singapore South Beach presents a deliberate, thoughtful pause from the hustle and bustle of city life

In case you hadn’t noticed, China has been on a serious flex to assert its growing global influence. On the tech front, Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek have made significant gains against — and in some cases, outperforming — rivals such OpenAI.

In the recent tariff wars between the US and its trading partners, China was the only nation able to fight back with equal might, both in the scale of its retaliation and in its ability to withstand economic pressure.

The Tras Street eatery once known as Pulsii Woodfire Restaurant & Bar is now a French bistro. Now serving up affordable twists on fancy fare, the reinvention comes by way of chef-owner Daisuke Yoshikawa, who cut his teeth in Michelin-starred restaurants before opening Pulsii in late 2024.

Though only French is reflected in its name, there’s a distinctly Japanese flavour here — literally. Yoshikawa applies his experience in French restaurants to quintessentially Japanese ingredients like yuzu, yellowtail and chrysanthemum leaves.

Among Singapore’s “OG” venues when it comes to swanky rooftop joints is Altro Zafferano, which opened 13 years ago (sans the “Altro”, which was added to its name in 2022). At the time, the restaurant was among probably a handful where one could watch the sun go down over Marina Bay; it naturally became the site of weddings and fancy dinners aplenty.

Today, rooftop restaurants in the city are a dime a dozen. At the same time, the number of Italian restaurants has boomed, with several mid-ranged eateries in the mix, particularly over the last year.

The French Riviera needs little introduction. It’s long been beloved as a vacation destination, with the jet-set flocking to the Cannes film festival in May, partying at the beach clubs of St Tropez and staying in storied resorts like Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.

But on some parts of the coast, the glamour has faded.