This week, immerse yourself in music from around the world, check out the newest eats in town and do your part to help the struggling F&B industry
Rolex launches ‘Perpetual Music’ concerts
medici.tv
In keeping with its long-standing commitment to the world of music, Rolex has launched an initiative to support musicians and singers during this critical period of Covid-19 through its Perpetual Music concerts.
In keeping with the company’s long-standing commitment to champion those who set the highest standards in the world of music, while also helping this art form to endure as an integral part of everyday life, these concerts will involve approximately 100 artists whose work and lives have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
Continuing through to early September, three concerts — featuring orchestral and chamber music performance took place in Italy, Germany and France. At each concert (recorded on Aug 21, Sept 1 and Sept 3), one of three Rolex Testimonees — Juan Diego Flórez, Rolando Villazón and Sonya Yoncheva, who has supported this project from the outset — presented their repertoire prepared with singers and musicians and perform solo or in various ensembles.
Renowned French violinist Renaud Capuçon, who joined the proceedings in Paris, also participated in organising this initiative. The initiative will reach hundreds of thousands of people in over 180 countries through the free streaming service that will be available on the medici.tv platform until the end of October.
“Our aim is to support the world of music and provide the opportunity to musicians and singers to have their art live on by performing at prestigious venues with the finest acoustics,” said Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex’s director of communication and image.
“By broadcasting the concerts via medici.tv, a Rolex partner for over a decade, the artists supported in this project will benefit from worldwide visibility. Significantly, this gift of time and exposure is in keeping with the company’s pursuit of excellence and its longterm commitment to foster the work of those who aim to reach the pinnacle of their profession,” adds Boetsch.
“Last but not least, within the context of these unprecedented circumstances, this project is also a way for us to help keep music as an essential element in our daily lives.”
Go ‘green’ with Green Monday
Daily Green (Ang Mo Kio, Clementi and Bedok)
Debunking the notion that plant-based eating is inaccessible, local hawker Daily Green is rolling out plant-based renditions of their two best-selling dishes in their three key outlets located at Block 721 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, 501 West Coast Drive and 217 Bedok North Street 1.
Substituting traditional Chinese mock meat dishes with all-purpose plant-based meat OmniMeat, diners can enjoy the new OmniMeat Vegetarian Porridge ($4.20 per bowl), and OmniMeat Signature Vegetarian Noodles ($4.80 per bowl).
Green Monday, the environmental social enterprise and makers of OmniMeat, is also collaborating with casual dining chain PizzaExpress for their new Heura Pollo Forza, which is a modified version of the pizzeria’s signature hot chilli chicken classic with 100% plantbased chicken-substitute. The new dish item comes in two versions: A vegetarian mozzarella pizza (priced at $25.00++) and vegan pizza with Daiya cheese, (priced at $28.00++).
After all, who says eating green needs to be boring?
Funds for struggling industry workers
www.sgcocktailbarassociation.org
The Singapore Cocktail Bar Association (SCBA) has raised a total of $120,000 in the first of its Covid-19 relief funds, dedicated to helping those within the industry who have lost their jobs or are struggling financially. This first fund, named The SCBA-SBF Foundation Compassion Fund, will provide direct financial relief to bar staff who are in need, especially those who have been directly impacted by the pandemic.
A total of $60,000 of the funds were raised from corporate sponsors, with Singapore Business Federation Foundation matching the amount in full through its industry-led Compassion Fund, which aims to strengthen businesses and support workers in need.
“We are incredibly grateful to our corporate sponsors as well as the Singapore Business Federation Foundation for contributing to our first round of relief. The SCBA-SBF Foundation Compassion Fund will render direct financial support to up to 240 bar staff in our cocktail community,” says Gan Guoyi, President and SCBA founding board member.
Hsieh Fu Hua, SBF Foundation chairman, adds: “This is our inaugural effort to rally SBF members and industry leaders to care for our employees, workers and the community at large. We aim to have the SBF Foundation Compassion Fund form the framework for our members to pool resources and collectively support employees in need. I am grateful to SCBA for leading the cocktail bar community to support the employees in times of need.”
The SCBA-SBF Foundation Compassion Fund is now open for application to Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and Work Pass Holders who have suffered job loss and are in the midst of transiting between employers within the cocktail industry with SCBA’s support, or who have suffered salary reductions of 30% or more between April 1 to June 30 this year.
The relief amount is capped at $500 per individual whose salary is no more than $3,400 a month and applicants must be currently or previously employed by SCBA’s member bars. Since its inception in May this year, SCBA has recruited over 50 member bars, across three key categories: cocktail bars, restaurant bars and spirit bars. All bars must fulfil a pre-set list of admission criteria.
Aside from the SCBA-SBF Foundation Compassion Fund, SCBA is currently raising funds for a second and third round of relief, which will directly support member bars themselves. The Association aims to finalise sponsorship for these initiatives, the New Bar Support Fund and the Industry Recovery Fund, before the end of August.
For more information and to apply for The SCBA-SBF Foundation Compassion Fund, go to www.sgcocktailbarassociation.org. All applications will be kept confidential.
Food from the heart
P S.Cafe
In direct response to an increased demand for food aid and a decrease in food donations, chic dining chain PS.Cafe has partnered with non-profit organisation Food from the Heart to launch a collection of limited-edition PS. Cafe Charity Tote Bags.
To date, P.SCafe has raised a total of $32,488 from the sale of these limited edition tote bags, of which all proceeds will be donated to Food from The Heart. This donation will directly help the 108 beneficiaries on Food from the Heart’s Project Belanja! Programme — a cooked meal initiative that provides hot meals to individuals on the scheme.
Unlike regular community food packs, Project Belanja! addresses the needs of those who are unable to cook because of reasons such as physical disabilities. All the tote bags are available for purchase from pscafe.com and different coloured-bags are available at the 10 different outlets of P.SCafe across the island.
