WEEK 48 - Five (5) Singaporean Brands I Recommend This Year

Week 48 and 4 more to go before the end of the year. To be honest, I have yet to recover from the exhaustion that was the day job major project that had Phase 1 end last week and I almost forgot about this! Regardless, as we come to a close of 2021, I was hoping to share a little more (during this festive season, no doubt) about a few Singaporean brands that have supported me in the book-ish part of my life, the game-y / puzzle-y part of my life, and the writer life / energies part of my life.

So here we go:

We Are Hantu

Caveat: I am a total chicken when it comes to the supernatural and its affiliated stories, so admittedly, I have not listened to Ghost Maps - their anchor podcast.

I have, however, listened to their episode of Unearthed, which is more about cultural history instead of just pure horror and ghost stories. Still, would not recommend it for listening alone at night. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.

Regardless, just looking at the writing of Unearthed is enough for me to recommend Ghost Maps to anyone who is into Southeast Asian horror without the common angles of looking for ghosts to vanquish - these are not ghost hunters, these are stories that form a part of our cultural capital, stories that are respected.

So do give them a listen! They’re available on Spotify and other places you find podcasts.

The Novel Encounter

Many of us like a little surprise. Some of us like surprises better if there are little hints and we guess them correctly. That’s what you’ll get when you’re choosing a book to bring home from The Novel Encounter.

I’ve always seen their wrapped books, each tagged with a little description of what the book might be, finished off with a beautifully stamped wax seal. But it was not until this brand’s founder, Adam Tie, released a novel called, “This Life Electric” that I had a better idea of The Novel Encounter and what they stood for.

Apart from mystery-wrapped books, Adam also offers customised poetry (of which he tailors to your or your giftee’s interests - I know he had questions for mine. LOL.) and other book-related merchandise. However, what I appreciate the most is his level of engagement with his audience - Check out The Novel Encounter’s Instagram Stories every Friday: He’s there to answer questions, offer congratulations, and everything in between if you drop a note in his question box!

Find out more about The Novel Encounter here.

Are there other Singaporean brands or businesses you’d like to recommend? Share them in the comments!

Curious Chimeras

I do and will always recommend Curious Chimeras in many things.

Formed by RPG Master Shao and Puzzle Architect Alanna, dive into the amazing worlds of adventure and cyphers, peppered with the Southeast Asian flavour.

And I think I speak about them best when I recommended them earlier, like so:

Chimera Alanna is a puzzle-maker who loves her stories and locks. Chimera Shao is a game master who will transport you to another world, one way or another. Be it an Alternate-Reality Game (ARG) inspired experience, specialised RPG to build your team, or an insightful dive into the local heritage and histories, you can count on the Curious Chimeras to deliver.

And they’re now open for registration for a festive game on 11 Dec - check it out or find out more about the Curious Chimeras here.

LITO Academy

All the strategies, tactics, and techniques in the world won’t really serve you unless you have a strong, foundational mindset. And this is not to say a fixed mindset, but a mindset that grows and anchors you - one that you can always go back to, learn and grow from as circumstances change around you, and most importantly, serve you in the best way possible.

And that’s why I’m so glad that I’ve found the LITO podcast and LITO Academy.

While their podcast is already so chock full of tips and tricks, joining the Academy just took their teachings to the next level, with topics including:

• Boundary Setting

• Managing Toxic Relationships

• Mindfulness

• Money Alchemy and Financial Planning (YES!)

• Strengthening the Work-Life Barrier (DOUBLE YES!)

• Mental Hygiene Coaching Calls

• and many more!

I found them during a time where I was going for treatment for panic attacks that started to manifest into consistent, physical symptoms. At the same time, I knew I wanted to go independent career-wise but had no idea how - most lessons I was getting were from the US context. It was then when LITO came in with the importance of mindset work and one of the most important lessons I could ever learn - You can never control your circumstances, but you can control your thoughts and from there, take necessary action that best serves you.

The Academy is only open for limited periods of time. However, do check out their podcast here!

Difference Engine

This is a brand that I find myself almost always recommending regardless. (Omgosh that alliteration) And it’s not just because I used to work there - full disclosure.

Founded by Felicia Low-Jimenez (you know her as one half of AJ Low, the creators of Sherlock Sam), Difference Engine is an independent comics publishing house looking to publish comics that tell the stories in Southeast Asia, comics that educate, and comics that just give you an experience beyond the page.

Want a comic that talks about dementia? Try Amazing Ash and Ah Ma. Want a comic that encourages a creative mindset? Try The Makers Club. Want a comic that talks about periods? They have A Drip, A Drop, A Deluge.

And I’m really looking forward to what they come up with next.

Check them out here!

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And that’s it from me, see you all next week!

Are there other Singaporean brands or businesses you’d like to recommend? Share them in the comments!