Melting Pot

In this touching episode, Payal speaks with Li Leng, a 68-year-old jumping instructor who shares vivid recollections of her childhood in Singapore. She takes us back to her early years in a small compound along Mount Road, where five wooden stilt houses stood close together, home to Malay and Chinese families who all spoke Cantonese. Li Leng fondly remembers the warmth of this tight-knit community...

In this episode, Payal speaks with Jeremy Tay, a community leader whose lifelong dedication to social work and public service has shaped many aspects of Singapore’s community development. Trained in social work, Jeremy shares his experiences serving in various roles from director at Outward Bound Singapore to Dean of the National Community Leadership Institute, and as the founding president o...

In this delightful episode, Payal speaks with Jake, who transports us to his childhood days living in a rented shophouse along McPherson Road. From his upstairs window, young Jake would spend evenings counting passing cars with his mother, turning simple moments into imaginative games. He recalls the vibrant sights outside, laundry spread like colorful tapestries across open fields and the comfort...

In this nostalgic episode, Payal speaks with Fredrick, who takes us back to his childhood in a rural kampong more than sixty years ago. He recalls life in a muddy, undeveloped neighborhood, where daily routines included helping his mother rear pigs and chickens, fetching water from ponds, and playing freely in the rain. Fredrick paints a rich picture of open spaces filled with fruit trees, local o...

In this conversation, Payal speaks with Ellil, who fondly revisits his childhood growing up in Singapore’s east, particularly around Kallang Airport Road. Through his stories, listeners are transported to a time before the National Stadium and bustling hawker centres, when neighborhoods thrived on friendship and community spirit. Ellil recalls the joy of simple, carefree days,playing football in o...

In this episode, Payal speaks with Dawn Tam, who grew up in Singapore during the transformative decades from the 1960s onward. Through her recollections, Dawn offers a vivid glimpse into life in Loyang, once a seaside fishing village before land reclamation reshaped the landscape. She shares personal and historical memories from her birth in the Year of the Tiger to witnessing her community’s relo...

In this heartwarming episode, Payal sits down with Anthony Wong as he takes us on a nostalgic journey through his childhood at Jiak Kim Road, once known as Jiang Road or Tiong Bahru . Anthony vividly recalls growing up in a close-knit community, spending carefree days playing street games, flying kites, catching spiders, and inventing fun without gadgets. He paints a touching picture of life in a...

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae Presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage board Singapore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lumina Vitae presented by The Bloom Fund Singapore and Supported by The National Heritage Board Singapore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the world of Gema Galdón, a Barcelona-based milliner whose handcrafted hats blur the line between fashion and art. What began as a hat she made for herself soon grew into a passion that captured hearts and evolved into her life’s work. Today, her studio , The Gema Galdón Hat Gallery   is a space where craftsmanship, imagination, and design come together to create timeless, one-o...

Step inside Silvia Ferrer Casanova’s Barcelona studio, a once-quiet garage that now overflows with colour, creativity and meaning. Surrounded by her hand-painted silk scarves, intricate tapestries, and delicate fans, Silvia has built a world where art lives and breathes in every corner. Her work extends beyond decoration, it’s an invitation to experience beauty in everyday life. Through art therap...

Step into the serene world of Lola Rivière, a ceramist whose studio is a sanctuary of earth and fire. Here, the tactile memory of childhood mud meets the refined skill of a master artisan. Each surface is a landscape of subtle textures and nuanced colors, where simple forms hold the quiet power of ancient artifacts. Witness the alchemy of the kiln and the careful application of slips and oxides th...

What if everything you've been told about entrepreneurship is a lie? Sean Kling, CEO of The Aria Group and author of Outwork Them All , cuts through the fluff to expose the biggest misconceptions about success. He reveals the harsh truth behind "overnight success" and why the business coaching industry is designed to sell you a dream it can't deliver. This is a no-BS conversation for every founder...

They decided to end their marriage on a Sunday morning. After a decade of disconnect and a year locked down in a pandemic, the chasm between them felt too wide to cross. The life they had built together was over. But what happened next defies every conventional story about separation. Instead of moving out, they moved into different bedrooms. Instead of silence, they started talking. And then, Ter...

Exploring Barcelona laneways often leads to hidden gems, and one of them is Dim Light BCN. This eclectic gallery is the vision of  Marino along with Jalal, two talented and driven individuals who shared their creative journey with me. In our conversation, they spoke about the inspiration and philosophy behind their art—how each piece reflects a unique story and identity. Jalal also opened up...

Bestselling author Aaron Ryan wants his sons to understand a hard truth about the world: it is "extraordinarily unfair." In his award-winning saga, he wrestles with one of humanity's oldest struggles: the fiery, seductive line between justice and revenge. He gives you a glimpse into the powerful lesson that fuels his stories. A lesson about hope in the face of injustice. Aaron Ryan watched his ind...