Waterfront living

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Tay Suan Chiang
The Business Times
Friday, Jan 04, 2013

FOR some people, a quick getaway equals a trip overseas - perhaps shopping in Bangkok or golf with plenty of massages thrown in in Bintan. But for Eric Chan and Fatoma Alladin, going away is a simple 25-minute drive from their home in Holland Road to Sentosa Cove, where the couple have an apartment.

 

Waterfront view Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST, BT)

 

Yes, technically, the couple are still in Singapore, but "here on Sentosa Cove, you feel as if you are in another part of the world", says Mr Chan, who together with his wife, are founders of local public relations company PR Communications. "It is very peaceful here, even though we are just 15 minutes away from the CBD," he adds.

Their four-bedroom apartment, which they have had for three years, overlooks the marina with a view of the city skyline in the distance. Their balcony is also an ideal spot to catch the fireworks display on New Year's Eve. In fact, they are able to catch two displays, one at Mount Faber and the other at Marina Bay Sands.

The couple had been leasing the apartment out, but as they have no tenant at the moment, Ms Alladin comes by every evening just to stroll around the estate and chat with the neighbours, some of whom have since become friends.

The couple hope to eventually make this their retirement home. For them, being in the apartment feels like living in a luxury chalet, but in a more desirable location.

The apartment is furnished, and while it's not too fancy, it's homey. "We don't want to do up the apartment too comfortably, otherwise we cannot bear to rent it out," says Ms Alladin. The apartment is leased out unfurnished.

Ms Alladin says they have had the furnishings for years, but she changes them according to the seasons. For now, she has paired her grey sofas with yellow and orange cushions to add some colour. Some of the pieces were previously from their office. The use of carpets helps give the apartment a softer touch.

More interesting are the art pieces around the home, all of which were bought at charity auctions. One of them is a colourful piece by Marianne Sanders, wife of the former Dutch ambassador to Singapore.

A lone ceramic bowl, also from a charity auction, sits on the dining table. It was made by a well-known Singaporean who has been in the news for the wrong reasons this year. "Not many people know that he is skilled in pottery," says Mr Chan.

While Ms Alladin comes here more often, the couple and their three children are usually here every weekend. "We come in on Saturday mornings and hang out at the beach with our neighbours," she says.

The couple say the Sentosa Cove lifestyle appeals to them. "We like the outdoors and sea sports," says Mr Chan. They even have a sport cruiser boat named Drama Queen, which they bought a year ago.

"We debated over many names, like Nauti Girl, but in the end we went with Drama Queen because it best describes the women in the family," says Ms Alladin, who has two daughters and a son.

She and Mr Chan both have boating licences, although it took Mr Chan a few attempts before he passed his exam. "Driving a boat is different from a car," he says. "With a boat, you have to look at the currents, tides and wind directions."

Being able to berth the boat next to their apartment was also a reason that the couple bought this apartment. Each weekend, weather permitting, the family heads out to Lazarus Island, about a 15-minute ride away. The farthest they have sailed is to Sebana Cove in Malaysia.

While Mr Chan enjoys a spot of fishing when he's on the boat, Ms Alladin finds cleaning Drama Queen therapeutic. "I'll have the radio or the TV on, then give the boat interiors a clean," she says. Sometimes, neighbours with boats are around as well, and everyone gathers onboard for a glass of champagne.

The couple say they are happiest out at sea. "This is something fun to do in the tropics," says Mr Chan. "You only hear the sound of the waves and the birds calling; you get a real feeling of quietness."

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