A few of my favourite things

THIS MONTH, GET TO KNOW… JEANNE TAI, ASSOCIATE DEPUTY EDITOR

My Favourite Music

I am the black sheep among my coterie of Very Cool Festival-going Friends – I’d sooner watch Britney Spears in Las Vegas than book a ticket to Coachella. That said, I like Australian dream-pop band Alpine. Their vocals are airy, and their tunes irrepressibly buoyant – their perky single Gasoline is my weekend anthem. I’m also a fan of R&B artist Frank Ocean. His lyrics are poetic or obtuse, depending on how you look at them, but I adore his lush vocals. His debut, Channel Orange, was one of the very few albums I listened to from start to finish.

My Second Home is...

Beijing. I lived there for seven months last year while on a sabbatical. People either love or hate China’s chaotic capital, but I was charmed the second I stepped into the airport. An immigration officer gaped at my passport photo and exclaimed guilelessly: “Hey, you lost weight!” I’m tickled by the refreshing candour of the people, their hospitality, and how you can strike up a conversation with a stranger in a noodle shop without them thinking you’re crazy – they’re more likely to add you on Wechat.

Give Me Salted Egg... Everything

I have shaved years off my life, thanks to my penchant for all things slathered in salted egg sauce – prawns, crabs, tofu, fried chicken… My tummy loves it; my arteries, not so much.

My Creative Outlet is…

Photography. Writing is my first love, but because I do it for a living, it can sometimes feel like work. They say photography is both an art and a science, but I’ll add that it’s also about relationships. The best street photographers have excellent people skills; I admire how they can cajole perfect strangers into posing for that winning shot.