SHENTONISTA

“My guilty pleasure is mindless shopping—I like to just walk into a shop and try on what I like, though it’s not always practical.”

“A dish that describes me would probably be rojak. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in Kuala Lumpur and moved to Singapore. I guess that makes me a third-culture kid, so rojak would be appropriate.”

“If you’re willing to look at it in a positive light, even pain can be an inspiration.”

“Being an educator means that you’re learning for life, and you always need to keep up with what’s relevant.”

Yeye's affable, happy-go-lucky attitude belies an entrepreneurial, innovative spirit—one that has helped him raise a family of eight children by sheer determination.

“I wish people were more aware of environmental issues, specifically around plastic waste and disposable straws.”

“I’m not someone who has many regrets, so I wouldn’t change anything about my life if I could live it again.”

“Something not many people know about me is that I have a secret collection of Hello Kitty things.”

“The best decision I've ever made was any one that was spontaneous, and that I didn’t have to overthink.”

“I like to challenge myself physically, and can be quite a tomboy about it. I completed a Spartan Race earlier this year, and go indoor rock climbing frequently. However, I am quite clumsy so I’m often covered in bruises and cuts as a result.”

“I’ve recently started bringing my own lunchbox around. I’m trying to reduce the amount of waste I create, but that’s also a big part of vintage and secondhand fashion which is something I love.”

More than just being Shentonista’s resident queen of spicy food, Olivia approaches work and life with a similar fire.