OCTOBER 2, 2000 VOL. 156 NO. 13

Short Cuts

TRAVEL WATCH The Fine Art of Shopping for Fine Art Abroad Buying art can be one of the great pleasures of traveling. Short Cuts The G@llery Evason opened in Singapore in September, trumpeting itself as Asia's first "Design Hotel." Detour Good-time Charlie Nagatani got his first earful of American country music in 1956, on his 20th birthday. Travel Watch Archive: Browse hundreds of Asian travel tips

HOTEL HIPSTER The G@llery Evason opened in Singapore in September, trumpeting itself as Asia's first "Design Hotel." It's surely the first with an @ in its name. The 223-room hotel exudes a certain warehouse chic—and Internet wiring that would impress Bill Gates. Perhaps the coolest feature is the glass-sided pool on the fifth floor. The lap-pool allows swimmers to look out onto the street and voyeurs to catch a watery glimpse of the good life within. Other goodies include a women-only floor, free in-room broadband Internet access and complimentary mobile phones linked to guests' room phones so they won't miss calls while in the fitness center. Until Oct. 31 you can check in for $143 a night. Call (65) 235-3120.

WING DING The Wing, Cathay Pacific's ultra-cool Hong Kong airside business- and first-class lounge, has raised the bar for its competitors by offering IBM desktops in its reading room as well as a new carvery serving up veal, lamb and beef for first-class guests.

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