WHEN Raymond Koo's wife, Janet, suggested last year that the family move from their Mount Sinai terrace house to a more child-friendly apartment for their three-year-old-son, Mr Koo was reluctant.

IT may not be No 1 in the world anymore if you swear by 'best restaurant' lists, but dining at elBulli is still considered the ultimate experience by hard-core followers of celebrity chefs - the holy grail of haute cuisine, if you like.

IT used to be that sitting on a high stool at a bar counter to consume anything other than a beer and a burger or Japanese cuisine, was a serious deviation from the culinary norm, and certainly not the most obvious setting for a refined dining experience.

THE contract to build the Sports Hub was finally signed, sealed and delivered late on Wednesday. The bank loans are in the bag. Construction will begin next month at long last.

ON MONDAY, the US Open, the final grand slam of the season, gets underway, presenting a last chance of glory for the world's best tennis players.

GOLFERS from 25 top local firms are preparing to tee off next Wednesday in The Business Times Corporate Golf League's third round on Singapore Island Country Club's (SICC's) Sime course, and at the almost halfway mark in this inaugural competition, only 13 points separate the first and 10th spots on the league's ladder.

(WASHINGTON) Gasoline misers such as the Toyota Prius would get an 'A-' while muscle cars - including the Ferrari 612 - would get a 'D' under a labelling programme proposed by the Obama administration, which wants to convince consumers to buy vehicles that use less energy.

(DETROIT) Chrysler on Monday told 400 dealers about its plans to bring the Fiat brand back to the US after a 30-year absence, starting with the Fiat 500 mini- car later this year.

(NEW DELHI) Honda Motor Co plans to increase car dealerships by 28 per cent in India and will boost advertising to reverse flagging sales as it introduces its lowest-priced car next year.

WHEN a brand has a Chinese name and is manufactured in China, you can bet that it isn't going to be easy for it to go global - the 'made in China' tag, after all, is often associated with a lack of quality. But maybe all that's needed to clear those hurdles are some good shoes . . . as is the case with Feiyue.

VALENTINO has long been known for couture gowns in its signature scarlet and luxurious bags decorated with extravagant leather rosettes. But high-top sneakers with thick, stitched rubber soles? Surprise, surprise - you can now count those among its wares too.

NEW YORK-based Matthew Campbell Laurenza - of MCL marque - had to wing the design and production of the opulent L'Ange de la Foret necklace in less than two months, but it was for a good cause - for the environment; primarily, birds.

MANAGEMENT executive Juliana Ong, in her 30s, was already attending bootcamp classes three to four times a week, but keen to get more out of her fitness regime, and continue to lose weight, she's signed up for Power Plate classes.