Who: Ms Caryn Tang, 57, is a wine and water sommelier, having undertaken the water sommelier programme at Germany’s Doemens Academy in July 2021. She now offers Essence Of Water appreciation courses at the Shatec Institutes, where she serves as a wine educator. She has a level four diploma in wines from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which is the world’s largest wine education organisation. As a water sommelier, she helps clients choose the best drinking water, whether it is for a meal or to go with coffee or wine.

“I had a very special New Year’s weekend in Salzburg, Austria, with my Austrian husband Franz Lanthaler, 58, director of the Brotzeit restaurant chain. It had been a while since I spent Christmas with my in-laws, indulging in traditions such as feasting on goose and bread dumplings while sipping gluhwein (hot spiced wine).

One perfect weekend I had in 2023 was in early October, when I had the opportunity to enjoy both my passions of water and wine. I was in Vienna learning more about water with other like-minded enthusiasts from around the world.

I also harvested grapes – specifically of the Muskateller and Zweigelt varieties – for the first time at Domane Roland Chan in the Wachau Valley. This is a famed and beautiful wine region in Austria, which happens to be a Unesco World Heritage site.

Adding to the perfection of the day was the sunny and warm weather, which you cannot take for granted at that time of year and in that part of the world.

Of course, most of my weekends are spent in Singapore, rather than in beautiful Austrian landscapes. Nevertheless, I do what I can to make each weekend as close to perfect as possible. For instance, I relish waking up later without the sound of alarm clocks or Asian koel birds.

Taking long, late afternoon walks at East Coast Park is particularly invigorating and helps clear my mind.

When the sun sets, I love going out with friends to explore different dining concepts.

The latest interesting find is Berlin65 in Stanley Street. The relaxed and devil-may-care vibe plus the relatable food flavours will draw us back again for sure.

I also enjoy solving jigsaw puzzles when I have free time during my weekends. It is a hobby I have cherished since childhood. It began with receiving them as Christmas gifts, and I still love redoing them, often comparing completion times on different days.

This mental exercise is my way of keeping my mind active. I’ve learnt that when a piece fits correctly, the brain releases dopamine, which leaves me with a satisfying and enjoyable feeling.

If I have any weekend-related resolutions for 2024, it would be to devote a bit more attention to my three-year-old Desert Rose plants. I want to learn how to prune and nurture them to full blooming glory.”