What makes some of these local or global creatives tick? In this weekly column, Anuj Sharma — Marriott International’s Area Director of Operations — shares his favourite things.
1. Travel: The travel bug bit me at an early age, a result of my father sharing travel photos documented over the years as a freelance photographer covering major sports events in Asia. The souvenirs and keepsakes bought for my siblings and me from his overseas adventures cemented my affinity for travel.
I truly believe travel is the best form of social learning – having lived and worked in nine countries, I feel fortunate that my career has given me these opportunities to explore culture, cuisine, language, and above all, self-exploration through life lessons garnered while traversing the globe.
2. His Pets: My childhood photos were never without Whisky, my trusted four-legged sidekick (his name was bestowed by my father, a tribute to his love for the Scottish drink). Later in life, when I had a place of my own, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to have my own furry children, Max and Milo.
Having both of them has added so much fun, substance, excitement, and purpose to my busy life. To come home to wagging tails (well, at least from Milo) and excited jumps after a long day at work is therapeutic, a sure way to wash away any stress the day throws at you.
Although I have been separated from them for a while, they will always be family.
3. Cooking: Growing up, social gatherings with family and friends in our home were (almost) a weekly affair and a way of life. Coming from an Indian family, almost every festival or ritual is centered around my father cooking up a feast and entertaining as the patriarch of the extended family. His penchant for food and friends rubbed off on me and I ended up in the hospitality industry.
I find cooking exciting not only for the opportunity to experiment with new recipes but for the camaraderie it brings – the ability to connect with my friends and host them over a home-cooked meal.
4. Cycle Tours: This is a new passion of mine. Living in an urban city like Singapore comes with its fair share of perks, one of them being amazing biking tracks and routes. This newfound interest keeps me fit and sane and is also a way to burn all those calories earned throughout the week.
It is also a great way to connect with the community and explore some of the sights this coastal nation has to offer.
5. His Family: Everything good in me could be attributed to my family. Being the youngest in the family meant receiving the bulk of adulation from the family, but most importantly, I got their best efforts in parenting as well. With a considerably larger age gap, my elder siblings treated me like their own son, and I benefited from the joys of getting spoiled.
My family is the cornerstone of my moral and emotional support network – one that I rely on for all the major decisions in my life. Having lived 22 years as an expat away from “home”, I have come to realize the importance of having close-knit family members that will always be there for you, no matter the time of the day.
6. Jazz Music: I work in a relatively energetic and fast-paced environment. Nothing spells relaxation better than coming home to some subtle bosa nova or smooth jazz tunes. I was introduced to this genre while I was at a university in California and a colleague of mine presented me with my very first jazz CD as a birthday gift. It was love at first sound – the likes of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, how these amazing artistes performed most of their music live and impromptu.
They even inspired me to pick the saxophone – let’s just say they were born to do it, and I am still a work in progress. Nevertheless, my appreciation for this genre of music continues by growing my collection of vinyl records from these musical legends, where many evenings have been spent bathing in these soulful sound baths.
7. Motorbiking: It was this young boy’s dream to ride and feel the breeze while cruising on a full-throttle motorbike. On an open road with nothing but speed and freedom – it is how I made space for the soul. Being astride on various brands (from Honda to Kawasaki to Yamaha) ultimately resulted in a chance to design my own custom-built Bobber.
Collaborating with a like-minded and passionate biking fan from Bali, we spent days sketching up a design of my dream bike, complete with a hand-hammered fuel tank, custom-built exhaust, and a reclaimed front spring-suspension. It saw the coming together of old and new, a representation of what Bali was. It was a truly unique bike and a reflection of my spirit of riding with freedom.
It may not have been the best mode of transport for those rainy Bali days, but it is a possession I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Once you’re done with Anuj Sharma’s obsessions, click here to catch up with our May 2022 issue!
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