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road tunes

Alfred Sung

For this Canadian designer, relaxing weekend countryside drives are in fashion with a chic playlist evoking nostalgia for his happy student days in New York.

Who: Alfred Sung, a Chinese-Canadian designer of home décor, fragrance, accessories and fashions for men and women.

His wheels: "I have a 2007 Mercedes Benz E350, 4matic, black on black with a sunroof."

His most memorable drives:

"Since I got my license, I've never driven the highway, but I love to drive to the country from Toronto, and I always go with friends. I sit in the passenger side and like to be driven. I love trips east to Port Hope. It's a simple route, an hour and a half stretch. Driving in Toronto is so much like New York or Hong Kong, it's so crowded, so when you're out in the country it's a welcome change, it's so quiet. We go to inns, antiquing, shop around. Sometimes I pack a nice picnic basket so we can eat under the trees."

"I also love to go to Langdon Hall [a Cambridge, Ontario country house hotel and spa]in summertime for afternoon tea. It's a nice drive, my friends drive me and we go out for a nice day, I celebrate summer because once you're out in the country all you see along the drive is just green forever, and, especially if there are no clouds, only blue sky, it's just like a picture. I even like going there in wintertime. One time I went there with friends, sat by the fire and played Scrabble. We ate home-baked cookies and everything."

His playlist:

(1) Go West

"I like all of the songs from the Pet Shop Boys' Very album, but this one I listen to in the summertime and it brings back memories of early '90s. I remember then I owned a [Mercedes]convertible 560 SL and I'd put that CD in and it just made me happy."

(2) What the World Needs Now is Love

"I listen to Dionne Warwick with Burt Bacharach because their music was popular in the late '60s early '70s and I was still living in New York City as a student and I guess those feelings bring back memories when you're young."

(3) Ode to Joy

"I listen to Debussy, Mozart and Beethoven by any orchestra, and I like this song on the drive. I like its sophistication, its innocence, its spirit."

(4) Harem

"I love this title track from soprano singer Sarah Brightman's 2003 CD; it's exotic and poetic."

(5) Moon River

"I listen to the pianist Danny Wright and piano music of movie theme songs. I like the luxurious sounds and I like to be relaxed when I'm driving. And this is the song from the Real Romance CD I actually have in the car right now."



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