Dutch artist Frances Alleblas, 42, had an open house at her home and studio (Block 2 Woking Road, 02-03). She shared that she moved to Singapore in 2002 with her husband, who teaches philosophy at SMU and SIM. Of her home, she said: "I still remember the first time I walked into the estate. It was a marvellous little oasis of jungle in a rapidly developing city. My mind instantly felt calm and I knew I had to live here." The other big draw is what she calls "a real sense of community. It feels like a village."