Author: Joey Tan

When you mention the word ‘Geylang’, the same few words tend to appear in people’s minds — from prostitution, all the way to dim sum. However, is Geylang really only about the red light district? This mindset is what Cai Yinzhou, the founder of Geylang Adventures, wishes to change. We joined a private night tour around the notorious yet misunderstood neighbourhood and discovered the different social dimensions and hidden perspectives of the area. The first stop was along one of the back alleys of Geylang, which seemed nothing too out of the ordinary. The tour guide, Yinzhou, then pointed out the concentration…

One of the most highly-raved about fireworks festival in the world, the Busan Fireworks Festival, will be back with a bang (pun intended) this 28 October 2017. Held annually in Busan, South Korea, the festival will be the 13th edition of the yearly event. Tens of thousands of colourful fireworks will be set off at the hour-long festival along Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge, and high-tech laser light shows will be showcased as well! Get a ticket for an S Grade Chair for 70,000 won (approx. S$85). For those looking for even better seats, go all out with the R Grade Table with Chair for 100,000 won…

If you’ve lived by the mantra YOLO,  the YOLO Run is for you and the highlight is to run shirtless for charity, on 11 November 2017! In case you’re a misinformed millennial, YOLO means “You Only Live Once”. Created by X-Change Republic (the run, not the term), the annual YOLO Run aims to encourage participants to liberate themselves and not care about what others would think. As this is the third rendition of the YOLO Run in Singapore, S$3 will be donated to Community Chest for every runner that races shirtless. The run consists of three categories, including 10km and 21km competitive races. For those who are more chillax, there…

Not many of us realise that we actually have some form of countryside in Singapore. That’s right, nestled deep within the silent back roads of Kranji is our very own Kranji Countryside. Well, at least it’s a countryside by Singaporean standards. If you’re worried about how ulu this place is, don’t fret. Going off the beaten path is made easier with the Kranji Countryside Express, a shuttle bus that ferries you around certain farms in Kranji. Here are three farms you can explore to get in touch with your country-side: 1. Hay Dairies Pte Ltd The younger generation may remember taking a school…

Following the runway success of the inaugural CENTRESTAGE, the four-day fashion trade show is back again this 6 – 9 September 2017 with a bang in Hong Kong, exhibiting a series of runway shows, networking events, designer competitions and seminars. Over 200 of the hottest local and international fashion brands, including Korean label DEW E DEW E and French label Edward Achour, will be presenting their work as the up-and-coming trends in the world of fashion, under three zones, namely GLAM, ALLURE and METRO. Another highlight will be the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest, where 15 chosen junior designers can showcase their designs and…

MUJI, everybody’s beloved minimalist Japanese lifestyle brand is expanding from being a mere retailer for home goods and lifestyle items — it is set to open its very first hotel in Shenzhen, China in late 2017, while the second hotel will be on home ground in Tokyo, Japan, opening in Spring 2019. The 10-storey hotel in Tokyo will be the first of its kind, set in Ginza district — it will be made up of a global flagship store that will take up the bottom six levels of the building, and the hotel rooms taking up the rest of the four levels…

I stumbled upon the Singapore Indoor Dog Agility Arena while exploring Marina Country Club one evening. Friends who know me would know that I’m an avid dog-lover, and I knew that I had to bring my furry pal to give this place a try. A quick Google search showed that the arena offered a weekly Agility Seminar and Workshop every weekend, at S$38 per dog. The one-hour session entails a basic introductory course to dog agility and guided use of selected obstacles. We arrived at the arena on a Saturday afternoon, eagerly waiting for the session to begin. The owner, Meow (cute name, right?) shared with…

This year, Ready Set Sail is back again and it promises to be bigger and better — get ready for Singapore’s very first largest foam and water gun party out at sea, on 26 and 27 August 2017. Organised by Clout Collective and Yolk Concepts, the tickets are going from as affordable as S$45 per person. On the first day, partygoers can participate in the very-first beer carnival out at sea. Then, from 10pm till dawn, the foam and water gun party will begin — get ready to feel young again as you run around spraying others with water guns. Local DJs will take the helm…

Hit by a wave of wanderlust as you get bored of your daily routine in Singapore? Then get ready to chiong for the ultimate travel fair at Travel Revolution 2017, happening at Marina Bay Sands this 4 to 6 August 2017. Organised by the Singapore Outbound Travel Agents Association, the sixth edition of Travel Revolution will feature awesome travel deals by various travel agents and vendors. Hosted by i-Weekly, there will also be more than eight informative travel workshops and performances that include learning about Norway, Finland and Bhutan. Additionally, you can buy some handcrafted goods by Wanderlust Market, organised by Fleawhere as you…

Animal lovers, this is for you: prepare to look cool AF with these cute cotton bags and travel pouches with cat designs. This non-profit Kickstarter project was started by the teams behind Causes For Animals, a local animal rescue shelter, and ididnotforgetouranniversary.com. Inspired by a stray cat named Tiger, the project aims to raise funds for stray animals and to promote animal welfare in Singapore. While Tiger was lucky to get adopted, the other strays living in Singapore aren’t as lucky. You can play your part in helping stray cats by funding and reaching the project’s goal of S$5,000 before 21…

A dance competition in Singapore that advocates a wholesome cause? Yes please. Show your support and attend Break Out: DanceWorks! 2017, happening on 29 & 30 July 2017 at *SCAPE. An annual dance competition organised by The National Council Against Drug Abuse and Central Narcotics Bureau, DanceWorks! 2017 is the finale of a series of events that have taken place in support of a Drug-Free Singapore. The two-day event aims to use dance as a way to encourage youths to have healthy and drug-free lifestyles. On 29 July, teams comprising eight to ten members will be competing, while on 30 July, there will be…

Most of us should already be acquainted with the likes of Lazada, Redmart or even Taobao — but last weekend I chanced upon a relatively new entrant into the e-commerce market, Vendetta.SG. Vendetta prides itself as a one-stop solution for novelty items suitable for all occasions. And me being a sucker for novelty products, of course had to order a few to try out. Thankfully, this is where Vendetta steps in, as a convenient e-commerce website that offers a variety of lifestyle and household products with a touch of quirkiness. I placed an order for a total of five items through…

Ready your weapons (water guns)! The Sinchon Water Gun Festival, taking place on 29 & 30 July 2017, will be the perfect occasion to beat the summer heat in Seoul, South Korea. For the fifth year running, the Sinchon Water Gun Festival is the largest festival of its kind in Seoul. With this year’s theme as “Aliens and Earthlings”, expect to be involved in an epic battle between “extraterrestrials” and “humans” with water guns, along with live DJ performances. The weather in Seoul is expected to hit higher than 30 degrees Celcius that week — and what better way to cool…

The second edition of the Iconic Water Festival is back with a huge splash this year at Wavehouse Sentosa! Organised by CLUB IICON and ION, this highly-anticipated beach party will be happening on 29 July 2017. The festival line-up consists of local as well as regional DJs, such as DJ Aof Pongsak and DJ Roxy June from Thailand, DJ Sunny from Korea, and DJ XIN from Taiwan. Tier 1 tickets are available at S$58 each, but for those who are ballin’, you can book a table (or two) in the special VVIP zone, priced at S$988, S$1,888 or S$2,888, along with free drinks…

In its ninth year running, the Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society Race Against Cancer is back again this 2017 at East Coast Park on 30 July. Organised by the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), the annual race aims to raise funds for its programmes and activities, such as the rehabilitation centre, youth programme and welfare aid. With the tagline “to minimise cancer and maximise life”, the race is open to people from all walks of life, who want to show their support to those who are affected by it. Though early bird registration may be over, don’t fret — standard registration is open until 16…