Author: Mai WenYi

As one of the newly reopened permanent galleries at the National Museum of Singapore, the Surviving Syonan Gallery hosts brand-new exhibitions to honour the Singaporeans who endured the tough period of time post-World War II and went on to see Singapore progress beyond the odds. More boring history? Not this time – the revamp has brought in new insight on life as it was during the Japanese occupation, with many details we’ve never heard of and artefacts from private collections. There’s a lot more to see than you think and with the benefit of free admission for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents,…

If you’ve got an upcoming four-day trip to Hong Kong and you’ve never been there before, we’re guessing you’d like to make the most of those days to have a unique and memorable experience. To make sure you do that and more, here’s a guide that highlights must-dos and useful tips in a few popular places that you’ll most probably want to visit. Day 1 – Disneyland We’ll let you know straight up: Disneyland’s not to be missed and you’ll need a full day to enjoy it properly. Here are five things to put on your to-do list while you’re there. 1. Take Pictures On…

Vinylicious is a special store hidden away in Peninsula Shopping Centre that sells — as the store name suggests — vinyl records. Well-stocked in many genres such as Pop, Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk, 80s Retro and even soundtracks from movies and TV shows, Vinylicious sees a range of customers from youths and older generations, both seeking nostalgia from a time long past. In this digital age, it’s refreshing to find that some people seem to prefer listening to music from these large discs, also known as LP (long play) records, which precede CDs and MP3 files. We visited the store to find out more about these…

From now till 23 April 2017, you can donate pre-loved shoes which are still in good condition to selected Clarks stores and get a 30% discount off a brand new pair of Clarks shoes, limited to two redemptions per customer. Clarks and The Salvation Army have teamed up for this dynamic charity drive where you can kill two birds with one stone by helping the less fortunate (who’ll receive your shoes) and being eco-friendly by reducing wastage. All shoe types are accepted except for slippers (so long as they are in good, usable condition) and only the Clarks outlets found at ION Orchard, Jem,…

Wanderlust and travelling: who hasn’t thought about just upping and leaving their day jobs in favour of exploring the world? Well, the decision to do that lies with you, but once you eventually make that choice (and have faith in your carefree, less responsible side), don’t forget a few buddies that you’ve got to bring with you on your trip. No, I’m not talking about people, so calm down you hardcore solo-travellers. Here are 10 transport apps that’ll make your trip around Asia a lot easier: 1. Japan Travel – Route, Map, JR (Japan) Japan has various train companies such as Japan…

The Little Mermaid has always been my all-time favourite Disney movie, and I blame it on my soft spot towards all things under the sea. Because of that, visiting the S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa was an awesome experience – check out some of the best moments you mustn’t miss while you’re there. Time Travel With Living Fossils It’s hard to imagine dinosaurs roaming the Earth alongside humans, even after watching Jurassic Park. When you try to think of any ancient animal that might precede those extinct reptiles, does a lot come to mind? And to think that right here at the…

Musician Carlos Santana’s Transmogrify Tour will be in town this 4 April 2017 at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre! His stop in Southeast Asia will only be for one night and, luckily for fans, will be held right here in Singapore. The world-famous master of the guitar’s last show in Singapore was in 2013 and was a booming, full-house success. Bearing that in mind, tickets which start at S$89+ are quite reasonable, and go all the way up to S$299+ for VIP tickets that include special souvenirs to commemorate the event. Besides enjoying Santana’s legendary rock and roll tunes, you’ll be glad…

Board and card games have always been a favourite pastime of mine (aside from dabbling in augmented reality whenever I get a chance), it all started with playing Monopoly and Uno from my childhood days. Now, there’s a chance to relive some of that joy with a newcomer to the card game industry: Demon Espionage. The goal of this three to six player game is to collect as many souls as possible, starting with a legitimate excuse to attack your friends in a fiery battle involving the most adorable monsters you’d never expect in a game with “demon” in its title. Not knowing which soul card you’re going…

All MasterCard cardholders can now rejoice when shopping with online marketplace, Qoo10 Singapore, as 2000 lucky shoppers will get to claim a $20 coupon package every Wednesday until 31 December 2017. The package will contain coupons with the following denominations: $2, $3, $5 and $10, each with their own minimum spending criteria and only redeemable if you use your MasterCard to pay. Do check out the other terms and conditions before going crazy on the buys; it’s important to note that the coupons will only last for 30 days after redemption and cannot be used on discounted items. While some of you may be tempted…

Running Hour is an initiative organised by Runninghour Co-operative Limited to promote a more inclusive culture for people with special needs. This year’s run will be taking place on 13 May 2017 at Bedok Reservoir Park. By signing up for this event, you’ll get to run blindfolded to experience how a person with visual disabilities would feel during such an activity. No need to worry about collisions – you’ll have a buddy who will guide you with the help of a tether. After covering a certain distance, you’ll both swap roles, so each of you gets a turn to run without sight. While the blindfolds…

“Fish are friends, not food,” the sharks in Finding Nemo recited dutifully – not that the same courtesy is extended back to them in real life. On Sharks & Humanity is a free exhibition highlighting the connection between humans and one of the most hunted marine animals in the world. From now till 26 June 2017, you can drop by Parkview Museum from 11am to 7pm daily to take a look at the artwork that aims to shed light on the industry that kills sharks for their fins. Most of the exhibits are centered around helping people realise the lack of humanity in the shark-hunting…

We can’t get enough of unusual and cool activities for travellers straying from the typical tourist path and if you’re like us, you’ll love the Airbnb App’s new Experiences feature. Now, you can choose from various local immersions to live and feel like a resident of any city as you stay in the homes of the locals themselves. While Experiences is targeted at travellers going overseas, there’s no reason for us not to have fun in Singapore with many entertaining local courses like bartending, pottery-making, analog photography, kueh-making and so much more; it’ll feel like a holiday! As it has always been with Airbnb, booking…

Forget museums with stationary exhibits – you’ve got to visit the Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum (LTTM) located within the iconic Chinese Gardens in Singapore. Owned by collectors Connie and Danny Tan, here’s where you’ll get to meet living exhibits in the form of cute, shelled animals that will follow you around as you pick up informative facts about them. At a very affordable admission fee of $5, it’s a great venue for family outings and dates. Fans of wildlife parks and mildly curious visitors will enjoy the museum like we did. And to get you started, we’ve got a few recommendations on how to make your visit a…

Enjoying a full Japanese spa experience in Singapore has never been easier given the extraordinary range of services found at Ikeda Spa. It incorporates Japanese facilities and techniques in their bath, massages, facials and other beauty treatments. When we saw what the spa had to offer, we couldn’t resist finding out more. Check out these key picks you that you could gratify yourself with when you spend a day there. Hinoki Onsen The first stop is definitely their special onsen lined with wood from hinoki trees, which are usually used in Japanese incense. The hinoki wood releases special oils into the water and is said to…

It’s every gamer’s dream come true – you can now attend school for DotA 2, thanks to Singapore’s Cybersports & Online Gaming Association (SCOGA). SCOGA will hold a course for this famous Multiplayer Battle Online Arena (MOBA) game this coming May 2017. DotA, which actually stands for Defense of the Ancients, was one of the games which popularised the MOBA genre, alongside Warcraft III. Since DotA started out as a community-made game based on modifications of Blizzard’s Warcraft III characters, you can see why it was well-received. Following that line of thought, the DotA 2 course is also structured with the help…