ELLuminate - Tourist Guide - Singapore

05/04/2019

WHO SAYS TRADITIONAL ARTS ARE BORING?

Check out the marriage of digital technology & traditional arts...
And contemporary updates to traditional tales, music & art forms!

The revamped Stamford Arts Centre is celebrating its opening weekend (5-7 Apr) with a myriad of free performances & VR-based experiences!

If walls could speak, this building would make your eyes pop with the stories it could tell!
It began life as an elementary school for the thriving Japanese community based around Middle Road in the early 1900s...
Then, during the Japanese Occupation, was made over into the Syonan First Peoples’ School...
Eventually becoming the Stamford Girls' School after World War 2 (when the Japanese had to leave).

Since 1994, this elegant building has been gazetted for conservation & is now home to various arts groups.

01/04/2019

FOOD LOVER'S JOURNEY THRU TIME:

Can you name 5 Singaporean brands representing our F&B (food & beverage) industry?
What interesting stories behind these brands & their founders can you tell?
How has the brands' packaging changed over the decades?

Discover all these & more at the National Museum's newest exhibition -- 'Packaging Matters'!

During the opening weekend (6 & 7 Apr), enjoy local dishes & craft products at the pop-up market...
Watch a movie by the award-winning local director, Royston Tan...
Try your hand at designing your own logo on a tote bag or glass bottle...
All to the strains of music from live performers!

Graphic of the activities/schedule available in the Comments.

See you there!

Join us for a fun-filled weekend of activities to celebrate the opening of the exhibition, as part of the Singapore Heritage Festival!

21/03/2019

BEDOK: BE AMUSED... NOT BEMUSED!

Ever wondered what the name "Bedok" refers to?
Yes, it's one of the neighbourhood precincts in the east of Singapore...
But what does the name mean?

Find out at the Open House event this weekend!

There are programmes galore: photo exhibitions, guided tours, activities for children...
And best of all... a free performance about our hawker food & ! Aptly named " Dreaming"!

All happening on 22-24 Mar, from 2pm to 9:30pm, at the Bedok Town Square (as part of the Singapore Heritage Festival).

If you're game, you might even want to hop onto Bus #222 or Bus #30 from the Bedok Bus Interchange...
And take a whirl around the estate while keeping your eyes peeled at various bus stops...
Because special info panels are already set up at these, sharing less-known stories of the spots!

P.S.: Bedok might have been named after small fishing boats called 'biduk' that used to ply the waters off the eastern coastline.

SHF2019

17/03/2019

WHO LIVES HERE?

Witches? Bohemian artists? A rich Chinese businessman?

In fact, this was a CDC facility!
(CDC: Communicable Disease Centre, Singapore)

This gorgeous bungalow along Moulmein Road was built in the 1920s by a prominent Hakka Chinese goldsmith's shop owner, who unfortunately died bankrupt...
And ill with tuberculosis -- an interesting connection with the subsequent function of his residence, to be revealed later...

By the 1950s, the house was acquired by the government & became one of the medical facilities associated with Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Today, while you might be happy to work in this lovely wedding cake of a building, you certainly wouldn't want to be a visitor...
For this property has been the Control Unit for more than 60 years!

Why not take an exploratory walk along Moulmein Road & see how many other intriguing buildings catch your eye?
(There are lots! And all with fascinating stories associated with them!)

17/02/2019

THAT'S TOTALLY BANANAS!

UNESCO

Can you count how many bananas there are on this plant? Like all bananas, the Musa ‘Thousand Fingers’ is a relative of gingers, and you can find it our Ginger Garden. Its cache of mini seed-filled bananas will grow until it reaches the ground. http://bit.ly/2MB93W6

Come down to the Ginger Garden to find out about the Thousand Fingers Banana and other ginger relatives! https://bit.ly/2rZzATR

Photo credit: Jana Leong-Škorničková

15/02/2019

DEEP DESPERATE DECISIONS

in 1942, in the depths of this bunker complex beneath Fort Canning Hill...
Allied commanders decided to surrender Singapore to the Japanese...
Because of their assessment that dwindling fuel & water supplies made continued fighting untenable.

With this decision, Singapore became part of the Japanese empire...
And was renamed Syonan-to (Light of the South).

To remember the importance of taking personal responsibility in national defence, 15 Feb is designated Total Defence Day in Singapore.

Battlebox

02/02/2019

SHINING A LIGHT ON ZUBIR SAID:
*Key up the volume on the video*

You might have heard/read that Singapore's national anthem was composed by Zubir Said...
But did you know that this country lad from Sumatra sailed to Singapore without his father's permission?
Because a sailor told him that luxuries were common here... Luxuries such as glittering lights & Kopi Susu (milk coffee)!

Zubir Said became well-known for writing songs & background music for movies.
These were films produced by Shaw Studios & -- movie companies that still own many of the cinemas in Singapore.

Light & sound shows projected on buildings around the Civic District this month (8pm-midnight) highlight less-known stories of Singaporeans & our history.
Check out the Light To Night Festival website below for all the details!
www.nationalgallery.sg/festivals/light-to-night-traces-and-echoes #

Cathay Cineplexes Singapore Bicentennial

06/11/2018

HAPPY DEEPAVALI!

Light up your life... and all your senses!

31/10/2018

DOWN BY THE RIVER...
..Is where there's magic!
And laughter!
And good food under the stars!

Swing by the waterfront at Clarke Quay's Central this Fri or Sat evening (2 & 3 Nov) to join the fun -- at the Singapore River Festival!

30/10/2018

CLEAN & GREEN... & BLUE TOO:

If you've ever wondered why Singapore's so clean...

Beyond the whys & hows delineated in the BBC article, most people aren't aware that all surface water that runs into our drains eventually ends up in our reservoirs...
Since that's how we use 2 thirds of our land surface for water catchment.

So keeping the environment clean ensures that our water supply remains as free of pollutants as possible...
And reduces the need for excessive treatment processes to purify water to the sparkling potable liquid that can gush straight from our taps into our mouths!

Who needs Evian when our tap water's just as pure?
Help keep our streets clean & we won't need bottled water!
Let's raise a glass to using less plastic!

Keeping an island nation absolutely spotless

27/10/2018

ROAD RUNNER:

Get the chance to run on the road!
Or enjoy traditional Chinese music performances...
Or pick up local street food...

During this Car-Free Weekend, the roads around Telok Ayer will be pathways to cultural/heritage pursuits on Sat...
While the large field next to Connaught Drive (imaginatively named 'Padang', the Malay word meaning 'field') will play host to myriad sporting/active lifestyle options on Sun.

Telok Ayer will be a haven for heritage lovers during - you can enjoy Nanyin performances by Siong Leng Musical Association or try your hand at street games from the past.

If you're feeling a little tired, take a free trishaw ride down memory lane, courtesy of the folks from Cycling Without Age! 😁

Visit ura.sg/carfreesundaysg for all the details on .

24/10/2018

WHEN LOOKING FOR DATES IN SINGAPORE...

The fruit section of a local supermarket offers options... 😜

11/10/2018

SUSTAINABILITY IN SINGAPORE:

Do you aim for a sustainable, low-plastic lifestyle?
But hate how paper straws disintegrate in your mouth?
And need sturdy huge straws to slurp up those addictive pearls/boba in your bubble tea?

Rejoice! A Singaporean company is coming to your rescue!
RWDC is a local start-up that's developed biodegradable plastic & aims to become one of the world's largest producer of plastic straws by the end of next year.

There you go! You'll soon be able to enjoy your favourite chunky teas & smoothies guilt-free!

A local biotech start-up that makes eco-drinking straws has closed a US$13 million (S$18 million) Series A2 funding round.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

26/09/2018

YUAN YANG : Fancy a sip of Mandarin Ducks?

What have water fowl got to do with the price of tea, you may ask! Or coffee, for that matter.

Picture the male Aix galericulata, who smites your senses with his psychedelic plumage. But who also hovers devotedly by his mate of subdued brown & cream.

Seen in pairs, an alchemical marriage produces a soothing visual that is saved from blandness by highlights of colour.

An apt metaphor for a drink in which the strong bitter acidity of coffee has been smoothed out by the milky comfort of tea - Yuan Yang (literally, "Mandarin Ducks").

So how difficult can it be to mix coffee & tea, you may ask... Think again! A really good cup of Yuan Yang comprises very specific (and highly-secret!) proportions of coffee & tea.

Aficionados maintain that one shouldn't detect the discrete tastes of coffee or tea in a well-brewed, authentic Yuan Yang. Rather, the flavour should be an amalgamation that's unique -- akin to how a good banana muffin is more than merely a mixture of butter, flour & fruit.

Perhaps it's time to start a quest, a trail of discovery... to find the best Yuan Yang in Singapore!

14/09/2018

DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD:

So much for that hoary admonition not to mess about with our food! 😂

If the crowds & noise around the city centre get too much for you during this F1 race weekend, why not seek refuge with the wildlife at the zoo?

04/09/2018

MARVEL AT SAND GIANTS:

Give in to your inner child & revel in the sand!
Turn your dreams into fantastic sand sculptures through sand-sculpting workshops...
Or simply walk amongst the MARVEL-lous giants: Thor, Hulk, Iron Man and many others!

Sentosa Sandsation: 1-16 Sep 2018 at Siloso Beach

Sentosa (Official) Marvel

03/09/2018

IN OUR OWN WORDS:

Discover Singapore through the voices of local writers...
On the cheap! At only $2 per book!

Order online, or head down to 28 Sin Ming Lane, #06-131.
Sale ends 7 Sep!

From academic heavyweights, non-fiction treasure troves to powerful fiction and poetry – this out-of-print sale will be your best steal of September! Every remaindered Ethos book sells at a flat rate of $2! (Selected Ethos books will also be on 50%++ discount~)

02/09/2018

LOVE IN THE CITY:

Overcoming romantic hurdles in Singapore...
Meeting the rest of the family & visiting your partner's home...
Happily ever after...
It's not just scenes out of Crazy Rich Asians! 😝
Have a look at the romantic dramas unfolding at our zoo!

31/08/2018

EDIBLE ORCHIDS:

Visit the National Orchid Garden in Singapore's 1st UNESCO World Heritage Site & you're likely to be dazzled by the sheer variety of flowers that fall within this family of plants.
But what is more fascinating is the unexpected places that you'd find orchid species...
Especially in your !

If you're purist... a connoisseur who needs to see the tiny flecks of vanilla bean in your ice-cream...
Then you're an orchid lover!
Because a vanilla pod is the fruit of an orchid species - Vanilla planifolia!

Furthermore, if it's not just any vanilla ice-cream, but Turkish dondurma that you particularly crave...
Then your favourite incorporates yet another orchid species & plant part!

Turkish ice-cream is chewy & sticky because it contains the dried, powdered bulb of members of the Orchis genus.
When the ice-cream is repeatedly beaten & stretched, the glucomannan (a carbohydrate present in large quantities within Orchis spp. bulbs) becomes arranged into an organised network...
Resulting in an elastic mass that doesn't melt easily.

Curious about other unexpected uses of ? Why not visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens to find out?

UNESCO

30/08/2018

WATER MUSIC:

If you've strolled by the Marina Bay Sands waterfront at 8pm or 9pm, you'd have seen -- the free daily light & sound extravaganza.

But head over this Sat evening (1 Sep) & there'll be much more!
Enjoy live band performances by musical talent from the region, whilst taking in the magnificent skyline & the gorgeous 360° view at the Event Plaza!

1 Sep Line-up:
1915h-1945h -- SOBS
*2000h Spectra
2015h-2045h -- Astronauts
*2100h Spectra
2115h-2155h -- Hoody

27/08/2018

AIRPORT ATTRACTION:

In which airport can you...
Walk through 700+ of various species, including Singapore's national flower?
Watch blockblaster movies such as Thor & The Last Jedi for free 24/7?
Discover more about culture through a musical performance & museum visit?
All without leaving the transit area?

At Singapore's Changi Airport, you might want to check in more than 3h early, simply to access the transit area to do all the above!

It's probably also the only airport in the world where local residents visit in the weekends, complete with babies in prams & grannies...
To enjoy the diverse food & shopping options, and for the kids to play at the giant slide in the public area!

So... the next time you're at this airport, plan to spend some extra time there!

26/08/2018

GLAMOROUS LIVING:

Art Deco architecture that evokes the glamour of travel by steamships & airliners...
Housing precinct affordable only to European families & educated Chinese in the 1930s...
'Den of Beauties' where wealthy businessmen housed their mistresses in the 1950s...
Home to elegant cheongsam-clad cabaret girls working at the nearby Great World Amusement Park...
And now, the foremost hipster estate filled with popular cafes & boutiques.

Dress up in your classiest togs & come explore Tiong Bahru...
Where you'll fit right in as you hear about this precinct's less-well known glamorous history!

Picture credit: Billy Ma

24/08/2018

FLOWER EMPOWER:

Who doesn't love discounts?
Especially when paired with the chance to shop local & support businesses led by women!

Indulge your inner shopaholic guilt-free... because 5% of the sales proceeds go to the HCSA Dayspring programme (that works with ex-offenders & abused females).

Beauty and The Biz – A Sale Extraordinaire is a 3-day boutique sale event that brings together a curated mix of Singapore homegrown, women-led businesses across women’s beauty and fashion, bags and accessories and children’s apparels, toy and accessories. Expect marked down prices on past coll...

24/08/2018

STORIES PAST & PRESENT:

Have you ever wondered at the stories that are waiting to be uncovered as you walk by a building?
Especially a building clad in eye-catching azure hues & gracious proportions...
Such as the one at 42 Waterloo Street -- a bungalow located in what used to be the heart of the Eurasian enclave.

In the early 1900s, such bungalows were common along Waterloo, Queen & Bencoolen Streets...
Seated within compounds shaded by massive trees & faced by gates bounded with stone pillars...
With chickens or turkeys running about the grounds!

Of the various Eurasian households living within this enclave, 1 name preominated -- de Souza...
And the bungalow at 42 Waterloo Street was home to a family of that name too in 1909.
Over the decades, its residents included a member of the Singapore Municipality, and a winner of the Straits Times' 1953 "Pick The Brides" contest!

By the 1970s though, this building had been sold & used as the premises for business.
It's now owned by the government & leased to arts groups, with the current resident being Centre 42 (which promotes text-based works).

Come explore an example of early 20th century architecture this weekend, through the Late Night Texting programme.
No, this isn't about tapping on your mobile phones in the dark...
Rather, it's a series of engaging short plays that deal playfully with love, local street theatre, life in Singapore over the decades, and performed in a variety of local languages.

Check out the website for timings & details:
http://centre42.sg/lnt2018/

23/08/2018

LIGHT SHOWS:

Giant illuminated horses moving dreamily with strangely-dressed Venetians...
Duelling lords flinging crackling bolts of electricity...
Live band performances...
Interactive installations that marry art with science...
Dance, wrestling & fire shows...
All these & more during this upcoming 2nd weekend of the Singapore Night Festival!

Check out the website for performance timings & locations:
www.nightfestival.sg/programmes

Photo credits: Singapore Night Festival

20/08/2018

SHEEP & COWS AT THE MOSQUE:

In the heart of stands this eye-catching green mosque...
Which explains why the adjacent thoroughfare is named Mosque Street.

Milkman's Mosque is one of the many names by which this house of worship is known...
Because cows used to be milked in the street outside!

But why the presence of cattle, and why within Chinatown?
It's because, in the process of establishing the new trading port & town of Singapore, the British authorities settled the Indian community next to where the Chinese lived (i.e.: Chinatown)...
Both by the Singapore River.

This mosque was therefore built in 1835 to cater to the needs of the Tamil Muslims staying in the area...
And cows were reared to produce the milk used in Indian cuisine.

On 1 day every year, sheep too will be found within the mosque's compound...
And this year, that day falls on 22 Aug (Wed)!

The occasion is Aidiladha, more commonly known as Hari Raya Haji.
The former refers to the Feast of Sacrifice - remembering the lamb given to Ibrahim (Abraham) in place of his son Ismail (Ishmael)...
Whereas the latter name refers to the Haj (as the festival marks the last day of the Mecca pilgrimage).

A key part of the religious observance is the opportunity for believers to purchase a sheep, which will be slaughtered in the mosque that day in a manner prescribed in the Koran.
This is the korban ritual (i.e.: sacrifice).

The donor of the sheep gets to keep a third of the meat... one third is given to friends & family... and the rest given to the poor & needy.

In Singapore, the is performed only in designated mosques, of which there are 26 this year...
And this green mosque, Masjid Chulia, is one of them.

"Masjid Chulia" translates to Chulia Mosque...
And the were South Indian Muslims hailing from the Coromandel Coast.
If you'd like to discover more about this community, trot over to the mosque for a visit!
You won't get to see any cow or sheep though... not even on ... as the korban ritual is not open for public viewing.

Photo credit: Masjid Jamae (Chulia)

20/08/2018

JAZZ UP LOCAL FAVES:

From "Rasa Sayang" to "Bengawan Solo"... "Jingkli Nona" to National Day tunes...
Enjoy these local/regional songs that we grew up with in Singapore... all jazzed up!
And all for free!

National Library Board, Singapore Jazz Association - SG

19/08/2018

OF FLYING BREAD & MELTING POTS:

Twirl left... twirl right...
Twitch fold flap... Sizzle... Flip!
Such is the artistry & theatrics involved in serving up a batch of roti prata -- a sight not to be missed, but often overlooked.

As with many Singaporean dishes, roti prata is a fine example of what happens when food migrates & grows up in a multicultural land.
And what an odd child it is!

The Indian community in early Singapore hailed mostly from the southern part of the subcontinent, where rice is the staple diet...
Which accounts for this grain's central role in the majority of our local Indian dishes.

But here we have roti prata that is made from wheat flour -- more commonly a staple in Northern Indian cuisine.

Even the name is a mishmash, for Indian roti refers to unleavened bread baked without oil or fat... whereas paratha (or S. India's porota) is made by layering the dough with ghee & various stuffings.

It's thought that Indian Muslim traders & migrants brought parathas & porotas to the cultural melting pot that was early Singapore...
Resulting in the local incarnation made by stretching the ghee-covered dough as it is twirled into a tissue-thin layer...
Then repeatedly folded to form layers laminated by the fat.
Very much like puff pastries or croissants, in principle.

After being fried on an oily griddle, what's produced is a popular breakfast dish that's crispy & flaky on the outside... and deliciously chewy & soft on the inside...
Perfectly paired with tangy spicy curry!
What types of curry? A smorgasbord of varieties are available -- mutton, fish, vegetable...

This plain version of roti prata (i.e.: flour, water & ghee) is known locally as 'roti prata kosong' -- a chimaerical name where 'kosong' is the Malay word for 'empty'.

Traditionally, the alternative version of roti prata comes with an egg cracked on top of the dough while it is being fried on the griddle, with the edges of the dough then folded in to cover the egg.
The result? A softer flatbread with egg sandwiched within... simply known as 'egg prata'.

By the late 1990s, a diverse family of offspring had grown from these 2 humble parents.

All sorts of weird & wonderful fillings have been added, giving rise to cheese prata, chocolate prata, chicken meat floss prata, and even durian prata!
You'd also be able to find Tissue Prata at the best stalls -- a microscopically-thin & crispy version that's rolled into a cone and drizzled with evaporated milk & sugar.

This, then, is fusion food at its best in Singapore!

18/08/2018

UNEXPECTED COUSINS:

Which of the drinks in the pictures is the odd one out?
Trick question. 😆
All of them are produced by one of Singapore's oldest beverage manufacturers...
A company that started out as a printing firm!

John Fraser (financier) & David Neave (printer) owned the Singapore & Straits Printing Office.
In 1883, they also founded the Singapore & Straits Aerated Water Company, which was later renamed Fraser & Neave Ltd. (F&N).
The company manufactured soda water, tonic water, ginger ale, and other popular beverages supplied to hotels & clubs.

Over the decades, F&N's soft drinks (especially the orange squash) have found a nostalgic place in the memories of most Singaporeans, being the childhood sweet treat offered during festive occasions.

But what of Tiger Beer? How is the tiger a cousin of the Red Lion (the icon used to identify F&N's signature orange squash)?

In 1931, F&N set up Malayan Breweries in partnership with Heineken, giving birth to the iconic Tiger Beer.
The brewery was renamed Asia Pacific Breweries in the 1990s, and is open for visits & tasting sessions.

To mark the centenary of a company that's older than most Singaporean brands, an isotonic drink was launched by F&N in 1983, called 100Plus.
So... yet another unexpected liquid cousin!

Isn't it amazing how the everyday products that surround us harbour such hidden stories & connections?
How many others are waiting to be uncovered through a simple tour of the supermarket?

Photo credit: F&N Foods

F&N Tiger Beer