the Arriviste

OMG, Laneway, I love you. AKA, If you're into indie music, do not miss this show.

 

Image via singapore.lanewayfestival.com.au

Wow. So there aren't a lot of indie music shows that happen in Singapore, which is why I just about hyperventilated when I saw the Laneway Festival's 2013 line up: Gotye and Kimbra, Monsters and Men, Divine Fits, and--OMG, OMG--Poliça! Only the soundtrack of my entire year! Laneway, did you sneak into my house, steal my iPod, and build a festival around it? If yes, thank you. 

So, yeah, I'm excited. And if you're into indie music, hopefully you are too, because along with the bands above, other amazing, highly acclaimed acts like Alt-J, Bat for Lashes, and lots more will also be there on Jan 26.  It's going to be a good, good time. And because I like you so much, I made you a Laneway mix tape. Kind of.

Tickets are available at singapore.lanewayfestival.com.au.

 

 

Supreme relaxation: Spa Botanica

 

And we're back!  I'm so very sorry for the summer absence, and with no explanation provided.  Very rude of me, indeed.  It started innocently enough as a trip back to the Western Hemisphere to visit family and soon turned into an extended hiatus for a number of demanding reasons, principal among which is the start of a new job that is going to keep this arriviste away from blog posting for some time.  Sniff.  So we're back, but just for this post, at least not until we recruit some stellar contributing editors.  

But before I leave you again, I wanted to tip you off to Spa Botanica, a veritable oasis of relaxation.  Forty-five dollars gets you access to the spa's gorgeous grounds for the day, which include a warm water pool (top picture), a cold water pool (bottom picture), a mud bath (more luxurious than it sounds!), tennis courts and the wonderful, healthy Garden restaurant.  

The entrance fee is waived if you purchase a spa treatment, but they're a little on the pricey side.  But think about offsetting part of your entrance fee by skipping the cab to Sentosa, which can run more than $25.  Instead, pick up the spa's complimentary shuttle from the Paragon shopping center on Orchard Rd every two hours starting at 10am, or from Vivo City twice an hour on the 15 and 45 minute marks.  Happy spa-ing!

The Helipad Party

 

Top photo via dawningthoughts

It's the end of the month, lovlies, and you know what that means--the Swissotel The Stamford's helipad party is here again!  On the last Thursday of every month, Swissotel opens up its helipad for music and drinks way above the fray.  The drinks can be so-so but, but the breeze and 360-degree view from more than 70 stories up are spectacular.  And I think partying on a helipad is kind of a cool thing--call me easily impressed.

The helipad, accessed via the New Asia Bar,  is open from 8-10pm, and if you arrive before 8pm the $25 cover, which includes a drink is waived.  Plus you avoid the queue to the roof that that builds up later on.  At 10pm people head down to the New Asia Bar to finish the night out club-style.  It gets very busy, so book a table if you're inclined to stay.   

Swissôtel The Stamford, Singapore
2 Stamford Road
Singapore 178882

 

Is that a pink xiao long bao?!?

 Sichuan xiao long bao at Paradise Dynasty

Why, yes it is.

If you're an early reader of the Arriviste, you may know that I am a devotee of Chinese dumplings, but you're probably not aware of my deep love for spicy Sichuan cuisine, formed in Chengdu in 2009 on a panda-hugging excursion with Mr Arriviste.  We thought it was exceedingly amusing, and useless, that the local tourist map listed among its useful Chinese restaurant phrases "no mouth-numbing peppercorns, please." Let's just say that at our first lunch the joke was on us. But once we had recovered the feeling in our mouths, we actually developed a real appreciation for the tangy pique of Sichuan chili.

This pink dumpling, my friends, is the sublime marriage of two things I love, sichuan spice and xiao long bao.  Brimming with soupy, porcine, spicy peppercorn goodness, Paradise Dynasty's sichuan XLB is more than a gimmick, an accusation I leveled at it when the restaurant debuted its rainbow colored XLB in 2010--purple truffle! yellow cheese! green ginseng!  I was highly skeptical of any tampering with the XLB, which was already in my pantheon of perfect foods.  

But it turns out all of the flavored XLB are quite good, and the sichuan XLB is so good that I eat it once a week.  Head on over to Paradise Dynasty in Ion Orchard to try it for yourself, but expect to wait 30 minutes for a table at busy times.

2 Orchard Turn 
#04-12A ION Orchard 
Singapore 238801 
Tel: 6509 9118

11.00am – 10.00pm (Mon – Fri) 

10.00am – 10.00pm (Sat, Sun & PH) 

Last order 9.30pm

 

Walking around the colony

   

Walking amidst Singapore's beautiful colonial architecture is a great way to spend a day with visitors interested in local history, especially since Singapore's many colonial buildings house such interesting things: museums, hotels, churches.  Most guide books on Singapore will suggest a colonial walk--Fodors and DK have online itineraries--and there are so many well-preserved buildings you could run yourself ragged trying to see them all in this heat.  To spare you that unfortunate outcome, the Arriviste's itinerary, below, is an abridged one, perfect for spying some key sights without overtaxing oneself. And for those partial to itineraries with food breaks, like myself.

1. Fort Canning Park

 Pack yourself a nice little picnic--perhaps of DaPaolo Gastronomia's yum prepared food and desserts or Jones the Grocer's addictive cheeses and truffle honey--and head to lush and shady Fort Canning Park for lunch.  The hilltop park is home to a smattering of colonial relics, like the Gothic Gate pictured above and Singapore's largest WWII-era underground military complexes.  Oh, and some giant coins stuck in the grass. Tres sculpture garden.  It's a beautiful park and a perfect place for a sunny-day lunch on the lawn. And very well signposted with interesting historical facts.

2. National Museum of Singapore

Follow the signs just down the hill to the National Museum of Singapore, a stately neo-classical building originally home to the Raffles museum and library.  Singapore's oldest museum has taken a decidedly new approach to its exhibits, engaging visitors with the smells, sights and sounds of local history and culture.  You could easily spend a couple of hours here immersed in Singapore's past.

3. Armenian Church

If you're feeling energetic after your museum visit, wend your way over to the beautiful Armenian Church, Singapore's first Christian church, on the corner of Canning Rise and Hill St.

4. Raffles Hotel

Not so much energy?  Head directly over to the Raffles Hotel for a stroll through its leafy garden and whitewashed arcades, so evocative of a Graeme Green haunt.  The Long Bar, the provenance of the famous Singapore Sling, is generally overrun with tourists and the Sling apparently comes from a mix.  Poke your head in to say you've been and then head down to the 1920s style Empire Cafe for an iced tea.

6. The Fullerton Hotel

Or, if you can make it another 10 minutes for your drink, jump into a cab and head to the Fullerton Hotel, on the site of the old General Post Office and arguably Singapore's most elegant hotel.  The cool, quiet Post Bar will fix you a nice cocktail or have your drink quay-side in the dimming afternoon light at The Lighthouse.

And it's all mapped out right here.

Tanjong Beach Club: Hollywood chic Sentosa retreat

  Images courtesy of Tanjong Beach Club.

Oh the sun, the sand, the sangria, the cabanas! Stepping into retro-chic Tanjong Beach Club on Sentosa is like happening upon a very cool 1950's Los Angeles poolside retreat, and this arriviste, for one, cannot help but imagine herself a silver screen starlet lounging in Hollywood luxury the minute she settles into a beach bed. (Active imagination, I know!)  

During the week, the restaurant-slash-beach club is every bit the calm idyll you see in the pictures above. From Tuesday to Friday you can saunter right in, take your pick of spots, and order a fresh salad to go with that pitcher of mojitos.  But if a beach-side, DJ-fueled party is more up your alley, head to TBC on the weekends when Singapore's pretty young things come out in full force (and call ahead to reserve a comfy spot).

Whatever your preference--a quiet movie-star-off-duty day by the pool or weekend carousing with the party set--TBC doesn't disappoint.

Tanjong Beach Club

120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa, Singapore 098942

One day, two neighborhoods: Little India and Haji Lane

Top three pictures: Little India; the rest: Haji Lane. Second from bottom: A Thousand Tales. Bottom picture: Piedra Negra.

First, sorry for the lack of posts.  I've been waylaid by deadlines, illness, parties, etc, etc.  You know how it goes.  But I have managed to do a little exploring, and have just the thing if you're feeling the itch to experience more than obscenely-priced restaurants (I'm talking to you, Marina Bay Sands) and slick shopping malls.  A great way to absorb Singapore's famous multi-ethnic culture is to walk around Little India and Haji Lane, which both harken back to Old Singapore with their narrow lanes and shophouses in atmospheric decay.  In Little India, jewelry, saris, and knick-knack shops sit chock-a-block on the neighborhood's bustling streets. And in the Arab Quarter, the quaint Haji Lane has become host to lots of little boutiques. Though mostly stocked with dime-a-dozen "vintage" goods, there are some gems among them, like mid-century inspired furniture atelier A Thousand Tales. 

Start your day with lunch in Little India and then head over to Haji Lane for some browsing and an afternoon margarita.

1. Lunch is first on the agenda: Head to the fittingly-named Banana Leaf Apolo at 54 Racecourse Rd, one of Little India's most famous restaurants, for an Indian feast served on banana leaves.  If vegetarian is your thing, head instead to Kailash Parbat at the corner of Belilios and Serangoon roads.  This cool and inviting gem of a restaurant was introduced to me by none other than the lovely Notabilia, knower of all things interesting in Singapore, whose mother has been a fan for years.  Opt for the buffet.

2. Next , wander over to Serangoon Rd and walk against traffic to the corner of Dalhousie Lane, peeping into gold shops and sweet stalls as you go.  At Dalhousie you'll find the Little India Arcade, a maze of Indian goodies, from crafts to medicine. Done with the arcade? Walk around the surrounding lanes until you've had your fill.

3. Now you're off to Haji Lane.  Hop in a cab and have the driver drop you directly there.  The little street doesn't span more than a couple of blocks, so pick an end and start exploring.  Keep an eye out for hipster-ready clothes at K.I.N. and covetable furniture at A Thousand Tales.

4. If you're not totally exhausted after all the browsing, wander around the neighborhood a little more for a look at carpet shops and shisha spots and over to Singapore's oldest mosque, Masjid Sultan.

5. But if you're ready for a break, then trot on over to Piedra Negra for one of Singapore's best margaritas. You've earned it!

 

Urban Oasis: The Botanic Gardens

  
 Center photo: E. Stone. 

The Botanic Gardens, located about a kilometer west of the start of Orchard Road, is one of the most beautiful urban parks this arriviste has ever visited.  A tropical sanctuary from the shopping malls and hawker centers that often dominate visitors' itineraries, this 183 acre park is truly a lovely way to experience Singapore's tropical landscape.  Visit the orchid and ginger lily gardens, stroll through the rainforest trail or catch a free performance--anything from opera to big band--at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage on the weekends (see here for a schedule of events).  Enter at the Cluny Rd gate and pick up a bottle of water or a latte at cafe Casa Verde before setting out to explore.

 

An Itinerary: The best of Orchard Road

 On Pedder  

I generally try to avoid Orchard Rd at all costs.  The crowds, the overwhelming amount of merchandise, the underwhelming quality of it all.  But chances are if you're visiting Singapore, you'll find yourself here at some point.  So here are my suggestions to steer you away from the stores you see every day of your life and toward the Arriviste's top Orchard picks.

First rule: Do not go on a weekend afternoon, especially a Sunday.  You have been warned.

1. Get off to a pleasant morning start at TWG in ION Orchard, which sits atop the Orchard MRT stop, for tea and exquisite pastries.  Do not leave without trying the Napoleon macaron, lovingly described here.  But don't eat too much...

2. ...Because Thye Hong in Wisma Atria is your next stop for hokkein mee, fried Fujianese prawn noodles. On my first visit to Singapore I asked my wise friend Sue which hawker to choose, and she wisely replied, pick the one with the longest line.  And so began my love for Thye Hong's $4 hokkien mee.  If you like spicy, the sambal adds great flavor.  NB, other outlets are not as good as this one. 

Drinking on Emerald Hill

 

Ah, what a disappointment to find that the really good cocktail bars are few and far between in Singapore.  (Tippling Club reigns supreme, but having said that I still have The White Rabbit, Baretto and Drink Culture to cross off my list.  So much to drink, so little time!)  The bars on Emerald Hill, all housed in pretty little shophouses--thanks, allegedly and disappointingly, to the work of one property developer--don't solve this problem, but they do provide a totally pleasant environment to have a glass of rose, as pictured above, after a marathon day on Orchard Rd or on your way out to dinner.  Friends of this arriviste stick to Que Pasa, but prices aren't bad at No 5 either. 

An amble around Chinatown and its environs

 
   

Top: Shophouses in Chinatown.  Bottom: Thian Hock Keng Temple.

On my first visit to Singapore, having come from Hong Kong, I skipped Chinatown altogether.  What, I thought, would there be to see in Chinatown that I didn't already know very well from the real China? (Okay, Hong Kong isn't exactly real China, but you get my point).  Well, it turns out that Chinatown is one of the best places to see Singapore's distinctive shophouses.  The colorful low-rise buildings originated in 18th century colonial Singapore and traditionally housed the family business at the front and living quarters at the back. 

Here's a suggested itinerary that will give you your fill of shophouses and includes a food detor at the end (or perhaps the begining if you start hungry), as well as some distinctive shops and sights to pop into. 

The Chinatown MRT station is the closest stop to this itinerary. 

- Walk: Start at the corner of South Bridge Road and Temple Street and wander up and down Temple, Smith, and Sago streets, which are choc-a-bloc with food stalls, cheap market items and lots and lots of shophouses.  

- Shop: Head up Ann Siang Hill and around Club Street for independent boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

- Eat: If you're hungry (and not interested in your reward below), drop into PS Cafe, tucked at the end of Ann Siang Hill, for reliable, if pricey, continental food.  (New Yorkers: One look at the ground floor and you'll swear you stumbled into a Lower East Side bar, reproduction tin roof and all.)

- Walk and shop some more: Take a left out of PS Cafe and head through Ann Siang Park to Amoy St.  Wander up Amoy and over to Telok Ayer for a peep into the beautiful Thian Hock Keng Chinese temple.  Be sure to stop into Hide and Seek and the utterly sublime Doorstep Luxury for beautiful accessories from international designers (more on that to come!). [Update: Hide and Seek is now at 77 Bussorah St in the Arab Quarter.]

- And now your reward: the inimitable Chinese burger at Lau Pa Sat!

Hawker center standout: Rou jia mou, the Chinese burger

 



Above: Rou jia mou at Lau Pa Sat

We here at the Arriviste are no lovers of amateur food photography.  (And by “we” I mean “me”, because, after all, there’s only one person writing this blog. “We” does add an air of authority, though, and it seems to be a fashionable pronoun on the blogs these days, so I thought I'd try it out. Anyhoo.)  More often than not, non-professional, non-styled food photographs are utterly unappetizing.*

So I realize I’m taking a risk posting the above photo of rou jia mou, aka a “Chinese burger”, at the Lau Pa Sat hawker center, but its sheer deliciousness demands that it have its own picture.  I’m also about to festoon this post with clichés as I describe the said "burger", but that can’t be helped either.  These little sandwiches are bursting with flavor: piping-hot diced pork and herbs, drizzled with a light, savory sauce, and packed into a soft, floury bun. They are now on regular rotation on this arriviste's weekday lunch lineup.

Buyer beware: obsession may ensue.  Buyer also beware: If you get there at 1:30pm, they may be sold out and you’ll have to come back for the evening round.

Jia Xin Kitchen, #76 Lau Pa Sat Festival Market, 18 Raffles Quay

MRT: Raffles Place

www.laupasat.biz

*Arriviste muse and blogger extraordinaire Notabilia demonstrates food snapshots done right here, here, and here.

 

Afternoon tea, in high style

 
  
 

TWG is one of Singapore’s most recognizable, most elegant local brands and the fine tea house has a lovely, perhaps Singapore’s loveliest, afternoon tea at their boutique and salon in Ion Orchard.  You’ll find no gauche finger-food buffet here, but you will find a full menu, exquisite brews (naturally) and pastries, and a stylish afternoon tea. The Napoleon caramel macaron--chocolatey, caramely, and black tea-y--may be worth a visit on its own. There's often a wait for a table, so try to avoid busy times (and Ion’s roaming hordes of shoppers).