singapore chic 2012

Title: Singapore Chic 20122nd Proof Job No:CD0512-22 / Janet

chicSINGAPORE

Hotels I Resorts I Restaurants I Shops I Spas I Galleries

SINGAPORE

chic

SINGAPORE is a bustling island state where traditional style and modern chic blend seamlessly. Spend your morning admiring lovingly restored colonial-era shophouses, and your afternoon visiting brand-new resorts showcasing the very latest trends in entertainment and recreation. The island’s short yet rich history – from a small unknown fi shing village to a fi rst-world metropolis in less than 200 years – has resulted in a society of unparalleled diversity, with Chinese, Malay, Indian and European infl uences at every turn. SINGAPORE CHIC introduces readers to the excitement that this vibrant city has to offer. Its expert authors highlight the very best of the island’s dynamic gourmet scene, shopping malls and streets, vibrant nightlife, architectural treasures and lively arts scene. Luxury and boutique hotels are profi led alongside the city’s trendiest shops, restaurants, spas and nightspots. Each profi le includes a fact box which provides key information and contact details, making it easy for even the fi rst-time visitor to fi nd their way to the very best Singapore has to offer.

Get the latest on Singapore at chicdestinations.net – and download our iPhone app for free!

FRANCIS DORAI is a Singaporean editor and writer who has worked in practically the entire spectrum of publishing – including newspapers, magazines and books – on subjects as diverse as travel, lifestyle and fi nance.

ELIZA TEOH has been writing for over 20 years, starting as a journalist then subsequently becoming a sub-editor at The Straits Times in Singapore. Currently an editorial consultant, Eliza is also the author of the Ellie Belly series of children’s books.

JACQUELINE TAN is a writer and book author with an intense passion for travel, history, food and fashion. She was a fashion and beauty editor of several top magazines in Singapore, as well as a creative director in the advertising world.



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11 INTRODUCTION

14 48 HOURS IN SINGAPORE

24 PERSONALITIES’ PICKS

32 EATING OUT

42 SHOPPING

54 WHERE THE ART IS …

62 DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE

72 SPAS AND WELLNESS CENTRES

78 AFTER DARK

86 ETHNIC ENCLAVES

96 OUT OF TOWN

CONTENTS

SINGAPORE IN STYLE

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MOST STYLISH PLACES

RESTAURANTS

110 Brussels Sprouts

126 Kinki Restaurant + Bar

128 LeVeL33

132 The Marmalade Pantry

134 Michelangelo’s

138 Original Sin

142 Picotin

146 Procacci

148 PS.Cafe

152 Rocks Urban Grill + Bar

154 Saint Pierre

156 Senso Ristorante & Bar

162 Sque Rotisserie & Alehouse

164 True Blue Cuisine

166 Wild Honey

GALLERIES

108 Art Trove

136 Mulan Gallery

144 Pop and Contemporary Fine Art

HOTELS & RESORTS

112 Capella Singapore

116 The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore

118 The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

120 Goodwood Park Hotel

122 Hotel Fort Canning

150 The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

158 Singapore Marriott Hotel

SHOPPING

124 ION Orchard

140 Paragon

SPAS

114 ESTHEVA

130 The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

USEFUL INFORMATION

170 Acknowledgements & Picture Credits

171 Index

174 Map of Singapore

176 City Map

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SINGAPORE IN STYLE I 11

INTRODUCTION

Now you see it, now you don’t. Blink and it morphs into a different creature. Decades of

radical urban surgery and social reconstruction have resulted in a Singapore that is

constantly mutating and changing its face. The fi shing village that its colonial founder Sir

Stamford Raffl es chanced upon in 1819 is virtually unrecognisable in its current guise.

The inherited colonial structures – icons such as the Raffl es Hotel, The Fullerton Hotel

Singapore (formerly the General Post Offi ce), the National Museum of Singapore, St

Andrew’s Cathedral, the Victoria Concert Hall, among others – have thankfully been

preserved, as is the use of English as the lingua franca, but this is where Singapore’s

tenuous link with Britain as a former colony ends.

The city-state has managed to completely re-invent itself in a matter of four decades

since its independence in 1965, not just in the transformation of the physical landscape, but

in terms of social capital, in ways of thinking, and in the renaissance of its arts and cultural

scene. Somewhere along, in the path between gearing up to be Asia’s economic powerhouse

and its obsession for perfection, Singapore has loosened up on its political and social

strictures, and transformed itself into an outpost of all that is cutting-edge and hip. The

opening of the mega integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts WorldTM Sentosa (the

city has already outstripped Las Vegas to become the second most profi table destination in

terms of gaming revenue after Macau), has had something to do with that new image, but

that’s only half the story.

The self-confi dence that the average Singaporean wears as a badge stems from a

combination of factors: living in one of the world’s most advanced countries, being

OPPOSITE: A restaurant on Haji Lane ABOVE: A statue of Sir Stamford Raffl es by the Singapore River

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28 I S INGAPORE chic

ABOVE: Exhibits at the Peranakan Museum

TOP (MIDDLE AND RIGHT): Nasi Lemak served with balachan chilli and ikan billis, and Penang Laksa

PERSONALITIES’ PICKS

Linda Wee, General Manager of Goodwood Park Hotel, is a seasoned hotelier with over 25 years in the industry. The hotel veteran has held executive positions at leading hotel companies, including Hyatt Regency Singapore, Le Meridien Singapore and Pan Pacifi c Orchard.

Top TableThe nasi lemak (coconut-fl avoured rice with side dishes like fried fi sh, egg, sliced cucumber and chilli condiment) at Grandma’s Place is really sedap (Malay for delicious). It reminds me of my childhood when this rice dish was a breakfast staple. What’s also good here are the bukari rice with home-style curry chicken, achar (pickled vegetables) and rendang (aromatic beef curry), all typical Malay specialities.

Favourite Watering HoleI would have to say it’s the refurbished KPO or Killiney Post Offi ce to unwind after dinner with friends. A post offi ce by day and a funky dining and drinking hole by night, the building itself is a historical landmark,

located at the junction of Killiney, Penang and Orchard roads.

Hidden TreasureBollywood Veggies, an organic farm in rural Kranji in the northwest of Singapore, is an excellent place to experience the island’s “green side” and an ideal getaway from the concrete and steel of Orchard Road. I fi nd the verdant greenery calming, and it’s a great way to de-stress from

city life. As a Peranakan, I would also highly recommend visiting the Peranakan

Museum for a glimpse of the unique charms of this hybrid Chinese-Malay indigenous culture.



Tracie and Adrian Pang are the Artistic Directors of Pangdemonium! Productions, a new theatre company with several successful productions to its name. Both are well-known names in Singapore’s theatre scene – Tracie for her award-winning directing efforts and Adrian for his stellar acting skills both on TV, fi lm and on stage.

Top Table Without a doubt, Hua Yu Wee on Upper East Coast Road. It serves a huge variety of local and regional favourite dishes, from black pepper crayfi sh and hot-plate venison to the ever-popular chilli crab – all delicious, and very affordable. A great place for a big, noisy, ravenous party.

Favourite Watering HoleWe love Loof on Victoria Street. It’s a great open rooftop bar with wonderful atmosphere, and it’s just a skip from the Drama Centre at the National Library – the perfect post-show place to unwind and bitch about that night’s audience (oops, did we say that out loud?)

Killer ViewsThe best view of the Singapore skyline is from the vantage point of One Fullerton, looking out onto Marina Bay at night. The lights and the shimmering water are simply breathtaking. Even more perfect if there is a light breeze blowing, but you can’t have everything.

Choice ActivityWe are huge movie fans, so once in a while we treat ourselves to a Gold Class movie night at a Golden Village cinema with all the works: chicken wings, red wine, pop corn, Coca-Cola, ice cream, hot chocolate and indigestion – in that order. Being able to recline in the huge armchairs and snuggle up under a blanket and enjoy the movie is such an indulgent experience. We could spend the entire night here.

BELOW: View of the Marina Bay with the ArtScience Museum and the Marina Bay Sands

LEFT: Chilli crab, a popular local dish


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THE ART AND CULTURE SCENE IS BUSTLING IN THE ISLAND CITY, WITH A PLETHORA OF MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES WHICH COVER THE GAMUT FROM HERITAGE TO CONTEMPORARY.

WHERE THE ART IS …




Singapore’s relatively short history may not have garnered many historical artefacts and art, but what precious little the city has is stored with utmost care and displayed with pride. The Eleven Treasures of the country include precious relics like the Singapore Stone, a fragment of a boulder that bore the earliest inscription found in Singapore; a portrait of Sir Stamford Raffl es; and the Farquhar prints and drawings, a collection of natural history drawings commissioned by William Farquhar (one of the key people in Singapore’s formative years). These are stored and displayed with state-of-the-art conservation techniques at the National

Museum of Singapore (6332 3659; www.nationalmuseum.sg), the grande dame of local museums. The museum is small in size, when compared to the likes of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Paris’s Louvre and London’s British Museum, but certainly not lacking in aesthetics, quality, décor or technology. Inaugurated in 1887 as the Raffl es Library and Museum by Sir Frederick Weld (the then Governor of the Straits Settlements) the museum went through a major cosmetic overhaul in the 21st century and reopened in 2006.

On the outside, its beautifully preserved conservation building belies its long history. Inside, its collections are divided into the Singapore History Gallery and the Singapore Living Galleries. At the History Gallery, visitors can dive into Singapore’s history through a chronological events path, or step into the shoes of a typical historical character, with the aid of “The Companion”, an audio-visual guide that makes for an interactive journey. The Living Galleries are spaces dedicated to the living culture of Singapore – Film & Wayang (iconic early fi lms and Chinese opera), Photography (archival family photographs that trace the typical lives of early Singaporean families),

Food (nostalgic street dishes) and Fashion (the shifting identities of Singapore women from 1950s to 1970s). Most of these galleries are not merely visual, but also stimulate with smells, sounds and textures.

The galleries throughout the Asian

Civilisations Museum (6332 2982; www.acm.org.sg), along the Singapore River, explore the cultures, heritage and practices of the different ethnic groups that make Singapore the melting pot that it is today

TOP: A scene from the fi lm Sejarah

Singapura: Picture of 14th Century

Singapore, History Gallery, National Museum of Singapore

ABOVE: The Asian Civilisations Museum

OPPOSITE (TOP): The National Museum of Singapore

OPPOSITE (BELOW): One of the Living Galleries at the National Museum of Singapore




– from Southeast Asia, West Asia, South Asia and China. Take a stroll through its halls and learn about the Chinese, Malays, Indians, the indigenous tribes of the neighbouring lands, age-old religions and even the trading and agricultural habits of the people of the past. Befi tting its location, the Singapore River Gallery, with a glittering view of the river, tells the stories of this “life force” of the country and its impact on the lives of Singapore’s forefathers – the coolies, chettiars, orang laut (indigenous people) and the European colonial masters.

Among the communities, the most unique heritage is that of the Peranakans. Comprising a unique hybrid culture of

ABOVE: A vintage traditional Peranakan four-poster bed

ABOVE (LEFT): A current exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum

LEFT: The façade of the Singapore Philatelic Museum



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the Chinese and Malay through mixed marriages, the complexities of this amazing culture can hardly be explained in a sentence. Visit the Peranakan Museum (6332 7591; www.peranakanmuseum.sg) on Armenian Street for the full story. Housed in the former Tao Nan School, designed in the eclectic classical style of the early 20th century, all aspects of the multi-faceted Peranakan culture can be explored here, from dress to customs to visual arts.

Just a stone’s throw away from the Peranakan Museum, the Singapore

Philatelic Museum (6337 3888; www.spm.org.sg) is a veritable wonderland for philatelists and casual stamp admirers alike. Permanent galleries take visitors through the world of philately, and show the process of how stamps are made – from concept to print and mail. One of the most important exhibits is the Straits Settlements Collection, telling the story of the early postal history of Singapore from 1830s to post-independence (1965). The museum also houses permanent and temporary exhibitions, which explore important parts of local history and current events, such as the heritage of Singapore and the zodiac theme.

Small museums can be just as charming. One of the most important institutions is the Raffl es Hotel (6337 1886; www.raffl es.com). Take a stroll through its grounds and you’ll almost feel like you’ve been transported into the era of mint juleps, speakeasies and the Great Gatsby. This turn-of-the-20th-century spirit is no better encapsulated than at the Raffl es Hotel Museum. A modest but treasured display of the grand hotel’s travel ephemera and memorabilia such as china, silver, photographs and correspondence tells the tale of the Raffl es, and with it, the story of the upper crust of society in early Singapore civilisation.

Art lovers can converge at the Singapore Art Museum (6332 3222; www.singaporeartmuseum.sg), the country’s biggest and most important art museum. The museum presents art from the region’s contemporary pioneers or breakthrough artists, to mid-career artists and even upcoming talent, with 80 percent from

Southeast Asia and 20 percent from a wider Asian context such as Japan, Korea, India and China. SAM at 8Q (6332 3200; www.singaporeartmuseum.sg), the extension wing of the art museum just across the

ABOVE: The Singapore Art Museum

TOP: The Raffl es Hotel Museum

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road, focuses on innovative multimedia works that transcend all disciplines.

Travelling exhibitions often take up temporary residence at the ArtScience

Museum (www.marinabaysands.com) next to the Marina Bay Sands. The museum, however, has a permanent display – “ArtScience: Journey Through Creativity”. It pays homage to the union of art and science through three galleries – Curiosity, Inspiration and Expression.

The “world’s fi rst purpose-built museum for toys”, according to its owner, Mint Museum of Toys (6339 0660; www.emint.com) is a boutique museum that houses a collection of toys owned by a private collector. It boasts a nostalgic assortment from the good old days of the classic Mickey to Tin Tin, and even before that: some of the toys are more than a century old, from the West to the East. With over 50,000 toys in its collection, only a portion of the stash can be displayed at any one time, so the displays are rotated every few months.

Dedicated to design, the Red Dot

Design Museum (6327 8027; www.red-dot.sg/museum) houses an ever-changing collection of modern design works across all different media. Visitors can also pick up a guide to full or half-day walking tours to see some of Singapore’s best designs in the fl esh, from gourmet chocolate shops to traditional teahouses.

The Art MashOne doesn’t have to look very hard to see that visual arts are aplenty in cosmopolitan Singapore (www.publicart.sg). Right smack in the Central Business District, at UOB Plaza, sits a couple of bronze pieces by two of the masters –

LEFT: The ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands



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Homage to Newton by Salvador Dali in the building atrium, and Bird by Fernando Botero on the riverfront, just a few steps away. Nearby, in front of One Raffl es Quay at Finlayson Green, an imposing, colour-drenched steel work of art, with its layers of fi gures rising up to the sky in a spiral motion, gets the attention of motorists and passers-by alike. This is Momentum by Israeli artist David Gerstein.

On the steps outside of ION Orchard, six fl uid sculptures (titled Urban People) by Swiss sculptor Kurt Laurenz Metzler ply the steps and attract more than their fair share of attention from snap-happy tourists. On the corner of Orchard and Paterson Roads, local artist Kumari Nahappan’s giant

RIGHT: The Red Dot Design Museum on Maxwell Road

ABOVE (LEFT): A display at the Mint Museum of Toys

ABOVE (RIGHT): A glimpse of the exhibition space on the third fl oor of the Mint Museum of Toys

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DO THE ART WALKThe adage “birds of a feather fl ock together” is never more true than with art galleries and museums in Singapore. The city’s art venues tend to be clustered around just a few zones, most of which can easily be covered on foot, or a combination of walking and public transport. The biggest cluster is in the arts and heritage districts of Marina Bay and Bugis. From the city’s museums in the Civic District, through art galleries and venues in Raffl es Hotel and Raffl es City, down to Mount Sophia, past Selegie Road and ending in Little India, there are close to a hundred intriguing stops you can make. Alternatively, do the more compact art walk through the Central Business District consisting of Tanjong Pagar, Chinatown and Raffl es Place. If a car or taxi is at your disposal, try artsy colonies like Holland Village, Dempsey Hill and Wessex Estate, or even as far out as the eastern part of the island, Joo Chiat and Eunos.

For details on art walks, go to www.sagg.com.sg

nutmeg sculpture Nutmeg & Mace evokes Orchard Road’s early days as a nutmeg plantation. A digital waterfall cascades down the façade of the mall, designed by London design fi rm Troika, known for the Heathrow Airport digital sculpture, Cloud.

ION Orchard (see pages 124–125) takes great pains to integrate retail and lifestyle with fi ne art, especially through the ION

Art gallery (6238 8228; www.ionorchard.com), a sprawling art space designed to

LEFT: Sculpture entitled Nutmeg & Mace outside ION Orchard

BELOW: Urban People graces the front entrance to ION Orchard





house the fi nest works of art that come through Singapore. ION Orchard is also the home of Opera Gallery (6735 2618; www.operagallery.com), a seminal art gallery that showcases the likes of great masters such as Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Henri Paul Gauguin and Georges Braque, as well as young, emerging talents.

Nearby, Bruno Gallery on Tanglin Road (6733 0283; www.brunoartgroup.com/Bruno_Gallery_Singapore/) stands apart from the crowd with its comprehensive representation of top Israeli painters and sculptors.

Away from the Orchard Road crowd, Mulan Gallery in the Museum and Art precinct (see pages 136–137)) is nestled within one of the heritage streets in Singapore – Armenian Street – boasting conservation shophouses and cluster of museums within walking distance. Their portfolio of artists includes emerging painters and sculptors with a penchant for surrealism and hyperrealism, with socio-political and cultural nuances.

Other reputable art galleries in the city include Ode To Art (6688 7779; www.odetoart.com), which represents the likes of top Chinese contemporary sculptor Chen Wenling; Taksu (6476 4788; www.taksu.com), whose works tend to exude a distinctly urban edge and SooBin Art

International (6837 2777; www.soobinart.com.sg), founded and run by SooBin Chua,

a respected art curator and photographer, with a keen eye for fi ne art.

Run by artists, 2902 Gallery on Mount Sophia (6339 8655; www.2902gallery.com) is located at the stylishly off-kilter Old School, the former premises of an old girls’ school transformed into a creative hub. They represent the gamut of artists, local and foreign, across all media from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media.

Emerging local artists fi nd their platform in Night & Day (6884 5523; www.nightandday.sg), a venue that houses an

exhibition area on level 4 and a watering hole on level 2. Its casual, welcoming vibe makes even new art buyers and admirers feel at home.

From high-brow art to low-brow pop-inspired pieces, past masters to fresh talent, everyone is represented and appreciated in this city of art lovers.

TOP: Jiang Huan’s Lost in Transition at Mulan Gallery

ABOVE: The artwork on display at Ode to Art


Title: Singapore Chic 20122nd Proof Job No:CD0512-22 / Janet

chicSINGAPORE

Hotels I Resorts I Restaurants I Shops I Spas I Galleries

SINGAPORE

chic



FRANCIS DORAI is a Singaporean editor and writer who has worked in practically the entire spectrum of publishing – including newspapers, magazines and books – on subjects as diverse as travel, lifestyle and fi nance.

ELIZA TEOH has been writing for over 20 years, starting as a journalist then subsequently becoming a sub-editor at The Straits Times in Singapore. Currently an editorial consultant, Eliza is also the author of the Ellie Belly series of children’s books.

JACQUELINE TAN is a writer and book author with an intense passion for travel, history, food and fashion. She was a fashion and beauty editor of several top magazines in Singapore, as well as a creative director in the advertising world.



Singapore Chic II Cover -Final 2_.indd 1 5/10/12 12:48 PM

singapore chic 2012

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