Category: Cool Places In Singapore

No Plastic Bags Provided: BYOB When You Shop At This Zero Waste Store In Jurong Point

If you haven’t already noticed, being eco-friendly is quite the rage as of late (as it should be). From fast food chains banning plastic straws to encouraging shoppers to bring their own bags for their grocery shopping, efforts to reduce waste created by single-use plastics are being increasingly adopted in Singapore.

In efforts to save our earth one plastic at a time we first saw the opening of Unpackt back in April – the first zero-waste grocery store in Singapore.

Now, we have Reprovisions – a newly opened zero-waste bulk store in Jurong Point.

Bring Your Own Bags

According to the Singapore Environment Council, we’re still producing a massive amount of plastic waste – 815,200 tonnes last year to be specific. However it’s great to see that movements to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic are gaining traction here too.

Recently opened in Jurong Point (11 Oct), customers are expected to bring their own reusable package to bag their food items and sundries.

Reprovisions mainly sells healthy fare such as nuts and dried fruits as well as staples like pasta and spice blends from Anthony The Spicemaker.

Adopting the weigh-and-pay concept, customers you will have to weigh your containers, jars or bottles on a weighing scale provided so that the weight can be noted down and excluded from your total bill.

Here are some of the items you can expect from Reprovisions:

Spice mixes from local spice shop Anthony the Spice Maker going between S$5.40 to S$6.30. From basics such as ground turmeric and ginger to mixes such as tandoori and black pepper crab, you can just buy what you need!

They also carry pasta from popular Italian brand Barilla going for $0.46 per 100 grams. A box of Barilla spaghetti from the usual supermarkets would cost about $2.55 for 500g.

And also 6 different types of rice for as low as $0.25 per 100g.

If you’re looking for something sweet, Reprovisions carries an assortment of liquorice flavours such as sour watermelon, sour rainbow and sweet bubblegum going for $3.50 per strip.

How To Purchase

Customers who bring their own packaging will have to weigh their empty containers before filling it with their desired items. As you go about your shopping, write down the product codes before dispensing or scooping the products you want.

Reprovisions also provides kraft bags and reusable jars in case you don’t have your own container on hand.

This encourages customers to head down with a “shopping list” in mind so as to curb impulse purchases and reduce waste.

Reprovisions is an amazing social enterprise that can hopefully move Singaporeans away from plastic wastage and being more eco-friendly.

Reprovisions
Address: Jurong Point Shopping Centre, 1 Jurong West Central 2, Singapore 648886 #03-32/33
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 10.30am – 9.30pm, Sat – Sun: 10.30am – 10pm, PH: 10.30am – 10pm
Facebook 

Also Read From Fluffy Pancakes To Fresh Oysters, honestbee Welcomes You To Their New Supermarket X Dining Space

(Header Image Source: Reprovisions)

From Fluffy Pancakes To Fresh Oysters, honestbee Welcomes You To Their New Supermarket X Dining Space

Apps that provide convenient services have become part and parcel of modern life. From ride sharing to finding a date, there’s an app for almost every need and concern.

Enter honestbee – if you think all it does is just shop your groceries for you, then you’re wrong.

From online to offline, Asia’s leading marketplace that delivers quality food products and experiences, unveils their latest offering: habitat by honestbee – the world’s first tech-integrated multi-sensory grocery and dining destination of its kind.

habitat marks honestbee’s first foray into brick and mortar: its a supermarket, restaurant and retail innovation lab all in one.

A Multi-Sensory Experience

Occupying a 60,000 square feet space in an industrial building in Pasir Panjang, habitat comprises a full supermarket stocked with over 20,000 curated Asian and international produce and essentials.

You can also expect a dining area featuring 15 unique food and beverage concepts – from grain bowls and grilled wagyu meats to Japanese soufflé pancakes and homemade kombucha, there’s something for everyone here.

habitat is honestbee brought to life. It is a cashless space that ensures your experience is fuss-free, all you have to do is come equipped with the honestbee app.

Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect at this one of a kind tech-enabled multi-sensory, grocery and dining experience.

Concepts

Shufu

Possibly our favourite spot in this place, Shufu is a little reading corner at habitat. With high ceilings and plenty of natural light shining into the space, Shufu is a good vantage point for all the excitement at habitat.

Shufu also overlooks lush greenery – perfect for cosying up with a good read and a cuppa. Shoppers can pick from an array of exclusively curated books and periodicals revolving around food, design, chefs and local literature.

Seafood

The trio behind Bear Bear Fresh, Roger Wong, Chen Wei Nan and Christopher Chan believe in all things local, especially seafood from Singapore’s very own shores.

With a network of local fishermen casting the net in our backyard, the fish that comes to habitat are locally sourced and completely fresh. You can also find oysters, lobsters and alaskan king crabs.

You can also buy your oysters and get them chucked on the spot so you can eat it while it’s fresh.

Butchery 

Browse and select from a wide variety of premium cuts of meat. Customers have the freedom to choose the amount, types of cut and number of years aged – all straight from the butcher.

If you love your meats, some of the interesting selections include snow-aged beef from Niigata and Mayura station beef, where the cows are fed with chocolates.

Hanaya

A tribute to the level of artistry of the floral works in Japan, Hanaya (also known as “florist” in Japanese) is habitat’s very own florist. At Hanaya, you are invited to embrace the scent of fresh blooms and even learn to arrange a bouquet.

Dining Concepts

With something for every type of foodie, dine fresh in over 15 F&B concepts. Here’s what we tried and loved!

hinoki (IG: @hinoki_sg)

White or black, single origin or house blend – each and every cup of coffee from hinoki embodies understated elegance, like the Japanese cypress tree it’s named after.

The hinoki blend comprises of coffee beans that are sourced around the world and roasted in Kyoto. Japanese fresh milk is used in all white coffees. hinoki also offers tasting and latte art classes, where you get to choose and try new beans and even taste coffee in its most authentic forms.

hinoki is also situated right next to Shufu so guests can head over to the cosy space after ordering their coffee and cakes.

Lazy Loaf (IG: @lazyloaf_sg)

Lazy Loaf is the go-to place for rustic loaves, Asian-sourced flours and spreads.

With a repertoire of homemade spreads that have been perfected through generations of bakers, we highly recommend chef John Tan’s homemade kaya – a recipe that can be traced from his grandmother.

This bakery lets you call the shots. Choose a bread, select a toaster, and dress up your toast. Many of their loaves and breads are lovingly baked in-house and exclusive to habitat, putting a spotlight on premium ingredients and flours.

Campfire (IG: @campfire_sg)

Reflective of the great outdoors – Campfire is perfect for warm meals shared with friends and family. You can buy the meats fresh from the butchery and drop them off at the Campfire and have the chefs prepare it right after.

Featuring both grass-fed and grain-fed beef as well as quality cuts from Tajima Wagyu and Black Angus cows, Campfire’s mains are complemented by sides which are stars in their own right.

Set lunches are at a steal for as low as $12.90 – perfect for the corporate crowd.

Poofy (IG: @poofy_sg)

At Poofy, pancakes are the star. Japanese soufflé pancakes to be specific.

If you’ve patiently queued at Japanese pancake specialist Riz Labo Kitchen’s pop-up shop at Wisma Atria’s Japan Food Town for its soufflé pancakes, you’ll be pleased to know that they’ve partnered with honestbee to open a permanent shop at habitat.

Enjoy a comforting after-meal treat of a good ol’ soufflé pancakes, just the way the Japanese do it – fluffy, light and perfect.

World’s First Cashless, Automated Checkout Experience

Powered by honestbee’s leading edge technology, habitat by honestbee offers two firsts in the world: a cashless checkout experience (AutoCheckout) and fully automated, robotic collection point (RoboCollect) for a seamless and fuss-free grocery shopping experience.

If those two terms are completely foreign to you, trust us, it’s pretty cool.

Here’s how it works:

Use the Bee Pass on the honestbee app to enter the space and make cashless transactions throughout the store with beePay – honestbee’s very own digital wallet.

For purchases of 10 items or less, shoppers can use the “Scan & Go” function on the honestbee app, so you can skip the checkout line and get your items on the spot. No more joining long queues just to pay for a bottle of water!

For more items, drop off your trolleys at the world’s first convenient AutoCheckout and habitat will take care of the scanning and packing. After paying with beePay, you’ll receive a text notifying that your bags are read for collection at the RoboCollect Stations.

While you’re waiting for your orders to checkout and be ready for collection (orders can be processed in “as fast as 5 minutes”), head around habitat to grab a cup of coffee or enjoy a meal at one of their many F&B dining concepts.

At habitat, you can see, feel, hear, smell and of course, taste food items and ingredients at their freshest. Although it is slightly out of the way, we do love the fact that this multi-sensory grocery and dining experience is truly one of a kind.

habitat by honestbee
Address: 34 Boon Leat Terrace, Singapore 119866
Launch Date: 18 October 2018
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Also Read GTFO And Conquer The World’s Largest Inflatable Playground For Adults This Dec

(Header Image Source: Discover SG)

Calling All Trainers In Singapore: A Pokémon Centre Is Coming To Jewel Changi Airport In 2019

If you’re saving up your yennies for a trip to the Pokémon Megastore in Tokyo, drop whatever you’re doing.

Your long-life dream is about to come true. From March 2019 onwards, Singaporeans and travellers can look forward to a whole new Pokemon experience at Jewel Changi Airport.

The Pokemon Centre at Jewel Changi Airport will be the first permanent store outside Japan!

Ready, Set, Pokémon Go!

If there’s ever a heaven for Pokémon fans on Earth, it’ll look something like this,

…and this

…and this

You get the point.

Long time fans of Pokémon can look forward to expanding their collections once the Pokemon Centre opens at Jewel Changi Airpot next year. Live out your childhood dreams of transforming your bedroom into a Pokémon Wonderland because the merchandise are endless!

From bedroom slippers to figurines, cushions, utensils and towels – there’ll be endless shelves of Pokémon merchandise in all shapes, sizes and forms.

The obvious reason one might visit the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo is for the extensive range of Pokémon branded merchandise. Another reason would be to see the Pokémon statues. So we’re praying real hard that we’ll see a couple of these giant statues in Singapore’s Pokémon Centre as well.

We’re pretty sure once the Pokemon Centre opens in Singapore, it will be full of frenzied fans clutching shopping baskets overflowing with merchandise (because, you “gotta catch ’em all,” right?).

While there’s no news on how big the shop at Jewel Changi Airport will be, we’re sure it won’t disappoint!

Also Read All Aboard The Pikachu Train! This Event At Tanjong Pagar Lets You Indulge In Japanese Food And Movies From Oct 11-14

(Header Image Source: YouTube)

A Mecca For Music Lovers – This Record Store On Ann Siang Hill Transforms Into A Bar At Night

With Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music, we have a world of music quite literally at our fingertips. But for old school audiophiles and aficionados of analog audio, there’s something so satisfying of about the experience of buying a vinyl record. There’s just something about slipping a shiny new record out of its sleeves, placing it on a turntable and gently dropping the needle.

Which is a far more elaborate process than just hitting “next” on Spotify.

Nestled within the quaint neighbourhood of Ann Siang Hill, White Label Records is a hip record store by day and transforms into a bar by night.

Make Vinyl Great Again

After five years of sharing their deep love for music and its most iconic recording format through the social e-commerce platform #vinyloftheday, founders Kurt Loy and Darren Tan took the plunge with the launch of their first brick-and-mortar venture.

Serving as a community space for music enthusiasts, White Label offers the perfect experience as one can relax and kick back over food and drinks, thumb through records, catch DJs and live acts, and meet other crate diggers.

Apart from stocking a current selection of records and highlights from various eras, White Label will feature a regularly rotating, curated selection of offerings from local and regional record stores so there’s always something new waiting for you each time you visit the store.

For hardcore analog audio enthusiasts, you can expect many special music-themed nights to follow as the founders will showcase vinyl records from their diverse personal collections. Who knows, if you like what you hear, they will be more than happy to help you track down a copy!

With warm-toned lighting illuminating the space, White Label provides a casual, laid back space and chill vibes from the moment you enter the store.

A record store by day, this space transforms into a bar by dusk, offering a rotating all day that features a selection of cold brews, mixed drinks, craft beers and bar bites. All beers and house pours are $10 nett.

White Label’s signature cocktails will include a Vodka-based fresh fruit Mojito, the White Label Iced Tea, a tea-based Long Island, as well as a Chrysanthemum vodka martini. A seasonal selection of handpicked single malts and gin, craft beers, boutique champagne and wines will also be available.

If you’re craving for a meal, limited lunch sets will be available at midday, on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Looking for a space to wind down after work? Get acquainted with the magic of analog music and head on to White Label Records to indulge in your love for all things vintage and crate dive for that limited edition gold clad Pink Floyd LP – or Taylor Swift’s Reputation, if that’s how you roll.

White Label Records
Address: 28 Ann Siang Road #01-01, Ann Siang House, Singapore 069708
Opening Hours: Mon – Tues: 11am – 9pm, Wed – Sat: 11am – 12am, Sun: 11am – 5pm
Facebook | Instagram

Also Read Kampai! This Joint In Dhoby Ghaut Serves “Beer Ramen” And Classic Japanese Dishes

(Header Image Source: White Label Records)

Take A Walk In The Visually Impaired’s Shoes At Dialogue In The Dark – Free Admission On Oct 6

There’s a lot of things that we take for granted in life, and our eyesight might be the biggest offender in that respect.

Think about it — we stare at a computer the entire day at school/work, squint at the tiny text on our phones on the commute back home, and then kick back by watching YouTube on yet another screen with little regard to what it’s doing to our eyes in the long run.

What we don’t realise (or try not to think about, at least) is that some people don’t have access to this seemingly basic privilege, and Dialogue In The Dark is giving you the chance to take a literal walk in their shoes.

See Less, Learn More

For the uninitiated, Dialogue In The Dark is a social initiative that allows you to experience the life of a visually impaired person.

Led by guides who are visually impaired themselves, you’ll be taken through specially designed rooms that are shrouded in darkness, and learn how they perform everyday tasks walking in the park and visiting a cafe.

It’s a sobering experience, to say the least, and one that is sure to make you appreciate life a little more.

Now, we’re fully aware that Dialogue In The Dark isn’t exactly a new concept (the Singapore branch has been opened since 2009), but we’re writing this because now could the best time to try it.

Tickets for this experience usually cost $15 and $25 for students and adults respectively, but as part of the Tedx Pickering Street Adventures series of events, you can attend a session on the 6th of October completely free (you’ll need to pay $2 deposit, but it’ll be refunded at the door).

We’re pretty sure that there’s limited slots and they’ll be snatched up quick on account of being…y’know, free, so head over to Peatix now to secure a place.

TedxPickering Street Adventures: Dialogue In The Dark
Venue: Ngee Ann Polytechnic — 535 Clementi Road, Block 5, #01-03
Date: 6 Oct 2018
Time: 1:30pm – 4pm
Price: Free ($2 Deposit)

Tickets I Website I Facebook 

Also Read I Attended A Self Defence Class – Now I Can Take Down Someone Twice My Size

(Header Image Source: Dialogue In The Dark — Singapore)

A ‘SuperPark’ Is Opening In S’pore On 17 November With Over 20 Activities For Both Adults And Kids

From Pororo Park to Amazonia, kids in Singapore are truly blessed with some of the best indoor playgrounds in Singapore.

If you wish that adults had fun and exciting playgrounds as well, you’re in for a real treat.

Come November, you’ll have chance to be a kid again because SuperPark is coming to town.

Adults Just Wanna Have Fun

This coming 17 November, an indoor activity park brand ‘SuperPark’ is coming to Singapore.

Founded by Finnish businessman Taneli Sutinen in 2012, the first SuperPark opened in Finland in 2012. Singapore is the 2nd country in Asia to have its own SuperPark.

There’s a host of activities to look forward to at this new indoor super playground. Offering more than 20 activities in three themed zones for Singaporeans of all ages, there’s something for everyone.

SuperPark will be located at Suntec City Mall. And at 40,000 square ft – it’s roughly around three-quarters of a football field.

Day Passes for the park are tentatively priced between $22 and $48. Here’s what you can look forward to once SuperPark opens this coming November!

The Adventure Area

Unleash your inner child at the Adventure Arena as it has everything you can ever dream of.

Obstacle walls, trampolines, zip wires, slides, play towers, pedal car racing track, you name it, SuperPark has it.

The Game Arena

Need a place to show off your skills to your friends?

Here at SuperPark’s Game Arena, you can compete in everything from basketball to baseball. Don’t need to keep score as performance is measured by radar and other digital systems.

The Game Arena is a great place to practice your baseball swing and pitching, test the power of your slap shot and hone your accuracy on the basketball court.

The Freestyle Hall

Always wanted to try out parkour?

SuperPark’s Freestyle Hall includes a parkour course and gymnastics floor, as well as trampolines and foam pits. You don’t have to worry about hurting yourself as the Freestyle Hall provide a safe environment for putting your skills to the test.

You can also challenge yourself with the super climb, a tailor-made climbing concept, or partake in the ninja warrior obstacle course.

Best part is, you don’t need to be pro to try out any of these activities as  the experienced staff – many of whom are recognised coaches will man the park and help you out.

Don’t Forget The Food

You’re bound to get hungry after all that playing. SuperPark got you covered with their extensive buffets that includes burgers, hot dogs and fresh salads.

Famous for its family-centered approach to having fun – children, teenagers and even parents can all play, be active and have fun together.

Also Read I Attended A Self Defence Class – Now I Can Take Down Someone Twice My Size

SuperPark Singapore
Opening Date: 17 November 2018
Address: Suntec City Mall

(Header Image Source: SuperPark)

I Attended A Self Defence Class – Now I Can Take Down Someone Twice My Size

Growing up in Singapore all my life, I can safely say that we take our safety for granted.

Our country’s low crime rates gives us a sense of security and enough confidence to walk down dark alleys in the middle of the night without fear.

But as we are often reminded, low crime doesn’t mean no crime. The fact is that even in a country with low crime rates like Singapore, one still reads about the periodic sexual assaults that happen here.

With that, I grabbed a couple of my female colleagues to attend a self defence class at Kapap Academy.

She has since tweaked the original version to better suit real-life situations. Called Modern Street Combatives, the academy’s self-defence system teaches people to be street smart as well as studying predatory psychology to detect and avoid dangers.

Her sessions are typically 2 hours long and is split into an hour of theory lesson and another hour of practical where students can perform the moves that were taught in the theory.

Upon arrival at her class, we sat in a circle around the mat and immediately dived right in to her theory lesson.

Now before you yawn at the idea of an hour of theory lesson, Yunquan keeps it fun and engaging by having her students demonstrate some of the moves with her.

Standing at just 1.62m tall, we were all impressed by Yunquan’s abilities to pin down a male student with minimal effort.

At Kapap Academy, they believe that instead of using physical strategies to defend oneself to survive an assault, victims of such aggression need to learn appropriate strategies and tactics to de-escalate, evade or control and restraint their assailant until help comes.

Using knowledge drawn from both psychology and body guarding training, participants will learn how to  identify signs of an imminent attack, and position oneself to create opportunities to escape.

Instead of relying on strength based techniques that are often taught in combative sports (E.g Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Mixed Martial Arts etc), participants learn how to use principles of bio-mechanics and leverage to protect themselves.

This lesson was particularly useful for everyone as we learned tactics on how to protect ourselves when we’re faced with a case of molestation and getting out of these difficult situations.

Once theory was over, we paired up and started on the practical.

As we were attending a Level 1 class, we mostly covered basics such as breaking out from various forearm grabs and holds.

From learning how to get out of a hair pull to learning how to escape if you’re being cornered, Yunquan taught us practical moves to use to get yourself out of the situation.

Even if you’re petite or not physically fit, the moves taught during this class really showed us that as long as you learn the pressure points and critical points of the human body, you’ll definitely be able to get yourself out of any dangerous situations.

Other classes also covers combative skills that are used by soldiers or the para-military police to engage an opponent. This includes stand up engagement to ground, knife defence and use of improvised weapons like car keys, umbrellas, water bottles, handphones, bags, etc

After a whole hour of flipping and hurting my colleagues, we huddled in front of Yunquan’s laptop to watch videos of real life assaults and harassment. We sat and discussed ways to tackle the assault if we were ever faced with a similar situation.

Holding classes for people of all ages and physical capabilities, Kapap Academy aims to provide ordinary people with the tools/skill sets to stay safe against worst case scenarios in the streets.

So whether you’re preparing yourself for an overseas posting, overseas studies or you plan on travelling to unsafe cities, it’s important to keep safe while enjoying your new experiences abroad.

Who knows, the next time the unexpected happens, you might just be able to protect yourself or your loved ones against the attackers.

Kapap Academy 
Location: 144 Robinson Road, #05-01, Singapore 068908 | 82 Lorong 23 Geylang Road #02-02, ATRIX
Price: $25/hr (Adults) and $20/hr (Students and NSmen)
Training hours: Check full schedule here

Also Read Get A Dose Of WWE With S’pore Wrestling Dojo Grapple MAX’s First Ring Show On 21 Sep

(Header Image Source: Discover SG)

Holey Moley! This New Mini Golf Bar At Clarke Quay Serves 1.3kg Burgers And Metre-Long Pizzas

Posting on social media, online shopping and calling your ex — there are some things that you should never do when you’re drunk.

On the flip side, however, certain activities are infinitely more fun with a little alcohol in your system, and mini golf is one of them.

In fact, mini golf could very well be the perfect drinking activity, because (1) it can work with any number of people (2) doesn’t require much physical effort, and (3) usually takes place in a safe, enclosed space under the supervision of people with saner minds.

At this point you might be thinking “sounds good, Internet guy, but there’s no place in Singapore where you can do this”.

Well, that’s about to change this December.

A New Kind Of Drinking Hole

That’s right: Holey Moley — a half mini golf, half bar concept from Australia — is making its way to Singapore at the end of the year.

Not much has been revealed at this point, but what we do know is that it’ll be fittingly located in Clarke Quay (the former site of Shanghai Dolly, for those of you who know where that is), and will feature a whopping 27 holes split across two floors.

In true mini gold fashion, these won’t look like boring driving ranges either — each hole will feature a pop culture theme ranging from Game of Thrones to Monopoly, and there’ll even be a hawker centre one for that touch of local flavour.

Throw a little neon lighting into the mix, and you just might have your new favourite Instagram spot.

If you get the munchies halfway through your tee time, Holey Moley’s got you covered there as well.

Their food menu features decadent selections like American burgers with neon-coloured buns, A 1.3kg monster burger, and “pizza served by the metre”, which — if it is what we think it is — could be the best thing ever.

Holey Moley will open its doors on the 6th of December, and if for some reason you have to be first in line, you can reserve a spot at their website right now.

Sounds a lot more fun than squeezing in a club and paying for overpriced drinks, that’s for sure.

Holey Moley Golf Club
Address: 3B River Valley Road, #01-01 Clarke Quay, Singapore 179021
Opening: 6th December

Website

Also Read Calling All Roald Dahl Fans: Matilda The Musical Is Coming To Singapore In Feb 2019

(Header Image Credit: Holey Moley)

An Oldie But A Goodie: Canteen 398 At Seletar Is Possibly The Longest Surviving Canteen In S’pore

Seletar has changed drastically over the years as the authorities cleared the old RAF airbase and colonial architecture and transformed the space into an aerospace hub.

Located along Piccadilly Road in Seletar, this kampong style canteen dates back to the 1960s and still feels like it.

The canteen served mainly British military personnel of RAF Seletar followed by local military personnel when the camp was handed over to SAF after the British withdrawal in 1971.

Yet at this intense transformation of Seletar, a couple of things still brings you back to what Seletar was. Canteen 398 has been sitting on the chopping board for development since 2012 as Seletar is being developed into an aerospace hub. 

A Disappearing Piece Of History

This canteen is a piece of vanishing history of Singapore. Situated in the vicinity of an army camp, Seletar Camp, Canteen 398 is open to public and accessible by car and bus.

Time and time again, I kept reminding myself to visit Canteen 398 and boy I’m glad I finally did.

At a glance, you won’t be able to guess that it’s a functioning canteen. That was until, William, owner of Canteen 398 waved his arms and signalled to me that there were more seats inside.

The canteen is a humble looking structure, serving the workers around the area as well as military personnel from Seletar Camp.

Stepping into Canteen 398 felt like I was being transported into another dimension. It was as though time stood still and I was back in the 1960s.

It was hot out so I quickly ordered my Milo Peng and made a beeline for the seats.

The interior was something straight out of the 1990s when solid wooden top table and red stackable chairs are still widely used in coffeeshops. The old school mosaic tiles flooring and chipped paint stands as a testament to its age.

William shared with us that he took over his brother’s business and now runs Canteen 398 with his wife and sister in law.

“I’ve been working here even before I enter army. I’m 70 now. You count lah how many years I work here already,” William laughed.

He mentioned that he wakes up at 4am everyday and takes a bus from Yishun to get to Canteen 398 and you’ll see him mingling and laughing with his regulars.

“This place ah, second home to me already. I know everyone that comes to my canteen,” William added.

Even at a warm afternoon at 12pm, I felt a sense of serenity while I was sipping on my Milo Peng as workers around the area streamed in and out to get their lunch fix.

Canteen 398 only has three stalls. A drink stall managed by William’s wife. A Malay stall selling Nasi Padang which has been around for 20 years and a Chinese stall selling Cai Fan which has been around for 10 years.

Her food definitely did not disappoint as I wiped my plate clean in under 5 minutes.

Despite having gone through a major damage in 2015 caused by a fallen tree, Canteen 398 has recovered and it seems like nothing ever happened to this humble looking structure.

Canteen 398 is like another world on its own, going on with what they have been doing since the 1960s, while Singapore continued to change outside.

Coming to this canteen gave me a sense of closeness to this place although it was only my first visit. I was not born in the 1960s but this canteen offers a glimpse of Singapore’s humble past when things were not as perfect and comfortable as today.

The experience at Canteen 398 is truly one of a kind in Singapore.

“Come again this Saturday okay!” William smiled and waved as we parted ways.

Canteen 398
Directions: Jalan Kayu exit at Tampines Expressway and enter camp
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 6am – 4pm, Sat: 6am – 12pm, Closed on Sun

Also Read NP & NYP’s Iconic Sandwich Shop Is No Longer On Campus, But You Can Find It At ION Orchard Instead

(Header Image Source: Discover SG)

Quit Swiping On Tinder – This Singles-Only Comedy Event Could Be A Better Shot At Finding Love

It isn’t easy finding love in Singapore — our inherent desire for professional success puts romance pretty low on our list of things to do, and Singaporeans aren’t exactly the most sociable of people either.

You’d think that the advent of dating apps would help out in that respect, but their mileage varies from person to person, and can sometimes complicate things even further.

If you’re tired of looking for love in the usual places and want to try something a little out of the box, then this upcoming event by comedy club The Merry Lion just might be the wingman you need.

Laugh Out…Love?

Aptly titled F***ck Tinder, the event’s Facebook page bills it as “a comedy night designed exclusively for single people”.

What they mean by “designed exclusively” is that they’ll put 30 single men and 30 single women in The Merry Lion’s rather intimate space, and use the power of stand-up comedy to create a relaxed environment that’s ripe for romance.

There’s a joke about small spaces to be made here, but I’ll leave the humour to the professionals.

To prevent any “awkward 1 on 1 moments”, the audience will also be seated in mixed groups, and the men will change tables after a set amount of time to ensure that everyone gets a chance to meet.

The event will be hosted by The Merry Lion’s resident comedian Scott Mitchell, and will feature a set by Jocelyn Chia as well. The two are no strangers the stand-up comedy scene, so at the very least you can expect a night of non-stop laughs.

The event takes place next Wednesday, and tickets are going for $50 — a little costly for a two hour show, but can you really put a price on (potentially) finding the love of your life?

F**ck Tinder – A Comedy Dating Show Exclusively For Singles
Venue: The Merry Lion
Date: 12 September 2018
Time: 8pm – 10pm
Price: $50 (includes one drink)

Tickets I Website I Facebook

Also Read Catch This Uniquely S’porean Play By Tan Kheng Hua And Get A FREE UNIQLO Shopping Spree In Return

(Header Image Source: The Merry Lion)