Welcome To The Dark Side – These 13 Black Foods Will Surely Soot Your Tastebuds
Black – we love to wear it, we love it on makeup, we love to… eat it?
Black coloured foods seem to be the next big food trend and we think you’ll be seeing more of these dark, moody foods all over your Insta-feeds. From sinful desserts to devilish mains, with foods as black as our hearts, we’re not going to say no.
We’ve rounded up some of the blackest foods in Singapore, so let your inner goth come alive with these cold, black treats.
1. 黑 “Hei” Rice ($22) – Paddy Hills
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This signature dish consists of the OG black food, squid ink pasta, tossed with a generous amount of crayfish, scallops, prawns, clams, and squid. The pasta is infused with the natural taste of the sea from the squid ink, and the sauce is briny and flavourful. While squid ink pasta is not hard to find across our little island, this is one of the better squid ink pastas you can get in Singapore.
Pasta Brava
Address: 11 Craig Road, Singapore
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 11.45am – 2.15 pm (lunch), 6.15pm – 10.15pm (dinner); Closed on Sun & PH
4. Squid Ink Panini with King Crab and Prawns ($14) – Dolcetto by Basilico
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You may have chanced upon this all-black dessert before. Now, it’s back again in all its glory. The magic unfolds in an intricately designed medley of black sesame panna cotta, squid ink profiterole, crispy charcoal biscuit, lace tulle, black berries, with a chocolate wand. A tasty and quirky combination that works wonders!
Platform 1094
Address: 1094 Serangoon Road, Singapore 328192
Opening Hours: Tue – Fri: 11am – 10pm; Sat & Sun: 10am to 10pm; Closed on Mon
10. Foie Gras Macaron ($12) – Hashida Garo
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To beat the heat, come to the dark side with KokoPanda’s black frozen yoghurt, made with charcoal and roasted coconut husk.
It’s a tangy, refreshing and absolutely yummy alternative to ice cream. What’s more, it’s also a much healthier choice as it comes topped with superfoods. These include dried strawberry, apple, pear, persimmon and Jeju tangerine, as well as caviar bubbles made with real fruit juice.
A single topping with the base froyo will cost $4.90, while a froyo with 3 toppings will cost $5.90, with additional toppings priced at $0.80 each.
KokoPanda
Address: 68 Orchard Road, #B2-60, Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10am – 10pm
12. Homemade Black Soy Ice Cream ($4.90 for Regular, with 2 toppings) – Dofu
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This grand tower consists of fine milk shavings topped with a generous layer of black sesame and kinako powder, a heap of red beans, and a scoop of ice cream. Feast your eyes on the Black Sesame Bingsu, a slayer at Nunsongyee Korean Dessert Café that for good reason, has garnered its own fan club.
Nunsongyee Korean Dessert Café
Address: 534 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188749 | #02-25 Century Square, 2 Tampines Central 5, Singapore 529509 | 227 Upper Thompson Road Singapore 574359 | The Midtown Singapore, 1187 Upper Serangoon Road #01-14, Singapore 534785
Opening Hours: 24 hours daily (North Bridge Road branch) | Mon – Sun: 12pm – 10pm (Century Square branch)
It seems when it comes to food, black is now the new black. With all the multi-coloured and ombre foods and drinks we’ve been seeing lately, this is definitely a refreshing and much welcomed change.
If you’re in the mood to try something new, check out these deliciously dark eats. And of course, make sure to bring a mirror with you–you don’t want to be out in public with black stuff all over your teeth!
Also read 8 Instagram-Worthy Drinks That Will Have Your Followers Spamming The Like Button
Cool SIA, You Can Now Enjoy Local Favourites Like Laksa On Your Next Trip Overseas
Can’t get enough of local food?
Pretty soon, locals and foreigners alike will get to enjoy local favouites when they fly Singapore Airlines.
The #2 airline in the world will be changing up its menu as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations. A collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board, this will be happening in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival.
Starting next month, local delicacies near and dear to our hearts like chicken rice and carrot cake will be served as part of SIA’s new in-flight menu.
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Laksa (Image Credit: 
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Fried Carrot Cake (Image Credit: Changi’s Jewel Is Like A Futuristic Playground – Bounce On Sky Nets And Play Among The Clouds
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There’s A Picnic Party Happening In July, And You Don’t Need To Bring Anything
Love the idea of a picnic, but not so much the process of preparing the food and lugging everything out of the house?
There’s a picnic party coming up, and at this picnic, all you have to bring is yourself.
Weird Wonderful World is a two-day picnic party happening from Jul 8 – 9 at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Led by Spa Esprit Group’s Tiong Bahru Bakery, at this picnic, there are pre-packed buckets (not baskets) filled with all sorts of goodies from the Spa Esprit brands.
Food-wise, expect sandwiches from Tiong Bahru Bakery, fish sliders from Open Farm Community, kong ba pau from House, and for drinks, juices, wines and more. Each bucket, with the exception of the starter bucket, also comes with all your picnicking needs including mats, fans, and even a helium balloon, because why not?
Picnic baskets start at $10 for a starter bucket with all your picnic essentials (includes a mat and a helium balloon) and go up to $200 for a premium bucket containing a wide selection of signature pastries and dishes. The WWow Bucket is tagged at$50, the WWWonderful Bucket at $100, and the WWWhoopwhoop Bucket at $200.
If you’re still hungry after emptying out your picnic bucket, there will also be pop-up stalls by Open Door Policy, House, Open Farm Community and Common Man Coffee Roasters at the Bandstand and Palm Valley areas of the garden!
Still on the fence about whether or not you should attend? How’s this: also present on the picnic grounds are plenty of fun, wacky inflatables, giant versions of our favourite childhood games Twister and Connect 4, roving buskers, relaxing shoulder massages and foot rubs, and even men’s grooming services!
For even more picture perfect fun times, you can buy giant flamingo, unicorn, and donut floats ($50) to sit on–a fun little detail to jazz up your own picnic area!
With music from concert performances at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, early morning yoga sessions and guided tours you can join, this weird and wonderful picnic party is the perfect remedy to a tough week of work.
Pre-order your picnic bucket from 19 June to 7 July at Tiong Bahru Bakery (Raffles City, Tangs Orchard, Eng Hoon), Open Farm Community, Open Door Policy and House at Dempsey, and receive a free Tiong Bahru Bakery tote worth $10! Limited buckets are available, so make sure you book them early!
Let loose and let the good times roll at Weird Wonderful World!
Weird Wonderful World
Address: Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
Date: Jul 8 – 9
Website
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These 5 Indie Bookstores Are A Bibliophile’s Dream And Will Make You Want To Never Leave
“A town isn’t a town without a bookstore” — so writes Neil Gaiman in American Gods, and we agree.
For all you bookworms, we’ve rounded up 5 best independent bookstores around the island where you can get your lit geek on and #SupportLocal while you’re at it.
1. Booktique
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BooksActually is the place to be if you’re looking for local literature, with its good selection of works by Singapore poets. Here, you’ll also find the trademark minimalist SingLit book covers printed by BooksActually’s publishing arm, Math Paper Press.
Venture into the back room and you’ll find several knick-knacks and accessories with local flavour. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to say hi to the bookstore’s resident feline friends.
BooksActually
Address: 9 Yong Siak St, Singapore 168645
Opening Hours: Tues – Sat: 10am – 8pm; Sun – Mon: 10am – 6pm
Website
3. Woods in the Books
A few doors down from BooksActually is Woods in the Books, an independent bookshop that specialises in picture books for the little ones.
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With its adorable outdoor mural and charming decor, Woods in the Books is nothing short of enchanting.
The young at heart can also indulge in a little childhood nostalgia here, as the bookstore carries plenty of classic titles such as The Giving Tree and The Hungry Caterpillar.
Woods in the Books Wandering through the bookshelves here will take you from fantasy novels to science fiction, to cookbooks and travel guides, with helpful post-it recommendations along the way on the staff’s favourite picks. DiscoverSG Pro Tip: Look out for the discount pile under their staircase, where you can get some great steals. Littered With Books Hankering for a dose of design inspo? Head to Basheer Graphic Books. Offering shelves upon shelves of books and magazines on architecture, graphic design, fashion, photography, typography and more, the store is a mecca for lovers of design and collectors of magazines. The store’s no-frills, old-school vibe is also a big part of its charm. Basheer Graphic Books (Header Image Source:
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been named the world’s second best airline at the 2017 World Airline Awards. This comes shortly after Singapore’s Changi Airport was named the best airport in the world for the fifth year running. The world’s Top 100 Airlines were announced by Skytrax at the World Airline Awards held at the Paris Air Show on June 20. Regarded the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, the Awards tracks customer satisfaction of airline services and performance globally. Singapore Airlines rises one spot from last year, coming in after Qatar Airways which clinched the top honour this year. This isn’t the only award our national carrier bagged at the Awards. The airline also took home the titles of Best Airline in Asia, the World’s Best Business Class seat and for having the Best Premium Economy Onboard Catering. Singapore Airlines also ranked 5th for the World’s Best Cabin Staff, 3rd for World’s Best Inflight Entertainment, 9th for World’s Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness, 5th for World’s Best First Class, 3rd for World’s Best Business Class, 4th for World’s Best Premium Economy Class, and 5th for World’s Best Economy Class. The rankings are based on a survey of 19.87 million airline passengers spanning 105 countries, conducted between August 2016 and May 2017. Here are the top 20 airlines of 2017 ranked: Also read Changi’s Jewel Is Like A Futuristic Playground – Bounce On Sky Nets And Play Among The Clouds (Header Image Source: WeekendGoWhere)
Address: 3 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 16864
Opening Hours: Tue – Fri: 10am – 7pm; Sat: 10am – 8pm; Sun: 10am – 6pm; Closed on Mon
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Address: 20 Duxton Road, Singapore 089486
Opening Hours: Mon – Thu: 12pm – 8pm; Fri 12pm – 9pm; Sat 11am – 9pm; Sun 11am – 8pm
Website5. Basheer Graphic Books
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Address: Bras Basah Complex #04-19, 231 Bain St, Singapore 180231
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 10am – 8pm; Sun: 11am – 6.30pm
Visit Mini World Heritage Sites For Only $17 – We Promise ‘Everything Is Awesome’SIA La, Singapore Airlines Clinches #2 Spot In Global Airline Ranking
The Ultimate June/July Guide To Cool Hipster Dates
There comes a point in every relationship where you hit a rut.
You’ve been dating your partner for a while. You’ve done movies, brunches, fancy dinners, treetop walks, and you’re honestly running out of things to do and places to go with your lady (or man). We’ve been there, we know the struggle.
If you are looking for new ways to inject fun into your relationship, why not head over to , right at the National Gallery Singapore.
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Be mesmerised by one of her infinity mirror rooms, let your inner child come alive among her trademark dots and pumpkin motifs, and check out the paintings in which 87-year-old Kusama pushes the envelope on her art.
Image Credit: Deezen
An exhibition that is equal parts fun and intriguing, you and your other half will lose yourselves in the splash of dots and colour of Kusama’s bold works. Before you head down, don’t forget to check outhere.
2. Silent Disco Asia 1st Birthday Party
You saw it at i Light, you saw it at the Star Wars Festival, and you probably saw it at dozens of other venues—silent discoes are a hot new trend in Singapore and it looks like it’s here to stay. If this is your first time hearing about such a thing, it’s exactly like it sounds—a noiseless dance party where instead of dancing to music blasting from speakers, you’re dancing to the tune of your own headphones.
Image Credit: Asialive365
On 17 June, Silent Disco Asia, the group that brought this trend onto our shores, will be celebrating its first birthday with the BIGGEST silent disco in Singapore, at the place it all began: Kult Kafe. Regardless of whether you and your partner are the dancing sort, put on those dancing shoes because this is a totally different kind of party.
Looking for something with a slower tempo? The O.P.E.N. 2017 is another event worth considering. Short for Open, Participate, Engage and Negotiate, this exploratory event spans a total of 5 weeks. A festival of ideas that serves as a prelude to this year’s Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA), it encourages the audience to consider this year’s theme: Enchantment. True to its name, The O.P.E.N. is known to be participatory, and this final edition elevates the promise of participation and engagement. Explore the idea of enchantment through a dizzying array of programmes across multiple mediums. Watch award-winning independent films you won’t find screened in movie theatres, engage with interactive installations, sit in on workshops, performances and keynotes, and be truly immersed in new ideas and perspectives. In Art as Res Publicae, one of their programmes, audience will get to participate in a forum-like discussion revolving around the ‘intangible value’ of art. What’s more, this wouldn’t be just another formal discussion. It also incorporates a play, commentators and a ‘special moment’ for the audience to participate. Keen to know how this works? Read this An event that will engage your mind and all of your senses, you and your partner will have plenty to talk about after experiencing the diversity of works at The O.P.E.N. After a four-year run, this year may be your last chance to catch The O.P.E.N. Make sure to register for the programmes you’re keen on attending, as capacity is limited! The O.P.E.N. 2017 *Note that one O.P.E.N. pass allows you to register for up to 6 O.P.E.N. films and up to 1 O.P.E.N. Kitchens Session To purchase tickets, click here. 4. Imaginarium: To the Ends of the Earth Back for its seventh edition, An exhibition about our relationship with our home, this art show will have you seeing our environment in a brand new light. Imaginarium: To the Ends of the Earth Prices vary for programmes. General admission to Imaginarium: To the Ends of the Earth Family Night at the Museum is $12 To purchase tickets, click here. Gillman Barracks seems to be the place to be for a growing group of art-lovers and hipsters all over the country. Drawing crowds from all over at events like Art After Dark, this art cluster off Alexandra Road definitely ranks high on our list of top hipster date spots. This June, its popular Art Day Out! will return for a special School Holidays edition. Before you tune out, pegging this as a kids-only event, there will be plenty of things for the grown ups among us to do as well. Think a curation of new exhibitions and special programmes, including an interactive art tour by one of Singapore’s leading theatre companies, The Finger Players. Experiencing various art forms in a place that’s off the beaten path? It doesn’t get more hipster than that! Art Day Out! At Gillman Barracks This list of events is brought to you by To sweeten the deal, you’ll be happy to know that A List Singapore has recently created a mysterious Black Box. It will contain curated items that open the way to different arts experiences every month. In it, you’ll find tickets to arts and culture festivals, exclusive merchandise, and tons of other cool stuff. Look forward to EXCLUSIVE A List merchandise, The O.P.E.N. Festival passes for two and Janice Wong gourmet chocolates worth over S$200. To get your hands on this exclusive black box, all you have to do is click here for more updates.
Image Credit: 3. The O.P.E.N. 2017
Address: Various Locations
Date: 28 June – 30 July
Admission: $45 (All programmes*), $25 (Concession pass-all programmes*), $10 (Single Entry Ticket)
Website
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Image Credit: Time Out Singapore
Address: Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
Date: 6 May – 27 August
Price: Free for Singaporeans, permanent residents, and children under six. For non-Singaporeans and PRs, $6 for adults, and $3 for children.5. Art Day Out! At Gillman Barracks
Image Credit: Gillman Barracks
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Image Credit: CDN Wallpaper
Address: Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108937
Date: 24 June
Price: Free 
This month, A List will be giving away its Black Box to one lucky winner!
This Trippy Mirror Maze Will Have You Losing Yourself In Infinite Reflections And Endless Hallways
If you love a good maze, or have been told you look at your own reflection too much, you’ll love the newest setup at the Science Centre.
Professor Crackitt’s Light Fantastic! Mirror Maze has to be the most visually pleasing permanent exhibition yet.
But beware–it’s super trippy.
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Image credit: The psychedelic showcase features 105 mirror cells, and more than 17 interactive exhibits and experiments on light.
There’s also a whole bunch of fake exits and holograms to add to the thrill–or panic–depending on how brave you are.
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Image Credit: The rooms house exhibits like crazy kaleidoscopes and a lightning entrapment apparatus.
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Image Credit: The brains behind the maze is Adrian Fisher Design, the world’s leading creator of mazes and seven time Guinness World Record holder.
Attempting the maze could be a daunting feat for some, but if you feed off a sense of adventure, you’ll enjoy every bit of it.
The Backstory
There’s a story behind the maze too.
Professor Crackitt, an eccentric, fictional scientist has lost his pet parrot Wattnot in his vast laboratory (read: the mirror maze), and you’re supposed to help him find it.
So make sure you look out for this parrot, even as you tinkle with the whimsical experiments along the way.
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Image Credit: It is the Science Centre after all, so be prepared to be tossed nuggets of fun facts about light and reflection!
You’ll surely learn a lot as you go through the life-size labyrinth of mirrors.
Will you find your way through the identical looping corridors, or will you run into yourself on your way out?
Professor Crackitts Light Fantastic Mirror Maze
Address: Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081
Opening Hours: From 14 June 2017, 10.00 am
Contact no.: 6425 2500
Website
Also, read Forget The Zoo – Make Some New Animal Friends At These Lesser Known Farms In S’pore
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Wipe Away Your Tears Because Gong Cha Will Be Back In Singapore “Pretty Soon”
If you’ve been grieving the loss of Gong Cha, and traveled all the way down to its last branch in Marina Bay Sands last weekend for your final cup of Gong Cha, that may all have been for nought. Singapore’s favourite bubble tea brand will be coming back!
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Wait, WHAT?!
There is no information yet on an actual opening date or time frame, but the exact words of Mr Kim Soomin, a partner at Unison Capital–the firm that co-owns the Gong Cha brand with Royal Tea Taiwan–were “we plan to come back pretty soon”.
The reason? Gong Cha Singapore outlets were among the top three contributors to Gong Cha’s overall turnover, raking in about S$30 million in annual revenue. Basically, that means all that Gong Cha we’ve been drinking has paid off!
The chain is slated to return in a couple of months in a “bigger, better, upgraded format”. There is also no word yet on how many outlets will be opened but according to Mr Kim, “as many as we can”.
Expect everything you love about Gong Cha and more, because Gong Cha also has plans to bring new colour to the Singapore market, such as by giving its Singapore stores a more modern look, and a brand new menu that’s tailor-made for its Singapore customers!
Who else is excited, because we know we are!
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Changi’s Jewel Is Like A Futuristic Playground – Bounce On Sky Nets And Play Among The Clouds
Changi Airport–the pride and joy of Singapore.
The best airport in the world for the 5th year running, it looks like that title isn’t going anywhere, especially with the addition of lifestyle complex Jewel Changi Airport.
A Tourist Attraction In Its Own Right
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Image Credit: plenty to do and see en route to our travels once this exciting project is up and running!
Beautiful on the outside, what lays within is even more amazing. Besides featuring an estimated 270 – 300 retail tenants (i.e. no lack of options when it comes to shopping and dining), what makes Jewel truly unique is that it’s also a playground for both adults and kids.
Canopy Park
The star of Jewel is undeniably Canopy Park, a 14,000 sq m space that occupies Jewel’s top floor.
Featuring bouncy sky nets, towering hedge mazes and so much more, the Canopy Park is an enchanting indoor garden that will ignite your sense of wonder, no matter your age!
Sky Nets
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Image Credit: We Are Days Away From Ultra Singapore – These Are The Acts S’poreans Are Hyped To See
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Michelle Chong Pays Litchfield A Visit In Latest Promo For OITNB Season 5
Michelle Chong. We know her for the many memorable characters she plays, from ditzy Barbarella to PRC hostess Lulu from Lulu The Movie. Today, she takes on yet another character in a promotional video for Netflix’s ‘Orange Is The New Black’–the Singaporean Ah Lian.
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Titled ‘Ah Lian In Litchfield’, the 1:15 long video stars Chong and Uzo Aduba, who plays everyone’s favourite Litchfield inmate, ‘Crazy Eyes’. In stereotypical Ah Lian fashion, she rocks an intense winged eyeliner look, a bold pink, glossy lip, and has an inexplicable obsession with her fringe.
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Image Credit: Netflix[/caption]
As per usual, she kills it with her delivery of Singlish phrases we all know well like ‘abuhden’, ‘kan ni na’, and ‘siam la’, leaving Crazy Eyes at a loss for words.
Watch the full video here.
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Image Credit: We Are Days Away From Ultra Singapore – These Are The Acts S’poreans Are Hyped To See
(Header Image Source: Netflix)
