Tag: family

This HDB is so #instaworthy, every spot is perfect for pictures 

Singapore has a world-class public housing system that helps Singaporeans own their own
homes, from 9% in 1960 to over 90% today.

Yes, Singapore is often
talked about and used as a successful example of public housing done right. Our
home ownership of 91% lands us in the top three highest in the world, and over
80% of Singaporeans live in high quality and affordable HDB flats.

Housing a Nation

This was not the
case in the early years, when most people lived in over-crowded and unhygienic
slums. 

The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew is a key driver in
of public housing in Singapore. The nation’s founding prime minister had set up
the HDB in 1960, and launched an ambitious building programme to provide proper
homes for Singaporeans – Housing a nation.

Watch this to find out how Singapore
fixed its housing problem,

Let’s Meet the People Living in these
HDB Flats

You should have noticed by now that
we’re publishing a series of #myHDBstory where we check out Singaporeans’ HDB
homes and invite them to share with us their HDB stories. 

We have already covered #myHDBstory of
a middle-aged couple with five kids as well as a young couple with a baby girl, let’s check out the home of a single
person this round.

Today,
we’re checking out the home of Bob
Mubarak. 

Bob’s
day job is a Business Manager with SingaporeBrides.com, one of the leading bridal resource
portals in Singapore. But when he’s not working, Bob transforms into a
tastemaker of sorts. Here is someone who has always loved all things
beautiful. 

Earlier
in this career, he was a highly accomplished makeup artist who helped women
look more beautiful. Some years back, he was also running a wedding gift tray business and mind you, he was so good at making
beautiful wedding gift trays he was perpetually booked! 

Now,
when he’s not working, he’s an accidental Instagram-Influencer who spams lotsa
posts of beautiful
homes,
fabulous reno and cool
furnishings.
And believe you me, his casual post about something he bought can cause the
item to be sold out at all outlets! He also likes to feature yummy food and
seemingly fabulous people too!

Bob’s #myHDBstory is
#bobsretirementhome

Home to Bob is a 4-room resale flat in
Bukit Panjang, a place where Bob insists is much much nearer to town than most
people think. It’s also near where his family is staying. The flat was
completed in 1998, so it’s around 20 years old. 

He knew he wanted a flat near his
family home, so that helped lots to narrow down where to start looking. But
even then, he shared that he viewed a total of 13(!!) units! The funny thing is
he ended up buying the very first flat he’d viewed. He took over the flat on
19th December 2016, signed the renovation contract on 1st January 2017 and he
has been living there in solo bliss for over two years now. 

View this post on Instagram

; house keys. finally. just now went over to azankan the house – felt so imam imam now. can marry already. #bobsretirementhome

A post shared by Bob Mubarak Nasir (@bobmubarak) on Dec 19, 2016 at 2:49am PST

Bob had bought the flat for around
$350,000 in late 2016. Did you know that about 80% of first-time homebuyers are
able to pay their monthly mortgage instalment fully with CPF? This means that
they do not pay any cash out-of-pocket. That’s the same for Bob too! His
monthly housing instalments are all taken care of via his CPF, so no cash
out-of-pocket for him too!

Bob’s #myHDBstory is every single
Singaporean’s dream

Guess how many IDs Bob had checked out
before deciding? Eight.

Whoa. Not only did he top the number of
viewings I’ve ever heard of, he’s also right up there in terms of the most
number of contractors a homeowner has met for quotes. Anyway, he eventually
decided on Tid Plus, an ID that he highly recommends. He says they’re great
value-for-money and deliver good work.

Let’s go on a tour of #bobsretirementhome now!

Don’t you just love that gate! And
white doors are quite rare in HDB estates!

Come, let’s go in!

Bob shared that he had initially wanted
a black-and-white look in the colonial style.  

But once he decided on this unit and
fell in love with the abundance of light flowing into the living space, he
decided that the natural light would be wasted on a high-contrast
black-and-white look. He next considered to go full-on white, but his ID
advised him against it. An all-white look might look too sterile and clinical
for a home.

In the end, Bob went
for a white-and-grey palette which was light and airy, whilst providing some
dimension.

Bob truly believes that adding dashes of green in the form of plants works wonders. It warms the space immediately, and gives it life.

I love how the plants and his soft furnishing break the straight lines of the renovation and furniture, softening it nicely to add homeliness to the cool, modern look.

Bob has always wanted an open-concept kitchen. So he worked with the ID to hack away a curved wall that the previous owner had erected. So yea, he got his open kitchen that flows seamlessly into the dining area and opens up to the living space.

Incidentally, this is also where Bob does his work too!

His employer is apparently a very progressive one. Since SingaporeBrides.com started in 2000, the team has always worked from home. Very good, they were green and contributing to reducing carbon footprint even before it’s a thing!

And as if he ain’t talented enough, Bob
is also a good cook! Man, what can’t this bachelor do?? 

He loves having his friends over and
feeding them delish food that he’ll whip up himself. So yea, the kitchen is not
mere showpiece for photography, he actually puts it to good use too!

Let’s check out the bedrooms now!

Whoa, I quite like the master bedroom!
So fancy!

And, did you know that the room can look and feel completely different with
just a change of bedlinen? Check out this,
this
and this!

And did you think no one will actually sit on that chair? WRONG. Bob does!

We asked him where is his favourite spot at home, and he said it’s right here!

There are two other bedrooms, but we only took photos of one of them since Bob uses the third bedroom for storage.

The second bedroom, with the sofa-bed, effectively is a guestroom.

By now you must be very curious how
much the renovation and all cost. Bob had spent $46,000 on the renovation. This
seems to be a reasonable amount as resale flats sometimes can cost
significantly more than BTO in terms of renovation costs because there are
usually hacking and remodelling work, etc.

The TV and refrigerator were gifted to
Bob, but even then, he had spent only $5,000 on furniture and appliances! He
was very careful with what he spent on, and he even had a rule of not buying
anything over $1,000. He would watch the sales and promotions with eagle eyes,
and he enlisted the help of his Chinese friends to help him order items on Taobao.

His efforts sure paid off and his home
is one of the nicest we’ve featured for the #myHDBstory series. 

More about the Single Citizen Scheme

As with most developed cities,
Singapore is also seeing her citizens getting married later in life, and there
are also Singaporeans who choose to remain single. The Government has
recognised this trend and in order to cater to the needs of singles,  HDB
first implemented the Single Citizen Scheme to allow Singaporeans who are 35 years
old and above to own their own HDB flats in July 2013. 

Singles can choose to buy BTO or resale
flats. Singles can apply for 2-room BTO Flexi units at non-mature estates and
for resale units, there are no restrictions on location or size; so singles
who want bigger flats or want their flats immediately will usually go the
resale route.

There have always been grants for first-time home buyers, be it families or singles. But earlier this month, the Government announced even more good news and these enhancements were effective from 11th September 2019.

• Eligible first-timer singles aged 35 and above, and earning not more than $4,500 a month, can also enjoy an Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG for singles) of up to $40,000, and are subject to the same conditions.
• The monthly household income ceiling for eligible first-timer singles aged 35 and above will also be raised from $6,000 to $7,000.

More
about #bobsretirementhome: To sell or not to sell?

Bob
was penduluming between the thought of selling the current flat off after the
Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years, or to carry out another round of
renovation at the current unit.

View this post on Instagram

; #bobsretirementhome | totally loveeee the morning ray on a sunday. why i am up at 7.00am on a sunday, i have no idea. but when your age is approaching 40, it has a funny way of telling you to sleep at 10.00pm and be wide awake at 6.00am. • yes, especially on a sunday. • … and the public holidays. • i was talking to @msofian about selling my house after the minimum occupation period of five years, and then downgrading to three-room flat and try to be as debt free as possible, while simultaneously talking to @tidplus_design to renovate this house to do #bobsretirementhome version 2.0. • this is another peril of old age. an almost immediate dementia. talked about selling the house, and then five minutes later, planning new renovation design of the very home that i intend to sell. • #bobsretirementhome have given me so much. like the huge amount of sunlight streaming through every morning, so many opportunities have opened up for me because of this home too. to sell, or not to sell, that is the question. the answer is, will sell if can earn 100% profit. eh? • and yes, eldershield will be reaching me next year. kurang ajar punya government. tak payah nak remind lah hawau!

A post shared by Bob Mubarak Nasir (@bobmubarak) on Sep 7, 2019 at 7:13pm PDT

He was wondering if he could make 100%
profit if he were to sell off the unit. ONE HUNDRED PER CENT?! That would mean
$700,000 leh, so I don’t think so? But it’s entirely probable that he will make
a reasonably tidy sum if he were to sell it.

At 25 years upon MOP, the flat is still relatively “young”. 

Besides,
remember this: Every flat will be upgraded twice.

To
keep all HDB flats safe and liveable, there will be one round of upgrading when
your flat is about 30 years old through the Home Improvement Programme (HIP),
and a second round when your flat is about 60-70 years old through HIP II. The
upgrades will address common maintenance issues such as repairing spalling
concrete.

Apart
from upgrading, the Government will redevelop old estates through the Voluntary
Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) to ensure they remain vibrant places to live.
Residents offered VERS will vote as a precinct on whether they wish to return
their flats to the Government. They will be compensated for their flats.

So
my guess is if Bob were to sell his Bukit Panjang flat, there should be some
more upside given the flat’s relatively young “age”, and also that there should
be one round of upgrading at around 2028 when it turns 30.

More
about #bobsretirementhome: Unlocking the value

If
Bob decides to keep the unit and really make it #bobsretirementhome, there are
also several ways to monetarise the flat later, especially if he needs money in
his silver years.

• Firstly, Bob can receive cash monthly by renting out his bedroom(s) or even the entire flat and he can go live with his siblings or friends.
• Secondly, Bob can also sell part of the flat’s remaining lease to get a lump sum cash and monthly payouts in cash, for life. This is under the Lease Buyback Scheme.
• Thirdly, he can still sell the Bukit Panjang flat later in life, and buy a smaller flat or a flat with a shorter lease. 
• Lastly, those moving from a larger flat to a 3-room or smaller flat can consider taking up the Silver Housing Bonus, to receive up to $20,000 in cash.

I Was Made To Write An Article About HDB

HDB, a place I spent my childhood running around with my friends playing block catching. The place I desperately longed to go home to some nights when I was made to work overtime.

5 kids in 1 HDB flat – no problem! The “Perfect” Father tells all

The second I
stepped out of the HDB lift, I knew which house belongs to the family I was
going to interview. I spied a mini slide and a variety of kick-scooters,
ride-on toy vehicles, bicycles and a whole lot of shoes. “Must be the right
house”, I thought to myself. My guess was spot on as once the door was open, I
was greeted by chatter from the full house of children.

“I knew this was
your house!” I exclaimed to Steven, who so happens to be a blogger at

Housing everyone under one roof affordably

As we sat down to
talk, the children zoomed happily around on the electric toy car and indulged
in their favourite activities with their siblings, oblivious to this “intruder”
on a Saturday morning.

Steven brought us
back in time to 17 years ago when he and his wife, Laifong, first started
working. Laifong was living in her family home in Ang Mo Kio back then, and her
mother got to know of her neighbour two units away who had wanted to sell their
3-Room flat.

Steven remembered
that the asking price was quite reasonable at $130K thereabouts for the 3-Room
HDB flat. Once he factored in the $30K first-timer housing grant and $10K
proximity housing grant for living near parents, the price came down to a very
affordable $90K*.

When their fourth
kid came around, Steven and Laifong suddenly found themselves faced with a
choice of going ahead with the upgrading to a 5-Room BTO they had applied for
earlier, or to buy the adjoining 3-Room flat next door under the Conversion
Scheme since their neighbour was moving out.

The couple quickly did their sums. The asking
price of the flat next door plus the $90K he had paid for their existing flat
combined was still under the price of a 5-bedroom BTO in the same area.

During that time,
a 5-room BTO at Ang Mo Kio would have set the couple back about $510,000 after
grants.

Steven recalled
how he and his wife gave up their BTO allocation in favour of knocking down the
wall between the two adjoining 3-Room units to form a jumbo flat with enough space for all.  I guess it’s safe to say that our public
housing scheme has served Singaporeans well. For Steven and Laifong, it was not
so much a matter of whether they could house everyone affordably, but more of
what type of public housing and at which location would work better for them.

With over a million HDB flats spread across towns and estates, the
Singapore brand of public housing is uniquely different from the rest of the
world. HDB flats spell home for over 80% of Singaporeans, and our home
ownership stands over 90%, the third highest in the world.

Managing finances and balancing
budgets

I could
not resist asking how Steven and his family manage…  especially with 5 children. He shared that his
housing loan, which he and his wife split 50-50 is completely covered by CPF, freeing
up finances for day to day expenses. Home-cooked meals and hawker fare are
their go-to because eating out for two adults and five kids can be quite a
hefty sum. That said, they still budget for a yearly family holiday – Japan
being their next destination.

The family
of seven does not own a car and they are used to taking public transport to get
around. Taxi rides are far and few between, a luxury reserved for special
circumstances or when they are very tired. Thankfully, various transport routes
are easily accessible from their home.  

Quality
time is key

Being a full-time working parent,
Steven shared that time is really a precious commodity. As much as both he and
Laifong try to shower each child with individual attention, having a brood of five
means they do not get to spend as much time with each child as they would like to.
This is certainly a feeling many working parents can relate to.

This prompted Steven to come up with
an interesting way of overcoming this “guilt”. He started the habit of bringing
each child on one-on-one bonding trips overseas, timing it to coincide with
just before they enter Primary school, a nice way to spend quality time
together before they embarked on their formal education. He has since completed
3 one-on-one trips, bringing Steffi to Korea, Leroy to Gold Coast and Stacci to
Perth.

He shared that these trips allowed him
to show his love for each child through spending dedicated time with them. Both
father and child got to learn more about each other on their bonding trips and
share many happy memories and experiences together. Steven’s advice – “Live the
moment, go forth and explore the world together!”

Endearing memories of home

Laughter and
happy squeals emanate throughout the Teo household, never a quiet moment when
the children are around. Their closeness as a family even spills over into
their unique sleeping arrangement. Even though their jumbo flat has several
bedrooms, the family of seven insists that they bunk all together.

They sleep
in an elongated bedroom, made from knocking down the walls between two
bedrooms. Their configuration of two king sized beds and one super single on
the floor seems the perfect combination to fit all seven of them.

I asked
Steven which child sleeps where and he put it simply – he parks himself on one
king size bed, his wife on the other and the children will pick favourites for
the night! A recent family staycation also saw all of them cuddled up in a king
size bed! 

Challenges and joys

As I
rounded up the interview to let the family get back to their lives, I
understood more and more Steven and Laifong’s decision to have more children
than the typical family. While there are challenges in raising such a big
family… the immeasurable joy and warmth the young ones bring is certainly
palpable.

We thank Steven
and Laifong for sharing their #myHDBstory.

*Over the years, HDB has
enhanced its offering of subsidies and grants to help Singaporeans afford their
first home. Ninety per cent of first-time home buyers buy a flat directly from
HDB at subsidised rates.

From September 2019 onwards,
the newly announced Enhanced CPF Housing
Grant (EHG) will replace the existing
Additional and Special CPF Housing Grants (AHG and SHG).

Eligible first-timer families
buying a resale flat may now enjoy up to $160,000 of housing grants, comprising
an EHG of up to $80,000, a CPF Housing Grant of up to $50,000, and a Proximity
Housing Grant of up to $30,000.

Do you
live in a HDB flat? Share your own #myHDBstory!

Broke AF Couples Can Finally Afford A Staycation In Sentosa Starting April 2019

It’s confirmed. Singaporeans LOVE going on staycations.

No, really. Expedia did a whole survey on it.

In their 2018 Singapore Staycation Study, Singaporeans go an average of 2 staycations per year whereas parents with children are also most likely to go on one.

Planning your next staycation? Again? Well you’re not alone because a lot of us are probably planning our annual year end staycations as well. As much as we love cosy boutique hotels in the city, the idea of spending the night at a luxury hotel in Sentosa sounds perfect too!

But if the thought of spending a minimum of $600 per night makes you cry, don’t fret. 3 new mid-tier hotels will be opening in Sentosa from April next year according to a report by Channel NewsAsia.

Living The Luxe Life

The hotels which was announced first last year, will target the mid-tier segment which includes families, young adults on staycations as well as business travellers.

The 3 hotels are:

1. Outpost Hotel (Opening April 2019)

2. Village Hotel (Opening April 2019)

3. The Barracks Hotel (Opening August 2019)

All 3 hotels are situated in the Palawan area – giving you easy access to the Imbiah monorail station and across the road from Universal Studios Singapore.

Here’s a sneak peak of the hotels:

Village Hotel Sentosa

The largest of the 3 hotels, Village Hotel at Sentosa will house 606 rooms targeted towards families, business travellers and groups. Facilities include themed pool zones, a children’s play pool as well as a lazy river pool.

Outpost Hotel

Slightly more atas, Outpost Hotel will feature 193 rooms – which includes a rooftop pool and bar as well as a wedding hall – perfect for couples who are planning on a luxurious wedding set in Sentosa.

If you’re looking for a more romantic option, Outpost Hotel is the perfect option for a getaway with bae.

The Barracks Hotel

The smallest of the 3 hotels, The Barracks Hotel is nothing short of spectacular. If you have extra cash to spare, go for The Barracks as its 40 rooms promise guests exclusivity and privacy.

Just like the hotels in the Changi vicinity, the development will be housed in a refurbished conserved colonial building.

So if you’ve been longing for a short getaway away from the hustle and bustle of the city, your Sentosa staycation dreams are about to come true.

Because let’s be real, who can really afford Capella, right?

Also Read Long Week At Work? Rest And Recharge At These 5 Japanese Onsens In S’pore Instead

(Header Image Source: Far East Hospitality)

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)

Orchard Road Turns On The Christmas Magic With A Disney-Themed Light-Up This Year

Every year, in the months leading up to the festive Christmas season, Orchard Road is decked out in the prettiest of lights and glittery decor thanks to Christmas on a Great Street.

Who can forget the giant glowing arcs?

Now that National Day is over, that means it’s time to prepare for Halloween and Christmas. And this year, Orchard Road is about to be taken over by everyone’s favourite childhood characters.

This Christmas, Hitachi proudly presents Disney Magical Moments – Christmas on a Great Street!

A Very Disney Christmas

Disney fans can expect to see themed installations featuring Mickey Mouse and friends, the Disney Princesses, characters from Frozen, and Pixar’s Toy Story, all along the stretches of Orchard Road!

The Disney spectacle begins from Tanglin Mall along Tanglin Road with the Disney Princesses greeting you, and ends at Dhoby Ghaut, with the beloved characters of Pixar’s Toy Story.

Some of the highlights to look out for along the stretch include the Ariel (The Little Mermaid) photo spot at Shaw House, Mickey Mouse and friends set pieces, and pop-ups by popular brands such as OWNDAYS, Häagen-Dazs, Uniqlo, SK-II, and OPPO!

We heard there’ll be 25 brands in total, so stay tuned for more details on the other participating brands!

Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza will also host the Endless Wonder Christmas Village, with bouncy castles, food vendors, and musical performances!

That’s not all, head over to Plaza Singapura for the Light-Up Ceremony on 10 November 2018 at 7pm and watch as the Disney-themed decor lights up Orchard Road and usher in the spirit of Christmas!

The lights and decor will be up 1 January 2019 so you’ll have plenty of time to get all your photos.

Disney Magic Moments – Christmas on a Great Street
Venue: Along Orchard Road
Date: 10 Nov 2018 – 1 Jan 2019
Let It Glow, Let It Glow – Tsum Tsum Takes Over Vivocity With 2000 Lanterns This Mid-Autumn Festival

(Header Image Source: Study Break)

If You Missed Artbox, Check Out S’pore’s First Food Truck Market Instead – Runs Till July 8 At Bugis

Common Ground Korea is a market built entirely out of recycled shipping containers in Seoul.

While Singapore doesn’t have the space for a full-sized container market, we have something that comes pretty close.

From now till 8 July 2018, the Bugis area will be taken over by Market On Wheels! A collaboration between Bugis Junction and Bugis+, this is Singapore’s first and very own food trucks and container market, for a bit.

Market On Wheels, while not massive, does offer a good variety of food and drinks.

Here’s what you can expect at this brand new market!

A Sugar Rush by Cereal Citizen

You might’ve seen them quite recently at Artbox. Cereal Citizen was founded by local blogger and influencer, Bong Qiu Qiu. They’re known for their signature Crododo, which is a quirky little creation of a cross between a croissant and a donut.

Basically, a donut with the texture of a croissant.

Other items on the menu include the Unicorn Cotton Candy that looks almost too good to eat, and the Market On Wheels-exclusive Caramel Popcorn-flavoured Creamy Foam with Fizzy Butterbeer Soda. (What a mouthful.)

Cereal Citizen’s highly instagrammable food might look (almost) too pretty to eat. But if you’re not a big fan of food that’s too saccharine, then you might want to check out the next vendor in the list.

Local Delights at Abracowdabra

Abracowdabra might have a small menu which serves up a few local dishes, but these offerings are not to be scoffed at.

Don’t miss their savoury items such as the Satay, Har Cheong Gai, Tahu Goreng and the Fried Mantou that comes with either chilli crab sauce or condensed milk.

Wash your food down with a large cup of Sugarcane juice or Cendol!

Beef Cubes at Swag Grill Bar

Brought to you by the people from The Swag Social who were also at Artbox recently, the Swag Grill Bar offers grilled Yakiniku Ribeye Beef, Salmon Mentai (OMG), fries, and their signature “HP and Mana” drip bag sodas.

If you’re a fan of grilled beef cubes, then you have to get their Yakiniku Ribeye Beef – flame-grilled to perfection, with a choice of it being served with rice and an onsen egg in a donburi.

If you’re looking for something that’s more filling, this is the place to go.

Here are some of the other vendors that will be at Market On Wheels.

The Market On Wheels is an interesting pop-up concept that’s never been done in Singapore previously. If you’re in the Bugis area from now till 8 July 2018, head over to check it out. You might even be able to catch live performances as you dine!

Bring friends, come hungry.

Market On Wheels
Venue: Bugis Junction
Date: 8 Jun – 8 Jul 2018
Opening Hours: Daily: 11am – 9pm
Website

Also read If You Miss Muchachos, Good News – They’re Back With A New Outlet In The CBD

(Header Image Source: Market On Wheels)

This New Arcade Is Supposedly The Biggest In The East Side – Tokens Go For As Low As 16 Cents

5 months ago, VivoCity saw the opening of the Timezone flagship store and it was YUUUGE. You can see it for yourself in our video.

https://www.facebook.com/discover.sg.official/videos/2427312264161128/

Now, there’s a new arcade claiming that they’re the biggest arcade in the East side of Singapore.

Introducing Fat Cat Arcade. They recently opened in Bedok’s Djitsun Mall and they’re proudly owning the title of being the “Biggest Arcade In The East”, or as I would like to call it, B.A.I.T.E (The ‘e’ is silent.)

So Far, So Fat

Fat Cat Arcade claims that they have over 100 machines on the arcade floor and their tokens go for as low as $0.16 each!

Here’s a video tour of Fat Cat Arcade.

https://www.facebook.com/fatcatarcade/videos/194170894563006/

While I’m not a regular patron at arcades, the games I do go for are the shooters such as Time Crisis, The Walking Dead, and the Nascar racing games. Fat Cat Arcade seems to have more skill-based games than shooters.

Here are some photos of the arcade. Can you spot any games you’re familiar with?

To be fair, the arcade floor is quite expansive, though it’s not as big as Timezone. BUT, they have carpeted floors. So the point goes to them.

Of course, every decent arcade in Singapore has these cursed loose-clawed, money-sucking, token-eating machines and Fat Cat Arcade definitely didn’t forget theirs.

Oh, not forgetting these coin-drop arcade machines too.

Now, after you’ve spent hours upon hours farming and stocking up on your tickets, it’s time to redeem them for some prizes. And Fat Cat Arcade has a pretty decent “redemption shop”.

Actually we’re understating because you can choose from more than 500 items to redeem with your tickets. Also, the place reminds me of Mini-So.

Honestly speaking, Timezone is still bigger with more traditional digital arcade games and they have a bowling alley, bumper cars, an air hockey table.

But if you’re in the East and you’re trying to avoid the ‘Special Event Area’ near Sentosa at the moment, then Fat Cat Arcade is a good alternative.

Also, arcades are a better addiction than casinos. Just saying.

Fat Cat Arcade
Address: 445 Bedok North Street 1 Level 2, Djitsun Mall, Singapore 469661
Opening Hours: Daily: 11am – 1am
Contact no.: 6242 0221
Website

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(Header Image Source: Fat Cat Arcade)

The Avengers Have Assembled At ArtScience Museum To Celebrate 10 Years Of Marvel Studios

It seems like yesterday when we were first introduced to the cocky genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist that is Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

But it’s been a decade! Can you believe it? 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I was in secondary school when the first in a long series of Marvel movies made its debut and now we’re already on the 3rd Avengers movie and Phase 3 of the MCU is almost complete.

In commemoration of this milestone, the ArtScience Museum is showcasing the past 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in their upcoming exhibition, Marvel Studios: Ten Years Of Heroes.

10 Years, 20 Films, 1 Studio

Opening tomorrow, 9 June 2018 till 30 September 2018, the exhibition will be an immersive and interactive Marvel experience for all fans.

Split into 10 distinct galleries, each section focuses on a film or a specific member of the Avengers and features life-size replicas (like the one you saw at NEX before the premiere of Avengers: Infinity War), visual and multimedia displays, as well as interactive showcases.

If you’re a big fan of Iron Man, (you must be an aspiring entrepreneur) then you should check out the Iron Man gallery where 30 different Iron Man suits are on full display together with a 5-metre tall replica of said hero.

Those on the other side of the Avengers Civil War can head over to the Captain America gallery where you can view a holographic video of Captain America’s different shields. Like a catalogue.

You can also see a replica of the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier, with a screen in the background playing the scene in the first Avengers movie of it taking to the skies.

If you loved the Black Panther movie (honestly, who DIDN’T?), head over to the Black Panther gallery, step into Wakanda and explore the wonders of Shuri’s lab.

Or enter the Microverse in the next gallery and see the Ant-Man and the Wasp through a magnifying glass.

For a more interactive experience, head over to the Guardians of the Galaxy gallery and have a “dance-off” with Baby Groot or the Doctor Strange gallery (the Sanctum Sanctorum, to the few cultured ones out there) where you can attempt to “bend reality” with a little help from modern technology.

Step into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and relive all the past films at this ArtScience Museum exhibition from 9 June to 30 September 2018.

Tickets for Singaporeans go for $16 per adult, $12 for senior citizens and children, and $45 for a family package of 2 adults and 2 kids.

You can purchase your tickets here or at the ticketing counter at the ArtScience Museum.

Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes Exhibition
Venue: ArtScience Museum
Date: 9 Jun – 30 Sep 2018
Website

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(Header Image Source: The Establishing Shot)

Don Don Donki’s Upcoming 2nd Outlet In Tanjong Pagar Sells Food That CBD Workers Can Easily ‘Dabao’

DON DON DON, DONKI~

If the song isn’t stuck in your head, it just means you haven’t gone to the Don Don Donki at Orchard Central. Or maybe you’re just one of the veteran shoppers that listen to your own music as you shop.

If you haven’t been to Don Don Donki, you live in Sengkang is it?

This 2-storey wonderland practically brings Japan to Singapore. They have (almost) everything you want, need and never knew you needed, like the insanely popular roasted sweet potato. (Sweet potato never eat before meh?)

Really though, I love Don Don Donki and the best part is that it never closes. NEVER CLOSES leh. It makes 7-11 look like a joke.

So if you love Don Don Donki as much as I do but you’re low to middle SES like me and don’t travel to Orchard everyday, then you’d be glad to know that the Don Don Don-team (don’t quote me on this) have heard our low SES complains and are opening a 2nd outlet at Tanjong Pagar!

Don Don Don, Don’t You Wish Your NTUC Was Hot Like Me?

I’ll get straight to the point.

The 2nd outlet will be opening in 100AM Mall at Tanjong Pagar on 14 June 2018 at 10am.

There will also be special promotions on the opening day, as well as games, freebies and giveaways.

So if you’re a kiasu auntie or a curious cat, then gird your loins because this is the closest thing Singapore is going to have to a Black Friday sale rush.

Well, at least this outlet is MUCH nearer to me. Don Don Don’t Shove Me~

Don Don Donki (100AM Mall)
Address: 100AM Mall Levels 2 & 3, 100 Tras Street, Singapore 079027
Website

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(Header Image Source: Don Don Donki)