2018 has been an exciting year so far, and if you have missed some of the top events in the first-half of the year, or are having some major withdrawals, don’t worry because the best is yet to come. Whether you’re a traveller or a Singaporean on the lookout for fun activities, we’ve got you covered.
Read on below to find out what exciting events lie in store for you in the next half of 2018:
Image cred: Artsy
Explore the concept of time, space and memories at Singapore Art Museum’s latest family friendly exhibition featuring the works of 10 contemporary artists from aroundthe region and internationally. The eighth edition of this annual exhibition provokes the senses, while allowing visitors to get a glimpse of what the fourth dimension mean to people and cultures through the screening of award-winning short films, interactive murals and intriguing installations to illustrate the mysteries of time -an eyeopening experience for both young and old. Imaginarium: Into the Space of Time is open from now to 26 August.
| Opening hours: 10am-9pm (Fri), 10am-7pm (Sat-Thurs) |
| Venue: SAM at 8Q, 8 Queen Street, Singapore 188535 |
| Tickets: $6 for Adults, $3 for Students and Senior Citizens (Free admission for Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and Children under 6) |
Image Cred: Singapore Night Festival Website
Watch Singapore’s Bras Basah and Bugis precinct come alive at night with a series of spectacular performances from 17 to 25 August 2018. The much anticipated annual street festival celebrates arts, culture and heritage with light installations, aerial displays, street performances, musicals and film screenings. Be sure to catch one of the festival’s highlights, Night Lights, which is an exhibition of attractive light displays that draws throngs of people to the festival each year.
| Date: Night Lights from 18 -26 August 2018 Performances from 24 -26 August 2018 |
| Venue: Bras Basah and Bugis |
| Time: 7.30pm to 12.00am Free admission |
Image cred: Visit Singapore
July is the month where we celebrate all things food! From 13 to 29 July, embark on a culinary journey to discover the foods that Singapore has to offer in a series of delightfully delicious events at the annual Singapore Food Festival. Visitors get to learn about the culture and heritage behind the foods in Singapore, as well as delve into the realm of modern dining. For a more hands-on experience, you can take part in a variety of cooking classes and workshops to replicate some of these yummy dishes at home. For those with adventurous taste-buds, look forward to rare collaborations between renowned chefs for a creative dining experience.
Since the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix 2008, Singapore has been hosting the world-classmotorsport racing event and is also recognised as the world’s first country to hold a night race. Get ready for an action-packed weekend as you witness the world’s top racers conquer the bends on Marina Bay’s Street Circuit against the backdrop of Singapore’s breathtakingskyline. According to spectators from past races, there is a difference between watching it live versus on screen because you can really feel the speed and intensity of the race. The glamorous event also consists of a line-up of all-day performances and concerts by A-list stars, resulting in an unparalleled festival experience and certainly a night to remember.
| Date: 14, 15 & 16 September 2018 |
| Venue: Marina Bay Street Circuit |
A marathon may sound daunting to some, but it is definitely a good way to train up your physical fitness and develop positive character attributes in order to undertake life’s challenges. Wrap up your 2018 with a personal challenge! Choose from the different types of races categories available that best suit your needs, and who says running must be alone? Grab a friend or two and train together! For mummies, there’s also a Kid Dash for young runners below the age of 13 if you want to get active with the family.
| Date: 8 and 9 December 2018 |
| Venue: Orchard Road |
| Register now at: https://singaporemarathon.com/register/ |
After a long day out, it’s time to come home to a cup of Nilufer Tea. Made with pesticide-free herbs, flowers and premium dried fruit, Nilufer tea purifies and restores your body while offering a treat to your senses with its delightful fragrance.
Most vegans have worked well around their dietary restrictions for a long time, but if you’re not vegan yourself, you might think that vegan food is simply too limited, plain boring or “too healthy” for anyone. But give it a chance and you might just be surprised at the myriad of creative and mind-blowingly tasty dishes that vegan chefs can come up with!
For working adults, it can be especially difficult to find vegan options for your 1 hour lunch break. So, we found a list of the top vegan cafés or dining choices in Singapore for you, specifically near the CBD area or in town.
A purely vegan eatery with a healthy and extensive Asian local menu, Loving Hut is a favourite amongst vegans in Singapore. You can be sure that their food affords healthier options with lower calories at great affordable prices.
With a rich broth made up of coconut milk and organic soymilk, their Nyona Laksa Lemak ($8.90) only hits 462 kCal and it’s definitely a top favourite among customers. Papa’s Portobello Burger ($14.90) is also proof that a 500 kCal creative and tasty vegan recipe can exist. They replace typical beef burger patties with a grilled and juicy Portobello mushroom, beautifully marinated in herbs and olive oil.
Loving Hut also has weekday specials serving up different Asian delights everyday – Sesame Chicken Claypot Rice ($9.90), Vegan O-Luak ($12.90), Nyonya Mee Siam ($9.90) and many more.
| Address: 229 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427489 Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 6pm – 9:30pm (Mon to Fri) | 11:30am – 9:30pm (Sat/Sun/PH) Tel: 6348 6318 |
Whole Earth is Singapore’s one and only Peranakan-Thai vegetarian restaurant that caters to vegan diners as well. Though their dishes are extremely niche, their delectable dishes with vegetable, legumes and grains have caught the attention of customers beyond vegetarians and vegans. Some of their signature favourite classics include their Penang Rendang, Sambal King, Olive Rice and Handmade Honey Lotus Roots. Whole Earth and their plant-based cooking has passed the test of time of 15 years since its opening in 2003, and it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in town and looking for vegan food options!
| Address: 76 Peck Seah Street, Singapore 079331 Opening hours: 11.30 am – 3pm (last order 2.30pm), 5.30 – 10pm (last order 9.15pm) Tel: +65 6221 6583 |
Often packed during the weekday lunch hours, Real Food is a well-known restaurant name amidst this growing organic food trend. From all-day breakfast to pasta and noodles, from sweet potato fries to salads and soups, their menu provides a hearty spread of high quality food. For starters, go for their salads, or if you’re feeling for a savoury treat, be sure to try their sweet potatoes and potato fries – crunchy on the outside, adequately spiced and fried in healthy high-oleic sunflower oil. For mains, we would recommend their fried egg noodles, which sounds simple but is delightful nonetheless, and their wonton dumplings served in a simple but tasty broth. Vegans with a sweet tooth would also enjoy their vegan dessert menu. The relaxing ambience also provides a refuge in town from a busy day at work.
| Address: 181 Orchard Road, #02-16 to 19 Orchard Central, 238896 Opening hours: 10 am – 8:45 pm |
| Address:10 Sinaran Drive, #B1-105/106/129 Square 2, 307506 Hours: 10 am – 9 pm |
| Address: #B1-19, 26 Beach Rd, Singapore 189768 Hours: 10AM – 9.30PM |
Café Salivation is just as their name says it. Throwing in the freshest ingredients with a focus on healthy vegetarian cooking options in their dishes, you can expect this quaint café to be simple, delightful yet nourishing for your body. With vegan, gluten-free and even options for those who don’t consumer onion and garlic, you’re sure to find something for yourself. Oriental Brown Rice Noodle ($15), Penne Arabiatta ($13), Thai Green or Red Curry ($15) are just some of the wide spread of vegan options. Located near the CBD area at Little India, Café Salivation is a convenient dining place to pop by during your lunch break. Drop by from 11am to 2pm to check out their menu and grab their affordable set lunches.
| Address: 176 Race Course Rd, Singapore 218607 Opening Hours: 10 am – 10:30 pm Tel: 6298 1412 |
Genesis Vegan Restaurant is a restaurant fuelled by passion, with the owner herself turning vegan when she was only 9 years old. With an emphasis on whole grains and high fibre ingredients, their menu is not only wholesome, aromatic and savoury, but hearsay that it has the potential to convert people into vegans. One of their must-try top favourite dishes is their Dumplings with Capsicum Sauce ($6 for 6), with mock meat and mushroom fillings freshly made every morning. Some other mouth-watering items on the menu that will prove that a meat-free diet works are their Lasagne ($9.90) made from vegan cheese, lentils and tomatoes, the Claypot Organic Wholemeal Noodles ($7.90) and a smooth tangy Tofu Cheesecake ($4.50).
| Address: 115 Owen Road, Singapore 218922 Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm (Sun to Thu) | 11am - 3pm (Fri) | Closed on Sat Telephone: 6438 7118 |
A hipster-looking café with a rustic interior, Afterglow is definitely one of those cafes you would visit while café-hopping – but yet, it’s more than just another classic café. Serving up an interesting vegetarian and vegan food spread, this café brings a new twist to your typical everyday café food, not to mention the effort put into crafting dishes of different themes. Think: almond crust pizza, almond sushi rice, plant-based food, walnut meatballs. One of their popular items often recommended is their Basic Alfredo Pizza ($22) topped with a pesto cashew spread. Located in the CBD, be prepared to pay a little more for these one-of-a-kind dishes made from fresh and natural ingredients.
| Address: 24 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089131 Opening Hours: 12pm - 2.30pm, 5.30 - 10.30pm (Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat) | 5.30 - 10.30pm (Wed, Thu) Telephone: 6224 8921 |
nomVnom bags the prize for the prettiest-looking vegan burgers in the CBD. Burgerscraper is a lean stack of ingredients, including their mushroom patty, tomatoes, crispy golden rings and beautifully decorated with edible blue pea flowers. Beetroot Mame Burger was another that caught our eye with its bright dash of pink beetroot patty. Apart from burgers, they serve up pastas, fries, soups as well. Truffle Mushroom Pasta ($10.90), Bolognese Pasta ($10.90), Spinach Linguine ($10.90) – check out their scrumptious yet affordable spread yourself during your lunch breaks at any of their two CBD outlets.
| Address: Central Clarke Quay, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #B1-44, Singapore 059817 Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm Tel: 6224 4996 |
| Address: 18 Tai Seng Street #B1-02, Singapore 529775 Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm Tel: 6348 9678 |
You’d think a Japanese restaurant would be full of raw sashimi and meat, but Herbivore is the first vegetarian Japanese-Western restaurant, with vegan menu options, in Singapore. Located at Middle Road, near Bugis, this restaurant should be visited by anyone looking for vegan options in the CBD. With a widespread of vegan dishes, their menu will leave you undecided about what you should have for lunch. There’s one thing you should definitely try though – their Avocado Maki ($14) with mock unagi and salmon. Remember to let them know you’re vegan to avoid any dairy products in your lunch!
| Address: Fortune Centre, 190 Middle Road, #01-13/14, Singapore 188979 Opening Hours: 11:30am - 3pm, 5pm - 10pm (Mon to Fri) | 11:30am - 10pm (Sat/Sun/PH) Tel: 6333 1612 |
Not all roses are red,
But Valentine’s Day is indeed near;
It may be time to pre-order that special bouquet,
And you needn’t look further than here.
Are you ready for Valentine’s Day ? It may be time to pre-order that special bouquet. You can get special flower bouquet online. Inspired by the beauty of nature, you can rest assured knowing your Valentine’s gift is in good hands.
Aude, a founder of Ask A French Flowers is very talented and her inspirational flower arrangement is definitely one of kind. You can check her amazing flower arrangement at her Instagram.
Her flower arrangement is so special and featured in well known fashion magazines like Elle, Vogue, marie france and Haper Bazaar etc.
You can customise the bouquet you wish to deliver to your loved one, choosing one of the four available styles: Romantic, Bucolic, Tropical Green, and Tropical Bright, and one of the three available hues: bright, pastel, and white and green.
Or, if your partner is someone who lives for surprises, you actually have the option of leaving it up to the florists to make their own unique selection and arrangement, with the freshest and most aesthetically pleasing flowers.
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Ask a French Flower
Why I recommend
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Roses are undeniably the quintessential flower for Valentine’s Day but the flowers you decide to get your one true love don’t always have to be red.
Roses Only sells roses in all kinds of colours, including mauve, pastel pink, yellow, and cherry brandy as you can see here !
But if you want to play it safe, they have exquisitely vibrant red ones too.
Each stalk is about 70cm long and is carefully de-thorned, with their guard petals removed, so that they reach your Valentine looking their best. Some of their options also include chocolates, candles, and even a bottle of champagne, for the added sultry touch.
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Rose Only Website
Why I recommend
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Shop Wonderland -The café and floral studio is teaming up with local indie pop band HubbaBubbas to make this Valentine’s Day one to remember! If you are not sure about online flower bouquet shopping, you can visit their shop directly at Telok Ayer st. Florist can create any flower bouquet within your budget, too.
For Valentine, you just have to request the song by 9th February along with a purchase of a bouquet, and let the surprise take its course.
Add a personal touch to your bouquet by choosing to have a note card accompany it, with elegant handlettering by illustrator and hand-letterer Julia Liu.
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Shop Wonderland
Why I recommend
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Go all out with rainbow-coloured flowers courtesy of Smile Floral. The hand bouquets don’t just use roses; tulips, baby’s breath, and daisies also make an appearance. Whichever flowers you desire, you can definitely rainbow them up!
And if you’re really looking to splurge this Valentine’s, wow your partner by opting for their 99 rose bouquet, with each carefully and meticulously arranged, guaranteeing a one-of-a-kind gift for your gem of a date.
If you’re looking to go above and beyond this Valentine’s, and want to gift your other half something different from your regular bouquet of flowers, we has got your back!
They have bell jar gifts, complete with LED lights and preserved flowers and Blue tooth Speaker ! We also add on Rose Paradise Tea with dried strawberry (because we all know sweet treats are a surefire way to a girl’s heart).
And it’ll be for a good cause too! The social enterprise’s creations are made with love by marginalised women who have undergone training and mentorship under the BloomBack Academy.
10% profits will be donated to charity.
This is the gift to pair with those beautiful blooms, Nilufer Tea's organic herbal teas ! Healthy and delicious, each type of tea is uniquely and naturally coloured by the organic and pesticide-free herbs and flowers. Together with the gorgeous flowers, they serve as a reminder of the day of romance and love.
Remember – flowers don’t last forever, but true love stands the test of time. Have a lovely Valentine’s Day!
Written by Anna Fernandez
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Nilufer Tea with Flower Bouquet
Why I recommend
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As a fresh new 2018 starts, we all know what comes next: New Year Resolutions. Let's be honest - we never stick to the resolutions we make and often forget about them three months into the new year.
If one resolution of yours has always been eating healthy, and you've always found it a near impossible task to include bitter greens into your diet, these 5 Vegan influencers from Singapore will definitely change your mind and introduce a whole new concept of 'healthy eating'.
Vegan food doesn't just comprise of soggy oatmeal and drab greens -- these 5 Singaporeans will sweep you off your feet with their drool-worthy creations. Just a warning, you might be a convert by the end of this post.
As one of the familiar faces in the Singapore vegan community, Jaslyn truly embodies the passion and love for real food. Apart from posting her delectable creations and meals on her Instagram page, Jaslyn is also the brainchild of @souleygreen, Singapore's first online vegan mart.
She shares on her blog about her motivation behind this venture - when she first started out as a vegan in 2014, it was difficult for her to get cruelty-free and plant-based products at one place. Often, Jaslyn had to hop between various stores to purchase her necessities, and shop online for certain products that Singapore did not carry at that time. Thus, to bridge the gap between brands and consumers and make the vegan lifestyle more accessible, Jaslyn opened Souley Green.
Although her Instagram feed isn't dominated by vegan food, her spirit and passion for veganism still shines through, and will definitely inspire you to eat healthy, if not try veganism out!
With Nicole's bright and colourful Instagram feed, your eyes will be in for a treat as you spend the next hour scrolling through the page, wondering how vegan food can look so delicious. Her unique creations of 'unicorn' tofu mousse and immaculate pancake stacks will definitely leave you drooling. Behind her bright and eye-catching photos, however, lies a touching and inspiring story of how she became vegan.
2 years ago, Nicole was struggling with an eating disorder, depriving herself of nutrition and happiness as she convinced herself that she was still 'too big'. Upon discovering veganism, she decided to pull herself out of the void of eating disorders. She realised that her body was a vessel that kept her alive, and the food she consumed gave her fuel to live. Thus, she filled herself with plant-based food that keeps her full and healthy, and encourages her followers switch to a plant-based diet as well.
Lin's vegan creations are simply out of this world - simply take a look at her vegan spiced pumpkin cinnamon rolls and vegan peppermint dark chocolate tart - who knew such decadent desserts could be vegan? The best part is that she shares the recipes for all these goodness on her blog, accompanied with her stellar writing which she uses to dish out her thoughts and feelings about her daily life, which is so relatable.
Alphonsine shares her vegan journey through clean and minimal shots of delectable food on her Instagram page. Apart from posting on her Instagram, she also operates a YouTube channel where she shares recipes and various tips on saving money as a vegan. We all know how expensive Acai bowls can get!
Another familiar face to the vegan community, Lee Ting shares various places to visit for delicious vegan and vegetarian food. Despite her young age, she is yet another hustling entrepreneur - she recently opened her own vegan cafe, Soul Alife, in December. Now we know where to get our fix of vegan mac and cheese!
We would like to thank Cherilyn from All things Vegan sg for allowing us to steal her wonderful sweet treat recipes to share will all our Nilufer Tea Blog readers! Cherilyn is a vegan living in Singapore and is very passionate about veganism and would like to share the love with everyone ?
Check out her blog to learn more about the Vegan lifestyle and learn more about how Vegans in Singapore are doing it!
So lately I've been seeing so many unicorn cupcakes on social media and I decided to try making some hella cute cupcakes as well. Click on to view how to make these little unicorn ? cupcakes!
Prep time: 1hour Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
Vanilla Sprinkled Cupcakes
Frosting
Decorations:
View Cupcake Jemma's video here.
Instructions:
For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius.
2. Add the apple cider vinegar to the non-dairy milk. leave it to curdle.
3. Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until combined and fluffy.
4. Sift over the butter and sugar mixture alternating with the milk mixture. Blend until no lumps are present.
5. Add sprinkles and use a wooden spoon to carefully mix the sprinkles into the batter. OR use a spatula to fold it in.
6. Place the batter into 15 cupcake holders.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
For the frosting:
1. Cream the butter until creamy and light in colour.
2. Sift in the icing sugar and add in the vanilla extract.
3. Divide the batter into 4 separate bowls and add in food gel. ( each colour for each bowl )
4. Use a cling wrap and lay it out.
5. Place strips of the different coloured icing onto the cling wrap and roll it up.
Refer to cupcake Jemma's youtube video on unicorn cupcakes to learn how to do the icing and the decorations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW6nIhcNDbs
Photos:
This recipe for pancakes is absolutely amazing. They make the perfect breakfast if you are craving for something warm and sweet. It is simple and very yummy. It can be made really quickly so time isn't a problem at all! I personally love these pancakes as they are super easy to make and satisfies my taste buds. So here they are!
Remember, if you do make them, please tag me on Instagram@cherealkiller! I would love to see those delicious pancakes that you have made. I have a video posted on youtube here.
Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
Steps:
Nilufer Tea has been on the hunt for collaborations with vegan bloggers and instagrammers in Singapore and we are elated to be able to receive such positive and wonderful feedback about our tea from these influencers who share the same ethical visions as we do. In the weeks to come, we will be featuring numerous influencers on our blog and sharing a little bit about them so our readers and Nilu-fans can get a little inspiration to stay fit and get motivation to go on a healthier diet. We are also doing a little tea giveaway on a few of their accounts, so stay tuned for more information and tag your friends and family!
This week's influencer is @THRIVEORIGIN
click here for her youtube channel
Also known as Cheryl, is a vegan blogger, vlogger and instagrammer from Singapore. If you are looking for some inspiration for breakfast bowl recipes, how to take very aesthetically pleasing photos of your food as well as food recommendations in Singapore for vegans, her account is the place to gain some inspiration. Find out how she avoids non-vegan foods and how she goes about her daily life as a vegan in Singapore. Her photos have a real rustic and vintage effect to them which I really like personally.
And we got featured several times on her account as well. Thank you for choosing to collaborate with us, Cheryl!
Are you a health/ fitness blogger who is keen to collaborate with us? We are looking for enthusiastic individuals to collaborate with.
Sounds like you? Do pop us a mail at info@nilufertea.com.
