So Many Instagram Worthy Spots At This Year's Singapore Garden Festival 2018

Hi Huneybees,

Over the weekend, we were at Gardens by the Bay for the 7th edition of Singapore Garden Festival 2018. Being Asia’s premier tropical garden and flower show, there were more than 70 garden and floral displays at The Meadow, Flower Dome and the Supertree Grove, displaying a fiesta of creations from the world's top award-winning garden and floral designers. 

There were many different spots this year that covers most part of the garden and this year, they even had buggy rides together with drinks and food stalls scattered along the grounds. It is a very nice touch of addition to the weather was a killer this year. It seems to be so much warmer than previous years and even though I was dressed as cooling as possible, I was still melting and perspiring uncontrollably.

Stepping into the SGF grounds, we were welcomed at a beautiful tent area that houses the 13 Floral Windows to the World where colourful and vibrant cut-flower displays and floral masterpieces with stunning set design and lighting by notable floral designers from around the world are displayed. 

There's also the new non-competitive Floral Windows to the World Installation featuring a kaleidoscopic display of blooms created by Natasha Lisitsa and Daniel Schultz, Best of Show (Floral Windows to the World) designers for SGF 2016. It gives so many ideas to how we can introduce greenery into our living space and how much floral can brighten and be manipulated.

We spent the most time at the 13 Fantasy and Landscape Show Gardens for the top award-winning 80 sqm creations gardening luminaries from around the world (Australia, France, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America) got us snapping photos away. 

Every creation is a gorgeous Instagram worthy photo and the one we loved the most is the Precious Land by Tom Massey (UK) where the landscape turns from day till night with a glowing sun and dark waters to represent Singapore's vulnerability towards warmer climate change and the threat of rising sea water levels.

The main event has got to be the Orchid Extravaganza in the Flower Dome. Not only do you get to hide from the sweltering heat, you can also get to check out the world's largest family of flowering plants, Singapore's heritage - Orchids in full bloom.

 

There are countless species of orchids gathered here and every corner in this dome, makes a great backdrop (*except for the busy crowds) for your selfies, especially when this year’s orchid display is creatively conceived by award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Royston Tan.

Huge beaded Nyonya beaded shoes accompanied the orchids with Singapore's signature Peranakan shophouses in the back, welcomes the tourists to our strong Asian heritage and culture. It's as though Emerald Hill was shifted right into the dome...

Of course there are other places to explore too, like the 8 Balcony Gardens that features colourful and inspirational displays for home and apartment owners. Visitors can see how these designers transform 3m by 3m spaces into a soothing retreat. 

The new ASEAN Garden - a special feature to mark Singapore’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2018, showcasing a myriad of colourful blossoms symbolic of Southeast Asian nations, including lotuses, hibiscuses and orchids, just to name a few. NParks also displayed a series of gardens with different themes featuring plants such as fragrant flowering edibles and plants with visually cool colours and pleasant scents.

If you are keen in learning more about gardening or learn some greenry tips, there is also the Learning Garden, displays by the Floral Designers Society (Singapore), Singapore Penjing & Stone Appreciation Society and Singapore Gardening Society, as well as various educational talks.

So, come on down to the Gardens by the Bay before it ends. Not only does it make a good spot for photography, you can also soak up the sun and breathe in some fresh air. It's nice to take a stroll amongst the greenery, admired the beautiful and colourful flowers, spot some pretty dragonflies & butterflies, whilst picking up some tips on how we can introduce green ecosystem into our homes...

The Singapore Garden Festival 2018 is till 3 August and tickets can be purchased from the Gardens by the Bay Ticketing Hub as well as from www.gardensbythebay.com.

For more information, visit www.singaporegardenfestival.com or follow SGF at www.facebook.com/SGGardenFest and www.instagram.com/SGGardenFest.  

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Tour The Exotic Side Of Singapore With ARTWALK Little India

Hi Huneybees,

Being the Singapore Arts Week (SAW), there are infinite art programmes happening around Singapore. One that I fell in love with is the popular multi-disciplinary arts festival ARTWALK Little India. The area is always the 24 hours mall - Mustafa Centre for me and the roti prata stalls in the nearby area, it was really nice to fully immerse myself in this cultural part of Singapore and experience what else is there in the vicinity.

A Sailor’s Guide to Little India by A’shua ImranPaying tribute to the rich Indian culture in Little India as well as other cultures that harmoniously share this space, A’shua Imran envisions our ancestors’ voyage to Singapore. Using a selection of scenes, cultural landmarks and historical buildings to illustrate an imagined map, each segment in the mural reveals different encounters of a wanderer – and yet, points to their histories and identities.

Jointly organised by LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB), with the support of Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association, ARTWALK Little India is already in its fourth edition this year, returning with the theme Urban Mythology, numerous artists return to resurrect long-lost tales of Little India.

ARTWALK is managed by a team of seven BA(Hons) Arts Management students from LASALLE, with guidance from renowned artist and LASALLE Senior Fellow, Milenko Prvacki. In total, there are seven new murals, one visual art installation, and three performing artists at ARTWALK 2018, in addition to fringe activities.

With the growing numbers of rental bicycles, I would suggest a cycle around the area, so that you can cover the different spots shown on the map. You can take the chance to explore the area and maybe spot some quaint spots or new places to dine in...

With an extended programme across 10 days, and the addition of new hands-on activities such as Dress-a-Puppet workshops and Aura Photography readings, visitors can expect an immersive experience like no other.

Master storyteller Kamini Ramachandran, a long-time participant since 2016, sets the tone by telling stories of the supernatural variety. These stories will be interspersed with selected poems by local poet Elancharan Gunasekaran.

Eunice Lim, artist of the well-received ARTWALK Little India murals Cattleland and Cattleland 2, is also back to honour Singapore’s longest-running Tamil bookstore, the Siyamala Bookstore, which imports publications directly from India. 

Leow Wei Li, a student volunteer on Eunice’s mural in 2017, decided to take part in this year’s ARTWALK after her enjoyable experience last year. Wei Li joins up with Dominic Khoo to form art duo, sobandwine, and their mural is an homage to the marigold flower in Indian culture.

Other than artworks, you can also find interactive installations like this one titled Mirrors by Tinu Verghis. Bringing to light the social gesture of whispering and augmenting the process of how secrets are communicated, Verghis’ interactive installation is a reflection of a society that is multicultural, multiracial, multi-religious and multi-lingual – both literally and metaphorically. Embellished with tiny traditionally embroidered Indian mirrors and measuring at an approximate 5m in length and 1.5m in height, the pipe installation seeks to engage visitors to reflect on their individual identities, cultures and respective histories. Go ahead and share your little secrets and tips.

Beyond the kinship that many participating artists and students have developed with the community at Little India through successive installments of ARTWALK, the project has, over time, generated greater awareness of the rich heritage of the cultural precinct. From a visitorship of 74,000 to 2015’s inaugural edition of ARTWALK, the festival has grown by leaps and bounds, attracting 140,000 visitors to Little India for the 2017 edition. ARTWALK Little India 2018 marks the first of a renewed three-year partnership between STB and LASALLE, following a successful first three years between 2015 and 2017.

To further draw out the collaborative nature of the festival, business owners within Little India were invited to play an even more engaged role in ARTWALK 2018. For the first time, corporate sponsors who have businesses within the area jumped on board the project. These include main sponsor Corwin Holding Pte Ltd (joint venture between Lum Chang Holdings and a fund managed by LaSalle Investment Management Asia), developer of the new mixed development project at former The Verge, and co-sponsors Nippon Paint and Wanderlust Hotel. Four organisations also came on board as programme partners, with special programmes created for ARTWALK Little India: Monster Day Tours, Indian Heritage Centre, Artgrain, and Audace Bar & Restaurant.

Layers by Shah RizzalShah Rizzal believes in the necessity for preserving the architecture of a space that outlasts the need for progressive urban redevelopment. He seeks to convey this message by bringing our attention to the shophouses in Little India and highlighting the contribution of brick makers that once resided in that district, both of which are an invaluable fragment of history within the precinct.

ARTWALK Little India 2018 runs from 18 – 27 January 2018, with programmes and activities happening on Thursdays to Saturdays, 6pm – 9pm. There are so much more to explore and get discovered. So bring your friends along for an Instagram photography session!

Festival by Izzad Radzali ShahThrough his engagement with residents of Little India, see how he transcribes oral-aural storytelling into visuals and symbols in this comical blue piece.

Details of all artists, artworks, performances, activities and promotions can be found on http://artwalklittleindia.sg/, with a digital version of the festival guides available for download. Members of the public can pick up a copy of the festival guide at the Indian Heritage Centre or Clive Street POLI site.

Guided Tours by Monster Day Tours: Sign up at https://artwalklittleindia2018.peatix.com/

Self-guided tours: Available through the Locomole app on mobile devices, on both the App Store and Google Play store.

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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8 Instagram Worthy Spots For Christmas Photography Before They Get Taken Down

Hi Huneybees,

This Queen Bee has been sleeping whole day for Christmas parties are tiring to prepare. Soooo tiring that I've gone off the grid and haven't been able to update for days. This post was suppose to be up to usher in Christmas but hey! I hope this can still make it when everyone's out for Boxing Day shopping! :)

Singapore is always dressed up for occasions and for Christmas, we are definitely lighted up in the most amazing way to celebrate with every mall is always upping their game to be the most beautiful in town. We know there's the Swarovski crystal Christmas tree at ION Orchard and the yearly "snowing" at Tanglin Mall, but there are places that not everyone knows...

So, here's a few of my hidden gems recommendation, so you can grab gorgeous Christmas photos before they change for Chinese New Year! :)

1) FORUM The Shopping Mall

Known as the kids' Wonderland, the mall has definitely made every little girl gleamed with joy as they ride in their very own lighted carriage pulled by a beautiful unicorn. All donned in blue, this makes a great background to have you standing out in that red outfit.

Even inside the mall, makes a good OOTD spot. :D

2) Hilton Singapore Hotel

It's more of the D9 Cakery within the hotel premise. Not only do they have these delectable cakes and pastries in snow globes as well as Christmas ready, there's also this Gingerbread castle that's not only a scene that must be captured, but also smells super fragrant that I wana bite into!

3) Wheelock Place

A place definitely for the Le Petit Prince fans, fly on the red plane within Wheelock Place and you can travel to Planet B-612 to meet The Little Prince himself! :)

4)  Shaw House

 

After seeing Katy Perry's MV for the H&M Christmas campaign, don't you just want to be part of the Christmas decorations?! Well, be a life size Christmas ornament in a present and send this pic to the significant other?

5) Orchard Gateway

♫♫♫ Do you wanna build a snowman? Come on lets go and play ♫♫♫

Need I say more about this Christmas decoration right outside Orchard Gateway's entrance? Better come in your best Frozen frock for this scene!

6) Orchard Central

Right next door at Orchard Central, is what I would imagine Christmas Wonderland in North Pole to be like. The outdoor candy cane swing makes and amazing place for couple shots and don't forget to pop inside for the reindeer carousel too! :)

And now, for some away from hustle and bustle Orchard Road recommendations too!

7) Suntec City

Well, you can also go under and look into a Christmas Tree, here at Suntec City North Wing! Make friends with a couple of nut cracking soldiers whilst you shop in this new revamped mall! :)

8) AMK Hub

This is really in the heartlands at Ang Mo Kio. Right at the entrance, you are greeted by these amazing number of Nutcrackers, each uniquely crafted and it makes a good backdrop for you to pretend as one and ask your friends to do a "Where's Wally" style photo hunt! 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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