For 25 years Opera Gallery Singapore has been bringing the works of modern masters including Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall into Singapore to sate the growing appetite for fine art in this city.

Over the weekend of first Formula One Singapore Grand Prix night race on a new street circuit in Singapore in 2008, the gallery installed some of Dali’s most iconic sculptures in the public space along Orchard Road, which created a wave of interest in the surrealist artist’s work.

Today, many locals still head to the upmarket gallery to appreciate the works of the old masters as well as the trendy contemporary artists the gallery currently represent.

Opera Gallery Singapore

2 Orchard Turn, #02-16 ION Orchard, 238801

A ‘spicy’ delight

The Halia – Malay for ginger – at Singapore Botanic Gardens is an old name in the local dining scene.

Set in the lush grounds of the Unesco-listed park, this lovely restaurant with a sizeable alfresco space is a firm favourite among nature lovers of nature and has won praise for the locally inspired cuisine it serves. A halal-certified restaurant now, the drink list features spiritless but zesty concoctions flavoured by spices and botanicals.

On Sunday afternoons the brunch slots are in huge demand as this is probably one of the island’s best haunts to while away the weekend.

The Halia

1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569

Sparkling success

DeFred has been the go-to brand for generations of jewellery aficionados in Singapore.

Owner Fred Ho has been honing his craft in jewellery design for decades and has access to some of the most desirable gems to surface in the market.

Many rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds of great size and value have passed through the velvet trays of this 35-year-old establishment into the hands of serious collectors from Singapore and beyond.

Signature pieces from this jewellery house tend to make a splash at important galas held in this crazy rich state.

390 Orchard Road, 01-02, Singapore 238871

The mane attraction

Renowned trichologist Leonica Kei is passionate about two things in her practice – hair and scents.

Her loyal customers swear by her signature treatments, which incorporate the latest technology (think infrared and laser therapies) and her proprietary hair formulas that promise not only to promote hair growth, but can also stimulate the senses with customary essential oils and colourings.

Her hair care offerings are so successful that she has recently launched a series of shampoos and body wash for pet dogs and children that can be customised to suit the needs of each furry client and tiny tot.

Leonica K Trichology

390 Orchard Road, #03-08 Palais Renaissance, 238871

On the rebound

Former Olympic swimmer Leslie Kwok has been busy expanding his retail empire since he hung up his Speedos for life as an entrepreneur.

He has added to his string of spas and hair salons with a new offering for fitness-mad Singaporeans – BBounce, a workout studio that offers high-octane rebounding training routines via the trampoline.

A partnership with another super-fit former Olympian, Joel Tan, the hybrid circuit training sessions here have been generating serious buzz among the body conscious locals, who are always on the lookout for the next fitness trend.

BBounce Studio

176 Orchard Road, 06-09 The Centrepoint, 238843

Restaurant that means business

The art of closing a good deal often involves a good meal and for this, the rat pack in the central business district of Singapore often head to The Black Swan for its tradition take on food and its old-world milieu, which stems largely from the building’s past as the headquarters of the Kwangtung Provincial Bank.

The ambience here may set the tone for serious business talks, but some very good yuzu martinis, and bread served with butter doused in beef drippings, may also induce the mood for afterwork relaxation.

The Black Swan

19 Cecil Street, Singapore 049704

Perfectly pampered

The Remède Spa at the St Regis Singapore, offering a jacuzzi, sauna and massage and facial treatments, is still the city’s top spot for a good day of pampering after its inception a decade ago.

A while back it added the services of haute podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez to its luxury offerings, to provide nails that are buffed and polished to a pearl-like sheen.

The latest organic “Botox” facial promises to restore elasticity in one’s skin without the invasiveness of the needle. We hear that there is a waiting list for months already.

Remède Spa

29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911

Weekend getaway

Not long ago locals would go to hotels to order room service and while away a weekend, but now the trend is to play house in a full service apartment, replete with the convenience of kitchenettes and washing machines.

Where better to do that than at Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore – the recently launched central luxury hotel and serviced apartments – which has upped the ante with arresting sea views (that you can admire even from the shower), sumptuous amenities and grand service?

Nowhere else in Singapore can you find better pancakes with fried chicken that can be savoured with such gorgeous views of the city, within the private confines of your own room.

Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore

6 Shenton Way, OUE Downtown 1, Singapore 068809

The place to be ...

Singapore is an island of clearly demarcated clans and tribes. The old-money set will have their appetite whetted at The Tanglin Club, while the trendy new upstarts hang out at Straits Clan.

This entertainment, wellness and dining private member’s club spans four floors of a heritage building along the historic Bukit Pasoh stretch, which interestingly also houses a string of old world clans still subsisting in a new era.

Boasting gyms, restaurants, bars and even an events room where burlesque acts were routinely staged in Singapore’s early days, Straits Clan is currently the club to be in – and be seen in.

Straits Clan

31 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089845

Dim sum delights

Singapore is the bastion of Cantonese cuisine in this part of Asia and there are many restaurants that open to packed crowds every day.

One of the best is undoubtedly Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant, an old establishment that’s been given a new lease of life by the inventiveness of its young executive chef Bryan Wong.

Old techniques are employed to retain flavours, while new forms continually emerge from menus detailing some of the best soups, staples and favourites that form the foundation of a bona fide Cantonese restaurant.

Having established a fan base from local connoisseurs of dim sum and all things Cantonese, Wan Hao is regularly packed each day.

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant

320 Orchard Road, Singapore 238865

Total sugar rush

Singaporeans are always satiating their sweet tooth with all kinds of desserts, but pastries and cakes take a place of importance in our hearts.

No serious patisserie that has set up shop on these shores ever escapes the attention of cake lovers and Pantler, a diminutive outlet helmed by Tomoharu Morita – former pastry chef of Joel Robouchon – has been so popular that its tables are constantly full until the late afternoon, or when the cakes are sold out.

The chief attraction, of course, are the cakes, and we especially heart the strawberry shortcake laden with Japanese strawberries and the black forest cake with cherries soused in spirit.

Pantler

198 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068637

Tipples and comfort food

The end of a day is always a cause for celebration and savouring tipples at trendy watering holes is a grand tradition among the hip circles in Singapore.

Origin Bar, launched last year at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, has attracted a good mix of business executives and cocktail aficionados who are game for edgy concoctions.

The signature cocktails are inspired by the five key districts of Singapore, and depart from old-fashioned tipples with their bold and arousing flavours.

Complemented by tasty bar food such as beef sliders and bacon popcorn, the tables here are laden with comforting indulgences on which to gorge and imbibe.

Origin Bar

22 Orange Grove Road, 258350

Top culinary draw

Restaurant Zen, the only outpost of the Swedish gourmet institution, Restaurant Frantzen, ignites a passion for culinary odysseys that span three levels and 14 courses.

Premium ingredients, sourced from near and far, are incorporated into delectable fare prepared through Swedish and Japanese methods.

The service here is superb and while entry involves a months-long waiting list and a hefty bill, it will be worth it.

Restaurant Zen

41 Bukit Pasoh Road

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