STAY | Discover better sleep | Shangri-La Singapore
From a global sleep survey by Philips conducted in 2021, Singapore ranked fourth after Japan, the US and the UK as a sleep-starved population, with Singaporeans averaging only 6.8 hours of sleep per night. Interestingly, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the required hours of sleep for those aged 18 to 64 are seven to nine hours. What is also fascinating is that seven out of 10 Singaporeans Googled sleep or treatments during the pandemic.
These insights prompted Shangri-La Singapore to design a two-night immersive restorative sensory journey centred on helping sleep-deprived individuals reconnect with their inner-self, improve their sleep cycles and benefit from the restorative powers of a good night’s sleep.
As part of the rejuvenating stay, guests will enjoy a 60-minute tension-relieving neck and back massage for two at Chi, The Spa. This treatment draws on the art of Asian massage traditions that restore and balance the body’s energy flow or chi to bring about a meditative state of mind.
It also includes sleep amenities like Pillow Spray, Shower Gel and Bath Soak from This Works, a pillow menu, a specially selected music playlist, and a one-time in-room wellness dinner for two. The three-course menu features immunity-boosting nutritious dishes like Walnut and Quinoa Salad and Rainbow Trout with Wild Seaweed.
Book the Better Sleep Package from $480++ per night at shangri-la.com
EAT | Parisian love feast | Saint Pierre
Usher in the most important day of romance with your significant other at two Michelin-starred Saint Pierre. Chef-owner Emmanuel Stroobant of the French fine-dining destination has crafted two sharing degustation menus curated for Valentine’s Day on Feb 14.
See also: Weekout (Mar 20): Martell, 1-Group, Mandala Club, W Singapore - Sentosa Cove, Bedrock Bar & Grill
Savour a delectable five-course lunch and seven-course dinner with that special someone as you enjoy the stunning view of Marina Bay. The meal begins with the exquisite N25 Aged Caviar, a nori powder-infused tartlet filled with celeriac mousse and layered with tarragon gelée, blanketed with N25 aged caviar. This twin-sharing portion will be finished tableside with a quenelle of nori powder-dusted crème fraîche to lighten and balance the dish.
The menu also features house-signature Manjimup Marron and Pyrenees Lamb Saddle – Stroobant’s take on lamb en croûte. The latter consists of Pyrenees milk-fed lamb loin roasted to perfection and will be sliced and finished tableside with parsnip cream and a nori-dashi lamb jus.
End things on a sweet note with Aomori Apple. The centrepiece of this gorgeous dessert is a rose-apple juice-infused Aomori apple fashioned into the shape of a rose, sitting pretty on a disc of frozen tonka bean parfait. To book, visit www.saintpierre.com.sg.
Steak for two | Meadesmoore
Hot-blooded couples head over to Meadesmoore this Valentine’s Day. The modern steakhouse is serving a Conscious Coupling 2023 — Midnight in Paris menu inspired by the 2011 fantasy comedy film Midnight in Paris.
Your course is listed as chapters: “Beguiled” is a Uni Toast appetiser featuring briny uni on buttered brioche. “Yearning” highlights sliced scallops tossed in a dressing of shallots, garlic and coriander in rhubarb and lime juices, finished with chopped green Serrano chilli and fresh pomegranate. “Desire” features aburi-style Scarlet Prawn or Gambero Rosso red shrimp on nutty farro risotto. “Fervor” showcases your choice of charcoal grilled main — Snake River Farms Wagyu Coulotte or Smoked Pork Jowl. “Enchanted” takes the form of Ivory Custard — white chocolate custard, perilla or shiso flavoured cake, housemade strawberry ice cream and toasty streusel crumbs.
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The movie-inspired dinner is available from Feb 10 to 11 at $128++ per person for a four-course menu and Feb 13 to 14 at $148++ per person for a five-course menu with a welcome drink. For more information and to book, go to www.meadesmoore.com
SEE | The grand Italian vision | The Arts House Singapore
Explore the wonders of Italian art at The Grand Italian Vision: The Farnesina Collection, a selection of contemporary Italian art found in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rome. Set to make its first-ever international debut in Singapore from Feb 7 to 25 at The Arts House Singapore in partnership with the Embassy of Italy in Singapore. The upcoming exhibition spotlights the grandeur of Italian art from the 20th century till today through over 70 meticulously curated works.
Curated by Achille Bonito Oliva, an Italian art critic and historian, the exhibition delves into the rich cultural heritage it brings along from Italy. Looking to bring Singapore visitors onboard an enthralling journey through the history of Italian art, the dynamic project stars avant-garde works of sculpture, mosaic, painting, photography, and installations seeking to redesign the story of Italy, where art has become reflective of civilisation and lifestyle.
The exhibition is intricately structured to allow the differences between the various artists to condense fluidly. The journey begins with Futurism which documents the dynamism pervading the Italian artistic identity in the 20th century. This leads to the suspension of time, represented by Metaphysical Art citing classicism as an aspect of Italian art that has been prominent since the Renaissance. Dadaism and Surrealism soon break into the exhibition in a calm and balanced way, escaping the romantic tabula rasa that instead accompanies these movements in other European countries.
Apart from the main exhibition in The Arts House, selected pieces will also be displayed in the new exhibition space in the Embassy of Italy in Singapore. For admission information, visit artshouselimited.sg
Southeast Asian photography | National Gallery Singapore
Photography has evolved into the most accessible medium of our time, especially with the proliferation of smartphone cameras and social media. However, to what extent is photography shaping how we view the world as we snap away to capture moments of everyday life? Find the answers at National Gallery Singapore’s latest exhibition Living Pictures: Photography in Southeast Asia which spotlights 150 years of photography in the region.
The exhibition features the evolution and diverse display of some 300 works — from colonial archival images, studio portraits and documentary photography to photo albums, social media photos and modern interventions, offline and online. Visitors can look forward to court photos of Thai royalty by one of the first Asian photographers and photographs of the Vietnam War by late Singaporean journalist Terence Khoo, alongside images by former Associated Press photographer Nick Ut who photographed Napalm Girl (1972), and internationally acclaimed British photographer Don McCullin.
Starting with photography’s first arrival in Southeast Asia in the mid-1800s, the exhibition will show how photography began as a tool of European exploration before it took on a more local, cosmopolitan perspective through studio photography. Photography was extensively employed to prompt discussions of social issues, capture historical events, snap shots of daily life and the realities of wars, and develop a visual culture in Southeast Asia.
Setting itself apart from the usual photography exhibitions, Living Pictures showcases its photos in various modes and mediums, including an immersive 3D installation work by Vietnamese artist Dinh Q Lê which features over 500 individual photographs, and a retail shop of photo postcards to bring home as a souvenir. The exhibition will be housed in National Gallery Singapore’s Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery from Aug 20. Admission is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents.
