As the holiday weekend approaches, here are some ways to enjoy the Christmas spirit
FOOD
Festive feast
Porta
As the streets light up for the year-end festivities, join the celebrations by gathering with loved ones over wonderful feasts, all in the comfort of home.
To herald this season of joy, Porta at Park Hotel Clarke Quay presents a four-course festive spread, available for pick-up and delivery. Priced at $66+ per person, the modern European festive menu offers Butternut Pumpkin Soup with crispy focaccia croutons, followed by an appetiser of pan-seared Hokkaido Scallops.
For mains, the pan-seared Black Cod is paired with a robust house-made tomato sauce brimming with vibrant flavours from pork chorizo, chickpeas and a medley of herbs. The hearty Australian Beef Tenderloin is accompanied by succulent king oyster mushroom finished in butter, creamy celeriac purée, and a vibrant red wine sauce to complete the dish.
A classic Christmas dessert of Chocolate Log Cake concludes the festive revelry. An absolute treat for chocolate lovers, the luscious cake is served with shaved chocolate, tangy raspberry purée, and decorated with charming festive motifs.
Porta’s Four-Course Festive Feast is priced at $66+ per person. Orders may be placed at bit.ly/322qkQZ. The festive feast is available for self-collection and delivery between 4pm to 8.30pm from Dec 24–27 and on Dec 31 and Jan 1.
Islandwide delivery is available at $15 nett per location, with free delivery to one location for orders of $100+ and above.
ARTS
Aliwal Tracks
Aliwal Arts Centre
On Dec 21, Aliwal Arts Centre will be premiering Aliwal Tracks, a 13-part web series inspired by the sounds of Kampong Glam.
Starring some of Singapore’s leading street, urban and traditional artists and creatives based in Aliwal Arts Centre, viewers are invited to rediscover Kampong Glam through explorative and performative videos centered around the everyday sounds of the neighbourhood.
With digital performances, behind-thescenes footage and virtual exhibitions, meander through the streets of one of Singapore’s most vibrant enclaves and explore hidden street art, age-old stories from residents as well as the sounds and beats of Kampong Glam.
The series will be introduced across three volumes starting from Dec 21, with the first featuring works inspired by Kampong Glam’s history, heritage and culture.
These include Rampak Rebano by traditional Malay percussion ensemble NADI Singapura; Red Demon by Nine Years Theatre; Pelesit by Teater Ekamatra and NADA; and Mixed Tape by RSCLS, an epic collaboration with eight artists who call Kampong Glam their home.
Watch as these artists from RSCLS, 67 Studio and The Blackboko Studio come together to paint a massive mural at Aliwal Arts Centre, combining styles, inspiration, music and technology into this unique piece. Volume 2 will then focus on street and urban art, exploring the present and future of Kampong Glam.
In between these two volumes will be “Remix”, bringing together elements from both cultural and urban art styles. For more information, visit www.aliwalartscentre.sg/aliwal-tracks.
Performances by the bay
Esplanade
Together. Again. Finally (Dec 22)
Julian Wong and Darius Tan have known each other since 1998 and last shared the stage together in 2015 at Esplanade’s Red Dot August. Join them as they reunite and walk down memory lane. This pair of old friends will bid farewell to 2020 by reminiscing about life, friendship, and performing together, as they share personal stories and favourite pop songs and holiday classics.
An Elfie Guide to a Socially Distanced Christmas (Dec 24)
What will the elves working at the Singapore office of Santa’s factory do when a global pandemic prevents them from returning home for Christmas this year? Come join these quirky elves as they use music to cheer themselves up, play games to distract themselves, and generally try not to wallow in self-pity.
Through their shared journey with the audience, they realise that although they may not be home for Christmas this year, they have found a new home and community in each other, and in the friends they have made around them. Featuring a mix of fun and catchy Christmas pop classics as well as heart-warming musical theatre songs, this special Christmas eve show by the 7 8 Musical Collective celebrates the joy and strength in the spirit of community, and the uplifting power of music.
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Peace, Love and Mistletoe (Dec 25)
Back for the third time as a collective, Lyrebirds (above) will present renditions of well-loved musical theatre tunes and familiar Christmas numbers from Broadway. Armed with a full band this year, they are ready to sing your Christmas blues away. The Lyrebirds are Crenshaw Yeo, Dinesh Balasingam, Inch Chua, Natalie Yeap and Joel Chua — five friends and theatre practitioners with a profound love for musical theatre.
Head over to www.esplanade.com for more information on upcoming events.
FUNDRAISER
#HeartofSG
Maybank
To support communities in need, Maybank Singapore has announced the launch of its Heart of Singapore (#HeartofSG) campaign in collaboration with the SG Cares Giving Week. The annual national giving movement is jointly-organised by SG Cares, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).
Members of the public are invited to create 60 fundraising campaigns of their own choice on the giving.sg/ heartofsingapore portal, where for every dollar raised, Maybank will match the donation sum collected, up to $180,000.
The total target amount of $360,000 will be donated to five social service agencies (SSAs) through the President’s Challenge Empowering for Life Fund (ELF).
The SSAs supported under ELF for President’s Challenge 2020 are the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore), Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD), WE CARE Community Services and Club HEAL. The Heart of Singapore campaign page is now live on www.giving.sg/heartofsingapore.
