If you are an ice-cream fanatic, this is one ice-cream festival you mustn’t miss!
Back for the 7th year running, this year’s Ben & Jerry’s ChunkFest will be taking place at the beautiful Gardens by The Bay [The Meadows] on 4th October 2014, from 2pm to 10pm.
There will be a host of carnival activities, a moovie screening under the stars, and for the first time ever, ChunkFest 2014 will feature Sundae School as part of Ben & Jerry’s global “Join Our Core” initiative to empower the next generation of ethical business minds. Sundae School @ ChunkFest will feature local social innovation heroes from various fields; sharing stories that will inspire, entertain, and get attendees thinking outside the daily grind; all over a scoop of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s! However, do note that registration is required if you would like to attend Sundae School @ ChunkFest.
These core change makers will also be setting up booths at the festival grounds, where you can support their work in various ways.
And if you are hard-core enough, you can also take on the ‘Vermonster’ eating challenge with a team of four to see if you are the fastest to devour 20 scoops of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and win a year’s supply of ice-cream!
Our Suggestion
The weather in Singapore is pretty unpredictable so we highly suggest that you bring along a big umbrella that can shelter you from either the blazing heat or the unrelenting rain. You can even bring your furkids along too!
Since ChunkFest 2014 is going to be held at Gardens by The Bay [The Meadows], we highly recommend you to bring along your picnic mat and some cash [about SGD$30 per person] to exchange for fair coins which you can use to purchase some merchandise, food, and beverages.
It was my first time to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands and I am really thankful for the wonderful opportunity to be there to view the two current exhibitions that are on display, The Art of the Brick and Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb.
The Art of the Brick was on display since 17 November 2012 and from what I heard, the exhibition was supposed to wrap up last month but it has been extended till 26 May 2013 due to popular demand.
The Art of the Brick is deemed as CNN’s 12 ‘Must-see Exhibitions’ and it showcases 52 large-scale LEGO sculptures by New York-based artist, Nathan Sawaya.
When I was there, I must admit that the works by Nathan Sawaya were really thought-provoking and reading the short description that accompanied each of Nathan’s work really challenged my thinking.
In this piece entitled ‘Swimmer’, Nathan used 10,980 LEGO bricks and took 15 days to create it in 2009. As you can see from the picture, the piece can only be seen above the surface and Nathan challenges viewers’ imagination to fill in the rest of the sculpture below the surface.
Inspired by the changes that takes place on his journeys, Nathan created this piece entitled ‘Yellow’ in 2006 and it is probably one of his best known piece. Nathan used 11,014 LEGO bricks to create this piece.
Nathan made use of 3,720 recycled LEGO bricks to create this piece entitled ‘Peaces’ in 2010. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “What does it take to create Peaces? It takes many pieces. And all the colours in the world working together”.
I particularly like this piece entitled ‘Mask’ which was created in 2007 using 18,509 LEGO bricks. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “Masks are used by just about every culture on the planet. They keep things hidden and show only the face we want others to see. I build Mask as a reflection of revealing our true selves. So often we put on a different face and then can no longer identify our own self. Mask identifies the facade we hide behind”.
There is this other piece entitled ‘Grasp’ that I also like. It was created in 2007 using 17,356 LEGO bricks and the description that accompanied this sculpture says, “No matter where your heart wants to lead you, there will be hands that try to hold you back. Life’s challenge is to find the strength to break free. I created this sculpture in response to so many people telling me ‘No’ in my life. I wanted to break free of those people”.
The highlight of the exhibition would probably be this piece entitled ‘Dinosaur Skeleton’ which was created in 2007 using 80,020 LEGO bricks. The description that accompanied this sculpture says, “This is one of the largest sculptures I have ever made. It took an entire summer to build and nearly drove me crazy trying to make it work. After seeing so many kids flock to my first solo exhibition, I wanted to give back something and create a sculpture that children would enjoy. What could be better than a dinosaur?”
After looking at all the pieces that were on display, I was truly inspired by Nathan Sawaya because his works are not only thought-provoking but it really sends a strong message that transcends our core inner being. What is shown in this blog entry is just a few of the many wonderful pieces that were on display at The Art of the Brick and really, you should check it out if you haven’t because it will only be here in Singapore till 26 May 2013.
The Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb is the latest exhibition at the ArtScience Musuem and it will be here till 4 November 2013.
At the exhibition, the secrets of the mysterious Egyptian burial practices and mummification process will be revealed in technologically-advanced detail and it pairs mummies and artifacts culled from the extensive and famed Egyptian collection of the British Museum with an innovative 3D film experience that captures the “virtual unwrapping” of the Egyptian mummy.
As I wasn’t allowed to take any photographs when I was there, I have obtained permission from a fellow writer, superadrianme.com,to use the pictures that he took when he attended the media showcase.
There’s a host of engaging and hands-on opportunities that are available to visitors of all ages and this includes an interactive Embalming Workshop that will shed light on the various steps and rituals that comprised the embalming, mummification, and cartonnage procedures of the time.
Visitors will also be able to take part in a specially-designed exhibition quest through age-appropriate activity bags containing a host of engaging activities and tools that are directly related to the artifacts on display. Among these are jigsaw puzzles, creative games, and magnifying glasses to help young Egyptologists complete various challenges.
With the use of the most advanced and cutting-edge scanning technology, details about Nesperennub’s life and death and images of him with regards to how he looked like 3,000 years ago were retrieved without opening the coffin or disturbing Nesperennub’s wrappings .
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb will showcase more than 100 stunning artifacts and six mummies in total.
Among the other mummies on display in the exhibition is the mummy of Tjayasetimu, a singer in the temple of Amun, whom died when she was still a child, around 800 BC. Her carefully embalmed body has been enclosed in a cartonnage case representing her with the golden face of a divine being, and with her hands, feet and arms partly freed from the traditional mummy wrappings.
Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of the mummy of Tjayasetimu.
For me personally, I had an enriching time at Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb and to be able to see for myself all the Egyptian mummies and artifacts that has a history dating back to more than 3000 years ago is truly an experience that is really amazing. This is perhaps one of the rarest opportunity that I have to get a slice of Egyptian history without having to travel all the way to Egypt.
My Thought After Visiting the ArtScience Musuem:
Honestly, I really enjoyed both the exhibitions and it was truly an enriching time for me. As a matter of fact, I would highly recommend you to purchase tickets for both the exhibitions because not only is it cheaper, it provides the greatest value as well. With that being said, the prices for the souvenirs were exorbitant and as much as I wanted to buy some souvenirs for keepsake, I decided that it was not worth the money. Nevertheless, do go catch these two exhibitions because they are truly awesome.
Guided Tours
Guided tours are conducted in English and Mandarin on Saturdays and Sundays. Each guided tour takes up to 20 people and is on a first come first served basis. Stickers will be given out 5 minutes before the tour time.
The Art of the Brick
Meeting Point:
Exhibition entrance at the Upper Galleries (Level 3)
English Tours:
Saturdays, 11.30am
Sundays, 5.30pm
Additional sessions: 1 & 24 May, 2pm
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb
Meeting Point:
Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb Galleries (Level B2) It is recommended that visitors view the 3D film before joining the tour.
English Tours:
Saturdays, 5:30pm
Sundays, 11:30am
Additional sessions: 1 & 24 May, 4pm
Mandarin Tours:
Saturdays, 3pm & 6pm
Sundays, 3pm & 6pm
Additional sessions: 24 May, 3pm & 6pm
How to Get to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands:
You can get there via the following modes of transportation: MRT, Bus, Taxi and Car. The nearest MRT Station would be Bayfront Station [Circle Line] and the buses which stop at Bayfront Avenue are 97, 97E, 133, 133M, 502, 518, and 106.
If you’re travelling by car, the nearest car park is the North Car Park at Marina Bay Sands and the parking rates are $6 for the 1st hour and $1 for the next subsequent 30 minutes, up to a maximum charge of $26 from 7am to 7pm.
If you are planning to drive there, I strongly suggest that you park your car at Gardens By The Bay and then take a 15-20 minutes walk over to the ArtScience Museum at the Marina Bay Sands. The parking rates for Gardens By The Bay is $0.025 per minute for the first 5 hours and $0.05 per minute thereafter from 5am to 6pm. This is way cheaper than parking your car at Marina Bay Sands.
If you haven’t heard, the LG Optimus G was launched on the 31st of January last month and I was really honoured to have been invited to the launch that took place at Gardens By The Bay.
In the current market, there are a couple of smartphones that are operating on the Android Platform and it can be quite difficult to choose one that will specifically meet your needs. However, with that being said, allow me to introduce you to some of the features [which I found pretty cool] that the LG Optimus G has to offer.
QSlide Function
QSlide Function shows two different screens simultaneously on one display. As it doesn’t show a part of the screen but the entire screen of both functions, the user can complete two tasks concurrently – such as sending a text message or searching the web while watching a video.
Dual Screen Dual Play
Dual Screen Dual Play not only allows mirroring between the smartphone and a TV, it also has the ability to display different content on each screen wirelessly. For example, a slide presentation can be displayed on the TV while the Optimus G shows the accompanying speaking notes.
Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor
The latest & best quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor from Qualcomm enables Optimus G to power multiple apps quickly and display realistic high resolution images. It is 30% faster than the normal quad-core. Have the power to push the latest graphic intensive games to their limit.
As there wasn’t any opportunity for me to test and try-out the product and use it for a month; [unlike the previous LG Optimus 4xHD Launch], my experience of using the phone is only limited to what I saw, what I heard, and what I touched during the LG Optimus G Smartphone Launch. For a very comprehensive review of the LG Optimus G Smartphone, check out Asia Cnet’s review of the LG Optimus G Smartphone via the following link: http://asia.cnet.com/product/lg-optimus-g-46728201.htm
If you are thinking of getting a smartphone and you want to breakaway from the Apple or Samsung crowd, you might want to consider getting the LG Optimus G Smartphone.
Are you ready to change for good? Check out LG’s Change For Good Campaign via the following link: www.changeforgood.sg
Looking back, one of the best moments in 2012 was when my relatives from London came over to Singapore for a short-stay. Honestly, I really miss them because they visit us like once every 6 years [which is extremely a long time]!. So, when I received news that they were going to come and visit us, I was extremely excited and planned their entire itinerary when they were in Singapore.
So well, I managed to dig out some photos that were taken in 2006 [more than 6 years ago] and man, time really flies because we have all grown up + I was so skinny back then!
Some people say that I am quite a sentimental person and that is true! Just look at this card that was given to me by my relatives from London on my birthday which I have kept since 2001!
As there are really tons of photos that were taken during my relatives’ stay in Singapore, I am going to divide this Blog Post into three separate parts. In part 1 of this Blog Post, I will be sharing about Gardens By The Bay and theSands SkyPark.
Since Gardens By The Bay and the Sands SkyPark are the newest and latest attractions in Singapore, I decided to bring my relatives to check them out since it would be their first time there. Moreover, both Gardens By The Bay and the Sands SkyPark are just within walking distance from each other and that makes it really convenient to complete two attractions in one single day.
To access the Sands SkyPark, it will cost SGD$20 [for adults], SGD$14 [for children aged 2-12], and SGD$17 [for senior citizens aged 65 and above] and tickets are available at the SkyPark Box Office which is situated at Tower 3, Basement 1. To avoid the hassle of queuing up, you can also purchase the admission tickets online as well.
Apparently, there are free guided tours that are conducted daily at 10am, 2pm, and 9pm and in order to participate in the free guided tour, guests will have to register at the SkyPark Box Office. Registration starts at 9.30am daily, on a first-come-first-served basis and no advance registration is permitted. Each tour is limited to 50 guests and it will last for approximately 15 minutes.
Well, some of you might be wondering, “is Sands SkyPark worth checking out?”. To be really honest, you should visit the Sands SkyPark if it is something that you have never done before. What’s pretty disappointing is that
ticket holders only have access to the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck and its views but not the Infinity Pool which is reserved exclusively for Hotel guests staying at the Marina Bay Sands.
Here are some photos of the stunning surrounding scenery that I took when we were at the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck. And yes, the Sands SkyPark offers plenty of opportunities for some nice photographs of Singapore’s city skyline so seize the chance and start snapping away.
Well, if you’re planning a trip to Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, be sure that you check with the SkyParks Box Office that the Observation Deck is open and not closed for private events and/or commercial commitments. You could also call +65 6688 8826 to ensure that the Sands SkyPark is open during the time that you wish to visit.
After checking out the Sands SkyPark, we went inside Marina Bay Sands to cool down because it was extremely hot outside.
As we mentioned, Gardens By The Bay is within walking distance from Marina Bay Sands and to get to Gardens By The Bay, there is a bridge known as the Dragonfly Bridge which links Marina Bay Sands and Gardens By The Bay.
By the way, in case you’re wondering, access to Gardens By The Bay is FREE except for visits to certain conservatories. For more details, you can check out Gardens By The Bay Website.
Also, in part 2 of this Blog Post, we will be sharing about Yan Palace Restaurant and the Singapore Flyer. So, do stay tuned to more updates from us.
