resorts world sentosa Archives

Dare To Take Up The Challenge @ Halloween Horror Nights 4 This Halloween?

By delta July 31, 2014

This October, Universal Studios Singapore is set to bring your scariest nightmares to life once again. Since the launch of Halloween Horror Nights in 2011, it has been an annual event for all who dare to take up the challenge and conquer their fears; and this year’s Halloween Horror Nights 4 will deliver the most number of event nights with the most number of haunted houses and scare zones.

With the Minister of Evil taking office for Halloween Horror Nights 4, evil will be unleashed upon guests with Singapore’s first 3-D horror house experience.

Is he really the Minister of Goodwill?

As the iconic character for Halloween Horror Nights 4, the demonic Minister of Evil will bring with him an uprising and new social order. From city centres to schools and army barracks, demons will be awakened; clowns and fairy tales will turn loony; and urban legends will come alive. Guests will have nowhere to hide as the Minister of Evil unleashes ‘Demoncracy’ upon the park.

Minister of Goodwill is actually the Minister of Evil.

With four haunted houses and four immersive scare zones this year, the Minister of Evil has something sinister for everyone. The haunted houses will be located across New York zone and Lost World zone. Coulrophobia strikes as guests enter the world of a loony killer clown at Jack’s 3-Dementia; bullying in school takes a nasty twist when the victim returns to torment any who walk through the corridors at Jing’s Revenge; soldiers are put through sadistic training at Mati Camp and to top things off, evil aliens designed to extinguish the human race are born in test tubes at The L.A.B [Laboratory of Alien Breeding].

A new show will also be debuting at Pantages Hollywood Theater for the period of Halloween. Jack’s Nightmare Circus will feature aerial acrobats, contortionists and other freaky friends.

Halloween Horror Nights 4 runs for 13 nights over five weekends, from 3 – 5 October, 10 – 11 October, 17 – 18 October, 22 – 25 October, 31 October and 1 November 2014, from 7.30pm to 1.30am each evening. The theme park will close earlier at 6.00pm on event nights.

Selected rides and attractions will be open during the event, including TRANSFORMERS The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle and Shrek 4-D Adventure for guests looking to extend their day experience.

Early-bird special tickets, priced at SGD$60 [usual price SGD$68], will be available from 25 July onwards. To enhance the experience of the event, guests can choose to skip the queues with the premiere R.I.P Tour, escorted by a personal guide. Limited Early-bird R.I.P Tour packages are available at SGD$158 [usual price SGD$198], as well. The Frequent Fear Pass will also be making a comeback this year. Frequent Fear Passholders can revisit the event as many times as they like, on 7 of the 13 event nights [3 – 5, 10, 17, 22, 23 October] at a price of SGD$118.

Special pricing is also available for Resorts World Sentosa hotel guests, corporate and bulk purchases, Universal Studios Singapore Annual Passholders, and daytime theme park guests. RWS INVITES members enjoy an exclusive ticket price of SGD$50, as well as a priority admission into the park.

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event and is not included with regular day admission to the theme park. Daytime guests who desire to “Stay & Scream” at Halloween Horror Nights 4 on the same evening may choose to upgrade their admission tickets at an additional cost of SGD$50.

For the convenience of outbound guests, RWS 8 shuttle bus services will be extended to 3.30am on event nights. Night Rider services will continue to operate during the weekends.

With more nights, more haunted houses, and scare zones, this year’s edition of Halloween Horror Nights is a must see, must experience event. Tickets will be selling like hotcakes and advance purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available from 25 July at www.halloweenhorrornights.com.sg, www.rwsentosa.com, or you can call +65 6577 8899.

However, do note that Halloween Horror Nights may be too intense for young children and it is not recommended for children below the age of 13. No costumes, masks, or face painting are allowed to the event.

Back stories of the haunted houses and details of the scare zones will be unveiled over the next few weeks on the event website at www.halloweenhorrornights.com.sg. Fans will not only gain exclusive sneak peeks into the event experience, but also stand to win horrific prizes on our social media platforms.

Are you ready for Demoncracy?

Celebrating Jacqueline’s 26th Birthday With Resorts World Sentosa, Rainbowly & Taobao!

By delta June 29, 2014

The month of June has been an extremely busy month for us as there were so many media requests, reviews, and events for us to attend and even though there were so much things to do with so little time, I managed to squeeze some time to plan Jacqueline’s 26th birthday and it was indeed such a memorable occasion for the both of us.
The Chocolate Mousse Cake From Swee Heng 1989 Classic That Jacqueline Really Love

To begin with, I had a difficult time deciding what to get for Jacqueline. After much consideration, I decided to give her a dollhouse that fits the theme of our upcoming wedding. Just in case you are wondering, the theme for our upcoming wedding is, “Nautical” and it will be held next year at ONE°15 Marina Club.

In the past, there used to be a push-cart store at VivoCity that sells do-it-yourself [diy] dollhouse kits but after searching high and low, I was informed that the push-cart store was no longer in operation. As such, I began to search online for diy dollhouse kits and it took quite a while as I was not sure where to begin. Thankfully, I managed to find the diy dollhouse kit that I was looking for on Taobao and I got it shipped over to Singapore via a third-party shipper, 65daigou.

The entire process [including shipping] took less than 1 week and 65daigou provided me with many convenient options to collect my shipment. It cost me about SGD$120 [inclusive shipping] to get the diy dollhouse kit and I must say, it was well worth the money!

The diy dollhouse kit took me about 1 month to complete and I had to start building the dollhouse from scratch! Though it was difficult at first, I managed to figure my way around and the instruction manual was really helpful in aiding me to piece everything together.

Everything was literally built from scratch and a lot of cutting, pasting, and sewing was involved! The windows, bed, flower pots, sofa, and other minute details are all pieced together bit by bit.

Due to a mistake that I made at the very first step, I had to do some drilling on my own as well. After constructing all the various decorations and furnishings, the last thing I had to do was to fix the lighting using a parallel circuit.

Viola!

Here’s a picture of the dollhouse that I made for Jacqueline and when she saw it, she was so happy that I felt a sense of satisfaction and achievement!

Apart from giving Jacqueline a dollhouse that I made from scratch, I also gave her an edible bouquet of fresh strawberries that are coated and decorated with white chocolate. The bouquet of fresh fruits also came with 3 stalks of beautiful roses and it was really pretty!

In the past, I have always given Jacqueline a bouquet of roses but she has never really fancied it because she felt that it was a waste of money. Giving Jacqueline an edible bouquet of fresh strawberries was really a fantastic idea as we could enjoy and savour the sweet and juicy strawberries together. The edible fruit bouquet was very practical and reasonably priced too!

If you are interested in giving an edible bouquet to your loved ones, do check out Rainbowly’s Official Website and like Rainbowly Facebook Page for more information and promotional updates! In fact, Rainbowly has a wide range of edible bouquets that you can choose from and we are sure you can find one that your partner adores!

On this note, both Jacqueline and I would also want to thank Rainbowly for coming onboard as one of our sponsors for our upcoming wedding! We are truly honoured and privileged!

Last but not the least, to celebrate Jacqueline’s birthday, we had a great dining experience at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Resorts World Sentosa.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, a two-time winner in the Best Dining Experience category at the Singapore Experience Awards (2012 and 2013), is a unique dining concept where chefs experiment and create; working on new ideas and fusing different concepts reflective of the locale.

This presentation immerses guests in a dining experience where guests are part of the action, separated by a counter between kitchen and main dining area. Mr Robuchon has likened L’Atelier to an artist’s studio, where diners can witness chefs create, prepare, and cook innovative dishes right before them, and chefs have the pleasure of watching diners enjoy their meal.

Here’s a picture of the servers whom served us really well!

At L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, we entered a whole new realm of fine dining. After shocking the culinary world with his retirement at 50 years of age, Mr Joël Robuchon returned to the kitchen with the idea to create L’Atelier. “This concept has convinced me that its informality and conviviality, where you can have just one dish or a whole dinner, is the way people want to eat today. In addition, you have the theatrical aspect, of being able to watch the food prepared.” – Joël Robuchon on L’Atelier.

The L’Atelier interior décor lies in the hands of world-renowned designer Pierre-Yves Rochon who designed the first L’Atelier in Paris in 2003. Kitted out entirely in black and red furnishings to streamline the signature dramatic sleek look for the Atelier concept, the restaurant also dresses its servers in black.

This was the 3-course meal that we had at L’Atelier.

My Appetizer: Cod Brandade Served With Condiments

Jacqueline’s Appetizer: Piquillo With Smoke Eggplant & Tuna Belly Confit

Our Main Course: Salmon With Lacquered Maple Sap & Endive Salad

Jacqueline’s Dessert: Mango Lightness, Passionata Sorbet With Exotic Coulis

My Dessert: Crunchy Chocolate With Coffee Chantilly & Fresh Orange

The 3-course meal that we had at L’Atelier was fabulous and they are lovingly made by the chefs whom were working really hard to whip up such a sumptuous meal. Jacqueline and I will definitely be back to try their other dishes!

Here are the promotions that L’Atelier has in the meantime:

Early Evening Dining
Daily, 5.30pm – 6.30pm
3-course Meal at $40++

Ladies’ Night (Every Thursday)
$88++ per person
Inclusive of 4-course set menu with free-flow of Sparkling wine or Bellini Cocktail

If you like to spend some romantic time with your loved ones over dinner, we will highly recommend L’Atelier. Though the menu is slightly on the expensive side, you will definitely enjoy the immersive and highly-personalised dining experience. Be sure to call and make your reservations as the restaurant is often packed with diners.

A Picture With The Chef De Cuisine & Sous Chef To Complete The Dining Experience

So this was how I planned and celebrated Jacqueline’s 26th birthday! I hope that by sharing my experience, the husbands/boyfriends would be able to get some tips and ideas here to thrill and surprise your other half!

[2014 Movie Review]- The Lion Men [Part 1], Directed by Jack Neo

By delta February 1, 2014

Thank to the pair of complimentary tickets that we gotten from SAFRA MovieMax Club, both Jacqueline and I had the opportunity to catch the movie, “The Lion Men [Part 1]” on Wednesday at Shaw Theatres Lido.
[Image Credits to J Team Productions]

Disclaimer:

We are going to be brutally honest with our review of this film so if you’re a fan of the various casts whom acted in the film, don’t blame us; we’re just trying to help save some money for movie-goers.

The Lion Men Movie Synopsis:

The film’s plot centers on rival lion dance troupes in Singapore — a liberal-looking faction of a traditional troupe, Tiger Crane [led by Wang Wei Liang], breaks away from it to form a new one called Storm Riders [led by Tosh Zhang], which advocates a new style of lion dance with more modern influences of hip hop dance and more flashy acrobatics. Meanwhile, the male stars of the show clash with a third rival troupe called Black Hawk, competing in wushu, love triangles and of course, lion dance. Five of the well-loved “Ah Boys To Men” casts headline the film, joined by 23 “unknowns”.

[Image Credits to J Team Productions]

Our Review of The Lion Men:

Director Jack Neo and a few of the casts whom acted in the film were present during the screening and they gave us a brief introduction of the film. During the meet-and-greet session, Director Jack Neo said that The Lion Men is one of the toughest movies that he has ever directed and that the film, given its “action” genre, wasn’t so easy to shoot.

Well, having caught The Lion Men [Part 1] in its entirety, we’re not so sure if we are even going to catch The Lion Men [Part 2]. This is because we don’t understand why the movie must have a two-part sequel when seriously, they could have just dived straight into the subject matter and cut out all those unrelated and not so relevant scenes!

Furthermore, The Lion Men [Part 1] has too much advertisement placements that we felt like we wasted 130 minutes of our lives watching commercials after commercials. We’re serious, the ad placements are very obvious and brands such as Resorts World Sentosa, NETS Flashpay, and StarHub are so prominently featured that there wasn’t any attempt to make it subtle.

Adding on, the humour in the movie were just weak. Director Jack Neo seems to be trying really hard to inject some humour into the movie but to be honest, it just doesn’t work out. As mentioned, some scenes were totally not relevant and it just does not fit into the plot.

So, for this festive season, if you’re planning to catch a movie, we don’t recommend The Lion Men unless you have too much angpow money to spend. In fact, we think Robocop makes a better movie than The Lion Men.

The Lion Men Movie Trailer

[Attraction Review]- Dolphin Island, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore

By delta January 26, 2014

The Dolphin Island at Resorts World Sentosa [Singapore] is a relatively new attraction that opened its doors just 3 months ago. At the Dolphin Island, you can meet the magnificent Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and there are 6 types of Dolphin Interact Programmes that are available to give you the opportunity to meet the dolphins up-close and personal.
To celebrate our 3 years anniversary, I brought Jacqueline to the Dolphin Discovery Programme where we waded into the waist-deep waters of the dolphin lagoon to meet the dolphins.

The entire Dolphin Discovery Programme lasted 90 minutes and it includes 30 minutes of up-close and personal interaction with the dolphins. The Dolphin Discovery Programme is also suitable for non-swimmers as well.

Prior to the commencement of the actual interaction with the dolphins, we had to change into the wetsuits that were provided and when we put them on, we looked really slim because our fats were all tightly compressed!

After getting ourselves all changed-up, we had a compulsory safety briefing and there, we learnt some interesting facts about dolphins.

Fact #1: Dolphins are mammals.
Fact #2: Dolphins have hairs.
Fact #3: Dolphins will eat about 4-9% of its body weight in fish

Fact #4: Dolphins sleep with one eye open at the surface
Fact #5: Dolphins obtain their sources of water from the fishes that they eat

We even learnt how to differentiate between a shark and a dolphin just by observing the way shark and dolphin swim in the water!

The dolphins at Dolphin Island are well taken care off and they are not obliged to take photographs with guests if they are just not in the mood for it. With that said, our experience at the Dolphin Island was nothing short of an amazing experience.

Having gone through the safety briefing, we went down to the waters with our marine mammal trainer and started our interaction with the dolphins. As we were not allowed to bring our own image-capturing devices, there was an official photographer with us throughout to capture our special moments with the dolphins.

When the interaction with the dolphin started, we were introduced to Suria, a female dolphin whom had a child-like personality and she was really playful. We fed her some fishes, felt her smooth rubbery skin on our hands, and she even showed us some tricks.

For the Dolphin Discovery Programme, it will cost SGD$198 per adult [age 13-59 years old] and it includes an entrance ticket to Adventure Cove Waterpark and a Set Meal Voucher at Bay Restaurant. Children [age 4-12 years old] and Senior [age 60 years and above] will pay only SGD$188 for the experience. However, do note that children below 4 years old are not allowed to participate for safety reasons and guests must be at least 122cm tall.

Also, for the photographs that were taken, we had to pay SGD$150 for 75 photographs and it comes with 1 large photo print and 2 medium photo prints. That really cost a bomb so be prepared for it!

If you are interested to make a booking for the Dolphin Interaction Programme, you can send your enquiry on Dolphin Island’s Website. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime experience to interact with a dolphin up-close and personal!

An Interesting Experience with Just Like It!, a Revolutionary F&B Concept in Singapore @ Resorts World Sentosa!

By delta October 17, 2013

We were recently invited to Just Like It!‘s latest outlet at Resorts World Sentosa and it was an interesting experience watching how NEW iCE cream are being made on the spot with 100% natural ingredients and liquid nitrogen.

Upon stepping into the Just Like It! outlet at Resorts World Sentosa, we felt as if we have just entered a science laboratory.

You probably might wonder what exactly is NEW iCE cream?

Well, NEW iCE cream is a term coined by Just Like It! to name their ice cream because their ice cream does not fall within the typical categories of traditional ice cream or gelato due to its unique texture and flavour.

With the use of liquid nitrogen as a cooling agent, Just Like It!’s technique of making NEW iCE cream hastens the regular ice cream making process, resulting in a final product that is made up of extremely fine and small ice crystals, promising an incredibly smooth texture to the ice cream.

At Just Like It!, there are a variety of NEW iCE cream flavours that are available and when we were there, we tried the Mocha Cookies, Chocolate Toffee, Vanilla Mint, New PopCorn, Tropical Mango, Jolly Shandy, and even Tiger Beer!

As a matter of fact, Just Like It! has a designated Research and Development team which uses a special technique that can churn out almost any flavour of NEW iCE cream, using only the freshest premium quality of natural ingredients with no additives, colouring, stabilizers, or emulsifiers.

These are the secret recipes/ingredients that are used in the making of NEW iCE cream.

Our personal favourites of NEW iCE cream flavours are the Tropical Mango and the New PopCorn and if you’re wondering how much a scoop of NEW iCE cream will cost, the price starts from SGD$5.90 onwards.

Apart from NEW iCE cream, the Just Like It! outlet at Resorts World Sentosa also has a whole range of other food and beverage products for you to indulge in.

While interacting with Mr Bak, Chief Executive Officer of Just Like It!, he explained to us how the NEW iCE cream is much more healthier than the traditional ice cream or gelato because of its lower fat content.

While there has never been a F&B outlet in Singapore that makes ice cream on the spot with liquid nitrogen, the use of liquid nitrogen in culinary is not something that is new in the market because the local bars here previously used liquid nitrogen to make cocktails that give off a cool white vapour, giving the drink a mysterious effect.

And if you’re skeptical about consuming food & beverage products made with liquid nitrogen, don’t worry as the liquid nitrogen must be fully evaporated from the NEW iCE cream before it is being served to you. Liquid nitrogen is not an ingredient that is added to the NEW iCE cream but it is a medium used for making the NEW iCE cream. However, do note that while liquid nitrogen can be safely used in food or drink preparation, it should not be directly ingested so please don’t go around having the idea that it is safe to consume liquid nitrogen.

If you have never witness the making of ice cream on the spot before, heading down to Just Like It! is a worthwhile learning experience as you can watch the staffs in lab coats conjure your favourite New iCE cream.

Here’s a 3-minutes video clip showing how NEW iCE cream is being made at Just Like It! @ Resorts World Sentosa.

Just Like It! currently has four outlets in Singapore and they are located at Tampines One, Ang Mo Kio Hub, ION Orchard, and Resorts World Sentosa!

For more updates and promotions about Just Like It!, do check out Just Like It!’s Facebook Page!

[Attraction Review]- Resorts World Sentosa Adventure Cove Waterpark

By delta September 12, 2013

This is one long overdue blog post but we reckoned that it would be quite timely to publish this blog entry because its the September School Holidays! So, if you’re wondering where’s the next place to have a little bit of fun in Singapore, why not check out the Adventure Cove Waterpark at Resorts World Sentosa?
A Short Video of Our Day Out @ Adventure Cove Waterpark

Jacqueline and I visited the Resorts World Sentosa Adventure Cove Waterpark sometime ago and we had lots of fun and even had a few close encounters with all kinds of fishes and stingrays too!

Our first stop for the day was Ray Bay and we really want to thank Singapore Polytechnic for giving us a pair of tickets to have a close encounter with stingrays.

The Ray Bay, a place where you can have close encounters with stingrays.

Take a look at those stingrays! In case you’re wondering, the stingrays at Adventure Cove Waterpark are perfectly safe and harmless because their barbs have been removed.

As we were the only ones at Ray Bay, we had all the time in the world to feed the stingrays and touch them. If you’re worried about the stingrays, the trained instructors are present throughout to allay your fears.

Were there any unpleasant moments with the stingrays? Not really except the fact that some stingrays might gently nibble you to ask for food. But really, the stingrays are really friendly.

Tickets to Ray Bay cost SGD$38 per person and they are subjected to availability because each session can accommodate a maximum of 6 guests. Little ones must be at least 5 years old and at least 107cm in height to participate. If your little ones are under the age of 12, they must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian and if you are under the age of 21, your parent/legal guardian must complete and sign the liability form.

After the Ray Bay encounter, we went to check out the rest of the remaining rides and attractions. For the little ones, there are play areas like these that are more mild and not so adventurous.

If you’re more adventurous, you can probably check out the Tidal Twister, Dueling Racer, and a whole lot of other fun rides!

Tidal Twister

A crowd pleaser with mild to wild transitions, Tidal Twister sends you careening down an unpredictable passage of swirls and slaloms, delivering maximum fun at maximum speed.

Dueling Racer

Grab a racer mat and take your friend on a dueling high-speed competitive plunge to the finish line. Clock the fastest time down this steep Dueling Racer and claim victory with the biggest thrill ever.

Pipeline Plunge

It’s like riding a water tornado in the dark! Experience dropping through an elevated chute that sends you careening down banked turns, radical twists and dips before splashing out in a pool of water.

Riptide Rocket

Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster, the Riptide Rocket is probably the most exciting and adventurous ride at Adventure Cove Waterpark. Like an intense rollercoaster on water, it combines all the powerful climbs, plunging drops, terrifying twists and tight turns to set your adrenaline pumping.

If you’re like me and you like to bummer around, you can either take a nap here…

or you can just laze on a tube and take a leisurely ride down Adventure River, floating through 14 stunning habitats including a lush jungle garden, a mysterious grotto and an underwater tunnel with a sea of marine life swimming above and around you.

Say “hello” to Uncle Ray.

Well, even if you don’t purchase tickets to Ray Bay, you can have some not really close encounters with the stingrays from the Adventure River.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to do some snorkelling at the colourful Rainbow Reef where you can enjoy some close encounters with 20,000 friendly fishes! The queue and wait might be long but it is extremely worth it!

Jacqueline posing for a photo while she snorkels away.

Our friendly snorkelling instructor whom splashed the salty cold water at us to get our bodies acclimatised to the temperature of the water at the Rainbow Reef.

Types of fishes you can try to spot at the Rainbow Reef.

A closer look at what’s underwater while snorkelling at the Rainbow Reef. Is that Nemo?

After one long day of water fun, we headed to the souvenir shop to get some souvenirs and boy, were they oh so expensive!

Fancy a Pink Dolphin?

Every time we chance upon a “Press A Penny” machine like this, we can’t help but to get a coin souvenir to keep as a momento.

Anyway, there are official photographers from Adventure Cove Waterpark whom are present to help you take photographs with their professional cameras and we highly suggest that you take as much photos as you want because you can purchase a disc that contains all the soft copies of the photos inside. Then again, the price can be rather steep and you might probably just want to waterproof your camera and snap all you want without forking out too much.

Here are the prices for the entrance tickets to Adventure Cove Waterpark!

[Image Credit to Resorts World Sentosa]

As the food prices at The Bay Restaurant is a tad too expensive and not value for money, we decided to dine at Din Tai Fung which is located outside of Adventure Cove Waterpark but within Resorts World Sentosa.

Pork Cutlet Fried Rice @ Din Tai Fung

Xiao Long Bao @ Din Tai Fung

Lychee-Peach Prawns @ Din Tai Fung

We’ll probably write about Din Tai Fung another day but well, we had a blast at Adventure Cove Waterpark and we will definitely be visiting again!

To go or not to go?

Yes you should, for a day of wet and wild fun in the sun, come and experience it all at Adventure Cove Waterpark!

Singapore Polytechnic Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Record Label, SPEAR @ The Coliseum, Resorts World Sentosa

By delta June 11, 2013

Last Friday, we had a rocking good time at the launch of Singapore Polytechnic‘s [SP] first ever record label, SPEAR, at The Coliseum, Resorts World Sentosa and truly, we were very impressed by the performances that were put up by the Students from SP’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology [DMAT].

With the launch of SPEAR, this makes Singapore Polytechnic the first education institution to have such an initiative and in case you’re wondering why the record label is named, “SPEAR”, SPEAR is the acronym for Singapore Polytechnic Emerging Artiste and Repertoire. The SPEAR initiative also reflects a refreshed DMAT course that is more industry-centric and better able to marry the aspiration of students with the opportunities in the music industry.

When we were there, we were given the VIP treatment and and we managed to get upclose and personal with some of the Student Artistes whom were going to be performing. As a matter of fact, we managed to interview V’Bel [a.k.a Wong Ay Shyuan], a 20 year old up-and-coming Violinist, and Mr. Michael Spicer, who is DMAT’s Course Chairman.

Interview with V’Bel

A Short Video of the Interview that We Had with V’Bel

Posing for a Photo with Mr. Michael Spicer

A Short Video of the Interview that We Had with Mr. Michael Spencer

After the interview session, we headed straight for the concert to take some photographs and the following are some of the shots that Jacqueline took with the Olympus EPL-3. As we took more than 400+ photographs, it is nearly impossible to embed all of them on this blog entry and hence, we’re just going to feature some prominent ones. The full profile of these Student Artistes is available online at www.spear.com.sg and if you’re interested, do check it out!

The first performance was put up by Celestia [a.k.a Deborah Tan] & her band.

Celestia belongs to one of the first batch of Students to graduate from SP’s DMAT Course and she graduated with a Diploma with Merit. She has participated in many music competitions and won several awards as well. Her music genre mainly lies in eclectic pop and western folk music.

The Violinist in Celestia’s Band

One of The Guitarist in Celestia’s Band

The Keyboardist in Celestia’s Band

The second performance was put up by Formalisms, the only and biggest group that is made up of an eclectic mix of nine third year students of SP. It is also interesting to note that every members of the group are academically inclined with an average GPA of over 3.0

Beth Yap, Vocalist and Bassist of Formalisms

Tang Hui Jun, Bassist of Formalisms

John Tim, Drummer of Formalisms

Boaz Koh, Guitarist and Vocalist of Formalisms

Mr. Michael Spicer, SP’s DMAT Course Chairman, Playing the Flute with the Band.

The third performance was put up by V’Bel and her band.

V’ Bel is a very talented Violinist who recently graduated with a Diploma with Merit and a book prize. Her natural flair in music was discovered when she was 7 years old and since then, she has been performing in many arts events and concerts to hone her skills. Her music genre mainly lies in classical cross-over.

The Keyboardist in V’Bel’s Band.

The Bassist in V’Bel’s Band.

Now that you know and have seen a little bit about the various Student Artistes, wouldn’t it be good to listen to some of the songs from them?

Well, we have embedded the Student Artistes’ latest EP/Song Tracks in this blog entry and you can listen it for yourself below. We personally like the songs by Victoria Street and the addictive tune of V’Bel and her band.

The highlight for the night was perhaps the splendid performance put up by The Sam Willows, a local indie outlet.

Formed by siblings Ben and Narelle Kheng, and friends Sandra Riley Tang and Jon Chua; The Sam Willows burst onto the Singapore music scene in May 2012 with their luscious harmonies and special brand of country-folk that created a solid buzz across the island-state.

Drawing inspiration from acts like Mumford & Sons, Bon Iver, Joss Stone, Keith Urban and the sound of a leaky tap, The Sam Willows craft an interesting country-folk sound interlaced with heavy vocals.

Benjamin, Primary Songwriter and Vocalist of The Sam Willows

Jonathan, Guitarist of The Sam Willows

Narelle from The Sam Willows Playing the Bass Guitar

Sandra from The Sam Willows Playing the Tambourine and the Shaker

Personally, we really like The Sam Willows and we daresay we’re converts now! To hear some of the groovy song tracks by The Sam Willows, we have embedded them in this blog entry as well.

Well, having said so much about the SPEAR Concert; if you’re an “O” Level Student and you have a keen passion and interest in music, you probably might want to consider enrolling yourself in Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology Course. There, you will learn about acoustical science, music theory, recording and mixing techniques, musicianship, song-writing, song production, song arrangement, and many more!

What’s more, you can look forward to an array of exciting career opportunities upon graduation. Some of the career prospects include Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Music Producer, Songwriter, Music Arranger, and etc.!

For more information about Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Music and Audio Technology Course, you can check out Singapore Polytechnic’s Website!

Once again, we would like to thank Singapore Polytechnic for inviting us to the SPEAR Concert and the various Student Artistes for putting up such an electrifying performance. 😀

[Camera Review] An Evening to the Universal Studios Singapore with the Nikon COOLPIX P520

By delta May 29, 2013

Thanks to Nikon Singapore, we had the opportunity to review the Nikon COOLPIX P520 compact camera and we brought it out to the Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa for some photography fun.
As you all probably know, parking at Resorts World Sentosa is really expensive and hence, we parked our car at Sentosa’s Beach Carpark and then boarded Sentosa Bus 1 which goes to Resorts World Sentosa. The other bus that also goes to Resorts World Sentosa is Sentosa Bus 2 and if you prefer taking the Sentosa Express Train, you can do so at the Waterfront Station.

In case you’re wondering how much parking at Sentosa’s Beach Carpark cost, it cost only $1 [after 5pm on weekdays] and our entrance to Sentosa was free as we have the Sentosa Islander Card.

Now, we are going to let the photos do the talking and the photos that you see in this entry are all taken with the Nikon COOLPIX P520 [unless otherwise indicated]:

While waiting for Sentosa Bus 1

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Onboard Sentosa Bus 1

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

With the Rainbow Merlion at Resorts World Sentosa

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Outside the Universal Studios Singapore

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Popcorn Delight Near Celebrity Cafe and Bakery at the Universal Studios Singapore, Hollywood Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A Photo with Kungfu Panda, Hollywood Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A Photo of Far Far Away Castle at Universal Studio Singapore, Far Far Away Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

At the Waterworld [lots of real explosions and truly not to be missed], Lost World Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A Photo with Gloria the Hippopotamus at Madagascar Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A Photo with the loveable Monkey at Marty’s Casa Del Wild Food Court, Madagascar Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A Photo with the Police Petrol Car near Mel’s Drive-In Restaurant at Hollywood Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

At the Latest Attraction, Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase, New York Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Inside the Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase [a rather safe and slow ride suitable for children], New York Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

At the Souvenir Shop where Sesame Street Merchandise are being sold.

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Was so tempted to get Oscar the Grouch because he’s really so cute.

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A photo of Jacqueline with the School Bus at New York Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

A photo of me at New York Zone.

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Our first time at the Transformers ride, Sci-Fi City Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

We waited nearly 40 minutes just to experience a 5-minutes thrill.

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Ended the evening with some Japanese Bento Sets from Gloria’s Snack Shack, Madagascar Zone

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

As you can see from the photos that we have taken, we had a really wonderful time at the Universal Studios Singapore with the Nikon COOLPIX P520.

On a side note, this message is for all you Students: Universal Studios Singapore is now having a promotional offer whereby you can purchase a Universal Studios Singapore Student Season Pass for only $88. This gives you 6 months unlimited access to your favourite rides and shows, as well as exclusive dining and shopping offers, from now till the end of November.

You can purchase the Universal Studios Singapore Student Season Pass at any Universal Studios Singapore ticket booth and it is valid for purchase in May and June 2013, for Students aged 13 years & up. Do note that the Season Pass usage and benefits are valid till 30 Nov 2013 only.

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Camera Performance

To be honest, we were quite disappointed with the way the photos turned out. We took more than a hundred shots and the photos in this entry are somewhat the best photos that we have taken with it. We’re not sure if we have pushed the camera to the extreme by trying out night shots but even some indoor shots didn’t quite meet our expectations.

Some of the indoor shots that we’ve taken:

Flowers from Far East Flora

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Home-cooked Chilli Crabs with Fried Buns

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Sushi Platter from Sakae Sushi Restaurant

From Nikon COOLPIX 2013

Taking photos of moving subjects proved to be a really challenging task and most of the time, the photos turned out quite blurry. These could be due to the laggy shutter speed and autofocus system.

However, with that said, the 42x optical zoom range is mightily impressive and it allows you to shoot photos of subjects from afar. The flip-out rotating 3.2-inch LCD also allows you to take self-photos without much of a hassle. If you’re after a mega-zoom compact camera and you don’t really care about having additional features that you hardly will use, the Nikon COOLPIX P520 will work just fine as a point and shoot compact camera.

So what do you think of the Nikon COOLPIX P520?

If you’re interested, the Nikon COOLPIX P520 is available at all Nikon Authorised Dealers for $719 and for more information and updates, do check out Nikon Singapore’s Facebook Page as they have some exciting photography workshops coming up!

Post-Event Blog Entry About Savour 2013 [Part 2 of 2]

By delta April 20, 2013

After days of being so busy, we’re finally sharing with you Part 2 of Savour 2013.
For Part 1 of our Savour 2013 blog entry, you can read it here: https://awinsomelife.org/2013/04/15/post-event-blog-entry-about-savour-2013-part-1-of-2/

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Having checked out what Savour Baking has to offer, we went to check out Savour Lifestyle. Now, this is the place where we were so tempted to get this soda-making machine that Sodastream was selling.