Singapore Arts, Beauty and Inspirations Male Blogger

It was purely a coincidence that the Rainforest World Music Festival held yearly at Kuching (Sarawak ; Malaysia) falls exactly on the week I was there for a short getaway. My friend snagged tickets for 2 few days before we arrived at Kuching.

A quick search on Google tells me that not only does this 3-days international music festival from 13 - 15 July involve just music performances but also a cultural enlightenment for most of us. Activities include wellness programs, hands-on workshops on how to play an indigenous instruments and more.

My friend and I arrived at our destination by free shuttle bus in the afternoon on Sunday (the last day of Rainforest World Music Festival 2018). Booklets were given out and time slots were allocated to different activities.  

Since it was held within the compound of Sarawak Cultural Village, I had a great and exciting time exploring the place, climbing up and down log-cut ladders which might look scary for the faint hearted. I took many photos as well, especially with nature and homes made from nature.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothings as it was quite scotching in the afternoon. Food and beverages were not allowed to be brought in but fear not since there were a couple of food tents with seatings available. Mosquito repellent is necessary for mozzi magnets like me since the Rainforest World Music Festival is held among forest area after all.

The musical performances started slightly before nightfall, stretching all the way to midnight. It was the first time in my life to enjoy a series of life musical concerts performed by international musicians, in the midst of a Borneo rainforest literally! Not forgetting the star lit sky as well! How thrilling could it get?

I had the privilege to attend a Healthy Cooking Workshop held at Mahota with May Schooling (mum of Singapore's swim champion Joseph Schooling), sharing her experience of how to prepare quick and healthy meals to refuel and recharge her son before his swim.

After her demo on a quick cheesy sandwich, it was Chef Benson's turn to prepare a healthy plant-powered smoothie which acts as a substitute for milo. It was a recipe created for his lactose intolerance son. However, the taste was not exactly like milo but still it tasted not that bad.

Next was sampling a version of Chef Benson's healthy nasi lemak and watching how he mixed the spirulina protein bar. There was also a little hands on session for us with all the ingredients prepared. I started mixing everything with the glove provided, at the same time creating a little mess. With dates as its base, the spirulina protein bar was quite sweet though.

It was a fun workshop and I got to explore the beautiful interior of Mahota. Great place to wind up and chill or even shop around its retail segment for groceries!

Hosted by DBS, road to REGATTA 2018. 

 

Rasa Fiesta Singapura Part 2 was held at Picnic Wisma Atria from 4th to 5th November 2017. What attracted me to attend this event was the variety of rum and series of workshops conducted by bartenders from all over the world.

Throughout the 2 days, many workshops were lined up and it was my first hands-on attempt with  concocting cocktails. The first experience was with the "Francis Drake" which contains Ron Abuelo 7 years rum, passion fruit puree and giffard cinnamon syrup. A rather tropical drink which was a mild mix of sweet and sour.

The following workshop attempt was "Strawberry Batida" which contains Brugal Anejo, BOLS strawberry, fresh strawberry, lime wedges and basil leaves. I quite liked the fruity taste and the fragrance of the basil leaves. Chatted with the friendly bartender and he shared some rum knowledge with me, such as rum pairs extremely well with tropical fruits such as coconut, pineapple and passion fruits.

My friend later on ordered a cup of "Spice Up You Life" that contains Chalong Bay Cinnamon. The garnish was an thin slice of apple with spices and the cocktail was fairly potent. For, me since I have low alcohol tolerance, I had the Caipirinha (blueberry and blackberry) and requested for less of the Maracatu used in the drink. I wasn't expecting the drink to look so photogenic with its blue-reddish colour, garnished by the rose-cut strawberry, lime and blueberries. Not only appearance, the drink was bursting with fruity flavors, refreshing and easy to drink. The girl who prepared my drink (and strawberry) was so shy to pose for photo since my annoying friend teased her quite a bit.

Anyway, besides educating participants about different rum and their versatility, Rasa Fiesta Singapura Part 2 allowed us to explore/taste unique rum brands which might not be easily available in Singapore. Furthermore, the art of concocting a perfect rum cocktail showcased the skills of a bartender.