Singapore Arts, Beauty and Inspirations Male Blogger

Being the first Japanese Onsen with the largest variety of pools in Singapore, Yunomori Singapore has positioned itself in being authentic and a hub for relaxation as well as rejuvenation. Besides the onsen which was probably the highlight, Yunomori also consists of Thai style treatments as well as massage.   

Stepping into Yunomori Singapore almost felt if I could just surrender myself to enlightenment and I admit that I am definitely a huge fan of zen space and elements as well as woody and earthy-toned furnishing. Just check out and admire the tessellation wall while placing your shoes into the lockers perpendicular to them.

With the launch of Singapore's first ever Yuzu Bath which I would be sharing, Yunomori cafe has also doled out a series of yuzu theme dishes!

Starting off with the irresistibly refreshing Yuzu Soda ($5+) which I couldn't help constantly sipping and enjoying the combination of the citrusy minty soda.  

  

  

The Onsan is split into male and female (sorry, no couple onsen..) since being naked is required before entering the onsen premise. Baskets of neatly folded Yukatas laid before me as I had a difficult choice of selection since I kind of love a couple of these designs. Wondered how I ended up with the bird prints. 

It definitely was great to have another blogger friend with me since probably the best moment to capture photos would be in Yukata, either before or after enjoying the onsen.

Armed with only a small towel while the yukata, a bigger bath towel and the rest of my belongings were placed into our individual locker. The black band that I wore around my wrist was the key to unlock my numbered locker door.

My friend and I had a quick shower (as required) before heading over to the onsen to soak. I admit that I am the type who could not be bothered to even shield my private part while in the onsen area while most people would instinctively do so. All guys isn't it?

I kept wondering how females behave in the onsen. I doubt they would reveal.   

There were a total of 7 categories of bath/spa in which you could enjoy. 

Clockwise order from entrance, they were:

 Bubble Bath, Jet Bath, Soda Bath, Yuzu Bath, Hot Bath, Cold Bath, Steam Room and Suana.

From what I personally experienced, the Yuzu Bath was my favourite as I repetitively went back into it to enjoy the fragrance of the Yuzu. Soaking in yuzu bath is practised by the Japanese during winter season where it was believed to help ward off winter colds and common flu. Not only that, the my skin felt smoother and more moisturised! The yuzus were in sachet bags and could be seen floating on the surface of the bath. Not to forget, they were specially imported from Japan!

At that time which was about 10pm, many other guys also repetitively went back to the Yuzu Bath since it would only be available for a limited time till 31 December 2016.

Check out the EXTENDED 1 FOR 1 ONSEN PROMO due to popular demand!

T&C Apply

Thank you Brandcellar and Yunomori Singapore for the invite.

Yunomori Onsen & Spa Singapore

I used the multi-action cream which acts as a form of a moisturising agent. It was creamy white and spreads easily onto my skin, leaving it moist without any stickiness. It was mentioned by Dr Zhang that the cream would not be suitble for young skin, which would be probably be alright for me.  

I tried using the Stem Cell Sheet mask as well and the mask sheet was somwhow misfitting to my face structure. I have used 2 masks, and they had the faint medical smell and slightly slimy on touch. Not too bad as a supplement for my skin! 

I am obviously not someone who have any form of knowledge in regards to the pottery industry but when it comes to art, anyone could be an admirer of them. 

From what I have read, Iskandar Jalil appears to be one of Singapore and Southeast Asia’s most prominent and recognised ceramic artists. He had about 200 pieces of his ceramics being exhibited at National Gallery Singapore till 28 February 2017. 

''Kembara Tanah Liat (Clay Travels) in the exhibition title refers to his life-long dialogue with clay and belief that the material is imbued with the identities and characteristics of the land from which it comes.''

Something I learnt from his impressive collection of ceramics would be that whatever we do, we should stick to our passion. He started from the 1960s till today, a journey that continues to perfect his craft.  

This short blog entry would probably act as a sneak peek since individual descriptions of each art are group-cramped into a little square and I would not know which is which. 

These creations would definitely make perfect decoration for admiration or interpretations. I just love to 'macro' zoom in using my eyes to have a closer look at those textures besides their shapes and forms. I also noticed that the colours were mainly earthy tones, nothing vibrant or too colourful. Just antique and subtly mysterious.

The exhibit is divided into 2 areas which you may want to approach the staff if you could not find!   

It was barely a 2 minutes walk from Telok Ayer MRT station and I could actually go the wrong way while following my GPS??? Argg... So sorry to the keep other hungry bloggers waiting ..

This little Australian cafe tucked within the Central Business District and has been serving up comfort food and drinks for over 6 years. Sarnies emphasised on wholesome food made from scratch using fresh and quality ingredients. I had the privileged to try out the newly launched menu that day.

Despite being petite in size, the Grilled Haloumi with Onion Jam & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes ($13) was robust in flavor and packed a punch. The buns were said to be freshly made in house and grilled to a slight crisp before sandwiching the ingredients within.  

Thankfully the Spicy Buffalo Wings ($14) were not as spicy as those of 'Asian versions' which could burn one's stomach. The mildly spicy marinate had hints of spices which I felt was unique in terms of taste.

I was already tempted to bite into the wrap filled with generous filling of Pulled Pork, Chili, Coriander, Red Cabbage ($8) after a squeeze of lime. I enjoyed the textural contrast of the crunchy red cabbages against the tender but still slightly firm pulled pork. 'That's a wrap' for the appetisers I tried that day. (Pun intended) 

The Southern Indian Style Hand-Cut Pappardelle with Prawns, Coconut Milk & Curry Leaves ($19.50) was a hit among us. The creamy coconut milk was indeed creamy but not jelat and its combination with curry leaves was fragrant to the extend that I enjoyed every bite of the evenly coated pappardelle. We all joked that the pappardelle was the English version of 'Bee Hoon Kway' due to their similarities in texture and irregular form (the proof of hand-made). Who bothers about irregularities since it was so yummy??

Texas Style Burger with Overnight Smoked Brisket, Homemade Barbeque Sauce and Coleslaw ($26.50) might lacked in terms of presentation but overnight smoked brisket was the killer of that dish. Slightly smokey, tender yet robust in flavor as well. Was just surprised that the coleslaw was placed within the burger. 

Last but not least, the dessert for that day was Churros with Salted Caramel & Chocolate Sauce ($10)! Perfect for people who could not make up their mind which sauce they would want to dip their crispy churros that was still warm and fluffy inside. Thankfully the salted caramel sauce was of a slightly sticky consistency so that it would cling onto the churros. I could have drenched that sauce onto any dessert anytime! 

Sarnies
136 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068601

Sarnies is one of the F&B merchants on the Entertainer App offering one-for-one main courses at its establishment. The Entertainer App itself have a whole list of merchants besides F&B, such as Hotels Stays, Beauty & Fitness and more! DO check out their web page.

Hmmm I already used the app TWICE on Assemble Ground and Boost!

An impromptu visit to Singapore Art Museum the other day since I was poke hunting nearby to check out what was currently on exhibit.

It definitely was refreshing and enlightening to find out that 'From Night to Light' actually highlights the rehabilitative journey the inmates had embarked through the involvement in art. They are guided by artist mentors who assisted them in the exploration of different mediums as well as themes revolving around 'home', 'hope' and 'transformation'.   

Some concepts I definitely find rather creative and inspiring as well. (Note that all works are really great but I only select a couple to blog about.)

Using the chess set as well as the 4 chess pieces as a metaphor, 'Making The Right Move' illustrates the artist's reflection on his life as one wrong move in the game of chess could cause one to lose the entire game.  

'Passages Beyond' made use of windows as a metaphor as well, representing the countless opportunities that would await him upon his release from incarceration. 

Apart from using metaphors, most (if not all) the works here uses vibrant colours to depict 'leaving the past behind', 'bright future ahead' as well as the 'journey towards the light'. It was really amazing to indirectly experience the emotions of these inmates that were being portrayed through their artworks.  

Beside paintings, there were also many beautifully made ceramics as well. It was difficult to read those descriptions due to their placement but for all I know, they too contained those similar emotions welled up within each of them.

Anyway, end of post till I could dig out some time to visit other themed exhibits that would interest and inspire me! 

I was contemplating if I should blog this up since I have attended Coffee:Nowhere's tasting/educational session some time back. (I found out about the event and RSVPed through Facebook. Yes, I definitely still have been eating (a lot) but refrained from flooding my blog and Instagram with food related posts.

The first thing that came to mind was do I pronounce it as Coffee: Now here OR No where??

Now here would be the right one.

Anyway, in the 2013, the first flagship outlet was opened in Johor Bahru. They opened a couple of more outlets around Singapore as well as participated in countless championships which revolve around coffee. They even have coffee cupping sessions available which you might want to check out via their facebook page.  

Service charge would be waived off since customers could place their orders online using their mobile devices. Pardon my dirty phone screen since I wasn't expecting my prints was so obvious! Coffee beverages were definitely their speciality but non-caffeine drinkers would be pleased with other selections of drinks as well.  

Truffle Fries are definitely everywhere. Coffee:Nowhere's version have cheese which easily fell off these crisp shoestring fries. 

The Pizza Now:Here (smoked duck and lychee pizza) was an interesting combination which was light on the palate. Pizza base was thin and crisp, smoked duck wasn't too overpowering, leaving a subtle smoky aroma. The small slices of juicy lychees added 'moisture', just like pineapples on a Hawaiian pizza.

Chicky Chicks was a plate of mildly spicy mid wings, coated with a thick layer of super crispy batter. A crunch sound could easily be heard as I bite into one. Thankfully I managed to try a piece during the second round since it was rapidly wiped out before I could even take a photo of them during the first. 

Brunch Now:Here comprises of bacon, ham, scrambled eggs, toasts, sautéed mushrooms, sausage as well as salad. An all day breakfast menu would definitely be comforting to some.

Chilli Crab Pasta was quite a hit since generous portion of crab meat was seen piling on top of the tomato based thin-noodle pasta. Using the sauce to garnish the edges of the plate might come across as messy to me though.

(Note: Did not try much since crustacean is an allergen)

The Salted Egg Yolk Burger would perhaps need more sauce as I could not exactly savour the taste. (The piece I tried might be too small or lacked the sauce.) 

The Specialty Coffee Pau was definitely a HIT as well! I could tell since only one was left on the plate in matter of seconds before I could take a photo. It was the size of a siew mai and I tried half which was enough to impress me. The paste was almost like 'tau sar' or 'lian yong' consistency with mild coffee taste while the little bun was crisp just like a deep fried donut. The yellow slice on top was cheese by the way.

Anyway, there will be a generous 20% discount for all A-La-Carte items when you enter this coupon code 'BLOG137' when checkout www.coffeenowhere.com/order.

(Minimum order of $10, expire on 30/9/16)