7 Free Things to Do in Orchard, Singapore

It’s great to have a good afternoon bond with your friends, either on a tea date or shopping. However, at the heart of Singapore, the Orchard, we challenge you to have the best afternoon, while not spending any penny! Here are the eight free things you can do:

Enjoy watching the stunts of the skaters at The State Park

You will feel the energy of the youth as these skaters practice and parade their tricks. The State Park is located at the opposite of 313 Somerset. You can also try skating yourself, but if you don’t know-how, you can still enjoy the pleasure of watching.

See the overlooking city in the rooftop garden at Orchard Central

The best floors to be in are 11th and 12th at the central. You can see a beautiful garden with the city view from atop. The place also has little waterfalls that provide the overall zen ambiance to the place. 

Leave the shopping at the ION Orchard! 

There's a gem that only a few knows. This 55th floor of the mall has an incredible Singapore's view. You can see from atop the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands. However, you have to be early as the last entry to the mall is until 5:30 PM only. 

Visit the Shophouse in Emerald Hill

If you want to see more of the city's multi-faceted culture, then this place is where you should go. Some of the things you can visibly see are Portuguese shutters, French windows, Chinese framings, and more!

Enjoy some good-reads in the most beautiful-looking library

This place is one breathtaking library that will leave you speechless. It is fashionable with designer shelves and chairs. The best spot there is the cozy cocoons where you can just sit and enjoy a favorite book of yours.

Take a walk at the Botanic Garden

You can take several entrances and exits to the garden, depending on the nearest spot to you. In fact, entering Tanglin Gate can take you to the opposite side Cluny. 

Go to Opera Gallery for a productive museum-hopping day! 

This place is located within the ION Orchard and is one of the most popular galleries in Singapore. Some of the works you can find there are Salvador Dali's, Andy Warhol's, and more. Get a lot of what they symbolize and express! It's fun to do even if you do not plan to purchase them.

Who says travelling and unwinding have to be expensive? Well, not us! If you want to take a break from the hustles of the city, the list mentioned above will always be your go-to activities. It is underrated and full of remarkable sights. Do not fret if you are in need of emergency funds while exploring the area, just check out the best licensed moneylender near Orchard.

You can also check A1 Credit if you need a hand in planning your vacations.

Here’s how you can get from Orchard to A1 Credit.

Best Places to Visit at the Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is one of Singapore’s premier tourism destinations - it has its own hotel, a convention center, a shopping mall, and even a museum.

To make sure you don’t miss the parts that make the Marina Bay Sands stand out from all the others, check out these places:

Supertree Grove

The grove is a collection of 18 large engineering structures that resemble trees scattered all over the landscape of the Bay South Garden which is Marina Bay Sands’ largest garden. These “supertrees” are massive gardens by themselves, holding and sustaining rows upon rows of a wide variety of orchids, vines, and ferns.

An elevated walkway slithers in and around the grove. At night, however, the giant structures light up which makes for a surreal strolling experience, with dancing light shows running twice every night at 7:35 and 8:45.

Helix Bridge

In a nod to one of the building blocks of life, the Helix Bridge is a pedestrian walkway linking major hubs of the Marina Bay which includes the Sands. It took a joint team of Australian and Singaporean architects to design a bridge that looks like a DNA strand. From the sides of the bridge are the best views of the Marina, the Marina Bay Sands, and the ArtScience Museum.

Also, it is lit up with LED at night, keeping the bridge lively and attractive to joggers or people looking to appreciate Singapore after sundown. 

The Shoppes

More than your average shopping complex, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is a spectacle in itself. This area includes a casino, an indoor skating rink, and the oriental contemporary of Venetian gondolas. Shop till you drop with world-famous boutiques which include Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and many more.

Also worth visiting is the world’s largest Louis Vuitton concept store on an island. Lastly, six out of the ten Celebrity Chef restaurants are also located in this part of the complex, including those by Mario Batali and Gordon Ramsay.

More than just another place to visit, the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is an experience waiting for you to try out. Make the most out of your next visit to the Sands by planning ahead and having fun all throughout, and by starting with these three spots.

If you’re unsure whether you can resist the temptation of the food carts around The Grove or the exceedingly stylish items up at The Shoppes, get your green light with a little help from A1 Credit

Here’s how to get to A1 Credit from Marina Bay Sands.

Top 5 Dishes to Try on Your 1st Visit at Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner

Tiong Bahru Bakery has launched a new concept store that exclusively serves an all-day dining menu. The Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner is the newest addition to the bakery chain. Here are the five must-try dishes on your first visit there: 

The 100% Sourdough Waffle

The dish is made with batter using a 158-year-old starter that was sourced from The Slow Bakery in Rio. A two-day fermentation process makes the process quite tedious, although this indicates the level of detail put in each waffle served to customers. The waffle costs $23 and you can expect it to be paired with a fried egg, maple syrup-layered ricotta, paprika seasoning and a garnish of goji berries and grilled bacon.

Pulled Pork Creamy Risoni Pasta

Here’s another dish that goes through an intricate cooking process. The Pulled Pork Creamy Risoni Pasta takes three days to create before it reaches the customer’s table. Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner marinates the pulled pork with spices for two days. The marinated mixture is slow-cooked for another 24 hours and eventually tossed into a pan with short-cut pasta called risoni, which also looks like a grain of rice. The dish is then layered with broth, butter and cheese, while a raw enoki topping adds color to it. The Pulled Pork Creamy Risoni Pasta costs $22 that’s quite a reasonable price for such a laborious dish.

Hot Chicken Salad and Caramelised Pumpkin

Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner seems to prefer time-intensive recipes. The Hot Chicken Salad and Caramelised Pumpkin requires overnight-marinated ingredients before combining them with the sous-vided chicken breast, as well as oven-cooked pumpkin. You’ll find this $20 dish bursting with different flavors coming from the sweetness of chicken, the tanginess of pomelo and the spiciness of yogurt wasabi sauce.

Chayote Kimchi and Mung Bean Salad

The diner also considers the diet of vegetarians and vegans who can choose from different plant-based food items. The Chayote Kimchi and Mung Bean Salad comprise mung beans that are slow-cooked combined with blanched snake beans, aside from Korean kimchi that uses locally sourced chayote and turnip.  Toasted peanuts and buckwheat complete the garnishings for the $18 dish.

Fluffy Brown Butter Pancake

A pancake with a twist best describes the diner’s take on the American breakfast classic. The pancakes are made of buttermilk for a soft and fluffy texture, hence its name. Regular milk can be used but may not provide the same texture. The caramelized taste and aroma of toasted hazelnut can be attributed to brown butter.

Conclusion

Which ones on this list tickled your taste buds? If you ever want to recreate the dishes by shopping for ingredients at the local supermarket or run out of funds when visiting Tiong Bahru Bakery Dinner or then it’s best to have some cash ready. Do check out the best licensed moneylender near Tiong Bahru to apply for a personal loan from A1 Credit today and learn more about flexible payment options. 

Directions from Tiong Bahru to A1 Credit.

Give Yourselves the Gift of Nature at The Singapore Botanic Gardens

The Singapore Botanic Gardens also known as the Gardens was etched as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the thirty ninth consultation of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, German. This is the first tropical plant garden  on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage. It is the very first in Asia and the 3rd botanic gardens etched inside the globe following Orto botanico di Padova and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The caption bid process commenced in 2010 that followed a feasibility look at commissioned through the then Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, in session with experts, academics and other stakeholders, just like the Singapore Heritage Society. Studies show that there has been a case for the Botanic Gardens to be put up as a cultural site primarily based at the UNESCO criteria and there were large agreement to continue with the transaction.

Singapore properly submitted the official Nomination Dossier bid in January 2014 after the extensive 4 month long consultation process. The International Council on Monuments and Sites issued a recommendation for the Gardens to be etched as a World Heritage Site of UNESCO. Its assessment guided the dialogue of the bid on the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee on May 15.

Traverse to the depths of The Gardens

Only 15 minutes away from the busy sites of Singapore, The Gardens is a lavish asylum in the center of the city. It was developed alongside a Four-Core Concept. The four cores are Tanglin, that's the historical past core keeping the old favorites and appeal of the historical Gardens and then the Central is the visitors ring of the Gardens and there is the Bukit Timah which is the academic and discovery portion.Tyersall-Gallop is the fourth core which was created with the outlet during 2017 of the Learning Forest which is constructed to integrate with the Gardens' existing rain woodland to form an enlarged wooded area spot. 

Every core represents an appealing display of attractions. Allot enough time to go through the awesome characteristics of The Gardens and stroll around to feed your eyes with the gorgeous pieces of nature. You can also find some retail stores all around the place so that you can do your shopping while you are there. There are a lot of interesting things to buy that will fit your tastes. You can also indulge yourselves to eat yummy and delicious food that you can find in restaurants in the location.

Directions from Singapore Botanic Gardens to A1 Credit:

  • Head northeast, take entrance A
  • Ride a train at Botanic Gardens MRT Station Downtown line 
  • Alight at Chinatown MRT Station, take exit E
  • Head northwest toward New Bridge Rd
  • Turn right onto New Bridge Rd
  • Turn left onto Havelock Rd
  • Arrive at Havelock II. A1 Credit is located at #02-08.

What Are the Secret Menu Items of Starbucks Stores in Outram?

Starbucks stores in Outram and elsewhere in Singapore have secret menu items, and being familiar with them elicits a feeling of uniqueness among customers. After all, there must be something special about keeping them off the menu, right?

From a Pumpkin Spiced Latte to an Ariana Grande Cloud Macchiato, here’s how much it costs to buy the secret beverages:

The Ariana Grande Drinks

As soon as you step in front of the cashier, it might be silly to say that you want an Ariana Grande Cloud Macchiato. People behind you may think you’re pulling off a prank, but a trained barista should know that there is indeed a drink named after the singer. In fact, you can order the macchiato or frappe variant.

A cloud macchiato costs $8. It contains caramel drizzle, coffee, cold foam ice-shaken espresso and vanilla syrup. The Ariana Grande Frappe costs $7.40 and has caramel drizzle, frappuccino, mocha and raspberry syrup, and vanilla crème.

Latte Drinks

Pumpkin Spiced and Hot Butterbeer are two latte options that you won’t likely find on the menu. The Butterbeer variant costs $8.70 and contains butterscotch latte, cinnamon, espresso shot and milk. On the other hand, the Pumpkin Spiced Latte costs $6.40. It only has chai tea latte and white choco mocha syrup.

Unusual Frappes

Most people don’t pay attention to baristas who bark the names of the customers and their drinks. If you order a Shrek Frappe, however, you’ll probably notice some fascinated looks when the barista calls out your name and your drink.

The drink costs $8 and consists of an espresso shot, green tea creme frappuccino and java chips. A Chunky Monkey Frappuccino may also cause some giggles as soon as you try to get it from the counter. It costs $9.10 and has a banana (of course!), caramel, hazelnut and mocha syrup, and vanilla creme frappuccino.

There’s also a Cookie Monster Frappuccino made of butter, mocha Frappuccino and monster cookie. The drink costs almost $10. A Mermaid Frappuccino sounds intriguing as well. It costs $8.60 and has coconut milk, matcha powder, raspberry creme frappuccino, vanilla, white chocolate and white mocha sauce.

If you are planning to get any secret menu items off the Starbucks menu but is short of funds, do check out the best licensed moneylender near Outram.

Are you planning to set up your own café? If you need extra capital, head to A1 Credit to learn more about your options for a small business loan. Follow the directions below if you’re coming from Outram Park. 

Directions from Outram Park MRT Station to A1 Credit:

  1. Head northwest on Orchard Road toward Grange Road.
  2. Take a bus ride at Opp Mandarin Orchard.
  3. Alight at the CTRL Sq Bus Stop.
  4. Head southeast on Havelock Road toward Upper Cross Street.
  5. Pass by Killiney at Havelock. The destination is on the left.
  6. Arrive at Havelock II. A1 Credit is located at #02-08.
 

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