The best things to do in Singapore this week: Aug 21 to 27

Watch the city light up with the annual Singapore Night Festival with exciting installations and programs waiting to be explored. Slow down and smell the flowers, some tasty and some rare; or embark on sonic explorations or gastronomical journeys. Here are the best things to do in Singapore this week.

Wholesome Brunch and Bakery

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv2TYlVJH6J/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==[/embed]

Celebrate nature's bounty at Back to Eden (formerly Curious Palette) with a plant-focused menu at the heart of its all-day dining menu. The artisanal cafe and micro bakery crafts delicious house-made sauces — think homemade nut butter, smoked cashew sour cream and avocado crème fraiche — to complement the vegan-friendly brunches and sides. 

Their take on the Mediterranean dish Shakshuka (S$18.90) sees a rich tomato peperonata (vegetable stew) accompanied by house-baked herbed focaccia. Snack on the Holy Chips ($11.90), a moreish mala lotus root chips, and wash it down with invigorating smoothies or fresh brew from Strangers' Reunion coffee.

Back to Eden is located at 64 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188667, p+65 6238 1068. Open daily, 9am -5pm.

Speak in Flowers

Inspired by floriography, the pastry team at Conrad Centennial Singapore crafts a set of delicate sweet and savoury snacks in the Language of Flowers Afternoon Tea (S$49++ per person). 

Eight exquisite blooms take the centerstage, with Rose speaking of love and passion through velvety rose cream mousseline in a strawberry tart shell and Hibiscus expressed through a beetroot deviled egg in a choux puff. Enjoy the afternoon with free-flowing Ronnefeldt Tea and Brazilian coffee. Add S$10++ for a glass of Lillet Rose Tonic and S$28++ for two hours of Prosecco.  

Language of Flowers Afternoon Tea runs until Nov 19, 2023 at Lobby Lounge of Conrad Centennial Singapore, 2 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038982, p.+65 6432 7483. Available daily from 1pm -3pm and 3.30pm- 5.30pm. 

A Soft Sonic Rebellion

A night of eclectic sonic exploration is on the forecast, with local music collective Strange Weather embracing a Soft Rebellion. Headlining the eclectic night are the future-facing sounds of Elena Colombi (UK) and the experimental soundscapes of Antarmuka.

Alongside the immersive art installation — “Soft Rebellion” by Strange Weather talents Genevive Yip, A’alely, and Sharon Shum, the party will be sustained by the usual resident suspects Aalely, Kindergarchy, Yadin Moha and Yet Pet. True to the collective’s extraordinary ways, relax in the good hands of local masseuse aunties who will knead your stress away, together with Boujee Botanicals’ kombucha to help you stay refreshed through the night.

Strange Weather w/ Elena Colombi (Osàre! Editions) & ANTARMUKA (Live) runs Aug 26, 2023, from 6pm onwards at T:>Works – 72-13, 72 Mohamed Sultan Rd, Singapore 239007. Tickets from S$42; get them here.

Cheesy Day Out

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/Cul81dkyyx5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==[/embed]

Say Cheese with The Cheese Shop’s fourth run of Cheesy Day Out. Get ready for a party with gastronomic delights and crafts to fill your hearts, bellies and shopping bags. Seek out your favourite cheeses from The Cheese Shop and tuck into hearty short ribs and brisket smoked by the female pitmaster from SGBrisketKitchen.

Pair your BBQ with a pint or two Smith Street Taps or nosh on handmade dim sum and dumplings from Quan Shui Wet Market. Slurpy oysters, upcycled goodies, artisanal scented candles, and more await you on the bigger and better day out.

Cheesy Day Out runs Aug 27, 2023, from 11.30am -5pm at The Cheese Shop located at 50 Tagore Lane, #B1-03 Entrepreneur Centre, Singapore 787494 p.+65 8881 6806. 

Illumination Nation

This year's light-up pays homage to Singapore's port city history at Bras Basah.Bugisprecinct. Traverse 700 years of history with night light installations and enthralling projection mappings on cultural buildings around the precinct.

Learn 700 years of cultural heritage with the slew of programs, performances, and experiential events such as the NightFest Photo Walk or make A Date with Tradition at Stamford Arts Centre. Immerse in history with the theatrical adventure Four Horse Road or have fun with food and art at PORT CITY 2.0 along Armenian Street. Not sure where to start?

Singapore Night Festival 2023 runs Aug 18 – 26, 2023 from 7.30pm- 12pm at Bras Basah. Bugis Precinct. Please refer to the website for programming details.

Smell the Orchids

Gardens by the Bay fills August with the wondrous scents of Orchids of the East Tropics. The new floral showcase takes you from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to Singapore and Thailand with orchids native to these countries while paying homage to their heritage and culture.

Walk through recreated traditional houses while appreciating cultural artefacts and handicrafts as you immerse yourself in the beauty of flowers. An extra treat is found in the Cloud Forest, where rare and exclusive Orchids of Machu Picchu offer a glimpse into the revered Inca Trail.

Orchid Extravaganza – Orchids of the East Tropics runs until Sept 17, 2023 at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953. Open daily, 9am -9pm. Admission to Flower Dome and Cloud Forest applies; please refer to the website for details.

Viva Fiesta

Grab your mats and find a seat as you enjoy an evening of heartful sounds supporting children with cancer. Immerse in the crystal clear voices of Thai pop-opera group FIVERA and the rich vocals of Joanna Ampil, who performed the iconic “Memory” in Cats. The free concert is organised by VIVA Foundation for Children Cancer, a non-profit charity organisation, to raise hope, awareness and funds for the continued care of their beneficiaries.

Fivera Goes West End with Joanna Ampil runs Aug 27, 2023 from 5.30pm-7.15pm at Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanical Gardens. Admission is free.

ALSO READ: Quirky date ideas for couples who have been together for 10 years or more

This article was first published in City Nomads.