KOPISTAN
When the craft coffee scene blew up in Singapore over a decade ago, bean aficionados flocked to speciality coffee roasters Chye Seng Huat Hardware, Common Man Coffee Roasters and Toby's Estate for their fix. Today, these pioneering players have been joined by a slew of local businesses.
One of them is Kopistan, a small-batch, home-based coffee roaster. Friends and business partners Muhammad Afiq, 36, and Siti Nazhifah, 33, who are regular volunteers with Islamic non-profit Sout Ilaahi, launched Kopistan last year after noticing that attendees were ordering their own coffee from nearby cafes during events by the organisation. The pair wanted to share their love of the brew, which marked the start of this joint venture.
What makes Kopistan markedly different is its earnest DIY philosophy. Afiq, who takes on the role of experimenter and creator, works out of his Punggol HDB flat and uses a $100 machine with a grinder, which he has tweaked to a different custom pressure. He makes his coffee using a second-hand coffee machine fixed on top of a modified vintage sewing machine table that belonged to his friend's grandmother.
Nazhifah, also known as Zizie, helps to fine-tune his experiments based on her experience and taste preferences through cupping sessions. They also strive to recreate their various travel experiences through different coffee blends. "When people taste our coffee, we want them to feel a connection to a place or experience," says Zizie.
Currently on the menu are Nubra Valley ($7.50) and Jeju Sunrise ($6) - both long black cold brews inspired by their respective namesake locales.
Nubra Valley, named after a scenic region in India, is crafted with oat milk, while Jeju Sunrise is infused with orange juice, a nod to the South Korean island known for its sweet oranges. Both blends are made with beans from India and Brazil.
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Esta historia es de la edición February 2024 de Her World Singapore.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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TREASURE ISLAND
When plans to demolish the Merlion Tower on Sentosa were announced in 2019, some Singaporeans were sad to see one of the island's most iconic attractions go. After all, the quirky creature – with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – had been a significant part of their memories of Sentosa.The 37m-tall, 12-storey structure, completed in 1996 and designed by Australian sculptor James Martin, was a focal point for laser light shows and projections that transformed its ivory facade into a vibrant display of colours.The Merlion Tower was a popular attraction for families. Singaporean couple Anand and Vrunda Patel would often take their children there for outings. Vrunda, now 50, fondly recalls climbing the structure and admiring the views of Sentosa from the Merlion's mouth. “Outside the Merlion, there was a beautiful step garden with flowing water. I used to love walking there,” she shares.Years later, the statue, covered in dirt and grime, required a refresh. The demolition was not only part of a larger vision to connect Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in the north to the three beaches (Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso) on the island's south, it was also the start of a massive rebranding project to transform Sentosa from a recreational family destination to a premier lifestyle attraction.Today, Sentosa Sensoryscape stands in its place. Set within a lush landscape, the 30,000 sqm attraction features a 350m-long connector that leads visitors to six sensory gardens – where they can explore the gardens’ massive vessel-like sculptures, observe the various flora and fauna inhabiting the space, and interact with Instagrammable light displays through an augmented reality app after nightfall.“To attract younger visitors, our additional focus is on creating more authentic and immersive experiences, recognising that this demographic seeks deeper, more engaging interactions with the places they visit,” says Thien Kwee Eng, CEO, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).Just as Sensoryscape is designed to create an otherworldly atmosphere after dark, the Sentosa Night Mode campaign, launched in August, aims to introduce the island as a day-to-night destination for both locals and tourists, who would typically only make day trips to Sentosa. In addition to more nightlife events – such as the recent Waterbomb Festival, which saw about 10,000 revellers partying to a live K-pop line-up – the initiative includes extended operating hours at key attractions, along with street performances and dining promotions.It’s a move that has boosted visitorship to the island, with total numbers reaching 16 million this year.“This is a 20 per cent increase in the number of visitors as compared to the same period last year,” reveals Kwee Eng.
TAKING THE LEAP
It’s 10 am on a Monday, and Gan Guoyi, 40, walks into Jigger & Pony with a set of dry-cleaned clothes – a picture of calm amid the aftermath of last night’s chaos. The Singapore bar recently secured a spot in the Top 5 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, announced in Madrid on Oct 23. To celebrate, she threw a three-night promotion from Nov 10, where customers enjoyed five premium cocktails for just $5 each at select bars like Gibson, Live Twice, Sugarhall, Como Pony Jakarta, and Jigger & Pony.Naturally, the event was a hit, and Guoyi, who was manning the guest list at Sugarhall, only managed a few hours of sleep the night before. Still, she arrives promptly to our photo shoot without complaints.
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