Skipping Singapores signature rooftop bars, Shikha Pushpan goes underground in search of hidden watering holes and speakeasies, enjoying one drink at a time.
“AN AVERAGE SINGAPOREAN EARNS around `10,00,000 a month. And what follows is the pursuit of the 5Cs—Cash, Car, Credit Card, Condo, and Country Club.” “But, a new crop of millennials are rewriting this grand Singaporean Dream with their new Cs—Career, Change, (Internet) Connection, Competition, and Cash (in that order).”
I am audience to a heated conversation between my 50-something Malay guide, Jo, and Kyanta Yap, a people expert and storyteller in his early 20s, as we walk past signals and hawker markets to slip into the mysterious, after-dark world of Singapore. My pursuit for the night: hunting down the secret bars and speakeasies that outshine the eclectic nightlife of Singapore.
“These ‘secret’ bars and restaurants are out there in plain sight, but you will need the instincts of a local to spot them,” Jo insists, as we stand before an inconspicuous white wall, sans any signage, on Hong Kong Street. “This is it?” I ask, eager to open the wooden door that could easily be mistaken for the front door of a regular studio apartment. As we inch closer, we’re greeted by a small wooden plank, the size of a blackboard duster, that reads 28 HKS (28hks.com)— it’s the only sign of the intriguing world that lies beyond. Inside, craft cocktails and truffle mac and cheese balls are passed around in a lean crowd, most in their mid-30s, who occupy low-lit, booth-style interiors as Clapton’s After Midnight fills the room. Still awestruck by the discreet nature of the place, I down a Five Foot Assassin, the bar’s playful twist on the frozen daiquiri, and soak in the vibe of the place, known to its patrons only through word-of-mouth recommendations, before slipping out for my next adventure.
Denne historien er fra October 2018-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
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Denne historien er fra October 2018-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Lunching In Leh
Turtuk, the last town of India in Ladakh, is having a culinary and hospitality renaissance, discovers Harsh Surti
The Medieval Charm of Elsinore
Elsinore, in eastern Denmark, is a charming city full of surprises, such as its interesting link to Shakespeare, discovers Ami Bhat
Natural Selection
In other parts of the world, natural wine production can be raw, wild, and a little messy. But a road trip through southeastern Austria reveals that, in a land where order and understatement reign, even the low-intervention bottles are elegant and refined.
Where the Wild Things Are
Uncovering Rwanda's natural treasures-and the gift of multigenerational travel
FROM THE VOICE WITHIN
A hit new season of a cult show, a brand new production venture, and a baby girl-it seems Ali Fazal is on top of the world right now. Amid a new parenting journey, the actor talks to SAMREEN TUNGEKAR about his travel persona, his instincts, and what feeds the artiste within him
MONSOON IN THE WILD
For nature lovers craving the lush serenity of monsoon forests, off-season safaris in national park buffer zones offer rare rewards and vital support to local economies, discovers Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay.
Ray of Sunshine
Getting diagnosed with life-threatening ailments can spell doom, but for actor Lisa Ray, it became a testament to her resilience. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, the former model maintained a positive outlook, blossomed into a vocal advocate for cancer awareness and support, and turned author with a book chronicling her story. In a chat with Bayar Jain, she gets candid about her journey of hope and healing
Championing Change with Conversations That Matter
Aditi Mayer is a responsible storyteller who likes to look at fashion through a lens of social and environmental justice. She tells Samreen Tungekar about how she manages her own mental health and wellness despite work that promotes positive change and requires mental bandwidth
Travelling Through Conscious Well-Being
In the ever-evolving landscape of wellness, where data meets intuition and science aligns with ancient practices, Deepak Chopra stands as a unique bridge between these worlds. Chopra talks to Dipali Patwa about how travel, when intertwined with wellness, becomes a powerful catalyst for personal transformation.
Transcending The 'Trend'
For Rimzim Dadu, the creation of a collection is about lending the pieces a timeless quality. Samreen Tungekar talks to the designer about her creative process, and how her travels intersperse with her approach to design