Since most of us won’t be travelling overseas for the foreseeable future, it makes perfect sense that some are itching for a special night out. Finding something new and exciting amidst the cluster of old date spots that you’re used to frequenting with your significant other is now the name of the game; something that provides a winning combination of creativity, elegance, and intimacy. Consider forgoing the standard fare of going out to the restaurant on the corner and catching the late show, however. It’s time to celebrate life and the living thereof by sharing new experiences.
Find your favourite album on vinyl at Red Point Record Warehouse
Though there are a few different top-tier record shops on the frontlines of Singapore’s vinyl revival, it’s the Red Point Record Warehouse that’s truly a deep-cut audiophile’s paradise. Located in Tai Seng, it’s a trek worth making just to lay eyes on the 2,000-square-foot warehouse’s vast treasure trove of more than 50,000 records. Ong Chai Koon, the proprietor, is beloved by local music geeks for his encyclopedic knowledge of rare and vintage titles. Lose hours flicking through the crates, indulging in a heady dose of nostalgia for a more analog time.
Red Point Record Warehouse, Kapo Factory Building, Blk B #06-11, 80 Playfair Road
Contact: 6383 3955 / [email protected]
Glimpse the future at the ArtScience Museum
Still a regularly featured player on everyone’s social media feeds, the cardinal permanent exhibition of the ArtScience Museum, Future World, has reopened during Phase 2 with a fresh outlook and a new coat of paint. Five new digital artworks put together by the art collective teamLab were added to the digitally-rendered exhibition space just before March, and include an interactive blooming flower mural and a Sanctuary room filled with a flock of birds that respond to a visitor’s presence. That, alongside the classic and evergreen attractions like Crystal Universe and the Light Ball Orchestra, should be enough to tempt even the most crowd-averse couple back to the museum.
ArtScience Museum, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Contact: 6688 8888 / [email protected]
Grind an axe at Axe Factor
Another unorthodox decompression trend, Axe Factor hopes to teach Singaporeans how to whip a sharp weapon into a target board—like darts, but on a grander scale. The cautious will be pleased to know that when played by the rules it’s about as dangerous as darts, too. Compete against your significant other for bragging rights, or just work together to bury the hatchet.
Axe Factor, 200 Turf Club Road, #01-32A The Grandstand, Singapore 287994
Contact: 8113 4367 / [email protected]
Live through a show at Andsoforth
A night with Andsoforth is never the same twice. That’s because it’s a series of theatrical pop-up events that completely immerse diners. Founders Stuart Wee and Emily Png have spent years perfecting their formula for their original, electrifying theatre supper club, and have streamlined the process of having their guests don a costume and dine from a handcrafted, themed menu. Shows are often adaptations of beloved children’s classics—Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, and The Nutcracker, to name a few. A feast for both theatre-lovers and those who have never given a second thought to the artform, Andsoforth has established a format that entices the curious and enthralls the playful. Their newest project, which will run from October until December, is an intimate and joyful take on the classic Jules Verne novel Around the World in 80 Days.
Andsoforth, various locations (secret until the day of the event)
Contact: 9129 7845 / [email protected]
Kayak through the Singapore mangroves
Gliding down a river at the heart of Pulau Ubin, this full-day, 8km adventure takes hardy voyagers to a side of Singapore often left unexplored. Though the journey starts with a choppier coastline stretch of sea kayaking, tour leaders will guide you into and down a river that bisects the island from the north to the south. Paddle amongst mangroves and keep a sharp eye out for otters, eagles, and even the rare elephant on the shore.
Adventures by Asian Detours, 34 Pulau Ubin, Singapore 508287
Contact: 6733 2282 / [email protected]
Escape from a Shanghai Murder Mystery at Xcape
It’s 1943, and a popular nightclub singer has just been found dead in her dressing room. It’s your job to figure out who the murderer is. An investigation-style room that doubles as a roleplaying game, Xcape’s “Shanghai 1943” makes for a grand night on the town (nearly 80 years ago) for a couple and their most analytical, dramatic friends. Xcape also offers a number of other challenging, sometimes heart-stopping escape rooms, including horror experiences based on the Annabelle series, adventure sequences based on the Tomb Raider franchise, and a fantasy adventure based on the hit movie Kung Fu Panda.
Xcape Singapore, 161 Rochor Road, Bugis Village, Singapore 188436
Contact: 6908 1918 / [email protected]
Forge jewellery together at Fat Anvil Studios
Make a ring, pendant, earrings, or cufflinks out of sterling silver materials as a professional metalsmith teaches you how to solder, file, and polish over the course of two hours. Fat Anvil Studios celebrates bespoke jewellery, and will guide you and your partner as you bring your dream designs to life. By the end of the private workshop, you’ll be able to hold something you made with your own skills in your hand, and be a keepsake you’ll never forget.
Fat Anvil Studios, 573A Balestier Road, Singapore 329888
Contact: Contact Form / [email protected]
Special Event Nights at The Projector
The Projector is Singapore’s best-known alternative cinema, run by movie lovers, for movie lovers. Unsurprisingly, that all-encompassing love of film spills over outside of regularly scheduled showtimes, and the team behind The Projector have put together hundreds of quiz nights, filmmaker Q&As, story slams, roast tournaments and dances. These events, often held just in front of the Intermission Bar in the lobby, have garnered their own cult following, as local cinephiles turn up night after night to celebrate with regulars on the scene like The Glory Hoes and Afrodisia.sg. Whether hosting DJs or Nordic film festivals, after-hours at The Projector are not to be missed.
The Projector, 6001 Beach Road, #05-00, Golden Mile Tower, Singapore 199589
Contact: [email protected]
Note: Though the cinema is open, live events at The Projector are currently suspended, and will resume later this year.
