Top travel locations to visit in Singapore, perfume gifts and Nyonya’s Home fragrance? Few buildings have created such a stir in Singapore as the Esplanade. Opened in 2002, the eye-catching bayfront complex has been dubbed ‘the durians’ by locals because of its resemblance to the spiky (and stinky) tropical fruit. It’s the city’s most prominent performing arts centre and the programme bears an eclectic mix of Western and Eastern influences. Book a gig, concert or theatre show in advance and make a cultural evening of it. Marina Bay’s giant, 42-storey, 165m observation wheel continues to pull a mix of tourists and locals who come for the breathtaking, 360-degree views of the city available from one of its capsules. Each flight lasts 30 mintues and on a clear day the panorama from the top of the wheel stretches into neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. If you fancy pimping your experience a bit, take a look at the dining and cocktail packages that are available.
Looking for something unique to bring back from Singapore? Get some unique orchid-scented perfumes and fragrances from Singapore Memories! Orchid is Singapore’s national flower and this shop uses native local orchids and therapeutic orchids in their products. Other gifts suggestion: Kaya is a creamy jam made from coconut and eggs (sometimes with added pandan leaf extract for extra fragrance), perfect to be eaten with toast. Get yourself jars of Ya Kun’s very own kaya (available from SGD 4/jar at any Ya Kun Kaya Toast outlet) and you can have your very own Singapore-style breakfast back home. Tip: As the jars can’t be carried onto your flight (due to the 100ml liquid limit), you may have to check them in. Wrap your jars of kaya with extra layers of clothes or bubble wrap them to prevent the jars from breaking or cracking in your luggage.
Singapore’s Merlion is just what it sounds like – the figure of a mythical creature that has the head of a lion and the body and tail of a fish. The Merlion represents the city’s humble start as a fishing village combined with its traditional Malay name Singapura – “lion city.” The structure, which was relocated to Merlion Park in 2002, where it can overlook Marina Bay, weighs 70 tonnes and stands at 8.6 meters tall, spouting water from its mouth in a fountain. The “Merlion Cub” sits nearby, only two meters tall but a hefty three tonnes, and there are five additional official Merlion statues throughout the city. Merlion Park is an ideal spot for photo-ops, whether you are taking a selfie in front of the iconic creature or capturing the magnificent views from the park as it looks out over the bay.
Nyonya® and Baba are Lady and Men of this amazing Peranakan culture. Nyonya’s home is decorated with beautiful, unique art and they have different scents originating from food, rituals and even furniture, customised and adapted to suit our life in Southeast Asia. Their history can be traced to 1371AD, when Admiral Zheng He or Admiral Cheng Ho, a Muslim Chinese explorer and Royal Eunuch in the Ming Dynasty in China went on world exploration and left few Chinease men on our land. The Portuguese, Dutch, Malay, Indonesian and Chinese have influenced Peranakan culture and heritage in several ways. Some people believe that the Portuguese words for a lady “Donna” became “Nyonya” Discover extra details at orchid perfume.
Top Notes are the first fragrances released when sprayed. It stays on the skin for a few minutes and then dissipates. It gives the first impression of the perfume which is commonly the selling point of the fragrance. Head notes are usually citrusy and spicy which normally last several minutes. Middle Notes, this is the emitted scent after the top notes disappear. The middle notes are more rounded and mellow to the nose with the usual fragrance of lavender, jasmine, and rose — basically the delicate floral scent. This usually lasts for several minutes to an hour.
One of the city’s most iconic streets, Orchard Road is the epicentre of shopping in Singapore and is similar to London’s Oxford Street or Hong Kong’s Nathan Road. Flanked on both sides by local and international department stores, tiny boutiques, offices, spas, beauty salons, hotels, entertainment spots, restaurants, and cafes, you could spend a whole day trawling the main thoroughfare. Shopping malls along Orchard are stocked with practically everything under the sun. Plus, there is always some kind of fair or activity taking place in the malls and shopping centres so there are probably more things to do Orchard than anywhere else in Singapore.
An ideal corporate gift is the one on which you can add a little message along with your branding without making the gift look weird. Singapore Memories allows you to do that with its clear box with just one side with the brand logo. You can add a sticker or a card with the branding of your company along with a message for the person to whom this gift will be given. This can come in handy when you are giving them away to your clients, colleagues and business associates reminding them about your brand and association. Myrrh is another valuable resin, which comes from a nearly leafless Middle Eastern shrub. Ancient Egyptians used it for healing and to embalm bodies. It is currently used for meditation, spirituality, happiness, transformation, strength, confidence and stability. Who knew people burn dried rose petals for incense? In this form, this beautiful flower retains its abilities with attracting love and enhancing a romantic environment. It is also used for meditation and encouraging peace.
Rasna, a decoction of the roots of A. praemorsa, is a bitter tonic that is considered to be a specific remedy for rheumatism in India. Its usage also extends to the treatment of sciatica, neuralgia, syphilis and uterine disorders in the country. The primitive Dongria Kandha tribe from Niyamgiri Hills consume a tablespoon made from the roots of A. praemorsa on an empty stomach, twice daily for 15 days, when they suffer from arthritis. Koya tribe from Andra Pradesh uses the pulverised plant, mixed with egg white and calcium to produce a paste for application on fractured limbs to promote healing. In Nepal, the powdered root of A. praemorsa is used to treat rheumatism or to produce a cooling effect. Find even more info on singapore-memories.com.