HOT RIGHT NOW

All you need to see, eat, do and know this May.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

All you need to see, eat, do and know this May.

MAD FOR MILK TEA

The brown sugar milk tea trend is in full swing, with major players like HEYTEA and Tiger Sugar setting up shop here late last year. And the latest player in the game is Taiwan’s JenJuDan, which is known for its pearls infused with caramelised brown sugar. Must-tries include the Thai Style Milk Tea and Oreo Brown Sugar Boba Milk.

Get your brown sugar milk tea fix at #B1-13, 1 City Link Mall.

My Reading Room

Pop-up staycay, anyone?

Planning your next IG-worthy staycay? Get a room at Naumi Hotel. The boutique hotel recently launched Project 210, where they gave local interior design students free reign to redecorate one of the rooms (room 210, hence the name) every three months. The first concept is inspired by the album art of rapper Tyler the Creator’s Flower Boy, and features sunny hues and cute illustrations of bees. Seriously, just about every inch of the room is ’grammable.

For reservations, email reservations@singapore.naumihotels.com. 

My Reading Room

LAUV LIVE

Pop visionary Lauv is returning to Asia for his Blue Boy Tour and will be performing here on May 15 and 16 at the Capitol Theatre. The American singer-songwriter has been building a solid fan base with hits like “I’m So Tired...”, “I Like Me Better” and “Superhero”, and his songs have surpassed over one billion streams worldwide. Can’t get enough of him? He’ll also be performing in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines right after, FYI.

Get your tickets at www.apactix.com.

My Reading Room

UNWIND WITH THE ARTS

The Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) returns from May 16 to June 2 for another round of theatre, dance and music performances by artists from all around the world. Highlights include Peter and the Wolf, a captivating musical with puppetry and live animation, and Beware of Pity, a gripping play about moral paralysis and guilt. Into dance? Be sure to check out We Can Dance, an interactive installation that records your dancing and projects it onto a wall to dance with other projections. 

Find out more at www.sifa.sg.

My Reading Room

The Vegan Option

Vegans, rejoice! You can now get your caffeine fix at Kebun, Singapore’s first vegan tea and latte bar located near Chinatown. Enjoy a variety of beverages that are both dairy-free (they use ground cashews instead of milk) and gluten-free, including favourites like the Earl Grey Latte and Violet Sweet Potato Latte.

Kebun Specialty Latte Bar is at #01-41, 531 Upper Cross Street.

My Reading Room

5 MINUTES WITH…

SHERLYN VERONICA LEO

We caught up with the 23-year-old lead singer of one Singapore’s fastest-rising bands, Disco Hue.

Music has always been a big part of her life 

“I’ve always been addicted to music. It provides me with a sense of comfort and connection. I started experimenting with singing and playing the guitar as a teenager and would spend hours practising. This led to my six-second-long covers on Vine, and it was there that the guys from Disco Hue found me and approached me to jam with the band. Being the excited 17-year-old that I was, I agreed, and that was that!” 

It has been one hell of a ride with Disco Hue 

“I was insanely lucky to have found a bunch of music nerds in Disco Hue. They have taught me so much since I joined in 2014. It’s crazy to look back and see how much I’ve grown through rehearsals, recordings, music videos and live gigs. When we toured Japan in 2016, it was the first time I thought that this was what I wanted to do—travel while doing what I love every day with the people I trust.” 

She draws major inspiration from books 

“Books play a huge role in my life and worm their way into the lyrics I write. Our previous EP, Arcade, was inspired by Ready Player One, which I had just read at the time and was hugely excited about. I love seeing how little details in books can be reinterpreted and revisited in our daily lives.” 

Her band just dropped a single in February 

“Call Me Back’ is about struggling to let go of a relationship, with lyrics that highlight a sense of desperation and longing that comes with being hung up on the past. We know how hard it can be during that limbo stage where you’re forced to move on, so this song lets our listeners know they’re not alone.”

My Reading Room

IMAGES FACEBOOK.COM/JENJUDANSGNAUMIHOTELS.COM, @LAUVSONGS, @MRN.A, FACEBOOK.COM/KEBUNTEABAR, SIFA.SG