Watch: Both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-warming at the same time,
Watch: Both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-warming at the same time,
The Secret Life of Pets chronicles the lives they lead after you leave for work or school each day. Expect mayhem, mischief and plenty of cute antics. No wonder it topped the American box-office charts. In cinemas from Sept 1.
Watch: A forest ranger grows up hearing tales about a friendship between a boy and a dragon.
One day, she finds 10-year-old Pete, who lives in the forest, and his best friend, Elliot – a real-life you-know-what. Can she uncover the truth about them? Cue Disney magic. Pete’s Dragon opens in cinemas on Sept 1.
Do: Did you know that you can ride the cable car all the way from Mount Faber to the attractions on Sentosa?
The two lines of its Sky Network offer access to family favourites like Underwater World Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa and Skyline Luge Sentosa – so convenient when you have young kids. While you’re there, sign up for the Faber Licence Membership, which gives you unlimited rides as well as exclusive privileges at Faber Peak Singapore. A family membership costs $135 per year for up to four family members. Visit www.faberpeaksingapore.com .
Eat: The former Riverview Hotel is now the Four Points by Sheraton Singapore, Riverview – the first by the brand here.
With the change comes a new all-day dining restaurant, Four Points Eatery, which serves a value-for-money seafood buffet spread. There’s something for everyone in the family, from New Zealand mussels in a pot to sashimi and snow crabs, as well as meat-based dishes like tandoori lamb chops and oxtail ossobuco. After dinner, treat the kids to a river taxi ride – the stop is just outside the hotel’s riverside frontage. Prices start from $38.80++ (adults) and $19.40++ (child aged five to 10) for lunch. Visit www.fourpointssingaporeriverview.com.
Eat: Popular Malaysian brand Souper Tang (previously known as Taang Shifu) has opened its first overseas outlet in The Centrepoint.
While it is synonymous with doubleboiled Chinese herbal soups, the chain restaurant also offers an extensive menu of seafood, meat and vegetable dishes. Plus, there’s a variety of congee (such as the dried scallop porridge with whitebait, $9.90, pictured) and mee sua, which the kids will like. End the meal with comforting desserts, like chilled caramel ginger beancurd ($3.90) – your bowl of smooth tau huay comes with a small pitcher of slightly spicy and sweet syrup. Order the ginger-free version for your young ones. The restaurant is at #02-52 The Centrepoint, tel: 6737-6772.
Do: Spend your September school holiday camping – at a mall.
White Sands in Pasir Ris has teamed up with the Singapore Scout Association to hold an overnight Urban Camping event from Sept 3 to 4. There’s no minimum age, but kids below 13 must be accompanied by an adult. The $50 tent fee accommodates up to four, with dinner and breakfast included (bring your own tent). Otherwise, sign up for the Campire BBQ on Sept 3 at $10 (adult) or $5 (kids below 10). Register at the customer service counter or call 6585-0606.
EAT
Here’s an unusual pairing – the black sesame lotus seed paste with strawberry praline snowskin mooncake from Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant ($56 for six). It’s one of the three new flavours this year, the other two being assorted nuts with French raisins ($62 for four) and passion fruit paste with plum snowskin mooncake ($56 for six).
If you love black sesame, the black sesame and charcoal snowskin mooncake from Bakerzin is the one to buy. An intense black concoction cradles a single white chocolate ganache in the centre truffle ball. It’s one of the two new snowskin creations from the Celestial Collection ($50 for eight). Order by Sept 8 from www.bakerzin.com or visit the website for outlets.
All the flavours that are redolent of Spring – from zesty yuzu to peach – are found in the new snowskin mooncakes from Intercontinental Singapore ($66 for four). Each has a surprise filling like pistachio, chocolate pearls or chocolate truffle. It also has the prettiest box we’ve seen this year – a latticed treasure chest. Available until Sept 15.
For something refreshingly different, try the yuzu lychee snowskin mooncake ($33 for two; $54 for four) for its zesty citrus fragrance and bits of juicy lychee. Available until Sept 15 at Goodwood Park Hotel (pre-orders by Sept 9, 5pm).
The kids will go bananas over these Minion mooncakes. Each set of four pieces costs $58 and comes in matcha, pandan, red bean and banana (but of course!) flavours, together with a Minion lantern. But here’s the catch – the mooncake kiosk is within Universal Studios Singapore, so you’ll need to fork out admission first, or get a friend with an annual pass to help you buy it by Sept 15. Visit www.rwsentosa.com/uss.
We love the clever packaging from Regent Singapore, which converts to a Chinese chessboard. Play a round while you indulge in its new mooncake flavours – chendol with white chocolate and momordica fruit with longan (both $64 for eight per flavour). Available until Sept 15, at Summer Palace (Level 3) and the Hotel Lobby (Level 1). Call 6725-3239 or e-mail foodbeverage.rsn@fourseasons.com.
Chui Lau Heung’s unique Mao Shan Wang crystal durian mini mooncakes are finally here ($69.90 for six, until Sept 15). 155 South Bridge, a new cafe opened by established medical hall Fei Fah, is the only cafe in South-east Asia to offer this version, along with its popular durian variations. All its durian mooncakes are available year-round, although the price for the crystal mooncake goes up to $87.50 outside of the Mid-Autumn Festival period. Order online at www.155southbridge.com, or the cafe at 39 Pagoda Street.
