Before the mayhem begins later this month, make this weekend the one where you actually plan out what to get your friends this Christmas, especially with the numerous markets, culinary workshops and fairs to get you inspired.
Friday, Dec 2
Pecha Kucha
TALK
If you’re looking to get inspired at the Light to Night festival, head over to the PechaKucha night at the National Gallery’s Supreme Court Terrace where you can meet some of the most creative minds of Singapore. They’ll be presenting their works and stories in 20 slides (each slide is displayed for 20 seconds). Dec 2
MARKET
The monthly MAAD Market is back with over 130 participants who will be selling their creative works that revolve based on the Christmas theme. There will also be the Portraits After Dark activity, where visitors can pose for 20 minutes and have their portraits drawn by the community. Dec 2
[SPONSORED]
Festive Gourmet at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
FOOD
No Christmas meal is complete without some festive desserts and treats. Whether it’s log cakes, whole cakes, Christmas gingerbreads or cookies, The Bakery in Colony at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore has them all. This holiday season, their new pastry chef Benjamin Siwek, who’s classically trained in French pastries, goes all out to create these perfect Christmas treats. You’ll get 15% off all goodies when you purchase using any UOB Card. Terms and conditions apply. More here.
PARTY
The Christmas parties have begun: Prince of Wales is throwing their annual Christmas party early this year, where you can enjoy live music from Kirk and Marsha, party packs and $11 draft pints all day. Dec 2
CONCERT
Get your fix of jazz music while helping Singapore’s migrant workers at beCAUSE, a beneficiary jazz concert at Sultan Hotel’s SingJazz Club, organized by Singapore-based singer-songwriter Dru Chen and his partner Melyssa Goh. Dec 2
PARTY
CATO is hosting Giegling, one of the most renowned labels in Germany over the years. Before becoming a label, it was a small club in Weimar, Germany that held many electrifying house and techno nights. Representing them for the night are DJ Dustin, ATEQ and Yadin. Dec 2
[SPONSORED]
Bally
SHOPPING
It’s hard staying up to date with the latest fashion, but as Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Fashions fade, style is eternal.” At Bally, you’ll find a lot to build your style with, from shoes and accessories like bags and belts, to the latest pret-a-porter outfits and items in the Swiss heritage luxury house’s current season. Make your purchases using any UOB Card this festive period and get special discounts off your shopping loot (15% for premium card members, 10% for all other card members). Terms and conditions apply. More here.
FESTIVAL
Celebrate National Gallery Singapore’s first anniversary on the second weekend of their inaugural Light to Night Festival, featuring interactive sculptures, art and design markets, food fare and more. Need the condensed version? Here are 9 things you should check out. Dec 2-4
FESTIVAL
Fancy food festivals like Savour, Epicurean Market and Chang Sensory Trails are all well and good, but we’re intrigued by this heartland festival doing all the pasar malam favorites. Dec 2-11
FOOD
Restaurant booking app Quandoo is celebrating its second birthday by treating everyone to lunch (yes, there’s such a thing as a free lunch). The pop-up restaurant will serve signature grub from their collaborators like Potato Head Folk, Pizza Express, Ninja Cut and more over three days. Through Dec 2
MARKET
Japanophiles, there’s a pop-up market at Great World City with a whole variety of goods, like high quality Japanese lacquerware and hand-made earrings from Issa Tableware, rare Japanese fabrics made used for clutches, belts table runners and more by L’Obi Designs, and more. Through Dec 2
Saturday, Dec 3
Shabu-shabu from Tajimaya at Japan Food Town’s Mie Prefecture Fair
FOOD
Japan’s Mie prefecture is known as a food haven, and you can experience at Japan Food Town’s Mie Prefecture Fair. Enjoy specially curated menus from 13 restaurants that will serve things like Matsusaka wagyu beef, Ise-ebi Premium Gozen, Mie oyster tempura Teishoku Set and more. Through Dec 7
MARKET
Loewen Garden’s Farmers’ Market returns with a Christmas edition and a line-up of vendors selling fresh produce, such as organic vegetables from Nepal, fresh bread from Woodlands Sourdough fresh Australian beef and lamb from The Meat Club and more. Dec 3
CONCERT
After 20 years of gigging from community centres to nightclubs and festivals, local pop-punk outfit Plainsunset will be making their performance at the Esplanade Annexe Studio their swansong. Tickets are only available at the door. Dec 3
[SPONSORED]
Dean & Deluca
FOOD
You don’t have to hit the hotels to get your Christmas dinner shopping done. Café and gourmet food retailer Dean & Deluca is also a great option. Available both in-store and online, this iconic purveyor is dishing out several cute Christmas baskets and pastries like Champagne truffles and gingerbread cranberry cake. If you’re a UOB Card holder, you’ll get 10% off festive gourmet hampers and selected festive pastries and 5% off selected festive retail gift hampers. Terms and conditions apply. More here.
EXHIBITION
Here’s one we hope won’t get an IMDA intervention: local film producer and artist Bhavna Shivayogimath will be exploring themes of female identity, self-expression and sisterhood at her first-ever exhibition, The Topless Liberation Front. Through Jan 8
WORKSHOP
Learn how to make these unique, healthier versions of gyozas from scratch at this two-hour gyoza-making workshop. The host will also bring you through her passion for Japanese health and nutrition where you’ll learn about ingredients that the Japanese usually use for their cooking. Dec 3
FESTIVAL
It’s the last day to catch the Singapore International Film Festival and the last proper day of screenings. You can still watch things like the Golden Lion-winning female-driven Filipino revenge movie The Woman Who Left and a selection of Southeast Asian short film at the National Gallery Singapore. Dec 3
WORKSHOP
Hosted by lawyer-turned-chef, who also happens to own the Little Green Kitchen, chef Shalu will teach you how to make Middle Eastern inspired dishes like Harira soup (spicy lentil and tomato soup), baked aubergine mechoui, spicy mint & chickpea stew, and shakshouka (rich, spicy tomato sauce) with feta. Dec 3
MARKET
Indulge in handmade accessories and knick-knacks by over 40 local vendors at the Christmas Carousel Market, and find items like silkscreen printed handbags and purses by Little collective, pins by Ooperation Overhaul, house decor by FlippingNotes and Green Banana and others, perfect for gifting this Christmas. Dec 3-4
MARKET
Some of Singapore’s favorite dessert places like Popbar and The Wicked Cream will be setting up shop at the seventh edition of Open Farm Community’s OFC Social Market, along with other vendors and farmers selling a plethora of festive nuggets like peppermint orange soy candles from Hush Candle nut butters made using natural ingredients by ThreeBrunch and more. Dec 3-4
Sunday, Dec 4
Kult Kafe. Photo credit: Shiori
MARKET
A rather sophisticated version of the usual pasar malam, the Bazaar@Hive will showcase a vintage flea market full of vinyls, home furnishing, handmade artisan leathers, and more. There’ll also be a food fair, and beer and gin tasting sessions as well as live music performances from the likes of Brinal Chua, Jack & Rai and others. Dec 4
[SPONSORED]
Items availabe on Outnet
SHOPPING
The Outnet is one of the best go-to resources for most fashion needs, with more than 250 luxury designer brands, including Isabel Marant, Anya Hindmarch and Alexander Wang, at affordable prices. That shearling gilet from Helmut Lang you wanted, or that Mikael Kors bag you’ve been eyeing for a while? They have ‘em. And if it’s your first time shopping on the site, you’ll enjoy a 20% off the selected product when you check out using any UOB Card with the promo code “UOB20”. Terms and conditions apply. More here.
PARTY
The Christmas edition of Kult Kafe’s famed Sunday on the Hill series is here! Enjoy live music from Numama Choir, followed by various DJs helming the decks throughout the night, food by Sidecar Sausages and Banyan Tamarind Foods and art from Mojoko’s recent “Psycho Tropics” exhibition. Dec 4
MARKET
If you still haven’t settled your gifts, head down to Millenia Walk for a Christmas market organized by Free Folk. There will be a plethora of handmade items from local designers such as Heart-a-tag’s quirky pouches, bags with stamp print motifs and unique handmade jewelry by Whimsy and Magic. Through Dec 4
From now till Dec 31, spend a minimum of $2,500 using any UOB Card to redeem the new, exclusive UOB x JaeSuk Kim x G-Shock watch—Singapore’s first limited edition designer contactless wearable that lets you pay by tapping the UOB Contactless Card in the watch. Terms and conditions apply. More here.
Be the first to know when your favorite restaurants and brands are having attractive deals! Follow UOB Cards on Facebook for the latest promotions.
