Dan Shake at Tanjong Beach Club

After having been to so many Hard Techno raves, I thought it’s time to attend a beach party to observe the differences and have a good excuse to wear bikini 😂 Dan Shake, an international acclaimed DJ, playing at Tanjong Beach Club looks like a good chance for me to go to as a music-focused event, to see people who are there for the music and due to the reason that I can’t lounge and relax for the sake of lounge and relax, but I want to go to a beach party. Yup, I need to be mentally simulated as long as I’m awake.

The differences are so stark between a rave and a beach party.

First thing first, the place is so beautiful, like the ultimate utopia-like relaxation haven by the beach. Facing Tanjong Beach, the club is of open-air format, has wooden platforms holding a DJ booth, dance floor, long bar counter and numerous resort-like tables. At another side is a long impressive rectangular pool with lots of beach chairs and sofas placed around the perimeter of the pool. At the flanks of the club, there are a couple of resort tables with sofas and umbrellas of bright cheery orange. Lots of coconut trees ensured, of course.

The patrons here are mostly good-looking and fashionable, with fit bodies. The ladies primarily wear bikinis or resort wear, while the guys have unbuttoned shirts or they simply go shirtless. That’s what a premium beach party looks like!

Okay, first difference between a rave and a beach party is that at rave, we cheer during transition to the next DJ, but at beach party, everyone grooves as usual, to the point that I don’t know Dan Shake is at the booth already.

Dan Shake’s music is absolutely groovy, everyone is having so much fun grooving to his light, rhythmic, cool music while socialising with each other. Some ladies belt out awesome sexy moves when dancing to his music. I also move to the music while eating the nice crispy tender calamari.

But after thirty minutes of grooving, I leave the premises to go home because:

1. I’m too tired due to late night raving prior and I was out for the entire afternoon beforehand to meet up with my BFF.

2. I feel under-simulated since while the music's great, it’s not my type.

The thing is I need novelty, transition and intensity to keep me engaged, and raves give me that with the transitions, build-ups and drops. Beach party’s music is just one smooth, continuous danceable music, optimised for gatherings and socialising, where it is a lovely addition to the main activities, instead of being music-focused at raves, where the music, movement to it, and self expression are the primary activities. So I end up enjoying the music a lot while eating my calamari because the main activity is eating, but not inspired to create movement when focusing on listening to the music to dance.

I start slow when I am at the dance floor, intending to ramp up as the music gets stronger as the night goes on. After taking it easily to sway to the music for fifteen minutes, I find myself still swaying to the music, waiting for the drop that never comes 😂 The music is so smooth that the beast in me, preparing to do Till Hammer, slid back down into the dark confines in one sweeping move.

As said, this place is perfect for gathering with friends for a cool, relaxed time, to see and to be seen. It’s good, eye-opening experience for me too. But it’s back to raves, which is truly my playground.

Thoughts: Beautiful Place to lounge, socialise, relax and groove.

120 Tanjong Beach Walk

66 Chambers Red Room: On Air featuring Asakk and Aufas

I just found another two DJs, Asakk and Aufas, to keep a lookout out for because I totally enjoy what they belt out for the night.

Aufas, with his seamless blend of relentless, blood-pumping Schranz, hypes up the room real good, getting us into the mood for more.

Asakk, with his unparalleled energy, passion and fantastic build-up to the heart-pounding, grinding drops, gets us to totally immerse in his music and our movements to it. I remember his build-ups so well. Things are ramping up real good as the night goes on. So looking forward to attending his next rave!

Asakk in action. I stop videoing at the drop because I want to go back to dancing to the drop 😂

Aufas belting out awesome Schranz tunes

I got the awesome drops on my phone when I forget to turn off the video mode. Lucky!

Thoughts: Energy Overload! Heart-Pumping Hard Techno Opera!

22A Tanjong Pagar Road

TWG Tea Garden - Wonderful European Inspired Cafe

Actually I am just roaming around Marina Bay Sands after a morning at Gardens by the Bay, when I spot a lovely looking cafe with European inspired furnishings, think red wood panels, English Calligraphy, English crockery, with touches of Parisan flair, then interestingly added lots of crystal yellow lights, reminding me of those quaint Japanese cafes serving European inspired cuisine. Looking at the impressive front of the store stacked with TWG tea tins and boxes of different colours, I just step into the cafe, wanting to immerse in the atmosphere. A good thing that I go in before the high tea crowd comes in because the cafe soon gets full after a short while.

I’m actually surprised by how comprehensive the menu is, given the cafe setting. It has light bites for brunch, heavier mains, dainty high tea sets, desserts and of course, a variety of teas. The desserts are light and moist, while what truly impresses me is the caviar set. This is so luxurious and delicious that I say, “Definitely try this is you are in the mood to splurge.”

Sugar packed in this quaint porcelain jar actually.

The caviar set immediately got my attention with its TWG Tea caviar (20g) accompanied by chopped capers, chives & red onions, boiled egg yolk and boiled egg whites, served with a duet of Matcha blinis and crème fraîche sprinkled with Gyokuro Samurai tea leaves.

It tastes as good as it sounds. The caviar has a mild buttery saline taste that tastes so good on its own already. It’s a wow moment when I savour the caviar with the soft, super fluffy, warm Matcha blini. When paired together, the buttery saline becomes sweeter, completed with an additional toasty aroma and the contrast in texture between the caviar and blini. Crème fraîche adds the creaminess and slight tang to add the extra lux and smoothness to the texture. Go sparingly with the capers, since this, when add in a dot is excellent in perking up the taste, but overwhelming if too much is piled on. Finely chopped onions and boiled egg add the variety and extra oomph to the delicate taste of the caviar without overwhelming it.

I love this so much.

Rum Baba here, which is rum-soaked cake that is like no others. Additional twists, in the form of rum jelly adding so much to the texture and Vanilla Bourbon Tea Ice-Cream adding the refreshing astringent element, make this cake such a delight and surprise to savour. Chantilly cream adds the creaminess to balance the intoxicating and lovely sweet taste of rum. Powdered Rum tea sprinkled on top for the extra touch.

Nice and moist Strawberry Shortcake.

Smooth earl grey served in a unique, classy pot.

Thoughts: Ultimate Tea Party!

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, B2-65/68A

Sampan Ride at Marina Bay Sands

Actually when I passed by the canal-like water feature in Marina Bay Sands and saw the bright red sampan parked at the side, I always wondered if the sampans can really be rolled down the canal. I got my answer when I finally see the sampans in action, with professional rowers maneuvering them. Craving for a safe, quick boat ride, I immediately get the ticket for it.

The staff are very professional to dock and steady the boat before pulling out a stool for riders to easily step into the sampan. Then it’s off to a boat adventure!

The ride across the clean clear waters is smooth and relaxing, like a ride through a reinvented futuristic Venice, where the sampan passes under the bridges with European inspired cafes on top and by the rows of shops.

This is like a mini adventure to take a short break and just enjoy coasting on the waters and exploring the impressive mall. I like it!

Thoughts: Fun, Relaxing Boat Ride

Gardens by the Bay - Lilytopia 2026

Lilytopia is Lilies with Egyptian theme, where one can brisk in the outgoing beauty of the lilies and the ancient vibe of Egyptian culture. Lilies are not exactly easy to photograph despite their beauty because the petals going outwards and a cluster of lilies with petals all over the place may look overwhelming in the photos. So I either go for landscape shots to showcase their beautiful colours, or try to isolate flowers that can be singled out to highlight the fascinating patterns and colour gradients on their petals.