Building an art collection is a very much rewarding hobby. You can express yourself through it. Aside from that, it can also show your strong support for the arts.

Anybody can collect art. And starting your own art collection is a lot easier than you think. Here are a few tips on becoming an art collector.

Start Small

You don’t have to buy several pieces of art all at once. You can simply start with small items. Just as with other commodities, the bigger the item is, the more expensive it will be. Same with artworks, the smaller ones make for the perfect beginning to your collection. This way, you can buy different artworks from different artists, thus making your collection varied.

Research

Being an art collector is more than just buying different pieces of art that you like. You need to educate yourself about the art world because doing so will help you build a great collection. You have to read art books, magazines, or do some online search about artists and different forms of art. It will also be a big help if you read different techniques in choosing quality pieces.

Know What You Like and Dislike

Your collection should be composed of pieces that speak of your taste in art. It is critical that you discover not only what you like, but also what you don’t. Collecting art should be an emotional experience. That being said, only spend on pieces of art that you love.

Be Active

Develop that collector’s eye in you by visiting as much art fairs, shows, galleries and exhibits as you can. There are many art museums and art events in Singapore for you to go to and attend. Plus you can speak to gallery owners and museum curators to gather fascinating art theories. And if you’re lucky enough, you can even get the chance to speak with the artists themselves.

Spending your weekend in Singapore is made more worthwhile by the Singapore Tourist Pass, a one-of-a-kind EZ-Link card that provides unlimited rides on the city’s MRT, LRT, and bus services for the period of time that the card is valid.

More about This Special Card

The Singapore Tourist Pass is a product in collaboration with Land Transport Authority and Singapore Tourism Board. With this special EZ-Link card, you can take a tour around the city in the comfort of its public bus network and far-reaching train system. At an affordable price, you can save yourself from the anxiety brought by having insufficient funds for your transport needs. Simply purchase the card, choose the number of day passes you need, and refund it before you leave the city.

Where to Get the Card

The Singapore Tourist Pass is available in TransitLink ticket offices in the following locations, including Changi Airport, City Hall, HarbourFront, Raffles Place, Orchard Road, Chinatown, Bugis Village, Ang Mo Kio, and Lavender.

How Much Does It Cost

The card comes in three types, namely 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day passes.

1-day pass costs S$10. 2-day is priced at S$16, while 3-day pass is at S$20. Note that each type of pass is subjected to a S$10 rental deposit. This is refundable once you have returned the card within five days following the day of purchase.

The card entitles you to unlimited travel on the city’s bus services, MRT and LRT trains. Premium bus services, such as Fast Forward, Night Rider, Chinatown Direct, Nite Owl, Bus Plus and Jurong Island services are not included.

Who said that only husbands or boyfriends can plan for a romantic dinner? Of course wives and girlfriends are free to plan a romantic night too. Your husband or boyfriend will appreciate the effort and the initiative. If you want a romantic dinner, don’t wait for him to ask you. Just ask him anyway but before asking him, you should know the perfect place. You can consider the following restaurants:

Chef Chan’s

If your man is a fan of Cantonese or any Chinese cuisines, you should bring him to Chef Chan’s. It is nestled in the National Museum at Stamford Rd. This is an exclusive and romantic restaurant that is proud of its menu and service. Your man will enjoy the place because it houses Chinese antiques. Meals here start at S$40 to S$100 depending on the order.

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie

If your man is fan of sweets and other chocolate products, Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie is the best place to be. There are branches in Paragon, Shaw and Robertson. Your man will surely be familiar with French confections. Aside from desserts and pastries, they also serve meals. Meals here are below S$50.

Casa Bom Vento

If your man is a fan of Peranakan dishes, Casa Bom Vento comes first. The dishes here are Halal and Eurasian. You will be amazed because the place serves five hundred year old recipes. It is located in Joo Chiat Rd. Meals start at S$20 to S$70 per person.

It doesn’t matter where you bring him as long as he can see the efforts, you will be appreciated and loved. If you want to please him, there are other restaurants that you can consider. Nothing can go wrong with a cosy ambiance and good food. Have a lovely night!

Aside from Frog Porridge, Char Kway Teow is also a famous Singaporean dish. It is stir fried rice noodles prepared with shrimp paste, cockles, chives and other ingredients. If you are a tourist, you wouldn’t want to miss this traditional dish. You can choose from the two versions-oily and not so oily Char Kway Teow. Char Kway Teow is generally sweet and wet. You will surely like it.

If you want to taste the best Char Kway Teow in Singapore, here’s a list:

No. 18 Fried Kway Teow

No. 18 Fried Kway Teow is located in Zion Riverside Food Centre. The store received many awards and recognitions. Their Char Kway Teow is one of the best. The price range is from S$3 to S$5 depending on the size. The store is open from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm every day.

Outram Park Friend Kway Teow

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow is located in Hong Lim Food Centre. Last 2011, the store prevailed the Hawker Street Food competition. They use eggs to enhance the Char Kway Teow. The price per plate is S$3. They are open from Monday to Saturday (6am-4:30pm).

Hill Street Char Kway Teow

Hill Street is located in Bedok South Road. They serve original version of Char Kway Teow. For your information, the store was recognized as one of the best Hawker Food in Singapore. The price for every order is S$2.5. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday (4pm-6pm). Keep in mind that they are closed during Mondays.

Meng Kee Char Kway Teow

Meng Kee Char Kway Teow is located in Havelock Road. This store sells the sweetest Char Kway Teow. The price range is from S$2.5 to S$3. They are open from Monday to Saturday (10:30am-7pm) and Sunday (10:30am-4pm)

Enjoy eating!

If you want a splendid night with your wife or girlfriend, there are many romantic places out there. Singapore is full of romantic restaurants that will guarantee the best dining experience. Your wife or girlfriend will never forget it. You can choose from the following restaurants:

Au Jardin

If you want a garden setting, Au Jardin is the perfect place to bring your wife or girlfriend. It is nestled in the middle of the Botanic Gardens. They offer French cuisines. The restaurant is restored with three dining areas- main dining room (upper floor), private dining (ground floor) and alfresco dining (garden terrace). You can choose from these three rooms. Meals start S$50 onwards.

Au Petit Salut

Au Petit Salut is also nestled in the Botanic Gardens which makes it a romantic dining experience. The restaurant is offering French fine dining. You will be presented with signature dishes and much-loved desserts. They also offer other seafood, beef, lamb, duck and other dishes. Meals start at S$30 to S$100.

Baba Inn

If you want to bring your wife or girlfriend to taste Peranakan dishes, Baba Inn is a good place. Baba is nestled in Frankel Estate. The restaurant will give you delectable Peranakan dishes like Nyonya platters, assam prawns and many more. Meals start at S$10 to S$30.

If after eating you decided to watch movies, head to the nearest cinema or theatre houses and grab the last full show. If you want you can bring her to Sentosa or Marina Bay Sands and watch for the Songs of the Sea or the Dancing Cranes. This is surely a romantic date. Before fetching her, don’t forget to bring fresh flowers.

Sometimes, we’re consumed by wanderlust, feeling an intense desire to travel and see new places. We might think that we have to go abroad to do this, but there might be wonderful places just here in Singapore that some of us haven’t fully explored yet. Here are five of those places:

National Museum

National Museum is located in Stamford Road. It is the oldest museum in Singapore and houses national treasures of the history of the country. You can find various galleries and exhibits here. If you want to read, the museum also has an extensive resource centre.

Night Safari

Night Safari is located in Mandai Lake Road. Night Safari is a famous attraction in Singapore. If you want to see nocturnal animals in their natural habitat, Night Safari is the best solution. You will enjoy the tram ride and the animal performances. Prepare your admission fee.

Little India

Little India is located in Serangoon Road. While it is a commercial centre for Indians, everyone is free to come in. In this town, you will see Mustafa Centre, which is famous because of its 24/7 business hours. You will also see Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple. There are a lot of food establishments within the area that offer Indian cuisines.

Chinatown

Chinatown is located in Outram. It features Chinese heritage and non-Chinese religious structures. Chinatown comprise of many establishments like bars, stores and Food Street. Non-Chinese religious structures within Chinatown include Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Sri Mariamman Temple. If you want to know the history of Chinatown, you should head to their Heritage Centre.

Clarke Quay

Clark Quay is located in River Valley Road. If you enjoy partying, Clarke Quay is the place to go. As the party centre in Singapore, here you will find many bars and nightclubs that cater to all kinds of trips and trends. If you want an extreme experience, try the new G-Max Bungy.

There are many more. You should also schedule a visit to science centres, observatories and other museums. Singapore is also home to many famous buildings and architectures. You will never get bored in Singapore.

We are often very busy in our workplace that we don’t find time to clear the clutter around us and organize our desk. Our desks reflect our character: having a messy one makes us look unprofessional, while a tidy desk makes us look very well-organized and makes our surrounding light. So practice organizing your desk before you start and after work. Consider the following tips:

Remove all unnecessary objects

It is always good to start clean. We should remove all things inside and on top of the desk to wipe all surfaces. We don’t want to give an impression of untidiness so we have to allot some time cleaning the clutter and start organizing our desk. After cleaning the desk, it is time to start arranging and organizing it.

Arrange and organize your things

Place things that you often use in an accessible place. For example, if you frequently use the phone, place it near or on your desk. Pencils, markers, pens, glues and scissors should be in a container on top of the desk for easy reach. Other essential things like sticky notes, ruler, sharpener, highlighters, clips, stapler, puncher and papers are better inside the drawer.

Practice faithfully

Meanwhile things that are not often used should be put elsewhere but not that far so when we need it, we will find it easy. We should specify a place for each item so we will know where to open when we need something. No matter what happens, we should abide with the new system.