The idea of dressing up and walking into a club seems far away. No one knows what can happen in the next minute amid the pandemic. But there’s good news for peeps who miss the club vibes. You can now step back onto the dance floor at Zouk. But this time around, with a slightly different twist.
Zouk has decided to evolve with the times and turn their empty dance floor into a revenue opportunity. If you’ve been a die-hard clubber over the years, Capital lounge would ring a bell. The lounge space has been transformed into a pop-up restaurant named Capital Kitchen. You can find it on the second floor of the Zouk complex. It is open on Wednesdays to Saturdays, from 5pm to 11pm.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU
Eager to place a reservation and dine in with your fellow clubbers? First up, you need to know what’s on the menu at Capital Kitchen. You can expect both Asian and Western cuisines. As you’ve probably clicked in to read from the title, we will start off by introducing the cocktails.
Cocktails
Apart from teh peng cocktails, Zouk has also come up with other locally-inspired flavours like milo gao and assam guava. Honestly, we’re really curious about the taste. If you’re heading there before we do, please let us know your verdict.
Image Credits: Zouk
Highlights of the menu
Some of the highlights from Capital Kitchen include – the Signature Battered Fish & Chips (25 SGD), the Signature Royal Broth Congee (15 SGD), and the Australian Ribeye Strips (48 SGD). Here’s how the fish & chips and congee look like to whet your appetite:
Image Credits: Zouk
Image Credits: Zouk
Sharing platters
Other than ala carte items, there’re also sharing platters. If you’re dining in a group of five, the Feasting Platter (108 SGD) would be an excellent choice. The platter consists of yummy Ebi Chilli Flatbread, Mala Chicken Skin, Chicken Wings, Truffle Fries, Squid Pong, and Australian Ribeye Strips.
And of course, if you do not like everything from the platter, you may place individual orders and snack on the ones you like. There’s the Ebi Chilli Flatbread, Mala Chicken Skin, and Truffle Fries each at 20 SGD. Chicken Wings are also available at 18 SGD.
FOOD COLLABORATIONS
Diners can also look forward to limited-edition food menu items Zouk has with other local food providers.
For a start, they have partnered home-bakery, Paparch. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it has recently gained popularity for its Burnt Cheesecake (15 SGD). With its burnt caramelised exterior and molten centre, it’s simply irresistible. However, it’s only available in limited quantities daily so act fast if you want a taste.
Image Credits: Zouk
If you weren’t able to get your hands on the cheesecake, that’s fine. There are other desserts like Churros and Chocolate and Caramel Tarts. It’s an equally sweet deal!
For reservations, you may email them at [email protected] or call/WhatsApp the team at 9006 8793.
With a long wait of over three months, Singapore residents can finally step into their favourite theatres to catch a new release from 13 July (Monday). Cinemas are reopening! But of course, not without stringent measures.
A maximum of only 50 people will be allowed into the cinema halls. There will also be a 1m safe-distancing seat configuration. If you’re visiting with a group of more than five persons, you may be able to sit together. But mask-wearing will still apply – except when you’re munching on your snacks or slurping on your soda.
These are the new releases this week (from 13 July) a movie fan should not miss:
#1: LOW SEASON
Image Credits: GV
They say two’s a company, three’s a crowd. We’re kicking off our list of movies with a Thai horror special. There’s something about Thai horror movies that scare the hell out of us. But we go back to it because it’s strangely addictive.
This slightly over two-hour movie revolves around Lin, a girl who can see ghosts. After a breakup, she leaves the city alone to a faraway resort during the low (tourist) season. Put, a young screenwriter seeking inspiration for his horror story will join Lin on her getaway. What will unfold between the two? Will love find them or something else? Watch to find out.
#2: THE BRIDGE CURSE 女鬼桥
Image Credits: GV
We’re still not done with horror. Adding to the horror genre is this 1.5-hour movie in mandarin. The highlight of this movie is the spooky happenings at the ghost bridge. Rumour has it that the ghost bridge was a forbidden spot on the Tunghu University because of a girl who jumped off the bridge and drowned herself.
Determined to test out their courage, six students who were running a camp filmed a live stream on the bridge late at night. They caught the female ghost on camera and the video went viral. But… the group of students went missing soon after. Only after four years later, an investigative journalist Lien Shu-yu (played by Summer Meng, 孟耿如) starts to uncover the truth. What will she find? The spirits await her.
#3: MY HERO ACADEMIA: HEROES RISING
Image Credits: GV
Let’s give horror a break and turn our gaze to a Japanese animation. My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising is an exclusive release for Golden Village cinemas. Directed by Kenji Nagasaki, it will run for about 1 hour 40 minutes.
A visit to Nabu Island got class 1-A attacked by a villain with an incomprehensible eccentricity. The villain’s powers are scarily familiar as if Shigaraki had an influence on the plan. Being the only hope on Nabu island, Deku and his friends will be the next generation of heroes. Will they get to save the day?
#4: ESCAPE FROM PRETORIA
Image Credits: GV
This approximately two-hour movie is based on a true story. Tim Jenkin (played by Daniel Radcliffe) and Stephen Lee (played by Daniel Webber) are two young and white South Africans branded ‘terrorists’. They were imprisoned in 1978 for working covert operations for Nelson Mandela’s banned ANC.
Jailed in Pretoria Maximum Security Prison, this film will be their attempt to escape. Be wowed by their creativity, ultra-careful surveillance, and be impressed by their wooden-crafted keys for 10 steel doors as they make a quest for freedom. But beyond the breathtaking action, it demonstrates the oppressed’s struggle and their pursuit of equality for all.
#5: TRAIN TO BUSAN: PENINSULA
Image Credits: GV
As if I’m saving the best for the last, it’s the long-awaited Train to Busan: Peninsula. This is a continuation of the 2016 zombie horror movie – Train to Busan. If you have yet to watch it, I highly recommend it.
It tells the story of Jung-suk, the protagonist who escaped the zombie disaster in Korea four years ago. While living in exile in Hong Kong, he is tasked to return to Korea to bring back huge amounts of cash stranded in the streets of Seoul. The attacks by a militia and flesh-thirsty zombies will be the climax of the show to look out for.
Will they be able to leave the peninsula for good? We will only find out in cinemas from 15 July.
Eating is a way of life. Or rather, should I say eating well is a way of life? Either way, I think it is safe to say that many Singaporeans live to eat. I’m part of the gang. Well, blaming no one here with the range of food options in Singapore. From local to international delights, a glutton like me is truly satisfied with this sunny island. What about you?
But to be honest, I sometimes fall into the guilt cycle of wanting to eat my favourite hawker foods but yet worried about the weight I’m putting on.
That’s why we went on a search for ways to lower some calories so we can all continue eating our favourite hawker dishes guilt-free. Or at least, attempt to lessen the times we feel bad about it. Ready to go on this learning journey with us? Let’s roll with some of the popular foods and tips!
#1: WONTON MEE (434 CALORIES)
Image Credits: straitstimes.com
Wonton mee is love. Who can say no to flavourful roasted char siew and silky smooth wantons? We know we can’t. That’s why we will continue to slurp our noodles but along with some tips to note.
As you walk through the stalls, see if you can spot one with a Healthier Oil decal. When you’ve decided to order, get the soup version, politely ask for more vegetables, and request for steamed wontons instead of fried ones.
Here’s the explanation. Firstly, the soup version means you will do away with the sauce that comes with the dry wanton mee. Seasonings add to the calories you’re consuming so it’s better to avoid them. Secondly, adding vegetables should be self-explanatory. Greens are good for health! Thirdly, we all know that compared to the steamed method of cooking, deep-fried foods (though extremely tasty) are high in calories and fats.
TL;DR
Spot a stall with a Healthier Oil decal
Get the soup wanton mee instead of the dry version
Politely ask for more vegetables
Request for steamed wontons rather than fried ones
#2: YONG TAU FOO WITH RICE (517 CALORIES)
Image Credits: singhealth.com.sg
Do you like your yong tau foo dry or with soup? I’m a soup lover so I would opt for the soup version over dry and I’m glad I’m on the right track.
Using what we’ve learned for wanton mee, for the dry version, your beloved hawker will usually drizzle generous portions of sauce. Remember what we mentioned earlier? Sauces are generally high in calories and salt content so make the right choice. Next up, opt for clear soup over laksa or curry gravy and say no to deep-frying your items.
And if you need an explanation, here it is. We’ve already made our point previously on the sauces and deep-fried foods so we shall skip that. For laksa or curry gravy, just think of what goes in during the cooking process – ingredients like coconut milk. Don’t get me wrong. I adore the taste of coconut milk in my laksa or curry gravy. But do you know that 100g of coconut milk has about 230 calories? Eliminate unwanted calories if you want to eat healthier.
TL;DR
Go for the yong tau foo soup
Opt for clear soup over laksa or curry gravy
Say no to deep-frying your items
#3: ROJAK (518 CALORIES)
Image Credits: visitsingapore.com
When was the last time you had rojak? My mum used to tell me not to eat too much rojak because of the amount of palm sugar and sweet dressings this ‘mixed salad’ has. Guess what? She’s right, but only to a certain extent.
That’s because you can make certain tweaks to lower the calorie count. Can you guess one of the most sinful ingredients used to make our favourite rojak? Apart from sugar and sauce, it’s you tiao. Some of you might know this as fried dough fritters. In replacement of that, ask for more fruits and vegetables. Also, ask for less sweet sauce, please.
Feeling unjustified? Listen to us. Firstly, you need to bid goodbye to that stick of shiny-looking deep-fried you tiao because one stick of you tiao has 285 calories. Secondly, everyone needs to eat at least two servings of fruits and vegetables so adding more is a given. Thirdly, sweet sauce is high in sugar content. To put it into context, 100g of sugar is equivalent to 387 calories.
TL;DR
Give up your you tiao (fried dough fritters)
Replace that with more fruits and vegetables
Ask for less sweet sauce
#4: CHICKEN RICE (572 CALORIES)
Image Credits: Time Out
Craving for a fragrant plate of warm chicken rice right now. Coupled with some black sauce, minced ginger, and spicy garlic red chilli sauce… it’s heaven in the form of food. But hold up, go easy on the sauce. Almost got carried away, my bad.
To lower the calories, remove the chicken skin before digging in. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) encourages us to opt for plain or brown rice. Honestly, that’s a little too much for me to sacrifice. So instead of swapping the entire plate, you can opt for less rice. As for the cucumber slices, you should know what to do! Request for more greens.
One chicken wing with skin (about 34g) has 99 calories. When compared to the same without skin, it’s only about 42 calories. Eating it without the skin will allow you to cut your calories intake by more than half! Just imagine the amount you can lessen if you remove them from your plate completely.
TL;DR
Remove chicken skin
Opt for plain / brown rice or ask for less rice
Request for more cucumber slices
#5: NASI LEMAK (575 CALORIES)
Image Credits: tasteasianfood.com
To round up this article, we have our all-time favourite nasi lemak. This dish rich in coconut milk is usually served with fried anchovies, toasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. Oh yes, and accompanied with addictive sambal chilli.
If you’ve faithfully read this article from start to end, you should know where this paragraph is heading towards. First up, ask for less coconut rice. We hope you’ve not forgotten what we shared before – how 100g of coconut milk has about 230 calories. Secondly, if you’re serious about your health, choose vegetables over fried items. Lastly, go easy on that gravy.
TL;DR
Ask for less coconut rice
Choose vegetables over fried items
Go easy on the gravy
We’re sure it won’t taste 100% the same if you heed our recommendations. But, your body will thank you in the long run. On a positive note, you don’t have to give up on your favourite local hawker foods and survive just on salads. Isn’t that something worth rejoicing for?
In the last few years, the quest towards women attaining perfection has reached bizarre levels. Beauty and fashion companies have been guilty of projecting women according to a certain standard. In other words, a global benchmark of beauty has been imposed on the entire women population of the world.
All this has taken the attention to be healthy in one’s own body type. All human beings have been made different when it comes to our bodies. What works for one body type, might not work for the other one. In this article, we look at the top five mistakes women are making when it comes to health and fitness issues.
Why Women are confusing Health and Fitness with something else?
Women are going to extreme lengths to adhere to the global norms of beauty, style and fashion. Women are crash dieting to lose twenty pounds in a week. Going to the gym twice a day to gain muscle mass, or even going under the knife to get that flawless body types and sizes.
Health and fitness is being confused with beauty and fashion. Being size zero might be something, which a fashion magazine is promoting, but it can lead to serious health issues and loss of productivity. Our internal organs need to be healthy to perform day-to-day tasks efficiently. Going for a crash diet and fainting at work is not being healthy.
A serious problem in today’s society is that beauty and fashion magazines have substituted the advice of doctors, nutritionists and other certified medical practitioners. Women are learning what it means to be healthy from sources who do not have any expertise in the same.
5 Mistakes women make when it comes to health and fitness: The List
1. Getting influenced by Social Media and Peer Pressure-
The rise of social media has brought in the trend of making unhealthy comparisons. This has been more pronounced when it comes to issues like women’s health and fitness. It is best that women avoid getting influenced by what is happening on social media. This will prevent them from engaging in unrealistic expectations and focus on their own individuality. This will also allow them to take help from experts rather than influencers.
2. Not taking help from Medical Experts-
With the advent of digital and social media platforms, women have stopped paying attention to critical health and medical issues. For example, it is advisable that women do regular checks for breast cancer. However, the quest towards superficial and surface-level beauty makes them ignore this. Women should definitely check out treatments for breast cancer by Thomson Medical to look after themselves
3. Following a Food or Diet Plan blindly-
It is not necessary that a Keto diet or a Paleo diet might be good for you. It is advisable that before you start a diet plan, you should discuss it with your doctor or nutritionist. What might suit someone on social media, might not suit you. Even though you want to experience the same results, following a diet plan from the internet is not advisable under any circumstances. It is best to leave this to experts.
4. Too much Gym Time and Burnouts-
Everybody is made different and reacts differently to different kinds of activities and exercises. During the pandemic, so many health and fitness influencers have come on social media and started discussing home gym tips. This is wrong, as they are not taking into consideration the individuality or the health issues of their users. Always remember, if you want to change your body, 80% of it has to do with your diet, and 20% to do with your exercises
5. Not being Regular or Consistent in your Health Plans-
When it comes to health and fitness issues, it is important that we follow a steady and consistent regime. This helps our body become familiar with something, over a period. Following the familiarization, the body starts reacting to the same in a favorable manner. If you start a trend, a fad and keep abandoning it when the next one comes about, you will do your health a grave injustice. Being consistent always reaps rich dividends when it comes to health and fitness.
Conclusion
By avoiding the above-mentioned five mistakes in their lives, women can improve their health and fitness issues. Women should always remember that every one of us has been made special in our own way, and hence we should treat our bodies accordingly. Can you think of some other mistakes we can add to the list?
With layoffs and lost job offers due to COVID-19, this period is probably not a good time to spend too much. With that said, while the new phone advertisements may be attractive, it’s better to think twice. There’s no better time than now to save for a rainy day.
I’m personally guilty of having the mindset of changing a new phone or laptop once it shows signs of slowing down. Well, apart from living in a fast-paced society, I’ve only got myself to blame. But you don’t have to be like me. Apply these basic maintenance tips to your smartphones and laptops to help them last longer!
#1: BATTERY INSPECTION
Image Credits: youtube.com
Prior to writing this article, I did a check on my phone’s battery life. The capacity is currently at 82%, which is considered an okay level. We will show you how to check yours in a while.
Just take note batteries that are charged more times than they can endure will become progressively worse over time. Think of it as the concept of wear and tear on clothes or on your car tires. If the battery capacity falls below 60%, it’s about time you change a new one. As in, a new battery.
Smartphones
If you own an Apple product, go to your iPhone or iPad and open the Settings, then tap Battery and select Battery Health. Android users can use third-party apps like AccuBattery to check on your battery’s health.
Laptops
For MacBooks, click on the Apple icon, then About This Mac and then the System Report. Next, click on Power to see the reading on your battery’s health. Windows users can use the app BatteryInfoView to check your battery’s capacity.
#2: SPRING-CLEAN YOUR DATA
Image Credits: lifewire.com
Like your home, your electronic gadgets require some spring-cleaning as well. One of the reasons why your smartphones or laptops are slowing down is because of the storage space it’s taking up.
To lift the weight off your storage, delete old or irrelevant data regularly. If you don’t have the time to do so as often, then set a reminder to clear it as at least once a year. Maybe mid-year’s a good time?
Smartphones
As an iPhone user, I often take advantage of the iPhone Storage tool to see my last used apps and how much space it’s taking up on my device’s storage. If you own an iPhone too, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see yours. For Android users, look out for the tool called Files.
Laptops
Not sure where to start deleting? Open a folder and sort the files based on date. Chances are, you may find documents that you’ve not opened in a long time. For the fickle-minded, investing in an external storage device and transferring your files over to it is a good idea. This will greatly offload the operating system, helping it to run faster and longer.
#3: CLEANING ROUTINE
Image Credits: Business Insider
This time round, we’re really recommending you to clean your devices, physically. We’re not talking about just the surface. Though that’s important too, since your phone is 10 to 20 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
Dirt fragments clogging up your electronic gadgets can lead to overheating. Overheating is a big no-no, as it shortens the lifespan of your devices.
Smartphones
Shine a torch and check the ports. Dust and tiny food scraps may sometimes be stuck in the charging ports. This might slow down the charging process, lengthen the time needed for a full charge, and cause unnecessary overheating.
Laptops
Open up your laptop or desktop to clean the fans. Just like your ceiling fan gets dust stuck onto the blades, your device’s fans also pile up dust and even hair strands over time. A dust-filled fan will run slower and in turn, result in overheating of your laptops. You can get rid of the dust using a small vacuum cleaner.
We hope you’ve found what we shared useful. Know of other valuable tips and tricks? Let us know!
