Meet the cover girl of Singapore Insider Laila Lu, local entrepreneur and founder of hip fashion blog, rock the trend. She shares her picks of the secrets of Singapore. Social media guru by day, blogger by moonlight, her rise to prominence through the digital media revolution represents a generation. She says growing up in such a vibrant and diverse city gave her all the inspiration she needed.
Singapore’s best kept secret is…
Telok Ayer. This street alone sums up Singapore – with its Chinese temple, Indian Muslim Heritage Centre, a Mosque (one of the earliest in Singapore) and a church. Some of Singapore’s oldest hawker food stalls sit at one end of the street and a year old MRT station at the other. There are also lots of bars and restaurants selling cuisine from Vietnamese to Mediterranean to Cantonese, and many offices within the shophouses in between. All that in ONE street!
The nightlife scene here is…
the after-party of the after party. All the top nightspots and bars are in quite close proximity so you can roll from one to the next – the party never has to end. My ideal itinerary would be a first drink at Anti:dote at Fairmont, followed by Bitters & Love, and finishing up dancing at Zouk.
No-one should leave Singapore without…
a walk around Marina Bay at night. I have been to Marina Bay for the hundredth time and it still looks breathtaking to me. It feels great just to stand and soak up the atmosphere. The best view is from the top of Marina Bay Sands and also the Helix Bridge.
Creative communes…
are thriving in Singapore. Some of Singapore’s best and most promising designers are all gathered in Jalan Besar.
Local designers are…
loyal. I once asked a homegrown designer why they wouldn’t move overseas. The answer is that their contribution to the local design scene and being part of the growth here are much more important to them. My favourite local label is Reckless Ericka, they have a thing with shapes and are probably one of the most outstanding established labels in Singapore.
High tea…
means teh-siu dai (tea with condensed milk and less sugar) for me. Nothing makes you more Singaporean than ordering your coffee or tea the local way and making friends with the kopi (coffee) uncle. I have foreign colleagues who are so proud of their kopi ordering skills. I usually get my local coffee at Ya Kun Kaya Toast or the coffee shops along the junction of Telok Ayer Street and Boon Tat Street.
Healthy…
is the new black. Juice cleanse is super hot right now in Singapore, as well as funky yoga and cycling studios. Oh, and cycling generally. I cycle everywhere!
Top image: Laila wears local label Kae Hana, photographed by Suasti Lye
This article was published in the first edition of Honeycombers’ Singapore Insider (Jan-Mar) print guide. Want more? Download the full guide in PDF format, or visit Your Singapore.