25 ways to savour Singapore solo: part 4

Other tips: #1 to #5 | #6 to #12 | #13 to #18 | #19 to #25

#19: Rock the House

Head to Home Club (Every Wed; 7pm-midnight. #B1-01/06 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Road; Tel: 9877 6055, www.homeclub.com.sg) on Wednesday nights for a chance to spin with other itchy fingers. All you need to bring along is your music, CD or vinyl – no need to worry about limited genres, jazz, hip hop, house and techno are all welcome here.

Prepare to share knowledge and tracks as you mingle with music lovers who will rock the comfortable couches you’re lounging on.

Shopping for vinyl in the digital age

1. 1st hand: A second-generation family business, this store stocks funk, jazz, nu-soul, electronica, house and rock vinyl records.
   Where: Roxy Records & Trading (#02-15 Excelsior Shopping Centre, 5 Coleman Street; Tel: 6337 7783)
   
   
2. 2nd hand: A weekend market with an unregulated disarray of rare vinyl records and memorabilia from yesteryear.
   Where: Sungei Road Thieves’ Market (Between Sungei Road, Weld Road, Pasar Lann & Pitt Street)

Where to pick up the skill

Selling affordable and trendy streetwear, Pop Trash also offers lessons for those who want to pick up the art of the DJ.

Where: Pop Trash (#02-20 Peninsula Shopping Centre, 3 Coleman Street; Tel: 9766 9493)

#20: Develop yourself

Go old-school and leave your digital camera at the door. Photography is an ideal hobby for any individual seeking out more time alone. Where better to enhance the senses than the darkroom? Once your eyes adjust to the special red safelight, enjoy watching your pictures come to life. Perfectionists and amateur chemists will get their kicks from being completely in control of the photographic process, burning and shading to satisfaction. 

If not, drop by Objectifs: Centre for Photography and Filmmaking and make use of their facilities, including 35mm or 6x7 blackand- white enlargers, darkroom chemicals and other materials. Take things up a notch with Black & White I: Introduction to the Darkroom (Every Tue, 7.30pm- 10pm. $400), a course limited to four people, and learn how to process different film types in the darkroom with freelance photographer Mary-Ann Teo.

Cost: Darkroom: $15 per hour for one hour.

Where: Objectifs (56A Arab Street; Tel: 6339 3068, www.objectifs.com.sg)

#21: Catch a flick

Grab any insecurities you may have about being caught in the cinema solo by the horns, and think of all of the positives. There will be no arguments about what to see or whether you should go salty or sweet with popcorn. Tip: prebook a great seat and don’t show up until the previews start (give or take five minutes before the movie begins) – once the lights are out and the film is rolling, the empty seat next to you will be of little concern.

To avoid uncomfortable close encounters of the ex-lover kind, try not to show up at popular theatres during peak hours and skip any blockbuster hits on the opening night, or date night (read: Saturday).

Another option for solo viewing, and a spot where most of you would be less likely to run into anyone from your past (or perhaps this is where they’re all hanging now), would be Yangtze Theatre (Pearl’s Centre, 100 Eu Tong Sen Street). If artistic (PC-speak for softcore porn) films are your thing, then this is just what the doctor ordered. Show up at the theatre to purchase tickets; there is no online ticket site for this seedy cinema.

#22: Flower power

Nothing beats watching something grow and flourish under your care. Get some company of the floral kind at Far East Flora (555 Thomson Road; Tel: 6254 6662)

1. Tropical Pitcher Plant
   This carnivore is not only beautiful to look at, it keeps tiny insects away.
   Cost: from $35 per pot
    
2. Chili Padi Plant
   Keep things spicy in the kitchen with these babies.
   Cost: $8 per pot
    
3. Cattleya Orchid
   Whether as an indoor or outdoor plant, this flower remains deliciously fragrant.
   Cost: $28.50 per pot

#23: Gettin’ down and dirty

If you’re feeling especially touchy (literally), why not dig deep and plant your own terrarium? Learn how to grow and maintain plants in an enclosed glass container – perfect for apartment-dwellers with an itchy green thumb – ships-in-a-bottle and Zen gardens are so last year anyway.

Where: Level 3, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens (Cluny Road entrance 1 Cluny Road, Tel: 6471 7361; www.sbg.org.sg).

#24: Speak your mind

Bring your own soapbox or interpretive dance routine, but mind you don’t step out of the demarcated ‘free speech’ area or you might get in trouble. Check out the Speaker's Corner--don’t forget to register at the National Parks website for a permit. Feel free to speak Malchintamlish, or just follow the rules and stick to either Malay, Chinese, Tamil or English.

When: Open for assembly 24 hours a day.

Where: Hong Lim Park on South Bridge Road.

Register at http://www.nparks.gov.sg

#25: Retail therapy

Let’s be honest. Shopping with friends is not all it’s cracked up to be, whether you’re being dragged into stores that are totally not your style, or lying to a friend about how smashing they look trying clothes on when they’re actually popping out in all the wrong places.

Sometimes it’s best to get your advice from a knowledgeable salesman – preferably one that doesn’t work off a commission. Know It Nothing (Mon-Sat, 1-8pm; Sun 3-7pm. 51 Haji Lane; Tel: 6392 5475, www.knowitnothing.com) stocks trendy, upmarket street labels like Engineered Garments, P.A.M. and CTRL Clothing. Don’t know what any of these are? Owner and clothing designer Suraj Melwani is the man with the answers.

Other tips: #1 to #5 | #6 to #12 | #13 to #18 | #19 to #25