I haven't tested this theory with an actual thermometer but I reckon Little India is always a few degrees hotter than the rest of Singapore. The crowds and the pungent smell of flowers, rich curries and frying prata all contribute to this feeling. In some places pedestrians are forced into the streets because the sidewalks are taken up by racks of DVDs, glass cases filled with phone cards and mobile phones, carts selling garlands of fresh flowers and men sitting at sewing machines doing repairs while-you-wait. On Sundays, Little India's streets are even more crowded than usual - that's the day most Indian and Bangladeshi construction workers have off. If you're in Singapore and, like me, you find yourself missing that crush of color, taste of curry and hum of activity that is uniquely Indian, Little India should help tide you over until your next visit. While you're there, grab a bite at Anjappar (102 Syed Alwi Road) and visit the sprawling Mustafa Centre for groceries, toiletries, saris, jewelry and anything else you can dream up.

Serangoon Road, the main thoroughfare that cuts through Little India, is crowded with vendors selling saris, chai, and marigold and jasmine garlands, which residents deposit at the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. The Mustafa shopping center, home to the Gold Mart, is open 24 hours a day, should the need for a bangle or a necklace strike at an odd hour. —Jessica Battilana 320 Serangoon Rd., 65/6295-5855. Photo courtesy of AmAn Khan, Istock. This appeared in the March/April 2011 issue. 

As I was walking home through Little India tonight I stumbled upon a Hindu harvest festival from southern India called Pongal. Running from 10-19 January this year, Pongal is a festival of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest of rice and other grains, sugar cane and tumeric. A large crowd had gathered in front of the stage to see tonight's entertainment - the dancers especially were fantastic. Following the dancers were singers, no doubt performing popular duets from Tamil movies. At the opposite end of the marquis, some very pretty, dolled up cows and baby goats were on display and the entire side street off Serangoon Road next to the stage area was filled with vendors selling fruit, flowers and trinkets for the festival. Some of the spectators had white powder smeared on their foreheads called Vibudhi which they received today in the temple as a blessing. Happening upon festivals from all over Asia being celebrated by Singapore's diverse population is one of the wonderful things about living here.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is a Hindu temple located in the center of Little India in Singapore on Serangoon Road. The Temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. The building is constructed in the style of South Indian Tamil temples. Little India is a neighborhood east of the Singapore River that has Tamil cultural elements. The area is one of my favorite places to wander around in Singapore. Along Serangoon Road there are many great places to eat and visit including Hindu temples and mosques. When in Little India, take some time to stop and visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. It is a nice place relax and watch some of the ceremonies. The architecture is quite fascinating. Take a few minutes to take a deep breath and meditate before heading back out to Little India.

Flowers are an integral part of Hindu pooja. Small flower stalls like this are found along the streets of Little India and at this time of year just before the Hindu festival of Deepavali do a roaring trade. This stall was redolent with the fragrance of jasmine.

When I asked some locals where to eat late night I was directed to the Lavender Street Food Court. I passed on the turtle soup and instead feasted on dim sum and the famous Singapore chilli crab.

Gardens by the Bay is a complex of theme gardens and steel and glass domed conservatories located in the Marina Bay area of Singapore. Undoubtedly, the stars of the complex are the Super Trees which are man made, tree-like structures that serve several purposes including being vertical gardens housing a myriad of tropical plants. Collectively known as the Super Grove, the eighteen trees range in size from 25 to 50 meters in height and as in nature, no two trees are the same. Held up by dozens of very thin cables, just below the "canopy" of several of the trees, is an elevated walkway called the OCBC Skyway that takes you through one part of the Super Grove. Walking among and looking up at the Super Trees is like being in a futuristic forest with trees from another planet. Simply put, they are incredibly cool to look at! As dusk falls, the trees light up and cast a warm glow over the Super Grove, enough to light the way for a relaxing stroll. The trees come to life with nightly sound and light shows that take place at 7:45pm and 8:45pm.  If you make up to the OCBC Skyway before it closes at 8:30pm, you can watch the 10 minute show from there. At night, the Super Grove is also a great spot to catch a view of Singapore's amazing skyline and the shimmering lights of the neighboring Marina Bay Sands Hotel. After your stroll, take the pedestrian flyover to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel for dinner or a snack! Entry to the Super Grove is free and is open until 2 am.

Thaipusam is a festival celebrated by the Tamil community in Singapore each year. In 2011 I was invited by a friend to observe this man's preparations at a Hindu temple in Little India. After all of these little gold weights on sharp hooks were inserted into his skin, he joined other pilgrims in walking barefoot to another temple 3 miles away to show their devotion. The hardest part to watch was when they pierced his tongue and cheeks with the final gold plates. The man, who has been doing this for many years, didn't flinch and appeared to be in a calm, meditative state the entire time. Thaipasum occurs around January/February and if you don't want to go into a temple to observe the preparations (they won't mind) you can watch the early morning parades through the streets of Little India.

The Arab Street area of Singapore is one of my favorite places to browse on a weekend. There are street stalls along the pedestrian-only street north of Bussorah Street leading up to the Mosque, tons of clothing boutiques along atmospheric Haji Lane (my personal fave) and fabric shops on Arab Street if you have a sewing machine. You have your pick of sidewalk cafés serving refreshing mint tea, iced coffee or even a hookah if you need a break. The area is also lively in the evening - it's a great place to come after the shops have closed for dinner and drinks.

Fountain of wealth, located in Singapore CBD is the largest fountain in the world. It is lovely to enjoy this fountain both in the afternoon, with a lunch on the fountain terrace or in the evenings when the lights come on.

I wish I had written down the artist and title...sorry. Anyway, I highly recommend this museum- particularly the modern art/contemporary art building across the street!

By day, Clarke Quay is a colorful, quiet stretch of shopfronts by the river. At night it comes alive as a wonderfully tacky adult playground. What you will find here: hen parties, jetlagged tourists, "sarong party girls", overpriced drinks, white dudes, cheesy dance music. What you will NOT find here: local food, quaint river-side ambiance, a decent glass of wine, authentic anything. Sometimes tacky can be good fun.

Every year a festive bazaar for the Hindu Festival of Lights - Deepavali/Diwali - sets up in Little India. Stalls selling Indian sweet meats, garlands, flowers and, like this one, statues of deities thrive as Hindu families shop in preparation of the festival day which this year falls on 13th November.

by Cheryl Lu Lien Tan In a warren of narrow streets near Singapore’s Chinatown, a tiny row house’s pink facade signals that offbeat offerings lie within. Stevie General Store is packed with old books, antique watches, eyeglasses, jewelry, and overflowing racks of vintage day dresses and cocktail frocks harvested from closets in Japan and France. It is, in essence, a museum for the outré. Named for Stevie Nicks and the British poet Stevie Smith, the store also sells a line of quirky outfits for women, Philomel Clothing, designed by its owners. Each time I’ve visited Stevie, I’ve managed to leave with something completely unexpected—and unforgettable. 93 Club Street, Level 1, Singapore, 65/6536- 8590, steviegeneralstore.com Photo courtesy of Stevie General Store. This story appeared in the September/October 2011 issue. 

The towering Marina Bay Sands development looks like an enormous space ship dropped down on the waterfront in Singapore. An outpost of the hip Bali beach club Ku De Ta sits on the 57th floor along with an enormous infinity pool. Down below are a floating night club and a floating Louis Vuitton story. The balls in the bay are wishing balls that are used for the New Year's Eve celebration.

Chef André Chiang of Singapore's haute dining spot, Restaurant André, has an obsession with the Snickers bar. The young chef reinvents the classic American candy each year for his menu. He wanted to offer his guests a timeless chocolate dessert and realized that the components of a Snickers bar—chocolate, caramel, nougat, nuts—work perfectly no matter how you mix and match them. In past years he's made a white-chocolate Snickers, deep-fried Snickers, and a Snickers-flavored ice cream. When I ate there in December, he served me this fancy version which consisted of chocolate and peanut crumble, nougat cream and a dollop of chocolate-dusted Snickers ice cream.

I’m used to chefs telling me they’ve made everything I’m eating: the butter, the bread, sometimes even the wine. But Singapore’s André Chiang takes the handmade ethos to the extreme at his Restaurant André. He proudly claims responsibility for the slightly uneven edges of my unglazed clay plate, bowl, and saucer. He molded and fired half the dishware in his restaurant. “I used to take pottery classes. I kind of like the imperfection,” he says. Menus are decorated with Chiang’s rough line sketch of the three-floor townhouse the restaurant occupies. For items the chef doesn’t make with his own hands, he collaborates with other experts. He worked with a Danish carpenter to design the dining room chairs and with a Japanese artist to create the porcelain bread baskets. His French nouvelle dishes, like artichoke barigoule with grilled needlefish shine the spotlight on a different sort of craft. “My goal is to highlight the produce that the farmers labor over,” he says. “The ingredients have been grown and harvested with care. That’s an art worthy of recognition.” Restaurant André. 41 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 65/6534-8880. This appeared in the May/June 2012 issue. Photo courtesy of Restaurant André.

When in Singapore's central business district (Raffles Place MRT stop), the best "fast food" can be found at Lau Pa Sat. This 150-year old former fish, fruit and veg market was converted into a collection of hawker food stalls in the 1970s. There are about 75 different stalls to choose from selling everything from curries and dosas to dumplings and pig organ soup. The market is shaped like an octagon with 8 alleys emanating from the centre. Here are my top picks: - Shanghai deep fried pork and spring onion buns (pictured) from the stall in the center at the top of Street 6. These are to die for. Help yourself to a little plastic saucer of chili paste for dipping. Five buns for $4. - Thunder Tea Rice at Stall 12 on Street 2. A healthier choice - the brown rice and basil chicken is delicious and costs about $6. - Mohamed Restaurant at Stall 61 on Street 5. Get a plate of murtabak (stuffed roti prata) for sharing for about $4. - Fresh lime juice or iced kopi (coffee) from the beverage stand in the center. A bargain at between $1 and $2 each. There are tons of other stalls to choose from depending on what you're craving: Hainanese chicken rice, satay, Vietnamese pho. When in doubt, do what the Singaporeans do and join the longest queue.

Located at 73 Haji Lane, Soon Lee houses beautiful clothing for young women who like their pretty along with some indie hip. The brands are a mix of local and international but are all stylish and feminine. What makes Soon Lee special is the other good they curate - accessories, bags, even books and nail polish are among the curios they have, all perfect companions for that frock you have your eye on. A definite must-visit, whether to buy something or just to soak in its pretty ambiance!

Looking for something different in Singapore I couldn't find it on the surface, instead I go underground. I'm about 9 metres underground, transported back in time to February 1942. The Battle Box is located in the idyllic Fort Canning Park in the city centre. The value of this underground bunker is that it is an original site. It was part of the British Command Centre during the Malayan Campaign in WW2 and it was in here that the decision to surrender to the Japanese was made. Weaving through a maze of concrete corridors, rooms and steel doors, the life-size wax models and excellent animatronics, visual and audio effects, enhance the experience. It gives a realistic illustration of the working conditions back then as well as recreating the events of that period. Curator of the Battle Box, Tan Teng Teng says “while the Battle Box can be considered an attraction, it is not touristy.” “The focus of the Battle Box is ‘experience’ … (and) a travel back in time.” It was a unique experience of Singapore, beyond the food, shopping and modern glitz. If you're looking to get off the beaten track, you might just have to go underground.

The Thimithi Festival or the Fire walking Festival in Singapore is a major Hindu festival celebrated during the month of October. This festival takes place in order to venerate and honor goddess Draupadi. Legend says that Draupadi was made to walk on burning coals barefoot, without any expressions of pain, in order to prove her fidelity to her husband. To commemorate this painful event and respect the courage of the goddess. The Thimithi festival is the time for the Hindu priests and the devotees to demonstrate the devotion, valor and fortitude. They do so by walking across a 21 ft pit full of burning coals without showing any signs of pain. This is considered a test of purity as the Hindus devotees and priests believe that they will be burnt only if they are impure. After the fire walking is done, they walk through a pit of goat's milk and blemish their feet with turmeric.