What’s a part of Singapore’s history or urban landscape that you find particularly inspiring?

 AL: I love the River Valley area. It’s where we keep an apartment and also where we decided to open Kim Association. There’s a series of small streets lined with a mix of old and new architecture, plus cultural institutions like Theatre Works and STPI, as well as local eateries and coffee shops.

Where in Singapore do you go to escape the city’s hustle and find creative inspiration?

JC: I like to ride the cable car to Sentosa and take a slow hike around the island, without a predetermined route. Before the causeway was built, the only way to get to Sentosa was by cable car or ferry, and the panoramic views from that height really helps me to disconnect from the city. Although the island is a little busier now, it still has pockets of quiet and green sanctuaries that offer a refreshing escape, and allows my mind to wander and find new inspirations. Another form of escapism for me is the theatre. I will try my best to catch local productions by Wild Rice and Checkpoint Theatre whenever I am back.

What’s a part of Singapore’s history or urban landscape that you find particularly inspiring?

AY: I’m endlessly fascinated by places where history lingers just beneath the surface. Bukit Brown Cemetery is one of those—it’s not just a cemetery, it’s a quiet archive of Singapore’s layered past, filled with stories of early pioneers. (Just… maybe not during Hungry Ghost Month!) I also love walking from Gillman Barracks down to Labrador Park. That journey—moving from a former military camp now reclaimed by contemporary art, into a protected coastal stretch—perfectly captures Singapore’s constant evolution between past, present, and reinvention.

What’s a part of Singapore’s history or urban landscape that you find particularly inspiring as a creative?

IB: As a creative, I believe our task is to recognise all forms of human ingenuity as inspiring. Singapore’s past and present surprise me daily—the pegs clipped to noodle bowls, the nail used to hang one’s kopi. I see creativity here rooted less in the costly introduction of robots to Din Tai Fung or smart lifts in a CBD skyscraper, and more in the improvisational impulses of everyday people. I’m fascinated by Singapore’s Malay origin story—their contributions to the island, their synergistic relationship with local fauna and flora—a life in greater synchrony with its surroundings, one that emanates naturally and organically from a people’s original connection to place.

Where in Singapore do you go to escape the city’s hustle and find creative inspiration?

MS: Tiong Bahru is my go-to escape. It’s one of Singapore’s oldest neighbourhoods — the country’s first public-housing estate built in the 1930s — with beautiful Art Deco architecture, leafy streets, and an old-meets-new charm that makes it quietly rebellious and hipster. 

I’ll begin at the Tiong Bahru Wet Market, where the same vegetable vendors have been there for decades — one gentleman I buy from has run his stall for more than fifty years. I’ll grab fresh greens or even freshly-ground coffee, then wander through the lanes past boutiques and cafés.

For coffee, Plain Vanilla is my favourite spot — in my opinion, the best coffee in town — and their cupcakes and desserts are my go-to indulgence. Cafés like Merci Marcel and Micro Bakery add to the area’s creative rhythm, and I love browsing independent stores such as Woods in the Books — a charming children’s bookstore — and Cat Socrates, a quirky souvenir shop filled with art, design objects, and local curiosities.

And Foodie Market Place is another incredible find — great produce, cheeses, and fun food options for my kids like steaks, sausages, and artisanal snacks.

If I stay on for dinner, Magpie is where I’ll end up…’Borderless Soul Food’ – a creative blend of various culinary influences from around the world. The menu changes often due to its produce- first approach. The atmosphere is warm, cozy but modern.