Explore with every step : 8 Walking tours in Singapore that are actually worth it
Walking tours in Singapore are a fun way to see the city up close. You'll hear stories, taste food, and find places you might miss on your own. Put on your walking shoes and get ready to explore!
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Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
For the privileged few, airport food hits a new height of luxury
UNITED STATES – Few places feel as engineered to remind you of your social standing as the airport. Each of its protocols, from check-in to security to boarding, imposes a hierarchy. Are you Executive Platinum? Premier ? The peak of that pecking order has long been the airport lounge, which allows elite passengers a cushioned escape from the tumult of the terminal. Now, even as airline stocks have tumbled and ticket demand slows, American airlines and credit card companies are reaching for a higher level of luxury and exclusivity – particularly when it comes to food. At the one-year-old Delta One Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport, it is common to hear an employee asking passengers: 'Would you like an ounce of caviar before your flight?' At the lounge, which includes a full-service brasserie with leather banquettes and gold finishes, the menu of complimentary offerings features sirloin steak with red wine jus and salmon sashimi with blood orange ponzu. The caviar will run you an extra US$85 (S$109) or 8,500 miles. Amble around the rest of the 40,000 sq ft space, and you might spy Japanese cheesecakes and earl grey lemon shortbread cookie s behind a glass pastry case ; or a spa-goer nursing a pineapple, lemon and butterfly pea flower juice after a massage. You might even catch a bartender pouring a nip of rare Japanese whiskey at the gold-lined Art Deco bar. To enter, you will need to flash a business class ticket for a long-haul flight on Delta or a partner airline . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks Airport lounges were once pit stops where business travellers could grab a paper cup of coffee and a handful of wasabi peas before a flight. Now, they dangle wood-fired pizza ovens, seafood towers, sushi bars and espresso martinis on tap. Lounges operated by American Express are introducing menus by award-winning chefs Kwame Onwuachi, Mashama Bailey, Michael Solomonov and Sarah Grueneberg. A seafood tower order in the Chase Sapphire Lounge at Laguardia Airport in East Elmhurst, New York. PHOTO: AMIR HAMJA/NYTIMES The escalating opulence of lounge food – and the mediocrity of the other offerings in airports – is a sign of just how wide the American wealth gap has grown, said sociologist Cecilia L. Ridgeway, who is a professor emeritus of social sciences at Stanford University. Airline trave l u sed to be a symbol of luxury. As more people fly, and as tickets become cheaper , she said, the wealthy still want to feel distinguished from th e public in visible ways. 'We need more signs and symbols that you are doing okay, that people are seeing it, that you are moving up.' A quick tour of seven of the US' new airport lounges showed that the quality of food is similar to what you would find at a wedding buffet – ranging from lacklustre to surprisingly satisfying . A salad of radicchio and roasted peaches at the United Polaris Lounge in Houston was cloying, while the French toast at the American Express Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia Airport had a crisp exterior and subtle sweetness that explain why it has a following. But taste may matter less than the fact that the food is free, fancy and makes the lounge guest feel important. The sit-down restaurant at American Airlines' Chelsea Lounge at Kennedy Airport feels like a lavish library – hushed, with lots of gold and glass. 'We like exclusivity,' said Ms Laura Parkey, a luxury real estate adviser from Florida, who was eating there before flying in business class to Switzerland for a river cruise. She sipped Moet & Chandon Champagne and eyed the pommes Anna with caviar at the next table. Compared with the terminal outside, she said, 'the food is better, and you don't have to deal with the masses'. These luxe touches are nothing new for international airlines such as Emirates and Cathay Pacific, which for years have accessorised their lounges with dim sum, cocktail pairings and cigar bars. Their American counterparts have only recently approached that calibre. But today, adding a full-service restaurant has become a baseline part of the expectation for lounges in the US, said Mr Aaron McMillan , managing director of hospitality programmes for United Airlines. It was one of the first American carriers to offer an in-lounge restaurant. Competition is intensifying as credit card companies enter the lounge game, unburdened by the logistical challenges and costs of running an airline, and seeking to attract frequent travellers as cardholders. The Chase Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia Airport – accessible to those who have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (with an annual fee of US$795), the J.P. Morgan Reserve card (US$795) or the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card (US$450) – looks like a chic hotel lobby. Its centrepiece is a circular bar with purple velvet chairs. The cocktail menu comes from the popular New York bar Apotheke, and the baristas can make you a sea salt and oat milk latte. Each table has QR codes for guests to order gnocchi with zucchini and mint, or marinated beets with whipped feta – both created by Fairfax, an all-day cafe in Manhattan. The Capital One Landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington has a full-service tapas bar created by chef Jose Andres. Crisp jamon croquetas and gambas al ajillo with a pleasant kick are made to order. Negronis and espresso martinis are available on tap. While most airport food comes from the same roster of approved suppliers, Andres gets his Iberian ham and picos from the purveyors who supply his restaurants. Each of these vendors had to be approved by airport security, with background checks and X-ray scans. The 1,200 sq ft kitchen was custom-built to Andres' specifications. One of his company's culinary directors works at the lounge full time. Ms Charisse Grey, the company's senior director of research and development, said: 'If there was a budget, I was not aware of it.' The lavish menus in these lounges speak to a new class of affluent travellers, said Mr Ben Schlappig, founder of the travel website One Mile At A Time. 'It used to be that lounges were thought of as stuffy and for business travellers,' he said. Today, the clientele 'skews much younger, and the increased focus on food and drink, and partnering with cool brands is part of that'. A Capital One spokesperson contended that the company's lounges were more approachable for everyday travellers, who do not need a first-class ticket to experience the luxury amenities – just a Capital One Venture X card, which costs US$395 a year. But at lounges with that easier accessibility, customers often wait in long lines, or are denied entry because the spaces get overcrowded. This has prompted some credit card companies to tighten lounge access, just as airlines have. Capital One, which allows cardholders to bring in a certain number of guests without charge, will charge for most additional visitors starting 2026 . Mr Mitch Radakovich, a data scientist from Cincinnati who was spending his layover en route to Copenhagen at the Capital One Lounge at Kennedy Airport, said it felt almost too good to be true to enjoy such amenities – cheesemongers who will customise a charcuterie board and freshly baked bagels from Ess-a-bagel – with just a US$395-a-year credit card. 'I'm sure the price will go up,' he said. 'It's an interesting maths problem: exclusivity versus luxury.' With all the money being poured into elite lounges, he wondered what airlines and airports were doing for the average traveller, who has to contend with shrinking onboard amenities, long security lines and thronged terminals. 'I used to fly Cincinnati to Atlanta, and now soda isn't even an option – it's coffee or water,' he said. 'The overall quality has decreased for the public.' NYTIMES
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Secrets of the 'world's greatest hotel' after insane 8-year transformation but it remains steeped in nostalgia
The infamous New York City hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, has reopened its doors after a massive eight-year renovation gave the nostalgic building a modern facelift - but the essence of old Park Avenue money hasn't disappeared. After eight years of renovations, delays, and ownership scandals, the iconic hotel is back, with many nods to its roots. The Waldorf Astoria has a long history of influencing culture, fashion, and architecture, donning a unique Art Deco style that put the hotel on the map. Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, once referred to the Waldorf Astoria as 'the greatest of them all'. The newest version of the hotel has significantly cut down on rooms from 1,400 to only 375, increasing the exclusivity and making it even more difficult to book a stay. The reduction has also made the rooms some of the largest in the city, starting at 570 square feet. The hotel's infamous Peacock Alley, which once connected the Waldorf and the Astoria before it became one building, has been restored to its original grandeur. The alley got its name from the promenade that guests would take to show off their wealth. Now that the building is one hotel, Peacock Alley has become the Waldorf Astoria's breathtaking lounge. The grand Waldorf clock is the star of the show in the center of the lounge. It was once commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Also featured prominently in Peacock Alley is a beautiful Steinway grand piano that once belonged to the famous American composer Cole Porter. Porter composed scores for several Broadway shows, including Kiss Me, Kate, and the 1965 film, High Society, which starred Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra. He lived in the Waldorf Astoria from 1934 until he died in 1964. The tribute to him goes beyond decoration, as the hotel plans to have a pianist play the instrument for guests in the lobby. Setting the scene The doors to the Waldorf Astoria have seen many celebrities and political figures, including Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, and even Queen Elizabeth II, walk through them. The hotel is steeped in history, with the Grand Ballroom being the first venue to host the Tony Awards. Monroe is said to have met former President John F. Kennedy at the awards ceremony. The Waldorf Astoria also introduced the world to the famous Waldorf salad, a classic fruit and nut salad created by the maitre d'hotel Oscar Tschirky in 1893. The hotel's kitchen is responsible for producing other staples like red velvet cake and eggs Benedict. Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stockbroker, is believed to have ordered the combination to cure his hangover, which inspired Tschirky to popularize the dish. The Waldorf Astoria was the first to offer 24-hour room service for its guests and was even the first to start hiring female chefs, starting in 1931, according to Culture Now. In addition to food, the Waldorf Astoria was famous for cocktails. One of the bartenders, Johnnie Solon, invented the Bronx Cocktail behind the hotel's bar. The cocktail is a mix of gin, orange juice, and a dash of vermouth. History riddled with drama The hotel's story begins in 1897 when cousins William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV built two separate hotels on Fifth Avenue. The cousins turned their mansions into hotels during a bitter feud to one-up each other. A cruel twist came in 1929 when they were forced to demolish their hotels for construction of the Empire State Building. They then made a deal to combine the Waldorf and the Astoria into one hotel, moving the location to Park Avenue. The grand opening came two years later when the Waldorf Astoria debuted as a 47-story skyscraper with a coveted Grand Ballroom that saw Frank Sinatra perform and Albert Einstein speak. In 1977, Conrad Hilton achieved his dream of acquiring the property, but sold it to Chinese firm Anbang Insurance Group in 2014 for a whopping $1.95 billion in 2014. Over a decade later, the sale remains the most expensive hotel sale in history. In 2017, the insurance group began renovations. However, just two years later, the firm's chairman, Wu Xiaohui, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fundraising fraud and embezzlement by the Chinese government. Anbang declared bankruptcy, and the Waldorf Astoria was acquired by another Chinese firm called Dajia Insurance Group. The legal woes further delayed the hotel's current renovations, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 pushed it back even further. A new era With a rich history of scandal, art, culture, and wealth, the Waldorf Astoria has now entered a new era. The renovation was overseen by architects from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the leading architecture firms in the country. The team told the New York Times that they spent years sifting through archival photos to create new designs that rang true to the hotel's origin. Chef Michael Anthony, who previously won a Michelin Star at New York's Gramercy Tavern, is spearheading the cuisine at the Waldorf Astoria's Lex Yard restaurant. The Waldorf Astoria has consistently been at the forefront of cocktail innovation, with drinks such as the Rob Roy cocktail and Bronx Cocktail originating there. Pictured a bartender makes a Rob Roy at the hotel on Wednesday The hotel also features a massive 30,000 square foot spa with a sprawling fitness center. The brand is staying true to its ballroom roots, reimagining the Grand Ballroom to accommodate new technology. The bordering rooms have undergone renovations to make them soundproof, so guests can still rent them out during events. A gaudy crystal chandelier that used to be the centerpiece of the ballroom has been removed and replaced with a modern lighting system. Frank Mahan, a principal architect with SOM, told the Times that the lighting of the ballroom, 'never quite worked the way it was intended'. The chandelier's harsh lighting damaged the paneling and metalwork of the ballroom, but now light comes through from coves in the ceiling. The hotel's third floor features a stunning hallway called the Silver Corridor, connecting the Grand Ballroom, the Astor Room, and the Basildon Room. The hallway's grandiose chandeliers light up the jaw-dropping murals on the ceiling, painted by Edward Emerson Simmons. Guests are also promised ultimate comfort in their rooms, which feature dressing areas and private bar areas. The Waldorf Astoria is officially open for guests and has rooms available starting at a whopping $1,500 a night.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Glasgow Times
'Important' photos show lost shops and factories of old Glasgow
You can see the Forth and Clyde Canal wending its way across the centre of the image and dividing it into north and south. By this time, Temple had established itself as an industrial area which also supported residences, shops, a police office and a local school. Aerial view of Temple in the 30s (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Temple Primary School in Spencer Street can be seen towards the bottom of the photograph near the centre. It was built in 1901 and we hold historic records for it including the headteachers' log books (1871 to 1977) and admission registers (1879 to 1927). Temple Primary School, 1903 (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Though it no longer operates as a school, the building still stands today and bears evidence of the time when Temple was not part of Glasgow. Carved into the elevation facing Fulton Street are the words New Kilpatrick School Board. Temple was once part of Dunbartonshire. However, it was annexed to Glasgow in 1912, part of the city's great expansion north and south of the river Clyde. Directly beside the school, on the left as you're viewing the image, are buildings belonging to Sloan's Dairies. Here, the firm processed milk delivered from its dairy farms nearby. To the north of these buildings, and identifiable by its name painted on the roof, is another key building which formed the industry of Temple. Collars Ltd was a clothing manufacturer, employing many locals. Like many small and mid-sized businesses, its archives appear not to have survived. Cyro Works in Sutcliffe Road, Temple, July 1936 (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Nor have those of the Cyro Works in Sutcliffe Road, which are just out of shot in this aerial view. The newly-built works are pictured here in 1936, just a year after their construction, and were dedicated to the manufacture of typewriter accessories. The Works' distinctive Art Deco clock made the building a local landmark. Although the factory itself was demolished in the mid-1990s to make way for new flats, the developers rescued the clock and incorporated the timepiece into the new building where it can still be seen today. Another key employer was Temple Saw Mills, founded in 1874 and also known as Robinson Dunn and Co. The company was a timber merchant and their extensive premises featuring several buildings and yards were on both banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Peer closely at the photograph and you can see the piles of timber stacked up in the yards, looking like matchsticks from the air. The historic records of this important business are held by the University of Glasgow's Archives and Special Collections. • 56-64 Fulton Street and Linden Place: new Co-op shops, Apr 1930 (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Like many other self-sufficient Glasgow districts, Temple would not have been complete without its row of Co-op shops which included a grocer, draper, baker, confectioner and dairy. On the aerial image, they're just along from Temple Primary School, on the corner of Fulton Street and Linden Place, but are mostly hidden from view by the surrounding tenements. You can see them in much more detail in this image of the new row of Co-op shops taken in April 1930. Fulton Street also boasted a fruiterer whose new shop front is pictured here in August 1939. Understandably, with so many employment opportunities available in the local area, many people of working age and their families moved to Temple in the 1940s and 1950s. Often, they left behind the cramped and overcrowded living conditions of the city centre tenements. In the tenements of Temple, they found more spacious accommodation in flats with several bedrooms in addition to the kitchen, and an indoor toilet. Members of my family grew up in Temple. They lived in its tenements, attended its school and worked in its local businesses. When I shared this aerial image with them, it sparked many childhood memories and reminiscences. In turn, they shared their local knowledge with me as I prepared this article. That's the importance of archives, like these photographs. Not just that we keep and preserve them but that we share them and learn from those who experienced life there first hand. Interested to see what photographs there are for your local area? Check out the Virtual Mitchell ( to browse these images. And if you're on Facebook, we regularly post photographs on our page (@GlasgowCityArchives).
