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Yep, they are every Singaporean’s favourite childhood snack — that also simultaneously divides any table of friends (“I bite the sugary bit first!”/”No way, that’s the part I save for last! How could you.”). If there’s anything that perfectly encapsulates the mania of 90s old-school nostalgia, it’s this humble round biscuit, with a bright sugary top, that’s now everywhere and immortalised in more ways than any Egyptian Pharaoh ever was (Ozymandius, who?). Magnets? Earrings? Cushions? Yes, yes and yes — and you’ll find them all here. SG50 may be sooo 2015, but here’s to the actual gem of the year.

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Livin’ It Up

Home is where the heart is, and our heart’s with these items. Dress up your crib with these babies. 

Let it be your guiding light in the dark and all that, with this Gem Biscuit USB Lamp ($34.80), by Meykrs. It’s a little night light that’s powered by a USB cable, and comes with a 1 hour timer switch that you can activate just before you drift off to sleep. Sweet dreams are made of these. Available at Naiise and Hipvan.
 
This will be the talking point of your dining table, and you get to own a piece of irony too — I mean, a sugary snack that dispenses savoury seasoning? Tricksy. Designed by LOVE SG, the Iced Gems Salt & Pepper Shaker ($29.90) allows you to shake it off in style, especially since good old ceramic’s given a nice glossy glaze and a gilded base. Fancy gems, indeed.
Still, if you’re thinking of a totally different home decor style, one oozing with retro, pastel vibes (read: sg hipster), then this wheniwasfour Foodie Wooden Coaster ($5.50) makes for the perfect table setting. They also have ice pops, kueh lapis and ang ku kueh designs to up the local foodie flair. No more unsightly water marks on your raw wood table.

Honestly, plushies aren’t really our thing, but it’s mighty hard to resist these cuddly beings that are much easier to own, than say, a cuddly kitty/puppy. Rest your head on that cushion, topped with a wheniwasfour cushion cover ($28) in a nice cotton linen, wrap your arms protectively around these Meykrs cushions ($29.90) or have squishy comfort on the go with their keychain ($9.60). Sure, the love may only ever be one way, but you won’t know the difference.

Ah, who needs chi-chi oil paintings when you can go for quirky art prints. Our ever-reliable source has to be Society6, where artists upload their work and the company prints them in various forms, including canvas prints, tote bags, wall clocks, mugs, pillows, throws, duvets… Basically, everything. Catch them at the right day, usually weekends, and you’ll even score free shipping! Here’s an eye-catching piece, simple and clean, by Melanie Yong. $28 for an art print, $85 for a canvas print, and $30 for a stunning clock, at Society6.

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Made For Wear
Don’t just pop ’em into your mouth, wear them like you mean it.

wheniwasfour happens to be owning this gem biscuit madness by the way, so you’ll find their pastel prints on all sorts of stuff, including this tee ($32.90). Printed on 100% cotton preshrunk jersey knit, the t-shirt’s a not-so-subtle way to declare your love for the snack, while you can store all the snacks you want in this roomy silkscreen tote bag ($24), that looks a tinge more rustic than normal due to its unique printing method.
 
Pinterest-worthy pins are also a thing, if you happen to like these things. The Fancy Gem Biscuit Pin ($15.90) is a hearty trio that works like a tiny superhero team on a mission to brighten up a plain white tee or bag, while the enamel ones ($15.90) are like a cuter version of those kinda nerdy Young Scientist badges we used to fervently collect. Or, the NAPFA Gold ones if you’re the healthy sort, tsk.

More wheniwasfour accessories, now in ever-lovable stud earrings ($14.90) and rings ($15.90), because wouldn’t it be ridiculous if you wore a shirt, carried the tote bag, and also flashed your favourite biscuits every time you do that “hand adjusting hair” pose for your #ootd? Two in one, earrings and ring, both sorted. Made from polymer clay, they actually look like the real deal. Just, mm, keep them away from babies and promise you won’t actually munch on them when you get hungry.

Can gem biscuits get any smaller? These are the tiniest ones we’ve seen, in the form of globe rings and necklaces (from $20.25) by thepigbakesclay, aka Lixuan, who has a passion for creating minature food-based accessories from polymer clay. For a bunch of other things she sculpts, think kueh lapis, rabbit sweets, gummy bears and Hello Pandas. Some of these are tinier than your finger.

Just take a close look at the amount of detail on these earrings ($26.08) and rings ($20.44) — the pastels look genuinely pastel-ly, the sugar tops look light and airy enough to eat, while the biscuit base has got some legit golden-brown dusted effect going on. Hands down, the most intricate we’ve seen, made also from polymer clay by dollfoodminiatures on Etsy. Milla and Olya Li are actually a pair of food jewellery designers from Russia, and their handiwork, everything from fig stud earrings to French dessert ones are amazing, down to the glaze. These iced gem ones take the cake though.

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Deskbound
Yep, you’d want them permanently bound to your study table. 

If the idea of a gem biscuit house hasn’t stuck with you yet, these Ais Gem Magnets ($60 for 5) should make a convincing impression. Designer Winston Chai manages to make them look like perfect specimens, and they even come in a biscuit tin that makes us feel like hunting down all the old-school biscuit shops that still exist today. Hey, there could be one around your neighbourhood!

One can never have enough notebooks, so we’re ending the post with these two sweet ones from wheniwasfour. First, an A5 power duo Fancy Gems & Ice Pop Notebook ($21.90) with fancy gem biscuits in the front, and an ice popsicle design at the back, printed on a textured fabric and binded with an exposed coptic stitch so you knows you got yours handmade. Next, their now-classic print on a sturdy paper notebook ($15.90), with lined paper, blank paper and, get this, grid paper, so you can truly live out your childhood and continue penning the Singaporean version of the Series of Unfortunate Events, one where the unlikely Xiao Ming or Xiao Li are the protagonists.

Brace yourselves, people – coming this June, Suntec City is about to get a whole lot uglier.
We mean this in the best possible way of course. Because on 10 June, a robot-themed Hello Kitty theme park will be coming to Singapore for the first time – which makes us the first in Southeast Asia too.

Brought to you by Mighty Eight, the interactive theme park “Robot Kitty” will be held at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, and will go on for 11 whole days. It’s been a hit in Hong Kong, Japan, and most prominently, Taiwan, which is probably why Robot Kitty is finally making her/its way onto our shores. If attractions like Trickeye or the Alive Museum are your kind of thing, you’ll love the Robot Kitty Park, which comprises five interactive gaming zones and tons of photo-taking zones. And obviously, it goes without saying that Hello Kitty fans will flip for it too.
The premise of the theme park is to complete a mission of sorts, with the grand aim being to upgrade a Robot Kitty Gaming Device Figurine, given to you right at the start. Seems very Mission Impossible-esque – armed with your Figurine and a gaming card, you make your way through the entire park to win points to trade in for accessories – which you can then use to pimp your sci-fi Kitty.
 

 
Personally, it all sounds very exciting, especially since this is the first time Sanrio’s biggest star is being given such a… hard makeover. But that said, knowing us Hello Kitty-obsessed Singaporeans, all this novelty is bound to draw hordes. So here’s a heads up from us – mark the date, queue early, and try not to get too bruised in the stampede.
 

Remember how when you entered your first year of college you were so excited, but also scared, lost, and confused? And then when Year 2 rolled around you were a badass motherflounder with more friends, confidence, and worldly knowledge? Basically, turning 2 is always a big thing, because it marks a new milestone of having grown into a much more valuable entity who can play with the big boys now. Likewise, online shopping destination Lazada turns 2 this March, having come a long way from being just a homegrown e-commerce startup, to the massive mecca of online retail in Southeast Asia it’s become today. And how else does one celebrate such a momentous occasion? Why, with nothing less than a mega blowout Birthday Sale, of course! With just four days away, obviously our countdown has begun. Here’s a look at our top ten picks in The Lazada Birthday Sale, which – now that we think about it – actually could work as college essentials too (score! analogy full circle!) And don’t forget – everything listed here is pre-sale price.
 
#1: ELF Contouring Blush/Bronzing Powder, $7.80
#2: Clinique Eye Makeup Travel Set, $23.99

    Beauty products for your face, duh. College student or not, it’s always wise to have compact, conveniently-sized beauty essentials on hand, whether it’s a sick drugstore contouring kit, or your trusty high-end eyeliner-mascara duo.
 
#3: Banila Co Clean It Zero Makeup Remover Cream, $28
#4: Pobling Pore Sonic Cleanser White, $59
And how can we lust for makeup without thinking of the consequences of poor makeup removal? This time, ditch your usual oil/water-based removers and try some newfangled techniques instead – the sherbet-style remover cream is a wonderful organic invention from Korea that works its magic without a ton of cotton pads; or try a snazzy sonic cleanser for the latest in skincare technology.
 
#5: Fjallraven Kanken Mini Backpack (Frost Green-Peach Pink), $95
#6: Michael Michael Kors Selma Large Satchel (Pearl Grey), $295
  
Nothing says ‘College Kid’ like a sturdy backpack, and fight it all you want, but Kankens are a chic but hardy style that’s here to stay. Fancy something a little fancier for your daily use? Definitely this classic Michael Kors satchel.
 
#7: Fossil Men’s FS4552 Machine Black Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch, $169
#8: Xiaomi Power Bank 10000mAh (Silver), $19.90
   Who said essentials had to be ugly? Always be on top of your game (and your homework) with this beaut of a timepiece that goes with everything, we promise. And a trusty Xiaomi powerbank will ensure you’re never caught without a fully functional smartphone, no matter where your busy life takes you.
 
#9: Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Polaroid Camera (Grape), $89
#10: Harman Kardon Go+Play Wireless Portable iPod/iPhone Speaker Docking Station Black, $299
 And finally! The fun stuff! Personal entertainment never looked as good as a quirky grape-coloured Instax and a sexy, polished portable speaker.
 
The epic sale will take place from 15 to 18 March, and you can expect exciting Surprise Birthday Boxes ($22 each but filled with goodies worth over $80!) and a grand total of 48 flash sales. Wow. Thanks for a good first year, Lazada. Betcha 2’s gonna be even better.

You’d think that, as Asians, we should be accustomed to strange meats, like livers, intestines, and brains — plus, find them delicious, as kway chap lovers would chime. Still, it was a refreshing experience dining at 5th Quarter. The highly-experienced (and award-winning, might I add) Chef Drew Nocente treated us to his culinary creations that involved his expertise with meat curing and grilling. Furthermore, we’re talking about cuts from all parts of the animal — including, yes, the sometimes not-as-popular offcuts like beef tongues and pork tails.
As its name implies, 5th Quarter does refer to those “neglected” parts, now given some good old TLC, and suddenly delicious under the chef’s seasoned hands. Of an Italian-Australian background, his influence in the contemporary menu extends to both traditional curing methods, including smoking, curing and pickling, as well as quality work on the grill.

Now, a visit to 5th Quarter has to include the Chef’s Selection of 5 Types of Charcuterie ($18) — it’s the best, most economical, way to taste a range of meats as the platter includes one Pâté or Terrine, a Rillette, and three types of cured meat that may include salami, lardo (yes, it’s the fat we all hate to love, now cured), pancetta and more. The blend of herbs & spices are on point, and the variety, just within these 5 types of dishes, is incredible.
What’s also interesting is that there isn’t really a “main course” — each dish is served according to the method of cooking, and meant to be shared. These come in different categories like “Salted & Hung”, “Smoked, Brined, Cured” or “Grilled, Seared, Charred”, which makes for a very spoilt-for-choice decisions. There’s even “Roasted & Green”, which is where you can find stuff like Tomato with Burrata & Basil (S$12).
 Here’s what we loved: the Salt ‘n’ Pepper Tripe ($12) that sounds deceptively simple, but is something that you can’t wait to pick up your fork for, and later on, pick at, again and again and again. FOMO should definitely apply to this sinful dish, made of ox tripe that’s sous vide and then flash-fried — this ensures that’s packing a whole lot of flavour, though balanced, and crispy on the outside while tender on the inside. None of that strong taste that’s usually associated with the cut. Other options we liked include the Beef Tongue, Onion & Wasabi ($12) that looks just like regular sliced beef, and is just as tender, and the Pork Tail, Confit Lemon & Cucumber ($12).
Wait till you hear about the grilled meats. Two words: Josper grill. That’s like the holy grail of grills, and the dishes include a Short Rib with Carrot & Pomegranate (S$36) with short ribs that has been smoked for 8 hours before a 48-hour sous vide treatment. The rum-cured Pork Belly with Melon & Onion, pictured above, sounds like a strange combi, but like everything at the restaurant, works beautifully. The pork was, naturally, tender and pulled apart nicely and the melon was a welcome addition to what could be a filling dish.
When we visited, the chef had just added several seafood options too, including a Scallop with Vegetables and Citrus, as well as a Mackarel, Gin & Cucumber. Both helped cut through the richness of the meats we had. The scallop dish was generous, and delightfully light, while the Mackarel had that perfect crisp skin that we always look out for, was seasoned well and intense, while perfectly complementing the side of gin.
Lastly, to complete the meal. Desserts. But hey, this cheeky one we’re about to recommend looks suspiciously like salami, until you bite into it of course. The Chocolate Salami with Salted Caramel Ice Cream ($16) is a dessert-lover’s dream, rich and sweet and intriguing, and a feast for both the eyes and the palette. We slurped up every but of the ice-cream, and even those cured tomatoes at the side.
If you can’t garner enough people to try the menu though, try their mid-day offerings. The lunch menu actually showcase bi-weekly specials, and highlights from the main menu, for just $10 a plate — a steal, really. Six plates should do for you and a partner.
5th Quarter
Address: 39 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207630
Opening Hours: Tues to Sun, Lunch: 12pm – 2.30pm (Last Order 2pm), Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm (Last Order 10pm); closed on Mon
For more info, head to 5thquarter.com.sg or facebook.com/5thQuarterSG.