What’s New Mama? Brunch on Orchard, Keto Meals & A New Raffles Spa

From a fab new brunch option on Orchard, to a luxurious new spa at the re-opened Raffles Hotel, here’s what’s new as we kick off 2020

We’re still in the thick of the Singapore festive season (goodbye, Christmas; Hello, Chinese New Year!), but in the midst of all that we’re also kicking off a new school year, and we’re sure plenty of parents out there are hoping to meet some New Year’s resolutions as well. Whether your goals include eating healthier, indulging in more self-care, or enhancing family time with yummy Sunday brunch, we’ve got you covered with our roundup of what’s new in Singapore this month.

Swipe through to see what’s new in Singapore for January 2020!

Lead image: Merci Marcel Orchard

We’ve loved Merci Marcel since the opening of its Tiong Bahru location back in 2017, so you can imagine our delight when we heard they were opening a new flagship location on Orchard Road! As with the other locations, there’s a fabulous brunch menu (in addition to lunch and dinner) featuring delectable French breads and pastries, organic eggs, lovely cheeses and charcuterie sourced from Europe, and a nice mix of both sweet (Açai Bowls, Banana- Peanut Butter Pancakes) and savoury (“Croque Marcel,” Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio, Impossible Marcel Burger) dishes. And of course there’s the inventive and extensive wine menu with unique and unusual boutique wines from France and beyond.

If you’re like us and have always lusted after Merci Marcel’s enviable style and insta-worthy spaces, now you can get a piece of it for yourself with their new concept store at the Orchard location. Offering over 700 lifestyle products from over 80 countries – including accessories, home décor, books, children’s toys and much more – the shop feels like that cool Paris apartment we all wish we could inhabit. It’s well worth a browse if you’re in the ‘hood (and who isn’t on Orchard at some point or another?).

Merci Marcel Orchard, 390 Orchard Road, #01-03/04 Palais Renaissance, Singapore 238871, Tel: (+65) 6735 2608, www.mercimarcel.com

The Keto diet has been around for a few years now – the idea is that the lack of carbs compels the body to burn more fat – but one of the toughest parts of going Keto is giving up sweets, even for the occasional cheat day. To our delight, a number of Keto bakeries have sprung up around Singers, most recently AngeBakes, which opened a physical shop just this week at City Hall on the heels of a thriving online business. AngeBakes uses only natural sugar substitutes, and all of their items are low-carb and comprised only of whole foods. We look forward to seeing their fresh Keto-meals coming soon (Keto curry chicken with cauliflower rice, anyone?), but in the meantime will salivate over treats like Keto Pineapple Tarts and Earl Grey Cheesecake. Yum!

AngeBakes, order online or visit at 1 Coleman Street, #B1-09 The Adelphi, Singapore 179803, www.angebakesketo.com

Singapore now has more than 30,000 students with special needs and the demands for early intervention and long-term therapy alike continue to grow, though to many parents’ great frustration insurance often doesn’t fully cover these costs. In response to this, Great Eastern and CaregiverAsia have teamed up to create the Extraordinary Care Program (EOCP), a first-in-market product that ensures children with special needs are able to continue with their therapy for up to 15 years via an insurance pay-out of up to S$150,000 in the event of accidental death or the permanent disability of a parent or guardian. The EOCP also provides families with immediate access to complimentary hours of care services and comprehensive therapy services at highly subsidized rates. The package is currently priced at $199 per annum; click here for more deets.

Read more: Guide to Special Needs Schools, Therapy Centres & Early Intervention Programs in Singapore

Image via CaregiverAsia Facebook

Since re-opening last year, Raffles Hotel has continued to surprise and delight us with its new offerings, whether with its slate of Michelin-Starred Chefs or its enhanced shopping offerings. Now the hotel has unveiled a beautiful new spa located within its hidden gardens that features seven new treatment suites – each named after a different gemstone. Even the spa pool (pictured above) is enhanced with gemstones, there’s a signature “Gemstone Massage” that uses organic crystals, and many of the products come from leading pearl purveyor Mikimoto. Seems like the perfect way to treat yo’self to kick off 2020 in style.

Raffles Spa, 01-31 Raffles Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188719, Tel: (+65) 6337 1886, www.raffles.com/singapore/spa

Founded by a local mama, Cradle & Suckle is a line of stylish nursing covers in cooling and breathable stretchy materials like cotton, rayon and bamboo. We love their selection of soft colours and bold prints (check out their past designs here!). These multi-purpose covers are great for using as everything from a nursing cover, to a stroller shade, to a blanket… the list goes on! Even your non-mama friends will compliment how versatile your nursing cover is (tested, and true!).

www.cradleandsuckle.com

We’ve covered some pretty cool-looking Mama & Child retreats in Bali, but what about the parents? Qualified psychologist, clinical sexologist and Sassy Mama contributor Dr. Oberdan Marianetti will be running a 3-day OM-ICE Retreat from 31 January to 2 February on Bintan (pictured above), the perfect opportunity to make sure you start 2020 off on the right foot. OM-ICE offers a fully-integrated, holistic, life-changing experience as participants explore the powerful fusion of mind and body. Utilising the Wim Hof Method, which combines meditation, breathing exercises, and exposure to cold to help regulate stress levels, the goal is to support individuals who feel the need to make psychological or physical changes and believe they can commit to such a change with the right inspiration and tools.

Through customised psychological processes – including controlled breathing techniques, meditation, and cold-therapy to rebalance and reset both the mind and the body – participants can expect their mind to expand into a deeper understanding of its self-healing powers, and the body to reveal its ability to adapt to extremes. Past participants have raved about a renewed sense of clarity, stillness and purpose, as well as the physical experience of strength, health and happiness.

The OM-ICE Retreat includes 2 nights’ luxury accommodation at Holiday Villa Pantai Indah on Bintan (including full access to resort facilities); all meals; expert training and guidance from Dr. Marianetti; breath-work; Yoga; cold-therapy; and meditation practice. It is priced at $2,150 per person.

www.om-ice.com

Image via Holiday Villa Panta Indah Bintain