While you may be keeping your fingers crossed for leisure travel to resume (cruises to nowhere aren't your cup of tea?), don’t just sit around and wistfully scroll through old holiday pictures. Here are some things to do in Singapore that, with a touch of imagination, could very well teleport you to your fave holiday destination.

You may not be able to schlep down the lavish hallways of the Palace of Versailles during these times, but you can say bonjour to exquisite cakes and other sweet creations inspired by the French landmark at Cakes of the Versailles high tea. Newly launched at Janice Wong’s 2am: dessertbar, the high tea is only available on weekends from now until Nov 1 (limited sets available each day).

The homegrown dessert maestro represented Singapore in feature film Ottolenghi and Cakes of Versailles, where celeb chef Yotam Ottolenghi — together with dessert chefs like Janice, Sam Bompas & Harry Parr and Dinara Kasko — created a dessert feast inspired by the iconic monument. Inspired by her experience on the film, Janice has re-created and brought that experience to our shores in the form of this elegant high tea spread.

Priced at S$45 per person, the Cakes of Versailles high tea at 2am:dessertbar features an array of sweet treats that were created in collab with chefs from the film and in Singapore. There’s a wonderfully scrummy quince chestnut lemon cake by Janice, her signature refined chocolates, and a deceptively boozy but delish Prosecco raspberry jelly from Bompas & Parr. If you’ve been unable to get your paws on Singaporean pastry chef Mohammed Al-Matin’s highly sought after baked goods, you’ll get to try them here, including the plum galette and a pistachio and rose escargot. There’s also an intricate creation that is a strawberry champagne cake from Dinara (below), which tastes just as good as it looks and deserves a few snaps for the ’gram.

Scratch that, the entire high tea set is so pretty, you’ll be spending a fair amount of time taking pictures. Just like you would if you were vacaying in Versailles.

Cakes of the Versailles high tea is on every weekend from Oct 3 to Nov 1 (limited sets available each day) at 2am: dessertbar (21A Lorong Liput). Make reservations at https://www.2amdessertbar.com/.
Photos: Janice Wong Singapore

Why teleport to just one destination when you can experience Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days in 150 minutes? Andsoforth is back and has adapted its usual immersive theatrical experiences into a book analysis workshop this time (because, well, Covid-19) but there’ll still be fab costumes and sets and facilitators will bring parts of the book to life. This unique socially-distanced event will take you to London, France, India, Hongkong and New York.

Also included in the $168 ticket are five dishes that represent the countries you’ll ‘visit’ and two alcoholic drinks that relate to scenes from the book — all the better to deep dive and learn about this classic in a way your literature teacher would never have done. Parents, if you need an excuse to leave the brood at home, here’s one: a minimum age of 18 applies.

Andsoforth’s Around The World in 80 Days: A Book Analysis Workshop is on from now until Dec 26, Thursdays to Saturdays. Tix at $168. More info at https://www.andsoforth.com.sg/.

It’ll be a while before you get to marvel at dinosaur fossils at the Natural History Museum in London, but you can do the same right here on our shores. Tucked away in the NUS is Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Southeast Asia’s first natural history museum, where over 2,000 specimens are on display. Among the highlights at the sprawling 2,500 sqm gallery with 15 thematic zones: ginormous dinosaur skeletons, a sperm whale skeleton (found off Jurong Island), and a myriad of animal and plant fossils that will surely delight wildlife enthusiasts.

Opening hours have just been extended this week, so there’s more reason to head to the west to this (somewhat) hidden local gem. Safe distancing measures are in place, of course, and guided tours and programmes are still suspended.

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum is at 2 Conservatory Drive, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. Open Wed to Sun, 10am-6pm (last admission 4.30pm). Pre-purchase tickets ($16 for Singaporeans/PRs) from Sistic. More info at https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/.

Photos: Janice Wong Singapore, Andsoforth, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum