Singapore Tourism Board has also brought out a spellbinding book Singapore LIVE. This 48-page publication brings out the true flavour of Singapore with the aid of 3-dimensional pop-up visuals, recipes and scratch-and-sniff corners.

So what's on?

The Food Festival (July 2-23) is in full swing. Foodies can look forward to offerings from diverse cultures, including Chinese, Malay, India, Eurasiaand Perankan (Nonya is the closest Singapore has to an indigenous cuisine, combining Chinese, Malay and other influences into a unique blend menu). The food tours, banquets and fairs give you a chance to indulge in an exciting range of traditional street-food, as well as cross-cultural food and nouveau culinary experiences that make Singapore the wining and dining capital of the world. You could also opt for sky-dining atop cable cars.

For those with time to spare, there are the daily Flavours of New Asia-Singapore tours (at about Singapore S$28 for adults and S$14 for children) or a culinary workshop at the Chinese Harvest Home. Then there are the `Spice of Life' workshop on enhancing health through herbs and spices and the resplendent Malay wedding fiesta at the Malay village, hosted by culinary personality Aziza.

For the World Gourmet Summit (July 24-31), nothing short of the best can be expected. Masterchefs will be invited by participating hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton, Raffles Hotel and FourSeasons Hotel to showcase their signature dishes. But if you prefer to pick up useful tips from some of the world's finest chefs, attend the Masterclasses which will feature two chefs per class.

For more details on the Singapore Food Festival, visit website: http://www.newasia-singapore. com or fax to the Food Festival Secretariat (65-535 3252).

Latino's Mi Casa, U Casa

This is Singapore's first Latin club with a flamboyant in-house Latino band. The most attractive feature here is the Wine&Cigar Room which is specially designed for the connoisseurs of wine and Dominican and Cuban tobacco. Address: 02-01A Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Road; Ph: 65-838 1200. How to get here: Orchard MRT Station.

Kink

A combination of restaurant, pub and disco, Kink is perhaps the only one of its kind in the world-encased in a glass house. You can sip cool beer under the canopy of the mushroom-shaped bar, listening to the the 1970's and 1990's chartbusters. If you have your dancing shoes on, dance the nightaway on the disco floor. Otherwise, dinner is available at the restaurant, take your pick from Italian pastas, American sandwiches and seafood main courses. Address: 01-24 Park Mall, 9 Penang Road; Ph: 65-227 0300.

Brix

Brix is a trendy bar with a Wine & Whisky Bar and a Music Bar. A top quality band provides Jazz Funk, R&B and Soul music at the Music Bar, where drinkers can order from a large Island Bar. If you are after some unique souvenir merchandise, The Character Shop will not disappoint you. Address: Basement of Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10-12 Scotts Road; Ph: 65-738 1234.

Wong San's

Cold beer, colder Martinis and warm smiles. Sounds exciting? Wong San's is a rustic showcase of the colonial 1920s and the swinging 1950s. Pictures of pigtails and bell-bottoms hang on the walls and bar-top tiles depict martial arts. Address: 12, Mohd Sultan Road; Ph: 65-738 3787.

Hu'u

A jazzy place, that's what Hu'u is, with plush interiors. Located next to the Singapore Arts Museum, thesplendid grandeur of post-war colonial architecture has rubbed off effectively on this pub. At the entrance you will be see a smashed baby grand piano, a unique 3-D art piece that has been aptly named `Jazz Piano'. Hu'u says art and jazz don't mix. Address: 71, Bras Basah Road; Ph: 65-337 0245.

NASA World Tour

And if even all this fails to give you a high, head for the NASA World Tour, a dream come true for all. Experience the fantasy of space travel at the Marina Promenade. Occupying a space of over 100,000 sq ft, the Tour incorporates three major attractions into one mega exhibition. Don't miss the only chance to board the `Ambassador' Space Shuttle. Catch the Mars Rover in action and travel to the moon in the Lunar Landing Show. Aspiring astronauts are invited to participate in the Mars Simulation Workshop and attend the US Space Camp.

Finally, come by the Astronaut Training Show for a rare sight of the Soviet Spacecraft and a spectacular Rocket Demonstration. You can have a go at theAstronaut Test as well.