Started off the trip at City Hall MRT where me and SR decide to visit Paik's coffee for their current 1 for 1 promo since it was 1:55pm that we reached and by the time we make it to their outlet at Citylink mall, the promo would have started since I walk really slow.
The 1 for 1 is to celebrate their 1st anni in Singapore and it is available at all the coffee outlets (Citylink, Tiong Bahru and Mapletree) from 2pm-6pm daily for the month of June!!! But you do have to show them you have either liked or followed their Facebook and Instagram.
Since the free item would be of the same or lower value, we made sure both the drinks ordered had the same price to make the most out of the promotion. I contemplated between their strawberry banana smoothie and their chocolate banana. But decided on the chocolate banana because I was craving for the same chocolate banana Coffee Bean used to have on their menu. So SR decided on the Iced Caramel Macchiato since its $5 too. So we paid $5 for both drinks, which in my opinion is really worth it.
Like come on, 2 huge drink sizes for $2.50 each ??? Even if it was regular priced it would still be reasonable considering other coffee chains.
Got our drinks and they do have a sugar syrup pump right at the collection area for you to add as much sugar you like. I did witness them adding a full banana to be blended up so they sure are using fresh fruits !!!
Kind of regretted my decision on the chocolate banana because the chocolate taste overpowered any banana taste and was super rich !!! Kind of tasted like milo. Shall try out the strawberry banana the next time! SR added a pump of sugar syrup to his and I think it is just nice!! His was something I could drink frequently. Super love how they use crushed ice as well because I love to chew into the chunks that get into my straw hehe
Got our drinks and walked over to the National Gallery. We didnt manage to finish our drinks before we entered so we had to sit outside and finish them before we headed back in.
Super excited when I saw these balls suspended in the air!!! Was super hyped for the Yayoi Kusama exhibit because I saw the advert the other day for it at the MRT and went to research and tickets were $15 oh my. So I immediately dismissed the idea of going until I saw someone saying it was free for students so yep here we are! It is free admission to all exhibits if you are a local student/above 60 or below 12.
We initially were browsing this area with maps of the place and brochures and this staff came to approach us with tickets but she didn't have the one for the Kusama exhibits and told us we had to head down to the ticketing counter and oh my goodness I was in for a big shock, The other time I visited the National Gallery was when it had opened for a few months and it was way too empty but the queues were really snaking!!! Maybe it was because it is the school holidays as well.
SR persuaded me against queueing so we went back to find the staff who was offering us the tickets at the entrance area and she was like "I told you so" (oops) we headed back down to the ticketing area and SR met his classmate who told us we could get tickets from another staff at the ticketing area who is located at a corner with all access passes! We went over to her showed our student passes and wew managed to get the all access tickets.
Headed on straight to the Kusama exhibits at level 3 and there were also queues to enter but no choice so we decided to just queue. Saw quite a few of her dot artworks but main point of her exhibit would be the infinity and self obliterating concepts!!
Queued for another small room which SR calls the cheese room.
Steps to view this sight of yellow polka dotted pumpkins. There isnt any sort of time limit for this but they definitely dont let you stay in the room to take mirror shots although I think it would be really nice!!
Love the concept of this!!! Although it might be slightly terrifying!! When I was a kid I always loved those lifts with this type of mirror concept where I could see like infinite me
Headed on to another room with these mirrored half balls stuck onto the walls. Kind of reminds me of those carpark or convenience store reflectors. It is plastered all over the area and even on the ceiling!
Queued again for the very much anticipated light room!! Saw insta posts on this and it really looks like the light exhibit at art science!! But this one is in a mini room with mirrors to make it seem like there are lights all over.
We were made to go in with 2 girls and we are given 20 sec in that room. Way too quick for you to admire and slowly take photos. We could barely even enjoy the sight before the guy came to open the door.
Explored the other artworks and entered into this M18 zone which really involved quite a bit of nudity and they also displayed a film on how Kusama painted on nude bodies and really showing those body parts uhmmmm... But she did receive alot of attention for the usage of nude models so.
Came into this other part of the exhibit and those red things do represent the male body part as it represented her fear towards it.
Another mirror light box where you can view it from different corners ! Pretty interesting.
Entered into another polka dot room and this time, colourful ones!!! Really liked this one because it is super child like.
Finally moving into more colourful artworks and super abstract I cant understand but oh wells. Doing the retarded face as SR calls it but I think I look cute so who cares.
Had a view of the room from outside as we queued for another exhibit!! Basically the exhibit is sort of a recreation of how she sold these metal spheres for $2 while it was on display which is totally not allowed.
Finished all of Kusama's exhibits and off we go to the fourth floor because SR is interested in viewing the architecture gallery but it was closed for the day (or maybe not opened yet) so we headed onto the bridge instead.
SR insisted on a shot of me by the bridge so I just went along with it. Many people were having their photoshoots at this bridge with DSLRs but I didnt really like this bridge because its slanted but before we left, we read up about it and apparently it is because the height is different between the both sides and to preserve it they had to design the bridge this way. Think we might come back another time because I think SR wants to read more about the building design.
Since we were at level 4 we went to take a look at the chinese gallery and the staff there was pretty excited that we came because I dont think they have much people visiting their side of the gallery and he was really happy to talk about the art pieces to a family.
Honestly think these artworks should have more people visiting because of how intricate it is and several artworks are from the Qing and Ming dynasty so it was pretty cool.
Exited the gallery and saw that Cherie had snapchatted me saying she is here too so I went to where she would be and said hi from a level above.
Headed on down because I wanted to have my photo taken at the stairs and SR was really accommodating about it :)))) Think I am still pretty awkward having my photo taken but wew think these turn out fine.
Went over to the marble stairs and SR says its the only time i will climb up a staircase hehe. Lighting isnt the best here so it didnt turn out as expected.
Down the marble stairs to level 1 and we ended up at the kids section! Didnt have the chance to check out the kids exhibit but they had this really cute cages with different animal toys spray painted in gold in them. There are loads of activities for kids in this area but not sure if I can join too heh would totally join in the art activities they have for fun.
While heading for the lift there were these box spaces for resting and we landed ourselves in one but could only sit there for a while because we were running out of time and we havent visited the Basement exhibits.
Went for a walk on the glass panels where they display an infinite loop and pure darkness below your feet. Pretty scary I would say. I did see people not daring to walk halfway. The last 2 in my opinion made me a little dizzy so I hurried myself to get off.
Asked SR to take a photo of me but instead he went to take the merlion.
Spent the time hurriedly inside and waiting for people to leave an empty wall so I could take my photo.
Decided to just head for the Team Lab exhibit who are also the people behind the future world exhibit at art science!!
Had a mini briefing before we headed in and while waiting for the people to finish up their time. Tried my best to take shots without people in them and you definitely have to go find a more secluded corner!!! the room is fairly big but people tend to stay at the area where you first enter.
Decided to go for another round at the sticker room as I call it since there was barely anyone. Think this is the prime time to visit because most of the exhibits which previously had snaking long queues when we arrived have barely anyone left. But it was already 6pm and the place closes at 7pm so most probably many that have been here earlier would have left.
As we were queueing, this couple approached the family in front of us and offered them their leftover stickers and the baby in front of us took two stickers off the sheet and he was looking at us and waddled over and stuck one of the sticker on SR's pants. So cute!
Spot that Mcdonalds special order sticker amidst all the other stickers. Not sure who would actually specially bring a sticker down for it. But we took our time to slowly look around as compared to the first time round.
Had to rush off for a dinner meeting but the team lab exhibit also had no queue!!! We originally joined to go in as the next batch but SR told me I couldn't make it on time for the dinner if we stayed so we left. But while we were in the queue, there was this couple arguing behind us and SR said its relatable because the guy was complaining about how the girl was unhappy about the photo he took. (oops)