Thursday's top pick

CARNIVAL AT MARINA BARRAGE

Take your family down for a fun-filled carnival at the Marina Barrage, Singapore's first reservoir in the city, on New Year's Dayand enjoy free performances and water activities. Organised by PUB, the national water agency.

Where: Marina Barrage, 260 Marina Way MRT: Marina Bay When: Thu , noon - 9pm (Family Carnival in the Courtyard), noon - 5.30pm (Free water activities), 3 - 7pm (Free stage performances at the Courtyard) Admission: Free (pay for purchases at the carnival stores and rides) Info: you can take a free shuttle bus there from the Marina Bay MRT station. Tel: 9626-1678 Info: Visit www.pub.gov.sg

Anniversary

ELVIS PRESLEY'S 74TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY DINNER

Fans of rock icon Elvis Presley can celebrate his 74th birthday anniversary with an eight-course Chinese dinner, performances by Singapore's own Elvis Presley, Wilson David, and core singers from the Singapore First Elvis Fan Club and catch a screening of Presley's Aloha From Hawaii concert.

Where: Hotel Royal, Jade Room, 36 Newton Road

MRT: Novena When: Jan 8, 5.30 - 11pm (5.30pm: screening of Elvis Presley's Aloha From Hawaii concert with dinner starting at 7pm) Admission: $40 Tel: 9686-3806 (Daniel Chan) Info: There will be lucky draws and quizzes E-mail dcelvis_meetup@yahoo.com.sg to book or visit www.elvis_meetup.com/169/about

Art

TJUNGU PALYAKU WALKA NYUWANA (NEW WORKS FROM TJUNGU PALYA)

Journey through the Australian outback via the works of artists from a new art community in South Australia.

Where: ReDot Gallery, 11 Everton Road MRT: Outram When: Till Fri , noon - 7pm (Tue - Sat), by appointment on Sun, Mon & public holidays Admission: Free Tel: 6222-1039 Info: redotgallery.com

DECCAN'S ART & SOUL

Get a glimpse of contemporary art from south-central India's Deccan Plateau at this retrospective exhibition showcasing works by 14 established and up-and-coming Indian artists.

Where: Art Mosaic Gallery, 01-02, MICA Building, 140 Hill Street MRT: Clarke Quay/Hill Street When: Till Jan 10, 11am - 6pm (Mon - Sat), closed on Sun Admission: Free Tel: 6336-6406

JOEY PIZIALI IN VISIBLE LIGHT

The artworks of San Francisco artist Joey Piziali use materials such as billboards, tape and spray paints, to suggest various facets of reality.

Where: Collectors Contemporary, 5 Jalan Kilang Barat 01-03 Petro Centre MRT: Bukit Merah/Queenstown When: Till Jan 24, 11am - 7pm (Tue - Sat), closed on Sun Admission: Free Tel: 6878-0103

4TH LPN CHILDREN ART SHOW: FURRY WONDERS

Colourful images of pets, such as cats, dogs and rabbits, are showcased at this Children's Art Show of 2-D artworks ranging from paintings and drawings to collages by students aged three to 16 who took part in a year-end Furry Wonder Art Camp by LPN Art School here.

Where: Suntec City Mall, Tower Two, 03-013C near Toys'R'Us, 3 Temasek Boulevard MRT: City Hall When: Till March 31, noon - 9pm (weekdays), 9.30am - 9.30pm (weekends) Admission: Free Tel: 9622-7586

Charity

LAUNCH OF GOOD LIFE RECIPE BOOK WITH A HEART

Buy any of more than 30,000 copies of the Good Life Recipe Book at any of FairPrice supermarket and hypermarket in Singapore and help raise more than $100,000 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund which helps needy schoolchilden here.

Where: All FairPrice supermarkets and hypermarkets in Singapore When: While stocks last Admission: Pay $12.80 for the book or $3.90 with purchases of $25 and above Tel: 1800-5522-722 (9am - 5pm on weekdays)

Info: The book contains 16 innovative recipes by local celebrity chefs, including Violet Oon, Chan Kwok, Sam Leong, Angelo Sanelli and Chookiat Kantha who collaborated with Fairprice and Peter Knipp Holdings in this project for the needy.

KFC'S CHRISTMAS BUDDY MEAL

Tuck into KFC's Christmas Buddy Meal at $12.90 and KFC will donate 10 cents a meal to help fund tuition and special enrichment classes for deaf students in mainstream schools.

Where: All KFC outlets When: Till Thu , usual opening hours Info: The classes will help them catch up on speaking skills, among other things. This fund-raising initiative is held under the patronage of the Singapore Association for the Deaf, KFC's adopted charity. Info: www.kfc.com.sg

TREE OF JOY & LUV BY LEE HWA JEWELLERY

Share your love with sick children this Christmas. Buy a Destinee Joy & Luv charm from Lee Hwa Jewellery at Bugis Junction's Malay Street and five per cent of sale proceeds will go to the Children's Cancer Foundation. Replicas of the charms are displayed at a designer Tree of Joy & Luv there.

Where: Bugis Junction, Malay Street, Level 1, in front of InterContinental Singapore MRT: Bugis When: Till Sun : 10am - 10pm Admission: Free Tel: 6557-6557

WILL THE BULL CHARGE IN THE YEAR OF THE OX?

Get insights from Hong Kong's Feng Shui Grand Master Raymond Lo on the coming Chinese Year of the Ox. For each premium ticket sold for this session, Singapore Pools will donate $50 to the President's Challenge, which helps more than 40 charities, including the needy and the disabled.

Where: Singapore Conference Hall, Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Hall, 7 Shenton Way MRT: Tanjong Pagar When: Jan 8, 7.30 - 9.15pm Admission: $20 (standard ticket) & $68 (premium ticket) Tel: 6786-6688 Info The premium ticket includes a special pre-event dinner, a private group interaction session with Raymond Lo and a goodie bag. Visit www.singaporepools.com.sg

Christmas

MY MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS

An exhibition of Christmas cards and stamps featuring the winning entries of the recent Design Christmas Card Competition organised by the Singapore Philatelic Museum for children aged seven to 12.

Where: Singapore Philatelic Museum, 23-B Coleman Street MRT: City Hall/Clarke Quay When: Till Sun , 1 - 7pm (Mon, 9am - 7pm (Tue - Sun) Admission: $5 (adults), $4 (children aged three to 12 and senior citizens aged 60 and above), free for senior citizens every Mon Tel: 6337-3888 Info: www.spm.org.sg

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (OPEN HOUSE)

This Christmas, get updated on history and culture. You get free entry to six galleries at the National Museum of Singapore to view the permanent and on-going exhibitions including as the VOOM Portraits by Robert Wilson and Doubleness: Photography by Chang Chien-Chi till Sunday .

Where: National Museum of Singapore, Stamford Road MRT: Dhoby Ghaut When: Till Sun , 10am - 6pm Admission: Free Tel: 6332-3659 Info: There will be guided tours of the Singapore Living Galleries on New Year's Day.

Club

NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL DUO: GRETA MATASSA & SUSAN PASCAL

Catch a performance by Greta Matassa, a talented prize-winning jazz singer from the United States. She is accompanied by American vibraphonist Susan Pascal in an extensive repertoire ranging from classic standards to contemporary jazz.

Where: Jazz@Southbridge, 82 Boat Quay MRT: Raffles Place When: Thu - Sat , from 9.30pm till late Admission: $90 nett for a New Year's Day five-course dinner on Thu or $20 cover charge for non-diner Tel: 6327-4671/2 Info: http://www.southbridgejazz.com.sg

New Year's Day

NEW YEAR'S DAY OPEN HOUSE

Make use of the free entry to the Singapore Philatelic Museum on New Year's day to check out various stamp exhibitions, such as My Memorable Christmas, Dragons, Treasures and Masterpieces and A Rat's Tale.

Where: Singapore Philatelic Museum, 230-B Coleman Street MRT: City Hall When: Thu , 9am - 7pm Admission: Free Tel: 6337-3888 Info:www.spm.org.sg

NEW YEAR'S DAY OPEN HOUSE (SAM & 8Q)

Catch blockbuster exhibitions at the Singapore Art Museum and 8Q, its new contemporary art wing, free on New Year's Day . They include Is It Tomorrow Yet? Highlights from the Daimler Art Collection in Stuttgart, Germany (1908 - 2008), an exhibition of car-related art by Andy Warhol and other artists at SAM) and SQ-Rate School, a contemporary art exhibition at 8Q featuring eight artists from multi-disciplinary backgrounds.

Where: Singapore Art Museum (SAM), 71 Bras Basah Road & 8Q, 8 Queen Street MRT: City Hall When: Thu , 10am - 5pm (check) Admission: Free Tel: 6332-3222 (SAM), 6332-3200 (8Q)

NEW YEAR'S DAY BRUNCH & BUFFET DINNER

Treat your family to a New Year's Day Brunch or Buffet Dinner featuring a lavish spread of seafood, Western and Asian favourities, including Alaskan sliced abalone, teriyaki glazed fillet of cod and lobster with truffles risotto.

Where: Orchard Hotel, Orchard Cafe, 442 Orchard Road MRT: Orchard When: Thu , noon - 2.30pm (New Year's Day Brunch), 6 - 10.30pm (New Year's Day Buffet Dinner) Admission: $58 (adult), $31 (child) for Brunch and buffet dinner Tel: 6739-6565

NEW YEAR'S DAY BRUNCH

Celebrate the New Year with your family with delights such as pysters, Boston lobster, prawns, duck confit with braised apple and red cabbage and braised Xi'an pork belly and more.

Where: Traders Hotel, Cafebiz, 1A Cuscaden Road MRT; orchard When: Thu , noon - 4pm Admission: $52 (adult) or $82 with free flow of beer, champagne and martini, $26 (child) Tel: 6831-4295

NEW YEAR'S DAY CHAMPAGNE

Celebrate New Year's Day by treating your loves ones to a New Year's Day Champagne Brunch at The Fullerton Singapore.

Where: The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Town Restaurant MRT: Raffles Place When: Thu , noon - 3,09pm Admission: $168 (adult) or $108 without alcohol while a child pays $48 Tel: 6877-8128

Show

SPOT & SHOOT 2008: FEAST ON THE PAST! WINNERS' SHOWCASE

View the winning entries in the Spot & Shoot 2008 photography competition which encourages contestants to find out more about Singapore's culture and history.

Where: National Museum of Singapore, The Atelier, Level 3, 93 Stamford Road MRT:

Dhoby Ghaut When: Till Sun , 10am - 6pm daily Admission: Free

Tel: 6332-3659 Info: www.nationalmuseum.sg

WEARABLE ART EXHIBITION

View more than 40 wearable art pieces including interactive paintings featuring wildlife-inspired designs. They were fashioned from various materials such as traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, spices, feathers, industrial scraps and more.

Where: Night Safari, Entrance Plaza, 80 Mandai Lake Road MRT: Choa Chu Kang/Yishun When: Till Sun : 7pm - midnight Admission: Free Tel: 6269-3411 Info: The designs were created by the designer consultant for the CDC Public Contingent for Chingay 2009. Visit http://www.nightsafari.com.sg

A LIFE NO LESS ORDINARY

The ordinary lives of people with HIV/Aids in the face of challenges and discrimination are captured in this first Aids photo exhibition launched by the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Held in collaboration with the Deputy Picture Editor of The Straits Times Stephanie Yeow, and the Chief Photographer of Lianhe Zaobao Lee Tiah Khee.

Where: Central Lending Library, Level B1, National Library, Victoria Street MRT: Bugis/City Hall When: Till Jan 15, 10am - 9pm daily Admission: Free Tel: 6332-3255

Theatre

WILD WILD ROSE - THE MUSICAL

Adapted from Bizet's opera Carmen, this musical is about the 1960s when song and dance ruled the night. Stars Hong Kong stage actress Perry Chiu and local actor Thomas Ong in his theatre debut.

Where: Victoria Theatre Empress Place MRT: Raffles Place When: Thu (New Year's Day) - Jan 4, 3 & 8pm Admission: $41 - $81 Tel: 6348-5555

CINDERELLA

The international tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella featuring Tony Award winner Lea Salonga. Directed by Bobby Garcia of Disney's Beauty & The Beast fame.

Where: Esplanade Theatre MRT: City Hall When: Fri - Jan 22, 8pm, also 3pm on Sat & Sun Admission: $38 - $183 Tel: 6348-5555

Voting

MMSING TALENT CONTEST (VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE SINGER)

Vote for your favourite online singer in the MMSing Talent Contest and he or she might be richer by as much as $20,000. This online singing contest is organised by Stomp, Asia's No 1. social networking and citizen-journalism website.

Info: You can vote until March 31, Visit www.stomp.com.sg/mmsing3 and click on the relevant button to vote. The first prize for Category A for online singers aged more than 15 is $20,000 while the top winner in Category B for those aged under 15, will take home $3,000

Web

THE LATEST USER-GENERATED VIDEOS

Watch the latest user-generated videos from the Stomp community. Browse extensive categories such as traveller's tales, just for laffs, everything under the sun and much more.

Info: Visit www.diy.stomp.com.sg

Compiled by Magdalene Lum

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