Jessica Lai

Metal cranes are a dime a dozen in Singapore, but it’s always good to seek out some of their feathery counterparts out in the wild – and get a few deep breaths of fresh air while you’re at it. MacRitchie Reservoir and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve are (literally) evergreen favourites, and we can add one more to the green club – Kranji Marshes, which, at a sprawling 57 hectares, is our island’s largest freshwater farmland. It was cultivated since the ’70s when the Kranji reservoir was dammed, forming a wild diversity of terrains such as marshland, grassland and secondary forests. We wade through the green and suss out unique things you can do in this slice of paradise away from the city.  RECOMMENDED: 7 cross-country treks in Singapore to do and hidden trails in Singapore

New age desserts are all well and good, but there's little better than going old school when the craving for something sweet and comforting hits you hard. From chendol and putu piring to beancurd and traditional cream puffs, there's something for everyone on this list.   RECOMMENDED: The best cafés in Singapore for dessert and the best coffee roasters in Singapore

If Isaac Hempstead-Wright got his way, Seth Rogen would make a cameo in an upcoming season of Game of Thrones. 'He could be a funny character, like the knight at Joffrey's wedding!' laughs the 17-year-old English actor, who plays Bran Stark in the HBO series. Maybe being left out of the previous season has turned him soft. Hell, he even admits Bran would much prefer 'hanging in his tree or cave' than rule from the Iron Throne. But fate would have it differently. When he returns to the wicked world of Westeros in Season 6 of the fantasy epic, the young Stark lord might just be a power to be reckoned with. 'Bran's never been great at controlling his powers,' explains Hempstead-Wright, who's in Singapore to promote the show. 'So he's been learning to actually start using them himself.' For those who've been living under a Stone Man, the 'power' the character wields is called 'warging': the ability to enter the mind of an animal – or less-gifted human – and control it. So we turned the tables around and picked Bran's brain for a change. Isaac Hempstead-Wright at HBO Asia's The Game Of Thrones Experience: Worlds Of Westeros in Singapore Photo: Vamos Photography 'The obvious choice [of who Bran would like to kill] would be Jaime Lannister for disabling him' How did you feel watching the show last year when you weren't on it, and how was it like to come back? It was strange to not go in the summer to Belfast and see all these people – it's like a yearly summer camp I go to act an

She’s known as an energizer bunny on-court with her signature phrase ‘Pome!’ (meaning ‘come on’ in Slovak). Yet, no one quite expected Dominika Cibulkova to blaze her way into the finals of the WTA Singles – much less beat the ruthlessly efficient top seed Angelique Kerber – after a shaky start having lost to both Kerber and eighth seed Madison Keys in the earlier round-robin stages of the competition. Her fortunes turned only after she beat Simona Halep and subsequently Svetlana Kuznetsova to secure a place in the finals. In a role-reversal, Cibulkova won the match against Kerber in 76 minutes with straight sets: 6-3, 6-4. And she definitely made the finals count, packing in an aggressive game that saw her outlasting Kerber in long rallies. The final point – a dramatic shot that tumbled on the tip of the net – sealed her victory. It topped off a glorious year for her: having won three tournaments (Katowice, Eastbourne and Linz), qualifying for her debut at the WTA Finals and even getting hitched in July despite her heavy schedule. Cibulkova was recognized as WTA’s 2016 ‘Comeback Player of the Year’ (having moved up the rankings from number 38 at the end of 2015 to top eight) and it has never been more apt – this is truly one hell of a comeback.