By Paige Lee Pei Qi

The Amazing Heritage Race is Food Playground’s latest product, a fun activity that gets teams racing through Singapore’s heritage-rich Chinatown while picking up interesting knowledge about local culture and feasting on popular local eats.

Concept This three-hour outdoor activity combines good food, cultural immersion and fun experiential learning.

Participants are placed in teams and must wind through Chinatown following route markers, overcome road blocks and work through unique challenges, fun detours and a variety of interactive tasks.

The skills and cultural diversity of team members will come through as they have to work closely to solve the various challenges and obstacles in a race against the clock.

MICE application Food Playground can arrange this activity for group with 12 to 60 people. The programme can be customised to accommodate special dietary needs and include Halal, vegetarian or gluten-free food items.

The duration of the race can also be tailored to group’s preference.

The Amazing Heritage Race is also not confined to Chinatown. Groups can choose to race through Tanjong Pagar, which is another heritage enclave within the CBD.

In the event of light rain, disposable ponchos will be provided. The race cannot be conducted in extreme weather conditions and an alternative indoor cooking programme will be activated.

Rates from S$80 (US$60) nett per participant.

For groups desiring a full-day programme, Food Playground can pair the Amazing Heritage Race with a half-day team cook out.

Service The Amazing Heritage Race is hardly the run-of-the-mill races I’ve experienced. Furthermore, what’s there not to love when the activity blends cultural showcase with food and fun games?

Contact www.foodplayground.com.sg/amazing-race-team-building.html

By Yixin Ng

InterContinental Singapore has just completed an extensive multi-million dollar renovation which upgraded its facilities to provide a fresher interior as well as a more comprehensive solution for event organisers.

Rooms All 338 guestrooms in the main wing now flaunt a new look after a round of facelifts was completed in February.

My Club-InterContinental room was as luxurious as one would expect of a higher-tier InterContinental room, and it came with club benefits. But the ultimate luxury for me was the bed. The sheets and duvet were feathery smooth to the touch and the mattress firm and springy.

For those who appreciate more spaciousness, I found that rooms on the top floor have higher ceilings.

MICE facilities The hotel is home to more than 1,000m² of event space, including 11 meeting rooms and a pillar-less ballroom for up to 500 people. Event organisers have even more venues to choose from post-renovation.

Breakouts and networking lunches can be hosted at the chic European brasserie Ash & Elm. A private dining section can seat groups of up to 40, while another for 10 guests is suitable for VIP gatherings.

The newly renovated Presidential Suite welcomes exclusive events too, while the Lobby Lounge, an elegant new space with whitewashed pillars and a subtle blend of classic and contemporary decor, is the perfect spot for pre-event networking or afternoon tea.

Other facilities Fitness buffs can look forward to the upgraded hotel gym. An open studio space complete with yoga mats is also available.

The hotel’s new complimentary guided walking tour can be a potential activity for small-sized corporate groups. Conducted every Saturday, the walking tour visits 20 art institutions and historical sites including the former Saint Anthony’s Convent, now home to the National Design Centre.

Options for retail, dining, nightlife and arts and culture are all within walking distance of InterContinental Singapore, and I’m certain time-starved business travellers will appreciate the convenience.

By Prudence Lui
Perched on the 21^st storey in a new-build commercial complex in Tsim Sha Tsui is Maison Eight. The restaurant opened in April in a lavish and enviable location, and serves up French cuisine, innovative cocktails and Bollinger champagne.

Concept Guests enter through the hand-stamped Italian leather doors that lead into a penthouse designed by Two Men in Hats. Views of Kowloon and Hong Kong are spectacular on all sides.

MICE application Tired of staging events in hotel ballrooms? Maison Eight could well be your relief. It is able to host small to mid-scale events, and the 740m² restaurant features four different venue concepts.

There is the intimate 32-seat French restaurant Esmé, available for a sit-down lunch or dinner.

Next, Salvatore at Maison Eight is the first cocktail bar in Asia by The Maestro (world-renowned bartender Salvatore Calabrese), and is headed by his protégé Fabien Marcault.

The Ballroom at Maison Eight is an elegant salon – with its own private terrace – that transforms into a lounge in the evenings. Both The Ballroom and Salvatore has space for a 120-pax sit-down dinner, or 220 guests cocktail-style.

Lastly, Le Club 1829 – the first Bollinger champagne room in the world – features a wine cellar with a collection of over 2,300 bottles (that includes cuveé and key vintages) for up to 18 people.

Corporate buyouts are possible.

Service Maison Eight scores with its elegant and relaxing ambience, and friendly staff. Another plus point is its amazing view of the city.

By Prudence Lui

FreshBiz is a game-based workshop that requires participants to think multidimensionally with the help of a boardgame. The aim of the game is to mimic a constantly changing business environment, where different skills are required to solve problems.

Concept Unlike the traditional Monopoly boardgame where the goal is to win by bankrupting the other players, FreshBiz is a play-to-win activity where collaboration, cooperation and sharing success together is the main aim.

Each game requires four or five people to play as a team. Multiple teams can play simultaneously and the winner is the first team in which all players have reached the “Winner” lot in 90 minutes.

To start with, participants are offered action cards and chips. They then pass from section to section – paying tolls to pass. During the game, participants have to exercise their entrepreneurial skills by taking loans, trading stock, negotiating and closing deals.

MICE application Players will have to be creative and smarter in handling their budget, cash flow, and strategise in order to turn their original capital into the profits they need to move ahead in the game.

The game emphasises that collaboration is the new competition, and is promoting the development of entrepreneurial thinking and smart businesses sense in the New Shared Economy.

Take my team for example. We chose to play as a team by sharing all our resources and investing collectively in order to ensure all members reach the destination in the shortest time possible. We also learnt how creativity with money is more important than the amount of money itself.

Service Throughout the game, there were certified and qualified facilitators on hand to answer our queries, in addition to the written instructions.

After the game, an event director guides participants through a reflection. Participants share their thoughts on the game and learn how to implement them in their businesses.

While this activity is typically held indoors, holding it outdoor in a cafe is also feasible. It costs US$160 per person for a half-day workshop. A minimum of 30 pax is required, while the maximum of participants is 100.