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Alice in Wonderland cafe, Richmond Tea Rooms! Manchester’s gay village & LGBT bars.

japanese alice wonderland fashion

Where am I? And even… who am I? The answer seems to vary every day — but for this post, you can call me Alice in Wonderland.

During my Manchester stay, I got to experience the British ritual of high tea… in a Tim Burton meets Lewis Carroll environment. Come down the rabbit hole with me, and we’ll journey through the city’s vibrant Gay Village too.

kawaii japan makeup, living doll

Photographer Joey Wong thought our rental penthouse at the Light Aparthotel was aptly named — because the windows and sheer curtains created the perfect soft-box for portrait photography. Each day, before heading out, we shot images here.

I’m wearing decadent eyelashes from Velour Lashes (the quality is far and above regular plastic falsies). My lip gloss and eyeshadows are from Anastasia Beverly Hills (get it here)I swear by my Sigma Beauty makeup brushes, which come in travel size and let you blend and contour like a pro.

tokyo gyaru cute fashion, hair

I wanted my look to be a tribute to Alice in Wonderland, without doing a full-on cosplay. (My haircolor is by Stephanie Hoy – ask for her at Stratosphere Hair in Vancouver.)

My outfit is a little tip of the hat to Disney’s Alice, who wears a light blue dress with a similar skirt shape. The white rabbit necklace is something I made — with a tag from the Miffy store in China!

Richmond Tea Rooms

I met my friends at Richmond Tea Rooms — isn’t this the most adorable English traditional tea house? 

The tea rooms are connected to a cocktail lounge, decorated with quirky fixtures like antique clocks and taxidermy animals.

alice wonderland high tea

Walking through the entrance, I couldn’t help but feel like I was living in the storybook. The decor takes inspiration from the Queen of Hearts’ royal garden, and the White Rabbit’s pocketwatch.

eat me drink me signs

Inside, a case of homemade cakes and the signs “Eat Me” “Drink Me” hint at what’s in store for diners.

alice wonderland theme cafe

The smiling waiter took us “that way” to the prime tea enclosure, decorated like a garden patio draped in vines and birdcages.

tokyo alice wonderland outfit

Richmond Tea Rooms was at capacity when we arrived, so I recommend reserving a table well in advance. Ask for this semi-private area, especially if you’re celebrating a special occasion.

Now, the hard part — what to order, from the extensive menu?

white rabbit necklace miffy

The strawberry milkshake was an easy decision, as was the Earl Grey tea. (My steampunk clockwork nail art is by Glam Nail Studio in Richmond, Vancouver.)

rainbow cake, high tea

There are a few variations on the high tea sets, with names like Queen’s Tea and Alice’s Tea. The chefs can prepare vegetarian and gluten-free options for you. The stacked trays are ideal for sharing, and include both savory and sweet treats, like rainbow layer cake! 

manchester tea room

All the little details — like a chain of playing cards — make the Wonderland experience come to life. It also helps that everyone around me was speaking in British accents, and pouring tea with their best Victorian manners.

scones jam clotted cheese

Afternoon tea is something you can’t miss if you’re in England. I was all over the scones, clotted cream and jam. 

gothic lolita high tea, tea party

Cheers to Richmond Tea Rooms, which executes the Alice in Wonderland theme with flair! You can tell that the owners and staff genuinely love the stories.

richmond tea house england

Japan has an Alice in Wonderland theme restaurant (see photos), but it feels like a commercial enterprise. This, on the other hand, is the Mad Hatter’s tea party come to life.

yorkshire pudding, wales rarebit

In addition to the tea sets, you can order a-la-carte items. It’s an opportunity to try traditional English dishes like Yorkshire Pudding and Welsh rarebit (melted cheese and vegetables on bread).

miffy jewelry, purple hair girl

Miffy is my white rabbit for life.

Perhaps you can come here with a group of friends, all dressed up! The staff would welcome you warmly.

manchester tea parlor, cafe

Thanks to Visit Manchester for bringing us here. There are so many gems to discover in this city…

the molly house, gay club

… such as the Gay Village, which is where the tea room is located. I didn’t realize Manchester had such a big LGBT scene, center around Canal Street.

manchester gay village

Did you know Queer As Folk was set in Manchester? The Gay Village is full of energy — we saw colorful clubs and murals at every turn.

david bowie party poster

If you’ll recall from my Northern Quarter post, Manchester has a wonderful indie / alternative scene in general.

gay village manchester lgbt

Every year, the Pride parade takes over, proving why Manchester is one of the world’s most gay-friendly cities.

gay manchester england nightclub

The sign says it all… G-A-Y, in bright lights! Every weekend, the balcony is packed with revelers dancing to pop music.

gay drag queen bar, molly house

The Molly House is more my scene — a vintage-styled, laid back pub that serves cakes, ales and wines. The playlist veers to the indie side, and the music is kept low enough so that you can converse.

New Wakefield Street wall murals

Manchester’s city center is unexpectedly small, and it’s easy to get around by walking. From the Gay Village, it took us only about 15-20 minutes to reach New Wakefield Street, an area known for funky murals like this one.

Black Dog Ballroom new wakefield Manchester

There are entire bars under the bridge, like Black Dog Ballroom. I recommend coming to the New Wakefield area for a walk around.

light aparthotel penthouse apartment

After a long day, we were glad to head back to our luxe apartment at The Light ApartHotel. It’s a few paces away from Affleck’s Goth/alternative shopping center, and other cool spots in the Northern Quarter. We thoroughly enjoyed this view from our giant window, and free tea and cookies in the lobby.

pink cherry blossoms england

Thanks to Visit Manchester for the mad hatter adventures! If you’re keen to travel to this gorgeous city, you can find out more info on their site

asian cute makeup, eyeshadow

More from Manchester — including my New Order and Joy Division music tour — in my England category.

And if you’re intrigued by the Alice in Wonderland teahouse, here are my stories about theme restaurants around the world

Singapore Famous Cocktails & Molecular Restaurants! Tippling Club, Raffles Hotel Long Bar.

sunrise singapore landscape, marina bay sands waterfront

Ah, there’s no skyline like Singapore. I’m still catching up on posts from my recent trip to Asia (I was in Tokyo to filming with Travel Channel TV, and also Bali and Singapore). But things are about to heat up some more… as I’m now heading to three new countries on two continents.

Morocco, Portugal and Spain — here we come!

fashion bloggers marrakesh morocco outfit

I’m excited to share that I will be in Spain, Portugal and Morocco with my filmmaking partners, Borderless Media! (Above is a photo from Israel’s Jaffa market.)

Spain Tourism is sending us over to capture stories of cool culture. I went to Barcelona years ago, but never Granada and other parts of this gorgeous country. We’re also partnering with Eurail again and riding their trains around Spain, and to Porto and Lisbon. Finally, we’re heading south to Fez, Marrakesh and Ouarzazate with Plan-It-Fez tours, to support women-run businesses and get immersed in Moroccan culture.

We’re excited to hear your travel suggestions for all these cities. Please let us know in the comments or on Facebook, and check out my daily updates on Instagram and Snapchat (@lacarmina.)

merlion park, fountain statue

But for now, back to the pink skies of Singapore. Some travelers make the effort to wake before dawn, in order to shoot photos in the first light. However, I’m not a morning person, and never managed to make this happen. The only reason I was able to capture these sunrise images for you… is because I took an overnight flight to Singapore, and landed around 5:30am!

blacklane limousines, airport transfers

When you step out at the airport after a red-eye, disheveled and jet-lagged, the last thing you want to do is struggle with transportation. 

I was invited to try out Blacklane Limousines, and booked a driver to pick me up and take me to my hotel. I was impressed by the seamlessness of the process, from the online reservation to the meet-up. Blacklane texts you to let you know your driver is on the way and gives you his cell number, so I never had to stress about a missed connection. Each time, the driver was waiting at our exact meeting point, holding a sign that said “La Carmina.”

blacklane private car driver ervice

Blacklane’s service is a splurge but worth it. It’s a relief to have a calm, direct car ride after a long flight, especially if you have to travel a long distance to your hotel (such as from Narita to Shinjuku, which can take two hours in traffic.)

merlion mouth, water fountain

Blacklane’s drivers are a class act. My Singapore driver offered to stop by Merlion Park on the way to my hotel, so I could take these images of the famous fountain. He also gave me a bunch of local travel tips.

The mythical Merlion is the symbol of Singapore. The fish body symbolizes the city’s humble origins as a fishing village. The lion head refers to its original name, Singapura, which means ‘lion city’ in Malay.

singapore flyer ferris wheel, flower building

Across the bay, I spotted the unmistakable Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel, and the ArtScience museum shaped like a lotus flower. Marina Bay Sands hotel stands to the right (I’ll take you inside, in an upcoming article.)

When I was a child, my family and I never went to Singapore (even though it’s a short flight from Hong Kong) because it wasn’t considered a “must-see” destination. All this has changed, and tourism has boomed in the past years. Believe it or not, the Ferris wheel, MBS hotel, Gardens by the Bay and ArtScience museum opened only in the 2000s! Yet they’ve completely altered the cityscape, and are now as iconic as the Merlion fountain (which was established in 1972 by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew).

singapore buildings cityscape

My driver stopped at a different look-out point so that I could see the Merlion from across the water, surrounded by skyscrapers. Crazy to realize that none of these buildings existed a few decades ago.

(All photos are taken with my beloved Sony A7 / Alpha 7 mirrorless camera. Available here; it’s a must for travellers.)

naumi liora hotel chinatown

However, Singapore is not just about high-tech architecture. The government puts careful attention into preserving historic, colonial homes and ethnic neighborhoods.

My friends at Naumi Hotel also invited me to stay at Naumi Liora, their boutique hotel that is dedicated to this mission. (Address: 55 Keong Saik Rd)

singapore potato head club, chinatown building

My hotel is in Chinatown / Tanjong Pagar, a hip area for restaurants and bars. The entire street consists of heritage buildings with charming shutters. (This is the view across the road.)

naumi liora room, lobby

Naumi Liora turned a 1920s Chinese townhouse into a 79-room boutique hotel that maintains the original Peranakan elements. Double-leaf doors, French style windows and lattice patterns give character to the lobby and rooms.

naumi liora boutique hotel singapore

However, the comforts of the modern world abound! Air conditioning, modern amenities — even free ice cream, lattes and snacks in the lobby. No wonder Naumi Liora is a hit among 20-something travellers.

bin 38, tippling club entrance

We were steps away from one of the city’s coolest and best-rated restaurants: Tippling Club (Address: 38 Tanjong Pagar Road). Look for the sign Bin 38, which refers to their new test kitchen and private dining space.

My white cut-out dress is from Chaser the Brand. The bunny-ears Japanese headband is from WeGo Tokyo.

tippling club bar

Tippling Club’s interior is modern eye candy, and hints at the fun-house meal awaiting you. The hanging bottles over the bar are both for form and function.

hanging bottles bar, bartenders

The cocktail menu looks like a map, with drinks sitting on a continuum: sweet, sour, fruity, dry. I loved the Occiton, created for  “Diageo World Class 2015,” which puts together gin, pineapple vermouth, thyme, basil.

tippling club cocktails

Tipping Club is famous for its cocktails, which come with a cheeky presentation. I ordered the bubble tea with melon and mangosteen infused gin — and it had a dome of giant bubbles on top, made with a fish tank air pump! The Panda’s Escape (left) creatively combined rum and coconut water with Southeast Asian pandan, with two panda cookies on top.

bottles chanderlier, modern lights

Tippling Room wins my award for “coolest lights.” The upper level is a private dining space, which lets diners sample new creations straight from the test kitchen. Many of these experimental dishes later become part of the main menu.

tippling club upstairs private dining room

Each creation is paired with wine from Penfolds’ celebrated Bin series. I’d love to have a party with my foodie friends here.

chef ryan clift, open kitchen

Downstairs, British born chef Ryan Clift works his molecular magic right in front of you. We sat at the open kitchen counter, and tasted over a dozen small bites.

singapore molecular gastronomy restaurant

As you can see from the photos, Chef Clift’s amuse bouches are playful and aims to defy expectations. He began with bite-size twists on bar snacks, anointed with flavors squeezed from droppers. I bet you’ve never had a white truffle cracker that looks like Styrofoam, and is served on the material itself!

Tippling Club is often described as molecular gastronomy, but it goes beyond that. Take the Singaporean curry (top right) with puffed rice and curry coconut foam. Although made with molecular twists, it captured the flavors of this traditional local dish.

singapore best restaurants

Same goes for their roasted monkfish with green curry and lime tofu. (Photos by Ken Yuen)

tippling club menu, food

Don’t miss out on their signature charred red pepper with a soy wasabi dipping sauce (right), and mango and togarashi sorbet white chocolate Meteorite for dessert (left).

fun molecular desserts creative

Chef Clift gets especially whimsical with his desserts. There are cheesecake pills served in a prescription bottle, and a rainbow Fizz Bomb packet that bursts on your tongue like Pop Rocks candy. On the right: a beetroot and blackberry sorbet sandwich came impaled on a moving metal rod, which I had to catch in my mouth. 

The word “memorable” gets tossed around a lot, but it truly applies to Tippling Club. A must-try if you’re in Singapore.

raffles hotel colonial architecture

I couldn’t leave without checking out the legendary Raffles Hotel and drinking a Singapore Sling. Established in 1887 and named after Singapore founder Stamford Raffles, the hotel maintains a feeling of colonial-era grandeur. (Address: 1 Beach Road)

My dress is from Alice’s Pig. and I got the cat-ear sunglasses at Parco Shibuya in Tokyo.

raffles singapore famous hotel lobby

Outside, anyone can wander through the courtyard gardens — you’ll feel like a member of the old gentry, on the way to a decadent ball. Raffles now has a row of high-end shops outside.

Inside, only guests of the hotel are allowed. I was invited to peruse the lobby and tea rooms, and it felt like The Grand Budapest Hotel come to life.

raffles hotel indian doorman costume

I couldn’t resist taking a photo with the doorman in a colonial Raj military-style uniform.

We were invited to visit the revamped Long Bar, which is now being more geared to locals.

long bar singapore, raffles

The staircase shows the hotel’s rich history over the years. Ah, to be a flapper in Singapore!

Inside, the architecture retains the old-time feeling, with a 1920s  spiral staircase.

singapore luxurious 5 star hotels

The Long Bar’s row of rattan fans is a throwback to the days before air-conditioning. This is probably the only place in Singapore where littering is encouraged. Every table has a bag of peanuts, and it’s tradition for customers to throw the shells onto the ground. 

(But what if you have a peanut or nut allergy? Then you can wave around this “no nuts or I’ll die” sign, which Naomi made to help out travellers! Just print out a copy of this helpful peanut allergy poster.)

Singapore

Raffles is the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, a pink cocktail made by Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915. In these olden times, it was considered uncouth for women to drink alcohol. The bartender skirted these rules with a girly-looking mix that still packed a punch (ingredients include cherry liqueur, pineapple juice, Cointreau).

The Long Bar is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Sling with mixology classes and other events, making this is a good year to visit.

ferris wheel singapore flyer

I leave you with a few more glowing photos of the Singapore Flyer…

singapore marina view, buildings

.. and skyscrapers over the water.

merlion statue fountain, half fish lion

Doesn’t Singapore have a fascinating history? I’m glad I finally got a chance to travel here.

PS: Please let me know your suggestions for Spain, Morocco and Portugal — and add my Instagram and Snapchat (@lacarmina) for previews of this trip!

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