Millenia Walk surprises my family for having everything that we need for CNY

As we head out and about these days, it’s clear what time of the year it is — malls bursting out their annual Lunar New Year music, decked out in red, orange and yellow decorations.

With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, it’s often an exciting yet busy time, filled with spring cleaning and preparations to welcome guests into our homes or visit relatives.

From shopping for new clothes to preparing snacks (and angbaos if you’re married), it’s easy to forget what the New Year is really about amidst an endless to-do list — of reconnecting with family, upholding traditions and enjoying the festivities together.

So, I thought: why not head out to somewhere accessible, air-conditioned, yet equipped to stock up on our New Year needs together?

Somewhere in town too — a change from the usual heartland malls we often frequent for groceries.

It has been some time since my family’s been to Millenia Walk, so we decided to head there — and were pleasantly surprised to find that it to be an all-in-one pitstop for CNY shopping as well.

First stop: Commune (#02-51)

With spring cleaning right round the corner, you might be thinking of swapping the old for the new.

For my family, we’ve been thinking of purchasing a new dining table for our grandmother, since hers is rather old.

Hence, we decided to visit Commune, a lifestyle and furniture store, so my grandmother could see if there was anything to her liking.

The store has a wide selection of household products, ranging from big ticket items like sofas and beds to an array of smaller ones, such as planters, bar soaps and floor mats.

We also found out that Commune has partnered with local artist Goh Beng Kwan to integrate an exhibition, titled “Tradition Reimagined (欢聚一堂)”, in its furniture showrooms from Jan. 11 to Feb. 12, 2025.

Goh’s artworks, which aim to offer a fresh perspective on cultural traditions and auspicious symbols in a modern, vibrant take, will be displayed.

Here are some of his works, featuring large splashes of red, orange and pink — colours that are traditionally auspicious in Chinese culture.

Utilising used red packets, Goh’s mosaic-like tapestry of colour is ever-so striking, showing how even old items can be reworked for a fresh and exciting look.

On that note, Goh will be conducting a series of CNY upcycling workshops where participants can paint on disposed leather, wood and other materials sourced from Commune.

Priced at S$58 per person, the workshops will be held over two weekends during the festive period.

Part of the workshop proceeds will be donated to the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), and includes tea or coffee, and a selection of pastries and snacks.

Workshop dates: Jan. 18 to 19 and Feb. 1 to 2, 2025

Time: 2pm to 4pm

Sign up for the workshop here.

Second stop: HuntStreet (#01-70)

If you’re looking to impress your relatives and take your annual CNY fit to the next level, consider popping by HuntStreet, a luxurious preloved shop with the most eclectic range of brands.

Here, you’ll be able to stay fashionable whilst sustainable, and tick that luxury item you’ve been hunting for off the bucket list at a fraction of its cost.

The prices were considerably cheaper than what you would have to pay for a brand new item, proving rather enticing for my mother who immediately went online to find out more about HuntStreet.

We may have spent a good too many minutes staring at the items displayed.

Oops.

Third stop: Elemen (#01-75)

It doesn’t take a vegetarian to love a good vegetarian meal — my family loves Elemen despite the fact that the majority of us consume meat almost every day.

Hence, it’s no wonder that the posters highlighting Elemens’ offerings for the Lunar New Year caught our attention, and even grandma was impressed.

And because good things should be shared, here’s what Elemen has to offer this CNY. For starters, Elemen’s team have curated an auspicious and indulgent eight course ‘Prosper-Licious’ Menu, starting at S$43.80 and S$48.80 for members and non-members.

The limited-edition menu will last from Jan. 7 to Feb. 28, 2025 — perfect for both early and belated celebrations.

Apart from dining in, Elemen’s also offers a vegetarian yusheng set — the Abundance Takeaway Set (from S$298) — for all to share in the joy together.

There’s no limit to the number of times you can say: huat ah.

Fourth stop: Meidi-ya (#01-51 & #02-26)

Our last stop as a foodie family at Millenia Walk is always at Meidi-Ya, a two-storey Japanese grocery store.

Fronting the second floor of Meidi-Ya is a large table-full of traditional favourites. From pineapple tarts to love letters, there’s a whole range of displays rather enticing.

You could even get your mandarin oranges here too.

If you’re thinking of preparing yu-sheng from scratch, rest assured that you can get its multiple ingredients, such as radish and abalone, fresh over here.

Perhaps put a little twist on the yusheng by incorporating some sweet Japanese Yuzu instead of plum sauce for a unique take and taste.

I mean, it’s still tian tian mi mi afterall.

But there’s always an easy to-go option, if you ever need it.

You can even choose between wanting oysters or raw fish for your yusheng.

And because you want to toss your yusheng to maximise your luck, opt for these extra long chopsticks for extra fun.

Apart from yusheng, Meidi-Ya has all you need for other traditional reunion dinners, such as a steamboat. I stumbled upon a series of unique bases such as army stew, yuzu and more, perfect for a twist on the annual favourite.

Other staple ingredients such as fishballs, seafood and meat were readily available, with the assortment sure to impress your family this Chinese New Year’s.

Though we didn’t purchase any of the items today, given that these are best purchased fresh, here’s one place you can consider getting them — especially when certain ingredients can at times be sold out at heartland grocery stalls.

Fifth stop: Tenshima (#01-09)

A reunion doesn’t necessarily have to be grand, it can be a hearty, peaceful meal out with your loved ones.

And perhaps the thought of preparing a whole handmade yusheng is simply too tedious at this point.

For a fuss-free Japanese reunion meal, consider Tenshima — renowned for its delectable tempura bowls — with options between two different Omakase lunch sets at S$180 and S$250, and an Omakase dinner priced at S$450.

Monument to Movement: CNY displays

My grandmother loves to soak in the festive atmosphere regardless of the festivity.

If it’s Christmas, she’ll ask us to take her to Orchard Road to see the decorations, and for CNY, we’d usually make a trip down to Chinatown too.

Hence, she was pleasantly surprised by Millenia Walk’s decorations adorned across the mall too.

If you visited Millenia Walk sometime in December last year, you might think that the decorations are just a little familiar.

You’re not wrong, you have seen these decorations before.

In the spirit of blending sustainability and the tradition of new decorations together, Millenia Walk has intentionally repurposed from 2024’s Christmas celebrations to welcome CNY.

Designed by international artists Wade and Leta, the displays of red are meant to symbolise joy and togetherness in a sustainable manner.

The display — which impressed us all with the mechanical ingenuity behind its rotation — is rather mesmerising.

Beanbags are also placed under the structure, and many could be seen enjoying their night out and people-watching comfortably.

Swing by The Great Hall for interactive displays and take some photos to mark the occasion at the swing sets and immersive displays.

Overall, our short trip to Millenia Walk proved that it has so much to offer.

In the words of my grandmother — “quite nice, can come again.” (You know, when Singaporeans say “quite nice”, it usually means good.)

Oh, and don’t miss the Festive Market by Crane Living from Jan. 13 to 26 or the Lion Dance Festival on Feb. 3.

Millenia Walk’s Spend and Redeem Promotion

To mark the New Year, Millenia Walk is offering a series of gifts to make shopping here even more worthwhile.

For those who spend:

• S$388 and above: Receive a special limited-edition MW Red Packet Bundle of six in an assortment of colours. Choose amongst a variety of options and claim a pair of live, calligraphy couplets drawn by artist Corinne Tai on Jan. 25 and 26, from 2pm to 5pm at The Great Hall.
• S$800 and above: Receive exclusive passes to a tablescape styling workshop with local artisan florist Fleurs by Noelle
• S$1,288 and above: Enjoy an afternoon tea-break enjoying Kueh Lapis from the Colony at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore. Limited to the first 35 redemptions daily.

The promotion will run from now to Feb. 12, 2025, and customers are allowed to redeem more than one promotion on the same day.

Find out more about the promotions here.

Millenia Walk

Location: 9 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039596

Opening hours: 11am to 9:30pm, daily

This sponsored article by Millenia Walk made this writer excited for the upcoming New Year.

Cover photo from Natalie Ong