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today’s news and the reactions to them were really interesting.
firstly, flash floods around the island. it is unfortunate that these are happening and that they are affecting the livelihood, property and convenience of so many people. yes, the government has some part to play in the matter to ensure that drains should be well-maintained and can channel the waterflow effectively. it also needs to engage in longer term infrastructure planning for drainage needs, which it does already do, looking ahead by 40-50 years. but to expect the government to be omnipotent and omniscient can’t be fair, because as the best-laid plans of mice and men, really do often go astray. plans are dynamic and need to be reviewed, especially when faced with curveballs such as the recent freak weather. the frequent bouts of intense heavy rainfall in the past few weeks should speak of a deeper, more worrying issue of what is happening to the state of the environment and how it is impacting on our metereological conditions. singapore has been fortunate to be shielded from most natural disasters, so we’ve been able to continue operating in our happy bubble while the rest of the world has been impacted by earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and hurricanes. this is a wake-up call for some changes to be made in our lifestyle and actions. instead, some of the comments online in response to the flash floods ran the gamut from blaming third world immigrants to singapore for bringing along their third world disasters to untempered sarcasm directed at the government. it’s a little disappointing.
the second thing which took up front page news of life was sumiko tan getting married. i know, the general comments have been about how something like that could warrant front page news, and maybe that’s true. but can i say, i’m really glad for her. yes, the columns have been tiring and repetitive, especially in recent years, but i think when you’ve been looking for so long and not finding a partner, especially in a line of work that has erratic hours, you do tend to land up in that hamster wheel of repeating yourself. it’s hard to pull yourself out of, and when you do meet someone, it’s a cause of celebration. so congrats sumiko, i hope it all works out :}
my sister brought me here, having shown me many photographs of its cool interior and come here multiple times within the past week. it’s a cafe and shop opened by one of her uni friends and its casual quirky decor made it feel like someone’s living room. there are mighty dynamo wallets on sale, littleoddforest cloth cuties, eventually screen-printed tees, original art and more. plus, this place serves up some light bites and seriously good dessert. i had the flourless chocolate torte which was served with cream and stewed cherries. say yum!
gogorama, somewhere along bali lane (look out for the sign!)
hong kong.
love it or hate it, it’s a place that’s reduced in the minds of most singaporeans to two activities- shopping and eating. and while they’re pretty damn good at both, there’s a lot more on offer if you’re willing to look beyond this and venture further afield.
food:
- yee shun milk company – delightful milky pudding desserts with milk produced by trappist monks living in lantau island
- lock cha teahouse- vegetarian dim sum nestled in hong kong city park. finally, dimsum that actually is thoughtfully made for veggie people, rather than as an afterthought
- kosmos - organic, feel good, warm wood type of place, unusually located smack bang in lan kwai fong
- yachiyo ramen – yummy ramen, served with a lot of heart
shop:
- design and fashion stores in the kau u fong and gough street area
- kapok in the star street precinct
do:
- walk the heart sutra trail near po lin monastery on lantau
- watch fishermen at work and various animals sleeping near the old disused pier in tai o on lantau
- wander through sheung wan’s winding streets and look at old men chitchatting in blake park
- window shop and gawk at beautiful home decor in lane crawford
- go to the jccac and try your luck at meeting some artists
- take an unlicensed red minibus for an adrenaline rush
- hop on the tram at night and enjoy the breeze through the city
a friend suggested this place for dinner before we adjourned to quarubar, and it was such a find.
in her wise words, it’s just like a zi char place, but with airconditioning!
the kitchen must be full of mind-readers, because no sooner had we placed our orders, the homemade barley and chinchow arrived at the table, followed by the cai poh omelette, claypot beancurd and fish with ginger in rapid succession. the food was decidedly good in the home-cooking-comfort-food way, and given i didn’t break out in a bad case of rashes, likely doesn’t contain much msg. my chendol dessert was also delicious, generous with the coconut milk and gula melaka.
a great local alternative if you’re in the area and don’t feel like the more western options available.
a different taste, 111 frankel ave, tel:6241 6518
http://www.differenttaste.com/
i’d been postponing coming here for a long while, and having lunched and dined here in the last 2 weeks, i thought a post about this place is definitely called for!
district 10 is tucked away on winstedt road, far away enough from the traffic of bukit timah road to be a restive location and yet within walking distance from newton mrt station. the interior uses a lot of glass and wood, which makes for an airy, sunlit space during the day at lunchtime and a cozy, warmly lit space at night.
the food here is on the pricey side but how value for money your meal is, really depends on what you order! my mostly vegetarian diet means that i’ve only tried their salads, fries and dessert, but my dining companions have had good things to say about the ribs and fish & chips. both the district 10 salad and the wild rocket salad were delicious– crisp veggies, flavourful dressing and an unusual mix of textures. the chocolate mud cake was also a melted mess of goodness.
an unassuming hideaway which makes this a great place when you want to retreat from the crowds and have a good conversation.
district 10, 10 winstedt road, tel: 6738 4788
http://www.district10.com.sg/
i saw the pictures first, then realised this house is actually in bukit timah, singapore. and what a house it is!
the use of water, natural light and stone brings a great expansiveness to the already amply sized space. i particularly love the use of water bodies as a way to cool the house and reduce ambient heat effect– an excellent demonstration of how functionality and good design can indeed go together.
the thing about kichn is that it is so very likeable.
from the minimalist decor, to the good use of typography on their napkins/menu/brand, to the smiling server who takes your order, to the colouring pencils you use to indicate your order, to the mix-and-match menu, to the local art by lasalle students that is sold in a corner of the cafe curated around a changing theme.
however, the cafe could do more on the environmental front by reducing their use of disposable cutlery and tableware and play around with a more inventive menu of a greater variety of textures and that includes dessert. that said, they are a new set-up and i can imagine will get better over time :}
kichn, #01-05 albert court hotel, http://www.kichn.com/
