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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
sentosa has usually been one of those places i’ve never quite warmed to. it’s so constructed and in my mind, poor value-for-money. an all-out birthday celebration for mum changed that completely.
the day started out at capella, a hotel i can’t even begin to fully describe. the architecture in the new wing is bold and modern, replete with clean curves and interesting hues of rust, slate and grey. the view overlooking the water, foliage and infinity pool is quite something. afternoon tea at the knolls restaurant is affordable, given the service, serving size and setting. think delicious scones, egg sandwiches, pastries and custom gryphon tea blends. add on to that smiling service and a surprise serenade by the band playing there later in the day.
spa botanica at the sentosa also makes for a great and quick getaway for the occasional indulgence. prices are by no means cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to what is on the market, it’s a good deal. guests can use the outdoor facilities for free prior to their treatment, and this includes a mud bath, jacuzzi, pool, etc. so a one hour massage (which mum rated nothing short of amazing) could stretch to a luxurious 3 hour affair. the peacocks wandering around will also happily make friends with you in exchange for food.
palawan beach, with the view of tankers in the distance, is not the most idyllic of beaches, but the smoke on the horizon gives the place a moody, introspective feel. and the breeze right on top of the two towers is an instant pick me up. what’s even better is that koufu has opened an outlet here. i’ve not tried the food, but it’s good to know that sentosa can be enjoyed on the cheap too.
we ended the evening off at the garden, the restaurant right by spa botanica. it was a quiet affair and we were so full from tea that all we wanted were some greens. the made to order salad bowls are just $12 — cheaper than what you might find at other chain restaurants — the greens are fresh, many ingredients organic and the dressings innovative. plus, you get warm bread rolls and an amuse bouche to begin.
sentosa caught me by surprise, and i’m glad!
capella
http://www.capellasingapore.com/
spa botanica
http://www.spabotanica.com/
the garden
http://www.thesentosa.com/
we had a night picnic birthday celebration for w the other night, which was absolutely lovely. a breeze blowing, a view of the cbd which was faraway enough, sitting and munching on cheese and crackers, watching kids fly their home-made kites. all in all, a good time. i’m glad there’s still space where people can fly their kites, which isn’t too small a square and not entirely concretised. i’d wondered what would happen to all the kite-flyers when they first began construction at marina south. now i know i needn’t have worried.
lasalle has a new joint opened by the good people who run night and day along selegie. this place has minimalist decor, maximising the light afforded by the glass exterior. the feel would best be described as casual and decidedly cool, with an expected youngish arty farty crowd. similar to orgo bar at esplanade, it’s one of those locations which is so great (gorgeous well-lit building by night) that you can’t imagine why no one else thought to do this any earlier. all i’ve had there so far is a coffee, which was pretty good, but believe you me i’ll be back to hang out there soon.
15 minutes, lasalle college of the arts, 1 mc nally street
c introduced this place to me a few months back. it’s in the dubious looking katong shopping centre with the retro architecture. we wandered through the corridors with closed shops and ktv bars with tinted fronts before we got to the very friendly and down-to-earth family-run teo heng karaoke. here, you grab the canned drink you want from the fridge, and they can order in noodles from the coffeeshop closeby so you can have a proper meal while wailing your heart out. the sound system is pretty intense and with a big group, this place is a lot cheaper than your big players like kbox out there. don’t doubt their music selection either– they had goldfrapp on karaoke (?!). go for some fun!
teo heng karaoke, #02-13-18 katong shopping centre, www.teoheng.com
i realise i’ve yet to write about one of my favourite places in singapore– the esplanade. if you talk about getting all warm and fuzzy about being singaporean, this is it. i like:
– how there has been a clever use of the tunnel linking citylink mall to the esplanade building. they’ve made dead space a great place for emerging artists to display their works to a high volume of foot traffic, with minimal installation needed
– the ongoing free performances held in the concourse area, so even if you’re not watching a performance that night, you get your music or dance fix. it’s about art for the people.
– the installation art scattered throughout the building
– the library@esplanade, with all its sheet music, cds, and arts-related books. it’s a really fitting location for an arts library if you ask me.
– all the performance spaces, especially the smaller theatre and recital studios which are ideal for music gigs or experimental performances. i don’t think i’ve ever had a bad seat regardless of my ticket price bracket.
– the roof terrace space, because it is set apart from the crowds below and offers an unusual view of the esplanade’s spiky surface and the surrounding marina south/cbd area
– the newly completed outdoor stage, because it can be a great place to sit and talk on the cheap over drinks and snacks from the convenience stores around
all in all, i think the esplanade is great because it has done its job– that of showcasing quality performances in quality venues– well, and gone beyond that with its community programming. one of the things which can often be lacking in singapore is space for public interaction and engagement. the esplanade provides plenty of this and more :}
imagine empty beaches, white sand, clear blue waters, crisp clean air, moss-covered forests and gurgling streams. that is tasmania summed up in a line, a little hidden treasure of wonders tucked away in the south of the globe.
some of the best places and spaces in tasmania must have been these below. take a google if you ever plan on heading on over there:
– ocean beach, strahan: a pebble strewn beach with a jaw-dropping view of a spreading sunset, highlighting the clouds from below and above.
– styx valley of giants, maydena: a moss-covered forest dripping verdent and lush. old trees, filtered sunlight, tall ferns.
– george’s, hamilton: an adorable cottage with exposed brickwork and a delightful garden bursting with blooms and birdsong. as a bonus, it’s run by a cute little old lady.
– tynwald’s house, new norfolk: a b&b housed in an 18th century georgian house, nestled up a road in an unlikely town, this place serves up delicious food (hazelnut and goat’s cheese souffle, tia maria and chocolate cheesecake) with great service.
– fleurty’s, woodbridge: an essential oil distillery set amidst expansive grounds attached to a forest reserve. the highlight was the cafe which serves food with a lot of heart. the chef/owner blasted elvis tunes, and bopped along as she lovingly prepared each dish. think banana and pineapple cake with passionfruit icing.
– friendly beaches, freycinet: a beach which lives up to its name, the sand here is white and powdersoft, the waters are bright blue and clear, and best of all there’s hardly a soul here to bother you other than the occasional wallaby.
this is a magical space, stuck in a time warp. i discovered it wandering around the spottiswood park estate just behind, and was lured in by the sight of food. there are a few nasi padang stalls huddled inside a not too big space, and it’s all a little grimier than you’re used to seeing in the refurbished hawker centres of today. a little beyond the food, you get a glimpse of sunlight, and wandering forward you realise you’re staring at a set of railway tracks. there are kopitiam tables which line the sides of the tracks so you can sit with your tea in the sunshine and watch the trains hiss and grunt out of the station. it’s brilliant.
– Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 30 Keppel Road, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjong_Pagar_railway_station
random.acts.of.wonder 