Let them eat cake

Antoinette does a really good Mont Blanc... love the burst of chestnut & fresh cream.

Happy weekend x

PS café

Dempsey Hill is a favorite hangout for my friends & me, from hen nights at the White Rabbit to brunch at Barracks Cafe to late-night coffees at Dome, it's safe to say this area remains high on our list of hangout places.

But PS Cafe is like the grande dame to me... It has been around for as long as I can remember in Dempsey Hill, & one of our old favorites. Where you can always fall back on when you run out of dining ideas in Singapore, or a last-minute dinner venue for a date.

I love sitting outdoors on cool nights, lush greenery around me yet being so close to town.

The decor inside, similar to the one at Palais Renaissance downtown, always makes me feel like i'm no longer in the city.

If you live here or are ever in Singapore, do stop by here or the one in town for a dose of green & their famous desserts! I personally love their truffle fries, the nihon salad & the egg-white omelette at Palais, fluffy & easy on the cholesterol! xx

Brunch at Jones

Saturday brunch at Jones the Grocer.

I love going to the Dempsey area in Singapore... Though it's often crowded, I still like the laid-back vibes there & the natural settings.

My friend & I love counter seats... we are always seated faster & no one disturbs us! Plus at the Jones counter, you get to see what they put exactly into your drinks.

The Eggs Benedict at Jones was yummy, but the coffee was even better. Or perhaps i was just sleepy; the first coffee of the day always tastes good to me :P

We stayed well into the afternoon just chatting over coffees & enjoying a lazy Saturday.

I love how the cafe culture in Singapore is becoming very strong, it's really something I appreciate alot about this city.

midweek pleasures

Simple pleasures like sewing really make my day.

As does having quiet tea with a girlfriend, away from the hustle & bustle of the city.

Hang in there, the weekend's coming soon xx

weekend

Good times...

We stayed late talking about the past year while I was gone, the things that happened in Singapore, friends who fell sick, the social tensions, the changes in our once-excellent infrastructure & the strains of keeping up with Singapore's development.
It was a sober wake-up call to us, the pampered middle-class with our designer stuff, frequent holidays & penchant for complaining.
I love sitting at the outdoor cafes on dempsey hill at night... we moved from one cafe to the next, till they closed one after another & we almost wanted to just sit in the car talking haha.

Eating my first 粽子... glutinous rice dumplings filled with meat & chestnuts, traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Have a great weekend! xx

The foodie in me

I'm sorry I haven't been replying to your emails... you see, I've been in a food-induced lull since I got back.

Most Singaporeans, when overseas, miss local food alot as Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines from all over the world thanks to its immigrant history... We grew up having delicious & cheap food readily available.

Just a little snapshot of what I've been piggin out on, when I remembered to snap instead of diving head-first into the food:

Clockwise from left: Steamed gooey custard buns from Nanbei Imperial - basically a balloon of melted butter & salted egg yolk which stole my heart out of all their excellent dim sum.

Strawberry shortcake from Antoinette. My friend and I used to be on a quest to find the best strawberry shortcake in Singapore... There's something about fresh cream & sponge cake & a cup of coffee that makes lazy afternoons oh-so-languid.>

Starbucks' green tea cream, finally - I used to drink it at least twice a week before I left & stupidly thought Starbucks in Paris had it too. (Imagine my horror when they didn't - "One green tea cream. No? Oh sorry, i meant a matcha frappuccino. What do u mean, no green tea?" T_T)

Roast chicken rice set with vegetables & peanut soup from an open-air coffee shop. So good.

Bak kut teh, a strong peppery pork-based soup which often comes with salted vegetables & braised pork trotters. It sounds rather unappetising but it's unbelievably delicious. xx

hello teh c

First thing once I touched down in Singapore: a cup of milk tea Singaporean-style (๑´ڡ`๑)♡

Called teh c by us locals, it's a heady mix of strong brewed tea, evaporated milk & sugar.

Along with matcha lattes & cappuccinos, this is my favorite drink!

But unlike the first 2, this is almost impossible to get beyond our sunny shores xx

happy chinese new year!

Gotta love my mum for bringing over Chinese New Year goodies from Singapore - spicy dried shrimp rolls & pineapple tarts!xx

marina bay sands

Spent a couple of lovely days at the Marina Bay Sands hotel here in Singapore.... the infinity pool has such a great view of the city skyline i think it could rival those in my previous post xx

11am - brain still not functioning but wriggly toes responding to the sunshine :)

I could spend the whole day here ♥

Tanning time

Yummy iberico ham sandwiches... guests can even have their breakfast on portable bed tables while lounging on the pool deck chairs around & in the middle of the pool... What makes them a lil more special is that they are partially submerged in the pool so your butt is cool & wet while your body stays warm & dry... oh heaven!

View from our room..

I love the skyline of Singapore... even if more skyscrapers seem to be sprouting up everywhere.

My fave scallop-edged outfit...

So in love too with Miu Miu's spring 2011 collection of sweet swallow prints...

I got some Miu Miu-inspired nails ♥ hehe.

Hope you had a wonderful week too... mine was just perfect xx

rooftop

Late sunday cocktails on a rooftop...

Reminiscing about Namibia.... it seems so far away that only the photos remain proof that we have ever been there... Travelling opens yr eyes but makes you nostalgic at the same time. Not sure i like that feeling.

tea for one

Tea for one is perfect for an overcast afternoon.

On the 60th floor with an unbeatable view of Singapore. It's quiet here. I like it because the crowds have not invaded it yet & i hope it stays that way.

An authentic Chinese tea room, one of my favorite places to have high tea, Chinese style.

There is no menu here. Just sit and eat. 9 types of Chinese dim sum - these are the asparagus dumpling & minced meat dumpling. There is also the carrot cake, yam cake, sesame bun, mango pudding. One of each & in each a world of flavors.

And you are served 3 types of Chinese tea to accompany the different dishes - Yunnan Dianhong, Tie Guanyin & Pu'er. Delicate, floral & earthy.

Sitting by the Singapore River & watching the boats go by till the first drops of rain fell. My Repetto flats are dirty & old now but still the world's most comfy shoes to walk in. No wonder real ballerinas go to them.

It seems like not so long ago that my social life revolved around this river & its restaurants & cafes & offices. I hope you are well.

Have a great weekend, i'm off to Paris! xxx

sunday brunch

Poached eggs & asparagus & a whole heap of rocket, Sunday late brunch with your best friend is one of the best things in life.

birthday

I turned 28 today.

The best Italian dinner is where you don't order from the menu but trust the chef, the olive oil is spectacular, the chocolate cake is flown in from Italy, & the owner picks you a nice bottle of wine from the cave with no intention to rip you off. And no matter how busy the restaurant, he takes time to open the door for you & say Ciao thank you for coming.

Plus that huge fresh mozzarella ball is hard to forget.

My best friend is the only person in the world who is more excited than me on my birthday, roses still make me smile, loving words touch my heart, & a surprise cake from my sister after a homecooked dinner by my mum... i'm counting my blessings :) (not the calories) xxx

breakfast

 

Tea with milk & tartines au beurre, my favorite breakfast.

K ki cafe

Afternoon coffee.

K Ki Cafe (it means cake in Japanese)... a small pretty cafe on Ann Siang Hill in Singapore.

Mont Blanc... chestnut bits & fresh cream in a satisfying dollop.

Latte with a coconut sable. Great for fighting jet lag.

Mail.

Pretty shophouses along the street... I love the windows.

I wish you were here with me.

brunch

Brunch, Riders cafe.



Party of 5 became a team of 3.



What a nice way to start the day.



<3



See u back there again?