When in SG, eat local: Bencoolen, Bugis, & Kopitiam

When in Singapore, it's always best to explore Bencoolen for cool cafes, hawkers at Bugis, and the ever-reliable Kopitiam!!! If given the chance, I would stay at the Bencoolen area next time 'cause it's near artsy places with great architecture, the National Library of Singapore, and various hawker centers. 

In fact, there's a pretty decent hawker center just in front of Bugis market near the Chinese and Hindu temples. I love the fat Indian guy selling the yummiest Milo dinosaurs there. We went to the Bugis market to check out the Sunday crowd and my sister had a blast messing with the pigeons.

However, I opted to take them to Kopitiam near Bras Basah station at Bencoolen so they can have their pick of Singaporean food at an air-conditioned venue. Kopitiam is Singapore's fast food franchise where you can get anything from Hainanese chicken to Milo dinosaurs.

My sister was after one thing: kopi! She just HAD to try the strong coffee with condensed milk. We had a hard time recreating the brew at home and can only resort to Toast Box for our local fix.

After Hainanese and pecking duck, my mom ordered the iced kachang for novelty. She was painstakingly trying out ALL the foodie recommendations that was posted in Five Stones Hostel. I'm happy to see she's not one of those tourists who ignore the local cuisine in favor of convenience and sightseeing. She did not like this, though. It tasted like an overly sweet version of our halo-halo. 

Speaking of sightseeing, we also went to the Night Safari where the giant python snake scared the crap out of my mom during the Creatures of the Night show. The snake-under-your-bench trick totally slipped my mind and we sat right on top of the box holding the snake. It definitely made our trip memorable, if you like shock fests.

Colorful Clarke Quay and the Marina

On my first trip to Singapore, we stayed at the Bugis area where we were within walking distance of Bencoolen and Bugis market. For my second trip there, I decided we should stay in the Clarke Quay area so we're near Chinatown and the Marina Bay Sands loop for easy sightseeing.

I absolutely loved the Five Stones Hostel since it's within walking distance of Clarke Quay, Chinatown, MBS, and a bus ride away from Bencoolen and Orchard. It was my first time to stay at a hostel and our private bunk bed room was clean, well-furnished, roomy, and comfortable. The place is also welcoming and colorful. I could have stayed there all day to watch FRIENDS if I had the chance.

On our last trip, I only got to see Clarke Quay in the twilight and evening. It was particularly nice when we walked here at dusk on the way to Jake's grandparents' anniversary celebration. I realized it was even more beautiful in the morning!

Not to mention the funny bar signs all around!

Hooters! I miss our night out here with my officemates and Jake!

Mango cardigan, Topshop tube, Cotton On polka skirt, H&M gladiators

I especially love this building with the colorful windows. I think this is the office building of their version of Department of Communications and I can just imagine going here for work everyday. Such a whimsical place!

Fort Canning Park is also just around the corner! It's also in front of the reverse bungee jumping site which is closed during mornings.

We also took the MTR to Marina Bay Sands for some sightseeing and to drop off some Dolor's sapin-sapin for my cousin. We got to see the whole complex from the top of Marina Bay Sands with an awesome breathtaking view!

Mom and I went inside the huge flagship store of Louis Vuitton and pretended we're serious shoppers. All I wanted was the mini-carousel key chain.

I was frustrated that we didn't get to catch the Harry Potter exhibit tour at the museum. Talk about wrong timing!!!

Maybe next time?

More Orchard Road shenanigans

Orchard Road will always have a special place in my heart. It's where Jake and I constantly met up last 2011 so we can have quick dates (he was there with family, and I was with officemates) at Ben & Jerry's and Cotton On. Also, for a shopaholic like me, Orchard Road will always be a shopping mecca with all my favorite brands!

316@Somerset has always been my favorite mall. It's where Jake and I initially met up for a quick hi and hello before heading to Clarke Quay on our first time here. Aside from Cotton On, it also has Forever 21, Zara, and Cold Storage where I like to buy giant Hello Panda cans and OWL kopitiam roast instant coffee packs for pasalubongs.

Now, it's even better because H&M has decided to set up shop right beside 313@Somerset! I went crazy inside.

It's best to walk down the whole stretch of Orchard to go mall-hopping. There are nice mini-parks on the side street for cooling down if window-shopping ain't your thang.

I also love Takashimaya mall since it reminds me of Times Square in Hong Kong. My cousin Inah, who has been working at MBS, went with us that day and was a huge help since it rained and she was our expert guide at the underground mall loops and passes. 

She also treated us to this amazing mudpie ice cream cake at Kinokuniya! Heaven on earth, I tell ya.

My sister and I mainly enjoyed Takashimaya since its Kinokuniya bookstore branch was way bigger than the one we visited at the Paragon mall in Bangkok. We also found the elusive original novel of The Phantom of the Opera here! We literally had to drag the heave metal ladder to this corner just so we can get the book before anyone else did (yes, we're THAT obsessed with it).

I also went to Tangs to get Jake's Happy Socks pasalubong. I would totally wear these funky socks if I were into sneakers! There is currently no store in Manila which carries the Happy Socks brand so I was happy to get some for my fashion-conscious boyfriend.

Since it was raining, we didn't get to take a photo of the ION Mall facade. We DID get to enjoy the crazy sale at Rubi Shoes, though! Ah, I wish I lived here if only for the shoes. The Cotton On branches here in Manila only carry a limited style range. Inah even helped mom with her shopping and directed the mudra to her favorite Nine West and Charles & Keith shops.

This really is the place for shopaholics.

When in SG, eat local: 136 Hong Kong St. Fish Head Steamboat

We originally wanted to eat at Maxwell Road hawker center or Makansutra Gluttons Bay on our last evening but it rained all day so we decided to stay close to our place. We had a 5am flight to catch, after all! We chanced upon 136 Hong Kong Street Fish Head Steamboat restaurant while trying to cross towards the food street. We noticed it's jam-packed and had all these magazine reviews out on display. Luckily, there was a free table for our group of 9.

I had no idea we were in for a culinary treat! This place is amazing! I'd go back here over and over again if I could! Ambiance-wise, the place is just a simple, no-frills Chinese restaurant. Their real come-on is their menu.

Because, CREAMY WASABI PRAWNS. Too much for words. 

And crunchy spicy baby squid. We couldn't get enough of these!!!

And the namesake dish, fish head steamboat! It's a cross between sinigang na bangus and paksiw but with less asim. I'm personally not a fan but it's a good experience.

We also ordered the crispy fried garlic chicken which can't go wrong.

And one of my favorites, the sizzling minced pork with bean curd! It was my first time to try this dish and I've been looking for it here in Manila ever since!

My cousin, Inah, also joined us for dinner after a day of shopping at Orchard Road. I was so happy our last meal at Singapore ended on a high note. I can't wait to foodie-trip there again!

P.S. Don't be fooled by the restaurant's name because it's no longer located at Hong Kong Street, you can find it at 291 South Bridge Road right across Chinatown food street and near Maxwell Road hawker center.

Singapura's Chinatown culture and cuisine

We stayed at Clarke Quay during our last trip to Singapore and discovered that Chinatown is just a few minutes away by foot. We happily went there a lot for cheap meals and of course, the "culture". My mom was particularly funny when it came to crossing the wide roads. She's nerbyosa about the countdown signals and seemed to forget we weren't in pasaway Manila anymore.

I think Singapore has one of the prettiest and cleanest Chinatowns around. The one in Bangkok is particularly dirty and I can't even say the same for the ever-so-chaotic Binondo. In Singapore, it's all pastel-colored heritage buildings and temples.

This being Singapore, the Hindus also share the Chinatown with a Hindi temple. As it happens, we were there the week prior to Diwali, or their Festival of Lights. We witnessed a crazy fire-walking ceremony while we were there.

Colorful knick-knacks abound in Chinatown. These chopsticks make for some nice pasalubongs or for someone collecting chopsticks.

Of course, it ain't Chinatown without the food! We ate at Chinatown food street where at night, the whole alley is one big hawker place. There are tables on the street and you can choose from the vendors selling anything from 4-dollar rice meals to the obscenely pricey chili crabs. 

We ordered the fried seafood rice big enough for three people for a mere 8 dollars. I also loved the fried oyster omelette! There's so much to eat and try here!

The place is pretty packed every evening so it's a great hang-out spot where you can eat and buy souvenirs. We also had fun with the street signs. We're so pagoda na at Pagoda St., get it?

Best of all, my mom loved it here so much that we ate at Chinatown again on our last evening and chanced upon a free table at a must-try restaurant. Can't wait to write about it on my next post!

Sunset at Sentosa

Since we were already in the area, we decided to wait for the sunset at Siloso beach. Sentosa has two beaches: Palawan beach and Siloso beach which are accessible via the free tram which picks up visitors from the monorail station. Siloso, for me, has a better view of the sunset and a more peaceful ambiance. Last year, Mitch, Maan, and I chose the more hip-happening Palawan beach to hang out with some cocktails and for a quick dip in the very dirty water. I figured the moms and kids would enjoy Siloso more.

I'm inclined to think that this is just a man-made beach. The shoreline does not look natural and the water is not very "beach-like". In fact, it's downright dirty. The place reminds me of Anawangin cove partly due to the pine trees in the background and the cove-like shape.

We spent the night (it's still sunny there at 6-7 pm) taking photos and making fun of people. See?

With our momma!

On our way back to Clarke Quay via the Vivo City MTR station, I reminded my sister that Vivo City mall has a huge-ass National Geographic flagship store on the ground floor. As predicted, she went crazy inside and bought a mug. Nerd.

Arrrr pirates! The Maritime Experiential Museum at RW Sentosa

We almost skipped out on the Maritime Experiential Museum at Resorts World Singapore after our day at Universal Studios. We only got the entrance tickets for free as part of the package we paid for with the Mastercard promo. Initially, we had planned on going straight to Sentosa to watch the sunset at Siloso beach. However, curiosity got the better of me and we proceeded anyway in an effort to make our trip more "cultured". (And I thought there'd be pirates)

This being Singapore and Resorts World, the new museum is HUGE. There's a moving, talking lion (or whatever it is) head which provides the narration for the shows in one part of the museum. They also have a multi-sensory Typhoon Theatre where you can experience how it feels to be on a ship on the verge of a shipwreck when there's a huge ocean storm. 

Described as an "interactive, multi-sensorial" museum chronicling Asia's rich maritime history, I have to say that the museum is interesting even for the uninterested such as myself. I like to tinker around with stuff in museums and the interactive displays managed to grab my attention.

It also doesn't hurt to have a hot mannequin around to capture the ladies' attention. Haha!

And a cute camel for some camel toe jokes!

Every corner of the museum has an interesting artifact or object you can observe or play with, which makes it less boring than it should be. 

After a half hour of fooling around with the artifacts, we finally legged it to the beach. Sorry culture, I'd rather feel the sand between my toes! If they had real-life pirates, we might have stayed a bit longer!

Second time's a charm at Universal Studios Singapore!

My first time at Universal Studios Singapore last 2011 felt bitin. We only rode a couple of rides because we had too much fun at The Revenge of the Mummy and proceeded to ride it six times in a row just to get a perfect shot from the hidden cameras so we can buy the souvenir afterwards. Before we knew it, it was time to head home. For my second time there last November, I managed to convince everyone to RIDE ALL THE RIDES!

Yes, including my poor mom who failed to disclose the fact that she has vertigo. After riding BOTH Battlestar Galactica's Cylon and Human rollercoasters, the Transformers, and The Mummy, she ended up at the infirmary where the nice Pinay nurse made her rest for two hours before giving her an express pass to all the rides. Talk about lucky!

As for me, it was my first time to ride the Cylon coaster 'cause I was too chicken to try it after riding the Human version last time. The Cylon coaster is the one where your legs are suspended in the air. Let me just say that I am never riding one after the other again for the foreseeable future.

This time also, the Transformers ride is finally open to the public! The hour-long wait was worth it! For a non-fan like me, I enjoyed the exhilarating 3D ride where it felt like you're a robot fighting off the Decepticons. Worth the hype!

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The Revenge of the Mummy also never gets old. Even though I've practically memorized all the turns and freaky surprises, I still get a kick out of riding it.

We also endured the hour-long wait for The Lost World ride. It was definitely NOT worth the wait. I don't understand why people line up for this. It was boring--just a cruise around a river with a supposedly exciting ending which did not amuse me. Other than the fact that I got my clothes wet with all the splashing around, I'm not sorry that I didn't get to ride this last year.

Because I'm a sucker for unicorns and dragons, I dragged my sister to ride the Enchanted Airways kiddie coaster. How can I resist this sign?? Take me to Unicorn Pass, please!!! We still freaked out a little, though. The coaster had sharp and steep turns that we were totally not prepared for.

More than anything, I love theme parks for the magical feeling of having your favorite scenes and characters come alive. My favorite part of the park has always been Far, Far Away with the castle and Fairy Godmother's famous potions shop. Happy place!!!

wearing Topshop scalloped top, vintage trousers, FitFlop

Bernice, my sister, is a sucker for collectible mugs. She bought two here: one Shrek and one Gingy mug to commemorate our visit. I wanted a Gingy doll but was saving my moolah for H&M and Orchard road shenanigans.

Half the fun of walking around Universal is meeting the characters in person and seeing their wacky poses. We met a few including:

Beetlejuice who scared the crap out of me. He was in character the whole time and kept muttering like a crazy person.

Betty Boop! Another favorite! Too bad Cleopatra didn't show up.

And Miz Marilyn Monroe! She instructed us to pose behind her so she can swoop down like this.

My sister also finally got to see her beloved Madagascar penguins in person. 

We didn't get to check out the Sesame Street area since it's closed yet. I wanted to meet Cookie Monster and Elmo. :-(

When walking around the park, it's best to rest and hydrate every once in a while. With Singapore right smack in the equator, the sun gets really nasty. But no, we're not resting here; we just wanted a Gossip Girl on-the-steps-of-the-Met (in this case, the New York public library) shot.

And the very emotera sister feeling like a villain.

After recovering from her rollercoaster-induced vertigo, my chocoholic mom had the best time of her life at.... where else? Hershey's Chocolate World!!! I practically had to drag her out!

I bought our Universal Studios tickets online using my Mastercard which gave us a $10 discount plus free access to the Maritime Experiential Museum. We went there after Universal and also checked out the Sentosa beaches. More on those later!!!