Weekend post #2

I figured that I should continue the weekend posts in Singapore while I'm still at it. I've decided that I will try to blog about my weekends in Singapore unless of course I'm not in S'pore during said weekend.

I met D for drinks last friday and being fairly amused that despite being a local (or sort of) he had never been to Emerald Hill, I decided to bring him there, or more specifically, No. 5. Most internet research would immediately alert dear reader of the heritage history of Emerald Hill, I will try not to repeat their words.

Emerald Hill is probably the one part of Singapore where we can drink on the roads and possibly outside someone's mainhouse. Three shophouses have been converted into a row of bars each with their own individual character but has been a hit with locals for many years. No.5 was probably one of the first bars that I started to visit regularly in Singapore once I hit the legal drinking age. Most newcomers to Singapore see it now as an expat bar since so many foreigners converge on it during the weekends but I do remember it quite differently.

As a kid, I used to live at clemenceau ave north and before all the back condominiums came up, mom and I would actually walk down to centrepoint (and dear old Robinsons) via emerald hill. It was a good twenty minutes walk and I used to whine about the walk back up the hill, but I remember the houses clearly and the shops around there (eg: the bak kwa stall around the corner has been there for years!)

Back to No.5, it's a very chill out area which plays tunes from the 80s (like clockwork, one can always expect to hear Belinda Carlisle crooning heaven is a place on earth). Their prawn paste chicken wings are legendary as are their 1 for 1 martini offers from 9pm every night. The bonus bit, bowls of peanuts are served to every table and you get to throw the shells on the floor. D had a hell of a time deliberately flinging shells onto the floor.

Emerald Hill has definitely evolved over the years in terms of dynamic and population, but memories remain and lets hope that I never forget.

The weekend

I had a conversation with E recently and shared with her how I had almost given up on blogging about my travels especially since I was not travelling as much as I used to and things were different now that I was working. E surprised me by sharing that she had started keeping a blog of her experiences in Sydney as part of gearing up for their big trip overseas. Her blog is awesome - vibrant and colourful.

Today, on this long weekend in Singapore, I find myself inspired again to blog. To share how I spend my weekends in the country I call home. Perhaps, this is also a timely reminder to myself to not become a nomad!

There is a place in Singapore which I like to visit on the occasional Sunday. It is a cafe called the coffee bean and tea leaf. Heavily franchised - it is not particularly known for the spectacular gourmet coffees that seem to be in the rage nowadays in Singapore - bang on trend Singaporeans searching for the perfect coffee bean, but that is another post for another day.

What I like about this particular cafe is its location. Located in Forum shopping mall, a rather obscure part of Orchard road, the cafe is situation adjacent to the building, facing the main road. On the good sunny days, the outdoor tables are great for people/car watching. I usually walk in before noon, grab one of the lunch sets and armed with my latest novel/journal or sometimes work brief, command a table in the corner where I lose myself for the next three, four hours. Most people go out to be seen, and most cafes expect the customer to order the full menu when they occupy a table for the afternoon - but this place does not and this is what I appreciate about it. So now I've done it, shared my secret reading place in S'pore. I hope that I do not regret this! 

Just to share, this is my current book of the week. It was such a surprising read that I finished it in one afternoon. I felt rather emotional at the end of the book. There is a hint of a happy ending which I totally chose to grab when I closed the book. Makes me want to visit Japan more and more!