Author: Ian Lim

This Is Home Truly – S’porean Millennials On Growing Up In Local Neighbourhoods

We all grew up in Singapore. Right? Most of us. Well, after considering the concentration of Singaporeans to foreigners in the country, SOME of us grew up in Singapore.

But anyway, my point is we all grew up in a neighbourhood and have lots of memories tied to a certain area in Singapore.

Since my colleagues hail from different parts of Singapore, I decided to do a little investigation to find out where they grew up.

Bedok

Melissa

“I grew up in Bedok North, Fengshan. It was the quieter side of Bedok because the people living there were mainly elderly. Time moved slowly in the area, which made it very homely and cosy. This was before the trend of food bloggers hyping food in neighbourhoods.

You know how they have the ice cream uncles who would sell ice cream downstairs? Yeah, mine wasn’t an ice cream uncle. It was the kacang putih man.

I moved to Yew Tee in my early Primary years, but to be honest, Marine Parade was more exciting. Don’t put that in.”

Pasir Ris

Farhanah

“I grew up in Pasir Ris all my life. Though I shifted from Pasir Ris East to Pasir Ris West.

But I remember that the area was like a ghost town, because nothing was really developed yet. And the only mall we had at the time was White Sands Shopping Mall, that’s still around today.

There was also West Plaza and Elias Mall. Every outing with friends was always at Downtown East. This was before Downtown East expanded into e!Avenue today.

My Sports Days were a little more special because ours wasn’t conducted in-school, rather the school put up a huge tent and held Sports Day at Pasir Ris Park.

Also, I think every Pasir Ris kid will remember that we had our very own theme park in our neighbourhood. Yes, Escape Theme Park was ICONIC.

I liked that everyone living in Yishun had each other’s backs. The neighbourhood spirit was palpable. Can feel one. There was this sense of unspoken security in the neighbourhood. So actually no need to build wall because we already feel secure.

Even though Northpoint wasn’t much, it was great because it had Toys ‘R’ Us. For a kid, any place that had a Toys ‘R’ Us was a wonderland.

[caption id="attachment_35288" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Image Credit: SRX Property[/caption]

That’s not all, we were near Tuas, so factory smog and weird smells were common. Not to mention the presence of Tengah Air Base, which ensured that the 2 or 3 months leading up to National Day was filled with daily sonic booms of passing aircrafts.

I’m pretty sure my hearing is damaged thanks to the RSAF. Patriotism, I guess.

But to be honest, I grew to love Jurong West.

I love that the neighbourhood is quiet, even in the day. I love that we don’t have a huge amount of traffic passing through. I love that I don’t have to deal with crowd when I take the MRT, unlike Jurong East.

I guess there are benefits to living in the corner of Singapore after all.

Where did you grow up in Singapore?

Also read Bishan’s Carnival This Weekend Offers Food, FREE Workshops, And Black Panther Screening

(Header Image Source: Melissa Chan)

Bishan’s Carnival This Weekend Offers Food, FREE Workshops, And Black Panther Screening

Bishan is probably one of the best neighbourhoods to live in Singapore. With 2 intersecting MRT lines that lead to town and the ulu West side of Singapore, nowhere is too far when you live in Bishan.

This weekend, Bishan will be having their own festival, complete with food, a retail market, workshops, games, live band performances, and even a movie under the stars!

Here’s what you can expect at the Craving Communities Festival!

Eat, Play, Create

Happening this weekend, 23 to 24 June 2018, the Craving Communities Festival is a short but fun-packed festival for the whole family.

What To Eat

I’m not kidding. I mean, just look at the food that’ll be available at the fair.

Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah is known for their traditional handmade authentic popiah and kueh pie tee.

If you’re not familiar, they’ve been making their famous popiah rolls for over 70 years and no one makes better popiah skin. In recognition of their rich history, they’re even included in the National Heritage Board’s historical food trail!

You might also recognise some of these vendors who were also at Artbox Singapore 2018 as well as Market On Wheels that’s ongoing at Bugis until 8 July!

That’s right, The Swag Social will also be running a booth with Carrot Cubes, serving up cheesy popcorn chicken, fries, Earl Grey Milk Tea, and traditional handmade carrot cakes with a twist!

Fish Sh-nack will also be making an appearance with their very own Crispy Fish Skin snacks in 4 flavours and their Fish Sh-nack Donburi.

If you’re sweating buckets in this heat, cool down with modern “sng baos” (ice slushie packs) from Coldshave! Available in unique flavours such as Avocado, Yuzu Longan, and Watermelon Strawberry!

What To Shop

What’s a festival without a flea market?

Shop for little knick knacks from the Craft Market.

Little locally-inspired and designed bits and bobs from Handy Dandy SG (@handydandysg), handmade bath soaps from Allet Soap (@alletsoap), candles and diffusers from Sally’s Room (@sallysroom), cute art illustrations and postcard from Laugh & Belly (@laughandbelly) and more!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaYst3BnmHw/?taken-by=handydandysg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeKZFQ8g7RT/?taken-by=alletsoap

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcPgUMTBVlC/?taken-by=sallysroom

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj9uv0LnTdu/?taken-by=laughandbelly

Keep your eye out for the amazing pastries from Edith Patisserie (@edithpatisserie)!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj95M2PFz9k/?taken-by=edithpatisserie

What To Do

It’s a COMMUNITY festival; there’s something for everyone in the community.

Try your hands at Tote Bag Block Printing, Terrarium-building, Wood Slice Painting, and Calligraphy at any of the 4 free hands-on workshops!

WAKANDA FOREVER!

Gather the family and head down to the Craving Communities Festival this weekend!

And they say that there’s nothing interesting in Singapore. Pffft.

Craving Communities Festival
Venue: Open Field between Bishan Library and Junction 8
Date: 23 – 24 Jun 2018
Opening Hours: Sat: 11am – 10pm, Sun: 11am – 8pm
Old Chang Kee Set To Unveil 2 New Exclusive Curry Puff Flavours On Curry Day 2018

(Header Image Source:

Old Chang Kee Set To Unveil 2 New Exclusive Curry Puff Flavours On Curry Day 2018

Unless you live under a rock, you’d know about Old Chang Kee, probably the largest supplier of curry puffs to Singaporeans.

Coming up on 27 and 28 July 2018, Old Chang Kee will be at the atrium of Velocity @ Novena Square for Curry Day 2018, as part of the Singapore Food Festival!

Also read S’pore Childhood Icon Mr Kiasu Revives This June With A Limited Edition Box Set And Figurine

(Header Image Source:

S’pore Childhood Icon Mr Kiasu Revives This June With A Limited Edition Box Set And Figurine

Growing up in the 90s, local television was a treasure trove of great programs.

From Under One Roof to Growing Up, our local programs were heartwarming, funny, engaging and relatable.

And none more so, than Mr Kiasu. Local icon, Kiasu King, Singaporean citizen.

Singapore’s True Icon

If you don’t know what kiasu means, you might want to read this article.

Mr Kiasu was a popular icon back in the early 90s.

I remember seeing Chew Chor Meng on TV with his glasses as Mr Kiasu. The character also had merchandise everywhere, including Mr Kiasu toys in a McDonald’s happy meal.

Now, if you were a hardcore Mr Kiasu fan, you probably have a collection of Mr Kiasu comic books.

The good news is, Shogakukan Asia is republishing all 8 original Mr Kiasu comic books, complete with a limited edition box set!

The comic books will be available from 29 June 2018 and can be purchased at all major bookstores as well as ActionCity and TOG (Toy Or Game) outlets.

Each book will cost $10.90.

For the hardcore collectors, perhaps I can interest you in the limited edition Mr Kiasu box set?

It comes with all 8 volumes of the comic books in a serialised box specially designed by the author, Johnny Lau, as well as a 3-inch Mr Kiasu figurine.

(Header Image Source:

‘Mr Men And Little Miss’ Is Coming To Kumoya This July With Nasi Lemak & Other Local Dishes

Singaporeans are gullible consumers. There, I said it.

We’ll patronise anything at least once if it even has a tiny picture or print of a cartoon or character we like.

Which is also why, Kumoya returns once again with another character-themed cafe concept.

In the past, we’ve seen Miffy, Care Bears and Tokidoki-themed character cafes hosted by Kumoya. This time, it’s Mr. Men and Little Miss.

Mr. Men And Little Miss Visit Singapore

Okay, to be fair, I do like the Mr. Men and Little Miss. I grew up reading the tiny square books about them. And Mr. Happy is basically a smiling emoji with hands and legs, in my favourite colour, yellow.

He’s adorable.

While Kumoya has done plenty of character cafes in the past, this one is going to be a little different. The menu is created in collaboration with Little Miss Bento (Shirley Wong) and it will be locally-inspired despite Kumoya primarily being a Japanese-French restaurant.

Here are some of the locally-inspired dishes that will be available at the Kumoya x Mr. Men and Little Miss cafe.

Fried Mantou With House-made Chilli Crab Dip ($11.90)

Mr Bump Knock-Out Nasi Lemak ($23.90)

Butterfly pea flower coconut rice served with tempura sambal prawns, crispy golden fried chicken, potato croquette, ramen egg, keropok, walnuts and anchovies.

Mr Bump Pow-Wow Pandan Sponge Cake ($17.90)

A Pandan sponge cake that looks like Mr Bump, with Gula Melaka frosting, freshly churned Hokkaido soft serve, Nata de coco, kidney beans, sweet corn, cotton candy, and a shot of Gula Melaka on the side for that extra kick.

Milo Oreo Frappe ($14.90)

Chendol Gula Melaka Frappe ($14.90)

This local AF creation is basically a Chendol garnished with pandan leaves and whipped cream.

That’s not all, all beverages are served with a limited edition coaster (6 different designs to collect) and all frappe orders come with a limited edition badge (3 different designs)!

Like the previous character cafes, dining time is limited to 90 minutes and there is a minimum spending of $10 per person.

The Mr. Men and Little Miss character cafe will run from 5 July 2018 to September 2018.

Will you be heading to the Mr. Men And Little Miss character cafe at Kumoya this July?

Kumoya x Mr. Men And Little Miss
Address: Kumoya Cafe, 8 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199320
Website

Also read 9 S’porean Photographers To Follow On IG Who Actually Shoot, Not Steal, Photos

(Header Image Source: Kumoya)

From Merlions To Durians, These Uniquely S’pore Ice Cream Creations Will Make You Melt

Though we live in the tropics, we never cease to complain about how bloody hot the weather is. Recently, temperatures have managed to hit a high of 35 Degrees Celsius and IT IS NOT OKAY.

In response to this ridiculous heat, I’ve taken at least 3 cold showers per day over the weekend, and consumed enough Magnum ice creams to develop lactose intolerance. Okay, I exaggerate but you get my point.

Speaking of ice cream, Esplanade recently saw the opening of a local artisanal ice cream shop.

Introducing, Leeu SG.

You Mean, We Can Eat The Merlion?

With a logo of a lion’s head that looks way better than LiHo’s, this local artisanal ice cream is making waves across the nation for their iconic Merlion ice pop, The Icy Merlion.

The Icy Merlion is Vanilla and Strawberry-flavoured, because red and white are our national colours.

That’s not all, there’s also a durian ice cream, aptly named The “Esplanade” that’s made to look like a durian.

Other items on the menu include soda floats and soft serve ice creams.

Choose from 4 different soda floats, each with their own locally-inspired names.

The lychee-flavoured Sentosa Breeze, The Red Dot with peach soda, The Zouk-Out Cure with yuzu lemon ginger soda, and The Old Timer which is a pandan-infused milk beancurd float.

Their soft serves are made with Blue Majik. No it’s not a drug. Blue Majik is a new superfood that’s a derivative of sea algae spirulina.

Every soft serve is served (no pun intended) in a normal or charcoal Taiyaki (Japanese fish-shaped waffle).

For the month of June, Leeu SG will be selling their local desserts at discounted prices. Get your Merlion Ice Pop at $3.80 (U.P $4.80) and the Esplanade Ice Cream at $8.80 (U.P $11.80).

And lastly, you will be able to buy a unicorn float for $1 with any purchase of a drink.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get myself a Merlion to munch on and get that adorable AF unicorn float. Peace.

Leeu SG
Address: The Esplanade Mall, #02-07, Singapore 039802
Opening Hours: Daily: 11am – 10pm
Contact no.: 9489 7433
Website

Also read If You Can’t Cook, This Fish Stall Will Teach You How To Prep And Serve Seafood Like A Pro

(Header Image Source: Leeu SG)

If You Can’t Cook, This Fish Stall Will Teach You How To Prep And Serve Seafood Like A Pro

One of the things that’s synonymous with the old school lifestyle of elderly Singaporeans is the wet market.

It’s a place that bustles with so much life and a gathering spot for the previous generations, yet millennials and the younger generations fervently avoid it.

As a millennial, I can attest that the smell and wet floors bothers me. I do try to avoid the wet market as much as possible, though sometimes I do join my grandfather on his grocery shopping trips.

Now, enter Dish The Fish.

A Modern Fishmonger

This fishmongering business began as an outlet in West Coast Plaza, equipped with a kitchen and cooking studio for cooking demonstrations and sampling.

Equipped with elegant wood-panelled walls, glass displays (so aunties don’t aggressively poke and pick) and iPads for ordering, Dish The Fish might be a modern fishmonger, but they’re not losing out to their traditional counterparts.

Now they have a 2nd outlet in Beo Crescent Market, that looks more like a traditional wet market stall.

They bring in a wide variety of seafood from various sources, with popular Asian fishes such as Threadfin, Grouper (Garoupa?) and Pomfret and even lesser known fishes such as Tongue Sole, Yellow Ribbonfish and Asian Whiting (better known as Sua Jiam).

If you’re lucky, you might even find seasonal catches such as Salmon, Turbot and the rare Kinki (a type of Japanese rockfish).

On a personal note, the Asian Whiting is SENSATIONAL when lightly battered and deep fried. Moving on!

Don’t forget to check their online store to see what’s on sale, in season or out of stock. You can order the fish online and they’ll deliver it to you!

I am ashamed to say that I cannot cook. If you’re like me, Dish The Fish is a godsend.

The staff are knowledgeable and helpful, and will assist you with making a choice on choosing the “right” fish and how to determine what’s fresh or not.

Basically, they teach you how to be competent with seafood.

That’s not all, they even give tips on how to prepare the fish and the best way to cook the fish of your choice.

Cooking Studio

While this is formally known as a cooking studio, it’s more of a dine-in restaurant situation. What better way to teach you the best method to prepare a certain fish, than to cook, serve and taste it?

The menu isn’t extensive, and it comprises only seafood. They serve prawns, so if you’re allergic, this is your heads up.

Now, the menu is small, with 4 set meals and 4 à la carte dishes available. However, one thing’s for sure, the seafood is FRESH.

For the set meals that are reasonably priced from $10.80 to $12.80, you have a choice of Teochew Style Steamed Whole Snapper, Thai Style Steamed Prawns, or maybe something different with an Aburi Salmon Bowl.

The à la carte menu showcases 2 curry dishes that uses stingray and fish head respectively. The remaining 2 options allow you to fully customise your dish – choose your seafood of choice and cooking style.

Eh, Can Join Member!

That’s right, this fishmonger even has a membership program.

You will get $5 rebate as a welcome bonus when you register as a member at any of their stalls. As a member, every $10 spent will give you $0.10 cash rebate that you can redeem any time AND you’ll also know about exclusive promotions and products first.

It’s time to introduce my parents to this.

Dish The Fish is a great place to start if you’re new in the kitchen and venturing into handling and cooking seafood. With their friendly and knowledgeable staff, it won’t take long before you’re dishing out seafood dishes at home like a seasoned chef!

Dish The Fish
Address: 38A Beo Crescent Market #01-24, Singapore 169982
Opening Hours: Tue, Wed, Sat – Sun: 7am – 12pm
Contact no.: 8742 8957

Address: 154 West Coast Road, West Coast Plaza, #B1-22/23/24, Singapore 127371
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10am – 9pm
Contact no.: 6988 9271
Website

Also read This App Will Be Your Cheat Sheet When Bae Asks You, “Where Should We Go Ah?”

(Header Image Source: UOB and Dish The Fish)

This App Will Be Your Cheatsheet When Bae Asks You, “Where Should We Go Ah?”

Dating is tough these days.

If it’s not a movie date, it’s a dinner and shopping. While there’s nothing wrong with that, sometimes having variety isn’t a bad thing.

After all, variety IS the spice of life. But if you’re fickle or indecisive and cannot seem to make up your mind on what to do, there’s an app to help you with that.

Date Out

While I’m sure that binge-watching seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Netflix is entertaining (it really is. It’s a great series), your partner might not think so.

*cue infomercial music* Getting bored of staying home? Finding it hard to go on interesting dates? Introducing Date Out! This brand new application curates a selection of date activities, unique experiences, and even gift ideas for couples! *cut music*

Okay, you get the point. So, despite my singlehood, I downloaded the app to check it out, FOR JOURNALISM!

The app has 5 different categories of experiences – Workshops, Sports & Adventure, Personalised Gifts, Intimate Gifts, and Flowers.

At the moment, only 3 of the categories are populated with experiences. I mean, the app is very new, so give them some time.

Workshops

You can choose from Unicorn Cake workshops for 2, Terrarium workshops, Leather Crafting, and even Friday Night Themed Cooking workshops for 2!

Sports & Adventure

The Sports & Adventure category currently has Go-Karting activities, Segway guided tours, escape rooms, combat saber experience, and many more!

Personalised Gifts

The Personalised Gifts category offers customised stamps, candles, personalised jewellery and even customised wood watches for couples!

I guess we’ll have to wait for them to find more vendors and update the remaining categories, Intimate Gifts and Flowers.

For those of you wondering what “Intimate Gifts” is going to include, I can only say this, the app asked if I was above the age of 18.

If you purchased a gift or flowers via the app, you will be able to track your orders and see your order history within the app.

The app even tracks your current location and every workshop listed in the app currently, is displayed on the map as a gift box, so you know where to go.

They Didn’t Forget The Singles

Also, while the app is primarily targeted at couples, it can also cater to friends who are looking for unique activities to do in Singapore.

Date Out offers a comprehensive reward system, where regular users can accumulate points and redeem them for tickets or curated events.

Every “experience” you book or gift you buy via the app, will entitle you to 5 Date Out points.

The rewards that are redeemable with Date Out points at the moment include Starbucks vouchers, a pair of Golden Village movie tickets, and Capital Land vouchers.

Date Out can now be downloaded for free on iTunes and Google Play and online at their 15 Things Only S’porean 90s Kids Will Remember From Their School Days

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2 More Shows To Be Added To JJ Lin’s Concert In S’pore This Aug

As we all know by now, JJ Lin will be performing in Singapore this August for 2 nights – 18 and 19 August 2018.

General ticket sales have already gone live and tickets have sold out almost immediately.

While there are no more tickets available at the moment, Unusual Entertainment has just announced that they will be adding 2 more shows to the JJ Lin ‘Sanctuary’ World Tour on 15 and 16 August 2018 as well!

https://www.facebook.com/UnusualEntertainment/posts/10160522381665716

JJ Lin ‘Sanctuary’ World Tour tickets go from $148 to $348. If you got your tickets the first time round, lucky you!

For those of you who didn’t, do keep checking back for more details on when the ticket sales for the additional shows will go live!

JJ Lin ‘Sanctuary’ World Tour
Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium
Date: 15 – 19 Aug 2018
Price: $148 – $348
Website

Also read It’s Official: JJ Lin Will Be Performing In S’pore As Part Of His ‘Sanctuary’ World Tour

(Header Image Source: Asian TV Awards)

Try 26 Hawker Dishes For $1 Each At This Carnival In Yishun Park Hawker Centre

For the longest time, Singaporeans have complained about the increasing prices of food and housing.

But for a day in the month of June, Yishun Park Hawker Centre is taking things back to the old days, when food was still cheap, and a crisp $10 note made you seem like a rich man.

What I’m saying is, on 23 June 2018, Yishun Park Hawker Centre will be having a $1 Carnival – Reunion @ YPHC to commemorate and celebrate both traditional and new hawker food.

Old And New Hawker Fare

For ONE DAY ONLY, 26 stallholders in Yishun Park Hawker Centre will be showcasing food from its traditional and young hawkers and you get to try the signature dishes from the participating stalls, for just ONE DOLLAR.

Happening from 11am to 5pm on 23 June 2018, you get to dig into signature hawker dishes such as thosai, prata with curry and prawn noodles. Look out for JJ’s Prawn Noodles, which are known for their rich and complex broth.

Other dishes to look out for include the handmade fishballs from Fishball Story and the smooth Chicken Porridge from Li Fang Congee.

While the traditional hawkers have stood the test of time and are exceptional at what they serve, the new hawkers (we call them hawkerpreneurs) hold their own too, serving up some pretty impressive dishes.

Once again, Ah Tan Wings leads the charge with his Har Cheong Gai (Prawn Paste Chicken).

Ah Lock Tofu serves up fluffy taupok skewers and Nasi Lemak Taliwang brings their addictive spicy Sino-Indo Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang to the table.

Haven’t seen anything you like yet? How about the Lala White Beehoon from XLX Modern Tze Char that boasts some intense umami flavours?

Seafood Pirates serves up a mean Prawn Omelette Rice and Midas Every Touch Is Gold spoils the market with a Midas Signature which includes baked prata, curry and roasted chicken.

Now that’s really making the most out of a dollar.

Flea Market

Of course, no carnival is complete without a flea market and carnival games!

There will also be a flea market for the adults, carnival games stations for the kids and the young at heart, a colouring contest, as well as an instant photobooth to capture the moment!

While the $1 Carnival runs from 11am to 5pm, the flea market will close later at 8pm.

Return Your Trays And Stand To Win Store Credits

Yishun Park Hawker Centre encourages diners to return their own tray after eating and every tray returned is a chance to win in the Tray Return Lucky Draw.

There will be a total of $1000 worth of store credits to be won in the Tray Return Lucky Draw.

For those of you living in Sembawang and Khatib, there will be complimentary shuttle bus services available to take you to Yishun Park Hawker Centre.

From 10.45am to 3pm, there will be pick-ups and drop-offs at Sembawang, Khatib and Yishun MRT station.

Are you ready for a sensational Saturday feast for $1?

Don’t forget to bring your friends and family so you get to try as many dishes as possible!

$1 Carnival – Reunion @ YPHC
Venue: Yishun Park Hawker Centre, 51 Yishun Avenue 11, Singapore 768867
Date: 23 Jun 2018
Time: 11am – 5pm (flea market closes at 8pm)
Website

Also read The Kevin Hart Irresponsible Tour Makes Its Final Stop In S’pore This Dec

(Header Image Source: Yishun Park Hawker Centre)