Tokyo might be my favorite city in the world. It’s got an amazing mix of world class food, an incredible culture, a rich history and well…lots of quirky and cool things to see and do. Of course when you go to Tokyo, you should go to Shibuya and see the famous crossing, have yakitori and a beer on the street, buy electronics in Akihabara, etc… but there might be some items you should consider adding to your list of must-do things when visiting Tokyo.
Last month, I left my hubby (bless him!) with the kids at home in Singapore, and indulged in a little personal R&R at the fabulous Mulia Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali. On top of my list of to-dos were lazing by the pool (très importante!), reading a Larsson novel and getting a Balinese massage at the spa. But being the greedy person that I am, the one single thing I was really looking forward to was pigging out at the various restaurants in the resort. The Cafe, famous for it’s daily international buffets, Edogin for Japanese food, and Soleil, their posh Pan-Asian/ Mediterranean restaurant, have swiftly carved out a name for themselves at the top of the island’s exciting food scene since the resort opened in December 2012. With waiting lists to boot, these are arguably the best places to eat at, in Bali currently.
Since my first child came along almost six years ago, I have never been apart from my family. Holidays were always taken with the kids, and since we don’t have hired help for the rugrats, they are pretty much attached to me at the hip almost every minute of everyday. Until a few weeks ago that is, when I embarked on a solo escapade to Bali, and spent three fabulous nights at the Mulia Resort, in Nusa Dua.
If you are a foodie / epicurean nerd like me, you might think you know it all. But do you? Take this quiz and find out.
If you know all of them already, then congratulations! You are like a foodie encyclopedia. If not perhaps you will acquire some new knowledge that will take you that bit closer to becoming a foodie guru.
Ms Galatée Faivre comes from a family of winemakers and merchants, and grew up among the vineyards in Southern France. She has been a chief wine maker, consultant and wine critics for the past 15 years in France on the most famous French wine regions, and her family has been making or selling wine since the 1830s.
If you love artisanal coffee and are in the Bukit Timah area, do visit Assembly Coffee. Nestled in the leafy grounds of Evans Lodge, the entrance to this delightful brew meister is marked by an artfully designed three-dimensional logo.
As a wife and mother who also runs a business full-time, it’s hard to find time for myself. But when I read about Poh Wenxiang’s copper lamp making workshop, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I love elegant industrial-chic home wares and thought that this cool-looking light would look perfect next to my letterpress printing press — another bit of industrial awesomeness. I especially liked that the lamp uses “Edison bulbs”, i.e. vintage-styled bulbs that you use without any shade or cover. These classes, I read, were being held on Thursday evenings at The U Factory at Gillman Barracks, a cool curated lifestyle space that brings together art, food, design and a bit of retail therapy. I was also pleased that my chubby hubby decided he’d come to the class with me.
Singapore’s hardest working chef, Ryan Clift, has moved his ultra-chic bar-cum-fine-diner into 3 shophouses in the heart of Chinatown. With the move, he has also reprogrammed his offers. While the old space offered 42 seats around a “C” shaped counter, the new Tippling Club has separated the drinking area from the dining. The bar, located at the restaurant’s entrance, seats 32 people while the dining room seats just 22. Gone also is the all-counter seat dining configuration for diners. You now have a choice to sit at proper tables or at one of eight bar seats that face the pass (i.e. the area from which food is inspected before being sent out into the dining room) and the main kitchen.
Truth be told, when entertaining in our home, I usually start with bubbly or wine for our guests. And if the hubby was left to the task, he’d simply crack open some bottles of ice cold beer. The idea of having to shake up an interesting beverage on top of planning, cooking and serving a meal, is a step that I’d gladly skip. However, with the stifling Singapore humidity, red wine is often too heavy. And beer tends to leave me feeling bloated (of course, I’m speaking purely from a lady’s perspective – this doesn’t seem to apply to blokes).
