Konnichiwa, Kansai! The first timer’s FAQ to Kyoto

1 Comment

Whether you’re a first timer or a well-seasoned traveller in Japan, Kyoto ranks high among the cities to visit. After all, with a plethora of religious monuments and sites, cultural icons, and endless cuisine, it’s hard to run out of things to do in Japan’s former capital.

I get it – you’ve pinned countless to-do’s on Pinterest, trawled through travel blogs and forums a hundred times and now, after one long ass plane (or train) ride, you’re finally in Kyoto. You wanna do everything! So how can you make the most of your time?

kyoto-kinkakuji

While I don’t claim to know everything about Kyoto, I think the two times I’ve travelled there has given me some insight as to what to do – and what not to do, hence this nifty first-timer’s list (you’re welcome!).

Continue reading →

[Closed] Brothers in Fine Food @ Tampines West CC – Singapore’s Cafe Scene *Finally* Comes to Tampines

Leave a comment

Update June 2020: Brothers in Fine Food has closed.

Y’know, Singapore’s cafe scene has been around for what – three, four years? And it’s only now that it’s come to my home ground, AKA Tampines.

Brothers in Fine Food is the new Halal kid on the block at Tampines West CC – one of the more bustling CCs I’ve seen, judging by the amount of activity and facilities. Knowing that it was opened by the same team behind Penny University, expectations were high when I dropped by.

brothers-in-fine-food-drinks

Continue reading →

CellaRaid – Savour Weekly Vintages from Around the World at Home (Invite)

1 Comment

If there’s one thing about me that’s changed as I’ve gotten older, it’s my newfound love for wine. In these hectic, work-filled days, nothing is better than kicking back with a glass and a juicy novel in hand.

That’s why services like CellaRaid come in handy. After all, why go through the hassle of finding a vintage and bringing it home, when you can have it delivered to your doorstep on-demand?

cellaraid-1

Continue reading →

[CLOSED] Kumoya @ Jalan Klapa – Japanese French Inspired Pâtisserie Turned Cafe with an Expanded Menu (Pending Halal Certification)

Leave a comment

Update 20 Jan 2025: Kumoya has closed.

There’s just something about Japanese French inspired cafes that make me come back for more – the white, minimalist decor, the whimsical Japanese songs playing in the background, and of course, the food. It’s almost like stepping into a quaint, hole-in-the-wall cafe in Japan itself.

Admittedly, I never got around to visiting Karafuru before it closed for a major revamp this year; desserts are not as strong as savouries in enticing me to make the journey over. Maybe that’s why the team discontinued it; it’s near impossible to survive in the competitive F&B scene on specialised desserts alone.

Half a year later, Kumoya has taken its place on Jalan Klapa.

kumoya-singapore

Continue reading →

Hana Restaurant @ Forum The Shopping Mall – Home of the Flying Noodles (Invite)

1 Comment

Unless you’ve been living off the grid (i.e. away from social media), you would probably have seen Hana Restaurant’s famous flying noodles once or twice on your Instagram feed by now. The sister restaurant of the equally talked about Benjamin Browns Bistro & Bakery, also at Forum the Shopping Mall, recently overhauled their menu to beat the ever growing competition in Japanese fusion cuisine.

hana-japanese-restaurant-flying-noodles-2

Continue reading →

Decluttering my Life with Muji

Leave a comment

I spent the past long weekend – not cafe hopping, but de-cluttering and re-organizing the mess that my desk has become over the years.

You see, I’m a firm believer that your environment affects your efficiency. No one likes halting their creative process just to find an errant notebook or make space on their work space among all the clutter .. which was pretty much my situation until I finally decided: enough is enough!

So here’s what I did with my desk, using one of my favourite brands – Muji.

muji

Continue reading →