FMM: Quay Note

I've been to SG many times, but this trip was my first stay in Roberson Quay.

We stayed at Intercontinental Robertson Quay, and it was a quiet and quaint hotel. It's just across the river, so you get very nice views at night. Plus, there's a plethora of food and drink choices, thanks to The Quayside.

While it's off the beaten path, it's still accessible since there are 2 MRT stations near it. There's Clark Quay station which is about a 10 minute walk away, and Fort Caning Station which is relatively nearer. 

The hotel is also near another notable SG place - The Warehouse Hotel. 

Used to go here back in the 2000s where it was still a bar. And while the nature of the business has changed, the structure is still the same.

All this talk of Quays - which, by the way, is pronounced as "keys" - made me think of this David Benoit classic. And that's going to be today's Friday Magic Madness song.

Yes, this Robertson Quay entry is the impetus to "The Key to You." This is a 1988 classic which was such a ubiquitous song in radio stations, particularly City Lites 88.8 and 96.3 WRock.

And that's the quay.

The Sing-ers

This photo popped up on my page, and it instantly made me reminisce our unplanned but well-spent trip to Singapore.

This was one of those trips with the SMC gang that was just random. Someone kicked it off by asking if we wanted to visit the Lion City. Everyone agreed. Et voila! We were there. Amazing!

What's even more amazing is the fact that it's been almost a decade since this trip.

We need to plan a new one. Stat.

Nuts about Singapore

It's been 3 years since my last trip to SG.

Frankly, I'm missing my trips - routine and random - to the city. And I'm hoping I can go back there soon. Very soon.

In the meantime, let me nosh on these.

Nut exactly the same thing, but it'll do.

FMM: Going to Sing

Just because I'm in SG this weekend, let me play this Friday Magic Madness song from the 70s. From the Carpenters, no less.



Just sing, Singapore!

Taking the (cup)cake!

Traveling is about new sights, tastes and experiences. And while I'm in SG for the taste of the familiar, I always try to eat something new.

And today's new eats is this sublime raspberry-lychee cupcake from Prive!

 Sublime. Really, really sublime.

Food flight!

It's still a few hours before my SG flight, and I'm already dreaming of the chwee kueh, prawn mee, ice kachang and Carl's Jr. that I'm going to eat!

This is going to be one filling trip.

Kachangs encounter

Sharing discoveries is one thing I like doing. Whether it's food, a TV show, a shopping haunt - anything good is worth sharing.

During our SG trip 2 weeks ago, I found out that the first timers haven't heard of, or even tried, Ice Kachang. So, during our hawker breakfast, I took the liberty of treating the gang to a bowl of this wonderful concoction.

And here's my short stint as a waiter in SG. Here's one for the girls:

And another for the boys:

Not surprisingly, they loved it!

Another sharing success!

Catching up with Carl

Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to get my hands on Carl's Jr., the opportunity presented itself at the last minute.

I was going to ride the MRT at Dhoby Ghaut station, and remembered that it's connected to Plaza Singapura Mall. And of course, Carl's Jr. had a branch there!

So, I ordered my usual for take-away, and ate it at the hotel while packing my bags.

And with that, my food journey in SG was complete!

Body Buddy

Since more than half of the SMC gang are first timers in SG, I spent most of the day showing them around the must-visit sites. The (good) result, I wasn't really able to shop like I normally do when I'm there.

Surprisingly, we did go to H&M, Uniqlo, Forever 21, and the usual haunts, but I really didn't buy anything. Maybe it's because these brands are also in Manila, so there's really no incentive to bring them home. Not even the sale.

But on our last day, as I passed through Ngee Ann City on my way to the MTR, I found out that there's a Bath and Body Works store in SG!

A Bath and Body Works store!!!

Of course, I had to drop by and spend a few minutes there. It was such a thrill to see my favorite US shop right here in South East Asia!

Now, there's an incentive to go back to shop in SG.

The Long and Short of it

One of the "must-dos" while in SG is enjoying the country's iconic drink - Singapore Sling.

Since we were in the company of first timers, we decided to drop by The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel so they can sample the drink. The Long Bar is the place where this drink was mixed a century ago. Yup, the drink is that old, yet it's still on-trend until now.

Walking into The Long Bar feels like walking into a British Colonial home in the 1900s. The interiors - from the wooden furniture to the ceiling fans - have this genteel, old-world feel to it. As I was telling Kin, it feels like we're plantation owners waiting for the workers to bring in their produce.

Another peculiarity about The Long Bar is how the floor is littered with peanut shells. It's a tradition in the bar, and as the menu says, "it's the only place in Singapore where you're allowed to litter."

After our drinks, a lot of photos and even more stories, we decided to head off to dinner at another SG icon - Lau Pa Sat. And while our stay in the bar was short, the fun of the experience will linger on for a long time.

Eats a good thing

When in SG, one of the best things to do is eat! And that's what I've been doing the whole day. 

Aside from the food that's on my list - ice kachang, prawn mee, kun kaya toast - I also found a couple of good eats that I just had to add to my list.

First up, Caramel Corn!

After seeing this shelf display, I was automatically transported back to Tokyo and remembered how Mark and I would buy this at the Daiso. Needless to say, I had to buy a few packs.

Second, Chwee Kuey!

This was introduced to me last year by Jo and Ka Wei, and we went to the same spot where I first tasted it. According to my foodie insider, the hawker center in Tiong Bahru has the best one, that's why I had to indulge in it.

Tomorrow, I must tick off Carl's Jr. from my list!

FMM: Ready to take Kachangs again...

Today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by this:

Ice Kachang!

It's one of my must-do things while I'm in SG. And a visit here wouldn't be complete without this heavenly dessert.

Now, on to the song!

The goodness will 'Pore

It's been a year since I last went to SG. And thanks to an instant, last minute plan by the SMC gang, I'm on my way back.

This is going to be a good trip.

Boom Boom Teow!

It's been more than a year since I last went to SG. Which means it's been more than a year since I've eaten authentic, hawker-quality Char Kway Teow!

I look forward to having another serving this weekend!

Reaching for the Star!

For this SG trip, I knew that I wouldn't be able to visit my haunts since I'll be with my students 24/7. So, I knew I'd forego going to the bangle place in Little India, the shops in Vivo City and Suntec City, the museums, and even visiting Jo at her home.

There's one place, though, that I knew I had to make time for.

Carl's Jr!

Luckily, I found out that one of my students, Izza, is a Carl's Jr. junkie as well. So, on our last night in SG, we made a pact to find Carl's Jr. 

And we did! 

Now, my trip to SG is complete.

Have class. Will travel.

After a few weeks of pencil pushing, hopping from one travel agency to another in search for the best deals, filling out forms, talking to the school administration, badgering and orienting students, and basically running around like a mad man, the Singapore field trip of my Journalism class finally pushed through!

I'm a big believer of travel as a learning tool. I'm blessed to have parents who taught us the value of traveling. As a kid, my Dad would bring me to his Balikbanda roadshows and we'd travel from one province to another in a matter of days. Even though this happened decades ago, I still remember those night bus trips with the SMC crew, including famous personalities like rock icon Sampaguita and the late funny man Bert "Tawa" Marcelo.

That time, we would be in Baguio in the morning, then Ilocos in the evening, then Laguna the next day. It was a thrilling experience, especially for a kid.

From domestic travel, we moved on to international trips. This ignited my interest in different countries and I vowed to see as much of the world as I could. When I started earning my own money, it was something I pursued with a passion.

Suddenly, I found myself backpacking around Thailand, exploring the nooks and crannies of Barcelona and Prague, walking around rustic towns in Mexico, navigating central and rural Japan, and simply discovering countries and cities that I would read about as a kid.

Travel isn't just a fun pursuit. What's important about traveling is the learnings that you get from it. Aside from learning about different cultures, you also learn to appreciate what you have in your own country, and you learn what can be improved. Traveling gives you a wider world view, and have a benchmark on what's good and what's bad.

It's a learning experience, every step of the way. From the airport to the airplane, to the local transport system, to the destination itself. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you'll be amazed at what you'll learn.

And this is the reason why I insist and take pains in ensuring that my classes go out of campus, out of the city, and even out of the country. Because while it looks like a simple junket, it really is an opportunity for students to learn about their world, their capabilities, and themselves.

Traveling is really one of the best ways to learn.

Speedy Singapore

Our first day in SG was just like a Grand Prix. We spent the day zipping and zooming all over the city and was able to cover a lot of ground for the first few hours. So far we were able to:

- Savor local food at KopiTiam
- Check out Bugis
- Look around Haji Street in Arab Lane
- Visit the Merlion park and Esplanade
- Eat dinner at Lau Pa Sat

Whew! That's 5 touristy things in a matter of hours.

This is going to be a very exhausting weekend.

Mindless entertainment

I'm surprised to see that "Movie 43" is actually going to be shown in Manila. While browsing through the newspaper, I found out that it's opening today.

Despite my packed-to-the-minute-48-hour-schedule in SG a few weeks ago, we were actually able to squeeze in this movie. All I can say is that it's pure, unadulterated, mindless entertainment. And it's one of those films that actually got me laughing and cringing in the theater.

That actually made me feel a bit embarrassed since majority of the people in the theater weren't laughing.

Goes to show how much humor Singaporeans have.

Two bite into it

When Mona found out that I was going to SG, she had a peculiar request. She asked me to buy two-bite brownies, and they were only available at 7-11. Yes, pasalubong shopping at 7-11.

Apparently, two-bite brownies has a cult following. The first thing I thought of after hearing that was: "Why don't I know anything about it?"

After arriving at Joannah's flat, the first thing I asked was if there was a nearby 7-11. She inquired why I wanted to go to 7-11, and I told her about the brownies. It turns out that she also heard about it, and she's seen it a couple of times at 7-11, but never got around to trying it.

Last Sunday, while walking around Orchard Road, I found this:

There were only 4 bags left on the shelf, so I bought them all. Of course, I had to try one.

And yes, they live up to the hype.

I can't wait to take a two-bite of these heavenly brownies again.

Do something new

Since I only had 48-hours in SG, I made sure that all the "old reliables" were accounted for. Thus, my agenda was filled from end to end with things that I've been doing in that country during my past visits.

But just as I was about to go all-old, Jo suggested that I do something new. She asked me to join her and her hubby to watch the Chingay parade. This was the traditional Chinese New Year parade that's a huge, huge event there.

We were all first time Chingay attendees, and we found the whole parade fun. It dragged at some parts, and I was disappointed that the Philippine contingent was the smallest among the ASEAN countries. But on the whole, it was worth the 3 hours of sitting by the bleachers, shaking golden pompoms and whistling our cheeks away.

Yup, the new can be a lot of fun, too.