Author: misschryss

Ejo #40 – My Interview With “7 Seconds Of Sound” Blogger, Music Lover (And Friend) Svetlana

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For this month’s ejo, I’ve decided to go a bit rogue and interview a friend of mine who has recently started a music blog back home in Melbourne. Why don’t you make yourself a nice cuppa, and join us for a chat?

 

This is how our interview would have looked if we didn't live 11,659km apart.

This is how our interview would have looked if we didn’t live 11,659km apart.

 

Svet, you’ve recently started a blog called “7 Seconds Of Sound” which I really love. Can you tell me a bit about what it is and what made you decide to start writing it?
 

Sure. It’s a music blog where I highlight recent releases that I like. I don’t stick to any particular genre and there’s a bit of everything in there like low-fi, Electronica, surf, rock, psychedelic and folk. I try to stick to things that are released that week but sometimes things that are a bit older sneak in if they are too good to resist.

 

The blog came about when one night I was sitting on the couch with my husband and, as usual, I was blabbering on about some new band that I’d found and he turned around and said that I should write a music blog. Basically it was a bit of a “shut up and tell someone who cares” statement but I decided to take him literally and set the blog up the next week. I think the whole thing has backfired on him though as now I talk about music plus the blog. Double whammy.

 

Poor Andrew! But really, he brought it on himself, I have no sympathy. Have you always been interested in music or is this a recent obsession?
 

I’ve always had an interest in music. It was quite a large part of my life growing up. I played the piano and sang and also learnt the drums. I quit the drums after dad quite seriously threatened to leave home if I bought a drum kit which was my next step.

 

Also, like every kid in the 80’s I obsessively taped songs off American Top 40 and got pretty angry with presenters when they talked over the music.

 

I think my obsession has escalated a little over the last few years but I blame the technology that’s emerged over that time, and sites like rdio and Spotify. They make music-obsessed people like me even more crazy as songs are available at your fingertips as soon as they are released. It’s basically like having an open bar for alcoholics.

 

I know how much time an interest in music can take up. You’re a Mum of two lovely young kids. How do you make time for your passion? Are the kids going hungry??
 

Yeap, there’ve been a few times when they’ve had cereal for dinner, but they seem pretty happy with it. They’ve actually been very supportive and if they hear something they like on the radio they tell me to Shazam it and put it on my blog which is funny coming from a four and six year old. I actually think it’s important for kids to see their parents have a passion and be able to view them as people, and not just parents.

 

So earlier you were talking about making mix tapes from the radio. Back in those days I also remember hanging out to buy my favourite bands’ new album, which I would then play on repeat for six months non-stop. These days, with the advent of electronic forms of music (i.e. mp3, iTunes etc.) it isn’t really about the record or the CD anymore. As a result music is more instantly accesible and, in my opinion, a little more disposable. What do you think about this evolution in the way music is made available to the consumer? When you find a great new tune, do you tend to listen to the entire album, or are you only interested in singles?

 

I use rdio a lot and often listen to a whole album rather than just one song but I am happy to stop a song and skip to the next one if I’m not into it. It’s kind of my blog tagline actually. With the sheer number of songs we have at our fingertips we probably are more dismissive and maybe miss out on some great tracks that take time to love. I think the flipside is that there are so many smaller bands that get more of a chance to be heard these days. In fact the last three albums I’ve listened to in full and absolutely loved have been bands that I hadn’t even heard of until I saw their albums on rdio. I don’t think that I would have picked up their album in a store let alone paid $30 as I didn’t know their stuff.

 

My concern though is that we really don’t know how much artists get from things like rdio, Spotify and iTunes. It seems to be a black hole and depends on the contract negotiated between the record company and streaming providers. That’s probably always been an issue though as the record company would get a large cut of the profits no matter what the distribution method was. At least the streaming services and online music retailers may make it easier for artists to release independently and get more of a profit.

 

So, you obviously listen to a lot of tunes (and very cool, awesome people must also send you stuff to listen to). How do you pick what you post on the blog? What criteria do you need to tick before you choose a track?
 

The track has to grab hold of me right from the start and make me want to replay it over and over again. The genre doesn’t really matter but certain styles may fit my mood more than others on a particular day. I try to stick to bands that aren’t massive as I like introducing people to things they may not have heard before and giving smaller bands a go. The music I put up is still pretty accessible though. It’s not über underground. If it’s an Australian band then that gets an extra tick. We have so many great acts in Australia so I’m always happy when I can highlight one.

 

I remember we occasionally used to go to pubs and festivals to check out our favourite performers. Do you often get a chance to go and see live music these days? If so, who have you seen lately?
 

That’s one thing I really miss. I definitely don’t go to as many gigs anymore because late nights and small kids that wake up at 6am don’t really mix.

 

I’ve seen 3 gigs in the last 2 months which is probably a record for me. I saw Weezer in January. They played the full Blue Album from start to finish which was unreal. I went to see the lead singer of Bored Nothing play solo at a cafe during the day. I had a chat to him and he gave me a record which was fun. Bored Nothing is one of my favourite bands at the moment so I was pretty thrilled to meet him. The next day I went to see Livingstone Daisies play Teenage Fanclub’s Bandwagonesque album as part of a series presented by Rockwiz where artists cover classic albums.

 

I’m planning to see Them Swoops and Bored Nothing at The Esplanade in a couple of weeks but it’s going to finish pretty late. I’m quite worried that I will accidentally fall asleep on the Espy floor which is pretty gross and sticky from all the beer/vomit.

 

I remember once falling asleep on the toilet at The Corner hotel. Not my finest hour. So, now that you and the lead singer of Bored Nothing are friends, does it give you an inside pass? Be honest, did you actually start the blog so that you could befriend bands and get to hang out with them backstage?? Is it working yet??
 

Ha. I’m just a fan not a friend. I don’t think I’m up to the inside pass phase yet. I don’t have the stamina to take advantage of any perks of being a friend to a band unless it’s The Wiggles as all their gigs are at the respectable hour of 1pm. I definitely am up for letting bands know that I like their stuff though. I think on the whole they are pretty nice to people who send them positive emails/messages on Facebook or blog about them as it’s nice to be appreciated, and free publicity is always good.

 

So tell me who your target audience is for this blog. Who are you recommending songs to?

 

Heaps of people I speak to really love music but keep playing the same old stuff over and over again. They say it’s because there is a lot of crappy new stuff and it takes too much effort to find songs and bands they like so they give up. I suppose this blog is for those people so they can find good new songs to play over and over again. In a broader sense, it’s for anyone who likes what is generally classed indie or alternative music, which is a just an umbrella term for stuff that’s not mainstream.

 

I have to admit I have two iPods – one with the same old stuff I’ve listened to since I was in my early twenties, and the other with a whole bunch of new stuff . It definitely does take effort to discover new bands and new tunes, but that’s why I think your blog is so perfect. You’re doing all the work for us!! So thanks for that. Do you ever wish you’d continued with music and been in your own band? If I recall correctly you have a pretty good singing voice.
 

I think my voice suits jazz and blues music but not indie music so I don’t think I could really be in the types of bands I’m into. I’m ok with that as I think a musicians life is pretty hard. I’m happy to just belt out a tune in the shower every so often and pretend I’m a rock star.

 

Just for fun, if you were the lead singer in a band tell me what you’d call yourselves. I’ve thought about this long and hard (about fifteen minutes) and my band would be called Twin Phagia. Do you like it? Would you come and see us play?

 

You obviously like food and play too much scrabble. I think I’d be too scared to go see your band as it sounds a bit too hard core heavy metal. Maybe put the word butterfly in there to soften up. My band name would definitely have to have the word “head” in it, as it has seemed to do well for Radiohead and The Lemonheads. Maybe the Cushionheads as I’m staring at a cushion right now.

 

The Cushionheads really works! I’d come see you play. Based on your advice (though still going with the food concept) I’ve changed the name of my band to Buttertwin. I think it’s quite awesome. So, what are your hopes for 7 Seconds Of Sound? Do you see yourself still doing it in 12 months? Five years? Until you get bored??
 

Oooh I really like Buttertwin. Sounds a bit raunchy. I would definitely go see you guys!

 

At this stage I can see myself doing the blog for the next 12 months and hopefully much longer. I think I’ll keep doing it until it becomes more of a chore than fun or until I start being really out of touch and blogging about the merits of country and western music, not that there’s anything wrong with it.

 

To conclude, I’m just going to bring up that we’ve known each other a REALLY long time – 18 years this year. In fact, I remember the first day we met. Do you? No pressure! What was I wearing??
 

Wow has it really been that long? Now I feel ancient. As I recall you were wearing nothing but Chanel No 5. Oooh, that sounds a bit gross. We are close, but not that close!

 

Well, I may not remember what you were wearing then but you were wearing some lovely black pants and a black top when you fell on your back and put your foot through the front door of our share-house while rollerblading down the corridor wearing my newly purchased rollerblades. Oh good times!

 

I don’t think we need to talk about that. Or that when I regained consciousness you had fallen down next to me because you were laughing so hard (a recurring theme over the last 18 years, I might add).
 

Quite seriously though, I’d never met anyone like you before and you actually made a really big impact on me. You were, and still are, a very special person – and everyone who knows you would agree with me. To be honest, I fell a little bit in love with you that day in 1995. Over the years our relationship has evolved, and we’ve been in and out of each other’s lives, but I’m happy to say that with your new blog and our shared interest in music, I’ve developed a girl crush on you all over again. I continue to be impressed, surprised and inspired by your curiosity and your passion.

 

I want to thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions and do all the work for me on this month’s ejo. I hope you achieve the success, recognition and Access All Areas passes that you so rightly deserve.

 

For the rest of you (in a spot of shameless self-promotion on my behalf) why don’t you head on over to 7 Seconds Of Sound right now and read MY contribution to Svet’s blog as guest song selector. I had SUCH a great time choosing a track and will keep my fingers crossed that Svet will ask me to do it again.

 

7 Seconds Of Sound

7 Seconds Of Sound

Ejo #39 – How We Discovered Special Accommodation In Tagamanent, Spain (El Folló) and Terre Rouge, Rodrigues (Domaine de la Paix)

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Those of you who know me well know that I don’t like to stay in hotels when we travel. I couldn’t think of anything worse than being in some amazing city in the world (Prague, Amsterdam, Singapore, Sydney, Los Angeles, Paris) and staying in a room which tells me nothing of that city. Yes, the five star experience has its place, offering comfort, familiarity and certain expected amenities. But frankly, I’d rather miss out on all of those things in favour of a room with character, personality and charm. A place that smells, looks and feels unique to that town, city or country. And you really can’t get that in a Hilton.

 

For the last couple of years David and I have been using the services of a great website called http://www.airbnb.com – a clever concept in which you can rent a couch, a room or an entire house in the city you wish to visit. We’ve stayed in some awesome places in San Francisco, Amsterdam, New York City, Barcelona, Munich, Berlin and Madrid. And I’m sure we’ll stay in some more in the future.

 

But you know what I’ve found? I’ve found that the quality and variety of apartments is only really great in the big cities. As soon as you start looking further afield, the number (and desirability) of the available apartments tends to plummet. I’ve spent hours scouring Airbnb for apartments in Ibiza, Kalkan, Palm Springs, Poros, Napa Valley, Asolo (and many more) to no avail.

 

So, if you are visiting these smaller destinations and you can’t find an apartment to rent, and you wouldn’t be seen dead in a Mövenpick, what options are available to you?? I’m happy that you asked. We have, in our travels, occasionally stayed at bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, small hotels and inns. Naturally the quality varies (somewhere between horrible and sublime). After all, you are staying in close quarters with people that you have never met before and who may be boring, stupid, smelly or just plain annoying. And, who knows, they might think the same of you. It’s a crap shoot – which is why I spend so much time researching. I want to lower the odds in our favour.

 

In the last two months we’ve hit the jackpot and have stayed at two very special houses. El Folló in Tagamanent, Spain and Domaine de la Paix in Terre Rouge, Rodrigues. They are both very different, but have a lot in common. They are both small. El Folló has seven rooms and Domaine de la Paix has only five. They are both run by interesting couples. El Folló by Mercé and Jaume, and Domaine de la Paix by Claudine and Pascal. They are both in isolated regions. You would never “accidentally” happen upon either of these places – you have to really want to go there, and even then you still might get lost. They both bake their own bread every day. And they both serve amazing home-cooked meals every night. And, of course, for me that is the clincher.

 

I have written reviews of both of them on Tripadvisor (El Folló and Domaine de la Paix). I don’t usually write reviews of places that are already wildly popular and well-known. They don’t need my help. I tend to only write reviews of the small slices of paradise that we’ve lucked upon. The reason being that they do need my help. If someone reads my glowing review and decides to stay, then, well, it’s good for business. It’s the least I can do in return for great memories. In fact, El Folló wasn’t even registered on Tripadvisor before we stayed there. As a favour to Mercé, I contacted them and requested that they add the guesthouse as a “Specialty Lodging”. Which they did.

 

So, let me tell you about it. We arrived at El Folló on an evening during which they happened to be serving an amazing banquet. Aren’t we lucky! We stuffed our faces with leg of venison served with fig and red onion compote, octopus stew, organic roast chicken and rabbit, baked monkfish, two types of regional soup (one pasta consommé style and a thicker leek-like creamy style with mussels and romesco), salads, roast potatoes and a brown rice pilaf. After this savoury cornucopia we were offered six different types of dessert (including semolina pudding, quince custard tart, banana cake, berry muffins and chocolate cake). Later on we waddled upstairs and slept very well indeed. The next night was a slightly more subdued affair, though we ate just as heartily. We also managed to score a free cooking lesson from Mercé (she normally charges for her talents), helping her with the calçots. Check out the photos.

 

Beautiful old farmhouse in the hills just outside of Barcelona.

Beautiful old farmhouse in the hills just outside of Barcelona.

 

Mercè taught me how to peel and cook artichokes.

Mercè taught me how to peel and cook artichokes.

 

Cooking calçots on the open fire. Calçots are a mild green onion grown in Catalonia, Spain.

Cooking calçots on the open fire. Calçots are a mild green onion grown in Catalonia, Spain.

 

After the calçots are cooked they are wrapped in newspaper to "sweat" for a bit. Note the heavy duty gloves that Jaume is wearing. These babies are HOT!

After the calçots are cooked the are wrapped in newspaper to “sweat” for a bit. Note the heavy duty gloves. These babies are HOT!

 

So, you pull out the tender, cooked centre of the calçot from the charred, dirty casing, dip it in Romesco sauce and buen provecho!!

So, you pull out the tender, cooked centre of the calçot from the charred, burnt skin, dip it in Romesco sauce and buen provecho!!

 

Not the fanciest sitting room in the world - but it could possibly have been one of the cosiest on a chilly winter's day.

Not the fanciest sitting room in the world – but it could possibly have been one of the cosiest on this chilly winter’s day.

 

A bedroom at El Folló. Cosy, rustic and very comfortable.

A bedroom at El Folló. Cosy, rustic and very comfortable.

 

At Domaine de la Paix, there were no cooking lessons. But there were pre-dinner drinks mixed by Pascal, who easily makes the best ti-punch on the whole island. We weren’t required to have dinner at the house every night – we just wanted to. The food was so amazing that we spent five out of five nights there. Sure we could have gone into town for dinner every evening, but when the cooking is that good at home, you’d be an idiot to go anywhere else. Plus, it meant we could drink as much of their wine as we liked without having to worry about drinking and driving. We’re smart like that. So, to serve as an explanation as to how we each gained 3kgs in 5 days, not only did we enjoy Pascal’s home-made bread, brioche, yoghurt and chocolate crème for breakfast every morning (accompanied by Claudine’s delicious jams and marmalades – my favourite being ginger and melon, truly divine). But every night we ate at least three spectacular courses, washed down with free-flowing French and Chilean wines and finishing off with Claudine’s variously flavoured infused rums to help with our digestion. Whoa Mama! All for the ridiculous price of €25 a head. We almost felt like we were stealing from them. On our last night, we were actually treated to a dinner of three lobster courses, out-of-this-world chocolate cake and fresh papaya. C’est très très bon! J’insiste! (We even got a few French lessons each evening, don’t you know!) Have a look.

 

Classic french table settings for our lobster banquet. We ate outside on one of the few nights in wasn't raining. It was just lovely.

Classic french table settings for our lobster banquet. We ate outside on one of the few nights in wasn’t raining. It was just lovely.

 

The lobster!!!

The lobster!!!

 

The incredibly rich, gooey, intense chocolate mud cake. It was literally oozing on the plate. YUM!

The incredibly rich, gooey, intense chocolate mud cake. It was literally oozing on the plate. YUM!

 

And after we'd already eaten four courses (three lobster dishes and the mud cake) I honestly couldn't even finish this lovely, fresh, light fresh papaya in syrup dessert. I just couldn't. Shame on me!

And after we’d already eaten four courses I honestly couldn’t even finish this lovely, fresh, light fresh papaya in syrup dessert. I just couldn’t. Shame on me!

 

The wonderful magnesium pool. As I'd sustained a pretty bad sunburn in Mauritius the week before we only went swimming when it was raining (sunsmart, you see)!! I'm pretty sure everyone thought we were mad. The magnesium made our skin soft and velvety - and actually helped with the sunburn too!

The wonderful magnesium pool. As I’d sustained a pretty bad sunburn in Mauritius the week before we only went swimming when it was raining (sunsmart, you see)!! I’m pretty sure everyone thought we were mad. The magnesium made our skin soft and velvety – and actually helped with the sunburn too!

 

As a little side note, on our last day on the island we had a drink at a place called Le Marlin Bleu, run by one of Pascal’s friends, an awesome guy called Méga. He was warm, funny, entertaining and not too shabby in the looks department either. When my Birkenstock broke he took it, disappeared for five minutes and then returned it to me, patched up with a shiny brass screw. This gesture just blew my mind and warmed my frozen black heart to its very cockles. It encapsulated the hospitality, generosity, warmth and kindess that we experienced on Rodrigues.

 

Méga, the owner of Le Marlin Blue cafe on the beach fixed my shoe. It warmed my frozen black heart to its very cockles.

Méga fixed my shoe.

 

So, spending hours trawling the internet hoping to come across one of these gems is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea (though man, I would do it all day long if I could figure out a way to get paid for it). But that’s why I’m writing this ejo for you, so that you don’t have to. If you happen to ever find yourself in Tagamanent (a 40 minute drive from Barcelona) or in Rodrigues (a 90 minute flight from Mauritius) then do yourself a favour and seek these guesthouses out.

 

You can thank me later.

Ejo #38 – The Weird And Wonderful Food Of Singapore (Including Hawker Markets And A Michelin Worthy Restaurant)

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Last year, David and I went to Singapore twice. The first time because it was the only way we could get to Vietnam (where we had our amazing motorcycle adventure). The second time was because we loved the food so much the first time that we had to come back and eat it properly.

 

For those of you who have been to Singapore, you know what I mean. It is a food lover’s paradise, proferring cuisine ranging from a tasty stick of satay on the street to the highest level of fine dining found anywhere in the world. And, as you know, David and I like to eat. But the main reason we returned to Singapore was the street food. The city has several hawker centres around town serving up the tastiest morsels you could imagine. BUT, if you don’t have a lot of experience (or an insider to help you – and we had neither) it can be a little hit and miss. This time, we did a little research, and had a strategy. A plan of attack.

 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention – last year we also bought a camera (nothing fancy, just a Canon EOS 1100D). So now we like to eat AND take pictures.

 

Ask any taxi driver in Singapore where the “best” hawker market is and you will get a different answer every time (trust me, we asked). Most prefer not to give recommendations, citing “personal preferences” that may vary from our non-Chinese palates. Fair enough too. I doubt I’d enjoy the pig’s lung if it was recommended, even though apparently, it’s quite delicious (and I would probably actually try it). But if you dig a little deeper, the general consensus (and the hawker centre that ultimately won my heart – and stomach) was Old Airport Road Food Centre. At the end of our trip, when I got a shiatsu massage at Changi Airport (LOVE Changi Airport), the old Chinese masseuse asked me where we’d had our favourite street food. When I told him Old Airport Road he clucked approvingly and said, “Ah, you serious about food!” You bet I am.

 

But, to get to that conclusion, we systematically trialled the food at about eight different food markets. In five days. Here are photos of some of the highlights. Day 1 we got into town late (around 9pm). We planned to go to Newton Circus Market but when we got there it was closed for annual maintenance!!! Damn! So we asked the taxi driver where else we should go and he recommended Lau Pa Sat, famous for its satay grillers. We’d been to Lau Pa Sat with friends only a few days before so we decided to go again.

 

Peking Duck flirting with us to eat it.

Peking Duck flirting with us to eat it.

 

All hawker food MUST be washed down with Tiger beer. Jugs of it will be brought to your table by waitresses wearing tiny skirts (sometimes the waitresses are over fifty years of age).

All hawker food MUST be washed down with Tiger beer. Jugs of it will be brought to your table by waitresses wearing tiny skirts (sometimes the waitresses are over fifty years of age).

 

An entire street is closed off at night and lined with vendors grilling different types of satay. They all vie for your patronage - we just walked up and down until we saw the tastiest satay and bought a dozen.

An entire street is closed off at night and lined with vendors grilling different types of satay. They all vie for your patronage – we just walked up and down until we saw the tastiest satay and bought a dozen.

 

Unfortunately for us, we were also tempted by a stall slightly set apart from the market selling naan and curry. I say unfortunately because I believe that this is what gave us a stomach bug. And by us, I really mean me. Usually it’s David that suffers gastrointestinally on vacation and I can rely on my Guts of Steel to get me through any food contamination. Not this time. The remainder of the trip was beset with lots of toilet breaks and stomach cramping. Did I let it get in the way of our culinary adventure. No way man! I soldiered on and ate everything on the agenda. Foolhardy? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely!

 

Next day (Day 2) we revisited an old favourite, The Banana Leaf Apolo. This restaurant has been serving an old Indian speciality, fish head curry, in Singapore for the last 39 years. Fish head curry, you say! Yes, it really is DELICIOUS! All the tender bits of the fish are in the face anyway, everyone knows that. And the curry is rather mild and fragrant, dotted with okra and other vegetables. When you order it, a man comes around and dishes out some rice and pickled salads onto a banana leaf (rather than a plate – and hence the name). And then comes the pièce de résistance – the fish head!!! It really is a lot better than it sounds and I’d recommend it to anyone. And yes, it’s so good that I ate it with a bad belly and just didn’t care what the consequences would be.

 

Yummy butter naan to soak up the fish head juices.

Yummy butter naan to soak up the fish head juices.

 

Behold - fish head curry.

Behold – fish head curry.

 

That night was a lay-low kind of night. Maybe it was the fish head curry, maybe we just needed a rest. Let’s not dwell on it.

 

Day 3 was a big day. We had a fancy dinner lined up at Waku Ghin that night so we wanted to take it a little easy on our stomachs during the day. It’s difficult to fully enjoy an expensive, eleven course meal when your belly is full of other yummy delights. So we woke up early and headed off to Sin Ming Roti Prata (another revisit). We chowed down on a couple of these unbelievably good roti prata’s each, making sure to dunk them sufficiently equally into the fish curry and chicken curry on offer. (Yes, I was still almost doubled over with stomach cramps but this stuff is most definitely worth the pain). If I had to call it, I’d say this was hands down the tastiest dish in all of Singapore. Simple, yet perfect. All hand-made at the store, all fresh. Must try!

 

The most amazingly light, fluffy, crispy yet chewy, incredibly cheap, unbelievably good roti prata EVER!!!

The most amazingly light, fluffy, crispy yet chewy, incredibly cheap, unbelievably good roti prata EVER!!!

 

Day 4 was Geylang Claypot Rice day! We had been here with our friends earlier in the year as part of our Anthony Bourdain tour of Singapore and loved it. So we came back. It was just as good. They make the claypot fresh so it can take up to an hour. No worries, we spent the time reading our books, watching the cars drive past and drinking (you guessed it) Tiger beer! Also: sweating. It was HOT! But that’s part of the fun.

 

This lady was chopping up Chinese sausage for their claypots for the entire time we were there - about two hours.

This lady was chopping up Chinese sausage for their claypots the entire time we were there – about two hours.

 

So good. Rice mixed with Chinese sausage, chicken, pork, salted fish, duck liver sausage and vegies. It's all mixed in with top quality soy sauce and wolfed down in about a quarter of the time it takes to make it. DELICIOUS!

So good. Rice mixed with Chinese sausage, chicken, pork, salted fish, duck liver sausage and vegies. It’s all mixed in with top quality soy sauce and wolfed down in about a quarter of the time it takes to make it. DELICIOUS!

 

Later on that night we went and had a few drinks on Ann Siang Road – a very cool district full of great restaurants and bars. Later we headed out to a couple of Chinatown markets (Maxwell Road and Smith Street) but unfortunately our research let us down a little as most of the stalls we wanted to try were closed. We did still manage to get some good eats though.

 

Rojak is a combo of fruit and vegies stir fried together (pineapples, mango, banana, cucumber, turnip, potato etc) and tossed in a sweet, tangy sauce made from lime, sugar and fermented shrimp paste. Sounds disgusting. Isn't. Not my fave, but still interesting.

Rojak is a combo of fruit and vegies stir fried together (pineapples, mango, banana, cucumber, turnip, potato etc) and tossed in a sweet, tangy sauce made from lime, sugar and fermented shrimp paste. Sounds disgusting, but I promise it’s not. It’s not my fave, but still interesting.

 

Carrot cake isn't. It's actually radish omelette. Whatever, it's bloody delicious.

Carrot cake isn’t. It’s actually radish omelette. Whatever, it’s bloody delicious.

 

Day 5 is my best (and worst) day. Best because we visited Old Airport Road Food Centre and all the stalls we’d come to see were open. Worst? Well, you’ll find out later. But that was for dinner. For lunch we actually went to a different part of town for our third attempt at Kway Guan Huat popiah. Popiah, for the unititiated, is a rolled up skin (hand-made from ground rice) filled with all sorts of different things like lettuce, carrots, fried shallots, shredded omelette, shrimp and ground peanuts for crunch. We had heard of this place the last time we were in Singapore and made the trek across town to find it. Alas the lady said they were closed as it was Chinese New Year at the time. This time we tried again only to find it not serving to the public on that day!!! WHAT? So, the third time we made the journey we were thrilled to find it open. Alas, nothing can withstand the punishment of such high expectation, and while the popiah was of very good quality – it didn’t really seem worth all of that trouble (and probably close to SGD100 in taxi fares).

 

Popiah!

Popiah!

 

Old Airport Road on the other hand DID meet (and exceed) expectations. Here is where we had the best food, best atmosphere, best beer (it was still Tiger, but it just seemed better so we had lots and lots of it). Here are some of the dishes we had.

 

A new dish and a new favourite. These delicious noodles are freshly made to order and filled with prawn and pork respectively. SO soft and slippery and yummy.

A new dish and a new favourite. These delicious noodles, known as Chee Cheong Fun, are freshly made to order and filled with prawn and pork respectively. SO soft and slippery and yummy.

 

Oyster omelette - sounds gross but is SO delicious. Eat it!

Oyster omelette – sounds gross but is SO delicious. Eat it!

 

Simply hands down the best pork satay I've ever eaten. Caramelised on the outside, tender and juicy in the middle. So good.

Simply hands down the best pork satay I’ve ever eaten. Caramelised on the outside, tender and juicy in the middle. So good.

 

This looks wrong, doesn't it?? But if you ate this you would moan in ecstasy! It is lightly crispy on the outside and melted gooey banana goodness in the middle. So bad, so good. This stall only opens when they have enough Pisang Raja (a specific type of small, sweet banana). We missed them last time but are SO happy we caught them on this trip.

This looks wrong, right?? But if you ate this you would moan in ecstasy! It is lightly crispy on the outside and melted gooey banana goodness in the middle. So bad, so good. This stall only opens when they have enough Pisang Raja (a specific type of small, sweet banana). We missed them last time but are SO happy we caught them this time.

 

Store front with all the fresh Pisang Raja bananas. Mmmmmm.

Store front with all the fresh Pisang Raja bananas. Mmmmmm.

 

So, you know how I said Day 5 was best and worst?? Best because of the food, and worst because of… well, the booze. We really went crazy at Old Airport Road, chugging down Tiger beer by the jug whenever we discovered a new dish to inhale. When we left at the end of the night to go back to our hotel we were well and truly sozzled! At the Wanderlust Hotel, where we were staying, the bar happens to be in the lobby. Dangerous. We figured we’d stop for a nightcap. We ended up staying another couple of hours just shooting the breeze with the AWESOME bartender/manager Ben who made us many wonderful cocktails. He also comped us a couple of shot glasses of his very own lemon infused grappa (delicious – and I normally hate grappa).

 

The evil barman Ben making us copious cocktails when we were already really quite drunk!!!!!

The evil barman Ben making us copious cocktails when we were already really very drunk!!!!!

 

My espresso martini in the foreground and David's whiskey sour (oh, how sophisticated) in the background. Ben makes a damn good drink! Too damn good.

My espresso martini in the foreground and David’s whiskey sour (oh, how sophisticated) in the background. Ben makes a damn good drink! Too damn good.

 

The big trouble probably occurred when David just happened to mention in one of our conversations that he’d never had Belvedere vodka and asked Ben if it was really better than Grey Goose. Ben proceeded to set up a blind tasting for us so we could figure it out for ourselves. We figured it out (it is better, smoother). I spent the next day in bed (figuring out that we shouldn’t have drunk so much the night before). I felt like death. I doubt I’ve ever had a worse hangover and I hope I never will. It was so bad that we completely forgot about a Champagne Dim Sum brunch that we’d booked months earlier. We only remembered the next day when we flew out. Oops! Perhaps it was for the best. To console ourselves though we did have a little dim sum at Crystal Jade Dining In.

 

Absolutely the most delicious, melt-in-the-mouth, crispy-skinned pork dish on earth.

Absolutely the most delicious, melt-in-the-mouth, crispy-skinned pork dish on earth.

 

Egg custard buns. OMG!!!

Egg custard buns. OMG!!!

 

And thus ended our food adventure in Singapore. I was sick the whole time with some kind of bug but had a great time anyway. Can’t wait to go back and do it all again sometime.