We Used To Be Friends
In the midst of their successful Kickstarter, I have started watching Veronica Mars. Okay, devour might be a better word since I have been watching almost non-stop since last night until the wee hours of the morning.
There are a couple of episodes left until I finish the first season and I have a feeling that I’ll keep on watching until I drop (usually around 3AM).
It is an excellent show with wonderful zingers and Kristen Bell is too delightful for words. And I think I may have fallen for Logan Echolls.
You Are Black Gold
I had the pleasure of watching Esperanza Spalding during the Mosaic Music Festival 2013. Esperanza Spalding’s voice is glorious. And everyone with her on stage are super talented. It was absolutely wonderful.
Seriously, that hair. And those shoes. I want those shoes. Please please let me know where I can buy a pair.
10 Things: Bedok Reservoir
(Late because I’m lazy.)
Went to Bedok Reservoir Park a couple of days before Boyps came home. It rained that afternoon but as soon as it stopped, I grabbed the camera (with the 50mm f1.8) and went off to the bus stop. I wasn’t planning on walking the whole of it but I did anyway. All 4.3km of it! Anyway, pictures!
I would’ve had dinner at Wawawa if they weren’t playing cheesy 90s love songs.
Emo
“Even though there’s no magic pill for your pain, you find a way to go on. And when you go on long enough, you will get over it.” -Lemon Breeland, Hart of Dixie
It seems like every first week of the month, I get emotional and broody. I’ve always planned on writing about it but whenever I start to, I dissolve into a puddle of tears. It’s been almost two years yet whenever I think about it, it still fucking hurts. I realize that I am never going to get over it, not all the way over it.
10 Things: Random Bus Ride
Random bus ride. Ride the first bus to arrive and randomly pick where to alight and to see what’s there.
Since I was out and about, I decided to do the random bus ride thing after the Robertson Quay walk.
The bus stop
The bus
The 4th stop
Not a very exciting bus ride since I ended up alighting in near Dhoby Ghaut MRT.
10 Things: Robertson Quay
Walk around Robertson Quay. Because Clarke Quay and Boat Quay are overrated.
I am in love with the Robertson Quay neighbourhood. It is filled with gastronomical gems!
I almost went in the Espressamente Illy cafe but I looked across the street and saw The Book Cafe. With a name like that, I couldn’t resist trying it out. The ambience is laid-back and wonderful. The coffee is great and the couches, very comfortable.
I’ll be back.
10 Things: Vietnamese Restaurants
Try three Vietnamese restaurants. I’m thinking Long Phung, Orange Lantern and NamNam Noodle Bar.
***
Because Long Phung was under renovation, I had to look for somewhere else to get my pho (pronounced “fuh”) fix. Good thing Joo Chiat is Singapore’s “Little Vietnam” so it was easy to find another place. And that place is Quan An Vietnam Eatery (233 Joo Chiat Road).
As usual, I had a Beef Noodle with Beef Ball and Sliced Beef (S$6.50) and a Vietnam Drip Coffee with Milk (S$2.30).
I liked the broth. It is very nice and beefy. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the portion was just the right one for me as I managed to finish all of it (which I rarely do in other places). I don’t eat beansprouts so I liked that they had it in a separate saucer together with the other leaves that you can put in the broth if you so choose. The beef strips and the beef balls were your usual fare. I’m not sure about cutting the beef balls in half though. But maybe that’s just nitpicking. Oh, and I also liked the coffee a lot.
***
Next stop is The Orange Lantern (73 Killiney Rd). It is nestled between several restaurants in a part of Killiney Road which people don’t frequent (I think). The place is nice and cozy which is probably why they charge you for service and tax.
I ordered the Special Beef Noodle Soup (S$11.90).
I was very disappointed with this meal. The broth was bland, the noodles soggy. The only redeeming thing about this is the beef. But then the beef strips and beef balls are pretty standard in all places that sell these kinds of noodles. I did like the Imperial Spring Rolls that my lesbian lover (heh) C ordered. Those were really great.
***
And finally, NamNam Noodle Bar (252 North Bridge Road, #B1-46/47, Raffles City Shopping Centre). I was initially planning on going to the Wheelock branch but C mentioned that they had another one in Raffles City which is more convenient for me. There were waiters around to hand out the menu and help you get seated but you have to go to the counter to pay first before they serve you the food.
I ordered the Pho Beef Combination (S$9.90) and Viet Coffee with Condensed Milk (S$2.50).
The broth is very nice and has a little spicy kick. One thing I noticed is that they are generous with the meat. And compared to the previous ones, this one has beef shanks and honeycomb tripe (which I like). The noodles were terrible though, soggy and seemed like they were not cut properly. And the coffee was not the drip that I was expecting and the cup was tiny! Would I return here? Probably not.
***
I am still determined to go back to Joo Chiat to try the famed Long Phung!
Pen Love
Somebody needs to stop me from buying more pens.
I bought a bunch of calligraphy pens in different brands and with varying pen widths for practice. I bought two Artline: black 2.0 and gold 2.5, a Monami black 1.0 and a two-in-one Zig black 2.0 and 3.5. I have used the Artlines the most. I am happy with the black but I’ve been having some difficulty maintaining the ink flow in the gold. I am happy with how the practice exercises have turned out while using the Zig so I am quite excited to try it out on the notecards.
I also bought some (el cheapo) fountain pens! I got two Preppy ones (black and purple) and a Pilot VPen. I’ve taken to looking at fountain pens behind glass cases. They are beautiful! And I was able to test a Lamy one recently. It writes wonderfully. I want one.
Because it is difficult to wing it, I went to the library to borrow some books to help me with the basics.
And I also got a punch from Muji to make rounded corners!
I am hoping that my interest in this new hobby keeps up. *crosses fingers*
