What to Eat in Singapore

I’ll admit, the main reason I wanted to visit Singapore was because I saw the Fung Brothers eating at the hawker stalls there. I think one of the most fascinating things about Singapore is that it is truly a city of immigrants. Malaysians, Chinese, Indians practicing a range of religions from Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. This diversity also lends itself to a diversity of flavors in Singaporean cuisine. Here are some of our recommended foods!

Continue Reading

Haw Par Villa: The Bizarre Theme Park

One of the strangest, most fascinating “theme parks” we’ve visited was in Singapore. Haw Par Villa was commissioned by the creators of Tiger Balm to educate the masses in Chinese culture. As such, the park’s attractions are all related to characters in popular Chinese folklore and mythology which can range from bright and colorful to grotesque. It was a failed business venture as Haw Par Villa incurred losses over the years, eventually making the admission free. Many of the statues and dioramas are still being restored. I suggest lathering on the sunscreen because there was barely any shade and we were baking in the sun! Sweaty and parched, it was still worth checking out the graphic displays (warning: some images are not for children…or they are, if you want to teach your kids not to sin and be banished to hell).

Continue Reading

The Weekender: The Bradbury Building

Once upon a time I was obsessed with the film 500 Days of Summer. One of the most beautiful locations was The Bradbury Building, located in downtown Los Angeles. From the outside, it looks like many other landmark historical buildings. Inside, it’s obvious why it’s chosen as the backdrop for so many photo and video shoots. There are, however, restricted areas because does house several office spaces and government departments. My favorite things about the interior are definitely the ornamental cast iron banisters and giant skylight to flow a ton of natural sunlight into the atrium below.

Continue Reading

The Weekender: Star Gazing at Griffith Observatory

One of the best outlooks in Los Angeles has got to be Griffith Observatory. You can clearly see the Hollywood sign from here! Not only is it a great spot for a first date, but it also has a giant telescope, space exhibits, and a planetarium. It’s also a popular place for fashion bloggers and their Instagram husbands. Moreover, admission is free (except for the planetarium).

Continue Reading

The Weekender: Santa Monica Pier

As a New Yorker, I am perpetually envious of southern Californians who get to enjoy beautiful weather all year round. Yes, I enjoy the feeling of moving into another season a few times each year, but sometimes I wish we had the luxury to visit the beach on a whim without worrying about freezing temperatures. Santa Monica Pier, to me, is the image of California I’ve been fed by television shows and movies all my life. An expansive beach with crashing waves, surfers, carnival rides, skateboarders, and immaculately tan and fit residents everywhere.

Continue Reading

The Weekender: Art at The Broad

The Broad is one of Los Angeles’ hottest new contemporary art museums, financed by Eli Broad. I initially thought it was pronounced “Broad” as in “ya dumb broad!” but it actually rhymes with “road.” The building itself is a work of art by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Its special design comprises of a veil and a vault. The vault is the concrete “base” that floats above ground level. The veil is the honeycomb skeleton that wraps around the building, made of fiberglass-reinforced concrete. Beside the museum is a small grove of 100-year-old olive trees that look like a mini enchanted forest when it’s lit up at night. There are mini tree stumps for seating. The Broad is also located across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. Truly an architectural paradise 🙂

Continue Reading

Spirited Away in Jiufen

Prior to visiting Taiwan, I was doing some research and discovered that Spirited Away, one of my favorite Miyazaki films, is based on the coastal town of Jiufen 九份. And being a Studio Ghibli fan, of course I had to go see it in person. It’s a popular tourist spot amongst people all across Asia (there were a lot of Korean and Japanese fans). We went closer to night time to see the lanterns, but do note that the shops close pretty early (around 7pm)! During the day, you can get some awesome coastal views if it’s not too foggy. Wish we had more time to explore while it was still light out.

Continue Reading

The Weekender: Franciscan Gardens, Our Future Wedding Venue!

Our primary reason for visiting SoCal this time was actually to check out our future wedding venue, Franciscan Gardens. It’s located in San Juan Capistrano, about an hour from Los Angeles and San Diego. Like I mentioned in a previous post, Tie and I started dating in LA and I’ve fantasized about living there more than once. That last part might not become a reality, but at least we can get married here. Of course, the weather is unpredictable this far in advance and my dreams of having an outdoor garden wedding can still be shattered if we must retreat indoors. In the meantime, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Anywhos, I thought it’d be fun to take y’all along on our tour of the place.

Continue Reading

Crazy Cat Lady at Houtong Cat Village

I was always more of a cat person growing up and so was intrigued upon hearing about Houtong Cat Village in Taiwan (猴硐貓村). A town overrun with cats? Count me in. Unfortunately we went on a rainy day so the cats were more damp than furry. Didn’t end up petting too many of them. Some of them were quite friendly and will snuggle up to your legs. We also saw a dog that was mostly ignored. It seems tourism is big business for this village as everything is cat-themed. The signs, the store displays, the souvenirs. Me-ow.

Continue Reading

Getting Crunk in New Orleans

Back in 2013, I was itching to attend Jazz Fest in New Orleans for my birthday. Primarily because Frank Ocean was playing, and I’m a huge fan. Also, a few of my advertising friends had worked on a campaign promoting NOLA, which made it all the more enticing. But I couldn’t find anyone to go with me so I never did buy the festival tickets. Later that month, however, Tie decided he was up for a trip down to Louisiana so we signed up for the Southwest Airlines credit card and got a free flight (the beginning of our point-chasing team). We timed it so our visit coincides with the Oyster Festival. I always try to find local events in places we travel to. Some of the most enjoyable things to do come around only during specific times of the year, and I want to take advantage of that wherever we may end up.
Continue Reading
1 3 4 5 6 7 10