Travels – Page 6 – Regina Chow

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Rosebullet and Tattoos

October 28, 2012 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

I love Japanese labels for their easy-to-wear feminine designs, petite sizing and excellent workmanship. Labels such as Rosebullet and Dip Drops may be slightly pricier than what you would typically find at Far East Plaza, but trust me, the quality is unrivaled.

I was ecstatic when my good friend, Grace, who knows that I have a soft spot for Japanese labels, kindly offered to help me purchase this beautiful angora set by Rosebullet with her discount vouchers!

I was over the moon when I received this. The weather in Sydney still dips well below 20 degrees on certain days, so this angora set is perfect for keeping warm without me having to layer extensively.

The tattoo stockings trend probably hasn’t caught on very much in Singapore, but they can easily be found in Hong Kong and Japan. Surprise surprise…this pair of Japanese tattoo stockings was from Kinokuniya. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that bookstores would resort to selling stockings. I guess times are hard these days, especially with the invention of eBooks. Nobody goes to bookstores for books anymore!

Anyhow, I was sold the minute I saw the cute little bows. They’re adorable, aren’t they? Kinokuniya should seriously consider diversifying into stockings. 😛

Angora top and tulle dress from Rosebullet

Tattoo stockings from Kinokuniya

Pumps from Chanel

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Cafes in Melbourne Part 1

October 24, 2012 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

It is no secret that Melbourne’s cafe culture is a huge inspiration to many cities around the world, including Singapore. Sipping chai latte in petite hole-in-a-wall cafes is one of my favourite pastimes. That explains why I literally spent every single day cafe hopping while I was in Melbourne. The relaxed vibe, chic decor, enticing food and aromatic coffee are enough to make me giddy with excitement!

One of my favourite cafes is Hardware Societe, which serves delicious breakfast in a cozy, intimate setting. Unlike most cafes, where the food tends to be hit and miss, Hardware Societe whips up hearty and flavourful dishes that are bound to tantalize your tastebuds!

I am not an early bird and hardly have much appetite for breakfast in the morning, but the omelette with saffron potatoes, confit tomatoes, persian fetta and herbs (A$16) was just what I needed to whet my appetite. The fresh and tasty ingredients complemented the fluffy omelette perfectly, and every bite was accompanied by an explosion of flavours. It was an orgasmic experience!

JW had the baked eggs with chorizo sausages, paprika, spiced tomato concassee and idiazabel ewes milk cheese (A$16). If you’ve been to Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery in Singapore, this tastes pretty much just like it except that the flavours are richer.

JW was also full of praise for the coffee at Hardware Societe. But then again, bad coffee is virtually non-existent in Melbourne!

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Chai Latte, my personal favourite of all time. Most chai lattes that I had in Melbourne turned out to be huge disappointments. Thankfully, Hardware Societe’s Soy Chai Latte was wonderful and the icing on the cake came in the form of a little churros ball. The cinnamon spices in the churros ball goes really well with the spices in the Chai Latte!

As you can tell, JW was very pleased with the food and drinks at Hardware Societe, so if you ever decide to pop by Melbourne, this is one cafe you have to stop by for breakfast!

If you’re crazy for Chai Latte (like me), you have to check out 1000£ Blend Cafe.

This cafe was formerly a motorbike repair garage that has since been refurbished to become one of the most interesting and distinctive hideouts for the creative community in Melbourne. Parked within the cafe itself is an art gallery and an air-conditioned cinema space, which are unique features that distinguish itself from the other run-of-the-mill cafes.

If you’re wondering why the both of us are busy looking at our mobile phones, that’s because this is one of the few cafes around with free wifi all day long!

Although we didn’t try the food here as the menu was rather limited, the chai latte here was the best that I’ve ever tried. Freshly brewed from tea leaves, this sweet, creamy concoction is the epitome of perfection. I was so bowled over by this delightful drink, I visited the cafe two days in a row just to get my chai latte fix!

Hardware Societe:

120 HARDWARE STREET, MELBOURNE, VIC 3000

1000£ Blend Cafe

361 LT LONSDALE STREET
MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Look out for more reviews on the cafes I visited in Melbourne in my next post! 🙂

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Mediterranean Lust

October 14, 2012 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

Santorini

Europe is by far, our favourite holiday destination. Hopelessly drawn to the rich cultural heritage and picturesque scenery that each European city has to offer, we have been travelling to several parts of Europe year after year. However, one country that we have yet to cross out on our list is Greece. We have heard nothing but praises from friends who have visited Greece, and this would probably be our next holiday destination in 2013.

The top 3 islands that we intend to visit are Santorini, Mykonos and Kalymnos.

Santorini is probably no stranger to everyone, thanks to its signature white-washed buildings capped with bright blue roofs. In fact, Santorini is probably the first island that comes to mind when you think of Greece. Besides the fascinating architecture, Santorini’s breathtaking scenery and fantastic beaches (such as the Perissa as well as the black pebble beach Kamari) are sure to blow you away.

Mykonos

Mykonos is another popular tourist destination in Greece where the old and new coexist in perfect harmony. The streets are lined with quaint boutiques, clubs and cafes, and its gay friendly culture has seen the mushrooming of gay clubs and bars. Thankfully, strict building regulations have ensured that Mykonos retains its cultural heritage and character through its Cycladic architecture.

Kalymnos

Kalymnos is a lesser known Greek island among tourists, but it certainly needs no introduction to rock climbers. For those of you who have been reading my blog, you may be aware that JW is an avid (or shall I say hardcore) rock climber. Other than rockclimbing, Kalymnos is known for being one of the wealthiest Greek islands and its wealth in the olden times was largely attributed to sponge diving! Yes, before synthetic sponges were developed, people here dived to collect sponge for human use. To commemorate the importance of sponge to the Kalymnos community, a Sponge Week is held one week after Easter every year!

I wish I could curb my wanderlust or suppress my curiosity to venture into the unknown, but there are so many other islands in the Mediterranean that I would love to visit one day, such as Naples (Italy) and Ibiza (Spain). Instead of taking a plane to these islands, I might hop on a cruise for a completely different experience. Here are more ideas for Mediterranean cruises. This can be done in Greece too!

Credits: Information for this post was mainly obtained from Wikipedia.

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Chilly Days

October 13, 2012 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

Just when we thought Spring was here, we were all caught by surprise when the weather took a turn for the worst yesterday, with heavy rainfall and temperatures dipping way below 10 degrees. It was so chilly, it snowed in Blue Mountains!

Unpredictable weather changes call for an entire change of wardrobe. Hence, gone are the t-shirts and shorts. Instead, here I am, back in my fall/winter wear.

This dark green jumper from Japanese label Dip Drops is one of my favourite pieces for fall. It came as a set together with a coffee bean print blouse and is so easy to match. I’ve worn the set previously, but to refresh your memory, click on the link below to see what it looks like:

Schoolgirl vs Granny

JW bought this pair of black rimmed spectacles for me from a stationery shop at Leura. It is sooo cool because the spectacle frame is held by 2 black pens which rest perfectly on your ears just like a normal pair of specs. I’m going to bring this with me everywhere! It’s bound to be an excellent conversation starter. 😉

Jumper from Dip Drops

Mustard Cardigan from Singapore

Hat from Forever New

Garter stockings from Topshop

Shoes from Aldo

Glomesh bag from Vintage shop in Katoomba

While I continue praying for sunny days ahead, I hope everyone out there is enjoying their weekend so far! 🙂

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Coffee and Snacks at Common Ground Cafe

October 10, 2012 by Regina Chow No Comments

Tucked in the corner along the streets of Katoomba is a gem of a cafe waiting to be unraveled.

I’ve heard so much about the beautiful decor of Common Ground Cafe from JW and friends. Coupled with the fact that it is ranked #2 on Tripadvisor’s list of restaurants in Katoomba, it was only natural that I had high expectations of this cafe.

And now for the moment of truth. I was enthralled by my surroundings the moment I stepped foot in this cozy cafe. The rustic decor and folk music wafting through the air reminded me of the set of Lord of the Rings. At that instant, we felt almost like hobbits returning to our humble abode!

We were led to a corner seat by one of the friendly owners (this cafe was set up by a group of friends). The story behind the setting up of this cafe is a meaningful one. The owners envisioned the cafe to be a place where human beings can all see beyond our own differences (wealth, rank etc.) into the hearts of others and eventually find a common ground where our hearts can find peace.

A common misconception that most people have about this place is that it is a Christian cafe. Instead, this cafe is operated by members of a Messianic community called The Twelve Tribes (they believe in Jesus too). Some articles claim that it is a cult that advocates female submission and disciplining children with canes, but from the looks of it, the people here seem more peace-loving and kind than anything else.

For those of us who grew up in Asian societies, didn’t your parents use the cane on you when you were young? I for one, remember my mum using it on my brother and I when we were naughty, and while I don’t endorse this method of disciplining a child, I knew my mum did it entirely out of good intentions. Caning and lectures usually went hand in hand. But at the end of the day, I guess what matters is that both my brother and I turned out well! 😉

The food here is lovingly made with wholesome ingredients. I had the cheese and tomato melt (A$5.00) while JW had the BBQ Chicken Burger (A$11.50). All in all, I would say the food is very reasonably priced, tasty and not to mention healthy!

According to JW, who’s now a hardcore coffee addict, the coffee here is the best he has tried thus far in the Sydney and Blue Mountains region. So coffee lovers, now you know where to go.

We liked the cafe so much that we took Felicia there on our next trip during the Leura Festival. More on that in a separate post. 😉

Remember to visit this quaint cafe if you’re planning to visit Katoomba at the Blue Mountains. It’s certainly an experience that you’ll never forget. 😉

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Going Casual at Katoomba Falls

October 6, 2012 by Regina Chow 5 Comments

Yesterday was a terribly sunny day and the temperature actually soared past 30 degrees at some points. I felt like I was back in Singapore! I checked the weather forecast in advance (forecasts here are very accurate by the way) and dressed accordingly for our day at the Blue Mountains.

T-shirt from Valleygirl

Jacket from Dotti

Vintage tie-dye denim shorts from Glebe Flea Market

Nike shoes

Louis Vuitton Idylle Speedy

I’ve had enough of bushwalks, hence the main purpose of this trip was to try out the cafes and take in the beautiful sights – Katoomba Falls in this case.

Gorgeous isn’t it? It can be viewed either from a distance or up close depending on the trail that you take.

Either way, not much walking is required, which is ideal for lazy people like me!

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend so far!

For those of you who live in Australia, remember to adjust your clocks and watches before bedtime tonight! Daylight savings will kick in on Sunday at 2a.m. sharp. 😉

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My Top 3 Picks for Food and Desserts in Sydney

October 5, 2012 by Regina Chow 4 Comments

The food in Sydney is wonderful in general, but if I had to pick my top three favourites, Bills would most certainly take the number one spot.

I have been to Bills on countless occasions and they’ve never failed to impress with their all-day breakfast. Karen is a huge fan of pancakes, hence the moment she arrived in Sydney, we whisked her off to Bills’ Darlinghurst branch for their delectable ricotta hotcakes. We were not only the earliest, but also the only customers there at 7.30 a.m. on a weekend!

It was such a joy to savour these pipping hot fluffy hotcakes topped with honeycomb butter and maple syrup, especially on a chilly Saturday morning.

Just last week, JW and I headed there again, with the aim of trying another popular item on the breakfast menu, the sweetcorn fritters. Crunchy on the outside and bursting with flavours on the inside, the corn fritters are fried to golden perfection and so delicious they leave you wanting more! I wish I could have packed some back to Singapore for Karen because both of us are hopelessly in love with corn fritters. This is one dish that cafes in Singapore should put on their menu!

My second favourite is probably Jeans Chilli Chicken at Eastwood.

A delightful yet potent concoction of spicy chicken and melted cheese, this is one of the most interesting dishes that I’ve tried. Accompanied by a hint of sweetness amidst all the spiciness, I love the crunchy texture of the chicken and the thick stretchy layer of cheese.

My stomach can’t handle spiciness very well, but after mixing the chicken with rice and moulding them into little rice balls, I can eat a few of these at one go!

Please excuse JW’s serial killer expression here. Even I find it slightly disturbing.

Finally, my favourite dessert place in Sydney is Adriano Zumbo Pattisier at The Star.

The chef Adriano Zumbo, of Masterchef fame, is the genius behind Zumbarons. For the uninitiated, Zumbarons are the chef’s unique rendition of macarons. These Zumbarons come in the most unusual and unexpected flavours, such as salted butter popcorn, pancake and maple syrup, and peach ice tea, just to name a few.

Unlike its saccharine sweet counterparts, the savoury flavours like salted butter popcorn as well as pancake and maple syrup are what set these lovely confections apart. These two flavours are a breath of fresh air and definitely my favourite of the lot. To me, Zumbarons are perhaps more similar to molecular gastronomy. To be able to taste salted butter popcorn or pancake and maple syrup with each bite is just absolutely amazing! This gets 2 thumbs up from me!

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Melbourne: Yummy snacks at Queen Victoria Market

October 3, 2012 by Regina Chow No Comments

After an early morning flight and a terrible drive to the hotel which almost resulted in a few head-on collisions with the trams in Melbourne (that’s what happens when your other half thinks he’s an F1 driver), we arrived safe and sound at our hotel.

You can only imagine how relieved I was, not to mention hungry too after all the hair-raising action (and embarrassment cos so many pedestrians witnessed what happened). So, we made Queen Victoria Market our first stop. JW wanted me to try the raspberry jam filled doughnuts, which he loves.

Look at the queue! I don’t particularly like doughnuts, but I thought since the queue is so long, the doughnuts should be worth the wait.

People buy doughnuts by the bags here. Each bag comes with 6 doughnuts. Goodness…the sugar coated exterior is enough to induce diabetes. Wait till you sink your teeth into the sugary sweet raspberry jam. Calling it a sugar overdose is definitely an understatement.

JW has a sweet tooth so he single-handedly ate up 5 of these doughnuts. I only took 1 because no matter how good it is (I personally think it is overrated), I still prefer savoury food.

At that point, my stomach was growling so bad I wanted to faint from hunger. But lo and behold, my eyes lit up the moment I saw this van!

I love mussels! Especially when they’re freshly cooked in a mobile van with two mussel shells for a roof. You can choose to have your mussels baked in cheese or cooked in white wine sauce.

I chose the white wine sauce. 😉

Erm, yes your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. They serve the mussels to you in a plastic bowl within a plastic bag. There’re no seats around too, so I literally sat on the pavement by the road to eat this. As you can tell, I was to hungry to care about image by then!

Byebye you juicy, succulent mussel.

One by one, I devoured them, savouring the goodness of every single one with utmost delight.

I convinced JW to try one too. Just to provide some background info, JW abhors seafood, especially oysters, clams and mussels because the texture turns him off.

Now, for the moment of revelation.

The minute he bit into the mussel, his face puckered up and contorted into a reaction of disgust. He looked so tormented I figured I should stop wasting my time and more importantly, my mussels on him.

Yeah, so I happily gobbled up the rest of the mussels (there must have been at least 20-30 of them) at lightning speed. If I were more shabbily dressed, you would have thought I was a beggar having my first meal of the week. I might have gotten myself a few coins from compassionate passersby too.

Anyhow, it was a satisfying meal and it certainly gave me the energy to continue walking around. We were very tickled by this picture because we’re so used to seeing Asians tending to fruit stalls in the markets, it’s actually rather odd to see people of other ethnicities assume the role in a similar setting.

Ok, I know, we’re so duh. Please don’t roll your eyes at us.

We were very impressed by the variety of fruits, vegetables and condiments though. You can even find fresh organic produce here! In case you were wondering, we left with some strawberries (unbeatable price of $2 a box!) and grapes.

The rest of the market resembles Paddy’s market in Sydney and the “pasar malams” in Singapore, except that everything is grossly overpriced. In my opinion, the other parts of the market are nothing but tourist traps.

More on Melbourne in a bit! It’s mid-week, which means Friday and the weekend are just around the corner! 😉

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Sydney Biennale on Cockatoo Island

September 28, 2012 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

Cockatoo Island, an UNESCO World Heritage site situated just minutes away from Sydney Harbour, is an attraction that I’ve always wanted to visit. I’ve heard about the island coming alive at night thanks to the pubs but since I’m not exactly a fan of booze, the best time for me to visit was during the Sydney Biennale!

To reach this island, the easiest way is to hop on a ferry. Well, JW did contemplate swimming across the harbour while I take the ferry, but it didn’t take him long to realise that he’ll drown on the way there.

Anyway, did I mention that I love taking ferries? I may be afraid of water, but my eyes love feasting on the scenic views that ferry rides offer.

I love miners too, especially when they come in the form of cute little robots. This is one of the art installations at the entrance of a dark tunnel on the island. So creative, isn’t it?

As we trudged through the cloud of darkness, we suddenly saw a light at the end of the tunnel (pun intended)!

Many flickering lights in fact, not just a light.

Here’s what the tunnel looks like:

Did you know that Cockatoo Island was previously used to house convicts? It then became a shipbuilding and repair hub, which closed down in 1992. The island then underwent major restoration works and was only recently opened to the public in 2007.

In spite of its history, the island is a picture of calm and tranquility. It is such a joy to just wander around nature and bask in the warmth of the sun. The most amazing thing? Cockatoo Island is just a stone’s throw from Sydney Harbour but it makes you feel like you’re in a completely different city altogether.

JW was especially fascinated with one of the houses on the island, and he just kept snapping! He definitely takes a lot of pictures for someone who has no interest in photography whatsoever. Haha but I’m not complaining!

Instead of taking photos of the art installations, JW was busy trying to perfect the shot of this doorknob. I know right? I was rolling my eyes too until a fellow visitor, who happened to be a builder by profession, complimented JW on his keen eye for details.

I nearly fainted.

Apparently, Cockatoo Island was known for their skilled craftsmen in the past and it’s nearly impossible to find such impeccable workmanship today.

Er okay.

Before he decides to take other inconspicuous objects like spiders and cobwebs, I dragged him out for some fresh air.

After all, pretty flowers are certainly more worth taking than doorknobs.

Before I veer too far away from the topic of this post, let me share with you some of my favourite art installations.

The entire room was transformed into what seemed like a children’s playground filled with colourful paper cut-outs of all shapes and sizes.

If this isn’t pretty, I don’t know what is. I can’t believe everything is made of paper! The Chinese artist is a genius.

My second favourite installation has got to be the cloud installation. Designed to mimic cloud vapour, the designated area was engulfed in layers of mist which only got thicker with time. I was rather overwhelmed as there were points when I couldn’t see at all, and I struggled to move through all the mist with outstretched arms. That made me feel so incredibly small and vulnerable but it was such a fun experience!

Now, I’m going to share with you some of the installations that I disliked. This particular one with floating children’s dresses made it to the top of my list because it is so freaky. Can you imagine them coming to life in the dead of the night? I don’t know about you, but this sends shivers down my spine for sure.

My second most hated installation is this. What was the artist thinking? To me, it looks just like a pile of rubbish.

Ok, this is most certainly not an installation, but I have a love-hate relationship with the seagulls on Cockatoo Island. They may look cute and all in photos, although they start out being really ugly in their younger days (yes those grey spotted birds are the babies), but they love to swoop down on you unabashedly especially when you’re holding on to food.

They even have a sign in one of the cafes warning visitors that seagulls have been known to attack you. So, if you have a bag of fries (some of the best fries I’ve had!!) on Cockatoo Island, remember to run away from these creatures!!

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Hello I’m back in Sydney!

September 22, 2012 by Regina Chow No Comments

I was in Melbourne for the past 5 days. Did the Great Ocean Road drive, which left me totally unimpressed and saddled with motion sickness. I’m sorry, but I think it is highly overrated though the pictures turned out to be pretty amazing.

I had a great time catching up with Karen though, who flew over to meet up with Clara, Pete, Raphael, and me (JW too)! We’ve been meeting almost every month! We had a ball of a time taking tons of pictures and gorging ourselves crazy. 5 days seemed way too short! I’m still sorting out the pictures, but meanwhile, here’re some pictures taken when Alvin and Eli came over to visit about 2 weeks back!

We took them to Sappho Cafe at Glebe for brekkie:

Then we checked out the flea market at Glebe for vintage buys before heading for coffee at The Wedge, also located at Glebe.

Next up was the Sydney Fish Market, also known as the must-go place for all seafood lovers. I’ve been here 3-4 times at least but this is my first time capturing a seagull in action!

We saw a plane writing “R U OK” in the sky. Did you know that Australia has a “R U OK?” Day to inspire everyone to ask people around them if they’re okay? The whole idea is to lend support and prevent depression from taking over our lives in difficult times. I personally think Singapore should start a movement like this to raise awareness about depression, which is a real problem in every society, except that Asian societies tend to regard depression as a taboo topic for discussion.

Anyway, let’s move on to happier things, shall we? If you ever come to Sydney Fish Market, please buy the sashimi and oysters at Claudio’s! I’ve tried most of the stalls and this stall wins hands down in terms of flavour and freshness.

Giant oysters! Yummy! JW is not a fan of oysters, but I’ve been eating a lot of oysters lately thanks to our friends from Singapore.

It’s great to sit outdoors in the company of seagulls and feast on seafood (but do keep an eye on your food lest you lose them to the active seagulls!).

I know this sounds strange but I was truly amazed by the size of the seafood. Haha..so I’m ending this post with a few pictures to whet your appetite.