singapore x roomorama

How quickly time flies and down went my 9th class with Bloesem in Singapore last week! It has always been a pleasure working with the team and getting myself acquainted will all of my already-talented students, come young or old. 

The new bloesem studio is every photographer's dream canvas. I even had a commenter on Instagram noting on how nostalgic the exterior of the place is, and I couldn't agree more.

More often than not on my trips to Singapore, I will visit my relatives' somewhere around the north west part of the city and it will usually cost me half an hour to an hour to get to the main district. As I look for an alternative place to stay, Roomorama could not have come at a better timing. Roomorama, the largest platform for professionally-managed, vacation rentals worldwide, solved my indecisive nut of a brain by offering me a place to stay at one of their coolest properties.

Situated in a quiet neighbourhood just 15 minutes away from Singapore's shopping Orchard road district, the house I was offered to was an architectural feast for the eyes. The whole structure looked like a retreat somewhere off the beaten path.

It was truly an intimate and relaxing getaway given the vibes (tall, ample trees and greenery, a large swimming pool I wish I knew how to use and swim, a spacious living hall and communal kitchen area) ties the string of the entire house with austere simplicity. Not to mention, the room I was treated to screamed beautiful - all decked with white washed walls, high ceiling and tall windows, overlooking the swimming pool, punny artworks fashioned empty spaces, and a TV set I could use... finally I was able to watch Comedy Central without having to surf on an unauthorised website!

The stay perfectly represented my idea of a dream staycation.

Enjoy USD50 off your next booking with them when you key in 'trishates' at the checkout page. For more room listings, I highly recommend checking out www.roomorama.com.

T.

the kitchen table

Bakery by day, restaurant by dusk, there is so much story and character at The Kitchen Table. I am 100% confident that this place was created for me. This handsome nook evokes a sense of kinship from the moment one enters through the glass door and the intimate setting is just the perfect spot for a relaxed meal with friends. Huge props to Mei Wan (pictured above) and Marcus for creating an avenue that brings people together for a feast inspired by Malaysia's fresh produce and holding onto their passion ever since their supper club days.


For now, The Kitchen Table remains a sure bet for when I need some real comfort food. And when it's available, I'm a team potato and leek soup all the way!


T.

fat spoon

As soon as my internship ended, I treated myself to one of my favourite cafés. Fat Spoon has been around for years and I have always admired their interior. Vintage and oriental, I can't believe its taken me this long to share. Their Cempedak Spring Roll is a fan favourite, but it's the Ulam Fried Rice (rice dish fried with herbs and spices) that brings me back. On my last visit, I decided to try their Lou Shi Fan (rice flour noodle) instead and it definitely did not disappoint. I'm a happy camper!

T.

melbourne-bound

A few overdue shots of the artsy and chic Melbourne, as seen through my eyes. This trip was on my bucket list last year and I am ever so relieved to tick it off! I was there for a total of ten days but even then, they don't seem enough. A lot of time was wasted trying to figure out the public transport system and getting to know my whereabouts, and I have never been so grateful for all the kindness from the locals. By day three, I felt completely at home.

Cooked through the night, ate some delicious Italian, sipped brilliant daily pours, bonded with my two cool friends, found some beautiful strangers and partied in my heart.

Below are some notable gems that I visited based on location (mostly within the city):

Fitzroy: Industry Beans, N2 Extreme Gelato, Wilkins & Kent, St. Ali Coffee Roasters
Collingwood: Everyday Coffee
South Wharf: DFO, Charlie Lovett
Hawthorn: Axil Coffee Roasters
Little Bourke St.: Brother Baba Budan, Manchester Press
Queen Victoria Market: Francis Cafe, Market Lane Coffee, Vic Market
Prahran: Dukes Coffee Roasters, Prahran Market
Newmarket Station: Di Bella Coffee
Camberwell: Camberwell Sunday Market
QV Square: Max Brenner Chocolate Bar
St. Kilda: Luna Park, St. Kilda Beach
Lygon St.: ITALIAN FOOD

The only regret I have is not staying, just a little while longer.

T.

feeka coffee roasters

I meant to share this a few weeks ago but time got away from me. Last November proved to be the best month yet. Albeit being swamped with studies, I managed to slot in some time for a project that represents all the things I'm passionate about. If you've been following along on my Instagram, you'll pretty much know what I'm talking about.  But I'll keep that on a separate post.

Feeka is more than just a café, this urban aesthetic beauty is faithful to the tradition of Swedish verb and noun 'fika', which means taking a coffee break, usually with the accompaniment of a sweet food. This city darling is set to draw flocks of people for their daily hearty breakfasts, which seems to keep the crowds happy these days.

There's just something very right-on about the space that seems to pull everything together. The raw and unfinished scraped wall greets you as you enter the premises, and you'll find it hard to pull your eyes away from the green couch that blares across the room.

The coffee is as excellent as you would expect from a café that roasts its own beans and never miss a peach cobbler when it's available. God only knows how much I'm into that.

T.

wood and steel

Last brunch brought me to Wood and Steel, the ideal place for the design and interior obsessed. Every town needs a place like this, with an eclectic mix of furniture in a lively yet cozy ambience paired with a good cup of joe.

I like how the choice of paint on one side of the wall was inspired by the Brain Games and the idea behind the hanging fixture by the bar came from an Indonesian quarters at a random lodging site. Talk about a gem after my own heart!

T.