Singapore Travel Diaries: Books, Coffee and Suga
Welcome to the last week of the first half of 2023. As I fill in the events for this week on the last page of my six month planner (!), I thought about updating my newsletter. And I thought writing a little blog post was a better idea instead. Just because there are no book updates (for now, lol), as my days are occupied by cafe running, moving houses and having my life changed by watching Min Yoongi perform on-stage.
Did that really happen?
Neighborhood: Farrer Park
There really wasn’t any logic behind us staying in Little India, just the thought that it was ten minutes away from the stadium. We liked Lyf Farrer Park, but I would recommend only if you’re completely comfortable with the person you’re staying with—zero personal space to change clothes in the bathroom areas. But still, it was nice. And the neighborhood was quirky and fun, even with a mall right across the street.
Books: Basheer Graphic Design Books
Because of the schedule, we had one free day! And Roselle and I decided to spend the first half at Basheer Graphic Design Books at the Bras Basah Complex. It’s right across the Singapore National Library and a short walk away from Raffles, if that helps center where it is. It felt a bit like a magical, checkerboard floor wonderland of all the books I could never find in Manila, but have always wanted to read. They had books on fungi, design, typography, interiors, movie art, architecture, creative living and a huge selection of design magazines lined up outside their door.
Sa totoo lang, nakakaiyak na may ganito sila.
National Gallery Singapore
“Again?” my friend asked when I told her that i went back to the National Gallery after we went in 2018 (when??). But I realized there was a whole building we hadn’t seen, and so we caught a wonderful seasonal exhibit on a Chinese ink painter. There was also a retrospective on Southeast Asian photography, and it was nice to see how you are included in a story that’s still ongoing in several countries. How colonialism and protest shaped us all.
Plus there was visiting my old Filipino favorites in the old Supreme Court Galleries—Luna, Edades and the Tea Salon painting by Magsaysay Ho. It almost feels like my civic duty to see what this gallery managed to acquire from us.
Coffee pt. 1: CSHH Coffee
A short walk from our hotel was a hardware store. No, sorry, a cafe. I love a good reused space, and I guess old hardware stores aren’t exempt in Singapore. The space inside was nice and cozy, with a fancy coffee things store and a beer garden attached. CSHH sold sourdough bread and butter, which was something I am still pushing Magdamag should serve.
Coffee pt. 2 Common Man Coffee Roasters
I think this was maybe my favorite place we ate at for the whole (short) trip. This branch of Common Man was in a corner of a residential area nearer to the stadium, and it gave off Australian brunch cafe vibes. People were just walking by, there were dog bowls and outdoor seating with Molly Baz blue tables. Plus I really liked my fluffy pancake?? Unexpectedly it wasn’t too heavy or too sweet, it actually had layers of flavor that I really liked.
The Main Event: D-DAY
Obviously not part of every itinerary, but I feel it had to be said. I keep telling Roselle that there will never be a show like this—from Suga or any of the BTS boys, I feel, so it was extra special that we got to see him now. Concert going is a very different experience in Singapore, but we still enjoyed ourselves and had the full out of body, surreal experience of seeing him. He’s a tall kitty! Who knew?
