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Afternoon Delights in Tiong Bahru
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 | 12:23 PM


Stella's
Ji Inn and I finally met up after summer break. The first thing we did was explore Tiong Bahru together!  After seeing a photo of Books Actually somewhere online, I was excited about visiting it because it looked like a cosy wonderland with its fairylights, homey decorations, and of course, rows of books. That sparked off the idea of a Tiong Bahru visit. So on the Monday of her recess week (and my free day), Ji Inn drove to NUS to pick me up and we headed to Tiong Bahru for lunch.

Our first stop: Flock's Cafe. The food was not bad, didn't really surpass our expectations but pleasant enough. We visited a few other places before deciding on that one because of pricing and food, and also because most of the other places happened to be closed on Mondays so it was a real pity.



The next place we went to was Books Actually. I loved everything from the front of the store to its deco to its variety of books. Walking into Books Actually feels like walking into someone's home because it's inviting and personal. It has a character of its own. The thought came to mind when I was browsing in one corner and found books which looked worn and yet were placed with all the other books on sale. They were large notebooks, and when I opened one it looked like a log book. Exploring Books Actually was like exploring the items in someone's home, and you almost feel a bit embarrassed to be looking into these personal items.

There was a discount of 20% if you bought 3 books, so I bought 2 while Ji Inn bought 1. We spent quite a while browsing though, and there was a section of old books that I really liked. I picked up a book called "The World's Best 100 Detective Stories Vol. X" (the centre one of the 3 red books) and wasn't sure if it was actually for sale because it didn't seem to have a price tag and all the books there were so old. The sales staff said it was though, and I briefly contemplated buying it but decided it was too expensive in the end. I have always loved reading detective stories, and the old ones have a charm of their own. They are more slow-paced and intellectual (vs the fast-paced action and cunning of contemporary Crime & Thriller novels), and feature lovely characters with odd quirks.

Reading picks of the day for me were "The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson and "Freedom From Fear" by Aung San Suu Kyi. I chose the first one because it sounded like an interesting adventure. I started reading only a bit, but have to say it's pretty slow or maybe it just takes time for me to be engaged. The concept is worth thinking about though. When you're 100 years old, and nearly on the brink of death, it
doesn't really matter what you do anymore. Even going against the law. For the second one, I chose because I liked the writing style after I read a few pages. It's now with my mum though, because she was saying that she has nothing to read and she likes such political books.

We explored a few more shops after that. Wanted to visit Nana & Bird but it was closed.


Our final stop: Drips Bakery Cafe. We ordered tartlets (chocolate for me and raspberry for Ji Inn) and Ji Inn ordered a green tea latte as well. It was really good, but after the tartlets (which were a bit too filling and too sweet) we didn't feel like having anything more. When we dropped by Tiong Bahru Cafe, we took one look at the many pastries and decided we couldn't stomach the sight of any more baked goods (haha pun intended).


All in all, a good leisurely afternoon spent in the cafes and bookstores of Tiong Bahru. Most of the time was spent in Books Actually so we didn't explore much (and a lot of shops were closed), but kind of glad anyway for that time to just read and browse. 

Delighted,


Ji Inn's

My turn! Shall just add on a bit since Stella has already detailed most of the trip (thanks dear!). NUS U Town was tricky to get to because it wasn't in my GPS and I missed the turn-in the first time round. I'm kind of a road idiot (direct translation from Mandarin) so yes driving is quite bad for me. Anyway, I did manage to pick Stella up and we did get to Tiong Bahru so I guess it was okay.

At Flock's Cafe I ordered a sandwich with prawns and avocado etc. Thought the combination sounded quite interesting and yummy. It was not too bad! But a bit bland after a while I guess.


Then we popped into Books Actually and didn't pop out again until eons later. Kind of expected for 2 book-crazy girls! I didn't expect to buy books actually (oh my god unintended pun!) but Stella was already picking books which made me tempted too. Searched high and low for a good one because I didn't want to spend money on a book just for the sake of it. Finally found one called The Promise Bird, which was translated from Chinese I think. I've never really read much Asian books so I thought I'd give this a try. Plus it looks really pretty and feels nice.


Also saw this lifestyle magazine/book that was simply lovely. It was called Kinfolk, and it was pretty expensive. Went to find it online and lo and behold: the Kinfolk magazine! I was thinking about how I really admire the clean and artistic feel of the whole design, and I suddenly realised I could work on magazine designs for my Aesthetics term paper! Just an idea though. But... it'd be a great excuse to actually get the book :'D (except I'll have to go down to Tiong Bahru again...) Oh oh, the green tea latte from Drips Bakery was amazing! I think if I go back there I might order it again. Not the tarts though, they were too much ><

So that's about all from my side! It was a good mid-term trip out with Stella whom I hadn't hung out with for ages. We should do this again, and more often. Can't wait for Maddie to get back for the Dec hols. The three of us are gonna have some fun!


Enjoying the literary goodness,

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12 Things That Prove My Love For Reading
Sunday, August 4, 2013 | 8:27 PM

1. I once read under the covers with a torchlight.

My brother ratted on me and I hated him for it.

2. I actually cried reading about a particularly sad scene.

Like, not shed-a-tear kind of cry, but I-can't-see-through-the-blur kind of cry. My overflowing emotions may have something to do with this, though. Thumbs up for Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series! (Doing a little bit of publicity here because the first book is slated to hit the big screens soon and I can't wait!!)

3. I don't mind carrying heavy hard-cover books around in my bag just so I can read them on the go.

In fact, sometimes I don't even get the chance to read them. I just bring them along in case I got to read them. My school bag was almost always carrying a story book, until things got busy. Even then, I liked to read on the bus...

4. .. And then miss my stop. 

Being too engrossed in a book is the second most common reason why I miss my stops (the first is sleeping).

5. Reading on the bus makes me nauseous sometimes but I do it anyway. 

Because I can't stand not knowing what's gonna happen! But nowadays I seldom do this, for consideration of my poor eyes. No such consideration when I'm reading on the train, though.

6. I get post-book withdrawal symptoms. 

Sometimes it gets so bad the story and characters are all I can think about for the next few days. I actually feel hollow inside, haha! I replay many scenes in my head and come up with new plots to play around with, until I feel ready to start a new book.

7. I 'forgot' to feel out of breath. 

I get out of breath quite easily if I'm standing for an extended period of time, or if I'm in a crowd, probably due to lack of oxygen. I was reading on the train one day, and when I got off at my station, I realised I was feeling uncomfortable. I hadn't even noticed.

8. I get a kick out of thick books. 

The thicker, the better. I hate it when a great book ends, and a thicker book corresponds to a longer story, so I love it. Nowadays, though, I'm a little picky (can take more than an hour to choose 4 books to borrow) and more discerning (can criticise the story). I used to love EVERYTHING I read. Of course, this only applies to stories. I really can't read non-fiction.

9. My mum regrets it when she accidentally reminds me to read. 

I hadn't been borrowing books for a while because I couldn't finish reading them on time, but then I got a little bit freer. One day I asked if my mum wanted anything because I was dropping by Northpoint, a shopping centre near my house. She replied asking if I was gonna be there because I was going to borrow books. I went "oh yeah!" and I could almost hear her regret through the phone. And why would she feel this way? Because I can read and read and read and not come out of my room for hours, and she hates it. Says it's as bad as my brother stuck in his room playing computer games.

When someone tells my mum it's good that I love to read so much, she retorts that I read all the rubbish stuff that doesn't even help with anything. Hahaha I maintain that my current level of English was achieved through all the reading I have done since young.

If I want to talk about my mum and my reading, there's probably a lot more to say. She once made me borrow Chinese books (2 for every 2 English ones, but we came to a 1-3 compromise) in an attempt to improve my Chinese. It didn't last long.

10. I miss reading.

I miss the times when I always had a book with me, when I was always reading whenever I had free time. Now free time comes by sparsely, especially during term time. Some would say there's always time to read, if only you make time for it. Well, with so many other things on my mind, sometimes reading takes a back seat. But that doesn't mean I don't miss it.

11. I've considered being a full-time editor.

Just so I can read stories all day. Of course this probably has got something to do with the perennial "what am I going to do with my life?" question.

12. The four library books on my table.

Seriously, what proves your love for reading better than the presence of books?



Nose-in-a-book,



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