Singapore was the first place outside of the US and Canada I ever visited, way back in 1996 or so. In the dozen-plus years since, I’ve visited any number of times. I’ve enjoyed watching it grow and develop. At the same time, having visited so often, I’m less inclined to snap a lot of photos and document each visit. Thus my three days of blog silence. Here’s a little bit to share, though.
Saturday morning Suyoung picked me up at my hotel to take me for brunch. She and I worked together for a few years at the SF International Asian American Film Festival (going on now – visit http://festival.asianamericanmedia.org/2009/ for information) and then again at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Now she’s working in Singapore doing marketing for a high-tech firm and we’re able to meet up either here or there every year or two.
Suyoung took me to this beautiful restaurant called PS Cafe, located up on Harding Road in the Dempsey Hill district, a rennovated complex of former British Army barracks that now house galleries, furniture shops and restaurants.
The entrance, down a flight of steps from the road, looks small and secluded but when you walk into the restaurant you see that the entire far wall is glass, looking out on a small meadow with lush trees and tropical foliage. The style is very Californian and it makes for a beautiful setting for brunch.
Outdoor seating is pretty well-shaded although we had a few minutes of strong sun before the clouds of a thunderstorm brought back the shade. The fans kept a nice breeze and all the surrounding plants kept the temperature comfortable.
Service is a little slow and disorganized but with such a nice setting, it was easy to overlook this hiccups and instead enjoy a relaxing meal.
PS Cafe’s menu is international with typical brunch dishes as well as salads, sandwiches, and mains with a generally western feel. Truly, this restaurant would not be out of place in Napa and its selection of baked goods is extensive.
Suyoung had a beautiful eggs benedict which she said was tasty. I had the buttermilk pancakes which, made from a combination of spelt flour and whole wheat, were just a little dry – especially as they were stingy with the maple syrup. They were tasty, though.
After brunch we walked around the different shops, stopping in at Jones the Grocer, an upscale cafe and gourmet grocery featuring specialty products like pastas, preserves, teas, coffees and spices.
A very relaxing Saturday afternoon.
christao408 
Looks delicious. I want to visit Singapore, There is a lady that i work with who is from there and goes back every year. She brought me this beautiful bag this year, i adore it.
@CiaoBella810 – Well worth visiting. Very accessible city.
Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast egg dish! So far, I thought Love of Siam was 3/5we saw 2 shorts, one is Faces of Departure, which only had a so-so one…and another called Family portraits, and half of the shorts are decent Especially the Korean on, Green Mountain in Drawer, is really goodIt’s hard to believe it’s the director’s thesis film
I am not too fond of Singapore… I found everything very mechanical and monotonous. Didn’t feel “life” among the people there.
@Wangium – One of the challenges with viewing Love of Siam is appreciating the context. This was the first time the topic of teenage same-sex love has been addressed in so specific a way. For Thailand, esp for gay Thais, it was a powerfully evocative film, even while it wasn’t technically the best film ever made.
@Dezinerdreams – There are many, including many Singaporeans, who feel the same!
I think I am one of the those few who like Singapore….
That restaurant is gorgeous. I love being able to eat outside. We’re almost back to being able to eat outside here. I’m so excited 🙂
o wow very nice presentation!
T___T I miss Singapore so much and even more after seeing those pics!! I was at PS Cafe when I went a couple years back. I was sitting on that outdoor area. Brings back such great memories!!
I feel like…Trying to relate to the characters are a bit difficult because:A) Most of them are filthy richB) They are all from extraordinary circumstances (band lead singer, etc)C) Lack of character development for almost every single one of themD) They try too hard to dramatize stuff and making it cheesyE) They try too hardWith that said, I still think it’s an enjoyable film…there are certain parts where I could relate, but only on a very surface level.It’s like…a 16 hour drama compressed into 2.5 hours.I felt like if the editing spent a little more time with each character, it would have been better
I saw this on your facebook Chris. The pictures are beautiful, tropical and heady.
@agmhkg – You are not alone, even if you are in the minority! =)
@TheCheshireGrins – Al fresco dining is great, isn’t it?
@yang1815 – Yeah, it is.
@brooklyn2028 – I thought I felt your presence there! =)
@Wangium – There is actually a director’s cut that clocks in at just shy of 4 hours. It definitely explores the characters in much more detail. Had the opportunity to see it (in Thai only – no subtitles) and it answered some hanging threads.
@ZSA_MD – Thanks. I cross-post everything so now that you are on f’book you’ll see the duplication. I try to find as many distribution channels as possible.
@christao408 – Hah, I swear it makes the food taste even better 🙂
@TheCheshireGrins – Actually, I think there’s some truth to that. Fresh air is good for your taste buds.