Goodbyes & Hellos
Farewells are always difficult. This journal has been kind and happy, and so much more than just a journal. And I will miss it but I’m finally ready for something new.
So say hello to my new space: KIMBERLYKRISTENWONG.COM
KIMBERLYKRISTENWONG.COM
See you on the flip side x
Ben’s (KL Pavillon)
Spaghetti / Crispy Duck Confit & Sundried Tomatoes
Salad / Burnt Butter Wild Mushrooms with Roquefort Cheese, Caramelized Walnuts & Truffle Oil
Some weeks ago, we made a little trip to Kuala Lumpur with the pals. On our last night, we stumbled upon Ben’s. The menu was refreshing & exciting, the decor subtly elegant and the food turned out pretty tasty- the spaghetti was done perfectly al dente, and the desserts were happily not-too-sweet. The salad was warm and inviting and comforting, crisp leaves and warm melty mushrooms.
This coming from someone who’s neither a sweet tooth nor a salad fan. And we simple couldn’t believe the prices: main-courses we chose were priced around SGD10plus. We each had a main course and a drink, and we all shared a starter, a salad and 3 desserts. The final bill came up to an average of SGD15 per person, tax and service charge included.
The restaurant also thoughtfully provided free wi-fi and little “table topic” cards with questions like “What’s the most embarrassing trend you’ve ever followed” or “If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be”. We lingered for the longest time, basking in the good food and happy company. It’s the kind of place we would “haunt”, if only it were in Singapore. Inexpensive, delicious, adventurous but most importantly, unpretentious x
agnès b. LE PAIN GRILLÉ
While I’d like to say that fashion cafes are usually just a very clever PR gimmick, I have to admit that the cakes at agnès b. LE PAIN GRILLÉ are genuinely lovely – light & just the right amount of sweet!
On another note, we’re flying to KL tomorrow for a short getaway with the pals! Have a good weekend, everyone xx
THE MAIDEN VOYAGE 2012
Hong Kong – the maiden voyage of the new year & the fifth time we’re there in less than 12 months. We spent the first week of 2012 in the Asian shopping mecca filling up on old school trolley-cart dim-sum & street side delicacies. Fell miserably ill- but even that was fun, holed up in our delightful hotel suite watching pay-per-view on surround sound, digesting documentaries on snow leopards, fighting to keep our eyes open and then falling asleep with you. It would be quite nice to improve on my half-arsed Cantonese.
It’s good to be home, and I’m spending my next few days curled up in a ball under the sheets, with a myriad of teas and some crisp new books. It’s just what the doctor ordered x
A Pop Of Colour
I’m not usually big on colour, but the red/blue/cream of the sweater, at SGD20, was too adorable to resist. Worn over multiple layers of heat-tech tees, paired with my tatty denim shorts and patent leather oxfords. It’s 13 degrees out- the cold weather and too much deep fried goodness means we’re all falling ill. I miss those strawberry strepsils – why only London?
Just Another Face In The Sea Of Crowds
A quick, random update: The festive season has been all too kind (and unkind) at the same time. It’s been a whirlwind of parties, a copious amount of food, and more champagne than we probably need in a lifetime. It’s nice, living in a little bubble of whimsy – although the wallet disagrees. There has barely been a moment to breathe, and we’re off on a jet plane again, but that’s what we’re looking forward to this coming week, a moment to breathe.
Flying to the (arguably) busiest Asian city under the pretext of rest & relax- the irony is not lost on me.
Let’s play a game – leave a comment guessing the city I’m in, and I’ll bring home a little surprise gift for a random reader who gets it right! You don’t even have to be in Singapore- there’s nothing quite as exciting as snail mail. Lots of love xx
SEOUL SEARCHING IN KOREA
Garosu-gil. Hands down, my favourite street in Seoul. The street’s name translated into English is “Ginko Avenue”, but apart from being lined with ginko trees, Garosu-gil also houses an eclectic mix of Korean high street fashion, cult designer boutiques and quirky coffee joints. D bought more shoes than his two feet can wear in a year. & It was love at first sight for me – the vibe, the laidback energy, the delightful little finds. It was the perfect place to lose yourself for awhile, to stop for a coffee, a chat and a daydream. And that’s just what we did – in between blowing all our remaining cash on clothes.
The Day We Walked “Home” In The Korean Rainstorm
Cafe Chang Hee / 78 Samcheongro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Thinking it was a passing rain, we sought shelter in a cosy little cafe with a handwritten menu and drip brewed coffee from Africa, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica and other faraway places I would like to visit. We sat by the window and watched the droplets race down the glass as the sky turned darker and darker.
Hours passed before we finally realized that the rain wasn’t lightening up. So we got up, walked out and tried to flag a cab. To no avail. In the end, we walked 45 minutes in the pouring rain and thunder storm. Visibility was so bad that with water dripping down our faces faster than we could shake it off, we couldn’t even see past an arm’s length. We reached our hotel freezing cold and literally dripping wet, as though we had just come out of the pool with all our clothes on. It was crazy, but also a pretty awesome adventure. And I can’t think of anyone else I’d want to share it with.
The Best Burger in Seoul
“Jailbirds” for chefs, the entire restaurant was themed a prison ghetto style! They also had a big wall mural claiming to serve the “best burger in seoul” – but we didn’t have any other burgers in Korea, so I wouldn’t know. The burgers were decent, but the fries were another thing altogether – I’m salivating just thinking about it.
That night, we also caught NANTA, the cooking musical. It’s the first Asian musical to land a long-standing spot on Broadway in New York. With very little use of words, they created a short but dramatically dynamic, funny storyline. It was extra special for us, as D got called onto stage as a “kitchen volunteer” where he helped make dumplings and rally the crowd :) Unfortunately, photography is strictly prohibited, and I got caught whilst trying to sneak a shot.
As a little “thank you”, they presented D with a chef’s hat and a souvenir picture of him on stage with the cast :)
L A ♔ B E L L A ♔ V I T A 
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