Here's what weekend aren't anymore: shopping sprees, chi-chi restaurants, spa trips to the Banyan Tree, frequent short holidays around the region. Well, not too much anyway.
So, last Saturday, I decided to go take one of the free Walking Tours the National Library organised in conjunction with the Society of Tourist Guides in Singapore. Did a 45 minute tour around the Middle Road, Purvis Street, Beach Road area, learned about the Hainanese (and why they make such good pork chop) and then I had chicken rice at Yet Con on Purvis - the guy still uses the abacus when he does the bills. Picked up lots of great trivia, and even went to the library to borrow a couple of books. (Yep, less of Borders for me, but that's another story.
One of the books I brought home was Discover Singapore on Foot. It's a coupla years out of date, but fun nonetheless. And it came in useful when I took a photo class on Sunday around the Joo Chiat area. Four hours circling four streets: East Coast Road at the Junction of Marshall Road, then Joo Chiat, to Koon Seng and Tembeling, and then back to Marshall.
There's a ton of restoration that's been going on. OK, so the shophouses aren't as luxe as the ones on Neil Road, but they've still got more character in a 1 sq km area than most parts of the rest of the island. Art Galleries next to bars. And get this: a Temptations bakery next to a girly bar called I Love You. Of course there are the peranakan restaurants - where a couple of months ago you could walk in and get a table for dinner with no problem, but thanks to the Little Nyonya, reservations are now required.
I'm definitely going to be spending more time doing some neighborhooding on weekends. And Joo Chiat still has no Starbucks, no chainstores, no Gap, no Zara. Long live independant businesses and 'hoods with character.
