Red Dot Design Museum

This building on Maxwell Road holds very dear memories for me because my late father used to work in this building when it was the Headquarters of the Traffic Police. I think he was based there for a short period of time and I remember going with him into his office there, I must have been about five years old.

Now it has got a new lease of life as the Red Dot Design Museum. I am glad the wrecking ball didn't get to this old dame the way the old National Library and the National Theatre went.

The Museum shop carries some really cool stuff like the Photo Curator and the best part about this place that I like is the flea market on the first weekend of every month (when there is also free admission to the museum). This is a really high quality market which only admits sellers who sell handmade items. You can get unique and gorgeous things like fabric journal covers, customised key chains, knitted scarfs, origami earrings (see picture below) and other accessories. I am definitely going back to the market to get some more special gifts for some special people.

A Slice Of Bohemia

Haji Lane in the Arab area is way cool. It is bohemian, chill-out cool.

Murals such as this and other street art/graffiti adorn the ways of the buildings in the alleyways. Photographers (usually young people) with colourful Lomo cameras prowl the laneways for a good shot. Not difficult at all to find an interesting composition in this area. Photo shoots take place each time I have visited - from wedding videos to blogshop fashion shoots.

The low shophouses are architecturally very interesting, the things sold are unique - clothes by young local designers (although the pre-pubescent sizes leave me disappointed), collectibles, knick knacks, retro-style furniture, handmade jewellery and all sorts of bits and bobs to attract the shopper who has wearied of the same-old, same-old ubiquitous shopping malls in Singapore.

Stop for a coffee, a teh-halia, a beer or a smoke of the shisha pipe. There is even earl gray and fig ice-cream. What more can you ask for?

Traditional Egg Tarts

Round the corner from Ann Siang Hill, the subject of the last post, along South Bridge Road, is this old-time Chinese confectionery called Tong Heng. The egg tarts are legendary. Not the usual round shape, but a diamond shape with the eggy custard goodness encased in a flaky pastry. You can have them on the premises as they have a couple of marble tables and wooden chairs, adding to the old-world charm. Other fare on offer are old-fashioned biscuits like "wife's biscuits" and other goodies which were traditionally wedding biscuits. You definitely cannot stop at one at this place.