Wine BYOF and Nickeldime's Great New Idea

It was one of those rare but happy chance encounters when I discovered Nickeldime in Bukit Timah. 

I don’t even live around there, but out in solitary search of breakfast on Wednesday in the midst of a fish-sitting errand (don’t ask), I happened to potter past a shop unit at the Greenwood row that piqued my curiosity. 

Rows of empty wine bottles in the window, a couple of tables out by the passageway, an interior which looked neither like a bottle shop, nor restaurant, nor bar….

“Hi, do you drink wine?” said a young lady clad in shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops, who was setting up shop.

“Er, yes,” said I, trying to inch away. I know this routine…that’s the sales pitch to hook and reel in the unsuspecting and unprepared Auntie for a quick sale, isn’t it?!

“What sort?” she goes on.

“White mainly,” muttered I defensively. “Easier to drink that in our hot weather.”

And off she rattled enthusiastically about some of the wines she carried. A Chateau de Chantegrive 2005 Graves (S$47), among them.

“I have a bottle open. Come in and have a taste.”

Oh – how generous! I am sold!

Turns out that Nickeldime is a pretty unique concept – they call it a ‘Bottle Shop and Tasting Room’. 

Set up like a cosy, laid-back living room, it is refreshingly unpretentious - a quiet hideaway (in the daytime at least) where you can enjoy a bottle with friends. I felt it was a little too dark, but it does have a rustic charm.

Suzanne Ng turns out to be a director/partner in this exciting new set up. A former banker who took time off to see NYC (before the credit crunch, she stresses), she obviously came back with good ideas and defected from bank to bar. And so, Nickeldime opened in February this year.

Aside from wines – mainly Californian – they also focus on international whiskies, sake and infusion cocktails. For nibbles, order from their snack menu, or even bring in your own food (BYOF indeed)! What’s more, it carries the menus of the restaurants in the Greenwood row so you can order from them too and eat your food at Nickeldime. How clever is that?

What’s more – and this is good news for alky-heads – they are open from 11am until “late,” so you can head over there with your hawker-bought chai tau kueh and chwee kway and down that with a nice, cool white! Also note that Saturdays are free tastings days. Go check it out for yourself!

And the wine I tasted? Lovely, intense, aromatic white, crisp and refreshing, melons and fruit. It really was delightful. Yes, admittedly this Auntie bought a bottle. And being the last of its kind on the shelf, I love their sales policy – 10% off the price. A happy chance encounter indeed, in more ways than one.

Suckered? Perhaps…but with eyes wide open, thank you. I’ll be back.

by ew

Where: 

Nickeldime

24 Greenwood Avenue

Tel: (65) 6763 6990

www.nickledime.sg

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Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

I’ve always believed in staying with the tried and trusted. Find a good man and stick with him through thick (him) and thin (her), I say. Lately, I’ve had my doubts.

Should I stay or should I go? I’ve wrestled with the decision time and again, come close to leaving and then changed my mind, swayed by the emotional ties that bind. We go back at least ten years, K and I. Yes, I believe I speak for many women when I say that my hairdresser is one of the most important persons in my life. And when you find Mr. Cut-It-Right, you don’t let him go just like that.

A decade. This is serious. And hey, that’s longer than we’ve been together, I say to my hubby. He understands, for K is one of the few people who’ve successfully tamed his bush-like mane into something resembling good grooming.

K truly understands my (often unmanageable) hair and knows what I want…even when I don’t. He did his magic and sent me out feeling great for my wedding, confident for my new job, and practical yet stylish as a new mum. He charges humane prices, gives me free trims when I happen to be in the neighbourhood on other business, and never ever hints at the need for pricey hair treatments such as colouring and rebonding (on the contrary, it takes a lot of convincing before he lets me part with my money).

Sometimes, I think this has possibly been the most stress-free relationship I’ve had with any adult. It would be perfect, except for one small matter. Lately, there has been some tension between us over the “fringe” issue: I like it, he doesn’t.

I’ve been inordinately fond of bangs ever since I can remember. No doubt fueled by literary descriptions of the Ingalls sisters’ preparations for the occasional church supper and social gathering -- a large part of which involved heating and curling their bangs -- in the Little House on the Prairie series, a delightful account of Laura Ingalls’ pioneer childhood in the American West.

It’s time to move on to a different look, “more sophisticated and less like a student,” K says firmly. A future without bangs? I-need-my-fringe! It is my security blanket, it hides imperfect eyebrows and breakouts on the forehead. I am not totally convinced, because K’s never been on an anti-fringe crusade…..until now. Then he adds – and this drives in real deep – that I “look very cheena with a fringe”. Ouch. That burned.

Well, if needs must. Maybe I will like the new-look me with sleek, side-swept hairdo. But I’ve already wavered and trimmed my bangs twice (to regrettable results). I will have to see K eventually and ‘fess up, or press on and embrace change.

The other alternative is not at all appealing, for I hate to think of splitting hairs with K, parting ways forever….and facing the awful possibility that there might NOT be someone better out there…

What’s your take on this issue? Click on the comments button, and share your thoughts on this dilemma so universal to all womankind.? 

by lk

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Earth Day Escapades - Green is Good!

Back in the Dark Ages, it used to be ‘us’ against ‘them’. That is, sandal-wearing greenies and tree-huggers versus foie gras-snogging, fur-wearing carnivores who didn’t give a hoot about the environment. 

Fast forward to the present, where eco-consciousness is the buzzword. A good thing too, for we are fast depleting the earth’s limited resources – who knows what kind of world our kids will be living in, years from now, at the rate we are going?

With Earth Day coming up on 22 April, here are some earth- and/or wallet-friendly options you might want to consider, for indoors as well as outdoors. 

May our children inherit a thriving, green planet…

INDOORS: Tiny Tots to Earth’s Rescue

Two ordinary tots go on a quest to save the beautiful planet Earth. The Seeds of Time, the latest offering by Shamini Flint (who pens the delightful Sasha travel series for parents and young children), is an adventure perfectly timed for our current environmental crisis. Suitable for readers aged nine and above. The author is donating all royalties to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature. In addition, if you order this book online (S$15) from www.sunbearpublishing.com, a further US$2 will be donated to the WWF.

On the same Web site, check out this other book by the same author (but under the name S Mahadevan Flint). In How to Win a Nobel Prize: A Stay-at-Home Mum’s Guide (S$12), the author sets out the small steps we can each take to save the future for our children – without compromising the present with our kids. So, if you’ve ever worried about big issues like climate change, global poverty and the war on terror, and what it all means for our children, this is the book to get. A light approach to serious stuff, in a good way.

OUTDOORS: You Can’t Beat Fresh Air ‘n Sunshine

Now would be a good time to distinguish wants from needs. Instead of hitting the malls and buying yet more stuff that you don’t really need, consider some of these great, get-close-to-nature options for the weekend, which your family will simply love.

D'KRANJI FARM RESORT

Farmstay in urban Singapore – why not? This 19-villa farmstay (dubbed a ‘lifestyle-cum-agriculture resort’) comes with a spa, restaurant, fruit and herb plantations. So you see, there are creature comforts yet!

Where: 10 Neo Tiew Lane 2

Tel: 6898 9228

Admission: Free

The one-bedroom villas are S$230 nett per night on weekdays and S$280 nett per night on weekends.

www.dkranji.com.sg

BOLLYWOOD VEGGIES

Organic farm with different species of vegetables and fruit trees. There is also a restaurant serving local dishes using farm produce.

Where: 100 Neo Tiew Road

Tel: 6898 5001

Admission: S$2 per person (free for visitors under 12 and over 60)

www.bollywoodveggies.com

HAY DAIRIES

A goat farm that produces fresh milk for sale, with about 1,000 goats of mixed breeds. The farm is open daily from 9am to 4pm for visits. Milking sessions last from 9am to 11am, so visitors are encouraged to come in the morning.

Where: 3 Lim Chu Kang Lane 4

Tel: 6792 0931

Admission: Free; S$3 per person for educational/groups tour

www.haydairies.com.sg

JURONG FROG FARM

A frog farm that rears mainly American bullfrogs.

Where: 56 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6

Tel: 6791 7229

Admission: Free

www.jurongfrogfarm.com.sg

KHAISENG FISH FARM

Shop for fish for your home aquarium.

Where: 181 Neo Tiew Road

Tel: 6793 7789

Admission: Free

www.khaiseng.com.sg

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Tai Tai Delights at Damai

Just had a pampering session at Damai Spa on the 5th floor of the Grand Hyatt last week. Very nice, I must say.

First thing you see when you get there: the pretty surroundings and a spacious verandah outside the spa proper, where you can relax in wide armchairs, soak in the greenery, listen to the swishing sounds of the little waterfall downstairs, and feel completely tai tai-like.

Inside Damai itself, all is cool, quiet and stylish. I felt positively underdressed for the occasion, but if the spa staff thought I looked a slob, they gave no indication as they led me to the lounge where ginger tea was served in my very own teapot, and gave me a general introduction.

I was there for the signature Damai Orchid Massage (S$185 for 90 mins), a bestseller I’m told, which makes use of the spa’s signature essence blended by June Jacobs using Singapore’s national flower, Vanda Miss Joaquim. (Patriotic National Day Sparty, anyone?)

The treatment rooms are set along a dreamlike, wavy blue-lit passage that feels like you’re in some sci-fi movie. This is supposed to have a calming effect but I got a bit giddy walking down the corridor. The treatment area is tropical and minimalist in décor with lots of wood, natural light and a large en suite bathroom where my bathrobe and black, slinky, loin-cloth-like disposable underwear awaits. Thank goodness for the oversized robe!

First up is a foot soak with salts. I’m offered a choice of essences: healing, energizing, calming or balancing. Then a choice of music – Indian, Chinese, Indonesian or Japanese – to be played during the massage. It’s nice that the therapist took pains to ask from the start what areas I wanted to focus on and what to avoid, even before I beached myself on the spa bed. And what a massage that was: long, firm strokes and attention to pressure points from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Definitely relaxing, and I fell asleep….and awoke to silky smooth skin, thoroughly oiled face and hair, feeling languid from all that kneading. I had to shampoo my hair twice to wash the oil out, an enjoyable process undertaken in the luxurious, full-sized bathroom.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the ‘couple’ suite is massive, with its own water-wall, skylight, reflecting pool stretching from one wall to another and a stone tub for two. Absolutely decadent!
The spa also has a water-treatment room with a Chinese aji stone bed for water therapies, as well as a wheelchair-accessible treatment room with spa bed set a little lower for easier access. How very thoughtful.

The Damai Experience (S$280) is good value for money, throwing in a 60-minute body scrub, 75-minute body massage, use of facilities including a gorgeous pool, and lunch at the Oasis. For serial spa goers, the spa is offering membership at S$500 for a year, which includes 20% off the price of treatments, 15% off retail items and three complimentary, 75-minute body massages plus use of facilities on the day of your treatment.

Damai Spa
10 Scotts Road
Tel: (65) 6416 7156
E-mail: damai.sg@hyatt.com

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Book - Swap My Read

Books should be read, not left sitting pretty on shelves to impress visitors and gather dust. If, like me, you find it hard to walk out of a bookshop without an armful of new books for your overpopulated shelves, here is an eco- and wallet-friendly idea to consider. Recycle your books through the public library’s Book Exchange Programme, where used books become new reads. This is how it works.

3 easy steps to exchange your used books for new reads:
1. Bring your used books to any public library from 11-24 April, from 11am to 8pm. On 25 April, however, used books are accepted only at the National Library Building.
2. Drop off your used books and get a book exchange coupon indicating one-for-one exchange for the books accepted.
3. Bring your coupon to The Plaza, National Library Building, on 25 April to exchange for used books dropped off by other book lovers.

Each person can exchange up to a maximum of 30 used books. There is no age limit for participation. The libraries will accept children's and adults' fiction and non-fiction books (e.g. cookbooks, travel guides and romance novels) in any of Singapore’s four official languages, as well as used library books bought from previous library book sales; used books for exchange should be in relatively good physical condition. However, textbooks, magazines and audio-visual materials won’t be accepted.

Only coupons issued with a Book Exchange stamp are valid, so check your coupons carefully after they are issued to you. Do note that lost coupons are not replaceable. However, coupons issued are transferable -- you may pass them on to family members or friends to help you redeem used books.

And remember to bring your own carrier bags or arrange for transportation of books redeemed as plastic/carrier bags and delivery service won’t be provided on 25 April.

The Book Exchange proper takes place on 25 April (Saturday) from 10.30am to 6pm at The Plaza, National Library Building, 100 Victoria Street.

For enquiries, call the National Library Board’s Helpdesk at 6332 3255 or e-mail: helpdesk@nlb.gov.sg

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Binge – Recent Discoveries

Most of us become creatures of habit because we not only like the familiar, we also know what to expect at our usual haunts. The most annoying thing is to head to a new restaurant with great expectations following their marketing hype, only to be disappointed. And still have to pay for the disappointment! How many of us have nursed the sores of a wasted evening, especially when free evenings - without the usual routine of homework with the kids and cooking dinner - come by only occasionally?

That said, the bulk of the good restaurants here – or anywhere else for that matter – range from decent to pretty good. Spectacular finds are hard to come by – I can count on one hand the number of truly spectacular meals in all my years of ‘professional eating’ both here and abroad.

But I’ve recently discovered (or re-discovered) three nice restaurants right here at home which may not fall under ‘spectacular’ but certainly hits the higher end of ’pretty darn good’ in my books. So here goes.

Pontini at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. I suspect it’s a ‘forgotten’ restaurant, not quite smack in the middle of most of our radar screens,...and in fact it had fallen off for me over the last year or so because of its ‘hit-and-miss’ cooking (read between the lines, darling…I’m not naming names here but…) until they recently acquired a new chef.

Quite a curiosity I must say – what’s a German doing cooking Italian? What were we in for? Sauerkraut with mozzarella?....But no, I was proven wrong! Must flagellate myself for such unholy narrow-mindedness!

Chef Frank Kilian’s food was most interesting and enjoyable indeed – traditional in many ways but with some refreshingly restrained elements of molecular or avant garde, whichever you want to call it. You have the airs and foams, tomato waters and agar agar, but it’s not over-the-top annoying…just little accents, not the main act. The outcome? Modern food with intriguing bits and pieces that still remains honest and genuine. (Call me Auntie, but I can’t fathom food from labs.) Scallop tartare with mascarpone cheese, oscietre caviar and essence of tomato, Cod fillet with parma ham, red endive, lentils and garlic air, beef tenderloin with enoki mushroom, green asparagus and black truffle jus were some of the dishes tasted - light yet filling, and very elegant.

I’d say it’s definitely worth going. Aside from a la carte dishes, there’s currently a four-course introductory menu at $68++. And if I may add, service there is consistently friendly and attentive as well. On the 'to go' list? Check!

392 Havelock Road
Tel: 65-6233 1133

Jade at The Fullerton Hotel. I raved about its seven-course duck menu ($58++) when we first started this blogazine. I like its fine dining environment, the tinkling china flatware, the pampering service, elegant, creative food, and excellent value – the entire meal easily costs the same as one high-end main course in superluxe places like Les Amis.

So what’s happening here again? Five more ‘themed menus’ rolled out after the success of the duck menu starting from $48++ to $68++, available for lunch and dinner. The five menus are: Oriental Wellness focusing on Chinese herbs and spices; Fruits of the Harvest themed around fruits; Aromatic Delights, an olfactory menu using lots of fragrant ingredients; Symphony of Spices highlighting chillies and other fiery flavours, and the self explanatory Mushroom Medley.

I tried the latter just two days ago – the beef brisket with enoki, black fungus with vinaigrette as part of the appetizer was most enjoyable, but what stood out was the main course of lamb in bean crumbs and pumpkin ginger rice, and the dessert – a most unusual mushroom ice cream with green tea tofu. Sounds weird, but trust me it was a dessert to remember. I plan to try the rest of the menus leisurely. Next on my 'Food to do" list: the Aromatic Delights menu. (I’d pop in the entire menus for you to see, but it’s a bit too much. But email the restaurant at jade@fullertonhotel.com - I'm sure they'll be happy to send it over.)

By the way, I’m pleased as pie to report that they have taken off the ridiculous pricing of $7 per person for Chinese tea...which makes for plenty expensive hot water! The $28++ dim sum is still ongoing, too, but be prepared for some changes to the menu…They’re booked up until May for the weekends, I am told.

1 Fullerton Square
Tel: 65-6877 8188

The French Kitchen reminds me so much of St Pierre when it first opened. Attentive, sincere service, excellent food and super-smart pricing all merge into a superlative experience for customers. Mind you, this comes not from an orchestrated tasting, but just an ordinary evening when we pottered there on our own for dins.

The chef himself, Jean Charles Dubois, scampered out like a friendly puppy to say hello, and truly that made a big difference for me, as well as for others who had eaten there and said the same thing. (In fact, he and the manager personally saw every guest out like they were best friends…which was a really charming touch. Talk about clever PR!) Through the meal, the manager stopped by to ask if things were okay, offered to advise on wine matches, always friendly – not condescending like some can be – but never imposing.

And the food? Really, really…err…really good. We had the kurobuta pork cheek and duck liver terrine ($28) and Burgundy snails ($24) for starters, roasted venison saddle with cherry, cauliflower smoothie, gratin dauphinois and civet sauce ($38) and pan seared sea bream with warm celeriac remoulade, lemon confit and creamy caper sauce ($35) for mains, all from the Winter Menu, and dessert was a traditional warm chocolate fondant with caramelised banana ice cream ($16). The meats were all tender, moist and luscious, the vegetables were full flavoured and the textures always hit a perfect balance. The wines were well priced too – which is why I say, the pricing is very clever. Not cheap, but very good value for what you are getting. Closed on Mondays, dinner-only on Saturday and no corkage on Sundays. It’s currently one of my favourites. GO.

7 Magazine Road
#01-03 Central Mall
Tel: 65-6438 1823

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The Gorgeous Red Bag!

I liked this one from the moment GO! 

Perhaps, because it’s red and I like passionate colours… and also maybe, because it just stands out so beautifully. 

Not sure where this soccer mum would wear it to but if you are working in the creative industry, this would be the bag to have.

It’s called ”The Gorgeous Red Bag” and was designed under the Bangkok based Chai @ Headquarters label and inspired by the Nasar Solar Eclipse photographs.

There is only one piece for sale at $680 in Singapore at ARC from 1 April. 

So rush out and grab it. 

(No pushing, please!)

ARC is a quirky boutique at Esplanade Mall that sells one-of-a-kind designs from Korea, Shanghai and Thailand as well as pieces from the cult Japanese denim labels Denime, Full Count, Omnigod and KMW.

Check it out this month at:
ARC
1 Esplanade Drive, #02-10
T: 6336 9442

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Go goo-goo and ga-ga over eeni, meeni, miini moh

Ok, so your girlfriend is having another baby (yes, that girlfriend – the one with everything). And, yes, her last baby shower already looked like somebody looted Mothercare and Toys “R” Us! So it’s time for you to get creative and pick up something from a brand she isn’t likely to have -- at least not yet, as you will be the first to pick it up (remember, you read it here first!). 

We recommend eeni meeni miini moh®, an award-winning Australian children’s lifestyle brand that’s launched its first-ever soft toy collection for babies and children, now available at EGG Maternity store in VivoCity. The four characters: “eeni”, “meeni”, “miini” and “moh,” each retailing at S$29, have their own unique personalities. 

The collection includes two vintage-inspired ragdolls, Harriette and Mathilde (S$59 each) and three hanging toys -- a bird, elephant and heart – perfect above the cot, on the pram or in the car.

You might also want to check out the fun shower and baby items that make great gifts: mini- to large-sized comfort blankets (S$27 to S$66) from the NooNoo range, or baby togs from EGGShell, made from 100% organic cotton and bamboo. 

Available at:
EGG Maternity
1 Harbour Front Walk
1-58 VivoCity
Singapore 098585
T: (65) 6376 8135
www.eggmaternity.com.sg

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Do You See?

Young talent is a marvellous thing. Imagine…to have set eyes on works by Picasso when he was just a fledgling talent and to know later that you had spotted the makings of a genius way back then.

All artists must start somewhere, with a platform to showcase their works.

Homegrown talent Wong Lip Chin will stage his first solo exhibition, “Now You See”, at the Marina Mandarin Hotel, which opens today (2 April). 

During the month-long exhibition, Lip, the hotel’s fourth artist-in-residence, will represent a retrospective view of the young artist in relationship with his culture. 

His quirky style – a juxtaposition of images from different sources such as magazines, movie stills and the Internet, followed by the application of different painting techniques in a single artwork – best describes his intention of capturing our island nation’s ‘rojak’ culture. 

The young Singapore artist, who is currently a student at LASALLE College of the Arts, is said to have attracted attention in the art circles with his bold and highly individualistic style. 

Intrigued? Go see for yourself. The exhibition ends 2 May. 

Exhibition Details:

Level 5, Marina Mandarin Singapore

2 April-2 May

For details, see: www.asianartoptions.com

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Surrogate Parenting - Not Welcome

I was pretty annoyed when I was having dinner with a friend and she turned around and told my daughter to be quiet as the grown ups were talking. She beckoned to my daughter’s crayons and suggested that she keep drawing and tell us when she was done. 

Granted that this was the second time my daughter had interrupted us in the course of our dinner conversation. The first time had already seen me giving her the same firm warning. 

But my daughter is 4 and as we all know, this is a tender age where she is still learning, and has to be taught not to interrupt and all the other areas of etiquette that make a child socially acceptable. The crux though is that as her parent, I would like to impart those lessons myself and I prefer that they not come from other well-meaning mums. 

Perhaps it is me being unnecessarily sensitive but I DO NOT appreciate other people telling my child what to do. This friend is also a mother and her children are older than mine, but I feel what she did was rude and imposing, at least in my books. To be fair, I am sure it was well-meant, but in my eyes, it was misplaced, unpalatable and these good intentions intruded into my private space. Way out of line, darling. 

We do go out on occasion with her family and sure, her kids misbehave too and when they do, I let their mom do her job as this is the person that should be their rightful disciplinarian. Since when in any parenting book, is it ok for you to allow your child to go by some other person’s dos and don’ts? For me, the carte blanche for matters in discipline should only be extended as far as the Grandparents or the main caregiver and no further. Even then it does not extend to my parents or my husband's parents physically punishing my child. I do not believe in sparing the rod to spoil the child either but that decision should be mine and my husband’s and no one else’s. 

I know that everyone lives by a different rulebook but how do you tell someone that it is NOT alright to tell someone else’s child off, especially with the child’s parents are sitting right in front of you? I also do not appreciate someone else overtaking my authority and I was offended. 

The perfectionist in me was NOT a happy camper but the PR person in me put up the usual “hostess with the mostest” front as I was hosting dinner. Plus it was just one of those nights at dinner where I did not feel like picking a fight so I told myself to let it go and did not say anything. Still incensed, I made a mental note that the next time this happens, I will not let it go without making my feelings clear. 

Why is it that other people feel a need to discipline your kids in front of you? Is that ok? What are the boundaries if any? And what would you do if you faced a situation like mine? Or in fact if you had indeed told off someone else’s child? 

Put your fingers to the keyboard and share your most candid thoughts. Drop a comment at the end of this article, tell us on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=41203999356 or email us at simplyfabulicious@gmail.com 

By EY 

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