Singapore 2016

it's been 7 years since i lived in singapore....at the time, with oil at $150/bbl, the commodities boom was making singapore an even bigger oil hub and in effect an even bigger financial hub stealing thunder away from what the brits built hong kong on, a western banking hub in the east. singapore was growing fiercely but with a population wavering at 4M it was not able to sustain its GDP without foreign tourists, expats workers, students etc. and so came the casino's...and the push for permanent residents. and so came the influx of casino crime...and rich mainland chinese.

that immigrant trickle down effect...finally trickled INTO MY FOOD! my "go to" food spots have never failed me but this trip....nothing i ate hit the spot! everything seemed callously cooked, under flavored, not rich enough, not aromatic enough...spicy with no flavor, oily with no purpose, just overall sub par. are the immigrants to blame? has immigrant workforce diluted the classic singaporean dishes? GAH!

UNCLE LEONGS CHILI CRAB - ehhh...

leedon heights....there's something to be said about to asian commune style construction. housing projects went from military style to hdb's to luxury 99 year 7 building residential zones. its like a suped up town house into a super condo development. feels socialist with a tron backdrop.

tippling club. australian gastronomical tasting menu fare...duxton road has changed so much from the filipino bar days...

training for a marathon just became a walk in the park...and texting...

COMBAT DURIAN! WE CALL IT COMBAT BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK! - oh singlish! this place on ballestier road...has some legit durians from malaysia. this one is the mountain cat durian. 貓山王。 creamy and thick and dense. small pits. not too sweet and a pleasant bitter aroma....like a coffee savory bitter....delicious.

The preferred post-#duriandrink is "cooling" water, often poured into the empty durian husk and sometimes mixed with salt.

i chased mine down with mangosteens too...

maxwell food court 天天海南雞飯。 long queue. it was good. not amazing.

gardens by the bay. - singapore hasn't changed but a lot of new shit like this has gone up. these faux trees look cool at night from an aerial view. but we went at 5pm and it looks like barren abadoned amusement park. gross. the world expo tree of life looked way nicer.