Travel
In July, the Bossy Flossie Family went for a luxurious two-night staycation at the Sofitel Hotel in Sentosa. The Sofitel, a French chain, is apparently a five-star hotel and our stay wasn’t exactly cheap at around $400++ per night. But, we figured that we deserved a bit of luxury. Our last staycation was nearly a year earlier at the Oasia …
What can I say, I am a Penang addict. I’ve been to Penang so many times that I know the historic town centre like the back of my hand. Visiting the Tropical Spice Garden in Penang has been on my list for a while now. I confess it was because I had read on the Real Singapore Expat Wives Facebook …
My trip to Mirissia was one of the best beach-bum breaks I’ve ever had. Move over Phuket, Langkawi and Bondi Beach with your endless boardwalks, “international” restaurants and sugary cocktail bars. The seaside town of Mirissa, along the southernmost coast of Sri Lanka, is the fairest holiday spot of all. Mirissa beach has gorgeous grainy sand the colour of honey, sweeping …
This year’s George Town Literary Festival was a culture-fest of all my favourite loves – food, coffee, shopping, hot debate and some powerful poetry. By the end of my trip, I left Penang feeling energised and ready to pen my own moody lyrics. But hold on a minute… perhaps you are surprised to learn that I am now a poetry …
The highlight of my long weekend in Belitung was island hopping and snorkelling off Pantai Tanjung Kelayang for the day. The weather in Belitung is very much like Singapore, hot and humid, and it is easy to get sunburnt. My friends and I lathered ourselves with sunscreen early in the morning, before enjoying a light breakfast at our beachside Santika …
There is an old biblical saying, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life,” which is a wise and heartfelt philosophy. That is, until you become the subject of such efforts! On my recent holiday to Belitung, our tour guide made us learn how to …
I visited the Taman Wisata Batu Mentas on day two of my long weekend to Belitung. The visit was a unique way to experience the island’s natural habitat and taste locally prepared food. We also got to check-out some really unique houses constructed from water bottles. However, don’t set your expectatons too high if you plan to visit here. You …
This September, I embarked on a mini three-day adventure with a great group of women to Belitung Island in Indonesia. Belitung is not a popular tourist destination and I was curious to discover an island not yet spoilt by the hoards of water bottle people. Whilst I admit there was not a smashed avocado on toast in sight on the island, by …
One of the most memorable gastronomic adventures I have experienced was a cooking lesson in a traditional Sri Lankan home. Sri Lankan food is highly aromatic and rich, featuring all sorts of tropical vegetables not to mention roots, herbs, chills and curry powders. However enjoying authentic Sri Lankan food can be a real challenge because most of the restaurants in …
The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s most famous wine-growing regions. However in recent years, it has also gained a reputation as an important gastronomic locale of NSW. It is only two hours away from Sydney and so the area is bustling with Sydneysiders on the weekend. In general, Sydneysiders maintain strict diets during the week, which often includes skipping …
Many Australians turn their nose up at the Hunter Valley. They claim the wine is average and the Hunter Valley is just for tourists. Well, those type of Aussies are stuck in a bad time warp. They still harp on about “how great” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is.
I was blown away by Danau Biru, the blue lake, among other awesome sights in Bintan. Many residents of Singapore regard Bintan as just some island to go for a cheap day spa. But Bintan has far more to offer with incredible religious and natural diversity.
Exercise to me is the equivalent of green vegetables to children. Everyone insists they are good and healthy but the only way you can get those green buggers down the hatch is with plenty of ketchup and the promise of dessert. Simply put, I hate exercise. To make it more palatable I often try to combine exercise with my passion …
Gili Air is remote tropical paradise. Quite literally, it is an island off an island situated off the north-east coast of Lombok in Indonesia. It has always been my experience that an island getaway sounds better in theory than it ever is in reality. You turn up to these so called “island paradises” only to find one of two problems – …
A holiday abroad never seems complete to me unless I can participate in a cookery class. Like any true foodie, getting busy in the kitchen is one of my favourite pastimes. It’s also a great way to learn about other cultures. For my recent trip to the Gili Islands, the thought of learning some spicy Indonesian dishes against an idyllic …
Why are yoga classes always taught by skinny white women – even in the middle of Asia? I pondered the question as a slender Australian women with spectacular flowing hair strutted into the yoga studio, right to the very front of the class. I could tell she was Australian by her accent. She quickly announced to everyone in her Aussie …
Good coffee on Gili Air, a remote island of Indonesia; you’ve got to be kidding… right? I was actually surprised by the number of great cafes and brunch spots on this Gili island. Cafe hopping is a very real and popular pastime here, in between island hopping, swimming and snorkelling. A lot of the cafes have an all-natural vibe to …
Robert Stroud was a mean son-of-a-bitch who spent seventeen years as a prisoner in Alcatraz, twelve of which were in isolation. Most people hold a romantic notion of the Bird Man of Alcatraz, as he is more famously known, thanks to the Hollywood movie starring Burt Lancaster. The reality is that Stroud was an egotistic sociopath who was better off …
I spent a long weekend during autumn in San Francisco, which was a beautiful time to visit. The sun was warm, the skies were bright and there was a pleasant crispness in the air. I explored the Mission District as well as visited the ominous Alcatraz prison. But what I enjoyed most about San Francisco was strolling around some of …
I was in San Francisco recently for a long weekend and I ended up spending an entire day walking through the Mission District. The Mission has a reputation for dishing up some of the best home-style Mexican food thanks to the area’s Latino heritage. But whilst the desire for a taco brought me here, it was my toothache that led …
Vũng Tàu is a small port city that is a couple of hours away from Ho Chi Minh. I came here with my Vietnamese girlfriend to pay homage to the iconic Jesus statue. This white figure with arms widespread has become one of the most recognisable landmarks of Vietnam in recent times. However, no visit to Vũng Tàu is complete …
My first visit to Japan was on a business trip. I spent Monday to Friday working long hours and seeing little else besides the inside of my hotel room and the office. But I arranged to stay over the weekend so I could have a chance to explore Tokyo.
The Japanese believe that you eat with your eyes first. Japanese meals are always carefully arranged on the plate and bright colours and garnish help to enhance their appearance. Condiments are served in delicate pots and ramekins whilst attractive chinaware and chopsticks help to frame the dish. The Japanese also believe in good, quality ingredients above all else. Most recipes …
Kiyomizuya is a traditional ryokan located in the heart of Noboribetsu, a popular hot spring resort of Hokkaido. I visited Noboribetsu in late autumn to experience old-world Japanese hospitality and soak in the healing, natural hot springs. Noboribetsu is a corner of Japan forgotten by modern civilisation. The few streets of the town centre are sparsely dotted with old fashioned …
I visited Noboribetsu in late autumn, when the leaves have already turned deep crimson and there is a refreshing chill in the air. Noboribetsu is a well known hot spring resort in the south of Hokkaido and a two hour train journey from the capital of Sapporo. I travelled to Noboribetsu to revel in the traditional, small-town Japanese hospitality it …
During my recent trip to Japan, I had every intention of splurging on a special Wagyu steak dinner. Wagyu is the generic term given for Japanese breeds of cattle, however the meat is well regarded for its tenderness, superior fat marbling and buttery taste, which is the result of strict guidelines for rearing and feeding the cattle. There is no one single …
On the Two Brothers website, Sri Lanka is described as the Jewel of the Indian Ocean. A more evocative name is hard to imagine. It reminds me of a romantic adventure, something like the Jewel of the Nile only with more opulent jewels, regal banquets and charming South East Asian beaches. I wanted to travel to Sri Lanka simply because …
“How was your trip?” Robin asked as I scooted into the dark, leather booth of an upmarket wine bar in Singapore. I had arrived slightly late to meet my friend, who was with two other women. They were half way through a bottle of white wine. “Terrible,” I huffed, studying the expectant faces of the other women whilst darting a …