spending time in the new orchard

I spent a fair bit of time exploring the new malls in Orchard this trip back home, namely Ion, Orchard Central and 313.

I was wowed by 1) the crowd 2) the fancily decorated restaurants 3) the super high ceilings with humongous fans (I like!) when I first stepped into 313. But a quick tour round the entire mall revealed no particularly interesting shop that I would purchase stuff from. Sure, there is a 16,000 sq ft four storey high flagship Forever21 store there but nothing in it caught my eye.

Lambchop and I ooh-ed and aah-ed at the vintage Vespa parked under a lamp-post right at the entrance to Trattoria, an Italian restaurant strategically located at the main thoroughfare from the train station. That (the Vespa) made our decision on dinner venue for us while we awaited Tudi's arrival. The service staff were atrocious, food was average and overpriced - Lambchop's lasagne bolognese looked like it came straight out of an instant meal pack that got heated up in a microwave and was totally bland. Don't think we'll go back again. Ever.



We took a table at the 'outside seating' section of the restaurant. I find it a bit funny that they try to simulate an alfresco dining setting when strictly speaking, this is still indoor as it's still enclosed within the air-conditioned mall. It's basically an exchange of warm cosy dining for spacious openness. You would think that you'd get more privacy but no, the tables are set equally close to one another such that you still get to hear all the conversations of your neighbours.


Left: See the high ceiling and ultra humongous fan I was talking about?
Right: At a Chinese restaurant in Orchard Central. My shopping buddy Mr P who specialises in Interior Design Architecture told me the theory behind the ancient royalty/upper class families having chairs with such high backs extending way above your head - to guard against assassins trying to slice off your head from behind. Cool.

We then had coffee at a cafe that serves exhorbitantly priced Jamaican or Kenyan Blue or whatever mountain blend coffee.


Left: Pretty server pouring the special coffee for the two ladies.
Right: Only Lambchop chose a cold drink.


NG after NG!!!


Finally some decent shots.
Left: Tudi savouring her aromatic coffee. Actually, we find the coffee so-so.
Right: Slurrrrrrpzzzzz.

On another occasion, Lambchop took half a day off work to go gai-gai with me. We spent most of the time eating! The food hall in Ion has a lot of stalls that sell an interesting variety of foods like Mantou (chinese steamed bread dough) burgers, fast-food Peking duck rolls and suckling pig, weird Taiwanese and Japanese snacks etc.


Saw a cute miniature bike on displaying at Crumpler's shop front.


It's called a Monkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *loves*



We shared a box of peking duck rolls. Not fantastic. Skin wasn't crispy enough. But can't really complain as you're paying fast-food prices as compared to restaurant prices. Didn't try the suckling pig crepes though.



Our peking duck going through the production chain.


Kueh TuTu!!!!!!!!! We bought a box of mixed peanut and coconut TuTus and had to fight over the coconut ones. Yums.


Because Lambchop got hooked on the TWG Morrocan Mint tea his friend recommended on our previous meet-up at winebar and restaurant Que Pasar at Emerald Hill, we went to the flagship TWG outlet and cafe in Ion for a proper tea session.


There are at least a few hundred selections of tea on the menu. I had the Emperor's White Garden Tea and Lambchop got to satisfy his craving for Morrocan Mint Tea.


Left: Lambchop trying out his newly acquired (from Edit in Ion) very cool Ah Pek glasses with matt black lens rims and leather sides. He thinks he looks ugly but I think he looks cute in those. If he doesn't want them, I'm going to snatch the pair from him.
Right: Our pots of tea! Colour coded black and white for easy differentiation.


Left: We tried to dismantle the teapot and discovered an extremely normal porcelain pot underneath the highly insulated jacket. The tea is kept warm for a very long time while we yakked for hours.
Right: It seems like I was looking up at a starry ceiling in this shot.

I wonder which new malls will spring up to welcome me back for my next visit? I didn't have a chance to explore the newly opened IR at Sentosa but will definitely do that next year.