2016

hong kong

it has been nearly ten years since I last visited! I really do miss hong kong’s unique urban landscape, and most importantly, the FOOD. I don’t necessarily feel a strong desire to go back though, given how expensive the city has become, but we’ll see what the future holds.

as mentioned… the food - pineapple buns are pretty up there in my pastry/bread hall of fame, crispy, incredibly buttery, dense, sweet and slightly savoury (and no pineapples if anyone was wondering). so unbelievably delicious

as mentioned… the food - pineapple buns are pretty up there in my pastry/bread hall of fame, crispy, incredibly buttery, dense, sweet and slightly savoury (and no pineapples if anyone was wondering). so unbelievably delicious

can’t remember what type and part of meat this was, it was probably delicious anyway

can’t remember what type and part of meat this was, it was probably delicious anyway

ahhh I can’t remember what this place is called! it was a huge building full of independent shops, artist studios, and exhibitions. I had so much fun browsing through them. I would go back for this!

ahhh I can’t remember what this place is called! it was a huge building full of independent shops, artist studios, and exhibitions. I had so much fun browsing through them. I would go back for this!

another shot of the building. imagine walking through school hallways but it’s filled with incredible art and artist products.

another shot of the building. imagine walking through school hallways but it’s filled with incredible art and artist products.

there was a museum inside the building!

there was a museum inside the building!

we ended off our evening at the highly-coveted bao restaurant. I remember loving every dish but having a complete aneurysm at the prices… vowed to never go back again even though it was delicious 🥲.

we ended off our evening at the highly-coveted bao restaurant. I remember loving every dish but having a complete aneurysm at the prices… vowed to never go back again even though it was delicious 🥲.

the dessert baos! again, incredibly delicious but also incredibly overpriced

the dessert baos! again, incredibly delicious but also incredibly overpriced

hong kong’s one of the countries in asia where I’m less traversed with, so I keep forgetting the names of these places. this was the traditional diner (茶餐厅) that appeared in lots of iconic shows and movies, so of course I had to visit

hong kong’s one of the countries in asia where I’m less traversed with, so I keep forgetting the names of these places. this was the traditional diner (茶餐厅) that appeared in lots of iconic shows and movies, so of course I had to visit

very old hong kong vibes, which I do appreciate and love. it is interesting how I feel nearly zero resonance to this country and culture, despite being Cantonese myself (well not originating from hong kong but guangdong, still, there’s some cultural closeness)

very old hong kong vibes, which I do appreciate and love. it is interesting how I feel nearly zero resonance to this country and culture, despite being Cantonese myself (well not originating from hong kong but guangdong, still, there’s some cultural closeness)

tomato and beef macaroni!! such a simple and comforting dish in hong kong’s rainy weather. I remember finding this a little too bland for my liking though… (my flavour standards for tomato broth start at those really strong hotpot ones)

tomato and beef macaroni!! such a simple and comforting dish in hong kong’s rainy weather. I remember finding this a little too bland for my liking though… (my flavour standards for tomato broth start at those really strong hotpot ones)

not sure why, despite having a smartphone and laptop in the grand ol’ year of 2016, I still used pen and paper for my itinerary. I was real serious about this.

not sure why, despite having a smartphone and laptop in the grand ol’ year of 2016, I still used pen and paper for my itinerary. I was real serious about this.

reaaaal serious

reaaaal serious

remember when character cafes were all the hype?! this particular one was a gimmick worth falling for tbh. I love pompompurin, the food was pretty good, and everything was just so well-presented!

remember when character cafes were all the hype?! this particular one was a gimmick worth falling for tbh. I love pompompurin, the food was pretty good, and everything was just so well-presented!

being singaporean, I’m pretty well-acquainted with sharing tables and seats in crowded hawker centres and food courts, but in hong kong, it happens everywhere, including small and cramped restuarants. I was definitely not used to being this close in proximity to a stranger while having my meal… and the awkward eye contact and silence…

being singaporean, I’m pretty well-acquainted with sharing tables and seats in crowded hawker centres and food courts, but in hong kong, it happens everywhere, including small and cramped restuarants. I was definitely not used to being this close in proximity to a stranger while having my meal… and the awkward eye contact and silence…

kam’s roast I believe? I was very excited for this roast goose because there are some restrictions around importing it to singapore. I remember it being pretty good and distinct from duck meat!

kam’s roast I believe? I was very excited for this roast goose because there are some restrictions around importing it to singapore. I remember it being pretty good and distinct from duck meat!

lewd finds at street markets

lewd finds at street markets

this was not australia dairy company, i think… might’ve been a competitor restuarant because i probably did not want to queue for the former. anyway, traditional hong kong breakfast with a bit of extra pizzaz!

this was not australia dairy company, i think… might’ve been a competitor restuarant because i probably did not want to queue for the former. anyway, traditional hong kong breakfast with a bit of extra pizzaz!

extra pizzaz in the form of truffle scramble eggs 🤤 could’ve been more generous with the truffle, but delicious nonetheless

extra pizzaz in the form of truffle scramble eggs 🤤 could’ve been more generous with the truffle, but delicious nonetheless

also another viral spot I found on social media - classic bubble waffles with ice cream… clearly delicious

also another viral spot I found on social media - classic bubble waffles with ice cream… clearly delicious

this looks like macau but I’m not sure? I don’t seem to have a lot of photos from this trip in my photo library for some reason!

this looks like macau but I’m not sure? I don’t seem to have a lot of photos from this trip in my photo library for some reason!

kuala lumpur, malaysia

I remember this trip quite fondly - it was a spontaneous decision on my end to join my friends who had planned to go there for Jolin Tsai’s concert. I’m not into mandopop, but I thought hey, no harm fitting a short trip in with my friends and seeing the Taiwanese equivalent1 of Lady Gaga/Katy Perry.

VCR Cafe - I believe they’re still around, and they’ve won multiple international barista awards. amazing coffee and food, would love to pop by the next time I’m in KL.

VCR Cafe - I believe they’re still around, and they’ve won multiple international barista awards. amazing coffee and food, would love to pop by the next time I’m in KL.

the Jolin concert! this was my first and only mandopop concert and i loved the energy and how it was just slightly different from english pop concerts. I wish lightsticks and fansigns (held up considerately of course) were more of a thing!

the Jolin concert! this was my first and only mandopop concert and i loved the energy and how it was just slightly different from english pop concerts. I wish lightsticks and fansigns (held up considerately of course) were more of a thing!

not sure if it’s even visible, but her stage was VERY elaborate and there were prop, fixture and outfit changes. it was truly a show

not sure if it’s even visible, but her stage was VERY elaborate and there were prop, fixture and outfit changes. it was truly a show

slightly better view of the stage!

slightly better view of the stage!

the view of KL, including the twin towers, from our airbnb. wasn’t the cleanest and most pleasant experience with the host, but the location and view was stunning, so stunning that we came back to the same apartment complex (under a different host) in 2023

the view of KL, including the twin towers, from our airbnb. wasn’t the cleanest and most pleasant experience with the host, but the location and view was stunning, so stunning that we came back to the same apartment complex (under a different host) in 2023

ngl I ate with this shot

ngl I ate with this shot

another cafe I can’t remember the name of

another cafe I can’t remember the name of

ok this was a crazy cool experience - we went for drinks on a helipad that had a really close and amazing view of the twin towers

ok this was a crazy cool experience - we went for drinks on a helipad that had a really close and amazing view of the twin towers

another angle from the helipad

another angle from the helipad

bangkok, thailand

every singaporean’s favourite affordable getaway - just a two hour flight away with endless amounts of shopping and food. before I even started travelling with my friends bangkok was a yearly haunt for my family, so I’m incredibly familiar with the city and have seen it change and evolve over the years (we even stayed at the same hotel and the bellboy has seen me grow up!).

this was actually my first time in at least a decade that I had landed in Don Mueang airport, much older and smaller, so immigration can be a bit of a pain

this was actually my first time in at least a decade that I had landed in Don Mueang airport, much older and smaller, so immigration can be a bit of a pain

we simply do not… speak of the horrors, i.e., the exploitative sex work industry, in bangkok’s red light district. they do have amazing drag shows though.

we simply do not… speak of the horrors, i.e., the exploitative sex work industry, in bangkok’s red light district. they do have amazing drag shows though.

condom restaurant! super gimmicky and the food’s pretty awful, but it was a fun experience! you could also grab as many free condoms as you’d like

condom restaurant! super gimmicky and the food’s pretty awful, but it was a fun experience! you could also grab as many free condoms as you’d like

wow… I feel like 2015-2018 was quite the fever dream, those were the beginning years of cafe culture and instagrammable food. colourful drinks in light bulbs and iv bags ran so that dubai chocolate labubu could walk

wow… I feel like 2015-2018 was quite the fever dream, those were the beginning years of cafe culture and instagrammable food. colourful drinks in light bulbs and iv bags ran so that dubai chocolate labubu could walk

no longer sure about the ethicality of pet cafes… but this was very fun. I love raccoons so much, and they also had meerkats, foxes, cats, parrots…

no longer sure about the ethicality of pet cafes… but this was very fun. I love raccoons so much, and they also had meerkats, foxes, cats, parrots…

squid eggs!!!! one of my all-time favourite street food dishes

squid eggs!!!! one of my all-time favourite street food dishes

this was honestly the predecessor to the clean girl aesthetic - minimalist and monochromatic cafes with marble tables

this was honestly the predecessor to the clean girl aesthetic - minimalist and monochromatic cafes with marble tables

cheese tarts were popping off in asia for some reason - I remember we were so excited for this because it was a japanese chain that hadn’t made its way to singapore. it was good!

cheese tarts were popping off in asia for some reason - I remember we were so excited for this because it was a japanese chain that hadn’t made its way to singapore. it was good!

yep… we did it… we tried insects 🤢 I actually really liked the crickets and the whole dish was seasoned really well, but I couldn’t get past those and entirely skipped the maggots and scorpions

yep… we did it… we tried insects 🤢 I actually really liked the crickets and the whole dish was seasoned really well, but I couldn’t get past those and entirely skipped the maggots and scorpions

what a wild card in our itinerary. it looked exactly the same as i had remembered it when i visited it as a kid, i have a photo of child me posing with a snake printed on a plate at my grandparents’

what a wild card in our itinerary. it looked exactly the same as i had remembered it when i visited it as a kid, i have a photo of child me posing with a snake printed on a plate at my grandparents’

Asiatique night market! it’s a little touristy, but honestly still so fun to visit. it’s by the river and feels more like a carnival since it has rides and a drag cabaret! if i’m not wrong, i think the drag cabaret here is what inspired, i.e., the original Ladyboys of Bangkok cabaret?

Asiatique night market! it’s a little touristy, but honestly still so fun to visit. it’s by the river and feels more like a carnival since it has rides and a drag cabaret! if i’m not wrong, i think the drag cabaret here is what inspired, i.e., the original Ladyboys of Bangkok cabaret?

another shot of the iconic ferris wheel

another shot of the iconic ferris wheel

a day trip to Hua Hin! we booked a driver to bring us around this seaside town, starting off with a farm

a day trip to Hua Hin! we booked a driver to bring us around this seaside town, starting off with a farm

penang, malaysia

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Footnotes

  1. seriously… she’s pretty iconic and very campy

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