Family Day Trip to St John's and Lazarus Island

In May of this year, I turned 40. Yikes! I probably would have been a bit bummed about it save for the fact that the two very important people who brought me into the world (thus enabling me to see this day) flew over to Singapore to be with me 😊

My parents landed in Singapore the day before my milestone birthday. They were our first overseas visitors in the three isolating years that we were shut off from the rest of the world as the pandemic cast its shadow over travel and social interactions. That made their visit all the more eagerly anticipated. 

You know something interesting about birthdays in my family? The previous day of my birthday is my brother's birthday and the day after my birthday is my father's birthday. It is three consecutive days of celebration which makes the first week of May rather special for us. 

On my birthday this year, both my Dad and I cut our guava-lychee (his and mine favourite flavours combined) birthday cake together and it turned into an intimate celebration and special memory for both of us 💕

I wasn't able to take as many days off work as I would have liked as I had to finish several experiments over at my lab for an important deadline that was fast approaching. I did manage to take two days off which we made use of judiciously by devoting one day to some much-needed retail therapy and dining out at a nice restaurant and another for a family day trip. 

The last time my husband and I had been to St John's Island was way back in 2006, the year we arrived in Singapore as a newly married couple. One of my husband's friend happened to be visiting and we had taken him to St John's and Kusu Island. The memories were hazy and I really wanted to relive them with the kids. And considering my parents have already been to every imaginable tourist spot in Singapore, we didn't have that many options left 😄

We drove to Marina South Pier. The ferries to Lazarus Island (via St John’s Island) depart from Marina South Pier a few times daily. Depending on the ferry company, you can island hop between St. John Island, Lazarus Island, Kusu Island and Sisters’ Island.

Even though we had gotten ready in good time and left home on schedule that morning, we got delayed in traffic and having parked at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre which happened to be a longish walk away, we unfortunately just missed the ferry that we had originally planned for. We had to wait a while to take the next one 😕

We took this opportunity to have a cup of kopi and buy some  water and snacks from the shops that are located by the ticketing counters. It is important to know that there are NO shops on the islands so it is good to stock up with necessary provisions. Also remember to carry a garbage bag so you can bring back the litter and dispose it responsibly. 

We bought tickets for the Marina South Ferries. I would have loved to check out the Sisters' Island but unfortunately, it was closed for enhancement works. We went for the Island Hopping pass (St John's Lazarus & Kusu Island) with a family package plus two senior citizen tickets, the pricing of which worked out cheaper than the already reasonable adult and child ticket prices. You can check out deals on Klook as well (the tickets come bundled with redeemable snacks). Note that pets and bicycles will also be allowed onboard at no extra cost.

Our ferry had two levels. The bottom cabin is closed and has plenty of comfortable seating. We however opted for open grassy roof deck that has comparatively lesser seating but is a much better spot to enjoy the panoramic views and breeze (provided you are prepared to withstand the scorching heat). 

The kids absolutely loved being on the open-air deck. Since both of them are quite barfy by nature due to terrible motion sickness, I was a bit worried about taking them in a boat but my concerns were unfounded. The trip to St John's Island took barely 30-minutes from Singapore and it was a smooth ride for the entire journey. It was a blazing hot summer's day but it was breezy and we loved gazing at the Lion City's iconic skyline. 

I find being surrounded by sprawling calypso blue sea very soothing. Don't you agree?

Restaurant review: The Dempsey Project, Singapore

I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before on the blog but I have a Singapore restaurant bucket list (that keeps growing longer every month) to make sure I always have a good venue for the next catch-up that I plan with my friends or for a special family meal. Every time I cross off a restaurant, I seem to add two more on it so my restaurant bucket list is a never-ending one 😄

The Dempsey Project had been on my list for quite some time and I'm glad I was able to check it out finally.

The Dempsey Project (TDP) is nestled in the charming heritage barracks of the Dempsey Hills where once nutmeg plantations stood tall. I love going to this part of Singapore and some of my favourite hangout spots are here. 

I had scheduled a meet-up with a friend on a weekday afternoon so I was looking forward to stimulating conversation combined with an appetizing lunch.

My first impression when I reached TDP was the relaxed vibe. With a tucked away location, a colonial color palette and interior decor comprised of natural earthy elements, the place instantly beckons you come in, relax and have a good time.

 

I liked the generous layout, the bright and airy space, the tall ceiling, light fixtures and the communal dining vibe. The ambience of TDP is enhanced by the wicker chairs in the verandah, pops of green from the indoor plants, the rustic wooden tables, mustard chairs and textured concrete flooring. 

What caught my eye were the artisanal and hand-picked foods from around the world including locally crafted condiments, exotic jams, single-origin spices, gift-worthy truffles, specialty coffee and fine wines among others.

I didn't buy anything even though I was sorely tempted to because I had to get back to work immediately after lunch. But I have my sights set on a few of the chocolate bars and a cheese board so I'm pretty sure I will be going back (probably with hubby in tow) to pick those up 😀

The bakery section has a range of delectable baked goods from buttery croissants to warm loaves to fluffy scones.

Recipe of the month: Scallion Pancakes

At the start of this year, I prepared a tentative schedule of blog posts from January all the way until December. The reason I did this way in advance is because I knew that if I didn't have a well thought out plan, the likelihood of me neglecting my blog would be high. I make no bones about the fact that my blog is very dear to me and having devoted so much time to it all these years, I find it difficult to abandon it for prolonged stretches of time. 

For us as a family, this year is markedly different from previous years with significant changes in the household and my working arrangement already having taken place mid-year. The transition was a bit challenging at first but my husband and I make a good team and we have things pretty much under control now ✌ We have bigger changes coming our way soon and I will elaborate more on that when the time comes. Anyway, I'm glad that I have sincerely stuck to my blogging plan until now and if I manage to keep it up for a few more months, I should have successfully completed my year's quota. 

I have a really good savoury recipe for you today. I think you are going to like it 😊

Cong you bing (cōngyóubǐng) commonly known as scallion pancakes are a savoury layered flatbread from China and Taiwan. An unleavened dough is folded with chopped scallions, spices and laminated with oil. Then it is pan-fried in oil until golden brown which gives the pancakes a crispy yet chewy texture.

Scallion pancakes are served both as a street food item and as a restaurant dish. They are also sold commercially, either fresh or frozen in plastic packages often in Asian supermarkets.

This is a vegan breakfast dish or starter/appetizer that requires only a few ingredients and can be made ahead of time. The process is slightly long because resting the dough is important to get the desirable texture. I like the onion-y flavour that the scallions impart, the citrusy, slightly tongue-numbing heat of schezwan pepper and the flaky texture of the pancakes. I've provided the recipe for a simple soy-based dipping sauce that goes quite well with the scallion pancakes. The dipping sauce is not mandatory, even sweet chilli sauce or chilli oil would do. 

If you have never tasted this dish before, do try this recipe the next time you are looking to make an evening snack. If you want to take things up a notch, you can also make some eggs of your choice and serve the pancakes alongside as breakfast. No matter what time of day you eat it, you will be guaranteed to enjoy it.