The Buzz in Singapore
Oct 12th 2008, 6:01 am
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 13,547
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
But you can't have it all ways (re MRT). From Cote d'Azur it's just a short walk to East Coast Park - oh, but you'll have a car anyway.
Getting off subject slightly (sorry) but our fave Indian restaurant, the Mango Tree (southern Indian food) is down on East Coast Park - great food and service, aircon inside or sit under a mango tree(!) outside. Mmmmm, must start planning next trip to Singapore.
Getting off subject slightly (sorry) but our fave Indian restaurant, the Mango Tree (southern Indian food) is down on East Coast Park - great food and service, aircon inside or sit under a mango tree(!) outside. Mmmmm, must start planning next trip to Singapore.
also looked at Bayshore. nice facilities but the apartment needed some serious updating.
and Costa Del Sol with a fantastic seaview. will see if we can get them to accept our offer which is below what they want.
Oct 12th 2008, 3:18 pm
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,434
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
well we looked at Cote D'azure and liked it. the apartment was nice but faced directly onto a future building site and the ECP. Will see if we can find another facing inward to the pool.
also looked at Bayshore. nice facilities but the apartment needed some serious updating.
and Costa Del Sol with a fantastic seaview. will see if we can get them to accept our offer which is below what they want.
also looked at Bayshore. nice facilities but the apartment needed some serious updating.
and Costa Del Sol with a fantastic seaview. will see if we can get them to accept our offer which is below what they want.
Oct 12th 2008, 11:50 pm
#33
Auntie Fa
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
In Singapore you are never very far away from a building site. The area around Parkway Parade, Amber Road, Meyer Road, etc., in particular, as old complexes are being replaced by higher density ones. 
I haven't been in it but I heard that Costa Del Sol walls are paper thin - very noisy. Has it filled up yet? It seemed virtually empty for a long time.
Do you mean The Bayshore or Bayshore Park? Bayshore Park is a great old complex - I have several friends who live/have lived there, and one who actually bought there. It is pretty much the last of the big old complexes with tons of greenery around it; like a self-contained village really. Not sure where they are with the en bloc process but you might want to check that out as it has been going on some time. I also have an acquaintance at The Bayshore, which I have never been in but hear is very nice - newer than Bayshore Park of course.
With all of the above you would be pretty reliant on the Busplus service or take a feeder bus to Bedok MRT, I would think.
When we first arrived in 2002 we had 3 months at East Meadows, right next to Tanah Merah MRT. At the time it was brand new and the facilities are fab - resort-like pools - but we were new to Asia and I felt a bit out of it all there so we didn't take up a full lease. These days I appreciate what a handy location it is but I still don't like large complexes like that. Horses for courses though
BTW piece of totally useless trivia - when you are in the Bayshore Park your phone often thinks it's in Indonesia. Actually that's not useless if you live there, it's quite expensive.
I haven't been in it but I heard that Costa Del Sol walls are paper thin - very noisy. Has it filled up yet? It seemed virtually empty for a long time.
Do you mean The Bayshore or Bayshore Park? Bayshore Park is a great old complex - I have several friends who live/have lived there, and one who actually bought there. It is pretty much the last of the big old complexes with tons of greenery around it; like a self-contained village really. Not sure where they are with the en bloc process but you might want to check that out as it has been going on some time. I also have an acquaintance at The Bayshore, which I have never been in but hear is very nice - newer than Bayshore Park of course.
With all of the above you would be pretty reliant on the Busplus service or take a feeder bus to Bedok MRT, I would think.
When we first arrived in 2002 we had 3 months at East Meadows, right next to Tanah Merah MRT. At the time it was brand new and the facilities are fab - resort-like pools - but we were new to Asia and I felt a bit out of it all there so we didn't take up a full lease. These days I appreciate what a handy location it is but I still don't like large complexes like that. Horses for courses though
BTW piece of totally useless trivia - when you are in the Bayshore Park your phone often thinks it's in Indonesia. Actually that's not useless if you live there, it's quite expensive.
Oct 13th 2008, 9:20 am
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 13,547
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
In Singapore you are never very far away from a building site. The area around Parkway Parade, Amber Road, Meyer Road, etc., in particular, as old complexes are being replaced by higher density ones.
I haven't been in it but I heard that Costa Del Sol walls are paper thin - very noisy. Has it filled up yet? It seemed virtually empty for a long time.
Do you mean The Bayshore or Bayshore Park? Bayshore Park is a great old complex - I have several friends who live/have lived there, and one who actually bought there. It is pretty much the last of the big old complexes with tons of greenery around it; like a self-contained village really. Not sure where they are with the en bloc process but you might want to check that out as it has been going on some time. I also have an acquaintance at The Bayshore, which I have never been in but hear is very nice - newer than Bayshore Park of course.
With all of the above you would be pretty reliant on the Busplus service or take a feeder bus to Bedok MRT, I would think.
When we first arrived in 2002 we had 3 months at East Meadows, right next to Tanah Merah MRT. At the time it was brand new and the facilities are fab - resort-like pools - but we were new to Asia and I felt a bit out of it all there so we didn't take up a full lease. These days I appreciate what a handy location it is but I still don't like large complexes like that. Horses for courses though
BTW piece of totally useless trivia - when you are in the Bayshore Park your phone often thinks it's in Indonesia. Actually that's not useless if you live there, it's quite expensive.
I haven't been in it but I heard that Costa Del Sol walls are paper thin - very noisy. Has it filled up yet? It seemed virtually empty for a long time.
Do you mean The Bayshore or Bayshore Park? Bayshore Park is a great old complex - I have several friends who live/have lived there, and one who actually bought there. It is pretty much the last of the big old complexes with tons of greenery around it; like a self-contained village really. Not sure where they are with the en bloc process but you might want to check that out as it has been going on some time. I also have an acquaintance at The Bayshore, which I have never been in but hear is very nice - newer than Bayshore Park of course.
With all of the above you would be pretty reliant on the Busplus service or take a feeder bus to Bedok MRT, I would think.
When we first arrived in 2002 we had 3 months at East Meadows, right next to Tanah Merah MRT. At the time it was brand new and the facilities are fab - resort-like pools - but we were new to Asia and I felt a bit out of it all there so we didn't take up a full lease. These days I appreciate what a handy location it is but I still don't like large complexes like that. Horses for courses though
BTW piece of totally useless trivia - when you are in the Bayshore Park your phone often thinks it's in Indonesia. Actually that's not useless if you live there, it's quite expensive.
think we will concentrate more on Parkway Parade area for Transport reasons. If we can get the right place in Cote d'azur we will take it.
Last edited by Inselaffen; Oct 13th 2008 at 9:27 am.
Oct 13th 2008, 10:03 am
#35
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 395
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
Re phone coverage - we had a friend on Starhub and he was always getting "welcome to Indonesia" when he went down to the East Coast, and "welcome to Malaysia" when he travelled up to Woodlands. He changed to SingTel and had no problems. To be fair, this was a couple of years ago so maybe the Starhub coverage has improved - who knows.
Oct 16th 2008, 7:13 am
#36
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 13,547
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
now narrowed it down to Villa Marina or Cote D'azur in the East.
will look at Novena and the west today.
will look at Novena and the west today.
Oct 16th 2008, 9:48 am
#37
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 395
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
I knew a Brit couple and a South African guy who are living (or were last year) at Villa Marina. They all liked it for its proximity to all the eateries in Siglap and the Dog and Bone in Upper East Coast Road. The DnB closed but I gather it was due to re-open (may be open now) very close to the previous location. Good pub for a natter and moan with other expats and the owners are a lovely lovely couple.
Oct 16th 2008, 5:41 pm
#38
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
Someone has posted up a (very cheesey) video on YouTube of one of my favourite places in Singapore....the "Colbar"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJjZjEPyCZg
I'm flying to Singapore this weekend and will be returning to the Colbar for either lunch or dinner on Sunday (depending on the jetlag) for the first time in 8 years. We used to go there all the time as it is so laid-back there - even my mum liked it when she came over from England. It was weird seeing the lovely Mrs Lim on the video...her hair was black when I last saw her (and she gave me my last meal there 'on the house'). The Colbar is a great hangout, they moved it up the street (opposite Tanglin Trust School in Portsdown Rd where my kids used to go). It's a big hangout for teachers from TTS, United World College and Dover Court.
Their original location near the end of Portsdown Rd was taken for redevelopment and there was a bit of an outcry....so they relocated it piece by piece a few hundred yards up the road and it remains exactly as it used to be (just like from a 1950s timewarp) - including the old weighing scales just inside the entrance!
It's one of the few places in Singapore where you can get a proper English-style fry-up....it used to be the squaddies mess for the British Army and the soldiers taught Mr & Mrs Lim how to cook food that Brits like... (They do an excellent chicken curry though, which you can see at the end of the video).
Opening hours are from around 11am - late at night (depending on whether or not people are still drinking) but last food orders are at 8pm. It's always busy on Sundays when people can't be bothered to cook and it's the maid's day off. They are closed on Mondays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJjZjEPyCZg
I'm flying to Singapore this weekend and will be returning to the Colbar for either lunch or dinner on Sunday (depending on the jetlag) for the first time in 8 years. We used to go there all the time as it is so laid-back there - even my mum liked it when she came over from England. It was weird seeing the lovely Mrs Lim on the video...her hair was black when I last saw her (and she gave me my last meal there 'on the house'). The Colbar is a great hangout, they moved it up the street (opposite Tanglin Trust School in Portsdown Rd where my kids used to go). It's a big hangout for teachers from TTS, United World College and Dover Court.
Their original location near the end of Portsdown Rd was taken for redevelopment and there was a bit of an outcry....so they relocated it piece by piece a few hundred yards up the road and it remains exactly as it used to be (just like from a 1950s timewarp) - including the old weighing scales just inside the entrance!
It's one of the few places in Singapore where you can get a proper English-style fry-up....it used to be the squaddies mess for the British Army and the soldiers taught Mr & Mrs Lim how to cook food that Brits like...
(They do an excellent chicken curry though, which you can see at the end of the video). Opening hours are from around 11am - late at night (depending on whether or not people are still drinking) but last food orders are at 8pm. It's always busy on Sundays when people can't be bothered to cook and it's the maid's day off. They are closed on Mondays.
Oct 16th 2008, 10:37 pm
#39
Auntie Fa
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
Ah, the Colbar. Subject of many an argument on good ole ExpatSingapore. 
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
Last edited by Kooky.; Oct 16th 2008 at 10:49 pm.
Oct 17th 2008, 3:18 am
#40
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
Ah, the Colbar. Subject of many an argument on good ole ExpatSingapore.
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
It was good to start with, then when all the British staff who came out to train up the locals went home, it all went downhill and eventually closed....
(I need to carry on packing....)
Oct 17th 2008, 3:42 am
#41
Auntie Fa
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
No, only heard about it, EM. However I used to live close to the original in Yorkshire and didn't rate it at all.
(Now get on with your packing.
)
(Now get on with your packing.
)
Oct 17th 2008, 4:31 am
#42
Hammer for Life
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Too far away from Upton Park, for my liking !
Posts: 5,524
Oct 17th 2008, 6:54 am
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 13,547
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
Ah, the Colbar. Subject of many an argument on good ole ExpatSingapore.
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
I certainly wasn't a regular as it was a long way from Geylang (and hard to get to without a car) but IMHO they do the best chips in Asia.
edit: Inselaffen, I replied to your PM on properties, but I will add here, Novena is not a bad area, well served by transport, food and shops. I don't personally know anyone who lived/s out West further than Upper Bukit Timah, though.
didn't like the apartment in Novena. We will concentrate on the East Coat.
talking of chips, where can I get a real decent fish,chips and mushy peas?
Oct 17th 2008, 9:15 am
#45
Auntie Fa
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: The Buzz in Singapore
1. The Sportsman, a wee Scottish pub in Far East Shopping Centre on Orchard Road, next to the Hilton Hotel. I think it's still on a Wednesday. Lovely bunch of people - the pub's been going for years and is run by Harry and Sharon; tell them Bev from the Forum sent you.
2. Old Brown Shoe, Bukit Timah Road - also Wednesday night.
3. If you're ever in Holland Village, look for a sports bar called Turn:Styles. I can't seem to find their website so trying to find out if it's closed, but if it's still going, they do a quiz on a Tues or a Thurs, can't recall. Run by a couple of Brits - tell Ady Kooky sends her love.
