DSC00509 (Edit)

Lake Toya, Japan

Spot of Tranquility.

IMG_8185 (Edit) (2)

Little India, Singapore

Spices, gold and splashes of colour!

IMG_7713 (Edit) 2

Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay

Garden City, City in a Garden.

IMG_6839 (Edit) (3)

Bryce Canyon, USA

Thor's Hammer

IMG_5531 (Edit) (2)

Chocolate Test, Singapore

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." -Charles M Schulz

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Tom's Palette Ice Cream

We last ate at Tom's Palette Ice Cream 6 years ago and had good memories of this place. On a Saturday night, we braved the queue for some good ice cream. 


This time, we decided to up our game and order their French Waffles with a scoop of ice cream. We had to wait 15 minutes for our waffles and that was fine because they informed us at the point of ordering. However, we were served disappointment on a plate. Ice cream parlours typically sell Belgian waffles and I was totally prepared for the French Waffles to taste different. What I didn't expect was an exterior which was half-heartedly crispy, and an interior that tasted like some cardboard pancake pre-mix or some bad homemade recipe for waffles. The After Eight ice cream scored much better with its bitter chocolate and refreshing mint. Spending around $10 for this combo was certainly a bad decision.


Order the ice cream, but forgo the waffle.

Tom's Palette Ice Cream 
Shaw Tower
100 Beach Road
#01-25
Tel No: 6296 5239 

Sunday, July 8, 2018

JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach

We were looking for somewhere to have a staycation and to our pleasant surprise, realised that we had sufficient points to book a free night at JW Marriott Hotel

1. Location 

The location is unbeatable. It is right smack in the city centre and a short walk away from City Hall MRT / Esplanade MRT. Raffles City Shopping Centre is also a 7-12 minutes walk away. There is no lack of eating options in the area. 


This is how they bribe their guests- yummy gummies! These were placed near the entrance and what a pity we only saw it on the last day because these gummies were delicious.


The check in was fast and the lobby exuded a modern flair. The lifts were a little psychedelic, with the colours of the lights changing frequently.


3. Room 

The room was generally nice, but could do with some carpet cleaning as there were some stains on the carpet which was a little off-putting. There was a long corridor that led to the bed. It is obvious that this hotel is going down the modern / trendy route, with modern paintings splashed across the wall, and the cupboards / walls adorned with mirrors. I am a little mirror phobic and hence chose the side of the bed which did not face the mirror. We got pretty good views from the 14th floor. Plenty of TV channels including international channels. The bed was comfortable. 


4. Toilet 

If anything, I liked the toilet more than the room because it felt like the guy who designed the toilet is someone who finally understands travellers. The sink was extraordinarily wide to contain splashes, there was a stool outside the shower area so that you could put your clothes there (instead of walking some distance to the clothes hooks), mats were already placed at the areas which would always be wet (i.e. next to the bathtub and outside the shower area) so that you didn't need to figure which were bath towels and which were bath mats. Finally, someone who understands.


The bathtub, the shower area and the toilet were located in three separate areas. For those who enjoy the automated toilet bowls, you have it here.


I seldom use the bath products from hotels because they often make my hair express their unhappiness in the form of extreme tangles which takes forever to unknot. However, Marriott's bath products have generally proven to be good and these aromatherapy bath products did not disappoint.


Rain showers in major hotel chains are generally expected nowadays and this was no exception. There was good water pressure and no issue with the water temperature.


5. Amenities 

Even if you do not swim, you should definitely go to the swimming pool to have a look. It's ideal for admiring the beautiful skyline. You should go once at night and once in the morning as the feel is different at different times of the day.


It was extremely relaxing to just sit at the benches by the pool and enjoying the morning breeze.


Bonus: In addition to the swimming pool, there is also a pool table and a foosball table.


It is great for  people who want to do something other than swimming / going to the gym. How about a table tennis table next?



Large comfortable sofas for people to just relax and chill.


There was also a gym which looked pretty well-equipped.

6. Service 

Service was polite and the staff were always ready to render their assistance. They also took note of my request for a higher floor.

7. Overall 

A comfortable stay, but the prices are probably a little steep for a comparable five star hotel.

JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach 
30 Beach Road
Singapore 189763
Tel No: 6818 1888