I think Instagram is a great platform when it comes to discovering new places, especially restaurants. I’ve a whole list, and I mean pages, of places to visit and restaurants to dine in. Thank god JT doesn’t mind being dragged all around this sunny island with me, even if he shudders at the thought of a plate of toasted bread with sausages, eggs and beans costing up to $28. But hey, it’s brunch and everyone loves brunch!

Ratings: 4.5/5

I love the restaurants layout, first of all - the open-kitchen concept, the decorations and all. I’ve always wanted a big kitchen with a nice bar top and stools, though I highly doubt it’ll ever come true because 1) I might not even have the time to cook because of work – not that I actually do cook when I’m free anyways 2) Space constraints 3) It’s either a walk-in wardrobe or the kitchen because the boyfriend wants his gym as well. Of course I’ll rather the wardrobe, it only means more restaurant hunting for us and I don’t have to clean up after. Hiak.

Jone’s Club Sandwich

Wagyu Pie

Food here is pretty good, better than PS. Café, but we’ll get back to that some other time. I’ll definitely come back for the breakfast though. The description is enough to make me salivate. Let’s just hope that the most important meal of the day doesn’t disappoint.

After years and years of planning, the “Westsiders” FINALLY did something different other than the usual drinking, chilling and West Coast Park-ing. Chermaine has been going on and on for years about how we should go for a picnic and after being friends for nearly 13 years, it was about time for a different kind of activity.

Oh well, better late than never.

Being the enthusiastic sports that they usually are, Chermaine and Jennifer were deciding between which sort of food they should whip out from their kitchen. 

Chermaine’s Salad

Jennifer’s (Dried) Carbonara 

And because they look down on my cooking abilities, or doubt that I even have any, they told me to bring something easy like a sandwich. And so I did.

I’ll like to think I’m hilarious most of the times. But in my defence, I got them what they’ll usually eat and not something they have to settle for. Like for example, Chermaine and Jennifer usually have the Tuna, while Weijie prefers the B.M.T, Chicken Bacon for me, and Keith eats anything but Tomatoes. Ha. So it was a win-win situation for everyone, thanks to me, if I may say so myself!

There are those people who were nicely settled on their mats with lovely baskets, playing fetch with their dogs, flying kites, reading a book or even taking a nap…

And then there’s us..

Using the drain as a platform for our food and NTUC plastic bags so our butts won’t get dirty from the grass, and Chermaine yelling “got bed to sleep at home don’t want, come Botanic Gardens to sleep” when there was a couple taking an afternoon nap beside us, and Jennifer whining about how dry her Carbonara is because Keith was late, and Keith was giving 101 excuses to why he was late and Weijie wanting to hide between bushes because he has the urge to smoke. Me? I’m just trying not to burst from the heat. Ha.

But.. I wouldn’t want to have it any other way x

We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, how about you, you you~~

So far, I’ve been to the zoo with JT 3 times in a span of nearly 4 years. Not like there’s plenty of other activities to do in Singapore, so ya.

I finally got to try this adorable Panda-themed café – Mama Panda Kitchen 熊猫妈妈小吃, which has been all the rave ever since the River Safari opened. I actually only knew about it through a friend’s massive spam of adorable Panda-looking baos on Instagram and fell in love with it immediately. Ha.

I’m not a huge fan of steamed red baos, or any other baos for the matter, but who can resist? Although the price is on pretty over-rated ($2.90 each), it’s adorable so I guess that’ll do the trick. And of course you can wash it all down with the Giant Panda Cappuccino ($5.50) – the perfect combination of cuteness overload.

I then stepped into what I find was heaven at the Panda gift shop. To me and JT surprise, I only came out a Panda-ear hairband and not the entire shop. Yes, my love for Pandas is pretty unlikely since I’ve never been the “cute”-kind of girl.

Me: “Omg, this is too cute!” *waves the hairband in JT’s face*
JT: “You won’t even wear it.”
Me: “Maybe I will.”
JT: “No, you won’t.”
Me: *puts it on* “How do I look?”
JT: “Haha, I’m gonna get it for you” *proceeds to counter*

I’m assuming he likes it on me; either that or he just wants me to look silly. The latter seems more convincing though. Oh well. Now it’s dangling on top of my IMac and I’m starting to think it looks better there as compared to my head. Hmm..

The Panda closure was way different from the others – and when I say “way different”, I mean waaaaaaaaaay different. They had “security guards” outside and all. The concept was fascinating, I will say.

We only managed to see one Panda, and according to the keepers, Jia Jia is a little shyer and doesn’t really do well with crowds. And of course, the Singaporean in JT just had to say “so since we only saw one, does that make our tickets half price?” *Face palm*

Neighbours to the Pandas were Red Pandas. Super adorable, entertaining and highly active, we were considering red panda-napping one. JT said we could put it in my bag with the tail dangling out as a key chain, y’know when there was this whole “huge ass fluffy tail” key chain trend which, thankfully, died last year.

Other than some large Dugongs, exotic animals and pretty fishes, it was pretty… meh for now. I’ll highly recommend fellow interested visitors to wait till the end of the year when the actual River Safari opens (with the boat ride and all).

Nevertheless, a day well-spent!