Home at last

Well, here we are, finally ensconced in our new home on the East Coast. I believe we are now living in the area of Bedok and very nice it is too. We now have bone fide neighbours, not just people who live above and below us. The house on the end of the street has a swimming pool (note to self, befriend the be-pooled neighbours) and we have space. Lots and lots of space. I say home because actually that's how it feels already. Unlike out previous place which felt kinda temporary this feels right. Right place, right house, right neighbourhood. Having said that we've only been here two nights! Last night the folks at number two had a party (which we weren't invited too!) and the noise was fine. But I realised it was the first time since we've been here were we've had people noisily socialising. Felt kinda good. It also meant that we weren't going to be the first of the street to have a party. Depending on how it goes it could have created a bad first impression. We may still manage that although I think the kids excited 'freedom-to-roam' volume may have painted them a picture already. The kids are well, very, very excited. And I'm not sure if they think we're on holiday or whether we've actually moved here.
So, the move itself went without incident or anything to report which was, frankly, amazing. My opinion of customer service is not exactly, erm, well, I think it's rubbish! But on Thursday, everyone turned up on time or even in one case early (UNBELIEVABLE!), did the job we'd paid them to do and in double quick time too. Removals guys packed and unloaded without a gripe or murmur and in best of spirits. Furniture guys had just arrived at the house when I got there, a full five minutes before their earliest arrival time in the 'time slot' and proceed to get everything unpacked and put together before I knew what had happened. Even StarHub out-did themselves by doing what I asked them to and within hours we had TV and broadband set up. I was, to put it mildly, taken aback. Those of you who live in Singapore will know what a triumph it is to get a tradesman to your house within a couple of days of when they said they would be there. This time...... well, I could go on, but you get the picture. I was, in the vernacular, 'well chuffed'.
Bought the kids a paddling pool yesterday in lieu of having no swimming pool which is pretty much the only thing I think we're going to miss. However, Singapore does provide some exceptional public swimming pools at a great price. As some of you will know, I used to swim in the UK. I used to swim a lot! In a lot of pools. And the quality of facilities here in comparison to the UK leaves the Brits standing. Must be why Singapore is so strong at international swimming! So, the kids are happy with that although our water bills are going to be enormous!
Which leaves us to explore the area. Mostly food oriented as things tend to be in Singapore, but there's some good looking places catering to pretty much the whim of locals and expats alike. Reckon we could eat out every night for a year and still only cover a quarter of a mile of the road we live on. Quite fancy getting out and down to Joo Chiat later to see what's what. Food of course, but also the old shop-houses being used as originally intended. And actually places to shop. Speaking of which, we decided we quite like the idea of having a hawker style table on our front terrace just for general use (I'm sitting at it at the moment). Now, we had less than no idea where to find, especially as we'd just moved. So, of course, I Facebook'd the question. Almost instantly I got a reply from another blogger Leone Fabre who pointed us in the direction of the Kitchen Mart (read Leone's blog post) in Eunos. Now, bearing in mind she lives over on the West Coast (which in Singaporean terms is absolutely miles away from us), I have no idea how she knew this place existed. But I'm glad she did. It is the proverbial Aladdin's Cave of cookware! Value for money (a rarity in Sing) and stacked with all manor of good stuff. From the food centre style of crockery (i.e. orange) to the most gigantic cooking vats, you could fit in two small children to stew with room to spare, and the suitably massive masher with which to mash them with. I like to cook so it was a revelation to find (be directed to) this place. Sufficed to say we went in for a table and came out with quite a lot more. We will be back.
Right, away to Joo Chiat! I get the feeling my next post may be rather foodie oriented!

Old Playgrounds & Old HDB Estates

OK, I'm a newbie to Singapore but, as a dad with kids growing up here, this article is strangely evocative and resonates strongly with me. I have already seen my kids laughing, mixing with and enjoying the local estate's playgrounds and people. Living in Dover there are many of these playgrounds about, some new and some old, but all with their own communities based around them. In such a short time since getting here the HDB playgrounds somewhat epitomise the community in local areas. Always friendly faces, a handshake, a hello and certainly plenty of attention for the kids. And they love it. Long may it continue!

Old Playgrounds & Old HDB Estate (Part 1) : Photojournalist

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People and Faces of Chennai

As a fellow lover of the art of photography, I could hardly resist putting up a link to Mark's latest post. Partially out of jealousy, I'll admit, as the opportunity to shoot these kind of personalties doesn't come around too often! Sit back and enjoy the faces of Chennai up close, as is Mark's people portrait style....

People and Faces of Chennai - 2 - mark remarked

East Coast Singapore - pastures new.....

I feel the need to blog. This work lark is all every well but my expressive side has taken a bit of a battering over the last two months at work. Well, four weeks if the MoM (yes, I know, it sounds like something out of Harry Potter) are watching, as that's how long I've had my EP and they are sticklers for doing it right. However, if I thought they were bad for paperwork then that's nothing in comparison to my latest foray into 'red tape' alley. Citibank have been tying me up in knots with the amount that they want so I can get a credit card. Generally, in the UK, you have to have at least fifty cards before the banks start getting a little dubious about offering you one with 1450% APR. Not with these guys. They seem to be actively dissuading me from even applying, let alone using one. Anyway, a week and-a-half later and many, many phone calls later (mostly from them telling me they are about to email me something), it would seem we are getting somewhere. Where, I'm not quite sure as the nervousness (Elly and I have had a brief, troubled relationship) and speed of chatter that came down the phone at me caught me off guard, but I believe my application may have been accepted. Possibly. I'm sure an email will turn up soon.

Anyway, to the matter in hand. Off to the East Coast we go. Most off you will be aware already that the family Chapman are upping sticks (again) to move into a new house and new neighbourhood. No more condo living for us. Now we will have two floors, all to ourselves. And, very importantly, a garden for the kids to go nuts in. And a lot more space in general. More space to cook, more space for Mary to live and more space so that we don't go crazy when it's raining and the kids can't go out. As you can tell, we're looking forward to it.
The house is a semi-d, has four bedrooms, a large living area and big kitchen. We've missed having a big kitchen as those of you who know us well will know that we used to spend an appreciable amount of time in our old one. Either cooking or eating. Or both. On the outside you can walk round three sides of the house or D and Z's case run, scoot and cycle..... fast! A bit of grass for water play (and mozzies) and two large BBQ terraces. One up and one down. And that's about it. Oh, and a playroom for the kids too. And an office space. And that's about it.

We're moving out and in next Thursday and in comparison to our previous moves, this one is feeling like a breeze at the moment. Admittedly we haven't got too much to shift as we haven't been here too long, but in comparison to the previous upheaval..... well! Finding and buying 'affordable' furniture has been the order of the day. As our current condo came 'furnished' we are having to find everything ourselves. Pretty good fun if not a little (see 'very' in the dictionary) expensive. T has managed to find some beautiful furniture from an expat looking to downsize and I spotted a furniture shop up in Jurong which,as we found out, does 0% finance. Happy days! So we're pretty much sorted although we could do with some outdoor kiddy playthings as no-one seems to get rid of that kind of stuff. There is a swing though. So, that's it, a week to go and we're outta here. Until then.....

3 independent craft beer joints in Singapore's East Coast | CNNGo.com

As the Chapman clan ventures off to pastures new on the East Coast, I am now wondering whether my family will ever see me again. As well as the wealth of food outlets not a stone's throw from our new house I discover three (count 'em, three!), real beer/ale bars all within walking distance of my new abode. Looks really good too! Can't wait. Bring on April 21!

3 independent craft beer joints in Singapore's East Coast | CNNGo.com