House Hunter's International: the Singapore edition

Moving to South Africa definitely took some adjustment after living in the USA. For one thing, after raising our family in much larger houses in New Jersey, we chose to move into a small garden townhouse with a tiny yard in Sandton. Moving to Valley Lodge was an adjustment we welcomed and enjoyed, but it was an adjustment nonetheless. 



But aside from scale, living in Sandton did not require a huge adjustment in terms of lifestyle. We still lived a somewhat suburban lifestyle near the action of Johannesburg (JGB), drove a car to get to where we were going, and did a considerate amount of entertaining and cooking at home.

But like New York, Singapore (SGP) is pretty much all-city which means an adjustment in everyday lifestyle in addition to scale. (For the record, we did look at actual houses with yards and enclosed garages in SGP as well as in JGP - they do exist -  but we have enjoyed care-free apartment living in South Africa with shared amenities such as pools and gyms. And since we are renting short time and not buying in SGP either, we are free to indulge more of our city fantasies and really step outside of our comfort zone, i.e super high-rise apartment living with a view.) But real city living brings with it more adjustments ...

Firstly in SGP everyone has a live-in maid. Neither Vince nor I grew up with a live-in maid nor did we have a live-in nanny or live-in maid when our children were young. While it is true that for all intents and purposes, between her evening dog-sitting and her three days a week cleaning and laundry service, Cecelia has been practically living at Valley Lodge, the fact remains that she still goes home nearby to sleep every night unless we are away. And she never ever cooked for us, did the food-shopping or ran errands for us.

However, the cost of finding a convenient sitter to walk the dogs when we are out of the apartment for the evening or kenneling them for an extended period of time when we are away from Singapore plus the cost of regular maid service once or twice a week totally trumps the cost of just having a live-in to do it all. Besides, many of the apartments we viewed did not even have an oven (!) and none of them had a dishwasher. They all however had a maid's room and bathroom. Sharing a small space with a non-family member will be a major adjustment. Having someone to walk the dogs and run errands however will be awesome!

Second adjustment, we are going to try to live in SGP without a car! Except for the Gautrain and the very limited Rhea Vaya, there really is no mass transportation to speak of in JGP, so everyone has a car. (Our only adjustment since moving to SA was owning one car versus four!) And with the security issues in JBG, walking as a way to get around the city was really not an option. You drive from your secure parking in Sandton to secure parking in JBG. I did walk to my local shopping center, but that is in Sandton, not JBG. They are putting in a Rhea Vaya line in Sandton that will connect to more places in JHB, but unfortunately for us that is too little and way too late.

In addition, cars are much more expensive to lease in SGP and there are zero security issues. Taxis are cheap and for the rest of the time, mass transportation is plentiful. And if you pick your neighborhood correctly, you can simply walk to local shopping centers and restaurants.

Changi Business Park

Luckily one of my favorite shows on the HGTV channel has always been House Hunters International (HHI.) Even before we moved to SA, I watched HHI like most people watch game shows. I played from home.

Now the way HHI works is that the expats-to-be are usually shown three properties in their intended city based on a previously determined wish list. View, space, proximity to work, schools, the beach, town, etc.

Our wish list was pretty simple. A space that is first and foremost dog-friendly; it must have at least two bedrooms and an office space; we would like some storage space; and most importantly, it must have a good location close to the airport and Vince's office and within walking distance to shopping and restaurants. After a few viewings, we quickly eliminated houses as a consideration. Much more space than we either needed or wanted.

Unfortunately that meant we also had to knock storage off of our wish list since the apartments in SGP really do not include the kind of storage and space we enjoyed in JGP. (Darn, I am going to have to do some more paring down of my clothes before we leave SA!) The typical apartment size also means we probably will not be doing much entertaining at home. To compensate, we added a sea view to our wish list. Yay! Back to the ocean at our doorstep!

After dog-friendly, our first consideration on choosing a location for our new neighborhood was proximity to Vince's office and the airport (his second office.) Since they are both co-located in Changi, that was easy. So we concentrated on Katong and the Eastern Corridor, an easy commute by taxi to both with a lively expat and local culture.

After seeing about 20 places altogether in four days, we narrowed it down to the following three apartments.

1. The highrise with killer views of the sea.

Plus side: Very good neighborhood close to amenities like restaurants, buses and shopping. Partially furnished. There is a private entrance from the elevator into a lobby and the living room with views of the water from all the balconies. But the dogs (and we) would have to adjust to using an elevator to get outside for a walk several times a day. And the pool and gym are small so we would have to join a club. (Not too much of a problem really as the Chinese Swimming Club with an abundance of space and amenities is just two doors down.)

wrap around balconies

with sea views

sea views from every window too!

sea view from the small but private balcony off the master bedroom!

2. Valley Lodge II. ground floor apt with wrap-around patio, and convenient green space. On the plus side, this would be so easy to move into and would mean little or no adjustment for the dogs. Open the door and they are outside for a walk. There is a huge pool and gym and a clubhouse. Down-side, not as close to amenities and it doesn't have that "wow!" SGP sea view.

3. Highrise with a view. also close to amenities. It has the most convenient location of all. It has a sea view from the living room's balcony but the apartment does not have a private elevator entrance. And it is completely unfurnished.

nice balcony

nice sea view from the living room

On HHI, the first thing the expats do is eliminate one of the choices. That was easy. #3. So now we are left with essentially what would make us happy (#1) versus what would make the dogs happy (#2).

And speaking of the dogs, here is another adjustment - this time for Lou & Serge though. Unfortunately for our canine heroes, along with other the other indignities of pet relocation, they have to spend at least 30 days in quarantine! While house-hunting in SGP, we decided to stop by and check out Lou & Serge's new temporary housing.

We were pleasantly surprised. Like their local kennel in JBG, the Sembawang Animal Quarantine Station was very roomy, the dogs can share a space, and there is daily recreation. Vince can stop by in December and bring Lou some toys, bring their favorite foods and treats and there is a special area set aside so that Vince can play with them when he visits.

nice and roomy and they can share a space!

there is an air-conditioned sleeping area and a screened in patio

fenced in recreation area for ...

... one on one play

Our decision? Stay tuned for the conclusion of House Hunters International: the Singapore edition ...

World Cup Rugby today: USA vs South Africa

Wednesday, October 7 

Live @ Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London

(Game start 11:45 am EST; 3:45 pm GMT, 5:45 pm SAST)

Find some Expat Americans and 

Watch the Rugby @ a Pub near You!

That Time I Was Forced Into Piracy ...

me and Captain Ali

After seeing the dhows sailing around our hotel in Pongwe Beach and cruising in the harbor at Stone Town all week, we were keen to sail in one. We made arrangements with Captain Ali from our hotel to take one of the hotel's resident dhows out for a sunset cruise on our last evening in Zanzibar. In retrospect, one should never wait until the last night of a trip to do something on your must-do list of things you really want to do while you are on vacation. I know this. I made that rule up. But I thought it would make a nice farewell memory on our last night in Zanzibar. Well it did, but not for the reason you think!

We made arrangements to meet Captain Ali on our beach at about 4:00 and the three of us all proceeded to take the short walk together on the beach over to Pongwe village to launch the boat. When we got there, the captain told us to wait for him on the beach for a moment while he ran into the village for something. Okay.

He returned about twenty minutes later and informed us of the bad news. Some sneaky boys from the village had absconded with the dhow that we had reserved to take some Italian tourists on an ad hoc spending-money-making snorkeling trip. Did we want to go out on the motor boat instead? Uh no. I want to sail on a dhow.

I have to admit at this point I got pretty pissy and I started reenacting one of my favorite scenes from Seinfeld. You know the one where they go to the car rental counter only to find that the reservation they had made did not really hold a car reserved for them.  

Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation?
Rental Car Agent: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars.
Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation.
Rental Car Agent: I think I know why we have reservations.
Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them.

Well it worked. Captain Ali came up with an elaborate plan to take the motor boat out to the coral reef where the boys had brought the Italians snorkeling and commandeer the boat back from them. We were going to be pirates!

When we got to the reef we found the two dhows anchored with the snorkelers in the water. Captain Ali dropped anchor on the motor boat too, and to our surprise, he dove into the water and swam over to the two dhows leaving us all alone in the motor boat.

He tried to convince the little would-be pirates to surrender the dhows willingly, but one of the boys was having none of it. He pulled up the anchor on his dhow, hoisted the sail and escaped with a couple of the snorkelers still on board.


The second dhow was not so lucky. Captain Ali dragged the dhow over to the motor boat like Gulliver did with the Lilliputians in Gulliver's Travels.

The Italians got off the dhow and climbed into the motor boat and were very apologetic about the whole "misunderstanding." They clearly had no idea that the boys had stolen the boats out from under us for their nefarious snorkeling scheme.

We got in the dhow just before sunset with Captain Ali at the tiller and one of the former pirates manning the sail.

Vince and one of the pirates

I really had to resist the urge to say to him a la Captain Phillips, "Look at me. I'm the captain now."

HSPD

HSPD to you! 

My St. Patrick's Day in Joburg started off at a party with the American Society of South Africa at Giles Pub in Craighall Park. Guinness on tap, green Springbok shots and lucky charms cupcakes.

I was the one dressed as a rare green rhino. Did you know that black and white rhinos turn green on St. Patrick's Day? 'Tis true. And they frolic with leprechauns at the end of double rainbows here too!

Sláinte!

Kathleen supplied these lucky charm cupcakes which were magically delicious

Ryan awards me my prize

... and Giles Pub declared me Best Dressed for St. Patrick's Day! My prize, six Pilsner glasses.

photo by Marguerite Slavik

We were served these little green monsters called Springbok shooters or Springbokkies.  (Thanks Heather!) Aside from being appropriately attired for St. Patrick's Day, a Springbock shooter is a very patriotic drink.  Not only because a Sprinkbokkie reflects the gold-and-green of South Africa’s national rugby team, but also because it uses Amarula, the world’s second best selling cream liqueur (Bailey's Irish Cream being the first).

Recipe for Springbok shots:     

1 Measure De Kuyper Crème De Menthe

1 Measure Amarula Cream

Pour Crème De Menthe into the bottom half of each shot glass. Drip Amarula Cream into the top half of the shot glasses. If you add the Amarula slowly it will not mix with the mint liqueur layer, resulting in the perfect Springbokkie.

corned beef and cabbage

Back home to Valley Lodge to watch The Quiet Man and The Commitments on DVD and eat some corned beef & cabbage and fadge in front of the telly.

fadge and Guinness

Vince leading Christmas carols in the drawing room at Ballymaloe House

There was a two page spread last weekend in the Sunday Times featuring recipes from Darina Allen. Darina is the chef and proprietress at the Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, Ireland. She also runs a world famous Cookery School there. Vince and I had the pleasure of staying and eating and studying with Darina when we visited Ireland during the Christmas season one year.

recipe reprinted from the Sunday Times (March 15, 2015)

The recipes in the Sunday Times included this recipe for fadge which I made to go along with my corned beef & cabbage. So lucky the Times printed this timely article as I left all of my cookbooks - including Darina's own bread cookbook - back in storage in the US.




Green rhinos and Springbokkies. This is how we do on St. Patrick's Day in South Africa!

Hands on Harvest

Vince and I were married in early September. That means our honeymoon and anniversary trips in France always coincided with wine harvest time. We have seen grape harvests and wine productions all over Europe, toured cellars and tasted the first fruits of the vintage in many Septembers past. But we never actually participated in a harvest hands on.

So this opportunity was particularly sweet. Robertson’s Hands on Harvest Festival. We chose family run Excelsior Winery to do our harvesting. In its 5th generation of wine making, Excelsior is currently run by Peter de Wet.

We spent the evening before the Hands on Harvest in one of Excelsior’s comfortable guest rooms in the historic manor house.

our fellow harvesters

Mosbolletjies

After a early morning stroll through the rose garden, the day started at 8:00 in the Graze café. We were treated to coffee and mosbolletjies, a unique bread made with the yeast of wine must. It was good with a slightly sour dough taste.

owner Peter de Wet

Over coffee and some mosbolletjies, Peter greeted us and explained our day. We were given buckets and secateurs and led down to the field of Cabernet Sauvignon grape vines.

We were encouraged to taste as much as we like as we picked. The grapes are exceedingly sweet. About two and a half times as sweet as the table grapes we are used to.

After our buckets were full, we walked back to the “production site” and poured our grapes into stomping barrels.

First we washed our feet. Then we stomped. Vince and I in the same barrel like that episode of  I Love Lucy in Italy. It felt great! I thought it would stain our skin but it didn’t. The juice was perfectly clear. The barrels have a hole in the bottom which drains the juice back into the bucket. We were given the chance to sample our juice and of course we did.

We could have corked and kept our bottle filled with some of our special stomped juice but Peter warned us it wouldn’t last long like that. It would explode. So we opted out. I shy away from exploding mementos.

mash

Next we all shoveled our left over mash into large troughs which we would squeeze in a vintage wine press.

basket press

Vince on the cellar tour

Of course this is not how Excelsior really makes its wines. After a buffet breakfast, we toured the cellar and saw how it’s really done. Peter told us that Excelsior is the largest exporter of South African wines to America. In fact, he is going to NY next week to meet with his distributors.

winemaker Johan Stemmet

taste and blend

Finally we were given an opportunity to blend and bottle our own wine in Excelsior’s Tasting Room to take away.  The staff had set up miniature barrels of 2014 Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon in old-fashioned blending stations. We were allowed to taste and make our own blends. First we could taste some of Excelsior’s blends to get an idea of how the different ratios tasted. Then we could blend our own for a comparative tasting. We settled on 55% Cab, 35% Merlot and 10% Shiraz for our final What's Gnu blend.

put a cork in it and shrink wrap the cork cover

We could even custom design and print our own labels! 

Hippo Birthday to Ewe!

And we will drink our custom blend on our real birthdays in May.

baking homemade roosterkoeks in an outdoor brick oven

After a hard morning (not!) toiling in the fields, we were ready for lunch. One thing we were sure of was that the roosterkoeks were fresh!

winemaking is fun!

We had always regretted not being able to take advantage of an opportunity to participate in a harvest with a winemaker friend of ours in California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys when we had the chance before our move. I think that experience would have been a lot harder than the one we "endured" at Excelsior. Maybe it all worked out for the best.

the lake at Excelsior

the horses of Excelsior