Where are the bananas?

Jalan Pisang, where you can find interesting gables such as this one with a wall mural of a girl cuddling a marmalade cat. 

A nice shady walk along Victoria Street towards Arab Street.

Chemistry, cafe along Jalan Pisang.

I've seen these interesting shophouses along Victoria Street --  from the bus -- most of the time. But just recently, I had the chance to take a nice walk as I alighted from bus 51, heading towards Arab Street to look for doll-making materials.

Except for bananas, Jalan Pisang (which means Banana Lane), has a lot of interesting stuff -- from quirky gables (like those shown in the pictures) to a range of eateries like the Michelin guide Maimunah Restauran famed for its nasi padang and Fluff where you can find the fluffiest cup cakes with interesting salted caramel toppings -- as well as Royals Steakhouse that also boasts homemade pumpkin soup (according to their website) and other goodies. Pity I just had lunch. Next time.

The area is rich in history, of course, being part of the vast garden belonging to Malay royalty -- once upon a time. Jalan Pisang must once have been the spot for banana trees in the garden.

According to the book, Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics, the street was named during the Municipal Council meeting on Boxing Day in 1860 (well, they met even during festive season, these hardworking people!).

The Hokkiens called it "buan a thiong cheng thau tiao" which means "the first street in front of the Malay cemetery" (at Jalan Kubor), the book went on to say. Well, I didn't know it was the "first street".  Google map shows that indeed it is, if you are heading towards Jalan Sultan from Victoria Street.

There aren't many nuggets on Jalan Pisang's past, though of course, the history of Kampong Glam has been written about, extensively. Here's something that you could read up on: https://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/conservation-xml.aspx?id=KPGL

Pink flowery heart gable, belonging to a nightclub (I believe). Postnote added 15 March: I was there again last Friday with a friend to taste that beef steak at Royals Steakhouse when I noticed that this wall has been white washed! Blank now. So that flowery heart has vanished, I guess, for good. 

Vodka and dolls

My recent handiwork, inspired by blogs on dolls, many are in Russian.

Vodka is an alcohol which I have not tried neat, which I understand is how it is normally drunk. I have probably tried it in some cocktails. Anyway, this drink came to mind when I looked at my audience stats just the other day. Voila, Russia topped the list again (besides Singapore which is expected, since I am a Singapore blogger).

Russia nearly always popped up in my blog stats. So I hope they read this post as I want to thank them for visiting. Of course, there was also one from the most exotic of places (to me) -- like Morocco.

I would really like to hear from them though, on their own memories of their childhood. And I hope they read some of those that I have been sharing, and wonder about them. How different or similar?

Of late, I have been very intrigued by the art of making dolls, especially those of the Waldorf reputation. And I found so many blogs by Russian authors on these lovable dolls. They make the most whimsical looking ones too! Their workmanship is meticulous and their doll clothes are gorgeous! Their tutorials are also thorough and yet, full of warmth -- as much as I could detect from the Google translation.

By the way, I have been trying to make dolls since I was a child -- but never with success till now.
My little adventures with the art of making dolls are in another blog: http://waldolls.blogspot.sg/

An old fashioned spiral

Pic taken on 1 Jan 2017.  

GUESS this spiral staircase belongs to which building? But the colour may be a giveaway. This is the first time I see a spiral staircase with such long connections to each floor. Usually, the door of each unit opens immediately to the spiral staircase without such a longish extension.

The topmost one linking the rooftop to the staircase is the most exciting, I think. It is like a bridge! Imagine standing there on a breezy day and taking in the view of the surrounding area which incidentally, is changing rather rapidly.

Fellow blogger once told me that this may be the area where my "bird street" was -- where bird shops lined the canal and one could smell the bird food -- those little cakes which you stick between the bird cage railings, using toothpicks or broken bits of satay sticks.

Those were days in the 60s, when my dad would take me for a walk down this bird street. I can't really recall where, except that there was a canal running along the length of this street.

Hotel 81 Rochor. Picture taken at the junction of Rochor Road and Rochor Canal Road

How to polish a rusty cross stitch needle

Polishing a fat rusty cross stitch needle is as simple as ABC

VERY simple. You just put the rusty needle on the rough cement floor and use your shoe to roll it back and forth a few times. And there, your needle is, not bright as a new pin, but almost there.

There used to be needlework classes way back during my primary school days. (Not sure whether they still have them? Guess not.)

My first cross stitch lesson was an awful mess and my crosses ended up getting a BIG cross from the teacher.

I just couldn't grasp how to stitch that cross -- even after the teacher had demonstrated several times. We were each given thick threads and fat needles, and a small piece of cross stitch cloth. The teacher was exasperated and sort of slam the cloth over my head (not very hard) and said "Why are you so stupid?" (That teacher had a good reputation for being stern, strict but good.)

Back home, Mum showed me how to do those stitches. And soon, I became a whiz kid at it. Taking patterns from a table cloth at home, Mum and I worked out a splendid design that no one had in class. It was selected, among other good pieces, to grace the seats of tiny wooden stools (done by the boys) -- and exhibited at the end of term!

But the polishing of the needle back to its original health, was something my good old classmate taught me. What a great trick!