NFL fans, don’t despair! Just because we’re on the other side of the world doesn’t mean you can’t watch the big game. Here’s where you can watch the Super Bowl in Singapore!
The biggest night on the American sports calendar is upon us and whether you’re rooting for the Denver Broncos or the Carolina Panthers (or simply want to see what all the Super Bowl fuss is about), we’ve got your game day needs covered with the top local venues graciously opening early and screening the game.
Super Bowl 50 will be held at 3:30pm Pacific Standard Time Sunday, 7 February in Santa Clara, California, which means 7:30am on Monday, 8 February for us in Singapore — a strong (and very early) start to the year of the monkey, mama! With many spots hosting breakfast viewing parties to rev you up, we suggest you book early since we’re expecting especially big crowds on the CNY public holiday. Get your game face on!
As Robertson Quay’s and Boat Quay’s long standing cafe, bar and bistro in one, you can trust that Boomarang will be open bright and early on game day with tables available from 6:30am and big screens lining the walls. Order from their delicious breakfast menu packed with Aussie favourites to accompany that Super Bowl pint!
Brewerkz is an American-style microbrewery with a big personality which makes it an ideal spot to cheer on your favourite team! Starting from 6am, enjoy a special $55++ brunch including free flow chips and a pint of beer, with $6 pints on offer throughout the game!
As far as American chain restaurants go, you can’t get more authentic than Chili’s! Known the world over for their lip-smackingly delicious Tex-Mex fare, they’re putting on a $30++ ‘Breakfast for Champions’ spread from 6:30am, as well as a buy-1-get-1-free pint promo for the first half!
Not only is Dallas screening the game, they’re upping the ante by hosting a Great Grub Giveaway of free flow prime rib steak, and offering out a free tower of San Miguel or Stella Artois to groups of 10. So, grab your friends and make a beeline for their Boat Quay or Suntec locations to start the day at 6:30am!
Dallas Restaurant and Bar, 31 Boat Quay, Singapore 049820, (+65) 6532 2131; Suntec City Sky Garden, (+65) 6333 4068, www.facebook.com/dallas.sg
Dan Ryan’s is giving you an invigorating game-day wake up call at 6am with $6 Bloody Marys and Carlsbergs to help get you in the cheering mood as you chow down on omelettes, O’Brien potatoes and pancakes! Priced at $26++, there’s no need to pace yourself here, mama!
SandBank is turning your usual game day traditions on their head; instead of cheering from a couch on a Sunday evening, you can dig your toes into the sand and take a dip in their 15m plunge pool as you watch a live telecast of the golden Super Bowl from large screens at their East Coast location! For $30++, you’ll also get a breakfast buffet with free flow juices, coffee and tea throughout the game.
Get comfortable because Smokey’s is all about all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-watch for this Super Bowl, with a $30 breakfast buffet and the telecast of the game thrown onto large screens across both resto locations (in Joo Chiat and Buona Vista)! You can’t lose with a full tummy!
@andrew - this is that new place on the ground floor of our office.
You are probably wondering, Korean tacos? Is this going to be another sorcery?
Well, if you have been to Seoul, then Vatos Urban Tacos would be no stranger to you as it is one of the hottest and most popular restaurant chains there. And yay, they are now in Singapore too!
This outlet in Singapore is their first overseas outpost. Now, it is not just the Koreans that get to enjoy the tacos!
Opened by three Korean-Americans who are ever passionate about food, they decided to fuse Korean and Mexican flavours to produce a unique Ko-Mex style restaurant, hence the birth of Vatos Urban Tacos. Since their opening in 2011, the response has been overwhelming, and over the years, they have garnered thousands and thousands of fans.
Way back when the three founders grew up in Texas and Los Angeles, they were heavily inspired by street-style tacos, which are all too readily available in the U.S.. And the birth of this unique concept was to be unlike any other. Marinated BBQ meats with Korean spices and chilli are so popular, and they decided to wrap these meats on a nice warm taco – simply brilliant and very convenient.
Crowd favourite dishes include Kimchi Carnitas Fries (which was voted the “best dish in Korea” by 10 Magazine), Galbi Short Rib Tacos (marinated short rib, ssamjang aioli, Asian slaw, cilantro, chopped onions, and roasted sesame seeds on a handmade tortilla) and Mango Prawn Quesadillas (chipotle marinated prawn flash fried and topped with cilantro lime crema and fresh mango salsa).
You can now head down to Vatos Urban Tacos at South Beach Quarter for your Ko-Mex fix. Vatos Urban Tacos will be opening more outlets across Singapore, and we are keeping our eyes peeled.
Vatos Urban Tacos
36 Beach Road
South Beach Quarter
Singapore 189767
Tel: +65 63856010 or +65 63856970
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 11pm
Fri to Sat: 11.30am – 12am
Sun: Closed
Nearest Station: Esplanade
“The Space Between the Void (Kaleidoscope Cabinet)” is yet another attempt by New Yorker Sebastian Errazuriz to deconstruct the paradigm that a cabinet should simply be a box with two doors. 6sqft previously featured his Wave Cabinet and his Magistral Chest, but the psychedelic design of his latest creation deserves a special mention of its own. The Kaleidoscope Cabinet consists of a reflective storage unit that visually multiplies whatever is placed inside it, and it even has a peephole that functions just like its namesake children’s toy.
Errazuriz’s inspiration for the Kaleidoscope Cabinet was an aunt he had who always told the children they could “look but never touch” the many beautiful objects displayed in her home.
The cabinet’s reflective inner skin creates a multiplied view of whatever is placed inside it, while “self-decorating” its interiors with the colors and patters of the items.
Made from walnut, mirror, glass, bronze, optical lens and electric components, the cabinet has a built-in interior light and a peep hole on the side. This allows one to peer inside as you do with a kaleidoscope and see a collection of items created from a single one, “offering a glimpse of its precious belongings to those of us allowed to ‘look but never touch,’” says Errazuriz.
Artist, designer and activist Sebastian Errazuriz was born in Chile but lives in New York, managing his own design studio. He creates public installations that make people stop and think, but also transformable furniture that he creates by thinking outside the stereotypical box. See more of his work here.
Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and husband Sean Eldridge, financier and former Democratic congressional candidate, make quite the power couple. So it comes as no surprise that the dapper duo got $8.5 million, just below the $8.75 million asking price, for their bespoke Soho loft at 30 Crosby Street. They bought the home for $4.5 million in 2010, and then undertook a serious renovation that resulted in a masculine but elegant interior. It hit the market back in August, and now the Observer reports that the massive 4,100-square-foot pad has been picked up by Helliot Property Holdings Inc.
Architectural details original to the 1890 loft building include hand-hewn timber columns, large swaths of exposed brick, and 12-foot ceilings. In the grand, 37-foot-by-31-foot living room there’s a wood-burning fireplace, six mahogany windows, and two nooks perfect for a piano and a custom-designed wet bar (all of which must’ve come in handy when the couple hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton last year).
The aforementioned timber columns act as a natural divide between the living room and kitchen/dining area. Unlike the distressed leather furniture and rustic accents in most of the home, the sleek, European-style kitchen features stainless steel countertops, a Calacatta marble-topped island, and high-end appliances like two SubZero refrigerators and a wine cooler. Around the corner is a sunny breakfast room.
Behind heavy metal sliding doors is a cozy library, complete with chesterfield sofas, an executive-sized desk, and a rolling ladder.
At the opposite end of the apartment are the three bedrooms. The master has an en-suite bath and a 13-foot-by-13-foot dressing room. The other two share a large walk-in closet. Currently, the third bedroom is configured as a private gym.
Now that the sale is final, the Observer speculates that perhaps Hughes and Eldridge are the mystery buyers of a $22.3 million West Village townhouse. When that sale hit records in September, the name on the deed was revealed as Tom van Loben Sels, the same person behind this transaction.
A prime Vernon Boulevard location is about to get a new lease on life.
The Delta Force Army Navy store, which has been located at 49-10 Vernon Blvd. for about 25 years, has officially closed and is for rent. While the store has been shut for about five years, the business owner has been using the space for storage as part of his eBay business.
The building is owned by the operator of the Delta Force Army Navy business. He and his ancestors have owned the building for about a century.
The commercial space has had many tenants over the decades. It has been a check cashing store, taxi dispatch company, shoe store and hat store.
The owner, who did not want to provide his name to avoid getting phone calls from brokers, said he is in no rush to rent the space.
“I want to make sure I rent it out to the right person,” he said.
He noted that he would not rent it to a nail salon, hair stylist, dentist or pharmacist since there are too many stores in the neighborhood like that. He also said it would not be a bar, partly because his mother lives in the building and a church is across the street – so a full liquor license could not be obtained.
According to the owner, he put a for-lease sign up in the window at about 9 a.m. Thursday and within 24 hours he had received more than 100 phone calls. He said that he has been generating a lot of interest from Manhattan restaurant owners looking to open in Long Island City.
One call that piqued his curiosity was from a retailer who sells brand-name sneakers.
“We do need more retail in Long Island City,” he said.
He did not disclose how much the rent will be, stating, “everything is negotiable.”
You've no doubt heard the old Chanel quote about taking off one accessory before leaving the house, yada yada. While I think it probably is perfectly valid advice for fashion, I'm absolutely sure it is a great strategy for "resetting" your rooms and today we're going to give it a try.
Governor Cuomo’s announcement last week that 30 subway stations would be completely closed for months at a time in order to properly “revamp” them was greeted with groans by riders. But a disruption of epic proportions potentially looms for New Yorkers who rely on the L train to get in and out of Manhattan. [ more › ]
Time for the OFFICIAL Cute Overload Top Ten Cutest Photos of 2015. We crunched the numbers, and here they are! Thank you to all our Peeps who sent photos in during the year! (Have a photo you’d like to send in? Here’s all you need to do. Tomorrow at 6am PT- our Top Comments Of The Year.)
#10 Cutest Photo of 2015: Bears…Or Puppehs? YOU Decide.
These Prosh Lil’ Chubbulars do kinda resemble Little Teddeh Bears, don’t they. Hey, it’s winter! Ya gotta store up that Belleh Fat, right? Now, where’s that box of Krispy Kremes…
Are these two of THE most stunning kitteh pix you’ll EVAH come across, or what? “Hi, I thought I needed to send this to you because, well, you’re Cute Overload and this could possibly be the cutest kitten to ever grace the face of the earth,” writes Linda S. “It’s my foster baby, Addie, when she was 6 weeks old. She and her sister Scout went back to the shelter Friday. I’m really going to miss these two. I’ve had the joy of them since they were 4 weeks old.”
[*Note: We responded to Linda’s email asking for details- the location, etc. No word back yet. -Ed.]
UPDATE! “I foster for the Animal Humane Society in St. Paul, MN. Addie and her sister, Scout, were feral kittens and mom was hit by a car. :( Luckily, they found the kittens and brought them to the AHS. They kept them for about a week and I’ve had them for 3-but I get them for 1 more week. Scout didn’t make the weight for surgery today so they had to come back home with me…darn. They should be available for adoption about Oct. 11th.”
#8 Cutest Photo of 2015: ResQte Of The Week III: Goats With Coats (And Some Cows)
THIS JUST IN from Meredith T. at Farm Sanctuary! “The temperature has been in the single digits and negative degrees at our New York sanctuary lately, and that means one thing: GOATS IN COATS! And all kinds of farm animals in all manner of winter-wear! It’s the Cutest Sight Ever and I thought Cute Overload readers might like to revel in the adorableness.”
Yes, they would.
#7 Cutest Photo of 2015: Arlo & Jasper
“Here are Arlo and Jasper, 15 week old Burmese cross brothers from the UK,” write Stephen & Liz. “They love nothing more than playing and cuddling together but unfortunately :( Jasper managed to fracture his leg two weeks ago. They are absolutely inseparable, so sweet natured and call to each other when Jasper is on bed rest. He’s on the road to recovery :) now after having surgery and can’t wait to play with his brother again!”
#6 Cutest Photo of 2015: Introducing…Rule Of Cuteness #60!
Gina S. says: “I have reviewed the ROCs and find there is nary a word about bath-time, excessive hygiene, nor even re: wet animals/general wetness, bath-induced or other. Therefore, in honor of my new grand-dog Florence, I would like to recommend the following:
“If bath-time reduces your total body matter by up to 50%, that’s cute.”
Consider it DONE! BEFORE, above. AFTER, below. “Photos of Florence by her new parents, my son and his GF. Florence is a rescue Llasa-Poo. She received a bath on Day One. Just because. Florence will undoubtedly get her social media sites in order soon — as soon as g-ma gets the dresses, sweateuws (sp? couldn’t find in Glossary*!) and Halloween costume(s) ready.”
[*Note: “Sweateuws” added to Glossary. We regret the oversight. -Ed.]
#5 Cutest Photo of 2015: Cats Do The Darndest Things
Give ’em an inch…and you can bet they’ll take a mile.
#4 Cutest Photo of 2015: ResQte 3: We KNEW Clark Was Really Superman Super Kitteh!
“I volunteer with TAAG (Transylvania Animal Alliance Group) and we have a very special kitten in our care that we think people would love to see. This is Clark, and he was found paralyzed at 4 weeks old. He was taken in and has quickly become our little mascot because he has the most playful, fun personality and he never lets his limitations get him down. Clark is in a handmade mobility cart made for him by his foster mom and he zooms all over playing like any other kitten. Clark has gotten over one million views this week on Imgur and wants to keep his mission of showing the world that disabled pets are just as fun as every other going!” -Laura K.
[*Note: Here’s a link to Clarkster’s GoFundMe to help with his medical bills. -Ed.]
#3 Cutest Photo of 2015: C.O. Trading Cards #26
Next up in our series, some pure California Blorp! (First seen here.) Click for ULTRA MASSIVE C.O. Super-Size™, and collect all of ’em!
#2 Cutest Photo of 2015: A What? An….Ezo Momonga?
Well, of course it is. Classic Big J Action, naturally. The Bored Panda article says that these little crazies (sorta a Flying Sqwerl) can only be found on the island of Hokkaido. Which works for me.
Photos originally by Pop Shiretoko-san.
#1 Cutest photo of 2015: Ladies & Gentlemen, We Present…Wally Von Jelly Beans
Wally’s her name (we checked into this)—The Qte is her game. KB sent these in and says, “This 2.5 week old cutie pie was rescued Saturday! (She’s now a happy bottle baby at a loving, local foster home.) Her mom is feral (wild) and gave birth to a litter of kittens in someone’s attic. In the process of moving them to a new location, this little girl was dropped by her mom down inside a kitchen wall where the mom couldn’t reach her. The retired homeowner tore a hole in his kitchen wall to rescue the kitten …but mom was long gone. So we stepped in to take over.” (This is not my photo or my text. The good folks at The Cat House on the Kings asked me to pass it on to you.”)
Finding a perfect fitting T-shirt is a battle that we constantly find ourselves having. It may be because various brands have completely different sizing scales, in addition to unexpected variations due to wear and tear. In comes Threadbase, a company that aims to bring an end to ill-fitting T-shirts.
The company has worn, washed and tested over 800 different T-shirts from a number of various brands, counting in some of the most popular styles out there. Threadbase then created an algorithm that can recommend different T-shirts based on your own body measurements or specifications of an existing shirt.
So far, the company has published data regarding how T-shirts change over time due to washing, drying and wearing. It was found that typically, T-shirts widen and shorten over time, and most of the widening happens within the first two hours of wear. Not only that, but two of the same T-shirts may not fit the same due to manufacturing variance, which can account for a significant difference as well.
Additionally, the length and width averages for each brand varies greatly. What is considered a small can range three inches in width and height. Head over to Threadbase to check out the full list of T-shirts they've analyzed and use it to find your perfect T-shirt.
It is great to see the Japanese food scene in Singapore progressing towards more authentic and regional foods. No longer is Japanese food just about having all the familiar sushi, sashimi, tempura, tonkatsu under one roof, the Japanese restaurants here are moving towards more specialization, offering an increasingly authentic Japanese culinary experience.
Chef Sugimoto
I was introduced to Ryu’s Japanese Restaurant by Chef Ashino who told me about this new restaurant at Capitol Piazza that is serving Anko Nabe, a speciality winter dish of the Ibaraki prefecture. Known in the West as “monkfish”, “frog fish” and “sea devil”, it is not difficult to see how this menacing looking sea creature has managed to earn its unflattering name. In the West, monkfish is prized for its firm white meat whose texture is liken to that of lobster tail. In Japan, it is the ankimo ie the liver which is the most prized. Ankimo has been called foie gras of the east and is often served as a premium side dish in sushi restaurants. But with the Japanese philosophy of “mottainai” (waste not), the rest of the fish is also used in a fish stew with a cacophony of different textures.
Because the fish is so soft and slimy, the Japanese have a special procedure for sectioning the fish called tsurushi-giri wherethe fish is first hung on a hook and then the seven “weapons” as it is referred to, are carefully dissected from the fish.
The prized part of the fish is the liver, followed by the skin for its chewy, gelatinous texture. The rest of the internal organs are also added into the stew. The only part of the fish that isn’t used is the jaw which is the last bit of anatomy left on the hook once the fish is entirely dispatched.
To make anko nabe, the liver is first mashed and fried, after which sake is added followed by the fish and then the vegetables. A miso flavoured dashi made from three different types of miso is then added and ingredients are left to simmer. The resulting stew is warm and rich with the flavour of liver and miso. I can’t say that it is the most amazing nabe that I have eaten, but it certainly is something new to try for lovers of Japanese cuisine. 4/5
This delicacy is now available in Singapore for the first time at Ryu’s. This new restaurant, which specializes in traditional, regional Japanese cuisine, is fully owned and operated by a Japanese family who owns three other restaurants in Tokyo. They plan to introduce a new regional dish with every change of season in order to showcase the diverse culinary landscape of Japan.
Conclusion
I find the dishes all very authentic and I especially like the fact that they only use wild caught fish and imported ingredients from Japan. Even their rice is cooked with imported Mt Fuji water. For such authenticity, I found the prices to be quite reasonable. The seven course meal which includes a beautiful starter with five seasonal items, monkfish liver, sashimi with three types of seafood, grilled Miyazaki Wagyu or seasonal fish, hotpot, porridge and dessert costs $120++. 4.25/5
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Acknowledgement
Thanks to Ryu’s for hosting the tasting session!
Postscript
Rockett girl and I visited Ryu’s on a separate occasion to experience their omakase meal on our own account. The $120++ omakase set was excellent. All the dishes were well executed and in particular, we really enjoyed the hamachi neck which was stewed with daikon and sake lees for seven hours. The daikon was translucent all the way through and infused with a very nice miso, sake flavour! 4.5/5 She agreed with me that the food at Ryu’s is comparable or even better than some of the omakase meals we’ve had that cost more than $200. We will be looking forward to other regional dishes that they will be showcasing with the change of the season.
Just when you thought we had it made with the addition of taco and the middle finger, the smartdevice world is now blessed with... Kimoji? That's right -- pop culture prima donna Kim Kardashian has released her own set of emoji, accessible via a downloadable app. While the selection of course includes the expected fair of icons -- donuts, manicures, gummi bears and lipstick -- the real fun will be had with the more "explicit" selection of characters, including a rear end, creamy peach, modified middle finger and more. Lastly, what binary collection of symbols would be complete without a highly detailed pair of Turtledove Yeezy Boost 350s?
Head over to the iOS App Store to purchase Kimoji for $1.99 USD, out now.
"They are famous of their ‘bu jian tian’ char siew, literally roast pork that doesn’t see the sky. That is because the meat is taken from the arm pit of the pig, thereby being tenderer than the other parts."
   
Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre has been one of Singapore’s favourites, and in fact the the first modern market to be built in a housing area in 1955.
Several well-known food items have in fact been synonymous with the name “Tiong Bahru”, from chwee kueh, pao, porridge to roast pork. Talk about best stalls, and there are too many to choose from, such as Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roast, Long Ji Soya Bean Drink, Tiong Bahru Fishball, Tiong Bahru Pau Yi Sheng Hokkien Mee to Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup.
I thought I should just document some 10 favourite stalls from Tiong Bahru, since this is the food centre I grew up with. The decision is tough though.
Jian Bo Chwee Kueh #02-05
Many Singaporeans would agree that Jian Bo offers one of the best chwee kueh around, a simple dish of smooth and soft steamed rice cake topped with oily preserved radish. While quality has dipped over the years, Jian Bo’s ‘cai po’ remains robust and tasty, matched with tasty chilli with hints of dried shrimps. They should go easy on the oil though.
Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo #02-44
Not a widely publicized shop, but its queue in the morning easily beats many of the other popular stalls. One word – the sauce. The old uncle whips on a bowl of QQ noodles basking in an extremely delicious and unique-tasting sweet and salty sauce with crunchy pork lards. This is a handmade fishball noodle stall I would almost return to again and again. And again.
(Okay, kind of regret now. Those reading this, don’t queue okay? Cos I don’t want to wait so long for my noodles.)
Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodles #02-30
Never mind that auntie always look grumpy in the morning. They are famous of their ‘bu jian tian’ char siew, literally roast pork that doesn’t see the sky. That is because the meat is taken from the arm pit of the pig, thereby being tenderer than the other parts. The charred roast pork is indeed on of the best. Do queue early before it’s sold out.
Lor Mee 178 #02-23
The signature is the deep fried shark fritters with crispy batter bits. Yes, shark meat. The boss of the stall take special pains to entire the shark meat is not overly fishy. I also like that the gravy is not overly starchy or rich, yet slurp-worthy.
Tiong Bahru Teochew Kueh, #02-02
This Teochew kueh stall sells a wide variety of traditional cakes, such as peng kueh (glutinous rice cakes), soon kueh (rice flour cake with turnip), ku chye kueh (rice flour cake with chives), and the rare ou kueh (rice cake with black bean). Since its opening in 1974, the stall has been using the recipes handled down by the owner’s mother. Their offerings are very homely-tasting, as though it’s made by your favourite aunties. Tip: request for pan-fried versions of the cakes.
Teck Seng Soya Bean Milk #02-69
Uncle knows my order already. I am regular because their ‘tau hway chwee’ is so fresh and smooth tasting, laboriously prepared in the wee hours of the morning by the friendly husband and wife team. Their ‘Michael Jackson’, the combination of soya bean milk with glass jelly is very popular too. Their queue is long, but it moves fast.
238 Coffee #02-81
There are so many coffee stalls at Tiong Bahru Food Centre, and you wonder why people would choose to queue at 238. After all, it’s just kopi right? Their kopi is especially aromatic, and the blend is stronger and sharper than usual stalls. After sips, the coffee-bitterness would linger in your tongue. Watch the skillful auntie in action.
Ru Yi Vegetarian Stall #02-26
Ru Yi vegetarian bee hoon looks so plain and simple, that you wonder why the long queue. It being more than 30 years in the business should mean something. Then you would realize it is not as oily as many other bee hoon stall, clean-tasting and doesn’t make you feel bloated. The mild gravy and pickled cut green chilies complete the plate.
Tiong Bahru Fried Kway Teow #02-11
$2. Yes, still $2 per plate. Fried by an old uncle since the old Tiong Bahru market days of more than 40 years, uncle keeps his kway tiao quite ‘unoily’, better for them who wants a ‘healthier’ and drier version. The $3 and $4 versions are better in my opinion, with more generous portions of cockles, sliced fish cake and Chinese sausage, matched with a tinge of spicy chilli sauce.
Tow Kwar Pop #02-06
The ‘tow kwar pop’ (like a beancurd puff) is grilled on charcoal upon order, filled with cucumber and beansprouts, and served with cool turnip and pineapple slices on the side. The winning ingredient is the sweet prawn paste sauce poured over, with a dash of peanut. Very old-school!
Which is your favourite stall from Tiong Bahru Food Centre and why?
Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre
30 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168898, 10-15 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT
Buses: 5, 16, 33, 63, 123, 195
Strolling along the streets of Seoul means feasting on Korean Street Snacks non-stop. The sheer number of push cart stalls is mind-boggling, and we found ourselves eating along the way, every day. Well, that is only because there are so many kinds of awesome street snacks and we really coudn’t resist but try them one by one.
You know, that satisfaction you get when you have conquered all the street snacks there are so that you can earn bragging rights.
But we prefer to tempt. We had a ball of time trying all these irresistible Korean Street Snacks That You Must Try When in Korea, and we bet our last dollar you wish you could lick your screen now.
#1 TTEOKBOKKI
Arguably the number 1 Korean street food, Tteokbokki (also known as ddeokbokki or dukboki) is made of soft rice cake, fish cake and sweet chilli sauce. If it is your first time to Korea, you must try this. It is a very quintessential Korean dish.
#2 BULGOGI & JAPCHAE
Old-fashioned goodness. Just old-fashioned goodness that even the locals are obsessed with. A plate of piping hot beef bulgogi always works for us, and we are totally for the idea of doing it the messy way; just hold your plate and stand by the stall to eat. Sometimes, these bulgogi stalls sell japchae (stir-fried Korean sweet potato noodles) too.
#3 KOREAN KOGO – FRENCH-FRY CORN DOG
Probably one of the most sinful street snacks, but we have selective awareness and it activates every time we chance upon a stall that sells these gorgeous Corn Dogs. Quite essentially sausages wrapped in bread/ batter, then deep-fried to a golden brown, Corn Dogs are so bloody awesome. Best eaten with ketchup!
#4 DRIED CUTTLEFISH
God knows why the world loves them Dried Cuttlefish! Stalls that sell these are everywhere, and for some unbeknownst reason, these dehydrated cuttlefish are totally nothing special but everyone just needs to have one helping when in Seoul!
#5 EGG BREAD
Simple, unadulterated joy; that is what Korean’s Egg Bread is all about. Typically priced at just W2,000, the Egg Bread is widely enjoyed by both locals and tourists alike. These can be found almost all over Seoul for they are among the most popular street snacks, and we kid you not when we say we ate one every day during our time in Seoul.
#6 FRIED SHRIMP
This is another of those nothing-special-but-we-love-them snack. Well, it ain’t just us. There is a reason why so many stalls sell this street snack. Just because they are good ol’ prawns coated in a savoury batter, and munching on them while sightseeing is just more enjoyable.
#7 CRAZY KOREAN ICE CREAM CONE
This is your Instagram’s best friend. We promise this photogenic cone will get you more likes than usual. These ice cream cones come in a few flavours, and are averagely 32cm tall; well, because one scoop of ice cream is just not enough to please us anymore.
#8 KOREAN KIMBAP
Yes, this is really what we all know as sushi, or to be more specific, maki rolls. Kimbap is the Korean version, usually bigger in size and each roll makes one serving portion. Stuffed with pickles and selected meats, Kimbap is fuss-free but oh-so-comforting.
#9 MAIZE
On first look, you would probably dismiss it. How exciting can maize get, right? But that is when we are all wrong. God knows why the Koreans are blessed with better creativity, but these peeps actually grill their maize with the simplest of ingredients and produce the tastiest maize! Think honey, butter and cheese. Just like that, we were sold.
#10 POTATO CHIPS ON A STICK
Potato chips of a different league; that’s all. These amazingly cute snacks are a hot favourite, and there are many stalls in Korea that sell them. Every stick is effectively one potato sliced with a specialized slicer, then coated with seasoning before being deep-fried. Just don’t think about calories; eat it.
#11 ROASTED CHESTNUTS
Roasted Chestnuts might be an ubiquitous snack but that is not gonna stop Koreans from loving it. Their fragrance always stop us in our tracks and eating a pack in winter is exceptionally heartwarming.
#12 SAUSAGES
Yes, yes and yes. Because we all love those chunky, meaty treats. They come in all sorts of flavours – black pepper, cheese, whatever. Honestly, almost any flavour is possible. And the Koreans sure love theirs with chilli!
#13 YAM CHIPS
Another form of simple pleasure is the Korean-style Yam Chips that they sell by the road side. Typically served in a cup, fresh yams are shredded, then deep-fried to provide that distinct crunch.
#14 JAJANGMYEONG
Comfort food at its best, Jajangmyeong (or better known as zha jiang mian) is something that you can eat any time of the day. It is a noodle dish doused in thick minced pork sauce and vegetables.
#15 BANANA MILK
Alright, this is not exactly by the streets, but they are widely available at convenience stores and supermarkets. You have to try this Banana Milk; we know many of you Singaporeans are big fans of it like we are, yes? Together, we celebrate our love for this simplicity as such.
[Green Line rendering by Perkins Eastman, via Dezeen]
There's no shortage of urban planning projects that aim to utilize existing space in New York City: the High Line is built atop disused train tracks, for example, while the Lowline's creators want to build a park within an old trolley station. Now, an idea for something called The Green Line proposes to build a 2.5-mile long park along one of the city's busiest thoroughfares: Broadway.
The idea was conceived by Perkins Eastman, a design and planning firm that has worked on various New York City projects like Battery Park City and the redevelopment of Downtown Brooklyn. According to Dezeen, which first reported on the plan, the proposed Green Line would run from Columbus Circle to Union Square, and would eliminate cars and trucks (aside from emergency vehicles) from Broadway, opening up the central artery and connecting major public spaces like Times Square, Herald Square, and Madison Square Park. "As a linear at-grade park, the Green Line would provide much needed active and passive recreational space in the heart of the city," Perkins Eastman prinicipal Jonathan Cohn told Dezeen.
But the Green Line isn't meant solely as a public park; according to Cohn, it would also function as a new way of improving the city's drainage system. By removing the asphalt that covers Broadway; using materials like plants and bioswales; and letting storm and groundwater absorb back into the earth, the park would, in theory, improve water conditions in the East and Hudson Rivers. ""It is an excellent swath to begin groundwater recharge," Cohn explained.
Of course, there are logistical concerns to take into account (i.e. how the heck do you turn one of the city's busiest roads into a park), as well as the whole process of getting approval for such a proposal from all the pertinent city, state, and local officials. (We've reached out to Perkins Eastman for comment on those things, and will update when we hear back.) Still, it's an interesting proposal—one that has the potential to reshape the way people live, work, and play in Manhattan.
If you are in the market for festive food this year there is no better way to get into the spirit than hopping on a plane to your nearest European Christmas market. In no time at all you can be nibbling on mince pies, warming up to mulled cider and soaking up the heart warming atmosphere, surrounded by those giddy from the anticipation of the most loved time of the year.
Photo courtesy of www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Manchester, UK – November 14 – December 21
This year’s most popular northern market has gotten bigger and better with the addition of a two–storey indoor beer house accompanying The Mill in Exchange Square. Northerners are quite a modest lot but when it comes to their Christmas market they are happy to shout about its greatness from the roof tops. The giant sized Santa glows like a bonfire keeping a watchful eye over everyone in Albert Square and the nifty mug exchange makes drinking Glühwein all the more exciting. Virgin Trains travel from London to Manchester for about £70 return.
Photo courtesy of www.travelzoo.com
Vienna, Austria – November 15 – December 26
This quintessential Christmas Market is over 25 years old and attracts half a million visitors a year. The pretty streets are lined with glowing chandeliers leading visitors to the impressive St Stephens Cathedral. The Magic of Advent is the largest of Vienna’s Christmas markets located in front of the fairy tale castle like structure that is the city hall. Flights from London to Vienna are daily with Easyjet and work out at around £150 return for a 2 hour 20 minute flight.
Photo courtesy of www.explorewestsweden.com
Gothenburg, Sweden – November 20 – December 30
Any Christmas market that has a display of five million fairy lights is definitely a spectacle worth seeing. Sweden’s close proximity to Lapland gives you the feeling you really are a hop skip and a jump away from Santa’s workshop. Torches and fire pits surround the pretty red log cabins all engulfed within 700 large Christmas trees in the surrounding park. The glogg (mulled wine) will most certainly be flowing and to fill your belly, what can be better than Gothenburg’s very own Christmas pepparkakor ginger snaps. Sweden is a dark country but not this time of year, for the most visually satisfying Christmas market in Europe, Gothenburg should be top of your list. Flights from London Heathrow to Gothenburg are direct with SAS.
Photo courtesy of www.visitcopenhagen.com
Copenhagen, Denmark – November 14 – January 3
Copenhagen is awash with Christmas markets dotted generously around the Danish capital. The crème de la crème however is located in the old amusement park of Tivoli Gardens. This festive wonderland comprises a lake transformed into a magical ice skating rink for the duration of the markets. Miniature villages and wooden cabins are bursting with crafts, porcelain and traditional Danish sweaters. Interestingly the Fairy light installation was directed by the infamous Tiffany and Co designer John Loring. Flights direct to Copenhagen from London with Norwegian Air work out at around £75 return.
Photo courtesy of www.hamburg-news.hamburg
Hamburg, Germany – November 23 – December 30
If you are a foodie then this is the Christmas market for you. Hamburg is famous for its spectacular Fish markets, this has now resonated into their popular Christmas market location. Winterwald is the city’s main market and as its name suggests, a winter forest is recreated in the city centre. For an alternative Christmas market experience head to the red light district of St Pauli, it markets itself as an x-rated Christmas market; and one not to be missed. There is plenty to see and do at the Hamburg Christmas market where the aroma of grilling German sausage and cinnamon infused mulled wine is enough to get any taste buds raging. Easyjet fly direct to Hamburg from London for approx. £150 return.
It’s easy to see why Christmas markets have become so popular. Its not just tourists and visitors filling the beer halls, co-workers and friends unite to enter into the holiday spirit and begin the ever exciting countdown to most popular holiday of the year. The hardest part is trying to decide which one to go to! Happy Christmas one and all.
Two chicken halves won’t fit in a standard 10-inch cast-iron, so this recipe calls for both a pan and a baking sheet. If you have a 14-inch pan, you can go straight from stovetop to oven.
Ingredients
Servings: 4
4
garlic cloves, chopped
2
cups
distilled white vinegar
½
cup
olive oil
¼
cup
kosher salt
2
tablespoons
chopped fresh parsley
2
tablespoons
paprika
1
tablespoon
freshly ground black pepper
1
cup
vegetable oil, divided
1
3½–4-pound chicken, halved
Preparation
Purée garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, parsley, paprika, pepper, and ½ cup vegetable oil in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Seal bag and chill chicken 1–3 days.
Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit uncovered at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°. Heat remaining ½ cup vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place 1 chicken half, skin side down, in skillet, set another skillet or heavy pot on top, and add a couple of cans to weigh it down. Cook until skin is browned and crisp, 15–20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken half.
Roast chicken in oven, skin side up, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
You’re probably familiar with the work of Gordon Parks, whether it’s his photography (over a decade documenting America and Americans, years of fashion photography for Vogue, portraits for Life ), his film-making (Shaft, The Learning Tree), or his writing, his music. Or his painting, maybe—there wasn’t much Mr. Parks didn’t excel at. Pretty much any article about Parks will mention the breadth and depth of his talent, and the barriers he had to break down as an African American in the photography and film businesses in the middle of the 20th century. They may not mention that he was absurdly, absurdly stylish.
Parks knew elegance. Having grown up on a farm in rural Kansas and fallen into a photography job, Parks would eventually photograph the highest and lowest of American society—you can tell from his portraits that he was a man at ease with himself, who could make his subjects comfortable, no matter where they came from. Judging by the photographic record of Parks himself, he was a fan of the buttondown collar and natural shoulder jacket, as well as a good turtleneck. He wore a lot of open shirt collars, and when he wore a tie he made good choices–above see a dark silk knit and a perfectly askew bow tie. He looked great in a denim jacket, and wore a dinner suit as well as anyone. Parks also makes a tremendous case for the moustache.
@ivy is this enough reason to give up on our dreams and go back home?
Smorgasburg and similar markets have helped launch the careers of many budding restaurants, the latest of which is Cemitas El Tigre, the offshoot of the Cemitas stand that's been operating at the Brooklyn market since 2012. The overstuffed Mexican sandwiches—along with an expanded menu—made their debut in Sunnyside, Queens yesterday with a brick-and-mortar on 48th Avenue. "It has taken years to find the perfect location for this restaurant, but as an American born in Korea with an almost religious devotion to Mexican food, I couldn’t be happier opening in Sunnyside, where seven distinct cultural communities share 53 acres," owner Danny Lyu enthused. [ more › ]
Zuck has a baby. Announces he'll give away 99% of his $45bn (current value) in stock during his lifetime. Pretty awesome/crazy.
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, welcomed their daughter, Max Zuckerberg, Tuesday, and the new father was in quite the charitable mood.
Zuckerberg announced in a Facebook note titled, “A Letter to Our Daughter,” that he and Chan would donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares—currently valued at some $45 billion—to charitable causes.
He wrote in the note:
As you begin the next generation of the Chan Zuckerberg family, we also begin the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to join people across the world to advance human potential and promote equality for all children in the next generation. Our initial areas of focus will be personalized learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities.
We will give 99 percent of our Facebook shares–currently about $45 billion–during our lives to advance this mission. We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others.
We’ll share more details in the coming months once we settle into our new family rhythm and return from our maternity and paternity leaves. We understand you’ll have many questions about why and how we’re doing this.
On Dec. 1, 2015, our founder, chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that, during his lifetime, he will gift or otherwise direct substantially all of his shares of Facebook stock, or the net after-tax proceeds from sales of such shares, to further the mission of advancing human potential and promoting equality by means of philanthropic, public advocacy and other activities for the public good. For this purpose, Mr. Zuckerberg has established a new entity, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC, and he will control the voting and disposition of any shares held by such entity. He has informed us that he plans to sell or gift no more than $1 billion of Facebook stock each year for the next three years and that he intends to retain his majority voting position in our stock for the foreseeable future. Any sale of shares by Mr. Zuckerberg will be conducted pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Sales and gifts of shares by Mr. Zuckerberg will be disclosed publicly in accordance with the rules established by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. As of the date of this filing, Mr. Zuckerberg beneficially owns approximately 4 million shares of class-A common stock and approximately 419 million shares of class-B common stock.
Zuckerberg’s lengthy note to his daughter touches upon several topics, including health, healthcare, advancing human potential, promoting equality, personalized learning, Internet access, community education and, of course, technology.
Readers: What did you think of Zuckerberg’s announcement?
This morning, renderings surfaced on 6sqft for a sculpture-laden, mammoth 102-story residential tower pitched for 57th Street that is so ornate, it would make the rest of Billionaires Row's supertalls look like glass toothpicks. While it turns out that the project will not be moving forward, as confirmed by building architect Mark Foster Gage, the design is still worth checking out. The supertall building is adorned with sculptures of eagles and gold paneling, and appears to be topped by a gold watchtower with a golden clock (or a bell depending on how you see it.) It only gets better from there.
The proposed structure had balconies for each unit and an exterior of limestone-tinted concrete panels, bronze details, and alloy-tinted enclosures, according to MFGA. The 64th floor of the building would have featured a sky lobby with retail, a two-story ballroom, and a four-star restaurantperhaps something like Betony, the acclaimed eatery that currently occupies the ground floor of 41 West 57th Street, the site this tower was proposed for.
The ownership history of the building is slightly mysterious. It last sold to an LLC named Asuman 57th Street LLC, according to records accessed through PropertyShark. 6sqft reports that the building is the former home of a national Jewish women's organization named Hadassah, which sold the building to a different LLC, BOB 57, back in 2012 for $71.5 million.
While this designan homage to Art Deco architecturewon't be rising on the site, the fact that the plan exists suggests that someone might be interested in bringing another supertall tower to Central Park South. Have tips? The inbox is open.
The man pictured below with his pants around his ankles is Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, the head of the Croatian Helsinki Committee. He is the leading human rights official in Croatia. He is having a bad day.
The photo was taken on Tuesday to mark the forthcoming international human rights day.
Stringer / AFP / Getty Images
He is standing next to the president of Croatia, his boss. He is taking a group photo with coworkers. He is losing a battle with gravity. He is now without trousers. He is exposed, laid bare to the world. He is all of us when we have been at our lowest.
That's president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic on the right.
Stringer / AFP / Getty Images
But does he despair at his nude-kneed nadir? No. He does what heroes do when the universe in its cruel capriciousness strips us of our khakis. He bends goddamned over, he picks up his goddamned pants, and he pulls them up one goddamned leg at a time.
Stringer / AFP / Getty Images
So here's to Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, a man who refused to give in to depantsed desolation. A man whose pants and pride rose Phoenix-like from ashes of his ankles. We goddamned salute you.
My friend Allan has made it his mission to track down retired hawkers and learn their tried and tested recipes. This particular braised duck recipe comes from an old Teochew man, Mr Teo who used to be the head chef of Hang Kang Teochew restaurant for over 20 years. He shares his braise duck recipe with us which might come across as amazingly simple. But according to Mr Teo, this is authentic Teochew style braised duck. According to him, there is no need to caramelize the sugar and add a whole lot of other ingredients that most internet recipes have stated. The most important ingredient is the dark soy sauce and so it is important to buy the very best quality soy sauce. I tried his recipe and it works pretty well to produce a robust, Teochew style braised duck.
Ingredients
1 Duck
Cinnamon sticks 5
Dried chillies 2
Star anise 5
Blue ginger (galangal) 7 slices
Garlic 7 cloves
Dark Soy Sauce 350ml
2 Tbsp white sugar
NB: Mr Teo recommends Tai Hwa superior dark soy sauce which is commonly found in our supermarkets. This soy sauce is not very salty and is thick but still runny. His recipe calls for 3/4 of a standard 700ml bottle. I found this a little strong and have adjusted it to 1/2 bottle.
Procedure at a glance:
1. Fry all the dry spices till fragrant
2. Add soy sauce and 2 bowls of water.
3. Bring sauce to a boil and add the duck
4. Add enough water so that 3/4 of the duck is submerged
5. Slowly braise for 1.5 hrs turning the duck over every 20mins or so. It is ready once the meat is tender
6. Leave to cool before chopping
Prepare the ingredients. I like to use “old” garlic which I usually buy from the market. These are sold with the cloves already separated instead of intact as a bulb and looks a bit more wrinkled.
Prepare the duck by making an insertion at the base of the neck so that the braising sauce can circulate. You may rub salt over the whole duck and marinate it for a few hours before washing away the salt in order to get rid of some of its odour. Another technique that another braised duck hawker tell me is that they will poach the duck in boiling water for 15 mins before putting it into the braising sauce. Mr Teo doesn’t believe in doing all that. His instructions is to wash the duck and put it directly into the braising sauce.
Just a note about ducks. When you buy it from the market, ask for ducks that are suitable for braising. You want a duck which is tough so that it can withstand a longer braise. This will ensure the the flavour of the braising sauce can penetrate into the meat before it begins to fall off the bone.
According to Mr Teo, even this step of frying the ingredients first is not required. But I do it because it really doesn’t take much more effort and I feel it does bring out the aroma of the spices.
Add soy sauce and water and bring to boil.
Add duck and sufficient water so that 3/4 of the duck is submerged.
Braise for at least 1.5hrs at low heat so that it is just simmering. The duck is ready when the meat is tender.
Attention & intention are the mechanics of manifestation - Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra is known around the world for spouting pseudo-scientific garbage wrapped up in spiritual feel-goodery. A new paper in the journal Judgment and Decision Making even uses Chopra’s tweets to show how some people have trouble distinguishing profound statements from bullshit.
The paper, titled “On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit,” doesn’t pull any punches. But it carefully notes that, “None of this is intended to imply that every statement in Chopra’s tweet history is bullshit.” (Emphasis mine.)
Researchers took the Chopra tweet below, published in June of 2014, and presented it to study participants along with randomly generated statements that employed “profound” buzzwords. The statements made sense grammatically, but made absolutely no sense logically.
“Ten novel meaningless statements were derived from two websites and used to create a Bullshit Receptivity (BSR) scale,” the authors explain. The researchers asked people to rate the statements on a scale ranging from profound to complete bullshit. Unsurprisingly, the sample tweet from Chopra’s Twitter feed was largely indistinguishable from bullshit.
As Dr. Emily Willingham explains in a post over at Forbes, the researchers found that there were a variety of reasons that some people found Chopra’s bullshit to be profound. They looked at the participants’ analytical thinking skills and willingness to accept implausible ideas. Those who found Chopra to be profound tended to be less skeptical of the paranormal and scored lower on cognitive and reasoning ability tests.
Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Willingham also points out what affect this kind of garbled nonsense has on the real world, especially as it relates to pseudo-science and bullshit “cures” for some diseases.
These findings could very well be confirmation of what those who market certain products already know, that words that sound truthy, deep, and believable are far more compelling to their target audience than terms like “data” and “evidence.” But more profoundly (sorry), this kind of tendency also feeds into broadly resonating societal effects, such as the susceptibilities that led—and still lead—some people to chase false ‘cures’ for everything from autism to cancer, to follow false prophets who promise them transformation and revelation of hidden beauty while giving them nothing, and to confuse categories of existence and believe that the material is magical. And that is deeply, deeply important to understand.
In the researchers’ conclusion they again carefully note that bullshit is not exclusive to Chopra’s Twitter feed, but that we’re constantly exposed to more and more nonsense in our current media environment.
Chopra is, of course, just one example among many. Using vagueness or ambiguity to mask a lack of meaningfulness is surely common in political rhetoric, marketing, and even academia.
So just remember kids: Chopra isn’t the only huckster spouting nonsense that’s made to sound profound. He’s just one example of many.
Whew, OK. This list of 150+ Black Friday sales took forever to compile, but we did it. This is possibly the most comprehensive sales list you’ll find anywhere.
Of course, if this is too much to comb through, here are my highlights:
We’re holding a sale at the Put This On Shop.Lots of vintage accessories, pocket squares, and scarves, handpicked and put together by Jesse. 16% off with the code RAMPANTCONSUMERISM.
Our sponsors are also holding some special deals: Ledbury is having a 30% off site-wide promotion; The Hanger Project/ A Suitable Wardrobe are offering nice discounts on accessories and luxury hangers; Proper Cloth is giving away free shipping; and Private White VC is doing a 15% off store-wide sale. See below for all the necessary coupon codes.
Again, refer to the list below for all your necessary coupon codes.
Throughout the next few days, we’ll update this list as new sales come in. We’ll also italicize new listings, so you know what’s been just put up. Consider this your Black Friday sale central!
Apartment 9: $40 off orders over $250 with the code SAVE50; $125 off orders over $500 with the code SAVE125; $300 off orders over $1000 with the code SAVE300
Governor Cuomo’s announcement last week that 30 subway stations would be completely closed for months at a time in order to properly “revamp” them was greeted with groans by riders. But a disruption of epic proportions potentially looms for New Yorkers who rely on the L train to get in and out of Manhattan. [ more › ]
Time for the OFFICIAL Cute Overload Top Ten Cutest Photos of 2015. We crunched the numbers, and here they are! Thank you to all our Peeps who sent photos in during the year! (Have a photo you’d like to send in? Here’s all you need to do. Tomorrow at 6am PT- our Top Comments Of The Year.) 
Smorgasburg and similar markets have helped launch the careers of many budding restaurants, the latest of which is Cemitas El Tigre, the offshoot of the Cemitas stand that's been operating at the Brooklyn market since 2012. The overstuffed Mexican sandwiches—along with an expanded menu—made their debut in Sunnyside, Queens yesterday with a brick-and-mortar on 48th Avenue. "It has taken years to find the perfect location for this restaurant, but as an American born in Korea with an almost religious devotion to Mexican food, I couldn’t be happier opening in Sunnyside, where seven distinct cultural communities share 53 acres," owner Danny Lyu enthused. [ more › ]
