The Sands, Singapore

I fell in love with Singapore the moment I got off the plane. The architecture and efficiency of this city are truly amazing. Hope I’ll get to go back some day.

MONO + MONO

The midterms are over and it was time for a little celebration. When my friend suggested we get tapas, I eagerly agreed. Finding out that they were going to be Korean—made me question the choice. Upon arrival, MONO+MONO had me even more confused because the decor feels like a rustic jazz bar fell into the hands of a steampunk fanatic. MONO+MONO quickly won me over with a friendly staff, cozy atmosphere and great food. Where else can you see and hear 30,000 vinyl jazz records?

You can see right into the kitchen from the dining room. The kitchen staff always looked like they were having a great time.

We got the Soju Cocktail Sampler: lychee, strawberry, lime/mint, and blueberry milk. I must admit that the drinks weren’t that great. I would consider ordering lychee again, if I was in a particularly girly mood. The other options fell short on taste. This meal really called for a beer.

The Crispy Pork Bun was juicy and crunchy and provided a good foundation for what was to come.

The MONO+MONO fries are amazing. These thick wedge cut, skin-on, rosemary sprinkled fries come with three sauces: spicy mayo, ketchup and hot bacon mustard. I’m not sure why they bother to serve the ketchup at all. It’s not mentioned in the menu and it tastes like (and very well may be) Heinz. We left it pretty much intact, but the other two sauces were completely gone by the time we were done with the meal.

The wings were also great. Crunchy and a bit spicy with a dry heat. My friend thinks that the wings at Pour George were better because they were more saturated, but I can’t decide between the two.

I will definitely be coming back here. The MONO+MONO Happy Hour Special sounds like a great plan if you have three other friends to bring with you (it’s designed for four people).

Angkor, Cambodia

The ancient ruins of Angkor are almost 1000 years old. It’s not only amazing that they are still standing, but that visitors are allowed to interact with them with very minimal supervision. “Climb at your own risk” is often the sole safety measure; and I surely did.

Serenity in Siem Reap

Sundays are for Shoes, Beer and Dessert

I got to go to the pre-grand opening at the new DSW NYC location last Sunday. I resisted buying any new shoes, but picked up this LeSportsac makeup case by the cash registers while waiting for my friend to pay for her purchase. This DSW will open to the public on March 8 and is located at 213 W34 St.

We had lunch at Pour George, a sports bar and restaurant. There was a large group of people playing Jenga and Connect Four while watching a basketball game. Once they left, the television remained on, but its sound was replaced by The Black Keys and other alternative rock; candles were placed on all shelves and tables in preparation for the dinner crowd. We got beer samplers, sliders and wings. The wings were particularly delicious. I have a soft spot for any bar that serves great food and offers you wet-naps.

We also went to Kyotofu for dessert. The ambiance was too dark for photos, but do have their sweet tofu panna cotta or creme brulee with a sparkling sake if you’re ever in the neighborhood.

Angkor Wat

There is a scale model of Angkor Wat at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.