Best Of 2016

Thank God for all that has happened in 2016! As the year draws to a close, I look back on some of the best experiences I've had in 2016, both in Singapore and abroad.





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Products & Services
Best Fashion Item Purchase:	The Wizard Of Oz Shoes
Best Tech Gadget Purchase:	Nikon COOLPIX P900
Best Product Provider:	Gryphon Tea Company
Best Service Provider:	Allumer Beauty Salon

Food & Dining
Best Fine Dining Restaurant Experience:	Summer Pavilion
Best Casual Restaurant Experience:	Vita Italiana / Your Italian Butler
Best Cafe Experience:	Roast (Cafe), Bangkok, Thailand
Best Street Food Experience:	Warong Hijau / Warung Pokok Ceri, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Lifestyle
Best Professional Experience:	Taking a Professional / Vocational Diploma, successfully completing the core modules
Best Lesson Learnt:	Constructive Alignment
Best Book:	Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale by David Duchovny
Best Movie:	Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Best Movie Soundtrack:	Suicide Squad: The Album
Best Television Series:	Game Of Thrones, Season 6
Best Television Series Soundtrack:	Descendants Of The Sun Original Soundtrack
Best Cartoon:	Avengers Assemble
Best Anime:	Fairy Tail
Best Worldwide Song:	24K Magic by Bruno Mars
Best Local Song:	Shifting Over by Gentle Bones
Best Computer Game:	Overwatch
Best Mobile Game:	Bloons TD5

Travel
Best Local Cultural / Historic Tourist Attraction:	The Art & Science Of Gems
Best Local Natural / Adventure Tourist Attraction:	Coney Island Park
Best Hotel Experience Abroad:	DoubleTree By Hilton, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Best Cultural / Historic Tourist Attraction Abroad:	Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea
Best Natural / Adventure Tourist Attraction Abroad:	Mount Victoria Lookout, Wellington, New Zealand

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2am Dessert Bar
21A Lorong Liput

http://www.2amdessertbar.com/

2am Dessert Bar Artwork

Cafe Melba
90 Goodman Road
#01-56 Goodman Arts Centre Block N

1 Stars Avenue
#03-01 Mediapolis

http://www.cafemelba.com.sg/

Peach Melba (SGD $12)

Shisen Hanten
333 Orchard Road
#35-01 Mandarin Orchard Singapore

http://www.shisenhanten.com.sg/

Steamed Marble Goby Fish Soon Hock With Superior Soya Sauce (SGD $10 / 100g, $80 / 800g)

The Populus
146 Neil Road

http://www.thepopuluscafe.com/

Roasted Cod & Soba Noodle Salad (SGD $24)

Times Square Restaurant Tasting Session - Closed
86 East Coast Road
#01-05 Katong Square

Opening Hours:
Sun - Fri: 12pm - 11pm,
Sat: 11am - 12am


http://katongsquare.com.sg/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from HungryGoWhere, The Arctic Star, Purple Taste, and Epicurious Caniggia.

Purple Cauliflower

Craftsmen Specialty Coffee
2 First Street
#01-01 Siglap V

20 Eastwood Road
#01-06 Eastwood Centre

173 Thomson Road

275 Holland Avenue

33 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-05

6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#01-59 The Central

https://www.craftsmencoffee.com/

Salted Gula Melaka Waffle (SGD $15)

Allumer Beauty Salon
328 North Bridge Road
#01-24 Raffles Hotel

10A Bukit Pasoh Road

10am - 7pm Daily

https://allumer.jp/sg/index.php?lang=en

Nail Colours

Long Bar
1 Beach Road
#2F Raffles Hotel

http://www.raffles.com/singapore/dining/long-bar/

Cocktail Singapore Sling Original & Bag Of Peanuts

Burp Kitchen & Bar Tasting Session
740 Bedok Reservoir Road #01-3165

259 Tanjong Katong Road

Opening Hours:
Tue - Fri: 4pm - 12am,
Sat - Sun: 12pm - 12am,
Closed Mon


https://www.facebook.com/burpkitchen/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Chubby Botak Koala, Jelly Love Fats, msginginly, The Arctic Star, and Her Pen And Fork.

Honey Lime Paprika Chicken Wings (SGD $12)

The Replacement Lodge & Kitchen
33 Jalan Dhoby
Johor Bahru
Johor 80000
Malaysia

Mon - Fri 9am - 8pm, Sat - Sun 8am - 8pm

https://www.facebook.com/thereplacementlodgeandkitchen/

Churros With Hazelnut Nutella (MYR RM14.90 / SGD $4.80)

Lavender Confectionery & Bakery
64 Jalan Serampang
Taman Pelangi
Johor Bahru
Johor 80400
Malaysia

Daily 9am - 10pm

45 Jalan Molek
1/29 Taman Molek
Johor Bahru
Johor 81100
Malaysia

Daily 11am - 9pm

http://www.lavender.com.my/


We are a customer of Lavender Confectionery & Bakery, and we paid the standard prices for all items in this review.

Restoran Chua Kee
67 Jalan Kacang Panjang
Gelang Patah
Johor Bahru
Johor 81550
Malaysia

Daily 11:30am - 11pm, Closed Alternate Wed

https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g298278-d6681955-Reviews-Restoran_Chua_Kee-Johor_Bahru_Johor_Bahru_District_Johor.html

Black Pepper Crab (MYR RM132 / SGD $43)

Warong Hijau / Warung Pokok Ceri
Jalan Inche Besar Zubaidah
Kampung Mahmoddiah
Johor Bahru
Johor 80100
Malaysia

Fri - Sun 8am - 2:30pm, Closed Mon - Thu

GPS: 1.468898, 103.750318

Warong Hijau / Warung Pokok Ceri Meal

Johor Bahru Street Food


Johor Bahru Street Food is part of the larger tapestry of the cuisine of Johor, Malaysia. This style of Malaysian cuisine is closely similar to that of Singapore and Singaporean cuisine. It's a melting pot of gastronomic influence, largely from the British, Chinese, Indian, and local Malay population. Increasingly, they're also influenced by American, French, Italian, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines. The result; a diverse foodscape that is constantly innovating, exciting and surprisingly delightful.

Traditional Breakfast Set

DoubleTree By Hilton
12 Jalan Ngee Heng
Johor Bahru 80000
Johor
Malaysia

http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/malaysia/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-johor-bahru-JHBDTDI/index.html


Modern, Comfortable, Convenient Hotel

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Nov-2016
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $400 per person.
- $300 Accomodation 3D2N
- $100 Room Service


Nearby Attractions: Sultan Abu Bakar Royal Palace Museum, Legoland Malaysia, Endau Rompin National Park, Johor Bahru Art Gallery, Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple, Istana Bukit Serene, Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, Sultan Ibrahim Building, Angry Birds Activity Park, Johor Bahru Zoo, Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru, Danga World Petting Zoo, Danga World Theme Park, Taman Merdeka, Kraftangan Malaysia Cawangan Negeri Johor, Hello Kitty Town, Tanjung Piai National Park


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, Conference Rooms, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, 3 Restaurants (Makan Kitchen, Tosca Italian Trattoria, The Food Store), Swimming Pool, 2 Lounges (Axis Lounge, Executive Lounge), Cable TV, Doctor On Call, Florist On Call, Vehicle Rental Service, Complimentary Parking, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Meetings, Swimming, Shopping


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes walk, and 10 minutes drive away from the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) in Johor Bahru, just after the Malaysia Singapore causeway, DoubleTree By Hilton is a modern contemporary, 4-star hotel which emphasizes thoughtfulness in service. Conveniently located near the Johor Bahru City Square mall, the Komtar JBCC mall, and the Meldrum Walk night market; the DoubleTree By Hilton hotel offers comfort, friendly service, and convenience.


Ambience
Ambience at DoubleTree By Hilton is modern, clean, and stylish sleek, offset by eye-catching decor. The spacious, open areas lend a sense of grandeur, while the opulent beige marble, plush carpets, and warm lighting lend a luxurious, sophisticated feel. There is ample natural lighting and good surrounding views, though the hotel looks drab and plain outside. I love the striking modern impressionist artwork that adorn the corridor walls, and the overhead lamps in the conference foyer and lift lobby that resemble birds in flight.


Room
Rooms at DoubleTree By Hilton are clean, well-equipped, and decently sized. We stayed at the 1-bedroom suite, which offered a nice size living room, a bathroom with both standing shower and bathtub, and a bedroom with a king size bed. The bed is comfortable, though I wish the wardrobe were slightly larger. The bathroom and pantry is well stocked, with amenities replenished daily. The living room has ample seating for a whole family, with a mix of comfortable chairs and sofas. The 2 large screen televisions have several cable tv options, and the in-room wifi connection is fast and stable.


Food
Food at DoubleTree By Hilton is mostly provided by the Makan Kitchen, or The Food Store. Generally, food quality and taste here is better than I expected, being slightly above average for most dishes I sampled. The room service dishes, be it Western or Malay (local) dishes, were tasty and well-executed. However, the buffet breakfast was not that great. While they offer a good variety, I find the mass executed dishes to be of poor quality, lacking in flavour or texture. You're better off either ordering room service, or eating elsewhere. The complimentary cookies given to each guest upon check-in is delicious, and a most welcome service.


Service
Service at DoubleTree By Hilton is courteous, professional, and efficient. Our encounters with staff mostly left a good impression, they are attentive and quick at fulfilling requests. Polite as well, offering greetings even if you encounter them along the corridors or in lifts. Generally feel very welcome here. They display good knowledge on the surrounding area, able to offer advice if asked. The only poor service encounter I experienced was actually while checking-in, as I had to wait nearly 1 hour for my room to be ready, on a weekday afternoon. Waste of my time, at least relaxing in the lounge made the wait slightly more bearable.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at DoubleTree By Hilton are suitable for business travellers and leisure travellers. They seem to cater more for business travellers and events, as the conference rooms and ballrooms are well equipped and spacious. The usual basic leisure facilities such as a swimming pool and gymnasium are present, while not the best I've seen, it's decent enough. Oddly, they lack activities for families and children. However, this is mitigated due to their convenient location to 2 shopping malls, both of which offer a variety of entertainment options for all ages. I would stay at the DoubleTree By Hilton hotel again if possible.


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Johor Bahru Shops

Some examples of the shops in Johor Bahru, whether along the streets or within the shopping malls.

Seven Oaks Bakery Cafe

Johor Bahru Shopping Malls

Snapshots of some of the shopping malls and markets in Johor Bahru.

Johor Bahru City Square