FOODIE VS THE WORLD 

Here's a little known fact (to some) about me: I *used* to love Hello Kitty very much. I say used to because the love has probably dwindled to a like as I've grown out of it. But some part of me will always have a fondness towards the mouthless cat. So obviously when I was visiting JB, I had to drop by Sanrio Hello Kitty Town but I was also pleasantly surprised to find a Hello Kitty themed cafe at the premises. We stopped by for a quick snack and had a couple of lattes. It's

In all fairness, Sanrio Hello Kitty Town was built for kids in mind. I'm not sure if they anticipated the number of crazy female adults that still want to indulge in this childhood character in a theme park. But I was ready for anything. I just wanted to be surrounded by the mouthless cat for a while - so sue me. I know one of the most popular colours when it comes to Hello Kitty is pink but mannnn, I didn't expect the whole town to be quite this pink! Nonetheless, I was so e

You wouldn't instantly think of JB as a staycation destination... but if you're living in Singapore, JB is just across the causeway and really, quite convenient to access. And if you're entering Malaysia through the Causeway Link and other public buses, you get out at the CIQ building. You don't need to rent a car to get around the hottest spots in JB and now with Grab and Uber, you won't need to fight with the local taxi touts trying to make a quick buck off you. But if y

JB's food scene never ceases to surprise me. It's been a while (10 years to be exact) since I've actually went down and explored this city and its foodie offerings. Imagine the excitement I experienced when we were invited to a whole foodie staycation here. We got to check out a coffee + breakfast specialty cafe right in the heart of JB's bustling heritage site. Faculty of Caffeine is established by a young chap named Edward, who is also the owner of the ever popular The Repl

Hotel Jen is really the place to be if you're visiting JB from Singapore or KL. The weekend we decided to drive down to JB, Hotel Jen was bustling with families and travellers from both major cities. It's no surprise that this hotel is one of the more popular ones - just look at that stunning view of Puteri Harbour. We were privileged enough to be invited for a tasting session of their menu - just a few dishes to sample. Our menu for the evening was specially curated by the c

For a while now, The Replacement Lodge + Kitchen has been known for their brunch menu, commanding strong crowds, often with many needing to queue to enter the gorgeous cafe during peak hours. There's no surprise there because not only is the cafe blessed with natural lighting, the food and drinks are spectacular. Not to mention, every nook and cranny of the place has been thoughtfully decorated to pique every Instagrammer's fancy. But in an equally gorgeous setting is Night a

JB is a great staycation destination for Singaporeans and as such, even though we drove down from KL, we decided to check out The Replacement Lodge and Kitchen so we could share its beauty with our Singaporean readers. From the outside, the shophouse looks pretty unassuming, with The Replacement Kitchen downstairs serving really great food for both brunch and dinner. As you enter through the door just next to the cafe to climb up the stairs, you know you're in for a treat.

Nestled under some big trees (such a typical Malaysian description) in an industrial area sits an unassuming coffeeshop-like place that serves what I declare to be the best duck rice in JB and possibly everywhere else in the world. I have been frequenting this place for the past 4 years since it was introduced to me. I fell in love with this mouthwateringly good duck rice here as well as the awesome fuchok. It is hard for me to explain to people why they ought to try this pla

Roost Juice Bar is one of those hippie dippie places with refurbished and recycled furniture to make you feel like you've been transported into a different lifetime when you sit down and dine in their establishment. The quirky upstairs gave me this sense that I was on a whimsical movie set. The entire vibe given out by this place made me really feel like I wasn't even in the present. The upstairs is split into an air-conditioned room and the balcony area, which you may sit at

JB's cafe scene has truly flourished in recent years and places like The Replacement Lodge & Kitchen with its clean, minimalist interior and great brunch food have added a flair to the new wave of F&B establishments. I love the outdoor seating. It's a great spot to sit down and enjoy a cuppa while people-watching. If you're lucky, you'll see the badass Johor uncle cycling on his pimped out bicycle with oversized wheels. #baller to the max. I swear if I had a huge house, my ki