-
The Love Lockdown
Couples lock down their vows over the Eiserner Steg in Germany, which stands proud over River Main linking Frankfurt’s city centre to the district of Sachsenhausen. Another lover’s bridge marked with everlasting passion symbolized by the act of locking with a sense of resilient security and firm, unyielding permanence. The irony of these very metal…
-
Globalization is…
…having Hong Kong crispy duck for supper, grilled Frankfurters on a bun for lunch, and Thai rice noodles (phad si eiw) with Tom Yam-based steamboat and crispy chicken green curry for dinner. All these along the same stretch of restaurants in a town village of Germany! Not to mention having our fair share of the…
-
Micro-Chip, Macro Dreams
Could somebody invent a micro-chip for our brains, to programme us in such a way we can speak all the languages we will ever need? Frustrates me soooo so much that I can’t speak German, and I’m in Frankfurt where everybody rattles off in their native tongue and all I can mumble back are Guten…
-
Love from Frankfurt
All these yummies and none for me! Speed-shopped at the nearest supermart and lost my way amidst the confusing roundabouts of Hamburger Allee. Friends, I hope you know how much you mean to me when you receive these! With love, from Frankfurt. xoxo, Viktoria Jean
-
Shut Up and Dance
Remember this? My favourite NUS Dance Blast Shut Up and Dance (SUAD) Concert 2011 choreography by Xuzi, Erwin and Kevin. This video was taken (by Ulrica!!) during one of our last few vetting sessions with April Rodriguez, Joesar Alvar and Pat. It was a flurry of costume changes (twice during the 5-minute item), and running…
-
Harbouring Intentions
Strangers of all levels are friends you’ve never met. At the idea of meeting new people I used to panic and worry about letting them come into my life, and for the past year, despite abundances of travel buddies, there are times I’d choose to explore new places alone. However I’ve come to be a…
-
Sydney Opera House
Finally I have a picture at one of Australia’s most iconic 20th Century architectural masterpieces. A creative brainchild of architect Jørn Utzon, Sydney Opera House was built by detailed study of its topography and relationship to the harbour plus surrounding land marks. Construction of this grand soaring white roof sails along with its massive red…
-
Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafè
Sydney is home to this restaurant slash patisserie bearing the name of a famed household chocolate brand. Guylian Cafè didn’t disappoint, probably as the tarts we ordered came at a time where we were too hungry to be picky. The glazed strawberries didn’t taste as fresh as I’d imagined. But for a quick spike of…
-
Breathing in Snowflakes
Messing around (when we could be snuggling indoors) moulding ugly snow-bunnies with near-frostbitten fingers. Subzero but not too cold – we were having too much fun to care much about freezing our asses off. Took these shots right before we paid to hide from the frosty winds in the safety of a museum cathedral, feigning…
-
Christmas at the Kremlin
Christmas was lovely in Moscow, a truly white experience! Sheer beauty of the Kremlin (fortress) never fails to give me the chills. The best part, we inadvertently extended festive season. Aren’t international flights kinda like time-travel? 12 hours ago it was Christmas Eve morning in Moscow as we boarded the 12-hour flight to Houston. Into…
-
Moscow’s Winter Wonderland
My very own white Christmas at the Red Square in Moscow – a little bit of cultural walkabout in the wet cold! Somewhere within these walls, Lenin’s Mausoleum houses the embalmed body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union. I love the reds, the space, the neons that light it up at night,…
-
Stack ’em all Matryoshka Dolls
Christmas Markets at Izmailovsky on a Monday afternoon: surrounded by a coupla thousand pairs of eyes with thousands more nested within Russian Matryoshka Dolls. How adorable are these? These wooden dolls are carved and painted to resemble traditional Russian folklores, political movers and shakers, as well as pop culture rockstars. Izmailovsky peddles Soviet memorabilia, porcelain…
-
Cold coffee in the morning
Without you to hold i’ll be freezing. It’s dark in a cold December, but I’ve got you to keep me warm. Starbucks barista wrote my name in Russian, we almost missed collecting our Caramel Macchiatos! Because seriously what does it say? Can’t freaking read it. Paris Hilton was at Red Square when we were there…
-
Keep Calm and Eat Cakes
The best perk me up: iced caffè and cakes for your soul. With friends like mine, everyday is cake day. Green Tea Mousse, Mille Crêpes, Strawberry Shortcake Signature Mille Crêpes! Marina Square Shopping Mall 6 Raffles Boulevard #02-103 Singapore 039594
-
All day Breakfasts! Wild Honey
This is how 3 people overdosed on carbs on a Thursday night: Wild Honey’s bread basket with strawbery compote, jam and butter. The Norwegian: poached eggs wrapped in imported Norwegian smoked salmon, with avocado and home-made Hollandaise and salmon pearls on whole-wheat brioche. The Spanish Hash: Diced Chorizo, house-corned beef and potato,poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce…
-
Cafè-Hopping: The Loft
In the weather news, Melbourne is a scorching 40 degrees today! I’d managed to come back to Singapore this morning, escaping the northwesterly winds that are dragging the heat with it. Whew. Tomorrow I would be in Russia, possibly hibernating my winter away in the subzero freeze. Whilst loading up on instant Chinese food to…
-
[MELBOURNE] oo2. Caffe e Torta
![[MELBOURNE] oo2. Caffe e Torta](https://viktoriajean.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/caffe-e-torta-interior-4.jpg?w=1024)
Upon touchdown I had managed to catch a good nights’ sleep (albeit, due to time difference, it was 3am Melbourne time when I finally crashed), and even woke up for hotel breakfast early next morning. Late afternoon, I ventured into the CBD area with hopes of locating Hardware Societe which was further out past Collins Street,…
-
[THAILAND] o12.Does Nature Imitate Art?
Legend has it: a boat carrying Ta Kreng (Grandpa Kreng) and Yai Riem (Grandma Riem) capsized at Ko Samui, killing the old couple who, for their son’s sake, were sailing to Prachuap Khiri Khan to ask for the hand of their in-law’s daughter. The locals believed then that their organs turned into the rock formations…
-
[MELBOURNE] oo1. Flinders Street Coffee
![[MELBOURNE] oo1. Flinders Street Coffee](https://viktoriajean.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/flinders-street-coffee-1.jpg?w=1024)
Since this roomy hangout was right next to our hotel, I checked myself in for my daily caffeine fix! But I didn’t get my order of latte or else I won’t be able to catch some sleep before going for work. Settled for their signature spinach and cheese roll which managed to look pretty good…
-
Cafè-Hopping: Working Title SG
Stumbled upon {working title} at Arab Street whilst wandering along Haji Lane and Bali Lane before kicking ass at Muay Thai on a Monday morning. They share a place with a hostel, and the cafè’s small but cosy. Iced latte was okay, nothing fantastic; there’s also a selection of tummy-fillers like their ice-cream cookies which…
Viktoria Jean
Writer
Viktoria Jean 