Errand Saturdays

Every now and then I'll have a Saturday completely taken up by errands. The morning began with me hanging up curtains in my room and nearly killing myself in the process, after which I packed my two long skirts into my bag and took the bus to Arab Street to look for similar fabric. I am pleased to say I found a royal blue cotton that I hope will make a fine skirt. I also bought nine metres of maroon velvet to make into stage curtains for the back of my classroom.
"It's fifteen dollars per metre. But thirteen for you, because you're pretty."
Yeah, I am pretty--pretty sure thirteen is double the production cost. But I don't mind paying for good service.

I have been meaning to get to Arab Street, but I had been putting it off because I am usually so intimidated by merchants and the general hipster vibe of the area, what with its jazz bars and hookah hang-outs and strange clothing stores. I just don't feel cool enough to be there legitimately.

It fascinates me that they have taken old Chinese shophouses and remade their fronts to look like European candy stores from the 1800s.

This reminds me of my friend Björn Sparrman. He loves both bikes and Japan. 

Expensive tacos. 

This was by far the best store I encountered. I wanted to buy almost everything in sight--a pencil case treasure map made out of leather, a box made to look like a stack of books, a clock with a frame made out of classic literature. There was a particular clock I wanted to buy for a friend, but it was a bit expensive, and I'll have to put aside some money in the future.

For those of you who do not know, Singapore was once a port of some significance in South East Asia, during which people from all over the world settled on this tiny, tropical island. The Brits obviously left their mark--Sir Stamford Raffles was the one who founded Singapore in 1819--and the Dutch East India Company left behind Holland Village. The Arabs, known for dealing in fabrics, left an entire street that still specializes in the sale of fabrics and carpets, which is now also host to the aforementioned bistros and hookah bars. I like that Singapore is such a collection of people and places, influences and cultures.