We talk to Newton residents Shireen Henry-Karriem and her family from South Africa. She’s a Medical Advisor working in Singapore. Read on to see what she loves about her condo and the area.
The Specifics
What’s the name of the street where you live? 3 Anthony Road.
Exact words you tell a taxi driver to get home? “Opposite Newton Food Centre, behind the Environment building at Scotts Road.”
What’s the name of your neighbourhood? Newton.
Closest MRT station? Newton MRT station, a 400m walk away. It’s one stop to Orchard or Novena on the North South Line and one stop to Little India or Stevens on the Downtown Line.
How long have you lived here? Two and a half years.
Why here? Location, location, location! It’s well-situated to the Orchard area and the CTE, and it’s close to the Newton MRT station, bus stops and the Newton Food Centre. Also, we wanted a spacious apartment with facilities.
The Scene
The closest store (of any type) to your front door is: The 7-Eleven at Newton MRT.
Your neighbours are great, but you wouldn’t mind a little less: Dogs using the main lifts. I’m a bit scared of dogs in general but also because the lift has a bit of a smell after a dog has been in it.
The unofficial uniform of your street is: Office attire – shirts, skirts, dresses, ties and formal jackets. Basically anything that resembles workwear. Oh, and let’s not forget the laptop bags.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, you: Go to Newton Food Centre or to Kampong Glam for a late-night teh tarik and dinner. Little India and Chinatown are on the list too.
If you’re missing home, you: Head down to African Market Place at Bukit Timah Plaza to stock up on our favourite South African groceries and snacks.
A mandatory stop for out-of-town guests is: Newton Food Centre after midnight on a weekend as it’s always buzzing down there, or Gardens by the Bay and a satay dinner at Satay by the Bay.
A common myth about your neighbourhood is: That it’s noisy and busy due to its proximity to Orchard Road. But it’s not. The side streets are generally traffic-free. The main roads tend to be congested during peak times, especially around Newton Circus.
A massive late-night rager on your street is likely to be: A big event at the nearby community centre or one near the food centre. These seldom go beyond midnight and don’t happen very often.
The Superlatives
Your hands-down favourite neighbourhood joints are: Newton Food Centre when we need food late at night, Wild Honey at Scotts Square for breakfast, and Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts for Sunday lunch.
You won’t find better local food than at: Newton Food Centre – it’s great for chicken rice and chilli crab.
The strangest thing you’ve ever seen on your street is: Not much to be honest, but there’s a cat lady who religiously feeds all the stray cats near the MRT station every day.
We love a good bargain; the best deals in your neighbourhood are: Prata and curry sauce from Bagus ($2.50) at Far East Plaza, hair products from Top Secret Studio in Far East Plaza (way cheaper than buying from a salon) and chicken rice ($4) from Newton Food Centre.
The guiltiest pleasure in your area is: Chilli crab and fried mantou at Newton Food Centre at 1am in the morning.
One thing you’d never change is: The proximity to public transport, the open space outside the MRT station and the tree-lined walkway from Anthony Road to Newton MRT.
But one thing you wouldn’t mind seeing go is: All the cars that park at the top of Anthony Road when there’s an event at the community centre. The road isn’t very wide and the parked cars cause traffic congestion.
The city gives you $5 million to soup up your street. You use it to: Find a home for all the stray cats and build a shelter over the walkway between Anthony Road and the MRT station. Some shelter from the rain would prolong the lifetime of my shoes!
The Condo
Name of condo: Orchard Scotts
Facilities: Swimming pools (including a child-friendly pool), two playgrounds, basketball court, fitness centre, tennis court, barbecue areas, sauna/steam rooms, spa pool, massage cabanas, meeting rooms, wine cellar, outdoor chess board and concierge services.
Size: One to four bedroom apartments ranging from 735 to 3,595 square feet
Supermarket: FairPrice Finest at Scotts Square and Isetan Supermarket at Shaw House.
Community vibe: Friendly neighbours and loads of kids
Looking to lease a home in Singapore? Call 6223 5223 or head to fareast.com.sg/homes-for-rent
Like this? Read more at our neighbourhood guides section.
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Guide to Tai Hwan Drive in Serangoon
This article first appeared in the November 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
