We asked Australian Samantha Colbert some questions about her condo, Leonie Towers on Leonie Hill, and her recommendations for her favourite places and things to do in Singapore. Samantha is the founder of Strait Lights (straitlights.com, @straitlights) whose products are inspired by Singapore neighbourhoods. See what she has to say!
What’s the name of your street?
Leonie Hill.
Exact words you tell a taxi driver to get home?
“Leonie Hill not Leonie Hill Road.”
Closest MRT station?
Great World City.
How long have you lived here?
Five years. It’s the perfect in-the-middle-of-everything kind of place. On one side we have the river and the other side we have Orchard Road. Throw in Great World City and Tanglin Mall a walk away and you’ve got everything you could possibly need.
Condo fact file
Name of condo: Leonie Towers
Facilities: Pool, gym, playground, mini zipline, function room, barbecues
New or old: Old
Walking distance to supermarket: 800m
What’s the community vibe? Super friendly (“I have the best neighbours!”)
Singapore neighbourhood highlights – Leonie Hill
When you walk out of Leonie Towers, what’s the first thing you see?
A neighbouring condo, which also happens to be a PokéStop in case you’re into that.
What’s the closest store to Leonie Hill?
We’re right in the middle of Great World City and Takashimaya, so pick a store, any store!
If Leonie Hill was chosen for a remake of a film, which would it be?
The lack of seasons here make it feel very Truman Show at times!
We’re sure your neighbours are great, but is there anything you wouldn’t mind a little less of?
The construction.
What’s the unofficial uniform of your neighbourhood?
It’s got to be Lululemon.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on Leonie Hill?
Dogs being pushed in prams. Why?
Things to do in Leonie Hill
What are your favourite places to eat or drink in this Singapore neighbourhood?
Cibo Italiano is a great neighbourhood Italian restaurant. Their spinach and ricotta ravioli and the spaghetti alle vongole are our favourites. But to be fair we landed on these the first time we went and haven’t ordered anything different – I’m sure it’s all great! The Turkish breakfast at Common Man is full of great flavours and Bakalaki just next door is a great go-to for Greek food!
What are the best places to shop near Leonie Towers?
We’re so lucky to have Great World City, Orchard Road and Tanglin Mall within walking distance. You just can’t beat Tanglin for fashion and homewares. Our products are at A Raft of Otters so that’s always first on my list.
What are some fun or interesting things to do in the neighbourhood?
Cycle along the river. Jump out any excess energy at BOUNCE in Cineleisure – we haven’t been to the new SkyPark there yet but word on the street is that it’s great for kids aged seven to 12.
STPI, a creative workshop and contemporary art gallery on the river, is also a good one. It’s great for an arty afternoon and the open days are fun for the family.
Starting your weekend right with breakfast on the river is always a good idea. Toby’s, Carrotsticks & Cravings and Boomarang are great choices for this, and it’s an ideal place to people watch at any time of day!
I’d also recommend a massage at Natureland – aka my second office. You’ll find me here with a computer perched on my lap!
What’s one thing you’d never change about Leonie Towers?
The size of our apartment can’t be beat! It has more storage than I’ve ever seen, which comes in handy when you’re running a creative studio out of your home.
How about one thing you would change?
The construction noise! We are right next to the new Irwell Hill Residences, which has to be the noisiest construction site in Singapore. They go until 11pm at night, which the condo WhatsApp group has a lot to say about!
If the city gave you a million dollars to soup up your street, how would you use it?
Put in an adventure playground and public tennis courts in the big open green space next door. It’s so under-utilised and would be amazing for kids.
Favourite things to do in Singapore
What are your favourite Singapore spots for taking out-of-town guests?
Empress for Peking duck pancakes on the river, and Satay by the Bay for satay and popiah before a walk along the Bay.
I’m also yet to have a guest that didn’t love a day at Tanjong Beach Club. What’s not to love about excellent food, ice cold drinks, hot sand and the pool? It’s my “feel a million miles away in an instant” kind of place.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, where do you go?
Chinatown. There are some lovely teahouses where you can spend the afternoon having a tea ceremony. They focus on the art and ritual of tea, teaching you how to wash the utensils, brew the tea and then pour it. It’s an instant way to slow right down, spending a couple of hours, sipping on beautiful teas while reading your book. I highly recommend this.
If you’re missing home, what do you do?
Go to Little Farms! They have such a great selection of Australian food that for a moment it feels like home.
Also…
Expat Living Trivia: Who was Leonie?
Leonie Hill Road and Leonie Hill are a pair of parallel roads linking River Valley Road and Grange Road. They’re named after an earlier property located in this part of Singapore, “Leonie Hill House”, which belonged to Scotsman Dr JH Robertson in the second half of the 19th century. His son, Dr Thomas Murray Robertson, was a municipal commissioner for many years and had Robertson Quay named in his honour. The house was said to take its title from Dr JH Robertson’s own childhood home in Scotland, though if there was a specific person called Leonie (which means “lioness”) who inspired the property names, her identity remains a mystery.
Share your Singapore neighbourhood with us
Let others know about the great place you live – just email us at contribute@expatliving.sg with “Street Talk” in the subject line. Include your name and street, and we’ll be in touch.
This article first appeared in the March 2024 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
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