Whether you’re already living in Singapore and looking to move to a new neighbourhood or moving here from overseas, nothing beats hearing from the residents themselves! We speak to Alana Padilla from the USA, about the ins and outs of living in Ulu Pandan.
The Specifics
What’s the name of the street where you live? Ulu Pandan.
What’s the name of your neighbourhood? Clementi/Holland.
Closest MRT station? On foot, Dover MRT via the canal; by car, Clementi MRT.
How long have you lived here? More than four years.
Why here? My husband and I like our apartment and it’s close enough to work, as well as most of our sports activities. We’re along a canal that has a lot of greenery and beautiful wildlife.
The Scene
When you walk out of your place, the first thing you see is: Depending on which exit, it’s either the pool, trees or the gate to the canal.
The closest store to your front door is: There are a few restaurants close by (plus a small convenience store within a short walk); they include E-Sarn Thai Cuisine, Valle, Poulet Vous Rotisserie Chicken, Stirling Highway, and also a Mexican takeaway. We go to Poulet Vous pretty often as the food is really good – chicken, lasagne with salad, and chips or fries are our regulars. We also go to Valle quite often to relax over a drink.
Your street would make the perfect backdrop for a remake of: Some super-quiet residential movie set in the tropics. Your neighbours are great, but you wouldn’t mind a little less: Amazing cooking smells often drift into our home; it always makes us feel inadequate about rarely cooking!
The unofficial uniform of your street is: Volleyball uniforms – the nearby school hosts adult volleyball games on Sundays.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, you: Go to the Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre for kopi and the lovely fresh tropical fruit at the market. It’s about two kilometres away and the bus isn’t frequent, so it takes some effort to go.
If you’re missing home, you: Go to Holland Village.
A mandatory stop for out-of-town guests is: Ghim Moh for a kaya toast set and a stroll around the place.
A common myth about your neighbourhood is: It’s so far west. (It could be worse!)
A massive late-night rager on your street is likely to be: People at our condo having a barbecue until 10pm.
The Superlatives
Your hands-down favourite neighbourhood joints are: Breko Café and Baker & Cook at Holland Village are only a short bus ride away.
You won’t find better local food than at: Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre. Love Granny’s Pancake and kopi!
The strangest thing you’ve ever seen on your street is: Two huge catfish in the canal! (Technically not the street, but close enough.)
We love a good bargain. The best deals in your neighbourhood are: Fruit and vegetables at Ghim Moh.
The guiltiest pleasure in your area is: Valle, the beer place around the corner.
One thing you’d never change is: How green the neighbourhood is.
But one thing you wouldn’t mind seeing go is: The long distance to walk to the MRT and bus stop.
The city gives you $5 million to soup up your street. You use it to: Build another MRT stop that is much closer to our condo!
WHAT’S THE WORD ON YOUR STREET?
Whether they’re newcomers or “old hands”, we’d love our readers to get to know your neighbourhood. Help us by sending an email to contribute@expatliving.sg with “Street Talk” in the subject line. Include your name and street, and we’ll be in touch.
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section.
Guide to living on Everton Road
Guide to living in Leedon Heights
Where to live in Singapore: The East Coast
This article first appeared in the January 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
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