PANDAN GARDEN FISHBALL NOODLES

Finally - the supermarket and coffeshop across the road is open for business!

Being 200% pure Teochew, the first thing to try is of course, Bak Char Mee, or Kway Teow Tng lor...

After much reviews from the neighbours, I ordered mine Bak Char/Fishball Mee with extra vinegar and ketchup.

2pcs of fishballs, 1pc of meat ball, some bak chor and slices of fishcakes.

The 2nd generation youngsters were helping there today (probably due to weekend).  I wonder if they speak Teochew??  My order was taken in English!!  Order was relate from Cashier (son) to Pass (Mum)  in Mandarin and again in Mandarin from Pass to Cook (daughter).

Overall, friendly service but can speed up abit.

Something is definitely missing!  I cant pin point (I wonder issit the lack of dang cai 冬菜)?  Or issit the ingredients?  

The noodles are al dente. Fishballs abit salty for my liking, meatball very mushy, not at all firm.

Overall, not yucky to max but I had better.

I guess living this type of 鸟不生蛋, ulu places we just have to be grateful that there's a place to eat and get your daily necessities just across the road.

Check out their FB page Pandan Garden Fishball Noodles

ELECTRONIC PARKING SYSTEM

No free parking on Sunday and Public Holidays.  No lots after 10pm  on weekdays.

Friends and relative visiting not aware of NO free parking, or simply forgot to put extra parking coupon.

Foreign cars, contractors cars occupying season parking lot and some even overnight without displaying the "green" parking coupon!

Upcoming small eatery and mini mart near drop-off point, foresee more illegal parking if not congested service roads due to drivers grab N' go.

Well, hopefully this will solve and improve parking conditions in the estate.

OLD NEWS LAH... *YAWN*

Been in this neighbourhood for almost 4 years.  Nothing seems to change.

Yet another Boo Boo.

You dont need to be in M'ysia to get connected to M'ysia's Telco.

Poor mobile coverage to "AUTO" roaming, there's spate of water seepage, faulty alarms questioning the quality of these BTOs.  Got quantity no quality. "SHAKE HEAD"

Residential blocks going up fast and furious but not enough amenities for the residents.  Well, IMHO, you can die but better not fall sick unless you can drag yourself a few LRT stops and prepared to wait up to an hour just for a 3 mins hi-bye session with the GP.

Well, as long as you are in the neighbourhood, it doesnt matter you are in HDB, EC or Condo... Buying a "high-class" unit doesnt guarantee you are safe from all these shitty issues.

HDB got complaints , now EC owner also got their woes - EC or Condo...still the same developer ... so what gives?  

JUST ANOTHER PIGEON HOLE

The latest DBSS which caught up with the recent "complaint frenzy"

Read about it here Pasir Ris DBSS - An Expensive Pigeon Hole and here Yet Another DBSS Under Fire

Isnt it a bit too late to know that you are living in one?? I already knew that years ago.

Nice Exterior but still the same boring sh*t 

Hong Kong or Singapore?? Everywhere there's housing problem.

Reminds me of a program on FYI - Tiny House Nation.  Who knows - there isnt luxurious space even for a pigeon hole and we had to reduce to shoe box apartments and even tiny spaces.

ARE YOU LISTENING! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Came across this article in TODAY.  I find the situation very similar to the current one faced in my own estate.

1. Again, invading of the already very limited void deck spaces.

2. Again, it's a GO despite residents' protest.

But i'm not sure if there were plans for this space when residents first made a purchase on this BTO.  Otherwise...

3. Again, plans comes only after residents had settled in.  Residents can simply do without such 'add-ons'.

Again, I'm sure there are still people who welcome the 'add-on', and then those who approach the issue nonchalantly.

Rather than spending two minutes to finish the whole article, it could simply be summarised as follows: -

Some things are better left unchanged.

TELCO WOES

Came across this little voice on The Straits Time.

He stays in Sembawang, I'm staying at Punggol - but we sure are living uniquely in SG .... or wait... M'ysia?

He has been staying there for 12 years and he's still complaining? I'm coming to my 4th year and I'm done with complaining - gave up - raised my white flag!!  Stop wasting my breath!

The one and only solution all telco companies that's going to provide to you - is a very standard template answer: - that by the 2nd year, I can even memorise word for word, even in a reverse manner - that is...

"switch you handphone to MANUAL SEARCH network"

We are paying ever increasing monthly plans for these type of sh*tty service??  Why should it be our fault when our SMART PHONE detect an overseas provider when we are HOME?  If they are able to do that - wow, that means their coverage is far more superior than local telcos!

Shouldnt telco companies do some soul searching than to throw the ball back to our court?

As for Mr Foo, welcome to the club.

TRAFFIC JAMS

Accidents are very unfortunate and unexpected events.  But having stayed here long enough - I had seen a fair share of accidents happening on the TPE, resulting to long snaking jams and in fact, it did happened before that the whole stretch of expressway had to be closed for hours!

The town is ever growing but there's only 4 exits to get in/out of it??  Yes, it was announced that a 5th is coming - akan datang.

On any normal days, a trip to drop the kids at school and returning home is usually 5mins.

Unfortunately, both yesterday and today, the roads were jammed due to accidents on the Expressway.
Today was worst than yesterday - having stuck in the jam for more than 25mins!

Traffic updates only report the jam only goes all the way back to certain major road or certain exits on the Expressway - but look at the REAL SCENARIO here - how to get out of town when residents cant even leave/enter their own estate?

IT'S A GO

All board up for changes.

The 2 blocks affected are in the "red" box.

Since it's a "GO", let's see how these 'extra feature' will benefit us in the long run.

BIRD CAGE? PRISON CELL? BALCONY?

It had been long a common complaint among estate neighbours - their own balcony is being treated as a dumping ground, intentionally or accidentally by the upstairs units.

From cigarettes, papers, tissues, toys, clothing everything except money!  The design of the estate's balconies simply cannot make it!  Some big, some small, some long & narrow.  Some are lucky to be sheltered by the bigger balcony and escape being littered.

Homeowners who has regular balcony throughout the floors already faces such problem - what's worse, the design of our estate's makes it more easy for littler bugs who simply opt to fling their stuff out of the window.

We use that limited amount of space to dry our laundry, to park our bicycles, to grown some green, a small outdoor area for the kids to play, yet there are people who throw all sorts of sort out of the windows without sparing a thought for others.  Parents are ignorant of kids throwing down books, stickers even toys - the maids cant be bothered to with their mischief.

Parents worried for their kids safety put up grills like the first pix from the top on your left.  Even putting up window grills also caused some ridiculous  hoo-haa at some properties.  READ REPORT HERE

Those who wants safety but hate those bulky metal rods, can go for invisible grills, like the 2nd pix from the top on your left.  The unit below mine has a big balcony, and they did invisible grill.

I guess they are simply fed up with all the nonsense found on their wood-deck balcony so here's what they did recently.

Simply add a "roof" to it!

Is the additional approved by the authorities? I'm not sure and I'm not going ask them.  After all, they have spent money putting it up to protect their own space... do you expect them to tear it down?

Quoting an estate's neighbour - in the first place "they" never put it in writing that there's a plan to incorporate a eatery among the void deck, now "they" are going ahead with it despite some opposing the idea.

So... last time cannot put up the 'roof' b'cos it will spoil the outlook of the estate, but now because of increase littering problem, so house owners are allow to take things into his own hands?

I first posted the "Roof Added" in our estate facebook page but similar to the equally sensitive issue of having the eatery, it was later taken down.

Now, my personal blog space, doesnt mean to bring trouble to any neighbours, not mean to stir any trouble, just wanted post some happening around the house - can I or cannot publish this post?  Or post first delete later?

BRING IT TO THE PRESS

The above pix was posted in our estate facebook's page - therefore it's not mine.

The words maybe small but the heading sure says it all - but by bringing it to public attentions... 有用吗?

THANKS. BUT NO THANKS

This morning, the estate FB's page was flooded with a picture posted more than 11 hrs ago.  By the time I completed this entry, it has attracted more than 90 comments!

Thought it's not directly under my block, but I cannot help but to think of those affected.  

Everything has it's 2 side.  For some, they welcome it since it's convenient.  But from the FB's comment, including myself, i see more unpleasantness than positive.

Three years ago, when we collect our keys, they should have anticipated our needs.  Why wait till now to disturb us?

Call us a batch of ungrateful residents, as if we care but we did survive well all this while without the 'amenities' while waiting for businesses to set up at Regalia. Soon,Topaz will be opened for business, the Waterfront Mall will be ready by Q4 2015, not forgetting, the opening of a minimart and clinic at Emerald last December.  

SO, WHY NOW?  There's was no indication in the master plan when we purchased our flats.  If it wasnt there 3 years back, do we really need it 3 years later??

Well, probably to cater for the growing population of rats and roaches.

YOU SHOOT ME, I SHOOT YOU

The first time I saw her, was in November 2014 after the "mop saga".  She was here early about 10am on a SUNDAY morning.  Walking around the roof top garden, looking around, presumably at people's balcony, service yards... taking pictures of 'foreign objects' that SHOULDNT be place on the window ledge.

I dont mean to be kaypoh, but since my unit is facing the garden, and I spent most of my time in the kitchen, so I decided to see what she's up to. (Be wary of suspicious character right?)

First, she walk around, see here, look there.

Notice she's aiming her DSLR

Following her angle, this is what I saw.

After photo taking, she took some notes.

Mops on the laundry racks.  Stuff on the air con ledge.  I understand.  But these folks are just trying to sun their beddings ... what danger would it pose??  I wonder if they get a 'warning' notice as well?? 

If sunning of beddings at our own unit window is also consider a danger, if sunning of bedding in common area will get you stomp... then... where can we sun our bedding?? Should we stop sunning our bedding altogether?

Today, I saw her again. at minutes before 8am.  I just got back after sending the kids to school and that's it!  I decided it's time I put the whole incident  into my entry.

Why is she here again?? I'm not sure.  For all I know, since her last visit, I dont see any more mops sticking out service yard windows.  And the 'storeroom' at the air con ledge has been cleared.  So she's probably here to follow up.

But recently, there's a small hoo-haa in our estate FB's page regarding this post.

Beautiful Punggol Sapphire garden ruined by auntie’s plants

I'm very sure the auntie isnt the irresponsible sort.  In fact, I often see her in the wee morning and early evening tending to the crops, watering, talking to the garden users.

I ever saw pretty bright red tomatoes, cool looking cucumber and prettiest violet brinjal!!! 

Like many supporters who commented, the auntie is probably letting the soil rest before her next planting.  Or that she's away on a holiday and no one else tend to the area? Or worse, she has fallen ill??

Anyway, back to our 'shooter' ...

Yes, she still walk and look around, but today, she's concentrating her focus at the garden instead, so my best bet is related to the above Stomp! post...

Poor auntie, is she going to get a 'warning notice' or the authorities are going to stop her from using the plot??

I grew up in an estate where almost every household stick their mop at the bamboo pole holder.  NO ISSUE.  Yet I got a 'warning notice' to remove my mop from the laundry rack?

I grew up in an estate where air con sits on steel brackets, installers have to risk falling to their death.  SO FAR NO ISSUE.  Now there's an area, that's more than enough for at least 2 air con units that eat into our floor area, yet we the owners CANNOT put other stuff there except air con??? What if I decided not to install air con??  Then it's just wasting precious space in the already tiny mini flat!

I grew up in an estate where aunties and uncles beautifying an empty space just outside the RC with potted plants.  NO ISSUE.  Now this estate auntie got stomp for 'ruining' roof top garden

I grew up in an estate where residents goes about their lives quietly except occasional funerals, weddings and even during CNY, there's only 1 or 2 lion dance troupe visiting.  NO ISSUE.  But here, for 3 years in a row....some inconsiderate residents are shouting, yelling to celebrate New Year's Day!!  

So what's the problem with people these days??  If moving to a new place, new estate pose so many problems, I should have just endure the 'no privacy' of my very big type 4A corridor flat back in Pasir Ris. 

Even those staying in private housing got their woes!! For safety, even installing window grills also got issue!!  Calls for condos to lift ban on safety grilles

I know land is becoming scarce, housings and buildings are built within close proximity, just like Hong Kong... I wonder do residents in Hong Kong face such issues???