Two-toned in Singapore!

Singapore has been an amazing country to visit! First we got settled into our hostel located in Chinatown. The name of it is iStay.inn - An Urban Art Hostel, I have to say this is probably the nicest and best hostel I have stayed in! It is so clean and the people who work here are very nice and helpful! Like the name of it says, the walls are covered in modern art. Check them out on facebook! iStayinn-An-Urban-Art-Hostel The location is also amazing because the Chinatown market is right across the street, which is where to go at night. There are so many people there, eating, shopping, and just enjoying life. Because of this hostel, I also got to become friends with two really cool and sweet Korean girls that are doing an internship here. We explored some of the city yesterday! Also definitely the perfect time to travel to China, they are currently celebrating the Lunar New Year! There are so many decorations and cherry blossoms everywhere! Love it!

So I got the opportunity to visit The Culinary Institute of America's Singapore campus. I had contacted Chef Felder about visiting the campus and was excited when she said to come on by! The facilities are gorgeous! There aren't that many kitchens, but they are beautiful. Of course I was even more excited when I heard Chef Schorner was going to be there teaching! Actually the school just had their first graduation there a couple days before I visited, CIA's President Tim Ryan and Almuni/Iron Chef Cat Cora where there for the celebration. The school is doing so well, that they are actually expanding and building another new facility expected to be completed in 2014. Just like the CIA in Hyde Park, they have a resturant and bakery cafe, I got to have a little taste of "Sugarloaf," which is their bakery cafe that Chef Haymon (one of my old instructors) established! Maybe I will just have to come visit again, I wouldn't mind! Chef Felder also got my head thinking about what my next step should be... (truthfully I have no idea what to do).

You know those red double-deck buses that are in cities all over the world? Well Jessica and I decided to take the bus all over the city to see the sites and enjoy some sun. You can say I got a lovely farmers tan...(cough cough sunburn). I was trying on some dresses later in the market and the woman selling me the dress was laughing at me because I was "two-toned". Thankfully it is fading because that would be extremely embarrassing for the cruise that's leaving Singapore tomorrow! Yesterday like I said we got to explore Singapore a little more with our new buddies, and eating some delicious food. I took Chef Felder's advice to eat from the street fenders and little odd places. Yeah they aren't the cleanest, but they sure do know how to cook. Also another hint, go to places where there are lines and lots of locals. Obviously its worth the wait if they are returning!

Tomorrow I am boarding a Holland America Cruise that will be taking me throughout Asia  (for 28 days). Not a bad choice for my first cruise I suppose :). Unfortunately Jessica will be heading home due to issues with getting a visa (womp). I'm not sure how often I will be online, but I will try to keep everyone up to date!