Street Talk:
Find out what it’s like living at Eden Grove
What’s the name of the street where you live?
Eden Grove.
Exact words you tell a taxi driver to get home?
“Braddell exit, over Upper Serangoon Road, first left.”
What’s the name of your neighbourhood?
Bartley.
Closest MRT station?
We’re lucky to have three MRT stations within a short walking distance – Serangoon, Woodleigh and Bartley, giving us access to the Circle Line and North East Line.
How long have you lived here?
I moved to Singapore in 2004 and bought my condo at Eden Grove in 2007.
Why here?
I really wanted to buy a place in Newton but figured I could get so much more for my money going further out. I ended up with this penthouse unit with a lovely 1,000-square-feet garden, which is only a 20- to 30-minute drive to Orchard and the CBD.
When you walk out of your place, the first thing you see is:
Houses with lovely gardens and all kinds of flowers. There are many dog walkers in the area and I’ve got to know a lot of people by walking my pooches. I tend to remember the dogs’ names more than their owners!
The closest store (of any type) to your front door is:
A kopitiam.
The unofficial uniform of your street is:
Running gear. We have a Gurkha Contingent nearby at Vernon Park and they are incredibly fit.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, you:
Catch a production at The Esplanade or watch The Crown.
If you’re missing home, you:
I don’t miss it much, only the West End Theatre and arts scene. I left nearly 20 years ago and far prefer the eternal summer.
A mandatory stop for out-oftown guests is:
Chinatown. I also encourage them to go to Kranji War Memorial, which is home to the graves of WWII soldiers. It’s a very humbling and touching experience reading the words of their mothers on the gravestones.
A common myth about your neighbourhood is:
It’s in Little India. It’s amazing how many friends know very little geography beyond the “expat districts”.