Tally-Ho is a semi-regular column of my adventures with the Adventure Crew (and sometimes other people). We figured that Singapore can’t be all that boring, and are determined to show other folks how fun Singapore can be… if you know where to look.
It probably comes as no surprise that my friends and I love places like Books Actually, because it’s a place that’s just so special. You can feel it in the walls, the people and the products, and it makes you feel glad that there are places like this in Singapore.
I am glad to say that Books Actually is not alone in its independence.
Post-Museum is a little slice of heaven located in 107 and 109 Rowell Road; it’s a small 1920s shophouse near Farrer Road MRT station. It has four studios, an event space for rent, and a vegan-friendly cafe called Food #03.
Our friend Rozen had stumbled upon it a few weeks before. She was thinking of renting a studio there for her own mini-office and possibly sharing the space with the HSWG, which of course was a exciting prospect for us. We were sent to recon the place, and also to try vegan food.
So it was on the last Sunday of January that Sarah, Mintea and Avariel headed down to see what Rozen had been raving about.
She was right.
Post-Museum is located at the very end of Rowell Road, so once you find Rowell Road just stay on the left and walk alllll the way down. You will pass interesting shops selling interesting goods and, er, services, but just keep going.
It just so happened that we were there on the same day as the Really Really Free Market. The RRFM is literally that; you can bring your stuff there to give away for free. If you don’t have stuff, services are also offered; I saw someone doing tarot readings and another who would teach you how to play reversi.
Really Really Free Market
I picked up a bottle of fairtrade instant coffee and several packs of red packets, seeing as the Chinese New Year was rapidly approaching. They had a donation box there, with proceeds going to help keep Post-Museum going.
After that, we headed over to the adjoining cafe Food #03 for a spot of brunch to try their food. They serve fairtrade coffee, tea and cocoa, as well as vegan-friendly food. It’s vegetarian by default, but you can ask for it to be vegan and without onion and garlic, so it’s good for folks with a variety of dietary restrictions.
Hand-stitched menus
Let me describe the inside of Food #03 for a bit. When we entered from the front, to the left were a few shelves with some merchandise. Proceeds from the sales go to supporting Post-Museum. There are t-shirts, tote bags, olive oil, even cute little badges that you can get. A bit further down is the counter, where there is a big red bottle for donations.
The walls are not fully finished; the lower half of the walls of the left wall is tiled over. The rest is just exposed brick and mortar, possibly dating from the original construction. The floors are bare concrete, the tables and chairs simple wood constructions. There is just enough space to seat twenty.
There is the quiet buzz of happy conversation. It’s warm, but not too warm; the three fans spin lazily overhead, providing just enough ventilation to keep things cool. There is an airconditioning unit in the corner, but they only switch it on when it’s very hot.
Close your eyes, lean back in your chair with a cold drink in your hand, and just relax. You feel like you’ve left the urban concerete jungle and you’re someplace else – somewhere special, where things are different. Slower. More special.
There's something magical in the air.
It's like you're elsewhere.
It was quite crowded because of the RRFM, but we were able to get a table. We ordered drinks, starting with their signature drink: the Post-Museum pour. It’s a mix of apple juice, mint and spiced tea served with a longan. It was a little too strange for me, but the others liked it.
Second round of drinks involved Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters, which I love and was really happy to see on the menu. We ordered a vegan pizza with grilled mixed vegetables with tofu instead of cheese.
Lemon Lime & Bitters ($3.50) and Post-Museum Pour ($2)
I was a bit apprehensive about the pizza because I’d never tried vegan food before. It’s something you can’t get anywhere else, so we gave it a shot. I needn’t have worried, because it came out quite tasty.
Vegan pizza: mixed grilled vegetables with tofu instead of cheese
It tasted non-awful, and I quite liked it. The tofu did not taste weird when baked! Which is good to know.
All in all, Post-Museum is an amazing place. We didn’t get to see the rest of it because they were busy, but before we left I made sure to donate. They’re a very special place that needs a bit of help to keep going, and I’m more than glad to help out as much as I can.
I took a tour and was about to sign on the dotted line for the studio when the artist upstairs pumped up his stereo. Quick query: yes all the other artists in the studios play their music at high volume and with no ceilings there is too much noise pollution for the writers. So that was that.
Incidentally, Books Actually is on my personal blacklist now as it doesn’t stock any of my books or books by my friend Josephine Chia.