Vanilla Gastro Wine Bar

The Moonberry Blog

Started out my week quietly with a solo lunch at Vanilla Gastro Wine Bar and took the opportunity to hole up there for a bit with my books.

Discovered Vanilla Gastro Wine Bar the last time I went to Erabelle to get eyebrow embroidery and was delighted that it’s a quiet cozy little cafe tucked along Penang Road. The food is sorta Japanese-ish with a contemporary twist and it’s fuss-free. Mostly rice plates and pasta plates, sorta fast food-ish. The first time I went there I had the Stewed Chicken with Shiraz Reduction, while bf had the Japanese Curry Rice. The stew was delicious, I enjoyed it tremendously.

Since I had to go back to Erabelle to get my eyebrow embroidery touched up, I decided to pop into Vanilla again for a slow lunch after. The food there is relatively affordable, simple and adequately filling. This time around I had the Holy Basil Minced Pork Rice, with a side of Earl Grey Tea complimentary on the house.

I’m really fond of these quiet little places because the energy is very soothing, unlike most crowded joints where there’s a lot of noise, distractions and urgency in the air. I have been feeling a tad out of sync physically these last couple weeks, either getting headaches, motion sickness or nausea. And I feel very irritable and grumpy as a result of it. Some days I feel a-okay and able to finish whatever it is that I needed to do, but other days I simply feel yucks. I am very big on having my personal space, something that I know most people find somewhat strange considering what a social butterfly chitterchatterbox I usually am. Specifically I’m referring to having an emotional space where I can quieten the mind, organize my thoughts and just slowing down for a bit. Not having to rush everywhere and shuffling around town under the hot sun. I say, that can all wait until the week has steadily rolled along and preferably not on a Monday.

I’ve got a whole bunch of books (art books, spiritual books, blablabla) which I had been meaning to spend time with but haven’t had the chance to get around to for months. How the heck is it that the days go by so quickly every day, it seems?!? Like, there are so many things to do but so little time. This, my friends, calls for an intervention and for me, that comes in the form of fiercely guarding my need for personal space and being unapologetic about it. Being frazzled mentally ain’t helping anyone and certainly ain’t gonna make me anymore productive. Doesn’t make me happy either.

The “traveling gypsy muse” (ie. yours truly) is no good when she’s uninspired and appreciates the kind nudges of encouragement from time to time also.

So yeah, spending quiet time alone, armed with some inspirational reading material and a sketchbook, and making a conscious decision to cut out all the other bullsh!t have always been good for me to realign the fragmented pieces of myself. Peace and quiet. I need to discover more places like Vanilla. :)

Oh, just wanna include a quick mention: Thanks to Erabelle’s eyebrow embroidery service, my brows are looking more and more decent I think. :P I love that place and I can’t rave about it enough. I’ve been telling everyone I meet about it and that they should go get their eyebrow embroidery service there.

And of course, go have a nice meal at Vanilla Gastro Wine Bar next door afterwards.