In the famous Chinese classical novel 'Journey To The West', the Monkey God and his companions embarked on an epic quest to bring back Buddhist scripture. Along the way, they fought battles with demons, forged wide rivers, and scaled mountains and volcanoes.

You've owned your favourite pair of jeans for the better part of this decade, and loved them since Day 1.But the time has come to part ways - the jeans are getting worn out from old age, and your waist size isn't exactly what it used to be. And it is always with some sadness that you say goodbye to the faithful denims that accompanied you all the way from campus days to casual Fridays at the office.

I spent a considerable part of my childhood in Tiong Bahru as my family used to live in the vicinity. I remember accompanying my mum to the wet market in the mornings and having breakfast at the food centre after that. For years, even after we moved away from Tiong Bahru, my dad would make a trip down at least once a month to get his hair cut by his regular barber. Till today, my mum still goes to the Tiong Bahru market on weekends, because she claims the produce there is fresher.