About six years ago, I remember my dad spending hours into the early morning working on design plans, drawing up his ideal version of the house he was renovating.
He had just bought a three-story house and planned a complete renovation to turn it into the home he imagined. I would watch him sketching floor plans with a ruler and pencil, his brow furrowed in concentration as he perfected every detail.
One day he asked me to join him to see the house in person. Curious as ever, I said yes, and one Saturday morning we drove to the property.
The house was still unchanged from the previous owners’ era. Despite overgrown weeds in the garden and a general state of disrepair, it held promise. As we walked in and climbed the hardwood stairs through all three floors, I remember reaching the top floor and peering into a room that felt like an attic beneath a pointed roof. Dark wooden beams opened to a glass window that let the sun pour in like a greenhouse. Below that window a sliding door led to a small balcony with a view of the street.
I fell in love with that room instantly.
It was one of those moments when you feel an immediate connection. I told my dad then and there that I wanted that room. Over the following months we picked purple paint for the walls and rich brown fabrics for the curtains. The delight of designing and decorating my own space stayed with me.
Today, almost six years later, I no longer live in Singapore but in Buenos Aires. As Juan and I start looking for a rental, the excitement I felt that day with my dad comes rushing back.
House hunting is a strange blend of hope, disappointment and surprise. We visit places that make us shake our heads and move on. Some are acceptable but uninspiring. Then there are the apartments that take your breath away — the ones that feel like they match your idea of a dream home. I picture a spacious kitchen with long counters where I can cook and guests can chat at the bar; a pretty, large balcony to enjoy warm evenings with a book and a glass of wine; bathrooms finished in warm neutrals; and a living room big enough to relax or entertain.
One apartment we saw on Saturday was exactly that kind of place — charming, functional and filled with light. I’m hoping we can stretch our budget just enough to make it ours.
I never realized how emotional house hunting could be.
When friends described their searches, I understood it abstractly. Living it now makes the waiting and visiting feel much more personal. As we scroll through rental sites and tour apartments, a small hope grips me each time that we’ll find a place we truly love — somewhere that feels like a comforting end to a busy day and a space that is ours.
In the meantime, we wait.
We wait with patient anticipation and the occasional flutter of anxiety, but I know something suitable will appear. While we balance viewings and budgets, I keep cooking — perhaps more than ever. It feels like a creative outlet that steadies me amid the uncertainty.
I wanted to share these blueberry and cream tartlettes a while back, when my mum and sister Valerie visited Buenos Aires. I made them especially for their arrival — bringing them to the airport so they would have a sweet welcome.
These tartlettes are simple and quick to make.
You start by processing digestive biscuits until they’re fine crumbs, mix them with melted butter, and press the mixture into greased tartlet molds. Bake the crusts briefly. Whip cream with sugar until light and airy, chill it, then assemble: spread the whipped cream in the cooled crusts and top with fresh blueberries or any fruit you prefer. Chill until set and serve with friends and laughter.
BLUEBERRY & CREAM TARTLETTES
(Makes 3 tartlettes)
Ingredients:
1) 450g digestive biscuits (or graham crackers), processed into fine crumbs
2) 300g butter, melted
3) 500g whipping cream
4) 5 tablespoons sugar
5) 400g fresh blueberries, washed
Steps:
1) Whip the cream with the sugar until it reaches soft peaks, then chill until needed.
2) Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3) Process the biscuits into fine crumbs.
4) Mix the crumbs with melted butter.
5) Divide the mixture into three portions and press each into a greased tartlet mold.
6) Use the back of a spoon to press the crumbs evenly across the surface.
7) Bake for about 10 minutes.
8) Allow the crusts to cool before removing them from the molds.
9) Divide the whipped cream among the three crusts.
10) Top with fresh blueberries and chill the tartlettes for at least 2 hours before serving.
Process the biscuits until they look like fine crumbs:
Mix the crumbs with melted butter until combined:
Divide the mixture into molds, press firmly, and bake:
Cool the crusts, fill with whipped cream, top with blueberries, and chill before serving:
