ACHIEVEMENTS.
Have overcome all past childhood issues.
Bought my first queen-sized mattress 
Able to solve the Rubiks cube in under 1 minute.
Started drinking tea daily.
Stopped buying toys!
Acquired Level 1 Sport Climbing certificate.
Started jogging.
Visited Japan for the first time.
Met future in-laws.
2009 WITH MICHAN, AT A GLANCE.
[Michan's prior visit was end 2008 / early 2009. We celebrated my birthday, Christmas, New Year and had our first karaoke and zoo outing You can view it here.]
After much preparation and coordination, Michan moved to Singapore on 7th May 2009. Shortly after, she got herself a job and settled down quite well, except for the absence of home cooked Japanese meals and having to live with Singapore’s poor service standards (which I completely concur once I returned from my Japan trip).
Anyway, here are some of the highlights from 2009!
^Michan’s big arrival to Singapore.
^We still pay our regular visits to Ikea for its therapeutic properties.
^See? Ommm…
^My first salon experience ever! (I’ve been cutting my own hair since high school)
^Mami’s first visit to Roost Juice + Bar
^My little cousin Lucious began walking…
^golfing…
^…and whooping his brother Matthew’s ass!
^Michan’s first taste of the $1 bread ice-cream
^Michan’s routine @ Zouk: Kawaii zebra..
^Tipsy zebra..
^Crazy zebra..
^Dancing zebra.
^Her obsession with art..
^…can be mesmerising.
^We live among Indians…
^Lots of Indians.
^All sorts of Indians..
^From all over India.
^In Chinese-majority Singapore, Michan and I live in a place where we become the minority. It’s an interesting and humbling experience that brings you down to earth, and reminds you of life’s core fundamentals, which consists of the very simple things. Like a smile. Kindness. Respect. Tolerance and harmony. Not what you wear, or what car you drive. It IS dirtier, and you have to put up with some very powerful body odour, but that’s a small price to pay for life’s bigger lessons.
^Michan’s first time cooking in Singapore.
^Hamburg steak set
^My first time eating spaghetti with Kewpie’s tarako sauce. Love it!
^さんぽさんぽ。。Near Fort Canning Park.
^さんぽさんぽ。。
^Michan summoning the 7 dragons who lost their balls 
^This move is so complex that even Goku dare not attempt.
^Met Shinta-kun (Ryohei+Mayumi’s baby) for the first time.
^Shinta-kun
^We became very familiar with Fort Canning Hill. This is a Sally port – little doors leading in and out of forts to assist defenders move undetected.
^There are at least three sally ports in Fort Canning.
^This is all that remain of the strong wall that had once ran completely round the top of Fort Canning Hill. It was constructed on March, 1859 and completed in 1860.
^This fort wall was built to protect Singapore from attack by sea.
^Bumblebee Pocahontas.
^Independence Day’s (4th of July) promo… eat all u can ribs for $29 
^Our idea of romance includes eating juicy mangosteens by the roadside on a rainy day.
^We witnessed National Museum being attacked by terrorists!!! Not really.. just a performance by pan.optikum from Germany.
^Really nice projections.
^More pyrotechnic and balancing act in progress.
^Little India, past midnight. Shopping cart courtesy of Mustafa. We found it by the road of course.
^A very Blythe surprise for Mami.
^CWC Limited Edition Neo Blythe “Precocious Candy’s Mushroom“.
^Dinner and drinks at One Rochester with my Japanese teacher Nakanishi sensei.
^We attended a lecture and demonstration of Tea Ceremony by OMOTESENKE School, held at National Museum.
^Japanese sweets were served. They tasted similar to moon cakes.
^My first taste of pure matcha.
^Purchased my first queen size mattress which folds into what you see below..
^A sofa! Details here.
^Studio Starlight (our room) was also slightly “enhanced” for the Otacool submission, organised by Danny Choo.
^Kuro-kun, the bear that’s watching porn above, is an autographed Gloomy Bear by Mori Chack, the creator himself, whom I was privileged to meet. You’ll see Kuro-kun making a cameo appearance every now and then in our pics
^For more pictures of the enhanced Studio Starlight, click here. For the pre-enhanced version 1.0, click here.
^Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2009, with the Troopers from Singapore Garrison The 501st Legion.
^There was a Blythe corner, with a special visit from Junko Wong, the lady responsible for Blythe’s unstoppable fame.
^These are among the few exceptional Blythe beauty contest winners. The one on the left is my favourite!
^Michan’s bodyguards love pulverising any perv in sight (like the one in white shortly after this photo was taken).
^We were so pleased to meet Camilla! And that’s an autographed book for Michan
^We’ve been adoring her art for years.. It really made our day!
^Next autograph was for me I got Brian Bolland himself to sign Batman: The Killing Joke!
^Back home with Sparrow: Number Thirteen.
^Caricatured/autographed by Camilla d’Errico
^Autographed by Brian Bolland.
^Mami’s first iPhone encounter. Bad Ian!
^We caught Steve Aoki’s spectacular performance as always.
^Whoop! Whoop!!!
^The usual suspects!
^At Jessica’s place for her birthday
^Adopting some babies from the nurseries at Thomson Rd.
^Tranquility.
^Dropped by KL. Our first dining experience at The Apartment.
^Met up with college+university pal, Andy K.
^Michan with a pregnant Pepper, at KL home.
^You’re going to be a mum!
^Michan conditioning her Blythe’s hair after sanding her face for a matt finish.
^Dropped by Melaka and took a ride on grandpa’s 29 yr old taxi!
^Ultra retro. Grandpa says its a hit among tourists.
^Check out the length of that gear stick!
^Only advanced cab drivers are qualified to carry this stylish side mirror.
^This is grandpa, still passionately driving his 29 yr old taxi. thanks to him, all 7 kids went to school.
^This is grandma, always smiling, laughing, talking about church, donation and her amazing CNI products.
^Despite their simple lifestyle, my grandpa never fails to serve my grandma the dishes when we eat out; or help hold on to her handbag when he’s not eating. Their love runs deep! My grandparents are Peranakan by the way. I did an extensive research on Peranakan/Baba Nyonya culture to understand my roots, and hereby present you my findings here.
^Melaka’s rustic charm. Many areas are filled with ghostly buildings, some with residents and others abandoned. Very photogenic nonetheless.
^At Melaka’s popular night market street called Jonker Walk.
^Pepper delivered 2 healthy females (and 1 male that didn’t make it).
^1 is significantly smaller than the other. They are Brownie and Fifi. You’ll see them all furry in 2010’s post
^Dining for Michan is a little better with the new Japanese stalls at Ion Orchard’s basement.
^Yummy takoyaki and a glass of matcha with cream
^Yummy crepe with guest chef from Tokyo, also at Ion Orchard’s basement.
^At Winebar, waiting for Simian Mobile Disco to come on.
^Simian Mobile Disco on the decks.
^Extremely surreal piece at the National Geographic store, Vivocity. Wish I was its photographer!
^Little India / Serangoon Rd all prepped up for Deepavali.
^Deepavali, festival of lights, was set to fall on 17 October for 2009.
^Our favourite and probably the best satay in Singapore. Stall 8 at Lau Pa Sat.
^Yummmm! For perfection, wash down with teh tarik halia or sirap bandung
^There’s always a cool surprise downstairs where we live
^Balloons for little cousin Matthew’s birthday.
^If this were animated by Pixar, it’d probably be called Down.
^Matthew, in the middle with orange Crocs, turns 6. We decorated the hall ourselves. Theme? Ben 10.
^The ever changing face of Haji Lane.
^Study of planks, Bali Lane.
^The very last toy I bought.
^Lucious is pretty grown up now. From crawling to running in just months
^Mid-autumn / lantern festival + BBQ at East Coast Park with Aunty and the kids.
^Dinner at Roost Juice + Bar after haircut.
^Their smoothies are really awesome!
^Deepavali, festival of lights, eventually arrived on 17 October. We love lights, so we figured it applies to us as well We celebrated with a dinner at Muthu’s Curry (Racecourse Road).
^For our food ratings on this night, click here!
^Muthu’s Curry (Racecourse Road), 5 mins walk from home! Really dig Michan’s outfit that night
^And here’s my greeting to all Hindu friends
^We became addicted to “you ji mian” (mandarin) / “yao kai min” (canto) on Upper Cross Street. We drop by at least twice a month.
^A visit to Tea Chapter changed my life.
^It laid the fundamentals of tea drinking and appreciation. I consume tea daily now.
^We love this joint. Check out the rest of the pictures here.
^Gustimo at Ion Orchard.
^Sho Teppan #B3-19 at Ion Orchard.
^Singapore National Climbing Standards (SNCS) Sport Climbing Course Level 1.
^Shinta-kun with daddy Ryohei. Already able to sit, and check out that load of hair!
^I introduced them to a pretty authentic Russian restaurant – Shashlik Restaurant, #06-19 Far East Shopping Centre, Orchard.
^The perfect way to end dinner… Baked Alaska! Mayumi with Michan
^Jamal Kazura Aromatics @ Arab Street.
^Perfume vials from Egypt.
^Purchased a gift for Sugano, Michan’s best friend.
^Attended a Rakugo at DBS Auditorium, sponsored by Canon.
^Sanpei Hayashiya II performing Rakugo.
^Next thing you know, we were already in Japan. There’s wayyyyyyyy too many pics throughout the 1 week there. Catch my Japan post here!
^Dropped by JB again to get my curls back. My hairstylist Keigo (chief stylist and salon owner).
^Michan with Enya and Keigo of Unique Hairoom.
^Picked up a white X’mas tree after being pestered to death by Michan.
^My 27th birthday celebration at home.
^Michan treated me to a birthday dinner at Jewel Box. Here’s my entry on Turning 27.
That’s all folks!
FAVOURITE PHOTOS OF 2009.
^Haji Lane, Singapore.
^Little India, Singapore.
^Fort Canning Park, Singapore.
^Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, Kobe.
^Kyoto.
^Kamogawa river, Kyoto.
^Salon de thé François, Kyoto.
^Roost Juice + Bar, Johor.
A YEAR OF GROWTH AND PERM.
These were all taken in Roost Juice + Bar, where Michan and I usually have our dinner after getting our hair done.
^May 2009.
^October 2009.
^December 2009.
