The one thing I’m excited about Orchard Gateway, a work-in-progress mall/hotel (where the crane is), along our island’s major shopping belt, will be the public library that will open when the building is completed in 2 to 3 years time.

I was on an adjacent building across the street when this picture was taken. Hover on the image to remove its makeup.

One of my travel-related-wishes came true during the past weekend – that wish was to visit a craft fair in Japan where handicrafts and their makers from different regions around the country converge under one roof.

And it was fulfilled (outside Japan, which is good enough for me) in the Japan Fair that was held locally at Orchard Central.

I met Mr Yasuto Kosaka from Nagano who makes traditional urushi (lacquer) glass and wood products. His “Heart” chopsticks stole my heart.

Love this sweet table with works represented by various artists.

I was pretty much engrossed with most of the stall renderings (such as rice candles, washi papers, knots, flower arrangement, pottery and having your portrait done manga-style by Akitsugu Mizumoto) that I forgot to ask permission to take photos.

Bought a few things including the prettily-wrapped “Heart” chopsticks.

Now my wishes remain for French, Russian, Ethiopian, Hungarian, Polish and Scandinavian craft fairs…

You know how I love working with my garlic bulbs right, so I was happy to have these 111 food installations by food artist Ayako Suwa standing in my path when I was at the Triple One building two days ago.

She used local ingredients to build each one up, and while some are easy to identify (e.g. chili, different mushrooms, fungus, date, vermicelli, star anise), others are trickier. It’ll be nice to have an inclusion of a list of ingredients used next to each display.

Exhibition began on 5 June and ends 24 July 2011.

A beautiful reminder from Community Chest, one of our local charities.

Oh how I love to shop supermarkets big and small, local or overseas!

If you remember, I had mentioned in the past about publishing books on my supermarket finds. Yeah, that’s right, someday…

Hover to remove all makeup :)

Sometimes I wish my p&s camera can do the mere impossible…zoom in like a binoculars.

This is the best it can do. I was on the 8th floor diagonally opposite.

Hover to see the images without concealer.

If I know of an exhibition on our island’s past, I will try not to miss it. We went to one such event a few days ago at the national museum, the same venue where the shopping bag exhibition was held.

The neon sign at the entrance to the hall.

1962 cover of Her World, a women’s magazine.

Chinese adaptations of “Cinderella” (left) and “King Solomon’s Mines” (right), 1961.

“Songs of Singapore”, 1958.

Oh oh, look who’s not part of the exhibition but was hanging out at the museum anyway? Aww…he’s our new little companion who had tagged along. I named him Einstein and he makes me smile.

Thanks to a banner hung on a street lamp near a museum, hub and I headed in yesterday after church to see an exhibition on shopping bags from the past. All because I’m a fan of shopping bags.

The entrance to the gallery.

Tapioca flour as glue.

Letterpress metal templates.

“French Fortnight” from Robinsons department store.

Back of “French Fortnight”. Nice to see Lanvin. While Elizabeth Arden looked different.

More exhibits here.