Fifty Years of Singapore Design at National Design Centre

This week visit to National Design Centre at Fifty Years of Singapore Design exhibition brought back many fond memories.This exhibition chronicled Singapore design development for the past five decades in Singapore Design Week from 10 to 22 March this year and is free entry. If you want to learn more about iconic Singapore design products or history, 

This is a permanent display at National Design Centre

Fifty Years of Singapore Design( http://www.designsingapore.org/FIFTY/about.aspx)

Fifty Years of Singapore Design chronicles the development of the Singapore design scene from its early years in the 1960s, through maturity, into the vibrant industry that we see today.

The collection presents iconic, popular and pivotal designs that have shaped the industry, bringing together for the first time, design works gathered from the fields of Environmental Design, Fashion & Accessories, Product & Industrial Design and Visual Communications in a fifty-year span. Along with designed objects, the showcase includes the stories that reflect the movements, trends and values of each decade.

Fifty years is a compact time, but these are watershed years that have seen the design industry emerge into a creative powerhouse and a key driver of a nation’s innovation-based economy. Through the curatorial journey which included in-depth interviews and collaborations with designers, this exhibition is not merely a timeline of triumphs and milestones of Singapore’s design scene; but also a collection of personal accounts, a self-portrait of a nation’s creative sensibility and attitude set against a backdrop of changing aesthetic, and economic and socio-political climate.

National Design Centre

111 Middle Road

Free admission

Time: 9am to 9pm 

How to go?

Just alight at Bugis MRT station and walk for about 5 minutes. 

Fifty years of Singapore design exhibition

National Design Centre is about 5 minutes walk from Bugis MRT station.

Singapore iconic brand Singapore girl from Singapore Airlines.

Design in First decade 

Popular tourist attraction Merlion

I didn't know Singapore flag design was lead by former minister Dr Toh Chin Chye and incorporate the favourite colour and shapes of different races in Singapore.

If I have these notes, perhaps I am rich now.

Singapore mascots in various campaigns.

When I was young, my parents would bring me and my brother to Orchard Road to see Christmas light-up.

I want to wear cheongsam when I'm married.

Stikfas is started by Singaporean

Esplanade is my favourite place in Singapore.

Teochew Festival 2014

The Pinnacle@Duxton, the most expensive public housing in Singapore.

 Furniture designs by Nathan Yong

Best Bread in Singapore: BarCook

I didn't know bread can be so delicious! I found one of the best bread in Singapore at Barcook bakery which can be found around Singapore. At Albert Street outside OG Albert Complex, I brought two loaves of walnut cheese breads which cost about $3.80 each. I was so happy when I saw the bread generously filled with chuck of cheese and walnuts, my favourite snacks. Other bakery are not as generous. So I was very happy to pay $3.80 for a small loaf of bread because I don't mind paying for delicious and good bread.

Website: http://barcookbakery.com/site/category/outlets/

Each slide of bread is generously filled with cubes of cheese and walnut.

7th August, Additional Holiday for SG50

Hurray, this year we have extra holiday on 7th August as we'll be celebrating Singapore's 50th years of independence. This long weekend will be a day for me to rest and perhaps visit Gardens by the Bay as there be 50% discount for the long weekend from 7th to 10th of August as we celebrate Singapore's Jubilee. Hopefully I get the NDP ticket to watch this year National Day parade. Anyway, I'm happy that all Singaporeans households get a free NDP funpack this year. In the past, only residents who attend the preview and NDP parades get the funpacks. 

Over the Jubilee weekend, Singaporeans get to enjoy discount rate or free admission at the following places;

1) Jurong Bird Park (50 per cent discount); 

2) Flower Dome and Cloud Forest (50 per cent discount, with free entry for seniors age 60 and above) at Gardens by the Bay

3) Free admission to the National Orchid Garden, Science Centre Singapore and ActiveSG swimming pools and gyms islandwide.

Channel News Asia: Aug 7 declared a public holiday for SG50 celebrations

Image from Channel News Asia

Singapore's First Topographical & City Map

Few weeks ago, I came across Singapore's First Topographical and City Map exhibition at National Library which is located near near Bugis Junction MRT. 

At the exhibition, I saw 1924 Singapore map. Places that are still around today include Fort Canning and iconic Raffles Hotel. With rapid development, many buildings are demolished and paved way for development. 

Singapore was granted city status on 22nd September 1951, a day celebrated with fireworks and colourful processions.

Ah Boys to Men 3: Naval Diving Unit

For the first time, my family of six went to movie theatre to watch Ah Boys to Men 3, a local movie on Singapore's elite Naval Diving Unit during the Chinese New year period. If you love comedy, this is the movie that you must watch as it is funny yet also heartwarming. I laughed throughout the show for its hilarious dialogue. 

Prior to this movie, I thought that to be posted to the diving unit is not really pleasant as I always read that divers have to search for bodies. I didn't know Singapore diving unit is an elite force that select the top 0.1% of the cohort. Anyway, in Singapore with a high myopia population, it is kinda hard to find a Singaporean who don't wear spectacles. I have a cousin who is in Naval Diving Unit and after watching the movie, I feel proud of him.

If you love comedy, you must watch this movie which is now showing in movie theatres. Oh by the way, this is the first movie of the year for me. 

Prefer Ah Boys to Men 1 theme song.

Reunion Dinner at Home on Chinese New Year Eve

Although I live with my parents and brothers, we rarely eat together as we rarely have a meal together as my sibling and I are busy with work and we reach home at different time. Therefore, the only time when we can all have a meal together is during reunion dinner on Chinese New Year eve.

As usual, my mum prepared a sumptuous feast which always include a steamed fish, pengcai (盆菜), a hearty soup filled with abalones, prawns, scallops, duck meat, quail eggs, vegetables, meat ball like fish and pork ball. Mum also prepare tomato prawn, steamed chicken, fried wanton (dumpling), fried vegetable, ngoh hiang or Five Spice Meat Roll (five spice pork roll).

Sumptuous pencai filled with vegetables, prawns, abalones, scallop, quail eggs, pig skin, sea cucumber and braised duck meat.

 Fried prawns with tomato sauce.

  Fried wanton dumpling filled with minced pork and prawn.

  Fried sotong balls.

 Ngoh Hiang or Five Spice Meat Roll 

 Stirred fried vegetables

 Steamed fish with light soya sauce

 Sweet soup for a sweet year ahead.

Steamed shredded chicken topped with sesame oil and light soya sauce.

My father likes this dark soya sauce vegetable and braised beancurd.

 What a spread!

 My dinner

 After dinner, we watched Chinese New Year countdown show.

I brought some dessert to share.

Chinese New Year Eve at Kwan Im Thong Hood Temple

Right after work, I went to Singapore popular Kwan Im Thong Hood temple at Waterloo street to pray for safety and good year ahead. Just a few days ago, I had a terrifying dream. Also, this year forecast in the year of Goat for Rooster is not so auspicious. Thus, I went to pray for good luck and blessing and to donate few dollars. Luckily, there were not many people in the afternoon. The staff at the temple already set up barricade for tonight event whereby devotees would rush to be the first to offer the incense to Kuan Yin goddess.It is widely believe that the first person to offer the incense on the first day of Chinese New Year will be lucky and be blessed for the year. 

The popular temple has existed since 1884 and was spared from destruction when japanese 

attacked its vicinity. Many building near the temple was damaged yet the temple 

miraculously remained intact.   

After praying to KuanYin goddess, I saw wheel-chair bound man who sold tissue paper. I brought two tissue papers for $2.00 and to my shock, the tissue had bird dropping. The bird poop was wet and a mixture of white and brown colour. Anyway my first thought was so much for my kindness. Then I remember that there is a saying that bird poop brings you good luck if it drop on your head. I just hope for the best and hope that it bring me good luck. 

 Kwan Im Thong Hood temple at Waterloo street is also a popular tourist attraction and is popular in Singapore. 

Barricades set up for tonight

 Last minute shopping on New Year eve.

 God of Fortune at Waterloo street.

  You can enjoy massive discount on New Year goods on Chinese New Year eve.