Day 330 : Freez-zard

The clock on my elongated wall-desk told me it’s 9.30am when I woke up. It’s a Sunday. I loathe it that I cannot go back to sleep after I have woken. Unless I’m dead drunk the previous night, I lack the ability to sleep in on a weekend.

Tired of fighting wakefulness with cooling the room, soft music, and lavender oil in the aromatherapy burner, I dragged my dreary ass to the bathroom. What shall I do today? Okay, let’s cook a soup, lotus root soup. Sounds good. Let’s see what ingredients we have in the fridge and what I need to go market for. I converesed in my head as I brushed my teeth.

After splashing away the slumber, I proceeded to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. What I saw grossed and froze me…

Wahbiang! There’s a dead lizard in my fridge… Or is it drunk from the stash of booze huh? So skin-crawlingly gross!

Wahlau… at a loss for what to do. Better take some photos with my Casio Exilim ZR200 first as I’ve not encountered something like this before. How did this crawlie get in there? So cham… become 冰冻僵尸.

After getting all CSI with the unfortunate bugger at the location of death, I placed it on a tissue paper to take some more shots before wrapping its body in it. But as I was shooting, I noticed that the lizard twitched! Was it coming back as a zombie??

I recalled from some National Geographic docu that cold-blooded mammals such as frogs, lizards and geckos can sometimes halt their metabolism during winter and reanimate in spring. So I warmed it up with my hands.

Ta-da! The Nat Geo theory was right! It defrosted and came back to life.

This species is the Four-Clawed Gecko commonly found in homes. As its name suggests, the gecko has four digits on its front limbs, but five on its hind legs. The gecko can grow up to 12cm in length and is one of those vocal ones that can make pretty loud noises.

To help it regain mobility quicker, I stroked it for some time with my finger to accelerate its blood flow. It seemed really comfortable with me. I’ve not observed a live gecko so intimately before as they are usually high up on the ceiling and nimble on escaping capture.

I think the Four-Clawed Gecko looked so beautiful and especially cute when it licks its snout with its little tongue. So tempted was I to keep it as a pet but decided against the idea as I don’t want to end up killing this fragile thing from lack of knowledge about its care.

After it has fully recovered, I freed it by the stairwell outside my apartment. What was yuck at first sight quickly turned into a really lovely close encounter of the weird kind.

I hope it will visit me again… and stay out of the fridge this time!

Day 318 : Celebrating Light

Other than Thaipusam, Deepavali is probably the next most popularly celebrated Hindu festival. Also spelt Diwali or Devali, it is known as the Festival of Lights. ‘Deep’ means ‘light’ and ‘avali’ means ‘a row’ so ‘Deepavali’ means ‘a row of lights’ and lighting an oil lamp during the festival symbolises the lighting of knowledge (enlightenment) within devotees.

Well, the oil lamp in this photo is not the traditional little clay dishes that Indians use for Deepavali but I came across it in Little India. So I guess it counts as an effort to snap a photo with light to wish everyone peace, strength, love and enlightenment right? Happy holidays!

Day 266 : Johnnie Walker Circuit Lounge

Panache, glamour and class roared into the Lion City with Johnnie Walker’s Circuit Lounge F1 party and I had the privilege to experience the Striding Man’s magic yet again.

Held at the Flower Dome within Singapore’s latest talk-of-the-town attraction, Gardens by the Bay, Johnnie Walker pulled out all the stops to helm yet another winner of a great F1 fringe event. Join me as we step into the exclusive world of the premium Scotch-Whiskey brand…

The air-conditioned Flower Dome is a conservatory that houses flora and vegetation from the Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions of the world. Such an exotic location to hold a party!

The dudes and their pet… a sort of cat and gorilla hybrid.

Three-quarter pants were frowned upon but Anis got the pass for being fashionably put together.

This is about as close as I would get to the action of F1. Heh heh.

Let’s get the party started!

A massive constellation of small spheres created a curious focal point for the ceiling.

Johnnie Walker’s parties are renowned for bringing in superstar DJs to delight the earlobes.

Cheers to the start of a fantastic night with a refreshing cocktail called Singapore Soda. Concocted specially for the event, Singapore Soda consisted of Johnnie Walker Black Label, soda and a dash of pandan leaf essence that paid homage to our local flavour. The result is a fragrant nectar that’s soothing and addictive!

Three special cocktails coaxed guests to let their hair down and have fun. The Johnnie Yuzu Sour had a tangy, light note that would go down well with people who do not appreciate the taste of whiskey.

Walker Colada brought the tongue on a tropical holiday with a delicious blend of whiskey, coconut rum and I think pineapple juice.

Champion mixologist – Manabu Ohtake, Global World Class Winner 2011, adding a twist to enjoying whiskey.

Guests were dressed to kill and in this case, thrill! Bobby Luo and Ritz Lim adding horse power and a touch of sci-fi to the event. Our pet has been upstaged.

Our pet logging into her Facebook account. Throughout the venue were interactive photo booths where we can have our pics taken and posted directly onto our Facebook pages. Cool!

A photo we took at a booth and downloaded from my Facebook page.

Making a pledge the hi-tech way. Guests can have their photo taken and ‘sign’ their names with a laser wand to make the pact of not drinking and driving.

Guests posing for photos with F1 stars… but where are the racers?

This is my favourite booth where we get to ‘take’ a photo with F1 stars! We choose the scene, pose, and snap!

Desperately trying to be dashing.

The resulting photo. Thumbs up for the fun use of interactive media to engage and entertain.

At the stroke of midnight, a 3D projection sequence and pyro confetti marked the start of Johnnie Walker’s Gold Reserve being served. From this point onwards, the heat of the party got turned up several notches!

The little spheres on the ceiling also came alive and lit up in a rhythmic trance.

Spot the out-of-syncers.

Girl gone wild.

Kungfu duo on the dancefloor.

And I became the pet.

We were Johnnie Walkered and loved it!

Day 255 : Devour Flower

Attraction.

Like a moth to a flame, like a bee to a flower.

Addiction.

The weakness that seduces us to welcome devour.

Day 222 : Singapore National Day 2012

How quickly time flies. This day last year, I was an appointed photographer to cover National Day Parade 2011 and was all over the Floating Platform capturing patriotism in action. This year, although I was enlisted again to shoot, I had to give the opportunity a miss because work and travels pretty much drained every ounce of juice from me.

Volunteer NDP photographers are required to commit every Saturday from May to August to capture the rehearsals leading up to the actual day’s parade. We are discouraged from travelling during this 3-month period and may be requested to cover fringe NDP activities during week nights. There are many opportunities to get rare behind-the-scenes footages at locations beyond public access but the trade-off is unwavering dedication.

So this National Day Parade, even though I wasn’t at the heart of the action, I got my fix by joining in the celebrations on the roof of One Fullerton. It is a great vantage point to enjoy the fireworks in comfort without jostling for space along the perimeter of Marina Bay and best of all, there’s free-flow beer (although champagne would be lagi better lah)! With a toast in hand and pride in wearing my national flag, here’s wishing my homeland a VERY HAPPY 47th BIRTHDAY!

May our nation be blessed with prosperity without widening poverty, social graces in the face of growing foreign traces, and sustainable progression to excel in the global competition! Yum seng!

We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.

The Marina Bay waterfront represents the rise of the new Singapore.

Five F16 jets emerged without detection behind Marina Bay Financial Centre and executed a flawless flypass to salute Singapore.

Entree sparkles during NDP performances before the finale fireworks.

The main course of the celebration is a 10-minute firework spectacle that lights up the hearts and imaginations of Singaporeans and visitors alike. Majulah Singapura!

 

Day 213 : Nostalgic Chic with Hermes The Gift of Time Exhibition

Time. It is a gift, but also a curse. It all depends on whether we are in control and decide what we do with it, or we allow others use it up for us.

Tonight, I used and was ‘used’. Both in a good way at Hermès’ The Gift of Time exhibition at the now-defunct Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. I haven’t stepped inside the national monument for a long time and was pleasantly surprised by how the station could appear so mod and glamed up.

Thanks to an invitation by the queen of quirks, Juliana, who didn’t want to attend the exhibition’s gala preview alone, I had the rare chance to fill my Tuesday evening with high fashion, artful creativity, nostalgia, and not enough champagne.

The exhibition runs from 1 – 12 August 2012, 11am – 9pm daily. Entrance is free.

Conceptualised by American artist, scenographer, poet and long-time collaborator of Hermès, Hilton McConnico interpreted time as Hermès sees it through seven roomfuls of poetry, installation art, creativity and imagination.

The rooms are arranged in a circular loop to represent the cycle of time. And here’s sharing with you my time at the exhibition…

Room 1 : The Origin of Time. The motif on the sundial’s face is an Hermès scarf designed in 1963. I felt so under dressed amongst the well-heeled crowd in designer dresses and tailored jackets. Time, obviously, has not taught me good fashion sense.

Room 2 : Free Time.

Room 3 : Time Suspended.

Room 4 : Time Balance.

Room 5 : The Stroke of Time.

Mosaic cat pieced together by cut-out pieces of leather.

Room 6 : Imaginary Time.

Room 7 : The Gift of Time.

Wine gets better with time.

Yesteryear toys I grew up with.

The U Cafe serves up a mean menu to enjoy a meal or cuppa by the old rail road.

Day 211 : Sun Chasing at Southern Ridges

Living in the urban jungle provides many conveniences but robs us of unobstructed views to admire the beautiful sky cloak at the end of every day. Unless one stays atop a west facing skyscraper, places to catch the full splendour of sunset are few and far in Singapore. And one of these few, and not so far spots to frame the dusking hues of a dusk would be at Henderson Waves.

Part of a 10km green spine that connects various parks in the southern ridge of Singapore (collectively known as the Southern Ridges trail), Henderson Waves is a 274km long pedestrian bridge that qualifies as one of my favouritest sunset destination on our tiny country-state.

Although we can’t really see the sun dipping into the horizon, the organically-shaped bridge offers an awesome vantage point to admire the colour parade as a day bids its farewell. So goaded by the recently anointed princess of nauture and adventure, I came on a photo outing and here’s the celebration of they evening’s colours…

Entrance to Marang Trail. Love the secret garden feel.

Rolling into the deep of Singapore’s manicured green fingers where even the wilderness observes obedience.

The sun batted its leafy eyelid at me.

Have I discovered Jack’s beanstalk?

Trying to e cool on a scorching hot day.

Along the way, we passed by Mount Faber that offered a smattered aerial view of Sentosa, a.k.a. Pulau Belakang Mati (Back island of Death).

‘S’ marks the spot. Stepping onto the boardwalk of Henderson Waves with Juliana’s kick-s gorilla sneakers. This gal is so full of monkey business!

Artistic, stylish and organic… Henderson Waves is paved with all-weather timber and a lot of character.

Love how the lines and curves look so dramatic in photos.

Spotted! Butterfly on the bridge bench. Or is that a caterpillar?

Keeping the photo outing light and handy with my Casio Exilim ZR200 digital compact camera.

What a great place for romance while CCTVs keep a close watch over any hanky panky.

Goodbye Sunday… Although the sunset was obscured by a tree and the hillside ti sits on, the celestial palette was delicious nonetheless. Shot with in-camera Sunset Mode to enhance the orangey warmth.

I’ve been to Henderson Waves on a few occasions but this is the first time I shot a sunset here. And I have a feeling this won’t be my last

Day 162 : Frame of Mime

Dropped by one of my favouritest rooftops in Singapore en route to dinner and filled up on the evening hues with my Casio Exilim ZR200. It wasn’t a planned visit but we were in the vicinity of Orchard Central and that Sunday’s orangey farewell was just too delicious to resist not catching some shots.

Whenever I’m here, the wireframe humanoid sculptures by artists Victor Tan and Yayoi Kusama never fail to fill me with a spur of energy and movement. And the changing sky is a perpetually evolving backdrop that fills up the hollowness of the wire men. If I’m not careful, a trance would take over me as I stare at the sculptures. They have this meditative aura that magnetises me. I feel at once wistful and wishful…

How are you wired? Suspended in mime, the empty space formed by the wires is filled with the moods of the sky, seeming to taunt our power in resisting the effects of external forces on our inner being.

Forget the Great Singapore Workout. Here’s the great camera exercise!

Stomp stump.

Bewitched by the seductive evening blushes and flamboyance.

Sunset Mode of EX-ZR200 deepens the colours of the evening palette as the wire man heads off to infinity and beyond by staying where he is. The mind is the greatest traveller.

The floating field of water hyacinths were in bloom. I’ve never seen so many hyacinths flowering at one place… Quietly spectacular.

Another camera workout : Exercising the abs. I think photography leads to a healthy lifestyle as it works the mind when you’re thinking about your shot and the body when taking the photo!

Just as pretty in black and white.

Enough of sky, wired sculptures and hyacinths. Now for some ‘fashion’ shots with the queen of queens of a thousand looks, Juliana. Check out her fashionlicious blog spunktitud3.wordpress.com. It’s a really good read with out-of-this-world dress sense and accessories!

The girl in pink had a Prometheus moment when she stumbled onto Juliana sitting on a passageway leading to the toilet. She looked so shocked, it’s hilarious. The photo doesn’t show it but she actually turned back and forth a couple of times as she struggled with not disrupting our shot. As you can see, Juliana was totally oblivious to the drama behind her.

It was a spontaneous trip to Orchard Central’s Rooftop Garden but I guess the place is so nice, any time is a good time to come by. Maybe one of these days, I shall try coming up here for a picnic. Or maybe camp overnight since access to the garden is 24/7!

Related Posts :

Orchard Central – The Art of Shopping

天长.地久.永生.

Day 153 : High on Speed

Thirty minutes was all it took to get from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to KL Sentral on the KLIA Ekspres Train, which gave my travel buddy and I enough time to jumpstart the vacation with some cranky shots.

I’ve seen and scoffed how the planking and levitating phenomena almost succeeded in replacing peace signs when posing for photos but never tried them to protest the idiocracy of putting oneself in danger of getting hurt with such exteme voguing. But we decided to give them a try.

So while other travellers were comfortably holed up on their seats anticipating the things they’ll do when being brought to KL’s city centre, we brought the fun onboard with our very first attempts at planking and levitation shots. Having done them, I now understand why they are totally addictive!

I had more planking shots taken with my HTC One X handphone but it was snatched by crooks in KL so I’m only left with these shots on my Casio Exilim ZR200. Thank goodness I took the shots with different cams!

High on speed… by car or bus, the journey from KLIA to the city centre takes around an hour or more if traffic condition is bad. With the KLIA Ekspres, it takes 28 minutes to be exact and costs RM70 (S$28.70) for a return ticket.

I call this ‘plankivating’ – planking that looks like like levitating at the same time! Not for people with fake boobs.

 

Day 126 : Gardens by the Bay Preview

As our Garden City prepares for its next biggest bloom, I had a chance to tour the new bud before it fully opens and I think it is going to be a major landmark that will have people falling in love with Singapore all over again.

This new destination for adoration is Gardens by the Bay, a sprawling waterfront attraction set to bring out the inner butterfly, or bee, in anyone who visits. This post documents my privilege of being one of 25 photographers and bloggers invited for a special preview and sunrise shoot before the Gardens officially welcome visitors from 29 June 2012 onwards.

5:15 am. I haven’t woken up so early in a long time. Then again, I didn’t really sleep the night before so I guess it can’t be considered waking? The rain was such a damper.

Getting a special invite like this is very exciting, but it has its perils. I had to get up at 4:30 am to prepare for the shoot. As much as I love the photo opportunities dawn presents, my bed usually trumps over all will power to rise at the wretched hours that sunrise shoots demands.

Adding to that, I was working till about 1 am the previous night and a cool storm washed over Singapore starting at 2:30 am, all strong magnets to keep me in bed. But I’m glad I made the shoot and here’re photos to share with you. For the shoot, there’s a sort of embargo for us to not post photos as we are supposed to submit shots for an exhibition so the organisers preferred that we didn’t let our cats out of the bags too soon.

However, I don’t think I got any good shots so I won’t be submiting my mediocre photos to dilute the high standards that the pro photogs will be maintaining. So here are the shots to share with you a sneak peek of what’s coming up at the south of Marina Bay…

Arrived at GBTB at 6 am. The place was still under construction so it took a bit of wayfinding. Thankfully, Juliana was kind enough to pick me up on her way to GBTB. Else, I would’ve gotten lost and ended up in JB!

Supertrees all powered up!

Foyer area that links the two conservatories at GBTB – Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Inside the Flower Dome at pre-dawn. Felt kinda surreal to have the place all to myself.

The air-conditioned Flower Dome houses temperate and mediterranean plant species.

Sunrise was a no-show due to the rainy weather. Such a disappointment after waking up so early and all the trouble of getting here. Sigh.

Flower Dome looks like the mouth of a gigantic clam emerging from the ground. Since the sky was mild, I decided to convert some shots to black and white.

View of Flower Dome by the shoreline. This is a great spot to appreciate the architecture of the dome up-close.

Fish-eye of the Flower Dome. To the left is the sea.

GBTB offers quite a few trails to discover different sights, smells and breathtaking moments.

I can’t get enough of the Supertrees. They resemble some alien lifeform.

If the sky was blue with bright sunshine, I think this photo of all the Supertrees will be super duper!

Attempting to be artsy… heh heh.

The Supertrees tower over GBTB at heights between 25 and 50 meters. Their trunks act as a vertical canvas for gardening.

Tree climbing takes on new meaning with the Supertrees. A spiral stairway leads to the mid-point where the Skyway is. For those who prefer not to sweat, there’s a life available.

The Skyway is a suspended corridor that weaves around the Supertrees.

Crown of the Supertrees Instagramed.

His equipment is so long! One of the reasons I prefer not to shoot with pro photogs or serious enthusiasts is because I get an inferiority complex looking at the size and quantity of their equipments. That often kills my mood to shoot.

Thanks to Juliana for capturing me in action shooting with three cams – DSLR, Instagram (phone) and Casio Exilim ZR200. If only I have three heads and six limbs!

Thanks to them, we have our beautiful Gardens. The construction workers at GBTB were so friendly.

View of Marina Bay Sands amongst Cattail grass blades. GBTB brings nature that much closer.

Other than exotic flora and beautiful landscaping, another thing to spot at GBTB are the sculptures. They range from naturalistic stone formations to masoned fauna to abstract wood carvings.

Carving of a smiling Buddha under a Bodhi Tree at the Chinese themed garden within GBTB. Other themed gardens include Indian, Malay, Fragrance, Fruits, etc.

From the outside, we now go inside. The air-conditioning at the Flower Dome provided a welcomed respite from the heat. The plants here very hoh miah (good life)!

Dunno what tree is this but it looks like a dwarf Frangipani Tree… so comical!

This plant is called Devil’s Blush.

It sure doesn’t look shy at all. I think Devil’s Lipstick more appropriate.

Called Birthday Candles, this shrub is native to Australia.

Make a wish and blow out the candle.

Purple Haze.

Majira.

The next creature inspiration for some apocalyptic alien movie.

Who says Mother Nature doesn’t like some S&M?

Blushing Bride.

The following four photos are taken with the Casio Exilim ZR200 compact camera (Super Macro Mode). I’m amazed by the photo quality of this point-and-shoot camera!

Heart of the Giant Rose Mallow (I think) Hibiscus. The blooms are massive!

Pistil and stamens of another monster Hibiscus of the ruba (ruby, red) variety.

Despite the bland weather and muted daylight, the architecture at Gardens by the Bay, both manmade and by Mother Nature, made us all very trigger happy. I would say that Gardens by the Bay is about 70% completed during this visit so when it gets finished in two months’ time, I am sure it will become the next hotspot for photography and lotsa nature lovin’ in the city!

Related Post : Flower Dome and World Orchid Show

Day 112 : Johnnie Walker Jet Black Party 2012

Johnnie Walker’s award-winning Jet Black party returns in 2012 to give invited guests a one-night only clubbing experience that skillfully blends sophistication, glamour and style. This is my third Jet Black party and I continue to be pleasantly surprised by how each party has something different to offer fans of the premium Scotch-Whiskey brand.

This edition of the Jet Black party was extra special for me because I won a micro blogging challenge in association with the event and got 4 extra invites to the party. Sweet! So joined by more friends to drink in the fun, here’s an account of how Jet Black 2012 was a night of partying to remember!

The location of the Jet Black party is usually held secret and released to invited guests just a couple of days before the party. This year, it's held at Mercedes-Benz Singapore Showroom.

To get to where the party was happening, we were picked up by a Mercedes and brought to the level 2 showroom of the centre.

Here with Merwin, Anis and the incredibly smart and hot blogger, Christine (http://chrispytinetoo.blogspot.com/).

Welcome to the world of fastcars, star racers and Johnnie Walker! But remember, winners never drink and drive.

Gorgeously draped in black and hued with gold, the car showroom was transformed into a classy party venue.

Carefully matured with an exquisite balance of wood, climate and location, Johnnie Walker Black Label draws from a brewing origin as far back as the 1870s.

Delicious canapé waiting to meet discerning palates.

Showing the bling with Jak, the ever sharp-looking and affable Brand Manager of Johnnie Walker Black Label. VIPs received a 'gangsta' chain with a pendant of the iconic Striding Man.

Thumbs up to DJ Cassidy (USA) for flying half-way around the globe to spin for the party. This was his first trip to Singapore and he's been introduced to our passion for spicy food on his first night here.

Statuesque, beautiful and ooooh-so-hot! I lost my tongue when meeting DJ Crystal Q (Taiwan) upclose and personal. Part of the trio who played at Jet Black 2012 was DJ Kaku (Japan), but I missed catching him before the party started.

The Mercedes CLS-Class features a muscle of the latest car safety innovations. Will I ever own one?!

Fadilah has this quality about her that seem to light up any room. I gave her a puke facial during our trip for Jet Black Kuala Lumpur in 2011 so I can imagine how worried she must be in seeing me again. LOL.

With fashionistas dressed to nail the Jet Black party... Xueting, Juliana and Hong Peng.

The drink-like-fish gang... Choon Wee, Ian, Gordon, Angela, Merwin and moi.

There's always an element of fun at Jet Black parties with the integration of technology with social media. Jet Black 2012 featured this walk-in photo booth that allowed guests to pose with different backdrops and the photo is posted onto their Facebook wall.

After queueing for some time, we got our turn and I grabbed a shot with the Casio Exilim EX200 before getting all posey for our picture.

The resulting photo that was posted on my Facebook wall with just a tab of the event passcard. Cool!

Gasp! Johnnie Walker's Gold Label Reserve! This nectar in a bottle captures an aromatic note of honey and vanilla that is perfect for any celebration. Love it!

After all the posey photos, it's time to let Johnnie Walker unlock the fun of the night!

Quite early into the party, the event ran out of glasses and there's no way to drink Johnnie Walker except like this.

Juliana the-walking-costume-shop having her thrill of getting me drunk. However, she was the one who got super drunk even before the night was over! I wonder if she woke up smelling like the toilet the next day. Also saw a guy trapped chest-deep in a drain near the venue and had such a good laugh before helping him out of his pedicament. The kind dude helped his friend retreive his glasses that was dropped into the drain but ended up being stuck himself. It was such a hilarious scene.

After a few drinks, Vincent turned into Huang Fei-Hung (黄飞鸿)! ROFL!

Wahahahahaha... Johnnie Walker got a new promoter that doubles as the face that will scare any drunk into becoming sober!

DJ Cassidy in action! His musical choices and set was infectious!

Such a high at Jet Black 2012!

Have you been Johnnie Walkered?

The event's bartenders worked doubly hard to fulfill every drink order from the huge crowd but they never once lost their cool. Awesome!

Big thanks to the guys who served our table for the night and the ever-friendly crew who made the party a great experience!

A big thank you to Johnnie Walker for the invite and picking me to be the winner of the blogging challenge. Congratulations to another wildly successful Jet Black party that will have people walking and talking for a long time. Cheers to that!

Day 074 : Transformers Cybertron Con 2012

When it comes to toys when I was a boy, my top 5 playthings were (1) myself (1) Zoids (2) M.A.S.K. (3) He-Man (4) Transformers and (5) Barbie.

Yeah, I have a feminine side and not afraid to acknowledge it. But my parents were rolling their eyes at the sight of me with my Dream Glow Barbie doll. That was until they saw me ‘marrying’ He-Man with Dream Glow. What they didn’t see was the post-wedding plas-rotica.

Being a sort of born-again Transformers fan after the movie franchise, I was curious what a sub sci-fi convention would be like when I heard news about Cybertron Con 2012. Especially since it’s being held in Singapore for the first time (I think). Thankfully, my company, Digimagic Communications, was involved in producing a cool interactive installation for the convention and I got to check it out as a company blog assignment.

Maybe because I went on the last day just an hour before the event was taken apart (had been busy with work and my granny’s hospitalisation), I didn’t think the convention had anything that was ‘more than meets the eye’.

Except of course, the exhibit that my company produced lah. LOL… 老王卖瓜，自卖自夸！不要脸！

This hairstyle and dressing has got to go. A kid at the convention called me 'auntie'! I know this is a Transformers convention but I'm no male-to-female transformer! Hmmm... Maybe embracing my feminine side wasn't such a good idea.

Transformers Cybertron Con 2012 was held at Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre from 11 - 14 Mar 2012. Entrance fee : S$12.00.

Entrance area of the convention was dressed up like a war zone with cut-out robots that were cost-effective to produce and look realistic in photos.

First generation Transformers toys (1984 - 1990). A flash of nostalgia when I saw these packaging boxes.

I think this is one of the first generation Megatron, leader of the Decepticons.

Early version of Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots.

Bumblebee in an actual bee suit circa 2000 under the Beast series.

A pissed off hamster in the Transformers Beast collection.

Movie merchandise. This huge Bumblebee toy by Hasbro is available in stores now.

The centrepiece at the Cybertron Con was a 22-foot tall Optimus Prime.

Prime photo spot with the giant robot. Do I really look like an auntie?!

From no-nonsense mega Optimus to playful Kre-O miniature Optimus.

Kre-O Bumblebee.

The convention saw many creative renditions of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in a redesign the robots contest for professional model makers and hobbyists. This hairy version of Optimus Prime was by my friend Sze J. I wasn't aware it's his work. I thought it looked really unique so I took a photo then I heard his voice behind me saying, "Very nice hor?"

My favourite was this absolutely hilarious piece titled "I Would Kill for Those Shoes". The backstory was that Optimus Prime came to Singapore and joined our nation's favourite past-time, shopping! Hmm... robot and Barbie... looks like the artist, Yang Jian, and I would really get along. LOL.

Now we know why Optimus Prime wanted those heels.

Such a sweet and soft touch to metal that brings out the women in Optimus Prime. Is there a female robot in Transformers?

Optimus Wolf. Winner of the redesign contest (Professional Category).

Optimus White Knight. Winner of the redesign contest (Hobbyist Category).

Cybertron Con's version of the Oscar statue for the contest winners - an all-gold Optimus Prime!

And now… presenting my company’s solution to add fun to the convention – an interactive projection where kids can ‘dance’ and ‘punch’ Bumblebee! Utilising Augmented Reality (AR) technology, we similated a drop-in visit by Bumblebee who would dance with visitors, and when hit, crumbles to form the car.

Visitors stand at the activation area to start the interactive sequence with Bumblebee.

Bumblebee appears onscreen next to these children and invited them to dance with him. It's a boogie-woogie good time for the kids.

The kids 'hitting' Bumblebee. Upon receiving the punch, Bumblebee crumbles on-screen as Kre-O toy bricks and reforms as a car and drives off.

Well, that’s a quick tour of the Cybertron Con 2012. Wished I had more time as there were some other stuff that caught my eye.

I would also have loved to sit down a re-watch retro episodes of the Transformers animated series that were screening during the convention. So fun to feel like a kid again!

Day 054 : Casio Exilim ZR200

Thanks to the good folks at Casio Singapore, I was given a set of its latest innovation in digital compact camera - Casio Exilim EX-ZR200. The EX-ZR200 is an upgrade from the EX-ZR100 which I’ve been using all this while (in fact, all my FUNicating 2012 daily shots have been taken with it except Day 036 of the peacock) and I must say it’s a really nifty camera that packs a lot of features such as HDR, HDR-ART, High Speed Shooting, Multi-Frame SR Zoom, etc.

I’m not a technical expert in cameras, all I care about is image outcome and the EX-ZR100 gave me great results in a lot of situations and it’s simple to use. And now, in my hands, is the next evolution! I’ve yet to take it out for test shots but two of the most significant enhancements are :

1) Much Higher Speed. If EX-ZR100 is fast, ZR200 is faster still. As I turned on ZR200, I observed that the start-up time is much faster and the camera shoots at a 0.27 sec interval between shots. It also features a high speed HD Movie Mode which can record at a whooping 1,000 frames per second (fps)! Generally, our television which uses the PAL or NTSC systems only record and playback at a frame rate of 24 – 30 fps. What this means is with EX-ZR200 capturing more frames than the playback system, we can effectively slow down our video without loss of resolution. This is great for slow-mo playback of sports or action videos.

2) DSLR Quality Portraits. I think this function is going to set this compact apart from the competition. Casio has developed a original technique of blurring the background in portraits shots to achieve bokeh effect similar to photos taken by Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras. Once I find a nice model, I’ll test out this function and post up pics.

I’m really excited with this new tool to experiment and play around with. Will take it out for some clicks soon!