I had the fortune of being invited this week to Roche’s Vabysmo launch in Singapore which made my wife jealous of my second visit there while she prepared for Westley’s first day of grade school. I opted for a car ride over flying to SFO where the United Polaris Club opened my eyes to luxuries like made-to-order dining that I had to forgo having filled on airport ramen.  Flying business class aboard Singapore Airlines’ A350-900, which at 15+ hours is one of the world’s longest commercial routes, proved to be well worth the hype with AYCE fresh noodles, noise-canceling headphones, and Penhaligon’s amenities. After checking into the hotel, I traversed the muggy weather to Sungei Road Laksa where I realized I had no cash. Having forgotten my ATM pin, I made my way to Mustafa Center to exchange money and stock up on Prima Taste kits before returning for my savory $3 laksa bowl. I hopped into a cab just in time to avoid the monsoon rain and reach the ArtScience Museum for their immersive Future World and Patricia Piccinini art exhibits. Afterwards, I roamed the Marina Bay Sands mall and food court before joining my friend Daniel at Spago overlooking the hotel’s famed infinity pool. My talk at Roche headquarters made me miss out on Tian Tian’s Michelin-rated chicken. So I resorted to chicken rice and bak kut teh at a nearby food stall which I worked off at my hotel’s roof-top pool before bedtime. I awoke Wednesday for my talk and tour at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, returned to Chatterbox for a decadent set lunch, then visited an upscale retina practice and its founder for a second lunch. The official launch event took place with fanfare at the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, bringing back memories of the Macula Society meeting 5 years ago which I reminisced upon with my friend Gemmy and her fellows over drinks afterwards. I gave my talk virtually at the Singapore National Eye Centre next morning, which gave me time to check out the hotel breakfast before touring SNEC in person. A satisfying nasi lemak and chendol dessert at the Coconut Club fueled my post-lunch hike through the Southern Ridges. Hauling peanut-free moon cakes from VivoCity’s Mid-Autumn Fair, I made the treacherous climb up Mt. Faber Park across Henderson Waves, through the Forest Walk at Telok Blangah Hill Park, then past Alexandra Arch to HortPark, where I tapped out of the 10km trail for a cab back to the hotel. I concluded with an afternoon tour and talk at NUH, then sampled peranakan fare and white rabbit ice-cream sandwiches at Coriander Leaf overlooking the Singapore Polo Club for dinner. The lavish breakfast at the SilverKris business lounge put me to sleep through most of my flight and car ride back, but the nap did not make Friday afternoon clinic any easier to get through. We celebrated the end of my parents’ half-year stay over Korean BBQ before their flight out on Saturday, as we prepare to care for Westley by ourselves again.

We took a break from our usual action-adventures this month and kicked back with a more laid-back game called Stray. Set in a neon-lit, post-apocalyptic cybercity, we play a stray cat evading zorgs and sentrybots as we uncovered the mystery of this robot-inhabited world. We finished the game over a few short sittings with our 1-month PS Plus Extra subscription, which gave us time to try out other titles like Crash Bandicoot 4 and The Crew 2, where we raced cars, trucks, and boats across the continent. I also expanded my VR gaming repertoire by completing the Vader Immortal trilogy and Pistol Whip campaigns. Westley and Melody picked up a less violent pastime with geocaching, which had us searching under street signs and lamp post covers with his friend Liam for a chance to sign logbooks and uncover trinkets at the Yolo Bypass. We continued the digital-age treasure hunt as we explored new dining options this month including Korean soups at Jeon Ju Gom Tang & BBQ, nem cuon and banh xeo at Quan Nem Ninh Hoa, lamb shanks and lentil stew at Maydoon, loco moco and malasadas at Kau Kau, and sushirrito, sammich, and melty mac at Local Kitchens. We missed the soft opening of Mochinut in Davis, but were underwhelmed when we finally got a taste. Otherwise, we battled the heat wave with Sunday visits to the public pool, where Westley took his first leap from a diving board, and shaved ice which was much tastier from a store than a truck. I also took my parents to SF for a dining splurge at Benu to celebrate my mom’s birthday and recovery from surgery. At home, we got new plants, a new fire pit, and a new crew for yard care. Hopefully all three will actually last!