(I'm only writing these for the sake of clearing my mind, so please do feel free to skip them. My apologies.) After retiring, my father was making these works all day long, so he kept completing more and more of them. His wife, Itsuko, started being creeped out by the accumulation, and I was thinking of doing an exhibition once there was enough work. One New Year's Day, when I visited my parents' house, there was talk of really sorting out and selecting the works to keep and destroying the rest, so I decided to organize the exhibition right away. It was Fukujuro’s first exhibition in a proper space, so he started to make many small badges, hoping that the visitors would pick them up in their hands. My mother kept her brow furrowed and worried that her husband would embarrass himself, while Fukujuro enthusiastically created even more works, as if they gushed out of him. The exhibition went ahead and, with kind-hearted friends, acquaintances, and passers-by buying the low-priced works, it closed in success. In fact, we even managed to schedule the next exhibition. A few months later, when the couple was buying tickets at a nearby train station, a young woman came running up to them, saying, “Oh! It’s Fukujuro! I went to your exhibition! And look, I bought your work! I didn’t know you live around here. Please take care!” Fukujuro, of course far from dissatisfied, grinned and said to Itsuko, “It’s no use becoming popular at this age, is it?" So went the silly anecdote; which is to say, the show did bring us some excitement. photo: @ssps2011 translation: @tabi_the_fat

My babies be drippin’ in swag 😍 @adidassg coming through with their insanely cool LEGO kicks. The kids totally gushed over it the moment we took them out of the box! Vibrant colours + fuss free straps had giving all the other kids with the pumped up kicks a run for their money 😎 #zaloraXadidas #adidasXlego #zaloragetthelook @zalora @lego

@huatkaliao and I were craving a healthier dinner, so since we were at Raffles City, we decided to grab a quick one at @milkfishsg, a spacious casual eatery which opened in May. It is located in one corner of the basement, at the end where the escalator with the ATMs are. What struck me immediately upon arrival was how welcoming and friendly the team of mostly older staff are. The menu isn’t complicated so it took me all of three seconds to decide. Ordered for us the set meals of Grilled Fish (picked the milkfish over the salmon) and Signature Soup ($16.80). Both came on trays with two excellent side dishes (a piquant mix of vegetables, beancurd and glass noodles, and skinless tomatoes soaked in a “sng buay” dressing that gushed with juiciness), a large bowl of rice, a trio of condiments and a drink of your choice (we opted for oolong tea). My Grilled Fish set meal also included by a big bowl of their signature soup. Now, this is the key thing that sets #MilkfishSg apart. The slow-brewed seafood-based soup which is free of MSG, preservatives and milk, is a collaboration with @aobroth, and its silky creaminess and delicate sweetness is derived from the fish’s gelatinous belly fat and fresh clams. I have to say, I loved every sip. The lovely uncle who attended to our table that evening, told us that they only use #milkfish from Taiwan - a specimen found where fresh water meets the sea. When it’s brushed with a savoury-sweet sauce and has spent quality time on the grill, it became soft and very tasty. The collagen-rich bits clinging on its edges were especially enjoyable to me. The Signature Soup was a hearty affair as simmered in Milkfish’s special broth were red snapper slices, whole prawns, a fabulous housemade minced pork patty (if you are a pork-lover, definitely top up for extra pieces of this), clams, vegetables and tofu. I highly recommend ordering the set meals though, because the side dishes should not be missed.