Singapore has been our home since we moved from the San Francisco Bay Area in early 1998. Like many others before us, we came to Singapore in starry-eyed wonder, amazed at how such a diverse country could work together like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we also came with the well-worn stereotypes that most Americans have of Singapore: chewing gum and toilet flushing laws, and criminal punishment bordering on the inhumane. The phrase coined by some expat "Disneyland with a death sentence" summed up our initial feelings.

Living in Singapore is getting a glimpse behind the closet door and seeing that everything isn't as pretty as it appears. Singapore, like all big cities, has it's problems and it's methods of handling problems. It's a conservative country much like the US was in the 1950's: a little paranoid but overall a safe place to raise a family. A tradeoff, but it works.

Yet, Singapore, for it's brief national history, has quite a bit of culture, the best of which centers around food. If there's one thing people of all races and religions can agree on, it's that food in Singapore is cheap, abundant, and good. Shopping, another national pastime, can be done until the late hours of the evening and ranges from the haute couture of Orchard Road boutiques to the utilitarian kitsch of HDB mama shops. There's something for everybody and at every price point.

We try to bring you Singapore from every angle, the wonders and the warts. Our favorite places and foods to our biggest annoyances and headaches. This is our Singapore.