The Week(ender): Duvalls in Singapore!

Reunited and it feels so good.

Hello dearest family and friends! 

I am a little late on the recap here - as you can see this is mainly because 1. we are still recovering from an incredible, unforgettable, epic two weeks with Michael's parents in Asia and 2. because, well, Michael was working in Hong Kong all last week and took the laptop with him so I had no way to upload pictures from my camera. Couples fail.

The Duvalls trip to come see us had been in the works for quite some time so we were all beyond thrilled when it finally came around. As amazing as our little life and travels out here are, we do get incredibly homesick from time to time so this trip was just what the doctor ordered! 

Lots of photos (Michael would argue I habitually take way too many) of eating + drinking + fun + love. It was hard to narrow them down, but below I present to you what I believe is a lovely recap of our time spent in Singapore. (separate Bali recap to come!) Love you guys to the moon - and sometimes Singapore feels like the distance of the moon - and back!

Before arriving in Singapore the Duvalls made a quick 3-day stop in Hong Kong to see the sights and get over their jet-lag while Michael and I worked mid-week. By Friday night everyone was reunited, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in Singapore just in time for cocktails and our first dinner together. 

We took them out for our favorite Friday night outing of Korean BBQ. Mmm, Soju...

Cheers! 

After dinner we strolled around the area and stopped for a drink on Club Street. Club Street is a small winding stretch of bars and restaurants where they close the street to traffic and people wander and socialize and have themselves a good time. Often too much of a good time ;) Michael's dad, Greg, commented, we could be in the middle of Westport right now! It's so true. People often comment on how un-Asian Singapore can sometimes feel depending on where you are. 

Friday night was an absolute blast and a great kick-off to the weekend. 

Saturday afternoon we braved the heat and went out for a leisurely bike ride on the East Coast. It's often nice to get out of the city centre (<--- we're becoming so British ;)) and get a little more local Singapore flare. The large boats and ocean liners stretch as far as the eye can see are also a very distinct feature of Singapore - a view that never, ever gets old.  

Next up on our Singapore to do list was to get cleaned up and partake in high tea at the famed Raffles Hotel. 

I am not sure how accurately high tea describes the event -- it is a full blown  buffet. Someone, who shall remain nameless, was once quoted as saying, I don't like buffets, not even at country clubs (to which I fell off the couch laughing). If there ever was a buffet to love, it is this one. I'm talking pristine service, amazing small bites, champagne and a harp player. Class, class, class.

  

When we move home you can expect high tea at our house every Sunday. We've got the crumpet stands on the wedding registry and everything :)

You didn't think we would go all the way to the Raffles Hotel without stopping upstairs at the Long Bar for a Singapore Sling did you?

I love these 2 photos not because they are the best pictures, but because they make me the most happy. One weekday evening we fired up the grill down by the pool and had a wonderful All-American family dinner of steaks, portabello mushrooms, beets and orzo. It felt so good and natural and not at all like we were half way around the world from what we once knew. The saying really is true 

- home is wherever I'm with you - 

<3

Man, do I wish we could teleport our families to Singapore for dinner all the time. 

I see you, Michael :)

On our final full day in Singapore we had drinks at where I believe is the best view in Singapore,  Level 33.

I mean, look at that beautiful couple - post card worthy pic for sure! 

Side note, Michael unfortunately had a crazy week at work that week. Pretty nice way to spend time waiting for him to go to dinner though ;)

There he is! Just in time for the Marina Bay Sands nightly light show.

As homesick as we do sometimes get, sharing this view and this city with the ones you love is pretty darn special.

[Wow, great photo, Cassi. Why thank you!]

For our last supper we headed to an amazing local hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant. We had been here once before with Michael's co-worker and his girlfriend and couldn't wait to take Michael's parents. The entire experience from start to finish is quite unique (read: mall crawling with working ladies) and the fish is amazingly fresh. 

It was the prefect ending to our time in Singapore. 

After dinner we headed home to pack up and get psyched for our trip to Bali! 

So much love.

-C