Singapore: Essential Eames. Essential Viewing.

My first day in Singapore, I didn't really have anything planned. Truthfully, with most of my trips, there is rarely going to be a hard itinerary. I didn't even research what there was to do in Singapore till about three days before I left.

(I'm a free spirit!!!)

Don't get me wrong... I had researched how to be safe in the city. The currency, of course. And how to best get from the airport to my hotel, as well as how to get around town. Oh! And where the closest Bikram studio was. But I like to to let my eye wander and guide me while I walk around the city. 

Where are people bustling to around me? Where is the energy flowing? Which coffee shop seems to be the best? Starbucks or Coffee Bean?

I'd found myself pulled downtown, near the Marina area. The air conditioning in the luxury mall I was in was freezing me - which is what happens when you walk outside in the humidity, sweating, and then come inside where they have the AC cranked. So I decided to go outside to thaw out.

I wandered past a "lotus" looking building by the water.

It was a museum with a dinosaur exhibit as the main feature.

Having seen more than my fair share of dinosaur exhibits in a lifetime, I decided I would most definitely not be going into the building.

But then I saw a banner hanging from the building advertising something wonderful. And amazing. And critical to see...

An exhibit of the work of Ray and Charles Eames!!!

I am a huge fan of their work! But I was really only familiar with their furniture designs. I knew very little about the couple overall.

"Oh this is so on!" I said. Out loud.

I marched up to the queue, past the giggling and screaming children in strollers there to see the dinosaurs.

"Just the Eames exhibit, please," I said to the man at the desk. I wanted nothing else but that.

For $15 SG (which is about $12 USD), I got to spend an hour walking and - in some cases - touching the exhibit. My love for the couple just grew.

Really. How can you not love their design philosophy? This extends beyond the physical of design though. For me, I think about writing... Or SEO-ing (which is what I do for a living) and web design... Anything creative, really. This is how you should be living and breathing when you create.

The "house of cards" exhibit. Incredibly fun columns!

An Eames print. Designed by Ray Eames. I love it. I find it very rhythmic.

And of course the wire chairs! I was first introduced to Eames with these, many years ago while working at the Evil Empire.

And of course, there's my "reach piece" in terms of furniture...

The lounger and ottoman. SWOON! I have not been able to convince myself to actually shell out the the thousands and thousands of dollars for it. But maybe some day. I'd get it with black leather though. Because Sweet Baby Jesus on Christmas Morning knows I would totally ruin the cream version.

Stacked chairs, in multiple colors. Ergonomic and pleasing to the eye!

And here are cut-outs of their most popular pieces, descending from the ceiling.

And a timeline of their creations! I'd love this as wall paper in my office! 

I was in heaven. I stayed about an hour and a half in the exhibit. And it wasn't even that big of an exhibit!

Perfect end to my first day in Singapore. Perfect.