1. We launched a podcast!<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\")
Photography: Benita Lee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe\u2019re starting the list on a high note. This year saw many exciting moments for us including the launch of our new Honeycombers podcast<\/a>! Honey bees Sufyan and Ashe spill the tea on all things Singapore \u2013 from the hottest happenings to hidden gems. Join us for quick bites of info on the go, and let’s navigate the little red dot together.<\/p>\n2. Barbie mania hit us hard<\/h3>\nPhotography: Imdb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDid you dance the night away while channelling Barbiecore<\/a> and crushing hard on Ken? You weren\u2019t alone. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie<\/a> wasn’t your typical ‘plastic fantastic’ tale \u2013 it delved into the real stuff, tackling expectations on women, challenging the patriarchy, and celebrating the rollercoaster that is the female experience.<\/p>\n3. Presidential Elections<\/h3>\nPhotography: Venus Major via Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Presidential Elections were held in Singapore on 1 September 2023, contested by three candidates: Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ng Kok Song, and Tan Kin Lian. But it didn\u2019t go down without some interesting moments. In the end, the pineapple prevailed as Shanmugan won by a landslide at 70.41% of the votes.<\/p>\n
4. Scandals in politics<\/h3>\n
Mmm-mmm, what do we have here? Nothing like a little drama in politics to interest the apathetic. Remember Cheng Li Hui, the ex-MP from Tampines and Tan Chuan-Jin, the former Speaker of Parliament, who made waves in July? They hit the news when they both resigned because of an \u2018inappropriate relationship\u2019.<\/p>\n
Two high-up members of the Workers’ Party (WP) also called it quits. Leon Perera, a member of parliament, and Nicole Seah, the president of the youth wing, owned up to being more than just colleagues after a video went viral, catching them holding hands.<\/p>\n
5. The devastating Israel-Hamas war<\/h3>\nPhotography: Rami Gzon via Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups took a turn for the worse on 7 October, with clashes in and around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the Israel-Lebanon border. It marks the fifth war of the Gaza-Israel conflict. The current situation has resulted in a significant civilian death toll, internal displacements, and accusations of war crimes on both sides. The conflict is ongoing, with global protests calling for a ceasefire and the United States supporting Israel.<\/p>\n
6. We said hello to new attractions<\/h3>\nPhotography: Bird Paradise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe continue to debunk the notion that Singapore is boring with our top new attractions and openings<\/a>. Highlights include Bird Paradise, Coach Play Singapore Shophouse, Tiny Away Escape at Lazarus Island, Tipsy Unicorn and Roller Mania 3.0, just to name a few.<\/p>\n7. It\u2019s concerts galore<\/h3>\nPhotography: Anna Lee Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nRIP to our bank accounts \u2018cos we were spoilt with countless international acts gracing our city this year. From concerts<\/a> to theatre shows and musicals<\/a> to stand-up acts, there were plenty! We can only imagine what\u2019s to come next year.<\/p>\n8. The turmoil of securing Taylor Swift concert tickets was real<\/h3>\nTaylor Swift on top of Marina Bay Sands. What more can you ask for?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOnly Swifties will remember the emotional turmoil they experienced as they tried to get their hands on the Eras Tour tickets, happening in March next year. From camping out at SingPost to applying for credit cards to get first dibs on tickets, it was a sight to behold. As we countdown the days, here\u2019s where we think Taylor Swift should visit<\/a> during her stopover in Singapore.<\/p>\n9. We celebrated 100 years of Disney<\/h3>\nPhotography: Walt Disney Animation Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDisney fans were treated to countless events in celebration of the brand\u2019s 100th anniversary. We started the year with Disney-themed activities at Jewel Changi Airport and Frozen, the hit Broadway musical, followed by cool pop-ups and immersive experiences.<\/p>\n
10. The bed bug infestation put a stinger on our travel plans<\/h3>\n
Following reports of these critters causing chaos across Europe, they soon set their sights on South Korea (which is very close to Singapore, yikes!). Though they\u2019ve gone all out with pest control and inspections in public spots, we have to stay prepared in case the infestation hits our city. Stay safe with these pest control services<\/a>.<\/p>\n11. We welcomed new (and refurbished) hotels in Singapore<\/h3>\nPhotography: Mondrian Singapore Duxton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHas anyone else noticed a surge in hotel openings this year? We\u2019ve got newcomers like Pullman Singapore Hill Street, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Como Metropolitan Singapore, The Singapore Edition, Pan Pacific Orchard and Artyzen Singapore arriving in Singapore. Mandarin Oriental also reopened after a six-month renovation, Marina Bay Sands newly configured some of its rooms and suites, and The Robertson House got a rebrand. Hey, we aren\u2019t complaining about it \u2013 more staycay options<\/a> for us!<\/p>\n12. TOW with Matthew Perry\u2019s farewell<\/h3>\nPhotography: Matthew Perry via Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFans of Friends were devastated to hear about the untimely passing of Matthew Perry. He was found unresponsive in his home\u2019s hot tub and passed away on 28 October. You\u2019ll know by now that he was fondly known as the sarcastic and hilarious Chandler Bing on the hit American TV sitcom Friends. Revisit the good, the bad, and the inspirational lessons we learnt following his death<\/a>.<\/p>\n13. Shanti Pereira solidified her spot among Singapore’s greatest athletes<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/the-honeycombers-podcast-1-900x643.png\")
We\u2019re starting the list on a high note. This year saw many exciting moments for us including the launch of our new Honeycombers podcast<\/a>! Honey bees Sufyan and Ashe spill the tea on all things Singapore \u2013 from the hottest happenings to hidden gems. Join us for quick bites of info on the go, and let’s navigate the little red dot together.<\/p>\n Did you dance the night away while channelling Barbiecore<\/a> and crushing hard on Ken? You weren\u2019t alone. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie<\/a> wasn’t your typical ‘plastic fantastic’ tale \u2013 it delved into the real stuff, tackling expectations on women, challenging the patriarchy, and celebrating the rollercoaster that is the female experience.<\/p>\n The Presidential Elections were held in Singapore on 1 September 2023, contested by three candidates: Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ng Kok Song, and Tan Kin Lian. But it didn\u2019t go down without some interesting moments. In the end, the pineapple prevailed as Shanmugan won by a landslide at 70.41% of the votes.<\/p>\n Mmm-mmm, what do we have here? Nothing like a little drama in politics to interest the apathetic. Remember Cheng Li Hui, the ex-MP from Tampines and Tan Chuan-Jin, the former Speaker of Parliament, who made waves in July? They hit the news when they both resigned because of an \u2018inappropriate relationship\u2019.<\/p>\n Two high-up members of the Workers’ Party (WP) also called it quits. Leon Perera, a member of parliament, and Nicole Seah, the president of the youth wing, owned up to being more than just colleagues after a video went viral, catching them holding hands.<\/p>\n The armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups took a turn for the worse on 7 October, with clashes in and around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the Israel-Lebanon border. It marks the fifth war of the Gaza-Israel conflict. The current situation has resulted in a significant civilian death toll, internal displacements, and accusations of war crimes on both sides. The conflict is ongoing, with global protests calling for a ceasefire and the United States supporting Israel.<\/p>\n We continue to debunk the notion that Singapore is boring with our top new attractions and openings<\/a>. Highlights include Bird Paradise, Coach Play Singapore Shophouse, Tiny Away Escape at Lazarus Island, Tipsy Unicorn and Roller Mania 3.0, just to name a few.<\/p>\n RIP to our bank accounts \u2018cos we were spoilt with countless international acts gracing our city this year. From concerts<\/a> to theatre shows and musicals<\/a> to stand-up acts, there were plenty! We can only imagine what\u2019s to come next year.<\/p>\n Only Swifties will remember the emotional turmoil they experienced as they tried to get their hands on the Eras Tour tickets, happening in March next year. From camping out at SingPost to applying for credit cards to get first dibs on tickets, it was a sight to behold. As we countdown the days, here\u2019s where we think Taylor Swift should visit<\/a> during her stopover in Singapore.<\/p>\n Disney fans were treated to countless events in celebration of the brand\u2019s 100th anniversary. We started the year with Disney-themed activities at Jewel Changi Airport and Frozen, the hit Broadway musical, followed by cool pop-ups and immersive experiences.<\/p>\n Following reports of these critters causing chaos across Europe, they soon set their sights on South Korea (which is very close to Singapore, yikes!). Though they\u2019ve gone all out with pest control and inspections in public spots, we have to stay prepared in case the infestation hits our city. Stay safe with these pest control services<\/a>.<\/p>\n Has anyone else noticed a surge in hotel openings this year? We\u2019ve got newcomers like Pullman Singapore Hill Street, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Como Metropolitan Singapore, The Singapore Edition, Pan Pacific Orchard and Artyzen Singapore arriving in Singapore. Mandarin Oriental also reopened after a six-month renovation, Marina Bay Sands newly configured some of its rooms and suites, and The Robertson House got a rebrand. Hey, we aren\u2019t complaining about it \u2013 more staycay options<\/a> for us!<\/p>\n Fans of Friends were devastated to hear about the untimely passing of Matthew Perry. He was found unresponsive in his home\u2019s hot tub and passed away on 28 October. You\u2019ll know by now that he was fondly known as the sarcastic and hilarious Chandler Bing on the hit American TV sitcom Friends. Revisit the good, the bad, and the inspirational lessons we learnt following his death<\/a>.<\/p>\n2. Barbie mania hit us hard<\/h3>\n
![\"Barbie](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/07\/Barbie-movie-dance-900x643.jpg\")
3. Presidential Elections<\/h3>\n
![\"singapore-parliament-2023-year-in-review\"](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/singapore-parliament-2023-year-in-review-900x643.png\")
4. Scandals in politics<\/h3>\n
5. The devastating Israel-Hamas war<\/h3>\n
![\"Israel-Hamas](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Israel-Hamas-war-2023-year-in-review-900x643.png\")
6. We said hello to new attractions<\/h3>\n
![\"new](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/new-attractions-singapore-bird-paradise-bird-park-900x643.jpg\")
7. It\u2019s concerts galore<\/h3>\n
![\"Coldplay:](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/06\/coldplay-music-of-the-spheres-world-tour-live-nation-900x643.jpg\")
8. The turmoil of securing Taylor Swift concert tickets was real<\/h3>\n
![\"Taylor](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/11\/the-sweet-scoop-taylor-swift-900x643.png\")
9. We celebrated 100 years of Disney<\/h3>\n
![\"whats](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/whats-happening-in-singapore-disney-immersive-animation-2023-900x643.png\")
10. The bed bug infestation put a stinger on our travel plans<\/h3>\n
11. We welcomed new (and refurbished) hotels in Singapore<\/h3>\n
![\"mondrian-singapore-duxton\"](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/modrian-singapore-duxton-900x643.png\")
12. TOW with Matthew Perry\u2019s farewell<\/h3>\n
![\"matthew](\"https:\/\/static.thehoneycombers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/11\/matthew-perry-death-1-900x643.png\")
13. Shanti Pereira solidified her spot among Singapore’s greatest athletes<\/h3>\n