If you happen to peruse today’s newspapers, you might have seen the almost-full-page article about Tan Wei Jie – one of Singapore’s youngest stamp collectors – environed by black-and-white Great Singapore Sale advertisements. Here is a warm welcome to readers of The Straits Times!

Okay, Wei Jie is now known as Postage’s poster boy.

Right here at The Restaurant, you can feast on a smorgasbord of food (for thought) – al fresco, free seating, 24 hours, no reservations required, no service charge – where everything is presented to you in a buffet style. Freshly prepared in our Kitchen, the international buffet spread is classified into several categories for your enjoyment. In addition, food feed delivery is available too!

Feel free to sit anywhere while you browse through my collection of stamps, banknotes and coins from all over the world, accumulated over the years. Of course, it is impossible to display everything given the limited space. Recently, postcards sent to us at VBox 887977, Singapore have been included.

To deal with the expected influx of customers, two new features are introduced to improve the customer satisfaction level at The Restaurant.

Firstly, if you are rushing for your next appointment, or feeling hungry while watching the World Cup 2010 South Africa in the middle of the night, simply click on I’m Hungry! located almost everywhere. You will be served a random dish in a second or so, depending on the speed of the food server.

Next, while Express Buffet (eat-as-fast-as-you-can-within-x-minutes) services may be ubiquitous in Singapore these days, very few offer suggestions while you begin to search for your favourite dish. At The Restaurant, a fine selection will be offered while you enter your keywords, simultaneously.

For those who have not picked a copy of The Straits Times, why not grab one to read before you go shopping? The article is found on Page E10. For subscribers of The Straits Times e-Paper, do visit http://www.straitstimes.com/Life%2521/LifeNews/Story/STIStory_538978.html.

Of course, thank you for visiting The Restaurant! Not forgetting to express my gratitude to journalist Lin Wenjian and photographer Lau Fook Kong for the hard work in crafting this article.

We would like to thank all our readers for their support. While we try our best to ensure that we reply to every postcard received within three working days, we appreciate your understanding for any possible delay.

Over the past two weeks, postcards and letters from all over the world continue to flood the mailbox at The Restaurant, again and again. Having received complaints from annoyed senders who have had their mail bounced back again and again due to a full mailbox, the following measures will be introduced with effect from today.

In order for us to quickly distinguish between your important mail and very important mail, the postage stamp should be affixed to the top left corner of the envelope or postcard. Not to worry, we have already confirmed that stamps do not always have to be pasted on the top right corner. All other mail received without this positioning of postage stamp will be read within a period of three weeks.

If your mail requires our immediate attention, please send an email to urgent (at) tanwj.com. You will receive a three-digit code, which should be written on the back of the envelope or on the bottom of the postcard. All other mail received without the code will be read within a period of three months.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologise for any inconveniences caused. We hope to lift these interim measures as soon as we find a mailbox with a larger capacity.

Here is my wall calendar for 2010. Orange,  black and grey were the colours used for this year’s calendar design. The orange numeral ’2010′ which cuts through numbers indicate Sundays. Public holidays are also indicated on the calendar.

Three… two… one… Happy New Year!

The year 2009 had ended with a blue moon (second full moon of the month), for people in many countries. Since there was no blue moon in Asia and Australia on New Year’s Eve, look forward to the blue moon at the end of the month!

Have a great year ahead!

As you are looking forward to the holiday season, The Restaurant would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued patronage.

Thank you for sending in all the wonderful Season’s Greetings cards. Of course, if you have more, feel free to send them to vBox 887977, Singapore. Remember to write down your address so that I can send a card in return.

May your holiday season and the New Year be filled with joy and success.

Don’t forget to send your wish list to Santa!