Singapore to debut the world’s first Pusheen cafe

Step aside, Hello Kitty!

Pusheen, the chubby gray tabby commonly seen as a plushie or emoji, is about to become a real-life experience.

A Pusheen pop-up cafe is set to open in Singapore in January 2019.

Claire Belton, the American illustrator who created Pusheen for a 2010 online comic strip, is behind the project. The character is inspired by her own cat, also named Pusheen.

Belton is in charge of designing the cafe’s interior, while food influencer Little Miss Bento is collaborating on the Pusheen-inspired menu, which offers main dishes like a gray rice Pusheen nestled on a bed of vegetables, alongside treats like Pusheen-branded macarons, cupcakes, cookies, and cakes, plus drinks including lattes and hot cocoa featuring Pusheen’s face, as well as pink drinks topped with foamy clouds.

What can you expect? Soft pastels, lots of balloons, hashtags everywhere, and Instagram-worthy treats. For instance, a Pusheen-shaped ball that reveals sweets inside when 'melted' with a pour of steamed milk – way more exciting than finding a toy at the bottom of your cereal box.

Along with delicious sweets and hidden surprises, the pop-up will feature a store offering exclusive Pusheen merchandise. While there's no set closing date, the team expects the pop-up to wrap up 'sometime in March.'

One thing you won’t find here? Cats.

But if you can’t make it to Singapore, don’t despair.

Belton’s Pusheen brand has grown to include a book, “I Am Pusheen The Cat,” which shares fun facts about the beloved cat (including her birthday on February 18, making her an Aquarius), as well as coloring books, clothing, home goods, stickers, blankets, and much more.

If you find yourself in Singapore this spring, there’s a lot more happening around the city. Changi Airport, ranked among the world’s best, is currently hosting an interactive Harry Potter exhibit to coincide with the release of the latest film, 'The Crimes of Grindelwald,' starring Eddie Redmayne and Johnny Depp.

The exhibit features life-sized replicas of iconic sets from the series, such as Diagon Alley, the Whomping Willow, and Honeyduke’s Sweet Shop.

In addition, Singapore is marking its 200th anniversary as a modern state in 2019, with celebrations taking place across the nation.

The famous Raffles Hotel, where the Singapore Sling cocktail was first crafted, is set to reopen after renovations, and landmarks like the National Gallery of Singapore and Gardens by the Bay will host exhibitions focused on the country’s rich history.