WARDROBE SIMPLICITY
What's the weather going to be today? Oh I don't know, 33 degrees with a probable short rain shower in the afternoon, dipping down to a cool 27 overnight. So the outfit goes like this: Sundress, umbrella, flip flops and maybe a scarf for sun and aircon protection.
TAI TAI STREET CREDIT
When people think you're a Tai tai in Singapore it's not always a bad thing. You get treated really well. Cabs will pull over on the main busy roads, people smile and say hello. If they only knew that I'm really an art student and I'm not actually shopping for gem stones.
Saturday 24 March 2012
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Pet peeves about Singapore Part One: Service
SORRY CANNOT
You want salad dressing on the side? "No we cannot. It comes with salad dressing." If you push them, they will call a manager to your table to discuss if they are allowed to put your dressing on the side. You might need the owner to be called and they might also need to consult with the cook. I've had to order a separate glass of champagne and an orange juice in a fine dining restaurant because they did not have a button on the computer to put a mimosa on the bill. I had to order a soy milk and a black coffee in two separate glasses to make my own (very messy) iced soy latte at the table because they were not authorized to pour the soy milk into my coffee. These basic creative problem solving skills are absent from your guy at the till often right up to higher levels of management. It doesn't matter how obvious the solution is, unless they have written permission on a piece of paper in front of them, they cannot.
You want salad dressing on the side? "No we cannot. It comes with salad dressing." If you push them, they will call a manager to your table to discuss if they are allowed to put your dressing on the side. You might need the owner to be called and they might also need to consult with the cook. I've had to order a separate glass of champagne and an orange juice in a fine dining restaurant because they did not have a button on the computer to put a mimosa on the bill. I had to order a soy milk and a black coffee in two separate glasses to make my own (very messy) iced soy latte at the table because they were not authorized to pour the soy milk into my coffee. These basic creative problem solving skills are absent from your guy at the till often right up to higher levels of management. It doesn't matter how obvious the solution is, unless they have written permission on a piece of paper in front of them, they cannot.
Thursday 8 March 2012
Ordering your Kopi
In our house these days, if you call out for Kopi-O you'll get this:
Because that's our new kitten's name. But what does it usually mean in Singapore? It means black coffee with sugar. There are is a complex language of ordering drinks in Singapore which is best explained in this little gem of local culture:
Because that's our new kitten's name. But what does it usually mean in Singapore? It means black coffee with sugar. There are is a complex language of ordering drinks in Singapore which is best explained in this little gem of local culture:
Saturday 3 March 2012
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