Thursday, April 26, 2012
Where to find happiness
Got this off someone's post on facebook....
So for those who keep saying you want this, you want that....just remove the 'you want' and you will get what you actually wanted!
Monday, April 23, 2012
‘Wild Honey’ restaurant slammed for favoring foreigners over Singaporeans
I see Wild Honey had been "very busy" serving empty tables at 9am....wow! Imaginary guests! How cool is that....that's the power of imagination. Maybe I should visit Wild Honey to see how bad the service is.
-------------------------------------
Source: ‘Wild Honey’ restaurant slammed for favoring foreigners over Singaporeans
The ‘Wild Honey’ western restaurant at Mandarin Gallery has been slammed by netizens for allegedly ‘favoring’ foreigners over Singaporeans.
One angry Singaporean Gary Tan posted on its Facebook asking why he was not given a corner table by the staff which subsequently was given to a foreigner who came after him:
“We have an international staff including many Singaporeans and respect all people. We deeply regret your remark.”
When Gary continued to protest against the discrimination, his comments were deleted from its Facebook. According to Gary, he arrived at the restaurant at 9am in the morning and it was not packed at all.
The attitude of Guy Wachs peeved off many netizens who are now calling for a boycott of the restaurant.
Some responses on Hardwarezone forum:
“lets boycott them. they need us to survive. but we dont need them.” – strike
“wa, wanted to try at Wild Honey with my gf wan…after this i think i will not go liao.what kind of service is that…we also pay money wan leh.” – timberland
-------------------------------------
Source: ‘Wild Honey’ restaurant slammed for favoring foreigners over Singaporeans
The ‘Wild Honey’ western restaurant at Mandarin Gallery has been slammed by netizens for allegedly ‘favoring’ foreigners over Singaporeans.
One angry Singaporean Gary Tan posted on its Facebook asking why he was not given a corner table by the staff which subsequently was given to a foreigner who came after him:
[Source: Facebook]
Instead of addressing Gary’s concerns, Wild Honey’s director Guy Wachs rapped him for his complaint:“We have an international staff including many Singaporeans and respect all people. We deeply regret your remark.”
When Gary continued to protest against the discrimination, his comments were deleted from its Facebook. According to Gary, he arrived at the restaurant at 9am in the morning and it was not packed at all.
The attitude of Guy Wachs peeved off many netizens who are now calling for a boycott of the restaurant.
Some responses on Hardwarezone forum:
“lets boycott them. they need us to survive. but we dont need them.” – strike
“wa, wanted to try at Wild Honey with my gf wan…after this i think i will not go liao.what kind of service is that…we also pay money wan leh.” – timberland
10 reasons to travel independently
Many people wonder why I love to travel alone....this timely article should give you an insight...
1. Independent travel is cheap
Travelfish regulars will be familiar with the Thailand on 250B a day thread over on the messageboard -- it's the tale of a guy who spent 22,500B travelling in Thailand for three months. With independent travel, you can keep your costs down without needing to nick water out of bank water machines. One of the big hidden costs of longer-term travel is the cost of getting around, but by travelling slow you keep this down. Your bottomline won't be blown out by tour group hotels, instead you'll be able to take advantage of the cheap flophouses across the region. There are also lots of ways to save money while you travel -- here are 10 examples.
2. Independent travel is flexible
A few too many Mekong buckets last night? Want to stay in bed? Stay in bed. Really enjoying your time lazing around on Ko Sukorn? Stay another week -- or another month... One of the great things about independent travel is that you're the boss. You make up the rules, you decide where and when you're going and so on. When you meet other travellers and you want to join them for a while -- you can -- and you can just as easily split again as your plans diverge.
3. Independent travel is a great way to meet other travellers
Southeast Asia is FULL of independent travellers and if you're travelling in the region you'll have a great deal of trouble avoiding them! Traveller hubs like Khao San Road, Vang Vieng, Pai, Ko Pha Ngan, Hoi An and Sihanoukville draw them in like flies to sticky rice and as long as you've got some modicum of social skills, you're likely to meet up with others. It can be a great experience hanging out with your peers from around the globe, and without wanting to sound like a great advocate of the Global Love In, it can break down a lot of prejudices and opinions you may have held before you met someone from ABC -- hell they might even be fun to travel with.
4. Independent travel is a great way to meet the locals
There is more to travel than getting drunk around a beach bonfire with a bunch of foreigners -- you'll find locals to be just as eager to socialise. When travelling on an organised jaunt, you're most likely going to be mainly dealing with the locals on a transactional basis -- be it in a cafe, at a hotel or on a minibus, you're going to be paying them money for stuff. As an independent traveller you'll also have this, but because of your flexible timeframe you'll have more opportunity to get to know locals and hang out with them to some degree. This can be fun -- yes you may even need to go to karaoke -- but it can also be an interesting learning experience in seeing what goes on in a local's life outside of the guesthouse foyer.
5. Independent travel is a great way to learn some lingo
Chatting away to a local in English is one thing, chatting away to them in their native language is a whole new adventure. The great thing about independent travel in a foreign country is that, if you wish, you can totally immerse yourself in the local language -- and with foreign language, the more you need to speak it, the more you will, and the more you speak it the quicker you'll learn.
6. Independent travel can be a learning experience
Assuming your travels involve something more than laying on the beach and snogging other travellers, in a fairly short time you'll learn a lot about the country you're travelling in. For travellers new to a country, it can be a shattering experience to find that wow, Thailand isn't all just beaches, elephants and exotic locals -- it's a developing nation facing a diverse range of political and social challenges. As you travel through, talking to locals and reading the newspapers, you'll slowly gather a better understanding of why things are how they are (you'll never gain a complete understanding -- even Thais are happy to admit they don't understand their own country ;-) .)
7. Independent travel can be challenging
Independent travel can be hard. It can be really physically demanding -- whoever said a vodka Redbull bucket a night for a month was going to be easy? Seriously, you'll have long nights on crappy buses driven by loons and in flophouse lodgings not fit for lab-bunnies. You'll walk under withering sun and through flooded back sois. You'll enjoy a thousand new taste sensations and be assured your stomach will not enjoy all of them. You'll meet people you don't like and you'll get so sick of wearing the same clothes you'll consider burning them. But you know what -- all this doesn't matter. Independent travel is worth it, because...
8. Independent travel can bolster, well, your independence
All the crappy bus rides, the deviants in guesthouses, the sulfuric sun and the bubbling bubonic curries are character building. Believe me when I say you'll encounter situations you would N E V E R encounter in your home country, and you'll need to figure out how to sort it out. Yes, you'll make some bad calls, but you'll also make some great ones and, as everyone's Mum says, you learn from your mistakes. Travel can break down barriers, it can help you better understand the world, and it can help you develop empathy for the people you have to share it with -- now that's gotta be a good thing right?
9. Independent travel can be fun to plan
Picked an adventure tour to Southeast Asia? Your planning is done. Independent travel on the other hand can be a bag of laughs to plan -- especially if you're underemployed at an office with a good high-speed internet connection and a screen nobody can see. Go surf the web, check out Travelfish (oh, you found us already), buy some guidebooks or better still go get some good travelling books. Watch some movies set in the region or sample some pho at your local Vietnamese joint.
10. Independent travel doesn't need to be planned at all
As I said earlier, you're the boss and independent travel doesn't need to be planned at all. Get yourself a plane ticket and some insurance and get yourself to Asia. Throw yourself into the swirling mix and you'll come out a better person down the road -- you may like it so much you'll end up living here.
Source: 10 reasons to travel independently
1. Independent travel is cheap
Travelfish regulars will be familiar with the Thailand on 250B a day thread over on the messageboard -- it's the tale of a guy who spent 22,500B travelling in Thailand for three months. With independent travel, you can keep your costs down without needing to nick water out of bank water machines. One of the big hidden costs of longer-term travel is the cost of getting around, but by travelling slow you keep this down. Your bottomline won't be blown out by tour group hotels, instead you'll be able to take advantage of the cheap flophouses across the region. There are also lots of ways to save money while you travel -- here are 10 examples.
2. Independent travel is flexible
A few too many Mekong buckets last night? Want to stay in bed? Stay in bed. Really enjoying your time lazing around on Ko Sukorn? Stay another week -- or another month... One of the great things about independent travel is that you're the boss. You make up the rules, you decide where and when you're going and so on. When you meet other travellers and you want to join them for a while -- you can -- and you can just as easily split again as your plans diverge.
3. Independent travel is a great way to meet other travellers
Southeast Asia is FULL of independent travellers and if you're travelling in the region you'll have a great deal of trouble avoiding them! Traveller hubs like Khao San Road, Vang Vieng, Pai, Ko Pha Ngan, Hoi An and Sihanoukville draw them in like flies to sticky rice and as long as you've got some modicum of social skills, you're likely to meet up with others. It can be a great experience hanging out with your peers from around the globe, and without wanting to sound like a great advocate of the Global Love In, it can break down a lot of prejudices and opinions you may have held before you met someone from ABC -- hell they might even be fun to travel with.
4. Independent travel is a great way to meet the locals
There is more to travel than getting drunk around a beach bonfire with a bunch of foreigners -- you'll find locals to be just as eager to socialise. When travelling on an organised jaunt, you're most likely going to be mainly dealing with the locals on a transactional basis -- be it in a cafe, at a hotel or on a minibus, you're going to be paying them money for stuff. As an independent traveller you'll also have this, but because of your flexible timeframe you'll have more opportunity to get to know locals and hang out with them to some degree. This can be fun -- yes you may even need to go to karaoke -- but it can also be an interesting learning experience in seeing what goes on in a local's life outside of the guesthouse foyer.
5. Independent travel is a great way to learn some lingo
Chatting away to a local in English is one thing, chatting away to them in their native language is a whole new adventure. The great thing about independent travel in a foreign country is that, if you wish, you can totally immerse yourself in the local language -- and with foreign language, the more you need to speak it, the more you will, and the more you speak it the quicker you'll learn.
6. Independent travel can be a learning experience
Assuming your travels involve something more than laying on the beach and snogging other travellers, in a fairly short time you'll learn a lot about the country you're travelling in. For travellers new to a country, it can be a shattering experience to find that wow, Thailand isn't all just beaches, elephants and exotic locals -- it's a developing nation facing a diverse range of political and social challenges. As you travel through, talking to locals and reading the newspapers, you'll slowly gather a better understanding of why things are how they are (you'll never gain a complete understanding -- even Thais are happy to admit they don't understand their own country ;-) .)
7. Independent travel can be challenging
Independent travel can be hard. It can be really physically demanding -- whoever said a vodka Redbull bucket a night for a month was going to be easy? Seriously, you'll have long nights on crappy buses driven by loons and in flophouse lodgings not fit for lab-bunnies. You'll walk under withering sun and through flooded back sois. You'll enjoy a thousand new taste sensations and be assured your stomach will not enjoy all of them. You'll meet people you don't like and you'll get so sick of wearing the same clothes you'll consider burning them. But you know what -- all this doesn't matter. Independent travel is worth it, because...
8. Independent travel can bolster, well, your independence
All the crappy bus rides, the deviants in guesthouses, the sulfuric sun and the bubbling bubonic curries are character building. Believe me when I say you'll encounter situations you would N E V E R encounter in your home country, and you'll need to figure out how to sort it out. Yes, you'll make some bad calls, but you'll also make some great ones and, as everyone's Mum says, you learn from your mistakes. Travel can break down barriers, it can help you better understand the world, and it can help you develop empathy for the people you have to share it with -- now that's gotta be a good thing right?
9. Independent travel can be fun to plan
Picked an adventure tour to Southeast Asia? Your planning is done. Independent travel on the other hand can be a bag of laughs to plan -- especially if you're underemployed at an office with a good high-speed internet connection and a screen nobody can see. Go surf the web, check out Travelfish (oh, you found us already), buy some guidebooks or better still go get some good travelling books. Watch some movies set in the region or sample some pho at your local Vietnamese joint.
10. Independent travel doesn't need to be planned at all
As I said earlier, you're the boss and independent travel doesn't need to be planned at all. Get yourself a plane ticket and some insurance and get yourself to Asia. Throw yourself into the swirling mix and you'll come out a better person down the road -- you may like it so much you'll end up living here.
Source: 10 reasons to travel independently
Thursday, April 19, 2012
No JB trip this weekend
Chris sent me a message yesterday asking me if I'm free this Sat at 11am. Told her I got my weekly JB pump petrol cum Giant trip. I knew what she wanted but I chose to keep quiet. When he told me that the trip is cancelled, I thought the first person who should know this would be Chris but I was sleepy....so only manage to text her today. She was thrilled. She needed someone to help her with some work. And so, come Saturday morning...I'll be stuck in office with her! hahahaha. That would also mean, cannot sleep late on Friday night..darn!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Interesting Air Asia inflight announcement
If you are like me who pay no attention to inflight announcements especially the part about safety, this will most probably make you sit up and listen.
My favorite parts:
1) ...whenever the seatbelt sign is on, you must return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt. If you cannot find your seatbelt, maybe you are sitting on your seatbelt.
2) Should an oxygen mask like this drop from the compartment above you, don't panic. Immediately pull the mask firmly towards you. Place the mask over your nose and mouth with the headband tightly around your head and breathe normally (*breath* *breath* *breath*). Place your own mask first before assisting others under your care especially children or any adult who may act like a child.
3) During evacuation, leave your ipad, leave your iphone, leave your blackberry....
4) As this is a non-smoking flight, please do not smoke throughout the flight. Smoking in the toilet will activate the smoke alarm. If you wish to smoke, please go outside the aircraft
My favorite parts:
1) ...whenever the seatbelt sign is on, you must return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt. If you cannot find your seatbelt, maybe you are sitting on your seatbelt.
2) Should an oxygen mask like this drop from the compartment above you, don't panic. Immediately pull the mask firmly towards you. Place the mask over your nose and mouth with the headband tightly around your head and breathe normally (*breath* *breath* *breath*). Place your own mask first before assisting others under your care especially children or any adult who may act like a child.
3) During evacuation, leave your ipad, leave your iphone, leave your blackberry....
4) As this is a non-smoking flight, please do not smoke throughout the flight. Smoking in the toilet will activate the smoke alarm. If you wish to smoke, please go outside the aircraft
Friday, April 13, 2012
Surprise!!!
Just because he always teased me whenever there is an opportunity, I decided to have some fun...in my own way (ok, I was bored). Decided to send him an iphone stylus so that he can draw better pictures while playing "Draw Something" with me. I even attach the following email to the parcel.
And so...that little stylus was wrapped up in layers into the size of 3 magazines stacked up. To add more fun to the excitement, I sent it via registered post to his office while not leaving a return address. While I did but not the proper one, I left my Singpost number :)
Got a good lecture from him when he got the gift. He said that the parcel was sent to his boss' office and they opened it together thinking it was a bomb :p But when it came to the layer where I used my ex-company's letterhead to wrap, he immediately knew the prank came from me. He said that it was more tedious to open the parcel than to wrap. Of course! Imagine how much sticky tape I had used!
So...the next time he tries to matchmake me with anyone else again....the prank will not be just a stylus :) But because he is my photography mentor and also the one who taught me the art of drinking wine (I still can't taste the difference between all those wine), I will still give some face.
So...the next time he tries to matchmake me with anyone else again....the prank will not be just a stylus :) But because he is my photography mentor and also the one who taught me the art of drinking wine (I still can't taste the difference between all those wine), I will still give some face.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)