Big 4 Staycation - Let's wear a gown!

When I started the whatsapp chat group, one of the first few questions that Lili asked was the dress code, and if we need to wear a gown for the dinner. I was very glad she asked, because I wanted to dress up for dinner. After going through a few ssuggestions from Ginny, I picked a western food restaurant call The Clan. I was a bit disappointed that the website stated that causal dresscode, but we still dressed up. 

I went shopping on both days of the previous weekend. Despite a few options, I just couldn't pick out "the one". Luckily I did not simply buy the best out of the lot, cos I finally found one that I like at BYSI on Monday. It is a black and gold long party/dinner dress, that only cost $35. It has a dressed up yet not over the top look. 

After our evening tea at the lobby at Shangri-la, we went back to our room to change and to doll up.  I drove them in my car to The Clan restaurant for our dinner at 8.

The Clan is a mid range western restaurant that serve 5 course meal. The good that night was great and so was the service. I have only done fine dinning once many many years ago, and I think this can be considered my 2nd time. We were there for about 3 hours; we were the last table to leave at close to 11.

As mentioned before the gals pulled a stunt on me. At the restaurant, they gave me my real birthday present, which is a necklace cum with pendent from SK. When they presented me the gift, I think I reacted quite calmly. They were quite worried that I don't like the design. I was quite speechless than, cos I thought that the stunt was quite silly. Then as for the design, it is a safe one, so I don't dislike it, but there is no "wow" either. Finally when I found my words, I told them that I am really touched by their efforts and that I will definitely wear the necklace.

During breakfast the next day, we chatted about our character, and our job. I think I mentioned to them that I can be quite a control freak who likes to plan just in case things doesn't go the way I want.  I am very very happy that I spend my 40th birthday with my girlfriends.  I am very happy that we did some of my favourite activities on my special day.

Finally, almost 2 months after my birthday, here are my wishes for myself: may my days be filled with happiness, and my thoughts be that of gratitude and grace.

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A few vain-pot selfie which I took back at the hotel room.  Actually I had wanted to take pic of the pendant, but was not successful, so switched to taking selfie, ha!

Big 4 Staycation - Friends, hugs and kisses

I have had quite a few different good/best friends from secondary school till now.

Secondary - Although I have not met up or talked to Weiyu for a few years already, she is still my most special best friend.  This is because she was my best friend when I'm a teen, when I was growing up and the at the most "emo" stage.   We had so much thoughts and feelings, that it was enough that we see each other everyday; we wrote letters (which we mail out) to each other.  I still have all her letters, stored in a big shoe box.

Then we grew apart, not emotionally, but in our daily lives.  She's not the kind that make time for friends, as she devoted all her time to her 4 children.  I fully understand how difficult it is to raise 4 children with a full time job.  For me, I found it easier to keep in contact with friends who reciprocate, i.e. those who make the effort to attend gatherings, as these gatherings could be as infrequent as once a year or even longer.

JC - During school hours, I hang out with Aiwei and a few others.  So I guess we were "best friends" due to circumstances - we needed company, and we liked each other's company.  Nowadays, we still meet up sometimes (the last time was probably 2 years ago), and we mostly talk about our girls (she has 3 daughters).

Then there's also Lili; we were in the JC Choir together.  During practice and performance, we hang out in a group of 6, and she could be considered as our leader.  We were not the closest to each other then, but I guess we were fated to become very good friends later on.  We kept in close contact in U, partly because we grew apart from the rest.  She shared with me her romance with Bernard (from IT faculty, and who is now her hubby of 15 years).  Then we went Europe together after graduation.  During this month-long trip, we took care of each other.  Then we continued to stay close afterward, up till today.

While there isn't so much "chemistry" between us as compared to me and Weiyu and me and Aiwei, Lili and I share a lot of intimate topics.  So I guess she's the one that knows me best.

University - I got to know Hwee Shan during my vacation job.   We both worked at the same audit firm while waiting for A level results, before entering Uni.  After both of us successfully got into Accountancy faculty, I asked her if she wants to be my room mate, and she said yes.

I have very fond memories about our time together when we were roommates in the first year.  Being roommates means that I know her mum and her family, and so does she know my.  Together with Lynn and Wk, we visited her and her family at their new house during Christmas last year.  The comment from her second sister was that I looked the same as I did 20 years, except 20 years older.  I told her that it's the same with them.  Meaning that her mum still look like the woman I first knew 20 years ago, except that she's now very much older.

Working life - To-date, I have a few good friends from the various companies that I had been at, but all of them are hardly "best friend".  So without a doubt, Jocelyn should be the closest to the definition of "best friend" from the work place.   Because she's easy going, so I enjoy her company, be it just a dinner date, or a house gathering, or a staycation (we did one at Sentosa the year before), or an overseas trip (place we had been include Bangkok, a cruise trip, Tioman, Tokyo, and Seoul).    She's the one, of all my friends, that I stay in the closest contact with.





Right from the start when I wanted to do a staycation to celebrate my big 4, I had wanted to do with my best friends, rather than my family.  And the best friends that I'm talking about are Lili and Joc.  I wanted a night out with them, a night that I can chat with them till the wee hours.  I have so much thoughts and feelings to share with the 2 of them, about how I felt about mid life crisis, about going "downhill" from the peak of life and career.  I wanted a night away from family, away from the 2 most important people in my life, whom I had sacrifice so much of my time and energy for.

I ever thought of doing it with the gals from my family, i.e. sis SY, cousin WS and 2 SIL Winny and May, but it would have been impossible to arrange, due to family commitments.  

Anyway, in the end, it was Lili, Joc and Ginny (a good friend) who spent 24, very happy hours, with me on my special day.  We did many things that made me very happy during that 24 hours.  Before check in, I met Lili for lunch, and I poured out all my unhappiness over some prior incident to her.  Then we met up with Joc and Ginny at Shangri-la.  We checked in, spent time in the room, had champagne, swam, dolled up, and went to the lobby cafe for evening tea.  We laughed so much when we were together.

We took a few very interesting photos at the lobby cafe.  The complimentary cake from Shangri-la was delivered at the lobby cafe.  When we sang birthday song and had the cake, we decided to have the birthday girl taking photo with each individual.  I was feeling quite "high", and suggested that we should kiss each other.  So I kissed Lili on her cheek, Joc kissed me on my cheek, and Ginny and I kissed each other on the lips!!!!

*Kisk*

*Smooch*

*Muack!*

Here are a few more photos (some candid ones) from Ginny's phone:

One more post on the dinner, coming soon!

Big 4 staycation - Shangri La Garden Wing

Women always like to "talk" and "discuss". I opened a whatsapp chat group to update Joc, Lili and Ginny about the progress of the staycation. The first thing we discussed was the venue.

My first few choices were Sentosa (W, Rasa, RWS, etc) and Changi village hotel, but they were either fully booked or way too expensive. Joc and Ginny sent me quite a few recommendations, mainly the "economical" ones. My next target was Marriott, and then I looked at Shangri-La.

The first question that came immediately after I sent out the message telling the gals that I booked 2 (adjoining) rooms, was, why 2 rooms and not a suite? It was a question that I anticipated, because I had been fretting over this - to get a suite or 2 rooms - for a long time already. A suite is usually the choice for a girls' night out. Imaging the "thrill" (a scene that we get to see on TV over and over), to be checking into a suite with our luggage, "wowing" at the luxurious feel, dress up together, chattering nonstop about beauty tips, and sleeping late together. But I was skeptical, as we are not 18 year old girls, but are a bunch of 40 year old aunties.. Most suites do not accomodate 4 (extra bed not allowed). And how are we going to decide who's to be the last to use the only bathroom after a swim?

Well, the adjoining rooms strategy worked perfectly, as I imagined. We get to do things together throughout, had so much fun and laughter, without sacrificing comfort. The price of 2 rooms is just marginally higher than a suite.

The second question was, why Shangri-la, as it is not the usual candidate for a staycation. The explanation is that, I had always wanted to stay at a glam hotel along Orchard room (the "Sex and the city" feel), but it is highly unlikely that I will ever do a staycation at Orchard with my family. That's why I considered Marriott first (the first one to come to my mind as it is at the heart of Orchard). Then I discovered that Shangri-la can offered all that I wished for - a glam, pretty, resort like hotel, in Orchard, with the right rooms, at the right price!

Here's some shots of the beautiful hotel:

Views from our balcony:

When I made my reservation online, I did state that it is for my birthday celebration. The hotel actually arranged for a birthday cake.

The gals pulled a stunt on me that day. In the room, they gave me a card, a 2014 notebook, and an ang bao, explaining that I can use the money to buy a gift that I really like. That night, at dinner, they presented me with the real gift.

The envelope that held the notebook, and the notebook:

The gals brought quite a few bottles of liquor (red, champagne, sake). They asked me to pop the champagne, but were all very worried about getting hit!

We also used the pool twice in those 2 days.

Here are 2 photos which we took when we went for breakfast the next morning. We could either eat a-la-cart order at the poolside restaurant, or have buffet at The Line. We went to check out the selection at the pool side restaurant, then changed our mind and went for the buffet.

Ginny took this shot, and said that this is her favorite photo:

(2 more posts on Big 4 staycation coming up)

Sweet tooth's wish came true

I wrote a post last year, about celebrating my 39th birthday in the office with colleagues. In the post I kind of mention that I don't really enjoy such a "mass celebration", as birthday is personal, and it's no big deal.

This year, because I felt so special about turning 40, I told Alice outright that I do not appreciate such an event and asked her not to do it to me (Alice and Tricia are usually the organisers as they are the only ones who remember and bother).

Me, Alice and Caroline arranged to have lunch on the 10th with Eva and Huifen, who left the company as of 31 Dec, and with Tricia who is on maternity leave. To me, it was meant to be a belated farewell lunch treat to the 2 who has left. Turned out that the girls took it as my birthday lunch gathering. Alice "complained" to them that I didn't want to celebrate with the rest in the office. Tricia said that maybe the rest will give me a surprised party even if Alice was banned from organising. I told her that I'm not worried, cos the rest are "没心肝" ones, ha!

I was quite touched as they bought me a strawberry shortcake.  I had wanted one for my birthday for the past 2 years, but it never materialize.  Finally, my wish came true, on my 40th birthday.

Something amusing happened that afternoon back in the office.  It was also Jingjing's birthday on the 12th, so Alice did buy a cake and did the usual birthday celebration in the office, but just for Jingjing.  The rest of the "没心肝" ones (from finance department) were also invited to Jingjing's celebration.  And they actually took a slice of Jingjing's cake and came to my desk and sang me a birthday song.  Ha!  I think I'm getting more and more mean as I age.  I actually thought that what they did was quite wacky.  It proved my point that no one, other than Alice and Tricia, bother, so I'm gleeful that I'm not celebrating my big day with them.

Here's some photos of the great friendship that was built in the past 2 years in Jabil.

from left: Eva, Caroline, Me, Alice, Hui Fen, Tricia

Some candid group shots (by Tricia) which I find cute and spontaneous