Goodputty in Singapore

I've been in Singapore for the past few days, doing some photography work for Sookie and her family's antique shop (which shall remain as anonymously as I can remember to keep it).

It's been new and interesting, because I've never been abroad for work (I feel so international now), having everything paid for, and it's also been fun, because I get to stay with Sookie and hang out every day.

The first night I was pretty tired out from the arranging of my Air Asia flight, packing, making sure I'm on time etc. So when I got to her apartment, I just took a shower and then crashed onto her sofa with my laptop. We put a movie, Dr Strangelove, on, but I was a little out of it, and found it difficult to concentrate. Finished the film though, so at least I can say I've seen it :)

Next day was first day at work, and I had a good look round the rather large antique shop. The items are, on the whole, nice and pretty affordable too. I would get some if only, 1. I had money, 2. I could find a way to bring them back, and 3. If I would still be living in my current place for a long time more.

All three parameters are either negative or undecided, so, that settled it... no antique furniture items for me.

Sookie and I set up an empty space in the storage area that we dubbed "The Studio", and managed to make some pretty good photos of the things we chose from around the shop. Took some time for each set, as we kept adding or removing things and seeing how they matched up. This photo shoot business is harder than I thought! Hopefully the end result is satisfying. I haven't seen them all yet, but I'm confident that with post-processing, the selected photos will look like one collection and match up with each other.

We stay and work in Bukit Timah, so basically, I didn't really feel like I was in Singapore. I told Sookie that we have to make a trip to Orchard Road. I'm on my Save Money campaign, but I figured, warm clothes would be an exception as I'm in need of some. So we headed there. I failed in finding any warm clothes though. Wrong season, I guess.

Had my first kimchi noodle there, in Wisma Atria. I'd only ever had Korean BBQ, never had normal Korean dishes. So I tried that, and everyone just said, when it arrived, that it's just instant noodles with kimchi soup. Well, it tasted good anyway, so who cares? Oh, forgot to mention that frachely was at dinner with us too. She met up with us for some shopping and then dinner. Thanks for coming out for dinner!

The next night, I called my old collegemate, Jon Leo for dinner at a Thai place near ours, and he was up for it. Sookie also had to meet an old friend from Beijing (who's American), so we all planned a dinner together. The Thai resto is called Sweet Salty Spicy. What a weird name. But to the point I guess. The Chinese resto next to it was just inexplicable though: Let's Clap... with a big crab in the logo. What the...

Anyway, it was a good dinner, and for drinks, we walked down to Blooie's Roadhouse for some Hoegaarden. The froth was quite bubbly and just not happening. But at least it tasted decent. Price is the same as in KL though.

Oh, one notable experience in Singapore is of this uncle in the antiques shop, who's been working for Sookie's family for years and years. A couple months ago, he sneezed and closed his nose as he usually does. Except this time, I guess the pressure buildup was too much, and he actually went deaf! He still can't hear well till today, and no matter how Sookie shouts, he can't hear her, it's incredible. So he calls her phone and they talk through that. Cuz that works. Strange, huh? It's just such a hilarious scene, both of them talking over the phone while standing opposite each other!

That's it from Singapore then. I'm leaving back to KL with Sookie in an hour or so, and then tomorrow night we have Edmund and Jen's wedding dinner to attend.