June 27th, 2009 . 01:37pm
The Singapore River Festival
last week i spent some time in Singapore at the invitation of the Nuffnang Singapore team. i’ve missed Singapore quite a bit, so i jumped at the chance to go.
it was really good being back there. not much has changed, but a couple of new malls have sprouted up, most noticeably the gargantuan and futuristic-looking Ion on Orchard Road. it’s almost completed. just a year ago i walked past the construction site practically every weekend cos Martian’s apartment was really close by the Ion. Ming and Huiwen picked me up from the airport, and on the way to the hotel, we drove by the apartment – a huge red sofa sits in the middle of the living room now. not nice :(
they put me up in the Park Hotel, which is a new hotel near Clarke Quay.

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i spent my first day in Singapore just catching up on sleep. couldn’t help it – the bed at Park Hotel was so deliciously comfortable, crisp white sheets and all. also was too lazy to go out for dinner at some point, so i ordered in KFC delivery. haha! it is my dream to one day be able to afford a lifestyle of staying in all day to eat KFC on a big fluffy bed.
Kenny arrived at Singapore the next day, upon which we took this photograph of him in my bathroom, which is separated from the bedroom with only a huge glass window:

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what to do. taking stupid pictures is all one can do when staying in a kinky-esque bedroom alone :(
a more normal picture of us:

#5 so cute! he looks like a little boy with really long eyelashes
on Friday night, kenny and i were brought to the launch party of the Singapore River Festival, which was the reason we were invited to Singapore. the Singapore River Festival is a weeklong sundown festival along the river, with a medley of events taking place, such as boat parades, circus-themed parties, magic shows and aerial dance performances.

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a big handful of singaporean bloggers were taken on a tour of the festival’s events by the ever diligent Nuffies, but kenny, ming and i just attacked hor d’ouevres at the launch party held at the Asian Civilisations Museum. also met up with a few singaporean bloggers:

#8: Underage girl, Nadnut, Iceangel, Kenny Sia, Boss Ming and Xiaxue

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#14 they placed three clear floating balls onto the river, and they each had dancers in them!

#15 a closeup
i really like what the organizers are doing with the event and the Singapore River. it’s such a clever and contemporary use of geography. i must say that in all my time in Singapore i never really gave much thought to the river — it was always just this thing separating Boat and Clarke Quay — but now the Singapore River Festival has spurred me to think about all the untapped event venues in KL. Ming told me that he once went for a corporate dinner party hosted on one of the bridges on the river; they threw huge white drapes over the bridge to form a gorgeous tent under which the guests ate and partied! and then there’s St James Powerstation — the coal power plant that a Singaporean real estate firm converted into a humongous party house that holds 10 clubs and bars. so innovative, a power plant ok! but we’re a long way from using the Klang River as a party central …
after the launch we went on a fab river cruise where our hosts told us many tales, the saddest amongst which was that the Merlion was recently struck by lightning and part of his head fell off :( so poor thing!!!

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i was really amazed at this side of Singapore that i’ve always taken for granted. it’s so glitzy now. i was taking pictures of the riverbanks from the boat, and couldn’t help asking myself, since when did Singapore look so much like Hong Kong?

#17 outside the Fullerton – photo credits to Kenny.

#18 photo also by Kenny!

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the boat dropped us somewhere at Clarke Quay, where we went for a Pyjamas Party at The Arena. the bloggers were all dressed in PJs, and so were the Arena Allstars singing on stage! and so was Kenny:

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wtf.
some other pajama party photos:

#22 with the Nuffies!

#23 with the Spartan, who is also my former archenemy. haih one day I will tell y’all our splendid story – stuff of legends, that :P

#24 kenny is suuuuch a Sarong Party Girl!

#25 stickgal!

#26 awww Kenny looks so happy!
i really wish i could have stayed for the circus-themed party, as well as the J C and ‘Magic Babe’ Ning’s record-breaking set of illusionist stunts this Sunday (can someone please go and tell me what the stunts are?! i met them both but they refused to say :( ), but i had to leave Singapore early. oh well :) there’s always next year. organizers of the Singapore River Festival – may i suggest a riverside flea market for next year, with lots of shoes, trinkets, food, art and music?
the Great Singapore Sale (aka Jovann’s best friend) was also on when i was there, and i heartily did some splurging! i’ve taken a huge liking to little leather satchels, so I bought some at Far East Plaza, which i love. i thought Far East had closed down because i miscalculated the distance from Orchard Road, and thus got a bit frightened, but Ming said no lah it’s still there, and — “Far East cannot close lah… otherwise Malaysians will have nowhere to shop!” KNN stupid ming :(
photos of my new bags:
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and i forgot to buy tutu cake :(






















