Po-Yu's profileProperty & PressPhotosBlogListsMore ![]() | Help |
|
October 16 Happiest Place on EarthU know where that is? I never knew that...till May this year when I visited it and fren told me.
U, n prob legions of fans know it - Disneyland
Was never a Disney kid as I was attracted to other cartoon fare and after I heard so many negative reviews of Disneyland HK, I didn't go with high expectations and ended up delighted with my positive experience, which I've been sharing with those around me, especially those looking to visit.
Thanks to 2 travelling companions well-versed in Disneyland knowledge (having visited the USA one), we rushed for all the live and 3D animated shows like Lion King mini musical, Golden Mickey Oscars show with real hosts + cartoon footage, and High School Musical energetic dance numbers with infectious energy, catchy tunes, simple lyrics and slick moves.
Yes, the rides were not very many and mostly family oriented. The park not very big but the pros is you can cover most of it in a day. Oh and the free train that circled the park was lame - you sit sideways to enjoy the view but what view? Just bushes and trees
The longest queues were at the character signings and photo-taking, which we didn't bother with - fren ended up shooting Donald's fluffy butt that looked good to spank! Haha
We spent most of the time gift-hunting in the shops oh and among the 1st to dash into the cafe for lunch at 1130am, portions were good, cream of mushroom soup excellent. Worth your dough. Bakery was even better - wish I could sample everything - believe those were USA recipes and of a consistently high international standard.
U might be wondering how come I suddenly review Disney when it's been 5 months since?
Cos I was reading Phillip Kotler's Marketing book yest that cited a Disney case study on exemplary customer service. I recalled my experience and found it true!
Did you know that every new employee has to pass training at Disney University before they start work? They have to memorise Disney history so that they can answer every tourist's question. They see litter in the park, they pick up, they volunteer to take pictures for tourists, they must be always friendly, warm and helpful.
They are trained never to say no, that's not my job. And the customer is always right! May sound like very old-fashioned principles but in this increasingly jaded society with very PR-customer service, lotsa hits and misses, disgruntled or sometimes even downright rude service staff, it sounds heavenly.
Maybe cos I've been hit left right centre with poor customer service, sad to say, mostly from PRC in SG. (ok more of that next time)
What blew me away is that the book says to keep Disney feeling and looking fresh, the Main Street painters strip every rail in the park to bare metal and apply a fresh coat of paint 5 TIMES A YEAR! Was thinking, hey it's just a railway who cares if it looks sparkling new, but it's sure darn proof of their incredible service quality if it were true.
And they did impress me with their service - from the internet reservations officer, front desk, porter, chambermaid (cutely dressed in the dark grey n white chambermaid dress), park entry staff, F&B, shop attendants...wish I could pick a fault but I couldn't. They were not only professional in their uniforms and manner, but were efficient, friendly and really felt sincere. The chambermaid helped test a faulty kettle and ran to replace one, but still didn't work. She suspected a fuse and really ran to get it fixed for us. We told her no hurry as we were heading out, just as long as it was done by the time we got back.
Another good customer service example I can think of is Hard Rock. The servers were chatty, forthcoming with witty remarks, recommendations and I've even seen a server sit next to a customer, while taking orders, like a friend. Of cos their vibe is a diff one, more laid back and cool in my view.
Back to Disney, Kotler attributes their magic and success to their impeccable service and maintainence, especially in this mismanaged, hectic, tiring world, you drop your emotional baggage at the doors and immerse in their fantasy world where it's always cheery and warm.
And this appeals to everyone under the sun, and it's virtually foolproof - what brilliant marketing!
I'm sure u'll agree u tend to shun a place with bad service, cos the tot isnt very welcoming, especially when u're paying n nid to put up wif lousy attitudes n nonsense, just like how me n my crab kakis tolerated the insufferable Joo Chiat zi char family - that makes for another blog entry hahaha
I can tell u a whole string of bad experiences but only rem precious few gorgeous one, Disney for sure.
Ok till next time, meanwhile hope u meet good service staff ;P
October 12 Near PerfectRem FD sharing his perfect weekend - vegetating in front of the TV while his wife massages his feet...but hasn't quite happened yet haha n i doubt it will cos believe he's usually busy wif roadshows events n his wife not so sub-servient bah like most new age ladies
o btw hi there tks 4 reading tis as it's been such a long while since i blogged, i wont even attempt to check the last entry date
I can c Jer nodding n grinning haha
Feeling rather spirited and fuelled by a combi of nice things to form that almost perfect weekend for me
1) Getting ample rest (i.e. sleeping till past noon)
2) Enjoying the consistently good n juicy Botak Jones Cajun Chix wif dollops pf mustard, plenty of veg + trying their side dishes for the 1st time and I reco u do so too
(Pasta salad which is fine fusili strips fused with a slightly creamy mixture of sour cream, herbs and spices with chopped celery bits for that crunch. As for the Cheese Potato, it's mashed well to a smooth paste while retaining some smallish bits for a diff texture, nice and buttery, accentuated with pepper and they really melt some mozarella cheese on top. Wooh shiok!)
3) Then pair that wif great weather, soothing mix of tunes from 97.2FM hey trust me their songs are a good mix of now and the 90s that we grew up with - I just heard Harlem, William So, Huang Shu Jun, Lee Hom and Cass Pang
I sure hope you enjoying ya Sun too!
Ok leaving you with a witty quote I recently read and this serves as a reminder for us to write well:
"I am now reading your writing in the smallest room of my house.
It is now in front of me... Soon it will be behind me."
Kekeke you paint that pic urself
*poof* till next time February 17 Lyrical HighWhen u experience an exciting gig and stage a 5 hr ktv concert wif just 1 other, the day after - your head's just flooded with lyrics. Singing rock songs are really high and AT17's superb - anticipating their full fledged concert! Meanwhile counting down to Mayday on 26 Apr
Here are some lyrics to share, join me by telling me your guesses of the song titles these came from eh?
Thanks for your support, pal!
December 16 Remembering The 80s!Continuing with all things 80s, shall start the ball rolling (in this case it's the small rubber ball filled with glittery stars inside that can be bought from the school bookshop that doubles up as our novelty store haha rem erasers printed wif countries' flags, cute stickers, scented tiny balls in transparent plastic box etc)
Speakin of pc games i tink were on those huge floppy disks then n i played Karateka, Pac Man n Star Wars kinda Atari style. Any1 rem? There was a great board game called Rat Race too.
Then there was Micro Genius and very first Nintendo consoles with convertors that you need to attach for small catridges to fit! Default games include Mappy, Ice Climber, Kungfu Fighter and Super Mario 2 was the rage.
Hand helds would be Western Bar *yeeha*
Then we moved to Sega 16bit with Bare Knuckle aka Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Shinobi, Legend of Zelda, Gun Star Heores and Street Fighter hahaha now PS2 still can find emulator compilation :P O lovely gaming memories, play till thumbs blister yet still wrap the tip of the t-shirt ard it n continue playing till blister burst wahahahha gross
Whar are your memories of school and childhood in the 80s? December 15 if you were born in the 80's in Singapore
November 15 爱在记忆中找你Lyrics to the current song u hear on tis space, known to TVB Drive Of Life fans as the subtheme, specifically for Lin Feng and Ah Sheh Quite an addictive series, no boring draggy parts as yet, am just slightly over the halfway mark for this 60-parter! Saw folks comparing between Lin Feng's Chun Pong and his role as Alfred in Heart of Greed, so which u prefer? Haha guess I'm just talking Greek to most of you so let's move on, whil Ah Jer thanks u oredi answered me Like the lyrics - sums their relationship well and Lin Feng is easily the best singer in his batch, emotes well and for a guy, he can cry well keke Speaking of which his English love theme with Linda Chung was touching too, might use that as my next blog song! K signing off now...n finally leaving u to the lyrics haha
我对你 这一生 哪个可比 September 04 Battle!What happens when it's a showdown between the Dark Phoenix n Jean Grey?
When it's a fierce fight - Dark Phoenix unleashing mighty powers harnessed from the universe but can be wildly and self-destructive VS Jean Grey who encapsulates latent talent (with her mutant class 5 which is classified as ultra-rare and can be immensely powerful when developed to potential). Jean also embodies goodness like love, patience, understanding and self-sacrifice thus resulting her being possessed by the Dark Phoenix in the first place.
It's an internal struggle tormented and torn apart by both sides...will there be a rainbow with a pot of gold awaiting or stormy skies where lightning strikes mercilessly while thunder crashes deafeningly?
And is time a magic healing potion? What are the options and outcomes?
Where's Scott Summers? Would he be able to balance and cure Jean or lose her?
August 08 Bebel Gilberto @ Cafe Del MarSigh how I wish tis were true haha, such a perfect pairing rite? Been wanting check out the joint and c if can sniff any scent of Ibiza Spain but Jer says the drinks, service and place all fail lei and I know she's generally ez going so if she say bad, chances r I might faint.
In any case, will just pop over wif kakis n c la...if not Jer reco Coastes beach pub
Hmm actually am just having an irrepressible urge to stroll along Hermit Beach on soft, fine white sand den lie on spacious picnic mat with good food, cheery company and chat under the stars, watching the skies how nice haha
There's a Cao Ge song "Tian Shi Dou Ji Du De Sheng Huo" which sums this feel nicely and he also shared in a gig that he imagined himself in all white holding hands with his loved one, sipping champagne on beach and even has white horses galloping past haha or at least that was the imagery he had when he penned it.
Back to Bebel Gilberto, she really is comin but this is a really packed concert season, with good gigs every month, sigh limited dough, limitless choices I even had to forego Sammi's.
Ok wading to sea n sand now, wish me luck 4 a cool experience, esp aft shower cycling as A termed it.
July 12 40 Min wif Dolores O' RiordanHaha no la, not so lucky to spend time wif her personally, jus tt she was the main reason I lasted 40min on strider today. She was hosting a segment MTV Handpicked n her music taste so good tt I jus cldnt bear to leave the telly thus cld only grip tighter n stride harder!
Some classics include Annie Lennox's No More I Love Yous, John Lennon's Imagine (hmm someone shd hv covered on Live Earth or lead mass sing-a-long)
Dolores mentioned her fav band was The Smiths, liked them since 14 and even went vegetarian for quite a while cos of their hit "Meat Is Murder". She thanked them publicly for influencing Cranberries' music.
Body Combat was cool too esp Muay Thai track albeit some hi impact moves which r bad 4 knees so I jus mod lo. Too bad no boxing ring today, wanted show V. Hope she'll still go in future keke n enjoy it.
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one July 09 Brilliant ConversationCaller : Hello, is this CPF Board?
DJ : No this is the radio station Caller : Oic, radio station hmm but can I still ask you on my CPF query?
DJ : (silently) Ya sure, if we can answer your questions here then I don't suppose we need the Board. And while you're at it, how about calling CPF Board with your song request and dedication? I'm sure they'll play a tune for you.
It's just amazing how many people can get a simple phone number wrong. Pls look carefully before you dial.
This could be good, hey you...answer the call, now.
July 05 Rojak CultureChanced upon this entry in a Cathay Pac WE LOVE HK contest, they giving away 1000 airtix, just need to confess ya adoration haha
This struck a chord cos I think it kinda applies to SG too, in terms of being a cultural melting pot and sponge for other countries' influences determined by latest trends.
一個人,兩手字,三種話,這就是香港市民、香港文化。在這裡,我們聽流行曲,廣東話中加插一句普通話,還搭上幾個英文字。我們看美國電影,偏偏非看那行礙眼的中文字幕不可。我們讀中文報章,卻要寫英文求職信。
我們造就了港式普通話(有沒有搞錯),發揚了Chinglish(long time no see),創建了地道廣東話(無厘頭)。很矛盾,卻可愛。
若有歐美遊客問路,我們會臉紅紅回答;若有國內同胞來電,我們會口震震回覆。有驚無險!還要多看英語一分鐘、笑談普通話、最緊要正字替自己「惡補」。
可是,我們能讀《射鵰英雄傳》,又讀《Harry Potter》;我們能聽羅文,又聽鄧麗君,再聽The Carpenters。
兩文三語的香港人,可以學貫中西,可以跟世界上絕大部份人溝通,多麼好,多麼酷!
一國兩岸三地,一人兩文三語,堪稱絕配。 June 20 Asian Ocean's ThirteenThe hype on this movie is quite impossible to ignore though I didn't catch 1 and 2. (so btw can skip part 2 w/o missing a beat?)
And was just wondering, if you could form your own Asian male team for Ocean's - who would you pick? Share ya choices k
Mine are
1) Leon Lai - Haha I'm sure many would yawn and frown but he has the build and debonairness to carry off a heist; he was convincing as a psychologist who played many mind games with Ekin in "Shuang Xiong" similar to "An Zhan"
2) Dan Wu - Same as above and I think his acting has improved over the years. Eye candy too
3) Simon Yam - He can be the suave and mature leader whose age is probably closer to Clooney's haha
4) Alex Fang Zhong Xin if there's a fourth lead. Can play brooding and intense
5) Chow Yun Fatt would be the ideal Al Pacino for me June 13 Another Fab ShowingAnother great ktv concert haha darn addictive jus like tt wasabi and tom yum flavoured seaweed. Notable effort and improvement, pls dun b shy n keep up the good work! (if you ever get to read this) June 01 Ktv ConcertsWhew glad today rainy so not sitting in home sauna writing tis.
Pleased wif 2 ktv concerts within few days - Tue n Thu, it's amazing how wif jus 2 pp, we hv endless songs to sing n varies wif every kaki.
Our stamina has improved along wif our repertoire which has gained a level (or some frens might say several levels) n we find ourselves accessing more ahem goldies.
Wif J n M we can really explore obscure numbers, duets esp Canto and we all love live concert versions, medleys - Hocc, Sammi, At17...
O yes in case u dun oredi noe, there's a Pause button on bottom row of Partyworld remote. Handy when u nid to take a call, cut a cake, pay the bill etc haha
P.S. - Bet most of us still in hol mood carried over frm yest n the wkend's beckoning
Cheers May 31 Mambo TofuAfter much anticipation and countdown to mambo tonight, sadly all we had was "mambo" tofu as Zouk was freaking full. Wasted precious time and sweat in the queue only to be turned away...din noe so many pp deprived of and dig retro like us...queues snaking all the way to the bus stop! In the end we trudged our way back to the car, tried our luck in Clarke Quay and finally landed at Gotham.
Treated to ahem quite a visual feast of strapping, stripping male dancers from Johannesburg and the show is called Gotham Penthouse I think
Catcalls and ooh ahhs from ladies all around esp the front row who pawed the dancers whenever they came within reach...they could really dance and tease, one even did complex breakdance floor moves.
Haha I have a feeling someone in my grp might be back for more....we shall see
Meanwhile think I'm really getting old and out of sync with partying, actually craving the peace and quietness of home, just chilling online with Youtube, DVDs or a good old phone chat. Does anyone our age do that still or are we too caught up with the pace, too many things, too little time?
No wonder there is a saying one can still feel lonely amidst a sea of throbbing bodies, cool to c my grp enjoyin though haha
Out
May 30 Of Merlions and MamboHaha I really must zz after this...just itching to get this out
Previously, there was the tale of Three Merlions and A Baby which was abt 3 gals who got drunk at Dbl O and a big baby who only drinks cranberry juice. The bb was kinda sad that she only managed to get in less than an hour of retro hits then went down to the kerb to try and watch after Merlion #1 who was slumped over the wheel.
Merlion #2 and #3 soon followed and it was endless loo trips, then finally Fatimah drives all off to Hol V for "nourishment"
Tonight, we shall c if there will be any Merlions Sequel though *places fingers in Square Room fashion haha* I really hope not!
Happy PH in advance, all! Grasshopper Forever, SG Gig 19 May 07Quite a few have been asking me how was their concert and no, I'm not addressing those who regard them as passe uncles or worse, insects (so rude, u shd b ashamed) so I thought I'll just round up my comments with some pics
Mighty glad I watched this cos it turned out to be awesome and memorable; from the well-planned songset, energetic and slick choreography to the sincere and easy banter as their strong vocals charmed down memory lane with the much-loved tunes that roused us on our feet.
Of cos it helped to be armed with neon sticks and a livewire helium filled pretty tweety as company (hehe compliment mah)
They pranced for 3 hours and never a dull moment, and everyone was so envious of this lucky lass who got to engage in close close close contact with them. Unfortunately she was either too shy or too tense to dance though they led her well....V shd hv gone instead I can imagine our cheongster queen doing better (c, another compliment haha)
Anyway I can't even begin to name my fav tunes or highlights of the night cos everything was superb! For once there was no technical blemish @ Indoor Stadium and my seat was good too. Grasshopper was very professional and can see they put in their best for every show, not just at their homeground. But I'm convinced to catch their HK gig someday cos they're more daring there...they toned down a lot for SG, check out my pics to c what I mean.
Start of Rantings n Musings, R U Ready?Hi u're reading tis cos of a certain "auntie" (yes she's a ger n her name rhymes wif tt) who indirectly made me sleepless at my keyboard though it's almost dawn.
How come? Cos this avid blogger n entertainment fan been sharing her endless Youtube links on Sammi n Hocc n it doesn't help that M n I just belted Hocc hits at our ktv concert just now haha so now high from her songs and vids
Funny how almost everyone will (repeatedly) ask who she is whenever I play a Hocc song in KTV...she really can sing and plays a mean guitar. Btw she's now Sammi's firm MSN fren as they chat into the wee hours of the morn, hmm they shd invite me
Ok back to this "auntie" (who should know how come it's in inverted commas) - she once commented my blog entries always look like complete articles, which I believe is my occupational habit so ok I will try to rant, ramble and make sense (in this order)
She has been reminding how it takes centuries for my blog updates n how I owe her test part 2...sigh I really regret mentioning I MIGHT need a part 2 keke
Well, really nothing much to blog abt or simply too lazy bah but okies warmin up once again so here goes...r u wif me? Xin ku ni le April 29 From Ashin to Baby StoneHe writes so poetically even for a simple blog entry, so well that I thought you should read it too...little wonder he is capable of such poignant lyrics. And you can feel the deep bond amongst the band members that extends to their familes, wonder how many would dedicate words to a friend's newborn...such a sensitive soul! In case you're still clueless, the below is from Mayday's Ashin welcoming Baby Stone to this world.
小石頭: 我跟你說喔,今天我在青島,操場上據說有五萬人。我跟其他四個伙伴,站在被五萬人團團圍繞的小小舞台上,嘶啞著破喉嚨,想要讓這些第一次看到「五月天」的人,能夠用力的被感動,被震撼,被搖滾。 但是,這一陣子,跟其他日子不一樣。我一直覺得很吃力。 那是因為,我們的伙伴中,少了一個很重要的人。那讓五月天彷彿缺了一個引擎的飛機一樣,非常吃力的飛行著。 那個傢伙,就是你在幾個月以後,要叫他一聲「爸爸」的人。 為了迎接你的出生,我們把他趕回你的身邊,暫時不準跟我們一起打仗了。 從今天開始,他將會更辛苦,因為,你會跟我們一樣,也跟你的媽媽一樣,少不了這個男人。你要記得,常常對他笑,像一陣夾著陽光的海風那樣,我知道,你會的。 寫到這裡,我想說,你不會不認識我吧,你還沒出世,就跟我們繞遍台灣,也跟我們一起去到非洲了,臭小子。 我是阿信,是你爸爸的高中同學,我們一起學吉他,一起長大。 有機會的話,我想教你畫畫,但是你的媽媽畫的比我好。 在今天晚上,我請操場上的人,用力的祝福你了,五萬個生.日.快.樂,都是給你一個人的。 青島,今天我在的地方,打開窗外面就是海了。我可以把這貫徹雲霄的聲音,裝到瓶子裡,讓他順著海水,一路向南飄到你的身邊。 最後,也加上我的聲音。歡迎你來到這個充滿喜樂,歡笑,悲傷,希望的星球。 雖然我很激動,但是我想輕聲的說: 「小石頭,生日快樂。」 January 04 Dream Eason Concert SongsetHad the chance to chat with Eason recently albeit under pressurised and rushed circumstances much like during times with the finger circling motion you see when stars deliver their award acceptance speeches. Due to work confidentiality (as it wasn't out on print yet at that time) I refrained from blogging about it, now I can haha anyway that's a diff story, perhaps will do a scan or weblink of my piece on him.
Me and my concert kakis are anticipating his debut SG gig this Sat and naturally with his accolades and past records of sell-out shows esp the recent GET A LIFE series, my expectations are soaring. He looks set to throw an energetic party and you know he will give his best during this live band feel session. Love it that he attempts and pulls off many genres and challenging, sometimes quirky, depressing, angsty tunes demanding complex vocal techniques and falsettos.
How I wish AT17 could jam with him, like they did in HK. Eason jams very well with Denise Ho and Candy Lo too, erm and of cos with pal, Nic Tse. He did express that he might consider inviting Tanya as a special guest here, and depends on her schedule too. Not that he needs any guest as he has an endless string of songs to sing and that is excluding the few Eng covers like from John Mayer, that he will attempt as he finds SG a melting pot of cultures and should be able to appreciate. Oh if you're attending, you should be glad to know that he initially planned to follow his Shanghai concert songset closely, thinking SG likes Mando then realised it's a misconception when he came here, whew lucky us I can't imagine him singing the mando version "10 Years" instead of "Next Year's Today". Pardon me but I firmly believe that tunes are best enjoyed in their original lang i.e. if you're a HK singer pls try to sing in Canto unless of cos those tracks originally written in Mando. And while we appreciate some HK singers invest so much effort to banter in Mandarin, it is clearly taxing for the singer and cringe-inducing for members of audience like me! Haha afterall, if you can't understand Canto, then why are you attending an essentially Cantopop concert?
Sigh I've never been to a concert where the singer can completely satisfy and not miss out any of my best-loved hits and I'm sure Eason's will ring the same but nevertheless, here's my dream songset haha let's wait n see what's in and what's not!
This order would be great! (click to view lyrics)
|
|
|