I didn't manage to post regarding Valentine's Day celebration because many things were happening. But thank God there's time now to recover my breath and look back at the celebration. :)
Ben had classes on Tuesday night, so we brought forward the celebrations to Saturday instead. Morning, we went to McDonald's with Abby... had a great time! :) She's learnt how to drink from a packet WITHOUT squeezing everything out... it was definitely a faith testing time for us... :P
Later, we headed to Hougang Mall's Cheng San library. We were too early, so we headed for Popular bookstore instead. Here's our temp worker who lasted about half an hour re-organising the VCDs. :P
Later in the evening, Ben took me to Petals and Leaves at Neo Tiew... (this must be a narrative... heheeh..) not sure where the pictures are though. I'll have to ask Ben. :P Anyway, it's this landscaping place, with a nice bistro next to a big and deep pond. They had a complimentary cocktail that tasted like alcoholic strawberry milk. Not diners many finished it.
All couples anyway, so very lovey-dovey atmosphere (who'd care about alcoholic milk?) and they had an interesting first course for the guy. It was a deflated red heart-shaped balloon and they were supposed to write a message on it. In turn, the partner (usu lady) had to write on the other side, inflate it by pressing something, wait for the chemical reaction to take place within the balloon (better done by guy otherwise if balloon explode, not nice for girl's make up) then present the balloon to the girl. Interesting idea.
BUT.
These people already had their messages written in the middle of the balloon - both sides! On one side, it says, "It's Valentine's 2006!" An on the other side, "gardenasia". Naturally, Ben posed me the challenge of writing on the 'gardenasia' side. Heh. :D I succeeded in his challenge! :D (Wanna know what I wrote? Ask him. :)
Then we had soup, main course (I was the bird of paradise while he was the ocean's delight - that was how it came out when we ordered) and dessert. Had red wine also... :) It was really awesome coz we used to have conflicts regarding these celebrations. He had the perception that I had high standards in being wined and dined... I just wanted us to enjoy each other's company - be it anywhere, instead of just letting the day pass - as long as he is comfortable... dun like to go pretentious places where either of us aren't comfortable. We were rather okie at this place... but...
So for this dinner, he made phone AND fax booking, just to confirm (important fact for turn of events later). After we finished the dessert, we thought, hey, not a bad evening. Until he asked for the bill.
The waitress acknowledged his request for the bill, went to the counter (presumably to get the bill) and returned to our table. She prompted annouced the price of the dinner and asked how Ben would like to make his payment - VISA, Amex or Mastercard? Ben was truly shocked. (Background info: He NEVER lets me know how much he spends on me. It's been that way for the past 16 years.) He replied, "NETS." I was laughing like mad, and I had to tell the shocked waitress that he meant Mastercard. Later she left and he was fuming... fuming like mad... like, "How can anyone be so stupid?" It only gets better.
After the waitress returned with the credit card slip and he signed for it, we decided it would be the best that we inform the manager of the embarrassment hoping that other couples won't be caught in a similar situation. (Actually I wasn't surprised coz I overhead the bill announcement earlier from another table. They were equally embarrassed. Shocked in fact. But they just let it pass.) So we spoke to the manager (while I think his assistant nicely plonked himself within hearing distance - he has a tendency to do that to customer's conversations with the manager... quite odd...) As we shared our embarrassment, the manager, with a smile, nicely replied, "Oh, (smile), normally, (smile) when customers want us to keep it a secret, they would normally call us beforehand to tell us to keep it a secret."
PENGZ.
How often does anyone call a restaurant to tell the wait staff to keep it a secret? Isn't it supposed to be,
1. "Bill please."
2. Flash bill.
3. Look at price.
4. Place credit card.
5. Leave to get charge slip.
6. Sign on charge slip.
7. Smile and say thank you after wait staff folds charge slip into discreet wallet-insertable size.
Hardly any conversation whatsoever between "Bill, please" and "Thank you, please come again.".
Must have been our fault. Surely must be. (The victim mentality sure does spread like mad.)
Upon leaving, they said, "Please come again." Yeah, right. We'll wait till you get a cash register first k?
And we must remember to call you (or if we forget) whisper into your ears NOT TO ANNOUCE THE PRICE OF THE MEAL TO THE WHOLE TABLE!
Anyway, Ben later revealed, that they screwed up his order. When the waitress annouced the price, it was without the flowers which he had specially ordered through PHONE AND FAX for me. He later confirmed also that it was quite expensive (naturally, coz it was Valentine's... these people will charge like mad) so I proposed that we go for nice dessert and spend the flower money that way. :)
We ended up at One Ninety at Four Seasons. It was awesome. Service was fantastic (they even offered a pillow for a pregnant me) and we had a great time having dessert, coffee, thanking God and setting goals with respect to our thanksgiving. :) Thanksgiving and goal setting during special events like these sure make them extra-meaningful! :)
So that was Saturday. :)
On Tuesday - actual Valentine's Day, I presented Ben with a gift - a wallet. :) He didn't expect it, and felt bad that he didn't give me anything. But he had already given me so much, especially with the effort he put in on Saturday. It was extra-effort to get him a present also - we've spent the last few years event-less and present-less and both felt less than appreciated. I had a tut-mate run around the shopping centre with me to get the wallet, and with the no. of wallets I rejected, she concluded that Ben is really a very fussy person. He's not fussy, just that the range was so limited! Heheheh... anyway, when I found it, I made three people very happy - Ben, my tutmate and myself. Hehe. :) Ben has a unique way of storing his card, so if it made sense to get one that suited him right? When he opened the present, it was all worth it... :D Happy like a lil' boy! :D And he used it immediately. Speaks volumes. :)
Anyway, for the evening, i made plans with wonderful ladies to spend the evening together. My mum, Melissa, Abby, Vic and the two helpers :) Pity Eve couldn't make it, otherwise it would have been even more fun! :D
This was us before we set out to pick up the lovely ladies...
Anyway, the food was quite bad, but company was good. Vic was extremely well-behaved. She played quietly by herself even when her helper went to the loo for a couple of minutes. :)
Pity I didn't get a group picture. Anyway, Abby was quite sleepy towards the end of the evening, and nicely fell asleep in Melissa's arms as we drove home! :) Check out the lovely lady with the babe in arms! :D
I really hoped everyone enjoyed themselves. Anyway, excerpts from an interesting conversation:
Me: If you were much younger, and single, after knowing what you know now about marriage, would you still proceed with getting married?
Mum (shakes head): No. I've got so many things to do, still want to take care of another man, wash and cook for him?
Melissa (Amazed): ...
Well, although Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day of love(birds), being stuck with a lousy cuckoo is really a worse than being single. I'm just glad my mum's happy where she is. :) Just glad that we spent the evening with people whom we genuinely care about (but are probably just too inhibited to express). :)
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