Christmas – 26
It was another treat that night at Raffles – dinner in the Writers Bar. Plural writers. Apparently, Ernest Hemingway was a regular and Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham were among the habitué lierati who at various times used to hang out here a lot. First, in the clubby room inside, it was million-dollar martinis – 1918 Gin (from Sakurao’s Hiroshima distillery, founded 1918), Moncino Rosso, Pineapple, Grenadine, Gum Arabic, Lemon, Egg white and Scrappy’s Aromatic Bitters. After that, the happy friends moved outside, watching the sunset. And just watching the play, above, talking and listening. It’s so divinely quiet in some parts of the hotel. Bar food is, of course, pretty good here. Amour caviar. Spicy beef tartare wiith exquisite crispy fries, lightly wrapped in delicate and not fishy seaweed.
Ah bed. What famous names have previously slept in the four-poster in heritage suite 349, the Temasek Suite, now lovingly tweaked but not transformed by Alexandra Champalimaud, in soft shades of blue, and sand? It has, for Girlahead, been personalised with a double-length beige yoga carpet, sic, and look-ironed copies of pink, and white, today’s newspapers.
It was time for breakfast outside the Tiffin Room, by the pale blue fountain that is so beloved of Chinese selfie takers. Girlahead forwent the divine and copious breakfast buffet in favour of the healthy ‘set meal’ – Chef Joe Soo Acai Bowl (135 calories) with Goji berries and minimal granola – it tasted just fine though it bore a certain resemblance to purple frogspawn – and Egg White Omelette with Spinach (75 Calories). Next, there was a personal training, concentrating on the legs.
Yes, this was wellness time (Singapore, now a Blue Zone, is into longevity). On 27th January, ELYX, Vitality and Longevity, opens in Raffles Arcade. It’s the brainchild of Peng Ong, who has realised that having lost friends to cancer and other diseases it was a simple matter of individuals taking care of their own health. It will be a club, maximum 50 to start, paying 1,500 a year US, for as much use as they like. It’s more about prevention rather than recovery. They anticipate 70% males, age group early 40s to mid 60s. It’s a cool and very impressive space – soothing ice-cream coloured rather than clinical white – and right next to it is a medical centre. As it happens, Raffles Arcade also has in it an in-house general practitioner’s clinic.(five of the eight doctors have worked at some point in the UK). Singaporeans do have basic complimentary medical support, but this is the equivalent to private practice in UK..
And somehow, and jolly annoyingly the time rushed by, and the car was ready to go. Yes, there was a deputation to say goodbye – see below. Next time, Girlahead was told, we’ll have a Range Rover. Next time, once again, it will be peace and calm, which is one of the many true luxuries of Raffles Singapore.
