Aloha!

Mahalo Everybody,

I love the sea, the beach, the sun, the surf, the breeze and most of all, the sport activities related to them. However, like some others , I am too old to be engaged in these physically demanding activities. I love exotic places like Hawaii or any other look a likes. Beautiful clear blue skies and surf boards catching the wind. Romantic nights with caressing melodious Hawaiian music and camp fires on the beach. But then, Hawaii or Tahiti is so far away! Koh Samui is a good second choice, but “tourist” spoilt!

On my usual morning walkabouts, I chanced upon this ski club along the EC park. Looks like an ideal place to do a mini Hawaii but the proprietor is more concern with his Chinese restaurant operations. Next, chatted with the Chinese swimming club along Amber road. Unfortunately, their function rooms looked like they need a revamp very badly! Finally, went to have a look see at the Raffles Town Club. Their function rooms looked a little too posh for comfort. Black tie affairs are fine but not too conducive for a Hawaiian scene.

So, my dear SHC friends, I am really in a limbo. How to bring Hawaii,its music and romance to you?

If you have some ideas or have a local venue worth due consideration, do write.

Aloha!

27 thoughts on “Aloha!”

  1. Hi Edwin

    You might want to check out the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club.

    I saw from the website that one of the rooms can hold 150 people in a cocktail arrangement (or 80 people in a Chinese dinner arrangement, just to give you another idea of its size) and the rent is $200 for a maximum of 4 hours.

    It is a cosy place and the sunset is very romantic. I gave up my membership years ago when I couldn’t find Popeye (*winks*).

    Joy

  2. Hi Joy,

    Thank you for reminding me of RSYC. I have not been to their new premises at Ferry Road.Will check it out. I hope Commodore Tan Kay Toh is still around. He was the one who slotted me in to perform at the bar at their previous ramshackle club house.

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

    ps. Popeyes are all over the horizon!

  6. Oui, Edwin, with so many loves, you still moaned that you’re in a limbo………limbey with only 1 love, how?

    Shall I cowbey, cowbu or join the midnite cowboys as you do us yr brazilian samba(l) or the hawaiian belachan, or better still, Daniels’ nonya lust-sa?

    Well, 1 love is actually better than so many loves…….with honey money, club mommies will parade their beauties to dazzle you with more than their bellies while many others sidle up to you doing antics more professional than circus monkeys……….

  7. Hi,young man Tim,

    This old man don’t have much time left, so on my off days,every moment counts!Love all!

    I really would like to run a place like the Aloha Rhu along Casuarina Road back in the sixties just next to the former premises of the Cheshire Home and where Bunny and his Hawaiian band used to play under the stars!

    Further down the road was the South China Sea club with its rickety pink coloured rooms facing Changi beach. Wow! Those were the days!

    Tim, club mommies and their regular lineup of tootie fruitie all stars does not work with me. The whiff of cheap perfume,cancels out whatever lofty spiralling imaginations you have inside you!

    I wonder why the Hawaiian joint at Pan Pacific Hotel winded up? Lousy food? Or locals are not up to it?

    Dennis Wee, my F&B expert, do you know what really happened?

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

  8. Edwin my dear,

    Truly, those were beautiful times guaranteed never to return….at china beach you cd camp for nites undisturbed, grass passed around for a sniff, strumming guitars under moonlit nites, sea breeze humming as we prepared our cumming, babes teasing & pleasing…….

    Time flies and now many things dont work for us. Sigh………

    With the nite scenes belonging to the yuppies who crave more to watch polar bears dancing by the poles, and bar-top dancing by chelsi’s drogba wearing dog’s bra or by man u’s wonderbra, the Hawaiaan joint at Pan Pac has no chance but be wound up?

  9. Hi Edwin

    Those were the days gone by where you could hear the sound of Hawaiian music coming from WEST POINT GARDEN in Pasir Panjang and also from the Pasir Ris Hotel in Pasir Ris beach park. Its an open air affairs, dancing in the moonlight and under the stars, with the swaying coconut trees surrounding the area, if only we could reminiscence these will be great.

    Will check out for you at Aranda Country Club, where I was a member once, they have a lovely and exclusive open-air area, surrounding by coconut trees, just the place for Hawaiian atmosphere. Even the Singapore Recreation Club, they have a roof-top garden facing the Padang, is another option.

    CHEERS

    Ronlai

  10. Hi Tim,

    Strange, the people responsible for conservation, preservation concentrated on keeping certain physical structures only. I guess never a thought was given into locking on an idyllic ambience of the past.

    Afterall, we are an island nation. Why try to be something that we are not? Today Hawaii’s sons are having a rethink of the destruction that their forefathers(with the aid of the USA) had done to their country.

    What price progress?

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

  11. Dear Ron Lai,

    Thank you brother, please continue to look around for me. Appreciate it.

    I have not played at the SRC but I was performing at the lounge of the SCC sometime ago. Tinkling the piano and chatting with almost every half drunk law fellow from the nearby Courts and hunky visiting rugby players! Quite a mixed bag of snob people there but surprisingly rather friendly.

    I have been communicating with the management of Carlton Hotel to work out some mutual arrangement to run a “ler ling” program at their lobby bar. I will let you know if it’s successful.

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

  12. Edwin dear,

    Yes, very strange but not if you put on their blinkers, focus on the economy and see the need to wow in the dollar wheeling tourists (whose carts may carry a lot more under the $….decadence, debauchery, promiscuity and a smiling oldsama sambalbelachan)

    So if the Majestic in chinatown is converted to a zoo, so be it if it wins us another world 1st in creating an animal habitat within a financial hub near casinos where, at nite, the monkeys from Majestic zoo can hold another job as croupiers and the peahens taste the life of being chickens.

    If there must be a bigger draw to tourists than this, then it has to be you, Ron and I teasing with our belly hop, a la ang siang hill.

  13. Hi Tim,

    You are a great young sage! No typo error!

    When you mentioned Chinatown it makes me real mad!The revamping they did to it, made it look like Chinatown in LA or for that matter, any other stereo Chinatowns abroad!

    The fellow in charge of the project was an old class mate of mine, I rang him up and gave him my two cents worth of uncontrolled ballistic missiles!

    Winning the dollars in this manner makes my nationalistic granpa turn in his grave!

    Regards, Edwin Chen

  14. Knn, Edwin, so you too are into the habit of looking for typo errors huh? Haha, very much like me leh.

    No point just turning in his grave, pls cajole yr g’pa to stand up in his august frame (skeletal so frighten the shit out of those jokers), come next August, in front of the Majestic, majestically sing the stand up stand up song, and rouse his fellow coffeen mates to all stand up and make a statement.

    Then they can happily go back to sleep without the need to turn anymore………

  15. Now, now Tim, my dear sage,

    The thing about these vistors from the twilight zone, is that they won’t come unless you fire up and send old fashion Cherokee smoke signals!

    Look at the amount of stuff they burn,the smoke,the ash,the whatever.. now they turn and say, hey neighbour why the HAZE? Crop rotation? Huh?

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

  16. Edwin dear, I like yr “cherokee signal” which is a global language understood by all.

    Just last nite, my neighbours started their campfire next to a getai and within minutes, indians appeared and some climbed the stage, planted a coconut tree in the centre and started running round it, chasing each other in tempo with their head-forward, head-backward movements.

    Before Raintree cd audition them to do another 881, the getai lead-man called 991…….

  17. Dear Tim,

    I was one of those priviledged few. From my hovel in the sky, I have this opera box view of the massive campfires and the stage peformance of an ill co-ordinated chinese orchestra backing a few, dressed to kill, female song birds. Now, shall we talk about the Law on disturbing the peace and quiet!

    I rang the Police a couple of times to complain about the din. Imagine, the poor NS fellow, on the line trying hard to do his service with a smile!

    Tell me Sage, astronauts stepped out on to the moon did they not? Did they bring back any Moon cakes or lanterns?

    Have fun, Edwin Chen

  18. Hi Edwin,

    I can think of 3 venues for you to check out.

    The first is “Friends the Coffee Stop” in Changi Village (the last shop before the bus turns into the terminus). Although they are not near the beach, they have an extra garden with lots of plants and they have done “Hawaiian Nights” theme parties before. The contact person is Fabian Hoa – H/Ph no. 91070237 or you can email them at: friends@changi.

    The other 2 venues are Changi Sailing Club and Changi Golf Club. I dont have their contact nos or website addresses but I know that they both have a lovely view of the sea.

    I think that Changi Village is a better place than Republic of Singapore of Singapore Yacht Club because it is more accessible by public transport.

    Best Regards,
    Angela.

  19. Hi Angela or shall I call you Angel?

    Remember to request for the song “Angel” by Elvis the next time you meet my 1 man band!

    Thank you very much. Yes, the Changi clubs do have fantastic sea fronts. Played there once before for a private social but I am not sure whether they are that accomodating to the general public. Nevertheless, I shall checked it out.

    “Friends” sounds great! I shall drive up there for a look see.Yes, RSYC is a wee bit off track for those without wheels. Thanks again for your input.

    Aloha, Edwin Chen

  20. Hi Edwin

    Checked with Aranda Country Club and found the hiring of the open-air Pooldeck area was quite stiff. Hiring of the area only come to around $300 – $500 exclusive food and drinks which must be ordered from them, no outside food allowed.

    As regards to Singapore Recreation Club, the open-air rooftop area, will be $33 – $37 per pax
    inclusive hiring of the place, and 6-course buffet plus coffee or tea, can take upto 70 – 80
    pax, also no outside food allowed.

    REGARDS

    Ronlai

  21. Hi Ron Lai,

    Thanks Ron, I think Aranda Club is out. A little too heavy load upfront to bear. SRC is not far from the quotes provided by Mercure Hotel & others.

    Ceers, Edwin Chen

  22. Hi Edwin

    Yet another place by the sea at East Coast Parkway, called BEACON, East Coast Pub & Grill, situated at East Coast Seasport Club. Went around to view the place, and found it very conducive, charges very reasonable. Snacks, such as sandwiches, spring-rolls, chicken wings, etc, with tea or coffee free-flow, approx. quote $12-$15 and if only tea or coffee only free-flow maybe below $6/-. The place is covered roof with swaying coconut trees with cement/wooden flooring and can dance also practically under the moon and stars, by the sea. It can accomodate 100-120, 50 can be arranged, by dividing up with enclosure. It is suitable for meeting place also, Terence will love it, much oblige to bring you and Terence to view the place.

    Aloha…..Ronlai

  23. Angela,

    Friends the coffee shop at Changi Village sounds interesting. I would be keen to go there sometime.

    Edwin, Ron, the Beacon and SRC are attractive, from what I read in your comments. Will also have a look too when I am back. Thanks for the suggestions.

    Terence Seah

  24. Hi Ron Lai,

    Thanks for introducing the Beacon. I will go there tomorrow and take a look. Ron, you are a real spot on guy, keep scouting! I think I am going to bury my present agent and you can take his place as the new managing agent for “Ed,the One Man Band”!How’s that?

    Cheers, Edwin Chen

  25. Hi Edwin

    If you wanna to go tomorrow afternoon to Beacon I can join you, as I am free in the afternoon. This is the place my friend gave up in operating, as it is not profitable, now is owned by an Australian lady, enlarged and renovated.

    Aiyoh, Agent for “Ed N the 1 Man’s Band” so soon??? just after the Govt announcement of hiring retirees…..

    Ronlai

  26. Dear Ron & Alice Lai,

    Thank you for the wonderful morning meeting at your lovely home and your showing me around the Beacon.

    I would appreciate your passing me the phone number of the place ASAP.

    Thanks again.

    Edwin Chen

  27. Dear Edwin

    Alice and I thank you for visiting our humble home, and have the opportunity to show you around the Condo and the facilities available. The BEACON is a lovely place, you can sit around there under the coconut trees sipping soda, enjoying fresh air and sea-breeze, relaxing and let the time goes by. Agreed with you to let Terence judge for himself when he comes by, and we will have activities organise there. Until such time…..ALOHA

    Ron n Alice Lai

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