Hi everybody, here is an update of how I think we will handle future SHC monthly gatherings. Our membership will continue to grow, and it is becoming more difficult to find a place that can cater to our group size. Some suggestions came up, and we have yet to explore. They include Downtown East, Burger King (East coast parkway) and Terminal 2 Food court. Please continue to make recommendations.
Here are our guidelines for venues:
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Place should be near to MRT station or public transport.
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Venue should allow flexibility on the number of pax and amount spent.
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Venue operator provide food and drinks over the counter; as SHC should focus on its core objective, of provide a platform for members to meet new friends.
So far, Hans Cafe & Restaurant @ Great Eastern has met our basic requirements. However, because of our size, we have naturally upgrade our noise level; affecting other diners. As Hans Cafe is a business; and we are making use of the place, there is reasonable expectation requiring us to purchase drinks and food from the venue.
Currently, we are in the process of arranging with Hans management on the above; as well as how we can make our noise tolerable to other dinners. We hope to resolve this by end July 2008. A lady member is currently helping to facilitate the above issue.
Once we come to a firm arrangement, it is likely we will hold the monthly gathering at Hans, once a month. There will be two sessions; one for retired SilverHairs and one for still-working SilverHairs. We will also increase the numbers from 150 pax to 200 and 300 pax. I hope Hans Cafe will be a great meeting place for SilverHairs, once a month.
Please offer your thoughts, suggestions and comments.
Terence Seah
Dear Terence
With our group size multipling day by day, it seems your target of 10,000 SHCians will reach sooner than you thought.
No matter where you may hold the “meet the members sessions”, no place will be big enough to hold the capacity.
To my thinking, a venue with seating places will be out of
thought. My suggestion, if hold water, should be a place where standing room only, just like “cocktail party”. The likely scenario I can think of presently is the one I suggested as above i.e. BURGER KING outlet at East Coast Parkway or any other of their outlets in other part of Singapore, or even MacDonald’s outlets.
The reason I have mentioned “cocktail party” format is that “standing room” is available at the sea-front of BURGER KING, holding cups of drinks or burgers in hands standing and walking around is easier to build-up friendships among members rather than seating down in one place all evening (that I noticed in past monthly gatherings). The sea-front has NO LIMIT, can accomodate upto innumerable number of members, those who are tire can always avail themselves at the BURGER KING seating outlets at one time or the other. This is a penny for your thought.
RONLAI
Hi RonL,
Yes, your suggestion of having standing room cocktails is very inspirational and practical. In front of Burger King at East Coast. Hmm, I am 51% convinced. I shall pop over there this weekend, and have a look. Let’s make it come true, soon.
Terence Seah
Heeee, at my age, i cant stand standing too long without someone sendiong me to the hospital in an ambulance and if more SHCians are my type, the next gatheirng might well be at the A&E of SGH?
Seriously, after the initial 10 minutes of sauntering and sashaying to greet & meet one another, we do need to rest our weakened knees & butts on some chairs. Better still if there’s a couch where i can lie on as the gals take turns to run their fingers all over me in a good rub.
Terence, now that you know what is best for members, it’s your task to find us this venue. There’s a deadline to meet and so come back by early August to file your report on the search. We dont take an “i cant find leh” as answer.
Stop scratching yr head & digging yr nose, go look for it now !
Terence,
I think without seats, many will either not turn up or disappear after a short while. May I add that it will be pretty warm at 3 pm to be standing around in the open. Besides, without seats, it will be difficult to have any activities like what we had at Han’s.
Sorry for disagreeing RonL. No offence meant.
Feedback noted. Yes, MaryC and TimL, Hmm, and I have a brilliant idea; I shall arrange to have two chairs, if we have standing room cocktail sessions. How about that?
Terence Seah
Yes!!! standing and walking around is easier to build-up friendships among members!!!! Sitting down, you can only make friends with the one who is seated on your left and on your right, esp if it is a big round table!!! Unless someone comes up to you to say hi…so see what I mean. Gathering is only once a month…take the opportunity to stand tall and erect..:-)) and slouch around the remaining 29/30 days.:-)).Frankly if you are having a good time, u won’t even realise ur legs tired!!
However, agree that activities help foster friendships. For that u need some tables and chairs..!!!
Mmmm….Tough ah!
Terrence,
You might want to take a look at the non-aircon area at West Coast McDonalds. May be spacious enough with many chairs and tables at non peak timmings as well as free parking…but away from MRT stn though. A problem for those not driving.
Hi Terence!
How about trying Braddell Ht CC for the monthly meeting? It’s near Serangoon MRT and quite near Serangoon bus interchange too.
terence, 2 chairs for Mary-C and me? No need, she’ll sit on my laps each time she sees me, the pattern wont chair so 1 chair will do.
Mary-C, dont worry lah, I know Ron-L, he has an open mind and can see that we love him but are only discussing an issue brought up. Dont believe, asks to sit on his laps and he too will let you. (heeee, that makes you a lap-sitter, going around looking for laps to sit on, so mean of me hor………)
“………take the opportunity to stand tall and erect…”. Ouei, Steven, June-L is calling out to you to stand and…………….erect. For sure, she is looking for a good time and she actually has said that.
Btw, Terence can look at the field fronting buangkok mrt. The field is so big that June_L can stand here, stand there and for another 3 hours, she wont stand on the same floor twice. Also, Ron_W can get Kuah Kim Song to play football with Quah Kim Song as he sings a long long song……….there everyone will be on song and, to the hokiens, sibei song.
Terence, how sweet of you to think of giving me a chair to sit on, hahaha. Makes me feel like a queen or perhaps an old lady???. So that should make Tim feel like one too, hahaha. Tim Liu, the queen.
Tim,
What’s a “lap sitter”? Perhaps you are thinking of the “lap dancers” you’ve experienced in gayland? I’m sure they gave you a lot of pressure, ah, pleasure I mean, hahaha.
Your comments have been so focused on the erotic recently. Even June’s innocent comment has become the target of your lewd thoughts.Aiyoh, Tim, go and pay your ah huays in gayland a visit lah and vent your frustrations on them lah.
HI Terence, TimL & MaryC
On weekends you will find public bus service No 401 operating throughout the day and nite, running the length of the service road from end to end at East Coast Parkway.
There are several underground tunnels leading from one side of the road of the ECP to other side (sea-front).
The one, most convenient, leading to Burger King/MacDonald is situated between Blk 14 & 18 at Marine Terrace, off Marine Parade Road. From Marine Parade Road bus stop, it takes only 15/20 mins to walk towards the tunnel.
Bus services operating along Marine Parade Road are:
3l, 36, 43, 48, 55, 76, 135, 197, 853, with additional services 13, 16 ,76A, 135A, 196 & 646, operating along the same road towards Changi.
With Tim’s #3 10 mins suntering n sashaying and needs to rest the weakened knees & butts and MaryC’s #4 worry in finding seats, Burger King aplenty, or else we can sit by the seas seaping coconut juice, under the coconut trees.
RonLai
Hi Terence!
Did U miss reading my suggestion @ #8 for future monthly meetings?
Hi Catherine,
I am not familiar about community centres. Usually there is a charge for the use of the place, and this adds to the cost of organising. From previous monthly gatherings, I do prefer venues which is flexible on paxs and cost.
Maybe I got it wrong! But are you saying you know the venue owner, and that we can have free use of the place, and that it offers f&b over the counter. I will be keen to hold our mthly gatherings there.
Terence Seah
Hi Terrence I am not a regular in attending your gathering cos I do not like driving downtown. I have a place for suggestion at the Chinese Swimming Club Amber Road. You can either have it at the cafe which is up to you how much you want to spend o prices of food very reasonable alternatively book the function room $20 per head + (food and use of room exclusive) if you are keen I will get more details for you.
Janet Loo (remember me the golfer)
Hi Janet,
Yes, I remember you very well. I have been to the Chinese Swimming Club a few times. I shall keep the place in mind, for other gatherings, altho not likely we will use it for the monthly gatherings.
I am refreshing my golf, and taking lessons. Hope to have a gold game with you someday.
Terence Seah
Mary_C, I took yr advice, went to gayland to vent my frustrations but ended up even more frustrated. See, instead of me atop ah huay, she sat on me……….and she didnt sit still, moving, fidgeting and chaging position all the time. She had fun, I didnt.
Ron-L, good that yr suggestion has been taken up and we’ll meet at Burger King in August. Understand Bugger King will attend too and no prize guessing who he is………hard as a rock, I hv no doubt you still can.
Hi Terence,
Another venue to consider for our monthly gatherings is the Botanic Gardens Food Court! Inside is air-conditioned, outside there are ample tables and chairs spread out in three segments.
I figure outside seating capacity up to a hundred pax not counting the air-conditioned area.
We could also have a picnic just outside where the garden is. Just need some ground sheet to sit down.
This place is not accessible by MRT but bus transportation is efficient!
Dan #18:
I have to agree with you on the Botanic Gardens Food Court, particularly if the gathering is on a Sunday. I was there yesterday together with my origami group. Lots of space, sufficient variety of food and the prices are just a tad more than usual for food courts.
Terence: Can consider.
Cheers,
Ron
Hi Ron,
Sure, we shall hold a starter event day on a Sunday. This is the best support for the place. Saves me having to go there and explore. By the way, were you there in the morning or afternoon?
Terence Seah
Terence #20:
I was there from 2pm to almost 6.00pm. Most of the tables were not occupied.
Ron
Hi everybody,
Over the last few years, we have been looking for and asking for suggestions for new venues large enough to host our SHC month gatherings. I guess the search has not been very successful.
On this note, we shall now make Hans Cafe at Great Eastern, Pickering Street the MAIN venue for all our SHC month gatherings. Other places may be tried from time to time. Please take note of this. We should now comfortably start to target groups up to 150 and 200 members during our SHC gatherings, wihtout constraints of space and transportation limitations.
Terence Seah
For those who have attended the SHC monthly gatherings regularly, you will have noted we use Hans Cafe regularly because the location is conveniently located, flexible with choice of F&B, flexible with number of attendees and pretty user friendly.
Do you know of another location, large, MRT convenient, food flexible? Unlike me, who is rarely in Singapore, I am sure most of you have patronise many places in Singapore which can cater to SHC. So, please give your suggestions. Of course, you must have been there first to recommend the place.
Terence Seah