while checking out of Crockfords today, we bumped into Andrew who's the overall VP of rooms. while chatting with him, another of mommy's colleagues came up to say hi. then he looked at us, "these must be your three princesses."


we naturally smiled back shyly. it wasn't like we were still teens. "princess" sounded weird.. but as i walked back to the carpark, staring at the butler carrying our bags and walking us to the car, i sighed softly. another whirlwind weekend of meeting people, both familiar and strangers.. and getting past queues.. having fantastic service.. and just being absolutely pampered.


i then looked at mommy, "2 months. 3 hotels. it's gonna take a while until i get used to the normal life again."


i paused and looked at her, "then there's banyan tree. and then angsana..."


mommy looked at me, "it's all a little surreal, isn't it?"



i could only nod in reply as i thought of the michael graves watch (as pretty as the Alessi kettle is, i am not spending $328 on a kettle when i can get a watch for $170, sorry) waiting for me in its display cabinet as we walked past jimmy choo, vertu, tumi, bvlgari, chanel and the likes.


i've repeated myself time and time again. i do live a semi-charmed life. but oh gosh. to know that i have a butler at hand to draw my bath, bring me a mix of rasberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries for supper and make me a nice hot chamomile tea before i sleep.. to have a pillow menu to order pillows from.. AND A NESPRESSO IN MY ROOM!!! omg omg omg..



ok, it's not all sunshine and butterflies. we had to review the hotel. and it wasn't easy. every corner we turned and met people, mommy will end up talking abt work and we'd add our 2 cents worth when needed. we climbed non-working escalators.. get splashed by fountains that aren't working properly (one looking constipated, the other resembling a natural disaster..)

plus the dust. my throat is suffering a little. and every time i return to the room, i have to wash my face. the bvlgari lotion makes everything a little better. and there's the inane drilling to wake you up from listless sleep due to your mother's snoring late at night..

i feel sorry for roger. for ralf. for ben. for marian. for andrew... steve.. heidi.. charles.. the lower end staff the people behind the scene living on minimal sleep. but the bosses impress me. that with minimal rest, they are always ready with a smile and incredible professional poise because of the people they are serving. because of their team.

the staff are on shift work. not the bosses. not those surviving on 2-4 hours of sleep in the hotel and being on their feet the whole day. yet the bosses are amazing. they are taking one for their team. because the team belongs to them. the hotel belongs to them. they are the ones taking the feedback and working to improve everything WITH everyone.

it's incredible to watch these people work. how they communicate with fresh-faced people when they are on a high from lack of sleep. these people are who i want to work for. i can't imagine anyone who wld be able to motivate me anymore than they can.

to see that smile from the bosses. that appreciation for your 8 hours when they are putting in 20 hours themselves. you can't help but want to work even harder to lessen their burden. of course, then you get peter stuffing people into pointy shoes that hurt. but i know where he's coming from. if i worked for Peter, i'd change my hair and wear pointy shoes just to fit into the culture and make the guest feel like they are in a rock-ass hotel.


i can swoon abt these bosses for as long as i would swoon abt the michael graves gallery, chihuly gallery (omg. absolute love.), the crockfords room, the michael's room, the hard rock room, the amazing long ass corridor in festive hotel (amazing for dog-n-bone!!!).



yar. i need out. sigh.


for now, it's gonna take me time to settle back into the life of a pauper once more. sigh. wake up.. wake up..