Alkaff Mansion

According to the Straits Times, the Alkaff Mansion is up for tender.  This is basically one of Singapore's pre-World War buildings that was the home of one of the richest Arab families in Singapore.  Long story short, it was restored by the Tourism Authority and was as far as I could remember the venue of a very posh and very very expensive restaurant.  

I remember this place well because my folks brought me here for dinner once, when I was probably 10 or so.  And what I remember about it was how unhappy I was going there.  I wanted to eat something else (fast food perhaps??)  and somehow Dutch-Indonesian food wasn't exactly my cuppa tea.  I threw a tantrum and insisted we didn't go.  Thank goodness for me, my parents took me there anyway.  They even got some violinist to serenade me while I was eating cos I was pouting all the way (yes, I was very spoilt as a child...).   Turned out, the place was awesome.  Even though I was a tad too young to enjoy the amazing architecture or the very fine cuisine, I remember still having a really good time.  I even remember wow-ing at the bathroom cos this was a long time ago, and fancy open concept bathrooms weren't quite the rage yet.  Even the toilet paper (and again bear in the mind that this was a loooong time ago) was super fancy - embossed, super thick, very pretty and just generally the best damn toilet paper money could buy then.  I remember never having seen such fancy toilet paper before (no... Singapore isn't some third world country where we don't use toilet paper, just think about the type of toilet paper of 80s, not quite Charmin...) and I actually took a piece back home.  (I was 10, get over it)  Since my virgin trip to the mansion, I've probably gone there a couple more times on dates but they definitely weren't as memorable.  In fact, I don't even remember who I went there.  Poor smucks, spent 200 bucks for nothing eh?

Anyway, the Alkaff Mansion holds near and dear memories for me - it reminds about the little things we take for granted today that looked so much more amazing when we were children.  Maybe I need to look through those glasses again to appreciate everything around me.  It also reminds me of how spoilt I was as a child and how my folks in all their generosity continued to love me in spite of it all.   

Here are some pictures on the mansion... awesome isn't it?