Crystal Jade Dining IN

Shall do it the Liben way...

1. Crystal suggested Crystal Jade at Vivocity
2. Chin Yue did the coordinating
3. Joel and Derrick informed the MJ pple
4. "Almost all" of the MJ pple were coming at first but in the end none came
5. And the journey begins...
6. Clara and Chin Yue left RJ at 6.15pm to meet Jon and Paul at Golden Landmark Hotel at 7pm
7. Clara and Chin Yue brought Jon and Paul from Bugis to Harbourfront
8. Jon and Paul were rather flummoxed over the ezlink cards
9. Jon and Paul arrived safely at Vivocity at ard 7.30pm
10. Xuhui was very punctual and was waiting outside Crystal Jade even before 7.30pm
11. The fivesome entered Crystal Jade
12. 5 pple turned up for a reservation for 12
13. All of us sat down
14. Jon and Paul didnt know what to order and asked the rafflesians to decide
15. 3 rafflesians looked at each other
16. Chin Yue asked for waitress to request for recommendation
17. Waitress rattled off volubly a list of delicacies
18. In which Paul riposted, "sounds good" to all of them
19. Dishes ordered: imperial soup lobster, steamed garoupa, kailan vegetable, bbq peking duck skin wrapped with cucumber, crispy noodles with duck meat, black pepper beef
20. Ambrosia!
21. Chatted non-stop while we ate non-stop as well
22. Jon and Paul shared their experiences
23. Several hilarious moments like how Jon battled with the lobster to procure the optimum amount of meat
24. Crystal arrived after training
25. Jon, "is ur last name Jade?"
26. Continued eating
27. Crystal operated on the lobster
28. Paul, "u seem to have the potential to be a doctor or maybe even a surgeon but as an epidemiologist, i have to give u one piece of advice: dont do it with chopsticks"
29. 5 pairs of eyes on Crystal who was engaged in a combat with the lobster
30. Jon excused himself to the gents
31. Crystal and Chin Yue sneaked off to the counter to ask to look at the bills
32. A staggering $367.51
33. Crystal and Chin Yue decided that as our guests, it is only right that we treat them
34. Just at that moment, Jon returned from lavatory, "are u guys trying to foot the bills? if so, i would be paying with my card"
35. "oops, no. just checking the bills"
36. Confabulated for a while more
37. Jon, "oh may i know what's the time now?"
38. Clara, "9.30"
39. Jon, "oh dear, i need to make a call latest by 10. How about settling the bills now?"
40. Fleet process: told waitress we want to foot the bills -> waitress walked straight to Jon with the bills -> Jon placed his card on the book swiftly -> waitress went off and came back -> Jon signed -> rafflesians felt bad
41. Only thing we treated them in the end: french chocolate desert
42. Jon left the restaurant early to look for internet connection
43. Paul and we walked ard vivocity for a while
44. Treated Paul to a cup of latte
45. Met up with Jon at ard 10.15pm and walked to taxi stand
46. Extremely long queue at taxi stand
47. They decided to take train back
48. Clara sent them back to Bugis as all went home

Conclusion: convivial and epicurean experience as everything went well except that, instead of hosts treating guests, it became guests treating hosts