How To Attend A Club Event - Paid For Or Free

The Christmas Tree in the Tavern Restaurant, Tanglin Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

How could you get to attend if you are not a member? You might be invited to an event because>

1 Guests - Family and Friends

The organizers are selling tickets guest and member tickets which are reduced price for members (who are already paying the organization and annual fee or a montly fee, as well as the joining fee) but often only slightly more for guests. If you have lots of friends through one club, they are likely to know members of another club or to be a member of two clubs. Some clubs allow members to take in friends or family as guests. 

2 Keep asking all your Singapore friends, are you a member of a club? In my early days as an ex-pat, I met lots of Americans through the American Women's Association. You could join this if you were waiting to be a member of the American Club, or in Singapore insufficient time to make it worthwhile paying the joining fee. Members of the association could meet at each other's homes for events such as bridge games and end of year parties, attend festive meals such as Thanksgiving, and attend moderately priced events in hired rooms such as the bridge game with sandwich lunch or tea. Full members had full use of the club including the swimming and could book tables in the restaurant. On a couple of occasions, one of the 'bossy' or busy or proactive ladies would suggest we all went for coffee or lunch in the restaurant. She had to book the table and the payment would be invoiced to her at the end of the month. We could either secretly slip her cash afterwards to compensate her, invite her back to our club or out to lunch if she was a friend. Or if only one person out of five was not a member, one of the other women who was a member might airily say, "don't worry, this is on me".

Free

Another system. When I first arrived, I knew nobody and was very lonely when my husband was away travelling. I would invite people to lunch at the club, but most of them were too busy with their own families and friends or work. I was desperately hoping somebody would accept and was happy to pay the cost of their lunch. My husband was having meals out with business associates all day every day. I was not even getting a Saturday evening meal out with him. He could hardly begrudge me one meal with a friend or acquaintance. 

On one occasion I invited a VIP lady organizer of a group, a bridge group, or a book group, or one of the national associations (American Club, Japanese Club, Australian club). She arrived with a gift for me, a silver picture frame. She explained, "I cannot reciprocate by inviting you back to my club because I am fully booked all week and we are going back to America." I then  realized that some people just accept that life is swings and roundabouts, sometimes you pay for a stranger, sometimes they pay for you. Other people like every transaction and relationship to balance, so if you invite them to a meal, whether at their home or a restaurant, you don't wait for an opportunity to reciprocate, because that might never come if one of you travels elsewhere or falls sick. You take a gift for the host. 

How do you do this at short notice? It's like planning for Xmas. If you do it on a regular basis, you can plan in advance. You and buy in the sales. You have a box or basket labelled gifts. 

All ready wrapped with fancy paper and ribbons. (The Japanese always expect gifts to be fancily wrapped. In China and Singapore even money must be presented in a lucky red packet.)

Then, if you are on the phone and are invited out and have to leave now, no time for shopping, you simply grab a gift from the box. If you like you can add the name of the person on the gift tag, and a nice message such as to my new friend, to my good friend, or thank you for the lovely lunch.

Reciprocal Clubs

If you are a member of a club, or the company you belong to has membership for all staff, you can get reciprocal arrangements overseas. For example, members of the UK civil service can join the Civil Service Club. I met him through a local Writer's club in London. He introduced me to a Toastmasters International Club. He is a member of several clubs, including some connected with Indian language groups. He arranges a Christmas dinner at the Civil Service Club for his friends.

You can visit many clubs just to be shown around with a view to becoming a member. Whilst there, look at the lists of activities. Some will be cultural. Book clubs, film clubs, national clubs. If you are sporty, you are sure to see a group such as football, cricket, squash, and cabinets of trophies or lists of events. If you are not nearby, you can check them out online. Find our what arrangements they have with clubs in your country.

If you are into sales, you might hire a table at a Christmas fare, to sell wine, jewellery, clothes, candles, food, books. You might have a customer who is a member of the club.

The Tanglin Club's Reciprocal Clubs

In Australia alone there are many reciprocal clubs, for example, several branches of the RAC club in different cities. In India, the Cricket Club in Mumbai is one of several.

Guests can book rooms in the club. See the club website for details.

Useful Websites

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/reciprocal-clubs/reciprocal-clubs.html

Pumpkin Fun & Food

 

Pumpkin Soup

I had pumpkin soup at the American club in Singapore at a Women's Association lunch. If you are an expat, look for a restaurant or club. I was not a member of the American club, there was a long waiting list if you were not American, and it cost a lot of money to join and then every month.  You could not use the restaurant. The only way was to be invited by a member, who you might meet through your work or at an activity. You could either repay them with an invitation to a restaurant, or another club, by taking a gift such as a picture frame or book, or sometimes by cash.

However, I joined the Women's Association. You were not allowed to use the facilities, such as the swimming pool, only to use a rented room for meetings. However, a member of the Women's Association who played in the bridge club organized a lunch and as a member of the American club she was allowed to book the restaurant. She did this for Thanksgiving and assorted festivals through the year. I had had pumpkin pie in the USA and at coffee bars and restaurants in Singapore and other countries seasonally. At the American club I was really interested to try pumpkin soup for the first time. Now, of course, you can buy almost any food from huge supermarkets or online. Or buy a pumpkin, research a recipe online and make your own.

Pumpkin pie

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_pie

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Where To Find Pools, Public and Private, In Singapore and Worlwide

Olympic size pool at a condo.

Singapore
You can find private pools in hotels and condos all over Singapore. If you have family licing in a condo, take up the offer to put you up and compare the aerial view of their condo's pool and the hotel you can afford. Sometimes a night at a hotel is included in the price of a stopover air fare.

Hotel Pools
Some hotel pools are open to non-residents for a day or visitor fee. Might not be worth paying if you are only there for coffee or lunch, but if you are all day visiting overseas relatives could be worthwhile.

The biggest, best, most expensive infinity pool is at the landmark Marina Bay Sands hotel at the top of the triple tower. Just sitting in the bar next to it is exciting.

Wiki says:
World's highest and longest rooftop infinity pool at 200 metres (650 feet) high^[15] and 150 metres (490 feet) long^[16]

Another infinity pool is at the Mercure near Newton MRT.
I have written another blog post on the hotel on Fort Canning.
Coming down in price you have branches of the YMCA and YWCA. I have other posts on these venues.

Club Pools
Other private pools are in clubs such as The American Club and The Tanglin Club. If you have a family member or friend they can take you in but they have to pay a fee. Other clubs include the club by the cricket club on the Padang.

The British Club in Singapore is further out of the city.

Public Pools
Public pools are all over Singapore. The more modern ones have children's pools and chutes and diving boards and swimming lessons which you can book. Some are central, others further out. For example, one at Senja Cashew near Bukit Panjang MRT, end of the Downtown line. Another is at Yio Chu Kang.

UK
Hotels with pools include several of the mid-price chains.

USA
Big hotels have pools. So do motels - moderate prices, included with the bedroom fee for singles or couples or families. Might be out of town and along motorways, excellent if you have a hire car and are doing a cross-country trip.

Useful Websites
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/10/yio-chu-kang-swimming-pool-singapore.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/03/hotels-above-or-near-mrt-stations-in.html

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, author of 20 books, blogger, travel writer and photographer. 

What Do I Do At A Yu Sheng Chinese New Year Dinner In Singapore?

Problem
What will I eat? What should I wear?

Answers
Yu Sheng or Lo Hei Dinners
What I like most in Singapore is the celebration dinners, a uniquely Singaporean recent invention, the Yu sheng Lo Hei. The words mean Prosperity toss.

A big communal dish of shredded vegetables of all colours and if you are lucky smoked salmon pieces. The food is on a large round platter in the centre of the table. The organizer or chef or server adds the different ingredients one by one.

The Prosperity Toss
Everybody stands up and gathers around, chopsticks at the ready. At a given signal, everybody starts mixing the food with their chopsticks and tossing it in the air. The higher you toss, the greater the prosperity.

Don't wear clothes which might be damaged by grease or flying food or dripping food.

You then sit down and take the food, including the sauces. Lots of fun.

Where can you have a Yu Sheng? All the big hotels offer Yu Sheng meals. Look in the entrance halls for placards, also at the entrances to restaurants. In addition check out the local papers for special offers. You can pick up free newspaper at hotel receptions or at the MRT railway stations in central areas in the mornings.

Singapore Airlines
I always fly there on Singapore Airlines, economy class. We collect airmiles on a credit card. My husband is sometimes in business class.

Useful Websites:
www.singaporeair.com

Pumpkins in Morrisons for Halloween

Pumpkins in Morrisons for Halloween. Everything in orange. You can get paper plates and serviettes and paper cups to match.

I love pumpkin pie. In America we would drive through the countryside and see signs everywhere offering pumpkins for sale at restaurants and supermarkets and farms.

In Singapore we used to enjoy pumpkin soup starters, and pumpkin pie dessert for lunch when members of the American Women's Association which met in the American Club for a seasonal lunch.

In Morrisons and other supermarkets you can buy costumes, hats and more.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Reciprocal Club Membership: American Clubs, Tanglin and others

If you belong to a club in one country you can find a list of reciprocal clubs in another country.

In a city full of museums and attractions you might want to be out seeing the sights, not sitting in a private club. Why would you want to visit a club?

A city you have visited many times before - you no longer want to be amongst the jostling crowds. You just want peace and quiet.

A place to wait for your friends who are busy with business meetings or cannot say what time they will arrive.

You want to take your local friends somewhere they don't already know.

First, get a list of clubs which have reciprocal arrangements at your destination. Then email or visit your club's office and ask for a letter of introduction.

Your club might send a copy to the club you are visiting.

Restrictions may apply.

For example, the American Club in Hong Kong says you may visit only twice in one year, for visits of up to a fortnight.

That doesn't affect me, but it's a bit disappointing. In the old days I was under the impression that if you were a member of a club, but missed out by being half the year at a home or business in a second country, instead you could use one of the reciprocal clubs. After all, they are benefitting from your spend in their restaurants.

The other question is, can you actually make use of the facilities? My prime reason for going to the American Club in Hong Kong would be to use their swimming pool, because we are not staying at a hotel but with a friend in a small apartment.

If the club says you can use the restaurant but not the pool, and all we get is the chance to sit at a restaurant beside a pool or overlooking a bay we might be better off going to a hotel with swimming pool.

Another factor is that when visiting the other other club you have to remember to take along your letter of introduction and your passport. I don't want to travel around Hong Kong carrying my passport. I had my bag and passport stolen in Singapore. It took days of going back and forwards to the embassy to get a temporary passport, then in the UK to get a permanent one, plus money to obtain both the temporary one week passport and the replacement permanent passport.

In Hong Kong there are two American Clubs, both on the main area, although one is called a town club and the other a country club. I looked at them and the Country Club seems to be the one with the pool.

If you are a member of a club you normally show your card and sign the bill and get sent a monthly bill to settle. As a visiting member you will have to pay by cash, or credit card.
You might want to check the method of payment, whether they accept American Express cards, and if you can have a bill for tax purposes if you are entertaining a business guest.

At the American club in Singapore I used to go to the Ladies Bridge game, which was weekly,(men could attend - I once took my visiting father who was in his eighties - the price including the simple buffet lunch. I also went the Tanglin Club mixed sex bridge game, where the price included a tea.

At some events, if you did not arrive early, you missed the food. At other events, if you rushed off early, you missed the food.

You might be disappointed and find that you can attend only one restaurant. On the other hand, you might make a friend of one of the members. They might be happy to take you to the facilities as their sign in guest, and you can reciprocate by paying cash or inviting them to dinner elsewhere another day or another week, or in your home country, or continue by drinking or coffee the same day at a venue outside the club.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

English afternoon tea for a book group: brown bridge rolls and lemon drizzle cake

If you are a reader - and you must be if you enjoy reading blogs, you can meet local people in other countries by going to a book group. In Singapore I went to book groups attached to the American club and a South African book group.

Some of the book groups met in a club house, such as the American Club in Singapore. You could join the American Woman's Association which cost less than the club membership and it was easier to join if you were not American.

Most of the meetings were in the club but some were in people's homes. In order to encourage people to volunteer houses, many meetings were either just coffee and biscuits, or end of year meetings were often pot luck, with many people bringing home make cakes. The British tended to make one big cake. The Americans were fond of making muffins. In England we used to make smaller fairy cakes for children's parties.

What can you serve? In England at a book group we like to serve bridge rolls. Toppings can be cream cheese, chopped egg, smoked salmon, tuna, tuna and sweetcorn, and other fish such as herring. For a special occasion such as a party you would slice something circular for a decoration in the middle, slices of tomato, olives, cucumber, a contrasting colour.

If you can't get bridge rolls, a very good substitute is marks and spencer rolls. They come in white or brown.

Favourite cakes are lemon drizzle cake, with or without icing, chocolate cake, cakes with nuts.

Of course, if you were reading Marcel Proust's A La Recherché Du Temps Perdu you would serve madeleines, oval shape cakes, which you can buy in large supermarkets in the UK.

Angela Lansbury, author.

Pumpkin Recipes For Halloween - Filling and fun

The best pumpkin meals I have ever had were at clubs in Singapore, especially the American club's pumpkin soup and pumpkin desserts, cheesecake or pudding or tart. So tasty.

Waitrose issues recipe cards and a newspaper which is full of the week's seasonal recipes. We tried the pumpkin soup which was spicy and delicious. Depending on your blending machine you can make the soup creamy or with tiny fingernail size cubes of pumpkin.

You can also toast the pumpkin seeds and use them for decoration. I have tried eating them and did not rate the experience a success. Give me almonds any day. Half the seeds pods were empty. But it's useful to know that in an end of the universe or snowed in survivalist scenario, you could eat pumpkin seeds. Or feed them to pigs.

I'm sure somebody makes pumpkin cake and pumpkin ice cream.