One week at IFA

Whew.  It is Friday and I have survived my first week at In Focus Asia . 

It has been a great week at work, but an exhausting one.  My Ghost Hunting series project is back on the table with a new format.  They are now thinking of a hosted show, and easing up on some of the history/architecture elements.  We still need them, they are just shifting the focus.  So I and the development team (who rock by the way) are full force on the hunt for the best ghost stories and haunted houses across Asia.  We need to find them in ten different countries!  Three solid days of this lead to me saying things like "GUYS I just found a house with TEN MURDERS - isn't that awesome"!?   Of course some of the stories are also heartrendingly sad, usually involving an invading army massacre.   But mostly its just good spine tickling shivers. 



It is a fun task in this particular office because many of our ideal countries are represented right around us.  We have Indians, Chinese, Koreans and mocha-blends of all sorts.  It's great to come across a word that has stumped Google-translator and just yell out to the room for the answer. 

 Of course, like all rogue production companies they are growing faster than they can build IKEA desks to fit everyone so although I have a computer, and a badge, and internet - I've had three different desks so far this week.  I've also had five utterly excellent lunches at restaurants representing as much diversity as my office-mates.   Food, its variety and deliciousness is going to be a running theme for this blog.  Singapore is a great place to be hungry. 

Every morning I have had some kind work-permit appointment at various offices around the city but I am happy to report that Singapore bureaucracy is so far getting an A++ from me for efficiency.   They won't stand for any missing i-dot and you MUST follow the instructions but they are polite, efficient and ready for me at every turn. 

I miss you all back home.

~k

Orchard Road

Seriously, these people know how to shop!  Its like a Mall of America on every single block.  And all of the shopping centers are high-rise. . . with, six, or seven, or eight floors.   Just when you think you must have seen it all there is another escalator going the other direction . . . and you find a NEW six, or seven or eight floors.   Everything you could ever want to buy - EVER.   I apologize in advance if my first three months of posting is all about the latest and greatest mall I've found but that seems to be the thing to do in Singapore.

Repeatedly, I am more lost inside than out on the streets.   

I met Catherine the Production Manager from IFA for lunch.  Correction, she came and collected me and took me to the most lovely lunch place a world-away from the little street corner fried buns and sketchy noodles I have found so far.  My previous Singapore food has been un-inspiring, but to be fair it was like sending a visitor to the US to the mall food-court for tasty eats.  It's just not happening there people.   But this lunch was lovely: pasta, salad and a flourless chocolate cake with real cream.  I left stuffed and happy. 

First roommate interview/visitation was just blocks from the famous Orchard Road across from the President's home.  It must be the safest block in Singapore because if you even think of a crime you might be faced with this fate.  (See photo)

The apartment is small, but cozy.  The rent is reasonable and the room has a lovely view.  The prospective roommates are CRAZY.  Seriously, it is a little bit like a movie plot.  Two, lesbian, eco-friendly, vegan, event planners.  I have never felt so loved on a housing-hunt.  There was vegan wine, a little Ellen Degeneres, a vegan cooking demonstration (with tasting of course), and plenty of chat.  I like them and I can't believe that my first place seems so promising.  I'm going to keep looking of course but if that is home it will be a good one.  And hey, I will try to stay friends with those girls even if I don't end up living there.

On the way out Marie walked me through another mall (An air-conditioned short cut on the way to the Subway or nearest bus stop), showed me the best night club, the best foreign exchange place, and where to get the cheapest fresh juice. 

I stopped at the grocery store, bought my first MRT card (aka SmartTrip or Metro Card) and successfully navigated the bus right to my hotel door.   Bath, blog and zzzzzzzzzzz are in my future. 

~k

ps. news on the job front.  My original ghost series just might be back on again.  MADNESS I say, good madness, but madness.  I'll learn more tomorrow. 

First Night In Singapore

Whoot. I have arrived.  After just 23.5 hours of traveling I have landed inelegantly, sweaty and disheveled in my new home away from home at the lovely Strand hotel on Bencoolen (ben-cool-een) Street. 

My new co-worker Lynn stopped by at 1 am to welcome me with hugs and smiles and tuck me in to my room.

I've rummaged in my suitcases and come up with one disposable toothbrush, a pillow and a yoga shirt. 

That is all.  Goodnight friends. 

Day One: Bugis Market

After a nice 10 hour sleep I emerged from my cosy hotel cave to the streets of downtown Singapore.  Although phone-less (and therefore instantly lost, despite my three trusty tourist maps) and hungry I am excited and happy.  This crazy city is spotless - beyond spotless.  It is sort of like a Truman Show city.  Everyone is smiling, there isn't a trace of litter (or gum. Be wary - Gum spitting = Caning.  Don't try it), and there is more public transportation than you could hope for. 

After mere blocks of wandering I found a street market selling pretty much everything for just five-dolla.  Hooray, although my rent is likely to be hopelessly astronomical, I will be able to buy things.  I was worried after being warned that everything in Singapore would cost as much as three times what it would at home.  Thankfully (thankfully?) I just moved from one of the most expensive places to live in the US so here I am un-phased by a $6 coffee, especially if it comes with fast wireless internet. 

My first purchase was a plug adapter and my second purchase was the smartest phone I could find.  Helpful sales clerk talked me out of the iphone and in to a shiny white Sony joy (the screen is bigger, its faster, and it has google maps - duh).  Bonus, he will put on my screen protector (using scotch tape - so smart), start my internet and generally bless my purchase.   And Then Down goes my credit card - sold. 

It does work as promised.  Instantly.  It's beautiful.  The screen is lovely.  The google maps are working. . . . but I miss my iphone.  Kind of desperately.  Partly it is a sense of loyalty.  Partly that I am unfamiliar and keep pressing buttons that do COMPLETELY different things than I expect.  But mostly, it is the syncing.  I want my imails, icals, ichats and most importantly Facetime to work all the same.  Am I crazy?  I might have to try to return it tomorrow.  If not, does anyone want a seriously barely used white unlocked Sony smart phone? 

There is time for that $6 coffee I mentioned (seriously, terrible, burned, not good, but the fast wireless - I can't keep away).  A nice 2pm/2am chat with the boy and a glimpse of my kittahs and a pile of possible roommate emails, then I head home to the hotel for a wee nap.   I'm feeling great, on top of the jet lag, productive, confident, world-traveled, awesome. . . . just a little nap then I'll find dinner and get to be on Singapore time.  .  .  . 

yeah, I woke up at 3 am after a 9 hour 'wee nap'   Hah.  Oh well.  Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll push through. 

Another Ticket

I think this is finally happening.  I have a ticket for Thursday at noon!  Three welcome emails and a breakfast date for Monday morning - my first day at the office.  EEEK!

So ready.  So not ready!

~k

Get there already!

I'm going to Singapore - just not tonight at 10:00pm.

I was on track to leave about two weeks ago when a 4 am call let me know that the network canceled my ENTIRE series.  BLAST.  And an immediate delay of any actually inter-continental travel for everyone to re-group. 

For those of you who don't aren't privy to my bi-yearly midnight phone rants, this is actually very standard TV procedure and happens to me regularily.   Usually it all works out even better than the original plan.   In the meantime it can cause insomnia, headaches, and consumption of entire quarts of Salted Caramel Gelato. 

Basically, any production company making a show can't officially hire anyone until they have a budget to pay for them.  But the budget can't be approved until the show is "greenlit" (and if it is a series the episodes must be approved before a greenlight).  The network also usually wants to know who will be working on, writing, producing, making the magic happen, etc. before they give a greenlight.  But wait, you can't hire anyone until AFTER the greenlight - how on earth do you know who will be making the magic, until the magic is already happening?

Yes.


So.


I'm not leaving for Singapore just yet.  It will happen people.  I'm sure of it.

Stays In Singapore

Hello Friends and Family,

Welcome to my little Singapore blog.  The place for all sharing my life and things Singapore, travel, shopping, crafty, working, exploring, eating, new friends and adventuring.

Right now I am in Washington DC making plans and packing to head to Singapore for a six month TV series producer project for In Focus Asia.  A company that is planning a ten part Haunted/Historic/Architecture series across Asia.  My new role will be to figure out how to tell these stories, and how to make scary, believable, creepy and informative ghosts for the documentary lens.  Whoot.

 Fear not, I will not be working alone.  A crack team of Executive producers, story development producers, writers, associate producers, researchers and brilliant minds is waiting for me to join their ranks.

Right now I am at home, packing, ordering and planning my life in Asia from my desk in the heart of Washington DC.  Wish me luck.

~k