People…people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world. ~ Barbra Streisand

The E & O Hotel has been part of my life for a very long time. Albert (my late father) tinkled the ivories there for well over 40 years and when I was a kid and growing up he would bring me there occasionally to expose me to this unique establishment. Those were the days, my friend. Lavish weddings, big band music, people dressed to the hilt in their finest…I feel a touch of nostalgia coming into me as I write this. It’s as if my dad’s music still lives on, and I sometimes feel unworthy to carry on his legacy because I am nowhere near what he has achieved and given to the hotel. Of course a lot has changed with the passing of time. However, there is one thing that hasn’t changed—I believe it truly, and that is—the people here.

My dad regarded the E & O as his second home and I do too. Even though I’m only on during Friday and Saturday evenings, I look forward to going to this Grand Old Dame and meeting up with the wonderful people there. We talk, we laugh, we have lots of fun…isn’t that the way to treat other human beings? Kindness given is returned tenfold…look at the way I was treated when I spent my recent birthday there. Uh oh, gotta stop the tears now.

I would also like to thank my present boss, Signor Marco Battistotti (mio amico), for allowing me the honor to be a part of the big E & O family. He and Michael Saxon (my previous boss) have made me feel so glad and proud that I’m able to continue my father’s legacy there.

Big thank you’s to Lynn, Huey Yee, Yee Mei, Adila, Eugene, Ijoy, Bob, Faiz, Rizal, Lokesh, Adeline, Loong, Zul, Nesh, Kelly, Chew Kee Hao, Rose, Roslin, Laila, Marlin, Harris, Chris, Shafinie, Amisha, Normala, Camila, Noor, Mr. Rama, Kusairy, Kamal, Salim, Mazlan, Dephany, Charmaine, Wendy, Ireese, Mazeta and others too many to mention. I love you all!! Waaaaaaah.

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I could tell my birthday dinner would be great, and I was right. I arrived at the 1885 all dressed up and was shown to my table which had been painstakingly set up by Ijoy, Bob, and the rest of the staff. Sigh, wish I had a date.

I started off with some French sounding appetizer, together with some bread.

In between the courses I decided to tinkle the piano, to the delight of the guests. I talked with a pair of them and hearing that it was my birthday, they offered to buy me a double Baileys! Here’s the exquisite Caesar salad.

And now—the end is near, LOL. Just kidding—the Australian tenderloin steak was perfection—all 180g of it, muah! I polished off everything on the plate.

Well I was really stuffing myself and getting stuffed. However, I just had to have the crepe suzette—my favorite dessert. This time it was prepared with Grand Marnier, served with vanilla ice cream.

Coupled with the different wines for appetizer, main course, and dessert I thought I had made it. But I forgot that the staff of 1885 treat me like part of the family. They wouldn’t let me go without partaking of a birthday cake and the birthday song! Thank goodness it wasn’t another chocolate cake (which I had already consumed earlier on the same afternoon) This time it was cheesecake and it was lovely, mmmhmmm.

What was particularly touching was that everyone—Ijoy, Bob and Rizal in particular, made me feel so much at home at the 1885. I wouldn’t call it my workplace, but it’s a place I go to because I enjoy playing the piano and making the guests as well as the staff happy. I am very grateful to everyone for treating me like family there. Big thank you’s and love to Mei, Adila, Ijoy, Bob, Eugene, Rizal, Faiz, Lokesh and the chefs at 1885 for making my birthday so memorable.

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