Ain't so special
Be it in snail mail or email, I have been receiving promotional brochures and e-ads on Valentine's Day promotions at some restaurant or hotel. This is really getting on my nerves.
I mean, why can't they offer these attractive local hotel packages during other months? Are they trying to get everyone to conceive in the month of February so that there'll be a crop of newborns in December?
While hotels and restaurants devise all sorts of gimmicks to get the man to spend on Valentine's Day, what is supposedly a romantic gesture of bonding in some love suite becomes something everyone else is doing next door. And imagine walking into a restaurant with 50 other couples eating the same 10-course Valentine's Day special dinner as you would be having. It's hardly my idea of a romantic date really since what is supposedly unique is no longer so because pretty much nothing else is available on February 14 except "specials" that aren't so special.
I have nothing against couples who take up these offers during Valentine's Day and I'm not out to ruin commercial interests, but I think it's just pathetic when everyone does the same thing on the same day - which reminds me of a scene from Stepford Wives where everything is beautiful and perfect it's so unreal. For that one day, couples rekindle or reinforce their love, depending on how you see it. In fact, on the very same night, the whole "love-is-in-the-air" atmosphere will slowly fizzle out and end with a pop.
There was one year I had a dinner special at Hilton Hotel on Valentine's Day. The tables had special paper tissue as table cloth and some glitter stuff thrown on it with a stalk of rose for the lady. As the night drew to an end, and the dining crowd thinned, waiters wrapped up the glitter and the leftovers on the tables with the paper tissue, and then replaced the table with their usual dining cloth and table accessories. It was such a cold wake-up call that all the pretty things that were used to symbolise romantic love was crushed and discarded within that few hours. Suddenly, life returns to normal the following day. Unlike Christmas, where the decorations were gradually removed so it kind of slips away quietly, Valentine's Day is really just a few-hours affair, usually starting from 6pm - 11 pm if it's a weekday and probably slightly later if it's a weekend.
Now if I could, I would be introducing packages and dinner specials for singles and friends. It would be a good idea to offer singles attractive hotel stays because after all, most lament the pains of seeing throngs of hand-holding, bouqet-carrying couples. So it'd be perfect for them to get away from the couples and spend some time alone, indulging and pampering themselves. Alternatively, create a special menu and throw open the restaurant to Friends Only - No Couples allowed. That way, a bunch of single friends can get together, enjoy a unique menu for dinner, without disturbing the peace of couples. And who knows, within the same restaurant, one bunch of singles might meet another bunch of singles and something might come out of nothing?
Ha, how brilliant!
But oh well, till there's really some place and some thing for singles to engage in without being reminded of sickeningly loving duos plugging streets and restaurants and hotels, their best option is to stay at home and watch a DVD.
I highly recommend "A Series of Unfortunate Events".
Go on, wallow in self-pity.
I mean, why can't they offer these attractive local hotel packages during other months? Are they trying to get everyone to conceive in the month of February so that there'll be a crop of newborns in December?
While hotels and restaurants devise all sorts of gimmicks to get the man to spend on Valentine's Day, what is supposedly a romantic gesture of bonding in some love suite becomes something everyone else is doing next door. And imagine walking into a restaurant with 50 other couples eating the same 10-course Valentine's Day special dinner as you would be having. It's hardly my idea of a romantic date really since what is supposedly unique is no longer so because pretty much nothing else is available on February 14 except "specials" that aren't so special.
I have nothing against couples who take up these offers during Valentine's Day and I'm not out to ruin commercial interests, but I think it's just pathetic when everyone does the same thing on the same day - which reminds me of a scene from Stepford Wives where everything is beautiful and perfect it's so unreal. For that one day, couples rekindle or reinforce their love, depending on how you see it. In fact, on the very same night, the whole "love-is-in-the-air" atmosphere will slowly fizzle out and end with a pop.
There was one year I had a dinner special at Hilton Hotel on Valentine's Day. The tables had special paper tissue as table cloth and some glitter stuff thrown on it with a stalk of rose for the lady. As the night drew to an end, and the dining crowd thinned, waiters wrapped up the glitter and the leftovers on the tables with the paper tissue, and then replaced the table with their usual dining cloth and table accessories. It was such a cold wake-up call that all the pretty things that were used to symbolise romantic love was crushed and discarded within that few hours. Suddenly, life returns to normal the following day. Unlike Christmas, where the decorations were gradually removed so it kind of slips away quietly, Valentine's Day is really just a few-hours affair, usually starting from 6pm - 11 pm if it's a weekday and probably slightly later if it's a weekend.
Now if I could, I would be introducing packages and dinner specials for singles and friends. It would be a good idea to offer singles attractive hotel stays because after all, most lament the pains of seeing throngs of hand-holding, bouqet-carrying couples. So it'd be perfect for them to get away from the couples and spend some time alone, indulging and pampering themselves. Alternatively, create a special menu and throw open the restaurant to Friends Only - No Couples allowed. That way, a bunch of single friends can get together, enjoy a unique menu for dinner, without disturbing the peace of couples. And who knows, within the same restaurant, one bunch of singles might meet another bunch of singles and something might come out of nothing?
Ha, how brilliant!
But oh well, till there's really some place and some thing for singles to engage in without being reminded of sickeningly loving duos plugging streets and restaurants and hotels, their best option is to stay at home and watch a DVD.
I highly recommend "A Series of Unfortunate Events".
Go on, wallow in self-pity.
posted by Me at 2:40 am
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