To feed a starving society (world peace)

Alongside other issues, our main concern was to decide on the 'main pull' of the cafe. We are always in a compromising situation, having to balance between these and that, sacrificing these or that.

Problem 3: To feed a starving society

The lucrative lunch crowd was certainly an enticing one, it was really seductive to hopped onto the bandwagon just like everybody else. And yet, we didnt wanna appear too much like those comic shops where i used to loiter around after school playing magic cards.

In short, a place with good food and good fun.(yet another Singaporean dream)

To feed a starving society part 1: The Boardgames

We did research, as well as a fair bit of 'espionage' to find out more about interesting games that will entertain depraved people like you and me. We then classify the selceted games into categories that will titilate the interest of different groups of people with different fantasies.

The games range from crappy and bimbotic, to 'just throw the dice and see what happens', to 'now that requires some brains', to 'man, this is really mind boggling!'. In short, I myself am amused by the number of games that are available in this world that and even more impressed by how innovative these folks are in invoking interest and fun with just a board, some cards, some dice and some friends.


To feed a starving society part 2: The Food

Hailing from the order of the epicure,with profound interest in gastronomy and gourmet delicacies.. Aiyah, why so chim??? We just love food lah... We wanna make sure that you folks will have a hearty meal before you embark on hours of calories burning activities (trust me, Boardgames burn calories). And yet, we aint no have no restaurant style kitchen that can fulfil the hunger pangs of all ye folks.

After deliberate thought and planning, even days and days of food tasting sessions, we agreed upon a menu that is both efficient and yet not compromising on taste,
and most importantly, remind you of your home cooked food we all so yearn for.
With the help of Waikee's mum, we managed to whip out some palates titilating dishes like spicy and really 'full of spices' curry chicken, sweet and sour soup broiled with mum's secret receipe. (now, these are just the tip of the iceberg, more to come I promise)

Our Mu Mu has also been burning the midnight oil in the midst of her exams....... trying to figure out how to make tasty ice creams, refreshing smoothies and action packed sandwiches.

The rest of us went for a coffee barista course, learned some latte art and also brew some decent coffee.


Having said all that, we decided to start with a few dishes and sufficient games for now, and based on our folk's response (that's you!!), we will slowly add more food and games into the menu.. but for now,

For now, I'm really tired. Gotta go church tommorrow and my language is failing me, you can probably tell that the crappiness is slowly diminishing... i really need to sleep, yea.. good nigh...zzzzzzz

The Bitch's New Clothes (Extreme Makeover)

Having secured the place, we move on to transforming this sloppy den into a cosy nest. One can never imagine how aMAZEingly bureucratic our country is. We were totally 'snooked' and nearly couldn't find our way through this complex network of government agencies.

Problem 2: The Bitch's New Clothes

Change of Use

The change of use certificate was a bitch, we were told to pay almost $800 just for the authorities to say, 'thank you for your generous contribution to our gracious society!'.

I remembered saying, ' haha.. imagine go through all these planning and looking for a place and in the end URA says unapproved! I will bang my balls man!'.

Kitchen

he construction of the kitchen was a bitch as well, it never ceased barking at us. As the space was previously used as an office, we had to practically tear down everything and build it from scratch. I'm not going to repeat all those shit that we have been through for partitioning a small little space for a kitchen. stop barking at me bitch!

Aircon

The aircon was truly an airhead, it just keeps me cool on the surface but farts unceasingly underneath. As mentioned, that silly airhead just gets in the way, farting its incessant gas as well as smoging up our otherwise, picturesque balcony. We have to move it to somewhere else so that couples can make out at the balcony without getting 'heated' up for the wrong reasons by some dubious fart.

Contractors

Dealing with them was a heartwrenching experience, as i said, I really don't like rejecting folks. While some contractors are truly Jack the Ripper (u know? rip off?), while most just whistle their time away, without any sense of urgency.

Lo and behold, Waikee's mum casually suggested her home renovation contractor thinking that we will just stove the old folks' advice away. To her surprise, we actually engaged him! Boy! was he a jolly good fellow! (Next time, wanna build house call him! 97573721) See? we do take old folks' advice.....



What you read in the blog entry might just be a few paragraphs, but behind these innocent languages hides months of hardwork and an experience which I find it hard to describe.

Paragraphs after Paragraphs, Months after Months. Anymore?

To find the G-Spot ( or perhaps documentary?)

Such 'fruitful' meeting lasted for months and surprisingly, this quartet still mananged to get on with their entrepreneurial zest without losing a limb or two, the balls or Mu.(what the hell is a Mu??!!? check it out in the history section of the.....)The process is really very very draining, so difficult, so irritating.

Problem 1:Where is the G-Spot?

G-Spot: A Good Spot for the cafe(haha, what do you think it was?).

It was really difficult looking for one, there were really strategic places in town going for a 5 digit rental fee and there were also dodgy areas smelling of curry and mutton. There were enticing areas which were near the CBD, but it's those sort of places that will turn Coffee Bean into Kopi beans.

In short, it was really difficult to balance between having a good location, an appropriate crowd, a positive image with a limited budget. Well, in the classic Singaporean Way, ' Cheap and Good!'. In a more peculiar local vernacular, ' Ai Pi, Ai Qi, Ai Tua Liap Ni!'* (Don't make me translate this)

*The Singaporean Dream

I found the G-Spot!!!!

I feel so bad rejecting all the agents that I have met, we felt so discouraged not fulfilling the Singaporean dream. It was at the moment of despair when I, without any hope, carried out my usual routine of meeting another agent and rejecting him thereafter.

This agent, unlike the others was very proactive. And I was impressed that he actually bothered to entertain a young punk like me! (well, if you were the agent, you probably wouldn't be bothered if your client turn out like such a freak)Anyway, Thanks Raymond for your help! (wanna sell house, call him! 90283201)

But things just happened when we least expected it.

Circular road being more widely known as Boat quay, seems to be quite a strategic location. But, BUT, it is at the 3rd floor. Folks have to climb up a long flight of stairs before they can reach the place. It seems commonsensical that situating a cafe at the 3rd storey, where most of the shops are targeting the lunch crowd is almost an insane decision. (Well, I've heard that too many times)

We thought that for a business to thrive, location is just one of the influencing factors, not just the only factor. However, this place is one of the few shop houses with a balcony which behold the majestic view of the towering skyscrapers and the romantic night skies. Furthermore, resisting the all pervasive 'Mcdonalisation', we decided to focus on a more exclusive bunch of folks who appreciates a lifestyle which is ' a cut above the rest'(certainly, when you are sitting on the 3rd floor), a respite which is devoid of the cutthroat and uptight atmosphere.

Just as the name suggests, this is Pitstop cafe. A stopover for your tiring journey in this ratrace. Everything is slow and steady, fun and friendly.

It is really RIGHT up here!!!

Fantasatic Four (moving on to action genre)

Different people indeed....

Timothy AKA Kimoki

Obsessively preoccupied with aesthetic appeal, can't be bothered with anything else other than making the cafe looks nice and looking nice at the same time. Unceasingly talkative and undeniably crappy. This person is really the scourge of the society! (why am I saying that to myself???)

Famous quote: 'Hey, I think we can look at girls from our balcony....'

XingZhi AKA MuMu

Very hungry and excessively 'gluttonish', she loves to make all the nice ice creams and cakes and food and drinks and ... (stop it! enough!) A true gourmet to its roots, she is an indispensible taste bud to the cafe and also a very friendly and sociable to the point of 'bimboticity'! (you can spot this very interesting species of MuMu in the history section of the NUS)

Famous quote: 'I think I got a very funny looking face'

Evelyn AKA Eve AKA girl girl (to Weekee)

Very systematic and calculative, constantly keeping in check of the finances and also the never ending administrative shit from NEA, PUB, SPF and what have you? Oh yah, did I forget to mention that she is obsessed with hygiene as well?(oh yes, ive bought my insurance policy, so please stop pestering me)

Famous quote: 'I think we must get the diamond system water filter'

Weekee AKA Astroboy AKA boy boy (to Evelyn)

Very meticulous and objective, always strive to do things to pin point accuracy to the point of perfect 'anality'. Always choosing over technical efficiency over any thing else. (yea, these engineers.. eek)

Famous quote: 'we must ensure a very smooth flow! the flow is very important!!!!'

Such is an example of a usual meeting

Weekee pisses Tim off and Tim exasperates Weekee, Evelyn bores Weekee and Weekee irritates Evelyn, XingZhi just remains neutral and Tim disturbs her, Xingzhi runs away and Evelyn Laughs at her. Weekee scolds Evelyn and Evelyn punches him, XingZhi sits in one corner and cry while Tim is at the balcony looking at girls.

God bless these souls.....

Choices and Junctions......

Yes, I’m still dwelling in the past….

Headaches, heartaches and balls ache. It’s really not easy to be your own boss… behind the façade of glamour, self autonomy, free access to resources lie a mesh of complicated negotiations and planning.

I remember having to convince my parents as well as myself that the money will be put to good use…really… it’s takes a giant leap in mankind to believe that I will ever put money to good use….

I also remember people saying that, ‘I’m not young anymore!!!’

I also remember people saying that, 'Yes, you are not young anymore, sp please marry me'

I also remember people saying that, ‘I’m not as enthusiastic, I’m just here to have fun’

Different people, different views, different way of doing things, my goodness... really very different....

Hopefully, the hope of a new hopeful hope ( Another George LukeAss film)

aaahhh.....it's a boardgames cafe. well, some felt that we should be more original and devise some ground breaking concept, while others feel that like bubble tea, this fad will be a passe.

After much consideration, we realised that we were not trying to follow any trend nor trying to outdo any pioneers in this industry. We agreed that especially in a country where 'there is nothing much to do' and a society where everyone is so uptight and cutting each other's throat, they should find some time to release all those raging hormones and channel it to more constructive arenas.

we realise that like a frog in the well, most folks have been misled into thinking that the only boardgames in the world are those that keeps making you throw dice mindlessly and lay tiles indiscriminately. Boardgames are more than that. we realise that they open up so many possibilites to creativity, strategy and bitching.

Of course, boardgames by itself is inert. We hope that such long forgotten games that we played during childhood can be relived and reinvented from a totally new perspective. Friends are therefore the key ingredient in injecting that element of limitless possibility of fun. In short, the same game will never be the same with a totally different group of friends.

It is with this vision, we hope to establish a place, a nexus where strangers can become friends, a milieu where great ideas are transpired, a sanctuary where one can seek solace from the uptight world, a playground of pure fun and fantasy and finally, a cafe where everyone are your friends and unaging playmates.

For those who find the above too philosophical, and probably in a language where you folks will understand. So, our cafe is for pple to relac one corner, maybe talk cock sing song a bit, just don't think too much, play the games and enjoy yourself! understand?!?!


so here you go...nothing groundbreaking.... just simply friends and fun....

Sweet dreams are made of these (one night in kopitiam)

A usual 'talk cock' session, a belachan glazed stingray, a plate of 'la-la', a platter of 'hum' and a few rounds of beer makes a perfect cacophony for great ideas to ferment. fermented indeed..... I remembered all the 'cock' we have talked about.. starting a micro-brewery, fantasizing about going to night clubs, discussing about making cakes to win a boy's heart, discussing about making cakes to win the boy's wallet and many other cock that would have you bang our balls against the wall...

It was at this moment of gluttonish debauchery and orgies of loose talks that someone suggested of opening a cafe... ah... yet another idealistic fantasy.. Well, compared to making cakes to win the blah blah blah,this is pale in comparison. Anyway, the idea of opening a cafe seems feasible but is it worth the trouble? half of us were still studying, while the other half were busy working and getting married soon. sacrifices were involved and opportunity costs were inevitable, however at this point in time, the feasibilty of owning our own cafe have gotten us so excited and not to mention, a bit high and ......wasted... cafe indeed... what kinda cafe? Even then, how do we get started? I guessed at that night, different dreams occured in the minds of each one of us...... Some dreams of having a bit more money in the pocket, some dreams of fulfilling their destiny in life,some dreams of being able to eat up all the ice cream while some people's dreams are wet.....

An ode to the bladder (first post is the sweetest)

Looking at the shop today, I was overwhelmed by a sudden urge to go to the toilet.. but the toilet is still not fit for usage. Speaking of the toilet, it really irks me. Wonder what the previous tenant did with the toilet, can't even do my business there in sweet serenity. Whatever, gotta clean it up man.

What a way to start a blog entry, I was told. Pitstop cafe, a place of respite from the hard day's work, a place of cheap and chic fun from semesters of never ending projects and essay. Too free? I was being questioned.Copy cat? I was being sneered at... No common sense? I was being chided. looking at the shop again, montages of what happened for the past months seemed to emerge from the empty paint bottles and splashes itself on the wall as a collage of events all reanacted at the same time in front of my mind's eyes.

At this moment... I really need to go to the toilet.....