A Soft Spot for the Pioneers during the Durian Season

So, the durian season is here again!  I have walked by durian stalls many times but never bought any as the queue was extremely long.  People will choose between the 猫山王 durian (literally translated to "Cat Mountain King" otherwise deemed the premiere durian for its fragrance and texture) or the D24 or the generic $10, $18 types.

Finally on this Sunday afternoon, I noticed there was a much shorter queue at the one and only durian stall at Stirling Road (blk 167), and naturally I joined the line.  Before me was an elderly gentleman (probably late-70s) who waited patiently till his turn came along.

When the durian seller asked him what he wanted, he stated that he had been a regular customer of the stall and today he wanted only 1 durian - the $10 one.  Now I have observed people buying like 3 big bags full of durians, so to buy only 1 durian is really not a common sight.  I guess the seller also noticed this...

While our durian seller looks like a tough and rough guy, he actually dissected a $10 durian and an extra durian.  Without charging the elderly man any additional fees, he handed the buys to the man with great respect, and collected only $10!

It was a very deep experience to have witnessed such acts of kindness - if we all can be deliberate in ONE good act a day, we will definitely make the day a better day for our benefactor :)

Our experiences and impressions of places are based on the service standards of the staff.  And this is so true!

The family decided to check out an unfamiliar restaurant - Gion Dining. We made our reservation using the Eatigo app and had a great offer!  One of the things we share with the children is to seek out good offers - this is to enable us to raise kids creatively by stretching the dollar further.

When we were comfortably seated in Gion Dining, we were quick to notice the fine ambience, the quiet music, and the e-menu that was set in place.  Shortly after we placed our orders, the service staff came by and mentioned to us that the set meals were not part of the Eatigo offer, and he just wanted to confirm with us our orders.  It was not the fact that he came by that made an impression, but the manner in which he spoke with us, that left a good impression of the restaurant!

Of course we changed our orders and the food came by pretty promptly.  A satisfying dinner, fresh sashimi, great rice sets, good tea and great service!  We will be back and will make more bookings using the Eatigo app which enables us to check out many more restaurants.