The Line at Shangrila Hotel

For hubby's birthday this year, we decided to have a family dinner somewhere nice and cozy- for the lack of time to prepare home-cooked birthday dinner. That, and we wanted to try some new place instead of our usual neighborhood dinner joint.

A colleague recommended The Line - Shangrila Hotel's Buffet Restaurant. I had a quick look over at the internet and my! it does look mouth-watering. I booked our reservations online without difficulty.

Unlike other familiar hotel joints, Shangrila Hotel Singapore is nicely tucked away along Orange Grove Road. It is not a busy road yet close enough to remain close to the bustling Orchard area. The lobby of the hotel is grand and posh, typical of what is to expected from Shangrila Hotel.

Main Lobby with a hint of Mid-Autumn Festival ambience 

On the contrary, The Line boasts of minimalist interiors- stark white tables and chairs accentuated by Orange place holders and panel lights. I'd say the buffet selection is generous and covers a wide range of international dishes, divided into zones. From the entrance, the Seafood section and the Dessert station is the first visible stop, much to the delight of Kyla!

A glimpse of The Line's spacious dinning area

This is a section of the Dessert station.
Yes, they have choco fondue tower as well!

Further inside are the salads/appetizers, Japanese sushi/sashimi/maki station, Western fare (pasta, pizza, even french fries), Carving station, Dimsum/Chinese, Asian and Indian food station. You can also drop by the soup/noodle station to have a nice, hot noodle soup made as per your heart's desires.

I also love that they have a coffee and tea station, perfect to cap your night with the perfect dessert. On desserts, yes they do have the chocolate fondue tower, a crepe station, ice creams and gelato and gummies galore. The lime meringue pie I chose is just heavenly!

My desserts.

And since it was a birthday celebration for dear hubby, he was treated to a complimentary birthday cake as well!!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Overall, I'd say one of the best buffet spreads and a pleasant dining experience-- I'm particular with buffet that is able to cater to young and adults' preference and The Line has surely got them covered!

Toy Story

There was no mega toystore in my childhood days. No Toys R Us or SM Storyland. Toy sections that were part the so-called department stores and the sprouting malls of the early 80s.  My mom worked as a section head in a department store and I grew up a constant little figure skipping around and about in that world.  We had our fair share of toys, the modestly priced ones. Of course, the pricey and more funkier, bigger toys would always catch one's attention and desires but they are way too expensive.

I would stare at those toys for hours, it's all one can do. And tell myself, when I grow up and I can afford it, I'll buy those toys...

My kids grew up surrounded by mega toystores. Countless of them.  Countless of toys to choose from.  From the modestly priced plastic toys to the pricey and more funkier, bigger life-like toys. 

The difference is that many years after, somehow we can now afford to buy them for our two children. The irony was that our daughter is not that much into toys. She prefer arts and outdoor pursuits.  She made indoor kites for her brother and paper boats with our names on it. She made me a pen holder from a used milk carton for Mother's day.  She would rather swim, run, bike or play at the monkey bars.

And of course, there was Kevin. I still go to the boys' section of the toy store today. Sometimes the two of us go together. I'd stare at the toys. For many minutes.   My eyes would scan the entire expanse, counter after counter of the toy store.  Wondering.  Figuring out... what he may like. 

Most of the time, he ignores them completely. It's not that he doesn't "like" them. He just doesn't see it the way we do.  The only toy he would be eager to have is the basketball.  He has an Eeyore stuff toy that accompanies him to sleep. The rest of his childhood toys are still with him today.

So I would just helplessly stand in front of the toys.  I still do.

Lost in thoughts.  That whereas we can buy any expensive toy now, it is not what Kevin wants. He is just looking for something far more simpler.  He doesn't need and want all those expensive toys.  If you think about it, love and understanding, compassion and inclusion, is enough for him.