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"Singin in the Rain" in the rain
@ the Botanic Gardens |
One of the loveliest (and ironic) evenings I've spent so far was watching "
Singin in the Rain" at
Singapore Botanic Gardens as part of the
Singapore Sun Festival.
Des, who is my new favorite musical theatre nerd friend, invites Preeti and me, as she has quickly observed that I am likely to jump at anything musical-related and that Preeti always is up for trying something new. We arrive a bit early so have time to wander through the gardens. They are really beautiful -- green trees, plants, brush everywhere you look (and so many shades of green, from limey yellow to muted sage to rich emeralds -- and pops of vivid red, pink, orange, fuchsia, purple scattered throughout. Of course, it woudn't be Singapore without some creatures of prey -- cue the lizards, bugs and other forest critters. (I think I'm developing a sixth sense for sensing lizards, as I always seem to know where to look and yup, there they be).
The park is free, which is very cool. As we stroll through, we see tons of families picnicking, boys playing soccer (sorry, football), couples lying on blankets, people running on the trails. It reminds me of St. James Park or Regents Park in London. As we are in a hurry to snag a spot for the film, we don't get a chance to see the infamous
National Orchid Garden (the largest display of orchids in the world) ... next time!
We arrive at the symphony center, where the films are shown. The sky is starting to transition to dusk, and the grassy hill already is starting to fill up. It reminds me of concerts at Millennium Park in Chicago, though this has more families as well. The groups picnic but it's more casual than Millennium Park or Ravinia -- no tables and linens with flutes of champagne -- but great spreads. Des arrives with food (because that's just what she does best), compliments of
Jones the Grocer at Dempsey Hill: spicy salami, thinly sliced ham, pate, creamy hummus, fresh grainy bread and paper thin crackers, wonderfully smelly brie and blue cheese, and the requisite two bottles of wine. Heaven. We are quite comfortable, thanks to these very neat colored mats, free thanks the festival sponsor UBS. They're a bit more substantive than blankets, and water proof. Thank god.
For not long after we spread out our food and pour the wine, it starts to drizzle. Not to fret, as this is Singapore and everyone is born with an umbrella in their bag. But as the film starts, the rain starts to come down harder. I'm impressed with the fortitude of Singaporeans, as I didn't see anyone leave; I've seen Millennium Park clear out at the first sign of a drizzle. Pretty soon, we're in the midst of a proper storm, with moderate thunder and regular lightning flashes. No need to worry -- Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds are adorably MGM-enough to keep everyone settled and applauding after the musical numbers.
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| Des and Preeti huddled under the umbrella |
After Don Lockwood and Kathy Selden kiss in front of the billboard, Preeti and I bid Des goodbye and bolt for (what we think is) the closest exit. No such luck. We exit, and -- as it starts to positively downpour -- see no taxis. We wander through some dark winding road and finally just stop in someone's driveway and call a cab. Home to Preeti's for dinner (yes, even after all the wonderful Jones food) and Pirates of the Caribbean.
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| At least the actors were dressed for it |
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| The Lizard Whisperer |
Des, who is my new favorite musical theatre nerd friend, invites Preeti and me, as she has quickly observed that I am likely to jump at anything musical-related and that Preeti always is up for trying something new. We arrive a bit early so have time to wander through the gardens. They are really beautiful -- green trees, plants, brush everywhere you look (and so many shades of green, from limey yellow to muted sage to rich emeralds -- and pops of vivid red, pink, orange, fuchsia, purple scattered throughout. Of course, it woudn't be Singapore without some creatures of prey -- cue the lizards, bugs and other forest critters. (I think I'm developing a sixth sense for sensing lizards, as I always seem to know where to look and yup, there they be). 
We arrive at the symphony center, where the films are shown. The sky is starting to transition to dusk, and the grassy hill already is starting to fill up. It reminds me of concerts at Millennium Park in Chicago, though this has more families as well. The groups picnic but it's more casual than Millennium Park or Ravinia -- no tables and linens with flutes of champagne -- but great spreads. Des arrives with food (because that's just what she does best), compliments of Jones the Grocer at Dempsey Hill: spicy salami, thinly sliced ham, pate, creamy hummus, fresh grainy bread and paper thin crackers, wonderfully smelly brie and blue cheese, and the requisite two bottles of wine. Heaven. We are quite comfortable, thanks to these very neat colored mats, free thanks the festival sponsor UBS. They're a bit more substantive than blankets, and water proof. Thank god.
For not long after we spread out our food and pour the wine, it starts to drizzle. Not to fret, as this is Singapore and everyone is born with an umbrella in their bag. But as the film starts, the rain starts to come down harder. I'm impressed with the fortitude of Singaporeans, as I didn't see anyone leave; I've seen Millennium Park clear out at the first sign of a drizzle. Pretty soon, we're in the midst of a proper storm, with moderate thunder and regular lightning flashes. No need to worry -- Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds are adorably MGM-enough to keep everyone settled and applauding after the musical numbers. 
After Don Lockwood and Kathy Selden kiss in front of the billboard, Preeti and I bid Des goodbye and bolt for (what we think is) the closest exit. No such luck. We exit, and -- as it starts to positively downpour -- see no taxis. We wander through some dark winding road and finally just stop in someone's driveway and call a cab. Home to Preeti's for dinner (yes, even after all the wonderful Jones food) and Pirates of the Caribbean. 
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