THAILAND SINGAPORE DAY -3: The 27 Day Month

Perhaps the most civilized spot in all of NYC is the Capitol One lounge in Terminal 4 at JFK, the one you’re invited to if you’re flying Singapore Air Business.  It’s unusually spacious for a place in the city, with plenty of comfy seating and engaging artwork.  The bar features handcrafted drink recipes from some of Brooklyn’s trendiest spots.  The bagel counter serves very authentic New York lox sandwich on a toasted everything.  But if you head to the back and make a reservation, in about 30 minutes you can be seated at the Cheese Monger Experience, an 8 seat counter with a very well curated international selection of charcuterie and fromage.  It’s a fantastic way to start the trip, and we haven’t even left the dock yet.

(click on the image to view the full size pic)

Boarding the A350-900, we’re shown to our adjoining pods, wide comfy reclining seats that convert to full laydown beds.  As soon as everyone is seated we’re treated to our first visit by the wine cart.  Takeoff is smooth and 15 minutes into the flight dinner service starts.  The first of our “Book the Cook” meals includes a shrimp salad appetizer and Prawn Pork Dumpling Noodle Soup and Soon Heng Pork Noodles with wonton dumplings.  The food is well prepared, nicely plated and authentic, perhaps the best cuisine in the skys.

About the flight.  It’s the longest one.  I don’t mean it’s the longest one we’ve taken, I mean it’s the longest one in the world.  Nonstop from New York to Singapore.  Halfway around the globe.  19 hours.  Hence the decision to burn every possible airline mile and credit card point to be in these luxe accommodations.  Between dinner, a movie and surprisingly deep sleep, the first 10 hours fly by (no, I’m not beyond a pun here and there).  Wake up, brush my teeth, start a show and the next meal service starts with plates of scrumptious smoked salmon appys.  Mandy opted for the chicken and rice and I went with the petite bone in veal chop with taters and seared pork belly.  Another movie, write a little and we’re over the Middle East with just 5 hours and 48 minutes left.

The Singapore Airport is its own attraction with its very own personality. Plus it's a place for the tine nation-city to show off a little.  In this terminal alone there is a Sky Garden, Cactus Garden and swimming pool because when you think "go to the airport" isn't your next thought always "and better not forget my swim trunks"? Glittery meets practical, modern in the most retro kinda way.  For example the first mechanical vending machine we see sells slabbed, graded Pokémon cards.  The second vending machine we see is an InstaChef, an entire 75 menu item restaurant in a space no larger then a SubZero refrigerator, freshly preparing, induction cooking and serving everything from Chicken Briani to Seafood Arriabata.  We pass on the automation and settle in for a live chef cooked breakfast or Fishball-and-Fish Dumpling Soup and a spicy noodle dish to shift gears into our far east longitude. 

2026 is the lunar year of the Fire Horse, the first in 60 years.  Mathematicians and followers of this blog may have already figured out that Mandy and I are both 1966 vintage making us and our class the last crop of the living Fire Horses until now.  There are gorgeous new years displays around the airport and we pause for a few pix with our independent, loyal and volatile spirit animal.

With the time change, we left on Tuesday and arrive on Thursday.  Wednesday the 18^th of February will simply fail to exist and we will have ourselves a 27 day month.