life!í THE STRAITS TIMES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25 2010 PAGE C2 Food blogger under fire National serviceman Glenn Lee, 22, Blogger Bradley Lau’s who is behind the blog Hungryepicure- unhappiness at paying for an.com, said: “We don’t expect special treatment. There may be invites to tast- friends at food tasting ing sessions, but we tell our readers.” Life! editor Helen Chia said: “Our poli- angers netizens cy has always been that we pay for meals at the restaurants we review and we state rebecca lynne tan this at the bottom of the review. “On occasion, our restaurant critic is ood blogger Bradley Lau is in invited to sample a restaurant’s food. If the soup. he decides to review the restaurant, he He has been accused of cadg- goes back on his own at least once more ing a free meal for himself and before the review is published. If he re- three friends at modern Europe- fers to the complimentary meal in the re- Fan restaurant Private Affairs in Joo Chiat view, he makes it clear that it was not Place earlier this week. The incident has paid for.” Restaurants sit on both sides. Some outraged food bloggers here, who have are completely against offering compli- flamed him on the Internet. mentary meals to bloggers, while others But Mr Lau has disputed what hap- are open to doing so. pened. Upmarket French restaurants Le Saint The 23-year-old writes the food blog Julien at The Fullerton Waterboat House ladyironchef.com. His dining party had and Saint Pierre in Magazine Road are racked up a bill of $395.46 for brunch on two restaurants that do not offer blog- Sunday and had expected the four-per- gers a meal on the house. son meal to be on the house. Ms Edina Hong, 38, director of Saint He had made a reservation for four Pierre, said: “Blogging is more of a hobby two days earlier on Friday, said the res- than a profession – it is their opinion.” taurant’s marketing communications and Ms Edith Lai, 39, co-owner of Le Saint public relations manager Melanie Loong, Julien, added: “There needs to be more 31. professionalism – anyone can register to Mr Lau said he was taking the restau- be a food blogger.” rant up on its lunch invitation, which had And restaurateurs also said diners been extended to him three months earli- have to pay and “feel the pinch” to be ob- er in May. The homepage of the website of food blogger Bradley Lau. ST PHOTO: BENJAMIN NG jective. Ms Loong said she had invited him to Ms Hong said: “At the end of the day, if money doesn’t come out of your pock- taste the new lunch menu, not brunch, The semi-a la carte buffet lunch cost The restaurant then decided to reduce clap. I feel that it was an oversight on et, how can you truly judge a place equal- but decided to extend him a brunch invita- the bill further, discounting the party for both parties – my part for not seeking $68++ a person, and a free flow of drinks ly?” tion out of goodwill when he called. the drinks, bringing the bill down to full clarification and Melanie, for not re- such as house wine, sparkling wine, juic- Michele Pavanello, 42, chef-owner of At the end of the meal, without asking $160.07. sponding to the RSVP of my guests.” es and soft drinks costs an additional Italian restaurant Otto in Maxwell Road, for the bill, the party of four walked out $30++ a person. Ms Loong said: “We welcome bloggers While complimentary meals for food of the restaurant, said Private Affairs’ res- said: “If I invite somebody, it is planned Sensing displeasure, the restaurant’s because it is a new form of word of bloggers and writers abound, some are ad- taurant manager Alvin Christopher and for him to understand what I do. But chef, Paul Ng, 33, suggested the blogger mouth. But don’t take advantage of this amant against accepting them. I never give them freebies just because Sivam, 30. privilege. His attitude and what he said – Mr Aun Koh, 37, publisher of Asian He said they did not even glance at the and a partner come back for a meal on his they are food bloggers. Nobody would tab, but Mr Lau was still hostile, Mr Ng we were quite appalled.” food guide, The Miele Guide, and the come into my restaurant and not pay for cash register and walked right past it. She admitted that there might have man behind food blog Chubbyhubby.net, When he gestured to the cashier and said. food.” been some miscommunication – she may said he never takes a free meal, adding Ms Hong said of Mr Lau: “His behav- informed Mr Lau of the bill that he need- According to Ms Loong, he still looked have been “too diplomatic” or could have “there is no such thing as a free lunch”. iour is utterly shameless. If I were some- ed to settle, the blogger was “quite very unhappy and said to her: “I thought been more straightforward by saying that Flight stewardess Kaelyn Ong, 23, who we had an arrangement. This doesn’t hap- one in the blogging industry, I would go stunned” and asked to speak to Ms the complimentary meals were only for runs the food blog Myfoodsirens.word- out of my way to embarrass the living Loong. pen to me, I always bring three other two people. press.com, said: “It is out of the norm to friends with me. This is probably a mis- daylights out of that person.” The restaurant had presented him She said it is “industry practice” to ex- ask for complimentary meals. We usually [email protected] with a bill for two, and a coffee. It added communication and I will pay.” tend the invitation to one person and a just go to the restaurant on our own. Any- up to $237.75. The original bill of $395.46 Ms Loong said she knew he was unhap- dining companion, “not you and your en- one can be a blogger, I don’t think I am Should bloggers expect free meals in for four had been reduced because the res- py from the tone of his voice. tourage”. that special.” restaurants? How many people should they taurant decided to give him and his din- Mr Lau then flicked his credit card on- Mr Lau said in an e-mail response to And if they do take freebies, they tell be able to take along? Send your views to ing partner complimentary meals. to the black bill folder. queries from Life!: “It takes two hands to their readers, say other bloggers. [email protected] Malayan Motors Songwriter of What A sales manager Fairudz Bokhari Wonderful World dies with the Bugatti Veyron. New York – George David Weiss, a song- to 2000, he spoke widely about copyright ST writer who had a hand in some of the big- issues and testified before government PHOTO: gest hits of mid-century pop music, re- bodies. AZIZ corded by some of the biggest stars, died Weiss was born in Manhattan on April HUSSIN on Monday at his home in Oldwick, New 9, 1921. He wanted to be a musician. His Jersey. He was 89. mother wanted him to be a lawyer. The The death was of natural causes, his ensuing emotional battle, he later said, wife, Claire, said. drove him to consult a doctor. Among his most famous numbers were As he recounted in a 1995 interview Can’t Help Falling In Love, recorded by with The Miami Herald, the prescription Elvis Presley; The Lion Sleeps Tonight, re- was simple. The doctor asked: “Mrs corded by the Tokens; and What A Won- Weiss, what would you rather have? A derful World, recorded by Louis Arm- live bum of a musician or a dead lawyer?” strong. Weiss, who played the violin, piano, Can’t Help Falling In Love, introduced saxophone and clarinet, earned a bach- in Presley’s 1961 film elor’s degree in mu- Blue Hawaii, was a mil- sic theory from the lion-seller. It has Juilliard School and words and music by afterwards served as Weiss, Hugo Peretti a military band lead- and Luigi Creatore. er in World War II be- The Lion Sleeps To- fore beginning his World’s fastest production car is here night (1961), based on songwriting career. a South African Zulu His first marriage, song first recorded in to Bea Foster, ended The Bugatti Veyron, the world’s fastest left-hand drive, only diplomats – very 2.5 seconds and 0 to 200kmh in 7.3 sec- the 1930s, was given a in divorce, as did his production car, has landed. wealthy diplomats – can register one. onds. reworked melody and second, to Rosalyn A red-and-black unit specially de- Ownership will be just as daunting. Mr Kan says the car has already at- new lyrics (“In the jun- Marks. In addition to signed by fashion house Hermes is on Annual road tax on the eight-litre car is tracted one potential buyer from “a gle, the mighty his wife, the former display at Malayan Motors’ showroom over $10,000; insurance premium as neighbouring country”. jungle/The lion sleeps Claire Nicholson, in Alexandra Road – the first Bugatti high as $100,000 a year; and a set of Volkswagen Group, which owns Bu- tonight”) by Weiss, George David Weiss in 1995. PHOTO: whom he married in here since the company secured the fran- four tyres costs $70,000 (the car has to gatti, is likely to roll out a second model Peretti and Creatore.