I collect serviettes- yes the humble serviettes! Unlike cards, they come with texture and embossed patterning, varying folds (not too many) & at times differing thicknesses. The graphic prints are simple and minimal, being mostly typographies & logos.
Like the previous album cover post, each serviette evokes a certain impression about the place it serves- but more importantly it brings back memories of that place, its ambience, the company I was with/ without, the food, the drinks….. . And nope, I don’t draw on them though its always being said that designs & great ideas do spring from those scribbling moments.
Why would I bear to write on them? And now all the glorifications (crapping) aside, just a peek into my small collection:
>> movenpick ice cream palour @ mission bay, NZ! | long queues on weekends, huge scoops, huge cones, great flavours…. do we have one in SG? If you can see the words, they are outlined in glittery silver.
>> highlander bar @ clarke quay | scottish bar, but the live band wasn’t too impressive that day. very good quality serviettes though.
>> esquires coffee houses @ Auckland! | another serviette I took from one of the many cafes in Auckland. People are generally dependent on their cafes for their daily coffee intakes. Well, I do miss the hazelnut latte cuppa together with many other things and places…
>> kebab city @ Auckland! | lots of middle eastern fare along queen street… great kebabs, greater chips! This came from a small stall which actually bothered to customise their serviettes!
>> balcony @ heerens | been there only once, nice serviette that goes well with the place.
>> cafe galilee @ libraries across the island! | my favourite of the lot! (the serviette) must be the leaves or something.. their cheesecake is not nice though.
Which are some of the items you have the propensity to collect?
"questionmark" 
The thing I like most about these serviettes is the feel of it. The weight, thickness and most of all the embossed pattern!
Highlander’s was quite special.
Kebab City’s looks like a chop, unique too.
I wonder where you keep them.
i keep them at home!!
well its this brown paper bag that I got from a supermarket in AKL, where they keep freshhhh mushrooms (yummy)
I like brown paper bags too! The crumply kind.. very nice and tactile!
yeah… all my stuff i collected from NZ/Melb (tickets, postcards, cards and stuff I wanna keep for remembrance) are all placed in brown paper bags : ) remind me to bring ya one of those mushroomy bags (i’ve got quite a few haha)
it’s so quirky and such a gd idea to collect serviettes! the material itself has such an ‘absorbent’ quality. i can imagine it capturing the Smells, the Sounds and the Memories of good company. And the little serviette secretly keeps them within its folds… until the Collector decides to run her finger over it again.
yup! the humble serviette – even those faceless KFC ones – can become “famous” if a parti sketch is drawn upon by some famous artist or person! then it not only captures the environment, it captures a revolution! (ok maybe going abit too far here haha)
hi rui, that’s a really nice & poetic description about the humble little serviette. appreciate it lots!