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  Straits Times 24 Jun 07
You can't beat the views of lush greenery here
By Serene Goh

NEW York native Lori Sobel, 31, is the quintessential Manhattan executive. The head of sales at Google's new base in Singapore is slim, chic and sharp enough to win the career-reality series, The Apprentice. Brooklyn-born and New Jersey-raised, Mrs Sobel spent her first five years out of college at DoubleClick Internet Advertising managing multiple sales teams. She joined Google in 2003 to work with small-to-medium enterprises, and this year, the high-flier traded the view from its Ninth Avenue operation in New York for that of its 25th storey setup at One Raffles Quay.

She now oversees sales, marketing and business development from Google's Singapore base serving South-east Asia. Home is in Orchard Road, where she lives with her husband, Mr Scott Sobel, 33, who is NCR Corporation's vice-president of business development and government affairs for Asia Pacific. The multinational company is a leading global technology organisation that services financial, retail and hospitality industries - best known to Singaporeans for its ATMs islandwide.

Q New Yorkers are known for being paranoid, neurotic and driven. Is any of this true of you?

A Of course! I am all of the above. A healthy dose of each keeps me on my toes.

Q What's the difference between New York stress and Singapore stress?

A In New York, you feel like you're on the go 24/7 because of its fast-paced nature. In Singapore, I find the environment doesn't control you. You can relax on the weekend taking a stroll in the Botanic Gardens or one of my favourite pastimes - shopping for orchids at Far East Flora. The key to dealing with stress is having a well-balanced life.

Q New York rentals can go up to $25,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment, which is about $6,000 here. What do you think of rising property prices here?

A From the time my husband and I took our first look-see trip here in December to when we actually relocated in February, we couldn't believe how much prices went up. That said, you certainly get more space than you do in New York and you can't beat the views of the lush greenery here.

Q New York's 12,000 yellow taxis are iconic. How do your conversations in one of Singapore's 15,000 cabs compare?

A My conversations with all cab drivers whether here or back home tend to be quite interesting. I actually look forward to a cab ride home after a long day of work because I usually learn something new about Singapore almost every time. What I do love about the taxi system here is that you can call ahead if you need to, and your cab will show up in five minutes or less. That's absolutely fabulous!

Q New York's eight million residents grumble about its 30 deg C summers. Now you're here, do the folks back home have anything to complain about?

A Seriously, they have absolutely nothing to complain about. I find myself going in and out of department stores just for the mere opportunity to get cool air. Let's not even mention what humidity can do to a Caucasian girl's hair. I am envious of Singaporean hair!

Q New York offers museums, cuisine and the odd sighting of actress Sarah Jessica Parker. What do you miss most?

A I miss walking into a restaurant at 10pm for dinner and the energy is still buzzing. Here, my husband and I, on countless occasions, have literally closed down restaurants. There's also nothing like a New York bagel, deli sandwich, or a hot slice of Joe's infamous pizza.

Q Singapore fans of HBO's Sex And The City even travel to New York to take its tours. Which character - go-getter Miranda, uptown Charlotte, worldly Samantha or modern-day bohemian Carrie - do you most identify with?

A To be honest, in one way or another, I identify with all of them. I share Miranda's passion for her career and Charlotte's strong family mentality. Just like Carrie, I often find myself both inspired and intrigued by fashion, and I admire Samantha's overall sophistication.

Q You must have Googled 'Singapore' before you got here. What was your initial impression?

A Certainly Google is where I started. I read that 'Living conditions in Singapore are among the best in Asia, with state-of-the-art facilities for technology, education, shopping, sports and recreation', and thought to myself, Can a place like this really exist? There is such a diverse and harmonious culture here. The environment is beautiful and incredibly safe and clean. Most people speak English and are very friendly.

Q Singapore's 20-year-old MRT versus New York City's subway - completed in 1904 - which is a better ride?

A The good news is they both help get you from point A to point B cost-effectively. The MRT, in my opinion though, is much cleaner and more efficient.

Q You were born in Brooklyn, grew up in New Jersey and worked in Manhattan. What makes a true-blue New Yorker?

A True-blue New Yorkers are able to cherish the city for its charms and forgive its faults. Owning a car is difficult and rents are always on the rise... yet obstacles such as those do not overshadow its many positive aspects - the hypnotic energy and the immense opportunity. Rising to any occasion is a New Yorker's way of life.

Q What has been the hardest adjustment?

A There is nothing like family! The time zone differences have been challenging. You have a window of opportunity to catch up on the phone before one of us is either waking up or going to sleep. Thank God for Gmail. sereneg@sph.com.sg

Tip For New Yorkers relocating to Singapore - wear lightweight clothes and never leave your house without an umbrella.
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