Claypot Kampung Chicken, China Treasures, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club

by Cleffairy // November 7, 2015 // No Comments

Diners at China Treasures, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club can look forward to sample an exclusive dish of the Claypot Kampung Chicken, specially curated by Executive Chinese Chef Eddie Chua. True to his unique creative styles, Chef Eddie with his latest innovation promises a gastronomical experience for those who taste it.

Claypot rice is one of the favourite dishes among Asians and typically served in a hot claypot with the technique of slow cooking over a charcoal stove, giving the dish a distinctive flavour.

What’s special with this new menu is the succulent organicKampung Chicken marinated with Sichuan pepper, a famous spice used in Chinese, Tibetan, Nepali and Indian cuisine. The husk around the seed is used especially in Sichuan cuisine and the finely ground powder is one of the ingredients for five-spice powder.

So if you’re looking for a fulfilling menu that has a combination of fresh organic chicken complemented with a unique twist of traditional cooking style, then try this out. Priced at only RM 39.50nett per order, the menu can serves up to 4 – 5 persons. This promotion starts from 2 November to 6 January 2016.

China Treasures can accommodates approximately 130 people including four private rooms for an intimate dining experience. The award winning restaurant opens Mondays to Sundays at 11.30am – 2.30pm for lunch and 6.30pm to 10.20pm for dinner. In addition to that, the world class golf course has ample parking space with free buggy service available for the convenience of the guests. For reservations, please call the team at +603 2011 9191 or visit klgcc.com to learn more information.

LinkIn Bring In Your Parents Day

by Cleffairy // November 7, 2015 // No Comments

Parents may be switching off too early when it comes to giving their children career support and guidance according to global research released by LinkedIn, the world’s largest online professional network. For most workers (69%), career advice stops when they get their first job, despite two thirds (64%) of children wishing their parents had offered up some much needed guidance on a specific issue during their career. In addition, a third of professionals would like more general career advice from parents.

These findings mark the launch of the third annual LinkedIn Bring in Your Parents Day. The worldwide event on November 5 in which workers around the globe invite their parents into the workplace to give them an inside view of their working life.

LinkedIn Bring in Your Parents Day aims to bridge this gap between workers and their parents when it comes to the world of work, providing parents with the insights and knowledge they need to offer useful advice to their children. LinkedIn commissioned research which points to a new style of parenting that children want; termed “Lighthouse Parents” which inspires parents to remain a beacon of encouragement and advice without being too overbearing or taking too much of a step back.

As part of the study, LinkedIn worked with Dr Alexandra Beauregard, an expert on the influence of families in the workplace, from the London School of Economics. Dr Beauregard looked at different parenting styles, based on how engaged parents were in their child’s professional life and the types of decisions they helped to influence and how these affected kids that have flown the nest. The new term Lighthouse Parenting joins other parenting styles people may be familiar with: Free Range, Well-wishers, Concierge and Helicopter Parenting.

While parents aren’t short of potential advice, 45% often find themselves with an opinion to offer but refrain from giving it. The reasons were: thinking children have to make their own decisions as an adult (60%), not wanting to interfere (31%) and believing offspring would be annoyed or offended (23%). What’s more, more than half (55%) admit they aren’t very familiar with what their child does for a living.

Dr Beauregard commented, “Parents know they are one of the most important factors in shaping their child’s upbringing; however this input usually drops off once they enter the full-time workforce. A big reason for this is parents feel like they know less about what their child is doing. BIYP is a great way for parents to understand what their chid does and all the useful advice they still have to give. The Lighthouse Parent embodies this parenting style by continuing to take an interest in a child’s career and giving guidance when required – without interfering.”

In Malaysia, Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) will be holding the BIYP Day on 25 November 2015 where employees will host their parents to a fun day at the office.

LinkedIn Bring In Your Parents Day will be held in 17 countries including the United Kingdom, United States, France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Australia, India, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, China, Japan and Hong Kong[CD1] , and encourages businesses and individuals worldwide to take part in the day. 25,000 people took part in 2014 and this year companies including Samsung and Doro are already signed up to take part. Whether you’re a parent, an employee, or a business, you can find out how to take part by visiting www.biyp.linkedin.com. Join conversations on Twitter with #LinkedIn #BIYP.

Titian Budaya: Celebrating 50 years of Malaysia-Singapore Friendship

by Cleffairy // November 7, 2015 // No Comments

Celebrating 50 years of Singapore-Malaysia ties, TITIAN BUDAYA will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 21 November 2015 to 17 January 2016. Presented by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore (MCCY) and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia (MOTAC), this cultural season showcases the creative talents of Singapore and Malaysia across a wide spectrum of art forms.

TITIAN BUDAYA will reach out to a wide range of audiences in Malaysia to celebrate the shared cultural connections between Singapore and Malaysia. Held over a span of three months, TITIAN BUDAYA will feature an estimated 400 participants from creative communities in Singapore and Malaysia in diverse programmes across different venues in Kuala Lumpur. MCCY has commissioned CultureLink Singapore to conceptualise, develop and produce the event.

The events underline the spirit of partnership, collaboration and co-operation between the two countries, and will involve about 150 Malaysian participants alongside Singapore creatives. The events also explore cross-cultural expressions, and highlight shared cultural and entertainment traditions and icons familiar to both countries. Additionally, TITIAN BUDAYA introduces aspects of Singapore’s creative scene that have not been widely encountered in Malaysia.

TITIAN BUDAYA festivities will kick-off with a supercharged weekend carnival titled Next Door at Publika on 21-22 November 2015 with a series of four events transforming the mall into a cultural playground. The theme ‘Next Door’ aptly conveys notions of everyday living with shared experiences in a common neighbourhood. The first event features the opening of Art Next Door, a contemporary art exhibition that will run till 13 December 2015. Specially selected and commissioned art works by artists from Singapore and Malaysia are featured alongside one another, providing glimpses into photography, video art, and installation works of Singapore’s post-1965 generation and their Malaysian counterparts. The exhibition is curated by Tang Fu Kuen.

The public will also get the opportunity to dip their creative hands in Bazaar Next Door, a family friendly event within the Boulevard at Publika. Organised in partnership with Art for Grabs, Kuala Lumpur’s most popular arts, design and crafts market and the Singapore Makers Association, there will be over 70 stalls that will occupy and delight Malaysians young and old.

The third programme at Publika is Music Live Next Door that will feature performances by some of Singapore’s top and emerging music groups: Kailin Yong’s PLUS Trio, Rustic Vibes and SA (仨). Popular Singaporean and Malaysian singer-songwriters Charlie Lim and Liyana Fizi will perform with their respective bands as well as share the stage in a duet. All music performances will be held at Publika’s outdoor stage The Square.

The fourth and final programme at Publika is Cinema Next Door, that will include a live animation concert by the TO Ensemble; animation films based on stories by five Singapore writers; and a collection of Singapore’s best short films. On Sunday 22 November 2015, we wind down the weekend with an outdoor film screening of Jack Neo’s iconic I Not Stupid.

A significant highlight of TITIAN BUDAYA is TITIAN BUDAYA NIGHT, which will be held on 8 December 2015 at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, Malaysia’s world-class concert venue. This one- night-only gala event is infused with the colours, flavours and rhythms of the region that gives full meaning to the spirit of building bridges across cultures, boundaries, and art forms. A star-studded cast of soloists that includes jazz maestro Jeremy Monteiro and Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah will join the Singapore Chinese Orchestra to perform the works of well-known Malaysian and Singaporean composers in a multicultural extravaganza. Tok Dalang Eyo Hock Seng will lead the Kelantanese wayang kulit troupe Kumpulan Sri Campuran to perform a specially commissioned work from Malaysian composer Yii Kah Hoe, based on the play The Silly Little Girl and the Funny Old Tree written by the doyen of Singapore theatre, the late Kuo Pao Kun. The concert also celebrates the music of the legendary late P. Ramlee in a medley of his beloved songs especially re-arranged by Eric Watson. The entire programme will be musically supported by a 90-piece Singapore Chinese Orchestra, one of Singapore’s two national professional orchestras.

Dance enthusiasts are also in for a treat too, as TITIAN BUDAYA, in collaboration with Damansara Performing Arts Centre and T.H.E. Dance Company, will present the Company in two performances on 19-20 December 2015. The Company will perform a double-bill comprising a work by its Artistic Director Kuik Swee Boon, as well as premiere of a new piece commissioned by Indonesian choreographer Jecko Siompo.

From 14-17 January 2016, the inaugural SINGAPORE FILM FESTIVAL in Malaysia will close TITIAN BUDAYA. The Film Festival is produced in collaboration with the Singapore Film Society and National Museum of Singapore. It presents an anthology of post-independence Singaporean films starting with the revival of local cinema since the mid-90s, and showcases 10 breakthrough works by Singaporean filmmaking talents from first-generation directors such as Eric Khoo and Jack Neo, to a younger generation of filmmakers like Anthony Chen, Boo Junfeng, Liao Jie Kai, and Royston Tan. The festival will highlight award-winning films and box office successes that have put Singapore cinema on the world map. Screenings will take place at Golden Screen Cinemas at 1Utama Petaling Jaya and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

TITIAN BUDAYA will also feature talks and discussions to deepen the knowledge and understanding of creative engagements, as well as facilitate cross-border networking and learning between Singapore and Malaysia socio-cultural institutions. These will be organized in conjunction with MY Performing Arts Agency. There will also be an arts-enabling project UNSEEN by artist Alecia Neo who works with visually-impaired communities in Malaysia. This project will be supported by the Singapore International Foundation and aims to use art as a means to effect positive change amongst the participants, as well as the larger community.

For more information on Titian Budaya, please visit www.titianbudayasg.com

Hotels.com Unveiled Local Travel Trends

by Cleffairy // November 7, 2015 // No Comments

As Malaysians gear up for the upcoming end-of-year holiday season, Hotels.com unveiled local travel trends and insights based on the Hotels.com Hotels Price Index (HPI®) report. The HPI is respected as the definitive report on hotel prices paid around the world and is used as a reference tool by the media, hoteliers, financial analysts, investors, tourism bodies and academics.

As a leading online accommodation booking website, Hotels.com™ publishes the HPI® report twice a year. It is a regular report based on movements in hotel prices in major destinations across the world. The findings of the HPI are based on on bookings made on Hotels.com sites, and prices shown are those actually paid by customers on a per room/per night basis including taxes and fees, rather than advertised rates.

In a media luncheon with local media yesterday, Nelson Allen, Senior Marketing Director, Asia Pacific for the Hotels.com brand said, “As one of the leading destinations in Asia, Malaysia is and has always been a key market for Hotels.com, for both in and out bound travellers.”

For two consecutive years (2014 H1 & 2015 H1), the city of Kuala Lumpur ranked No.1 as the popular destination by inbound travellers from all over the world. From a mix of tourist activities, cultural and heritage diversity to gastronomic offerings, Malaysia has much to offer be it for local or foreign travellers. Other local destinations that are also popular among inbound holidaymakers are Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Malacca.

Overall, travellers were paying an average of RM306 per night for hotels in Malaysia in the first half of 2015. Among all travellers, travellers from Switzerland were spending the most (RM 425) on average hotel price paid in Malaysia, followed by Norway (RM 402), United Kingdom (RM 391), and two Asia countries – Hong Kong (RM 381) and South Korea (RM 378).

Top destinations in Malaysia for travellers from overseas (2015 H1)

Ranking Destination

1. Kuala Lumpur
2. Penang
3. Langkawi
4. Kota Kinabalu
5. Malacca
6. Johor Bahru
7. Kuching
8.Tanah Rata
9.Genting Highlands
10. Ipoh

Top spender for Malaysia hotels (2015 H1)

Ranking travellers from average hotel price paid per night (2015 H1)

1. Switzerland -RM 425
2. Norway- RM 402
3. United Kingdom-RM 391
4. Hong Kong- RM 381
5. South Korea-RM 378

The recent softening of the Ringgit clearly has an impact on local destinations. Subsequently, Malaysians are also noticeably getting back to their roots when it comes to planning vacations.

The softening of Ringgit doesn’t necessarily mean a higher cost of travel. The HPI findings shared at the luncheon was a report conducted between January to June 2015, also revealed that there was a steady drop in hotels prices paid by Malaysians in the UAE, France, Macau, as well as Malaysians’ all time favourite – Bangkok, Indonesia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. This could be attributed to more Malaysians using online and mobile applications for their travel planning.

Top destinations for travellers from Malaysia (2015 H1)

Ranking Destination

1. Bangkok
2. Singapore
3. Bali
4. Hong Kong
5. Phuket
6. Melbourne
7. Krabi
8. Seoul
9. Tokyo
10.Taipei

Overseas destinations with the highest percentage decreases of
hotel price paid by travellers from Malaysia (2015 H1)

Ranking destination percentage decreases.(2015 H1)

1. United Arab Emirates -36%
2. France -21%
3. Singapore -18%
4. Indonesia -12%
5. Macau- 12%
6. Thailand-7%
7. Hong Kong -4%

Hotels.com offers a wide range of hotel choices with the best price guaranteed, and has 17million qualified guest reviews. It also has over 85 websites in over 35 languages with a multi-lingual hotlines, for ease of booking an accommodation at any time. For holidaymakers planning an impromptu trip, Hotels.com will always have 20,000 last minute deals up for grab at the very last minute.

For gadget aficionados, Hotels.com app is also available on Apple and Android wearable devices, and gives the user full access to booking details, directions to hotels, plus reminds you about check-in and check-out information.

Experience Malaysia in November 2015

by Cleffairy // November 6, 2015 // No Comments

1MALAYSIA YEAR END SALE

Enjoy a final round of discounted shopping before 2015 ends during this 1Malaysia Year End Sale. Shopping malls and retail outlets are going all out to help you celebrate the year-end holidays, enjoy the Christmas season and prepare for the 2016 school year.

Organiser    : Tourism Malaysia
Date        : 14 November 2015 – 3 January 2016
Venue        : Throughout Malaysia
Contact    : +603 8891 8000
Website    : www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my

MaTiC Street Arts Festival 2015

The Malaysia Tourism Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, has long been an iconic building in Malaysia, not only for its historic legacy but also for being a one-stop tourist information centre. Now, for the first time, the centre will be hosting the MaTic Street Arts Festival 2015, bringing the entire place alive with music, art, and lifestyle activities of the urbanites.

Bring your friends and family to enjoy two whole days of non-stop fun – with lots of art, music, and crafts to appreciate and enjoy. Food trucks will be parked within the compound to offer great food and drinks the entire day. Those interested in the creative arts will love the opportunity to see talented designers and animation artists. Dance and music competitions will also be held, alongside stalls selling clothes, art and crafts, and other knick-knacks.

Organiser    : Malaysia Tourism Centre
Date        : 7 & 8 November 2015
Location    : Lanai, Malaysia Tourism Centre
Contact    : +603 9235 4900
Website    : www.matic.gov.my

Malaysia Open House Celebration — Deepavali

Deepavali or the Festival of Lights is celebrated by all Hindus, and this year’s national open house celebration of Deepavali takes place in Kedah. Come and experience the festivities with great food, entertainment, music and cultural performances, as you mingle with Malaysians of all cultures and walks-of-life.

Organiser    : Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia
Date        : 11 November 2015
Venue        : Kulim, Kedah
Contact    : +603 8000 8000
Website    : www.motac.gov.my

Joget 1Malaysia Melaka

Joget is a traditional Malay dance that originated in Melaka. It involves a very upbeat song and some fancy footwork, usually performed in pairs. One of the most popular type of Joget is called ‘Joget Lambak’ which is usually performed by a large crowd together in social functions. Imagine line-dancing, Malaysian style! Though uncommon now, the Joget is still performed at some functions such as weddings and cultural festivals.

Get into the joget beat at the Joget 1Malaysia Melaka event and pick up a dance move or two! The event intends to bring awareness of this traditional dance form to the public and celebrate the unique culture of Malaysia in Melaka.

Organiser    : National Department of Culture & Arts
Date        : 13 – 14 November
Venue        : Bandar Hilir Melaka
Contact    : +603 2614 8200
Website    : www.jkkn.gov.my

MURFEST

The Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival (MURFEST) is an event held annually in the beloved homegrown soil of Malaysia. It celebrates the best of wellness, yoga, music and dance, and its place in helping us deal with the mental health challenges faced daily. MURFEST aims to awaken the “urban spirit” within each individual, and promote wellness, music and dance for a balanced and harmonious lifestyle. The Festival strives to provide a space for self-discovery, self-mastery and knowledge through a variety of wellness practices such as new age healing therapies, traditional alternative treatments, wellness products and lifestyle services. Visitors will be spoilt for choice at this three-day festival with over 80 classes to choose from the different categories – yoga, aqua yoga, zumba, capoeira, motivational speakers, sound healers and many more.

Organiser    : Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival
Date        : 13 – 15 November
Venue        : Hotel Pullman Kuala Lumpur, Bangsar
Contact    : Cale – 014 333 0527
Website    : www.murfest.com

Hello Kitty Gourmet Café

Fans of popular Japanese icon, Hello Kitty, rejoice! The most famous cat in the world is here to serve you at the Hello Kitty Gourmet Café in Sunway Pyramid shopping mall. Hang out with friends as you admire the Hello Kitty-esque décor and immerse yourself in all things kawaii. The first Hello Kitty Café to be established in the Asean region, the outlet serves coffee, macarons, waffles, elegant salads, filling pastas and burgers and a variety of desserts in the shape of Hello Kitty (but of course!) along with other French-inspired food items in this Hello-Kitty-Goes-to-Paris themed café.

Location        : Lot 083, F. 6, Oasis Boulevard
Ground floor of Oasis Boulevard at Sunway Pyramid
Operation Hours    : 10 am untill 11 pm
Tel            : 03-56127703

Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta

Looking for something different to do this October? Are you interested in water sport? If yes you are invited to see the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta. The Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta is a challenging offshore and inshore sailing race organized every year by the Royal Selangor Yacht Club. It consists of three overnight passage races, 260 miles in total, plus three days of harbor racing in Penang and Langkawi. The event attracts a large variety of yachts and is a great opportunity to admire top class sails from IRC1 racers to slow classic cruisers dating back over 100 years, all of whom had to cope with unpredictable weather and changing tactics during the nine-day race past tropical islands.

So, what are you waiting for? Come and join us this November. Don’t forget to bring your family members and friends too!

Organiser    : The Royal Selangor Yacht Club (RSYC) Venue
Date        : 20-28 November 2015
Venue        : Pulau Indah, Port Klang, Selangor
Contact    : +603 3168 6964
Website    : https://www.rmsir.com/

All information is correct at time of publication.

Visitors are advised to contact the event organiser for the latest updates

More Exciting Professions and Activities at KidZania, City for Cool Kids

by Cleffairy // November 3, 2015 // No Comments

KidZania is an indoor family education and entertainment centre, which offers an interactive learning and entertainment experience targeted at kids aged 4 to 14 years. KidZania combines role-play with real life, creating a kid-centric city experience designed to educate and inspire kids; from arriving at the airport, to visiting a city centre to exploring the city streets. As in the real world, kids choose activities – such as being a police officer, doctor, journalist or a customer – and earn money, which they can then spend or save. KidZania operates just like a real city complete with buildings, paved streets, vehicles, a functioning economy, and recognisable destinations in the form of “establishments” sponsored and branded by leading international and local brands. The facilities are designed to educate through experience, fostering the development of life skills, but from a kid’s perspective it is all about fun.

KidZania Kuala Lumpur has won numerous awards, including “Best Experience for Kids” at the Best of Malaysia Awards (BOMA) 2013 and 2014 consecutively. Spread over 80,000 sq. ft. across two levels, KidZania Kuala Lumpur is conveniently located in Curve NX opposite the Curve shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara and offers more than 100 different role-playing activities in over 60 establishments.

KidZania Kuala Lumpur, the award-winning themed learning centre, announced Spritzer, Media Prima TV Networks, Media Prima Radio Networks, Canon Malaysia, STABILO and BHPetrol as its industry partners for its unique city role-play education model, today.

One of the newest additions to KidZania Kuala Lumpur’s partnership circle is Spritzer, where the brand introduces its bottling plant where it demonstrates the bottling and quality control process for mineral water as well as gathering used bottles for recycling through the role plays as bottling plant operators and deliverymen. However, if kids are interested in being involved in the radio broadcasting industry, Media Prima Radio Networks allow kids to experience the thrill and excitement of becoming a radio announcer, a guest speaker and a news reader. For photography enthusiasts, Canon’s imaging studio provides kids an opportunity to learn how to take photos using digital single-lens reflex cameras, understanding photo composition and handling the functions of the camera.

Meanwhile, Media Prima TV Networks, STABILO and BHPetrol, also announced the extension of their tenure with the themed educational establishment; allowing children to enjoy the roles and activities provided at the Media Prima TV Networks acting academy theatre, STABILO design studio and BHPetrol Pump Station.

All six partners were presented with ‘keys’ to the city of KidZania Kuala Lumpur, to symbolize the trust and appreciation of their industry contribution to the themed learning centre.

KidZania thrive on innovative approaches towards combining the elements on providing a fun-based learning experience as part of the customer experience at KidZania Kuala Lumpur their industry partners today provides authentic and realistic role-playing opportunities as the subject matter experts in the respective industries of media broadcasting, imaging, petroleum, bottled water production and writing instruments manufacturing.

KidZania Kuala Lumpur goes beyond traditional teaching mediums to continuously look at opportunities to expose kids to new experiences and endless occupational possibilities and is an officially endorsed co-curricular partner to the Malaysian Ministry of Education. As of now, KidZania Kuala Lumpur offers over 110 profession related role-playing activities spread across 60 various city establishments.

In pursuit of excellence, KidZania Kuala Lumpur was also recently awarded the silver winner under the Best Employee Engagement Strategy category at the Asia Pacific Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2015 held at Singapore.

For more information, visit www.kidzania.com.my or call the KidZania CareLine at 1300 88 KIDZ (5439) or get connected with KidZania through Facebook at www.facebook.com/KidZaniaKualaLumpur or tweet them at @KidZaniaKL.

Trick or Treating Guide in Sungei Wang Plaza

by Cleffairy // October 28, 2015 // 24 Comments

Regardless of religious and cultural beliefs, Halloween will always have a special place in my heart. Why? Not because I love dressing up as freaky creatures and go trick or treating, but more than a decade back, I get a treat of my life on Halloween. My son was born. So every year, I look forward to celebrating another a well accomplished milestone as a mother on 31st October.

Being a modern mum is not an easy feat, what more when your child is a special need. Stigma is always there, but hey, we survived all the horrors that comes with the label. 😉

31st October is just 3 days away as of writing. With my parents retired and living 6 hours away from Kuala Lumpur and my in laws don’t really celebrate each other’s birthday, there is not much things done to celebrate my son’s birthday every year. Usually, it is just the three of us; my husband, my son and myself, doing all we can to make things memorable for the boy. I don’t quite like the fact that my parents in laws who don’t bother to remember their children’s birthday unless it is their favourite child. Up until I was 17 years old, my parents never failed to make my birthdays memorable with special dinner parties and such. I only stopped celebrating with them after I moved out to further my studies as it is not always possible to go back home to celebrate as they are 6 hours away from where I am currently residing.

I believe that birthdays is an important part of growing up and I make sure my son have a memorable one every year, by hook or by crook.

This year, we somewhat ‘celebrated’ it early, courtesy of Sungei Wang Plaza. :p They have unwittingly given us a mall trip and indulged us with Halloween treats without knowing what it actually meant to us.

Anyway, enough lamenting. To cut the long story short, my son and I went on a media FAM trip in Sungei Wang Plaza, and here’s sharing a little guide on Halloween Trick or Treating in Sungei Wang Plaza.

Whether you’re looking for places where you can be fully dressed in your costume of choice,styled up to the nines and get into the mood of Halloween with the make-ups designed to scare or just wanna have a bit of fun, you don’t have to look any further. Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur is the place for you to go.

Sungei Wang Plaza, being a mall with the tagline of ‘All kinds of everything’, indeed has a lot to offer at an affordable price. But if you want a full scale Halloween experience over there in Sungei Wang Plaza, here’s a little walk through.

First, kick off the Halloween mood by getting the adrenaline pumping with 9D Movie.

9D Cinema is located at 3rd floor in Sungei Wang Plaza and is offering
exciting 3D animated movies with surround sound, coupled with “active motion” luxury seats and dramatic effects such as rain, fog, lightning, wind, snow, touch, feel and more.

Your senses will be overwhelmed with the stimulating and exciting 3D movies. We tried ‘The Halloween Ghost’ where we were taken to a 15 minutes ride through Halloween horror. During the ride, we had to shoot off the ghosts flying around in a cemetery by using the laser guns provided.

With more than 10 action movies to choose from, you can be sure that you will be taken for a ride of a lifetime.Ticket prices is as stated below.

Famished after all the ghost and witch hunting? Head over to U-Cafe.

U-Cafe is a restaurant catered for urbanites who wants hearty Asian or Fusion Cuisine. Located at Concourse level, U-Cafe provides both indoor and al-freso dining area, making it a great venue for gatherings and such.

Al-fresco dining area

Indoor dining area.

To celebrate the eve of Hallow, U-Cafe is offering Halloween Set Lunch, (RM14.75) consisting of the special Pumpkin Fried Rice with Chicken Chop and creamy pumpkin soup and watermelon juice.

The rice is served in a Jack-O-Lantern carved pumpkin, which I find pretty much amusing. Each pumpkins are carved beautifully.

The signature fried rice and succulent chicken chop is pretty much mouthwatering. The Halloween lunch set will be on the menu for Halloween from 26th to 30th October 2015.

After filling up the tummy, it’s now time to muster up the courage to get some tattoo done at Iron Bunny Tattoo Studio. Located at Level 1, this tattoo studio offers both temporary and permanent tattoos.

For RM10, you can get a pretty cool airbrush tattoo done.

My design of choice? A poison rose. 🙂

A trip to the mall is incomplete without getting some shopping done. After getting the tattoo done, we were brought to Mr.DIY, a supermarket that is offering all kinds of household items at a very affordable price. With over 2,000 items for you to choose from, you are definitely spoiled for choices.

Playground corner for children to amuse themselves with while the parents shop til they drop.

Anyway we participated in a mini Supermarket Treasure Hunt Game where we had to find a list of items with our teammates. We did not win, though, but we had fun nevertheless and nobody went back disappointed as we were given cash voucher to spend on whatever we would like to buy there.

Here is what I bought from Mr.DIY, a blazing red trolley so that I can get more shopping done. 😉

Halloween is never complete without scary makeup. So after our little shopping spree, we headed to Snips College of Creative Arts (SCCA) at Level 6. It is a college that offers creative courses. They are our makeup sponsors for the day.

Upon arrival, we were invited for a little hellish tea party.

And then when our tummy was filled, we were shown the process of Halloween make up in the make up studio.

Freaky, don’t you think?

Demoness in the making.

My friend’s daughter, getting her Halloween make up done.

One for the album, the Halloween creeps from Snips College of Creative Arts (SCCA).

No creepy make up is complete without a proper costume. And so we were brought to Anmani Show Costumes Outlet on LG Floor where there are loads of costumes for all occasion to choose from.

Apart from fancy costumes, they are also offering all sort of masks.

Anonymous mask. I know for sure my husband would want to wear this for Halloween.

Assorted wigs are available at a reasonable price too.

My friend and her daughter in their Halloween get up as Lord Vampire and Child Ghost Sadako.

All good things must come to an end, but not without one last treat at Hui Lau Shan a dessert shop that originated from Hong Kong.

They are also geared up for Halloween

This is part of their Halloween treats menu.

I ordered a Mango Pop Pop (RM10.90) with yummy Mango Mochi to share with my son AlienGoTravel. It was just the refreshment that we need after our little Halloween exploration in Sungei Wang Plaza.

With these exciting Halloween themed promotions line ups and all kinds of different specialty stores, each unique in their own way, shoppers would definitely have an amazing time with family and friends at Sungei Wang Plaza. So if you have yet to plan for Halloween, you might want to have some spooky fun in Sungei Wang Plaza.

For info, on Sungei Wang Plaza,please check out :

https://www.sungeiwangplaza.com

https://www.facebook.com/sungeiwangplaza

They have all kinds of everything, I assure you. 😉

Gua Damai Extreme Park, Batu Caves

by Cleffairy // October 24, 2015 // 48 Comments

I never knew that I could climb mountains; literally climb mountains until I visited Gua Damai Extreme Park. If you are my friend on Facebook or Instagram, you’d probably noticed my updates where I attempted rock climbing a couple of weeks ago along with my friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor.

Now, while I like to try new things and loves to travel alot, extreme sports is not exactly my forte and I steer away from them as far as I could. I’ll be honest with you. I prefer art and culture stuff over extreme sports, thank you very much, but Gua Damai simply beckons me to make acquaintance with it.

So, where is this Gua Damai Extreme Park? Gua Damai Extreme Park is surprisingly located somewhere near the well famed Batu Caves and is a rock climbing heaven.

Gua Damai extreme Park boasts of over 70 over climbing routes which is a place that still less known among the locals although it is internationally known among extreme sports enthusiasts. The spacious climbing area has spotlight for night climbing, ample parking area, toilet and children playground. It is basically a place for the whole family to chill outdoor.

Gua Damai. If you look closely, there is a cave in this huge chunk of rock. Apart from being a family friendly attraction, Gua Damai Extreme Park is also the first and only place in Malaysia where base jumpers can jump at the height of 316 feet from the peak of Gua Damai.

To accomodate base jumping, a special platform is built for the professional base jumpers. And guess what? We were quite lucky. Upon arrival of our visit, we were told there were base jumping activity going on, and I practically had my heart in my mouth watching that.

Here’s a base jumper jumping from the top of Gua Damai.

Perfect landing

Base jumpers. I don’t know what went over me. It must have been the adrenaline rush or something. I actually approached them and asked if they could do tandem base jumping ; you know, carry me along when they jump, but unfortunately for me, they lacked proper equipment to do so. According to the base jumper, if I want to do tandem base jump with them, they would have to customize the rope and the clips accordingly to my weight, which wasn’t exactly possible at the moment since I was terribly underweight and their equipments obviously is to accommodate people with normal weight. 🙁 But yes. If you are wondering if tandem base jumping is possible, the answer is yes. But you would need to inform them and make appointments beforehand.

For a coward who steer away from extreme sport, I was sorely disappointed, and I sulked for a little bit before heading to the rock climbing area after the base jumping performance.

Gua Damai Extreme Park staff, checking the ropes and getting things ready for rock climbing session.

Part of the equipments needed for rock climbing and abseiling; helmet, shoes, harness, clips and gloves.

The staff, preparing the ropes for rock climbing and abseiling.

Well, girl can’t get tandem base jump, so might as well do the next best thing, which is rock climbing and abseiling. Let me tell you something. I know nothing about rock climbing. I never tried it before in my life, not even those indoor ones in themepark, but I decided to try it nevertheless after giving it a thorough thought. There’s always a first time in everything, and one can’t just stay in their comfort zone, right?

That’s me. Trying to get a grip on the rock.

A little bit at a time. I do look like I was kissing the rock, don’t I?

Getting a grip

Climbing, with the dexterity of a snail. 😛

Seriously, it wasn’t as easy as it looks, and halfway through to the top, I felt like giving up. I kept calling out to my instructor, saying “I can’t do it!”, “There is no more climbing point, “, and “It’s too difficult,”. Thinking back, I’m really ashamed that said all the negative things to demoralize myself despite the fact that I’m a firm believer in the Law of Attraction.

But I was really blessed. My instructor had faith in me and did not give up on me when I nearly gave up on myself. He yelled encouragingly at me when I nearly cried, telling me that I can do it, and that there’s loads of climbing points for me to grip on, and he kept reminding me that I was nearly there on top of the cave, and I was glad that I listened to him.

I managed. Yes. I managed to reach the top although halfway through I didn’t think it was possible. 🙂 To say that I was ecstatic was an understatement, and to hear my son happily cheer for me from the ground as if I was a superhero was an indescribable feeling. Then, it suddenly occurred to me that I could practically climb mountains with the right push and motivation. The short rock climbing session was perhaps just a shot of adrenaline to most, but to me, it was quite a slap in the face. I come to a realization that I lacked people who will push me into the right direction in my life. I always wanted to do a lot of things in life. Achieve things and challenge myself, but I lack people who inspire me to do things that I want, and lack of people in my circle who will motivate me to be a better person, and perhaps, it is time for me to make some changes in my life instead of just being comfortable going nowhere.

The rock climbing session was not merely a physical thing, but a spiritual enlightenment to me. I’m truly glad that I did try and accomplish it against all odds.

If you haven’t try rock climbing or abseiling, I highly recommend for you and your kids to try it. Yes. They do cater rockclimbing for children too. Forget those indoor themepark rock climbing spots. Get your hands on the real thing here at Gua Damai Extreme Park.

Here’s the package for your reference:

Basic Rock Climbing

Price: RM160 (1 day course)

Module:

-Knowing the equipment
-Tying the knots
-Rules of belaying
-Safety of fundamentals
-Communication
-Basic climbing (top rope)

*Package caters to groups of more than 12 persons with packed lunch, full usage of climbing equipment and experienced guides

Fun climbing

Price: RM70

Duration: 1/2 a day trip
(morning or afternoon session)
Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm
*Accept walk in

Fun abseiling

Price: RM60
Duration: 1/2 a day trip
(morning or afternoon session)
Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm
*min 6 persons

Fun climbing & abseiling

Price: RM100
Duration: 1 day trip
(morning or afternoon session)
Time: 9.30am- 1pm/ 2pm-5pm

Caters to groups of more than 12 persons , includes packed meals, full usage of climbing equipment and experienced guides.

Gua Damai Exploration package:

Price: RM130
Duration: 1 day trip

-Spot traditional herbs while trekking
-Educational caving
-Glide 250m zip line
-Abseiling
-Spelunking

*Cater to a groups of 12 persons, includes packed meals, full usage of climbing equipment, experienced guides.

Getting there can be quite tricky if you are not local, though. But below is a guide on how you can get there:

Getting there:

Via KTMB commuter: stops at Batu Caves station and take a taxi to Kg Melayu Wira Damai.

Via Rapidkl: stops at Pniggiran Batu Caves and walks briskly for 20 minutes to the destination.

Via Car: accessible via Jln Kuching or MRR2 from Kepong or from Hulu Kelang. Duke Highway heading for Gombak would take you to Sri Gombak. Once on the flyover of Sri Gombak, drive straight on Lebuh Utama Sri Gombak until you reach Taman Gombak Permai. Turn left into Jalan Gombak Permai 2 and via Jalan Gombak Permai 3 where there will be an open field that welcomes you into the view of gua Damai.

Address:
Sri Subramaniam Temple,
Jalan Zamrud,
Kampung Melayu Wira Damai,
68100 Selangor.

Contact:
Wira Adventure Consultant
No 3-2, Jalan PGN 1A/1,
Pinggiran Batu Caves,
68100 Batu Caves, Selangor
[email protected]
Mustapha: 012-4812005

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay

by Cleffairy // October 23, 2015 // 50 Comments

Malaysia is undeniably well known for the fact that it is a country that is rich with cultural diversity. But each time ‘Malaysians’ is mentioned, more often than not, only the 3 major ethnicity, which is Malay, Chinese and Indians will be duly noted in general. This is quite sad as Malaysia is made up from far beyond that and each of other existing ethnics are equally beautiful and they too contributes to the nation building as well. The country’s demographic is made of much more than just Malay, Chinese and Indians. There are the aborigines, and then there are plenty of different ethnics whose home residence is in Sabah and Sarawak.

During my most recent trip with friends from Tourism Malaysia Selangor a couple of weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to get to know the people from the Mandailing ethnicity. They are running a homestay known as Bagasta Bougainvillea Homestay, located in Kampung Sungai Kertas, Selangor. The homestay that they are running is certainly a unique one as they are offering guests and visitors a glimpse of the Mandailing culture and by staying there, you’ll get to experience how it is like to live in a Mandailing community first hand.

So what exactly is Mandailing? If you are a Malaysian, I’m sure you are familiar with the three major ethnicities in Malaysia but I bet the term Mandailing is pretty much foreign. Well, allow me to elaborate a little bit.

Mandailing is a traditional cultural group in Southeast Asia. They are found mainly in the northern section of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. They came under the influence of Kaum Padri who ruled the Minangkabau of Tanah Datar. As a result, the Mandailing were influenced by Muslim culture and converted to Islam.There are also a group of Mandailing in Malaysia, especially in the states of Selangor and Perak.They converted to Islam and intermarried with Minangkabau and the Malays. Mandailing society is patriarchal, employing family names, or marga,. The well-known marga(s) in Mandailing clan are: Lubis, Nasution, Siregar, Hasibuan, Harahap, Dalimunthe (originally from Munthe), Matondang, Rangkuti, Parinduri, Pulungan, Rambe, Daulae(y), Pohan, Batubara Barus and Hutajulu.

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay, Kg Sungai Kertas.

Bagasta Bouganvillae Homestay is located strategically between the forests of Ulu Yam and the well famed Batu Caves limestone temple.

Bagasta Bouganvillae Homestay is particularly unique in it’s offering as they aim to allow guests experience their culture first hand. We were really fortunate as we get to experience what they have to offer that day. Truly a fascinating thing.

Upon arrival at the homestay, we were welcomed with Sambutan Ulos, a cultural ceremony by the Mandailing to people with higher status in a community.

Intricately woven shawl is draped on the shoulder of the guests of honour.

And then we were beckoned towards them while they sing and chant in Mandailing language. I couldn’t understand what the singing and chanting is all about, but the whole thing certainly have a good vibe and I really like it.

Upbeat drum performance were ongoing throughout this Sambutan Ulos process.

After the elaborated welcoming ceremony, we were told that part of the activities in this homestay is
hands on experience in making sambal tempe. Sambal tempe is a traditional spicy Javanese dish found in almost every Malay food stalls in Malaysia.

The ingredients needed to make Sambal Tempe; Tempe, peanuts, anchovies, chilli paste and shallot paste.

Tempe being sliced accordingly

Trying our hands at tempe frying

The tempe, peanuts and anchovies, all fried up. Not too shabby for first timers like us, I must say. 😉

The final product. The Sambal Tempe. Great to be paired with plain rice or even flavoured rice dish like Nasi Lemak as a side dish. Yes. We get to bring this home and so can you if you decided to stay at the homestay. 😉

Apart from trying our hands at making Sambal Tempe, we were also introduced to Nasi Upah, a popular Mandailing rice dish similar to Nasi Ambeng. (Also known as Nasi Upah-Upah or simply Upah-Upah)

Mandailing ladies in traditional Mandailing dress, with Nasi Upah hidden beneath the intricately woven shawl.

Uncovering the Nasi Upah. Like the famous Javanese Nasi Ambeng, the rice dish is also plated in a huge tray with various side dishes topped on it.

Here is a close up look of the Nasi Upah. The hard boiled eggs in Nasi Upah symbolises unity among the community. Fish brings the meaning of plunge into the hearts of the society while the prawn means pride.

Communal eating with fingers is also emphasized.

But here’s a bit of interesting tidbit about Nasi Upah. Nasi Upah is regarded as a magical rice dish that has healing and rejuvenating properties.

Apart from being served during special occasions like birthdays and weddings, it is also served to people who are recovering from sickness. The Mandailings believes that strength is diminished while one gets sick and the healing spirit is no longer in the body. Hence, they feed the sick person with Nasi Upah while chanting a mantra to summon back the spirit so that they could have a speedy recovery.

The Upah-Upah ritual where a mantra to summon the healing spirit is done.

We had a really interesting and interactive experience in
Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay during our visit, and I definitely would recommend you and your family to experience this too. The hosts was really friendly and accommodating and my son and I had loads of fun learning about the Mandailing and their culture that day. It is not something you could experience in a luxury hotel, definitely. Package price for the homestay per person is RM120++, inclusive of room, meals and planned activities.

For more information or booking on Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay, please refer below

Address

Bagasta Bougainvillae Homestay
No 78, Jln KSK 4,
Kg Sungai Kertas,
68100 Batu Caves.

Contact: Tn Hj Ruslan bin Ahmad 016-3920439/ 03-61885515

Email: [email protected]

Barakaff Exclusive Batik

by Cleffairy // October 22, 2015 // 29 Comments

The tradition of making batik is found in various countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka and Philippines.

Batik culture is pretty much famous in Malaysia, and you can commonly see the batik clothing in boutiques or shopping malls. And if you have been following my blog, you would also realize that batik painting demo can also be spotted in most local event that I went too.

Kelantan and Terengganu is most famous for producing batik clothings in Malaysia, but if you are living in Klang Valley or is visiting Selangor, there is one place where you can shop for exclusively designed batik; Barakaff Exclusive.

Barakaff Exclusive.The boutique is located somewhere in a residential area around Jalan Gombak, Selangor and selling exclusively designed batik clothings. All clothings sold in this boutique is exclusively designed. The batik prints is hand drawn and painted individually, so if you’re to buy any clothing from Barakaff Exclusive and wear it to any events, you won’t have to worry about accidentally wearing the same clothing as someone else.

Batik dresses in pastels for women

Batik shirts for men

Pretty, aren’t they?

Modern dress with batik prints on it. Certainly look like something you would see on the runway. Needless to say, I bought a pair of dress for myself and a shirt for my husband. I just couldn’t resist those sweet pastel designs. It is not something I usually see elsewhere ; where the batik prints are usually in daring and bright colours. The designs from Barakaff Exclusive is definitely a refreshing addition to our wardrobe.

Barakaff Exclusive have plenty of modern and traditional clothing for you to choose from, and during my visit to this boutique, I was told that all the clothing here are made in house, and they have a workshop at the back of the boutique to produce the batiks that’s being sold in the outlet.

The workshop where batik are printed with blocks or exclusively hand painted.

Batik cloth in the making. The process is definitely long and tedious one. Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colours are desired.

Semi finished batik produce being hung up to dry.

We were also given a chance go try our hands at batik painting.

But obviously, I’m no artist and mine came out pretty weird. But well, it is a wonderful experience regardless, to be able to visit the workshop and try my hands at batik painting.

Here’s one for the album. Posing with our masterpieces. 🙂

Below is the information to Barakaff Exclusive should you are interested in getting yourselves some exclusively designed batik clothings.

Address:

Barakaff Exclusive
Lot 2095, Batu 9,
Jalan Gombak,
53000 Selangor.

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Barakaff Batik
Contact: Syed Ahmad: 013-6666322

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