Festive Must-Have Food & Treats To Enjoy During Chinese New Year

It genuinely feels like 2022 was not too long ago… but time waits for no one. If you haven’t caught up yet, it’s the year 2023 and Chinese New Year is right around the corner! That being said, there is no time to sit on your feet.

Chinese New Year usually brings your families back in droves, which means there’s plenty of mouths to feed. We understand it can be hard to cater for so many people, so why not allow others to do it for you? As such, here are a list of CNY reunion dinners and meals available for you and your family to enjoy!

Get ready for a delectable feast with Shangri-la as they offer up their Chinese New Year Specialties menu! Select your course meal of auspicious dishes from six different set menus. Starting with the courses:

There is also a Vegetarian Menu (8-course is RM 248 nett per person, 9-course is RM268nett per person with minimum order for four persons).

Of course, who can forget the Yee Sang? This time, Shang Palace is offering five varieties of Yee Sang; Korean snow pear Yee Sang, Crispy Fish Skin and Jellyfish Flower Yee Sang, Smoked Salmon Yee Sang, Tempura Soft Shell crab Yee Sang and Sliced Abalone Caviar Yee Sang. There’s also Poon Choi for up to 10 people if you’re looking for variety (RM588-RM2399 nett).

A post shared by Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur (@shangrilakl)

Looking for something a little more exotic for CNY? Check out YEN’s CNY meal line-up as they take your usual favourites and remake them with a little twist. From their Crispy Hokkaido Shelled Scallop to their Steamed Pineapple Enzyme Fed Chicken, you won’t be disappointed with their dishes.

Select from four special set menus: Spot of Sunshine (RM238 per person), Prosperous Life Forever (RM328 per person), Wishing You Prosperity (RM368 per person) and Double Happiness (RM428 per person). You may also delight in some dim sum from their special menu or order a few of their recommended signature dishes, such as their Superior Chicken Soup, Braised Premium Assorted Hot Dish (Poon Choy) and Steamed Sliced Tiger Grouper Fish.

As for their Yee Sang, you may select from:

A post shared by W Kuala Lumpur (@wkualalumpur)

A post shared by Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (@grandhyattkualalumpur)

If you’re looking for something that is both traditional and modern, then consider holding your grand reunion feast at THIRTY8 in Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. Their sumptuous Chinese New Year menus ranges from set to a la carte selections Highlights include:

🏮 Slow-cooked stuffed lotus leaf chicken with abalone 8-head, fish maw, sliced top shell in claypot from RM488 nett
🏮 Exclusive Chinese New Year Hampers from RM298 nett
🏮 Abalone 10-head Avruga caviar Yee Sang from RM288 nett
🏮 Chinese New Year miniature cakes and praline gift boxes from RM25 nett

Psst, pre-order now and enjoy 15% OFF all Chinese New Year items here.

For authentic Chinese food, Oversea Restaurant never fails to satisfy one’s appetite. Known for their rich traditions of Chinese cuisine, the beloved eatery is highlighting their Hong Kong Style Waxed Meat Claypot Rice and Prosperity Treasure Pot this festive season. The Waxed Meat Claypot Rice (priced at RM138++  for 6pax and RM168++ for 10pax) will set mouths watering thanks to its distinctive aroma from fragranced glutinous rice and cured meat. But more importantly, no reunion would be complete without the Prosperity Treasure Pot that comes with 16 premium ingredients to bless your family with “huat” and abundance.

Speaking of huat-ness, Oversea Restaurant produces some of the best Yee Sang in town. Out of the 5 types of Yee Sang available, we’d highly recommend the original Oversea Fabulous Fruity Yee Sang (served with Red Dragon Fruit Sauce). It’s not only refreshing to the palate but also very flavourful, making this an easy standout from the other options in the market.

In addition to their existing outlets in Klang Valley (Jalan Imbi and Bandar Baru Sri Petaling), Oversea Restaurant is also opening a brand new outlet in 1 Utama Shopping Centre this month called Oversea Express 1U. It’s a casual dining spot that can cater to 20-24 pax, especially for those looking for a delicious, quick to go meal.

Celebrate this CNY with a mixed offering of Chinese and Western, delightfully combined by Kenny Rogers ROASTERS. Customers will be able to enjoy a delectable Fortune Chicken Chop meal supplemented by some Crispy Chicken Rolls, Honey Glazed or Sweet & Spicy Spring Rolls, and an “Ong-Lai” (Pineapple) Muffin. It will certainly be a warm, hearty and healthy meal for the family!

A post shared by Kenny Rogers ROASTERS Malaysia (@krrmalaysia)

How about breaking away from tradition to enjoy some pizza for Chinese New Year instead? If you are craving some chewy, cheesy goodness, we suggest checking out Knowhere Bangsar’s offerings. They have a created some Shaolin Pisa(s), a variety of pizzas that pay homage to the Chinese cuisine while staying true to pizza itself.

With fancy names like Kungu Salmon, Gongbau Hustle, and Youyu Kingdom, and even fancier ingredients like grilled calamari, Kam Heong, buttery prawns and sambal spicy fish balls, Shaolin Pisa certainly sounds like it’ll make your taste buds dance!

Packed in a luxurious sustainable bamboo bag, Oh Cha Matcha has just launched 4 brand new refreshing flavoured matcha beverages – Grape Matcha, Mango Coconut Matcha, Pineapple Coconut Matcha and Tropical Matcha – to go with their festive Matcha Prosperity Bag (RM168) this Chinese New Year. Besides the healthy matcha-infused drinks, there’s also vegan-friendly and dairy-free homemade Matcha Pineapple Tarts, homemade Tofu Crisps, and Kuaci (aka Roasted Plant Seeds). If you’re still undecided on what to bring for Bai Nian, this is your answer ;)

Alternatively, you can also consider bringing some yummy desserts as your CNY housewarming gift when visiting friends and relative. Elevete Patisserie has curated a variety of seasonal dessert choices perfect for gifting. From mouthwatering cookies to delectable desserts, you can’t go wrong with this season’s picks. You can also go BIG by surprising your loved ones with the 7 inch Prosperity Pineapple Cake, “Fatt Choy” Fattcarons, or Abundance Koi Entremet.

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Time To Butter Up KL Partygoers!

If you’re thinking that Kuala Lumpur’s party scene has been getting predictable, prepare to be blown away when a brand spanking new
club opens its doors on 24th August 2012 (Friday)!

With its roots in Singapore where it is undoubtedly one the country’s clubbing mainstays, the club’s reputation was built on bold flair and mind-blowing events. The Butter Factory KL is one club that is not afraid to get creative with their themed parties and also with their music policy, artfully blending Hip Hop R&B with commercial dance music and addictive electro beats.

The Butter Factory KL is the official licensee of The Butter Factory- Singapore. Owned by our local shareholders and directors at JV Entertainment Sdn. Bhd., who have strived to offer patrons experience that surpassing usual while still retaining Butter’s distinct branding and unique personality.

Located in the most prestigious address of Kuala Lumpur’s famous Golden Triangle – Jalan Kia Peng, The Butter Factory KL is ready to impress with ground breaking audio-visual effects and a line-up of nights that celebrate great music and good times within its 10,000 sq ft jewel box.

But don’t take our word for it. Experience the mega party mayhem that The Butter Factory KL has to offer by rocking up to its official launch weekend, taking place on 24 and 25 August 2012. Guests can expect loads of buttery goodness filled with performances, dancers, music acts and party packed hours.

Dates: 24th August & 25th August (Friday & Saturday)

Venue: Venue: The Butter Factory KL, 1 Jalan Kia Peng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

An experience you wouldn’t want to miss, the launch of The Butter Factory KL. Partygoers, get ready to be buttered!

Don’t forget to hit up The Butter Factory KL on Facebook with a LIKE. You know you want to.


5 Hottest K-Pop Videos of 2013

Twerking. Grinding. Girl-on-girl kissing. 2013 saw K-pop videos sexed things up more than ever!

Rather than letting it all hang out, K-pop has generally been about teasing audiences by skewing in a cuter direction as compared to a raunchy one. 2013 however, saw a rebirth of K-pop as these stars went from cute to sexy, making this year it’s sexiest to date. From choreography that made fans weak at the knees to highlighting the idol’s best assets and to the scenes that upped its raciness while maintaining its stars’ self-respect, K-pop sure gained a bigger and wider global fan base this year.

End your 2013 with these top 5 sexiest K-pop videos of the year. The videos below are in order from 5 to 1.

If you’re thinking that the Hype Malaysia team has lost their minds by picking this video, you’re wrong. We’re not looking at Psy in this video. We are however looking at his co-star, Ga In of girl group Brown Eyed Girls. From showing off her curves with the right outfits to her suggestive dinner manners and her leading the subtle hip-swinging dance move, Ga In was the real boost that helped Psy’s viral nature get risqué in 2013.

4. Sistar 19 — Gone Not Around Any Longer

Hyorin and Bora of SISTAR teamed up as the Sistar19  duo for this gloomy, jazz-pop track that is accompanied by an equally sensual video. From singing in sleepwear to dressing in curve hugging outfits and performing suggestive choreography like grinding on top of a clear table, they’ve definitely got viewers weak in the knees.

As always, the 2PM boys never fails to get girl fans falling head over heels for them. A.D.T.O.Y has got to be one of the boy band’s sexiest and most arousing boy band video this year. Some of the boys are looking absolutely dapper in their dress shirts while some are devoid of shirts entirely. 2PM increased heart palpitations even more with their complex chair dance routine and by shaking their butts at the camera.

K-pop’s sexiness exploded as Girl’s Day garnered a wind of popularity by trading their cutesy image for a strong, sexually-charged feel on singles like Female President. The girls owned their sexiness with this video as they teased viewers by taking off their clothes behind silhouette screens. Oh and a girl-on-girl between Minah and Hyeri scored them the highest-charting single on the K-Pop Hot 100 to date.

Pole dancing has always been associated as a sleazy dance tactic, but the girls of After School kicks that stereotype to the bucket by proving that sexiness is and can require genuine, bona fide skills. These gorgeous girls highlight the athleticism required to pole dance and BAM!, they look absolutely banging while doing so! Shots of the girls singing and looking vulnerable, some topless is a definite plus in seducing viewers – them sashaying up and down the poles is simply, icing on the cake.

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#ISIS: Bangsar, Publika, Bukit Bintang, The Curve & More Targeted By Terrorists

Oh gosh. Malaysians, particularly those living in Klang Valley, really need to be on their toes while being out and about or hanging out at popular haunts in the city.

Apparently, the authorities have identified 7 areas in Klang Valley popular for entertainment, shopping, and tourism as terrorists’ hotspots.

This was confirmed by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who cited an intelligence report and said that the 7 areas are:

He said the ministry’s enforcement teams will work together with the police, as part of the efforts in beefing up security.

“The threats are there and we are very well aware of this, so we are on standby for any possible event. We will also consider engaging the help of the Defence Ministry to secure popular tourist and leisure hotspots if the need arises.”

Tengku Adnan added that the Federal Territories ministry has instructed that security be beefed up in crowded areas in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan. He also urged the public to come forward with any information or suspicion on any form of militant activities.

In a separate report by The Star Online, Johor too is said to be on high alert, having increased their police presence at public places following the terrorist attacks in Jakarta. State police chief Comm Datuk Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said all district police chiefs are to increase security at public places – shopping malls and entertainment centres located throughout the state.

Malaysia’s alert status has been raised to the highest level following the terror attack in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday (14th January 2016) which killed at least 7 people and left 23 people wounded.

Yesterday, it was reported that a 27-year-old former insurance agent suspected to be linked to militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was arrested at the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) station in Jelatek. The man, who was in possession of a weapon and an ISIS-related document, had planned a lone-wolf attack on an entertainment outlet in Kuala Lumpur at about 10pm on Friday (15th January).

UPDATE: This post has since been updated. Read it here.


Petrol & Diesel Prices Malaysia For 5th – 11th October 2017

It’s Wednesday again. As usual, motorists are eager to find out the latest prices for petrol and diesel.

According to a prediction by Malaysia Freebies, both petrol and diesel will see an increase starting from Thursday midnight (5th October) onwards.

The expected prices for petrol and diesel for 5th – 11th October 2017 are:

The current prices for 28th September – 4th October 2017 are:

We will update the fuel prices once the official announcement comes in before 6pm.


#GoogleFlights: Google’s New Flight Search Tool Will Help You Plan Your Next Holiday

Finding the best flights can be quite a task because comparing prices, times, and airlines on your own is tedious especially when you’re looking for the best deals. Worse yet if you’re still undecided on where to go (you just need a holiday!) so you’re just randomly looking at destinations.

Well, Google’s here to help with their new flight search tool, Google Flights.

That’s right! Search Google.my or www.google.com.my/flights to quickly and easily compare and book flights from your mobile device, tablet or desktop. The best part is that you’ll be able to see local content and pricing in Ringgit.

Google Flights’ flexible destination search feature that lets you explore based on dates, destinations and interests like: beaches, adventure travel, honeymoons, and food. Want to get away for summer holiday? Choose “1 week”, “June”, and ”Beaches” to see popular destinations — with the best time to visit those destinations and the lowest price available to get there. The search results will yield the least expensive flight and hotel options available, with price, stops, and duration for flights, and hotel ratings.

If you’re still undecided on your holiday destination, set your interest and expand the map by selecting “Explore destinations”. You’ll instantly see live prices for destinations that meet your interest category around the world. You can further filter results based on your preferences and personal budget requirements.

Google Flights will also help you save time by displaying all the similar flights available on an easy to scan timeline. They’re grouped by airline, price and number of stops which makes it easy for you to consider your options and book the one that best meets your needs.

Start planning your next domestic or international trip with Google Flights right now! After all, there are this many long weekends for Malaysians this year ;)

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#UTGP17: Uniqlo Malaysia To Bring In Best Designs From Nintendo-Themed Contest

Uniqlo Malaysia has announced that they will begin selling all 25 winning designs from its Nintendo-themed Uniqlo T-shirt (UT) Grand Prix 2017 design contest from Monday, 15th May 2017.

The contest attracted a record 16,000 entries.

Uniqlo inaugurated this design competition in 2005 to foster creativity and talent around the world, making it open to anyone regardless of age, gender, or nationality.

The contest invited people to create original T-shirt designs inspired by Nintendo’s timeless characters, including from “Super Mario Bros.”, “The Legend of Zelda”, the “Donkey Kong” series, and other games.

Designs were also permitted to feature characters from such titles as Animal Crossing, Star Fox, Pikmin, Metroid, Kirby, and Splatoon, as well as the world-famous Pokémon.

The winning design featured a Mario motif (Takashi Kawazoe, Japan) while in second and third place were designs on Splatoon (Shino Yamazaki, Japan) and Zelda (David Ricardo Flores Gomez, Mexico) themes.

3. Zelda (David Ricardo Flores Gomez, Mexico)

Prices for the Nintendo-themed Uniqlo T-shirt (UT) Grand Prix 2017 winning designs are RM59.90 for men and women, and RM39.90 for Kids, plus GST (prices in Malaysia). There are a total of 31 designs: 15 for men, and 8 each for women and kids.

So mark the date – 15th May 2017 – as the UTs will be made available at a Uniqlo Malaysia store near you ;)

For more information, visit Uniqlo Malaysia’s website or Facebook page.


#Grab: Enjoy 50% Off Airport Rides In Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Johor, & Melaka

If you’re traveling back to your hometown and you’re a regular GrabCar customer, then here’s some good news to go with the long weekend ahead.

For those intending to book a GrabCar ride to/from the airport in Penang, Kota Kinabalu, and Johor Bahru, plus Melaka Sentral, Grab is here to lighten your burden! They’re offering 50% off your airport rides.

The promo begins today (Friday, 9th December) and will last until the end of the month (31st December). Do note, however, that the 50% discount is only up to RM15 off (excluding toll charges) and is limited to only 1,000 redemption per day, so be fast! Remember to key in promo code GRABHOLIDAY when booking your ride.

Well, what about those travelling between the Klang Valley and KLIA/KLIA2? Don’t worry, Grab is also running an additional airport promo that allows riders to book a GrabCar ride to/fro KLIA or KLIA2 for RM65 from now till 31st December. Plus, you’ll get promo codes for RM20 off (RM10 off x 2) for future GrabCar rides.

Psst, if you want a slightly cheaper option, Uber is also having a airport promotion to/from KLIA or KLIA2 at only RM60. Happy holidays everyone, don’t say we didn’t share ?

For more info, visit Grab’s official website and Facebook page.

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Newspapers Utusan And Kosmo! To Cease Publication This Week

Utusan Melayu Sdn Bhd, home to local newspapers including the oldest newspaper Utusan Malaysia, Mingguan Malaysia and also Kosmo! will shut down on Wednesday, ultimately ceasing all print and online publications.

Utusan’s National Union of Journalists (NUJ) chief Taufek Razak said that executive chairman Datuk Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir admitted that the company is struggling with financial issues, as reported by The Star.

The news was announced during a meeting between the staff representatives and Human Resources Ministry earlier on Monday (19th August). In an interview with Malay Mail, Taufek clarified the news, “We will be working until Wednesday. After that, we will close down. No more operation. We have yet to receive anything in black and white, but we (NUJ Utusan) were informed by staff and their bosses informed them.”

Meanwhile, Utusan‘s sister publication Kosmo! editor Lokman Othman was informed about the closure during the same meeting. He was assigned to inform his fellow staffs in Kosmo! on the news.

“Including today, we only have three days of publication. Then, our last paper will be published on Wednesday, whereby on the front page, including on Utusan Malaysia, we will notify the readers that we will stop publication on Wednesday. Meaning tomorrow (Tuesday 20th August), we will still work for the Wednesday publication, and then we don’t have to work,” Lokman said, as reported by Malay Mail.

The publication group had apparently failed in giving salaries to their workers since June. Even before this, they had repeatedly delayed salary payments to their staffs. Salaries for executive staff were also delayed for two months, with the last partial payment of RM2,000 being paid in June. Despite having initiated a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) that saw its staff cut from 1,400 to 823, the payments have been also delayed, as reported by The Star.

On August 9th, NUJ Utusan revealed in a press conference that up to 250 union members including journalists, photographers and editors have yet to receive their payment for the last 2 months. With that being said, local union members of journalist have joined forces to launch Tabung Kebajikan NUJ to help with financial assistance as well as basic needs including rice, cooking oil, diapers and formula milk for babies.

Official announcement regarding the closure of the company has yet to be officially announced as of today (Tuesday 20th August).


Lancôme Has Bloomed Across Bukit Bintang For CNY, And We’re Here For It!

Lancôme Malaysia has gone above and beyond to bring forth the theme of their Chinese New Year campaign, “Let’s Bloom Together”, which has blossomed at Bukit Bintang with podiums, billboards, digital screens and pop-up stores all the way to Sephora @ Fahrenheit88.

The “Blooming New Year” event which launched the campaign was held on the 11th of January, and Malaysia’s top media outlets and influencers were invited to a night of blossoming magic, with a unique immersive experience with the French luxury beauty brand.To give customers a one-of-a-kind immersive Blooming New Year experience, the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur entrance was transformed to feature festive lanterns and photo-worthy setups that make for the perfect photo backdrops with family and friends. Visitors can also redeem a complimentary Blooming Trial Kit of Lancôme’s iconic products at their vending machine in just a few steps.

Dive into an immersive experience with Lancôme’s roses and rabbits, which come to life with digital technology at the Blooming Rose structure. The Wishing Wall inside the room also allows you to send festive greetings which float around the interactive space, dotting the walls and floor, making it a unique photo op.

There is also a podium inside Pavilion KL, where visitors can enjoy a complimentary Mini Prosperity Kit (worth RM140) when they register at the Lancôme Blooming New Year event page. Consumers can also shop best-selling skincare and makeup products, like the Advanced Génifique Serum, Advanced Génifique Eye Cream, L’Absolu Rouge lipstick and many more, bundled up in Chinese New Year-exclusive sets.

Visitors can learn more about their skin with the complimentary Skin Screen service, Lancôme’s most advanced skin analysis that assesses 13 aspects of the skin to determine skin concerns and the right products for them.

When customers spend a minimum of RM338, they are entitled to participate in special weekly weekend activities, which include:

Gold Imprint (13–15 January, 27–29 January)

Lancôme Rabbit Quest (Now to 5 February)

As part of the Bukit Bintang takeover, Lancôme Malaysia will also be having a special setup at Sephora @ Fahrenheit88, along with exclusive deals and special gift-with-purchase activities. Customers who spend a minimum of RM338 on Lancôme products at Sephora are entitled to an Ornament Arrangement activity (from 14–15 January).

Click here to learn more about Lancôme Malaysia’s Blooming New Year campaign.

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#Malaysia: Government Declares 24th April (Monday) As A Public Holiday

NOTE: This article is dated 3rd April 2017, and the gazetted public holidays is 24th April 2017, not 2018.

Good news Malaysians! 24th April (Monday) has been declared a public holiday.

The news comes in conjunction with the celebration of Sultan Muhammad V’s installation as Malaysia’s 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

According to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, 2 main events will take place at Istana Negara (pictured above) on 24th April. “The installation of Sultan Muhammad V will take place at the Balairung Seri in the morning, while the royal dinner will be held at Dewan Santapan at night,” said Ali Hamsa.

He also added that the public holiday announcement was declared under the Public Holidays Act 1951 for Peninsula Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan. Sabah and Sarawak have been informed to ratify the holiday under their respective state laws.


6 Shows Starring Michelle Yeoh Which You Can Stream On Netflix

Malaysians, both young and old, are no stranger to the name Michelle Yeoh. Not only is she a prime example of “Malaysia boleh!” on the international entertainment stage, the versatile actress is also inarguably a trailblazer for Asian representation in Hollywood.

With over 50 films and TV shows under her belt (and counting), the screen legend is showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Among other upcoming titles, she is set to star in the upcoming six-part, live action limited series and prequel to “The Witcher”, “The Witcher: Blood Origin” as Scían, the very last of a nomadic tribe of sword-elves in the Continent.

While her appearance in the Witcherverse is yet to come, you can catch Michelle Yeoh in these shows and movies in the meantime:

Her accent btw, is a Malaysian accent :)

— Anisa Sanusi (on hiatus) (@studioanisa) September 26, 2017

Michelle Yeoh takes on the final frontier in this “Star Trek” spin-off as Philippa Georgiou, captain of the USS Shenzhou and mentor to series lead Michael Burnham (played by Sonequa Martin-Green).

In a delightful Easter egg for Malaysian fans, Captain Georgiou is revealed to have grown up in Pulau Langkawi, on top of the actress incorporating her Malaysian accent into her performance. See if you can spot the wayang kulit puppet in the background of the captain’s ready room too!

Later on in the first season, Yeoh also plays a Mirror Universe counterpart of Georgiou, a ruthless Emperor of the Terran Empire.

Jackie Chan’s third foray into the Police Story franchise brings him to Malaysia, so having a future Malaysian icon in the movie is simply – *chef’s kiss* – poetic cinema.

In “Police Story 3: Super Cop”, Yeoh joins forces with the action movie star himself to take down a drug lord as Interpol officer and martial arts expert, Jessica Yang. Parts of the movie were even filmed in Kuala Lumpur, such as the famous scene where Jackie Chan flies around Kuala Lumpur while he hangs on for his dear life from a helicopter. Keep your eyes peeled for the Sultan Abdul Samad building and the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station too!

Introduced in the Christmas special “Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes”, Yeoh’s character – Lotus – is a pivotal character in Season 2 of the historical drama representing the last stand of Song loyalists at the tail end of the Mongol conquest of Song China.

Following the assassination of the Song Dynasty’s child emperor, Lotus travelled across China instigating terror and fanning the flames of an uprising against Kublai Khan, hoping to return the Song Dynasty to its former glory.

It is also revealed that she had a past with Hundred Eyes, a blind monk in the service of Kublai Khan. As for how that relationship turned out with both parties on opposing sides, you’ll have to watch the show to find out.

Yeoh reprises her role as accomplished businesswoman and kick-ass warrior Yu Shu Lien from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in this 2016 sequel.

18 years after the events of the 2000 film, Shu Lien emerges from retirement and teams up with Donnie Yen’s Silent Wolf to protect the Green Destiny – a sword that used to belong to her former lover Li Mu Bai – when an evil warlord seeks to steal the sword as part of his plans to dominate the Martial World.

Together with a band of warriors, Shu Lien and Silent Wolf fight to fend off the warlord’s attempts to retrieve the sword and defend the honour of the Iron Way.

In contrast to their adversarial relationship in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, Yeoh’s reunion with co-star Zhang Ziyi sees the former serving as a mentor to the latter’s Sayuri in this book-to-screen adaptation.

Yeoh plays Mameha, a kind but cunning geisha who takes Sayuri under her wing and guides her on how to navigate the complex terrain of geisha culture. Under Mameha’s tutelage, and despite instances of sabotage from chief rival Hatsumomo (Gong Li), Sayuri quickly rises through the ranks to become one of Japan’s most celebrated geishas.

Last but definitely not least, how can we forget her intimidating yet stylish stint as Eleanor Young in “Crazy Rich Asians”?

The literal embodiment of fear for future daughters-in-law, Yeoh plays the domineering mother to Henry Golding’s Nick Young and is the only person standing in the way of ‘happily ever after’ for her son and Rachel Chu (played by Constance Wu), as she does not approve of Rachel’s “common” background.

100% would jump at the chance to play mahjong with her though. 😉

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Linkin Park “Living Things” World Tour In Malaysia!

Oh, how we’ve missed these boys. They’ve stayed away for far too long, considering that their last concert (held at Stadium Merdeka) was a decade ago (2003). So imagine our mad excitement when Linkin Park made the following announcement via their Facebook page an hour ago:

Nevermind that the announcement was written entirely in Bahasa Malaysia, let’s get down to business.

So the Linkin Park boys will be in town once again as part of their “Living Things” World Tour. For all you fangirls and fanboys who have been praying for the past 10 years for Linkin Park to come back, well, mark the date!

[youtube id=”Hhv5m93N3fM” width=”600″ height=”350″]

They’re rocking up to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia at 8pm on 19th August 2013 (Monday) at Nasional Stadium, Bukit Jalil. Tickets will start going on sale from 16th June 2013 (Sunday) onwards – but only for the LP Underground members (read: registered official Linkin Park fans). All further information can be found on the LP Underground website.

The tickets on sale will be categorised into the following: free seating RM95, RM195, RM295; and free standing RM350 (Playground Zone), RM450 (Rock Zone), RM550 (The Pit), and RM680 (VIP).

To purchase the tickets, go to TicketCharge or call 03-92228811 or visit The Wonderland+’s Facebook page.


World #1 Shuttler Dato’ Lee Chong Wei Rumoured To Have Failed Doping Test

Badminton’s world number one Lee Chong Wei has been implicated as the “top athlete” who failed a drug test during August’s World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Star reported on Tuesday (21st Oct) that Lee was implicated to have failed a random test at the World Badminton Championships in Copenhagen in late August.

Malaysia’s Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that an athlete from the country had tested positive for a banned substance. He declined to name the person because further tests were ongoing. Khairy said in a statement he had asked top sports officials to undertake “a thorough investigation” of all the medical treatment that Lee had received.

Lee was among those randomly picked for a doping test and had been notified of the failed doping test on 1st Oct. He had requested for the “B” sample to be tested 16 days later, a day before the deadline to request for the test. However, there was no mention of the date when the test results of the “B” sample would be released.

The Badminton World Federation declined to comment, saying its anti-doping regulations required confidentiality, while the Badminton Association of Malaysia and other sports officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Lee, 31, is a national icon in the Southeast Asian nation and has consistently topped the badminton rankings, despite having failed to win a world or Olympic title. Malaysians took to social media to express their disbelief, and support for Lee. Twitter, especially, has been set abuzz with reactions towards the doping rumours. “There must be a reason. We have to lend him all our support Malaysian!” one user wrote on Twitter.

If the results come back positive, it would mark Malaysia’s second doping scandal in recent months. Earlier this month, the head of the Wushu Federation of Malaysia resigned to take responsibility after Asian Games champion Tai Cheau Xuen tested positive for doping and was stripped of her gold medal.

Hmm. We want to say that everyone should take this with a pinch of salt as it hasn’t been confirmed that he really was the athlete implicated. That having said, we’re just equally as shocked by this rumour and we’re hoping that it isn’t true. Not our Dato’ Lee Chong Wei :(

What do you guys think though? Would you peg our Dato’ as someone who would take drugs to excel in his field of sports?  What kind of implications do you think this would have on his career? Sound off in the comments box below.

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“Juvenile Justice” Season 1 Review: A Captivating K-Drama Courtroom Thriller That Breaks All The Rules

When it comes to K-dramas, Netflixers are spoilt for choice. Gone are the days when viewers only knew the genre as one full of melodramatic telenovellas and soap operas with occasional gimmicks. TV shows like “Kingdom”, “Squid Game”, “My Name” and “The Silent Sea” have firmly buried that notion into the ground. South Korea has proven that it’s more than capable of keeping up with western prestige programming. Sure you get the occasional crap shoot like “Heirs” but it’s still nonetheless exciting to see what South Korean television has in store for us. Adding to Netflix’s growing list of crime K-dramas is the legal thriller series “Juvenile Justice”.

A show that squarely focuses on the perspective of a tough-as-nails judge who presides over a juvenile court. She has a particular disdain for young offenders and will go to great lengths to bring them to justice. The premise is an intriguing one. So will “Juvenile Justice” get a favourable verdict from us? Or will it be found guilty of being a bland, soulless courtroom procedural? Let’s find out!

The plot of the series follows Juvenile Court Judge Shim Eun-seok as she seeks to shed light on a grizzly murder involving an 8-year-old boy. Through her eagle eye and sharp wit, she quickly pokes holes in the alibis of the minor criminals. Each episode functions as a piece to the overall puzzle that slowly unravels before us. Chalk full of juicy revelations and insane twists along the way. It all culminates in Eun-seok discovering a disturbing conspiracy involving criminal networks. That being said, your enjoyment of “Juvenile Justice” does come with some caveats. Namely your ability to suspend your disbelief of what is tolerated in this universe.

Believe it or not, our heroine isn’t supposed to go around looking for clues, trying to solve a case. That’s not what judges do. Lawyers and anyone in the legal field will definitely be scratching their heads and rolling their eyes. You can’t just go around in your judge robes randomly questioning people on the streets and catching criminals. Furthermore, judges are not allowed to be this personally invested in a case. Nor are they allowed to investigate a case independently. They’re only supposed to consider the facts!

So anyone looking for legal accuracy in “Juvenile Justice” or to understand the nuance of the Korean legal system is going to be extremely annoyed. The show would make far more sense if Eun-seok was a detective trying to track down juvenile delinquents. Afterall, they go to great lengths to present her as the Sherlock Holmes of the juvenile crime world…so why not just make her one. Or at the very least, a public prosecutor!

The strength of the show lies in its depiction of morally complex situations that makes the audience both question the nature of the crime and punishment. In a sense, the audience is meant to act as the jury as we ourselves consider the actions Eun-seok takes to bring criminals to justice. Her ruthless personality is countered by another judge who works in her division, Cha Tae-joo. Unlike Eun-seok, he so desperately wants to believe that the criminal justice system can make a difference in the lives of juvenile offenders. There’s a gut-wrenching scene in the first episode that sees these two go head-to-head with regards to their beliefs.

As the case involving a murderous 13-year-old Baek Seong-u continues, more secrets are revealed. Forces beyond the Juvenile Court seek to undermine Eun-seok. One of them includes her superior, Judge Kang Wong-joong who seeks to shut the case down as soon as possible for the sake of his political career.

So yes, those looking to get their spicy, courtroom K-drama fix will definitely be entertained from start to finish. If you came to see over-the-top monologues, screaming matches and some occasionally gripping discussion about human nature, then “Juvenile Justice” will no doubt deliver.

So much of the show is carried by actress Kim Hye-soo as the cold-hearted Judge Eun-seok. We were worried at first that she’d be this grating one-dimensional ideologue who keeps blabbering about how much she hates young offenders. As time went on, though, she becomes a more likeable character as we grow to understand the root of her hatred for them.

Actor Kim Mu-yeol does a phenomenal job as the compassionate Tae-joo, acting as the counter-balance to Hye-soo’s Eun-seok.  In many ways, he plays the Watson to Eun-seok’s Sherlock. Whether or not their professionl relationship develops into anything else though is something we’ll let you find out on your own.

Lee Yeon, born in 1995 and a woman, who play the role of A 13 YEAR OLD and A BOY in #JuvenileJustice 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/5uZcnXso6s

Surprisingly, the child actors in the series can stand toe-to-toe with the seasoned veterans. The actress Lee Yeon portraying the 13-year-old boy accused murderer Baek Seong-u delivers her lines with all the gusto of a burgeoning serial killer.  As the series progresses, we learn that his motivations go beyond mere cruelty. There’s also an interesting element that involving a wider group of dangerous delinquents that is kept in the shadows.

Netflix’s first season of “Juvenile Justice” is far from polished but thanks to Kim Hye-soo’s performance and its captivating writing, the series still merits a good Saturday afternoon binge. Its take on courtroom procedurals and legal dramas is certainly unorthodox with the its lead character playing both judge and detective throughout.

In spite of all its ridiculous contrivances and antics, there’s still something quite endearing and addictive to the series. We look forward to seeing more of Judge Eun-seok in her righteous crusade to bring justice. Just remember to have a legal expert be in the writer’s room.

You can now catch the first  season of “Juvenile Justice” on Netflix today!

Netflix's first season of "Juvenile Justice" is far from polished but thanks Kim Hye-soo's performance and captivating writing the series still merits a good Saturday afternoon binge. It's take on courtroom procedurals and legal dramas is certainly unorthodox with the its lead character playing both judge and detective throughout. In spite of all its ridiculous contrivances and antics, there's something quite endearing and addictive to the series.


Largest Mall In Malaysia Officially Opens! Here’s What IOI City Mall Phase 2 Has To Offer:

Shopping malls these days are really big in size but that doesn’t mean they won’t get bigger. When it was announced that IOI City Mall in Putrajaya will begin its Phase 2 of expanding the mall back in 2020, people started to wonder what more could it possibly have to offer to shoppers?

The answer? A whole lot more! With Phase 1 and 2 combined, IOI City Mall is now Malaysia’s largest shopping mall! The newly extended building has officially open its doors to its Phase 2 expansion yesterday (Thursday, 25th August) and there’s a lot for shoppers to check out so let’s see what Phase 2 has to offer!

One of the anticipated and highlighted things for Phase 2 is the newly built Sports Centre! Athletes and sports fans will get to enjoy the 15 badminton courts and 2 futsal arenas within over 41,000 sqft. area. According to the official website, it is the only world class facility of its kind in Putrajaya.

Another big highlight for the expansion is the IOI Grand Exhibition & Convention Centre. While we can’t confirm if this facility has been officially opened, shoppers can expect a pillar-less, fully carpeted convention center, integrated seamlessly within IOI Resort City. The total size of the facility is 41,294sqft. We can already foresee that there’ll be lots of events, shows and weddings held here so look forward to them!

Say hello to some cute and exotic animals! Bring your family along and experience IOI City Farm at the Phase 2 expansion! Not only will you get to learn about these beautiful and interesting creatures, you also get to interact and feed them!

A post shared by missionworld (@missionworld123)

Tech enthusiasts and gamers rejoice! Tech and gaming stores such as Universal Gaming, Mission World and BEST Denki are welcoming customers to feast their eyes on everything the stores have to offer. But don’t you fret, there’s more coming soon to IOI City Mall and you’ll definitely be fed with all the gaming and tech options you could ask for.

A post shared by Sushi Jiro (@sushijiromalaysia)

It would be a mall without anything to eat of course! While there’s still a lot of restaurants, cafes and stalls yet to be opened, shoppers can still enjoy Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Sushi Jiro, Jordan Hong Kong Restaurant and Nak Nak! You can definitely expect more mouth-watering options once they’ve officially opened at the Phase 2 expansion.

The Icescape Ice-skating rink is not new but we thought it’s still worth mentioning. It’s always been there at IOI City Mall since Phase 1 and it is one of the many reasons why people come to the mall. As mentioned on the website, Icescape is the biggest Ice-Skating Rink in Malaysia by Malaysia Book of Records. Shoppers will not only get to sign up for ice skating classes, but also enjoy Hockey games and other premiere performances and competitions.

Why have 1 cinema when you can have 2? When you wander around the new Phase 2 expansion, you’ll notice that GSC is still under construction but we’re definitely looking forward to once it officially launches! Hopefully there’ll be more movie options as well as time slots.

AEON is definitely one of the places one must go when one wants to find anything and everything in one place and at affordable/reasonable prices. So far, there is no expected date of when AEON will open its doors at IOI City Mall so we’ll update you on that once there’s new info.

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Win Up To RM5000 Shopping Vouchers When You Shop At Suria KLCC

Who wants to go on a shopping spree? Suria KLCC’s exciting Golden Ticket campaign is back again where shoppers can be rewarded with daily prizes from now till 24th October 2021.

By spending a minimum of RM500 at any participating stores, shoppers can win either a Golden Ticket or Purple Ticket. The Golden Ticket will entitle the winner to RM5000 worth of shopping vouchers while the Purple Ticket can be exchanged with a RM50 voucher to be used in the mall.

“The Golden Ticket campaign at Suria KLCC and Mesra Mall last year was loved by our customers. We have received so much positive feedback, that we’ve decided to bring back ‘The Golden Ticket’ as it is such a hit with our shoppers. What makes ‘The Golden Ticket’ so successful? It is the fantastic value of the shopping vouchers, where our participating customers are guaranteed to be rewarded every day when they shop at our malls. In short, everyone’s a winner in this campaign!” said Andrew Brien, Executive Director for Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd.

You might want to hurry as number of tickets are only limited to 200 per day (100 per session), so it’s a first come, first serve basis. In ensuring the safety and health of the shoppers, Suria KLCC is ensuring adequate physical distancing, by having 2 sessions per day. The first session is from 10am – 3pm, while the second session takes place from 4pm – 9pm daily.

A total of 32 RM5,000 shopping vouchers (2 daily) and 3,000 RM50 shopping vouchers are up for grabs. Every eligible participant of The Golden Ticket will walk away as a winner. As an added bonus, shoppers can also win a two-night staycation package for two at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, with the draw to be made at the end of the campaign period.


Victoria Beckham Agrees To Spice Girls Reunion But She Won’t Be Singing

This calls for a celebration! All five members from Spice Girls are reportedly reuniting for a whopping £10 million (RM55.53 million) each.

After a secret business meeting behind closed doors, UK’s The Sun claimed that Mel C, Mel B, Emma Bunton, Geri Horner, – yes, even Victoria Beckham – have all agreed to get back together. There’s one condition, Posh Spice will not have to sing.

As such, it’s safe to assume that the legendary pop group from the 90s won’t be performing together; nor will there be a singing tour. Insiders reveal that some of their projects will include television projects in China, a new talent show, endorsement deals, and a compilation album of their greatest hits.

“This is the pop reunion no one thought would ever happen again. But after a long period of negotiation Victoria agreed the time is right to work on new projects this year. It’s very exciting because she has always been adamant she wouldn’t go back,” a source was quoted as saying.

Mel C had previously said that she couldn’t see a Spice Girls reunion unless all five ladies were on board. “It’s not really doing the band justice to go out as a four-piece, whoever is missing, it doesn’t matter… With the Spice Girls everything about us was the individuality and what that created together,” she shared.

Last year, Mel B, Geri, and Emma tried to make a comeback with a three-piece subunit called GEM but things eventually fell apart. We really hope this reunion will work out this time around! Who’s excited to see what comes of this?


Robinsons To Shut Down Malaysian Stores Due To Covid-19

Robinson Co (Malaya) Sdn Bhd is the latest retail company in Malaysia that will be shutting down its operations due to Covid-19 pressures.

It has been reported that the liquidation process has already begun for its stores located in The Gardens Mall and at Four Seasons Place, next to KLCC in Jalan Ampang.

According to The Sun Daily, the liquidators are hoping that the aforementioned outlets can remain open for a few more weeks in order to hold final sales before shutting down for good. The Global Ecommerce 2020 report show that the retail industry specifically has recorded “the worst growth rate in 33 years with the outlook remaining negative for the remaining months” in 2020.

“We regret this outcome today. Despite recent challenges in the industry, the Robinsons team continued to pursue the success of the brand. However, the changing consumer landscape makes it difficult for us to succeed over the long-term and the Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated our challenges. We have enjoyed success over the years, and it has been an honour for Robinsons to serve the Malaysian market,” Robinsons senior general manager Danny Lim said.

It is understood that Robinsons employees have been informed of this situation. Meanwhile, Robinsons stores in Singapore (at The Heeren and Raffles City Shopping Centre) will also undergo a similar process.

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Local Designer Accuses Shawlpublika Of Plagiarising His Designs

Just when we thought we’ve had enough of plagiarism issues going around, another one arises.

Most recently, a local fashion designer Zachrin Jaafar took to his Instagram Story to call out a major fashion label Shawlpublika for allegedly copying the designs from one of his Raya collection.

Kembali lagi kita dalam episod dah copycat design orang ke belum? pic.twitter.com/Gwo06qyWpL

Though his stories are no longer available, a user named @iqzr_ screenshot and posted them on her Twitter (as seen above). “We’re back in another episode of ‘Have you copied others’ designs yet?'” she captioned her tweet. The post has gained over 12,000 retweets as at time of writing.

In relation to Zachrin’s case, the Perak-born designer wrote, “I don’t want to specifically mention the name of the brand but I only have one thing to say; Your brand is big but unfortunately y’all are lacking in ideas.” The designer was seemingly disappointed after coming across the images.

For those interested, check out his posts here:

In response, one particular commentator suggested for local designers to copyright their designs in order to prevent from being ripped off. However, another user replied by stating that the process of patenting their designs may costs a lot.

What are your thoughts about this issue?


#Urbanscapes2014: Tenacious D (Jack Black & Kyle Gass) To Perform In Malaysia

Get ready to meet the “Greatest Band in the World” this December as the US comedy rock duo Tenacious D will be making their way to Malaysia soon! Composed of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, the comedy rock duo Tenacious D is the latest artiste to join this year’s Urbanscapes lineup.

Unlike the rest of the artistes, the duo is set to play at an Urbanscapes Satellite Show on December 1, 2014 at KL Live. Earlier it was confirmed that the Scottish trio Chvrches will perform at the first satellite show for this year’s Urbanscapes on November 19 at KL Live.

The early bird tickets for Tenacious D show will go on sale from October 6 onwards and each ticket will be priced at RM157. Festival goers can buy the pre-sale tickets at RM187 and regular tickets at RM207 once the early bird tickets are sold out. Tickets for #Urbanscapes2014 are available online and can also be bought at physical outlets throughout the country. List of outlets can be found here.

It’s important to note that the Tenacious D show is strictly for those aged 18 and above only and each ticket will only allow access to a single satellite show!

For more information, visit Urbanscapes’ official website.


#Malaysia: Hot Weather Behind The Sudden Spike In Snake Bite Cases, 730 Incidents Since 1st Jan

It looks like the lengthy, scorching El Nino phase isn’t affecting us alone.

According The Star Online, citing Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, the hot weather is even affecting snakes. “Snakes come out of their normal habitat because of the changing weather patterns. This is something we have to be careful about,” he said at a press conference today (Wednesday, 27th April).

Hospitals in Malaysia have recorded 730 cases of snake bites since January, with Kedah recording 195 cases and Perak with 107 cases.

Just a couple of days ago, a Form 3 student of Sekolah Dato’ Abdul Razak (SDAR) in Negeri Sembilan was bitten by a snake while he was returning to the school hostel after prayers. The incident was the 2nd of 3 cases of students being bitten by snakes in the school compound. The only fatal case recorded so far was on 19th April, when a 7-year-old girl from SK Dato’ Hashim 1 in Kelantan died after being bitten by a snake.

FMT quoted Dr Tengku Rinalfi Putra Tengku Azizan, a senior lecturer of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Universiti Putra Malaysia, as saying that any area not occupied by humans over 24 hours will offer snakes a place for protection and to look for food.

“Schools, for example, are mostly occupied by students for half a day from morning till afternoon while at night, it is unoccupied. This will raise the possibility of snakes entering the school compound such as the canteen..for protection from the sun besides offering a good source of food such as rats and frogs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam has advised victims of snake bites to seek immediate help at hospitals or clinics, as 139 hospitals in the country were equipped with antivenom treatments.

“Be sensible about snake bite cases. Seek medical help as early as possible. The decision of treatment should only be done by medical professionals. Do not try to suck the venom out of the victim yourself because doing this can put the victim in danger,” he said.

He added that schools or local clinics would not be equipped with antivenom treatments, as such treatment is delicate and needed to be conducted at hospitals with the relevant facilities.

The heatwave in Malaysia is expected to last until June.

Sources: The Star Online, FMT (1), FMT (2) / Featured image via parsiteb.com.

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Life of Pi: Why We Loved It

Based on a decade-old prize-winning novel by Yann Martel, the story of pissing Piscene Patel, otherwise known as “Pi”, centers on a shipwreck and a lot of wide open water. But Pi is not alone, of course. He’s stuck with some untamed and untrained zoo animals on the lifeboat. A hyena, a zebra, an orangutan (orange juice?), and a peculiarly named Bengal tiger aka Richard Parker.

Of course, we all know what happens when you’re stuck with predators and victims – not all will survive. By the first few days, all Pi is left with is some canned water, some tinned biscuits, and the unfortunate companionship of the ferocious Richard Parker.

Without going too much into the storyline (those of you who have read the book would know how it all ends), we have to say that director Ang Lee definitely outdid himself with “Life of Pi”. From the precise interpretation of the book (mostly based on Pi’s imaginations) to the awe-inspiring visuals (thanks to the engagement of world-class visual artists), “Life of Pi” could just very well be the most impressive film that has ever been made.

At least for this year and for the following year or two to come.

[youtube id=”j9Hjrs6WQ8M” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Let’s not forget the awards nominations. Gosh, the awards nominations!

Plus, everything is gorgeous. And we mean, everything. From the animals to the giant whale to the hundreds of jellyfish to the stormy ocean. Even right down to the most dangerous-looking scenes, everything is shimmery, shiny, ethereal. So much so that we found it hard to tell reality from special effects. Thus, we applaud the team for successfully transporting us into the world of “Life of Pi” so seamlessly, and for successfully making us forget that we were in fact, sitting in a cinema hall.

Now, will you please do yourself a favour and catch this one in a cinemas near you as soon as possible? And when you decide to, do so in 3D – you won’t regret it.

For more information, visit the movie’s official website.


#Zedd: Throws Epic Cave Party For Fans, Wins Hearts & The Internetz

Zedd‘s recent PR campaigns surrounding his new album, “True Colors”, have been fairly clever thus far, but this one has to take the cake.

If you’ve ever met himin person, you’d know that the 25-year-old is an absolutely sweetheart, especially with fans.

As such, 50 lucky fans received the trip of a lifetime presented by the Grammy award-winning DJ/Producer in conjunction with SWSX in Austin, Texas. How did they win the opportunity? Zedd and his team sneakily placed 6 “Z” insignias around Austin’s Sixth Street during SXSW, requesting fans to snap a photo in front of all 6 and present them to Zedd’s team.

What an adventure, or should we say, Zeddventure! The first 50 who completed the task earned the golden ticket to the surprise event.

But the adventure Zeddventure didn’t end there ;)

Here we go… #Zeddventure #ZEDDTrueColors pic.twitter.com/OaRZYgi5nL

— ZEDD True Colors (@ZEDDTrueColors) March 19, 2015

Then, beautiful and sprawling limousines escorted all 50 fans to a mysterious venue an hour and a half drive away, like a dream. The 50 fans rocked up to one of the most incredible taverns in Texas, the Longhorn Cavern State Park.

Note: Thousands of years ago, an underground river cut through limestone sediment in Texas hill country, leaving behind a massive cave. In 1971, Longhorn Cavern State Park was declared a National Natural Landmark. In 2015 it served as an absolutely stunning place to throw a party and listen to some new music.

Prior to Zedd’s grand entrance, he told BuzzFeed:

Every song on this album is associated with a colour. And we decided the song we’re debuting tonight is purple. The amount of detail that went into that — from the purple skittles on the limos, the purple drinks, the purple food, the lights — it’s pretty magical.

Molded by an underground river, purples light illuminated the natural cavern catered with an incredible spread of hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and free pair of purple Beats by Dre for each lucky fan. The epic cave party surprise was then followed by a special viewing of one of the tracks from “True Colors” titled, “Addicted To A Memory”, and an intimate meet and greet.

In fact, each fan had their own 1-on-1 time with him as he greeted and met every fan in attendance, signing posters and takes pictures. Needless to say, the fans had quite the memory to go with them by the end of the event.

The best part about this very cool promotional event is that it’s far from over. In fact, this will occur in ten different cities for 50 different fans in each city, with each stop previewing a new track; all of which have been matched to different colours and their accompanying vibes.

Zedd said of the exciting upcoming release of “True Colors”:

I think it goes back to my history playing rock music and jazz music. When I first started making electronic music I was surprised at how everyone was releasing singles with maybe and EP here or there. That’s not enough time to tell a story. If I put out one of the True Colors songs out of context, they might not understand. It’s really important to me to share my passion in the form of an album. That’s what I love doing.

Can’t wait? Wish he would hold a secret cave party in Malaysia too?

Os fãs que foram ao que quer que seja o “True Colors” ganharam um fone Beats Solo e um poster autografado pelo Zedd. pic.twitter.com/rqnyLULd6M

— Zedd Brasil (@ZeddBrasil) March 20, 2015

We know right. Us too! Go here for more deets and timely updates on “True Colors”.

Meanwhile, check out Zedd and Selena Gomez‘s collaboration, “I Want You To Know“. We hear that it’s a track that is likely to be featured in Zedd’s upcoming album too.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Hype’s Must Watch: Pacific Rim: Uprising

“Join the Jaegers uprising,” says John Boyega’s character Jake Pentecost (son of Idris Elba’s Stacker Pentecost) in the trailer.

Legendary Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for “Pacific Rim: Uprising”, the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s machines versus monsters movie. Directed by Steven S. DeKnight (from “Daredevil”), the highly-anticipated film is set 10 years after the events of the first movie.

According to the film’s website, the plot is as follows:

“It’s been ten years since The Battle of the Breach and the oceans are still, but restless. Vindicated by the victory at the Breach, the Jaeger program has evolved into the most powerful global defence force in human history. The PPDC now calls upon the best and brightest to rise up and become the next generation of heroes. When the Kaiju threat returns, we will be ready.”

Though the trailer doesn’t show much, it’s enough to get fans of the franchise excited. “What is a Jaeger? It’s you, times 1000! Tall as a mountain, with a beating heart that burns as bright as the sun. Enabling us all to become the most heroic versions of ourselves,” says the narrator in the trailer.

Also, check out the blue prints for the Jaegers below:

Besides Boyega, the cast inlcudes Scott Eastwood (of “The Fate of the Furious” fame), Jing Tian (of “The Great Wall” fame), Wesley Wong, Lily Ji, Lan Yingying, Qian Yongchen, Zhang Jin, as well as newcomers Cailee Spaeny and Chen Zitong.

“Pacific Rim: Uprising” is slated for release on 23rd February 2018.

For more info, hit up the film’s website and Facebook page.


Alcatel One Touch Partners With Marvel’s “Iron Man 3”

For the past 20 years Alcatel has been bringing innovation and quality in mobile technology to people across the world with simple and accessible devices focused on enabling users to do more. Alcatel ONE TOUCH phones are designed around real peoples’ lifestyles and the usage and technology they need. This is perfectly encapsulated in the company mission and statement for 2013, “It’s all about you!”.

And 2013 has been a very busy year for Alcatel ONE TOUCH so far, with 13 new smartphones announced at CES and MWC and currently launching in markets around the world, the launch of the world’s slimmest smartphone and a new partnership with Marvel to be the exclusive smartphone partner for “Iron Man 3“.

The partnership marks Alcatel ONE TOUCH’s first alliance with Marvel, and showcases the brand’s commitment to the launch of its rapidly growing smartphone portfolio across the globe in its 20th anniversary. Alcatel ONE TOUCH is the 7th largest global handset manufacturer, ahead of RIM, Motorola and HTC, with a solid market position in North America and Western Europe.

With the 20th year anniversary, the launch of the new wave of smartphones, the partnership with Marvel and The ONE TOUCH IDOL ULTRA being officially declared the world’s slimmest smartphone and making the “Best of CES” lists, 2013 promises to be a great year for Alcatel ONE TOUCH.

For more information, visit their website.


8 Must Visit Trendy Cafes When Travelling In Johor Bahru

In recent years, Johor Bahru has become a popular hotspot as weekend getaways for Malaysians and Singaporeans alike.

Whether it’s tiny hole-in-the-wall places or classy establishments, the cafe scene in Johor has been thriving. It doesn’t matter if you’re craving for coffee, splendid desserts, or delicious meals, there are always something to satisfy your taste buds. We’ve shortlisted a number of cafes with gorgeous ambience that have been making waves.

Many cafe-hoppers have described walking into The Brew Orchestra akin to entering a grand concert hall. Inspired by instruments of an orchestra, the ceilings are decorated with strings and brass, while light bulbs can be seen dangling off like floating musical notes. Stylish interior aside, the main highlight is still their coffee. The owner, Isaac Loh, is only 1 of 4 people in Malaysia with the highly coveted Q Grader license. Feel free to pair your coffee with a plate of eggs Benedict.

Not only is the outlook kawaii, Miyakori Coffee also promises to offer “a taste of happiness” (that’s their tagline) when you visit. Their 1st outlet at Bukit Indah may have closed down earlier this year, but patrons can still get a dose of their cutesy goodness at City Square shopping mall. Known for their cartoon figures, the Japanese cafe is a good spot to fuel up while shopping. Despite producing a wide selection of creative desserts, it is their range of quality beverages that have had patrons coming back for more.

Savoury, crisp, and tasty, drop by Coffee Valley for their famous range of waffles. If you’ve never tasted waffles served with pasta or roast duck, do give it a try. Although the 4 Seasons Big Waffle (a unique quartet of flavours) and the Big Waffle Original are classic favourites, we can’t seem to get enough of their Tiramisu waffle and Red Velvet waffle. Mark this down, dessert lovers ;)

Instead of the traditional ice-cream, satisfy your sweet tooth at The Ice-Cream Project (TIP). The vegan-friendly dessert is made with liquid nitrogen and is free from additives and preservatives. Liquid nitrogen ice-cream is nothing new, but it can still elicit oohs and aahs from seasoned sweet tooth individuals. Here, less is more as TIP only features 4 fuss-free flavours: sticky butterscotch, fudgy brownies and cream, milk, as well as chocolate.

Imagine stepping into a 2-storey time machine that features decorations of old-fashion sofas, antique telephone sets, mini jukeboxes, and other eco-friendly relics from the yesteryears. That’s the feeling you get when climbing up to the 2nd floor at Roost Cafe and Bistro. Arguably one of the earliest cafes along Jalan Dhoby, Roost is famed for its frozen yoghurt (although some have argued that it’s not as good as Llao Llao). Still, Roost is an impressive cafe thanks to its unique interior and food options.

Brought to you by the same team behind Roost Cafe and Bistro is another hipster cafe named Flowers in the Window. Just like its name suggests, the homely cafe focuses on a flowery theme. As you step into the Instagram-worthy cafe, the crisp smell of rainforest is ever present. At Flowers in the Window, they serve brunch, fresh sourdough, homemade cakes, as well as herb-infused beverages. The 1st floor can feel a little congested, so head up to the 2nd floor for more comfy seats.

It’s easy to figure out how Backstreet Cafe (小巷咖啡馆) got its name because this hidden gem is literally situated at a backstreet. This corner shop lot may be difficult to find, so keep in mind that it’s tucked in between “Big Bowl” dessert stall (大碗汞和) and Station One. The exterior of this compact cafe is beautifully decorated with various flowers, planter boxes, and lamp posts. The interior exudes a cosy feel thanks to its old-European themed decorations. Do keep in mind that only snacks, desserts, and drinks are served here as Backstreet Cafe is more suited for casual dates.

The name itself should be able to give you a rough idea about this place. Just like the fairytales in your storybooks, Once Upon A Time Cafe & Boutique is a double-storey house surrounded by a garden filled with flowers. The refurbished pinky outlook (it was previously white) also extends to the furnitures and decorations inside the cafe. If pink is your favourite colour and you’re a romantic at heart, this is the place for you. Psst, we’ve also heard that many wedding proposals have taken place here.

Sources: Time Out, Mashiso Oiishi, My Fat Pocket, My Food Fever, Lady Iron Chef.

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Experience A Piece Of China At This Putrajaya Park In Malaysia

Travelling has been made difficult with the Covid-19 pandemic still happening. Even though travelling interstate is allowed now, some of us long for the day we get to travel abroad as freely as we can like the good old days.

But that’s not to say there aren’t any interesting places to visit right here in our own backyard. If you ever wanted to visit China, this may be the closest thing you’ll get to experience the vibe of being there.

Located in Anjung Floria, Presint 4, Putrajaya is Taman Persahabatan Malaysia-China which will make you feel like you’re actually there in China without actually being there! Talk about cheap and safe travels! Apparently, not many know about this place or why it was built, so here’s all you need to know about Taman Persahabatan Malaysia-China.

Taman Persahabatan Malaysia-China is said to have been built back in 2017 as a reminder of the 40 years of friendship between Malaysia and China. This park is designed with ‘Lingnan-styled garden’ elements and is complete with other Chinese elements such as mountains, water, rocks, buildings, calligraphy and plants. Every corner of the park is very ‘Instagrammable’ for those of you who love to take pictures.

A post shared by Lee Angeline (@angeline_lee1025)

With photos like these, there’s no reason for Taman Persahabatan Malaysia-China to not be well-known than it is now.  Tranquility can be felt as soon as you step into the gate which is ‘guarded’ by two 200-year-old lion artifact. The sound of water flowing in the pool facing the entrance feels as if it’s waving a welcoming rhythm to every visitor who steps in. The gentle wind will bring visitors to China which is famous for its architecture and landscape.

The Taman Persahabatan Malaysia-China was developed on 0.24 hectares of land at the FLORIA permanent site at a cost of RM1.5 million. For those of you who have never been here, maybe now is your chance to experience travelling abroad right in your backyard.

Now if you want to step foot in Japan, there’s actually a Taman Persahabatan Selangor-Jepun but we’ll probably talk about that in another article.


#AssassinsCreed: Marion Cotillard Reunites With Michael Fassbender

Long before Fox announced that Michael Fassbender will star in The New Regency and Ubisoft adaptation of “Assassin’s Creed,” the principal photography for the “X-Men” franchise star’s upcoming British drama film, “Macbeth” begun on 6th February 2014 in Scotland.

Now, it looks like “Assassin’s Creed” has turned into a Macbeth reunion for Fassbender as his co-star in the film, Marion Cotillard is going to star in the live-action adaptation of the famed video game too.

Best known for her Oscar-winning role in “La Vie En Rose” and her action role in “The Dark Knight Rises“, Cotillard is reuniting with Michael Fassbender and “Macbeth” director Justin Kurzel to star in Kurzel’s adaptation of “Assassin’s Creed”. Justin Kurzel’s take on Shakespeare’s Scottish play stars Cotillard and Fassbender as the scheming, murderous main couple and the movie is slated for release later this year.

The New Regency and Ubisoft kept mum about Cotillard’s role in “Assassin’s Creed” but she will appear in multiple films if the first one managed to spawn a franchise. As for Fassbender, he is attached to play an everyman who is kidnapped by a mysterious organisation to relive the memories of his assassin ancestors as the organisation attempts to recover a powerful, sacred artefact.

According to Deadline, Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed” is a big-selling video game that has sold over 91 million units in the world. Together with The New Regency, the adaptation has the same formula that helped Marvel to build its money-making franchises. Co-financed by RatPac and Alpha Picture, the production will begin in early fall before its release on 21st December 2016.

Fassbender will produce the movie alongside Frank Marshall, Arnon Milchan, Jean-Julien Baronnet, Conor McCaughan, and Pat Crowley while Bill Collage, Adam Cooper and Michael Lesslie will pen the script.

Cotillard is currently up for an Academy Award for her role in 2014 Belgian-French-Italian drama film, “Two Days, One Night”. She will be seen next in an oratorio of Jeanne Au Bucher and Nicole Garcia’s Mal de Pierres.


Joe Flizzow To Be Featured In Jay Park’s Comeback Album “The Road Less Traveled”

Korean-American heartthrob Jay Park has unveiled the tracklist for his 5th studio album “The Road Less Traveled” which featured plenty of hip-hop favourites including Malaysia’s very own rap king Joe Flizzow.

From the 15 tracks, Flizzow will be featured in Park’s 4th track titled “Twisted Dream’s”, alongside American rapper Jay Electronica and DJ Wegun from Park’s label AOMG.

Malaysia, Pls Get Ready. 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/pLNj8oxOy8

— Joe Flizzow (@flizzow) December 10, 2018

This is not the first time the 2 hip hop artists collaborate together. In 2016, Park and Flizzow worked together on Fat Joe’s single “All The Way Up” which also featured fellow Malaysia rapper SonaOne, Japanese rapper AK-69 and Thailand’s DaboyWay.

Apart from Joe Flizzow, “The Road Less Traveled” will also featured other well-known hip-hop talents including Higher Brothers, Groovy Room, GRAY, Cha Cha Malone, Boy Cold, and more. The official release date for the album has yet to be revealed.

“I’m working on a lot of new music, a lot of collabs on the way. I also try to do a tour next year. So, we’re working on that right now,” Park said when met at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios recently.

Featured Image: Jay Park Network’s Twitter.

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#MBC2015: 16 Baristas Compete To Represent Malaysia At World Stage

“Mmm, that’s damn fine coffee!” – by FBI Special Agent Cooper in the cult TV classic “Twin Peaks“.

The only time we would use that quote is when we were being served a good cup of coffee in Malaysia. The coffee culture has shown no signs of stopping and it’s exhilarating to know that there are a lot of great baristas hidden behind coffee bars ready to brew a good cup of coffee for us.

All thanks to the Malaysian Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA), a Malaysian barista will be sent to Seattle, US to compete for the title of world’s best barista at World Barista Championship (WBC). This came after the MSCA announced that Malaysia has also been recognised as a sanctioned country by the World Coffee Events (WCE) organisation. The recognition allows Malaysians to join the future activities in all WCE Championships, including the WBC.

Produced annually by WCE, the world’s premier barista competition focuses on promoting excellence in coffee and thus, winning the world’s best barista title would help to advance the barista profession. The championship helps to engage a worldwide audience through a local and regional events around the globe. Last year, Hidenori Izaki from Japan made his country proud for being the first ever Asian barista to win the WBC title.

During the official launch of the 2015 Malaysian Barista Championship (MBC) at Berjaya University College Of Hospitality, MSCA president Victor Leong said:

Good coffee comes from good baristas. It’s not an easy task to brew coffee well, and we want to elevate the status of the barista to a more professional level.

Thus, the organisation has chosen 16 Malaysian baristas to compete in the 2015 Malaysia Barista Championship (MBC) at Chin Woo Stadium. After being crowned the best Malaysian barista previously, Jason Loo of Red Bean Bag Café will also return to compete in the MBC so that he can stand a chance to compete with baristas of different nationalities at the WBC.

Check out the list below for the top 16 Malaysian baristas who are in contention to represent Malaysia at the WBC:

The 3-day event will feature a coffee workshop which is open to the public and a brew bar for top cafes in Malaysia to showcase their skills in brewing. The competition will be held on the second day (24th Jan) while the finals will be held the following day. The 16 baristas are expected to produce 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos, and 4 signature drinks for a panel of judges within 15 minutes. The score will be given based on taste, presentation, knowledge, and their technical barista skills.

For more information, visit WBC’s website and MSCA’s official Facebook page.


Swedish House Mafia Says Goodbye With “Until Now”

Swedish House Mafia has confirmed that they will be releasing their second compilation album entitled, “Until Now” on 22nd October 2012.

The album, a follow up to SHM’s double gold-selling mix album, “Until One”, will feature a unique collection of their original tracks, remixed, exclusive collaborations, club favourites, and solo productions, and it will form the official soundtrack to “One Last Tour”.

Yezzir! This is perhaps their biggest news ever since the announcement of their split in June!

“Until Now” will also include other highlights such as SHM’s latest single, “Don’t You Worry Child”:

[youtube id=”1y6smkh6c-0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

The song, featuring John Martin, was debuted to 65,000 people at the group’s recent UK farewell Milton Keynes Bowl show.

On top of that, the album will also include the previously unreleased Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia’s “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall“, global club anthems “Calling” and “In My Mind”, Steve Angello and Third Party’s “Lights”, the Swedes’ exclusive remix  of Usher’s “Euphoria” plus more previously unreleased tracks. Full “Until Now” track listing as follows:

Can’t wait to hear it? Neither can we. Keep your eyes on this one as it will soon arrive on our shores come 22nd October 2012.

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Hype’s Must Watch: Dragon Blade

Something big, bigger than the actual Chinese New Year 2015 celebration, is coming our way! Because Kung Fu legend Jackie Chan is about to team up with Hollywood actor Mel Gibson, in the movie “Dragon Blade” directed by Daniel Lee (of “14 Blades” fame).

The upcoming movie, titled “Dragon Blace”, is a historical action film written and directed by Daniel Lee and starring Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan will play character Huo An, the commander of the Protection Squad of the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. Framed by evil forces, Huo An becomes enslaved. On the other hand, a Roman general (played by Mel Gibson) escapes to China after rescuing the Prince. The heroic duo come face to face in the Western Desert and a thrilling story unfolds as someone threatens the world and the 2 must team up to take them down.

The movie also stars Super Junior’s Choi Siwon, Adrien Brody, John Cusack, Vanness Wu (ex F4 member), and more. “Dragon Blade” was filmed at a budget of US$65 million, a record breaking budget for a Chinese film.

Dragon Blade is set for release in IMAX 3D on 19th Feb 2015, the first day Chinese New Year holiday period.


#MRT: TRX Underground Mass Rapid Transit Construction Claims Worker’s Life

The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project claimed the life of another construction worker, when a temporary structure collapsed at the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) MRT underground construction site.

A total of 4 Bangladeshi workers were killed in 2 separate incidents in February 2015 (where 1 died at the V4 Semantan portal) and August 2014 (where 3 died at the MRT site near Kota Damansara).

In the latest incident, a Bangladeshi worker who is only identified as Sakiful was dismantling a temporary structure used for a slab work when it gave way at 1:15am today, MRT Corp said. He was trapped under debris and rushed to Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where he died. He was employed by subcontractor SP Mega Sdn Bhd.

According to The Star Online, his fellow workers escaped unhurt.

The contractor is liaising with the Bangladeshi High Commission and making arrangements to send his remains home, it said in a statement .The accident site has been sealed for investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Department and other agencies, MRT Corp said.

Former MRT Corp chief executive officer Azhar Abdul Hamid tendered his resignation over the August incident.

Sources: Malaysiakini, The Star Online / Featured image from TMI


Steve Jobs In Hong Kong?

To mark the first death anniversary of the face of tech giant Apple, Madame Tussauds (known as the tourist attraction for celebrity wax figures) is making a wax figure of the late Steve Jobs – and it looks hauntingly realistic. Almost creepy, if we didn’t know any better.

Modeled after his 2006 Fortune Magazine cover pose, the wax figure is said to be incredibly detailed. Each strand of hair is inserted one by one into the wax head by hand using a forked needle. Even the iris is hand painted using gouache with fine silk threads for veining.

The wax figure, which will be displayed at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong comes complete with Steve’s signature black cotton turtle neck, Levi’s 501 jeans, and New Balance 991 sneakers.

The art of such perfection is just like how Steve Jobs created and recreated the technology that catapulted Apple to success – with precision and immaculately. The process of creating a close-to-life Steve Jobs took three months to complete. It is now on display until 26th November 2012. (Source)

If you happen to be in Hong Kong, you know where to go.

For more information, visit Madame Tussauds’ official website.

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#Google: Tech Leader Unveils New Logo & Company’s Turning Point

If you tried Googling anything today, you’d notice that there’s something different about Google.

The 17-year-old tech leader today released its new serif-free and slightly toned-down 4-colour logo on Tuesday (1st September) in the biggest redesign since 1999. Google’s homepage introduced the redesign with an animation that wiped away the old logo and drew the new one.

Google also said that the new design would soon be seen across all its products. Google created the look as a way to introduce its new “identity family”, which shows the myriad ways Google works for consumers, including on your “mobile phone, TV, watch, the dashboard in your car and yes, even a desktop”.

As seen in the gif above, by creating a collection of visual elements around the logo, Google can carry over the look across any app or tool. For example, “a colorful Google mic (will) help you identify and interact with Google whether you’re talking, tapping or typing”.

Google’s Vice President of Product Management Tamar Yehoshua, VP, Product Management and Director of User Experience Bobby Nath wrote on the company’s blog:

Google has changed a lot over the past 17 years—from the range of our products to the evolution of their look and feel. And today we’re changing things up once again. So why are we doing this now? Once upon a time, Google was one destination that you reached from one device: a desktop PC. These days, people interact with Google products across many different platforms, apps and devices—sometimes all in a single day.

The Google team added, “This isn’t the first time we’ve changed our look and it probably won’t be the last, but we think today’s update is a great reflection of all the ways Google works for you across Search, Maps, Gmail, Chrome and many others. We think we’ve taken the best of Google (simple, uncluttered, colorful, friendly), and recast it not just for the Google of today, but for the Google of the future.”

Watch the announcement video below, which starts up with an all too familiar dialup noise:

Do you like it? Let us know what you think in the comments box below :)

Sources: Adweek, Google’s Blog, The Guardian, Fast Company.


Watch Ryan + Giuliana LIVE From The Golden Globes!

Get front row seats to Tinseltown’s glamorous awards ceremonies and catch not one, but two exclusive shows E!’s Live From The Red Carpet: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards and Fashion Police: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards live this January as E! covers the glamour Hollywood’s most beautiful faces with Giuliana Rancic and Ryan Seacrest.

See the stars strut their stuff on the red carpet on Live from the Red Carpet: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards on 14th January 2013 (Monday) at 7am on E! (Astro Channel 712). Find out what Hollywood’s hottest stars are wearing from the best designers as they sashay on the red carpet.

Every sparkling detail doesn’t escape the duo as they round up the first red carpet glitz of 2013.

The red carpet season won’t be complete without the fashion foursome helmed by the sassy Joan Rivers, putting Hollywood’s biggest stars under the spotlight in Fashion Police: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards that kicks off on 18th January 2013 (Friday) at 9pm on E! (Astro Channel 712). The hilariously tactless Joan Rivers with her fellow cohorts’ red-carpet correspondent Giuliana Rancic, celebrity stylist George Kostipolous and Brit’s bad girl Kelly Osbourne give their “yay’ or “na”y on celebrity fashion.

This 2013, only E! gives you exclusive coverage of the Red Carpet events as they unfold right on your screen. Be sure to get front-row seats only on E!.

For the full list the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards nominees, click!

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#FiftySixDegrees: The Latest Scotch In Town

Inspired by a taste for adventure, and borne out of fire, malt, water and unbeatable spirit of the Scottish Highlands, FiftySix Degrees Whisky was recently unveiled to media and guests at an exclusive event at Marble 8 Restaurant and Privé before moving on to M8 Bar for the after party.

The new scotch whisky is a smooth and rich new-age blend comprising of specially selected single malts and a single grain whisky aged in hand-picked American bourbon oak casks and finished in sherry casks. The gorgeous new liquid gold offering is a collaboration between Malaysia’s first female whisky blend creator and entrepreneur, Kristine Goh, chief executive officer of 56 Degrees Marketing, and internationally renowned independent Scotch Whisky company, Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd.

FiftySix Degrees received its name after the latitude of the Scottish Highland, which is well-known for its rugged beauty, clan history, and extraordinary malt whiskies. At heart, FiftySix Degrees is a Highland whisky, but it’s blended with the Asian palate in mind.

“The food culture in Asia is generally rooted in the mixing of multiple ingredients to produce dishes of vastly differing flavours. As such, the Asian table is often loaded with an array of food and condiments to be shared among a group of people,” Goh commented during the launch of her boutique craft.

“I want FiftySix Degrees to reflect this almost communal aspect of the food experience in Asia. The best feature of FiftySix Degrees is that it can appeal to both whisky aficionados and novices,” said Goh.

Sprightly yet mature in character, FiftySix Degrees strikes a perfect balance of top citrus notes with a rich malty heart, and bears a fresh and creamy palate with a mouth coating fruitiness. The bottle design incorporates a sturdy rectangular base that signifies the relevance of the whisky making tradition to the present, and a streamlined angularity to represent a broadening out towards the future.

FiftySix Degrees contains 40% alcohol by volume and is available on-trade through bars and restaurants in Bangsar, Damansara and Hartamas area including The Roulette Restaurant Bar, Naughty Nuri’s, Piggy Tail, Sid’s Pub, Chapter One Bar & Bistro, Hour Place Restaurant, Eight Gourmets Gala (EGG), and Castell Gastrobar.

For more information, visit FiftySix Degrees Whisky on Facebook.


#MyTigerBites: Discovering Local Street Food In Ipoh & Penang

If you’ve been paying attention to our Instagram account, you’d know that we recently went on a scrumptious road trip to Ipoh and Penang.

Gooood morning!! We’ll be going on a food journey with Tiger beer for the next two days. Stay tuned. ? #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 13, 2015 at 6:20pm PDT

Well, in a country strong with such a diverse range of culture and heritage, we Malaysians are spoilt for choice when it comes to food. From street foods to your local hawker stalls to fancy restaurants, we’re sure that if you throw a stone anywhere in Malaysia, it’s bound to hit an eatery.

One question still remains though, will that stone land in a unique place that serves the finest tasting street food? I’m pretty sure that by now, most Malaysians would say that the best char kuey teow is in Penang, and the best hor fun (kuey teow soup) is in Ipoh while the best Satay Celup is in Malacca, but did you know that there is more to these states that just those over-commercialised street food?

Ohhh look! Our writer @brynaaaaa has spotted a wild tiger on the road. Could it be following her on the street food road trip? ? #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 13, 2015 at 9:01pm PDT

Believing that Malaysia is filled with hidden gems everywhere, Tiger Beer’s latest campaign comes in the form of a very delicious one. Called “Tiger Bites”, the campaign challenges foodies to uncage the secret street food havens throughout Malaysia by unlocking some of the best street foods that are not known to the masses.

To get the ball rolling, Tiger Beer invited a slew of media to partake in an 18-car convoy on 2-day street food road trip to Ipoh and Penang for a unique gastronomic experience, which we were a part of.

In regards to the campaign, Tiger Beer’s marketing manager Jessie Chuah said,“Through this campaign, we urge foodies to embark on a food hunt to uncage street flavours and share it with fellow Malaysians through a little contest we’ve also put together in conjunction. We are certain this campaign will appeal to all food lovers.”

First stop on the road trip was Ipoh. Instead of taking us for the usual hor fun, we were treated to a delicious and hefty plate of “Dried Curry Mee”. Served with chicken and barbecued pork slices, the dried curry mee was also topped with mint leaves and lime which gave it an extra zesty kick, taking the dish to a whole new level.

First dish on the @tigerbeermy street food trip is Ipoh’s dried curry mee! Yums! ??? #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 13, 2015 at 10:42pm PDT

After lunch, we embarked on our street food road trip to Penang. Upon arriving in Penang, we were treated to Penang’s “Apom Chooi“, on Burmah road. From Burmah road, we were taken to our hotel, The Royale Bintang Penang, where we freshened up and took a catnap before heading out for dinner.

As night approached, it was time for us to continue on the street food road trip. For dinner, we were taken to this place called “Tiger Char Kuey Teow” where we were greeted by a fantastic traditional drum performance before we indulged in a glorious serving of char kuey teow which we must say, goes really well with a chilled glass of Tiger Beer.

When in Penang, char kuey teow is a must! #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 14, 2015 at 4:31am PDT

Apart from char kuey teow, we also indulged in Penang’s famous “lobak” and an extraordinary plate of “Chilli Wan Tan Mee“. Are you salivating already? Trust us, we are too.

After dinner, the street food road trip continued as we made our way to Old Green House Penang for supper. Old Green House Penang is pretty much a coffee shop housing various hawker stalls, giving patrons a variety of food to choose from.

Stuffed beyond stuffed, we were true troopers who couldn’t resist but to order a few dishes for a full Penang street food experience. At the Old Green House Penang, we enjoyed the Ochien (Fried Oyster Egg), prawn noodles, and dim sum.

Dim sum, fried oyster egg & prawn noodles — supper. Now this is what a street food road trip is about. ? #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 14, 2015 at 6:22am PDT

After supper, we headed back to the hotel and called it a night because well, food coma, seriously. The next morning, we woke up to a delicious treat which came in the form of breakfast in bed before heading out for our last meal in Penang.

After checking out and gearing up to leave, we once again spotted a wild tiger in the compounds of the hotel before we made our way to lunch, the final stop in Penang.

For lunch, we were taken to Penang’s Pitt Street Kuey Teow Th’ng and boy, it was delicious! Light and not too heavy, it is something we recommend trying in Penang.

First stop of the day – kuey teow th’ng! ?? #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 14, 2015 at 9:58pm PDT

After lunch, we headed back for Kuala Lumpur and made our way to Seapark, Petaling Jaya for dinner. There, we had the opportunity to witness the knife-performance before indulging in the famous “Seapark Flying Wan Tan Mee“.

Dinner time. This last dish also marks the last meal on what has been an incredibly delicious street food road trip. Thanks @tigerbeermy! Stay tuned to our website for more deets on #mytigerbites #tigerbeermy

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Aug 15, 2015 at 5:11am PDT

The “Seapark Flying Wan Tan Mee” marked the end of our Tiger Bites street food journey. Now, to be part of this campaign, all you have to do is sign up and start dropping pins along your way.

Tiger Bites will be a 7-week long contest and 14 sets of GoPro, phone lens, and selfie tripods will be given to participants with the best street food trail (which combines the most number of pins dropped and the longest trail in kilometres). The winner will then be rewarded with an all-expanse paid trip to Taiwan for 2 where more great street food flavours await.

The excitement does not stop there. In celebration of this new campaign, Tiger Bites will throw an exclusive festival filled with the finest street food with ice cold Tiger Beers as accompaniment. Sounds yummy doesn’t it? For exclusive invites, create your food trail and start dropping pins today.

Check out the gallery below for more pictures from our Tiger Bites street food road trip to Ipoh and Penang.

For more information on Tiger Bites, log on to the official website.

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MCMC Swiftly Blocks & Then Unblocks Steam Following Controversial “Fight of Gods” Game

Following the discovery of a game titled, “Fight of Gods”, which stirred up controversy for pitting religious figures Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha against each other, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) swiftly denied Malaysians access to the entire Steam store late yesterday.

Note: Steam is an online gaming platform that allows people to buy a game/games and play just about anywhere. It is considered to be the largest digital distribution platform for PC gaming.

Besides Jesus and Buddha, other “Fight of Gods” characters include Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu, Greek Pantheon leader Zeus, Egyptian god of death Anubis, and the Norse god Odin. Fans of the game have also requested for Prophet Muhammad to be included as a playable character.

The MCMC implemented a DNS block to store.steampowered.com, which affected all Malaysians using the TM DNS. Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said that the action against Steam was done to protect Malaysians and to prevent untoward incidents.

The block was apparently deployed after Steam failed to comply with the 24-hour ultimatum as the MCMC had contacted Valve (the corportation that owns Steam) to request for “Fight of Gods” to be geoblocked for Malaysians within 24 hours.

Gamers are, of course, unhappy with what they deem an unnecessary move. Both gamers and netizens alike stormed Facebook to condemn the decision to block the entire platform. “So now we don’t even get to decide what offends us?”, said one netizen, while another commented, “I’m wondering where are all the complaints that the game is an insult to religion and a threat to national harmony. Now all I’m seeing is a whole lot of complaints from pissed off gamers.”

“Why block the entire store? Request the game to be unavailable for the Malaysian market,” Facebook user IZ Ham wrote.

However, just a couple of hours ago, the MCMC confirmed that Steam has since been unblocked.

In an official statement on their Facebook page, they wrote wrote, “The platform operators have contacted us and have agreed with the MCMC’s request to block the ‘Fight of Gods’ video game from being downloaded by users in Malaysia. In effect, the MCMC has revoked the block on steampowered.com.”

The MCMC went on to add, “The MCMC is committed to protecting the interests of consumers in Malaysia, and will not compromise with any party that humiliates religious sanctity and inter-racial harmony in the country. The MCMC also wants to remind users to be more cautious and use their discretion when choosing content to access.”

Sources: Lowyat.NET (1), Lowyat.NET (2), MCMC / Featured image: Steam.