Versace Menswear Fall Winter 2016

[Luxury Fashion]

It’s written in the stars – this is the universe of Versace and it was duly presented in the Versace Menswear Fall Winter 2016 fashion show. The show featured styling by David Bradshaw, hair by Guido Palau, makeup by Pat McGrath, music by Simon Halsberghe and fibre optic fabrics powered by DreamLux.
Astronomy, astrology, man in space: a wardrobe from the heavens for the Versace man today. Fiber optic tracksuits are like the future now, while light-up sweatshirts have piping as if from astronaut suits. Sleek tailoring and space-age metallic trenches are worn over white roll necks, while Prince of Wales suits are embellished with eyelets and grommets.
Unlined coats in double-faced raw-edged cashmere are the grey of the moon, the ultimate when worn with cashmere joggers. An iconic Versace astrological print is reworked and revitalized, while a star map Medusa print has been newly developed and looks perfect on jeans. Tracksuits are the essential of tomorrow, whether its merino wool zip-ups with a zig-zag at the neck, or drawstring track pants enriched with embellishments.
MA1 flying jackets have astronaut attitude, while outerwear is embellished as if with space debris, and shearling collar denim jackets are like a space uniform. Colours and fabrics refer to the galaxies, whether its metallic leather zip-ups in Neptune blue, double-breasted coats the beige of moonstone, and tweeds like the Milky Way.
Cropped leather jackets are embroidered with patches like an astronaut’s mementos, while lapel badges on coats and suits are like the emblem of a spaceship. Crystals decorate denim jackets and jeans like a constellation of stars. Lace-ups have chunky soles but no instep, as if cut away, while trainers are like tech cycling boots. Bags come with their own protective covering. The new V-Race Driver watch makes its debut, with a special catwalk edition with a mother-of-pearl dial as if for the surface of the moon.
“The Versace man is a pioneer, his ambition as big as the universe. This is a collection for men who are totally real, totally bold and totally connected with the future.” Donatella Versace

Donatella Versace

The Versace boutiques in Malaysia are located at:
Lot 2.25 & 3.27, Level 2 & 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603 2141 0677

LC-G02, Ground Floor, Suria KLCC
Tel: +603 2162 0109

Lot H08, Passenger Level, Satellite Building, KLIA
Tel: +603 8776 2269

Images courtesy of Versace Malaysia.
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Editor’s Note – September 2020

[Editor’s Note]

Headed to Four Seasons Place in downtown Kuala Lumpur recently for “A Caviar Dining Experience” which was a collaboration by Poseidon Reserve, Malaysia Boleh! Local hawker food court, and Atlas Gourmet Market and Atlas Bistro.
The experience was inspired by a recent YouTube video by The Food Ranger where he featured a custom made 500 USD char kuey teow at Tiger Char Kuay Teow (skip to 15:00 if you only want to see that bit) which is located at 179, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang.

Poseidon Reserve at Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur is a collaboration between Charles Devan and Patrick Devendran of Ironwoods who hail from Sabah, and are importers of high-quality seafood, together with their childhood friend, Andy Hiew.
Poseidon Caviar & Seafood Bar was established in Atlas Gourmet, Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur to provide luxe seafood dishes in Malaysia, such as fresh oysters and caviar.
First up, we headed over to the Malaysia Boleh! Local hawker food court to try the char kuey teow topped with a (small) dollop of caviar (unlike the copious amounts of caviar in The Food Ranger’s video).
As such, sadly the gorgeous umami flavours of the caviar were totally overwhelmed and covered by the taste of the char kuey teow, and there wasn’t much discernable variance in taste or texture.
Perhaps the caviar pizza at Atlas Bistro would fare better…

The freshly made and piping hot seafood pizza at Atlas Bistro looked really appetising, and tasted even better! The umami flavours of the dollops of caviar were complemented by the smoked salmon and seafood atop the crispy thin crust pizza. This was definitely a winning dish!

Poseidon Reserve, Malaysia Boleh! Local hawker food court, and Atlas Gourmet Market and Atlas Bistro are located at:
Level B1, The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place,
145, Jalan Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
50088 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

Bunglow37 Bangsar

We recently visited Bunglow37 to try their Tasting Menu which is priced at RM180 and is available for dinner. Bunglow37 is a standalone bungalow that has been converted into a restaurant and bar, with dining areas on the ground and first floors, and even a spacious event space at the side.
Parking is pretty convenient as there’s an open-air parking lot right next to Bunglow37.
The main dining room on the ground floor
The dining room on the first floor offers more privacy for diners
There’s also a bar serving cocktails, bottled beers, wines and liquor

Amuse BoucheOysterFresh premium Irish oyster with Wine Jelly

1st CourseGranny Smith SaladGreen apples salad served with blue cheese, dressed with sherry vinaigrette and sprinkle of pine nuts

2nd CourseSalmon TartarRaw salmon flavoured with secret condiment, a creamy salmon  mousse, served together with Lavash (flat whitebread)

3rd CourseMushroom PotageA thick and creamy mushroom soup with a dollop of cream,  truffle oil and sprinkled with porcini flakes.

4th Course GrouperPan seared grouper served with sautéed local greens, cappers and crispy soy bean skin, shoyu burnt butter, topped with dashi foam
Palate Cleanser

Main CourseGrass Fed BeefGrilled Striploin and ‘sriracha’ honey glaze short rib, garnish with homemade mash potato and sauteed mushrooms, served with beef jus

Pre DessertCalpis SorbetCultured milk sorbet, topped with Ginger Flower, Earl Grey tea jelly, and Longan

Grand DessertChocolate CremeuxRich, creamy and thick chocolate dessert with Orange Tuile, pistachio, Smoked Sale

We were pretty impressed by the number of courses! Definitely enough even for a big eater like me. The Tasting Menu at Bunglow37 is a very affordable menu to celebrate a special occasion with your partner if you’re not looking to blow a huge hole in your wallet. There are also house wines that are affordably priced. This (rather hidden) establishment is located just down the road from Bangsar Utama and just five minutes away from the Telawi area in Bangsar Baru.

Bunglow37 is located at:
37, Jalan Abdullah, off Jalan Bangsar,
59000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

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Food Review – Christmas Menu at Samplings on the Fourteen

[Christmas Special]
Christmas is my favourite time of the year and while food plays an important part it’s not the main reason of the season of course. I cannot however resist a review of Christmas menus at restaurants therefore thanks to TableApp – http://www.tableapp.com/ which is a nifty little mobile app and website that help assists you to make instant reservations at some of Klang Valley best restaurants: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No more waiting for the restaurant to open before calling and calling and not getting an answer (which I find most frustrating).
I have been to Samplings on the Fourteen back in 2011 – https://timchew.net/2011/10/20/fine-dine-beer-with-chef-kern-by-kronenbourg-1664/ – for the Kronenbourg 1664 Beer Pairing dinner which was most memorable as it was hosted by the former MD of Carlsberg Malaysia Soren Ravn (who’s now moved up and on to become CEO of Greater China) and it was my first time having a beer pairing dinner.
This time we were to try the special Christmas Eve four-course meal specially designed for the occasion by the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine, Chef Val.
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Samplings on the Fourteen is located on the fourteenth floor of Berjaya Times Square Hotel
The foyer/ bar area leading in to the main dining area
The main dining area which offers a view of the chefs preparing you meal in the open kitchen.
A beautiful Christmas tree right beside out table
The view of Bukit Bintang and surrounding areas
Rudolf Goes Green mocktail (R) priced at RM15++ and The Grinch cocktail (L) priced at RM21++ is available at three (3) of Berjaya Times Square Hotel’s F&B outlets – Samplings on the Fourteen, Big Apple Restaurant, and Broadway Lounge.
I opted for some red wine to go along with my dinner. Do note that the Christmas Eve Menu is not a wine pairing dinner (ie. not inclusive of wine) however there are wine options for you to add on should you be interested,
The pretty table setting.
Smoked Salmon and Prawn Salad – the slices of delicious smoked salmon were delicious while the caviar and fish roe added some indulgence to the dish. Most interesting was the prawn salad which was served atop some puff pastry which added a different (but pleasant) texture to the dish. Loved the presentation too and this was my favourite presentation of the night.
Cream of Pumpkin Soup – a really creamy and delectably flavoured pumpkin soup which I liked because I can handle creamy soups. The dollop of sour cream helped to add a little sourness to cut through the richness and balance it out. A heart-warming addition to the meal and the portion is not too big that you can’t eat your mains after that.
Minted Wintermelon Sorbet – a palate cleanser after the rich pumpkin soup. This one was nice and refreshing! Liked the little touch of mint and wouldn’t have minded an even stronger minty flavour.
Chef Val giving total attention to preparing the mains
Roast Christmas Turkey – this was my choice of main for the night and my first turkey for the year! The turkey breast and leg were prepared roulade style to seal in the juices and flavour (I really really hate slices of plain and dry turkey breast and luckily this was far from that). The beef bacon wrapped sage was an interesting addition to the dish apart from the turkey stuffing. As turkey is not the most flavourful of meats you might want to ask for extra brown sauce to go with it and the tasty stuffing which will soak up most of it anyway.
Slow Roasted Lamb Shank. We all only got to try our chosen main but there were good comments from those at the table who chose this dish and Spicy Sharon of http://spicysharon.blogspot.com commented “the lamb was marvellous – juicy and tender”. I personally think that it looks pretty good though but I would have preferred a bigger portion.
Pan Seared Cod – this was the choice of main of most of the girls at the table and they all had good comments about this dish. The cod was served with potato and leek mash, wild mushrooms, cured cherry tomato and olive tart with saffron sage.
Chestnut Mille Feuille – served with orange-flavoured Christmas pudding and cinnamon ice cream. A nice sweet end to the meal and this went very well with the freshly brewed coffee (you can opt for tea too).
Petit fours with coffee/ tea to end the meal
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The four-course Christmas eve fine dining meal is priced at RM158.00++ per adult and I fully recommend prior booking to avoid disappointment.
If you’re looking to get a roast turkey for Christmas, Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur offers a traditional Christmas recipe with a chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and choice of black pepper or giblet sauce for takeaway. Do note that an advance order of two (2) days is required for the turkey which is priced at RM298.00++ per turkey of 3-4 kilograms.
Also available on Christmas Eve at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel is the buffet dinner at the all-day dining Big Apple Restaurant offering up a host of salads, appetizers, soups and main courses, coupled with various specialty food stalls serving traditional fare including roasted turkey, homemade ravioli, grilled chicken, beef and lamb satay, and sautéed seafood fricassee. For you sweet tooths there are sweet treats like Christmas Yule log, Ginger Bread, Ginger Bread Trees, Christmas Stolen, Swiss Leckerli and the traditional rich mixed-fruit cake. The buffet is priced at RM108.00++ per adult and RM58.00++ per child.
After dinner, the party begins at Broadway Lounge to ring in Christmas Day at the hotel with the Broadway Lounge Christmas Eve Party. Featuring a seasoned live band to provide the evening’s entertainment, guests will also be provided with fun party packs and have the opportunity to win prizes including cash vouchers from the lucky draw.
On Christmas day, look out for the Christmas brunch which will be specially prepared by some of the finest chefs of the hotel, and is priced at RM75.00++ per adult and RM38.00++ per child.
Do remember that you can save yourself the trouble of calling the restaurant by simply booking a table using TABLEAPP http://www.tableapp.com/restaurant/samplings-berjayatimessquarehotel
Samplings on the Fourteen is located at:
Berjaya Times Square
1, Jalan Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Telephone: +60 (3) 2117 8000 ext. 8131
More info at http://www.berjayahotel.com/kualalumpur
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Photos shot using the Sony NEX-5T. More info at https://timchew.net/2013/10/01/sony-new-camera-2013-launch/ or http://www.sony.com.my

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News – July 2017

Little Penguin Experience at Melbourne Zoo

The Melbourne Zoo in Australia will be launching a brand new little penguin experience in August 2017. The experience allows visitors to venture behind the scenes of the popular zoo for an intimate encounter with these adorable animals and be introduced to Miss Wing, the special Australian Little Penguin born on 2 January 2015 and hand reared in the zoo.
It was not all rainbows and sunshine for Miss Wing though, as when Miss Wing hatched, her sister was getting all the food from mum and dad, so poor Miss Wing was becoming seriously underweight. Her keepers decided that they would need to look after her to ensure she would grow up healthy and strong. The keepers worked 12-hour days to keep the cute Little Penguin nourished, with the first feed of slivered pilchard fillets at 7:30am and the last feed at 7:30pm.
After several months in the care of her keepers, she was reintroduced to the rest of the penguin colony. The zoo keepers at Melbourne Zoo built Wings World which gives her the choice to spend time with her keepers or to spend time with other penguins. Visitors can easily spot Miss Wing when she is in the main pool area in Melbourne Zoo, as both her armbands are white: coloured armbands are used to identify individuals.
The prolonged time she spent with the keepers as a chick meant she was quite used to interacting with people, and as a favourite and vocal member of the Melbourne Zoo family who loves meeting new people, she’s now an Ambassador animal and an integral part of the Little Penguin Experience. The experience will include private penguin keeper talk, behind the scenes access, photo opportunities, interactivity with Miss Wing and her keeper.
The Melbourne Zoo is a successful breeder of Australian Little Penguins, sending some to other zoos, interstate and overseas, to support breeding programs for these fascinating flightless birds. Meeting the penguins at Melbourne Zoo is an important way to connect with the animals of Australia, and to learn about the Zoo’s conservation programs.

The Penguin Experience commences from 1st August 2017 at the Melbourne Zoo, Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
Time: 10:20am
Ticket cost: (AUD) $63 – $81
Operating days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
For more information on the Penguin Experience, head over to visit: https://www.zoo.org.au/
For more information on Visit Melbourne. head over to http://www.visitmelbourne.com
Images courtesy of Visit Melbourne.

Claude Bernard Classic Collection – Couple Watches (2017)

Claude Bernard launched a new range of couple watches in Malaysia in July 2017, featuring the latest addition to its Classic Super Slim collection. Claude Bernard originates from the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, and has been a watch manufacturer of high quality yet affordable Swiss-made watches for over 40 years.
Each timepiece is decorated with a stainless steel case, either in 27mm or 39mm, catering to both male and female wearers. A noteworthy design element is the rounded rim of the watch case, which provides a more polished finish and a sleeker look. Sapphire glass is selected and used as the watch crystal for scratch resistance. The watch case tapers off with curved lugs which fit seamlessly on the wrist. A pair watch features a croc-patterned embossed leather strap for a casual touch of class.
The Claude Bernard logo in understated black font is positioned at 12 o’clock while the renowned SWISS MADE symbol is etched at the bottom of the dial. These elements emphasise the brand’s commitment to manufacturing only watches of the highest calibre. Slim black hour and minute hands mark the time and the absence of the seconds hand give the watch a minimalist look.

The guilloché dial adornment
Using precise decorative technique, the guilloché detail resembles braided and interlaced ribbons and its 3-dimensional carvings endow the watch face with greater depth and intricacy.

For those who prefer a fuss free dial, this silver-black combination offers a subdued grace for the minimalist who craves a timepiece that brings him or her from day to night and through all occasions. The dial uses raven black roman indexes to set against the matte white dial for maximum contrast which contributes to legibility.

The gold-brown combination elevates the watch from subtle minimalist to stylish urbanite. Roman indexes are again used in this pair watch combination to portray an element of vintage classic and romance suitable for him and her.

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For a more youthful styling, Claude Bernard has a sleek stainless steel dial variant which is ideal for dressed up occasions. The pair of watches comes with a croc-embossed sand strap which offers a vintage allure.

Claude Bernard watches in Malaysia are currently available at leading department stores (Parkson @ KLCC, KL, Sunway Velocity, KL and Pavilion, KL; Isetan @ KLCC, KL & 1 Utama, Selangor; SOGO, KL) and authorised watch retailers.
For further information, telephone Crystal Time (M) Sdn Bhd (the authorised distributor in Malaysia) at +03 2938 3938 or head over to http://www.crystaltime.com.my

H&M Launches Online Store in Malaysia
H & M officially launched its Shop Online store in Malaysia on 11 May 2017 via hm.com and on the H&M app. H&M’s Shop Online will be offering a wider range of collections online than in-store with exclusive “online-only” pieces available all year-round, including ladies, men, teens, plus-size and a full children’s line.
For the launch in Malaysia, over 100 pieces are online exclusives, offering more styles and sizes that cannot be found elsewhere. Debuting also only for Shop Online is the H&M Edition concept, a new premium collection that boosts staples that men want to wear right now. Made from the finest fabrics like 100% soft cashmere, supima cotton/silk jersey, raw silk and lightweight summer wools, the H&M Edition collection will evolve and expand each season with new colours and introductions of the designed classics.
“We are very pleased to launch Shop Online in Malaysia,” says Fredrik Famm, Country Manager of H&M Southeast Asia, “Southeast Asia is one of H&M’s fastest growing regions, and with online market expanding quickly, we are proud to finally offer online shopping to our fashion fans in Malaysia. Customers will now be able to enjoy seamless shopping experience and purchase their favourite fashion items anywhere, anytime.
Online shopping at hm.com allows customers to view the latest collections, find inspiration from “H&M Magazine” and interact with both H&M and fellow customers on social media.

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Prudential Malaysia Partners with Boost to Offer Customers a More Convenient and Secure Payment Method

[News]
Gary Yeoh, Director of Merchants and Partnership of Boost, Mohd Khairil Abdullah, CEO of Boost, Gan Leong Hin, CEO of Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad (PAMB), Ahmir ud Deen, COO of Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad (PruBSN), Eric Wong, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer PAMB (left to right)

Prudential Assurance Malaysia Bhd (PAMB) and Prudential BSN Takaful Bhd (PruBSN) launched their partnership with Boost, the homegrown and leading lifestyle e-wallet, to digitize insurance payments in Malaysia using e-wallets, on 25 November 2011 at Prudential Tower TRX in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Through Prudential’s corporate website, customers can opt to use Boost as a payment method when making premium payments anytime, anywhere, in a secure and hassle-free manner. Meanwhile, Prudential agents are also able to make payments on behalf of customers via their dedicated portal.
“This partnership allows us to expand our offerings via the Boost app and continue adding value to consumers lifestyle needs and daily transactions,” said Gary Yeoh, Boost’s Director of Merchants and Partnerships.
Gan Leong Hin, Chief Executive Officer of PAMB said, “This partnership with Boost will be a step forward in our digital transformation roadmap as an innovative and customer centric insurer. This development provides our rapidly growing digital-savvy customers an efficient and secure digital payment solution when it comes to their insurance premiums and takaful contributions payments”.
From now until 31 January 2020, Prudential customers who make premium payments using Boost on the Prudential website for the first time will be rewarded with up to 20% cashback. Existing customers who have previously made payments using Boost will receive 10% cashback. The cashback rewarded is capped at RM100 per user per month (terms and conditions apply of course).
To date, Boost has achieved a number of significant milestones, from enabling over 4.8 million users to pay for parking, utility bills, order food delivery and seek roadside assistance services, to providing micro-financing and micro-insurance solutions to merchants and even powering 24 cashless campuses across the country. The e-wallet also boasts the widest nationwide coverage of over 125,000 merchants.
Boost is a homegrown lifestyle e-wallet that aims to revolutionise the way consumers transact daily. Combining lifestyle needs and cutting-edge digital technology, Boost strives to make transactions easier, faster, more secure & overall a more rewarding experience for consumers.
Boost officially launched in January 2017 as a platform that digitised one of the telco’s core services – the way prepaid users top up their mobile credit. Boost allows users to pay via their mobile phone at participating locations without the hassle of using physical cash or cards. Over 4.8 million Boost users can now pay at over 125,000 merchant touchpoints nationwide.
Key features include:
●      User rewards through BoostUP
●      Savings for online shopping through CashUp
●      Pay at UnionPay QR merchants in Malaysia
●      Paying utility bills with partners such as Telekom Malaysia, Astro and Syabas
●      Paying for on-street and gated parking
●      Order roadside assistance and car maintenance services
●      Booking and buying public transport rides on KLIA Ekspress, KTM intercity, EzCab, CatchThatBus and Firefly
●      Cashless donations to several organizations #DoGoodwithBoost
●      Buying and gifting digital vouchers for online merchants, F&B outlets, entertainment, health & beauty
●      Splitting bills through unique feature “Go Dutch”
●      Buying prepaid top up
●      Free money transfers
●      Food Delivery through DeliverEat, dahmakan and eatigo

Boost can be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store.
For more information, head over to https://www.myboost.com.my/
Photo Credits: Boost/ Prudential Malaysia
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Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur Debuts Their New 2022 Menu

[Hospitality]

Starting from 14 June 2022, guests can explore a brand-new array of cocktails at Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Named the Best Bar in Malaysia for three years in a row, the new menu features locally-sourced ingredients in a storied format that reveals the tales behind the cocktails.
Showcasing the abundance and diversity of Malaysian produce, this latest edition of the cocktail list puts the spotlight on five local farms that partner closely with Bar Trigona. Collectively crafted by the talented team behind the bar, each signature drink celebrates a particular ingredient, while the menu itself captures the stories behind the scenes.
Meet inspiring cultivators such as Dino, the founder of Dino Kelutut Organic Farm and “a full-time stingless beekeeper” in his own words. Located in Negeri Sembilan, this is the farm that supplies Bar Trigona with small-batch trigona honey, made by stingless Malaysian bees.
The menu also stars Malaysian cocoa, diligently cultivated by Ning of Chocolate Concierge, and Mutiara figs, sustainably farmed right next door in Shah Alam. Advocates of “clean drinking” can sip cocktails crafted with Boom Grow herbs. Grown in sustainable indoor farms, these herbs are completely free of pesticides and chemicals. Those who prefer non-alcoholic drinks can choose from a selection of creative mocktails.

Guests also have the opportunity to sample flavours from the Trigona Farm. As part of the Tree-Volution initiative launched last year, Bar Trigona transformed an empty plot of land in Pahang into a flourishing patch filled with fruit trees, herbs and spices – some of which are now making an appearance on the menu.
The sour notes of kedondong (ambarella) are integral to Red Bird, a heady concoction of butter fat washed dark rum, pineapple and kedondong rum, homemade oolong wine and trigona honey. Another signature drink, Terroir, combines two ingredients from the farm – kedondong and lime – with asam boi (preserved plum) infused tequila, Cointreau, and cacao honey.
Ever since Bar Trigona opened its doors, its hyperlocal approach has put homegrown produce centre stage. The most prized ingredient is the raw honey made by stingless trigona honeybees, native to Malaysia. Its sweet and sour notes can be tasted across several drinks – a liquid signature with a distinctly organic flavour. Bar Trigona offers honey cocktail flights for guests to explore the unique flavour profiles of three varieties of raw honey (including trigona honey).
“Fascinatingly, the character of honey changes through the year. Its taste, texture and colour depend on the flowers in bloom during each fruiting season,” explains Assistant Bar Manager Julian Brigget. “When the honey is in its pure, unadulterated form, it is possible to taste these subtle differences.”
A previous winner of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, Bar Trigona is a pioneer in sustainable cocktail-making. “Our approach is to make the best possible use of each ingredient, throughout its entire lifecycle. Reuse, recycle and repurpose is a way of life for us,” notes Julian.
The bar’s collaboration with Dino’s honey farm has slowly evolved into a collection of eco-friendly initiatives, including the popular Adopt a Beehive program. Another key project is Tree-Volution, a reforestation initiative aimed at planting fruit trees around local farms. Proceeds from selected cocktails fund seed collection, planting and protection of the fledgling forest. Alongside providing employment, the goal is to refortify the soil and restore biodiversity.

Photo credits: Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur
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Sony PlayStation 4 Launch Announcement (Malaysia)

[Tech/ Gadgets]
Gamers rejoice!
The long-awaited Sony Playstation 4 will be available in Malaysia from 20 December 2013!
Here are some photos from the launch on 14 November 2013 at The Roof, First Avenue Bandar Utama while product photos and technical specs are further down this post.
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PlayStation®4

Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited (SCEH) Singapore Branch announced that the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) (CUH-1006A B01) computer entertainment system will be launched in Malaysia on 20 December 2013 at a suggested retail price of RM1,799.00
Launched concurrently are 23 launch frame titles developed by SCE Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) and numerous 3rd party software developers and publishers around the globe. On the same day, 3 bundle sets, each consists of a PS4 system and a selected PS4 title or PlayStation®Camera (PS Camera), will hit Malaysia market. Pre-order will start on 15 November 2013 and run until 13 December 2013 at all Sony Stores, Sony Store online (www.sony.com.my) and Focus Stores *. Customers who pre-order the PS4 system or the selected bundle sets can receive up to 2-month PlayStation®Plus membership and RM20 PSN Money Voucher.
PS4 is a next generation computer entertainment system that redefines rich and immersive gameplay with powerful graphics, speed, deeply integrated social capabilities and innovative second-screen features utilizing devices such as PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita). By utilizing PS Camera, users can expand gaming ways of PS4 and enjoy different gaming experience. Therefore, on the launch day of PS4, SCEH will launch a value bundle set of PS4 and PS Camera. Users can play “THE PLAYROOM”, preinstalled to all PS4, to enjoy Augmented Reality content via PS Camera.
Twenty-three launch flame titles will be concurrently launched with PS4. In addition, SCEH has selected 2 software titles, Battlefield 4™ (Electronic Arts Inc) and Killzone™: Shadow Fall (Sony Computer Entertainment) to be included as PS4 bundle sets and all of these sets will be available at an attractive price and in limited quantity.
Furthermore, a wide range of peripherals for PS4 will also be launched on the same day such as the colour variation for PS4 Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) in “Magma Red” and “Wave Blue”, PlayStation®Camera, DUALSHOCK®4 Charging Station and PS4 Vertical Stand.
Starting from December 6, SCEH will have a new plan on the warranty service for 6 South East Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Customers who purchase PS4 are entitled to have a ONE YEAR FREE REGIONAL REPAIR SERVICE in countries where the product has been officially launched (including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia), and the warranty will be valid throughout these countries. Wherever the customers are, they can also have the repair service for their products.
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PRICING

PS4 Pre-order

Date

November 15 – December 13, 2013

Pre-order method

Pre-order at any Sony Stores, Sony Store Online or Focus Stores

Pre-order Offer

Product

The PS4 System

The PS4 System with camera

PS4 “Battlefield 4” Bundle

PS4 “Killzone Shadow Fall” Bundle

Price

RM1,799

RM1,899

RM1,969

RM1,939

Gift (1)

PlayStation®Plus Membership
(One Month)

PlayStation®Plus Membership
(One Month)

PlayStation®Plus Membership
(Two Months)

PlayStation®Plus Membership
(Two Months)

Gift (2)

—

—

RM20 PSN Money Voucher

RM20 PSN Money Voucher

Remarks

–        While stocks last

–        Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited reserves the right of final decision.

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PlayStation®4 Specs
Colour  Jet Black
Product code: CUH-1006A series
Release date: 20 December 2013 (Malaysia)
Recommended retail price: RM1,799.00
Main processor: Single-chip custom processor
CPU :  x86-64 AMD “Jaguar”,  8 cores
GPU : 1.84 TFLOPS,  AMD next-generation Radeon™ based graphics engine
Memory: GDDR5 8GB
Storage size: 500GB Hard disk drive*1
External dimensions: Approx.  275 × 53 × 305 mm (width × height × length)
(excludes largest projection)
Mass: Approx. 2.8 kg
BD/ DVD drive (read only): BD × 6 CAV, DVD × 8 CAV
Input/ Output    Super-Speed USB (USB 3.0) port × 2
AUX port × 1
Networking      Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) ×1
IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth® 2.1 (EDR)
Power: AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz
Power consumption: Max. 250W
Operating Temperature: 5 ºC – 35ºC
AV output        HDMI out port
DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) port

Included: PlayStation®4 system × 1
Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) × 1
Mono headset × 1
AC power cord × 1
HDMI cable × 1
USB cable × 1
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*1 The hard disk drive contains space that is available for users and space that is reserved for the system, therefore the actual space that is free for users is smaller than the total space stated in this document.
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Wireless Controller for PlayStation®4 (DUALSHOCK®4) Specs
Product name: DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller
Colour: Jet Black, Magma Red, Wave Blue
Product code: Jet Black: CUH-ZCT1H
Magma Red: CUH-ZCT1H 01
Wave Blue: CUH-ZCT1H 02
Release date: 20 December 2013 (Malaysia)
Recommended retail price: RM249.00
External dimensions      Approx. 161mm × 57mm × 100mm (width × height × depth)
(excludes largest projection)
Weight Approx. 210g
Keys / switches: PS button, SHARE button, OPTIONS button,
Directional buttons (Up/Down/Left/Right),
Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square),
R1/L1/R2/L2 button, Left stick / L3 button, Right stick / R3 button, Pad Button
Touch pad: 2 Point Touch Pad, Click Mechanism, Capacitive Type
Motion sensor:  Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer)
Other features:  Light Bar, Vibration, Built-in Mono Speaker
Ports: USB (Micro B), Extension Port, Stereo Headset Jack
Wireless communication: Bluetooth® Ver2.1+EDR
Battery Type: Built-in Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery
            Voltage            DC3.65V
            Capacity           1000mAh
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PlayStation®Camera Specs
Product name   PlayStation®Camera
Product code    CUH-ZEY1 G
Recommended retail price: RM249.00
External dimensions      Approx. 186mm × 27mm × 27mm (width × height × depth)
Weight Approx. 183g
Supports          CUH-1000A series
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DUALSHOCK®4 Charging Station Specs
Product name   DUALSHOCK®4 Charging Station
Product code    CUH-ZDC1G
Recommended retail price         RM119.00
External dimensions      Approx. 45mm ×55.5mm × 135mm (width × height × depth)
Weight Approx. 230g
Included           Charging Station × 1
AC adaptor × 1
AC power cord × 1
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Vertical Stand
Product name   Vertical Stand
Product code    CUH-ZST1 J
Recommended retail price: RM99.00
External dimensions      Apprx. 337mm × 28mm × 72mm (width × height × depth)
Weight Approx. 200g
Supports          CUH-1006A series
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PS4™ Bundle Set 1
Product name: PS4™ with PS Camera Bundle Set
Product code: CUH-1006A A01
Recommended retail price: RM1,899.00
Contents:
‧PlayStation®4 system × 1
‧PlayStation®Camera × 1
‧Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) × 1
‧Mono headset × 1
‧AC Power Code × 1
‧HDMI cable × 1
‧USB cable × 1
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PS4™ Bundle Set 2
Product name: PS4™ with “Battlefield 4™” Bundle Set
Product code: PLAS-07002A
Recommended retail price: RM1,969.00
Contents:
‧PlayStation®4 system× 1
‧PS4™ Software “Battlefield 4” × 1
‧Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) × 1
‧Mono headset × 1
‧AC Power Code × 1
‧HDMI cable × 1
‧USB cable × 1
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PS4™ Bundle Set 3
Product name   PS4™ with “Killzone™: Shadow Fall” Bundle Set
Product code    PCAS-02001A
Recommended retail price: RM1,939.00
Contents:
‧PlayStation®4 system× 1
‧PS4™ Software “Killzone™ Shadow Fall” × 1
‧Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) × 1
‧Mono headset × 1
‧AC Power Code × 1
‧HDMI cable × 1
‧USB cable × 1
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Pre-order Shop List
SONY STORE @ KLCC: 322-324, Level 3, Ramlee Mall, Suria KLCC, K.L.      03-21661882
SONY STORE @ THE CURVE: 188, 1st Floor, The Curve, Petaling Jaya, Selangor        03-77273860
CK Multi media: S2-57, Subang Avenue Shopping Mall, SS16, Jalan Kemajuan Subang, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor  03-56388678
Max Link: Lot-1007, 1st Floor, Endah Parade, No.1, Jalan 1/149E, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur  03-95430232
Talk about Game Entertainment: LG15, The Summit Subang USJ, Persiaran Kewajipan, 47600 Subang Jaya Selangor   03-80114103
Game Flirt: B7A, B1, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, No.1 Lebuh Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya Selangor           03-77282935
Gamester Direct: S201C, 2nd Floor, 1-Utama Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur  03-77274288
Gamershideout (1-Utama): Lot S102C, Lebuh Bandar Utama, 1-Utama Shopping Centre, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor           03-77272775
Gamershideout (Tropicana): Lot L2-26, Second Floor, Tropicana City Mall, No.3, Jalan SS20/27, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor 03-77291377
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Software Update to Version 1.50 (North America)
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) also announced the release of the system software update version 1.50*1 for PlayStation®4 (PS4™) system simultaneously with the official North American launch of the system on 15 November 2013.  By updating to the latest system software version, users will be able to enjoy a variety of exciting features from the day of launch. SCE will continue to enhance the PS4 system through future system software updates.
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PS4 Launch Flame Title Line-up in Malaysia
 Total of 23 titles (Publishers listed in Alphabetical Order)

Game Title

Language

Publisher

Genre

Release Format

Call of Duty®: Ghosts

English

Activision

FPS

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Tottemo E Mahjong

Japanese

ARC SYSTEM WORKS CO.,LTD.

Puzzle

PS Store Digital Download

Basement Crawl

English

Bloober Team S.A.

Action, Strategy

PS Store Digital Download

Contrast

English

Compulsion Games

Puzzle, Platformer

PS Store Digital Download

Battlefield 4™

English

Electronic Arts Inc.

FPS

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

FIFA 14

English

Electronic Arts Inc.

Sports

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Need for Speed™ Rivals

English

Electronic Arts Inc.

Racing

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

NBA Live 14

English

Electronic Arts Inc.

Sports

Blu-ray Disc™ /
PS Store Digital Download

Escape Plan™

T.Chinese
English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Puzzle, Action

PS Store Digital Download

flOw

English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Puzzle

PS Store Digital Download

Flower

English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Casual, Indie

PS Store Digital Download

Killzone™ Shadow Fall

T.Chinese
English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

FPS

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

KNACK™

T.Chinese
S.Chinese
English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Action Platformer

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

RESOGUN™

English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Shooting

PS Store Digital Download

Sound Shapes

T.Chinese
English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Music, Platformer

PS Store Digital Download

THE PLAYROOM

T.Chinese
S.Chinese
English

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Family Game

Pre-installed Application

NBA 2K14

T.Chinese
English

2K

Sports

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Dynasty Warriors 8 with Xtreme Legends

T.Chinese

TECMO KOEI GAMES CO., LTD.

Action

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag

English

Ubisoft Entertainment

Action Adventure

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Just Dance® 2014

English

Ubisoft Entertainment

Music & Rhythm

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition

English

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Action

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

LEGO® MARVEL™ SUPER HEROES

English

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Action

Blu-ray Disc™ /   PS Store Digital Download

Blacklight: Retribution
English

English

Zombie Studios

FPS

PS Store Digital Download

Remarks) T.Chinese: Traditional Chinese / S.Chinese: Simplified Chinese
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PlayStation®App
The new PlayStation®App, a new application for mobile devices which is free of charge, was released on November 13, 2013 in North America, and will be released on November 22, 2013 in Europe.
Playstation®App can be downloaded onto various mobile devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android™ based smartphones and tablets, from the App Store and Google Play*1. Once installed, these devices can be used as second screens in supported PlayStation®4 (PS4™) titles, and users can easily access PSNSM features such as Friend Lists and Trophies. Furthermore, users will be able to exchange messages with members of their Friends List, and browse through news and information on the official PlayStation® website. PlayStation®App comes with a variety of features that allow users to seamlessly access and enjoy the world of PlayStation®.
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New Slimmer and Lighter PlayStation®Vita Wi-Fi Model
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The new PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) Wi-Fi model (PCH-2006 series) will become available in Malaysia from 6 December 2013, with the recommended retail price (RRP) is RM859.
The new PS Vita system, featuring a more streamlined form factor and an 1GB internal memory card, is 20-percent slimmer and 15-percent lighter than the original version, making the portable entertainment system even easier to carry. In addition, a high-definition liquid crystal display (LCD) has been newly adopted for the 5-inch front display which is one of the PS Vita’s greatest features. Thanks to the rapid progress of LCD technology in recent years, the new display provides users with the highest-level image quality, perfect for deep and immersive gaming experience that is at the core of PS Vita. The new PS Vita system will come in six different colors of “Black”, “White”, “Lime green/White”, “Light blue/White”, “Pink/Black” and “Khaki/Black” to meet a variety of lifestyle and preferences for all ages.
Concurrently with the launch of the new PS Vita system on December 6, a new line-up of peripherals will be released, including the PS Vita Soft Case, PS Vita Cradle with Cable, and PS Vita Protective film, further enhancing the entertainment experience for PS Vita users.
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PlayStation®Vita PCH-2006 Series Product Specification

Platform name
PlayStation®Vita

Colour
Black, White, Lime green/White, Light blue/White, Pink/Black and Khaki/Black

Model number
PCH-2006 series

Release date
December 6, 2013

RRP
RM859

CPU
ARM® Cortex™-A9 core (4 core)

GPU
SGX543MP4+

Main memory
512MB

VRAM
128MB

External Dimensions
Approx. 183.6 x 85.1 x 15.0 mm (width x height x depth) (excludes largest projection)

Weight
Approx. 219g

Screen
(Touch screen)

5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, LCD
Multi touch screen (capacitive type)

Rear touch pad
Multi touch pad (capacitive type)

Cameras
Front camera, Rear camera
Frame rate : 120fps@320×240(QVGA), 60fps@640×480(VGA)
Resolution : Up to 640×480(VGA)

Sound
Built-in stereo speakers
Built-in microphone

Motion sensors
Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Three-axis electronic compass

Location
Wi-Fi location service support

Keys / Switches
PS button
Power button
Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)
Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
Shoulder buttons (Right/Left)
Right stick, Left stick
START button, SELECT button
Volume buttons (+/-)

Wireless communications
IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode)
Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR （A2DP/AVRCP/HSP）

Internal memory card
1GB*1

Slots/Ports
PlayStation®Vita card slot
Memory card slot
Micro USB port (Type B) (for USB data communication, DC IN, Headset jack (Stereo mini jack) (for Audio [Stereo Out / Mono In])

Power
Built-In Lithium-ion Battery: DC3.7V 2210mAh
AC adaptor: DC 5V

Included
PlayStation®Vita Wi-Fi model PCH-2000 series x 1
USB cable x 1, AC adapter x 1, AC power cord x 1 , Printed materials x 1

*1 The hard disk drive contains space that is available for users and space that is reserved for the system, therefore the actual space that is free for users is smaller than the total space stated here
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PlayStation®Vita TV
The PlayStation®Vita TV (PS Vita TV), which is a new entertainment system within the PlayStation® family, is confirmed to hit the Malaysian market on 16 January 2014, with the recommended retail price (RRP) is MYR469.00 while the “PS Vita TV Value Pack”, bundled with Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®3) will also be available on the same day at RRP of MYR689.00
The PS Vita TV is a new entertainment system within the PlayStation® family that will allow users to easily access various content on their TV at home. The new system adopts chip sets and system software of the PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system and its size is 6.5cm × 10.5cm, smallest of all PlayStation® platforms that connect to a TV.
PS Vita TV allows users to enjoy more than 600 software titles for PS Vita*1, and PlayStation®Plus membership service can be enjoyed on the system.
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Main features of the PS Vita TV system:
Vast lineup of software titles
PS Vita TV offers a vast lineup of 600 software titles*1 from PS Vita games, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) games and PlayStation® games from PSOne classics, including  all-time favorites to the latest blockbuster titles like GOD EATER 2 (NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.) and SOUL SACRIFICE DELTA (Sony Computer Entertainment).
PlayStation®4 (PS4™) remote play
As with PS Vita, PS Vita TV will also support PS4™ remote play and Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK®4) through future system software updates*2. This will allow users to enjoy most of the PS4™ games on PS Vita TV as if they are playing it on the PS4™ system.
Fun and Unique features of PS Vita TV

PS Vita TV users can play games with PS Vita users via Ad Hoc mode. Those users who are not playing but in the same room can enjoy the televised game play that the PS Vita TV users are playing.
Up to 2 DUALSHOCK®3 controllers can be connected to PS Vita TV, allowing users to enjoy multiplayer games from PS One classics titles.
Videos stored within Memory Card or those videos being played on the “Browser” of the PS Vita system*3 can easily be transferred to PS Vita TV to be viewed on the large TV screen. While being transferred, PS Vita can be used as a remote controller using the video player application.

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*1 As of Aug. Includes PS Vita games, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) games, PSOne classics (PlayStation® games). Since PS Vita is equipped with special features that cannot be supported on DUALSHOCK®3, such as touch screen, rear touch pad, motion sensors, camera, electronic compass and microphones, not all PS Vita games are playable on PS Vita TV. Supported titles differ by country and regions.
*2 Details will be announced when ready.
*3 Some movie files will not be transferrable or playable depending on the network environment and video data format.  Video downloaded from PlayStation®Store is not supported.  PS Vita TV and PS Vita needs to have the latest system software installed.
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PlayStation®Vita TV (PS Vita TV) Product Specification

Product name
PlayStation®Vita TV (PS Vita TV)

Color
White

Product code
VTE-1006 AB01

Release date
Thursday, January 16, 2014

RRP
MYR469

External dimensions
Approx. 65.0 × 105.0 × 13.6 mm (length × height × thickness)

Mass
Approx. 110g

CPU
ARM® Cortex™-A9 core (4core)

GPU
IMG SGX543MP4+

Main slots and connectors
PlayStation®Vita card slot
Memory card slot
USB connector (USB 2.0 Type A)
HDMI output port (HDMI-CEC)
LAN port (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX)

Wireless communication
IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n=1×1)  (Wi-Fi)
Bluetooth® 2.1＋EDR (A2DP,AVRCP,HSP,HID)

Internal memory card
1GB

AV output

720p, 1080i, 480p

Sound output
LPCM 2ch

Power
AC adaptor: DC 5V

Maximum rated power consumption

Approx. 2.8W

Included
PlayStation®Vita TV × 1
HDMI cable × 1, AC adaptor × 1. Power cord × 1, Printed materials × 1

* DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller is required to enjoy this product.
*The internal memory card contains space that is available for users and space that is reserved for the system, therefore the actual space that is free for users is smaller than the total space stated here
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PlayStation®Vita TV Value Pack

Product name
PlayStation®Vita TV (PS Vita TV) Value Pack

Product code
VTE-1006 AA01

Release date
Thursday, January 16, 2014

RRP
MYR689

Included
PlayStation®Vita TV × 1
HDMI cable × 1, AC adaptor × 1. Power cord × 1,
DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller PS Vita TV Edition (White)× 1,
USB cable × 1, Memory card 8GB × 1, Printed materials × 1

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More info at:
Website:  http://asia.playstation.com or http://www.sony.com.my
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PlayStationAsia
Photo credits: Sony Malaysia
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Editor’s Note – April 2016

[Editor’s Note]
It’s already April and the year seems to be flying by. Guess time goes faster when you’re having fun but I did notice that lately brands are being less active and running less marketing activations especially on-ground ones. That’s a sure sign that brands are preferring to hold on to their budgets in lieu of the current market situation.

Apart from the very soft market situation which has affected many brands and companies in the Malaysian market, the lack of confidence in the leadership has also added to the situation with foreign companies retrenching and withdrawing from Malaysia. Definitely not a good sign.

Anyway to assist SMEs and independent business owners, we at Malaysia’s Hottest Bloggers (https://hottestbloggers.com/about-us/) have come up with some special packages which are budget-friendly and cost-effective.

Drop me a line at timchew@myhotbloggers.com to find out more.

Maxis Oh Maxis…
It all started with a little thread in the Lowyat.net forum complaining about the Maxis plans in East Malaysia which happened to incense the Maxis customers in West Malaysia – https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3890167

And so it is that the power of digital media was displayed yet again and it didn’t take long for the post to go viral, shared thousands of times in Facebook. Many customers were quite unhappy with the situation and made their views known.

At this point, it wasn’t really a big issue to me as I was pretty satisfied with my two (2) Maxis plans and home broadband so I pretty much ignored the whole incident.

However Maxis then decided to make the statement below to address the issue at which point I took a greater interest.

I really have a thing against arrogant people and good grief – here was one (!) of the country’s leading telcos making an arrogant statement! After the whole Paradigm Mall incident and other social media mishaps, you’d think that social media managers in Malaysia would be more careful when making statements on their brand’s official social media page.

All it succeeded in doing was to add fuel to the flames with a statement that many regarded as being very arrogant. Of course, almost immediately people began bombarding this statement with very negative comments.

After almost six (6) days of endless bombardments, and what I also suspect is many people porting out from the telco (my Facebook newsfeed was full of updates of my friends saying they have switched and showing off their new non-Maxis SIM cards), Maxis CEO Morten and Head of Consumer Business Dushyan went on Facebook live to deliver this address.

But they seem to have missed the point entirely. It’s not that we customers want more data at the same price. We want better plans at a lower price and with more data, especially these days where the economy is bad, and with everyone trying to tighten their belts.
Looking at the new plans, I really don’t see any reason for staying any longer with Maxis. Why should I pay so much to get less data than what the other telcos are offering? Doesn’t make sense at all and there are no other significant benefits to make me stay. Sure years ago Maxis used to give me a new phone every two (2) years but that stopped in recent years.
As luck would have it – my contract with Maxis ends this month so I’m free to port out without having to pay any penalties! A real pity because I’ve been a loyal Maxis customer for so long but this is the last straw. I cannot in good conscience support an arrogant brand. Guess everything must come to an end eventually. Well that’s life right?

Häagen-Dazs Launches A New Flavour – Royal Milk Tea

The nice folks over at Häagen-Dazs Malaysia generously sent over three (3) pints of their new spring collection of flavours featuring the new Royal Milk Tea along with Coffee and Green Tea. Like all Häagen-Dazs flavours, the process of making the ice cream starts with French cream and milk from farms close to the factory, free-range eggs and sugar.
The Royal Milk Tea is billed as the “perfect blend of premium fresh and sweet Darjeeling tea and strong, malty and honey-like Assam tea to deliver the most delicate yet intense floral flavours”.
Ethan Lim, Marketing Director Southeast Asia at General Mills, stated, “Our tea leaves are handpicked throughout the summer months. The farmers growing and handling them have been doing so for many generations, bringing their expertise, experience and passion to deliver the finest blend every year. We treat our exceptional leaves gently, drying them carefully to preserve all of their qualities. From this, we blend our exceptional ice cream.”
Coffee is one of the first three (3) flavours that was debuted in 1961. The coffee which is sourced from Brazil, delivers delicate yet bold and earthy notes that Brazilian coffee beans are known for. The coffee hails from the low-lying areas of Espírito Santo and Rondônia from small family farms that cultivate coffee utilizing simple methods passed down over generations.
The Green Tea flavour made with the softest Matcha tea leaves handpicked from the South of Japan and grounded by stone mills. Häagen-Dazs incorporated the Way of Tea; an exquisite art form that involves the preparation, serving and drinking of tea in Japan, into the Green Tea ice cream to ensure that the intense and fragrant flavour of the green tea is tastefully infused into the ice-cream.
Personally I found the Royal Milk Tea a bit too sweet for my liking but then again I don’t really eat many sweet desserts. However I thought the Coffee was just lovely (I’m a coffee addict) while my partner in crime enjoyed the Green Tea (she’s also not a sweet tooth).
Stores across the country will be serving creations showcasing these three (3) flavours including; Banoffee Royale which serves layers of crunchy waffle cone pieces, fresh bananas, caramel sauce and the new Royal Milk Tea ice-cream, while the Chocolate Delight features a chocolate lava cake with Green Tea and Royal Milk Tea ice cream. Banofee Royale is also available as a take-away option.
CROISSANT SANDWICH – RM20 – Warm butter croissant filled with Haagen Daz Coffee and Vanilla ice creams, chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries
CHOCOLATE DELIGHT – RM33 – Decadent chocolate lava cake accompanied with Haagen Daz Royal Milk Tea and Green Tea ice cream.
COFFEE FLOAT – RM19 – Iced latte made from premium illy coffee and topped with Haagen Daz Coffee ice cream
MATCHA FLOAT – RM19 – A mix of Haagen Daz Green Tea ice cream and Sprite
CHAI TEA FRAPPE – RM19 – A blend of new Haagen Daz Royal Milk Tea ice cream and aromatic chai spices
BANOFFEE ROYALE – RM26 – Layers of crunchy waffle cone pieces, fresh bananas, caramel sauce and new Haagen Daz Royal Milk Tea ice cream

For more information, head over to www.facebook.com/HaagenDazs.Malaysia

Relaunch of Hide at The Roof

HIDE at The Roof Bandar Utama had its relaunch party on 8 and 9 April 2016 and I headed over to check out the new concept on Saturday, 9 April 2016. The interior is the same as before (with the “Avatar” tree still being the centrepiece) however instead of a gentlemen’s lounge concept it now features a live band which plays on the stage above the bar.
The live band was pretty good and played songs from the 90’s all the way up to the current hits. As opposed to the very open design of the bar/ lounge during its Signature by The Hill days, HIDE feels more cosy and feels more private. I like this new concept but only time will tell if the clientèle accepts it.

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Luminox Code Red Survival Course with Captain K.Bala of Malaysia International Search and Rescue

[Event]
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The Luminox Code Red Survival Course was a course that aimed to educate participants about the different scenarios that happened during various emergencies and taught them skills to overcome those situations. It emphasized the importance of teamwork and communication.  It was a gathering of 18 participants from Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, and was held on 18 June 2019 at the Code Red Academy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Before the course commenced, Luminox previewed their latest collections – ICE SAR Arctic 1200 Series, Navy SEAL 3600 Series, 30th Anniversary Sport Timer 0900 Series Limited Edition, as well as the special edition Malaysian International Search and Rescue (MISAR) collaborative timepiece.
Captain K.Bala, founder and chairman of MISAR, shared his experience and knowledge of search and rescue operation with the participants. As a well-known safety activist and emergency survival trainer, Captain K.Bala discovered that Luminox timepieces are suitable for his team as the Luminox Light Technology would allow them to keep track of the time in any lighting conditions during their mission.

Captain K.Bala, founder and chairman of MISAR

Participants were assigned into 4 groups, which were named after Luminox timepieces – Navy SEAL, ICE SAR, Commando Frogman and Sea Wolves, with 4-5 members. Before the start of the activities, everyone was given a Luminox timepiece to experience first-hand the durability of the watch. Luminox has a tag line ‘EVERY SECOND COUNTS’ where time is phrased as a matter of ‘life and death’. In order to communicate this message, each participant had to time hack their watch, which was to synchronise the time on their watch to the seconds.  Participants were given a time limit of 30 minutes for each activity which was based on simulating an emergency situation and emphasized the importance of every second during rescue operations. Participants were also graded on several factors throughout the activities, such as teamwork and communication skills.
There were a total of 6 stations. The first emergency simulated a road traffic accident (RTA) and this was one of the most common situations that occurred during flood and earthquake disasters. Therefore, RTA Casualty and RTA Extrication were two of the activities that participants managed to experience. RTA Casualty was a station where participants learnt to perform first aid and how to move a casualty into an ambulance. Participants were tested on how well they were able to work together while learning first aid skills. As for RTA Extrication, participants were taught on how to operate heavy duty equipment, such as cutter, chainsaw and rock drills in order to extricate a victim.

The Luminox Code Red Survival Course also allowed participants to have a first-hand experience to use equipment meant for search and rescue such as the firefighting gear as well as the hose from a Vehicle Fire Fighting.  Due to the strong surge of water from the hose, two participants operated the hose with one aiming the hose and the other assisting with the recoil. In another station that simulated a search and rescue operation, rescuers had to locate survivors among rubbles and debris using the ResQ17, a wide-angle rescue system with carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor. The system would locate survivors in the debris by detecting CO2 and a wide angle camera which enabled communication between the survivor and rescuer.

Rescue missions require extraction of casualties from different terrains and environments. In order to relate to such missions, participants were taught how to abseil down a tall structure and worked together to move casualties from the ground to a higher platform. This activity allowed the participants to face their fear of heights and helped them to understand the importance of teamwork in such operations.
Lastly, a Flood Operation Simulation exercise was simulated in the pool. In the pool, Captain K.Bala introduced the common methods on how they would rescue civilians during a flood. Equipment such as life buoyant and inflatable raft were used to stimulate such situations and participants took turns to roleplay as victim and rescuer.

Captain K.Bala also share more about MISAR’s efforts and its operations, his personal thoughts and experiences with the participants, such as his motivation for the field of work and how the operations benefited him and his team members. He also mentioned that he could relate to the current tag line of Luminox, EVERY SECOND COUNTS, as he have been in numerous life and death situations, in which every second counts translates to every life counts.

For more information, head over to www.crystaltime.com.sg
Photo Credits: Andy Kho Photography (http://andykho.com) for Crystal Time

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Mercedes-Benz STYLO Fashion Grand Prix 2015 Day 2 – 26 March 2015

[Fashion]

Attended the second day of the 8th Mercedes-Benz STYLO Fashion Grand Prix 2015 on 26 March 2015 which featured presentations by young, upcoming designers from various leading fashion schools in Malaysia. This was the first time that the Mercedes-Benz STYLO 2015 Fashion Grand Prix Emerging Designers Competition was a stand-alone show at the STYLO Fashion Grand Prix.
The MBSTYLOFGP 2015 Emerging Designers Competition saw the submission of over 100 entries, with only the 12 best participants shortlisted to enter the semi-finals in a tough selection process. The night was specially to showcase each of the finalists’ personal interpretation of this year’s theme, “Fashion Anarchy” and I must say that some pretty unorthodox designs ensued.

The Emerging Designers 2015 semifinals included a showcase of three (3) outfits by each of these budding designers following the theme “Fashion Anarchy”:

“Metal Armour” by Arun Chee of City University
“L.G.B.T” by Lim Yee Hooi
“Inner Strength” by Heah Hui Xuan of Equator College, Penang
“Hunger” by Vinnie Lie of Lim Kok Wing University College
Mohd Shafiq Md Karlan of Lim Kok Wing University College highlighted dark silhouettes through avant-garde designs
Muhammad Aizat of Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University (KLMU) raised the issue of civil liberties and human torture in his showcase
Yam Yih Hui of Saito created wonderful optical illusions through the art of distortion.
Ungku Alyssa of SMU’s designs were inspired by Japanese samurai armour as she crafted wearable art from rubber tyres and polyurethane fabrics.
Felix of SML created dramatic and elegant designs inspired by a riot scene and Adele’s hit single, “SkyFall”
Nur Syahira of SMU played with the contrasting elements of yin and yang in her collection
Michelle Chia of INTI University College sought fashion inspiration through dinosaur fossils
Zoe Fang of SML used varying intricate weaving patterns of the Macrame knot to portray her concept, “Insurgent”.

The night also saw a special showcase by last year’s winner Yona Yuliani Hutari and runner-up Wee Su Gee, who presented a collection featuring a mixture of colours and prints.
The judges for the night were Datuk Nancy Yeoh (President & CEO of STYLO International), Mr Roland Folger (President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia), Ms Aureen Jean Nonis (Director of Llifestyle Section, Matrade), Mr. Izwan Zainuddin (Chief Investment Officer of MyCreative Ventures), Datin Hjh Sabrina Laila (Head of Encorp Strand Mall), Datin Winnie Loo (Founder and Chief Creative Director A Cut Above Group of Salons & Academy), Bon Zainal (reigning MBSTYLOFGP Designer of the Year & Vice President of the Bumiputera Designers Association) and Ms Judy Raine (wife of Mark Raine, VP Sales & Marketing Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
The competition has produced some young, creative designers since its inception in 2010,, and past winners have had the opportunity to travel the world with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia‘s World Fashion Exchange with STYLO during its 125th Anniversary 3 years ago, which resulted in the winners winning a showcase at the fashion weeks in Mexico City and Prague.
Since 2013, Mercedes-Benz and STYLO International previewed the first Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asian Fashion Week (MBSAFW) to showcase designers from Malaysia and Asia where the top 3 winners of the Emerging Designers Competition earned a spot to showcase their designs. The MBSTYLOAFW was initiated to allow Asian and local designers with exceptional talent to debut their collection on a larger, cohesive platform. Since then, the MBSTYLOAFW has grown to form the Malaysia Fashion Week which marked its debut in 2014 as a national and international B2B trade event.
Mr Roland Folger quoted, “Mercedes-Benz as a purveyor of fashion has always encouraged and nurtured young talents. This competition acts as a springboard for the most promising of design hopefuls. We are happy to continue to cultivate these young designers, who have the potential to be on par with international designers around the world.”
Datuk Nancy Yeoh added, “We, Malaysians are big on talent. Every year, I am amazed by the irrepressible passion and depth of creativity among our young emerging designers. Since we began this annual search some 4 years ago, the competition has leapfrogged to be one of the most anticipated events with fashion design schools across the country,”
The winners of this year’s competition were announced during the Gala Night at MBSTYLOFGP 2015 winning prize money by MyCreative Ventures (a government investment arm to spur Malaysia’s creative industry) and a platform to create and showcase their first collection at the Malaysia Fashion Week 2015 later this year.

Photo credits: Andy Kho Photography (www.andykho.com) and author’s own
.

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Sony New Camera 2013 Launch

[Tech & Gadgets]
As most of you would have noticed by now that I really like photography so it was with much glee that I headed over to Hilton KL Sentral on 17 September 2013 for the Sony New Camera 2013 Launch.
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MC of the event Julie Woon with Lisa Surihani and Zizan Raja Lawak
The gorgeous Lisa Surihani relating her experience with the Sony NEX 5T
Zizan Raja Lawak relating his experience
Then Sony’s range of digital imaging products including new and existing products were unveiled!

One of the stars of the launch was the Sony NEX-5T. Here’s a shot that I took using the NEX-5T on i-Auto mode.

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I actually really like the NEX-5T in terms of size and portability. The NEX-5T is a large-sized APS-C sensor with 16.1 effective megapixels that grabs more light than the small sensor in ordinary compact cameras. The result is richly-detailed DSLR-quality stills and Full HD video, with ultra-low picture noise for crisper twilight shots and atmospheric interiors.

Wi-Fi lets you connect the NEX-5T with your smartphone, PC or TV and wirelessly transfer photos or videos . It’s also the first interchangeable lens E-mount camera from Sony with NFC, giving the extra convenience of One-touch wireless connection with Android smartphones and tablets for easy sharing and even remote control of the camera. There’s no set-up needed – simply touch your mobile device against the NEX-5T and a wireless connection’s made instantly. Embedded Smart Remote Control lets you trigger shutter release from your smartphone: it’s great for group shots when you don’t want to be left out of the action.
The advanced Fast Hybrid AF combines phase-detection autofocus to track fast-moving subjects with contrast-detection AF to deliver a winning combination that delivers speedy, accurate focusing.
Girls will love the tiltable LCD screen that flips up to 180° for a comfortable view with the camera held at arm’s length. There are also tools to assist with selfies such as the Auto Portrait Framing that cropps your composition for polished results, and a digital level gauge that makes it easy to keep horizons steady and true.
The NEX-5T offers extra flexibility with its dedicated control dial (that can be set to control step zoom!) and assignable Fn button for instant recall of frequently-needed functions.
For the more artistic minded user, there’s the PlayMemories Camera Apps that add more fun and exciting functions to NEX-5T, by allowing you to choose from a choice of free and paid-for picture effects and handy utilities.

A brand-new Lens Compensation app lets expert users save and apply subtle image corrections for different lenses. Adjustable correction can be applied to compensate for peripheral shading, chromatic aberration and barrel/pincushion distortion.
Smart Remote Control is now updated to Version 2.0, adding Autofocus control directly from the touchscreen of your linked smartphone or tablet (requires installation of latest version of PlayMemories Mobile). There’s even more power over your image with fingertip adjustments for EV compensation, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. In addition, MF Assist lets you accurately check focus of portraits and macro shots on your phone or tablet’s large screen.
Also updated, Direct Upload Version 2.0 streamlines photo transfers to social networking services wherever there’s a Wi-Fi hotspot handy . Installing the Flickr Add-on now allows direct image uploads to Flickr.
To complement the NEXT-6T there’s a range of optional accessories offer protection for the camera. Exclusively designed in a range of colours to fit the NEX-5T and NEX-5R, the LCJ-EBA is a thin and light Body Jacket that also allows full use of the NFC function offered by the NEX-5T. The LCS-BBK Soft Carrying Case slips easily into a travel bag. The LCS-EMJ Soft Carrying Case features an expandable zipper section to accommodate different sizes of attached lens. The versatile BC-QM1 Battery Charger can quickly charge batteries for recent and Handycam® models, and also can supply power to your smartphone via USB. The ACC-PFW1 Accessory Kit includes the PCK-LS1EM LCD Protect Sheet to keep fingerprints at bay, plus the VF-K405MP MC Protector (40.5mm diameter) and NP-FW50 Rechargeable Battery Pack.
The NEX-5T camera is currently available at SRP RM2,299.00
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Specifications Sheet

NEX-5T

General
Camera Type
Interchangeable lens digital camera

Lens compatibility
Sony E-mount lenses

Image Sensor
Type
APS-C type (23.5 x 15.6mm), ExmorTM APS HD CMOS sensor

Number of pixels (effective)
Approx. 16.1 megapixels

Recording system (still image)
Recording format
JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format)

Image quality modes
RAW/RAW+JPEG/JPEG Fine/JPEG Standard

Picture Effect
11 types (15 variations): Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R,G,B,Y), High Contrast Mono, Toy Camera, Soft High-key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Mono, Miniature

Recording system (movie)
Recording format
AVCHD format Ver. 2.0 compliant

MP4

Video compression
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
 MPEG-4 AVC/H.264

Audio recording format
Dolby Digital (AC-3) 2ch
 MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2ch

Movie recording system (AVCHD)
1920 x 1080(50p, 28M, PS)
Approx.28Mbps(Max bit-rate)

1920 x 1080(50i, 24M, FX)
Approx.24Mbps(Max bit-rate)

1920 x 1080(50i, 17M, FH)
Approx.17Mbps(Average bit-rate)

1920 x 1080(25p, 24M, FX)
Approx.24Mbps(Max bit-rate)

1920 x 1080(25p, 17M, FH)
Approx.17Mbps(Average bit-rate)

Recording system
Media
Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo/Memory Stick XC-HG Duo/SD memory card/SDHC memory card/SDXC memory card

Focus system
Type
Fast Hybrid AF(phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF)

Focus point
99 points(phase-detection AF)/25 points(contrast-detection AF)

Tracking Focus
Yes

Exposure control
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)
Still images: ISO100 to 25600, AUTO (ISO100 to 3200), Movies:ISO100 to 6400 equivalent, AUTO(ISO100 to 3200 equivalent)

LCD screen
Type
7.5cm (3.0-type) wide type TFT

Touch panel
Yes, pressure-sensitive type

Number of dots (total)
921,600 dots

Adjustable angle
Up by approx. 180 degrees, Down by approx. 50 degrees

Other Features
Auto Portrait Framing and Self-Portrait; Face Detection and Smile Shutter; Superior AUTO; Sweep Panorama (2D); Auto HDR; DRO; Hand-held Twilight; Creative Styles; Photo Creativity;  Wi-Fi; USB Charge; PlayMemories Camera Apps (in qualifying countries); NFC

Digital zoom
Smart zoom (Still images)
M:approx. 1.4x, S:approx 2x

Digital zoom (Still images)
Approx. 4x

Digital zoom (Movie)
Approx. 4x

SteadyShot™ INSIDE
Type
Not supported (image stabilization supported on lens

Drive
Speed (approx., max.) *1
Continuous mode: max. 3 fps

Speed Priority Continuous shooting: max. 10 fps

Power
Still images *
Approx. 330 images (CIPA standard)

Dimensions
mm (WxHxD) excluding protrusions
Approx. 110.8mm x 58.8mm x 38.9mm

*1 Varies according to shooting conditions or memory card used
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The lovely Weena Marcus and Franklene
The pretty Jenvine Ong with a colleague

I’ve written about the QX lenses previously but in case you missed that here’s some info on it again. The DSC-QX100 and DSC-QX10 attach in a moment with the supplied smartphone attachment that fits several popular smartphone models (width 54-75mm/ max. thickness 13mm). Connection to your phone is made via Wi-Fi or simply use NFC and the lens will connect to the Sony PlayMemories Mobile application.
The Cyber-shot™ DSC-QX10 weighs just 105g (with battery and Memory Stick Micro), partners an 18.2 effective megapixel Exmor R™ CMOS sensor with a high-quality Sony G Lens equipped with 10x optical zoom range
The Cyber-shot™ DSC-QX100 features a large 1.0-type Exmor R™ CMOS sensor with 20.2 effective megapixels, and a wide-aperture Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with 3.6x optical zoom with Optical SteadyShot. Both the DSC-QX100 and DSC-QX10 are equipped with the BIONZ processor, and you do not need to have the phone and camera attached. Place the Cyber-shot™ exactly where you want it, and fire the shutter direct from your mobile phone. I’m guessing a lot of girls will use this for self-portraits aka selfies.
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More info at http://www.sony.com.my
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Rihanna ♥ Chopard & Ice Cube Pure Launch Party

[Luxury Fashion]

Swiss luxury jewellery and watch brand Chopard threw a big party on 30 September 2017 at Pavilion KL to announce its collaboration with superstar singer, Rihanna on its latest jewellery collection named, Rihanna ♥ Chopard. The 9-piece collection is crafted from 18ct rose ethical gold certified Fairmined, and will be available with icy polished or diamond set gold cubes with Jungle Green coloured ceramic. Chopard’s new fine jewellery iteration inspired by similar clean geometric lines, called Ice Cube Pure, is also available at a more accessible value.
At the launch party, Chopard orchestrated a string of performances that reflected Rihanna’s effortless confidence starting with a hip hop themed flash mob routine, followed by mini Sheila Majid, Kayda, a rising hip hop rapper and singer, who treated guests to a few Rihanna remixes, and DJ Goldfish & Blink on the decks.
Guests were kept entertained by performances and activities such as shooting a vogue loop video with Chopard’s latest Ice Cube messenger bag, which will be available in stores at the end of the year. Chopard’s claw machine was also a hit among guests, with many trying their luck for a chance to win a Chopard teddy bear, while sweet-tooths tried their hand at making their own cotton candy.

Kayda and dancers

The Chopard claw machine
Everyone wanted to bring home a Chopard teddy bear

Cherrie Mun, Nana Law, Daphne Tan, Khye Fuie, Ashley Lau
DJ Goldfish, DJ Sally & DJ Blink

Siti Saleha & Ahmad Lutfi Azhar
Siti Saleha
Fyza Kadir
Frennee Sin, Nicole Fu & Friends

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 Tonight at Rihanna 🖤 Chopard. 👜 @chopard . 👗 @rentadress_kl . 📰 @pamper.my . . . . #chopard #chopardparty #rihannaloveschopard #flyingindance #rentadress #RADinsider #fashionblogger
A post shared by  ᴰʳ. 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙚 (@flying.in.dance) on Sep 30, 2017 at 5:44am PDT

The vogue loop video booth was also very popular among guests!

Sarah Intan, Andre Amir & Ryzal Jaafar
Sarah Intan, Nana Law, Cherrie Mun & Ferra Rossa,
Ian Yussof & Zac Daniel
Joey & Wong Xiao Le
Kelly Tan & friend

The Rihanna ♥ Chopard collection is available now at Chopard Pavilion and KLCC boutiques:

Lot 2.24 and 3.26 Levels 2&3, Pavillon Kuala Lumpur
168, Jalan Bukit Bintang,
Kuala Lumpur, 55100, Malaysia.
Telephone: +60 (3) 2145 3611 /-4611

Lot G42, Ground Floor, Suria KLCC,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
Kuala Lumpur, 50088, Malaysia.
Telephone: +60 (3) 2166 3193 /-8193

More info at https://www.chopard.com/
Photos courtesy of Chopard Malaysia.

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Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L Launched in Malaysia

[Automotive News]

Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, today launched the latest addition to the (immensely popular in Malaysia) Ranger line-up – the Ford Ranger Wi2ldtrak 2.2L – which is now available at all showrooms nationwide.
The new Ford Ranger Wi2ldtrak 2.2L is priced at RM127,8881 (*RM133,8882 – for Sabah & Sarawak) inclusive of GST, on-the-road without insurance and for private registration, the new Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L gives Malaysian consumers an additional option in the renowned Ranger range of tough, capable and versatile pickup trucks at a lower pricepoint.
“The Ranger continues to be a Malaysian favourite, and the Wildtrak 2.2L will give Ranger customers even more choice to own the toughest, most capable pickup truck in the market,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, managing director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion.
The Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L is powered by a turbocharged 2.2-litre Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi diesel engine that balances power and fuel efficiency, while putting out maximum power of 160PS at 3,000 rpm and peak torque of 385 Nm at 1,600 to 2,600 rpm. Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the improved engine has been carefully calibrated to deliver significant savings to drivers over the life of the vehicle, while also providing the power Ranger customers demand.
Featuring the same muscular, distinctive exterior and modern, smart and functional interior as its (larger engine capacity) Ranger siblings, the 2.2L variant also includes a full array of smart and safety features such as SYNC 3 connectivity with Apple Carplay and Android Auto support for enhanced convenience. Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system also provides precise steering at higher speeds while offering more control for low-speed manoeuvring.
As with all Rangers, the Wildtrak 2.2L is designed and engineered to handle the most extreme terrains with ease with class-leading 800mm water-wading capability, 235mm ground clearance, exceptional payload capacity and unbeatable towing ability of 3,500kg.

A more aggressive exterior design gives the Ford Ranger Wildtrak its tough yet sophisticated look, while the stylish interior creates a comfortable, contemporary and car-like environment ideal for work, everyday driving and off-the-grid adventures during weekends or holidays.
The Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L offers the same suite of smart technologies and safety features as the 3.2L variant which includes:

SYNC 3 the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system with an eight-inch touchscreen, giving drivers smarter and safer ways to stay connected using natural voice commands
A 240-volt power socket that can be used to power a laptop or tablet computer anywhere
Lane Departure Warning alerts drivers with a vibration in the steering wheel if it detects the vehicle straying from its lane. If no action is taken to correct the drift, Lane Keeping Aid applies steering torque to guide the vehicle back into its lane
Adaptive Cruise Control makes use of radar sensors to adjust to the flow of traffic. Once the cruising speed is set, it decelerates automatically when traffic slows down and returns to the pre-set speed when the road clears ahead
Adjustable Speed Limiter helps ensure drivers avoid unintentionally exceeding the maximum speed that has been pre-selected
Forward Collision Alert & Mitigation by Brakes lets out a chime and flashes a visual warning on the windscreen when it detects a high probability of a collision. The system also pre-charges the brakes for enhanced stopping power
4×4 shift on the fly allows for switching between 2WD and 4WD High or Low mode with a knob on the centre console
Electronic locking rear differential helps lock rear wheels together to improve traction in difficult conditions
MyKey system allows owners to customise car settings including top speed, audio volume and seatbelt reminders
Electronic Stability Program with traction control, rollover mitigation and trailer sway control helps to keep the vehicle under control even in adverse conditions
Hill Launch Assist makes steep grades safer to maintain a constant speed while descending
Hill Descent Control helps drivers confidently start off from a slope
Adaptive Load Control calculates the weight and centre of gravity when hauling a load further optimising safety and driving performance
Rear view camera with front and rear parking sensors
Emergency Brake Assist
Six airbags (dual front, side and curtain)
Volumetric burglar alarm system
Immobiliser
ISOFIX mounting points for child seats

The new Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L also comes with an early bird offer of two (2) years/40,000km (whichever comes first) free service and maintenance, and comes in three colours namely Cool White, Pride Orange and Shadow Black.
To celebrate the launch of the Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L and SDAC’s 10-year anniversary, customers who register to purchase any Ranger model from now to 30 June 2018 will stand to win a grand prize of one (1) Ford Fiesta 1.5L Sport. There are also 15 units of Huawei Mate 10 Pro smartphones up for grabs. Winners will be determined through monthly lucky draw, with five (5) smartphones to win each month. The grand prize winner will be announced after the final draw in June.
Additionally, specially designed ‘Built Tough’ luggage tags are available for test drive of any Ford models during the campaign period.
For more information, head over to http://www.sdacford.com.my
Visuals courtesy of Ford Malaysia (SDAC).
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Girls of the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 (KLIMS 2018)

[Special Feature]
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While the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 (KLIMS 2018) is an exciting showcase of the latest cars and automobiles from various brands including Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, DS, Citroen, Kia, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, Nissan and more, there are also a whole bevy of beauties that add that extra glamour to the show.
There were plenty of new faces at KLIMS 2018, however there were also some familiar faces who have been in the industry for quite a while such as popular Instagrammer and social media influencer Crystal Swung who was a major hit with many photographers, as were Germaine Ong and Joyce Low, proving that they could easily not only keep up with the young early 20’s girls but even outshine them!
The Hyundai booth though garnered lots of attention as Hyundai Malaysia brought in some Korean models to supplement the leggy local models!
Here’s a look at some of the beautiful girls, car models and brand ambassadors at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 (KLIMS 2018) that added some life and excitement to the dazzling and gleaming machines on display.

Boon Siew Honda

There was never going to be any way for any girl to upstage the gorgeous Germaine Ong who is a firm favourite among many press photographers and journalists.

Instagrammer and social media influencer Crystal Swung was also a favourite among the media

While the sweet Joyce Low is one of the nicest girls you’ll ever meet!

Maggy Wang (AKA Magdeline Wang) from Fly FM was the MC at the Boon Siew Honda booth.

Lexus

Photo by Andy Kho – andykho.com 2018
The girls at the Lexus booth were stunningly elegant in their long gowns – matching the luxury marquee’s lineup of vehicles on display.

Photo by Andy Kho – andykho.com 2018
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Toyota
Toyota debuted their all new Camry

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Ford

Honda

The beautiful Jun Wong from Astro was the MC at the Honda booth

Proton
Proton’s new X70 drew a lot of attention!

Kia Motors

Hyundai

The Korean models at the Hyundai booth were the centre of attention!

DS
Photo by Andy Kho – 2018 andykho.com
                   Photo by Andy Kho – 2018 andykho.com            Photo by Andy Kho – 2018 andykho.com

Nissan

Mitsubishi

Isuzu

Benelli

Other (Non-Manufacturer) Booths

Photo credits: MHB’s co-founder and principal photographer Andy Kho (www.andykho.com), Spiel Chow, and author’s own
.

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HTC Sensation Launch 210611

[Preview – full post to follow soon]

More photos on my Facebook page (click here).

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User Review – Lenovo A7000

[Tech & Gadgets]
https://instagram.com/p/2-Qj5OSF6i/

After the media launch of the Lenovo A7000 (which you can read here – https://timchew.net/2015/06/04/lenovo-a7000-launched-in-malaysia/ ), I got my hands on a unit which I brought around with me.
First up I asked my Malaysia’s Hottest Bloggers girls to try it out.
Girls being girls, the first thing they tried was the selfie function which has beauty mode.
Stephanie giving it a go.

 View this post on Instagram

 MHB's @stephiielim trying out the Lenovo A7000's 5MP front camera that has in-camera beauty mode! #Lenovo #lenovoMY #A7000 #timchewlenovo #hotties #asiangirls #MYHottestBloggers
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 23, 2015 at 6:30am PDT

And here’s her pic.

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 MHB's @stephiielim taking an artsy shot with the #Lenovo A7000's 5MP front camera. The 5.5" screen smartphone has dual SIM card slots and retails at only RM699! #nofilter #lenovomy #lenovoa7000 #A7000 #TimChewLenovo
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 5, 2015 at 10:49pm PDT

Then Jenny used it for a selfie.

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 MHB's @jennyma278 trying out the Lenovo A7000's 5MP front camera with in-camera beauty mode. The #Lenovo #A7000 comes with a 5.5" screen, dual SIM card slots, Dolby Atmos, and is priced at just RM699.00! #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo #smartphone #dolbyatmos
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 6, 2015 at 8:57pm PDT

Here are some of my photos taken with the phone’s rear camera which I uploaded to Instagram.

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 Admiring the cars at the Naza Italia showroom relaunch cocktail and dinner. Photo shot with the #Lenovo A7000. #nofilter #LenovoMY #A7000 #Ferrari #TimChewLenovo #nazaitalia #wordsarenotenough
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 16, 2015 at 6:26pm PDT

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 Butter poached Alaskan King Crab, celeriac, almonds, carrot, turnip, and a Chanterelle mushroom veloute. Photo shot with the Lenovo A7000. #A7000 #LenovoMY #nofilter #TimChewLenovo #lenovo #alaskankingcrab
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Aug 7, 2015 at 3:08am PDT

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 #Ferrari #nazaitalia  Photo shot with the #Lenovo #A7000 #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo #nofilter #wordsarenotenough
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 28, 2015 at 3:20am PDT

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 #chocolate #icecream #pancakes Photo shot with the #Lenovo #A7000  #nofilter #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 27, 2015 at 7:55am PDT

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 Dim sum with @reginatzyyjen Photo shot with the #Lenovo A7000 #nofilter #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo #A7000 #dimsum
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 20, 2015 at 2:14am PDT

https://instagram.com/p/5Lc6GsSF63/
https://instagram.com/p/5CkBCrSFwz/

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 Steamed Live Mussels Shucked Style with cream, garlic and fine herbs. Photo shot with the #Lenovo #A7000  #nofilter #timchewlenovo #lenovomy  #shuckedoysterbars #fuelforlove
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jul 6, 2015 at 3:28am PDT

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 Very satisfied after having my fill of Black Thorn and Musang King at Durian King at the open air carpark of Pasar Besar TTDI, Kuala Lumpur. Photo shot with the Lenovo A7000. #durian #blackthorn #nofilter #lenovomy #lenovo #A7000 #TimChewLenovo
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 30, 2015 at 8:08am PDT

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 Yesterday Ferrari, today #Jaguar ! At the launch of the new Jaguar SISMA Auto 3S Centre in Glenmarie. Photo shot with the #Lenovo  A7000 #nofilter #lenovoMY #timchewlenovo #A7000
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 16, 2015 at 9:28pm PDT

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 A shot of the #Petronas Twin Towers from Traders Hotel using the #Lenovo A7000. #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo #A7000 #nofilter #tradershotelkl
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 10, 2015 at 7:58am PDT

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 Food review at Tim Ho Wan 1 Utama. Photo shot with the Lenovo A7000. #lenovo #A7000 #LenovoMY #TimChewLenovo #nofilter #timhowan
A post shared by  Tim Chew (@timchew1311) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:49am PDT

Apart from the pretty decent camera (for a smartphone at this pricepoint!), another cool feature of the A7000 is the Dolby Atmos sound which gives you rich and clear sound when you plug in a good pair of speakers or headphones.
The A7000 comes in two colours: Onyx Black or Pearl White at the recommended retail price of RM699.00
More info at http://shopap.lenovo.com/my/en/smartphones/a-series/a7000/

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GUESS New White Concept Store KLCC Launch

[Event]

Rachel and I headed over to Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur on 5 May 2016 for the opening of GUESS Malaysia’s first white concept store in Suria KLCC. The store covers a total of approximately 2,300 square feet and houses women and men ready-to-wear, handbags, timepieces, jewelry and accessories.
GUESS was established in 1981 and initially began as a jeans company. It has since successfully grown into a global lifestyle brand and today, Guess?, Inc. designs, markets, distributes and licenses a lifestyle collection of contemporary apparel, denim, handbags, watches, footwear and other related consumer products.
Guess? products are distributed through branded Guess? stores as well as better department and specialty stores in 95 countries around the world. As of 30 January 2016, the company directly operated over 800 retail stores in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The company’s licensees and distributors operated approximately 800 additional retail stores worldwide and in Malaysia FJ Benjamin operates the stores here.
In line with the restyled global denim-concept store launched in 2016, the new GUESS store provides an exciting and inspiring atmosphere. The clean, bright white themes, featuring contrasting materials and glamorous details, provides a contemporary feel, while flexible modular panels make for a dynamically changing shopping experience.
The new layout celebrates the GUESS heritage through imagery while enhancing the focus on product displays. White shelving along the walls host the brand’s clothing, while handbags and shoes are featured throughout the store and accessories, are displayed in sleek central display. The store also features fully-accessorized ‘must-have’ looks, with the GUESS logo making every style instantly recognizable.

 Rachel with Amber Chia
 Serena C spotted inside the store
 Michelle Loh
 Rachel with Yukiko Tan

Below are more photos from the launch courtesy of GUESS Malaysia (FJ Benjamin).
Click on the individual photos to open a larger version.

For more information, head over to www.guess.com

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Editor’s Note – June 2017

[Editor’s Note]
Xixili Lingerie Fashion Show 2017 – Wanderlust, Come Away With Me

XIXILI unveiled their Spring Summer 2017 Collections in its 5th annual lingerie fashion show themed “Wanderlust, Come Away With Me” at Makespace, Quill City Mall on 18 May 2017. The theme was inspired by the Spring Summer 2017 campaign shoot taken in Bali; capturing the outdoor serenity with natural daylight; breezy weather; nonchalant poses and effortless styling.

 Jenn Chia (Instagrammer and social media celebrity @soimjenn) hosted the show and surprised the crowd with an opening song performance – ‘Tonight You Belong To Me’ with her ukulele
 A 4-piece live band led by Xiong entertained the guests with the best bossa nova summer music

The show  featured a total of 56 lingerie sets from everyday basic wear to those for special occasions with an extensive of brassieres styles and loungewear. This season’s colour palette is dominated by shades of pastel pink, sweet ivory and champagne gold, all with an array of intertwined delicate embroidery laces and lustre microfiber fabrics. This season’s collection also included statement lingerie pieces in animal leopard prints – for the tigress woman in corporate or in the bedroom.

 A total of 56 sets were showcased during the show
Official partners for the event included hair styling by Number 76, makeup by Benefit Cosmetics, venue by Makespace (which is essentially an empty lot in Quill City Mall), Arimino Tokyo, Juiceworks, PST Travel, Saito College and Strip Malaysia.
Photos courtesy of XIXILI.

Jalan Jalan Cari Makan – Mian at Sunwaymas Commercial Centre

Weekends are the times where I go food hunting with my friends/ partner and last weekend it was Mian in Sunwaymas Commercial Centre which serves up some really good kampua noodles!

 Lovely char siew!
 Decent siew yoke
 Vietnamese drip coffee

Mian is located at:
No 9-1, Jalan PJU 1/3C,
Sunwaymas Commercial Centre,
47301 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatmian.my/

The photos were shot with the Panasonic Lumix LX10 which is quite the little pocket rocket – an all-round pretty capable compact with lovely colour reproduction in good lighting.
 Panasonic Lumix LX10
To find out more about the camera, head over to http://www.panasonic.com/my/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras/advanced-creative/dmc-lx10.html

Stupidity vs Ignorance
STUPIDITY
noun
behavior that shows a lack of good sense or judgment.
“I can’t believe my own stupidity”
synonyms: lack of intelligence, foolishness, denseness, brainlessness, ignorance, dull-wittedness, slow-wittedness, doltishness, slowness; More
the quality of being stupid or unintelligent.
“a comedy of infantile stupidity”

IGNORANCE
noun
lack of knowledge or information.
“he acted in ignorance of basic procedures”
synonyms: incomprehension of, unawareness of, unconsciousness of, unfamiliarity with, inexperience with, lack of knowledge about, lack of information about; informalcluelessness about
“a statement that shows a complete ignorance of the regulations”
lack of knowledge, lack of education, unenlightenment, illiteracy;
lack of intelligence, stupidity, foolishness, idiocy
“both ignorance and poverty contribute to the growing problem of forced child labor”

For the longest time, I thought they were one and the same. However over the past couple of years, as more and more politicians as well as individuals linked to certain parties in our fair land started making stupid statements, I discovered the difference.
The stupid statements were meant to fool the ignorant citizens which allowed the person/ party making the stupid statement to get away with whatever stupid/ unethical/ immoral/ criminal act they perpetrated.
Guess the jokes on us in the end. It’s time the citizens of our fair land cast off the cloak of ignorance and hold the people accountable for their misdeeds. Failure to do so will see the country going to the dogs.
.

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GUESS Men’s Holiday 2015 Collection

[Fashion]
Here’s a look at the latest GUESS Men’s Holiday 2015 collection.
Black Basics

Statement Red

Party Pieces

Denim Staples

Blue Hues

Classic Checks

Minimal Whites

Grey Comforts

More info at www.guess.com

Images courtesy of FJ Benjamin (Malaysia).

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