Italian Design Day 2022

[News]

The Italian Design Day marked its 6th edition at Maristar, Starhill Kuala Lumpur on 23 March 2022 with a guest list from various professional backgrounds, high-level personalities from the local business and entrepreneurial community, representatives of the growing, demanding and affluent Malaysian society, as well as journalists and influencers.
Innovating design with sustainable technologies is the keyword that resonates loud and clear in the ‘Made in Italy’ playbook going forward in the post-pandemic world. The insightful event was hosted by the Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency. Focusing on the connection between the excellence of Italian design and its sustainable efforts to reduce environmental impact, while forging partnerships with local industry players to create impressive craftsmanship, this year’s event was organized in a new format conceived by Ambassador Massimo Rustico, who invited prominent Italian brands to share their testimonies according to this year’s theme – Regeneration. Design and New Technologies for a Sustainable Future. It highlighted the timely challenges that design is facing: functionality, sustainability and reduced environmental impact in lifestyle practices.
The hybrid event included speakers from world-renowned Italian companies such as Ducati, the icon of motorcycles and Moto GP with Andrea Ferraresi, the Director of Ducati Centro Stile; Mangusta, which offers luxury Italian mega yachts from producer Overmarine with Francesca Ragnetti and Sara Todde; Technogym, the world’s leading fitness equipment with Cristian Brugnoli; Armarior, luxury furnishing and fittings with Principal Architect and Project Director Pedram Fotouhi; and Permasteelisa, the global player of high-tech glass facades for skyscrapers, including the future iconic “Megatall” Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, with Camille Hochaime and Pietro Di Genova.

Maristar at Starhill Kuala Lumpur was the chosen venue for the event
Italian Ambassador Massimo Rustico (far left)
Ambassador Massimo Rustico highlighted the importance of the ‘Made in Italy’ as one of the driving forces behind the Italian economic system and the fact that Italy’s manufacturing industry is the second largest in Europe. “The Italian Design Day has, over the years, established itself as an effective tool for promoting Italian designs internationally, becoming a catalyst for our exports in various strategic sectors. The goal is to conceive new products and new processes based on sustainable technologies in accordance with the concept of promoting a circular economy”. He also lauded Malaysia as a great partner to Italy and aims to promote more bilateral ties in trade and investments.
Franco Caimi, the “Ambassador of Italian Design”, CEO of Caimi Brevetti and one of the most important design-oriented producers of furniture and components in Europe, highlighted the importance of sustainability and design – not just using recyclable materials but going beyond design with the clever use of technology. He also emphasized how sustainability is now one of the key guidelines for design, and how the environmental impact of products must become one of the essential requirements of design. “Made in Italy is synonymous with the identity of our country and many elements such as literature, architecture and culture have contributed to the creation of a unique vision of life and things, which is the basis of Italian creativity and design”. Mr. Caimi went on to provide some examples of Italian design districts: Lombardy (with Milan, the capital of design and fashion, and Brianza, the cradle of the furniture industry), Veneto (with its tradition in glassmaking, sports equipment production and advanced construction elements like those produced by Permasteelisa), Emilia Romagna (with its long tradition in the luxury automotive industry: Ferrari, Lamborghini, and of course the great Ducati, the ceramic and the wellness industry represented by names like Technogym), Tuscany (with leather production from the likes of Gucci and Prada, the marble production in Carrara, or that of luxury yachts by Mangusta). Caimi Brevetti collaborates with the most renowned Italian and international designers and architects, as well as with emerging young creatives to produce products for domestic, office and contract sectors.
Andrea Ferraresi, Director of Ducati Centro Stile introduced the world of Ducati, introducing the company’s golden rules of design, which dictate that all products coming out from the Borgo Panigale factory near Bologna must be essential, compact, sensual, recognizable and sporty. The company has, in fact, the ambition to set the highest targets not only in terms of sporting results but also in terms of design and innovation combined with passion for beauty and well-being and, with sustainability in mind, has entered into the electric world with its electric racing motorcycle (the MotoE bike), with the goal of making electric motorcycles that are both high-performance and characterized by their lightness.
The Italian yachting industry as a whole is a crown jewel of the Made in Italy and a bright example of Italian excellence in this field is the Overmarine group, which builds open and displacement power super yachts, from 22 to 65 metres in length, and has delivered more than 300 super luxury yachts during its 30 years of operation. Francesca Ragnetti and Sara Todde, respectively Sales Manager and Style & Design Manager for the brand Mangusta, illustrated their range of products, highlighting the versatility and customizability of their designs and materials, which translate into unique vessels of ultimate taste, refinement, beauty and navigability.
With Malaysia being one of the most important trading hubs in the ASEAN region and acting as an essential gateway for Italian companies into the Asia market, the benefits of bilateral partnerships between Italy and Malaysia were well-highlighted in the presentation by Pedram Fotouhi, the Principal Architect and Project Director of Armarior. Combining Italian expertise, technology and creativity together with the manufacturing skillsets of local Malaysia masters, the company – established in 2018 -, flagship of Malaysian excellence in the furniture/design sector and importer of Italian furniture products for the medium-high segment, has been able to flourish and deliver cutting edge furnishings and fittings to the market.
Camille Hochaime and Pietro Di Genova represented Permasteelisa, a renowned global player of high-tech glass facades for skyscrapers worldwide, including the second tallest iconic tower in the world – Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur. The company played an integral role in engineering, procuring raw materials, manufacturing and installing over 150,000 sqm of bespoke glass unitized façade panels, including those covering the 162-meter long spire that will crown the tower. “From the 17,716 full-floor unitized curtain wall panels, 5,584 have different panel typologies, and 4,026 of these are unique. In addition, we’ve also developed a bespoke design of over 8 km of Linear RGBW LED fixtures which will be visible once the building is completed by end 2022”, said Camille Hochaime, Senior Project Manager at Permasteelisa Group.
Merdeka 118 has earned a triple platinum rating with international sustainability certifications including the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) and GreenRE and Green Building Index (GBI), a first for Malaysia and, once completed, will be the second tallest skyscraper in the world (at the impressive height of 678.90 meters) after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Italy hosts the largest furniture trade fair in the world, the ‘Salone Internazionale Del Mobile’ in Milan, which is considered a leading venue for showcasing new products and designers of furniture, lighting and other home furnishings around the world. The 60th edition of the fair, is scheduled this year from 7-12 June 2022.

Other presentations played during the event included the Industrial Design Association Museum in Milan, and videos on the Italian fashion and jewelry clusters. The Italian fashion and jewellery industries are in fact not only extremely relevant to the theme of design, but their global reach is extremely wide. Italian fashion is linked to the most generalized concept of “Made in Italy”, a merchandise brand expressing excellence in creativity and craftsmanship. Italian luxury goods in fact are renowned for the quality of the textiles and the elegance and refinement of their construction, while the strength of Italian jewellery is to be found in its superior design, quality content and outstanding innovation capabilities.
Franco Caimi, the Ambassador of Design concluded the event, “The companies whose presentations and beautiful videos represent our country’s excellence and are examples of how Italian design is applied in different markets. Beauty, art and music have always united – and never divided – people, overcoming (rather than creating) barriers. I sincerely hope that, with the combination of Italian design and humanity, we can contribute to achieving environmental and social sustainability”.
The Italian Design Day is a yearly initiative organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and its Diplomatic network together with the Italian Trade Agency.

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TOPSHOP & TOPMAN Store Launch

[Preview]
Topshop and Topman flagship store launch at Suria KLCC on Tuesday, 9 November 2010.
[Full post coming soon]
Fashion show at the centre concourse
Christina Ng and MHB's Mei Sze
With Li Sha and Charlotte
Mei Sze and Christina with 2 models
The long line of people lining up to get into the store
But half an hour later the crowd subsided which is when I went in to Topman to shop and I ended up with a leather belt for just RM8.40!
Sweet Abby buying up half the store

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H&M Loves Coachella Collection (2017)

[Fashion]

This year’s campaign for H&M Loves Coachella will feature an exclusive new video by The Atomics, the alternative pop band of Lucky Blue Smith and his sisters Pyper America, Starlie and Daisy Clementine. In the video, The Atomics cover Let’s Live For Today by The Grass Roots, showing Coachella’s influence beyond the festival.
H&M Loves Coachella is an exclusive collection in collaboration with one of the world’s greatest festivals. The collection is about capturing that festival spirit whether you’re lucky enough to be in the Californian desert, or sharing the Coachella feeling around the world.
“H&M Loves Coachella has all the pieces to get the festival spirit, wherever you are in the world,” says The Atomics.
“We loved collaborating with the Coachella team for this collection. They gave us such great feedback on our designs,” says Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M’s Head of Design and Creative Director.
Key pieces in this year’s H&M Loves Coachella ladies collection include the sheer black lace spaghetti-strap dress, worn with blue-tinted sunglasses. Lace-trimmed slip-dresses have festival attitude layered over the hand-drawn Coachella tees, while the essential floral-embroidered denim jacket is perfect over a metallic body with a sheer powder-pink pleated mesh skirt. For the ultimate festival style, there’s the essential hoodie and also a metallic anorak, plus a black body suit with an open-laced back.

For men, it’s about the perfect tie-dye T-shirt with matching tie-dye drawstring shorts. A white cotton tank has gothic Coachella graphics on the back and the cut-off denim shorts has biker details at the knee, for a sharp Coachella mix. Meanwhile an Ikat printed short sleeve shirt makes the perfect layered look together with a pair of faded festival jeans.

H&M Loves Coachella will be available in the US from March 23 and globally from March 30 in all H&M stores.

For more info, head over to www.hm.com
Images courtesy of H&M.
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Malaya Optical – Purveyors of Style!

[Advertorial]
The FHM Girl Next Door 2010 finalists at Malaya Optical back in December 2009

The first time I visited Malaya Optical was back in December 2009 when I was babysitting brought the FHM Girl Next Door 2010 finalists over to the Damansara Uptown outlet. As Malaya Optical was a sponsor for the FHM Girl Next Door 2010 Search, they were nice enough to provide free eye checks for all the girls, styling tips by owner/ eyewear stylist Ryan Ho and a preview of their prizes.
A couple of months later, I needed a new pair of prescription glasses so decided to make an appointment with Ryan for an eye check and to check out his collection of frames and boy were there loads of frames to check out…

Oakleys! I already had a pair so naturally these were the first to catch my attention. FYI Oakley, Inc. is a sport and lifestyle brand, driven to ignite the imagination through the fusion of art and science. Building on its legacy of innovative, market-leading optical technology, the company manufactures and distributes high performance sunglasses, prescription lenses and frames, goggles, apparel, footwear, and accessories. The essence of the brand is communicated through hundreds of professional and amateur athletes who depend on Oakley products to provide them with the very best while they redefine what is physically possible.
Look at those Oakley shades! Stylish and sporty...so tempted to buy but remembered that I needed prescription glasses not shades today.
ByWP eyewear is designed by Wolfgang Proksch from Germany and is defined by it's clear aesthetics, reflecting a subtle sense of style and successfully combining modern fashion with industrial design culture. This range of eyewear is tremendously popular in Japan and Asia.
The Spivvy range from Japan which employs skilled craftsmen to create a line of spectacle frames of unparalleled precision and beauty was quite cool too!
Blackfin eyewear which is handcrafted in Italy has laser technology for the markings, decorations and side piece cuts, resulting in a collection that has a strong personality and a clean-cut, well-defined design. OMG choices, so many choices! How am I supposed to pick just one?
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And while I was trying to pick a pair my female companion was busy trying out some frames too…
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She thought one of these would match her handbag perfectly. Uh oh! Was that a hint to me?
While a pair of lafont eyewear would get her more attention.
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Back to the matter at hand please? Well in the end I decided on a pair of Less Than Human (LTH) frames from Japan.
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Now the LTH range is denoted by numbers - the weight crack is measured in (8, 16, 24, 32 ounces etc) when sold on the street. The story goes that apparently one of the designers was a former crack addict before turning over a new leaf and designing LTH eyewear...
Also decided to get a proper lens cleaner
and these to prevent my glasses from fogging up whenever I walk out of an aircon room
Pretty pleased with my new pair of glasses! Oh that's FHM Girl Next Door 2010 winner Yvonne Sim just in case you were wondering
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For more info check out Malaya Optical’s Facebook Page or visit their website – http://www.malayaoptical.com

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Starhill Gallery Fashion Week Spring Summer 2015 Day 1

[Fashion]

Attended the first day of the Starhill Gallery Fashion Week SS 2015 at Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 18th March 2015. The event showcased the 2015’s Spring/Summer collections by Starhill Gallery’s exclusive designer labels; iKarrtini, Kenzo, Khoon Hooi, McQ Alexander McQueen, M Missoni, Mita Tam Style Studio, Sergio Rossi and Valentino. Also on show were the hairdos was provided by Number 76 Hair Salon, a recent addition to the tenants mix at Starhill Gallery.
Vice President of YTL Land & Development Bhd, YTL Hotels and Properties, Joseph Yeoh, said “Starhill Gallery’s portfolio of the best fashion brands is constantly growing and we are proud to be able to offer such a variety of choice and deliver exclusive experiences like Starhill Gallery Fashion Week.”

Before the show began, we got to enjoy an array of delicious canapés, sushi and a carvery prepared exclusively for the event by Shook! restaurant’s Executive Chef Matthew Ona, as well as G.H Mumm Champagne and Absolut Vodka cocktails.

Among the many socialites and celebrities in attendance were fashion designers Jimmy Lim, Khoon Hooi and Leslie Variyan, Linora Low, Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 Carey Ng, Sarah Lian, and Miss Universe Malaysia 2015 finalists Kohinoor Kaur, Shaelina Martin, Manisha Kumar, Sugeeta Chandran and Pauline Thong.
Joyce Wong aka Kinky Blue Fairy
There were also pop-up carts; photobooth, chocolate sampling by Armani Dolci, an interactive display by Fragrance du Bois’, while BMIC Nail Spa Salon provided a complimentary nail service which included a hand massage, manicure and nail art design. Guests also received a shopping guide detailing the exclusive in-store offers with complimentary candy floss and popcorn.
Malaysia Airlines was one of the official partners and I was delighted to see my old FHM Girl Next Door 2010 finalist Crystel Eve there
          With pretty May Chi             With the sexy Crystel Eve
          Veron with Sarah Lian             Veron with Jennifer Foh
Highlights of the fashion show:
Valentino’s latest collection created one-of-a-kind garments that danced between the modern – with poems appliquéd onto dresses in “pure elemental colours” – and the historical.
Kenzo’s Spring/Summer collection reinterpreted the extremely creative era to celebrate the independent woman born in the sixties.
McQ by Alexander McQueen showcased a combination of British street culture with the spare elegance of the aesthete creating a collection that fused youthful playfulness with technological rigour and precision.
M Missoni highlighted fresh and colourful, cool and chic designs synonymous with distinction and unique in style, and introduced a lively and colourful mood inspired by the “Jamaican Way of Living”.
Sergio Rossi’s collection was an aesthetic reflection on beauty, understood as a set of simple and immediate expressions which revealed, on closer vision, infinite details.
Khoon Hooi has incorporated spring elements such as the hummingbird, flowers and the pastel colours of the sky into the collection. Bright and cheerful, the collection emotes certain darkness that evokes a sense of sophistication.
iKarrtini encapsulated what truly is Malaysia by marrying the traditional with the contemporary.
Mita Tam Style Studio featured light patterns as well as colourful floral dresses for both casual and formal occasions.

The three-day event featured special in-store deals, exclusive complimentary gifts, services and parties while guests could sign up for daytime Pampering & Lifestyle Packages by BMIC Nail Spa Salon, Donna Spa and IPL Skin Care Clinique. This event was in partnership with Citibank, DR Events & Consultancy, Malaysia Airlines, Pernod Ricard Malaysia, Shook! Restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur and YTL Info Screen.
More info at http://www.starhillgallery.com/
Photo credits: Andy Kho Photography (www.andykho.com) and author’s own
          Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 Carey Ng             Model Evelyn Marieta, Miss World Malaysia 2012 Lee Yvonne, and model L’oreal Mok (L-R)

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News – March 2022

[News]
Samsung Malaysia Electronics Launches the Bespoke Jet™ in Malaysia

Samsung Malaysia Electronics announced the arrival of the Bespoke Jet™ in Malaysia on 8 March 2022. The Bespoke Jet™ is a cordless stick vacuum with an all-in-one Clean Station™ that delivers hygienic cleaning performance with a 99.999% multi-layered filtration system. The Bespoke Jet™ also earned recognition as an honouree at the CES Innovation Awards 2021.
“We were thrilled when we announced the expansion of the Samsung Bespoke line with the Bespoke Jet™ at CES 2022 in January,” said Edward Han, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics. “Cleanliness and good hygiene have never been more imperative and a vacuum cleaner is an essential tool for any household to perform their cleaning routine. The Bespoke Jet™ is a perfect embodiment of the Samsung Bespoke brand and now, Malaysians are able to experience a device that not only is powerful but could also fit seamlessly with the interior design of their homes.”
The Bespoke Jet™ features the all-in-one Clean Station™ that keeps the homeowner’s space hygienic while cleaning. When docked, it automatically and effectively empties the dust bin minus the emission of fine dust back into the environment thanks to Samsung’s Air Pulse technology. The dock also automatically charges the stick vacuum when it is docked.
The 99.999% Multi Filtration System ensure that clean air is released as it traps 99.999% of fine dust while the anti-bacterial dust bag inhibits 99.99% of bacterial growth. The main cyclone and mesh grille filter traps larger dust particles, the jet cyclone and micro filter catch fine dust while the fine dust filter prevents the emission of micro-dust into the air. The dust bin and multi-cyclone system are fully washable.
This cordless stick vacuum is equipped with the Digital Inverter Motor that has been improved from its predecessor to deliver better cleaning performance. It’s 47% lighter, and rotates at 135,000rpm, delivering an input power of 580W and suction power up to 210W.
It  which makes the cleaning routine less tiring and easier to manoeuvre around The Bespoke Jet™ weighs 1.44kg also comes with a powerful battery that maintains suction up to an hour – which can be easily replaced with a spare battery if the user requires a longer cleaning time. Samsung’s unique technology also ensures that the performance of the vacuum retains at 70% even after 500 cycles.
The Bespoke Jet™ comes with an LCD Digital Display that supports 28 languages, providing information from suction level settings and running time as well as error messages – like clogging, missing filters etc. – and solutions to fix the issue.
Newly upgraded brush attachments are also introduced to accompany the stylish Bespoke Jet™. To help users further clean the floors, the stick vacuum also comes with a Spray Spinning Sweeper that features dual spinning wet pads that rotate up to 100 minutes. It also comes with a 150ml water tank so users can manually spray more for a longer cleaning experience.
For powerful cleaning, the Jet Dual brush features a combination of nylon and rubber bristle to improve the carpet cleaning experience, especially as it rotates at 4,000rpm. The Jet Dual brush’s soft roller can also be used on hard floors to pick up large dust. The new Slim Action brush is now slimmer and 100g lighter, making it easier and more comfortable to conveniently clean around furniture even when space is limited between items.
The Bespoke Jet™ comes in three colours – Midnight Blue, Misty White and Woody Green – at a recommended retail price of RM3,899. At the moment, consumers in Malaysia will be able to buy the Bespoke Jet premium in Midnight Blue that comes with the Slim Action brush attachment, Spray Spinning Sweeper attachment and other accessories.
From 14 March 2022 to 30 April 2022, you can purchase the Bespoke Jet™ at only RM3,699, and buyers will also receive the Galaxy Buds Live (SM-R180NZKAXME) worth RM549 for free (while stocks last, terms and conditions apply).

Merry Ice Cream’s New Nutty Berries Flavour

Merry Ice Cream debuts a new flavour – Nutty Berries which combines the creamy taste of peanuts with the tangy, refreshing elements of strawberries, reminiscent of the comfort food that most of us grew up with – peanut butter and jelly also known as PB&J sandwiches.
In addition to their already wide range of flavours, and the new Nutty Berries, Merry Ice Cream will also bring back two seasonal favourites.
“We want to keep on creating more unique ice cream flavours that are beloved and captivating to Malaysian taste buds. We hope that our Nutty Berries flavour brings back early childhood memories of a much-beloved staple, the PB&J sandwich. After all, dessert isn’t just for after-dinner but a sweet treat to be enjoyed all day and night,” said Stanilaus Choo Wei En, Founder of Merry Ice Cream.
The first is Peppermint Mocha, which combines the aroma of a Malaysian favourite- Ipoh white coffee – that awakens the senses,  with a refreshing minty menthol flavour, and a touch of chocolate. The second flavour – IronLady Tea (Tie Guan Yin) ice cream, brings about a natural tea fragrance extracted from tea leaves imported from An Xi, Fujian in China for the best possible taste.

Beginning as a café in Penang in 2016, Merry Ice Cream has always aimed to cater to diverse Malaysian taste buds with bold flavour combinations. With flagship bestsellers like Gula Melaka and Salted Egg Oreo, Merry Ice Cream’s mission is to create joyful moments for the kid in every Malaysian, taking them back to simpler times when ice cream was the answer to all their problems in life.
“As Malaysians, good food and bold flavours are in our DNA. With that in mind, we are proud to have successfully created more than 30 unique flavours of ice cream, selling nationwide. At Merry Ice Cream, we believe that there is a flavour for everyone, no matter your age or your preference,” added Stanilaus.
Focusing on premium quality ingredients that are 100% natural and imported from Italy and New Zealand, Merry Ice Cream prides itself in making Halal-certified ice cream that is free from preservatives and additives.
Merry Ice Cream sent me a couple of tubs to try and I was quite impressed by the quality of the ice creams which is definitely above most (mass) commercial brands. I was also delighted that they came up with some local and regional flavours like Gula Melaka and Salted Egg instead of sticking to the same old classic ones (which they do have if you’re the unadventurous type). It’s great to see more Malaysian brands dare to challenge the norms.
For more info, head over to https://www.merryme.co/

Visuals by respective brands
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[Event]
This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Naomi and I attended the HAPA Malaysia Awards Series 2018-2020 Gala Dinner, which was held at New World Petaling Jaya Hotel on 15 November 2018. The awards dinner was graced by Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ahmad Shah Hussein Tambakau, Chairman of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board.
The awards were held to recognise and reward outstanding establishments and individuals who have shown extraordinary drive, the passion for excellence and the commitment to the industry. This has always been central in the HAPA Awards’ purpose, particularly for, as Founder and Chairman of WAP INTL and HAPA Awards, Jennifer Ong, recounted, the professionals that perform back of the house work and seldom get recognition or mention, but are essential in the creation of a memorable experience for guests. Joining the dignitaries present at the prestigious Gala Dinner was His Excellency Guido F. Loayza, the Ambassador of Peru; representing Peru as one of the partners of the event.
Since its inception in 2002, the HAPA Awards, known as the “Oscars of Hospitality”, has been designed to set the excellence benchmark, taking the hospitality industry to greater heights. In the concluding remarks of Yg Bhg Datuk Ahmad Shah Hussein Tambakau’s address, he applauded the homegrown HAPA Awards for lifting up the hospitality industry’s service levels that have become industry benchmarks to follow, improve and innovate from; giving flight to the essence and identity of Malaysian hospitality and warmth with its regional presence and giving the industry a chance to touch the lives of those in greater need in the immediate community around them.

The HAPA Awards’ purpose is reflected in their five main award categories, namely the Cream of Hospitality, Heavens of Hospitality, Flavours of Hospitality, Passions of Hospitality and Hospitality from the Heart encompassing a total of 28 awards.
HAPA Awards identified benchmarks within the industry that define excellence through its bespoke process, which informs all elements of the HAPA Awards. From the logo incorporating the four faces and stars, to the handcrafted process behind the generation of the trophy design that eventually incorporated a face to reflect a personal identity: people are at the very heart of HAPA’s purpose.
The award series organised by the WAP group has gone regional, expanding to the HAPA Regional Awards Series in six neighbouring countries, namely Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, besides Malaysia. Both HAPA Malaysia and HAPA Regional occur once in three years.
Founder and Chairman of WAP INTL and HAPA Awards, Jennifer Ong (on the left)
“Every nominee in the HAPA Awards is deserving of recognition for their spirit in striving for excellence. This is especially as the Awards uses a unique Mystery Judge Audit system where our judges carry out an on-site inspection on an incognito basis as well as one-on-one interviews and food tasting sessions with nominated personalities. Their findings and evaluation are then reported through a Report Card system,” Ong mentioned. This gives particular insights into the nominees’ strengths and finding the gaps and areas for improvement. Through the Report Card system, all nominees gain a thorough understanding of how they are perceived by the HAPA Panel of Judges comprising of industry and culinary experts, business owners and corporate individuals.
The HAPA Awards continues to be valuable and relevant based on this assessment system and the WAP group’s commitment to fully fund the awards programme. This makes the HAPA Awards a platform for hospitality players to gauge themselves on a merit-based system, where they are not seen for the size of the brand or the number of rooms but their performance and the willingness of their staff to go the extra mile in service excellence. It is this opportunity that the HAPA Awards is a platform that provides an opportunity for nominees to not only gauge their levels of quality and service but as an improvement system for their own in-house standards. Based on this meticulous assessment system, it is unsurprising that the HAPA Awards takes up to two years to plan, execute and tabulate results.
This homegrown awards series is not only well respected by individuals and establishments alike in the hospitality industry but also holds the honor of the only Malaysian hospitality awards programme to be hosted at a regional level. In fact, the HAPA Awards Series has cemented its reputation with the endorsement of renowned hospitality associations in Malaysia and all across the region.
Datuk Seri Shaheen (Entrepreneur of the Year)
Joey G interviewing Datuk Seri Shaheen
In the same spirit of constant improvement, the HAPA Entrepreneur Awards has been expanded from a category under the HAPA Awards into a full-fledged awards series. The inauguration of the HAPA Entrepreneur Awards Series 2018-2019 at the gala focusses on hospitality entrepreneurs who have made a mark in the industry; inspiring future generations of hospitality professionals and being role models and mentors of future entrepreneurs. The HAPA Entrepreneur Awards will recognise not the millions of dollars in turning a profit but the millions of hours of blood, sweat and tears put in by bold, passionate and resilient entrepreneurs. It is a celebration of those who have fought through hardship,  stuck to their guns and their dreams and embody the grit and resilience needed to succeed in entrepreneurship.
Unlike other Entrepreneurship awards, the adjudication of the HAPA Entrepreneur Awards mirrors the main HAPA Awards process with specifically targeted panel interviews of nominees to assess their character and allow their passion, work ethic and grit to shine through. Instead of the commonplace written essay or published awards submission, the HAPA Entrepreneur Awards is also recorded live as the nominee discloses their personal story of growth, development, success and hardship. This unique format allows viewers to experience the gist of the nominee’s journey, deriving precious life lessons on entrepreneurship along the way.
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ahmad Shah Hussein Tambakau, Chairman of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
In another first, the HAPA Awards is also the only homegrown awards to fully donate the net proceeds of the event to charity since its inauguration in 2002. HAPA Awards has donated to thirteen different charities in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia every time it is held.
In 2017, Ong decided to take the HAPA Awards further as a platform that not only recognises the hospitality heroes but also creates a sustainable community engagement platform to recognise the achievements of children victoriously battling cancer at UMMC’s Childhood Cancer Unit.
This purpose aims to recognise a child’s bravery, courage and determination in fighting for their survival in the place of a hospitality hero’s fight for excellence in the everyday experience of life. The sustained presence of HAPA Awards in this cause is another hallmark of its commitment and its constant dedication in saving the lives of children with cancer.
“The heart of my passion in identifying this purpose is that the children have to fight every day for their survival. There is no giving up, no walking away, no reasons or excuses in their fight for survival. Every child saved is a person that has the potential to bring joy to their loved ones, change to the community around them and advancement to the nation and even the world in future. This group of children, their families and the UMMC team who works tirelessly in providing the necessary treatment for them deserve our sustained support,” mentioned Ong in her opening address.
In a video message by Professor Dr. Hany Mohd Ariffin, Head of UMMC’s Childhood Cancer Unit, “The HAPA Awards family first embraced the children undergoing cancer treatment at UMMC’s Childhood Cancer Unit in 2008, bringing them joy with gifts and toys and fulfilled wishes. We are heartened that HAPA Awards has grown deeper in their commitment to fulfill the children’s greatest wish of all, to be cured.
The funds collected by HAPA Awards are matched by the Universiti of Malaya and are channeled into the paediatric oncology research laboratory of UMMC, leading to sophisticated testing and assaying in the research facility. The results are then translated to precision medicine which improves the survival rates of about 150 children with various cancers.
To celebrate the new lease of life that the children have, HAPA holds a Chemo Graduation Ball, symbolising the achievement by these children in winning their battle with childhood cancer. HAPA previously held two Chemo Graduation Balls, overall benefiting 60 chemo-graduates with a total donation of RM330,000.00.
After this series, HAPA Awards will be calling entries for the HAPA Regional Awards Series 2019 – 2021.
For more information on HAPA Malaysia Awards Series 2018-2020, head over to http://www.hapa.asia or email hapamalaysia@hapa.asia
Photos courtesy of HAPA MAlaysia Awards.
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Quiksilver & Roxy Fashion Show – Mid Valley Fashion Week 2013

[Fashion]
This was the second show in the Mid Valley Spring Summer Fashion Week 2013 that I attended as come on, who doesn’t want to see girls in Roxy apparel right? The show was held on 15 April 2013 at the Centre Court of Mid Valley Megamall which was transformed into a stage and catwalk, and cordoned off for invited guests.
The themes for the show were Quiksilver “Enjoy the Style” and Roxy “Dare Yourself”, and the event was hosted by Capital FM’s radio announcer, Tan Chung Liang or better known as Liang who was my college mate years ago. Good to see that he has made it in showbiz and music. Malaysian Beat Boxer, A Beat C, kicked off the show with an interesting 2-men beatbox performance.
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First stop the bar to get some ice-cold Kronenbourg 1664 from these two cute promoter girls!
With me was MHB’s Chenelle and her friend
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The show started off with the contestants of the Roxy Girl Search strutting their stuff on the runway.
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Roxy is a brand designed for the ladies; which features their signature bikinis, dresses, shorts and funky accessories, showcasing their latest trendy prints to vibrant spring colours.
The theme of the Roxy show, “Dare Yourself” is all about going places, trying new things, being spontaneous, dream big and live a unique life as the brand encourages girls to be fun, alive, daring, confident & naturally beautiful.
After the show by the Roxy Girl Search finalists, the Roxy models took to the stage.
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Then it was time for the Quiksilver show. The Quiksilver’s collection featured a range from the brand’s core of boardriding from the Quiksilver Original signature boardshorts, T-shirts, denims, sweater, shirts and accessories.
The theme for the Quiksilver show – “Enjoy the Style” is all about inviting people to experience and enjoy the world; which encourages everyone to awake their inner spirit of surfing from within.
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The girls went wild when the male models came out

There was even a kidwear show featuring some child models which included Amber Chia’s son Ashton

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Quiksilver and Roxy have been in Malaysia for over 18 years (since 1995) under BRC Group Sdn. Bhd; and have over 22 outlets nationwide. The Quiksilver and Roxy kids range can also be found at selected Isetan and Parkson departmental stores.
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More photos at https://www.facebook.com/myhotbloggers
Subscribe to my public updates at https://www.facebook.com/timchewkc
or follow me on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/timchew1311
Photo credits: BRC Group Sdn. Bhd. and author’s own
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Stars in in Atelier Versace at the 74th Annual Venice Film Festival

[Luxury Fashion]

Penelope Cruz wore a custom-made, Atelier Versace gown at the ‘Loving Pablo’ screening during the 74th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on 6 September 2017. She wore a white gown with delicate beading in a Barocco style pattern, with daring thigh-high slit and voluminous feather skirt. She finished her look perfectly with delicate Versace heels.

Amal Clooney, esteemed lawyer and human rights activist was stunning in a custom-made, Atelier Versace gown during the ‘Suburbicon’ screening on 2 September 2017 during the 74th Annual Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande. She wore a lilac gown comprised of delicate silk chiffon with ruched bodice and flowing skirt featuring a subtle ombré detail.

Elsewhere, Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) wore Versace at Bulgari’s “Sisterhood” themed party in Beijing, China on 1 September 2017. The Taiwanese Pop Diva was flawless in a look from the Fall Winter 2017 womenswear runway. She wore a white shirt with words of positivity, and the provocation of a sheer tulle skirt, accessorizing the look with a black double-breasted coat.

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 Bulgari sisterhood night  @versace_official #versace #versaceFW17 @karlaotto @stuartweitzman #inourshoes
A post shared by  JOLIN CAI 蔡依林 (@jolin_cai) on Sep 1, 2017 at 7:36am PDT

Meanwhile, over in London, England on 6 September 2017, Jennifer Lawrence was spotted adorned in Atelier Versace for the ‘Mother!’ UK premiere at Odeon Leicester Square. The actress stunningly pulled off a look from the Fall 2017 Atelier Versace collection, wearing a delicate nude-illusion gown comprised of thousands of individual chains in an intricate web-like formation.

 INGLEWOOD, CA – AUGUST 27: Hailee Steinfeld attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Across the pond in Los Angeles, California, Hailee Steinfeld wore Atelier Versace at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on 27 August 2017. The actress and pop star was stunning in a mini-dress from the Atelier Versace Spring 2017 collection. She wore a shimmering grey-blue mini-dress with cut out accent at the chest, and intricate pleated detail throughout the skirt. She finished her look perfectly with silver Versace heels.
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Marlboro M.Scape Lounge at the 2013 Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix

[Event]
Now the Malaysian Formula One 2013 week was rather crazy for Malaysia’s Hottest Bloggers and myself as we had loads and loads of events back to back to attend. In fact the night before race day (24 March 2013) we were partying it up till late but we weren’t going to miss this awesome experience being hosted in the Marlboro M.Scape Lounge inside the Paddock Club.
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At the meet up point which was Zouk Club KL while waiting for the coaches to bring us over to SIC.
After a bus ride which offered us a chance to get some badly needed shut eye we arrived at the paddock building in SIC and were ushered up into the Paddock Club and on to the Marlboro M.Scape Lounge!
Being hosted in the M.Scape Lounge with Team Scuderia Ferrari has got to be the ultimate way to watch F1.
There were a lot of cool prizes to be won through the games
Like this replica steering wheel!
We managed to take a pic with Team Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa
After which Felipe Massa went for a meet and greet session with the guests inside the M.Scape Lounge. After his visit team principal Stefano Domenicali and test-driver Pedro de la Rosa also came up to give us some insights into the world of Formula 1 and team Scuderia Ferrari.
He even autographed some merchandise which would be given out through the games later that afternoon
Speaking of games, these two very pretty M.Scape girls were assisting guests to play the Ferrari trivia game which was really tough even for a F1 fan like myself! I only managed to score 11th best.
Naomi though through some luck and help from some of our friends managed emerge in the top 5 and thus won herself a little replica F1 helmet!
Soon it was time for lunch and everyone settled down to a delicious 3 course meal
The starter. Of course since we arrived in the morning we were already helping ourselves to loads of champers, beers, and fruit juices. Talk about watching the race VIP style!
Then it was down to the pit lane for the pit walk after lunch
A peek at the Ferrari garage!
Conne and Naomi
At the Ferrari pit wall where the team director, manager and race engineers monitor the cars and the race info from a bunch of screens at eye level and a row of smaller screens above each position which gives the team loads of information.
Then it was back up to the air-conditioned lounge and more champagne and beer to watch the race after spending about half an hour walking around the pits.
We had a fantastic view of the race watching from the windows as well as the large TV screens in the lounge
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The race was eventually won by Sebastian Vettel who ignored team orders not to cut his teammate Mark Webber which Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipe Massa finished in 5th position earning himself 10 championship points. Fernando Alonso crashed out on the second lap of the race after a broken front wing cause by a collision on lap 1 came loose and lodged itself underneath the car resulting in total loss of braking or downforce and sending the car into the gravel trap in turn 1.
It was a truly an unforgettable VIP experience for myself as a F1 fan to have an inside glimpse at the glamorous and exciting world of Formula 1 and the Scuderia Ferrari team!
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More photos at https://www.facebook.com/myhotbloggers
Subscribe to my public updates at https://www.facebook.com/timchewkc
or follow me on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/timchew1311
Photo credits: M.Scape and author’s own
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Luminox Atacama Adventurer 1760 Series

[Timepieces]

The Atacama Desert, in Chile, is known to be one of the driest area in the world. To portray the timepieces’ ability to survive the toughest environments, Luminox named the Atacama Adventurer 1760 Series after this land of extreme conditions.
This series is equipped with 42mm stainless steel case, screwed down crown and screwed in case back, while rocking the casual, urban look. The Atacama Adventurer 1760 Series also possesses water resistance up to 200 meters.

The Atacama Adventurer Field 1760 features a small second sub dial at six o’clock, this is the first time Luminox is using such a function in its watches. Replacing the traditional use of hands, the sub dial features a turning disk with two arrows, mimicking a compass. In addition, there is a date window is at the three o’clock position. The series is available in four variations and the timepieces come in different dial colors, such as black, blue and brown. They are paired with leather, textile straps, or stainless-steel bracelets.
Alike the rest of the Luminox watches, the Atacama Adventurer Field 1760 collection is equipped with the Luminox Lighting Technology (LLT), which guarantees ultimate night vision for up to 25 years through the use of tritium gas tubes. Unlike other luminosity systems, which depend on exterior light sources to charge luminous paint or a pushbutton to illuminate the watch, the luminosity is built right into the Luminox watches, ensuring time visibility in any situations. The series also uses Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating that gives the final finishing touch.
The Luminox Atacama Adventurer 1760 Series is priced from RM 3,060.00

Atacama Adventurer 1760 Series – Main product features

42mm
TimeDate Ronda 6004.D (small second)
20ATM
Stainless Steel case, Fixed bezel
Sapphire Crystal with Anti-Reflective coating
Screwed down Crown
Screwed in Case back
Textile or Leather strap / Stainless Steel Bracelet
Small Second 6H
Swiss Made

Luminox watches can be purchased online at: https://www.luminox.com.sg/
Luminox watches are also available at the following departmental stores and other leading watch retailers.
Parkson at Pavilion
Level 3, Pavilion, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Parkson at Sunway Velocity
G-16, Ground Floor, Sunway Velocity Mall, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
SOGO
Kompleks SOGO, 3D Fashion Arena, 190, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman 50100 Kuala Lumpur
SOGO
Central i-City, Unit G-01, No 1, i-City, Persiaran Multimedia, Seksyen 7, 40000 Shah Alam

For further information and the full list of authorised watch retailers, call Crystal Time (M) Sdn Bhd at +603 2938 3938 or head over to http://www.crystaltime.com.sg
You can also follow Luminox Malaysia on social media at http://www.facebook.com/LuminoxMalaysiaBrunei or http://www.instagram.com/luminoxmy
Visuals courtesy of Crystal Time.

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Oppo R15 Launched in Malaysia

[Tech & Gadgets]

OPPO launched their new OPPO R15 Pro on 24 May 2018 at Ruyi & Lyn in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, adding a new offering to their O-fans Malaysia. Being an Oppo user myself for a brief period of time, I was quite excited to see the latest innovations that Oppo would undoubtedly add to this latest intelligent (and no its no more smartphone, the latest like of phones from most of the manufacturers are now “intelligent” phones) phone.

 William Fang, CEO of OPPO Malaysia has mentioned, “Throughout the years, we have noticed the demand for higher spec and features like high quality rear camera and fashionable phone appeal is getting higher, hence we bring the R15 Pro, a combination of both to this market to satisfy more variety customers’ needs. OPPO Malaysia always focuses on what young people demands and keeps in track with emerging trends around the world so we offer great improvements to meet and exceed customer’s expectations and experience.” He added, “Telco is a growing and promising platform for smartphone purchase in the recent years, many consumers has prefer the method by signing up with telco package.  The collaboration with our telco partners will provide consumers an alternate purchase option. Together with our telco partners, we will grow and rise to offer latest smartphone innovation and constantly improve user’s experience to the market,”
 Joining OPPO Malaysia to launch the R15 Pro, Celcom’s Chief Customer Service and Customer Experience Officer, René Werner commented during the event, “Mystery, Majestic and Magnificent is what I can describe towards the latest launch of OPPO R15 Pro and we are so honored and proudly to cooperate with OPPO R15 Pro to share part of this pursuit of excellence to all of our loyal customers. We have been impressed towards its outstanding camera feature and we reckon the R15 Pro will definitely reach consumers expectation. “ “We have collaborated with OPPO since they first entered to Malaysia market and OPPO has been very strong and popular brand in Malaysia. They have made a lot splendid achievement such as the recent launch of F7 has topped best selling phone in Celcom stores during its first week of sales. Besides, Celcom are committed to provide variety platform for users to own smartphone featuring the latest technologies and bring the best digital experience for Malaysians. Hence this collaboration meant so much to Celcom as both of us have same goals to satisfy the communication demands of users and explore new generation technology.” he continued.

At the price of RM2,399, OPPO R15 Pro is available to pre-order from 25th May 2018 till 31st May 2018. Customers may place their order at OPPO Concept Store ,OPPO telco partner’s store Celcom or at OPPO’s chain store partners, SenHeng and SenQ. Alternatively, customers may place their order through online at OPPO Official Website or e-commerce’s partner store, which are Lazada, Shopee or 11Street Malaysia. As a gesture of appreciation, customers will be getting a limited gift from OPPO Malaysia. Note that, all the free gifts are redeemable only on 1st June 2018, the first sale day of OPPO R15 Pro. Exclusively to KLCC Flaship Store, customers may collect and purchase their R15 Pro in advance on 29th May 2018 and will also eligible to the redemption of the limited free gift on the same sales day.
OPPO aims to target the young and the young at heart by tapping into their taste in fashion and style to design products with breathtaking appeal. This time OPPO collaborated with famed designer Karim Rashid to create two trendy colours for the OPPO R15 Pro, namely Cosmic Purple and Ruby Red. The Cosmic Purple and Ruby Red phones are created using an aluminium frame with more transparent glass in new gradient design, allowing light and shadow to play off with the colours whilst creating unlimited creative possibilities for users. These ethereal colour designs of OPPO R15 Pro reflect both OPPO’s designers and insights into what aesthetics appeal to young consumers around the globe.
Another prominent design feature upgrade in this model is the Super Full Screen. OPPO R15 Pro comes equipped with a unique 6.28-inch bezel-less screen that features a resolution of 2280×1080 and an aspect ratio of 19:9, a super-high screen-to-body ratio. The OPPO Super Full Screen is not only a notched display (that has come to show that its a new generation intelligent phone) but also with enhanced customised standby Multitasking functions and deep system optimizations based on its ColorOS 5.0. The narrow left and right frames can provide convenient notifications shortcuts to multiple functions and third-party apps.

Ray Wong, Product Specialist of OPPO R15 Pro said, “A good performance of smartphone’s camera features and it’s appearance is one of major consideration for individual before purchasing a new phone. The OPPO R15 Pro is specifically designed with not just powerful front and rear cameras but it’s trendy and aesthetic appearance will become embellishment to a personality. This mystery and sophisticated color combine results in a more appealing design than most other phones today”.
The OPPO R15 continues advancing the limits of photography, by featuring not only dual rear cameras of 16MP+20MP, along with an upgraded scenario recognition based on AI-enhanced technologies, it also became the first ever smartphone to adopt the sensor SONY IMX519 to produce outstanding depth-of field effects, The OPPO R15 Pro can now accurately collect 296 feature points of a human face and support multiple camera features such as the AI Beauty Technology and the AR Sticker. The re-invented ‘Sensor-HDR’ technology dramatically improves backlight Selfies and allows users to check high dynamic exposure live effects in real-time.
The OPPO R15 Pro comes with increased memory and its storage space, with 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM so that users may store 20,000+ standard size photos and enjoy any apps smoothly without lagging, Additionally, the R15 Pro has battery capacity of 3,430 mAh supported with VOOC Flash Charging technology. The R15 Pro is now equipped with an NFC chip which can make payments more mobile and hassle-free, whether it is payment using Android Pay, bank card, or transport card.

I shot the 2 sets of photos below using the Oppo R15 Pro. The ones on the left on normal mode and the ones on the right using bokeh mode. Very impressed with the astounding low light photography which is great for shooting portrait/ people (although quite expected since its an Oppo).

For more information about OPPO products, head over to:
OPPO Official Website: http://www.oppo.com/
OPPO Official Online Store: http://www.oppostore.com.my/
OPPO Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/malaysiaoppo/

Photo credits: Oppo Malaysia and author’s own (shot with the R15 Pro)

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Porsche Taycan Updated with More Range, More Connectivity, and More Colours

[Automotive News]

Porsche announced on 25 August 2021 that the Porsche Taycan and Taycan Cross Turismo will start the new model year in September 2021 with extensive changes.
Thanks to technological developments, the day-to-day range of the electric sports cars will be improved. Further significant upgrades include the deep integration of Android Auto in the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system, as well as the availability of Remote Park Assist for the first time on the Taycan. With this new optional assistance system, the process of parking the car can be controlled via a smartphone, without the driver needing to be at the wheel.
With the new Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus options, unusual and personal colour choices can now be realised. For example, the Taycan can now be painted in the ‘90s classic Rubystone Red, or in bright Acid Green.
“The latest generation of Taycan impresses with seamless smartphone connectivity, which now includes Android Auto. Our all-electric Taycan range is growing and thriving. The new Cross Turismo, which was added to the line-up in the spring, is proving extremely popular with our customers, as has been shown by the excellent number of orders being taken for it.”Kevin Giek, the Vice President Model Line Taycan

The new Taycan model year will not be homologated separately, so there will not be any new WLTP range values. However, the real-world range of the latest versions will be greater in day-to-day use. Extensive technological developments have been implemented to achieve this increase. In Normal and Range modes, the front electric motor is almost completely decoupled and de-energised in the partial load range in the all-wheel drive models. Furthermore, no drive is transmitted to either axle when the car is coasting or at a standstill. This electric freewheel function reduces drag losses. The motors are switched on again within milliseconds only when the driver requests more power or changes the driving mode.
The thermal management and charging functions have also been further improved. With the Turbo Charging Planner, the high-voltage battery can now be heated to a slightly higher temperature than before. This means that fast charging is possible earlier and at a higher charge level. In addition, the waste heat from the electrical components is used to an even greater extent for battery temperature regulation.

With the new Remote Park Assist option, it is possible to remotely control parking manoeuvres via a smartphone when driving into and out of parking spaces without the driver needing to be behind the wheel. Automatic control is possible for both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces and garages. The system automatically detects parking spaces and measures them using the vehicle’s ultrasonic sensors and camera systems. If there is enough space, the driver can start the parking process via the Porsche Connect app and then get out of the vehicle. The driver continuously monitors the parking process by pressing and holding a button on the smartphone’s app interface. The Remote Park Assist function independently takes over steering and control of the forward and reverse movements of the vehicle. If the button is released, the Taycan immediately stops the parking manoeuvre.

The sixth generation of Porsche Communication Management (PCM) has been fitted to the Taycan since its introduction. The all-electric sports car has always been a connectivity pioneer, starting with the seamless integrations of Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. Android Auto is now also integrated in the PCM, along with Apple CarPlay support for iPhone. This means that smartphones with the Google Android operating system are now also supported. Selected phone functions and smartphone apps that do not adversely affect driving safety can therefore now be operated via PCM 6.0 or the Google Assistant voice commands.
In the ‘90s, Porsche introduced a number of highly colourful paint finishes to its range. These quickly achieved cult status among fans of the brand and are especially popular today on classics like the 964-generation cars. These eye-catching colours are now making a comeback. As part of the continually developing personalisation strategy of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, the Taycan is now also available with Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus in addition to 17 standard paint colours. The first option allows painting with 65 additional colours, at present. This includes the Moonlight Blue Metallic, Acid Green, Rubystar Red, Riviera Blue and Viola Metallic colours that are so characteristic of the brand. Paint to Sample Plus gives customers almost complete freedom in their choice of colour, even permitting them to match their Taycan to their favourite accessory.

The Porsche Charging Service offers access to the worldwide charging points of numerous networks, with central billing being handled by Porsche. There are currently almost 200,000 charging points in more than 20 countries across Europe, including nearly 6,500 50 kW-plus DC charging stations.
A further highlight is Porsche Destination Charging. With this exclusive service, customers can charge their electric or plug-in hybrid Porsche models free of charge at particularly popular destinations. It already offers more than 2,000 AC charging points in over 50 countries at locations such as selected hotels, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, sports clubs and marinas – and further expansion of the network is in full swing. All charging operations with the Porsche Charging Service are carbon-neutral.
Porsche Centres in Malaysia are located at Sungei Besi (Kuala Lumpur), Ara Damansara (Selangor), and Seberang Perai (Penang).
For more info, head over to https://www.porsche.com/pap/malaysia/aboutporsche/importers/

Visual credits: Porsche
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Editor’s Note – October 2021

[Editor’s Note]
Dune (2021)

The long awaited “Dune,” by Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name will finally be released in Malaysia, and I was lucky enough to get to attend an exclusive media preview screening.
“Dune” is directed by Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve who also directed “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049”. If the name Dune sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve played the PC game “Dune II – the Building of a Dynasty” from the early 90’s which is considered the granddaddy of all real time strategy PC games.
“Dune” is a mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, and tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
The film has a pretty stellar cast comprising Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).
Villeneuve directed “Dune” from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Villeneuve and Eric Roth based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert.

I’ve never read Frank Herbert’s novel, but I did play the PC game when I was young and I was actually pretty good at it. However, don’t expect the movie to be anything like the PC game and only be full of action and fighting scenes. This is a political drama with power play, mysticism, intrigue, murder and backstabbing… think of it as Game of Thrones on a dessert planet!
“Dune” could only be properly created with today’s movie technology, bringing the scenes on Arrakis, the machines, and even the sandworms to life on the big screen. Watch it in IMAX to truly appreciate the cinematography.

“Dune” will be released in Malaysian cinemas beginning 14 October 2021.

Sticky Bones by Morganfields at Oasis Square Ara Damansara

We recently visited Sticky Bones by Morganfield’s which opened in Oasis Square Ara Damansara just before MCO 3.0 and has reopened for dine-in. While Morganfield’s is renowned for their spareribs, Sticky Bones by Morganfield’s is a more casual and laid-back restaurant and bar that focuses more on baby back ribs. This matches with the water feature/ fountain area of Oasis Square Ara Damansara, and makes a suitable place to unwind with colleagues or friends after work.
The ribs are imported from Spain and are marinated overnight with a secret blend of spices which gives the flavour and tenderises the meat. The ribs are slow-baked for 3 hours then finished on the grill when a customer orders to give it a nice char on the outside, while being tender on the inside.
Jack Daniel’s Glazed Baby Back Ribs
A must-try dish is the signature Jack Daniel’s Glazed Baby Back Ribs which is very tender, with the meat easily falling off the bone. The Jack Daniel’s glaze gives the ribs a slightly sweet finish. One can easily finish a whole rack!
Jack Daniel’s Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Crispy Fried Sticky Bones
Another must try dish is the Crispy Fried Sticky Bones which sees the baby back ribs deep fried in batter instead of grilled, giving it a crispy texture on the outside, while being tender on the inside. This appetiser is simply perfect when paired with beer!
Crispy Fried Sticky Bones
Apple Raisin Pork Sausages
The Apple Raisin Pork Sausages sees Sticky Bones’ homemade sausages served with red wine jus, creamy truffle mash potatoes, apple chutney and truffle oil.
Apple Raisin Pork Sausages
 Pancetta Ham
The Smoked Pancetta Ham is a bacon lover’s dream come true! The salt-cured pork belly bacon is tender and juicy and is served with caramelised apple, creamy truffle mashed potatoes, and red wine jus. If you love bacon as much as I do, you won’t want to share this with too many people. This was my favourite dish of the lot! The rest were good too but this one was simply outstanding!
 Pancetta Ham
Pasta Goreng Mamak
An unexpected dish was the Pasta Goreng Mamak which comes with fresh Tiger prawns and crispy fried pork lard. You know how a plate of mee goreng mamak is simply so satisfying after happy hour with your buddies? Well, you don’t need to head to mamak now as you can have a delightful plate of Pasta Goreng Mamak at Sticky Bones that hits all the right notes.

We also tried some off-the-menu items:
1. Iberico collar – tender, juicy, and flavourful!
2. Iberico secreto – has a unique, somewhat slightly chewy texture (but not like chewing rubber!)
3. Iberico jowl – has a smooth and silky texture
These items are great for snacking over some beers, and are not always available. Check with your server if you’re keen to try them.

Look out for the RM8 draught beer promo for Carlsberg, Connor’s, 1664 Blanc and Asahi, which is available daily before 7pm throughout October 2021!
Sticky Bones by Morganfields is located at:
R-06, Oasis Square,2, Jalan PJU 1A/7, Oasis Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stickybonesmalaysia

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In Your Face Gala Night & Christmas Tree Lighting Cocktail at Westin KL

In Your Face Gala Night
[Event]

Regina and I headed over to Nexus Bangsar South on 3 December 2015 for the gala night of IN YOUR FACE starring Joanne Kam and Tony Eusoff together with a talented cast is a musical variety show with musical medleys ranging from cabaret to 80’s Pop, Bollywood to EDM. This full on show brings together the glamour of Hollywood and Broadway with an amazing display of talent in glamorous costumes, fun mash-ups and heart-pounding production numbers. Inspired by Saturday Night Live with fall-off-your-seat spoofs and hilarious comedy skits poking fun at popular social issues from Sensitive Men, to what happens The Morning After.
IN YOUR FACE featured Malaysia’s very own Queen of Comedy, Joanne Kam Poh Poh and her leading man, the multi-talented star of Stage & Screen Tony Eusoff. Lining up the rest of the cast are comic, actor and writer, Kuah Jenhan, stand-up comic, writer & director Shamaine Othman, comedian & photographer Prakash Daniel, the beauty with a law degree, Lalitha Monisha (1st Runner-Up of Miss Malaysia Universe 2014), radio DJ and singer Ashley Chan and Sean Chong, the youngest up and coming member of the Chong family (Vince, Vanessa & Pamela).
IN YOUR FACE was conceived by Joanne Kam and directed by the multiple award-winning Llew Marsh, written by Shamaine Othman, with music production by Daniel Veerapen, and choreography by the internationally acclaimed dancer/choreographer extraordinare, Michael Tan. The show ran for 2 hours including a 20 min intermission, and also featured the talents of six amazing handpicked dancers.
This year’s version features a more fine tuned and updated comedy script with spanking new jokes and a whole new cast of male performers who have joining Joanne Kam on stage – Tony Eusoff, Kuah Jenhan, Prakash Daniel and newcomer Sean Chong who astounded the audience with their vocals, comedy skills and stage presence. The beautiful costumes were from last year Styled by the gifted Yasmin Rasoel.
The show contains adult language, and is recommended for mature audiences only.

The show was performed in conjunction with World AIDS Day on December 1st and ALL proceeds will be going to charity. There were also 3 paintings auctioned off whereby all proceeds went to charity as well.

Joanne Kam has this to say about her show, “I feel so blessed and thankful to be bringing this show back for one more hurrah. I can’t contain the excitement and enthusiasm when we unleash IN YOUR FACE, a truly special show with incredible talents. And yes, boys and girls, I will definitely be in your face for the second time and you will love it!”

The Cast
Joanne Kam – Female Lead / Concept / Producer: Reprising her lead female role in the sequel production is none other than the renowned Joanne Kam. With an extensive portfolio of 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry under her belt, Joanne Kam continues to reign as the number 1 female stand-up comedian and remains unchallenged, sealing her DIVA status in Malaysia.
Tony Eusoff – Male Lead: This gentleman is one of the most sought after actors who has starred in numerous TV, film and theatre productions, and most recently P.RAMLEE – The Musical in the title role. Tony is reunited with Joanne after 3 years when they brought the house down in the sell-out American Comedy Play Romantic Fools, that ran for 3 weeks in KL and Penang.
Kuah Jenhan – Performer/Comedian: A columnist with the Esquire magazine, a radio and voice-over talent, a script-writer for TV, feature films and in the performing arts and most of all, he’s the master in multitasking. Jenhan’s brand of humour and edge has found the respect and accolades of some of the most experienced comics in the country and within the South East Asian region.
Shamaine Othman – Performer / Comedian / Writer: A child actress at the young at the tender age of 7, Shaimane began her career in acting in popular TV sitcoms. Growing up, her new found passion in writing for comedic productions and TV shows have lead her directing two short films.
Prakash Daniel – Performer / Comedian: Photographer by day and comedian by night, Prakash is a well known YouTube star who has been featured in numerous videos by other local YouTubers. A regular performer in the comedy scene, he never fails to leave his audience laughing out loud with his witty jokes.
Ashley Chan – Performer / Vocalist: With a burning passion for performing arts since the age of 4, Ashley has been bitten by the musical theatre bug and has not stopped sashaying across the stage whenever the opportunity arises, this rising young starlet is to be watched out for.
Lalitha Monisha – Performer / Vocalist: A runway model, TV Host and performer, this fun-loving sassy young lady is equipped with an Australian law degree under the belt. Albeit her interest in the entertainment industry, Lalitha looks forward to paving her way into the boardroom in the next chapter of her life.
Sean Chong – Performer / Vocalist: A trained baker with a diploma from London, a singer and model, Sean has been a popular face of various commercials and print advertisements. Sean made his first musical debut a couple of years ago in KLPAC. Apart from singing and baking, Sean is currently working on developing a F&B business with his brother, Ian.
Llew Marsh – Producer / Director: A multiple award-winning Creative Director,
Producer, Music & Casting Director and Vocal Arranger who started his career at the tender age of 10 and as a veteran Director and Producer has worked with Universal Studios Singapore and directed special concerts and events for some major corporate clients including DIGI, CELCOM, HENNESSY, PORCHE & VOLKSWAGEN. Llew is set to work on the Tony Eusoff & Nadia Aquilah Concert, Aladdin – A Musical Comedy and Christmas In the City with Llew Marsh & Friends in the very near future.
Daniel Veerapen – Music Producer: Following his father, Michael’s footsteps, this charming young man has produced and directed some of the most influential names in the Malaysian music and entertainment industry. Having earned his AIM nomination for best producer at the age of 19, Daniel has continued to pursue newer sounds and always pushing his style to meet the demands of the ever-changing music scene.
Michael Tan – Choreographer: Having started his dance training in 1988, Michael’s training was conducted in various illustrious dance schools in Sydney for five years and later another two years in Melbourne. Michael’s work began to be noticed and was courted to relocate to Malaysia, whereby he was commissioned to conceptualise dance productions for many leading dance clubs in Kuala Lumpur. His credits included choreography work for television commercials and product launches. Michael’s dance routines have always been regarded as unconventional, fresh and highly entertaining as he places greater emphasis on creativity and originality.

In Your Face is presented by One! condoms which was the brain child of Davin Wedel, who founded the company known as Global Protection Corp(GPC) based in Boston, Massachusetts. GPC was incorporated back in 1987 during Davin’s final year of his Tertiary education. It was during that time because he wanted to promote intimacy healthcare as he noticed the lack of awareness and usage of protection. Over the years, Davin’s marketing vision and strategy was to innovate condoms from the traditional perception of condoms to a “cool” lifestyle product. Admitting that he stole his first condom because he was too embarrassed to go to the store to purchase one; that was one experience that has changed his life and many others.
One! was started in 2004 when Davin envisioned to create the next generation of condoms. To date, Davin remains as the CEO of GPC and has turned One! into a leading American brand and products are also available in Canada.
One! believes in innovation and breaking the barriers of communication between people and the products, through multiple projects working with various NGOs globally from donating condoms all the way to Africa and getting people, especially urban youths in its own communities in the United States screened for HIV / AIDS. One of the latest programmes initiated is the Lust for Life Campaign in the United States, where ! has worked with street artists spreading awareness of using protection during intimacy to prevent unwanted teen pregnancies and illnesses.
GPC has been a subsidiary of Karex Berhad in Malaysia since October 2014. Group CEO of Karex Berhad, Mr MK Goh (the grandson of the founder) has been in the condom industry over the past 15 years, and was instrumental in the listing of Karex Berhad in November 2013 in the main market of Bursa Malaysia and has successfully transformed the company to be the World’s Largest Condom Maker with the market capitalisation of RM2 Billion. Mr Goh serves as a trustee to the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC) and has represented Malaysia as an expert in the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) committee on the creation of global standard condoms.
Karex Berhad launched One! Condoms in Malaysia on 1 December 2015 in conjunction with World AIDS Day. One! will be contributing the ticket sales proceeds of the In Your Face 2015 show to a few selected local NGOs who are tackling the issue of HIV / AIDS. With every purchase of One! products, a portion of the sale proceeds will be to donated to assist local communities tackle their social issues, especially faced by youths today.
More info on One! Condoms at http://www.onecondoms.com/
For info on upcoming shows, head over to www.joannekam.my or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joannekamcomedy
Photo credits: In Your Face and author’s own

Christmas Tree Lighting Cocktail at Westin KL
[Hotel Happenings]

Malaysia’s Hottest Bloggers’ Sue Sien and Andy Kho together with Ai from Japan joined me for the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Westin Kuala Lumpur on 4 December 2015. The elegantly decorated 15 feet Christmas Tree with dreamy Westin blue, gold and silver ornaments was set-up in the porte-cochere of The Westin Kuala Lumpur which was right beside the busy Jalan Bukit Bintang, allowing passersby and motorists to view the beautiful tree. Apart from the Christmas tree, the hotel also put up an elaborated spread of fairy lights around the entrance of the hotel as well as a 10 feet high Ginger Bread house in the middle of the main lobby.
In keeping with the spirits of Christmas, The Westin Kuala Lumpur also invited 30 children from Rumah Shalom in Puchong to share the joy. “It is the season of warmth, joy and generous spirits, it is especially significant for The Westin Kuala Lumpur to share this moment with the lovely children as the celebration theme of Whimsical Wonderland is all about being a child again and celebrate.” said Mr. Ko Van Den Hil, General Manager of the hotel as he greeted the guests and media friends in his welcoming speech.
The lights in the hotel lobby and driveway were dimmed and Mr. Van Den Hil pressed the lighting button, lighting the Christmas tree lit up as carollers sang Christmas carols while Santa Claus went around spreading goodwill among guests.
“It is our pleasure to be able to share these magical moments with our guests and partners who have supported and contributed towards the hotel’s success throughout the year.” added Ms. Susan Yap, the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing as she was thanking the guests at the ceremony.
The children from Rumah Shalom were then treated to a festive movie viewing and holiday refreshments, while we and the other guests headed over for a festive appreciation cocktail at Qba Bar & Grill.

Carollers serenading the guests with Christmas carols
While Santa went around hugging girls…err I mean spreading cheer and goodwill

Andy Kho with Ai from Japan.

The Christmas tree is officially lit by Westin KL’s General Manager Mr. Van Den Hil
After which we headed down to Qba for a cocktail and a preview of the Christmas promotions at Westin KL’s eateries

A pic with Yen from Westin KL as well as Ai and Andy Kho

For more info head over to http://www.thewestinkualalumpur.com/
Photo credits: Westin Kuala Lumpur and author’s own

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Valentine’s Day at Four Seasons Koh Samui and Chiang Mai, Thailand, Singapore, and Jimbaran Bay, Bali

[Special Feature with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts]
Four Seasons Koh Samui, Thailand
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

“We’ve never had anyone say ‘no’ to the question ‘will you marry me?’ at our Resort – there must be something in the air,” smiles Worawan Grongthong, Conference Services Manager, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.
That kind of reputation sure calls for a romantic dinner on the beach this Valentine’s Day, toes tucked into the sand, the crashing waves providing a perfect harmony for the live saxophonist. Limited to a maximum of 10 couples to ensure complete privacy, this soiree at the Beach House is priced at THB 15,000 plus applicable taxes per couple – priceless for those who count on memories to cherish.

Romantic Sunset Cruise on the Siam Seas

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui’s private yacht, Siam Seas, will be offering a truly memorable experience to lovebirds – a sunset cruise with canapes and champagne. The romantic Sunset Cruise on Siam Seas is priced at USD 882*

Have a Major Affair onboard Minor Affair

For a truly Extraordinary Experience, couples can choose to discover the unspoiled beauty of Thailand’s Angthong National Marine Park from the unique vantage point of the Four Seasons luxury yacht, Minor Affair. Launched from Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, the overnight private charter cruises the park’s rainforest-fringed islands, stopping along the way for you to snorkel among the parrotfish, stingrays and colourful coral or simply swim in the park’s turquoise waters.
Back on board, lunch is prepared by the private Four Seasons chef on the spacious sundeck, while surrounded by pristine scenery. In the evening, tropical cocktails are served against the backdrop of a sunset from a private beach, where guests are treated to a Four Seasons chef-prepared barbecue and bonfire. Stargazing in seclusion on deck is a must before retiring to one of the boat’s luxurious staterooms.
For a breathtaking sunrise, the dawn-break excursion to Emerald Lake is a must-do. For those who prefer to sleep in, try a leisurely hike through the jungle with a picnic breakfast, either on board or on the beach, followed by a few more hours in the hidden aquatic playground.
The Extraordinary Experience on Minor Affair is priced at USD 8,800*
*Price excludes applicable taxes, are approx and subject to conversion rates
For more info or to make a booking, visit https://www.fourseasons.com/chiangmai/ or call +66 (0) 53 298-181

Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
At Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, the private dining experience offers the luxury of a dinner-for-two at the beautiful Orchid Nursery, decorated to suit the mood. Sasinipa Duangsuwan, the Resort’s Conference Services Manager, believes the experience is unmatched. “We have guests who have tied the knot here or have proposed marriage, who come back to celebrate their anniversaries and personal milestones with us. They often want the same experience because we have been able to create such a lasting impression.”
The farm-to-table menu for this occasion has been designed by Thai specialty Chef Anchalee Luadkham from the newly-launched KHAO by Four Seasons, and promises a generous array of aphrodisiacs including caviar, affineur cheeses and Champagne. Valued at THB 59,000 plus applicable taxes per person, Cupid will be strumming a chord or two along with the live musicians at the venue to make for an affair to remember.
For more info or to make a booking, head over to https://www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui/ or call +66 (0) 77 243-000

Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Bay, Bali

Sunset Cruise around Jimbaran Bay

See Jimbaran Bay from a whole new angle with a private Sunset Cruise along the resort’s coastline. Following the path of the setting sun, start the experience at the beach then sail through calm waters and past dramatic cliffs to the best sunset viewing spot, while enjoying canapés and champagne. The cruise is only available for one booking daily.
The cruise with sparkling wine and canapes is priced at IDR 2,800.000++ per couple, while the cruise with champagne and canapes is priced at IDR 3,700.000++ per couple.

Sundara Beach Club

Sundara Beach Club at the Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Bay, Bali will be having a special Valentine’s Day presentation of a Valrhona individual chocolate fountain afternoon tea, served with pink sweets and rose sparkling wine, and priced at Rp 988,000++ per set. Another option that is also available is the chocolate fountain with rosella tea from Muntigunung, a hamlet in a remote part of East Balim which is priced at Rp788,000++. All proceeds from Muntigunung products goes to providing healthcare, clean water and education to impoverished villagers in that area.
For more info, head over to http://sundarabali.com/ or call (62 361) 701010

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Four Seasons Spa

Relax, rejuvenate and revive with a selection of signature therapeutic massages, illuminating facial treatments and personalised spa rituals. Guests can luxuriate under the masterful strokes of skilled therapists and pamper their skin with 100% natural essential oils and ingredients by L’Occitane.
The Experience More special extends guests a complimentary upgrade for their massage to a 90minute session for every 60-minute session booked.
Guests who book the Dual Harmony package as a pair will enjoy 50% off* one spa treatment.
The spa promotions are available till 30 June 2018, excluding 16 to 17 February and during public holidays. Guests can enjoy complimentary parking coupons as well as usage of sauna, steam room and bathing facilities at the hotel’s Club floor.
*Discount is applicable on the lower priced treatment for the Dual Harmony package.
Prior bookings are required, and guests can call Four Seasons Spa at (65) 6831 7400 or email: spa.singapore@fourseasons.com

One-Ninety Restaurant

This renowned dining establishment is a lovely venue for a memorable evening with beautifully plated creations and impeccable service. An exquisite entrée selection will be available exclusively on 14 February, presented in an indulgent 3-Course Set Menu or complemented with a luxurious Market Fresh Appetiser and Dessert Buffet.
Choice of Valentine’s Day entrées include Mediterranean Sea Bass with Spanner Crab in Citrus Champagne-Caviar Sauce, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Smoked Mousseline Potato, Onion Marmalade and Black Pearls, as well as Saffron Risotto with Pan-Seared Duck Liver served with Port Wine Reduction.
Enjoy homemade cookies by the hotel’s Pastry Chef Audrey Yee as a sweet takeaway gift.
The Valentine’s Day Dinner is at SGD 88 per person from 6:00pm to 10:30pm, and guests can top off the night with an add-on of a Cupid’s Kiss cocktail at SGD 17 per glass (usual SGD 23).
For more info or reservations, telephone One-Ninety Restaurant at (65) 6831 7250 or email: one-ninety.sin@fourseasons.com

One-Ninety Bar

Experience sweet sensuality in a Cupid’s Kiss; a Valentine’s Day cocktail by Head Bartender Joseph Haywood, who took inspiration from the love story of Psyche and Cupid.
Featuring a heady mix of Apricot Brandy, Cognac, Chuncho Bitters and Prosecco, this cocktail will be available from 10 to 14 February at SGD 23 per glass. One great way to savour it is at the breezy Terraza of One-Ninety Bar with a tantalising spread of appetisers during L’Aperitivo Hour, on weekdays from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
For more info, telephone One-Ninety Bar at (65) 6831 7671 or email one-ninetybar.sin@fourseasons.com

Photo credits: Photos provided by the respective hotels and resorts and may not be used without the written permission of the respective properties
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Luminox Navy SEAL Collection 3580 Series

[Timepieces]

Tough conditions call for a tough watch and Luminox recently launched their new Navy SEAL 3580 series, the latest evolution of the best-selling Navy SEAL collection of Luminox watches. Consisting of five models, the series sports several exciting new features including a chronograph function and CARBONOX™ casing.
The US Navy SEALs are the most elite combat unit in the world, whose core values embrace never quitting and teamwork. They are the special forces called upon to take on the most daunting of missions, from battling terrorists, to hostage rescue and so on so forth, these guys are trained to handle tough conditions. For the 3580 series, Luminox adopts this spirit through the Navy SEAL mantra, “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday,” which stresses that each day you should work harder than the last, making the previous day appears easier.
This can be seen from the Navy SEAL Basic Underwater Demolition training (BUD/S) which includes strenuous conditioning on both land and in the sea. The training regime includes 4-hour sleep days and recruits have to weather the most gruelling conditions that constantly push a Navy SEAL to their limits. With nearly two-thirds of the class quitting or “ringing the bell” due to pain or fatigue, only the toughest minds, bodies, and souls have what it takes to earn Navy SEAL status and badge.

The 3580 Series introduces several upgraded features designed to weather the toughest obstacles. The mantra “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday” is prominently displayed on the dial of the XS.3581.EY.F model. This is to inspire those who have it strapped to their wrist to dig deep and overcome any challenge in their way.
Whether you’re training at the gym or facing challenging situations at work, you should push yourself to the limit and face it head on. Overcome it and you’ll be stronger and wiser, then use the experience to face the challenges in the future.
The collection comes in a variety of eye-catching, military-inspired shades ranging from army green, to navy blue, charcoal and the ever popular black-out colour way. The case and the unidirectional rotating bezel are all made of CARBONOX™, an innovative carbon compound material and a trademark of Luminox. The addition of CARBONOX™ results in a good-looking, lightweight timepiece that is still extremely tough.
Tempered mineral glass is used for durability and the double gasket stainless steel crown enables water resistance up to 20ATM. The Luminox Light Technology (LLT) provides unmatched night visibility through a self-powered illumination system that lasts up to 25 years without requiring an exterior light source or the push of a button. Each model of the 3580 features 15 LLT elements, including the bezel, indexes, and not forgetting the hour and minute hands for a quick glance of time in any light conditions.

 3581 – RM2,480
 3581.BO – RM 2,480
 3583 – RM 2,480
 3597 – RM 2,480
 3581.EY – RM 2,480

Navy SEALs, law enforcement, emergency personnel and more wear Luminox watches, and these professionals need to be able to see the time no matter the conditions. That’s why Luminox uses tiny tritium gas tubes, which will provide illumination for up to 25 years. Unlike other luminosity systems, which depend on exterior light sources to charge luminous paint or a pushbutton to illuminate the watch, the luminosity is built right into Luminox watches, ensuring that you will always be able to see the time, no matter the conditions.
Luminox, the original self-powered luminous watch brand, is the watch of choice for U.S. Navy SEALs, F-117 Nighthawk™ stealth jet pilots, other elite forces and professional divers. Luminox watches glow up to 25 years in any light condition, Always Visible. Tough, powerful and accurate, Swiss-made Luminox is the ultimate night vision gear for serious athletes, rugged outdoorsmen and other peak performers.

Luminox watches are available at leading department stores (Parkson @ KLCC & Pavilion, KL; Isetan @ KLCC, KL & 1 Utama, Selangor; SOGO, KL) and authorised watch retailers.
Alternatively, you may also purchase the watches online at https://www.luminox.com.sg/
For further information and the list of authorised retailers, call Crystal Time (M) Sdn Bhd at +6 03 3000 8688 or head over to http://www.crystaltime.com.my or https://www.facebook.com/LuminoxMalaysiaBrunei/
For more info on Luminox, head over to luminox.com

Visuals courtesy of Crystal Time.
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Subaru Forester 2.0XT Launch

[Automobile News]
Subaru launched its 4th generation Forester 2.0XT at 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya on 31 July 2013. Subaru which has produced some legendary all-wheel-drive (AWD) World Rally Championship winning cars such as the Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STi driven by racing legends Colin McRae and Petter Solberg.
Subaru is based in Japan and is the automotive division of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), a transport equipment manufacturer that has a wide range of products such as automobiles, aerospace, bus-manufacturing, house-prefabricating, industrial products and ecology systems.
Founded in 1955, Subaru has become synonymous with AWD vehicles and in 1972, Subaru became the first in the world to market an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) passenger car and pioneered the market in Japan for high-performance station wagons by combining a turbo-charged engine with an AWD system. Subaru has improved and refined its AWD system, to create a symmetrical AWD system that allows some truly pleasurable driving while maintaining safety.
Subaru is well-known for its engineering, design, functionality, safety and reliability, and their range of vehicles includes the BRZ, Exiga, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback, Tribeca and XV.
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The fourth generation Forester boasts enhanced user-friendliness, comfort and a fun-to-drive character through improved driving performance and ride quality
DJ, model and MC Patricia K hosted the launch
At the core of the Forester is Subaru’s unique Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive technology (AWD) that provides stability and allows for quick response to challenging road conditions. Enhancing the AWD’s ability is a newly developed X-mode control system that is designed to handle tough roads, slippery surfaces or steep hills and can be enabled with just one switch.
The Subaru Forester 2.0XT model features Subaru’s Horizontally-Opposed Direct Injection Turbo (DIT) engine. Mated to the high-torque, responsive Lineartronic transmission, the Boxer engine delivers increased mid-to-low range torque and smoother acceleration, while environmentally friendly technologies have also been included to reduce friction and improve combustion efficiency, achieving superior fuel efficiency.
The new Subaru Forester features a new power-lift tailgate operated by push-button for convenient and effortless opening and closing.
The new Forester is larger and roomier than its predecessors with a redesigned cabin which also offers more cargo space.
Automatic aircon controls. Also check out the beautiful stitching on the gear console and seats while the pedals have sporty metal covers.
Audio and cruise control buttons on the steering wheel so you can keep both hands on it during your drive.
The simple meter cluster with the multi-function-display (not lit) in the middle.
The pretty model Jessica How with the Subaru Forester.

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The new Forester also comes with SI-DRIVE, an added feature to significantly enhance drivability. The Forester 2.0XT provides options of “Intelligent”, “Sports” and “S# (Sports sharp)” modes that allow the driver to easily switch between varying levels of responsiveness and fuel efficiency. Hopefully I’ll get my hands on a test-drive unit soon so I’ll be able to experience it for myself and share my review with you.
Safety wise you can rest easy as superior crash safety performance has been achieved thanks to the specially designed body made with high tensile steel that reduces the vehicle’s weight while retaining high rigidity.
The all-new Forester is available for booking from July 2013 at all Subaru showrooms across Malaysia.
More info at http://www.motorimage.net/MY/
Photo credits: All the photos above are author’s own. The photos below are courtesy of Motor Image.
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