G Hotel @ Penang

The fabulous lobby

I recently bumped into an article about the opening of a new hotel, The G Hotel. It is located on the Gurney Drive, which explains the simple name of the hotel. From the pictures that I saw, the hotel looks really chic and I think it can easily be featured in the Wallpaper magazine.

The Executive Suite

A very sensual bathing experience

I really love the interior and the choice of colors in the rooms. Neutral colors really exudes some relaxing mood to any person that walks into the room. The interior designer also introduced some bright red colors and dark wood furnishings to create a really warm feeling as well.

The minimal bathroom

Standard Room

Four-Poster Bed

Hmm I guess the next time I'm in Penang, I will definitely try out this new hotel. It is so so soooo nice! And I hope that more hotels with newer and modern designs will be built in Malaysia, since we have very few of it, compared to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

For more details of G Hotel, click here.

Spring Cleaning Day

Before..

I declared today as my spring cleaning day! The spring cleaning is for my whole bedroom, but the most important priority is the wardrobe. Yes, the wardrobe has been in really messy and disorganized condition for the past few weeks! Shame on me huhu... But I guess I get the excuse for not organizing my wardrobe, since most of the weekends I'm in KL huh? :p

Shopping bags everywhere..

The wardrobe is so full of clothes, some of which has not been worn for the past 5 months I guess. So the solution is to throw away all those unmoving items, such as 5 t-shirts, 2 shirts, 3 pair of socks, 1 trousers, 3 underwears, 2 boxers and 4 NOMEX coveralls! Throwing all those stuffs definitely gave me more extra space, for more new clothes hehe..

After..

Instead of folding my clothes and put it in stacks inside the wardrobe like before, I decided to roll up all my clothes so that the space usage will be more optimized. Yeah I have been practicing rolling up my clothes in my luggage bag whenever I travel and it is a really useful technique. However, all my nice shirts, t-shirts and jackets are hanged inside the wardrobe, which I think is simply fair for the definitely above average price that I paid for them, compared to the ones that I rolled-up..

Rolled-clothes galore.. :P

After color-coordinating my hanged clothes, I just realized that I have too many brown and white clothes! Time for more summer-happy colors eh?

Too neutral..

p/s: Kix-kix & Muddy, we have to go to Singapore this June for the Great Sale!

Beautiful Teluk Bidara & Tanjung Jara

Teluk Bidara during monsoon season..

During last monsoon season, on one of the weekends that I didn't go back to KL, I drove all by myself to just browse and look at the beaches around the town of Dungun. I remember even with the fierce and very rough sea, and plus the weather was drizzling a bit, the beach at Teluk Bidara still managed to looked very beautiful. I took a few photos of the beach, and made a promise to myself to come and visit the beach again after the monsoon season, to take more pictures.

Road to the beach

Calm waters at the river mouth

Local version of Portofino? :P

Today the weather was really bright and sunny, so I decided that this is the perfect day to visit Teluk Bidara. The route along the way to the beach was really scenic, a little bit winding road near a hill, then passed by the Dungun River mouth with colourful fishermen's boats. Later I passed a very nice malay village, before approaching the Teluk Bidara beach. I personally think that the beach is one of the nicest beaches in Terengganu, if not Malaysia.

Scenic view..

Picnic on the beach

Postcard pics?

Happening Teluk Bidara beach..

The beach was full of activities, families, youngsters and students having fun in the water, or just by lazying on the sand and rocks. Some kids played flying kites, and some just cycle on the pavements. One makcik sells rojak buah, drinks, kepok lekor and goreng pisang. There were also a few guys with fishing rods on the rocks, and even a barber trimming his customer's hair under one of the many gazebos! Interesting huh? :)

A cave for the naughty ones huh?

Laid back flip flops

I bought some rojak buah and ate it while enjoying the beach. Hehehe so heaven! Took some pictures and then headed to Tanjong Jara Resort for a visit.

Rojak buah yang sedap..

Clear waters..

I have stayed twice at Tanjong Jara with my friends, so it really brought back the happy memories that we had there. Some of it were playing Saidina at the lobby till late (and till everyone went bankrupt! Haha), lounging at the huge swimming pool all by ourselves, and the dinner at Di Atas Sungei Restaurant. The resort just renovated the Tanjong Club Spa to become the Spa Village, so now it is under the same spa brand like at its sister properties at Pangkor Laut Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort, Ritz-Carlton KL and Tembok Village Bali. Hmmm maybe I need to spend my time again there very soon heh?

Di Atas Sungei Restaurant

One of the bigger villas

The award-winning Spa Village

My New Adidas

My good ol' brown Adidas sneakers just got ripped on the front-tip sole, after three-long-serving years for me. That was really my favourite sneakers! I think I wear it to almost everyplace I can imagine. My adidas terkoyak while I was window shopping in KLCC with Kix-kix and Muddy. So I guess the best option was to buy a new pair of adidas sneakers that very moment!

Buy me buy me!

The moment I saw the chalk colored sneakers at the Adidas store, I immediately love it. It was a pair of Adidas Porsche Design CL sneakers. I asked the store assistant whether they have size 10, and they have it! I guess I was really lucky on that day because from my experience, it is really really really difficult to find a really nice pair of sneakers for my size! I was in Singapore last December and I couldn't find my shoe size over there as well, damn takkan nak kena pegi Europe or US just to buy a pair of shoes kan?

You are mine now..

Anyway, I bought the sneakers and immediately wear it at that very moment. Superhappy with my purchase, but I think I will still repair my good ol' brown sneakers because it is a very classic design.

Dreamgirls

All you have to do is dream

Before I watched this movie, I really don't know what to expect from it. But I do know that the reviews of the movie were really good, further justified with all those Golden Globe & Oscar awards.

After watching it, Jennifer Hudson's performance as Effie White really blew me away! Such an excellent performance for a first timer on silver screen! I have liked her singing since the American Idol days, even though sometimes the way she sings can be a bit over-the-top. I think the best part was when she sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", it was a really really sad scene..

Effie White crying out loud..

Beyonce Knowles was really gorgeous in the movie, but acting wise she was a good performance and not that outstanding (compared to Jennifer Hudson of course). Her character as Deena Jones really resembles Diana Ross, with all those big hairs and glittering dresses.

Overall, I will give the movie rating 8 out of 10 stars (based on Shobshob score card haha), for excellent performance by Jennifer Hudson, and the ability of the movie to create a really feel good emotion (as well as sad emotion), through superb soundtracks with motown vibe!

For more information on the original musical "Dreamgirls" , click here.

Bali Experience Revisited

I remember during me and Kix's university years, we always dreamt of going to Bali. I dunno what was the reason, but the exoticness and the mystical characters of the island really made us fell in love with Bali (yes, even by dreaming huhu). So we made a promise, that one day when we are already working, we will step our foot on the legendary island of Bali.

In May last year (yeah I have been postponing this post for the longest time), me, Lenny and Muddy finally got the opportunity to go the the island of Bali. Kix was supposed to join our trip, he already even got the ticket! Unfortunately due to his work commitment, he had to excused himself from the trip. Must be really frustrating for him, but I'm sure his work commitment is worth it as well. Kan?

From the trip, all I can say that I really LOVE Bali. Kinda obsessed with Bali actually! Here are the description of the places that we went, from my observation:

1. Ubud: Lovely small town. She has this really calm and serene atmosphere, but at the same time buzzing with arts and culture! No wonder it is considered as the cultural heart of Bali. Countless arts, woodworks and stoneworks boutiques. The number of these boutiques are so amazing for such a small town! Balinese dances are performed at various venues (we went to watch at Ubud Palace). Amazing movement of the Legong dances and following the chaotic but enchanting sound of the Balinese Gamelan. te teng teng! The surrounding landscapes around Ubud are so unique, parallel hills and valleys with river stream deep down below. One of a kind! Ubud is also the place that we managed to catch a traditional Balinese funeral taking place, very fiery and lively!

2. Kintamani: A small village located on the rim of the Mount Batur caldera. Absolutely breathtaking view! That was the first time ever for me to be in front of an active volcano.

3. Kuta - Legian - Seminyak: The epicenter of tourism in Bali. Long wide beaches and famous for beginner to amateur surfers. Loads and loads of boutiques, hotels and resorts. Very commercial, but still have the characteristics of traditional Bali, though much much less compared to Ubud.

4. Tanah Lot: A unique temple on a small rocky island by the sea. The island can only be reached by foot when on low tide. Very famous for sunset (though we did not experienced it at all, too little time). Have this black- moonscape rock formations.

5. Uluwatu: Another unique temple, perched on a very very steep cliff 100 meters above the sea. Very famous for the sunset and the Kecak Dance performance. The whole setting of the dance, with the backdrop of the sunset is so mystical. And the sounds that the dancers made during performance is really catchy, surely to keep on playing in your heads after a few hours. Kecak-chak-chak-chak!

There are loads of lovely Bali pictures (500+ to be exact), but here are the pictures taken by me that I think best describes Bali. Enjoy!


Breakfast in Ulun Ubud Resort


Ulun Ubud Resort on the hillside


Pura Tirta Empul holy springs..


One of typical Balinese temple stoneworks


Beautiful rice terraces in Tegallalang..


Lively Balinese funeral..


Traditional Balinese costumes..


Spa session in an Ubud hotel..


Floating flowers that gives a relaxing mood to the spa..


Graceful Legong dancers at Ubud Palace..


Ubud Palace gates' used as the backdrop for Legong dances


One of Ubud's deep valleys and river streams..


Pura Tanah Lot..


Kecak Dance at Pura Luhur Uluwatu..


Southern Bali view from the flight back to KLIA..

My Own Four Seasons

Hahah such an overrated statement! But I really love my room, and planning to make it nicer and more stylish. One step at a time ok, since money is kinda an issue huhu.. Living here in this small town, can be a bit boring and there is really not much to do.. So after work, normally I would just stay in the room, and only go out from my room just to watch astro, eat or shower. Since I spend so much time in the room, so might as well make it liveable, and as comfortable as possible.

I've been using the standing-fan for more than one year and it's really not that efficient in terms of cooling capacity. Most of the time the room is like a sauna. Damn! And it's also not reliable, senang je rosak..

So today I called the electrician to install a new ceiling fan in my room! I am SO excited and happy with the result! Even with the direct afternoon sun coming into the room, it is still cool! Yippie!

So this is the way my room looks like at the moment, and there are still so much things to do..


The heavenly bed and its side table...


The entertainment centre.. Can't live without it..


The balinese dancers paintings..


The dressing area.. Very important..


The wardrobe.. No lion and no witch..