MZULKIFLI.COM

The British 10k London Run: I'm In!

2012-02-12T22:49:00.001+08:00

Yes, indeed! Just minutes ago, I registered for the 12th British 10k London Run via online. GBP50 got me a confirmed place for the event on July 8th and I have no doubt it'll be awesome! Now to work out those tiny issues of flight ticket and accommodation : )

Tribute To Tuan Senang Besar (TSB)

2012-02-08T12:00:00.003+08:00

Dearest friends,

An event that pays tribute to arwah Kharis (aka TSB) will be held this Saturday at Las Vacas Kelana Jaya, 3-5pm. This hi-tea is organised for friends and family to remember arwah as well as to contribute whatever we can to arwah's wife and daughter. For more details, please refer below:

Larian 40 Taman: Taman KLCC

2012-02-05T23:13:00.001+08:00

Another good run it was at Taman KLCC this past Saturday, the fifth in the series of Larian 40 Taman 100 Kilometer. In fact, it was a very beautiful morning and I myself was more than looking forward to running there for the very first time.

I got there slightly after 7am, and already a few of the Larian 40 Taman regulars were waiting for me. These guys totally rock, I tell ya. And as promised, I gave out the exclusive T-shirts to the first 10 earlybirds as well.

Also present was a photographer from the New Straits Times. I had done a phone interview a couple of days earlier, and the photog was there to snap a few portrait and group shots. Hopefully the story will come out by next week the latest. It would certainly boost the profile of this small effort of mine!

After the obligatory warm up session, we began our run. The target was to run two rounds, one loop being approximately 1.3km.

I've read so many blogs that raved about the jogging track here and I could see why. It's well maintained, easy to run on and the views are just spectacular.

We did a total distance of 2.64km and everyone was in good spirits at the end of the run. After some photo-taking (but of course), we then adjourned to Pelita nearby for breakfast.

What's great about this event as well is how people are simply making new and meaningful acquantainces. Some have seen each other at running events before but had never said hello to each other till now. And that's just lovely, in my mind : )

Harry Fotografi Promo

2012-02-02T14:24:00.001+08:00

Video Larian 40 Taman @ Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya

2012-02-01T15:38:00.002+08:00

Larian 40 Taman: Taman Bukit Jalil

2012-02-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

The fourth run in the Larian 40 Taman series was held at Taman Bukit Jalil this past Saturday. Now, this is a park that I'm quite familiar with, being just a stone throw's away from where I live.

I was quite astounded by what I saw the first time I visited Taman Bukit Jalil. It covers a huge area and has something for everyone. It's got a jungly area with an already laid-out trail for those into jungles (or climbing up hills), wide open spaces for picnicking and family-friendly games, a good jogging track, ponds with actual fish in them, etc. On Sundays especially, you'll also see various groups doing chi qong. It's really a place teeming with all sorts of healthy activities!

Anyway, it was a pretty cool and cloudy day when we gathered for the run on Saturday. And it was great to see some returning faces from the first run! Putting myself aside, there are now quite a few people who have joined at kleast two out of the four runs so far. Will make sure to keep records after this. Also present were some folks from the office, including Malaysia Hari Ini boss and GM of magazine and documentary Primeworks Studios, AKZ.

Again, it was a pretty relaxing run around the park. And everyone was really supportive of some newbies, waiting for them to catch up after the first round.

I must confess to doing something pretty deceiving though. As usual, I told everyone that the run would be around 2.5km in distance, but we ended up doing 3.53km. A record for Larian 40 Taman! No matter that a couple of the runners actually said, "Patutlah rasa macam jauh je". Haha. But hey, it's for everyone's good, right? : )

For the full report, click HERE

Harry Fotografi Bermula Sabtu Ini Di TV9!

2012-01-30T14:05:00.002+08:00

Harry Fotografi, the comedy series I conceptualised and co-wrote for TV9 will begin airing this weekend in the OMG slot! Yes, you bet I'm damn excited! The first two episodes will be aired on Saturday and Sunday at 7.30pm, a new time slot for OMG.

Please key in reminders on your Blackberry/iPhone/Android phone and hit me up with comments after the show : )

MELIHAT DARILENSA HARRY

Cabaran demi cabaranyang mencuit hati

Petaling Jaya, 27 Januari 2012 – Pernah melalui pelbagai situasi memalukan, pelik danmelucukan ketika hendak mengambilgambar? Inilah yang dilalui oleh Harry setiap hari ketika menjalankan tugasnyasebagai seorang jurugambar dalam drama bersiri komedi terbaru Harry Fotografi” yang akan mula disiarkanmenerusi slot Oh! Mari Gelak! (OMG)mulai 4 Februari, setiap Sabtu dan Ahadjam 7.30 malam.

Drama komedi 14 episod ini menggabungkan barisan pelakonserba boleh iaitu Zul Yahya, PutriMardiana, Jehan Miskin dan Kumin.Ia mengisahkan tentang Harry (Zul Yahya) yang menjalankan bisnes fotografi bersamakakak andartunya iaitu Mary. Harry juga dibantu oleh D-Boy (Kumin) yang tidaktahu langsung tentang selok-belok penggambaraan dan sering menimbulkan masalahkepada Harry.

Setiap projek yangdiambilnya pasti ditambah dengan seribu satu masalah dan cabaran. Memang sudahmenjadi cita-cita Harry sejak kecil lagi untuk menjadi seorang jurugambar yangberjaya tetapi dapatkah dia mencapai cita-citanya dengan segala cabaran yangada?

Bukan itu sahaja,malah Harry juga perlu melayan karenah tunangnya, Arissa (Putri Mardiana) yang sangatdahagakan masa dan kasih sayang Harry. Sikap Arissa yang sentiasa inginkanperhatian Harry itu telah merumitkan lagi kerjayanya. Tiap-tiap hari ada sahajayang menyukarkannya untuk menyiapkan projek.

Pada episodpertama, Harry mendapat projek perkahwinannya yang pertama di mana pasanganIman (Bell Ngasri) dan Emmabertandang ke studionya untuk mengambil gambar mereka sebagai pengantin baru. Barusahaja beberapa minit di studio tersebut, mereka sudah bertengkar bagaikanhendak runtuh bangunan! Pada masa yang sama, hari tersebut merupakan hari ulangtahun pertunangan Harry bersama Arissa. Arissa sudah begitu teruja untuk makanmalam bersama Harry tetapi Harry masih belum boleh siapkan kerjanya. BagaimanaHarry mahu melengkapkan tugasnya jika Iman dan Emma tidak berhenti bergaduh?

Episod kedua pulamenyaksikan Harry mendapat sebuah projek penggambaran bersama anak-anak seorangDatin berstatus tinggi... dan berhidung tinggi juga! Harry dan Mary begitugembira kerana yakin projek ini senang dilakukan dan mudah mendapat bayaranyang tinggi. Rupa-rupanya “anak-anak” Datin tersebut adalah kucing-kucingbelaannya. Harry dan Mary mula gelisah kerana kedua-dua mereka alah kepadakucing! Perlukah mereka membatalkan projek ini?

Berjayakah Harrymenjadi seorang yang disegani dalam industri fotografi? Lihat keletah Harry dan orang sekelilingnya dalamdrama terbaru “Harry Fotografi” di bawahFuze Productions diterbitkan oleh Azizi “Chunk” mulai 4 Februari ini pada hari Sabtu & Ahadjam 7.30 malam.

Selamat bergelakketawa!

Larian 40 Taman: Taman Rekreasi & Terapi Pantai Purnama Port Dickson

2012-01-27T02:45:00.000+08:00

So, after JB, we headed off to PD for some R&R and at the very last minute I decided it was good if I could get a run in as well. It actually depended on the state of my ankle, and as it seemed to be doing alright, I proceeded with Larian 40 Taman's third run all on my own.

Taman Rekreasi & Terapi Pantai Purnama was just a stone throw's away from the hotel we were staying, so it took just a few minutes to get there on Tuesday morning. It was calm and peaceful and the water looked very inviting. But my mission was of course to run the track.

It was a relaxing run but I did have to negotiate a couple of hilly obstacles. And even though it was very early in the morning, there was already a good crowd there, most of them, I assumed, had camped out the night before. It was also interesting to see kids and makciks fishing by the jetty. Yes, makciks in baju kurungs, no less!

Not much to report from this run, but I have to highlight one important thing: I was truly shocked by the amount of rubbish people had left on the beach. Seriously, it was one of the most appalling sights I have ever seen at any beach, anywhere in the world. It also confirmed that yes, we are still a third world nation with little regard for the environment. People simply chucked out mineral water bottles, leftover food and since this was the festive season, mandarin orange skins, into the sea.

Seriously, is this how these people behave even at home? Check out exhibits A & B...

Come on people, how hard is it to bring along a trash bag, collect your own rubbish and dump them into the provided bins? Even just thinking about it now makes my blood boil!

Anyway, for a full report on the run, please click HERE

Larian 40 Taman: Taman Merdeka Johor Bahru

2012-01-25T12:03:00.000+08:00

So, despite the worries about my ankle, the 2nd "Larian 40 Taman" went on without a hitch this past Saturday at Taman Merdeka in my hometown, JB. To be honest, I'm not 100% yet, but cancelling the run was never in consideration.

I got there at around 7.15am and already there were some runners waiting for me. The crowd this time around was slightly different than the first run, as more people brought their whole families to join in the fun. So it was pretty cool to see all these kids very "semangat" to hit the track! A couple of friends from KL who were in town also took part. You guys are awesome lah.

Taman Merdeka at Jalan Tasek Utara (opposite RTM) itself wasn't always a park. There used to be some chalets a few decades ago, and I remember passing by this place every day on the school bus going back home. There used to be a pool here as well where they kept dolphins. Yes, dolphins!

For the longest time, the area was left just like that after the chalets were torn down. And now it's become a recreational park which is fast-gaining popularity amongst JBians. I say "fast-gaining" cos the favourite spot has been the Kebun Bunga Istana. But it was closed since the New Year for renovations, so the crowd has moved over here.

Anyway, other than the murky water, the park is indeed a pretty cool place. Strategically located with lots of space, it offers some nice views of JB too. "Larian 40 Taman" would definitely recommend it to visitors of JB and residents alike.

Back to the run, we started at around 7.45am and covered a distance of 2.46km. Everyone was in good spirits and the kids really tried their best to complete the route.

And really, Johoreans are just friendly and nice people lah. Even the ones who didn't join us, said hello and spurred us on.

So I wanna give a special shoutout to everyone who participated in Saturday's run. And because it's Johor, it's even more appropriate for me to say, You Guys Rock!

For more photos and the full report on the run, click HERE

Larian 40 Taman: Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya

2012-01-18T15:33:00.004+08:00

Yes, we did it! The first run in the Larian 40 Taman series was held this past Saturday at Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya, and I can say it was quite a success. Some 40 plus people of all ages turned up, and I was more than happy by it. Thanks everyone!

There was a simple registration process before free T-shirts were given to those who had emailed earlier. And people really liked the design as well. Thumbs up to the logo designer, Azrin!

Most of those who turned up heard about the event through the Larian 40 Taman twitter and fb accounts, as well as my fb friends, MHI viewers and of course my Media Prima peeps. Even those who couldn't run, popped up to lend their support (yes, I'm talking about you Iesta! haha).

It was a nice and leisurely run around the park with a total distance of 2.7km, after which I handed out mineral water to everyone.

It was the perfect start to the campaign and I sure am looking forward to the next run in my hometown, JB this Sunday.

For the first run's full report and video, click HERE

Strapped Up But Raring To Go!

2012-01-16T12:44:00.001+08:00

Went to the doctor after MHI this morning and told her my sad story of what happened. My left ankle is bandaged now and I've been given painkillers and told to rest. The good news? No need for me to be referred to the hospital and get an X-Ray taken. For now, at least.

Told the doc I need to run this weekend and she's quite optimistic I'd be fine by then. Woohoo! For now, I've got my ankle up and just chilling out. But my mind's really on the 2nd Larian 40 Taman in JB this Sunday. Wish me luck, peeps!

Mizuno Wave Run 2012

2012-01-15T12:11:00.001+08:00

My ankle is strapped up now and I'm in considerable pain, but apart from that, the Mizuno Wave Run 2012 earlier this morning was a pretty good event.

Reached UPM around 6.30am and had to park by the roadside a few hundred metres away from the stadium. And that was when my "kecelakaan" happened. The walkway was really uneven and after a couple of near-misses, I twisted my ankle and nearly fell. The pain was sharp and instant damnit! I managed to take a pic of the culprit on the way back...

Haiyo, I was in two minds then. Should I turn back and head home, or just walk it off? It didn't get any better when I reached the stadium, but I proceeded to warm up anyway.

Couldn't really warm up properly though as my mind was still on the pain, but I then proceeded to make my way to the Start area where the ladies were waiting to be flagged off first. By this time, the ankle was a tad better, and there was no swelling. So the decision was made; finish the run at all costs.

The ladies were flagged off at 7am sharp. And 10 mins later it was our turn. As usual, I started at the back.

I started running and thankfully, everything was a-ok. BUT, then we had to quickly negotiate some tricky inclines. I guess we're just not done with the bukits yet after the Newton run a fortnight ago.

And yes, the compression pants worked wonders for me again. The shins and calves held up right till the end. The first water station was at 3km, and I must applaud the organizers for being so well-organized in every aspect of the event. We even got Gatorade at the 2nd water station! : )

The thing about this run though, every time I found a comfortable pace, there was a bukit to negotiate. Even the last km was a tough climb up a hill! Tak kasi chan langsung! But overall, it was a rather nice route with parts of UPM I had never seen before.

I was glad and relieved to see the Finish line and completed the run in 84mins. Not bad with the bad ankle and all. And it's also a great feeling every time someone comes up to me and say that they decided to run because they saw me doing it on TV. Aww...

I have to again applaud the organizers for a job well-done. Things were well organized at the Finish area, and there were fruits, nasi lemak, taufu fah, milo, Gatorade etc for the finishers.

Will definitely remember this run for a long time, and for various reasons too!

Larian 40 Taman 100 Kilometer Poster

2012-01-11T11:53:00.001+08:00

As a reminder, the first run with take place this Saturday, 14th of January at Taman Tasik Kelana Jaya. Flag off will be at 7.30am. No registration required. Just come by with friends and family and run/walk together. It's all about having fun!

Media Prima Official Broadcaster Of Euro 2012

2012-01-07T08:13:00.001+08:00

No worries for those with no cable TV subscription as Euro 2012 will be coming to Free To Air TV via Media Prima's channels. In all, there will be 16 live matches on TV3 and 3 delayed on ntv7.

The official launch was held yesterday at the Empire Hotel where this was announced. And it was a pretty meriah and colourful event as well.

Still six months to go before Ukraine and Poland host this year's football spectacular, but as they say over here, "bahang sudah mula terasa"!

Larian 40 Taman 100 Kilometer

2012-01-05T10:22:00.003+08:00

So, here it is people; a Community Running project I'm initiating that is planned for kick-off on the 14th of January, 2012. It is hoped the project will get Malaysians all across the country to run at their neighbourhood parks with friends and family.

In brief: "We will identify 40 parks all across Malaysia and organize casual group running sessions with everyone who’s interested to join. It’s really that simple. In fact, you can run or walk at your own pace, but with the common objective of completing 2.5km to 3km per run."

Yes, it's that simple and promises a lot of fun! We're finalising the logo now, and earlybirds might also be given free T-shirts. So stay tuned!

For more info, please visit the blog HERE and follow on twitter at www.twitter.com/larian40taman

The Newton New Year Challenge 2012: Check!

2012-01-02T10:07:00.001+08:00

As it turned out, the Newton New Year Challenge 2012 was a pretty fun and "cute" event. "Cute" cos unlike most other Runs, this one had a modest number of participants with very modest setup and everything else. Don't have the exact number, but there couldn't have been more than a couple of thousand runners yesterday. Which was fine with me, really.

In case you didn't know, the event was held in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong. Yup, it's literally in my own backyard. But here's the irony, I actually drove to the Start area. Haha. 500 metres also cannot walk!

Anyway, I got there around 6.10am, 20mins before the start of the 12km Run. The 25km was flagged off at 5.30am. The MC kept reminding us to "take your time, no need to rush and have fun". But that's how I approach every run mah... Haha.

I wore my new Skins compression pants, and let me tell you something; this thing really has magical powers! I usually have problems with my shins and I actually felt a bit of discomfort there during warm-up, as well as my calves. But I felt nothing after I started running. Magic, really! It's also very comfortable and yes, the promise of "better ball control" thru its new crotch design was also impressively delivered. Haha.

Back to the no-frills-run, it was also evident that there was no distance markers along the route. So we had to depend on our respective devices.

And talking about the route, we experienced our first incline at around the 2.5km point. Mengah jugak lah. But I think I did OK. Still maintaining my pace and my legs were holding up.

But that wasn't the only hilly bits along the route. It really got tougher and tougher to negotiate all the bukits. Which meant my "tactic" was just to walk the uphill bits and make up for the lost time going down. Still, I knew the pace wouldn't be the same as a typically flat run.

The first water station appeared at the 4km point. And there was PLENTY of water and not surprisingly, no queues at all.

Then it was back to more bukits and more huffing and puffing. It wasn't that scenic as well as we ran through God-forsaken parts of Bandar Kinrara.

I also bumped into a couple of people I knew and we chatted about upcoming runs. The last water station came during the last 2kms after which, we got into Lebuhraya Bukit Jalil for the home stretch.

The last 1km was pretty OK except that we weren't still done with the inclines. But soon enough I saw the Finish line and felt rather good. There were no cheering squads, but having 2,3 people clapping by the roadside was good enough.

I crossed the line at 96mins (cut off time was 120mins), so not bad lah. Especially when I am now in the VETERAN category! (bittersweet fact, this)

We all got our Finisher's medal but I could hear grumbles as the medals didn't distinguish between those who ran the 12km and the 25km. Ah well, I'm not too fussy, and besides, I was just happy the queue at the Milo van wasn't as long as it usually is at other events!

So, what did YOU do on New Year's day? : )

My Favourite Stuff of 2011

2011-12-31T20:02:00.000+08:00

Continuing this blog's great tradition, I present to you my favourite stuff from this year:

Film

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Watched it twice (once at Sunway's brand new IMAX cinema and once at a regular one), I had my heart in my mouth most of the time on both occasions. A great popcorn movie that hits all the required action spots. And then some...

Blu-Ray

My extended edition and box-set collection

It's slowly building up (as my bank accout shrinks) but seriously, there's nothing like slipping in a blu-ray disc on a lazy Saturday afternoon and enjoying the incredible picture and sound.

CD (pop)

Adele's 21

Heart-wrenching, beatifully sung, masterly crafted, utterly memorable... I could go on and on.

CD (rock)

Foo Fighters' Wasting Light

A blistering barrage of awesome rock tunes recorded the old fashion way. Win!

Gig

Switchfoot in KL

Hated the venue (in "trendy" Jalan Ipoh, for crying out loud), but once the show started, Switchfoot proved that they could rock anytime, anywhere.

Book

My Grammar and I

The horror! A book about grammar? Really? Well, when it's as well-written and entertaining as this, I can only say that this is the book for me. Or should that be 'I'?

TV Show

Piers Morgan Tonight

Took over from Larry King, and damnit, the dude is good. Seriously, this is the kind of show I wanna do in my lifetime. Yes, do watch this space.

Vacation

Perth was precious, Gold Coast was great, but our winter sojourn in London and Paris tops it all...

App

Instagram

So simple, yet it never fails to put a smile on my face...

Gadget

Bose Headphone

Worth the money so far!

Food

Snowflake

2011's the year of the dessert for me. And this particular one, a blend of things even I can't identify, tops my list. Yum!

MHI Bids Farewell to Abby & Wardina

2011-12-30T23:09:00.003+08:00

It was a special episode of Malaysia Hari Ini earlier this morning. And for a couple of different reasons too. It was the last one for the year 2011, and I simply loved the Year In Review content. We looked back at the year's most memorable events that encompassed sports, human interest stories, world and local news, as well as MHI's best moments. A job well done by the producer Izwan and team!

It was also special, in a bitter sweet manner, because we said goodbye to two of our female co-hosts, Abby & Wardina. Abby had been with the show for the past nine years, and Wardina, five. It was a pity though that Abby couldn't join in the broadcast as she had to be at SinarFM at the same time.

I first met Abby on the set of MHI in 2007. Before I joined the show as a co-host, I regularly appeared as a guest promoting mainly gua.com.my stuff. I also listened to her on the radio, and I quite like her laidback yet "gila-gila" style and personality. I also met Wardina the same way, on the set of MHI.

When I first joined the MHI family in 2010, they were warm in welcoming the newbies. I must say that it was pretty easy to develop the chemistry between Abby and I. Probably it's because we're from the same generation more or less, we could easily banter about things we had in common with. About 80s music, the Johor slang, and we constantly teased each other about our "advanced" age. It didn't take too long for us to figure out our timing and we never really got in each other's way. Simply a joy to be on-air with.

Wardina's the type who wears her heart on her sleeve and you can't help but to admire her honesty. She speaks passionately about the issues she cares about and is not afraid to show how she feels about them through her facial expressions.

It would certainly feel odd not having both of them as part of the family in 2012.

And speaking of 2012, the show will continue with five hosts: Ally, Fedtri, Nurul Syuhada, Zahan and myself. There will be some changes and add-ons to the content and everyone's basically pumped up to present a new-look MHI. So, do watch the show and hit me up with comments!

And oh yeah, there's been a lot of speculation on why both of them are no longer with MHI. I don't want to, and can't speak on their behalf, but I do know that they have other commitments lined up. But out of all the "theories" and questions posed online, including on my own timeline was whether they've been dropped because they wear the tudung. This is the most preposterous and ignorant question anyone could ask. And it doesn't even deserve a sarcastic reply from me.

Sometimes I do wonder where such people come from? Seriously, I would love to sit down one day and try to understand such mentality.

But that's for another time. Let me just end this note by thanking both Abby & Wardina for all their contributions to the show and I wish them the very best of luck!

My Favourite Moments of 2011

2011-12-30T09:42:00.000+08:00

Oh what a year 2011 was! All around the world, loads of shit (good and bad) happened, and really, we never even had a chance to pause and breathe before something else happened. Natural disasters, political upheavals, celebrity deaths; it was an endless roller coaster ride for everyone, and for different reasons too.

But as usual, allow me to share the good stuff. Cos really, years from now, I'd rather be looking back on these personal moments rather than, say, the death of dictators. Read on!

The Finish Line
From ZERO runs in my lifetime, to seven different events throughout 2011. And it was a special feeling indeed every time I crossed that finish line.

Maharajah M.Zul
Dressed up for the Media Prima 1001 Raya and Primeworks won the best booth award! I think it was the celak. And fake mustache.

Primetime Fame
Yup! Had a small part in "Kias Ramadhan" on TV3. Over 1 million people watched it and the reviews were rather good. I should have been in "Ombak Rindu", man...

Met The Tallest Man In The World
Pictures will never do this man justice. Felt like I was in The Land of the Giants, or something.

Rocked KLCC
D'Kechewas annual rock-out took place at the KL Convention Centre this year during the MPB Screenings post party. And finally, I get to belt out Prince's "Kiss"!

Turned 40
And no, I don't feel ancient : )

Run M.Zul, Run!
As a final prep for the ntv7 Feel Good Run, I ran 3kms, "live" on national TV via Malaysia Hari Ini. And got a massage straight after. I love this gig...

Hey Look, No Lovehandles! (Well, almost)
Stepped on the scale one morning and discovered that I had lost 7kgs. Then I had a steak. Kidding!

YNWA
After following the Liverpool anthem through TV all these years, finally joined thousands others in singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" during the Liverpool vs Malaysia match at the National Stadium. Goosebumps.

The Best Ever Negaraku
Also at the National Stadium. 85,000 proud Malaysians stood up to sing the national anthem with all their heart. I almost cried. Which I did after Malaysia failed to beat Singapore that night and we got knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers. Boo hoo.

Johor Premium Outlets

2011-12-28T12:24:00.003+08:00

It wasn't really in the plans, but once we crossed the Second Link from Singapore, I thought: "Hmmm, why not make a stop at JPO before we head back to KL tomorrow?" It was an interesting Hmmm moment, for sure.

And so, after being shown the new sort-of coastal highway earlier in the morning on Sunday by Hazrey, a freelance broadcast journalist who's also a regular contributor on MHI, we drove straight from Thistle to Kulaijaya. I wondered out loud if they'd be enough signboards to take us to JPO. The answer? Not really.

It wasn't until we were close to the Senai toll exit that we first saw the first JPO signboard. Come on lah, you wanna make this place a MAJOR attraction in Johor? Point people to it from miles and miles away! Make them feel like it's a true MUST-VISIT destination. And make it as convenient as possible for everyone!

And speaking of making things convenient, once you exit the toll, it's a pretty much straight forward drive to JPO, UNTIL... you approach the entry into the carpark.

No doubt there's ample space for parking, but I think they shouldn't try to make money from this. In other words, make parking free for all patrons! It should be one of the "attractions" of JPO. And guess what? There were only two entry points, and one of the points had a faulty barrier! Which meant the cars were bottleneck-ed and a jam quickly developed. Haiyo!

After the not-so-promising start though, things did look much more promising after we set foot on the premises. The outlets were well laid out, well-landscaped and definitely had an international feel to it. In fact, it looked almost exactly like the Premium Outlets I went to in Korea last year. Check it out:

Looking around, I immediately saw all the big brands people were talking about: Burberry, Shanghai Tang, Armani, Ferragamo, Zegna, DKNY, Coach etc.

It was getting really crowded then too, not surprising since people on both sides of the causeway were on holiday! Then came another problem. This time, not of the human or machine kind, but of the insect kind! Flies were everywhere! Why? I don't know. But they were outside the stores, and INSIDE.

So sayang, since the place was clean overall, but the flies were a real problem. Hope something will be done about this quick.

OK now, how about the discounts, you ask? Well, quite good, I must say; although I must confess that we didn't go into some of the more popular stores cos there were long queues outside (and really, we were just "window" shopping). From the few outlets we actually checked out, I can tell you that the promise of 25-65% proved to be true.

Went into the Nike store, for example, and found that great discounts were being offered for running shoes. Almost bought the Lunarglide +3 because of the good price, but the cushioning just wasn't right, so had to give it a pass.

But I did buy a couple of shirts at Raoul and got a near 60% discount. Another item picked up at Michael Kors was also generously discounted. Same with La Senza (so much for window shopping, huh?). But like I said, we didn't have the patience to wait in line to go into the likes of Burberry and Coach, so I have no report on those. Variety of items might disappoint some, though. Gap, for example, had almost nothing of worthy in the men's section.

Elsewhere, the food court's pretty decent with loads of variety on offer. But it was annoying how people kept knocking down the chairs. Seriously! It was like one chair knocked down every 5 minutes. So you'd be enjoying your beef curry and suddenly, "PANNNGGG!!" It's as mysterious as those flies, I tell ya...

After a couple of hours, we decided to leave before it became massively overcrowded, and guess what, I'm not done with complaining about the parking! This time, PAYING for parking proved to be equally annoying. There were long queues at the autopay stations, and halfway through my own queuing, the machine stopped. Seriously, why make it difficult for people in come in and out lah?

So, I can't quite make a conclusive judgment yet on JPO, especially when I've only been inside a fraction of the 80 outlets available, and the 2 hours spent there were not really sufficient. But I would say that it's at least worth one visit.

To the JPO management: DO FIX THE PARKING AND SIGNBOARD PROBLEMS ASAP! And yes, the flies need to go as well...

Wet In The Lion City

2011-12-28T04:48:00.000+08:00

We were quite nervous about the traffic going into Singapore last Saturday, but taking the Second Link proved to be the right decision. It was pretty smooth going in, although it poured heavily as we got to the immigrations.

The AYE then took us all the way to the city, and ultimately our hotel of choice, the Novotel Clarke Quay at River Valley Road. Yup, instead of staying in the heart of the city, I decided on Novotel knowing how it can get really happening by the river, especially on the eve of a big holiday.

I had booked the room through an online service, and more good news came when we checked in: our room had been upgraded! : ) It was a decent-sized room with a nice bed, big TV and a great view.

I would recommend this hotel if you're down in Singapore the next time around. Service was overall very good, there's also the complimentary use of Macs at with wi-fi at the lobby, and if you're driving, you can easily park the car next door at Liang Court. Everything's downstairs as well; Starbucks, supermarket, McD and other makan places, and even the Singapore River Cruise!

After freshening up a bit, we drove to Orchard Road (where else?) to soak in the holiday atmosphere and do a bit of shopping. And also to get wet, apparently. Yup, Singapore's been at the receiving end of more-than-usual-rainfall, and in fact, just a couple of days before we got there, flashfloods had disrupted some businesses here.

So yeah, we had to move about while covering our heads with our hands, but it wasn't too bad lah. What was quite "bad" was the over-crowding. Understandably, people were doing their last minute X'Mas shopping, so everywhere was really packed. But the bargains were quite good, and we left with more than a few bags in our hands : )

Dinner was back at Clarke Quay. As expected, the place was pretty happening and festive, despite the rain coming down again.

We had a look around and settled with Bayang, a Balinese makan place. Food was pretty good (especially the sup sapi!), and it was cool to just sit down and people-watch.

After more photo-snapping, we went back to the hotel to chill before my Day To Remember : )

The Newton New Year Challenge 2012

2011-12-27T21:29:00.001+08:00

So, what will you be doing this New Year's day? Sleeping in? More shopping? Lying by the beach somewhere in Bali? All good options that should have been mine as well. Instead, I'll be running up and down the hilly route of Bandar Kinrara for 12kms. Woo freakin' hoo.

Sounded like a good idea when I signed up for it, but now it sounds like a real hell of a challenge. But it's too late to back off now, so in the wee hours of 1st Jan 2012, I'll be huffing and puffing my way through the Newton New Year Challenge.

Picked up my race kit last Friday and this would also be my first run in the "veteran" category. Yes, that's what happens when you're in the four-series.

Also got myself a new pair of compression pants in Singapore. This would cost a bomb here but with the sale going on down south, I got these for only SGD177.

So, wish me luck and enjoy your relaxing New Year's day! *grumble grumble*

A Day To Remember...

2011-12-27T10:58:00.001+08:00

We were in Singapore this past X'Mas weekend, and while it was yet another nice, short break, it was made all the more meaningful for me as I got to see family members I've not seen in ages. My cousin Bernie who lives in Australia with hubby John and their kids David and Patrick, had contacted me sometime back to say they were coming back to Singapore this holiday season, so I just had to do whatever it took to see them.

Also living with Bernie is my aunt Doreen, my late mom's elder sister. FAVOURITE elder sister, I should add. They were really close. In fact, we were close with the whole family, Bernie's sister Vicky included. I had very happy memories with all of them in Singapore.

Their house was like my own second home. My late mom and I would always make the trip down south during every holiday and stayed with aunty Doreen and family for days. I would meet up with my other cousins there and there would always be something to do.

Aunty Doreen was always there for us. She's kind, funny and love her close family members immensely. I can't recall when was the last time I saw her, but through my emails with Bernie, I got to know that she now has Alzheimer's and needs a lot of tending to. Her short term memory is almost gone too.

And so before meeting up, Bernie told me that there might be a chance that she wouldn't remember me. I was fine with that actually, I was just excited to see everyone.

The whole family came by the hotel where we were staying so we could have lunch together. When I came up to aunty Doreen, everyone asked her: "Do you remember who this is?". And she said: "Joey Boy". I felt like tearing up. I was just happy to see her, and knowing that she remembers me made it even more special.

We all then had lunch at this place at Liang Court. I remarked that Bernie and Vicky still look like the way they did 20 years ago. : ) And I had a good conversation with Bernie's hubby, John. They actually live on a farm in Sydney and it was a blast listening to all their animal stories.

David and Patrick didn't speak much though, but I know from the bits and pieces of info that they're big on rugby (of course!) and are very "rajin" boys who help out around the farm as well as taking care of aunt Doreen.

The lunch lasted less than two hours, but it was one of the best days ever for me. It brought back all those childhood memories of mine and wifey remarked about how warm and loving they are. Aunt Doreen took a while to finish her food, but one thing she didn't lose was her sense of humour. She even made jokes in Malay!

The sad moment was at the end when she asked me about my mom and dad. When told that they had passed on, she was taken aback and I could see she was holding back tears. Cos even though she knew this, but due to her condition, the emotion she felt was like her hearing the news for the very first time.

Still, it was a day to remember for me. I just hope it won't take another decade or so to see everyone again...

More Scenes From Harry Fotografi

2011-12-23T22:17:00.001+08:00

Shooting is still ongoing for the TV9 comedy series I conceptualised and co-wrote, Harry Fotografi. Paid another visit to the set a couple of days ago and things are shaping up nicely. The outdoor scenes are almost done and by next week, the indoor scenes will be shot.

Director Chunk also showed me some scenes and I can say that I'm more than happy with how the show looks. More like a film than a TV show. And the cast members are just damn funny. Can't wait to watch it myself!

Musang King: Or Is It?

2011-12-21T10:47:00.000+08:00

Been craving for Durian even before our recent hols, but somehow never found the time to go roaming around looking for the spiky stuff. But last night, we saw some at the neighbourhood Giant, and decided to buy a few packs of the Musang King kind. (confession: I'm not really good at cracking open durians, God never gave me the skills).

Since they were closing the stall, the vendor gave me three packs for RM40 instead of just two. Chucked them at the back of the car, drove home like mad to prevent the smell from taking over and quickly savoured our loot...

They were good, BUT were they really Musang King? I wasn't so sure. I've had MK before, and I remembered being really wowed by it. This time around, I only liked it. I would say it was, at best, premium D24, but probably not MK.

But I guess the only way to know for sure is to buy more MK Durians elsewhere and do the comparison-o-doom test. So, do watch this space : )

Visit Britain 2011: Winter Wonderland

2011-12-20T11:52:00.002+08:00

And my final post on "Visit Britain" takes us to "Winter Wonderland"; London's Spectacular Christmas Destination at Hyde Park. Ironic though that we only visited it on the very last day of our trip despite it being a stone throw's away from where we we staying.

Anyway, we only heard great things about it when we got to London, although on one day, it was reportedly closed due to overcrowding. Yes, it's THAT popular.

We were from Covent Garden and took the tube to Hyde Park Corner. After just a short walk, voila! We were right smack in the middle of the sights, smell and sound of X'Mas at Winter Wonderland. Waaahhh, was all we could muster...

The vastness of Hyde Park was transformed into a wondrous land with food, drink and gift stalls, rides, an ice skating rink, a giant wheel, a circus and loads, loads more...

Having not booked in advance, we did not get to see the circus, but kiddo of course went crazy looking at all the rides. FYI, the rides averaged GBP2-4 per ride. And please note that accompanying adults need tokens as well. No free rides!

The joy was really endless, although we did get no joy from the weather. At zero degrees (the coldest it was during our entire trip), our teeth were clattering as it got deeper into the night. It didn't help that I lost one of my gloves earlier so my hand felt like, well, it didn't feel anything, actually.

But it was indeed a magical night, after which we got back to the hotel, had dinner with my brother-in-law and his mate, and took a taxi to Gatwick. Sob sob : /

2 Days In Paris

2011-12-19T17:00:00.000+08:00

I was in Cannes last year for MIPCOM and managed to squeeze in a one-night stay in the City of Light, Paris. I had no doubt that the fam would enjoy it as well, and so, when the UK trip was confirmed, I made additional plans for us to cross the channel for a French getaway, within a getaway.

The plan was to take the Eurostar train one morning, stay the night and return to London the next evening. First off, I had to book the Eurostar tickets which was easily done in the comforts of my office in Bandar Utama. Here's a friendly tip: book early with definite dates and time and you'll get a pretty good price. I paid around Euro100 per person for the return trip.

The St. Pancras International Station was where we waited for the train, and after the normal immigration checks and screenings, we were already on board!

The seats were really comfortable and the journey was rather pleasant. Of course you'd know that the train goes under the English channel, but it didn't quite last as long as I expected it. Before we knew it, we were already in French territory...

The journey took around 2hrs 20mins and arrival was at the Gare Du Nord in Paris.

And our hotel was literally across the street!

And it was quite a nice surprise that our room was pretty spacious.

Gare Du Nord seen from the hotel room

Nearby too was a halal makan place, which was where we had our lunch.

I had checked on the weather before coming over, and it did say that it'd be raining in Paris for the two days we were gonna be there. And so it did! We took the hop on, hop off bus which was just around the corner, but our hopes of being on the upper deck to enjoy the city from a different perspective was dashed by the rain.

But we did get to see quite a bit of the city before we got down at our destination of choice...

Which was Champs Elysees... And immediately we felt the festive magic as the whole street was lit up beautifully.

Seriously, what an experience that was as we walked in freezing temperatures while being serenaded with beautiful French tunes and chomping down churros and chestnuts. Stuff money can't buy...

We did a bit of shopping before sitting down for dinner but then I committed a critical error; I didn't keep track of the time. By the time we hit the shops again, they were already closing down. So we were just left with photo opps.

We took a taxi back to the hotel before getting a good night's sleep. Then it was time to hit the road again. The weather was looking rather fine that morning, and so we got to be on the upper deck of the bus for quite a bit.

It eventually rained again, but things cleared up when we got to our destination: Musee du Louvre.

The queue outside was rather long as expected, but it was OK really, since the payoff would be great : ) We didn't really have much time there, but we did hit the obligatory exhibits including Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa (yeah, I did the same thing last year).

We then took the bus again and headed for the Eiffel Tower. It poured relentlessly when we arrived there which was quite a bummer. But the skies cleared up a bit after that. The fam being first timers were really awestruck by the magnificence of the structure.

We snapped away until it was time to head back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and to Gare Du Nord for the train back to London.

A great getaway, but really, there's still loads to see, which just means we have to come back again soon, doesn't it? :)

The Perils Of "Live" TV: Part 2

2011-12-19T10:06:00.002+08:00

If you haven't read the original article, pls click HERE.

Just this morning, Hajjah Abby shared that a co-host (that shall not be named) recently yawned on-air. We had a good laugh about it cos we both know how difficult it is sometimes to stifle a yawn early in the morning. And I've told you guys about how my growling stomach could sometimes be heard all the way to JB. BUT I don't think I've come across, or heard of a host letting off air during broadcast! That is, until now...

Harry Fotografi

2011-12-18T11:11:00.003+08:00

"Harry Fotografi" is a comedy series I created and co-wrote for TV9 which will be on-air sometime next month. Yup, while I've written stories and scripts for online dramas before on gua.com.my, this is my first ever series for television. Woohoo! The first of many to come, I hope : )

Anyway, here's a short synopsis of what "Harry Fotografi" is all about:

"Harry Fotografi" is about a photography prodigy Harry who opens up his own studio and aims to be the best in the business. Harry is assisted by his andartu sister Mary, who’s the brash and couldn’t-care-less receptionist cum office manager.

Harry’s other assistant is D-Boy, a rap star wannabe who knows nuts about photography and usually gets Harry into MORE trouble. Arissa is Harry’s gedik and manja, yet supportive fiance, who hates and is hated by Harry’s sister Mary.

Every week, Harry takes on a new assignment that may seem easy and straightforward but is usually fraught with challenges and unexpected hurdles. His clients are always colourful and mystifying with their own demands and idiosyncrasies.

How does Harry manage to resolve these “challenges” and realise his dream of being the best in the business? Find out on “Harry Fotografi”!

"Harry Fotografi" stars Zul Yahya (Harry), Sharifah Shahorah (Mary), Kumin (D-Boy), Puteri Mardiana (Arissa) and Jehan Miskin (Maman). Directed by Azizi "Chunk" Adnan and team, my writing partner for some of the episodes is the very talented Sofia Rhyland.

Shooting began last Thursday, and everything looks good so far.

Indeed it's another dream coming true for me. Having been a fan of sitcoms since forever, I just knew that one day I'd be producing one of my own. The idea for "Harry Fotografi" came quite easily. I basically looked at what's popular with people now and photography's pretty top on the list. Couple that with my own experience in conducting photoshoots during my editor days with FHM, NewMan, etc, I knew it wouldn't be too hard to come up with the various comedic scenarios that would be perfect for TV.

Shooting will last for two weeks, and I'll be bringing more updates from time to time. So, stay tuned!

Visit Britain 2011: A Run In The Park

2011-12-16T10:59:00.003+08:00

So, one of the reasons why I chose a hotel near Bayswater was because I knew I wanted to run at Hyde Park. I mean, how could I not, when it's one of the most iconic parks in the whole wide world right?

And so, on the third day we were there, I decided to put on my running gear and run up some KMs. Of course, the temperature on that day being around 5 degrees, I had to layer up and put on some gloves.

I've ran in the cold in Perth before, but this was an altogether different experience. Really enjoyed it, but halfway through, my eyes and nose were already berair. Haha.

But the view was awesome. We got there as the sun was rising, so it was pretty special.

And so, I can now say... Hyde Park. Check.

Visit Britain 2011: The Stonehenge Sojourn

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000+08:00

I wanted to do something special for my 40th birthday, so I decided to see some rocks. Well, it's a bit more serious than that; I went to visit Stonehenge *cue the Twilight Zone theme*. A tad unusual for a birthday outing, but hey, I'm quite the history buff, you know. I've seen all the Indiana Jones films, like, plenty of times... : )

For those not quite into history (and/or Harrison Ford flicks), here's a short intro taken from Wikipedia:

"Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 2.0 miles (3.2 km) west of Amesbury and 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds."

See? How can you NOT go and see what the fuss is all about yourself? And so, I called up the hotel concierge to book a tour HERE. Then I made a boo boo. We had initially wanted to do the Stonehenge and Bath tour, but I ended up booking Stonehenge with Fish & Chips. I tried to change it but was told that there was no tour to Bath on the 8th. Haiya.

Anyway, we got over the disappointment and got all geared up for Stonehenge. The bus was already waiting near the Victoria Station when we got there, and soon enough we were well on our way, accompanied by a "live" and humourous commentary. (Although it wasn't funny when we were told there was no eating on the bus when we were actually starving like mad).

The journey would take two hours and as the bus snaked through the streets of London, we did get to see parts of the city we've never seen before. Quite cool, really.

Then it was time to hit the highway.

An hour plus later, we came across some burial mounds, before catching our first glimpse of Stonehenge itself. Waaahhh...

The driver then got down to get our tickets, after which he told us we had exactly an hour to roam about and do our thing. With the ticket we were also given an audio guide that spewed. out all the info we needed to fully appreciate Stonehenge.

Unlike a couple of decades ago, you can't come close or touch the stones now. There's a barrier you can't breach, but the feeling was no less magical.

And it was a tad of a challenge to snap photos and enjoy our cup of hot tea with the wind blowing strongly the entire time.

After the hour was up, we were back on the bus and headed back to London.

But that wasn't all that I did on my birthday. Before Stonehenge, we actually went to the awesome Westfield mall near Shepherd's Bush where I got a couple of special treats. Hehe.

Oh yes, what a day it was... : )

Visit Britain 2011: 'Tis The Season To Be Jolly

2011-12-13T16:02:00.000+08:00

Ah, so many stories and pics to share, don't really know where to begin. But for starters, it was a deliberate decision to do winter this time around. And of course, it's in conjunction with a couple of birthdays, mah. Ahem.

Anyway, from Gatwick (where AAX now lands, and not Stansted), we took the Gatwick Express before switching to the tube at Victoria which took us to the Bayswater station. We stayed at the Best Western Phoenix Kensington Gardens, and I would recommend this establishment to you lot out there.

It's just a couple of minutes from TWO underground stations (Bayswater & Queensway) and really, everything was literally around the corner: Halal makan places, convenient stores, souvenir shops, Whiteleys shopping mall (complete with H&M and HMV), and even Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. And for those who simply can't tear away from your nasi and sambal, Malaysia Hall's pretty close by as well. So yes, perfect location as far as we were concerned.

And the best part? Free wi-fi!

Sunrise seen from our rather spacious room

Perfect weather for a walk

...or getting in touch with nature

And checking out some art

Note the chipmunk

And the pigeons

Our days were of course filled with a lot of walking, undergroud-ing and yes, shopping. X'Mas was just around the corner, so the sales had already begun. Still, our first real stop just had to be at Covent Garden. Kiddo had never been there before, so she did enjoy the street performances as well as the shops. The Apple store was also a main draw for us, but in case you're wondering, no, we did NOT pick up the iPhone 4s which had a price tag of GBP499 (apparently it'll be cheaper here when launched very soon). But in the end, I did pick up a set of Bose headphones. Woohoo.

Anyway, kiddo's real treat came when we got to Regent Street.

Which meant only one thing: Hamleys! Where a birthday shopping spree rightly ensued.

Shopping for adults meanwhile took place the day after, which included a raid on Sports Direct like never before and the rest of Oxford Street, dan kawasan-kawasan sewaktu dengannya. (If you follow me on twitter, you'd know that I bought a QPR jersey here. Yes, QPR!)

On another day, we also made our way to Portobello Road for the famous market but since it wasn't the weekend, business was a bit slow. Still, it was a good walk down the road, and we did pick up a couple of cool trinkets.

Oh yeah, forgot to fill you in on the weather. It averaged 5deg celsius throughout our London stay except for the last day when it dipped into negative territory. So yeah, the layering was indeed necessary, and because of that, I might look "bigger" than I actually am in these photos. Haha. And it was always a great time to have coffee...

Shopping wasn't the only thing on the agenda as we hit a number of the obligatory touristy spots. You know, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Harrods etc. Of course our transportation of choice was the underground (one-day tickets are always the way to go), although there was that one time we took a wrong turn and decided to take the black cab since all our kaki were already lenguh.

OK, coming back to Bayswater and the good makan places there, we first went to this place that served Middle Eastern food called the Halal Restaurant. Yes, it IS called the Halal Restaurant. Food was pretty decent with the obligatory kebabs and shawarmas.

But the star of Bayswater's definitely Noodle Oodle, a halal Chinese joint that serves the most delectable roasted duck ever. Also famous as the restaurant that Gordon Ramsay visited to learn how to make hand-pulled noodles, we made three visits there and were more than satisfied on all occasions.

Admittedly, the service could have been better. On our first visit, despite ordering on the touchscreen monitor, they kept sending the wrong orders, which was quite funny. And they kept telling us "50pence" every time we wanted cut chillies. Haha. But seriously, even if you're not staying near the area, take the train and try out the place!

Up next: Stonehenge

40 & Loving It...

2011-12-08T17:42:00.001+08:00

Yup, I turn 40 today. Thank you, thank you. Was in Paris yesterday and as I'm writing this, I'm sipping cappuccino at Westfield in London. Chewah. I feel so blessed and have a lot to be thankful for. And I wanna say thanks to everyone who posted birthday messages on my fb and twitter. Appreciate it a lot, guys!

Visit Britain 2011

2011-12-04T02:44:00.001+08:00

Yup, after 14hrs of flight time and 2 train rides later, here we are somewhere near Bayswater, London. It's still only 6.41pm local time but we're already calling it a day. Jetlagged lah. But can't wait for tomorrow when the real jalan-jalan begins. Nite folks! And oh yeah, it's freezing here!

Food, Glorious Food!: Special JB Edition II (ZZ Sup Tulang, ABC Kg. Melayu, I.T Roo, Warung Siput Sedut Wak Dol)

2011-11-30T15:52:00.001+08:00

When I was in Penang two weekends ago, I tweeted the various food and food places I tried and went to, which got a lot of attention. While most people salivated over the kuey teow and nasi kandar I had, one person though remarked that Penang couldn't compare with JB in terms of being the king of cuisines. Well, I'm a JB-ian, so I can't possibly refute that. But I must say that Penang is a pretty delicious place. And I can't deny that I still think about the many lip-smacking goodies Penang has to offer.

But let me leave the Penang vs JB debate to your goodselves. Instead, allow me to bring to you a 2nd Edition of "Food, Glorious Food" featuring JB. I balik-ed kampung this past long weekend, and here's my verdict on more great makan places around town. Drooling, as usual, is optional...

Our first stop was ZZ Sup Tulang at Jalan Petrie. It's a bit tricky to find, but once you're in that Jalan Petrie/Jalan Mariamah area, you can't really miss it. But don't expect a proper restaurant and all, cos the joint sits on a piece of land with a jungl-y feel to it. The huts and gazebos allow you to have proper seats as you suck on the sup tulang or sit "bersila"-style.

On to the food now. As the name of the place suggests, the specialty here is the sup tulang. And apparently you can have it at any time of day. It's really good, and comes with a straw so you won't miss a single bit of the fatty stuff.

BUT even more special here is the mee rebus tulang! I mean, two great cuisines combined and you get a meal two times the awesomeness. Just have a look lah...

The trick is to really savour every bite and slurp. I must say that the mee rebus is not as good as Haji Wahid's but it's a hundred times better than most other imitators.

Other specialties here include the bubur nasi and laksa Johor which I'll surely try the next time around. We did though sample some otak-otak and it was good as expected, despite being a tad too spicy.

Next up: the food court at Kampung Melayu. If you didn't know already, I was born here. And it's been a while since I roamed about the neighbourhood, which hasn't changed much, really. Only that some houses that looked old 20 years ago, look old-er now : ) .

Anyway, the food court is known for a slew of delectable offerings. Be warned though that cleanliness is not quite the priority here, so it's better that you just enjoy the food here and NEVER EVER sneak a peek at the kitchens. Hehe.

Since we were quite full then, dessert was the priority. And none more famous here than the Azmie Wawa ABC. We ordered the regular and special ones...

Holy moly, right? It will take some time to go through the pile of icy goodness and as for the taste, it was a mixed review, really. If you're a fan of minimalist ABC, this version might be too overpowering and over-indulgent, especially with the thick chocolate sauce on top, but personally, I liked it!

What also hit the spot for me was the yong tau fu. Took a sip of the soup and a world of memories came flooding back. It had the taste of my childhood as yong tau fu was one of the things my late father would buy came pay day as a treat. It tasted exactly how I remembered it. Nice.

OK, now on to some western food. Yup, classic western food. And this place, I.T Roo Cafe apparently serves the best of a Malaysian favourite, the chicken chop.

Situated at Jalan Dhoby (a road most Johoreans would snigger at when mentioned), this is one of those old cafes that been's been around since forever. They've made it a point NOT to make it look too modern, and what I also liked about the place was the many nostalgic photos plastered on the walls. Retro's the way to go here.

The recognition of "Best Chicken Chop in JB" was actually given by The Star in 2003, so is it still the best around today? We ordered two types of chicken chop; the fried chicken chop with black pepper sauce, and the girlled chicken chop with mushroom sauce.

And I'm happy to report that both chicken chops actually hit the spot! Both the chicken were grilled and fried to perfection and the sauces were faultless.

I also looked up foursqaure for some tips and many said the local dishes were good as well. Tried the mee mamak, and it wasn't bad at all.

Up next, we wanted to try some Thai food as well. An odd choice when you're in JB but we saw this place Terra Thai on the way to ZZ Sup Tulang earlier and decided we just had to try it.

Located at Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad, you can't really miss the place as the signboards are sufficient and the 1930s bungalow that houses Terra Thai are lit-up well at night.

We were greeted with warm smiles as we walked in and were pleasantly surprised by the nice, yet understated interior. And I must say that the service here is first class. The waiters can actually recommend dishes and are always attentive.

We ordered a few of the more popular dishes including the tom yam, ikan dua rasa, somtam, beef and pineapple fried rice.

The tomyam resulted in smoke coming out of our ears but we couldn't get enough of it. Haha. And the rest of the dishes came across as authentic as well, indicated by the sweat that continued to pour down my face throughout the entire meal.

And finally before we left for home, we just had to make a stop at this famous nasi campur place in Kg. Pasir, Warung Siput Sedut Wak Dol, famous for its (what else?) siput sedut cili api.

It's been around for 20 years, and I guess they're just comfortable being there at the old premises that hasn't deterred people from all walks of life flocking over for the food come lunch time.

It's a very kampung and authentic malay makan experience as you serve your own rice and pick whatever lauk you want including ikan bakar, ulam, asam pedas and other types of vege.

The siput sedut here is totally awesome and having it with a side of ikan bakar and steaming hot rice was just perfect. And lucky for me, the warung owners are also fans of MHI, and we left with an extra pack of siput sedut, on the house!

So, planning a trip down to JB now? : )

Avillion, Port Dickson

2011-11-25T10:33:00.001+08:00

A little late with this post; a couple of weeks ago, our New Media team had a 2-day 1-night brainstorming retreat at the Avillion in Port Dickson. I've been to the resort before and was impressed by its standards, so naturally I had to recommend this place for our own retreat.

Coming back after a couple of years, I was still impressed by what I saw. Despite being a rather "veteran" resort, the Avillion has maintained the place REALLY well. You know how the maintenance culture here in Malaysia ain't exactly a priority, so kudos to the management for keeping everything in tip-top condition; from the overall premises in general, the rooms, the gardens, the pools, I had no complaints whatsoever, personally.

Anyway, the retreat was indeed a fun one. Sure, we had to squeeze our brains somewhat in coming up with new and fresh ideas for the year 2012, but it was all achieved in a cool and laidback setting and manner.

We chilled out during the ideas sessions and even played a good game of volleyball. Yes, volleyball. Where the team who could actually serve, won, which was my team. Haha. Hey, I even won the MVP award, OK?

The obligatory jumping pose

The SEA Games volleyball team didn't know what they were missing

The victorious team

Hurrah, we won... a bunch of crackers!

The Most Valuable Player deserves some Toblerone

Now, allow me to share some snaps of the resort. I would rank it in the Top 3 resorts in PD for a good family getaway, along with Thistle and Legend International Water Homes.

The water chalets

The premium room comes with a private balcony

Open-air shower in the room

Petting Zoo for the kids

There are a couple of pools here. This one's for adults only

When In Penang... Eat!

2011-11-22T10:46:00.001+08:00

So OK, I was in Penang for the Penang Bridge Marathon this past weekend, but in the name of carbo-loading, I just had to hit the makan trail as well. I mean, the last time I was there for work, we were pratically cooped up in the hotel at Tanjung Bungah and only had one visit to a nasi kandar place. So it was payback time!

But before that, I must say that my stay at the Eastin Hotel, Queensbay was a pretty good one. Nothing really outstanding about the joint, but everything was just good and nice. The executive room's of normal size but clean, with free wi-fi, an LCD TV with some decent pay TV channels, complimentary mini bar and rather nice views of the city...

Yup, if you get the sea view room, you could actually see both the bridges, which is pretty awesome in my books. And yes, Queensbay Mall is just next door, so plenty to do and experience around here. OK, on to the eating bit, now!

First stop was Nasi Kandar Line Clear, easily one of the most famous kandar joints in the land. Which was also my one and only kandar stop a few months back, so I kinda knew what to expect.

But that doesn't mean I didn't throughly enjoy the whole experience again. An experience that included a big, fat fish head, pedal ayam, sotong, papadom, vege and the magical mix of sauces. I thought they over did it with the rice, but I ate every single grain of it. Carbo-loading, mah!

And for dessert, I had the legendary cendol at Penang Road Famous Teowchew Chendul at KOMTAR. But if you're a purist, make sure you visit the original stall just around the corner. But be prepared to queue though.

My verdict? The cendol with ice cream was absoultely delicious, although there were a bit too much of the kacang bits. But good lah if you're into kacang!

Next on the list was Sany Char Keow Teow. A bit of an Amazing Race trying to locate the place, but it was totally worth it. Don't know what it is about the keow teow, but the way it's fried, along with the special sauce, make it a definite must-try. If I didn't have satay on the side as well, would have ordered a couple more plates of the kuew teow just for myself. Hehe.

After the event, I had a big breakfast at the hotel, but when evening came, it was time to go out eating again. This time, my understanding friend took me to Kapitan Claypot Briyani near Gurney Drive. Slightly starving by that point, I tore into the lamb briyani with a side of butter chicken with relish. Memang seriously sedap.

Then we took a drive around Gurney Drive and I sort of earmarked all the places I intend to raid on my next visit. Can't remember when was the last time I was there, but I could see what the fuss was all about.

And finally, we dropped by Padang Brown for a quick stop before I left for home. Was told that there's plenty to try here especially the pasembor and celup-celup, but still full from the beriyani, I only settled for dessert in the form of bubur cha cha. Totally different from what Johoreans know as bubur cha cha, which is usually served hot, this version had shaved ice along with the usual condiments. Awesome, nonetheless!

So, I ran, I ate and had a pretty cool time in Penang. But trust me, I'll be back. For the food, of course.

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011

2011-11-20T11:53:00.001+08:00

As I'm writing this, I'm comfortably resting in my room and recovering from the run just a few hours ago. How did it go? Well, I would say this was the best run of the year for me so far. So OK, the build-up to the event was pretty sad with limited mileage and all, but somehow that didn't really matter when push came to shove.

After a full day of carbo-loading and then some (which I will write about, for sure), went to bed pretty early last night after laying out what's needed in the morning.

Had a decent sleep and woke up at 4.30am. Straight away I looked out the window and saw some runners and officials by the roadside. FYI, the full marathon was flagged off at 2am!

Then it was time for me to shower and I also made myself some peanut butter sandwiches. Had a couple of bananas as well before putting on my running gear.

The 10km run was to be flagged off at 6am and by 5 something, the Start area, which is right in front of my hotel, was already buzzing.

When I finally got down after stretching for a good few minutes in the room, I immediately bumped into a few of my Media Prima colleagues. Everyone was all geared-up for a good run.

It was also a very cool morning, with the rain having just stopped a few hours before. But a complaint I have is on the lack of atmosphere. The runners were all very excited, but there was no loud music to build up everyone's semangat. Bummer.

The run was then flagged off at 6am as planned, but having started at the back (as usual), it took us six full minutes just to get to the starting line!

And then it was off! The first km was good, but then I felt a little tightness in my calves... Which disappeared after the 2nd km. Woohoo! And I must say that running with my compression pants was a really good decision. It was comfortable, and for the first time, my legs held up right till the end without much problems. Hurrah for compression technology! : )

And after 3kms, we finally got on the flyover that took us to the bridge. And soon, the spectacular structure became visible. Even though it was still dark at that point, the sight was pretty breathtaking. And oh yeah, the breeze accompanying our run then was calming and cool...

Then came the water station test. And unfortunately, the organizers flunked the first one. Although they had loads of bottles left, they were still in boxes and it took the volunteers some time to rip them open. And instead of pouring into cups, runners took the bottles and threw them away after a few gulps. Very membazir, I must say.

After a couple of kms on the bridge, we made a u-turn. It was also getting brighter then and many took the opportunity to snap away. Including yours truly, of course : )

By this time, my pace had slowed down, although after every short walking break, I felt instantly revitalized. The iPod was telling me that I was on track to finish the run within my targetted 90mins, so that was a good piece of motivation for me.

Oh, we also bumped into a sea of yellow, courtesy of Digi : )

I must say though that the final km was truly the hardest bit. Again, there was no music to get us into the groove, and there were no volunteer motivators to spur us on as well. So we just plodded along. Telling ourselves that the Finish line was just around the corner, and the feeling would be sweet.

I crossed the line at 86mins; 4mins inside my targetted time, and the feeling was awesome.

I then picked up my Finisher's medal, drank some water and headed back to the hotel, fully satisfied. A good run indeed, and one I'll always remember...

Gold Coast 2011: Point Danger

2011-11-18T11:43:00.001+08:00

Without a doubt, Point Danger at Coolangatta is one of the 1,000 places you must visit before you die. Been there twice before and each time I was just blown away by the sights it offer.

Here's a description from Australiangetaway:
Located at the border between Queensland and New South Wales is the Point Danger headland which separates the famous surf break of Snapper Rocks to the north and the mouth of the Tweed River down south.
Standing with large pillars enclosing a large bronze globe is the Captain Cook Memorial and lighthouse which chronicles the voyages of the legendary explorer around the southern hemisphere.

And so, we paid the place another visit this time around, and as usual, it brought about gasps of wonderment, especially from our other travel companions who were first time visitors. I'll just let the pictures do the talking now...

Look closely and you can see surfers in the water

Makes you wanna jump in, eh?

You can actually see the Gold Coast in the distance

You can see the bird, but can you spot the lizard? : )

There's even a spot for barbeque, but no drinking dudes!

Gold Coast 2011: Running In Paradise

2011-11-17T10:02:00.001+08:00

Well, Surfers Paradise, to be exact. Yup, I did a bit of running during the short break along the beachfront area and apart from it being part of my training for the Penang Bridge Marathon (which has been pathetic, admittedly), I also ran as a tribute to my friends back in KL.

The thing is, I was supposed to join them for the Terry Fox Run on Nov 13th at Padang Merbok, but I had to take a raincheck when this trip was confirmed. But I had also bought the Terry Fox T-Shirt (which was the entry condition), and so that very morning, I put the T-Shirt on and did a short run.

Just a couple of minutes from the hotel, we actually got there around 7.25am; it was cloudy at first, but then the sun came out in full force. Which explained my pancit-ness lah.

But it was enjoyable while it lasted. I mean, after running at your choice locations for quite sometime, boredom is bound to set in, so to move away from the usual Puchong "panorama" to the magnificence of Surfers Paradise was really oh-so-cool.

And yes, one of my running goals is actually to run in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in these next couple of years. So, do watch this space!

Gold Coast 2011: Paradise Country Farm

2011-11-16T10:43:00.001+08:00

Upon arrival at the Coolangatta Airport, we were whisked away for a short breakfast, stopped by Harbour Town for about half an hour, then it was off to Paradise Country Farm. I was rather excited as I had never been there before, although it's part of the chain of four different parks including Movie World.

So if you've been there before, you'd know that it's no more than 20mins from Surfers Paradise. And although it was rather cloudy at first, it became sunnier later in the day, and rather humid. Although not Malaysia-type humid.

Can't recall how much the admission ticket cost but I do remember that for a picture with one of those cuddly koalas, you have to fork out AUD18. Which is really not bad. I mean, these are rare cute fellas that will make you go AWWWW... even when they're pooping on your shirt (which actually happened, to a number of people). Haha.

Elsewhere on the farm, you could also roam about freely with the friendly (and always hungry) kangaroos and there were also a couple of weird-looking species as well.

You shouldn't miss out on the shows though. The first one we saw was sheep-shearing, which wasn't at all gory, especially when the sheep maintained a "muka selamba" throughout the entire process.

BUT the highlight was surprisingly the barbeque lunch! For starters, it was all halal, which meant we weren't relegated to just munching on the salads; but really, the choice of fish, meat and chicken were grilled to perfection. And the sides were excellent. Have a look.

Then it was time for a Billy Tea demo. Which, yours truly (was forced to) step up and volunteered. Basically it's how people in the outback make tea which include some swirling action, like so...

We also saw some horsemanship, a cool whip-cracking demo and boomerang-chucking.

Overall, a pretty fun day spent there, and a good experience for the kids who got a good taste of what farm life is all about. Highly-recommended.

Gold Coast 2011: A Cool (Not Literally, Though) Respite

2011-11-15T10:57:00.001+08:00

It was an unplanned break for me, really. Quite long to go into the details, but it wasn't until the week before we left that I finally confirmed my place for this particular trip. And I'm glad I did. Sure it's fast approaching summer and the 20-something temperature with the scorching sun meant I'm now more tanned than usual, but the nights were cool, and well, it's the Gold Coast, always a fun place to be at, no? :)

We stayed at the Grand Chancellor Hotel (previously the Marriott), and it was simply perfect in terms of the location; right smack in the middle of the commercial centre, just a couple of minutes to the beach and with a spectacular view to savour. Allow me to share some after-dark photos...

The Surfers Paradise beach area had undergone a facelift recently, actually. I still remember that works were still going on during my last two visits there. Now the walkways are much wider with better facilities. Yup, there's more space for running, cycling and walking the dog!

And were we lucky to be there on Friday, which meant the pasar malam, or "beachfront markets" were there for us to explore.

FYI: " The Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets are a local treasure. Explore around 100 market stalls on the doorstep of Surfers Paradise beach. Each stall features a variety of local, hand-made or grown products, including fashion, jewellery, accessories, crafts, artworks, photographs, beauty products and home wares. The markets ethos of make, bake or grow it, ensures that the stalls exhibit the best in local craftsmanship. Stallholders are proud to show their wares giving shoppers the opportunity to find unique, one-off pieces and providing a perfect way to spend a summers evening."

We were also lucky one night when the moon decided to make a truly memorable appearance.

And right at our doorstep too was Cavill Avenue, a lively piece of street lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and THE place for all types of street performances. Seriously, you can just sit there for hours munching on a kebab and simply enjoying the various sight and sounds.

And of course, the area's the best place to shop for souveniers and all things Aussie.

Up next: Paradise Country Farm & Movie World...

Penang Bridge International Run 2011: 12 Days To Go!

2011-11-08T12:10:00.001+08:00

I'm quite excited about this, as Penang would be my first "competitive" run outside the Klang Valley. Hoping to clock my 10km personal best as well.

BUT I do have my doubts as the weather has not been kind to us outdoor types, and I've clocked very poor mileage over the past couple of weeks. Was also a bit demam last week, so the odds are stacked against clocking that time I want.

But then again, I'm most of all, looking forward to having fun during the run and yes, the "kandar-loading" before and after the event!

The Perils Of "Live" TV: Here's My Own Experience...

2011-11-02T12:15:00.001+08:00

One of the best articles I've read this year is something someone posted a link to on twitter. It's called "Live television is a high-wire act with no safety net". If you haven't read it, I recommend that you read it now, HERE.

Of course I felt instantly connected to the article since (in case you didn't know), I co-host a "live" morning talkshow on TV3 called Malaysia Hari Ini (MHI).

But did you know that before I started my MHI gig, I did host a couple of episodes of Hujah on TV9? That was "live" as well, although the format's entirely different; MHI being more lifestyle while Hujah focuses on issues of the day.

Anyway, from my experience of those two eps of Hujah and over 180 shows I've done for MHI, I can safely say that when it comes to "live" television, Murphy's Law applies right to the fullest. Yes, anything that can go wrong, WILL go wrong.

To do a "live" talkshow, first and foremost, you must have that gift of the gab; the ability to talk on cue, and on a variety of stuff, from the mundane to the philosophical. But that alone is NOT enough. You need to be able to think on your feet, not crumble under pressure when something unexpected happens, and yes, to "pandai cover line". Really, REALLY pandai to cover line.

One of the things I struggled most when I first started hosting (and still struggle with from time to time), was compartmentalizing my brain in order to listen to the producer/s talking to me through my earpiece (that thing we have stuck up our ears, in case you didn't notice) AND talking and addressing the viewers.

Imagine me going: "Oleh itu, kita kena ingat pakar-pakar perubatan pernah menyatakan..." and suddenly the booming voice of the producer goes: "Cepat, cepat! Kita berehat sebentar!" Yes, at this point, your train of thought would be diverted to another station, and you stopping dead in your tracks would appear so damn awkward to the viewers. Not to mention how you'd look like on-air with your face trying to go back in time to figure out what was the point you were trying to make in the first place.

Different producers have different styles, so while some would only bark out single word instructions, others would prefer to have running (one-way) conversations with you. Which is good, and bad. Good because it keeps you on your toes and makes you feel more appreciated. But bad, because you might get sucked into the conversation and actually react to it on-air. I'm sure you've seen a host suddenly smiling or laughing for no apparent reason. Well, now you know why.

This happened to one of my co-hosts: At the end of every show, we usually thank the caterer of the day for sponsoring our breakfast. One morning, when it was time for the thanking bit, the producer said, "No catering today". The host, trying to compute the message while saying goodbye, eventually said: "Dan terima kasih kepada Noh Catering untuk sarapan pagi ini". Haha.

But LOSING the earpiece would be a problem as well. It could be because the battery had run out, or just due to a technical glitch, not having the producer in your ear would require you to make stuff up until the floor manager realises the problem and saves you with some improvised sign language.

Being able to get the proper cues is needless to say, VERY important when doing "live" TV. Don't know how many of you saw it, but once, the camera went right to me after Buletin Pagi at 7.15am, WHILE I WAS CHECKING MY ZIPPER, simply because there was no cue. Haiyo! And it's never a good idea to blurt out something unpleasant right after you've tossed over to a location or an ad break, just in case the soundman forgets to cut off your audio.

Blanking-out is also something I've been guilty of a couple of times. I usually plan and imagine what I would say for every segment as advised by mentor (let's just call him "Halim Othman"), so I'd be fully prepared, but there were times when the planned scenario didn't materialize. Example: We usually start with two hosts greeting the viewers and go on to banter. But I remember when my co-host was a tad late due to a wardrobe difficulty, and I had to start the show on my own. I was only prepared to banter, so I blanked out and struggled to think of what to say while the producer kept on going: "Cakap dulu! Cakap dulu!". Oh, man.

Something else that usually happens to me is the Curse of the Growling Tummy. Yup, we start the show at 6.30am and usually breakfast would come right at the end at 9am. I have a loud and sensitive tummy, and it doesn't think twice about going "Grrrourrourrrr" (or something like that) ... right in the middle of an interview. While my co-hosts are already used to this, I don't know what the guests must be saying about me after the show.

And speaking of guests; while we always hope and pray for articulate guests who know their stuff, the reality is that most of those who come to promote something are first-timers who would go: "Er.... jadi.... er...." I have to admit that sometimes my mind does go off to other stuff like football and the upcoming breakfast while waiting for some guests to finish their point. But thank God for producers who are quick to see this and immediately cut the interview short and spare everyone the pain.

While we are given the "running order" reasonably in advance so we would be able to prepare for the interviews, that wouldn't matter when you suddenly have to take over an interview with a subject matter you know nothing about. And on MHI, we do cover a variety of subject matters, from government policies to the intricacies of ventriloquism. So the trick is to always have some apply-to-all questions ready, before you warm up to the subject and find more specific and relevant questions to ask.

Another thing I've been guilty of is the "word-not-coming-to-mouth" problem. Don't know why it happens, but sometimes certain words would be a struggle to pronounce. Once, I repeated: "Manafa, manfa, menfa..." until the guest had to complete it for me: "Manfaatkan". Damnit! It later became a running joke between me and Abby and I still get nervous when I do have to mention the word again. Haha!

While we mostly sit down and interview people on MHI, there have been occasions (especially these past few months) where we have to be part of a demonstration or do something out of our comfort zone on-air. So far, I've taken a shower with kids who were about to be circumcised, jogged around Bandar Utama as a run-up to the ntv7 Feel Good Run and cook a few dishes.

I have been lucky so far that the dishes I attempted to make have turned out rather well, but it was just recently that a couple of my co-hosts burnt the pancakes they were making. Of course they "cover line" by saying that some people DO like burnt pancakes. Haha. Nice one, guys!

Being able to put on a straight face when something doesn't really impress you is also a must. I remember one time a certain chef cooked something for us (not giving details away!), but when I took a bite, it was salty as mad. My reaction? "Mmmm.... OK, kita berehat seketika!". And when a band comes on and goes badly out of tune, you should remain courteous and diplomatic instead of offering them vocal or guitar-playing lessons. After all, it IS difficult to perform at 8am in the morning.

Indeed it is definitely NOT easy doing "live" TV. So do have mercy the next time you see me struggling to say the word "manfaat". OK, kita berehat seketika!

Media Prima TV Screenings: D'Kechewas Rocked The Stage!

2011-10-30T07:50:00.001+08:00

We came, we saw, we rocked people's socks off! Nothing more, nothing less; if I may say so myself : )

So yeah, Friday was a big day for everyone at Media Prima, as it is every year when the screenings arrive. For the uninitiated, it's a show we put on for clients, partners and the media to reveal next year's biggest programs and where we are in the industry now. Yes, it's a big deal.

It's a grand show indeed and this year, D'Kechewas (MZul, Izham, Azhar, Eddie, Johan, Iesta, Datuk Kamal) were picked to entertain the crowd at the post-party. Yes; pressure, pressure.

All of us came early to the KL Convention Centre just to get ourselves psyched up, and most importantly, to avoid the jam and lack of parking spaces!

Also got a chance to do one final soundcheck...

We eventually got on stage at around 6.30pm. Most of us were nervous, but all the butterflies disappeared when we got on stage and rocked out the first number.

Must say that the crowd was awesome. While some were busy with food and drinks, the "mosh pit" in front of the stage was filled with the enthusiastic and the curious. Thanks to everyone who sang, clapped and rocked along. You know who you are!

Anyway, here was our set list:

-- Are You Gonna Go My Way / Cryin (Iesta on vocals)
-- Plush / Don't Look Back In Anger (MZul on vocals)
-- Mustang Sally (Iesta)
-- Kiss (MZul)
-- I Saw Her Standing There (Iesta/MZul/DKK)

Before the good pictures come in, allow me to share some snaps contributed by peeps who were there. Thanks!

Media Prima TV Screenings: It's Gig Day!

2011-10-28T09:22:00.001+08:00

Yes, it is! After months of blood, sweat and tears (chewah), our band D'Kechewas will rock out at the after-party of Media Prima's Annual TV Screenings at the KL Convention Centre today!

I've been feeling a bit under the weather, but the show must indeed go on! Gonna be on guitar throughout and also belt out a few favourites of mine including gems by Stone Temple Pilots and Prince!

So if you're attending the Screenings later, you MUST make it to the after-party. We're gonna give away some cash as well!

A Picture A Day: Happy Deepavali!

2011-10-26T23:26:00.001+08:00

Wishing everyone celebrating a very Happy Deepavali!

Breaking News

2011-10-23T22:50:00.002+08:00

I never do this, but 6-1??? Muahahahahaha....

A Picture A Day: A Week To The Gig!

2011-10-21T23:15:00.001+08:00

I've kept it on the downlow, but for the past couple of months, D'Kechewas have been jamming hard and loud. And next Friday, we'll be rockin' out at the Media Prima Screenings' after-party. Stay tuned for the setlist and all the backstage happenings!

MHI @ Universiti Teknologi Petronas

2011-10-17T14:04:00.000+08:00

Amidst the sadness of the passing of a friend, I was obligated to fulfill a work commitment for Malaysia Hari Ini last Thursday. Just an hour after I received the news, we left for Bandar Seri Iskandar Tronoh, Perak as MHI would be broadcasting 'live' from the campus of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) the next day.

The journey took more than three hours, including a lunch break, and we reached the beautiful campus without a hitch.

UTP is located at an old USM faculty, but they've built on the land significantly and have added buildings that are architecturally astounding. Managed to snap these as we arrived...

The technical crew had arrived a day earlier, so the set-up had more or less been done. So it was then time for the production crew including the hosts to be briefed by the producer on the next day's TX.

Personally, I was impressed and surprised by the structures and surroundings. The centrepiece of the whole academic complex is the Kompleks Canselor that was designed by Foster and Partners and won the Aga Khan Award For Architecture in 2007.

And the one thing that really caught everyone's eyes was the library aka Information Resource Centre. Look at the pics and come up with your own description...

After being treated to some fruits and drinks, we were then shuttled to the hotel we'd be staying at, which gave us a chance to look at what Bandar Seri Iskandar had to offer. Yup, they are not without the obligatory 7-Eleven and KFC, so life shouldn't be that bad, even when you're miles and miles away from civilisation : )

Hotel Putra Seri Iskandar's a decent establishment that was just opened earlier in the year. The room I stayed in had two single beds, shower, closet and a very, very tiny TV set.

The next morning, we gathered outside the hotel at 5am and made our way to the campus. Again we were impressed by how they've thought of everything, even the lighting, to enhance the beauty of UTP.

We started TX as usual at 6.30am and soon the place was buzzing with those involved the convocation, performers, school kids who were there to showcase their innovative ideas and other UTP students.

The show went very well actually, and I was impressed by our own technical crew who went the extra mile to get some very beautiful shots. The one from the top floor at the Resource Centre was particularly magnificent.

We finished at 9am and after that it was time for some photo-taking and we also had breakfast with the UTP Vice Chancellor Dato' Dr. Zainal Abidin Haji Kasim. And I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved a big thank you for the cooperation and hospitality. Don't know when I'll be back, but it was definitely a cool experience.

Run For Tuan Senang Besar: The Putrajaya Night Marathon 2011

2011-10-16T18:25:00.000+08:00

It was a late decision for me. To run, or not to run? Quite a few of my friends thought I should do it in memory of arwah Kharis while my own emotions said no. But after giving it another thought, I decided to run the 10km for him.

A few friends and I are putting together a "Run For Tuan Senang Besar" campaign, but before that happens, I thought it'd be a good idea to create some awareness last night. And so, I ran with this sign on the back of my singlet...

But I almost didn't make it though. Left home rather late, and most of the access roads to the Start/Finish area were already closed. Had to make a few rounds around Putrajaya before I finally managed to get there, 20mins before the 10km start.

Didn't get to warm-up properly and this made things rather difficult later on. And as usual, I started at the back.

After a few hundred metres, one of arwah's best friends, Adit caught up with me. He was wearing a tribute t-shirt he had made at Pertama earlier in the day.

Quite a few people then came up to me and gave me the thumbs up, and I assume all of them were arwah's friends as well. Another group was also wearing a tribute sign, their's with arwah's photo on it.

As for the run, I did well for the first 3km. Then my left leg felt a bit of pain and was cramping up. My body wanted to move even faster, but my leg didn't want to cooperate.

Then Adit caught up with me. Told him about my problem, so we brisk walked for a bit. We talked about arwah and the day he passed on. Adit was the one who BBMed me the news. Told him how I was in disbelief since I had received a BBM msg from arwah earlier in the morning. Adit thinks I might be the last person to receive a message from arwah. That made me a little emotional.

We then jogged and walked till we got to the 2nd water station at the 6km mark. I asked the medic for some deep heat rub but she didn't have any. She then pointed me to a bagful of ice. I took some and rubbed them on my feet. That gave me a bit of a relief.

Continued my run before someone else caught up with me. She introduced herself as arwah's wife's cousin. We chatted for a bit and she took a photo of the sign I was wearing.

Soon, my iPod indicated that I had done 10km, but we still had some way to go. To motivate myself, I used this guy who was running in Hawaiian bermudas as a marker. I caught up and passed him. Adit was a few hundred metres in front.

The last few hundred metres were the hardest. Although we were on the last straight, the Finish line seemed miles away. But I got there anyway...

I wasn't too bothered about the time I did, but it was more or less the same as my Siemens Run. Putrajaya at night is really humid, and everyone was just sweating buckets.

Met up with some colleagues from Media Prima later, including Johan who did the 5km. Everyone was way off their best times apparently.

I'm glad I did the run. Arwah Kharis would have patted me on the back and said "good job" and we would have had a bit of an argument about the Liverpool vs Man U result as well.

Next up, we will be running for arwah on Nov 13 for the Terry Fox Run. Do join us. No registration needed. Just pop by Padang Merbok on the day, buy a t-shirt and run. See you then.

Al-Fatihah Tuan Senang Besar

2011-10-13T10:02:00.000+08:00

Finished MHI and received the worst kind of news; my friend Kharis (affectionately known to his friends as tuansenangbesar) had passed on just minutes before. A couple of our mutual friends contacted me to convey the news and I am still in disbelief. Arwah had sent me a BBM message at 5.52am and we were supposed to run the Putrajaya Night Marathon together this weekend. I was told that arwah collapsed while jogging near the Kelana Jaya Stadium. I can't believe he's gone. Al-Fatihah. (update below)

Updated 7.12pm:

I'm writing this in a hotel room somewhere in Perak. I regret I wasn't able to pay him my last respects due to work commitment, but I am happy to read and see that so many people did turn up at his home as well his final resting place in Kajang.

I still have tears in my eyes just thinking about arwah Kharis. I had only known him for a couple of years, but arwah's the kind of friend who'd go the extra mile for people he cared. And I know he loved his family with all his heart.

I may not have agreed with all his opinions on things, but I respect his conviction and honesty.

When I first started running, arwah was the one who spurred me on and all the milestones I reached, I had him by my side; the 6km at Taman Tun park, the 7km at the ntv7 feel good run and yes, the 10km at the Siemens Run just a couple of weeks ago, which proved to be our last run together.

We've actually made some plans together. I wanted to take up cycling and he offered to lend his bike before I buy one of my own. And of course, he offered to ride with me.

We also talked about going for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. He's more than confident I could run the half-marathon.

Then there were the makan places he wanted me to try, like Kudu, and a couple of places in Kajang. Yes, he loved his food and it was thru food, specifically the Las Vacas steakhouse, that we bonded.

Arwah loved rugby as well and he was supposed to join me and some of our friends for the quarterfinals last weekend, but he couldn't make it at the last minute. He supported the All Blacks and I hope they win the world cup for him.

There's nothing left that I could offer him now save for my prayers. Brother, you will be missed.

A Picture A Day: French Toast On The Go!

2011-10-12T13:30:00.000+08:00

My cooking "skills" was put to the test today when I made some french toast "live" on national TV this morning. The result? Nothing got burnt (although I did spill some milk), and the french toast tasted good, if I may say so myself. Phew!

Changing Lifestyles

2011-10-07T12:05:00.001+08:00

Nope, I'm not talking about the upcoming Budget and how life has been hard on our pockets (probably I should though), but more on the physical needs of it. They say Health is Wealth (don't ask me who "they" are, just read lah), and a few month back I decided to return to a more active lifestyle for my own sake. (It was also because I agreed to do the ntv7 Feel Good Run, and I didn't want to create a scene by passing out during the event, but let's keep that on a downlow).

I mean, once upon a time, I was fit as a fiddle. If I wasn't out there hitting the gym or shooting some hoops, I would be restless as hell.

But for the past few years, I've been hit by the lazy bug, to be honest. And of course, doing 2, 3 different jobs on a daily basis doesn't really give me time to spare for other activities. Especially those that require the changing of clothes and actually getting off my butt to do. The magazine and iPad are better alternatives, thank you.

But since I started running on a regular basis, I'm relishing that feeling of being fit and lean again. And seriously, I never thought that even competing in a 5km run would even be possible just a few months back. So, woo-freakin'-hoo.

And the great thing is, I feel like I'm not done yet. I need to get out more and do more stuff, especially when the big 4-0 is just around the corner.

So, what's next? Wifey did ask me a few days back if I was gonna take up golf. My response? "Pfffttt" with a big fat "P". I told her that I'm looking to do more "lasak" stuff, and not something my fat-ass colleagues at the office can do (I'm kidding only, don't lah too sensitive. Haha). So I'm thinking of one of two things, or maybe both.

1. Trail running. It's running (and walking), but in jungles and stuff. Looks robust and challenging, and I'm up for it. I'm not a jungle-y person to be honest, but I think it will be great fun.

2. Cycling. It's a toss-up between the road and mountain bike, but I'm currently learning towards the latter. Been checking out the web on cycling groups and communities in the country and the scene is definitely thriving. I would need to invest some moolah though as a good bike would cost at least RM1.5k. Then I would need the other accessories including helmets, tights and jockstraps (kan?). But I'm game for it.

So like I always say: Do watch this space...

Food, Glorious Food!: September 2011 Edition (Shook!, The Loaf Bistro etc)

2011-10-06T12:38:00.000+08:00

Yeah I know, I skipped the August edition and to be honest, I've not been to many new makan places of late. But let me just share these with you folks...

I've not been to Shook! at swanky Starhill Gallery in ages, so it was quite a nice re-surprise when we decided to plonk ourselves there one weekend. Service was as excellent as ever, with the staff being super attentive and actually know about the food that they serve.

And speaking of the food; well, we had no complaints whatsoever. The Italian Bento had stuff that I love. Mostly simple dishes like the soup and spaghetti, but with everything done perfectly.

We also had some Prawn Tempura and it was one of the best we've ever tasted. There was just something about the batter that made the tempuras so good and satisfying.

But it was the Honey Roasted Chicken that was the star of the whole lot. The chicken was deliciously tender and the way it was roasted resulted in the perfect blend of taste and texture. Highly recommended!

Of course the bill came up to nearly RM200, but with a great ambiance and faultless service, we had no regrets.

Next up is a place we go to quite often these days; The Loaf Bistro at Pavilion. Yup, not the bakery, but the bistro on the floor above. And yes, just like their breads, the prices here are also above-average. Just wanted to say that upfront : )

Anyway, they do have quite an interesting fusion menu with local, Japanese and the Western cuisines given their own unique twists. Of course you can't start things off here without their excellent breads...

The Caesar Salad was pretty good too.

And here are some of the mains we've had so far there:

This was the Royal Seafood Pasta (RM55). And look at that; big and chunky seafood bits topped with a portion of lobster.

Definitely for the seafood pasta lovers, although others might get "muak" rather easily.

For burger lovers, their Grass Fed Beef Burger (RM38) is a must-try. Don't get intimidated by the sheer size of it! As the saying goes; if you pay, there must be a way. Haha. Yeah, I just made that up, but you get my point...

And here's the favourite of the little one; The Salmon Twist Pasta. A healthy meal definitely, I liked it as well, although it was just a tad salty.

Finally, to something local; Fish Head Curry! I'm not a MAJOR fan, but I do get the craving once in a while. And the most convenient place for us to get stuck in would be at the Subang Jaya Pelita Nasi Kandar branch.

And this would usually be our spread:

But on this particular visit, there was only one fish head left, and it wasn't that fresh, I must say. The curry though was really good and so were the rest of the stuff we had, including the Sotong Goreng and Ayam Kurma.

So, that's it for this edition. Happy Makan folks!

A Picture A Day: Morning Run

2011-10-02T00:02:00.001+08:00

Did a short run this morning at the Kelana Jaya Park. It was alright, although the smell from the lake was rather distracting : )

A Picture A Day: Wondermilk

2011-09-30T20:37:00.001+08:00

By accident, I wound up at Wondermilk Uptown this evening. As traffic flowed outside, I chilled on my own with some super beef and fries and a cup of cold caramel...

The Amazon Kindle Fire: Do I Need One?

2011-09-29T12:51:00.000+08:00

Of course the thing about most stuff today is not really whether you need one, but do you, well, simply want one? In the case of the Kindle Fire, unveiled to the world just a few hours ago, it might meet both criteria for me.

So, OK. I'm really the type who's easily contented and practical. Contrary to popular belief, since I DO work in new media, I DO NOT own a kajillion gadgets and more. I DO have the following: Blackberry, HP lap top, iPad 1, iPhone and an iPod (although yeah, I have owned like four different iPods of different versions before).

See, that's hardly a kajillion gadgets. But I HAVE been tempted to splurge before on various other (android) tablets and phones. Do I really need them? Not quite. I mean, how much more time can you spend on these things? I tweet, listen to music, watch some videos, read some articles and play Need For Speed and FIFA. Cukuplah tu. Plus, all the other stuff I thought of buying have had bad reviews/comments attached to them; e.g.: Blackberry Playbook ("takde apps"), Samsung Galaxy Tab ("get something else")...

But I am convinced that the time has come for me to toy around with another tablet; the Kindle Fire.

Sure, it's wi-fi only and is smaller than the iPad in size and memory, and probably it won't be the MAIN gadget for social networking, but it's the direct connection to Amazon that has had my tongue wagging (and the price!). You know lah, in Malaysia we can't download most stuff from iTunes without the hassle of faking a US address or getting the giftcards, so I'm hoping the Kindle Fire will be sans all that and more.

I know, I know; it's the same case with the original Kindle and our geographical location, but I do have a plan. Since I'll be going to the UK in December, gonna purchase the hardware there and set up the account as well. Score! (pls don't spoil the party by saying I still need a UK credit card etc, will figure it out lah)

Of course what I'll be looking forward to most is the massive library of movies and TV series. The Prime Instant Videos will indeed my new best friend : )

A Picture A Day: Simply Stunning

2011-09-28T19:22:00.001+08:00

If you were out and about during rush hour this evening, you must have seen how gorgeous the sky was...

The Siemens Run 2011: 10km Of Hard Work

2011-09-26T10:33:00.001+08:00

Yup, I did it! My first competitive 10km run (10.3km on my runkeeper app) happened yesterday and although it was a tad harder than expected, I'm more than happy that I did it only some six months after I first started running on a regular basis.

Sure, my limbs are rather aching now, but to use a well-worn cliche, no pain no gain maa...

As usual, woke up very early in the morning to psyche myself up and consume some carbs.

Got to Dataran Merdeka at around 6.20am and the place was already buzzing with some 5,000 other runners.

The weather was really good for a run, although it was quite hazy later on in the morning.

Did my warm-up and it was time to rock and roll at 7.30am sharp!

Started from the back as usual, but OK lah, I knew the pacing for the 10km was gonna be slightly slower and different.

Also had a running partner in tuansenangbesar, so we sort of paced each other.

It was an interesting route that took us past Lake Gardens and up the flyover at Hilton KL, then down to Brickfields.

The first drinking station came around the 3km mark and this is a big complaint I have against the organiser. I.e.: there was basically NO water for most of us at the 2nd and 3rd drinking stations!

Come on lah, surely you can estimate the amount of water needed for 5,000 people?! As a result, we had to go through the next 7km without a single drop of water. Boo!

That somewhat affected our pacing (haha, alasan). But OK lah, we really took our time, especially since we had to stop a couple of times to let traffic pass.

The last couple of kms were rather alright as we were also spurred on by cheerleaders, drummers and Bhangra musicians. Really!

We crossed the finish line at 1hr 31mins, and although I just missed out on my target of 90mins, it was cool to finish it at the very least. Puas hati!

Special thanks to tuansenangbesar who was running with an injured shoulder, but most important of all, we had fun (yes, including the dying of thirst bit). Onwards to the next run now!

The Siemens Run 2011: Ready To Roll!

2011-09-24T08:06:00.001+08:00

So, as I writing this, it's less than 24 hours away from the Siemens 10km Run. I must say that I'm pretty excited. Can't wait to see how things go tomorrow.

But before that, went to Wisma OCM in KL yesterday to pick up the race kit.

Was told it was rather crowded and slow in the morning, but by the time I got there in the afternoon, it wasn't so bad at all.

And here's my race kit!

Oh yeah, I'm ready!

Undilah!

2011-09-21T10:30:00.000+08:00

Just watched the video yesterday and it really put a smile on my face. Finally, a cool way of promoting a very important responsibility. Yes, it IS a RESPONSIBILITY that we, as the citizens of Malaysia should take seriously.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that there are some really cool people in the video as well (I won't bother mentioning those I can't stand though, haha), so my kudos goes to everyone involved.

Produced by Pete Teo, I see that both the BM and English versions have managed to rake in a respectable number of views on youtube. A good sign, really.

But the real question now is, have YOU registered to vote? The next general elections is just around the corner, and it would be a big waste if you were to miss the proverbial boat. Come on, people! It's so easy to register, and believe me, come election day, when you actually put that X in a box, the feeling will be one of great satisfaction.

What about ME, you ask? Well, I've voted more times than I can remember. Maybe four or five times, if you insist to know (yes I'm old, diamlah). Ever since I became eligible, I've never shirked my responsibility as a citizen of Malaysia. I remember even going back to JB from KL a couple of times just to vote (without being sponsored by any political party).

Which leads me to my next point. It is an unfortunate truth that there are those out there with a 1001 things to say about everything under the sun, but have yet to even register. I remember one admission by this popular (old) Sopo blogger with millions of hits that the last elections was actually his first. LO to the SER!

The malays say, "cakap je berdegar-degar, tapi habuk pun tarak". So be cool and not a fool, UNDILAH! Cos really, if you pass on the chance, you should just shut up if Malaysia doesn't go your way. Capish?

Wajah Baru MHI

2011-09-20T16:54:00.001+08:00

As promised, we debuted the new-look Malaysia Hari Ini yesterday. Abby and I were the lucky hosts to "officiate" the spacious new set and so far the feedback has been really good. Personally, I love the purplish "Set C" where the artistes perform, as well as the new backdrop featuring a slice of Putrajaya. Check out some of the pics I managed to take during this morning's show...

Breaking The 10km Barrier

2011-09-18T18:37:00.001+08:00

So when a couple of friends invited me to run together earlier this morning, I knew it wasn't gonna be another 5km jaunt I'm used to now. Especially when the Siemens 10km is just around the corner, it's time to step things up after the long puasa break. Must say I'm pretty nervous myself, seeing how I've never ran that far before, competitive or non-competitive.

We met up at around 6.30am, at Bukit Aman, and was told we'd be doing 6-7km at the very least. I've also heard how the route is kinda hilly and challenging, but I was definitely up for it.

I started off with a good pace, but as the first uphill challenge came, I did have to stop for a while and walk. This was after 3km.

Went back to my pace after that and I must say it was a pretty enjoyable and scenic run.

We stopped again later to wait for the rest of the posse, but then came to most challenging bit; what is called the "doublehill" at Bukit Tunku. It was tough, I must admit. But again, it was fun as well. And do check out some if the stuff I saw...

Yes yes, I'm now very much adept in tweeting and taking photos as I run : )

And before I knew it, we had passed the 10km mark which I did in 1hr 25mins. And you know what? I didn't feel like dying or anything. Haha.

In all, we did 11.5km and I felt soo good after that. Ada lah konfiden sikit nak lari minggu depan!

But of course I had to reward myself with... Tanglin nasi lemak!

A Picture A Day: Wajah Baru MHI

2011-09-16T22:36:00.001+08:00

Yup, come Monday, MHI will present a brand new spanking set. Your comments will be much appreciated : )

Media Prima 1001 Raya

2011-09-15T10:32:00.001+08:00

Last year's Media Prima Open House for the staff was, to me, the best one ever held. So this year's organisers really had their work cut out to top 2010's feat. And guess what? I think they might have just done it!

For one, they chose a theme never before done: "1001 Raya", which basically meant an Arabian Raya. So you can already imagine the costumes, decor and food that were gonna make the day.

Primeworks Studios were pumped up right from the start and we were determined to win, at the very least, the Best Booth prize. And so the team drew up an elaborate plan to wow the socks off the judges and the rest of Media Prima. And how they delivered!

Yours truly was given the task of being the Maharaja and this was how I looked...

Ada gaya Pak Arab tak? Haha.

I sat on the throne and was fed grapes and had dayangs fanning me...

But that wasn't all. We had dancers performing, khadams and also a couple of gracious hosts...

It was apparent from the beginning that we were the favourites to win it all. Haha.

And of course, we served some really delicious nasi mendi as well!

And I wanna say thanks to all the bosses and colleagues who dropped by! Even THAT guy in plain office wear...

Elsewhere, the festivities were in full force and there were performances by all the different departments as well as guests artistes that included Dato' Siti Nurhaliza.

The lucky draw was a big, um, draw as well, as the organisers gave out some fantastic prizes like iPad 2s, Blackberrys, refrigerators (for real!) and flight tickets to Bandung, Jakarta and Istanbul!

But the hightlight for us was of course when the winner of the Best Booth award was announced. Primeworks did it! And we took home the cash prize of RM5,000! Fuh, berbaloi baloi!

Overall, another successful and meriah Raya Open House that wasn't at all dampened by the heavy rain that poured halfway through the event!

Now, if only I can find my dayangs. Can't feed grapes to myself now, can I?

Thistle Port Dickson

2011-09-14T10:28:00.002+08:00

The last time I set foot at this hotel, it was still called Guoman, a couple of years back. And I really liked the place, even back then. I liked the rather spacious rooms, the big pool, the food, the abundance of activities available and its location.

And all the things I liked were still there when I stayed at what is now called Thistle Port Dickson this past weekend. Of course it looks spiffier now and overall, I didn't have much to complain about. A thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing experience, it was.

So, check out some of the pics I managed to snap...

A Picture A Day: Emergency Lane Abuser

2011-09-13T22:46:00.000+08:00

It was just after a storm and traffic was congested as usual. But guess what happened? I was on the Subang flyover, fiddling with my iPhone and waiting patiently for the light to turn green (which takes ages on this flyover btw) when this idiot suddenly emerged on the narrow emergency lane. Seriously, I can't even imagine what was going on in that shithead of his...

Of Brainstorming & Justin Bieber

2011-09-12T12:03:00.004+08:00

Yup, that would be the very first time I have "Justin Bieber" in a blogpost title. Is it an attempt to lure the Beliebers to this humble site? Maybe. But I can assure you it is not without relevance.

So OK, in my last post, I did mention I was in Port Dickson with the MHI team for a brainstorming session. We stayed at the swanky Thistle Hotel (more of that in another post), and pretty much had a fun and relaxing time.

First on the agenda on Friday was a barbeque dinner at the "adult" section of Thistle, Cumulus. The food was quite good, although, despite being right at the beach, it was windless and felt a little warm.

We then decided to do something fun after that, and after some asking around, we ended up at an open-air restaurant with a karaoke section. I just knew the night would get a tad more exciting then.

After enduring some ear-piercing songs performed by other members of the public, it was time for our team to strut our stuff.

The guys started with a couple of rock leleh tunes, before launching into... Justin Bieber's BABY. No, I'm not kidding. And sorry guys, it was pretty (to paraphrase Simon Cowell) horrendous. Haha!

But I give them 5 stars for being so sporting. And it's a great thing that they have day jobs.

The next day, it was time for the session itself. The setup was casual and comfy.

Can't really disclose what was discussed since this is top secret stuff and we wouldn't want to give our competitors any sort of advantage (actually, I'm just malas to write, haha), but it was pretty eye-opening for everyone. In fact the first session ended TWO HOURS late, which meant by the time we hit the lunch buffet, everyone's tummy was already playing the keroncong.

The session continued with a screening of the Harrison Ford movie "Morning Glory". If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest that you do, especially if you're interested in the goings-on of a morning talkshow. But no, we do not have any producers who look like Rachel McAdams.

The peeps then had a fun session of volleyball while I took a short nap. Sitting on the floor the whole day took a toll on my back lah.

We then went for a seafood dinner at this place called Muhibbah Seafood (probably not part of the KL chain). Trust me when I say that most of the makan places in PD are rather crap, but Muhibbah really had some delicious grub; especially the nasi goreng ikan masin, the butter prawn and chili crabs.

And that was really the end of the fun and games. Slept early that night and left by 8am the next morning for home. But I think the session really did a world of a good for the morale of the team. Despite the Justin Bieber episode.

Weekend In PD

2011-09-10T01:10:00.001+08:00

Arrived in PD earlier today for a brainstorming retreat with the MHI team. Think it's the first time the MHI team has gone out of KL for such a session and I'm definitely looking forward to tomorrow where stuff will be discussed and ideas spawned. Hopefully!

But before the heavy stuff, got to do a bit of running on the beach just now. Can't remember the last time I went up against the sand, and it was quite a tough session.

But it was pretty cool, especially when I got to catch the sun coming down...

Now for some shut-eye before tomorrow's session. Nite peeps!

Rugby World Cup 2011

2011-09-07T17:57:00.001+08:00

Odd-numbered years are always seen as boring by sports fans. Why? Er, you don't know is it? No football World Cup, Euro or the Olympics. So we just have to make do with regular club football, F1, tennis and premier league snooker (haha).

BUT it's gonna get pretty interesting in 2011 pretty, pretty soon as the Rugby World Cup arrives beginning 9th September!

I'm not the biggest rugby fan around, but I do understand the sport and enjoy the big games. I played the game a bit during school (since English College was THE rugby school in JB), but I can safely say that I'm much better at basketball, football and lari dalam guni.

So, who will I be rooting for? Like you don't know me already meh? England, of course. I still remember the World Cup in 2003 where "Ugly, Ugly England" surprised the rest by getting to the final and beating hosts Australia in a pulsating match. A match that was aptly won by a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal.

Four years later in France, England surprised again by getting to the final, but South Africa came out tops and brought home the trophy. Don't remember much of the game though since it was played in the wee hours, and well, it was a one-sided affair pretty much.

This time around though, the Three Lions are gonna be known as "Boring Boring England", and aren't really expected to come within sniffing distance of the trophy. But hey, that's what they said these past two World Cups, right?

But in all honesty though, I wouldn't mind hosts nation New Zealand winning it all this year. It's been 24 years since the All Blacks are world champions, and they do play the most attractive rugby at the moment.

So yes, I'm all pumped up. And the best part? All the matches will be during office hours! So I can just switch off the lights, crack open some soya bean and enjoy the games in the comfort of my office. (But if the big boss is reading this, I'm kidding only lah Dato'!). Haha.

A Picture A Day: Idiots On A Bike

2011-09-05T17:44:00.001+08:00

Coming back to the office from lunch just now, I spotted these guys on a bike without any helmets on. What idiots! Seriously, ingat kat kampung lagi ke?

Saw them going into the IBM building parking lot, and judging from where I saw them first, they must have gone out for lunch near the Pelangi condo. Not a long distance, but hey, it's still Bandar Utama with loads of vehicles at all times!

A Picture A Day: First Run After Ramadhan

2011-09-03T23:30:00.002+08:00

Yup, after a little more than 30 days, went to the park today for my first run. The result? It wasn't as tough as I expected, to be honest.

Sure, my knees felt kinda stiff in the beginning, but it just took a few hundred metres to get it going normally again.

And I did finish the 3km I was targetting. So, yay! But of course I need to step things up seeing how my first 10km run is coming up real soon!

Social Media And The Need For Speed On Info (Updated)

2011-09-03T14:04:00.002+08:00

Firstly, condolences to the family of Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, the Bernama cameraman who died of a gunshot while on duty in Somalia. I have read so many tweets on arwah from his friends and collegues, and he was known to be a good, cheerful and honest person. Al Fatihah.

However, there's another unfortunate issue that has cropped up, I.e.: that arwah did not have the proper insurance coverage provided by his employer. This bit of info has spread really fast on social media, and has caused distress and outrage among the general public.

If this is in fact true, it's a tragic situation, no doubt. Life has to go on, but what about arwah's family?

BUT, there has been no official statement on the matter. As I'm writing this, hours has passed since it was mentioned on social media, and because of the replies and retweets on twitter especially, it has been taken as a "fact" by most people.

But then again, this is the problem faced by the majority of organizations (and the government) in this age of social media; the underestimation of its impact and the lack of response to hot-button issues.

"News" these days is not just what's reported in the papers or on TV, but the conversations created on social media, especially when such conversations are participated by credible users and commentators.

And we've seen how this has impacted issues. By the time a statement is issued and published by the papers, perception has been formed and the delayed-response will be labeled as "spin" and/or a coverup.

So, I'm hoping those responsible would clear the air on this particular issue. And again, condolences to the family of arwah Noramfaizul Mohd Nor.

* It was a great relief to everyone when reports came out that arwah was in fact insured. At the very least, we know his family would be taken care of. Read it HERE

Al-Fatihah

2011-08-31T21:48:00.001+08:00

Another Raya without my beloved parents. Miss them beyond words. Al-Fatihah...

Aidilfitri @ Malaysia Hari Ini

2011-08-30T15:23:00.001+08:00

It was a very meriah Hari Raya on the set of MHI this morning as the three of us were also joined by guest hosts Fizz Fairuz, Shiha, Eby Yus and Farawahida. Everyone was in good spirits as we bantered and chewed on the Raya food on the table. If only every show could be like this. Hehe. It was also cool to see the rest of the MHI crew decked out in their finest outfits for the occasion. Stomach is too full to write much now, so do enjoy these pics...

Selamat Hari Raya!

2011-08-29T10:27:00.002+08:00

No fancy pantuns, or virtual raya cards; just wanna wish everyone Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin!

And yes, I'm still in the Klang Valley (in the office, to be exact) and it's pretty quiet here as expected. Don't forget catch me on MHI tomorrow morning as you folks have your rendang and ketupat, though. Yup, it will be a working Raya for me, but it's gonna be fun in the studio tomorrow, for sure :)

Selamat Hari Raya!

A Picture A Day: The Last Days Of A Bazaar Ramadhan

2011-08-28T18:54:00.001+08:00

Food, Glorious Food!: Muara Sungai Duyung, Melaka

2011-08-27T12:44:00.018+08:00

I know, I know, it's rather weird that I've been quiet about food all this month, huh? But the reason is obvious, right? And although I WAS planning on doing a special edition on all the fantastic berbuka grub I've had, it might seem redundant now that Raya is just around the corner.

BUT I do wanna highlight at least one berbuka experience we had; and this one was in Melaka. Muara Sungai Duyung, Melaka, to be exact. This was our second year in a row during Ramadhan there, and so far, we've not been disappointed.

But to get a seat there, we had to be there as early as 5.30pm! The restaurant doesn't entertain telephone bookings, so you have to actually go there, pick out your table, choose your seafood, and then only are you allowed to go "jalan-jalan" to kill time before berbuka time comes.

Anyway, it was another big spread of seafood we ordered, including: chili mussels, garlic butter prawn, pahat goreng cili padi, black pepper crabs, deep fried squid and a couple of grilled fish. Have a look:
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.Overall, I was again impressed by the freshness of the seafood and of course, the cooking itself. The balance in taste is always there and they don't skimp on spices and other ingredients. And instead of normal rice, they serve some delicious nasi lemak to go with the food. I can guarantee that two packs will be your absolute minimum!

Oh yeah, we ordered a couple of pitches of sugar cane juice as well that brilliantly washed down everything smoothly.

So if you ask me, this place is definitely in my Top 5 of favourite seafood joints in the land.

A Picture A Day: Homemade Kuih Ros!

2011-08-27T12:22:00.001+08:00

Can't wait to sink my teeth into these. Seven hours to go! : )