The iPhone 4S was the final Apple product touched by Steve Jobs before he passed.

Let’s face it, when Apple announced the iPhone 4S two months ago, some people were disappointed.

Fair enough. People were expecting the announcement of the "iPhone 5", not a update to the existing iPhone 4. But the untimely passing of the Apple supremo was enough to propel the 4S to legendary status.

Enough was written about the new features of the iPhone 4S, so I won’t delve into detail about how the improved processor is twice as fast, how smart the software has become and how much the new 8MP camera kicks ass.

I will, however, write about the glitz, the glamour, the queue and craziness surrounding the midnight launch of the iPhone 4S at KLCC last Friday by Maxis.

Me wearing black long-sleeve top and jeans as tribute to Steve.

 

Queues that stretched from one end of the KL Convention Centre to another. This, despite the fact that competing telcos are also launching the Apple iPhone 4S on the same night, though without the similar amount of fanfare as Maxis.

 

The first 40 early-bird subscribers. Some people took the day off on Thursday just to be the among the firsts to queue up.

 

Natalie from hitz.FM entertaining guests all night long.

…

Wait, that sounded wrong.

 

On standby since 3pm.

Despite it being a long night for Maxis employees, they are still looking so upbeat.

 

Maxis employee handouts, telling them their shifts end at 5am.

 

At the press conference, the CEO of Maxis re-iterated that he is unfazed by competition.

Other telcos may be launching the same product on the same night, but he was convinced that only Maxis is capable of bringing out the best of the iPhone 4S.

Since the iPhone 4S uses a lot of internet data to power things like iMessage and SIRI, Maxis built their data network to become the largest and fastest in the whole of Malaysia.

 

 

Click to see Maxis iValue plans.

I use less than 1GB data on my iPhone 4 every month, so I’m happy with iValue 1. By signing up for a 24 month contract, an iPhone 4S 16GB costs just RM1,450.

That’s RM1,000 off the price quoted by the parallel importers at Low Yat. Not bad.

No wonder the queue outside was so long.

 

As the stroke of midnight drew closer, the camera army began gathering outside the payment area, waiting to capture the moment the first Maxis customers purchasing their brand new iPhone 4S.

 

Seriously. The only other time you would see these much photographers gathering is when there are lingerie models at a car show.

 

At midnight, the first iPhone 4S customer walked in to loud cheers and high-fives by the CEO of Maxis and his entire team. The expression on his face is like "WTF?"

Maxis, making every iPhone launch a party since 2009.

 

An 8-month pregnant lady was among the first 40 people to get the iPhone 4S.

Talk about priorities, man!

 

60 payment booths are open to accommodate half a kilometre long of people queuing up to buy the iPhone 4S.

The VIPs, corporate guests and Media have their own separate area with free-flowing drinks, alcohol, food and an over-enthusiastic DJ to make the waiting much less painful than those queuing outside.

 

Henry Golding and Elaine Daly hosting the VIP Party.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a TV host, radio announcer or blogger, every has to wait for their turn to lay their hands on the Apple iPhone 4S. There ain’t no special treatment.

 

The vivacious model/actress/TV host Julie Woon.

 

Radio announcer JJ from hitz.FM also came dressed as a tribute to Steve Jobs. (Or maybe that’s what he wears everyday.)

JJ was there to upgrade his 2-year-old iPhone 3GS to the new iPhone 4S. I can tell even he was surprised at such a grand reception at the launch.

"Mannnn…. all these for a PHONE?!" he exclaimed.

 

A wait is still a wait. Although I was in the VIP waiting area, I never got my hands on the iPhone 4S that night.

According to my ticket, there was still 50+ people ahead of me at 2am and I was just too knackered to continue waiting. I left without the iPhone 4S, but at least I had yummy free-flowing beer.

 

The much-anticipated SIRI personal assistant was downplayed by Maxis at the launch. SIRI is great, but it is not 100% perfect. In the US, Apple jumped the gun when they launched it, leading to a series of silly SIRI responses well-documented in a hilarious blog called shitthatsirisays.tumblr.com

Maxis learnt from that lesson and explained that they didn’t want to over-hype SIRI when it is still technically in beta stage.

My guess is that Apple knew SIRI is not perfect. But they launched it anyway.

At this very moment, Apple gotta be collecting billions of voice samples and their crazy requests from people all over the world through SIRI, analysing them and creating a bigger, better voice recognition system to rule them all. What the Apple iPhone 4S has right now is an appetizer for bigger, more awesome things to come.

Yes, iPhone 4S has SIRI. It is there and it works. But it is in beta. Just don’t expect a "personal assistant" when it is more a "voice-controlled toy".

With or without SIRI, the iPhone 4S is still an awesome phone: Faster processor, better camera, longer battery life.

And with Maxis and iPhone 4S both supporting high speed 14.4Mbps HSDPA, the fastest iPhone ever is in your hands.

Perodua has come a long way since the release of their first Kancil.

Gone are the days where their cars are named after small animals.

From being the manufacturer of the first car we drove when we got our driving licenses, to becoming Malaysia’s best-selling car brand, Perodua has definitely grown its fanbase since their inception 20 years ago.

Since then they have moved on from compact cars and now to producing bigger MPVs like the new Alza, Viva and MyVi, which is today the the top selling car in Malaysia.

So when the country’s most popular car manufacturer wanna hold The Perodua Auditions to look for their biggest fan, you can expect them to throw out a big carrot.

Like, RM10,000 in cold-hard cash for the ultimate Perodua fan.

And heck, they aren’t even giving out cheap plastic pen holders as consolation prizes. 5 consolation prize winners from the Perodua Auditions will get the brand new iPad 2.

This is how you WIN it.

‘Like’ them on their Facebook page, upload a video showing why you are Perodua’s biggest fan, then share it with your friends. Simple as that.

Doesn’t matter how you do the video. It doesn’t even matter if a Perodua car ain’t shown. As long as the words "Perodua, Lagi Best!" can be heard or seen clearly – that’s all that matters. 🙂

On the other hand, if you are my biggest fan and you wanna do a special video for me, can also lah.

But better send privately to my email hor.

Is it just me or has anyone realised we have something to celebrate every single month for the past several months?

Last month, we had a long Chinese New Year holiday, then Maulidur Rasul and even Valentine’s Day.

The month before that, in January, we had the New Year of course. Some people drank so much they are still recovering from their hangover from the 1st January.

Then in December there’s the Christmas and Awal Muharram public holidays.

As if that’s not enough, Najib declared 18 December a public holiday because we won the ASEAN Cup.

Yay.

Imagine if we won the World Cup. Whole year no need to work!

In November? A Triple Whammy. Hari Raya Haji, Deepavali and Kenny Sia’s birthday. The latter not currently recognised as a public holiday, but maybe in the near future.

Anyway, my point is, after a good four months in succession filled with public holidays, we got so used to the constant festivities and celebrations. Then all of the sudden, we arrive in the month of March and we realised, "Oh shit. No public holidays in March. Got nothing to celebrate! HOW NOW?"

To that I say, "Don’t worry lah bradder. If Malaysia got nothing to celebrate, then we borrow from other country loh!"

Of course, I’m talking about the most important day on the Irish calendar – St Patrick’s Day!

All around the world, people are celebrating St Patricks Day doing one of three things: (1) Going on a street parade.
(2) Partying in an Irish pub.
(3) Drinking Guinness!

In Malaysia, we seem to only concentrate on the last two, but the St Patrick’s Day street parade is the SECOND most colourful street parades I have ever witnessed.

Serious!

The first was the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

March last year, I was in San Diego for a convention. I stayed back just to see how the angmohs celebrate this festival honouring everything green and Irish.

The St Patrick’s Day Parade held in Balboa Park, San Diego was a real eye-opener for me. They say you can’t be too serious on St Patrick’s Day, but these people really took the whole parade soooo seriously.

There were people dressing up as druids and elaborate horsemen outfits.

There were old men on mini toy cars.

Even puppies joined in on the parade wearing green tutus!

Of course there were also plenty of stalls selling everything green and Irish (but made in China) products.

It’s such a silly but simple event. Yet it created such happy moment for everyone who participated or watched the St Patrick’s Day parade.

That’s the Irish spirit – happy, carefree and never take oneself too seriously.

Its difficult to describe a St Patrick’s Day parade for those who haven’t seen it. The best way I can describe it is if I call it an Irish version of the Chingay parade, but it’s still quite hard for people to imagine what it’s like, so the best thing to do is see one for yourself!

Guinness is bringing some St Patrick’s Day’s joy and merriment to Malaysia this 17 March. They gonna do it like they do it in the West, complete with pub parties, good food, fun contests and a Grand St Patrick’s Day Parade featuring bikers, buskers, cosplayers and Irish dancers all skipping down Changkat Bukit Bintang.

So it’s not like there’s nothing to celebrate in March. You just gotta
be merry.

The main St Patrick’s Festival is happening this coming Thursday 17 March at Changkat, but there are lots of opportunities to celebrate being a silly Irish at the many smaller parties happening all around the country including in Kuching. All the details are on the Guinness Facebook page!

And for those that can’t make it to ANY of those events, well… I suppose you can always put yourself and your friends in the shoes of the Irish dancers by playing a GigGag on them.

Silly, I know. But St Patrick’s Day is all about being silly and merry with friends. After all, life’s more fun when you don’t take it too seriously.

Ride a bike, do an Irish dance, play the GigGag. Go do something different.

Like I said, it’s the Irish spirit. And everyone can be Irish on the 17 March. That includes you, me…

And John Cena!

Dear Santa,

Alright old man.

Let’s cut to the chase. You know I’m a bit too big to be sitting on your lap now, so don’t try to make either of us feel awkward ok? I know you got a job to do, but that don’t make my wishes any less important. So let’s make this as easy as possible for both of us and you’ll do just fine, aight?

You see Santa, I have been an extremely good   very good   quite good   moderately well… an okay boy this year. So I don’t think it’s too much to ask if you grant just some of these wishes this Christmas and beyond. Ya dig?

 

1. An Apple iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Everyone and their dog has got one of these things. Honestly speaking, I have never seen anyone using it productively. 99% of the time, people with an iPad are using to play games / browse pictures / pretend to be cool.

Heck, I want one too. Not to use it, but I don’t mind being one of them try-hards and carrying one of those as a fashion item.

Just a dummy set will do, Santa.

 

2. A monorail cat.

Great for fun and travel.

 

3. Dr Brandt skincare products. I want to be like the founder, looking like this when he’s 75 years old.

 

4. Claire and Michelle to win the Amazing Race Asia.

When I saw Michelle and Claire at the press conference, judging by their petite body sizes, I thought they would be the second team to get eliminated. Their perseverance in the race absolutely won me over.

Dammit, The Richards won.

 

5. Speaking of Singapore, can you make Singapore cheaper to travel to, Santa? Have you seen the hotel prices during F1 and YOG?

Walau-eh.

 

6. Some of those old-school Guinness Heritage collectible glasses to add to my collection of Guinness items.

They giving these out free for every 6 pints of Guinness Draught or a bucket of Foreign Extra Stout. Drink the beer and take the glass home. What a good deal eh?

 

7. Two words – Justin Bieber.

Enough is enough. Give him puberty and get him off the radio already!

 

8. Make Namewee’s head warmer.

Poor guy still wears a beanie eventhough he lives in a tropical country.

9. See more of my nephews and nieces.

Let them have enough food in their tummy, and grow up to become nice, loving and responsible people.

But don’t make them grow up too fast please. I still like them fun-sized. 

 

10. Good friends + good food + good beer = good time. The whole of December has been so hectic for me, I thought it would be nice to take time off work this holiday season to catch friends.

Friendship means a lot more to me as I get older. So gimme lots and lots of Guinness with good friends. 🙂

 

11. Spend some quality time at home with my loved ones on Christmas Eve.

I have been either at work on travelling too much. I stay in hotels about as often as I stayed at home, and I don’t see my family as much anymore – although I still live with them.

Tha
t’s actually quite sad. No matter how busy I am at work, at the end of the day, I just wanna come home and be safe with my family.

 

12. Let every person in the world have food on the table, a family to go to and a roof over their head.

I know it’s a very Miss Malaysia thing to say, but as we appreciate the things we have around us, let’s spare a thought for those who don’t have what we have. This Christmas, let’s do something for them.

 

Well, that’s about it. THANK YOU SANTA!

If you’ve popped by the pubs lately, many of them have already put up the "Merry Guinness" Christmas deco. In Kuching, there will be a Christmas party every night between the 17 to 24 December at the Rajang Lobby Lounge at the Grand Margherita Hotel.

In fact, there are big and small events happening throughout the country. I dunno where or what they are, so it’s best to check out the Guinness Facebook page for yourselves. If you love beer, you’ll thank me for it!

On top of it all, I actually have a little Christmas present to give away to anyone reading this blog entry. To participate, you must be above 18, non-Muslim and living in Kuching.

The contest very simple one. Just answer this question in the comment box below.

"What do you want for your Merry Guinness this year?"

Gimme the best answer and if you win, I’ll buy you a round of beer or ten. 🙂

“I’m fine, thank you.”

No, seriously, how are you?

Those 3 words must be the most taken for granted in the English language – “how are you?”

How is your well-being? How are you feeling physically? Mentally?

When I started my fitness centre a year ago, my goal was simply to start up a business I can call my own. However, as time goes by, I began to realise that I have a much bigger mission on my hands.

Let’s face it. Kuching people in general, are living extremely unhealthy lifestyles.

I have seen some people who actually FEAR exercising. Even when their doctors advise them to start exercising and eating healthily to avoid health issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes – they don’t do anything about it.

I have seen people who telling me that work is so important to them that they can’t take just 3 hours off a week to exercise. I have seen people who tell me that just because they are slim, they don’t need to exercise – as if the only reason to exercise is to lose weight and nothing else.

Then there are those who claim they don’t have RM125 to spend on a gym membership, but are more than happy to spend RM300 on a bottle at the pub. And even when they know their health is at risk, they continue to eat unhealthy food, avoid exercising and drink alcohol like no tomorrow.

That is an extremely worrying trend, but it is an unfortunate fact.

Living healthily has never been fashionable in Kuching. In hindsight, I could probably make more money if I were to sell alcohol or cigarettes.

Even before I started Level Up Fitness, I knew it would be extremely difficult to make money out of it. It’s difficult to change human habits, even for me. Educating people about the importance of eating and living well is a constant uphill battle. Still, I want to contribute something positive towards the community I live in.

Having said that, how am I?

I know I am not perfect, because I completed the Nestle Wellness Profiler (took me only 3 minutes) and realised I am what they called a “Health Investor”.

I eat healthily as best as I can, but I just can’t let go off my weekend beer and habit of eating for social reasons.

Still, I firmly believe that everyone should exercise at least 30 minutes everyday, regardless of whether you are fat, thin, old, young, male, female. Exercising is the investment you put in so you’ll have less medical bills to pay when you get older.

Apart from that, eating right is also important. Tips on how to eat balanced meals can be found at nestle.com.my/dearnestle

And if anyone reading this is still clueless about how to make a healthy change in your life, there are events you can go to to kickstart this process.

World Walking Day is coming up this 21st November, and there are events planned throughout the country to educate Malaysians on how to eat and live healthily. The walk starts 8:30am and there will be free breakfast and concert between 6:30am to 11:30am at the following locations.

• Kuala Lumpur: Taman Tasik Titiwangsa
• Penang: Polo Ground, Jln Sepoy Line
• Kuantan: Padang MPK 1
• Johor: Taman Sri Stulang, JB
• Sabah: Penampang Sports Complex Stadium
• Sarawak: Waterfront, Kuching

So, how are you?

When I think Japanese fashion, a few things immediately come to mind.

Cute girls in kawaii short skirts…

Harajuku teenagers in outrageous cosplay outfits…

A man in a cow suit talking on his handphone…

Oh wait.

Okay, maybe not the last one.

One thing I know for sure about Japanese fashion is that it’s always unique, always attention-grabbing, and also always very very expensive.

When I was in Japan early last year, one of the things I enjoyed most was visiting the boutiques there. Not only are their store displays creative, I like it that their shop assistants go an extra mile to make you feel welcome. These Japanese girls have the chirpiness of a canary. Everytime someone walks in, they are greeted a "HELLO WELCOME!" and a smile that never seems to fade.

Heck, some of the bigger stores even hire a “greeter” whose full-time job is nothing but to smile and bow at customers as soon as they walk in.

Being a sucker for good service, normally I would flip out my credit card immediately when someone do that to me. The problem is… the cheapest T-shirt in a typical Shibuya boutique costs at least RM300! It’s way more than the amount I’m willing to spend on a simple piece of fabric.

After all that window-shopping in Tokyo, I finally stumbled across is one boutique store that offers everything chic and stylish, yet easy on the wallet.

They are called UNIQLO – one of the largest clothing retailer in Japan. It’s my favourite store in Japan – think Topshop stuff at Cotton On prices.

I stocked up on a whole bunch of T-shirts and fleece. My favourite stuff in their store is their video game inspired UTs – creatively packaged inside a cylindrical jar!

I totally bought it. And they aren’t too expensive either. Only RM30!

“Tonight the stars. Tomorrow the Moon.” That’s some kick-ass philosophy to live by.

“A T-shirt is more than just a T-shirt. It’s an expression of who you are. Where you’ve been. What you love. That’s the UT philosophy.”

Deep, very deep.

The point of this whole story is this.

I haven’t been back to KL city for nearly 2 months. When I finally returned to KL again last weekend, I was shocked to see that KL Plaza has received a complete make-over and is now called Farenheit 88.

Then I received an even bigger shock.

UNIQLO is coming to Malaysia this 4th November.

I just about died from fashion orgasm.

UNIQLO’s selection of fleece wear.

Don’t think you’ll be wearing a lot of that in hot and humid Malaysian weather.

A sneak peek inside what goes on behind the doors. I already saw a pair of khaki pants I wanna buy, and it’s only RM49.90!

A quick search online yielded some interesting prizes they have in conjunction with their grand opening.

The first 500 kiasu customers who queue on on their opening day will get 1 in 100 chance of winning an all-expense paid holiday to Tokyo, Japan.

For those who are a little bit less kiasu, there are online games on both their Facebook page and www.go-uniqlo.com you can play to also win a free trip to Tokyo, Japan.

There Go Uniqlo website was particularly an interesting one. The website asked for my location. So I input my Kuching address and the website showed me a “clothing trail” all the way from Kuching to Farenheit 88 in KL.

Gee, thanks!

Trust me, if I could swim across the South China Sea, I would!

But hey, a free RM20 UNIQLO voucher ain’t that bad.

So now the khaki pants I wanted is only RM29.90! If that ain’t a bargain I don’t know what is!

HOLY 1 LITRE OF TIGER BEER!

Look at the size of that mug! Whoever did a “bottoms up” on that beer right there must be a happy man sleeping on the pub floor right now.

As if we couldn’t find enough reasons to drink beer after New Year, Chinese New Year, Christmas and Arthur’s Day, we have now resorted to importing St Patrick’s Day from Ireland and Oktoberfest from Germany.

And that 1 litre Tiger beer mug is just one of the reasons Malaysians are celebrating Oktoberfest. For the whole entire month in October, the country’s most popular beer brands have all bandied together to celebrate the world’s greatest beer festival.

We’re talking street parties and happy hours all month long for Tiger, Heineken, Guinness, Kilkenny, Strongbow and Paulaner at selected pubs across Malaysia!

Spend over RM200 on grub at like Sid’s, Laundry or Souled Out, they’ll even throw you a bucket of Tiger Beer on the house. That’s German hospitality for ya!

The Oktoberfest celebration isn’t just confined to pubs.

People can go to your typical neighbourhood supermarket, buy a 12-can pack of Tiger, and they’ll give you this funky oversized mug hat for free.

Heck, people can even go to your typical neighbourhood Chinese kopitiam, buy 2 bottles of Tiger, Guinness or Heineken, and get RM2 off.

Kopitiam uncles also can celebrate Oktoberfest!

To get the most out of the German festival, you must go to one of those Oktoberfest parties held at some of the most popular drinking holes in the country.

Here are the dates of the parties.

Hang on. Where is Kuching on that list? 🙁

They’ve got 3 pubs in Klang Valley, 1 in Penang and 1 in Kota Kinabalu doing the ‘Fest but Kuching is no where to be seen. Come on Kuching pubs, you guys gotta up your game!

For those who live in Kota Kinabalu, be sure to check out Waterfront this coming Saturday for the final Oktobestfest celebrations in the country.

Because seriously, where else can you spend RM50 on a litre of Tiger beer AND get to bring the mug back?

I once spent RM50 on a girl and didn’t even manage to bring her back. 🙁

Earlier this year in June, Apple released the much hyped and talked-about iPhone 4.

And just like Apple’s previous iPhone launches, it caused an absolute worldwide frenzy.

Thousands and thousands of Apple fanatics queued up early outside Apple stores, just to be among the firsts to own the latest incarnation of Steve Jobs’ creation.

From London to New York.

Shanghai to Tokyo.

Sydney to Singapore.

The hype of the iPhone 4 still lives!

The saddest thing is – those of us living in Malaysia had to wait in agony while the rest of the world gets to savour the delicious offering from Apple.

It brought back painful memories of 2007 when the original iPhone was launched, yet none of the telcos in Malaysia managed to bring it over.

It reminded us of a one-sided love affair. We love Apple but Apple don’t love us back.

Those among us who couldn’t wait had already purchased parallel imports.

Many business-savvy gray-market phone shops are more than happy to sell you their iPhone 4s if you’re willing to shell out to RM3,000 for something that has no warranty.

I’m not gonna lie. I tried getting mine from official stores in Hong Kong and Singapore. And I tell you what it is like.

It was like trying to get a meeting with President Obama – virtually impossible.

All their iPhone 4 are sold out. Heck, even the locals who pre-ordered online did not manage to get them.

I was almost losing all hope, resigning to my fate that it is probably better to get one of those iPhone 4 copycats.

That is, until I received this official invitation from Maxis on THE LAUNCH OF iPHONE 4!

At the stroke of midnight on the 24 September, Maxis once again became the FIRST telco to bring the new Apple iPhone 4 into Malaysia.

So what do I do? I booked the first flight out from Kuching to KL.

The scene at The Gardens Midvalley reminded me of the photos I saw from iPhone 4 launches around the world.

Hundreds and hundreds of people queuing up right outside the entrance into the ballroom. Some came as early as 7pm to book their spots. I could not even see the end of it because more and more people just added up from behind.

It was just as chaotic inside the Grand Ballroom as it was outside. There was a buzz of activity as Maxis staff manning over SIXTY registration desks were on standby to distribute the iPhone 4s and swipe your credit cards.

Even then, my sources tell me that people are still getting their iPhones as late as 6am!

The first Maxis iPhone 4 customer was this girl called Nina. She had the honour of receiving the gadget directly from the CEO of Maxis.

She also became the poster girl for Maxis after being photographed by over 280 media in attendance covering this event.

At the jam-packed press conference after the launch, the CEO of Maxis announced how they are once again the first to launch the microSIM, as well as the first to launch the iPhone in Malaysia.

While he acknowledged there was another telco also launching the phone, the CEO didn’t think it really matters. Compared to his competitor, Maxis not only has more flexible contract plans, they have a much faster and wider 3G coverage as well.

Best of all, the iPhone 4 by Maxis is cheaper than iPhone 3GS by almost RM300!

Meanwhile, I discovered the green-coloured background lights outside the building made me look like The Incredible Hulk.

And this is The Incredible Aud.

Audrey, who has been using a China knock-off iPhone 3 is finally upgrading to
a genuine Apple iPhone 4!

I was lucky I did not have to queue up with the rest of the crowd till 6am.

Maxis arranged a VIP Party at G-six nightclub, and there’s a separate registration desk just for the VIPs, complete with free flow and a violinist in a sexy white gown playing on the bartop.

With my credit card in one hand, my application form in the other, and my disappointment at not being able to get the iPhone 4 overseas all behind me now, I finally managed to get my hands on the brand new Apple iPhone 4!

How was it?

After using the phone for almost a week, I’m proud to say that it is the best full-featured smart phone ever. Even better than the Blackberry Torch, even better than HTC Android phones. A full review will be coming up.

Thank goodness Maxis brought the iPhone 4 to Malaysia. If it didn’t, I would have bought a similar model I saw at Low Yat Plaza.

The Air Phone No.4!

It’s the Gawai holidays here in Sarawak.

The fitness centre isn’t as busy around this time of the year, but I’ve taken some time off to do my annual Bali trip.

Obviously, I haven’t updated much since I got here. It’s kinda difficult to reach for the laptop when the place we’re staying at has a view out the window like this.

I’ve also missed out a number of events I meant to attend in Kuching.

Most people don’t know this, but while Amber Chia was out parading as the ambassador for everything from massage chairs to coffee table, I am actually the ambassador for something else as well.

A discount voucher book!

I ain’t kidding. Check this out!

Wah. Move over Amber. Kenny Sia is the new Amber Chia. Hehe!

(Except I wasn’t getting paid since the owner of Wow Book Addy is a friend of mine.)

Wow Book is a discount voucher book that gives RM5 from every sale of the book to charity. To date, they have raised funds for the children cancer society, deaf society, prevention of animal cruelty society, and more charities than I could even think of.

I cannot attend Wow Book’s event tomorrow evening, so the best I could do as their ambassador is to publicise their event here.

For RM100, there’s free flow of beer, soft drinks and buffet at Pullman Hotel. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Then there’s a hair show and even a performance by a bunch of China Dolls parading around in feathers and skimpy lingerie.

 

Remember not to bring your dirty uncle along hor. Later he divorce.

Proper update when I get back to Kuching on Monday!

Continue reading →

A couple of weeks ago I was invited back to KDU College as part of their Open Day.

The college told me that I had to speak to a couple of Form 5 students about what to expect after high school.

I had no idea what to talk about. So I asked my Twitter followers what is the biggest thing that happened to them after high school.

One person said “losing his virginity”.

Well, I can’t possibly say THAT in front of parents and students!

Instead, I told them how instead of choosing something traditionally “safe” like medicine or engineering, it is more important to do something they like. When choosing a college course, it is vital to think of it as something they don’t mind doing for the rest of their lives.

Nowadays people can become “celebrities” in not just entertainment, but also in cooking, interior design and *cough* blogging. As long as they have the passion for it, success and money shall naturally follow.

“The moral of the story is. Choose something YOU want to do. Not something your parents want you to do.”

A couple of parents in the audience were giving me evil eyes after I said that.

But it’s true what! How many of us regretted engineering because our parents never told us how incredibly boring it is!

Obviously, if you get a kick out of problem-solving and looking at electrical wires, then this career option is for you.

But if you’re clumsy as a clown like me…

Then you might wanna go for something safer.

Anyway, it was nice to enter an engineering lab again after studying it for 5 years at university. It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten how to use a multimeter already.

This one doesn’t work. I think spoil already.

If engineering is not for you, you might wanna do other fun stuff.

Like mass communications.

Or even law.

At KDU College, the law lecture theatre is designed like a courtroom. The lecturer who showed us around is a hot chick lawyer who carries around an LV handbag.

Personally, I can never do law.

Some people are born to do law. Some people, like me, can only do this.

I dunno what I was doing but I’m pretty sure it’s against the law.

KDU College’s biggest strength is still in its School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts.

Previously, I only had the chance to discover a bit about what they have to offer. This time round I got to learn so much more.

The culinary arts course at KDU is still very popular and it’s not difficult to see why.

The college employs very experienced ex-chefs as lecturers.

Their culinary arts course is unique in the sense that it’s a marriage between cooking and science.

That’s why not just prospective students enrolled into the course, but also housewives who wanting to brush up on their cooking skills.

Of course, some of the stuff they did goes beyond what a normal household kitchen is capable of.

The KDU lecturer introduced me to this thing called “vacuum cooking”.

Normally, with stuff like meat, a lot of its juices and flavour are lost if you pan fry it. So what they do is vacuum pack the marinated meat first, then throw the whole thing into boiling water to cook it.

True enough, when these prawns are finally served, they are as juicy, tasty and succulent as… umm… Edward Cullen.

Not that I know what Edward Cullen taste like.

And I’m sure those prawns taste better than a vampire from the movie Twilight.

Anyway, there’s also this thing called “molecular cooking”.

This is actually an ice-cream
dessert the chef at KDU college prepared for me. In some expensive fine-dining restaurants, they would offer this as part of their dessert menu.

Once you order it, they will ask the chef to come in front of you.

Yes, the chef will literally take out a spoon and squirt out a bit of cream.

Whipped cream.

Next, he takes out a liquid nitrogen and freezes his cream right in front of you.

You take the frozen cream into your mouth.

It’s cold. You bite into it.

Next thing you know, your mouth explodes with ecstasy. You are high in delight and wonder, “Damn! How on earth can something like this feels so good. So pleasurable!”

You are satisfied. The chef is satisfied. Then he’d charge you RM50 for the experience.

This blog entry is sponsored by KDU College. If you’re a student fresh out of high school looking to further your studies, a working professional hoping to brush up on your skills, or even a simple guy who just wanna learn how to cook to impress your girlfriend this Valentine’s, head on to www.kdu.edu.my and check out their range of long and short courses on offer.

Hannah Tan did.

Hannah Tan graduated from KDU College, with a degree in Beauty and Brains.