After an event by Maxis, (which I will blog about soon) I sped off in my lil ride across the city to get to the extremely popular nightspot called the Sky Bar. The 1st thing I thought of “Sky Bar” when the fab peeps behind this invited me was that I will definitely be partying more than 200 metres above sea level.
Pretty dope, ey? π
Me with the gals
And with the dudes
Literally, a sky bar high up on the highest floor of Traders Hotel overlooking the city skyline! Such love
I was given a goodie bag upon reaching, certainly I love what’s in it! Haha I thought it was a really nifty lighter at first *stares cock at Joshua, Tock & Ren*
It says “Passion for Perfection” melikes.
When I was told about this whole ongoing program by a mixology institution, the Horeca School of Excellence, I was rather impressed! It is a twice-a-year programme that is currently available only in Malaysia with an objective in promoting the excellence amongst F&B employees.
International trainers are brought in for this programme to train some of the local workers in the F&B industry and thus thereβll be consumer engagement session called βMini-Bar Nightsβ which provide trainees to feature their own cocktail concoctions putting in practise some the service skills acquired. To date, about 1000 service personnel from more than 40 F&B outlets have graduated from this programme.Totally reminds me of Hogwarts yo.
So yeah, we had 3 World Class Bartenders whipping their magic in brewing fine and unique concoctions for us all. They were flown internationally all the way here to serve the public in preparing cocktails.
Meet the 3 big names in the industry with many years of experience under their belt – Chanond from Bangkok, Maya from Stockholm and Kelli from New York
Toying around with my camera for added value! π Can you handle their mixed personalities?
For that night itself, the free flow of cocktails were as follows:
Sun Ripen Passion, Robusto Mojito, Kings Blend and etc
Love that minty taste of peppermint leaves!
Tonight’s not just the only night mind you, there will be more sessions of Mini-Bar Nights:
17th November 2009 at Aliyaa, Bukit Damansara, 8pm 18th November 2009 at The Social, Changkat Bukit Bintang, 8pm
and the largest on on 20th November 2009 at Maison, 10pm
All cocktails on Horecaβs ENCORE menu served will be at RM10 nett! It will be open to public & No cover charge needed on the Mini Bar Nights mentioned above .
Cheers!
Okay back to what happened tonight
I liked the way she mixes fashionably too! That gurl’s got spunk
We were singing along to the live band there too! They played lotsa old skool rock, acoustic and classic songs. Amazing combination of instruments and vocals!
Needless to say, we all had a good time!
While they were all busy mixing and entertaining the public
to make this amazing drink bursting with flavour!
When I grow up, I don’t wanna be a star, don’t wanna be famous, don’t wanna be in movies, don’t wanna see the world, don’t wanna drive nice cars, don’t wanna have boobies –
I wanna be a sorcerer, wanna be pro in witchcraft and wizardry, wanna stir my potions, wanna make magic for all to enjoy!
Yippeee! I had the opportunity to catch the movie 2012 in theaters within the 1st week of release despite the fact that my friends told me that the all tickets were sold out in all major cinemas. Anyway thanks to you-know-who-you-are! π
But just before the movie began, came various movie trailers and cineadvertisements. The moment Everyone Connects TM song sang by Bunkface which I blogged about [here] started playing, I had a shock of my life.
What on earth was everyone doing!!?? @_@
The song was really catchy and well, at one point played innumerable times on hitz.fm so obviously everyone knew the words to it. But still, why was everyone getting into a frenzy, stood up waving their arms while singing along to it?
Look, it was 2012 after all.
Another tragic movie. Think worlds coming to an end, pandemonium, losing loved ones, total annihilation, bloodshed, catastrophe and tears. Rather depressing, is it not? But hey, everyone else was at the extreme opposite of that emotional situation.
Get what I mean?
Not wanting to be left out, I sang along too all because I know the lyrics as well. But I wasn’t eccentric enough to stand on my chair, hysterically waving and yelling at the top of my voice and whatnot though. π Didn’t dare to!
But I guess, everything’s possible with connections They all perhaps knew each other, I reckon
Parts of me suspect that it was a flash mob yet why am I flabbergasted at this sudden behaviour? Hmmm.. whatever it is, it certainly raised my eyebrows and everyone else. So surprising, like ohmygoodness! Quite cool, right?
I will be giving away 10 passes for the Music Conference Asia Factory βThe Beginningβ Appreciation Party! It will be held this Saturday 21st November 2009 at KL Live Life Center at 8pm.
For those who do not know what KL Live Life Center is, it was formerly known as Ruums Club. This event, the M.C Asia Music Factory is proudly brought to you by Global Sound Masters (GSM).
You will be raving away to infectious vibes of trance, dance music, fusion and more with international DJs flying all the way from the United Kingdom. All hail these guys!
DJ Marcel Woods
DJ Preach
DJ Marcus Schossow
Email your Full Name, IC Number, Email address and Contact Number to jessie@benjicajess.com
Hurry! As I have only a few passes left.. thanks to the really quick readers! π Gosh they are so quick I can almost feel the excitement!
Just last week, I was given the opportunity to travel & explore Sabah on a 3Day 2Night adventure trip; courtesy of well known Travel Specialist, Mayflower Holidays and tourism management pioneers Discovery Tours Sabah.Thanks so much!
I chose a good friend of mine, Jacquelyn as my guest for this trip π
We camwhored along the way Yup, 3 hours was a loooooong flight indeed
We chartered Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to get to our destination. Operation window seat – full force ahead!
Compulsory camwhore photo
Courtesy of MAS, we had an in-board meal as well. Now, that’s a really heavy breakfast! I chose the Nasi Lemak with *drools* Ferrero Rocher
Yum!
As I am very anal in getting a window seat whenever I fly, thank goodness I managed to get one! All for the love of photography yo! π I too, had requested a window seat for all my previous trips on a plane just for the sake of shooting
En Route to Sandakan
So now, Imma share my travelogue of the sights and sounds I’ve observed and experience in Sabah on my 1st day here!
Shot whilst waiting for my luggage Sandakan Airport is really old skool huh? π classic
Whilst on the long 2hour journey to the Sukau Village, my tour guide Gary Solacito shared that ‘Sukau’ was derived from the Chinese word ‘gau su’ which means ‘tall trees’.
I was given an itinerary for the 3 day tour
He also put us to suspense by telling us to expect d unexpected during our lodge in the Sukau Village. When he said that, my eyes widened in fear. Could ‘unexpected’ possibly have a hidden meaning to it?
*deep breath* I’m ready!
Lush palm oil plantation farms were abundant from the airport to Sukau
The cave system
The 1st place he took us to was the Gomantong Cave aka Gua Gomantong. But before that, Gary brought us gurls to endure a long walk and jungle trekking in order to reach the cave.
We crossed bridges, stepped on puddles and climbed steps after steps
But never fear! Adventure is our game
Needless to say, I stopped after every few minutes when there was something that caught my eye. And LOL thanks Jac, for snapping this candid of me!
When I looked up, I saw Orangutan nests atop those trees and macaques swinging from branch to branch. Fallen nature captivates me. Somet hing like this :
It’s bent at 90 degrees yo!
I climbed one of the trees and I noticed that moss were widespread all over most tree barks. Hmm.. it’s expected as the rainforest is usually damp and full of moisture – perfect for growth of all species of flora.
Here’s how it looks from way up here!
When we finally reached the vicinity of the cave, I was enthralled by how serene and peaceful the villages lived their lives within their 4 walls of a wooden longhouse.
Furniture was made from bamboo! I know how to build them too, thanks to the training during my Girl Guides camping days π
Gary also showed us the raw birds nest collected by the villages from the Gomantong Cave. This is the edible version – obviously after doing the necessary rinsing and cooking of course π
Pretty cool eh? Ya can’t get more original than this The ones I know of prior to this excurtion are only the chilled bottled ones sold here in the departmental stores
*deep breath* Aight, it’s time to take a giant leap into the wonders of the pitch black cave! Darn. I think I forgot to lug my torchlight along. Let’s hope Gary brought his π
OH BUT BEFORE THAT LET ME SHARE WITH YOU MY UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT
ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED ME ON TWITTER KEPT LAUGHING AT ME WHEN I TWEETED ABOUT THIS!!! *roar*
Anyway
Dare you enter?
I was told not to leave my mouth open if I were to look up towards the ceilings of the cave. My gut feelings told me that if I were to leave it open by accident, there would be a rather nasty and vile taste of nature’s excretions.
Droppings from your friends Yes they are all asleep during the day. Nocturnal!
My mouth was tightly shut when I shot this mind you
Very narrow walkway
Once I got inside, it was indeed dark as midnight. Thank goodness the sunlight shone in from outside helped me navigate my way through!
Otherwise, I would have to depend on the wooden barricade… which was colonized by :
these. T___T
No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you. No thank you.
If you’re wondering WHY there are so many roaches, it’s because the picture above illustrates it all. Don’t know what Guano is? Why, it’s faeces of a bat. Or for the lack of a better word – BAT SHIT.
Looks like sand right? But it’s not. It’s SHIT.
Try collecting the SHIT of you and your friends and keeping it in your roo m. In due time, your entire sanctuary will be infested not by furry friends but rather these :
ROACHES.
I dare say it was the longest walk I’ve ever taken along the bridges of the cave because with each and every step you make, you’re bound to hear an audible SQUISH of a hundred cockroaches below the soles of your shoe.
Long way to go!
But hey, no worries! It was all for the sake of experience. Now, I don’t get to explore caves filled with bat dung, birds nest, roaches and bats every other day right? And neither would you.
GIRLS MUST NOT FEAR ROACHES! *looks at mom*
Civilization spotted! I had the chance to make friends with a caveman the caretaker of the cave too.
See the roaches on the barricade!! π
And I went into his little hut where his humble bed and other day-to-day utensils lay
When we more or less had enough of roaming about the Gomantong Cave, Gary showed us the way out. Yes I managed to keep my head straight while walking upon the bed of roaches.
Finally
The cave expedition was over and the 1st thing that greeted me as I exited the dark cavern is captured in the above photograph. The kampung scene that reminded me of Lat comics π
We made our way back on the trail before we adjourned to our place of accommodation
After another long journey, our ride halted to a stop in front of this wooden house.
I was told that this was where the villagers shopped for groceries
Pretty fly! π I bought my junk food from there too
From where we stopped, Gary led the way and we walked into a very shady area with lotsa cabins on stilts! I reckon we were getting nearer and nearer to where we were going to reside for the weekend
And I was right! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Our hosts for the weekend was Discovery Tours River Lodge, located in the Sukau Village of Sabah. What I really fancied was that the Kinabatangan River, the longest river in Sabah, was directly beside it.
I liked that this lodge was a very eco-friendly one and there was definitely no need for air conditioning! π By logic, what is the need for air-conditioning if one’s intention was to come out and embrace nature?
The scenic view from my cabin!
The rooms was really cosy and perfect to fit the both of us (and maybe more if we had packed our friends in our luggage!) It was fully equipped with beds with clean sheets, a bedside table, a dressing table, mirrors, an attached bathroom with a water-heater available yay!
We were delighted to find insect repellants in the drawers too. Now, that will come in handy!
After the hotelier put our luggages and other belongings down for us inside our room, we made our way to the lobby which double functions as a dining and rest area too!
Our ‘kampung-style’ home made lunch dishes The Odobo chicken is very popular among the locals
Speaking of the lobby area, we hung out there very often with the friendly staff, like Cesar the Manager, M the Chef, Gary and our various Boat Captains and either watched TV or played cards with them before bedtime every night.
Anyway, our boat ride arrived just after lunch; signaling that it was time for our day river cruise!
As safety precautions, our captain and Gary insisted that life jackets had to be worn at all times. Take a lesson everyone! π
I agreed, despite the fact that the thick spongy life jacket made me look at least 20pounds heavier π
We were preparing for take off along the 560km long Kinabatangan River! The vast river awaits us π I was told that we were going to spot wildlife there too, if we were lucky!
Shot whilst everyone was busy preparing
If you remember well or have followed me on Twitter, you would’ve already read live updates of this escapade
Soon after, the speedboat roared the start of our journey and we set off in high hopes of witnessing wildlife for the 1st time not in zoos nor encyclopedias – but in their natural habitat.
We entered the Menanggul Creek, one of the most popular creeks amongst a myriad of others branching out from the Kinabatangan River
When there were no animals in sight, we felt a little dejected and began to entertain ourselves instead. Hmmm…
Though the weather was mercilessly scorching, we showed no signs of restlessness nor fatigue. But ooops, I think I forgot the sun block though. Blimey! π
Full speed ahead!
Yeah, my cap almost flew off due to the insane knots of the strong wind
Gary shared that this Menanggol river connects villages from main Kinabatangan River and that it was well-known for Orangutan nests, crickets, hornbills, proboscis monkeys and ficcus.
Come out, wherever you are!
Suddenly, the captain of the boat stopped and pointed at a rather ordinary tree branch. I raised my eyebrows wondering what could be so outstanding of something so common. Until I looked closer.
A MONITOR LIZARD CAMOUFLAGING ITSELF!
Let’s go nearer. I hope it won’t bite
Its eyes were somewhat comical, as though perturbed by our sheer fascination towards it
Next up was the Wagler’s Pit Viper. It is extremely venomous so be cautious!
We were in luck as we caught sight of 2 animals for the day! Hey this ain’t a zoo nor a conservatory – animals won’t sit and wait at display windows for you to take pictures of them. In the wild, ya gotta hunt and search hard for them! π
Man made bridge for the Orangutans!
When I probed further, Gary told me that this bridge was made to increase chances of survival for the orangutans as it aids them to conveniently move from one side of the river to the other to locate food.
The bridge was made possible with the efforts of the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project!
Come evening, we headed back to our lodge for their complimentary dinner. M cooked up some of his signature dishes for us! π Yeah don’t ask me why his name is just ‘M’. My guess is that his given name is prolly a mile long so he just shortened it to ‘M’.
Dinner was fab! The local food here is just scrumptious A change from city food π
Hmm.. since we didn’t have much luck in the afternoon, we decided to cruise Kinabatangan River again in search for nocturnal animals instead
Fireflies!
When Jac and I looked towards the sky, it was nothing short of a breathtaking sight. In all honesty, this was the starriest night I have seen in my entire life.
In the city, every night was a usual dark sky with specks of stars inconsistantly distributed but the skies here in Borneo was completely engulfed with shiny bright stars. I don’t have a photo of the sky but yeah, you totally have to come to Borneo and witness it yourself!
Our voyage along the Menanggol Creak was a very cooling one, due to the night breeze. I was amazed at the ability of the 2 young captains whose very trained eyes spotted various nocturnal animals from a mile away. We spotted a few civets, lotsa buffy fish owls and a regal 3 metre long reticulated python and more!
As the photo above, I only shot the Blue Eared Kingfisher because I couldn’t resist the temptation to whip out my camera to shoot. You know what they say about taking pictures in the jungle at NIGHT do you? π *superstitious jess alert*
For the spirit of the tiger in you! We sure do need that if we wanna go hunting in the jungle again tomorrow
Our 1st night ended with much merry making while watching a documentary of Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo
Catch more adventures of the 2nd and 3rd day of my Sabah holiday and discoveries coming up soon! π More photos and videos awaits you!
Just a lil introduction, MAPSA was established in 1968, previously known as Secretaries’ Society Malaysia (SSM) & is a member of the Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals, Asia Pacific (ASAAP) which includes members from Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Japan, Sri Lanka, Brunei, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh. Now that’s international, yo!
Emcee Yeung Hua
I noticed that the attendees of this Power Lunch were all members of the corporate ladder. This includes personal assistants, executive secretaries, administrators and office managers of large Multi National Corporations (MNC) from Public Bank, Motorola, International School KL (ISKL) together with their bosses.
Hey it is a Bosses Day lunch session after all! Appreciating all the bosses around the world
John Smurthwaite, Boss of the Year for the new millenium Congrats yo π
The President of MAPSA : Melissa Ong, then gave her welcoming speech to us all and I listened attentively, taking in as much information as I can. She was a rather friendly and warm person, extending such hospitality to all the guests present.
Woots! π
We had a brief sharing session by Martin Tan, the Market Development Manager from Hewlerd-Packard (HP) as he taught us the difference between ink jet and laser printers. Prior to this session, I had no clue what the exact differences are – except that one is.. faster? LOL
He also introduced us the latest model of HP printers
Which is standing proudly atop this round table, one of the Officejet Pro products! It is eco-friendly, with ink particles that does not pose a threat to our respiratory system in the long run. Pretty nifty, and prints really smooth and quiet too.
Offices keen on purchasing an all-in-one printer should totally get this! It prints, photocopies, scans, faxes and do your dishes for you
Heh. I was kidding about the last part! π
Lunch soon ensued, and we were served a 6 course variety of Chinese dishes
Whilst lunch was served and more mingling was rapidly ongoing at all tables, we were also entertained by a exotic fusion dance by the students of Adithya Tamil School. They concocted a rather dope combination of Bollywood and Modern dances! π
‘Crank That’ by Soulja Boy remixed with traditional Indian songs.
We were clapping so loudly and had our eyes fixated to the stage almost until it slipped our mind to continue our Power Lunch!
The finale came and goshhh we were astonished by the enormous portion of the Hong Kong style fried rice which was served! Ohmy. Even the guys at my table raised their eyebrows
Pictures never do things justice – my aforementioned description of ‘enormous portion’ would pass off as hyperbolic but ya gotta see it for real to believe me!
At the end of the lunch, we were all fully satiated and rubbing our bellies with glee.
A very good effort by MAPSA to tighten the bond between bosses and their secretaries/PAs/assistants alike!
Don’t you agree, ladies? π
Seated opposite me were these 3 ladies above, Ching Ai from Public Bank, Liane Lim from AIA and Daisy Fernandez from Salcon Engineering Bhd.
And these gentlemen Martin Tan from HP and Gary Boon
Great to have shared this lunch session with you folks! Oh and all secretaries around the world including non-MAPSA members are most welcome to join their next session too π
The afternoon ended with a lucky draw session and almost everyone went home with something to gloat about. Thanks to the sponsors of this event, no one went home empty handed. But the highlight of the lucky draw was this :
A whole box of assorted baoz from Mr.Baoz! *drools*
Lady Luck must’ve been on TC Mok’s side as this Business Development Consultant for United BC Team Pvt. Ltd went home proudly with that box!
Now you didn’t just have a Power Lunch – but a Power Tea Time & Supper too!
Check out the sponsors! There are so many of them lending their support and love in making this Power Lunch session a successful one π
Whoops! Martin & I kinda blocked one of the sponsors so Shirley was kind enough to send me a photo which I’ve put below
Speaking of which, none of this would also have happened if not for our venue sponsors, the Hilton Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Thanks for the lovely afternoon! It totally fuelled up my day.. power lunch ma π
Hi! Welcome to TheJessicat.com - an urban lifestyle blog established since 2005, written from the perspective of a Malaysian blogger. Discover the latest and all that the city has to offer! Do bear with her occasional rants & musings though. Happy reading! β€