Showing posts with label Malaysia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malaysia. Show all posts
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Feeling at home at The RuMa Hotel and Residences
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Home Away From Home:
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March 26, 2019
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Feeling at home at The RuMa Hotel and Residences
Add caption Home Away From Home: The Art of “Hostmanship” at The RuMa Hotel and Residences Home away f...
Sabah, Malaysia: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
DESPERATELY SEEKING A 'MAN OF THE FOREST' AT SEPILOK ORANGUTAN REHABILITATION CENTRE IN SABAH, NORTH BORNEO
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How often does one get the opportunity to help a dear friend tick an experience off their bucket list in your home country, in a foreign (to them) language that you not only happen to be fluent in but one they’ve never heard you properly speak? Baby, this is my time to shine. I may have Dreamed of Africa but Luxy has always dreamt of Borneo since she was little: from her childhood dream of having an orangutan sanctuary in her back garden to having her own ape friend who’d follow her to school (I’m just cracking up at the visual of 12-year old her, dressed in a chantilly lace frock, hosting a tea party in the English countryside for orangutans wearing frilly bonnets. More tea, vicar? Ooh ooh aah aah!). Wish no more, baby, because YipAdvisor is about to make it her monkey business to make your dream a reality. It’s time to go bananas in Borneo...
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ALL PHOTOS OF ME BY LUX LIFE BLOG. EEE BB!
March 19, 2018
Sabah, Malaysia: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
DESPERATELY SEEKING A 'MAN OF THE FOREST' AT SEPILOK ORANGUTAN REHABILITATION CENTRE IN SABAH, NORTH BORNEO...
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 1 Day (24 Hours) in Kuala Lumpur - What & Where to See, Eat, & Do
24 HOURS IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA -
WHAT & WHERE TO SEE, EAT, & DO
They said it couldn’t be done. That nobody could hit the ground running, straight off an overnight flight from Sydney to Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, and visit all the stops on my itinerary in less than a day; what with the infamous tropical humidity, heat, and the city’s notorious traffic to contend with. Well clearly they underestimate my determination to show a good friend (who finally took up my offer to visit me in Malaysia, since, like, forever) a much needed change of scenery and a whistle stop tour of the city I grew up in, as well as the prowess of my legendary travel planning. I’m not nicknamed YipAdvisor for nothing. Should you also find yourself in Kuala Lumpur for just a day, fret not - Luxy and I have done the footwork for you. Here is my itinerary for 24 Hours in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; with the added bonuses of what else we would have done had we not had other social engagements (Chinese New Year reunion dinner, I’m looking at you) as well as more Kuala Lumpur guides from other travel bloggers.
#YIPADVISOR
ALL PHOTOS OF ME BY LUX LIFE BLOG, AS IT SHOULD BE. GOOD TIMES!
March 09, 2018
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 1 Day (24 Hours) in Kuala Lumpur - What & Where to See, Eat, & Do
24 HOURS IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - WHAT & WHERE TO SEE, EAT, & DO They said it couldn’t be done...
10 Reasons Why You Must Visit Malaysia, by a Proud Malaysian
MALAYSIA BOLEH, YOU PUN BOLEH!
(MALAYSIA CAN, AND SO CAN YOU)
10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT MALAYSIA, LIKE, NOW
September 01, 2017
10 Reasons Why You Must Visit Malaysia, by a Proud Malaysian
MALAYSIA BOLEH , YOU PUN BOLEH ! (MALAYSIA CAN, AND SO CAN YOU) 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT MALAYSIA, LIKE, NOW
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 6 of Kuala Lumpur's Most Instagrammable Restaurants
Feed your feed. The saying goes: "you eat with your eyes first"...
My home country of Malaysia - a melting pot of cultures, languages, and flavours - has always been famous for* its unique flavour palate of Malay, Indian, Chinese, dan lain-lain (and others). In the last decade or so the makan (foodie) culture has shifted its focus ever so slightly from cheap, fast, and gritty street food to trendy, photogenic eateries thanks to the millennial and Gen-Z obsession with sharing on social media (Do you remember when you could tuck into a meal right away instead of waiting for everyone to take a dozen shots for their blogs, Instagram, and Snapchat? No, me neither). For an expat who returns to her native Kuala Lumpur every 6 months or so this means that each trip is filled with exciting new dining destinations, and this trip will be no different...except that the moment I land in Malaysia this coming Monday I'm on a strict diet ahead of my detox in Chiang Mai. No caffeine, no meat, no sugar - only raw fruits, water, and steamed vegetables. Oh sweet, delicious irony. Here's my wistful look at 6 of Kuala Lumpur's New Instagram-worthy Cafes & Restaurants - call it a digital FOMO, if you will...
*Let's be real, the food is the best thing about Malaysia. Stunning natural beauty? Rare and exotic species of wildlife? Yes, well, I can't eat a rainforest can I? ...can I?
MORE THINGS TO SEE, EAT, AND DO IN MALAYSIA
June 17, 2017
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 6 of Kuala Lumpur's Most Instagrammable Restaurants
Feed your feed. The saying goes: "you eat with your eyes first"... My home country of Malaysia - a ...
Penang, Malaysia: 4 Historical Homes To Visit (and stay in!)
You guys, I'm chuffed to bits. While looking through my archives for Malaysia-related posts I realised that I've blogged about 9 out of Malaysia's 13 states - no mean feat given that I've been living in London for the past ten years! Add to my 7 Things of 2017 a new resolution: to blog about the remaining 4 states by the end of 2018 - only Perlis, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Sarawak left to go! Ambitious much? You know the saying: Penang wasn't built in a day. I must say that after Kuala Lumpur, Penang is my favourite state. Founded by the British in 1786, its capital Georgetown is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Chinese clan mansions jostle alongside larger-than-life street art, where the intoxicating aroma of char kuey teow (the best in the country!) rises up to meet the cacophony of Hokkien and English in every accent imaginable, where the relative liberalism of this Northern island state is a breath of fresh air to this wary KL-ite. I hope I'll convince you, dear reader, should you find yourself in Malaysia or even in neighbouring Thailand/Singapore that you find the time for one of my favourite states and visit these 4 Historical Homes in Penang, Malaysia.
January 16, 2017
Penang, Malaysia: 4 Historical Homes To Visit (and stay in!)
You guys, I'm chuffed to bits. While looking through my archives for Malaysia-related posts I realised that I've blogged abou...
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 3 Hidden Gems in Petaling Street
SPEAKEASY, BUT CARRY NO SELFIE STICK - THE REVIVAL OF KUALA LUMPUR'S
CHINATOWN THANKS TO 3 NEW HIDDEN WATERING HOLES
October 06, 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 3 Hidden Gems in Petaling Street
SPEAKEASY, BUT CARRY NO SELFIE STICK - THE REVIVAL OF KUALA LUMPUR'S CHINATOWN THANKS TO 3 NEW HIDDEN WATERING HOLES...
Kuala Lumpur: Botanica + Co, Bangsar South
CONSERVATORY CHIC AT BOTANICA + CO, BANGSAR SOUTH
Of all the erroneous assumptions my Western friends make about me, the one that most defies logic is that I should adore heat and humidity or at the very least be accustomed to it. Let me break it down for you - One: Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, Two: By that reasoning, why do you gwai los complain about the cold in winter? Three: Malaysians drive their air-conditioned cars to air-conditioned offices then to air-conditioned watering holes and finally back to their air-conditioned homes. So no, my experience of the searing tropics is limited to the three and a half minutes the valet makes me wait for my car, and my love for all things tropical is best appreciate in the chilly confines of an air-conditioned space. It's the only way to admire palms and fronds without being eaten by Aedes mosquitos, really...
So when I got wind (like an air-con breeze, haha) of a fresh botanics-inspired restaurant arrival housed in an air-conditioned greenhouse, I made my way to the new-ish township of Bangsar South in search of Botanica + Co.
September 25, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: Botanica + Co, Bangsar South
CONSERVATORY CHIC AT BOTANICA + CO, BANGSAR SOUTH Of all the erroneous assumptions my Western friends make about me, the...
Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Thieves, Bangsar
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STEALING GLANCES AND TAKING BITES AT
BREAKFAST THIEVES, BANGSAR
There's a name for the international design language of post-social media cool - reclaimed Industrial chic juxtaposed against Calacatta marble, mason jars, and fiddle leaf figs - the hipster aesthetic of which is designed (that is, according to Kyle Chayka's piece for The Guardian) as a soothing balm for the "wealthy, mobile elite" who want their 'authentic and off the beaten track' with a side of wifi. Chayka calls it AirSpace, and bemoans this globalised style as homogenous. Personally? Hey, if it keeps my Instagram feed neat... In all seriousness though, I'm all for the world being a smaller place especially when said globalisation manifests itself in the form of delicious, delicious brunch.
And apart from the New Yorkers nobody does brunch like the 'Strayans. Cafe culture has spread like bushfire in Malaysia thanks to the country's relative proximity to the Antipodes. My second favourite* entity to arrive from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur is the second branch of the new Bangsar café that's got all the Instagrammers and brunch hunters excited - Breakfast Thieves.
*my most favourite is arriving today. Boomchickawahwaahhh |
September 23, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Thieves, Bangsar
Breakfast Thieves, Kuala Lumpur's hot new brunch spot, makes its way to Malaysia from Melbourne STEALING GLANCES AND ...
Idaman House at Janda Baik, Pahang
THE SIMPLE LIFE AMIDST THE RAINFOREST TREETOPS OF JANDA BAIK, PAHANG
Idaman (Malay, Indonesian) - n. ideal, craving, desire.
How wonderfully fitting, as Idaman House was my family's choice for a weekend of fresh forest air.
The Malay kampong (village) of Janda Baik - literally 'the good widow' - is, according to local folklore, named after a kindly widow of local folklore who tended to a wounded mercenary passing through the town. My party of ten enjoyed similar hospitality - a 5-bedroom villa in the mountains tended to by a staff of three who took care of our every need, leaving us free to relax and enjoy our verdant surroundings.
February 22, 2016
Idaman House at Janda Baik, Pahang
THE SIMPLE LIFE AMIDST THE RAINFOREST TREETOPS OF JANDA BAIK, PAHANG Idaman (Malay, Indonesian) - n. ideal, craving, desire. How...
Ipoh Bites - Where To Eat In Ipoh Old Town
What to eat & drink in Ipoh that isn't chicken rice or Old Town coffee
While I'm all about the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - or rather "I'll fix it if I only need to use duct tape or WD40" - I am not at all adverse to introducing crazy newfangled ideas to areas where the classics have already stood the test of time. So, in the spirit of the 'something old, something new' of Ipoh Old Town's new retro revival and the 'modern treehouse meets historical house of decadence' of Sekeping Kong Heng, I'm rounding up my Ipoh blog posts with five alternative eateries beyond the city's already-established street food and hawker stalls.
February 20, 2016
Ipoh Bites - Where To Eat In Ipoh Old Town
What to eat & drink in Ipoh that isn't chicken rice or Old Town coffee While I'm all about the adage "if it ai...
Sekeping Kong Heng, Ipoh
INDULGING MY INNER PETER PAN AT SEKEPING KONG HENG, IPOH
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I've slept around. Literally - I've stayed at 5* hotels, country piles, cruise ships, Airbnb's, and then some. I'd rate myself reasonably well-travelled, even so my recent trip to Ipoh ticked off a first for me - sleeping in a treehouse. A treehouse! You may already know about my dinner partychildhood dreamplans in progress but what kidult doesn't still nurture Neverland fantasies? Ever since Sekeping Retreats burst onto the Malaysian scene with their dreamy 'back to nature' getaways, sleeping al fresco has never been so en vogue, an especially commendable accomplishment given the tropical climate with all its nuisances.
Sekeping Kong Heng sealed the deal for me when I contemplated making a trip to Ipoh for Henry's birthday. The latest addition to the Sekeping family is a glass and concrete treehouse in newly rejuvenated Kong Heng Square, the heart of Ipoh Old Town's revival. The 3 storey neo-classical building was once a hostel for theatre performers who performed in the adjacent theatre building that was burnt down in the 50s. True to the spirit of celebrating Ipoh's rich heritage and history, Sekeping Kong Heng has preserved as much of the character of the existing building as possible - evident in details like reclaimed colonial shop windows used for the rooms. The result is edgy and hip yet respectful to its surroundings' history: an exhibit you live and breathe - from the heady aroma of white coffee to the cacophony of Cantonese banter between hawkers - in a real Old Town setting.
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February 12, 2016
Sekeping Kong Heng, Ipoh
INDULGING MY INNER PETER PAN AT SEKEPING KONG HENG , IPOH ______ I've slept around. Literally - I&#...
The New Old: the Retro Revival of Ipoh, Malaysia
Ipoh Old Town, revived with vintage flair
I chanced upon the most remarkable sight last November when I was in Ipoh to review The Haven.
In its heyday, the North Malaysian capital of Perak was an icon of the riches of the Empire. But when the mining boom ended, its star faded as the Town Built On Tin became a shell of its former self. All that remained of Ipoh were decaying colonial mansions and shophouses whose weathered bodies whispered of its glory days of British Malaya. As my father did, many of the city’s young emigrated to Kuala Lumpur for bigger prospects, leaving behind a sleepy hollow seemingly inhabited mostly by those old enough to remember pre-independence Malaysia.
Ipoh, whose star once shone as brightly as Singapore, was now an Adele lyric: “that town where nothing really happened”. Or so I had remembered from my family’s annual Chinese New Year returns to my paternal hometown - it was usually a stopover between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, albeit one boasting some of the best Malaysian culinary fare. Although in recent years Ipoh has become a family-friendly destination for wellness and relaxation, it was not a place I associated with a burgeoning arts and culture scene, and certainly not with the trendy young.
I was about to proven so satisfyingly wrong.
February 10, 2016
The New Old: the Retro Revival of Ipoh, Malaysia
Ipoh Old Town, revived with vintage flair I chanced upon the most remarkable sight last November when I was in Ipoh to re...
Luxury lakeside living at The Haven: Ipoh, Malaysia
There's nothing like a stuffy nose in a smoggy city (I'm lookin' at you, London) that makes you appreciate the luxury of fresh air.
November 29, 2015
Luxury lakeside living at The Haven: Ipoh, Malaysia
There's nothing like a stuffy nose in a smoggy city (I'm lookin' at you, London) that makes you appreciate the luxury of f...
176 AVENUE, Bangsar: My one-stop beauty destination
All a busy lady's beautifying needs - hair, nails, lashes, and waxes - conveniently located in one industrial-chic Bangsar salon.
November 23, 2015
176 AVENUE, Bangsar: My one-stop beauty destination
All a busy lady's beautifying needs - hair, nails, lashes, and waxes - conveniently located in one industrial-chic Bangsar salon....
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