Chinese New Year Together

After having been friends for 27 years, it may come as a surprise that lunch on the 4th day of Chinese New Year this year was the first time all of us have spent the celebration together. This would not have been possible had Ken Lin and Sally not come down to KL from Penang. We then managed to convince our Hong Kong friend Elsie to fly in for the weekend from Kota Kinabalu where she was having a holiday.

 

As this was only decided in the week leading up to Chinese New Year, thanks also has to go to my friend Emily who secured us a table at Oriental Pavilion, Jaya 33. Suffice to say, the restaurant was extremely packed but that made the festive atmosphere even more enjoyable. Most importantly, it gave us all the opportunity to embark on the Year of the Goat together, carrying with us the aspirations that we hope to attain individually and as friends.

 

It is pretty rare for a friendship to have survived almost 3 decades. Much effort has been put in to nurture the relationships that we all share as a group, and while we may have gone our separate ways somewhat after completing our studies, the dedication and commitment to keep in touch have enabled us to remain good friends. And this one ought to appreciate.

 

 

Group shot at Oriental Pavilion, Jaya 33 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Alan Hong's Visit

27 years is a long time. The last time we met was that long ago, in Adelaide. So it was great to have been able to catch up with Alan during his whirlwind visit to KL last week. An hour over coffee to catch up on 27 years' worth of news. Facebook has made reconnecting much easier but it is never the same as meeting in person.

 

I am glad we had the opportunity to meet despite Alan's visit being such a short one. Hopefully KL has made a good enough impression to warrant future holidays, and perhaps with a longer stay, it may be possible to round up our other friends for a reunion of sorts.

 

It is always reassuring to know that friendships that were developed years ago can still be nurtured despite the distance and the lengthy absence of personal contact. Suffice to say, effort is required, but the rewards are worthwhile. As the Chinese New Year celebrations beckon, I look forward to reconnecting with many more friends and indeed, perhaps the Year of the Goat is one that I should dedicate to nurturing friendships.

 

 

Alan and I at Espressemente at Pavilion KL, Malaysia.

Appreciating Good Friends

Suan Bee and C Hun always make it a point to catch up with me whenever I am in Penang. For a number of years now, they've been taking me on a tour to discover the best 'Hokkien Mee', or as we know it in KL, ' Prawn Mee', that Penang has to offer. It's a pilgrimage of sorts, and there are still many more to sample and taste.

 

To make the pilgrimage a little more interesting, we've recently added cafes to the list. This photo was taken at Budan's Brew Coffee Bar, right after having enjoyed a bowl of 'Hokkien Mee' at Jalan Kebun Nyior, a couple of weeks back. Don't ask me directions to all these places as I totally rely on these two good friends of mine. All I need to do is enjoy the food, and most importantly the companionship.

 

Here's to more trips to Penang in 2015!

 

 

With Suan Bee and C Hun, enjoying a late morning cuppa.

Chance Meeting

It is not often that good friends happen to be in the same place at the same time, and with that create an opportu-nity to meet and catch up over a meal. I was in Penang last weekend for a wedding, Ken Bin and Cordelia happened to be there too for work, and so we took the chance to have dinner with Penangites Ken Lin and Sally. Over the course of dinner, we sent photos to our close friends Yean Mun in KL and Elsie in Hong Kong, providing them with an avenue to be part of the gathering virtually.

 

As we reflect on our decades-old friendship, we have come to realise that our efforts to stay in touch throughout the years have indeed kept our friendship intact. Whether celebrating birthdays or festive occasions, going on holiday in groups or just mindless chatter on our Whatsapp group, we certainly have been part of each other's lives since our teenage years.

 

We have made plans for a group holiday next April, with all present, kids in tow. Though it's still quite a number of months away, the enthusiasm is very much already evident. Still, we'll be meeting for birthdays and festive occasions between now and the trip. And with each meeting, I gather the level of enthusiasm will indeed elevate in tandem.

 

 

Ken Bin, Cordelia, Sally, Ken Lin and I in Penang, Malaysia.

Elaine's 40th

It's been a whirlwind of celebrations for my family of late, the most recent being cousin Elaine's birthday. Apparently turning 40 is a big deal in Australia, and Elaine made the decision to return from Adelaide to Malaysia to celebrate with the extended family. To paraphrase her, the intention was to mark this milestone in her life with the people who have been instrumental in her journey of the past 4 decades.

 

So with Dave, Nate and Matthew, as well as Lynette, Auntie Mary and Mel by her side, Elaine welcomed family and close friends at The Ming Room at Bangsar Shopping Centre for a luncheon to celebrate the occasion. It was also an opportunity to catch up with the extended family, as it is never easy to see everyone on a personal basis during such short visits back to KL. Well, a couple of weeks is not exactly short, but when there is so much to do, see and eat, and considering that we come from a rather large family, meeting almost everyone at one location, what more during a celebration, is the perfect scenario.

 

The highlight of the event was certainly Elaine's speech. Touching and genuine, she made it a point to relate how each and everyone of us, in one way or another, have been part of her journey in life. There were some teary eyes in the room, and most importantly a sense of family. So, as you embark on a new decade Elaine, here's to more fulfilling encounters to come.

 

 

Dave, Elaine, Nate and Matthew at The Ming Room, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Cesar Ritz Colleges Alumni Gathering

It is always a pleasure to meet up with fellow alumni of Cesar Ritz Colleges. The Malaysian chapter of the alumni asso-ciation, in particular those residing in Kuala Lumpur and its surroundings, get together a couple of times a year, mostly doing what Malaysians love most, over a meal. We have some drinks, enjoy a hearty dinner, share some laughs, get some updates about the colleges and reminisce about our time spent in Switzerland.

Whenever possible, we dine at an alumni member's restaurant as a measure of support. This time round, we gathered at Songket, a fine-dining establishment specialising in traditional Malay cuisine. Despite the evening downpour and traffic, more than twenty of us made it to Tony Wong's restaurant located at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. Other than our friends, there to greet us was also Quoc Phong Huynh, Regional Manager of Cesar Ritz Colleges Switzerland. We had the pleasure of getting to know Phong's predecessor Viwan Opanukij over the past few years, and this first meeting with our new friend was a pleasant and informative encounter. Pleasant because of Phong's easygoing and personable nature, informative as we were briefed on the goings-on in Switzerland with Cesar Ritz Colleges having been acquired by SEG Swiss Education Group not too long ago. As always, we also ask of Mr Kisseleff's well being, and are happy to hear that he is now enjoying his well-deserved retirement. Our strong bonds with the school are very much a reflection of the strong bonds we have with Mr Kisseleff, nurtured over the years from our college days and his visits to Malaysia from time to time.

Over fine food and drink, we re-lived our time in Lax, Brig and Le Bouveret. Graduates of 1984 through to 2002, although varied in our experiences at Cesar Ritz Colleges, share a commonality, that is an affection for our alma mater. An affection arising from a memorable phase of our lives where we were nurtured in the hospitality trade, where we cultivated our gentlemenly and ladylike ways, where we were instilled a sense of professionalism, where we forged lifelong friendships. Alumni relations and participation require effort and commitment, and as we look forward to the next such gathering, here's hoping more will be on hand to banter the next time round.

Group photo shot at Songket in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Whirlwind Visit

My cousins from Hong Kong, Faiman and Roy as well as the latter's girlfriend Ming, together with some of my aunts and uncles, came to KL for a whirlwind visit. I first met my cousins as adults in May last year when I went there on holiday; prior to that was decades ago when we were young children.

We've been keeping in touch on Facebook since May and though their visit here was only for a couple of days, I had a good time getting to know them better. In fact, I had a blast really. My late father always made sure he made time for family, be it immediate or extended. I do the same, as do my mum and sis. Playing tourist guide and the requisite 'makan' sessions Malaysians are so famous for aside, I believe creating personal connections and building rapport take on far greater importance. Am happy to say that we clicked somewhat and I look forward to nurturing the nascent bonds that we have now established.

Coming from a relatively large extended family, getting along is something we all have to work on from time to time. It takes effort and much diplomacy. Fortunately we have strong ties, well most of us anyways. The past few days have been extremely enjoyable. So much laughter, so much food, so much chatter. Great times indeed!

Photo of Faiman, Roy, Ming and I having lunch.

Contentment

I had a meaningful conver-sation with Rizal, my friend from primary school last evening. Rizal's back for the summer holidays from doctorate studies in Sydney and we met up at Nasi Lemak Mak Lang in Forum 19, a venture of another two of our primary schoolmates Zamri and Khairul. Arthur and Shahurain joined us later but as we were the early birds, we had a chance to catch up in person rather than on Facebook.

Our conversation naturally revolved around the happenings in our lives, his in Sydney while pursuing a doctorate in international law, mine in KL. One thing we definitely agree on is contentment, to be content with our lot in life. There are certainly ups and downs in life. The former we celebrate, the latter we learn to deal with. The happy occasions, the sense of fulfilment when an aspiration is achieved, we must appreciate and not take for granted. The challenges, pressures and stress that we come face to face with, well, we just have to tackle them head on. Chin up, best foot forward and hopefully we conquer these little annoyances that appear every now and then. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger and the sense of relief that accompanies the resolution of a problem reinforces the inner strength we all can summon if we want to. It builds character.

Ever so often, we envy others and others envy us. Suffice to say, the grass is always greener on the other side. To be really happy, one has to be contented. Take pleasure in one's circumstances. Acknowledge the good that we have in our lives. Be satisfied yes but always be on the lookout for betterment. To climb higher mountains, to experience new encounters. My friend Rizal would agree I'd think.

Photo of a beautiful sight that caught my eye.

Whatever

When travelling in a group, I try to adopt the 'whatever' attitude. Too many cooks spoil the broth as they say and as such, if I am not responsible for the itinerary, I normally just go with the flow.

Lately, for the past 2 years to be exact, I've taken a liking to travelling with Tjun Hong, Leticia, Debra, Richard and Eileen, good friends of mine who happen to be in the same industry in which I work. We share similar interests, a wicked sense of humour, good taste; we all love to spa, though Eileen would need some cajoling to join the rest of us.

I've done Bali with all of them, twice. I've done Phnom Penh with Eileen and Richard too. I look forward to more sojourns. No firm plans as yet ... after all, Leticia's and Tjun Hong's wedding celebrations ain't over yet, there's still the big party in KL on 23 October. A possibility would be June next year for the Bali Triathlon. No, I am not competing, but Eileen may be, and we'll be there to cheer her on ... an excuse for the rest of us to go eat, go spa and go shop, in the guise of being supportive friends!

Photo of Tjun Hong, Leticia, Eileen, Richard and I at Ibu Oka in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Walkabout In Singapore

Somehow whenever I think of a holiday in Singapore, the first thing that comes to mind is shopping. I seldom shop in KL; I do most of my shopping when on vacation and last weekend was no exception. In fact, it was the last 2 days of the Great Singapore Sale.

But enough about shopping. To my surprise, I did make an effort to do a bit of walking, just to see the buildings, some sights, which I don't normally do when in Singapore. Although I swim and gym, walking is not what I do best. I'd much rather laze at a cafe with a good mag. Nevertheless, walk I did but with much help from the MRT too! Bugis, Chinatown, Arab Street to name a few.

Before going to bed each night, with Deep Heat to soothe the aching feet of mine, I'd ponder what the best walk of the day was. Well, I'd have to say the walk with the shopping bags! Ha! Ha!

Photo of Singapore's City Hall I think.

Beautiful Location

I was invited last week to visit a venue which could potentially be great for pre-wedding shoots and smaller, more intimate weddings. A romantic weekend or honeymoon even. So often we think of foreign locations to celebrate special occasions when in fact, we do have some wonderful options locally too.

I am not at liberty to say where this venue is yet. That would have to be announced by The Olive Branch who invited me to tag along to view the place. Suffice to say, who knew we had such a beautiful location just about an hour and a half's drive from KL.

I guess it goes to show that if one has the passion, love for nature and the environment, and funds of course, a breathtaking property can be designed and built to realise one's dream.

I can just imagine myself on this balcony.

Bin's Birthday

Here's a photo of my close friends and I from uni days, The Flinders University Of South Australia to be exact. This was taken years ago during Bin's birthday dinner at the now defunct Sizzler's in Marion, a neighbourhood just next to our university.

Of the 6 of us, only 4 are in KL and we have continued to celebrate our birthdays together all these years. Last night we had a meal to mark Bin's birthday, another milestone in our lives.

Don't think we have aged that much ... perhaps just a little rougher round the edges haha!

Photo courtesy of Elsie Wong in Hong Kong.

Pierced

Before I left for Hong Kong, my friend of two decades Elsie and I arranged to have dinner upon my arrival. She also gave notice and insisted that I should accept this relatively expensive birthday present that she got me. Of course I would, I replied. What's to complain about an expensive birthday present? The more expensive the better I thought. That's what one can do with good friends.

Anyways, I get into Hong Kong, two hours late I might add, and off we went for a late dinner at a Japanese restaurant near my hotel. Before we could start eating, out came my present. Lo and behold, a pair of diamond ear-rings! Apparently after having known me for more than twenty years, Elsie thought that I needed a 'new look'.

What is one to do with a pair of ear-rings? Diamond ones to boot! Well to cut a long story short, Elsie escorted me to 'Isabella - Professional Ear-Piercing, Unmatched Quality And Reliability' two nights later, stood by and promptly watched me get an ear pierced. It's a titanium stud for now. The diamond ear-ring will have to wait for a couple of months. And guess what, after coming home to KL, I received an sms from Elsie, saying that I should have gotten both pierced. Well, I think I need some time to get used to this one first. Nonetheless, thanks for the present Elsie! As for the other ear, let's see if you can convince me when we next meet.

Elsie and I having dinner at Irori in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.