Retro Hong Kong

I had lunch with Shirley of Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur at Tai Zi Heen today. It's that time of the year to plan activities for the upcoming one. We've been at it for quite a number of years, 5 years and counting. I always appreciate longstanding working relationships. We trust one another will do a good job, we are on the same wavelength and it's almost like clockwork. We also have an understanding of past efforts and how to improve.

Anyways, the signage at the entrance of Tai Zi Heen really caught my attention. It's so retro. This award winning restaurant is participating in the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival, hence the idea to channel retro Hong Kong via their Hong Kong Encounter Menu. The restaurant is afterall well known for its Cantonese cuisine.

Ambience and decor aside, it will be the food that will take centrestage.

Photo shot at Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A Wedding Planner's Perspective

Those of you who read my post entitled Eileen And Richard in August would know that I was privileged to attend their wedding in Bali.

Here is how the wedding unfolded in Eileen's own words as appeared in The Malay Mail, a wedding planner's perspective of her own nuptials.

It was indeed a pleasure to be part of such a special occasion.

Photo of part of 'the gang' as mentioned in Eileen's article in The Malay Mail.

So Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart, an American, is a well-known name in wedding circles, even here in Malaysia. So many of us wedding professionals purchase the quarterly Martha Stewart Weddings publication, visit her website and sometimes catch her TV show. Many would not disagree that she is the ultimate arbiter of style when it comes to all things weddings.

So it comes as no surprise that we sometimes use her name as an adjective. Case in point, I was at Covershots for an event yesterday and Pam, the gracious hostess that she is, always feeds us. Not only that, she often ensures that what she serves is presented in a manner befitting a wedding practitioner. See the photo? Well, I remarked, 'It's so Martha Stewart, Pam'. Get what I mean?

I have always felt that when presented well, the simplest of pastries are augmented to a more sophisticated level. They may taste the same but the experience is definitely heightened.

Photo shot at Covershots in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Ambition And Hope

I was rummaging through my VCDs earlier this evening; yes I like having my dinner in front of the TV, actually my notebook to be precise. Anyways, got my hands on Center Stage. It has always been one of the few to watch when I am in need of some 'feel-good vibes'. The plot revolves around a group of young men and women who work their butts off, in tights and tutus no less, trying to secure a place in the American Ballet Company.

Above all the drama - ambition, fulfilling aspirations, relationships gone wrong, relationships made right, eating disorders, meeting parents' expectations, taking risks and of course great choreography of dance sequences - lies a simple lesson. That we must acknowledge our talent, embrace it, nurture it, work hard to enhance it. With a little bit of luck and sometimes being at the right place at the right time, it can lead to great things.

We must remain hopeful that something good will come out of our efforts. See what the shop sign says?

Photo shot at Jalan Dewi Sita in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Biz Trips To Penang

Penang is a place that I always enjoy visiting, even when I am there for work rather than a holiday. It is relatively compact enough for me to include some r&r in my itinerary, be it visits to the Siamese and Burmese temples on Lorong Burma for prayers, savouring Hokkien Mee at Lorong Bangkok, an evening swim at the hotel pool or supper on Gurney Drive followed by a late night stroll.

Of course one of the best reasons to stay a night when on business trips to Penang is the opportunity to have dinner with friends and industry colleagues. The good food is a given and the great company elevates the experience.

I suppose that's why I always find a reason for a business trip to Penang.

Photo of me with Ms Chew, Andy, Aires, Suan Bee and C Hun shot at Northam Beach Cafe in Penang, Malaysia.

The Hiplist 2009

Here's my message in The Hiplist 2009.

This 3rd issue of 'THE HIPLIST : WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS – Celebrating The Art Of Malaysia’s Wedding Photographers' is very much a labour of love for my team and I. As a publisher, we always strive to improve from previous issues and I hope that you will find the variety of photographers featured this year captivating. Established names stand alongside fresh faces with one trait in common, the passion to create lasting images of this milestone in your lives.

Explore, enjoy and be inspired …

Kris Wong

What so exciting about this new issue? The size is larger, the design more stylish and the content more beguiling. Do get a copy and see for yourself.

Photo of The Hiplist 2009.

Choices

I don’t normally follow Grey’s Anatomy. I just happened to be sitting in front of the TV having dinner last evening when my sister was watching an episode of Season 3 on DVD. In that particular episode, Meredith and Derek discuss the need for the former to make a choice.

We are faced with having to make choices every day. Be it a work or a private matter, we consider, we assess, we weigh the consequences, we deliberate some more if necessary, and we decide, we make that choice. I am a decisive person which fortunately means I don’t procrastinate when I have to make my mind up. Do I regret my past choices? No. They were the right decisions to take at those particular points in time. Do I wish that circumstances were such that I wouldn’t have had to make certain decisions? Of course.

I still think of some situations where I wonder if things could have turned out differently if I had chosen the other path. But we live with our choices, we take responsibility for our actions and we accept the resultant outcomes. As long as we remain true to ourselves, there shouldn’t be any regrets, only a conviction that we have made the right choice. Now .......... which pair of jeans to buy?

Photo of Armani Exchange window shot at The Gardens, Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.