MMHA BIG WALK 2008

Malaysian Under Water

Is diving safe? How do I clear my mask underwater? PADI? NAUI? SSI? What is BCD, fins? OMG! If you have all these questions about Scuba diving burning in your mind, MUW is your answer.

Malaysian Underwater or MUW as it is fondly known is the biggest scuba diving community forum in Malaysia. MUW was started by a group of diver friends whose main interest is scuba diving. Since its inception some 2 years ago, this social society has become a platform for sharing of knowledge and passion for diving. With 1900 active members, this social club is set out to educate divers and non divers on the importance of good sensible diving.

According to Alfian aka Mephisto, one of MUW’s main objective is preservation of the environment, which includes all marine life, coral, reef and turtles. Their on going project at the moment is the discovery of sea horses in our very own Redang Island. Gypsy Divers hand in hand with MUW have created an artificial reef sanctuary to encourage the breeding of sea horses. Where is the dive site? Alfian informed me that this location is being kept a secret for the moment to give the dive site and the sea horses a chance to prosper. It is exciting to know that this project is sanctioned by the Terengganu government, which means we may be able to see more sea horses roaming freely in our Redang waters soon.

Safety is MUW’s second objective. According to Alfian, a lot of divers forget to perform the basic checklist that is required by a diver before hitting the water. Some of these check such as equipment and buddy check maybe be life saving but are neglected by some people. Alfian further explained that performing these tests are crucial before jumping fully equipped into the wide sea.

MUW is also the one and only online club in Malaysia to promote free diving. This form of technical diving has been around since 1992, but is pretty much new in Malaysia, with Perhentian being the only place where you can perform free dives. What is free diving you ask? Free diving is any activity that involves the practice of holding your breath under water. That includes freedive photography, underwater diving, to a degree snorkeling and spearfishing. Ooo err.. look ma.. no tank!

Another interesting fact to look out for with MUW is their logo. The logo was designed after an incident a few years back in Kelantan, where the group had gone diving, and saw another friend dive fully equipped wearing a sarong! Truly logo Malaysian, I say!

This year, MUW even had their sarong clad mascot at the MIDE 2008 Exhibition (Malaysian International Dive Exhibition 2008) In its 3rd year, with 120 exhibitors from 25 countries, MIDE aims to promote best diving destinations in Malaysia and its surrounding waters.

Alfian Abdul Rahim aka mephisto is MUW’s moderator for free diving.

Nuggets
Top 10 dive sites of the world ( taken from Scuba Travel)
- Yongala, Australia
- Thistlegorm, Egyptian Red Sea
- Blue Corner Wall, Palau, Micronesia
- Barracuda Point, Sipadan Island
- Shark and Yolanda Reef, Egyptian Red Sea
- Navy Pier, Australia
- Manta Ray Night Dive, Kailua Kona, Hawaii
- Big Brother, Egyptian Red Sea
- Liberty, Bali
- Elphinstone Reef, Egyptian Red Sea


Did you know that year 2008 has been designated second International Year of the Reef by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)

KL Ink - the first tattoo party in KL

KL INK at SIN CLUB

I admit, I’m a little addicted to tattoos. Oh hey, who am I kidding, I’m a lot addicted to tattoos! So it was only natural that I held my breath and waited a week for SIN Club’s KL Ink, the first tattoo party ever to be thrown in Malaysia. What can I say? It was WICKED! When we arrived at Sin, there was a queue forming already. Those with ink and a RSVP link to Facebook strolled in for free, the rest was imposed a small cover charge fee of rm30.



The party started much later than the scheduled 10 pm but oh was it worth the wait. The emcee was a natural on the mike (of course emcees are naturals on the mike .. (smack me forehead) Jay got us laughing away with his sly jokes about ink et al. The party kicked off with the coolest tattoo contest. W saw 10 contestants standing on the podium showing their inks away. The Facebook invite promised shirtless guys with tattoos, though that did not happen. ( sob sob) What happened was Jennifer, who walked away with a bottle of Absolut vodka for having the coolest tattoo.. woohooo.. she was cute too!

Thanks to DJ Awad for the crazy music fueled night, we got a couple of awesome hours of dancing. Sin Club plans to have the next tattoo party in August. Also I heard a little birdie whisper to me that there is gonna be a live ink act this time! So come visit Voize often for the low down dirty info on Sin’s 2nd tattoo party.



Shout outs to Jay and Ganesh for a wicked awe-ink-some night!

Nuggets

Cambodians tattoo themselves for self-protection. Khmers believe in Tantras and the magical power People in Cambodia have protection tattoos on their body to and it is widely believed that a

Cambodians believe that a certain Yantra tattooed by a monk or a holy person on the chest of a believer can ward off evil or harm..

The word ’Tattoo’ originated from the Tahitian term ’Tatu’ or ’Tatau’, which means mark or strike.

Top 5 male celebrities with tattoos - Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake, David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Eminem,

Saffron

Saffron Mediterranean Restaurant. Nestled lovingly in Pavilion One Bangsar, this restaurant beckons you to step into the world of Mediterranean cuisine. Located at Jalan Ara, once a quiet road with houses on either side, One Bangsar has now become a hive for good restaurants, all within a few meters of each other.


Saffron boasts being the winner of Malaysian Tourism’s Award 2004 for the Best Western Restaurant category and it seems apt that they win the much coveted title. It is said the original place was transported from the shores of Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur, virtually! This foodie joint also is renowned among food lovers for the best tapas, steaks and seafood, giving it all a burst of Mediterranean flavor.


Furnished in a contemporary but classic Mediterranean setting, decors with rich vibrant hues give the seating booths both privacy and a sense of sophisticated ambience. For love birds wanting a more romantic dining atmosphere, canopied love seats are located on the upper deck, giving the restaurant a truly cozy relaxed look.


For a taste of exquisite Mediterranean flavor set in a soothing ambience, allow yourself to indulge in Saffron’s award winning selection of tantalizing dishes. The restaurant’s attempt in serving culinary feast in smart surroundings promises willing customers on Saffron’s doorsteps.


For more information on reservations and bookings, call Saffron at 603-2287 1158 or email them at dine@saffron.com.my

Kenny’s Pasta Chicken Meal

Article contribution from Rentakini.com


Kenny’s Pasta Chicken Meal

I have a reason to be excited. Kenny Roger’s Chicken & Pasta meal is back again and the 3 glorious flavors, beef bolognaise, tangy chicken and cheesy chicken, are sure to pique one’s interest. When asked to do a food review for KRR, this was a pasta meal I was particularly looking forward to. You see, I had just started a gym regime and KRR is perfect for those who want to keep their waistline in check.

So why is Kenny Rogers Roasters a healthier alternative to the usual fried chicken? It’s in their philosophy of creating a wholesome nutritious meal. The chicken is grilled on a skewer or pit using the rotisserie way, resulting in chicken that healthier, less fattening whilst maximizing the retention of juices.

I had the opportunity to sink my teeth in the beef bolognaise spaghetti and quarter chicken in black pepper sauce, accompanied by the crisp garden salad as the side dish. The bolognaise pasta wonderfully stroked my taste buds with premium minced, diced carrots and chopped onions, nicely balance with the chopped celery. The pasta tasted fresh and isn't overly tangy or sweet. The crisp garden salad came with the Thousand Island dressing and actually complimented the chicken better than I thought it would and I washed the whole thing down with some orange juice.

If you are an adventurous food lover, be sure to try the Tangy Chicken spaghetti. With a subtle hint of lemongrass, it’s an oriental experience by itself and sure to be a hit among pasta lovers. For cheese lovers, the Cheezy Chicken is the pasta for you. With a thick cheesy sauce topped generously over the pasta, the result is delicious and will keep you coming back for more. All the pasta meals come with a side dish and a quarter rottiserie roasted chicken with a choice of original or black pepper sauce. Prized at RM17.90, this is one healthy meal that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Not only Kenny Rogers Roasters serves pasta without distorting them, they are also big on bringing joy and cheer to the less fortunate. For the third consecutive year, Kenny Rogers Roasters is proud to organize The Wishing Tree Project. Through this Community Chest project, a Wishing Tree is set up in every Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurants throughout Malaysia. Patrons and the public are encouraged to pick a wish or fulfill as many wishes of these underprivileged children.

The KRR Wishing Tree project will be running from now to 23 December 2007 and the gifts would be presented to the orphans in a get together in December just before Christmas.

Jumbo Queen - Sg Wang Plaza

Article contribution for Rentakini.com

It was a busy day for Sungei Wang Plaza on 23rd November 2007. Packed to the brim, it saw the first ever Jumbo queen beauty contest held for large framed women in Malaysia. Organized by Sungei Wang Plaza, this one of a kind beauty contest was exclusively for women who are over 80 kgs. A total of 22 women had the opportunity to battle it out on neutral ground in Heat 1 and Heat 2 and 10 sassy women were chosen as finalists in pursuit of the Jumbo queen title.

The contest started amidst the roar of fans with a group dance. The crowd then saw the contestants introducing themselves one by one on stage, followed by a short catwalk to strut their stuff. With Moleque being the official sponsor for apparel, these women showed off what they were made off, full of confidence and grace. Every contestant was given a chance to woo the judges in the talent round, and sing, dance, act they did! One contestant even performed magical tricks, much to the delight of the audience.The contestants had the audience wanting more when, attired in the sports wear, did a final “aerobic” catwalk to show off their active sides.

To pick the winner, the judges had to decide based on crowd response, stage personality, confidence and overall impression.

Grace Kabinchong, 28, was all smiles in front of the audience and judges during the contest when she beat 9 other contestants to walk away with the Jumbo Queen 2007 title. Grace , who is of Kadazan Chinese descent impressed the judges with her rendition of the Mount Kinabalu song.

“Although plus sized, we should always enjoy life, engage in more activities and stay healthy” was her message to other plus sized women out there.

Tg. Nurhernani Bt Tg. Mohd Ruyani walked away with the 1st Runner up title. Kuni, as she is affectionately known, had the crowd spellbound with her belly dancing moves.

The 2nd Runner up, Lim Wei Shi had the crowd in stitches with her moves for Lou Bega’s Mambo No 5. Accompanied by her male dancer, they gave a whole new meaning to the term “mambo” and saw Lim Wei Shi sweeping her dancer off his feet for a smooth mambo finish.

Lee Hui Leng charmed the judges and audience and swept both The Charming Jumbo Queen and Most Talented Jumbo Queen titles.

The Jumbo Queen walks away with RM5, 000 cash, trophy and sash, while the 1st Runner up and 2nd Runner up takes home RM3, 000 cash and RM2, 000 in cash respectively. The Charming Jumbo Queen and Most Talented Jumbo Queen titles each win RM500 cash, trophy and cash.

The prizes were given away by Mr K.K. Lim, Promotions and Public Relations Manager of Sungei Wang Plaza. The Jumbo Queen 2007 contest was organized as part of Sungei Wang Plaza’s 30th Anniversary celebration.

Chasing Harry Winston - the review

My first thought was that this book was going to be great like The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing, but unfortunately I must say that this was one of the least intellectual read of my life. Those who prefer to ditch the author as one without an ounce of talent will be sorry to hear that Diane Weisberger’s 3rd book isn’t entirely un-amusing. If you are looking for a fun read, I’m sorry to pop your bubble. The fun bits are totally loss in a mess of narrative.

The plot starts with best friends – Leigh, Adriana and Emmy who are all, while immersed in busy but fabulous New York city lives, moaning to each other about the horrifying fact of how they are approaching their 30s.

Leigh, an editor, is fearful she doesn't love her boyfriend. Nonetheless, he meets every single criteria on her list, hence accepts his marriage proposal. Emmy loses her boyfriend to a virgin bimbo with a Myspace account whom he meets at the gym. The more interesting character of the 3 is Adriana. She is worried she might not land a husband before the wrinkles show. A Brazilian beauty with BossaNova ring tone, she gossips with her gay hair dresser during the day and seduces any boy in sight during the night. Her advice on how to get a man hooked on you – slip away as soon as the sex is over to preserve the mystery!

The story continues unsteadily around an absurd pact between Adriana and Emmy where Adriana vows to remain monogamous for a year, while Emmy will take what they call a “tour de whore”, sleeping with as many men as she can while traveling around the world. From here, the story lurches off in random directions.

I found the book difficult to read due to the choppy writing style and found it rather hard to connect with the characters. On a positive note I think it would make a more interesting movie.