i went to kuching again!

it was on the same day last week at stampark hall, i attended the line dance workshop by simon ward, an aussie choregrapher! it was a full day event, where by a dinner & dance themed swingin' 70's was held at night.

pic courtesy of lee chiang hong

and as you know, when we talked about theme parties, i likeeeee... i got my auntie to sew my dress again!

maybe i shall blog more about the trip soon... as i arrived kuching two days ealier to have some time on my own. this blog post was meant to be a quick one anyway. i am out shortly for a bloggers' event i missed for quite some time...

i will leave you all with a performance video at the dinner and dance, performed by my jakarta line dancing friends. enjoy!

SeaSide Resort in North Myrtle Beach

pic courtesy of http://www.seasidemb.com

Seaside is a condominium resort and oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; offering luxury accommodations and services. As a premiere boutique resort this Myrtle Beach hotel takes pride in their spacious 4 star rooms and the professional services their staff provides. How I am so looking forward and considering for a place like this... besides playing a few rounds of golf.

Myrtle Beach is a wonderful vacation location.

While SeaSide offers a wide variety of room types and can accommodate just about any group size from a couple looking for a weekend alone to the corporate gathering with 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom suites available for 100′s of guests. Myrtle Beach Accommodations feature private balconies, fully equipped kitchens with refrigerator, microwave, oven and appliances and daily housekeeping services. Great!

Most importantly the lush grounds offer wireless internet access so that I won't be left out with the current home and world news. They also offer a state of the art fitness center so I can keep up with my workout while I am on vacation. I understand that some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment are within short walking distance of their central location and you can have a game of golf at a number of local courses.

If you’re looking for a special vacation like me then consider booking your Myrtle Beach hotel reservations at SeaSide Hotel.

*this sponsored post is brought to you by kuE for http://www.seasidemb.com

My Next Dream Vacation: Kissimmee, Florida~

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was first been introduced to Kissimmee, in Florida, I really do not know of what to expect. But believe it or not people, I could guarantee you 100% -- it's the place that everyone have been looking for a great vacation. In other words, Kissimmee, also known as 'The Heart of Florida' is a one-stop vacation place for everyone.

And the best thingy is Disney World located right next door!

Basically, a day at one of Orlando's fabulous theme parks is a day like no other. I am very sure kids and adults alike too gonna love the theme parks in Central Florida. They are all going to be enthralled like others.

While at Universal Studios, you could imagine and soar above Hogwarts with Harry Potter, swing above the streets with Spider-Man, battle aliens alongside Agent J, help Shrek save Princess Fiona and create mischief with Bart Simpson *phew*

And there's more to venture at SeaWorld Orlando that takes families below the surface and above their expectations, while immersing guests in the mysteries of the sea, from up-close animal experiences and awe-inspiring performances to the next generation of thrills like Manta, a nothing-like-it-in-the-world experience that blends up-close animal discoveries with the thrill of a flying roller coaster ride.

Alright to all daddies/golfers out there, when nothing else matters but you and the ball, no worries; you could still swing your way there too where year-round warmth means that golf season lasts for 365 days. Whether you’re an aspiring pro or a duffer, you’ll find courses that will beckon you to return again and again.

pic courtesy of Kissimmee Tourism

And for all you people like me, what else could we ask for... if retail therapy is something that cheers your heart, you will love Kissimmee... the heart of Florida. In fact there are so many choices of products and brands to choose from Boutiques & Antiques, Farmer & Flea Markets, Outlets, Shopping Malls and also Specialty Shops. There so many of them I tell you...

So now what are you waiting for people. Visit this site to get to know more about this place and start planning your way to a dream vacation to Kissimmee...

my dream destination

watch more of project alpha's season 2 programme here

alright, i lurve talking about holidays~ its definitely the best thingy to do! and let me tell you people this... my dream destination is none other than wien, in austria, definitely. its actually the german name for vienna. and the names of the city in most languages, are thought to be derived from the celtic name of a settlement, but opinions vary on the precise origin. some claim that the name comes from "vedunia", meaning "forest stream", which subsequently became venia, wienne and wien. others claim that the name comes from the name of the roman settlement vindobona, probably meaning "white base/bottom", which became vindovina, vídeň (czech) and wien. source: wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.

why wien? well, i have a major reason of why i need to visit the place someday. you will find out about it sooner or later here in my blog as the time goes...

basically, if you are seeking a "royal" city with a grand reputation, wien should be on your list of places to visit. not only is wien filled with must-see historical attractions, but its cultural and musical offerings are delightful. the city’s restaurants are excellent, while the shopping is ubiquitous and luxurious. live music, a theme for which wien is known so well, is available at many venues throughout the imperial city.

by the way, understanding wien's past will help you to appreciate why today’s city is so special.

project alpha season 2 is presented by adidas action 3 and supported by P1 and MAStraveller.com

holiday buying guide~

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

Here in Malaysia, we are already entering the third week of year end school holidays. The time is radically moving fast. Megat's extra classes started even on the Saturday (first day) itself. The schedule has been arranged as such because Hari Raya Haji (Eid Adha) fell on the following Friday. Take note that Megat is schooling in a local Chinese primary school. He totally skipped the second week's classes, as he already followed his Wan Chik (auntie) back to KL on last Sunday. While as for me here, of course there's more stories to come soon.

I bet some of you are already shopping for gifts to give to your closed family, relatives and friends on this coming holiday. You might be looking for shopping outlets online and trying to see if you could extend your budget for gifts. In fact, you could. If you're only patient and diligent enough in finding the best deals online, you'll definitely find one. I can recommend one as I blog about it— Dirt Devil Holiday Buying Guide.

They have an amazing downloadable holiday buying guide filled with 100’s of tips and tricks to get more bang for your buck when shopping online. The guide includes over 300 websites, tricks and clever ways to shop online.

The site not only let you save for your grocery budget, it also helps you protect the environment because shopping online lets you save on gas. This one is one of the most important reasons why most people prefer online shopping over traditional in-store buying. Normally, all items for delivery have corresponding shipping fees. With Dirt Devil, you may take advantage of the Free Shipping Shortcuts *drooling*

"Indulge in the Uniquely Singapore experience"

Holidays. Now tell me of who doesn't lurve holidays these days right. It really can take us all out of our stressful, hectic mind. What if it can be entirely born of and you do not have to worry a single cents about it at all hah! Blissful...

To those of you who dunno, I have just came back from KL two nights ago for Mamat Khalid's up and coming 'Estet' movie function. Now can I just don't have to unload my luggage and think about of what I should bring to Singapore!!!...

Ya... I guess I have mentioned this many times before. Since I missed the chance to attend IZEAFest 2009, now I really hope that I have more chances at Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards! And the best thingy is that I can visit Singapore too; a not strange place for me during my childhood life. That means I have never been there for such a looooong time.

My father used to be an estate manager with UniRoyal in Johor, like Kluang and Simpang Renggam when I was small. So as you could see, he brought us all to Singapore almost every weekends! And most of our relatives and friends didn't surprise at all when they saw us wearing well-known brand clothes. Obviously those were all bought from Tangs...

and Isetan. These are the two places that I am not gonna miss if ever I am lucky to go to the lion country.

Other than that I am afraid I am not really sure of other unique places in Singapore that I should visit. It's really been years for me since the last time I went there. I know Singapore has changed a lot. Anyhow from what I heard Sentosa Island is part of the good places to wind down there. I understand that it was once a fishing village known as Pulau Blakang Mati. It later became a British military fortress until 1967 and was handed back to the newly independent Singapore Government. And today, Sentosa is Singapore's premier island resort getaway with multi-faceted appeal, teeming with events all year round. Great!

Next in the list maybe the world's largest ferris wheel, the Singapore Flyer. From my research on Singapore, I learned that it made its first spin on Monday, 11 February last year. It offered passengers a bird's eye view of the city-state as well as parts of neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia *phew* Well, can I just go there once during the day and another at night. Then this way, I can have simultaneously a different kind of view everytime. I could also be proud of myself to witness the very nice and unforgettable view of Singapore and the surrounding areas from up there.

A hometown friend Razak who is now residing in JB did point out to me about Little India. Ya I think I remember that. Then there's also Arab Street. He told me that the highlight of this trip would be a meal at the Singapore Zam Zam Restaurant (purple shop in the pic below), home of the best "murtabak" in Singapore. This landmark Indian-Muslim restaurant opposite Sultan Mosque has been serving nasi beryani, murtabak, roti prata and other dishes for over 100 years. Wow!!!... kewlness! ;)

Thank you so much Razak for the great information. Unfortunately Razak can't provide me much about Singapore even though he goes there almost fortnightly. He eventually went there for business matters only. Nevertheless he can't never miss the murtabak place hehee...

So far I am already very excited enough thinking about having a holiday in Singapore. But I still do not have much idea in mind yet. What ever it is, I have a valid Malaysian passport to travel anytime...

On top of that, my bum is really like steaming hot now... See... I can't wait to start my wonderful journey to Singapore!

C'mon Nuffnang, count me in please, pretty pleaseeeee...

p/s Take note that all the Singapore pics above are linked to its individual sites. So if ever I get to go, I will definitely take pics of the beautiful city myself!

“Indulge in the Uniquely Singapore experience”

Hotelaysia.com

Are you planning to have your next holiday or honeymoon trip in Malaysia? I suggest that you book for your accommodations online through Hotelaysia.com, for the best rate ever!

Besides that their Customer Service Center is available around the clock. You can call them at any time of the day at these Toll Free numbers:

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International: +60-3-86590165


And here's 5 Good Reasons of why you are recommended to use Hotelaysia~

• Saves time and money


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• Hotel pricing in MYR

*this is a sponsored post

of typically swiss...

traveling for leisure or pleasure is a result of growing economic activities and prosperity, quality lifestyle, increasing awareness and above all wish to “be there and do that”. switzerland is the destination that has always been on the wish list of most travelers from around the world.

what makes switzerland a paradise on the earth?

landscape beauty, serene environment, mountains and a special nip in the air of switzerland is naturally attractive. and on top of this setting, if one has luxurious accommodation and modern amenities, it makes best setting for vacations and(/or) a romantic retreat. this is what is called typically swiss.

despite having their unique character, all the 225 swiss hotels have seven basic things in common, which make up the criteria for the grouping “Typically Swiss Hotels” in the first place. they feature an authentic architectural style for each city or region. the interior design exudes swiss atmosphere in an individual fashion. these hotels are not part of any standardized chain. they boast attractive locations, such as on a lake, in the mountains or in the old town. the service is personalized and driven by employees who know their way around. many establishments already bear the “level-1 quality label” by switzerland tourism.

lastly, another important point: at least 30% of the menu and 20% of the wine list are regional specialties and swiss wines, respectively. “in a very individual way the hotels are a mirror of their region”, says jürg schmid, director of switzerland tourism. he adds: “every single hotel is an engaging advertisement for switzerland as an extremely diverse and authentic tourist destination”.

have a look at MySwitzerland.com and see what they are offering and how. better still plan your next swiss vacation with typically swiss and have an enriching experience.

*this is a sponsored post.

nama berita? and selamat lemai!

[translation for the title: hi... and good evening!]

i am now blogging from the coffee bean & tea leaf, kuching international airport outlet, waiting for my flight back to kl in about an hour time. it was such a great pleasure to be here, although it was for a short stay only. what with the great hospitality by Pretty Mommies and her other half. thank you so much to both of you from the bottom of our heart mwahhh...

i would also like to take this opportunity to thank the staff and management of singgahsana lodge for their nice and grateful service for us. they are sooooo friendly i tell you. i would definitely recommend the place to everyone i know. besides that, i would be back there also insya allah if happened that i will have another trip to kuching in the future.

we didn't waste our time at all while we were still there. after checking out before 9.30 am, we walked about to the row of souvenir shops for some last minute shopping while waiting for Pretty Mommies to pick us up. we waited for her at one of the shops along the main road. she brought us to the cat museum (right pic) then followed by the other three sarawak museums (below pics) i.e. art museum, ethiology museum and dewan tun abdul razak; there after we had our lunch in a malay restaurant.

we then stopped-by at a pottery shops. i did buy a ceramic vase though, to be given to a SKDK teacher as a wedding present on mid december if i am not mistaken.

alright then people, i guess that's all the time that i have now in kuching.

mupuk aku. aku lelenggau ka nuan sarawak...
[translation: good bye. i miss you sarawak...]

p/s i hope that i got the local language right ;)

of our third day in kuching—

our day at sarawak cultural village (SCV) that we explored in half a day was full of fun fun fun! we booked a round trip shuttle service last night for this morning. we left here about 10.15 am. the journey there was about 45 minutes drive. the charges were RM50 in total (RM10/way for adult and RM5/way for children).

we had a very well welcomed by the SCV staff at the entrance. the fees were RM60 for adult and RM30 for children. there are giving special discounts for students no matter where you are from around the globe provided you show them your student id card. we were given a passport each for us to stamp at all the houses that we visited—

	bidayuh longhouse
	iban longhouse
	penan hut
	orang ulu long house
	melanau tall house
	malay house
	chinese farmhouse

we watched their cultural show at 11.30 am first, before we visited all the sarawak type houses there. their second show for the day is at 4.30 pm.

if you people have been to mini malaysia in malacca, ya i could say that its similar to that. but i think SCV is better in terms that they have some people waiting in the respective houses wearing their appropriate clothes welcoming their guest. at the same time, their jobs are to entertain their guest' questionnaires and such. they were all very friendly and helpful. well i find that sarawakians are very nice. in fact a cleaner who was sweeping the floor i bumped into the other day also smiled at us. how lovely!

we had our lunch of nasi campur at restoran budaya, located in the SCV itself. then we walked to damai puri resort & spa which is not far from SCV, before we waited for the evening shuttle service back to the city at about 3.15 pm. the place looks wonderful, what with the lobby facing the beach wahhh... SPEECHLESS man! i have just checked out the rate— min RM620 for deluxe rainforest view *phew* the rates are higher for sea view rooms fuhhh... but to those who do not bother about the $ and wanna some quiet moment, i really recommend that place. i really wished that i could go there someday myself weee...

Pretty Mommies and her hubby fetch us around 6.45 pm. we had dinner at the other side of sarawak river, via a bridge. i tried sarawak' mee kolok for the first time! its good i tell you.

so maybe i will blog more tomorrow for the last time from here, before we leave kuching for kl in the evening. ciao!

kuE' note:
go here to view more great pics of us at sarawak culrural village :)

our second day in kuching

Pretty Mommies was busy, so i managed my day with kiddos with our utmost simple way ourselves. i think we walked like 100s of kilometers today! *phew* anyway it was really fun you know.

we started our day by having a simple breakfast of great toast with coffee/tea and orange juice, plus watermelon courtesy of singgahsana lodge, located at its rooftop called "the sadau". sadau is an iban word for attic. i dunno that it also has a bar there, very nice place and ambiance to lepak. and as usual, they have a very nice deco of sarawak's culture. pool and foosball tables are also available there.

so basically we spent most of our times by walking around the sarawak river waterfront area, especially when a row of shops selling sarawak souveniers are just located around the corner. we walked from one shops to another, admiring sarawak's arts and culture. we were lucky to find out that artrageously, the art gallery by ramsay ong is actually a well known local artist. in fact he has also opened a new gallery in kl as well, at changkat bukit bintang. you people should drop by there someday, as ramsay ong's artworks were truly amazing indeed i tell you.

holiday trips ain't that good if we don't think of our loved ones back home. correct me if i am wrong. so i bought about five sarawak batik fabs for mama, grandmother and three very closed aunties; while for father and my lil' bro, i got them a batik shirt from sarawak each. i also bought a sarawak batik shirt for rizal. and guess what people? i put it to mail right away via pos ekspress' cardboard box (RM7.00) during our walks. i was lucky to find out that they do have such box. what i needed to do was just to unflatten the box. great! that i didn't have to wrap the shirt with brown paper first like i usually did for me to mail a package by poslaju. now rizal should get it by tomorrow. i just hoped that he will like it! :)

so for me, i bought two sarawak batik fabs too plus a set of orang ulu's patterned silk fabs. i ought that it should make a very nice set of baju kurung. i will definitely post some pics of it when its ready hehee...

we dropped by textile museum and chinese history museum, but we missed the sarawak state museum. i guess probably that time kids including myself were already hungry like crazy. we had our lunch at little lebanon, located at sarawak tourism complex. this restaurant offers a selection of intercontinental cuisines from arab to western and locals. i will make a special blog post on this as my f&b reviews.

we continued our walks back this time through the river waterfront. they have a ferry cruise and bot penambang service, but we do not intend to try it at all. as the evening past, kiddos were so excited to see mcD somewhere. we had some mcflurry and tapau-ed burgers for our dinner.

so i guess that's about it, our second day' kuching trip. as for tomorrow, i have booked a roundtrip shuttle service for us to damai/sarawak cultural village. we are so excited now, can't wait to go there. till then... mwahh!!! from me in cat city :D