Your guide to Getting the most out of Penang Hotels, Restaurants, Nightlife and so much more...
St Patricks Day & Formula 1 GP Chef Tommes
Behind the Scenes with Penang’s New TV Chef Stefan Chow
Life Through the Lens Suffolk House
Anglo-Indian Tiffin Spasso Milano
The Perfect Pizza Chew Jetty
Life on Penang’s Floating Jetties Regular Features
Fine Wine Learn Mandarin Hawker Food Review Top Ten Movies Beers on Penang
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March 2012
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Penang
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What’s On
What’s On Penang
..and what does March have to offer?
What’s On Penang
Publisher: Craig J Selby Published By: Marketing Solutions Media & Publishing Sdn Bhd (972654-X) 28B, Jalan Wan Kadir 1 Taman Tun Dr Ismail 60000 Kuala Lumpur Tel : 03-77273703 Fax : 03-77275815
F
ebruary may have been a busy one with a huge range of festivals and celebrations, but I tell you March is also one not to be missed!
Our Irish friends celebrate St Patrick’s Day – an opportune excuse for us to sample some amazing ale – and what better time to introduce our monthly beer column, sharing the world of local and imported beers, as well as some awesome cuisine to go with it. F1 Grand Prix, a major calendar event, also arrives in March. The parties, the race cars, the thrill of the action, all culminate in a spectacular lifestyle feature, which even if we don’t drive, we still get to enjoy. The What’s On Penang team have been busy out and about in Penang and the broader region. This month we have part 1 of a 3 part series on Chew Jetty, exploring clan life on Penang’s floating piers; and an exclusive interview with Stefan Chow, renowned photographer and mountaineer. For those seeking a deeper understanding of personal finance, our new columnist Flora Wong, steps us through some helpful pointers to make our money stretch even further, and The World Music Festival returns to Penang end of the month.
Editor: Craig J Selby craig@whatsonpenang.com Advertising Sales: Steven Miller steve@whatsonpenang.com Graphic Design: Keith Mitchell design@whatsonpenang. com Printer: Eastern Printers (BM) Sdn Bhd (13338-U) Lot 10884 Mukim 15, Jalan Rozhan, Alma, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia. Contact Us On: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ whatsonpenangmag Twitter: twitter.com/#!/ whatsonpenang
See you on the streets and boardwalks of Penang.
Website: www.whatsonpenang.com
Craig J Selby Editor
Email: Info@whatsonpenang.com
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What’s On Penang
Around Town...
St Patrick’s Day
Venue: PISA
Date: 17 March
Date: 9-11 March
Look inside for venues to celebrate the Irish patron saint’s day.
From Los Angeles to Paris, Tokyo to Hong Kong and now a School Holiday treat for the entire family at your doorstep!
Synomous with fun and having a good time, come and enjoy the Craic on Penang, and celebrate in true Irish style.
Penang World Music Festival Venue: Quarry Recreational Park, Botanical Gardens.
Music...
Disney on Ice
Venue: Various Penang
Don’t miss Penang Irish Association’s St Patrick’s Day Ball, at the E&O Hotel on 9 March.
Date: 30 March - 1 April After a three year hiatus, the Penang World Music Festival returns. With music genre ranging from blues to salsa and reggae, the upcoming PWMF 2012 is definitely not an event to be missed.
New Zealand Wine Tasting Venue: That Little Wine Bar
Local Culture...
What’s On
Date: 14 March (1900hrs) Five wines plus yummy hors d’oeuvres for an evening with friends celebrating New Zealand’s finest wines. Come along and savour the delights of the Kiwi wine industry.
More than 50 Disney characters bring this actionpacked, all-new show to Penang set to a blend of contemporary and favorite Disney songs.
Kung Fu Night Venue: USM Main Campus Date: 10 March (1900hrs) The long awaited Kung Fu Night will be back again in March this year with the theme “Sacred Heart”. Performances will include Shaolin’s art of “Tai Chi Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing”; Young Style and Chen Style Taiji; Wushu’s art of “Chang Quan”, “Nan Quan”, broadsword fencing.
Dance in Symphony Venue: PenangPAC Straits Quay Date: 3-4 March Enjoy a melodious symphony of the best classical and contemporary dance pieces by the 40-strong klpac Symphonic Band as they make their debut in Penang with a two-day concert. Enquiries: 04-899 1722
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What’s On
This Month Spring Akari Festival Venue: Straits Quay The Spring Akari Festival will be organised by the Pink Hibiscus Club and the Japanese consulate to commemorate the first aniversary of the Tsunami disaster in Japan. Admission is free and activities will include candle-lighting, traditional games, Hina Doll festival and Kimono wearing.
Penang Markets
Malaysian F1 GP Venue: Sepang International Circuit Date: 23-25 March Renowned as one of the most prestigious motorsport events, the world’s finest drivers challenge each other at the Sepang International Circuit. Don’t miss the chance to take in the hottest action on the track and check out our F1 Rocks ticket competition on page 76.
Motor Show 2012 Venue: Gurney Plaza
Venue: New World Park
Date: 1-4 March
Date: 3-4, 10-11, 17-18 March
The biggest and most comprehensive indoor motor show in Penang. Look out for more than 50 cars under one roof, Supercar & Auto Club Appearance, Ms & Mr Motor GP 2012 competition, Best modified car competition, Car Cruisers appearance, etc.
Venue: Upper Penang Road Date: 25 March Flea Market Venue: Straits Quay Date: 3 March
ArteSpace Workshops Date: 1-29 March Selection of workshops throughout the month of March, covering all aspects of art. Watercolour basics, materials & techniques, exploring colour, suggesting froms, depth & distance, plus more.
Chance to win tickets to F1 GP Malaysia.
How To Get Listed? Easy! Just send in your event information to: info@whatsonpenang.com Or register online whatsonpenang.com
at
Listings are free but information must be submitted by the 14th day of the month prior to publication.
Sports & Art...
Venue: ArteSpace Straits Quay
Shopping...
Weekend Market
Little Street Market
Around Town...
Date: 10-11 March
Penang
Inclusion is not guaranteed and is at the discretion of the editor.
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What’s On Penang
LEARN MANDARIN 学 汉 语
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very Chinese character has its own meaning. There are over 50,000 characters. The earliest characters can be traced back to over 3,000 years ago, they were carved into tortoise shells and cattle bones. Written Chinese is the oldest system of writing in continuous use as a living language. Steps and strokes are very important when learning Chinese characters. Steps [笔 顺] is the steps need to take when writing a character, whereas strokes [笔 画] is the number of strokes taken to write a character, both are inter-related. If you take the wrong steps, you are going to have the wrong number of strokes. e.g. mouth 口. Many just simply draw a square, therefore probably have 2 strokes only when it actually has 3 strokes. Practice makes perfect, enjoy when you write the characters! Characters
Strokes
1] 天 [sky]
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2] 美 [beautiful]
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3] 大 [big]
3
4] 田 [field]
5
5] 坐 [sit]
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Riddles 1] 圆圆脸儿像苹果，又酸又甜 营养多，既能做菜吃，又可当 水果。 —— 谜底 蕃茄
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Round face like apple, sour ,sweet and nutritious, can make dish to eat, also is a fruit Answer : tomato 2] 白又方，嫩又香，能做菜， 能煮汤，豆子是它爹和妈，它 和爹妈不一样。 —— 谜底 豆 腐 White and square, fresh and nice smell, can make dish, can make soup, bean is its dad and mum, but it is different from them
four stone lions are dead. 2] 吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，不吃葡 萄倒吐葡萄皮。 Chī pútao bù tǔ pútao pí, bù chī pútao dào tǔ pútao pí. When you are eating grapes, you don’t spit out the skin, but when you are not eating grapes, you do spit out the skin.
Answer : taufu Tongue twister 饶 口 令 1] 四是四，十是十，十四是十 四，四十是四十，四十四只石 狮子是死的。 Sì shì sì, shí shì shí, shísì shì shísì, sìshí shì sìshí, sìshísì zhī shí shīzi shì sǐ de. Four is four, ten is ten, fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty. Forty
This article was kindly contributed by Cindy Teh, teacher of Mandarin. For more details please see her full bio on page 94.
What’s On Penang
Eng Aun At Cross Roads
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ng Aun would not be foreign to those who frequent the aged and colourful Chowrasta Market in George Town.
It is located in a corner shop house at the cross junction of Kimberley Street and Kangsar Road. Many regulars patronise the place for their house specialties that are available on selected days; pork spare ribs in soy sauce are sold on Thursdays, pork knuckle in vinegar and ginger are available on Saturdays and minced pork patty noodle and braised pork knuckle on Sundays. The daily regulars are fish meat noodles, koay teow th’ng and stewed chicken feet. With the business owners not getting any younger, the eatery only opens for business 5 days per week from 7:00am to 12:00pm daily, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Operated by a family, the food is prepared by a loving middle-age couple and the drinks are made to order by their sister. During our last visit we had the pleasure to sample their Braised Pork Knuckle Noodle, slow braised pork knuckles in soy sauce and five-spice served with freshly blenched ‘yee mee’ or deep fried noodles. The meat was moist and the layers of skin and fats were firmly tender with a starchy texture. Each bite brings a complex bouquet of sweet meaty taste 8
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blended with savouriness and nuttiness with a hint of five-spice. The additional toppings of chopped coriander and spring onions gave it additional aromatics and freshness. Their Minced Pork Patty Noodle is also something to watch out for. The juicy pan fried minced pork patties are braised in a special homemade gravy that resembles the taste of the “Loh Mee” gravy found in Singapore that I first had many years ago while living there. It has a distinctive spicey taste with a light sweetness that blends well with the taste of the mince patties. The mince patties were pan fried until the surface was caramelised and the middle still moist and tender. Choice of accompanying noodles to go with the minced pork patties is up to your preference of texture that one enjoys. Our preferred combination is koay teow + Bee hoon in clear soup for a smooth and grainy contrast, with the braised pork patties on the side to preserve the original flavours of the braising gravy and pork patties. Another special of theirs is the Stewed Chicken Feet in dark soy with thick shitake mushroom.
What’s On Penang
The chicken feet were cooked until soft but yet still maintained their shape and form, the shitake mushrooms tender and full of flavours from the stewing gravy and collagen rich chicken feet. This review was kindly provided by Gourmet Garden. Please find their full details on page 94.
Advertise with What’s On Penang Contact Steve on 014-345-1192 for a full explanation of our Charter Advertsing rates or visit our website for more information: www.whatsonpenang.com/advertise-with-us. html
Marketing Solutions Eng Aun Noodles Jalan Kuala Kangsar
If you are looking for more clients/customers and/or more leads/enquiries then you need to talk to us about our integrated marketing support services.
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Open from 7am until noon but closed on Mondays & Tuesdays.
We keep it simple and make it as much handsoff as you want it to be.
Homey flavours and inexpensive. Favourites are the pork leg yee mee, stewed mean patties with rice noodle soup(clear) and chicken fee
Call Steve now for a FREE no-obligation chat to find out how we could help you:
Georgetown, Penang
014-345-1192
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Legal Sinful Delights
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was told chocolate. “Come for chocolate” they said. So, I was expecting a couple of cakes, maybe a chocolate fountain, maybe a sweet hot chocolate. Nothing more. But boy, was I seriously wrong! And seriously unprepared for the experience. The latest innovation from G Hotel literally left me speechless – and full. A Chocolate Buffet, encompassing everything you could possibly think of doing with chocolate in a culinary sense, with over 60 unique chocolate-inspired and infused items, crossing over the realm of seven separate sections. Never before have I seen, or experienced, so much heavenly indulgence in one space, just pure chocolate. Soy, the sister restaurant to Sesame, G Hotels’ trendy-yet-elegant eatery, is the home of the Saturday night chocolate Buffet, the latest creation extraordinaire by pastry Chef, Chef Tan.
A small, unassuming lady, Chef Tan runs around the restaurant constantly adding to the lineup, and adding her very personal style to the decoration, giving each chocolate creation a unique touch. Chatting with Chef Tan over pralines and hot chocolate, one soon realizes the complexity of research and preparation that goes into each item, and the hours and hours of focused dedication to creating the perfect dish. This is inspiration perfected, nothing less.
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favourite ice cream. Attention to detail with the cake decoration leaves a massive impact, and you can clearly see the passion that goes in to creating these.
An award winning pastry Chef, she has won numerous local and regional awards over the past six years through her contribution to G. Her latest was a regional HAPA award in November 2011, and she’s in the line-up for a few more in the coming months. She just loves experimenting, finding the delicate balance between flavours, and seeing what works best through different combination variables.
We were left spellbound by one of the pralines – transforming two of us back to childhood with the intensity of flavour, debating with Chef what we thought the ingredients were, only to discover that we were both wrong – but both equally amazed with what Chef had infused into such a precious gem of chocolate and caramel – rock salt of all things. Creating a gentle crunch, it adds a hint of curiousity to the praline, but so enhances the flavour.
The Pistachio Mousse with Passion Fruit Pudding is one of Chef Tan’s favourites. The passion fruit pudding is crowned with pistachio mousse in a cup. “Taste the mousse together with the passion fruit to reduce the sweetness of the desert” quips Chef, and she is certainly right. The balance of flavours is perfection in the eye of the beholder. Taking Chef’s advice, we worked our way through the seven sections, starting with creamy hot chocolate served at the table, pralines, moving through to cookies and cakes, the chocolate fountain, puddings, hot dishes, and finally culminating in an all-time
A dark and white chocolate fountain allows you to craft individual fruit satay – freshly cut tropical fruit, a selection of cookies, to be coated in the chocolate of your choice. Being the first time I have experienced a white chocolate fountain, I opted for white dragon fruit with white chocolate, along with fresh lychee – both giving a subtle flavour under the creamy chocolate melt. Yes, I’ll be back! Words cannot do justice to Chef’s skills nor results. I just hope our photos can. G Hotel’s chocolate buffet is a must try, whether it’s a romantic evening to treat your better half, or just a group of friends hanging and wanting to try something found nowhere else. Priced at RM 45++ per person, and available every Saturday evening from 8:00pm until midnight, our advice to you is eat light beforehand, and then indulge slowly. Enjoy, we certainly did.
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What’s On Penang
Top 10 Irish Movies
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ilm choices are like food choices, everyone has different tastes and therefore every list of favourites is a personal thing. This top ten Irish Movies is my list and it is based purely on the movies I have seen and the ones that have lingered in my memory more vividly. Most Irish movies are either about the “Troubles” or about hardship and daily life. I do like a good situation-comedy and they do not come much better than either “The Van” or “The Commitments”. “The Gangs of New York” and “In America” show how the Irish adapt to American life in two different era’s. “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” and “Michael Collins” takes us back to the time when Ireland regained its independence from Britain and “The General” and “Veronica Guerin” takes another angle on the more
recent troubles in Northern Ireland and both are gripping dramas. “Angela’s Ashes” is the one out of all of them that I would read the book and watch the movie time and time again. That leaves just “In The Name of the Father” which takes place in England and the court case that surrounded a bombing in Guildford that killed many people and the injustices that came to light; very, very watchable. Rent them if you can and if you want my full list of 39 Irish Movies I will post it on our website. Enjoy! 1. “Gangs of New York” Set in USA, 1863. In this movie, we see Amsterdam Vallon returning to the Five Points of America to seek vengeance against the psychotic gangland kingpin Bill the Butcher who murdered his father years ago. With an eager pickpocket by his side and a whole new army, Vallon fights his way to seek vengeance on the Butcher and restore peace in the area. However this is more said than done. http://youtube/QRKx7hd3X9k 2. “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” Set in Ireland, 1920. Damien and Teddy are brothers. But while the latter is already the leader of a guerrilla squad fighting for the independence of his motherland, Damien, a medical graduate of University College, would rather further his training at the London hospital where he has found a place. However, shortly before his departure, he happens to witness atrocities committed by the ferocious Black and Tans and finally decides to join the resistance group led by Teddy. The two brothers fight side by side until a truce is signed. But peace is shortlived and when one faction of the freedomfighters accepts a treaty with the British that is regarded as unfair by the other faction, a civil war ensues, pitting Irishmen against Irishmen, brothers against brothers, Teddy against Damien. http://youtube/E_EFW1qBTow 3. “In the Name of the Father” Set in UK, early 1970’s. Oscar-nominated film based on
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the real-life experiences of Gerry Conlon, the alleged leader of the Guildford Four. Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Conlon, a Belfast man wrongly imprisoned for the 1974 IRA bombing of a pub in the UK Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, In the Name of the Father shows one man’s 15 year struggle for his innocence and for truth. http:// youtube/H0ff5KjZ7vM 4. “The Commitments” Legendary Irish film about a group of down-and-out Dubliners who form a soul band. Jimmy Rabbitte has dreams of creating the ultimate soul group, and succeeds in bringing together a bunch of talented, eclectic characters. But eventually personalities clash, and the survival of the band is threatened. This adaptation of the Roddy Doyle novel featured a relatively unknown cast at the time, but was welcomed with critical acclaim and a successful box office run. http:// youtube/3paf2TLrgsg 5. “In America” Touching film starring Samantha Morton and Djimon Hounsou, among others. Documents the adventures, struggles and triumphs of a family of Irish immigrants living in a rough neighbourhood in New York City. 6. “Angela’s Ashes” (1999) An Ireland-based tale from English filmmaker Alan Parker, this one the tear-inducing story of Frank McCourt’s childhood in the ‘30s and ‘40s, when his father’s alcoholism created no end of turbulence for his family. It bombed at the box office, but is a gutsy adaptation of the real McCourt’s memoirs. 7. “Michael Collins” (1996) Biopic following the titular Collins from director Neil Jordan, with Liam Neeson in the title role. General Michael Collins is an Irish patriot and revolutionary who gives his life in the Irish Civil War. At the time, the film became the top grossing film ever to be released in Ireland. 8. “Veronica Guerin” (2003) Taut biographical drama from Joel Schumacher. Cate Blanchett stars as the titular journalist, whose investigation into Dublin drug trade resulted in her murder in 1996. Colin Farrell makes a cameo appearance as a tattooed man Guerin discusses football with. 16
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9. “The General” (1998) Excalibur and Deliverance director John Boorman helms this tale of Dublin crime boss Martin Cahill, who defied the IRA and UVF by pulling off some spectacular heists during the ‘80s. Brendan Gleeson excels as Cahill, while Jon Voight plays the inspector attempting to bring him down. 10. “The Van” (1996) More Ireland action from director Stephen Frears, who tracks the story of Brendan Reeves, a newly-redundant baker who decides to buy a van and sell fish and chips for a living. Ireland’s success at the 1990 World Cup gets business going well, but Brendan’s friendship with co-worker Larry is put on the line. As I said at the beginning I appreciate Top Film lists are always going to be subjective and my choice may not well be your choice. But I hope you try the above and if you do I hope you enjoy. Let us know your opinions and what your personal favourites are by leaving a comment on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/whatsonpenangmag
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The Fairies of the Tropics plant species. So, lose the feed plant and the butterflies soon follow into extinction. This is to a large part the reason butterfly farms take time to establish as the cultivation of the feed plants comes before the breeding programme as these ‘fairies of the tropics’ grow very fast and consume well above their weight. It is not just about butterflies however. The centre covers invertebrates too with frogs, beetles, spiders, scorpions and snakes.
P
enang Butterfly Farm is one of those places that you must visit whilst in Penang. Whether you are a local, expat or tourist you will not only go away with a sense of calm but also extremely wellinformed. The Butterfly Farm was started over 26 years ago, born from a passion started long before that during the Colonial days. Mr David Goh, who at the time was a teacher, decided through contacts established and friendships of fellow butterfly enthusiasts, to create a place to share the wonders of these beautiful creatures. One of these contacts was pioneer Clive Farrell who opened the London Butterfly House in 1980. Exhibiting live butterflies is a relatively young industry. Today after over a quarter of a century of developing, growing and expanding the original concept the butterfly farm is not only a place of exhibition to the general public but also very active on the breeding and conservation fronts. The Butterfly Farm houses up to 120 species of tropical butterflies with an average flying population of 3,000-4,000 butterflies at any one time. Butterfly conservation is dedicated to saving wild butterflies and their habitats. Unlike us humans, butterflies have extremely sensitive eating habits and generally speaking one species will live on and survive on just one
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The current Managing Director and son of the founder is Joseph Goh, who has obviously inherited his father’s passion for butterflies. Joseph explained to me that the breeding programme was a very important part of their work and several endangered species are being bred to ensure their survival. The Butterfly Farm exports to other centres around the world so that people outside of Malaysia can also enjoy the beauty of these tropical species. The Butterfly Farm’s vision statement reads “Seeing harmony between human and environment through the wisdom of Mother Nature.” This just about sums up the message you should be taking away with you after your visit. In 2010 the Butterfly Farm was closed for a redesign and what you see today is far more than most visitors expect. There are plans afoot to further expand the farm and make this ‘must see’ tourist attraction even more worthwhile for visitors to go and see. Next month we will be giving a more in-depth review of this attraction and share some of the many reasons you must go and see this insight into nature and a thoroughly good day out!
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830 Jalan Teluk Bahang 11050 Penang T: 04-8851253 F: 04-8851741 E: info@butterfly-insect.com W: www.butterfly-insect.com
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Shoppers’ Heaven
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f it wasn’t enough that Penang is the Nirvana of food, is the Party Capital of the world, has the friendliest inhabitants, and the most laid back life style, it is, I have just discovered, a shopper’s paradise. On Penang Road, almost opposite the police station, you can enter an amazing maze of stalls, all selling at wholesale prices. I was after one of those gorgeous Muslim outfits, be-jewelled and lacy, ultra feminine, in turquoise. I get these ‘crazes’ for specific things every now and then and watch out everyone when I do! I am a woman possessed, I will not give up until just the right article is found, at the right price. It’s a lot like those cravings you get when you’re pregnant. Into the warren I entered, looking at all the clothing on sale. I was most impressed that everyone here allows you to prowl and inspect, without breathing down your neck, as some well-heeled shops do. No, these stall holders, sitting quietly reading a book or chatting to a neighbour, appear only when you want them to, to ask the allimportant questions “how much?” or “do you have it in other colours?” I spied a gorgeous turquoise little number at one stall, asked the question but was disappointed with the answer - too dear! I had already planned what I wanted to pay, and that was that.
I continued past one stall after another, until low and behold my dress in turquoise appeared as if by magic. Now I am a tall westerner, very wide shoulders (runs in the family) used to hate them when I was a kid, but now I love them, they make me the perfect clothes hanger. Usually, in Asian countries where the majority are wee petite little things, the bodice of such outfits comes nowhere near fitting, I usually turn it into a scarf or put it in a charity box. This, heavenly creation came with a stretch fabric bustier or corset, so it fits. Life is Great! Wish for what you want, prowl in the right places, set a figure in your mind, and hey presto - mission accomplished. But wait - I hadn’t asked, how much?
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Weekly Promotions at Palms
FRIDAY
Sun and Surf Buffet Dinner 7.00pm - 10.30pm RM55++ (Adult) RM27.50++
(Children & Senior Citizens)
SATURDAY
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RM68++ (Adult) RM34++
(Children & Senior Citizens)
SUNDAY
Nation Tealicious (Hi Tea) 12.00pm - 4.00pm RM28++ (Adult)
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I held my breath and listened to words of sheer poetry from the stall owners mouth. “I will give you at a special price, this is your lucky day!” Mentally I did a little jig, but being the cautious type I held my breath a little longer. I think I must have started to go purple by this stage and then he said it. “I will give you for RM170, normally I charge RM 540 with this bodice, but for you, today
RM170.” I had resumed breathing once I heard RM170, fantastic! Then, he showed me two outfits, slightly different in their design, magnificent creations in this absolutely ‘to die for’ turquoise. People, if you know anything about the star signs, in particular the Libra sign, of which I am a member, you will know, making a choice of this kind, is purgatory. I to and fro, from one to the other, humming and haa-ing. The lovely man was very patient, as all Penangites seem to be, and them he helped me out - bless him - he said that personally, he thought that this one would be the nicer for me. I quickly agreed, whipped out the money while he placed it in a bag, and off I went, as happy as Larry. Actually probably much happier. Does anyone know exactly what made Larry happy by the way? Perhaps it was the vision of a lovely lady in a turquoise, heavenly creation, and all for RM170! How I love Penang!
This article was written by Irene Newcombe. Irene’s full bio can be found on page 94.
Social Media Marketing Everyone is on FaceBook or Twitter these days and isn’t it fun? But did you know that if you have a business, social media marketing can bring you customers, brand recognition, and create buzz? The secret, as always, is knowing how to do it without it costing you a lot of money, time, or both? To find out what could be achieved for your business, contact steve@whatsonpenang.com now.
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Life on Chew Jetty
A Personal Journey (Part 1)
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t has been my great privilege to experience living on, the largest and liveliest of the remaining 7 jetties, for 2 years. Built approximately 100 years ago, it remains much the same as it ever was, with the exception of town water and electricity.
has to offer.
This very lively, friendly, fun place, is a microcosm of the World, with all it’s different characters, managing to live as a community.
At first I stayed in hotels, and once I decided I was staying, was told of a room on the jetty. I was thrilled.
They were originally all from the Chew Clan, who migrated here from mainland China, and as a minority race, stuck together, assisting each other with information, employment, and friendship.
Two years on and I’m still there. Definitely basic living, the house I rent a room in, is
Today, many are still of the Chew Clan, but as the older generation return to their maker, their children having been educated overseas, and often living permanently in foreign lands, other Chinese from different clans and indeed nonChinese, have also moved in. Having never experienced community living before, I never appreciated just how much it 24
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I first visited the jetty by tri-shaw, on my first day in Penang, and at the time thought “wow, wouldn’t it be great to live here”. My intention was to stay 2 nights.
What’s On Penang
virtually unchanged except for a TV, since it was originally built. The bathroom, is a toilet bowl, set in the floor, going straight into the water below. The bathing facilities consists of a large terracotta plant pot type bowl, sitting under a tap, the tap has a hose attached to it. You scoop water from the bowl, with a pan like utensil, tip over yourself, soap yourself down and then rinse. Clothes are washed here too. We have 3 plastic buckets, we soak, scrub and wash and rinse, gaily splashing water everywhere, I have become quite used to it, and in fact enjoy it. The only problem with this is, the floor are always wet. If you go in later to use the toilet, and have long pants on, you have to roll them up to avoid getting them wet. Don’t like that too much. It took a while to get used to hearing absolutely everything from neighbours around you, it is indeed like living in a big house, with only thin fibro or timber walls separating you from other families. Owned by a bweautiful lady, I call aunty, a widow, who nursed a sick husband for many years before his death, it is living in its simplest form. We share the house with numerous rats of all sizes, mice and geckos. Complete families of rats seem to inhabit the house, as you hear what seems to be babies fighting and screeching, they scamper about, running across the tops of the walls, scooting across the floor. They poop on my bed, and destroy all my plastic containers. They have eaten a hole in my bedroom floor, in order to come up from the water below. I don’t know why, as entry into the house is very easy for all the other rats (perhaps this one isn’t the “full quid”!)
food in it! Left with 3 children, Aunty saw them all successfully educated, and in good careers, a very great effort. Aunty is a food hawker. She rises at 5.30 am each day, cooks her noodles, makes various things, names of which I cannot remember, and then pushes her cart to a local food market, where she sells it, returning home around lunch time. Aunty is used to hard work, she was one of 10 children herself, I believe. No schooling for girls in her era, she is like a lot of the older
Aunty painted some foul smelling stuff on the floor, replaced the linoleum and put a brick over the spot, to stop him pushing through again, if he survived the the poisonous fumes! I have the ‘Einstein of rats’ in my house at present it can even remove the round container screwed on lids. No kidding, there isn’t even www.whatsonpenang.com
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knees she washes the linoleum covered floors daily and scrubs the timber floors spotless. Once a year, just before Chinese New Year, everyone on the jetty completely empties out their houses and it is cleaned from top to bottom with the men helping too. Then every individual item that was in the house is cleaned, sorted, mended etc. and then placed back inside. There are no basic comforts in this house, she has one bamboo chair, in front of the TV, a wooden chair at the kitchen table, and sleeps on her bedroom floor, on bare wooden boards, rarely using a mattress. Aunty recycles everything, washes out plastic bags for re-use, collects plastic bottles, tins and cardboard for sale, all the proceeds assisting her simply lived life. Gossip on the Jetty is constant. While Aunty will chat to neighbours when sitting on her doorstep, she prefers to keep herself to herself and not get involved. people but extremely clever. She qualified as a nurse, as indeed did her oldest daughter. Like most people in Penang, she speaks many languages, Hokkien (the local Chinese) Mandarin, Thai and English to a limited degree. This is fast improving, as her grandchildren only speak English, not to mention me too! She is never idle, if she isn’t preparing the bamboo shoots for tomorrow’s needs, or preparing various other greens, she is pounding and rolling chillies to make her own sauces, by hand. She also shreds some sort of purple flower, which she dries in the sun and places in the house - I suspect it might be a rat poison of the natural type. When her chores are done, she then turns to doing alterations to clothing for jetty members. If that is done, she is making a patchwork something or other, cut from pieces of discarded material some-one has given her. She cuts out all the squares, meticulously, whilst sitting on the floor watching TV. We do our laundry by hand and she is forever, cleaning her humble home. On her hands and 26
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As, everywhere, there are problems with other inhabitants from time to time, but they work it out, or in some cases, just choose not to talk to the person concerned. This article was written by Irene Newcombe. Irene’s full bio can be found on page 94.
(Part 2 to follow next month)
What’s On Penang
Pumped Up Fun & Calorie Burning on Penang
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enang could be mistaken for an island to indulge on MSG-laden food and heavy condensed milk-filled drinks, the only consolation being that sampling such over-bearing cuisine is in the name of culture. But when it comes down to it, the locals hold some impressive life innings that for some Westerners could be seen as bordering on the immortal. Not to mention that their smooth skin and eternally young features makes identification of age nearly impossible. It is a tricky situation to find yourself in when, jokingly going round a table and in turn guessing the maturity of company, one realises that you are in the presence of people much, much wiser than yourself. How do they do it?
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Penang is an island full of excuses to get out of the house from in front of a hypnotic screen and explore with a true feeling of excitement. Trails criss-cross the island more often than a drunken hillbilly would zigzag down a straight stretch of road. Shifting and melding from civilisation to nature, walks vary from easy to arduous and busy to solitary. But all with one refreshing thing in common. No institutionalised redtape. The well-worn, root encrusted paths winding their way through dense jungle with the occasional poisonous snake and not so threatening tortoise allow the walker to explore and appreciate the condensed jungle hiding ruined treasures.
What’s On Penang
first professional football field. With a stateof-the-art rubber crumb surface and an enigmatic Scotsman Martin Tierney heading the show, this football enterprise spanning two continents has an on-going league based on Premiership points system waiting for the next big team.
Without condescending rails and with a quick registration, the ‘Penang National Park’ in Teluk Bahang could be the beginning of your adventure into the unknown. And the unknown it really is. As a start (or finish) of most trails navigating the island, taking a day to ‘see where life takes you’ could have you venturing into parts forgotten. Especially considering the ‘Malaysian Nature Society: Penang Branch’ has not published a guide book since 1999. However, what was true then is true now ‘take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, waste nothing but time!!!’ This, however, is not the end. Passing the time by exercising an aggressive stroll may not take most as something worthy of extended effort. There are those with a competitive streak searching for pressure, something more octane. Quick turns and fast sprints are needed at ‘Soccer Experience’, Penang’s
As a seven-a-side pitch, competitors range from old to young, local to expat and come together to form something much more than a club; an association based on sportsmanship and friendliness that encapsulates the worlds game. We now have two extremes. On one side the leisurely (albeit heavily disguised) trundle through thick and shadowy jungle and on the other an electric sport demanding turn of pace and a quick mind. What about an activity with physical exertion but which retains a calm presence of mind without the pressure of points? Penang’s first ‘Cactus Boot Camp’ takes you on an interactive adventure by guiding trainees
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alike did not make use of something considered a dream come true by others from abroad. The ‘Penang Water Sports Centre’, nestled in a bay beside the famous Floating Mosque, offers kayaks, canoes and two-man sail boats for a minimal charge and opens the door to the great blue and the mysterious Pulau Tikus islet, holding a forgotten tomb and private beach coves.
through fitness circuits challenging all parts of the body and mind. Hardly the strict military regime it implies, physical trainer Elise Ong ensures that all participants complete exercises at their own pace and to their own abilities; a refreshing personalism to comfort those who don’t subscribe to the ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality.
Also, it is getting to that time of the year where Penang celebrates its annual ‘Dragon Boat’ races, with teams traveling from all over Malaysia to churn the glassy surface of the Teluk Bahang reservoir.
We are, however, on an island made so by the surround of water. For those pirates at heart the sea offers many exploits to be had. Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringi beaches start the day by pulling out streamlined jet-skis and glinting, plastic windsurf sails ready for those willing and able to hop on. A couple of seconds out from the coast the water turns into the sparkling blue abyss vacationers yearn for no matter the area of the world they come from. Tourists leave places with these exotic opportunities wishing they were going back to something akin. It would be a shame if the locals and expatriates
A sleepy place that erupts with colours, flags, competitive banter, and the rhythmic beat of drums not to mention the ornate dragon boats themselves; wheeled to the shore and whose dragon figure-heads eagerly jut from the prow like greyhounds itching to start a sprint. If you are lucky enough to be invited to enter a team your hard training sessions will pay off in this glorious manifest of Chinese culture. If not, the raised banks offering a refreshing sea breeze and Malaysian summer sun begs for you and friends (including the obligatory cooler) to spend a day spectating. Although, there is one more sporting activity deemed necessary (in my books any way) and that is paintballing. Not often are you able to use your imagination to create such terrifying scenarios where animal instinct kicks in to invigorate the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. Certainly packed with adrenaline and a desperate need to ‘stay alive’, paintballing pushes physical and mental boundaries to a point where after every match a buzz envelopes
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Penang National Park Jalan Hassan Abas,Teluk Bahang, 11050 Pulau Pinang, Pulau Pinang Rapid Penang bus: 101, 102 Tel: (604) 881 3530/ 04-881 3500 E-mail: tnpp@wildlife.gov.my
Soccer Experience Phone / SMS from within Malaysia : 0124279155 / 0164410470
groups whilst going over the fragmented, stopmotion memory of the previous, fast paced battle. In terms of a location, no place better prepares a person for war than the ‘Penang War Museum’. Holding matches on request intermingled in the old ruined bunkers and blockades reminiscent of World War II jungle warfare, ghostly shadows a reminder of its British and Japanese occupation.
Email : asia@soccerexperience.com Website: http://soccerexperience.com/
Cactus Boot Camp Phone: +6 012 438 0731 Email : bootcamp.pg@gmail.com Website: http://bootcamppenang.blogspot. com/
Penang Water Sports Centre Near Floating Mosque, Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia Rapid Penang buses: 101, 103 and 104 Website: http://www.penang-traveltips.com/ penang-water-sports-centre.htm Penang International Dragon Boat Festival 30th June – 1st July but training begins now! Teluk Bahang Dam http://www.penangdragonboat.gov.my
Penang War Museum Address: No Lot 1350 Mukim 12, Batu Maung Daerah Barat Daya 11960 Pulau Pinang Tel: 04-626 5142 Rapid Penang Bus Route No: U302 / U305 / U307
This blood curdling fun also comes with a prize; once the bloodlust has deflated people find themselves comparing the red and blue trophy dots scattering their bodies, stinging memories of a battle well fought. Whatever your ilk, this small island off the north-western coast of Malaysia houses enough choice to ensure that staying fit and healthy will also stay fun and exciting. It starts to become a little clearer as to why the locals look so young, especially considering that this vibrant sporting scene has been their playground for most of their lives.
This article was written by James Springer. James’ full bio can be found on page 94.
Website: http://www.penang-online.com/ pages/place-of-interest/penang-war-museum. php
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1st Avenue The 21st Century Shopping Experience with energy and life, Underground comprises fashion & accessory outlets, quick-bite eateries and other retail shops catering to youth and pop culture. The leisure and entertainment focus of the mall, Cloud8 features a double volume glass curtain wall that allows a panoramic view over the city of Georgetown. This level houses a Cineplex, family karaoke, a myriad of dining choices as well as an iconic pavilion restaurant. So come on down and experience 21st century shopping as it is meant to be done; in style, and at your leisure and convenience.
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st Avenue is the latest addition to the retail landscape of this beautiful island. Located in the heart of Georgetown along Jalan Magazine, 1st Avenue Shopping Mall measures 655,000sqf in gross floor area and spreads over seven retail levels. A stylish city mall that offers fashion, leisure, entertainment and a slew of dining outlets for the style-conscious urbanites living and working in Penang. 1st Avenue has become the first choice for the island’s fashionistas, housing top international brands such as Coach, M-Store, Esprit, Cotton On and Hush Puppies Apparel. 1st Avenue is an ideal venue for young executives looking for a comfortable lunch and a perfect place to organize social gettogethers, as it is easily accessible from all parts of the city. The highlighted concepts in the mall include a mall-in-mall concept at the lower ground level named “Underground” and a lifestyle and entertainment enclave on Level 8 called “Cloud8”. Underground is the first mall-in-mall concept in Penang targeted at the young and youngat-heart. Decorated to theme and bustling
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What’s On Penang
Hard Rock Hotel Penang Awarded No.1 Trendiest Hotel in Malaysia in the 2012 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Hotel Awards Now in its tenth year, the annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers. Unlike any other hotel honors, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.
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ripAdvisor is one of the world’s most popular travel resources letting you know details about locations, hotels, restaurants, nightlife and everything you might want to know before booking a holiday or business trip. Each year they also run travellers’ choice awards in many categories and this year Hard Rock Hotel Penang has had the distinction of receiving the award for Trendiest Hotel in Malaysia.
According to Mike M from New Zealand, a travel reviewer on TripAdvisor, he commented in his “Never a Dull Moment” review, “This is a great hotel if you love the pool or the beach. In true resort style, you can be entertained all day without leaving the hotel”. A number of other reviewers also highlighted the Lagoon Deluxe Room that has direct access to the pool from its room deck as an
“We are thrilled to be recognized in this category for the second consecutive year. As a music and lifestyle brand, we continue to bring quality entertainment and live music to make this the place to be for guests of all ages. The Hard Rock’s edgy concept which complements our modern room feature and amenities has successfully led us to be recognized in this category,” said John Primmer, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. “From the international reggae band, The Wailer’s live concert to weekly Ultimate Foam Parties and daily live bands in the Hard Rock Cafe, the party has never stopped.”
awesome and unique feature. In addition to the Trendiest category, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is also listed number 18 on the Top 25 Relaxation & Spa Hotels in Malaysia. The Rock Spa (a Hard Rock brand) located in the hotel offers treatments in the spa bungalow or in the beautifully decorated gazebos facing the sea to rejuvenate for the night ahead. As TripAdvisor has continued its growth globally, featuring sites in 30 countries and in 21 languages, the Travelers’ Choice Hotels Awards now highlight a broader range of spectacular properties across the globe.
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Penang’s Got Talent Three Penang Youth Through to the Semi Finals of the Steinway Malaysia Youth Piano Competition
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enang really has some talented youth. I recently had the chance to interview two such individuals, 16 year old Benjamin Pau, and 10 year old Vincent Ong, two of the three Penang-bred finalists in the prestigious Steinway Malaysia Youth Piano Competition. This competition is no ordinary competition – it is for the crème-de-la-crème of piano-playing youth, often schooled in the art of finger artistry since pre-school, who are able to tinkle the ivories in ways most of us didn’t even realize were possible. A precursor to a global piano event, featuring youth pianists aged under 17, this is the first time Malaysia has been invited to participate. What is great about this, now that the judges have selected the ten semi-finalists, is to see
that four are from the northern region – three from Penang, and one from Perak. Clearly there are some inspirational music teachers up here in Penang, and for these young performers success is certainly due, at least in part, to their teachers’ skill and devotion to their pupils. The International Steinway Festival is a celebrated showcase of top youth pianists from select countries around the globe. The Steinway Malaysia Youth Piano Competition, sponsored by BMW Malaysia, is a lead up to the Steinway Regional Finals and consequently the International Steinway Festival. This festival is held biennially in Hamburg, Germany. While the final participants would have endured tough competition getting to the festival, the festival itself is not a competition. Top youth artists are free to express themselves musically without competition pressure. Life long friendships are developed (perhaps even leading to future collaborations). Together they will enjoy basking in the joy of making music. Vincent Ong, one of the youngest competitors through to the semi-finals entered the competition to simply give it a try. He’s entered into local Penang competitions previously, and fared quite well, but this gave him the chance to perform with some of Malaysia’s top youth pianists, and of course, share and learn from each other. Benjamin Pau Shen Ting, 16, is striving for a career as a pianist. He is working extremely hard at the piano (and his other studies), and is hoping to earn a scholarship to the Royal School of Music in London. Being his second piano competition at this level, Benjamin admits that he joined because he hoped to meet new friends in the circle, but also to prove to himself just how far he can achieve. Both young gentlemen started playing before
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the age of 5, and their supportive parents are behind them every step of the way. What’s been most interesting to discover, is that the three Penang semi-finalists all know each
other, having been together at different stages in local performances and music school events. The great thing is that despite being competitive, you can see the genuine support that they offer each other. They are also joined in the semi-finals by fellow Penangite, Adrianne Chiew Jian Yi (13) and Joshua Ng Jin Ho (13) from Perak. The semi-finalists get the rare opportunity to play on the RM790,000 Steinway concert grand piano model D-274 in front of a live audience and a panel of esteemed judges. To get into the semi-finals, each competitor submitted a 15 minute video performance of themselves playing from a select range of pieces. Judges toiled over each video looking for not only sound, but technique, creativity, and ‘presence’ (the piano word for the x-factor). Over 50 entries were received nationwide, and it is great to see Penang so well represented in the semi-finals. For those keen on watching these young performers live at the semi-finals, information on ticket purchase can be obtained via the official website www.steinwaymypc.com. Let’s support these Penang youngsters in achieving another step in their dream. www.whatsonpenang.com
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Arts & Cultur
What’s On Penang
ArtESpace
friendly environment for those new to all things arty to be inspired to be creative; and a venue for artists of all genres to teach.”
hat’s On Penang recently had the opportunity to chat with Esther Geh, owner of The ArtESpace which started with her wish for art to be made accessible to individuals of all ages and abilities.
The ArtESpace is a facility with flexibility in mind, providing a wide range of services for amateur to full time artists. It is a space that can be adapted to the needs and requirements of the individual artist.
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Art Studio For an artist, having a conducive environment in which to create art is essential, but space in Penang is at a premium, and not all artists are blessed with the space to make art in their homes. The ArtESpace will provide a very affordable studio setup, a place artists can come to be creative at any time. Esther believes that making art should not be restricted to an exclusive club (a common misconception), but should be an experience anyone can try and enjoy. “I am a self-taught artist myself, having had no formal education in art. I graduated in medicine, working my left brain instead! However, I have loved drawing since I was a child, but only had the opportunity to rekindle my love for art when I took a sabbatical from working full time and in 2007 met like-minded individuals, who had no formal training in art, but were passionate about creating it!” Esther expressed her thoughts as we sat at Spasso Milano restaurant at Straits Quay which is almost under her first floor studio overlooking the yachts in the marina. “I am tremendously grateful for the various circumstances that have enabled me to become involved in art, and the opportunity to grow as an artist.” She added. “The aim of setting up the ArtESpace is to promote art in the community, and give artists of all caliber and experience an affordable place to create art, gather to share and exchange ideas, techniques and advice; to provide a 36
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Workshops For any artist with a passion to teach their craft, the studio is also available as a venue for a variety of workshops, focusing on encouraging creativity, as well as improving skills in a variety of media and art forms.
ral Roundup
Whether you are a beginner or just want to try something new, there is a workshop for you! We will have a variety of classes available in different media and different art forms, by a variety of teachers and guest artists, and for a variety of age groups. Over the next few months, they have planned some interesting workshops: Basics in Watercolour, and Modern Art for Kids & Teens! Some of the features to look out for:
Art Jams / Parties If you just want to have fun, the studio will also play host to Art Jams, currently a hugely popular concept in promoting creativity, where groups of friends/colleagues get together to create art and de-stress! There are no critics, just come with the attitude that all art is good art! All art materials are provided, you just have to turn up and have fun! Kids parties are welcome too!
Mini Library There will be a mini library of art magazines, and a selection of art books available for reading at
What’s On Penang
the ArtESpace. They actively encourage you to come in, put your feet up, and enjoy leafing through the magazines and books!
Home Of Penang’s Creative Art Club The Creative Art Club was established in 2007, by Deborah Ayres and Esther Geh, to encourage and promote art in Penang. They have had 3 art exhibitions to date, and also organized and sponsored a Youth Art Competition at Straits Quay in 2011. They have no restrictions on membership, save that you have to be enthusiastic about art, and are a mentoring group, encouraging each other to experiment with a variety of media, including oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel and sculpture. Previously lacking a permanent venue, the art club will now hold its weekly sessions at The ArtESpace. They are currently only open by appointment or while the studio is in use. Please contact Esther to make an appointment or for any further enquiries: esgeh@ theartespace.com or 0124019636. Keep a lookout for more updates and information about new workshops on the website and check out their website: www. theartespace.com for more details!
The Artespace 3C-1-3 Straits Quay Seri Tanjung Pinang Tanjung Tokong www.theartespace.com 0124019636 esgeh@theartespace.com
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PenangPAC Programme March 2012
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An exciting Space will be UNVEILED SOON! A place to accommodate everyone from the amateur to the full time artists. Hold on to your pencils and paint brushes, as we work hard to bring you an amazing venue.
www.theartespace.com
enquiries@theartespace.com 3C-1-3, Straits Quay Seri Tanjung Pinang Penang 10470
What’s On Penang
St Patrick’s Day
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aint Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) has become so much more than a religious celebration and is now recognized as a celebration of Irishness worldwide. It may have been the British Empire that stretched across the globe in times long-ago but it was the Irish that went as soldiers, sailors, merchants and labourers. It was the Irish that settled in vast numbers in America, Australia and all the other far flung destinations of the British Empire. So much so that there are very few places that you cannot find an Irish pub today. The Irish are characterized as fun-loving, easy going people and for the most part they truly are. The one thing that is universal to all descendants of the Emerald Isle is there enjoyment of a good get-together which they have a perfect word to describe more than just fun – Craic. (Pronounced ‘crack’ it means all things fun and having a good time). When most people think of Ireland they would also almost every time associate Ireland’s greatest export (other than their people) Guinness. This wondrous liquid meal was often enough to keep the hard working labourer going without the need for more solid nourishment.
signed a 9,000 year lease (so we won’t be worrying about that running out on us will we!) on the property. This was in the time before Penang was founded by Francis Light and he may well have been shipped over some beers on one of the early arrivals ships. The fact is Guinness is not new to Penang and is probably more popular today than at any other time.
This beer is a Stout. Stout in nature as well as body. Beer has been brewed since 1759 at St. James Gate Brewery, when Arthur Guinness
18 billion (18,000,000,000) pints of Guinness are consumed each year, worldwide! St. Patrick’s Day would have to run as one of the brewer’s busiest times of year as all Irish sup on a drop of the “Liffy Water” as it is affectionately known as the water used to be sourced directly from the pure waters of the River Liffy that flows through Dublin and alongside the Brewery. I can remember (only just) a tour I took of the brewery and the tasting room was most assuredly the highlight of the tour. As a brewery testing expert, I can say that a pint of the Liffy Water poured from the brewery taps cannot
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be bettered but there are one or two locations in Penang where you can get a decent pint. Healy Macs at Straits Quay and Soho in Upper Penang Road come to mind straight away. St. Patrick, unfortunately was around too early for his own good. He lived in the years c. AD 387–461 and almost 1,300 years before the invention of Guinness but I am sure he would have approved of the stuff as much as I do. Little is known of Patrick’s early life, though it is known that he was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father and grandfather were deacons in the Church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul (France) and studied to be a priest. In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish from their native polytheism. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. After nearly thirty years of evangelism, he died on 17 March 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. Although there were other more successful missions to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in great esteem in the Irish Church. www.whatsonpenang.com
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pint of Green Guinness, specially brewed for the day, they even turned the river green for the celebrations. You know, just for the Craic of it!
I have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in many different locations around the world from Germany, England, Ireland, Thailand, Malaysia, USA and Australia. In Boston I not only had a
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In every one of those countries I could be found with a pint of freshly poured draft Guinness in my hand. It is a beer that travels well and even if the taste varies slightly it is more important to drink from a busy pub that churns through the barrels on a regular basis keeping the beer fresh and bright.
What’s On Penang
Beer-ly Their! An Exploration of Some of the Great Beers Available in Penang
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don’t aspire to be an alcoholic, I just love a good cold beer. One of the great things about Penang is the huge range of restaurants, bars, eateries and stalls that serve a chilled one, and the huge range of imported and boutique beers that can be found. I started my beer-ducation at the tender age of 5. Dad left a bottle of DB on the front steps, and of course, I needed to help him finish it. Ok, so now I don’t steal bottles (I mean, beer) anymore, but I am happy to drink if you’re shouting. Over the past few years I have begun to better appreciate just what hops and barley has to offer – an entirely new world of flavours and opportunities. More recently, beer-matched dinners have caught my taste-buds – it’s simply amazing how a great brew can accompany equally exceptional food, and make for a great culinary experience. This weekend I did a little research on a
traditional favourite, Leffe Blonde. Ok, to do justice to this column, I repeated my research several times, over several locations, just to be sure that I got it right. Leffe Blonde, a dry, fruity and lightly-spiced Abbey Ale, features a perfect balance of strength and subtlety. Originating in Belgium, and still brewed there, but sadly not by the same Monks, Leffe Blonde is a popular tap and bottle beer, and appealed to me because I like slightly spicy and creamy beers. Having been around since 1240, I guess that by now they really have perfected their craft, and through the course of my research, proved that it’s a consistently great drink. With a delicate bitterness which extends over the whole palate, Leffe Blonde leaves a subtle lingering aftertaste. Leffe Blonde is still brewed according to the Leffe Abbey Fathers’ ancient recipe - the grains, hops and yeast that made up the ancient Leffe recipe are still the natural ingredients used today. Spring water, malted barley and corn come together to give Leffe its sunny golden yellow colour. Perfect for a late afternoon and settling into the evening, Leffe Blonde is ideal to drink alongside sweet and sour dishes, smoked ham, and roast lamb. To ensure consistency, I tried a few venues to soak up the beer, but also to enjoy some great tucker. At Weissbrau Straits Quay, my Leffe was accompanied
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by a hearty Flammkuchen topped with Parma ham – a thin traditional pizza-like dish smothered with sautéed onions, cream cheese, and delicately salty slices of Parma ham (yum!) and accompanied with fresh sauerkraut. Seriously, that was enough research for one weekend! So, the conclusion. I love my job! I mean, who wouldn’t? Leffe is a great beer to finish a late afternoon and start an early evening. It’s one of those beers that you can put with quite strong and unique flavours (read, smoked ham, roast lamb, blue and brie cheeses), although I truly believe given its smooth flavour and easydrinking characteristics, it could be paired to almost anything.
This article was kindly contributed by Farrell Tan. Farrell’s full bio can be found on page 94.
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Life Through The Lens
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tefen Chow is a blessed man in many respects. He is living his dream for number one.
He would also be the first to admit that he has had a comfortable upbringing, for the most part in Singapore, with access to all that has to offer including a first rate education. He entered his working life as a qualified engineer but soon realised that his passion was for mountains and in particular, conquering them. He was blessed again when he was invited to join an expedition to climb the tallest mountain in the world, Chomolungma (or Mount Everest as we mere mortals know it). The preparation for this undertaking would involve three strenuous years of hard graft and one heck of a lot of climbing to build up experience, muscle and stamina. Each
member of the expedition had to be assigned a task or role in which they would be responsible, i.e. logistics, cooking, etc. and of course photography. As Stefan modestly puts it the tasks were allocated pretty randomly and as he had at least got a camera he was to be responsible for documenting the whole adventure. This extraordinary event was not only to take him to the elevated spot of being one of only a handful of Malaysians who have planted their feet firmly on the highest point on this planet but was to launch a career and a new passion into his life. Stefen revels in taking on challenges, setting realistic goals and pushing on to fulfilling his ambitions. I was joined at the interview by my father who had an interest in meeting this young man whose feet had stood astride the peak he had himself looked upon with his own eyes, be it from the distance of the base camp and not up close and personal as he would have wished. Seeing as he was more than double Stefen’s age at the time he was there says more of a late fulfillment of a younger man’s dreams than anything else. The two of them shared a passion for the mountains that was self-evident and a personal joy for me to share in the moment of their mutual reminiscing for a place of beauty and contentment, Chomolungma. Stefen recounted many other climbs he had undertaken including Denali (Mt. McKinley) the highest peak in North America, in the northern state of Alaska; The ascent of K2 and G2 in The Karakoram, the 2nd and 14th highest peaks in the world. Climbing is most certainly in his blood and from this passion sprung his other, Photography. He learned his skills mainly being self-taught but also through his determination to do a job well, he set off to New York to work for free if necessary for top New York Photographers and learn his craft from the best.
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photographyopensalon.com, held in Arles, France, one of the most prestigious cities of photography. The show is currently on view at China House (Victoria Road entrance) and the Alliance Francaise in Penang. Stefen says: “I am proud to be a Malaysian and I do believe that with local roots but global perspectives, I create work that reaches a global audience. Last year, I travelled to 17 countries for various assignments involving international publications and corporates. The Poverty Line project is a relatively newer but lifelong project, through which I seek to create multi country awareness of social issues at local levels. I believe that passion is an integral part of what I do in life, and that has guided my path in such surprising turns and possibilities” Stefen Chow is grateful to be a witness through his camera and has been in pursuit of his vision in the purest form, with a certain energy and sensitivity that has crossed genres in commercial, editorial and fine art. This warm, personable young man is a pleasure to be with and delightful company. Self confident but with an air of humility, you can not but wish him well in his many future adventures.
After this steep learning curve had taken him as far as he could go at this time he decided to head back to Asia and landed up in Beijing, where he is based to this day, shuttling back and forth to Singapore where he was raised. His work these days takes him around the globe on commercial shoots and assignments as a photo-journalist. His award winning personal project is entitled ‘The Poverty Line’ which is the recent grand prize winner of the Photography Open Salon, http://www. 48
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Amongst his other awards Stefen has been awarded by PDN, International Photo Awards, PX3 while his works have been exhibited in cities including Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, Beijing and Singapore. His works can be seen at www.stefenchow.com
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Suffolk House
Anglo-Indian Tiffin Brunch Warisan Malaysia, the way in which the new menu has been constructed reflects how the early Governor’s enjoyed their meals with their guests in the 19th Century. “A subtle reminder of Penang’s multi-cultural past, the Anglo-Indian cuisine was invented to satisfy an English palate which had been profoundly affected by the rich flavours of India and the East.”
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or those of you who have never visited Suffolk House it’s high time that you did. Another reason for visiting or revisiting has just been added by the excellent culinary team at Suffolk House Restaurant, the introduction of a thoroughly researched menu from yester-year. In conjunction with the site management team, Badan Warisan Malaysia, Chef Wan Helmi Zazalee and his team designed the menu in honour of Suffolk House’s past Governors and visitors dating back to the first days of settlement in the early 1800’s. In those days the East India Company and most of their far flung outposts were heavily influenced by the architecture and foods that they had learned to be best served in tropical climes. It comes as no surprise that when the menus and letters of the Governor’s guests referencing the meals eaten at Suffolk House were painstakingly researched, it was found that most of the food had an Anglo-Indian theme running through it. This is most likely due to the fact that when a new posting to Penang came, the arriving household would bring many of their existing servants and cooks with them that they had grown accustomed to in India. According to Elizabeth Cardosa from Badan
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Soups would have been laced with spices such as cumin and chillies, cloves and cinnamon would have been added to roast meats and croquettes flavoured with the ever popular garam masala. The new Anglo-Indian Brunch Tiffin menu at Suffolk House features four courses with starters, a soup, main dishes and dessert. For starters, guests will have three types of dishes served such as Egg Moilee, a spicy egg dish served in a coconut curry sauce; fish cakes and sweet cucumber in cold yoghurt.
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Not being an egg dish lover I must admit to not looking forward to this particular dish but to my surprise it was lovely. The egg, I am guessing, is boiled, shelled and then coated in the coconut blend and then flash fried to crisp the outer layer. This is then served with a curry sauce that was truly divine. The Fish Cakes were very much English style and the filling was more potato than Fish in flavour which is a very authentic way to serve this dish. The next course was the mulligatawny soup, a spicy chicken soup flavoured with many spices from India. I have had many mulligatawny soups in my time and must say that this was the best I have ever had. The soup was neither thin and watery nor thick and gloopy, it was as Goldilocks would say, just right. The tastes were very well blended and as in the curry sauce in the previous course the subtlety of the spices was perfection itself. Chef Wan certainly knows how to cook this cuisine and I am sure that no Governor in times gone by had ever tasted finer.
We now moved onto the main course. Anglo-Indian Chicken Curry, Shallow-fried Fish in Coriander and Tamarind Sauce, Vegetable Korma, Stir-fried Indian Courgette and of course, Fragrant Lime Rice with Tomato Chutney. This is my second occasion to be cooked for by Chef Wan Helmi Zazalee and this man is good. His use of spices and flavourings is very good, but his skills with fish are amazing. I am a carnivore who loves his meat dishes but every time I have eaten a fish dish at Suffolk House it stands out as the dish of the night and this occasion was no different. The Chicken Curry is good as an English version and the blending of flavours as over mentioned before was perfect. The vegetable Korma was well cooked but did not have anything memorable about it for me (which for me is pretty much the case for every Korma but if you enjoy creamy subtle curried sauces then this is the one for you). Both the Stir-fried Courgettes and the Lime Rice do need a special commendation. The courgettes were stir-fried with a blend of spices and tasted gorgeous and the Lime Rice was heaven with deep fried shallots on top that gave you a taste of sweetness that the Lime cooked rice balanced extremely well. The Fish (Emerald Fish) was the talk of the table and the lasting memory that I was left with long after the meal was over. So much so that I have asked the chef to take me on one of his many fish market shopping expeditions which we hope to cover in the near future here at ‘What’s On Penang’.
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What’s On Penang
A Boutique Heritage Hotel
A n O a s i s i n t h e H e a r t o f H e r i t a g e Pe n a n g 2 3 L ov e L a n e , Pe n a n g i s a u n i q u e b o u t i q u e h e r i t a g e h o t e l s e t w i t h i n i t s o w n w a l l e d g a r d e n i n t h e h e a r t o f h i s t o r i c G e o r g e To w n , P e n a n g . The hotel is made up of four heritage buildings restored extensively – a n A n g l o - I n d i a n B u n g a l o w, a S t r a i t s E c l e c t i c b u i l d i n g , a 1 9 2 0 ’ s J a c k Roof Annex and an Indian Shophouse. The ten-room proper ty is furn i s h e d w i t h t h e ow n e r ’s p r i v a t e c o l l e c t i o n o f a n t i q u e a n d v i n t a g e f u r niture , the result being a spectacular boutique stay with charm and character unlike anywhere else .
2 3 , L ove L a n e , G e o r ge t ow n , 1 0 2 0 0 Pe n an g, M a lay s ia Te l : + 6 0 4 2 6 2 1 3 23 E mail : e n q u ir y@2 3 l ove la ne . c om
We bs it e : w w w. 23love la ne . c om www.whatsonpenang.com
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The Brunch Tiffin ends with the desserts which on this occasion were to be a duo of Caramel Custard and Almond Chocolate Fudge. In fact we were given a special treat of a trio rather than just the duo so that we might sample a wider choice. All of the desserts were executed well and rounded off a very full meal indeed. The Anglo-Indian Brunch tiffin is available every first Sunday of the month for a minimum of two persons from 11.00 - 14.30 and is priced at RM50 net per person. All ingredients are locally produced and crafted by the team
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of chefs under the careful guidance of Chef Wan Helmi Zazalee and I really couldn’t offer a higher recommendation for their taste of days gone by.
Suffolk House Restaurant 250 Jalan Air Itam 10460 Penang Ph.: 04-228-3930
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To Make The Perfect Pizza stuff that makes it sticky and elastic!) mixed with water, oil and salt. Left to prove, then separated into individual portion size balls ready for rolling as and when the orders roll in. The sauce is made from skinned and seeded fresh tomatoes that are gently heated through with finely diced onions, garlic and infused with herbs. The cheese is Mozzarella, nothing less will do. These above ingredients make up the basis for the most simple of pizzas, the margarita with just the decoration to be added of fresh locally grown basil leaves.
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ngredients are the most important things to making a great pizza and at Spasso Milano you get the best pizza in the world.
If you imagine getting on a plane and flying to Italy, home of the pizza, and driving to a pizzeria in say Naples, supposed birthplace of the pizza, you could not find a more authentic or better produced pizza. You most certainly would not find it any cheaper. So imagine my surprise when I found that you can get the best pizza in the world with ingredients sourced from Italy at a cheaper price than you would pay in Italy, here in Straits Quay, Penang. Wherever you go in the world you will find a pizza restaurant or an Italian restaurant serving pizza but how many of them are genuine Italian pizzas. Pizza should be baked in a wood fired oven. Pizza should have Mozzarella Cheese and homemade tomato sauce, ‘just like mamma used to make’. At Spasso Milano you get just this. The pizza dough is made by hand freshly every day. Good quality flour rich in glutens (the 56
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The aroma of the basil wafts up and sets the taste buds a tingle before you even get to smell the freshly baked dough, tomato sauce and cheese. This is also, without the basil, the basis for just about every pizza. My personal favorite, and let’s be honest the beauty with pizza is that there are infinite combinations to suit any taste, is the Neapolitan. Pizza with anchovy (love ‘em or hate ‘em) and capers, my dream pizza. We watched and listened to Chef Felice, who having been raised in Milano in Northern Italy knows a thing or three about pizza, showed us the right way to make it. After an illustrious career working in Italy, Chef Felice moved onto work in the Maldives for a few years and then Phuket, Thailand.
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The first restaurant was very well received but to be honest just not in the right area. Spasso Milano was opened last year at Straits Quay, Penang and only last month the KL Spasso was moved to Pavilion where it is now going from strength to strength. This keeps Felice very busy with two locations, two kitchens, and two sets of chefs to control but this native Italian takes it all in his stride. Spasso Milano has much more to offer than Pizza but as I said in the introduction this really is the best Pizza I have ever had in the world. So if you fancy some world class pizza, get down to Spasso Milano in Straits Quay or if you are heading to KL you can try it there on the 6th Floor of Pavilion. It was from there that he finally moved down to Malaysia to open Spasso Milano in KL two years ago.
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A Little Bit of Irish Goes a Long Way
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f you like a party and drink is involved then Healy Macs will already be on your radar. At this time of year people are gearing up for St Patrick’s Day (17 March) which has been adopted as the Irish National Day of celebration. There are no less than three events to welcome St Patrick; the first is on 9 March, which is the St. Patrick’s Day Ball, the theme is the ‘Celtic Spirit” and this year held at the Ballroom of The E & O Hotel. This event is organized by the Penang Irish Association, a very active group, whose President is Maggie Territt. They meet monthly at Healy Macs at Straits Quay. This year’s entertainment includes a group of Irish dancers who will travel up from Singapore. “St Patrick’s Day has a very special meaning for the Irish and the people of Irish descent around the world,” she explained. “It is a day when Irish people celebrate their rich and unique culture,” she said. She added that the ball would be attended by Irish ambassador Declan Kelly. Tickets are priced at RM200 for Penang Irish Association members and RM250 for nonmembers. For more information and tickets, please call Maggie Territt at 012-4625596, Ann Marie O’Toole at 012-551-8154, Triona C. at 016422-8817 or Healy Macs Manager, Richie Caplice at 017-627-2754. The second event is the Golf Tournament on 11 March which is the presidents cup for the Irish golfing association and the awards ceremony held at Healy Macs in the evening. The third and final and most definitely the most popular will be the St Patrick’s Day party itself on 17 March, held at Healy Macs and all
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are most definitely welcome to celebrate this most Irish of nights and join in the “Craic” with plenty of Guinness, Irish Whiskey and live music. (“craic”, pronounced “Crack” is a Gaelic word meaning..... well, it has no exact English translation. The closest you get is “fun.” There’s the expression “ceoil agus craic,” meaning “music and fun” but it is more, much more than this. It is only really found in a social setting where men, drink and women are found. It is more readily found when there are all three of these ingredients as well as Music). This happens to fall on a Saturday this year, thank goodness, as the recovery from this festival usually takes as long as the party itself. Of course, the drink of choice is Dublin’s finest, Guinness. This stout has been brewed for over 250 years and seems to be getting more popular every year. Also remember the Irish are famous for their Whiskey which, just like the Irish themselves, is very smooth and full of character. Healy Macs is located at Straits Quay and is now the only Irish pub in the area as Finnegan’s closed its doors last month. Next month we will be reviewing in detail the food and drinks on offer at Healy Macs as well as their new lease of life on the music scene at Straits Quay. Their live music inspires the feet to tap and the drinking arm to get a great workout.
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Blue Life
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magine the last time you went to a seafood barbecue by the beach – good food, delightful company, happy friends, and a delicious fire to seduce your senses. Someone brought a crate of cold beers and warm homemade prawn crackers. The youngest in the crowd is both delighted and disgusted at the discovery of a lucky oyster crab in the corner of his oyster shell. Moments like these help define what sustainability means – a desire for the continued existence of those seafood barbecue do’s. It also means healthy estuaries, waterways are needed to produce oysters, supply of seafood, where communities are dependent on natural resources for food and livelihood, and job growth at our coastal waterfronts. Eco-conservation and community are inextricably linked. Finding a balance between environmental responsibility and the pursuit of modernization can prove difficult. Recognising the challenges of coastal communities, coupled with a strong desire to make a difference in industries such as the tourism, fisheries, industrial and infrastructure development, to ecological architecture; a group of concerned individuals founded Blue Life, a non profit organisation. The rural landscape and its fishing communities are poignant pieces of Penang; their culture should be celebrated along with the island’s heritage with which it is entangled. This culture may be slowly swallowed by urban development or remain a small fishing village – either way, the rural voice is easy to lose in the buzz of modernisation.
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Often stories of optimism and hope emerge, from successfully managed small-scale fisheries to upstream residents voluntarily regulating themselves for the benefit of downstream neighbors. Blue Life is committed to supporting eco-tourism, eco-systems conservation, climate adaptation and community development in a transparent and accountable way to foster sustainable social development. This writer interviewed one of the founding members and Director of Blue Life about this, and the organisation’s efforts to highlight these voices, and at the same time keeping their fingers on the pulse of Mother Nature. “Why so involved in aquaculture and eco conservation?” “Tell us about your local projects in Penang and the eco-tourism plan in Mantanani.” I asked Dr. Fred Weirowski, aquaculture consultant extraordinaire, seasoned in fisheries, aquaculture technology and development. “Well, it’s a personal calling. Call it my personal social responsibility.” Dr. Weirowski answered, explaining at length how failure to understand sustainable fisheries management, overfishing, marine debris and development that are not
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just impacting fish stocks, but are negatively affecting entire ecosystems. How did you get so involved? It stemmed from my involvement in aquaculture system development and started off when I was with World Fish, Penang (2006 – 2011). I saw the socio economic impact on small scale fisheries, aquaculture and eco tourism as a result of coastal development. Coastlines are high value, high demand property areas. Land reclamation influences fishing grounds, as with coral reefs which play an important role in the marine ecosystem. Many livelihoods of the coastal community are dependent on fisheries and aquaculture. Pristine coral reefs are much desired by eco tourist destinations. My vision is to bring together the different needs - development of communities, conservation of eco-systems and eco-tourism. Why is it so important to you? It’s our duty. We are part of the system. It’s about sparking individual conservation action to ensure healthy marine ecosystems for the future and not leaving it to instituitions and government to take measures to protect our environment. To stay in the picture we are like swarming fish. We are dependent on one another. Even a single fish in the swarm, influences the direction. What are some of the biggest conservation issues facing our marine life and which is affecting coastal communities?
I would have to say, overfishing, pollution and climate change. Fisheries suffer from overfishing and dwindling incomes. Fish stocks continue to quiver on the edge of depletion as the pressure mounts to meet demand. Many fish species are today overexploited and endangered, e.g. the gruesome live slaughtering of sharks for fins. Marine debris is a massive global problem. It’s so prolific that we find oceans of plastic garbage swirling and lining the beaches, with some ending up in our food chain. Look at the waters around Penang. 50 years ago there were coral reefs to enjoy. Today, this is replaced with swimming jellyfish and floating plastic garbage. Climate change increases ocean temperature and affects marine life, causing coral fish to migrate. What are the efforts or projects Blue Life has undertaken? Our current focus is on two main locations and activities - in Sabah (Mantanani) and the other, in Penang. Mantanani, a much desired diving destination is home to approximately 1200 people living traditionally from fishing. We are partnering with a resort operator, as the donor of this project and putting together a sustainable eco tourism concept. We have thus far initiated a collaborative development plan among all parties, specifically with social enterprises, tourist
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operators, active NGOs already on the island and brought them to a round table. Step by step, we are realising the ideas - education, non-fishery job development, infra structure improvements and so on.
fish farms in Langkawi. What advice would you give to others who would like to get involved and may not have the same resources that you do? Getting involved begins at home. It starts with simple daily things. Make responsible choices while shopping or dining. Boycott shark fin soup. Instead of plastic bags, use reusable shopping bags. Organise or support a neighbourhood beach and/or river clean-up. Dispose of trash properly and not into drains and spread the word! If you want to do more, be an active volunteer. We are looking out for divers for a reef check around Mantanani this year.
The Mantanani project shows at best the philosophy of Blue Life – being Bridge, Broker and Catalyst for eco-services, ecotourism and for coastal communities.
Well, as we move into the future, our stories may stray from the oysters, and moonshine of seafood barbecues, but as Albert Einstein said, “Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act.”
Second, we are looking at a variety of opportunities for training, development of small scale businesses, non-fishery jobs and aquaculture as an alternative, to improve sustainable livelihood with a group of fishermen in Penang who are facing dwindling incomes as a result of environmental changes, and the pressure of urban development.
Nature’s greatest threat in today’s society is human indifference. If you are interested in helping or donating to Blue Life to achieve its goals or to participate in their mission or projects, please visit their website: http:// www.bluelifeeco.org/ to read about their initiatives or drop them an email at: fred@ bluelifeeco.org
Some of these fishermen are so rooted to their tradition it’s hard to break away from what has been their source of income for generations. As one of them said, “I must have saltwater in my face each day”. The group from Tanjung Tokong recently participated in a study tour of
This article was kindly contributed by Maryam Wong. Please see her full Bio on page 94.
Who Needs More Clients/ Customers? Running a business is not rocket science. You get more people to come and see what you do, you get more clients/customers, you make more money. What’s On Penang helps you plan all of your marketing actviities to work together, in harmony, to achieve those goals. Your advertising, online presence, social media marketing, PR and so much more. Find out how we can help you: 014-345-1192
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art • music • opera • theatre • dance • film • food • photography • talks YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME
Our HERITAGE for the World
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James The Sommelier New Zealand Wines “Wine honours the soul, so honour it with yours”
Poignant, to say the least, especially when considering New Zealand’s wine and its overall market character.
ince their decisive game in Hartlepool, 1905, the New Zealand rugby team has come to be known in a more convivial sense by their compatriots and the world over as the legendary ‘all blacks.’
In 2010, New Zealand released their figures
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Whether born from a printing error or from the conventional black garb that makes up their kit, it has a pretty sure meaning to it. The colour black adds a certain mystique, the creation of a unified block or a gaping, bottomless vacuum either of which exude the impression of strength and solidarity. However, the ‘black’ can be interpreted in another way. The iconic images that are used to portray anything Kiwi are usually white on black; the feather, the kiwi bird, ‘New Zealand’ in text. In this sense, the actual emphasis of national pride, identity or culture in New Zealand comes in white and merely highlighted by a black background. and, as always, Sauvignon Blanc dominated as the most produced grape – at 51% (also leading exports with 81% majority export in June 2009) - but followed closely behind by their other most prominent grape, Pinot Noir – coming in at 14%. In fact, a swathe of black (or purple-y, reddish blackness) follows in most production and exports in the form of Merlot and also Syrah. On these terms, then, Sauvignon Blanc stands alone as their ‘white’ highlighted by a ‘black‘ background. And why? Like New Zealand’s rugby team, a similar clarity pervades its white with adjectives such as lithe, clean, refreshing applying especially to the signature Sauvignon Blancs. 64
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In wine jargon, green — synonymous with herbal, herbaceous, vegetal — describes the new-mown-grass scent and flavor common to racy, food-friendly sauvignons. Now, probably not an adjective synonymous with Kiwi rugby players but perfect to describe certain Sauvignon Blanc styles that New Zealand makes best, brilliant with food and some of the only wines to really pair well with sushi. From the time its sauvignons began upstaging Loire versions, the prevailing model, New Zealand has gone its own way in defining the ‘crisp, dry white.’ The background reds, however, are just as influential and are led by the flamboyant Pinot Noir. Central Otego, the world’s most southerly winegrowing region and probably housing the most scenic vineyards, uses the synergy of terroir between climate and soil to create expressive and elegant Pinots (80% of the grapes produced in the region). Due to this synergy the wines of Central Otego have a purity, intensity and vibrancy reflective of the region’s pure mountain air. Also in the Waipara valley, where vineyards maintain one of three settings – valley floor, hill 66
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slopes, or river terraces – the terroir combines to give a variety of styles almost unheard of in such a regional context. The terroir combined with long, hot autumn periods helps produce unique, richer and spicier Pinot Noirs. Needless to say, even their sought after Pinot Noir is being used to make another version of “white”; the up-and-coming sparkling wine of New Zealand.
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With classic French varietals used in Champagne (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petit Meunier) as well as adopting Methode Traditionelle, New Zealand sparkling wine boasts unrivalled popularity in the southern hemisphere by displaying classy touches of the real stuff; crisp, elegant and complex. On a thriftier note, it continues to offer great value for money. All in all, New Zealand is the place to go. Far from claiming that their new pseudonym should be ‘all whites’ (because that would be the English) New Zealand’s rugby team sets a precedent for their wine culture, one where the white is in the forefront highlighted by a black background.
Tip: That Little Wine Bar’s New Zealand wine tasting is on Wednesday, 14th March 2012
That Little Wine Bar Wine Classes If you are interested in finding out more information about wine and would like to enhance your appreciation join our wine classes at: That Little Wine Bar 54 Jalan Chow Thye 10050 George Town +604 226 8182 info@thatlittlewinebar.com www.thatlittlewinebar.com/ournews.html That Little Wine Class is a cycle of 4 x 1 hour classes every week on Wednesday at 6.30 pm. The course covers Wine Etiquette, Geography of Wine, All About Grapes, and the Language of Wine Tasting. Each class includes at least 2 different wines to taste. The aim is to give you all the basics of enjoying wine and the confidence to be able to order wines you like and know what you are ordering. Participants of all 4 lessons will receive a certificate of graduation.
This article was kindly contributed by James Springer of That Little Wine Bar. For more details on James please see his bio on page 94
The cost is RM 25 per class, including service and tax (RM 100 for the whole course, payable on the first lesson). We are now taking bookings for the next course, please call for dates and further details.
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Behind the Scenes @ Chalk & Cheese
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hat’s On Penang editor-in-chief, Craig J Selby spends an afternoon chatting to Chef Tommes of That Little Wine Bar (over wine, or course).
I thought I’d chat to our creative Chef to see what makes him tick, and to uncover a little goss on the show that we’re all about to keep our eyes peeled to!
Penang should be super-proud - there’s a new TV Chef in our midst, and it’s someone from the Penang culinary scene. For the first time (in my memory at least) a Penang-based Chef has his own show being featured on AFC, and trust me, it’s a definite watcher!
This was your first time filming for TV - how did you find the overall experience?
I’m sure at some stage we’ve all heard of him and his restaurants, and some of us have probably savoured his gastronomic delights, but this time around, Chef Tommes of That Little Wine Bar and Irrawaddy Fine Foods fame, takes us on a culinary journey like no other.
Yup, it was my first time. It was fun. New. Exciting. Tiring. Draining. Exhilarating! Weird and funny at the same time … the film crew ate all my food as soon as each episode was wrapped up. They liked the food. We became friends. What was your goal with the show? Do you feel that you achieved your personal aims with the show? I haven’t seen the final product yet. Editors can give a completely different spin to things, so I’m looking forward to seeing myself ‘live’ on TV. My goal was to show people what actually happens when you cook. A cook show normally doesn’t make people think about the WHY in the cooking process - they copy recipes from books, or handed down from mothers and other shows, and then are surprised when it doesn’t taste or look like the picture. I want to give answers, and want people to think and second guess their own dealings in their home kitchen. I want to tell them the little secrets that the professional Chef’s normally don’t tell. It is little things in cooking that can make a huge difference in taste. I understand that you have a co-host, Jojo. Looking at the early episodes, there’s quite a lot of friendly banter / leg-pulling between you both? Was that planned, or did it evolve naturally? That was natural! We didn’t script anything. I started cooking and she started to ask
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questions. I answered. I couldn’t believe my ears sometimes when I heard the questions. So I started to make fun of her. But she was able to take it, and she shot back. We had fun trying to get each other out of our ‘comfort zone’ and I think we did a great job. I was never in a TV studio, and it seems she was never in a kitchen before … I just couldn’t stop teasing her. But as I said, she was a trooper. Didn’t give me an inch. But, in the end, I got her with my “Are you man enough” pizza. My revenge. You got to watch it !!! No script ! It can’t get more real. How was it stepping Jojo through the cooking process? Were there a lot of re-takes, or was she a fast learner? I think she learned a lot in the process. She can now distinguish salt from sugar without tasting it. I don’t know whether she would want to be a chef someday, but she likes to eat the good stuff, and is genuinely curious about food, and how it all works. An episode took about 8 hours or longer to shoot. So, of course, there were a lot of
interruptions. Filming is a complex thing, suddenly the light changes, a dog barks in the background, a motorcycle drives by, auntie from next door makes her afternoon noises … and then the make up in the hot sun! I mean, really, they should have been able to invent make up by now that doesn’t run when you sweat! In the kitchen, I can make you a jelly that holds up at 50 degrees Celsius, yet they can’t fix makeup?! You used quite a lot of local and Malaysian ingredients in your cooking? What experimentation did you do prior to establishing the menu for the show and each episode? I was already roaming the local markets for over two years, and I have local cooks in the kitchen that make the staff meal every day, so I had a pretty good idea about what is happening with Malaysian food. It is all about taste and texture, really. You taste Senduduk raw, you taste it boiled, you deep fry it, you steam it … you start thinking - you get new ideas – you try, you dismiss or you like. We do that every day in the kitchen. It is just another ingredient, so play with it. This is what cooking is about. This is the fun part. Clearly it is a show about helping people to “understand the cook within them”. What advice www.whatsonpenang.com
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are broken you are not afraid of anything or anybody anymore. We are a brotherhood. What’s next for Tommes? I know you have That Little Wine Bar and Irrawaddy Fine Foods, but I heard rumours that it’ doesn’t stop at that? Right now it stops at that. My dream is to write my own cook book. A cook book with attitude and no lies! A different cookbook. I am already working on it. I need to find a publisher somewhere, but not just now. I have my hands full at the moment, and I like it like this. Do you miss being in a Michelin Star kitchen? What elements of the training have filtered through into your current laid-back and bubbly personality, because you’re certainly not an aggressive TV chef?
would you give to people as they embark on a journey of culinary exploration? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. No mistakes, no learning curve. There is absolutely no excuse to not make your food yummy. Don’t trust the advice of people who tell you – “you can’t do this or that” - or want to put a label like ‘fusion’ on it. Be honest to yourself about what you do. If the outcome is not what you wanted, or doesn’t taste nice to you … don’t make other people eat it. Your own journey, has it always been a bed of roses? If you refer to the fact that roses have thorns and can make you bleed to death. There is a long stretch in a cooks’ education where you just can’t allow yourself to give up. They want to break you – and they will somewhere, just accept it. The other cooks in the kitchen need to know whether you can stand the pressure and whether they can count on you when push comes to shove. A professional kitchen is not a cosy place. So they try to “kill” you. You survive - you are one of them. You don’t – get an office job. If you are not a fighter, you will never become a good cook. You can see it in the eyes of the cooks that have been through hell - that “thousand mile stare” when you yell at them. Once you 70
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When you are aggressive you use/lose a lot of energy. I am not a spring chicken anymore. I don’t miss running a kitchen for a Michelin Chef, but I sometimes miss working in one … so, what filtered through? My kitchens are clean. My staff have manners – I removed aggression and sick jokes from my kitchen and replaced it with professionalism and responsibilities. I don’t operate a line kitchen. In my kitchen, cooks are responsible for their dishes from procurement of ingredients to the final product on the table. So, there are no excuses when something goes wrong. A dish has a cooks’ name on it. Mistakes stay in the kitchen. They had to learn it the hard way, but they know it now. Excuses are for losers. Nobody wants to be a loser. What’s your take on the Penang culinary scene?
What’s On Penang
Penang is so lucky. The local food has so many different cultural influences … it is never boring to eat in Penang. There are slowly some restaurants opening – or some are beginning to improve – which do genuine western food. Western food that is not watered down to local taste. People are curious about food here. They try new things. Some years ago everybody in Penang was a coffee expert, then they learned about wine. Good western food (I don’t mean western fast food chains or
overcooked spaghetti aglio olio with seafood) will be next. Penang chefs are eager to learn. Just you wait. Penang boleh! Well, as you can tell, an afternoon chat with Tommes, over some good wine, is all good fun as well. So, keep an eye out on AFC from 20 February onwards for Chalk & Cheese – it will make you laugh, but should also teach you some great skills to handle your kitchen better.
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Grand Prix Malaysia Enjoy The Sideshows
Supporting Events
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ot only is Formula 1 Grand Prix exciting, fast and stylish it’s massive business and brings in many millions in revenue for Malaysia. When the whole circus comes to town it brings with it a wave of supporting events and entertainment. SIC Chairman Dato’ Mokhzani Tun Dr Mahathir said that the circuit would be working hard to make the 14th edition of the Formula 1™ PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix the best ever since year one. “Thus we can say with utmost certainty that F1 is the biggest draw in Malaysia and not to mention Malaysia is now seen and heard in as many 187 countries with a combined audience of more than 500 million and this is all thanks to F1 which is undoubtedly the most effective platform for international mileage and worldwide recognition.”
“Aside from the race, there are also many exciting events in conjunction with the celebration of F1 month in Kuala Lumpur such as shopping and dining experience, public and exclusive events, parties and also a chance to catch your favourite teams and drivers in the heart of the city. In conjunction with the F1 race, Tourism Malaysia would be having again a month-long GP Sale where the whole of Malaysia would be on sale; offering fans a nationwide sales carnival with fashionable bargains and discounts; and sizzling hot deals and unbeatable offers. “Among the exciting events that we have in store for the fans are the 4th Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (15-18 March) and the biggest ever music festival to hit Malaysia, the future music festival Asia which hosts the largest gathering of artists, with over 40 acts set to bring the house down on 17 March. Another special event that has been lined up is the Red
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Ribbon GP Gala 2012. SIC together with sponsors like Tourism Malaysia, are working with the Global Poverty Project supported by the Gates Foundation and the Malaysian AIDS Foundation with a mission to eradicate world poverty. Six international celebrities such as Owen Wilson, Camilla Belle and Paul Walker will be present at the Gala and on race day at the Premium Plus Corporate Suites. Part of the proceeds from the Gala and Corporate Suites will go to the Global Poverty Project and Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
F1 Rocks KL As well as the motor racing selected Grand Prix have been supported by F1 Rocks worldwide. F1 Rocks is a live stage show given on the weekend of the F1 race with international artistes performing in front of a very grateful crowd.
What’s On Penang
on our registration page at ‘What’s On Penang’ - www. whatsonpenang.com to be eligible for the draw.
F1 Rocks Competition Go to our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ whatsonpenangmag
The winner will be selected on 19 March and published on our web page by 18.00 on Tuesday 20 March.
If not a fan, follow instructions to ‘Like’ our page Then follow link to register for golden enclosure ticket draw
This year Petronas have sponsored F1 Rocks KL and the headline act will be by non-other than Kylie Minogue the Australian diva from down under.
The lucky winners will be published on our site 1800hrs 20 March
Holiday Seas PENANG POSTCARD COLLECTION: 1899–1930s Khoo Salma Nasution and Malcolm Wade ‘Serious collectors or scholars of postcards, as well as casual readers, are sure to delight in this richly illustrated and beautifully designed volume’ – Peter Zabielskis
Visual history / Heritage Third Reprint, 2011 ISBN 978-‐983-‐28850-‐0-‐0 Special Offer Price RM110
PORTRAITS OF PENANG: LITTLE INDIA The concert is a free to enter concert providing you are fortunate enough to have obtained tickets. What’s on Penang has 10 pairs of tickets to the golden enclosure and will be running a competition offering you the chance to win a pair of these much sought after concert tickets to F1 Rocks. Go to our Facebook page at facebook.com/ whatsonpenang, If you are not yet a fan, like our page before 14 March and then follow the instructions to register 76
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Ooi Cheng Ghee ‘This is not only a work of art; it is a personal statement by an observant and intuitive artist, perceptive of the moods and sensitivities of a culture that is living’ – Andrew Sheng
Photography / Ethnography 2011 ISBN 978-‐967-‐5719-‐05-‐9 Special Offer Price RM90
HERITAGE HOUSES OF PENANG Khoo Salma Nasution and Halim Berbar ‘Khoo’s words are brought alive in the book by the award-‐ winning Berbar’ – Marina Emmanuel
Architecture / Heritage 2009 ISBN 978-‐981-‐23280-‐6-‐9 Special Offer Price RM75
What’s On Penang
World Music Festival
N
ot having been in Penang for the last Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) three years ago I do not have anything to personally judge what we are to expect from this one. However, when you look at all the other major events and festivals that go on here
son Offer
the level of expectation is certainly going to be on the high side. The music in question is wide ranging and goes from blues to salsa to reggae and from that introduction alone makes me eager for the festival to arrive. We do not have long to wait as it kicks off with a
To celebrate the Chinese New Year festivities Areca Books has put together a special offer on five of its outstanding titles
PERAK POSTCARDS: 1890s–1940s Abdur-‐Razzaq Lubis, Malcolm Wade and Khoo Salma Nasution ‘the authors’ expertise is brought to bear on every image, each one carefully sourced, dated and historically interpreted... like a rolling story that you can dip in and out of your leisure’ – Ilsa Sharp, The Edge
Visual history / Heritage 2010 ISBN 978-‐967-‐5719-‐01-‐1 Special Offer Price RM110
HERITAGE TREES OF PENANG Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May Richly illustrated with 72 original watercolours and over 1,200 photographs, this invaluable guide is a beautiful and authoritative companion to Penang’s botanical inheritance. Botany / Environment / Heritage 2011 ISBN 978-‐967-‐5719-‐06-‐6 Special Offer Price RM90
For orders and inquiries contact: Yeap Ee Ban or How Kooi Nee Tel: +604 -‐ 262 0123 / 261 0307 Email: arecabooks@gmail.com Between now and 22 January 2012 you can buy any of these five books direct from the publisher at special promotional prices. Includes free postage and packing to West Malaysia. Editorial: 70 Lebuh Acheh, George Town, 10200 Penang, Malaysia Book Showroom: 120 Lebuh Armenian, George Town, 10200 Penang, Malaysia Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/arecabookspenang www.arecabooks.com
preview show which will be held at Hard Rock Hotel on 28 March, 2012 and another at Straits Quay on 29 March, 2012. The Festival proper opens at The Botanical Gardens on Friday, 30 March and continues through the weekend to its final act on Sunday, 1 April, and that is no April Fool joke! If my experience of the Penang Jazz Festival is anything to go by then you would not want to miss the preview show as that was my most enjoyable night at The Tropical Spice Gardens and the setting made it a magical experience which I am sure will be a similar experience at The Botanical Gardens. We know that music lovers will enjoy a fun filled musical experience amongst the beautiful backdrop of the Botanical Gardens and I am sure we will see the monkeys dancing the night away too. With the resounding rhythms and rousing beats that is on offer who would not want to be serenaded into the night by a potpourri of well-known international acts and talented local artistes. Organized by Penang’s State Tourism Development and Culture Office, PWMF 2012 promises to be an exciting event to look out for this year! The has
tourism appointed
office UCSI
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Communications Sdn Bhd (UComms) as the event management consultant, to ensure the smooth running of the festival. The international line up of musicians comes from as far afield as Africa, Australia, Philippines, Colombia, South Korea, Russia, Mongolia and Bali. Together with the local Malaysian bands, they will orchestrate a world beat that will definitely rock the Pearl of the Orient. Among the 18 bands to perform at the festival include Maite Hontele from Colombia, Kalja Riddim Klan (Vanuatu), Gus Teja World Music (Bali), Beoga (Ireland), Tori Ensemble (South Korea) and Wild Marmalade (Australia), Loyko (Russia), Altan Urag (Mongolia), Guinee Percussions (Africa), Phong Nguyen Ensemble (Vietnam), Griff Trio (Belgium), Will Crummers and the Rarotongans (New Zealand) and Grace Nono and Bob Aves Group (Philippines). They will be joined by Malaysia’s own bands with the like of Aseana Percussion Unit, Didit Dinai, Penang Dhol Blasters, Kumpulan Minang Moh and Geng Wak Long. The open-air festival which will start from 2pm with the musical workshop offers other 78
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programs as well at the festival which will include the Kidzworld workshop which will be from 5pm to 6pm and the night concert which will commence from 7pm. There will also be festival bazaar offerings wide selection of food and beverages, souvenir items, handicrafts and the performers CDs for festival goers to enjoy. Tickets to the festival are now available online at www.ticketxpress.com.my, priced at RM90 per day for adult and RM45 per day for a child between five and 12 years old. Threeday tickets are also available and are priced at RM220 each for adult and RM120 each for child. Beside online, tickets are also sold at all Discovery Overland Holidays offices (tel: +6 013 3398113) and Penang Tourism Development and Culture Office (tel: +6 016 4110000). Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the official hotel for the festival and the international-chain hotel will house all the musicians and the invited media during the festival. For more information, you www.penangworldmusic.com
can
visit:
March 2012 3, 4, 10 & 11
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Champagne Dinner With Celebrity Chef in Black
G
Hotel present a gourmet delight, the Duval-Leroy Champagne Dinner With Celebrity Chef In Black, Emmanual Stroobant at the Sesame+Soy on 16 March at 7pm.
Emmanual Stroobant
Carol Duval-Leroy
Born in Uccle, Belgium, Carol Duval-Leroy studied Economics at the University in Brussels and had taken over the running of ‘DUVAL-LEROY’ company after the sudden death of her husband in 1991. She has developed the firm to make DuvalLeroy one of the biggest 100% family-owned Houses in Champagne. and the company is now present in more than 50 countries.
G HOTEL PENANG 168A Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia Tel: 604 238 0000 Email: g4u@ghotel.com.my Website: www.ghotel.com.my
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Chef Emmanuel Stroobant has indeed come a long way since he started his career at the age of 16, cleaning dishes in one of the finest restaurants in Belgium. At 18, he decided to take the culinary path and enrolled at a hospitality institute in Belgium. Four years later, he opened his first restaurant in his hometown, Liege. In 1997, Stroobant decided to come to Asia, making his first stop in Kuala Lumpur. Stroobant and his wife then moved to Singapore and joined a small café/ restaurant called ‘The Fig Leaf’, hence the birth of ‘Saint Pierre’ in December 2000. He has clinched several awards, ‘Best New Restaurant 2002’- Wine and Dine, ‘Most Innovative Menu 2002, 2004 and 2007’, ‘World Gourmet Summit’- Award of Excellence, ‘Best New Restaurant 2002 and 2003’, ‘Chef of the Year 2002 and 2006’ and ‘Restaurant of the Year 2007’.
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St Patrick’s Day Tidbits • The shortest St Patrick’s Day parade in the world takes place in Dripsey, Cork. The parade lasts just 100 yards and travels between the village’s two pubs. • The biggest celebrations outside Dublin are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is rumoured to be buried. In 2004, according to Down District Council, the week-long St. Patrick’s Festival had more than 2,000 participants and 82 floats, bands, and performers and was watched by more than 30,000 people. • The All-Ireland Club Football and All-Ireland Club Hurling championships finals are held annually in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day. • Birmingham holds the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Britain with a massive city centre parade over a two mile (3 km) route through the city centre. The organisers describe it as the third biggest parade in the world after Dublin and New York. • London, since 2002, has had an annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade which takes place on weekends around the 17th, usually in Trafalgar Square. In 2008 the water in the Trafalgar Square fountains was dyed green. • Liverpool has the highest proportion of residents of Irish ancestry of any English city. This has led to a long-standing celebration on St Patrick’s Day in terms of music, cultural events and the parade. • Manchester hosts a two-week Irish festival in the weeks prior to St Patrick’s Day. The festival includes an Irish Market based at the city’s town hall which flies the Irish tricolour opposite the Union Flag, a large parade as well as a large number of cultural and learning events throughout the two-week period.
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Evergreen Laurel Hotel Penang’s 5-star Evergreen Laurel Hotel is strategically located along the famed Gurney Drive overlooking the serene seaside, within walking distance from the latest shopping complex and hawkers centres. A deluxe Business cum Leisure hotel, providing 368 elegantly designed spacious guestrooms with uninterrupted view of the Sea or Georgetown and Penang Hill. All rooms are equipped with LCD TV with Astro Channels and complimentary broadband connection for unlimited usage. Savor the International and Chinese Cuisine in Café Laurel and Evergarden Restaurant with a spectacular ocean view. The Lobby is the perfect place to meet for leisure or business to unwind with our live band performance. The elegance Ballroom and function rooms are well prepared to accommodate for corporate conventions, banquet reception and cocktail parties. The Health Club has complete facilities, including Poolside Bar, Indoor & Outdoor Gym, Tennis courts, Sauna Jacuzzi and Kids Club and the Business Centre is fully equipped with the latest communication tools and secretarial services. 53 Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia TEL: (604) 226-9988 / FAX: (604) 226-9989 E-MAIL: elhpen@evergreen-hotels.com WEBSITE: www.evergreen-hotels.com
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Penang’s Gift to Malaysia
H
ealth Care is generally not normally associated with tourism but Medical Tourism today is a true business, not just globally, or in Malaysia but also for the island of Penang. For most Indonesians having their health care treatment in Malaysia is considered quite the norm as Malaysia is similar to Indonesia with respect to culture, religion and geography. Historically, Penang and Melaka were the first two states that took the bold early initiative to build their brand for health care in Indonesia and today they both enjoy the rewards of their early hard work. Penang being a northern state of Malaysia nestled on the west Peninsular is close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and is ideally placed to accommodate Indonesians that just have to take a short boat ride or a direct flight from Medan to Penang making it easy for many to make the trip the same day if all was needed was day-care treatment. Facilities have improved over the years and the Federal and State Government have focused on enabling efficient services such as incentives, transportation such as flights, and even patients can be delivered direct to their hotels and their choice of health care destinations.
Language ideally is not an issue for Indonesians as Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are similar and English anyway is spoken as a second language here in Malaysia. The latest statistics of Medical Tourists serve to enforce Penang’s brand for health care in that it has received the highest share of foreign medical revenue at 49 per cent, followed by hospitals within the Klang Valley at 21 per cent and Malacca, at 10 per cent. Penang has several private hospitals that are JCI and MSQH accredited and are united in their marketing of their services. Expertise and facilities in Penang are similar to most of Malaysia’s private health care providers and are excellent and on par globally. These providers are mostly accredited either JCI which is American or MSQH which is Australian and most specialists have been trained and worked abroad and thus well received globally due to their i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y - re c o g n i s e d qualifications. Cost of treatment is another key factor why Penang and overall Malaysia has a distinct advantage over other countries. Treatment fees are governed by the Government and thus cannot be exploited unlike other countries that do not have such controls. This speaks volumes as many patients recently have looked to Penang and the other states
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in Malaysia for their health treatment due to exorbitant costs of treatment not being managed by other countries in the region. Penang in itself being a prime tourist destination benefits from the tourists who come for leisure enabling health care providers to market their affordable treatment packages to this ready group of clientel. Having said the obvious, the opportunity could be more effectively used to use health tourism facilitators such as neutral platforms like www.malaysiahealthcare.com that focus on promoting Malaysia globally and is health driven, to provide the end to end solutions of services that would cater for people who only specially want health care with travel as an added component of their trip.
infra-structure as well as its commitment to seeing the Medical Tourism market grow has established it as a brand leader that now can be also leveraged wider afield than just Indonesia. With the lower costs and excellent treatment and service here, the European, Australian and American medical insurance companies will surely be adding to the number of Medical Tourists arriving in Penang. That’s Penang’s gift to Malaysia! This article contributed Ponnudurai.
was by
kindly Suresh
Suresh is the Chief Executive Officer of Malysia Healthcare. His full bio is on page 94.
Penang is poised to capitalize on this by enabling these services. Penang’s excellent
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Red Garden - Penang’s Night Food Paradise
T
here are many hawker stalls on Penang and many of them deserving of the title of ‘best in its type’ but there is one food court or night market that is truly deserving the title of largest, most centrally located and some would say best. Red Garden has been a fixture on the visitors to Penang’s ‘must eat at’ locations since it was opened 5 years ago. The managing Director, Albert Loh, has transformed the concept of Night Market Hawker Food by gathering together in one very central location the ‘very best of the best’ under one roof. Many vendors wish to be at Red Garden but first you have to satisfy Albert that your food can stand the test of the mighty Penang palate. The famous TV Chef, Anthony Bourdain, recently visited Penang for yet another show of his and yes you guessed it he was guided to Red Garden by non-other than one of our very own culinary masters, Helen Ong. Anthony filmed one evening in February and he, not known for holding back on his honesty
(just read his book Kitchen Confidential and you will know what I mean!), loved the Fish Head Curry so much he ate the entire pot for himself, leaving his famously hungry film crew 88
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favorite stall then please visit our fan page and let us know your top picks when it comes to hawker foods and where to find them.
to fend for themselves. The crowds start to come in at around six and this very mixed bunch of hungry customers are from literally all around the world. When a sample was taken just a few weeks ago there were over 14 nationalities scattered around the night market at that time. You will brush shoulders with foreigners and locals here as they know what is good. On my recent visit there was a Tan Sri, a Dato and many other noted Georgetown businessmen, all here separately and all on a weekday night for no other reason than the food is good. In addition to the main draw of the food there is a nightly musical performance which does have a following of its own. Red Garden does not only offer you a place to sample the offerings of Penang’s finest hawker foods but is a cheap place to eat, drink and listen to a free show of music. Next month we will be going stall to stall with our own recommendations - if you have a
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Formula One Motor Racing Comes to Malaysia
F
ormula One is the elite of motor sport and attracts a worldwide television audience of over 100 million every race. This year there are more races than has ever been committed to the calendar ever before with 20 races scheduled for 2012 .
circuit would be working hard to make the 14th edition of the Formula 1™ PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix the best ever since year one. “Sepang International Circuit has a lot to offer to all motorsports enthusiasts especially F1 fans and family, where the tickets are the most affordable in the world, the friendliest circuit and the best of Malaysian hospitality,” said Mokhzani. “It’s definitely an event that no Malaysian racing fan should miss. And, in making the event assessable to all, we have lowered the ticket prices to as low as RM60 for the whole race weekend. You would not get any better deal at any other F1 circuits in the world,” added Mokhzani.
Malaysia has a fine and distinguished record as a race venue after entering in 1999 with the challenging circuit of Sepang International Circuit (SIC) located just 60 Km’s south of the capital, Kuala Lumphur. The circuit was designed by German designer Hermann Tilke, who would subsequently design the new facilities in Shanghai, Bahrain, Turkey, Valencia, Singapore, Korea and India.
Apart from catching the world’s best drivers in action at the race, Malaysian fans can also catch the opportunity to witness the best of Malaysian drivers in action against top drivers in the region in the support race, Malaysian Super Series.
The main circuit, normally raced in a clockwise direction, is 5.54 kilometres long, and is noted for its sweeping corners and wide straights. The layout is quite unusual, with a very long back straight separated from the pit straight by just one very tight hairpin. The Malaysian Grand Prix is a challenge for the teams so early on in the calendar as the tropical heat mixed with the constant threat of tropical storms keeps the event lively and the teams on their toes constantly. This year marks the 14th year of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Speaking at the official launch at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, SIC Chairman Dato’ Mokhzani Tun Dr Mahathir said that the 90
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For only the second time in the 14-year history of Malaysia’s F1, the MSS has been included as the support race; Sports Production and Touring Production category as its opening round for the 2012 season. The MSS has grown in leaps and bounds and the inclusion of the MSS is a testament of the
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Mercedes F1 racing is sponsored by Petronas, the Malaysian petro chemical giant. In addition this year’s Lotus F1 Team (formerly Renault) is operated by Lotus Racing which is owned by Malaysian Car Manufacturer Proton. Lotus Racing operates the motorsports activities of Lotus and includes the strategy to return the Lotus name to a great number of series including endurance racing with GTE, GT4 and single-seater racing with GP2, GP3 and IndyCar. In 2012 the Formula One Team will be rebranded from Lotus Renault GP to Lotus F1 Team as part of Lotus’ on-going commitment to the sport and increased focus leveraging popularity of F1 to raise the profile of the brand globally. growing importance of Malaysia’s own national track championships. The first recorded winner back in 1999 was Eddie Irvine for Ferrari followed in the next 2 years by fellow Ferrari and world champion driver, Michael Schumacher who won again in 2004, his final Malaysian win, to date. Ferrari went on to win on one other occasion in 2008 with Kimi Raikkonen who returns this year driving for Lotus (formerly Renault), displacing Russian driver Vitaly Petrov who will now drive for Malaysian team Caterham (formerly Lotus). Confused, join the club! Nicknamed the ‘Iceman’, Raikkonen will be making a comeback with the Lotus F1 Team after a 2 year hiatus competing in the World Rally Championship. Malaysia can say that they most definitely have a strong stake in F1 as not only is Caterham (formerly Lotus) Malaysian owned but
Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets early because seat selection will not be allowed during the ticket purchase process on 23rd to 25th March 2012 race days in the interest of serving the larger crowd of patrons present at the circuit grounds.
TicketSales Tickets are available through SIC ticket counters at KL Sentral and circuit grounds, through SIC ticket hotline 03-8778 2222 or go to www. sepangcircuit.com, www.AirAsia.com Redtix. com and AirAsiaRedtix outlets.
Event Details Race Date:
25 Mar 2012
Circuit Name: Sepang International Circuit Number of Laps:
56
Circuit Length: 5.543 km Race Distance: 310.408 km Lap Record: 1:34.223 - JP Montoya (2004)
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Andaman at Quayside Yet another luxury property has hit the Penang Property Market from serial developer Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O), Andaman at Quayside, a luxurious condominium project facing the Andaman sea. This integrated resort is a world class development with 75% of all units with an Andaman Sea or Gurney Drive view set in over 8 acres of land. 60% of the total land area is either laid to Greenery or waterpark and I believe the first privately owned waterpark in the region. Located next to the entertainment mall, Straits Quay, this Tanjung Tokong/Tanjung Bungah property is a lifestyle destination home which will serve the wise investor well for not only potentially good capital appreciation over time but should attract strong rental income should the purchaser not decide to live there full time. With Straits Quay Marina settled in the heart of the development I am sure more than a few yachties will decide to call Andaman at Quayside home. “The Andaman at Quayside sits within Penang Island’s largest seafront development and most sought-after residential address. “It is a stone’s throw from clusters of bungalows and villas, as well as the Straits Quay seafront retail precinct, marina and multilevel entertainment complex,” said Eric Chan,
deputy managing director of E&O. “Imagine being greeted by spectacular views of the sea each morning as you awake, hearing the sound of the waves rippling across the shore -- nature’s gifts you can enjoy from the plush comfort of your Andaman home,” he said. Units range from a spacious 104sq m for a one-bedroom studio suite priced from slightly over RM1.4 million to the expansive 441sq m penthouses. Chan said Andaman’s excellent location and outstanding value proposition is expected to attract local and foreign demand. He also said foreign buyers, in particular, would find the pricing of Andaman extremely attractive, especially with the current favourable exchange rate enabling them to enjoy unattainable value for a similar-sized condominium in any neighbouring seafront development.
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Our Contributors Maryam Wong
James Springer
Flora Wong
Suresh Ponnudurai
“Logistics by profession, Social Activist by passion.
James writes the newsletter for That Little Wine Bar with the aim of introducing the culture of wine into Penang.
Founder of Flora Wong & Associates Sdn. Bhd. and Flora Trustee Berhad.
Suresh Ponnudurai is the founder of Tropical Flow Sdn. Bhd., a private limited company in Malaysia that provides an end to end solutions for clients globally who want quality health care at worldclass facilities in Malaysia. Suresh enjoys extolling the many benefits of Medical Tourism for Penang & Malaysia. Contact Malaysia Healthcare via www. malaysiahealthcare.com
When I am not getting stressed, I write writing defines me. I am constantly trying to understand my place in the world and I have found that literature is the best way to see myself. The characters are mirrors of my own soul.”
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While drawing on contemporary points of interest, his unpretentious look at the sometimes stifling world of wine has helped many get to grips with the subject. James also holds monthly wine courses at TLWB.
Flora excels in Financial & estate planning, wealth management for individuals as well as corporations. For enquiries, either call her at 03-9172 1118 or 017-2299 883 or e-mail to flora@ flora.com.my
Irene Newcombe
Gourmet Food
Cindy Teh
Farrell Tan
“64 in body, 18 in mind. I consider myself a citizen of the world. Live wherever there is a need to be fulfilled to assist people where ever I can.” Irene is a volunteer at the Eden Home & at the Penang Disabled School.
Gourmet Garden is an initiative by Jason Wong & Gill Giam, the founders, writers, photographers, tasters, bottle washers and all. “Our intentions are simple; to share our food experiences with fellow foodies.”
Cindy loves to teach Mandarin to Adult and kid students from a wide range of nationalities including Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, English American, German, Danish, Swedish and Eurasian.
Farrell Tan is the cofounder of Orchan Consulting Asia Sdn Bhd, a full service public relations agency located in Kuala Lumpur. Winner of a slew of professional awards, recently nominated for PRESTIGE’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’.
www.whatsonpenang.com
What’s On Penang
Map and Con
Police, Ambulance, and Rescue: 999 Fire: 994 Red Cresent: (603) 4257 8726 St.John’s Ambulance: (603) 9285 1576 Telekom Malaysia Directory Service: 103 Telekom Malaysia Operator Assisted Calls (Domestic and International): 101 Tourism Infoline: 1300 885 776 Tourist Police Hotline (HQ): (603) 2149 6590 Enquiries: (603) 2149 6593 Customs: (603) 8787 2312 Tourism Malaysia Offices Address: Pejabat Tourism Malaysia Negeri Pulau Pinang, 56th Floor, KOMTAR, Penang 10000 Tel: (604) 264 3494 / 263 4941 Fax: (604) 262 3688
AirAsia: 03 8775 4000 Air Malaysia: 04-262 0011, 262 1403. address is Ground Floor, KOMTAR, Penang Super Nice Bus Company: 04-3316359 /3232116
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ntact Numbers
What’s On Penang
Bayan Lepas International Airport: 04-643 4411 Immigration Department: 04-261 5122 Penang Hill Railway: 04-829 9412 Penang Island Municipal Council: 04-262 4400 Penang Port: 04-263 1553 Consulates in Penang Australia [61] 1-C Hutton Lane, Phone:+60 4 2631114 Fax:+60 4 263-3320 publicaffairs-klpr@dfat. gov.au Germany Plot 205-206 Jalan Kampung Jawa Free Industrial Zone 3, Phone:+60 4 6415707 Indonesia [62] 467 Burma Road, Phone:+60 4 2274686 United Kingdom 3rd Floor, Standard Chartered Bank Chambers, 2 Beach Street, Phone:+60 4 2625333
Japan [63] Level 28, Menara BHL, 51 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Phone:+60 4 226-3030 Thailand 1 Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Phone:+60 4 226-8029 / 226-9484, thaipg@tm.net.my Visas: 9AM-noon, closed on Malay and Thai holidays. www.whatsonpenang.com
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What’s On Penang
Simpson Marine
L
aying on the beach, warm sun slowly drifting me off to sleep, my mind started to wander. There I was, parking the Ferrari at the quay-side, running down the steps and boarding my pristine, white motor yacht. Ah... the stuff dreams are made of.
But last week I had the chance to see this recurring dream of mine materialize before my very eyes. Well at least the pristine, white yacht part. The guys and girls from Simpson Marine were in town and they’d brought my pristine white motor yacht with them, such nice people! Simpson Marine was first established in Hong Kong in 1984. Today, the company has a wellestablished network of offices throughout Asia, with Simpson Marine offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia. Simpson Marine provides a wide range of yacht services throughout Asia and is the exclusive dealer for some of the world’s most respected yacht brands including Azimut, Beneteau, Lagoon, Nautor’s Swan and Sea Ray. Their key services include: New yacht sales, New yacht constructions, Second-hand yacht brokerage, International yacht charters, Yacht servicing and maintenance. New Yacht Sales Simpson Marine is the exclusive importer and distributor dealer across Asia for some of the world’s most respected yacht brands, 98
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including: Azimut, Beneteau, Lagoon, Nautor’s Swan and Sea Ray. Azimut Yachts: Azimut Yachts is a world leader in luxury yachts and is the best-selling range of Italian motor yachts in Asia. The Azimut-Benetti Group is world leader in the production of luxury The Azimut-Benetti Group today employs 2477 people directly, and has a worldwide network of dealers in 55 countries with 126 offices. www.azimutyachts.com Beneteau: Beneteau, the world’s largest sailboat builder, has been a leading French manufacturer for more than a century and is widely known for its cutting-edge design and robust construction. Beneteau has a comprehensive selection of sailing yachts and powerboats. The Group has 20 facilities in France and one in the USA, and employs 5,400 people. www.beneteau.com Lagoon: established in 1984, lagoon Yachts is the world’s leading builder of luxury catamarans. Today it forms part of the prestigious Bénéteau Group and specialises in sail and power catamarans, building more than 200 hulls a year. Lagoon catamarans are famous around the world for their modern style, long-distance cruising ability and spacious interiors. www.cata-lagoon.com Searay: Founded in 1959, Sea Ray is the world’s largest manufacturer of superior quality pleasure boats. Sea Ray is headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., and operates as part of the Boat Group division of Brunswick Corporation. With more than 40 models ranging from 17
Asia’s leading yacht dealership and brokerage since 1984
VERSILCRAFT 80 - Blue Dolphin of Sark
A GREAT VALUE SUPER YACHT - Arriving February 2012 The elegant and spacious Blue Dolphin is returning to Malaysia looking fabulous with her new paint and redesigned flybridge. Don’t miss this opportunity to visit her in Penang and Port Dickson.
LENGTH: BEAM : MAX DRAFT : ENGINE: ACCOMMODATION: BUILDER: YEAR/REFIT: LOCATION: ASKING PRICE:
For your exclusive viewing please contact: Simon Theseira +6012 297 1364 simon.theseira@simpsonmarine.com
79.8ft 19.8ft 5.11ft 2xDETROIT 1460 HP 4 cabins/sleeps 8 +2 crew cabins Versilcraft 1991/2009/2011 Thailand/Malaysia USD$1,200,000
w w w. s im pson m a ri n e. com HONG KONG
SINGAPORE
MALAYSIA
THAILAND
TAIWAN
CHINA
INDONESIA
PHILIPPINES
What’s On Penang
International Yacht Charter
to 61 feet, Sea Ray makes a boat for every lifestyle — each built with a unique commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and excellence throughout. Additional information about Sea Ray is available at www.searay.com. Swan: Nautor’s Swan with over 40 years of heritage, is a leader in the luxury sailing yacht market. It is globally recognised as the producer of exquisitely crafted yachts, capable of offering the perfect balance of style and performance. From 1998 Leonardo Ferragamo and a group of investors have controlled and managed Nautor’s Swan, continuing to push forward a whirlwind of innovations and changes that firmly place the Swan yachts at the forefront of the international sailing world. www.nautorswan.com New Yacht Construction With a history of over 25 years in new construction in Asian markets and nine regional sales/project management offices to date, Simpson Marine’s construction team, located in Taiwan, have the experience and awareness of regional business cultures to advise their customers on where to build, which designers to choose and how to achieve results.
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Simpson Marine specializes in yacht charter for private holidays and corporate events. Their experienced charter personnel will source the right charter yacht and personalise an itinerary or event to suit any requirements, from a cruise in the Mediterranean, an expedition to South America, or a private holiday in Southeast Asia. They are knowledgeable on the charter destinations around the world and have access to a wide range of displacement, planning, sailing and expedition yachts. Yacht Service & Maintenance Simpson Marine has a prominent service department and delivers comprehensive after-sales service and yacht maintenance for all their clients. They have Regional Service Centres in Hong Kong and Singapore which support and oversee local service staff in all their locations, undertaking any service, repair, warranty, maintenance and boat improvement work on yachts sold by Simpson Marine. Well if that has wetted your appetite for a little more luxury in your life then you need to book a date. A little later this year, on XXX, the Simpson Marine team will be returning to Straits Quay to take part in the XXX. On display will be a selection of luxury cars, boats and yachts, and on hand will be the Simpson Marine team to show you how you can turn your dream into reality. It’s all about rewarding yourself with the lifestyle you and your family deserve and I’m just going to sit back comfortably and drift back to my favourite recurring dream. Only this time I’m going to believe that dream may be just a little closer to becoming reality.
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Will & Estate Planning
W
ills are a legal declaration by the testator, names one or more persons to manage his estate and provides for the transfer of his properties at death. In short, a Will is the wishes of the testator to distribute and manage his
assets after death. Historically, a “will” has been limited to real properties while “testament” applies only to dispositions of personal properties and thus giving rise to the popular title of the document as “Last Will and Testament”. As for the modern approach, especially in the west, many people have already adopted estate planning as a better alternative in distributing their assets, the process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of an estate and to eliminate uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximize the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. In short, estate planning is a plan to protect and accumulate your assets and successfully distribute it according to your wishes. Even though a Will has been 102 www.whatsonpenang.com
around for many years but it has been dull and vulnerable. A Will can be contested based on forgery, undue influence and many more. Apart from that, the administration of estate can become very risky as well. In order to fight all these unwanted and unnecessary problems, estate planning basically provides a better coverage over the Will and the assets of the testator. Internally, an estate planner shall advice the testator on how do they accumulate their assets for distribution and provide protection over their hard earned assets. If the testator is unable to protect the assets, it will only render the Will frustrated and left nothing to be distributed. As for externally, an estate planner should advise the testator on who to appoint in a Will. Apparently, a Will is an instrument used after the death of the testator. Therefore, the executor is very important. A good executor can secure a smooth execution of estate. On the other hand, it can be time consuming and costly if an incompetent executor is appointed. Besides that, it can also lead to fraud if a dishonest executor is being appointed. An estate planner should be capable of writing a Will and at the same time consult on the problems surrounding your Will. The estate planner role is not limited to advice the testator in writing the Will itself but also provide sufficient
protection over the assets and the family members. The estate planner should always make sure that there are assets to be distributed, not leaving behind debts for the beneficiaries and take the beneficiaries situation into consideration. For example, can the beneficiaries support themselves or they are heavily dependent on the testator. In conclusion, an estate planner not only needs to know the distribution works, they also need to be able to advise the testator on the likelihood of the Will and most importantly, they need to take the testator’s situation into consideration and provides solution to his assets and family.
This article was kindly contributed by Flora Wong of Flora Wong Associates Sdn. Bhd. For more details on Flora please see her full bio on page 94
What’s On Penang
17, 18, 24, 25 & 31 March 2012 1 April 2012 10.30 am - 10.30 pm
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