We so happened to be at the right place at the right time as The Body Shop is currently having MASSIVE SALE up to 70%store wide, except for some selected range of products.
The Body Shop is one of the best places where females and males get to indulge in their awesome skin care products and The Body Shop is serious about making our world a better place by ensuring that all of their products are environmentally friendly, all the way down to their receipt which is made out of recycled paper.
Obviously, we did not exit from the shop empty handed. Taking full advantage of the situation, we bought a bottle of shower gel, a bottle of body lotion and a stick of lip balm.
The Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel at RM24.50after a 30% discount off RM35
The Body Shop has been buying organic honey from their Community Trade partner, North Western Bee Products, in Zambia since 1991. It’s one of the few honeys sold on the world market that is harvested from wild bees. The beekeepers provide living spaces for the wild bees by building cylindrical hives from tree bark, which are hung high in the trees. This traditional method allows the 6,000 beekeepers to grow their trade using natural materials that are freely available in their local environment. And don’t worry about the bees; a strong colony produces two or three times more honey than it needs.
We Love...the smell of this shower above all the other shower gels they had to offer. The first time we ever bought this was when this product was on sale as well, so we gave it a try. After that, there was no turning back. The Organic Honey which is one of the main ingredients, moisturizes and helps condition the skin. This is the best shower gel we would recommend if you were to go on a holiday because even if the weather is cold or hot, this baby will give your skin everything it needs.
The Body Shop's Japanese Cherry Blossom Puree Body Lotion at RM49.50after a 10% discount off RM55.
The exotic and delicate cherry blossom flower has a beautiful, light, pretty floral fragrance. The deliciously decadent yet romantic fragrance used across this range has top notes of Fuji apple, Chinese magnolia and osmanthus flower, mingling with middle notes of star jasmine, Japanese cherry blossom and Japanese persimmon, and base notes of sandalwood, hinoki wood and fruity musk, combining to create the perfect floral fusion to delight the senses. Japanese Cherry Blossom products also include a rich assortment of natural Community Trade ingredients, which means that not only will you get the very best benefits for your skin, a community will benefit in the process.
We Love..the way it feels so soft on our skin, as the smell of cherry blossom literally lightens our mood and leaves our body with a refreshing scent. Besides smelling good, as mentioned above, this product by The Body Shop has all the raw ingredients from nature at its best and this gives our skin the vitamins it needs, especially during this time of the year when our weather is hot and dry.
The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick at RM17.10after a 10% discount off RM19.
Experiencing dehydrated lips? This was recommended by one of the promoters at The Body Shop as a cure for cracked and dry lips. The ingredient of Cocoa Butter is an excellent moisturizer that melts at body temperature, leaving the skin feeling soft and silky smooth. True to what the promoter described it to be, it is a handy mini stick that offers extra-intensive melt-on moisture for the lips, thanks to its innovative concentrated format. Melts and glides over skin as you apply, leaving it feeling soft, smooth and supple.
Hong Kong style cafe's with their weirdly named drinks and Chinese music getting annoying? Want some food better than Mamak stall food? Want to grab a cold bottle of cheaper than usual beer?
Well if you stay in Kuchai Lama then you probably know the place we're talking about that could be a solution. If you stay anywhere along Old Klang Road and don't know about this place yet, then here's a suggestion...
Head on to HAPPY CAFE!
With its tagline being "Your happy, happy place" it really does prove to be an ideal chill out cafe serving great food and cheap beer which is in no way adulterated! Basically you get great food ranging from Chinese to Western, a good variety of Beers, in a nice Al-Fresco environment, all at Coffee Shop prices!
Butter Sauce Chicken Rice RM6.90
Some items from their menu which we consider highlights include their Grilled Lamb Chops, Grilled Dory Fish, Butter Sauce Rice, Mongolia Sauce Rice, and White Sauce Rice just to name a few. All between the prices of RM6.90 to RM14! *tip: Order any item from their western menu before 9pm and you'll get free mushroom soup!
As mentioned earlier, good food isn't the only thing. Their beverages are awesome as well and their famous for being a place for cheap beer minus the crappy atmosphere of a coffee shop. (when we say cheap we mean around RM1 or RM2 less than other locations) Buckets from RM30 Bottles from RM8.10 There's even Kampai available, selling at RM8.70!
Don't expect too much from their service though. However there are 2 exceptionally helpful waiters there!
If you've been there before, do leave a comment and say what you need to say!
When Dan Brown's masterpieces "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons"were available on bookshelves some years ago, it created a controversy that very few books have managed to achieve... a form of controversy which further boosted the 2 novel's appeal and value. So compelling was it's story, that Christians around the world opposed it eventhough probably having read it for themselves! And even after author Dan Brown publically announced that it was all fictional, shockwaves could still be felt around the world. Till today, it is definitely recognized as one of the most brilliant pieces of modern literature ever written.
Recently, a film of the latter title was released as a sequel to the first 2006 Da Vinci Code film. (which we honestly felt was a letdown.) As it was Directed by Ron Howard, who was also behind the Da Vinci Code, you would expect that this 2nd movie be better than the first. Fortunately, it was... although only just.
Originally, the Angels & Demons story was written in a time frame prior to the Da Vinci Code occurences. However, the movie plot written by screenwriter Akiva Goldsman doesn't stay true to the original story. That prospect alone would put question marks on fans of Dan Browns novels. Not a good start.
The movie picks up from where Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) left off in The Da Vinci Code, having already built a reputation for himself as a "symbologist". In a nutshell, it's about a secret organization known as the Illuminati, trying to have their revenge on Christianity. This revenge comes in the form of causing all sorts of havoc in the Vatican city fusing technology and religion. Robert Landgon then comes in to save the day using his immense (sometimes unbelievable) historical religious knowledge to solve clues and puzzles (relatively easily) that ultimately lead to him helping to save the day.
The movie lacks depth as with the Da Vinci Code film: Situations seemed to be solved extremely easily, it lacked a "darkness" that the 2 novels originally had, and it just did not live up to what you would usually expect from a Tom Hanks movie. If anything, it felt like "National Treasure" (the one with Nicholas Cage) just on a more serious note. If the movie were summed up in 1 word, it would be PREDICTABLE, although there are some minor twists. (which were also quite predictable).
On the brightside... the cinematography is excellent, the filming locations are very picturesque, there's quite a bit of humour, and to a certain extent, it's a wee bit more "edge-of-your-seat" stuff as compared to the Da Vinci code. There's also some impressively good use of CGI and special effects, specifically refering to a certain explosion at the end of the movie which was nothing short of spectacular. But that's about it.
There's always a risk of not living up to expectations when making movies based on existing novels, comics, stories etc. Plainly because there is an expectation to live up to. Unfortunately, Angels & Demons rates as a mediochre interpretation of the novel at best. Perhaps if you view the movie as having nothing to do with the novel, then maybe you could credit it for the brilliant story entailing the illuminati, the Vatican's secrets and the fall of Christianity etc... But in reality, the novel is the one which stakes that claim, which then leaves the movie with really nothing much going for it.
Lying approximately 20km off the northeast coast of Terengganu, Pulau Perhentian consists of 2 islands (Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil) and is a haven for beach lovers who return regularly to enjoy its soft sandy beaches and laid back lifestyle.
The island has seen rapid development over the years with numerous resorts nestled among lush greenery all around the island. And although some of these resorts do lack in creating a sense of “paradise” for visitors, there are a handful which stand out from the rest, Tuna Bay being one such example.
The Tuna Bay Island Resort is located on the south west coast of Pulau Perhentian Besar and shares a stretch of beach with Mama Place, New Cocohut, ABC Chalet and Abdul Chalet (All of which are budget resorts). As congested as it may sound, Tuna Bay’s beach front still remains relatively private and the mentioned resorts surrounding Tuna Bay only accommodate a limited amount of visitors at any one time. Based on our experience, Tuna Bay probably stands above pretty much every resort around the 2 islands, even compared to the more expensive Perhentian Island Resort (However, Perhentian Island Resort does arguably have the nicest private stretch of beach in Pulau Perhentian)
With rooms from RM220 onwards or with various packages as an option, a stay with Tuna Bay is reasonably easy on the wallet as well. Ours was a 4 days, 3 night package which included boat transport services to and from the island, 4 meals a day, and 2 snorkeling trips. All within the region of RM800 per person including transport to the jetty.
The Tuna Bay experience begins the moment you set foot off the boat. Your arrival is greeted with warm smiles from the friendly staff and a nice cool welcome drink.
The footprints in the sand leading to the resort entrance urge you to follow them and walk up the steps leading to the reception area, where the warm wooden architecture provides a welcome shade. You walk in, sip on your welcome drink, turn around and then realize the breathtaking view of the South China Sea from the resort. You smile to yourself. Euphoria then starts to set in as the clear blue water shimmers under the sun light, the sound of gentle waves that wash corals and sea shells onto the soft bed of sand where deckchairs and umbrellas call out to you, inviting you to get a glass of Orange Juice, lay back and just chill out. And then it hits you… that you have just set foot in paradise.
The cemented walkways leading to the chalets are intertwined, lined with sand and plants, with coconut trees that shade you as you slowly look for the chalet entrance with a room number to match the one on the wooden piece attached to the key you’re holding.
The key opens a sliding glass door, shaded by thick curtains on the inside which although do maintain privacy, really do not provide much sense of security. Fortunately, it isn’t something that plays on your mind too much.
The rooms are nicely sized, clean and exceptionally well kept, the bed has a nice premium touch reminiscent of more expensive hotels, the wooden flooring is solid and easy on the feet and everything works together to provide a nice sense of coziness. You basically get everything you’ll ever need in a room for a genuine island getaway. Unfortunately the rooms have rather thin walls so it’s best to hope that your neighbours don’t get too noisy for whatever the reason and the bathrooms are just average with room for improvement.
Fortunately, island getaways involve you spending more time on the beach than in the room, and that’s what exactly you should be doing.
The mid day sun does get slightly intense and is ideal for those looking for a good tan, but if you’re not a sun lover, then the trees and umbrellas will provide a welcome shade with deckchairs to kick back and relax on that are well made and in abundance.
Walking by the beach is no doubt relaxing as well, but the waves wash small corals and shells ashore which might be a little rough on the feet, depending on which part of the beach you walk on.
If for some reason you get tired of lazing on the beach (like that’s gonna happen), snorkeling is of course a highlight in Pulau Perhentian. And Tuna Bay has a good stretch of corals within 20m from the beach! If you’ve never hand fed a fish before, then make sure to bring some bread as you’ll find the fish that consider this stretch of corals home aren’t shy when it comes to getting close to humans for food!
There’s also a host of island hopping, jungle trekking, snorkeling and diving trips that can be comprehensively arranged at the in-house recreation centre.
These snorkeling trips bring you to some really good spots around the 2 islands, whiles the diving sites in Pulau Perhentian are among the best in the world. There are also some other dive centres flanking the resort which provide such services.
* Always be cautious when catching a public water taxi or accepting boat trips run by the locals, always ask the resorts’ advice when taking up such offers.
As mentioned earlier, the package we took up included 4 meals a day, and these 4 meals were absolutely fantastic!
Breakfast is served ala buffet, lunch includes 3 dishes with rice, local snacks and coffee/tea are served in the evening, and yet another 3-4 dish meals with rice including everything from fresh steamed fish, to fried calamari, to curry chicken are served for dinner. And yes, these meals are REALLY GOOD and worth looking forward to after a day on the beach. If that’s not enough then there’s a barbecue and grill section open during dinner time with a host of sumptuous items on the menu to spoil you for choice. An Ala carte menu is also available throughout the day so at Tuna Bay, you’ll never get hungry.
Tuna Bay’s aura of Paradise is even more evident at night.
Dining tables are lit with candle lights and the Tuna café area is lit up with a warm orange glow. The South China Sea is now dark and sits under a blanket of stars, making it a very, very nice place to be. And if you think that there’s nothing like a good cocktail by the beach, head on over to the Tuna Club.
With its wide range of beverages and cocktails mixed exceptionally and consistently well by an experienced barman, the Tuna Club is the perfect place to relax and socialize with fellow guests. There’s even Satellite TV available so you can catch your favourite sporting action, whiles sipping on a Pina Colada, by the beach!
Not something you get to do everyday!
If you want to take a night walk on the beach, there’s a jetty within walking distance which is accessible even at night and is apparently a good place to spot different varieties of marine life, even squids!
We managed to spot some interesting looking fish and crabs, but had no luck looking for squids.
As nice as it may sound, we have to admit that reality does take a few bites and there are certain aspects which might prove to be annoying to some:
1) The official check-in time at 2pm doesn’t work too well with the boat transfer schedules from the mainland jetty to the island. Depending on your luck (and resort occupancy), you might have to do quite a bit of waiting before you actually get the keys to your room.
2) The bus services to the jetty on the mainland are absolutely out of sync with the boat schedules and involve a lot of waiting.
3) The deckchairs on the beach are sometimes insufficient during peak occupancy periods.
4) Some rooms are located near the generator towards the rear of the resort which does make a notable amount of noise.
5) Electricity is turned off and on again in the afternoon for power saving purposes. So if you’ve left your air-cond turned on during lunch, you’ll probably return to find it turned off. However it is one of the few resorts which provides 24 hours of electricity.
Currently, Pulau Perhenetian still remains relatively free from the clutches of commercialization and retains its more “natural” charm as compared to some of the more developed islands in Malaysia. Tuna Bay also seems to have successfully adhered to that persona, offering a very simple yet relaxing experience at very attractive prices, as opposed to 5-Star luxury beach hotels which to a certain extent, defeat the purpose of an island getaway. But of course there are even better resorts with even nicer beaches… However, considering the price range, very few come close to what Tuna Bay has to offer.
As with everything, it all comes down to individual preferences. And if you want a memorable, intimate island holiday without having to come back and face the reality of a significantly empty bank account, then Tuna Bay fits the bill perfectly.
Their website provides a fantastic feel of what to expect on your potential holiday there. Head on to www.tunabay.com.my to see what we mean and to find everything you’ll need to know if our review has convinced you to start planning a trip there!
It’s not often that you hear about a bazaar featuring almost 100 shops, but at ASD’s Birthday Bash, those figures almost became a reality although just slightly shy of that planned century mark. But what a bazaar it was.
If one were to write a text book on “how to organize a bazaar for blogshops”, then the ASD Birthday Bash would be a fine example. The 8000 sq ft venue was nicely laid out, there was a nice variety of vendors, the air-conditioning worked perfectly and was a “cool” welcome from the scorching mid-day heat, there were clean restrooms disguised as changing rooms for all, and everyone seemed to have smiles on their faces. The atmosphere was just really good.
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As we made our way to the entrance, we were greeted by a warm “hello” followed up by a big smile from Yien Yee, who so happens to be the lead organizer of the event, and the brains behind ASD. Upon registering, we received our freebies which came in a white eco-friendly bag from Clinique. Unfortunately for us, we came slightly late and most of the freebies had run out! So we had to settle with 1 Clinique freebie pack which didn’t seem to do justice to the very big bag it came in. Small problem!
After our short conversation with the organizer, we decided to start doing what we came here for… SHOPPING!
We were pretty much spoilt for choice with the ocean of vendors who were out in force, with familiar names like Soak Republic, Bunny Noo, Soul Chic, Lush Serendipity and Oh! Popsicles just to name a few, all scattered in a reasonably easy to navigate square. There was sufficient space between shops for 2 lanes to walk comfortably back and forth so we didn’t have to worry too much about obstructing traffic whiles we feasted our eyes on the “oh-my-god-that’s-so-nice” pieces of clothing and accessories adorning each booth. We took our first stroll around greeted by many familiar faces, and some not so familiar faces as well.
We’re happy to report that we found a major highlight of the ASD Birthday Bash, a little thing called “Shugacrush”. Owned by a girl who took advantage of the blogshop hype to sell her seriously awesome home made cakes and cupcakes! Their Chocolate Cheesecake is an absolute MUST TRY if you get the opportunity to. We liked it too much that we had a slice of it for lunch!
We licked our lips after that amazing “piece-of-cake” and continued our stroll. After a few rounds, and after a eyeing it several times, we couldn’t resist buying the famous studded belt which was such a big hit online from Bunny Noo. Pearl, the very cute and bubbly owner, gave us a great deal for it that left a smile on our faces for the rest of the afternoon. =)
Unfortunately even after 2 hours of meticulously looking for more nice stuff, the belt was all we ended up buying. Not that the variety wasn’t excellent, but the other pieces which caught our attention didn’t seem to like us very much when we tried them on =(
We called it a day at around 4pm, said our goodbyes and left the building, concluding that the ASD Birthday Bash wasn’t as “special” bazaar as it was a very “comprehensive” one, and we mean that in a good way. Because unlike many bazaars on the streets today, there really was absolutely nothing to complain about during our whole visit there… It definitely covered all the basic requirements of a successful bazaar. No more, but most definitely no less. Perhaps it could have done with some ambient music to give it a nicer, more exclusive atmosphere?
But all said and done, the ASD Birthday Bash yet again stamps ASD’s reliability as a bazaar organizer, one which you can expect a positive experience every time.
Reviewing a movie based on a comic, video game, or animation is almost always going to receive different receptions, depending on which category of viewer you’re from. And it’s going to be all the more subjective when that particular movie is just one part of a bigger script, be it a sequel or a prequel. X-Men origins: Wolverine, is one such movie, so to be safe, let’s look at it from a few point of views. (Don’t worry… no spoilers are in this review if you haven’t already watched it…. Oh but Wade Wilson dies ;P…)
If you’re a regular movie-goer, X-Men origins: Wolverine is bang on as a “cure for your action flick” itch. It’s got everything from short war scenes, epic fight sequences, mega explosions, super cool abilities, slicing and dicing and so on. But it’s not short on substance either. The storyline depth isn’t Lord Of The Rings-ish, but the way it’s all been put together and directed (With Hugh Jackman playing a big role behind the camera) puts it up there with, although slightly short of, the new Batman movies.
In a nutshell, as the title suggests, this movie is about Wolverine, where he came from, his childhood, his years in many epic wars, his relationship with Sabretooth, his love life and everything that leads up to where the 1st X-Men movie left off. Even if you’ve never watched the previously released X-Men trilogy, you won’t be left clueless as to who’s who and what’s what. The producers haven’t relied on individual viewer’s knowledge of the X-Men to explain the characters featured in the movie. Most of the significant characters have at least a small introduction. (This movie is mainly about Wolverine anyway so don’t expect Gambit’s whole life story). So don’t worry, the characters aren’t as confusing to follow as the ones in Star Wars.
From an average X-Men comic and movie fan’s point of view, there’s a 50% chance that you may try to piece X-Men Origins with the first X-Men movie and find that some parts are questionable, but you’ll probably only realize this after watching the first X-Men movie again. Fortunately, that’s the only thing to raise your eyebrows about because the rest of the show really is all good. Each character’s ability in the movie are displayed in really cool visual styles, from the way Agent Zero the expert marksman fires and reloads his superbly accurate guns, to the way Wade Wilson the mercenary wields his sword.
Although not staying 100% true to the X-Men comics, the movie certainly has enough going for it for fans to look past that aspect. Besides, Wolverine wouldn’t look at all cool in a Yellow Tight Suit now would he?
Hardcore X-Men fans on the other hand might not be so easily convinced with the movies skewed approach from the original X-Men materials. Although inaccurate costumes are excusable, the characters backgrounds and abilities remain highly questionable. Some examples: -Agent Zero wasn’t originally an Asian but was from East Germany. He was also known as Maverick and had more abilities than just being a sharpshooter - Adamantium was never from a meteorite, it was instead scientifically created - Kayla Silverfox, who is supposed to have the ability of artificially healing herself, only has the ability to control minds in the movie. In the original X-Men, she is not related to Emma Frost.
It may sound minor, but it does affect the whole authenticity of the X-Men movie franchise slightly.
The hype generated prior to its release would have slightly overshadowed the actual show itself, which would mean it definitely will have a big opening impact on the big screens, but won’t be of much word of mouth buzz. It will probably just be seen as another “good” movie after a month or so, nothing more… nothing memorable. However, fictional shows such as these should never be put under a microscope. And as long as it’s not watched with too much critical comparisons to the original X-Men series, it’s definitely worth the ticket price.
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