Utusan: Light Cibles Malaysia

Published in Utusan on 5 June 2013:

The Star: LED Lights to brighten up KL – Light Cibles Malaysia

Published in The Star in June 2013:

New Straits Times: See Masjid Jamek in new light – Light Cibles Malaysia

Published in New Straits Times on 7 June 2013:

New Straits Times: Brightening up the City – Light Cibles Malaysia

Published in New Straits Times on 10 June 2013:

Borneo Beckons

Published in The Peak, December 2012 (Click on images to read the article).

French Art & Film Festival 2012

French Art & Film Festival 2012 kicks off 23 May – 23 June in Kuala Lumpur, 6-13 June in Penang. As Royal Patron of the French Art & Film Festival (FAFF) this year, I’m delighted to present to you great French film screenings at GSC Pavilion, Mid Valley, 1Utama as well as other musical and artistic performances. Here are the trailers of the French films showing (subtitled in English):

Les Intouchables (The Untouchables) :

Genre: Comedy. One of the greatest blockbusters in French film history with $240 million domestic gross and definitely a favourite of mine. Don’t miss this film as there are only 2 screenings in KL!

Synopsis: The wild cinematic success based on a true story of two men who should never have met –After a paragliding accident, Philippe, a rich aristocrat, hires Driss, a young guy from the projects recently released from prison to be his care-giver… In other words, the person least suited for the job. Together they will blend Vivaldi and Earth, Wind and Fire, elegant diction and street jive, suits and sweatpants…Two worlds are going to collide and come to terms with each other to give birth to a friendship as crazy, comical and strong as it is unexpected, a unique relationship that will create sparks and make them…Untouchable.

Les Femmes du 6ème étage (Service Entrance) : 

Genre: comedy. I loved this heart-warming film.

Synopsis: In 1960s Paris, the life of a conservative couple are turned upside down by two Spanish maids. Jean Louis Joubert, a scrupulous foreign exchange broker and an uptight man discovers of a full band of Spanish maids living on the 6th floor of his wealthy residential building. Maria, the maid who’s working for him makes him discover a totally new and exuberant world fully different of his strict world. Stirred by those punchy women, he begins to give up his annoying life to experience for the first time, the happiness and joy from a simple life. But can we really change our life at 45?

Les émotifs Anonymes (Romantics Anonymous) : 

Genre: Comedy/ Romance. Looking forward to this one.

Synopsis: What happens when a man and a woman share a common passion? What occurs when a highly emotional man meets a highly emotional woman? They fall in love. And this is what happens to Jean-René, the boss of a small chocolate factory, and Angélique, a gifted chocolate maker he has just hired. Both share the same passion and handicap but being pathologically timid does not make things easy for them. So whether they will manage to get together, join their solitudes and live happily ever after is a guessing matter.

Une Vie De Chat (A Cat in Paris) : 

Genre: animated feature film.

Synopsis: Dino is a cat that leads a double life. By day, he lives with Zoé, a little girl whose mother, Jeanne, is a police officer. By night, he works with Nico, a burglar with a big heart. Zoé has plunged herself into silence following her father’s murder at the hands of gangster Costa. One day, Dino the cat brings Zoé a very valuable bracelet. Lucas, Jeanne’s second-in-command, notices that the bracelet is part of a jewelry collection that has been stolen. One night, Zoé decides to follow Dino. On the way, she overhears some gangsters and discovers that her nanny is part of the gangsters’ team

Liberté (Korkoro) :

Genre: Drama.

Synopsis: A Gypsy family travels the French roads during the Second World War, followed by Little Claude, a young boy seeking a new family after his parents “left and never returned”. Upon reaching a town where they traditionally stop for a few months and work in vineyards, they learn that a new law forbids them from being nomadic. Theodore, the town’s mayor, and Miss Lundi, the schoolteacher, protect and help the Gypsies. Despite this, they are arrested and placed in an internment camp. Theodore manages to rescue them and gives them a piece of property where they must settle. But the Gypsies’ deep thirst for freedom makes this sedentary lifestyle difficult to bear. After Theodore and Miss Lundi were arrested for resistance, the Gypsies decide they must get back on the move in order to remain free.

Le Père de Mes Enfants (Father of my Children) :

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: At one side, Grégoire, a movie producer of great charm, owner of Moon Films, struggles to feed his family: two young daughters, and  wife while keeping his studio going when one project hemorrhages money.. In aide of her husband, Sylvia, his Italian wife, tries to hold the family together as she looks fully into Moon Films’ troubles. She meets with a banker, a temperamental Swede, Russian TV magnates, a film lab exec, and Moon’s lawyer. At the same time, Clémence, their oldest daughter, goes on her own search. How does a family pick up the pieces when debt crushes them?

To know more on cinema screening times please visit FAFF website: FAFF Cinema Schedule

Other exciting activities for FAFF include: music, circus, theatre, book launch, French market and more… Visit FAFF .  Organized by Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur (AFKL) Alliance Francaise de Kuala Lumpur.

PZ.

Pangkor Laut Resort

We recently had a wonderful weekend getaway to YTL’s Pangkor Laut Resort located on the West Coast of Malaysia. With a seriously impressive list of awards and accolades to its name such as Best Spa Resort (Winner) CNNGo! 2011; Best Luxury Destination Spa  World Luxury Hotel Awards, 2011; Best Hotel voted by SLH Club Members Small Luxury Hotels of The World, 2009 – it’s no surprise to you that we often recommend this hotel to our friends overseas.

Pangkor Laut Resort is located on the privately owned island of Pangkor Laut off the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, it is a tropical isle with rocky outcrops and white sandy beaches fringed by a beautiful rain forest. We recommend the Spa Villa with your private water chalet and balcony. We spotted all sorts of wildlife from giant monitor lizards to hornbills on the resort. Great dining facilities and our faves were Fisherman’s Cove and Uncle Lim’s Kitchen for dinner and lunch at Royal bay Beach Club. Of course we also visited the Spa Village which is world renowned doing their signature Bath House ritual.  See why we loved it so much! It’s the ideal romantic retreat.

Light Cibles Malaysia – The Star

Published in The Star 17 January 2012:

(double click image to read article)

Company’s gift boxes offer fine experiences for loved ones

Published in The Star (Metro): Saturday 3 December 2011

ORIGINALO has just launched five new gifts categories in time for Christmas — Adrenalin, Delicious Dining, Luxury Dining, For Her and For Him.

Originalo gifts offer an easy solution to getting the ideal gift for family and friends that will have them screaming with delight.

Do not know what to get this holiday season?

Originalo has the perfect answer with its new additions: For Her (RM200) a gift-box set for women with style; For Him (RM200) a gift box set for men with attitude.

These multi-thematic gift box sets allow your recipient to choose from 12 amazing lifestyle experiences ranging from spa treatments, dining and action. How perfect is that?

Wide range: Tengku Zatashah and Aubry Rahim want to give people the option of giving the best gift with Originalo.

Know a thrill-seeker?

Then offer Adrenalin (RM200), which entitles one, two or more people to a choice of 12 exciting action-packed experiences on water, in the air or on the ground – from shark cage diving, hip hop dancing, martial arts, paintball, flying in a Cessna plane to indoor golf. the choice is yours!

Know a foodie?

Then offer Delicious Dining (RM199), which entitles two people to a choice of 12 delicious restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, or Luxury Dining (RM299), which entitles two people to a choice of 12 fine-dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur.

Know of someone in need of a little pampering?

Then offer Spa Beauty (RM180), which entitles one person to a fabulous choice of 25 amazing spa treatments; Spa Massage (RM250), which entitles one person to a choice of 23 spa massages; or Luxury Spa (RM350), which entitles one person to a choice of 31 high-end luxury spas.

For a jetsetter, offer Ultimate Escape (RM550), which entitles two people to a fabulous weekend escape across Malaysia to destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Cherating, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Malacca, Ipoh, Tioman, and Port Dickson.

The concept is simple to use: inside each Originalo gift box is a booklet and a voucher. All you have to do is select one of the experiences from the booklet.Then book directly with the experience provider and present the voucher at the venue.

“The beauty of this gift is that whatever gift you choose, they are guaranteed to make your Christmas brighter and more special because we have carefully selected only the best for our customers,” said Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the driving force behind the company.

Her husband Aubry Rahim Mennesson added: “It is really targeted at those who appreciate the fine things in life and this is a more elegant way to say you care.”

Originalo positions itself as a “provider of next-generation lifestyle gifts” with prices starting from RM180.

The gifts are available from the website www.originalo.com.my and at selected Borders bookstores (The Gardens Mall, Bangsar Village II, and The Curve).

To discover more about Originalo gifts, go to www.originalo.com.my

Tatler

Published in Tatler Malaysia, August 2011: