Malaysia fest darling harbour

Courtesy of Shaheera Djafar.

Malaysia Fest 2008 poised to impress

SYDNEY – One of Malaysia’s biggest events held annually at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour Sydney is once again poised to impress the public with its various cultural shows and a multitude of exotic food guaranteed to impress even the most discerning taste bud.

Known as M-Fest, the Malaysian Festival has been traditionally celebrated in Tumbalong Park, Darling harbour for the past 18 years. Through the years, the event has grown in its popularity and is known to the locals and tourists alike as an occasion filled with Malaysia’s splendid show of arts, cultures and magnificent food.

The festival will be held on Sunday, August 31st at Tumbalong Park, which coincides with Malaysia’s 51st Independence Day and would run from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Admission to the event is free and everyone is welcome.

The theme for 2008 M-Fest this year is aptly named “A Cultural Connection”. The theme represents and highlights the strong foundation of various interconnected cultures upon which the nation was built.

Taking pride of place is the array of Malaysian food which visitors would be able to sample, including staples such as satay, ‘teh tarik’ (whipped milk tea), and ‘roti canai’. Malaysian cuisine is a blend of various ethnic elements, such as the Malay-style ‘kampung’ cooking interspersed with aromatic Chinese and spicy Indian influences.

Visitors will also be entertained by various cultural shows, incorporating both traditional and contemporary Malaysian music and dance.

MFest is a wholly student-run event by enthusiastic Malaysian students from various local institutions such as the University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Technology Sydney, and Macquarie University.

“We’re keen on displaying our resourcefulness,” remarked the Chief Executive Producer, Zurairi Abd Rahman. “We’ve proven that, despite being students, we’re capable of successfully organising an event of such massive scale as this and that’s something to be proud of. We have been very fortunate to receive great support from various Malaysian departments based here and other corporate organisations in making the event a truly remarkable showcase of Malaysian cultures. ”

Malaysia Fest is proudly brought to you by Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Student Magazines and Student Services Direct.

Admission to the event is FREE, and further details may be obtained from www.malaysiafest.com.au

*Courtesy of Shaheera Djafar.

Meeting online personalities in good faith

“We also forget that many of the current cultural practices of the Malays have been adopted or influenced by other cultures, and not necessarily Islamic ones at that. For example, Farish Noor, in his book From Majapahit to Putrajaya describes how the notion of derhaka (treason against the ruler) was ‘taken from the discourse of Hinduism and the Sanskrit language’. I’m sure we can list many other examples, if we sit down and think over a cup of teh tarik.”
-Page 31, In Good Faith

For the moment:
N/A-Massive Attack, Bjork, Tricky & Portishead

I am now reading Zaid Ibrahim’s In Good Faith*. Last night I had dinner with two online powerhouse personalities.

*My take on what Marina Mahathir said about the book.

Food blogger Lyrical Lemongrass who runs 4 digit a day traffic A Whiff of Lemongrass and Riz Ainuddin who works very closely with Fried Chillies TV, which generates 1.5million hits per week.

There’s a possibility that all three of us will document, one way or another, the outing. What I should note is that, despite the age difference between the three of us, we got along fairly dandy, extending beyond the one thing we definitely, initially have in common.

LL admitted her addiction without guilt. And accused me and Riz of being holier than thou when we concurred each other that while we all spend a significant amount of time on the ‘keyboard attached flat panel idiot box’, its an abuse we try to curb.

Addicts are, usually in denial.

LL suggested that I should pick up a book. I told her I have over 3 new books and 4 second hand books in my room unread. I explained, I do this because it gives visitors to my room that I am an intellectual well read person, without me having to say anything to them.

That was sarcasm. If you didn’t get it, go read a book.

At 4.41 pm today. I did. I suppose because of the circus of the Malaysian Judiciary at this moment and me neglecting domestic literature for a sometime now due to my anglophile nature, I picked Zaid’s book.

Whenever I have a random thought, whether for private use or in view to be documented here in randomalphabets, I type it out and save it in my phone as Drafts. Moments ago when I got to page 31, I paused and reach for my phone. As a hiatus can at times be a brief moment of reflection, I found myself saying,

Fcking amazing book.

I was about to continue with the book until I overheard two tame pre-teen female monkeys engaging in yet, another argument in my sisters room. As a responsible homo sapien, I went over on site to mediate the matter, only to find out there was a difference of opinion between the two mammals as to the best strategic approach to put on bed sheets and quilt covers.

Italiannies

“Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he’s buying.”

-Fran Lebowitz

For the moment:

Selfish-Slum Village f/ Kanye West

Today I had a late lunch at Italiannies in One Utama. Here’s my marinara on their pasta.

The Curve 7728 1715
One Utama 7727 1399

This is a place you must go with a 3 pax minimum. I personally think, it should be 5. They started out like that. However, not known to many, lately they do take orders for a smaller (1 head) portion. That said, most of their dishes are meant to be served at the centre of the table and each patron will be given a smaller plate of their own.

With regards to the nature of the restaurant, they are similar to the Chilis and are in fact a brother/sister restaurant chain to TGIF.

They tried to make the place look somewhat quaint. I think it’s alright. They didn’t succeed miserably. I say that because it’s the exact same look with their other outlet, and I presume any upcoming outlet.

While waiting for your order, you will be served two types of their home made bread with olive oil & vinegar. This I must give credit. If there’s 4 of you, they will give 8. If there’s 3, they will give you 6. It’s on the house.

Known for a number of things. From the top of my head, Stuffed Mushrooms and Fettucini Carbonara. These are two things I have almost without fail. But today I learned that it is best to not order these two together, especially if you don’t have a sizable entourage to share the order. Both has cream and cheese as a base, which can be over the top if consumed back to back.

In isolation, the Carbonara is known to be creamy and the smoked beef bacon is smoked beef bacon. You can even smell it. Kudos.

I won’t go too far by saying this is an expensive place. Each eatery has their own prices according to what they provide. A restaurant like this provides you the ambiance, service, food etc. So I was somewhat disappointed when my appetizer arrived at least 3 minutes after my main course. I was there with my 2 pre-teen sisters. That was all that we ordered. It’s not complicated. But I must point this out, when I asked (reminded) them about the Stuffed Mushrooms, another waiter told me it was coming, indicating that ‘yea, all is in order, I don’t see anything wrong here.’

I don’t blame him. I blame a greedy boss for wanting of more profit, and a negligent management for poorly training their staff.

*1 Small Stuffed Mushrooms (8 mushrooms) + 1 person portion Fettucini Carbonara + 2 Ice Lemon Tea + warm water = RM54.

They only have 5 desserts to offer. Which is in a way good to limit the choices. But as a Muslim, I am disappointed to see 2 of them, had liqueur. But I’m sure it tastes brilliant. For this bit, I’ve never heard any complaints.

I’ve been to this place many times in the past but today I would say, is the first time they had a hiccup with me. Honey Star, whom I have to thank for some of the pictures, seem to have good reviews about the place. But Fione didn’t have nice things to say.

Her bill tallied to RM57.96. But the total amount showed RM58. She was upset not for being ‘conned’ 4 cents, but for not being informed of the ‘miscalculation’. Rational Thinker left a comment on her page explaining that’s the Swedish Rounding Up System, and is common elsewhere.

I guess the world loves Ikea that much.

Restaurants and concerts

“To know one life has breathed easier, that is to have lived.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

For the moment:

Naughty Eye-Timbaland

In the past week, I went to two of those increasingly popular semi-pseudo-glamorous restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Palate Pallate and Basil Leaf.

Before that, today marks the final day of the MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) Exhibition. It ran for 3 weeks. Each weekend, on the side of the exhibition there would be music performances (hiphop, jazz, rock), among other things. Me and my friend got hired to be the MC for the 3 weekends. Pictures, should come soon.

*click on link*

 

*Palate Pallate*

Jalan Mesui. Next to No Black Tie. Behind Hotel Istana. One of those colonial terrace house turned into a restaurant.

A friend of mine threw a surprise birthday party for our friend. She reserved the whole of the second flood, which is very suitable to organize something private. Food was buffet.

Downstairs, you can seat inside or outside. The hedge will provide you with the privacy from the passing cars. Coincidentally, I had two different groups of friends sitting downstairs, one inside and outside. Judging from the food I had upstairs, and the word of my friends seated downstairs, the food here is just average. Just plain average.

That said, they did have a brilliant decor. It’s very contemporary art ish. Reminds me of the Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven. Though I wish that they would have focus more specifically on the theme, and not just simply having artwork on the walls.

You must have a look at the ‘Peacock’ upstairs. Just climb the spiral steps and you will see it. Amazing.

 

*Basil Leaf*

Thai and Indochinese. The food was either above average or brilliant. I had the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice. Some of the dishes can be mad spicy.

The decor is amazing. It’s fantastic that they didn’t over maximize the space they had. I say this because they still have quite an unoccupied sizable garden.

It is somewhat pricey but not too over the top. I had very little food on my place and paused to talk to a friend. I had my fork at 7 o’clock and my spoon at 5 o’clock. Half of the table was done eating and waiters came to clear the table gradually. They took away my plate. I felt like saying something but was not in the mood because I was already full. Anyway, point being here is that such a hiccup by a waiter would be excusable at an average restaurant. But not at a restaurant where the average bill per head is a minimum RM30. Two thumbs down for this.

I thought that while the ambiance is imperative in such a restaurant, it was a little too dark. I was there with 9 other friends. At least 3 of the girls insisted that the darkness was spot on.

One even admitted that it’s good for people with poor complexion.

And also for guys who have insufficient courage to tell the girl their with that red chili on the front teeth is not sexy.

Airborne: java sea

“Listen to your parents and you will get what you want. God will respond.”

-Habib Tahir Alhamid

For the moment:

Passenger Seat-Stephen Speaks

Naturally, your thoughts braise when your laptop battery run out and have no means, to use the archaic expression, to jot down. Jot I did, on a few pieces of paper with an instrument commonly used not too long ago. A blue ball point pen.

I will divulge what I manage to write down airborne, some other time.

There was a great number of things that I observe in Surabaya. Top on the list: hospitality. The number of people asking my family

• to stay at their house
• why are we staying in a hotel
• where are we going next/following day, and if they can bring us there
• to come again, and stay their house on our next visit

Some who offered have at one time or the other stayed at our house, or have met us before somewhere, or only have heard about before.

More in pictures, less in words. The rest that I observed in this region of East Java:

Boys playing football.

 

Spot the trishaw in the middle of a junction, transporting a goat.

Beef cutlets barbecued. To be eaten with gravy. Depending on which part of the country (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) you’re in, the gravy varies. Here, the gravy is sweet kicap.

Pronounced as goo-lay. Usually lamb with in a simple soup. Very common roadside dish.

As I was there during the Haj (pilgrimage) holiday, which is also in relation to Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishmael’s incident, you would see a lot of goats in the city and urban area waiting to be slaughtered. It is not uncommon for families to do it themselves.

A Putu Bamboo vendor on a rickshaw. A snack. I think it is made of coconut and maybe sugar?

If directly translated ‘Fun Soda.’ The drink will be served with a tall mug which contains condensed milk, syrup cordial and blocks of ice. Alongside soda water in a bottle. You will have to pour the soda water yourself into the mug. You will be provided a long spoon but no straw. The sweeter/stronger you want the drink to be, the more you have to stir.

Surabaya, the second biggest city in Indonesia, is not dirty like the biggest city, Jakarta. This trash bin made me really notice it. One bin for dry trash, the other for wet trash.

 

It is a kind of ‘porridge’ one might say. Middle Eastern. It takes about 24 hours to cook. A delicacy indeed. I’m not sure how often they have it here in Indonesia, but for me, I usually only get to have it 3 times a year. 2 of which (home cook ones), I have to go to Singapore to get it.

In this case, it was served on a large plate/tray. With custer sugar. Much like how they serve Poffidges in Holland and Belgium. But here, 4 men sat on the floor, ate it all using their hands. Finished with a broad smile. Pragmatism makes life easy.

It is custom after the festive prayers that we make rounds visiting the respected elders. Especially those knowledgeable and respected in the community. His house, is usually open to all.

White rice. Beef Empel. Ayam Penyet (Flattened Chicken).

It is not common for a trishaw rider to put on a hat like that. Precisely why I took the picture. In most alleys like this, only trishaws, bicycles and motorcycles can come in.

I came across this trishaw rider. He had another pair of paddles on another part of the bike. When he paddled that pair, music would come on and those miniature cars/ducks would move.

Another example of simplicity. While visiting the elders, this one house invited us to have lunch with some other guests. Food was served on the floor. If this was a restaurant, I doubt requesting “a table for 8 please” would be appropriate.

This one amused me. I’m not sure how to explain, but in Arabic and Malay, ‘Jin’ is a being of another form and dimension. I guess you could say ‘the unseen.’ Not the angel or the devil. Not the mutant or the muggle.