IOI City Mall - The Mythical Land Of Wonders

It's that time of the year again to celebrate Christmas with beautiful decorations and lightings. IOI City Mall has transformed the mall's main concourse at Lower Ground Floor Center Court into a Mythical Land of Wonders with other parts of the mall depicting similar elements of adventure, surprise and interactive decorations, This enchanted area is a great place to take beautiful photos with friends and family.

A few days ago, IOI City Mall invited orphanages from two orphanage homes, Rumah Victory and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kristian Aman Selangor to have a fun filled Christmas celebration. There were entertaining magic show performances and gifts presentation to each child. What a great way to contribute to society.

This magic show act surprised everyone because they hypnotized a boy and took away the chair holding him up on the legs. So the boy was floating in the air without anything holding him except the chair on his neck.

 Funny clown show to entertain children.

This reminded us that we are all one big family and we should learn to love one another.

Mock cheque presentation of RM 10,000 to each of the orphanage homes, Rumah Victory and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kristian Aman Selangor by Yayasan TSLSC executive director Datin Joanne Wong.

Group photo with all the orphanages and representatives from IOI City Mall

We had lunch at Pancake House after the event. There is the Weekday Lunch Meals promotion which is very affordable. Come and check it out. 

Classic Pan Chicken with Garlic Rice & Iced Peach Tea- RM 12.00 

 Taco

 Golden Salted Egg Pancake & Berry Bananas Tropicana - RM 27.90

From 24 Nov 2017 to 1 January 2018, come and spend here at IOI City Mall with your Standard Chartered Debit or Credit Card that not only gives a host of conveniences but also an opportunity to spin the wheel and walk away with exclusive gifts when you spend RM 200 in a single receipt at any outlets. Other credit/debit card holder enjoy the same redemption upon spending a minimum of RM 350 in a single receipts.

There are many wondrous activities here at IOI City Mall. Bring your family and friends here for your Christmas shopping or join the activities here. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Underwater World Langkawi

If you had been following my blog posts, you probably read about my recent family vacation to Langkawi. My earlier post was about my trip to Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi.

Besides the fun and educational Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi, another top attraction is the Underwater World Langkawi. There were many species of fish, sea creatures, snakes, iguanas, birds, marmosets, seals, penguins and lots more. My children and I were fascinated seeing all these animals and sea creatures. This is a highly recommended place for families with children and those who love marine life and animals.

Right after we entered, we saw many different types of reptiles. I do not really like reptiles and I am a little scared to go near them especially venomous ones such as snakes.

Next was the freshwater fish section. There were in huge tanks and there were many different species of freshwater fish there. I liked the American Flag Tailed Characin because it looked unique with stripes on its tail and fin. It was not easy to get a clear shot of these energetic fish because they were swimming most of the time.

There was the tropical rain forest section where you can see different types of birds and even marmoset (the smallest monkey). This area was outdoor covered with a glass ceiling and there were lots of trees just like in the tropical rain forest.

Marmoset

As we walked back to the air conditioned area, we saw seals and penguins. The seal was very active and was swimming very fast.

As I continued walking, something caught my attention, something I have never seen before. It was the Albino Axolotl Salamander. These are not fish but amphibians and they looked so cute. These are mostly found in Mexico.

Albino Axolotl Salamander

Spider Crab

There was a tunnel full of amazing fish including stingrays & sharks and it was fun seeing these fish swim over our heads. 

My family enjoyed our visit to Underwater World Langkawi very much. It was very educational for us and we learnt a lot that day. We would love to come back and visit again.

Underwater World Langkawi is located at Pantai Cenang and about 15 minutes drive from the airport.  You may want to find out about their feeding times for different fish or animals. There is a cafeteria if you are hungry and a nice souvenir shop. For more information, please visit their FACEBOOK page. 

Launch of SkySymphony Christmas Winch Show and Tour The World With Snoopy

The launch of SkySymphony Christmas Winch Show and the appearance of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Santa Clause and friends lifted everyone's Christmas spirit during this festive season. Thousands of people witnessed the spectacular Genting SkySymphony Christmas Show themed Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree.

The 4-storey high LED screen came to live, fascinating visitors with its creativity and technical brilliance. 1,001 light bulbs quickly moved into shapes that depicts the story and changed its colors at the same time. The story unfolds with a snow globe that showcased a wintry Christmas village, cheerful Christmas songs filling the air as the story plays out. Visitors get to see Santa's factory where dozens of elves are busy making Christmas gifts.

Santa's reindeer, teddy bears and Gingerbread Man are among the many festive icons that show up on the screen as well even as the story continues to highlight various stages of elves at work.

The show was about 5 minutes and ended with a 20-foot tall Christmas tree rising from beneath the stage surprising many visitors. The Christmas tree is certainly a part of the magical unique show that elicits oohs and aahs from visitors as it unfolds in all its magical splendour.

Santa Clause, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and friends continued with energetic performances to entertain the crowd.

The production of the show cost over RM 500,000 and has surely lifted up the Christmas spirit for all visitors. From 1 Dec - 31 Dec 2017, besides the Genting SkySymphony Christmas Show at every 2 hours intervals, there will also be three other stories namely The Forest, Urban Symphony and The Goddess being showed every hour after each Christmas show. Show starts from 10 am - midnight daily.

There is also 52 Snoopy figurines all around Sky Avenue, Snoopy and Charlie Brown Meet and Greet and a 6 meter high inflatable Snoopy. The colorful characters with Christmas tree floats will meet and greet visitors as they spread the festive cheer at Level 1 of SkyAvenue daily from 11.00am-11.30am, 3.00pm-3.30pm, and 8.00pm-8.30pm; at Level 3 of SkyAvenue daily from 1.00pm-1.30pm, 6.00pm-6.30pm.

For more information, please call +603 2718 1118 or visit www.rwgenting.com.

TONY ROMA’S RIBS-EATING CONTEST GETS INTO MALAYSIA BOOK OF RECORDS

My children and I witnessed Tony Roma's Ribs-eating contest at IOI City Mall recently. We were surprised at how fast some of the contestants ate. It was our first time seeing this although it was Tony Roma's fifth ribs-eating contest.  This year the participants had the chance to be acknowledged in the Malaysia Book of Records for their feats, aside from winning free meals at Tony Roma’s for an entire year.

Muhammad Amir Bin Ayub (2^nd from right) and Farrah Dayana A. Othman (2^nd from left) with their Malaysia Book of Records certificates and grand prizes of free meals at Tony Roma’s for a year. Pictured with the winners are Nurasyikin Ramli, representative of Malaysia Book of Records (left) and Muhammad Adam Mah, Brand General Manager of Tony Roma’s Malaysia (right)

It was an intense challenge for the ten male and ten female finalists and the crowd couldn’t resist cheering for the finalists while they ‘attacked’ the beef ribs, getting BBQ sauce smeared all over their faces in the process. While the ladies got a maximum of ten minutes to finish five beef ribs, the men have to finish ten beef ribs within 15 minutes.

According to a spokesperson from the Malaysia Book of Records, the Tony Roma’s Ribs-Eating contest is an interesting record attempt and opened to all Tony Roma’s customers. The winners’ achievements will be officially endorsed and recorded in the Malaysia Book of Records as the Fastest Man/Woman in the Tony Roma’s Ribs-Eating contest.

Muhammad Amir Bin Ayub was crowned Champion in the Men’s category with a time of seven minutes and 59 seconds, and he was acknowledged as the ‘Fastest Man to Eat 10 Beef Ribs’ in the Malaysia Book of Records. He was also the winner of Tony Roma’s World First Lamb Ribs-Eating Contest 2016 grand finale in Melaka for the Men’s category.

On the other hand, Farrah Dayana A. Othman grabbed the title in the Female’s category at five minutes and 50 seconds, and she was acknowledged as the ‘Fastest Woman to Eat 5 Beef Ribs’ in the Malaysia Book of Records.

Said George Ang, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Companions Sdn. Bhd, the franchise holder of Tony Roma’s Malaysia, “Through this Ribs-Eating Contest, we would like to highlight that Tony Roma’s is more than an eatery or a restaurant serving lip-smacking ribs. Rather we are more about delivering a fun and wholesome experience for the whole family.”

“2017 marks a special year for us because Tony Roma’s worldwide is celebrating its 45th anniversary. With the year coming to an end, we are proud to celebrate it with Tony Roma’s loyal customers through this ribs-eating contest,” added George Ang.

Earlier before the Ribs-Eating Contest, the crowd at IOI City Mall got to take part in the ‘Fries & Pepsi’ Eating Challenge with the top prize of a 32” LCD television up for grabs. There were also other games like ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and quizzes where the crowd took home prizes such as Tony Roma’s limited edition merchandise and food and cash vouchers.

To participate in the Ribs-eating contest, all customers had to do was purchase the Tony Roma’s Ribs Entrée at any of Tony Roma’s 12 outlets in Peninsular Malaysia between 2 October and 19 November 2017.

For more information about Tony Roma’s, visit www.tonyromas.com.my.

About Tony Roma’s

“Providing an Amazing Experience to Our Team Members and Guests” is the company mission of Tony Roma’s, one of the most globally recognizable names in the industry. A full service, casual dining family restaurant, Tony Roma’s is where you can find premier BBQ ribs and steaks in over 150 family restaurant locations on six continents.

Since the first outlet was opened in Florida in 1972, Tony Roma’s has focused on serving its signature BBQ beef and lamb ribs, world famous Onion Loaf and Kickin’ Shrimp, seafood, steaks, pasta, chicken, sandwiches and burgers. The company has won numerous awards across the U.S. for the “Best Ribs” and also has won nationally acclaimed industry recognition as “The Best Ribs in America”.

In Malaysia, Tony Roma’s is not just a place for ribs anymore. The menu has been expanded to include variety for all guests; not just rib eaters. Available is an extensive selection of seafood, steaks, chicken, lamb, salad, sandwiches and burger entrées along with the most unique appetizers and mini desserts. All food items served are suitable for Muslim consumption. In the Klang Valley, there are nine Tony Roma’s outlets while two are located in Johor, one in Melaka and one in Kuching, Sarawak.

Malaysia was announced as the Regional Training Centre (RTC) for Tony Roma’s Asia Pacific during the third quarter of 2014. Due to its highly skilled professionals, easy accessibility and cost-effectiveness, Malaysia proved to be the ideal location for the RTC. The comprehensive training provided to Tony Roma’s employees across the region includes customer service, cooking, food preparation, food hygiene, supply chain and cost management, using the latest kitchen equipment and operational procedures.

An Avant-Garde Christmas at Sungei Wang

Sungei Wang is celebrating the joyful Christmas festive season with the theme “An Avant-Garde Christmas” which commenced from 24 November and will run through to 26 December 2017.

Inspired by the aesthetic beauty of Avant-Garde, Sungei Wang will take you on a journey of one of a kind shimmering Christmas to add sparkles to everyone’s lives. Forget about the ordinary Christmas with white snowy snowmen and flying red nosed reindeer, every decoration in Sungei Wang is uniquely designed with the silver theme and with the touch of elegant gold. When shoppers visit Sungei Wang, they are welcomed by the revolving reindeer above the stage. One of the highlight and centre of attraction of the event is the sparkling 28 feet tall Outdoor Giant Christmas tree located at the Main Entrance of Sungei Wang. Christmas Market Hall has been set up within the décor, which offer shoppers with variety of Christmas gifts such as chocolates, decorative items, perfume and many more.

“Christmas is always one of the highly anticipated seasons and we look forward to create an unforgettable shopping experience for everyone. Every performance and the exciting activities are specially arranged for our loyal shoppersto experience the Avant-Garde Christmas. We hope to spread the joy to all Malaysians and ignite the excitement this festive season”, says Ms Yuen May Chee, Complex Manager of Sungei Wang.

An Avant-Garde Christmas Light Up Ceremony
To kick start the campaign, the Light Up Ceremony of An Avant-Garde Christmas was held on 28 November 2017 at the Main Entrance of Sungei Wang. The ceremony was officiated and attended by Encik Ahmad Alsraf (Director of Ministry of Tourism and Culture Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya Office), Encik Mohd Akbal Setia (Director of Tourism Malaysia Central Region) and Puan Baizuri Baharum (Head of Secretariat Shopping Malaysia). It was a night where the Media and guests witness the fascinating outdoor giant Christmas tree light up ceremony to kick off the joyous Christmas celebration. The adorable kids from Promise Home also attended the ceremony to unveil the Wishing Tree where generous shoppers who wish to fulfil the wishes or donate generously can pass the gifts to the Customer Service Counter at LG Floor. After all, Christmas is the season of giving and sharing love.

Avant-Garde AR Corner & Contest
Step into Sungei Wang Avant-Garde AR Corner to experience the Avant-Garde mood with the specially designed 3D AR Corner. Shoppers can download and pose with the 3D Reindeer. They will be rewarded with cash voucher from The Bowls after posting the photo in Facebook with the hashtag #SgWangAvantGardeChristmas. Three (3) winners with the most “likes” will get a Christmas hamper from Sungei Wang. So, do not miss this chance to set with something 3D and animated.

Epicism Meet & Greet
Great news for Epicism fans as they will be here in Sungei Wang to meet the fans on 2 December 2017. Famous for their cheeky personality and funny videos, Sungei Wang is brimming with excitement to have these talented Malaysians to make this Christmas more memorable. For the benefit of all Epicism fans, they can have the chance to meet them personally and have games interaction session with their idols. Be sure to mark your calendar and do not miss the chance to meet them!

Special Appearance by Fly FM Ivan & Guest Performer Ding 丁丁
Ivan (Fly FM) will be joining us this Christmas on the 16 December 2017. Come and have fun with us for some game sessions together with our guest performer, Ding 丁丁 as she will amaze the shoppers with Christmas caroling songs.

Avant-Garde Christmas Events & Performances
Sungei Wang in collaboration with SCCA (Snips College of Creative Arts) to organize an Avant-Garde Costume Design Contest. Come and watch how the young designers from Saito College rock the stage with their Avant-Garde costume design on 17 December 2017. On the 24 December 2017, multi-talented students from SCCA (Snips College of Creative Arts) will perform spectacular performances from drama acting, hairdo, make up and many more.

For all princess fans, save the date and join us for the Little Princess Costume Contest on 23 December 2017. Come and watch how the adorable kids dressed in beautiful princess gowns and tiara conquer the runway like professionals.

Various Christmas activities and performances specially lined up for shoppers throughout the festive season. Catch the exciting live Avant-Garde Christmas dance taking place during the weekend at Sungei Wang. Besides that, shoppers can also spot and take photos with the Avant-Garde character to compliment the Christmas mood.

Magic Mug Redemption & Free Gift Wrapping Service
Get Sungei Wang special edition Magic Mug when you spend RM300 or above in a maximum of three (3) accumulated receipts from any outlet on the same day. When you shop for your favourite gifts in Sungei Wang, remember to approach our friendly Customer Service for a free gift wrapping!

A Note of Appreciation
“An Avant-Garde Christmas” is proudly presented by Sungei Wang with The Bowls as Sponsor and SCCA as Official Partner. It is also supported by Fly FM as the Official Radio.

For latest information about the events and promotions at Sungei Wang, kindly visit:
http://www.sungeiwang.com or Sungei Wang Facebook at www.facebook.com/sungeiwangplaza.

My Langkawi Trip To The Fun And Educational Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi

My family and I visited Langkawi recently and I would like to share about my trip there. It was a short 2 days 1 night trip where we stayed at Resorts World Langkawi. We flew there by Air Asia because it was the cheapest ticket price. Even though we could not get the cheapest promotional fare, we paid about RM 200 per person. We rented a small car at the airport for RM 60 / day and started our exciting journey.

Our first stop was Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi which is the largest crocodile farm in Malaysia according to the Malaysia Book Of Record. My family learnt a lot here after our guided tour. If you come here, make sure you check their crocodile show time, feeding time and jumping time. These are the activities you should not miss.

The first thing we did here was feed the crocodiles with a piece of tasty chicken. We were asked to hold on tight to the rod and could see the crocodiles jumping high to snap the meat. Here's a video of me feeding the crocodiles. I could feel the weight of the crocodile as I pulled up the rod when the meat was in its mouth. Each of us fed the crocodiles and it was an unforgettable experience.

After having the chance to feed the crocodiles, it was crocodile feeding time at the Bridge Pond area where the crocodiles were hand fed.

Bridge Pond

We learnt that crocodiles open their mouth to control the temperature and remove heat, female crocodiles need 3 months to get pregnant and another 3 months to hatch their eggs. They lay between 30-60 eggs and only half can survive. Some were born handicapped and usually die if they are in the wild because crocodiles fight among themselves for food, territory and for female crocodiles to mate. Crocodiles can grow up to 7 meters in length and live up to 100 years. Crocodiles can hold their breath in water for 2 hours and can swim at 30km/hour. The difference between male and female crocodiles is the wider & rounder snout for males and narrower & more pointed snout for females. Wow, that's a lot we learnt in a day! This place is very educational for children and adults because we learnt and experienced so much here. 

Some of the crocodiles were born handicapped are kept separately for their survival. These are the 2 handicapped crocodiles here.

 Hunchback crocodile

Crocodile born without its tail.

We also learnt the difference between alligator and crocodiles. When an alligator closes its mouth, you can see teeth only from the upper jaw. When the crocodiles closes its mouth, you can see teeth on both the upper and lower jaws.

'Buaya Jejulung' are fresh water crocodiles from Sabah and Sarawak which are nearly extinct. These crocodiles have 76-84 teeth and has a long snout. Other crocodiles have 66 teeth instead.

Buaya Jejulung

The best part that my family would never forget is our experience holding a small crocodile in our hands and taking memorable photos with it. There are photographers there to snap photos and print them out for you.

When you visit Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi, make sure you watch the breath-taking show at 11.15am,  2.45pm.  My heart was pumping fast when I saw a man put his hand into the crocodile's mouth for 10 seconds. He also kissed the crocodile.

This was the first time my children watched a live crocodile show and we enjoyed it very much. For more information on Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi, you can visit their FACEBOOK or WEBSITE. 

Click HERE  for my Underwater World Langkawi experience. Thanks for reading my blog.