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Archive for April, 2017

Beocube makes its presence felt

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in gadget, lifestyle

 

 


Check out the hot selling Bang & Olufsen headphones
 

This is the second time that Bang & Olufsen (Brunei) and Ergozones (Brunei) are having a roadshow at Pusat Insani, Seria. The first one was a huge hit and it’s no surprise for holding another similar roadshow to showcase their latest products.

If you are into audiophiles or/and a big fan of Bang & Olufsen, you will appreciate what they are bringing to you. The main attraction is definitely the Beocube which was constructed since Sunday. It’s basically a mocked up cube room, designed to bring the best sound from the awesome speakers from Bang & Olufsen and Malek Manan, Resident Audiophile for Bang & Olufsen (Brunei), guided the visiting guests and showcased what the B&O speakers are capable of and why the brand is the perfect choice for customers.

I was also impressed with the inner walls as they have a special padding to bring the best out of the speakers inside the Beocube. We were treated to a playlist of music and trailers and I began to appreciate the precision and the quality more than before. The firmware update(s) itself makes a difference for the listeners to enjoy at the optimum level.

There are three sections to the Flexible Living roadshow. Two sections are showcasing Bang & Olufsen products while the other is showcasing Ergozone products such as the newly launched SoFi Mesh chairs by HÅG.

Do look for Jack Chin who has many experience in demo-ing HÅG brands. I find the experience sitting on the SoFi Mesh pretty comforting and all. Yes, we do take for granted on how we sit and thinking that any chair will do the trick. HÅG enhances your sitting experience and you will appreciate more in a long run on how it can benefit you even when sitting down.

The Flexible Living roadshow final day will be tomorrow, Friday 21st April until 9pm. So what are you waiting for? And the admission is FREE at Pusat Insani, Seria. For updates, you can follow Bang & Olufsen (Brunei) Facebook and Ergozones (Brunei) Facebook.

 

 


So much to love about Bang & Olufsen speakers
 


Another speaker to look out for – Beoplay M5 with a true360 sound
 


The 5.5 metre Beocube constructed inside the hall of Pusat Insani
 


Paying attention to the sound from the Beolab 90
 


Don’t forget to visit Ergozones section too
 


Do ask Jack Chin for the brief demo on the new HÅG products
 


Liking the new SoFi Mesh from HÅG
 

Momo/StarLodge’s All-You-Can-EAt Sushi & Barbeque Sunday Buffet

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in lifestyle, food

 

 


The Chocolate Fondue
 

Have any plans this Sunday? Do check out Momo/StarLodge’s All-You-Can-EAt Sushi & Barbeque Sunday Buffet for only BND 20 Adult | BND 12 Kids from 11:30am to 3:30pm

What can you expect from the dishes? Definitely the lamb on the spit, the thin crust pizzas, asian dishes, plump sausages and not forgetting their sushi range from Kitaro Lodge. For your info, Kitaro Restaurant have relocated their business to Star Lodge and they won’t be operating in Gadong outlet anymore.

The highlight were also the dessert corner such as the chocolate fondue and many other delicacies to choose from.

For the diners, you can have free usage of the swimming pool and ideal to bring families along for the buffet. You can even dine by the swimming pool area and enjoy the sun 😀

Furthermore, Momo & Star Lodge will be having free gifts for families and guests. You can follow their updates on IG @momo.restaurant @starlodgebrunei

For bookings, call 261 1618 or 861 3329

 

 


Amran helping himself to the lamb
 


The lamb on the spit. Good choice!!
 


Grilled dishes for diners
 

 


Butter milk fish
 


Curry chicken
 


Thin crusted pizzas
 


Noodles
 


Fried tempura
 

 


Sushi from Kitaro
 


Sushi from Kitaro
 

 

 

 


Ice-cream also available and even the tubs 😀
 

Baiduri Masters is back!!

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in bank, Social News, Sports

 

 


Baiduri Bank organisers of the Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament with the partners
 

The highly anticipated annual golf tournament, the Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament is set to tee off in a fortnight spanning two weekends, 28 to 30 April and 5 to 7 May 2017. This year marks the 22nd edition of the Baiduri Masters organised by Baiduri Bank Group.

Thanks to the support of strategic partner – the QAF Group of Companies, the much awaited hole-in-one car prizes for Baiduri Masters 2017 was confirmed this morning at the Partnership Signing Ceremony held at the QAF Centre. Besides two luxury cars, players will also stand a chance to win three cash prizes plus numerous other tournament prizes at the Baiduri Masters 2017.

The hole-in-one prizes for this year are as follows: BMW 320i M Sport for Hole 14; Mini Cooper S for Hole 5; and $20,000 cash prize for Holes 2, 12 and 16.

The event began with the opening remarks by Mr. Pierre Imhof, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank. He said, “Since the tournament’s inception in 1995, the Baiduri Masters has always been centred towards supporting our community and making a difference. The tournament has been raising funds for local charities and organisations that support people with special needs and promotes activities that help people with special needs integrate into society. Last year, we were able to raise $85,000 for charity.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony began with a signing between the Baiduri Bank Group and the RBA Golf Club. Another MOU between Baiduri Bank Group and Brunei Press was also signed this morning to appoint Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata as the print media partners for the event.

 

 


The signing ceremony with all the strategic partners. This picture was between Baiduri Bank and RBA Golf Club
 


The media during the coverage of the signing ceremony
 


One of the prizes for the hole-in-one
 


A BMW car as one of the prizes for the hole-in-one
 

Mr. Asmadi bin hj Alimustapha, General Manager of the RBA Golf Club,Mr. Albert Lau, Chief Executive Officer of QAF Brunei Sdn Bhd, and Mr. Reggie See, General Manager of Brunei Press Sdn Bhd signed on behalf of their organizations respectively while Mr. Pierre Imhof, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank signed on behalf of the Baiduri Bank Group.

Mr. Ng Joon An,Accountant at the RBA Golf Club,Mr. Siva Kumar Krishnan,General Manager of QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, Ms. Hazizah Osman, Deputy General Manager of Brunei Press Sdn Bhd and Mr. Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager, Operations Management Division andDiversification and Strategic Development of Baiduri Bank cum President of the Organising Committee of Baiduri Masters 2017 signed as witnesses respectively.

The champion of theBaiduri Masters 2016 was Tony Hj Karim, a first time Baiduri Masters champion. Rounding out the top 5 were Zulhilmi Rosli, Seruji Hj Setia, Johari Hj Ahmad and Pg Hj Ahmad Zaki.

The upcoming golf tournament is divided into four divisions: Men’s, Ladies, Juniors and Team. The Men’s division will be further divided into Men’s Open and Senior Golfers categories. The Junior Golfers category is open to golfers aged 13 to 18 years old.

Registration commences from Monday, 17 April 2017 and the registration fee remains at BND120 for adults and BND60 for juniors. The registration fee is inclusive of green fee, buggy, goodie bag as well as buffet breakfast and lunch. Players are invited to the prize presentation dinner at the end of the tournament.

Players may play more than once to improve their chances of winning. Adult players will enjoy a discount on the registration fee on their second and subsequent rounds. The best score of any round played will be taken.

For more information, please contact the Baiduri Customer Helpline at 244 9666 or log onto www.baiduri.com.

 

 


Check out the BMW golf wear
 


The BMW golf equipment looks elegant
 


Who’s gonna lift the Baiduri Masters trophy?
 


The previous winner of the hole-in-one back in 2015. This was the last time someone won a hole-in-one. Sadly there won’t be any Porsche lined up for the hole-in-one prize
 

Relaunch of Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in bank, lifestyle

 


Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank with representatives from Visa and DragonPass during the relaunch of Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards at The Empire Hotel & Country Club
 


Unveiling both the Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards after the press conference
 

With travel becoming an integral part of the Bruneian lifestyle, Baiduri Bank unveiled the enhanced Baiduri Visa Infinite and Platinum credit cards, in a press conference held at The Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday.

In his welcome remarks, Mr Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, said, “A large number of our clients are affluent and well-travelled. To meet their growing needs, we have refreshed our client value proposition for this segment, and, in partnership with Visa, we have upgraded both the Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards to have the Visa payWave feature, and membership to DragonPass, a revolutionary digital airport companion programme.”

Packaging global privileges, exclusive travel deals, 24/7 Visa Concierge, the best in market rewards programme and an upgrade to Visa payWave contactless payment feature, express approval and card issuance, the refreshed Baiduri Visa Infinite Credit Card and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Card will complement the existing range of financial products, services and value-added benefits that we are offering to our clients”, added Mr Imhof.

Also present at the press conference was Mr. Roy Wong, Head of Business Development for Singapore & Brunei and Mr. Aaron Tey, Senior Business Development Leader from Visa, Ms Becky Lim, CEO, DragonPass Asia Pacific, as well as the senior management of Baiduri Bank.

Said Ms. Ooi Huey Tyng, Visa Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, “We are pleased to partner with Baiduri Bank, our key valued partner to enhance the product proposition for the Baiduri Visa Infinite and Platinum credit cards. At Visa, we constantly look to provide relevant benefits and privileges to our esteemed cardholders and through this enhancement, Visa cardholders are now able to enjoy using the contactless feature of the card, and membership at DragonPass. We are seeing strong growth in the affluent segment in Brunei, where payment volume growth is close to 10 per cent. We believe that the relaunch of these two products will further increase use of electronic payments in the market, particularly when our cardholders travel.”

The refreshed Baiduri Visa Infinite Credit Card and the Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Card are packed with privileges specially designed with the affluent traveller in mind.

 

 


Pierre Imhof, a happy camper, after the relaunch of the Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards
 

ACCESS TO 900+ AIRPORT LOUNGES WITH DRAGONPASS

A key new feature is the introduction of DragonPass. Aimed to provide a seamless travel experience to cardmembers, DragonPass will come into effect on 1st May 2017. In joint partnership with Visa, DragonPass is a comprehensive digital solution to create a unique and seamless “total airport experience” for cardmembers who can gain access to exclusive privileges and discounts in airports around the world.

Among the privileges, cardmembers get up to 24 complimentary visits annually to over 900 airport lounges worldwide, which can be extended to family members and friends. Furthermore, it avails cardmembers with discounts of up to 50% at over 2,000 airport restaurants, up to 20% off retail rates for airport limo transfers, hotel room upgrades, retail privileges from high-end fashion outlets and luxury brands and many more.

All existing and new Baiduri Visa Infinite and Platinum cardmembers will enjoy complimentary membership for DragonPass which can be activated by registering their new credit cards in the DragonPass app. The app eliminates the need for a physical membership card, and is available for free download in the GooglePlay Store or the App Store for both Android and iOS.

All existing and new Baiduri Visa Infinite and Platinum cardholders will be given complimentary membership to DragonPass. It will come into effect on 1st May 2017.

 

 


Ms Becky Lim, CEO, DragonPass Asia Pacific, sharing the benefits of having DragonPass and it will be free for Baiduri’s Infinite and Platinum card holders
 


You can download the app on your phone – DragonPass
 


These are the charges if you want to sign up as DragonPass member but you will be waived off this if you are a card holder of Baiduri’s Infinite and Platinum
 

INNOVATIVE VISA PAYWAVE FEATURE

In addition, new Baiduri Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum Credit Cards are also upgraded with the Visa payWave feature. This feature is a breakthrough technology that allows customers to make purchases of BND100 and below by a simple tap on a contactless payment terminal, without the need of a signature. Customers can complete their transactions faster and more conveniently, eliminating the need to swipe the card or sign for their purchases.

 

 


Mr. Roy Wong, Head of Business Development for Singapore & Brunei for Visa Worldwide and he shared on how Pay Wave has been very successful worldwide
 

BEST IN MARKET REWARDS PROGRAMME

The refreshed Baiduri Visa Infinite Credit Card and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Card is linked with the best in the market rewards programme that rewards cardholders with up to 5X bonus points. Points have no expiry, and redemptions are instant, with no minimum amount required. Redemptions can be done at any of the over 2,000 participating merchant outlets in Brunei.

EXPRESS APPROVAL & CREDIT CARD ISSUANCE

For added convenience, new cardmembers can also have their new Baiduri Visa Infinite Credit Card or Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Card applications fast tracked for 24-hour express approval and 48-hour card issuance. This service is available at Baiduri Bank’s Card Centre, and selected branches including The Mall Branch, Sumbangsih Branch and Seria Branch.

GLOBAL BENEFITS

The Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards are accepted at millions of establishments worldwide, as well as access to over 700,000 ATMs in the Visa Global ATM Network.
Cardmembers also enjoy complimentary, round-the-clock emergency assist service anywhere in the world, available through the 24/7 Visa Platinum and Visa Infinite Concierge Service. On top of this the cards come with complimentary travel insurance with premium coverage.

INTEREST FREE INSTALMENTS

Cardmembers of the Baiduri Visa Infinite and Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cards are also able to enjoy up to 24 months of interest free instalments on their big purchases. Tenures are flexible and require no processing fee.

ENJOY UP TO 2% CASHBACK

From 31 March 2017 to 30 June 2017
• New and Existing Baiduri Visa Infinite Credit Cardholders enjoy 2% cashback

• New and Existing Baiduri Visa Platinum Credit Cardholders enjoy 1% cashback
On their overseas spending, online purchases and Visa payWave transactions.

 

 


Pg Azaleen bin Pg Dato Hj Mustapha, Head of Retail Banking and Branch Network, Baiduri Bank explaining the benefits as an Infinite and Platinum Credit Card holders
 

 


Baiduri also invited their existing customers of Platinum and Infinite to understand more about the new incentives. Good to see them also asking questions and they are very appreciative of Baiduri’s initiative to give more value to their customers.
 

 

 

Audi’s Newest Brand Embraces Its Racing Roots

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in audi, Audi Sport

German automaker Audi plans to produce eight performance models for the U.S. market in the next two years under a new brand introduced recently at the New York International Auto Show.

The aim is to bring all elements of racing—including its professional motorsports and products geared for retail customers—under one new brand called Audi Sport.

The Audi R and RS models will fall under the Audi Sport brand along with performance parts, customer racing, professional motorsports, and a collection of associated gear such as clothing and accessories. The 2017 R8 V10 Spyder, the RS 5 Coupe, and the 2018 TT RS will all be under the Audi Sport brand. Other models in the Audi Sport portfolio include the R8 and RS 7 as well as the 2017 and the 2018 RS 3, which will launch this summer for the first time in the U.S.

The automaker unveiled the GT4 version of its R8 LMS race car—the newest addition to the Audi Sport customer racing program—ahead of the New York International Auto Show. The R8 LMS GT3 race car was first introduced in 2009, followed by the second generation of this model in 2015, and the RS 3 LMS for the TCR category in 2016.

 

 


Audi unveiled the GT4 version of its R8 LMS race car, the newest addition to the Audi Sport customer racing program
 

“Audi is a brand built on progress, and for us, racing has been the lab where so much of that progress has been made,” Audi of America President Scott Keogh said in a statement. “With the launch of Audi Sport in the U.S., we are excited to offer our customers even more products that benefit from the same developments and technologies first used in motorsport.”

Automakers that participate in professional racing often take innovations developed for the race track and put them—in some form—into production cars. Audi is no different. The company, which has a motorsports history that can be traced back to the 1930s, developed the R8 production vehicle in parallel with the GT3 race car called the R8 LMS.

Today, the R8 LMS shares about half of the same parts with its production vehicle cousin, the R8.

Customers of the Audi Sport brand will have access to exclusive materials for the interior as well as custom paint jobs to let customers personalize their vehicles. These Audi exclusive offerings are available on the A6, A7, A8, R8 and RS 5 model lines.

More than half of Audi dealers have made the investment to become specialized Audi Sport dealers, according to the automaker. Article by Kirsten Korosec, Fortune.com.

 

@hzno @nazsyam heading for KL Fashion Week

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in fashion, lifestyle, Social News

 


Congratulations to Siti Nazmah Hj Abd Samad and Humaira Zakaria for being the chosen ones to represent Brunei in the upcoming KL Fashion Week 2017 after winning the heart of the judges for the AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search
 


The judges and contestants awaiting for the results
 

AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search, the regional fashion designer competition finally made its presence in Brunei for the very first time. Out of the many entries, only two were chosen to represent Brunei in the @KLfashionweek happening this August. The two finalists are Humaira Zakaria and Siti Nazmah Hj Abd Samad. They will be showcasing their creations at the Grand Finale in Kuala Lumpur this August. Congratulations to both of you.

For your info, the AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2017 is a regional tour to ten Asean Countries. This is a platform to provide aspiring designer the opportunity of a lifetime to compete on a regional level and showcase their collection on a professional runway during the KL Fashion Week Ready to Wear.

According to Shirley Tan, Head of Marketing for AsiaAsia Berhad, “We are very pleased to expand the AirAsia Runway ready Designer Search to include all the 10 Asean countries and we are very excited to be here in Brunei. We are thrilled to see the talents and creativity that have come forward today.”

The judges’ scores are based on design creativity, originality, consistency of their collection, adherence to the Asean theme, practicality and stage presentation potential.

Both finalists received awesome perks:-

• 150,000 AirAsia BIG Points
• BND 8,000 funds to produced a capsule collection to be sold on fashionvalet.com
• A six page fashion spread in AirAsia’s in-flight magazine, Travel3Sixty
• AirAsia flights and mentorship from the KLFW RTW, apart from a confirmed slot to showcase their full collection in KL Fashion Week RTW 2018.

There were five judges during the audition in Brunei. They were Andrew Tan, Founder of KL Fashion Week Ready to Wear, Shirley Tan, Head of Marketing for AirAsia Berhad, Vivy Yusof, Co-founder of FashionValet, Nabeela Fazil @lipstickmyname, Brunei Fashion blogger and Farhana Pura, Creative Director of NA Forrer @naforrer

AirAsia is also KLFW RTW 2017’s Preferred Travel Partner and will be flying in fashion designers from AirAsia and AirAsia X Groups’ extensive route network including India, Japan, China, South Korea and Australia to showcase their latest collection at the KLFW RTW runway.

 

 


Siti Nazmah Hj Abd Samad @nazsyam being chosen as the two finalists to represent Brunei
 


Congratulations to Humaira @hzno for being the chosen one
 


Humaira Zakaria being interviewed by BIG magazine. She will give her best with the opportunity given. She didn’t expect to reach this far as being the final (among 8) was already great enough.
 


Farhana Pura, Creative Director of NA Forrer, Vivy Yusof, Co-founder of FashionValet, Andrew Tan, Founder of KL Fashion Week Ready to Wear, Shirley Tan, Head of Marketing for AirAsia Berhad and Nabeela Fazil @lipstickmyname
 

Bilster Technologies, Brother signs MoU

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in gadget, Business, Social News

 


Bilster Technologies, subsidiary of Concepts Group of Companies with representatives from Brother International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd during the MoU signing this morning
 


The signing begins for a new journey for Bilster Technologies
 

Brother International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, a leader in consumer and business IT products and solutions that focuses on the “Customer-First” approach, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bilster Technologies (Brunei) this morning. As you know, Bilster Technologies is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Concept Group of Companies.

The MoU is a big milestone for Bilster Technologies as they become the only company to bring in the Brother brand to Brunei. Previously Concept Group of Companies have been involved with the service side of Brother and it’s no surprise that Brother has appointed Bilster Technologies (under the flagship of Concept Group of Companies) to be the authorized distributor for Brunei.

The MoU marks the commitment for both organizations towards a growing market as well as brand acceptance where Brother will be the brand of choice not only among home users but also to SMEs and businesses as well.

 

 


Vivian @ Norsurya Binti Hj Sabali, Business Development Executive of Bilster Technologies, Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Group of Companies, Itsuo Segawa, Country Head at Brother International Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Brian Low, Country Sales Head, Sales, Corporate of Brother International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
 


Token of appreciation from Vincent Pao to Itsuo Segawa
 


Mingling with guests after the MoU signing
 

It was also Itsuo Segawa’s (Country Head at Brother International Malaysia Sdn Bhd) first visit to Brunei Darussalam and he believes this MOU is a stepping stone for a long term relationship with Bilster Technologies. He believes in Vincent Pao, the main behind Concept Group of Companies, as a reputable business partner and helping in growing the brand name of Brother in Brunei Darussalam.

Segawa shared how consumers and businesses are now looking for user-friendly, cost-efficient solutions with outstanding quality and Brother will listen to their needs and wants. This is Brother’s strength and what differentiate them from other brands.

For your info, Bilster Technologies will carry a competitive range of Brother products, from the award-winning inkjet, laser printers, multi-function centers to hand label and mobile printers.

Vincent Pao is very excited with the partnership. The General Manager of Concepts Group of Companies shared that they are delighted to be able to work with Brother, a reputable Japanese company that focuses on quality and consistency. He is very confident that Bilster Technologies will increase the awareness of Brother in Brunei and make the consumers confident on Brother products. On top of that, they also have a after-sales service centre that will benefit customers of Brother.

Congratulations once again to Bilster Technologies on the milestone.

 

The Fate of the Furious – Review

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in movies, Social News

 


The 8th instalment: The Fate of the Furious
 

The Good. There are many good points to enjoy about The Fate of the Furious, it’s 8th instalment of The Fast and The Furious. One thing for sure are the stars of the show and the trailer has hinted that John Statham will be combining forces with the FF gang. Why FF series are so popular because it resonates to the audience with one specific theme – “We are family”. Hence, you are bound to see family bonds between the non-biological related characters and their chemistry on screen seems to bring an emotional connection to the audience. I was already sold after Fast and the Furious 4 when the main characters united and the momentum never stopped since then.

The set pieces were pretty good and maybe to an extent, mind-blowing. Why I say to an extent? Because majority of the sequences are OTT (over-the-top). Then again, the producers of FF somehow brainwashed us along the series that FF movies are no-brainer entertainment and treat it as a popcorn (level) movie. Yes, most of the scenes defy logic and physics but we as the audience will still be glued to the screen despite these known factors. My favourite scene will be in the city where cars are being hacked and have minds of their own. Awesome!! I wonder what’s next? Space travel? Who knows…

The Bad. The big thing that ticked me is Dom’s character (Vin Diesel) when he turned rogue and turn his back on his “family”. This is no spoiler as it was clearly stated in the trailers. I was more upset on the motive of his decision to turn rogue. I just felt that it wasn’t that convincing to begin with. I just found it “bleeeh”. Then again, most of the plot of FF8 doesn’t really made sense but we still enjoyed it nonetheless. I would have given the movie extra points if the producers fixed some loop holes in this flawed movie.

The OTT sequences may be bearable but also to an extent. The final act of the movie raised my eyebrows and this reminds me of espionage movies such as James Bond series. It has come to that level that the protagonists are tough to die and give what the fans/audience want – a happier ending. I would say that FF8 was slightly below the rating of FF7 (which I would watch again and again). Will I watch FF8 the second time? Maybe yes, maybe no. Oh yea, the movie is more than 2 hours long and it’s a bit unnecessary.

The Ugly. I’m surprised that this franchise is able to stretch to this level of success, releasing its 8th movie. No other movie franchise has reached this milestone apart from the Harry Potter series. FF franchise is a cash cow business model. The FF7 made around USD 1.5 billion in ticket sales. That’s a ridiculous amount of money. Now, why do I put this in the “ugly” side? Because producers of FF franchise will begin to produce more FF movies (FF9 in 2019 and FF10 in 2021) and I can tell you that there are running low on ideas. I just hope it doesn’t go down to the level of Michael Bay’s Transformers (Just beyond ridiculous and yet we still watch them *lol*).

Verdict: We have come to an era where over-the-top action can be accepted (when comes to Fast & Furious franchise). Slightly underwhelming than FF7 while FF5 is still the best among the lot. I still enjoyed FF8 honestly but they are running out of ideas.The Fate of the Furious also scored the lowest since FF5 with 64% on Rottentomatoes.

Rating: 8/10

Optic King

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in fashion, lifestyle, Social News

 

 


Yushi Chua, Director of Optic King Company, delivering her opening remarks and appreciated her family for the support they have given
 

Saturday, 15th April 2017 marked the Grand Opening of Optic King, a first optical boutique located on the 1st Floor, Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong. The Guest of Honour, Mr. Muhammad Jamari bin Dangat, the President of Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind officiated the Grand Opening.

The Grand Opening Ceremony began with a doa, followed by a speech from the Director of Optic King Company, and advanced to the ribbon cutting. Optic King presented a donation to the Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind. One of Optic King’s mission is to promote good eye health by engaging qualified optometrists and sponsoring training of its staff in the optical field.

Optic King has brought in a wide range of quality designer brands to Brunei. They offer designer labels from major fashion cities and brings emerging designer labels from the optical industry to Brunei. Optic King holds exclusive eyewear brands such as Givenchy, Tiffany & Co. and Burberry. Other brands include Michael Kors, Oakley, Marc Jacobs, and RayBan to name a few. Whether you are looking for brands from Paris, Italy or the United States, Optic King is never far away. Optic King brings to Brunei much sought after brands to you at the central shopping district of Gadong.

Optic King is also equipped with highly advanced ophthalmic instrumentations. The Company offers quality ophthalmic lens brands namely Essilor and Nikon, which incorporates new optical technology catering for different visual needs. Optic King is also the first optical store to recruit a Bruneian optometrist. Their optometrist is qualified from the United Kingdom and provides services of top standard. From the moment you step in the store, you are welcomed by their well- informed friendly staff and optometrist that is always ready to serve you and your optical needs.

Congratulations once again and you can follow their IG @optic.king

 

 


Mr. Muhammad Jamari bin Dangat, the President of Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind having a light moment with Yushi
 


There are two sides to Optic King
 


Oakley, anyone?
 

 


I didn’t know Tiffany & Co. does glasses too. Interesting and unique!!
 


One of the niche brand, Givenchy
 

 


You can have your eyes checked here and see how good your vision is
 


Yushi and her staff at Optic King
 

 


Thanks Yushi for the invitation
 

Impact 2017

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in arts, education, Social News

 


Group photo of the Impact 2017 students with the invited guests. Image courtesy of Vincent Hong. Click image to enlarge.
 

Yes, this is a delayed post on the @ubdimpact2017 event that’s taking place at Art Gallery, Chancellor Hall, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

The event is called Impact 2017: Art & Design Graduation Exhibition. The project is led by Nonnie King Siaw Chin, the Director, handling over 50 graduating students. With the theme, A Greater Spectacle, it is now in its 5th edition. I was fortunate enough to be view previous events and I am truly amazed by our local talents.

The art installations, paintings, computer graphics, animations and product designs are some of the things you can expect at Impact 2017. For your info, all these finished displays are only part of their module in terms of assessment points. Other marks and points will come from other areas such as presentations. They will be assessed by Associate Professor Kong Ho and Dr. Martie Geiger-Ho.

What’s interesting about the pieces are the story behind them. Why do they create that particular artwork or installation? Professor Kong has been involved with the students by challenging them with ideas and unlock their potential by translating their personal ideas and memories into an art form. Yes, the stories make a huge difference on the audience in appreciating their artwork even further. This exhibition is not something that you simply walk around after having a 3-5 second look. Their finished works required a little more attention and you will be amazed how a simplified artwork tells a lot of stories from the artist. This is the beauty of Impact 2017.

Just to give you some teaser, some of the stories depicts internal struggles, losing your loved ones, social and cultural issues to name a few. There are a few stories on bullying as well. Do connect with the artist to find out more about his or her particular art piece. He or she will appreciate it more. Congratulations to all the students and I hope all of you earned awesome marks from your lecturers 🙂

 

 


Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, UBD’s Assistant Vice Chancellor (Global Affairs), gracing the opening of Impact 2017
 


Titled “Helpless”, a painting installation by Noor Aqilah binti Hj Abu Bakar. The image depicted of her memories as a kid when her home at Kg Ayer caught on fire.
 


Titled “Seni Sribuza”, pattern design &art installation by Dk Nur Izzatul A’mal Pg Abd Rahim. Seni Sribuza means the art of Brunei. She’s a big fan of decorative patterns on Brunei traditional handicrafts and architecture. Her favourite colour is blue and she spent around BND 4,000 on her installation.
 


Titled “Use it or Lose it”, graphic design by Md Wafiuddin bin Hj Ahmad. I kinda like this art piece. There’s an interesting story behind this. I shall let you visit Impact 2017 to find out more.
 


Sentimental Attachment, a photo-realistic drawing by Nurnabilah Awang Hj Mohammed Ismail. She spent a few months finishing her drawing and the items she drawn are something meaningful to her.
 

The exhibition was officiated on 12th April 2017 at the lobby of the Chancellor Hall by UBD’s Assistant Vice Chancellor (Global Affairs) Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean. Also in attendance were Dato Paduka Hj Idris Hj Abas, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Dr David Koh, Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Dr Hjh Asiyah Hj Ahmad Kumpoh, Principle Officers of UBD and sponsors.

During the opening ceremony, Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean pointed out that the creative economy is not only a rapidly growing sector of the world economy but also a highly transformative one in terms of income generation, job creation and export earnings. She quoted the UNESCO website which said between 2002 and 2011, developing countries averaged 12.1 percent annual growth in exports of creative goods.

“I would like to encourage the Art and Creative Technology programme to continue their pursuit in making this programme unique and multidisciplinary,” she added. “Where each piece of work can also bring in the collaboration from other perspectives such as engineering and entrepreneurship for example.”

The exhibition will open to the public and will conclude on Saturday, 20 May 2017. Gallery hours are from 9am to 7pm Monday through Thursday and Saturday, and the Art Gallery is closed on Friday and Sunday.

For updates, you can follow them on IG @ubdimpact2017 and their Facebook Page. You can also read reports from UBD news and Sutera.

 

 


Theressa having fun playing with this art installation by Hjh Noraziah binti Hj Ismail.
 


Window of Faith, a painting installation by Syakirah Jamali. She’s always fascinated by the colours of light passing through the stained-glass window which evokes the divine presence and a sense of hope.
 


Kattaleya, an art installation by Azreena Rakawi. She’s fond of flowers since she was a kid. I believe it was her grandma that gave her an orchid when she was little girl. I’m impressed with this installation as it has many layers of glass panels
 


Theressa wrote many love notes to the students as a sign of appreciation and encouragement.
 

 


Sublime, a shadowbox installation by Michelle Lieu. Her idea behind her art project is to change the perception of natural found objects which can be an art form itself. She hopes her project can open the mind of viewers to appreciate the beauty of nature in their surrounding environment.
 


Regrets and Lies, a videography by Md Hanif Khairuddin Hj Ahmad Shah. Another interesting perspective on why people lie and his video shows the trend in our society on how lies are being perceived.
 


A Fiery Path of War, a video game design by Wilfred Achong. He created this heavy duty animation game on his own and this alone thats up a few terabytes. Again, we were quite amazed that this was done by him alone. The game shares the effects and the misunderstandings of war.
 


Affection, an augmented reality graffiti by Md Nur Huda Firdaus bin Jamil. He shares his affection on his late mother. He has a gift on painting murals.
 

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About RA

A blogger since 2002, using platforms from blogspot, joomla and now currently wordpress. A readership that stands on average of 20,000 visits per month. Also on active on social media platform on IG, Facebook and Snapchat (@ranoadidas)

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