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What a lovely day!!
The confine room at Times Square
The Kidnapped Room
Times Square Shopping Centre is conducting its first Room Confinement game daily from 12noon to 9pm this month. The game introduces an interactive gaming experience into Brunei, where the right measure of wit, persistence and teamwork will win the game. The Room Confinement is located in Times Square Shopping Centre, between Guardian and Jollibee, and is a collaboration with YYSL.
Customers will be confined in a room, where they would have to find a series of codes and puzzles that must be solved within 45 minute, in order to find the combination codes and answer the puzzles.
There are two rooms available with different themes; “Kidnapped” and “Missing Girl”. Each theme has a unique story element to the game, and what sets Room Confinement apart from their counterparts is that customers are being challenged and pressured to solve the puzzle within the time limit. Each room may accommodate two to six participants at a time. The game has attracted more than 100 participants and only a few managed to solve the mystery. It may look easy but you need to be very alert and focused.
Customers would need to book their slots to participate, though tickets are available for purchases at the counter; interested participant may call us at 8995720.
Times Square is also glad to announce that there will be upcoming events in May such as Times Square Lucky Draw and Mid-Year Exhibition. There is also an ongoing competition ‘Shop, Dine & Snap Instagram Competition’. For more information and registration, kindly visit the Lucky Draw booth at Times Square atrium. You may also find out about all upcoming events by visiting tsqbrunei.com or simply following Times Square Shopping Centre’s pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Some of the items in the room. Note: She is not the kidnapped girl
Search for the clues
Some of the clues
A body chalk on the floor
There’s even a TV inside the room.
One of the trailers for Mad Max: Fury Road
My most anticipated movie for 2015. I’m a big fan of Mad Max. Catching this soon at The Mall Cineplex.
Great scores so far on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dr Yg Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Fattaah Ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal-Waqar Pengiran Muda Mohamed Bolkiah had the Baiduri Masters 2015 trophy to Seruji Haji Setia
The presentation of the mock key of the Porsche Panamera to Ahmad Izzat bin Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Zaimi and Ahanapoah Hj Mohd Noor
The 20th Baiduri Masters concluded with a prize presentation at the Indah Hall, Royal Brunei Recreation Club and was attended by Dr Yg Amat Mulia Pengiran Muda Abdul Fattaah Ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal-Waqar Pengiran Muda Mohamed Bolkiah, a member of the Board of Directors at Baiduri Bank.
In his welcoming address, Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO at Baiduri Bank said,” The aim has always been centred towards supporting our community and making a difference, whether big or small, and this year is no different.” He further elaborated that Baiduri Bank has always strived to raise funds for local charity organisations, particularly the charities that cater towards individuals with special needs with the hope to alleviate their burden.
$80,000 was raised from the gold tournament proceeds, going to the Learning Ladders Society, the Child Development Centre, YASKA, Pusat Ehsan Al-Almeerah Al-Hajjah Maryam and SMARTER.
This year’s competition turned out to be a rather memorable one, as there were many landmark moments; three hole-in-ones and the second time a player had won the Baiduri Masters back to back. Seruji Haji Setia claimed the Challenge Trophy for a second year in a row, earning the coveted Green jacket, and $850 in cash. He beat his previous year’s score of 70 by one to pip the win.
The big winners of the night were the players who got the hole in one. Kahar Hj Abu Bakar was the first winner of the $20,000 cash prize since it was introduced in 2011. But the room burst into loud cheers with the presentation of the mock key of the Porsche Panamera to Ahmad Izzat bin Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Zaimi and Ahanapoah Hj Mohd Noor. The Baiduri Masters was supported by QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, QAF Eurokars Sdn Bhd, QAF Brunei, Brunei Press Sdn Bhd and RBA Golf Club Sdn Bhd.
The charitable foundations that benefited from Baiduri Masters 2015
Vanessa Boumba scored three prizes on the night, coming in top in the Ladies Division and the Junior Division, as well as winning the longest drive on hole 18
The winners of the Team Division, Anak Kedayan
The Baiduri Ladies
The one in hole prize that was shared – Porsche Panamera
the ACER Iconia Tab One 8 Android tablet and the ACER Iconia Tab 8 W Windows tablet now available at Concepts Computer
Portability and Affordability, the keywords for the new IT era, is key in being able to adapt to many changing and demanding needs of Bruneian IT consumers. Acer has made a huge leap in providing the most affordable and portable tablets in the ACER Iconia Tab series.
And fueling a new era of IT usage is the resurgence of the older generation in trying out new technology, to fit into the ever changing landscape of a modern world, which is why for the remaining month of May, Concepts will be providing exciting prices for the ACER Iconia Tab series; the ACER Iconia Tab One 8 Android tablet and the ACER Iconia Tab 8 W Windows tablet, open for those 50 years old and above.
The promotional pricing for the ACER Iconia Tab series will not only be for the older generations but also students who are looking for their first tablet to fulfill their educational and entertainment needs. The ACER Iconia Tab series are perfect for them since each model can be used for specific areas in their student life; the Windows based ACER Iconia Tab 8 W is perfect for school work and the Android based ACER Iconia Tab One 8 is perfect for entertainment and games in general.
With an 8-inch display that produces vivid colors from any angle, you can enjoy and share photos and videos alone or with friends. Add to that the immersive sound experience produced by dual stereo speakers, and your gaming, videos and music become truly entertaining.
The ACER Iconia Tab series has an attractive and simple design that’s both slim and lightweight. The narrow bezel allows a larger display that you can still hold comfortably in one hand. What’s more, the stylish and functional tactile pattern on the back also makes it easier to hold.
Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive at Concepts Computer (right) posing with the Iconia models
With a bevy of trendy, eye catching colours to suit any lifestyle and show your personality, this slim and lightweight tablet designed to be travel friendly. Plus its beautifully textured anti-slip finish helps you keep a firm grip wherever you go.
Battery-life that is acceptable for every day usage, the ACER Icnoia Tab series will be able to fulfill all your needs with an expected battery-life of 7 hours. Work and Play on the go is never easier and more convenient.
Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive at Concepts Computer, while speaking to the media said, “Concepts will always try to be in the forefront of the IT market in Brunei which is why we’re offering both these model at great prices for these 2 specific groups of society.” He continued, “The older generation would benefit a lot from being IT savvy, giving them the ability to be connected through these tablets, making them closer to the younger generations.” Zul aslo added, “And with students, technology is prevalent in their everyday life, this is just a chance to offer them the best devices out there at very affordable prices.”
Both the ACER Iconia Tab 8 W and ACER Iconia Tab One 8 is available at Concepts Computer for $218 but for the month of May, those 50 years old and above, and students currently in school or any educational institute, will be able to purchase either of these 2 models at the promotional price of $198 each. To qualify for the promotional prices, please provide ID for prove of age, or student ID/report cards to prove student status.
For more information call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553, or visiti your nearest Concepts Computer showroom.
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I am the …..
Creative Arts Festival with Shenny
Top 10 Summer Box office predictions with Rano Iskandar (The Popcorn Panel) and Del Goh (The Reel Show)
Top 10 Summer Box office predictions with Rano Iskandar (The Popcorn Panel) and Del Goh (The Reel Show)
Book the C180 now and enjoy FREE upgrade to 17-inch 5-spoke wheel in tremolite metallic, high-sheen finished. Call 244 1763 to book a test drive or visit their Beribi or Gadong showroom at Jati Transport
Stuttgart/New York. Mercedes-Benz wins three categories in the prestigious “World Car Awards 2015”. Christoph Horn, Head of Global Communication Passenger Cars Mercedes-Benz and Rob Moran, Director Mercedes-Benz USA Communications, received the awards on behalf of the brand with the three pointed star at a ceremony held on the occasion of the New York International Auto Show.
Particular success was enjoyed by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which won the “World Car of the Year 2015 Award”. The S-Class Coupé was voted “World Luxury Car 2015”, while the Mercedes-AMG GT sports car picked up the award for “World Performance Car 2015”.
Mercedes-Benz was the only automobile manufacturer to make it into the final round of the awards with five vehicles. This commanding performance is unprecedented in the 11-year history of the “World Car of the Year” awards and serves to reflect the tremendous popularity of the Stuttgart-based brand among their customers. The international jury for these prestigious awards is made up of 75 renowned automotive journalists.
Mercedes-Benz has found favour with the jury in previous years too: in 2014 the S-Class won the category “World Luxury Car”. In 2012 the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY was the winner in the category “World Green Car”, while the same award was taken back in 2007 by the E 320 BlueTEC.
Posing with a special hard cover edition of this month’s BHC magazine
Happy 3rd birthday, BHC Magazine
How time flies very fast and I remember covering the first ever launch of the BHC Magazine at the same venue three years ago, a project spearheaded by Stuart Lee, the Project Director of BHC Magazine. Last week, Butra Home Concept (BHC) Magazine celebrated their third anniversary.
You will probably know or heard of BHC magazine and it caters to the audience who love about homes and decos and also featuring the Brunei homes. The magazine has now evolved into a lifestyle guide and for readers of BHC, you can also download the book on your IOS powered phone (iPhones). For Stuart, the magazine is a success when someone picks up the magazine and read thru and not just the milestone that it has achieved along the years.
Congratulations to the team behind BHC Magazine, Azlan Ahmad, Group Chief Executive of MixmediaGroup and Amir Noor, Editor of BHC Magazine.
Azlan Ahmad giving his welcoming remarks
The cake cutting ceremony
Hui Chiet of Red Bull (Brunei) among the attendees
Nathan Ambrose and Stuart Lee
Finally caught up with my long time friend FJ
It was quite a packed event
Me in a Box Photo Booth
The lucky winner of the 42” tv
Guests during the third year anniversary
The current edition of BHC magazine (on photo)
Del Goh and Stuart Lee
Lucky draw for their third year anniversary
TrueVector Designs are going to hold ANOTHER EVALUATION TEST for those who couldn’t make it the last time and are still interested in pursuing a career animation. So who are they looking for?
-Traditional 2D artist
-Sketchers
-Desk & Notebook scribblers/doodlers
– A good command in English
So what are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate to join us by sending in your CV and portfolio to our email at hello@truevectordesigns.com or truevectordesigns@gmail.com before 15th May 2015 (Friday)
Successful applicants will be informed to sit for the test which will In shaa Allah be on 18th May 2015 (Monday).
Audi A3 Sedan – Prime Edition
Audi A3 Sedan – Prime Edition
T.C.Y. Motors Sdn Bhd as the sole agent for Audi in Brunei in its efforts to constantly offer customers ‘something different yet exciting’ is pleased to introduce a new sporty variant of the Audi A3 Sedan- the Prime edition.
The Audi A3 Prime edition is a 1.8 turbo (180hp) model fitted with exclusive sports styled exterior body kit from Audi’s Genuine Accessories offering. The body kit includes a distinctive front spoiler; side sills, a new design rear diffuser incorporated with the rear apron- all of which can be available in either Brilliant Black or the car body colour, topping off the package is the standout tailgate spoiler in Carbon which finishes the Prime sports look.
An additional option to the package is the exclusive cast aluminium 18-inch wheels in 5-arm Velum design which is sold separately. The Audi A3 Prime edition is available now for viewing with other current offerings at Audi Kiarong showroom during operating hours.
The sporty design at the back
Upon request – exclusive cast aluminium 18-inch wheels in 5-arm Velum design
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DPMM FC update
Finally DPMM FC broke the old jinx of not winning against Tampines Rovers. They have not beaten them in 7 attempts since 2012 (two draws and five losses). Last night DPMM FC was back to winning ways and they scored a 2-0 victory over the visitors now coached by Sundramoorthy, former Singapore football player.
Goals were scored by impressive import Sergio and Ramazotti and it was also the return of Rodrigo Tosi and Roberto Alvez, former DPMM FC players, who are now contracted with Tampines Rovers. It was a bitter sweet return for both players who have contributed during their years as DPMM FC players. The only setback for DPMM FC was the dismissal of Azwan Ali late in the game. It was one weird altercation when Azwan Ali flick his boot towards his own teammate Boris Raspudic and yes, that was totally unexpected and it had to happen in front of a home crowd.
That altercation also sparked a heated confrontation between Wardun Yussof and Boris but the situation was cooled down. DPMM FC coach Steve Kean said he hasn’t seen such thing in a long time and he pointed out that Azwan Ali made a big mistake last night. He is certain such thing won’t happen again in the future matches.
DPMM FC are currently in good form in the S•League with two games in hand and let’s hope the momentum stays that way. DPMM FC’s next match will be this Thursday, 14th May against Albirex Niigata FC (S) at Jurong East Stadium, Singapore.
Rafael Ramazotti aka Rafa of DPMM FC celebrates after scoring last night. Image taken by Sanusi Hussin of The Brunei Times.
DPMM FC against Tampines Rovers at Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium. Image courtesy of S•League website.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, Minister of Culture,Youth and Sports with the management of DPMM FC Matchday Magazine and advertising partners of the magazine at A.K.K Design office.
Advertising partners recently attended the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony for partners of the 2015 edition of the Brunei DPMM FC Matchday Magazine. Present to witness this ceremony was Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, Minister of Culture,Youth and Sports.
Ceremony kicked off with welcoming remarks from Sazali Mohd Ariff, Chief Executive of A.K.K Design. Amongst those present were its advertising partners and supporters from Baiduri Bank (Exclusive Premium Advertiser), Cityneon Displays & Construction Sdn Bhd (Gold Advertiser), DST (Silver Advertiser), Grand Hyatt Singapore (Silver Advertiser), Royal Brunei as MatchDay Magazine’s Airline Partner and Kristal FM as its Media Partner. Also present were the Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei, His Excellency Mr Jaya Ratnam, senior government officials and senior management from Brunei DPMM Football Club.
The Brunei DPMM FC MatchDay Magazine will be sold to the public at the ticketing booths and entrance gates of Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah during matchdays. Complimentary copies will be distributed to designated government and educational institutions, selected commercial establishments and onboard Royal Brunei Airlines regional and long haul flights. This magazine is designed to be a premium publication in keeping with Brunei DPMM FC’s aim to be among the best – on and off the pitch, but is nevertheless reasonably priced to cater to a wider target audience. Images courtesy of A.K.K Design.
Guest of honour with Sazali Mohd Ariff, Chief Executive of A.K.K Design
Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank (Exclusive Premium Advertiser)
Dato Jack Ting, Managing Director of Cityneon Displays & Construction Sdn Bhd
Sazali Mohd Ariff, Chief Executive of A.K.K Design in his welcoming remarks
Among the attendees during the MoU signing
DPMM FC Matchday Magazine
Well done, Sazali 😀
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KLIHF 2015
Cheese crusted french onion soup, balsamic chicken salad with feta cheese and pine nuts or spicy crabmeat linguine with lime
Chef Bob Ibrahim of MoMo Restaurant
Make this mother’s day an extraordinary day to remember by treating the woman in your life to a special lunch or dinner at MoMo Restaurant.
Start the wonderful day with either a set lunch or dinner comprising a selection of mouth watering appetizers, a refreshing in between before moving onto the main course and capping it off with a sweet ending.
For only $28, patrons can choose from either a cheese crusted french onion soup, balsamic chicken salad with feta cheese and pine nuts or spicy crabmeat linguine with lime to start of the meal.
This is then followed by a watermelon lime sorbet to balance out the palate before patrons adjourn to the main meal which consist either of rustic peri peri spring chicken with tomato salsa and herb couscous, teriyaki salmon fillet with wasabi mashed potatoes and miso butter or Australian sirloin with crispy taro chips, sauteed garden green and herb butter.
Chef Bob Ibrahim of MoMo Restaurant said that these dishes are made with love, passion and the freshest as well as finest ingredients.
“The meals prepared are influenced by Chinese, Western and Mediterranean styles of cooking and they come from the many experiences I had working in other kitchens,” he said.
He also added that MoMo does not skimp on quality as well as portions. He gave an example whereby the rustic peri peri spring chicken is actually half of a whole chicken while the Australian Sirloin weighs around 180 grammes and the Salmon is 160 grammes. To end on a high note, Chef Bob has come with his own version of the Russian dessert Mamin LuBimiy Tsvetok which literally translates as mom’s favourite flower.
The Chef said that this chocolatey one-of-its-kind dessert is symbolic of every mother’s favourite flower or plant and was founded in a famous Russian restautant. Kids meal for ages 3 to 12 specially created by the Chef are also available at $12 along with Ala Carte meals and every diner will receive an instant souvenir photograph on the special day.
To make reservations, please call Danny at 8999807 or Ayana at 8786003 or head to the restaurant which is located at Starlodge Hotel. So make this an unforgettable celebration by treating your mother to a spectacular meal at MoMo restaurant as there is no better way to thank the woman who loves you unconditionally.
Rustic peri peri spring chicken with tomato salsa and herb couscous
Teriyaki salmon fillet with wasabi mashed potatoes and miso butter
Australian sirloin with crispy taro chips, sauteed garden green and herb butter
Russian dessert Mamin LuBimiy Tsvetok
The launch of the Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fair 2015 yesterday at the International Convention Centre. The fair ends tomorrow.
My first ever taste of KLIHF. It is pronounced as “Cliff” and this is the mother of all Muslimah fashion wear in SE Asia. I heard of KLIHF last year but I had no idea really what it was all about. Yesterday was kinda surreal because I didn’t know that this event is such in high demand. This is like a one-stop centre for fashion especially for the women. KLIHF stands for Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fair and it has become a common name in Brunei now after the likes of Consumer Fair. The fair had around 150 vendors complimenting one another and the winners are the consumers who have aplenty of choices under one roof.
The event was officiated by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Siti Radhiah binti Pengiran Maharaja Lela Sahibul Kahar Pengiran Anak Hj Mohd Yusof. Also accompanying her was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Quddus bin Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz and Pengiran Ratna Siti Nooraishah. They were hosted by Puan Mona Din, Managing Director of KLIFH (under WOJ Wealth Sdn Bhd) who believed that Brunei is a very promising market after the studying the demand and spending power in the past year or so. She’s very optimistic that the current event in Brunei will rake in at least BND 3 million of sales transaction. I never thought it would have reached that figure but that’s quite a huge target considering the market size of Brunei alone. Hence this shows how much successful KLIHF is in Brunei. Almost 90% of the vendors are international and to have to bring them over to Brunei is not an easy feat due to freight cost and logistics. Mona was thankful to Royal Brunei and some hotel partners that was willing to offer special all-in packages for the exhibitors.
The event is such a timely manner since Ramadhan is just around the corner. I believe it would have more impact if it’s much closer or during Ramadhan to draw in more crowd and interest. There will be activities and programmes along the way to educate the public and some of it will be led by Ustaz Don Danial (on Hijab styling and business talks). Mona shared that there’s also an increase for the male counterpart muslim fashion wear and the trend is catching up in Malaysia. So far there are about 10 vendors that are catering for the male segment. Mona shared that KLIHF will return some time in June 2016 to Brunei and that will be a much better time as it will be closer to the festive season.
I shall be paying another visit today and understand more about the popular event. It’s still a huge draw despite the $1 fee entrance. This is for the purpose of tabulating the number of visitors visiting KLIHF 2015. For your info, the event takes place at ICC from 10am to 10pm and the final day is on Sunday. You can also follow their live updates on social media @KLIHF
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Siti Radhiah binti Pengiran Maharaja Lela Sahibul Kahar Pengiran Anak Hj Mohd Yusof (center) with Puan Mona Din, Managing Director of KLIFH (under WOJ Wealth Sdn Bhd) and Datuk Awang Sahak bin Awang Salleh, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam upon arrival of the event
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Quddus bin Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz, Pengiran Ratna Siti Nooraishah and Farrah Adeeba, Director of KLIHF
One of the local Brunei vendors participating at the KLIHF 2015
Press conference by the organizers
A famous celebrity from Malaysia being the ambassador for this brand
$1 dollar fee is required for entry and registration purposes
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To the edge
Baiduri Masters 2015 continues
Hjh Nurul Akmar binti Hj Mohd Jaafar, Deputy Head of Consumer Banking cum Head of CSR, BIBD and Shairazi Zainuddin, Corporate Communications, BIBD during the press conference
Seruji Haji Setia leads the 20th Baiduri Masters after the first weekend of play and looks in firm contention to defend his title at the RBA Golf Club. The Baiduri Masters will continue this weekend from May 8-10. The biggest mover of the tournament was Haji Shahminan Damit whose excellent round of 69 skyrocketed him to second from the final top 12 in the leaderboard.
Khairol Bakar dropped to third with a gross score of 73 with 2010 runners-up Tony Haji Karim in fourth on count back. Lai Suan Loong also slipped to fifth after managing a high of third place on Saturday. In the ladies rankings, the highly respected Almas Syadzwanie Kamis led the way in first place with a score of 70.
Patricia Danielle Bayina and Siti Zabaidah trail further behind with a score of 75. Dora Madai sits in fourth with 76 with Mary Hiew (82) and Nurzana Suhaili (102) completing the top six.
Vanessa Boumba Marie-Alice carded a round of 69 to set the pace in the junior division rankings as the first weekend came to a close.
In the team division, Sweet Lip Emperor recorded a score of 211, four strokes ahead of Petir A.
This year’s Baiduri Masters added two more hole-in-one winners in Ahmad Izzat bin Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Zaimi and Ahanapiah Haji Md Noor, seven years since Elyas Abdullah Tseu broke a 13-year drought by claiming a historic first hole-in-one in the history of the competition.
John Kilpatrick helped add the gloss on an explosive golfing weekend after his nearest-to-the-pin attempt in hole No 16 landed 12 centimetres short from the hole, bagging him a cool B$20,000 cash prize. For your information, all the slots for this weekend are all fully booked. Well done, Baiduri. Text courtesy of Fadhil Yunus of Borneo Bulletin.
Ahmad Izzat bin Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Zaimi, one of the winners of the Porsche Panamera on hole no.2 during Baiduri Masters 2015
Another winner of the Porsche Panamera, Ahanapiah Haji Md Noor, by where both will have the share the prize.
Ahanapiah being interviewed by the local press
Rijal Kassim in actio
Seruji Hj Setia still in the lead in the Baiduri Masters
Lai Suan Loong
Mother’s Day promo
Baiduri Bank, in collaboration with I-Lotus Restaurant will be offering special set menus from B$178 to B$580 when they dine in from 07 May to 14 May 2015.
With the upcoming Mother’s Day this Sunday, I-Lotus Restaurant is offering diners up to five different set menus to choose from when they treat their moms to a sumptuous meal at its outlet. Set menus offered include 1 soup, 1 dessert and several different main dishes to suit individual palettes for groups of 3 to 4 persons up to maximum 12 persons at a table.
Diners who peruse the set menus during the promotion period will be entitled to one free slice of cake, one skin care sample and discount voucher from The Body Shop, and one beauty voucher from City Hair Studio.
In addition, Baiduri cardholders who make payment for any of the set menus with their credit or debit cards will be entitled to 15% discount. Minimum spending of B$200 will be applied to payment made on ala carte dishes during the promotion period excluding 10 May 2015.
Baiduri cardholders who wish to learn more about the Special Treats for Moms promotion with I-Lotus Restaurant can call Baiduri Call Centre at 244 9666. Alternatively, customers can log on to www.baiduri.com or follow Baiduri Bank on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest promotion updates or call I-Lotus Restaurant at 242 2466 to make their reservations.
A popular dish at I-Lotus Restaurant
BIBD Showcase
BIBD caught my attention once again. I know I was slightly side tracked by the the actual BIBD Home Showcase but let me first talk about the BIBD Virtual MasterCard which is so convenient for many of use who use transactions online. Now with the Virtual Mastercard, you can simply pay using your phone by sending a text. That’s it!! I never realised this service has been around for a year already but perhaps, it’s more about educating and creating more awareness on how simple a paying or selling transaction can be by means of mobile. Now this service is so ideal especially for SMEs or e-vendors that can save them a lot of trouble and it will be a win-win situation for the buyer and the seller (e-vendors). This was explained by Hjh Nurul Akmar binti Hj Mohd Jaafar, Deputy Head of Consumer Banking cum Head of CSR, BIBD recently during the press conference for the BIBD Home Showcase. See, I told you that I was a bit side tracked.
BIBD aims to go paperless
So for today until Sunday, BIBD has an ongoing BIBD Home Showcase at the Mall, Gadong. This popular showcase is back once again and it seems that the mindset of the youth especially the young graduates have taken the courage and the big step in owning a home. The youth have started planning their future by looking for a place to live. A decade ago, it would have been a different priority. Instead they will opt for cars as it’s part of the mainstream culture in Brunei to own one after you start working. Now the tide has slightly shifted as we are thinking long term.
Not to worry as BIBD Personal Bankers will share their expertise and tailor to your future home needs and it’s ideal to start now because of the upcoming festive season. This is such a timely manner as renovation, for instance, may take some time and with proper planning, you will have the end results before the festive season. There’s a saying that “Rome wasn’t build in one day”. So do start planning and pay BIBD roadshow a visit and they are more than willing to help and assist you.
Hjh Nurul Akmar binti Hj Mohd Jaafar, Deputy Head of Consumer Banking cum Head of CSR, BIBD and Shairazi Zainuddin, Corporate Communications, BIBD during the press conference
Drop by BIBD Home Showcase
This time round, BIBD have collaborated with a few partners – Maxtrack, Hias Design, Desa Villa, Takaful Brunei, Panacom, Luzzone, Karim Carpet, PNK Enterprise and Bess Perfect (Real estate). BIBD customers who sign up for any of BIBD’s financing products on offer will stand a chance to win prizes such as a 42” television, home theatre set, along with other household appliances such as fridges and microwave. Early birds who sign up for BIBD’s Home Financing will also be entitled to receive furniture vouchers worth B$200.00 to help get a head start on that dream home.
On top of that, customers who sign up for any of BIBD’s services such as the BIBD Debit Card, BIBD Online, BIBD Mobile or e-statements will also stand a chance to win Gong Cha vouchers. Also, as part of its promotion, BIBD will also be giving out a 50% fee waiver on the financing products on offer. So there’s plenty of reasons to be present at their roadshow.
There will also be a promotion on BIBD’s Instagram account where customers who take a creative snapshot of themselves at the BIBD Home Showcase event at the Mall will stand a chance to win the all new Samsung S6 Edge. Wow!! That’s a great gimmick!! Now you have more reasons to take selfies at BIBD showcase.
Take a snapshot at BIBD Home Showcase and stand a chance to win a new Samsung S6 Edge. Simple!!
All these promotions on BIBD’s products and services highlights BIBD’s “Bruneian at Heart” commitment to always understand and be intuitive to the needs of its customers, by providing suitable solutions that can help them to achieve their dreams. BIBD will also have be having their next Home Showcase at Pusat Ehsani in two weeks’ time. So something to look forward to and to also cater the residents of Seria and Kuala Belait.
For more information on any BIBD products, services and promotions, please follow the BIBD Instagram account at @BIBDBRUNEI; Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bibdbrunei; get in touch with BIBD Contact Centre at 2238181 or visit the nearest BIBD Branch. Also, don’t forget to download the popular BIBD Mobile App to get the latest BIBD offers and promotions under “What’s New” feature.
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84%
Here’s another edition of my film reviews and news. If you have noticed that I hardly post any movie reviews on my blog as I focused more on my podcast review on sound cloud or post my review on my IG. I was asking myself if I should also include my old format of movie reviews through my blog as well. Then it would kinda be a spoiler for those who might want to listen to my podcast. So to be fair, I would intend to post my blog review a week after my podcast for the benefit of my readers and also for those who doesn’t actually listen to my podcast (why, why…. *lol*). In actual fact, I kinda miss blogging up my movie reviews.
My biggest hit this year for my Popcorn Panel podcast has been Furious 7 which has garnered almost 600 listeners. My highest so far is Big Hero Six (1,500 hits) and Yasmine the movie (1,000 hits). My current Avengers: Age of Ultron podcast review hasn’t been all that and one big reason could be that I posted my podcast review a week later after the release in Brunei and secondly, the reviews haven’t been all that but to me it’s still entertaining. AOT only scored an average of 75% on rottentomatoes as compared to the first Avengers 92%. It will be a disappointment if my podcast review on AOT won’t reach in the region of 300 hits.
You can catch my full review on my blog on AOT this weekend. For now, enjoy the podcast first especially with my regular co-host @delgoh.
Our podcast review with my co-host Del Goh on Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4Dx experience at Paragon Cineplex. Click play to listen to our review.
Paragon Cineplex
My movie experience at Paragon Cineplex. What can I say? This is my hometown. Like I have mentioned before on my previous post, I’m in love with the cinema culture at Paragon Cineplex. This is located at Siam Paragon and it basically has almost all the format on screen – 2D, 3D, IMAX and 4Dx. So if you happen to be in Bangkok, do visit Paragon Cineplex and even Del Goh was “sakai-ed” by the cineplex as it was his first visit to Paragon Cineplex.
It was weird that Bangkok released Age of Ultron a week later after Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia. I’m not sure why though and that’s the reason I caught it slightly later than my friends because I just happened to make plans in Thailand. So I missed the Avengers’ marathon at Times Cineplex. Oh well. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my experience on 4Dx last week and I’m planning to catch again tonight at the Mall Cineplex.
The most anticipated movie for me this summer is not Age of Ultron or Jurassic World or Inside Out. It’s Mad Max: Road Fury. I’m a huge fan of the trilogy and it has been 30 years before they revived the franchise again. I have to say that all the trailers for Mad Max have been freaking awesome. I have no doubt that Mad Max will do well in the box office despite its R rating. I shall be catching Mad Max: Road Fury in Kuching next week.
The Hulkbuster display at Paragon Royal Hall during the Thai Comic Con last weekend
This was my second 4Dx experience. My first was last year in Korea when I caught The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
It was such a long queue during the first show of AOT at Paragon Cineplex
A different set of Avengers tumblers as compared to the ones from Times Cineplex
A movie that I can’t wait to catch… The Raid movie of 2015 for me
Another movie I can wait to catch. Will it live up to the first movie? #pitchperfect
The atmosphere at Paragon Cineplex
Volkswagen Weekend
Maju Motors Sdn Bhd, the official Volkswagen distributor in Brunei, will be holding a special Anniversary Carnival from 8-10 May 2015. It was exactly one year ago that the Volkswagen brand was completely relaunched in the Sultanate, and it is continuing to make inroads into the car market here.
The latest version of the Vento, Volkswagen’s best-selling car in Brunei, was just launched a fortnight ago. Soon, the new Touareg – the top-of-the-line model sold here – will also be introduced.
Customers can look forward to many more new products debuting in the coming months, including the Golf Sportsvan and the current holder of the prestigious ‘Car of the Year’ award, the all-new Passat. There will also be exciting new versions of popular models like the Beetle, Tiguan and Touran.
Sign up and be the first 100 will receive exclusive Volkswagen gift. Click image to enter.
“The last one year has been extremely exciting for our company,” said Chan Key Hong, the Executive Director of Maju Motors. “In 2014 we delivered over 1,000 new cars within a year for the first time, and the number of Volkswagen owners in Brunei is still growing quickly.
“This is why we are also working hard on boosting the efficiency of our aftersales business, to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. For example, there are now 60 percent more technicians who are dedicated to servicing Volkswagen vehicles, and we have created significantly more space for them to work.”
In addition, Maju Motors has employed more service advisors and set up a team focused on customer care.
During the 3-day Anniversary Carnival, showroom visitors will be able to view and test drive a wide range of Volkswagen models, as well as enjoy tasty treats from Wing-it, Muffins Paradise Brunei and Doug’s Cakoi. Of course, there will also be fun children’s activities so the whole family will be entertained.
The event starts at 3pm on Friday, 8 May, and runs from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, 9 May and Sunday, 10 May.
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Rediscover
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Download SnapFeed app on your smartphones and check out the latest deals in Brunei and also get rewarded from respective merchants such as BurgerKing, KFC and Sushi Tei to name a few.
Coming soon near you. Recognise the logo?
I have been out of the local news for quite some time and recently I’ve been catching up with what I’ve been missing since my 10 days of hiatus from the Brunei scene. It seems there are many things happening though I claimed that it’s gonna be a slow month. This month of May is swamped with events and more food reviews. BHC Magazine will be turning 3 years now and there will be a huge event known as the KL International Hijab event at ICC starting Friday. I’m also excited about the new car which will be unveiled to the press from Ssyangyong which is a compact SUV Tivoli.
Rebranding
I always like when a corporate company goes to a rebranding process. Past two years, it was been Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) where the national carrier gradually change their overall look and appeal, bring a new level of hospitality as well as replacing some older planes with the Dreamliner 787. The same goes to another local Telco in Brunei formerly known as b•mobile communications. With the new name Progresif Cellular, they have been taking Brunei by storm in recent weeks with their aggressive marketing campaign.
Last weekend, Progresif Cellular opened up their new flagship store at Tanjung Bunut which was unveiled by the Minister of Communications. The Telco revealed their new logo and colour brand to have a refreshing appeal to the eyes of the public. Progresif Cellular have been gaining traction after announcing amazing offers such as FREE annual fee forever (now that’s a first) and now they introduce their handset and credit deals with Vivo and Huawei phones. I have strong believe that Progresif Cellular is heading the right direction and listening to the needs of the customers. Just don’t expect all the miracles at one time. They are indeed progressing step by step rather than not progressing at all.
Thumbs up to the stakeholders and the decision makers on Progresif Cecullar’s direction. You have certainly had me sold. Time to invest in a secondary smart phone.
The new look of Progresif Cellular at the new flagship store at Tanjung Bunut. Image courtesy of Azli Azney of The Brunei Times.
Check out the new deals from Progresif Cellular. Click image to enter their Facebook Page.
Donations pouring
One thing great about our community, we have a sense of contribution especially when there are mishaps locally and internationally. We all are very familiar with the recent earthquake at Nepal which has taken thousands of lives and the country is still in mourning and in shock of the catastrophe. Many NGOs and individuals have taken steps to raise funds and also donating necessary items for the victims of the Nepal earthquake.
Last Monday, Raddison Hotel and Fitness Zone joined forces to donate items and handed over the donations to a representative from Nepal, James Shakya who is the manager of the Gurkha Palace Restaurant and Catering. He was overwhelmed with the kindness from the local community and they have managed to raise more than 10,000 kg of aid. As for now, they are in need more of medical aid and supplies. Those who can assist in this matter, you can donate to Fitness Zone.
Manager of Gurkha Palace Restaurant, James Shakya (left) and Managing Director of Fitness Zone Wu Chun (R) receiving donations from the General Manager of Radisson Hotel, Van Helden at Fitness Zone, Kiulap. Image courtesy of Azli Azney of The Brunei Times.
KLIHF this weekend
KLIHF stands for Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fair and it’s happening this weekend starting Friday. This will be the second event of its kind and it is being dubbed the biggest Muslimah Fashion Trade Fair and it will make its way at ICC. So what can you expect? It will feature more than a hundred booths from various countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and Turkey, will gather local and international designers, brands, retailers and wholesalers, including textile, fabric and accessories suppliers related to Muslimah fashion.
There will be popular Malaysian Muslimah fashion brands such as Mona Din of Hajaba, Farrah Adeeba of Najjah and Madeena by Mizz Nina. I hope to see Nina as I knew her personally from the days of Teh Tarik Crew. I shall be updating more stories on this event pretty soon.
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Back again
A very low key month for me. Well, nothing much to shout about in May. I just got back from a two-week break from work and now recovering from a very fulfilling trip with my friends from Brunei and abroad. Friends do ask me if I enjoy traveling and the answer is pretty obvious. I was invited to travel to Paris and Moscow last April but I already had prior commitments and still stuck with my original plan – Hua Hin (Thailand) and Manila and I didn’t regret with my original plan because of the awesome company and environment. Nonetheless, I would like to thank Darussalam Holdings for the offer but it came slightly too late for my plans. Let’s hope the next one will be a go-go.
12 years and counting.
At the moment, my thinking capacity is not at its highest level, let alone above average. I still need more sleeping hours before I get back to shape. I even forgot to renew my domain name for ranoadidas.com and it was clumsy on my part. Good thing I had my rano360.com domain still up and running just in case. For your info, my blog just turned 12 years on 1st of May. I actually thought last year was the 12th year but apparently I miscalculated the number of years. I won’t be doing any special event or programs for the 12th year milestone and I do want to acknowledge and appreciate every single of my loyal readers for continuing this support. It’s not easy to gain attention nowadays for bloggers as now the power belongs to the social media and we all are part of it whether we like it or not. For me, it’s important to stay to my core presence as a blogger and also be active in social media to be in the mix. It has been an encouraging journey so far.
Poor Manny.
The talk of the town has been the controversial match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao where it was billed as match of the century on paper but didn’t translate well in the title match. Instead we were entertained by the hugging and the running of the title holder Mayweather. We caught the match at the cinema at Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila with my friends last weekend and we were rooting for the favourite underdog Manny for sure. I kinda knew what kind of tactics Money man will come up with it and judges were in favour of Mayweather who now has a 48-0 record as a professional boxer. Amazing stats but his legacy remains unstable because of his lack of sportsmanship in the match. He was jeered with a chorus of boos when he entered the arena and even the crowd was chanting Manny’s name. Now Manny has requested a rematch if I’m not mistaken. Let’s hope it won’t be another repeated incident. Biggest winner here – Hublot.
Manila Galore.
Yes, we didn’t have enough sleep at all. After my Hua Hin trip, I flew straight to Manila to meet up with the boys and spend only 8-9 hours of sleep while being in Manila for 72 hours *lol* It was a great getaway and I can’t believe that this was my second trip to Manila in a space of three months and I never been to the Philippines. Yes, the only I think that made me stress is the ridiculous traffic jam. The boys and I celebrated Stuart Lee’s birthday and also caught the #MayPac match at the cinema. We were a bit down that Manny lost but he still won our hearts. The other thing that ticked us off was that the live feed from the cinema was cut off between Round 7 to Round 9 of the boxing match and the audience were already raising their voice for refunds. Good thing that the local fans didn’t make such a big issue when the match was over. It could have backfired. Anyway, thanks buddies for the great time off and spending time together in Manila. Round 2, perhaps?
Age of Ultron still entertaining.
Though I was slightly behind in my reviews for Age of Ultron, I left it on a high note because Del and I caught it on 4Dx at Paragon Cineplex, Bangkok, Thailand. It was Del’s first time experience at the cinema area and he loves it. For me, this is like my home ground because it’s not just a cinema but they created a lifestyle and invested millions in catering to a great atmosphere and hospitality. We grabbed our tickets through the e-ticketing machine without the hassle of going over to the counter. IMAX 3D is still the best at Paragon Cineplex and it’s better than the Lido one in Singapore. Anyway, I don’t advise you to catch Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4Dx since it can be very irritating that the seats keep on moving from time to time and plus the screen is not as huge too. I would trade for IMAX than 4Dx any day. Avengers sequel opened very well in the US box office but still fell short of their first movie by 20 million. Do listen to my podcast on my review and I gave this movie a strong 8.
Pictures from Manila Trip.
The Bros manila passport covers
The boxing event that didn’t live up to expectations
Mayweather focused more on counter attack and won
The disappointed crowd after the boxing match
When Stuart turned 3# ish :p
Yea, at least they still have my sizes
I bought this bag too to match with my bag pack
The wheel outside Mall of Asia
Thanks for the trip guys 😀 Till next time.
Shawn with his obsession on chicken feet
Flying back thru Cebu Pacific
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Age of Ultron
Our podcast review with my co-host Del Goh on Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4Dx experience at Paragon Cineplex. Click play to listen to our review.
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Forgive me
Now previously known as Sixth Sense has been taken over by Sheraton and the villas have been renamed as Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas
The service is still excellent especially when we were checking in
Good morning, readers!!! If you have been following my on instagram, you would probably know where I am right now. Yes, I have been away for quite some time now and I’m still here at Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas, Hua Hin, Thailand. I was here exactly 5 years ago at the same place but it was under Evason Sixth Sense. Now half of the hotel area (the villa side) has been taken over by Sheraton (under Starwood). There were some minor changes but the most thing I truly missed is the personalised butler that we use to have. I recalled I was requesting for an iron and iron board. The lady butler came to our villa with the items but she did an extra more which was ironing my clothes on the spot *lol* Now that’s what I call service. Since the new management, we don’t enjoy that privilege anymore.
The villas are awesome as always and I highly recommend to friends who simply want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Thailand. This is my third trip to Hua Hin and it’s about a 3 hour ride from Bangkok too. I love the quietness and it’s a place where I could just relax my mind and think less about unnecessary things such as work and even my blog *lol*
We are quite fortunate to have a very good rate for our villas and it costs us USD 350 per night. Our room is a two story villa and my bed is located at the living room area while my buddies are sleeping upstairs. We have a mini private pool as well and a small jacquzzi. The wifi is pretty fast as well. It’s as fast as 18-19 megs. Awesome but it can lagged especially at night time. I would have to say that the wifi is way better than the dongle mifi I rented (BND 85 for a week) and it’s only 3 megs at best.
So peeps, I won’t be blogging for a while now.. Maybe I will back in two days’ time. I’m gonna enjoy the last few days here in Hua Hin.
Our two story villa 😀
Swimming at our private pool
We can rent bikes from the villas and cycle around the area to explore. Very convenient.
Night time at Sheraton Pranburi Villas
Hanging out with my buddies
Sarina is having a blast this trip. Full of joy and laughter.
My friends’ villa
Trying out the Sixth Sense Spa next door with my buddies
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