C-Class Coupé TV commercial “Ferry” – Mercedes-Benz original

 

Acting Minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Paduka Awang Haji Mohamad Roselan bin Haji Mohamad Daud during the ribbon-cutting to officiate the opening of the new Telisai-Lumut Highway. Image courtesy of Hock Sim from Media Permata.

Did you know 21 motorists caught speeding yesterday on the new highway? Image courtesy of Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

I commute to Seria/KB at least 2-3 times in a month and I’ve been eyeing on the much awaited highway, the Telisai-Lumut Highway and it was officially opened last Tuesday. The distance of the new highway is 18.6km and it took six years to complete and the idea is to shorten the distance between BSB and Kuala Belait. The usual path is the single land road from Telisai to Sg Liang and now there are two alternatives.

So how much did it cost? Supposedly $138 million but due to additional incurring costs, it ended up to $168 million as quoted by Simon Tsen Khjeng, Senior Engineer at Darussalam Enterprise (DARe). The six year project had geo-technical issues such as landslips due to soil composition.

There are definitely pros and cons with the newer highway. The obvious disadvantage is that the highway is five kilometres longer than the old route. But of course, the single land route will have more traffic congestion and the road is bumpy at certain points too.

Last night, it was my first time experiencing the highway and I actually thought it was a brilliant move. I saw two road kills (dogs) on my way back. I might have to say that those living in Lumut might find it tedious as they have make a longer U-turn than usual since my friend shared her view on the highway.

For now, let’s be appreciative of the Government’s effort to improve the safety and also road congestion especially for commuters. It’s sad to know that there was a self-accident incident yesterday on the highway but no casualty and the relevant authorities are investigating into the case. The Royal Brunei Police Force were also on task to remind motorists not to speed on the highway by setting up roadblocks and speed traps. So just a bit of warning and reminder to all the drivers out there. Safety is more important and Hari Raya is coming soon too 😀

Kudos to the stakeholders involved in this project.

The new highway. Click image to enlarge.

 

Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof (L), Shariah Advisory Body Chairman of BIBD and its subsidiaries handing over the Zakat mock cheque to Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman (R), the Minister of Religious Affairs, as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs (2R) and BIBD Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer( 2L) looks on

BIBD yesterday performed its zakat obligations, the forth pillar of Islam, by handing over its Zakat on Business for the financial year 2015, along with the Zakat for customer deposits to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB). The payment of zakat is also a method of wealth distribution to support the deserving as stipulated by Shariah.

BIBD today performed its zakat obligations, the forth pillar of Islam, by handing over its Zakat on Business for the financial year 2015, along with the Zakat for customer deposits to the Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB). The payment of zakat is also a method of wealth distribution to support the deserving as stipulated by Shariah.

BIBD’s Zakat on Business for 2015 amounted to B$ 2,612,091.93, whilst Zakat for customer deposits for the period of 2015-2016 came in at B$ 369,573.93.

The Zakat were handed over by Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Shariah Advisory Body Chairman of BIBD and its subsidiaries, Permanent Secretary at The Ministry of Religious Affairs to Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Religious Affairs (MORA), in his capacity as MUIB President.

Also in attendance were the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, along with BIBD Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yang Mulia Mubashar Khokhar, and other MORA and BIBD officials. The event took place at the office of the Minister of Religious Affairs in Berakas.

 

BIBD personnel during the “Majlis Khatam Al-Quran at Tarindak D’Seni yesterday

BIBD yesterday held their annual ‘Majlis Khatam Al-Quran & Majlis Bersungkai’ at the Tarindak D’Seni in the capital for some 250 personnel. Through their participation, the event served to bring BIBD management and staff closer.

The ceremony began with the recitation of the Surah Al-Fatihah prior to the Khatam Al-Quran that was participated by more than fifty BIBD personnel, and ended with the breaking of fast.

The event is part of BIBD’s Ramadhan religious activities along with their recent annual charity drive “Sirah Amal” and Majlis Bertahlil at the Royal Mausoleum.

In attendance was BIBD Chairman and Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah, along with members of the Board of Directors and Shariah Advisory Body, as well as BIBD management and staff.

 

One of the Set Meals we ordered recently

A popular franchise in the Philippines, Pancake House International has been in the Sultanate in just less than two years. Located next to the famous Thien-Thien branch in Kiulap, it’s strategically located at the corner of the building and it has an orange look/feel to it so it’s hard to miss from a distance.

With only less than a week left, why not try out their Ramadhan Combo promotion (Check out the poster). They come in three sets – Pancake Meal A, Pancake Meal B and Pancake Meal C.

Of course, their best seller is the pancake itself. Why? It’s just fluffy and the condiment and syrup compliments well with the pancakes. You can try any other pancake but the quality of the pancakes here are of high quality. I do hope they still maintain it. Not to fret as they just don’t serve pancakes but other savoury dishes such as chicken, fish and rice too.

I would say it’s a pretty good deal from the Ramadhan Combo as there are set meals if you are tired of having buffets for Sungkai. So let me go through what are mentioned in the poster.

Pancake Meal A $23.50 (Ideal for 2 pax)
2 cups of rice, 2 pcs of Pan Chicken, 1pc Tinapa (I like the fish)
2 pcs of sunny side eggs, 1 House Spaghetti
2 pcs pancake (or 1 waffle) and 2 ice tea

Pancake Meal B $40 (Ideal for 4 pax)
4 cups of rice, 4pcs of Pan Chicken or Southern Maple Chicken
1 fish roll, 1 House Spaghetti, 2 pcs Tinapa
2pcs pancake (or 2 waffles), 2 ice tea

Pancake Meal C $58 (Ideal for 6 pax)
6 cups of rice, 6pcs of Pan Chicken or Southern Maple Chicken
2 fish rolls, 2 House Spaghetti, 3 pcs Tinapa
6 pcs pancake (or 3 waffles) and 6 ice teas

For bookings, you can call 223 5250

Pan Chicken

Southern Maple Chicken

House Spaghetti

Tinapa fish

Goes well with the dishes

mmmmmm pancakes

Five ain’t a crowd 😀

Pancake House International

 

The showroom at Bobby Electrical Company located at Unit 9, Ground floor, Block B, Abdul Razak Complex.

Some of the wall lights available at the showroom

Now that’s a milestone to know of a local company that has existed for more than 30 years. If you are looking for electricity appliances especially bulbs, switches or fans, then head yourself to Bobby Electrical Company showroom based in Gadong. To be more specific, they sell electrical engineering products, from industrial cables and accessories to even LED bulbs.

The in-thing now is the LED bulb and I own a few to myself because it’s very economical and environmental friendly since it uses less energy than normal bulbs.

It was the first time to visit the showroom at Gadong and they actually revamped the showroom back in March to showcase to their customers on the benefits of the bulbs (GE, Meagan and others) and switches the company supplies. I’m quite sold with one bulb from “Meagan” where it has bluetooth capabilities as the one I’m currently using requires WiFi or wireless connection.

You may not think of it but hey, switches are quite important too. Bobby Electrical have brought in different variety of switches for your home or office. They have the Legrand “Arteor” range of switches or if you prefer the “Mallia” range from the same brand, a much more affordable brand. You can view the products from Legrand here.

So if you are looking for a minor refurbishment for your home before Hari Raya, Bobby Electrical Company can tailor to your needs and wants.

Apart from switches and bulbs, the company also sell electrical fans (mounted on ceiling) and also water heaters. So do check them out 😀

Perhaps you want something efficient for your home, Bobby Electrical Company also bring in this awesome product Fibaro Home Centre, which can support up to 200 devices especially if you have a big home. This means you can preset the environment of the particular rooms to “dining mode” or “movie mode” or “working mode” and by just a press of button, that all can be achieved.

Since it’s payday, why not allocate a budget aside and beauty your space before the Hari Raya season. Bobby Electrical Showroom is located at Unit 9, Ground Floor, Abdul Razak Complex (not far from Escape Square).

The down lights for your ceiling

The switches from Legrand.

Another range from Legrand, a higher end.

The in-thing now for LED lights because the shape allows to be fitted in most socket

Testing out the lights

More range of switches that are available

My favourite Bluetooth ready bulb from Megaman

Something for Hari Raya and quite lasting too

Water heater for your bathroom

Electrical fans too

 

Almost the half way mark. It’s been a while since I actually blog, blog.. If you know what I mean. I’m still recovering from fever but the medication has been treating me well. So how have my year 2016 been so far? I would say it’s been amazing on many levels. A few ups and downs but mostly on the rise. Now let’s see how to categorize this in a simple manner.

Travels. It has been a slow period for my travels as compared to previous years. Surprisingly Singapore only once so far (or what is it twice?) I can’t remember but I did remember it was for the recent Volkswagen Sportsvan trip and a short one as well. I traveled to Taiwan (missed this city and it was raining cold then), Ho Chi Minh, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Jakarta (too much traffic) as well.

I was more intrigued with my Ho Chi Minh trip because it has been 10 years since I visited the city. Back then, I was skeptical about my trip to Vietnam due to the passport issues that most Brunei Permanent Residents will face. It was known that the brown look-a-like passport known as Certificate of Identity (CI) has been an ongoing issue in other countries (not regional) but I was surprised that Vietnam made it difficult for CI holders. The best trick is to bring an official letter from the Vietnam Embassy in Brunei and show it to the immigration officer to make our CI document legit to enter their cities.

Other than that, I love Ho Chi Minh and how they have diversified as well as becoming more developed. Even the cinemas were up to scale like those in Singapore and Thailand. Even a 4Dx experience. Interesting indeed. The food are great as usual and they have choices of halal restaurant (mostly run by Malaysians) but some of the food are a hit or a miss in these halal establishments. I love their coffee too. A must try if you happened to fly to Vietnam. Oh thank you to Fitflop for flying me to Ho Chi Minh City last February.

My next trips could be to Manila (supposed to fly with the boys last weekend) and KK (mid July) and if all goes as planned, Singapore 😀 So I would rate my travel trip so far a 7/10.

My second trip to Ho Chi Minh City.

I did my shopping at Mustafa Centre, Singapore to donate to the orphanage back in May. Thanks Volkswagen Brunei for the opportunity.

Shawn buying a few cartons of the Mi Goreng crackers called Chitato. I have to say it’s nice but quite salty.

The much hyped indo-mee cafe was such a disappointment in one of the malls at Jakarta

Friendship. Ah, Rano is heading onto a personal road now. It has definitely shifted over the years and I realised that has been my pattern. If I look back since I came back to Brunei after my studies, I have at least 5 cycles that I went through and I believe that’s part of life. I still rank friendship as the highest form of love and I’m blessed that all the cycles I have been through, they are still my buddies to date. It’s just that we have parted to different directions but still respect each other as friends.

Now my circle of friends are mostly from tennis and toastmaters as they are the bunch of people I interact with the most. That’s for the simple reason that I’m quite involved in these said activities. Of course, they are still a small bunch (outside those circles) that I catch up with now and then. But of all the “cliqs” that I went through, it was both my “awesome foursome” gang (2009) and RA6 (2003) that I missed a lot.

I would want to talked about relationship but it has no relevance for now since I’m not dating anyone. After a mutual break-up late last year, the transition took a little while. Well, that’s the case for most post-relationship scenarios, right? One thing that I would to share is that I’m blessed that we can still be friends and catch up with no expectations at all. Now, won’t that be an excellent approach in any relationship? … which is very hard in any case to give unconditional love and care.

Right now, I just focus on my mission to empower people to the best I can and be the light for others. Relationship is secondary and age is just a number 😀

The impromptu reunion of the RA6

The awesome foursome. Shot taken at Hua Hin, Thailand back in 2010.

BU2562. Now what is the significance of this number? It’s my plate car number and it belongs to my 13 year old Hyundai Santa Fe. Now I bring this up is because I finally have to give in, the fact that my car has already exhausted all the possibilities to be safe on the road. Now with a faulty transmission (hard-to-find spare part), it’s almost impossible to not be worried while driving on the road. Twice the car suddenly turned off its engine while I was turning in and locked my steering wheel. I was fortunate that there weren’t any cars heading my direction.

My almost defunct Santa Fe is still in the workshop, waiting for its parts to be replaced. It was tough to let go as it has so much sentimental value to me. It was my form of transportation to secure deals with clients and meeting friends. In other words, it was also a mark of my independence as I wanted to be less dependant on my family. Even through my hardship (financially), I won back the car twice from the HSBC Car Yard. That’s how much I value my nameless car. But for now, I’m driving my brother’s secondary car as my means of transport. Well, it’s better than nothing. But at the same time, I’m also hunting for a good deal on cars.

A small parody on my car classic car

Clienteles. This year, I must say, it’s quite challenging. Due to the drop in oil prices, it indirectly affect my blog in terms of advertisement. In the end of the day, it’s about how you climb out of that rut because this is also a test of your resilience. Back in the early years, I had a lot of homework in finding clients, meaning that I was trying to close sales for my blog. Yes, it was fun back then and it has been a while since I actually do that. I have to pull my socks up and be more active.

For this year’s sungkai, I saw a huge drop in clienteles but it was necessary for my case because I was aiming for quality in recreating a different avenue for my clients. For that, I have to thank Filterworks Production (do check out their videos) for providing that extra edge in our Sungkai coverage and the responses have been very encouraging. This also has opened new doors and opportunities due to our collaboration and now we already secured a few jobs.

A big thank you to all my clients (past and present) for utilizing my services and trusting how it can be impactful in getting the messages across. The remaining 2016 will be an interesting one indeed.

Our latest project with Filterworks at The Potters

Filterworks on the set at Pepperlunch two weeks ago

Toastmasters. How can I not mention of this topic. My friends kept saying that my Snapchat has tons of tennis and toastmasters. It does show how passionate I am in giving back what I learn to the community. There are plenty of reasons why I’m passionate about toastmasters. It’s not just only about public speaking but also on your leadership track where it tests my patience, my discipline and my responsibility. It totally has changed my perspective as an individual as I used to be quite defensive and judgmental when I get evaluated by my peers. Now I’m much calmer and able to listen on constructive feedback for my own good.

Speaking of toastmasters, I will be chairing a mega toastmasters event this October to be held at Rizqun International Hotel. Excited and nervous? Hell yes!!! It’s just four months away and our team has been very busy preparing for the convention. We have three international speakers, two of each are former World Champion of Public Speaking – Dananjaya and Willie Jones. It’s open to all of you and of course, there will be a fee involved which is BND 200 for a three day event. If you are interested, you can reach me ranoadidas gmail.com. I can assure you that this convention will be a great eye opener and I highly recommend for you to sign up for the convention 😀

The moment I pretended to be Dwayne Johnson in one of my speeches

Click image to enter our official website

Movies. Another passion of mine after toastmasters and tennis. Those who know me well know that I’m a movie buff but not necessarily that I will watch all movies. There are a handful of blockbuster ones that I choose to miss – Ride Along 2, TMNT 2, Divergent and a few more. Overall, I’m quite content with the 2016 releases for the first half of the year. I have to say though that the summer movies haven’t been all that and it fizzled after the release of Captain America: Civil War in early May. But thank god movies like The Conjuring 2, Central Intelligence and Finding Dory gave me some hope for summer movies.

The best movie this year so far have been Captain America: Civil War and Zootopia. I would also like to highlight Deadpool and it’s one of the best comic adaptation. It actually made more money than X-Men: Apocalypse (not to my liking).

Summer movies so far have been mediocre. TMNT2 (judging from Rottentomatoes), Independence Day (bleurgh), Now You See Me 2 (super ridiculous), Warcraft and even X-Men: Apacolypse are all subpar at best. Last year’s were better with movies such as Inside Out, Jurassic World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation and Mad Max: Fury Road (my no.1 movie of 2015). Well, the summer releases this year are not complete just yet but I’m not hoping for much though.

One of the best movies of 2016. I can’t wait for my blu-ray to arrive from the States

Totally disappointed. It feels like a combo of Independence Day with Transformer 4 and Transporter

The era of Snapchat? Only in 2016, I have been heavily invested in using my snapchat more than my Insta. Well, I still scroll on my IG feeds and catch up on my friends’ feeds too. However, Snapchat has a more personal touch. So what if the posts get deleted after 24 hours. That’s the point and the fact that no one can comment or like that particular post makes it less intrusive in a way. Snapchat surprisingly is still new to some and not all are inclined to install Snapchat as they are more comfortable with their current social media accounts.

I would say that Snapchat will slowly grow in numbers and many corporate companies will see the benefit by using Snapchat as part of a marketing tool. Right now, the demographics of Snapchat users are relatively young. For my feeds, since I follow too many people on my list, I have to honestly say that I didn’t go through all their “stories” and surprise, surprise (or no surprise at all) is that Snapchat eats a lot of your data… mmmmmm. To let you know, I’m not so much into the filters inside Snapchat as most of my peers are.

So if you want to follow my snaps, just add me @ranoadidas and catch the personal side of me.

Have you snapchatted? 😀 Is there any such word though?

 

KBSentral Management with one of the recipients

KBSentral Shopping Centre in Kuala Belait contributed donations to six recipients today who are underprivileged, in an event organized by staff from the KBSentral Property Management.

Presenting the donations was the KBSentral’s Marketing & Event Manager Anwar Rosly, who explained that the donation was aimed to alleviate the recipients’ families’ burden during the month of Ramadhan.

The charity effort which is called The Limpahan Kasih Donation Drive is one of KBSentrals Corporate Social Responsibility project on lending a helping hand towards the underprivileged families.

The contributions were also intended to assist the families in preparing for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations.

Among the donations given were kitchen goods worth $150.00 from KBSentral itself as well as donations handed to KBSentral which were sponsored by Jaya Hypermart such as Pensonic Toaster Oven, cartons cans of Pepsi and Sunny Soya Bean, Mee Goreng Sedap and Soto Sedap, packets of Beras Wangi and tins of Jacob Creamy Crackers.

One of the recipients, expressed gratitude to KBSentral and the Management staff for the assistance extended to those who are in need of help.

The event included a group photo together as well as mingling with the recipients’ families, getting to know them and understanding their plight as well as well-being.

For further information, please call 3339889 or email to kbsentralmarketing@gmail.com

Anwar Rosly, KBSentral’s Marketing & Event Manager, handing over Beras Wangi to one of the recipients

Norazizah Awang Damit, KBSentral’s Marketing & Event Assistant handing over a donationa to one of the recipients

 

Take advantage of The Potters Ramadhan Special Offers

Short skit with Filterworks Team yesterday

Katie Alice. Kitchen Kraft. Stoneware Gourmet Cheese, Maxwell & Williams and many more.. These are the popular brands from the UK for plates, cups and cutlery and not forgetting the utensils you used behind the scenes in the kitchen. Being the in business for 6 months, The Potters have brought it more brands to give more variety for their loyal customers.

The next few weeks will be ideal for The Potters’ customers as they are having discounts ranging from 10% to 70% on selected items. So what are you waiting for? Furthermore, you can enjoy accumulating points by having $10 voucher from the $100 you spend on top of the discounts.

The Potters is located at Unit 8, Setia Kenangan 2, Kiulap (opposite Pepper Lunch) and it’s open from 10am to 9pm and you can also follow their IG @thepotters_bn or contact them at 242 4000.

Kilner Special Offers at 10% discount

Filterworks Production on work

Maxwell & Williams also on 10% discount

Stoneware Gourmet Cheese going at 70% discount

Kitchen Kraft also on discount

 

Patrons enjoying their dinner at Swensen’s Sengkurong

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Swensen’s

It’s been a week of Puasa already. That means I’ve been to 7 different places for my Sungkai. My latest visit was at Swensen’s at Sengkurong (oh, they have another branch at The Mall, Gadong).

The place was was very welcoming – the fairy lights above the dinner buffet, the friendly staff, the warm interior makes up an excellent first impression. This was the only place I’ve visited that had lesser number of people but that didn’t let the mood down for everyone in there.

A bit of highlight on the main course, the varieties were just enough to get a complete taste of each item. The tomato rice and salmon pasta took the cake among the savouries. A separate station for salad as well as Kueh Teow soup was situated on one side for those looking for ‘lighter’ meals.

The star of the buffet, however, was the desserts. Apart from the delicious assorted puddings and pastries, they also served waffles. A member of the staff was patiently waiting until you finish piling those items on your plate and ask for a scoop of ice-cream. Not just that, you could top your waffles with anything from chocolate sprinkles to cookies to chocolate syrups. It just took me back to my childhood when I could eat all the sweet things in the world without any care.

Speaking of sweet things, another attraction of Swensen’s were the drinks. The good news is they have 50% off on selected drinks (such as Milo Float) if you dine in with the Sungkai buffet! Also, their bestselling item on the menu is Cendol milkshake float (not part of the discount). That is definitely something worth trying.

For a reasonable $16.80 for adults and $12 for children, you can enjoy a scrumptuous meal that will satisfy your taste buds. So if you’re near Sengkurong or don’t mind the drive there, you should go and try the buffet. You won’t be disappointed.

Swensen’s Sungkai Buffet

$16.80 Adult $12 Child

20% off take away order

Tel: 245 1864 Gadong | 266 2264 Sengkurong

Patrons enjoying their dinner at Swensen’s Gadong

The buffet line

Tomato rice

Vegetable rattatouile

Seafood Combo

I like this – Salmon Pasta

Chicken Ala King

This roast beef is good 😀

Happy while sungkai-ing

The Waffle Bar at Swensen’s Gadong

Dont waste food 😀

The star of the buffet – desserts galore

Waffles, waffles, waffles..

Don’t forget your ice-cream

Some syrup for your waffles

Yes, all these shakes are 50% if you dine in with the Sungkai. Great deals..

One of the best seller – cendol milkshake float

Hipster Milo Dirt Pot Sundae.. mmmmmm

A big fan of desserts for sure

Don’t forget to visit Swensen’s Sengkurong 😀

Swensen’s Sungkai Buffet

$16.80 Adult $12 Child

20% off take away order

Tel: 245 1864 Gadong | 266 2264 Sengkurong

 

Dine with Kristy at Shabulicious at Food Arena last night

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Shabulicious

A fan of shabu-shabu and you know there have been many restaurants that offer hot pot stuff. Shabulicious now have three branches – one at Batu Bersurat and the other at Delima. But hey, I have yet to try the other branch at Food Arena, Seri Q-Lap Mall, so it was the first time that I dined in at Shabulicious at Food Arena.

What can you expect? They provide different kinds of Set Meals (refer to poster) to your liking during the month of Ramadhan. I opted for the ala carte since I don’t really eat that much. But for those who choose to have ala carte, Shabulicious offer 10% discount only during Ramadhan. And guess what? You can also take advantage of BIBD promotion (up to 30% on Tuesdays). So there will be one more Tuesday left to enjoy the 30% discount should Hari Raya falls on a Tuesday. I could be wrong.

Visit their branches Shabulicious Delima Square and Shabulicious Restaurant, Batu Bersurat, Gadong and dial their hotlines: 233 8333 / 875 0076 (Delima) 245 2000 / 888 2100 (Batu Bersurat) and 223 2022 / 729 2577 Food Arena.

Ramadhan Set Meals

$42.80 for 4 pax | $68.50 for 6pax

10% discount ala carte – Dine in and take away

Tel: 233 8333 (Delima) | 245 2000 (Batu Bersurat) | 223 2022 Food Arena

We ordered for 6 pax as part of the Ramadhan Sungkai Feast Family Menu

Taken from the ala carte menu

Giranda teriyaki.. yummm

1 small economy set as part of the 6 pax meal

Once it’s cooked, it’s all good and tasty

Reminds me of a Korean dish where we have to mix around

Filterworks at work last night

Quite a good crowd last evening but the outlet at Batu Bersurat was a full house

Smile guys!!

I must have noodles in my shabu-shabu 😀

and these two are a must..

Check out the BIBD promotion

Ramadhan Set Meals

$42.80 for 4 pax | $68.50 for 6pax

10% discount ala carte – Dine in and take away

Tel: 233 8333 (Delima) | 245 2000 (Batu Bersurat) | 223 2022 Food Arena

 

The Sungkai video promotion on Swensen’s

Hello, ladies and gentlemen.. We are now on the half way mark of Ramadhan and it has been a fruitful one indeed. The common thing I would be asked from my peers is what is the best place to break fast since this is part of my job – Sungkai outings for my clients.

The irony is that even though I don’t have as much clients as before but the workload has been incredible. One reason being is the recent collaboration that I have with @filterworksproductions which have been very encouraging. I know the young boys personally but they caught my attention after a series of skits they produced.

So yes, it didn’t take me long to decide to bring them as part of my Sungkai coverage to give more leverage to my clients and at the same time, providing the young talented team a good exposure to the public. After a few episodes of our Sungkai videos, we have been in touch with newer clients (outside the F&B industry) and that to me is progress and an eye opener that this combination can give more added value to a company.

So I would like to take this opportunity to thank A’aqiil, Zainal and Fecks of @filterworksproductions for allowing me to engage in your services. Mind you, I even have a response from a former client based in Singapore who expressed her compliments on the creativity used in our Sungkai videos.

A big shout out to the F& B companies that trust our new initiative – Excapade, Tandoor, Pondok Sari Wangi, Swensen’s, Modesto, Shabulicious, Bombay Palace, Kimchi Restaurant, Momo Restaurant, It’s a Grind (Citis Square) and 03 (Aiking). A big thank you to Snapfeed also for being part on some of the project. If you are interested to engaged in the special collaboration, do contact me at 8677773 or email me at ranoadidas gmail.com and you can also view all the Sungkai videos on their Youtube channel.

Zainal (center) and A’aqiil (right) videoing a shot at Swensen’s Sengkurong last week

Zainal and Fecks checking out the replay on one of the scenes at Bombay Palace

A’aqiil acting in one of the scenes at Excapade. Our first video and the rest was history.

 

The Pasta Station..

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Star Lodge by Momo Restaurant

What an amazing selection of food items at Star Lodge hosted by Momo Restaurant! From Japanese cuisine to grilled to local favourites, the Sungkai buffet was a treat to the visitors.

The funny thing was there were so many items to choose from that I didn’t know where to start at all. In the end, I decided to have Laksa as my appetizer. They also had Kimchi soup as well as a pasta station.

The first thing I had noticed once I parked was the grill station. So after the Laksa, I went on to get some ‘tongking’. So much flavour that I just wanted to eat just that. But then, there was the… Japanese section. Kitaro had set up their array of sushis and pancakes and of course, you can only expect the best from Kitaro.

The buffet line was interestingly labeled on leaf-shaped cloths and they consisted of biryani, egg noodles, salmon head, chicken etc. I especially loved the sambal eggs.

Don’t forget their special promotion using BIBD cards ranging from 10% to 30% discount. The 30% discount is only applicable every Thursday using any of BIBD Credit Card with a minimum spending of $50. So you have two more Thursday left to enjoy the 30% discount at Star Lodge (Momo Restaurant).

So if you’re interested in checking it out, do it! Make your reservations or just drive to Star Lodge at Jerudong. You can also follow their social media updates @momo.restaurant and @starlodgebrunei on instagram

Sungkai Buffet

$23.80 Adult | $11.80 Child

Tel: 261 1618 | 899 9807

The Grilled Station

I chose to have the laksa.. I’m glad I did.. I was expecting it to be spicy but it has an authentic delicate laksa taste.. I almost had seconds but I hard to control my intake

Now this is a winner.. I told the manager I like the spiciness of the sauce and it tasted familiar like my favourite satay joint and behold, it’s the same supplier of Satay Hj Ibrahim…

Grilled lamb

Grilled fish

Chicken Satay.. Beef also available

Tongking and grilled prawn

Roti Canai also available

Crab with oyster sauce

Mixed vegetables

Umbut masak lemak

I like this – Sambal Egg

Spicy Grilled Chicken Padang Style

Beef Rendang

Japanese cuisine from Kitaro Lodge

Japanese cuisine from Kitaro Lodge

Bread pudding

My guests for Sungkai last night

Sungkai Buffet

$23.80 Adult | $11.80 Child

Tel: 261 1618 | 899 9807

 

Check out the display area of the newly launched Kata Digital

Check out the items being released under the Kata Digital at AV Mobile – The Kata Phablet, Kata smartphone and Kata Box (android box)

Something new. Something different. The new Kata Digital smartphone/tablet has now made a way to the Brunei market. Now with many smartphones in the local market, the choices have become competitive and furthermore, it’s a price driven market with the current economic situation.

The local market are already familiar with other affordable brands such as Alcatel and Vivo. Now thanks to AV Mobile (under AV Audio & Video), they are the official distributor for Kata Digital and now they made it available to the Brunei market. For your info, Kata is a US brand and the brand is growing rapidly fast after being founded in 2009.

The Kata M2

The Kata i3

The two newly introduced models, the Kata M2 LTE and the Kata i3 LTE are both quite affordable (both below BND 270). Both have 4G capabilities and I believe that will be the standard in the coming years. So it’s great to know that Kata Digital are thinking ahead for the masses of the consumer market.

Specs for the Kata M2: It has a 1.3GHz Quad Core processor. A bigger display than the i3 model (5.5 inch). It operates using Android 5.1 Lollipop with 16GB storage + 1G ram. As for the camera, it’s 13MP rear and 8MP front. It also has a dual sim card slot and the battery capacity is 3000Ah. Yes, you can swap the battery too. The price of Kata M2 LTE is BND 268.

Specs for the Kata i3: It has the same processor as the M2 but smaller size in display 5 inch. It’s also a dual band (3G + 4G) and powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop with 16GB storage + 1G ram. The camera is the same for both front and rear just like the M2. It also has a dual SIM card. The downside is of course the battery which is only 2100mAh. For the smaller size of the smartphone and also the price tag of BND 238, it’s still a great deal to own.

Both M2 and the i3 have something in common that not many smartphones will have. It’s the wipe-out app which is the easiest-to-use power/memory/process saver I’ve ever seen. Just click on it and your phone’s efficiency will increase. It also has a built in VNP app called the Mega VPN which allows users access to even geo-restricted content. This is ideal when you are streaming on Netflix. Oh yea, they also have pre-install Netflix app inside the Kata smartphone devices. A very well thought idea.

I like the wipe-out feature and ideal for a high user like me

The Kata Phablet T4

Specs for the Kata T4. This is the phablet line from Kata and it’s a combo of a tablet and a phone. It was dubbed the “hippest phablet ever”. A lot of thought and research in the phablet to cater to the demands of the tech mature audience. The Kata T4 has a 8-inch screen and it’s easy to unbox and you can straight away play with it.

It’s quite light (400g) and has a 3G capability. Do expect a premium, matte finish on its design. The camera capabilities are not as strong as the smartphones – only 8MP rear and 5MP front. Then again you can still enjoy this tech savvy device without burning a hole in your pocket because it’s pretty affordable – BND 188.

Now you can enjoy the deals at AV mobile outlets – Mall Gadong, Yayasan, Times Square and Tutong Central Mall. Only for the month of Ramadan, for any Kata Digital item you buy, you will be given an AV membership card. Awesome deal!! Because normally to get the AV Advantage Membership card, you will need a minimum purchase of $100 in AV Mobile accessories or 8thAve/theshoebar or purchase of $300 of any mobile phones, PCs or notebooks. Otherwise it will cost $20 to sign up for a membership.

Benny Tan Jun Wei of AV Group speaking to the media on Kata Digital

The Kata Box

 

A must watch Episode (9): Game of Thrones.. Now I can’t wait for the finale.

Ah, this was the first that I was in many years that I had to struggle to flip through channels on a Monday morning. And on top of that, I was struggling to stay awake due to late night football (European Cup 2016). So what was showing live on Monday this morning? The NBA finals game 7, WWE’s Money In The Bank and Episode 9 of Game of Thrones. All showing on Kristal Astro..

Don’t worry, peeps!! No spoiler alerts especially for Game of Thrones and WWE’s Pay-Per-View event. Of course, my priority is still on Game of Thrones because of the higher value in terms of being spoiled with the era of social media. I’m glad I didn’t flip channel and focused the whole hour on the 9th episode of GOT and it was worth the watch. Many high and low moments but that’s how it is to make a story more compelling.

As for the Money In The Bank, I was slightly disappointed in the bookings. The fatal four way tag team match had good moments but poor execution where it made wrestlers feeling awkward because some of them missed the timings of the staged match. The match I missed was AJ Styles and John Cena because GOT was screening at the same time. Jason Rumpun said it was a great match though it started slowly. I skipped most of the matches as I was focusing on the NBA finale in between. The main event was above average and I am happy that Seth Rollins is back!! and he didn’t show any signs of injury throughout the whole match. Amazing feat!! Btw, Rollins is my favourite wrestler in WWE for the moment.

Game 7 of the NBA finals was much more interesting where defending champion Golden State Warriors choked after leading 3-1 in the final series, only to lose the finals to Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3. This is history in the making for Cleveland and it’s the King James show in the past few games. I have to applaud their resilience and tenacity to climb back from defeat and win their NBA championship. The Warriors will have reflect on their performance in the play-offs and now their 73-9 season record accounts to nothing.

All in all, it has been a great Monday morning and I still have pending work and a speech to deliver tonight.. So did you spend your Monday morning?

LeBron James finally win it for Cleveland Cavaliers

Seth Rollins was back in the game after months of being sideline through injury. I’m happy that he is fully fit now and he will make more impact on the WWE weak universe

Our supper last night at It’s A Grind (Citis Square) with Filterworks buddies. Apparently they have new snacks to cater for those who want to “lepak” late at night at the Citis Square outlet. It closes at 2:30am during Ramadhan. Do watch out for our promo video soon on IG and Facebook.

The new line of smartphones and tablet from Kata Digital. Interesting gadgets and they are quite affordable and cheaper than others in the market. A US product that are now available at AV Visual outlets (Mall, Times Square and Tutong). I shall blog more about this tomorrow.

 

Apart from the launch, SangYong Brunei is hosting a “My XLV Design” contest in which the winner could stand a chance of winning a Samsung S7 Edge

The Deluxe and the Standard specs of the newly launched SsangYong XLV, now available at SsangYong showroom at T.C.Y. Motors showroom at Kiarong

T.C.Y. Motors Sdn Bhd, sole distributor of SsangYong Motor in Brunei Darussalam, is proud to officially launch the SsangYong XLV. Widely considered to be an upgrade to the well received SsangYong Tivoli, the new SsangYong XLV boasts a uniquely dynamic style and several improvements to make it a strong contender for the most value-for-money compact SUV.

In addition to the power and safety features unique to SsangYong vehicles, the XLV offers superb riding comfort, quietness, a roomy interior, plentiful storage spaces as well as multiple seating variations for even greater storage space to match your required needs.

Continuing SsangYong’s play on words for its model monikers, the XLV takes its name from an acronym which stands for: eXciting Lifestyle Vehicle. As such, the XLV embodies more than just the essential qualities of an SUV. The storage space offered is among the best in its class and strives to transform the lifestyles of its users by giving them greater freedom of space.

Though it maintains the modern and elegant design identity of the Tivoli, the new SsangYong XLV also introduces design cues of its own for a more dynamic compact SUV appearance. This includes designs such as the dynamic barbell-type bumper which gives the XLV a uniquely robust look that continues the rhythmically flowing character line on either exterior body side of the XLV.

Playing host to 720 liters of cargo space, the XLV comes with a number of small storage spaces for easier compartmentalization. Customers can enjoy the roomier interior together with a choice of cloth seats, leather seats, and synthetic leather seats; the latter of which comes in a sporty red and black color pattern.

The second-row seats provide more headroom than any other competing compact SUV models by being able to recline up to 32.5 degrees. This in effect guarantees maximum comfort for all back seat passengers even during the longest of road trips. A latch type folding system allows the back seats to fold all the way down for a total of 1,440 liters of cargo space.

Under the hood, the XLV is equipped with the well received Aisin six-speed automatic transmission which is recognized for its performance and efficiency. Being composed of class-leading 71.1 percent high-strength steel, the chassis of the XLV effectively provides greater safety for the driver and passengers by minimizing vehicle deformation in the event of a crash. For reassurance, ten major parts of the vehicle have been made with hot press formed advanced high-strength steel with a tensile strength of 1500 Mpa.

Additionally, the XLV comes with an option of seven airbags, including the knee airbag on the driver’s side. This in combination with an ESP (electronic stability program) system, ABS and LED daytime running lights ensure the highest level of safety.

The vehicle’s infotainment system is particularly noteworthy as it features a HDMI port and a six-speaker sound system which allows for a variety of multimedia to be played back on the large seven-inch reverse camera connected screen with precise clarity.

Top view

The dashboard of the SsangYong XLV

The SsangYong XLV is made to combat the heat thanks to its best in class air-conditioning system and ventilated driver seat. Its dual-zone, fully automatic air-conditioning system allows the driver to maintain an optimum in-vehicle temperature while the memory function allows up to three combinations of temperature and air-flow volume and direction to be stored, guaranteeing a pleasant driving experience.

Lastly, the XLV comes with the option of a two-tone roof for all seven colors. This permits customers to choose a color for the roof and rear roof spoiler that is different from the body of the vehicle, adding to a dynamic and urban style.

In conjunction with the upcoming SsangYong XLV Launching, SangYong Brunei is hosting a “My XLV Design” contest in which the winner could stand a chance of winning a Samsung S7 Edge. Like us on SsangYong Brunei Facebook fan page and follow us on @ssangyongbru IG, for more updates!

 

Between 11am to 5:30pm, you can enjoy 15% discount on Kimchi’s takeaway

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Kimchi’s All-You-Can-Eat

Kimchi All-You-Can-Eat

$28.90 Adult | $14.90 Child

15% discount on takeaways (11am to 5:30pm)

Tel: 222 2233 | 712 2283

Who loves Korean food? Well, I definitely do. To our great happiness, Kimchi Restaurant at Regent Square is again having its Ramadhan Sungkai buffet. Priced at $28.90 for adults and $14.90 for children, it offers a list of all-you-can-eat items on the menu.

The place was bustling with people when I went there. But even though the staff looked extremely busy, they took care of each table and the food did not take long to arrive either. The side dishes actually arrived almost as soon as we were seated.

But the reason behind visiting Kimchi is of course for the BBQ. The BBQ selection was filled with assorted meat to seafood to vegetables to local favourites. This time also, I took my faithful Sungkai partner, Pranika. Although she doesn’t take beef, she had three different kinds of marinated chicken as well as lamb to grill. Sizzling on the grill, they made our mouths water. If you do not feel full with just meat, you can also order rice or noodles. And let’s not forget company of the crew of Filterworks Production who have been very supportive of my project during Ramadan. Thank you so much!! (Do watch their videos).

Among the desserts, I would recommend you to try something unique to Kimchi – the Patbingsu, which is something like a Korean ABC and of course, my personal favourite dessert of all Korean desserts in Brunei. Topped with sweet potatoes, jelly and red beans, it is truly a refreshing thing to have after a BBQ. If you’re not very adventurous, you can ask for ice-cream which they serve in a generous scoop.

If Kimchi is your next Sungkai stop, don’t forget to make a booking just to secure your seats.

There’s also a 15% discount on all takeaways form 11am to 5:30pm, only during the month of Ramadhan. So do take advantage of the offers Kimchi gives. You can also visit their Facebook Page for updates or follow their updates on @kimchibrunei on instagram.

Kimchi All-You-Can-Eat

$28.90 Adult | $14.90 Child

15% discount on takeaways (11am to 5:30pm)

Tel: 222 2233 | 712 2283

We were almost on full force last night

The crowd on the upper floor of Kimchi

Thank you @caraumel for being part of the video last night 😀

It’s grilling time…

Sushi also part of the all-you-can-eat

I didn’t order this last night but this is also part of the menu

The appetizers.. I personally like the green vege 😀

The ground floor but you will be given a portable grill for the BBQ items

The meat and BBQ items are already marinated. Just simply grill and wallaaaaa.. Ready to be served.

Wanna take a selfie with these pop-ups? More than welcome too.

We managed to finish all the food last night

My Sungkai date last year.. See you next week, Coey 😀

My main event… Patbingsu.. Also part of the menu

On the job and also enjoying the dishes

Kimchi Restaurant is located at Regent Square

Do watch the youtube video for the extended version from the IG post