Trying out different Chinese tea at Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop located at Gadong Central

Many selections to choose from at Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop

Yunnan Dianhong tea at Tea Fu. Image courtesy of Azli Azney of The Brunei Times.

A few years ago, I had an outing with my friend in Penang and we had a great conversation by the beach and he brought along a travel tea pot where we had endless drinking of Chinese tea in small portions. Without realizing, I actually drank more than usual because the conversation with my friend Tungie was great and the Chinese tea complimented well with the setting.

Fast forward to this year, I was impressed that Brunei has a Chinese tea shop which located at Gadong Central. It is called the Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop. They sell the authentic Chinese tea sachets and not only that but also assorted accessories and ornaments that are made from Chinese tea. For your info, they are imported from China and Chinese Taipei.

What I like about Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop is that you are able to taste the samples from the wide variety of Chinese tea and depends on what you really want to benefit from drinking Chinese. Apparently different Chinese teas have different functions and it does cater to the needs of the individuals.

Hence the customers can sit down at a dedicated table behind the shop and you can sit down and mingle with the managers or the staff at Tea-Fu who can guide you on what suits you.

You can try out their premium Chinese teas such as Dianhong Tea. So what’s the difference? Well, the large leafed version give a much premium taste. The black tea is fermented with lychee, rose and longan, and has a sweet, gentle aroma with a mellow taste. It’s handmade to give it its distinctive curled spiral shape, which preserves the shape and integrity of the bud, and preserves the fragrance while also delivering excellent taste. This particular tea comes from the Yuanna province of China. The price might be expensive with a price tag of BND 138. You can also have a lower grade version of the same quantity for only BND 45. The price depends on the quantity of teas and brands as well. There is even some price tagged at BND 10.

You can visit Tea-Fu Chinese Tea Shop at No.37, Ground Floor at Gadong Central (same row with Sushi Tei and Mr. Baker’s Bakeshop) and you can also call 242 8979 for more details.

Brewing tea to get that authentic taste

Tea is ready to be served

The art of pouring tea

A short interview

RA: Is drinking tea culture something new in Brunei?

Tea Fu Teashop: Drinking tea is not a new thing in Brunei. However, the original and traditional teas are still not common in Brunei. What you see normally that served at restaurants are the common types but we serve and sell a more authentic Chinese tea.

RA: Will there be any education or programmes on Chinese tea?

Tea Fu Teashop: Yes. We will be bringing professional tea maker from overseas to create a tea making course for local Bruneians. We might even have collaboration with some local schools to make it more interesting.

RA: Does making Chinese tea use specific techniques? For instance, time and pouring of tea and also the temperature.

Tea Fu Teashop: Yes indeed. It has many techniques to make different kinds of tea. For instance, you have to use 95 degree boiled water while for  black tea just 85 degree. So the variance in temperature will make a distinctive taste.

RA: Explain to me some of benefits of Chinese.
Tea Fu Teashop: Drinking tea is a very healthy lifestyle. It can lower ur blood pressure, etc. The White Tea reduces risks of cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol level and cardiovascular diseases and strengthens our bones and teeth as well as our immunity. The Green Tea reduces cardiovascular disease, cancer and you will have lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as reducing the risk of diabetes. The good thing about the Green Tea is that it helps to burn fats and boost your metabolic rate. As for the Black Tea, it reduces cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Drinking lots of Green Tea will give you healthier skin and hair and good immunity

RA: Who are your target customers?
Tea Fu Teashop: Actually all are our target market.

Before the tea is being brewed

This is actually made of tea. Interesting and it’s for sale too

Located at No.37 Floor Floor at Gadong Central.

 

Yang Mulia Awang Mohd Riza Bin Dato Paduka Haji Yunos, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications officiating the re-opening of BIBD Airport e-Branch

Guest of honour with the management of BIBD

Keyword here is convenience. BIBD has become more innovative as a bank and continues to provide excellence service to its customers. Recently, BIBD re-opened their BIBD Airport e-Branch, its latest in its fleet of branches to adapt the bank’s “Bruneian at Heart” signature image. The spacious new BIBD e-Branch will be operational 24 hours a day and is located at the Departure Hall on the first floor of the Brunei International Airport. They also have a bigger presence among the other ATMs at the Brunei International Airport.

The reopening of the BIBD e-Branch was officiated by Yang Mulia Awang Mohd Riza Bin Dato Paduka Haji Yunos, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, at a ceremony attended by BIBD senior personnel along with officers and staff. The ceremony started with the recital of the Al-Fatihah along with prayers to bless the new e-branch, which was followed by a plaque signing and a short tour.

The e-Branch houses two ATMs, two CDMs and one CQM to provide speedy and seamless banking transactions. The machines present are aimed to provide hassle-free and instant banking to cater to the needs of BIBD customers.

The Airport e-Branch is one of two BIBD e-Branches which include the Sengkurong e-Branch. These e-Branches are part of BIBD’s banking network, the largest in Brunei Darussalam, which includes fifteen branches, fifty-five ATMS, seventeen CDMs and eleven CQMs placed in strategic locations across the country. The BIBD branch network also includes three branches at Kiulap, The Mall Gadong and Giant Rimba, that are open on Sundays to provide added convenience to its customers.

To further complement BIBD’s branch network, BIBD also has a dedicated 24-7 Contact Centre along with having a wide range of its services available over its e-banking channel through its BIBD Online website and BIBD Mobile applications to provide instant banking available anywhere, anytime.

The launching of the new e-branch follows in the footsteps of BIBD’s “Bruneian at Heart” image that highlights uniquely Bruneian values that signify the Brunei and Islamic visual canvas. The upgrading of BIBD’s entire branch network is in line with the strategic efforts embarked by BIBD on its transformation journey.

The emphasis on being “Bruneian at Heart” brings out BIBD’s commitment to the Bruneian aspirations and values, as well as its roots in Bruneian and Islamic values.

For more information on any BIBD products, services, offers 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. You can also get the latest information regarding BIBD offers and promotions under the “What’s New” feature within the BIBD Mobile application on your mobile phone.

Javed Ahmad, Managing Director of BIBD

Token of appreciation

The ATMs at the Airport branch

Group photo

 

Alice Chan of Concepts Computer, Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, Victor Nga, Brother brand, Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager and Farezah Azalea, Head of Customer Service, Brother International Malaysia

Exchanging of documents

The Brother brand is known for their printers, faxes and evening industrial sewing. Last weekend, Brother International Malaysia, a leading brand in quality printing and imaging technology has licensed OnTime Service Network to become its authorised service centre in Brunei after a lengthy period of training and re-training of Concepts Computer staff.

I didn’t know that Brother has a big presence in Malaysia, accounting to 70% of the Brother Group’s net sales dealing with printing and solution businesses. Now with a certified presence of Brother in Brunei (thanks to Concepts Computer), the product and services of Brother have officially started and expect more presence of Brother in Brunei as well as they will give confidence and trust to future potential corporate companies on the Brother brand.

Flying to Brunei to sign the business partnership were Victor Nga, Brother brand, Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager and Farezah Azalea, Head of Customer Service, Brother International Malaysia. They signed the agreement with Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Alice Chan of Concepts Computer.

Victor Nga was de delighted with this new partnership with OnTime Service Network, a company with amazing history, determination and commitment in servicing our products in Brunei. He believed that through this partnership, customers will have closer attention and assistance for any Brother products purchased. This also aligns to our motto ‘At your side’ which tells our customers that they are our priority and we enable them to reach us conveniently.

Concepts Computer also have renovated the OnTime service centre as they are also handling other brands and to accommodate Brother as their new partners. With the newly trained staff, Concepts Computer is confident that they will provide a better service to the customers of Brother especially after-sale service.

You can also contact OnTime Service Network on 2233556 or 2233559.

Handing of certificates to Concept Computers and the trained staff

Group photo with Concepts Computer and Brother International Malaysia

The service centre also includes the Brother brand

 

Datin Sakdiah binti Haji Mohd Noor, Sales & Marketing Manager of Jerudong Park Country Club (3rd from left) with the representatives from JPCC hosting the media team for a game of Laser Tag. Thank you 😀

I haven’t been to Jerudong Park Playground for a very long time. I know I owe my friend a visit to the playground. Soon, soon, okay? 😀 Anyway, I’m still amazed how the old playground has been transformed by phases and this is for the benefit of our locals. The public used to complain by comparing the good old days when things were FREE as compared to now. That mentality has slowly shifted and the people of Brunei are beginning to appreciate the value that the management of Jerudong Park Playground are creating by revamping the whole amusement park at Jerudong Park.

Now we can experience newer rides and fun activities with families and friends. According to the management, during the school holidays, they had an amazing record crowd and this is an indication that Jerudong Park Playground is heading in the right direction. At the moment, the whole project of revamping the playground is not near completion as there are other areas that have been left untouched. The management has a proper timeline to execute the future developments/phases of the park and they want to consistently maintain the newer rides and operations for a better customer experience.

This is also the same reason why the Park operations hours are limited. As you can see from the poster below, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are closed for maintenance purposes. Well, enough of the information about the Park. I’m here to share my view of the latest game provided by JPCC Playground and that is the “Laser Tag”. This is prtty fun game because I remember playing this as a kid back in the UK. So recently we had a battle, compromising of the media team and JPCC’s Sales & Marketing Team. I can’t remember who won but I had zero kills as I was concentrating more on taking videos for my IG *lol*

Hosted us the game was Datin Sakdiah binti Haji Mohd Noor, Sales & Marketing Manager of Jerudong Park Country Club and she was pleased with the new addition game to JPCC Playground – it’s a family game that doesn’t require physical bullets. She also shared that the ticket entry to the Playground is also inclusive of the Laser Tag game.

So peeps. What are you waiting for? Get your family and friends and try out Laser Tag with a maximum player of 12 and outscore your opponents as a team. What’s great now is that JPPC Playground is that they are extending their School Holiday Specials until the 29th April 2015. Now with a Family Package of 5, two adults and three kids is only BND 30, if for entry for kids and senior citizen, it’s BND 5 and a ticket of adult is BND 10. For children below 2 years old, the entry is FREE. Awesome deals!!

For more updates, you can visit their website  and even book tickets online or also follow them on instagram @jerudongpark

The guns used for Laser Tag

Some briefing before the Laser Tag game. Rule number one – Do Not Swear 😀

I was the green team and I got shot by the red team (laser) numerous times because I was simply taking videos and not playing

Another laser game is The Time Portal which is a Lazer Maze.

This is the scores that you have to beat using time. How fast can you disable the laser inside the laser maze?

It’s not easy especially on Expert Level. There are four levels of difficulty.

We had some Charcoal burger at the Water Park. Try the sunrise burger 😀

One of the main attractions of the JPCC Playground – The Waterpark

The extended promotion by JPCC until 29th April 2015

 

Last week, BIBD handed over five pairs of air tickets to Melbourne for the final winners of its monthly “Swipe to Fly” winners at the BIBD Kiulap Branch. Present to hand over the prizes was BIBD’s Head of Marketing, Ben Lin.

Winning has never been easier as there were no hassles of filling entry forms to qualify for the promotion, making that dream holiday one step easier and closer. BIBD customers needed to only spend a minimum of B$30 on a single receipt using either their BIBD cards or BIBD eTunai service and at any retail or online outlet. BIBD customers were also rewarded with an additional lucky draw entries for accumulating a monthly minimum spending of B$1,000 using the mentioned services.

The handing over event marks the end of the four-month promotion which also saw prizes of air tickets to Ho Chi Minh, Bali and Dubai for a dream holiday. Despite the end of the “Swipe to Fly”, there are also other on-going BIBD promotions such as the BIBD Card Privileges with Agoda. The promotion allows BIBD cardholders, including the BIBD Virtual Mastercard, to enjoy a discount of up to seven percent when you book your hotel stay with Agoda.com. This promotion is valid until the 30th April 2015, and is available at www.agoda.com/bibd.

The winners flying to Melbourne as part of the monthly “Swipe to Fly”

On top of that, BIBD is also running its “Let’s Go Mobile” promotion through the BIBD Mobile app, where lucky draw winners stand a chance to win either an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or Apple watch every month, until the 30th of July 2015. To be eligible for this promotion, BIBD Mobile users need only top up their utility bills, make purchases with BIBD eTunai or BIBD Virtual Prepaid MasterCard, or transfer funds using the BIBD Mobile application.

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.

 

Sadly I won’t be able to catch Avengers: Age of Ultron until next week. This is because I will be flying off this Wednesday to Bangkok and surprisingly, they are not showing it there until 30th April. So I will be at least a week behind and I hope this won’t affect my podcast review of blockbuster movie. Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia will be running their releases on Thursday midnight (23rd April 2015). Times Cineplex has run a special movie marathon for comic and Avengers fans where you can get to watch both first and the second Avengers (one marathon show only) from 9pm Wednesday 22nd April.

Marathon ticket includes two Avengers movies, one Avengers popcorn bucket and one Avengers tumbler and you can get refill (once) after the first movie for both popcorn and drinks. Good deal I must say for BND 40. The popcorn buckets are sold separately and also other Avengers movie merchandise.

These are only available at Times Cineplex but the ticketing for the marathon is not available online. You will have to purchase the tickets physically at Times Cineplex (Times Square, Empire, Tutong and KB). Congratulations to the winner of my IG competition @shemustbenia who won herself two tickets of the Avengers Marathon package 😀

The Avengers Marathon by Times Cineplex

The number of merchandises for Avengers at Times Cineplex

Avengers movie merchandise t-shirt. I love the packaging for this.

 

Joon Man and Sophia Siu with their photo booth for the attendees

Allen Ang drawing some cartoons

I attended the UBD Street Shutters event last weekend and the event was part of the assessment for UBD students taking a final year course for Communication and the Creative Arts. It was held at Muti-Purpose Hall at UBD. As a guest, I was kinda expecting more from event itself because I’m into photography but there were a few missed opportunities such as the lacking of framed photography and even large scale photos. Instead there were only compilations of 5R photos that didn’t manage to grab my attention to an extent. Overall, it was still a great effort from the students. Last year was still better, in my opinion, with the Film Festival UBD and that had a little more impact.

UBD Street Shutters also had lucky draws for the delight of the attendees. The prizes were flight tickets to Thailand, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, sponsored by AIA BR – Kelvin Pong. There was also a photo competition organised by Interhouse Company (Canon) where first place Rahim Jamil received a Canon DSLR EOS 1200D, lens kit, Canon parcel and 8GB card. The two day event concluded last Sunday.

Dean Kassim showcasing his portfolio

Pranika Lama with her work

Ikhwan Salleh’s photography

Posing the camera at the lucky draw booth

Guest of honour was Programme Leader of Communication and the Creative Arts Associate Professor Shui (6th L) as well as representatives from Canon Interhouse John Tiang (5th L), and AIA BR – Kelvin Pong, Kevin Onn (7th R) with the winners for both contests during the closing ceremony. Image Courtesy of Jekizan Ching

 Image Courtesy of Jekizan Ching

Ak Fauzi sharing his stories of his photography

Under water casing for Bahzi’s camera.

 

Click image to enter and register

APEC CBET (Cross Border E-Commerce Training) eLearning program is a knowledge sharing and entrepreneurship fostering platform, designed for global SMEs to receive the most professional and most practical cross border e-commerce related knowledge and sights, as well as entrepreneurship guidance on a wide range of startup concepts on this new global value chain.

As the explosive growth of e-commerce, a new global value chain is forming to revolutionize traditional business, and empower global SMEs with opportunities to access international markets and build global brands, like never before. CBET workshop is initiated and implemented by APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), designed to convey industry knowledge and insights, enable global SMEs to capture these golden opportunities, transform and upgrade their business to a whole new level.

To meet the demand of global SMEs, CBET eLearning program is initiated by ABAC China in 2014, with joint support from multiple APEC economies. APEC CBET eLearning will focus on two core concepts – “Cross Border e-Commerce” and “Entrepreneurship”, to serve as a mobile platform to exchange ideas and experience, convey knowledge and insights, and foster entrepreneurship through its online incubator.

A variety of formats will be adopted to offer a wide spectrum of contents in the most engaging manner, from ecosystem introduction to major components illustration, from Internet thinking to industry best practices, from mind-sets sharing to skill-sets training, APEC CBET eLearning will cover a wide range of topics from different angles and perspectives, to provide the most professional, most practical industry knowledge, and build the most influential online community on e-commerce to encourage entrepreneurship and incubate innovative business solutions across APEC economies.

Partners of APEC CBET eLearning will not only join the honor of empowering SMEs with most advanced business models to access international markets, but also branding itself to APEC economic leaders, ministers, senior officials, and local SME business owners, associations, and other related organizations. It is not only a socially valuable program to join, but also an economically beneficial program to participate.

You can click here to find more information.

 

Chairman of Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd (Progresif), Hj Abu Bakar Hj Ibrahim, handing out certificates to a staff of PCSB for completing a nine-day training course while Paul Hyde, CEO of Progresif looks on. Image courtesy of Ridhwan Kamarulzaman of The Brunei Times.

Last year, b•mobile almost pull the plug and there were doubts among the staff with rumours circulating that the company will ceased its establishment. In comes Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd and they turned things around and renaming b•mobile communications to Progresif Cellular while retaining the existing customers of b•mobile. It’s never an easy road to rise from a challenge and further they are up against a 20 year old establishment, their direct competitor DST.

Progresif Cellular have been investing their time in training their staff, improving the network infrastructure and even hiring suitable candidates to be part of the Progresif team. They have come up with great marketing campaign such as offering free calls from 8pm to 12am or even introducing FREE Sim Card for new subscribers. These gimmicks have paid off handsomely as according to the article from The Brunei Times that Progresif Cellular have new 8,000 subscribers. One of the reasons is due to the company’s willingness to waive the BND 25 fee for new registration. This information was disclosed by PSCB’s Chief Marketing Officer Devin Edwards and their approach paid off, hitting the “more price-sensitive customer segment”.

PCSB have also upped their network a few nights ago on certain areas. This shows that baby steps of being progressive will slowly pay dividends especially towards PCSB’s customers. Patience is the key and it’s good to see how the new management has turned the company around and restoring confidence slowly.

I have yet to subscribe for PCSB but then again, I don’t know if I want to carry two phones with me. Anyway, great good, PCSB. I’m already anticipating more progressive things to come from PCSB.

One of the reasons why Progresif have a high spike of new subscribers. This free calls also valid to other networks until 1st May 2015. Click image to enter Progresif’s Facebook Page. 

 

The leading brand for water tanks in Brunei – LSL

If you go around many local household, there’s one brand that sticks to your mind when you see a water tank and that has the label “LSL”. Yes, we always take everything for granted when it comes to water supply but we forgot how important the water tanks are as well. The LSL water tanks have been around for decades and for me, if I was to trust a strong brand, it will be no other than LSL. I even paid a visit to their industrial area at Tanah Jambu and everything is fabricated from there. What’s great about LSL tanks are that they are stainless steel water tank.

Now do you know that not all water tanks that you see are top notch in terms of quality. You may come across different brands but we simply just assume that as long as it can store and pump water, it’s good enough for the household. Well, one thing for sure, you will never know if the type of tanks you used can be corrosive or even leakage. There are some cases also that fungus or algae might develop and this might not make water consumption drinkable or safe. With the LSL brand, you needn’t worry about all these issues as they have all the attributes to prevent these from happening.

I’m sharing you this story is because I became aware how much difference in quality even in water tanks and LSL stands at the top of the chain in terms of quality. Furthermore, the LSL water tanks have been around for 25 years. You can check out their Facebook page which is pretty active and or you can contact 2393200 or email us at metal@lsl.net. Do visit their showroom and factory at Salambigar industry area.

Click image to enter Facebook page of LSL.

 

Receiving the grand prize on behalf of Syukri Zulkipli was his sister, Ishan Nazurah, who received it from Vincent Goh, Managing Director of Interhouse Company

One of the prizes was a Canon EOS 700D

It was tough time once again for the judges as they had to screen down the photos of the “Moments with Plus+” contest to 9 finalists out of over 300 photos. This morning was the presentation for the Top 10 finalists and this competition was initiated by Plus+ Magazine and supported by Interhouse Company, sole distributor of Canon products. The judges were Vincent Goh of Interhouse Company, Azhani Abu Daniel of Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) and myself.

The winner of the IG contest was Syukri Zulkipli and the grand prize consisted of a Canon EOS 700D sponsored by Interhouse Company and a return ticket to Bali (sponsored by RB), a one month membership at Fitness Zone, 1 year magazine subscription with Plus+ Magazine and Nails & Wax Vouchers. The judges felt that the winning photo best encapsulated the spirit and creativity and it was also came with the Earth Hour theme. I thought the level of technicality was pretty high and the winning photo does give that emotional response to the viewers. Well done, Syukri.

The “Moments with Plus+” Contest was sponsored by Interhouse Company, Royal Brunei Airlines, Aewon Garment and Embroidery, Fitness Zone, LoL Media, EzyPrinting and Nails & Wax.

Here the list of the Top 9 winners.

Grand prize – Syukri Zulkipli

Runner up – Azmey bin Hj Othman

2nd Runner up – Cryil Steward Teo

4th place – Leya Koh Wan Mei

5th place – Sonia Budiman

6th place – Sylvia Ling

7th place – Chung Ming Ru

8th place – Yong Kem Sin

9th place – Azlan bin Ibrahim

Azmey Hj Othman receiving his prize

Cyrll Steward Teo receiving his prize

4th place winner was Leya Koh Wan Mei and receiving it was her mother as Leya is currently studying in Brisbane

6th place winner was Sylvia Ling who took the photo for @jclgoh

7th place was Chung Ming Ru

9th place was Azlan bin Ibrahim

Simon Keller, Editor of Plus+ Magazine

Group photo with the winners

Emcee for the day

The judges and facilitator last weekend

Judging time

The winning photo taken by Syukri with his sister Ihsan in the photo

 

My lunch today at Thien Thien at Kiulap branch

Finally all of us can dine at Thien Thien without any doubts

Yay!! After decades of existence, Thien Thien Restaurant (known for their Chicken Rice), has finally obtained the Halal Certificate under the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order, 2005. I spoke to the owner earlier during lunch today and he was very appreciative that the Halal Certificate has helped his business to flourish at his Kiulap establishment.

Thien Thien Kiulap has been around for 12 years and the manager said that his branch has broken record sales in the past week or so ever. He shared it was a hardworking process to get the certificate and now with the Halal certificate, it has brought new confidence to the patrons. Judging from the responses from my instagram, Thien Thien Kiulap is bound to be a greater hit among the locals.

 

Check out our latest review of Furious 7 featuring Rano and his co-host Del Goh on The Popcorn Panel

 

Click image to enter website

 

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.

 

Three shows in Singapore last week

I never had a chance to meet him in person.

Late post: Wowwwieeee!!! It’s hard to do a review of the comedic Russell Peters. This is the second time I caught him live in Singapore. The first one being in Singapore back in 2012 for his “Notorious” show and this time it’s called “Almost Famous”. I was the only one from the @bruhahahcomedy group that attended the Singapore show. Well, it was hosted during the weeknight so it will be hard for many to fly to Singapore and catch him live.

Was he funny as hell? Of course, the benchmark of Russell Peters is still his “Outsource” gig many, many years ago and it’s never easy to steal that particular thunder of “Be a Real Man” or “Somebody is gonna get hurt real bad”. I saw them tag lines being sold as merchandise at Suntec Convention Centre where his gig is being held. So to answer the question, yes, he was funny that night but wasn’t on his prime as he was before. I have to admit that his Notorious gig two years ago was below par and I was disappointed leaving the Singapore Indoor Stadium that night.

Fast forward to “Almost Famous”, it’s worth the trip actually. Half of his materials were spontaneous as he picked on a couple of victims at the front row. Perhaps the notable one was the two underage kids below their teen years who happened to be catching the show. Peters made the audience laugh in stitches but I kinda feel sorry for the two young boys were made fun of and maybe, just maybe, his father may have regretted bringing his son along.

It was the first time I also heard Peters talked about toilet humour and I thought that was hilarious. He shared his experiences calling an IT consultant and touched a lot on Indian cultures as well.

The security was pretty tight that it was really hard to play with your gadget especially your smartphones. They won’t even give you the chance to play or text or do anything with your phone. I saw a few people from the audience being told off by the muscular built securities and they would shine their flashlights to embarrass him or her before he or she would put away the smartphone. This is to prevent the attendees to take the opportunity to steal a photo or record a video or an audio. I thought that’s a very good rule and also kinda make the audience feel very present during Peters’ show.

Overall, it was a very entertaining evening though I came alone #sioksendiri and I don’t mind another Russell Peters show in the near future. Oh, I also love how @djspinbad played some cool video mixes to warm up the crowd. Verdict: 8/10.

It was a sold out crowd on the 7th of April and my ticket cost SGD 160

Impressed with DJ Spinbad spinning before the show

A very responsive crowd that night

If you are into comedy and also wanting to support our local talents, check out @bruhahacomedy latest gig this coming Saturday at Seameo Voctech

 

A group of ten athletes from the Busiido Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Club are currently training hard at the Jerudong Park Medical Centre Fitness Centre (JPMC) prior to their competition that will be held in Manila.

The athletes led by Ahmad Faez Anuar will be competing at the Pan Asian Jiu-Jitsu International Open, which will take place in Manila on the 15th to 17th May. The tournament is one of the most prestigious BJJ tournaments in Asia.

‘We are proud to support our local athletes who will be competing at the Pan Asia Jiu-Jitsu International Open in Manila. As part of our commitment to inspire an active lifestyle for all and encourage our athletes to compete in the International arena, we will be providing them with the usage of the JPMC Fitness Centre for their training needs. We hope that this will greatly benefit the athletes throughout their rigorous training period. We wish them the very best and hope that they will make the country proud’, said Tony Han-Gym Supervisor of the JPMC Fitness Centre.

‘On behalf of Busiido BJJ, we would like to extend our utmost appreciation and gratitude towards the JPMC fitness centre for being supportive towards the growth and success of brazilian jiu jitsu. By providing us with access to use the fitness facilities such as the cardio machines, weights, pool and sauna, training and preparation for competitions has just got easier and more exciting. All these aspects are imperative to get competition ready. What makes jpmc so perfect is that we get all these utilities in one vicinity’, said Ahmad Faez.

 
‘Also, we are grateful and blessed that an established body being JPMC has offered the opportunity for a young and growing club like us to develop even further. As multiple competitions are all lined throughout the years to come, we do hope we can maintain such relationships’, he added.

Tony Han, Gym Supervisor at JPMC Fitness Centre with Ahmad Faez Anuar of Busiido Mixed Martial Arts Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club

Ahmad Faez is a purple-belt holder with six years’ experience in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and has won multiple titles at the Pan Asian Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Bangkok Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Open and Sabah Headhunters Brazilian Jiu-jitsu champion.

Busiido Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Club was established in early 2012 and is affiliated with one of the largest international BJJ organisations in the world, Checkmat from Brazil.

The club and has been successful in winning medals for the Sultanate at the regional and international level, and their latest victory was in Sabah, at the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Headhunters Challenge where the team brought home 10 gold, seven silver and 15 bronze medals from the Dec 13-14 championship.

JPMC Fitness Centre is the leading edge of the health and fitness market, promoting wellbeing as a way of life. It is designed to accommodate everyone, irrespective of age or fitness level and is committed to meeting individual needs.
A wide range of gym facilities are available at the Fitness Centre including the extensive range of fitness equipment, Milon Circuit, 25 metre swimming pool, Health and fitness testing, Personal training and tailored fitness programmes, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna suites.

 

The ladies during the launch of the “She Runs” event at Fitness Zone. Check out details below. Image courtesy of Fitness Zone.

Here I present to you, Brunei, the Kingdom of Expected Runs. There are a few runs that will take place in the whole month of May. I told myself that I won’t be getting involved in any runs per se and focus more on loosening up my muscles rather than focusing on my mini jogs. I learned that I won’t be able to improve my stamina and running time because I tend to get injured easily after 7-8 km. My bucket list is still the full marathon and I hope to do that by 2016.

What’s interesting about all the runs are that they have their own purpose and agenda. There’s a first time for a ladies only charity run organised by Fitness Zone called “She Runs”. Set to benefit the Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA), the charity run will take place on May 17 at Fitness Zone Serusop. ‘She Runs’ is dedicated to empower women to become a better self from the inside out and we hope to accomplish this in two ways – fitness goal and giving back to the society. You can click here for more details.

The next one is Scot Run 2K15 which focuses on fighting poverty through education and this is organised by @scot_brunei (Society for Community Outreach and Training). I like how they categorize the runs into three – Hopeful fighter (3km), Passionate fighter (5km) and Knowledgeable fighter (10km). The Scot Run 2015 also symbolized the 4th year anniversary of @scot_brunei. Registration has already closed and it will be held on 10th May 2015. You can click here for more details.

Next is the WBC Charity Run on the 3rd of May. This is also a first time that the Women’s Business Council Brunei Darussalam organising such an event. Though it is slated for 3rd May (during Brunei’s Family Day), the registration is still open until 21st April. The event on that weekend also include a two-day bazaar and a lucky draw. The run will begin at 6am from the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. It aims to raise money for Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Fund for Orphans. For more information, please call 2422721 or through WCB email at wbc.bru@gmail.com. You can also visit the council’s website at www.wbcbrunei.wordpress.com

Finally the biggest run in May will be “The Run” which is focused more towards Pusat Ehsan and it’s happening on the 24th May at the Indoor Stadium. It has been announced that the registration and payment has been extended to 18th April 2015 by noon. This is another popular running event and it will be the fourth time that they are hosting a charity marathon. The theme for this year is “Where Every Step Matters” and they also carry a lot of backings from sponsors and partners. They will also have the half marathon for the Open category. For more information, you can click here.

So which run suits you or are you gonna take that challenge and do more than one or all? I know of a few friends doing at least 3 runs from the ones being mentioned. Good luck to all the participants and yes, Brunei is a kingdom of expected runs.

The WBC Charity Run. Click image to find out more.

She Runs event organised by Fitness Zone. Click image to find out more.

The Scot Run 2015 organised by @scot_brunei. Click image to find out more. Registration has been closed btw.

The Run organised by Pusat Ehsan. Click image to find out more.

 

Within one kilometre radius, Burger King has taken the initiative to deliver around Bandar area for the benefit of BK fans working in town. Of course, you can check the menus available on their Facebook page or on Foodpanda as well. I did verbally propose to them that I don’t mind being a temporary delivery boy for BK in town. I would actually love that experience.

According to the poster from BK that the delivery by foot will be from 9am to 4pm and the minimum order is $7. Did you know that Burger King is one of the popular food eateries in Foodpanda? So it does make sense to offer this service around Bandar since it’s really hard to find parking even for motor cyclists and it’s only within the 1 kilometre radius. Now wouldn’t you want a piece of the Taro Turnover Pie at your doorstep? 😀

Click image to enter Facebook Page

 

Carlos Reamon of CSSD won the Employee of the Month for Team Leader category and Murugavel Manivasagam of The Rehabilitation Department won Employee of the Month for Front of House category

Group photo of JPMC employees

The Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) today held a special event to present the Employee of the Month awards and to celebrate last month’s birthday celebrants. This event was organized by JPMC’s Human Resources Department.

Present at the event were senior management and staff.

The Employee of the Month for Front of House category award was awarded to Murugavel Manivasagam of The Rehabilitation Department while Carlos Reamon of CSSD won the Employee of the Month for Team Leader category.

“The event aims to honour employees’ birthdays and show appreciation for their contributions to the company,” said Human Resources Officer Norfadilah Haji Mahamud.

“This event also was to encourage team bonding among our staff and their superiors in a joyful occasion”, she added.

JPMC’s Employee of the Month reward programme recognises employees’ outstanding performances and contributions towards the company for the past 12 months. Images and text courtesy of JPMC.

 

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam hosted the royal banquet in honour of the royal couple

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince (right) and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia (YAM) Pg Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pengiran Hj Bolkiah

Late post of The Royal Wedding: His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia (YAM) Pg Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pengiran Hj Bolkiah were feted during the royal wedding banquet last Sunday.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty the Raja Isteri hosted the banquet in honour of the royal couple.

The royal couple were all smiles as they walked and waved to their guests who lined up along the red carpet to greet them.

His Royal Highness was dressed in a black ceremonial outfit, while the bride wore a purple traditional dress embellished with gems.

Foreign guests included Malaysian state rulers Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah of Pahang; Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin of Perlis; Al-Qathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu; Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor; Tuanku Muhriz of Negri Sembilan; Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah of Perak and Sultan Ibrahim of Johor.

Other guests were Dato Laila Utama Tun Pehin Sri Dr Hj Abdul Taib Mahmud, head of Sarawak state; Sabah Chief Minister Dato Seri Paduka Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman; Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Sarawak Minister of Resource Planning and Environment II, Minister of Public Utilities, Minister of Industrial Development.

An aroma of fresh flowers filled the banquet hall, with guests treated to live music by a mini orchestra throughout the evening. The banquet ended with a spectacular fireworks show. Text by Rachel Thien of The Brunei Times and images taken by Fazizul Haqimie.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia (YAM) Pg Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pengiran Hj Bolkiah

YAM Pengiran Muda Abdul Qawi

YAM Tengku Amalin A’Ishah Putri binti Sultan Ismail Petra, spouse of YAM Pg Muda Abdul Qawi

The invited guests at the Royal Banquet

The invited guests at the Royal Banquet

The invited guests at the Royal Banquet

 

The monster Lexus Sport Coupe RC F

The Lexus RC 350

Sorry for the late post. I recently test drove the latest Lexus sports coupes – RC F and the RC 350. I hardly driven a sport coupe and the new Lexus gave me a good impression especially the RC F. We were hosted by Muhammad Clovien Abdullah Timpoh, Marketing Manager of NBT.

Yes, the Lexus RC F is a beast machine. If you are hungry for power and speed, RC F delivers nothing short of it. The five-litre V8 engine delivers 470hp/7100 rpm of torque and I test drove at least 75% of its power capabilities behind the exit route from the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club. It’s not just a fast car but also quite stable. There are many things to boast about the Lexus RC F but of course, the end of the day will be the money that you will need to fork out as it’s quite an expensive car.

The Lexus RC 350 is another Lexus luxury car and it’s the tamer version of the RC F. It is still powerful in the sense that it is powered by a 3.5 litre V6 Four Cam 24-valve engine. What I love about the Lexus RC 350 is the classy interior. I kinda like the wooden surface design on some of the interiors to give it a premium experience for the driver and passengers.

For more information on the latest RC models or to book for a test drive, head to the Lexus Showroom at KM4, Jalan Gadong or call 2448688.

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

The interior of the RC 350

 

Del Goh of The Reel Show interviewing Zainal Bostaman, founder of Bruhaha Comedy. Catch another Bruhaha show this Saturday. Tickets are already available and I shall be posting on my IG for details pretty soon.

 

As part of the Royal Wedding celebration, the organising committee organised a series of cultural performances in the capital – parking area opposite of Royal Regalia Building and the Royal Wharf. I was fortunate enough to catch Brunei Shell Joint Venture Wedding Cultural performance and also bits of the Temburong district cultural performers. I believe tonight (Tuesday) is the final day of the so-called Perayaan in Bandar.

I won’t ramble much but here are some of the pictures I took last week.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohd Yasmin Hj Umar, Energy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, with Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Hj Halbi Hj Md Yussof, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and the performers from BSP during the Brunei Shell Joint Venture Wedding Cultural performance

 

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam (right) with His Royal Highness Prince Hj ‘Abdul ‘Azim, His Royal Highness ‘Abdul Mateen and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel during the Majlis Istiadat Akad Nikah Diraja or the solemnisation ceremony at Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien. Image courtesy of Fazizul Haqimie.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik read his marriage vows during the Majlis Istiadat Akad Nikah Diraja or the solemnisation ceremony at Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien last Thursday.

A 17-gun salute from the royal cannons echoed in the capital, marking the prince’s successful solemnisation of marriage vows.

According to Islamic law, the royal couple HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah are now legally and fully recognised as husband and wife.

Present to witness the solemnisation ceremony was the groom’s father, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

The ceremony is a royal tradition where the royal groom reads his marriage vows in accordance with Islamic law and with the presence of male witnesses consisting family members from both the bride and the groom.

Also at the ceremony were HRH Crown Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, HRH Prince Hj Jefri Bolkiah, HRH Prince Hj ‘Abdul ‘Azim, HRH ‘Abdul Mateen and HRH Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel.
The ceremony began with the customary royal regalia including Kasur Namat, Dian Empat and a Gangsa(brass receptacle) on which the solemnisation of royal marriage vows form was placed on.

Kasur Namat is a two-piece item that complements each other and is placed in the middle of the Dian Empat or four Ceremonial Candles usually carried to mark royal ceremonies including the royal wedding.

The Kasur is a cushion usually made from yellow cloth covering and the Namat is a mat decorated with beautiful Air Muleh designs (flora and fauna motif representing the essence of livelihood) embroidered along the edges of the yellow silk cover placed over the Kasur.
Four senior government religious officials including Imam of Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Pehin Khatib Hj Suhaili Hj Metali Al-Hafiz and Imam of Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Hj Hamidon Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Abd Hamid then took their places of honour as witnesses for the royal ceremony.

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik acknowledging his understanding after Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Salim Hj Besar read the solemnisation sermon

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik signing the solemnisation form

The Doa Selamat

Invited guests during the Majlis Istiadat Akad Nikah Diraja

Pg Hj Bolkiah, the father of the bride

Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Salim Hj Besar served as the Chief Qadi of the event, overseeing the solemnisation of the royal marriage vows.

The Chief Qadi plays an integral role in the ceremony as he is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law and have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims.

Greeting His Majesty and the royal entourage upon arrival at the mosque was YAM Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, the chief of Adat Istiadat, and other senior government officials.
Accompanying the groom, HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik, as he entered the mosque were Awang-Awang carrying 40 Sinipit (spear), a Hulubalang Diraja carrying Pemuras (gun) and Karga (case to carry the bullets) as well as Hulubalang Asgar carrying Kalasak (shield) and Kampilan (long blade).

Other royal regalia carried during the Majlis Istiadat Akad Nikah Diraja were the Pedang and Perisai,Tumbak Benderangan, Kabok and Panastan.

There were 16 Pedang and Perisai, or sword with golden or silver bands at the hilt carried against the right shoulder by Awang-Awang and round gold shield carried on the left hand.

Tumbak Benderangan is a royal ceremonial spear with golden and silver bands carried by Awang-Awang wearing ceremonial attires, held against the right shoulder. Sixteen of such regalia were carried.

Kabok and Panastan are vessels for storing water and the silver base are called the Panastan. There are 16 Kabok Panastan in the royal regalia and are usually carried by 16 Pengirans. However, only eight were carried.

Pehin Dato Paduka Hj Salim read the solemnisation sermon to the groom and explained the vows that he would be undertaking in this royal union of lifelong companionship and care.

The groom acknowledged his understanding and then read his vows in a clear and loud voice, flawlessly for all present yesterday to bear witness to. The recital of marriage vows continued with the groom reciting the Lafaz Ta’alik and the signing of the solemnisation form witnessed by the monarch. The ceremony was then blessed with a doa selamat read by State Mufti YB Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Datu Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Hj Awang Abdul Aziz Juned. Text by Waqiuddin Rajak and Billah Hasan of The Brunei Times and images taken by Fazizul Haqimie.

 

Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah during the Royal Powdering Ceremony at Indera Buana Throne Hall at Istana Nurul Iman last Wednesday

This is the second part of the Royal Powdering ceremony. My earlier post was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik’s powdering ceremony. Hence this post entry is for the bride, Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s powdering ceremony. She was dressed in a traditional red dress and she looked magnificent in red. She was escorted by the spouses of selected cabinet ministers with a grand entourage.

His Majesty the Sultan applied the powder paste and sprinkled scented oil onto her palms. The ordeal was carried by the members of the Royal Family followed by the bride’s parents.

Yesterday was the Royal Solemnization ceremony which I shall post up tomorrow. Congratulations to the Royal couple. Images taken by Haqimie Fazizul of rano360.com

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

Her Royal Highness princess Azeemah Ni’matul Bolkiah applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

Pg Hj Bolkiah, the father of the bride, applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

Pg Hjh Noor’aismah binti Pg Hj Ismail bin Pg Hj Tengah, the mother of the bride applying the colour paste on Dk Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah Pg Hj Bolkiah’s palms

The Royal entourage

 

Finally new information that they have canceled the Under 18 for men and replaced it with Women’s Doubles Open.

The deadline to register for the badminton tournament organised by the Korean Embassy in the Sultanate has been extended. The initial deadline was 10th April which is actually today.

Bruneian and Permanent Resident men and women who are interested in joining the tournament should submit their registration forms for the “Korean Ambassador’s Cup 2015” — which are available at the Korean Embassy or online at http://brn.mofa.go.kr — not later than April 13 to the embassy.

The tournament, in conjunction with Brunei’s 31st National Day, will be held from April 17 to 19 at Pusat Belia in the capital and is divided into two categories: Men’s Double Open and Women’s Double Open. Yay!! Good news for the ladies as this is the latest information given to me by the Korean Embassy.

Prizes for the winners include return tickets to Korea, cash prize and a winner’s cup. Now that’s a good prize right? Just find the right partner and fly away to Korea. Just a note: Only the Men’s Double Champions will fly to Korea.

For further details, please contact Korean Embassy (Feroz) at 2330250 or 7188166.

 

David Atthowe, founder of Nomadic Lion, making a special appearance last Sunday

He has been in the country for a week now or more. This is second official visit to Brunei and his aim is to share their documentary on their 5 month journey in “Walking Borneo”. The premier screening of the documentary “Berjalai: Walking Borneo” was held at i-Lotus last Sunday. The video presentation described their 2,250 KM journey across Borneo.

Nomadic Lion is no stranger to Brunei after making an impact in Brunei last year. The video was 35 minute adventure by Nomadic Lion and they share the discoveries along their journey. The documentary also wants to give the audience and viewers a similar experience on what they went through. Just imagine this documentary as the google of Nomadic Lion’s journey as all the questions are being answered.

One particular thing that they found of Brunei culture that we don’t take notice is the story of “Kecapi”. It is actually a traditional Sape from the Dusun tribe of Brunei, a uniquely Bruneian instrument with its distinct musical note. Did you know there are only 2 Kecapi players left in Brunei?

David Atthowe, founder of Nomadic Lion, was honoured to premiere the documentary in Brunei because of the love and the support that he has been getting. Brunei is one of the countries he felt connected with.

During the premiere of the documentary, the guests were also entertained by Irama Bahtera, Brunei’s finest traditional music group. During Walking Borneo Nomadic Lion fell in love with the sound of the Sape, a traditional lute instrument originally from the Kayan and Kenyah tribes. Faddie Tokching completed the musical journey by performing a solo Sape performance followed by a pioneering experiment combining Sape with a Gambus.

David is here in Brunei for the week or so visiting schools and colleges across the country for a series of motivational talks and to share their experiences with the youth of Brunei.

Nomadic Lion have named their documentary “Berjalai – Walking Borneo” in honour of the Iban tradition of Berjalai. Berjalai is a traditional part of Iban culture; a journey in search of knowledge, wealth and experience. In the olden days a young Iban man would leave the longhouse and make a Berjalai, travelling long distances often on foot, just like the journey of Nomadic Lion.

Berjalai: Walking Borneo the full story, an 8GB USB Flashdrive is available now exclusively in Brunei for $20. The USB includes the full documentary, out takes, music videos, 14 track music and a digital photo album.

Anyone wishing to purchase the USB can get in contact with Nomadic Lion Facebook www.facebook.com/nomadiclion or whatsapp at +60109343114

Group photo with the musicians

The green, the yellow and the red

Catch Nomadic Lion at OGDC (Saturday) and KB Sentral (Sunday)

 

Roasted Lamb

Do try out the Oriental Buffet Dinner at Seasons Restaurant and it’s held every Thursday and Saturday (dinner 7pm to 10pm) until 30th May 2015. You will get a taste of some oriental dishes regionally from Thailand and Vietnam.

The Oriental Buffet Dinner — which is held every Thursday and Saturday from 7pm to 10pm starting April 2 until May 30 — features popular dishes from the region such as Thailand and Vietnam. The variety is always great the Seasons buffet and you can expect dishes such as Thai Glass noodles, Jelly Fish Salad, Nyonya Laksa Noodle, fried rice in lotus leaf and Chinese Beef stew to name a few. Guess what? The menu was created by the local chefs Hj Mohammad Khairul Anuar Abdullah and Md Sharoni Hj Hosani.

The dish that impressed me is the roasted lamb, hands down 😀 Perhaps is the way they have marinated the lamb and the meat itself is tender. Highly recommended.

The buffet is priced at $25.90 for adults and $15.90 per child (five to eleven years old). Royal Brunei Catering (RBC) Dining Privilege Cardholders, on the other hand, are entitled to 10 per cent discount off the total bill during the promotional period.

Seasons Restaurant is located at the Second Floor of the Centrepoint, Gadong. For more information or reservations, please call Oscar at 8912470 or the eatery at 2422291.

Fried rice on lotus leaf

Butter milk prawn

Chicken

Egg tarts

Nyonya laksa