Her Royal Highness Princess Amal Rakiah with Vivy Yusof, co-founder of FashionValet recently at the FV pop-up store at The Empire Hotel & Country Club

Another photo opp with the Malaysian designers

I’m such a noob when it comes to fashion stuff. After being aware of Zalora and KLIHF, I only knew of FashionValet’s existence and never realised how big Fashion Valet is until recently. They are humungous to begin with.

You can tell how success a fashion portal is when it crashes from time to time (whenever they have new releases of their scarfs).

Apparently FV is quite popular here in Brunei and according to Vivy Yusof, co-founder of FashionValet, the market share for Brunei spenders are 15% and increasing. Hence, it’s such a timely manner for FV to make their presence felt physically in Brunei. Vivy wanted Bruneians to have a real feel rather than relying on virtual imagery on the few hundred collections under FashionValet.

Vivy was very overwhelmed with the responses from the public as hundreds flocked in to make purchases from the 30 designers where Vivy selected to bring to Brunei. The weekly event has been more than a success and Vivy vows to learn from their first showcase in Brunei held at The Empire Hotel & Country Club. This is because more than 60% of their inventory was bought in the first two days and thanks to the special discounts given to Standard Chartered Bank customers last weekend and also to the top FV spenders from Brunei.

I had the privilege to be invited by the team from FV for a Sungkai dinner last weekend and also interviewing the co-founder herself Vivy Yusof. Just one word to describe her – humble 😀 and I could see how dedicated she is in taking care of her fans as she continuously accepted photo requests from the incoming guests. I salute you Vivy for your constant high energy and being so accommodating at the same time.

Brands available for purchase at the event included Alia B, Syomirizwa Gupta, nh by Nurita Harity, emel by Melinda Looi, Poplook Premium and Mimpikita.

This is the biggest Raya campaign FV has worked on thus far. It is also one of the most exciting and rewarding times for FV and its customers as the Raya festivities inches closer.

The FV pop-up store will be at the Indera Kayangan Ballroom of The Empire Hotel & Country Club until June 17, open from 10am to 10pm. I believe by now there won’t be much choices due to the great responses from the public. Sometimes I wonder if the economic downturn has no effect on FV loyal customers.

Team FashionValet posing for the camera. Vivy and her husband are truly thankful to the team for helping them out in this journey

Familiar faces that are big fans of FashionValet

 

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah, BIBD Chairman and Minister of Development handing out donation accompanied by Yang Mulia Mr. Mubashar Khokhar, BIBD Managing Director

BIBD today continued its commitment towards elevating the welfare of under privileged families in Brunei with donations towards more than five thousands recipients from all four districts.

BIBD also handed out special prizes to eleven orphaned students in recognition for their dedication to excelling in their education through the “Skim Hadiah Galakkan Pelajar-Pelajar Yatim Cermelang 2015”.

This was presented by Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah, BIBD Chairman and Minister of Development, who was accompanied by BIBD Managing Director Yang Mulia Mr. Mubashar Khokhar.

The donations were handed out together at a ceremony held at the International Convention Centre in partnership with the Community Development Department (JAPEM), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, BIBD’s core values is always within supporting our society,” said Mr. Mubashar Khokhar, BIBD Managing Director. “BIBD is dedicated to support the Brunei Government and the country’s initiative in helping communities to develop and move forward towards achieving Wawasan Brunei 2035.”

In keeping up with the spirit of Ramadhan, the cooperation with JAPEM is part of BIBD’s multi-platform efforts in providing support to the Brunei community, which includes BIBD’s annual Sirah Amal programme and the on-going development of its BIBD Advocating Life-Long Learning for an Aspiring Future (ALAF) programme.

 

Click image to enlarge

You can check out the mock condo at Jalan Aman. Contact 717 5612 for appointment

I’ve heard of the condos along Jalan Aman and only yesterday I had the privilege to wonder around the mock condo of Aman Hills Residence which is slated to be completed in 2017. This could be the first where the developers are building both a condominium and a shopping mall under one umbrella.

As mentioned by Feeona Abdullah, sales representative of Proland REalty, some of the 60 units of the condominium have been taken and of course, there are still units available if any of you are interested. I kinda love the concept of the condo at Aman Hills Residence and anyone who stays here will appreciate the facilities it provides and also the convenience of shopping outlets in the coming years.

The mock condo has a four bedroom (one master bedroom), a jointed living room and dining area with a dry and wet kitchen area. The mock condo doesn’t included the furniture and other electrical appliances such as refrigerator and air condition. However, upon request, these items can be included with a different price range for a fully furnished condo.

The long spacious area with a size of 2,152 sq ft

The TV area. As mentioned, the mock condo just showcasing how it looks like with furniture. The prices stated are all unfurnished.

The master bedroom at the very end with a bathroom attached

As I mentioned earlier, there will be shop houses (two storeys), ice skating rink, bowling alley and Do-It-Yourself Hardware Store and not forgetting the influx of franchise brand in the food & beverage industry.

If you refer to the prices, the Aman Hills Residence offers different price range as low as BND 288K to BND 428K (unfurnished). Another gimmick offered by the developers are that once you buy the property, you can also earn rental with a 5% guaranteed rental returns per year for five years as it will be fully managed by Proland Realty. So you can say it’s a hassle-free investment with good returns.

For viewing of The Aman Hills Residence, you can contact 717 5612 for appointment and she will be more than happy to assist you.

The wet kitchen

One of the smaller rooms in the 4 bedroom condo

The pantry/dry kitchen area

The bathroom/toilet

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

 

Photo shoot at @izz_zara_bakery

Bubblerice Choco Cookies @ 50 pcs for $9 and Choc Viennese Cookies @ 50 pcs for $10

Kek Batik $20

Formerly known as Hana Bakery, this home-made cakes have been household name for the past few years or so. Why do I say that? Because the orders just automatically comes in during Ramadhan. It has been more than 5 years that @izz_zara_bakery has been supporting my social media for their promotion and I truly thank you for that.

There are some new biscuits ideal for hari raya or gift aways for your families and friends. My personal favourite is still the Nutella Tapak Kuda.

For orders, you have one week left before the orders are closed. The deadline for pre-orders are 13th June 2016 now extended till 20th June 2016. So I suggest to contact 877 6898 or 715 3030 for inquiries and of course, there is the order form to download if you are making multiple orders.

I highly recommend to get them cakes or biscuits from @izz_zara_bakery because I personally tasted them and I’m sold… My friends also liked the Crackers Cheese Cake, something different that they never tried.. Another recommended item.

Do download the order form, you can click here or for more info, you can whatsapp at 8776 898 or 7102 138. Do follow their instagram at @izz_zara_bakery for updates too.

Fruit Cake $20

Choco Peppermint Roll $6 and Durian (Monthong) Delight Roll $7

Mei Ann trying out the Tapak Kuda

The popular Nutella Tapak Kuda $5

Ovomaltine Tapak Kuda $8

Cerelac, Red Velvet Choco, Crunchy Nutella and Nutella White Choco. These items are not sold separately as they are bundled in one.

Yes, the four items above are part of the gift box valued at $35

The Cracker Cheese Cake $15

Pandan Mocha Roll $6, Purple Raspberry Filling Roll $6, Beuno White Choco Roll $8 and Pandan Mocha Roll $6

Kek Lapis Favourite Nutella $30

Kek Lapis Durian Putih (Monthong) $30

The order form. Do click to download the form.

 

Bombay Palace is located at Batu Bersurat

The mood after breaking your fast at Bombay Palace

Bombay Palace. One of the great places to dine if you are craving for Indian food especially. The choices are just simple and of high quality. This is ideal especially for me who doesn’t eat much but surprisingly I had seconds because the dishes are tasty to begin with.

I had to delay my trip to Bombay Palace by a day because the venue was fully booked. The restaurant also hired a new chef, Farouk (spelling?), who has 13 years of cooking experience and he has been working at the Radisson Hotel in India. I have to say that I do like his cooking. Even my Sungkai buddies had seconds from the buffet line.

My favourites are the Palak Kofta and the Chicken Punjabi. I guess the green sauce of the Palak Kofta was the killer. For this, I had three rounds. The texture and the taste were just spot on. Seng Yee love the Mutton Kadai.. Yea, it’s called Kadai *lol* but yea, this is another great dish. If you crave for something spicier, then the Fish Tikka Masala will satisfy your taste buds.

Price wise is pretty of good value, just below $12 for adults to begin with. You definitely will be satisfied with the overall experience. This year I chose not to do many restaurants and focus on quality ones and I have to say Bombay Palace have the right mix. Not too many and not too little. Just nice..

Bombay Palace

$11.90 Adult $6.90 Child

Batu Bersurat

Tel: 242 7313 | 717 6513

My favourite dish – Palak Kofta.. Try it, try it

Chicken Punjabi

Veggie Pakora

Chicken Tandoori

Plain Briyani

The buffet line at Bombay Palace. Just nice.

New chef in town – Farouk who has been in Brunei for less than a week

The Mutton Kadai

Looking at this plate already making me hungry

Seng Yee with the boys from Filterworks Production

My Sungkai Buddies – Ruey and Shawn

Something extra for catering if you are interested

The ambience at Bombay Palace. They also have a room upstairs.

Bombay Palace Sungkai

$11.90 Adult $6.90 Child

Batu Bersurat

Tel: 242 7313 | 717 6513

 

Queueing at the buffet line

Salted Egg chicken 😀

Wow! The Sungkai Buffet at Cheezbox was just wow. So many items to choose from. This time, Pranika and Shuyee were my Sungkai buddies and they gave it a big thumbsup after the meal.

Cheezbox had specific stations for savouries where salmon fried rice and mussels were among the items. Next to it was the salad station. On the other side of the restaurant was the Italian section where three sets of pasta and their sauces were being served and you could also make your own pizza. The lower floor had the Japanese station with sushis and tempuras next to the desserts station, which had so many varieties of ice-creams, cakes and puddings.

For Pranika and Shuyee, the desserts were their favourite. Even after admitting how full they were, they couldn’t resist getting a bowl of ice-cream with all the flavours. Now the flavours themselves (milo, peanut butter, seasalt, ginger, blueberry lavender, matcha) are very unique and they’re homemade! In every flavor, the taste was so strong. Pranika loved the seasalt one as it wasn’t too salty but it reminded her of freshness.

Corn 🙂

Sushi stuff at CheezBox Sungkai Cafe

The condiments for Soto 😀

Butter crab. Definitely a steal coming from this buffet.

My Sungkai buddies, Shuyee and Pranika

The ambiance was very cozy; the place wasn’t overcrowded but not too vacant either. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their meals and for me, the setting itself plays a big role on whether you have a good meal or not. Kudos to the staff too! They were so efficient in clearing the plates and glasses when we were done.

For such a wide range of food items, $29.90 for adult and $15.90 for children is value for money. Especially for children, they would have so much fun baking their own pizza and getting to choose from different cuisines. So what are you waiting for? Have you put Cheezbox on your list of Sungkai places yet?

CheezBox Sungkai Buffet

$29.90 Adult $15.90 Child (6-12 yrs)

Exclusive Buffet Vouchers “Buy 5 Free 1”

242 5506 | 729 5506

The Lamb Roast. Another reason to visit CheezBox.

Creamy Cheese Crab *slurp*

Pastries section at CheezBox

More pastries

Cold Cuts

The pizza section

You can make your own pizza

Lamb with mushroom sauce

Creamy salmon

Grilled Fish with Tomato Capers Sauce

Cereal Prawn

Healthy section

The pasta section

The Tanghoon noodle

Roti kosong

These home made ice-cream are awesome!!

CheezBox Sungkai Buffet

$29.90 Adult $15.90 Child (6-12 yrs)

Exclusive Buffet Vouchers “Buy 5 Free 1”

242 5506 | 729 5506

 

Yay!!! The sleepless nights begin today until Hari Raya. Why? Because of Euro 2016. I have to say that I’m not that excited for this year’s Euro 2016 tournament. Firstly not so much hype about it even among my peers. I was more concerned of the transfer market of who’s who. Secondly, I didn’t know that the opener of the Euro 2016 until 10 hours before kick-off, thinking that it will happen this Sunday. Lastly, I didn’t bother to buy any Panini stickers for Euro 2016.

My personal favourite team is still England though I doubt they will go that far in the tournament. Records haven’t been in their favour and plus they don’t have what it takes to be taken so seriously. They are simply not as consistent like other countries such as Germany and Spain. The favourites are still these two and also the host France who beat Romania 2-1 in the opening game.

It was a pretty good effort from Romania and they gave the host a few scares. In actual fact, Romania could have shared the spoils as they had two great chances that went begging. It was the efforts of two Frenchmen playing in the Premier League that settled the score – Giroud and Payet.

It’s good to see a football tournament back again! However, for the Copa America, I’m not as excited as Astro isn’t showing any live telecast of that tournament. Boohoo..

Payet scoring a screamer and the eventual winning goal against Romania. Image by Clive Rose/Getty Images.

Giroud opened the scoring with a header. Image by Darren Staples/Reuters

 

The crazy sales happening tonight until midnight at both Tungku Link and Batu Satu branches

At the Tungku Link outlet.. Don’t forget that Batu Satu also has the crazy sales in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya

The Crazy Sales are back and it will come back from time to time during the period of Ramadhan. Yes, Galleria YMRM are always great in doing awesome promotion and sales. Just recently last Monday, they brought back the $1 sale for the benefit of the regular customers and today (Saturday), the crazy sales are back starting from 8pm till midnight.

Ramesh Jiwatram Bhawnani, the founder of Galleria YMRM, expressed his sincerity in holding such sales and promotion and it was a gesture of giving back to the community after the many years of support they have given to the establishment. It was also another way for the local spenders to support local retailers and help to improve the local economy.

Despite the turbulent economy, Ramesh was surprised with the recent growth in sales at YMRM. The reason being is that the locals and even expats know what they are paying for – affordable and still of good quality. YMRM has become a household name for offering such great offers and not compromising on the quality. Even members of the Royal Families frequent to buy materials for baju melayu and baju kurung.

So grab this opportunity for the Happy Hour sales at YMRM Galleria (Tungku Link and Batu Satu).

One of the branded fabrics (high quality) for the ladies

They have more new collections that just came from a new shipment

A simple design with high quality material on discount

The super affordable section, a good choice for budget spenders

They even have cheaper senjangs for young boys

The below $20 range of Senjang

Sending from Trengganu and the designs are pretty unique

The high end Senjangs with delicate workmanship

They also sell Kain Songket if you wanna make baju or dress out of it

Ground Level of YMRM.. There is also the mezzanine floor

Don’t forget the lights too outside YMRM Galleria

Cucul for your home to lighten up for the festive season

 

Sungkai with Baiduri. Western 10-12 June 2016 with a 20% savings #sungkaiwithbaiduri

 

Concepts Computer, one of the largest IT retailer in Brunei, along with Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn. Bhd., one of the oldest canned-beverage distributor in Brunei, is signing a collaborative MOU for promoting their respective products during the holy month of Ramadhan and the festive month of Syawal.

Signing on behalf of Kingston was Mr. Valentine Hon, General Manager for Kingston Beverage & Creamery. While on behalf of Concepts Computer were Mr. Vincent Pao, General Manager, and Mr. Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer.

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer, speaking to the media, said, “Concepts Computer has a large customer base in the Bruneian Muslim community, so it is actually the perfect decision for us to collaborate with Kingston Beverage & Creamery Sdn. Bhd. and provide a carton of canned-beverage for purchases made in out store.” He also added, “We had an overwhelming response when we did it last year, and we expect the same this year.”

Vincent Pao, General Manger of Concepts Computer (2nd from left) and Valetine Hon, General Manager of Kingston Beverage & Creamery (2nd from right)

Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive for Concepts Computer, added to the media, “Customers who have purchased $200 or more on a single receipt in our store will be able to receive a free voucher for 1 (one) carton of drinks, redeemable at Kingston’s redemption center in Beribi.” He also addded, “Customers can purchase any item under any of the brand we carry including Acer computers or projectors, Epson printers, APC power solutions, even softwares or OS from Microsoft, as long as total purchase is over $200 per receipt, they will be able to receive a drinks coupon.”

For every purchase over $200 in a single receipt during the month of Ramadhan and Syawal, a coupon will be provided, redeemable for a carton (24 cans) of canned-beverage. Redemption of each coupon will be done at Kingston Beverage & Creamery redemption centres in Beribi.

Please note, Kingston’s redemption centre will start operating from June 15th til July 15th 2016, from 8.00am til 5.30pm. But to compensate for the Hari Raya rush, the redemption centre will be open both on Saturdays and Sundays two weeks before the start of Hari Raya.

For more information call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553, or visit your nearest Concepts Computer showroom.

The coupon you can redeem if you purchase over $200 in a single receipt

 

 

You can also organise, protect and share with Lyve (an app). Seagate Backup Plus can transform into a Lyve backup device, protecting memories you capture from all your devices. Lyve apps for computers and mobile devices will find all the photos and video from your various devices and create a single, organised collection, which can easily be viewed from your smartphone or tablet – no matter where you are. With Lyve’s Moments Past feature, photos and videos taken on this day, week, and month throughout your collection are resurfaced, so you can rediscover your memories from years past.

What’s Included

• Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive
• Seagate Dashboard backup software
• 200GB cloud storage with OneDrive for 2 years (must activate by June 30, 2017. May not be available in all countries.)
• 18-inch (46 cm) USB 3.0 cable, plug-and-play
• NTFS driver for Mac
• Quick start guide
So now available at Concepts Computer. Visit their showroom at Kiulap. Call 223 3551/2/3 for info.

 

Pondok Sari Wangi at Jerudong. A must visit.

Pondok Sari Wangi, renowned for their variety of Indonesian cuisine, has their Sungkai Promotion at $20 for adults and $16 for children only at Jerudong outlet. Now don’t get me wrong.. Different branches have different price range and such. The one I visited was the one at their newest branch at Jerudong (just near first area of the Jerudong Park food court).

The Jerudong branch has a bigger venue and it made a mark when it had its first wedding dinner event at the 200 plus capacity restaurant. What I love about the Jerudong branch that it has a mini aquarium where you will enjoy the freshness of the seafood items. We were in luck as we had the butter milk crab as part of their sungkai buffet.

The difference I found there from other places was that the crowd wasn’t too much in the beginning as they trickled in phases. Hence we had an easier time getting our food from the buffet line. The buffet itself had items like mee goreng telor, baby kailan (Pranika love this dish) in oyster sauce, crabs, prawns along with appropriate sides like fried tahu and tempe to accompany them.

I was especially drawn to the desserts section where traditional items were served in an appetizing manner. Among all, I tried this item which I had never had at Pondok – the kecang hitam. It was a red bean-based dessert and I liked it so much that I had two servings of it.

The people slowly started coming in around 7 and it was just a good timing so queuing was not a problem. The staff also caught my attention as they were attentive to the needs of each guest.

Great atmosphere, dedicated staff and delicious food. What else can we ask for? If you’re still deciding where to go for Sungkai tonight or tomorrow or day after, Pondok Sari Wangi (Jerudong) should be on your list. Let’s not forget my favourite dish on their ala carte menu – Beef Rendang and Telur Belado.

Pondok Sari Wangi

Ramadhan Buffet

 
Jerudong: $20 Adult $10 Child

Citis Sq, Gadong, Sengkurong: $16 Adult $8.50 Child

Jerudong: 261 0728 | Citis Sq 234 0608

Gadong 244 5043 | Sengkurong 266 1893

Tempe, tempe, tempe *yum*

Baby Kailan

Queueing up for the food

The crabs from PSW Jerudong are totally fresh

and this is what we had last night… A stealer…

Roasted chicken

The famous sambal from PSW

Beef with potato 😀

Yummy chicken

Mee goreng

The refreshments area

Interesting kueh

I had two servings of this 😀

Filterworks buddies on the job

Now if you want something off the buffet, I would recommend this Sea Bass..

One of the Chinese cuisine dishes on the PSW ala carte menu

Or maybe you have a big appetite, then go for the Seafood Platter with the Indonesian sauce.. A worth it platter

Pondok Sari Wangi

Ramadhan Buffet

 
Jerudong: $20 Adult $10 Child

Citis Sq, Gadong, Sengkurong: $16 Adult $8.50 Child

Jerudong: 261 0728 | Citis Sq 234 0608

Gadong 244 5043 | Sengkurong 266 1893

 

The Crepe Lasagne, one of Rack & Brew’s signature dishes

This is the first of its kind for Rack & Brew – Sungkai buffet. I’m a big fan of their kolo mee and their cakes but this time, Rack & Brew came up with something more attractive for the benefit of their patrons.

They have a good variety of main courses to begin with. My personal favourite is the ribs.. Or I could be just biased since I’m a sucker for ribs. If you are not settled for just ribs, R&B also serves lamb.. yum yum. Then something else caught my taste.. It was the Gado-Gado 😀 Why? Because of the spicy peanut sauce. It has this unique spicy feeling that I can’t explain and I ended up having two servings of it.

Do expect a mixture of Asian and Western cuisines such as satays, tempura, assorted sushis and many more..

There are also the healthy corner where you can enjoy the salad and vegetables. Apparently, my buddy Louis was a big fan of their mushroom soup.. He had more than two rounds of it.

All in all, the choices were just great and you will have a great time with your families and friends because R&B also has a cozy ambience.

You can also see more coverage on Thanis Lim’s post on R&B sungkai coverage.

Rack & Brew Sungkai Buffet

Adult $29.90

Children $14.9 (6 – 12 years old)

Tel: 2457886

Tel: 7299668

Starting Friday, 10th June 2016

6pm to 9pm

This might sound weird but I’m quite hooked on this particular Gado-Gado- Try out the sauce and you will know why. Image courtesy of Thanislim.com

Pauline and Jane helping to the buffet

The media from different agencies enjoying dinner at Rack & Brew

Mmmmmmmm Rosemary Honey Chicken

Lamb oh Lamb…

This is contender for one of the best ribs I’ve tried

For tempura lovers

My friends were pretty stuffed after the meal

Chicken satay 😀

Seafood Marinara.. Excellent choice. Image by thanislim.com

Mango Pudding. Image by thanislim.com

All the satisfied diners at Rack & Brew. Second round, perhaps?

For your info 😀

 

Filterworks experiencing Sungkai at Tandoor Restaurant

It is my unspoken habit to go to Tandoor at least once every month. Since it opened a buffet line during last Ramadhan, I went there three times that month for Sungkai. I wasn’t going to miss it again this year. And I sure wasn’t disappointed. The ambiance was so cozy, it was less noisy and the aroma that filled the air was amazing.

Tandoor has an exclusive mixture of Indian, Italian and Arabic cuisines on its menu. I quickly went to the main draw of this buffet – the mouth-watering Lamb Mandi, also known as Talam. It is actually a popular Arabian dish which has perfectly cooked, moist rice with very tender lamb. The lamb is flavourful and you can just taste the spices in every bite. Also, the Lamb Mandi is enough to feed the entire restaurant unless everyone decides to go for seconds. It is available every Sungkai so you won’t have to worry about it not being served when you visit.

Less known to a lot of people who go to Tandoor for Indian and Arabic food, their Italian dishes on the menu is worth trying too. I personally love the pizza there. As for desserts, their homemade ice-cream has a unique taste so I recommend that for those looking for something sweet after the main course.
$20 for adults and $12 for children is a great catch and value for money. What more? It opens until 2am for Sahur. So don’t forget to visit Tandoor for Sungkai this Ramadhan.

Tandoor buffet
Adult $20
Children $12
Tel: 882 9495
Tel: 245 0182

Restaurant opens until 2am for Sahur

Lamb Shawarma

Tikka fish

The main event – the Lamb Mandhi

Gobi Manchurian

Pasta 😀

Pepper Chicken Masala

A’aqiil helping a serving of the Lamb Mandhi

Naans

Don’t forget to use the sauces for this dish. Highly recommended.

Can Tibby finish up the whole tray? :O

There’s even pizza in the house

My Sungkai partner in crime last night

Brinjal Masala yummm

Ah, you know what this is 😀

The dessert corner

The ice-cream corner.. Home made Kulfi.. Interesting taste

The home made ice cream. Actually Kulfi is a popular frozen dairy dessert from India

Tandoor buffet
Adult $20
Children $12
Tel: 882 9495
Tel: 245 0182

Restaurant opens until 2am for Sahur

 

The $1 sale that attracted the crowd recently. More to come.

One of the popular materials for Baju Melayu using Moroccan

The Crazy Sales are back and it will come back from time to time during the period of Ramadhan. Yes, Galleria YMRM are always great in doing awesome promotion and sales. Just recently last Monday, they brought back the $1 sale for the benefit of the regular customers.

Ramesh Jiwatram Bhawnani, the founder of Galleria YMRM, expressed his sincerity in holding such sales and promotion and it was a gesture of giving back to the community after the many years of support they have given to the establishment. It was also another way for the local spenders to support local retailers and help to improve the local economy.

Despite the turbulent economy, Ramesh was surprised with the recent growth in sales at YMRM. The reason being is that the locals and even expats know what they are paying for – affordable and still of good quality. YMRM has become a household name for offering such great offers and not compromising on the quality. Even members of the Royal Families frequent to buy materials for baju melayu and baju kurung.

So do watch out this space or on my social media updates on their next promotion or crazy sales. There will be a few, leading to the Hari Raya season.

Nice lightings at YMRM

A YMRM staff busy over the counter

The nicely woven senjang also available at YMRM – ranging from $9.90 to $299

I will need to get me one of those soon

Nice collection of lace for the ladies

More choices for the baju melayu collection

Genuine senjang from BHS

 

FashionValet will be in Brunei soon. The biggest festive season is approaching! Every year, there will be an amazing FashionValet (also known affectionately as FV) campaign for the Muslim celebration, Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It’s the peak period for the internationally known e-commerce giant, as FV is popularly known to carry the hottest and biggest local and Southeast Asian brands and their Raya collections.

Having just completed a 4-day fashion show with Andrews Models called Gaya Koleksi Raya (GKR) 2016 recently, now FV is going cross-country to host exclusive tea parties. The Singapore, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur tea parties have come and gone with much success, now FV is looking forward to Brunei next! These private events are to cater to the media and top customers and influencers in that specific region and to build a closer relationship with them. FV wants to involve themselves in more onground events especially in these countries to solidify their presence.

Brunei’s first pop-up store will open between the 11th and 17th of June at the Indera Kayangan Ballroom at The Empire Hotel & Country Club from 10am to 10pm. We hope to cater to their many loyal customers and supporters in Brunei. Standard Chartered is their official bank partner in Brunei. Their customers will be the first to preview and purchase FV’s Raya collection and they’ll also enjoy a 10% discount for online and offline purchases on the 11th of June only. It’s good to be a Standard Chartered cardholder in this case!

Alia Bastamam will be in Brunei as part of the FashionValet campaign. Click image to see their collections.

Rizman Ruzaini will be in town as well. Click image to see their collection.

On the other hand, Brunei’s private tea party will be held at the same venue on 12th of June during the fasting month as a Sungkai (or buka puasa) affair where FV will be catering to VIP customers, FV’s fashion designers, social media influencers and the media. The best part is, guests will enjoy a special 10% discount off FV’s Raya collection, which will be displayed. Guests are able to secure their favourite outfit which were showcased on the runway at GKR 2016 in early May. Brands part of FV’s exclusive Raya collection available for purchase at the Sungkai event are Alia B., Syomirizwa Gupta, nh by Nurita Harith, emel by Melinda Looi, Poplook Premium, Mimpikita and many more!

FV’s Official Loyalty Partner is Enrich by Malaysia Airlines. Apart from flight sponsorships, FV and Enrich will be working together very closely to bring customers an incredible deal. More information will be released in due time, but safe to say, it will be an exciting one! On another note, FV is currently working on their expansion programme whereby fulfilment centres have already been set up in both Jakarta and Singapore. On top of that, FV just opened their first physical store along Orchard Road in Singapore at 313@Somerset and so far has been very well received by locals! Meanwhile in Jakarta, a pop-up store is now running at North Sky Bridge, Level 2 at Pondok Indah Mall from the 31st of May till 12th of June 2016. These physical stores will enable customers to enjoy a more tangible shopping experience with FV – being able to touch and feel the fabrics and admire intricate detailing. It also helps with future online purchases at www.fashionvalet.com

This will be the biggest Raya campaign FV has worked on so far and is one of the most exciting and rewarding times for everyone at FV and their customers as the hustle and bustle of the celebrations creep in and the atmosphere builds as the month of Syawal approaches. The icing on the cake was when FV’s first billboard ad was erected in the beginning of April on Federal Highway. Look out for it! What with the new reality TV show on Astro Ria called ‘Love, Vivy’ already airing, this is definitely a time where audiences will want to keep their eyes glued to FV’s every move.

Rizman Ruzaini latest collection

A collection from nh by Nurita Harith

Latest collection from Syomirizwa Gupta