Here’s another edition of my film reviews and news. If you have noticed that I hardly post any movie reviews on my blog as I focused more on my podcast review on sound cloud or post my review on my IG. I was asking myself if I should also include my old format of movie reviews through my blog as well. Then it would kinda be a spoiler for those who might want to listen to my podcast. So to be fair, I would intend to post my blog review a week after my podcast for the benefit of my readers and also for those who doesn’t actually listen to my podcast (why, why…. *lol*). In actual fact, I kinda miss blogging up my movie reviews.

My biggest hit this year for my Popcorn Panel podcast has been Furious 7 which has garnered almost 600 listeners. My highest so far is Big Hero Six (1,500 hits) and Yasmine the movie (1,000 hits). My current Avengers: Age of Ultron podcast review hasn’t been all that and one big reason could be that I posted my podcast review a week later after the release in Brunei and secondly, the reviews haven’t been all that but to me it’s still entertaining. AOT only scored an average of 75% on rottentomatoes as compared to the first Avengers 92%. It will be a disappointment if my podcast review on AOT won’t reach in the region of 300 hits.

You can catch my full review on my blog on AOT this weekend. For now, enjoy the podcast first especially with my regular co-host @delgoh.

Our podcast review with my co-host Del Goh on Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4Dx experience at Paragon Cineplex. Click play to listen to our review.

Paragon Cineplex

My movie experience at Paragon Cineplex. What can I say? This is my hometown. Like I have mentioned before on my previous post, I’m in love with the cinema culture at Paragon Cineplex. This is located at Siam Paragon and it basically has almost all the format on screen – 2D, 3D, IMAX and 4Dx. So if you happen to be in Bangkok, do visit Paragon Cineplex and even Del Goh was “sakai-ed” by the cineplex as it was his first visit to Paragon Cineplex.

It was weird that Bangkok released Age of Ultron a week later after Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia. I’m not sure why though and that’s the reason I caught it slightly later than my friends because I just happened to make plans in Thailand. So I missed the Avengers’ marathon at Times Cineplex. Oh well. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my experience on 4Dx last week and I’m planning to catch again tonight at the Mall Cineplex.

The most anticipated movie for me this summer is not Age of Ultron or Jurassic World or Inside Out. It’s Mad Max: Road Fury. I’m a huge fan of the trilogy and it has been 30 years before they revived the franchise again. I have to say that all the trailers for Mad Max have been freaking awesome. I have no doubt that Mad Max will do well in the box office despite its R rating. I shall be catching Mad Max: Road Fury in Kuching next week.

The Hulkbuster display at Paragon Royal Hall during the Thai Comic Con last weekend

This was my second 4Dx experience. My first was last year in Korea when I caught The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

It was such a long queue during the first show of AOT at Paragon Cineplex

A different set of Avengers tumblers as compared to the ones from Times Cineplex

A movie that I can’t wait to catch… The Raid movie of 2015 for me

Another movie I can wait to catch. Will it live up to the first movie? #pitchperfect

The atmosphere at Paragon Cineplex

Volkswagen Weekend

Maju Motors Sdn Bhd, the official Volkswagen distributor in Brunei, will be holding a special Anniversary Carnival from 8-10 May 2015. It was exactly one year ago that the Volkswagen brand was completely relaunched in the Sultanate, and it is continuing to make inroads into the car market here.

The latest version of the Vento, Volkswagen’s best-selling car in Brunei, was just launched a fortnight ago. Soon, the new Touareg – the top-of-the-line model sold here – will also be introduced.

Customers can look forward to many more new products debuting in the coming months, including the Golf Sportsvan and the current holder of the prestigious ‘Car of the Year’ award, the all-new Passat. There will also be exciting new versions of popular models like the Beetle, Tiguan and Touran.

Sign up and be the first 100 will receive exclusive Volkswagen gift. Click image to enter.

“The last one year has been extremely exciting for our company,” said Chan Key Hong, the Executive Director of Maju Motors. “In 2014 we delivered over 1,000 new cars within a year for the first time, and the number of Volkswagen owners in Brunei is still growing quickly.

“This is why we are also working hard on boosting the efficiency of our aftersales business, to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. For example, there are now 60 percent more technicians who are dedicated to servicing Volkswagen vehicles, and we have created significantly more space for them to work.”

In addition, Maju Motors has employed more service advisors and set up a team focused on customer care.

During the 3-day Anniversary Carnival, showroom visitors will be able to view and test drive a wide range of Volkswagen models, as well as enjoy tasty treats from Wing-it, Muffins Paradise Brunei and Doug’s Cakoi. Of course, there will also be fun children’s activities so the whole family will be entertained.

The event starts at 3pm on Friday, 8 May, and runs from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, 9 May and Sunday, 10 May.

 

Mathien Malan Kasim and Ryan Nicholas Elicay winning second and first respectively at the ASEAN Universities International English Speech Competition that was held at Thepsatri Rajabhat University in Lopburi, Thailand

Two students from Universiti Brunei Darussalam battled out 34 other contestants to capture the first and second place at the ASEAN Universities International English Speech Competition that was held at Thepsatri Rajabhat University in Lopburi, Thailand two weeks ago.

Ryan Nicholas Elicay emerged as the champion of the competition and Mathien Malan Kasim finished as the first runner-up. Both the students are Professional Communications and the Media majors from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Ryan, whose speech was entitled ‘What single ASEAN country could you learn the most from’ quoted, “It was definitely one of the best moments in my life. I would like to thank Dr. Chris Woo, our coach, for his tremendous efforts in ensuring that we had winning speeches, spending so many hours perfecting our speeches and our delivery. And of course the University for giving us the opportunity to take part in the competition. We hope we have made the University and the country proud.”

With the experience that the two students have gained from the competition, they would wish to represent UBD in many other competitions that will be held in the future. Image courtesy of Dr. Chris Woo.

Ryan Nicholas Elicay receiving the first place for the competition

The representative finalists from ASEAN for the competition

 

From 30-31 January 9am to 5pm, you are eligible for a $100 service voucher for participating a customer feedback session at Volkswagen Brunei (Maju Motors Sdn Bhd)

 

Click image to register and find out more

For the first time ever, Bruneians will have a chance to get a ticket to Anfield (Liverpool’s home ground) and play against the best of the best in the world in the Standard Chartered Trophy 2015. It’s a futsal tournament format and it will be a 5 a-side format.

This is made possible by Standard Chartered Bank (Brunei) and this tournament opened to everyone even if you are not a Liverpool fan. For your info, SCB is the official sponsor for Liverpool FC club. The announcement was made yesterday at SCB’s Priority Banking Centre.

So do check out Brunei’s time line for the event below and the winners of the Brunei contingent will be sent to Kuala Lumpur for the regional competition in late March. If your team managed to beat both Malaysia and Thailand, your team will be given the green light to Anfield. By the way, all these trips will be all expenses paid by SCB.

The qualifiers are open to Brunei citizens and permanent residents (phew, I have a chance). They must be over 18 years old and are neither professional/semi-professional players. SCB Brunei has allocated 14 berths to their key stakeholders and 10 more slots are up for grabs.

Each team shall consist of seven players, and those selected will have to pay a registration fee of $100 – which will go to the Humanitarian Fund of the Malaysian Flood Disaster. So this means that if they are more than 24 slots, SCB Brunei organising team will go through the selection process and based the selection on the short essay on why you want to be part of this event. Once you are selected, the $100 registration will be come into play. So if you are registering online, you won’t be charged $100 straight away. Good luck in registering your team.

You can click here for the registration. The closing date is 10th February 2015.

This event is made possible by SCB Brunei and they are very grateful with the support by inistry of Culture, Youth and Sports and endorsed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) in assisting SCB Brunei with the upcoming event.

Ng Yick Wei, Head of Brand and Marketing at SCB Brunei, Marilyn Graeme, Head of Corporate Affairs at SCB, Hj Mohd Noor Hj Hamid, Department of Youth and Sports official, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and also a NFABD committee, Hj Aslan Hj Tengah, Supervisor Sport Organisation, Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports during the announcement of Standard Chartered Trophy 2015 at SCB’s Priority Banking yesterday

Yay, we were given Liverpool goodies from SCB Brunei

 

Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO of Baiduri Bank, giving his welcoming remarks

Guests during the relaunch of Baiduri Bank

Baiduri Bank recently officially re-launched its branch at The Mall, Gadong following recent major renovation and upgrading works. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pierre Imhof, who was joined by 11 of the Bank’s pioneer customers in the symbolic cutting of the ribbon.

In his welcome remarks, Mr. Imhof thanked the guests for their loyalty and confidence in Baiduri Bank, adding “It is an honour for us to have our pioneer customers who are still active with us here today. They have been a part of us throughout our 20 year journey, and we look forward to continuing our journey together with them into the future”.

The Bank’s Mall Branch first began operations in 2004, setting the record as the first bank in Brunei with an in-mall outlet as well as operating 7 days a week.

Elaborating on the branch upgrade, Mr. Imhof said, “Our branch network configuration project is a part of our initiatives to enhance customer experience. We constantly upgrade our branches to meet evolving customer needs. The investments we are making to this branch will make for a more welcoming environment for customers to carry out their banking transactions as well as a conducive working environment for our staff. This, we believe, is key to enhancing overall customer experience.”

The refurbished branch features modern and contemporary décor to reflect the dynamism and innovative spirit of Baiduri Bank and offers full banking services to individuals and businesses as well as complimentary personal financial planning consultation. The upgraded premises also have free Wi-Fi as well as more ATMs to cater to the growing number of customers transacting electronically.

Following the launch, guests were taken on a tour of the branch premises led by Ms. Alvina Chung, Regional Manager of Brunei-Muara District and Dayang Vivi Rudynanissmah Hj Mamud, Manager of the Mall Branch.

Also present at the ceremony were Mr. Ti Eng Hui, Deputy CEO of Baiduri Bank, Mr. Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager – Operations Management Division, Diversification & Strategic Development, Haji Haliluddin bin Dato Haji Talib, General Manager of Baiduri Finance, Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Haji Mustapha, Head of Retail Banking and Branch Network and a host of senior executives from the Bank. Images courtesy of Vincent Hong.

 

Rano’s take of 2014 movies with special guest @delgoh and Zul

 

Click image to see Consumer Fair 15 schedule for the weekend

 

12 Art toys bearing the Peugeot emblem – Léo’z Art toys. Now available at Peugeot Boutique in Kiarong showroom

Peugeot has unveiled at Peugeot Boutique in Kiarong showroom its first series of 12 Art toys bearing the Peugeot emblem: lions known as Léo’z. This series developed with PEUGEOT DESIGN LAB, in partnership with the company ARTOYZ, is available from Peugeot showroom starting January 28, 2015.

The series consists of 12 lions, 6 of which were designed by internationally renowned artists: Huck Gee (UK), 64 Colors (USA), Bunka (France), DGPH (Argentina), Tikka NG (Hong Kong), Koralie (France), and the other 6 by the PEUGEOT DESIGN LAB designers: Claire Panel (France), Thomas Josson (France), Damian O’ Hara (Ireland), Hossein Borojeni (France), Flora Tai & Guillaume Daniel (France). The adorable lions measure at 3 inches or 8 cm, and are perfect for Vinyl Figure enthusiasts or car memorabilia lovers.

Léo’z Art toys will be sold at Peugeot Kiarong showroom. Two additional versions, less common and in smaller quantity, have also found their way into this collection.

Each Art Toy on sale is the fruit of an artistic process, and involving lengthy and painstaking work, drawing inspiration from worlds as diverse as contemporary art, poetry, chemistry, origami, architecture, fashion…These unique objects form a link between the world of childhood, by adopting the design of the brand’s lion soft toy mascot created by Christophe Pialat (France), and the grown-up world.

Check out the vLéo’z Art toys

 

Laksamana College now offering degree programmes from the University of Chester

Finally after years of waiting, Laksamana College of Business (LCB) is able to provide a degree course under the programme from the University of Chester. Some of the courses included are such as BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance (3 years), BA (Hons) Business Management (3 years), BA (Hons) Marketing (3 years) and BSc (Hons) Computer Science (3 years).

Late last year, LCB Chief Operating Officer S Sivarajah said the college received the approval letter from the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council.

This would mean that you won’t have to travel all the way to the UK to get a degree and still get certified by a university and endorsed by Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council.

LCB currently has more than a thousand active students. Sivarajah said that he expects a high demand from both parents and students as the course offers them an alternative route to receiving a British university education. Sivarajah said the annual cost of the degree programme in the UK is about £10,000 ( BND 20,369) on average, whereas the college is able to offer the courses at BND 9,500. Now that is an affordable fee (almost 50 percent off).

Now LCB is opening for registration for February 2015 intake. A good way to start your undergraduate programme at Laksamana College of Business. For more info, you can call 223 8816 or 223 8818.

 

Stephen Reid, Service Manager of Jati Transport handed out consolation prize in this morning’s draw for the Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 AMG

Mr. Yong, Jati Transport’s Parts Manager, handed out another consolation prize

Another consolation winner. There were 20 consolation winners.

Shazali Sulaiman, Partner, KPMG, tested the key to the grand prize

The invited guests during the draw

Pg Anak Hj Jaafar ibni Al Marhum Pg Pemancha Pg Anak Hj Mohd Alam, Executive Chairman of Jati Transport Sdn Bhd handing a token of appreciation to Shazali Sulaiman. More of the pictures tomorrow.

 

Best top ten movies of 2014 with my regular co-host @delgoh and special guest Zul

 

Acer Aspire

Click image to enter ICON Design Store website

 

Free labour charge on repairs for Peugeot. Click image to enter website to find out more.

Promotion from Pizza Hut

 

Travel with agoda

  

The new KIA Sorento 2015 (3rd generation) now available at Grand Motors Showroom

Azrol Azmi recently tested the new KIA Sorento in Jordan and he was already impressed with the performance even on the 2wd drive on the hilly terrains of Jordan. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to test drive the KIA Sorento which is now in its 3rd generation and I quite like the ride as well. I test drove the KIA Sorento 2WD Petrol 2.4 litre that time but didn’t get the chance to try out the 4WD Diesel 2.2.

This was actually my first experience in a Sorento but the latest model definitely has a better much upgrade and facelift from previous Sorento generation. Yes, it has a sleeker look and it’s ideal for SUV lovers, just like me.

I’m not much of a car person when it comes to specs but I had a good 10 minute experience driving new Sorento around. Cornering wise, the car didn’t feel off balance even on an accelerating speed and it’s precise as well. This shows the KIA Sorento has good traction especially on our local roundabouts.

The KIA Sorento 3rd generation is also the official car for the ongoing Australian Open. This will be a much talked about SUV with great stability, suspension (progressive response on bumps) and packs with great safety feature functions. You can’t go wrong with the KIA Sorento. The only thing that I might not favour is the shape of the rear end of the Sorento. It seems slightly longer than the current SUV I’m driving but then again, the means the new KIA has bigger space at the back, ideal for long journeys.

Grand Motors Sdn Bhd, brought in three versions of the new KIA Sorento. The only 4WD is the 2.2 litre CRDi (turbo diesel) in automatic transmission. The 2WD version comes with a 2.4 litre engine, one in manual and one in auto transmission. You can view the latest KIA at Grand Motor Showroom in Beribi.

Check out the review of the KIA Sorento 2015 model

This is the 2WD 2.4 litre version

The interior look of the Sorento

Emelda with the registration number

 

Newborn photography promotion for February and March 2015

Babies in flower pots resting sleepy faces on tiny palms, a little hero about to set off on a boat into parts unknown – newborn photography is the cutest. Tiny Blessings Photography wants to help parents capture the very start of their child’s journey through life with newborn photography packages taken in the comfort of your own home.

The newborn photography packages start from just $200. Mom, just sit back and relax, while Tiny Blessings takes care of the rest. With an abundance of blankets and props to keep you baby relaxed and at peace while they star in their first photoshoot, and are captured in beautiful images of them that will last until they grow up and have children of their own..

Individuals can call to arrange an appointment ahead of time, even before their child is due.

Affordable packages make newborn and family portraiture obtainable for families and future generations to enjoy. All packages come with digital files.

Tiny Blessings Photography will be having a promotion for all sessions taken in February and March 2015. Just mention RANOADIDAS to enjoy 10% off any of their photography packages.

For more information, please visit www.tinyblessingsphotobn.com

Images courtesy of Tiny Blessings Photography

 

Best top ten movies of 2014 with my regular co-host @delgoh and special guest Zul

The Reel Show – [A Year in Review] The best, the worst and the most disappointing movies of 2014

 

My first blog entry for 2015. Ah, it ain’t a big deal as it used to be. I realised I don’t simply blog every day as I do on a regular basis. Look at the popular and influential blogger @xiaxue. She hardly used her blog to share her stories but concentrating more on social media such as her Twitter and instagram. Yes, I’m pretty active on my instagram too as compared to my blog channel. Most of the social media influencers are relying less on blogs to get their information across. Sometimes I wonder if blogging will be become obsolete. I hope not because I still love to jot down my thoughts from time to time. Remember, blogging used to be so popular that our Brunei community almost have 1,000 bloggers alone for such as a small community. In come Facebook and now Instagram, it has changed the landscape of information sharing. We have to entered the Age of Indigo which translate to the the Age of Information.

After spending most of my December overseas, the final day of 2014 was spent with my buddies in Brunei in a small gathering. It’s been the usual gathering where we had mini games and of course, the addictive dancing game – Just Dance 2015 (oh, you should try out the Tetris dance number). This time, we managed to sort out the food rationing but ironically we had more bottled soft drinks to bring back home. I could tell that the mood for the new year’s celebration is a bit sombre and low key. Fireworks were just little to be seen. We normally see multiple fireworks once it hits 1st January from the view of our room. Perhaps with all the ongoing restrictions, celebrations have been muted and also to respect and commemorate Maulidur Rasul which falls on 3rd January 2014 (12 Rabiulawal 1436).

What to look forward to 2015? I might reconsider re-committing to my 2014’s resolution because I was only on 10% process on last year’s resolution *lol* One thing that I know for sure is that I will be heading to three different cities in January – Labuan (confirmed), Kota Kinabalu (50/50) and Singapore (70/30). Nothing major this month apart from Maulidur Rasul celebration but there are two major events that I know of – The Century Run (11th January) and The Consumer Fair (28th January). Let’s make January a great month to kick off 2015.

I shall be back to my blogging habits by Monday. Enjoy the long weekend, peeps! 😀

Stay tune to my Top 10 movies and Top 10 stinkers of 2014. I will have to wait for @delgoh to return back to his US trip.

It was a packed house at The Mall Cineplex on New Year’s Day. Went to catch Seventh Son and it was kinda terrible. I don’t know why January line up usually gets all the crap ones. 2014 January stinkers were The Legend of Hercules and I, Frankenstein.

Something for me to look at during the weekend, clearing as much junk as possible in my Gmail 😀

This was a screenshot of someone in Singapore who stole my family’s mobile phone while shopping at Mustafa. We have filed in a police report but it seems the investigation might take a while.

Another controversial entry from Xiaxue with regards to exposing GushCloud Singapore on their tactics to lure their existing and potential clients. If you are kinda lost of what I’m saying, just click on the image to read more of her blog entries. She is definitely a game changer as her intention is to protect the social media industry and also create a healthier relationship with social media and their corporate clients.

I recently visited a new tea shop in Brunei and this is quite rare for a shop to simply sell traditional tea. This is located at Gadong Central and it’s called Tea Fu Chinese Tea Shop. I’m quite impressed with the green tea and the red tea. Who knows one day Bruneians will pick up the tea culture and appreciate the real Chinese tea 😀

It was the first time that I was part of the Heng Tai for a Chinese wedding. A very much privilege offer to be in one and I had to dress in a Power Ranger suit. Thank you Richard To for the opportunity.

I certainly don’t have the shape to be a Power Ranger *lol*

Another dessert franchise is in town and it’s called Blackball. Do try out their cold icy dessert. Quite refreshing if you ask me. Love those with red beans.

A new eatery in town called Home Kitchen and I have to give the deco a two thumbs up. It literally feels like you are dining in your own home kitchen. The food is quite good too and I like the Nelayan Pasta. Have yet to to try other dishes as well as their desserts.

We all had fun the other night dancing to the Tetris Song on Just Dance 2015 on the PS4.

Something unexpected happened when I touched down Brunei from Singapore. I was joking to my driver who waited for me at the baggage claim that someone’s luggage was being tampered with and only to find out that the luggage was mine all along. Hmmmm maybe I didn’t zip it properly or American Tourister can’t simply handle the weight.

Hello 2015. Courtesy of Royal Brunei Airlines.

 

Acer Aspire

Click image to enter ICON Design Store website

 

Click image to enter Citroën Brunei 

 

Free labour charge on repairs for Peugeot. Click image to enter website to find out more.

Click image to enter website to find out more

  

Review of Annie 2014 starring Rano Iskandar with special guest Singapore blogger Tiffany Yong

 

With 2014 almost ending, I have to say that my year has been fabulous. Normally you will hear familiar things such as having a roller coaster year but if we do end of high note and feel at the present, very likely tend to forget the bad days and sum up the year to be much better than previous year. I haven’t been blogging as I’m currently taking time off for a bit and spending my holidays in Singapore to cap off another awesome year.

So how do I rate my 2014? Honestly it was one of the best years I had in many years. For many reasons but I won’t be sharing all my best moments with you, only some. Maybe the most exciting part for 2014 was able to travel to places like Seoul and Moscow. Well, I didn’t expect to fly to Moscow but Seoul was one of my sought places to travel. I would like to thank you Harley Davidson for bringing me to Seoul for and also to MOE and Bluebox Services for making my Russia trip possible. Where will 2015 bring me? For sure, I have set a date to fly to Manila and guess what? The Philippines is the only ASEAN country that I have yet to travel. Surprise, surprise.

This year, I also truly appreciative of my close friends and my new found ones. It’s true that the closer ones tend to be the most challenging ones because of the level of expectations I have on them. These expectations have been making my relationship with my buddies challenging for many years. Somehow, this year, I feel much lighter than before and I was able to feel much freedom rather than feeling suffocated with my negative thoughts (with having a thought that I’m not enough for them). This year, I’m truly grateful for my strong bonding relationship with my close buddies and you know who you are.

I can’t believe that I actually made it to Moscow, Russia, this year and it was an unexpected journey. This is one of the highlights of 2014 as I hardly travel to Europe and secondly, having a ICI document (passport for Brunei PRs), it will be tricky to travel to European countries.

Since the first picture was taken at Burger King Moscow, let me share with you my favourite snack of 2014 – Burger King’s Taro Pie. Not the one that Gladys is biting but the one on her left hand 😀 Did you know Taro Pie was sold out? But I’m glad it was re-stocked to the delight of Burger King fans.

My other highlight was my Seoul trip back in May 2014. I was happy that Harley Davidson chose me to represent the social media for Brunei. In this picture, Alice and I were at the Trick Eye Museum (adult version) in Seoul.

We had a mini dress up competition at Harley Davidson Headquarters at Seoul. This is the first time I bumped into Malaysian celebrity Michele Lee, a presenter of Football Overload.

One of the reasons I’ve been flying out is for the personal growth workshop sessions I have been attending which has been ongoing for many years. The best part of this journey is rediscovering the strengths in terms of my mental and emotional state. Sometimes you will never know what kind of breakthroughs you will have along the way and I’m blessed to have a great environment around me and mixing with the right crowd too. I’ve never seen the core team so committed with their vision of empowering and making this world a better place to live.

Who would have thought my love for toastmasters grown so immensely after rejoining back as a member after a three year hiatus? Of course, all of this was reignited by my close buddy but along the way, I found my core value within myself as a toastmaster and that is to contribute and be a better leader. People who are not aware will think that toastmasters are just platform for good speakers. It’s more than just that. It’s to nurture and give the members and guests a chance to learn something about public speaking at all levels from beginners to advanced speakers.

Speaking of toastmasters, I’m totally impressed with one of my friends, Amran, who has improved immensely as a speaker and a leader and he is a truly a role model for many. He unexpectedly won also his first Table Topics last week and for someone who was so shy to speak in public last year, we have seen such tremendous change. One of my best highlights of 2014 was my mid-year trip to Kuala Lumpur for the Toastmasters International Convention to witness one of our members of Brunei Speakers’ Club to represent our club and District 87 in the International Speech Contest finals. Awesome!!!!! My aim next year to join the contest for International Speech category. This year, I managed to bag 3rd place in the Speech Evaluation Contest *surprised* while I gained experienced in the Humourous Speech Contest.

For the first time in many years, I enjoyed this year’s summer movies as compared to previous years. From Godzilla to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to Guardian of the Galaxy and finishing off with one of the biggest blockbuster for Bruneil, Yasmine the movie, locally produced by Origin Films. Yes, I’m a movie buff and my love for movie will hardly fade away. I’m also happy that my podcast movie review has been a success for this year and for those, who have been listening and downloading the podcast, thank you so much. The popular podcasts for The Popcorn Panel for 2014 is Yasmine (almost 1,000 listened), Big Hero 6 (650) and Transformers 4 (580). Because of The Popcorn Panel, you will hardly see a written movie review on my blog. I shall be blogging more on my reviews by next year so you will have two mediums of my actual review of the movies. Overall, a great movie experience for 2014. Do watch out for my Top 10 movies of 2014 early in January 2015.

This year, I met a bunch of new friends during my travels. Though English is a language for them but we still managed to converse. Life is full of unexpected beginnings.

What more can I say? We all cross path back in 2009 and it was always great to look back at older pictures and remind what great friendship I have made with my friends. Though Winnie has left for Penang, the friendship still remains solid.

Toastmasters is another avenue to learn and grow as a leader and also support one another in a conducive environment. These are my toastmasters buddies and this was taken during the Toastmasters International Convention 2014 in Kuala Lumpur. One of the top 3 highlights of my 2014 indeed.

After slacking off in Year 2011 for Toastmasters, I rejoined back in June 2014 and began doing my speeches. This was my third speech manual (CC3) which was entitled “The Art of Showmanship” where I impersonated The Rock and talked about how much of an entertainment WWE (or wrestling) is.

Early in March, I went to Singapore to catch both Hollywood stars starring in The Amazing Spider-man to promote Earth Hour in Singapore. This shows how much I’m a big fan of movies and I even had the privilege to catch a special preview screening of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in Singapore.

My love for WWE might have faded. Maybe because the WWE universe isn’t as exciting as before. My urge to catch RAW on Tuesday also has faded. Regardless of my less interest in WWE, I was more than excited to catch WWE Live in Kuala Lumpur. Ironically I had an invitation to catch John Cena live during a press conference and I’m not much of a John Cena fan. I managed to ask a question to him personally with regards to the title achievement in comparison with Ric Flair. The overall experience was awesome because I finally get up close and personal to a WWE Superstar. The wrestling show itself was full of adrenalin and that is purely due to the engaging crowd at Indoor Stadium. Let’s hope for another WWE in Asia and I won’t mind booking another flight to catch one.

Finally, to finish off a wonderful 2014 is my renovated room which has been so messy and old-school for the past 20 years. I didn’t spend that much on the renovation but more on spending on new furniture such as my single bed (though it has yet to be assembled in my room lol) and I have a new wardrobe area. The only item that hasn’t been completed is the extension of my bedroom to another room (office area). The new feel has made my environment more conducive and I feel so much better that I don’t have the feeling of suffocating and constrained. The extra space in my room does make a difference and I feel much more like home. There are still a few tweaking to do here and there. Other than that, I’m more than happy of my current room. Maybe you can try and renovate your room and see how your energy will be for the next few months. Oh, by the way, I dispelled the rumours that people thought I was gonna get married just because I was renovating my room.

There are many more I wanna share and I shall leave it for here. I won’t be recapping my 2014 in monthly formats but I will be highlighting the happenings in general and how it has impacted the country and myself overall. Thank you for all my friends who have been the change agent in my life. My advice: Always focus on the positive aspect of your journey while those negative ones, well, either you change your perspective of your thoughts or simply ignore the negative (though that’s tough as we are human beings).

Too surreal to be true.. I was only yards away from WWE Superstar John Cena who paid a visit to Kuala Lumpur back in August. Thank you so much for the opportunity though I didn’t like his guts so much but he does have important values such as supporting the breast cancer awareness campaign.

Though my room is incomplete in terms of renovation, the newly look has made me feel much more lighter and I feel more energized whenever I wake up or do my work. So do renovate your room because it can make a difference energy wise and a much more conducive environment.

 

Check out the C Class at Jati Transport Showroom

 

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Let’s help Azeemah who will be trekking at Mount Snowdon to raise funds for Syria through the Human Relief Foundation’s Blanket for Syria Appeal. It’s good to know that she has reached her target and the event is tomorrow. Saturday 15th November. You can still donate for the good cause and good luck, Azeemah :))

A message from Azeemah’s fundraiser page: I, Azeemah Natasha Hj Mohd Khairul Zaki from Brunei Darussalam, will be trekking Mt. Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales for the purpose of a charity hike organised by University of Sheffield’s Islamic Circle. However, to make this possible, I need to raise at least 150 pounds.

Inside the war-torn country, an estimated 3.2 million children have been forced from their homes. Another 1.5 million children have fled the country and are now living in over-stretched refugee camps or villages. The most vulnerable children are those who remain inside Syria, who risk death, illness, abuse and exploitation on a daily basis. The humanitarian needs are incalculable, thus we need your help to raise money and awareness for Syria through the Human Relief Foundation’s Blanket for Syria Appeal.

Thank you for your time and generosity! May God bless you. End.

You may click here to donate.

 

Big Hero 6 podcast review with co-host @delgoh and special guest @sengyeeciara

Interstellar podcast review with co-host @delgoh

 

Click image to enter website to find out more. Download Baiduri Bank Deals App on your smartphone and enjoy many benefits from the app.

 

I managed to get a dosage on my way back from Bali the other day. It’s amazing how the Taro Pie is doing so well in Brunei. See, I told you that the Taro Pie is awesome 😀

Sinofood Express, the franchisee of the BURGER KING ® franchise, would like to apologize to all our guests for the insufficient stock of our Taro Turnover due to popularity which was not anticipated by us.

Our shipment for the Taro Turnover was delayed therefore this item will not be available for a couple of days in Burger King. We are trying our best to bring the Taro Turnover in for our guests as soon as possible and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

For further updates on Burger King® Brunei, visits our Instagram @burgerkingbrunei and Facebook at www.facebook.com/bkbrunei.

 

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Malppy.com is asking the ladies to brace themselves now as it’s that time of the year again when boyfriends/husbands decide to let his manhood go wild. Hey, they are talking about Movember here! This annual 30-day event involves the tradition of men growing moustaches during the month of November in order to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

Malppy.com is not letting go of this opportunity to raise some awareness as well and they are definitely doing it their way. Being an online fashion store, they are getting both the men and women to be involved this time around. Yes, I have spotted some female-friendly moustache items in the store and they are featured in this weekend sale! Yes, expect to see ‘staches here and there and even not, their deal is impossible to miss!

Members of Malppy can now express your fashion sense and at the same time show your care for this cause with Malppy.com as this offer only valid for 3 days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) If you haven’t registered yet, you better hurry and register right away to enjoy their knockout deal this weekend exclusively for members only! Visit their website now at www.malppy.com and don’t forget to Keep Calm and Shop Online.

OH WAIT! There’s MORE…. Malppy is also giving out FREE Movember String Bags throughout the month November for any transaction above $50, now how cool is that?

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Check out the great deals from BIBD on the current roadshow of Luminox watches at The Mall until this Sunday

Luminox has taken Brunei by storm and it’s great to know that many Bruneians are aware of the Luminox brand. The brand had a major exposure when Scott Cassell, an expert counter-terrorism operative and a consummate undersea explorer, came to Brunei and promoted the Luminox brand last year and that has helped to escalate the awareness of Luminox watches to the Bruneians.

Yesterday was a great occasion as the Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, officiated the launch of Luminox “Space and Time Converge” Exhibition at The Mall which will end on 2nd November. This is the first time that Luminox under the partnership of Crystal Time (Singapore) and Chang Ein Hong hold an exhibition for Luminox. This will be a week long event as they will give time for the public to learn and be educated on the strengths of Luminox brand.

Of course, the biggest draw of the lot is the Luminox XCOR Pilot Professional Ana-Digi where Brunei became the only 3rd country in the world besides Singapore and Malaysia to have the watch available in the market. Awesome!! Of course, the other draw is the presence of a giant model of Lynx Mark II spacecraft by XCOR at the atrium of The Mall. If you are lucky enough, you will also get a chance to take some selfies with the astronaut.

It was such a soothing occasion as the guest of honour is also fond of space exploration to begin with especially during his younger days as a student. He shared his knowledge of the Sputnik and the Apollo. Of course, the popular iconic figure Neil Armstrong was mentioned as the first man to land of the moon and hence the famous phrase came about – “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”.

I didn’t even know that the Minister himself is a fan of watches. He cleverly linked time pieces with the ongoing advancements that we have been going through such as transportation, electronics and computers. He sees this exhibition as an avenue to spark creativity among the Bruneians in terms of invention and also for the betterment of our country.

Also present were Abdul Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Md Yusof, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Communications, Mohammed Riza Dato Paduka Hj Mohammed Yunos, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohammad Hj Daud, Jennifer Tan, Executive Director of Crystal Time (Singapore), Pamela Tan, Brand Manager of Crystal Time (Singapore) and Chong Ain Hong, General Manager of Chong Ein Hong Watch Dealer.

The Minister of Communications is huge fan of space exploration and I learnt a few things from his speech. Insightful!!

Jennifer Tan, Executive Director of Crystal Time (Singapore), thanked the Minister and also the team for making the exhibition possible

Pamela Tan, Brand Manager of Crystal Time (Singapore) shared a few things what the Luminox XCOR Pilot Professional Ana-Digi is capable of withstanding (even from a blender and a microwave)

The invited guests from yesterday’s launch

The ribbon cutting ceremony to kick off the showcase of Luminox

The VIPs looking at the range of Luminox available

The Minister touring around the exhibition

Members of the public are welcome to visit the Luminox “Space and Time Converge” Exhibition during this period and enjoy special privileges on purchases of Luminox watches. Exclusively for BIBD Debit Card holders, with every Luminox purchased, they will receive a free Luminox Adventure Knife and take part in a lucky draw to win a Luminox watch. Awesome!!

Also do follow @luminoxbn on instagram and they are currently running an IG competition and who knows you can stand a chance to win a Luminox Space Goodie Bag.

Another reason for the exhibition for Luminox is spread awareness that Luminox has been chosen to be the official timepiece for the pilots of XCOR Space Expeditions. So far, Luminox have covered all three dimension of mankind – land, sea and air. Now with this new time piece, Space is the limit. It was also shared that almost 30 Luminox watches were sold last Sunday alone which shows a good demand for the said brand. Remember, peeps, do watch out for the counterfeit products that are deceiving and do buy and promote genuine watches from Luminox.

Magdelene Tan of Crystal Time with Aziz Idris from Borneo Bulletin sharing a moment with the astronaut

Malcolm Lim, Managing Director of Kingston Beverage & Creamery is a Luminox fan too

The astronaut holding the Luminox XCOR Pilot Professional Ana-Digi watch

The Luminox XCOR Pilot Professional Ana-Digi watch

I wore the watch for a good two minutes 😀

The Luminox XCOR Pilot Professional Ana-Digi watch is pretty cool

 

First ever episode of The Reel Show with the full review of Fury with spoilers too [Beware]

 

Recently, the Health Promotion Centre, Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC) and LANEIGE Brunei Darussalam conducted a Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign from 15th – 19th October in conjunction with the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is celebrated yearly in October.

The event held at the Atrium, The Mall, Gadong with the theme “Your Health is in Your Hands”, with the objective to raise continuous awareness of breast cancer and its prevention to the community, in particular amongst young women in the working age group in Brunei Darussalam.
The closing ceremony was held on Sunday, and was graced by Dr Hajah Maslina binti Mohsin, Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health. As part of the activities of the final day, a “Healthy Snack Competition” was held, in which students from MTSSR studying catering and food services competed to prepare healthy and delicious snacks and drinks from ingredients that were selected beforehand.

The guest of honour, as well as supporters of the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign were invited to “Have-A Go” at preparing their own healthy snacks and drinks.

Laneige Brunei Darussalam presented a mock cheque amounting to $7000.00 to the Dean of the Institute of Health Sciences, University Brunei Darussalam, which was raised from activities and the sales of t-shirts throughout the month of October which will go towards cancer research.

The successful Breast Awareness Campaign two weekends ago at The Mall

Happy faces

Healthy food competition

Food blogger Thanis Lim

Supporting for a good cause and raising awareness

The Jerudong Park Medical Centre celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month with an attractive offer on Breast Screening Package valued at only BND99. The promotion will run until 14 November 2014.

Last week, this was announced in a press conference by Aini Zulfa binti Hj Asbinin, the Marketing Executive, and Dr Shyja Abraham Sequeira, Radiologist from JPMC’s Department of Diagnostic Imaging (DDI).

The screening package entitles a patient to One Doctor’s Consultation and Mammography. While waiting for the medical results, patient will be given a complimentary breast self-examination lesson, which is excluded from the normal price.

The aim of a screening mammogram is to detect cancer at an early stage, where the hospital can offer treatment options and control the spread of the tumour.

During the mammography procedure, most women think the process is painful. There will be a little discomfort as the breast will be compressed between two plates, which are done to flatten and spread the breast tissue. It gives optimal compression to the breasts without causing excess pain to the patient. Each session of the four x-rays lasts for a few seconds.

According to statistics, the numbers of breast cancer in Brunei are quite high where patients suffer more as it spreads causing disabilities. If we detect at the early stage, it will limit the sufferings of the patients as well as family members. Through this breast screening programme, not only to detect cancer at an early stage but also educate the public.

Chances that abnormality is cancer during mammogram are very rare as maybe only one out of thousand persons screened will be cancer positive. Risks of having breast cancer are if you have a first degree relative with breast cancer, such as mother or sister who developed breast cancer before the age of 50.

“As part of our Breast Cancer Awareness Programme, we are pleased to hold this promotion to draw women’s attention to the importance of breast screening. We advise women to practice self-examination at home monthly and report any suspicious abnormality like a lump or nipple discharges to their doctor even if they have had a recent normal mammogram,” mentioned Aini Zulfa binti Hj Asbinin, the Marketing Executive of JPMC.

“Every woman should have a breast screening once every two years. For ages 40 to 49 years, breast screening should be done once a year. Ages 50 to 69 years should have it done once every two years”, stated Dr Shyja Abraham Sequeira, Radiologist from Department of Diagnostic Imaging (DDI) of JPMC.

Women must be 40 to 69 years old to be entitled for the screening package as this is the age range where most abnormalities are detected. If patient had a mammogram less than a year back, they are not advised to take up the screening at this juncture.

Physically disabled women can undergo the screening as the machine used also caters for immobilize persons if they are able to sit on a wheelchair with extra effort but the screening cannot be done for bed-ridden patients.

Patient is required to set up a pre-appointment where they can contact the Department of Diagnostic Imaging (DDI) directly at 261 1433 ext. 2224 or e-mail to ddireception@jpmc.com.bn. Patients are advised to come 15 minutes prior to the appointment.

If patient is new to JPMC, they are required to pay a one-time fee of BND10 at the Main Reception, Level 2 of JPMC. Patients must bring their passport or identity card for registration purposes. Package inclusions are not exchangeable with other services and any unutilized tests or services are non-refundable.

JPMC’s Department of Diagnostic Imaging (DDI) is one of the most modern imaging departments in Southeast Asia. They offer a comprehensive range of services such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Multi Slice CT Scanner, Digital Dental Imaging, CR Radiography (X-Ray). The clinic is open every Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and on Saturday from 8am to 12noon. For more information, please visit their website at www.jpmc.com.bn.

Today’s article in The Brunei Times 28•10•2014

John Cena who was recently in KL gave words of encouragement to all the cancer warriors out there

 

The Jerudong Park Medical Centre is offering an attractive promotion for professional teeth whitening treatment valued at BND799 (Usual price is BND1000) with free initial consultation. This promotion will run from 15 September to 15 November 2014 and can be redeemed till 30 December 2014.

This was announced at a press conference by Ak Danny Pg Tajuddin, the Marketing Officer, and Dr Ravi Pai, Consultant Endodontist and Head of Dental Department of JPMC. Also present was Dr Dharma Rai, Consultant Prosthodontist at JPMC.

“Oral health makes a huge presence in our lives especially in our simple daily activities. With our promotion, it can help to enhance the whiteness of your teeth in just a single visit to our Dental Clinic”, mentioned Ak Danny Pg Tajuddin, the Marketing Officer of JPMC.

“Professional In-office Teeth Whitening Procedure is the quickest way to whiten teeth under carefully monitored conditions which allow for the safe, controlled use of whitening gel – yielding results that are visible immediately”, stated Dr Ravi Pai, Consultant Endodontist and Head of Dental Department of JPMC.

Teeth discoloration is caused by natural darkening and yellowing as people age, drinking tea, coffee or fizzy drinks, natural and artificial food colorings, smoking and tobacco stains.

Ak Danny Pg Tajuddin, the Marketing Officer of JPMC, Dr Ravi Pai, Consultant Endodontist and Head of Dental Department of JPMC and Dr Dharma Rai, Consultant Prosthodontist at JPMC

An appointment is required for the treatment, where patients are advised to come 15 minutes earlier prior to the appointment time. Before deciding whether teeth whitening is suitable for the patient, the dentist will first conduct a comprehensive examination of their teeth and gums to ensure proper teeth healthcare which is free during the promotion period.

They will also consult on their oral hygiene and lifestyle habits to determine if they will benefit from the treatment. Patients with extensive dental work, expectant mothers and children below 16 years old are not recommended to go through the procedure.

The procedure takes up approximately 2 hours. Patient’s gums and mouth are first protected with isolation materials. The dentist will carefully apply the whitening gel to their teeth and uses a patented blue light to oxidize the gel during the procedure.

The procedure is normally painless; however a very small percentage of patients may experience a minor sensitivity during or after the procedure. A sensitivity relief gel will be used to tackle the sensitivity.

The teeth whitening treatment can last up to 2 years if the patient take care and maintain the brightness of their teeth.

JPMC’s Dental Clinic offers a comprehensive range of dental services such as orthodontics, prosthodontics, endodontics, implantology, oral surgery, general dental procedures and more. The clinic is open every Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and on Saturday from 8am to 12noon. For more information, please visit their website at www.jpmc.com.bn.

 

Listen on our podcast review of The Expendables 3 with special guest Tiffany Yong on the Popcorn Panel

 

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Introducing the new Sales Section at Malppy.com! You can now browse through all the sales items available in the online store and at the same time shop over thousands of quality products ranging from fashion apparels to your daily innovative novelties and more! Visit Malppy.com now to find out what is On Sale. Hurry while stock lasts!

Sign up with Malppy.com and subscribe to their e-newsletter to be the first one to get information on latest promotions, new arrivals, or events!

I can’t believe it that it’s now available in Burger King in Brunei 😀

BURGER KING® Brunei introduces the BK Rendang Deluxe and BK Crispy Chicken Rendang limited only to the Hari Raya season.

The new Rendang sauce, unique to Burger King® comes with a spicy flavor that is in-tune with the festive season. Operations Manager, Saiful Zamhor noted that the selection of Rendang burgers will only be available for a limited time only.

“The Rendang sauce will blend well with local taste-buds as it is a flavour that can be easily accepted by Bruneians. We also offer in both proteins, chicken and beef, hopefully to cater to everyone,” said Saiful.

To cool off after a spicy Rendang meal, Burger King® Brunei is also now offering two dessert options, which is the Sundae Cone for a great value of $1.00 only. Should customers want something with more flavours and textures, the Hershey’s ® Sundae Pie, a product exclusive to Burger King worldwide is also made available and have been receiving great feedback from patron

“The Hershey’s ® Sundae Pie is really a unique product. As mentioned, Burger King® is the only brand in the world that has these pies, and they are a great addition to our snack and dessert’s selection where customers can enjoy at any time of the day,” said Saiful.

As for the Sundae Cups with Strawberry, Chocolate and Caramel toppings, those will be available in the coming weeks, whilst the Taro Pie, another unique product will be available in September.

“This will also be tied in with the launch of our extended range of coffee selection, making us the only Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) in Brunei that offers bean-to-cup coffee,” said Saiful.

All this will be in conjunction with Burger King® Brunei’s second outlet, located at the arrival hall of Brunei International Airport.

“We were looking at an opening in Q2 2014, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, we have pushed back the opening to Q3 2014, so customers can expect the opening to be somewhere in September,” said Saiful. He added: “We are working closely with authorities from the Department of Civil Aviation and we think it is the beginning of a great working relationship between the airport and ourselves.”

The response to Burger King has been extremely positive, which has prompted the brand to quickly expand with two more branches, with the third being in the Belait district with a target opening date in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Burger King – Hershey’s Sundae Pie

Burger King – $1 Ice-cream sundae cone

Ms Nancy Ferriman, L’Occitane General Manager for South East Asia for L’Occitane, Ms Sally Lam, CEO of Livewelle Ventures, owner of the Brunei Franchise for L’Occitane and Mr Pierre Imhof, President of the French Brunei Business Association and also CEO of Baiduri Bank. Image courtesy of Mabohai Shopping Complex.

L’Occitane, the latest international brand to be launched in Brunei Darussalam, held its Grand Opening ceremony on 11th August 2014 at the Mabohai Shopping Complex.

The Chief Guest was the President of the French Brunei Business Association and also CEO of Baiduri Bank, Mr Pierre Imhof.  Mr Imhof delivered a warm speech welcoming L’Occitane into the business scene.  Mr. Imhof launched his speech by admiring the colour and floral and herbal scents which radiated from the L’Occitane store.  He congratulated L’Occitane for their opening and wished them success in their endeavours.

Ms Sally Lam, CEO of Livewelle Ventures, owner of the Brunei Franchise for L’Occitane took the guests on a journey of how L’Occitane originated in 1976 from the vision and passion of Olivier Baussan, founder of the company which grew into a world renowned establishment through their natural, traceable and active ingredients and products.   Ms Lam expressed her delight in bringing the brand to Brunei Darussalam and thanked the guests for attending today’s Grand Opening ceremony.

Attending on behalf of L’Occitane is their General Manager for South East Asia, Ms Nancy Ferriman, who said how delighted L’Occitane is to bring a little piece of the sunshine and beauty of the Provence region to Brunei through their Brunei store.   She encouraged the guests to try L’Occitane’s beautiful products and mentioned that a special men’s range is also available under their Verdon, L’Occitan and Verbena products using organic peppermint essential oil, lavender mixed with a peppery and nutmeggy wood scent, and organic verbena & lemony oils.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, guests and the public were invited to tour the shop to view, test and buy L’Occitane’s wonderful products.  Several guests enjoyed taking photographs with their friends and of themselves against a large photo backdrop depicting a lavender field in full bloom in the South of France.  There was also a product sampling booth where guests were invited to try L’Occitane’s Best Sellers; Immortelle Divine Cream and Almond Milk Concentrate.

In conjunction with their Grand Opening, L’Occitane in partnership with Baiduri Bank Bhd, is offering Baiduri Bank’s Infinite and Platinum Card holders a B$10 Cash Voucher & a VIP Card with minimum purchase of B$100 nett.  This limited offer is valid until 10th September 2014.

L’OCCITANE offers a variety of personal care products, including face, body and hair care, and fragrances using ingredients gathered in the south of France and around the Mediterranean.  Renowned for its high-quality, effective and natural beauty products, L’OCCITANE is anchored in Provence, France, where the fragrant fields of Lavender are a constant reminder of the natural richness of this region.

The first L’OCCITANE store opened in 1981, in Provence. In 2013, L’OCCITANE had a presence in over 90 countries, with over 2,200 stores.

The Complex Manager of Mabohai Shopping Complex, Ms Yee-Man Cheng  said:

“With the debut of L’Occitane in Brunei Darussalam at the Mabohai Shopping Complex, we are delighted to welcome them as our newest tenant, occupying a prime unit on the first floor of the complex.  L’Occitane’s products are renowned internationally for their high quality beauty products and fragrances, developed following the principles of phytotherapy and aromatherapy.  We are especially proud that L’Occitane has decided to open their first store with us and we wish them success in their business venture.”

Mr Pierre Imhof, President of the French Brunei Business Association and also CEO of Baiduri Bank delivering his welcoming remarks

Ms Sally Lam, CEO of Livewelle Ventures, owner of the Brunei Franchise for L’Occitane delivering her welcoming remarks

Guest trying out the products

Check out L’Occitane’s products

Guest trying out the products

L’Occitane is located on 1st floor of Mabohai Shopping Complex

 

Listen on our podcast review of The Expendables 3 with special guest Tiffany Yong on the Popcorn Panel

 

Wu Chun, owner of Fitness Zone and Claudio Abitante, Managing Director of Foodpanda Brunei exchanging documents for an interesting partnership between the two companies.

Last week, Foodpanda, the first food delivery service in Brunei, is now bringing healthy eating and convenience to households in Brunei with their new tie up with The Energy Kitchen & Fitness Zone. After a very successful launch, Foodpanda is very keen to add new restaurants and to expand to more areas in Brunei.

“We are constantly looking to bring greater variety of food to customers and healthy eating is definitely the upcoming trend everywhere around the world nowadays.” says Claudio Abitante, MD foodpanda.com.bn. “We hope of having healthy food and incorporating healthy living to Brunei. ” he adds.

The Energy Kitchen hopes to bring the concept of healthy eating to Bruneians, by encouraging them to “Join the EAT SMART Revolution” and “Enjoy Real Food”. They aim to prove that healthy food can taste good with flavorsome dishes like Baked Sweet Potato Wedges, Superfood Salad, The Energy Burger, Salmon Soba, etc, making it easier for Bruneians to get a healthy meal.

“We have always envisioned people having healthier alternatives to whatever that is available out there – now working with foodpanda – healthy meals are much more easily accessible to everyone out there and everyone should try to eat a balance diet and have an active lifestyle in order to achieve a good quality of life!” says Wu Chun, Owner of The Energy Kitchen & Fitness Zone. “We think this will be a very meaningful partnership between Finess Zone, The Energy Kitchen and Foodpanda”.

Established less than a month ago, Foodpanda Brunei is fast becoming a household name in Brunei as a new way to order and enjoy food. Currently with more than 20 restaurants, foodpanda is not charging a delivery fee for most restaurants to enable Bruneians to try out their service.

“I think this would really suit a busy person such as myself who sometimes finds it very difficult to find healthy food – sometimes I even miss my meals due to my busy schedule! Well, not any more with foodpanda and The Energy Kitchen. Now, i can really nourish my body with superfood with the help of The Energy Kitchen ” says Jamillah, a local health enthusiast.Fitness Zone, the biggest health club in Brunei will come in as the official health partner with Food panda.

Order a minimum of $15 from food panda and customers will receive a 1 week membership to this international standard health club. According to Wu Chun, ” This collaboration is in line with Fitness Zone CSR project to encourage Bruneians to stay an active lifestyle and enjoy the many good things life can bring to you when you are fit and healthy!”

From the overwhelming response to their launch, foodpanda.com.bn are now looking to aggressively grow by expanding to other parts of Brunei and adding in more restaurants to their list. Besides delivery, foodpanda.com.bn also offers take-away and pre-order options. Customers can skip queues and order food on the go or pre-order meals from their favorite restaurants. Currently delivery orders are taken via their website and mobile application on iOS, Google Play and Windows
Store.

For more information, please call Fitness Zone at 2233338 and The Energy Kitchen at 2233323 or visit our website www.fitnesszone.com.bn or facebook – FitnesszoneBrunei.

The cute Foodpanda balls

One of the healthy dishes from Energy Kitchen

The signing ceremony between Wu Chun and Claudio Abitante

Wu Chun with the Brunei team of Foodpanda

Now isn’t this an awesome deal? They just received additional fundings and this time, in the figure of USD 60 million in a new financing from a group of investors including existing backer Rocket Internet AG.

Did you know that Foodpanda is only two years old? It’s amazing how they have created such a phenomena in the past years or so. Amazing indeed! They are quite big in other countries and Brunei just launched the Foodpanda services a few weeks ago and the orders have steadily increased, considering its smaller market size as compared to other countries.

The additional funds will help Foodpanda to penetrate to other markets in Asian, Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Latin America.

According to the news online, there are other major players such as GrubHub, Just-Eat and Delivery Hero that also provide similar services. For your info, Brunei also have their own home-grown food delivery service app and it’s called Food Fuel created by a start-up company DotRoot Technologies.

Screenshot taken on Reuters’ news on Foodpanda. Click to read more.

 

Check out our podcast review of another Michael Bay produced movie – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

 

Check out the video of the opening ceremony of Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2014

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam launched the Fifth Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for ASEAN Youth Football Tournament last Saturday.

Held at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, His Majesty was joined by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.

Greeting His Majesty upon arrival at the stadium was His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC); the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah; and the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Datin Paduka Hjh Adina Othman.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam launched the Fifth Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for ASEAN Youth Football Tournament. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times.

It’s not a great start for Brunei Darussalam in the opening of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy 2014. They have lost their opening match against Cambodia with a 1-0 score line. According to national football coach Kwon Oh-son of Brunei U-21, they lost on skills and not luck. The dressing room’s confidence is not high due to the loss in the first game. You can read more of the article here from The Brunei Times.

Even my friends shared how Brunei didn’t shine on the opening match. The other down side is that the U-21 players are not fully fit as they have a few injured players taken off during the loss to Cambodia. Maybe the friendly match against Sabah was a bit too close to the tournament as some of the players are recovering from minor injuries sustained during the friendly matches.

Now they will have a huge task against Indonesia, a late entry into the tournament, and Indonesia will want to avenge their defeat in the finals back in 2012 where they lost 2-0 to defending champions Brunei. Well, in football, anything can happen and the ball is round. All Brunei need is just a win under their belt especially in the beginning of the tournament to boost their confidence.

I’m still optimistic that Brunei has a 50/50 chance of making the cut but they can’t afford to slip more after the loss.

Brunei will take on Indonesia tonight at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium, Monday 11th August. I expect a feisty affair as both teams are favourites to get past the group stage. Good luck!! Note: I won’t be covering this match as I am still outstation.

You can follow official updates from their official website – hassanalbolkiahtrophy.gov.bn 

Team Cambodia during the opening ceremony. Image taken by @zackhardie14

It was good to see Adi Said back in the match as he was doubtful before the tournament. Image courtesy of The Brunei Times

The t-shirt for HBT 2014 available

Wristband perhaps from Armtrix Enterprise

You can buy some of the merchandise at the national stadium