Food: Thai Galore @ DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur

From March 1 to April 30 2017, you can enjoy authentic Thai cuisine brought to you by renowned famous chefs from Conrad Bangkok and Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok. The Head Thai Chef, Chef Jib hails from a strong Thai heritage and has been serving up Thai dishes for the longest time now. These dishes are now available at the Absolute Thai Buffet Dinner@DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

Beautiful arrangement by Chef Jib

Splendid carvings for the Thai flavours

The whole set up for the night 

Som Tam

A papaya salad, loaded with dried shrimps, roasted peanuts and chilli lime dressing. 

This dish was a great appetizer with the crunchy cabbage and unripe papaya served together with long beans as well as cherry tomatoes.

Gung Che Num Pa

This was a dish with raw tiger prawn and premium Thai dip. I was rather skeptical about having raw prawns initially, but this one was great as it tantalizes your taste bud on the first bite. 

The spicy dipping sauce definitely brought out the sweetness of the prawns.

River Prawn Tom Yum Goong

I am a fan of tomyam and this definitely satisfied my cravings. Perfectly sour and spicy, it awakens your taste buds on the first sip. This soup was infused with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime.

Pla Neung Manao

One of my favourites of Thai cuisine is the steamed seabass with lime broth. This dish will whet your appetite as it is best eaten when served with white rice.

Nam Tok

Grilled Angus Beef Salad

Gang Kiew Wan Gai

Thai Green curry chicken dish and I find it amazing that they have this cherry sized Thai green eggplants which adds a different colour to this dish.

I find that the gravy for this curry dish goes well with hot white steamed rice.

Rau Muong Xao Mam Tom

Stir Fried Morning Glory with Chilli and Shrimp Paste

Khao Niew Mamuang 

Mango Sticky Rice

Tub Tim Krob

Red Ruby & Jackfruit in coconut milk

Sangkaya Fukthong

Pumpkin Custard

This Absolute Thai Buffet Dinner is priced at RM 135 nett per person from now till 30 April 2017 at Makan Kitchen, DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur. 

It is available from Monday to Sunday (6.30-10.30 pm).

Food: McDonald’s Celebrates Malaysians’ Love for Ayam Goreng McD at its largest Facebook Live Unboxing Event in Malaysia

Fried chicken lovers rejoice! McDonald’s Malaysia has today paid tribute to Malaysians’ enduring love for its Ayam Goreng McD™- a classic customer favorite since 1987 - in the biggest Live Unboxing event on Facebook, in Malaysia. Over 2500 Share Boxes of Ayam Goreng McD™ was unboxed simultaneously across all of McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.

 We were served some goodies from McCafe before the Unboxing event began!

“Although the classic McDonald’s experience is synonymous with our burgers and french fries, our Ayam Goreng McD™ has long held a special place in our customers’ hearts and appetites – particularly here in Malaysia. It is encouraging to know of the favorable inclination our customers have, especially for Ayam Goreng McD™ spicy – based on feedback gathered from our different customer feedback channels. There is really no comfort more enduring than that delivered by a piece of perfectly cooked ayam goreng,” said Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director of McDonald’s Malaysia.

“Here at McDonald’s, we know that good food goes beyond simply good taste. We pride ourselves on using fresh, high quality ingredients that are sourced responsibly from suppliers complying with our global food standards. And the proof of that lies in the medley of sensations offered by the Ayam Goreng McD™; a perfectly balanced experience of freshness, flavor, crunch and tenderness that keeps our customers coming back for more,” added Azmir.

The Ayam Goreng McD™ is made from chicken delivered fresh daily with every individual piece seasoned and hand-battered upon each order. Meticulously prepared and cooked according to McDonald’s standards, the Ayam Goreng McD is always served hot and ready to satisfy.

To share the unbeatable Ayam Goreng McD™ experience with even more Malaysians, McDonald’s is also asking its customers to be part of the #mostawesomebite challenge from 20^th March - 23^rd April 2017. To participate, customers must convey their enjoyment for the Ayam Goreng McD™ using only their facial expressions and body language in a video below 60 seconds in length.

What’s more, from 20 March 2017 the Ayam Goreng McD™ will be available nationwide in two new “Share Box”– choose between a 5-piece (RM 23.50) or 9-piece (RM 39.95) sharing meal option. For more information about the new Ayam Goreng McD™ and the #mostawesomebite challenge, visit: http://www.mcdonalds.com.my/.

Daily: Hada Labo Beauty Event with Xiao Kai and Liu Yen

Personally, I swear by Hada Labo products and I love their skincare range. I'm currently using their full range from the toner, to the famous Hada Labo lotion to moisturise my skin daily, and even their sunblock. Oh, and not forgetting their water based make-up remover as well. 

As a Hada Labo user myself, I was very excited when they held a beauty event at 1 Utama last weekend with beauty gurus, Xiao Kai and Liu Yen. It was a thorough educational sessions for girls like me who have been using the products. Even for those who have not try out their amazing skincare range, it was an informative session for them as well.

During the session, I finally learnt the right technique to apply the Hada Labo lotion range. The right method is to pour a few drops of the lotion on to your palm, rub it with your fingers and then apply by massaging the lotion on your fingers from the chin area to the cheeks area. The idea is to massage the lotion into your skin using an upward pattern. This is to ensure all of the lotion is completely absorbed into your skin. 

One thing I've noticed previously, was that when I just dab the lotion on my face, it usually takes ages to dry and I needed to wait for a while before I apply my sunblock. Now, with the right method, the product absorbs quickly into my skin, so I can immediately apply my next step of skincare.

 

I'd highly recommend this Holy Grail of a moisturiser to girls out there who are looking for the suitable moisturiser. The product is good, even for those acne prone skins as it is water-based.

Daily: Johnnie Walker® Blenders’ Batch

Johnnie Walker®, the world’s number one-selling Scotch, houses a team of expert blenders that create the perfect blends, while having hundreds of ongoing new experiments with flavours being carried out by them. Now, for the first time ever, the brand is opening its doors to these experiments with the release of a range of new blends – Johnnie Walker^® Blenders’ Batch.

Johnnie Walker^® Blenders’ Batch is a brand new, limited edition series of experimental whiskies that challenge convention while revealing the skills and continuous pursuit of flavours that drives the small team of expert blenders led by Master Blender, Dr. Jim Beveridge, a man whose personal journey making whisky began over 40 years ago. Inspired by the time he spent blending bourbon and rye in Kentucky in the 90s, the first Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch series are the result of experiments into the influence of bourbon and rye whisky flavours on Scotch.

“The Johnnie Walker blending team believes that experiment is the key to innovation. We have been experimenting with flavours to ensure that the blends are of the best it can be for the past 200 years through various techniques, expertise and advances in science. Globally, interest in whisky is higher than it has ever been and this feels like the right time to open the doors to our experiments. With that in mind, the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch series is the result of our innovation and we believe that by making it available here in Malaysia, our consumers will continue to love the brand, its story and these whiskies even more,” shared Rajesh Joshi, Marketing Director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia.

The first whisky from the Blenders’ Batch series that is being released is the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish. Bottled in individually numbered bottles, this limited edition liquid is part of the progression in making whiskies that a new generation of whisky drinkers are seeking. The outcome of the experiments focused on what happens when the intensely sweet flavours of bourbon and rye whiskies are brought together with the depth and subtlety of carefully crafted Scotch whisky.

The new blend is a bold experiment in flavours which are drawn from over 200 whisky samples, aged in first-fill bourbon casks and finished for up to six months in former rye casks. Featuring whiskies from just five distilleries including Dufftown and the now closed Port Dundas, the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish is rich and warming with an intense honeyed sweetness.

To showcase the new Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch, more than 300 Malaysians were invited to unlock Johnnie Walker’s latest innovation at The Vault, Kuala Lumpur on March 1 & 2, where they express their creativity and experimented with flavours by whisking up their own concoction of Scotch-inspired cocktails using simple ingredients such as eggs, cinnamon sticks, ginger, coffee, vanilla and fruits. Guests also enjoyed the blending sounds of Scottish beats and modern tunes at the event and were treated to a fine selection of scrumptious bites at the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Food Truck.

Consumers can now enjoy a variety of Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish cocktails at select outlets nationwide including Mish Mash, The Vault, Forking Cork, Urban & Co, Culture Club, Mulligan's Signature, Pawn Room, The Attic, Berlin, Chaze, Suzie Wong, Locker & Loft and O'Sesame for a limited time only. 

Daily: Convenience at Your Fingertips with Honestbee!

Malaysians now have a great new way to shop for groceries and household necessities online, thanks to the emergence of a new game changer in the market. Say hello to honestbee, Asia’s fastest-growing and leading online grocery concierge and delivery service.

For those working professionals who are as busy as bees, don't worry, you can get your groceries done in just a few taps with honestbee. It is the ultimate time efficient and convenient way to get your errands done.

“I am excited to announce our official entry into the Malaysian market. Over the past few months, our trial operations were met with positive response from both customers and partners. I believe that we have the ideal team in place to meet the needs of the communities in Malaysia,” said Joel Sng, co-founder and CEO, honestbee.

honestbee sets itself apart by establishing partnerships with leading supermarkets, specialty stores and farm to table grocers. Customers can enjoy the convenience of shopping from specialty curated stores on their devices, in no time at all. All they need to do is order products from their favourite stores via honestbee’s app or website, and a concierge shopper personally handpicks the best products for them. The groceries are then delivered right to the consumer’s doorstep on the very same day, within the hour selected by the customer.

“Our fast-paced lifestyles have necessitated the need for a fresh platform that offers the ease and convenience of shopping from multiple outlets. This makes daily life easier so they can spend time on what is more important, and also go about their routines with less hassles,” Pauline Png, CMO, honestbee, explains.

“Our goal is to get you what you need, when you need it. Our concierge shoppers ensure that the items in our customers’ shopping cart, including meat and produce, are carefully handpicked with freshness guaranteed. With our technological expertise and efficient network, we bring convenience and ease to shopping, delivering groceries within the next hour time slot.”

The honestbee platform currently partners with more than 10 well-renowned outlets – a list which is set to grow through the year. These include: anchor partner Ben’s Independent Grocer (B.I.G.); as well as specialty stores such as Shojikiya, Fareastflora.com, Cat & The Fiddle, Southern Rock Seafood, Castania Nut Boutique Vom Fass, The Blue Cow Butcher, La Juiceria, Wondermilk, Wine Connection, Cookie Box, GNC, Real Food and Chai Huat Hin and farm to table grocer Jezripe.

We got to try really yummy and juicy gigantic Korean Strawberries, fresh Kiwis, Australian Moon Drops Grapes, South America Yellow Dragon Pittaya, courtesy of Jezripe. Even a person who is not so fond of fruits like myself, went on a eating spree because these fruits are just so fresh and amazing!

“Partnering with these brands, we help brick and mortar grocers expand their reach without having to invest in infrastructure building, while they focus on their core business. We add value to traditional supermarkets, boutique stores and farm to table outlets. This helps them to move from offline to online seamlessly,” said Marianne Chuo, Country Manager, honestbee. 

Indeed, honestbee is set to be a force to be reckoned with in the local industry. Already popular in Singapore since its launch in 2015, honestbee has expanded quickly in the past 19 months across major cities across Asia, including Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. honestbee is targeting to expand their service to other cities by the end of 2017.

Not missing out on a shot with the famous Bee Mascot!

The honestbee platform in Malaysia can be accessed by logging on to https://honestbee.my or downloading the honestbee app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

In conjunction with the official launch, honestbee will be providing RM 1 delivery with no minimum spend for all stores from now until 14^th March 2017.

Beauty: Bulgarian Rosy Goodness with Daisy Sky Malaysia

I have always been fascinated and been wanting to try out some organic aromatherapy products. Recently, I came across a new brand, Daisy Sky Malaysia which is famous for utilising the Bulgarian Rose in their products. There are many health benefits from this natural source and they were the first to incorporate it into skincare products.

 This is the travel kit pack which I've received to try out

The range of hydrosols are made from 100% pure botanical extract and distilled with Bulgaria Spring Water at a 1:1 ratio. For those who have sensitive skin, fret not as Daisy Sky's products are all paraben-free without any harsh irritants and dyes.

 

Rose Alba Hydrosol 

This product is magical, it is extremely versatile and can be used as a mask, toner, facial and hair spray. It came in a spray bottle, so it is easy to use and I can just pop it in my bag when I'm out travelling. 

It is made out of pure white rose extract and it is ideal to whiten skin, reduce redness caused by stress and have a calming effect as well. It is suitable for ALL skin types, but it works best on tired and matured skin. The product will just absorb directly into your skin once you've sprayed it on. You don't even have to use any cotton pads anymore, so convenient!

 

Micro Bubble Shampoo

 The micro-bubbles produced by this shampoo is natural, soft and foamy which promotes growth of healthy hair and scalp. It is made from natural ingredients and is also paraben-free.

It reduces dandruff effectively and controls oil secretion, which is something I think is useful especially for girls with long hair. Washing our hair everyday dries it out, but with this shampoo, you can wash your hair after 2 days and it will still not appear oily.

It is also a very gentle product and is suitable for infants or pregnant women.

 

Aloe Vera Gel 

I've always been using natural aloe vera from the plant, but I find it a little tedious sometimes. Now, I found this aloe vera gel which comes in a convenient bottle.

This product contains 99.8 % of concentrated aloe vera and it really helps to rejuvenate your skin, besides minimizing the appearance of scars. I highly recommend this to those who are looking for something to even out your skin tone and revitalize your skin. It is colourless and odourless, plus I find that it leaves a cooling sensation on your skin after application and it isn't sticky at all.

Herb Rhythm Foaming Face Wash

The  texture of this face cleanser is bubbly and smooth on the skin. This is a luxurious facial cleanser which helps to remove dirt on your face with the essence of geranium and sweet orange.

It is ideal for makeup removal and unclogging pores without drying out the skin.

Bulgarian Real Rose Gel 

It is perfect for those with acne-prone skin as the rose gels help to regulate and balance the oil production. The rose gel is cooling and it moisturises my skin deeply. It has a silky, velvety texture to it which is easy to spread on my skin.

The lavender range helps to hydrate, repair and reduce imperfections as well as uneven skin tone.

Visit the Daisy Sky Malaysia Facebook or their website for more details!