A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder

Our wedding photo session took the whole day, extending into the night for shots after dark. By the time we got to our room at the end of the day, we were too exhausted to explore the hotel further, choosing to surrender ourselves to a rejuvenating night of sleep. 

Please clean up the room, but leave my heart intact on the bed...

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

Wandering around the building of Lone Pine Hotel, we explored the surroundings like kid explorers hunting for treasures. And a treasure did we found. Hidden between the block housing our room and the one facing the beach was a lobby converted into a game and recreation room with the word “lepak corner” describing the place. The name itself employed an apt local term to describe the recreation area as “lepak” meant “to loiter” in Malay, educating and endearing foreigners with our national language.

"Lepak Corner", essentially a place for loitering.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

After a stuffed breakfast in The Bungalow as was shared in my last article, a walk around the hotel proper would be highly recommended, both to explore the grounds as well as to relief a full tummy. After all, a brisk walk under the trees and on the manicured lawn would be an excellent way to implement the tropical flavor of Penang isle and Lone Pine Hotel.

The verdant of the lawn and the turquoise from the pool complemented each other, one offering a flavor of the warm tropics, the other hinting of cool soothing sensation. Choices of beach chairs allowed patrons to choose the way they would like to enjoy their morning.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder
A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

To enjoy a breakfast under the cool breeze in The Bungalow was a bliss indeed. With a cup of cappuccino in hand, I just basked in the moment as the rest of the patrons did. Some kids were dripping wet from their dip in the pool, ready to start their breakfast after an immersing moment in the cool waters. Other patrons enjoyed a moment with each other as a couple, a family or friends on a vacation, engaged in conversations or just reading under the cool patio.

The Bungalow is a 2-story building situated next to the pool. The patio and lower floor is converted into dining area and a kitchen, whereas the top floor is off limits.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder
A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

A tired drive from Ipoh expectedly led to a sound dream on a fluffy pillow. To wake afresh to the morning sun was a bliss. Especially so when, upon exiting to the balcony, the tropic breeze brought with it the sounds of chirping birds and lapping waves. And we belatedly remembered that this was not home, but the coziness offered by Lone Pine Hotel misled us. 

Nothing beats the feel of a morning cup of coffee on the balcony amidst the chirping birds and swaying branches.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 1 - A Room for A Night

Location: Batu Ferringhi, Penang isle, Malaysia

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Lone Pine Hotel's Deluxe room in January 2013. Experience may differ with other rooms of the same hotel.

Experience of my stay in Lone Pine Hotel can be accessed through the list below.

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 2 - Good Morning Balcony

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 3 - Breakfast @ The Bungalow

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 4 - A Walk on A Manicured Lawn

A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Part 5 - LEPAK and a Hidden Wonder
A Wedding Photo in Lone Pine Final - A Final Look at the Lobby

My latest review/sharing is a memorable one. This is the place where we took our wedding photo after all. 

To arrive into Georgetown before the sun dipped past the horizon after an exhausting drive from Ipoh was nothing short of relieve. But we had no time to marvel at the setting amber orb, as we still need to drive the half hour into Batu Ferringhi and locate the entrance of our accommodation for the night. It was partially hidden from the uncaring eyes of a casual observer but not to the determined traveler. 

I drove the car past a smiling guard, under a neon sign of ‘Lone Pine Hotel’ and past fences of climbing vines before the night market started to get busy. Once it got its momentum, the night market of Batu Ferringhi would make navigating the lone road difficult, sometimes even dangerous with the odd pedestrians jumping out from the stalls. Not to mention that the entrance of the hotel was rather difficult to spot even without the distractions of the market. 

Slot in your card key and enjoy your stay in Lone Pine Hotel!

Bon Odori Festival 2013 @ Penang Esplanade

Penang has been a host to a notable Japanese culture for years. 17 to be exact. And this year becomes its 17th year in hosting the Penang Bon Odori Festival in Esplanade, just as it had been the years past. The good news? It starts tonight!

It's Bon Odori! Dances! Music! Cosplay! Japan! All here in Penang (except the last one, which is in a land far far away...) (image taken from Penang State Tourism official website).

2012 HK Trip - The Flight to Hong Kong

Location: Penang isle; S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Even after experiencing my fair share of flights, I am still unnerved during takeoffs and landings, and especially so when I could feel the vibrations of the plane right through my bones during turbulence encounters.

Still, I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy the clear blue sky or starry nights during the uneventful leg of my journey. Capturing the moment of exhilaration I experienced whenever a picturesque cloudy vista floated past had proven daunting for my meager Sony TX-5, especially with the reflective panes showing myself clearly within the shot.

I had somehow, through luck, captured some of the best shots during my flight from Penang isle to Hong Kong and with a little retouch, obtained a few memorable images of my awe when I stared out the window ports.

A slightly cloudy sky bade us farewell in Penang isle.  As hot as the weather is, I missed it terribly when I was subjected to the much cooler Hong Kong weather.

Malaysia Food Blog - International Buffet Dinner @ Café Laurel, Evergreen Laurel Hotel Part 2

Location: Gurney Drive, Georgetown, Penang Isle

Truth is, I was slightly disappointed with the food there. Not to say that the food was not nice, but the selection of food could do with some improvement. Since this was supposed to be an international buffet, with Italian as a the main choice of theme, the choices were the usual you would expect from any locally planned 'international buffet'.

A dish of yummies, all deep fried to golden crispiness! Maybe I should take back my word on nothing special here... deep fried vegetables were indeed different (it was labeled as 'tempura vegetable').

And what were these...?

Malaysia Food Blog - International Buffet Dinner @ Café Laurel, Evergreen Laurel Hotel Part 1

Location: Gurney Drive, Georgetown, Penang Isle

When I was in Evergreen Laurel Hotel a few months ago (read here for my previous article), I noticed the nicely decorated Café Laurel, but never paid it any thoughts. Now after a few months later, I got my paws on some discounted vouchers and here I am, visiting the hotel in Gurney Drive for a second time.

A dazzling central area of the café where a variety of seafood awaits.

Strait's Quay Marina Mall - The Night before Mid-Autumn

Location: Tanjung Tokong, Penang isle, Malaysia

Mid-Autumn Festival had come and go under a cool and windy full moon. There were a few notable differences between this year's Mid-Autumn compared to the rest of those in my memories. For one it was usually hot during this time of the year yet it had been raining for the past few days, although that failed to spoil kids' mood for carrying their brightly lit colorful lantern around. I also recalled that the moon being large and orange like a salted egg's yolk, low above the horizon but the moon last night was slightly hazed over by our polluted air and hanging small over my head.

Since my last article on Strait's Quay, I had yet to walk those corridors of that pristine white building. After a working Saturday and not sure what to do to kill time on a Sunday night, I steered myself unknowingly to this faraway place (it really is far from my rented house) to experience first hand how this establishment celebrate the traditional Chinese festival within a Western architecture.

The canopy sidewalk of Marina Mall was cleared of stalls that night, with only glittering lamps in my company.

Malaysia Food Blog - Taipei 101 (台北101)

Location: Bayan Lepas, Penang Isle

No, this is not about that tall building in Taiwan. This is about a shop situated right opposite of Queensbay Mall, with its yellow sign gleaming through day and night. Indeed, the same establishment was originally called Mommy Wang (王妈妈), and after they started operating for a while they switched to this name which you can see across the street from Queensbay Mall's entrance.

Most of the joints near or in Queensbay Mall are not exactly for one with is not on a splurge. If you are one of those with a limited budget, and still would like to get a decent meal that is different from your usual ones, then I would definitely suggest Taipei 101.

Malaysia Food Blog - Madam Soon - A New Concept of the Spring

Location: E-Gate, Penang Isle

My old friends from my university years planned for a reunion in E-Gate, but we were not really sure where to head to. We saw Madam Soon right beside Old Town Cafe, and just out of curiosity, we went right in into a world of turquoise and amber.

Although the joint is called Madam Soon, the nice sprawling on the blackboard still tells otherwise.

Straits Quay Marina Mall - A Mid-Autumn Festival

Location: Tanjung Tokong, Penang isle, Malaysia

There may be more than a month before Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) comes knocking on our door, but somehow the festive mood is warming up earlier than recent years. Stalls are set, decos are set, and everyone is looking at mooncakes everywhere.

A lantern above and a hut below promotes the harmony of the Malaysian races.

Malaysia Food Blog - Evergreen Laurel Hotel - A Wedding Dinner

Location: Gurney Drive, Georgetown, Penang Isle

Among the numerous hotels along Gurney Drive, Evergreen Laurel Hotel is not one of those which I identified immediately. With Gurney Plaza situated at one end and the hotel situated near the far end of the opposite side, I guess I do not have a chance to get to know it, unlike G-Hotel which I could walk through when I visited Gurney Plaza. I guess my ex-colleague's wedding dinner gave me ample reason to get up close with this hotel situated in the prestigious Gurney Drive.

Red for WEDDING! Congratulations to my friend Poh and his lovely bride for their big day!

Malaysia Food Blog - Tsurukame Shabu-shabu (鶴亀しゃぶしゃぶ)

Location: Bayan Lepas, Penang Isle

I noticed this shop located on the 3rd floor of Queensbay Mall but seldom pay any heed to it. I was slightly aware that this was a Japanese restaurant, but that was the extent of my knowledge of this place, until I paid it a visit during my girlfriend's birthday. We were thinking of trying something different for her birthday and Tsurukame came to my mind, since we never tried Japanese shabu-shabu before, and so there we went.

Tsurukame Shabu-shabu (鶴亀しゃぶしゃぶ) actually reminds me of Tsuruya Japanese Restaurant (鶴屋日本料理), another Japanese restaurant located in I-Avenue; I actually half expected the same thing when I entered. What Tsurukame offered was a buffet style shabu-shabu, not unlike the buffet style hot pot (火锅) in Chinese restaurants which bloomed recently.

Malaysia Food Blog - Tanjung Bungah Beach Hotel - A Wedding Dinner

Location: Tanjung Bungah, Penang Isle

I may have attended a few wedding ceremonies, but getting invited to one in a beach hotel is a first for me. When I was invited to the wedding ceremony of my German language coursemate, I got my first ever chance to write a piece on the experience of dining in a seaside hotel, more so in an event of holy matrimony. 

The hotel in itself is breathtaking, and a sparse lobby greets its customers. Going past the lobby is the hotel's beach, and since I arrived with my other coursemates in the evening around 7p.m., we were presented with a magnificent sunset view over the beach.

Since we were early, I took a walk around the hotel's lobby area to kill time. The view over the beach was breathtaking, more so with the sun setting. The long stretch of beach was dotted with visitors and guests, all contributing to the lovely view. I especially loved the veranda that stood looking over the beach and across the sea, with benches provided for guests to marvel at the sunset over the beach; this painted an unforgetable picture of a romantic moment I once saw on TV.

Lovely sunset view over the beach behind Tanjung Bungah Beach Resort

Malaysia Food Blog - Sugar Dynasty (糖朝)

Greetings from Sugar Dynasty

Location: Georgetown, Penang Isle

When I started off working in Penang, my colleagues and I used to organise a "makan-makan" trip to sample food from different corners of the isle. I was new then and had no inkling of where what was, but I do recall vividly this shop. When I tried to work my way around the twisting roads of Georgetown (pardon this fellow who has trouble around Georgetown even after 3 years), I finally managed to revisit this small shop located in one of the locations listed under World Heritage Site - Nagore Road.

The name Sugar Dynasty is actually a homophone in Mandarin. The name in Mandarin, 糖朝 (táng cháo) is a homophone of Tang Dynasty, 唐朝 (táng cháo), and truly, the shop is a haven for lovers of the Chinese style dessert. Sugar Dynasty greets its customer with a menu filled with 4 pages worth of dessert of your choice, and most of them are less than RM5.00 per bowl. Some of the choices cater for those with exquisite taste, with expensive traditional Chinese herbs like swallow's nest (燕窝) used as the ingredient, and costs more than RM30.00 per bowl. 

Malaysia Food Blog - Hidden Recipe café

Location: Sungai Dua, Penang Isle

A shop which unabashedly copy the famous brand of Secret Recipe? That was my first thought, but a visit to the shop shows that it is anything but. Although it shares a word in its name with your favorite neighborhood confectionery shop, a taste of its food does give credit to its namesake.

The shop has a tropical outlook, and the interior is lined with wallpapers of bricks with photos of happy visiting diners decorating a portion of a wall. Glow of yellow light beckons lovers to spend a romantic dinner or the occasional passer-by to spend a relaxing night, although the interior is a little packed from the cramped arrangement of tables and chairs. Since it is strategically located just a few blocks from USM and with its offer of 10% discount off of set dishes for students of USM and INTI college who can show his student pass, you can expect this spot to be frequented by students.



Welcome to Hidden Recipe! Greetings from a tropical outlook and well-lit interior...

Malaysia Food Blog - Fatty Loh Chicken Rice shop

Location: Georgetown, Penang Isle

When I first heard of the comical name Fatty Loh (大肥罗), it was because my colleagues said that it is one of the must-visit shops for chicken rice enthusiasts. His name resounds throughout my colleagues, and by chance I managed to visit the shop in a sunny afternoon when I drove past the street. And what do you know, if you read its logo carefully, it does say "Penang's Most Famous Chicken Rice".

Chicken rice may not be any extraordinary dish for Malaysians, but it is not easy to find a decent one anywhere. With stalls sprouting anywhere a shop is located like mushrooms after the rain, the dish is enough to satisfy one's belly but not one's taste buds. For this shop, they serve enough to satisfy both.