Chinese temple to celebrate anniversaries

Temple to celebrate anniversaries with Guan Yin parade

A GRAND procession will be the highlight when Than Hsiang Temple celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Buddhist Welfare Asso- ciation and Enlightenment Anniversary of Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin) Bodhisattva.

Event organising committee chairman Chan Kean Teong said the 6.2km procession, believed to be held for the first time in the southwest district in Penang, would feature 10 floats.

It will leave the temple in Bayan Lepas at 6.30pm tomorrow before passing Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Jalan Mahsuri, Jalan Tun Dr Awang and Jalan Tengah. Then it will return to the temple.

He said at least 2,000 participants were expected for the event scheduled to end at 10pm. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will launch the event.

“We welcome everyone to join us for this auspicious occasion,” Chan said.

A launching ceremony of a comme-morative gold medallion of Guan Yin Bodhisattva will be held in conjunction with the celebration at 5.30pm the same day.

Chan said the medallion, priced at RM2,200 and bearing the image of Guan Yin with a mantra inscribed on the reverse side, would make a fine gift.

He added that a compassion repentance chanting session was scheduled to be held at the temple at 8pm today.

-News courtesy of The Star-

All is ready for St Anne’s finale

All is ready for St Anne’s finale

THE St Anne’s Church in Bukit Mertajam has built a second dormitory costing RM850,000 in time for the on-going St Anne’s Novena and Feast to provide accommodation for the festival’s volunteers.

Church priest Monsignor Stephen Liew said the St Anne’s Dorm, which is located next to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in the church compound, has separate rooms for men and women.

He said the fully air-conditioned rooms were equipped with 32 beds each as well as bathrooms and toilets respectively.

“There are also two separate common toilet-cum-bathroom units which are designed similar to the Rest and Recreation toilets along PLUS highways.

“Each unit has nine toilet seats and eight shower heads in separate concrete cubicles as well as long wash basins and a few industrial fans,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Liew said pilgrims attending the feast could take their baths there but advised them to maintain its cleanliness.

He said the church also recently spent about RM300,000 to repair the bell tower at the St Anne’s Sanctuary and replaced the steeple at the St Anne’s Shrine at a cost of RM30,000.

“We have also replaced the central statue inside the St Anne’s Shrine with a crucifix as there are already two big St Anne’s statues on both sides of the building,” he added.

Liew said between 80,000 and 100,000 pilgrims were expected to attend the feast, especially during the main candlelight procession at 10pm tomorrow after the 9pm mass.

He said after the procession, 250 youths and adults would stage a Tamil drama titled ‘The Search’ outside the sanctuary.

The 180-minute long drama, he said, was a joint effort by members from St Anthony’s Church Nibong Tebal, Mother of Good Health Church Parit Buntar and St Joseph’s Church Bagan Serai.

Liew also said the church hoped to raise RM500,000 for the St Anne’s Haemodialysis Welfare Association’s expansion plans which included the rental of two more shoplots in Pusat Perniagaan Maju Jaya nearby.

“The association plans to increase its dialysis machines from 11 units to 25 units to cater up to 80 renal patients from the present 30 patients,” he said.

Liew said a 2km-long stretch on Jalan Kulim (from the Taman Sentosa traffic lights till the Taman Bukit Indah traffic lights) would be closed to motorists between 2pm tomorrow till 2pm on Sunday for the festival.

-News courtesy of The Star-

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-Info courtesy of Malaysian Immigration Dept-

Eating under the trees

Eating under the trees

The motley collection of food stalls at Lengkok Burmah may not be much to look at but there’s good food to be had there.

ALTHOUGH Pulau Tikus is quite a built-up area, there are several pockets here and there that are still empty. One such pocket is a piece of land in Lengkok Burmah, just opposite Jalan Raja Gopal, which has become another of Penang’s popular chiu jang khar or “under the trees” eateries.

There, a motley collection of stalls, mismatched tables and stools are arranged higgledy-piggledy wherever there is space to squeeze one in. Odd pieces of roofing, canvas and multi-coloured parasols provide protection from the sun, although it is actually quite shady under the various palm and other trees which tower above.

Started about 15 years ago, the sprawling al-fresco eatery has, over time, become collectively known as “Lau Hiok H’nui” in Hokkien. Apparently, the area used to abound with dark green, aromatic daun kaduk plants many years ago. It’s popular with locals, especially office workers from the vicinity who pop in for a cheap and tasty lunch.

There are now some 20 or so stalls serving local delights like Hokkien Mee at Ah Leung’s; Lor Mee from twins Pang Jee and Pang Foong; Curry Mee, Claypot Noodles and Kuey Teow Soup. There are two drinks stalls, a Keng Jay P’nui (economy rice) and even Thai food.

Some are relatively new while others have become institutions in their own right. Chan Seng Chai at the front is a good example. At 70, the old man is still beavering away, frying up platefuls of fragrant char kuey teow the way he has been for the past 30+ years – with lard over a charcoal brazier. “This,” he claims, “ensures a different fragrance altogether.”

Given that most hawkers now rely on high-powered gas burners which turn the flames up or down at the flick of a switch, I wondered how he managed to control the heat. He indicated two simple devices: the air vent on the front of the ancient brazier which he shuts to turn the heat down, and a hand-held dried palm leaf fan which, every so often, he waves hard when he wants to raise the temperature. This old man has a thing or two to teach a generation which has grown up with remote controls and other labour-saving devices.

He has, however, made certain concessions to his age: daughter Siew Fung now assists, standing beside him adding ingredients like their own home-ground chilli paste – mass-produced just won’t do – and self-shelled see ham (cockles) while he continues frying and fanning. Even the little squares of banana leaves with which they line their plates come from home-grown trees.

She also takes the load off him by traipsing all over the grounds delivering the freshly-fried kuey teow and collecting used plates.

“Costs have risen,” he says, echoing a constant lament I hear from many hawkers. “When I first started, a plate cost 20 sen. Now it’s RM3.”

At the stall just behind is another old-timer, Ah Foong, 60, who has been selling her well-known Yee Sang Kai Chok (fish or chicken congee) for over 30 years. “I started in a Pulau Tikus coffeeshop when my daughter was in primary education,” she laughs, “and now her own child has started at school!”

In the background, husband Yap labours away washing up the used crockery and cutlery.

The youthful-looking grandmother uses ikan haruan for its smooth, fine flesh, which, she claims, is also good for health. Unlike certain meats which are considered “toxic” by the Chinese, even those who have just undergone surgery can eat haruan, she says. She believes she’s the only one in Penang to use it.

Customers can order various combinations of chicken, pork or fish cooked with bee hoon, mee sua, mee, moi – with its more grainy texture – and Hong Kong-style kentang chok, which she says has to be cooked over a low fire for three hours.

Prices range from RM3 to RM8 although she reminiscences fondly about a customer who once ka liu (added extra ingredients) of kidney, liver, intestines and fish, bringing the total to a whopping RM15!

Go right in and you’ll find Ong Seng Kek at his Fried Noodles stall. He’s also been at it over 30 years, starting at the same coffeeshop in Pulau Tikus as Ah Foong, then moving here over a decade ago.

Aided by wife Ah Hoong and son Ah Beng, he continues to dish up plate after plate of Sar Hor Fun or Hokkien Char, although apparently his fried rice is probably the best known.

It’s different because whereas at most stalls char siew is added during the cooking process, his is laid on top after, making it almost a Char Siew Chao Fun instead. It’s quite delicious, albeit slightly sweet, but good with a dollop of sambal belacan.

Lengkok Burmah’s Chiu Jang Khar eatery is open weekdays (closed on public holidays) from about 7am or 8am until 2pm or 3pm.

>Helen Ong loves Penang and food, not necessarily in that order. Check out her website at www.helenong.com.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Done up to impress

Done up to impress

The heritage enclave of George Town is emerging with a new look as boutique hotels and eateries spring up to cater to the hoards of tourists visiting the area.

SINCE the inner city heritage enclave of George Town made it into the prestigious Unesco World Heritage Site list, investors and locals have been busy restoring its old pre-war shophouses and turning them into boutique hotels and eateries.

Visitors going on a heritage trail here will find some very nice new (and old) places where they can catch their breath. Many of the old shophouses have also been converted into quirky food outlets where patrons can indulge in Penang’s famous cuisine as well as some not-so-local additions like pasta.

Among them is Amelie Café along Armenian Street.

Regular customer Felicity Choo loves the quaintness of the place. “It’s very small and you’d be lucky to get a table, but I still like coming here because it’s got a quaint, rustic charm I haven’t found anywhere else.”

There are plants everywhere and one could easily mistake the place for a nursery, says Choo, who actually missed it when she went there for the first time because of the foliage.

“Unlike the posh and modern outlets that have recently mushroomed here, Amelie really captures the spirit of George Town’s heritage enclave,” she says.

Surprisingly, the mismatched furniture, jars of guppy fish on the tables, hanging pots of plants, homemade signage, menus made from old cardboard boxes and holes on the wall blend together to create a quirky, arty vibe.

“This whole do-it-yourself concept could have looked really cheap and tacky but they managed to pull it off beautifully,” Choo says, adding that the food is reasonably priced.

“My absolute favourite is the Spaghetti Carbonara. Of course, you can’t compare the price with that of fast food outlets, but here the food has a homemade taste.

“The drink concoctions are also very interesting. Take the banana and passion fruit mix, for instance. They serve the drinks in jam jars, which makes it quite fun.

“I also like that the owners prepare the food in an open kitchen. It’s nice to watch.”

Amelie is not air-conditioned, but like most pre-war shophouses, it is airy.

Owners Loh Choon Kueng and Khor Gaik Ee, partners in both love and business, say Amelie was named after their favourite movie. (Amélie is a 2001 romantic comedy directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.)

Having toyed with the idea of setting up their own café for the last 10 years, they finally took the plunge with Amelie more than a year ago.

“The idea was to have a place where people could just sit down and take in the ambiance and laid-back lifestyle George Town is known for,” they say. “We started with just two tables and now we have four.”

Loh and Khor, who love to scout for old broken furniture and bits (which Choon Kueng will tinker with, Khor says), have furnished Amelie to resemble their own home.

“Our customers always tell us how much they love the recycled look and concept. But what you see is not a concept; it’s who we are. This is exactly how our home looks.”

Loh, who was trained as a graphic designer, makes the pasta and sauces while Khor prepares the yogurt, toasts the cereal and is the resident barrista and accountant.

“When we started the café, we didn’t even have money for a roller to make the pasta. I had to use a bottle to do it,” he quips.

When the couple first saw the place, it had been renovated into a relatively modern office lot.

Loh, 37, says he had to strip the place bare to reveal the true character of the heritage building.

“I gave myself six months to get everything ready but as I was working there every day, tourists who passed by kept asking to come in.

“Many said the café was ready for customers so we opened in less than two months.”

Amelie opens daily except Mondays and closes for one week every two or three months when the couple takes off for a holiday. “We do everything ourselves here so if we don’t take these short breaks, we will burn out,” Loh says.

For some Swiss treats, just wander down the road and you will stumble upon Edelweiss Cafe, a restaurant that blends seamlessly into a row of 150-year-old heritage shophouses.

The place has an old-world charm to it with an eclectic mix of Baba Nyonya collectables and a giant tower clock that, it is said, once sat atop a church in Regensburg, Germany.

At King Street, a little gem aptly named Coffee Lane has been slowly gaining popularity among aficionados of the brew.

Terry Beh set up the coffee shop about a year ago with the idea of serving coffee made with the siphon method.

“As an insurance agent, I am a regular at big coffee chains like Starbucks because that’s where I meet my clients,” Beh says. “After 10 years, I decided to open a place of my own because I love coffee so much.”

Beh opted for siphon coffee makers instead of the usual Espresso machines to offer something a bit different.

“I like this method because it maintains the character of the beans. The siphon method was invented in Belgium more than a hundred years ago and in Japan and Taiwan, it’s very popular,” he says.

Coffee Lane regulars can even request for a mini gas stove to brew the coffee themselves. The siphon maker automatically heats the water up to 90°C, which is the optimum brewing temperature, Beh shares.

The pre-war double-storey shophouse is only among a handful of places that serve Kopi Luwak (which, to the uninitiated, are coffee beans that have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Indonesian civet cat), alongside other imported quality beans like the Sumatera Mandheling and Jamaican Blue Mountain. Prices of these quality brews range from RM10 to RM80 per cup.

The price for the Kopi Luwak, which is drawing many curious customers, starts from RM50, Beh says. (Incidentally, talkshow queen Oprah Winfrey has featured the Kopi Luwak, also dubbed the “world’s most expensive coffee”, on her show.)

Coffee Lane also serves popular Western and Asian favourites including tom yum, sandwiches and nasi lemak. Everything is prepared by the family.

The shop’s original interior has been maintained, with the beautifully restored wooden doors and panels bearing intricate gold leaf carvings. The fresh lime green walls also provide an excellent contrast to the deep brown antique panels and staircase.

Just opposite Coffee Lane is The Sire Museum Restaurant.

Formerly the house of philanthropist and Chinese businessman Yeap Chor Ee, the fine-dining restaurant dedicates its upstairs gallery to an impressive collection of old photographs and antiques.

On Chulia Street, the famous backpacker haunt Ecco Café has retained the “Chinaman coffeeshop” interior, although the owner and chef Law Soo Hock’s menu is all about homemade pastas and pizzas.

“Tourists are curious because we serve Italian food in a very Chinese setting,” he says. “But when I took over the coffeeshop about five years ago, I knew there was a history to this place that I did not want to lose.”

A new outlet that has already garnered a strong following is Kopi Cine on Stewart Lane.

A stone’s throw away from the famed Goddess of Mercy temple, Kopi Cine opened six months ago and is part of the Straits Collection comprising five adjoining shophouses restored by Bon Ton, the company that owns the award-winning Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort and Temple Tree in Langkawi.

Besides Kopi Cine, the Straits Collection has a mini public library and boutique rooms that are available for rent.

Built in 1927 in the Straits Eclectic style, the facade has been carefully restored, so much so that the plaster walls have retained their discoloured hue. If you pop by, be sure to check out the old coffee roasting area where they used to roast and grind coffee in the traditional way.

Havana Lim lists Kopi Cine as “one of the most interesting cafés” she has visited.

“I just love antiques and old buildings so I really like it here. It’s obvious the owner put in a lot of effort to amass the collection of furniture and antiques for the place.

“It’s just so cosy and nice that I really feel at home. Kopi Cine is just very different from most modern coffee outlets,” she enthuses.

The 23-year-old fresh graduate says she would “most definitely” recommend it to both tourists and locals because of its uniqueness and desserts.

“The coffee and cakes are superb,” she adds.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Heritage fest to get bigger

Heritage fest to get bigger

PENANG plans to make the George Town Festival bigger next year as the state government is encouraged by the overwhelming response from the public, media and participants, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said.

He said there had been suggestions to invite more international-class artistes for the festival held to mark George Town’s historic listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

He said the festival was unique as it involved all communities in the state coming together to celebrate the city’s Unesco status, arts and food.

“It also allows Penangites to showcase their talent and creativity,” Lim told a press conference yesterday.

Since the festival’s launch on July 7, there have been more than 50 events and programmes covering arts, heritage, culture, food, fashion, film, music, sports and theatre.

About 50 more events and programmes are lined up before the festival ends on July 31.

Earlier, Lim greeted some participants of the festival.

They included Japanese soprano Ranko Kurano who is scheduled to perform at a street opera on Stewart Lane on July 29 and 30 and Australian researcher Marcus Langdon who will speak on Fort Cornwallis at 2pm today at the town hall at the Esplanade.

Festival director Joe Sidek praised local media organisations for their comprehensive coverage of the festival.

He said the festival even attracted international media giants CNN and BBC.

“The response has been good overall. We are encouraged by it,” Sidek said.

“All 19 ethnic groups in Penang supported the festival. They brought good energy to the streets here.”

-News courtesy of The Star-

Taste of Thai in Hokkien enclave

Taste of Thai in Hokkien enclave

The Clan Jetties of Weld Quay, well known as a must-see heritage site in Penang, is now a destination for foodies hankering for, of all things, Thai food.

TUCKED away in a little corner of old George Town, another part of Penang’s history is still being lived on a daily basis: the Clan Jetties of Weld Quay. This sprawling settlement started around the late 19th century when Chinese from the mainly Fujian (Hokkien) province, fleeing poverty, inept government and starvation, came to work as coolies in the then bustling docks of Penang.

They settled down around the jetties, and each eventually became a little village housing a separate clan. In the 1960s, when Penang, then a free port, was a thriving harbour providing sufficient work, the Jetties were home to some four or five thousand inhabitants. Numbers have since dwindled in recent years.

Originally eight, there are now just six left: Lee, Lim, Tan, Yeoh, Mixed Clans, and Chew Jetty, which is the largest and oldest. Although water and electricity supply was installed in the 1950s, living accommodation is basic. But many contemporary modern conditions have crept in, like air conditioning, satellite TV, washing machines and even dial-up broadband.

Right next door to the Chew Jetty is the Tan Jetty, which in recent months has suddenly become popular. This is because about a year ago, Lee Siew Lan, 58, from Phanga in Southern Thailand, decided to start a small outlet offering visitors the sort of food she grew up with.

The influx of tourists has been, she feels, a result of George Town becoming a Unesco Heritage Site.

“People kept asking us for food and drink,” explains Lee, who married a Tan and moved to live in the Clan Jetty over 40 years ago. “As my friends had always asked me to cook professionally, I decided to give it a go.”

Assisted by her husband and her son Ah Hock and his Thai wife, she started in a small way. But as is usual in Penang, when word of a new eatery gets about, people are keen to give it a go. Online bloggers also helped to spread the word, and it is now definitely getting busy, although patrons are mainly locals looking for good Thai food.

“I didn’t even want to invest in new cutlery and crockery until we had to!” Lee says, laughing.

It’s not the sort of place to head for if you’re after luxurious, air-conditioned premises. Access can be via the walkway from the main road or by driving. If you choose the latter, beware the mud path and odd stray dog.

Tables and chairs dot the verandah outside the house, which stands on stilts in the water. The menu, like the premises, is simple and unpretentious – a small album with the photographs, names and prices of the dishes available.

There are about 20 or so items of mainly home-cooked food: Belacan or Pineapple Fried Rice, Pandan Chicken, curries and other popular Thai dishes she used to cook for her own family.

House specialities are White Tom Yam and Steamed Siakap with lime and chilli. As one unfortunate aspect of the past that hasn’t disappeared in the Clan Jetties is the lack of proper sewage facilities, the waters around there look quite grey and murky, so slightly tongue-in-cheek, I voiced my hope that the fish hadn’t been caught there. I was reassured that it had been delivered by their supplier.

Unfortunately, though the fish was fresh, the lime and chilli sauce was slightly watery that day so it didn’t have as much oomph as I would have liked. The Green Curry, which came with large chunks of chopped pre-cooked chicken, was also the same. The Glass Noodle Salad and Claypot Prawns with Glass Noodles were quite tasty, however.

It wasn’t too pricey either: for four persons the bill for the food and a few beers came to just over RM100.

As you wait for your food, take a walk out to sea on the newly-restored wooden plank way. However, it’s certainly not something I would attempt in the dark. There is a small wooden hut at the end which houses a tokong (temple).

The sight is serene; in the distance, you might see a lone ferry ploughing its way back from the mainland to the jetty which is not too far away. It’s quite nice to sit there eating, or indeed just have a drink, watching the sun set while the water laps gently at the stilts under your feet.

The Tan Jetty Thai Food Café is at 97A Tan Jetty, Weld Quay, Penang. It is open from 11am to 2pm for lunch, and from 5pm to 10pm for dinner every day except Tuesdays. Thai Laksa is available from 11am to 10pm or until it runs out. For details or reservations, advisable at weekend or holidays, call 014 907 1808.

Helen Ong loves Penang and food, not necessarily in that order. Her new book, Great Dining in Penang 2, was launched recently in Penang by the State Exco for Tourism Development and Culture Danny Law. Check out her website at www.helenong.com.

-News courtesy of The Star-

RM1mil facelift for Chowrasta

RM1mil facelift for Chowrasta

PENANG’s Chowrasta Market, which is well known for its secondhand bookstores, preserved fruits and titbit stalls, will undergo a RM1mil facelift next year.

Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik said the Penang Municipal Council’s licensing, building and engineering departments started a discussion in May for work to be undertaken.

“The discussion also involved Think City Sdn Bhd and Khazanah Nasional Bhd which had helped to recruit a consultant to study the whole building.

“However, the team is still trying to determine whether to upgrade or rebuild the market,” he said after inspecting the cleanliness of the market on Thursday.

Ng added that the discussion was ongoing and hoped the plan would be finalised by November.

“We will try to maintain the building if possible. Even though it is not a heritage building, but it still has its value.

“The new plan will see a restructure of the market to accommodate more traders in the wet market located on the ground floor.

“The first floor will house a dry market while the second may be turned into a place for sports and leisure,” he said.

Ng said the state is also calling on investors to submit their proposals to the state for consideration.

Chowrasta, which means ‘four crossroads’ in Urdu, faces Penang Road and is flanked by Lebuh Tamil, Jalan Chowrasta and Jalan Kuala Kangsar.

The original Chowrasta Market was built in 1890 by the George Town Municipal Council.

Meanwhile, it is now compulsory for all wet market traders to have their own bins instead of just discarding the waste on the floor.

Ng said traders who failed to prepare their own waste bins would be fined RM50 by the council.

“This rule that traders have to have their own bins is listed in their licences.

“I have received many complaints especially from Chowrasta Market traders that council workers have not been cleaning up the market.

“But after my inspection, I realised that many traders, especially the fishmongers and butchers, would just discard the waste on the floor or into the drain,” he said.

Ng added that the council sends 20 workers to clean the market everyday from 6.30am to 10pm.

“They will take turns to clean the floors, drains and surroundings of the market at different times.

“The traders have to be fair and play their part in ensuring the cleanliness of the market,” he said.

Ng said traders who were stubborn and refused to properly manage their waste would risk having their licences suspended by the council’s licensing department.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Magnificient mosaic art

Magnificient mosaic art

THE beautiful Hotel Penaga mosaic drew gasps of admiration as the colourful piece was unveiled for visitors to the boutique hotel in Lebuh Clarke.

The wall piece was the collaborative effort by three Australian and American artists who finished the mosaic in barely a month.

Inspired by ‘the shyness of trees’ – a botanical phenomenon that sees trees of the same species in the forest separated by a gap so that the leaves of one does not touch the other, the artists created the mosaic using pebbles, broken paving stones, ceramic and glass.

From Italian and Mexican glass to water-worn stones, each piece fits perfectly into the wall like a piece of missing puzzle.

The huge mosaic also spills to the floor of the hotel’s rear verandah, and showcases unique elements of Penang’s famous tales, such as how Francis Light fired gold coins into the forest to encourage locals to clear the land when he first arrived here.

The coins were represented by blue and white porcelain fragments salvaged from a shipwreck off Vietnam.

A stream of engraved lines scored into the granite connects the doorways and the mosaic, representing a river that used to run through Tanjung Penaga, or what is today, George Town. Hotel co-owner Angela Hijjas said artists would be invited to stay at Penaga to create works in the studio or elsewhere on the island.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Painting George Town red

Painting George Town red

SOME 20 locations in George Town, Penang, turned into a hive of activities in conjunction with the second anniversary of the listing of the city as a World Heritage Site.

Despite the cloudy skies and sporadic drizzle, there was a combustion of sights, sounds and colours in a kaleidoscope of multi-cultural diversity for 15-long hours.

Aptly dubbed ‘Streets Come Alive — Unforgettable George Town’, yesterday’s official kick-off marked the start of the George Town Festival 2010, a month-long celebration featu-ring renowned international and local talents aimed at highlighting the universal values, culture and history that makes the city unique.

Since 8am, crowds gathered to join Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in celebrating the series of events held at the heritage enclave.

Riding a pony cart with state officials trailing behind in a convoy of trishaws, Lim visited several historic sites, boutique hotels and art exhibitions within the inner city.

At the Town Hall along the iconic Esplanade promenade, Lim flagged off a trishaw treasure hunt after launching the festival and the George Town World Heritage Incorporated website and logo.

Against a backdrop of black and white photographs of old Penang, Dasha Logan, daughter of the late Loganathan of Alleycats fame, performed a duet of Nat King Cole’s timeless ballad ‘Unforgettable’ — in line with the festival’s theme.

Lim then proceeded to the more than a century-old Court House before meeting contemporary artist Leon Lim at the junction of Union Street and Penang Street.

The latter then chatted with Lim about ‘The Last Chairs’ — his public art masterpiece specially created for the festival.

At China Street and Stewart Lane, works by Sharon Cheah and Fuan Wong were on display.

Wong’s glass art installation ‘Dream Ficus’, was an amazing piece of fluid colours that dazzled with the light while Cheah’s exhibition featured 23 photographs of cemeteries from 18 countries around the world.

Sculpture At Work, the company working on putting up sculptures and granite slabs to mark the heritage zone, briefed Lim on the progress of the project at Transfer Road.

Nearby, Hotel Penaga opened its doors to showcase a magnificent mosaic wall piece by Australian artists Helen Bodycomb, Glenn Romanis and Dominic Johns and George Fishman from the United States.

The greening of the city’s heritage enclave project was also launched during a tree-planting ceremony by Lim at Carnarvon Street.

At the Chinese clan jetties on Weld Quay, tourists took the opportunity to explore the waters on free motor boat rides.

For a more off-beat tour, visitors were taken to see the final resting place of Penang’s famous figures at the Protestant Cemetery on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

While classical Indian dances and sitar, tabla and nadaswaram (Indian trumpet) music filled the air at Little India, Malay heritage performances including the popular boria, ghazal and silat were performed just mi-nutes away at Armenian Street.

In the evening, the cultural party continued with interesting demonstrations of traditional food and local crafts. The teh tarik demonstration was particularly popular with tourists flocking to catch the action.

Meanwhile, artisans and craftsmen showed off their talents in making lanterns, shadow puppets, batik, henna, shoe painting, Chinese calligraphy, beaded crafts as well as rattan and bamboo items.

The various Chinese clan houses joined in the fun by staging various cultural and musical performances including a Beijing Opera featuring acclaimed Iranian-born Chinese Opera performer Ghaffar Pourazar and International Centre for Peking Opera founding member Chie Morimura, kung fu demonstrations and a Teochew opera performance.

At the Cheah Kongsi, clashing cymbals and thumping drums woke the sleeping “lions” before they sprung into action on the high poles.

Despite only having six weeks to organise the massive festival, the state, the Penang Municipal Council, non-governmental organisations, private sector and volunteers worked hard to ensure the success of the events.

For details on upcoming George Town Festival 2010 events, log on to www.georgetownfestival.com or e-mail info@georgetownfestival.com.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Pedalled hunt

Pedalled hunt

WHAT better way to explore George Town than by trishaw, a living heritage icon of the inner city?

With that in mind, the Heritage TreaShaw Hunt was organised as part of the George Town Festival 2010, which saw 30 teams of two participants each treasure hunting around the streets on these human-powered vehicles.

The teams, all sponsored by the corporate sector, were flagged off by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in front of the Town Hall at the Esplanade at 9.25am yesterday.

They were given two hours to complete the hunt which required them to answer questions or collect stamps and stickers along almost every single road they passed.

First stop was the Fort Cornwallis, where they had to count the number of cannons there and name the largest one — the Seri Rambai. Then it was off to the King Edward roundabout where they had to name the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower and record its height — 60ft to commemorate her 60th year of reign.

The clues also took the participants to collect spices at Little India. They also had to note down the number plate of a Scammell Scarab vehicle at the state museum and look for several specific places of business in the inner city.

While most of them wore the event’s T-shirt, a handful of participants took the trouble to dress up with the heritage theme in mind, out of their own initiative.

Cititel Penang front office assistants Nurul Nashita Mohd, 28, and Michelle Ong, 23, were dressed in matching Malay and Nyonya kebayas with batik sarong and wore beaded high-heeled slippers which they put aside during the hunt in favour of comfortable sneakers.

“We wanted to dress according to the theme and even though we may look formally dressed, we found that the cotton material of our outfits suitable for running around. We feel quite cool while some others look hot and bothered,” said Nurul Nashita.

PBB Group Bhd marketing and promotion executives Loo Ai Leen, 26, and Tunku Elisha Faitullah Tunku Usham, 25, were dressed in a cheongsam and kebaya respectively.

“We are used to being at the organising end of events but this is the first time that either of us are taking part in such an activity.

“We joined for the fun of it and found ourselves enjoying the hunt, which ended too soon,” said Tunku Elisha.

The Best Dressed prize went to Bayview Hotel Georgetown human resources assistant Stewart Choong, 22, and front office concierge Nazri Abdul Shokor, 29, who wore a red samfu and white samfu respectively.

“Being in the hotel industry, we felt we should promote Penang’s culture and heritage and so we chose to don traditional attire for the hunt,” said Choong.

The winning team with the most correct answers and best slogan — comprising Focal Concepts Sdn Bhd founder and creative director Susan Chyntana, 46, and party planner Khaw Bee Khim, 27, — was also the fastest to complete the hunt, reaching the finishing point at Bayview Hotel George-town within 54 minutes at 10.19am.

The pair, who are no strangers to treasure hunts, attributed their success to good team co-operation, including their trishaw pe-daller known as Ah Leong.

In second place were Tan Kai Chia and Tan Shing Yee of Mun Thong Crystal Sdn Bhd, while Lai Wei Siung and Choo Kam Fuat of Sentral Technology College came in third.

The Heritage Trea-Shaw Hunt was organised by Penang Global Tourism in collaboration with Impact Management, Koperasi Pelancongan (Kopel), Bayview Hotel Georgetown and Zarika Travel Sdn Bhd.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Sampling Penang’s delights

Sampling Penang’s delights

IT must be tough to keep the calories in check and stay in shape if one is a food columnist constantly exposed to an array of irresistible dishes.

But Helen Ong, Penang’s leading food writer and blogger, is taking it all in her stride.

Her secret is simply “not eating too much but just tasting it”.

Well, the rest of us will certainly find it hard to control our appetities after reading the second edition of her popular restaurant guide 'Great Dining in Penang 2' which has just been launched.

The 160-page soft cover book gives readers the lowdown on a myriad of eateries – from those in posh hotels to charming little cafes – and is packed with information and mouthwatering photographs.

Both locals and tourists will find the book a handy guide on where to eat.

For those more adventurous, there are also simple recipes one can try out.

Speaking during the launch ceremony at Golden Sands Resorts’Sigi’s Bar and Grill — one of the book’s featured outlets — on Wednesday, Ong said work on the book involved around eight months of eating, talking with people and taking lots of photographs.

Although Penang is famous for its hawker fare, diners will invariably hunger for something new after a few days, said Ong who is The Star’s Sunday Metro columnist.

Regularly facing questions from friends on where to go for a good meal, she decided to compile all the details on eateries in one easy-to-understand comprehensive tome.

“The first book was well-received, and sold all 3,000 copies.

“People would even play games with it – they would pick a number, flip to the corresponding page, and head to the particular restaurant featured on that page for a meal,” she enthused.

Ong explained that due to the competitive nature of the restaurant business, many outlets featured in her previous book had since closed down or shifted to a new location, and readers were eager for an updated version.

“It’s been hard work and even harder work eating my way through all that food but hey, someone’s got to do it!” she quipped.

State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang, who officiated the launch, said it was necessary to have a proper culinary guide book to benefit everyone.

“Her first book 'Great Dining in Penang' alerted many of us to restaurants we did not know about or had yet to patronise.

“Now we all have a better knowledge of these low-profile but good food locations and we have more lunch or dinner venues to choose from,” he added.

'Great Dining in Penang 2' is now available in leading bookshops, hotels and restaurants in Malaysia and Singapore.

For details, visit www.helenong.com.

-Info courtesy of The Star-

Best of Thailand

Best of Thailand

A FEAST of flavours and traditions from the Land of Smiles awaits visitors at the Thai Food, Fruits and Cultural Festival 2010 at Fort Cornwallis on Aug 7 and 8.

Jointly organised by the Penang Government and the Royal Thai Consulate-General of Penang, the two-day event from 9am to 11pm daily, will feature lots of Thai musical and dance performances as well as its most popular cuisine and produce.

“Thai food is one of the most famous cuisines in the world, enjoyed by both locals and foreigners. There will be almost 40 traders taking part,” state Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang told a press conference here on Wednesday.

According to Thai Consul-General Voradet Viravakin, there will also be a Muay Thai demonstration by USM students, in addition to cultural showcases by students of Thaksin University in Thailand.

“These themed performances will be interesting and entertaining. The lights and sounds are very lively.

“There will also be an emcee to guide the audience along in both Thai and English,” Viravakin said, adding that the performers would comprise both professionals and amateurs.

He also praised the local government for their continued support in enhancing bilateral relations, saying that the best way to strengthen ties between the two nations was through people to people contact.

“Moreover, tourism has changed. Visitors don’t just come to one destination alone, as most prefer to visit a cluster of a few places at once.

“Tourists who visit Southern Thailand will want to visit Penang and vice versa. It’s a win-win situation and both countries benefit,” Viravakin added.

Local Thai traders interested in taking part in the event can call Law’s office at 04-2619012 or 016-4110000, or the consulate at 04-2268029 and 04-2269484. Entrance to the event is free.

-News courtesy of The Star-

Rare collection of pioneer art

Rare collection of pioneer art

ART enthusiasts and collectors in Penang will have a chance to admire the paintings of some of Malaysia’s late art pioneers at a five-day The Prelude exhibition starting tomorrow.

Among the great works to be featured by Henry Butcher at Alpha Utara Gallery on China Street are the late Datuk Ibrahim Hussein’s 1969 acrylic painting, The Dream, and the late father of batik painting Datuk Chuah Thean Teng’s unusual batik work, Two Cockerels and a Hen.

Henry Butcher Malaysia Group honorary chairman Tan Sri Kamal Hashim said Penang had produced some of Malaysia’s finest pioneers and veteran artists back in the early 1900s.

“It is only natural that we host The Prelude exhibition here following its official opening in Kuala Lumpur recently,” he said.

The exhibition will feature 23 artworks including masterpieces by late veterans like Yong Mun Sen, Datuk Mohd. Hoessein Enas, Khaw Sia, Kuo Ju Ping and Lee Cheng Yong.

Yong’s Bridge, a rare 1948 watercolour painting of two women balancing baskets on their heads on a rickety makeshift bridge, was believed to depict new threats from the communist insurgency that followed the upheaval of the Japanese Occupation.

Coffee Shop (1963) by Kuo is a well- composed oil on canvas work portraying the unique hawker culture of Penangites while Khaw’s famous life-like orchid paintings will be sold as twin renditions of the same size, namely the White Orchids I and White Orchids II.

The Prelude exhibition will run until July 7 from 10am to 6pm.

An auction featuring some 60 to 80 artworks including those exhibited at The Prelude, will be held on Aug 8 at Wisma Bentley Music, Mutiara Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

Kamal said although the works comprised mainly those by pioneers and veterans, a good selection of contemporary paintings by younger artists would also be put on the block.

Henry Butcher’s auction of modern and contemporary art collection is arguably Malaysia’s largest and first professionally run auction dedicated exclusively to Malaysian art.

-News courtesy of The Star-