Majestic glow of a goddess

Majestic glow of a goddess

All lighted up: The Goddess of Mercy statue at Kek Lok Si in Air Itam. 

Those driving around Air Itam in Penang have a sight to behold.

The 30.2 metre-high bronze Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) statue at the Kek Lok Si Temple is now beautifully illuminated in the evenings.

After it was lighted up, even more tourists started flocking to the tourist attraction at night.

In the daytime, hundreds of visitors also headed to the temple to see it beside the pagoda.

When asked why the lights were up, temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said: “We are testing the lights (on a dry run) to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

According to him, the temple’s area is scheduled to be transformed into a fairyland of lights from Feb 6 until March 9 next year.

“We will turn on the lights at the Kuan Yin only on Feb 9, the eve of the Lunar New Year.”

Workers and staff at the temple are now beginning to install colourful lamps and lanterns to gear up for the official lighting-up ceremony next year.

Ooi also said that there were plans to decorate the temple in accordance with the Year of the Snake next year.

Earlier this year, a total of four dragon figurines were assembled at the temple in conjunction with the Year of the Dragon.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Beach carnival

Beach carnival

THE popular Batu Ferringhi beach belt is expected to come alive with a wide array of activities during the annual Penang Beach Carnival 2012 on Nov 25.

The carnival, touted as one of the biggest events in the state, will see Penangites and tourists alike having fun at the beach the whole day and night.

The event promises to have something in store for everybody as there will be, among others, a Beach Run, a Photography Competition, Traditional Games and Oppa Gangnam Style performance.

State Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Lydia Ong said the carnival, which is in its fourth edition, would have 26 activities including various sports and games competition.

“The highlight of the event will be the Lantern Show where all the hotels along the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt will hang their handmade lanterns at their entrances.

“Visitors will be able to view the display from hotel to hotel and the best lantern would be picked as the winner,” she said before the start of the Penang Beach Carnival 2012 gotong- royong programme at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa.

Some 80 people comprising hotel employees and Penang Municipal Council workers took part in the programme on Saturday morning covering the beach area from Rasa Sayang to the Golden Sands Resort and Lone Pine Hotel.

In a press conference at the Eastin Hotel on Monday, more details were shared about three events that will be in the Beach Carnival line-up, namely the Eastin Challenge Trophy Cooking Competition, Mr Penang Beach Carnival and Beach Run.

Chef’s Association of Malaysia Penang Chapter general committee member Chef Mohd Bakri Said said the cooking competition was scheduled to start at 2pm.

“The contestants, in teams of three will be given an hour to come up with a tantalising main course as well as a fruit and vegetable carving,” Bakri said, adding that the competition was opened to all culinary students in colleges.

The top three teams will each receive a medal as well as cash prizes of RM500, RM300 and RM200 respectively.

As for the Mr Penang Beach Carnival, the top three body builders will receive RM400, RM300 and RM100 respectively as well as a medal each.

Penang Body Builders’ Association secretary Shukri Abdullah said the competition was divided into three categories - Teenagers under-70kg, Teenagers above-70kg and Open category for those aged 21 and above.

For the Beach Run, there will be six categories namely the Men and Women’s Junior (13 to 20 years old), Men and Women’s Open (21 to 34 years old) as well as Men and Women’s Veteran (35 years old and above).

Penang Amateur Athletic Association secretary V. Govindasamy said they were expecting more than 500 people for the 8.2km run which will start at the beach fronting the Golden Sands Resort at 7.30am.

“Ten prizes will be given for each category at the event,” he said.

Entry forms for the Beach Run can be downloaded from http://penangaaa.blogspot.com.

The Penang Beach Carnival will be held from 7am to 10pm at the Golden Sands Resort beach. For enquiries, call 04-6593713 or 04-6593714.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Cable car project proposed

Cable car project proposed

DEVOTEES going up the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani hilltop temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga, Penang, will get to enjoy a panoramic view and have a tireless journey up the temple following a proposal for a cable car project.

Temple committee chairman P. Kuvenaraju said the proposal was raised following the closure of the road up the temple and concerns about the elderly devotees having problems walking up the 514 steps.

He said the project would cover 500 metres from the foot of the hill up to the temple.

“Besides serving as an alternative way up the temple for the devotees, the cable car will also be helpful in daily needs such as getting bananas and food up the hill as we do not have enough manpower to help out,” he told a press conference before visiting the proposed cable car project site in Jalan Kebun Bunga recently.

Panaromic alternative: The proposed cable car project will be built at the foothill of the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani hilltop temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga, Penang.

Kuvenaraju said the committee had received an offer from a foreign company to install the cable car.

However, he said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was eager that there be an open tender for the project.

“The whole project, including the tender matters and other relevant procedures, is expected to be completed in the next one and half years,” he said.

Lim, who was also present, said the company carrying out the project, would be chosen based on the best profit sharing percentage offered to the temple, the shortest leasing term and most importantly, experience in installing, managing and operating the cable car.

He added that the selected company would have to bear the cost of construction but it would make its revenue through the sale of tickets.

Lim said the state was expected to announce the chosen company for the project in January.

The RM9mil hilltop temple completed in June this year, is believed to be the largest Lord Murugan temple outside India.

~News courtesy of The Star~

2nd bridge to ease congestion

Penang second bridge to ease congestion on first bridge by up to 30%

The Penang Second Bridge, now under construction, is expected to ease traffic congestion of the first bridge by 20 to 30 percent.

Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bnd (JKSB) Public Relations and Communications adviser, Datuk Mohammad Salleh Rafie said the existing congestion problem would be reduced when the second bridge is ready in September next year.

He was met by reporters at a seminar with the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry's Penang Coordinating Committee on the progress of the Penang Second Bridge project.

Some 100,000 vehicles use the existing bridge daily to travel between the mainland and the island, with heavy traffic congestion during the peak hours.

Mohammad Salleh said the completion of the second bridge would further spur development, especially industries, in Seberang Perai Selatan on the mainland.

The RM4.5bil Penang Second Bridge spanning 23.5 km with 16.9 km over the sea, will link Batu Kawan on the mainland and Batu Maung on the island. - Bernama

~News courtesy of The Star~

Enjoy the best of fine dining at chic bistro

Enjoy the best of fine dining at chic bistro in Bay Avenue

PRIMED for those who appreciate the finer things in life, Vino Vino Bistro represents a confluence of worlds where seemingly contrasting elements strike a harmonious, culinary chord.

The swanky establishment, located in Bay Avenue near Queensbay Mall, Penang, finds pre-eminence in its distinctive yet unlikely juxtaposition of time-honoured western staples with dainty, eastern flavours.

As its moniker implies, juices of the vine and prized spirits are its forte. But the most surprising aspect is what it dovetails with — contemporary Japanese cuisine, in particular, Yakitori.

The skewered meats, seafood and vegetables are a best seller, mainly because they are done the right way. They are cooked over a grill lined with a special compacted type of charcoal.

As executive sous chef Steven Kong explains, the embers maintain a constant, moderate temperature that ensures everything is cooked evenly, without being overly charred, thus remaining tender and juicy.

Infused with a distinctive aroma, the skewers’ appeal also lies in their simplicity.

Among the comprehensive selection, the Tebasaki (chicken wings) is perhaps the most popular.

Crispy on the outside and tenderly moist on the inside, it is so good that one helping is never enough.

Equally great are the Sunagimo (chicken gizzard), Kaki Kushi (oysters), Momo (chicken thigh), Bonjiri (bishop’s nose), Sasami Mentai Mayo (chicken fillet with fish roe mayonnaise) and Tsukune Cheese (chicken meat balls with cheese).

Regardless of the order, the Yakitori skewers make a great complement for Vino Vino’s vast selection of around 500 wine labels and 30 types of single malt and blended whiskies.

It is a unique pairing that pleases the palate.

Apart from the Tapas-like bites, the outlet also features a good selection of delicacies from the Land of the Rising Sun, which ranges from sushi to udon, and ramen to rice dishes.

Connoisseurs will find the Assorted Sashimi Platter, which may feature salmon, tuna, yellowtail and cold water sweet prawns, among others, a delightful burst of fresh, aquatic flavours.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, there is a 30% discount on the raw fish selection.

Among the more modern creations is the Wasabi Cheese Smoked Duck, which comprises delicate slivers, to be lathered with the special horseradish-based spread and eaten with crackers.

Another, the Burger Cheese, is a hearty slab of ground beef and chicken, oozing with melted cheese.

All these also go well with any of the premium Japanese sake and shochu lineup.

Currently, the outlet offers affordable lunch and dinner sets, priced from RM17++ and RM29++ respectively.

There is also a Buy-2-Free-1 promotion for red and white wine, available in different sized portions by the glass. These are dispensed from their automated Vino Tech system, which utilises argon, an inert gas, to keep opened bottles fresh for up to 21 days.

Located at Block H-10-1, Lorong Bayan Indah 2 at Bay Avenue in Bayan Lepas, the bistro seats up to 40 pax and also has a karaoke room upstairs for those who would like to belt out a few numbers after meals.

Opening hours are from noon to midnight (Monday to Saturday), and from 5pm to midnight on Sunday. For more information, look up Vino Vino Bistro on Facebook, or call 04-6459922 for reservations.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Hawker museum for Penang

A tribute to hawkers, Hawker museum for Penang in the offing, says Chang Yeow

A hawker museum will be set up here to reflect the state’s appreciation of this group of people for making Penang food famous globally.

The museum would be a reality should Barisan Nasional regain control of the state in the coming general election, said Penang Barisan chairman Teng Chang Yeow.

Teng said that the museum would showcase the role the hawkers played in turning Penang into an internationally recognised food pa-radise.

“Neither Barisan nor Pakatan Rakyat should claim credit when the state’s hawker food was listed by a global travel website as the third best global street food destination. Praise should be accorded to the hawkers themselves,” he said.

In a posting dated July 21 on VirtualTourist.com, a write-up with a Los Angeles deadline entitled ‘Travel Picks: Top 10 cities for street food’, Penang emerged third behind Singapore while Bangkok was first.

The proposed museum would feature the historical facet of hawkers in the past 60 years.

“It is important to educate the younger generation and foreign tourists about the hard work and contribution of our hawkers here,” he said during a ceramah session organised by Barisan Nasional Jelutong division last night.

The three-hour ceramah which addressed several pressing issues such as the increase in property prices and traffic congestion.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Chowrasta Market: One step closer to new look

One step closer to new look

THE proposed upgrading of the Chowrasta Market in George Town has taken a step towards reality.

The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has approved a budget of RM12.07mil for the project, said its financial management sub-committee alternate chairman Tan Hun Wooi.

He said the project’s architect would have to submit the paperwork for the project in a month or two.

Tan was, however, unable to say when the project would start as the paperwork had to be reviewed after submission.

“The project is expected to be completed in three years after work starts,” he said at an MPPP full council meeting at the City Hall yesterday.

It was reported earlier that the market would sport a refreshing new look under the project which, among others, would include a five-storey car park with 153 parking bays.

Other proposals include travelators, a small bank with automated teller machines, a post office and an urban farm on the rooftop where hydroponic plants could be grown.

The original Chowrasta Market was built in 1890 by the George Town Municipal Council and was last upgraded in 1961.

On another matter, MPPP councillor Muhammad Sabri Md Osman said the road heading from Jalan Sekolah La Salle towards Jalan Lumba Kuda via Jalan Kuda would be turned into a one-way street from Monday to Friday (6.30am to 8am and 12.30pm to 2pm) to alleviate traffic congestion.

“Part of Jalan Ibbetson (from the junction of Jalan Grove) to the entrance of SM Teknik Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra will also be turned into a one-way street during the same periods,” he said.

He said a three-month trial of the one-way street system on the two roads would be implemented from next month.

~News courtesy of The Star~