Fast becoming a city of murals

Fast becoming a city of murals

GEORGE TOWN is fast becoming a city of murals as 13 more paintings are being drawn on a 50.3m stretch of wall along Magazine Road in the city.

The series of murals will, among others, depict what Penang looked like in the olden days and impressions of the state’s future.

Art teacher Jim Oo Chun Hee, 26, who is among those who initiated the mural project as an effort to exhibit the art of Penang, said the project began in June last year and was expected to be fully completed in a year.

He said he had gotten permission from the Penang Municipal Council to paint on the wall as the premises inside belonged to the council which uses it as a recycling centre.

He said the project has been dubbed the ‘Great Wall in Penang’.

“This project is done voluntarily. We have help from friends and art students. It is a place for us to paint and relax.

“The wall here used to be dirty, cracked and bare. We fixed it up, painted it all white and now there will be paintings of Penang for all to see.

“I am from Butterworth and I will come to paint here during weekdays. When the paintings are all done, we will add 3D features to all of them,” Oo said on Thursday.

Equator Academy of Art student Seow Kar Liang, 20, who was painting part of the mural, said he wanted to help out as art was his passion.

“It is also a project which makes Penang art alive,” he said, adding that he got to know of the project through friends.

The first three paintings which are expected to be finished in two weeks depict activities at the Goddess of Mercy Temple in Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling. Work on the other paintings are in progress.

Besides the murals in Magazine Road, Oo also has mural and 3D art projects at the Penang Botanic Gardens, Armenian Street and a narrow back lane between Bank Negara Malaysia and the AIA building in Bishop Street.

The 3D feature at the gardens is that of a cobra while at Armenian Street, it is an image of the head of the lion used in the Chinese lion dance. The one at the back lane is an image of Tan Tong Tong, a minstrel who was popular in the past. Oo said only the lion head mural was still incomplete.

Other murals which have been painted in the city included those by Lithuanian street artist Ernest Zacharevic, 26, and local artist Louis Gan Yee Loong, 25, from Balik Pulau.

Three artists are also currently creating twelve 3D street art murals in the city in conjunction with the George Town Festival 2013 which will be held from June 7 to July 7. Cats are the main subject matter of the 3D paintings which the artists hope will inspire the public to stop animal cruelty.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Cultural feast awaits Penangites

Cultural feast awaits Penangites

CELEBRATED Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is set to present a brand new dance called Sutra during the upcoming George Town Festival 2013.

Festival director Joe Sidek promised it would be one interesting performance that should not be missed.

He said Sutra, inspired by the skills, strength and spirituality of Buddhist Shaolin monks, would feature 17 monks from the original Shaolin Temple in China.

“Cherkaoui has collaborated closely with Turner Prize-winning artist Antony Gormley who has created a design comprising 21 wooden boxes.

“The boxes are repositioned to create a striking and ever-changing stage environment,” he said.

Joe also said the dance piece would include a beautiful new score for piano, percussion and strings by Polish composer Szymon Brzoska.

Sutra is among some 80 exciting programmes to be featured during the month-long festival from June 7 to July 7.

The dance will be presented on June 29 and 30 at Dewan Sri Pinang at 8.30pm on both days.

Other programmes recommen-ded by Joe include the ‘Secret Gardens of Earthly Designs’ held throughout the month and a performance by Italian chamber music group I Musici on the festival’s first day at Dewan Sri Pinang at 8.30pm.

‘Bridges and Kaki Lima’, a contemporary dance to be performed along Victoria Street on June 29 at 6.15pm, is also one that should be watched as its choreography is devised to celebrate cultural commonality.

“One of the choreographers is Aida Redza who is a Penangite herself,” said Joe.

“We also have the three-day heritage celebrations from July 5 to 7 to commemorate the inscription of George Town as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008.

“The living heritage of George Town will be demonstrated through traditional and multicultural arts and practices, food and events that highlight historical and cultural pride,” said Joe during a talk to some 100 people in Bayan Lepas.

He said the festival, in its fourth year, would be ‘Taking Off’ on June 8 at the Esplanade this year.

“‘Taking Off’ is our festival’s opening ceremony where we take to the skies with kites made by master kite makers around the region.

“Free kites will be distributed and kite enthusiasts and representatives from the Asean Kite Council will be taking part in the ceremony,” he said.

He said the festival’s secretariat was looking for volunteers to help in the event.

For more information or to volunteer and to purchase tickets, visit www.georgetownfestival.com.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Street market going strong

Street market going strong

THE Little Penang Street Market (LPSM) will be turning seven in July and it is showing no signs of slowing down.

Organiser James Lochhead said a recent survey showed that 60% of the market’s visitors were domestic and foreign tourists while the rest were Penangites.

“Generally, the visitors were pleased with the market.

“Considering the limited resources, it’s fantastic that the LPSM has gone on every month since its inception – clearly there’s a demand for it and it has huge potential to grow,” he said when met at the market on Sunday.

The LPSM was started to celebrate creativity and heritage, he said.

He added that going forward, the challenge was to publicise and develop the market.


Bargains galore: Visitors to the market checking out the many items on sale

“If we can get someone to do outreach work for the market and bring in new participants and talents, it will be great.

“Perhaps the state government can come up with a more coherent policy for the development of the arts, culture and festivals here so that event organisers who need more support will receive assistance,” he said.

Lochhead said future plans included having designated tents for schools to exhibit their projects and the public to show items related to the environment.

More activities for the kids are also in the pipeline.

More than 70 stalls sell a range of products at the LPSM from 10am to 5pm at Upper Penang Road in George Town every last Sunday of the month.

Asia Community Service (ACS) Stepping Stone centre supervisor Hasra Othman said its members had been selling their home-made snacks and handicraft like soap, bags and clothing at the market since day one.

The ACS booth sells over 50 items all made by people with disabilities.

“In the last three years or so, the market has become more commercialised in terms of the items sold.

“Perhaps we need to go back to the traditional craft items which are one-of-a-kind pieces to attract the crowd,” she said.

ACS member Rozihad Yahaya, who started as an apprentice, has been weaving craft items for over a decade and is now a trainer at the centre.

“Many kids who come to the market like to try their hand at weaving and I enjoy teaching them,” she said.

Artist and gallery assistant curator Jeff Jansen said the market draws an especially large crowd during long weekends.

“I’ve been here for about three years and I’ve seen traders move on as new ones come in, which is good for the market.

“For the visual arts display, we put up paintings by both locals and foreigners on display so that they are accessible to everyone including kids.

“Often, even adults feel too intimidated to visit art galleries.

“Here, anyone can just walk up and enjoy a painting – there are no walls and no doors,” he said.

For details on the market’s upcoming events, log on to www.littlepenang.com.my/wordpress/ or call 017-4290806.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Sweet music in the gardens

Sweet music in the gardens


Lovely afternoon: Joggers and visitors enjoying the performance by the Heng Ee High School Wind Orchestra at the Penang Botanic Gardens.

THE Penang Botanic Gardens came alive with the sound of music by the Heng Ee High School Wind Orchestra.

Smartly clad in milky white bla-zers, shining black slacks with black bow ties, the band’s 90-members, aged 14 to 17, entertained the crowd with well-known songs. The weather was also welcoming with a clear blue sky.

Some of the spectators sitting under the shady trees joined in the fun, and were clapping their hands to the popular melodies.

More than 10 songs were played in the one-hour show, ranging from fast beat to sentimental songs such as ‘We Are The World, Heal The World, Can’t Take My Eyes off You, Copacabana and Rong Shu Xia.’

The school band instructor Yeoh Chee Woi, 31, said this was the first time that the students had performed outdoors.

“It’s good for them to get ex-posure and experience, while they interact directly with the audience.

“The Penang Botanic Gardens is a nice location to hold a performance because it is spacious and surrounded by greenery,” he said during the event on Sunday.

He revealed that the band members took about a month to master a song.

In a wind orchestra, a variety of musical instruments are used as the number of band members are usually bigger, he said.

The event was organised by Penang Global Tourism, and it was aimed at promoting local culture and enhancing the state as a top tourist destination.

The concert is held every last Sunday of the month from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

It is participated by different musical groups. The next performance is on June 30.

~News courtesy of The Star~

George Town Festival 2013

http://georgetownfestival.com/

A buffet in the afternoon

A buffet in the afternoon

THE array of scrumptious Western and Asian delights served in G Hotel’s Saturday High Tea is ideal for laid-back weekend gatherings in the company of friends and family.

Whether it is a late lunch after a half day’s work, or a tummy-filler before dinner, the meal consisting of light and fresh bites sets the stage for convivial chatter.

The buffet, served between 1pm and 4pm at the hotel’s lobby level G Café, is reasonably priced at RM45++ per adult, and RM22.50++ per child aged six to 12. Kids below six eat free.

The lineup, crafted by hotel sous chef Hamizi Hamid and his team, starts with a variety of freshly tossed salads with choices of dressings, and local equivalents like rojak and pasembur.

There are also hearty soups to warm diners up.

The main dish section features a combination of staples like fried rice, cheese gratin, and grilled chicken, as well as finger foods like quiche, pizzas and spring rolls.

There are also action stations dishing up the popular local favourite, char koay teow, along with roti canai and murtabak, ala minute.

Alternatively, guests can help themselves to bite-sized dim sum or toss their own bowl of noodles.

Highlight of the buffet is the dedicated sandwich counter where guests can pick their own ingredients and watch chefs craft their unique combinations on the spot.

Bread options include soft rolls, sandwich loaf, rye bread or croissants, to be stuffed with tuna, egg, sardines, tomato and onion salsa, ham, salami, smoked salmon, smoked duck or beef bacon. The options are endless.

Remember to leave some space for dessert, as pastry chef Tan Kwee Lian’s irresistible sweet treats should not be missed.

Each week, the award-winning chef features eight unique cakes.

Possibilities include the Chocolate Banana Cake with Coconut Gianduja, and Chocolate Entrapment, among others.

One bite, and the exquisite flavours and combinations of these creations are apparent.

The buffet is completed with four flavours of Baskin Robbins ice- cream, and local drinks like teh tarik, chrysanthemum tea, sugarcane juice or air bandung.

On Sunday, enjoy a fun-filled gastronomic adventure with the whole family as the G Café serves the Sunday Funday Family Brunch from noon to 2.30pm.

It features a mini buffet and special play corner for the little ones, and is priced at RM78++ per person.

Kids between six and 12 enjoy a 50% discount, while those under six eat free.

For dinner, the hotel currently offers the Mongolian BBQ Buffet on Mondays, the Creole and Cajun Cuisine Buffet on Wednesdays, Seafood BBQ Buffet on Fridays and Surf and Turf Buffet on Saturdays, all priced at RM99++ per person.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, there is the International Semi Buffet, priced between RM68++ and RM98++, depending on the main course selected.

Treat your parents to lavish spreads and fun activities with the upcoming Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Sunday Brunch on May 12 and June 16 respectively.

Both are priced at RM128++ per person including free flow of beer, or RM88++ per person and RM44++ per child, for food only.

For reservations, call 04-2380000 or email to food.beverage@ghotel.com.my.

～News courtesy of The Star～

Boutique hotels - Authentic and classy

Authentic and classy

BOUTIQUE heritage hotels in Penang are expected to see occupancy rates of around 70% this year, compared to approximately 66% a year ago, riding on overseas arrivals.

Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang Chapter vice-chairman Andy Fong said that this would be the best year for occupancy rates in boutique heritage hotels, since the trend of providing high-end lodging in prime heritage properties located in George Town took off five years ago.

“Since 2008, the occupancy rate has increased gradually from 50% yearly,” he said.

Fong said an increase could be expected as more mid- to high-end travellers worldwide are now more aware of George Town’s World Heritage Site status (WHS) awarded by Unesco in 2008.

The increase in more direct flights to Penang from the Asean and the Asia Pacific regions also helps to boost the tourist arrivals for the boutique heritage hotels business in George Town, Fong added.

There are presently about 17 boutique heritage hotels, with fewer than 50 rooms, priced from RM400 per night to RM2,000 per night, in George Town.

Fong, who is also the general manager of 23 Love Lane, a boutique heritage hotel, said the guests are predominantly from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia the UK, the US, and France.

“Overseas visitors comprise 70% of guests in boutique heritage hotels, while the remainder are domestic travellers,” he said.

Fong said what attracts foreign visitors to boutique heritage hotels in inner George Town is the way the projects are being restored for adaptive commercial use.

“The intricacies of restoration work and the antique furniture used determine the pricing of the rooms per night.

“Our guests are interested in the details of the restoration and do not mind the rates, which are still very competitive compared to a similar range of hotels in the region.

“The furniture for 23 Lovelane, Penang, for example, comes from the 19th century Straits Settlement period,” he said.

The hotel, comprising 10 rooms with built-up areas of 500sq ft to 3,000sq ft, sells its rooms from RM500 per night to RM2,800 per night.

The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in South-East Asia, established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, which came under direct British control as a crown colony on April 1, 1867.

The colony was dissolved in 1946 as part of the British reorganisation of its South-East Asian dependencies following the end of the Second World War.

The Straits Settlements consisted of the four individual settlements of Malacca, Dinding, Penang and Singapore.

Penang Global Tourism director Ooi Geok Lin said the total number of tourists who spent at least a night in Penang in 2012 totalled about 6.09 million, a slight increase of 1.22% from 6.02 million in 2011, according to Tourism Malaysia statistics.

“The figure is expected to rise by 5% this year.

“About 2.99 million of the arrivals for last year’s figure comprised domestic visitors, while the remaining 3.096 million were foreign visitors,” Ooi said.

Hotel Penaga in Hutton Lane, which is owned by Pelindung Dahan Sdn Bhd, is also experiencing higher occupancy rates since the beginning of this year.

Pelindung Dahan director Angela Hijjas said that so far this year, the monthly occupancy rate of the 45-room boutique heritage hotel had doubled, compared to the same period a year ago.

“Some 30% of our guests are local visitors.

“To enable our guests to enjoy and understand more about the unique local culture, we run an artist residency programme for artists to socialise with hotel guests in the studio a few evenings a week, for which the hotel provides refreshments.

“Original artwork from the region is hung in all the rooms and public spaces, as well as a collection of Chinese embroideries, carvings, maps and paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We find many of our guests are interested to meet artists who work in Penang, to share experiences and gain insight into the city,” she said.

Hijjas said about RM10mil was spent to renovate the 15 heritage property into a boutique heritage hotel.

That the local boutique heritage hotel industry is gaining international recognition and attention is evident in Macalister Mansion winning the coveted gold award for best luxury hotel design given by the Annual Hospitality, Design, Furniture Luxurious Projects Asia Summit & Awards 2013.

“We won the award recently in March for the hotel’s unique location and specially commissioned artwork.

“It will certainly help boost Macalister Mansion’s reputation in Asia, especially among high-end travellers who are looking to experience authentic heritage ambience and first-class boutique hotel services,” said a Macalister Mansion spokesman.

The Macalister Mansion (formerly the Choong Lye Hock Mansion) sits on a 48,943sq ft site in Macalister Road. Its eight rooms are priced from RM800 and onwards a night.

Since it started business last November, it has received good response from visitors from the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It is also popular with Malaysian travellers.

The Hospitality, Design, Furniture Luxurious Projects Asia Summit & Awards was created in 2012 to foster links and harness synergies between hospitality, design and furniture industries as well as promoting design excellence and trends in Asia’s luxury development project.

China Tiger Studio Apartments proprietor Rebecca Wilkinson said boutique heritage hotels have more to offer than just history.

“We leverage not just on the restoration works that have gone into the heritage property, but also on the uniqueness of inner George Town, which has other tangibles and intangibles.

“The tangibles are the heritage property, while the intangibles are the people involved in the traditional trades and crafts living in the inner city.

“Besides Florence in Italy, there are only a handful of cities worldwide with the size of George Town that have the WHS status,” she said.

Wilkinson runs two studio apartments with built-up areas of 1,300sq ft each in China Street, which has proven popular with visitors from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Scandinavia and Europe.

“We rent out to families in the mid- to high-income range for long- and short-term stays at rates of RM500 per night,” she added.

Wilkinson said that the renovations for China Tiger provide the comfort of modern living, while simultaneously retaining much of what is original in the interior.

“This is what we understand by restoring heritage property for modern-day commercial use,” she said.

Real estate in Penang is still cheap, compared to other countries in the region, according to Wilkinson.

“This is why foreigners are interested to invest in heritage properties in inner George Town, taking advantage of the WHS status,” she said.

The cost to restore a heritage building for adaptive commercial use is around RM300 to RM400 per sq ft, depending on the quality of finishings used.

Meanwhile, budget hotels in George Town are finding it difficult to maintain the same occupancy rates as a year ago.

The Malaysian Budget Hotel Association Penang Chapter) secretary Arthur Chin said, last year, the budget hotels in George Town registered occupancy rates of about 66% .

“This year it will be difficult to maintain, due to more hotel rooms being made available in the market among all categories of hotels.

“The occupancy rate for this year may also drop,” he said.

There are 85 budget hotels providing 3,000 rooms in Penang.

Chin said, although tourist arrivals have risen, the number is still not sufficient to sustain the budget hotel segment, which sells rooms at less than RM200 per night.

Super 8 Hotel chief executive officer Alex Loo also said the first quarter of this year was slower than the corresponding period the previous year.

The Super 8 is a 50-room budget hotel located in Tye Sin Street, priced from RM88 to RM148 per night.

“The occupancy for last year was around 70% for Super 8, but we expect the occupancy to drop this year, due to more competition.

“To increase our market share, we have invested about RM9mil for another budget hotel in Bayan Baru, which is now becoming a popular area for business travellers to stay, as it is a stone’s throw away from the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone,” he said.

Loo said the group’s 8 Boutique by the Sea @ Tanjung Tokong had just opened for business.

“We are pricing the rooms around RM100 to RM150 until the end of next month. After that, the room rates will be from RM200 per night onwards,” he said.

~News courtesy of The Star~