gotta love nik

When things gets a bit stressful and out of hand in the office, we do get a bit cranky. It was such a draining and tiring day for us (myself and Nik, in particular) - we were out almost half the day doing site recce and buying some stuff for an upcoming project as well as of course, our Halloween party! A visit to our favourite gift/toy store never fails to pick up any damp spirit. The shop is always equipped with the most up-to-date toys, gadgets and notebooks! (yes, I am a total sucker for pretty notebooks!) Look at what we picked up today (and see how excited Nik is with our purchase)!

Boo!

The thoughts and intention behind a "gift"

I was having a cuppa over the weekend in this trendy upcoming café when I overhead a group of people having this conversation. They are deciding what to get for their best friend’s wedding. When it comes to the word “gift” I can’t help but to eavesdrop further.

So this group of people, aged between 28 – 35 was discussing an upcoming wedding of one their mate. And most naturally, the topic of “What should we get for them” pops up. It was very interesting – and definitely a new perspective to how people makes decision when it comes to buying gifts. I overheard one of them saying, “We shouldn’t give them anything physical – because they are having difficulties with storage.” And don’t bother with gadgets, because they are well equipped in that area as well. One of the savvier friend then interrupted. “They rarely have time for each other due to their heavy workload. Let’s buy them something that will make them spend time with each other”.

Brilliant decision-making skills, I thought.

Their conversation got me thinking about “gifting”. When it comes to giving a gift to someone, do people in general put in much thought about what they are buying for the recipient? This group of people gave me a new insight to how people make decision when they are making a decision on what to buy.

A gift can make or break a relationship, so I was told once. A great well thought gift will be cherished and appreciated – whereas a bad gift can wreck a relationship. How can a gift in general wreck a relationship, I thought? A gift is a gift, no? A company (with good intention) wants to reward their team of people for a good job done on a project. So they bought everyone involved in the project a GPS (car navigator). It is a good gift, many would think. However, the next two days, the management received a resignation letter. When probed further, they found out that the person resigned because he is handicapped bottom down – and will never ever have the opportunity to drive a car. So why would he have use for a GPS? In this context, the buyer has not put in much thought when deciding what to give as a gift – hence wrecking a relationship.

Back to the conversation I eavesdropped earlier, I was thinking how a RedRibbon Days voucher would satisfy all the requirement of a perfect gift for this group of people. A gift that is not physical (hence not taking up space) and allows the couple to spend quality time together.

If I have the opportunity to ever propose the ideal gift for a couple as such, here’s one perfect gift : An epic day out for the couple.

Since it’s going to be an epic day out, the couple should never worry about driving, finding parking and etc. The couple will be drive around the whole day (from the start of their experience till the end)!


Personal Limousine Chauffeur

Their very own chauffeur will be waiting outside the couple’s house waiting for the couple to embark on their epic day out.


First stop: Hearty Breakfast

There is nothing quite like a big hearty breakfast. Indulge in a range of healthy, scrumptious breakfast in a laid-back, cosy restaurant.


Second stop : ATV Waterfall Adventure

Perfect for that busy couple who is constantly buried with work. Take this opportunity to explore the beauty of our natural surroundings in this amazing experience. With a stop-over at a 7 tier waterfall, pristine surrounding untouched by humankind – this experience will definitely be a good breather from the city.


Third Stop : Mandara Massage

After all that adrenalin rush, head down for a pampering, relaxing and indulging couple massage. Let our masseur work their magic, and put the couple into deep relaxed state of mind. For the next 50 minutes, you will be at total bliss.


Fourth Stop : High Tea

So the couple had a hearty breakfast, and by now, should be feeling a bit peckish. Time to indulge in some sweet and savoury treats. Head down to the savvy BSC and indulge in a high tea experience fit for a socialite! Well known for it’s amazing range of chocolates and macarons, this experience will tease all your taste bud. Indulge in quiche, sandwiches, macarons and chocolates over a cup of fine tea.


Fifth Stop : VIP Shoe Shopping for Her

All girls have a soft spot for sexy, glamorous shoes. Proceed next to the experience, the VIP Shoe Shopping Experience where the show will be exclusively closed for an hour just for the couple! Let our personal stylist attend to the every need and advice on how to wear the perfect shoe for each occasion.

A bottle of bubbly and fine chocolates will accompany the couple while carrying out this experience. Imagine sipping bubbly while trying out shoes, without the intervention of others – definitely an experience not to be missed for all shoe aficionado.


Sixth Stop : Golf in The City for Two

Now that she has gotten herself 3 pairs of new shoes, it is time to do something that will make him happy as well! The couple will head down next for a “Golf in the City for Two” experience – whereby the couple will get to learn how to play golf – indoor style. For beginners, it will a good introductory experience to see if you really like the game (before you invest on the golf clubs) – and for the professionals, it will be a good time to practice your swing , and show her how good you are in this!


Seventh Stop : Stylish and Contemporary Asian Dining for Two

The couple must be famished by now - proceed next to a unique dining experience at ISHQ that features authentic Asian recipes from the humble Thai cuisine to Kampuchea and Vientiane and also the infamous Kahsmiri food. Served with a slightly modern twist, ISHQ dishes retain their original, traditional flavours. Having undergone a million dollar renovation resulting in the cosiest of ambience for patrons of fine dining, ISHQ boasts a large pillar-less dining hall that accommodates up to 200 persons, a garden courtyard with alfresco dining and an upper level which acts as a stylish cocktail bar and lounge.


Eight Stop : Movie for Two – Platinum Suite

What better way to end the night with a movie in the comfort of a Platinum Suite? With plenty of facilities to enjoy before the movie, you and your partner are bound to enjoy every minute of the night! Hop on to the massage chair, sip on complimentary soft drinks or surf the net before your movie starts. You and your partner will watch the movie in a 20-seater hall – fit with deluxe sofa that reclines for your ultimate comfort. There is also a service call button – so feel free to call for service any time during the movie! Slump on the plush sofa, eat popcorn, and relive the day’s experiences.

The perfect gift for the busy couple who rarely have time for each other, and yet nothing physical that will clutter their home! You won’t be just giving them an experience, but also the gift of time and love.

*Note: Package above is just a suggestion of an epic day out. All RedRibbon Days experiences are customizable to suit the recipient’s lifestyle and most importantly, your budget.

To customised a gift as such, email us at info (at) redribbondays (dot) com (dot) my or simply tweet to us @redribbon_days or call us at +603 - 2093 5973

weddings, weddings & more weddings!!

We are barely into the 3rd month of march and I'm already overwhelmed by weddings! By tradition, the Chinese normally will give red packets on this joyous occasion. Be it a Malay, Chinese, Indian or western wedding, I always ended up giving the couple a red packet as my token of appreciation for being invited.

Ever since the birth of RedRibbon Days, I'm extremely particular about the kind of "gift" on weddings. Nik mentioned to me that she received up to 3 toasters on her wedding day! Boy ! What will a girl do with 3 toaster? Hmm... And I've friends who returned the gift back (and some had the cheek to call up the giver of the gift for the receipt so they can do the exchange!) Gulp!

So, I make it a point from then on that every gift that comes from me on my friends wedding will be carefully thought and intended for. So what makes a good wedding gift, besides cash? Speaking of the latter, I have actually received an invitation card that clearly states that the couple would much prefer to receive their gift in the form of cash. Very direct - but hey, at least they are sparing themselves from the multiples photo frames, toasters and mugs!



I reckon a nice quick getaway experience for the newly weds would be something nice. For those who have no immediate plans for a honeymoon, they could sure do a quick escape from the gift. And a romantic, dining experience never goes wrong. Everybody loves food ! And not to mention, spa & pampering experiences. The newly wed could surely make do with one from pre-wedding preparation.

So yes, I have two lovely experiences nicely wrapped up with our signature gift pack ready to be sent on first thing on Monday morning for two weddings. I sure hope the couples will enjoy the experience and most importantly, understand the intention and emotion behind the gift.

Xmas @RedRibbon Days

Since it is already 2011, and I've already begun a blog on 2011, I will not be blogging about our RedRibbon Days Xmas Annual Company dinner this time. For interesting reads on this, visit our other blogs at :-

http://redribbondays.blogspot.com
http://nikhida.blogspot.com
http://blackbunnyjournal.tumblr.com

my 21st birthday

So it was my 21st birthday - again!! Okay, let's be truthful about this. It's not my 21st birthday, but hell, I do feel 21 still ! Anyways, age to me is just another number. So whether I'm 21, 35 or 50 - it doesn't matter. Bottom line, I truly feel good about where I am now. I am still very passionate about what I do at RedRibbon Days - and most importantly witnessing its growth by the day.

Anyways, on 26th November (my birthday actually falls on the 27th, but since 27th is a Saturday, we celebrated a day earlier) I arrived at work as usual - and had to admit here, I kinda knew that the girls will be doing something either on my table, my chair or my room. So, I went in and everyone shouted "Happy Birthday". I smiled, went into my room - and to my horror, they placed something obscene on my chair and table. Too obscene that I'm not even inclined to put up any picture of it here. Well, Nik seem to be enjoying it more than I do anyways! haha !!



It was work like usual - nothing special except that Nik and Ming Ne was acting kinda strange- disappearing every now and then. The day started off extremely well - first I received a Melinda Looi dress as one of my birthday gift and a very generous red packet. At that moment, I felt loved - truly blessed to be surrounded by people who cherished me and remembered my birthday.

It is tradition for us to have birthday lunch in the office - so when Nik came over and asked me for lunch, I eagerly skipped out wondering what they prepared for lunch. I was jumping with joy when I saw the spread of nasi padang ! Nik and Ming Ne had gone all the way (cant remember where they got it, though I remembered asking) for this feast. They got my favourite sambal belacan, fried fish, curry fish head, fried chicken, paru, petai and prawns - it was divine!! It was the most satisfying meal I had in a long time!


Nasi padang spread

Lunch was devoured rather quickly - and soon after a heavy meal, it was back to work like normal. Some time around 3pm, Nik came in again - this time to cut my birthday cake. I was not really hungry - but certainly ready for some sweet stuff after the heavy savoury lunch. I was shocked to see Atika and Az in our meeting room - as it didn't occur to me that they will be getting me an experience gift - to be experienced immediately!

I was thrilled to see boxes and boxes of shoes laying on the floor ! It was actually one of the many packages that I personally created and packaged up. This experience that I received was called "Serious Shoes Lover". When creating this package, I was thinking of the convenience of shopping without having the need to leave the comfort of your house/office. I like the idea of not needing to drive through jam and find parking (can be a bitch especially during peak hours). So when they gave me this gift, I was pleased. I felt so VIP.

The girls (well, we are pretty much an all ladies company) all got excited - all circling around me checking out the range of shoes and bag. The girls all ended up trying the shoes and bags. They were gleefully excited. It was a really cool experience (for me too, even though I was the one that came up with the package!) and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. So without much difficulties, I picked up 3 pairs of very lovely 5" heels (one black, one beige and another in dark blue/silver) and a gold clutch.

Here's some pic I took on that day :-


The angels that brought the shoes and bags to me !





My Louboutin birthday cake & another courtesy of Fuji Xerox

All in all, it was a wonderful day - and once again, I'm truly blessed to be surrounded by lovely people who went all the way to make my day truly special and memorable.

The JUMP for Merdeka Day

It was an exciting moment for everyone at RedRibbon Days. Just days before Merdeka Day (Malaysia's National/Independence Day) we released a competition in our Facebook fan page for a new experience in lieu with our Merdeka Day. This experience is like no ordinary experience - it is after all the very first in Malaysia! (it may well be common in other countries, but it is certainly new for us). BUNGY JUMP ! Everyone in RedRibbon Days was eager to try out the new experience once news broke out that Bungy Jump is ready to be experienced !

So hastily we released the competition and crossing our fingers that Malaysians would be brave courageous enough to do this experience. To align it with our Merdeka Day, interested parties were invited to write in a simple sentence on why they deserve to win this experience in lieu with the special day. Many interesting answers came in, however we were only allowed to pick 3 lucky winners.

After much deliberation, 3 lucky winners were picked out and the best answer goes to Reuben Rethinalingam :-

"Though its a working day tommrow it doesn’t stop me from giving this challenge a shoot to overcome one of my greatest fear which I still haven’t been able to conqeur apart of my other fear which is, SEA WATER.
I personaly think I should be given a chance to experince this challenge of bungee jump to break free myself and getting me to conqeur my fear of hights. Its makes it more signifact in conjuction with Merdeka Day as it perfectly resembles of me being able to MERDEKA myself from my fear and how I’m able to rule my own fear like how Malaysia fought for its independence and now is able to rule its own country and not being a slave to others. It’s 53 years we have got the independce and I think its time for me to get my indepence of overcoming my fear of 27 years."


On the fateful morning of 27th August, the three lucky winners were gathered at the location and were all geared up for the jump. The weather was perfect, scorching sun and no sight of possible rain or thunderstorm. Nik and Ming Nu was sent to location to capture each and every jump, to interview the winners and of course to be part of the experience.

Here's some pictures taken on that day :-

In orange : Wei (one of the winner), Rueben (in stripe red and white) and Donna








The winners are grouped together to fill in an indemnity form, briefed on safety and etc, donned on the Malaysia flag around their shoulder and waited patiently for the moment. Reuben was the first to do the jump, after all he has the best answer. It was all dandy for Rueben until the moment came for him. His fear of heights finally took over him and he was hesitant about jumping (for at least 5 minutes). After calming himself down, Rueben finally set his fear aside and plunge! It was such an exhilarating moment seeing him shouting hysterically and triumphantly with our Malaysia flag.

The terrifying moment was finally over for Rueben and Wei was lined up next. Without much hesitation, Wei took the plunge shouting "This is for Malaysia!". It was a beautiful dive and was over within minutes. Donna, the only female winner in the competition took the challenge with a pinch of salt. She even requested for her head to be dipped into the water !

So now that all the winners had experienced this experience, I know it will be my turn soon. I have no fear of heights, in fact, I love flying fox and high ropes. Perhaps, this will be the experience for me on my upcoming birthday?

Though a bit late, but hey, its better late than never, right? So to Malaysia - Happy National Day/ Happy Merdeka Day !



Here's a video clip taken on the day - enjoy !

truly blessed

I recently read a book and it asked me to list down all the things that I'm grateful for in life. Without hesitation, I picked up a pen and paper, and start penning down the list. And as I was going through my thoughts rummaging for other things that I am grateful for, I stared at the two names that I've written down. My two business partners - both who are my best friends in life.



Indeed at this moment, I felt very fortunate to have them both as my business partners. I've known both Nik and Ming Ne for close to a decade, but our relationship is still going strong and working as a team with them makes me feel wonderful about doing what I'm doing.

Never did it crossed my mind before that I would be doing business with my two best friend, and to achieve such amazing result as well. Each of them brings along with them a different set of skills and know-how, and this I strongly believe is the reason to why the three of us can work so well together, harmonically and happily. Of course there are days when we do get a bit under the weather, but we are always there to support and cheer each other on. When time gets rough, we will pat each other and motivate each other to persevere and move on.

I've known them both since university days - and have gone through thick and thin together. We partied together till wee hours, supported each other when we are broke (overspent on our allowance) and of course, those days spent on playing "shithead" and cooking "mee soto" and devouring the whole chicken between us!

And now, we are all sitting in the same office, working towards the same goal - doing our best for RedRibbon Days.

To my two best friend and best business partner, Nik and Ming Ne, this post is dedicated to you both. Thank you for believing in me, and supporting me throughout ; without qualms and hesitation.

Looking forward to our "mee soto" session tomorrow !! :)

The Adventurous 4

Couple months ago, I purchased an experience from RedRibbon Days for TY (we also call her moley) for her 32nd birthday. TY is adventurous, definitely an outdoor person and loves to have fun ! So, I chose a ballistic experience for her - and yes, you can imagine her response when she received the gift pack on the morning (while recovering from a massive hungover from the excessive, crazy drinking the night before). She went totally ballistic and messaged me saying "Wow ! This is the best gift ever!"...

And few months down the road, TY booked in for her experience (Oh! I got her a package experience called "The Adventurous 4") and she decided to make Alice and Howie who was visiting to do the experience with her! I knew she will like this gift because she had on numerous occasion mentioned to me that she really wants to try it out. And I clearly remember the personalised message I included in her voucher "Happy Birthday, have a great one - and roll yourself silly and get drunk!". So yes, kinda like a riddle - the experience is a combination of two experiences ! One involves rolling and another involved, yes drinking !!

Everyone arrived on time on that very morning - perfect weather conditions, albeit a bit cloudy. No sun ! It was perfect for me, because I was personally doing the delivery of the picnic basket and champagne myself. And I am certainly no big fan of the sun! The new site for the experience is at Serdang - a good 30 minutes drive away from Bangsar. A quick scan around the new area tells me there is a lot of new potential for development and for our suppliers to add on and bring in more exciting experiences. Compared to Lake Titiwangsa, this place feels almost abandon - it is lacking of the ice-cream man, yelling kids and couples strolling hands in hand. Let's hope our supplier can bring Gackaroo and water orb there soon!

The adventurous 4 looks slightly nervous now - not knowing what to expect ; but the big plastic ball that they are soon to dive in certainly intimidate them a little.



Without much delay, TY and Howie did their first dry sphereing together. TY was looking slightly pale and worried. So while they are getting strapped up and all, I poked my face into the ball and took some pics.





The wet ride certainly was a favourite. All 4 of them were drenched from head to toe. The verdict ? They finally get to feel how it is to be inside a washing machine!! It was hilarious seeing how wet they were and how much fun they all had.




What better way to end the experience but with a delightful picnic basket and a bottle of bubbly ? By now, everyone was famished and the food in basket was quickly and quietly devoured within minutes.



I have personally tried our Dry Sphereing Ride before - it was done very spontaneously; I was not mentally prepared at all. In fact, we were there to oversee an event, and somehow, I was convinced to try it out. After all, we have to personally try out our experiences to make sure they are safe, fun and exciting enough to package it as a gift ! I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, though Nik was yelling at my face for the whole 30 seconds! I literally had to yell back at her to make her calm down !! It was indeed a very unforgettable experience for us both, as every time we talk about this particular experience, it never fails to make us laugh !

Seeing all my friends enjoyed their experience definitely made me feel proud and happy of what we do here at RedRibbon Days. Not only we provide people with memorable experiences and unforgettable memory ; we also have the power to make people happy.

Happy Birthday, RedRibbon Days !!

We are officially two (okay, because today is a Friday, and RedRibbon Days birthday happens to fall on a weekend- we decided to make today the celebration day) Yipppey ! So what is different about today and any other day in the office ? First we celebrated today with our favourite duck rice for lunch ! Yes, you read me right. Duck rice. Two years ago, we had duck rice for lunch as well, 4 hours prior to our official launch/inauguration. But we were too busy and nervous about the launch that the duck rice was left sitting there, untouched. So we decided to eat duck rice today in conjunction with RRD'S Bday !!

Well, work still goes on in the office, but we do have a cake and a bottle of champagne chilling in the office (as I'm writing this blog) - ready to be popped ! And also the after work drinks and dinner tonight at our favourite joint, Vincenzo.

Next year today, we will be celebrating our birthday in a new environment, with a bigger team. That is my birthday wish for this year :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my baby!

Is customer always right ?

It's Saturday. I received a call from Nik and she sounded agitated and upset. Nothing really upsets Nik unless it is matters relating to our customers. Nik teared a little - and I could hear her frustration over the phone on how irate she was at a customer who was being unreasonable and painfully rude. In our industry, we try our best (in fact, we go beyond the call of duty) to make sure every experience with RedRibbon Days is as pleasant as it can be. Most important of all, we want all our customers to feel happy whenever they experience a RedRibbon Days experience.

But when we already committed so much and yet customers insist on demanding more - that is when we could tolerate no more. Prior to this, I always think yes, customer is King. And being a customer myself, I demand a lot of a product or even a service. But when customers starts demanding for more than what they pay for, then I would beg to differ. Customers are not always right, but they are always insisting that they are right and we are (the service/product provider) wrong.

I am starting to wonder, perhaps I used to be like that too, until I was an owner of a business myself - and I liaised with customers from all walk of life. Some customers are really nice, and some customers are preposterously unreasonable and will say all nasty things to us to make sure they get what they want. The latter group are the ones who pays you for your service and expect a 101% percent return. They simply do not have the simple business acumen - i.e. in a business world, there are invitation to treat (Fisher v Bell) ,exaggerated marketing and of course - every word you say will be used against you.

So I came to a conclusion, not until these people own their own business, they will never fully comprehend this. They are always the group of people who always talk about customer is king and customer is always right. And they are also the group of customers that will always give you problems when they buy from you.

And sad to say, I hate to be bothered by customers like that, and sometimes I rather not have them as customers at all. If you buying from me not only gives me more headache and problems, but tears and heartache (not to mention - a loss), then I'd rather not have your business. There is no one that owns a business and not wish to keep their customers happy - but if all their customers are like the group of unreasonable customers - I'm sure everyone that owns their own business would agree with me.

Customers are not always right, but we always have to give in to them because they always think they are right.

we are 2 soon !

Come this 18th June 2010, RedRibbon Days will be officially 2 year old. To celebrate this joyous occasion, I've something planned for everyone in RedRibbon Days. This 'plan' however will not be disclosed anytime soon. I'm however, eagerly waiting for the day to come.

I am thinking about what to say to my staff and business partners on the day. I'm thinking of a promotion. So many things going through my mind as I'm looking at my to-do's check list. 2 years ago, when RedRibbon Days was still in its infancy stage - there were so many uncertainties; so many setbacks; and so many negative influences in the office. But now things has changed. So much has changed in one year - we added two new staff to the team; and the focus was completely on the business and nothing else.

We have brought joy, happiness and wonderful memories to the lives of many - and we will continue to do so. We pledge to deliver the most amazing experiences to our customers and we will always deliver happiness and memorable gifts to your loved ones. Many has said to me that the process is going to be excruciating and slow - some even said it is not viable to do this business in Malaysia. But whenever we get a very positive feedback from our customers, it always push me to strive even harder and make this business work - and for Malaysians to embrace the concept of experiential gifting.

Theing recently blogged about one of the event we organised and planned for a customer ; and her entry ascertained my love, passion and confidence for RedRibbon Days further. She said in her entry that RedRibbon Days is not just another gifting company, but we deal with "events of the heart". I am now more convinced that RedRibbon Days will continue to bring pleasure, happiness - and most importantly - a gift of memory to many for many years to come.

Christmas Dinner @ Carcosa Seri Negara

It is way past Christmas - and I apologise for the long delay in posting this entry. It was in fact an entry that I've been meaning to write and share with you all, but kept forgetting about it until the good news came just couple weeks ago. For those who follow closely on our RedRibbon Days' blogs, you would be aware of the reopening of our favourite Carcosa Seri Negara hotel.

It was Friday, 24th Dec 2009. Our dinner started at approximately 7.00pm and we turned up gleefully excited and famished. Carcosa Seri Negara stood majestically handsome amidst the lush greenery surrounding it. It was supposed to be the last two night before it was closed down indefinitely for a major renovation. We were greeted and welcomed by the hotel manager, Ms. Caroline. Within minutes, we were ushered to our reserved table and we quietly and politely assume our seats. The restaurant was already packed by now - everyone seems merry and happily chatting away. The place was filled with merriment and laughter.

I suddenly realised that I am way under-dressed for the occasion (I couldn't be bothered to change into something "christmas-ty" as I had to rush there straight from work). I could only pretend to be immaculately dressed and hope someone will come in inadequately attired like me. Who was I kidding? The next group of people that walk in was dressed to the nines. They were all glowing from head to toe - with glittering dresses, accessories and gorgeous looking high-heels. My feet responded fast to that, and immediately, I pulled my dull looking black working heels underneath the table, hoping no one would spot the worn out shoes.

Drinks were served and I immediately gulped down half a glass of white wine - in hoping, it would numb my conscious state of mind. What was I thinking ? It was a french dining experience - and of course,everyone would be dressed up for it! D'oh!

Amuse bouche was served quickly - I peeked into the menu and it read "Fine de claire oyster, shallot of vinaigrette ad pumpernickel clive. (I may misspelt something here - as I have scribbled it down on a piece of used paper in a hurry).



I am always a big fan of oyster, so without much delay, I quickly slurp down the oyster on my plate. Yummy! (could be better if I have a glass of champagne!). The oyster was very fresh, and so smooth that without much chewing, I just had to swallow it.
Fine de claire oyster, shallot of vinaigrette ad pumpernickel clive

I would wish for more oyster, but it was a pre-set 5 course dinner, which means, it would make me seem like a glutton to order another serving of oyster. Our plates were quickly taken away, and within the next few minutes or so, our next course was served.


Foie gras terrine with glazed figs, brioche

The verdict ? I love my foie gras - and though this may not be the best foie gras I have ever eaten, it was actually not that bad. I'm very particular about foie gras and more often than not, they turned out to be too gamey for my liking. This was actually not too bad, especially when it is being accompanied by figs. The latter happen to be one of my favourite fruits - so anything that could go with it, wouldn't be that bad. I did not finish the foie gras. I would normally have more than what was served - but that night I've decided against it.

By now, I no longer care about what I was wearing and beginning to enjoy the night. It was getting merry, pianist was playing Christmas songs and yes, I had about two glass of wine and by now, I'm jolly and care less about what other people think, or what I really think. The wine served was a Sauvignon Blanc - something very light and a good match to what we were eating (considering we were eating everything sea-food-ish up to this point). Or perhaps it wasn't a fantastic wine, but I had to numb my senses at the start of the night - so even mediocre wine will be consumed without much hesitation.


Cream of Jerusalem artichoke with turnip and mussels

Ah ! Artichoke - another one of my favourite. Cook it the right way, it is absolutely divine. When the dish was brought to me, I was hoping that it will not disappoint me. I picked up my spoon and took a sip of the creamy broth. I can hear yummm and mmmm from the others, and indeed, I had to join in and mutter the soft yumm and mmm. The broth texture was smooth, and wasn't creamy ( I have no tolerance for creamy, buttery liquid). This was perfect, and the mussels made the broth sweet and the combination of artichoke and mussels was just mind-blowing. I wish I could slurp my plate, but it would seem rather inappropriate to do so in such fine restaurant. Well, I did not even spare a drop. We took the bread and salvage each drop. The plate was as good as unused.


Butter poached lobster, la ratte potato and white chocolate

What can I say ? This dish was even better than the previous ones! The lobster was fresh, and the potatoes and white chocolate was a good match. I had to admit, I was getting very full - and we are not even on our main course yet!


Turkey fillet baked in ginger bread - dark cherry & winter vegetables.

I had to admit - I can't say much for this dish as I was too full from all the other courses. I took a bite of the turkey though and it was indeed very tasty. Certainly something that I would devour if not for my already near-exploding stomach. Perfectly wrapped in the ginger bread, this dish looks absolutely pretty. The others devoured everything - and I only had space left for more wine.

Dessert was next and this time round, I managed to scoff down a few spoonfuls down my throat.



I was full and tipsy by now that I have completely forgotten to write down the name of this dessert. But I remembered clearly how indulging and divine it was when I ate the meringue and chocolate cake. I did not try the fruit cake (which was served with rum, if I'm not mistaken) but the others complimented it well.

After a satisfying meal (by now we are all very happy and full), we bid our farewell to Carcosa for the last time and I could almost remember ranting to the others about my unhappiness and discontentment on why such a beautiful building had to go through the whole renovation/ redevelopment crap. Blame it on the alcohol or the gastronomic meal that I just had - I thought to myself then, what a pity it would be to close it down and the Malaysia government should start preserving colonial buildings with historical value and this is definitely one of it.

Verdict : 7.5 stars out of 10

Now that Carcosa Seri Negara is back in business, I would have no qualms about getting this experience as a gift for Christmas this year!

Pilot for A Day

I always pride myself for being spontaneous and adventurous (well, sometimes). So when the time has finally arrived for me to do our Pilot for A Day experience - I immediately sign up for it and without any qualms - booked in a date and time. I eagerly awaited for the day to come and on the fateful day - I was up early and gleefully excited on the prospect of flying a plane for the first time!

I arrived nice and early and was shown around the hangar area - and get a glimpse of many private planes and jets of the rich and famous. I signed a disclaimer form, and was given a 15 minutes briefing by the Pilot of the day, Captain Dylan. He showed me the plane that we will be flying in, (a Cessna model) the mechanics of the plane and many other interesting parts of the plane that contributed to a plane's flying mechanism. I sat myself inside the plane and playfully manoeuvre the wheel! There were so many buttons and controls on the plane that I was beginning to get confuse.







The plane that flew with us on that day was a 2-seater model. It was small and almost looked like a toy-plane from afar. By now, I was starting to feel a bit "chickeny" - (def : chicken out ; back out at the last minute). It was after all my first flying experience - and it was only normal for me to feel - nervous. When Captain Dylan told me we are ready to fly, I quickly buckled up my seat belts and put on the head set. The engine started up - which startled me slightly and put me back to the reality. The engine came to a full force and just like a normal commercial plane, the Captain manoeuvre the plane to the take off area. He allowed me to take control of the plane this very instance - simply by keeping the wheel straight and follow the yellow line on the tarmac. It was fun! After few minutes on the wheel, instructions came in from tower control asking us to standby for take-off. For a minute or so, butterflies started fluttering around ferociously in my stomach. I swallowed my saliva so hard that I could literally hear it - to keep me from being nervous or paranoid. Gulp*

In less than 2 minutes after the tower gave us the green light to take off - the plane took off without much effort. The plane started climbing up and as usual, I was busy snapping away ! We went up above 1000 feet and after much communication between the tower and the pilot - the pilot turned to me and asked me to take control of the wheel. Without much hesitation, I put my hands on the wheel and start manoeuvring the plane. The wheel was so sensitive that it reacts to the slightest motion command. For a good few minutes, I had the vision of me in an immaculate pilot suit - the 4 stripes on my shoulder and sleeves. What a wonderful feeling that was !

The best part for me was when tower control gave instructions for us to stay longer on that level as there are some commercial planes flying past above us. To the pilot it wasn't much of a good news - as now he can't land the plane as planned. Having extra time on air, Captain Dylan decided to pull some stunts without giving me any warning beforehand. He suddenly plunged the plane and I felt my heart dropped and sudden pressure to my ear and I almost felt my head popping out from where they were! I knew this sounded insane - but I actually enjoyed that feeling. Seeing that I'm quite a dare-devil, Captain Dylan decided to pull out the other hidden stunts he has under his sleeves. He manoeuvred the plane so hard to the left and then to the right that it almost felt like a roller coaster ride! Captain Dylan normally doesn't do this to other customers - so he said. He only did it to me because of who I am- and he believes the Founder and CEO of RedRibbon Days should get a different treatment ; the challenge and experience should be heighten with hint of madness!



Thanks Captain - but I truly enjoyed the experience despite your best effort to see me go green.

After flying around for a good whole 20 minutes, the tower finally gave us clearance to start descending in preparation for landing. Once again, I was given the power to control the wheel to descend the plane. It was so much fun and I was so disappointed when I had to let the pilot take over the wheel as we are now ready to land the plane. The plane landed without a glitch and effortlessly. By now, my hands are eagerly waiting on the wheel and I can't wait to manoeuvre the plane to the parking bay.

I enjoyed the experience tremendously - and was extremely pleased with myself for doing it. It is definitely an experience not to be missed and an experience that everyone must experienced at least once in their lifetime. And after doing this experience, I know for sure, it will be the best and perfect gift for that someone special in your life.

The End of An Era

Come this 26th December 2009, one of my favorite hotel in Malaysia - The Carcosa Seri Negara will be closed down indefinitely for a redevelopment project. How long the curtains will be drawn down and close - no one knows. What I know is - it is still operating as usual now - though some of the experiences we previously sold in our RedRibbon Days is no longer available.

For those who was born and bred in KL, Carcosa Seri Negara is not a uncommon name. It is renown for its historical and beautifully arched colonial buildings and to me, the perfect and ideal place to sit down, relax and indulge myself with a traditional English Afternoon Tea.



This charming boutique hotel is built in the 1904 - the official residence of the highest British representatives of the Malay states. Carcosa Seri Negara is the hallmark of Malaysia’s national heritage and the Victorian-styled building is set amidst four acres of lush landscaping.

I can simply while away my Sunday afternoon doing nothing, but kick back, relax and sip my favorite cup of tea, indulge in scones and delicacies and fully embrace the serenity of the surroundings. Who can resist such a tempting way of spending a lazy Sunday afternoon? Certainly not me.

Carcosa Seri Negara and the renown Traditional English Afternoon Tea will be dearly missed.