Peggy Loh ~ My Johor Stories

Shantou Yingge in JB

2012-02-24T22:52:00.004+08:00

Yingge musician perform with the dancers at
Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

In June 2011, Yingge (Eng Kor in Teochew dialect) dance was first presented at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk by the Johor Theng Chuan Tan Clan Association. Regulars at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk had their first glimpse of this dance when a small troupe gave a captivating performance, thrilling the audience with their energetic dance as part of the Tan Clan’s 70^th Anniversary celebration.

The enthusiastic response to this traditional Teochew art-form paid off handsomely when a troupe of Yingge dancers from Chaoyang, in Guangdong, China, came to Johor Baru as foreign guests in the recent Johor Chingay.

C P Tan [Left] showing visitors the exhibition on Yingge
dance in the Red House

It all started when government officials from Shantou city, China, visited the Johor Chinese Heritage Museum and Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk last June and was very impressed with what Johor Baru is doing to preserve the Chinese heritage.

Over lunch, Lee Fong, the Shantou Party Secretary General, made a surprise announcement on a decision to send a troupe of Yingge dancers to Johor Baru for Johor’s annual Chingay. After a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Haji Burhan Amin, Mayor of Johor Baru, on 4 November 2011, the best Yingge troupe of 72 dancers and 22 musicians was selected to perform in the Johor Chingay.

Warrior dancers perform an excerpt of Yingge dance
at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

The Yingge dance is an art-form that was gazetted as a national heritage in mainland China in 2006. The history of this dance dates back to some 300 years with its origins in paddy planters who would usually sing along to the beat of drums while sowing seedlings. To encourage farmers to work harder, this dance was traditionally carried out throughout the whole planting season.

As a result, this dance was known locally as the ‘Dance for Sowing Seedlings’ or Yang Ge Wu. It gradually evolved into an open-square dance that portrays the 108 Heroes of the Water Margin, a renowned piece of literature in Chinese culture. In Southern China, this cultural performance is fondly known as Yingge or the ‘Dance of the Heroes’ where a large number of dancers would perform in a parade through village streets, and even across hills and valleys.

Warrior faces are usually painted with menacing expressions

The size of the troupe may vary from 36, 72 to 108 or reduced to just 24 members who would then portray the most prominent heroes from the Water Margins.

The dance is an energetic show arranged in two parallel rows, with dancers twirling short wooden sticks to the sound of drums, gongs and cymbals, along with segments of singing, dancing and martial arts. In China, Yingge dancers are welcomed everywhere because it’s believed that places where they have walked would be auspicious forever!

The visiting troupe made several appearances in Johor Baru, beginning with an introduction event held at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk on 11 February. It began with a dressing-up session where several artistes donned traditional warrior costumes and had their faces intricately painted as a demo of how much effort went into preparing a troupe for a performance. As the make-up artists worked under the curious eyes of photographers, it became obvious that the faces were deliberately painted with menacing expressions to reflect fierce warrior faces.

Some of the warrior dances with foreign dignitaries
at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

After Tan Tai Chong, President of Johor Baru Teochew Eight Districts Association, welcomed the foreign guests, the Deputy Mayor of Shantou city, Madam Zhao Hong, gave her speech.

In a simple ribbon-cutting ceremony with representatives of Johor Baru Teochew Eight Districts Association and those from Shantou city including Yang Wei, their 81-year old Heritage Master, the troupe was formally welcomed to Johor Baru. The guests were then escorted on a tour of an exhibition on Yingge dance inside the Red House, aimed at giving local people more info about this art-form.

Putting on the finishing touches on this warrior face

Through an interview with the troupe captain, Lim Tong Chen by C P Tan, Director of the Teochew Eight Districts Association, the audience learnt more about this dance. The Yingge performance is divided into many sections with three main sections – the Front, Mid and Rear.

The Front usually features the most rugged and awe-inspiring heroes from the Water Margins while the Mid section often depicts short stories derived from legends, ancient lifestyles and filial piety. The Rear section emphasizes heroism and the triumph of good over evil – a common theme throughout the story of the Water Margins.

The Red House at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage
Walk is an excellent backdrop for cultural events

When the artistes performed a brief but energetic excerpt of the Yingge dance, the audience could anticipate the excitement when the entire troupe turned up in full for the Johor Chingay.

That night, the troupe went on to perform at Xing Gong, the temporary shrine for the Johor Ku Miao temple deities at Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek, ahead of the Chingay.

Spectators who caught a glimpse of the lively Yingge dancers around the city were thrilled with their colour and vigour, and as these performances are believed to have auspicious elements that augur well for special occasions, their trek through Johor Baru must have boosted good omens all around!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 23 February 2012

Creative Kites

2012-02-24T09:32:00.001+08:00

Liannawati [Right] with her sons, Wenda [Left]
and Wenas [Centre] at last year's Pasir Gudang Kite Fest

They come in all shapes and sizes. Peggy Loh takes her pick of some creative kites in this year's Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival.

I was asked, “What comes to mind when you think of Pasir Gudang – just an industrial site?” Not willing to appear ignorant, I promptly replied, “It’s an industrial area that’s also renowned for the World Kite Fest!” After hosting the World Kite Fest at Bukit Layang-Layang 17times, Pasir Gudang has since become synonymous with kite-flying to both local and international kite enthusiasts. Bukit Layang-Layang or Kite Hill is also home to our nation’s first Kite Museum which celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year.

The Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival from 15 to 19 February, in the theme “One Sky One Culture” aptly describes how this sport unites kite enthusiasts from every nation who share the same passion for kite-flying. Some 557 local participants in 110 teams representing National, School and Corporate categories, and 225 international participants from 34 nations meet on Bukit Layang-Layang once again to show off their creatively designed kites and kite-flying skills. This year’s fest attracted participants from three more nations – Colombia, Turkey and Curacao. Even though the weather was wet at times, the keen kite-flyers remain undeterred because once the rain abated they took advantage of the prevailing monsoon winds to launch an amazing variety of breath-taking kites.

With one eye on the sky and the other watching my step lest I get strangled by the many long lines linked to their soaring kites, I pick my way carefully among the kite-flyers in the field. I’m thrilled to meet Liannawati and her son, Wenda, from Bandung, among the 44-strong Indonesian team. I remember them from last year for their Upin & Ipin kites and this year, they brought a special caterpillar figure kite, complete with 500 LED lights as well as three sizes of kites in a cute design of a squirrel eating a slice of watermelon.

The Kite Fest is an annual carnival on the Johor tourism calendar organized with a host of activities that include kite workshops and a kite exhibition by International participants. It’s mostly a family affair for visitors who come along with kids and grandparents as well as many participants who come with families who share their passion in kite-making and kite-flying. The most anticipated moments of this 5-day fest are when the sky is dotted with a variety of traditional kites and creatively designed figure kites of giant squid, dragon and fish. Here are five fascinating picks I discovered.

Cellophane Kite from Curacao

Kite maker from Curacao, Carol Jansen, with her kite
made with cellophane

Her grandmother first taught her brothers the art of kite-flying and since she was five years old, Carol Jansen, has been flying kites. “Everyone flies kites in Curacao,” said Jansen, a first-timer in the 17^th Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival. As she watched the teams working enthusiastically together to fly their kites, Jansen, the nation’s sole representative, said that she will encourage her brothers to come as her team to the next fest.

She said there’s just more kite-flying in Curacao during the kite season between March and June and they will compete for the Curacao Cup in a kite-flying competition at the end of the season. Jansen, a Kite Artist, is constantly looking for new ideas to design her kites. One day in a stationery shop, she noticed the vibrant colours on sheets of cellophane and decided to try using them to make her kites. Coloured cellophane sheets stretched across her rattan kite frames designed as insects and birds are so eye-catching that it started a trend in using cellophane on kites in Curacao!

Visit www.curacaokites.com for more info on kite-flying in Curacao.

Khleng Kloah from Cambodia

Cheang Yarin from Cambodia with a
traditional khleng kloah or parasol kite

Cheang Yarin and her husband, Sim Sarak, representatives from the Cambodian team, are proud to present a variety of their traditional kites that are generally known as khleng at the Kite Fest. In Khmer language, the word khleng is used for a predatory bird of prey that eats snakes, fish and rodents.

The art of kite-making and the passion for kite-flying was virtually destroyed in 1970’s civil war in

Cambodia

but this cultural heritage is seeing a revival since they initiated a kite festival in early 1994. With several kite festivals held in 1994, 1996 and 1999, the younger generation are discovering more about their national kites.

Sim Sarak, who is also Cultural Advisor to the Prime Minister, has collaborated with Cheang Yarin to compile a book entitled, “Khmer Kites” to reintroduce a wide range of traditional kites and this sport to the nation. This couple from Phnom Penh, calls themselves, the Khmer Kite Family, and shares their passion for kite-making with him making the kite while she paints the designs. Cheang Yarin explains that the designs she painted on the kite are inspired by the carvings seen at the entrance of the Angkor Wat.

Figure Kite from Indonesia

Figure kite by H. Asran Kunyi Muhidin from Indonesia
named after his grand-daughter, Amelia

H. Asran Kunyi Muhidin, pull strongly on the kite line, anchoring the soaring figure kite while a few young men rallied around, helping to keep the kite airborne in the changing wind direction. But the cloudy sky and threatening storm did not deter this team from braving the elements to keep the kite flying. When more than one streak of lightning split the sky, Asran, a 9^-time participant at the Kite Fest, knew it was time to reel in his kite and let the storm blow over before he tried to fly it again.

“Amelia” he said the word in a heavy Indonesian accent, referring to his kite, a dolly with two plaits of hair hanging down the sides of her cherubic face and went on to explain that his creation is inspired by his 12-year old grand-daughter. Asran, from Kalimantan, uses ultra-light rip-stop parachute fabric to make his giant kites. Besides, “Amelia” he also brought along two other big kites designed as a dragon and a squid, to fly in the Kite Fest.

Box kite from Australia

Micahel Alvares from Australia with his
box kite gift to the Kite Museum

Lawrence Hargrave, inventor of the box kite in the late 1800’s, would be happy to know that Michael Alvares is carrying on his legacy of flying box kites.

Alvares, who has a collection of kites from some 32 countries, is a kite enthusiast who studies the mythology, aerodynamics and cultural history of kite-flying and shares his passion in this sport with school children through kite workshops and design exhibitions. Among the kite-flying anecdotes he likes to share is how in ancient times, people used to write prayers on kites to send them sky-wards to communicate with the gods!

Alvares is no stranger to Kite Fest and already has one of his box kites displayed in the Kite Museum. To commemorate the museum’s 10^th anniversary, he will present a box kite painted with Australian icons. Made from Tyvek – a non-tear, lightweight synthetic material, this kite has designs that include the Australian coat-of-arms that features a kangaroo and emu, koala and joey, cockatoos, goanna, leafy sea dragon, honey-pot ants, wombat and platypus. Alvares is fascinated by how the frill-necked lizard drinks the dew collected on its back and hopes that these icons will teach visitors more about Australia.

Visit www.kitekinetics.com.au for more info on Kite Kinetics in Perth, Western Australia. Note: Some pictures of box kites by inventor, Lawrence Hargrave, are featured on the reverse side of the old A$20 note.

Appliqué Kite from Switzerland

Olivier Reymond from Switzerland
with his applique kite

Olivier Reymond made this kite designed with a woman and three fish in a past Dieppe Kite Fest, the most renowned kite fest in North America, under the theme “Myths & Legends” and calls it, “Luxottica” after the brand name for the sports eyewear.

He borrowed the picture from an ad for that eyewear and wove a mythical legend that she transformed her three sons into fish to protect them from evil. At first glance the stained-glass effect on the Rokkaku-shaped kite already looks attractive and when flipped over to its reverse side, the kite is even more impressive because it’s made using the appliqué technique on rip-stop nylon!

Since Switzerland does not have any kite-making tradition, Reymond is happy that there’s no limit to his creativity. This retired biologist has turned his 17-year old hobby in kites into a full-time job and he also gives workshops in the appliqué technique.

Reymond, another first-timer at the Kite Fest, has more than a 100 kites in his own collection and is happy to give them away to museums where kite enthusiasts can appreciate them. He will present his appliqué kite entitled, “Clement” a design inspired by Samuel Spottford Clement, a former slave, to the Kite Museum for its 10^th anniversary celebration.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 23 February 2012

First Yingge in JB

2012-02-23T12:39:00.000+08:00

First Yingge dance troup at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

Johor Baru earned its nickname – Little Swatow – as Teochew culture flourished here when more Teochew people immigrated to Johor in the mid 1800’s. That’s because Swatow or Shantou [Mandarin] a province in Guangdong,

China

, is the original homeland of most of Johor’s Teochew population.

As the largest dialect group in Johor Baru, the Teochew clan is known to have always taken the lead among the Chinese clans in Johor.

The Johor Theng Chuan Tan Clan Association, which held a grand celebration for its 70^th anniversary in June 2011, is committed to cultivating cultural interest among youths through taking part in various Chinese cultural activities and training in the art of Teochew opera.

Keen crowd at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk
watching assembly of Yingge troupe

As part of their anniversary celebration last June, they hosted a troupe of traditional Yingge dancers from Thailand who appeared in Johor Baru for the first time as the star attraction in the evening’s event at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk on 25 June 2011.

Regulars at the Heritage Walk had their first glimpse of this exciting performance and thrilled to see the costumes and colour, bold make-up and energetic segments of their march along the streets around the heart of old Johor Baru.

I was privileged to be part of the celebrations and am glad to share some pictorial mementoes of that special event:

Stick fight demo by two artistes

Sword and defence demo

Human tower made by seven artistes!

The Yingge troupe was the main attraction at the Tan Clan's 70th anniversary celebration on 25 June 2011

This Yingge troupe performed well into the night with a street march through old JB

The Theng Chuan Tan Clan Johor guild house is located at 4F-1 & 4G-1 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Susur 3, Johor Baru. Tel: 607 – 2272 985, 2272 986, Fax: 607 – 2272 987 or email: info@tanclasjb.my and tanassn@yahoo.com. Visit website: http://www.tanclanjb.my/ for more info.

/pl

Back to the 60's

2012-02-22T15:27:00.000+08:00

Facade of 1968 Bistro Cafe

Do you remember going to watch Chinese movies in Rex and Lido cinemas way back when theatre-movies were the most affordable leisure pastime? Remember how you used to eagerly anticipate watching your heroes in action as you read the giant billboards printed with current and Akan Datang movie attractions? Then you will be delighted to see replicas of such movie billboards at 1968 Bistro Café in Taman Austin Heights.

Fans of 60’s Hong Kong movie and music stars feel at home in the charming ambience of this retro-fitted bistro because here’s where they can relive their experience of a bygone era. One can’t help but admire the nostalgic charm and quiz C H Kuek, 37, about it because he’s clearly not from that era but he seems to be stuck in such an exciting time warp. Kuek, an interior designer by profession, is a managing partner who has turned his private collection of artifacts and priceless collectibles from this era into an interesting backdrop for this bistro.

C H Kuek has a passion for 60's
movies and music

“I was inspired by what I saw on TV,” said Kuek, who used to live in the Lumba Kuda 15-Storey flats and has amassed a wide collection of 60’s memorabilia that he picked up from old houses in Johor as well as from street markets in Thailand and Hong Kong. His family must have watched a great deal of made-in-Hong Kong movies and videos because the walls in the front window and within are adorned by portraits of famous movie and music stars. Part of the fun in your experience here is trying to recognize and recalling the names of these popular stars!

“My favourites include Sam Hui and his brothers and of course, Bruce Lee,” admitted Kuek. In the front glass showcase you will see nostalgic items like a black & white television housed in a wooden box, a square microphone on a stand, a metal hot-water flask, a telephone with a rotating dial and a stuffed armchair. Look closer and you will notice that the window is made of real window glass panels that once belonged to an old house!

Square microphone against a wall hung
with photos of 60's music and movie stars

While the bistro’s décor also features a hollow-brick wall and metal grill, both popular design trends in the 60’s, flat-screen televisions are installed on the walls to play a constant loop of Hong Kong TV advertisements collected from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. After a few minutes of viewing the ads, you may recognize some familiar faces among the TVB stars and familiar products that you or your family probably used before. Behind the bar counter, the wall cabinets are filled with nostalgic memorabilia including a rare collection of Lao Fu Zi or Master Q, series of comics!

To the left of the entrance, the charm continues with simple wooden shelves filled with biscuit tins and snack bottles, and the wall above is hung with a board stapled with cheap toys and a tikam board. This evocative spot, reminiscent of a typical sundry shop in bygone days, will certainly bring back a rush of fond childhood memories. The items here are not for sale but if you ask Kuek very nicely, he may spare you some of those chocolate wafers and lemon tablet sweets to sample!

Corner reminiscent of old sundry shop

After you pick your drinks from a menu mounted on a Long-Playing vinyl record, choose your food from the meal menu, bound in an interesting booklet that looks like what a sifu or kungfu master may hand over to his disciples. Don’t be surprised because for starters, 1968 serves a little basket of Marie biscuits instead of the usual roasted peanuts or crisps. Their drink menu boasts a range of beers and beverages while their meals are mainly café fare like chicken chop and finger-food that go well with drinks like ikan-bilis crisps but a must-try is their signature deep-fried boneless chicken wings stuffed with minced prawns and chopped fire-cracker chillies.

You will be delighted to see that the type of crockery used here is reminiscent of those you last saw in your grandmother’s kitchen. And when you find your way to the rest-rooms, you won’t miss your way because the portraits of 60’s Hong Kong movie stars, Peter Chen Ho and Betty Lo Ti on the doors, will point you to the Men’s and Ladies rooms!

1968 Bistro Café is at 35, Jalan Austin Heights 3/1, Taman Austin Heights, Johor Baru. Opening hours are from 4pm to 1am. Tel: 607 – 357 1968.

Deep-fried boneless chicken wings stuffed with minced prawns

Tasty ikan-bilis crisps with spicy onion slivers

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 21 February 2012

My Larkin Gardens

2012-02-21T11:19:00.003+08:00

Peggy in front of our brand new house
in Larkin Gardens, 1961

When someone asks me, “Where do you live?” I tell them, “Larkin Gardens.” If they are not from Johor Bahru, I usually elaborate by saying that it’s located near the football stadium. To stress how close I live to the stadium, I will say that when they shout, “Goal!” I can hear it from my house.

My parents, now retired from Government service, moved our family from the Jalan Dato’ Wilson hospital quarters to Larkin Gardens in 1961.

When we first moved in, these houses were so new that gates were not installed yet and the grass was struggling to grow in our gravelly garden.

My sisters and I [Left] in our front porch

From old photos, I saw that the original layout had the gate located directly in front of the main door but we decided to shift the gate and aligned it with the driveway and garage. At that time, there were no street lights along Jalan Dato’ Jaffar which links Larkin Gardens to Jalan Larkin. While there was also no bus service into Larkin Gardens, it was still safe for mum to walk home in the dark from where the bus dropped her in front of the Fire Station when she returned late after hospital shifts.

Living in an area with retired Government officers and several Dato’s and Datin’s, Larkin Gardens has the enviable reputation of being a peaceful place to call home. Indeed, taxi drivers today, still fondly refer to Taman Dato Onn as “Laaken” because this housing development was originally made up of Larkin Gardens created close to Jalan Dato’ Jaffar, Larkin Lama built around Jalan Sentosa and Larkin Jaya located after the stadium. More recently, apartment and condo developments known as Larkin Perdana, Larkin Residences and Larkin Aman have sprouted around the older residential areas.

Peggy [Third from Left] with family members
Christmas party in Larkin Gardens, 1962

My siblings and I made many fond memories, playing “masak-masak” and training our dogs in the garden and we each have several scars from wounds that resulted from cycling and roller-skating accidents in the front yard.

We celebrated many birthdays and hosted crazy Christmas parties, best remembered for fancy dressing in different themes.

While Larkin used to be somewhat like a retirement village for former Government servants, the resident mix has changed with the demise of retirees and new buyers moving in. Not only has the landscape and residents changed, security has also taken a turn for the worse. While it used to be safe to leave good shoes outside, it’s not done now because we may never see our shoes again. If gates could be left unlocked before, today it’s not safe to sit outside our own gates anymore.

Our once safe neighbourhood was traumatized by several untoward incidents like break-ins and robberies at gun-point in the dead of night. In separate incidents, families were tied-up and gagged while robbers ransacked their homes. A family whose members returned from abroad to attend their father’s funeral was further bereaved when the robbers took their wallets, hand-phones and cameras that still stored the last precious photos of their late father.

More recently, a neighbour was attacked by a motorcyclist-robber while she was putting a bag of rubbish into her dustbin outside. He chased her into her driveway and pushed her down while snatching her gold necklace. When she fell heavily on the same hip which was just repaired by surgery, she suffered serious damage and had to undergo months of painful therapy before she could walk again.

One evening, another neighbour who is a deaf-mute, was sitting outside his gates waiting for friends to drop by. Suddenly 2 motorcyclists with pillions stopped near him and before he realized that they were not his friends, they started to punch him. When his sister saw what was happening, she shouted for help but one of the robbers boldly rushed into the porch and snatched her necklace before speeding off.

Peggy [Centre] with my sisters,
being silly on the swing in
our front porch!

Just before Hari Raya, a neighbour who usually parked his little Kancil outside woke up to the shocking discovery that it was gone. This incident rocked the neighbourhood because now it was no longer safe to park our cars outside. While everyone was still speculating why the carjackers chose a humble Kancil instead of more sophisticated cars, we had another rude shock a few days later when the Kancil was returned to that very spot but stripped of its road tax and other stickers.

Larkin Gardens, one of Johor Bahru’s earliest residential areas, clearly needs more Police patrols and protection and the City Council to review and revamp common areas like roads, drains and the sewerage system. Since August 2009 a neighbouring family has been suffering the inconvenience of problems with their toilets. They did the neighbourly thing and called the authorities who came to inspect each house on the road and trace its cause.

They wrote to the relevant City Council authorities but despite follow-ups, are still waiting for them to do something to rectify this problem. The system is linked and if sewage problems have occurred in one home, it’s only a matter of time before it happens in other houses in the neighbourhood. And if Larkin Gardens should retain its reputation as a comfortable place to live in, it will be prudent to nip this problem in the bud before it blows up into a stinking situation.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 23 October 2009

Barney's sincere food

2012-02-20T21:32:00.000+08:00

Refreshing taste of Safe Sex on the Beach

If you’ve heard of “Sex on the Beach,” a cocktail invented in Florida in 1987 then you must try the non-alcoholic version, “Safe Sex on the Beach” at Barney’s.

Besides being intrigued by its saucy name, enjoy this refreshing concoction created with a charming blend of grape juice mixed with orange juice and topped with a dash of fizzy Sprite.

“My wife named it,” laughed Barnabas Lim Jit Tong, 41, who runs Barney’s with his wife and an able team. Lim, better known as Barney, gained his culinary experience in

Switzerland

and the States before returning to Kluang where his family has an established coffeeshop business. When he started making his pizza specialty from the back of his father’s coffeeshop, they quickly gained popularity because these delicious, loaded pizzas are twice-baked for soft insides and crispy edges.

Crunchy fresh Watercress Salad with orange wedges

Now in addition to pizza, Barney’s serves an exciting menu of Western cuisine with local flavours. Lim, who calls himself an Entrepreneur Cook, believes in using local produce in his recipes to create dishes that are uniquely available at Barney’s. Recently, he introduced several interesting dishes in a new menu that is well received by regulars.

“We sell sincere food here,” said Lim who is happy to tailor a menu for groups and private parties in Barney’s. “I will make sure that your four-course meal is a total experience,” he added. Regulars, familiar with his phenomenal specialties, often ask him to design new and original dishes for them and Lim is happy to oblige, especially when there are right ingredients in his kitchen.

Yummy pesto pasta with smoked duck

At Barney’s you can taste his creation of an Ulam Salad made with local fresh ulam greens, jicama – a sweet root vegetable that looks like turnip – garnished with crushed peanuts and tossed in piquant Vietnamese sauce. Watercress Salad is another refreshing salad here made with fresh sprigs of watercress mixed with orange wedges and drizzled with pulpy, tangy orange juice.

Pasta-lovers will enjoy the simple yet yummy pesto pasta made with slivers of smoked duck and sautéed mushrooms, and savour the distinct but subtle taste of sun-dried tomatoes. The delicate balance of contrasting flavours makes this dish very palatable and most appetising!

Barney's Iron Steak

Steak fans who appreciate a stronger beefy flavour can dig into Barney’s Iron Steak. This meat-lover’s dream dish is an aged steak served on a bed of fresh watercress with a portion of fries and your choice of sauce on the side.

For your sweet ending, try the Pear Poached in Red Wine and Raspberry. Don’t forget to add a dollop of custard cream, made with real vanilla before you sink your teeth into the tender slices of pear for a light taste of cabernet. Nibble this delightful dessert with a warm blend of Lavender Grey designer tea to complete your satisfying meal.

Barney’s at 5 & 6 Jalan Yayasan, Kluang, is open daily from 11.30am to 10.00pm except on compulsory Public Holidays. For reservations and catering, Tel: 07 – 774 4992. Barney’s catering service offers an eclectic menu of authentic Western, Malay and Chinese dishes that may include roasted whole lamb and “live” stations for freshly made spaghetti dishes. No pork products are used.

Freshly-made pizza with cheese and mushroom topping

Pear poached in red wine with side of vanilla custard cream

/pl

Stiltwalking Stars

2012-02-19T18:42:00.001+08:00

Stilt-walker dragon dancers at Johor Chingay 2012

In the lunar year of the dragon, this mythical creature featured more prominently in the recent Johor Chingay procession. You must have enjoyed watching the wide variety of traditional dragon dancers as well as many dragons that were creatively designed in different themes with flowers, balloons, wool, plastic basins, ang-pau packets and other materials. These delightful dragons just added more excitement, colour and energy to Johor’s annual Chingay.

You would have thrilled to the undulating movement of a huge head rearing up with eyes lit up in flashing lights, followed by its 60ft length, chasing the pearl in a lifelike image of a celestial dragon. Moving with the momentum of a tidal wave, the dancers lift, dip, thrust and sweep the dragon head, weaving its luminous body around. In spite of the pressing crowd, your view was clear because this particular dragon dance was performed with its dancers standing tall on stilts!

Skilled stilt-walkers having fun at the Johor Chingay

This sole performance of dragon dancing on stilts was by Hong Yang Sports Association, believed to be the first troupe in Johor Baru to perform on stilts and the only troupe in Malaysia to do stunts on stilts.

This troupe of skillful stilt-walkers has participated in numerous prestigious events including several Johor Arts Festivals, the MBJB Street Carnival 2005 as well as the Singapore Chingay parade for many years since 2002. Just before the Johor Chingay, they were again guest artistes in the Singapore Chingay, dressed as Fu Lu Shou (Good Fortune, Prosperity & Longevity) characters, and stilt-walking in water!

Hong Yang troup dressed as aliens in Singapore Chingay 2011

Hong Yang troup as Fu Luk Shou characters in Singapore Chingay 2012

Members of the Hong Yang troupe agree that their most memorable experience was the invitation to the Stilt-walkers Festival in Namur, Belgium last September. Namur has a 600-year old tradition of stilt-jousting and Hong Yang was proud to represent Malaysia among invited nations like the United States, France and Togo whose stilt-walkers also participated in the week-long fest. Their team of eleven had a wonderful experience performing as they only troupe of stilt-walkers who did stunts like jumping through rings of fire.

Jumping through ring of fire, a stunt performed in
the streets of Namur, Belgium

“Unlike our hands-free stilt-walking, the stilt-walkers of Namur use hand-held stilts,” said Ng Hee Thian, 31, a senior member of Hong Yang who was fascinated by the various arts of stilt-walking around the world.

Yeo Han Leong, 34, and Ng were among a few stilt-walking enthusiasts who first trained with experts in

Singapore

’s renowned Tian Loong Koong Stilt-Walking Group.

Under the skilful supervision of sifu John Ng Chwee Chuen, they also trained to perform unique stunts like striking an object with the stilts after diving through a ring of fire. Yeo is among the most competent martial arts exponents to perform the daring stunt of jumping through a ring of fire with the added challenge to aim his stilts to accurately split a watermelon or an egg!

Hong Yang troupe dragon-dancing on stilts

Then a few senior trained enthusiasts got together to form a troupe in Johor Baru to practice regularly in the evenings. As the numbers grew, they had classes of up to 50 trainees including non-Chinese youths, girls and kids as young as 10 years old. Besides stilt-walking and dragon dancing on stilts, this troupe also trains in the martial arts of wushu, lion dancing, balancing giant flag poles and walking big-headed puppets.

“Safety is a priority and there is no compromise,” declared Yeo, the troupe’s sifu. He welcomes students to join their training class and invites youths to just come to their training sessions in Taman Johor. He said that trainees would complete at least six months of training before their talents are ‘spotted’ and after a year of honing their skills, they will be trained to perform stunts.

Skilled stuntmen thrill the audience at Stilt-walker Fest
in Namur, Belgium

Yeo said that beginners train with 2ft high stilts and should show competence in balance, marching on the spot, walking a distance, performing a few supple steps and a “safe fall” before being allowed to use higher stilts.

Depending on their ability, trainees can go on to train with stilts at 2.5 or 3 ft for acrobatic stunts and walking on 4 and 5 ft stilts. This is not a sport for the faint-hearted because competent stilt-walkers perform the dragon dance on 6ft stilts, a length more than the average height of Malaysian men!

Students are encouraged to train with the troupe because it’s good to start young and channel their youthful energy into this sport. While Yeo started his training at age 12, Ng said he started when he was just 10. Classes on Monday (Stilt-walking), Wednesday (Dragon dance) and Friday (Lion dance) are from 8.30pm to 10pm. For enquiries on training with Hong Yang Sports Association, contact Yeo Han Leong on Tel: 012 – 778 2315 and Ng Hee Thian on Tel: 016 – 712 3352.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 17 February 2012

Pulsating Parade

2012-02-17T14:08:00.004+08:00

Golden Dragon float by Xing Jun Welfare Society

Peggy Loh is enthralled by the Chingay festival in Johor Baru with its exciting and colourful procession

THE chants reverberated almost in unison: “Heng ah, huat ah, ong ah!” As the devotees chanted these words, which mean lucky, prosperity and auspicious respectively, they seemed to be transported to a different world.

Carrying their clan deities on sedan chairs, they paused every now and then to rock the chairs from side to side. The minute they did this, a sudden uproar erupted as more devotees rushed forward to try and touch the chairs to claim their share of good fortune. Spectators echoing the loud chants also raised lit joss sticks with their hands and prayed.

The heart of Johor Baru came to a virtual standstill then. More than 200,000 devotees and spectators lined the streets last Sunday to catch a glimpse of the Chingay festival, a street procession on the 21st day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar.

Temple deities from Johor Ku Miao temple were once again brought out to be paraded in the city in the annual Chingay. Throughout the procession, the noise level on the streets was deafening. Every segment of the community was involved because roads were closed and traffic diverted, as schools, offices and businesses closed earlier so everyone could enjoy the procession that started at twilight!

NATIONAL HERITAGE

It was an event worth waiting for, all the more because the Johor Chingay procession — the result of a 148-year-old tradition — had been declared a national cultural heritage, joining the ranks of mak yong, Malay joget, lion dance and nine other cultural practices in the list of 50 Malaysia National Heritage.

It was an even sweeter moment when that declaration was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in front of the thousands who thronged the streets of Johor Baru.

Devotees make annual pilgrimage to Xing Gong
during the Chingay celebrations

Najib presented the certificate of recognition to Johor Baru Tionghua Association president Lim Ik Kim. Joining in the merriment were the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein, MCA president Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek and foreign ambassadors.

STRONG SHOWING

The participating groups started assembling at 5.30pm at Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek, where Xing Gong, a temporary shrine for the temple deities, was located. The parade line spanned a few kilometres from Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek to Jalan Yahya Awal. It wound its way to the VIP grandstand set up in front of Johor Baru City Square.

Energetic and exciting Yin Ge dancers from
Shantou, China

The sight of Chingay 2012 was spectacular, with 18 colourfully decorated floats — some from Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Japan — and a few international award-winning performers in the stunning 24-Festive drum show, acrobatic high-pole lion dance and dragon dance.

The Johor Baru Teochew Eight Districts Association brought its 94-strong team of Yin Ge (Eng Kor in Teochew dialect) dancers and musicians of the Dance Of Heroes from the Water Margins, an art form that was gazetted as a national heritage in mainland

China

in 2006. This troupe, made up of 72 male dancers dressed in colourful warrior costumes with faces painted in dramatic expressions and 22 musicians from Shantou, wowed the audience with their energetic and captivating performance that included segments with drama, dance, songs and martial arts.

Dragon designed with giant lotus flowers

As this is the lunar year of the Dragon, dragon dancing troupes went all out to impress by creating unique dragons from items as diverse as paper angpau packets, woolen pom-pom balls, woven ribbons, silk roses, plastic bubbles and even balloons. While a group opted to carry their dragon on a train of tricycles, one of the most outstanding dragon dancers must have been the troupe from Hong Yang Sports Association who performed their routine on stilts!

It was a longer procession this year, probably because of the large number of participating dragons, but the sense of unity and camaraderie was strong as the community in Johor Baru turned out in full force to enjoy the close of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Float by Danga Bay Foundation features
a dragon and the 1Malaysia logo

SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS

The annual celebrations in Johor Baru are unique as they do not end with Chap Goh Meh, the 15th day of the first lunar month. The festivities continue for another week and will culminate with the Johor Ku Miao’s annual tradition of a five-day religious ceremony. This tradition has been preserved since the 1800s without any interruption, except during the Japanese invasion in 1942. The highlight of this celebration is, of course, the Chingay.

The Johor Baru Tionghua Association, which manages the ancient temple, leads this procession with participation by the five Chinese clans representing the Teochew, Hainanese, Hakka, Cantonese and Hokkien communities. Unlike the Singapore Chingay which has evolved into an extravagantly choreographed street parade with many foreign participants, the Johor Chingay is a religious celebration where the temple deities are taken on an annual “tour” to bless the city with peace, prosperity and harmony.

The five Johor Ku Miao deities at Xing Kong, the
temporary shrine at Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek

Carried by devotees from the five Chinese associations, the deities take to the streets accompanied by traditional lion dancers, dragon dancers, stilt-walkers, puppeteers, pugilistic troops, cultural dancers and brass bands. It will take more than seven hours to complete the city circuit.

ANNUAL RITUALS

The celebrations start two days ahead of the procession with a lighting-up ceremony at Xing Gong. Devotees will walk the streets sounding gongs in a symbolic Street Washing ceremony, a ritual cleansing of the route in preparation for the temple deities’ annual city “tour”. This ceremony somehow triggers rainfall as Nature cooperates to “wash” the streets with refreshing showers.

Prosperity wishes from a troupe of gods of prosperity

In the morning of the 20th day of the first lunar month, devotees will carry the deities out on sedan chairs to Xing Gong. It’s always a spectacle to watch the short but colourful procession that morning, escorted by lion and dragon dancers with their clashing cymbals and deafening drums.

The festive mood continues over the next three days as throngs of pilgrims and devotees converge at Xing Gong, where they will also enjoy traditional stage shows that feature classic Chinese operas performed in their own dialects.

The highlight of this celebration is the Chingay on the evening of the 21st day, when the deities are brought out on a tour of the city’s main streets. This event is held on such a progressively grand scale that it has also attracted foreign media coverage, including being filmed as documentaries by

China

’s Teochew Broadcasting Channel. In the morning of the 22nd day, the deities leave Xing Gong with similar fanfare of drums and cymbals and return to the temple until their annual tour of the city next year.

Front courtyard of Johor Ku Miao at Jalan Trus

HISTORY AND HERITAGE

Do you know that the Johor Ku Miao is believed to be the first Chinese temple in the nation to be named after a State? Its rich history dates back to the 1800s, when Johor’s ruler, Temenggong Ibrahim, adopted the kangchu system introduced by Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore. When pepper and gambir cultivation became widespread, Chinese immigrants moved to Johor Baru to develop plantations.

Settlers from the Teochew, Hainanese, Hakka, Cantonese and Hokkien clans came to Johor Baru not only with their culture and farming skills, but also their brand of justice, gangsterism and vice. After a period of anarchy, the clans finally agreed to surrender their secret society activities.

Devotees raise lit joss-sticks and praying hands
at their deity as it passed in the procession

History records that the Ngee Heng kongsi or society leader played a significant role in helping Temenggong Ibrahim settle the unrest in Muar, and in 1873 this kongsi was legalised by Sultan Abu Bakar when he became Temenggong.

This kongsi was also assigned to take charge of Chinese immigrant community affairs. When Johor became part of the Unfederated Malay States under the British colonial authority in 1914, the kangchu system was abolished and the Ngee Heng kongsi was disbanded.

As a benevolent ruler, Sultan Abu Bakar encouraged the Chinese community to live in peace and continue the goodwill relationship started by Temenggong Ibrahim. A group of Chinese community leaders led by Tan Hiok Nee built the Johor Ku Miao temple in the late 19th Century that would house the five deities worshipped by the Chinese clans under one roof, and it was officiated by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1870.

Happy monk character happily
inter-acting with the crowd

Dubbed the Temple Of Unity, the Johor Ku Miao significantly bears the State name in honour of the Sultan. It is home to deities Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (Hainanese), Hua Guang Da Di (Cantonese), Gan Tian Da Di (Hakka), Hong Xian Da Di (Hokkien) and Yuan Tian Shang Di (Teochew). With their worship united in one temple, the early Chinese community in Johor Baru prospered as they lived in peace.

To this day, the Johor Ku Miao remains tucked in tranquillity along Jalan Trus even though it is surrounded by urban developments of high-rise buildings, a five-star hotel, shopping malls, government offices and the city’s bustling traffic.

Pride of JB’s Chinese community

THIS pulsating parade is an annual tourist attraction in Johor Baru and is recognised as the Best Domestic Event in the 2009 Johor Tourism Awards. A photo exhibition of past processions was held at Xing Gong, with photos offered for sale to raise funds for charity.

Ladies line dancing to Chinese New Year tunes

The Johor Ku Miao temple is open to visitors daily from 7.30am to 5.30pm. It’s open from 6am to 6pm on religious festive days, and on the first and 15th day of lunar months.

For details on the Chinese community in Johor, visit the Johor Baru Chinese Heritage Museum at 42 Jalan Ibrahim. Tel: 07-224 9633, Fax: 07-224 9635 or email: heritage_museumjb@jb-tionghua.org.my. Opens daily from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays. Entrance fees are RM5 for adults and RM2 for students, children and senior citizens. Opening hours are extended to 10pm when Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk comes alive with music and cultural attractions on Saturday evenings.

This article was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 16 February 2012

New at The Bierhaus

2012-02-16T12:56:00.000+08:00

Tender Pork Ribs with side of Guinness sauce

The Bierhaus, the only German pub in town, is fast earning a reputation as the place for the perfect combination of pork and beer.

Since the pub opened its doors early last year, regulars have been coming back to enjoy its warm and convivial ambience and a menu of culinary creations using a variety of pork products. It stocks 18 types of imported beers including Paulaner, a German beer which ranks highly among Germany’s best breweries, and serves signature dishes like crispy pork knuckle and a range of tasty pork sausages.

Rendang Beef Ribs is a another choice to pick from

Meat-lovers are aware that the popular pork knuckles have been flying out of the kitchen and if they were too late, they risk disappointment because as many as 30 units can be sold each day.

Prepared in a traditional German recipe, each 1.3kg pork knuckle is stewed in herbs and turned into a delectable combination of crispy skin and juicy meat. This chunk of sizzling roast is served with a side of tangy sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, and mustard sauce and applesauce toppings.

Refreshing smoked Pork Knuckle Salad

To provide more variety for customers to enjoy, Executive Chef Moretto Fabrizio recently added several interesting items into their menu. Now there’s a Pork Knuckle Salad for diners who prefer to savour the fragrant meat with more fresh greens. Other choices include Barbecued Pork Ribs in an Asian Fusion recipe and Pork Knuckle Jelly.

Pan-seared Black Cod Fish with teriyaki sauce and Deep-fried Prawns are the seafood options. While cooked prawns usually curl up, The Bierhaus recipe of coating the prawns in an interesting batter of mashed potato and corn pearls keeps the prawns crispy and straight. The prawns are served with a side of salad and a tasty mayo sauce.

Deep-fried Prawns in a batter of mashed potatoes
and corn pearls

Now there’s delicious Wild Mushroom Soup to enjoy, if you like, topped with freshly ground pepper and a sumptuous Spaghetti Aglio Olio that’s filled will lots of seafood like prawns, squid and shellfish. Fans of local delights can also savour choices like Wild Boar Curry and Beef Ribs Rendang.

To round off the meal sweetly, there are dessert choices like smooth Chocolate Mousse and Blueberry Cheesecake. Some of the chef’s specials are so popular that they are now added into the menu. So just ask for their promo dishes and look out for new daily specials.

The Bierhaus is located at Unit G5, Daiman Bowl Complex, No. 2 Jalan Dedap 3, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Baru. Opening hours are from 2pm to midnight. Tel: 607 – 3540776.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 7 February 2012

Impressive Pariss

2012-02-13T21:47:00.000+08:00

Pariss Hotel Johor is a boutique business class hotel, situated strategically on the border between Taman Nusa Bestari and Taman Bukit Indah.

Positioned within the rapidly developing Nusajaya region, the hotel is the preferred choice for executives from corporations and Government departments who are visiting Johor Baru on business trips and for start-up operations. It is also a popular destination for meetings and events.

“Our corporate clients include banks, universities and Government institutions,” said Hotel Manager, M. Saseekumar, adding that many are long-term guests. He said the hotel understands how IT savvy people consistently require internet facilities and one of the plus points about staying here is the convenience of free wireless broadband service throughout the hotel.

M. Saseekumar showing off the
space-saving swivel TV screen

The room rate includes daily breakfast at the rooftop café and this attractive package is welcomed by regular guests like senior managers, engineers, lecturers and professors.

Each of the 113 rooms is equipped with a 32” LCD television and tea and coffee making facilities while a small refrigerator will be provided for long-term guests. It’s interesting to see how the 42” plasma television screen in the executive suite is installed with a space-saving swivel so that guests can turn the screen around to watch either in the sitting room or in bed!

Families choose to stay with Pariss Hotel Johor as they can enjoy old-fashioned bonding in the Family Jumbo room that is designed with a Zen concept. This room features a low bed that is wide enough to accommodate two adults and two young children below age 12. With the convenience of such rooms, the hotel is also a popular choice for family holidays and groups who are attending wedding banquets hosted in the hotel.

Extra-large bed in Jumbo Family Room for family bonding

Pariss Hotel Johor is a city retreat for guests who wish to enjoy a retail therapy break in nearby shopping options like Aeon Jusco, Tesco Bukit Indah, Giant Bukit Indah and the Sutera Mall. After shopping, guests can enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding developments as they unwind at the rooftop swimming pool. For more pampering, female guests can request for the privilege of an in-room relaxing Thai massage treatment by a therapist from the spa.

The hotel also boasts of Rose themed Love-in-Pariss honeymoon suites. A classic round shaped bed is the suite’s centerpiece while other furniture and fittings in the suite are designed with pink and white colours in a matching romantic theme. The attached bathroom features a twin-size Jacuzzi and a plethora of items provided in a premium toilette set.

The impressive Pariss Hotel Johor is located at 38 Jalan Bestari 7/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai, Johor. Reservation hotline Tel: 607 – 232 8250, Fax: 607 – 232 8253. For more info, visit website: http://www.parisshotel.com.my/

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 9 January 2012

Aging gracefully

2012-02-11T00:21:00.000+08:00

Extra-large buttons with clear numbers
on telephone

The art of aging gracefully

Chinese New Year is a time for traditions. You will think of home – spring cleaning and decorating, a menu of auspicious food but most of all, you will be making arrangements for that annual trip home for the Reunion Dinner. As you book your travel tickets or plan your route by road, the elderly are eagerly anticipating the arrival of children and grand-children, bearing gifts and festive goodies, and to sharing timeless traditions with wonderful family bonding.

While chatting with my favourite lor ark or Teochew braised duck seller, he told me that it’s a tradition he is keeping because his parents are old and there’s nothing that can replicate the vibrant festive joy in his hometown. He said Muar is not far off and in spite of the heavy traffic and his business commitments, it’s an annual trip he will not miss. I share his heartwarming sentiments and can imagine the joy and excitement when his family reunites over a sumptuous feast that probably also includes a tasty braised duck!

Even as we have grown older with the passing of another year, many of our elderly have become more frail and dependent. When we cheered “Happy New Year 2012”, I realize that my grandma has in fact, turned 100 years old because she was born in 1912. While her “bad days” are comparatively more than her “good days” now, she remains cheerful, is still mobile with the help of a walker frame and can eat soft food by herself.

Such a ripe old age certainly calls for a celebration and my cousins and I are planning grandma’s 100^th birthday party to celebrate her life and to thank everyone who will be coming to celebrate with her this May. This Centenary celebration is very special but to me every day is a celebration because it’s a bonus to still have her with us. Our elders are gradually deteriorating physically and mentally, and each day calls for an extra portion of patience as we adjust to their needs and do all we can to make them comfortable.

A towel to remind mum to clean her dentures!

Progressively diminishing abilities comes with advancing age and this condition requires much sensitivity and lots of common sense on our part. For instance, instead of bringing Seremban siew pau, a popular baked dumpling as buah tangan or gift, to the elderly, the wiser choice could be a fluffy cake instead. It’s simply common sense to know that their almost toothless mouths can better appreciate the soft cake rather than baked pau!

Speaking of teeth, an aunt told me that her mother recently agreed to have dentures made so that she can enjoy her food better. When she asked her mother if she cleans her dentures regularly, her mother replied, “Yes” but on closer questioning, my aunt discovered that her mother was just brushing her teeth as usual. So my aunt gave her mother an explicit step-by-step tutorial on how to care for dentures and left a towel on the table with the words, “MUM’S DENTURES” written on it, as a reminder for her mother to always remove her dentures for cleaning!

My aunt also discovered that may be due to their diminishing ear-eye and hand coordination, her parents have difficulty in making phone calls. Very often, they fail to make calls successfully probably because the keypad numbers on their telephone are no longer clear to them. So my aunt and her sisters went in search of a suitable telephone and finally bought one that has such gigantic buttons, painted with large, bold numbers, that one can’t possibly miss pressing the right numbers!

Mobile phone with gigantic buttons
on keypad that also light up!

An uncle who just turned 81, showed me his new mobile phone recently, saying “Look what my son gave me for Christmas,” while demonstrating how it can also light up. I was both touched and amused to see the extra-large digits on the sleek keypad because this echoes what my aunt did for her parents. He asked me to check if my number was programmed in and as I navigated my way through the new phone, I thought it’s very commendable that he’s mobile phone savvy. And yes, my telephone number is in.

Coping with and accepting their weakening condition takes time both for the elderly and their carers but with sensitive handling, gentle reasoning and strong family support, our elderly not only will come to terms with it but some even joke about it.

I fondly remember my grandma’s strong sense of humour because she often used a Cantonese rhyme to describe herself: “Ngan yau moong, yee yau loong,” literally meaning, “Eyes are blur, ears are deaf.” Acknowledging her own limitations, she aged gracefully by learning to enjoy our care and attention, and living out her twilight years with love and dignity.

Just as in all festivals, the Chinese New Year is an ideal time for family reunions and being with our elderly relatives. It’s probably the only time of year you can spare for a home visit and one which the elderly have been looking forward to all year long. So make more memories as you join in the family traditions because the reality is, this time next year, our elders may no longer be with us. Happy Chinese New Year!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 3 February 2012

Wowed by wushu

2012-02-08T11:25:00.000+08:00

Skill and artistry with wushu and dance
in a scene from Farewell My Concubine

Wowed by wushu martial dance

For the first time Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk featured the beauty and power of wushu in a skillful and artistic performance by the professional troupe from Lee Wushu Arts Theatre & Workshop. For this energetic performance, the entire intersection at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan Pahang in front of the Red House was transformed into a stage. The audience was thrilled and enthralled for almost two hours by a showcase of their brand of exciting martial arts mixed with modern dance.

In 1998 Lee Swee Seng founded Lee Wushu Arts Theatre to develop wushu as an art form and he created his style of martial dance. Lee, a gifted wushu athlete with 24 years experience in this sport, is also the artistic director and wushu director of Lee Wushu Workshop. Between 2002 and 2009, Lee honed his skills under wushu masters in China and his efforts paid off when he clinched the gold medal for wushu dance in the 8^th Hong Kong Wushu International Championship.

Ter Wei Lum gave a powerful performance in his role as
Xiang Yu, King of Chu, in Farewell My Concubine: The
Movement of the Martyr

“Farewell, My Concubine – The Movement of the Martyr,” a stunning blend of wushu, dance, theatre and visual arts, is one of the masterpieces that Lee choreographed in his wushu and dance series. Soon after its premier in December 2009, the troupe was invited to perform it at the 7^th Johor Baru Arts Festival in 2010.

It was also presented at the International Dance Symposium for the 2010 Hong Kong Dance Festival and won the Bronze Award and Best Creative Award in the 22^nd Malaysia National Chinese Dance Festival. Last August, it was performed in collaboration with the Actors Studio, in Kuala Lumpur.

Cheong Kee Qing [Left] and Ter Wei Lum
are lead role artistes

Recently Ter Wei Lum and Cheong Kee Qing, both 22, reprised their respective roles as Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, and Yu Ji, his beloved concubine, remarkably well in the street’s open-air stage.

These professional performers remained perfectly poised in their street-stage, surrounded by an avid audience watching, mesmerized just steps away from them. This 10-minute excerpt of the well-loved Chinese classic was effectively portrayed by the two artistes as spectators shared their art and passion through their powerful yet fluid movements and animated facial expressions.

The evening’s showcase also featured excerpts from The Static and Dynamic Five Elements performance and martial arts demos by young wushu class members, aged between 9 to 12 years old. This, first public performance by the youngsters, was choreographed by Kok Wai Chun.

Young wushu enthusiasts in a demo performance

Through an interview with Chow Pei Foon, the troupe’s Public Relations Executive, Lee shared his experience with the audience and later in a fun inter-active session, he invited the audience’s participation, first with kids and then adults, to learn a few basic wushu steps together.

“I can see that Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk has progressed tremendously since it was launched two years ago,” said YB Mok Chek Hou, state assemblyman for Stulang, as he welcomed visitors to the show. He observed that more visitors were spending time here in the weekends and attributed the success of this heritage walk to the strong support from the Johor state government and members of Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association.

C P Tan, Mok Chek Hou and Lee Swee Seng [wearing light
colour shirt] with class of young wushu enthusiasts

“This is one of the many live entertainment shows lined up at the heritage walk in the coming weeks,” said Tan Chai Puan, Director of the Teochew Eight Districts Association. Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk was one of the three destinations including sites in Penang and Malacca that Astro TV highlighted in a live telecast on 22 January, the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. Tan encouraged everyone to make the heritage walk a regular destination for a nostalgic experience of street entertainment every Saturday evening.

Event enquiries should be directed to the JB Tiong Hua Association, Tel: 07 – 2788999. Visit website: http://www.wushuart.com/ for more info on Lee Wushu Arts Theatre & Workshop.

Artistes perform a mix of wushu and modern dance

The Red House is an excellent backdrop for Chinese cultural
events at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

Lee Swee Seng guiding young volunteers in a few basic wushu moves
at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 7 February 2012

Choices! Choices!

2012-02-07T11:38:00.001+08:00

One side of the illustrated menu at U Desserts

Have you been to a restaurant where you can spend more time selecting from the menu than in finishing your meal? I mean, you can spend so much time scanning the menu to pick a choice because the menu is so wide that you are simply spoilt for choice! This is what happened when I went to U Desserts for what else, but a spot of dessert.

The menu has so many folds that I’m reminded of the folds in an accordion – and it’s filled with rows of items not just on one side but an equally large number of items also with pictures on the reverse side.

Reverse side of the menu!

After I got over the shock of seeing so many choices, I realise that the wide variety of items are categorized under sections like Tofu Pudding, Red Bean, Black Glutinous Rice, Herbal Jelly, Mango Specials and traditional healthy desserts.

A little order slip with a pencil is provided for you to write in the item code numbers with quantity and return to the waiter to place your order.

I must confess that I’m a dessert-person, always saving a bit of space in my stomach for that sweet ending, and U Desserts is where I can indulge in both hot and cold Chinese desserts. I’m quick to overlook the fruit juices, ice-blended and soft-drinks in the menu only to zero-in on the durian and mango specialties.

Slicing through a mango pancake dessert

When I first discovered mango specialties in Hong Kong, I somehow found ways to indulge in some mango dessert everyday during my stay! And now here’s a one-stop shop for a range of similar desserts almost at my door-step, along with a mind-boggling variety to enjoy!

I like illustrated menus because it gives me an idea on what to expect when I order food. Of course, most menus print a small disclaimer to state that, “Pictures are for reference only,” because very often what is served may not turn out like what’s shown in the photo.

A selection of delightful desserts at U Desserts

But I’m delighted to see that what’s served here bears a striking resemblance to what’s illustrated in the photos!

It’s easy to understand familiar items listed as “Chinese style (hot and cold) desserts” that include Peanut Soup, Sesame Soup, Sweet Ball in Almond Soup but don’t miss the mysterious “Secret Recipes of Coolen Soup” under the Coolen Soup category.

The latter is marked with a star icon as a recommended “Must Try” item so you should put your worries to rest. This coolen must not to be mistaken with your car coolant but is a dessert believed to have similar “cooling” properties that can soothe and heal the opposing “heaty” conditions.

All-time favourite, plain "naked" tau foo fah!

I must also confess that since I discovered U Desserts, I’ve been to all three outlets in and around Johor Baru – first in Taman Sentosa, then in Taman Sutera Utama and recently at Taman Mount Austin. Just as in any food service, hygiene and good service is a priority so I guess their mod décor, family-friendly ambience, generous portions and tasty choices will keep Chinese dessert fans coming back for more.

With such a wide variety to indulge in, maybe I should make another visit to try out more items in their menu!

Update:

Choices picked on a visit to U Desserts, Mount Austin outlet

More choices picked on a visit to Plaza Sentosa outlet

Florence [Left] and Auntie Lilian at U Desserts, Mount Austin outlet
on 21 January 2012

/pl

Only on Wednesday's

2012-02-06T10:46:00.002+08:00

Customers pick the best buys from this pile

If you enjoy a hearty haggle for a better deal, then you should have fun at the Pasar Rabu or Wednesday Market in Air Hitam. Pasar Rabu is a wholesale market for a wide range of cloths, clothes and personal and household items that happens every Wednesday morning from first light to noon or when the sun gets too hot. Located in a lot adjacent to the Air Hitam-Johor Baru trunk road, this morning market is a truly Malaysian experience to enjoy and to share with visitors.

Many of the traders are from Johor while some came from as far as Selangor and

Thailand

. They travel a regular circuit to sell local goods as well as products imported from China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand. Some travel by night and sleep in their vehicles parked in the lots rented from town councils and wake up early to open for business. This traveling market has been around for more than 10 years and provides a service to residents in the heartlands to have access to a wide range of quality products.

Glittering choices from a wide selection

In the market, traders occupy allotted spaces in rows upon rows of stalls, many displaying their wares from the back of their vans or the side of their trucks. Most display their merchandise on tables and hang them from racks but some lay out neat bundles and stacks of fabrics, garments and toys on groundsheets. It’s interesting to see that these smart traders also provide low plastic stools for customers to sit down comfortably and take their time to pick from the mind-boggling variety of choices!

As customers trickle in and start to throng the market, the footpaths may become quite crowded but don’t be deterred. Shoppers here know how to enjoy wholesale prices for retail items so you should join in the fun to haggle and strike a bargain for items that have caught your fancy. You will also notice how wholesalers take advantage of the bulk packs as they cart away their large purchases on trolleys.

Bulk packs of fabrics from this stall

Be prepared to be spoilt for choices as you see a wide range of scarves, trousers, skirts and beautiful blouses, tailored in lovely fabrics, colors and patterns, hanging from canopies, racks, sides of vans and trucks.

There may not be any fitting rooms to let you try on the outfits but it’s perfectly acceptable to put them against your body or slip them over your clothes. This experience is certainly different from shopping in city boutiques and department stores but it’s certainly interesting and thoroughly enjoyable.

Choice of children's t-shirts in
attractive designs

There are glittering gems that shine with extra bling in the morning sunlight so take time to choose a variety of accessories to wear with head scarves. These sparkling trinkets come in such a wide choice of colours and designs that you can pick accessories to match every outfit. The strategy is not to buy any before you had the opportunity to look at more choices and then use your skills to strike a good bargain with the traders.

Besides ladies’ fashion and accessories, children and men’s apparel, they are a host of household items like stainless steel utensils, pots and kettles from Thailand as well as choppers and knives from

Japan

. The market also has stalls for gardening enthusiasts to pick their choice of flowering plants and orchids as well as herbs and fruit saplings. No market is complete without food so you are assured that there are varieties of kueh and local delicacies to snack on as you spend the next few hours browsing around the stalls.

When you walk through the market, you can’t help but admire the enterprising spirit of these hardworking traders because they travel a circuit to Sungai Tiram, Kota Tinggi, Pekan Pahang or Sijenkang in Sungai Buloh. They are located in Air Hitam on Wednesday which earned its name as Pasar Rabu. This colourful market is among the biggest in the circuit and certainly well worth a visit for a Malaysian market experience.

Orchids and other potted plants for sale

Wide choice of attractive scarves!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 5 January 2012

Family Ties

2012-02-03T21:44:00.005+08:00

Chinese character kat for prosperity or good fortune
made from tangerine wedges

New year 2012 was ushered in right smack at the height of lunar new year preparations and it was a series of non-stop celebrations with loads of feasting and family gatherings throughout January.

Since December, shopping malls had tinsel and snow decorations festooned along with red and gold paper chains while Christmas carols competed with tong-tong-chiang traditional Chinese New Year pop songs. It was quite confusing and rather annoying for a while but very soon it was kongxi-kongxi-nee music at every turn!

I’m all for the fun and tradition especially in shopping for new clothes, dressing in bright colours and family feasting as well as receiving red packets of lai-see! But I mostly enjoy listening to senior family members reminisce about bygone years and thrill to the discovery of classic old photos of my parents that were taken way back when… One of the high points of this festive season is seeing how the kiddies have grown and matured into young adults and the pleasure of having meaningful conversations with them.

Uncle Roland [Right] giving his aunt a kiss!

We have a traditional pai neen culture of paying visits to relatives, starting with the senior-most relatives, and this travel circuit to the homes of eldest uncle and eldest grand-uncle in the first two days of the lunar calendar has been maintained for as long as I can remember.

USJ, Selangor, is another destination in our annual festive visits to see grandma who lives there with Aunt Polly and Uncle Steven. It was good to see grandma looking well in her advanced age and I was privileged to feed her a slice of homemade apple-pie I brought from Johor Baru – which she happily nibbled – for her afternoon tea!

Cousins Bernice and Gillian were home from Wimbledon and Sydney, respectively and it was lovely to catch up with them and enjoy the antics of Ber’s two charming boys, Jackson and Quinlan. Gi said she was shocked when her mum brought out a huge soup pot from the storeroom for her to brew the broth for delicious soto ayam that I enjoyed topped with a sprinkle of fried shallots and chopped chillies. This is what Gi will cook in Sydney when she entertained guests and I can just imagine the Aussies thrilling to the taste of this mild chicken soup filled with vermicelli and homemade patties of bergedil!

Gillian brewing broth for soto ayam in big pot!

It’s very interesting to meet younger family members who are able to put aside their electronic gadgets to socialize with visitors. We may see each other maybe, only once a year during Chinese New Year or even less often because they study abroad, so I do appreciate that these young people do not shy away from sitting down for a chat. It’s also good that parents made the effort to re-introduce their children and let the youngsters establish relationships with the extended family on both sides of the Causeway.

I know it can be mind-boggling to grasp who’s who and how we are related in such a large clan but with a little bit of effort, it can be figured out. I’m particularly impressed with the interest and understanding these young people have in the various family links and the history in Johor Baru. I had very good chats with young cousins Gerald and Alex and when I left the party, it was nice of Gerald to assure me that he’ll stay in touch through reading my blog!

Victoria [Right] with the Swedish version
of Elle magazine for me!

It was also a pleasure to meet 13-year old Victoria again, back from Sweden with her parents, for the festive season. She’s cousin Catherine’s daughter, who now stands almost taller than me and is still growing! As soon as I gave her the link, Victoria quickly looked up my recollections on her phone of how her mum used to enjoy ice-balls while we were kids at Ah Kong's house - and read out that section about her mum's horror experience with too much ice on her tender lips!

Catherine told me it’s Victoria’s idea to bring me January’s issue of Elle magazine – the Swedish version – and she was sure I will enjoy it even though I may not read the language. And she’s right! What an unexpected delight to receive this gift and I’m deeply touched by Victoria’s thoughtfulness!

As always cousin Karen and her family hosted a simple but sumptuous lunch at home and I especially enjoyed her smooth, jazzed-up renditions of Chinese New Year pop songs on the piano. Uncle Roland gave her request after request for his old favourites but these songs, from such a bygone era, were sadly not in her repertoire!

Karen playing Chinese New Year
pop songs in her smooth jazzy style

However Karen promptly obliged with his request for “Lover’s Tears” a tune that holds fond memories for Uncle Roland because it was once dedicated to him by Mary Ho, a beauty queen. At that time he did not know the title of this tune so when he went to shop for it, he had to whistle it to the music shopkeeper. His whistling was so clear that the shopkeeper could identify the tune and picked out "Lover's Tears" for uncle! And as always, uncle did not hesitate to continue to regale us with more of his tales and fond recollections …

After lunch, Karen’s nephews and niece gave us a little show with brothers, Edward and Ethan, dancing as a prancing lion while Myra their sister, kept rhythm on a drum. What a great way to channel their youthful energy! I later learnt it was the boys’ idea for the little “lion” to peel a tangerine and arrange the fruit wedges into, “kat” [Cantonese], the auspicious Chinese character for prosperity and good fortune!

Celebrations are continuing with more family feasting at home and in restaurant banquets that include the ubiquitous yee sang or raw fish salad. Feasting and snacking on traditional cakes and cookies are very much part of the festivities and it’s just more meaningful when shared with lots of laughter and much love. Knowing that I’m partial to this delicacy, Aunt Lily gave me a whole bar of homemade Hakka bee phang or fragrant rice bubble crackers as a takeaway to indulge in …yum! With fifteen days in the traditional lunar new year celebrations, the fun and feasting is spilling into February but I’m not complaining. Are you?

What's left of the crispy bee phang or
fragrant rice bubble crackers!

Ber's boys - Jackson [Left] and Quinlan, drinking water from his spade!

Just add Gillian's chicken soup to make a delicious bowl of soto ayam!

Auspicious fish-shaped jelly served by Auntie Agnes at the Mak's

Ethan and Edward are the prancing lion while their sister plays the drum!

/pl

Interesting Feedback:

Jenny said: Truly enjoyed it especially because they are all real life stories. In particular, I love the pic of the orange fish! Looks familiar.

/pl

JB's unique Chingay parade

2012-02-01T13:59:00.007+08:00

A dragon dance along Jalan Ngee Heng, Chingay 1968

Chinese New Year celebrations in Johor Baru are unique as it does not end with Chap Goh Meh, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, but will culminate with the Johor Ancient Chinese Temple’s annual tradition of a 3-day religious ceremony.

This celebration, which starts on the 20^th day of the first month, is a 140-year old tradition that has been kept since the 1800’s without any interruption except in 1942 during the Japanese invasion. The highlight of this celebration is the Chingay or street parade on the following evening with hundreds of people including Chinese Association members, devotees, lion dancers, dragon dancers, stilt-walkers, puppeteers, pugilistic troops, cultural dancers and brass bands, that will take about 7 hours to complete the city circuit.

In the morning of 20^th day of the first lunar month, devotees will carry images of the gods of the five main Chinese dialect groups out of the temple on sedan chairs to Xing Gong, a temporary shrine at Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek. It’s always a spectacle to watch the short but colourful procession that morning, escorted by lion and dragon dancers with their crashing cymbals and deafening drums. The festive mood continues over the next three days as throngs of pilgrims and devotees converge at Xing Gong.

Two days ahead of the street parade, a group of devotees will walk the streets sounding gongs in a symbolic ‘Street Washing’ ceremony in preparation for their temple gods’ annual city tour. This ceremony somehow triggers off some rainfall as Nature cooperates to wash the streets with refreshing showers. It is believed that the gods’ annual tour through Johor Baru will bless the city with peace, prosperity and harmony.

Decorated float with girls on top, along Jalan Ngee Heng

I have vivid recollections of the Chingay parade because it used to pass Ah Kong’s (grandfather) house at Jalan Ngee Heng. I remember the excitement, watching the parade attractions from the comfort of our upstairs windows. I used to wave at the pretty girls dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, perched on gently-moving trucks that were decorated as colourful floats and would be so thrilled when the girls waved back!

When I was tracking down photos of trishaws, I asked Uncle Victor who may have some in his collection because he took many photos as a member of his school’s Photography Society. Uncle’s search reaped excellent results because he not only found some photos of trishaws in Johor Baru but also had a few shots of trishaws taken during the 1968 Chingay parade! It was good to see that trishaw riders were doing a real service, ferrying props for the parade and devotees holding gigantic joss sticks!

When Ruby, my sister, saw the photos, she commented with nostalgia, “In those days, Policemen wore shorts!” In the colonial era, khaki shorts (starched and ironed so stiff that they could stand up on its own,) were the preferred length of trousers in most uniforms probably due to our tropical weather. Short trousers were very much in style then as many boys and men in the photo were also wearing them.

Trishaws ferrying devotees follow a sedan chair
bearing the image of one of the Chinese gods

Ruby and I reminisced about how afternoon school was always dismissed extra early and we would rush home to Ah Kong’s house to gulp down a quick meal before joining the throng of people to walk down to the nearby corner of Jalan Gereja. This was because the parade route had changed and it no longer passed directly in front of our house but through Jalan Gereja to Jalan Trus. It was also perfectly normal to carry our own collapsible chairs and wooden stools to sit at a strategic spot to watch the parade.

I can never forget the way devotees carrying the gods’ sedan chairs, would suddenly go into a rocking motion and the terrible frenzy as spectators clambered over the crowd in an attempt to get closer and touch the chair. At that time, it was just a frightening sight but now it’s no longer scary as I know that the uproar was just to gain good fortune!

The stilt-walkers are one of my favourite segments of the parade. Watching them from my kiddy height, it was simply mind-boggling to see how those artistes could keep their balance, walking the streets high up on towering stilts, dressed in traditional character costumes, complete with heavy make-up and head-gear. I enjoyed the skillful stunts by stilt-walkers and dragon and lion dancers in the parade but the tai thow low or big-headed-men wearing painted big masks with extra-wide shoulders, were always terrifying as they would suddenly dash about blindly!

The parades of bygone years may not be as colourful or full of slick shows but they were the most memorable highlight of Johor Baru’s Chinese New Year celebrations. This year’s pulsating parade promises a similar carnival atmosphere filled with skillful stunt performances of dancing dragons and prancing lions and a host of exciting cultural and musical performances, both local and foreign. I had a glimpse of a similar performance at Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk last June and am keen to see one of the foreign acts from China, the Yin Ge Wu or “Dance of Heroes from the Water Margins,” an energetic and captivating non-stop performance of drama, dance, songs and martial arts by a large group, traditionally of up to 108 young men!

Johor Baru’s Chingay parade is held on such a progressively grand scale that it’s now not only a tourist attraction but has also attracted foreign media coverage including being filmed as documentaries by the Teochew Broadcasting channel. JB's Chingay parade was also recently proudly gazetted as a national heritage by our Prime Minister. So don’t miss this spectacular show recognized as the Best Domestic Event in the 2009 Johor Tourism Awards and for the first time, the Chingay parade will be graced by our Prime Minister. I don’t know about you but I’m marking off 12 February in my diary now.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 31 January 2012

Interesting Feedback:

Hi Peggy,

I just read some of your articles which are of interest to me. I believe you are related to Philip Ng Peng Chua. You see, Philip and me are old classmates when we were studying at St Joseph School in the 60s and 70s. I can still vividly remember the old corner house along Jalan Ngee Heng where many of your uncles including Philip and Sylvia played badminton there every night. I am sad to know that Uncle Roland (Philip's dad) was involved in an accident. I know them quite well and I also attended Philip's wedding many years ago. Philip always came to my house situated along Jalan Gereja (just beside the old coffee shop) almost every weekend during our school days. We were classmates since Std One till Form 3.

Cheers: DAVID
1 Feb 2012

Hi Peggy,

Hahaha...yes, I have indeed spotted my former old house on the photo that was published recently on NST. I attach the photo for you to have a look and I have highlighted my house in red. I'm pretty sure Philip would be able to recognize it too.

I also attach a picture of Philip and me taken many decades ago. This pic was taken in that old corner house situated along Jalan Gereja just beside the coffee shop. Sigh...sad to see that all have been demolished now.

David Ng [Right] and my cousin, Philip Ng

Anyway, I have a youtube channel link here where you will be able to view me playing my guitar (minus my head of course...hahaha). Appreciate it if you could give this link to Philip. I am very sure Philip will remember that I used to play the guitar when we were in Standard 6.

Philip and I do not have any nick-names for each other. He calls me by this name, Teo Hwee. I remember I visited him when he was residing in Permas Jaya a very, very long time ago. I’m relieved to know that Uncle Roland is doing extremely well now. Despite being in hospital, I can see that he is very fit.

http://www.youtube.com/user/davidnewrock1#p/u

Cheers: DAVID
2 Feb 2012

/pl

Johor Chinese Heritage

2012-01-27T22:28:00.005+08:00

Facade of JB Chinese Heritage Museum from Jalan Ibrahim

A walk on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee will take you pass charming coffee shops, old provision stores, a traditional charcoal bakery and to OCBC Bank – the bank for Johor’s pioneer overseas Chinese.

It will also lead to the rear entrance of the Johor Baru Chinese Heritage Museum, a 4-level building that can be accessed from two entrances, Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. This building, occupied by the Johor Bahru Tiong-Hua Association since 1948, was officially opened as a heritage museum in October 2009.

A visit to the museum is an enriching experience not only for those who wish to learn more about the culture and heritage of their forefathers and early Chinese immigrants in Johor but also for everyone who is keen on history. Valuable artifacts, contributed by families, collectors, schools and associations, are carefully preserved here as a reliable source of information for the benefit of future generations. A great deal of thought and research has gone into organizing the layout for visitors to follow the sequence of events and better appreciate the history of the Chinese in Johor.

Early immigrants may have arrived with
meagre possessions

On the ground floor, read a brief chronology of history on a giant poster that spans the entire lobby wall. This brief overview outlines the sequence of historical events, carefully laid out in the museum. To save energy, lighting at every level is controlled by sensors that will respond when you step in and for your convenience, information throughout the museum is provided in three languages – Chinese, English and Malay.

Your tour of the museum is ingeniously designed in such a way that when you arrive at the top of the staircase to the first floor, it is as if you are stepping off a boat, just like the early immigrants. This scenario literally transports you to another era when immigrants stagger off the boat in a foreign land with a few humble possessions after braving a long and dangerous journey by sea in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions. For many, poverty, oppression and injustice may have driven them from China in search of a better life overseas.

Useful information is presented in a range of wall plaques and through interesting documentaries screened on large flat-screen TVs. Names like Tan Hiok Nee, Wong Ah Fook as well as Ngee Heng and Kangkar Tebrau will take on a new meaning as you understand the history of Chinese associations in Johor. In addition to learning about the early economic development of Johor through the cultivation of pepper and gambir, you can also gain further insight into the history of Chinese-Malay relationships that under girds the strong support between the Johor sultanate and the Chinese community today.

Samples of spices that brought traders
to the East Indies

The display also explores the development of the five individual clan associations for the Teochew, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka and Hainan dialects and their unique unity in the Johor Ancient Chinese Temple at Jalan Trus. From a common place of worship to a common school and a common burial ground, the Chinese certainly have a distinctive history in Johor Baru. The city also boasts a unique annual tradition of a 3-day religious celebration that culminates with the colourful Chingay parade, an event recognized by the 2009 Johor Tourism Awards as the Best Domestic Event.

A number of interesting and invaluable artifacts are displayed in the section on the Turbulent Times during the Japanese Occupation and the nation’s struggle for independence. This is where you can see a Japanese samurai sword and military beret that clearly represents the grief of a suffering Chinese community in this difficult era. Then look closer at samples of ancient documents like a Provisional Passport, a wedding certificate as well as a War Damage Claim!

Special exhibit on the life and achievements of Chinese
revolutionary and political leader, Dr Sun Yat Sen

The top floor of the museum currently features an exhibition on the life and achievements of Chinese revolutionary and political leader, Dr Sun Yat Sen. Visit this temporary exhibit to find the answer to this burning question: “Did Sun Yat Sen come to Johor Baru?” When this exhibition ends in March 2012, you can look forward to the next exhibit dedicated to the role of the Ngee Heng kongsi or association, in Johor’s history.

Before you leave, remember to sign the guest book at the ground floor lobby. This is an opportunity for you to pen your thoughts or comments and put on record that you were here. There are also forms for you to give any constructive feedback so that the curator can take the necessary action to improve the museum facilities.

The museum, located at 42, Jalan Ibrahim, Johor Bahru, is open daily from 9am to 5pm and closed on Monday. Opening hours are extended to 10pm when Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk comes alive with music and cultural attractions on Saturday evenings. Entrance fees are RM5 for adult and RM2 for students, children and senior citizens. Tel: 607 – 2249 633, Fax: 607 – 2249 635 or email: heritage_museumjb@jb-tionghua.org.my

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 26 January 2012

Pork Crazy

2012-01-24T10:54:00.007+08:00

A drizzle of dark soya sauce on lap mei farn before serving

It’s that time of year again for feasting on traditional food and one of my favourite foods this season must be lap mei farn or rice steamed with waxed meats. My earliest memory of tasting this fragrant dish is in my grandmother’s kitchen at No. 154 Jalan Ngee Heng during Chinese New Year. Her busy kitchen would be filled with a blend of delicious aromas from her signature braised duck, Chinese cabbage-chicken soup and especially the variety of waxed meat being steamed with rice!

Even as the rice pot lid was slightly lifted open, the fragrance of freshly steamed waxed meats would waft out to further whet my appetite. The oil and juices from these Chinese air-preserved meats – lap cheong [waxed sausages] and lap arp [waxed duck] – would soak into the rice, turning the whole pot of rice so full of flavour and fragrance. When the rice was cooked, grandma would remove the waxed meats from the rice and slice them into bite size to serve the meat separately with a drizzle of thick, dark soy sauce. To describe how delicious her lap mei farn is, grandma used to say that each mouthful would, tah kwon tau or somersault into our stomachs!

Incidentally, this waxed meat delicacy from China does not contain any wax but the meats, marinated in salt and wine, are air-dried or smoked to be preserved without refrigeration. While I’m familiar with a range of waxed sausages and waxed duck that grandma used to serve at Chinese New Year, I discovered on a recent trip to China that the Chinese eat a wide range of preserved meats and pork products.

These products may not be sold openly in our country but I saw quite the opposite in China and neighbouring Singapore. To me it was such an unusual sight and I couldn’t resist taking a few shots of these intriguing meat products. From their facial expressions, I guessed the locals must be amused at my interest in their pork and probably thought that I’m just a crazy tourist!

Giant-size lap cheong or Chinese sausages for sale in a supermarket, Shanghai

I’m used to seeing Chinese sausages in standard six-inch sizes so it was surprising to see giant size [uncooked] sausages stacked up for sale in a Shanghai supermarket! I guess if you accidentally dropped one giant Chinese sausage on your foot, it could do some serious damage. Can’t imagine if this whole stack collapsed on someone!

Wall of waxed specialties displayed for sale in Singapore's Chinatown

This festive season I spotted a wall-full of waxed meat products, dramatically displayed for sale in Singapore’s Chinatown. I guess this interesting display attracted much interest from both shoppers and visitors, and even a Muslim lady [wearing headscarf] and friend were curious enough to pause for a closer look!

Gigantic Taiwanese sausages at a street market, Taiwan

Unlike the Cantonese lap cheong, Taiwan sausages are usually stuffed with fatty pork and are not air-dried. It also comes in giant-sizes and can be baked, pan-fried or grilled but they taste distinctly more sweet than savoury.

Wansan pork knuckles at Zhouzhuang water village near Shanghai

One of the sights that caught my attention on a visit to Zhouzhuang, an ancient water village near Shanghai, was these eye-catching trays of glazed pork knuckles. Popular Wansan pork knuckles and trotters or pig hooves, [I read the translation!] are sold as snacks. I must confess that it was difficult not to stare when I spotted a couple seated on a stone bridge, chewing on a pig’s trotter each! Ugh…how romantic!?

Butcher and his pork products at the French Quarter, Shanghai

I came across this butcher’s shop while strolling around the French Quarter in Shanghai and couldn’t help but stop to admire the variety of vacuum-packed slabs of pork belly and preserved whole legs [Right wall]. Don’t miss the string of hanging giant lap cheong!

Pig snouts are a delicacy for those who enjoy pork scalp snacks!

Already acquainted with pork knuckles and trotters or pig hooves as snacks, I thought nothing should surprise me but I did not anticipate seeing a large pig snout among the pile of pork in a food stall at Singapore’s Chinatown! I paused to watch, both fascinated and stunned, how customers would pick their choice and have it sliced up to enjoy as a crunchy pork scalp snack, chee thow pei!

Whether in the festive season or on ordinary days, this is clear proof that the Chinese love pork. They truly know how to enjoy food and there’s even a saying that the Chinese will eat any living creature with four legs and have backs that face the sun. So while you are feasting on festive banquets this Chinese New Year, don’t be surprised if you discover that the Chinese eat more exotic and interesting ingredients other than mere pork! Happy Feasting!

Two varieties each of lap cheong and yon cheong, Chinese sausages

No prizes for the right guess! This is what mum served for lunch today... yum! Yon cheong is the type of Chinese sausages [darker in colour] that are stuffed with duck liver marinated in wine. And yes, dark soy sauce is served on the side as a dip or to mix with the steamed fragrant rice.

This post is dedicated to Chris, my blog sifu, who can go pork crazy when he's pork-deprived!

/pl

Vintage Fashion

2012-01-22T17:35:00.001+08:00

Lovely ladies in cheong sam (second & third from Left)
pencil skirt (Left) and poodle skirts (second & from Right)

Shopping for clothes, especially in the festive season, should not be stressful but the teeming crowds and long queues for fitting rooms and at pay points, just saps the joy out of shopping. I’m seeing red again this Chinese New Year because slacks, dresses, tops and jackets are created in every shade of red. These are too over-the-top for me so I will instead, dress up my outfit with bright accessories like shoes, bags, belts and costume jewellery.

It can be exhausting to be a fashion-follower because fashion trends change ever so quickly. So I flip through fashion magazines or go window-shopping to get ideas and then update my style by finding a few affordable pieces to add to my wardrobe instead of buying everything new. Even if Chinese New Year traditions dictate dressing in something new, I can wear just one new item to make my whole ensemble new!

Smartly dressed mum (standing second from Left) and
friends capture the elegance of the day

Recently I found a few old photos taken in the 50’s of my mum and aunts with their friends and saw some fashion ideas for a totally vintage look. It struck me that these fashions are perennial looks that are reinvented by designers in recurring cycles. As more celebrities have been seen wearing vintage dresses and longer skirts, I’m excited that these styles are making a comeback.

It’s interesting to see the various types of skirts – flirty flared, narrow pencil or round poodle skirts – that are still worn at various lengths today. In those days, their lengths were comfortably covering the knees or at calf-length. The cheong sam, modestly cut in straight shifts instead of figure-hugging shapes, have side slits that are also no higher than the knees.

Peep-toes (Left), strappy platforms (second &
third Left) and espadrilles were
fashionable then and still in vogue now

The fabrics they wore in the 50’s featured stripes, dots, plaid, flowers and butterflies – designs that remain very much in vogue today. My tailor says that the length of sleeves matter very much in the overall look and these ladies’ lovely outfits show off a range of long sleeves, half sleeves, cap sleeves or are sleeveless. It’s also remarkable that the necklines, whether round, v-necked or open collars, are all sewn decorously close to the neck.

In a photo, mum and Aunty Wong, her former colleague, are wearing cheong sam sewn from the same fabric so I asked mum why. I even wondered if the cloth cost less if they bought it in bulk but she told me that they bought it together in Singapore and had the cheong sam tailored in Johor Baru. In those days, it was fashionable for friends to dress alike and take a studio group shot together to keep as a memento!

While many celebrities wear ultra-high platform heels as a sensational fashion statement, you will agree that it’s definitely impractical for us to totter around on such impossibly high stilts. I like heels but I notice that most Asian men feel vulnerable if I tower over them so I lose my heels in favour of lower footwear. Basic black is highly wearable but I also enjoy wearing footwear in bright colours like red, blue or white.

Mum (Right) and her aunt
in Johor Baru's Istana Gardens

It’s fascinating that the footwear fashion of the 50’s seems to have come full circle because today we still have strappy platforms, peep-toe sandals and court shoes as well as casual espadrilles designed with fabric fastenings. Flatties and wedge shoes are very much in fashion and smart two-tone shoes are also making a comeback. Similarly, the elegant handbag and clutch purse designs from those days are still very trendy now.

At the dawn of the Dragon year, everyone will be stepping out in something bright and new so I’ve got every reason to dress up too. I know I can’t go wrong if I wear an elegant cheong sam or a Chinese inspired outfit and dress it up with the right accessories. Or maybe I should just raid my mum’s wardrobe to find a vintage outfit to borrow!

I’m all for dressing with decorum. I meet a wide spectrum of people at various events so I will dress according to the weather and the occasion, and always for the cultural setting. The rule of thumb is to attract attention for the right reasons and not let Moral Fashion Police, who are usually self-appointed, catch me for being guilty of offending any eyes and sensibilities! Happy Chinese New Year!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 20 January 2012

Mark said:

I enjoyed reading your blog on fashions, Peggy. Even though the photos are small and black & white, I can see you in your mum!

/pl

Familiar festive feeling

2012-01-20T11:38:00.003+08:00

Dragon deco across expressway in Chinatown, Singapore

“Let’s go to Chinatown!” said my friend Bhanu, echoing my enthusiasm to experience the festive action in Singapore’s Chinatown. I know two more tourists will not make a difference to the crowd because we will join many who go there before Chinese New Year just for a feel of the festive excitement.

It’s actually located overseas but the best part is we don’t have to fly there. So armed with our passports and some foreign currency, I check Google maps for the easiest route to drive from Johor Baru.

In less than an hour, we are on Victoria Street that leads directly into New Bridge Road that runs parallel with Eu Tong Sen Street. The sight of bright red festive street deco bordered by malls like Chinatown Point and People’s Park Centre, assure us that we are on the right track. Passing under a giant dragon that spans an overhead bridge, I decide to park in the nearest building because the best way to explore Chinatown is on foot.

Chinatown market is chock-a-block
with shoppers and visitors

Incidentally the term, “Chinatown” usually refers to enclaves in regions where the Chinese are a minority community but in Singapore the Chinese are the largest ethnic group. Tourists like us conveniently call this area Chinatown but Chinese Singaporeans traditionally refer to it as “Niu Che Sui” that literally means “cow-pulled water cart” or kereta ayer in Malay for the bullock-carts that used to haul drinking water. Kereta Ayer is in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown.

See and Do

We walk straight into the bustling crowd and the first familiar sight I spot is a wall with an array of waxed specialties. As I pause to look at the dried sausages and ducks, I’m distracted by the interest a Muslim lady was showing in the merchandise. I guess her friend must be telling her that this delicacy from China does not contain any wax but the meats, marinated in salt and wine, are air-dried or smoked to be preserved without refrigeration. It’s also one of my Chinese New Year favourites steamed with rice and savoured with a drizzle of dark soy sauce. Yum!

Wall of waxed specialties diaplayed for sale

Bhanu and I take our time to walk along the paved five-foot-ways of pre-war shophouses, peeking in shop windows and taking in the sights and sounds. I think many merchants are probably still involved in the businesses handed down through generations.

Now they may have updated shopfronts but are still dealing in gold and jade jewellery, branded fountain pens, traditional handicrafts, fabrics and fine silk, roots and herbs to seasonal high-value specialties like dried mushrooms and seafood. It’s interesting to see that every shop is filled with customers, busy picking out their choices for the festive season.

Long queue outside Lim Chee Guan,
patiently waiting to buy bak kwa

Leaving the crowded shops, we enter Yue Hwa at the corner of Eu Tong Sen Street and Upper Cross Street for a truly Chinese experience. This is a large emporium – I like this word for its nostalgic feel – or Chinese themed department store housed in a stately six-level building.

Built in 1936, it once was a leading hotel in Chinatown. Besides a whole floor dedicated to Chinese traditional medicine, one to antiques and another to tea and tea-making accessories, I’m delighted to discover a wide range of lovely Chinese inspired blouses and cheong sam here.

By this time, the crowds outside have swelled to peak weekend proportions but we bravely plunge into the jam-packed street market lined with stalls around Pagoda, Smith, Trengganu and Sago Streets. Every stall seems to have something interesting vying for my attention and the variety is simply mind-boggling but I steel myself from falling in love with anything.

Kuaci, toasted melon seeds are sold by weight

The Chinatown Heritage Centre on Pagoda Street is my favourite spot here as it houses a recreation of life in 1950’s Singapore. I declare it a “must-see site” for everyone keen on heritage as it portrays the lifestyle of early Chinese immigrants, carefully reconstructed in insightful tableaus, complete with interesting information and sound effects!

Taste and Eat

No Chinese New Year is complete without bak kwa or barbecued meat and this is evident from the long line of people queuing from the Lim Chee Guan shopfront, snaking across the front of three more shops. The sign says, “Since 1938” so I guess the juicy perfection of this signature bak kwa must have remained so good through the generations that these fans don’t mind queuing for up to four hours to buy this tasty treat. I have never tasted it but I will take the patient long queue as proof of such a special flavour that’s worth every moment of the wait.

A pig snout lies among the pork scalp meat for
the adventurous eater in Chinatown, Singapore!

Another rare sight to enjoy here is kuaci or melon seeds sold loose in open boxes. I don’t know when I last saw kauci being sold this way in

Malaysia

because black melon seeds are now sold in sealed packets all year round while red kuaci have virtually disappeared from our local markets.

Watching customers sample the kauci before buying brought back childhood memories of how I used to hold the tiny melon seed between my little fingertips, trying to crack it open with my front teeth. But even after many attempts, I failed to split the seed because the kuaci kept slipping from my wet lips and fingertips.

Convenient MRT to Pagoda Street

Singapore is predominantly Hokkien-speaking but from the memories shared by my grandma, I know that Cantonese is the main dialect in Chinatown. However, as we walk through the food street, the dialect I keep hearing appears to be Mandarin tinged with a heavy foreign accent. I then realize it’s because the vendors are from Mainland China.

While many of the street food look interesting, they are also alien to me probably because it’s not typically Singaporean now. It’s also not for the faint-hearted because I was stunned to spot a large pig snout among the pile of pork that customers can pick and have it sliced to enjoy as a crunchy pork scalp snack!

Fast Facts

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is the most convenient way to Chinatown through the Outram Park (EW16) or Chinatown (NE4) stations. When you take Exit A out of the Chinatown station, it will lead you directly into Pagoda Street which is part of the Chinatown street market and closed to vehicular traffic.

For a more dazzling experience, try visiting Chinatown by night. The Singapore Chinatown Chinese New Year celebration in the theme, “A Bountiful Year of the Dragon” is a colourful and exciting programme from 1 to 21 February 2012. This is part of the Hua Qing Spring Festival celebrations that includes River Hongbao and Chingay.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 19 January 2012

Chinese Heritage Discovery

2012-01-18T22:53:00.006+08:00

Entrance to Singapore Heritage Centre, Pagoda Street

Not too long ago, Malaysia and Singapore were one country. Our communities share a common cultural heritage and many still have family members on both sides of the causeway. While some may have heard historical anecdotes from elders and grandparents, most of our younger generations haven’t the foggiest idea of what life was like for the early immigrants.

Now here’s an opportunity to go back in Time and be transported into an era of coolies, majie and samsui women. The Chinatown Heritage Centre presents an authentic setting within the very walls where Chinese immigrants used to live along Pagoda Street, in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown.

A visit to this museum should open our eyes to how early immigrants thrived in the harsh circumstances and help us to value the struggles of our forefathers. It’s an educational and informative trip, not only for the Chinese but for everyone who loves culture and heritage.

Souvenir shop of Chinatown Heritage Centre

Unlike any museum in

Singapore

, this is housed within three beautifully restored shophouses. Each of the three levels, accessed by steep, rickety wooden stairs, takes you to a different time in the history of Chinatown and allows you to trace the lives of the early settlers. If the walls of these shophouses could speak, what exciting tales they would tell!

The rich cultural history of Singapore’s Chinatown will come alive as you experience life in the dark and cramped quarters of typical shophouses in the early 1950’s.

A walk through the museum will show you exhibits that are created from the memories of actual tenants of these shophouses. Interactive displays, interviews and audio-video elements, and especially dialogues in Cantonese dialect, make this experience very realistic.

Meagre belongings of the sinkheh

An immigrant who has just arrived in the newly adopted country is called a ‘sinkheh’ meaning ‘new guest’. Poverty, oppression and injustice may have driven these immigrants from their homes in China in search of a better life. Braving a long and dangerous journey by sea in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions, the immigrants arrive in the foreign land with a few precious possessions.

The sinkheh’s hard life in a strange land sent many to seek solace in the four evils: opium smoking, prostitution, gambling and being involved with secret societies – vices that caused the downfall of many young migrants. You can catch a glimpse of a prostitute's typical bedchamber behind a gauzy curtain and don’t miss the candid responses from a former prostitute recorded in an audio-visual interview.

Here's how a prostitute's bedchamber may look like

Enjoy the gallery that depicts the streets of Chinatown that are bustling with business, better known as “the place where the day never ends”. As you look at the street vendors, also check out rare video footage on the sale of exotic animals that were considered delicacies to the Chinese.

Another gallery displays Chinese cultural celebrations like Lion and Dragon Dances for Lunar New Year, Chinese opera shows as well as a somber setting for a funeral.

One of the attractions is the portrayal of life in a typical Chinatown shophouse. Rooms, no larger than a cubicle, are occupied by sinkheh of various trades and each room showcases how these thrifty people shared their living space with trading equipment, personal belongings, friends or family members. At each level, all occupants share a common kitchen, bathroom and toilet at the end of a long and narrow corridor.

The open book in the tailor shop has customers'
measurements!

Tailors, who are more affluent than the other occupants, have exclusive use of the airwell to dry their clothes. The setting in the tailor shop is so real that the books lying open are in fact, original documents that recorded the measurements of their former customers!

There are rooms for female sinkheh like majie, a sisterhood of maids who wear uniforms of black silk trousers and white cotton blouses. They live with employers but return to these shared rooms only twice a month to catch up with friends or read letters from home.

Samsui women are another hardworking group employed at construction sites, usually to carry building materials in two large baskets balanced on the ends of a long pole across her shoulders. Their trade is distinguished by black sam-foo (blouse & trousers) outfits teamed with a red headdress.

The typical mobile stall of noodle sellers in Chinatown

Single young men sinkheh have the inexpensive option to sleep on foldable canvas beds, opened in the corridor after everyone has retired into their rooms. The last to bed, they are also the first to wake and clear away their beds before the rest of the household starts their day.

In the narrow kitchen, observe how the walls are blackened from years of burning charcoal stoves and don’t miss the chance to peek into the much-used tiny bathroom and bucket toilets. Pause here to listen to a snippet of conversation in Cantonese between occupants living at different levels – one persuading the other to turn off the low-pressure piped water so that she could have some!

A bucket toilet and its cover [Right]
- Notice the toilet paper!

Stop by the scaled model of shophouse to see a cross-section of typical shophouses in Chinatown that literally accommodated a whole community. Press the buttons that light up each section for a closer look to understand the horror of overcrowded and windowless conditions.

Notice that there are no rear exit doors in the upper levels so ‘full’ toilet buckets have to be carried out through the long shophouse, all the way downstairs. Knowing that the temperament of the “night-soil” collector is as foul as his trade, occupants maintain perfect silence and will not indicate distaste especially as the foul bucket passes by. They are careful not to offend him because any offensive behaviour could result in him accidentally spilling its contents in the middle of the corridor!

Fast Facts

The Chinatown Heritage Centre is the winner of the “Best Asean Cultural Preservation Effort” in the ASEANTA Awards for Excellence 2003. It is located at 48 Pagoda Street, Singapore 059207. Admission fees: S$10 adult and S$6 child (age 3 – 12). Opening hours: 9am to 8pm with last entry at 7pm. Special promotional rates apply for senior citizens, cooperative and bankcard holders (please produce cards for verification.)

Heritage Trivia:

A riddle modern people may not know the answer to is, “What vehicle has 36 doors?” Only those who are acquainted with the bucket toilet system may know because it’s the vehicle used by the night-soil collector to carry the buckets!

My Chinatown Heritage Centre experience was hosted by the Singapore Tourism Board. A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Travel Times in June 2005

Saturday Nite Culture

2012-01-15T14:23:00.001+08:00

Opening stance to Dodo, the mask-changer's act
at Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street

Dodo, a multi-talented artiste from Harbin, China, was the main attraction at the live performance in Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street one Saturday night last May.

A crowd of about 500 people were mesmerized, charmed and entertained in this special show, jointly organized by the Johor Baru Chinese Association and Tan Chai Puan, Director of the Teochew Eight Districts Association. This was just one of the many live entertainment shows lined up in the coming weeks at Johor Baru’s main Chinese cultural street.

Every Saturday night, Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street is closed to vehicular traffic and turned into a street carnival lined with several stalls that serve Chinese specialties and sell souvenirs and useful knick-knacks. The air is fragrant with freshly fried Teochew snacks that customers buy to eat piping hot or for takeaways. Meanwhile fans of karaoke, join the queue to belt out their favourite songs to an appreciative audience.

A moment ago, his mask changed and in seconds,
this demon-face disappeared!

In an effort to keep the culture and heritage of the Chinese community Johor Baru alive, the Chinese Associations in Johor Baru are bringing back the excitement and nostalgia of street entertainment for a new generation to experience and enjoy. Tan recalled that when he was growing up in Jalan Ungku Puan, he used to watch live street entertainment usually provided by peddlers and medicine men that attracted crowds with their amazing feats.

On that Saturday night, the heart of old Johor Baru throbbed with the fun and excitement reminiscent of bygone days as Dodo took to the stage with his dramatic mask-changing performance.

Mask-changing or face-changing is literally translated as “Bian Lian” in Chinese language. This ancient Chinese dramatic art has a history of 300 years and is part of the Szechuan opera. It is considered one of China’s most elusive performing arts because of its closely guarded secrets and technically forbidden to women because when they marry, this secret art may be shared with her new family.

A section of the audience, enjoying the "live" show

The audience at Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street was in awe of Dodo and responded with appreciative applause as they watched him perform his slick moves skillfully to dramatic music. With a flourish of his arms and the clever flick of his cloak, his painted mask changed in quick succession in split seconds. Full-face, painted silk masks designed in vivid colours changed in a blink of an eye from a demon-face monster to the Monkey god and on to a clown’s face in a series of quick changes.

In full view of his audience, Dodo moved skillfully with no contact between his hands and his face but the masks kept changing in split seconds with the mere flick of his head. All too soon the full-face masks gave way to a half-mask and suddenly it was over when he whisked off his head-dress and cloak to reveal his own face and clean shaven head save for a tiny tuft of hair. The momentum and mystery of the art added to the magic of the evening as the audience was absolutely wowed by his act.

Dodo blowing up a rubber tube with just one nostril...
[Notice balloon on the right that finally exploded!]

Dodo continued to thrill his audience with more amazing feats like blowing up a rubber tube of a truck tyre using just one nostril, in 60 seconds. A balloon attached to the tube gradually expanded along with the tube until the balloon exploded. As if this was not proof enough of his prowess, Dodo picked up a Chinese traditional wind instrument and played it melodiously, also by using a single nostril.

With the enthusiastic response from his audience, this prolific entertainer was unstoppable. He went on to play the saxophone, trumpet and traditional Chinese flute – this time with his mouth – and had enough breath to belt out a few popluar Chinese songs while he interacted with the audience. For the finale, Dodo had everyone totally mesmerized by his fire-breathing act as he lit up the night sky with giant plumes of fire.

Dodo lighting up the night sky with
his fire-breathing performance

At the close of this show, Tan was upbeat about how the proud heritage of street entertainment can thrive in Johor Baru with the support of families and tourists who make Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street a regular destination.

There was an air of eager anticipation among the audience when Tan said there will be a "dragon" spanning the length of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee with its head at the top of Bukit Timbalan and its tail at the OCBC Bank. The dragon is a metaphor he used to illustrate the constant stream of people who will throng this area during the Johor Baru Arts Festival. Last July, the Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street Committee worked in partnership with the annual Arts Festival to bring more excitement to the heart of Johor Baru.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets in May 2011

NEWS UPDATE:

If you missed this exciting show, there's still an opportunity to see Dodo perform his amazing feats again when he is featured "live" at Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street this coming weekend. Make a date with him this Saturday, 21 January 2012 and be there before 8pm. Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon!

/pl

Seasonal Specialties

2012-01-11T22:47:00.000+08:00

Turkey paratal - a season's special

Chakra, one of Johor Baru’s established fine-dine Indian restaurants, continues to tantalize discerning tastebuds with interesting seasonal specialties.

If you are partial towards turkey but have had enough of it prepared in the traditional recipe, then you must try Chakra’s turkey specialty. Prepared in a spicy paratal recipe, this turkey dish is the perfect gravy to complement freshly-made Indian breads like naan.

Just ask for their current promotions that may not be listed in the ala carte menu. And while your meal is being cooked, whet your appetite with crunchy discs of pappadam. Chilled Mango Lassi, a delicious chilled yoghurt drink made with fresh mangoes, is a highly recommended thirst-quencher. But if you prefer a warm drink, their brew of masala tea served in a delicate cup and saucer set, is simply delicious!

Garlic naan [Left] and Kulcha naan [Right]

Garlic naan and Kulcha naan are among the most popular Indian breads in Chakra’s menu of breads. As defined by their names, these flatbreads are seasoned with generous amounts of garlic in the former and lots of chopped coriander leaves in the latter, before being baked inside giant heated earthen jars. These round pieces of bread are cut into quarters and served hot from the oven.

For this festive season, Chef Fakir Khan, 41, and Chef Imtiaz Khan, 30, have designed an exciting menu of specialties using poultry like turkey and goose.

Chef Fakir Khan [Right] and Chef Imtiaz Khan

These versatile chefs, who hail from Orissa state in India, are combining their culinary experience to create mouth-watering recipes to complement meals served with either rice or breads.

Among the items on the menu are tasty turkey peratal and a spicy zinger dish of goose varuval. Seafood lovers will enjoy Prawn Kotamali made with de-shelled prawns and cooked in rich, creamy gravy and garnished with lots of kotamali or coriander leaves.

Chakra at No. 1, Jalan Yusuf Taha, 80100 Johor Baru, is located parallel to the Inner Ring Road and adjacent to Jalan Yahya Awal. It is housed in a charming 70-year old former family home that once hosted Indian celebrities and remains a popular dining destination for prominent politicians and dignitaries as well as Johor royalty.

Chakra has private rooms, upstairs dining hall and an alfresco terrace that’s perfect for tandoori parties. For reservations, private events and catering, Tel: 607 – 223 9991. Open daily for lunch from 11.30am to 3.30pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Goose varuval, another seasonal specialty - quite a zinger!

Prawn Kotamali, prepared in a creamy North Indian recipe

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 3 January 2012

Cheers to old favourite

2012-01-08T15:13:00.001+08:00

JB toddy shop is surrounded by high-rise buildings

The sturdy single-storey building at Jalan Sulaiman, a short street that links Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Trus, is believed to have been built in 1920.

A wooden signboard hanging above its main door reads, Kedai Tuak Awam Johor Baru [Johor Baru Public Toddy Shop]. A metal plaque on the gate has information in three languages – Tamil, Chinese and the English translation that reads as Coconut Juice Shop.

Signboard above main entrance made of wooden planks

Next to these signs, a larger more colourful signboard stands out in stark contrast. With illustrations of coconut palms and the words, “Air Nira, Toddy and Coconut Juice” emblazoned on it, passers-by will have an idea of what is being served here. It’s toddy or fermented palm wine, an alcoholic beverage produced from the flower of the coconut palm.

Originally the toddy shop was run by personnel of the Royal Malaysian Customs, Johor [Kastam DiRaja Malaysia Johor], and managed by three key staff – Pak Osman, Mr Manikam and a Chinese lady clerk who has since passed away. While Pak Osman retired to Muar, Mr Manikam worked here for about 40 years before he too retired. Then Chelladurai Loorthusami took over under license with the Royal Malaysian Customs, Johor and operated the business for 32 years.

Nagalingam Chelladurai with a sample of
bottled toddy for export

With foresight and an enterprising spirit, Chelladurai and his son Nagalingam Chelladurai, 49, carried out surveys and research on the various types of coconut palms and decided to replant his old rubber plantation in Lima Kedai with coconut palms. They maximized land use by planting the Mawar and Matah species of coconuts and reared goats in the plantation. Chelladurai retired six years ago and his son now operates the business with the help of his nephew Mathaialakan Kannaiah, better known as Suresh, and Balakrishnan Kota Raman.

“Balakrishnan used to climb the coconut palms to harvest toddy,” said Nagalingam, adding that Balakrishnan started working as a palm juice tapper and has been with the business for more than 30 years. At age 61, Balakrishnan no longer climbs trees but he still helps Suresh with the business in the shop.

“Everyday I go to the plantation at 8am to collect fresh toddy,” said Suresh who would be back in the shop with about 50 liters of toddy to open for business by 10am. He said on an average, regulars usually enjoy 2 to 3 mugs of toddy on each visit. During the day, the shop is virtually empty but there is usually a crowd on weekends.

Balakrishnan Kota Raman has been
working with the toddy shop since 1960

The sparsely furnished front hall seems hardly able to accommodate a handful of customers but the rear courtyard is certainly big enough for a regular crowd. The spacious courtyard is furnished with tall concrete tables and stools that are cemented to the ground. An interesting feature is the rows of parallel high metal fences, painted bright green colour, built in front of the outer sales counters. The counters are also sealed in wire mesh with only a small window open at the bottom edge for the transaction.

“During my father’s time, it can sometimes get so crowded that queues have to be controlled,” said Nagalingam, explaining the need for high fences at the sales counters and implying that customers are more orderly now. He said regulars at the shop include doctors and lawyers who buy takeaways and every now and then, foreign tourists drop in for a drink.

“I’ve been coming here for more than 25 years,” said Balakrishnan Mulogam, 54, a retired army officer who was formerly attached to the Majidee Camp. When he was off duty from his job in Singapore, Tamilivaan Krishnan, 25, would also be in the shop. Like them, Leong Siong, 60, and his group of Chinese friends are regulars who enjoy a few toddies in the shop.

A jug of fresh toddy served at JB's toddy shop

Traditionally, toddy is also an ingredient for making tosai, apom, sponge cake and even pau pastry. Fresh toddy tastes sparkling sweet with a little sour aftertaste. Nagalingam said toddy has many health benefits including controlling diabetes and half a glass can even be given to children as medicine weekly or fortnightly.

“It’s a natural product,” he said, emphasizing that it’s normal to sometimes see bees or ants in the beverage. “But customer satisfaction is important,” he added, aware that there must be hygienic handling and good service at all times. Tasty fresh toddy, served at room temperature, is clearly an acquired taste and its popularity has kept this shop in business for generations.

The Johor Baru Public Toddy Shop, located at JKR 467 Jalan Sulaiman, Johor Baru, is open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Suresh at the outer sales counter with high fences
to control crowds

Leong Siong enjoying his regular mug in the rear courtyard

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 2 January 2012

Glad to share interesting feedback:

Gerard said: Honestly was not aware that the toddy shop was alive and kicking. Goodness! You have even made it look dignified!!

/pl

Old to New Year

2012-01-05T01:30:00.000+08:00

Designer Gingerbread men and women!

Hollywood gave us, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” but for me, the final few days of 2011 rolling into 2012 is something I call, “Christmas, an Op, a Funeral and a Wedding!” It was an eventful few days, filled with a mix of joy and sorrow as my family and I were involved with a series of happenings, both planned and unexpected.

On 23 December, we received sad news that Auntie Gloria, dad’s former colleague and a dear family friend, had passed away after a long illness. For as long as I can remember, Auntie has always been on dad’s Christmas card mailing list. Her funeral was arranged for 27 December to give time for her family members abroad to return. [Flights were fully booked in the peak holiday season.] While her wake services were planned for 25 & 26 December, we did not hesitate to go to be with the bereaved family that night.

Little Suzanna

At church on Christmas morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see Benoy and meet his family who were visiting from the US. How Time has flown! It was overwhelming yet wonderful to see him with his wife, Rose, and children Noah and Suzanna. That’s because my memories of him was of a mischievous boy who came to join our Daily Vacation Bible School, so many years ago… and now he’s a father of two children!

The Christmas story in song was beautifully presented once again in a cantata entitled, “Come, Celebrate Jesus!” I say “once again” because this powerful 50-minute cantata by Don Marsh and Claire Cloninger was performed again by a new generation of talented singers. It felt strangely nostalgic as I watched and sang along with the familiar lyrics because I was part of the original choir who first performed it.

Singing Christmas cantata, "Come celebrate Jesus"

“Peasants and kings went on their way with wonder in their eyes – For wise men were made humble and humble men were made wise,” the truth in this refrain rang out clearly and still remains relevant today.

All the hard practicing months ahead was well worth the effort as the beautiful singing, first as a group and in solo parts and duets, held the audience’s rapt attention. I may be biased but I think Brendon my youngest nephew, gave a very commendable solo performance!

Meaningful message written inside gift from Emily

Jesus is indeed the reason why we celebrate this season and He remains central in our celebration, beginning with home-to-home caroling on Christmas Eve, then a morning service on Christmas day, followed by buffet lunch and later, a family celebration at home that evening.

As we acknowledge Jesus Christ as God’s greatest gift to us, we also enjoy a tradition of gift-giving at Christmas. This year was no different as members of our church family came armed with bags/baskets full of gifts for everyone.

“Open it now!” urged Flo as soon as she presented me with her gift. I quickly oblige and peeled open the pretty wrapping paper from that square flat package. She watched me intently as I read the CD title and let out quite an unladylike but grateful howl of joy. My ecstatic reaction was just what she was waiting for. Her thoughtful gift of a rare collection of music by one of my favourite artistes was certainly appreciated!

Emily in the hospital, with her parents

Later when Ruby my sister, gave me her gift, she too insisted that I open it right away. As I carefully opened that bulky package, I was totally unprepared for what greeted my eyes. Once again, the celebration was interrupted by my squeal of surprise when I saw that it was a hardcover biography of that same favourite music artiste!

From books, toiletries, accessories, games and garments to music CD’s, I received my fair share of thoughtful and useful gifts. Someone gave me home-made cookies that I think tasted very special because they were made with that extra ingredient – love! Even as I know it’s the thought that counts, there’s something very special about well-thought out gifts that are not only appropriate but appreciated by the recipient.

Emily had to quickly shift gears to move from Christmas celebrations to her admission into hospital for a scheduled tonsillectomy on 27 December. That same morning, my family and I were at Auntie Gloria’s lovely Sending-Off service and I was encouraged to read scripture on the handout quoted from II Timothy 4 verse 7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” As the service and eulogies were shared through Skype technology with her family members abroad, I privately thought that when my time comes, I too would like to be described as, “Finishing Well”

Handout for the Sending-Off service

That evening, I was glad to see Emily come out from her drowsy after-surgery sleep. I can identify with her misery because many years ago, I too underwent a tonsillectomy. Even while she wanted to share all the details, it was quite impossible for her to speak so I gave her my pen to write out her part of our conversation.

As dinner was served, we discovered that the hospital does not provide her much-longed-for ice-cream to soothe her painful throat. They only have jelly but since they took too long to serve it, I bought her the next best thing – chilled mango yoghurt and mixed fruit yoghurt drink!

Christmas and New Year also means parties and celebrations so it was my pleasure to accept Gerard’s invitation to join his family for a poolside party. It was lovely to meet his mother, relatives and many familiar faces but what I found amusing was how the waiters from their caterer recognized me because I recently did a food review at their restaurant!

With Reane [Left] and Shanin [Right] at the party

Two little girls sat near me and as soon as they finished eating, were preoccupied with playing games on their mum’s I-pad. In the course of conversation, they were thrilled to discover that I was formerly from their school, Convent JB. So I encouraged them to read my school stories from my blog and the older sister, Reane, 11, deftly opened to the pages to scan my stories and photos.

“Can you put us in your blog?” Shanin, 9, boldly asked and I replied with a question – asking her to tell me something interesting about herself. A lively chat ensued as the girls were delighted with what they saw on my blog. Later, their mum told me that nobody could distract them from their games or engage them in a conversation but…

With James & Agathe Wang at their reception

On 1 January 2012, celebrations continued as our family were in Kuala Lumpur to attend the wedding reception for James and Agathe. They were married last September in France but were back to host a reception for family and friends here.

In the past week, while the couple took their French in-laws on a tour of Penang, Cameron Highlands and Malacca, they stayed in touch with me through email. That’s because I was their Master of Ceremony and needed to discuss the event programme and find out more juicy details of their love story! It’s my privilege to be part of their celebration and I’m glad everyone had a lovely and memorable time.

Whew! What an eventful few days, aptly summed up in, “Christmas, an Op, a Funeral and a Wedding!” I will be glad when the days return into its normal routine but not yet. There are still more celebrations and dinners lined up for birthdays and the coming Chinese New Year!

/pl

George & Dragon at JPO

2012-01-02T22:42:00.005+08:00

Patricia Chew at the George & Dragon
outlet at Johor Premium Outlets

When George & Dragon opened in Johor Baru in 2002, this English themed café attracted a loyal clientele who appreciate a taste of traditional English and Irish tavern food. Guests thrill to the fun of sitting in charming old-world ambience at custom-made wooden tables fitted on cast-iron sewing machine stands.

Now the medieval English charm of George & Dragon can also be experienced at the brand-new Johor Premium Outlets at Indahpura, Kulaijaya.

From the coat-of-arms shields and swords that adorn the walls, the knight’s shiny suit of armour standing sentinel next to the wine chiller to signature furniture that features cast-iron table legs, their new George & Dragon outlet located at Low Street of the Johor Premium Outlet reflects the same charming identity.

Ice-blended cappuccino [Right] and
iced cappuccino topped with ice-cream

“Our menu here is the same as in the city outlet,” said Patricia Chew, Executive Director of George & Dragon Café. She said that at the moment, the café serves two choices of set meals for lunch while there are ala carte items for dinner. This set meal comprising a soup-of-the-day, a choice of drink and main course, caters to the quick lunch most shoppers prefer because they only want a short break before continuing with their shopping.

“In the evening, there is a more leisurely group of visitors at the Johor Premium Outlets,” she added. She said many people come to enjoy a stroll around and dine in the restaurants here. The ala carte menu includes a menu of Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Pasta, Entrees and Desserts. English fish ‘n chips, black-pepper lamb, grilled chicken and chicken chop as well as seafood specialties are popular choices.

Meat-lovers can pick juicy New Zealand sirloin, T-bone or Rib-eye steaks that are marinated and grilled to perfection before being served with their signature sauces.

Traditional English scones for tea

Shoppers also drop in for homemade English desserts like Trifle, Apple Pie, Chocolate Fudge and Blueberry Cheesecake that are perfect with freshly ground fragrant coffee brewed in a menu of hot, latte and ice-blended recipes or a choice of English tea served by the cup or pot. Many also choose to enjoy the epitome of Englishness – freshly baked hot scones served with a dollop of whipped cream and jam, savoured with sips of warm English tea.

“We have more space here,” said Chew about the spacious café that can seat up to 104 guests including single diners at the bar. Just as in its Johor Baru outlet, the café has a full bar stocked with local and European beers as well as a wide selection of wines.

For the festive season, the café has created a range of luxurious food and wine hampers that are a joy to give and receive. George & Dragon Café is located at No. 1 Jalan Glasiar, Taman Tasek, Johor Baru and at Suite 204, Johor Premium Outlets, Indahpura, Kulaijaya, Johor.

Tel: 607 – 232 3761 or visit website http://www.georgeanddragoncafe.com/ No pork products are used in the premises.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 20 December 2011

Farewell favourite noodles!

2011-12-28T23:52:00.004+08:00

Tan Keng Ngiap serving his signature
Mee Pok Tah

If you enjoy Teochew noodles, then you must have tasted noodles like kway teow th’ng, flat rice noodles in clear soup and mee pok tah – dry-tossed, thin flat noodles, prepared by Tan Keng Ngiap in Johor Baru. Trading as Choy Ngiap, Tan has been serving delicious Teochew noodles in a corner shoplot at No. 39-J Jalan Ah Siang, close to the Jalan Ibrahim Sultan end of the Inner Ring Road since 1998.

Parking space along Jalan Ah Siang is limited but fans of Choy Ngiap noodles fearlessly compete with trucks and building construction obstacles while the nearby Sultan Iskandar Building [that houses the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex] was being built, just to enjoy a taste of their favourite noodles. In the last 53 years, generations of loyal customers have been enjoying his Teochew noodles that are prepared in recipes that remain virtually unchanged over the years.

Tan's signature Mee Pok Tah

His noodles, known to locals as “Lao Di kway teow” is a recipe from his old neighbour, fondly called “Lao Di,” a Teochew endearment meaning “younger brother.” The partnership started in 1959 when Lao Di asked Tan to help him with his noodle business and they started trading as Tong Yuan Restaurant at Jalan Siu

Nam

, a site now occupied by Top Hotel.

After about eight years, they moved their business to Chuan Fan Restaurant. In 1987, Tan set up his own stall at Jalan Bukit Meldrum and in 1998 he moved the business to Jalan Ah Siang.

As in all noodles, the success of the dish lies in its sauces and soup preparation. Tan uses this closely guarded recipe to prepare tasty soup stock for his famous noodles. This rich broth continues to be enhanced with natural flavours as he cooks fresh meat and prawns in the boiling broth and briskly serves up individual bowls upon receiving orders.

Tan's Kway Teow Th'ng

Tan, a father of three – a son and two daughters – has his fair share of challenges as a food trader. He is on his feet at his “live” cooking station for hours every evening, except on Monday. While he does the cooking, his children helps him at the stall, taking orders and serving steaming bowls, often in a non-stop pace at peak dining hours.

One of Tan’s most traumatic experiences must be that morning in 1999, after he sent his two daughters to school. As usual he went for his regular morning exercise before going to buy fresh ingredients at the market for the evening’s business but he was attacked by robbers and suffered serious head injuries.

With resilience and a great deal of courage, Tan recovered from this horrifying experience and went on with his business as usual.

Tan preparing noodles at Choy Ngiap,
Jalan Ah Siang

Now at age 68, Tan says that it’s time to retire – and he’s not joking. This is cause for concern because when he stops his business, fans of his noodles will certainly miss him and the familiar taste of his noodles.

His daughter, Penny Tan Joo Hui, 27, said one of the reasons he’s stopping is because his children want to pursue their own careers. Then Tan will not have enough help in their business. While Tan accepts the fact that his children may not share a similar interest in the noodle business, he is also ready to take a break for now.

If you are a fan of Choy Ngiap noodles, I hope you had the opportunity for a final taste of his delicious Teochew noodles before the year was over. That’s because Saturday, 31 December 2011, marks the day when Tan will hang up his chopsticks and close his noodle business. Fans of his noodles are going to be disappointed when they go looking for him in 2012 but let’s hope that he can be persuaded to pick up his chopsticks again!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 2 January 2012

Glad to share some interesting feedback

Penny said: We prepared more to serve on the last day but it was still not enough! What a pity!

John said: Interesting article! How sad - nobody to take over his business...

Alfred said: Good write-up!

Gillian said: Oh no! This means we have to go to another place...

Shaun said: I'm absolutely gutted about this news! It's a sad day for foodies. The last time I ate there was almost two years ago. I should come back [from Australia] and reach out to him with a proposal to set up a shop with his recipe and offer him royalties - just to keep it going!

/pl

Designer brand bargains

2011-12-26T11:44:00.002+08:00

Renowned brands at Johor Premium Outlets

I thought I was early on a weekday visit to the newly opened Johor Premium Outlets but from the number of cars in the carpark, many obviously came earlier.

Since the much anticipated Johor Premium Outlets, the first Premium Outlet Center in South East Asia, opened its doors on 2 December 2011, it has been attracting shoppers from around the country and from across the Causeway. Without a moment’s hesitation, I walk into a crowd of shoppers and see many families with kids comfortably ensconced in baby strollers and some with their elderly transported on wheelchairs.

Many shoppers are already holding bags with designer brand names emblazoned on them and I’m determined to check out what’s available and so irresistible.

With the festive season just around the corner, there is every reason to shop and the good value prices must be very persuasive for shoppers to pick from the wide range of brands all in one place. I’m partial to occasional shopping sprees and as I walk down the two-level street mall, I steel myself to the tempting bargains that are calling out to me at every turn.

The street mall
offers two-levels of exciting shopping

Exciting Experience

Whoever coined the phrase “retail therapy” knows what she’s talking about because it’s certainly therapeutic to browse around to get the best buys. As this is my first visit, I find my way to the Customer Service and Information Centre to grab a map for an overview of the layout so that I can zero-in on my favourite brands’ outlets. My strategy is to start from the Low Street and work my way up to the High Street on the next level, to check out the merchandise in all the 80 outlets.

The street mall is designed with wide pavements and landscaped gardens between two rows of outlets in a unique outdoor setting, with stairs and escalators as well as elevators at opposite ends of the streets. On each level, tinkling fountains are centerpieces that provide cool respite for shoppers hot on the bargain hunting trail. The squirting fountain on High Street, surrounded by outlets for Guess, Armani Exchange, Burberry and Adidas, is a welcome stop because there are nearby benches to relax while the kids enjoy themselves in the adjacent play area.

Kids having fun at the fountain

Branded Bargains

I overhear someone glibly comment, “You can never have too many pairs of shoes,” and smile in agreement as my eyes survey the range of elegant footwear in Charles & Keith Reductions.

Then, encouraged by value-minded shoppers at Vincci who are digging into a pile of fashion footwear, I enthusiastically join shoppers to try out the range of comfortable walking shoes in Clarks, Sketchers and Geox. Over at the Nike and Adidas outlets, I can see why many shoppers are also trying out trainers and sports shoes for the best fit from the wide range of attractive designs.

There is also a neat selection of leading designer names for fashion and sportswear like Adidas, CK Calvin Klein, Coach, DKNY, Gap, Lacoste, Levi’s, Quicksilver, Roxy, Ferragamo, Shanghai Tang and Timberland and quality brands like Bonia, Carlo Rino, Esprit, G2000 and Padini beckon and I take my time to check out a mind-boggling choice. I must say that I’m rather impressed with the customer service as most shop assistants are trained to interest potential customers with their quality merchandise. When approached by a helpful assistant, I seize the opportunity to quiz him about his experience with shoppers and learn that with savings of up to 25% to 65% daily, business has been brisk.

Flow has fashion for full-figured women!

Specialty Stops

After a few hours of serious shopping, it’s time for a bite and a quick check of the map points me to a choice of designer coffees or teas at Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, ice-cream at Baskin-Robbins or Absolutely Thai for Thai food, English fare at George & Dragon, Japanese at Kampachi or Chinese cuisine at Taang Shifu.

There is also a Food Court but I’m not going to lose a moment of my precious shopping time. I decide on George & Dragon because they serve a quick set lunch. Fortified by a tasty hot meal, I’m back on my shopping quest again!

It’s good that the mall has gifts and souvenirs outlets for chocolate, cosmetics, fragrances and Malaysia’s renowned Royal Selangor because tourists can buy something special home. There are also ATMs and foreign currency exchange facilities and even international shipping services for the shoppers’ convenience.

Just as I thought I had exhausted my mall exploration, I discovered Flow – a first in Johor Baru – and am thrilled that they are dedicated to fashion for the full-figured woman! At last, well-endowed girls can get contemporary, casual, career and evening wear in sizes up to US16 here and at affordable prices. Oh yes, I certainly didn't go home empty-handed!

Fast Facts

Johor Premium Outlets, located at Indahpura, Kulaijaya in Johor, is accessible by the North-South Highway and the Second Link from Tuas, Singapore. Shopping hours are from 10am to 10pm daily. For more info, visit website: www.premiumoutlets.com.my

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 22 December 2011

Interesting Feedback:

Gwen said:
Merry Christmas! Thanks to your story, I just got a pair of jeans from Flow at JPO. Yay they fit perfectly!

/pl

Grandma's tasty tangyuen

2011-12-24T14:39:00.001+08:00

Tangyuen stuffed with crushed peanuts served in
fragrant ginger broth

In my childhood, holidays and Christmas are what I look forward to as the year draws to a close. But sometime in the week before Christmas our family would go to Ah Kong or grandfather’s house at No. 154 Jalan Ngee Heng for dinner. I remember it was almost like a Chinese New Year reunion dinner where we meet our cousins and eat a big meal together but the difference is the fun we had making and playing with glutinous rice balls.

That was because grandma had the tradition of celebrating one of the most significant Chinese festivals, Dong Zhi or Winter Solstice Festival. I later learnt that unlike most Chinese festivals that are based on the Chinese lunar calendar, Dong Zhi is based on the Gregorian or Western solar calendar. The festival, which usually falls on or around 22 December, occurs when the earth’s axis is tilted furthest away from the sun, resulting with the shortest daylight hours and the longest night of the year.

On that day, the kitchen in Ah Kong’s house was a hive of activity from early afternoon for the preparation of glutinous rice balls or tangyuan for afternoon tea and a sumptuous spread for the family dinner later. Grandma had a huge kitchen and dining hall with a large round dining table as the centerpiece. I remember watching grandma, deemed the chief cook, amazed at how she could work so well with her daughters and daughters-in-law who helped with the various food preparations.

The formica-topped table would be cleaned for grandma to knead glutinous rice flour into the right consistency. The dough would be split and one part mixed with red food colouring to create pink coloured dough. Then the fun begins when extra pairs of hands were invited to help pinch portions of the dough to roll into round shapes and line them neatly on trays, taking care to keep them apart or they would stick together in a clump.

Rolling the glutinous rice flour and stuffing
in crushed peanuts to make stuffed tangyuen

I was a volunteer in helping to roll the dough into little balls and learnt that it was a skill to consistently create round shapes in the required standard size. My little palms did not get it right the first few times so it was heart-breaking to have my ugly creations squashed and re-moulded into shapes that better resembled spheres. I also learnt that speed in producing more was not a priority but the skill in consistently creating round balls of equal size.

The best part of this activity was at the end when there were sufficient tangyuan made and the balance of the dough was left for the children to play. We would apply our own creativity to mould the dough and have much fun designing various shapes and creatures, and sometimes when grandma was not looking, we would also get them cooked! If the dough started out white in colour, by the time we were done playing, it would have turned into a strange dirty shade!

At that time, I had no idea why tangyuan were eaten but I learnt that the celebration was a form of Chinese Thanksgiving where there was ancestor worship and family dinners. It is significant for Chinese to eat the tangyuan together as a family as the round shape of the balls and the bowls in which they were served, symbolize family togetherness. In China, this annual tradition of eating tangyuan welcomes the winter and also counts as a year has passed.

I remember being told that I’m a year older as I munched the chewy tangyuan balls. I was puzzled as it made no sense to me then but now I know. I recall my aunties used to be anxious to reduce the number of tangyuan in their bowls because they erroneously claimed that eating each tangyuan added another year and they were in no hurry to age!

Thinking of grandma’s tangyuan, I can almost smell the fragrance of that rich ginger broth flavoured with syrup that she used to brew. When we were ready to eat, the raw tangyuan would be dropped into the boiling broth and cooked instantly. Grandma would usually serve an equal number of tangyuan in white and pink colours in each bowl.

Now tangyuen can be bought readymade
in frozen packs and conveniently served at home

In those days, everything was made at home from fresh ingredients but now tangyuan are factory mass-produced and packed for sale as frozen food. While it’s now common to have tangyuan that are stuffed with various sweet or savoury ingredients or tinged in a range of colours, grandma’s traditional recipe was for plain glutinous rice balls in two colours – white and pink. Many restaurants and hawkers serve tangyuan as dessert and it’s available from the freezer all year round so now we don’t have to wait for the Winter Solstice or any festival to enjoy this delicacy.

This year, the Winter Solstice Festival falls on 22 December and Chinese families who have this tradition would be gathering for a celebration. With grandma now aged 99 and the house at Jalan Ngee Heng demolished, all that remain of grandma’s Dongzhi are only memories. So whenever I taste tangyuan, I have the fondest thoughts of our family fun and bonding at this annual festive meal in grandma’s kitchen, so long ago.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 21 December 2011

December Birthday

2011-12-21T11:43:00.001+08:00

With so much festivities lined up in December, it’s always a challenge to find a mutually agreeable date for dinner. But we manage to do so year after year because we have an annual tradition for a two-in-one celebration of Christmas and Wei Leng’s birthday on 21 December. Like many December babies, Wei Leng graciously accepts her two-in-one gift because her birthday is so close to Christmas!

This year, I picked Grill Bar and planned the simple celebration with my friend, Gary Hong a. k. a. Chef Ozzy. Sit-coms like “Cheers” made us appreciate places where “everybody knows your name” and for me, it felt like this at Grill Bar. The moment I step through the door, the friendly waitresses greeted me with, “Good Evening Ms Peggy!” Throughout the evening whenever they spoke to me, almost every line was politely punctuated with, “Ms Peggy!” Wow! This is truly personalized service!

Seafood soup with side of Ham Bruschetta

Their greetings was within earshot of other diners because I soon heard a young voice coming from the family dining at a nearby table say, “Auntie Peggy” and I turned to see young Ajay munching on a pile of plump fries. What a pleasant surprise! After a pause for warm greetings and well-wishing with his mum and family, I was ushered to our table but before turning into the private alcove, I spotted my feature on Grill Bar posted prominently on a pillar.

While we reviewed the menu, the hostess efficiently recommended the day’s Specials from a chalkboard. After a bit of conferring, we settled on our own choice of soup with a salad, a pizza, pasta, a fish main course and a Special dish, all to share. We are always greedy to try as many items but with limited space in our stomachs, sharing the meal is the most pleasing and rewarding solution.

Linda and Wei Leng chose their favourite Mushroom Soup while I picked the Seafood choice. When the soups were served, I noticed that they were specially served with a side of Ham Bruschetta instead of the usual slices of buttered bread. I appreciate Chef Ozzy’s kind gesture and realize that it’s my privilege to share such special treats with dear friends.

American flatbread with delicious duck topping

It was an indulgence to dig into the rich, thick taste of our Blue Cheese Salad and savour the pungent and distinctive flavours on crisp fresh vegetables, tiny halved tomatoes and crunchy walnuts. Our pizza was more of an American flatbread, a wafer-thin base loaded with slivers of tasty duck and yummy fresh ingredients. This certainly whet our appetite for the main course of Grilled Fish – a delicious dish of thick fillets of butter carp fish, swimming in a rich seafood bisque with a side of roasted new potatoes and a portion of crispy broccoli and tiny carrots.

Giant Angus meatballs with pasta

“No need to fight over it,” said Wei Leng with mock reassurance when the meatball pasta was served. I understood when I counted six meatballs for an equal share of two each among us. These are no ordinary meatballs but juicy, giant, flame-broiled Angus beef meatballs that are not only awesomely tasty but just two were ever so filling! Burp!

Having done justice to such a sumptuous meal, it was time to sit back and let the food settle before contemplating our sweet ending. Chef Ozzy relieved us from the difficult decision for dessert because he had already made the choice for us. Aware that we were probably up to our ears in food, the hostess brought us three spoons to share our dessert.

Linda [Left], Wei Leng [Right] and I at our annual celebration

Suddenly the soft Chrismassy piped-in music was interrupted by a group of melodious voices singing “Happy Birthday” to Wei Leng. The waitress served a platter of Chocolate Lava with gooey chocolate oozing out of the split warm cake and a side of Vanilla ice-cream complete with flaming candles! Wei Leng was clearly overwhelmed by the attention and when she spotted the personalized greeting that Chef Ozzy wrote on the side of the plate, she asked in jest, “Can I take the plate home?”

By then it was way pass the peak dining hour so Chef Ozzy popped out of the kitchen to mingle with guests and ended up sitting with us for a chat. He is certainly one to watch because since I last met him, he has changed his hairstyle from a long-hair frizz into a neat close-shave with a distinctive mohawk! I thought his creative persona is boldly reflected in his interesting hair and creative food presentations.

Chef Ozzy and I at Grill Bar

To encourage him to keep food standards and service quality consistent, we shared with him, our compliments and comments about our meal. We were keen to come back again for more but he modestly told us that Grill Bar was already fully booked for private events over this festive season. While it was a tad disappointing for us, this was really so good to know from a business point of view!

It was late and the gentleman in Chef Ozzy, took time to walk us to my car to see us safely off. It was a fitting end to a lovely celebration and like other satisfied customers who were waving “Goodnight” we agreed that it was great to celebrate the love of friends and family in a gracious place like the Grill Bar. As we piled into the car, I remembered to check and was relieved that Wei Leng did not take that decorated plate home!

For this festive season, a menu of Magical Christmas Treats like Roast Turkey with Chestnut & Mushroom Stuffing, Wagyu Beef Stew in Hunter Sauce and Rosemary Rack of Lamb are among the items available for takeaways orders. For enquires and orders, Tel: 607 – 3333 400. Grill Bar, the American Bistro is at No. 202, Jalan Sri Pelangi, Taman Pelangi, Johor Baru.

/pl

Blissful Experience

2011-12-17T12:41:00.002+08:00

Chilling out in the pool at sunset - Pix by East Indie

An escapade to the Thistle Port Dickson Resort & Spa does much to help Peggy Loh recover from the stresses of daily life.

What’s your idea of bliss? For me, it’s the pure pleasure of tasting a tub of Belgian Chocolate ice-cream on a hot and humid day, soaking in a luxurious long-bath, chilling out in a sun-warmed pool or surrendering my body for a deep-tissue massage. It’s probably one or another of such selfish indulgences but every now and then, I think I deserve to spoil myself, not with just one but all of the above!

When my friend, Aidah, suggested a retreat to relax and recuperate from the daily grind, I did everything possible to match our calendars for this much anticipated escapade. Then after months of planning, we were finally on our way to two days of serious pampering at Thistle Port Dickson Resort & Spa. The smooth drive from Johor Baru to Teluk Kemang brought us to the beach resort just as the sun was setting and I can’t forget that first sight of how the airy lobby was bathed in a golden glow. I still have a vivid picture of that panoramic view from Steps, the lobby lounge, with guests lazing in the Jacuzzi and pool, surrounded by swishing palms, set to a backdrop of sunny streaks reflected as a thousand diamonds on the shimmering sea.

Lobby of the Santai Spa - Pix by East Indie

“Can I have more than one spa treatment in a day?” I wonder aloud because I aim to do everything possible to pamper myself in a short time. To get all our questions answered, we take a short walk to Santai Spa that’s housed in a separate building just a stone’s throw away from the hotel. Even before we reach the spa, I can taste a heady scent in the air and when I step into its lobby, I’m wrapped in a Rose-scented cloud!

Meals and music

I learn that many spa treatments work in synergy with each other and therapeutic effects can be extended and improved by having more than one treatment in the same day, so I schedule three treatments over two days. Guided by the experienced therapist, I pick treatments to detoxify, energize and simply to relax under her professional hands. I know that many treatments use pressure techniques so I make a mental note to have light meals before my appointments. But that’s tomorrow so tonight, I can still enjoy a sumptuous meal at Glass, the resort’s Italian-Mediterranean restaurant.

Soaking my feet at the start of my treatment at Santai Spa

Glass is so named probably because the entire wall on one side of the restaurant is made of floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a wooden deck for a choice in alfresco dining. Mindful of how our meals should also complement the impending therapy sessions, I choose a small soup and a main course of pan-seared cod while Aidah picks a prawn appetizer to share. We agree without guilt or hesitation that our dessert of a creamy hazelnut gelato is but a tiny treat!

When we find our way to Cumulus, a two-tier chill zone, many guests were already grooving up to cloud nine with live music entertainment. Comfy sofas were arranged around the entertainers on one level but we decide to sit at the lower level, close to the sandy shores. The echo of the constant rush of gentle waves is both soothing and refreshing as we watch twinkling lights from passing ships and tankers on the horizon.

Retreat and relax

The Malay word, santai simply means relax and that’s exactly what I aim to do in Santai Spa. As I sit on the sofa to sip my tiny cup of tea, I’m ready to surrender my tired body to the therapist’s professional touch and begin a spa journey to restore a healthy balance to my mind, body and spirit. In a few moments, Salina, my therapist usher me into the locker room to change into a comfortable robe and when I emerge, she’s waiting just outside the door. Then she leads me to a therapy room for my experience of Santai Spa’s signature aromatherapy massage.

Mia giving me a relaxing foot massage

“Is the pressure ok?” I hear Salina ask as she started with the professional ministrations of this deep tissue massage. But I only manage to mumble, “Hmm” in response because her firm touch is reaching in to undo the knots in my very knotty sinews.

I wish the 80 minutes will pass more slowly because I feel almost bereft when her hands leave me at the end of the session. Feeling well relaxed, I float out smelling like a rose because the gentle and calming massage is enhanced with aromatic Rose essential oils.

After a fun afternoon at Lukut Museum and a straits cruise around Cape Rachardo to feed fish, I’m back in Santai Spa for my foot reflexology treatment. As Mia, my therapist applies acupressure on my tired feet she answers my queries about which part of the body is linked to those reflex zones. The finger-point pressure from her strong hands certainly works wonders to unclog energy flow in me because I see Mia pause a few times in her skillful ministrations to giggle. I guess she’s just amused at how ticklish I am!

Salina inviting me in to soak in a bath enriched
with micronized seaweed

At my body polish treatment, before Salina starts to spritz water mixed with lemon essential oils all over my back, she warned, “This will feel a little bit cool.” As she gently scrubs with a mixture of strawberry, pineapple and apple extract, I can almost feel my skin detoxify and regenerated with the removal of skin impurities.

After a soak in a tepid bath enriched with micronized seaweed to sluice off the scrub ingredients, Salina smoothes a body milk moisturizer all over my new skin that feels almost as soft as a baby’s bottom! She wraps me in a soft robe and rounds off the treatment with a gentle back massage that aptly completes my blissful sensory experience in Santai Spa.

Fast Facts

Thistle Port Dickson Resort & Spa is situated at km16, Teluk Kemang, Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan. It’s a beach front resort with resort accommodation that combines lush surroundings and stimulating environment for business or pleasure. A level lawn adjacent to the sea is an ideal spot for special events and corporate groups enjoy excellent team-building exercises at the Superior Work and Attitude Training or SWAT Camp.

A comfortable 3-hour drive from Johor Baru or 1-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur on the Plus North-South Highway will take you to Thistle Port Dickson Resort & Spa. For reservations Tel: 1800 886 886 and for enquiries, Tel: 606 – 648 2828, Fax: 608 – 648 2868 [Resort] and 608 – 662 7994 [Santai Spa]. Email: info@thistle.com.my Website: www.thistle.com/asia

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 8 December 2011