Thistle A Gem In The City

 

At BodyWork Spa at Thistle Hotel

At the BodyWork Spa in Thistle Johor Bahru, I shared a light moment with  the spa's executive director Lynda Eunos (right) while having a foot bath before my body massage.

A Resort In The City

I never took the time to explore Thistle till yesterday.  Wow!  It took me so long to discover this little gem of a hotel in the city.  The room  I stayed in offered an astounding view of the Dataran Bandaraya.

The view from the 16th floor of the hotel

The landmark clock tower was built to commemorate the proclamation of Johor Baru as a city in January 1994.  That was 20 years ago.

Dining at the Oasis, a food and beverage outlet by the poolside that features Italian and Japanese cuisines, was a heavenly experience and an amazing gastronomic journey.

I had the Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak, which is Oasis' signature dish.  It was just exquisite.   Other notable dishes on the menu --- the Mix Furai To Unagi Bento, Risotto Al Funghi Di Bosco, Grilled Fish and Seafood Platter, Selected 5-Spiced Glazed Australian Lamb Fillet and the Supremo Pizza baked in a wood fired oven.

After dinner

Before breakfast

with Thistle's director of marketing communications and public relations M.S. Bobby

More on Thistle.... coming soon!

Action Taken

Johor Baru MCA division public complaints bureau chairman John Cheah at the site of the water leak.

Work-in-progress to repair water leak.  Contractors visited the site after the matter was highlighted

Can You Solve This Mystery? 

It's Still Flowing

It also appeared in Johor Streets on Feb 25.  Please go to 
http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/water-leak-causing-problems-1.492223#ixzz2uIVogkjf

Life's Transience 

Life's Transience

shake belly sashimi

ebi an chawan mushi

Decided to treat myself to "shake belly sashimi",  which is one of my favourite indulgences, and a "ebi an chawan mushi".

Felt the craving for sashimi after reading this from the "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Chapter 2"

"What is our life but a dance of transient forms? Isn't everything always changing: the leaves on the trees in the park, the light in your room as you read this, the seasons, the weather, the time of day, the people passing you in the street? And what about us? Doesn't everything we have done in the past seem like a dream now? The friends we grew up with, the childhood haunts, those views and opinions we once held with such single-minded passion: We have left them all behind. Now, at this moment, reading this post seems vividly real to you. Even this page will soon be only a memory."

Also, would like to share my commentary which came out in Johor Streets, a pullout of the New Straits Times on

Water leak causing problems

By Chuah Bee Kim

 

I READ with much concern the front page report "3 States on Alert" in the New Straits Times recently.The article was about how water supply from dams and rivers nationwide were drying up.

Johor is one of the three states on alert.
   After reading the article, I stumbled upon a puddle of water bubbling up from a road in Susur 1, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Baru. The water was overflowing into a nearby drain.
   I talked to office workers who work in the neighbourhood and found out that this has been going on for more than a month, maybe even two.
   One of them was former State Tourism and Environment committee chairman Freddie Long, whose legal firm is in the vicinity.
   Long told me he had reported the matter to Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) Holdings Sdn Bhd which told him that the water samples taken from the site did not contain chlorine and thus, could not have been from a broken water pipe.
   N. Usha Devi, 55, a secretary in an engineering firm there, said she, too, was concerned as well as outraged because of all the water which could have been saved if the relevant authorities had looked into the matter sooner.
   Usha even brought the matter up to the Johor Baru MCA division public complaints bureau chairman, John Cheah, who said the incident occurred after workers from Tenaga Nasional Bhd had dug up a stretch nearby to lay some cables.
Cheah, who is also part of the Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi), said not only does the wastage of water bother him but also the fact that some parts of the road may become a breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito.
   No doubt the water is flowing into the drain, but there are some areas with stagnant water.
I feel that this is another cause for concern and if this is allowed to continue, it could cause the road to sink.
   I have also checked with the local municipal council which said no public complaints have been lodged so far.
   With dengue cases mushrooming all over the country and the possibility of taps running dry, can the authorities please do something about this?
   If SAJ claims that the leak is not from a water pipe then which department should look into this?
   Sometimes, the public is at a loss when it comes to matters like this.
   They just do not know who to turn to.
   In the end, the issue goes viral and on social networking sites like Facebook.
   In fact, people have already started posting the issue on Facebook with various comments

Read more: Water leak causing problems - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/water-leak-causing-problems-1.492223#ixzz2uIVogkjf

Journo Recognised For Her Contribution

It was a sweet surprise for Harian Metro journo Mary Victoria Dass (left) who received a certificate award of appreciation for her work from Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (next to Mary) yesterday.

Mary, my dear friend, graduated from the Malaysian Institute of Integrative Media (MIIM) in 2005 and joined NSTP in 2007.  She works diligently not merely to fill up the pages of the Malay daily, but to highlight the plight of the underprivileged seeking help, so that those who are looking to render aid can reach out to them.

The award is a due recognition of her tireless effort and dedication.  Mary's biggest motivation is her love for her mother and sister. 

Keep up the good work, Mary.  Johor loves you. I love you.

It's Still Flowing

At about 10.30am I was in town so I decided to check out the mysterious "spring water" at Susur 1, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.  I first came across it on Friday.  Can you solve this mystery?

It was a hot sunny morning, but water was streaming into a nearby drain from a hole in the road surface.

A Whole Lot of Talking

Spend more time in the South, Southwest and North sectors of the house or office, and avoid the Northwest in 2014.

That's the advice given by Datuk Joey Yap, founder of the  Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics --- a global organisation devoted to the teaching of Feng Shui, BaZi, Mian Xiang and other Chinese Metaphysics subjects.

Fengshui is not a religion, so one doesn't need to be a believer.  But one can always test it.

Yap, who is also the chief consultant of the Joey Yap Consulting Group, an international consulting firm specialising in Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology services, was at the appreciation dinner of property developer Eco World Development Sdn Bhd.

Datuk Joey Yap

Yap shared a few tips, like having the Fire, Wood and Metal element in one's "bazi" (birthchart) to enjoy success this year.  One's features such as the eyebrows, ears, eyes, forehead also tells much about a person.  The details I can't remember already as I was listening whole-heartedly at the time and didn't take down notes. I just remembered that I have a bad memory.  Maybe I need to read Yap's books.

And Yap also does not promote fengshui cures, such as displaying fengshui items.  He says that is the work of an interior decorator.

Also present were Eco World chief executive officer Datuk Chang Khim Wah and its divisional general manager Phan Yan Chan.

with SP Setia Bhd group divisional general manager Hoe Mee Ling

The appreciation dinner was held at the banquet hall of this hotel.

Yes, I am back at the Renaissance Hotel Johor Bahru located in Bandar Baru Permas Jaya.

Earlier, I attended another talk.  This one was at the Pekin Restaurant, and organised by another property developer Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd.

It was an education talk.  One of the speakers was Matahari Private School principal Dr Lim Poh Ju, who gave a very lively and interesting talk.  Another speaker was this lady who "talked" rubbish.

Dr Hia Hui Ching

Dr Hia Hui Ching is the in-house effective micro-organism consultant at Tanah Sutera.  No, I didn't mean her talk was rubbish.  I meant she was talking about how to make good use of rubbish using the concept of the 5Rs --- reduce, re-use, re-think, recycle and responsible --- which have been adopted by Tanah Sutera in all its development projects and the cleaning and maintenance of the Sutera Mall.

By adopting the 5R concept and technology, one can contribute to earth conservation efforts.

Enough talking for the day.  It has been a memorable, eventful day.  Much to be thankful for.  Going to sleep now in the room located in the Southwest part of the house.  Good night.