REALMS OF RAYA in Sunway Pyramid

Sunway Pyramid embarks on an exotic escapade of Turkish delights this Hari Raya, as the mall highlights the finest in shopping experience and most exquisite arts, crafts and colourful culture of the Ottoman Empire! From 19 July till 18 August around the LG1 Main Concourse, shoppers will be immersed with elements of both Eastern and Western influences that stem from Turkey’s multi-ethnic compromises and fusions. Shopping for Aidilfitri preparations is another cause to celebrate, with Sunway Pyramid’s Realms of Raya, featuring the Mini Grand Bazaar, Charming Raya Collectibles Redemption items, exclusive Hari Raya packets, Turkish Delights and the ‘dondurma’, Turkish dances and performances and a chance to win a wonderful trip to Turkey for two!

‘Realms of Raya’ @ LG1 Pyramic Concourse

 “The Realms of Raya in Sunway Pyramid highlights the distinguished Turkish arts and culture, while creating a harmonious effect to blend everything in with the Hari Raya celebrations,” says Phang Sau Lian, Sunway Pyramid’s General Manager of Marketing.

Buying gift hampers at the Mini Grand Bazaar

 “The Mini Grand Bazaar is created especially to express a different kind of shopping atmosphere to shoppers, particularly in their search for Hari Raya fashion, beauty items, decorations and lots more,” she adds.

Shoppers adoring the fountain

The mini Grand Bazaar will be embellished with Turkish arts and designs, which incorporate pure balance of colours and various geometric patterns and designs. Shoppers will be delighted with an array of stylish Hari Raya fashion including colourful Baju Kebaya, Baju Kurung and Baju Melayu, adoring kaftans and elegant songket, all made available at the mini Grand Bazaar located at LG1 Main Concourse.

Some notable outlets in Sunway Pyramid including Laura Mercier, Crabtree & Evelyn, Rimba, Cold Storage and Famous Amos will be joining in the whole retail atmosphere surrounding the Mini Grand Bazaar.

One of the most striking elements of the decorative arts is of course the “Evil Eye” bead, an eye-shaped amulet known in Turkish as ‘Nazar’. The ‘Nazar’ is often worn to protect oneself from evil energy and negativity, and is usually handmade from glass featuring circles or teardrop shapes in dark blue, white, light blue and black, and sometimes adorn with a yellow/gold edge.

Turkish ice-cream maker entertaining the shoppers

To add a little bit of ‘sweetness’ in the mall, Sunway Pyramid is also bringing in Turkish Delights and the ‘dondurma’ – Turkish ice cream served with a style! For the Realms of Raya, Turk Samet Aksoz is flaunting his showmanship in making the Turkish ice-cream for shoppers’ enjoyment at the LG1 Main Concourse. The ‘stretchy’ and sticky texture and resistance to melting make ‘dondurma’ a joy to eat, as Samet flips blocks of the ice-cream and turns over the cones without it falling out.

Buying songket for Raya

The Realms of Raya is celebrated further with Sunway Pyramid bringing in Sofia Iman, one of the prominent songket and Baju Melayu producers in Malaysia. Keen to preserve the proud heritage of songket, Baju Melayu, Baju Kurung and Baju Kebaya, Sofia Iman offers a wide design collection based on exclusive style tradition, with its high quality handmade songket and excellent fabric choices. You’ll certainly be turning heads while clad in exclusive Hari Raya garments.

The unique shopping adventure continues with the quest to search for the perfect gift for Hari Raya. Take home some exquisite Middle Eastern gifts and souvenirs from Arabian Nights and the newly-opened Arabian Oud, get some bright crystals from HOJB and beautifully-preserved flowers at Lavieflo to brighten up your Hari Raya! 

The mall’s 890 outlets are spread out by four distinctive precincts – the Fashion Central, Oasis Boulevard, Marrakesh and Asian Avenue set with endless choices of fashion styles for shoppers to choose from.

Collectable Bowls to be redeemed

The Realms of Raya continues with the Charming Raya Collectibles Redemption items.  From 19 July – 18 August, shoppers who spend RM600 in 3 receipts (RM500 for HSBC Cardholders) will be rewarded with a pair of exclusive Turkish-inspired hand-painted ceramic bowls, which come in different colours each week.

Exclusive Raya Packets from Sunway Pyramid

Shoppers can also collect an exclusive set of Raya packets when they spend RM150 in a single receipt (RM100 for HSBC cardholders). As the Mega Sales Fantastic Rewards promotions also coincide with the Realms of Raya, from now until 1st September shoppers can stand a chance to win fabulous prizes when they spend RM250 in 1 receipt (RM150 for HSBC Cardholders) and stand a chance to win a Trip to Turkey and over RM100,000 worth of prizes & shopping vouchers!

For the ‘buka puasa’ (breaking of fast) sessions, whet your appetite at some delicious offerings in the mall, including Mandi Hadramout and Simply Penang for that wonderful and tantalising Malaysian offerings. For some international flavours, head over to Thai Thai, Tarbush, Ole-Ole Bali or the newly-opened Dubu Dubu, which offers pork-free Korean food for your ‘buka puasa’ indulgence.

You can also opt for something lighter for ‘buka puasa’, with a wide variety of buns, breads, sandwiches and snacks available at The Loaf, Komugi or Bread Story.

After all the fasting during the day, feast on some delightful desserts at J.Co Donuts & Coffee, MOF – Japanese Swee4ts & Coffee, Baskin Robbins, New Zealand Natural, Haagen-Dazs, or opt for the healthier option with Moo Cow Frozen Yogurt.

Performance by Turkish inspired dancers

For the Realms of Raya, shoppers will also be entertained by roving performances by Turkish-inspired dances during weekends and public holidays. Possessing a very ancient folk dance tradition, Turkish dances are colourful and refined, filled with rhythm and vibrant movements. 

Salam Dari Hati Youtube Video

When was the last time you had a truly genuine salam (handshake)? This Hari Raya, Sunway Pyramid is featuring ‘Salam From the Heart’ video, to remind shoppers about the real meaning and significance of salam.

Salam, or handshake is not just a touch between palms; the meaning goes beyond just the physical act. ‘Salam From The Heart’ involves taking the hands over to the heart, signifying a sincere and heartfelt greetings. Salam is also considered part of good morals, as it is a symbol of forgiveness and respect.

Indeed, Hari Raya is all about seeking and giving forgiveness, renewing old ties, mending severed relationships, visiting family and friends and of course – the feasting after the fasting. Sunway Pyramid’s Realms of Raya is thus extending the greetings from the heart, providing the magic of Hari Raya for all to enjoy.

The Pedro Autumn Winter 2013

Encounter spectacular creations through the satorial direction of the season with Pedro Fall Winter 2013 collection. Culminations of an accomplished palette in rich essence are adapted to current pieces in urban modernism.

Pedro Fall 2013 Collection – The Hauterfly Debut

The Hauterfly Debut

The women’s collection this season is a true testament to sophisticated independence in confidence perfectly balanced, enhancing the feminine silhouette. The palette is initiated with the strentgh of classics like blue, green, red, black and aggrandized with berry and orange. Envisage exemplar stiletto pumps revitalized with special accentuation of the heel with detailed metal hardware and minimalistic embossing.

The Style Afficionado

Versatility in form fashion is this season’s statement of the men’s collection. Forward assurance in character can be seen in deep palette of browns maroons and deep blues highlighted with a border palette with the likes of purple, green and orange.

Pedro is now open in Sunway Pyramid.

Location:

Pedro, LG1.03

Prize Presentation for World War Z Online Contest

Hey peeps!

Soooooooooooooo…. who won the World War Z Online Contest?

*drum roll*

Here are our Grand Prize Winner and Second Prize Winner.

Grand Prize Winner Kingston Tang receiving the prize from Senior Marketing Manager of Sunway Pyramid Ms Loo Hoey Theen

Congratulations to Kingston Tang, our Grand Prize Winner who gave us the most creative slogan:

First Runner Up Franco Kailson Renu receiving prize from Assistant Manager of Sunway Pyramid Melissa Hashim

And also, to our first runner up, Franco Kailsan Renu!

Congratulations!

We also had consolation prize winners who won themselves a pair of TGV Cinemas complimentary movie passes. Here are the winners’ name list:

– Ahmad Daud Abdul Manan

– Ahmad Nazri bin Ngah

– Ailie Kong Li Li

– Aisyamuddin bin Johari

– Alex Foo Chuan Lit

-Aziyatul Ifah Alim

– Chek Weng Hoe

– Danny Shiek Harn Heng

– Eric Leong Kheen Weng

– Florina Daumin

– Jane Chua

– Lem Suang Moi

– Lim Mee Wei

– Lim Pueh Tian

– Low Chong Keat

– Mimi Leow

– Ooi Sheok Leng

– Reshmy Rahnee

– Sam Rahman

– Tong Hiew Wei

Congratulations once again, everyone! Hope you enjoyed your movie! ^ ^

OPENING SOON!

Pedro is opening soon

Pedro is opening soon!

Location

LG1.03

Hi yo Silver – AWAY with The Lone Ranger!

Yes, Johnny Depp makes a great ‘Tonto’.

Yes, Armie Hammer (though not quite a ‘dish’) shines as John Reid aka the Lawyer aka The Lone Ranger.

But the star of the show in our opinion – Silver.

The white Horse, in which Tonto called a “spirit horse” (but could also be misguided and ‘confused’ as it chose the ‘kemosabe’ – the wrong brother), is just hysterical.

From drinking beer straight from the bottle, having the knack to show up at odd places where horses simply can’t – err…like on top of a roof, or on tree branches – Silver, who finally has a name at the end of the movie, is the most appealing character in the film.

Not that the rest of the cast wasn’t good – no no no…It’s just that, it’s a bit too boring and stereotyped – we have the damsel in distress, the baddie (like super bad as he rips out hearts and lungs and eats them raw!), the joker (obviously Tonto), the ‘I-am-the-law’ hero (who is probably the lamest hero ever)…we think we better stop before we hurt ourselves.

Watching Tonto goofing around in The Lone Ranger was like watching Jack Sparrow goofing around in Pirates of the Carribean. Outcast by his tribe, the cuckoo Native American Indian was left emotionally-scarred when his entire tribe was wiped out due to his own mistakes and greed (over a lousy watch). Though wasn’t that fond of John at first, he ‘recruited’ him to seek justice, by becoming the ‘outlaw’.

Their ‘bromance’, odd-couple relationship was hilarious – to an extent that they became a bit too…err..draggy – like the rest of the plot.

It’s a bit of a shame, that the quirky and eccentric Helene Bonham Carter’s Red Harrington only gets a tiny role in the blockbuster. Her ‘ivory’ peg-leg is really something you shouldn’t be messing around with – and as they are often featured together, the chemistry between her and Depp is indeed remarkable.

Lets see…Armie Hammer as John Reid, the ‘educated’ lawyer who doesn’t believe in using guns – yes, believable.
But Armie Hammer as The Lone Ranger – the masked vigilante seeking the ones responsible for his brother’s death, the outlaw who’s supposed to uphold the law – err..perhaps somebody else could fit in the shoes. Somebody who doesn’t get bullied as much, somebody who stands up for himself.

For someone who’s ‘educated’ he is surely a bit of a dimwit, who doesn’t realise he’s being duped the whole time.

Which is why, again, Silver remains our favourite character.

We don’t wish to give away too much of the plot – but rest assured, there are plenty of guns, slaps, action, explosions – just what you expect from a ‘cowboy’ movie. The part that got us most excited was..you guess it – upon hearing the familiar theme of The Lone Ranger. We felt like enrolling ourselves in horse-riding classes straightaway!

“Hi yo Silver, AWAY!”

muse by watsons Grand Opening

MUSE by Watsons Grand Opening

Recently, MUSE by Watsons, Asia’s leading health and beauty retailer, Watsons Personal Care Stores Sdn Bhd’s first premium beauty retail brand officially opened in a grand opening ceremony. This outlet aims to offer Malaysians a holistic, interactive experience of rediscovering their beauty with top-of-the-range look good, feel great solutions to rouse their curiosity and uplift their confidence.

The flagship store nestled in Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall at LG2 is the first in the region, which houses 12 exclusive skincare brands and cosmetic products for both women and men. Malaysians will now experience personalised services by professional beauty consultants, qualified skin specialists and well-trained nail colour service assistants all under one roof at the beauty premium store – MUSE by Watsons. Some of the brands carried by the outlet include Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Ralph Lauren, Skin-Med, am pm, ASTALIFT and more.  

Celebrities and VIPs officiated the launch of muse by watsons

There are many celebrities present during the grand opening including Amber Chia, Jojo Struys, Thanuja Ananthan and other celebrities. 
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Merchandise & Space Planning Director of MUSE by Watsons, Caryn Loh said, “When it comes to health and beauty, Watsons has always been a household name serving millions of Malaysians. We wanted to extend our offerings and become the source of inspiration in providing unique beauty care solutions for our customers. Hence, MUSE by Watsons was established. With MUSE by Watsons, we aim to create inspiring relationships that enable customers to rediscover beauty through learning, sharing and understanding. Possibilities are endless! This is what we do, and we do it well”

With this concept in mind, MUSE by Watsons store was specially designed to create a comfortable yet warm environment for all customers to access premium skincare, cosmetics products and prestige fragrances in the journey to rediscover their beauty.
Caryn added, “We will continue to explore more opportunities in Malaysia to ensure our services, such as nail colouring services to reach out to more customers. We encourage more Malaysians to join us in our expedition to look good, feel great.”
Currently operating in 12 Asian and European countries, Watsons aspires to strengthen its presence through the newly launched MUSE by Watsons brand in Malaysia and then expand it across Asia. In 2013, the company plans to open three more MUSE by Watsons stores in Malaysia for greater accessibility of MUSE by Watsons services.

“Our market research has demonstrated that more and more working women are looking for easy, simple and effortless beauty solutions. Hence, we believe that MUSE by Watsons has high potential, as we aim to serve modern, confident and independent women especially those 30 and above whom have discerning tastes in making their choices.

The brand attributes of MUSE by Watsons are comfortable and warm, a chain that feels personal, best of the accessible premium, new and fresh and reassuring expertise.

Besides offering treatment and advice, MUSE by Watsons will capitalise on Watsons credibility and awareness to support this new venture in delivering a chain that feels personal.

Similar to the concept of muse – a woman who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist, the flagship store has been designed to create a comfortable and welcoming ambiance for modern women who are seeking a relaxing, calm, fresh and intimate buying experience. From the interiors to product display, MUSE by Watsons encompasses the ideal setting for complete rejuvenation for its customers.

During the launch, more than 100 guests including celebrities, business partners and members of the media were treated to an afternoon of inspiration and glamour, with body painting dance performance and astounding violin performance by talented local violinist, Joanne Yeoh.
Guests were also offered an opportunity to join a guided tour around MUSE by Watsons store and to experience the exclusive services by professional beauty consultants.

Here are some of the pictorial highlights during MUSE by Watsons’ grand opening. 

Model, host and actress Amber Chia shopping spotted in muse by watsons Grand Opening

Celebrities checking out products in muse by watsons

 Which are your favourite brands? 

Some of the international brands spotted in muse by watsons

Some of the international brands spotted in muse by watsons

Some of the brands spotted in muse by watsons

Burt’s Bees products spotted in muse by watsons

Guests checking out some of the products at muse by watsons

Guests checking out some of the products at muse by watsons

Grand Opening at muse by watsons

Guests checking out some of the products at muse by watsons

Guests checking out some of the products at muse by watsons

Fishing it Out!

Ohhhh, what the fish? What’s all these fishie business about? Well, we are here to seek for yummy fishies in the mall and they can come in any form. Soooo, fishy, fishy where art thou yummy in Sunway Pyramid? We scoured and scoured the mall and found: 

Smoked Salmon Salad (CLASSIC) – Cappriciosa

Smoked Salmon Salad (CLASSIC) – Cappriciosa
Tears of joy just stream from our eyes at the sight of this yummilicious dish appearing on our table. Okay, maybe we exaggerate but… it’s true… salvation is here in the form of Capricciosa’s Smoked Salmon Salad. Not only healthy but fresh too, seasoned to the taste of perfection. Please, give us more…  

Salmon Zukushi – Sakae Sushi

Salmon Zukushi – Sakae Sushi
Fresh. That’s the first thing that crossed our minds when we took a bite into the soft, Salmon Zukushi from Sakae Sushi. You can taste the artistry in this dish that can only be done by a chef that has years of experience. We can’t get enough but… yeah… we’re stuffed.  
 

Salmon Sushi – MOF

Salmon Sushi – MOF
MOF is new to this salmon sushi business and you can taste it. It has only been introduced to the menu early this year. It has a long way more to improve. The salmon just falls flat, that’s too bad. We recommend you try other dishes then.   

Sweet and Sour Star Garoupa Fish

Sweet and Sour Star Garoupa – Xia Mian Guan
Okayyyy, enough of salmon already. Let’s move on to cooked fish. We’ve mentioned about this fish before and we mentioned how Xia Mian Guan excelled in their fishy dishes. This fish is fresh and fried just nice to our taste. It is crispy and although chefs can’t go wrong with sweet and sour flavours, this restaurant has definitely set a higher bar to this dish – not only was the fish excellent to taste, the ingredients – the prawns were generous in size and the meat and sauce were in harmony. To read more on Xia Mian Guan’s food review, click here.

* Non-halal 

Pan Seared Norwegian Salmon – Brussels Beer Cafe

Pan Seared Norwegian Salmon – Brussels Beer Café
Oooooh. How can a dish like that have so very many flavours? The pan seared Norwegian Salmon is fresh, and as we bite into the fish, it was an explosion of flavours, sweet, savoury taste that lingers in your mouth.

* Non-halal

Fish Finger Basket – Studio Lounge

Fish Finger Basket – Studio Lounge
You can’t go wrong with fish fingers. Crispy and fried to golden brown, this is the perfect dish to nibble at when you are chatting with friends while dancing the night away at Studio Lounge, or just having a drink to chill out at night after work.

* Non-halal

Fish and Squid – Gardens Lifestyle Cafe and Store

Fish and Squid – Gardens Lifestyle Cafe & Store
Hmmm. Yes, the fish and squid dish in Gardens Lifestyle Café is crispy, nicer if it is served hot. It took awhile for the food to come and we guess that is when we take in the romantic atmosphere in.  

Double Boiled Chicken with Fish Maw in Superior Soup -Dragon i

Double Boiled Chicken with Fish Maw in Superior Soup -Dragon i
A dish fit for the king, or queen! Yep, this is a luxurious dish. The bowl is choked full of ingredients – fish maw is soft, and cooked just right, and in Chinese, it’s called ‘enough fire’ or ‘gao foh hau’. Chicken is soft and melts in your mouth as the flavours disappear into your tastebuds. Give your parents a treat and bring them here to taste the finest bowl of soup at Dragon-i. 

* Non-halal

Wow! Who knows that there can be so much of aspects to think about when it comes to fish? Oh yum! What we know from all these is that a fish has to be served fresh (said many times in this blog) and steaming hot. They can also be served in many various forms, depending on which occasion it is… whether you like them raw, grilled, fried, steamed or cooked. Speaking of which, have you tried cooking a fish before? Can you cook?