Discovering Penang's Local Markets {A Feature on Malaysia 2/4}

There is no better way to discover a destination than to rub shoulders with the locals and get some retail therapy under your belt in the same way that they do – at their local markets. Like many places in southeast Asia, Malaysia boasts markets aplenty, selling everything from fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, to ready prepared local meals, household goods, clothes, shoes, CDs, DVDs and more! What’s more these markets are often also fantastic places to pick up snacks or meals and provide nourishment for more shopping too of course! 

Penang is no exception, and while it may also be famous as a UNESCO world heritage listed city for its architecture and colonial buildings, it’s markets are not to be missed and as much part of the attraction as anything else. Here are a few suggestions for market initiation in the island’s capital of Georgetown. 

The streets of Georgetown, Penang (photo by McKay Savage via Flickr)

Just like anywhere, Georgetown’s Chinatown offers an experience of its own, and shopping is an integral part of that. Retail spills onto the bustling streets and the vendors here have everything you could want to buy – and some you probably won’t – like jade stones, traditional costumes, crystals, herbs, traditional Chinese medicines and even some genuine antiques. Chinese ‘kopitiam’ coffee shops also dot the area and are worth popping into to soak up the local atmosphere; elsewhere you will find traditional temples, antique shops and a real taste of the culture and history of the original Chinese settlers to the Georgetown area, whose pre-war shophouses remain largely intact and as they were. Delve a little deeper and you will find old tradesmen still at work, uninfluenced by modernization – think traditional lantern makers, shoe makers, joss stick makers and signage engravers. Seeing them at work is somewhat of a step into Georgetown’s more ancient past. 

Chowrasta Market (photo by amanderson2 via Flickr)

Well known Chowrasta Market, which runs along Jalan Penang Road, is your destination of choice if you are looking for good, fresh food. Not only are the prices lower than most places in Penang, this market stocks a great selection of true local tastes – from Ghee Hiang biscuits to fresh nutmeg and preserved fruits. A second-hand bookseller is at work upstairs and worth a visit for a browse through his collections. 

If you want to shock your senses with a sudden array of color, head to Little India, a place that’s not too far off the mark of bazaars in India itself. On a number of roads around the Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling road, expect Indian spices, jewelry, saris and more in every shade imaginable. You will certainly get a different kind of shopping experience in the area, and the chance to discover more about the Indian settlers who declared the area home when Penang became a trading post years ago. 

It is quite interesting to note that most Asian countries have their own Chinatown and Little India places. When I went to Singapore, I went to their versions of the two small "towns" and the Philippines has our own Chinatown. It's amazing how interconnected our cultures are.

Little Penang Street Market (photo by Alcuin via Flickr)

Local crafts are shown off at their best at the Little Penang Street Market on Upper Penang Road – but you will have to time it right, since the market only takes place once a month, on the last Sunday. Jewelry, spices, wood carvings, traditional costumes and a whole host of other novelties are all catered for here. The vendors at this market are carefully vetted so you will know you are getting the real deal, something that has been made by hand by a genuine craftsman. Alongside the market stalls themselves you will also find art galleries, live performances, book readings, exhibitions and activities for children like finger painting and learning to make paper bags from recycled items, all in what becomes rather like a carnival atmosphere. 

The whole concept for the Little Penang Street Market was born out of the desire of a group of friends to bring art and ethnic crafts onto the streets and back into the hands of the people, not just limited to the elite who could afford them – and it seems to have worked. Penang is only a few hours by bus or car from Kuala Lumpur. There’s also a train line and excellent flight connections for those really in a hurry.

When you're in Malaysia for a shopping spree, you shouldn't miss Penang!

The 1Malaysia Mega Sale {A Feature on Malaysia 1/4}

And here we are back to our Malaysia entries. A feature on Kuala Lumpur can be found here.

Malaysia is one of the most known destinations of locals. Apart from the religion which Saudi Arabia shares with most of Malaysia's population (Islam is their state religion), the weather is nice and the country has an overall friendly atmosphere that makes it one of the top destinations in Asia. For us Filipinos, it's easy to travel to Malaysia because we don't need any visa to enter for a number of days. Which makes traveling all the more fun and hassle-free. 

Did you know that Malaysia has a super sale season too? Yes! Like Saudi Arabia, Malaysia is a great shopping destination! Malaysia has started their sale season last November 10 and it will run until January 2013. And you know what that means... where the great sales are, you'll probably find The Pink Tarha! But since we couldn't go there right now, here's a rundown of what happens in Malaysia's sale season (hoping that KSA does the same bonanza here in Riyadh)!

Every year, Malaysia hosts country-wide shopping sales during which some of the most popular shopping items are sold for up to 50% below their regular retail price. The next big one to look forward to on Malaysia’s impressive shopping calendar is the M-Yes End of Year Sale.

Malaysia may be famous for its 452-meter Petronas Twin Towers or its religious site Batu Caves, but the annual M-Yes Sale cannot be overlooked. This year the sale runs from November 10 to January 1 2013 and is a veritable haven for bargain hunters. So if you’re in Malaysia for your winter break, it is the perfect opportunity to stock up on bargains.

Shoppers flocking the Pavilion Mall during the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival

The ‘1Malaysia’ brand name is an initiative that was founded by the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in September 2010 in order to emphasize national unity and ethnic harmony between the many races and peoples within the country through a number of yearly initiatives. The 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival initiative was founded so that along with generating much needed income for the Malaysian economy, the many different people would unite through the art of shopping.

Throughout Malaysia, most notably the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, it becomes obvious that the sale event is taking place from the moment you step off the plane. There are large posters at the roadside advertising it, at every bank dealing with MasterCard it is advertised, festivals and cars with loudhailers drive past blaring out messages about the sales, and most impressively, the shopping malls are absolutely full with Asians, Europeans, and Americans shopping their hearts out.

One of the highlights so far of the mega sale carnival this year has been at the Queensbay Mall in Penang State. The theme was Roman and the staff and hired promotional actors all dressed as Roman noble women and gladiators with a Mega Sale twist. The clothing and props were branded items such as MOG Eyewear, tote bags, and Emporio Armani sandals. These served as a peek into what can be purchased. It was quite clever to incorporate this with a little bit of theatre.

Throughout the sales carnival at the Berjaya Times Square shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, there's a special offer up for grabs. For the first 100 spenders on sale items every day, they will will be given a balloon which has a prize inside. Prizes include shopping vouchers amounting to RM10,000! Never has there been a better way to entice people to shop!

Furniture for the home and office, bedding products including actual beds, cabinets and wardrobes, tables ranging from dining tables to work desks, kitchenware such as kettles and cutlery, wallpapers and decorating items, and so many more products from brands including Berlina, Emporio Armani, Samsonite luggage, tote bags, and MOG eyewear are also on sale in most shops in major shopping malls throughout Malaysia.

Of course, we all know about the severe weight restrictions on luggage that is held both in the cabin and in the aircraft hold when flying, but the savings that can be made when shopping in the country will most certainly outweigh the costs of excess luggage, flight tickets, and hotels for the duration of the stay. No other country hosts a shopping sale as large or as popular as the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival and since 2010 the sale has just expanded more and more making it a definite must see experience.

So why not travel to Malaysia and see what great deals and wallet-bursting savings you can make before it all ends this year? Why not indeed? If we have the fulos for this trip, we'll definitely spend it in Malaysia! Sigh.

Riyadh En Vogue #RFD12

Only a newbie in Riyadh would say that the women of Saudi Arabia aren't fashionable. Maybe their conclusion is derived from the everyday scenario of women heavily clad in black abayas with some even with their whole faces hidden, in the streets of the city. But little do they know that Saudi women are one of the most luxurious fashionistas of the planet and most of the well-off ones have a closet (heck, maybe even a whole mansion) filled with designer clothes, shoes and bags.

Having said that, it's still one of the most-kept secrets of the girls of Riyadh. And that would probably be the reason why the prominence of world-class fashion shows (such as New York and/or London Fashion Week) have never gone mainstream here. Sure enough, we have the cultural restrictions to very well prohibit such events in the Kingdom BUT the fashion industry in the local and even regional sphere is taking "baby steps."

Enter Riyadh Fashion Days (RFD). 

Make no mistake that the fashion industry of Saudi Arabia exists and that there are major players in the scene that are only perhaps concealed by a veil and an abaya. As they are pursuing to establish a name for themselves in the country and the region, the bi-annual event of Riyadh Fashion Days (which was initiated only during the first quarter of this year) is aiming to become the platform for designers from Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries to make it to the big leagues: I-N-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-O-N-A-L baby! 

Of course, that only starts when they can get buyers to feature their collections in the local malls/boutiques and have them become household names. With the help of the organizers from the fashion house, Maison Bo-M, this can certainly become a reality in the near future. 

The Pink Tarha was invited to attend this special event and we're more than happy to give you a glimpse of what I, in particular was able to witness during the first day:

Upon entering the Maison Bo-M Gallery, which they have transformed into a catwalk.

This year's second installment of RFD12 was an improvement from the first (which only featured stalls for each designer). In the photo above, you can see that they have built the catwalk around the racks where the clothes worn by the models can be seen and bought right after the show. 

The opening day was inaugurated by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud and featured two designers: Qumar14 and Anfal Design. Other designer items were ready for purchase in the Maison Bo-M Gallery. 

I will apologize for the quality of the photos as we speak as I was not able to bring a profesisonal camera with me during the event:

Designs from Qumar14.

More dresses from Qumar14.

Qumar14 is a design house from Kuwait who featured several textured pieces, primarily presenting kaftans with a modern twist. Embroidery was evident in several of her designs along with some fair embellishments.  

At this point, I could no longer decipher whether there were two separate designers who presented next, since the English translation of the Arabic announcement was quite inaudible at that time, so I am just going to describe the rest of the collections, hoping someone can clarify later on to whom these collections belong to. (I'm pretty sure one of them is from Dubai). 

Soft pieces in fall colors. 

These line of dresses spoke of femininity and fluidity. The strokes of the hem were nice and the details of the lace were well-thought of. 

Overcoats? Lush.

I sure hope these are faux fur (left-most photo), but it looks like a very warm way of spending Winter in the streets. That is, if you are willing to catwalk your way around Riyadh. :) The one in the middle is definitely made of velvet fabric and the one on the right is one of the lavish abayas. 

Lavish Abayas

The one here in the middle is my favorite. I think the idea of different-colored sleeves in a pastel shade for an abaya is so chic. :) 

Hania Luxury Abayas, from 2,500SR up.

A trend in high-end abayas these days are those with magnanimous ornamentations of spikes, chains and faux feathers. I definitely WANT ONE! 

Bags by Abir Achkar and Turbans from 1,000SR up.

Good night!

Overall, RFD12 was a valiant effort for the fashion scene here in Riyadh. It served as an avenue for up and coming designers to let their works be known and just simply state that, hey y'all, Riyadh is hot (haute) for fashion! 

Cheers! 

-Eyecandy

The Pink Tarha Mornings 2 Photo Contest

It's Sundrenched once again reporting for duty. You might not notice but it's 2 o' clock in the morning, Riyadh, KSA time. Yep, I write in the wee hours of the morning sometimes. It's quieter and there are less distractions. However, since I'm practically living on a cup of caffeine I drank 4 hours ago, I will make this entry quick. It's more or less an announcement on the The Pink Tarha Mornings 2 Photo Contest happening right now on our Facebook Page and I'm making it real quick (meaning less words, more photos) because the caffeine kick is fading fast.

So we had the second Pink Tarha Mornings last November 8, 2012. It's a full photography workshop by our friend, professional photographer Nikoll Long-Carr. We're hosting a photo contest for our participants. But since this is just a simple, fun contest, we didn't required everyone to join. Out of the 25 who came, only 12 submitted thir photo entries. We need the help of our readers and likers to determine the winner. So if one (or more than one) of the photos catch your fancy, click on this link and it will lead you to the photos uploaded in our Facebook page. Just hit LIKE and there, you've just entered your vote/s.

The following are the official entries:

AMANY ELSABAHY

ANAIZA OCAMPO

BADJ MONTALES-SOTTO

CHRISTINE CHING

ELENA BARTOLOME

JIHAN BAZAN

JOSELYN DALMACIO

LOURENNE MAGDALUYO

MAYETH REBUTOC 

NADIA TARIQ 

ROAA QASEM

SHEIKHA JOYCE TICZON

Aren't all the pictures nice and beautiful? They captured the 'morning' well. I will write an entry on the second Pink Tarha Mornings soon. We have a lot of people to thank for it and our participants are a huge part of those we are grateful for. Good luck, ladies! And thanks to those who will take their time to like the photos. ~ Sundrenched

Cecile's Dolce Vita

We cannot deny our love for cupcakes. Sometimes, we don't understand it either and there are some people who don't get the concept of cupcakes. They're like small cakes poured in small cups right? No, my dear. They're more than that. 

To illustrate our point better, let us introduce you to the charming and gorgeous (yes!) Ms. Cecile Bautista Perez who is a self-proclaimed fan of The Pink Tarha. She effortlessly turned us into a fan of her newest baking venture, Dolce Cecilia, by letting us taste her cupcakes. Because that's what she bakes and she bakes it really well. Our taste buds are satisfied!

Gorgeous cupcakes!

We first had a sampling of Ms. Cecile's cupcakes in Eyecandy's birthday party. I tell you, I nearly stood near the dessert table beside the cupcake stands all night long... if only I didn't arrive late. Haha! Her cupcakes have that taste which reminds us of cupcakes in the Philippines. It's not too dense, not too heavy. During E's birthday, I was immediately smitten with the icing of Dolce Cecilia's cupcakes. They're not too sweet and overpowering. The softness of the cake came through without having to wade in and out of fluffy icing and fudge. It's so simple that it's a no-brainer to finish a cupcake in two huge bites. 

Good Lord, help me choose!

Chocolate? Red velvet?

How summer can these colors be?!

I've eaten her cupcakes in several occasions (the latest being The Pink Tarha Mornings 2 which I will write about very soon). The cupcakes' taste and texture weren't consistent from one event to the other but they're still good. The red velvet, in particular, is moist but it doesn't taste like any of the red velvets I've tried in the city. But then again, you know how red velvets are... they're always open to interpretation. :)

At The Pink Tarha Mornings 2.

What a spread! Guess which one I took first?

Cecile started her love affair with her oven (yes, she is having an affair!) 3 years ago after resigning from her regular job in the hospital. Baking became her stress reliever and boredom buster. She summoned her inner Martha Stewart by surfing the net and watching the Food Network to start whipping up some delicious dishes for her family. When her friends started placing orders and insisted on paying, she realized the potential of baking and cooking and capitalized on it. Now, Cecile is one of the known Filipina homemakers of Riyadh. Indeed, for Ms. Cecile and her Dolce Cecilia business, life is sweet! 

Oh, and savory too. Because apart from her favorite moist chocolate cupcakes, she also offers mouthwatering savory dishes. Her bestsellers include Baked Macaroni, and Kani and Tamago Maki. 

Dolce gusto!

Lolli cakes!

Dolce Cecilia also offers to-die-for cake pops in various designs and toppings. So if you have a design or theme in mind, this is the best way to serve dessert to your guests. The Pink Tarha were mesmerized at the outer layer first of her cake pops before we got hooked with the balls of cakes inside. Amazing proportion, just the right size! And guess what'll be perfect as gifts and give-aways this coming holiday (or just any occasion you can think of)? Molded chocolates, of course! Oh, and her nibblers of lemon bars and ube bars are new and perfect for events and gatherings. 

Perfect for gifts and give-aways!

So what are you waiting for? Find out why we're so hooked in cupcakes. And cake pops. And bars. And maki. Here's the price list for Dolce Cecilia:

Contact numbers are below.

Live the sweet life! Live with Dolce Cecilia. ~ Sundrenched

(PS. Thank you to our friend and 'ate' Jennie Duero-Ebora for introducing Ms. Cecile to us. She was responsible for forcing Ms. Cecile to attend the first Pink Tarha Mornings workshop. Haha!)

Dolce Cecilia
Ms. Cecile Bautista Perez
T: +966-50-8716437
F: https://www.facebook.com/dolce.cecilia