Vision KL - Features

Colours of Culture

administrator — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:40:21 +0000

Known as a multiracial country, Malaysia is filled with various cultures from different backgrounds. But, you don’t have to go far for an insight, as you can find a sampling of this colourful diversity right in downtown KL.

The hub of your cultural walk is the Central Market (www.centralmarket.com.my) on Jalan Hang Kasturi, which from 1888 was the site of the burgeoning town of Kuala Lumpur’s wet market. The current building was completed in the 1930s and later turned into a centre for Malaysian arts. You can find various types of handicraft here, from songket and batik fabrics to wood carvings, drawings and other handmade souvenirs.

The Annexe Central Market houses an art gallery showcasing interesting exhibits from local and foreign artists, while a stroll along the adjacent open-air Kasturi Walk may tempt your taste buds with delicious local food such as Malay kuih, Chinese dim sum and Indian rojak.

Private outfit Be Tourist also holds a free guided Heritage Walk for tourists daily, where you can learn more about the origins and development of KL over the years.

If you’re still wandering about on your own, take a five-minute walk to Jalan Bandar and the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, which is known as one of the oldest Indian temples in Malaysia. This amazing architecture resembles a human body, with its head facing west and feet facing east, and features an impressive 22.9m-high pyramidshaped gate tower with carvings of Hindu gods.

A three-minute walk from the temple will take you to Petaling Street - Chinatown, which is a haven for cheap goods and Chinese street cuisine. With plenty of restaurants along several blocks, plus stalls selling everything from drinks – especially the local favourite, air mata kucing – to dried meats and pork noodles, you can try almost everything loved by the locals in one spot.

Nearby is the Guan Di Temple, which honours the great God of War Guan Di and is also one of the oldest Chinese temples in the city. Built in 1888, it has beautiful fishes and dragons decorating the gateway and rooftop, symbolising power and wealth.

Now you should go north, for an insight into the Indian Muslim culture. A 10-minute walk takes you to Masjid Jamek, one of the oldest and most picturesque mosques in KL situated at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Built in 1907, the threedomed structure features a striking red brick and marble structure inspired by North Indian Islamic architecture.

This is not the only Indian influence here, as this area is also known for authentic Indian food and goods, including vibrant sari cloth, Punjabi suits and delicacies and sweets.

That ends a day filled with newfound knowledge of the different cultures in Malaysia and loads of knick-knacks to take home to your family and friends.

Written by Rebecca Joyce Pereira

Penguins at Pavilion KL!

administrator — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:31:48 +0000

Penguins from Madagascar 3 keeping cool with gelato at Connection, Pavilion KL

The third film in the successful Madagascar series is just about to air, and if you haven’t already seen the first two, then you’ve got until 7 June to do so, because that’s when Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted will hit Malaysian theatres. This time round, the adventures of Alex the lion and his merry crew of misfits see them joining a travelling circus as they make their way through Europe, in the hopes of one day returning to their beloved New York City.

In conjunction with the latest release, Pavilion KL is going all out and converting the centre court into The Circus Fun, so you can get a taste of what Alex and Co have to put up with on their travels through Europe. What’s more, there’ll be a special appearance by none other than two of the penguins from the film, who’ll be doing more than just smiling and waving, but also meeting and greeting the public. Chances are it’ll be Skipper and Kowalski, as the leader and second-in-command, and as the mastermind of the wacky group, responsible for the original zoo escape in the first film, Skipper will be itching to show off the new plan he’s hatched just for the Malaysian public. As such, catch the special Live Shows that will take place in the midst of the circus of the Centre Court. Make sure to bring your camera for this spectacle!

Join the 'Circus Fun' with the Madagascar 3 Penguins live at Pavilion KL during the school holidays, 25 May to 3 June.

While the kids are waiting for the penguins to appear, there’ll be a bunch of fun activities around the circus for them to let loose on, such as the bungee trampoline (suitable for kids aged 4 and above), a carousel ride and Mr Hammer where they can test their strength. You can also catch an exclusive kids fashion show, where the little ones will be strutting down the runway dressed up in DC Comics and Esprit attire. Who will be crowned Pavilion Junior’s Most Wanted? Find out at the end of the show.

The fun doesn’t stop there though, as kids can take away a coloured sculpted balloon, in whichever animal form they wish, as well as snack on a selection of yummy popcorn from Planet Popcorn. They’ve got all the traditional flavours from caramel to cheesy, and for the adventurous a spicy wasabi and savoury seaweed variant too. A whole universe of soft cuddly plush toys to shop from will also be available right beside Parkson.

Check out the timetable below for information on all the goings-on at the Pavilion Centre Court during this period:

Meet and Greet the Penguins from Madagascar 3
Date: 28 May-3 June
Time: 1pm & 5pm
Venue: Centre Court

Madagascar 3 Live Shows
Date: 25-27 May | Time: 3pm & 7pm
Date: 28 May-3 June | Time: 3pm & 7pm
Venue: Centre Court

Circus Games & Fun Attractions
Date: 25 May-3 June
Time: 10am-10pm
Venue: Centre Court

Pricing:
Bungee Trampoline Ride – RM15/entry
Carousel Rides – RM3/entry
Mr Hammer – RM3/entry
FUN BONUS: FREE ENTRY for the first 50 Pavilion Juniors and the first 50 shoppers daily!

Kids Fashion Show
Date: 2 & 3 June
Time: 2pm
Venue: Centre Court

Achilles Asian Drift Series Returns

administrator — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:52:58 +0000

Following a successful inaugural season last year, the second Achilles Asian Drift Series returns with a four-leg campaign in 2012, with a bolstered cast of top drifters ready to thrill motorsport fans across the region.

Organised by ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group, this season’s championship will flag off with Formula Drift Kuala Lumpur this month on the 19th and 20th. The Formula Drift events have attracted more than 24,000 spectators across its Asian legs last year and the upcoming season is set to draw bigger crowds with the organisers committed to elevate the fan’s experience with a new venue and a new street course for the Malaysian leg, which will be held at Speedcity at Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan.

Formula Drift fans can also expect the competition between the drivers go up a notch with an intriguing battle brewing between the drivers. Fan favourites will welcome the return of last year’s Achilles Asian Drift Series Champion Japanese defending champion, Daigo Saito from Achilles Radial. Giving the Japanese driver a run for the trophy is Malaysia’s Tengku Djan Ley, the inaugural Formula Drift Asian champion in 2010, who is making his comeback this year. His traditional rivalry with Daigo and Thailand’s ace driver, Saranon Pornpatanarak from Team Overdrive will spark another fiery finish for the top of the podium.

If you’re a motorsports fan, grab your tickets now at www.ticketpro.com.my, don’t get left behind!

For ticketing details, visit: www.ticketpro.com.my/jnp/sports/motorsport/856403-achilles-formula-drift.html

Jazz Finds A New Venue In Malaysia

administrator — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:37:34 +0000

Kuala Lumpur will play host to some of the modern jazz world’s greats, as well as established local jazz talents, when the Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival 2012 (KLIJF) kicks off from May 19 to 20, 2012 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The first of its kind in West Malaysia, the 2-day festival is jointly organized by KL International Jazz Sdn Bhd (KLIJ) and Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), under the patronage of the Honourable Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail.

At a press conference held on 27 April, 2012, KLIJ Chairman, Maizon Omar said, “The Kuala Lumpur International Jazz Festival is an exclusive event that brings together on one stage, leading international artistes from all around the world and accomplished local musicians. We can assure jazz music enthusiasts that the show will be a spectacular showcase of talents and music that will leave the audience wanting for more.”

The festival boasts such names as the highly celebrated talent Hiromi Uehara, considered one of the most remarkable pianists of the past half century; National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Ahmad Jamal; Acid Jazz leaders, British band Incognito led by Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick; Jazz drummer Carl Allen who is also the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at The Julliard School, New York; Contemporary Jazz Saxophonist Everette Harp, Meg Okura who according to Down Beat Magazine “…mixes a classically trained mastery of strings, piano and drums with quick-witted compositional twist performed with high energy.”; 2-time Grammy Winner Ernie Watts; Singapore’s King of Swing, Jeremy Monteiro; French guitarist, Jeremy Tordjman with Alfio Origlio, Roger Biwandu and Barry Likumawa; Dira Sugandi who will sing with Incognito, Indra Lesmana, Trevor Jala, Dewan Bandaraya Big Band, RTM Jazz Orchestra and many more jazz artists.

Malaysian jazz musicians playing at the festival include the KL Jazz Project led by Hanafie Imam, Patrick Terbrack Quintet, Michael Veerapen with Junji Delfino, Marques Young, John Thomas, world renowned percussionist Steve Thornton and many others.

At the festival, Hiromi will be performing together with acclaimed bassist Anthony Jackson, the inventor of the six-string electric bass and who played on over 3,000 recording sessions, together with Steve Smith on drums. Steve was voted #1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row by readers of Modern Drummer magazine. In 2001, Modern Drummer magazine named Steve as one of the “Top 25 Drummers of All Time”.

KL International Jazz Sdn Bhd (KLIJ), the producer and promoter of the festival, intends the festival to be an annual event that will contribute meaningfully to the development of KL as a world city. “KL has had jazz events before and currently there is a significant jazz movement in the country,” said Maizon Omar, who together with Rodin JS Kumar founded KLIJ. “We believe the country is ready for a festival of this scale. While this Festival is in line with DBKL’s vision of positioning Kuala Lumpur as a world-class city, it also aims to capture the creative and innovative spirit of jazz music and to share this experience with jazz enthusiasts.”

The Festival was launched on 28 December, 2011 at Nerofico, where 4 prominent Malaysian and International jazz acts – the KL Jazz Experimental Project, Hanafie Imam Trio, Michael Veerapen International Trio and the Monteriro-Hasselbach Funk Project – performed to a full house, providing a taste of things to come.

Subsequently, as a prelude to the KLIJF, 6-time Grammy winner saxophonist David Sanborn and his band performed at KLCC on 6 March, 2012. They played to a packed house.

Tickets for the KLIJF range from RM198 – RM598 per day or RM318 – RM998 for the 2-day package. Further information on the programme, ticket prices and other information is available at www.klinternationaljazz.com.

Live Show a Hit!

administrator — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:37:34 +0000

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre’s sought-after sketch-comedy revue returns this year with its biggest and boldest installment to date! Premiering in 2010, INDICINELIVE! (in-dee-SEE-nee-live-!) satirizes the insane society we live in through a high-octane line-up of every-day characters, familiar situations, and parodies of songs we’ve heard and are all too familiar with. INDICINELIVE! is, essentially, a generous serving of how we see the world in fun-sized pieces – nothing quite like laughing at ourselves at the end of the day.

Founded and directed by klpac’s director-in-residence Kelvin Wong, INDICINELIVE! played to packed houses and sold-out shows since its inception, with after-requests for second and third helpings in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Singapore. INDICINELIVE! IV will be Kelvin’s last directorial endeavour with klpac, before he leaves for Chicago to pursue his MFA in theatre directing.

A crucial outlet for new Malaysian writing, INDICINELIVE! IV will feature song parodies from a more vintage playlist, and is presented in venues away from klpac’s Indicine for the first time. This installment will run for 10 shows at The Actors Studio @ Bukit Bintang’s Lot 10 from June 7 to 17 before heading up north for 4 more performances at Stage 2, the Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac) @ Straits Quay from June 21 – 24 2012. Combined, this is INDICINELIVE!’s longest run yet.

INDICINELIVE! IV keeps to the tradition of the previous episode, bringing together another eclectic ensemble of old and fresh faces: Siti Farrah Abdullah, Dinesh Kumar, Erin Marie, Matthew Ong, Jeremy Ooi, Aliaa Sharif, Shiva Shobitha, Calvin Tan and Freddy Tan. The prolific writing team includes Ariff Kamil, Patrick Lee, Nina Shah, Freddy Tan and Sharad Vemalanathan. Erna Mahyuni from INDICINELIVE! 3 returns as a cameo writer to complement the line-up.

INDICINELIVE! also does corporate gigs and has an ever-growing fan base on Facebook – connect with us online for the production’s video trailer as well as updates from production members pertaining the show!

INDICINELIVE! IV is presented by klpac and will run in Kuala Lumpur from June 7 to 17 (no show on June 11) and June 21 – 24 in Penang. All shows start at 8.30 pm. Tickets are priced at RM38 and RM28 for students and the disabled. Each performance will span approximately 80 minutes with an intermission, and is strictly for mature audiences only. Doors open 10 minutes before performance time.
For tickets and booking enquiries, call +60 3 2142 2009 for The Actors Studio @ Lot 10; +60 3 4047 9000 for klpac; and +60 4 899 1722/2722 for penangpac. More information and online ticketing are available at klpac.org, penangpac.org and ilassotickets.com.

Swing with Jazz Notes

administrator — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:00:06 +0000

The syncopated measures. The strong but flexible rhythmic understructures. The improvisational flair and the swinging blue notes. This is the art of jazz. And yet, in spite of all these characteristics, this musical style has a certain indefinable quality. Ironically, this may be its most defining feature. And finally now, Malaysia is honouring the art form with the inaugural 2012 KL International Jazz Festival slated for 19 and 20 May at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The festival will feature a slew of worldclass jazz performers, both international and local, for some of the finest performances the country has ever witnessed. It’s not every day we have jazz artists of this calibre landing on our shores, therefore making this a highly anticipated and unique event. Good jazz clubs are few and far between, with venues like Alexis and No Black Tie taking the lead as the top haunts in the country. To have the Plenary Hall graced by some of the most coveted jazz performers in the world is a real treat.


Ahmad Jamal	Hiromi

Jazz aficionados will be quivering with excitement at the prospect of seeing artists like Anthony Jackson tear out on his signature six-string Fodera bass, or Steve Smith, legendary drummer of rock band Journey, who has worked with hundreds of artists across the musical board and is as versatile as it gets. Stepping up will also be piano virtuoso Hiromi Uehara, who blends together rock, classical and post-bop in explosive, unpredictable live performances (check out her Tom & Jerry Show on YouTube), and Ahmad Jamal, who has been instrumental in the development of jazz from the 1940s, a true innovator of the art who began playing piano at the age of three, and has toured for almost five decades. He graces the stage at the Plenary Hall for a sure-to-beunforgettable performance.

These only represent some of the artists performing over the two-day festival, and with such a star-studded line-up and ticket prices starting at RM398 for the whole weekend, you can’t get a better offer. The Plenary Hall will stage this unprecedented jazz event, the lavish yet intimate surroundings of which perfectly complement the balance and form of this most distinctive of musical styles. Head over to KLCC for a jazzed-up weekend.

2012 KL International Jazz Festival

Where: Plenary Hall, KL ConventionCentre

When: 19-20 May

Time: 4.00pm-12.15am (19 May), 3.45pm-11.15pm (20 May)

Admission: RM398-RM998 (2 day ticket), RM203-RM598 (1 day ticket)

Tickets: 03 7880 7999; www.ticketpro.com.my

All Aboard

administrator — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:44:30 +0000

Eighteen years is a long time to be in the music industry, what with the increased frequency of bands appearing and disappearing like drops in the ocean. Substance and originality are two characteristics that are becoming increasingly difficult to find in a band, but Train deliver on both fronts. And next month the trio are pulling into KL Station.

Formed in 1994, the band originally consisted of Rob Hotchkiss, former lead singer of LA band The Apostles, Charlie Colin, Patrick Monahan, Jimmy Safford and Scott Underwood, with the last three making up the band as we know it today. After touring exhaustively in low-key venues, and gaining a small but significant following, Colombia Records expressed interest in the band and ended up “farming” them out to Aware Records, where they could hone their skills and sharpen their sound.

Fast forward to 1997 and the band were opening for acts like Barenaked Ladies and Counting Crows. Cue their first album, which cost them $25,000 out of their own pockets and spawned their first significant single Free, which received a considerable amount of airplay and was featured on the TV series Party of Five. However, it wouldn’t be until the release of their second album however, Drops of Jupiter, that went from rising stars to super stars.

The single of the same name won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, and one for Best Arrangement, the fruits of their labour finally being realised, and the many years of touring coffeehouses and pubs finally paying off. They shot to fame with the album hitting multiplatinum status, the first, as it were, of many more. This was their entry into the top 10, reaching number six on the Billboard 200 and signifying a landmark for the group.

It was at this point that founder Rob Hotchkiss pursued a solo career and left Patrick, Jimmy and Scott to push on. Cue their third album My Private Nation in June 2003, out of which arose their third top 20 hit Calling All Angels, bolstering their new-found success and gaining hordes more fans along the way.

Meanwhile, their non-album single Ordinary was used in Spider-Man 2 and the NBC series Heroes, which culminated in them winning a Radio Music Award for best artist. Their next album, For Me, It’s You, released in 2006, saw the addition of Johnny Colt on bass and Brandon Bush on keyboard, and is the only one of their albums that is yet to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association America.

After some much-needed downtime from the incessant touring and recording, the band announced their return in 2009 as a trio and with it the release of their most commercially successful single to date, Hey Soul Sister, closely followed by album Save Me San Francisco, which in turn generated two more singles If It’s Love and Marry Me.

That brings us to the present day, and the album that’s currently doing the rounds, California 37, which Monahan says was meticulously written over the course of three years while they were touring. Back on form, the album debuted at No 10 on the UK Albums Chart, four on the Billboard 200 and is their highest-charting album since Drops of Jupiter.

Train have a rare gift of making the audience believe the songs are being sung for them personally, and this coupled with the spiritual/cosmic element behind the majority of their songs, creates epic live concerts that connect with fans on a personal level. Here’s your chance to catch their magnetism on stage at KL Live on the 16 June. Tickets can be purchased from Rock Corner, Victoria Music Centre, and The Guitar Store outlets, as well as at ticketpro.com.my

Train Live in Kuala Lumpur
Where: KL Live, Life Center
When: 16 June
Time: 8.30pm
Admission: RM 288 (Rock Zone); RM198 ( Upper Tier) ; RM 138 (Regular)
Web: ticketpro.com.my

For Work and Play

webmaster — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:01:22 +0000

FUJIFILM PRECISION OPTICS Where: G.27, Low Yat Plaza Tel: 03 2144 3530 Web: www.fujifilm.com.my With an impressive 14-megapixel resolution and the Fujinon 5x Optical Zoom Lens, the FinePix JX300 packs a punch. Capture your everyday moments in crisp detail and vivid colours that stay even after you blow up the image.
	HTC THE CHOSEN ONE Where: LG12A, Sungei Wang Plaza Tel: 03 7987 7121 Web: htc.com HTC has unleashed its smartest phones to date with the HTC One series that utilises the upgraded HTC Sense 4 software. Snap crystal-clear shots in just 0.7 second, listen plug into Beats By Dr Dre Audio and load up your pictures onto any HDTV wirelessly media Link HD. You know it makes Sense.
LOGITECH SHAKE THE ROOM Where:2-45/47/61/62, 2nd Floor, Plaza Low Yat Tel: 03 2145 5452 Web: logitech.com Constantly on the go, love listening to music, hate phone speakers? The Logitech Mini Boombox is the answer. With its sleek touch controls, specially designed acoustic chamber and long battery life, the Boombox pairs up wirelessly with just about any device for great sounds.
	SAMSUNG GO ULTRA Where: Harvey Norman, 5.24.04, Pavilion KL Tel: 03 2142 3735 Website: samsung.com.my Space versus size: it’s the never-ending battle for laptop developers. The Samsung Series 5 Ultra 530U takes on the challenge with 1TB of HDD space in a remarkably thin and light frame that makes it super portable and sophistically stylish. Ultra is the way forward.
APPLE IT'S ALL IN THE EYE Where: 316B, 3rd Floor, Suria KLCC Tel: 03 2171 2633 Web: apple.com We can’t wait for the new iPad, which may look the same, but has been given a major overhaul. The Retina display will blow your mind, while everything is also faster and smoother. And yeah, it can now take dictation too. Sweet!

Healthy Partnership

administrator — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:34:05 +0000

Prof Dato Dr Mohd Azhari with Maxis Chairman Raja Tan Sri Dato' Seri Arshad Raja Tun Uda and Suren at the launch of the Myhealthy Heart app.

Maxis Bhd, the country’s leading integrated communication service provider, has joined forces with Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), a leading centre for cardiovascular and thoracic health in the region, to help promote a healthy lifestyle and create awareness for heart health among Malaysians. Through this partnership, Maxis will be able to send out tips and health information from health experts to subscribers.

Prof Dato Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub, Deputy CEO of IJN, believes this collaboration is very meaningful as Maxis and IJN have complementary strengths and specialisations.

“This collaboration will be of great benefit to Malaysians who use our heart health information service to improve their wellbeing and lifestyles,” he says at the official launch of the partnership at IJN.

Suren J Amarasekara, Maxis’ Joint Chief Operating Officer, says, “Maxis and IJN have come together as two integrated solutions providers. As leaders in our respective fields, our partnership is a good fit and we certainly complement each other by making available a wide range of IJN-endorsed content for Malaysians and creating public awareness of cardiovascular diseases with vital heart health information through mobile technology and applications.”

Heart-related diseases are said to be the No 1 killer in Malaysia, owing to the unhealthy lifestyle and habits of Malaysians. Through this partnership, Maxis and IJN hope that the information and tips will motivate the public to lead a healthier lifestyle, thus reducing the number of heart patients in the country.

Maxis will be contributing 10% of the revenues generated from all SMSes to the IJN Foundation for its patience assistance programme. The foundation disbursed RM2 million in 2011 to help underprivileged patients undergo treatment.

The service will be provided in both English and Bahasa Malaysia, where customers will receive three SMSes weekly at the cost of either RM2 or RM0.20 per SMS. All a customer needs to do to subscribe is dial *200#, select “Health and Wellness” and follow the instructions for the various options they can choose from.

Through the myHealthy Heart smartphone app, customers will be able to use tools such as pedometer, BMI calculator, Framingham risk score, popular Malaysian food calorie information, common medication for certain heart conditions, medication reminders and also the latest news on heart health.

Malaysia’s fitness guru Kevin Zahri, in collaboration with Men’s Health and IJN, will also be providing useful exercise and diet tips on the web as well as general health topics at health.mylaunchpad.com.my.

Dinosaurs Live!

administrator — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:25:27 +0000

Prehistoric beasts are coming to life at the National Science Centre in an exhibition titled Dinosaurs Live! Until the end of July, you will get a chance to see these giants in all their life-sized glory, thanks to the magic of mechatronics.

The showcase of these 30 animatronic dinosaurs, along with their history and habitat as well as how they moved and sounded, aims to educate the public about these creatures that walked the earth millions of years ago.

As soon as you step into the exhibition area, you are transported back some 250 million years, where these gigantic creatures dominated the world. See them move their bodies, eyes and tongues, and you can imagine these beasts in their full majesty as the biggest living things, and the scariest creatures, on the planet.

With informative boards detailing the different species of dinosaurs on display, including their period of existence, anatomical characteristics, food patterns and the scientific theory of evolution, everything you need to know about dinosaurs can be found here. There are also interactive activities for children, making it an educational – and fun – experience for the whole family. Kids can take a ride on some of these prehistoric creatures, see if they can outrun a dinosaur or take a break and have fun colouring and etching their favourite creatures.

At the official launch by event organiser Cityneon Holdings and EMS Holdings, 55 children from two orphanages, Rumah Ozanam and Ti-Ratana Welfare Society, were among the first to have a tour of the exhibition, and they clearly had a mega time exploring the world of the dinosaurs.

So if you’re looking for something exciting for the family, come and enjoy some prehistoric fun at the National Science Centre.

Dinosaurs Live!
Where: National Science Centre
When: Until 31 July
Admission: RM15, RM12 (children and students)
Web: www.dinosaurslive.com.my; www.facebook.com/dinosaurlive.my

Illuminating the Way

administrator — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:18:51 +0000

Inspiring people is an art form and more often than not it requires a willingness to share painful past events and a desire to help others achieve meaning and contentment in life. W Mitchell has near perfected the art and has been spreading his word and impacting people’s lives for quite some time now.

He has been hailed as “the man who won’t be defeated” and one who “…rose like a phoenix from his own ashes” to overcome the harsh reality that life left him with. Having held talks all around the world, conducted meetings with Presidents and Prime Ministers as well as top level management for a raft of international companies, demand for him is high, and it is therefore an honour that Malaysia will now have the opportunity to hear this award-winning keynote speaker share his unforgettable story and proven strategies that have helped him reach the position he has today.

A survivor of two major accidents, a motorcycle crash that left him with third-degree burns over 65% of his body, and a mere five years later, a plane crash that left him paralysed from the waist down, Mitchell had the gruelling task of rebuilding his life almost from scratch. The vast majority of people would have thrown in the towel and given up. However, his philosophy asserts that life is what you make of it and that absolutely nothing in it is absolute. He proclaims that the universe starts in your head and spreads from there to the rest of the world, not vice versa.

His achievements since his injuries are a testament to his philosophy and assertiveness towards life and are an example of what all people should aspire to. Besides the fact that he is a self-made millionaire, was elected Mayor of Crested Butte, Colorado, a member of numerous boards of directors, media personality, radio commentator, respected environmentalist and commercial pilot, he is also highly physical and is an avid river-rafter and sky diver. Clearly, his accomplishments are an example that life’s limitations are merely self-imposed.

A core-belief in his ideology is the ability to take charge and empower oneself as well as understanding that setbacks can be used as fresh starting points in one’s life. He gives new meaning to the idea of finding the silver lining and gaining perspective on seemingly impossible situations. Listening to his talks, people come away with new insights and tools to not only help themselves, but to help others as well. His integrity and resolve are undeniable as he so clearly lives his own message.

Listen to Mitchell himself, as he recounts his story and shares the important points he’s picked up along the way, both before and after his accidents. In his own words, “If they have kept me happy, imagine what they can do for you.” One thing is certain, no one will go away unaffected from this talk. If you want to delve deeper then you can always pick up his book It’s Not What Happens To You, It’s What You Do About It, in which he elaborates on setbacks and finish lines during his life, and will provide further perspective on challenge, change and courage.

W Mitchell Inspires Asia
Where: KLCC Convention Centre
When: 16 May
Time: 9.30am-5pm
Admission: RM480
Web: wmitchell.com

Recreational City

webmaster — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:09:38 +0000

The 2012 Venezuelan Week was a fortnight of colour and culture.

There was colour and culture aplenty in April, as the Venezuelan Embassy hosted the seventh edition of its popular Venezuelan Week. Kicking off with a colourful traditional dance performance at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage, the fortnightlong event was filled with music, dance, food, films, photography and an amazing performance by flutist Huascar Barradas at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak with Oosthuizen, winner of the 2012 Maybank Malaysian Open.

Meanwhile, the beautifully presented KL Golf and Country Club hosted the month’s major sporting event, the 2012 Maybank Malaysian Open golf championship, which was won by South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen by three strokes. Also at the event, Team Carlsberg took the gold in the Maybank Malaysia Open Pro-Am, in which some of the world’s best golfers and local amateurs paired off to take on their opponents.

There were also delightful moments for the “beautiful game”, with Carlsberg presenting the UEFA Cup Trophy in all its silver glory to fans here in KL. Not only that, it also brought Danish football legend Peter Schmeichel, who made a special appearance in conjunction with the launch of the “Are You Fan Enough?” promotion where 100 fans from Malaysia will receive an all-expense paid trip to Ukraine to watch the semi-final live at Donetsk.


Carlsberg Malaysia MD Soren Ravn, Ukranian Ambassador Ihor V Humennyi, Polish Ambassador Professor Dr Adam W Jelonek and Global Ambassador for UEFA 2012 Peter Schmeichel with the UEFA Cup Trophy.	David Ng, MD of DHL Express Malaysia & Brunei, outbids the rest for an autographed picture of Rio Ferdinand. He is flanked by Johnsen (left) and Pallister.

DHL and Manchester United also upped the football mania as it unveiled the DHL Champ19ns Trophy Tour, along with former greats Ronny Johnsen and Gary Pallister, as part of its world tour. And indeed, it was a sea of Red Devils who greeted the cup and players at One World Hotel.