The Moscow Circus continues its tour of Malaysia with a new series of performances in the Klang Valley beginning Jan 11 until Feb 17, 2019.

The troupe completed its tour of Petaling Jaya, Penang and Johor recently. This time, they will perform at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam.

As always, fans can look forward to a variety of dazzling and jaw-dropping acts under the largest Big Top the country has ever seen.

The Moscow Circus, on an eight-month tour of Malaysia, is presented by executive producers Dato’ Sri G. Radakrishnan and Yahna S.G., together with producers Kenneth Lee and Victor Pilipovich.

“The circus has been keeping fans from around the world on the edge of their seats for more than a century,” Lee says. “It is universally accepted as the best circus act.”

Master high-wire walker Valery Svezhov will stage a special act for fans outside the big top at 5.30pm tomorrow. He will attempt a death-defying stunt never before seen in Malaysia – walk the length of the high-wire 20m above ground without any safety harness.

For the first time in Malaysia, there will be an act put together by performers handpicked from the two best Russian circus troupes – the Bolshoi Circus (aka The Moscow State Circus at Vernadsky Prospekt) and the Nikulin Moscow Circus.

The Moscow Circus prides itself as an all-human act. Animals are not used in any of its performances. It features amazing human feats such as high octane roller skating, juggling that will mesmerise, death-defying high-wire walks and mind-boggling illusions.

Of course, the whole show is held together by the colourful performances of the circus’ own clown and its very own ring-mistress, the enchanting Karina Peace.

The Setia City Convention Centre is located in the heart of the Setia Alam township and is easily accessible via the New Klang Valley Expressway. Nearby is the Setia City Mall that offers convenient shopping and dining.

Tickets are priced from an affordable RM53 for terrace seats to RM253 for ringside seats. Book your tickets on www.proticket.com.my.

For more information on The Moscow Circus, visit www.themoscowcircus.com.my.

The post More death defying acts to thrill circus fans appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Cafés Richards, the Parisian-style café on Level 1 of SkyAvenue, has introduced a new menu of coffee and tea cocktails, combining French orange liqueur and espresso spiced up with Malaysia’s Bentong ginger.

According to Cafés Richard’s brand ambassador Luc Jiquet, these are in addition to a selection of brews prepared using various methods such as the French Press, Chemex, Syphon and Cold Drip, apart from Cafés Richard hi-tea sets.

The objective is to replicate right here in Malaysia the same pleasures you would enjoy while sipping your favourite brew in chic Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the hilly Montmartre or the historical Grand Boulevards in France.

The newly-extended Terrace, which offers a commanding view of the soon-to-be-opened Twentieth Century Fox World Theme Park, offers yet another unique and romantic dining option. Diners get to pick from a menu of new offerings that will titillate the taste buds.

Selected ongoing promotion includes Parisian pleasures, where diners enjoy complimentary sweet bites, the “Farandole”, with purchase of 2 cocktails at RM68. Wake up to the Le Royale breakfast served with authentic Cafe Crème for only RM29, from Monday to Friday, served until 11.45am.

For more promotions and information, check out https://www.rwgenting.com/dining/cafes/Cafes-Richard/

The post Get a taste of French fare above the clouds appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

The post Tropical Charters Langkawi appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

The allure of the Land of the Hornbill can be narrowed down to five quintessential ingredients that form the delicacy that is Sarawak; Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festival (CANFF).

Sarawak has over 27 sub-ethnic groups, all with their own distinct language, art, traditions and culture, living in harmony within the 48, 050 square miles that make Sarawak.

This creates a spectrum of traditional heritage that can rarely be found in our modern day, with arts, music and crafts from each race standing side by side in individual unison, a harmonious symphony as opposed to a melting pot.

Discover more at 
www.sarawaktourism.com
www.facebook.com/visitsarawak/
www.instagram.com/sarawaktravel/
www.twitter.com/sarawaktravel/

The post Sarawak – More to Discover appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Christmas is just around the corner, and the magic is already in the air. All over town, Christmas trees are lighting up as music fills the air.

The Queensbay Mall in Bayan Lepas, Penang, recently unveiled its “Twinkle Chamber” infinity mirrors in its central atrium as part of its “Enchanted Realm” Christmas celebrations. The chirping of birds greeted shoppers and guests as they walked among colourful replicas of mushrooms and flowers.

The setting – a combination of Alice in Wonderland, Thumbelina, Tinkerbell and Smurfs all rolled into one – was indeed magical.

About 500 guests gathered at the lobby of the iconic Eastern & Oriental Hotel recently to witness the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – a tradition that began 15 years ago. This year, a 6m tall tree decked up in shiny and colourful baubles, ornaments, tinsel and fairy lights take centre-stage in the Heritage Wing.

Hotel staff enhanced the Christmas mood with classic Christmas carols after a welcoming speech by E&O Bhd group hospitality and lifestyle director Michael Saxon.

In line with the festive occasion, guests were treated to a lot of finger food and a free flow of beer and wine.

At the Gurney Plaza, a 35ft Christmas tree surrounded by lavenders and decorated with glowing light bulbs dominate the Christmas Secret Garden in the main atrium.

Inside the Secret Garden, a unique 360-degree spherical video projection takes guests into many different and mysterious dimensions.

Pulau Tikus state assemblyman Chris Lee and deputy director of Tourism Malaysia Northern Region Siti Hajar Mohd Yunus joined CapitaLand Malaysia REIT Management CEO Low Peck Chen, Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza general manager Selina Ng and mall manager Peter Chan to launch the Christmas celebrations.

Apart from offering a great shopping experience, Gurney Plaza also promises to tingle all the senses. “See, feel, smell and touch with us this Christmas,” Chan said.

Equatorial Penang goes green this year with its “recycled” Christmas decorations. The 23ft tall Christmas tree and all decorations are made of recycled bottles and paper cups. More than 3,000 used plastic bottles have been used to make the Christmas tree while 500 paper cups were used to make the snowman.

General manager Andreas Knüssi led a group of children from the Penang Cerebral Palsy (Spastic) Children’s Association as well as carollers from Pantai Hospital Associations to welcome guests at the ceremony.

Across the channel, the Sunway Carnival Mall in Seberang Jaya is going with the “Christmas Fun Factory Season of Joy” theme this year. The malls upper ground concourse has been transformed into a Christmas stocking factory to deliver a fun-filled and memorable holiday for all.

At the Impiana Hotel in Ipoh, about 100 guests gathered at the lobby to witness the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony recently.

The hotel also launched its “Stars for Hope” CSR programme in collaboration with Projek 57, a social enterprise inspired by the vision of many different kinds of people, including the Orang Asli, embracing each other as well as living and working well together.

For a minimum donation of RM10, a guest gets to write his wish and then hang it on the tree. All the donation will be channelled to Projek 57 to fund educational efforts for Orang Asli children, said general manager Gerard Sta Maria.

Children were also the main beneficiaries at the M Summit Group Christmas celebrations. To mark the occasion, the company presented back-to-school items to school children.

M Summit group managing director Datuk Albert Moh and its executive suites general manager Joachim Chai recently unveiled its 6m tall Christmas tree in the company of guests and children from nearby schools.

The post The season to rejoice and celebrate is here again appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Inbound travel to Turkey is expected to increase tremendously over the next few years as newly opened Istanbul Airport expands its capacity. And Turkish Airlines plans to take advantage of the improved and expanded airport services to fly to more destinations.

The new Istanbul Airport which will replace the Istanbul Ataturk Airport, opened on Oct 29, 2018 with a capacity for 90 million passengers per year. This will rise to 200 million passengers by 2023, making it the world’s largest airport. The Istanbul Ataturk, is now operating at its maximum capacity of 75 million passengers. The new airport promises maximum comfort at its lounges, dining facilities, children’s play area, movie theatres and premium business class lounges.

According to vice-president for sales (Asia & the Far East) Tuncay Eminoglu, Turkish Airlines now flies to 304 cities, comprising 49 domestic destinations and 255 cities in 122 countries.

The airline will add several new cities to its itinerary next year, including Palermo in Italy, Marrakesh in Morocco, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia and Rovaniemi in Finland.

Turkish Airlines now flies daily to KLIA and hopes to increase the frequency to 10 flights a week by 2020.
Istanbul has the largest number of connections for any city, thanks to its strategic location. By Jan 1, 2019, all the airline’s operations will be based at the new airport.

Senior Communications Specialist, Bugu Bay Karatas.

“We now cover all 64 mega cities around the world. In 20 years’ time, there will be 91 mega cities and we plan to also fly to all of them,” Eminoglu adds at a special briefing for the media.

Eminoglu says the airline expects to have an inventory of more than 500 aircraft by 2023, with the new A350 and 787 Dreamliners already on the way.

“The year 2023 is a significant year for us as it marks the 100th anniversary of Turkey.

“We will also be introducing our new uniform, created by Italian designers,” he adds.

The airline has tripled its fleet from 2003 to 2017 as it experienced a five-time increase in passenger growth.

Turkish Airlines operates from its headquarters in Istanbul – a vast complex housing the administration, training, cafeteria and catering facilities with more than 4,000 employees.

At the Turkish Airlines DO & Co facility nearby, food is packed according to stringent guidelines. The airline’s crew and “flying chefs” also get their training at this joint-venture catering and training company.

Turkish Airlines training facility headquarters in Istanbul.

“The flying chefs serve fine dining meals and a great dining experience for business class passengers,” says Senior Communications Specialist, Bugu Bay Karatas. “We prepare 200,000 meals per day and we use only fresh ingredients.”

According to engineer Ekran Karaceper, there are 14 simulators for the Boeing 737, A340, A320, and A330 at its training facility. The number of simulators will be increased to 29 with the addition of the A350 and 787 Dreamliners to its fleet.

“Flying chef” Ertan Akkus with Turkish Airlines.

Among the team of “flying chefs” introduced by Turkish Airlines for its valued passengers is a five-year veteran chef, Ertan Akkus.

Where2 spoke to the specialized chef to ask how he can prepare fine high quality dishes within the constraints of a small space on long haul flights.

The safety slide for an emergency landing.

“In order to be able to work in such a confined environment and create beautiful plates, one must be very organized and should always consider a few steps further of the particular task at hand.

“All pre-cooked food made daily in our main kitchen at “Turkish Airlines DO&CO Istanbul” are loaded onto the aircraft via the wheeled loading equipment called trolley.

“The final heating and a finishing touch of all the dishes are done by the chefs before the service on the plane.

“All the flying chefs are trained for working and service procedures in the galley,” said Akkus.

Pilots training simulator

He also added that passing through different time zones sometimes can be challenging but they get used to the situation.

As for compliments from travellers, Akkus said “the best compliment which I had received several times that the food passenger had on the flight, was the best ever both in a restaurant or on a flight,” said Akkus with a wide grin.

The writer presenting a copy of Where2 magazine to Tuncay at Turkish Airlines headquarters in Istanbul.

The post Turkish Airlines spreading its wings appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Penang-based hotels took home a bagful of trophies at the recently concluded Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA) 2018.

Leading the pack was G Hotel that won four awards. They are the HAPA Front Office Excellence – Most Outstanding, HAPA 5-Star Hotel – Benchmark Achiever, HAPA Hotel of the Year – Benchmark Achiever and HAPA General Manager of the Year – Most Outstanding awards.

G Hotel that won four awards.

The icing on the cake is, of course, the award for the most outstanding general manager that went to Michael Hanratty, a six-year veteran of G Hotel. The accolade is a testament to the success of G Hotel under the Australian expatriate’s management.

The HAPA Malaysia Awards Series celebrates passion, excellence and commitment of the unsung heroes in the hospitality industry, particularly the behind-the-scenes professionals.

The awards honour the benchmark achievers as well as the three most outstanding highfliers for each category. The hotels are appraised by judges through on-site inspections on an incognito basis, on one-on-one interviews and on food tasting sessions with nominees under the Mystery Judge Audit system.

The most outstanding general manager, Michael Hanratty, a six-year veteran of G Hotel.

“We are honoured to be the recipient of these prestigious citations that have sealed our reputation as a hotel with five-star hospitality and outstanding service,” Hanratty says. “This is a testament to our efforts in pursuit of excellence.”

Hanratty has personally spearheaded the journey from the pre-planning and the opening of the G Hotel Kelawai in 2015 to its operations today.

Despite tough competition, the hotel has averaged 70% occupancy and even hit full occupancy on many occasions, thanks to his close monitoring of the Sales, Events and Revenue team.

Hanratty has continuously tapped into the strength of Penang tourism, collaborated with industry partners including the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Malaysian Association of Hotels and others to promote G Hotel.

He has also received strong support from the corporate world and has established close ties with the media as well as attended trade shows and networking sessions to develop the G Hotel business.

To ensure that standards are on par with its parent hotel – the G Hotel Gurney, a five-star property opened in 2007 – Hanratty has been working closely with his culinary experts to come up with innovative additions to the menu. He even samples new items for quality and taste before they are made available to the guests. They include beverages or cocktails served at Gravity, the rooftop bar and the 2PM lobby lounge.

Backed by his experience working in the front office at the start of his career, Hanratty understands the importance of feeling welcomed in a foreign land and as such he ensures that all guests feel just that the moment they step into the lobby.

He sees to it that guests are greeted in a friendly manner, and makes sure the check-in and check-out processes are simple and fast. The hotel even offers guests a welcome ice-cream to brighten up their day.

That makes him a very hands-on general manager, accounting for the success of G Hotel Kelawai.

Another award winner is The Light Hotel Penang general manager K. Raj Kumar. He was honoured with the HAPA General Manager – The Ambassador of Hospitality award.

Raj (second from right) with his team at the awards ceremony.

The accolade is to celebrate the most dynamic and respected general manager who possesses qualities such as efficiency, role model leadership and the ability to handle crises while having an impressive portfolio and a matchless management style.

The Light Hotel Penang also won the HAPA Boutique/Concept Hotel/Resort – Exceptional Lifestyle & Living Experience award.

The accolade is to honour concept hotels for their well-thought-out design that uses unique building materials while ensuring comfort and top-notch service and facilities that will leave guests with a memorable experience.

The post Penang hotels win big at HAPA awards appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Queensbay Mall

At the Queensbay Mall in Bayan Lepas, Penang, a giant peacock stands regally in the main atrium, bathed in colourful lights.

As part of the celebration, the mall recently threw a party for 30 children from Rumah Kebajikan Seri Cahaya. It also presented the children’s home with a cheque for RM3,000 and some goodies to the youngsters.

Straits Quay Retail Marina

Visitors to the Straits Quay Retail Marina in Tanjong Tokong will be greeted by a giant kolam as they walk through the main entrance.

The mall recently held a Junior Kolam Making Competition that attracted about 60 children aged six to 12. Winners received cash prizes and trophies.

Gurney Paragon Mall

At the Gurney Paragon Mall, there is no mistaking the scent of a celebration on the horizon. Shoppers will be greeted by the fragrance of various spices thanks to the “Aroma Diwali” decoration.

Visitors also get to see traditional performances on Nov 3, 4 and 6. The shows start at 3pm. St Jo’s also held a “colours of spices” colouring contest on Nov 3.

Gurney Plaza

At the Gurney Plaza, visitors can join a majestic peacock to watch traditional dance performances at its lobby.

The Light Hotel Penang

The Light Hotel Penang in Seberang Jaya has hundreds of earthen lamps on a 10-tier “Agal Velakku” to cast a glow on the kolam in the lobby.

G Hotel

At the G Hotel all personnel, led by general manager Michael Hanratty, are dressed in traditional Indian costumes such as the colourful jippa, saree and vasti. They also greet guests with “Happy Deepavali” wishes.

At the Sunway Hotel Georgetown, general manager Prakash Kumaran led the management and staff in a ceremony to light the Deepavali decorations. A similar ceremony was held at the Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya.

Royale Chulan Penang

The housekeeping and marcom (marketing and communication) staff at the Royale Chulan Penang spent four days to complete a Deepavali kolam, showing off their artistic side at the same time.

Their artwork, located at the atrium, is the biggest ever for the hotel, says general manager Philip Theseira. It will be on display through the Deepavali week.

Gurney Resort and Spa

Another hotel that has spared no expenses for a beautifully crafted kolam is the Gurney Resort Hotel & Residency. The masterpiece greets guests as they enter the lobby. New general manager S. Navintheran has promised that he and his team will be on hand to ensure their guests have a comfortable stay.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang

The iconic Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel in Penang is another hotel that has combined the kolam with traditional earthen lamps in its Deepavali decorations. The 4.7m by 4.7m kolam of floral pattern, located at its Heritage Wing, was created with 60kg of broken rice that has been coloured in-house first.

Impiana KLCC Hotel

At the Impiana KLCC Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, a giant kolam takes centre-stage at its lobby, while in Alor Star, the Star City has opted for a vibrant festive deco.

Star City Alor Setar

Deepavali is celebrated on Nov 6 this year.

The post A riot of colours to greet the Festival of Lights appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

Chef Wan sharing tips together with media members during the cooking challenge

Under the watchful eye of Malaysia’s celebrity chef, Chef Wan, and Qatar Airways country manager for Malaysia and Brunei Dato’ Muzammil Mohamad, the participants worked in pairs to cook up three international dishes each.

Dato’ Muzammil Mohamad

The cooking challenge, organised by Qatar Airways and hosted by Gurney Paragon Mall, was part of the on-going Flavours of the World promotional campaign by the airline.

“Penang is known as a destination for gourmets. What better way than this to introduce new cuisines from all over the world to the local mix,” Muzammil points out.

The Flavours campaign is also a drive to promote Qatar Airways. During the campaign period, the airline is offering a 10% discount on fares to selected destinations, including Istanbul, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Cape Town.

Chef Wan

The airline is also launching new routes to Mombasa in Kenya, Da Nang in Vietnam and Gothenburg in Sweden in December. It already flies to 150 destinations around the world.

Muzammil says the airline hopes to fly directly to Langkawi soon to offer better connectivity for business and leisure travellers from all over the world.

“Our state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner offers maximum comfort and safety for travellers,” he says. Qatar Airways has won the World Best Business Class award for three consecutive years since 2016.

Chef Wan tasting the participants’ dishes during the judging session.

Muzammil adds that the airline’s Q Suites, which offer double or quad-bed convenience, have also won accolades.

The three-day event was organised to explore the flavours of the world with Qatar Airways. “We want to take Malaysians on a culinary adventure through Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. This, we hope, will pique their interest when selecting their next travel destination,” he adds.

A personalised cooking workshop, guided by Chef Wan, gave participants a chance to sample the many exotic flavours from the four regions that Qatar Airways flies to.

The post Journalists cook up new flavours at Qatar Airways food fest appeared first on Where2 Magazine.

For G Hotel Gurney, the awards were an 8.8/10 rating by Hotels.com, recognition as a Hall of Fame by TripAdvisor, Best Business Travel Hotel in Ctrip Travellers Top Spots 2017, Best Social Media for Global Meetings Industry Day 2017 campaign by Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau and the Service Excellent Hotel accolade from Luxury Travel Guide Awards 2018.

General Manager Michael Hanratty (centre) with other head of departments posed for a photo. shoot.

G Hotel Kelawei has been recognised as a Top 100 Business Hotels by Hotel.com. It has also been rated 5.7/6 by Hotel Check and The Bizz Awards by WorldCOB.

Both also won the Recognition of Excellence award by Australia-based hotel meta-based company HotelsCombined. G Hotel Gurney scored 8.6/10 and G Kelawei chalked up 9.1/10 ratings from guests to win these awards.

Last but not least, both hotels were also awarded Certificates of Excellence for Outstanding Traveller Review by TripAdvisor.

General manager Michael Hanratty says the recent “avalanche” of awards has sealed the G Hotel’s reputation as a world class accommodation, five-star hospitality and outstanding service.

The two hotels now have a combined total of more than 100 accolades. To maintain their award-winning streak, they consistently work hard to maintain their exceptional services and facilities, Hanratty adds.

The post ‘Avalanche’ of awards for G Hotels appeared first on Where2 Magazine.