Countdown parties in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley

This is Dataran Merdeka, being set up for tonight's countdown party. Like cities around the world, Kuala Lumpur is also gearing up for this crossover to the next decade. You will find countdown parties all over the Klang valley, just take your pick of venues which include

1. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Come dressed like Lady Gaga and stand to win attractive prizes. The best Lady Gaga outfit and five lucky winners will receive a RM500 Calvin Klein fragrance hamper. The funky entertainment starts from 9pm with Fly FM, a Gaga Flash Mob, a drum percussion performance and Gaga Dancers. Check out real-time updates on Pavilion KL on facebook and twitter at @Pavilion_KL.

2. Sungei Wang Plaza. Come join the Chinese Street Party Concert featuring two international artistes and nine Malaysia talents in Jalan Sultan Ismail in front of Sungei Wang at 9.30pm. Performance by Taiwanese rock band formed by two brothers Yen Chih-Lin and Chiu-Hsin and Tank, another popular singer and songwriter. The local line up includes A Bin, Lan Kah Fai, Tedd Chan and Thomas Jack. Other performances will start at 6.30pm. At the stroke of midnight, revellers will be treated to a fireworks display. The road in front of Sungei Wang will be closed from 12.01am today till 5am tomorrow for the setting up of the concert stage. For more information log on to www.sungeiwang.com.

3. Dataran Merdeka. The Ambang 2011 Kuala Lumpur concert is scheduled to begin at 8pm in Dataran Merdeka. Performers include Mizz Nina, rock legend Amy Search, Malaysian Idol 2 winner, Daniel Lee, Datuk David Arumugam, Ramlah Ram, pop rock band Pop Shuvit and Ernie, the first-prize winner of Bintang RTM 2009. The party will end with a fireworks display.

4. SohoKL, Solaris Mont Kiara. Celebrations begin at 8pm (until 1am) with live music entertainment and captivating dance performances, samba style, to keep revellers entertained. A fireworks display will come on at the stroke of midnight. For event updates and direction to the venue, please visit www.sohokl.com. Entrance to the carnival is free.

5. Mutiara Damansara Commercial Centre. Countdown party starts at 8pm with performances by international artiste Colby O’Donis and local performers Tomok, Shila, Amy, Stella, Kay and Alvin. MDCC comprises the Curve, e@Curve and Ikano Power Centre. Expect an array of electrifying performances and even a mosh pit for the first 200 early birds. MC for the night is Celebrity emcee Vanessa Chong. Fireworks display at midnight.

6. i-City. i- City will be ushering in the New Year with the “Ambang Tahun Baru 2011” with local performers. Among the highlights are fireworks display and laser beams for the countdown as well as SnoWalk, an “Indoor Snowland” with temperature of -5°C, an air-conditioned canopy walkway that has multi-hues and other interesting teasers. Display of fireworks at the stroke of midnight.

7. Genting Highlands. Countdown parties at Genting Highlands are very popular with folks from Kuala Lumpur. Make your way to the Genting Outdoor Theme Park’s Merdeka Stage from 11pm onwards to participate in fun stage activities and to view the colourful fireworks at the stroke of midnight. Free entry to the Genting Outdoor Theme Park for all partrons from 7pm onwards today. Other places to party at Gentings include the Safari Disco and the Genting International Showroom located at Maxims Genting Hotel. The latter will be hosting a global dance event, Chivalrous Movement, today featuring some of the world’s top DJs. Early birds to Safari Disco (7.30pm-10pm) gets a complimentary mango or strawberry margarita drink each. Cover charge per in-house guest is RM45 nett and RM55 nett for walk-in guests respectively. For details, log on to www.rwgenting.com or call the Resorts World Genting hotline at 03-2718 1118 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              03-2718 1118      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Marctensia hotline at 03-2092 1199 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 03-2092 1199

8. KL Tower. There is no countdown party at the KL Tower but you can watch all the fun at this strategic point in KL. The Kuala Lumpur Tower will offer a special price to the watch deck for both adults and children to view the fireworks display all over KL from the 276m tower. Adult fee is at RM20 while for children it's at RM10. Offer is open to everyone - local and international guests. Ticket sales at the KL Tower counter will begin today from 10pm until 1am tomorrow. For details, call 03- 2050 5444.

Other parties in the Klang Valley..
- Flo Lobby Lounge, Equatorial Hotel
- Palette@IOI Boulevard Puchong
- 1Utama
- Centro Mall, Klang
- Shah Alam Convention Centre
- PJ Hilton


Source: Exciting countdown parties and spectacular fireworks await revellers.. The Star

Update on Pahang floods

The Star reported today that more people are being evacuated as floods in Pahang worsen overnight, with the number of evacuees rising to 95 Friday from the 64 on Thursday.

As at 10am this morning, Km18 of the Gebeng-Kuantan Road was flooded and that stretch was closed to light vehicles.

63 people from Kampung Teladas in the Kemaman district were forced to evacuate Thursday night. The good news is, much of the floodwaters receded by early this morning and as at 9am, only 10 people remained at the relief center hall.

A bridge linking the villages of Teladas and Air Putih was made impassable by rising floodwaters for some time Thursday but is now passable.


Source: More people evacuated as floods in Pahang worsen..The Star

Transnasional, Plusliner will continue to depart from Bkt Jalil in New Year

The Star reported that Transnasional, Plusliner will continue to depart from Bukit Jalil in the New Year.

Transnasional and Plusliner express buses will continue their operations for both northern and southern departures from the Bukit Jalil bus terminal until further notice, said Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB).


Source: The Star

No More FREE Plastic bags and Polystyrene at Local Council Hawker Centres

If you are visiting Penang, this is useful information for when you go shopping. Do bring along your own shopping bag.

Penang's ruling on ‘No Free Plastic Bags’ and ‘No Polystyrene at Local Council Hawker Centres’ will come into effect tomorrow, Jan 1, 2011. This is in line with Penang's objective to reduce the state's carbon footprint as announced earlier by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng when tabling the 2011 Budget at the state legislative assembly.

The ruling will cover all hypermarkets, supermarkets, departmental stores, pharmacies, fast food restaurants, nasi kandar outlets, convenience stores including petrol kiosks and chain stores.

Mini markets and sole proprietorship businesses will have to adhere to the plastic ruling on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in order to ensure the renewal of their licences.

Shoppers will be charged 20 sen for each plastic bag requested. Money collected from the sale of plastic bags will be channelled to ‘Partners Against Poverty’ Special Fund to help the state’s hardcore poor.

For shoppers who buy in volume, used cardboard boxes and paper bags will be available at shopping outlets and hypermarkets.

Random checks will be conducted by government department officers to ensure adherence to the ruling.


Source: All set for double ban..The Star

Major road closures in Kuala Lumpur ahead of New Year celebrations

Don't be caught in traffic tomorrow, be informed of road closures downtown Kuala Lumpur ahead of the New Year celebrations.

Schedule of road closures..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Malaysia wins the AFF-Suzuki Cup

December 31 has been declared a holiday by the PM of Malaysia in recognition of Malaysia winning the AFF-Suzuki Cup (football). The second leg of the match was played last night in Jakarta at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in which Indonesia won 2-1. The first leg played earlier in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil stadium was won by Malaysia 3-0.

More..Malaysia wins the AFF-Suzuki Cup

Christmas in KL malls

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

If you are in KL and haven't been out and about in the city, now's a good time to catch up on what KL has to offer, at least in terms of her festive look this Christmas season.

Malls and shopping complexes in Kuala Lumpur are beautifully decked up in Christmas decorations and lightings. In the meantime, here's a preview of Christmas at the malls in Kuala Lumpur..

A Cruise for the Break

Guest post written by A Tropical Holiday

This year for Christmas, my wife Janine and I are doing something very exciting. Our kids are away at grad school and work full time, so they unfortunately cannot come back home this year. Janine and I were pretty sad about having an empty house for Christmas, so we decided to take a special vacation this year and head to the Bahamas on a week online cruise. This is our second year of retirement, and we decided that it was time to really treat ourselves.

We are almost all packed, and I just purchased a new pair of MiracleEar hearing aids so that I don't miss a thing on this vacation. Janine and I have plans to Jet Ski and parasail on the third day of the cruise. How exciting does that sound? This is truly going to be a memorable Christmas for just the two of us. Sure it's really sad to not have our family this year, but after they graduate in a few months we are looking forward to a family vacation. We haven't had one of those in years!

Designer nursing scrubs from BlueSkyscrubs

Looking for nursing scrubs? The Internet is a wonderful resource. BlueSkyscrubs.com is where you want to look. They have a wide range of fine quality medical scrubs, designer nursing scrubs and uniforms, and surgical scrub hats.

No longer are scrubs dull and limited in colors. Scrub sets from BlueSkycrubs now come in over 15 different solid colors. Nursing scrubs for women are no long just frumpy uniforms. Their range of designer nursing scrubs have put theirs a cut above the others and will be sure to make you look and feel beautiful.

Check out their surgical hats too. BlueSkyscrubs' line of hospital scrubs are easily complimented with a colorful and uniquely printed surgical scrub hat in their wide range of colors and prints. BlueSkyscrubs provides one of the best prices available in the market, so if you are looking for a cheap scrub, BlueSkycrubs is the place to shop.

Heathrow closure - MAS flights in and out of London disrupted

The Star reported that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights to and from London have been disrupted due to the closure of Heathrow Airport.

In a statement on Sunday, the airlines said the affected flights were MH3 (London to Kuala Lumpur), MH4 and MH 2 (KL-London).

Flight MH3 is stranded in London and has been re-timed to depart on Sunday at 12pm (London time). This is pending the re-opening of Heathrow while MH4 which left on Saturday has been diverted to Frankfurt.

Full article..

The Horizon at Myrtle Beach

Let me take a break from talking about Malaysia and talk about a holiday destination outside of Malaysia instead.

I first read about Myrtle Beach from a blog I happened upon and found this holiday destination truly appealing. If I get the chance, I would like to holiday at Myrtle Beach. The Horizon is one of Myrtle Beach best hotels. It is modern and all their rooms are airy being ocean-view rooms.

See what I mean? What a view, don't you think? You get to see beautiful sunrises and sunsets along the coast and listen to the call of the seagulls as they soar across the shoreline waves, and more.

Myrtle Beach can be enjoyed any season of the year. With the vast selection of attractions, anyone can have a dream vacation come true at Myrtle Beach. If you are a water-babe, there is a water recreational plaza, indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river just to name a few. If you are golfer, you would be in for a real treat as there are over 80 golf courses to choose from!

As for accommodation, it has to be The Horizon, of course. This Myrtle Beach hotel has 143 suites of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom-type and all with private balcony. If you are planning to holiday at Myrtle Beach, do check out The Horizon's Seasonal Specials. They will certainly enhance your holiday experience. Visit The Horizon website, http://www.horizonmyrtlebeach.com/, for details and booking.

Are You Out Of Your Mind Shopping On Black Friday?

Thanks for the post from Nora Mccoy

I hear it every year. Are you out of your mind, shopping on Black Friday? You people are crazy. I'm not getting up at two o'clock in the morning just to freeze my fanny off in a parking lot waiting for the doors to open. Then I get pushed and shoved through the door, banging up my elbows and knees. And all this just for the privilege of buying a. . .wait, that's beautiful! And it's only ten dollars? Are you people crazy? You can't sell a wall clock for ten dollars!

And every year I agree with them and wait until the next week to begin my Christmas shopping. This year, however, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and so I parked (not an easy thing to do) as close to Walmart as I could and stood in line to get in the doors. I wasn't going to make a decision until I saw what all the fuss was about but I saw that Dora the Explorer doll for my three year old granddaughter and I just had to snatch it up. It was on sale for five dollars down from twelve. She's going to love it!

I was satisfied with what the ruckus was all about and so I came home, got my feet warm and watched Direct tv HD DVR.

Professional Cleaning services - The Steam Team

Being in the tropics - dusty, monsoon and all - our homes here in Malaysia do take a beating from the natural elements. Certain parts of the country experience flooding certain times of the year. For instance, the east coast states will have to be on the alert end of the year, and after that, the extra effort flood victims have to put in cleaning up their homes. For some, cleaning and rebuilding homes is sometimes part of their yearly routine. It is a tedious and back-breaking job which can ideally be handled well by cleaning experts.

If you are in Texas, you have your own cleaning experts in The Steam Team who have been in the carpet cleaning service for over 25 years! On their website, I read with awe the wide range of cleaning services they provide, and they also have information on fire damage restoration companies austin, for instance, as well as flash flood damage austin and others. Need carpet cleaning products? The Steam Team can also provide information on green carpet cleaning products austin.

So the next time you need cleaning service for fire damaged home austin, or fire damaged furniture austin, or flood and water damage austin or even fish odor removal austin, you know where to go to.

Win RM5,000 at the KL International Motor Show

Here's your chance to win that RM5,000 prize money at the KL International Motor Show. Hurry! Today is the last day to participate in the Snap for Cash Contest at the motor show at PWTC. Bring your camera along to the motor show and take a picture with the lovely StarMotoring models and submit your entry. As simple as that. Snap and Cash Contest details here..


Image source: The Star

Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2010 - PWTC, Dec 3-10

If you are in Malaysia particularly in Kuala Lumpur and if you like cars and motor shows, head on over to the PWTC (Putra World Trade Center) where there is the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2010. Started yesterday (Dec 3), it will be on until Dec 12. Spread over four exhibition halls, it will be a real treat for car enthusiasts. Great prices to be won too.

Spreading the Love

Guest post written by Lea Wayne

This time of year, I think we should all do something most of us rarely think to do in our everyday lives: help those less fortunate. As great as this time of year can be for ourselves, what with seeing all of our long-lost relatives, exchanging a bounty of gifts and more food than you can shake a stick at, it's easy to overlook those less fortunate who are probably feeling even worse this time of year. That's why I'm volunteering with a local soup kitchen twice a week this holiday season, to meet and talk with those who are in need of hot meal and a good ear that's willing to listen.

My goal: To bring holiday cheer to anyone I meet. Whether it's someone at the grocery store clerk, my boss, someone at sears cabinet refacing San Diego or whoever and you'd be surprised how a smile and a bit of good tidings can go a long way in making someone's day! Just a little food for thought.