Layang Layang Guest House, A Home Away from Home

Um, hello?

Here are some slight updates about my life recently. I had visited Paris and Toulouse in France in May as part of our syllabus before I completed my final semester, followed by an awesome summer school program in Incheon, Korea that lasted for approximately three weeks in July and August and a short trip in Seoul before I came back to Malaysia. It's not the end of my adventure just yet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had recently completed my final industrial training at Layang Layang Guest House, Malacca. I'm majoring in international tourism management, and had previously completed three of my industrial trainings at three different travel agencies. This time, I decided to be slightly adventurous and go for something different. It did not take me long to select a place that is far away from home, my beloved family, and him. It's an excuse for me to sort of travel on my own, I guess, albeit being just two hours away from all of them.

Anyway, let me give you a complete tour around this beautifully decorated guesthouse in a pre-war building, with the greatest people on earth.

P/S: Some of the photos are credited to Layang Layang Guest House.

Views from the outside and along Jalan Tukang Besi, the street right in front of Layang Layang Guest House.

Before I forget, bicycles are available for rent (for guests only) at only RM 5.00 per bicycle per day, from 9.00am to 9.00pm. This is one of the best rates you could find within the area!

The lobby area and the reception counter. During my final industrial training, I spent most of my working hours here waiting for people to check in and check out, chitchatting, eating, and taking my nap. When the temperature reaches as high as 37°C (I'm not even kidding, Malacca can be THIS hot), this is definitely one of the best places to go, with soothing background music and strong ceiling fans as the additional advantages.

For your information, due to certain circumstances, WiFi is only accessible here at the lobby area.

Walk further into the corridor, you will then be greeted by another door added for security purposes, with more wall paintings on both sides. It is opened during the day and closed after 6.00pm. You will be given an access card upon check-in to go in and out of this part of the guesthouse.

Many people find this very troublesome, for having to bring along their room keys whenever they leave their rooms. Who to blame, though, if something valuable goes missing someday?

Here comes the main part of the entire post. My awesome little heaven throughout the 3.5 months!

I felt extremely lucky to be given one of the guestrooms, Standard Room without Window, to be my "hostel". It's windowless (obviously), comes with a queen bed, a coffee table, and an air-conditioner. It's very small and has limited space for walking with my huge luggage occupying most of the space, but it's indeed more than perfect for two people. You don't really spend time walking in your room during a vacation after all, right?

On a side note, I really loved how they indicate each of the room numbers using a mini kite that matches the name of the guesthouse, Layang Layang Guest House.

Other room types include Standard Room with Window, Deluxe Room, Triple Room, Smaller Family Room, and Family Room. These rooms are all air-conditioned, come with at least one window each, and a coffee table. Some of them that are bigger in size have two chairs and a ceiling fan as well.

If you are unsure of which room type to choose, give them a phone call or send them an email and the staff will provide you with the best suggestion to fit you and your people comfortably. :)

When you are in need of a comfortable and relaxing view or when you feel the need to sit down and do nothing, there is a courtyard in the centre of the guesthouse with water feature. You can even take your breakfast or lunch or have a cup of tea by the fish pond, provided that you do not feed the fishes without asking for permission from the staff.

The well is real! If the building has been at least a hundred years, the well should age the same too. According to Boss Hong, the depth of the well is at least 8 feet if he didn't remember wrongly. :O

At the back of the guesthouse is a shared pantry where you can get alkaline water, coffee, tea, and biscuits for free. FREE! Water boiler, cutleries, cups, bowls, plates, and even wine glasses are well-prepared for you who pack outside food to be eaten in the guesthouse. You can also store your food and drinks in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and cool.

Mind you, all 8 bathrooms are shared! They are well-equipped with quality toilet amenities, including hair and body shampoo for your conveniences. If you are a clean freak like me, I would say that there is nothing much to worry about the cleanliness of the bathrooms. They are regularly cleaned and maintained by the staff.

It's the quality of the guest(s) that would often affect the cleanliness of the bathrooms, according to my personal experience as a staff of the guesthouse. You don't expect the staff to check and clean the bathrooms even during midnight, right? Get it?

Last but not least, isn't washing your face with some of the best views accompanied by morning breeze the best way to start off your day? :D

All in all, Layang Layang Guest House is literally a house, where everyone has their own rooms while the facilities such as pantry, lobby area, and bathrooms are shared. The only difference is that you will meet people from all over the world who may speak different languages and have different cultures. Come and give it a try, and you will be surprised! :D

I have to say that I loved my wonderful life here, for having met plenty of great people worth appreciating; my bosses, Hong and Daphne; my manager, Stephanie; my foreign colleagues, Rohman, Roj, and Robbin; one of the chefs of Good Friends Restaurant and Café and owner of Kaya-kaya Café, KC Choong (for introducing good food to me); manager of Kaya-kaya Café, Ms. Pak (a mum of everyone); head chef of Kaya-kaya Café, Ong Yong Zong; the boys of Kaya-kaya Café; and many other friendly locals and our lovely guests.

See you again real soon, Layang Layang Guest House! ♥

Layang Layang Guest House
24 - 26, Jalan Tukang Besi,
75200 Melaka.
Tel: +606 292 2722
Email: booking@layanglayangmelaka.com
Website: Layang Layang Guest House
Facebook: Layang Layang Guest House
Business Hours (Monday to Thursday): 10.00am to 7.00pm
Business Hours (Friday to Sunday): 10.00am to 9.00pm
Check-in Time: 2.00pm to 9.00pm only
Check-out Time: Before 12.00pm

x.

BookUp, a Malaysia's Online Second-hand Bookstore

Have you ever heard of BookUp, a Malaysia’s online second-hand bookstore? Here is an opportunity for you to get to know about it.

Why should you choose BookUp?

• Expensive textbooks are a burden to university students.
• Not every student is rich enough.
• By providing the university students with cheaper alternative, BookUp aims to reduce their burden.
• BookUp also aims to help the university students clear off their unwanted books by helping them sell it. BookUp sells it on behalf of the students because it aims to be a one-stop shop for people who are interested in used books.

What are the benefits of using BookUp?

• Affordable books;
• Hassle-free clearance of books;
• Delivery right to your doorstep for as low as RM 6.00;
• Good-conditioned books;
• Environmentally friendly (every book purchased is a book recycled).

What are the future plans of BookUp?

• Expansion to more universities;
• Have a wider range of books, including fictions and non fictions;
• To help more university students save, save, and save!

Here is a short video on the start-up of BookUp.

Visit BookUp now to check it out and enjoy the benefits with just a few clicks!

x.

Be My Guest Super Reviewer Campaign by OpenRice Malaysia

Just in case if your impression on OpenRice Malaysia is all about MakanVenture, you're wrong! Here's something that will definitely excite you!

Join their "Be My Guest Super Reviewer Campaign" to win a holiday trip to Hong Kong for 3 days and 2 nights, including accommodation and round-trip ticket, along with a VIP pass to American Express Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2013. Be one of the winners and represent your region in this spectacular food adventure!

HOW TO WIN

It's easy! All you ever have to do is to share your restaurant reviews on OpenRice from 9th of September 2013 to 6th of October 2013. Here are the details:

• All members of OpenRice Malaysia are welcomed to join either Foodies Group or Bloggers Group. In order to join Bloggers Group, send an email to marketing@openrice.com.my and provide them with a link of your personal blog (with at least 50 cuisine-related blogs). Your application will be reverted within three working days for confirmation. The deadline for this application is 16th of September 2013.
• Each approved review will be given scores based on the following calculations. Each approved review with photo(s) will be entitled to 10 scores; each editor's choice with photo(s) will be entitled to an additional 20 scores; whereas any video included in a review related to that particular dining experience will be entitled to an additional 5 scores.
• Members of OpenRice Malaysia with the highest scores at the end of the campaign will be the winner(s).
• 1 winner from Foodies Group and 2 winners from Bloggers Group will be selected by the organizer.
• Winner from Foodies Group must have a minimum of 20 approved reviews with photo(s) in which at least 1 review is selected as editor's choice during the campaign period. Winners from Bloggers Group must have a minimum of 50 approved reviews with photo in which at least 1 review is selected as editor's choice during the campaign period.

Indulge in your favorite restaurants in Malaysia that serve Hong Kong cuisine from the selected restaurants and start submitting your review to win a trip to Hong Kong! Don't forget to select your favorite Hong Kong local food for once on "Write a Review" page before submission.

I have to miss such a great opportunity for classes. Hence, good luck! :D

OpenRice Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Suite 29.08, Level 29, Wisma UOA II,

21, Jalan Pinang,

50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-21686688

Fax: +603-21686633

Email: cs@openrice.com.my

Website: OpenRice Malaysa

Facebook: OpenRice Malaysia

Twitter: @OpenRice_MY

x.

MakanVenture at Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant with OpenRice Malaysia

Fancy for European cuisine? Join MakanVenture with OpenRice Malaysia at Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant and you will be able to taste German and Italian food for free! Read on for more information about the event.

P/S: All of the photos and information about Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant posted are credited to OpenRice Malaysia.

The executive chef who leads the restaurant, namely Massimo Zampar, comes from Northeastern Italy and has 14 years of professional cooking experience. Over the years, he honed his culinary skills at several established restaurants in Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, Philippines, and the acclaimed Serai Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort, Langkawi. So, unquestionably, tagging along are his expertise and native exposure to European flavors, including the fusion cuisine of his homeland, Palmanova, where Italian, Austrian, German, and Hungarian cultures met and have merged. These are the assurance of authenticity in every dish available at the restaurant.

He claimed that the food lovers ought to try some of the dishes at the restaurant, which will be revealed shortly.

The Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant is one of the few restaurants in Kuala Lumpur that offer fresh pastas. Here, we are talking about their Homemade Spinach Ricotta Ravioli. Literally, it is Chef Zampar's homemade pasta dough filled with plush spinach and creamy ricotta, and cooked and served with homemade tomato sauce, sweet basil leaves, and finely grated pecorino. The chef turns his versatile pasta dough into other dishes too!

One should never miss German Pork Knuckle in a German restaurant! Huge spice-scented pork knuckle roasted to crispy skin and tender flesh perfection, this dish is enjoyed with an old-fashioned pork sauce, sauerkraut, and boiled baby potatoes with fresh herbs.

Fork-tender, flavorful roasted pork back ribs will also be served together with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce or Cherry, Brandy and Plum Sauce. It is eaten with warm cannellini beans, mashed or sauteed potatoes, and fennel slaw.

Berlin Steak, which is the smoky, succulent grilled pork steak, will be part of the menu during the MakanVenture, along with creamed spinach, piping-hot fries, and bacon-wrapped spears of asparagus.

A selection of meaty delicacies from farmer's bratwurst and Hungarian sausage to chorizo and Thuringian sausage will be presented to you on their Mixed Sausages Platter. The grilled bacon, sauteed potatoes with peas, sauerkraut, roasted-garlic and habanero mayonnaise, mustard, and curry ketchup will take the experience a level up.

Despite the huge amount of pork that will be served throughout the MakanVenture, they will be serving their salad with pork as well. Their Bavarian Pork Salad consists of grilled pork escalope augmented with cherry tomatoes and wilted greens tossed with Bavarian mustard, warm haloumi, crisp bacon, olive oil.

It is always best to end a meal with dessert. Therefore, this MakanVenture will provide you with an opportunity to try their German Pancakes, topped with fresh fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, as well as vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. It is surprisingly light!

Apart from these, Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant offers some more other delicacies, from appetizers, salads, and soups to main courses and desserts. For bigger bang for your buck, try the restaurant's set lunches on weekdays. If you want to just chill and drink, make sure to visit during its happy hour every weekday from 3.00pm to midnight. There will also be a live band on Friday evening.

Be quick! Catch a spot for the MakanVenture at Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant on 14th of September 2013 at 6.30pm!

Bavarian Bierhaus Restaurant

G8, Ground Floor, Wisma UOA II,

No. 21, Jalan Pinang,

Kuala Lumpur City Center,

50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-21667268 / +6012-9061801 (Sly)

Website: Bavarian Bier Haus

Facebook: Bavarian Bierhaus German Restaurant

Business Hours: 12.00pm – 11.00pm, daily

x.

MakanVenture at Imperial Pot Restaurant with OpenRice Malaysia

UPDATE:

I have been away from my blog for an extremely long period of time, it seems. I initially promised myself to be more active and passionate, yet everything was ruined. Recently, I have frequently blogged about advertisements, instead of something of my own, when I have plenty of my travelling experiences to be shared with my readers. Hopefully I will be back to get it continued! :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is yet another free food tasting session, namely MakanVenture, organized by OpenRice Malaysia at Imperial Pot Restaurant, Solaris Dutamas. You might wonder about the uniqueness of Imperial Pot Restaurant, I suppose. Read on if you would like to obtain more detailed information about it!

P/S: All of the photos and information about Imperial Pot Restaurant posted are credited to OpenRice Malaysia.

Just a few steps away from Publika, Imperial Pot Restaurant specializes in Hong Kong dim sum. Here, only the freshest and healthiest ingredients are used to create delicious and healthy dim sum. The main chef, Jay Lee, has more than 10 years of experiences in the industry. He is well-known for making creative dim sum with modern and healthy twist, such as Red Rice Rolls and Unagi Puff in BBQ Sauce.

Dim sum and Chinese Tea form a perfect combination in Chinese culture. Thus, Imperial Pot Restaurant offers a premium range of Chinese Tea that is claimed to be found based on the principle of bringing health benefits to its customers, carrying no artificial coloring and flavors. The types of Chinese Tea include Oolong Tea, Liew Bao, Flower Scented Tea, and Tie Guan Yin. Pair your choice of dim sum with different Chinese Tea to enhance your dining experience.

Several mouth watering dishes are selected to serve the participants during the free food tasting session. Let's take a glimpse of what you can expect to try:

P/S: This photo is credited to Kelly Siew from Kelly Siew Cooks.

Charcoal Grilled Skin Har Kau, or Charcoal Grilled Skin Prawn Dumpling, is one of the signature dim sum at Imperial Pot Restaurant. Springy prawns and minced meat are carefully wrapped together in a piece of silky black skin made of bamboo charcoal, which is good for health. Sink your teeth into the bouncy dumpling and experience the bursting mixed flavors in your mouth!

Although I tend to eat dim sum almost once or twice a month, Unagi Puff in BBQ Sauce sounds very new to me. It is a creative fusion of Hong Kong dim sum and Japanese Cuisine. The fresh unagi is grilled to perfection with BBQ sauce and wrapped in crispy puff with a seaweed string. The soft and succulent unagi is said to be a perfect match with the crispy puff.

The only type of Egg Custard Bun I have ever seen is yellow in color. However, Imperial Pot Restaurant has it in black, known as Egg Custard Bun in Charcoal Grilled Skin, a type of creative Chinese bun with its skin made of bamboo charcoal. The soft bun is filled with moist salted egg and custard that ooze out with every bite.

Instead of taking a few bites for one single bun, I would suggest you to chew the entire bun in your mouth, to avoid anything that might ooze out and dirty the dining table.

Have you ever heard of Bah Kut Teh Siew Long Pau? Imperial Pot Restaurant mentions in their website that one must try their Siew Long Pau filled with the soup of Bah Kut Teh. The dumplings are freshly steamed only when an order is placed. Take a small bite and sip on the warm and delicious soup that is flowing out of the dumpling! Definitely, do not sip the soup immediately because it might scald your tongue.

The Imperial Pot Restaurant's very own Fresh Prawns in Organic Red Rice Rolls is rapped with a piece of unique red-colored skin made of organic red rice and filled with crispy fried vermicelli and fresh prawns. Enjoy the tantalizing dish with soft outer layer and crispy fillings.

Enoki Mushroom wrapped in Bacon is literally fish paste and enoki mushrooms wrapped in a piece of delicious bacon. The enticing dish combines the freshness of fish paste, the springiness of enoki mushroom, and the juiciness of bacon into one.

The picture and its name, Deep Fried Avocado Roll with Crispy Silk Wrap, have basically explained everything. It is another creative dim sum of Imperial Pot Restaurant with avocado wrapped in crispy fried vermicelli. You will be able to tantalize your taste buds with the avocado roll that is crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside.

Last but not least, Tea Pot Soup, a unique creation of Imperial Pot Restaurant, will be served to each participant during the free food tasting session. It is an innovative mixture of Chinese Tea and herbal chicken broth. The taste is very similar to Bah Kut Teh with the fragrance of the tea and the sweetness of chicken broth.

What are you waiting for? You will be granted an opportunity to enjoy 8 different types of Hong Kong dim sum in a comfortable dining environment. More importantly, it's free! Hurry up and sign up now to reserve a seat for the food tasting session at Imperial Pot Restaurant on 20th of August 2013 at 6.30pm!

Imperial Pot Restaurant

A1-UG1-03, Solaris Dutamas (Publika),

No. 1, Jalan Dutamas 1,

50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-64126188

Fax: +603-64126288
Email: info@imperialpot.com

Website: Imperial Pot

Facebook: Imperial Pot

Business Hours (Tuesday to Sunday): 9.30am – 9.30pm (closes at 3.00pm – 5.30pm), closes on every Monday, except public holidays

x.

Delicious Delicacies during Hari Raya by OpenRice Malaysia

In conjunction with the celebration Hari Raya, an important religious festival celebrated by the Muslims worldwide, OpenRice Malaysia has held a contest for 35 newly joined OpenRicers to walk away with RM20.00 worth of KFC vouchers each. Be the first to click on this link to sign up as a member and grab your chance to be one of the lucky winners!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• All participants must be registered with OpenRice.
• All winners will be notified via email as registered.
• All participants must be confirmed via email upon checking email sent by OpenRice Malaysia.
• Prizes will be sent to the winners by post or winner may collect the prizes from OpenRice office.
• The last of all registrations must be submitted by 25 August 2013, 11.59 pm (GMT +8).
• Users who have more than one account will lose their eligibility.
• OpenRice raced existing members are not eligible to participate in this campaign.
• The winners will be announced on 02 September 2013.
• Winners will be selected at random, conducted or performed by OpenRice Malaysia.

Be fast, before your chance is gone!

OpenRice Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Suite 29.08, Level 29, Wisma UOA II,

21, Jalan Pinang,

50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-21686688

Fax: +603-21686633

Email: cs@openrice.com.my

Website: OpenRice Malaysa

Facebook: OpenRice Malaysia

Twitter: @OpenRice_MY

x.

OpenRice Malaysia's Best of the Best

OpenRice Malaysia is currently searching for the "Best"! But, what exactly is that?

The Best Food Writer would captivate the readers with his or her thorough, delicious stories, as well as the power to make us drool with great appetite, whereas the Best Food Photographer would make us want to lick and reach for the food in the picture. Well, sort of. And by merging the both of them, you would get some of the best food reviews around. Here is an example of how you can also put together a smashing review approved by OpenRice Malaysia.

P/S: All of the photos and information posted are credited to OpenRice Malaysia.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS

You can also win by collecting points! You are entitled to one point for each review without photo, and two points for each review with at least one photo. How does it work?

You can redeem an iPhone 5 and a 2GB iPod Shuffle, or a Samsung Galaxy S4 and a 14.2MP Samsung PL20, if you have collected 1200 points and above.

You can redeem a 16GB iPad Mini with WiFi and a smart cover, or a 10.1" 16GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, if you have collected 600 points and above.

You can also redeem a RM20 voucher from Jusco, Parkson, Isetan, Chili's, Sushi Zanmai, or Pinch of Salt Card for all ChasWood Resources Holdings Ltd's restaurants such as T.G.I. Friday's and Bulgogi Brothers Malaysia.

HALL OF BEST OF THE BEST

Click on this link to follow up with the results! Their polls will be constantly updated by OpenRice Malaysia on a monthly basis. As of 10th of July 2013, kellysiew has the lead in Best Food Writer, and nigellow is leading the Best Food Photographer.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It is quite unlikely that I include all of the terms and conditions that apply to this election. Still, I would like to mention a few that I think they should be noticed:

• OpenRice reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the event without prior notice.
• OpenRice reserves the right to revise details herein without giving prior notice.
• Event runs 12 June 12 – 30 September 2013.
• All contents and photos submitted to OpenRice must be original and not violate any copyright, proprietary, or other governing laws.
• Reviews must detail food (name, taste, texture, color, and etc) besides restaurant's environment and service, which are optional but best to include.
• OpenRice reserves the right to publish or delete reviews. Only reviews approved by OpenRice are considered valid. Details here.
• Each photo submitted can be used only once, and must pertain to the restaurant in a particular review. OpenRice reserves the right to disqualify any photos deemed irrelevant.
• Each month during the contest period, up to five review submissions are allowed for each restaurant listing. You may repeat it the following month for the same listing.
• Entries will be reviewed and judged by OpenRice's internal food critics, who will determine the winners of the Best Food Writer and Best Food Photographer awards.
• Winners will be announced by 05 October 2013, and the decisions will be final.
• Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or any other forms of rewards.
• Prizes are subject to availability. OpenRice reserves the right to replace any of the prizes with other item(s) of equal or similar value in kind without prior notice.
• The last of all reviews must be submitted by 30 September 2013, 11.59 pm (GMT +8).
• Participants who participate with multiple user accounts will be disqualified.
• Participants must submit true personal information. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
• Your latest score can be found below the avatar on your profile page.
• Winners will be notified via email, at the email address submitted when registering for OpenRice membership.
• Fraud, misconduct, abuse, or non-compliance of a participant to the herein and / or any other requirements communicated by OpenRice to participant may result in disqualification or forfeiture of any points earned.
• OpenRice will not grant winning participants prizes if they are later discovered to be disqualified from receiving prizes.
• In cases of disagreement pertaining to the event, OpenRice's decisions shall be final. Any communication against the decisions will not be entertained.
• In the event that an OpenRicer's account is terminated at any time for any reason, he or she will be disqualified from participating.
• OpenRice must not be held liable for submission delay, information losses, or errors arising from technical issues.
• Employees of OpenRice, including those of its affiliated companies, and their relatives up to second degree of consanguinity are not allowed to participate. OpenRice's partners and contributors are not allowed to join as well.
• Prize redemption form will be emailed to winners from 06 October 2013 onwards.
• All prizes should be redeemed by 15 October 2013, and collected by 08 November 2013. Unclaimed or uncollected prizes will be forfeited. OpenRice will not be held liable for participants' failure to redeem or collect prizes.
• OpenRice reserves the right to request personal identification document(s), such as identification card or driver's license, at the point of prize redemption.
• At their own risks, winning participants can choose to have prizes mailed to the address specified in their member's account or email. However, OpenRice reserves the right to request prizes be collected at its office if necessary.
• OpenRice must not be held liable for any possible damage or loss of prizes once they have been mailed out or collected.
• OpenRice has the right to use winners' names, images, and biographical data for marketing purposes without compensation to said individuals.
• For inquiries, email cs@openrice.com.my.

Register and start now! What are you waiting for?

OpenRice Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Suite 29.08, Level 29, Wisma UOA II,

21, Jalan Pinang,

50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-21686688

Fax: +603-21686633

Email: cs@openrice.com.my

Website: OpenRice Malaysa

Facebook: OpenRice Malaysia

Twitter: @OpenRice_MY

x.