11 @ Century Hotel in JB

I should have taken a picture of the hotel building and will do so the next time I have a chance but in case I don't get to update this post with a picture, I'll start by describing the building as a tall (10 floors) grey vertical building just behind a Chinese restaurant called Eastern Dragon at Taman Century. There is pretty limited parking available at the front of the hotel so one can always ask the security guard to direct one to park at the basement carpark.

In any case, one thing I really like about this hotel is that the counter staff are fluent in English and very efficient for both the check-in and check-out process. A deposit of just RM50 is required during check-in but be warned that the 2 lifts which service the rooms can be quite slow and one needs to press the individual lift lobby buttons for each lift.

The superior room is decently-sized and is relatively comfortable with a 32inch LCD (which has Star Movies but no HBO or other movie channels). There is also free wifi available in the rooms and that requires a password from the counter staff. The room also comes with a safe, hot water facilities and very basic toiletries. Be warned that the bed sheets may be slightly dirty but just slightly...

Now, I have to clarify that we booked this hotel because of its location, and also because we were not going to spend much time in the hotel room at all - less than 8 hours and just for crashing for the night. Hence, I can't comment on its facilities except for the breakfast (which came with the package) which was pretty good value for money just like the room at just SGD62 for the room and breakfast for 2. This is our second time at the hotel and there always seem to be policemen or some officers having the buffet breakfast served at the spacious and clean lobby. When I talked about good location, I was referring to the hotel being just a 2 min short walk to the newly opened shopping center called KSL. KSL has a nice large cineplex and quite a number of established eateries like Tang Shifu, Kim Gary etc. There appears to be a hotel opening soon within the complex and I suspect that hotel will give 11 @ Century a serious run for its money. However, if one is used to the shops found in Singapore like Topshop, Warehouse, Bebe etc, one will not find these in KSL which appears to house mostly local homegrown brands.

The Slog Reviews: 8/10 - definitely not luxurious, and not a place for a weekend getaway/place to chill but value for money indeed.

Black Swan (2011) Movie

Since we are on the subject of movie reviews, I thought I'll write about Black Swan too which my CEB and I caught over the CNY period at one of the less popular cinemas in Singapore where we were confident of being able to secure tickets.

The Slog Reviews: 9/10 for Natalie Portman's portrayal of a ballerina so obsessed with perfection that her hold on reality disintegrates completely. A must-watch for those who are not adverse to blood, pain and suffering in the name of perfection/art, and of course, for those who like ballet as well.

Sanctum (2011) movie

It has been ages since I've done a movie synopsis but we just caught the movie in 3D this weekend at KSL city and I can't get it out of my head just yet.

Movie starts with billionaire Carl landing in New Guinea with his girlfriend Victoria whom he met on an Everest expedition. They are met upon disembarking from the sea-plane by young 17 year old Josh. Josh is the son of Frank who is an experienced cave diver who is presently exploring the cave system at the mother of all caves, a huge hole in the ground that Carl, Victoria and Josh helicopter into. There is a system that connects the base camps set up almost 2km underground with the surface which allows video conferencing. 1 of Frank's team-mates, George tells Frank who is about to go on a dive that another member Jude, who is supposed to go on the dive does not seem ready and when Frank questions Jude, she almost begs him to let her go on the dive. They both go, followed by a robot which transmits images of the divers and the surroundings to the video system. There is a narrow opening in the rock which they both have to squeeze through to get to a new cavern and they make a decision to leave their spare tanks behind. However while squeezing through, Jude's hose gets caught and tears, causing water to enter the tube and flood her face-mask. Frank shares his own mask with her for some time but then when she reaches out for his mask the third time, he pushes her away and she quickly drowns before his eyes. He makes his way to the decompression chamber underground while her body floats outside. The people at the surface and in the base camp watch with horror, esp Josh who accuses his father of killing Jude. Frank brings Jude's dead body back to the base camp just in time to hear Josh's accusations. George explains to Josh that the moment there was a leak in Jude's pipe, it was a qn of one dead body or two down there and Frank giving Jude the few moments of air with his mask of a heroic act.

In any case, Carl, Victoria and Josh have by then climbed down /parachuted into the base camp and Carl's intent is to explore with Josh the new cavern which Jude died in the next day. However, there is a storm which spirals quickly into a hurricane that night and 2 of the members of the base camp manage to make their way out. Josh is suppose to climb up with them and one of the local guides, Lugo, but both turn back instead to warn those left at the base camp - Frank, Carl, Victoria and George. They manage to reach the group but while trying to rescue them using a system of ropes which is secured by a large rock, the rock gives way and Lugo falls into the water and is sucked underwater underground despite Josh trying to hold on to his leg. The exit is also shut because of the rock. Realizing that they have to find another way out, the group make their way back to base camp to pick up whatever they can find for survival. Lugo's body surfaces and Josh grabs it, only to find that Lugo is still alive but horribly battered with just 1 eye left. Frank holds Lugo underwater to drown him in a mercy killing despite Josh's and Victoria's protests. George leads Josh away while Carl does the same with Victoria. Frank tells them that every bone in Lugo's body has been broken and there was no way he could have survived. Besides, the base camp would be flooded in a matter of hours and they had to keep moving. Frank then asks Victoria to put on a wet suit which he is about to remove from Jude's dead body but she refuses to wear it. So they set off swimming underwater to try to find the way out of the underground caves to the sea using the river. However, along the way after surfacing, George suffers from decompression bends and is unable to keep up. He asks Josh to go along first while he catches his breath, coughing. When he spits out blood, he decides to hide himself from the group. Frank realizes what has happened and goes back for him, calling out for him but he refuses to show himself, lying hidden in the dark with blood oozing from his nose until he dies. The group of 4 then presses on.

They come to an opening where the only way is across a churning round pit of water that appears like a bubbling whirlpool. Frank calls it a meat-grinder and wants to climb to the opening at the other side but Josh does the climbing instead as the best climber in the group. He successfully makes it to the other side, climbing the cave walls and sets up the belay system. When Victoria is crossing, Carl shines his light at her, causing her to be blinded and slip. Her hair gets caught in system of ropes and is torn/ripped from her scalp. In pain, she ignores Frank's warning not to use her knife to free herself from the ropes, and cuts through her hair. However, she cuts through the rope instead and plummets downwards, breaking her spine on the ropes below her and then tumbling into the whirlpool. Carl is half mad with grief, esp when Frank does not give him time to mourn but commands that they press on.

There is one rebreather left for the 3 because of Victoria's accident (she was carrying the load) and Frank tells Carl and Josh that he will use that to explore the underwater cave before them. However, Carl grabs it and takes off. Despite jumping in after him and trying to grab him, Frank fails to get the rebreather back. Josh smells bat droppings on one of the openings above them and they decide to climb up towards where fresh air is coming from. They make it out of the caves to where a Japanese tank is - apparently a result of the ground caving in. Everyone there is dead so they use the fuel in the tank to make torches for themselves and re-enter the caves to find another way instead of waiting to be rescued. They meet Carl along the way and Carl begs them for some food. Josh lets him have some. Frank walks towards Carl despite his protests and sees that Carl has been hiding Victoria's dead body. Carl explains that he couldn't leave her. Frank tells Josh to leave Carl and walk on despite Carl trying to explain that he would have come back for them. Frank tells Carl that he should not have brought Victoria into the caves, esp since she had no experience cave diving. He also says Victoria was responsible for the decisions she made - like choosing not to wear a wet suit to keep herself warm (her fingers were numb so she slipped when Carl shone the light at her) and using the knife to free herself. Carl does not respond and so they leave Carl and walk on.

Suddenly along the way, Carl appears and jumps on Frank, impaling him on a minor stalagmite.Josh jumps at Frank and manage to over-power him, leaving him half-lifeless in the water. Josh goes back to Frank's side and sees that Frank is mortally wounded. Behind him, Carl rises up from the water and Josh tells him that the reason they have been alive for so long is because of Frank. Carl does not respond to that and jumps into the cave water without taking any equipment. In the meantime, Frank asks Josh to help him. Josh agrees and Frank asks Josh to help carry him into the water where he lies there in pain. And then Frank asks Josh to help him to make things faster. Josh does not understand and wants to wait with Frank until Frank expires. Frank tells Josh he would rather go faster and not like this in pain slowly, so after promising Frank that he would never give up, Josh holds his father underwater until he drowns. Josh then takes the rebreather and enters the cave water. He by-passes Carl's dead body (having to swim between the dead hands) and makes his way through the underground cave system following the river ie swimming. When he runs out of air, he sucks air from the air bubbles trapped in the holes of the cave wall leading upwards to the sun light and finally manages to surface along a sandy beach.

The Slog Reviews: 7.5/10. While the setting was novel (divers in a cave), the plot certainly wasn't (much like Poseidon). The only 2 things that stayed with me after watching this movie is firstly, always listen to the one who has the most experience in the matter concerned (listen at least, not follow blindly), esp if one does not have the benefit of the experience that the person had. Secondly, all of us have to take responsibility for each decision we make, even or esp, those that have consequences that we never expect.

Restoran Lee - the best crabs in Melaka and breakfast at The Majestic

Having heard the fabulous experience I'd had at The Majestic before with my beloved ex-boss and ex-colleagues (click here to read my earlier review), my CEB chose to spend our pre-Valentine Day weekend there. As it was still the Chinese New Year period, the lunar decorations were still up at the hotel when we got there.

The room and the service was excellent of course but I've already written about that. What I hadn't written about was the buffet breakfast spread which cost RM70++/pax. Thankfully we had booked a package that came with breakfast which was less than SGD20 for the 2 of us. 

Other than the extensive spread laid out which included porridge, nasi lemak, cereal etc, one has the option of choosing more food (such as omelets and sunny side ups) as well as juices (freshly squeezed orange juice etc) from the menu on the table. The Slog Reviews: 9/10. Definitely get a package which includes breakfast if the cost is not more than SGD 30 for two! Paying RM70++ per pax is far too much though despite the quality, selection and quantity available.

The reason I say that is because of an absolutely gem of a place we found that serves the best crab that both of us have ever had. I would absolutely advise you to spend RM150 on 2kg of crab (1kg is about RM74) at this restaurant than breakfast for two at The Majestic.

The place I'm talking about is called Restoran Lee I had the good fortune of reading about on the famous Chubby Hubby's blog. The restaurant, or rather should I say, coffee-shop because it really isn't anything more than that, is less than 2mins walk from The Majestic's back carpark. We got there about 8.30pm and the restaurant was 3/4 full but we managed to get a table. This is a Chinese-operated coffee-shop and although the server was brief and to-the-point (no smiles), service was decent and we were served quickly starting with the crackers below (keropok) which my CEB finished in a flash after holding up just 1 cracker for my photo. Hah!

At Chubby Hubby's recommendation, I also ordered the fried bean-curd with minced-pork which he said was the place's specialty. The Slog Reviews: 6/10. Although this dish cost only RM6 and isn't awful in any sense of the word, it is incredibly oily and unremarkable. Save your stomach and good money for the crabs here.

Speaking of which, one has the option of ordering bread to go with the crabs. Now, the bread isn't anything like the kind of buns that we have in Singapore to go with our famous chilli crab. In fact, I was quite appalled to find out that the bread looks like this below - the kind of bread that I would use to feed swans or birds which I did in Switzerland and China b4. Ugh!!!

In any case, my CEB and I found that the crabs that we had, were amongst the the fleshiest and biggest crabs that we've ever had. Even our favorite seafood haunt at Kong Kong pales in comparison when it comes to the quality of the crab. Restoran Lee's crabs are excellent and done so well that the white meat in both the claws and bodies of the crab is firm and sweet. Not shreds of crab meat, or soft mushy bits but firm full chunks of crab meat. That's good quality crab we're talking and as my CEB claims even today, worth every damn dime he spent. The Slog Reviews: 10/10. Crab heaven! The milk sauce is slightly spicy and not cloying at all and we both can't wait to get back to Melaka (prob 2nd week of March) to try out the other crab dishes that this coffee-shop serves!

The address of this great crab place is 55 Jalan Bendahara, 75000 which is diagonally opposite Bayview Hotel and, it would be a great pity to any true crab lover to miss eating at this great place if one is ever at Melaka.

The Rialto, Intercontinental at Melbourne

I woke up at 9am, about one hour before my flight out to Melbourne (10.10am). I’d set my alarms (on both the radio clock and my mobile hp) for 6.50am, intending to call a cab early and reach the airport by 8.15am so that I could do some duty free shopping. As it was, I found myself jumping out of bed, calling a cab and then rushing to get changed. The cab came at 9.20am just as I was hauling my luggage out of the front gate and I literally begged the driver to get to the airport as fast as he could. I’m sure he thought it was a lost cause (as did I) but we reached the airport at 9.40am thanks to his spiffy driving. The counter staff expedited the check-in procedure (for my check-in luggage too) and clutching my airplane ticket, I rushed through the immigration check and made it to the boarding gate just as boarding for the flight commenced. The flight journey was about 7 hours and I watched 3 movies – The Town (which was excellent (8/10) but predictable), Conviction (which was also excellent (8/10) – we are talking about Hilary Swank here playing a driven sister hell-bent on saving her wrongly convicted brother) and Millennium 3: The Girl who kicked the Hornet’s Nest (which was horribly boring and slow-moving). Clearing the Australia customs took another 40mins and by the time I stepped into the arrival hall where my pick-up was waiting, it was 9.20pm local time (Melbourne is 3 hrs ahead of SG). Checking in at Intercontinental, The Rialto where my new boss had made reservations (wonder why she picked this hotel) took less than a couple of minutes. The outlook/facade of the building is very unique - here is a picture I took during the evening the next day before dinner:

There is a plaque as you can see from the picture below, next to the entrance of the hotel along the facade. It has a brief writeup on the history of the building but the reflective nature of the plaque makes taking a photo of the words quite impossible! Anyway, if you thought the facade of this hotel was something, the inside of the hotel, upon stepping in through the main entrance and into the lobby, looks like this. The red lights on the left of the pic are the balconies of the hotel rooms while the middle bottom portion is the restaurant. It looks very impressive indeed! The room that was reserved to me was a king deluxe room (more than AUD 300 a night) and it was spacious with a large comfortable bed. However, the false french windows at the end of the room cannot be opened for security reasons and one is therefore denied fresh air and access to the balcony. I particularly like the fact that there is a large business desk in the room which makes this room very convenient for business. The work desk faces the TV so one can multi-task but if you will note from the picture above, the TV is placed at a right angle to the bed which isn't practical.

What stood out though was the lack of a bath tub in the bathroom. I suspect it is because of water conservation efforts. The rain shower doesn’t quite make up for the lack of the tub, esp given that this is a five star hotel. The toiletries provided are from the Elementis brand which apparently is a higher end brand than normal hotel toiletries.

As my room package didn't come with complimentary wireless/internet access (it cost AUD10 per hour), I decided to take a one minute walk to the MacDonald’s just diagonally across the hotel to use the free wireless there and get some grub (the room menu here isn’t spectacular and seems a tad overpriced). As Australia is famous for beef, I ordered the Grand Angus burger meal which cost AUD 8.80. The Slog Reviews: 7/10. Although the burger was supposed to have mustard and mayo, I asked for mayo only and the staff made it from scratch. And while I appreciated the effort, I didn’t really enjoy the burger as the beef was really raw-tasting which may be how beef is done here. However, the wireless did work fine and I managed to send an email to the folks back home before going back to the hotel room for a warm bath and to write this entry. Given that it is 1am local time and I have to meet the pick up at 8am tomorrow, I better go to bed now to avoid a repeat of this morning!