Stephen Rahman Hughes

Sunday, January 15, 2012 by Audrey
I have been a fan of Stephen Rahman Hughes since I first saw him as Hang Tuah in Puteri Gunung Ledang - The Musical (Season 1) way back in 2006....not only because he has a handsome face, but his voice can melt any girl's heart (Yes, even mine...heh!)

The most recent performance of his that I attended was April last year, where he performed with Ramin Karimloo and Simon Bailey for "West End Stars in Concert". SUPER amazing, and everyone was so swoon-worthy...*sighs*

Okay, back to reality a bit...LOL! SO...during that concert, Stephen sang a BM song that he says is going to be in his new album (YAYYY!) and the song is SOOO pretty! LOVED it to bits and made me anxious for his album to be out...I mean, with HIS voice and songs similar to that one which he performed, I figured it's going to be a KILLER album! 

Well, the album is FINALLY out =) A self-titled album, Stephen's album consists of 8 songs...all in Bahasa Malaysia. Bit of a dampener considering he's more British than Malaysian (even though he IS half-Malaysian!), but it's quite nice to see that he's trying his hardest to please his Malaysian fans. I couldn't find a copy until I read his fan FB page stating which stores carry his album and I got there JUST in time to get the last copy of the album at the store...hehe! So, what's my 'verdict'?

I guess I am on the fence with his album.....while I do admit that the songs do kind of cater to his range, I very much prefer him singing slow, ballad-y songs compared to uptempo or even mid-tempo songs. Unfortunately, the album cuts right in the middle with the number of slow and uptempo songs....and I'm not too sure who arranged the sequence of the songs, but there is the typical 'fast song followed by slow song' formula which is a little irksome, if you ask me.

The highlight for me is definitely the song that he sang in the concert - "Bertemu Di Syurga". For lack of a better word, it is very 'pretty'....with the piano intro, strings and big chorus, it's a lovely song that one dedicates to their loved ones =) Still, I find it a little bit 'overproduced' in the sense that there are too many things going on as the background music. I so much preferred the way they arranged the music during the concert...gives a much better flow to the song. Watch the song performed here (I recorded it with my phone, so excuse the bad quality!):




However, there are some other songs which I find grew on me with a few more listens...need I say more that they are ballads as well? =P "Hati Berbisik" is a lovely duet with Jaclyn Victor, though I have to say that Jac's voice is featured so little here! Still, the song is cool =) "Cinta Masih Ada" is another song that grows on you...it's a song about sacrifices that people make for their loved ones, and above it all, there. is. love. And my second most favourite song is "Ku Lepas". Another pretty song with a big chorus and soft ending...but I think what spoke to me most were the lyrics, where it talks about letting go for the best of both parties. =')

My only 'complaint' with this is the emo-Malay Rock song that is "Ekspresi". I don't know what it is, but I didn't like it one bit...even after a few listens. LOL! It JUST doesn't fit with Stephen's voice and I guess I am biased, but the jiwang rock thing is just....weird. I find it a bit wasteful to put this up in the album, but I guess the rocker fans might enjoy it. *shrugs* So yup, there is my two cents' worth. I like it, but I can't say I'm absolutely thrilled with this album....let's hope he comes up with another one soon where he sings material that really gel with his voice and style =)
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Contraband

Friday, January 13, 2012 by Audrey

con·tra·band/ˈkäntrəˌband/

Noun:
Goods that have been imported or exported illegally.
Adjective:
Imported or exported illegally, either in defiance of a total ban or without payment of duty.

Yup, as the film title suggests it is about smuggling! Not a really unique premise, but it is a rather cool movie with some rather ingenious 'ideas' on how (really) good smugglers do their work.

Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg, looking quite buff here) is a smuggler-turned-legit alarm installer with a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) and two cute boys. Back in the day, he was a very well-known smuggler who manages to pull off the coolest smuggles from different places. His brother-in-law wasn't that good though and botches a 'run', forcing Chris to 'go back' into smuggling for one last time before the henchmen get to his wife and kids.


Mark Wahlberg does quite a good job as the tough, previously-a-smuggler guy who dotes on his family a lot. He makes it quite believable that his character is a very street smart guy who has turned over a new leaf. Can't say the same thing about Kate Beckinsale though, as I feel the film makers are just using her famous name to pull in audiences. Her character is a little pointless as all she does is just be pretty or get beaten up by thugs to threaten Chris. A little sad, coz she is quite a good actress. 

While the story is nothing much to shout about (It does start off rather slow as the characters are introduced), the action pretty much makes up for it...especially when Chris puts his plans into action. There are quite a few cool ideas on how to hide stuff in a confined space...though I'm not too sure if they have been actually used before, but cool ideas nonetheless. Think 'Prison Break' cool, except that they use those ideas for smuggling! And while there are some parts where it feels a little TOO easy for the characters to get to where they are, it is still rather interesting as the pace picks up exponentially towards the end. There are car chases, explosions, shootings, the works! My favorite scene would probably be the last few minutes of the film, where they really bring a new perspective to the term 'a sea full of money'! Watch it and you'll get what I mean. *grins*

All in all, it is quite a clever little movie....though not a big blockbuster like the big titles coming out this summer, it does deliver enough wit, action, and humor to keep your attention until the very end. Not bad to start off a new year *wink* 
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Khuntai Restaurant

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by Audrey
Khuntai Restaurant had been around for quite some time now....if memory serves me right, the last time I've been there was a few years ago. Alas, no photos of the food I had then. This time around, the family mentioned that they would like to go back again to sample their famous tom yum. And they did not disappoint *grins* 

Getting to the restaurant is rather easy as it is located just off Jalan Gasing. I went Googling to look for a map, and it turns out they have their own website! Check it out here. They open everyday, so no qualms about whether they will be closed should you head there for dinner *wink* On to the food, shall we?

 Appetizer! This is called Miaeng Kam (I hope I spelled it right!) The little bowls contain condiments like dried prawns, slivers of roasted coconut, peanuts, ginger, lime and cili padi. Small portions are placed onto a leaf, drizzled with the sauce above, wrapped and enjoyed. The last time I had this, I didn't really know how to appreciate the taste of this dish. This time around though, I find I rather enjoy it...the combination is quirky but unique and tasty; It's a little sour, sweet and savory, but also has a little 'green' taste from the leaf...combined with the crunch of the peanuts and dried prawns, it's definitely something one should try at least once =) 


 We ordered the pandan chicken too...chunks of chicken marinated, wrapped in pandan leaves and subsequently fried. It wasn't as fragrant as I expected, but the meat was juicy and tender. A so-so experience with this, but non-spicy lovers might enjoy this.


 Next, came their famous tom yum...there are quite a few variations at Khuntai. This was the 'normal' tom yum, but they also have something called 'white tom yum' where the soup is clear and not red like this one here. We had the seafood, and it was splendid. I find it a wee bit too spicy, but I'm the one who can't take much spicy food compared with my family. They all said it was just the right combination of spicy and sourness. The broth was also rather thick and full of flavor, which is hard to find in a lot of restaurants these days. The seafood portion also is not bad...this pot served all 5 of us fine =)


Another dish that we ordered was this minced chicken dish. I can't recall the exact name of this, but I initially thought this dish was minced chicken cooked with some fragrant basil leaves. Unfortunately, it wasn't...this was just minced chicken with some red and spring onions. The taste was not bad, but it wasn't exactly what we thought it was. Still, it was a good dish to 'counter' the spiciness of the chillies and tom yum. 


Khuntai is also quite famous with their BBQ seafood, but we didn't manage to try that. Instead, we ordered their BBQ cockles....it was so good that my parents ordered another plate of these after we finished it. The cockles used are really huge ones compared to the usual kind that we find at hawker stalls selling boiled cockles. These are then served with two different chili sauces which go very well together. My only 'complaint' is that the cockles were roasted a little too long, making them dry and chewy. If they could cook it just a little less, I think it would be perfect....oh well, one can't please everybody at the same time I guess. It IS still an enjoyable dish though...I see almost every table will order this dish, so it's testament to how good it was *grins* 

So yup, it was a good 'makan' session with the family that day =) Price-wise, it wasn't too bad...all of the above with another plate of vegetables, a big pot of rice and a pot of jasmine tea amounts to about RM98 for 5 people. Not bad...not bad at all.
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Hokano - Must Try!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 by Audrey
I have to say...although I've been working in Damansara Uptown for more than a year now, when it comes to eating places there aren't that many choices, especially for cheap and tasty food. Most tasty foods don't come cheap in that area, and sadly cheap foods are not all that tasty. *Sigh* 

Yet, there are still a few 'gems' that we can find every now and then - all thanks to some savvy colleagues who are more familiar with the area than me! Case in point, Hokano restaurant...tucked away quietly just a few shops away from the Maybank in Damansara Uptown, Hokano serves REALLY good Japanese food at quite affordable prices (considering how expensive Japanese food can be!). Let's move on to some photos. Heh!

Forgot to take photos of the restaurant itself, but the set up is quite simple and unassuming....so much so that one might think the food is not up to par coz it doesn't look chic or posh like most Japanese restaurants. DO NOT let that fool you!


I came here with some colleagues for a farewell lunch with another colleague. We've read good reviews about the place in some blogs, so we'd decided to try it out =) Started off with some Ocha (green tea). Quite thick but not overwhelming...me likes! I think I'm becoming a sucker for most things green tea...hahaha!


Then our food arrived! Hokano has some really cool lunch sets so I ordered this: The Sashimi lunch set. How AWESOME is this??? There's ample cuts of sashimi, rice, chawanmushi, miso soup, salad, a small appetizer and cuts of fruit! And all these for only - wait for it - RM23.50! 


Close up on my sashimi...I've not been a big fan of sashimi before, but recently I've come to acquire a liking for it. These delicious cuts really are scrumptious. The white fish is a little on the thick side, but so fresh that all is forgiven when you bite into it when dipped with a bit of soy sauce and wasabi. It all just melts into your mouth like butter....MMMMMM! My favorite is still the long slice of salmon belly in the front here...smooth and silky, I wish there were more instead of just one slice!


Some other highlights of my meal. I'm assuming this is the appetizer for the day, but this small plate of stir-fried brinjals really packs a punch. Goes down REALLY well with the rice (which, by the way I finished the whole thing...I know, carbs are evil but these carbs are so good I can't stop. LOL!) and the texture was JUST right; not too soggy or too hard *grins*


Ah yes, another favorite of mine! This is also a recent acquired liking...chawanmushi! I've never given thought to it before....it was like normal steamed egg with some pieces of meat inside, but now I've come to appreciate the slight hint of smokiness; the creaminess of the egg that can only be acquired with lots of skill (it's SO easy to oversteam egg 'custards' like this). Plus, the marinated pieces of meat hidden inside are just nicely done and made a nice 'surprise' when you reach the bottom of the cup.


 
Some other photos of my colleagues' orders...this is the Salmon Teriyaki set (RM21.90). Also comes with the same sides.

I really like this glossiness of the well done salmon belly. Look at the sheer size of it! Think I might just try this set the next time I'm there...heh!


The Saba Surioyaki set (RM17.50). Same sides too =)


Was told this is a type of mackerel, but look at that crispy skin! Yummers!


Of course, one can always choose from the a la carte menu there but the lunch sets are really quite worth the buck if you like the selections that they offer =) Hokano also offers other kinds of Japanese fare like sushi, noodles, and rice dishes...it's definitely a must try!
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The Drive

Thursday, November 17, 2011 by Audrey
I have an...affinity with ghost 'stuff', if you can call it that. While I'm not a big fan of these things, somehow or other I get quite a few opportunities to catch horror movies and the like. Some I'd come to enjoy and appreciate, while some made me cringe and laugh.

Yesterday, however was quite an eye-opener...quite literally too! LOL! I had the chance to catch a friend of mine performing in a play called "The Drive" at The Actor's Studio in Lot 10 (which by the way, was a very cool place to have a performance studio! Loved the rooftop there!) I have to shamefully admit that I didn't really give much thought to the description of the play before I attended the performance. All I knew was my friend is going to be one of the main cast and I'm there to support her :) What I came away with at the end of the performance was a mind-blown, awe-struck experience and the impression that theater in Malaysia can be quite cool with the right people...so much so that I HAD to blog about this ASAP!

The main 'frame' of the story is about these 3 guys on a drive out to hunt for ghosts as fodder for their growing blog readership. On the way, what better way to fuel their imagination than to tell each other ghost stories? And so, we're taken into these stories and boy, they are kind of scary! Yes, even coming from me...the one who had to watch quite a few horror movies (not by choice) and had gotten quite immune to these things. I don't want to spoil the plot so much for those who are planning to catch it so please go and watch it to experience it all.

You'd probably think I am biased because I went there to catch my friend performing....that's true in a way. I was there to just see how good she did in the play, but after it all ended, I admired a lot of the other cast as well....so much talent in the cast! From the goofiness of the three guys, the intensity of the scenes brought on by the characters, the comedic timing breaking the tension at times, to the creepiness in the stories that I can only just say kudos for a job well done!

What really impressed me also was the synchronization of the sound effects and lighting with the timing of the actors...although it is a scripted play, I do think that to synchronize everything down to a T takes quite a bit of effort and LOADS of practice. The  lighting, sound effects and even the songs used during the transitions really made it so believable that for some time, I was immersed into the whole experience. Probably that's what made it quite scary for me...even though the actors are playing characters, but because they're in the flesh and so upclose (I had front row seats) that creepiness just intensifies that much.

At the end of it all, it really was loads of fun to catch awesome plays like these....do catch it if you can! The run of the shows are only until THIS SUNDAY, so go catch it quick! Ticketing information can be found at The Actors' Studio's website here (click) or you can even check out the Facebook page that they created for the play! (click) Here's a preview video of the play in case you're wondering...*grins*




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Real Steel

Sunday, October 23, 2011 by Audrey
Hugh Jackman...that alone should be a crowd-puller to watch this movie. The man who immortalized Wolverine (for the guys); the one who melted countless women's hearts in "Kate & Leopold" is now a washed up, has-been boxer who does robot boxing in his latest offering "Real Steel".

Watching the trailer, I had anticipated to catch the movie since it had Hugh Jackman, cool-looking robots (ALMOST reminiscent of "Transformers", though not as high-tech of yet) and subsequent bashing of robots in a brawl that's a little like Iron Man beating the pulp out of those clone-bots! Action, grit, cute lead actor...yup, good combination! And it didn't disappoint *grins*

Initially, I had thought of the movie as a full-on, action-packed movie that pulls the punches from the get go and doesn't require a story. Just have robots kill each other via remote controls by the humans! But it surprised me with a very decent storyline (albeit a little Disney-ish if I do say so myself). 

Hugh Jackman is Charlie Kenton, a guy who tries to make some money via his robots doing robot boxing. Unfortunately, his robots are sort of washed up like he was, and needless to say, they got served very badly (as did he!). Enter his estranged son, Max (played by a very adorable Dakota Goyo) who came into his care when his mom passed. The two make a very unassuming find in the form of an old robot while scouring for parts at a metal junkyard, and find that hey, this little robot might just be something else entirely.



Noisy Boy with his 'handlers'...LOL!


Yup, the story is about family, with a little tearjerker towards the end...but don't let that stop you from catching this movie! It offers loads of action, brawn and flair in the form of the robot fights. Yes, you'll get to watch quite a few robots go head to head WWF-style, only with boxing. From underground fights to the big leagues of a world championship match, "Real Steel" delivers the excitement and atmosphere very well with great use of music, intricate camera work and impressive CG!

Like I mentioned before, the robots are pretty amazing. While not as high-tech as "Transformers", they do a pretty decent job as 'fighters' in place of real humans. Watch out for the scenes with a bot called Noisy Boy...when it first came on, there was an audible gasp seeing how cool it was! And yes, even the main robot Atom, is a joy to watch =) Old and unassuming as it may be, Atom will warm your heart as it takes hit after hit from the opponents. It doesn't speak at all, but it says quite a bit through its movements. Kinda reminds me of Wall-E, but this bot sports a mean punch as well as a few slick dance moves too! *wink*


Charlie teaching Atom how to box...awww!

Special mention should be given to the actors as well. Hugh Jackman's performance as a reluctant father and doesn't-think-before-he-acts persona plays off Dakota Goyo's kid-who-lacks-a-father-figure-in-his-life character really well. While Goyo can be a bit annoying at times, their banter with each other is hilarious, especially at a scene where Atom faces off another robot at "The Zoo". Evangeline Lilly is also very cool as Bailey, the love interest of Charlie and nerdy girl-next-door. The chemistry between Jackman and Lilly is palpable, which says a lot given that it's a family-oriented film *wink*

"Real Steel" is quite an enjoyable watch...give this a go if you like robots, boxing or just looking for a feel-good movie that - quite literally - packs a punch =) If you can, watch it in 2D. No, not the 3D one where you wear the glasses...the 2D version as mentioned in some bigger cinemas is actually a high-definition version of the movie! *grins*
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In Perfect Harmony

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 by Audrey
I first heard of "In Perfect Harmony" (IPH) from my friend, Freida, who told me that she will be performing in it as one of the ensemble. Of course, I was delighted for her and told her that I would support her by going to see her performance =) All I know of the Dama Orchestra at the time was that it was an organization that does a lot of Chinese music and musicals. And from what I've read in the promo material for IPH, it's a musical journey from the 70's to the present.  I figured, it MIGHT not be my cup of tea, but meh...I'm there to see my friend perform anyways, so why not? 

And so, I bought a ticket and went in without much thought into how they're going to gel everything together. But boy, was I in for a very pleasant surprise! IPH was AMAZING!

Okay, first things first....due to my 'overestimation' of time, traffic and my own kooky sense of direction, I was late for the show(!!!!! Epic fail) and missed out on the opening number as well as a couple of songs after that. To make it worse, my seat was right smack in the middle...about 4 rows from the stage! LOL! It was seriously hard to get there and I thought my seat was taken by someone else. Didn't want to make a scene since I was late myself, the usher kindly let me sit at an empty seat further up so that I could at least watch the show. During the intermission however, they found out that my seat wasn't actually taken (it's only my blur self who can't see. LOL!), so I went and got my money's worth in the second Act. YAYY!

Patrick Teoh & Douglas Lim! Heart their performances (Photo credit: The Star)


There is no real 'story' in IPH...rather, we were treated to a lovely amalgamation of songs from the 70's up until the present. And instead of just international songs from the West, there are also a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Hindi and even a popular Korean song thrown in! As we go through memory lane, we are guided by a wonderful narration of none other than the legendary Patrick Teoh! Seriously, it's one thing to listen to him on the radio or on television....but to hear him live it's astounding! The flow of words, his diction, intonation....I want to learn English speaking with him! *grins* Anyways, all gushing aside, the narration inserts lovely bits of trivia and facts in the particular era...as well as some well-injected puns and digs at some of the funny things that happen in our country at the time. Big, big kudos to the playwrights for their great sense of humour!


Also amazing was the performance of Douglas Lim who plays a DJ that introduces the songs in the musical through his 'radio shows'....his lines coupled with his perfect comedic timing are superb! Never failed to generate laughs whenever he comes on *grins*

There were also guest artistes that come to perform at the different dates of the show. When I went, Sean Ghazi was the guest artiste, and he did not disappoint with his smooth crooning of "Lagenda" and the ever famous Theresa Teng's song! Yes, he sang in Chinese! And it was with good diction too...how cool is that??! 


The 3 lead singers...loved their voices! (Photo credit: The Star)

As for the songs itself, they were splendidly done! The Dama Orchestra did not disappoint with their world class musicians behind the music, and the lead singers (consisting of Tan Soo Suan, Chang Fang Chyi and Tria Aziz) were AMAZING! Each singer brought their own style and flavor to the songs (Fang Chyi brings a soulful, jazz-y feel; Soo Suan has an AMAZING range and classical tone; while Tria blows me away with her strong and heartfelt voice!), which is pretty impressive seeing that the songs are very well-known songs throughout the decades! Just to name a few, "Lagenda", "I Will Always Love You", "Dancing Queen", "Getaran Jiwa", "YMCA" are some of the timeless classics you will hear in the musical. Popular music now would be like "Bad Romance", "Thriller", "You Raise Me Up" and "Gemilang"! I recognize a lot of Chinese songs too, but I don't know how to write them here...LOL! 

The ensemble is not to be pushed aside as mere backup vocals though! True to their title, everybody worked really in harmony and as a team....and almost everyone had their moments / solo parts to sing, which I think is SO cool since most musicals usually focus on the main cast! I would say the energy radiating from the whole cast is very infectious....if in the beginning, one would be kinda reserved and not feeling the jive, by the end of it all, that same person would have been standing on his / her feet to give a standing ovation or at the very least clapping as hard as one can! It's really, really something to watch =)

The stage sets were quite cool too! Though not as complicated and grand as "The Secret Life of Nora", they also employ the clever use of two curved stairs to suit the scenes that they are portraying, and it's quite fun to watch...especially during a certain Hindi song that will make you giggle and sing along at the same time! 


Me with Tria (far right) and Freida (far left)....YAYY!

 In short, IPH is a well worth your money spent....you will be taken back in time and forget all your worries for a good 2 hours while the cast entertains you with their cool dance moves, harmonious voices and witty narration! And as it ends, you'll even feel like you don't want it to end because it was SO. MUCH. FUN! *grins* IPH is still running now, and as I hear they are extending their shows to the 24th and 25th as well! So, go grab your tickets now before they are sold out! The show that I went to was a full house, and I've heard that some even went more than once....that's how good it was =) 
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