« Flood Relief | Main | Undergrad Wore Rude T-shirt On Newspaper, Becomes Famous. »
27 January 2007
Short Talk:
Music of the Week: There's this catchy new song they kept playing on the radio called "Ipohmali". When I first heard it I thought it's another one of those "yo-yo-yo American rapper from da 'hood kickin' it up from the east sidez 2 da west sidez" kinda guy releasing his new album.
Surprisingly, the rapper is a Malaysian. An Ipoh boy to be exact. He's so damn good he's even got the whole rapper lingo and accent nailed down. Check out his blog here.
Senso @ Hilton
I'm seldom online because once in a while my day job (yes, I do have one) catches up on me.

These days I'm spending longer hours in the office and shorter hours lying on my bed sleeping. In between earning my dough, staying healthy, having a social life and maintaining this blog, I don't have a lot of spare time to do some of the stuff I enjoy doing, like chatting on msn or watching the latest movies in the cinemas.

Hilton Hotel is becoming like my second home. Not because I stay there (I wish), but without fail, every single day after work I'd drop by the fitness centre for an hour or so, either to lift weights or to use the pathetically small swimming pool they have on their first floor.

Sometimes at night, I enjoy coming here to chill out.
I like the hot chocolate they serve at Cafe Cinno.

Without a doubt, they make the best hot chocolate in the whole of Kuching.
Unlike the conventional they served elsewhere that are probably made with chocolate powder, the hot chocolate at Cafe Cinno comes in a mug of hot milk and a glass filled with rolls of chocolate. Actual hard chocolate rolls.

You're supposed to chuck those chocolate rolls into the hot milk and give it a good stir. I find that doing it this way makes the beverage smoother, creamier and more satisfying. At RM8 a mug, it's not all that expensive compared to Bing or Coffee Bean either.
If you pass by Hilton these few days, you'd noticed that they've been promoting this trio of singers called 'Reflections' like crazy.

Yea I thought the girl on the right look pretty easy on the eye too. :P
In fact, she looks even more yummilicious in person.

The girl is Relene. She looks Japanese but she's actually Filipino.
Relene sings alongside her mother Arlene and a pianist from Thailand called Dio at Senso everynight except Mondays. The trio was performing in places like Tokyo and Bangkok before they decided to make Kuching their next stop.

I was there last Friday and Senso was packed to the max.
Reflections performs mostly covers from the classic 80s, but every now and then they throw in a bit of modern pop tunes to hype up the crowd.

How well can a Filipino sing? Not bad in fact. That's why you see so many of them on American Idol.
Strange thing with these performers is that when they talk, they talk with a heavy Thai/Filipino accent, but when they start singing their accent automagically disappeared.

Hey, at least it's great that Senso is doing something different from the rest of the bars and pubs in town.
Sure, Kuching still seriously pale in comparison to KL and Singapore when it comes to nightlife. Those big cities have got clubs so enormous they could fit the whole Kuching in, and then some.

But hey, at least we're improving.
If you want R&B, there's SoHo. If you wanna shuffle, there's MC3. If you want house music, go Links. Now, if you want good live music, you've got Senso.
Someone bring more variety into Kuching nightlife please. Otherwise, it'll just be Ah Beng tetno music everywhere, and we're seriously sick of those.

That, dodgy dangdut bars for dirty divorced old men to grope all over scantily-dressed Indonesian women half their age.
:: Posted by Kenny at 7:47 PM | Link | Facebook It
:: Categorised as 'Distinctively Kuching'
63 Comments:
:p
Posted by: brrrrr at 27 January 2007 7:54 PM | Link to comment
wow. haha.. been busy eh?
Posted by: snow at 27 January 2007 7:57 PM | Link to comment
which is the most happening club in kl nowadays huh?
Posted by: nAoKi at 27 January 2007 8:00 PM | Link to comment
damm now know how to enjoy luxury life
filipinos are great singer like Regene verlasquez (sp??)
that choc. must be tempting for nicole
just a suggestion,
try getting a set of dumbbel to do in your room,
safe time n space
so u dun have to go gym too often yet benefit from it.
normal people can simply come in and swim mer?
dun let hilton ppl caught ur post or they might come after u :P
when I am younger, I always go to Hilton for pissing n shitting
very nice toilet :P
Posted by: yum cha king at 27 January 2007 8:07 PM | Link to comment
Since Kch don't have night life place like Singapore why don't you venture and open one. sure those Ah Beng will switch to your place ;p
Posted by: ccb at 27 January 2007 8:34 PM | Link to comment
can't imagine you doing dangdut...why don't u entertain us by showing a video of you doing a dangdut grind (:p)
Posted by: Lizzam at 27 January 2007 8:38 PM | Link to comment
How much does it cost to use the pool/fitness centre?
Posted by: fruitopia at 27 January 2007 8:41 PM | Link to comment
Yay, I'm one of the top 10. =) Malaysia is always like this. Although I am still underage *ahem*, I observe all this. I find other country's are like better than Malaysia's.
Posted by: Yuen May at 27 January 2007 8:56 PM | Link to comment
cheh.. thought i can be the first. lols.
Posted by: manisan at 27 January 2007 8:59 PM | Link to comment
And oh, before I forget, there's one band in KL is good. They're filipinos too. They have good voice. Their band's name is Musiquesense. Corus Hotel.
Posted by: Yuen May at 27 January 2007 8:59 PM | Link to comment
soho no space to dance lehhhh :(((((
Posted by: naeboo at 27 January 2007 9:09 PM | Link to comment
seems like Kch is fast catching up while Miri is still lagging behind. Miri seriously lacks places to hang out at night.
Posted by: Jay at 27 January 2007 9:32 PM | Link to comment
Yey..top 15..now lemme read
Posted by: Shade1589 at 27 January 2007 10:01 PM | Link to comment
Wahaha...top 15! What is this lah! beauty 'pigeon' or something...
Lol... Dangdut!
Posted by: hc at 27 January 2007 10:12 PM | Link to comment
I love hot chocolate with real chocolate sticks too! Very tasty, but not many places offer that.
Posted by: quaintmelody at 27 January 2007 11:25 PM | Link to comment
u went to the fitness center and after that straight for a hot chocolate? effort wasted leh... not gud not gud...:)
Posted by: bjk at 28 January 2007 12:12 AM | Link to comment
yeah she's pretty...
you're actually given EIGHT rolls of choc? wow.
Posted by: speearr at 28 January 2007 12:47 AM | Link to comment
The most amazing hot chocolate I've ever tasted in my entire life is at Lindt Cafe, Sydney. It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!!!!! You actually feel super-duper happy after that! ahahah!
Posted by: Qian at 28 January 2007 12:49 AM | Link to comment
Always nice to find a time to have by yourself once in awhile. Was always curious about this, what is your day-time job? I always figured that this was smarter..cause how much money can you make from blogging anyway? Well, I honestly dun have a clue..so dun roll your eyes at me now.
Posted by: mingming at 28 January 2007 2:47 AM | Link to comment
Yo thanks for the heads-up on the Point Blanc song and blog. It's been such a long time since I heard from Poetic Ammo. His blog is cool and you can really feel his love for the music. Ipoh mali!
Posted by: ChoonSeng at 28 January 2007 7:57 AM | Link to comment
you haven't seen those pubs or bars or whatever in Kedah...
Posted by: De Pianist at 28 January 2007 11:21 AM | Link to comment
Ipohmali is sing by 1 of the member of Poetic Ammo.. his name call Point Blanc.. He's good.. the song is featuring with Jaclyn Victor.. i like the cute little baby rap.. his other songs in his latest album also very nice.. got cantonese rap song also! if only we can heard it from chinese radio station..
Posted by: CuRRy at 28 January 2007 12:50 PM | Link to comment
Hot chocolate in Kuching Hilton..sounds great!! Anyways it seems that Kuching Hilton may have done some renovation since my last visit there..it looks very much cozier.
Posted by: PH at 28 January 2007 1:15 PM | Link to comment
The hot chocolate looks and sounds good! I'll try to pop by Hilton if I can when I'm in Kuching ;]
Posted by: Addy at 28 January 2007 2:20 PM | Link to comment
"That, dodgy dangdut bars for dirty divorced old men to grope all over scantily-dressed Indonesian women half their age."
umm...i didnt know that gropping bars were legal in kucing leh ???? does this mean that they whole place will be filled with kuai low when i'm done with this email ???
Posted by: benjamin and yus at 28 January 2007 4:25 PM | Link to comment
Dangdut is thebest muahahah
Posted by: lianshen at 28 January 2007 5:08 PM | Link to comment
You sure knows how to keep your work and rest balanced.
Posted by: klang community eSpace at 28 January 2007 5:21 PM | Link to comment
Hi Kenny! I've been reading ur blog for the longest time but this is my first time ever to comment. I'm so happy that you appreciate Filipino singers...because well, I'm a Filipino myself and I'm currently studying in Singapore. Haha..I acknowledge we do have a lot of really talented singers in the country, with some making it really big in the US and elsewhere (like Lea Salonga, a Broadway artist who also did the singing for the main characters in the Disney movies Mulan and Aladdin). There's this band Rivermaya too, they're my favorite, and they've been touring Asia too. Hope you can catch them one of these days=)
Btw, you're really funny and I love your blog:)
Posted by: korinna at 28 January 2007 6:41 PM | Link to comment
Hilton is a nice place. Cool place to hang out ... hey, u should use your zoom lense on that girl at the pool!!
Posted by: Adrian C at 28 January 2007 9:38 PM | Link to comment
chun
Posted by: kkk at 28 January 2007 9:49 PM | Link to comment
Dude, that chick does not look at all Japanese. What are you thinking? But she is yummy to look at :)
Posted by: Ai Lee at 28 January 2007 9:50 PM | Link to comment
i agree that kenny is funny. what's the purpose of working out since you'll be having milk & choc afterwards. cartoon lah you..!
Posted by: J. at 28 January 2007 10:02 PM | Link to comment
kenny, have you been to their zeta bar? it's pretty cool over there. everyone should have get your ass there cause' theres only 3 zeta bars in the world which are Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and London. i met Hannah T and Serena C there :))
Posted by: suling at 29 January 2007 1:11 AM | Link to comment
The girl you say looks Jap but is Philippine... She doesn't look Japanese, I guess you havent met any Japanese ppl. She looks totally Philippina, or even Malay...
Posted by: Luna at 29 January 2007 6:25 AM | Link to comment
What are you talking about? Filipino bands in a hotel bar are nothing new! Its actually a back-track for Senso!
Hilton's old bar, Margaritas - used to have Filipino bands all the time! As does Holiday Inn and Merdeka Palace and Catscity!
And although this band is not bad, they aren't that great also la. But better than most other Filipino bands.
Did Senso pay you to write this?
Posted by: Tequila888 at 29 January 2007 9:15 AM | Link to comment
wtf, kuching has dangdut music too?? i thought only in indonesia
doh
Posted by: anima at 29 January 2007 9:42 AM | Link to comment
Relene looks 307% Filipino..
Which part of her looks Jap? U cock-eyed or something??
Posted by: myba7p at 29 January 2007 9:57 AM | Link to comment
Hmm... from what it looks in your post, kuching is so much better than what we have in Ipoh.
Posted by: soufulow at 29 January 2007 10:12 AM | Link to comment
That hot choc looks GOOD. :) If you really want to know about accents: it's because when you sing the frequency of your voice changes and that changes the vowel sounds hence making the accent standard.
Yes, I am a nerd :P
Posted by: Abi at 29 January 2007 10:23 AM | Link to comment
LOL
The song's called IPOHmali, of course it's by a local rapper laaaa dude.
Big ups to Point Blanc. Believe the hype yo.
Posted by: schizzow at 29 January 2007 11:20 AM | Link to comment
Omigosh! Marina dangdut! hahahaha! I have to admit, I did went in there once. And they have this so call live band. Divided into 2 groups, the red team and the white team. And as expected, they sing dangdut music. I was curios!!
Yes, SoHo is the only place for those who love R&B music, but wish they have a bigger dance floor. The crowd, classy. VA (Victoria's Arm) is where you can see all this "tunggu bas" ladies waited for free drinks served to them..
I love Kuching. Even thinking of moving to Kuching my end of this year. Kenny you should tell me more about Kuching that really going to make up my mind to really moved to Kuching for good.
Posted by: Darshikie at 29 January 2007 12:02 PM | Link to comment
is next to the ah beng place got stim boat ? or lok lok ?
Posted by: terenceg at 29 January 2007 3:03 PM | Link to comment
Hey, Kenny, thanks for the post and I'm glad you like my music. I'm just trying to make Malaysians be proud of themselves with my music:) Hope you'll like the album when it drops 1st quarter 2007. Thanks for your support again, take care.
Posted by: Point Blanc at 29 January 2007 4:29 PM | Link to comment
Yowza, that hot chocolate looks HOT.
Posted by: Kurt at 29 January 2007 4:41 PM | Link to comment
dude, u just dont knw how good rap is supposed to be ler.. :P
pointblanc is still better than that j0ne fella i saw on tv the other day tho. yuk
Posted by: naeboo at 29 January 2007 5:15 PM | Link to comment
Relene doesn't look Japanese at all. One look and I'd think she's Malay, Iban or Filipino. Definitely not Japanese.
But I suppose it's a matter of perception.
Nice post though - especially on the Choc rolls.
Posted by: Suburban at 29 January 2007 5:31 PM | Link to comment
i like j0ne. he make good sexytime bam bam in my anus
Posted by: sagdiyev at 29 January 2007 5:31 PM | Link to comment
oh please..
jOne got no flow. just because u rap fast doesnt make u good. think of k-fed, man.
Posted by: naeboo at 29 January 2007 5:56 PM | Link to comment
Sigh, I always thought that Western countries are supposed to have more decadent and fattening desserts and drinks... so far there's no hot chocolate like yours that I've seen in Melbourne (and I have demolished a lot of chocolate here).
How come you never visit Melbourne Kenny, then I can read your blog about food places that I probably have missed right under my nose...
Looking at your Kuching food photos makes me want to eat them all!!! All at once!!!
Posted by: mubby at 29 January 2007 7:09 PM | Link to comment
Dude, it's "shorter hours lying in my bed" not "on my bed".
Sorry just can't help it. Hehe. Interesting read nevertheless.
Posted by: aukamman at 29 January 2007 8:02 PM | Link to comment
Kenny, I advise you don't drink too much Hot Chocolate!!
If not will getting fatter n fatter oo..haha
Posted by: Mee at 29 January 2007 10:09 PM | Link to comment
who's j0ne again?
Posted by: schizzow at 29 January 2007 11:23 PM | Link to comment
i have to agree with tequilla888
Hilton is abit out of date..
Filipino bands and singers exists 19years ago.. one of the oldest pub in Kuching is D' New Bunny Pub and have been importing Filipino bands and singers since then, until now..
Next to Marina.. Infront of the Lok Lok store..
Posted by: sharon (^.^) at 30 January 2007 10:44 PM | Link to comment
The hot choc at hilton looks nice..since it's something different....but since im more or less in the line of fnb, chocolate powder is more expensive than the chocolate they use at hilton..cocoa powder is cheap la....
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 31 January 2007 3:50 PM | Link to comment
Hilton has gotta pay you for this sort of publicity no doubt! Soon you'll receive a call from Paris to claim your payment.
Posted by: paper at 01 February 2007 7:36 PM | Link to comment
YOu look "ah beng"
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 02 February 2007 11:03 AM | Link to comment
YOu look "ah beng"
Posted by: s.key at 02 February 2007 11:03 AM | Link to comment
she doesn't look like a Japanese at all ok?! U know how real Japanese looks like or not? :P
Posted by: Not Japanese at 02 February 2007 3:15 PM | Link to comment
Kenny I know think I know that singer, here is her myspace link. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=37887757
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 12 October 2007 11:46 PM | Link to comment
yummy hot chocolate. makes me wanna go max brenner now.
Posted by: melia at 23 October 2007 8:48 PM | Link to comment
hey....i like ur article bout kuching..erm...nway y u didn't mention bout VA in Merdeka Palace?The place is nice too...I love to drink Hilton's hot choc too..n first time i saw the rolls of choc inside the glass..i thought it was "RANTING BURUK" like in the Mr. Bean show...
Posted by: hushky at 18 January 2008 1:42 PM | Link to comment
Looks very nice.
Posted by: David Chew at 18 January 2008 6:04 PM | Link to comment
is the band in senso good ?
Posted by: Wk at 14 July 2008 4:23 PM | Link to comment


com