Nice

The Porsche Design Studio, created in 1972 by Dr FA Porsche (whose cool granddad designed my cool car), has collaborated with JW to produce the ‘Blue Label Collection by Porsche Design Studio’ – four fancy collector’s items, including a luxurious ‘mini’ bar.

Chillin with the Chiller

The design classics from the Collection are the Cube, the Mini Cube and Chiller. All three follow the blend of beauty and functionality epitomized by The Private Bar, fusing the classic and the modern through luxurious leather and brushed metals.

The Mini Cube

They’re priced from $860 for the Chiller, which i think is real cool and a good deal. The bottle’s case opens up to double as an ice bucket!

The Cube

The Private Bar? It’s this eight-foot tall bar in a vertical cube. Hit a button, and the cube’s top rotates automatically and opens up to reveal a luxurious bar, with a couple of Blue Label bottles, four glasses and an ice bucket, ready to rock. An alcohol Robocop.

The tall, robotic bar, aka Porsche Design Studio Collection Private Bar

It’s crafted from the finest materials, including luxurious leather and brushed titanium. Also has a chiller built-in.

Strictly for Blue Label

If you get order one, JW will throw in an ultimate Blue Label luxury experience in Scotland giving you access to the secrets behind the Walker family’s blending crafts and some of Porsche’s most powerful cars.

But at 500 grand apiece, you better be a multi-millionaire eh?

Sudah mari

It’s been available since Nov last year at duty-free, and was meant to be exclusive to that segment, but not anymore.

Should be enough for our table

“Overwhelming demand dictated that it should be introduced to a wider audience but still as a limited edition targeting key gifting occasions,” says Charles Wright, JW brand manager.

Charles, a major fan of the DB

It uses whiskies from Scotland’s west coast, thus making it peatier, smokier and more intense. I enjoy it with water. Anyway i reviewed it a few months back here.

The bottle is nice – shape-wise, the same at the Black Label, with a charcoal tint. Labelling is a lil different. ABV is unchanged at 40%.

We also enjoyed a guided tasting session

U can get your thirsty throats satisfied with this award-winner at Cold  Storage, Jusco, Sunshine and other retailers. Recommended retail price is about $209.

U want it, get it, coz it’s estimated to run locally until CNY 2012.

Yea, the chilled event at a chilled day-drinking spot is blessing us again. The last event was in April.

Kick-off remains at the excellent time of 2.30pm.

I might go heavy Saturday nite, so really hope i’ll make it to Bakita this Sunday. The last two Thirsty Sundays were pretty solid.

The cover is $25, but u get coupons worth $25. How nice.

Lagers and ales are $5 and $10 per cup, and there be grub.

My Sundays have been getting nice ‘n nasty recently.

Chillin

This is a bar modeled after a speakeasy – which is an establishment that illegally sells alcohol.

Cigars? Cigarettes?

Speakeasies flourished during Prohibition in the US, between 1920 and 1933, when alcohol was illegal in the US.

Whose stupid idea was dat??

Obviously the policy failed. And created mobsters, like Al Capone.

Luv d special bulbs over d bar

Anyway, Tate is cozy, dim and intimate, so i reckon it fulfills some criteria.

Patrón-based margaritas goin out

It’s also impossible to find da joint, unless you’ve been tipped off.

Where's da party, dammit?!

After a few drinks, boyz got experimental with the knight

Brain damage: 7.5/10

Barry Chalmers, who was Theme mag’s UK bartender of the year (2005), had a hand in creating the cocktail menu.

Hit the spot for a taste session.

The Hill's lounge

Kicked off with the Fish Bowl ($69.60, all prices netted), which turned out to be my fave among four cocktails that were featured.

Scoop a fish

It’s inspired by the sangria, and features white wine, cider, amarettto, muddled mango, married with lemon grass and a tinge of spice.

It tastes fruity and a little sweet. It’s got that, how do i put it…. childhood-flashback effect for me, as i did get memories of lollipops. The wine cancels out some of the sweetness.

Hawaii 5-0 (had it in a shot glass)

We also had the Hawaii 5-0 ($46.40), which is served in a pineapple. This is a mix of 1.5 shot Smirnoff Green Apple, rasberry jam,  pineapple juice, and Falernum syrup, which is a slightly spice, Caribbean-style sweetener. Its kinda light, with a mainly sour, n light-bitter flavour.

Barry impressed the crowd with his toy

The Florida Keylime Pie ($34.80) is a drink in a martini glass with a toasted meringue top. The top tastes interesting, while the liquid, which is vodka-based, was too sour for me, as i like my drinks balanced. It’s made of Smirnoff Lime, muddled lime, and a dash of milk.

Cookin up the Florida

We ended with the Tea for Two ($58), served in a teapot. And with scones. Haha! This beverage contains Hendrick’s Gin, strawberry yogurt-infused tea, and strawberry jam. For those with a very sweet tooth.

Screw green tea

The cocktail menu has a good variety of drinks served in creative ways, like the Weedkiller, which comes in a poison bottle.

Drinks spread

There’s a cool and fancy party happenin this Sunday at The Hill, in conjunction with Halloween. It’s a Veuve Clicquot event called Yelloween. Entrance is with the purchase of one bottle of VC. Details, click:

Brain damage: 7/10

Sometimes they suck. And you basically wasted your time and effort attending the damn event. “Should have stayed home!” or “Should have gone elsewhere!” Am sure we’ve all experienced that feeling.

The problem occurs when an outlet or company invites the whole damn world, and then either they cant handle d crowd, or they never intended to cater to the crowd anyway. Both are very disrespectful and irresponsible.

Many bars are not equipped for big events

If you wanna invite say 300 people, ensure that there’re enough drinks for 300 people to have a few.

A friend was invited to Quattro’s anniversary some time back. Got dressed, smelling good, drove all the way to KL from PJ, paid high fees for parking, and got in there.It was a stampede. After all that, he managed to get…. one beer. That was it.

Obviously he wont go back to such outlets anytime. All that effort, for what. It was like 1,000 people there. Obviously not enough bars in there.

Such events should be broken into different days to lessen the load.

There’s also the issue of not having anywhere near enough bartenders to make the drinks. But then again, that could be the plan – staff not being able to cope means less drinks go out, which benefits the outlet/organizer in terms of cost.

Zouk’s bartenders once didnt allow me to order two drinks (one for my friend at d table) at their anniversary party. The bar was already so jammed with guests ordering drinks, u cd hardly move. Nevermind that, they wanted a bigger mess – each and every guest has to squeeze in there, and order their own drinks personally!

Stupid or wat. I’m not so desperate for the goddam ‘free’ drinks. I rather pay, and be treated not even like a customer, but at least like a human being.

Outta my way

I’ve seen people getting stressed, angry. Guests as well as staff. That’s dumb. You shouldn’t invite guests just to make them angry. They supposed to be happy.

The times where it’s near impossible to get the ‘free’ drink, i prefer ordering and paying for my own drinks. Am cool with that. The problem is, usually they dont sell drinks during the ‘freeflow’.

Doubly-fucked. Haha! Cant get the complimentary drink, cant buy your own.

So, go elsewhere.

I think some outlets probably do freeflow events as a scam to get the crowd in. Once they’re there, the outlet has a large crowd of people buying booze after d freeflow ends. The sooner d freeflow ends, d sooner ‘guests’ magically turn to…  ‘customers’! And any money spent on the free drinks (usually zero, coz they got alcohol companies to sponsor) is recovered multiple times the same night.

Some joints serve Klang-mari moonshine when it’s freeflow time. Like Luna Bar. (Some bars do that daily!)

Some places/events actually run out of glasses! What kind of planning is that? Thus, i’m choosy about the events i attend. Many low-quality ones out there, be warned.

When i did my blog anniversary last year (and launch year before), i ensured not only everyone would have quick and unrestricted access to drinks, i also made sure everyone could have loads to drink. Some booze was sponsored, and i also brought additional booze as back-up. I invited guests according to the amount i had for them to consume.

And everybody had a blast. Zero stress.

I wdnt have wasted their time, my time, and all the other parties’ time if i was gonna let guests fight for three drinks each, and then tell them to fuck-off.

Guests should be entitled to at least minimal comfort

Companies and outlets needs to rethink how they do events. Jamming too many people in, and treating them like cattle, is stupid.

It’s obviously counter-productive to your outlet / brand. It only shows how little you respect your customers & guests.

I had a sneak preview last week, and the joint smelt like it was just readied a few hours ago. In fact, it was!

Thematically it’s the same as the original joint, and is more spacious and open, with quite a few tables on an outdoor deck.

Brand new

My camera is still fucking up. Most of the pictures i snapped aint even in there. Bastard.

Anyway, the drinks n food are same as the original outlet. Highlights include Pigs in Blanket, the pies, pork knuckle, etc.

Good news is there’s Erdinger Dunkel on tap.

Location map:

Click to enlarge

The ambiance is open and relaxed, and more casual, as instead of the low dining tables, more high tables are used; which i feel makes an outlet more sociable.

Over the next few days, TDH is havin events in conjunction with its opening. Wednesday – all international beers are two for $30. (All menu prices at TDH are nett. That’s what i like to see.)

It's on

Check it out.

Brain damage: 8/10

It was a peaceful show of all our frustrations. A demand for our rights and freedoms as citizens. And as humans born free.

The stupid pigs shutdown KL on Saturday, hoping in vain to stop the demo, so i decided to screw ‘em by goin there by Friday night with Eddy, Ben, my bro, Sarge and Khang.

Some of d gear

I pack my state and country flags, a face scarf, salt water, antacid (for tear gas), a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label, yellow balloons and water colours.

Headed to Chinatown

OUR fuckin city

Managed to sightsee. And party.

Kick-ass beef noodles

Bustling

Minummm..

And more

Thankfully the Long Island pitchers at Reggae Bar didnt give us a hangover. We crash at a hole above the bar, and are up around 10am. I walk out to do a recce with ma man the Sarge. All the Chinatown traders are shut. Paranoid pricks.

The city is weird. It’s quiet. Too quiet.

There are no sounds of vehicles. The roads are deserted.

But i notice that the people who are around aren’t regular folk. I can usually spot the goddam protester-types.

They start to stream into Chinatown, mostly from the CM LRT station, as it’s a good access to the Merdeka Stadium, the rendezvous. I head towards the stadium, and see it’s still quiet. A couple of uncles / grandads who came from Klang tell us a group will march from the National Mosque. They too spent Friday nite in d city. I would bump into them again later, handing out first-aid medicine in the thick of the demo.

Hardcore uncles.

So we have brunch, then walk towards the National Mosque. Cops are crawling all over Central Market, blocking our route. So we hit the stadium. Pigs had sealed it off.

They’re all over the place. Police vehicles of all shapes and colours are out in force. Jeeps, patrol cars, patrol bikes, dirt bikes, equipment trucks, vans, personnel trucks, tow trucks, water cannons and helicopters. Fuckin stupid overkill.

Razor wire. What's this, a war?

I though the stadium belonged to the people. Not anymore.

We head back to Chinatown, and hear a roar from somewhere. Excitement and nerves are heightened.

We then see a group marching thru Chinatown from Central Market, and quickly join them. Before we knew it, we had taken the streets there. And it’s quite a party! We start to blow our balloons and throw them around.

March!

We form a bigger group at Maybank, Jln Tun Perak, lead by member of Parliamant Dr Hatta Ramli. This would evolve into the legendary and defiant Pudu / Tung Shin crew

With Henry

According to calculations, the crowd at this spot is 31,800.

Dr Hatta Ramli (member of Parliament) is now on the hailer, giving a speech and inspiring the crowd. Dark clouds meant rain was coming soon, and it starts to drizzle.

Then suddenly, the riot police move in with chemical spray and tear gas. The crowd breaks into two, some towards Chinatown, some Pudu.

It was pandamonium. I guess there were many first-timers who panicked for no reason, and ran, stumbling on each other. Instead of walking away swiflty, they try to run into the crowd, creating more problems. Its best not to run if it’s a large crowd. You could cause a stampede.

We have to move away. Our eyes, noses, lungs, faces sting. My guys are scattered all over the place.

Khang has it bad. I spray antacid into his eyes n face, and we regroup on Jln Pudu, by Puduraya.

Man, what a fuckin rush.

Being the one with several demo experiences, i was sorta d team leader, and responsible for my crew. But occasionally, it’s every man for himself for a few seconds or minutes. So long as they have a buddy with them. Like the diving buddy system, your buddy looks out for u.

The showdown at Pudu -

We get gassed a few more times. Some guys manage to throw a few canisters back at the dogs.

I been involved in shit like this before, but the chemical from the tear gas, and water cannon especially was extremely strong. U didnt even have to be close to suffer the effects.

Khang, like many in this round, were CS-gas virgins. Not anymore.

We were right on ground zero now.

A Pak Cik walking past stares at us, then turns back to talk to us. He says “You people are really brave nowadays. Keep it up! We need to be brave!” I replied, “Yea, the previous generation weren’t brave, that’s why we’re in this mess.” He agrees, shakes all our hands and disappears into the crowd again.

A double waste of Police resources, aka our money

Awaiting further instructions, Jln Pudu

There are thousands of us in this Pudu group. The pigs then approach from the other side. We are boxed in. And in this area, there are no roads or side streets to head to.

Shit dont look good.

They’re Police sirens wailing all over the city, Police helicopters buzzing all over the place, aroma of gas in the air, riot police all over the place and moving closer, dark skies, cops barking orders at us and at their comrades through loudhailers, a drizzle coming down… it was a surreal atmosphere.

It was appropriate, and we took it all in.

Then, to add to this scenario, it rains. Heavily. We didnt care. Nobody moves.

A guy shouts “Hujan bersih”

Funny thing is, altho i offered raincoats, nobody wanted any. I guess at times like these, such things dont matter.

I walk around into a side street and see a little garage with people in it. It seemed like an impromptu refuge station. There were people recovering from the gas, some lookin really bad, with others helping them.

Some looked shell-shocked.

Young, old, etc. A pak cik helping his wife, and comforting her, some students helping another, others cleaning their eyes. The rain continued to pour down.

I stood there for awhile, glancing at all the victims. It was quite an emotional scene. It got me thinking – why dahell does this have to come down to this shit? Why do the police treat its citizens this way?

Defiance

After a coupla minutes watching d scene, I leave them and walk back out. And get soaked.

Some protesters sit on the road, and make a line facing the FRU. One lone guy sits way up front, between our line and the pig’s line, with his hands out, willing to be cuffed. Respect.

They get gassed of course. Arrests are made. We try to get out of this trap by heading to a church, but the back exit is closed.

The cops squeeze us in closer, so we’re forced into the grounds of Tung Shin Hospital. Cops start to move closer. People begin looking for a way out back. There’s none.

We’re stuck in the hospital grounds, with red helmets at the gates.

I knew there was an old back road, parallel to Jln Pudu. I manage to round up my team, and we get thru a fence to this escape route.

Outta there!

We pass a 90-year-old mansion built in 1919 where i threw a Halloween rave once. Haha. That’s how i knew of this route.

Party spot

(I later saw a video of how about 50 cops shouted and charged into the hospital grounds where people were trapped, all carrying cuffs. They gassed the hospital first. Many got arrested. Men who formed a human chain around female students were assaulted.

My real big regret is i didnt go back there to help them via this escape route. I assumed they knew, coz it was d only visible exit. I guess they never thought d hospital wd be attacked, which is illegal even in a fuckin war!)

We bump into a group from Kg Baru goin the other way. We continue along Raja Chulan, planning to hit Chinatown again.

There’re several real huge groups that day. Besides Pudu, there were large posses in Jln Melaka / Masjid India, Sentral, KLCC, Central Market, Sogo, Chinatown, and Jln Hang Jebat.

A group that looked liked they’d seen action appear from Jln Ampang, also going the same direction, so we join in. It’s back to Chinatown. This time, we’re right at the front of a group that march and chant all d way to the stadium area.

It was intense. And powerful.

And from nowhere, the group gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger. When i look back, it’s a sea of people!

And they just kept comin

It was amazing.

A great mix of all ethnic groups, united by the same desire. And a surprising mix of ages. There’re 80-year-olds, people in wheelchairs and one-legged guys with crutches. Lots of university students too.

I’d say females made up at least 20% of the people.

We gather at the stadium’s access road till our leaders said that we’ve done what we could, it was time to head to our homes. So we did.

And contrary to the goddam liar Malaysia’s chief of police, tear gas was fired all over KL, and not ‘strictly Pudu’ as he claimed. They gassed Central Market till it looked like it was a BBQ. As well as KLCC, Sentral, Masjid India and Merdeka Square.

There were some really brave souls, who stood in front of our lines, and made a solo stand against the police line.

Unfortunately there was one fatality. The first martyr in this quest against tyranny. All our respects to you, Pak Cik Baharuddin. We will ensure your death is not in vain.

(Pic from pinkturtle2.wordpress.com. At this point, its unconfirmed if this is him, or another protester who was hurt, Pudu). According to his brother, they asked the police to help send him to hospital but they refused, so they waited for one-and-a-half hours before the van came. His death is more blood on the government's hands

(Pic from selatanonline.net) Moments before he collapsed - the man saying a Muslim prayer, on a hailer held up by a Chinese Malaysian. THAT'S unity

There was some use of excessive force as well as police brutality during and even before the event.

We disperse at abt 4pm. Fuckin cops shut the CM and Sentral LRT, so we go on foot to Brickfields to get a cab.

This final ‘death march’ is difficult, and we move slow. We were on our feet since morning, being chased, drenched, gassed, with not much food or water. And we’re still wet from the rain. Our shoes are soggy and heavy.

Ghost town. KTM / Jln Bangsar

We pass one of our attack vehicles.

Giant chemical-water-gun

Khang making his opinion clear

By the time we walk to Sentral, our legs are almost dead.

Break

And check out this great video, done within 24 hours of the event. Amazingly, all footage is from yesterday’s protest, including the police helicopter scene.

It was a great day for all of us. We made our opinions clear as day, that we dont take shit lying down. Well, maybe we’ll lie down much later.

In fact, i could this every week. It was quite a good shot of adrenalin for me. The nervousness, excitement and danger is awesome.

Now, not just this entire country knows about the problems with our elections.

It was shocking that despite headlines screaming “KL OFF LIMITS” and “STAY AWAY” (The Star a.k.a. UMNO Newsletter), all the road blocks, crazy threats, closing KL down, banning buses from other states, illegal arrests, hiring thugs, shutting down the rail system, and intimidating citizens, all these people still made it downtown. Salute!

Bob! Noooo....

The Star’s writer Baradan even said “It would indeed take a really determined person to run the gauntlet of restrictions and still make it to the stadium by 2pm, for a rally that is in great doubt considering all the police actions to stop it from taking place.”

Haha! Fuckyaalllll… You underestimate people power, dummy.

Estimates using satellite images and calculations put the number of people who made it at about 47,500.

The friendship and bond between total strangers that day were amazing. And this is the perfect example of how a peaceful march can be done, despite claims to the contrary and the artificially-created paranoia. Bravo to the organizers and all participants.

A friend decided he had to attend the event, so he bought a bicycle the same day n cycled in from PJ! U da man, Alet.

We stood up against the FULL government machinery and their weapons, including the distorted mainstream media. (Boycott here). If they think that gas and batons and punches can stop our will, they need to stop thinking. The people, united, will never be defeated.

The people have such great spirit. Power to the People!

The country belongs to the people, not the government.

Brain damage: Minimal. Tear gas wont kill your ass.

Damage to the government: Pretty damn good

Nice fridge

At the mo, we have the 1664 lager in Malaysia, launched last year. Now there’s this ale too, the Blanc (330ml, abv 5%), which is a wheatbeer.

Party on

It comes in an attractive blue bottle. The beer pours a murky yellow, and i got aromas of frangipani. Quite similar to the Starker aromatic.

The View also launched it's i-Bar, an interactive, touch-screen bar top. Pretty neat

Taste is very light, not as fruity as it smells, with a short finish, with no bitterness at all. I think i had 10.

This French beer is distributed by Carlsberg Malaysia.

A self-portrait, touch-screen Facebook-page camera

For now the ale is available at The Library (Puchong, Mid Valley, The Curve, Avenue K), La Bodega Pavilion, Ecoba, Bakita, and The Hill. It will be introduced nationwide from next month on.

On tap too (apologies, camera phone for now!)

Bartenders joining d fun

I reckon it will also appeal to those who dislike lager, or want something light, probably easy to pair with any meal without overpowering it in any way.

Brain damage: 8/10

Strapped for cash? Most bars can afford to give away what seem like ridiculous deals. I sure aint complaining. Almost all bars have these deals daily, and that includes weekends!

Best part is, the line between happy hours and sad hours are blurry. While HH used to be for a few hours in the evenings and on weekdays, in some bars it’s not restricted to that anymore.

Here’s a snapshot of the best spots that i know for good thirst-quenching deals. (Strictly not for those who only have one glass.)

I think ALL promo outlets happen to be Guinness Anchor Bhd ones. Wattup. Isnt Carlsberg Malaysia doing anything?

If ur a consumer, or outlet owner, pls feel free to add on, if its a good deal.

S’more’s (2240-0069)

Guinness lovers, heads-up bitchis. Located in The Sphere, Bangsar South, S’mores Restaurant and Bar has been goin nuts. For an undetermined period (at least a coupla months still!), a pint of Guinness is goin for only 12 bucks NETT for certain days of the week. And no, its not Monday & Tuesday from 5pm to 7pm or some crap like that. It’s every Thu, Fri & Sat, from NOON till 11pm. Beat that!

A veryy long Saturday brunch anyone?

The catch? Minor. All u gotta do is order one food item per person, and then your drink orders are unlimited. Smore’s gotta nice outdoor lounge.

Now go drown in black juice.

Prefer cider? Sorry, am all out of Baad Apples™ hooch for now. But at S’mores every Wednesday (all day, till 10pm), u’ll get a pint of Strongbow for only $15 NETT. Also with purchase of one food item.

Movida (6141-8022)

I’ve only checked this outlet out very recently, in Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara, so i can vouch that it’s an authentic deal. Already i been there thrice. Good for pre-partying. Or weekend afternoons.

Here’s the insane deal: Get your first pint of Kilkenny or Guinness at $34++. Then your next two are A BUCK EACH. Comes up to $13.93 NETT/pint, all day, everday, until 8pm.

After 8pm, the deals are sweet too. Call for details. There’s a new Movida in Malacca now.

The Beer Factory (012 366-5505)

A short dance away from Movida, with similar deals. Only better.

Before 8pm – buy one pint Kill/Guinn at $38.30 nett, get TWO free. Haha. Dats $12.76 NETT / pint.

8pm-10pm – one for one.

After 10pm – get six pints for $115 ($19.15 each).

Overtime (017 243-7907)

Also a crawl away, Overtime has some Malaysian-brewed German beer called Starker, and before 7pm, it’s one-for-one, so works out to $17.40 per 500ml NETT. Some say it tastes better than Hoegaarden. And better value. There are nine outlets all over the place.

As an added bonus, the Village Grocer supermarket here stocks Night Train…. . Goddam.

Spaghetti Grill (2287-2220)

U losers in MidValley might get screwed by the traffic, but this American-diner-style joint balances shit out.The last time i was there, a pint of real cold Guinness in FROZEN mugs was below $15 NETT all day & night.

It’s so good n smooth, u could finish it in four gulps, easy. The liquors are only about 8 bucks, and no, it aint moonshine. Whisky is Famous Grouse.

The snacks are good too.

The 50-bucks-for-three-pints gig

That’s $50 NETT, for either Kilkenny, Guinness, or both. There are many bars doin this, like Royal Oak (all outlets, all hours, daily), D’Legends (all hours, daily), and S’mores (all hours, daily). Works out to $16.66 nett/pint. And most joints allow you to not just park, but come back another day if u cant finish your quota! How nice.

There’s some crazy 33 bucks for three pints (Kilkenny/Guinness) deal at The Curve, at Sanctuary, but its only until 7pm (daily). Malone’s at the same mall has two pints for these prices everyday:

That sure saved me a lot of fucking typing. I hate typing.

There’re also regular deals downtown at Celsius.

I’ve added links for all the outlets, so give ‘em a call if ur going if u wanna verify the deals.

After all this effort, I hope i dont get asked anymore “Eh, where to get cheaper beers??”. But i guess i will. Haha!

Enjoy, salud, and better buy me one someday!