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Life Journal

In my life

Pasar Ramadan Melaka Baru with Shufy - Jus Tembikai Dara

Jus Tembikai Dara (watermelon juice) by Shufy and friends at Pasar Ramadan Melaka Baru

By Life Journal, Photography
Pasar Ramadan Melaka Baru with Shufy - Jus Tembikai Dara

At the Jus Tembikai Dara stall, Pasar Ramadan Melaka Baru (left : Shufy)

If you ever drop by Pasar Ramadan (Ramadan market) in Melaka Baru, look for this nice young man Shufy at the Jus Tembikai Dara (watermelon juice) stall which sells fresh watermelon juice.

Shufy was my colleague when doing part time waiting his study result. He was smart and hardworking person with entrepreneurial personality. It has been few years since he started this watermelon juice business during the month of Ramadan with his friends.

So please drop by and get juice from him before the Pasar Ramadan ends on eve of Hari Raya. Say hi to him and send regards from CJ, you might get extra juice for your purchase. 😀

Event photography Melaka

Pay Fong High School 103th Anniversary Evening Performance 马六甲培风中学103周年校庆文娱晚会

By Life Journal, Photography
One of the dance performances by the students at the school hall during Pay Fong High School 103th Anniversary Evening Performance

One of the dance performances by the students at the school hall during Pay Fong High School 103th Anniversary Evening Performance

After a lovely prewedding portrait with a couple from KL, I managed to drop by Pay Fong High School Melaka for its 103th Anniversary Celebration in the evening. There were performances going on at its school hall, celebrating the school’s 103th birthday.

Although I was not a Pay Fong’s student and I visited the school’s functions and event especially the cultural ones. There were singing, choir, band, dancing, orchestra, poetry, diabolo (扯铃), Chinese cross talk (相声), martial art performance and 24 Festival Drums performances during the evening.

I came straight after a shoot so had my gears with me. While enjoying the show, I walked around in the hall and took some shots of the performance. Please enjoy the photos taken below, and also the videos of the evening performance too created by our videography friend, Benny Liu from BL Imaging.

103 is a great age to be! Congratulation to Pay Fong High School and best wishes for the school’s continuing success and producing the finest students. 😀

Stage performance at Pay Fong Middle School Melaka

培风中学弦乐团 Pay Fong Youth Orchestra

培风中学二十四节令鼓 Pay Fong 24 Festival Drums

First and second visit to The Coffee JAR

By Life Journal, Photography
First visit to the latest cafe in Melaka, The Coffee JAR (呷珈琲)

First visit to the latest cafe in Melaka, The Coffee JAR (呷珈琲)

There is a new cafe in town recommended by a friend, Yalu. Specializing in espresso drinks, it has a unique name, The Coffee JAR or ‘呷珈琲’ in Chinese. They roast their own beans and make nice espresso-based coffee.

When I was doing 360 panorama shots at Stadthuys, inspired after Mark Zuckerberg shared a 360 spherical panorama shot as a new feature for Facebook, I passed by this shop nearby, just at Lorong Hang Jebat next to the parking of Hard Rock Cafe.

Yalu was there too. After talking to the nice couple owners, I was told that they just had their grand opening a day before.

I ordered a cup of latte, loved it.

Second visit to The Coffee JAR with Fred, Ah Ee, Chow Gui and Bear

Second visit to The Coffee JAR with Fred, Ah Ee, Chow Gui and Bear

Week after that, Fred invited us for a coffee. Then I suggested this new place to him and with Ah Ee, Chow Gui and Bear, we went to The Coffee JAR.

There were some Chinese oldies played at the cafe the with a classic player – cassette. It was in good condition and yes, with many cassettes available from their collection.

This reminded us of the good old days when having a cassette player was considered a luxury to many. That was time when we didn’t have those players like what we have now as stylish CD or MP3 players. Friends after the 90s might not know the use of a pencil to a cassette 🙂

Again, we enjoyed nice coffee over the classical songs over the afternoon.

Hopefully we can make a third visit soon 🙂

Homemade Sarawak Laksa in Melaka

Original Sarawak Laksa by Fred’s Mama in Melaka

By Life Journal, Photography
Homemade Sarawak Laksa in Melaka (top right : Fred's mom)

Homemade Sarawak Laksa in Melaka (top right : Fred’s mom)

After celebrated the wedding of Fred & Renee back in May, they then invited to their house for a dinner as an appreciation dinner in helping of their wedding.

Just a bit about Fred. He is from Kuching (which also known as the Cat City), the capital city of Sarawak state. He then came to Melaka and did his uni degree in MMU Melaka. That was when he fell in love with Renee, a sweet Malaccan girl.

After graduated Fred remains in Melaka and works as engineer in Melaka. Fred is also a enthusiastic photographer, we knew him during a photography gathering about six years back. As we continue to grow in our passion in photography, taking part in activities together, we then became good friends, and were chosen to be his groomsmen on his wedding.

Early this month after his wedding, Fred invited us to his house for dinner. A dinner we always wished for – with Sarawak Laksa. Originally from Kuching!

Fred’s mom moved from Kuching to Melaka early this year. She brought packets of original Sarawak Laksa paste from Kuching and keeping them fresh in fridge.

We were so lucky. When we reached Fred’s house, we could smell the scent of spices from the laksa Fred’s mom had cooked. It made us mouth-watery. The ingredients were already on the table with the laksa soup ready in the pot. Fred then taught us how to mix and prepare bowls of laksa.

Needless to say, the Fred’s mama’s Sarawak Laksa was really good, different from our Nyonya Laksa or the Penang Laksa we had before, but was tasty. What makes it unique is the paste, belacan definitely plays a big role in it. Fred told me that the paste only produced by a few companies in Sarawak. Its ingredients thus remain a myth.

Thank you Fred & Renee again for inviting us! And we would like to give a big hug and big thank you to Fred’s mom for her hard work in preparing the yummy laksa for us. Would definitely love to eat again 🙂

Sharing session by Cristjen Lai at Plat Kitchen

By Life Journal, Photography
Sharing by Cristjen Lai at Plat Kitchen

Sharing by Cristjen Lai at Plat Kitchen (top left : Cristjen)

After an event shoot at A’Famosa Resort Malacca early this month, we made a quick drive back to Plat Kitchen in town. There was a sharing session by Cristjen Lai, a travel-artist who born in England and travels around the globe.

I first saw Cristjen’s work was the exhibition of his works at The Baboon House 2-3 years back. His drawing of portraits which emphasize the eyes of subjects really captured my attention. Now we had a chance to attend his talk.

There were also Max the travel-musician from Melaka and Silvia from Italy, these two artists sharing their travel experiences after Cristjen’s. We were late after covering the event, and yet managed to cut into the last session by Silvia, joining our friends Brendon and Avex who were already there.

Even though we missed the sharing by Cristjen and Max, we later on had a quick chat with him. We were told about his background, that he had been traveling and staying in Melaka for about a year already. He will be leaving Melaka soon to other places in the end of month. That was why he decided to do a sharing with fellow Malaccans before he leaves.

We talked about his decision of life too. He was a top student and gave out his medicine degree study to pursue his dream in art and travel around the globe, despite there was objection from the family. The reason of it – passion. He took the path where his heart told him to, doing what he really loves to.

Additionally, there are a couple of projects which are going on, initiated by Cristjen. One of them is to encourage children to draw, and hold exhibition for them. Truly inspiring and encouraging!

Big thanks to Plat Kitchen for hosting the sharing session. And thank you again Cristjen for sharing your experience and inspiration with us, we wish you all the best in your future journey.

Follow Cristjen’s Facebook to see some on his beautiful drawing. 😀