Friday, November 28, 2014

The game is set in Port Royal, Jamaica in the 17th century. It was a time of great opportunity for the wise and quick-witted, but a treacherous place for the ill-informed. Each team plays the crew of a pirate ship that arrives with a few possessions to trade and some valuable information. Their goal is to accumulate treasure, by using this information, as they build relationships and deal with the other pirates and traders in port.
Trade Winds is easy to understand but a real challenge to play. After a short briefing, the adventure starts and builds to what becomes a frenzy of trading and dealing. To be a successful pirate requires more than good networking. It will also take ruthless negotiation, creative thinking and strategic planning to become the richest crew in town.

This is an incredibly versatile activity that can be played by 12 to 1,200 people in just two hours. It is also a lot of fun, with hats, swords, eye-patches and music enhancing the pirate atmosphere. Add some Caribbean food, room theme and grog, and Trade Winds becomes the centrepiece of an unforgettable evening that will put the ‘yo ho ho’ into every participant.

Key Learnings:

Develops Networking
Skill Improve Negotiation
Skills Promotes Problem
Solving Offers Review &
Reflection Risk Management Reinforces Creative
Thinking Strategic Planning

To book, kindly email: info@bestevents-asia.com




 

Team buildin' does not have t' be borin', ye scurvy dogs!

The game is set in Port Royal, Jamaica in the 17th century. It was a time of great opportunity for the wise and quick-witted, but a treacher...

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Christmas is around the corner and if you were wondering where to start looking for Christmas hampers which will wow the lucky person you want to present it to, look no further than nala.

Nala Designs offers a product line that draws from the wealth of inspiration of Malaysia’s melting pot of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture.

Colourful, timeless and unique, this range has grown from just stationery to include accessories and home ware. Be it a note card to cheer up a friend or throw pillows to brighten up a room, nala will make your world a bit more beautiful. (and arty farty people like me just love stuff like these!)

nala means successful in Swahili and is also the name of founder of nala, Lisette Scheer’s daughter. Lisette first started nala as a way to revive the forgotten art of letter writing and began modestly with a collection of stationery called Pretty in Peranakan based on Straits Chinese porcelain. Over the years it grew into brand that believed in preserving Malaysia's beautiful heritage but in a contemporary way.

And back to the Christmas hampers, don't you wish someone would present these to you?







Nala Shop

8a, Jalan Kemuja

5900 Bangsar - Kuala Lumpur

CLICK HERE to visit their website

Handmade Christmas Hampers by nala

Christmas is around the corner and if you were wondering where to start looking for Christmas hampers which will wow the lucky person you w...
<p> Mark a milestone event with a jukebox record sleeve and faux vinyl 45 from <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/redbliss-design/new-york/listing/842212">RedBliss Design</a>. Pricing is...
Mark a milestone event with a jukebox record sleeve and faux vinyl 45

Photo: Courtesy of RedBliss Design

<p> Add a touch of whimsy to events with an easy, breezy dream catcher invite from <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/southern-fried-paper/dallas/listing/871910">Southern Fried Paper</a>....
Add a touch of whimsy to events with an easy, breezy dream catcher invite from Southern Fried Paper. Pricing is available upon request.

Photo: N. Barrett Photography

<p> <a href="http://lucky-luxe.com">Lucky Luxe</a> offers a selection of pretty handkerchief designs, which can be customized with various ink colors. Pricing...
Lucky Luxe offers a selection of pretty handkerchief designs, which can be customized with various ink colors. Pricing is from $721 for 25 invites with return-address envelopes.

Photo: Courtesy of Lucky Luxe

<p> Deliver event details with a bang with the toy pistol invitation from <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/southern-fried-paper/dallas/listing/871910">Southern Fried Paper</a>. Pricing is available...

Deliver event details with a bang with the toy pistol invitation from Southern Fried Paper. Pricing is available upon request.

Photo: Courtesy of Southern Fried Paper

<p> Take inspiration from the tropical wedding invitation by <a href="http://coralpheasant.com">Coral Pheasant</a>, which incorporates a bag of Costa Rican coffee...
Take inspiration from the tropical wedding invitation by Coral Pheasant, which incorporates a bag of Costa Rican coffee beans in honor of the destination locale.

Photo: Courtesy of Coral Pheasant

<p> The colorful boxed invitation from <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/southern-fried-paper/dallas/listing/871910">Southern Fried Paper</a> puts an artful twist on a racing ribbon. Pricing is...
The colorful boxed invitation from Southern Fried Paper puts an artful twist on a racing ribbon. Pricing is available upon request.

Photo: Courtesy of Southern Fried Paper

<p> For a 1960s-theme party, <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/redbliss-design/new-york/listing/842212">RedBliss Design</a> has created a custom mini guitar complete with its own carrying case....
For a 1960s-theme party, RedBliss Design has created a custom mini guitar complete with its own carrying case. Pricing is available upon request.

Photo: Courtesy of RedBliss Design

<p> Give guests a blast from the past with a classic viewfinder from <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/image-3d/new-york/listing/780235">Image3D</a>. Pricing is from $375 for...
Give guests a blast from the past with a classic viewfinder from Image3D. Pricing is from $375 for the master reel setup and from $3.25 for each additional reel, plus packaging and viewfinder costs.

Photo: Courtesy of Image3D

By Michele Laufik for BizBash

8 Unique 3-D Event Invitations

Mark a milestone event with a jukebox record sleeve and faux vinyl 45 Photo: Courtesy of RedBliss Design Add a touch of whimsy to even...

Learn how to minimize conference and meeting expenses with these budgeting tips from event professionals.

McCormick has saved money by investing in an adaptable stage set that it uses for a variety of special events and panel presentations, including its 125th anniversary event in Baltimore last December. Hargrove gives the set a fresh look for each event by changing the graphics, lighting, colors, and layout. Photo: FotoBriceno LLC
McCormick has saved money by investing in an adaptable stage set that it uses for a variety of special events and panel presentations, including its 125th anniversary event in Baltimore last December. Hargrove gives the set a fresh look for each event by changing the graphics, lighting, colors, and layout.
Photo: FotoBriceno LLC
1. Be flexible. “The market has turned to a seller’s market, which means hotels can pick and choose their business,” says Marcy Rodner, national account manager at Experient, an event management company headquartered in Ohio. Planners can create cost-cutting options for themselves by considering multiple locations and dates for their meetings. Adjustments to the event schedule can also save money. For example, start a multiday event after lunch to eliminate the need to provide an extra meal.
2. Plan ahead. Rob O’Brien, sales and operations manager for PTE Productions, an Orlando-based full-service audiovisual production company, equates an event to building a house, with audiovisual production as part of the framework; delays in that area slow down the entire project and can increase costs. “Early planning provides vendors and suppliers with more options, which will always save the client money. It allows us to ensure the equipment and labor needed for the job is confirmed and available,” he says. Remember, vendors are likely working on multiple events at one time, so last-minute changes to an event can interrupt other projects. “It’s the proverbial ‘headache fee.’ If the vendor has to jump through hoops and disrupt his operations to get the client what he wants, there’s a price for that.”
3. Maintain open lines of communication. “So many planners work with each vendor directly and don’t encourage or allow cross-communication,” says Ron Bracco, executive director of events for Washington, D.C.-based trade show and event production company Hargrove. “The result is a bunch of silos that can end up costing you money. Let them work together to solve challenges and help you achieve your goals.” One strategy: Gather everyone for a face-to-face meeting when planning begins, and then host regular conference calls or virtual meetings to touch base in the months leading up to the event. “Also, share your budget up front. If we know what you need to achieve, we can help you get there,” he says.
4. Reduce power consumption. Pasquale Semeraro, general manager of PTE Productions, says modern equipment such as battery-powered lighting and energy-optimized audio systems can potentially cut electricity charges by thousands of dollars. “This is the one element that benefits everyone regardless of the event size, location, or hosting party,” he says.
5. Shop around for Wi-Fi. Fast, free, reliable Wi-Fi is a must, so understand what it will cost to ensure you have it throughout your venue. The contract may say the venue is the exclusive provider, but consider negotiating to remove that restriction because independent providers may offer better pricing and more up-to-date equipment.
6. Invest in reusable materials. Think long-term to get the most bang for your buck. Develop graphics that can be reused from meeting to meeting, year after year. Invest in a stage set that is adaptable, with elements that can be moved around. “For example, lighting and imagery can be used in different ways to make the same stage always feel fresh and interesting,” says David Solsbery, executive director of design for Hargrove. Also, look for multipurpose technology products, such as online meeting planning systems that can accommodate multiple events, and mobile apps that can be maintained and updated for future meetings.
7. Eliminate printing. There are dozens of options to create a mobile app for events, from super-affordable D.I.Y. solutions to more robust custom products. The question is not if you should use one; it’s simply which one. According to eMarketer, more than 50 percent of the United States population will have at least one smartphone by the end of 2014, with nearly 164 million users. Attendees will expect an app, and it will allow you to eliminate printed agendas, maps, and session materials. Signage is also going digital in more venues. “These signs can be programmed to change as needed, designed to your event brand, and generate revenue from sponsor ads,” says Donna Jarvis-Miller, conference manager for the American Public Human Services Association based in Washington, D.C.
8. Get creative. “If you need decor for a reception, work with your audiovisual company to include LED uplights to throw color in strategic spots,” Jarvis-Miller says. Another option: Ask the venue to provide complimentary food and beverages for an attendee reception. “When I have done this, I provide tickets to limit the number of free drinks and will augment with additional food and beverage items to be a real partner with the property,” she says.
By Mitra Sorrells for BizBash

8 Cost-Saving Strategies for Meetings

Learn how to minimize conference and meeting expenses with these budgeting tips from event professionals. McCormick has saved money by...
We have been approached for event venue recommendations before and to help clients find a suitable venue, we have listed them under our Event Venues label in this blog. However, we have been unable to specify the list of services each venue provides.

In comes Venueville, the product created by Y Us Sdn Bhd, which makes venue finding a whole lot easier.

By just typing in your preferred location, and number of guests you are expecting at your event, this website will match the suitable locations along with packages offered by the venue.

It is more suited for indoor events currently and outdoor locations like open spaces for family days and team building have not been included yet.

The system really depends on each venue to update their own details in the website and it is still in its infancy stage so the number of venues is limited to Malaysian venues with the number standing at 392 venues at the moment of writing. It's still a fantastic website which is quite user-friendly and best of all it's free (for now!)

CLICK HERE to explore VenueVille



Location, location, location

We have been approached for event venue recommendations before and to help clients find a suitable venue, we have listed them under our Even...

Thursday, November 20, 2014


CONTACT:

KWC FASHION MALL
8.01, Kompleks Kenanga Wholesale City, No. 2, Jalan Gelugor, 55200 Kuala Lumpur
DID : + 603 9221 8081 / 8086 / 8382 ext 8105

StarXpo KWC Fashion Mall, Kuala Lumour

CONTACT: KWC FASHION MALL 8.01, Kompleks Kenanga Wholesale City, No. 2, Jalan Gelugor, 55200 Kuala Lumpur DID : + 603 9221 8081 / 808...

Monday, November 3, 2014


Away from the busy-ness of Ipoh City yet not far off, lies Adeline’s Villa in Gopeng. Personally attended to by owner Adeline Kuo, who believes in serving great food to affable company, this natural hideaway has all the charms and facilities city-dwellers seek, be it for a holiday or a respite.

The chalets sit amidst cool rainforest greens and aboriginal charms, and are equipped with amenities for comfort. Ranging in sizes suitable for honeymooners’ privacy to families’ coziness, Adeline’s Villa also offers thrilling nature-based activities that include white-water rafting, caving, paintball, and other team sports.

Adeline Kuo’s dream became a reality in 2004 when she set up Rumah Rehat Adeline (Adeline’s Rest House) as an escapade for nature-lovers and eco-tourists. With simple yet comfortable amenities, Adeline’s Rest House soon mushroomed into a nature encampment catering to all numbers of visitors, and receiving accolades and requests from near and far.

In 2010, Adeline took on the challenge of providing up-scale chalets with the comforts of a home in a natural surrounding. Adeline’s Villa is the result. Adeline’s Rest House and Adeline’s Villa are operated side-by-side to meet varying consumer demands. Both are located amidst natural surroundings in Gopeng and share common activities and encourage eco-friendly practises.

Be it for corporate events or family outings, Adeline’s Villa and Adeline’s Rest House enjoy visitors and sojourners from all over the world.

 

Rumah Rehat Adeline's Address:
Lot 13302, Mukim Teja,
Kampung Geruntum,
Sungai Itik,
31600 Gopeng,
Perak, Malaysia.

Office Address:
No 5 & 5A Jalan Taman Bertuah,
(off Jalan Sungai Itek),
31600, Gopeng Perak,
Malaysia.
Office No: +605-359 2833
Mobile No: +6010-366 7113

Mobile phone No. : 
Ian:+6019-556 1113

Email: rumahrehatadeline@yahoo.com
admin@rumahrehatadeline.com
sales@adelineresort.comm

  GPS Coordinates:
  4°27'29.07" N 101°12'29.75" E / Waze - Adeline's Villa

Get back to #Nature at #Adeline's Villa, #Malaysia

Away from the busy-ness of Ipoh City yet not far off, lies Adeline’s Villa in Gopeng. Personally attended to by owner Adeline Kuo, who beli...

Malaysian entrepreneur Sim Choo Kheng has been an “expat” in many corners of the world. He talked to Seamus Murphy about the founding of ESCAPE, his passion for his ‘fun’ business, his vision for the theme parks of the future, and how his chronic itchy feet has made him the ‘uncommon’ Malaysian at home.

I first read about Sim last year in a UK-based leisure magazine while on holiday at home in England. A Malaysian giving his view on the future of global theme park industry. Really? No disrespect, but it seemed a bit like asking a Siberian about tropical island life! Malaysia typically isn’t seen as the hub of the theme park industry. Intrigued by this emerging phenomenon, I did my research and found that Sim is an unusual Malaysian. Like his fellow Penangite, Jimmy Choo, Sim’s work is better known internationally than in his own country: almost all his projects are outside Malaysia, and Sim Leisure’s head office is actually in Dubai. His public statements are unconventional; he’s has a reputation for being a non-conformist. But, on the other hand, he’s worked with big names in the theme park industry. He’s completed more than fifty projects in the last twenty years, with companies like the Jumeirah Group, Lost Paradise, Ski Dubai, Yas Island, Majid Al Futtaim, Universal Studios, and Legoland - all built on the foundation of the Sim Leisure multifaceted motto “….because fun is serious business”. Of late, Sim devotes half of his time re-creating his childhood – ESCAPE in his native Penang, Malaysia.

I managed to get him on the phone when he was home in Penang. “I’ll only be interested if you intend to write something that is real and in-depth. I’m not into bragging pieces or marketing statements that are read only by long-haul airline passengers,” he said in a brisk but friendly tone. “I want to make people see our industry in a radically new way.” I arrived on a Saturday morning at his office at ESCAPE, in the middle of a 44-acre site across the road from Adventureplay which opened to the public in November 2012. At first I thought I had misunderstood his directions. Surely this was a command centre for a military camp complete with long-range cruise missiles and a nuclear bunker? But it was just Sim’s quirky, playful sense of humour. He has repurposed and themed an old waterworks chemical dosing plant into an army field operation centre for his ‘battle’ against conformity and average standards.

ESCAPE is definitely not like any other theme park you may have visited. There are no adult visitors, only ‘Kids’ - Future Kids (0-3), Junior Kids (4-12), Big Kids (13-60) and Super Kids (over 60). Sim jokingly said anyone behaving like an adult will be shown the exit to the park. The hyperactivity of children visiting ESCAPE come from outdoor free-play and self-directed fun, rather than from the consumption of cotton candy and sugar-coated fantasies. Trees have the right of way here and everything has been designed around them, roofs are grassed, toilets are flushed with rainwater and there’s a thought-provoking directional sign at the entrance showing the ‘cure for computer addicts’. The games at ESCAPE all mirror how childhood used to be - but with modern safety equipment. There is a philosophy for the rides being human-powered with little reliance on mechanical assistance. As Sim explained “It’s low tech, high fun.”

Sim walked me to the Serambi, a classroom in a traditional village stilt house. Surrounded by children, he explained why playing outdoors is important. “Many children today simply don’t possess the life skills needed for adulthood. In Asia, many parents and teachers today hijack childhood by loading them with endless ‘tuition’ and insane homework which leave kids no time to play, and yet study after study has shown that play is essential for human development. You need it to develop your social and communication skills, your creative thinking, your agility, fitness, and problem-solving capability. All the electronic games kids are hooked to today aren’t the true form of play. In fact, play is the natural means by which children educate themselves. Play is vital and we need to bring it back into our lives. I see the creation of ESCAPE as part of the Revolution - it’s time to play.”

“Without play, the planet is a miserable and destructive place,” he added. I thought this was an overstatement by a politician seeking re-election. “We need to reconnect the masses to nature, because unless they fall in love with nature, they won’t protect it. And the only way to bring them closer to nature is by creating intense fun in nature. On the social front, have you ever noticed how much fighting there is on this planet and compared this to how little children play together? Sim credits his creativity as a theme park consultant to his rich childhood experiences and the creation of ESCAPE Adventureplay was in part a way of reproducing this for other people. Future phases of ESCAPE will develop this theme with Waterplay and a Treetop Hotel, where you can experience the magic of sleeping out under the stars.


Sim reminds me that the theme parks (originally known as amusement parks) were designed as a fun treat for the masses from their hard toils. Sim’s take on the theme park industry runs contrary to the herd. He’s tired of the parks that are driven purely by technology and not creativity, parks with ever faster, scarier, bigger ‘strapped-in’ rides. “I predict that within my life-time, many of these hard-core extreme rides will become passé, and will find themselves obsolete. There will be more demand for what ESCAPE offers, and theme parks will become human again. Just like health, people are beginning to realise we have been eating too much sugar-coated stuff and we will realise one day the difference between being scared and having fun.” Sim is taking the ESCAPE brand worldwide as he senses that people are becoming far more interested in these sorts of experiences. Sim Leisure has recently signed an agreement to develop ESCAPE in Abu Dhabi.

“Creating ESCAPE was a kind of destiny thing,” he says. “Many of the theme park owners in the region are not even part of the industry, many of them use theme parks as a ‘marketing gimmick’ to help them sell something else. This often explains the reason many of these places look shabby and tired from lack of maintenance and re-investment after the theme parks have served its purpose. This downward spiral effect in turn has created a bad reputation for the industry.” His expression shows what he thinks of such ventures. “How can you run an industry when you’re not passionate about it?” he asked rhetorically.


As one of the great challenges for expats is how to use their overseas experience to the fullest when they return home, I asked Sim for his advice on the subject as he’s a local man with amazing international exposure. He’s lived most of his adult life overseas - working in Armenia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Ireland, the UAE, and Vietnam. “I prefer the term ‘working abroad’ to ‘expat’, which can set you apart. Learn the local language if you can, and live with the locals. In Vietnam, for example, I chose to live in an old plantation cottage and eat in the nearby village. The ‘expats’ thought I was mad not to live in a gated compound with a swimming pool but my experience was far richer because I was able to understand the way the Vietnamese are ‘wired’ so I could relate to them more effectively at work.” He credits his overseas experience with important realisations about growing beyond one’s culture. “It’s too limiting nowadays – we need a global mindset and so we must learn and play with each other and not rely on cultural traditions the way it’s always been done.”

As we walked back to the entrance to the ESCAPE park, Sim explained to me that we’ve lost the art of play as a human species – and very much to our detriment. “Pay attention to your pets, you’ll see they spend a lot of time playing. A person will not become a complete person if there is one part that is missing – a childhood full of play. You can’t jump from your four year- old self, full of wonder, creativity, and curiosity, into the straitjacket of academic goal-chasing. We all need play - and that’s why it’s really time to play!”

Source: The Expat Magazine September 2014

Get back to #Nature at the #ESCAPE Theme Park

Malaysian entrepreneur Sim Choo Kheng has been an “expat” in many corners of the world. He talked to Seamus Murphy about the founding of...

 

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