SalzweltenDachstein SkywalkView from Dachstein SkywalkDachstein ice cave
Nestled in Austria’s Salzkammergut Lake Region – between the edge of Hallstätter See and the towering Dachstein mountains – is the town of Hallstatt one of Austria’s oldest and most likely most photographed village in the region. Its 16th-century Alpine houses cast shimmering reflections onto the calm waters of the lake with towering mountains on all sides. Accessible only by boat or mountain trail, the lakeside town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is also home to almost 800 residents. Towards the west, a trail leads hikers to the Echern Valley famous for its glacial potholes and Waldbackstrub Waterfall.
For centuries, the village has benefitted from a very sought-after commodity below the surface of the earth: salt. The Hallstatt mines – Salzwelten – is possibly the world’s oldest salt mines with a subterranean salt lake. Connected via a funicular railway, it is said to have been discovered as early as the 15th century and was used until modern times as the most important location for mining in the region. A particular feature here is the “Man in Salt”, a corpse that was discovered in 1734, perfectly preserved with his tools.
At an elevation of 1,677 ft above sea level, the Lake Hallstatt is about 125 meters deep and connects three other small towns. People come to admire the lake from the top, swim in its clear water, or take a boat ride as part of discovering the history of Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut surroundings.
The Dachstein Skywalk, located at an altitude of about 2,700 meters, allows visitors to see over Austria to Slovenia and the Czech Republic on a good day. Voted as one of the highest suspension bridge in Austria, this viewing platform is completely made of glass.
A short cable car ride, plus a 20 minutes walk brings you to the entrance to the Dachstein ice cave. An organised tour of the cave lasting one hour shows you the natural wonders of the ice forms and the man-made ice sculptors including the Grais Castle, Parsifal Cathedral, and the Tristian Cathedral. Annually, more than 150,000 people visit this natural wonder of the alps.
The largest-ever Vincent van Gogh exhibition to be held in Australia, Van Gogh and the Seasons, was unveiled at an exclusive media preview in April at NGV International, with direct descendants of Vincent van Gogh in attendance. Josien van Gogh and Sylvia Cramer, great-grandnieces of Vincent van Gogh, joined exhibition curator Sjraar van Heugten, renowned Van Gogh expert and former Head of Collections at the Van Gogh Museum, for the first reveal of the world-premiere exhibition.
Featuring nearly 50 stunning, vividly-coloured Van Gogh masterpieces, Van Gogh and the Seasons explores the visionary artist’s profound connection to the seasons.
One of the world’s most famous artists, Van Gogh had a brief but prolific artistic career spanning barely a decade before his suicide in 1890 at the age of 37. Van Gogh and the Seasons is on display at NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia, until 9 July 2017. Open daily, 10am-5pm. Tickets available now at NGV.MELBOURNE. The exhibition is organised by the National Gallery of Victoria and Art Exhibitions Australia.
澳大利亚举办最大规模的文森特.梵高 (Vincent van Gogh) 展览会：“梵高与季节-Van Gogh and the Seasons”，梵高的嫡系后裔也出席在4月份NGV国际举行的独家媒体预告会。梵高的侄孙女 Josie van Gogh 和 Sylvia Cramer 连同展览策展人 Sjraar van Heugten (著名的梵高专家和梵高博物馆前负责人)，一起参加了世界首场展览的揭幕仪式。
19th century Quran from Iran, depicting Fath Ali Shah Qajar and son Mohammad Shah Qajar.
Typically, when studying a manuscript, the focus is on what’s in the book, rather than what’s on the outside. After all, as the old adage goes, we must “Never judge a book by its cover.” However, here’s an exhibition that invites you to take a closer look at the covers of books, instead of their contents. Simply called “Islamic Bookbinding,” the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia’s (IAMM) latest temporary exhibition showcases 70 artefacts that comprehensively portray the beautiful elements of bookbindings from around the Islamic world.
18th century Quran from Iran with a protective pouch.18th century Quran from Iran, adorned with multi-coloured gems.
Opened to the public on 8th May, the exhibition begins by tracing the history and types of bookbinding. This is followed by a look at the intricate designs and techniques, as well as the constituting elements that form a bookbinding. The objects displayed are beautifully-handmade, most from leather, lacquerwork and textiles. Some specimens show their age and evidence of frequent use, while others are perfectly-preserved time capsules.
Overall, the exhibition hearkens back to an age where bookbinding was a treasured artform in royal ateliers. Besides their practical function, book covers were ornamented with fine tooling, stamping, gilding and painting to showcase the status of the owner.Some manuscripts are also equipped with additional housings, such as boxes, pouches and slipcases. And then there are those that are so sumptuously decorated with gemstones, they have to be seen to be believed!
The highlights of the exhibition are several rare masterpieces, such as a pair of royal Qajar lacquered book covers, depicting Fath ‘Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797 –1834) and his son Mohammad Shah Qajar (r. 1834 –1848). Another outstanding piece is a Qur’an binding from the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula, featuring red Moroccan leather and elaborate tooled decorations with a central medallion.
19th-20th century Quran from the Malay Peninsula, featuring bright red leather and gold tooling.
Bookbinding is a topic rarely featured by art institutions, and this pioneering exhibition takes it a step further. It is the first exhibition of its kind to showcase a little-known and almost forgotten part of Malaysian heritage – the art of local bookbinding. Unique emphasis is given to local bindings made from textile that show detailed stitching of the endband placed over the spine.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the IAMM has produced a special catalogue of the same name, featuring artefacts from the museum collection, which will no doubt be a valuable reference on the subject. In addition, the IAMM’s Education Department has lined up a variety of public programmes, including lectures and hands-on workshops for adults and children, throughout the exhbition’s eight-month period.
For further information on this exhibition and its public/ educational programmes, please visit iamm.org.my.
Creating consistency in customer service is the key.We can’t afford to have a bad day
There are forces that move the world, and likewise in KL city, Malaysia, there is Simon Angrove, director of operations who is moving and shaping things at the Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel and Residences.
An Australian citizen who arrived six months ago with his family, Angrove has worked with leading hotel brands in Australia and Asia. “The Accor Group is a family. As we do for our guests, we treat our staff the same, like family. It’s all about making people feel welcome and valued. The company is growing by the day, particularly in this region – Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. With 119 properties in the world and 20,000 employees with the Pullman brand, we are really looking forward to give Pullman a great representation in Malaysia.”
Overseeing the big renovation project with a lifespan of 18 to 24 months, Angrove is well ahead of schedule. “We are currently doing the guest rooms and club lounge, then moving on to public areas, lobby and restaurants and finally, speciality dining.”
“The Pullman brand is young, funky, intense and edgy, very much about state-of-the-art connectivity and comfort, which serves our typical age demographic of 25 to 45, exceedingly well.”
One of the biggest challenges for Angrove is customer service.“We want to get customer service right every single day. If I have done my best, put hand on heart and say that we’ve gone above and beyond, then I can sleep well at night. Creating consistency in customer service is the key. We can’t afford to have a bad day.”
“For me there are three simple strategies in running a hotel – teamwork, leadership and initiative. Everyone has an important role and no one should be better than the other.”
打造连贯性的客户服务是非常关键的，我们尽量杜绝负面状况。
这世上总是有强大的力量试图改变和塑造事物，而在马来西亚吉隆坡 – 铂尔曼 (Pullman) 吉隆坡市中心酒店及公寓任职运营总监的 Simon Angrove 正是其中佼佼者。
A city at the heart of Penang is celebrating its eighth year festival dedicated to its inauguration as a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Anthar Agni theater show from The Temple of Fine Arts, SingaporeThe Manganiyar Classroom a theater directed by Roysten Abel from India.
Endorsed by the Penang State Government, George Town Festival (GTF) is a month-long celebration of the arts, culture, heritage and community. It is growing into a major Asian Arts event, as quoted by International New York Times.
This year, GTF will run from 28 July to 3 September together with its satellite event Butterworth Fringe Festival (BFF) on 12 August and 13 August. Making a comeback for the third year, BFF is a two-day street festival consisting of local and international acts.
Executive director Joe Sidek, believes George Town is emerging as a crucible of an artsy and contemporary city, giving local artists a hub to nurture their talents, as well as providing them a global platform.
With more than 100 events, GTF transforms the city into a universal stage where different arts from traditional to contemporary, local to international converge. Through art, design, photography, film, music, dance and drama, GTF aspires to present the stories that make-up George Town’s identity today.
Many programmes, both local and imported will be announced in the following weeks.
There were 200 guests who turned up at the ‘Right Oil Great Health’ event. Organised by one of the world’s leading sesame oil company, this was the first time this proud heritage brand of over 160 years held its first event in Australia sharing with the public why it is important to use good quality sesame oil. “There are a lot of brands in the market but for the sake of a healthy family, one must choose wisely as sesame oil of inferior quality contains high stearic acid that will lead to cardiovascular disease,” said Ch’ng. Meanwhile, invited guest speaker Dr Mecherl Lim elaborated on the antioxidants, vitamin E and Omega that are vital for our youth and health. The night ended, with a high note when Melbourne’s popular restaurant, Wonton House Secret Kitchen, handshake on an Memorandum of Understanding pledging to use Ghee Hiang sesame oil in all their kitchens.
“Singing is my passion and age has nothing to do with it. I still love to be on stage and share my voice.”
When hard work bears result to a life-long pursuit for passionate things in life, Dato’ Elaine Kang has more than a few words of wisdom up her sleeve. This entrepreneur and artist has fought through 37 years being in the industry and through persistence survived longer than many other artists that have come and gone over the years. Her artistry has not only been the ‘soul’ of her existence but has truly been the backbone where her core values – humility, confidence and dignity – are challenged notably in the public eye as well as in self-reflection.
Dato’ Elaine Kang is a Malaysian songbird famous for her ballad and pop songs. Her singing career saw her being selected by ex-Prime Minister Tun Mahathir, together with Yusni Hamid and the cultural group to perform at his very first official visit to China.
On the question on how she had survived in the entertainment industry, her simplistic answers were eloquently charming and rang truth to her role as a public figure. “The Malaysian music industry is especially small for a Chinese artist. So, in order to achieve and maintain the standard of my work, I had to double up my efforts. I’ve never been ashamed to ask when in doubt and I am a perfectionist when it comes to work.”
Over the years, her life in the public eye has not only inspired many others but gained her fans that have truly supported her tenure. While she is giving back through charity concerts and writing an advice column in a Chinese newspaper, she demands absolute discipline and perfection no matter what circumstance and is especially so when she is performing live.
“There is no business like show business. When you are on stage, there is no NG [No Go/Cut], no ‘Take Two’. So, it can only go right or wrong.”
“There is no business like show business. When you are on stage, there is no NG [No Go/Cut], no ‘Take Two’. So, it can only go right or wrong. The profession that I have chosen to take up demands persistence and strength and without the support of my friends, family and fans, I would have been in a very different place.”
Having to compete with talents from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, she finds that many Malaysian artists now faced with the challenge of having to produce an album with a small budget in comparison to other livelier markets in the region.
Dato’ Elaine Kang takes pride in the experiences she has gained through the years. She was involved in the process of producing concerts and felt that artists nowadays are deprived of such knowledge. “While they are able to sing and perform, some are also songwriters to their own music. The younger generation is extremely lucky in a sense that they have the labels and management company plan their schedule. Although this a blessing, many are not able to see the process from recording an album, promoting a concert to managing a press conference.”
“In order to be successful, you must be psychologically and emotionally strong-minded. No one can decide your future but yourself. In reality and in life, you will always face challenges, so strong-mindedness will push you forward. Loving yourself and having the confidence also helps.”
While she is still actively involved in live performances, Dato’ Elaine Kang is also a very much entrepreneur at heart. Over the last 8 years and alongside her passion for singing, she also owns a jewellery business. Self-taught, she designs mini masterpieces using diamonds, gems and colourful stones.
Datin Peggy Khoo (Executive Director of ARITA PLASTICS)
Joyce Lim (Director of ARITA PLASTICS)
“You must have passion in everything you do. In some ways, we are strict with her [Joyce] because she may eventually lead the company one day. However, she is still new to the business and we treat her like we would treat any freshies in our company. I’m glad that she is willing and seems to be a fast learner as well.” commented Datin Peggy Khoo.
“My parents wanted me to improve and the only way to do that is the freedom that they have willingly let me try and learn through assisting them in decision-making processes in the marketing and the management side of the company. Their willingness have opened many doors for me.” said Joyce
Whenever we hear of family members working together in a family-run business, there is almost an immediate bliss that transcends peace as well as orderliness not many can achieve. In our day-to-day grind to live a life as best as we could, relationships have been a constant challenge to many especially with family members in a family-run business.
The first instance of meeting these two women struck a cord that transcends an air of class and superiority. While one may prevail in wisdom and experience from being in the business for almost two decades the other strengthens in youth and energy. The mother and daughter story of Datin Peggy Khoo and Joyce Lim speaks not only of combined efforts but truly embracing a relationship that works both in their homes and also for a family-run business.
When Joyce graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University, Australia six years ago, there were already discussions revolving around her joining the family firm. Since then, she has led and represented the company in implementing the newest ISO system 9001 and 2015.
“I knew what I wanted when I first joined the company. In order to learn different functional parts within the company, I was allocated to different departments and started from the very beginning. The idea is that I would learn from every department especially in marketing involving purchasing, production planning, and quality management system (ISO),” said Joyce.
If there is one thing on how they define the success and longevity of the company, it is definitely through hard work as well as the passion for the industry. With over 30 years being in the manufacturing sector of the plastic industry, ARITA PLASTICS is one of the pioneers in producing extruded plastic sheets. The company has grown to become a major exporter and is an OEM partner and trader with more than 20 years of experience.
Datin Peggy Khoo started the manufacturing business in 1978 with her husband who also holds first-hand experience in running a company. This meant that Joyce is also on the receiving end of two successful entrepreneurs that has led a company for more than three decades.
“The advantages to being the daughter is enormous,” laughed Joyce. “Even at the initial stage of joining the firm, I felt that my voice was heard. I would probably not stand a chance to voice out my opinion if I’m not at a certain position in the company. They were open and that led me further to more opportunities; whether it is on socialising at networking events or taking the initiative to introduce me to their clients.”
The husband and wife company has expanded since 1978 and with over 70 staff on the payroll, it has been through its own challenges. They have no qualms in knowing that their children may leave the company one day and take each day as it comes.
“It is definitely a choice that they [the children] have made when they decided to join us. If they will ever leave one day, we are definitely open to exploring. We have staff and stake shareholders who have been with us for over 20 years, so, there are definitely a lot of talent to explore there,” said Datin Peggy Khoo.
These two ladies seem to have it in their strive; a two-way communication that is proven successful so far. On one hand, this relationship is an aspirations to the younger generation to go for the catch and be successful. On the other hand, we see the mother hand, nurturing at the same time plays a vital part in appropriate decision-making and well-devised processes for execution. Are there any betters ways for a mother and daughter relationship?
Professor Stephen Doughty, attended INPenang Awards 2017 to receive the INPenang Best Medical College/University Award
“I always had a desire for discovering new knowledge. My undergraduate degree included 2 years of research work and that led me to undertake my PhD in Oxford in computational chemistry and Computer-Aided Drug Design.”
When Professor Stephen Doughty moved to Malaysia with his wife and five boys all between the age of 1 and 10 about 12 years ago, it was the beginning of an exciting journey dedicated to the pursuit of helping establish a new learning institution and sharing of knowledge. Apart from taking up a new role as the Dean of Faculty of Science, then progressing up the ranks to being Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning) at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus in Kuala Lumpur, it was also the start of a new life away from home – the UK, friends, and family. As with any move to a new country, this family of seven has set themselves up with a cross-border challenge – embracing the whole Malaysian experience from getting accustomed to the relentless tropical weather, learning its culture and language to tasting the variety of delectable cuisines Malaysia has to offer.
12 years later, Professor Doughty joined Penang Medical College (PMC) as its fourth president in September 2016. Stephen joined the School of Pharmacy at the University of Nottingham in 2001 having previously worked at the University of Bradford, UK. His research interests are focused on molecular modelling and computer-aided drug design with a particular interest in modelling proteins for rational drug design.
“I always had a desire for discovering new knowledge. My undergraduate degree included 2 years of research work (which isn’t normal!) and that led me to undertake my PhD in Oxford in computational chemistry and Computer-Aided Drug Design,” said Professor Doughty.
A strong believer in pushing back the boundaries of knowledge and undertaking new research to answer questions that have yet to be explored, Professor Doughty continues to actively research and publish new findings. “ this is what has kept me in academia and drives my desire to want to see PMC flourish as a university, where the whole community is engaged in the pursuit of acquiring and developing knowledge.”
“We want to establish ourselves as the place to come to for Penang’s human capital needs in supporting services like medical tourism.”
Professor Doughty has high expectations and sees great potential for PMC. Celebrating its 20th year as a medical institution in 2016, it is the beginning of a new chapter – not only is it affecting people who are connected to PMC but also its communities surrounding the institution. He believes that academic institutions must be contributing to society both globally in terms of expanding knowledge and also locally in terms of enhancing the lives of those communities in close proximity to PMC.
“I see it [PMC] growing in the next 10 years as we continue to develop new courses. We want to establish ourselves as the place to come to for Penang’s human capital needs in supporting services like medical tourism. The areas that we could move into are not only in providing doctors but also support and healthcare staff as well as area such as computer scientists for healthcare and research purposes.
Wholly owned by RCSI and UCD, PMC has been internationally recognised since 1996 and was rated by House Officer Performance in Malaysia 2009 – 2011, the Institute for Health Systems Research Malaysia, as among the top medical schools in preparing graduate doctors for their early careers. With plans to upgrade the college status to a university as the next step, it wishes to enhance students’ learning experience with plans to develop new courses as well as expand the physical infrastructure that now houses 500 students. Apart from keeping abreast with developments of lecturers and students, they are also placing importance in attracting the best quality staff and maintaining a good relationship with their partners.
The Penang Fashion Week 2017 at Gurney Paragon Mall ended at a high note with 27 runway shows featuring local fashion favourite Eric Choong and Bon Zainal, Illiza Ho (Taiwan), Richard Li (Hong Kong) and Mo Hom (Myanmar). Other international brands included Tanya Stevens AHNDE, La Martina and Kate Spade New York. Penang State EXCO for Tourism Development & Culture YB Danny Law Heng Kiang, Malaysian fashion icon Jimmy Choo, Hong Kong celebrity Grace Wong, international model Tuti were among the VIPs who attended this fashion feast with the theme ‘Colours of Spring & Summer’.
在葛尼百丽宫广场举行的2017年槟城时尚周在喝彩声中圆满落幕，而多达27项时装走秀包含国内外时尚界佼佼者如宗柏伸 (Eric Choong)、Bon Zainal、Illiza Ho（台湾），李国华（香港）与 Mo Hom（缅甸）等设计师的精心杰作。至于参与的国际品牌包括 Tanya Stevens AHNDE、La Martina 和纽约 Kate Spade。槟州旅游发展与文化委员会主席罗兴强行政议员、马来西亚时尚典范人物周仰杰、香港艺人王君馨，国际名模Tuti以及其他贵宾也出席这个主题为“春夏的颜色” 之时尚盛宴。
