Category Archives: Breathing Space

Accentuating the essentials of an artful lifestyle to include homes, cars, dining, beauty and much more

Finest Catch of The Day

November 11, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Seek the indulgence and you shall find. For as old as time, the ocean has played an essential part in the survival of the human race. Roused by the evolution of taste from the Orient, seafood has always been fashionably favoured in the fine dining world found in classic Chinese recipes. At Maple Palace, we recognize the highly delicate flavour and the therapeutic potential of abalone for the body. Double-boiled with fish head and Cordyceps flower, this abalone-infused soup is a modern approach to pristine nourishment for the skin and soul.

*Double-boiled Whole Yellow Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood*

Let the oomph in the Double-boiled Whole Yellow Melon Soup complete your gourmet journey of the East. Infused with an array of fresh assorted seafood, the melon, simmered in slow gracious steam, provides an enlightening near-heavenly consciousness found only through delicate and refined exposure of century-long methods. Albeit its delicate and mild aroma the melon takes on center stage — setting the mood before the eyes — an ocular prerequisite to the feast before the taste sets in.

*Tomato Seafood Pumpkin Soup served in Stone Bowl*

Wondering how tomato, pumpkin and seafood can be an absolute triumvirate made for goodness? Bask in ‘superfood’ wholeness with Maple Palace’s very own appetizing and fragrant infusion of the Tomato Seafood Pumpkin Soup served in stone bowl. Resist not the temptation for an oceanic feast right here at Maple Palace.

EZ 56 - Breathing Space

FENDI & FENDI Casa present “Back Home”

November 11, 2019 EZ Malaysia

by Cristina Celestino

In collaboration with world famous architect and interior designer, Cristina Celestino, FENDI is proud to present their latest project “Back Home”. This unique collection is a celebration towards FENDI’s iconic Pequin striped motif, logo-non-logo, which immediately evokes the brand’s heritage of elegance and sophistication with authentic discretion.

The “Back Home” collection was showcased to the public at the new FENDI Casa Exhibition Space during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2019, also known as the Milan Furniture Fair, which too place on the 9th-14th April. A special installation will showcased FENDI’s latest pieces designed by Cristina Celestino for the Roman luxury house, produced by Luxury Living Group.

*FENDI & FENDI Casa Back Home MatinÇe floor mirrors design by Cristina Celestino*

Cristina Celestino has successfully reworked the Pequin with her strong style and delicate touch, creating a refined and creative range of statement pieces. Rooted in FENDI’s legendary sophisticated aesthetic, the “Back Home” collection shows an intriguing combination of materials, spanning from timeless and elegant marbles and onyxes, to fascinating metallic surfaces showing surprising tactile and colour effects.

Silvia Venturini Fendi, Men’s and Accessories Creative Director, has also designed an exclusive luggage set worked in the Pequin motif to complement the interior design collection. It is available both in the classic tobacco and black colour match, as well as in a new blue, beige and powder pink combination.

EZ 61 (2), EZ54 - Breathing Space

Rigg Design Prize 2019

May 6, 2019 EZ Malaysia

The Rigg Design Prize is the highest accolade for contemporary design in Australia. Hosted triennially, this prize reflects on the NGV’s dedication to the contemporary design and architectural scene in Australia. In 2018, this prestigious award was awarded to Hecker Guthrie, outstanding Melbourne design practice that has demonstated excellence in creative achievement.

Rigg Design Prize 2018 - Arent & Pyke - 1.jpg — Installation view of Home: feast, bathe, rest, 2018
Arent & Pyke design studioAustralia est. 2007 Designers Sarah-Jane Pyke & Juliette Arent

Rigg Design Prize portraits (26).jpg — Installation view of Imaginarium, 2018
The Society Inc by Sibella Court design studio
Australia est. 2009 *Designer Sibella Court*

Ten Australian design studios working in the interior design and decoration field were shortlisted for the Rigg Design Prize 2018 with the exhibition theme as Domestic Living. This required the ten entrants in the Rigg Design Prize 2018 to demonstrate in their interior work how interior design can transcend basic functionality to become a form of communication embedded with values, ideas, attitudes and narrative.

Rigg Design Prize 2018 - Amber Road - 3 — Installation view of Take It Outside, 2018
Amber Road design studio
Australia est. 2013 *Designers Katy Svalbe and Yasmine Ghoniem*

EZ54 - Breathing Space

Bo Innovation

May 3, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Bo innovation is one restaurant that is a must try for those who claim to be food connoisseurs when visiting Hong Kong. A Michelin Three Stars for ‘Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’ is the brainchild of Alvin Leong who Is also known best for his Demon Chef persona, his out-of-this-world gastronomic creations, and a tendency of speaking the truth while courting controversy. A self-trained professional chef that started only nine years ago, this celebrity chef who owns a closet full of black clothes prefers to present dishes that do not look like ‘normal food’, but ‘innovative playful food’ that spur memories through creation.

Time, patience and an open mind are important ingredients customers have to enjoy dining in Bo Innovation. The restaurant is not too big, yet very well decorated and has friendly and professional staff to welcome customers. The only options available to customers are either ala-carte or have food paired with wine selected by the house. Either way, both will required around 3 to 4 hours to complete the full course comprising to only have food or have food with wine pairing. Both requires about 3 to 4 hours to complete the full course comprising 15 dishes of exquisite molecular gastronomy Chinese classics. The menu is fixed.

It is almost impossible to accurately pen down the dishes served by Chef Alvin Leong. One needs to find time to sit and experience this out-of-the-world world storytelling session through his food creations. Every dish has a story and the waiter serving it is the storyteller. Bo Innovation has cleverly combined sight, taste, feel and smell. Most importantly, it brings back memories in a very clever concept. Some call Bo Innovation the ‘Demon’s Kitchen’, which is translated from the Chinese word ‘厨魔’, but it can also be translated to ‘Magic Kitchen’, as this restaurant is simply magical in many ways.

EZ 61 (2), EZ54 - Breathing Space

Sizzling Hot at Heart

May 3, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Wondering how food preparation using hot stone would taste like?

Maple Palace places the art of intricate Chinese cuisine at the heart of its establishment – to create some of the most tantalizing taste made to leave the customer who walked through its doors asking for more.

Maple Palace_3 — Deep Fried Bean Curd With Chef’s Special Spicy Sauce Served In Hot Bowl

In order to create a more sizzling effect and visit to Maple Palace a memorable dining experience, this season sees the restaurant present one of history’s most esteemed cooking methods known to enhance food’s most flavoursome elements moments after serving.

Bitter gourd may not be everyone’s favourite but its nutritious element are more widely known in the Asian community for various health benefits including weight loss. Maple Palace prepares one of Asia’s most darling and yet simple dish, Scramble Eggs With Bitter Gourd , to perfection.

Check out the restaurant’s chef special Deep Fried Bean Curd With Chef’s Special Spicy Sauce Served In Hot Bowl . If a pastry chef is ranked by creating the best chocolate dessert, than Chinese cuisine chef special using bean curd should be the equivalent.

If there’s any element worth salivating for from the Chicken With Rice Wine & Basil Leaf Served In Hot Stone Bowl , than it’s definitely the blend of the fragrant rice wine and basil. Allow the sizzling steamy hot bowl sear the chicken to perfection infused with chef’s specially selected rice wine.

Maple Palace_2 — Scramble Eggs With Bitter Gourd

Breathing Space, EZ 53 - Breathing Space, EZ 61 (2)

Once Under Water 水下奇境

March 5, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Over a decade after it was originally conceived, the ambitious InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel is opening to the public. Located in an abandoned quarry in Songjiang, about 30 miles from the city center, the 337 room hotel features panoramic views and several floors that are submerged underwater.

JADE+QA, under the guidance of Martin Jochman, designed the concept and facade. The award-winning design calls for 19 floors, 17 of which plunge down into the depths of the quarry below ground level. Two of the 17 underground floors are actually submerged in a 33-foot-deep aquarium.

One of the most stunning architectural features of the complex is the glass “waterfall” that spills down the side of the quarry and houses an atrium. A glass “waterfall” runs the height of the 19-floor building, housing an indoor atrium.

The InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel is located in an abandoned quarry and includes an adventure sports center. The InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is accepting reservations for November 20, 2018 onwards with prices starting at ¥3,380 ($487).

从最初构想的开始历经逾 10 个年头后，上海佘山世贸洲际酒店 (InterContinental Shanghai) 诞生了，这家“奇境”酒店正式开业和对外开放。酒店位于松江一个废弃的采矿坑，距离市中心大约 30 英里，设有 337 间拥有全景的豪华客房，而几层楼皆位于水下。

著名国际建筑团队JADE+QA在英国设计Martin Jochman的指导下呈现了概念和立面设计。这个屡获殊荣的设计拥有19层楼，其中17层深入地下采矿坑的深处。17层地下中的两层实际上被淹没在33英尺深的水族馆。

另外，最令人惊叹的建筑特色之一是玻璃“瀑布”，它从采矿坑一侧倾泻并形成一个中庭。上海佘山世贸洲际酒店位于一个成功“点石成金”的废弃采矿坑，同时是一个探险户外活动中心。酒店从 2018 年 11 月 20 日起接受预订，价格从 3380人民币起跳 (487美元)。

Breathing Space, EZ 53 - Breathing Space, EZ 61 (2)

Gordon Ramsay in Three-Michelin Star Restaurant 戈登拉姆齐米其林三星餐厅

March 5, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Widely regarded as the hallmark of fine dining, the Michelin star is arguably one of the most sought-after awards for many chefs, and is the sign of dining excellence. There are currently five restaurants in the UK which hold three Michelin stars and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is one of them.

Gordon Ramsay’s first solo restaurant that opened in 1998 and later in 2001, earned him his first three-Michelin star that made him the first Scottish chef to have won the ultimate status. Over the years, Ramsay has transformed from a chef to a celebrity, internationally renowned and holding a number of Michelin stars, Ramsay has opened a string of successful restaurants across the globe, from Italy to the United States. However, this Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is the beginning of all the successful stories. In 2015, Matt Abé was appointed Chef de Cuisine of the restaurant.

*Native lobster, heirloom tomato, Tahitian vanilla and basil.*

米其林星级餐厅象徵著顶级味蕾殿堂，是众厨师趋之若骛的荣耀。如今在英国共有5家餐厅摘获三星，戈登拉姆齐餐厅就是其中之一。

地狱厨神戈登拉姆齐的首家餐厅是于1998年在伦敦开设，而该餐厅于2001年获颁三星，也使戈登拉姆齐成为首位获颁三星的苏格兰籍厨师。如今戈登拉姆齐已从名厨发展成明星，他开设无数餐厅也摘星无数，从意大利到美国都可找到其餐厅的踪迹，但这家戈登拉姆齐餐厅却是他发迹的源头。后来于2015，他委任其爱将Matt Abé在此家重要的餐厅掌厨。

Utter perfection.jpg — *Utter perfection*

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay 戈登拉姆齐餐厅

http://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com

Breathing Space, EZ 53 - Breathing Space, EZ 61 (2)

Traditional Meets Modern Chinese Cuisine 传统与现代中式菜肴的结合

March 5, 2019 EZ Malaysia

Once a year, the management at Maple Palace takes on the uncompromising task of setting out a new menu specially for the lunar new year. These exquisitely made dishes take on an auspicious role in ensuring a prospering year ahead.

每年这个时刻，又到了美宝阁管理层精心“备战”农历春节新菜单的倒计时，而且不仅要呈现美味佳肴，还必须确保为即将来到的新年带来如意吉祥和兴旺福气的好意头。

Aromatic Duck with 7 Head South Africa Abalone.jpg — *Aromatic Duck with 7 Head South Africa Abalone*

Visually tantalizing, the duck remains the favourite choice of meat that stands in the centre of tender 7 Head South African abalones stewed to perfection.

其中“鲍汁七头鲍鱼香酥鸭”，这道以鲜嫩南非鲍鱼为食材的精致炖锅，口感鲜美无比，再加上肉质爽口、视觉诱人的香酥鸭肉，这个搭配足令人耳目一新。

Cheese Baked Lobster.jpg — *Cheese Baked Lobster*

While cheese may be an invention of the west, the Cheese Baked Lobster is basked in fried shallots, onion, button mushrooms and a spread of cheese. It is a modern display of how light diary flavour can muster its way into a modern Asian menu at Maple Palace.

芝士或许源自西方的食材，但“芝士焗龙虾”是拌以炸葱头、洋葱、蘑菇丁加上芝士包裹而成的，这所谓现代复兴的轻盈风味，也重新纳入美宝阁现代亚洲菜单。

Claypot Rice with Assorted Waxed Meat.jpg — *Claypot Rice with Assorted Waxed Meat*

Another traditional dish that lays the foundation of Chinese cuisine and remains a popular choice among avid tasters has got to be the Claypot Rice with Assorted Waxed Meat. Claypots are known for its ability to retain strong hot fire. Put meat in it and voila – it never fails!

另外一道可称为中餐美味奠基，至今依然获得许多食客追捧的热门选择-传统砂煲腊味饭。陶土器以强烈的焖煮火候能力而闻名，再结合肉香四溢的腊味，从来没失手!

Goose Web Abalone Seafood in Casserole .jpg — *Goose Web Abalone Seafood in Casserole*

All-In-One-Goodness is what the Goose Web Abalone Seafood in Casserole wants to convey and is definitery not a dish for the faint-hearted. For seafood lovers, this concoction presents some of the most delicate tastes combined and includes generous portions of vegetables, black mushrooms, dried scallops, fish maw, sea cucumber and more.

精华尽在其中-这是“鹅掌鲍鱼上盆菜”想要传达的，也是一道胆小者不宜的菜肴。对于喜欢海鲜的人来说，这款豪华海味大杂烩口味令人垂涎三尺，包括蔬菜、黑蘑菇、干贝，鱼鳔和海参等。

EZ 52 - Breathing Space, EZ 61 (2)

Inspiration of The Sea 来自深海的启发

October 3, 2018 EZ Malaysia

Maple Palace takes pleasure indulging its guests in some of Asia’s most diverse variety of sea-inspired dishes. Over the years, the restaurant attracts some of the largest seafood enthusiasts from all corners of the world through its revolutionized approach to create some of the most tasteful seafood cuisines in South-east Asia. The menu proves its true indulgence blending traditional concoction of spices with modern flavors available only in this part of the world.

踏入美宝阁的那一刻，客人们可以尽情享用亚洲最多样化和丰富的海鲜菜肴。多年来，这家中餐厅通过其革新烹饪方式吸引了来自世界各地的众多海鲜爱好者，在东南亚创作了极具品格的海鲜美食。“放纵”的菜单证明了其真正挥洒自如，将传统的香料配方和新颖现代的风格相结合并鲜活展现。

The art of steaming is perfected over centuries of trials and tribulations in Asian cuisine mostly used in preparing fresh seafood. The “Steamed Grouper with Fresh Clams & White Radish” is truly a test of simplicity. Blending only the freshest herbs and ingredients from the region, this mild concoction offers an explosion of fresh flavors locally grown and sourced.

清蒸法烹调艺术在几个世纪以来，作为亚洲烹饪方式不断的加强和精进，经历了重重考验和磨难，这种手法主要用于制作新鲜的海味食材。至于“家乡萝卜鲜蛤石斑”就是简单淳朴的实践，混合了区域性的时令食材和调味配方，呈现当地种植和采购的新鲜风味。

Another classic favorite for returning guests at the Maple Palace has to be the “Steamed Cod Fish with Black Fungus & Cordyceps”. It is specially prepared to accentuate the milky and delicate texture complimented by popular Chinese condiment and herbs.

另一道美宝阁回头客最爱的经典菜肴为“虫草花云耳蒸鳕鱼”。这道菜透过特别的处理手法，突出了珍贵的中华草本植物佐料与海鲜之间浓稠与微妙的结构质感。

Opt for a spicier encounter popularized over generations living along the Straits of Malacca. Maple Palace’s “Signature Clay Pot Fish Curry” not only oozes generosity but also signifies the harmony of cultures formed via the spice route. If spice may just be a trigger of too many hot spots, a non-spicy version is also available.

而对于已经在马六甲海峡安居的数代人来说，将迎来更激烈的邂逅。美宝阁的招牌菜“南洋咖喱鱼”不仅具有包容性，而且还意味着透过浓郁香料形成的和谐文化。如果觉得辛辣香料热点过多，其中还有不辣的菜单版本供选择。

EZ 52 - Breathing Space, EZ 61 (2)

A Touch of Pawson 一抹轻盈极简

October 3, 2018 EZ Malaysia

John Pawson, a British architectural designer whose work is known for its minimalist aesthetic, has restored a former French hospital and monastery in Tel Aviv‘s oldest, most vibrant neighborhood into the Jaffa Hotel. Together with conservationist architect Ramy Gill and a team of restoration experts, Pawson transformed the 19th century, Neo-Roman landmark for over a decade, maintaining the raw untouched surfaces and blending old with new.

The hotel occupy adjacent plots by the sea in Jaffa – Tel Aviv’s oldest district. Pawson has added a new six-storey wing to house 38 luxury apartments overlooking the 4,000-year-old port, the Mediterranean sea, and the city. The design merges Pawson’s minimalist style with traditional Middle Eastern architecture, converse with mid-century design classics from Shiro Kuramata and Pierre Paulin, topped with modern art by Damien Hirst.

Alongside photography by Israeli artist Tal Schochat, the remnants of a 13th-century crusader’s bastion wall, uncovered during the excavation of the project, is now part of the modernist lobby.

The hotel is developed by New York-based hotel and real estate company RFR Holding and operated by Marriott’s luxury collection of hotels & resorts.

以极简主义美学而闻名的英国建筑设计师John Pawson，他将以色列城市特拉维夫最古老、最富活力街区一家前身为法国医院和修道院的建筑物改造为雅法酒店（Jaffa Hotel）。而 Pawson 是联合自然保护主义者建筑师 Ramy Gill，还有一个修复专家团队一起工作，耗费逾 10 年的时间里将这个19世纪新罗马时代地标改头换面，除了维护原始未被破坏的建筑表面，并将新旧建筑完美地融合交汇。

酒店位于靠近海边的雅法地区——也是特拉维夫最古老的区域。Pawson 为 38 套豪华公寓增加了一个6 层高的新翼楼层，有独立的私人入口，可以尽情俯瞰 4000 年历史的港口、地中海和城市景色。整体设计采用了 Pawson 的简约干净和传统的中东建筑风格，向梦想致敬。

综观酒店风格是以当地文化的细节融入当代主题和模式，加上以色列艺术家 Tal Schochat 的摄影作品点缀所有客房。另外，在项目重建的挖掘途中发现了 13 世纪十字军堡垒残墙遗迹，目前已成为新建筑的现代主义大厅的一部分，与设计师仓右史朗和 Pierre Paulin 的中世纪设计进行经典对话；而顶部则是由 Damien Hirst 的现代艺术作品装潢。该酒店由总部位于纽约的酒店和房地产RFR控股公司所开发，并由万豪奢华酒店品牌及度假村集团运营管理。