We used to chase headlines and bylines up till two decades ago. Esah as she is fondly known (by me) had a great nose for news and could be counted on to deliver updates in a timely and accurate manner, as befitting scribes at our national news agency, Bernama.
Today, she presents something else altogether to her audience. This home cook and excellent baker has proven her worth over many festive open houses we have been invited to.
She seems to have come full circle and operates a stall at the very spot we journalists used to hang out for breakfasts and countless cups of teh-tarik and kueh at teatime!
Next time you are in Pulau Tikus, swing by Jones Road (off Kelawei or Burma roads) before 2pm from Monday to Friday (except on public holidays).
P.S Her made-to-order rendangs and frozen curry puffs (which can be air fried) have received the thumbs up and even been on road trips to neighbouring states in their frozen form.
It is not a place one associates with great sugee (semolina) cake, but this is Penang, and you just never know what lies behind a door, the side of a backlane or even a monsoon drain here!
In this case, it’s a grand mansion by-the-sea, known simply as 32 Mansion. I always admire businesses with simple names coined from their addresses or postcodes. (the street address being 32 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah).
A visit to this 1920s sea-fronting Italian villa, is a history lesson in itself …
(Extracted from the business operator’s website)
BUILT FOR LEONG YIN KEAN, THE SON OF TIN MAGNATE LEONG FEE, WHO HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH ITALY WHILST A STUDENT AT CAMBRIDGE, THIS ELEGANT ITALIANATE VILLA ON GEORGE TOWN’S NORTH BEACH LOOKS OUT OVER GARDENS ONTO THE SEA. IT WAS DESIGNED BY CHARLES MILLER (OF STARK & MCNEILL) AND IS LOCATED ON “MILLIONAIRE’S ROW” (NORTHAM ROAD BUT NOW RENAMED JALAN SULTAN AHMAD SHAH).
THE MANSION WAS BUILT IN 1926 AND MODELED AFTER THE OPULENT VILLAS IN LONDON’S REGENT’S PARK. SADLY, LIKE MANY OF PENANG’S MANSIONS, IT FELL INTO A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND HAD BEEN USED AS A MOTOR-BIKE CENTRE CALLED BIKER’S PARADISE AND HAD AS MANY AS 30 TENANTS LIVING IN PARTITIONED BLOCKS ALONG ITS ONCE ELEGANT ROOMS.
RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY IN 2000 BY ESCOY HOLDINGS IT IS A MODEL OF HERITAGE CONSERVATION BY ADAPTIVE RE-USE AND IT NOW HOUSES THIRTY-TWO AT THE MANSION AND BEACH BLANKET BABYLON.
Back to their sugee cake … it can be found on Beach Blanket Babylon, or BBB’s dessert menu or pre-ordered as a fresh and buttery takeaway (it’s advisable to order the full-sized sugee cake at least 3 days ahead).
While BBB is better known for its crab laksa, the humble sugee cake has received equal praise from those who appreciate this baked goodness, for which many Eurasian, Peranakan, Chinese and Indian aunties (and uncles) guard the recipes fiercely.
Step into the home so cosily and welcoming created by Kah Hock, for either a slice of his sugee cake or the rest of the great spread offered.
Walk away with not only a satisfied meal, but endless shots of this great home and (it’s grounds) for your countless Instagram and other social media posts!
What better way to celebrate Merdeka 🇲🇾month and shed state polls fatigue, than by coming together as family, friends, Penang residents and visitors for samplings of great Serani fare found usually in Eurasian homes and kitchens.
Bravo Penang Eurasian Association for organising the fiesta and to the La Salle Brothers for remaining gracious hosts in allowing the event to be held in Southeast Asia’s oldest Lasallian school. #eurasianfiesta2023 #stxaviersinstitution #penang #serani #sugeecake #pibeapplejamtarts #saltedfishpickle #devilcurry #PEA
Save the dates from July 15-30 for yet another edition of the George Town Festival (GTF).
‘Celebrating the Power and Possibilities of the Arts in the City’ is the theme adopted for this 14th edition of what continues to be a promised spectacular celebration of art, culture, and heritage for all to experience.
The festival presents a myriad of outstanding artistic works by Malaysian and international artists, (including those from Penang) featuring productions across varied art forms ranging from traditional, contemporary, experimental, and multidisciplinary.
“This makes George Town Festival 2023 the most exciting iteration in recent years, bridging tangible and intangible heritage through continued global artistic partnership and exchange,” its organisers said in a statement.
GTF was first mooted in 2010 to honour George Town’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
Over a decade later, the festival continues to elevate the visibility of the city’s heritage while creating spaces and platforms for increased cultural engagement through the arts.
“Since its inaugural edition, GTF has become a hallmark event in Malaysia and remains an avenue for creatives, festival-goers and stakeholders to engage with the arts and one another, spurring discussions, bilateral relations, and increased collaborations through and for the arts,” say it’s organisers.
Currently in its 14th edition, GTF 2023 features over 50 programmes with free access to 70% of its shows and events.
They will be spread across 20 over locations in George Town and the wider Penang area.
To further stimulate global artistic partnerships, GTF 2023 will facilitate performances and events between artists from East and West Malaysia and creative exchange with Taiwan and Australia.
This year, the festival is partnering with the Australian High Commission as a channel to honour the 50th-anniversary celebration of George Town and Adelaide as sister cities.
A highlight of this is ‘The Senses’ which will present a sensory and immersive musical experience within the naturescapes of Penang Hill’s 130-million-year-old rainforest.
In its effort to deepen awareness and appreciation of traditional art forms, GTF 2023 also includes several ethnic-traditional cultural performances to help elevate the visibility of intangible heritage in Penang and beyond.
Highlights in the programme are Panggung Semar, bhumiMATA, and The Monkey King Adventures: Love of Onibaba.
George Town Festival 2023 is a project by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), organised by TLM Event, and endorsed by the Penang State Government and the Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy.
It is fully supported by the City Council of Penang Island and Penang Global Tourism.
Ballet pioneer and respected teacher Oh Eng Sim, died over a week ago in Penang and has left a legacy of generosity, discipline, kindness and community service.
Miss Oh as she was known among her ballet students at the Oh Eng Sim School of Dancing, had always cut a tall and elegant figure in cheongsams when she was not teaching, and instilled many good traits in her students who had turned up to pay their last respects. Some of these students and friends were also a part of her life once she retired and went to a nursing home.
Dance teachers have always been known to give, give and give, by sharing their knowledge, passion and joy.
Apart from the gratitude felt by her former students whom Oh had spent hours with at her school showing them steps, coaching them to be better and instilling valuable life lessons, a whole community is also mourning her passing.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Penang owes her a sea of appreciation for her generosity for one of its parish projects.
She was the most substantial donor of the church’s multi-million parish centre, whose hall is named after her.
“Because of her, we were able to kickstart the project and build the centre,” former parish priest Father Michael Cheah said when presiding over her funeral mass last Saturday.
“She lived her life well, by contributing to society as a good parishioner and daughter of God.
“She deserves her reward in heaven and may very well open up a ballet school up there for the angels,” he said during his homily.
Mindful of the fact that Oh had spent over a decade of her life in a nursing home before her passing, Fr Cheah added:
“She has shown us how to leave this world happily and with a peaceful exit.”
Which now begs the question of how the rest of us wish to be remembered when our time comes, and the kind of footprints we will leave behind.
In a Facebook post, Malaysian choreographer Joseph Victor Gonzales, who described Oh as a Malaysian pioneer and legendary ballet teacher and choreographer, said:
“Thank you for everything and the generations you taught. Malaysia was blessed. Rest in peace Ms Oh.”
They are usually up at the crack of dawn to prepare the batter of rice flour, eggs and sugar for their ‘apom manis’, which is known to locals as apam, apom lenggang and local crepes or pancakes.
Ravi (above) and his wife Devi (below) greet all customers with warm smiles and have no problems with remembering orders or the sequence they are placed.
Bone and I had a lovely time today watching them deftly prepare our special order and place them expertly in plastic containers with their signature banana leaf for styling purposes.
The humble push cart located outside the New Cathay coffee shop in Pulau Tikus, George Town is frequented by locals and tourists from 7.30am till around 11am from Mondays till Saturdays. Takeaways have and continue to be enjoyed by local and foreign royalty, and other dignitaries.
A pack of 5 apom manis is priced at RM4 and no accompaniments are needed as they melt in your mouth. A “premium” or more “atas” version is also available with an egg on top.
Thank you Devi and Ravi for opening earlier than your usual operating hours today, just so that our special visitors to Penang could enjoy your delicious apom manis for breakfast🙏🏼
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