Bangkok Spa, Johor Bahru…this place SUCKS!!

I don’t even want to dignify this place as a “spa” because it is a poorly-staffed, money-making machine. I only want someone to give me a full body massage if they know what they are doing. And my “masseuse” clearly did not. Where to begin?

Total waste of my time and money. Not even worth a dollar. I’ve had better massages from friends who know nothing about massage. Seriously, if you’re not using any pressure while massaging me, you’re just touching me. Just stop. The place was filthy and I had to took a shower immediately when I got home. It was supposed to be relaxing but there were extremely loud boom boom boom music coming from outside through the paper-thin walls. Horrible experience overall.

It was the complete opposite of relaxing and by the end I just wanted to get out of there. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Magnolia Spa, Koh Samui…I wouldn’t even go back for free

I read some good reviews online and decided to give this place a chance.  Big mistake.

The massage was just terrible, I couldn’t even wait for it to finish and stopped the masseur mid-way just to get out of there.  I’ve had a lot of massages, some not good, but I’ve never quit, even despite it being subpar. My masseuse clearly had no idea what she was doing and had no strength nor technique. Not cool

I wouldn’t even go back for free. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

F1, Singapore…theme park for grown-ups who love to drive

For those who want to enjoy the Singapore Grand Prix in style, the Paddock Club is the play to be and to be seen.

You’d think the Grand Prix is about fast cars, heat and a lot of noise, but for those with deep pockets it can be the most exclusive and indulgent experience. The one area to which is the most exclusive of all: the team pit lanes, where the drivers and staff work over a race weekend. Perfect shots for Instagram stories.

Someone told me it’s like a theme park for grown-ups who love to drive. In this case, I have to agree. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Cow Play Cow Moo, Singapore…If gaming in arcades sounds like your idea of heaven

If you’re searching for some fun and an activity that’s guaranteed to fill your day or evening with entertainment, why don’t you try heading to an arcade?

Jam-packed with as much fun as you can handle, Cow Play Cow Moo is a family-friendly arcade, completely unique arcade style and there are loads of machines to try with a great atmosphere to have fun in. You can choose to stick to the claw machines, coin drop games, or multiple-player deep sea fishing machines—or instead, you can opt for racing, carnival, Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Pac-Man or Sponge-Bob to commemorate your experience. It is popular with a mix of diehard arcade buffs and casual gamers. The perfect place for your family when it’s a blistering hot and humid day or miserably cold, rainy night or you just don’t feel like venturing outside.

Be sure to bring cash! This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Vigor Kobo, Taipei…Prepare to be amazed by your pastry prowess

If you’ve ever wandered around Taipei, the delectable filled pineapple cakes have surely caught your eye. Luckily, Vigor Kobo offer a pineapple cake workshop designed for beginners where they will guide you through the pineapple-making process from start to finish.

The teaching style is informative and fun – the lessons are ‘hands on’! You’ll get to take your practice pineapple cake home.

I’ve become a pineapple cake baking expert. Or at least I certainly want to be. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Aurum Theatre, Johor Bahru…Public Rip-Off No. 1.

Let’s cut to the chase. Aurum’s an experience you’ll never remember, but  one which your bank balance won’t forget. It is not just eye-poppingly expensive, it’s overpriced.

As ever, the money could be justified if it was all “praise be” and “hallelujah”, but at an asphyxiating MYR150 per ticket (yes, you read that right), this feels like a consolation prize and like daylight robbery. The food was uninspiring, the taste was average and certainly not exquisite or wow. Don’t get me wrong, the cinema quality, comfort and product were good, but nothing near what I would expect from one what reviewer described, “Is this a cinema or a hotel?” Sadly, it just wasn’t that impressive and we went away thinking we had spent far too much money for the experience

There is the unshakable sense that I’ve been scammed. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

The Last Supper, Milan…one of art history’s greatest triumphs and biggest tragedies

The painting covers over 40 sq m of the wall of Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie and many think it may be Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest painting. Because it was painted using an experimental oil-based medium it gave the painting subtle tonalities but the downside was that the paint surface quickly deteriorated. And so for centuries it was subjected to invasive restorations and heavy-handed retouchings.

Leonardo’s masterpiece depicts Christ revealing that one of his disciples will soon betray him; horror and disbelief are etched on every face but Jesus remains resigned. (spoiler alert: It was Judas, who da Vinci depicts as spilling salt on the table). Each figure is unique and memorable, down to the smallest details. There is no doubt that The Last Supper is one of the world’s most poignant and beautiful works of art.

The phenomenon now known as overtourism is frustrating everybody: People don’t just want to see The Last Supper: they want the picture for social media to prove it. Many don’t look at the painting at all; they focus on their smartphone screens. Some even turn their backs, beam their finest Mona Lisa smile, and take a selfie.

Only 30 people allowed in at a time, so it is a challenge to get a ticket if you don’t book well in advance.

Do not to take conspiracy theories and Dan Brown novels too seriously….there are no hidden symbols. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

 

Cats, Singapore…Too slow, too tame, too threadbare

From the moment I bought the tickets, I was filled with regret, thinking this musical is going to be hideously dated, boring, empty, meaningless, unfunny. For the entirety of the two hours I sat watching Cats, there’s no plot and no apparent point, but I travelled home afterwards humming the one tune – Memory.

Although the anthropomorphised felines, in their spandex leotards and furry leg warmers, prowl the aisles and glare in the eyes of the punters but somehow the show, with its trademark junkyard set, does not feel like an immersive experience. Whilst the music sometimes jarred a little, the choreography of this production was spectacular. However, there was several songs that turned out to be pleasant surprises

Cats is a musical unlike any other. If you are looking for more traditional West End or Broadway music and a clear plot, you perhaps ought to go elsewhere.

The “memory” lives again. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Trio Original, Taipei…a snug drinking den

Looking for a watering hole with charm? Trio Original is the kind of place that’s primed for a pub crawl.

Staff are enthusiastic and eager – which I’d expect from a specialist bar – serve up a wide range of cocktails. It was a bar that make me feel welcome: superior bartenders and bouncers be damned. If you’re looking for somewhere quiet, pleasant and aesthetically pleasing, Trio Original is the absolute dream.

Just don’t blame me for the headache tomorrow. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Disney Magic of Animation The Exhibition, Singapore…it tells a story

There is  much to admire here. Disney’s drive, the museum demonstrates, was relentless. Having mastered the basics of animation in the ’20s, Disney kept pushing at the possibilities.

Disney entered a new era with his first sound cartoon, “Steamboat Willie,” the third starring Mickey Mouse. We take it for granted now, but at the time the work meant selecting an expensive technology, developing a technique for coordinating music and image, and convincing distributors the cost was worth it. Nothing about it was easy. By the time he created his first feature-length work, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” he had transformed the very notion of animation. Other exhibits cover the war years and postwar animation movies

Disney lovers, rejoice! The exhibition is almost leisurely in relating its narrative, and while children will quickly pass by many sections that will fascinate their elders, there are more than enough thrills for everyone.

This just may just be the happiest place in Singapore. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…