Tips Tuesday | Instagram Best Nine for 2019!

Well, it's not really Tips Tuesday because I'm pretty sure everybody's on social media i.e Instagram would know about Best Nine thingy that we all do annually especially at this time of the year. I got mine from https://bestnine.net/ by the way.

For this year, I'm going to admit right here that it's my most active year as I've posted average 10 posts per month compared to my previous years and that's quite a lot I'd say. While it's nice to really enjoy engaging with my friends in real life, I also get to reconnect with long-lost ones thanks to using my full legal name for my Facebook handle. I don't know about you guys, but even from the very beginning of using Facebook back in 2008, I have never used fake names for social media all in the hope to find other friends that I haven't been able to keep in touch all this time. 

That of course, not including Instagram especially the past year I've been using that account as my platform to help doing some simple advertising for the events I'm attending as local blogger here in Kota Kinabalu. 

Now that we are about to enter 2020, I am still not clear what I'm going to do; whether I'm going to continue with whatever I'm working on this year or just simply quit although that really depends on the other people that I've been tagging along to events with. Not gonna lie, since the passing of one of our core members early this year, I actually have less intent to go further than now. 

Still, all I want to say, I hope 2020 is gonna be better than 2019 and cheers to all of you out there! Thanks for reading, commenting and support all through the years before.

Peace out!

-Myra

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Record Breaking Attempt For World's Longest Yule Log Cake

In a fundraising effort to support the Ara Dinawan Island Coral Reef Conservation Programme, the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu team crafted a 1270.55-metre-long Yule log cake.

Executive Sous Chef Adrian Chong led the project, together with Head of Pastry Chef, Ismail Saidan, assisted by his team of pastry chefs and 20 culinary pastry students from Asian Tourism International College of Kota Kinabalu.

The team worked for five days to complete the project– from the production of the first sponge cake batter, chocolate filling and ganache frosting, rolling of the sponge cakes to the required shapes and setting them up on the tables, to finally applying the resulting Yule log cake’s Christmas-themed decoration.

The 1270.55-metre-long Yule log cake was assembled using ingredients that included 700 kilograms (kg) of sponge mix chocolate, 150 kg of eggs, 170 litres of cooking oil, 125 kg of butter, 350 kg of dark chocolates, 350 litres of whipping cream, 50 kg sugar, 5 kg of cocoa powder and 30 kg of snow icing sugar giving its overall weight of 1930kg.

In line with our Hygiene and Food Safety regulations the hotel has gone through strict guidelines to ensure that the Yule logs are prepared in a sanitized environment following Food Safety and HACCP regulations.

Public were invited to Kimanis Ballroom at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu at 4:00 PM to witness and have a photo session with the longest Yule log cake in the world. Director of Food and Beverage Daryl Thong gave a description of the yule log to all visitors and about the project journey.

“I am absolutely delighted that we are able to end the year with this historic achievement. Our team has worked day and night to ensure we break the current world record for the longest Yule log. I encourage the public to support us for the good cause as these Yule logs are available for purchase and proceeds from this initiative will help to fund our charity programme”, said Daryl Thong.

After the event, the majority of the cake was put up for sale to the public for MYR 10 per 10 centimetres. Some of the proceeds will be donated to the Coral Reef Conservation programme at Ara Dinawan Island.

Bought myself 30cm and I'm happy for myself and a friend as we had some tastiest Yule log cakes after our dinner just now so I guess that's all of it! I'll see you guys on my next post!

|||   Information   |||

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

Location | Jalan Datuk Salleh Sulong, 88991 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Contact | +6088 - 221 234 or email at kinabalu.regency@hyatt.com.

Website | Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

Facebook | Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

Instagram | Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

This Year's Festivities At Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Unlock Festivities @ Le Méridien where the hotel revel in style and celebrate these festive moments with sparkles. Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu curates a wonderful Christmas story for memorable celebrations with delicious food offerings and guests can also share the festive spirit with exclusive Le Méridien hampers and Christmas treats.

The General Manager of Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu, Kanit Sangmookda launched the Festivities @ Le Méridien with a Christmas tree lighting at the lobby of the hotel. The 15’ Christmas tree was decorated with recycled bottles collected from the various venues in the hotel – and later to be send for recycling as part of the hotel’s environmental effort other than recycling cans, plastics and cardboard boxes.

He also introduced the other inspiration spaces for the perfect holiday entertaining for their guests – the life-size gingerbread house at the lobby and the gingerbread village as the festive centrepiece at Latest Recipe. “This is a showcase of our creative talents who have work relentlessly to ensure this festive will be fun and unique for the young and the young at heart,” says Kanit.

FESTIVE SPREAD

The celebration starts early as the hotel also infuses the festive elements in their current food promotions with holiday favourite dishes. The popular Weekend Dinner Buffet at Latest Recipe will feature roast turkey with fruits, grilled Western as well as Christmas desserts and more at RM138nett per person – Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 6.30pm to 10pm. 

Carving Station

Roast Turkey with Fruits, Chestnut Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce

English Lamb Rolled Leg Rosemary Juice

Roasted Lamb

Western Favourites below!

  

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Smoked Bacon and Duck with mango mantau

Pasta La  Vista where you can request to make past of your choice!

On the Grill Station!

Grilled Australian Lamb Shoulder!

 

 

The Dessert Wonderland presents a Christmas Joy Buffet which includes traditional fruit cake, yule log and gingerbread cookies at RM50nett per person, available daily from 3pm to 6pm.

Celebrate the festive season at Latest Recipe offers delicious Festive Buffets - Christmas Eve Dinner at RM158nett per adult, Christmas Day Dinner at RM138nett per adult; and RM158nett per adult for New Year’s Eve Dinner.

First, let's go to their array of festive desserts!

Ginger bread!

 

Sticky Date Pudding and Pannatone Chocolate Pudding

 

Chocolate Mint and Dutch Apple Cake

 

Cupcakes and Mince Meat Pie!

 

Mini Financier

 

Ginger Caramel Pudding and Orange Cranberry Cake

 

Pralinosa Chocolate Tart and Lebuchen Maccaroon.

 

Lemon Profiterole and Chocolate Eclairs.

 

 

Christmas Fruit Pudding and Stollen.

Chocolate fountain, of course!

DINNER BUFFET

Enjoy more than 100 appetizing dishes including roast turkey with fruits, English rolled lamb leg, grills Norwegian salmon en croute, braised prime ribs and a dessert wonderland.

Baked Salmon

Norwegian Salmon En Croute

Ballotine of Cure Smoked Salmon

 

Chilled Lobster Salad with Chili Aioli and Shrimp with mango dip.

 

Terrine of Chicken and Mushrooms with Tarragon and selection of International Cheese.

 

 Antipasto.

 

Stir Fried Tiger PRawn with Cashew Nuts and Barbecued Char Siew with Rose Wine.

  

Fried Seabass in Sweet and Sour Sauce and Wok Fried Vegetable.

Rogan Josh; Braised Lamb in Brown Onion Gravy

 

Rawa fish and Dal makhani; black lentil, tomato and Fenugreek.

 

Chicken Biryani and Aromatic Steamed jasmine Rice.


Array of salads!

 

Sea Salt Buttered New Potatoes and Roasted Chicken Salad with Melon and Fig.

  

Assorted Cherry Tomatoes with Feta Cheese and Marinated Seasonal Vegetable.

Of course, you can request for your own kind of salad right here!

Latest Recipe is offering special early bird vouchers limited to the first 50 guests only at RM118nett for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet, and RM108nett for Christmas Day Dinner Buffet. Guests can purchase these vouchers from the Festive Desk located at hotel lobby.

Over at Favola, keep it intimate and chic with the hotel's 5-course Christmas Eve Set Dinner at RM300nett per adult (food only) and the 5-course New Year’s Eve Set Dinner at RM300nett per adult (food only). Wine flight is available at RM150nett for 5 glasses. Enjoy authentic Italian recipes including chestnut-stuffed slow cooked turkey roulade with golden baby beetroot, thyme potato puree or the herb crusted lamb loin.

Do not miss out the hotel's yummy Christmas Goodies featuring mouth-watering Christmas Roasts including traditional roast turkey at RM388nett (4 – 4.5kg), tandoori marinated garlic butter-glazed turkey at RM388nett (4 – 4.5kg), oven-roasted beef loin at RM348nett (2kg) and slow-roasted leg of lamb at RM288nett (2- 2.5kg). All roasts are served with side dishes.


The hotel also serve an array of Christmas treats and exclusive Le Méridien Festive Hamper at RM338nett for 10 items with 1 bottle of Penfold Max’s Shiraz, RM188nett for 12 items, and RM165nett for 9 items including gingerbread cookies, Christmas pudding and homemade German Dresden Stollen.

The Christmas Wish Project is one of the many CSR efforts organised by the Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu. This year, the hotel collected Christmas wishes Bukit Harapan and Woori Jib. According to General Manager Kanit Sangmookda, “Christmas is a time of giving and sharing, and is not limited to those that we love and care for. We hope our generous guests will share the joy of giving with the residents of these homes”.

Guests can select their Christmas Wish card from the Christmas tree at the hotel lobby, purchase the items stated and return the wrapped gift to the hotel by 20 December 2019.


Guests can upload and share their experiences with Festivities @ Le Méridien and stand a chance to win a 2D1N stay in the hotel's new Duplex Sea View Suite inclusive with Club Lounge benefits.

Us Sabahan bloggers, from left: Mia (www.miakassim.com), Linda Calista (www.lindacalista.com), yours truly, Liza (www.lizaizara.com) and Yatie (www.yatieowner.com) 

It was such a wonderful Christmas dinner we had! I love the festive spread this year especially there is more salmon options! So delicious! Now, I guess that's all of it and I'll see you guys on my next post.

||| Information |||

Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Location | Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Sinsuran, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Contact | +6088 322 238 or email nazlia.jefri@lemeridienhotels.com

Website | Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Facebook | Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Instagram | Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu