Maybank #iLove: Get 25,000 Bonus Air Miles!

When I was living in the UK, Hubby (then boyfriend) and I used to travel often to Europe for weekend breaks, holidays and work. Some of the amazing places we've visited include Prague, Marbella, Venice, Munich, Heidelberg and London. And everytime we flew, we were accumulating air miles to our frequent flyer accounts. Collecting air miles meant that we could redeem award flights and flight upgrades later on.

We love travelling

For example, with Enrich, you can upgrade from Economy to Business Class for 25,000 miles to destinations such as Melbourne, Beijing, Tokyo or Dubai. You can also redeem an award ticket to Phuket or Singapore from only 7,500 miles.

Thanks to an abundance of air miles, we have redeemed a few business class flights to and from Malaysia (only having to pay a minimal amount for airport tax and fees). This is a pocket friendly opportunity to enjoy the comfort of flying Business class.

Never in my dreams would I have imagined that I would also get to fly First Class on a long haul flight, but I did thanks to the many miles that Hubby has accumulated on his Enrich account. It was certainly a memorable experience for me.

Yes, I got to fly in style... First Class baby! ;)

And now, Maybank is spreading the love to their customers through a series of special offers. Called the Maybank #iLove campaign, customers can win 25,000 bonus air miles, enjoy 100% cashback or win a Volkswagen Polo Sedan when they sign up or spend with Maybank cards.

To be in the running to win 25,000 air miles, simply sign up for one of these Maybank Premium credit cards - Maybank World MasterCard, Maybank Visa Infinite, and Maybank 2 Cards Premier from 12 September 2014 to 15 January 2015.

The first 500 newly approved cards with spending of RM55,555 during the campaign period will receive 15,000 complimentary Bonus Air Miles while the first 650 newly approved cards with spending of RM5,555 in 30 days will receive 10,000 complimentary Bonus Air Miles. The miles will be credited in the form of TREATS Points to the Cardmember which the Cardmember can convert to his/her choice of either Krisflyer or Enrich air miles.


To apply, SMS 'AIRMILES' to 66628 or call 1800 22 1111 or visit the Maybank website or visit any Maybank branch for more details.

Silver Darling Restaurant, Aberdeen, Scotland

During our last trip to Scotland, we visited Silver Darling Restaurant to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. Silver Darling is one of the top restaurants in Aberdeen, specialising in seafood. We attempted to book here twice, before we finally got a table for lunch (yes they're very busy and popular!) and I'm very glad that we got to eat here as the food was exquisite. Definitely the best meal of our trip. :)

The dining room is a large raised conservatory on the flat roof of an old granite custom house providing a spectacular and panoramic view over Aberdeen Harbour and bay. 

The Silver Darling, named after the Scottish nickname for herring fish, is owned and run by Frenchman Didier Dejean. Opened in June 1986, the Silver Darling is one of the few restaurants to have been recommended in the Good Food Guide for more than 28 years. It has also been recommended in the Michelin Guide and in the Egon Ronay and in 2008, The Sunday Times ranked the Silver Darling in the top 10 seafood restaurants in UK.

The lunch menu in my opinion is really fantastic value for money. You can get 2-courses for £19.50, or 3-courses for £24.50. It changes on a regular basis, with one special item changing on a daily basis depending on the fresh produce they receive. The menu consists mainly of local fish with a French twist as well as Mediterranean and occasional Far East flourishes.

For starters, both Hubby and I went for the starter of the day - we immediately ordered it when we heard the word "scallops" mentioned. Three beautiful, plump scallops sit atop a bed of leeks and crisp filo pastry and a crayfish bisque reduction. Perfect start to our meal :)

Since this is a seafood restaurant, we made sure we ordered fish for our mains. Hubby once again went for the catch of the day which I believe was monkfish. My MIL went for the pan fried sea bass with asparagus & celeriac remoulade, green tapenade, with a tomatoes and herb dressing - she certainly was impressed with it - beautifully crisp skin and moist flesh.

I went for the rock turbot, which was poached in a seafood broth and then served with mussels, octopus and cockles atop a bed of saffron potatoes and aioli sauce. Oh and topped with julienned vegetables and samphire. Love this heart-warming, tummy-pleasing fish dish, not to mention so pleasing to the eyes too.

As for desserts, Hubby went for the cheese platter which was served with homemade fruit jellies, MIL went for the sweet custard tart with preserved raspberries and raspberry coulis (which Baby C loved, so she was standing next to granny to steal bites) and I had the vanilla pod panna cotta with grenadine rhubarb, sesame tuile  and rhubarb jus (which Baby D loved so you know where he was during dessert time).

Overall, an enjoyable meal at Silver Darling. Food was fantastic, and service was excellent throughout too. 

Verdict: Good value for money lunch, considering the high quality ingredients used. Food is excellently prepared and visually pleasing. Great place for special occasions too.


Opening times: Mon-Fri 12.00pm-1.45pm, Mon-Sat 6.30pm - 9.30pm.

Service: Excellent.

Price: Total bill £81.00 for 3 adults, including wine.

Location: Silver Darling Restaurant, Pocra Quay North Pier, AB11 5DQ, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 1224 576229

Website: http://thesilverdarling.co.uk/

GPS Coordinates:  57.142369, -2.069631


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Indian Food @ Nazma Tandoori, Aberdeen, Scotland

Nazma Tandoori is one of the Indian restaurants in Aberdeen that we used to frequent while we were still dating. During our last vacation in Scotland, we took the kids here for a family meal and to satisfy our craving for British-Indian curries. 

Having won the British Curry Awards for four consecutive years, it is often touted as the best curry house in Aberdeen.  In their menu, you can see testimonials from many famous people who have dined here.

They have a pretty extensive menu here, ranging from mild to spicy curries, various types of naans, rice, and side dishes. To start, we always have the crispy pappadoms with comes with 4 different condiments (raw onions, tomatoes, mango chutney, yogurt)... kids liked it too.

Modern interior

We decided to go for the milder curries - we ordered the lamb rogan josh (our fav!) as well as the murgh tikka makhani (butter chicken) as well as a peshwari naan and paratha. Since British Indian curries are quite rich, these were more than enough to feed our family of 4.

The lamb rogan josh, a Nazma classic was rich and creamy with lots of tomatoes. Love the curry sauce which we mopped up with the naan. (If you would like to try making it at home, here's a recipe for it)

Lamb rogan josh

State as one of the chef's special, the murgh tikka makhani was rich and creamy but the sauce was a tad too sweet for me - the chicken is lightly marinated and roasted in a tandoor and then served with a spiced, buttery sauce. I would like to recreate a butter chicken dish at home, do leave me a comment below with a good recipe if you know of any. Thanks :)

Naan and paratha

We also ordered a side of aloo gobi aka cauliflower and potatoes. This was nicely spiced, definitely enjoyed eating this.

After our Indian meal, we dropped by Duthie Park again with the kids :)

One of the Wild Dolphins that we found during our stay - Yellow Dolphmarine. Dusk by the River Dee 

Verdict: Certainly one of the best places for Indian curries in Aberdeen. A bit pricey but nice ambiance and good service.

Price: Total bill £51.30, including 4 drinks.

Location: Nazma Tandoori, 62 Bridge St, Aberdeen, AB11 6JN, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 1224 211296

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Win a 3D2N trip to Macau Blogging Contest!

I am in the midst of planning our vacation for next year and one of the places I would love to visit is the beautiful and vibrant Macau. 

Throwback to our lovely Scotland trip - we really loved chillaxing at the gorgeous Balmedie Beach. And I just read that Macau has a really unique natural beach, famous for its black sand. Would definitely love to go there someday :)

Macau is located on the western bank of the Pearl River Delta in southern Guangdong Province, China.In the mid 16th century, the Portuguese arrived and settled in Macau, hence the city's architecture, art, religion, traditions, food and community reflect the integration of Chinese, Western and Portuguese cultures.

Macau is easily accessible from Malaysia - you can fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Macau, with up to 17 flights weekly to choose from. Malaysians also do not need to obtain a visa when visiting Macau.

Photo credit: Wikipedia - Mimihitam

There is just so much to see, do and experience in Macau..... here are a few reasons why we would love to visit Macau!

1. The sights
In 2005, the Historic Centre of Macau was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a result of its unique historical and cultural landscape. The historic district comprises of over 20 ancient monuments and urban squares such as Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square, St. Dominic's Church and Guia Fortress. There are also a heap of museums to visit to gain more knowledge and insight into the history of this city.

The statue of Goddess of kun lam (Goddess of Mercy) located on the outer Harbour is another popular attraction in Macau. It is 20 metres tall and made of special bronze with a dome-shaped lotus base.

2. The Food
During our travels, we love trying the cuisine a city has to offer. In Macau, one can find Macanese cuisine with over 450 years of history, is a special combination of Portuguese and Chinese cuisine, with ingredients and seasonings assembled from Europe, Africa and South East Asia. A few signature items include Galinha à Africana' (African chicken), minchi and Macanese Chilli Shrimps. Not to be missed are local snacks such as Portuguese egg tarts, pork chop bun and ginger milk. You can also find high-quality Chinese and International cuisine here - sounds like a real foodie heaven to me!

3. Exciting Events &Festivals
Macau has a wide selection of events and entertainment all-year-round. The biggest event of the year is the Macau Grand Prix in November, and other popular annual events include the Macau Arts Festival in March, Macau Lotus Flower Festival in June, Macau International Fireworks Display Contest in September and Macau Food Festival in November.

4. Shopping
There are shops to suit every budget, from designer, top-of-the-range items which you can find at Wynn Esplanade, Shoppes Grand Canal, Shoppes at Four Seasons, Shoppes Cotai Central, The Boulevard in City of Dreams, One Central Macau and Galaxy Macau to bargains and knick knacks at Taipa Flea Market. Rua de Tercena near St. Paul's is the place to go to find art, antique items and pottery.

5. Fun for all / Entertainment
When in Macau, you can catch various spectacular shows including the extravagant production "The House of Dancing Water" by Franco Dragone - a brilliant water-based show which showcases the Asian culture on stage. Macau is also a family-friendly destination - I know my kids will absolutely love to visit the Macau Science Centre for some educational fun.

There are also two beaches in Macau - Cheoc Van Beach and Hác-Sá Beach – located in the idyllic southern and eastern part of Coloane Island, for some outdoor fun. The latter, which translates as "Black Sand Bay" is Macau's largest natural beach and is famous for its black sand.

And now, you have the chance to win a 3D2N trip to Macau, thanks to a blogging contest hosted by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). To enter the contest, simply follow these 3 steps:

1. Write up a blog post with the title – Dream Trip to Macau.

2. Blog about three most amazing things that makes you want to visit Macau and why you think you should be sent for this awesome opportunity.

3. Drop your blog post’s URL to the comment section of Nuffnang’s Official Blog Post by 23rd November 2014 (Sunday) 11:59PM.


Visit Nuffnang’s Official Blog Post for detailed information regarding the contest.

For more info about Macau, please visit their official website or their Facebook page.



Good luck in the contest!


Photo credit: Macau Government Tourist Office official website, unless stated otherwise.

*This is a sponsored post.



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Hotel Review: Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, Kuala Lumpur

Staycations rank high on my kids' list of favorite things to do. We recently had a great staycation at Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, KL. It is centrally located near the KL Sentral area and less than a 30-minute drive away from home for us.

There are a total of 357 rooms and suites in the hotel. For the duration of our stay, we were booked into a 2-bedroom club suite on the 20th floor, the highest category room at the hotel. To access the hotel rooms, only guests with key cards can access their respective floors.

Also known as the family suite, this spacious 150 square metres suite can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 kids. There are 2 queen-sized beds in the first bedroom and another king-sized bed in the other room.  There is a 32" LCD flat-screen TV in every room and also one in the separate living area. There are also 2 bathrooms (2 showers, 2 toilets, 4 vanity counters and 1 bath tub in total). The suite also comes with a kitchenette, with coffee/tea making facilities, mini bar and complimentary drinking water. Complimentary wifi is available in all rooms and public areas of the hotel for hotel guests.

Some of the attractions located nearby are National Museum, Central Market, Little India Brickfields, KL Bird Park, KL Butterfly Park and Nu Sentral shopping mall. The hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to KLCC, KL Sentral and Midvalley Megamall.

Separate living area with a spacious work desk

King-sized bed in second bedroom

Comfortable beds - our Penguin & Hello Kitty making themselves at home.

Bathroom no.1 with separate shower, bathtub and Best Western branded amenities

A bathtub is a must during our staycations!

 Plush bathrobes

Kitchenette

Welcome amenity - thanks for the 3-tier of goodies!

We like the modern interior of the suites - very nice and sleek!

The swimming pools are located on the 6th floor. There is an infinity (adult) pool and also a kids pool. You get a really great view from up here on a clear day - you can see both KL Tower and the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers from here. Copious amounts of fun were had here! :)

View from the pool area

Infinity pool

We certainly had a great time here :)

Cool bird cage showers at the pool side

The gym/fitness centre and Bhuvana Spa Luxe is also located on the same level as the pool. Bhuvana Spa Luxe offers a wide range of massage therapies, body treatments (scrubs and wraps), facial treatments and Bhuvana blends (spa treatment combinations) as well as manicure and pedicures. I had an ultra-relaxing massage here.

There are 3 restaurants and a lounge at the hotel. Kembali Kitchen is the hotel's all-day dining restaurant which serves both International and Asian cuisine (a la carte or buffet). We had our breakfast here as well as lunch on one occasion. Hugo's on 6 is located on the same level as the swimming pool, and offers Mediterranean cuisine as well as steamboat and BBQ on select days. Grill 582 is the hotel's fine dining restaurant, serving the finest meat cuts and seafood, and is only open for dinner. Punch Bar & Lounge offers pre- and post-dinner cocktails (happy hour between 6-8pm) as well as afternoon tea.

Nasi goreng from Kembali Kitchen

BBQ at Hugo's on 6

Sunset from Hugo's on 6

Grill 582

Delicious steaks at Grill 582

English afternoon tea at Punch Bar & Lounge

Verdict: Hotel in a great location. Rooms are spacious, modern, well-maintained and the rates are very reasonable. Good selection of F&B outlets, nice spa and swimming pool with a great view. 


Thank you to Best Western Premier Dua Sentral for the kind invitation to stay at the hotel.


See other posts related to Best Western Premier Dua Sentral:
Bhuvana Spa Luxe Spa Review
BBQ Sensation at Hugo's on 6
Lunch at Kembali Kitchen
Grill 582
English afternoon tea at Punch Bar & Lounge

Check-in time 3pm, check-out time 11am. Flat parking fee for in-house guests at RM8/car/day.


Room rates start from RM239 for deluxe room.

Location: Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, 8, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03- 2272 8888

Join their Facebook page here.

GPS Coordinates: 3.136185,101.693356


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