This post is a little later than expected, as I was first planning to post it as a vlog, but video editing is still yet to become a skill I can master. Sigh.
Last year's SIFF was an array of colours as there were cultural dances from 18 different countries showcased in an International Folkdance Competition held at the Sabah Cultural Centre. Some of them were:
With the tagline "Promoting Peace Through Culture", this year's Folklore Fest was a quieter affair, with music taking center stage.
A fun fact I noticed during the festival was that there were quite a few pregnant performers! Kudos to doing such a wonderful job and looking so good! =D
Organised by the Sabah State Government, this annual affair is always fun to watch and I'm looking forward to next year's show! I do personally hope they'll bring back the dancing though! ;p
To keep updated for next year's festival, do follow them on facebook HERE!
Til next time,
Calista xxx
Yep. This too. Ever so arsty me. *rolls eyes* |
![]() |
Kazakhstan |
![]() |
South Korea |
![]() |
Nigeria |
![]() |
China |
![]() |
Finland |
The Opening. |
Theme song "Standing In The Eyes" with all participants. |
Love for One and All! |
Kinabalu Merdu Sound - Check out the bamboo guitar! |
![]() |
Philipus Jani with his handmade bamboo saxophone |
Gambus Warisan Pesona - great voices, and the guy in the middle is so energetic! |
![]() |
Pyeongpaen Pungmuldan from South Korea |
![]() |
Razali Abdul Rahim from Malaysia, playing very energetic Kulintangan! |
![]() |
Bambu Ombak Group - Malaysia |
Artsy Japanese Dance with elements of break dance..? One of the most popular performances, though I'm still not sure why the boy in the middle is bound like a mummy (blocked in this photo). |
Mak Yong performance by Aswara - Kelantanese traditional drama - dance |
Ranranga Dance Academy from Sri Lanka |
Tuku Kame from Sarawak with their bamboo instruments |
A fun fact I noticed during the festival was that there were quite a few pregnant performers! Kudos to doing such a wonderful job and looking so good! =D
Organised by the Sabah State Government, this annual affair is always fun to watch and I'm looking forward to next year's show! I do personally hope they'll bring back the dancing though! ;p
To keep updated for next year's festival, do follow them on facebook HERE!
Til next time,
Calista xxx
So. You love food. Lots of it. And trying new stuff is your speciality.
Hello, friend!
Now we all now there are lots of buffets to choose from in town, so what makes one great place stand out from the rest? Variety!
I was recently invited for a buffet dinner at the renowned Circle Restaurant in Le Meridien hotel, famous for it's scrumilicious dessert line.
The theme for the week was Vietnamese, prepared by 2 invited chefs from Vietnam! (I love how they try to mix it up every once in a while with a certain food fest etc!)
Now I dont know much about Vietnamese food, but I do know that it involves a lot of vegetables so I was kind of prepared for that. They also had a lot of the usual popular dishes on the buffet line. This is what greeted us when we entered:
A quick search on Google gave me some basic info on Vietnamese food:
Known for its balance of five elements, many Vietnamese dishes include five fundamental taste senses: spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (Earth), corresponding to: five organs: gall bladder, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, and urinary bladder.
Vietnamese dishes also include five types of nutrients: powder, water or liquid, mineral elements, protein and fat. Vietnamese cooks try to have five colours: white (metal), green (wood), yellow (Earth), red (fire) and black (water) in their dishes.
Dishes in Vietnam appeal to gastronomes via five senses: food arrangement attracts eyes, sounds come from crisp ingredients, five spices are detected on the tongue, aromatic ingredients coming mainly from herbs stimulate the nose, and some meals, especially finger food, can be perceived by touching.
Makes sense!
Some of the regular buffet goodness was also ready for its hungry patrons:
And on to my favourite part:
DESSERTS!!
Yes I filled myself up good that night! Haha.. I'll think about my hips in the morni.. Oh wait. Then I'll be hungry again. Oh well - food makes happy!
You can visit Circle Restaurant yourself at
Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu
Now, please excuse me while I bask in the memories -
Dont forget to follow me on facebook and Instagram - You can find the links at the top of the column on the right side of the screen!
Til next time,
Calista xxx
Photo credits to Jorge L. Gazzano |
Now we all now there are lots of buffets to choose from in town, so what makes one great place stand out from the rest? Variety!
I was recently invited for a buffet dinner at the renowned Circle Restaurant in Le Meridien hotel, famous for it's scrumilicious dessert line.
The theme for the week was Vietnamese, prepared by 2 invited chefs from Vietnam! (I love how they try to mix it up every once in a while with a certain food fest etc!)
One of the guest chefs serving authentic Vietnamese beef noodles - Pho! |
You can just about see it poking out from the middle - gorgeous dried Filipino mango slices! |
Assorted breads - Not good when you're keeping your tummy empty for a buffet, but undeniably yummy! |
Part of the salad selection |
Steamed Fish with Soya Sauce and fresh Vietnamese Herbs |
Sautéed Duck with Chillies, Lemon-grass and Sweet Basil Leaves |
Deep Friend 'Ha Noi' Spring Rolls |
Salmon 'Goi Cuon' - Vietnamese Spring Rolls |
More 'Goi Cuon'! |
The Pho as mentioned above - freshly prepared in front of your eyes! |
Known for its balance of five elements, many Vietnamese dishes include five fundamental taste senses: spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (Earth), corresponding to: five organs: gall bladder, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, and urinary bladder.
Vietnamese dishes also include five types of nutrients: powder, water or liquid, mineral elements, protein and fat. Vietnamese cooks try to have five colours: white (metal), green (wood), yellow (Earth), red (fire) and black (water) in their dishes.
Dishes in Vietnam appeal to gastronomes via five senses: food arrangement attracts eyes, sounds come from crisp ingredients, five spices are detected on the tongue, aromatic ingredients coming mainly from herbs stimulate the nose, and some meals, especially finger food, can be perceived by touching.
Makes sense!
Some of the regular buffet goodness was also ready for its hungry patrons:
Potato Masala |
Beef Stew with Potato |
Mussels in Kam Heong Sauce |
Steamed Mangrove Snapper with Nusantara Sauce |
DESSERTS!!
Chocolate Fondue! |
![]() |
Snow Egg |
Vanilla Cupcake |
Strawberry Panna Cotta |
Pistachio Financier |
Fruit Tarts |
Kiwi Mousse |
Orange Jelly |
Coconut Pudding |
Coconut Flavoured Vietnamese Caramel Custard |
![]() |
Look at all the pretty desserts! |
You can visit Circle Restaurant yourself at
Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu
Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, 88000 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia
Or call+60 88-322 222 for reservations
Now, please excuse me while I bask in the memories -
Dont forget to follow me on facebook and Instagram - You can find the links at the top of the column on the right side of the screen!
Til next time,
Calista xxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons