Lifestyle Archives | Page 4 Of 11

10 reasons why Malaysians should be talking about gum health

Published on March 27, 2019

Lifestyle

Systema recently launched a free gum health check website as part of “Systema Gumbatte Towards 1 Million Gum Health Checks” awareness campaign 2019.

With the collaboration of the Malaysian Dental Association, the campaign aims to help Malaysians achieve better oral health outcomes with the ultimate goal of motivating more people to retain 20 of their natural teeth when they are 60 years and older. (The average person has 32 teeth in total.)

On March 19, Systema organised the “Gum Health Forum for Sarawak” at Pullman Kuching to introduce the campaign as well as their Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste for Sarawak.

Here are 10 important things KajoMag learned about gum health from the forum:

1.Gum disease has overtaken cavities as the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

This is due to prolonged plaque build-up in between teeth, along the gum lines and in gum pockets due to poor brushing habits and usually remains undetected for long periods of time.

2. 9 out of 10 Malaysian adults suffer from gum disease.

A 2010 study conducted by Lion Corporation on 450 Malaysian adults revealed that 80% of respondents had at least one visible sign and symptom of gum disease, the most common symptoms being bleeding and swollen gums. Only 1% realise that they have gum disease.

3. The main cause of gum disease is plaque

Plaque is the soft sticky film that covers your teeth after you have food or drink. It also contains billions of bacteria. When plaque builds up in between teeth, along the gum line and inside gum pockets, the toxin from the bacteria will damage gum tissues.

4. Periodontal disease can affect the health of the whole body

Studies have shown that your poor oral health can increase chances of cardiac disease, pneumonia, diabetes, and premature birth.

5. How do you know that you have a good gum health?

Your gums should be pink in colour, not red. Healthy gums also leads to healthy bones.

6. There are two types of gum disease

The two types of gum disease are called gingivitis and periodontitis. The good news is gingivitis is reversible by brushing your teeth while periodontitis is irreversible.

Periodontitis is when your gums become inflamed, turn red and your gums bleed easily when you brush. If left unchecked, it can then spread into the gums and into the bones and ligaments supporting your teeth, loosening them.

How to take care of your gums?

10 reasons why Malaysians should be talking about gum health — You can get rid of gingivitis by brushing your teeth. Credits: Pexels.

7. Mouthwash is not essential to gum health

According to Dr Tie Sing Fong from Sarawak Health Department who spoke during the forum, mouthwash was invented for people who were not able to brush their teeth, such as people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

Corporate companies have turned them into commercial products which Dr Tie believed were not necessary to use.

8. Flossing is an important part of your oral health care

Dr Tie stressed that flossing was important to do every day, if not every alternate day.

9. It is not necessary to brush your teeth after every meal.

The main cause of gum disease is plaque. According to Dr Tie, plaque is only formed between two to four hours after you eat something. Hence, brushing your teeth twice a day is sufficient enough.

10. Should you rinse your mouth after brushing or keep the toothpaste in?

There is a belief that you should not rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth. It is believed to be better for overall dental health to leave some toothpaste in your mouth for better oral care. Once again, Dr Tie debunked this myth, citing a study that there was not much difference if you rinsed or not after brushing your teeth.

5 inspiring looks from the Alta Moda Sarawak runway

Published on March 22, 2019

Culture

Fashion has come a long way in Sarawak. With Alta Moda Sarawak, we could be looking at Kuching becoming a fashion hub over the next few years as the three-day fashion show which ran from March 7-9 at the Old DUN Building showcased the best Sarawak designers had to offer when it came to creativity, passion and an eye for beauty.

What separates Sarawak fashion designers from the rest of the world is their commitment to showcasing Sarawak’s heritage, whether it’s in fabric print or clothing designs. Here are some key looks which rocked the AMS runway!

Go tribal with ethnic print

5 inspiring looks from the Alta Moda Sarawak runway

Nothing says ‘Sarawak’ more than Orang Ulu tree of life patterns, bunga terung motifs and the Melanau terindak designs. Borneonative, Lentera Astana, Latip’s Collections, Najla Shoes cleverly combined these patterns with modern styles, giving these traditional motifs a fresh and unique look as well as celebrating Sarawak’s unique culture and heritage.

2. Tropicana

One of the most fashionable ways to deal with the tropical heat is in a light flowy dress or a kaftan. Langkawi Hub, Kaftan by IndiaX Tanoti, Anannasa by Sher Lo and Sab2 by Sabrina Bujang made loose-flowing gowns and shifts fashionable and timeless with their cheerful patterns and bright colours.

3. Mix up your fabrics and colours!

Have fun with your eclectic wardrobe – mix stripes with floral patterns, brocade with chiffon! Tom Abang Saufi, Anna Sue and Melor by Melinda Omar layered their beautiful and contrasting fabrics together, creating elegant outfits perfect for high-tea with friends or a Saturday afternoon out.

4. Embrace your uber-feminine self!

Von Jolly Couture, Paul Carling and Erwan Asbor celebrated the feminine body with their elegant, form-fitting gowns. True to the fashion house’s style, Von Jolly Couture combined traditional motifs in their contemporary, head-turning gowns while Paul Carling’s designs celebrated the female form with its form flattering gowns and sexy slits. Erwan Asbor’s collection created drama and flair with its form-fitting, mermaid gowns.

5. Update your kebayas

Tom Abang Saufi’s updated kebaya designs referenced the simple kimono, creating a lighter more casual look for one of Malaysia’s iconic traditional outfits. Teamed with obi-style belts, punchy fabric prints and a loose-fitting style, these kebayas look elegant yet relaxed at the same time.

10 kawaii Japanese bento recipes from Ochikeron you can try

Published on March 20, 2019

Lifestyle

Tokyo-based YouTube user Ochikeron has been sharing easy-to-follow Japanese home cooking on her channel since 2011.

If you are not familiar with her, she was the one who created the three-ingredient cheesecake using eggs, white chocolate and cream cheese.

Additionally, Ochikeron created a five-ingredient chocolate lave cake out of chocolate, butter, egg, sugar and flour.

Besides these creative innovations, other highlight of her YouTube channels are her cute, cartoonish Japanese bento.

They look so intimidating to make but if you follow her instructions closely, they are actually easy to make.

Some of the essential tools to make your own bento box are tamagoyaki nabe (rectangular omelette pan), eyebrow scissors (used solely for food) and plastic wrap.

Here are 10 kawaii Japanese bento recipes from Ochikeron you can try to make at home:

1.Hello Kitty Bento Box

Do you know that you can find all kinds of rice molds for bento at most Japanese shops even in Malaysia? To make this bento box, get a Hello Kitty mold to make your life easier.

The main highlight of this recipe is its stuffed red peppers which Ochikeron decorated as apples in the bento box.

Another trick she taught in this recipe is on how to make a Kamaboko (fish cake) house. The roof is made of imitation crab meat or crab sticks while the house is made from Kamaboko. Attach the two pieces together to make your house using a small piece of uncooked spaghetti pasta. The hard pasta will be soft after awhile so you can safely eat it.

2.My Melody Bento Box

Now how about making Hello Kitty’s best friend, My Melody? As for this bento box recipe, the main ingredient is Sauteed Shimeji Mushrooms and Peppers.

Meanwhile, the cutesy part of this bento box is what Ochikeron called ‘Fish Sausage Strawberries’.

It required immense amount of detailing to make these ‘strawberries’ out of fish sausage, edamame beans and black sesame seeds but it still looked doable.

Then, she also made ‘Usuyaki Tamago Egg Crepe Flowers’. It is basically thinly fried omelette rolled and cut to look like a flower.

Watch how to make it here.

3.Cinnamoroll Bento Lunch Box

If you want your egg rolls to look like oranges, the key thing to do here is to attach seeds cutouts cheddar cheese on your roll with mayonnaise. Who knew mayonnaise can be used like glue for your food?

Apart from mayonnaise, Ochikeron also used honey to attach the little details on her rice balls.

Watch how to make it here.

4.Pompompurin Bento Lunch Box

Here is another character from the Hello Kitty world. The rice balls which shaped up the yellow-coloured Pompompurin character is pretty easy to make. It is basically minced omelette mixed with rice and forming into the shapes of the character.

As for the main dish, you can always use your leftover from last night’s dinner.

Watch how to make it here.

5.Olaf Bento Lunch

This bento box recipe is pretty easy to make because Olaf is a snowman. There is no extra seasoning or cooking for your rice balls because it uses only the Japanese white rice.

But of course there are those extra steps in making the face and limbs of Olaf. Just like any other bento boxes, be creative and use whatever ingredients you have to make them.

Watch how to make it here.

6.Monsters University Bento

Here is another easy to make bento from Ochikeron. The only tricky part is to make your green and blue-coloured rice.

However, you can always head over to the nearest Japanese store to find rice sprinkles. Or you can always improvise and settle with white rice balls to make the Monsters University characters.

Watch how to make it here.

7.Doraemon Bento Lunch Box

To shape your rice balls, you really need to use plastic wraps. But what if you don’t have any plastic wrap to make your rice?

Here is a bento box recipe which does not require any plastic wrap. Essentially, cut the face of Doraemon using easily available ingredients such seaweed sheets, cheese and imitation crab stick.

Watch how to make it here.

8.Kero Kero Keroppi Bento

If you want to take the art of bento seriously, one of the must have ingredients in your pantry is Sakura Denbu. Basically, it is a mashed, seasoned codfish with red food colouring.

Mix your rice with Sakura Denbu to make pink-coloured rice balls while green laver to make green-coloured rice balls. With some cut-out eyes made from cheese, ham and seaweed sheets, there you have it! Your Kero Kero Keroppi characters in a bento.

Watch how to make it here.

9.Minions Bento Box

These minions from Despicable Me are so doable to make, all thanks to their yellow-coloured rectangular shaped.

Just cut your Japanese omelette and put in the details using seaweed sheet. Just like the Doraemon bento box, you don’t need to make rice balls for this bento.

Watch how to make it here.

10.Santa Clause Bento Box

For this Santa Clause Bento Box, the key point is to wrap the top of your rice balls to make the Santa’s head.

To sum up Ochikeron’s bento making tips, there are four ingredients she uses to make up the details of her characters. There are imitation crab stick, cheese, ham and seaweed sheets.

By using these ingredients and some skills with the eyebrow scissor, you can make your own bento characters.

Watch how to make it here.

Unimas and Limkokwing shine on first night of AMS 2019

Published on March 8, 2019

Lifestyle/News & Features

Unimas and Limkokwing shine on first night of AMS 2019

The long-awaited Alta Moda Sarawak 2019 (AMS 2019) kicked off its first night on March 7 with designs by students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

Officiated by Sarawak Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, this inaugural fashion and lifestyle event saw three designers from each university pull off a dynamic runway show, showcasing diverse looks, from dramatic evening gowns to chic street styles.

AMS 2019: Bringing high-fashion to your doorstep

AMS chairperson Datin Esther Mujan Balan, who was regal in her canary yellow assymetrical evening gown, said that she looked forward to Alta Moda Sarawak being a successful annual event that can elevate Sarawak to a leading fashion hub in Southeast Asia, on top of attracting potential tourism.

Esther added, “We hope that events like these, our Sarawak designers and fashion model talents will not need to travel so far to showcase their amazing creations because Alta Moda Sarawak will be able to generate crowds and visitors to Sarawak ranging from among fashion enthusiast, the industry people, fashion magazines and medias, and retail buyers.”

Besides the 21 designers who will be showcasing among the best that Sarawak Malaysia has to offer, AMS 2019 also had international models striding around the runaway among the 24 models from Sarawak.

A boost for Sarawak tourism

Meanwhile, Snowdan, who graced the event in a striking suit with gold embroidered feather motifs, stated that the Sarawak government took pride in having Alta Moda Sarawak as another tourist attraction for the state.

“The organising of the three-day event will complement our efforts to boost tourists’ arrival in conjunction with the ‘Visit Sarawak Campaign’.”

He was also pleased to announce that the efforts in promoting the campaign had shown good results so far even though it was only entering its third month.

Snowdan added, “The number of visitors to Sarawak especially from other states in Semenanjung has dramatically increased to 68% as compared to January 2018. The overall arrivals itself have also increased by 10.72% with the total of 326, 347 visitors.”

About Alta Moda Sarawak

AMS 2019 is a brand platform for Sarawakian designers to come together showcase their talents and creations in the field of arts, culture and craft.

Besides the fashion show, the event also featured art exhibitions by The Accidental Artist, Hasbah Saufi, Mary Ann Vaz and 9-year-old artist Azaira Mohd Nizam from the Dyslexia Association.

In addition to that, there are diamond jewellery by Diamente, songket weaving by Tanoti, Sarawak Malay Keringkam embroidering by Sazalia Warisan Craft, handbags by Sarawak Penan Helping Hands and bead accessories by Punggu creations on display.

The foyer area opens daily from 4pm daily till the show’s closing time.

KajoAsks: Making a social impact through art with Mary Anne Vaz

Published on February 27, 2019

Lifestyle/News & Features

Self-taught artist Mary Anne Vaz was born in Penang, but she has called Sarawak home since she married her Kelabit husband.

She uses various mediums in her art including batik, acrylic, water colour and pastels.

A prolific painter like one of her idols Vincent Van Gogh, her work has been exhibited in various places such as Lingnan Museum of Art in China, Pustaka Miri and Saradise Gallery, Kuching.

She now teaches both young and old from an art center at her home.

Not content to just paint, she, together with her art students, have started a social project whereby proceeds from sales of their paintings will go to buying story books for Penan children in Ulu Baram.

Recently, KajoMag had the opportunity to learn more about the artist behind the paintings and her inspirations.

KajoAsks: Making a social impact through art with Mary Anne Vaz — Vaz and some of her paintings.

KajoMag: I understand that you started your journey in art as early as six years old. What do you remember about your paintings as a kid and what made you want to paint?

Mary Anne Vaz: I attended kindergarten where my teacher, a Chinese man gave me a chance to paint. I painted myself climbing a tree. Then I watched my brother paint big canvases with oil paints. I developed a style that was similar to oil painting in that I used very thick paints.

One day my dad told me, “You won a gold medal.” The concept of winning was not in my experience and I replied “ I don’t want a gold medal.” Then, it appeared on TV and in the news. It was the Queens Gold Medal.

I didn’t have any art books or art teachers. All I had was paint, brushes and paper. But there was a book on the human anatomy. From there, I became interested in painting human figures. So, most of my artwork features human figures.

I am fascinated with the hornbill dances of the Orang Ulu. Several of my paintings are on the dances, tribal attire, and everyday life of the Kelabits. I have also painted the legends of the Kelabits.

Then, I met the famous tattoo artist Ernesto Kalum. I became fascinated with his tattoos and have painted three paintings featuring him, one of them being “Warrior of Peace”.

KajoMag: How would you describe your style as an artist? Are there any painters that you particularly look up to?

Mary Anne Vaz: I am a symbolic artist. My paintings all carry deep messages. For example “ Warrior of Peace” which features Ernesto without his tattoos, without the sword, conveys the message that a leader must lay down his weapons and be vulnerable in order to lead his people to peace and face a brighter future.

I painted this after the summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un. The USA and North Korea meeting was to me a step towards disarmament. This is true courage. A warrior with no weapon is a truly brave warrior.

I look up to several artists. The first one was Chuah Thean Teng, the Father of Batik, who showed that this traditional style of fabric painting could be fine art. I studied his techniques and created a style of contemporary batik with traditional processes.

The second one is Vincent Van Gogh. I collected books on him. He was a prolific painter and I identify with him as I am also a prolific painter.

The third one is Raphael Scott Abeng from Kuching. He inspired me as a friend and I find his paintings unique and witty social commentary.

The fourth one is Tan Wei Kheng. He is a dear friend; he stretched my first canvas and has always been supportive.

Pustaka produced an e-book on Tan Wei Kheng called Discover Sarawak and I was the researcher and writer of his art. He is also a symbolic artist; his paintings being social commentary and social documentation.

KajoMag: Are there certain places you feel most inspired to paint? If so, where?

Mary Anne Vaz: The place that most inspired me to paint was Bario. Twenty-nine years ago when my eldest son was born , my husband and I walked 12 hours through the jungle from Bario to Pa’ Mada to have the traditional name changing ceremony.

I remember the trees being tall and the floor of the jungle covered with a carpet of leaves. Later, I made a sketch of my father-in-law’s parang and its tree bark sheath.

I then painted it in contemporary batik style. It is now in the Sarawakiana collection of Pustaka Sarawak. I painted the fireplace in “Kelabit Lady” which was exhibited in China in the Lingnam Museum of Art in Foshan in October 2018.

KajoMag: Can you name the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from being a part of the Sarawak art industry?

Mary Anne Vaz: The biggest lesson I have learned in being part of the Sarawak Art industry is that an artist must be dynamic, keep learning and growing. No doubt skills with brushes are important, but digital skills are vital to share our art and connect across nations.

Being multilingual is also important. When I went to China I prepared myself by learning to speak Mandarin.

Alta Moda Sarawak is a good example of how artists are being dynamic. Coming together to move forward. The leaders in Alta Moda Sarawak have created a bridge to tomorrow.

KajoMag: Care to share your hope for young artists in Sarawak?

Mary Anne Vaz: My art studio in Miri grooms young artists from as young as six years old. So, my hope is that parents take art seriously.

Give your child a chance to use the correct tools to paint. Give your child a good art tutor to mentor his growth. Let young artists develop their own style. I am happy that in my studio there are several young artists with very high potential.

I share my own techniques with them and encourage them to have their own vision. Parents have been very supportive in giving them time and resources to grow. What we need is more opportunities to exhibit the work of young artists.

KajoMag: Tell us more about your social project to buy books and reference books for the Penan children in Ulu Baram.

Mary Anne Vaz: My students and I started sending books to schools in Ulu Baram with the help of a friend who travels there regularly.

Each time my students sell a painting for RM50, they voluntarily donate RM10 to buy a story book. I also buy books that promote early reading such as books using phonics.

I will put about 20 books in a bag and give to my friend who takes them to the teachers there.

When I sell my paintings. I also buy some books for this purpose. I am thinking that story books are a source of joy, different from school books.
The Penan children and other children who live far from town may not have a chance to enjoy story books. Besides these, I have also bought encyclopedias for them.

About Alta Moda Sarawak

Interested viewers can catch Vaz and her works during this upcoming Alta Moda Sarawak.

To be held from March 7-9 at the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Building in Kuching, 24 designers and brands will be taking part in this event which aims to highlight the many colours of Sarawak’s cultures and diversities.

Check more of Vaz’s works on her website or follow her on Instagram.

KajoTries: The crunchy deep-fried kuih cap or kuih goyang

Published on February 14, 2019

Lifestyle

KajoMag traded our pens and laptops for a whisk and a wok to make our own traditional Malaysian cake – kuih cap.

Even if you have never heard of ‘kuih cap’, you have most probably heard the name of this cake under other names. In Sarawak, it is widely known as kuih cap (sometimes kuih sap). This snack is also called kuih goyang, kuih loyang, kuih ros, kuih bunga durian, beehive cookie and honeycomb cookie.

The basic ingredients to make kuih cap are rice flour, eggs, sugar and coconut milk.

Although this traditional snack does not share a common name, it uses the same brass mold to make it. In Malaysia, you can find the mold at major supermarkets, grocery shops or kitchenware stores.

The original kuih cap is golden brown in colour but it can come in other colours as well, especially in pink.

Similarity with snacks from other countries

While there is no proven fact on where kuih cap comes from, the common understanding is that it is inspired by southern Indian’s rose cookies.

Even in India, it is known by different names; Gulabi Puvvulu in Telugu, Acchu Murukku in Tamil and Achapam in Malayalam. Made from flour, sugar, eggs and coconut milk, this rose cookie is a favourite among Indian Christians during the Christmas season.

In Indonesia, this snack is called Kembang Goyang. It shares the same ingredients with kuih cap of rice flour, eggs, sugar, salt and coconut milk.

KajoTries: The crunchy deep-fried kuih cap or kuih goyang — The dry ingridients of Kuih Cap.

Meanwhile in Thailand, a snack which is similar to kuih cap is Lotus Blossom Cookie or Kanom Dok Bua.

The pattern of the Lotus Blossom Cookie mold looks more like a lotus flower and more elaborate from kuih cap’s mold.

Unlike kuih cap, Thai’s Lotus Blossom Cookie is not flat and really does look like a flower. To shape the flower, place a small bowl upside down on a plate. When the cookie is fresh out of the fryer and still soft, place the cookie on top of the bowl to make it curve like a blossoming flower. Allow to cool.

Beside rice flour, some Lotus Blossom Cookie recipes also put in all-purpose flour and cassava flour as their ingredients.

This Lotus Blossom Cookie reportedly can also be found in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The variations of Malaysian kuih cap recipes

In Malaysia, there are plenty of variations in portions when it comes to kuih cap recipes. However, the main ingredients are rice flour, sugar, eggs, coconut milk, salt, water and oil for frying.

Some put in drops of colouring to make it more colourful. Another ingredient, which is optional for kuih cap, is sesame seeds.

After mixing all the ingredients into a batter, heat the oil together with the brass mold. After the oil and mold are hot enough, dip the mold lightly into the batter and then put it back into the hot oil long enough to cook the batter. Then shake it over a plate until the snack comes off the mold.

KajoTries to make our own kuih cap

Here at KajoMag, we traded our pens and laptops for a whisk and a wok to make our own kuih cap.

To make the batter, we used 500g of rice flour, one cup of castor sugar, 2 eggs, 250ml of coconut milk, one teaspoon of salt and 400ml of water.

The recipe also stated that we supposed to put a little bit of air kapur (limewater). But we couldn’t find any so we scratched that of the ingredient list. (Do let us know in the comment box why we should put in limewater in our kuih cap).

While the rest of the ingredients were easily available and affordable, the hard part was deep-frying it.

Some people suggested keeping the fire low to prevent it from burning. (But it does take a toll on our patience.)

Sometimes, the mold was too hot that the batter just fell off the mold even before we transferred it from batter to oil to fry it.

Additionally, we realised that therewas an art to shaking the mold while dipping the batter in the frying oil that most online recipes failed to mention. We were supposed to shake the mold up and down – not side to side as we were doing! – in order for the snack to stay in shape.

The end product

After getting the hang of the mold and the frying, we were happy to announce that 60% of our kuih cap were nicely shaped and crispy, while the rest were burnt or deformed beyond recognition.

KajoMag readers, feel free to share your ultimate recipe of this traditional snack and tricks to make the perfect piece of Kuih Cap in the comment box.

Do you have any traditional recipes that you want us to try to make next? Let us know!

15 poets you should follow on Instagram

Published on February 12, 2019

Entertainment

Whether you like it or not, social media has been redefining a lot of things including the world of poets.

Social media apps such as Instagram has become a platform for poets to freely share their rhymes and verses to an audience.

And if they are good enough, they can even score a book deal or two for making their works accessible to the world.

So if you are looking for sincere, relatable words to soothe your poetic soul in the midst of the viral craziness of social media, here are 15 poets you should follow on Instagram:

1.Lang Leav

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lang Leav (@langleav) on Feb 2, 2019 at 2:35pm PST

Love & Misadventure, Lullabies, Memories, The Universe of Us and Sea of Strangers; these are published poetry and prose books written by Lang Leav.

Taking matter into her own hands, Lang self-published her first book Love & Misadventure. When the book started to top best-seller charts, publishers began calling her for book deals and now she signed up with Writers House.

Apart from her books, you can find some of her works on her Instagram account where she also shared about her future events.

2.Michael Faudet

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Faudet (@michaelfaudet) on Nov 8, 2018 at 6:20pm PST

And we cannot talk about Lang Leav, without talking about Michael Faudet. Faudet is Lang’s partner and perhaps the only one who knows how Faudet looks like in real life.

Unlike Lang’s work, Faudet is known for his erotic writing style, which you can tell even by the title of his books such as ‘Dirty Pretty Things’.

3.Rupi Kaur

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) on Jan 31, 2019 at 7:23pm PST

Before this poet shared her work on Instagram, she started to share them on Tumblr back in 2013.

Rupi Kaur’s Instagram feed of poetry and illustrations started in 2014. Then, she published her first book, milk and honey on Nov 4, 2014.

The book sold more than 2.5 million copies and was on The New York Times Best Seller list for over 77 weeks.

The success of Kaur’s book is indeed a far cry from her days writing poems on Tumblr account.

4.Atticus

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ATTICUS (@atticuspoetry) on Jan 30, 2019 at 4:15pm PST

What does Atticus looks like? No one knows (or at least none of his followers do, anyway). The poet always wears a mask even during his public readings of his book and on TV.

Is he a good poet? His 1 million followers on Instagram think so.

His Instagram feed is carefully curated in monochrome mostly with one-liners that hit straight to your heart.

5.Nikita Gill

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nikita Gill (@nikita_gill) on Oct 9, 2018 at 6:51pm PDT

The scariest thing about putting your work online is to have people sharing them without crediting you. And no one knows this better than Nikita Gill.

A couple years ago, Khloe Kardashian shared one of her poems without credit. Even after people tried to inform her, Kardashian refused to respond.

The poet shared her thought about it during an interview with Fashion Magazine, “The longer it’s been out on the Internet, the longer the Internet seems to think that it belongs to them. It’s scary being a creative person sharing their work online.”

So, if you are reposting any poems from these poets on Instagram, do not forget to give them proper credit!

6.Najwa Zebian

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Najwa Zebian (@najwazebian) on Feb 1, 2019 at 5:47am PST

In 2016, Najwa Zebian self-published her first collection of poetry and prose. And she continued to publish her works in books like The Nectar of Pain and Mind Platter.

Her upcoming book Sparks of Phoenix is set to release this coming Mar 5.

Meanwhile, she continued to share some her lines on Instagram.

7.Alison Malee

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alison A. Malee (@alison.malee) on Jan 30, 2019 at 7:44pm PST

Malee is a poet/author/artist. This New York-based poet has been featured in The Huffington Post, Bustle, Thought Catalog.

You can find her poems, quotes and prose on her Instagram, mostly posted with flowers as her background.

8.Amanda Lovelace

View this post on Instagram

from the @target exclusive edition of my poetry collection, to make monsters out of girls. available now. ❤️❤️❤️

A post shared by amanda lovelace (@ladybookmad) on Jan 22, 2019 at 10:55am PST

She is the winner of 2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet. Her first published book has a title which screams feminism, The Princess Saves Herself In This One.

The titles of her books are always intriguing; The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One, To Make Monsters Out Of Girls, The Mermaid’s Voice Returns In This One.

Recently, Lovelace joined power with two other bestselling authors Nikita Gill and Trista Mateer to publish Dragonhearts.

9.Tyler Knott Gregson

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tyler Knott Gregson (@tylerknott) on Feb 2, 2019 at 5:34pm PST

What is the best part about following Tyler Knott Gregson on Instagram? He currently publishes a raw poem from his “Typewriter Series” every day!

And he wrote “Daily Haiku on Love” on a piece of paper and posted it daily too! Wait, we are not done yet. Gregson is also a professional photographer so he posted his photo on his Instagram.

Combining these three kind of photos on his Instagram feed; we have his typewriter-written poems on the left column, a handwritten note in the middle column and a photograph on the right column.

There you have it; one of the most perfectly curated Instagram account and it comes with poems.

10.Nayyirah Waheed

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @nayyirah.waheed on Feb 1, 2019 at 11:11pm PST

The first word to describe Nayyirah Waheed’s style of poetry is unconventional. Let just say that, she is not a fan of capital letters and traditional punctuation.

Nonetheless, her short lines and few words style of poems manage to draw about 700 000 followers on Instagram.

11.Christopher Poindexter

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Christopher Poindexter (@christopherpoindexter) on Jan 25, 2019 at 1:33pm PST

How to get Christopher Poindexter’s attention on Instagram? Get a tattoo of his poems on your body, post it on Instagram, do not forget to tag his account and he might repost your photo!

Poindexter started to write poems when he was 18. Since then, he had published three books; Naked Human, Lavender (Remastered) and Old Soul Love.

12.Robert M. Drake

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by R. M. Drake (@rmdrk) on Feb 3, 2019 at 3:58pm PST

With 1.9 million followers on Instagram, it is no surprise that Robert M. Drake is also the author of several best-selling books.

Like some of the poets on this list, Drake is also a popular street artist which you can see his work in all major cities in the US.

13.Marisa Crane

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marisa Crane (@marisa_crane) on Feb 2, 2019 at 2:38pm PST

Like many other poets, Marisa Crane also write her non-poetical poems such as fiction and non-fiction pieces.

And the coolest thing about Crane? She is also the co-founder and editor of Collective Unrest, an undergound resistance magazine to promote social unity and political unrest.

14.Pavana Reddy

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by pavana 🦄 (@mazadohta) on Jan 24, 2019 at 8:11am PST

Most poets write because they found peace and serenity in the rhythmic and metaphoric words of poetry. The same thing can be said about Pavana Reddy who found solace in poetry after losing her sister at a very young age.

You feel how she talked about her pain, love and loses though her poems on Instagram.

15.Amanda Torroni

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amanda Torroni (@amandatorroni) on Jul 16, 2018 at 1:08pm PDT

This author of Stargazing at Noon and Poetic Conversation is currently based in Summerville, South Carolina, US.

Her Instagram profile shows a mixture of poems and prose as well as some glimpse of her personal life.

Occasionally, she posted videos of her reciting her poems.

Do you have any favourite poets on Instagrams which are not on this list? Let us know on the comment box.

5 reasons why you should follow Dianxi Xiaoge on YouTube

Published on February 11, 2019

Lifestyle

If you have not heard of Dianxi Xiaoge, then you have missed out on something really awesome on the Internet, especially if you’re a foodie!

One of the trends on YouTube is making videos of cooking traditional food in the most realistic, authentic way.

These YouTubers show you how they live their daily lives in the countryside, farming, harvesting, collecting plants in the jungle and cooking dishes using ingredients fresh off the farm.

Imagine if we had a Sarawakian who documented their lives at the longhouse, working on the farm, making burak (Kayan rice wine) and pounding on cassava leaves for dinner.

Interestingly, these videos have gathered a lot of subscribers and views on YouTube. Though Dianxi Xiaoge’s videos are loosely translated, non-Mandarin speakers can still understand the gist of this interesting show.

5 reasons why you should follow Dianxi Xiaoge on YouTube — Dianxi Xiaoge. Credits: YouTube

Here are five reasons why you should follow Dianxi Xiaoge on YouTube:

1.She introduces you to new dishes, particularly from Yunnan province

Dianxi Xiaoge prides herself on being a local Yunnan girl. She films seasonal ingredients, special local products and everything which reflects the uniqueness of Yunnan cuisine.

Yunnan is a province located in south-central China. It is known for its rich resources as well as being one of the most ethnically diverse provinces of China.

Watch the video here.

That being said, it is no surprise that Yunnan is home to a variety of unique dishes. Being proud of her roots, Dianxi Xiaoge shares plenty of Yunnan traditional dishes. Most of these dishes are unheard of especially in Malaysia.

One of Yunnan dishes which Dianxi Xiaoge introduced to her subscribers is the Zianyi Chilli Chicken. The dish has a history spanning over 100 years. It is cooked differently from the more famous Sichuan Chilli Chicken. The chili is first boiled before being pounded to cook with the chicken while Sichuan uses chili oil.

Another unique Yunan dishes are Bamboo Pipe Cakes. (Yes, it is exactly what you expect it to be.) It is a dessert made in bamboo. The snack is more popular in western Yunnan province.

Other Yunnan dishes featured on her channel are Pig’s head with Dried Daikon, Yunnan-style Grilled Lemongrass Pork Rib and Yunnan Red Bean and Ham Rice.

2.You will never take your food and farmers for granted after watching Dianxi Xiaoge

Besides cooking, Dianxi Xiaoge also shows the sweat and blood that goes into her farms. From pumpkin to soybean, she shares what she farms according to different seasons.

Watch the video here.

Not all of her ingredients are planted on her farms. She also harvests some crops from her relatives’ farm or picks them up straight from the jungle.

3.She makes you want to hug your grannies!

This YouTuber speaks fondly of her grandparents in her videos, especially her grandpa who works hard on the farm to make a living. So, some of the videos dedicated to her grandpa are those which she cooks his favourite dishes such as Brown Sugar Sweet Bean Curd Jelly.

Watch the video here.

Additionally, Dianxi Xiaoge inspires viewers to learn from the elders on traditional recipes and methods before it is too late. In some of her videos, she showcases how she learns how to cook certain recipes from her grandma.

4.Dianxi Xiaoge teaches you to make things from scratch

Speaking of grandparents, Dianxi Xiaoge also gets them to try food they had never eaten before such as hamburgers. Her grandparents had only seen hamburgers on TV.

She lives 20km away from the nearest town and even in town, they only sell traditional food.

Watch the video here.

So what Dianxi Xiaoge did was beyond amazing: She made hamburgers from scratch. Can you imagine whipping out tomato sauce from wild tomatoes?

Watch the video here.

Apart from that, she also educates her viewers on traditional cooking methods and it is her way of documenting this traditional knowledge.

While factory-processed sausages are common today, she shows how to make sausages the traditional way which she calls a genius idea from their ancestors which allows for long-term storage of meat.

5.She might turn you into home-based distiller or vintner

What makes Dianxi Xiaoge more impressive is that she is also a distiller and vintner. In one of the videos, she makes her grandfather’s favourite corn liquor.

She also shows how she makes her own wine and mulberry wine.

Watch the video here.

KajoPicks: Check out these four coffee places in Bintulu

Published on January 31, 2019

Lifestyle

Apart from shopping complex, Bintulu is currently witnessing the rising number of different kind of eateries.

These include coffee places offering good coffee from dirty coffee to nitrogen-infused java and relaxing ambience for patrons to just hang out.

Here are four coffee places in Bintulu, Sarawak you need to check out:

1.Coffee Dream

Located at Parkcity Commerce Square, this coffee place has been operating since 2014.

Besides coffee, Coffee Dream is famous among the locals for its western food.

Omelette sandwich, spaghetti bolognese, mushroom soup, cheesy beef balls, mushroom cheese omelette, eggs Benedict, chicken Caesar salad are just the tip of their wide range of menu items.

For rice eaters out there, don’t worry because Coffee Dream has a selection of Asian favourites to choose from such as the typical nasi lemak.

While you are at it, might as well end your meal with one of their freshly baked cakes for dessert.

2.The Coffee Code Bintulu

KajoPicks: Check out these four coffee places in Bintulu — Do you like it dirty? Dirty Code from The Coffee Code.

The Coffee Code is Sarawak’s very own cafe chains. The first one was opened in Sibu, then Bintulu at Ibraco Town Square and the latest was in Kuching at Saradise, BDC.

When you’re at Coffee Code, how about giving the Dirty Code a try? It is their in-house version of dirty coffee. It is one of the best coffee places in town to spend your tea time because it serves wide range desserts.

Their specialty is perhaps waffles which come with different kind of toppings.

3.Escape Coffee

You can’t satisfy your coffee craving early in the morning at Escape Coffee. But you can satisfy your coffee craving late at night here because it opens from 12pm till 12am.

It is perfect for the late night work hustle since it provides free wifi.

Feeling hungry? They have good options of food on their menu such as beef sirloin steak, mixed grill, lamb chop, butter chicken waffle and chicken macaroni fruit salad.

4.Melt Cafe

The current star of Melt Cafe Bintulu, no, not its famed grilled cheese sandwich but its Nitro Coffee.

If you have not tried Nitro Coffee before, just imagine Guinness draft beer, only it’s coffee! Since the drink is infused with nitrogen, it has this rich, creamy head similar to Guinness.

So if you are a big fan of coffee, this beverage is definitely worth a try.

Longing for dessert? Give Melt Cafe’s Burnt Cheesecake a try. Some described Burnt Cheesecake as the alter ego to the classic New York cheesecake. The differences are this cake is burnt outside with toasty edges and without the usual pressed cookie base.

Of course you cannot leave Melt Cafe without trying its signature grilled cheese sandwich.

Style Series teams up with Miss World Malaysia 2018 for a good cause

Published on January 29, 2019

News & Features

Style Series is a series of events organised to share fashion concepts and empower emerging new talents in Southeast Asia and Europe.

The first of its event, Style Series Episode 1: China Rouge was held on Jan 27 at Chabo Dine and Bar.

And this time, the fashion event showcased a spectacular Chinese New Year Collection to raise funds for Miss World Malaysia’s Indigenous Digital Outreach Program (IDOP).

The Miss World Malaysia 2019 titleholder, Larissa Ping Liew explained that she collaborated with Kuching-based community building organisation to start IDOP.

She said, “One of the main reasons why I joined Miss World was because Miss World focuses so much on reaching out to people, especially underprivileged children around the world. Hence, I’ve collaborated with the Champions to run programs around the rural areas of Sarawak called the IDOP.”

IDOP’s first project was held in October 2018 where Liew and her team reached out to the Penan community nearby Long Seridan. There, they brought in computers, painted murals around the school, fixed their fans and lights as well as organised motivational sessions for the students.

“Why children in the rural areas?” Liew said, “We realised that there is a major education gap between the rural community and urban folk.”

According to the 20-year-old beauty queen, not many rural youth enjoy good quality education or have the opportunity to further their tertiary studies and change their status quo.

She continued, “Being there to experience the lifestyle of the children has motivated my team and I to do more this year.”

With funds raised from Style Series Episode 1, Liew and her team are hoping to reach out to ten different villages this year around Sarawak.