Sunday, May 31, 2015

Legoland Hotel and Resort in Malaysia


Fun, amazing and super exciting - these are just some of the many words that can describe Legoland Hotel and Resort in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. With luxurious hotel rooms, affordable guesthouses and different fun-filled activities in their amusement and theme parks, it’s no wonder that more and more families now spend their time in Legoland for the ultimate Lego experience.


Legoland Resort

Legoland Resort is Malaysia’s first themed park and is the first Lego themed park to open in Asia. With a Legoland Park and Water Park, it’s surely a haven for families, kids and kids-at-heart. If you’re a Lego lover this place is definitely a must see in Malaysia!

The resort boasts of seven themed attractions for people of all ages namely, The Beginning, Lego Technic, Lego Kingdom, Imagination, Lego City, Land of Adventure and Miniland. Families can enjoy their more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions. Kids are left with a variety of interactive learning experiences. The resort also has a Water Park with more than 20 slides, 70 Lego models and other water based attractions. 

Family members, especially the kids can enjoy running, playing around and discovering the amazing experiences that the resort has to offer. With all these attractions, there’s never a dull day when you’re visiting Legoland Resort.

The roller coaster ride in Legoland Resort!

One of the nicest attractions in Legoland, The kingdom!

Legoland Resort features a Starwars Room for kids and fanatics!


A miniature wonder made of lego!


Legoland Hotel

Legoland Hotel is a very child friendly and family oriented hotel. Upon entering the entrance of the hotel, huge Lego warriors and a wide lobby with amusing decors like a huge castle and giant ship playground will greet you. Kids can play with the Lego pieces in the lobby while parents are checking in.


Lego lovers will surely go crazy with all the Lego references present in the hotel. Lego mini figs adorn the walls of the lobby, chairs and tables look like Lego bricks and even the flowers in the hotel are made of Lego bricks! Just the interactive areas in the lobby will surely make the kids (and adults alike) go crazy! They have Lego Bricks Stations, XBOX Kinect Machine and even a Disco Elevator complete with disco lights and music.



But wait until you get to their rooms. They have themed rooms from which you can choose from - The Kingdom Rooms, Adventure Rooms and Pirate Rooms. For each type of room, you can choose either a premium type (up to 5 persons with maximum of 3 adults) or deluxe type (up to 8 persons with maximum of 4 adults). 




The rooms are amazing and you can see from the decorations that the hotel really put a lot of effort on the amount of detailing involved in each room. Lego bricks and other toys that vary depending on the room type are everywhere, so you’re kids can remain occupied while staying in your room. 



New Attractions in Legoland Malaysia

Legoland Malaysia recently added a number of new attractions for a more awesome and memorable experience in Legoland. Aside from the seven themed areas in their resort, they also recently added the Joker Soaker, Build a Raft and Lego Wave Pool.


The Joker Soaker is a fun pool playground with different slides. Children can aim water cannons and adults can wade in its pool. A huge bucket would also pour 350 gallons of water every few minutes for a torrential spill. 


Another new attraction is Build a Raft. It is an interactive activity where children can build their own raft from Lego bricks while they float lazily in the man-made river. For families who just want to make a splash, they can ride the waves or simply cool off in the Lego Wave Pool.

Fly to Legoland with Air Asia

If you want to fly directly to Legoland Malaysia, there are Air Asia plane trips available which can take you straight to Johor Bahru. What’s more amazing is that Air Asia offers the lowest air fares for international flights to more than 100 destinations in 22 countries including in Johor Bahru Malaysia. 

With Air Asia, you’ll get a cheap price for the same quality that you can get from more costly airlines. By choosing low cost plane fares, you can save more for your stay in Legoland and for your tour around Johor Bahru’s must-see places. Plus, you can even save up some money for a side trip to Singapore!


Take a side trip to Singapore

Singapore is just a bus or a coach away from Johor Bahru. So when in Johor Bahru, why not take a side trip to Singapore? You can choose to have a day tour around Singapore or opt to stay overnight to explore and experience is bustling city night life. Bus shuttle services to Resort Worlds Sentosa, Universal Studios and Marina Bay Sands also abound in Johor Bahru so don’t miss the opportunity to visit these must-see destinations!


Tune Hotels in Johor Bahru

A high quality yet cheap place to stay in when travelling abroad is now possible with Tune Hotels. If you’re touring and exploring Malaysia, particularly in Danga Bay, Johor Bahru, booking in at Tune Hotels can help you save a lot of money and still have an amazing and relaxing experience with your accommodations.



Limited Service Type Hotel

Tune Hotels is a limited service type hotel that lets you customize your stay by allowing you to pay only for what you use. Basically, you’ll pay only the room and the basic services included if you want to pay for an accommodation at a very cheap price. If you want to have additional services like television, air conditioning or a breakfast set, then that’s the time that you’ll pay for the “add-ons”. 

This set-up is very apt not only for those who are on a budget and those who want to get rid of costly services like pools and room service, but also for those who don’t want to pay for additional features which they won’t have time to use during their stay like television and sauna. With this concept, it’s no wonder that Tune Hotels has been awarded by Trip Advisor with a Certificate of Excellence in recognition of its exceptional accomplishments in achieving consistent outstanding traveler reviews.



Hotel Features

Tune Hotels offers a wide range of services to make your stay more comfortable and relaxing. Some of the basic amenities offered by the hotel include the following:

218 smoke-free rooms in 6 floors comprising of 153 double rooms and 63 twin rooms
Handicapped access and 2 wheelchair-friendly double rooms
High quality beds
24/7 security system
Power showers
24 hour front desk
Free internet access in common rooms
Computer stations
24 hour check-in
24 hour cash/ ATM machine
Safety deposit box
Convenience store
Gift shop
Elevators
Air conditioning
Tour desk
Airport shuttle
Self-parking
Safe luggage storage facilities
Prayer room
Theme park shuttle
Guests can also avail of the following additional services:
Air conditioning
Towel rental and toiletries
Early check in
Late check out 
Breakfast set
Wifi in your room
Flat screen television



Accessibility 

Tune Hotels is only a 15-minute walk away from Danga Bay City. It is conveniently reached via a 30-minute drive from Senai Airport. It is also 9 miles away from Woodlands Checkpoint.

Nearby Attractions



Tune Hotels offers a shuttle bus ride to Legoland Malaysia which is only 15 minutes away from the hotel. The said theme park is Asia’s first Legoland theme park where kids and parents alike can enjoy different fun-filled activities. Lego model displays, fun family rides and interactive shows can make your visit to this theme park super fun and exciting. There’s also a big shop where visitors can buy different toys, DVDs, computer games and other Lego products. 


Another must-see place that you should not miss in Johor Bahru is Kuso Art Gallery. Kuso Art Gallery is a 3D trick art museum where visitors can have a fun and exciting experience and take pictures with interactive art, 3D paintings, props and masks. If you want to visit an exciting and memorable place where you can take unique photos, this gallery is definitely a must see.


A side-trip to Singapore

Aside from Legoland, Tune Hotels is also within close proximity to Singapore. The hotel even offers a shuttle service to Resort Worlds Sentosa, Universal Studios and Marina Bay Sands. As you can easily take a bus from Johor Bahru to Singapore, you can always make the most of your travel by going for a side-trip to Singapore. You can choose to explore Singapore’s must see destinations during the day or prefer to stay there overnight to experience is bustling city night life.


Low cost airlines plus low cost hotels

Tune Hotels is the sister company of Air Asia, so when traveling to Malaysia or any other country, take the affordable route and opt to book with a low cost airline and a low cost hotel to maximize your budget. Air Asia offers not only the lowest fares to different countries, but also a very safe and comfortable flying experience. It is the pioneer low-cost service carrier that can give you quality food and drinks, entertainment and the latest in-flight technology. 

With both Tune Hotels and Air Asia, you’ll not only save more when it comes to your accommodation, but also on your plane fare. Also don’t forget to look out for their promos and packages to save more money!


Tune Hotels in Downtown KL

Looking for a hotel that is conveniently located in Downtown Kuala Lumpur? Look no further because you’ve come to the right place. With Tune Hotel’s convenient location in Downtown KL, high quality basics and optional add-ons, you’ll surely be a happy traveler just like me and my friends at the end of your stay in Malaysia.



Getting there!

Tune Hotels has a convenient location in Downtown KL. To get there, you can take a Skybus from LCCT to LK Sentral. Once you arrive at LK Sentral, you can take the KL Monorail and stop at Chow Kit Station. From there you can walk for a few minutes to Tune Hotels Downtown.


Budget Value Hotel

Hotel accommodations consume a very big part on a traveler’s budget, so finding a high quality hotel for the best value is a serious business. This is especially so when you’re travelling internationally as hotel accommodations can really become very expensive in other countries. One may think that low cost hotels would mean suffering in a cramped room with meager services, but with Tune Hotels, low cost now means that you get high quality services without sacrificing your budget.



Tune Hotels is a limited service hotel chain that offers a "5-star sleeping experience at a 1-star price" accommodation. The concept of Tune Hotels is that you pay only for what you use. You pay for a basic room with basic services for a low price and you can choose one with an air conditioning or a fan in it. If you want to avail other services like TV, wifi in your room or a breakfast set, then that’s the time when you’ll pay for the add-ons. With this set-up, you can customize your stay both according to your budget and according to the services that you’ll need during your stay.



Hotel Services

The main amenities that you can get from Tune Hotels in Downtown KL include the following:

275 smoke-free guestrooms
24 hour ATM services, 
24-hour front desk
Daily housekeeping
Rooms with air conditioning or ceiling fan
Self-parking
Free wifi in common rooms
Lift
Luggage storage
Hairdryer
Laundry services or self laundry
Iron facility
24 hour security
Tour desk
Fitness room or gym
Airport shuttle
Designated smoking area
Great bed and pillows
Approachable staff that knows how to speak English, Chinese and Malay
.      There's also a café & a 7-11 store on left side of the lobby near the entrance.



-      Additional services are also available such as:

Towel rental and toiletries
Air conditioning
Early check in
Late check out (Check out time is 11am; additional MYR 15 for 2pm checkout and MYR25 for 6pm check out)
Television
Breakfast set
Wifi in your room


Convenient Location

Tune Hotels is conveniently located at the heart of Downtown KL. It is within walking distance from the shopping, dining and entertainment areas as well as Kuala Lumpur’s two main transportation hub – the Medan Tuanku Monorail Station and the Sultan Ismail LRT Station. There’s also a shopping mall with a supermarket, KFC and Starbucks at its opposite side of the street. 

Places to visit near Tune Hotels Downtown KL!

Tune Hotels is close to some of Malaysia’s famous tourist spots like the Petronas Towers, Open University Malaysia and Putra World Trade Center which are just a brief drive away from the hotel. You can also go for some sightseeing at nearby places like Asian Heritage Row, Chinatown and Central Market. 

Other things that you can do near Tune Hotels include:

shopping at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, KL Sogo and the Night Market
visiting KLCC Park, Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery, Islamic Arts Museum, Menara Tower, Kuala Lumpur City Gallery and National Planetarium
watching a musical at MUD Kuala Lumpur or the orchestra at Dewan Filharmonik (Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra)
joining the Be Tourist Malaysia Heritage Walk
going on a food trip at Simply Enak
relaxing and rejuvenating at Swasana Spa and Anggun Spa
appreciating the architecture at St. Mary’s Cathedral and Sultan Abdul Samad Building



With lesser budget from your hotel accommodation, you can now experience more activities around Downtown KL. So what are you waiting for? Book your room now and experience high quality service at a very affordable price with Tune Hotels!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron Movie Review

I cannot express the sheer level of excitement that I felt when I initially heard that Marvel Entertainment was coming out with the new Avengers movie. Having been a long-time fan and a comic geek of Marvel, I had no qualms that this would turn out to be as stunningly awesome as the first Avengers movie. 

There’s nothing quite like sitting down to watch a group of superheroes open a serious can of whoop…you know what on a bunch of bad guys who are set to destroy a city, country, or the world. I’ve been following the Avengers saga since the cinematographers brought both Ironman and The Incredible Hulk to life back in 2008. After the resurrection of Captain American: The First Avenger made its appearance in 2011, the first Avengers movie followed suit in 2012. 

So, this whole time, and in true Marvel fashion, it became evident that all of the movies were building up to something. I mean, that’s the whole point of it, right? First, you are introduced to some of the key players, and then you mix them together, add a dash of bad intentions, namely Loki and his cohorts, and blend well. Voila! The first Avengers movie turned out spectacular!

When the cast returned for a second time, naturally, my excitement soared with anticipation filling my mind with the overwhelming giddiness of a toddler eyeballing a candy bar. The idea of a trip to the theatre always makes for a fun time, well, except when you have to endure long tedious lines, but in the end, the hope is that the resulting movie viewing experience will be well worth it. However, this time the experience was a little different for me.

While I would still recommend watching it, particularly if you’re an Avengers fan, the movie fell a bit short of my expectations. Here’s the thing, I expected a lot of action-popping adventure coming from Marvel. A movie such as this should be a fast-paced and action-packed adventure. It wouldn’t be a Marvel movie if it were any other way.

The problem that I had with it was that it felt as though it was simply stuffed with too much going on and that, at times, dampened my view on it and occasionally made it a little hard to keep up with, not to mention the plot line swung way out in left field leaving me to wonder what just happened.


The first movie focused more on Thor’s brother Loki, who decided to invade Earth with the aid of some of his cohorts and the Avengers team pulled together and defeated them all. In this second movie, however, emphasis was placed more on developing a new robot to eventually defeat Ultron, who was ironically a development gone awry of Stark. It seems that the Avengers team should’ve played a much larger role in personally defeating Ultron on their own rather than relying on a new robot to ultimately step in and fill in the gaps where they could not. 

There were other problems that I had with the movie as well. The scene in which Thor had a vision in the cave came off as being downright odd. I get that it was likely portraying what viewers may expect in the future, but it just did not sit well. The movie also shows one character getting nixed, while several others leave and new additions are made to the crew by the end of the show. 

Everything in the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie, at one point or another seemed way too rushed, as though perhaps the story’s wasn’t flowing to the producer’s liking and they just decided to force it along to speed the process up. The only thing that was truly accomplished by this was to make for an unsatisfying and frustrating movie-going experience. 

If you’re already a fan of Marvel comics or movies, then I would still suggest seeing this second phase to Avengers play out. After all, it’s important to keep up with what happens, so as not to leave any voids when the next movie comes out and you notice the cast has suddenly changed. However, I would suggest that you prepare yourselves by not setting your expectations too high.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Blackbeard’s Seafood Island To Celebrate National Boodle Day!

The ‘Original’ with Boodle Feasts! 
#ExtremeBonding #SeafoodIslandNation



Blackbeard’s Seafood Island (BSI), the group that created and brought you the ‘Original’ Boodle Feasts, will be celebrating 11 Years of Extreme Seafood Bonding this September 16, 2015 or commonly known as ‘National Boodle Day’. 

The concept is a brainchild of Mr. Raymund Magdaluyo, with its first branch in Market! Market!, Taguig. Diners sense the cool positive vibes as they are ushered into Seafood Island’s hip interiors with a relaxed, fun-loving – north shore surfing feel. 

Blackbeard’s Seafood Island has innovated the Filipino casual grill dining experience by bringing to the market the first and the original ‘Boodle Feasts’.



The Seafood Island Boodle Feast is first of its kind, creatively re-inventing the way ‘Filipino food bundles for groups’ are created and presented – a trend adapted by most of the other Filipino grill concepts soon thereafter.

BSI boodle feasts provide customers with a wide array of their Island-Inspired Filipino dishes in a food setting that is perfect for sharing and promotes a literal “bonding” experience - families and friends sharing island-inspired seafood, eating directly from the same big - banana leaf lined boodle tray, where celebratory food is uniquely laid out - where eating with one’s hands is encouraged.

Seafood Bonding Extreme! – Seafood Island offers the best seafood dining experience!






Whether in developing its menu or styling its store design, BSI always tries to stay true to its core values of Seafood, Sarap, Saya!

BSI also offers ‘Live Seafood Choices’ through Paluto, which are made from the freshest catch of the day (live fish, crabs) ensuring excellence in taste and quality. Aside from this, one of the things to look forward to is its great selection of Crab dishes that will surely satisfy your craving. To name a few, crab items include Szechuan crab, Thai Chili crab, Crab Maritess and many more. 


In line with Seafood Island’s rapid expansion across the Philippines with 32 branches and counting, this makes the concept truly a Seafood Island Nation.  Aside from expanding, the group opened its doors to a new restaurant concept– Bikers’ Café by Blackbeard’s Seafood Island. Bikers’ Café is catered to a market that prefers balanced healthy lifestyle, which offers bike parking and shower. 

The group also launched its triathlon team under the group of committed athletes through TEAM E.S.C. (EVERY SECOND COUNTS) in 2014. Team Blackbeard’s Seafood Island-E.S.C is an amateur triathlon team composed of businessmen and executives. The team presently has 23 athletes who are racing under Team Blackbeard’s Seafood Island E.S.C. To add to the current roster of Seafood Island’s ambassadors is Ariana Dormitorio, a mountain bike champion and future Olympiad. Another addition to the family is Coach Jojo ‘Jomac’ Macalintal as the honorary coach of Team ESC and a certified ITU coach.

To be significant with the society, the 10th year of Seafood Island marks its effort to give back to the community through the launch of Batang Tri Grassroots Program as a partnership with Coach Jojo Macalintal.  The Batang Tri Grassroots program and Jojo Macalintal or more known as Coach Jomac has a vision to make triathlon not only known to the elite but to instill the sport to everyone. With his humble beginnings, Coach Jomac's accomplishments and experiences can help these children through his training program as a way of giving back. 


Anyone can help the program by purchasing a Jomac Boodle for P1,450 where P300 will be given to young aspiring triathletes to achieve their dream. Proceeds that will be collected from Jomac Boodle will be used to raise funds to purchase 100 road bikes and provide grants in terms of equipment, clothing, race fees, accommodation, food, training, and travel needs of these children.

You’ve never really ‘Bonded’ until you’ve celebrated with a BSI Boodle Feast! – A get-together with a Boodle Feast is sure to be a most memorable celebration - the kind that makes for ‘photo moments’ and ‘FB Posts’!

Blackbeard's Seafood Island
Twitter: @SeafoodIsland
Instagram: SeafoodIsland

Bikers’ Cafe
Twitter: @BSIBikersCafe
Instagram: BSIBikersCafe


Mecca Music Presents The Raes


Mecca Music Entertainment ushers into a new era this 2015. The music company that brought you Somedaydream and Luigi D’Avola is now gearing up for a new release. Welcome “The Raes”, a Cebu based trio comprised of two daughters and a mother, all of whom play different musical instruments. Ana, who is only 16 was discovered by Mecca Music Director Champ Lui Pio last year and decided to form the trio. Champ who has known Monique, the older sister, and Eva who is their mother, met Ana last year and discovered her singing prowess. “When I heard Ana sing for the first time I was completely blown away. Not only does she sing like an angel, but she plays multiple instruments and co writes with her sister Monique”.

The Raes are currently set to release their debut single “Two Left Feet” on iTunes, Google Music Store, Amazon MP3, Tidal and Spotify; and later on the music video which was shot in Dauis, Bohol. Ana says, “I’m very excited for this opportunity because not only will I be able to do what I love the most but also because I’ll be doing this with my family.” 

Champ Lui Pio adds, “I’m very picky when it comes to signing new artists, The Raes is the 3rd artist I'm managing in the last 5 years and I see a huge potential in them. I believe this band has a lot to offer in the music scene and I’m just excited for people to hear them”. 


You can follow The Raes :

Facebook : The Raes Official (https://www.facebook.com/TheRaesOfficial)
Twitter : TheRaesOfficial
Instagram : TheRaesOfficial

Pangako Sayo generates Millions of Impressions

Twitter almost exploded last night when fans and supporters of #KathNiel took the online world and started tweeting their excitement over the pilot episode of ABS-CBN's grand remake of #PangakoSayo

More than half million tweets were posted online using a hashtag and around 1 million collective relevant tweets about #PangakoSayo were tweeted as of press time. 

The pilot episode got over 34% rating according to kantar media which would still be higher even if we double the rating of the competitor at 15%. Imagine how much Advertisers paid just to have their brands flashed during that timeslot. If there were more than 50 Ads, then that could have given ABSCBN millions of ad sales and the brands to have gotten what they wanted, millions of impressions which would be a win win situation.


That rating and those numbers were already beyond impressive considering the lead teen stars Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo have not yet appeared. I'm pretty sure when the story starts revolving around the two, then it's a game over for other soap operas. That balsa scene is a must watch!

The modern retelling of this talked about Teleserye has been getting good reviews and praises. Jodi Sta. Maria, Angelica Panganiban and Ian Veneracion deliver their roles differently with a new flavour. We all know that Eula Valdez, Jean Garcia and Tonton Gutierrez are few of the amazing actors we have and will be so hard for the younger actors to actually surpass what they did. But with a different attack and still the same guidance of Rory Quintos, Olivia Lamasan and Dado Lumibao, this soap will come to fruition and will be as successful as the original or maybe even greater! Congrats #PangakoSayoTeam 

Look at this trending map! No wonder it became a trending topic worldwide!


Monday, May 25, 2015

Elmo Magalona at Twenty One

I sat down with Elmo Magalona at McDonalds in Katipunan Quezon City for his birthday charity April of last year and for his guesting on The Morgan Show. Unlike other celebrities who opt to celebrate their birthdays by partying with friends and family or having big vacation sprees, the son of the late Master Rapper, Francis Magalona, chose to celebrate his birthday by not focusing on himself but rather on what he can do for others. His birthday charity was with the young scholars of Our Lady of Pentecost Parish which has been organized by the Francis M Foundation and GMA Artist Center.

Dressed in a simple white long sleeves and black jeans, the Villa Quintana star felt natural and had no problem with interacting and making the scholars laugh. He facilitated the Born to be a Hero Workshop session for the young scholars. He was gamely posing for selfies, checking and signing the drawings made by his young guests and joining them for parlor games. One look and anyone would be able to see the genuine happiness that’s plastered all over the face of the birthday boy.

This year, Elmo had a pre-celebration by starting a clean-up drive at the Las Pinas Paraňaque Critical Habitat and Eco Tourism Area last April 25 together with his fans and some volunteers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Together with the volunteers, Elmo dutifully raked and sorted the garbage under the heat of the unforgiving sun. 


Growing up as a Magalona

Hailing from a family of well-known artists in the local showbiz industry, Elmo Magalona is still your average 21-year old sans being a showbiz royalty. As surprising as it may sound, Elmo admits to being shy and having a lot of insecurities growing up. He hinted that this might be caused by the pressure that accompanies being a Magalona and making a name of his own that is apart from that of his father.

Elmo has already carved a name of his own both as an actor and as a musician. With his work as an actor, singer, rapper, model and product endorser as well as his command of different musical instruments like the guitar, drums, harmonica and beatbox, he is well on his way to proving that he is a great artist on his own right.

Happiness and Positivity

When asked about what his birthday wish would be, Elmo said “happiness and positivity”. In his birthday speech, he said that the youth are our world’s future and that it is important for everyone to be positive and stay positive. 

“Because through positivity, we will have creative ideas that will help in our country’s development’ Elmo said during the event. He also reasoned that focusing on the negative things in life and the negative things about ourselves could be the downfall of our future. 

Elmo also stated that positivity has helped him to overcome his shyness and insecurities. Like how these traits had helped him, he knows that these traits too would help the shy and insecure teens to come out of their shell as they grow up.


A Very Special Birthday

It’s not just the daily inspiration that he gets from his co-actress Janine Gutierrez that made Elmo’s birthday super special. Elmo has also thanked the scholars of Our Lady of Pentecost Parish for making his birthday unforgettable.

Elmo is very happy that he got to celebrate his birthday through a charity event. In his birthday speech, he acknowledged that he is very fortunate to experience this and he is also thankful that he had been given the chance to make others happy. He also thanked his family and fans for their support and for their efforts in making his birthday extra special.

Plans for the future

Apart from doing what he loves most – singing and acting, Elmo said that he has always wanted to travel. He rarely travels and if he does travel, it is always work-related. He wants to travel and start his explorations with the Philippines first. Now that he’s 21, he wants to travel around the country and visit places like Palawan, Bicol and Bohol. 

Here is the interview I had with him when he guested on The Morgan Show!