Year Of The Cat At 1 Utama 2010
The theme for Chinese New Year at 1 Utama Shopping Centre is cats, not just any cat but the famous Maneki Neko from Japan. Wait a minute! There is no cat in the Chinese zodiac. There is a tiger but are they the same? Nevermind that. Being cat persons and being collectors of the Maneki Neko figurines, Wuan and I had fun taking photographs of these giant feline sculptures at the Oval of 1 Utama.
One of the Maneki Neko greeting shoppers at 1 Utama.
Close up of the Maneki Neko trio at 1 Utama.
View of the Maneki Neko from the ground floor at Oval 1 Utama.
Peter Tan posing in front of the Maneki Neko at ground floor facing the Oval 1 Utama.
Photo by Wuan.
Tags: 1 Utama, Beckoning Cat, Chinese New Year, cute cat, fat cat, Fortune Cat, Lucky Cat, Maneki Neko, Money Cat, Welcoming Cat
The Secret Garden Of 1 Utama
Cacti, succulents and dry-climate plants.
Nature and I have an affinity. Greenery gives me serenity. I like to watch plants grow and bloom. All my life, until I moved into an apartment, I have lived in houses with big gardens. In those gardens, there were herbs, flowering plants, edible plants and even poisonous plants. I also like to watch the insects that the plants attract.
My favourite subject – macro shot of eugenia sp.
Our house has a little garden here in Kuala Lumpur but the limited space is barely sufficient for us to cultivate all the plants we want. Therefore, we were happy beyond words when we discovered that there is a rooftop garden at the new wing of 1 Utama Shopping Centre. There were shrubs and trees there that we would love to have in our garden.
Crown of Thorns – pretty but deadly.
The Secret Garden of 1 Utama, as it is aptly named, is a treasure trove of plants from different regions and altitudes. The printed guide, that is given out free, claims that the garden has “500 species of interesting, rare and unusual plants”. Indeed, there are more plants than I bothered to count. What I like about the Secret Garden is that the landscaping is contiguous and look natural. Many of the plants are also labeled.
Star Calathea – pretty pink flowers.
I would not have believed that there is such an oasis of green just above the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping mall had I not seen it with my own eyes. We have been there three times to photograph the plants and flowers and generally to soak in the natural atmosphere. This is the testament to how much we like this place.
In the pergola looking out to cannas, palms and crotons.
The Secret Garden of 1 Utama is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm. It can be accessed via the two elevators opposite the Rainforest. While photography is allowed, visitors have to adhere to several simple house rules stated at the entrance. This paradise in the city is a must visit for shoppers to 1 Utama. We plan to go there regularly because of its convenient location.
Passion fruit.
Tags: 1 Utama, canna, croton, Crown of Thorns, passion fruit, rooftop garden, Star Calathea
White Christmas At 1 Utama
There seems to be a trend among shopping malls to use bare tree trunks as Christmas decor. 1 Utama painted these in white, strung them up with baubles and place them among poinsettias for contrast. Like previous years, some of the decor have movements. This time, the gazebo above the main pavilion rotates like a musical box. The baubles on top of the stalls also rotate. Strikingly, the familiar conical shaped Christmas trees are not used at all. The lack of these makes the atmosphere less Christmassy.
Christmas at 1 Utama Concourse.
Bare trees with baubles.
Close-up of the baubles.
Poinsettias add splashes of red to a drab white setting.
Tags: 1 Utama, Christmas baubles, poinsettia