IT WAS A FOOT-STOMPING NIGHT with AKASHA, the KL-based fusion band who had come to perform at the fund-raising dinner for the Little Penang Street Market. The Grand Ballroom of the G Hotel in Gurney Drive was packed, although there were one or two empty tables which had apparently been bought up but no one had deigned to grace them that evening. The "reserved" signs made me think of hungry ghosts ... !!
The organisers had done a fantastic job. It was well-run and everything went smoothly, with Lucille Dass stepping in at the last minute to act as MC as the designated person from KL apparently couldn't make it. She did a sterling job.
Together with the Silent Auction, it must have raised a fair sum to tide the market over for the next few months. That was fun btw - there were many items put on show, all donated in the name of charity, including many paintings and even a "t'ham p'hooi (pictured below - remember them, the old chamber pots? Who would have thought they would one day become collectibles?!! The old saying, One man's trash is another man's cash is really true!); tiffin carriers and old toy cars. It's all very well to collect such things but only if you have the space for them. Personally, I've decided to stop buying anything which is not "usable" and collects dust instead. From now on, it has to be something I can use before I die! Hmmm ... might not have been a bad idea to bid for the t'ham p'hooi after all ... might come to good use one day!
I bid on another of things which did not come to fruition, as persons unknown either outbid me at the last minute or I couldn't be bothered to outbid them any more. I managed to get a hamper of 3 bottles of wine and 4 crystal glasses for RM225, outbidding the last bidder by RM5. Also a set of Tanamera products (they're supposed to organic and all that stuff) for RM82; apparently the full price would have been over RM200. The starting bid was RM80, which is what I put in for. Someone else came in with RM81; I decided to put in RM82 just for the hell of it (to p_ss that person off I guess) ... and I got it!
However, it was Akasha which made the day (or night, as the case may be). They were simply BRILLIANT, and it's not often I use that word to describe anything. The 7-member band entertained the diners to a really mixed bag of music, from the hari krishna type to Malay kompang-based melodies and a rather interesting piece they renamed "Penang Char Kuey Teow" in honour of their visit here, and practically everyone was clapping away with the great rhythm. Food, btw, was OK, considering it was all, including the ballroom itself, sponsored by G Hotel who, all kudos to them, really do a lot for Penang.
I'm glad the LPSM, having just celebrated its 3rd birthday, is going to carry on. The team of dedicated people who started it up and continue to run it work hard for Penang and its sons; it's a great outlet for all our craftsmen and artists to showcase their talent. However, they have their work cut out because there are now other weekend markets opening up - Gurney Plaza has one, and at Times Square they've just started an all-weekend Flea Market, calling it the "largest" in Penang.
Well done everyone.
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