Since the
Impiana Hotel opened in Senai last October, I have been back on invitation to
review their food and the hotel.
 |
| Impiana Hotel Senai celebrates their first Lunar New Year |
When I
was invited to join them for their first Lunar New Year celebration, I looked
at my schedule and saw that it was the second invite for the same time on the
same day!
[I later
received two more similar invitations for that same day for about the same time
and guessed it must be an auspicious day on the lunar calendar!]
It’s
impossible to attend all four events – unless I have a clone of myself – so I
must decide on one.
The Lunar
New Year calls for serious celebrations with much feasting and as I’ve had my
fill of food-tasting and grand banquets with friends and family, food is
usually the least important item on my list at such events.
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| Skillful pole-dancing 'lions' at the front courtyard of Impiana Hotel Senai |
I’m
familiar with the smooth drive from Johor Baru to Senai via the Skudai Highway
with a U-Turn after the town, which takes me to Senai’s first business-class
hotel.
For the
day’s event, the front courtyard is clear of vehicles and in its place, a row
of metal poles are arranged for the auspicious lion dance performance.
A
security personnel waves me in the direction of the underground carpark where I
gratefully park my car in the cool shade and take the elevator to the lobby.
As I step
out of the elevator, two things meet my eyes: To my left, mandarin oranges
arranged on the floor in Chinese characters – it must be an auspicious phrase –
and on my right, a round table set up with a giant prosperity Yee Sang platter designed with an image
of a puppy.
The
timing is perfect because I can hear drum beats echoing loudly in the front
courtyard. I should head out there quickly but ear-shattering explosions from
traditional fire crackers stop me in my tracks!
As
the smoke clears, I join the crowd outside, along with guests, hotel owner,
senior management and staff, the majority of whom are dressed in auspicious Red
outfits.
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| Prosperity Yee Sang platter designed with the image of a puppy for the Year of the Dog |
The
drumming continues while all eyes are on a pair of prancing ‘lions’ from the
Wen-Ching Kelapa Sawit Lion Dance Troop, which skillfully scales up the poles
and performs exciting acrobatic stunts to the delight of the audience.
Mesmerized
by the drum beats, I watch the lions’ deft movements as they dance skillfully
on the pole-tops and marvel at how these wushu
artistes have trained hard to portray themselves as lions.
In
the finale, we watch with bated breath as the two lions unfurl two scrolls
(hung from the tops of the poles) written with Chinese couplets that announce
auspicious wishes for the Lunar New Year.
The
two lions then move indoors to the entrance of The Tiffin, the hotel’s all-day
dining restaurant, where the platter of prosperity Yee Sang is set up for the
traditional Lo Hei, salad tossing
ceremony.
No,
neither the chef nor the staff uttered any auspicious phrases while adding on
the topping ingredients to the giant platter of Yee Sang, so we – I was among
the ‘tossers’ here – contributed our wishes to Impiana Hotel Senai for a
prosperous year ahead!
 |
| Group shot after tossing of the prosperity Yee Sang platter |
It’s
a simple but significant event where the hotel hosted their first Lunar New
Year celebration with special guests from the Saleng Handicapped Children and
Old Folks Home.
During
the buffet lunch in The Tiffin, these special guests received hong bao or red packets from KCC Group
of Companies’ executive director, Ker Soon Yong.
With
key elements of the Lunar New Year like traditional firecrackers, lion dancing,
Yee Sang tossing and hong bao presentations, festive cheer prevails throughout
the celebration.
 |
| KCC Group's executive director, Ker Soon Yong, presenting hong bao to the event's special guests |
And
not forgetting the auspicious Chinese dishes in the Lunar New Year theme
prepared by Chinese Chef Tam Chi Sen that I help myself to from the buffet
spread in The Tiffin!
At the dining table, I meet new friends and have fun sharing with them about how Lunar New Year celebrations in Johor do not end after the 15th day of the first lunar calendar but traditionally continues on until the 22nd day, after the Johor Chingay is over.
Happy
Lunar New Year! May this be the first of
many celebrations to come at Impiana Hotel Senai!
Impiana
Hotel Senai is at Jalan Impian Senai Utama 2, Taman Impian Senai, 81400 Senai,
Johor. Tel: +607 – 595 8899. Visit website: www.impiana.com
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