THE EDGE MALAYSIA

APRIL 282014

MELTING MOMENTS Godiva’s signature truffles deconstructed

All that glitters

Tomei Group founder and executive chairman

Tan Sri Ng Teck Fong on his jewellery empire

and his passion for culture and education

IN THE MIX raising the fitness bar with hybrid workouts

FASHION CAPITAL a UK exhibition celebrates Italian glamour

LIFE, LOVE & CENDOL a play puts an endearing spin on ageing

S O P A A WA R D W I N N E R F O R E D I T O R I A L E X C E L L E N C E

BE HAPPY

Op4 APRIL 28

2014

Bargain hunt

Cultural commodities & consuming passions B Y H A N NA H M E R I C A N

Th e Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur has introduced a novel new service called Th e Majestic 24. Instead

of a standard check-in and check-out time, Th e

Majestic 24 allows guests to stay for the full 24 hours

at no extra cost. To book a room, log on to

www.majestickl.com or email tmklresv@ytlhotels.com.my

and state your preferred check-in and check-out

time. Th is off er is valid until Sept 30.

One can’t seem to turn on the radio, walk into a shopping mall or stroll down the aisle at the supermarket of late without hearing

Pharrell Williams’ song Happy, seemingly playing on continuous loop. Th is feel-good song, reminiscent of a 1960s Motown classic, is catchy, upbeat and infectious, right from the opening beat. Th e positive vibe makes you feel as though there is a spring in your step. It highlights how happiness sometimes seems like an elusive dream we are constantly chasing.

Happiness for many people is the simple things in life, a state of mind that brings joy and is often a refl ection of the life we lead. Our search for happiness will make us examine more closely the personal relationships we have with the people around us. Research has shown that happy individuals tend to engage closely and interact well with family and friends. Taking a closer look at our own lives often puts many things into perspective. Is it the material things we own that make us happy or the relationships we have with people? Th ere will probably come a time in our lives when we look back and think of key moments that made us smile. Most of the time, it is usually something that cannot be measured in terms of wealth, such as enjoying a loved one’s company or travelling with a group of friends.

Listening to music can stir certain emotions as some songs remind us of a particular time in our lives. In this case, the formula for Happy seems decidedly simple. Pharrell has managed to take a seemingly nostalgic song and turn it into something current and contemporary. Th e catchy lyrics, especially the lines, “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof/ Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth”, depict a man on a quest to be unceasingly happy no matter what challenges come his way. Along with clever marketing (the world’s fi rst 24-hour music video was created for this song) and timing, Happy successfully became a pop culture phenomenon.

In recent times, with the wave of bad news that has hit us, it has become increasingly hard to focus on our true search for happiness. It is almost diffi cult to feel happy these days. Happiness can seem like a challenge, and a great way for you to put your emotions to the test is to try the 100 Happy Days Challenge. Since its launch on Dec 30 last year, the website 100happydays.com has allowed people to share glimpses of what makes them happy on a daily basis. Th e man behind the website, Dmitry Golubnichy, wanted to remind people about the “beauty in their life”.

Th e concept is simple: it challenges you to fi nd something to be happy about for 100 days. Th e website allows you to share one thing that makes you happy each day, whether it is the dinner party you hosted, lunch with an old friend or celebrating the victory of the football team you support. With

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the power of social media, you can share your images on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Many who took part in this challenge found that they learnt to appreciate the simpler things in life and reminded them to focus on searching for happiness.

On a global scale, March 20 was declared International Day of Happiness by the United Nations. It places importance on raising international awareness that happiness is a primary human goal for all and highlights how an individual’s personal well-being is crucial to a country’s ongoing growth and development. Happiness has now become a national agenda for many countries, leading us to question and focus on the quality of the lives that we lead.

Bhutan has taken the concept of happiness a step further, with its gross national happiness measure, instead of gross domestic product. A groundbreaking idea, this holistic approach is not only about uplifting a nation but also a goal an individual can strive for. As a developing country, Bhutan has placed the well-being of its people fi rst with the hope that economic growth will follow.

So, the next time you hear Happy on the radio, it may just motivate you to go out and seize the day. E

KRT ILLUSTRATIONS

Th e exclusive Azimut Yacht range recently launched the Azimut Grande 95RPH — a collaboration between designer Stefano Righini, who was in charge of the concept and external lines of the yacht, and Studio Salvagni Architects, which designed the interior layout. With an overall length of 29m, the new cruiser has a raised pilothouse (which is what the RPH stands for) and a spacious interior with four VIP cabins and a master suite, and an extremely impressive fl ybridge of over 60 sq m. Th e Azimut Grande collection is priced from €6.8 million (RM30.3 million) and is available in fi ve models, ranging from 95ft to 120ft, which can be customised to one’s preference. To fi nd out more, email studio@studioeff eerre.com.