Social Bistro, We Are Waiting....

It was quite an exciting news when knowing Social Bistro is going to open in Old Town and contributes to its growth. However, the progress of renovation is extremely slow since 2014. And we yet to see any visible schedule of its completion and opening for business. Let's just wait and see by crossing our fingers that it won't turn halted.

Food Truck - New Generation Mobile Hawker

Food trucks are no longer strange to Ipoh citizens. Some local and outstation food trucks often visit tourist hot spots of Ipoh to promote their unique and delicious food and beverages. If we recall the history of street hawking during 1960's, 70's & 80's, there were many mobile hawkers around the city, which appeared in much simpler setup, tricycle or three-wheel motorcycle.

Grilled and Barbecued

When I am feeling like being grilled by the sun, I also imagine the pigeons are being barbecued. The effect of heavy rain yesterday has completed vanished after the sun rises for few hours. The Malaysian Meteorological Department has predicted the extreme weather due to El Nino will most probably lasts until April.

Attractive Pictures in Old Town

Ipoh had been a well known boring city with was seriously lacking of taste of art. However, situation changed when the younger generation in this city begin to deliver their creative and artistic products to the public. And many realize the city with its attractive history and beautiful heritage is a great place to grow its unique local cultural art. As simple as this printed artwork on a renovating old shophouse, though not a masterpiece of art, able to enhance liveliness of Ipoh.

The Work is Almost Done

As reported, Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic is sponsored to present seven murals in Ipoh Old Town. So far, most of the murals are done, leaving the final huge one "Tin Mine" at Treacher Street, where the famous Ho Yan Hor herbal tea started its business (currently known as Hovid) still in painting process. Before this, Ernest has completed "Yellow Humming Bird", "Old Man Drinking White Coffee", "Boys in A Paper Plane", "5 Packs of Coffee" and "Waste Collecting Old Man", while he added on a new dress and a bird cage for "The Little Girl". To ease finding these murals, I make use of Google Earth to mark the locations. Hopefully this is helpful for those who wish to visit the murals without much difficulties to hunt them in Old Town.

The End of An Old Grocery Shop

Lee Kwan Cheong at Leech Street (Old Town) is the oldest grocery shop in Ipoh. The 100-year old shop still maintains its very original appearance and arrangement. However, I am pretty shock to see the "for sale" banner is hanging in front of the old shop this morning. It is sad to witness the end of this century-old heritage shop closed down because the younger generation is generally not interested to run this kind of business anymore. I believe it will be unlikely to have a new owner to continue running the grocery shop. 

Some Other Ernest's Murals

While Ernest is still busying with more of his great murals in the city, these are the few that we have located. You can find all of them in Old Town, and it is always the best choice to have these paintings in Old Town, which is one of the most historical, unique and charming place in Malaysia. The greatest thing that Ernest has done is not just his gift on the wall, but his creative paintings shall inspire  our local artists of their creativity and inspiration.

 

Old Town Flea Market

I was wondering about the crowd behind Patisserie Boutique Café (or should be next to the entrance of Plan b restaurant), which has been seen for several days. To my surprise, this is a flea market that I never expect to have it in Ipoh, which used to be ridiculed as cultural desert. Usually such flea market is found in Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown & Malacca. I am so excited with the simple but attractive setup . And many other gadgets that make almost every glance a surprise to me. I love this place & I also love the items displayed or sold here. Hopefully this will be a long term or permanent market that would certainly offer our guests of the city an unforgettable trip.

 



A Cute Graffiti

I just don't know when this picture was drawn here on a side door of traditional kitchenware shop. Anyway I find it very cute and simply matching nicely with the business here. Indeed this is something we should promote in Ipoh to enhance its uniqueness. Of course it has to be quality drawing and done upon agreement of the building owner.

 

Fish and Fish

This is something funny I saw in Old Town this morning. I wonder whether the real fish (salted fish?) or the fish kite (koinobori) is more popular. Anyway, it could be a little weird to hang the fishes on pedestrian walkway and it doesn't seem to be hygiene to do so.

 

It's Gone In Front of Me

So finally it's gone right in front of me. It stays for another 3 months after my last post last December about this shop house when it was still in one piece. Since the day when metal sheets covering it, I know this moment will come. Looking at the scattered bricks, wood and iron beam, I can imagine how hard it was built during those days when heavy machinery still not available in town.
 



Plum Blossom, Lantern, Tangerine

After completing house keeping, decorating is the next main activity for most Chinese families. Count down 5 days to Chinese New Year, the atmospehere of festive joy is felt. Plum blossom, red lantern, tangerine and couplets are among the most popular choices for home decoration. You would enjoy this colorful scene when walking along Old Town Leech Street.
 

An Old Clock for The Public

It was not that affordable for everyone to own a watch in those old days. Therefore people were depend on the public time indicator, such as clock tower. Leech Street which has been busy and congested since long time ago is having no suitable place for a clock tower, And this old watch shop of Wing Kwong was doing publicity by offering the public a big clock in front of their shop. By looking at the style, this clock should have been telling time to the neighbourhood of Leech Street for more than 30 years and still operating accurately. Anyway I believe people nowadays would read time from their watch or even from mobile phone rather than looking to this clock.

 

900th Post in Last Day of 2012

No matter good or bad, sweet or bitter, year 2012 is coming to the end. While expecting a better year of 2013, we realize many new development projects that symbolize economic boost are taking place in Ipoh. However, the old streets & heritage buildings are our most valuable treasures which would physically tell us the history. They shall be well preserved & maintained as pride of Ipoh. Coincidentally this is also the 900th post of "Images of Ipoh". When I remark the last day of 2012, this blog is achieving another milestone since its establishment in January 2009.

 

Another Heritage Building is About to Leave Us?

Whenever I see this, my bad feeling would immediately emerged. These shophouses at southern end of Leech Street are facing the entrance of Kinta Heights. Being located at one of the oldest part in Old Town, I am pretty sure hey have been here for more than a century. Without much effort, I believe the owner or local authorities will apply the Malaysian typical solution on structural weak heritage building, demolishing. I am not sure how many more times I can see it, what I can do is getting it stored in my collection of images of Ipoh.

 



Colorful Fan

When the colorful fan displayed in front of an old toy shop in Leech Street, you would realize Old Town may not always looked old. Fan is probably simple & common but no doubt it's an attractive item especially when all of them spin together. I truly love this scene where old building is adorned by colors.
 

Durian Durian

It's durian season again. Durian sellers are seen alongside streets in Ipoh and this is one of them in Old Town, beside Sin Yoon Loong white coffee shop. Few times in a year, the stall of durian (well, it may not even considered as a stall, but just selling durian on the road shoulder) will be set up here to catch the crowd in this primary white coffee district. In those old days, people used to squat & eat on the spot but nowadays many would prefer to let the hawker unshell it & pack it nicely for take away.

Another Old Shop Wiped Off?

This old shop house at the cross road of Leech Street & Hale Street has drawn my attention for some time where it was unoccupied for a period. What capture my eyes is the extended side of this building which seems to be a balcony. I always imagine this could be an eating shop where some people were sitting up there enjoying food & Chinese tea. From the concrete posts that grow higher than the original building, I am quite sure my worry of an old shop house to be wiped off will turn true.

A Different Kinta River

Perhaps you can figure out the difference of Kinta River as seen today. Could we normally see the river bed of Kinta River? I believe most Ipoh citizens remember the muddy river that looked like milk tea but not the one we can see in this picture. I am wondering what has been done that make clearer water in Kinta River and whether this is a permenant condition or just appear in short term.

Soft Drink Advertising Evolution

In Sin Yoon Loong coffee shop, this mirror must have been hanging here for more than 30 years. This is one of the ways soft drink promoting their product in those old days. Advertising method evolves to present day's colorful poster, which can be updated from time to time. Although the mirror is no longer attractive now but I am sure the poster next to it will not exist 30 years from now.