When Ipoh’s leading fashionista has a birthday bash, you can bet your sweet soul that it’ll be scintillating, sassy and sumptuous.
And so it was when Calvin Li threw a party for his wife Kwong Yue Chen’s birthday, at Citrus Wine and Dine recently.
Mellifluous music from a 4-person live ensemble captivated me as I entered and I was immediately enthralled by the sight of an exotic fantasy in this top floor private room of Citrus.
Mix brilliant blooms flown in specially from S. Africa and chosen by Yue Chen; life-like faux birds in multi-coloured hues perched on table arrangements; delicate bird cages scattered in calculated random intervals; gold gilded chairs with flower bouquets attached; gold sequinned table cloths and a veritable tableaux of Arabian Nights cum tropical jungle awaited a select group of guests.
The birthday girl herself, Yue Chen, dressed in Roksanda Ilincic (a Serbian designer based in London) looked positively radiant as she welcomed friends and relatives. Radiating her theme of ‘Foxy Forties’ Yue Chen said of the choice of theme, “I feel it’s a time when a woman is at her sexiest.”
The buffet spread, curated by Ipoh’s own ‘Molecular’ Chef Simon Lee and served by wife Erica Kok and her team, was superlative as usual and included fresh shucked oysters (which as everyone knows, are renowned for their aphrodisiac qualities!)
As the wine flowed and the music provided by De Fusion Band a 4-member group consisting of keyboardist Alex Oong; Saxophonist Foo Cheong Lin; Violinist/Erhu Ng Sue We and Double bass/Cello Liew Soon Yee played, guests actually got up to dance led by Dr Chakr Nagara and his wife Lisa followed by Dr Tan Chin Yong and his wife Lim Pui San, the four of whom I hear on the grapevine, have been taking ballroom dancing lessons in the gym at the newly-opened Meru Suites in Meru Valley Resort. And a creditable performance they gave too I might add.
All in all a wonderful evening.
SFCK
