Celebrate Heritage! Hidden Retreat The Road ... - The Expat Group

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Exploring Straits Quay
IF YOU’VE ALREADY visited Straits
Quay, you will know that there are many
delightful culinary experiences from Eastern
and Western cuisines, from cake and coffee
and delicious desserts to frozen yoghurt
and bespoke marshmallows. What you may
not know is just how many activities are
available in Straits Quay, and over the
next few months I will be sampling some
of them.
My first stop is the School of Hard Knocks
at Royal Selangor Pewter, just above the
shop which sells a gorgeous range of
pewter items. Pewter is made largely from
tin with a little copper and antimony added
to the mixture, and is an integral part of
Malaysia’s heritage as the tin mines of the
nineteenth century contributed much to
the wealth of the country. Many immigrants
came from China as tin miners and tin
smiths and made their fortunes here. In fact,
the history of the tin miners can be seen in
the small museum which you can enjoy just
before you enter the School of Hard Knocks.
Once inside you are given an apron, a
mallet, and some pewter – amazingly, this
small flat disc will make a bowl. You begin
by inscribing your name using letter blocks.
I didn’t get mine in the middle, which I
regretted later. Next comes the fun part!
Using the mallet, you hammer the pewter
into a hemi-spherical shape. It’s quite
easy to do but it does require some elbow
grease. Quite quickly you get the rhythm,
and then it’s time to turn over your pewter
disc – which is by now almost a bowl – and
attack the other side.
The staff show you how to finish the bowl
so that it’s even, and then you’re done! You
leave with a lovely dish to take home and
keep sweets or small items in. Best of all,
you made it yourself.
Another place where you have the chance
to be creative is The Art & Space (TAES).
Envisioned as a cross between an open
studio and a club, the Art & Space attracts all
sorts of artists, from the professional to the
beginner, who work in all sorts of media
including pen and ink, water colour, oil,
pastel, and acrylic. You can use the space
for RM20 a session (book in advance),
and the price includes tea and coffee as
well as a generous selection in the biscuit
tin. There are also a variety of longer term
memberships available.
Esther Geh, co-founder of The Art & Space
says, “We set up the space because there
are so many people in Penang who live in
small houses and apartments and who don’t
have the room to be creative. It can also be
quite lonely doing art on your own. Here
there are people to talk to and books to read
for inspiration. There’s no criticism unless
you ask for it but most of all you are just
welcome to come here and play.”
Artist in residence Elspeth McEachern
is often there working on her series of
mythological paintings and she is available
for guidance and courses such as how
to use pastels and drawing. Whatever
medium you choose at the Art & Space,
you are bound to have fun and produce
something unique.
After all that creative hard work, I am
really ready for a delicious cup of tea
and indulgent slice of homemade cake
at Delicious, located just below the Art &
Space. Delicious overlooks the sea and is the
ideal place to chill out, write your diary, or
rest after your activities at the Quay.
Royal Selangor Pewter
3A-G-1, Straits Quay, Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang,
Tanjung Tokong, 10470, Penang
The Art & Space
Email enquiries@theartespace.com or contact
Esther on 012 401 9636. Visit www.theartespace.
com for more details.
Penang International 37