Ninie Ahmad: Off her yoga mat.

Three out of ten biggest events in my life happened all last week – I don’t know where to start.

• Starbucks Live & Inspire (Bangsar Village II)

I was really nervous before the event as I felt like a tiny ant compared to their past guests.

I second guessed myself that night, did all this people show up because of me? I was close to turning the hour long talk to a yoga session (well, I partly did) but the crowd was so attentive and supportive that I felt the hour passed by really quickly.

Before I knew it, I made everyone remember

Photos from www.liveandinspire.com

Thank you Live & Inspire team, Starbucks and Bangsar Village II for having thought of me as someone who is actually inspiring in your book.

• adidas Stella McCartney Spring / Summer ‘10 event (rooftop Lot 10)

This is not one of the biggest events in my life (since it is not an event for me / I organize) but any adidas event is a big event for me.

I arrived fashionable late and regretted it as I realised I was the only adidas ambassador having 11 camera crews (thank you Kyanite & Project Alpha) recording my arrival and following me the whole event!

Since I couldn’t spot any adidas male ambassadors with the likes of Jehan Miskin, Henry Golding and Faizal Tahir \o/ around (I only found out later that only female ambassadors were invited!) so I pretzeled the models instead!

My 4-inched heels didn’t even come close to making me half as tall standing beside these superfit models!

Especially when I’m beside Amber Chia who wore flats!

To why I feel like making the next photo my Facebook profile immediately since I am evidently AS TALL AS Amber Chia, Elaine Daly, Yasmin Yusoff and Tengku Azura only in this snap!

Some photos from the event are from Project Alpha Facebook Page

The top I wore is from adidas Stella McCartney Fall / Winter ‘09 collection. Their Summer / Spring ‘10 collection paraded during the event was nothing short from fabulous! I love any adidas by Stella McCartney anything mostly for its vegetarian, no-cruelty-involved and organic principles.

From what I heard, Stella McCartney herself handpicked all the clothes and (vegetarian) food for the event (and all other events involving her line)!

That Friday as I was followed around by 11 camera crews, I got the preview of how ugly reality TV can be. I mean, I am not even a celebrity-celebrity you know what I mean so I thought – I might not be that worthy until..

As I was being interviewed by Jojo Struys alongside the Brand Manager of adidas Malaysia, Jessica Lim, I noticed that my phone rang and it was my ex-boyfriend, the Supertall one.

I hesisantly told her, “It’s my ex-boyfriend” only to be forced psyched into picking up the call and have it put on loudspeaker for the whole Malaysia to hear!

I knew he was somewhere around asking for direction of where the party was as we were supposed to have a meeting together after that so – I picked up the call when they were shooting me as I know I wouldn’t embarrass any of us.

Errr, spoke too soon.

As soon as the camera crews caught his glimpse on Lot 10 rooftop, all 11 of them ran to him to get an interview of “Why did you break up with Ninie Ahmad?”

Poor Supertall!

To know what he had to say (honestly, I am curious too! Can’t you see me eavesdropping?), I guess we all just have to stay tuned and wait for Project Alpha to start showing on hitz.tv (ASTRO Ch705) in April.

Tomorrow I will share the other big event I was telling you about.

Before I get back on my yoga mat in a couple of minutes, if I can bid a special shout and gratitude to Joseph Teoh

who has been my loyal plus one for both events mentioned in this post and hopefully for many more to come.

Love and three-stripes of light.

Especially those from Shoes Shoes Shoes.

One of my recent purchase from them that never fails to collect compliments -  is this pair of pretty pumps.

They also never fail to surprise me as they can look this scarlett red in bright daylight

Or this clementine orange at night / with camera flash!

Most of the time they look blood red with beautiful jade coloured stones, I could not feel and wear anything more Christmas-y than this!

Love, light and many healthy Christmas parties this week.

What happens when you put together

• a bunch of yoga freaks
• dress them in designer gowns
• make them wear RM36,000 to RM200,000 timepieces on their arms (and ankles)?

These pages of Malaysia TATLER December 2009, I’m afraid.

[ Photos are property of The Gardens Mall & TATLER Malaysia. Any reproduction of any kind (online, print, mention) must credit The Gardens & TATLER Malaysia ]

Dresses from M Women, watches from The Hour Glass (exclusively at The Gardens Mall)

Dresses by BCBG Max Azria, watches from Calibre (exclusively at The Gardens Mall)

LEFT – Dresses by Karl Ng (on Atilia) & Alvin Tay (on Ninie) , watches from The Hour Glass, RIGHT- Dress from Tang + Co, watches from Zurich Timepieces (exclusively at The Gardens Mall)

LEFT- Dresses from Guess by Marciano, watches from Zurich Timepieces, RIGHT – Dresses by Karen Millen, watches from Calibre (exclusively at The Gardens Mall)

Art direction by Joseph Teoh, make-up by Geraldine Wong, photography by Aaron Lee. All  yoga personalities, arms, thighs and abs are from BE Yoga, Damansara Perdana.

Have a colourful, blessed and healthy New Year(s) ahead!

PETALING JAYA, August 2009 – When you don’t drink, not in the mood to party and when you are never into conventional fireworks and hazardous noise, how else can you celebrate Merdeka (Independence) Eve? Ever thought of a free yoga class conducted by Malaysia’s yoga celebrity?

The founder of beyoga and also the Official Yoga Ambassador for adidas Malaysia, Ninie Ahmad said, she has been counting the days to 2009’s Merdeka Day to commence her free yoga class for public on Merdeka eve.

“For years, I have never enjoyed partying and be stuck in traffic jam everytime Merdeka and New Year’s eve arrive. I respect my body by not consuming harmful substance just to validate a commercialized celebration and I believe, many more KL-lites are in the same boat with me.”

Since beyoga opens to public in May 2009, Ninie has been conducting free yoga classes she calls ‘Karma Yoga’ every Sunday 10.15am at beyoga Damansara Perdana with help of her key teachers at beyoga.

“We call it Karma Yoga as it is our way to give back to the public of what we have gained from them. The teachers do not get paid for teaching Karma Yoga class as it is of voluntarily basis. However, participants are highly encouraged to donate any amount of cash as they join this class and all donations from our Karma Yoga classes are to be forwarded to a chosen charity body or non-profit organization we have pre-chosen for the month. For example, collection for the month of May and June had been proceeded to Rumah Hope, PJ and we have selected MERCY Malaysia to receive our collection for the month of July and August.”

Ninie who also is one of Malaysia’s top female bloggers and has ‘pretzel-ed’ local celebrities namely Ida Nerina, Atilia, Ning Baizura, Jehan Miskin, Norazlina Redzuan, Wan Zaleha Radzi, Kavita Kaur and many more adds, “The best part about Karma Yoga class at beyoga is, although it is a free class, it is also the only class where we teach themed yoga.”

“Since all Mother’s Day and Father’s Day fall on Sundays, we did encourage public to bring their mothers and fathers those two Sundays. Instead of normal light stretches to warm-up, that Karma Yoga classes started with the teacher choosing a couple of participants to share what their mothers or fathers have sacrificed for them to raise them up.”

“Since 70% of the beyoga ‘s Karma Yoga participants are women, you could expect tears and overwhelming emotions filled the room!”

“We first conducted the Karma Yoga class during Earth Hour 2009 where participants practiced yoga poses surrounded by tealight candles and be asked to take care of Mother Earth as much as we take care of our body and family.”

Ninie also shares, “For the past two months, I have been conducting my Karma Yoga slots with yoga therapy and poses that can help boost immunity system to fight airborne virus and common cold especially with the current H1N1 pandemic scare.”

“While we are all bound to suffer from occasional flu, yoga practitioners are less likely to come down with sniffles and when we do, we tend to have much faster recovery rate due to yoga’s known abilities to regulate the immune system, keeping it strong to withstand infection.”

“Yoga’s stress-reducing ability is a primary reason to why yoga helps prevent if not cure common cold. Stress is a major contributing factor to catching a cold or flu as stress hormones cause the thymus to shrink in size causing it to poorly-function as a producer of immune cells.”

“For the Merdeka Eve Karma Yoga however, I plan to teach the class with yoga poses and flow that will help ‘free’ chemical, physical, emotional toxins that have been colonized and trapped in our system throughout our lives – in true spirit of ‘Merdeka’ (Independence), and maybe wear Jalur Gemilang coloured yoga attire that night!”

The Merdeka Eve Karma Yoga commenced 10.15pm until 11.30pm August 30th, 2009 (Merdeka Eve) and beyoga conducts Karma Yoga (free class for public) every Sunday 10.15am. For more information on beyoga’s other Karma Yoga classes, visit beyoga’s website http://beyoga.my or contact beyoga at 03-7728 6182 / 03-7729 6182.

(All photos courtesy of Erica Wong)

I have always been big on ‘if I can live without buying it, don’t buy it’, ‘if I breathe fine without it, don’t use it’, ‘if I can not throw it, use it again’ and in my yoga classes, I always preach, ‘if you don’t need to use the yoga block, don’t’ (no disrespect to BKS Iyengar though) and ‘if you don’t need to use the wall for Headstand (Shirsasana) then don’t’.

Having said that though, there are some yoga accessories that help me outperform myself when I am on my mat:

• adidas yoga socks

Aren’t they the prettiest thing to be wrapped around our feet while we yoga?

(To avoid disappointments, these yoga socks are no longer sold in stores and they were not sold separately. They came together with a pair of adidas yoga shoes five seasons ago, if I’m not mistaken).

I first wore them in public for a Partner Yoga performance at Berjaya Times Square last July. Paired together, we caused quite a stir

(Top and pants from adidas Techfit Powerweb)

(Azmi: Pants from adidas Techfit Powerweb, Ninie: Top from adidas by Stella McCartney, pants from adidas Techfit Powerweb)

They are also the same pair seen in this adidas Play Yoga campaign featuring adidas’ Global Yoga Ambassador and my personal mentor, Rainbeau Mars.

• Yogitoes®

Yogitoes is a super-absorbent towel with Skidless® technology silicone beads on one side to provide a hygienic layer between us and the yoga mat or any exercise equipment. Skidless® Yogitoes® is patented and designed to prevent slipping while practicing or stretching and I tell you now – not only it works, it is a must-have yoga thingamajig!

I personally use Yogitoes for drishti (focus point; each Yogitoes is equipped with a visible focal point at the top centre of the towel) and hygiene purposes (I mind lying down on other people’s dried sweat). When you have Yogitoes, you don’t need to bring your own yoga mat to practice providing your yoga centre / gym provides yoga mat (I used to teach at a famous gym that does not provide suitable mats for their yoga classes!).

Yogitoes come in many irresistible colours to choose from, and many is an understatement.

If you check out their (funky!) website, they have all seven Chakra colours (root, sacrum, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, crown), four Earth colours (moss, sand, stone, loam), five Chinese Elements colours (water, fire, earth, wood, metal), selected Deity colours (limited edition: black, red, brown, gold and turqoise with gold thread) and even exclusive Breast Cancer and Rape Awareness Yogitoes!

I always kid around before my classes start that – I judge my students according to the colour of their Yogitoes almost like Taekwando belts; to why I make sure BE Yoga teachers use Limited Edition Black Yogitoes!

Azmi & I on Crown (Chakra) and Kali Ma (Deity) Yogitoes respectively during Earth Hour 2009

For someone who is ‘on the mat’ o n a highly-regular basis and will never be seen wearing yoga gears that are not colour-coordinated, I had fooled myself into buying and collecting these Yogitoes in as many colours as I can – to match my yoga outfits (and don’t get me started on how extensive and colourful my yoga outfit wardrobe is)!

Orange Yogitoes from Chakra collection representing Sacrum (Detoxification) helps me stay focused during hips openers & deep twists that extend my creativity and keep my reproductive system healthy

It doesn’t help me that BE Yoga is the only yoga centre in KL & PJ that sells Yogitoes in almost every colour, collection and fairly priced!

And yes, good things don’t come free, or even cheap for that matter. These Yogitoes are priced between RM238 to RM288 each (they are available at Yogitoes website too, priced between USD60 to USD66 each – not including shipping fee, of course. Kindly compare the prices online to understand why it costs a toe!).

So I have to eat my own words k-a-n?

‘If I can live without buying it, don’t buy it.’

‘If I breathe fine without it, don’t use it.’

Errr, I will settle for collecting all the Chakra-coloured (since I am undergoing Seven Chakra Levels of ra’Yoka TTC, yes?) Yogitoes on top of the ones I already have. For now

Love, light and pretty yogi toes today.