** Words Of Wisdom **

~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~

" Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. "

--Judith Viorst, author of Murdering Mr. Monti

~~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~~

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Personal, Quote, Quotes, Chocolate

** Friday Exhibitionism **

In a sudden fit of exhibitionism (and also because there is really nothing else interesting happening in my life right now), I will share the picture of my bruise with you all:
Ow
How low my blog has sunk for me to be posting up photos of my knee?

Is this stage one of turning into a blog bimbo, I wonder?
(You know, the kind of person whose blog has nothing but oodles of photos of themselves posing and practically no actual content)

Haha.
Will worry about that later.
Now: I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.
*bats eyelashes*

;)

Happy Friday,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Help. My Ego Is Broken

Oh man.
Feel so shy.....

Dunno what's wrong with me today - I pretty much tripped up over my own feet and fell down in the office today.... I have no idea how it happened - one second I'm happily walking along then the next I see the ground rushing up towards my face.
*sigh*
I am such a klutz!

If nobody saw me, it wouldn't be so bad but since I had a small audience, my self esteem has taken a beating.
(It is very hard to look graceful and poised when something like that happens lah)

I procured a big, black, ugly bruise on my knee from the fall but went and sadistically massaged it, hoping to make the blood clot go away magically. Now, joy of joys, it has evolved into an even larger red bump.

Owie.

Am still massaging it anyways, despite the pain.
(Pleasure from pain, Sneexe? Haha)


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

OO I've Been Tagged OO

Good morning................
I've been tagged!

4 alcoholic beverages I enjoy from time to time:
1. Copius amounts of red wine,
2. Armagnac,
(Tried it once and fell in love with it - anyone know where to find a good bottle in Malaysia tho?)
3. A great classic Margarita,
4. Cold beer on a hot day,
5. Vodka with Orange Juice
6. A good 25 year old Whiskey on ice,
7. Gin tonic,
8. Champagne......
Waitaminute... I was supposed to stop at 4, right?
Oops.

4 fantastic destinations I would like to go to on vacation before I pass out:
(So many places I haven't been, so I'm a bit greedy in this category)
1. Egypt,
(Pyramids and mummies and the Temple of Ra)
2. All of Europe,
3. South America,
(I especially want to visit Che Guevara-Land)
4. South Africa.
(Want to see Victoria Falls at least once in my life)

4 celebrities I would like to go on a big date with:
(Pssssst. Baby - Don't get jealous, k?)
1. Brad Pitt,
(Don't laugh la - I know it's typical, but childhood celebrity crushes are hard to squash)
2. Sebastian the MPO violinist,
(If only to find out whether the signature on the photo Pat and Al gave me is real)
3. Takeshi Kaneshiro,
4. Nik Aziz/ George Bush.
(so that I can club him on the head)

4 gadgets I do not have, which I would like to have:
1. LG Chocolate mobile phone,
(If only because of the name)
2. Spiffy new 12 megapixel digital camera,
3. A watch that can stop and start time,
(Muahaha - The endless mischief I could dabble in! Erm,... does that count as a gadget anyway?)
4. A chocolate making machine that comes with a built in anti-cellulite/ fat busting function.
(Can someone please make this machine a reality?)

4 “poor souls” tagged:
1. S
2. Pat
3. Lenny
4. Sneexe


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Meme, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

~ Happy Belated Anniversary ! ~

How quickly a year passes by.....
It feels like only yesterday that the 5 of us (*wink* A holler to the original dinner group buddies!) decided that our seemingly endless gastronomic rut at the mamak was getting a bit old and decided to make it a point to try out new restaurants every weekend.

Little did we know that the new tradition would continue on after that first dinner on the 30th of April 2005, with our weekly dinner group expanding to as many as 25 people on a good night.
(Of course, sometimes we have had as few as 2 people on a bad night but we'll still go on with the dinner anyway....)

It's been great - chatting over wine and lamb cutlets instead of Maggi Goreng and Milo Ais, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. It's been kinda sad too - definately a sign that we are taking yet another step away from our more laidback teenage/ uni years and into our corporate/ yuppie years, don't you think?
(In other words: OMG, we're getting OLD!)

I am sad that I could not make it for our Anniversary Dinner at Sao Nam.... but oh well, there'll always be next year.
:)


Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Meet My Other Best Friend: Coffee

Hmmm,.. as much as I love chocolate... I must say, that the one thing I truly could not live without would be coffee.....
I'm not addicted... I can stop ANYtime *nervous smile*
Yeah, I know it is bad.... yellows my teeth (my dentist has complained numerous times)... blabla.... but how could I possibly stay awake without it??

So, how much do I have in a day?
Let's see:
1) First cup in the morning when I get into office,
2) Another cup or two after lunch to ward off the dreaded "After-Lunch Syndrome",
3) One more at about 4pm to keep me awake till the evening, and
4) (Optional) A cup at about 10.30pm to keep me up, when working late.

I think I'm still far away from actually killing myself from an overdose of caffeine though... According to the Death By Caffeine Calculator, I can still have another 66.96 cups of instant coffee before I croak!

*flashes coffee stained smile*
Aaah, my Nescafe, how you comfort my soul.

Caffeine is F-U-N! Wheeeeeeeeeeee.............
Work, unfortunately, is not. Booooo........ Hisss.....


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Death By Caffeine, Death By Caffeine Calculator, Coffee, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

~ Lady Marmalade ~

The Dinner Lunch

Marmalade opened a few years ago in the Mont Kiara area (in between the Coffee Bean and the Baskin Robbins), and has since then garnered a following from the inhabitants of the posh area with its cosy, homey environment and healthy food choices.
(Oh, I find it very sweet that they have sectioned off a part of their interior as a play area for kids - nice!)

Marmalade exterior
Marmalade Interior
We started off our meal with the Mushroom Bruschetta.....
The Mushroom Bruschetta
(Before I make any comments, I think I'll start off with this Disclaimer : The food here is supposed to be "healthy" so with that, it will naturally be less tasty then its greasier/ saltier/ more calorific cousins at other eateries)

The bread was for a lack of a better word: hard. Thankfully, the mushrooms were tasty - lightly seasoned, panfried with herbs and sprinkled with a dose of healthy alfalfa for good measure.

For the mains, we had the Chicken Pie, Ham and Mushroom Quiche, Beef Lasagne and Chicken Stew....

Clockwise from top left: Chicken Pie, Beef Lasagne, Ham & Mushroom Quiche and Chicken Stew
The pie was ok - there were generous amounts of chunky chicken in the filling but unfortunately, the texture was pretty dry. I found the highlight of the dish to be the creamy mash potatoes. The beef lasagne was better - meaty and flavourful although it was a little dry on the edges due to over-cooking.

Next up, the Chicken Stew came with generous amounts of meat and vegetables (as well as two pieces of the abovementioned hard bread). Still, I found the consistency a bit too runny (more of a soup then a stew, really) and the texture of the chicken was stringy and dry.
(With that, I'm not very convinced that it is worth the RM16 price tag)

However, the Beef Stew comes highly recommended by Boo_licious and Boon (who is a regular there), so I'll take it that it's nicer than the Chicken Stew. The quiche was also only "ok" - better than most quiches found around town and amply filled with mushrooms and ham... Still, taste-wise, it didn't rock my world.

Other than the above, I have (on another occasion) tried the Pesto, Mushroom and Pine Nuts wrap here... That was actually really nice, served with a side of salad.
(I'd recommend that rather than any of the other foods pictured above)
(There are also a variety of interesting salads to choose from - haven't tried any but have heard that they are nice)

For dessert we chose the Chocolate Brownie Ala Mode and the Bread and Butter Pudding:
The Chocolate Brownie and The Bread & Butter Pudding
The Bread and Butter Pudding was pretty good - hot, moist and not too sweet, with smatterings of raisins and orange, paired off well with the vanilla ice cream.

The chocolate brownie was lacklustre though. I found it rather dry and overall, uneventful.
(As much as I'm a chocoholic - I'd probably just order the Bread and Butter Pudding for dessert the next time I go to Marmalade)

[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(Jan 2008)

If you passed by the main Mont Kiara area and noticed that Marmalade is missing from it's spot near the Baskin Robbins/ Coffee Bean- Do not fret!

It has not closed down... but has relocated to inside Plaza Mont Kiara (ie. that tall office building which is just across the road from its original location). Have not tested out the food there yet but so far, have not heard any complaints.
(So, let's conclude that the food continues to be decent - not great, but fairly reasonable for the taste and price charged)

[ END EDIT ]


So it's: Homey, comfortable setting with a cute section for children, healthy range of food BUT hits and misses on the menu and rather expensive drinks.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Marmalade @ Mont Kiara

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 6
Price** : RM 36/++ per person
Parking: Ok + FREE!

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6201 1743
Opening Hours: 11.00am - 10.30pm

HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Hartamas, Mont Kiara, Marmalade, Cafe, KL, Kuala Lumpur

~ Irony ~

I finally visit Kuching (albeit, for work) and it just happens to be around the time when S is going to KL for holiday....
.... and when is it that she's flying back to Kuching?

I'll tell you when!: After 2 weeks, which is exactly when I will be flying back to KL.

Talk about bad timing.....
^-^

Still, promises have been made and I will still get my bowl of delicious, authentic Sarawak Laksa (at an undisclosed location) this Saturday before she flies off to KL.
*yay*
(Thanks, S, you're a doll!)
(Pssst... if enough space in my stomach after that, I want to go for a round of Kolo Mee, k? *greedy grin*)


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Parking Mad

After spending some time in Kuching, I'm beginning to notice something strange about the people here... Yup, it's becoming very clear to me that: (The majority of the) People here don't know how to park their cars.

Hey.... don't look at me that way la! I'm not making this up... It's true:

Not so bad.....

Really bad - Shame on you! *hissss*
(And these are only 2 of many, many, many examples)

Seriously, is it that Kuching-ites just don't really care about their fellow citizens? I mean, I know it's not as congested as KL yet but it is still quite hard to find empty spots in certain parts of the town. So, don't you think that it's inconsiderate to park in one and a half parking lots?
So selfish!
*tsk-tsk*

Luckily people in Kuching are nicer and generally, more "chin-chai" (easygoing).
If you did such a thing in the KL/ PJ area, most likely:
1) Your car will be scratched,
2) Your tires will be punctured, OR
3) All of the above.

"Kyaaaa.....yarghhhhhhhhh! Take that and thatandthatandthat."
Well... fine, maybe it won't be as bad as the photo above, but you get the point, right?

Ok la.
Give you the benefit of the doubt - maybe no one told you before so I'll tell you now.
FYI: You are supposed to park WITHIN* the designated lines of the parking bay.
(*WITHIN meaning that your car should be in between two lines painted on the road, not three or more)

Another public service announcement brought to you by,
J


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Public Service Announcement, Kuching, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

~ 2D Me (EDITED) ~

Look, look!
It's me!

In 2D, as a cartoon....
Singing happily: "Lalalalala, Choccy, choccy, yummy chocciiiiiies....."
..... oh, and on a GREAT hair day, without about 5kg 10kg of excess flab....
:)
[ BEGIN EDIT ]
Someone close to me has very RUDELY pointed out that I should increase this to at least 10kg of excess flab to be realistic. *wail* Ok la. I put it in already. Are you happy now?
:(
Meanie!
Hmmph. Dowan to friend you already.
[ END EDIT ]

Obviously I am very bored with my life work and decided to waste some time on doing something so very pointless.

Other than that, it's been a bad week so far.
Still sick.
HATE being sick and having no time to be sick....
Too busy to even schedule a visit to the doctor right now - Have so far been sticking to regular doses of the Malaysian "cure all drug" - Panadol....
*sigh*

Ok.
Shall end this grumpy post and get back to work.

Ciao,
J

TAGS: Blog, Doll, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

~ Attack Of The MSG ~

I have no complaints about the taste of the food in Kuching so far but....
I always feel really, REALLY thirsty after eating at restaurants here....

Could it be... MSG?
*frown*
I really hope not.... that would be a real pity - as it is, too many people take the short cut of adding in that little magical white powder instead of other proper ingredients to enhance the flavour...


MSG : The Way Of The Future?
*sigh*

I've always been a bit sensitive towards MSG in my food anyways...
It may not affect other people so much but I always feel so, very parched after consuming anything with too much MSG in it...
(I remember once, I even had a lot of trouble falling asleep because I kept needing to drink water and had this horrible heartburn-y sorta feeling in my chest)

It is SO hard to find 100% MSG free restaurants though.
Even some of my favourite eateries (I will not name names) seem to resort to MSG on some days - it doesn't happen often, but when it does, I can tell.

Bah.
*indignant scowl*


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, MSG, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Tiamo, Mi Amore

This week we shall venture once again to a restaurant in the land down under....

Lygon Street, the heart of the Italian community in Melbourne, is a must visit area for people looking for cosy, authentic Italian restaurants close to the central city area.

There are quite a lot of places to choose from, with greeters from the restaurant cajoling you in charming Italian accents as you walk past....
(In fact, if you have a large enough group + desperate enough greeter, you may get offers of free wine to entice you to eat at their restaurant)

That night, we chose to dine at Tiamo 2, a popular restaurant at the quieter side of the street.

The Dinner

Tiamo2 (and it's sister restaurant, Tiamo, next door) is a small, casual restaurant serving traditional country style Italian food...
Tiamo2 Exterior
It's interior is normal (and rather cramped + noisy) but still, it's very cosy though probably not a good venue for a romantic date.
(Be warned: Do make bookings/ come early as this place is really popular and is packed at dinner time)
Tiamo2 Interior

At Tiamo2, there is a decent variety of items on the regular menu and also an ever changing array of Daily Specials to keep you coming back.

Knowing how big Aussie helpings can be to the average Malaysian stomach, we skipped the appetizers and jumped straight to the mains. First up, the Daily Specials - the Roast Pork and the Baked Sea Bass:
Left to Right: The Roast Pork and The Baked Sea Bass
Mmmm... oh Roast Pork, oh wonderful porcine goodness - so juicy and tender with that wonderful herb sauce. The Sea Bass was also fantastic - fresh and cooked juuuuust right, with the tender flesh sweet with natural juices, accentuated with a hint of lemon. If you ever see it available on the Daily Special when you go there, ORDER IT (Seriously! ... Do watch out for the bones, k? - I was greedily gobbling the fish and almost swallowed a few bones in the process).

Onwards to the regular items available on the menu - the Steak Diane, the Maccharoni Della Zia and the Lamb Shank:

Clockwise from Top: The Maccharoni, The Lamb Shank and The Steak Diane

The Steak Diane, served with a robust worcestershire, garlic and wine sauce, was tender and generally, ok.
(I am beginning to suspect that I am very hard to please when it comes to steaks)
The Maccharoni Della Zia was pretty good, pasta with meatballs and eggplant in a tart homemade tomato based sauce - wholesome and fulfilling, how a good Italian pasta should be.
The Lamb Shank was the best of these three, with the meat succulent from the time-consuming braising. It had a very delicate flavour though, akin to the traditional Italian style (This is a downside to me, because being Malaysian I love everything heavily spiced).

Don't ask me how, but being the gluttons that we are, we managed to fit in Tiramisu for dessert:
The Tiramisu
The tiramisu was really good - creamy and moist with just a hint of alcohol.
(Definately a great way to end the night)

So it's: Affordable, authentic Italian food near the Melbourne city center with friendly service (waiters not very attentive though - too busy) BUT cramped, noisy environment and limited wine selection .

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Tiamo 2 @ Lygon Street

Taste: 8
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : AUD$ 35/++ per person
Parking: Took Tram So Dunno

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: (61) 03-2282 9923
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Tiamo, Lygon, Lygon Street, Tiamo 2, Tiamo2, Italian, Australia, Victoria, Melbourne, Carlton

~ Eat And Run ~

Had my first bowl of honest to goodness, authentic Kolo Mee/ Kolok Mee for lunch today and mmmmmMMmm, it was glorious..... GER-LORE-REE-YERRRS.

*fade in*
Fresh hand made noodles, cooked to perfection..... topped with generous amounts of minced meat and roasted pork, coated in a savoury sauce with a hint of vinegar that added that little bit of zing to the tastebuds.
*fade out*

I ate at a little Chinese coffee shop called Min Heng on Carpenter Street.
Once again,.. no piccies as I was in the company of colleagues.
*sigh*
Sorry.....
I am currently leading a double life as I try as much as possible to keep my blogscapades away from my day job.

Rest assured, the Kolo Mee here is worth a try - tasty and a big serving for under RM4!
(The iced coffee is not bad too)


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Kolok Mee, Kolo Mee, Kuching, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Just Do It!

Presenting, another wonderful made-in-Malaysia product: Kopi Larat!
(Literal Translation: Coffee Stamina)
Pak Mat sez: "Ada Ooomph!"
It's strange how the whole Tongkat Ali craze has gone right through the roof over the last few years... Now, other than the usual pills and potions, there are so many different brands offering different variations of the magical root mixed with coffee/ tea/ etc... Strangely, the one consistent theme with the advertising for most of them is that the "model" will be a really "alim" (religious) looking old man.

O_o

I don't know about you, but it just strikes me as a little weird la.... That's like having a picture of a priest on the posters/ packaging for Viagra tablets (seeing as Tongkat Ali is reputed to have similar effects on men).

Eek.
Like I said, W-E-I-R-D.

Of course, there are some others taking a different (and not very subtle) approach to the advertising.....
Should it come with a warning label then?
*lol*


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Tongkat Ali, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Cheapo's Delight

Tip for Poor Students/ Stingy People/ Tourists on Shoe-String Budgets in Melbourne, Australia:
In the city area and don't know where to get decent food for under 5 bucks?

Look no further!
Crown Casino, in an effort to lure more people, serves a selection of food (fish+chips/ beef burger/ chicken+chips) for only AUD$2 in it's Casino "Snack" areas!
(Offer only between 6am and 5pm, Sundays to Fridays)

Crown Casino From AfarO_O

So cheap!
I won't lie to you though: The serving IS pretty small but heck, for 2 bucks a pop, just go ahead and order 2 servings or something la.

The Fish&Chips Served On A Classy Black Plastic Plate
Warning: Please stay away from gambling while you're there, unless really are THAT lucky or THAT good.... if not it will defeat the purpose of saving money (by buying this cheap food).

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Budget, Travel Tip, Travel Tips, Melbourne, Australia, Fish and Chips, Fish & Chips, Crown Casino, Victoria

~ Phwoaaaar! ~

So how come they don't have restaurants like this in Malaysia?:

• Bun-ny Butlers

*lol*

Well,.. Kuching's been great so far.
S has been a great hostess, taking time out of her busy schedule to take me out for dinner at a new Italian restaurant called Oregano in the Travilion Commercial Center last night.
:)

I didn't actually take any photos.... so not sure whether I'll do a proper review.
Overall, the restaurant was pretty good..... but there were no butlers/ waiters like in the news article linked above.
(*sigh*.... Oh well, you can't always have it all, I guess...)


Cheers,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

! Narcissists R' Us !

"Perasan" - (Malaysian slang) A egotistical person, one who is full of him/her-self and thinks (usually with little or any basis) that he/she's all that and a bag o' chips.

Example? Please click on the piccy below:

Modest, aren't we?

*sigh*
Look, maybe no one has explained this to you before but this is how it's supposed to work: Technically, YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO NOMINATE YOURSELF.
(And that goes for voting too)

Got it?

[ BEGIN EDIT ]

Well, obviously not because now there are now at least 8 people in total who voted for themselves.

[ END EDIT ]


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Asia Blog Awards, Malaysian Slang, Perasan, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

/{ Leaving On A Jetplane }\

*yawn*

=_=

Sleepy. Very.
Had to wake up at unGodly hour to get to the new Air Asia Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT).
Was fun - fighting through the crowds, checking in, walking half a K to the airplane and sitting on those hard, hard, HARD seats for 2 hours.
(Note to self: Never fly cattle class on Air Asia ever again - the bloody seats can't be adjusted! *whine* Had to sit at a rather uncomfortable 90 degree angle for the whole flight.....)

Bleargh.
Me tired.

Me want Kolo Mee and Sarawak Laksa now.
:(

Other than that, Kuching (aka. Kenny Sia-land) has been ok so far.

Cheerio,
J


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

!~ Beautiful Berth ~!

G'day mate!
How ya' going?
:)

This time I'm taking you slightly further away to a restaurant called Berth in NewQuay Promenade, which is located in the up and coming Docklands area in Melbourne, Australia.

The Dinner

The ambience here is romantic in a modern way, with a hard metal finishings softened with plush furnishing.
Berth: Restaurant Exterior
Berth: Restaurant Interior
Do make it a point to ask for a window seat as the large glass window panels will give you access to a beautiful view of the bay area at night:

View of the Bay from Inside Berth

First off, the Bruschetta:
The Bruschetta
Monstrous in size but only average in taste, the bread tasted very "doughy". The topping of Roma tomatoes and garlic was nice though, although probably not the best choice on a date.
*sniff-sniff*
Phew - garlic is NOT a sexy scent....

For the main, we tried the Duck Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Wilted Rockets:
The Duck Risotto
The Risotto was only "OK" - it had a simple flavour with the rice done just right, but still definately not fantastic in my books.
I don't remember finding much duck or mushrooms in it and had to add a lot of cheese to make it tasty.

Next, the highlight of the night: the Lamb Shank:
The Lamb Shank
Oh glorious Lamb Shank!
I still dream of your taste in my mouth - so tender and so tasty, with a hint of citrus flavour in your marinade which complimented you perfectly.

Finally, we had the Hot Chocolate Cake for dessert:

The Chocolate Cake
The Chocolate Cake, served with vanilla ice cream, was moist and sinful - a good way to end the night.
:)

I really have to thank LP for this restaurant recommendation....
*hugs*

I'll admit that there were some hits and misses on the menu but the ambience + the great view + affordable prices + great lamb shank made this restaurant well worth the effort of fighting through that bitterly cold Melburnian wind at the Docklands.

So, it's: Great view, friendly and cute waiters, good wine, hits & misses on menu (GREAT Lamb Shank) BUT well, it's in Melbourne lah (not very accessible to us Malaysians here in KL, is it?)

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Berth @ NewQuay Promenade

Taste: 7
Ambience : 8
Service : 8
Price** : AUD$35++ per person
Parking: Took Tram, So Dunno

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: (61) 03-9670 0199
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Berth, Modern Australian, NewQuay Promenade, Docklands, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne

>'-'< What's Up, Pussycat? >'-'<

Watch out Kuching, here I come!
(Pssssst, S, tell the Sarawak Laksa shop to get ready for me!)

:)

Does anyone else have any other suggestions on what to see and do in Sarawak?


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Kuching, Sarawak, Travel, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

**~ Next Stop: The Land of Bad Cosplay ~**

I have found more bad cosplay in one place than I will probably need to see in a lifetime.... Kudos to the peeps who put this database together though - at least it is arranged systematically with the person's piccy and the name of the character they are SUPPOSED to look like placed next to it for easy reference.

Want a peek?
Exhibit 1:
Supposed to be - Sizer from Violinist Of Hamelin



Exhibit 2:
Supposed to be - Sailor Galaxia from Sailormoon


Exhibit 3:
Supposed to be - Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII


Huh? What do you mean that you don't see any similarity at all?
Pfft.
Silly humans, you just don't understand cosplaying.
It's not a deluded person in a homemade costume - it's a way of life!

*lol*
:)

I really do not mean to pick on these passionate anime/ manga lovers who have obviously put a lot of money + time + effort into their costumes and are dedicating it as a homage to their favourite characters but if they think they look anything at all like those characters then they have another thing coming....
(Definately a severe case of imagination > common sense)

Still not satisfied with just these 3 photos?
Head on over to this site to satiate your bad cosplay addiction.

In any case, Happy Friday y'all!


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Cosplay, Anime, Manga, Japanese, Funny, Bad Cosplay, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

(: May The Best Blog Win :)

It's that time of the year again......
*drum roll and fanfare*

~ The 2006/2007 Q1 Asia Blog Awards! ~

There are quite a lot of different categories....
Region/Country Specific Blogs:
Best China Blog
Best Hong Kong Blog
Best India Blog
Best Indonesia Blog
Best Japan Blog
Best Korea Blog
Best Malaysia Blog
Best Mekong Blog (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar/Burma)
Best Mongolian or ‘Stan’ Blog (Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan)
Best Philippine Blog
Best Singapore Blog
Best South Asia Blog (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet)
Best Taiwan Blog
Best Thai Blog
Best of the Rest (Bhutan, Timor Leste, Brunei etc…)

Non-region specific awards:
Best Activist Blog
Best BGLT Blog
Best Bridge Blog
Best Design
Best Diarist
Best Essayist
Best Food Blog
Best Group Blog
Best Humor Blog
Best Original Reporting
Best Photo Blog
Best Podcast
Best Satirist
Best Sex Blog
Best Travel Blog
Best Video Blog

Nominations are now open for the April 1-June 30 period and full-year awards are to be based on the quarterly contests. The closing date for nominations is the end of June 16, 2006 (Samoan time) so hurry on over there already!

:)


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, 2006, Q1, 2007, Nominate, Asia Blog Awards, Asian Blog Awards, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Unfortunate Name Choice.....

.... or Clever Play On Words Targeted at a Niche Market?


Anyone want a piece of that?
;)

According to Walls (or as it is known in Australia, Streets):
Streets Golden Gaytime is a unique flavour combination of toffee flavoured ice cream dipped in fine chocolate and crunchy biscuit pieces.

.... enjoyed by the young and the old and is a classic ice cream brand that has stood the test of time to become one of Australia’s heritage icon brands and Australia’s biggest selling ice cream. More Streets Gaytime’s are sold than any other ice cream on the market!!

Gaytime stands for a sunny outlook in life brought to life by it’s packaging. The use of the sun and golden colours encapsulates a typical Gaytime scene. The crunch that is so unique to Gaytime, is a biscuit type product that was developed especially.... not changed since the product was first launched.

There have been approximately 25 different flavours of Gaytime since it’s launch in 1959. The current and most successful Gaytime was "Golden" ... in the summer of 1970. Other flavours have included; Strawberry Shortcake, Caramel Nut, King Chocolate, Raspberry Rough, Choc Orange, Cassata Roma, Devil’s Food (chocolate) and Turkish Delight.

The Gaytime product was launched into New Zealand in 2000 under the brand name "Cookie Crumble".

(Oh, and apparently the slogan for this brand is: "It's so hard to have a Gaytime on your own.")

*lol*

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Ice Cream, Funny, Funny Name, Slogan, Streets, Walls, Golden Gaytime, WTF, Unfortunate Choice Of Words, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Feeling Melancholic

To Brian, to Margaret, to Li Lian and to Marianne,

I will always cherish whatever few memories I have of my childhood with you.... and regret that I didn't make more of an effort to keep in touch...

I remember....
... all those hours hanging out at your house, talking and laughing...
... sneaking out at night to the playground and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes...
... playing that Mad boardgame for hours on end...
... watching you and your family drive away and feeling that my world was ending because my bestest friend's moving off to a distant land...

I hope that you're healthy and happy wherever it is that life has taken you now.

*hugs*

Mem'rieeeeeeessss, light the corner of my eyeeeeesssss.....
Mistee water coloured mem'riiiiies....
... of the way we were......!

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

[VV]Beware! : Hungry Chocoholic[VV]

Bwahaha.
*omnious thunder and lightning in the background*

Come clozer, little varn.....

... zo that I can EET you!


*lol*
I am somewhat of a sicko I guess.
I just love eating these Freddo and Caremello Koala choccies and biting their heads off.....
(Not that the choccies are especially delicious or anything - it is a lot creamier than the average tropicalised chocolates that you'll find in Malaysia but then again, pretty much all chocolates from Australia are...)

:)

Anyway, BWAHAHAHA...
(Happy Wednesday everyone!)
(Yay! The world didn't end - We've all made it past the dreaded 6/6/06 day!)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Chocolate, Chocolates, Cadbury, Funny, Silly, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

/~\ Volcano Nuggets /~\

*phew*
When they said that the new special edition Spicy McNuggets are well, spicy, they really were not kidding.
The 2006 World Cup Special Edition McDonald's Spicy McNuggets!(Wow, what a mouth full)
One bite of it and you will instantly be hit by the pungeant and hair-raising amount of pepper and chili powder they have laced into this innocent looking morsel of fried chicken.
(I some how managed to fight my way through the 9 pieces that I had very greedily bought)
(Oh, and please note that the comment on spicy-ness was true with my particular batch of nuggets - maybe it will vary somewhat with others so if you do NOT feel your nerve endings sear within the first nugget or two, don't look at me in an accusatory manner, k?)

I must say, during this coming foortball season, it will probably play an integral role in laddish "Haha, let's see how many you can eat until your face goes beet red/ you lose all sensation in your tongue/ pass out" games.

Still, it was a fun experience with no fatalities....
(The burning sensation in my mouth went away eventually)

Cheers,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Fast Food, Spicy McNuggets, McNugget, McDonald, McNuggets, 2006 World Cup Special Edition McDonald's Spicy McNuggets, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

My Wallet Sez "Ouch!"

[ BEGIN EDIT ]

As a pre-renovation special, Villa Danieli is offering a 30% discount off food and drinks when you use your Citibank Visa card!
(Only until the end of May 2007)

(And btw, I am not receiving any payment for posting this up - I just thought it's a pretty good discount... unless you have the Starwood Hotels membership card, that is - you can get up to 50% discount with that so it's even better)

[ END EDIT ]


We have just found out first hand how misleading some reviews can be....
Don't want to point fingers or name names but honestly, any review that tells you that you can eat at Villa Danieli for around RM50 is really streeeeeetching the truth.

Technically, it's not an all out lie of course, because you can get a pizza/ pasta and a glass of water for around RM40++. Still, you will not be able to have a full dinner as most of the starters here cost >RM30++, the pizzas/ pastas >RM35++, the mains (meats/ seafood) cost >RM 50++ and the desserts cost >RM25++.

Oh well, let's not dwell on this and just move on to the review, shall we?

The Dinner

Cosy and romantic, Villa Danieli is situated next to the pool area on the 5th floor of the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, KL.
The Exterior of Villa Danieli
Full of earthy terracotta, red and wooden tones, it is definately a good place to wine and dine your loved ones or impress business associates...

The Interior of Villa Danieli, Mariachis and All
The food here is Italian, brought to you by award winning chef Gianluca Re Fraschini. We started off the night with the Grilled Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, Cauliflower Soup and the Seafood Lasagnette:

Clockwise from top left: Grilled Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, Seafood Lasagnette and Cauliflower Soup
The Seafood Lasagnette (which is actually some sort of a broth) was ok - clear with a delicate, uncomplicated flavour (arguably not salty/ flavorful enough).

The Cauliflower Soup on the other hand was deliciously creamy and robust.
(I'm not sure if I'd pay RM30++ for to try it again though...)

The Grilled Calamari was good too - the lightly seared pieces of squid were fresh and juicy, going well with herb sauce and artichoke hearts.

No comments on the Beef Carpaccio (sorry) - it looked good but I do not eat raw meat so I didn't steal any off SooJ. He did say that it was pretty good though.

Onwards to the mains....
That night, we tried the Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms, Lamb Cutlets and the Braised Lamb Shank....

Clockwise from top left: Lamb Cutlets, Braised Lamb Shank and Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
OMG.
The Lamb Cutlets were just to die for! - the meat was juicy and downright succulent, with a wonderfully crispy outer layer. Pat and SooJ pretty much picked the bones clean. I would definately recommend this dish but will warn you ahead of time that although it is DELICIOUS, it costs RM65++ for a pretty small serving.

The Risotto was also pretty good (as far as risottos go) - wholesome and bursting with the natural flavours of the Porcini mushroom. It only tasted great while it was hot though, and quickly became very "jelak" as it cooled down due to its increasingly starchy texture...
(That, and there wasn't anything to break the monotony of the rice and (the very few) mushrooms - no meat, no other veg... nothing!)

The Braised Lamb Shank was also pretty good - it didn't knock my socks off but generally, it was tender and tasty.
(Lenny raved about how fragrant the onions in the sauce were but again, I didn't eat any so I can't really comment)

As for the desserts, we didn't try any:
(Again, sorry)
1) We were already quite full after filling ourselves with the yummy complimentary bread, and
2) None of the limited choice of desserts sounded interesting enough to justify the price.
(As much as I aim to do exhaustive reviews - fact of the matter is: I am not made of money)

So, it's: Cosy, romantic Italian restaurant with ok food (and GREAT lamb) BUT for a price, boring (sounding) desserts (still, a great place to impress dates/ business associates/ make wedding proposals)

On another note: Here are some pictures of us being thick-skinned and goofing around in a swanky Italian restaurant!
J's Motto: Keep Your Friends Close.... and Your Enemies Closer!
"Killer Fork Attack! Kyaaah!"

Desperate Smoker Resorts to Breadstick

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Villa Danieli @ Sheraton, KL

Taste: 7 (The Lamb Cutlet, on its own, is a 9 tho!)
Ambience : 8
Service : 7
Price** : RM 110/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2717 9922
Opening Hours: 12.00pm - 2.30pm; 6.30pm - 10.30pm

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Sheraton Hotel, Sheraton Imperial, Villa Danieli, Italian, Romantic, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Romantic Restaurant, Italian Food

TICK tock TICK tock...

(A short review of a play)
Warning!
Watched the new Joe Hasham play, The Fastest Clock in The Universe, at the KLPAC with Pat, SooJ, Chen and some others on Sunday afternoon...
(Thanks for organising, SooJ!)

Overall, I liked the play as it was very different....

When they said it is only suitable for mature audiences, they were NOT kidding. Dark, melancholic, murderous, incentous, in denial, paedophilic and abusive, with a healthy dose of a love, hate and homosexuality in a tight 2 x 1 hour package. All this, with NO prop/ set changes and only five cast members: Gavin Yap, Ari Ratos, Joanna Bessey, Niki Cheong and Faridah Merican.
Gavin Yap: Smokin' Hot
I enjoyed Ari and Faridah's characters and performances but thought that Joanna and Niki's were a little typical and weak... I suppose they served their purpose though.

I ESPECIALLY enjoyed Gavin's performance as the brooding modern day Dorian Gray.... but I am sure that has nothing, absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact that he started off the play wearing nothing but a pair of boots, sunnies and a pair of jeans that hugged his buns in a very complimenting manner....
*drool*
Oh, and not that I want to go on about it, but his hard, chiseled abs (all 6 of them) were definately a sight to behold.
(Sadly, after about 10 minutes, he put a shirt and jacket on - yes, I was upset for the rest of the show)

Was very tempted to take photos of him (not that I wanted to be a perve or anything like that... it would have been for YOUR benefit la) but was seated behind Joe Hasham and didn't want to get caught.
:(

(Erm. Shall stop ranting now)

I really don't want to put in any spoilers until after the show has finished its run (it's on from June 2 till 11, 2006) so I'll sum it up as this:
Worth a watch for RM50/ RM30. It's a play that is funny yet dark and is very different. It will make you think, and everyone will get a different meaning from it due to its subjective nature. Oh, and please watch with an open mind - homophobes and painfully conservative people should probably stay away, for your own sakes.
(I know Pat, SooJ and Chen are already mentally scarred from one particular scene that involves magazines, pants and a certain hand)
*Pat, SooJ and Chen scream in chorus*
:)

Summary Info:
Name of Play - The Fastest Clock In The Universe
Venue - The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center (KLPAC)
Dates - June 2 till June 11, 2006
Price - RM50 (adults) / RM30 (students, seniors, disabled)
Bookings - Online or Phone 2094 9400/ 4047 9000


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, The Fastest Clock In The Universe, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center, Joe Hasham, KLPAC, Review, Play, Arts, Art

MEMO: Reclassification of Restaurants Reviewed

Had a long talk with a Muslim friend recently...
Apparently an eatery isn't really, REALLY Halal unless it:
1) Doesn't serve pork,
(This is the very obvious pre-requisite la)
2) Doesn't serve alcohol, and
3) The animal/ meat served was slaughtered in a Halal manner.

So, with this, I am going to go back and reclassify all the restaurants that I have reviewed so far as follows:
1) CERTIFIED HALAL = Eatery that has certification from JAKIM,
2) HALAL = No pork served + No alcohol,
3) NO PORK SERVED = No pork served BUT Alcohol is served, and
4) NOT HALAL = Pork served.

Okies?
:)

Sorry I keep making these little changes to my restaurant reviews but I can't help it - it's a process of continual improvement for me...

Please feel free to give feedback on the reviews I have done so far though...
It would be great to get some objective opinions - I would really appreciate it.


Cheers,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Party People, Head To NZ!

It's funny how the limit of how much alcohol you can bring in varies (drastically) from country to country....

Malaysia: 1 litre of alcoholic beverage.
USA: 1 litre of alcoholic beverage.

(OK,... that's a fair amount I guess)

Argentina: 2 litres of spirits or 2 litres of wine.
Australia: 2.25 litres of alcoholic beverage.

(Well, the more the merrier! I suppose the people there like their drink)

New Zealand: 6 bottles (4.5 litres) of wine, port or sherry or 12 cans (4.5 litres) of beer AND one 1,125ml bottle of spirits or liqueurs.

(*jaw drops* HOW much??)
"... and we'll throw in a free membership to the AA too!" :)

*speechless*

(That be a LOT of alcohol)

For a listing of duty free alcohol limits for these and other countries, go to this site.


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Duty Free, Alcohol Limit, Alcohol, Customs, New Zealand, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Have Car, Will Travel

Oh Cendol, dear darling Cendol ....
Your soothing, sticky sweet taste is so comforting on a hot Malaysian day....
Mmmm... cendol
Oh glorious mountain of shaved ice and gula melaka!
You are perfect honey - I wouldn't have you any other way...

:)

Went on a day trip to Melaka last weekend.
Twas fun.
Sadly, while I was there I only managed to gobble one bowl of Cendol, half a bowl of Baba Laksa (yum!)....
Laksa, Baba Style
... and half a bowl of Assam Laksa (yum-yum!)....
Assam Laksa: You either love it or hate it
Where did I go for all this Laksa + Cendol, you ask?
It was this little coffee shop on one end of the Jonker Street area....

View of the laksa place - inside and out
The (new) name of the place is "The Museum Cafe" and the phone number is 06-286 8786.
Oh, and holy commercialism! They have a website too!

Overall, the food at the place was good....
The Baba Laksa was rich without being too "lemak-y" and the texture of the noodles was tender with a little bounce to the bite.
(Mmmm,... I love the bits of bunga kantan that they put in - gives it that extra kick)
The Assam Laksa was also pretty good, fragrant without being too fishy...
Both Laksas came generously topped with half a boiled egg and foo chok, amongst other things.... all for only RM3.50 a bowl!

... And the cendol?
Well,... it was a scorchingly hot day so it went down very very well.
:)

I really wanted to try the Chicken Rice Balls (please avert any skewed thoughts *glare*) at another coffee shop at the other end of Jonker Street, but was too full and decided not to gorge myself. Good thing too, cause the line was super super long!
(see!)
"We want (chicken rice) balls, we want (chicken rice) balls...", chants the angry mob...
Crazy.

Well,... it's probably worth the wait anyway. I've tried out this restaurant before a few years back - the chicken's tasty and the rice balls are fragrant without being too sticky.

Hmmm, *stares at photo*, am starting to feel hungry just thinking about it - damn.

So, who wants to drive down to Melaka?
:)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Baba Laksa, Assam Laksa, Laksa, Cendol, Malacca, Jonker, Jonker Street,Restaurant, Local Food, Local Favourites, Food, Melaka, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal