This is an update to inform that there will be no update this morning.
:(
Me busy.
Very busy.
Check back later, k?
:)
Love,
J
TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal
Posts
E.T.A. Cafe, Cybersouth
1 day ago
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
? Coincidental ?
Met my old tennis coach last week in a little coffeeshop in Kuching.
It's amazing - it really is such a small world....
He had emigrated to Scotland years ago so I thought that there was NO WAY ON EARTH that the man sitting at the next table in the coffeeshop could possibly be him, although there was such a striking resemblance.
(*lol* Still the same hair cut after all these years.... )
A few awkward glances later, I found out that it really was him!
The man who had tortured me for almost 4 years while I was in high school - making me run around till my legs felt like jello and do push-ups till my arms were numb.
Those were the days!
:)
I think he was rather disappointed to hear that I haven't played tennis for almost 4 years already though.
(My bad)
=_=
I can't even do 3 measly push ups in a row let alone a proper serve/ volley/ backhand, etc.
*flaps flabby arms around*
Haha.
My poor parents.
Their investment of approximately 3 years of tennis lessons, 6 years of piano lessons AND 3 years of swimming lessons have gone almost totally to waste...
*guilty grin*
TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal
It's amazing - it really is such a small world....
He had emigrated to Scotland years ago so I thought that there was NO WAY ON EARTH that the man sitting at the next table in the coffeeshop could possibly be him, although there was such a striking resemblance.
(*lol* Still the same hair cut after all these years.... )
A few awkward glances later, I found out that it really was him!
The man who had tortured me for almost 4 years while I was in high school - making me run around till my legs felt like jello and do push-ups till my arms were numb.
Those were the days!
:)
I think he was rather disappointed to hear that I haven't played tennis for almost 4 years already though.
(My bad)
=_=
I can't even do 3 measly push ups in a row let alone a proper serve/ volley/ backhand, etc.
*flaps flabby arms around*
Haha.
My poor parents.
Their investment of approximately 3 years of tennis lessons, 6 years of piano lessons AND 3 years of swimming lessons have gone almost totally to waste...
*guilty grin*
TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal
Monday, July 03, 2006
~ Never Fear! The Lobsterman Is Here! ~
The Dinner Lunch
That day, we ventured to The Lobsterman in the quieter area of SS2, Petaling Jaya.
The interior is non-pretentious with a comfortable but casual feel with stone and wood textures balancing the vivid green ceiling........
There's really not much of a view though - when you look out the window, all you see are houses... So, if you come at the right time during the day, maybe you will be lucky enough to see SS2 inhabitants hanging out their clothes or walking their dogs.
(The restaurant was clever enough to put many, many fairy lights outside the window to camouflage the view of the houses at night though, which definately helps...)
Lobsterman Interior
There is also a large tank filled with live lobsters of various sizes at the far end of the dining area.....
Lobsters in the tank awaiting their fate
Upon request, the manager/ waiter will even bring a live specimen for you to examine...
(In little lobster voice) "Curse you, foul human!"
When they brought our victim to the table, I almost felt a bit too guilty to eat it...
(Could imagine it squealing "Don't eat meeeeeeee........" in Lobster-language when it was waving its claws around)
Anyways, about the food... this is how it works. You can choose from:
1) An extensive ala carte menu
Starters, salads, pasta, steak, fish, etc...
2) 3 sizes of lobster:
RM88++ for 550g, RM103++ for 700g and RM113++ for 800g.
Once you choose a size, you can select from the 15 different ways to prepare it - from Thermidor to Claypot to Lotus Leaf style. You can have the whole lobster prepared one way, or have it split in half to try two different styles.
(If you order a really big lobster, you can also choose to have it quartered and cooked in 4 different styles)
Got it?
:)
Anyways, we started off with the complimentary Garlic Bread:
The free garlic bread
Not much to say: It was generally ok - Crispy but not very flavourful. Anyway, it's free lah - can't complain so much, right? Next we moved on to the Caesar Salad:
The Ceasar Salad
The Caesar Salad was only ok. The lettuce leaves were fresh - tossed with a light dressing, croutons and pimentos. It was a rather small serving for RM15++ though and the taste wasn't spectacular in any way.
We then moved on to the recommended starters, the Baked Escargots and the Fresh Oysters:
Left to right: The Baked Mushrooms and The Fresh Oysters
Baked with cheese and sitting on a delicious mushroom in a bed of mash potatoes, the escargots were juicy and definately worth a try.
What about the oysters?
Well, they were fantastic! Seriously. I was very surprised by how amazingly fresh they were. If you don't like it fresh, you can also have it prepared in a variety of ways (from Kilpatrick to Mornay to Claypot, etc).
Next, the highlight of the restaurant - lobsters!
That day, we balanced our selection with the Western style Lobster Thermidor and the Chinese style Lobster with Yee Mee:
Left to right: The Lobster Thermidor and the Lobster with Yee Mee
The Lobster Thermidor, sauteed with a white wine sauce then baked with cheese, was rich and flavourful and tender. The Chinese style lobster, sectioned and cooked with garlic and spring onions was done well - with the natural sweetness of the lobster not overpowered by the savoury sauce. The accompanying yee mee was also good - done just nice, not starchy in any way.
Lastly, dessert - the Chocolate Brownie Ala Mode:
The Chocolate Brownie Ala Mode
Pure chocoholic GREED fueled the ordering of dessert after such a heavy meal. Unfortunately, it wasn't anything special - not that it was bad or anything, just nothing exemplary about it (ok texture, ok taste (but slightly too sugar-y), ok everything).
Overall, it was a good lunch - it definately wasn't cheap (lobsters never are) but I thought it was quite worth it for the taste and the serving size.
So it's: Good value, good taste, fresh seafood, ok service BUT simple ambience, hits and misses on the menu.
TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, PJ, Petaling Jaya, SS2, Fusion, Lobster, Seafood
That day, we ventured to The Lobsterman in the quieter area of SS2, Petaling Jaya.
The interior is non-pretentious with a comfortable but casual feel with stone and wood textures balancing the vivid green ceiling........
There's really not much of a view though - when you look out the window, all you see are houses... So, if you come at the right time during the day, maybe you will be lucky enough to see SS2 inhabitants hanging out their clothes or walking their dogs.
(The restaurant was clever enough to put many, many fairy lights outside the window to camouflage the view of the houses at night though, which definately helps...)
There is also a large tank filled with live lobsters of various sizes at the far end of the dining area.....
Upon request, the manager/ waiter will even bring a live specimen for you to examine...
When they brought our victim to the table, I almost felt a bit too guilty to eat it...
(Could imagine it squealing "Don't eat meeeeeeee........" in Lobster-language when it was waving its claws around)
Anyways, about the food... this is how it works. You can choose from:
1) An extensive ala carte menu
Starters, salads, pasta, steak, fish, etc...
2) 3 sizes of lobster:
RM88++ for 550g, RM103++ for 700g and RM113++ for 800g.
Once you choose a size, you can select from the 15 different ways to prepare it - from Thermidor to Claypot to Lotus Leaf style. You can have the whole lobster prepared one way, or have it split in half to try two different styles.
(If you order a really big lobster, you can also choose to have it quartered and cooked in 4 different styles)
Got it?
:)
Anyways, we started off with the complimentary Garlic Bread:
Not much to say: It was generally ok - Crispy but not very flavourful. Anyway, it's free lah - can't complain so much, right? Next we moved on to the Caesar Salad:
The Caesar Salad was only ok. The lettuce leaves were fresh - tossed with a light dressing, croutons and pimentos. It was a rather small serving for RM15++ though and the taste wasn't spectacular in any way.
We then moved on to the recommended starters, the Baked Escargots and the Fresh Oysters:
Baked with cheese and sitting on a delicious mushroom in a bed of mash potatoes, the escargots were juicy and definately worth a try.
What about the oysters?
Well, they were fantastic! Seriously. I was very surprised by how amazingly fresh they were. If you don't like it fresh, you can also have it prepared in a variety of ways (from Kilpatrick to Mornay to Claypot, etc).
Next, the highlight of the restaurant - lobsters!
That day, we balanced our selection with the Western style Lobster Thermidor and the Chinese style Lobster with Yee Mee:
The Lobster Thermidor, sauteed with a white wine sauce then baked with cheese, was rich and flavourful and tender. The Chinese style lobster, sectioned and cooked with garlic and spring onions was done well - with the natural sweetness of the lobster not overpowered by the savoury sauce. The accompanying yee mee was also good - done just nice, not starchy in any way.
Lastly, dessert - the Chocolate Brownie Ala Mode:
Pure chocoholic GREED fueled the ordering of dessert after such a heavy meal. Unfortunately, it wasn't anything special - not that it was bad or anything, just nothing exemplary about it (ok texture, ok taste (but slightly too sugar-y), ok everything).
Overall, it was a good lunch - it definately wasn't cheap (lobsters never are) but I thought it was quite worth it for the taste and the serving size.
So it's: Good value, good taste, fresh seafood, ok service BUT simple ambience, hits and misses on the menu.
Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:
The Lobsterman @ SS2, PJ
Taste: 7
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 80/++ per person
Parking: OK
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7877 6772
(or 03-2141 6772 for their KL outlet)
Opening Hours:
Lunch - 11.30am to 2.30pm,
Dinner - 5.30pm to 10.30pm
NO PORK SERVED
TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, PJ, Petaling Jaya, SS2, Fusion, Lobster, Seafood
Friday, June 30, 2006
** Words Of Wisdom **
** 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
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
Thursday, June 29, 2006
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
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
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
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
~ 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
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
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
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
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
Monday, June 26, 2006
~ Lady Marmalade ~
The
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!)
We started off our meal with 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....
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 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
Friday, June 23, 2006
~ 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
.... 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
Thursday, June 22, 2006
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
Hey.... don't look at me that way la! I'm not making this up... It's true:
(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.
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
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
~ 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 about5kg 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 mylife 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
It's me!
In 2D, as a cartoon....
..... oh, and on a GREAT hair day, without about
:)
[ 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
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
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
~ 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
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...
*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
Monday, June 19, 2006
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 .
TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Tiamo, Lygon, Lygon Street, Tiamo 2, Tiamo2, Italian, Australia, Victoria, Melbourne, Carlton
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...
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)
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:
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:
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 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
Friday, June 16, 2006
~ 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
*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
(Literal Translation: Coffee Stamina)
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.....
*lol*
TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Tongkat Ali, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Personal
Thursday, June 15, 2006
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 Afar O_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
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)
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.
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
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
~ Phwoaaaar! ~
So how come they don't have restaurants like this in Malaysia?:
*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
*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
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
! 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
Example? Please click on the piccy below:
*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
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