Good conversation

A good conversation is worth every dollar spent on it.

Lunch on a tight week

Just when I'm so broke til I'm a tad worried, Eli ask me out for lunch.
Some timing are just oh-so-perfect.
Lunch with a friend who will fork out $$ for your lunch without a single hesitation is truly a blessing.
Hahahaha!

The latest promotion from Pizza Hut, their Starbites Sausage Pizza.
You get to choose the pizza filling from their Supreme or Family Favorite list.
We chose Super Supreme. The pepperonis are darn juicy.

A portion looks so darn cute after being pulled out!!!
Big time Kawaii!!
Reminds me of the beautiful heart shaped fillet last weekend.

I haven't had pizza since before I started my braces on last year, I think.
When you have eaten the center part which is the pizza, u end up with hot dog at the end.
And it's such a waste eating this with fork and knife instead of your fingers because the hot dog fits nicely between your thumb and forefinger.

Thank you, Eli!

When I'm jobless, I'll know who to find....haha!

Quote of the day

Nerds are on the same wavelength

Taiwan Snack

***Disclaimer: This post was written on 19th, awaiting photos until today.***

I'm amused that this has been a Taiwan week for me.

First the pineapple cake and then last night we went for some Taiwan snacks.

There's the XXL Crispy Chicken.

If you stare at the skin long enough, it looks like algae or grown fungus....which makes it really different than any fried chicken we normally see. It's really crispy! The meat is very tender and it's evenly cooked. Usually with fried chicken the outer meat parts will b cooked and you'll find some meat or even blood clots that are stuck to the bone towards the middle. There's only some bones here, and the chicken meat comes apart easily from the bones.

Handmade Oyster Mee Sua

The description for this from Shihlin Snack's website goes like this:

A special stock comprising 5 core ingredients, brewed over a slow flame, forms the soup base for the imported mee sua. Only handmade mee sua is used for its superior flavour and texture. A generous amount of oysters and shredded chicken is added before serving. The Handmade Oyster Mee Sua is best eaten while hot.

The irony tickles my bone. Is the mee sua homemade or imported then?
In a way it make sense if the mee sua is handmade in Taiwan and then imported out to the other countries where they have branches in. But their website is based in Taiwan.
One bowl has only 3 oysters (I counted!), so the 'generous amount of oysters' description is obviously an exaggeration. The oysters was very squishy like raw egg yolk I think, hehehe....I had two. The mee sua cooked till really soft wasn't consistent in their width, so most probably they really do handmade the mee sua themselves. There's a good amount of shredded chicken though I think just eating the mee sua alone without any shredded chicken or oyster is yummy enough as the broth it's cooked in is makes the mee sua special. A little sambal made it taste even better!

At RM6 per dish, I think it's not something that I'll go for often.
Like I told Bee, on first glanced at the tiny shop, it doesn't really make much sense to get some crispy chicken from there.....after all a good fat drumstick outside is only selling for like RM3.80 the last I remember. And mee sua, personally that's sick food or food for old people......
Young people like Bee who has been to one of the branches in KL, because these places are like a trend (she really love the crispy chicken...her favourite!!! although I told her she only tried it once in KL and hasn't really tried any other to compare with to know that's her favourite but its beside the point)....then will visit the branches in Penang.
Maybe to reminiscence.
Or it's like my love affair with donuts......

For the mee sua, it will attract the elderly people on outings with their families. Haha, their sons and daughters can go 'There's mee sua here. Would you rather eat that?' And then the old people will nod their head in agreement and relief that they don't have to eat food they are not used to. Usually it's hard for old people to find something they can eat and not get indigestion or something in shopping malls. At least that's my logic. Hahahaha!

*edited 1st July*
To read Bee's reply to my post and good review of Taiwan Snack go here.

1st GROW wedding Part 2

So I covered another wedding with Blinky.
Before going, I was excited because I couldn't imagine GROW being all decorated up for a wedding. I was amused to find it decorated in purple and white.

The stage.
We just rearranged the instruments last weekend.

Flower decorations.
All the flowers were fresh, smelling really nice!
The chairs...

The flower girls getting touch ups...
So sweet.

So who was the marrying couple?
Ta da!

The exchange of rings.
It really cracks me up when I see the grooms stumbling through their vows.
Too bad so many people with cameras.
They block my eeky shot!!!
Boy, was I mad....

Some parts of the ceremony I've not witness elsewhere before.
Like after they officially got married, they gave their first tithe as a couple. And before they walk down the aisle, they went to the groom's side of the family and later the bride's side to greet and acknowledge their families as a couple.

It was a teary moment to see the bride being hugged by her dad for quite a while, as if he was letting her go....and her mum cried.
Hahaha!

There was a dinner reception after that.

Kawaii!!
Some fillet.
I didn't eat much dinner because I munched on cookies in the afternoon.
My appetite was open up however, for the cake.
They just left a plate in the middle of the table and I kept taking till I forgot to leave some for Ms. Ooi.
Hehe!

My exclusive eeky shot, after the dinner and all!!
I was really happy to have shot this with only one other camera around.
Hahaha!
I hope I won't be killed for publishing this.
I think this would have made me on the hit list of 2 couples.

Man, Bubu is married.

I've known Bubu since I started attending GROW. She used to sing backup with us and it was good to have a friend on stage back when I was so nervous to be there. Later on when she went down to UM for her studies, she was on my bus route and put under Chor Kong's care. We had our good times. Haha!

I had a lump in my throat watching her walk in...

Sumit the groom, is one of lead guitarist in church. At one point he was the only lead guitarist we have. There's never a practice with him around that I don't crack up in fits of giggles because he comes up with the most outrages jokes or we're laughing at his forgetfulness. Bubu still has to finish her studies in NZ and he's going to follow her there. We won't have him 'goreng' with us anymore.

I'll miss the funnies....

It was good to meet up with Ms. Ooi and catch up. I haven't been much of a good girl in finding her although I'm back in BM permanently. I took many shots of her with various people. Hahaha!

A#'s debut

Presenting the latest member in my kitchen counsel. Mr. A#!!!

The challenge for him before being accepted into the kitchen counsel was this:
Muahaha!
Of course, he had some help from Ms. Chink, Mr. Tink and their owner.
And A# passes with flying colors!!
Kawai!!!!Congratulations, A#!!!!!

Pictures are all courtesy of San!

I felt proud using her old mixing bowl and baking utensils.
Like when I found her old clothes.
And I believe God timed it perfectly.
Because the mixing bowl made it's appearance only this last week.
After being wrapped up and hidden away for so many many years.
She used to bake us birthday cakes,
although I wasn't fond of all that raisins,
I enjoyed the icing cream.
Hahaha!
Everything was just waiting for me to take over,
And I want to remember this moment,
For I made use of her baking things.
And it turned out alright.

1st GROW wedding Part 1

There was a wedding on Saturday.
My first in GROW.
Details later.
As usual, I want to blog about the little darlings first.

Caught a shot of these flower girls dancing after the ceremony was over.

Alwyna taking the lead, as usual.

She knows she has my heart on her leash.
She's always taking advantage of me.
Natania's the little darling everyone adore.
She gives me a piece of Twisties when I asked for it, okay!
Sigh.....

Am super happy that I got a shot with the two of them again like I had at Christmas!

I finally got a shot of Natalie, the little one who went 'Mummy, wor yau mam mam...'

But sadly, she's at the ice queen age.
And I couldn't bear to bluff her with 'tang tang' promise.
Maybe someday....

Not wedding related wise,
Yesterday, I had the privilege of driving this little girl back to her house from my aunt's place.

Proudly sitting in the front seat.
This is the pretend ice queen.
She wanted to sit my car, but won't tell me directly.
Very cheeky. Hmph!
Felt like kidnapping her with me.
But the tears would have been too scary for me.
Hahahaha!

Man, I love them all.
They grow up so fast, that soon I won't be able to spin them or cuddle them.
Sometimes, I wish that time can stand still for them.
To stay innocent, always.

Imagine 48

Imagine being 48.
You would have just gotten used to menopause.
Steady on a good career, if any.
Having a home.
Steady management of finance.
A huge bundle of withdrawing coming up with your kid starting college.
A little worrying on that.
But after that, it would be fine wouldn't it?
Like all things have turned out to be in the last 20 years.

Imagine dying at 48.
The initial denial.
The heartache of acceptance.
And in that small space of time between knowing and death's arrival,
grasping for time like you never had before,
Is it about you or about the ones going to be left behind now?
Will there be regrets flooding your heart?
Is it too late to realize those dreams you had?
In your weakest state,
What would be most important to you?

All the way from Taiwan

Yesterday morning, a colleague of mine pass me a small bag full of this.
From the wrapping it's obvious what's inside.

Pineapple cake!

Kawaii!!

The regional sales manager in Taiwan pass 2 boxful of it to distribute to us.
I've only met the manager once or twice, and rarely deal with him directly.
So it is such a lovely surprise to receive it.
It's nice to know that the little things you do at work matters to someone enough that he remembers you in his gift distribution list.

For once, I don't mind the bitter aftertaste of pineapple on my tongue.

And yay, to my first Adobe Photoshop edit!

Dedication to Jane Taylor and Mozart

Who's Jane Taylor?

The author of 'Twinkle twinkle Little Star'
Often times we forget,
it started out as a poem.
Before it was sang,
To the tune of
"Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman"
by Mozart.

The full lyrics.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,

When he nothing shines upon,

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark,

Thanks you for your tiny spark,

He could not see which way to go,

If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye,

Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,

Lights the traveler in the dark,

Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

I think it's a marvelous piece of work by Mozart, the 12 variations.
Now, I just need to get back to being hard working on it and move on beyond the 2nd variation.

On Saturday, while repetitively playing the melody, for a moment there I completely forgot what was the usual lyrics we learned from young.

The stars has always marveled me being so far and out there.
Reminds me of God.
As the Creator who made the stars, how much wonder we must have in Him, more than the stars. And to stay in that wondering state of mind......it's that season for me.

I think Jane Taylor is incredible to come up with such lyrics.
As innocent as it was.
For we can reach the moon, and other planet but never the stars nor the sun.
Only He can.

1st Blinky pictures

Man, looking at all that posts this week I feel like I'm having word and photo diarrhea.
Hahahahaha!
Okay, I promise this is the last one for this week.

Awhile back (the week I got Blinky), Bee and I went to this place called JL Gourmet Cafe in Prangin for dinner. JL.....but I keep remembering it as JLo Gourmet. Sounds like they were trying to ring a bell with a certain artiste.
So from Blinky's eye....

JL's set meals let you choose a drink, a soup, a main course, and ice cream for dessert!
And it's worth it because there's quite a variety to choose from.

Pasta section. Where we opt for the Fettuccine Cabonara.

Fish section. I forgot the name of what we ordered.

Our drinks and soups came first.

Since Bee recommended ordering 2 different types of soups to try, I choose the broccoli soup.
Although it looks more gross than appetizing, I really like it as the broccoli was finely blended and it's not heavy on the cream. Maybe it's just me the broccoli lover.

Here's the mushroom soup decorated with a few bread croûtons in it.
This was also finely blended but much more creamier.

Ta da! The pasta arrived!

It was creamy, and I like that it wasn't all sticky when it gets a little cold because we were waiting for the fish to arrive before we started eating. The bits of ham and mushrooms in it was overwhelmed by the sauce though.

The fish came all wrapped up and the waitress sliced the foil open at our table.
Nice!

The fish was really tender and no bones, although it could have been nicer marinated before hand.
The tomato paste it's cook in was flavorful and on it's side are tomatoes, corn, carrot, onions and green beans.

We asked for small plates so that we can share.
Really balanced meal, haha!

We also get to choose the ice cream flavor of our choice for dessert.
Which I forgot to take picture of.
Hehe!


Comparing the pictures here with the ones from the wedding dinner, I'm discovering that terrible lightings can make pictures look terrible.

Neopet food for myself

Once in a long while, I love to make this.

Carrot omelette!

All I need is a quarter of a carrot diced and 2 eggs, beaten.
For taste, I prefer to put a dollop of oyster sauce instead of soy sauce.
And of course pepper powder!
Someday, I bet that putting in Tabasco sauce would be awesome!
The most important thing is: must have 2 pieces of cloth ready.
Because once the eggs goes in, I need to hold the kuali by the ears and pusing pusing... to make the omelette properly spread out and round.

The best part of frying this is to flip the omelette over and later to fold it into four without breaking. So pretty, right? Hahaha!

My inspiration for making carrot omelette comes from this.

Carrot and Pea Omelette!
This is found at Neopet's Giant Omelette for you to feed your neopet.
Everyday it's random what sort of omelette you can get there.
One day I was bored with the thought of plain scrambled eggs.
Was thinking how nice my neopets get to eat such varieties.
The thought of this came to my mind, and since it sounds more humanly edible compare to others...I just tried. Minus the peas because I didn't had any.
It turned out successful the 1st time,
and from then onwards,
it's the one and only dish I can be assured I don't screw up in the future.
Hahahaha!

Dinner at the G Part 3

Finally the post on food!!!! Hahahaha!
Blinky did a good job for me at the wedding dinner....well most of it anyway.
Love you, Blinky!

Main table setting.

Setting up the wedding cake.

Guest table setting.

After the wedding couple sat down, it was time for the food to start coming!

Appetizer! Decorated so Hawaiian... Kawaii!

The octopus was really tender and juicy.
So was the fish cake.
Nicest I've had.
I even had a bite of the 'flower' the octopus came in.....tasted like fried popiah skin.
To my amazement, our waitress have to serve us.
Usually we serve ourselves after they set the big dish down, right.
Even when we requested to serve ourselves, she said cannot.
At least for the initial serving of every dish.
So we let her do it. At this point the waitress was on her best behavior but things went down the drain with the waitress after sometime....She was too eager to be punctual and to serve the next dish when we were still not done with the dish on the table. Kept asking us a few times if we were done with the dish, when she could be using her eyes to estimate.
There was only 4 adults and 3 kids at the table, so imagine how much food there was because suppose to sit 10 people!
I believe she should have been more considerate because there's 3 little girls at our table, and the parents have their hands full feeding them and themselves. And she wasn't attentive to our needs, taking a long time to get 3 cups of lukewarm water for the kids and not attentive to refilling our glasses until we had to ask.

1st course...as usual there's Shark Fin soup.
This was really thick and good as they were generous with the ingredients.
The 'chiak chor' line was so darn funny for me to hear coming from Mi's sis about her 3 daughters because all 4 of us adult can take vinegar but only 1 out of the 3 kids could. 'Chor' means vinegar in Hokkien (that black stuff in my bowl, it adds a sourish flavor to the soup that's really nice) but when we say 'chiak chor', we can also refer that to a person who's able to swallow jealous or envy. So the other 2 kids were considered incapable of being not jealous or envy.
Hahahahahahaha!

The big bowl is still half full because only 5 out of 10 bowls was serve out!

After the big bowl was cleared away only I realized there's the G symbol on the revolving thingy.
Cool leh.

Oh and here's the menu....

Steamed herbal chicken.
My share...served to me.
It was really tender and can really taste the herbs.
Haha.

After the chicken remnants was taken away, this came to our table.
Two plates with water in it.
Sorry la... this jakun here didn't know wat it was for until....

The prawns came!
Although the menu said it's poached in chinese wine, it tasted like it was just steamed with no additional flavoring whatsoever.
So many prawns!!!
This was where we got really upset with the waitress.
Because it takes some time to peel prawns, right?
So happen at this point, Mi had to go up the stage to play the keyboard,
then the prawns have to wait.
The was like rushing us whether she can take the dish away, and was terrible trying to suggest to Mi because there's so much we couldn't possibly finish them, might as well let her take it away when she came back to enjoy the prawns. Mi was so annoyed with her, that she just let her take the prawns away just to avoid from getting harassed from her again. Hello, just because you have a timeline, doesn't mean you have to be so .......inconsiderate. Kinda spoiled the mood for us after that.

This dish was kinda bitter....because they didn't soak the yellow things long enough.
By then, I was just picking through my food.
I didn't take any pictures of the fish because to my surprise, suddenly between this above and the fish there was no change of clean plates. So far, after every course our plates were taken away, and clean ones given. But the fish was nice. And also I was busy with an angel. By the time it came to take the fish remnants away, she wasn't even asking us if we were done with the dish. Just took it away!
Then there was fried rice with bits of anchovies and prawns in it. I was very full by then so I just picked out the prawn bits to eat. Haha!
While we were having the fried rice, the waitress came up to me with this....

Feedback form!! PAYBACK TIME!!! Haha!!
Actually the questions in there were very wordy, I didn't quite get it.
The waitress was trying to rush me to fill the form, because at that point Mi and her sis had to take photos so they were away from the table. I told her I was going to wait for the others to fill it. And Mi's sis did when she came back. Hahahaha. And boy, it took her a long time. The waitress didn't dare to rush us when she saw that Mi's sis was filling in the form. But what was terrible was that, the feedback form was seal able, so we sealed it before returning it to her. Instead of taking the feedback form to her captain or whatever, she stood to one side and open it!!!
Wahhh, really.........!!!!
So, Mi's sis went directly to the captain there and informed him that our table has filled in a feedback form.
The waitress just took away the fried rice the same way she did with the fish, not caring if we would still want more or not. And when she came with the tong sui, she just filled all the small bowls there, ignoring us. Can you believe our drinks was only refilled twice throughout the night? And one of those times, was only after we request for it! Seriously, even in just restaurants I have seen better manners!