Same same but different

Garra Rufa Fish Therapy

2008-05-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Recently the fish spa craze has been hitting the Klang Valley, with more centers opening around the KL-PJ area. While the medicinal benefits were initially discovered in Turkey for people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, the spas that have been operating here seem to target the beauty/retreat market. I've read about some spas that use a type of tilapia, which has no medicinal benefits at all other than biting off your dead skin. The real Garra Rufa species has a compound in their saliva that helps healing for those afflicted with certain skin diseases.

I came across Garra Rufa Fish Therapy at Bangsar, which uses the actual fishes for the therapy. I decided to bring my mom there as a treat for Mother's Day. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were having a special promo that day.

The shop has a nice ambience, with a glass-fronted entrance, dark wood and soothing music. The receptionist was friendly and inviting, taking time to offer us towels and an explanation of how to go about with the session. It was helpful for first timers like me who felt a little ackward not knowing what to do.

First of all you need to wash your feet with a scrub to get rid of any residues so that you don't contaminate the pool. There was a separate area to do this and we were also provided with slippers to wear.

After I cleaned up, it was time to hit the pool! I was a bit apprehensive at first because there seemed to be quite a lot of them fishies swimming about. But I went in, both feet at once and breathed. I didn't have to wait long, as the little buggers came nibbling away at the feet. Mind you, I had quite a lot of dry, and probably dead skin from sunning by the beach a few weeks back!

What surprised me was how enjoyable it was to have fishes bite at you. It felt like a mild current running through my skin, not dissimilar to how an Osim machine might feel. Of course, you can't control the speed and strength of the massage hehe. The buzz sometimes got stronger when the bigger swimmers came nibbling and it was a bit ticklish. Somehow the big ones loved my left foot too. More dead skin perhaps.

After a while it really did feel like a therapy, as watching the fishes sucking your feet can be hypnotizing. I found myself just watching them, clear of thought and being very relaxed. It was also very nice of them at the spa to let us sit way longer than our booked session.

Many people question the hygiene and cleanliness of the pools and fishes, as there would be so many people using the same pool throughout the day. From my experience at Garra Rufa, there's nothing to worry about provided the spa that you go to have got the practices right. The water is cleaned everyday, and the pool has ultraviolet light to kill bacteria. The place feels really clean to me, and the staff is quite diligent in keeping it that way.

My skin didn't feel immediately smoother or nicer, but maybe because it's only my first session. But it was an enjoyable experience, something different. :)

Garra Rufa Fish Therapy is at Jalan Telawi, Bangsar (next to Al Rajhi bank). It's RM38 for 1/2 hour, RM72 for 1 hour and they also have therapy packages.

Pasta Zanmai

2008-04-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

I was out with a friend at 1 Utama last weekend, wanting to do some shopping. Needless to say, as with most of my shopping experiences, I didn't get my shirt but strolled through a myriad of exhibitions and deviated off-course.

But sometimes it's good to explore, as we discovered this gem of a restaurant. Discreetly tucked behind a small Japanese snack store, it's next to Carl's Jr. It was a Sunday night and the place was packed. We had to put our names down on the waiting list, but it wasn't too long a wait.

Once we got cosy we had a huge challenge. Almost everything on the menu looked so good! It was quite difficult to narrow it down, but we decided to share on a few dishes. We didn't order much as we weren't sure how big the portions were. Plus we wanted to leave space for dessert, hehe.

We started off with the miso soup. It had lots of vegetables and mushrooms, so it wasn't your normal tofu-seaweed staple. The soup had good flavour and it went down very well. It was clear and light on the palate.

Next we had this creamy japanese pasta with prawns and squid. The waiter grates parmesan cheese on top of the pasta upon your request and he'll keep going until you stop :) I smile because I love parmesan, hehe. This dish was delicious, though the cream was a bit sweet and it might not appeal to everyone. I found it special because there's actually three different flavours in that plate. I was pleasantly surprised when I bit into the prawn. You know how most seafood in a seafood pasta are just cooked together with the sauce, and they all have the same taste, i.e. the sauce? Well at Pasta Zanmai, the prawns and squid have their own flavours! I think the chefs marinated and cooked the ingredients beforehand and put it into the pasta before serving. This is brilliant as it keeps the dish interesting with every bite. Very nice :)

ekisaitingu!

The second entree for the night was the teriyaki chicken and hot spring egg pizza. This is different from western pizzas as it had no cheese. It's a flatbread topped with teriyaki chicken, mayo, shredded seaweed, spring onions and a wobbly half-cooked egg in the middle. It looked really appetizing.

The trick to eating this (I think), is to break the egg and let it spill over the pizza. This will make it like a sauce for you. In our case, I just used the chopstick and swivelled it all over. It looked even better than before! The teriyaki chicken was succulent and sweet, balanced by the combination of the rest of the toppings. The spring onions gave a fresh taste to the pizza too. Of course, the best moments were scooping/wiping up the egg with the bread! Delicious :)

Boom!!

By this time we were kind of full, but the dessert menu looked so tantalizing we had to give it a try. We decided on something called Macha Cha on the menu, but Macha Macha on the receipt. Weird. But definitely nothing to do with your Indian brother though. It's this tower of green tea jelly in milk, topped with cornflakes, green tea ice cream, red bean paste and whipped cream. I was a bit skeptical about the cornflakes at first (har, so cheap ah?), but it turned out surprisingly well. You get very different textures and tastes as you work your way down the glass.

We also had hot chocolate, which was again different from what you get at other establishments. It was slightly bitter and not loaded with milk/cream. So you have a lighter drink that is still flavourful, and it leaves a dry finish on your tongue. Not bad huh?

aphrodisiac?

oishii...

So in summary - I Like. Very Much :) What they serve is really different and refreshing from the plethora of western, Italian, and oriental joints out there that offer mostly similar fare. The quality of the food is good, the service is quite nice, and price is reasonable. This is east-meets-west done really well. Fusion is fun. I have a feeling I will be back there again very soon!

Parpadelle with Prawns & Basil

2008-03-19T01:06:00.000-07:00

I was contemplating something light for a late lunch last Sunday, but was too lazy to line up in the heat to take away at my local joint. So I dug up stuff from the kitchen and came up with this:

Ingredients:

4-5 bundles of parpadelle (you can get a box of Barilla's from Carrefour or other hypermarts)

1 clove garlic

As many prawns as you like

Some basil leaves

1 heaped tbsp of tomato puree

Salt & pepper to taste

Put the parpadelle in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes. In the meantime, clean and remove the shells from the prawns and chop up the garlic. Heat up a pan with some olive oil (or if you're lazy like me, drain the pasta and reuse the pot). Keep some of the pasta water for making the sauce. Fry the garlic until fragrant and throw in the prawns. I threw in some basil leaves too. Once the prawns start to turn colour as they cook, put in the tomato puree and some of the pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a minute and then put in the pasta. Stir to coat the pasta with sauce. Plate, garnish with a few basil leaves and serve.

This dish took just 10 minutes to prepare, and the best thing about it is that I'm already reaping the rewards of having my own basil pot! :)

Power

2008-03-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

The recent general elections have been a real eye-opener for me. As with the rest of my fellow Malaysians, I was in shock and awe at the sheer scale of the opposition's victory. In some states, even the tables were turned; the opposition is now the ruling goverment, and the previous goverment is now the opposition. How incredibly unprecedented. And how historic it is that we have finally made that first, important step towards a 2-party government. A government that has better conscience, and leaders who serve the people instead of protecting the interests of a select few.

We are no longer held back by fear, and we have transcended the barriers of race and religion to achieve the same goals. Malaysians have certainly come of age, and more importantly the coalition has shown (for now) that the country can have a multiracial/multireligious band of leaders working together for a higher cause. I hope that this will be the path to councils and goverments that are truly merit-based; leaders who are right and able to do the job irregardless of race or religion.

Much has been said, printed and blogged on about the elections and the huge array of statistics that come with it. Numbers, facts, rumours and analyses can be discussed to no end. But the one thing that struck me the most, and that really opened my eyes is this word - Power.

Power of the people
This election has been one of, if not the most significant and crucial elections in the history of Malaysian politics. Long have the people suffered in silence, stifled without a true voice in the parliament to demand for their rights and to scrutinize biased bills/policies/laws that benefited few and caused anguish to many. But now everyone has had enough. People have banded together to achieve a single aim; deny BN the 2/3 majority it has held for decades. In each individual's mind, the aim was simple and clear. If they vote for the opposition, there will be a chance. If they don't, then nothing might happen at all. A simple aim, but collectively, it's absolutely amazing how this has translated into such immense power and influence. The sum of all parts is definitely greater that its components. I think now Malaysians have realized that as citizens we hold real power, that we can decide who we want our leaders to be, and that we can influence and make changes for a better future. As we come of age, we must also mature and learn to use that power effectively and wisely.

Power of the media
Besides the swing of votes, the one other thing that has changed tremendously this time around is the access to media. Where previously we relied solely on the television and newspapers, the campaigning and results were largely dominated by text messaging and the internet. In fact, the results were circulating throughout the technosphere much faster than traditional media. While BN were very visible on the papers with their achievements, the opposition were in my opinion much more savvy, using the internet to its fullest potential while still reaching the masses with their ceramahs. With the proliferation of blogs, webmail, social networking sites and instant messaging, the opposition had the power to reach out to so many potential voters that traditional media can't. Coupled with the fact that the more tech savvy voters out there are of the younger generation who are better educated, I think this made another decisive factor in the results. This generation is more exposed to world issues than ever before, and they are more opinionated as a result. They will not take mere words and marketing blindly when it comes to political issues. The new generation of voters is a completely different beast, and I think BN has failed to realize that fact.

Power to act
The coalition now has the muscle to push for real change and voice out the plight of the public. They now have the power to ensure transparency, improve welfare and do away with corruption. No doubt, all these are not issues to be resolved overnight, but there have been some encouraging indicators with the push for open tenders and a Freedom of Information Act. Let's hope that there will be better news to come. The coalition has been elected by the people to be their proxy; a chance to act on their behalf ; a chance to walk the talk. If they do it right, the people will continue to support the cause and be right behind them. Else, we will just be back to square one in the next elections.

Now is the time for the coalition to prove themselves to be the right choice. It is time for real work and real battles to begin; the elections is just a start. It won't be easy, with no shortage of obstacles and it will be a big responsibility. But that's what you get with power.

Syabas Malaysia, and all the best to the stewards of a new dawn!

Herb Project: Basil

2008-03-06T17:14:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to experiment with growing my own herbs from those sold in small packs at the supermarket. I heard that you can root them by just cutting and putting the herbs in some water, not unlike how you'd put your flowers in a vase. Sadly, both my naive attempts ended in clumps of dead leaves.

So I started looking for potted herbs, but they were quite hard to find. I finally got my hands on some basil last weekend at a higher-end supermarket chain. Whee!

It's quite small and fragile at the moment, but I'm hoping it will grow and be the first nice plant in my planned herb garden!

If anyone knows where to get other types of potted herbs please let me know! :)

To curse without cursing

2008-03-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine thought me this, and I found it really funny, hehe. Next time you feel like scolding someone in Hokkien but don't really want to curse, try this phrase:

"Lu lao bu sai skuter long tiao!!"

Translation: "Your mother ride scooter langgar tiang!!"

Hokkien is such a colourful dialect. :)

Roast Pork (Siew Yuk)

2008-02-24T23:58:00.000-08:00

Tried experimenting with siew yuk yesterday with a recipe I found on the net. I'm a bit lazy to jot down the recipe, except to say that the ingredients are so simple. All you need is good pork belly, five-spice powder, quite a bit of salt and vinegar.

The recipe first called for scalding the skin with a boiling vinegar and water mixture. I don't know why this needs to be done, but it did firm up the skin and seemed to help remove the moisture together with the salt.

Marinade the meat with the five-spice powder and salt for at least 2 hours. Score or pierce the skin and rub a generous amount of salt on it to remove moisture. This will help make the skin into crackling. Pop it into a 180°C oven about 1/2 hour and you'll see the salt crystallize. Remove them and roast for a further 1/2 hr or until the skin bubbles up and turn crispy. Rest and serve.

Fresh from the oven, resting...

After some deft knifework and a bit of garnish...

Nice and juicy...

Crispy pork!

The best part was cutting the meat. A good measure of siew yuk is how crispy the skin gets, and it was such a nice 'shyok, shyok' sound that reached my ears while I was chopping it into bite-sized pieces. Ahh..heavenly!

p/s: If anyone can explain about the vinegar, please let me know!

Char Siew Pork Ribs

2008-02-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

I made some char siew a couple of weeks ago, and last week I tried using the same recipe to do pork ribs.

The ingredients are simple, but the roasting takes some time, effort and vigilance to ensure a nice shiny, sticky glaze when it's done.

Ingredients:

About 800g - 1kg of ribs, or about 5-6 ribs

2 1/2 tbsp of Hoisin sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

250g - 300g sugar, or to your preference (you need loads)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Shiao Shing wine, or rose wine

Method:

Mix all the seasoning together to make the marinade. It should be a bit thick so that it will stick to the meat. Rub marinade all over the ribs and put the ribs together with the remaining marinade into a freezer/storage bag. Leave the ribs in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Put the ribs onto a roasting rack/pan and into the oven. Turn down the temperature to about 150-160°C for a slow roast. After 30 minutes, glaze the ribs with the marinade from the freezer bag and put it back into the oven. Turn up the heat back to 180°C. Repeat the glazing about every 10-15 minutes for about another hour. The glaze will become sticky and give a nice caramelized colour to the ribs. Rest for about 10 minutes and serve.

Note: Line the bottom of the roasting rack/pan aluminium foil to avoid a messy and painful cleanup job. Burnt sugar is a b*tch to remove.

The meat was juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender, and the marinade was sweet, sticky and delicious. Really enjoyed the meal. :)

Secret Admirer

2008-02-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

An unknown number calls; I press the busy button and cancel it. A mysterious text message follows:

Mystery woman: Hi yeng, perhaps I’m a bit too forward to call you straight away..i’m Cheryl, we met briefly last weekend…anyway, are you free tonight?

YY: Hi Cheryl, sorry my memory fails me. Where did we meet?

Mystery woman: Your message aches me! Did I not leave an impression at all? Hint: somewhere in ss2 over a coffee?

YY: Aiyoh I really can’t remember. What day? Where? Hehe.

Mystery woman: Aiyo, I give you 30 mins to think about it before I give you a call. I’m expecting a good answer ;)

She gave me a missed call. Then her text said…

Mystery woman: Cibong, Chuan here la…

Bugger Chuan*!!!!! =P

*prolific prankster with a penchant for beer and pork, girls under 18 beware.

KL Towerthon 2008

2008-02-04T23:41:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I went to visit the Kl Tower for the first time. Being a Malaysian staying in the Klang Valley, I’m sometimes a bit embarrassed that I haven’t even visited a landmark so close at home. However my first visit was a real challenge, because I did not take the lift up the tower. I ran. All 2058 steps to the deck. I probably did a lot of walking too, but I was too light headed to notice.

All I can say is that the KL Towerthon is a great workout for your cardiovascular system, legs and bum. It beats any Stepmaster machine in the gym or squat exercises. You will struggle to breathe, and fresh air will feel so good. You will zone out, seeing nothing but steps, steps, and more steps. In the end, your legs will feel like jelly and you will wobble. But you will feel proud that you reached the top.

I was almost a no-show because frankly, nobody wants to get up on a Sunday and run up a tower at 6.30 in the morning when it’s raining. But I paid RM20 for it, and I couldn’t let my running buddies down! So it ended up with us at the starting line, slightly soaked and losing momentum because it took so long to flag off our group of runners. There were 15 minute intervals between groups and we were in the third batch. Any warm up we did had dissipated.

The kilometer uphill leading to the tower proved to be quite exhausting. I was cold, my muscles weren’t ready for it, and my legs felt like solid lead. I think that stretch really spaced the field out.

The first few floors were quite bearable, but I could feel my leg muscles start to work overtime. My thighs were getting tight and tense, and I was sweating profusely even though the stairwell was well ventilated. By the time I reached the 16th floor I was gasping for air and dreading the remainder of the climb. I had no idea how many floors there were to go, and somehow not every level is labeled. I had no choice but to just keep going. It wasn’t really that bad once I got used to the rhythm, but my mood was spoilt by some inconsiderate people who threw empty bottles and bottle caps from above. One hit my head and really got my nerves going. Why did they have to throw anything at all? This ugly side of Malaysians really reared its head big time.

The view from the observation deck was really quite nice. As it was cloudy and cold, it kind of felt like I was in Genting especially when it got all foggy and white outside. I just pitied some of the tourists who had to share space with a few hundred sweaty participants!

The Towerthon was quite a fun experience and not as tiring as normal road runs due to the short duration. It’s like a short sustained burst of energy rather than a long burn that tests your stamina. I did it in about half an hour, which I think is average. The winner did it in less than 14 minutes. Crazy bugger.

Good as it was, I’m not sure if I want to do it again, hehe. Suffer la.

Char Siew @ Overseas, Jalan Imbi, KL

2008-02-01T03:33:00.000-08:00

I had one the best char siew ever at Overseas last weekend. The few of us wanted to have lunch but we arrived too early and the restaurant wasn't opened yet, so we popped to a coffee shop nearby to have some great pork noodles first. Truly focused on our mission, we then headed back to Overseas just for the char siew. My cousin said it would make me happy.

We had to wait for about 15 minutes for the meat to be ready as it was still in the oven.

Captain: Char siew ah...have to wait a bit loh...12:15 lah...

Then we saw it; large strips of glistening, dripping, blackish pork...beautiful like you've just met your first love. The caramelized glaze around the meat was thick and dripping down slowly, like stalactites forming at the bottom. We got all dreamy as the chef started chopping up our order.

The meat was warm, juicy and tender; full of flavour and bite. The marinade stuck to the barbequed pork so well, and the caramel stuck to our teeth as we chewed. Ah...heaven.

Mmm...slurp

Needless to say, the whole plate was gone in less than 10 minutes. :)

It's a bit pricey at RM30 for a portion of 4 pax, but I guess it's worth it because it really does make you happy!

I do!

2008-01-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

By any measure, most weddings that we go to are pretty run-of-the-mill affairs. The same rituals, the same greetings; you go through dinner doing small chats because you’re invited. However, as I experienced recently, once you’re involved and the couple happen to be your great friends, it becomes such an exciting and wonderful event.

Eugeen and Winnie got married at a beachside resort a couple of weeks ago, and I happened to be his Kato (that’s super duper sidekick for you people who didn’t grow up watching 70’s TV comic shows) – best man, army general and dinner emcee. Some people say ‘one leg kick’. It was scary, exciting, fun, and I loved it because it was for two friends close to me.

It helped that the wedding was at a resort and we had to make a trip there. It felt like a short holiday and really set the mood for the weekend. As we haven’t gathered together for some time, it also felt like a reunion of sorts for our university mates.

The morning started off well enough with the groom’s dad giving us lads the lowdown on life’s three stages – dating, marriage, and kids. Mind you that was before breakfast, and I noticed we didn’t eat much after. When the time came, we had to drive EG out for a spin before coming back to pick up his bride. Well, we actually did two spins because there was no one to open the door for him the first time! Minor hiccups, but memorable J

We stormed the Women’s Tactical Front, taking on everything they threw at us, even though at some point it was more ‘WTF??’ than a tactical front. We endured oranges, push ups, ice cold feet, chillies, nursery rhymes and the rubbing of certain, ahem, bodily parts. All in good fun and great times, hehe.

The most meaningful part of the day for me though was the wedding ceremony. Standing beside my main man at the front, I couldn’t help but be welled up by emotions as I watched the bride walking down the aisle with her dad. Tears were in her eyes and I knew father and daughter must’ve had a good heart-to-heart right before. Their parents looked proud, and I’m sure they were. I don’t know how EG felt waiting for his bride, but I was enormously proud and happy for the both of them. At that moment, they felt close like family to me, and deserved nothing less than each other. The ceremony was simple, and yet very beautiful.

Emceeing for dinner was nerve wrecking as I had never done it, and it must have shown to the people who asked me why I was so tense. Mates, you try to be funny and witty in front of 30-odd tables! The butterflies were having a ball in my knotted insides. But it went well, everyone had a fun time and I’m glad my speech was well received. I had been working on it for weeks, revising and practicing with friends. I wanted it to be my present for EG and Winnie, and I wanted it to be good. Thanks goodness they all laughed!

I had lessons from the groom’s dad again the next morning with a reminder to quickly get one for myself too, but I took it all in like a soldier. It had been a great weekend, and it had been a fantastic wedding, what with all of us close friends taking part in the celebrations. I think all wedding should be at resorts now; it’s just so much more fun!

The Secret, Prayers & Goodbyes

2008-01-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne talks about the power of belief; that if you believe you are already at the desired state, it will come to you and it will happen.

I read that book a while back, and while I believe in the power of positive thinking, I also think that good luck will come only if you try and work towards what you wish. Looking back at recent events that's happened to me, I can't help but see some parallels to what the book has been preaching.

When I first got back from the UK, I wanted to do something different and was thinking of going into sales for the experience. So I searched for jobs and got interviews through recommendations. I did my homework and I managed to become a sales executive, though in an industry which I have never even considered. I then discovered that it wasn't for me, and I wanted to switch jobs. I applied for positions diligently and told myself that I would like to have a new job by the new year. True enough, I landed a job with pretty good prospects and an attractive price recently. I start work very soon and I'm hoping it will be enriching. Both jobs were very near my house, which was also another thing I wanted. From another angle, everything fell into place at the right time, which was important as I was balancing several events.

I don't know if that Secret really works, or if it's just pure coincidence. I would like to believe that if you want something and put effort into it, luck will come your way. It may not be in a form you expected, but you need to open up your eyes and recognize it. You will arrive there, but the journey might take you to places new and scary. Just ride it and have faith.

Of course, it helps when you've got the power of prayers on your side. I'm not particularly religious by nature, but I do feel blessed that I've got loved ones praying for my well being and protection on my journey. I'm sure it works in ways that are beyond me, but I'm appreciative nonetheless.

So, I said my goodbyes yesterday to my team during lunch. I never thought I'd be quite sad as I've only been there a short while, but I was. I guess it's because they are great, fun people - and I was the only male in the team...hehe. I'll miss my partner the most; working with her was such good fun. The sales environment wasn't too bad either with its liveliness and great energy. I hope the friendships made will be lasting.

Oh well, time to learn from the past, move on and look forward!

Happy 2008!

2008-01-01T05:25:00.000-08:00

Well, there goes another year. Whoosh...just like that. Time really does fly supersonic.

Many ups and downs for me this year. I packed my backs and returned home after two years abroad. The final days in Reading was a blur of packing and rushing to get my affairs sorted, but I remember vividly the moment I touched down in KLIA. After the usual "we will jail you for bringing drugs' speech he said, "To all Malaysians, welcome home". I almost cried. Never had such words sounded so comforting.

However after just weeks I started noticing so many things wrong in my own country that I've never noticed before or were just ignorant about - the lack of decency and manners, materialism, the selfish pursuit of money, how we're still so far behind in public infrstructure, how funny some of our leaders are, among other things.

On a personal front, friends seem to be so engrossed in chasing money and success that I seem like a hippie lost in translation in 2007. I found myself at a slightly different frequency when conversing and in issues of interest. Fitting back in was suddenly a bit difficult at times. I mean, there's more to life than your boss and wanting to be rich right? Jeez, lighten up a little. And keeping up with friends who have moved up the ladder was a challenge as well. Somehow the mamak and hawker food is no longer good enough. The likes of La Bodega and Delicious is the standard now. Goodness. How do people save money these days? I guess time abroad has changed my priorities and thinking slightly.

Job searching was also a vast ocean that sometimes seemed to drown me. I didn't know what I wanted to do, and couldn't close interviews that I went to. There were times I was so lost and didn't know what to do. I wanted to start my own business and did experiment with it for a while, but I realized that it was very difficult to do alone and too crazy to risk it blindly. In the end I found work, but quickly realized that it wasn't for me.

Damn hippie right? All I want is love, peace, fun, and like...chill...dude. I think everyone should hug each other more. Seriously.

The past 9 months have been a time of adjustment and ironically finding my place in my own home. It hasn't been easy, what with no one that shares my experience. Some friends have mentioned that I've grown quieter, less fun and happy. I guess I have in some ways. It's hard when you're lost and can't find the answers, but I think I've almost come to terms with life right now. I feel more settled in and less anxious about what comes next. Que sera sera I guess.

For 2008 though, I want to try my best to live everyday in happiness. I have faith that things will bloom well and it will be a great year. I have always tended to measure my life in terms of the kind of person I am to my loved ones, rather than in career or monetary terms. So, for this year, I want to:

Love more.
Be a better son and brother.
Be the best friend you've ever had.
Be more charitable.
Be a great boss (I still have dreams of my own business).

I hope that everyone will have a smashing year ahead and live life to the fullest. Take risks, do something scary once in a while, and take more time to actually talk to each other. Life's too short to live with what ifs and regrets. :)

See, so 60s hippie.

Happy new year!!

Kin Kin Spicy Pan Mee

2007-09-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

This is for the chilli and pan mee lovers out there. If you're one of those who are already immune to the hot-bum afterburn that accompanies every spicy meal, then this is definitely the place for you.

The place: Restoran Kin Kin
The location: 40, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1, Off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, KL.
The food: Pan mee and kick-ass (or burn-ass) chilli.

I was introduced to this place a few months back by a buddy who assured me that I'll enjoy and boy was he right. I've been back every so often since for the pan mee that it has become a bit of an addiction.

The restaurant serves pan mee, in both dry and soup versions. The pan mee itself isn't much to shout about, with lashings of the normal minced pork, ikan bilis and greens. It does however come with a poached egg. At Rm4.80 a bowl, it's not the cheapest grub in town too especially when the portion isn't very big. I personal polish off two bowls everytime I'm there.

What's special and separates this restaurant from the rest is the chilli. It is oh-my-gawd so good. I'm not sure what they put into it, but I've seen pieces of fried lard (chu yau char) and I think that's what makes it so fragrant. Served in containers, the chilli concoction is a bit flaky and sticky, waiting to knock your socks off. You decide how much you want to put into your pan mee. I started with 2-3 spoonfuls, but nowadays I tend to put 4-5 heaped spoons into my bowl.

How to eat chilli pan mee 101:

Step 1: Look at your bowl and decide how much chilli you want to put in.

Step 2: Load the chilli in and delight in how beautiful it now looks. The colours...ahh..

Step 3: Mix all of it up and be prepared for the fire that is about to burn you into a sniffling, sweating mess.

Step 4: Finish everything up, including all the tissues you can find, and enjoy the light-headed sensation from the fiery torture you just went through. Smile. You survived. :)

Sounds a bit freakish to enjoy such torture for only a bowl of pan mee? Not at all for a chilli lover. The enjoyment and pleasure of getting new levels of chilli-pain can only be understood by fellow enthusiasts. If you're one, try this establishment out. You won't regret it.

Quickie

2007-09-04T03:34:00.000-07:00

recent happenings on the home front:

1. i'm still trying to get used to sales and the tactics needed in the battlefield out there. i feel like i'm too logical and not zany and creative enough sometimes. so many things to remember and learn too. it's gonna be challenging. i need to be more thick-faced!

2. one of my sunday-morning-trek-and-breakfast buddies decided to ditch us for chinese girls in the mainland and to co-habitate with his boss. need to find a replacement.

3. had a real bad case of the runs last weekend. must have been a 'jampi' from uncle lim for crapping in his casino. it didn't help too that i had to run 5.5 km for charity while relying on 'po chai' pills to hold everything together. i barely survived.

4. i realized that there are many, many bloody rich malaysians out there. so bloody rich they don't know what to do with it, so they go to genting and throw it to the dealer. aunties and uncles, next time please throw it at a better angle - my pocket is about 45 degrees downwards ok?

5. been spending good quality time with family and relatives. i'm turning into quite a family guy. no complaints though it feels good. :)

6. i'm missing the quality of life in the UK a tad bit. but i miss the ales and pub food more.

7. and i miss you buddies still living there la, hehe.

8. i was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from the tax dept telling me to expect a cheque on the way! WOW. now let's see if it will really arrive.

yoohoo!

2007-08-11T21:41:00.001-07:00

i haven't been blogging for a while now as i've been sorting out some stuff in my life. well, most of the stuff involves getting a job...but it's funny how that can lead to an emotional ride that brings you through a rollercoaster journey of searching, excitement, disappointment, depression, uncertainty and happiness. thankfully it's turned out well in the end and i'm hoping that it will be even better days ahead.

i don't really know what to write about at the moment, so i'll just word-doodle for a bit as a warm up to get back into the momentum. i think writing is like exercise; you've got to keep doing it or it will be difficult to pick up the pace again. when i started blogging, i also started to notice more things and was more aware of stories/issues to talk about. but when i took a break, somehow it felt like there weren't many topics that were particularly interesting to me.

maybe it's because i haven't been cooking since i came back home la. nothing to stir my culinary interests and make me want to cook. i think it may be due to the unfriendly kitchen in my house too.

emmm...ok don't know what to write anymore for the moment, hehe. happy days to anyone who read this post and thanks for still coming by! :)

Free Food - Our Biggest Vice?

2007-05-30T02:22:00.000-07:00

In Malaysia, it seems that almost everyone is into food. We love to eat, and we're always on the lookout for grub that is better, tastier and more exotic to satisfy our tastebuds. We head out to the latest restaurants, the newest dessert shops and try out ever-changing flavours of the month. Having said that, good food doesn't always come cheap and so we are also constantly on the look out for cheaper places as well. The Chinese phrase "peng, leng, jeng" (cheap, beautiful, great) sums it up nicely. What could be better than to have great meals without burning a hole in the pocket, right?

Right. But sometimes, I think we take it way too far and start displaying a really ugly habit whenever a type of food comes about - free food. Okay, I know not all of us are like that, but those who are so blatant in their conduct whenever free food is available really make me feel ashamed to be Malaysian at times.

There I was with mom at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in KL to attend Maxis' AGM yesterday. The hotel itself is very nice and posh, and I'm sure it has played host to many important guests, foreign dignitaries and other VIPs. As we walked towards the registration hall we passed the refreshment area where a sumptious lunch buffet was laid out for Maxis guests to enjoy before the meeting started. There was a big spread for the huge number of people there and it was expectedly crowded.

We registered, got our stickers to identify ourselves as shareholders and walked back out to the refreshment area. It was then that I saw all the skills that would put waiters and petty thieves to shame.

Firstly, a lot of them didn't have stickers on them. So, either they stuck it under their clothes, or they weren't there for the event in the first place. If they were there just for a free lunch, they certainly were enthusiastic about it. Moving with such gusto from fried mee hoon, chicken, pastries, cakes, etc. to coffee and tea, you'd think they were on an Amazing Race roadblock challenge trying to beat the other teams. Or maybe just wolfing down the food before it runs out.

Then, there were aunties with such deft hands that they could juggle two plates - filled to the brim with puffs and mini cakes - on a single palm! That's four plates per auntie man...and there were a lot of them. It was amazing seeing them balance all that food while waltzing through the crowded room avoiding collision and spillage. I think waiters in training could learn a thing or two just observing them.

But the one that takes the cake was something my mom pointed out to me. This auntie was taking out a plastic container from her handbag! She was there to get some take-away! I was really shocked that some people would actually do something like that. I know that a lot of people go crazy at buffets or open houses and start hoarding food like there's no tomorrow, but I have never actually seen people bringing their own containers to tah-pau.

It was quite sad to me to notice such a state of things. That the purpose of the event wasn't even about food in the first place, that most of the people there were so kiasu about sampling every morsel - it really makes one wonder why we behave that way. The saddest thing of all for me though, was how it seems to have become an accepted habit and no one seems to think it inappropriate. I mean, you're at a company's AGM ok, not an eating competition.

I can understand that in certain countries people are starving and will fight for anything that remotely looks like food. But we're not poor or hungry, we're educated, we live comfortably and if you can be a shareholder in a company, you can definitely put food on the table easily. Do we really have to bring ourselves down to such a level?

I just hope this habit doesn't result in an image of Malaysians that shows us as foodie freeloading hogs without respect to others. But if that's what we want to project, well, Malaysia definitely boleh-lah.

Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge

2007-05-25T03:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, I visited the Petronas twin towers for the first time in my life. They have been standing majestically for a good number of years now and I've always enjoyed looking at them illuminated in the night skyline. However, I have never made the effort to actually visit the skybridge, which is the only place you're allowed to walk around unless you work in one of the offices there.

So when my cousin managed to get tickets I thought "Why not?".

The tickets to the skybridge are free, but you have to go really early to line up for them. There's a limited amount of tickets given out each day, so be kiasu and make a beeline to the counter in the morning. The entrance to the skybridge tour is at the Tower 2 side of the lobby. If you're going by LRT, go to the centre court and make a right. Take the escalator up a floor, go past RHB bank and turn right to arrive.

There are set times for the tour, depending on your ticket. To start things off, there is a video presentation on the design and construction of the towers. We were late, so we missed this part. After that, a guide will take visitors up to the skybridge at level 41. The lift we took had the most LEDs I've ever seen (due to the sheer number of floors) and moves very fast - a zippy 1 floor per second.

Once at the skybridge, you're allowed 10 minutes to wander around, enjoy the view and take pictures. IMHO, 10 minutes is really short...so kiamsiap. But to make up for the kiamsiap-ness, the view is really good and you can see almost the whole of KL.

It also helped that the weather was bright and sunny (and hot!), giving us clear skies.

After the skybridge tour, we then went up higher (71st is I've remember correctly) and the view was even better. Looking below, the people looked like ants crawling around some concrete jungle. Everything at ground level looked so small. Made me feel very big, hehe.

Up close, the size and height of the buildings are quite impressive too. The architecture is nice as well. If you have the time, just go up and have a look.

Heck, it's free anyway...don't want ah? :)

StarCraft II !!!

2007-05-20T03:02:00.000-07:00

Man oh man this is exciting. Blizzard has announced the sequel to Starcraft! Check it out:

I think the video looks awesome. Personally, I think StarCraft is the most balanced RTS game compared to other titles in the market. It also has a very engaging storyline and each race is so unique without being overly powerful, giving plenty of room for creative gameplay and tactics. It may have been around for quite some time, but it is an absolute classic and is still being played by gamers around the world.

I remember pulling all-nighters during the weekend when I was in university - not for studying, but for playing StarCraft until the wee hours of the morning with my housemates! We would start after dinner, blasting each other's armies and trying to outwit one another the whole night. Sometimes we would even play till the sun came up. One housemate even stayed up sometimes while we were asleep to practice to be the best...he was THAT hooked. Needless to say, it was THE game to play during those days.

And now Blizzard's announced the 2nd installment of the saga. From the in-game footage, I think it will not dissappoint fans worldwide.

It looks so beautiful.

Khoo Kongsi

2007-05-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I traveled up to Penang to meet up with friends I haven't met for more than 2 years. It was a great trip, full of catching up and lots of talking over a cup of coffee and famous Penang grub. While I was there, I decided to check out places I've never visited before.

Most of us have been to the Kek Lok Si temple, Bukit Bendera, the famous hawker streets and other landmarks. But I wonder how many of us have actually been to the Khoo Kongsi?

The Khoo Kongsi is one of the most famous Chinese clan associations in Penang. And they have this really beautiful clan house/compound to hang out in. Just like how us modern 'intellectuals' hover around mamaks to discuss everything from the state of our politics to the state of our mental health due to job stress, the forefathers from days of yore used to meet to discuss things, help each other out and try to make life better for all. Well, for all the Khoos la.

The place is excellently restored to its former glory and the colours, especially the gold, absolutely stands out. The entire building is filled with intricate carvings on wood, metal and stone. From the roof, the high beams, the pillars, the walls and the windows, right down to the leading staircase, these carvings are so detailed and creative. It's amazing how people from the olden times can produce such sophisticated works of art without modern technology. It must've taken a LOT of dedication and perserverence.

According to the Khoo Kongsi website, the restoration works cost in excess of RM 4.2 million! The Khoos must be very rich people. That is a serious amount of money. Can eat Penang char kuey teow until you die. But I must say, all that money has been well spent.

The only two things I felt that more money should have been spent on are:

1. Tour guides/audiophones and information boards. It would have been much nicer if there were guided tours of the association compound and the tour guide could explain the history, the culture and provide interesting facts about the place (like a trap door we saw, but didn't know where it led to). Most museums or places of interest overseas have audiophones too, like a handset that u bring around. These have pre-recorded information that you can listen to while you're wandering around. Sadly, I have yet to see facilities like that in Malaysia. More placards around the place would've been a nice touch too. We only saw information about the statues and deco at the exit, which I think is too late.

2. Many more road signs leading to the area. After spending more than 4.2 million on restoring the building, I find it really baffling that they didn't spend that little bit more to tell people how to get there. I didn't see any signpost or direction arrow throughout the town until we had reached building! Plus, it doesn't help that the Khoo Kongsi is deep inside a crowded area of shophouses and terrace lots - not a place your typical tourist would stumble upon. In fact, we only found the entrance by chance after wandering the streets. We could have easily passed it by and not know it.

I quote this from the Khoo Kongsi website:
"Surprisingly, famous as it is, its location appears to be unknown to many Penangites."

Oih hello! No signboard, how to go??? Duh.

But if you do manage to locate it, do go in and take your time to stroll around. Enjoy the architecture, colours and step back in time for a while. It's worth every cent of the RM 5 entry fee.

Banking Bonkers, blehh....

2007-05-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

I've decided to not keep complaining about local banks...stress isn't good for the heart and life's too short to be bothered by such nonsense... :-)

Banking Bonkers

2007-04-23T01:04:00.000-07:00

I rarely get very irritated by things, and often something has to be REALLY bad to piss me off. In this case, local banking. This is gonna be a name-and-shame man.

Case1:
So I dropped in to RHB last Friday to give them some money coz I thought I'd be so nice to help them earn some dough from me. That was about 11:20 am. Mom and sis went off to their own little banking adventure while I got a bit lost as I stepped in the door. Why? Because there was no customer service officer to assist me. The only person was the security guard who asked me to budge in on one of the counters while they were in between customers.

So much for first impressions.

So I got a form for opening current accounts from the lady at the counter, hastily put together by stapling some pieces of paper. And when I started filling it, I could feel the stress level rising. 5 pages of forms just to open an account?? And at the end was another piece asking me to tell them more about myself! No thank you. I just want to open an account, not have my bank be my best friend.

So I decided not to open a new account and just deposit some money. I took a number and waited like a good customer. After waiting for quite some time, I noticed the reason why - out of maybe 9-10 counters, only one was servicing customers like me. One!

But of course the best comes last. At precisely 11:50am on a Friday, the security guard started making rounds around the queue telling everyone "System down". What???

Ok firstly, why should we, the customers, be told by the security guard of such things? Shouldn't it be at least a bank officer? Or are we not worthy enough of such respect? I would have expected at least such a courtesy. Secondly, aren't banks supposed to have backup IT systems so that they will NOT have "system down"?? Or are our local banks that poor to not have backup solutions. I find that really appaling if its true. Does the whole banking mechanism just grind to a halt whenever there is a "system down"?

There wasn't even any apologies or explanation as to how long the situation would remain like that. I couldn't accept why customers should suffer such inconveniences due to the bank's shortcomings, and how the bank never did anything to take care of the people who gives them business. So, I just walked out.

I've said before that maybe I just needed a few days to get used to things back home. But I've realized that some things should not be tolerated, because you get only what you tolerate. If you accept complacency and the mediocre, you'll get it. But you'll be stuck just where you are.

Which is where I think where our local banks are.

Case 2 coming soon...

Sea Angels

2007-04-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

I was down in Singapore last week for a few days to catch up with friends and also meet my sister. It has been such a long time since I've seen Ray and Nard so it was a really good trip. But that's another story.

What I want to talk about here are these cute little critters I saw at the Underwater World in Sentosa island. I've never seen anything like them.

Pic source

They're called sea angels, a type of sea snail that lives in the cold water of the Arctic. Translucent except for the red areas of its head and internal organs in the middle, these creatures are very tiny. The largest ones grow only up to about 5cm long. Most are smaller than that. Probably only as long as the nail on your last finger.

They're born with shells, but lose them when they're born. They use their 'wings' to zip around the with an undulating flapping motion, and it's quite fun to see them moping about in the water. They're just so darn cute. :)

These graceful marine fliers are also hemaphrodites and they help to mutually fertilize each other during mating.

Looking at them, I can see why they're called sea angels. Except for the two little horns on the head. Fallen sea angels? Hehehe. They also remind me of those fantasy creatures usually dreamed up in Japanese anime because they look kinda other-worldly. Something you wouldn't expect to see on earth.

Cool huh?

What's your VisualDNA?

2007-03-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Stumbled upon this on EG's blog and I thought why not? Heck, it's a Sunday afternoon and getting my own VisualDNA sounded like a Sunday afternoon-ny thing to do. :)

Try it for yourself. The pictures above are what I chose for my answers, and they revealed that:

1. I'm a Dreamer

Always drifting off, their imagination takes control. They have big ideas, and a cool calm manner.

2. I'm an Escape Artist

They are forever slipping off, getting away from the rat race, and recharging those batteries. Independent, and thoughtful - they know themselves well.

3. I'm a New Wave Puritan

They are strict, organized, and ever so neat - they practice the art of self-discipline. They like things done simply but with an eye for detail.

4. I'm a Love Bug

They are the type to fall in love a thousand times a day. Their feelings snowball quickly, and they are full of passion.

Oh, and apparently I also have a high sex drive, love people with tight bods and an appetite for lurve.

Man, who doesn't? =p

Homecoming

2007-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm having jet lag right now. I'm very awake, but no one else is so there's nobody for me to disturb. Except maybe the cats.

The flight was pretty uneventful, but it sure was more comfortable than previous journeys. I found out after many, many years that you can actually move the headrest to support both sides of your head. Now I don't look like a drooling fool lolling my head left and right whenever I sleep on the plane. Thanks Chuan for the enlightenment! I'm a bit wiser now :)

I had a sudden feeling of heaviness and reluctance a couple of days before coming home. I always feel this way when I have to say goodbye to things. I am so lousy at parting ways. It has been two years (and how fast it has gone by!), and London/Reading has been like a second home to me. I've grown to enjoy and love the UK and will really miss it. The different characters of the cities, the parks, the walks, the culture, the conveniences of living in a developed country, the many many things to do in London, and of course the cheap beer and good food. When you're used to paying 2.20 GBP for a pint of good beer, RM18 for a small bottle of Heineken suddenly seems like a lot!

I've been weighing the options of staying on in the UK or return to Malaysia for a long time now, and it hasn't been easy. Staying on in the UK, I would have a comfortable if unfulfiling job and be earning good income. Coming home meant starting anew again and picking up the pieces. It it also meant going back to a place I was trying to break away from not so long ago. I was also scared of falling into the same old routines and outlook that made me frustrated and unhappy previously. Back then, I was so comfortable in my own little world that at a point I didn't care what else was going on outside my cosy sphere. And because of that my world got smaller and smaller and my view on things became narrow-minded. Familiarity breeds tolerance, and left unchecked leads to ignorance. I didn't want to be like that again. I couldn't.

But in the end, the answer was simple. Home, after all, is home. Throughout all the debating that knocked the wheels and cogs off balance in my brain, there was always a deep, underlying gut feeling about the right thing to do. That was to return home. I'm a rational guy and always like to reason things out, but every once in a while I tend to rely on my gut feelings to guide me especially when difficult decisions are involved. Over the years it has served me well and I've learned to listen to it when I need to. I believe that deep down inside we can all feel and know the right thing to do, thought it isn't always easy to agree with it when the logical brain tries to interfere. And sometimes we are afraid to accept that advice from within us because we're not strong enough. I've learned to seek counsel with Mr. Gutso and consider its words.

Words which have brought me back. The place I grew up and have so many memories. A place so familiar.

But the thing is, I don't feel familiar.

A lot of things have changed within the neighbourhood; new buildings, new roads, new places to eat. I didn't even dare drive the car when my mom suggested it. Going out for drinks with Tjun Tjun and Chee Hoe tonight, I couldn't help but feel a bit like a village boy going to the city for the first time. Looking at the roads and new stuff outside when I was in the car, looking around at people and the environment while having drinks - it felt like I was sizing up a new place where I've just arrived. I know it hasn't been that long, but somehow it has felt longer tonight. I don't know why.

Maybe I just need a few days to settle down. But one thing is for sure, I'm quite nervous but yet excited about what the future holds. It's another round of big change for me and I'm stepping into unknown grounds again, even though it seems a familiar landscape. I've lived and grown through a very important phase of my life, but now I'm starting a new chapter. One that will hopefully a more exciting and nourishing than before. I'm quite positive about it and hopefully it will be good. I know the small bouts of anxiety and fear will go away with time.

So home, but a new beginning. Same same, but different.

Here's to Mr. Gutso and days of merriment to come!

Now let me find some cats to talk to.

Kebab Komfort

2007-03-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

There are few things as comforting and satisfying than a warm, packed to the brim doner kebab. Especially when you're hungry at 12.30am in the UK and there are no machas bringing you that teh tarik and mee goreng telur mata kerbau to your plastic table. You'd have a better chance bumping into Jennifer Aniston on the streets.

I'd just watched The Lion King with Chia Hui and was on my way back to Reading. By the way, it was an awesome show. But that's another story. The train was unusually slow tonight and so I had some time to think. And what I thought was...I haven't had dinner. The thing was, I wasn't actually that hungry. But the body is a funny temple and it sometimes affirms and reinforces automatically what you think. Well, at least mine does and if yours doesn't then there's sometime wrong with you. And the YY temple of good eats ALWAYS reaafirms thoughts about food. The temple told me I was hungry.

So, that's why I got a chicken and lamb kebab la. With extra chilli sauce. :)

The kebabs here are big. Really big. HUGE. A small one can feed two girls. A large one can feed two guys, unless one is a real fat-ass glutton. Not only are they packed to the brim with meat, the matey boy at the counter will then stuff the bejesus out of that limited pita bread estate with loads of lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes and pickled chillies into any available space he can find. And then still manage to stick a wedge of lemon in there somewhere. It's really an amazing meal.

Plus, it costs less than a Mcds meal AND is in my opinion a much healthier option.

Tucking into that on a cold night is damn satisfying and really hits the spot. It's like having that first bite into your favourite Ramly's burger when you've got a craving. Great comfort food.

When you're in the UK and without much choice, a kebab's the best late night snack you can get.

Muar Rapper

2007-03-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

Got this link from my friend Bahoo over on Yahoo. Bahoo...Yahoo...hehe...get it? ......nevermind.

I say good example of homegrown Malaysian Chinese rapping talent :) The context is appropriately local and the language is...well, let's just call it colourful shall we? The 'Wira' and 'Ah Kua' sections made me laugh so hard! Hehe.

Warning: If you're very easily offended then don't bother. Contains rude bits.

I couldn't understand the Hokkien bits though, can anyone explain to me?

Go Muar rappers, hehehe. Ta ma de. Malaysia boleh.

Riverside Twilight

2007-03-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

Fee Chin was in town during the weekend and wanted to to see Big Ben again. I thought it would be a good idea to bring her along the Thames river and South Bank for an enjoyable evening stroll too. I've always enjoyed the night view there and its such a nice place to hang about.

It proved to a good opportunity to take some beautiful shots of London as the sun was setting.

The Big Ben and Houses Of Parliament looked really resplendent when illuminated in its golden lights. Taken from almost below the London Eye, the pinkish glow of the pier and water reflections made a colourful contrast and a good picture.

Panning my viewfinder to the right towards South Bank, I caught another nice view along the river. The lighting along the bridge and of the building was very aesthetically pleasing to the eye and there was a sense of calm when looking this way across the river.

She didn't turn out well in this one, but I thought the background gave a very good feel of the feel and atmosphere of the place and the evening. The London Eye is really quite a big structure and is impressive. The capsules rotate as the big wheel turns so they stay horizontal. Made largely of glass, it gives you beautiful, unobstructed views London on a clear day or night.

This is what happens when you cannot stay still when the camera takes a snap. :-) It was also difficult to frame the shot nicely as I didn't have a tripod and had to balance my camera on the edge of the lamp post. I got hungry after that so we left to have a good Chap Goh Meh dinner!

Gluttony

2007-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Gluttony. One of the deadly sins. By definition of dictionary.com - 'Excessive eating and drinking'.

Q: How much does it take to feed 3 guys?

1. One whole baked/roast chicken.

2. One whole cabbage. Half of it boiled with chicken bones for a big portion of soup. Another half fried with chillies and spices as a vegetable side dish.

3. One bowl of chilli and herb sauce.

4. Bowls of bubur cha cha for dessert. Contains coconut milk, sugar, sweet potatoes, bananas and sago/tapioca.

5. A final round of belacan (shrimp paste) flavoured fried chicken with sweet chilli dip.

A: Damn a lot.

Gluttony? What gluttony? I don't geel guilty at all. *BURP*

Snow Falls

2007-02-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Last week, the UK had its heaviest snowfall in perhaps the last century. In Reading, it was the heaviest snow in the past 16 years. Now, it doesn't usually snow around here, and even if it did it's so pansy that it doesn't settle but makes messy puddles instead. So when the forecast was 4 inches of snow, I was quite excited hehe. I like snow :)

So I thought I'd do a bit of a photoblog this time on my journey to work.

View from my room window at 7.15am.

Pavement right outside my front door.

Trying to be artistic, hehe.

Snow falling at Reading train station.

See that multi-storey car park in the background? A body was found there in the wee hours sometime last year. I went to have a look but the police cleared everything up already :P

Looking out from the train.

White all around outside the station where I got off.

Random shot, it feels kind of Christmas-y to me :)

Leading up to my workplace. Its the building in the middle at the bend of the road, where the van is. Very slippery pavement with ice.

There is a certain calmness that come with snowfall. Everything is quieter and more tranquil. Everyone drives slower, walks slower; no one is in a rush. People take their time and sometimes you'll get the odd few (like me) who will stop and take in the view. I wasn't the only person whipping out the camera too.

A really nice moment was when the snow started falling really heavily. Every single person in the office just stopped and looked out the window, and we all agreed how lovely it looked. For a minute we just stood there, admiring the view. I think snowfall has got to be one of the most beautiful weather conditions to ever happen.

Linguini Loving

2007-02-11T04:57:00.000-08:00

You know how almost pasta has been and always will be the student's choice of meals when they're studying overseas? I for one totally agree with them. I mean, coming from an Asian country, pasta such as spaghetti, tagliatelle and linguini are the closest you can get to noodles; something which we've grown up with. Plus, they're just so easy to cook!

The thing that I don't agree about is to just have the same old boring tomato sauce and mince meat with pasta ALL the time. Now don't get me wrong. Cooked properly, the traditional bolognese is absolutely delicious and is arguably the easiest pasta sauce to prepare. However, with just a little tinkering and experimentation you can easily dress up hundreds of different sexy numbers to accompany those long stringy carbo bad boys.

I've recently taken a liking to linguini, mainly because they're so easy to cook. The typical spaghetti takes about 10-12 minutes to get ready, but linguini is all ready to please in just 6 minutes. I like. :) Toss them with some olive oil or flavoured oil, salt and pepper and you already have a good base to start with. In fact, toss in some canned tuna, tomatoes and herbs and it already is a great meal.

See how easy it is? Less than 20 minutes to prepare.

I made a Thai-oriental style topping a few weeks ago to put on top of some linguini that has been tossed with sesame oil, salt and pepper. This was very, very hot and spicy so adjust the chillies to your own taste ok?

Fry some garlic and onions until fragrant. Add in some mince meat (it can be pork, beef or even lamb), lots of chopped birds' eye chillies and basil. Basil is important to give the dish its distinct flavour and fragrance. Stir fry until the meat is almost cooked. Then, put in some fish sauce, soy sauce and ground black pepper to taste. I also dropped in some mushrooms as I had some left in the fridge. Let it all simmer for about 10-12 minutes to let the meat absorb all the funky mojo and get a bit tender. Toss in some chopped peppers (capsicum) and spring onions. Stir fry for probably another 2-3 minutes and then just serve on top of the linguini. If the sauce is too watery just simmer until it gets thicker before adding in the peppers.

Come to think of it, you can actually use any type of noodles - yellow, egg, rice, udon, flat, kuey teow. I think they will all work with the oriental flavour.

Another recipe I tried was a seafood marinara sauce. In contrast to the exotic East, this sauce is relatively simple and basic but equally delicious. While the fiery and strong oriental flavours are exciting, this western version has a subtle, quiet elegance.

For this dish, just get a can of chopped tomatoes in their own juice, some garlic, onions and some seafood. I just got a pack of mixed seafood from the supermarket; it had mussels, prawns and squid.

Heat up some olive oil and fry the onions until fragrant and soft. Toss in the garlic and stir until you can smell them. Put in freshly ground black pepper and salt. I'd recommend using sea salt. Normal table salt can taste bitter and doesn't have any fragrance and taste to it. It's just...salty. Sea salt, on the other hand, has a nice flavour depending on what type of salt you get. It also tastes kind of sweet. This will make a lot of difference in your cooking, especially if its a simple dish.

Pour in the can of chopped tomatoes and simmer for a bit until the sauce get a bit thick. You want it to have a thick consistency because seafood has a lot of water content. If your sauce is not thick before you put the critters in, you'll end up drinking seafood tomato soup instead (Hey! That's another dish! Hehe).

Anyway, put the seafood in and cook for about 3-4 minutes and your sauce has a nice consistency. Serve it on top of the linguini and garnish with parsley or coriander.

Finally, take a picture of the dish, pull out your fork and spoon, and tuck in! :)

The Pad

2007-02-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

Well, hello. Welcome to my humble castle :)

I'd call it the shag pad, but unfortunately there's no such action going on. I'd also call it the love nest, but alas, not much loving going on here too. Boom-boom room sounds too dodgy, and to call it my oasis is really too cheesy, isnt it? So I'll just call it 'The Pad'.

The Pad sits on the corner at the end of Howard Street. It doesn't look like much from the front especially with the lovely bins decorating the landscape. But then again, over here not many houses look that appealing on the outside.

The house number is No.44 (superstitious Chinese readers may now shake their heads in disapproval). But that's not all, for my room number is....is...4! 'Sei Sei Sei'! In Malaysian terms, very 'suey', hehehe. Its like the number 13 fuelled up with Red Bull. Luckily I'm not that superstitious.

The Pad is pretty much white all over on the inside. My landlady's refurbished it quite well and all the furnishings are new. Ninety percent of the furniture is from Ikea. Don't you just love the Swedes?

The dining table is where I have my evening chow while watching re-runs of Friends for an hour every night. :) But sometimes I stay on to watch movies and serials, which I do on the comfy black Ikea couch.

But the area where I spend a big portion of the time is the kitchen a.k.a. 'The Lab'. This is where I experiment, chop, wash, marinade, fry, boil and prepare the 'Soul Food'. Its a good layout too. The washing machine and dishwasher are hidden within the cabinets. Very neat and tidy.

And finally, leaving the best for last...my cosy little cave. Ahh. At the very top floor, facing the backyard, its away from the noise downstairs and from the traffic. Its a rooftop conversion so there's actually not much space, but its comfortable enough for one. This is where I spend most of my time at home besides the kitchen.

Quick, how many Ikea items can you spot in 5 seconds?

I'd love to call it the 'Love Chamber', but that's already reserved for a certain room in the office. But it really is nice and comfy...anyone wanna come hang out? hmm? The bed's really comfy too...with lovely soft pillows :) (Guys need not apply. You lot can sod off. Hehe.) But becareful tho ladies, I've knocked my head a few times. The ceiling's less than an inch from the top of my head. :P

Tri-Nation Salad

2007-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

A really delicious salad made a couple of weeks ago. It's so simple and yet so yummily good. I think its a great example of how fresh, quality ingredients can make all the difference in the world.

Ingredients:

Pungent Greek goats' cheese that was soaked in olive oil. Chuan smuggled it from Greece. Really.
Superb extra virgin olive oil that Kit bought for me from Padova, Italy. It's so good I can't describe it.
Super-sweet cheery tomatoes and Mediterranean salad mix. From, erm...Sainsburys supermarket near Shawn's love shack, hehe.
Some sea salt and lemon juice.

Looks damn good right? :) I'm getting hungry dy.

Reading

2007-01-31T10:34:00.000-08:00

Reading is a town in the south-west of England. Travelling west from London, it takes about 50 minutes to reach by car. Kinna like travelling from KL to Seremban. It is famous for its university, music festivals and lately, its football team that is doing really well.

It has also been my home for a little more than a year now, and I'd like to bring you on a little tour around my turf :)

We start off at the main train station. This is a major hub for train services to London and also the south of England. I usually take the fast train to London from here and it takes just half an hour to reach the city. I also pass through its gates almost everyday since I take the train to and from work. The best thing about the station is that its only 5 minutes' walk from the town center and less than 15 minutes away from my house.

Walking into town from the station, two rows of red-brick shops greet you. There are a variety of businesses lining the street, from Starbucks to travel agencies to restaurants to camera specialist shops.

My first impression when I arrived here was that this town might as well be called RED-ding. So red!

A short stroll and we are in the heart of the town, the High Street. Almost every town/city in England has a High Street, which is the main commercial and retail artery running through the town. Here you will find most of the clothing boutiques, bookstores, sports accesories, pharmacies, home furnishing stores, banks, recruitment agencies, supermarkets, street stalls and many more different outlets.

It is usually very bustling on weekends, but I was up early and there wasn't many people on the streets yet. There are usually buskers as well, singing their songs and trying to get people to buy their CDs. There is a particular group of Red Indians in full costumes and paint that have been playing their instruments every week and they seem to have become permanent fixture of the weekend activities. Sometimes you get preachers, anti-obesity movements, etc. And during Christmas, there is a band from the Salvation Army playing festive tunes with their trumpets, trombones and flutes.

What I like about Reading is that everything I need is within walking distance. That includes the shopping mall! Its called the The Oracle and is right smack in the middle of town. Takes me less than 10 minutes to get there on foot. The Oracle is a nice mall with the usual retail outlets and I can pretty much get everything I need here. But what I like about the place is that most of the restaurants and cafes are located along the river that divides the complex in two.

When the weather is fine, it is very enjoyable to do some people watching by the river bank while enjoying some coffee. Once in a while there will be people kayaking or rowing along the river and everyone will look at them. Free show, I guess. Hehe.

The riverside looks very nice at night too when the lights come on. Also, it is also the place where all the festive celebrations take place, such as Christmas and New Year fireworks, promotions and summer events. The curved mini-amphitheatre are got turned into a beach during the summer and a skating rink during winter.

This is one of my favourite restaurants in Reading. :) Mostly because its one of the few places I can get really spicy food and it's healthier than Mcds. And also because most of the time the waitresses look quite pretty, hehe. :P

This is Vue cinema where I catch the movies and the Starbucks where I sometimes get coffee. I love going to the cinema here because I can get tickets 5 minutes before the show and I'll have a seat. No kiasu idiots fully booking movies 3 days before! It is also on a free seating basis, so as long as I go in early enough I am always guaranteed a good seat. But the best reason for going to the cinemas here is that there is no censorship. I can actually follow the movie through till the end without being forced to read the lines and joining the dots between cut scenes. Such bliss I tell you.

So that's a brief snapshot of Reading. Its an enjoyable place to live and I find it very cosy. I can escape the noise, congestion and crowds in London and yet I'm close enough to be able to go to the city anytime I want. Kinna like living in Subang Jaya where I grew up. Maybe that's why I like it here.

By the way, its pronounced 'Red-ding'. :)

Pork Chops

2007-01-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I buy pork chops I like to pre-marinade them and leave the lot sitting comfy in the freezer. It saves me the trouble of scratching my head for what to cook on nights when I feel a bit tired or lazy and can't be bothered to experiment.

A good marinade I learned from Saturday Cooks (ITV1, 11.30am, Saturdays...duh) is an oriental style flavouring that is really easy to prepare. Get some ginger, coriander (or cilantro as the Americans call it), basil and chop them up very finely, almost into a paste. Get a blender to do the job if you have one lying around screaming for attention. Then get a slosh of fish sauce, soy sauce, tsiao tsing wine (or any chinese cooking rice wine), sesame oil and some sugar. Mix everything in a bowl to blend all the flavours together. Add more herbs if you like, or some chopped chillies if you feel like you lack fire in your soul. Cover the pork chops with the marinade and you're ready to go after leaving it for about 10 minutes. It will taste better if you leave it overnight though.

An even simpler marinade I frequently use is simply powdered 'char siew' flavouring. Its available in most oriental supermarkets and tastes quite good. Just sprinkle the red powder generously over the meat and let the two have some quality bonding time together.

No oven? No problem. A hot frying pan or a barbecue pit will do the job nicely. However, I do love my oven. :)

Pre-heated to about 220 Celcius, I just pop the meat in for about 30 minutes before switching to grill mode for a further 10 minutes to get a nice crispy outside and juicy, tender flesh inside. Sometimes I cut the skin away, sprinkle on some salt, dry it on some paper towels and pop it in too to make crackling.

To balance the meal I usually just clobber something together from whatever veggies I have in the fridge at that moment. A simple stir fry with garlic and onions and my meal is complete.

Simple and delicious. :)

Glenmorangie

2007-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

I got another free bottle of alchy today :) The God Of Alcohol must really like me nowadays. Thanks goodness I didn't have to get injured to get this!

The trilogy is now complete. Three bottles. 1st bottle when I learned a new skill. 2nd one when I went to war. 3rd one is a happy ending, I'm happy to say. Ahh....

Glenmorangie single malt Scottish whisky. Aged 10 years in Bourbon oak barrels. Full-bodied, aromatic, smooth...and making me very, very red right now. *hic*

In the harsh coldness of winter, I think whisky is a damn fine tonic to warm one up. You can feel the warmth flowing right down the moment you take a sip, and it spreads very comfortably all over. Very nice.

The Five Steps To Appreciating Scotch Whisky (from my whisky glass box)

Colour
Is your whisky light gold, bright copper or rich amber in colour?

Body
Does your whisky have a light, medium or full body?

Nose
What aromas do you recognize when you nose your whisky - is it malty, smoky, fruity, chocolatey?

Palate
What characteristics do you notice on the palate - is it softly sweet, rich and fruity, or peppery and spicy?

Finish
Does the flavour remain for a long time or doest it disappear quickly?

My verdict on Glenmorangie - light gold, full bodied, fruity and slightly chocolatey, peppery and spicy with a long finish.

Now, time for another sip. I'm gonna sleep really well tonight, hehe.

Go Go Go! Ha Ha Ha!

2007-01-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

I seem to be developing a knack for getting injured and then receiving free bubbly to enjoy the pain with. Just last month I blistered my legs and won champagne for it. This month, to be fair to my body, I got nice scars of war etched on my arm and ribs. And I got a bottle of even better champagne!

This is kind of unsettling.

I was paintballing in London during the weekend, at this pretty cool place near Liverpool St tube station. It was five arches under a bridge converted into indoor paintball pitches. What a novel idea! Not only can you have fun shooting your mates right smack in the city, but it also beats getting frostbite on your trigger finger when playing in winter.

As the type of scenarios to play with goes, it was pretty much the usual. Capture the flag, last man standing, VIP. If you've played any first-person-shooter PC games (Counter Strike comes to mind), you'll be very familiar with the games.

Speaking of Counter Strike, I got two very nice bullet bruises from this dude who must have played wwaaayyy too many games. I'll bet all the rain in England that he's one of those fanatics who spend many, many nights perfecting his shots and jumps with the mouse and keyboard, only stopping for the necessary johnny breaks and coffee. Heck, I'll even bet that he Himself practises all those moves. I'm serious about this. England has a lot of rain, so my stakes are high.

So there I was all crouched down, in the perfect hidden position flanking the right while my trusty team mate (who turned out to be not very reliable) was holding the left. We were at that point in the middle of the battlefield, holding off incoming enemies from taking our women, children and cattle. Damned if we were going down without a fight. For country! For freedom!

And then this bad-ass dude actually jumped from nowhere on my left and fired with abandon at near-point blank! He even had his knees tucked up in mid-air and gun aiming at the ready, an exact carbon copy of the Counter Terrorist in CS! It seriously looked like a scene from the game I tell you. Pow!Pow! I was shocked to say the least. I felt only sharp pains and bewilderment. I looked pretty retarded, looking around wondering what just happened. When the hell did the ground open up and swallow my team mate?? And dude...you're not supposed to fire when you're so close to me!! Bugger.

Now I've got two nice tattoo-like circles on my arm. It actually looks worse now as the bruise has spread wider. I've also got a nice patch of red, purple and discoloured circle on the right side of my ribs, and a nice pinkish blot on the left. Sigh.

At least I have a nice bottle of bubbly to ease the pain. Won it at the comedy club we went to at night. It was the first time I've been to a comedy club and I must say I really enjoyed it. The stand-up comedians were hilarious and had everyone in stitches :) I was laughing my head off the whole night hehe. Definitely a type of entertainment to be enjoyed more often!

Now this was the first time ever that I've won anything at a lucky draw. I must thank Christine who wasn't there when her name was called out. I wouldn't have been called otherwise.

Yeng Zee Yeong? Do we have a Yeng Zee Yeong in the house?

Aih. Don't know if the bruises or having your name slurred out like that in front of a hundred plus crowd is more painful. =P

January Babies

2007-01-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to:

Ming Yi
Shawn
Wai Sen
Sharon
Zi Xiang

If I forgot anyone's big day this month let me know! Don't quietly go emo on me ok? :)

Porkie Paradise

2007-01-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I was over at Shawn's place for some cooking and beer. It turned out to be a good one and I've actually posted a guest entry in his blog. There's some recipes there so check it out.

There are a couple more simple recipes from that day that I'll mention here. But before that, here's what we had for the main course:

Bak kut teh! Yummsss!

We also made a side dish of brinjals/aubergines with minced pork and a sexy chilli dipping sauce, hehe.

This brinjal dish for two is really simple, easy and quick to prepare. All you need is:

2 brinjals, sliced
Minced pork

1 onion, quartered
Garlic (if you wish)

Lee Kum Kee Spicy Garlic Egg Plant sauce packet (or any other substitute you feel like)

Boil or fry the brinjals until soft then put them aside. I'd recommend boiling for the health conscious, as brinjals are notorious for sucking up oil like a sponge. Heat up some oil in a wok or pan and saute the onions and/or garlic until fragrant before tossing in the minced meat. Keep stirring to separate the meat and avoid it clumping into a big chunk as it cooks. After maybe 3 minutes or once the meat is almost cooked, pour in the sauce from the packet. Once the sauce heats up, put in the brinjals and stir fry, coating everything with the sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes and it is done.

Plate it and add a few sprigs of coriander or spring onions for garnish.

The chilli dip is an experimental take on something traditional. Trust me it tastes damn good! :)

Lots of ginger, very finely minced
Garlic and shallots or onions, finely chopped

Bird's eye chillies (lots of them!)

Spring onions and coriander, finely chopped (you can add more herbs, e.g. parsley, basil)

Fish sauce

Soy sauce

Sesame oil

Dark soy sauce

If you have a pestle and mortar, you can pound the ginger into a paste first (or just use a blender). Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix all the flavours together. Put as much or as little of each ingredient to your taste. The sauces can be omitted altogether too, and it will still taste great with some garlic/onion oil. Let the sauce sit for a while to let all the flavours get jiggy with it. It will taste really groovy soon after.

Sexy, no? And fiery too!

Whoosh!

2007-01-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

I've just reached home, to the warm and dry comfort of my room. Outside, the wind is blowing in every direction possible. Left, right, up, down, in your face. I really feel for the thousands of commuters still stranded at the train stations, braving the chills.

I'm gonna start this section about living in the UK with a bit of a rant. I was waiting for the train to get back from work and it was 14 minutes late. That was 14 minutes of enduring the cold gushes that seem to penetrate right into the bone. And when the train did come it was so packed (think Metrobus in KL) I couldn't even stick my foot into the carriage. I had to wait another 30-odd minutes for the next train. By the time I got home I was actually shivering. Bugger.

Man I can really use a nice bowl of hot soup now.

Not that it was anyone's fault. The country's been on alert for gale winds for a while now, but in recent days it has really manifested itself into a real devil. In fact, it was so bad tonight that a train actually crashed into a tree. How strong must the wind be to do that to a train?? At 80 mph, I'd say pretty damn strong. Even lorries get blown down on their sides.

Sometimes I can't even walk properly, swaying from side to side while trying not to get blown onto the road and the moving cars. Sometimes, I literally have to be on my feet, as I'd be fighting a strong flow from the left and it would suddenly change direction to hit me from the front or back. It really is a game of wit and endurance just to walk straight sometimes.

And the howl. Remember the sound of wind rushing by your ears when you were riding that awesome rollercoaster and you can't hear anything else? I can experience that just standing anywhere on the street. At night, I can hear the wind wailing outside my window. And as if my slit-eyes aren't small enough, I have to squint and make them even smaller to avoid irritation.

What a funny sight I must be to someone looking, hehe. But I guess everyone else is too determined to get indoors to notice anything else. Not only is there the wind to deal with, there is also the rain most of the time. Combined, both these forces can really cause some serious depression. Good thing I always have chocolate in my room. :)

I'm a bit warmer now, but not warm enough. Time to cook up a good hot dinner. I hope everyone out there will reach home safely soon and be able to have a warm dinner too.

Munch Munch

2007-01-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

I'd like to think of myself as a foodie. I love food, and I really enjoy eating and the whole gathering, camaraderie and laughter that comes with enjoying good grub.

For me, it's not just about eating for the sake of sustenance. Meals have always been more that. It's always been about the socializing, the company of loved ones and good friends, the merriment and laughter, the tears and heartaches, and the enjoyment of everything that is good about living. Whether its celebrating something with a lavish dinner, gathering and catching up at the mamak, or pouring the heart's deepest feelings out on the table with a cup of coffee/ hot chocolate, food has a powerful influence in my life.

I also like to cook. I'm not a great cook, but I find the act of cooking very fulfiling and satisfying. It allows me to get my creative juices flowing, it's fun, and it has a calming effect. I can happily spend the whole day planning and executing dishes for a dinner set. There's just something very satisfying about using great meat, vegetables, raw ingredients and putting in your best effort to tranform them into delicious, heart-warming food for people.

Not surprisingly, I'm also a huge fan of cooking shows and foodie programs. :)

What I've found out is that cooking is not hard. You don't have to rip your hair out trying to make coq au vin or spend hours roasting bones and bent over the stove boiling down demi glace for that special oven roasted pigeon dish. Nor do you have to toil with hundred of herbs, braising, steaming, frying and baking that 10-course feast fit for chinese emperors.

Any dish, prepared with genuine heart and soul, is a beautiful thing. It is the culmination of all your warmth, respect and care for the person that will be enjoying the meal. It expresses the want of giving the best to that person. That, I feel, is the most important thing. Not the dish. Even a simple fried egg can feel like a giant hug sometimes.

Of course, good food tastes better when shared (eating alone is never fun), and cooking is more fun when ideas are exchanged and tips are discussed.

Hence, I'm setting up this section for my foodie adventures, cooking experiments and recipes. I'm always on the lookout for new places and new cuisine, so hopefully this will lead me to exciting munchies. And if I am able to help just one person cook and eat better along the way, then I'll be very happy. :)

Call me Midas

2007-01-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

My superpower is cuddles and I have gold fingers. What are you?

http://www.seductiveshorts.com/

Skiing in Andorra

2007-01-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

I went skiing for the first time some two weeks before Xmas.

When Matt and Yuens asked if I was interested, I agreed on the spot. It was the last winter season before I head home man. Die die also must go skiing!

We agreed on Andorra for several irresistable reasons:
1. It had very good slopes for beginners.
2. It had one of the best ski schools in Europe.
3. We didn't have much money.

Going to postcard places like Switzerland or Austria would mean resculpting our fragile bank accounts with huge ugly dents, and we do like to keep the figures pretty.

Andorra is a small country. By small I mean tiny. Like a small pea so tightly wedged between two big pork chops that you wouldn't know it's there if I didn't tell you. By the way that was what I had for dinner tonight, hehe. Andorra is on the border of southern France and northern Spain, about 3 hours from Toulouse or Barcelona.

We managed to get a good deal. 500 pounds for a 3-star resort with half board, skiing lessons, ski gear, ski passes, return flights and coach transfers to the resort for 7 days. Not bad huh?

Only problem was, there wasn't much snow because it was early season and winter was late.

Fortunately, there was just enough for us beginners to get some ski coaching :)

The first day I was all eager and ready. I figured that if I can rollerblade, skiing shouldn't be that hard to pick up right? So with my boots strapped in and my skis gleaming in the sun, I couldn't wait to start.

So macho hor?

We started off learning how to lock in the skis to the bottom of our boots and how take it off. This I learned to be very useful when you plant your bum or face on snow and can't get up.

Then we learned the 'plough'. This is basically spreading your legs and pointing your toes inwards. No, not in ecstasy boys and girls. Fear is the more accurate feeling when you're going down the slope and you can't stop. What the 'plough' is is an inverted 'V' to help you stop. I don't know about you, but I thought that was single most important lesson in the entire trip. I want to stop when I want to stop, with my eyes watching the beautiful mountains instead of straight up into the sky :P

Skiing is damn tough work man. I woke up on the second with my whole body aching. Shoulders, torso, legs...oh man how the legs ached. And I got my shins all blistered on the first day because I wrongly tucked part of my ski pants into the boots, and they really hurt like hell. But darn it I was there to ski, and I soldiered on through the pain like a great trooper. My sargeant would have been proud.

The next few days were spent practising and learning how to turn. Not easy man. The stronger leg will be very prominent, and I found that I could shoop-shoop to the left gracefully but sucked big time turning right. Right leg stronger mah, what to do. So, there was some hiccups la.

On the final day of ski school, we had a slalom time trial race! It was just a nice fun end to the lessons, but for I was feeling very competitive. You see, we were broken into groups during the week. Groups for the more advanced, the good ones, the beginners, and the ones that needed more help. I was in the beginners, and damn I wanted to beat some advanced students! Hehe...sometimes its fun to be kiasu.

Everyone had a trial run before the race. I pushed off the starting gate....and fell flat. Less than a meter from the start. Three instructors came to help me up. Aiyoh damn malu! #$&%$!#&!!

Shaken and a bit stirred, I steadied my nerves for the actual run. Everyone seemed to be doing well and I got my hopes up. My turn came eventually, and with a good push I was off. Bending my knees nicely and shoop-shooing around the flags, it felt great being cheered on by the rest. A few big pushes near the end and I crossed the finish line. Shiok man :)

The whole event was filmed and shown at the local pub later in the day, providing good laughs and a nice close to the ski lessons. But before that, everyone was already pretty chuffed that we graduated!! So, in true Malaysian style...take photo!

I met some new friends too, of which was a couple from Malaysia! What a small world eh? Kelvin and Muan Hong who are staying in Southampton. Very nice and friendly folks :)

me, yuens, matt, muan hong, kelvin

At the pub, certificates were given to everyone, with the recorded time from the race noted in. And with every name being called out, I got more nervous...because I wanted to get into the top ten time sheets. 13, 12, 11...wah damn tension.

Finally, No.10...the only one from the beginners group...Ying! Fuuuhhhh! Malaysia boleh!! I got a top ten time!! So proud! But tah ma de...the gwailo got my name wrong. Ying. Ying??? Nevermind. I beat quite a number of more advanced skiiers man. Hehe.

But my true moment of glory was to come after that. The MC announced the competition for best bruise. I couldn't have felt more confident then. Yeah sure, some of them showed some light bruises, and a girl even had a bandaged wrist. Then, I showed them my shins.

I won a medal and a bottle of champagne for that. Power. Best feeling in the world. :)

remember boys and girls, wear both layers of your ski pants outside your boots...

The last day of skiing we went on an actual beginners route around the mountain. Our instructors were so kind to bring us around the route once with us. Kudos to them, they've been so helpful, friendly and fun to have. We bought them some wine as a thank you.

The views along the route were beautiful and you get really good views. No wonder so many people like skiing. It's worth the hard work just to enjoy the scenery.

The best view was at the top of the mountain. From there you can view the mountain ranges from France, Andorra and Spain. It was simply breathtaking. I stood there for a fair bit taking it all in.

Towards left: France Center: Andorra Towards Right: Spain

This ski trip was really fun and adventurous. It was tough work and I took a week after the trip recover from the aches and exhaustion, but I did something new and exciting. I visited a new place and met new friends. I enjoyed the mountains and learned a new skill.

I'm no longer a ski virgin. I've been broken and bruised.

And I loved every minute of it.

So this is blogging...

2007-01-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

*drum roll*

Hey hey my first attempt at blogging! *clap clap*

I've decided to start a blog. Not that it's a spur of the moment thing. I've actually been thinking about doing this for quite a while now, but I can be King Procrastinator sometimes. What got me jump started was an idea with a few buddies to start blogging about our experiments with cooking and food.

So I thought, what better time to start my own blog as well? It's the new year, a time for new beginnings and doing new things. :)

Hello. I'm Yeng Yee. More known to my friends as Yengs. I get recognized as YY, Y-cube, or triple-Y too. you see, that's my initials - YYY.

This is me, a long long time ago. Hehe.

This is me now :)

I'm currently based in Reading, UK. For almost two years I've been on the Working Holidaymaker Programme, trying to survive, travel and get a taste of independent life here in Britain. For anyone thinking about this programme, I absolutely recommend it. From meeting new people, seeing new places, visiting different countries, or just getting to grips with daily life in a foreign country, this experience will open your eyes and provide you with countless unforgettable memories.

But I'll be heading home to Malaysia soon. Very soon. I really should have blogged all my experiences in the UK for the past two years, to record my thoughts, my growth and as a time capsule of my memories here. But going home will be another new experience and a new start, and I suppose the transition will be worth mentioning too.

Hopefully this will be the start of good times and lots of laughs. Happy new year everybody, and may this year be an amazing one!