Tea time with Hubs

During the courting days, Hubs used to bring me to Starbuck, Coffee Bean, Dome and all those famous cafes to impress me. Well, I must say I like the ambience too. But then, since we got married, there's not much time (and money) spare for us to just go and lepak at a cafe. Even if there is a little, it will be mamaking at Kapitan. Now with the baby coming on board end of the year, I can't imagine there will be anymore time for going out, let alone having yamcha session.

Yesterday, Hubs was trying to find back the time to enjoy life after been thru such a hectic job. Although I was tired, I decided to go along cause there ain't much of this kinda session to pass. Hubs was so sweet to allow me a cold drink, Strawberry Milk Shake while he opted for the famous White Coffee.

We even ordered a double toast. I must say it is way yummier and loaded compared to O'town in New World Park. The one in O'town, either they were short of butter and kaya or they were just plain kiamsiap (stingy).
And that was Hubs playing his FB Kung Fu Pet, named Tauhu in the background.

Although at times I'm jealous of the mind Hubs has, I must admit I admired his analytical thinking. Most of the times, the games that we played, we started almost the same time but he'll be miles ahead of me in terms of scores. There were even times when I geram and don't allow him to play same game as me or stop playing the game when he's so far ahead already. And what more? He's always telling others I'm smarter than him, just that he's more hardworking. If only I have more of his brain.....

Birthday dinner

This was the dinner that Hubs treated me on my birthday.

Bento Set
Black dragon

Salmon Rolls

I'm just lazy to give more description on the food...hehe

Dinner last night

I'm not a big fan of fish maw (actually...totally not a fan) or any slimy thing in my soup. But last night was exceptional. Not that I am a fan now but it was the night where I consumed the most fish maw than all the years (of eating fish maw) add up in my life. The conversation with MIL went like this:

MIL: Do you know how to eat fish maw?
Me: Oh..(gulp) I swallow them wholly
MIL: Fish maw is good for health
Me: I know... that's why I swallow it. Else I would not have touch it.
MIL: *faint*

When I related that to Hubs, he added on, "Mum, she knows it's good, thus swallowing as chewing them will break those vitamin."

And my FIL? He was laughing in the background..

Annual Tzu Chi Charity Drive

Being the first timer, I didn't know what to expect. But I couldn't take any chance, so I wore a short short, sleeveless T bun up my hair and rolled up my fringe. Armed with an folded umbrella, I was ready for war ;p We reached there quite early, around 9am but the inside parking was full. The roadside one was still OK but Hubs wanted to find a nearer one. Ended up the more we go round and round, the more parking spaces were taken up.....arghh...When we finally manage to secure our space, we had to walk a mile to reach the destination.

Can you see how each of the shops were flooded with human? I don't even dare to get near.

As our vouchers were still in Hubs' friend's hand, we had to walk in the maze to find him. After we had spotted him, we were too tired to go anywhere else. Instead we settle down in the food court, the same place he was making his business.....with that I meant real business of selling Watermelon Juice.

We grabbed a bowl of herbal noodle and warm tong sui (we were too sick to have something cold, like watermelon juice)

While Hubs was away searching for more food, this young auntie approached me with yummy looking Kaya Kueh. She said her topping was made from fresh pumpkin. These 3 pieces cost RM2. When Hubs came back, he brought back the same thing. Talking about same intuition 0_O Of course we couldn't finish SIX pieces all together. So I made Hubs cleared the tong sui and tapao the kueh in the tong sui container *feeling clever grin*

Several members made 'kiosk' by doing a 'street protest', holding banners and shouting slogan...hehe...Actually they were just trying to make us aware of harmfulness of plastic and urged us to be environmental friendly.

Each table was placed with a table sign, saying "One Person, One Good Deed". It's a campaign and their aim was to get 1013 donors on that day.

Since they do not encourage the use of throw away utensils, all the utensils used have to be cleaned immediately. I managed to catch a picture of the volunteers doing the cleaning, some were happy that I took their picture.

Fine dining @ Tiffin Restaurant

My first ever fine dining. Had it during the seminar. Quite classy and cost a bomb if I were to go there myself. I overheard that the dinner cost RM160++ per pax. This exclusive menu was prepared for the wine testers and we were lucky to tumpang sekaki. Too bad Hubs cannot join the dinner.

The setting of the table..

The main consist of a choice fish fillet, chicken breast and lamb shank. Of course I chose the most exclusive one.

I saw this cute bottle. It has two opening, one for vinegar and the bottom one for olive oil. Dip bread into these two combinations, surprisingly it tasted very good. Fruit punch for everyone.

The first appetizer, Scallop with smoke salmon

Second appetizer, duck leg. The leg was based with soggy rice. I don't know how to describe it. It's quite nice to go with the leg.

The lamb shank was tender, sided with a mashed potato and tomato top with some vege. By the time I had the main dish, I was already 90% full.

The dessert, soft chocolate mousse. This time I was 110% full. So I only had 3 teaspoons of it.

At the end of the meal, my heart was throbbing with such pain I can hardly continue to enjoy it. I went back to room to enjoy my bed and pillow ;)

Last few snacks before Veg Day

First time buying this and had it all by myself. I felt bad wanting it when Hubs was on vege and so I cancelled the plan. However, I gave in to my craving and go ahead to buy it just before leaving. Hubs was sweet enough to allow me to eat anything without complaint.

It looked kinda messy with the flakes and mayo and other stuff.
A closer look at the balls and smell of its aroma..... I don't have the opportunity to take a phot of what was inside cause.....it tasted so yummy I couldn't let go of the sticks I used to poke until all the balls were gone. I think it must be the sauce that makes it so delicious. Hubs told me this was very popular in Sin last time. Almost every corner, there was a stall selling this.

At night, after our dinner, we had lil snack at a stall somewhere outside Trader's Hotel.
I've heard of this famous stall but did not have a chance to try it. Thanks to Kenny, this was my first time. They even have webpage.........

I only ordered a bowl to be shared with Hubs. On normal day, there is a choice of peanut and black sesame. However, during this nine days, only peanut was available. The reason was hark chi ma (black energy horse). Because of the word horse, it was not allow to be sold. Hahaha....what a ridiculous idea.

Look at how big one tang yuen is...

At the end of the day, my tummy was bloated.

Vegetarian Steamboat

For my first official veg dinner, I planned to take something different. I've been following Hubs eating or tapaoing from roadside stalls most of the time since the first day of Nine Emperor God's festival. Now, I have started to get bored of the food, and near to phobia. We wanted to try out Lily's Vegetarian Restaurant after googling for veg food from online. Sadly, it was sardine pack when we reached there last night. Today we called up to book, and was greatly dissappointed too. So we went to For You Yen beside Federal with the initial plan of ordering cho-char. But we were greeted by this....

Vegetarian steamboat!!! The price was not cheap leh. The cheapest set was RM45 which we had. The waitress told us the set is for 2, I must say the portion is more for 3.
We were expecting more vege. Instead the ingredient consist of mainly mee-khin (artifical meat). The paper steamboat I had in Kocha has more vege than this.

There were a few soup base to choose. We had winter melon base. As the menu written reserved, they will only make it for order of min 10 pax. We were lucky the soup was made available, thanks to the 3 reserved tables who ordered this soup base. For a soup that was cooked for 8 hours, it must be very 'phor'.

One day trip back to Ipoh

Poh pi ang kong (Pray to god), let me go to Ipoh with grandma they all. Don't leave me alone in the house.

Ain't he cute with this pose?

Early in the morn, we started our journey to Ipoh. We had breakfast at old kopitiam in Ipoh Garden South. Had my long awaited hakka mee. There is no good hakka mee in Penang. I had to travel all the way to Ipoh to have one.
It came with yong tau foo, pricing at RM0.50 per piece.

Right after breakfast, we walked down memory lane.

First, we went back to our old secondary school to get sis's SPM cert. It's been almost 2 years. Now only she want to take it.

Then we went to our local hairdresser. We had been patronising the shop for as long as we were in Ipoh. The charges were dirt cheap. Even my mum can't help but to go back and had her hair done. That was my mum on the right.

Dad and baby were too bored they agreed to be my model ;)

Last place for us to visit was my old home. The house beside was as beautiful as ever, and our old house was as ruined as it can be. Since we left, the owner couldn't sell it off for his qouted his price too high.

Dinner was supposed to be in Batu Kawan for seafood. However, upon reaching there, my 'oolong' sis forgot the way to that place. Sigh...we had to go back to Island for dinner at last. We settled for Chulia Street.

There was so much variety there. Curry mee and Wantan mee is a must for us. Besides, we also ordered something we haven't tried there, Chai Kuey. Definitely not recommended. It tasted blantly.

Barbie Doll Cake

A birthday cake this beautiful, I really don't have the heart to eat it. Most of the time, this kind of cake will be full of cream or icing. No real thing inside.

Surprisingly, it is not the case this time. The thing underneath that heavy fluffy dress was a delicious chocolate cake. I didn't get the name of the cake house but I must say it certainly did a great job.

Mummy Homecook Meal

Guess what is this ugly thing....
It's 5 screaming fishes..hehe..Actually their heads were chopped off already but from this point of view, it looked as if their mouths were open from their eyes to their throats :p

Mum prepared this simple meal last weekend but it tasted so yummilicious. I feel so hang fook...

I heart Kiwi

I always love that inside of this small, oval-shaped fruit featuring brown fuzzy skin resides a brilliant, semi-translucent emerald green flesh speckled with a few concentrically arranged white veins and small black seeds. Ain't it magnificent that there's such a beautiful fruit on this earth?

I read up from a website about this fruit. It says

"Enjoying just a couple of kiwifruit each day may significantly lower your risk for blood clots and reduce the amount of fats (triglycerides) in your blood, therefore helping to protect cardiovascular health. "

While on the other website, it was written that

"This fruit is rich in ascorbic acid which works as an astringent to neutralize bacteria and tighten the skin's pores"

It also state the recipe of making a kiwi toner. Read up about it HERE.

TAO

I had a fabulous time in TAO last Saturday night, the very night all the people....or shall I say most of Malaysian countdown to National Day. But today post is not about Merdeka.

It's all about TAO!!

After the long awaited days, finally the day arrived. We managed to reach the place sharp at 5.30pm. Upon ascending the stairs, we were greeted with this huge Buddha head.

Entrance to restaurant

Even before we were directed to our place, Clement has already proceed to the dessert bar and piled up a huge plate of fruits and vege. Lucky for me and Hubs, we managed to clear our bowel right before our journey. So we input and input and input till we cannot take it anymore. A check with our watch, it was only 6 plus. Meaning we consumed all those dishes in just half hour, like we haven't eaten for ages. After that, we slowed down a lil and Hubs made another clearing. Can you believe him?

Some of my favourite for the night

The Group

It will be a waste if a hearty dinner is ended with going home straight. So we went over to Sunway Carnival to catch a movie. The man at the counter told us the only seats available was at first row from the screen. Totally not for us. We begged him to reserve 5 seats for us when it's time to burn those reserved seats. So yeah! we got to see "Money still no enough" and it's 5th row from behind. Kudos to the guy at the counter!