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Showing posts from February, 2007

Hobo

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hoboh5 Swiped from williamnyk . Not the hobo yang kusut-masai , nor the Hokkien greeting, "How are you?", but actually the name of a province in China that is quite synonymous with the Hakka poeple. The dialect kinda sounds like an inaccurate version of Cantonese in my opinion, hence I get to understand bits and pieces of conversations. But due to the same reason, I find it difficult to speak, because it just goes against my Cantonese conditioning. Don't worry, I'm not doing a linguistics post here. If you're a returning visitior to my blog, you would know by now that this is yet another FOOD post. Tada! You either love me for it or hate me for it. The restaurant this time is Restoran Ho Boh . Just opposite the road from Mee Jawa . The place serves "authentic" ( I have no way to verify this ) Hakka dishes and their specialty is the Lui Cha . For those of you who do not know, it's white rice with garnishing of dried prawns, leeks, dried tofu

Ah Steve

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AhSteve Swiped from williamnyk . What is art? I don't really know. I've watched arty-farty foreign films with weird scripts, naked men and women ( porn is art, art is porn? If that is the case, I'm practically an expert, :D ) and senseless camera angles. Some I liked, most I brushed off as crap. I've watched Cirque Du Soleil's Quidam and the explosion of sights and sounds in front me was mesmerising. And yet I left confused. I've watched tragic musicals and heard Chinese orchestra pieces, and I found the folksy stuff very close to my heart. I've been to art galleries and photography exhibitions, but I can't find myself too engrossed in anything I see. So continuing on my road of "non-discovery", I've been introduced to a piece of performing arts-- Ah Steve . A play, to be exact. After a great ( and expensive ) dinner at Xenri , Old Klang Road, KH and I headed over to The Actors Studio , Bangsar shopping Center. My car was dying o

Swiss Garden

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SwissGarden Swiped from williamnyk . Every day, our contact information are mongered by our credit card companies, banks, etc, to mailing lists and marketing databases. These days, receiving calls, e-mails and snail mail is quite a gauntlet. One is bombarded with offers of loans, insurance policies, credit cards and everything under the sun. However, the most novel one I received so far was a call from the Swiss Garden Vacation Club . Apparently, I was "selected" from a list of 100 privileged customers to receive an absolutely free 3D/2N stay at Swiss Garden Hotel KL, Swiss Garden Resort & Spa Kuantan or Swiss Court Holiday Apartment Damai Laut. The catch- listen to a 45 minute presentation. After receiving more than 4 calls to confirm my attendance, I arrived at the place on a Sunday evening ( chose that slot because got food, hehe ). Arrived there. Had my fill of the GARAM goreng mee-hoon , fried chicken, cakes and coffee. After half hour, still nobody attended

Spring

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collage Swiped from williamnyk . I remember reunion dinner to be a real big affair when I was a kid. Every, my family would travel hundreds of miles from Kuantan to Teluk Intan to congregate at my late uncle's place. My late grandmother also was also living with him at that time. At my end, it was us tiga adik-beradik , whereas I had another 5 cousins. We'd tear up the house each day. Played with thunder kings, moon travellers, red crackers and sparklers. Ah, those were the days when you could legally blow up stuff. Lion dance performances were so much livelier with red crackers. All the elders would be busy preparing food and performing religious ceremonies that were of little interest. Would stay up late to welcome the God of Fortune. Mandarin oranges and peanuts everyday until you felt like puking. Come reunion dinner, All the grown ups would sit at one table, while the kids at another. All would sit down to a big meal. As the years passed, most of my cousins got ma

Fugly

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MsSunway Swiped from williamnyk . Check out the finalists for the Ms Sunway 2007 Princess paegent-- the one's marked with a crown. If you look closely enough, you'll find that some finalists should even be in the final 10, and some who are left out should be in. But I guess watching America's Next Top Model has taught me that a photogenic person is not necessarily beautiful in person. And a beautiful person does not necessarily photograph well. It's quite a tall order to fill really. To know how to make love to the camera and at the same time have a stunning presence. Oh well, youth and beauty is fleeting, we'll have to make the best of it, and save up the thing that matters most, the beauty of the heart and the soundness of the mind. PS: I can soooo become Janice Dickinson at times...

Istana Tak Budaya

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200604 theatre sails Swiped from superciliousness . In conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Malaysia, The Japan Foundation (JFKL) and Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, in cooperation with Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage, Istana Budaya, The Asano Foundation for Taiko Cultural Research, Japan Club Kuala Lumpur and JACTIM supported by Hotel Nikko presented a free drum concert by Hono-O-Daiko . It's a renowned Japanese group of women drummers, accompanied by music performers group, Tokyo Dageki Dan. Seeing that it was free, SK, Jack & I decided to try to get advanced tickets from the JFKL office. But since it was located at Menara Citibank, the advance tickets were quickly snapped up by those working in the vicinity. Not all hope was lost, there was still a chance to get tickets just before the concert itself. The website stated that 200 tickets were to be given out at Istana Budaya before the show. So, SK a

Kopitiam

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SingSengNam Swiped from williamnyk . A picture taken at Restoran Sin Seng Nam , Leboh Pasar Besar. A really old coffeeshop. So-so food. Stuffy. Even retained original service staff ( read: old uncles ). The picture is sooo Alex Photobook material too. Haha. I wish.

Fireflies, Cannons and Monkeys

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MonkeyCanon Swiped from williamnyk . When SK announced to me that Cho ( my junior from F6 ) had arranged an excursion to Kg. Kuantan, Kuala Selangor to see fireflies, I was quite hesitant. My hesistance stemmed from my sister's opinion that it just looks like lampu lip-lap on trees. Her perception is not wrong, it does look like lampu lip-lap on trees! But lemme get to that later. So, we went in 2 cars-- your's truly, my mum ( I'm such a good son, and a bad friend ), SK, Cho, KiamHoe ( Cho's housemate ) and Peng ( SK's housemate ). A nearly 1 hour 45 minute drive. I really hate driving on trunk roads-- the lorries, the constant need to overtake, potholes, slow-moving traffic, lawless drivers near villages, etc... But the roads are so much better now than from when I was a kid. I marvel at how my late dad used to drive up all the way from Kuantan to Hilir Perak using those roads. I remember passing the time by reading every single signboard, counting cars

Nutrition Club

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Nutri Drink Swiped from williamnyk . I'm no legal expert, but if I'm not mistaken, under the Direct Selling Act, direct sellers can't open shops to ply their wares. They must do their business directly , straight to the customer. However, it has become ironic that certain direct sellers have found a loop hole in the legislation. They open shops to indirectly sell their products. One good example is the Nutrition Club in OUG. Just barely a couple of months old. Not exactly selling direct selling products, but they sell protein shakes that are made using those poducts. Ala carte, one set costs RM15.90 (lime juice, protein shake + fruits and vegetables du jour + unlimited hibscus ocha ), but if you sign up for 10-day or 30-day courses, you get a significant discount. Business is quite brisk, since the shop is located at the bustling OUG market. Plenty of aunties and ladies of leisure who are concerned about their health. Service is personalised, where everyone know

Twin Sausages

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twin sausages Swiped from plhu . Note: This is a REALLY stale post. Fresh one's are preserved over at Robb and David's blogs respectively. Due to some last minute work on Saturday, I arrived at the gathering a fashionable 1.5 hours late. My tardiness also dragged the Godfather down since he was my responsiblity. Hungry, tired and stinky after a whole day out, I was really ravenous. The guys were so kind to have actually pre-ordered some food for us. Before you go awwwwwwwwwwwwww , read on first: Me: Food. Food. Food. I need food. Liars: Hey, eat this first. We know you'd be hungry. Me: (eyeing the suspicious looking sausage) Errrmm. This is like just off the grill, I'll eat it later. Liars: Eat la. Come on, we specially bought for you guys. Me: (with much trepidation I put my lips to the red, angry-looking sausage) Eerrr. This is SPICY! Liars: Not spicy la, it's just the heat. Me: (bite off a chunk and swallow) Yikes! (I run off to order food with tears str

Wedding Crashers

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WeddingBarf Swiped from williamnyk . Followed KH to his friend's wedding the other day at PJ Old Town and boy was it fun. We arrived not long after at the bride's place not long after the groom's entourage arrived. The bride's place had a "new village" feel to it, a wooden house nestled between large concrete bungalows. But it was apt, as a tradition that was laid out for generations of Chinese was replayed there that day. The groom was looking resplendent in white, with his beng -ish and even beng -er posse. His supporters all wore white, but with stripes. A coordinated affair it seems. By the time we arrived, the first salvo had already been fired as one of the groom's party was already heaving his guts out at the drain outside. In the picture, it may look like the other guy is givig him a golden shower, but believe me, he's just passing him a tissue. :P. By the time they managed to get into the house, another commotion ensued. The whole bun

Red

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redundies Swiped from williamnyk . CNY is just around the corner and the signs are already around us: 1) Roads jam up for no apparent reason. 2) Bank account balances dwindle for no apparent reason. 3) The aroma of bak-kwa is wafting from sidewalk grills. 4) You can grill bak-kwa on the sidewalk. 5) Shops are going dong-dong-chang . 5) Wallets are also going dong-dong-chang . 6) Souvenir shops are bursting with CNY pig-themed decorations. 7) People are already starting to eat like pigs. 8) Clothes on dislay are getting redder and redder. 9) Undies on display are getting redder and redder. Head on to your nearest department store and start girding those loins with primal red undies and prosperity couplets! PS: Thanks for all the concern. I appreciate it. :D

NPB

I know Ive been posting heavier stuff these days and some people have been concerned. Thanks for noticing that Im a bit off track these days guys and gals. Dont worry, I see that my orbit will be stabilising soon. I will retreat to my shell soon enough, my feelings have been getting too much sun lately anyway. Heh. Stay tuned kids, the regular programming will return soon enough. Keep your fingers crossed. Im fine, I really am.

Apa Nak Jadi?

Why do we say the things we say? Do the things we do? Think the thoughts we have? Why do we like some people, despise others? Why are we cynical about certain matters and more optimistic about others? Why do we belittle someone elses experience and glorify our own? Why do we make fun of others when certain situations happen, but shrug them off when it happens to us? Why does shit happen? An act of God or just some random coincidence that plagues our chaotic existence? Do you really love that person, or its just some complex mix of potent and heady hormones and chemicals fogging your mind and slapping a sloppy grin on your face? What the fuck am I rambling about? And why cant I use an apostrophe when Im posting through my phone?! Pray tell...