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No Pets

17 Aug

I think my new neighbors have moved in. Why I say I think because I have heard them but I have not seen them. A few nights ago, there were noises and doors slamming, followed by some echo voices and lights being turned on and off. The next day, there had been some flurry of activities with the movers.

There are three cars parked in the car porch but I have yet to see anyone nor sight any animals. The family obviously does not have pets like the previous tenant; no self-inviting cat coming over, no cockatoos mimicking a conversation nor a curious dog looking over the fence.

It feels weird having new neighbors that are there yet not there. Maybe they need time to settle and we will eventually meet. I don’t know, we shall see.

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We Ate and Ate and Ate

27 Jul

It was an interesting weekend. We took Friday off and drove north to Ipoh to meet our golf buddies for golf. A pleasant drive, we arrived early and it was the beginning of not just a golf outing but also a gastronomic adventure.

We started off with lunch at a food court, having a simple soto ayam and a salted fish fried rice before meeting at the golf Club to tee off. Kelab Golf Kinta was interesting to say the least. 

Unsure of where the greens were many a time, we were also challenged as to where the fairways were on certain holes. At some point, we were even unsure where the red tee boxes were located! Thank goodness for it allowing buggies on course for most of the time, this saved us a lot of grieve.

We never completed our round of 18 holes for the rain came down and we had to abandon our game. But nobody complained.

Went back to our friend’s home to shower and we headed out for dinner, which was very good and cheap. Paired with the 18-year old Old Parr whiskey, it was a good dinner.

Despite a late night, everyone agreed to wake up early the next day for a dim sum breakfast. My goodness, the crowd was crazy at the restaurant, Ming Court! We had to literally stand next to a table to rush the family finishing their meal. I would have choked on a morsel of ‘har kau’ if subjected to this! Here begins the foodie trail.

After dim sum, the seven of us piled into the MPV and off to another side of town for coffee and toast. Then we took a drive to another location to have dessert: tau foo fah. A stroll here and there, we tried to burn some calories. After all this, we decided to head to Meru Valley Golf Resort to chill. With 4 buckets of beer (that’s 16 bottles of beer) whilst we chilled, all those burnt calories were piled back on. I know… I cringed.

We decided enough beer and we should do lunch! It’s like we all had bottomless pits on that day. Lunch at Lou Wong was simple and satisfying. I belief we were contented by then and decided it was time to make our way back to the city. 

It was a good outing and we look forward to another occasion like this.

Upon reaching home late because along the way, it rained so heavily, we had to go slow. A quick shower and off for dinner with Mom and M2!

Yes, we ate again.

We had Spanish tapas. At the end of the day, burp and double burp is all I can say to sum up this whole gastronomic day.

Lunch at Lou Wong

 

Tapas and paella for dinner

 

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A New Way to Eat Durian

29 Jun

Recently I discovered a new way to eat durian. With disposable gloves, something I have never used before in all my previous durian experience.

A week ago, we did our Tuesday Food Club outing with the regular friends and after dinner, adjourned to the durian stalls nearby. It has been a bumper harvest this year and the place was crowded. 

We sat at the table and a box of disposable gloves was available for use. There’s no need to just use our bare fingers to hold the fruit and then have the pungent smell stuck on our fingers. It was strange to a certain extent to be using gloves because it takes the finger-licking experience out of the art of eating durian.

But use the gloves we did. Which was a good thing because I did not see a wash sink within the area. The durians were good, the company great and the smells kept checked from the fingers after the meal.

Can’t wait for the next durian outing.

 

Suit up the hand!

  

Now hold your durian and smile!

  

Dinner was good. Burp.

  

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Ohm Nom Nom

20 Apr

We were ravenous and devoured the food like we were starved for days, when in fact we snacked on Somtam, bought from a street vendor after the massage, only a couple of hours ago.

Thailand, at the end of the day, is all about the food. And the friends we go with. Don’t forget the golf courses! When the trip has the right mix of people of the same wave length, coupled with the activities, the amount of fun and camaraderie that we have is just priceless. 

Yes, we love Thailand. Tomorrow after we play Banyan Golf Club, we leave with good memories and head into Bangkok for the second leg of the trip.

And for the record, I have been wearing my MiFit band and today’s walking far exceeded my target with these staggering numbers: 22,023 steps, 13.34km and 665kcal burnt. Just about like my Paris museum adventure a few years back.

After dinner, we walked the night street market, hence such numbers. It’s been quite a day. Better rest to be fresh and ready for tomorrow.

  

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It’s A Beautiful Thing

6 Apr

Brushing aside ideas suggested for the two of us for the weekend, we actually had a busy time. I played golf on Saturday morning with my friends while hubby had a meeting with the resident committee of the estate we live in. Later that day, we attended a friend’s baptism.

This friend of mine is indeed a special friend as our friendship goes back a long, long way. How long you may ask?

Pre-historic I would say.

I have a picture of her and me plus some other friends at my 7th birthday party to support this.

Over the years in school, we were in the same class and sometimes not but facing all sorts of challenges and adventures together. As time passed, we went our separate ways (for further education, career, marriage and family) but always kept in touch. Fast forward to the future.

We became more connected than ever especially with the boom of technology. Also with priorities evolving constantly and the children getting older, hence less time focused on them, we were able to build an even stronger friendship in our busy lives. Always catching up and updating each other via a phone call or text messages every now and then, coupled with efforts to meet for dinner, it’s a special bond and a beautiful friendship.

And like our friendship, the baptism was of a special bond and a beautiful thing.

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M&M Time

24 Mar

It was a Thursday during the school holidays (for M2) last week and I dropped the girls off at the mall situated right in the heart of the city. They requested for a change in venue from our favorite malls for this outing to make it special and uninvited us. No parents allowed.

Prior to leaving home, M2 mentioned in passing that it was the end of the world. I feel for her. Her sister, possibly her best friend was leaving and they wanted this private time together.

I asked how come I was not included to which they replied it was an M&M time, and since I am not an ‘M’, I cannot join in. But I pointed out I was an ‘M’ too as in ‘Mommy’ but they insisted it does not count, I am not an original ‘M’. You just can’t have ‘M&M&M’ they chorused! It is only ‘M&M’ that is right.

So both M1 and M2 spent some quality time together. My eyes would well up with tears every time I think about it now. Sniff.

Both hubby and I met them later in the evening for dinner.

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Last Day Together

20 Mar

Today is the last day for the family as a unit; come tomorrow M1 and Humphrey will leave for university. It has been an emotional week of sorts. Flashes of when I was leaving my parents dinosaur years ago crowded my thoughts and now, a sense of déjà vu, only that the situation is the reverse now – me as the parent and my child leaving.

The whole week had been packed with luncheons and dinners with friends and family. I have stopped standing on the scale and I think it has given up on me too.

I am so glad that this week is also the school holidays, so M2 was able to spend the precious week with M1. Come tomorrow, let us not be sad but be happy for the new and exciting life that awaits M1.

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Of Chap Goh Meh and Birthday Dinners

9 Mar

Chinese New Year is officially over with Chap Goh Meh celebrated last Thursday; Chap Goh Meh being the 15th day of the Lunar New Year calendar. Mom insisted on feeding the family with a home-cooked meal during the gathering on Thursday, a workday instead of going out for the occasion.

It was a great time and the last time for M1 to savor the home cooking and cherish the times before she goes off to college. And as if this family time together was not enough, my sibling scheduled Sunday to meet again for yet another meal! He wanted to give her a farewell dinner and yesterday was the only window every family member could make it.

The dinner was fancy, at a restaurant in the heart of the city. We had fine Malay food which was really good. It’s not often we make this choice but I think it’s apt. It will be a flavor M1 will miss.

What was even more special was the dessert that came after the meal. M1’s cousin, K1, painstakingly stayed up until the wee hours of the morning the day before to bake it for her. Such love. It was supposed to be a farewell cake. However, when the cake was brought out, the restaurant automatically blared out the standard ‘Happy Birthday’ song! It was hilarious as we all sang along. Heheh…

Such good memories especially for M1. Time is moving too fast.





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Let’s Eat!

26 Feb

Although I have been mindful of my weight, I would not give last night’s dinner occasion a miss. It was a gathering with my old school friends. And when I say old, our friendship goes back to the dinosaur era when we were 7 years old. Told you we are dinosaurs.

Since it’s still Chinese New Year, all the more reason to meet up, chatter to catch up, enjoy a good meal and exchange Angpows (red packets) for the children! We took the opportunity to have the ‘Yee Sang’ for prosperity with all the good wishes recited poetically by the waitress and also had the ‘Poon Choy’ dish, which roughly translates to a bowl of everything. Very filling despite it being just one bowl.

Dinner gatherings with old school friends are unlike dinners with golf friends but both are always enjoyable. I only wish the school friends would do it as often as the golf friends. Friendship prevails when we make the effort.

Maybe after the festivity is over, we will prioritize meeting up more often, like hubby and his (and also my) friends with our Tuesday Food Club. After all, we have to eat. And why not eat with good old friends?





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Tuesday Food Club

23 Dec

Sans music, this sums up the motto of our Tuesday Food Club!

Sans music, this sums up the motto of our Tuesday Food Club!

We’ve come to a point in our lives where food and friendship are shaping up to be the most important things, next to family. Realizing this, hubby’s group of friends—from his dinosaur childhood era—declared that we must meet once a month to traverse the city to eat the best, the unusual or the unheard of.

The group consists of 4 couples, with three occasional individuals—childhood friends as well—whenever their work schedule allows them to join us.

In the midst of the Lunar New Year celebration at the beginning of 2014, we kicked off our gastronomic adventure and termed it the Tuesday Food Club, meeting every second Tuesday of the month.

A year has gone by so fast and what a trip it has been! Every month, each couple takes a turn, on a rotational basis, to select the restaurant and all of us would meet over food to catch up. No matter how busy each one is, everyone makes the effort for this; such is the strength of the friendship and lure of good food.

Tuesday Food Club will definitely continue into the new year and beyond as we prepare to say goodbye to the good memories of 2014 and await to usher in 2015 with new memories ahead.

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