Tag Archives: cafe

Short Excursions

4 Jul

The weekend routine has become so predictable that we decided to do something about it. Week in, week out, we were either playing golf or at shopping malls, and it wasn’t so exciting and monotonous.

So for the past two weekends, we went away on short excursions, driving out of town to discover new places and food to eat. The drives are not that long, within an hour or so. It only took longer when we were diverted from heavy traffic and traveled on the trunk roads.

And when unsure where to go and what to do, the internet is the best place to do some quick research before embarking on something new. Last weekend, we decided to drive to Janda Baik because I found that there are some nice cafes located there.

The drive was long and windy because the navigation app diverted us to take the toll-free road instead. Oh well, we were not in a hurry.

The Pineyard at Janda Baik

When we got to The Pineyard, our lunch stop, the place was packed and bustling with activities. We walked into a garden wedding being set up for probably a late afternoon wedding to take place, followed by dinner in the main dining area. The decor was pretty, and the surrounding made the ambiance very romantic.

The cafe was packed and had a long waiting line of patrons, either walk-in visitors like us or wedding guests. We had to change our lunch plans, for it would take forever before our turn for a table. Our tummies were protesting already when we saw the crowd.

Fresh figs were very good
A pleasant discovery

We drove off, intending to go to another place when we saw Figgy’s Cafe and decided to have lunch here instead. The local food was delicious, and the Fig Farm beside the cafe was a bonus discovery. Now I know how figs grow on trees! After lunch, we checked out another cafe for coffee before heading home.

Coffee at Pinto Coffee

We never realized a simple initiative to drive off to a nearby town to discover new things would give us such pleasure, and I think we may do this more often because it’s not that tiring a drive, and it’s delightful to see places and try new food.

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Day Trip to Malacca

11 Aug

As I’m resting from my weekend golf to allow my injuries to heal, we decided to do a day trip to Malacca to keep busy, and not just stay at home. M2 had read about a dog cafe and thought it would be a good idea to check it out. And so we did on Sunday.

The drive was pleasant as traffic was not too heavy on the highway. We arrived at 11.30 am and decided to have an early lunch. Approaching the junction, we had a good laugh over the welcome signboard. Mamee Monster is a snack everyone grew up eating, my girls and I included.

Welcome to my hometown says Mamee Monster!

Hubby took us to Baba Ang, a Nyonya restaurant. He had dined here with his friends before, so he thought this would be a good choice rather than somewhere unfamiliar. However, we couldn’t order a lot as there’s only three of us compared to his big group of friends.

Nyonya lunch stop

The sambal on the okra was very good with a hint of dried shrimps in it. Likewise, the Assam Fish looked fiery but wasn’t too spicy for the taste buds. But the Tamarind Prawns was a letdown. It was expensive for only five prawns that weren’t even big ones. The Cendol dessert rounded up the meal.

A hot day and no crowd

After lunch, we drove around town. We were glad we took the sights from inside the car than on foot because the weather was extremely hot. I was happy I didn’t have to walk to stress the ankles. Sadly, most shops along Jonker Walk were closed due to the MCO restrictions imposed to contain the pandemic virus that has besieged the world. There were some tourists but not in overwhelming numbers.

Soon it was time to head to the dog cafe, The Huskitory. We had a delightful time mingling with all the Siberian Huskies and vying for their attention with treats. The dogs are very well trained but picky. They’d only come close to you if you have a treat in hand. Clever furballs.

It was called a Husky tsunami when the dogs rushed in
Simple dinner at the end of the day

The allotted hour went by quickly, and it was time to leave for home. Although traffic was heavy, we were in no hurry and simply enjoyed the drive back. The pleasant Sunday day trip ended with a satisfying dinner and a lovely sunset.

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