Penang Gathering

Note: Alam won So You Think You Can Dance!!! Woo Hoo!! He is so cute no?


Finally, the Penang trip last weekend.

I know this comes a bit late, as it’s already been a week long since the event was held.

Better late than never I’d say.


So I shall bring you my wonderful weekend stay over at Penang!


My first ever gathering with other bloggers was held that particular Saturday morning just before the Nuffnang gathering at Food Loft started.


X ray? Shabby clinic? Err….


Mrs Lilian brought us out for a nice Nasi Kandar Breakfast somewhere in Penang street (they all looked the same to me), along with Earl Ku and other Penang bloggers I have never met before.




We didn’t exactly click, maybe I’m just not ‘Penang’ enough I guess, or maybe they have never heard of little old me before. No matter… Life goes on. Nasi Kandar was great though…




In the afternoon, I followed Tim’s car to Food Loft for preparation. While waiting for them to set up the booth, I walked around taking shots of the empty restaurant that was meant to be reserved for all Nuffnangers.




All while browsing some paintings they displayed outside.

I especially like this painting entitled “falling in love”.




Does everyone who fall in love felt that they are swimming in a pool of flowers? I get butterflies when I fall in love, or that could be just my hungry stomach.


I like my Nuffnang badge~ So cute~


I went to the middle to reserve some centre seats for Tim & co and Kenny & co. Soon enough, the marathon runner arrived just in time for me to pass him his sticker.




I prefer to stick mine somewhere else.




After much mingling, it was time for food. Food loft has a great ambience to provide you a fantastic dining experience. You get to see the food before placing your order, which then you use your order card and let them scan some deadly price into your card before serving your food.


My lunch~ Yum



Took my chance to cam whore with the Famous mommy blogger


Kenny got bored of eating and decided to flex his muscle by attempting to stretch my poor little outfit apart.


Pink just doesn’t work for you, Kenny.


Argh… So I decided to take revenge




By cutting his chest hair…




And paste it on a paper to auction off for charity.


Which is so kindly bought by my accommodator (without him I’ll be homeless in Penang).




For RM20.




If you asked me, I’d say it is blardy expensive for a strand of hair!!


That night we went clubbing at momo before sending Kenny off to the Marathon.


Cam-whore in the car



I would say, it’s a hell of a weekend. I never had so much fun in a long time, suddenly I’m in love with Penang all over again. :D

Transformers RAWKS my boat!!

Penang trip, move aside; Ipod road trip, step back.

Make way for the movie review of TRANSFORMERS!!




Visit the site, the design is awesome!!


The trailor you saw?! IT IS NOWHERE NEAR appetizers for the movie. It is too good. Too perfect! My heart is still racing and the movie just finished 2 hours ago!


Good


F . U . C . K !!!!!!

There hasn’t been such a good production since … I can’t really remember…

Police story? Love actually?


Evil


In fact, the movie was so good I cum in my seat in the cinema. Orgasmic I tell you!!!

My heart was pumping, I was breathing deeply one sec, holding my breath the next; then shivered and shook while relaxed the other; tell me that is the not the best sexual activity in a cinema! I HAVE FALLEN HEAD OVER HEELS for OPTIMUS PRIME!!! If I were a bot, I would shag him! Unconditional love this is!!!


Optimus Prime, I love you!!!


The cartoon “Transformers” has been my childhood. It still is! I bet many agree too. The marketing was amazing. Just imagine, all 10 halls were showing the same movie at the same time. And can you believe it? This is the first time I have to submit my phone to cinema before entering one! Everyone was queuing up for item check ups and by the end of the movie, people were queuing up to retrieve their phones.

People were clapping hands in the movie. I was screaming and cheering! At the end of the movie, I was so moved and impressed, I clapped my hands and whistled, many followed. Not only the movie itself was well scripted, cast and produced; it’s a journey back to my younger days. The cars will make guys and girls fall in love, nicely humoured and the actors? OMG so CUTE can DIE!! The ladies so HAWT!! The guys? I’ll turn gay for them if I’m a guy!




There are four types of movie I classify. The first one is utterly rubbish, half an hour in the movie I would usually stand up and leave the cinema half way through, and honestly, I have yet to leave the cinema unless it really puts me off; once I even sat through an entire Irish movie (which I rated –2 out of 10) that only “Fook you, fook me” can be heard throughout the screening. And that is impressive. Pay me 10 pounds to watch it again and I would pay you back double not to watch it.

The second type would be a movie that is watchable, not enjoyable; totally forgettable and not worth buying a ticket if I knew the storyline at first.


Megatron


Then comes the third type where the movie is enjoyable, laughable, good humour but rather forgettable, this would usually be movies that give me neutral feeling at the end of the show like Happy Feet, Surf’s Up, Fantastic Four…etc.

And then the final type of movie; a movie that rawks so much, the first reaction when the credits started showing at the end is you want to watch it again!!! I mean, that is the ultimate movie. How many movies can prompt you to pay RM11 again just to sit through another 2 hours of your life in a dark area watching something you already knew what is happening?

I can tell you. Not many.

Transformers? definitely the fourth type! Who tell me it's not I'll go kill them. My rate: 10 out of 10! You can leave out 0.2 if you're being so critical, b#$%#.


Decepticons and its leader - They call it 'NBE 1'

And if a movie production is able to do that, they are earning big bucks man! Mega bucks! People are paying twice the amount to watch the movie, getting original DVD after watching the movie and even buy their merchandises!

I mean.. one plastic Optimus Prime helmet is costing RM80 and people are buying them? A lot of them!

My colleague for one~



Go Amir Go!

Flying Extreme with AJ-Hackett

Note: I got a surprise parcel from a blog reader at my company's reception today. Thank you Sheon for sending me chocolates! That is so sweet!! You even sent me my fav, Meiji and Ghana Chocolates!


It’s official!! I’m the toughest, roughest, baddest, hard-hitting chick there is! Danger means nothing to me! In fact, I should be named NicoleDangerTan.

Working as a travel writer might be tough work, but it is definitely fun. Oh trust me on the tough work part; it’s not easy to juggle between your social life, study, holiday and work.

Most time you tend to jumble them up and by the end of the day, it’s hard to differentiate which is your real personal life and trip and which is work. If you are optimistic, you just treat work as fun and love what you do.

Which is why I love my job!

Not only I get to travel (even within KL itself), I get to capitalize on media benefits which give me more reasons to travel and try out things with and for a purpose.

Life is GUUUUDDD……… *GRIN*


To achieve this, first you need to embrace all sorts of predicament that work usually puts you in. Your role model? Me!

And not everyone is daring with a heart too big to be scared by something as whimsical as eating roaches. Like me.

Most importantly, you need to look good doing it! You guessed it! Yours truly!!!


Take for example if my job requires me to jump off a waterfall while having my glorious free-falling moments taken on camera; I have to grace the fall with the strongest will and bravery, all while smiling and acting happy in front of the camera to convince my viewers/readers that getting push off some rocky-water-gusting cliff is the most awesome-st thing in the world.

Let’s cut the chase and straight to a real life synopsis. Few weeks back, I made an appointment to meet up with AJ-Hackett Malaysia franchise owner Adam at KL Tower (who happens to be a kiwi/NZ citizen) to discuss covering a shoot on the rides they offer. One of which on the spot is ‘Flying Fox’.


This is the other flyer, just for show


Quote from the flyer (will put up actual flyer tomorrow):

“… our longest Fox is an extreme 150 metres long! Step off and fly from tree to tree, feel the excitement as the ground drops beneath you…”

Technically, a Flying Fox is a ride whereby a string hangs somewhat tenths of metres above ground (60 metres in this case) and have you swing (fly) from one higher end to a lower end.




And why rides like these are created? Together with other extreme sports such like bungee jumping and sky diving? My bet is in the ancient times, New Zealand has nothing but sheeps and grass, after getting bored of shagging sheeps, a Kiwi vowed that he would change history and decided to tie himself to a rope and throw himself off a cliff, but forgot to think of a way of climbing back up and allowed himself to die dangling there. The rest of the Kiwis who were so impressed by his insanity to keep himself sane, followed his footsteps and one by one started jumping off cliffs around New Zealand, hence the start of Extreme Sports.




Sometimes I wonder if I was ever a Kiwi decedent, but that thought only crossed my mind for 2 seconds before concluding I probably stand a higher chance coming from an alien womb that has smarter genes in it. That might also explains why I’m fearless for most things.

So yea, after the brief meeting, Adam offered us free rides on their flying fox. I accepted without hesitation (after allowing my editor to go on the rides few times in advance, eh hem, and decided that the strings were safe enough).


Safety harness


I stepped onto the wooden plank, looked down, let out a ‘humph’ and roll my eyes. “This is too easy”. Even babies can do this! Are they seriously calling this an extreme sport?? They are joking right? I mean come on…

Thinking too much makes me tired. So off I jump!!


Click video to see my dashing take off





Piece of cake.

Replacement for Krispy Kreme?

Note: Penang nuffnang gathering was a success, sadly there were people who didn’t know the meal limit was RM15 and therefore ‘forgot’ to pay when they go back, so Timothy was kind enough to foot the remaining bill. Bless his soul..

And I can’t believe there are bloggers who thought I work for nuffnang. o.O


No I am not going to blog about the gathering this time round. Because…. I’m too lazy to upload my photos to the pc~~ Haha

But here’s a preview anyway,



Photos courtesy of Blogwawasan



Poor Kenny being used as a card holder, lol



Cutting Kenny’s hair to auction off for charity



Group photo, See me with my pillow, Yay! :D



Just had lunch with Timothy, Samantha, Kenny and IcyQueenGoddess, and by god, Timothy’s mom can whip the BEST death-inducing curry noodle in the history of Penang!!! It’s the finest creation made by human since the invention of paper clips. GOD!! Why!!! Now I can never eat another curry noodle~~~ *drown in sorrow*

It is that nice. I am not exaggerating; they bought the best cha siew too to mix with the noodle. I wish I can ‘ta bao’ back to KL. And I can’t get my hands off the huge tub of Haagan Daaz green tea ice-cream (thinking of buying one myself, but realize my freezer is not big enough to store such a big tub *pout*).

Kenny is walking as though someone just stick a pole up his ass. Serve him right for blogging four hours before his marathon when he was suppose to be in bed!!



Back to my topic, after the confession on my profound love to the best doughnut in the world, I have received quite a number of feedbacks that somewhere in Malaysia, in our own very PJ, there lies treasures to be unfold. An outlet that is second best to none and almost as good as the king of doughnuts is hidden in the depths of none other than our very own The Curve shopping complex.




So I decided to hunt down this, so called queen of doughnuts, outlet by the name of Big Apple one day.

The expedition took place few weeks ago; I made a dinner appointment at The Curve with some friends just so I could get myself a bite of this delicious doughnut for my appetizers.

After obtaining my direction from the concierge, I doubtfully made my way to the back of T.G.I. Friday’s and saw a beautiful fountain but still no sign of the restaurant.

As I walked towards the fountain, I took a left look and Bingo! I spotted it!




Over-enthusiastically, I walked up the place and browse the selections of doughnuts they have to offer.







I was so excited I couldn’t decide which to choose. So I asked for their best selling doughnut.


Mmm… sounds yummy


So I bought that to eat in and another Orea flavour to take away. (just in case)




I sat down, while trying to hide my excitement, I took my first bite and….

Well….

No explosion.


In fact,

No heaven,

No angels singing… Nothing…


How shall I put it, the doughnut is nice, tasty, banana flavour compromises the dark chocolates… But…. Well…. It just isn’t what I had expected. Coming at a price of RM2 per doughnut, same price to Dunkin Donuts, I would say it is reasonable. I guess it is unfair to judge since I put in too much expectation out of it, but seriously, compare to Krispy Kreme, there is simply no competition.

It could be just my preference; I find the bun for Krispy is way better flavoured and filling than Big Apple, Big Apple’s bun texture is airy, soft and airy. It’s like you’re biting into nothing and it can hardly make you feel like you’ve eaten anything.



I ate the take-away doughnut cause I felt rather empty eating the first one


So yea, quite disappointed. But if you like doughnuts and you have never tried Krispy Kreme before. I’d say go for it, give it a try. You might love it more than I do. ;)

High School Anniversary

Note: I will be attending Nuffnang Gathering in Penang this Saturday, try to chat me up cause I’m shy in person.


I didn't realise it was the time of the year again two days before the event when an old schoolmate reminded me over Msn.

I remember my high school years, down it might be, every year in June when the anniversary is approaching, the entire school is hype up for preparation.




We will spend almost an entire month preparing for the event. Buying materials within class budget and decorating the classrooms, going out to sell charity vouchers to public, our relatives and sometimes when out of desperate measures, we will 'eat up' the coupons ourselves (buy what we sell).

It’s one of those peak moments in dull school life that you actually get some activities away from class. Even though we have to go out of school after class in small groups and walk from shops to shops or area to area under the hot sun, just like those American high school girl guides selling cookies to their friendly local neighbourhood, only, people in real life are not so friendly.

And even though people say that this is child labour or student abuse since we were ‘forced’ to become volunteers and do this in the name and for the sake of our dear school (private school needs financial funding constantly); it were these little things that kept us looking forward to going to school each day, decorating and competing for the most creative looking class became the main highlight during our school years.


It's been years since I returned to my high school for a visit. After five years of torment that sent me swirling in dark moments of my past, returning for a visit is the last thing I ever wanted to do.

"But heck" I thought. It's been years, if all the lecturers and juniors during my time have not already retired or graduated by now is not a convincing excuse; it's time to get over it and put the pass behind me. So this year, I decided to visit my high school anniversary, and rid of that melancholy within me once and for all.

There I was, at the entrance of my high school, with a friend (of course), looking at the entrance where I once stood as a prefect (worst decision ever made) every morning to be on duty and check for late students.




On duty by the gate thing is so utterly pointless. Why can’t they just lock the gate when the bell rings like traditional Japanese high school?


The structure of the school changed a lot. The four main buildings: South, East, West and North blocks still stand, imposing extensions and renovations have obviously been carried out, heck they even have auto student log in and out machine and pass! I don’t remember having a student card even back in my school years, man we were like, dinosaurs.

Or prisoners… who the hell have their student numbers sewn onto the front of their uniforms! It’s like a code that assigned to you from the first year of your imprisonment till the day you are released six years later.

“Hi, I’m 97-018, what about you?”



Young prisoners… poor souls


One thing I used to dread was bumping into those school bullies in school, before and after graduation. This year was no difference, though I don’t see them bullies anymore, I mean, they turned out, well... pretty normal after graduation. They always do, don’t they? I could be stereotyping but popular girls and guys back in school always seem to turn out either horribly unsuccessful or just your average Joe or plain Jane.

But even that, I still don’t fancy meeting them. Could be my personal grudges or they make me feel that they’re still living in the glorious past when they are just so normal in the present. It could be both. Don’t know don’t care.

Don’t flame me for chauvinism. I’m mentioning this in an ex-unpopular-ugly-nerd point of view and this is how we (or I) feel.


So I entered the school, with four coupons bought from some little prisoners wondering around town few weeks ago in my hand, I headed for the canteen to see what they were selling for charity.

There was some pretty awesome cheap tasteless-looking food selling at the stalls, which I’m too reluctant to buy even with my coupons. As I stroll along the stalls, heaven forbade I met a group of my old classmates!! SHITE! Pretending to be oblivious of their existence, I walked pass through too quickly despite some of them trying to call out my Chinese name. Ewe….

“See no evil, hear no evil…”


We proceeded the tour and decided to look around some of the classrooms made and decorated by kids age 13-18 and laugh myself silly by the amateurish construction of newspaper and cheap glue and paint. Probably going to have Pikachu soft toys everywhere and childish drawings just like old times.

I couldn’t be more wrong…

Most of the classrooms turned out so impressively creative, they would make a 15 year-old me feel so stupid and fallow. (No, I don’t need your opinion here, growl)


Fee-fi-fo-fum…



Chu-chu~~


Some are so cute you want to kiss them,




Or bring them home,




Some are remarkably realistic,


Tea shop..


You become part of the theme


Omg, this sewing machine is antique!


From gun shooting in the West,




to taking a stroll in the alleyway in the East..


Hong Kong red light district?


Some of the drawings are so real you can taste them,


Yum~


This is also my favourite classroom design, cause it matched my dress that day and I love the entrance hallway they built too.


Grapes are never too sour here



Ribena fountain! :D


But the most creative classroom belonged to a class of senior threes of Science stream,


“I have a feeling someone is looking at me…”


Theme: “Hell”

Upon entering the place, visitors can sense an eerie vibe and faux blood couldn’t look scarier in dark, some kids were even too scared to enter. In fact, the place was so spooky, flash photos just don’t do them justice here.






“Are you afraid of the dark?”


Creativity is not the only thing kids have these days, after an eye-full, I decided it was time to head back.

At the entrance, I saw this bunch of kids (elementary-level?) holding boxes of prizes (Mamee and tissue packets, yea, sad prizes) so I went up to ask them for a photo. They couldn’t be more enthusiastic.





Then a phone rang, and one of the kids picked up his phone…

“Jie Jie (elder sister), wait a, I got a call”





o.O!!! How old is he? He looks too young to own a phone man!!





Shit! Even talking on the phone also like big businessman~ =.=



PS: Talking about the 94th Anniversary of Pay Fong High, CONGRATULATION on NicoleKiss for achieving 100 post today!!!! Never knew I could be so long-winded~

Now go buy me a cake

A Late Afternoon Alone

Lesson learned of the day: What do you get when you eat a shit load of green peas? You produce ogre shit. So greenish..


Slumping onto the grey sofa, I plug in my ipod nano to drown in a world of jazz.

I tilt my head back and rest my eyes. Thoughts float around randomly and then it stops at the sofa opposite me.




Minutes go by, I am still alone, with the newly bought Azuki Frappucino I’m too reluctant to drink, a magazine I randomly picked from the rack lay lazily on the coffee stand.

“Till The End” is playing and I sense an emptiness stirring up. An invisible tear steams down my cheek, and back into my heart. Scrolling aimlessly for few minutes around the circle touch pad, I return the ipod to the table and continue to let my mind drift.



A guy sitting outside is smiling in at me, aware of my lack of companionship. I return the gesture with a soft polite smile and look away. I wish to be alone, alone with my bare thoughts.

The cream on my frap sinks a bit. I sit up and swirl the cream around before taking a sip.



Moving my attention onto the drizzling road outside, cars zoomed by making splashing sound against the road and over bumpers. In 30 minutes time, I will be walking down that road to meet up with some friends for dinner.




“30 minutes…” I whisper to myself.

Again I look at the empty sofa opposite me. I imagine an invisible person sitting there, I imagine him smiling at me, I imagine us having a conversation, and I saw myself giggling shyly, blushing slightly.

Suddenly, my thought is interrupted by a man standing next to the empty sofa. I look up and a Caucasian smile down at me. I recognize as the man sitting outside earlier. He introduces himself and asks if the sofa is taken. I give a small nod to signal approval to his query.

A handsome looking guy who I assume to be in his mid twenties, where he is from I can’t recall despite his information. The conversation continues with my ipod still plugged to my right ear, smiling every now and then to his suggestive comments and attempts.

15 minutes have gone by, the pretty Caucasian bids his goodbye and walks back to his seat with his friend outside. And I’m back to the empty chair. The songs are getting dull in my nano’s list, so I switch to shuffle that comprises more funk tunes.



I pick up my almost untouched frap and start taking larger sips. The drink quickly reduces to half after several more gulps before I gather my things to prepare to leave. I stand up and sling my bag over my right shoulder before looking down at the empty sofa again.




“Mr. Starbucks, thank you for sharing the evening with me”. And I step out the place promptly.

I Finally Moved IN!!!!

Yes! Last night I stayed my very first night! OMGGGGG!! SO F$%^KING COOL!!!

So cool was rolling around on the NEW snoopy carpet estastic about the whole thing!


I bought so many things and now I'm super broke but so SUPER Happy!


Let me see,

I have a NEW 29inch WIDE SCREEN TV! Which I put in my living room and it looks so nice just sitting there. Now, if only I can get a TV rack to put it on.

A NEW Fridge! One door, the height of my shoulder. More than enough to store purely CHOCOLATES!! Ho ho ho! Wait, what am I talking about! More than Enough chocolates??? *slap myself left right centre*. (Jot down to remind getting a titanium two door fridge)

A NEW KITCHEN!! NEW STOVE! NEW KETTLE! NEW WOK! NEW PLATES! NEW CUPS! Woo Hoo! I can COOK! Eh hem.... *cough cough* I can finally learn to COOK!

A NEW BED!! And it's QUEEN size b#$@es! Ho ho ho.... from IKEA too b@#%es! With spanking NEW super nice super fluffy pillows. And it's not CHEAP! HOLY COW I'm so eating air for the rest of the year.

A NEW Washing Machine! Now I can wash my own clothes and not let my maid wash! Wait, is that suppose to be a good thing?? -.-;;


Well my swanky new condo, which is situated on the 20th floor so it has a KILLER VIEW at night!!, is still rather empty and has a lot to be installed. Like some curtains which I need to find time to allow the contractor to come and drill some holes into the wall. And I just cleaned the place squeaky clean!

Maybe not today, today I have a small house warming! :D Pardon guys for the bare windows. If you're too disturbed by the inevitable KILLER VIEW, I will kick you off the balcony.


As for the house warming tonight, nothing much really, just a normal ritual to gather as many people to your house to prevent future haunts. I'm not strictly superstitious but my previous condo in Kelana Jaya last year was deeply haunted and there have been issues that kept me paranoid till this very day.

Don't ask what, I'm not tellin Ya! Hah! Maybe only some friends since I promised to tell them.


So yea, don't be late tonight! My future happiness with my swanky condo depends on you!!

Chocolate is Serious Business

One late night…


Sneaking out from office



La La La…



Are you looking at me?



There are things that should be done in the middle of the night.



Sha La La La~



One last glance


Back in the office,




Remember the tagline?

“Chocolates should melt in your mouth, not in your hands.”


I abide by that rule seriously.





Very seriously…

Dining with NuffNang’s Bitch

Said so according to Suanie’s record of one such conversation.

Founder of Nuffnang, Timothy Tiah, and his infamous mole arrived 15 minutes late at Marche restaurant at The Curve two nights ago (due to heavy traffic jam according to him). I just finished writing the introductory write-up on my exclusive interview with Daniel Lee when the handsomely attired CEO sat down opposite me.




Apologizing frantically for his delay, he immediately offered to foot the bill for the night before dinner even started. Which came to my immediate first conclusion. Timothy, you are such a liar.

You once told me boldly that you were no gentleman and yet there I was, witnessing a true gentleman who calls up 10 minutes before the actual dinner appointment to inform that he’ll be late for a short 10 minutes, showed up apologizing sincerely and offers to buy dinner politely.

(Tim, I’m expecting some London imported super expensive super nice chocolates from you for this, *wink*)

I love Marche, the ambience, the food, the design and the people; simply adore it. It’s a great place to hang out with friends, a great place to go Dutch without the hassle of a calculator, a great place to choose food buffet style but pay only those that you eat (great if you’re a small eater).


my dinner, look like swiss rolls


If your guy wants some meat and you want salads? Go Marche.
If you just want desserts and your friends want three-course meals? Go Marche.
Fancy some western but your mom prefers Chinese? Go Marche.
Want to eat alone? Go Marche.
Want to throw a party? Go Marche.
Want to meet Nicole? Go Marche!

Made my point yet?


Bitch’s dinner :p



A hungry Timothy


Anyway, that night I also realized that Timothy Tiah turned out to be an extremely humble person (in a very good way), and I have yet met such a humble person. So part of this entry is to highlight a certain conversation I had that night.

(Chatting aimlessly about work, people and life…. Till we reach the part about cars)

Tim: I don’t know about other people, but I like small cars
Me: Yea, I don’t see the big deal with people wanting to own big expensive cars. It’s just transportation. I think small car is cute, and sufficient. I love small cars.
Tim: True, I drive a small car. I think it’s cool.
(Pause…)
Tim: Unless I’m going the distance, then I will drive a slightly better car.
Me: Oh, what car are you driving.
Tim: Honda City
Me: *sweat* (small car = Honda City ???)
Me: You know what is my dream car?
Tim: You mean small cars? Ermm, Mini Cooper? Myvi? ….etc
Me: I’m driving a Myvi, I can’t love what I’m already driving. I lurveee smart car!!
Tim: O, Smart car yea? I see I see. Well, I love a beetle.
Me: Beetle?!! Are you serious? It’s so ugly. If it weren’t for the movie Herbie and super good marketing skill, Volks Wagon would probably still be cheap and unwanted.
Tim: (agreeing vaguely to some of my statements) But the new beetle is so cool.
…..
…

(And the chat went on….)

Dinner finished, and after a movie at Cineleisure (we watched 200 pounds beauty, made me want to go for plastic surgery too), we headed for the car park.

Tim: Where’s your car?
Me: (point to the car in front) Here…
Tim: Oh, lucky you…
Me: Where’s yours?
Tim: oh, just over there (pointing at presumably a car that’s behind a wall)
Me: Come, hop on, I’ll drive you to your car.
Tim: Oh, it’s ok. Not necessarily. (In the end, he hopped on)

(1 minute later)

Me: So where is your car?
Tim: Oh, just in front. Yea. This one. (Pointing to a row where three cars rested)
Having not spotted a Honda City, I assumed he was driving the slightly-better-car he mentioned earlier.
Me: (drive slowly forward, ignoring the first car passed)
Tim: Stop stop, you passed it.
Me: Oh.. I thought it was this one (pointing at the really swanky sport car next to me, pretending to be cheeky)
Tim: Yea, I wish that was mine too. (Opened the door and walked out)

I looked at the rear mirror and saw him walking towards the first car. And you know…..

Slightly Better Car = BMW 3.25


-__________________________-


+ *SUPER BIG SWEAT DROP*

Malaysian Idol 2 Up Close and Personal

Note: I am (might be) going to interview Daniel Lee today. Can I ask question like: how’s the weather down there?

Note again: No Daniel was harmed or insulted in the process. So Daniel’s fans, chill~


Cute, isn’t he?


Daniel Lee, winner of Malaysia Idol 2, is finally releasing his second album 'unavoidable'. And I need to attend this press conference in another hour and a half. So going to screw up! For sure. My mind'll just go blank when I see him and I'll just fumble.

No, I am not nervous! But with all the media and fans surrounding him, big shot press with huge video cam recording and DSLRs flashing away, squeezing and pushing their ways so they could get a better spot and angle and probably… an exclusive interview with him. Me holding my teeny 5.2 mega-pix digital cam with a business-y sling-on bag will just appear soooooooooo….. inferior……….. T____T

……. better wear 5-inch heels before I go out.

Let’s assume I get the chance to interview him, say for 5 minutes. I should be thinking of a list of possible questions I should be asking him now shouldn’t I? Instead of blogging right here isn’t it? Erm…

Brainstorm questions:

1. Daniel, how many girlfriends do you have?


2. Daniel, can I call you Dan? Tell me then, how many exes did you have?


3. Daniel, do you like chocolates? Because I lurrvee chocolates~~


4. Can I have your msn account?


5. Do you have a personal blog that no one knows?


6. (Regardless of yes or no) Can I read that blog?


7. How tall are you Daniel?


8. Are you sure you are THAT tall?


9. Hey Dan, psst, between you and me, do you like guys?


10. HAHAHAHA (laugh hysterically to whatever response he gives followed by a serious face). No really, do you?


11. Ok, last question. It’s okay you don’t wish to answer question 1 and 2. No worries, so Daniel… how many boyfriends do you have?
    

I’ll probably lose my job the following day.

Bak Chang

Note: all the photos below are original, none edited

Literally means ‘Meat Dumplings’, a type of traditional food where the meat (usually pork) is stuffed inside glutinous rice together with other fillings and wrapped with bamboo leaves into a triangular shape, which is later tighten with raffia strings and steamed to cook.

We eat Bak Chang during ‘Duan Wu’ festival, or Dumpling Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar year (Chinese calendar).

Legend has it that a patriotic minister named Qu Yuan jumped into the Mi Luo River and committed suicide as a form of protest against the then corrupted government. Mmm... Now if we want to protest, we just sleep on the street with cardboards in front of the parliament.

Because of this, boats were sent out in search of his body but failed, thus the origin of dragon boat race.

The villagers who had great respect for him started making rice dumplings (now evolved into bak chang) and threw into the river in order to keep the hungry fish away from his body.

‘Duan Wu’ is around the corner. This year, the festival should fall on 19th of June, a week plus from now. And lucky for me, after driving two hours back from KL, I managed to enjoy homemade Bak Chang early this year in my own home. I missed it last year because I was working in KL. :(


Anyway, it’s Saturday morning, I woke up and went out for a saloon visit. Had my hair dyed (bottom layer black) and went back home to find this morning's Bak Chang on the table gone. So I went to the fridge, took out some frozen ones (which my mom and aunt made over the previous weekends) and steamed them in the wok.




One piece of advice: Never ever microwave your Bak Chang, ever! Always take the traditional way to heat your Bak Chang. There is no short cut to good food. Remember, STEAM is the ONLY way.

Now, the reason I took two Bak Chang was because I want to show you guys the two types of Bak Chang I am introducing today (No, not because I am greedy and I want to eat both). If you look carefully (unless you’re blind), the two Bak Changs are different in sizes.


One big one small


Let me show you how to eat a Bak Chang. I’ll start with larger one, also the most common one - Bak Chang, aka Meat Dumpling, which comes in a size slightly larger than a palm. My mom made them extra big with lots of fillings, just the way I like it.




Now, I used to hate Bak Chang, especially those bought from outside, because of five main reasons:

1. They have way too much rice (I don’t eat rice. Don’t ask why. The only time I ever eat rice is when I dine in a Japanese restaurant and they serve really good temaki or sushi roll)
2. They have way too little fillings
3. They have more fats than lean meat
4. They taste blunt (too rice-y)
5. The meat is too hard (I dislike meat)

Being my mom is difficult, because in order to accommodate my pickiness in food, she always find ways to perfect her cooking skill and dishes. I can tell you, she succeeded. Over the past five years, there is nothing I enjoy more than anticipating for the Duan Wu to arrive every year, just so I could eat the dumplings she made.

A perfect Bak Chang (Nicole Version) is:

1. Thin (but not too thin) layer of aromatic rice, sticky yet soft and loose, melts in your mouth
2. Loads of fillings, chestnuts, mushrooms…etc
3. Contain at least 80% of lean meat
4. The whole Chang is full of flavor, including the rice!
5. Super tender meat that is not too hard and not too fatty/oily
6. It HAS to be steamed!


Anyway, back to the Bak Chang I was about to eat. Next, use a scissor to cut the strings,




Slowly undress the Bak Chang,




Reveal the naked Chang,




Now, you can eat the whole thing using the leave as a wrap holder; or eat it my way, on a plate with chopsticks.


Cross section



Tender meat


One word: Heaven!


On to the next Bak Chang! Okay, I want to introduce this smaller Chang because I know a lot of you out there probably had never tried this before. I grew up eating this and you can only find it in Melaka, homemade.




It is called Nyonya Chang.


My aunt made this.


Yes, that is blue rice!




The blue coloring is the natural color extract from blue pea flower.



It is also made from glutinous rice, the rice is probably stickier than normal Bak Chang and it is wrapped with a small pandan leave for that hint of aromatic flavor.

But the special part is the inside,



The fillings are red in color (mini pork and winter melon cubes) and they are sweet, with a hint of salt.




I tell you, these little babies are wickedly delicious. And the recipe to make the filling is rocket science, the concoction of the Straits spices is enough to make Calculus looks easy.

I don’t think they make good old traditional Nyonya chang on the street anymore. The last time I bought one from a pasar malam (night market), I nearly puked a mouthful, and it didn't even have blue rice. :(

But these~~ Oh gosh, I'll be very grumpy if one day (or year) my aunt don't make these anymore. 364 days is definitely worth the wait!!





Blue, white and red…

Ermm… resemble the colors of a Malaysian Flag doesn’t it?

Kenny Sia visits TMNet

One evening when I was busying my ass out in the office, I got a surprise visit from Jakarta.

Phone rings…

Me: Hello?
Kenny: Hey, I’m downstairs at the lobby already…
Me: Ohh…ok ok… wait wait…
(Informed my colleague that I would be right back, grabbed my stuff and took the lift down)

Kenny: Wow, you look like a clerk… (or something like that along the lines as I walked towards him in my office attire)

Me: Oh shut up… -.-;; (Ptui! I hate office attire)


With all his luggage and back from Jakarta, did he lose weight?



Is it me? Or is he ALWAYS holding a camera?


Me: So… did you buy me any chocolate??!! *Eyes glowing accompany with teeth-showing-smile*
Kenny: Err… no……. (Immediately add on) But I got you something better!!
Me: *Heart sank~* No chocolates~? *pout*
Kenny: No really! This is better than chocolates!!
Me: *thinking* there are things better than chocolates??? *pout + frown*
Kenny: Nah…



What is this? Food? *longest pout ever*



*thinking* You went all the way to Jakarta to get me .... Doughnuts??


Me: … You… got me… doughnuts?? *smiling weakly*
Kenny: No, this is not just any normal doughnuts, it’s really nice! Try it!
Me: Well, I am hungry…. Ok, I’ll eat one, which one shall I pick? What flavor is this?
Kenny: That’s cheesecake flavor, I think.
Me: Woo, I like cheesecake~

*Grab a bite*






Suddenly the heaven parted and disks of light shot down,
~Hallelujah !!!~ (My head sang)

HOLY SON OF VIRGIN MARY!!

THIS IS THE BEST DOUGHNUT I EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!

The most amazing part, I hate doughnuts! No, I HATED doughnuts! Not anymore! OH MY MOTHER OF GOD!

It is sooo good!

So full of flavor, I can feel the creamy cheese swirling in my mouth, yes! There’s soft sweet cheese filling inside the bun! The dough is so filling and moist too (most doughnuts have quite airy dough when you bite, you felt like eating sugary hollow bread), so fattening but sooo good~~~ I can taste the butter from the bun and the sugar glaze outside the bun, and the cheese combination? It’s like….. eating CHEESECAKE!

And then I had seconds, and I NEVER finished one whole doughnut before!







Look at this, this one even have chocolate filling! It’s flowing out as I sliced it half.


Why isn’t there Krispy Kreme in Malaysia!!!! Who’s going to Indonesia soon?!!

Ever since that day, I’ve been dreaming about doughnuts at night.


I hate you Kenny.

I love weekends!

I know it sounds lame, duh, doesn't everybody?

It has been such a long time since I last felt how weekends were like for the average working adults, I’ve completely forgotten how great it was to have the weekends around.

When I was still home-based studying, everyday felt like a Saturday. Tomorrow would still be a non-working day and yesterday, well, just felt like any other day.

Dull life it was.

Working life came in, and whoosh! Weeks feel like days and it seemed only yesterday that I started my first day of work.

It’s a scary experience I tell you. Before you realize it, you’ll be another year old faster than you boss can say “you’re promoted”.

Wait, make that few years older.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So right now I’m back sitting at the usual pc in my Melaka house and room where I first started this blog. With this keyboard I’m typing and this ever familiar monitor screen I’m looking, drinking apple juice and thinking... “What have I covered this week?”

Well, I finally went and watched the media screening for “Surf’s Up” at Mid Valley this morning with my colleague (yea~ I’m a media, hah!). Too bad none of my WORKING friends are available on a WEEKDAY morning, if not; I could just bring them in for free. My colleague brought three! Me? Well, I went alone. Sorry guys~ kekeke


They don’t sing, they don’t dance; they surf~~


It’s a really funny movie, will be doing my review soon on the movie in the coming week, and hopefully a personal review here in my blog (I’ll try not to spoil the movie for you, I’ll TRY~~).

Apart from that! Well~~~ I also got the chance to meet few local celebrities, not that I care a lot about meeting famous and beautiful people where I can get up close to talk to them and ask them any professional questions (Professional because I don’t think I can ask if they got a bf/gf :() or get free access to 5-star high tea or a scrumptious buffet whenever I’m at one of these press conference.


Garnier New Range Launch


Fasha Sandha, you’d probably seen her in the Malay drama series Natasya or movie Cicak-Man



Oh look! Isn’t that Serena C on the left?


DC Super Heroes Ambassador


Faizal, cute pretty boy – first-runner up in One in a Million reality TV show


Nope, it’s not all about that at all. It’s the passion in my job! *snort*

For once, press conference to me is not about standing there with a team of beautiful pageants and gets shot dead by blinding camera flashes. For once, I get to blind people with camera flashes!! Yay! Honestly, I prefer to be a media, we get all the treatments! Like freebies, privileges and priorities to talk to the famous, free food and free movies! On a working day!

Sorry, I can’t stop mentioning that. :p

Spiderwoman I am

It has become disturbingly alarming when you realized you have reached a status that you must take on the responsibility of your own actions and WORDS!

Yes, I am talking about blogging and what I blog has the power to affect others, usually in a bad way; or worse, how it will affect me!

This is especially true when ALL your work colleagues and your Editor cum Manager and Managers from other departments who will also and might have a direct effect on you in what you do at WORK…. ARE READING YOUR BLOG! OMFG!! This is what happens when you put your blog link in your resume to show them you do actually write some mean shit stuff apart from rotting at home. Seriously, my blog is full of crap.

(Note: my blog is not crap, it is full of crap, there is a difference. It is a great blog that contain a good collection of crap, thus not a crap blog, just a blog full of crap.)

It also means that I can’t bitch about my work, my colleagues, MY MANAGER (just kidding. No actually I’m serious. Nah, really, I’m just kidding…. No really, I am~~), my company or anything in relation to that. Things like how shitty my pc is because I can’t even access my MSN and have to resort to Yahoo messenger alone and there’s always this error pop up that never fails to prick on my annoyance nerve.

Now come on guys! You know I’m just fooling around, you know I love my work and all of you right? Right??? RIGHT???????

It has also become alarmingly disturbing (the power of –ly, put it in any adjective and it’ll make you words bombastic even when you have limited vocab) when a stranger-turned-friend approached you and asked: “Hey aren’t you Nicole? That Melakan blogger? I read your blog you know. My Managerial friend at TMNet passed me your blog link and that’s how I got to know your blog.”

HOLY MOTHER OF GAWWD!!!!

I might as well hang a cardboard around my neck that reads “Nicolekiss the dim-witted Blogger” and walk around the company the whole day... -.-





No I didn't walk around topless, pardon the photoshop



I know I can't photoshop, shut up.


(Yes that stranger-turned-friend is you Michelle, and I want my Jogoya~~ T_T)

I know, I know, with great power comes great responsibility. Eww, can’t believe I said that, disgustingly cliché. I guess I have no choice, I have to take this burden upon my shoulder and teach them (you heard me, I’m gonna teach, not show, TEACH, how raw of me) my wisdom of life and work. If I continue to write about arseful content all the time, these poor people reading my blog are soon going to be as imprudent as I am. And there can only be ONE obtuse Nicole.

I’m not kidding, I’m serious. HAHAHAHA…



No really I am.

Bah-ham-bak

I don't really know why I am blogging twice in a day.

It's a bad sign, it means I have a lot of things in mind. It means I can't find ways to get things out of my mind, it means I'll face a high probability to grow white strands of hair and they will start falling off and I will go bald very SOON~~

ARGH!!

I don't know why am I feeling the way I feel today. So frustrated, horde of assignments that seem to go on for centuries that I'm starting to doubt if I ever can finish this Master. It all seems too long ago since I started this course.

Also, I am gaining weight profusely that I am terrified of meeting anyone. Why am I gaining weight I seriously do not know. Maybe I should really stop eating and starve. Seriously, I don't believe a person can get gastric and die of starvation that easily, especially when a person such as me who can gain 1kg even when I only eat 100gram of fat. I mean, who the hell in the world can gain 10 freakish pounds in 4 days?!!

It could be water retention, I started off believing strongly it is so. But now I'm begining to doubt, cause my weight it's not going down at all, in fact, it's still increasing. This is traumatizing me. I know I have to have enough sleep and proper food. But seriously, how do one sleep when she has so little time and has to finish off so many things; how can one eat when her weight issue to going up the wall, over the fence and into the sea, swam across the pacific ocean and never to return. It's simply a hopeless case and it's driving me nuts.

I am going to be really ill-tempered~~~ -.-

First Day at Work

Short note: Nuffnang finally gave me an Ad!! Thanks Tim!!


If life isn't about having fun, then I don't know what life is?

Okay, my first day of work. How shall I describe it? Bizarre for one, I mean, why in the world~~~~ would TMNet (a big local broadband cum telco brand that is mostly governed by Malays and mostly occupied by employees of the same ethnicity, which I will refer to as XX from this line onwards just in case if T... er.. XX decides to take any legal actions against me on my blogging content - been researching on too many legal case on bloggers) want to hire a small green pea like me? Chinese green pea somemore? And as a Writer?? Queer~~

Before you start imagining I am writing for XX about how wonderful stream.. er.. XXmys is, don't! Technically, I am under XX, bureaucracy said so, even the office design inside is a typical bureaucratic cubic formation. Cool! I never work in a box before!


peek-a-boo, I see you~


Now I feel like those classy journalists like in the movie 'Hitch' where a sexy Eva Mendes sits in her own phone-cabled cubicle full with personal decorations such as photos of Will Smith or even Brad Pitt, elegantly typing away on her Pentium 4 super fast LAN connected PC while munching on Rocky chocolate sticks and waiting for prince charming to send a delivery boy that delivers diving suit so we can jet ski in Cyberjaya lake...

No wait, that is my dream. Nevermind...

So yea, officially, I am working in XX, under XX, for XX, BUT! I am not working on anything regarding to XX, hah! However, I am hired as a web-writer, or a blogger if you see writing on web about typical Malaysian lifestyle and doing occasional reviews as blogging (which it is actually). NOW isn't that the COOLEST job??!!!

I have moved from being a blogger to working as AND being a blogger at the same time!! Wo hoo~~!!


Don't ever think a blogger life is easy, we have to sit in front of the computer, think of something stupid since people nowadays will read anything. And when you run out of inspiration of producing something dim, go out, have fun, enjoy yourself, go on a holiday to a foreign land, come back and tell people how much fun you just had when everyone else is working or studying and probably reading your fun fun fun entry from their office or computer lab. The things I do for my readers. *wipe sweat*


I tell you, working life is tougher!

Working as a writer (web) is not as easy as you think. I mean really, it's my first day working and I am asked by my super friendly super nice editor, Miss Marina (I love her british accent, made me miss England), to catch a movie preview this Friday with my equally helpful and cute colleague, Lavonne (I seem to be surrounded by friendly colleagues in a friendly working environment, and 'friendly' & 'work' don't even belong in a same sentence!!) in order to write a review about it.

Yes you heard me, I am asked to watch a MOVIE during office hours! It is my job! My first task given!! Life isn't all about fun and games you know, you have to catch a movie once in a while too. The things I do for my company. *wipe more sweat*



a lot of sweat




PS// I wonder if I can bring my own mini cooler fridge to the office? :p

I am Going to Die at Young Age

No joke, this is serious. I will and I am so going to… Woe is me…

Thank you mom for bringing me to this world, thank you dad for bringing me up despite my rebellious way, thank you god for acknowledging my good deeds and let me live till so long and heal my father when he’s in need and gave me the most wonderful family I ever had, not that I have a lot of families, but if I did then this is the best family ever, I think.



Okay, how I came upon this treacherous conclusion and fret in utter dismay?

I’ll explain.

A week ago, I was at the hospital, attending to my then still hospitalized father when the nurses came in, as usual, for dad’s hourly check up. Seeing the instrument placed on the cart she pushed in, I intelligently deduced it was used to measure blood pressure.

Daddy, at his old age, has a bit (just a bit) of high blood pressure, which is common, but just for routine sake, the measurement was taken place, which of course interrupted my discussion with dad, of what I can’t recall.

Then being the smarty ass I am, I asked the nurse cheekily if I can give the instrument a try? Having unable to resist my charming charisma, she obliged (but of course). Well, this is not my first time having a go at blood pressure measurement. In the past, I have never been able to escape the dreadful world of HYPOTENSION.

Don’t know what that means? Go here.


I’ll make this easier for you, quoted from our friendly wikipedia,

Normal ranges for blood pressure in adult humans are:
Systolic: less than 120 mmHg (2.32 psi or 15 kPa)
Diastolic: less than 80 mmHg (1.55 psi or 10 kPa)


There you go, any much higher than that, you’ll be diagnosed as Hypertension aka Hgh Blood Pressure. Blood pressures between 120/80 and 140/90, can be considered as pre-hypertension or just hypertension. (Face the reality dude, you got High Blood Pressure, don’t console yourself that it’s just a Pre-H).

So coherently, anything lower than 120/80 is low right? And with all the chronic diseases that come with hypertension, one can only wish their blood pressure to be as low as possible right? And quoting from this site,

People who have lower blood pressures have a lower risk of strokes, kidney disease, and heart diseases.


Seriously, what can be so bad with a bit of low blood? I mean, everyone is thriving for low man! It’s the new trend! Low is the new black yo~


WRONG!!!

There are soooo many spiteful symptoms of hypotension THAT you will do ANYTHING to not be in my shoe! I’ll drink blood to not be in my shoe! *growl… Dracula*

I read through wiki and found some of the cardinal symptoms:

- Fever higher than 101 °F (38.3 °C)
- Headache
- Dizziness, or light-headedness, particularly when suddenly standing up from sitting down
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Profound fatigue


*Yawn*…. been there, done that.

I even have Orthostatic Hypotension according to wiki. It means when I stand up from a sitting or lying down position, I’ll feel darn dizzy that everything in front of me will go blur, like a blinding white light that literally blind my eyes temporary and all of a sudden I will feel weak-legged and probably collapse. Though this effect also occur to me when I move from a dark room to a bright one. *Beware when walking out from Cinema people, the last thing you want is a damsel in distress falling into your arms, literally*


Enough with Biology, so the outcome from the instrument was: 109/70

DAMN YOU!! Still HYPO??!!

What else can I do?!! I’m stuffing myself with mountains and mountains of imported animal fat content chocolates and highly-salted expensive tit-bits as fast as my little mouth can chomp.


The worse is yet to come, today when I went for my medical check up (needed for first day of job), the doctor took my blood pressure and went “Ohh.. awak ni pressure rendah la” (translation: your pressure is low) and gave me a 70/50 result.

WTF OMFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

70/50??!!!!



I’m gaining kilos and practically wiped out all the chocolates in my house and this is the thanks I get?!!

No no, impossible, simply unacceptable. I excused myself out of the clinic, went back home, took a long nap, persuading myself it’s only because I haven’t got enough sleep these days. Went back in the evening and did a re-check.

80/50


-__________________________________-;;;;;


I am so going to die young.