My girl is one!

Celebrated my little girl's birthday last week with family members. My sis bought her a pretty flower decorated cake. Mum made her some red eggs and gave her an angpow. Also received some new toys from sis and her hubs. She was so happy...not with the presents but with the company and attention from everyone. She is one super active girl...can't even be still for 1 second. We wanted to take more photos of her with the cake but it was so difficult. She wanted to grab hold of everything! She is still very much a baby despite being one.

That weekend, I made her another cake to celebrate in Malacca. Happy birthday my dear baby! We love you so much.

Clumsy me!

I have always been a clumsy person but this time I have a reason for being one.

After fetching my daughter back from the sitter's place...carried her from her car seat when her toy ball dropped and rolled to another side of the car...

Being in a hurry because it seemed like it was going to rain, I put her back into her seat while hastily went to the other side of the car to pick her ball. While picking up and walking back, heard her cry and knew that she had fallen from the car.

Rushing over to carry her, my left leg landed into the drain behind my car. Fortunately, it was dry. Step out of the drain to carry my girl and tried to stop her from crying. My tough girl had some minor scratches on her face and finger...I was heartbroken... so careless of me to have left the car door open. 

Only realized my bruise after she smiled and played in her playpen later...

Back from long break....

It's been a while since my last post....lots has happened but wasn't able to update.

My little one has been keeping me occupied, leaving me no room for anything else. She's a handful indeed but we love her to bits.

LO decided to pop up early, almost a month ahead of her due date. Everything was unplanned and I didn't even managed to take a pregnancy photo. Nevertheless, we were delighted with her arrival. Breastfed her starting from the third week....it was not easy but I managed. Will not elaborate further as those who breastfed will understand what I mean...do email me should you like to know more about how I managed and my entire breastfeeding process.

My girl is now 11 months. Went for a short and relaxing trip to Cameron Highlands a month back and am glad that all 3 of us enjoyed it. I was surprised that an infant actually knows how to enjoy a holiday...

Taking a Break....

Am on a long, long break and will continue to be for at least a couple of months more...not being able to access the net freely. Yup, I don't have internet at home and have limited access in the office. Not really complaining though...don't even have enough time to rest at home. I need more time! Feeling so tired these days....

Been having the whole day sickness lately, nausea and throwing up a number of times every day. Uh-huh, you got it! Little one is on the way : )

Got no photo to update at the moment. Came out for dinner without thinking about wanting to blog. At 13 weeks today and counting...



Some cheery tarts WK bought me a couple of months back. Just had to put a picture even it's not related. Love to have photos on each of my post. These tarts are only half a size larger than a RM 0.50 coin but they cost at least RM 2.00 each. Don't taste as good as they look though...and I can't even look at food photos nowadays...nausea, nausea, nausea....

Fish Balls and Prawn Crackers

Was in Malacca over the weekend and went around in search of things to have for breakfast. Bored with having our usual 'wan tan mi' and nyonya nasi lemak, WK suggested we have 'yu yuan'(fish balls) instead. We usually pack them for lunch but prefer eating them right at the stall this time around. I prefer to eat there even it it means having to eat like a cow (eat standing) just because the crackers are so much more crunchier.



This uncle usually hangs around Tong Hup as early as 10am to about 1pm. But he doesn't stays put at one location. Says that he will follow wherever the sun goes...haha...he'll be in the shaded area until the sun comes, then he'll moves to another location further down the road. He repeats this until the area is no longer shaded and will then move to another street.



This whopping plate of fish balls, 'tau kwa', prawn crackers, fish eggs and cucumber cost about RM 7. A standard plate cost about RM 5. One may choose to have just fish balls and tau kwa alone but I recommend the 'cham-cham' (mix everything).

Can you spot me?

He-har! I need a ride...

Busy Times

It's been a long while since I last wrote and lots has happened since. My car radiator got overheated, my muffins turned out like 'kueh', work desk overflowing, wedding shoe strap broken, living ceiling turned moldy from roof leaking, still with the same job...

Nevertheless, I am still here..maybe a couple of months older and lacking enthusiasm but still here. Although sounding so pessimistic, I still have things to look forward to. Other than that, happy things and thoughts kept me through it all. I still love shoes, still hunting for furniture, still hoping to tour the world, still scouting for places with good food, still planning to open my own cafe, still dreaming...

Went to Shenzhen recently. Been watching too much Hong Kong movies to think that we can always get cheap goods there. Alas, we were there towards the end of winter and close to the Lunar New Year. There is nothing to buy but winter clothing and New Year goodies which tend to be more expensive during this season. All other items were not cheap either. Didn't bother to take many pictures...everywhere is so packed with people, RUDE people to be specific. But, am overall happy about the trip because that adds to the list of places I've visited.


Nope, this little friend is not from Shenzhen. Just had to add a picture to this boring entry. He was spotted in Cherating on a surfing trip end of last year. Didn't have time to write about the trip but had a great time, though tired and ached all over.

The Escape

Recently witness these two cuties in a shopping mall in Malacca. Just couldn't resist taking a video of them. The black kitty is really aggressive and kept pouncing onto the white one. I guess the white little fellow couldn't take it anymore and decided to fled...hihihi...

True Fitness in USJ Taipan

Just for the record, I am not advertising for them. I have this friend who wanted to transfer her membership because of personal reasons. She called me one year ago to ask whether I wanted to join and I told her that I have no time for it. She called me again a few days ago and said that she has extended the membership period because she could not find a replacement. Anyway, the package is for a one year membership at the normal rate. The transfer will include one month free membership fee and no transfer or joining fee. The remaining 11 months shall be paid by the potential member to True Fitness. Do send me an email or drop a comment on this post if you are interested. I would be glad to provide you further details on this.

Sachertorte

I came to know about Sachertorte from one of my baking books. But the photos and the description in the books were not convincing enough to make me want to bake this special cake. When I was in Hanoi, an architect friend treated us to this desert bought from Metropole (can't seem to find anything on this bakery online)...the cake tasted delicious, it was light and tasty, not too sweet even though with the generous amount of jam in the cake. The cake was so yummy that it made me want to bake one on my own.

I tried following the recipe from the books...but, it turned out nothing like the one I tasted. The cake was dense (I think it was supposed to be dense, as described in Wikipedia...funny that the one I tasted in Hanoi was so light!) and the jam made the cake too sweet.

I didn't want to waste the effort I put into making the cake, hence, decorated the cake with some X'mas figurines for the festive season...

Hanoi Fried Fish - Cha Ca and more...

We had one morning to do a quick tour around the city, so we asked the hotel reception what we could do or eat. I tried asking her name a couple of times but still could not get the actual pronunciation, so will refer to her as Ms. Hotel. Here's what she recommended:

Ms. Hotel: You MUST try the fried fish. Have you heard about it?
Us: No. Where is it? Is it far from here?
Ms. Hotel: It's on the list of 100 things you MUST eat before you die. You MUST try! It's very famous. It's not far from here, I can help you to call a taxi.
Us: Really, Ok. (in our minds, imagining that we are going to eat a whole fish, wondering what's so special about this fried fish)

Anyhow, we went to this place called Cha Ca La Vong and another street she recommended for rice cake. The whole street was filled with shops selling rice cakes in packages for wedding favors. Will let the photos do the talking....



It's fried fish fillet, not a whole fried fish! Taste wise, something different...tasty but a bit too oily for me.









Dried/preserved fruits...































Rice cake, which taste a bit like the 'ang ku kueh'.

Blackforest Cake

This was a super long overdue post, I actually had great photos taken by *hubs* for this cake....was too busy to transfer the photos from the desktop at home. It took me two days to bake and decorate the cake. Oh ok...not two whole days, but two whole evenings.

The recipe below, was taken from one of those baking magazine...err, can't remember exactly which celebrity chef it was..yeah, I did not want to buy the magazine just for the sake of this recipe. Already had a number of baking books, but this recipe was simple enough for me to want to make this cake. Credits to the chef....I love your recipe!



I omitted the blueberry filling though, added some cherry syrup to compensate for it. The cake turned out to be moist and tasted just like the store bought ones...hehe...sis said that it's the best tasting and best looking cake of all the ones I've been making. Actually, a number of them turned out to be a disaster...one was too sweet, others were too dense, too oily, too blend and too crumbly.

Also opted to use fresh cherries instead of glazed ones for a more natural flavour. But, the fresh cherries were sour and so expensive...will have to use glazed ones next time.....

A slice of blackforest cake anyone?

Failed Mission

I have been working in the same company for almost 4 years now. Yeah, it's a bit too short of a time to complain but I AM SO BORED! Don't get me wrong, we have work...in fact plenty of work. Just that I don't have the mood and encouragement to continue working here anymore. I NEED A NEW JOB!

"My Unruly Desk"

I have a mission when I first joined the company. I wanted only to work here for 3 years, get the experience and go on to look for a better company with better benefits. By the way, this company which I've been working for is one of those "China man's". I am not complaining much, but aiming for a company which provide better benefits is my mission. What happens if I have kids later? I need a company which extends medical benefits to my children too. Currently, we are able to visit our panel clinics for up to a maximum of RM150 per year ONLY, which translates to about 4 times of a GP visit. Further to that, we need to bear the additional cost for any single visit amounting to more than RM35. Sucks, huh?

The work here is not monotonous, but neither is it challenging enough. I salute those people who can actually stay in the same company for the rest of their working life. Must be the colleagues which in time become friends, i think.

I have been hunting for a new job for quite some time now. But, every time I flip through the papers, I can't seem to find a job that I would like to apply for. Those which I've applied, there were no response. I am probably not aggressive enough while following up on my job applications. Oh well, it seems that I am not putting enough effort into looking for a new job. Sounds more like "I don't want to work"....hehe...

Anyhow, I still need to work. Money is the biggest reason of all. Need money for everything, the house, food, car, parents, bills and later kids! If anyone would care to recommend me a better job...sigh.....

The Real Hanoi

Been away for the past couple of weeks. Busy with work again...as much as I'd like to write but just couldn't find the time and energy to. Wish I could write more as it eases my mind and make me happy while looking at the photos on my blog. Yeah, although the photos are of lousy quality, I'd like to think more of it as remembrance rather than art.

I've manage to capture a few pictures of Hanoi during my work session in Hanoi. It's a pretty decent place to visit should you like french buildings and would like to know more about the
Vietnamese culture.

Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. I've always thought that Ho Chi Minh was the capital. But no, Hanoi being not only the capital is a major tourist attraction.





























The hotel was good although just a budget one at about USD35/night.















The people are friendly and accommodating but only a few speak and understand English. Instead, we had to learn a few Vietnamese language to be able to move around and order some food. The hotel of course is the best place to ask for help when you are in need.



























No, food is not cheap. A bowl of rice noodle (like koay tiao soup here) cost as much as USD1.5 minus the comfort of sitting in a proper restaurant. Yes, these plastic/wooden chairs or tables and kind of hygiene are what you'll get. But definitely the local taste, which is light and healthy. The better restaurants cost whey more without the actual Vietnamese feel.

This was called Brittle Fried Noodle. I was expecting a plate of noodles and it turned out I got some crunchy fried flour (taste a little like 'taupok') with lots of 'choi sam' and some beef. Taste was good no doubt but it was more like a snack rather than a meal.

'Siu Chow'

There's this food court close to my office where we have our lunch. The variety is not that good and most stalls tend to come and go. This particular 'siu chow' stall however, is a big hit....they provide decent dishes for a reasonable price of RM 5.50. Everyone seems to be ordering from them even though they know that they'll have to wait.

I, on the other hand did not favour this stall. Not because they are no good. But rather because they don't have an English menu. I can't read Chinese, duh.....I could only order 'kung po har ko' and 'pai kuat wong' from what I hear others order. If someone could translate what they have here, or at least give me some suggestions on what else I could order : )

Dining Set

Finally got our dining set....no more meals on the floor! ....except for the occasional snack in front of our TV, erm...I mean PC.

Table from red apple and chairs, IKEA.


Matches our wall, eh? Check out the bottom interior of the table, stainless steel bars to support the tempered glass top or was it just design? Anyway, we love it!

The Tie That Binds - Kent Haruf

Bought this book on a warehouse sale, I think it was Popular, or was it Times? Wasn't looking for a specific title or author. Just love books. Anyway, did not expect it to be such an encouraging book (very much worth the price I paid).

The book really does explains the title. Ties. If you're one of those who thinks that you have a lousy family or that your parents and siblings are unlike family to you at all, then this is a good book to read.

I would think that most parents or more specifically fathers are not like one in this fiction. But what matters is that how his daugther could endure her entire life with such a father, sacrifying her own life and yet provides love and happiness for others.

Definitely a recommended read!

No Bake Granny Apple Cheesecake

Had 3 small Granny Apples left in my fridge and did not know else what to do with them. Been drinking apple juice for the past 2 weeks...yeah, they were too sour to eat, had to mix with some carrot juice.

Mum's birthday was around the corner and I've always wanted to make her a non-bake cheesecake. Just didn't know what flavour to do, already made blueberry, strawberry and Oreos....wanted to try something new. Found a recipe online but it was with eggs and ground cinnamon....didn't want any of these in the cake so I omitted them and modified the recipe a little...Granny Apple Cheesecake

Crust:
6 pieces Digestive biscuits
1/4 cup peanut butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Press firmly into a 8-inch springform pan( I used loose bottom type). Chill for 1 hour.

Apple-Cheese Filling:
1 tbsp gelatine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500 gms Philly cream cheese
100 gms non diary whipped cream
2 large Granny Smith apples, pared, cored
and chopped into cubes (2 cups)

In a medium saucepan, combine gelatine with 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in milk and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in gelatine mixture. Stir in apple cubes. Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

In a small bowl, whip non diary cream with icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into apple-cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Chill overnight or 8 to 12 hours until firm.

The cake turned out to be a bit wobbly, tasted weird at first (first time tasting chilled apple cheesecake, not sure what to compare to) but the recipe's definitely a keeper.