Day 1 : Weekend Gataway to Bangkok

This time a week ago, I was on my way to the airport. Yet again. This time for a shopping weekend with my sisters to KrungThep, meaning City of Angels. It was a last minute thing, but we manage to get ourselves there, shop till holes appeared in our pockets our hearts out and arrived back safely. No unrest or disturbance or anything of that sort. 

But sadly, my camera decided to give up on me. So not much pictures from this trip.


Lydia & Joyce. Boarding our plane.

We arrived. I went hunting for some food to break our big notes. Then we took a cab to our hotel in  Silom. Car fare THB250 + THB70 for toll + THB50 for additional airport charges.

Arrived at our home for the next 3 days, a 5-star hotel in the heart if Bangkok. Room on the 58th floor and overlooking the Chao Phrya River. Awesome!! More on hotel later.. 

After we went oohing-aahing and snapping gazillion photos in the hotel room, we took a walk out towards Patpong Market, hoping to find a place for dinner. 

Our stomach was protesting loudly after walking for over an hour. Finally settled on Silom Village Trade Center, slightly pricier but was at least decent with free show to boot :)

Whole Coconut. TNB95 each 

Deep Fried Crab Meat & Ground Pork stuffed in Crab Shell. THB150 for 2 pieces. 

Spicy Deep Fried Fish Maw, Cashew Nut, Dried Squid Salad. THB180. 

Green Curry Beef. THB150. 

Silom Village Trade Center is an open air concept seafood restaurant surrounded by shops. After dinner, we walked around window shopping. It all looks so expensive and we wanted to save our money for the biggest market ever at Chatuchak. 

We ended the night with cheeses and bacon-wrapped sausages from 7-eleven and snuggling up our 5-star beds while watching chick flicks.  

6th Anniversary @ Bosphorus, Pavillion

6 years ago, I made a choice and tonight, Rockstar and I celebrated six years of relationship and partnership. We drove to Kuala Lumpur, and had dinner at Bosphorus. We ate and talked about  all kinds of things, what we wanna do, stuff. We shopped, or at least I did, and spend time with each other.

Bread & Humus. Free. 

Rockstar like the bread, I like the humus. Just like so many things in our relationship. 

Ice Peach Tea. RM7.80

Hot Green Tea. RM5.80

Chicken Mushroom Salad - Mantarli Tavuk Salatasi. RM25.80

I wanted something light as I had a heavy lunch and settled on salad. My original choice - the Grilled Prawn Salad was not available and since the waitress recommended this, I decided to try. I would say, this is the best salad I tasted in my entire life. Even Rockstar, who does NOT eat salad, like it. That says much. Sauteed mushroom and chicken on bed of lettuce with creamy sauce, just the right amount of flavour to blend both the meat and vegetables together. Crunchy, creamy, and delicious. 

Mixed Grill Single - Karisik Izgara. RM78.80

Combination of Adna, Chicken Adna, Lamb Meat Balls, Lamb & Chicken Shish Kebabs, served with french fries, pilaf rice, lettuce, grilled tomato and green chili. Just a single platter was enough to share betwen us both. Rockstar decided that the Chicken Adna was the best among the rest but I choose the Chicken Shish Kebab. All the meat was grilled to perfection and we were satisfied with the choices of meat. 

Traditional Dessrt with Walnut - Baklava. RM18.80

Knowing me, dessert are a weakness. Since its not often we have a Turkish meal, I decided to go for a traditional item by choosing the Baklava. Paper-thin pastry sheets filled with walnut, topped with pistachio, garnished with sugar syrup and served with cream. Just reading it makes my mouth water again. Its one of the most decadent dessert I have ever tasted. The paper-thin pastry sheets was crunchy and the fillings of walnut and pistachio wasn't too sweet. I concluded that I must come back for more. 

We went home with full and satisfied stomach, smiles on our face, memories keep in our hearts, and 2 pairs of shoes - my wedding shoes!!! Another item ticked off my checklist. Thank you Rockstar. I love you more than them. Promise :)

This time next year, I would be married to this man. Can't wait ;)

Bosphorus - Fine Turkish Cuisine

6.33, Level 6,

KL Pavilion Shopping Centre,

Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 KL.

Tel : 03-2142 4000

Snapshot : Clear blue water @ Fishing Village, Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

Diving again @ Perhentian Island

Even since I got my Open Water last year September, I've been telling myself that I need to go for more dives. But the half year mark came, and left - still no dives. Then, the opportunity came for a diving trip back to good ole Perhentian Island. I grab it without much thinking...

Don't ask why I look so short. Blame it on the tanks

...which is not a very good thing to do. I started feeling really scare... seriously scared as I neared my dives time. Come on, its been 8 months since I last dive and those dives were not counted 'cos it was during my lesson. Try driving a car 8 months after you get your licence - with no practices in between. Yup, and do it underwater. See what I mean? Anyway, thanks to 2 great dive buddies who really helped me, I enjoyed myself. 

*picture link here

My 5th dive (1st-4th was done during my licence) was at the dive site known as 'Temple of the Sea'. It was affectionately named as the shape of the island was like a temple - big at the bottom and small-ish at the top. It was the deepest dive I've gone so far and the most amazing one. The water was so clear. I saw lots of moray eels - both big and small. I saw Box Fishes, which are fishes that are box-like in shape. Hah! Says who fishes are round or oval shape. I saw lots of puffer fish, which are un-puff, and trigger fishes, which are kinda dangerous. I saw bamboo sharks! and Blue-spotted Sting Rays and lots of needle fishes... It was really an amazing time and experience. 

Since my wedding is in 2.5 months time *gasps*, I didn't want to get burn and decided to cover myself up from head neck to toe for the entire trip. But gave up and stripped on the last day 'cos it was SUPER hot!!!

Had a quick but yummy lunch while updating our dive log books. Have you tasted Mars Roti Canai before? Yes, the chocolate bar 'Mars'. Go Perhentian Island and try. Its delicious!!

  

The next dive was at Sugar Wreck, named after a sugar cargo ship that sank near the coastline. It was my 1st wreck dive!!! Since I passed the morning dive, I was fearless on this, sort off, until I almost hit my head on a overhang covered in encrustations on my way down. Ship wreck are kinda scary as they have many nooks and overhangs and stuff. I kept looking upwards to ensure that I don't accidentally bump my head, or get stuck thinking I'm slim enough to go through the small gap when actually I can't and get stuck, and the more I struggle to free myself, the erm.. stucker I get? *cue horror music* 

Anyway, the currents was stronger here and we had to hold a rope as we descend to ensure that we don't get swept away.  Temperature was at 27 Celsius, very cold for underwater. The water was cloudy so visibility was low. But I did see a whole line of Coral Cat Sharks, schools of barracuda, and quite a number of Scorpion Fish. 

In case anyone is wondering how the water tasted, its salty. I tasted it. All the sugar didn't help one bit :)

Here's my dive buddies (from left to right) - James, Michelle, Robin (our dive master) and me. 

I really enjoyed myself. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait for my next dive... which is maybe next year. Sipadan anyone ?? :)

Brain Food : Need character??

Character and Integrity are indispensable. It is the foundation on which the leader's life is build. If people don't trust you, they won't follow you. 

Character communicates Credibility.

Character harnesses Respect.

Character creates Consistency.

Character earns Trust. 

being patient..

My mum is not the most IT-savvy person in the word. She first learned how to switch on a computer last year and since then have progress slowly.

When my dad got her the new ipad recently; she still have not grasp the concept of internet, web, google, apple and android, and oh, so many other things. And me being at home most of the time, became her source of helpdesk. It gets frustrating sometimes... trying to explain to her how things work... over and over again. 

But yesterday, something hit me...Did she feel the same when I was learning how to walk. or eat, or learn? Its had come one circle.If she could be patient with me for 27 years, why can't I do the same? Its my turn now....

I know just teaching her cannot cover back all the sacrifices she made but its worth trying..

Sorry mum. I'll try to be more patient and understanding from now on wards...

human roadkill

A couple of weeks back, I turned older... and my ever-loving mostly crazy bunch of friends decided to honour me by making me look like a murdered victim - with Heinz ketchup. And they thought it was fun *pfftt* I wondered who came up with such an idea..

* pictures credited to Huey Sing

I had ketchup dripping of my cheeks, smashed into my hair, blobs on my t-shirts and chunk load stuffed into my ears. 

I looked like an axe-serial killer just made me his latest target. 

And they brought me to The Gardens, MidValley for dinner after... yup, with remnants of ketchup still stuck in my ears and on my hair.  

Thanks so much guys..

Snapshot : Kids eagerly reaching for sweets @ Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia

I have an awesome dad

Father's Day is just around the corner and my family decided to avoid the crowds by celebrating it a week earlier. Our choice for the night was none other than the famous South Sea Seafood, located just opposite the Subang Airport.

Seabass Fish RM68

Salted Egg Mantis Prawn RM45

Vegetable RM38

Lala Soup RM43

Yam Basket RM65

Fried Squid RM48

Chicken with clicken slices RM70

Honeydew with Sago RM45

Food was as usual, absolutely delicious. Piping hot, crispy, sweet and just fantastic. One of the best seafood dishes I have ever tasted and my family couldn't agree more with me. However, price can be on the higher side. For a total of 12 people, the whole dinner came up to a total of RM532.45 including tea, rice, tidbits and towel. 

We had such a great time catching up and talking loads of rubbish. And since Grace gave me such a good opportunity of taking her famous facial movements, here is it posted up on my blog for all to see for her to be famous :)

Grace & Joyce <3

I love my big, crazy, food-loving, fun-loving, noisy, crappy, loads of rubbish talk, imaginative, and growing bigger family. 

Happy Father's Day, dad. Even though I don't say it but I love you dad :) Thanks for being an awesome dad..

South Sea Seafood
Tel : 03-7846 5813 / 03-7846 1401
229, Jalan Dua A, 
Kampung Baru Subang,
Selangor