4 Me and You char kway (Chinese cruller)

My favourite treat - Fresh off the wok "you char kway", richly slathered with melted butter and kaya.

Lightly salted fried bread stick - buttered and jammed

It was one of the things I missed most when I left for the big city a decade back. I had assumed in my simple mind that it would be a readily available snack all over Kuala Lumpur. I mean, who hasn't eaten 'you char kway' with kaya and butter, right? .. right? 

After visiting a couple of stalls, however, I came to the conclusion that city folks don't appreciate the finer things in 'you char kways'.

"No..no kaya,butter!" was the standard reply.

Here, they are sold as plain as day. I had a sinking feeling that I would miss it greatly and over the years, it just became the longest unfulfilled food craving ever.

Of course, I could have bought plain ones and added in my own filling but it wouldn't taste as heavenly, now would it? .. not after reheating and all.

So, on my recent trip back to Labuan..ehehe

That's mine!

Slice in half with a long knife

Make sure you're not on a diet

Good food comes rich in fat and flavour

The Kaya goes in next

There's my takeaway!

2 Magical Musicals Gala Premiere @ Sunway Lagoon - 10th June 2011

Mesmerising, that's how I would describe this latest initiative from Sunway Lagoon. The effort they put into creating a stage that could carry this musical over ordinary standards is certainly commendable. Malaysia Boleh!  "Huh? Where did that come from?.."

Getting in, however, was a sore point with me. We were made to go through three long queues! Humidity levels were high outside the theatre. As the hour dragged on, I became drenched in sweat. The agonising wait was obviously irritable to the tired faces that stared before the backs of many in the unmoving line.

This led me to believe that the amphitheatre would be nothing but a giant baking oven. Oh, woe. Oh wait, I'm glad I was proven wrong. Huge fans had been installed to counter the heat. Phew!

Amphitheatre @ Sunway Lagoon

The story of this musical is set in New York and it's about a group of performers seeking to make a name for themselves. Their struggles and how they find love in the end are portrayed in songs from Grease, Glee, Saturday Night Fever, Mamma Mia! and more, bringing substance to the loose script. Magical Musicals is therefore an apt name to describe this endeavor.

Saturday Night Fever

Playing with fire ..Jai Ho!

The cast

Posing for the photographers

I truly enjoyed the musical. I only wished that the food and drink vendors who keenly interrupt my view would remove themselves when the show was on. I also detest the fact that they were charging us at cut throat prices. RM5 for a bottle of mineral water is daylight robbery. This isn't a posh air-conditioned restaurant, for goodness sake.

These guys are a distraction.
Check out the price list!

The tickets

Tickets courtesy of AMBP, to whom I am grateful for this opportunity. For information on ticketing, showtimes and the production, head over to Air Asia Red Tix's website.

2 THE-licious Soto Daging (Beef Noodle Soup) @ Labuan

"With great company, comes great food."

No doubt about that. I was recently in Labuan for a holiday. Much merrymaking and feasting leaves me drugged in relaxation and in a state of paradise. Could I have found heaven? ..

The islanders are a simple lot, you'll hear "ayes" of approval in many conversations. While gossip thrives, as is typical of a small town, words of skepticism and discouragement are rarely spoken. You can depend on them for a fun day out in the sun.

I can't help but wonder if city folks are getting a worse bargain for all the hype that surrounds a more affluent society. They seem to be missing a key element in life, that is, contentment.

Our day started with breakfast at a Soto stall. Mom says that this is THE best soto in town...like THE, THE best. Ok mom, whatever you say. She's right, you know.

We made our way to THE stall located just a couple of rows behind Milimewa supermarket.

Here, I tucked into tender meat, fresh vegs and thin noodles in a bowl of glorious soup...bowl of glorious soup..bowl of glorious soup..bowl of glorious soup..bowl of glorious soup. Oops, sorry about that. Lost my train of thoughts somewhere.

In the middle of a row of shophouses

THE stall

We placed our orders

The secret ingredients revealed

Oh wow, I certainly underestimated the
amazingness of this local dish

Seconds, please?

In the good company of Mom and aunts

2 Forget, I cannot!

Let go, let go, let go
Easier said, that is so
Make light not another’s grief
You steal joy, you uncaring thief!

Years of sorrow
The feeling cannot just GO..!
It sits in the subconscious
Waiting to strike, it is merciless..

One is never really over it
'Those' memories are easily lit
A familiarity, a significance once shared,
It brings back moments once had

If the mind be a futuristic tech phenomenon
‘Esc’ pain, ‘Save’ love, ‘Delete’ burden
The heart would be lighter
Life, simpler.

~ Sharon D. @ 8 Jun 2011

0 The Sunday Driver

How? When? What? Who? Where?! ..Oh, Jalan Kuching..

Well, that settles it then. I'll never qualify for a job as a reporter.

The mysterious Sunday crash

0 Colmar Tropicale @ Berjaya Hills

Colmar Tropicale is a French themed village located just 45 minutes out of Kuala Lumpur. The cobbled street and medieval style buildings give a rustic feel to the place. Cool dewy air, fresh flowers and green grass, the grace of swans, all add to the charm of this small man-made romantic wonder.

My fourth trip up (a lunch affair) and I'm still in love with the serenity it brings to my state of thoughts. The only thing that mars my dreamy escapade is the fun fair booths they've erected hither and yon, similar to those found in i-City. I'm all for tourism for kids but surely something that suits traditional culture would have been more appropriate. Something French or local, like a game of congkak, anyone?

Bah..fool that I am. Beautiful places like these don't last long. Signs of disorderly construction and development of white elephant buildings are already plaguing the pristine greenery that has long made Colmar a special place in my heart. The journey up shows proof, ample.

A magical world of charm

Bridge over non-troubled waters

Love swans and fishes

At the heart of the village

Great scenery from the viewing tower

Restaurants and rooms

Spacious accommodation

I lunched here

Pasta's pretty yummy and not too pricey

Right across lies Le Chevalier
(The conference centre)

Business meets are held here

Hey, wait a minute. This wasn't here before!

Seriously?

Entrance fee: RM12.00

2 Ice Blended Watermelon Juice with Lemon

Oh, windless night that plagues me, be gone! Cocooned in a sweltering home, my mind was constantly playing over images of a cool icy drink. Yet my body refused to move. It was hot .. hot...HOT.

I wished for a refreshing bath in the low temperature Kinabalu mountains. I dream of sitting under the splashing rainforest enclosed waterfalls.

"Is this how you want your day to end? Laying in sweat drenched clothes with a sleepless night in the making." I chide my reluctant self. 

Off I went to get a thirst quencher and nothing beats a glass of ice blended watermelon juice with a bit of lemon for zing! I only say so ... because it's all I could find in my refrigerator really.

Mmm..mm...relief!

Take that, heat wave!

The ingredients

In the blender it goes

Oh, that is cool indeed

Ice blended refreshment

Ingredients:

- Watermelon

- Lemon

- Ice cubes

Todo:

1) Remove seeds from watermelon

2) Squeeze juice from lemon (according to taste)

3) Add seeded watermelons, lemon juice and ice cubes into the blender

(Add honey or melted sugar only IF the melon isn't sweet enough). A bit of water helps to get things moving. Blend until smooth.

2 Royal Selangor Visitor Centre - My 3rd visit

The Royal Selangor Visitor Centre is high on my recommendations list. I can't believe I've been here three times already!

Whenever I've guests staying over, I find it hard resisting a suggestion to visit. Most times I fail to convince my guests because the lure of Kuala Lumpur's shopping complexes are just too great a temptation. Nothing beats shopping, they say.

Even after so many years, the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre remains well maintained, with the same level of courteousness from guides. That speaks volumes of their dedication to the pewter trade.

I'm happy to see that the tankard remains at no. 1 in The Guinness Book of Records.

The giant tankard

Not just ANY tankard but the world's largest

Admission is free, but it's a must for all visitors to register for a guide.

Our guide for the day

A first hand look

A ladies affair..where are the guys in this?

Drone central

Long serving staff recognition

Cleaning in progress

Well maintained, in and out

After the tour, we took a break at the cafe. We ordered Oreo cheesecake to the detriment of our waist but I regret not, delicious!

Oreo, Lemon?

Oreo!



Tea is served in this lovely pumpkin-like teapot

 We approached the registration counter for a taxi out. They were prompt in arranging one to pick us up and even led us right to the door, with all the goodbye niceties. We were given the red-carpet treatment, I tell ya.

The visit three years ago - http://elephantsandmangoes.blogspot.com/2008/04/trip-to-royal-selangor.html