20 A Sunday At Port Dickson

It's a picnic!

Picnics were a big part of my childhood life on Labuan island where I was born. As I sat, looking out into the night sky, on the garden bench in my balcony, and began reminiscing about the good 'ol days, I realised that in my fifteen years of living in the city, I've only ever been to a picnic ..once. That's just sad, I thought to myself.

So, in a moment of I've-got-to-right-this-situation-pronto!, I approached the husband with an idea of going to the beach in the morning. He looked at me as though I'd gone bonkers, but humoured me with a yes just the same after I seduced him with a steaming cup of chocolate malt drink.

And that, my blogging friends, is how this outing came about.

Port Dickson Beach

We spent our Sunday at a beach in Port Dickson, having one of the best days of our lives. The place was alive with barbecues and campers. We sat ourselves down under the shade of this coconut tree.

Coconut Tree

We chatted about life in general.

Together Forever

We did a bit of people-watching.

People-Watching

We ate ... a huge curry bun, which I wrote about in detail on my other blog.

Grabbing Some Picnic Food

We headed home a couple of hours later, and took a snooze right after a well-needed shower. The evening was spent watching movies into the night. That's what I call a wonderful weekend. ♥

20 Dapao : Pork Leg Mee Hoon Soup, My Thai Cuisine

I've made it a habit to cook dinner every day, except on Sundays. My other half and I would gallivant the town in search of food, things to do and places to visit on this non-cooking day. You could say it's our 'us' time.

We stumbled upon this pork leg mee hoon (rice vermicelli) soup stall whilst looking for a chicken rice vendor, in an area that is listed on Wikimapia as 'Kawasan Lapang' along Batu 3, Jalan Ipoh. Don't laugh now. I have just edited the map to include this newly discovered food stall for your convenience!

A little about this dapao (takeaway) gem. The pork broth is flavourful, evidence that it has been on the stove for hours. The meat is tender - falling off the bones is another way I would describe it. It was indeed delicious.

Check out the ingredients : Tender pork meat, fish ball, fish cakes, a whole egg, preserved vegetables and the customary garnishing using flat leaf parsley. 

Pork Leg Rice Noodles

A mildly-sour chilli condiment is included with the dapao.

Pork Leg Rice Noodles + Chilli

This is the friendly lady who attended to our order.

My Thai Cuisine at Jalan Tiong

I felt it was worth the RM7 considering the slightly bigger portion and how much I enjoyed each slurp.

Location : Jalan Tiong ( http://wikimapia.org/33921799/My-Thai-Cuisine ) - Off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (formerly Batu 3, Jalan Ipoh). Between a row of food stalls next to the shoplot that houses the famous Kedai Kopi Mee Bon (a Dim Sum restaurant).

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Besides this blog, I also write at sweethomechefs.blogspot.com . It's where I share meals I whip up for dinner. Please follow me there if you're keen to read about my cooking journey. I will be delighted by your support! 

8 On Keeping Mum ..s

I've been waiting for these yellow mums to bloom for close to eight months.

In the beginning, I pinched away the unopened buds because they were dying off on the stems. I stopped doing it when it didn't seem to end - one bud after another! Exhausting, I say.

Earlier in the week however, I was excited to see some yellow petals peeking out. A good sign, I thought! But four-five days in, it stayed selfishly in a cocoon shape.

As I stared at the buds again this morning, I frowned at this little buddy which seemed to be giving me the finger. Gasp!

Yellow Mums

Well, I am not perturbed! I will continue to wait patiently.

Just living is not enough, said the butterfly, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.

~ Hans Christian Andersen 

20 Dapao : Ilham Nasi Kukus, Mutiara Damansara

It was boasted on the flyer - Sambal belacan yang 'hot & kicking' pasti akan membuat anda berpeluh! (Chilli so spicy that you will surely sweat!)

That's precisely how it went down with me as I tucked into my nasi kukus (steamed rice) that came packed with a large piece of spiced fried chicken, pineapple and anchovies on the side. My rice was flooded with plain curry gravy and a shrimp paste chilli condiment that had quite a bit of seeds in it.
 

Nasi Kukus with Pineapple and Anchovies

Besides RM6, this nasi kukus adventure cost me many tissues and several sips of chilled water. I would have thrown in the towel had it not tasted oh-so-marvelous. I knew I was punishing myself, really. My tongue was burning. Funnily, all I could think of was, "Yum, yum, yum!". I couldn't stop myself!

Have you ever been in a situation where you go, "I can't do this anymore! " , but strive on anyway? Yep, exactly how I felt. If only this can-do spirit extended to the gym..sigh!

Spicy Sambal Belacan and Curry Gravy

I rate this as one of the best meals I'd ever dapao-ed home, even if beads of sweat had rolled down the sides of my slightly flushed cheeks.

Is there a Nasi Kukus stall which you frequent, that you would describe as 'ada kick' (got kick)?  Do share the details with me here because I'm always game for good food, and will hunt it down if I were in the area!

Dapao = takeaway.

Ilham Nasi Kukus, Mutiara Damansara 
Address : No.7,jalan PJU 7/16,Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Open Mon-Sun: 11:30-22:00

17 Blackmores Collagen - High Strength!

Life begins at 4 ...no. Life begins the moment I step out of bed, everyday! I choose to embrace every stage of my existence in this world! That's my mantra. ;) Have you got one?

As I progress into middle-age, several words have seen fit to meddle with my mind and magnify themselves - brown spots, crow's feet, fine lines, supplements, sugar-free, cholesterol-free, low-fat, low-sodium, anti-aging, collagen, firming, moisturising! I could go on.

Eyeing the hand cream that is lying in my IKEA weaved basket, I rub at my dry skin and walk over in a huff, telling myself, "It's good for me!". I began applying the cream. That's how I am with beauty care ever since I left my white-collar job at an IT firm.

However, I've been making little changes to include self-care as part of my daily routine, and not treat it as a chore that needs to be done only when I feel it's needed.

I think I'm doing a pretty good job with daily applications of some sort of face and body cream, plus scrubs and a hair-thingy once a week. Do you remember the names of half the products you use? It was less complicated than I used to remember. A face cream was just 'Face Cream'. Now, there's Revitalift Laser x3,  UV whitening, active cellular restoration, bio-restorative day creams ..? I'm LOL-ing as I type these out.

Anyway, I'm going out of topic.

As we get older, it's only natural that we think about taking better care of ourselves. So, I guess all these words that have made their way into my life is only there because I'm making a conscious effort to be healthier.

When I saw Blackmores Collagen 10,000mg, I knew I had to try it! Collagen is known for skin rejuvenation. As we grow older, we produce less collagen. Women my age take collagen supplements for overall wellness and to keep their skin looking young.

Blackmores Collagen - High Strength!

This is it - my glass of chilled fish collagen. Cheers!

"Gahhh..!! That is fishy! " I shuddered as I took another sip. Yep, that's how I finished it. It's a whole lot fishier than I expected although it's masked with apple juice. I rank this drink as - 'challenging'.

Cheers!

My thoughts: I can't say for sure if it's the placebo effect on play, but I think my skin feels better after taking this.

There's a saying - If it's hard to swallow, it must be good for you. Lol!

8 Visiting SPCA, Selangor (The New Eco-Animal Shelter)

A friend asked for a ride to SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), to get her cats neutered. I readily agreed because I was excited to see the new facility!

To get an idea what the old SPCA looks like and what the plans for the RM3mil eco-animal shelter are, click here and here. I gathered from a couple of news portals that the new facility is expected to house 450 animals, about a hundred more than it could before. It has been open for public visits since July, but is clearly still a work-in-progress.

SPCA is well known for helping abused and abandoned furry friends, and they are always striving to go further. Their new facility, although not perfect, is a good start to something wonderful!

Here are some pictures I took of the place:

Welcome To The Spanking New SPCA, Selangor

This, I believe, is where animal lovers will be taught how to handle their pets.

Education Centre

The buildings at the back (pictured below) are where stray dogs will be housed short-term. Part of the roof is covered with canvas, which looks to be temporary. As I mentioned earlier, work-in-progress!   

SPCA makes hard decisions to euthanise strays that do not find homes due to limited space. They are striving to be a no-kill centre with this eco-friendly shelter, but I wonder if there are enough kennels for that to happen. I'm guessing that it will take awhile longer to realise this dream.

An Overview Of The Dog Kennel Buldings

In honest, I'm not getting a good vibe about the kennels. Compared to the old ones, it is of gloomy hopelessness. However, I'm keeping an open mind until the roof is properly in place. Perhaps there's a transparent piece in between the roof tiles for a little light to shine in.

Dog Kennels

This compound is called the 'Adventure Park'. It's an exercise area for the furry friends. A very fun place to be with small balls for them to play with and a wire tunnel for them to run through. Imagine if a group of gardeners volunteered to spruce this place up. 'Happening' would be the word!

Adventure Park

I was looking forward to seeing the 'cat studios and cat mansion with hybrid cage/aviary design' , but couldn't find anything close to this description. It's probably still under construction. I did, however, find a fluorescent-lit room housing some cats.

Cat Confinement

'Rainwater recycling and natural groundwater usage' is one of the highlights of SPCA's new centre. It's a brilliant initiative that deserves praise. I regret not asking someone to show me how it looked/works.

This (pictured below) could be where they hope to recycle rainwater. At the moment, there is only murky water. The same goes for the other pool I saw at the corner.

The Murky Water Pool

No prizes for guessing what this place is for! Food preparation, of course.

Kitchen

Well, that's that on my walkabout at SPCA.

Before I end, here's a little advice from my gf,  who's a true-blue furry friend lover :

1) Neuter your pets.
This reduces the number of strays and stops you from pleading for people to 'help take in the puppies or kittens' because you can't handle that many of them. Your guess is as good as mine as to what may happen, if no one steps forward.

2) Adopt, don't buy.
Yep, if you want to get a dog or a cat, drop by an animal shelter to adopt one. Don't support inhumane puppy mills. Plus, you'd be saving a life.

12 I Paint Not The Canvas

It's our 10th anniversary of home ownership. Hubs and I signed the papers a decade ago after being lured by a bright and breezy ambiance. I love the view which is at the moment, still largely unobstructed by high-rises.

I've learned that home isn't a place, it's a feeling. ~ Cecelia Ahern

As with anything that grows old with time, there is wear and tear. Leaky taps, peeling paint, faded sofa covers are some examples. I wasn't pleased with the situation in our bathroom. The ceiling was stained with smudges of grey. So, I gave it a paint job.

Climbing up the ladder made me realise that I was no longer the agile 20-year-old I used to be. With a less steady foot on the narrow steps and several oofs, I wondered how I even climbed trees in the past. This was the same ladder that I had confidently jumped up and down from in my earlier home owning days.

I took a short break to snap this picture, an excuse to rest my neck from the strain it was feeling from looking up for long periods as I swished the paint roller back and forth. 

The Ceiling Gets A New Coat Of Paint

This is an old can of unfinished paint which I've saved for more than a couple of years. Part of it was used to paint the bathroom door. It was during the time I had embarked on a painting project which I had written about here and here. I used it all up this time.

Paint tip: Cover the lid of an unfinished can of paint tightly so that you can use what's left, when the time comes.

Old Paint, Stored Properly, Can Be Used Again

Next, I painted the rattan edging of our bath mirror. Some areas of the rattan had turned an unsightly black from water marks.

This is it - the before and after!

Paint Job - Done!

That's two things crossed off my to-do list!

16 All RM5 Book Fiesta - It's Popular!

If you're in Kuala Lumpur this weekend, and if you love books, then Popular Book Store's All RM5 Fiesta would be your kind of heaven.

I popped in for a look-see last week when Hubs decided to drop by Viva Home Shopping Mall (where the fiesta is) to check out home fixtures at a shop there. Although it was less than a 20-minute walkabout , I picked up a good haul of books.

"Good job! " I grinned and gave myself a pat on the back. One, for being disciplined enough to stick to the budget and two, for settling some of my Christmas gift shopping.

This is a photo of the entrance to the sale. Fellow book lovers, enter at your own risk. I'm kidding. 

Buy! Buy! Buy!

There is a fair selection to choose from. I was mostly in the cookery section so I cannot confirm how extensive it was. I did pick up some other books as I headed towards the cashier.

RM5 Book Fiesta At Viva Home Expo Hall

I guess I can start wrapping these up.

Book Gifts - All RM5 each!

I won't be rushing or panicking this Christmas. That's for sure!

Mission Accomplished!

So's my Blue Pea Flower plant. It's on top of my head and in need of trimming.

The All RM5 Fiesta ends this Sunday on 27 Sep. Make your way to: Viva Home Expo Hall.

My adventure last year and lack of self-control.

14 The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

If you're into beauty products, then this is for you.

I popped by the The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus yesterday morning. It was the most striking thing along the roadside. Bright, bold and pink. It was a head turner and I fell in love with it.

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

There's no denying that I'm a fan of the magazine, diligently buying an issue for every month, for the past few years and having attended various of their events.

They were giving out goodie bags to the first 200 readers (at each location) who flash a copy of the September issue at the Beauty Bus. Since I owned a copy, I decided to join the queue.

Queuing For A Goodie Bag

These are the items that were inside my bag - Lipidol cleanser, Laneige Basic & Water Bank refreshing kit, Dove deodorants and hair care samples, Clear shampoo, Murad cash vouchers, Loreal skin care samples and Biore makeup removers.

After that, we were asked to spin the wheel for a gift. I was blessed with a bottle of Schwarzkopf Essensity colour and moisture spray conditioner (the green bottle).  

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Goodie Bag

If you miss the goodie bag, don't worry about it. Climb up the bus to get hair and beauty tips from the professionals plus maybe a few samples. If you're lucky, you can get your hair styled for free. There are also activities being run throughout the day and they'll reward you with goodies if you take part!

Lastly, snap a selfie with the Beauty Bus. Post it on instagram and hashtag #mww15th . You may just win a prize. See how generous they are?

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus In Awesome Pink

The Malaysian Women's Weekly Beauty Bus

The Beauty Bus will be making it's final stop at IPC tomorrow - Outdoor Main Entrance, Ground Floor, IPC – 10:30am to 7:00pm. Don't miss it, and be early if you want the goodie bag.

Fun facts : The Malaysian Women's Weekly was launched in year 2000, making this year their 15th anniversary. This is their first Beauty Bus event.

8 Mind Matter : The Thing About Happiness

Is anyone here a fan of the TV show 'Hart Of Dixie'? The story's a little over-the-top, but I love its many hilarious moments and the good feeling it brings about.

I'm not going to elaborate on the show. I'm here to share some of Wade's wisdom which I think makes a lot of sense. Wade is a fictional character, of course.  I wrote this down as I watched the show. I've a habit of doing that - collecting inspiring words from TV shows. 

This one's from Season 2 - If It Makes You Happy.

Wade Kinsella says to Zoe Hart ...

"Sometimes I think you're just the saddest person in the world. Always looking over your shoulder what life should be instead of taking it for what it is.

You're not honest about what makes you happy. 

You know what I'm gonna do tonight? I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna play video games for 2-3 hours. What I'm not gonna do is beat myself up for playing video games instead of saving the world. If I wanna save the world, hell, I'll do it tomorrow.

Cos it's my choice.

Just like it was your choice to stay in Bluebell, it's your choice to be a GP instead of a super sonic space surgeon or whatever, and it was your choice to go to bed with me. And clearly, something about every one of those choices made you happy. The problem is they don't match up with the picture in your head about what your life should be. 

You wanna be happy, Doc? Change your picture, change your life."

Makes sense?

18 Finespun Ice Cream

This isn't the kind of ice cream that is largely available in supermarkets, with a long expiry date. It's an artisanal brand that can only be found in a few food and drink outlets located around PJ and KL. Where exactly? The details can be found on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/finespun.kl .

I have in hand three flavours to try.  From left (pictured below) : Earl Grey, Salted Butter Caramel with Kuih Karas topping, French Vanilla Deluxe.

Homemade ice creams are truly the best because of the amount of love put into creating a flavour. You won't find anything regular about it. It's rich and each one is distinct from another - that's Finespun for you.

To tell you the truth, I have been watching my favourite shows with a tub in hand for the past week. I have more than once, fleetingly, thought about my protruding tummy. But, never enough to feel remorse. The satisfaction outweighs any guilty feeling.

Earl Grey has a light pleasant taste to it that screams tea all over. I like this one a lot. The Salted Butter Caramel is I would say, an acquired taste, with a mild liquor-like flavour which I can't accurately describe. 

Finespun Ice Cream

This (pictured below), would be my favourite out of the three - French Vanilla. I rate it level seventh heaven. It tastes nothing like the cheap sugary vanilla ice cream that I'm used to. My husband found this one exceptionally delicious. I have yet to let him know that I've licked the tub clean. Sorry, Hubs!

It looks like Finespun has brought out the dark no-sharing side in me!

Finespun French Vanilla Deluxe

This experience was made possible when I was blessed with a voucher for three 10oz tubs of ice cream sometime ago, from an instagram contest I'd joined. I never went to claim it. It was the busiest time of my life, weeks flew and before I knew it, the deadline was around the corner.

Just as I was going to contact Finespun to see if I could pop over, they offered to deliver the ice cream to voucher holders living in the Klang Valley. I was thrilled by the news and promptly arranged for mine to be sent to my home. I add, they were the loveliest people to deal with!

How my ice cream arrived:

The Packaging

Give this a try if you see it!