Bye, bye Oreo..and God Bless

AK's best friend in Subang, Oreo has sadly left us and passed on. According to his owner, he was 17 years old.

He used to come and look for AK every time AK was at home and demanded as much attention as he could. Even though he was sprayed with water, shooed away, he always came back and got what he wanted - a pet or two, or twenty from AK. He'd fall asleep, curled like a ball in AK's driveway just waiting for him to come home.

Then, for the past week, he didn't turn up. And that's when we found out that he had left this world. We can rest in the fact that he lived a cosy, happy little life in this SS18 row of houses, ambling along and looking for friends like AK as he wanted.

It was actually thanks to Oreo that AK persuaded me to adopt Baby, and what a joy that turned out to be. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful that we did. So thank you, Oreo.

You will be missed.

Hope the angels are making as big a fuss of you as AK did :)

Me and My Bros

I think the last time three of us took a photo together was when we stayed at the Parkroyal, Daniel was barely five and both of them were wearing Kok0-Nut Club flourescent yellow pouches and green sunglasses....and both of my brothers were actually cute, and their sister aka me was a chubby primary schooler.

So last week Mum in all her wisdom insisted that we take a photo together, and here we are with her. That's my grandma in the background, along with my auntie's legs :)

As you can see no one in their right mind would call us cute and chubby anymore.

This one's for the Facebook page!

Dressed Up Coffee Cupcakes

And heeeeee............eere they are!! My coffee cupcakes all dressed up and ready to party.

Special thanks to my cousin Melissa for painstakingly sorting out all the coloured rice for me, no way I would have done this without her!

Recipe for shiny dark chocolate frosting:

Melt 7 parts dark chocolate to 1 part butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.
Once melted, take off heat.
Tablespoon by tablespoon, stir in icing sugar to taste.

Pink and white with pale pink cupcake case.

Blue and green in a baby blue case.

And yellow, like gold!

Happy New Year, we're all tired and satisfied after our steamboat dinner.

Chocolate-Chip Coffee Cupcakes

Another happily adapted recipe from a gorgeous blog which has sadly been discontinued. I don't like cakes too moist so I adapted it a little. I also like a stronger coffee taste, so would use more coffee.

Am looking forward to topping these with a chocolate icing and sprinking with coloured rice to match with their little cupcake cases :)

Coffee Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips

- Adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop (thanks, Chockylit)

- Will make around 18 small cupcakes

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperatur

1,1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups + 1 tablespoon self-raising flour

1/8 teaspoon salt - I just omitted this since I used

2 tablespoons instant coffee (I used Nescafe)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

Semisweet chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons - I chopped my own 76% cocoa butter bar

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. While most people say it takes 3-5 minutes, I always take much longer, say 20 minutes with a handheld electric beater. I beat till the batter is close to white and I can't see the sugar granules anymore.

2. Still using the electric beaters, beat in the eggs one at a time.

3. Sift flour and coffee together.

4. Fold in the flour+coffee mixture, 1/4 cup at a time

5. Fold in the milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time

6. Fold in the chocolate chips.

7. Fill your cupcake moulds till half full

8. Bake at 170 degC for 20 minutes.

Goodnight, my dears.

I *Heart* Penang

I love Penang, even with the heat, the pollution, the thrash, the inconsiderate people and the psycho drivers. Here's why:

View of the sun setting from Bukit Genting, a hilltop restaurant at Balik Pulau, where you gotta muster some courage to drive to. I remember trying to coax my Kelisa up an almost 45-degree slope to reach here, AFTER half and hour of winding in and out round the hill road. But once you reach there, the views of the unspoilt beaches of the South, the paddy fields and the mangrove forests are worth all of the jitters. This is a shot rarely seen of my home state. Sorry for the lousy shot, we were a bit late getting the shot and the sun was already on its way down.

The unspoilt, almost secret Pantai Kerachut. It's inaccessible by car, you park at a fishing village in Batu Maung then hike a narrow path to the beach. It's the ONLY beach in Penang where the water is crystal clear on a sunny day, like the undeveloped Malaysian East Coast. The last time I went there, we took a boat half the way and were rewarded by the sight of dolphins!!

You can glimpse monitor lizards and otters too if you're lucky (and very quiet, which my group wasn't). But there's no thrash, no picnicking families and and no jet skis. Most likely just you and nature.

Shots of Bangkok Lane, a row of conservation houses that the tenants so impressively made their own:

Vintage car in one of the driveways. Just completes the look, doesn't it?

Love the way those climber plants wind their way up the walls and pillars of the house, and the look of those wooden shutters.

Window planter boxes.

The ugly drain covers and covered up, and the entire driveway prettied up by a plethora of plants. Pretty sure the owner doesn't own a car though, or parks outside *grin*. Great inspiration for my future house - didn't realise there were so many shades of green :)

I just pray, that with the Unesco World Heritage status, that the people who we put in charge of Penang would do her justice. A true melting pot of Peranakan, Mamak, Eurasians admist the Chinese, Indians and Malays. Where you can find a mosque next to a Chinese Temple. Where Thaipusam is celebrated big time with kavadee carriers, brass milk pots, coconut thrashing and pilgrims from all of the North. Where people happily sit next to a drain to slurp a bowl of laksa. Where goldsmiths, lion dance costume makers, joss stick makers, songkok makers share the same row of shophouses as they did eons ago. Where stately white, wide-pillared colonial buildings meld with the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion, with the Khoo Kongsi, with the Kapitan Keling mosque. Shophouses where the tiny tiles are little works of art. Stalls that have been there and run by the same uncles, like, forever. No wonder the NY Times recommends Penang as one of the 44 places to visit this year.

So Mr. Lim, I humbly present my suggestions for the good of my beloved home state:

1) For goodness's sake, you gotta improve the public transportation system. Be it dedicated bus lanes with LPG-powered buses, and we are SO in need of a monorail. Penang is tiny - I would think that a monorail would do it so much good without the need for more roads. There's just too many cars on the road now. My family alone owns four cars, for the simple reason that there is just No other alternative. So much productivity is lost in those traffic jams, and ironically Penang's size makes it so simple to do something to overcome this! Low hanging fruit!!

2) Get the taxis to use their meters! Convert them to LPG taxis like in KL, and make their meter use mandatory. I know from talking to so many taxi drivers in KL that they're earning a couple thousand bucks per month, one of main reasons being that LPG is so cheap. It's a damned shame that we have to pay 30 bucks for 8 kilometers worth of driving. If Penang is so small, then up the cost per km a little, but don't suck their blood so as to turn people off that it's a bane to tourism in the state.

3) NO MORE HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENTS!

4) Clean up Sungai Pinang. Singapore and even Malacca cleaned up their river, Penang can do it too, even if it takes 20 years. Move the squatters into low cost housing in the mainland, and plant mangrove trees on its banks.

5) Fine every soul who dares throw thrash outside of a rubbish bin.

6) Give our faithful hawkers good plumbing and waste disposal facilities, make it mandatory for them to use them so they don't throw their waste into the drains.

Some things to keep:

1) Those gorgeous roadside trees that have been there since the British were here. You can't buy these.

2) Pantai Acheh and Kerachut, and Gertak Sanggul. Compared to the overrated BAtu Feringghi, these are unspoilts paradises. Leave them be, accessible only by die hard nature lovers.

3) The Little Penang Street Market, what a wonderful way to bring crafts, cuisine and culture into a little event! I've been luckly enough to go to one and came away totally charmed by the people and the stuff they sold.

4) E & O Hotel, The Blue Mansion, the Khoo Konsi, Kek Lok Si, Beach Street of international banks occupying heritage buildings.

5) Conservation of heritage buildings like those on Millionare's Row, and Bangkok Lane, Nagore Road.

6) Our Botanical Gardens and Durian and Nutmeg Orchards in Balik Pulau

Rooster in the Year of the Ox

Yay!! I have a feeling that 2009 will be better for me, as after a bumbling 2008 (1st year back in the office, more downs than ups, a second fracture, relationship LOWS and improvements thereafter)

There's so many things I want to do, and I might not have the time to do it all, but here's tops of my list:

1) Learn to interpret company balance sheets and calculate Price to Earnings Ratios, etc. Yes, I fully expect to be there for the rebound. To be honest it's not that simple to follow, but hey, I've calculated integral models of air flowing aroung helicopter blades, and I've learnt to cook pretty good. This is one more hill to climb, all I gotta do is commit, and learn, learn learn, practice, practice, practice.
2) Start lobbying for my next assignment, 1st of figure out what it is exactly that I want to do
3) Listen to motivational CDs, re-read my Jack Canfield and Anthony Robbins and Stephen Covey.
4) Cultivate not only my hobbies, but my image and overall being. Sure, I revamped my wardrobe but I want to stop with the dishevelled hair, the eyebags. I want to WEAR success on my sleeve, and really feel all these words - invincible, impeccable, elegant, unstoppable, unsurpassingly capable

Rooster Ratings 72% (10 favorable and 2 neutral months)!!!

Get ready for an outstanding year. Aside from the Snake, the Rooster has the best prospects in the year of the Ox. This is the kind of year you have been waiting for, as everything seems to go your way. You have been diligently working towards some long term goals that finally come together this year. Your relations are felt at new levels, as you find a sense of satisfaction that you may not have experienced in a long time. Things you may have thought not possible will become a reality for you in this positive year.

Rooster Career
Determination and diligence are two key aspects that put the Rooster over the top this year. 2009 is a year that you should promote yourself: Your ideas and your talents will be highly regarded and you will be recognized for past and present efforts. Give it your best this year and seize any opportunity that presents itself. This year will certainly be a landmark for years to come, as you will remember it as one of your most productive times in your life.

Rooster Relationships
Domestic matters will fare well for the Rooster this year. You will find comfort in the support and encouragement of family members and friends alike. Seek advice from your seniors, as they may provide information that opens doors to areas that are not known. The social life for the Rooster is a busy schedule. You will enjoy the company of others in many social functions and parties. Romance is highly favorable for the unattached Rooster, so flaunt your feathers.

Rooster Health
Health issues are minor for the Rooster this year. Though exercise and diet are not an issue, you may have a problem maintaining the discipline of a steady routine. Take the time to get the exercise you need and everything should work out fine for you. Being somewhat of a risk taker, you may want to try something new that holds your interests. Consider surfing or parasailing to indulge your fancy.

Rooster Wealth
This a great year financially for the Rooster. If you have any available funds, you may want to reinvest it in your work. This could prove to be highly favorable and you will reap the benefits in your return. One key issue is your spending habits. Make sure you don't spend the money before it is in the bank or this could pose a problem with your budget. Receive professional advice for any large investments in areas that you are unfamiliar.

Dinner in Girona

We chose this restaurant for one thing and one thing only - the rabbit they promised to serve.


My appetizer - steamed mussels. Think they were rather overcooked, but good nevertheless.

AK tucking into his steamed snails.

Our roasted rabbit. Nothing spectacular really and the chef was really heavy on the salt with this one.

Playing with my calamari.

Creme caramel with some kinda liquor used in the syrup.

The best dish, IMHO - Crema Catalana.

Overall it was 12 euros per head, pretty OK for a full course meal. Couple that with the very friendly staff and it was a pretty good night.

A Congratulations Is in Order

Congratulations Barack Obama, and Congratulations, America.

Does this mean the dawn of our reconciliation? Can one man really make the difference?

Can we put aside our greed, our wars, our prejudice? Will this be the 1st step towards a better world?

What is it about Barack Obama that brings out the hopefulness, the belief that things can, will get better?

So many questions, in his own words, and such unprecedented challenges of prejudice, hatred, greed and violence that reached such heights under his predecessor.

I, for one, am full of that hope.

Chocolate BLOB Cookies

Pfft. So-called hearts, mine turned out to be blobs. Thank goodness they were tasty blobs, though :)

Again, thanks Recipezaar.

Of course I tweaked the recipe, reducing the sugar by a tablespoon and replacing a tablespoon of flour with cocoa. I also added roasted almonds, pounded into smaller chunks and chocolate chips.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa

Directions
In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in vanilla.
Combine the flour and cocoa; gradually add to creamed mixture.
On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Deb: If you can manage to, that is. All I got was a lump of sticky dough so I used teaspoons to dole out my blobs.
Cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter placing 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.
Remove to wire racks to cool.

Espanyol Eating....

OK, this first one is not exactly Spain, it's my lobster medallion served by the very gracious and gorgeous MAS flight attendants.


Churros with hot chocolate so thick it's a meal in itself.....leaving our tummies warm and happy.

Blood sausage sandwich

Mushrooms swimming in a very green, very beautiful if not surreal herb-flecked olive oil..part of a tapas spread in the highly recommended Cafe along La Rambla.

Seafood paella - not my favourite thing (well with our 20 types of Malaysian nasi goreng, it's a hard sell), but a must-try in Spain regardless.

One of the most interesting things we kampung boy and girl did was tour the Boqueria, or market. Here's a live seafood stall, with the lobsters and crabs still writhing and wiggling about.

Salt cod, a Spanish staple

Jamon, or spanish hams and everything that can be had from a pig..

Fresh fruits and mushrooms..notice they even had mangosteens and rambutans..for a handsome Euro, of course.

Dried figs, fat dates, dried apricots and plump olives.

Candied chestnuts (or marrons glaces), and the like... I didn't know that in addition to ginger, pineapple, apples, apricots, that we could candy kiwis as well..pretty little green pinwheels admist the pink, yellow and oranges.

Small punnets of fresh fruit you can buy and devour there and then..we bought a punnet of cherries and and readily seeded pomengranates. Cherries were ok - slightly bitter but the pomengranates seeds were everything they should be and more - sweet and juicy.

AK's dream come true, so many kinds of mushrooms..with fresh chestnuts, autumn's bounty.

And mine, handmade chocolates...

Nothing like deep fried flour and thick hot chocolate for breakfast...

Handmade chocolates display in Girona