A Dinner and a Wedding

A Nice Dinner with my Uni SIM school mates at Chang, a Korean BBQ restaurant on a Friday night. Located somewhere in Dempsey Road.

The atmosphere is nice. Very cozy and plenty of spaces between tables. The restaurant is also spacious.

Dinners can choose to sit on chairs or to sit on the floor. I'm glad WW made reservations to sit on chairs. I'm not too sure I can sit cross legged throughout the whole duration of the dinner without getting pins and needles in my legs!It's very comfortable to eat there and though it's BBQ, there's not much smoke nor much smell after that. I think ventilation in the restaurant is pretty good. That's why! Also, I saw that there are private rooms too... Maybe if there's enough people, can opt for such a room too.

Table full of appetizers.Honestly, I've no idea what are each of it is called. But I love the Ikan, the Kimchi and the Mashed Sweet Patato (yellow ball of something on the extreme right.)

We ordered a set of mixed beef, pork and chicken. The meat are good quality cuts, hence of course, we pay for what we eat. The total bill came up to about $280. Considering what we ate, it's really quality food!

Not a lot of photos, because we were all busy talking and eating to take photos!

We also took the chance to celebrate Sa's Bday a day in advance with a Bakerzin Cake!

Another Bday Cake(??) with complements from the restaurant. It tasted more like Ice Cream rather than cake. The pruple bit was either tapioca or yam. I cannot quite remember nor can I taste it. The yellow bit was pumpkin. Which when mixed with the sourish sauce together, the whole thing went down quite well!

The Bday Girl and me. She and her special one, the organizer of this dinner as well. Bro Mer and his family. A group photo at the table. Another one before we left. Toddler Shannon was so cute the entire dinner. He laughed easily and was a lot of fun. Though he was so busy pouring water from his sippy cup into the restaurant's cup and into his sippy cup, his poor mommy had to keep watching over him... I'm not sure if she has had enough to eat! But he was really quite fun to be with. I held my cup to his and did a "Cheers". He must think it's fun and after that, he kept bring his cup up indicating to do more toastings! =D Cute!

Mer sent me home, thank God for that, else I really have no idea how to get home from where we were. =P

By the time I reached home, Hub was already bathing. That's early for him, considering, I reached home just slightly after 10. He was supposed to have lessons and it's supposed to end at 10!

It's good that we both reached hom early as we have a wedding mass to attend the next morning in Church of the Holy Spirit. One of our Catholism Class sponsor's son is getting married, so of course we have to be there.

Finally, I get to wear my F21, sage dress! I bought it early this year and never found a chance to wear it yet! Me in the F21 dress with the bronze heels I got in KL and a Charles & Keith Clutch. It's either the light or my make up skills has gone to the dumps! My face look sooo white!

Hub and me. I did not have much chance to snap photos coz we don't know the bride and groom... but the decor in church was very well done! I Love Church weddings. Always seems so romantic!

This couple, they had 5 priests celebrating their wedding mass! So nice and grand! =) A luncheon was provided for all guests, but hub and I did not stay long as we have to rush home as we are expecting our PT cleaner to come to clean up our house. As much as I would love to chit chat to some of our long time no meet friends, it was not a good time la. No choice. Will have to catch up another time then.

KL Trip - Day 4, Last Day!

I cannot believe that even after doing so much shopping for the last few days, we still have something to buy!

After a lousy breakfast in hotel, we went to the MINES shopping fair again. This time on a quest. We are hard pressed for time and we know specifically what we want to get at this last minute.

Tri needed to get her Wella hair things. I, wanted to get that dress I saw a few days ago but can't seem to find in other branches of Nichii.

We know exactly where and how to reach there pronto and we made a mad dash for it.

She got her wella and more. In fact lots more!

Me, very guai. Just the dress and nothing else hmm..and a white jacket. =P Which brings my total purchases for myself to 1 Jacket, 1 Tee, 1 pair of shorts, 2 tops, 2 pairs of heels, 3 dresses, 11 books and tones of makeup. All my clothes like black and white.. how to wear for CNY 09! *Tsk* Time to get more clothes then! hahahaha...

Happy, we went back to rest and to pack these latest additions into the luggage and to wait till 2pm to check out.

But.... sigh... Our coach was delayed for more than an hour! Coach was supposed to arrive at 3. But we waited till 3.30 and then the coach only moved off at 4!!!

Would have been ok if not for the fact that the hotel lobby is warm and stuffy. It was a brilliant, bright, hot sunny afternoon with Mr Sun out in it's FULL glory!!

While waiting, even Mr Spider came to join in the fun! Liews. So big some more!

Brave Tri started to move the snacks away s-l-o-w-l-y. The creepy crawly went in and reappeared after a while, I took the chance to quickly flick it off MY paper bag which warrant a loud and fast "WHACK" on it by Tri.

I tell you, she's brave.

My "knight" in shining amour!

Finally, our coach came and we went on board and we can't help laughing at this. Heh!

I wonder if there's anything else that they might have in mind.. but moving on... we chatted and soon we both fell into lala land and when we woke up, we're approaching Yong Ping!

Goody!

Which means, it's time for...
1) Toilet Break
2) Makan
3) Last time to cheong for more snacks!

Which we both promptly did and end up? 2 more bags to add to the pulled trolley, big paper bag of snacks and add in these from Yong Ping... I think enough to survive on snacks for the next 2,3 weeks at least!

We reached SG customs at about 8pm I think. Which I had an unpleasant incident. =(

We opted to do the automatic passport thing and I have no idea why the silly machine just cannot scan my passport!

End up, I got to go to the security office! The officer is well... "chatty" he kept saying I scanned my thumb too fast, too slow and that I not this not that. And what I never follow instructions.

HELLO!

I'm educated too lor. I CAN read english!

Then he say I pull my language and whatnots. DUH! But it was the other officer at the gantry who asked me to pull it along instead of leaving it at the luggage side what!

Now become my fault.

DUH!!!

Finally after verifying everything is ok, I cleared customs and back on board.

Kel came to fetch us at Beach Road and to my pleasant surprise, when I called Hub to tell him we are reaching home, he answered me with "I'm already downstairs."

Happy can!

So small thing can be happy hor... but yes I am lor. Shows that he is also eager to see me ma! =)

Just so happy to see him! Really missed him for a fair bit the last few days. Though he calls me everynight and text me once a while, but the feeling of seeing him again is really good.

He helped me carry my buys and things back home which we just left at the doorway and went for dinner. Sweetie hub has not taken dinner yet as he promised me that he will wait till I reach home and then go down for dinner together.

Glad to be home. Glad to see Hub! =)

Home Sweet Home indeed!

KL Trip - Day 3 @ Mid Valley & The Gardens

We did not manage to get seats on the hotel's shuttle bus service to Mid Valley for today! =( We were too late to make a reservation yesterday so no seats for us =(

We also decided not to take the hotel's breakfast today. It's just so horrible. End up, we decided to call a cab from the hotel to Mid Valley and have a nice breakfast outside.

The cab fare was RM $30 and according to the uncle, within the KL city, it's RM $30. We were then mentally thinking maybe we can take a cab back if we really buy too much at the end of the day. =P Within 40 minutes, we were at the Mega Mall!
The moment we step foot in, I felt a tinge of excitment. The mall is HUGE!! From where we were standing, we cannot see the end of the mall. I was excited to start shopping but I worry for my poor feet as well as my poor wallet.

But first thing first, settle our rumbling stomachs. Very hungry.

We saw this not bad looking Hong Kong restaurant and we just went in.
Tri ordered Hor Fun and I had Claypot Lo Shu Fen.

Quite nice. But again, too salty for my liking. =( The service sucks. I have no idea why but we are always served by grouchy people. Eat also cannot eat happily! hai... and it's not cheap some more for these 2 items and still have to put up with grouches.

Anyway, we paid and we left. More important things to do than to mull over grouches!

The first shop we went in, I score 2 dresses!

Again from Nichii. But I did not see these 2 in the branch in MINES shopping fair. So I tried and I bought! A smart looking dress and a halter neck. =)

Walking along, I can't resist MM make up in Watsons... and I got some more! This time it's another Mascara, a lippie, a blusher and an eye brow powder. Which I manage to get the notebook free as my purchases were over RM $80. I could have gotten the same notebook yesterday at KLCC! But the stocks were not there yet. *Humpf*

We spent the rest of the day just cruising along the mall. Fact is, both of us bought very little things from this mega mall! Maybe because we're both tired? Or we've seen it already or simply not interesting lor.

But I did get for myself 2 simple cook books. Now that my exams have ended, I think I really ought to learn some simple dishes so that we can have home cooked food once a while rather than eating out all the time!

Title says it all. "Quick" and "One-dish meals". Unfortuntely, yes, that's about all that I have time for. Quick and 1 dish meals are the best for after work evenings if I want to get the food ready before Hub comes back. Side track, I'm thinking of trying out 1 of the dishes for tomorrow's dinner! =)

I do enjoy cooking for Hub, but I am not sure if the same enjoyment can be said for him in eating my ermmm "creation"... hahahahha... I do wonder at times, does he mentally shrink back in fright when I say I'm going to cook? But I think the recipes inside are relatively easy, I shall try my best!

Tri got some of her recipe books too. But she is steady one la. The books she get for cooking and mine are heavens and earth apart. Hers is all those very chim ones. Just by looking at the ingredients list gives me a headache kind of recipes. I honestly do not think I am at that level yet la. Give me another 10 years. Hmm... I think 20 years more like.

By this time, we have covered most of Mid Valley already which the time now says 3pm++. Feet's is screaming away. Tummy's once again rumbling away.

This time, we settled for Secret Recipe.

My BBQ Chicken something something and Ice White Chocolate coffee or something like that.

When hungry, any food tastes fantastic. SO, yes, the chicken rice was yumlicious and the drink just simply wonderful.

When in fact, I think the chicken is too sour, they've given us too much ketchup! But food's food. And we are hungry. Eat already then say. I even wanted to order a slice of cake while waiting for the food! Yes! I was THAT hungry. Luckily, I did not. Because after finishing every single morsel of food on the plate and sucking up every single drop of liquid in the cup. I was full.to.the.brim.

Tum's satisfied. But feet's still aching. Hence, we just crossed our legs on to the plastic chairs and sat and sat and sat. Chatting and watching the crowd and looking at the pouring sky. Praying at the same time that it will stop so that we can once again take the boat back to MINES.

After the break, we walked. Manged to get some colourful bubble soil for my mom and 2 seedings which I intend to grow when I'm back in SG.

And by now, window displays are catching my eyes since I've more or less seen all the shops.

The L'Occitane display is just so pretty!!!I stood there for a few good minutes just admiring it. How come, we don't have such pretty window displays in Sunny Singapore?!

Somehow or rather, we just walked and walked and walked and ended up in The Gardens, which is similiar to KLCC, a mall with all the branded goods. But The Gardens gives a very high class feel. Somewhat to that of Gallery locally, quiet boutiques along the malls with not much crowd and attentive sales personnels kind of feel. Of course, I can't afford anything there, but they do have a Robinsons inside. We went to check it out but came out empty handed too.

The decoration there was just so pretty! I cannot resist snapping a few photos.

These caught my eyes and I snapped.My guess is that there must be some kind of fashion show or something where the models will walk out / sit in the cages. Like a pretty bird in the cage and then spread its wings to fly out! =)

Surprisingly, this is just about the first Christmas tree, albit a little too skinny, I see in KL! I prefer fat and bushy Christmas trees...Obviously, I was more interested in the hanging flowers than the tree. KLCC's huge ass Christmas Tree was not even up yet!

Closer view of the hanging flower decoration from I cannot remember level what.I just like the way the flowers cascades down. So romantic!

And you won't believe it, I bought more books again! This time from Borders. So, I had to lug back a grand total of 11 books back home!

No wonder Hub calls me Bookworm!

A short of us in the mall. We are looking tired after 2.5 days of shopping and walking!

I was ready to surrender and call it a night. Thing is, we still have to take the train and boat back. We were thinking, we might as well wait till around 8pm or so where the working crowd is gone before we go, hoping that it will be less crowded.

Conclusion, that train is crowded anytime of the day!! We were once again packed like sardiness in a can. Cannot believe it. And the train's service is horrible too! We waited for more than 30 mins for it. So, needless to say, with such a long interval, the crowd swell. Worse is, there isn't much ventaliation in the train. I was kind of worried that I will faint there and then!

But somehow or rather, both of us managed to stay on our feet and not faint!

Caught the boat and we were back to MINES. Now, we still have to make 1 more stop before calling it a night. To buy enough snacks for 6 families (3 families on each side; in laws, own parents and ourselves!) before going back to the hotel to finally rest.

Just the 2 of us, we each lugged a BIG bag of snacks back to the room and I think the total figure for all these combined snacks is easily RM $300!

Finally, after all the tasting and selecting discussing what to buy and how to share, we paid for it and go back to the hotel for our final night.

We have like 7 boxes of "Hiang biscuits with malt sugar" (4 boxes mine, 3 boxes Tri's), 6 packs of crispy rice crackers, 6 boxes of coconut biscuits, 2 bottles of longan honey, which we share equally and an additional 3 packs of "Bak Kut Teh" spices for myself.

It's SUPER DUPER heavy lor, just lugging these back up to the hotel!

Best part is, despite getting all these snacks, we are still gettting some more at Yong Ping when the coach gives us some time for a break on the way back to SG!!!

My loots for Day 3 ends with 2 dresses, 6 books, some christmas pressies, MM make up, colorful bubble soil and seeds and PLENTY of snacks.
And the courtesy pic of my receipts...

Which after snapping a pic of the loots, still got to clear away and attempt to pack everything nicely into the trolley lagguage and well... snacks can never fit inside my lagguage box. Hence doing hand carry up the bus.

I really must salut Tri. She helpe me squeeze in every single thing into the box leaving just the snacks outside! I was very impressed coz I've tried yet, can't fit everything!

Her comment? "Well, when you travel more often and having studied in Aust, packing and squeezing becomes second nature."

Ok.... I believe her.

Now, all I need to do is to get Hub to bring me overseas more often so I can learn to pack like the way she does too!

whahahahahahahahahaha

KL Trip - Day 2 @ KLCC

Rise and Shine the both of us to a beautiful day. Honestly, we did not sleep that well not used to the bed and the pillows were not comfortable. But as we were so tired out, I did manage to sleep somehow but not very well.

Anyway, while Tri was in the bathroom, I went out to the balcony to catch some fresh air and to just look around. The air was wet with dew and everywhere seems bury or it could be my eyes... but it looked so tranquil and peaceful, I sat there for a while. I max my camera's zoom functions and even caught a flock of birds "sunbathing" (as there was not much sun yet) it just looked so pretty with their white bodies set against the dark greens and when they take flight, the whole flock moves together as though they are performing a major dance. Pretty!

After I was done, we went down to the hotel for our breakfast. For a hotel to be serving us food that has flies hovering around their food, I think it's very bad. Worse, the food was not even nice! *Bleh* The best is the nasi lemak with sambal chili. Honest! The food was so bad, I did not even bother to take a shot of it. Though the bread selection was plentiful, but everywhere I looked, there's flies hovering.... to be safe, I only took food that was covered. What for I take the risk and fall sick myself.

View's from the lobby not too bad. Lash greenery and misty far away places. Of course by now, the sun is higher in the sky, everything looks brighter and more intense.We can see our room from where we were seated too. The red circle. Those black lines are there because, there's some renovation works going on and hence it's there. But, we were not bothered by the renovation works, we din hear a thing. Maybe because, we were further off? Not sure.

We had make the booking for the shutle bus to send us to KLCC where we can go for shopping. I was particulary interested in the MM make up (sold in Watsons) and also Kunokuniya. I was dying to get my hands on the rest of the Shopaholic books. And if it's cheaper than in SG, I'm going to lug it all back. Regardless the weight!

Honestly, KLCC's quite boring. Plenty of branded stuff which both of us cannot afford. So, we don't spend much. But despite saying that, I still spent lots. And I mean, really really lots!

My first purchase for the day was my Shopaholic Books by Sophie Kinsella!Yups. All 5 of the remaining ones which I have yet to read or buy. Each book is $17.12 SGD here with the latest book, "Remember Me" retailing at $34+ SGD. Hence, just 5 of these will costs me at least $100 SGD. What did I pay for all 5 in KL? $151.35 RM!!! That's about $65 SGD. And I save $35 SGD. So tell me, how can I possibly missed out the chance to lug it back! Though individual book may be more pricy in KL but as I have 5, the average costs is still woth my while to buy and lug back.

Next major purchase, MM Make Up and Kate Eyeliners.Which, I must say, is almost the complete thing(s) that I'm using. Mascaras, powders, casings and eyeliners. All of which, except for the newest MM mascara, Gorgeous wings were having a 10% off too! If I were to buy it in SG, this babies here would set me back by at least $200 SGD. In KL, yups, I'm paying more than $200 too, but it's in RINGIT!

Time for a rest after the shopping. We settled at this healthy looking drink stall and ordered our drinks. Some "Green Goodness" and "Thrist Quencher" kinda drink. And to be honest, both tastes equally horrible! *Yucks* and it's expensive lei! If not for the fact that we were really too tired too walk and terriably thristy, I doubt we'll have settled for this. But oh well. Wrong choice. And so we must finishd. The only consolation is at least this is a healthy drink and not some kind of fizzy drinks that just loads my body with useless sugar! =/

Along the way, we passed by so many Kiddies clothing shops and I can't resists.

I bought these little cutie clothes for Clara and Chloe.

They just look so adorable and cute lor. I wish I could have bought more but I think these 2 princessess have loads of clothes to wear... so like this is also more than enough? hahahaha...

Girls really have so much nice and pink clothes to wear. I look at the boys clothings there and I'm so so so bored. Not nice at all!

We were just walking round the mall and then we came across this store where there's a nice table set up with the sign that sales "Invited Guests" among some other information. I presume it's for the launch of their new series of bags or something.... and anyone seems to be able to get in, so we also go and KPO. Of course part of the reason why we were eager to get in was also because, there's a free goodie bag for anyone who puts down the name.

Ok. We'll do just that then! And we got this cute and pretty goodie bag filled with their catalogue and also a notebook. Which I threw everything away when I was packing for the return trip home except bring back the notebook and paperbag. =PQuite nice don't you think? And hor, the prices of all those bags are easily in the 4 to 5 figures range hor. But pardon me, I'm very mountain turtle, I've not heard of this brand before. But the ladies who were seated inside are all tai tais... where champange, coffee, dainty cupcakes are serve. I did not have a chance to snap any photo with so many people around but I sure did enjoy looking and touching at all those pieces!

By this time, we both decided that we should be making our way back to the resort as we still need to catch trains and then the boat ride and we are not really sure how long is the train ride. The boat quits operation at 9.30pm and doesn't run if it's raining. We better get our ass on that boat!

Just our luck, the moment we left KLCC, it started to pour! Along with the rain, our hearts sank further and further. We don't want to wait in the rain for that boat and imagine, both of us, or rather me, with my arms full of purchases, so obvious we are not locals!

I was really praying hard for the rain to stop and that we can catch the boat safetly. I've kind of forgetten that KL train systems are pretty weird... and gosh... when we both managed to squeeze into that train... I've never felt so scared in my life before.

Horrible train's tickets. KMT or KTM something like that. The train's jam packed! Skin to skin! Gosh.... horrible experience and there's lots of shoving, pushing and grabbing.

There was this indian (I think) lady who kept pushing me from behind. She stopped after I glared back at her. Hello. I'm stuck too. I can't move. U push me also no use! Then once in the train, as she has nothing to grab on to, she kept grabbing my hands to stop herself from falling. SOOO irritating can! And she can smile and laugh at me. I just glared back! *ARGH*

Finally, reached our station and we both step out and heave a huge sign of relief! We were afraid of pickpockets among being molested la.

The next challange is to find the jetty for the boat. Thank God, we did not have to look very far. We could see the sign and we went off. And Thank God again, the rain stopped. Or rather, it did not seem to be raining at Serdang. We did not have to wait long and we could see our boat approaching! Yippee!!

I doubt the waters are very deep but we were both so relief to be safely on board and on the way "home".Happy smiles after the horrible train ride!

Finally, a familiar sight. The MINES Shopping Fair! Which we got to pay for our boat ride and then off in search of food! Boat ride's $3RM each for that 4 min or less ride. But as long as it gets us safely to where we are familiar with. It's fine.

Chow time and we settled for KFC. Simply coz it's right in front of us and we were both sooo tired out. But hey! The food's really cheap. For this BIG bucket that comprises of 6 pc chicken, 4 sticks of kebab, 1 medium potatoe wedges, 1 small mash potatoes, 1 veggie salad and a 1.5L of Pepsi, it's less than $40RM! And we ate and we ate and we ate. We finished almost everything saved for the last few pieces of wedges and drinks. Yes. We were that famished!

We sat there for a good hour before moving off because our poor poor feet were really aching. After such a meal, we got to work off some of it before calling it a day and we went off walking around the MINES Mall the 2nd time.

This time, we bought heels and shoes. I score for myself 2 pretty pairs! Cheap. Cheap. 20% and 50% off respectively. =)

I've actually seen a top and a skirt that I want to get for my girl friend for her upcoming Bday and we head back to the same store to get it. And while paying, I got a Tee for myself.

All in all, my loots for the 2nd day......Books, Make Up, Tee and Heels for myself. A top and skirt for Bday friend. Cutie girls clothings for Clara and Chloe! =)

Of course, with plenty of receipts to boot, I have of course, nearly spent all my cash and have exchanged an additional $100 SGD and swipe the card plenty of times too!
But I throughly enjoyed every single minute of the spending and buying!