After-Christmas BBQ Gathering

By looking at the way I dressed, you could have guessed that I must be heading out for either A. a picnic in the park, B. a stroll under the sun, or C. an outdoor barbie at somewhere. The answer is C. We were invited to our friend, CP's place to try out his newly-bought BBQ grill.

Christmas 2011: Gathering Dinner and Secret Santa

This would be our second Christmas celebrated with the Cynthia's family. Just as the previous year, everyone was asked to bring a plate, which typically means to bring a dish of food (not an empty plate for sure) to share with the host and other guests.

Christmas Eve 2011: Dinner and Gift Exchange

Due to the postpone of our Christmas party with friends, from Christmas Eve to the actual Christmas Day. My BB and I came up with a little Christmas Eve celebration idea, which is to throw ourselves a mega seafood feast, then head out for a visual indulgence at "The Christmas Wonderland" in Queens Park, followed by an ever-memorable gift-exchange ceremony.  

PADI Discover Scuba Dive at the Wave Break Island, QLD

Look at me! Already armored up in a real tight steamer wetsuit. FYI, water conducts heat from the divers 25 times better than air, which can lead to hypothermia even in mild water temperatures. Comprehend it or not, wetsuit / drysuit is a must when scuba diving in order to protect our bodies from heat loss as well as skin cuts and grazes by rough or sharp underwater objects.

Happy Winter Solstice 2011: Glutinous Rice Balls Making

The glutinous balls making used to be one of our annual family activities on the eve of Winter Solstice (冬至). However, the years after me and my family far separated by the Indian and Pacific oceans, I started making them myself with some help from my BB, and this year is no exception too. I was busy preparing the dough, while he giggled and laughed all the way watching "Rush Hour 3" on the TV last night

Unboxing Apple iPhone 4S

I've just picked up my flashy new toy from the post office this afternoon and I was thinking... What better time to unbox it than now? So here I am, showing you photos of the unboxing process, step by step. Enjoy!

Penang Famous Hawker / Street Food

Back to my second home, Penang - a food paradise for both locals and visitors. I felt pleased for being able to taste such a variety of famous hawker / street food within merely 2 weeks time on the island. Thanks to everyone in my family *bear hug*, especially my sis and bro for taking me out for lunches and dinners. I know they must have hated me for making them cracked their heads, thinking where to go and what to eat everyday ;p

Scuba Diving Tomorrow...

YEAH!!! You heard me right! I'll be going for my first scuba dive with my BB and another friends of us (he was the one who invited us along) tomorrow! Up till now, I still have no idea where the exact location is, but it should be somewhere near Southport. I'm so excited! Just finished packing up my stuff and sensed the lack of something very important - disposable underwater camera *inhale exhale* No worries, will definitely get one tomorrow. So all I gotta do at the moment is try to get some beauty sleep as we'll be departing very early in the next morning, around 3 am? Not confirmed yet though. Good night and sweet dreams =)

The Coffee Club: Meet Baby Preston

Yes, you'll be meeting baby Preston, the love son of Kevin and Veny in my blog post today! I love babies, and I enjoy baby-sitting as much as watching them grow up day by day. When I was 7, a little baby boy (my little brother) was born in my family. As an average kid in a not so wealthy family, I managed to pick up some skills to look after the tiny little him, from bathing, nappy (not the modern ones but cloth type where you need to fold the shape and secure with a safety pin) changing, feeding to putting him to sleep. The tasks were never easy, especially when there were also homework to be done after coming back from school and some light house chores, since daddy and mommy were busy working hard to earn a living.

After going through so much in so many years, they kind of made me the person I am today. I feel very much thankful as every part of my past has taught me to appreciate and cherish everything around me, both things and people. Life is short and nothing is permanent! Thus, we shall never stop caring, loving and protecting our loved ones no matter what happened. Live our dreams and enjoy every moment of life while we still can. With that, I also mean to treat our tummies better with healthy and nutritious good food. Haha, sorry! I guess I really talked too much today ;p

Catch-Up Dinner at the Sizzler

Hitting up a good party or catching up with some good old friends once in a while is always fun! We had been trying to plan for a meet-up after my trip back from Malaysia, but failed miserably until last Monday, the venue and time were set straight, and everybody showed up just in the nick of time.

GUESS Mosaic Heart Stud Earrings (Rose Gold)

 

Look at what arrived in my mailbox !!! It's a bombshell pair of GUESS enamel and rose gold heart studs that I picked up when doing some online shopping at home *big heart*

Alissa's 7th Birthday Bash

It was Ryan and Julia's little princess, Alissa's 7th birthday on last Sunday. My boi and I were fortunate enough to be invited to attend the birthday barbecue party held just right outside of their house.

Chinatown (牛车水) Singapore: Mei Heong Yuen Dessert (味香园) and Ming Fa Fishball （明发鱼圆）

The Chinatown (牛车水) in Singapore is just two MRT stations away from Little India, where our two-night accommodation located.

Gathering at Selections Restaurant, City Golf Club Toowoomba

It has been raining everyday since don't-know-how-many-days ago. The temperature dropped as the wind picked up, making it so cold and chilling even in the daytime. I don't like rainy days, never did... They made me moody and not in a good mood to do anything at all. Last Monday's night, it was drizzling a little with high winds, when we came to City Golf Club for dinner. It was a date with the girls <3

Sis's Wedding Day: Maid of Honour First and Probably Last

Being my dearest sister's made of honour and witnessing the entire process of her getting married was once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would never ever forget in my life. It moved me, touched me, made me realize how sacred and how beautiful a marriage can be. Dear sis, I wish you and "jie fu" all the happiness in this universe!!! <3

Brunch at Cafe Inferno Toowoomba

Sleeping and waking up early is a healthy habit, which I've been practicing for quite a while. It brings in better effect, especially now in the summer days. When the first light breaks and shines through the blinds, it wakes me up like a natural alarm clock, just like every other mornings. Rise and shine! I'm all ready for a not so delightful brunch.

Summer Photoshoot at the Japanese Garden

Though I'm still not fully recovered from the food poison last night, but I insisted to go out for a walk this afternoon, all because of the wonderful weather outside, blue sky, sunny day, gentle breeze... And we did a summer photo-shoot at the Japanese Garden with no make-up, no professional photographer, just me and the beautiful summer.

Dragon-i Queensbay Mall Penang: Farewell Lunch with Family

Goodbyes always hurt whether it's the right thing to do or not. And being far apart from your family to chase after your own dreams was never easy, without having a special someone to encourage and support each other, side by side. I'm glad I have him and a family that I never stop loving, missing, thinking, and caring about. Few hours before my flight departure, my family threw me a farewell lunch at the Dragon-i Shanghainese Restaurant. We were supposed to have roasted duck feast elsewhere, but that particular restaurant named Jade Blossom (粤翠轩) at Crystal Point was closed for private function and hence, plan changed!

An Envelope from Nuffnang Australia: My First Cashout

The moment I saw this envelope from Nuffnang Australia sitting in my mailbox was exactly like seeing an icy cold can of Coke right in front of my eyes, after coming back from a long, tiring work day in the summer - open happiness!

Nuggets For The Big Kid

I've made some chicken nuggets for the big kid at home today. They were battered and tasted so good after being deep fried to golden crispy. Mmm... yummy!!! And have you guys noticed that the kitchen in the background actually looks different from the one you used to see in my blog? Well yeah, we already moved and settled down in a new place =)

Whisper The Maltase

Those who do not know me well, might not know that I'm actually more like a dog person than cat. I love small-breed dogs, Maltase particularly. Pomeranian and Yorkshire Terrier are cute too! It was love at the first sight when I first met Whisper, my blogger friend's baby daughter. How I wish I had an exact same one, but I guess I'm still not financially and mentally prepared at this stage. That left me with the option to play with other's first, in order to quench my thirst.

Where's mama taking me to?

Stone Grill at The Cube Hotel Toowoomba: Back Again

What's for lunchie munchie today? Stone grill at the Cube Hotel!!!

Sis's Pre-Wedding Dinner Party in Hometown

On the eve of my beloved sister's big day, a significant pre-wedding dinner party was held in front of our warm little house in my hometown. Sexy blue strapless evening mini dress, simple braid hairdo, and light make-up were what I was wearing that night to welcome our friends and relatives upon arrival.

Little India Singapore: Hotel 81 Dickson and Sakunthalas Indian Restaurant

The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT made getting around Singapore fairly easy, without too much of walking from one place to another. From Changi Airport's Terminal 3 (CG2), we hopped onto the East West (green) Line, exited at Outram Park (EW16), then switched to North East (purple) Line, and eventually arrived at Little India (NE7).

Arrival at Singapore Changi Airport.

My very first visit to Singapore lasted 3 days 2 nights only. Short trip, tight schedules, lots of walking... But, it wasn't as tiring as our HK trip back in May this year. We took Tiger Airways and the flight got delayed just as expected.

Charlie Brown Cafe at Straits Quay Penang

Charlie Brown Cafe at Straits Quay was one of new places in Penang which I've been looking forward to visit, since the very first moment I laid my eyes on its cute snoopy (one of my childhood favorite cartoon characters besides Sonic The Hedgehog and many others from Looney Tunes) coffee art.

Bridesmaid Dress Hunting and the Ultimate Cheesy Bites Pizza

This lovely piece of white dress has caught my eyes when my sis and I were out shopping at the Gurney Plaza prior to her wedding on the coming weekend. I can honestly tell you that it was the one and only that fits my body so perfectly, as most of them are either too loose or extremely tight. Geez, those tiny-waist dresses really made me feel like I'm an extinct dinosaur living in the 21st century. I adored the design, it's beautiful, but the quality just doesn't live up to the price tag unfortunately.

Dinner at Sakae Sushi Queensbay Mall

Hello, I'm finally back people!!! Did anyone of you miss me? Well, I really did... miss updating my blog and I missed you guys too ;p My two-week trip back to Malaysia was filled with a big bundle of joy, laughter, tears and love that my family showered me. I miss them so so much *tears running in eyes*

Happy Holiday

Not to you but myself! :p I'm going on a short trip to Singapore with my beloved family tomorrow. So basically, there will be no updates from me within the coming three days or probably longer, depends on how tiring the trip could do us. Anyways, have fun working, studying... and see yas soon!

Madtongsan II Korean Restaurant Brisbane

The Madtongsan Korean Restaurant we once visited, which also referred as its first, is a lot smaller than Madtongsan II that we went for lunch not long ago. Delicious meals, attentive services, warm ambiance accompanied by a great series of  Korean songs...

Jo-Jo's Restaurant and Bar at Queen Street Mall

Jo-Jo's is a restaurant which offers a spread of international cuisine, conveniently situated at the corners of Queen Street Mall and Albert Street. We wanted to try it out since the very moment we laid our eyes on its beautiful white-painted outside balcony, but the timing was never right until last Saturday, we came here for dinner after doing some shopping nearby.

Movenpick Ice Cream & Dessert at Southbank

The time is 0204 now and I'm still up writing this post with sleepiness in my eyes, tiredness in my body... It ain't easy, but I promise I'll try my best to keep them heavy eyelids open. On the night before my flight back to Malaysia, my boi and I came to Mövenpick Southbank for some desserts. We were meant to be there for Max Brenner's chocolate fondue but God knows why, the restaurant was really packed with super duper long queue of people lining up just to taste its signature chocolate dishes. So I guess we'd have to come here a lot earlier next time.

It's Packing Time

Packing, packing, packing... I've been busy packing all these gifts and souvenirs for my beloved family since days ago that I almost forgot to pack my own stuff until just now. Hope I didn't miss out anything on the checklist.

Steve Madden Russhh Platform Heels (Black)

The title says it all!
My first pair of platform heels by the iconic American shoe lable, Steve Madden.

Deep Fried Pork Meatballs

I pre-marinated some ground pork last night with seasoning like white pepper, salt, chicken broth, tapioca starch, egg and sesame oil. The outcome was delightfully delicious, not to mention its crisp and crunchiness after deep-frying.

Louie, Louie, Louie...

I'm gonna teach you guys a little trick today. First, just find yourself a mirror, regardless it's in your bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere else. Then stare into the mirror in the darkened room lit only by a candle and repeat the name of something that you really wanted for three times. I say, " Louie, Louie, Louie..." A Louis Vuitton shall appear right in front of my eyes now! And yours too, LoL!!! Forgive my silly joke. I was kind of in the Halloween spirit, only seven more days to come.

Sunday Barbecue Gathering

I'm feeling buggered today, even after almost 12 hours of beauty sleep last night. It was a sunny, yet blowy and cold afternoon when we headed over Kevin's place for a little Sunday barbecue gathering with his family.

Shopping and Dinner at Little Hong Kong

This is the little black prom dress that I tried on and fell in love with, when my BB and I were shopping at David Jones the other day. Loved every single details about it (except the price tag) cause it made me look like an elegant fairy, or not ;p

Hanaichi Japanese Sushi Bar at Wintergarden Brisbane

Yum, yum~ It's sushi time people!!!

Shopping at Queens Plaza

Tada! This is me standing right in front of the Louis Vuitton outlet at Queens Plaza, Brisbane, carrying a Louis Vuitton shopping bag with a big smile on my face, something very unusual! More updates coming soon...

百家千味 Glamorous Wok at Sunnybank

Glamorous Wok is one of the busiest Taiwanese Restaurants in Sunnybank that you won't get to eat-in without advance booking. Believe it or not, the restaurant is always packed with customers because of its considerably low priced and signature dishes. I was there with my friends the other night and ordered eight dishes all together including Deep Fried Chicken with Pepper Salt (台湾盐酥鸡) and Kung Pao Style Preserved Egg Pot (三杯宫保皮蛋) which are missing in the pictures below.

Delicious Meals at the Coffee Club

The more often we come to the Coffee Club, the deeper we fall in love with their meals. Do you know why? Simple. Because they serve a great range of delicious food, portions are generously huge, friendly services, and most importantly, the reasonable price.

The Angel Cafe: New Management

I've been cooking almost everyday lately, prepared both dinners and bento lunches for the two of us, and we made our own breakfasts too. Three, family-style, hearty, healthy and definitely more nutritious home-cooked meals a day are way better than outside food, don't you think? But last night, the sluggish-ness in me took over. We had to drag our lazy feet out in the cold to hunt for some good food in town, and we came to the Angel Cafe.

Steamboat Birthday Bash

Yesterday was the steamboat birthday bash of Onki, our new friend from Hong Kong. We only found out about the invitation somewhere in the late afternoon and magically came out with a little present for her. Yeah, I did some magic trick back there before going out for badminton.

Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant: Lunch After Floral Parade

The traffic in the city has clogged up a little after the Carnival of Flowers Floral Parade. We didn't wanna go through too much trouble or spend too time trying to get out of this place, so the best option for us was to choose a restaurant nearby to sit down and have lunch together.

Nando's at Kmart Plaza: Extra HOT Meals.

I still recall the last time we had Nando's was actually more than 4 years ago, when we were back in our home-country, Malaysia. Fate took us here to try out Nando's Australia, after doing some groceries at the Kmart Plaza last night.

62nd Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers: Floral Parade 2011

Spring is in the air and that indicates the annual Carnival of Flowers is back to enchant the Garden City once again, for the 62nd time.

Sideshow Alley and Fireworks 2011 at Queens Park Toowoomba

The firework show at the Queens Park this year was extraordinarily phenomenal!!! We considered ourselves very lucky to be there just in time, right before it started.

It's the Barbecue Sunday

Sunday is the day on which we take a break from our hectic working lives and spend some quality moment with our beloved friends barbecuing, eating, chit-chating and enjoying life like everybody else. All thanks to Veny and Kevin for making it happen and always treated us as we were part of the family =)

Tobaki Korean BBQ Restaurant at Sunnybank Hills: Big Gathering Dinner

The Korean barbecue buffet we had at Tobaki the other night was more than meet the eyes. Good food, great service and unbeatable value, which cost only $25.50 per person, damn worth it right?!