Homegrown chillies!

The price of chillies these days have gone up!! So my Mom decided that she would grow them and see how it goes. I was so thrilled to see them growing so beautifully and recently they grew so big and turned bright red!! I think over the years we have tried to grow them in our garden but it never really gotten as big as this!! This would be the biggest we ever had. Funny how simple things like this can actually make me so excited sometimes hehehe..... :)

Heavy rain.....

It's been raining quite heavily these days.......it's freezing cold! But what I miss most during these raining days is that I can't cycle in the morning as I used to. It rains every morning here.....throughout the day and sometimes till night time....and continues on raining till the next morning. I miss cycling! Urrrggghhh! :(

The weather has been pretty crazy these past few months.......when it gets hot, it's really really hot and when it rains, it pours!! It really does pour! I wish it would be more balanced but who am I to control these things hehehe......I can only ask God for good weather in future and ask Him to keep us safe from the bad weather. :)

It is rather cozy here.....no need to keep the fan on high volume or switch on the air conditioner.....because the weather is cool and nice....I get to do my work comfortably in my studio. But sometimes it gets too comfortable that I feel like dozing off to sleep! hehehe! I'm just enjoying the rain now no matter what.....I just wish it doesn't rain too much because I don't want the place to get flooded. So far everything is under control and I am happy that the trees in the garden especially the big ones are getting enough water from the rain. Alhamdulillah........

Banana pancakes

This is how I make my banana pancakes or in the Malay language we call it "lempeng pisang" :). Since I can no longer take banana fritters or "pisang goreng" because they are deep fried, so I resort to eating bananas as it is or cook them this way. There is no oil or fat included in this recipe. So it's safe for me to eat it hehehe..... So here is the process of making the banana pancakes....it's very simple and cheap to do at home. Especially if you grow your own bananas at home like my Mom does hehehe.....

First we cut the bananas into small pieces and mash them till they look like the pictures above. If there are any seeds in it, be sure to take them out.

Then you add in a pinch of salt.....some flour....flour is added a spoonful at a time into the mashed bananas and mix them up slowly.....be sure not to put in too much flour otherwise it will harden. I don't even add in any sugar, because if the bananas are already ripe, it is already sweet to the taste.

When the batter is done.....you scoop up one big spoon full of the batter and pour it onto the non stick pan.....no oil or butter is needed here to line the pan... Once one side of the banana pancake is done, you flip it to let the other side cook.

This is the end result!!! Yummy!! Best eaten when it's still hot! :)

Feeling good.....

It's been about two weeks now since I started cycling. It's great! I'm loving it a lot! The best thing about the whole idea is that my heart beat has lowered a bit. It was quite high when I first started to exercise seriously every morning. I'm also trying my level best to cut down my coffee intake everyday. It's been a struggle since I love drinking coffee SO much. Addicted I am to it I must admit hehehe......but I know I will soon be able to decrease the intake as I continue my mission to lead a healthier life. I used to drink coffee before I start exercising hahahaha......but not anymore now.....I take a glass of glucose instead. The caffeine makes my heart palpitate....and it hurts sometimes. The pain makes me more driven to stop drinking it.... :(

I do feel a lot better now......my sensei was right......I do need to exercise more....I have to push myself no matter how lazy I feel in the morning to exercise....I gotta do it for my own good. Nobody can do it for me....it's do or die! I gotta be strong in spirit...gotta be motivated to do it. The bicycle helped a lot.....with it I can go to the park at anytime I like....I can even participate with the free aerobic dancing that's held at the park every morning......plus "poco-poco" and tai chi as well if I wanted to....

For me....it was never entirely about looking good....it was more about feeling good. I guess I was tired of feeling so lousy everyday....I wanted to get better, feel healthier than I was before. I realize that merely taking care of what I eat or drink and taking my medicine alone will not be sufficient in achieving my goals in getting better.....I still have to move it move it and move it I shall everyday. :)

Am thinking of doing skipping too.....hmmmm......I shall get one of those ropes soon! :) I haven't done that in years! That would be a fun thing to do as well.....hehehe.....I read somewhere that skipping has a lot of benefits to our health.....it improves our reflexes, balance and posture. It makes us more vigilant and alert, therefore increases our attention skills. It strengthens the bones and increases our stamina and endurance. It will tone your muscles in the arms, legs and abs too......so that would be good for me. Yup! I will do that! Anything that will make me feel good.....I will give it a go! Wish me well! :)

My blue Raleigh......

Yes! Yes! Yes!!!! Finally! I finally got to buy a new bicycle!! Wooooooohooooooooooo!!!!!

I was trying to find one since I moved back to Alor Setar. There is a park here which is nearby my neighborhood where it's so nice to take bicycle rides. I thought to myself, wouldn't it be lovely to get me a bicycle and ride it there when I'm here. And so I did it this morning....I went to the bicycle shop not far from my house and had a look at the bicycles that was on sale there. There were quite a lot of variety there to choose from but not in the color that I was really looking for. I was hoping to get one in white color. In the end, I got one that is quite close to my heart....the frame was soft blue in color and some black here and there. So, I was quite happy with it since my favorite color is actually blue. So the only thing that was white was the basket! LOL!

The minute I got it home, I tried to ride it......gosh!!! I almost tumbled over! hahaha! Can you imagine how long it has been since I last got a ride on a bicycle???? It was about 17 years ago!!! So I was a little wobbly riding it in the beginning.....but after a few try I was riding it like the wind! hahaha!

I used to ride the bicycle when I was in my teens. Back then I rode it to school everyday. It was an experience I'll never forget. Rain or shine.....I rode my faithful bicycle to school. But those memories was one of the best memories I had when I was in my teens.

One of the reasons why I decided to buy this bicycle in the first place was because I wanted to use it as a form of exercise. I read somewhere online about the goodness of people riding it for health reasons. It's a good workout especially for people with blood type B. So it's perfect for me :). Plus it's fun! I don't like to do workouts at home. I prefer to go to the park and exercise there. Do some brisk walking as well if I can. It's definitely a stress reliever for me. Riding your worries away they say hehehe...... I really hope this new item in my life will bring me loads of joy....in fact I'm sure it will! :)

Action taken!

Alhamdulillah....so thankful to God...yesterday the guys from TM came over to fix my internet connection. The action was only taken after almost two weeks of suffering....hahaha.....I admit...I should have done this earlier. But I was too busy with work and busy as well with the trip to KL which was done twice in a period of two weeks, things just got in the way of it. But I was so relieved that they finally came to help me out with my internet problem. I was beginning to give up on it already...LOL! But alas....it was sorted out and now I can surf the net with no more worries. I think this year alone there has been so many problems with my PC and internet connection.....I have actually lost count of how many times it gave me trouble! LOL! :D But in the end it always gets sorted out.:)

I was thinking......thinking of getting myself a bicycle....hehehehe....been thinking a lot about it for the past few months. I have taken an action on this if I am not mistaken a month ago as I visited a bicycle shop in Jitra. But to my disappointment they didn't quite have what I was looking for. I've always wanted one you know. I used to cycle a lot back in the days when I was younger....and still schooling. I used to cycle to school everyday. It was really wonderful. I love feeling the wind on my face....as I cycle away. It was such a joy. I think anyone who have had the experience can relate to what I've just mentioned...hehehe. And I'll bet you can agree with me on how great a feeling it is to cycle at the park....under rows of big shaded trees.....with the cool wind blowing on your face and hair.....it's magical. I hope I don't sound too exaggerated here....hehehe....but that is how I feel about it especially when it comes to cycling at my neighborhood here in Taman Lumba Kuda. It is just wonderful here. The best place I know so far that I can go to and cycle my worries away hehehe.....if there was any! LOL!

An action will be taken on that matter hopefully by tomorrow.......I can't wait to check out some other bicycle shops here and see if I can find myself a bicycle that I can be comfortable riding on. I hope there is a wide choice of colors I can choose from as well......I was thinking of getting a white bicycle.....or dark blue....or a red one! Lovely!! Yup! But still I am hoping to get it in white color. I wish I wish it will come true! LOL! I sound so silly sometimes hehehe! I guess I let the excitement get to me......oh well....I need it anyways....it's fun!!

Till then....can't wait to see what I will find tomorrow......

2 more months to go....

Gosh....has it been that long???? I haven't blogged much for quite sometime here.....due to the internet connection problem these past few weeks. I'm getting so fed up with my Streamyx broadband....I have gone to TM and called up their customer service....so hopefully things will be running smoothly soon enough. Not being able to get connected everyday is a huge problem for people like me who does business online. I think most people who are in the same shoes as mine can relate to this problem. But luckily for me there is a decent internet cafe nearby my house where I can go to and check my emails there every now and then. But still it doesn't really solve all my problems.....as there are certain things that cannot be done there. Oh well....I am just grateful to be able to do what I can with what I have right now. Just be happy about it :)

Well, these past few weeks have been quite a ride....a challenge.....a mind opener too. I surprise myself everyday with the things I come up with and come to the realization of. Experiences do make a lot of difference in one's life too. They can change you....A LOT!!!! I have been blessed to meet with so many different types of people over the past few months since I moved back to Alor Setar. Most of the interesting ones are friend's of my Mom's. All of them are very fascinating people and their experiences and wisdom have definitely opened my eyes and heart too. I am a different person now then I was a few weeks ago......but I only want the good changes....not bad ones...hehehehe I am only thinking of how to improve myself these days. I wake up in the morning thinking of what are the differences I can make in my life and others too, to make our lives better.....and go to bed wishing for my dreams to come true. It's always great to do that everyday.....something to wish for....even if they don't come true, the thought of those wishes makes a lot of difference. It does make me feel so good inside. Keeps a smile on my face....and that's important!!

Time sure flies fast.......in just a few more days we will be entering the month of November.....then December.....then....jeng jeng jengggggggg.....it will be 2010!!!!!!! Oh my gosh....how time just pass us by so quickly these days. So far I have only accomplished just a few of my 2009 resolutions. Been thinking a lot as well about what my new year resolutions will be like next year. Every year I try my best to fulfill them all.....but alas....not all is possible.....it's the effort that matters.....and that's important to me. To make that effort!!! Making a difference!! What I intend to do next year will definitely be something that will not only surprise others who know me.....but it will also surprise me!!! hahahaha.....I love doing something that will keep me on the edge....things that keep the adrenalin running high......the excitement of trying or doing it is so fascinating! I am a person who gets bored so easily....so in order not to get bored with the usual routine....I will add in something new in my everyday life so that it will add some excitement. It may be small....to small for others to notice perhaps....but I don't care, as long as it is something new and makes me happy. :)

It is always good and beneficial to add something new in our lives every now and then. To be able to learn something new.....or create something new each day is so wonderful for our minds.....it will keep our minds working!

34th Birthday.....

Nothing much happened today.......not much of a celebration.....I turned 34 today....yup, 34!!! Yikes! I'm sooooooooooooooooo not loving it.....feeling so old...

I was really hoping that this year I would be celebrating my birthday with a big big smile....but instead I didn't smile much today.....didn't even get a birthday present from my Mom....or from my close family members.....the only one who gave me something was my Makndak....got a really pretty brooch set from her.....so nice and thoughtful of her.... :)

They say that, it's actually not the gifts that counts....it's the thought....oh ya....did I mentioned I didn't even get a birthday card?????!!!!! Yup....didn't get one at all.....so ironic....maybe next year I should make one for myself.....a really big one and post it! Then when I receive it, I will pretend to be excited! LOL! So pathetic huh?

Hmmmmm........that's all I have to say about my 34th birthday.....I did wished for something good for myself this year......wish it will come true....I wish I wish!!

Is it love or infatuation?

I got this article from the newspaper long time ago, can't remember which newspaper it was though......perhaps it was The Star since I used buy those a lot once upon a time hehehehe...........I would like to share this article with everyone, what Dr. James Dobson wrote about the difference between love and infatuation. :)

I've always used this as a guidance whenever I was in doubt. Sometimes I get confused of what it is that I'm feeling.....was it really love? Or just an infatuation? It can get pretty complicated........but once you know it, you can never go wrong.... We have to know it, believe in it and practice it......not just saying it.... :)

"Is it love or just infatuation? Or, as the joke goes, is it love or just something that I ate? There is a way to tell the difference. Infatuation is based solely on emotions, on how you're feeling, whereas love is an act of the will. Today we'll look at two of the four distinct areas in which love differs from infatuation.

First, love is patient. Love can wait, wholly accepting the character of the other person in the relationship. But infatuation is in a big hurry. Because, infatuation is based only on emotion, there an impatience about it....those wild emotions may not last long. They say love is blind, but it's not true. Infatuation is blind.....you see only the idealized version of the other person, not the real thing, warts and all. When you're in love you have your eyes wide open, wanting to learn all you can about the other person.

Second, love is kind. When you're in love, you give and give and give. One goal of marriage should be to see which person can out-give the other. But when you're infatuated, you let things slip. You remember the major holidays but forget her birthday. You start to grow tired of giving and you demand your own way.

The third difference between love and infatuation is that love is not jealous. When your relationship is based entirely on emotion, you tend to be easily threatened and influenced by many outside variables. Both parties often become possessive and insecure. Because genuine love emphasizes the welfare of the other person, however, it's less jealous and possessive and easily threatened.

The fourth difference is that love does not act rudely and ill mannered. Infatuation soon forgets good manners but love continues to show respect.

How can a woman tell when a man genuinely loves her? When he shows her respect and she feels more like a woman after they've been together. He protects her dignity and she does the same for him.

So love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous and does not act rudely. If your relationship has those four characteristics going for it, you have a solid foundation toward a lasting marriage."

- by Dr. James Dobson

Juno

If there was a movie that I wanted to see over and over again right now, it would probably be JUNO. It's a comedy about growing up and the bumps along the way...hehehe! I know I'm a bit late ...outdated? I got to see this movie this month a few times on Astro and I must say that I fell instantly in love with the characters in it.....it's just such a cool story and the messages in it was what touched my heart. My favourite song in it would be "Anyone Else But You" that was sung at the end of the movie. Michael Cera and Ellen Page sang it, and it was so cute....nicely done!

Watch the video of the song here:

Birthday gifts!!!!

Received gifts from Sandi today!!!!! Yippeeee! Wow! I think this is the best birthday gift I got so far this year :) It came in a big box all the way from Maine! I also received a box full of magnets that spells out my name....those are so beautiful!!! Love them!

I've never seen such a huge eraser before....the one from Mastercarve...wow! Huge! Hmmm I can't decide what to do with that one yet! But there are a lot more of smaller sizes that I can experiment on.... :) I also received a lot of clear stamps and ink pad. Love them!!!

I was feeling really down today......very very down, due to a certain something that happened in my life recently.....was feeling so bad but was glad that these gifts put a big smile on my face today. I am so grateful to have friends who are so thoughtful and loving......never even met them in person, but it feels like I've known them for a long long time. I'm so blessed to have friends like them. I can't thank God enough for them and for all the good things that keep coming my way...... :) Alhamdulillah!

First day of fasting.....

Today is the first day of the fasting month......so far so good....hehehe.....the weather has been really good too. What I am trying to say is that it's been quite cool over here the past few days.....not too hot because it has been raining quite a bit. So it helps!

I am still not well.....coughing and coughing......but there has been some improvement though ever since I took the antibiotics from my second visit to the clinic. So I'm hopeful that eventually I will get better. My mom on the other hand got infected too and have been coughing as well for the past few days. We've haven't been getting enough sleep at night because of this. There are times when I have to take lozenges during my sleep so that I won't cough that much. Luckily I didn't get choked at night with the lozenges in my mouth hehehe.....hopefully I will feel better soon.

I want to wish all Muslims around the world Happy Ramadhan! ;)

Bunga teratai.....

When I was staying in KL I always miss the chance to see the water lilies bloom. My mom will always be telling me stories about them, and I will feel a little sad for not being able to be there and see it for myself. But now that I am here, I get to see them up close and personal whenever they bloom.... hehehe.....they are just so beautiful!!!

Anak kucing.....

Found 3 little kittens at the back of my mom's house today.....SO CUTE!!!! The mother was very protective of them....wouldn't even let me near them.....so I had to take the pictures of them from a far....huhuhuhu......the kittens were so adorable!!! I love looking at baby animals.....they are just the cutest thing....the kittens are so small...still haven't opened up their eyes yet....

Sadly, their mother took them away to another location later in the afternoon probably because she was afraid I would play with her kittens....... :( So, tak dapatlah nak main dengan anak kucing tu lagi.....huhuhu....I'm actually allergic to the cat's fur, but still I like looking at the babies because they are just so cute.....couldn't resist it....hehehehe.......

Back in Alor Setar for good!

Arrived in Alor Setar yesterday evening....took the Mara Liner bus at 12.00pm.....arrived around 6.30pm. I think I was the only one in the bus wearing the surgical mask to protect myself from getting infected by the Influenza A. I must say wearing it can get pretty stuffy at times. But I didn't care and keep it on most of the time. People looked at me like I'm some kind of a weirdo.....hahahaha....the other passangers only kept their mask on at the Puduraya bus station....but once they board the bus they immediately took them off. They must be thinking it's safe to take them off on the bus. So positive thinking hahha....I didn't want to take any chances, so I kept them on.

Today I went to the cybercafe nearby my house.......and the owner was the only one other than me who wore the mask. The other people there who were using the internet service didn't. I must say people are just either too lazy to wear it or the mask sold at the pharmacy are out of stock! hahaha....the mask is kinda expensive though.....

Gosh there is just so much of work to be done......I have to prepare a room for me to turn it into a studio....then I have to unpack all the boxes I brought back from my apartment in KL.....I am not well either....the fever is gone but the coughing is driving me crazy.....I hope to get well soon....as there is so much to be settled.....I don't have much time.....I only have about a week to get it all done and then start taking orders from customers.

My favourite cream puff

Love love love eating this if ever I visit Sogo......there is a bakery at the ground floor called Four Leaves that sells this cream puff. It's super soft and yummy.. ;)

Siti Nurhaliza

Was not feeling well for the past few days......feeling kinda scared as well about the Influenza A H1N1, so I decided to go and have a check at the hospital. Went to Hospital Pusrawi with my aunt for the check up....alhamdulillah the test came out negative and I'm only positive for Influenza B hehehe.....so I got my medicine and was heading back to my aunt's place in Keramat.....but we decided to stop by at Setiawangsa's Jaya Jusco to get our food supply.

Little did we know that today Siti Nurhaliza was dropping by at the shopping complex for a small lauching of JJ's cute little teddy bears. I didn't buy any, I was just there to see her in person hahahha lol! It was worth the wait......as she came and made and entrance I was so star strucked hehehehe.....this is the first time I get to see her in person. She was so beautiful......she even sang songs for the audience.....LIVE!!! And boy can she sing!! But I must say I only know her old songs....the new ones I'm not familiar with....and I think the audiences are not familiar with it either.......hehehehe...but it doesn't matter....as long as she sings it well, we don't care hahaha....

She seemed pretty nervous on stage....I thought someone like her with all the experiences of singing and performing on stage for years and years would not have that problem anymore, but looks like she still has it....but I think it's cute how she handled it. hehehehe

I didn't bring my digital camera along with me so I only had my humble camera phone to take the photos......obviously it's not that clear but at least I got it heheheh.... ;)

Last day at Sri Penara

Well I guess today will be my last day at Sri Penara.......I looked around the place, took some photos of the surroundings....was thinking to myself, whether or not I will be missing this place?? The place where I've spent about almost 5 years of my life there......a lot has happened there....lot of good and bad....all experiences that has thought me to be who I am today.....I've changed so much over the years....the experiences I had there taught me so much. I suppose wherever we go in life we will pick up new experiences along the way...

I'm definitely glad I won't be staying there anymore....one of the many reasons why I wanted to leave Sri Penara so bad before August was because I wanted to avoid staying there during the fasting month. You have no idea how bad it can get during this time of the year over there......it's FIREWORK MADNESS over there!!!! I just don't know how the people there can stand it....I know they hate it as well but nothing much has been done to over come the problem. The kids there just love playing with fireworks all day and all night. I think if I live there a few more years I will probably get major hearing problems! hahahaha!

Whatever it is.....I know miss it I will not.....but I will miss KL though....and the people I love there.... :)

Huge catfish at Pakndak's house

Maksu and I went to Pakndak's house to pay him a visit......didn't know that he has some catfish in that big pond he has at the back of his house. He told me that there were a few of them in it and were quite big in size.....in fact they were already too big to be eaten....I wanted to see how big they were and boy was I in for a surprise! hehehe.....

I was scared when I saw them as he threw in some fish food in the pond.....quickly a few catfish came to the surface and there was a big splash as they were trying to eat the food......gosh they were HUGE! They gobbled up the fish food like a vacum cleaner.....in just a few seconds all the fish food were gone! You can see from the photo above how big their mouth are hehehe...... :D

Rasanya kalau ada anak kucing terjatuh dalam kolam tu mesti dah kena telan hidup-hidup oleh ikan keli tu hehehehehe...... lol! ;) So scary laaaaaaaa.......

In the paper again today!!! Yay!! ;)

I was in Alor Setar for a few days.....was about to leave for KL today when my aunt got a message from her friend telling her about my article in Utusan Malaysia was out today. I was surprised as I didn't expect it to come out so soon. I could see how happy my mom was today.....hehehehehe....... It's never an easy road/journey for artists like me.....it's never easy to please our parents.....only those who have gone the same journey as me would understand this. I am really looking forward for the journey I will be making soon in life and the adventures I will be experiencing at my new working place.....I know it will be wonderful and I will make sure of it!! :) Chaiyo! Chaiyo!!

Utusan Malaysia -pullout - MODE/Keluarga (Cover)

Obses kad buatan tangan

Oleh NOOR FAZRINA KAMAL

WANITA kreatif... Noor Azlina Abdul Samad yang menghasilkan kad buatan sendiri dan dijual melalui laman web.

KAD menjadi medium pengantar isi hati dan memberi lebih pengertian sama ada daripada penerima mahupun yang menerimanya.

Walau bagaimana eksklusif kad yang ada di pasaran tidak akan sama nilainya dengan kad yang dihasilkan sendiri setulus hati.

Sejak di bangku sekolah kita telah diajar menghasilkan kad sendiri untuk memberi penghargaan kepada ibu, bapa, guru dan sebagainya bagi memperingati tarikh-tarikh tertentu.

Namun apabila usia menginjak remaja, lambakan kad ucapan di pasaran menjadi pilihan untuk menyampaikan isi hati kepada orang tersayang.

Melewati paparan demi paparan di internet menemukan penulis dengan satu blog yang penuh dengan kad buatan tangan menggunakan tajuk, Lin Handmade Cards.

Secara peribadi penulis amat kagum dengan individu yang memiliki kreativiti dalam menghasilkan sesuatu kad seperti itu. Cakaplah apa saja jenis kad sama ada hari lahir, ulang tahun, ucapan tahniah, simpati, perayaan dan sebagainya semuanya boleh dizahirkan oleh wanita kreatif ini.

Noor Azlina Abdul Samad K., 34, tidak pernah membayangkan bahawa kad menjadi sumber pendapatan beliau.

Pada awalnya, wanita yang selesa membahasakan dirinya sebagai Lin ini hanya menghasilkan kad sebagai hobi.

"Daripada hobi bertukar kepada perniagaan," ujarnya pendek sebaik memperkenalkan diri kepada penulis pada satu sesi fotografi yang diadakan di pejabat Utusan Malaysia, baru-baru ini.

Wanita berkacamata ini mula serius menghasilkan kad ucapan sejak tahun 2007 selepas beliau meletakkan jawatan sebagai eksekutif pentadbiran di sebuah syarikat swasta di Kuala Lumpur.

"Kebetulan ketika itu kesihatan saya juga agak terganggu, jadi dari menyusahkan syarikat kerana selalu mengambil cuti sakit maka saya mengambil keputusan untuk berhenti kerja," katanya yang berasal dari Alor Star, Kedah.

Bermula daripada itu, Noor Azlina tercari-cari kerja yang membolehkan dia menyesuaikan masa dengan keadaan dirinya.

Kalau wanita lain memilih membuat kuih atau kraf tangan yang kemudian dipasarkan melalui laman web, berbeza pula bagi Noor Azlina.

Beliau menggunakan kreativiti yang dianugerahkan Tuhan untuk menghasilkan kad-kad ucapan menarik dan unik.

"Pada peringkat awal saya cuma menghasilkan beberapa keping saja dengan rekaan yang berbeza. Harga yang dikenakan juga murah walaupun saya sedar masa ia tidak setimpal dengan kreativiti, masa serta tenaga yang dicurahkan untuk sekeping kad.

"Namun demi memenuhi permintaan pelanggan yang mahukan sesuatu yang unik dan dibuat sendiri saya cuba penuhi selagi terdaya," jelasnya yang beroperasi dari kediaman sewanya di Apartmen Penara, Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Kuala Lumpur.

Noor Azlina turut menunjukkan kepada penulis kad-kad ucapan yang dihasilkannya, sekali pandang pasti sukar untuk percaya ia buatan tangan kerana hasil akhirnya terlalu sempurna.

"Memang saya seorang yang begitu teliti dan tidak akan puas selagi tidak menghasilkan sesuatu kad dengan sempurna.

"Tetapi bukan mudah untuk menghasilkan potongan sekecil ini ia menduga kesabaran serta ketelitian yang amat tinggi," ujar graduan Ijazah Sarjana Muda Seni Lukis dan Reka dari Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor.

Berkongsi minat dengan rakan di Internet

Menurut Noor Azlina, Malaysia masih jauh dalam penciptaan peralatan untuk menghasilkan kad buatan tangan berbanding negara seperti Amerika dan Eropah.

"Menerusi Internet saya mempunyai ramai rakan di luar negara yang berkongsi minat membuat kad. Melalui laman sembang kami bertukar idea serta teknik untuk memantapkan penghasilan sesebuah kad.

"Saya cukup terharu kerana ada di antara rakan di laman sembang yang sanggup menghantar peralatan termasuklah kertas yang tidak boleh ditemui di Malaysia.

"Lebih teruja jika kad yang saya hasilkan mendapat penghargaan daripada rakan-rakan sekali gus menjadi motivasi untuk saya menghasilkan kad yang lebih menarik," katanya yang memasarkan perniagaan kad ucapannya secara dalam talian.

Seperkara yang membuatkan Noor Azlina terharu dengan rakan-rakannya di Internet ialah mereka tidak langsung lokek berkongsi ilmu dan idea.

Sebelum mendapat kamera digital yang dihadiahkan oleh ibu saudaranya, Noor Azllina menggunakan pengimbas untuk mengingati teknik setiap kad yang dihasilkan.

"Memang payah, adakalanya kad yang dihasilkan menggunakan jemeki mencalarkan pengimbas, imbasan juga menyebabkan sukar untuk melihat bentuk kad secara dua dimensi. Kini baru saya sedar kamera digital amat penting untuk perniagaan saya ini," katanya yang cenderung memilih motif flora dalam hasil seninya.

90 kad pertunangan tugasan pertama

Lin berkata, kalau di zaman sekolah dulu dia menghasilkan kad untuk ibu, bapa serta saudara maranya sahaja, namun kini dia turut mendapat pesanan kad untuk undangan majlis pertunangan dan perkahwinan.

"Tugasan pertama saya ialah menghasilkan kad untuk majlis pertunangan, kebetulan pada masa yang sama saya juga menerima tempahan untuk kad perkahwinan.

"Bayangkan saya perlu menyiapkan sebanyak 90 kad yang setiap satunya memerlukan kerja seni yang amat teliti dalam tempoh yang singkat.

"Namun segala penat lelah saya terbalas apabila pelanggan amat teruja dan berpuas hati dengan kad yang mereka tempah," ujar Noor Azlina yang telah menghasilkan lebih daripada 100 jenis kad.

Bagi memastikan rekaannya menepati cita rasa pelanggan, dia mengambil inisiatif menghasilkan mock kad sebelum menzahirkan kad yang sebenar.

Proses mencari idea bermula dari melayari internet dan memilih bentuk motif seperti yang dimahukan pelanggan.

"Saya pernah menerima tempahan kad ulang tahun perkahwinan daripada seorang isteri. Dia mahukan kad yang apabila dibuka di dalamnya seperti mulut ingin dicium dalam bentuk yang paling seksi.

" Proses untuk mencari bentuk mulut sahaja memakan masa, selesai memilih saya akan menunjukkan motif kepada pelanggan agar motif tersebut menepati imaginasinya. Kemudian saya harus fikirkan bagaimana hendak memastikan mulut tersebut muncul dengan menggiurkan ketika dibuka penerimanya.

"Setiap kali selesai satu langkah saya akan mengambil gambar sebagai rujukan di masa akan datang. Memikirkan teknik pop up ini betul-betul mencabar minda," katanya yang dalam perancangan membuka kelas seni untuk kanak-kanak di kediaman ibunya di Alor Star, Kedah.

Kesukaran dan cabaran yang dihadapi membuatkan Noor Azlina hampir serik menghasilkan kad dengan teknik pop up lagi.

Namun pendirian itu berubah apabila bapa saudaranya memperkenalkan satu laman web yang mengajar dengan terperinci cara membuat kad pop up.

"Menghasilkan kad pop up memerlukan kita banyak berfikir dan berimaginasi. Proses menghasilkannya juga amat teliti. Memang memakan masa namun puas hati apabila melihat hasil yang sempurna," kata Noor Azlina yang berhasrat meluaskan pasaran kad ucapan kreatifnya ke luar negara.

Packing still!

Been busy as a bee doing the second stage of packing.....will be heading back to Alor Setar tomorrow.....and there are a lot of boxes of my stuff that needs to be sent back there. After this trip, there will be another trip on the 4th week of July......that will be the next trip where my PC will be sent back to my mom's house....huhuhuhu....and I will be without Internet access for a while....well, even though I won't have Internet access at the comfort of my own home, but at least I can still go to the cyber cafe and check my emails and update my blog....so, no worries there. I just want to get it all over with.....can't wait for the new adventure waiting for me at the other end of the road.....I know I will have a blast there....a new beginning :)

Sad and happy all at the same time.....

My eyes were swollen this morning.....watched the live telecast of MJ's memorial service from 1.00 am till 4.00 am.....was crying throughout the the whole service.....it was so beautifully done.....one of the best thing was when I could hear one of my favorite songs by MJ that was sung by Jennifer Hudson..."Will You Be There"...I simply love it....it has such a beautiful deep meaning. It's kinda sad when I think about the memorial, especially when all of his close friends were saying all those wonderful things about him....I was thinking to myself...IF ONLY they had said all those wonderful things about him when he was alive.....perhaps it would have made a difference on how people have viewed him all these years. He was a wonderful man....he was a wonderful human being...no doubt about it in my mind.....I could see he had a great soul, a beautiful heart....he was a wonderful father, son and brother to his siblings.....he was a creative genious and the list just keep going on and on......

This memorial, made me realize how important it is for us to appreciate our loved ones and tell them straight in the eye how much we love them and care about them....how they have made a difference in our lives. Life as they say surely is short these days......and is getting shorter and shorter.....so why wait??? Why wait for the so called "the right timing"??? I sometimes feel that there aren't really any right timing when it comes to showing our love for one another.......it feels right every time and at any time for that matter. Just do it.....take the chance that we have and let it just go and move freely to the ones we love.

Later in the afternoon.....I headed to Utusan Malaysia's office for the most nerve wrecking interview I ever had to do hehehe......luckily my eyes were not so swollen anymore, otherwise it will definitely show in the photo shoot! Yikes! I never expected this interview to happen now at the time when I was about to go on a new adventure....I feel so blessed indeed. I got a call from the journalist last week....she asked me if I could do this interview. At first I thought I couldn't because I didn't have a lot of card samples to show her......I packed most of my things already....and most of them have been sent back to Alor Setar. So the samples I had with me were quite limited. But since I didn't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity I decided to do it! I felt completely comfortable during the entire interview....everyone there was so nice! It made it easier for me to chat during the interview and the photo shoot. Everything went well.....I had a blast. I thought to myself, things fell exactly into place just when I was well enough to do it. I am also extremely happy that it came to me at the time when I was feeling down....as I really needed the boost...I really needed to feel happy and this interview surely made it right for me. Thank you...thank you.....a million thanks to Noor Fazrina Kamal.....you made it happen!! You have no idea how happy you have made me today :) God bless you!!

Papaya and limau kasturi

I LOVE EATING THIS!!!!! It's just super delicious! I used to love eating papayas on it's own until one day I tried having them with some squeezed citrus (limau kasturi) . It just tastes so much better! I can have a big bowl of papayas in one sitting if it has some limau kasturi on it! hehehe....

With the hot weather we are experiencing these days, having a bowl of papayas is just something I need. It also helps clean our colon....keeping it clean....flushing out all the bad stuff that's stuck in there hahahaha.....It has enzymes that can digest food better.

At the same time it gives us a whole lot of liquid that will keep us from dehydration. It's high in beta carotene content and is an excellent source of Vitamin C, E and have antioxidants that can prevent cancer.

It is also said to prevent premature aging!!! How cool is that???? hehehe.....that means I should at least be eating this bowl of papayas once a week to keep me looking young! LOL! It also said to prevents heart attacks or stroke...this is because, the antioxidants in papayas prevents cholesterol from oxidizing. In other words, there are so many benefits that we can get from eating papayas....I surely won't get bored eating this if taken only once a week.....hehehe....as long as I don't take the same thing everyday, then I'll be fine :)

Pancakes with ice cream and bananas

Looks yummy huh??? It sure is!!! I made this when I went back to Alor Setar a couple of weeks ago. I just had to try making this recipe for once in my life since I knew I am forbidden to eat this again hehehe...... I'm not allowed to take ice creams or pancakes anymore.....huhuhuhu......

My mom is great at making pancakes.....so I asked her to make some so that I can eat it with ice cream and cooked bananas....it was really interesting! Tasted great..... :) God knows when I can have these again......lol!

Workshop Rahsia Tarikh Lahir

Attended the workshop "Rahsia Tarikh Lahir" organized by Dr Azizan Osman today with my aunt...wow......it was sooooooooooo worth it!!! I was hoping to take photos while we were there....but we were not allowed to do that :(. But it's ok hehehe.....I was happy anyways with the workshop....learned a lot about what my potentials were, my strengths and my weaknesses too. Now I can improve myself....but it would be much better if I can attend their courses. Would love to do that someday soon.

It was a one day workshop....time was limited....there were so many topics to cover within that one day period. So everything was cramped up. Obviously we can't be learning everything in just one day.....it can take months or years....but this is the first step! :)

Dr. Azizan's workshops are so much fun.....not boring at all....I was all the time alert and fascinated by the way he handled the crowd. How he delivered the presentation was excellent too. I know I would have fun if I were to attend any of his courses in future. He would definitely be a good mentor who has all the knowledge and system to make anyone successful in life! Thank you Dr. Azizan for giving us the free tickets! It was worth it!

Gardenias = bunga cina :)

Gosh.....I can smell the fragrance of these white flowers now.....especially strong in the morning and evening too......I never knew that Bunga Cina and Gardenias are the same thing.....I only knew this a few weeks ago when my dear friend blogged about it. It was then that I saw a photo of the flower and realized how similar it is to the ones grown at my Mom's house! Gosh! I'm so ignorant about a lot of things! But I love reading and learning new things and this was great for me to know :)

They flower all year round and the tree can grow up to be very tall and big in size. My Mom prunes it every now and then so that it doesn't get too big to handle.....there used to be 2 of them that's big in size, but my Mom cut one down as it was occupying the space....so there is only one big one left at her compound.....there are a few more that she just planted and is already blooming with flowers. :)

Rambutans!!!

That's me in front of the rambutan tree......so proud of that tree....it makes me happy....because I can eat so many of the fruits and shared it with our friend, family and neighbors too.

Took a photo under the rambutan tree.....looking up!:)

In just a few seconds I managed to take a photo of this bird on the tree! So cute! Not sure of the name though.....will have to do a research about it hehehe.....

Even though most of the rambutan fruits are at this point all bright red in color, there are some that are still green, yellow and orange in color.....so you'll be get to see the transformation it's colors here.

The weaver ants made a few homes for themselves up on the rambutan tree .... you can see one of their homes at the above photo I have shown here....made from the rambutan leaves itself....the weaver ants are so creative!! But I was scared of them!!! Their stinging bite can create small bumps on your skin, ouch! It hurts pretty bad when they bite you....so I had to be careful when plucking the rambutans off the tree. This time of the year, the whole tree was full of the weaver ants.....not sure where they came from.....out of nowhere!! They weren't there last year.....and it makes it difficult for us to pluck the fruits when they are around.....

That's how many rambutans we managed to collect in 1 hour! hehehehe....

The blood and urine test....

Did my blood test during my trip back to Alor Setar last week. Had to fast or abstain myself from eating anything from 10pm that night till the next morning. My aunt was there to accompany me too. I was really scared of needles!! Luckily she was there to distract me from looking at the needle that was injected in my arm....I did looked at it for a few seconds and felt nauseous....I can't stand looking at my own blood....urrgghh! It was quite painful too.....the guy who took my blood was either not good at performing the procedure or I was being such a big baby hahaha.....whatever it is, I still think he could have done better.....I have done this before years ago and the doctor who did it to me didn't cause me any pain whatsoever....I guess there's some skills involved in it to make sure the patient is not in any pain.

I also did the urine test together with the blood test. The urine sample was taken at home....didn't want to do it at the pathlab, as it would be so uncomfortable. So they let me have their special container the day before the test so that I can do it at home. Took the sample to the pathlab the next morning to be tested. Hoping that all will be good.

After waiting for 4 days for the blood and urine test to be processed, the day finally came to pick up the results. I was beyond nervous. Then when I saw the results, I panicked! Some of the results made me happy but some made me so worried, disbelief etc etc.....a lot was going on my mind at the time. The chemist who was on duty was a bit late to work and I had to wait for a while before he could explain to me about the results of the tests. When it was time for the explanations, I felt more worried....this is because he said that I have problems with my liver. I suspected that there was something wrong with it before because of the pain I've been experiencing, but I guess I thought it was just a temporary thing. The pain comes and goes. Not sure if there is any gall bladder stones.....I think I have to do the scan at the hospital to find out for sure. But I am happy to know that my kidneys are fine now.....it wasn't before...but after taking medication for it, 15 - 20 stones came out.......and after they all came out, I don't experience the pain anymore. That is such a great relieve.

I also have a slightly high bad cholesterol level....hmmm.....because of eating too many eggs perhaps and fried foods!! hehehe.....but I have gone on a diet that abstained me from taking any eggs or meat and fried for the past one month now.....so that helps a little. He said I don't have to take any pills for the cholesterol as it is not that high.....all I need to do is EXERCISE MORE!! Hmm....sure, I can do that!! ;)

As for my thyroid problem......it's pretty worrying. I have had it for more than 10 years now....and the goiter is getting pretty big. A bit too big for surgery. So I have an alternative to resolve that problem now....thank heavens for that....but will have to wait a little while longer for that problem to solve. So in the mean time, I'm just going to concentrate with the liver and cholesterol problem first! Solve one problem at a time.

My late Dad and his family has a history of diabetes.....so I was worried about my blood sugar count...thank God it's not high. So I'm relieved to hear about it.....I don't want to be a diabetic patient....I know how hard it is to have that problem as I've seen what my late Dad had to go through fighting it. I have been taking care of my sugar intake....so I'm glad I'm on the right track. And I'm glad my urine test is clear of problems! No problems whatsoever....thank God for that!

All these years I never knew what is my blood type.....NOW I KNOW! It's B positive.....all this time I thought I was type O just like the rest of my family......I asked the chemist, how is it that I am blood type B....so he said probably my late Dad was a B..... B + O = B or O.....When I reached KL again, I did some research on a diet for blood type B....and was shocked to find out about the things that I can't eat.....those things are actually food and drinks that was harmful to me. I never knew it was harmful to me since all these time I thought I was blood type O. I realized how important it is for us to know what our blood type is so that we are not poisoning ourselves with the kind of food that are not suitable for our blood types. Now I know why I've been sick.....it's because I have not been eating the right food. The types of food and drinks that I am not allowed to eat are mostly what I've been stuffing myself with all these years. If only I knew this earlier, I might have prevented myself from getting sick. But I'm glad at least I know it now before it was too late. Hopefully all my allergies will be gone for good now that I know what I shouldn't be eating. I've had problems with allergies for as long as I can remember. I really want to feel better.....and I'm glad that I have the right information now.....I can help myself to feel better and look better.....of course it will take time, discipline and perseverance.....I want to make it happen and make it all better for myself....for I deserve the best!! :)

Empty spaces....

As I stare at my living room, and the rest of the apartment, I see lots of empty spaces......more and more things have been moved out, sold out, given away.......today my sis came over to take some more of her things.....as of today I am without a TV! Thank God I still have my PC around.....but I guess it won't be around for long....it will soon be moved too :(

I still have a lot of stuff to be moved.....still don't have the means to transport them to the other venue....am just so blurred right now. With the new diet that I have to follow and worrying about my health....I just don't feel like doing anything.... just feel like lying down. Just not in the mood to do anything.....or talk to anybody sometimes....I even didn't even reply messages or emails lately.....don't even answer calls sometimes.....because I felt so depressed. I know there are probably many out there who are upset with me with my behavior right now.....but I think it's better sometimes to be quiet than talk and end up upsetting people with my bad moods......

I sometimes have the need to be alone.....just be by myself and do my own things......maybe in time I will be ok again..... :(

Dangerous World Tour concert

Found out that they were going to show Michael Jackson's Dangerous World Tour concert in Bucharest on 8TV channel tonight. Was contemplating on whether to watch it or to watch a movie instead on TV2 channel called Beyond Borders.....it seemed like a very interesting movie to watch since Angelina Jolie starred in it. But as I sat down to watch the concert....I was so impress, I was glued to the show till the end! I don't think I have ever watched a Michael Jackson's concert before......and boy was I really impressed! He truly is the King of Pop....there were times when I was so emotional....I actually cried.....I guess I'm still not fully recovered from the shock about his death. :(

He danced and sang so well.....I love the part when he moonwalked in that Billie Jean number and did the 45 degrees leaning position for that Smooth Criminal choreography.....that was amazing! Googled about it as well and found out how they created that illusion....Michael really was a genius. He has always been very creative in his songwriting, dancing and performances....it's sad to loose someone as creative as him. He is special in his own way. No doubt about that. It's not easy to find talents like that these days. Even if there were any, no one can beat him.

The King of Pop

I got a shock to hear about the sad news on Michael Jackson's death this morning......I thought someone was playing a joke on me.....but when I checked the internet....couldn't believe my eyes when I read that he is gone.....cardiac arrest..... :(

I remember back when I was still in primary and secondary school, he was my favorite artist/singer.....most of my classmates wanted to marry him including me! hehehe.....it was so funny! But that's how crazy we were about him.....he was good looking, had great talent and had a great heart too. How can anyone not love him??

We tried to mimic him....sang his songs day and night.....tried to moonwalk too! He was so creative....he is probably one of the artists that we always look up to and always waited for his album to come out so that we could see what's his latest creation is going to be like.....just couldn't wait to hear his new songs.....he was always the best.....

I must say of all the songs he sang all these years....this is my personal favorite. I can relate to it.....makes me cry then makes me smile.....it has a deep meaning....

HAPPY

Sadness had been
close as my next of kin
Then happy came one day,
chased my blues away

My life began when happy smiled
Sweet, like candy to a child
Stay here and love me just a while
Let sadness see what happy does
Let happy be where sadness was

Happy, that's you
You made my life brand new
Lost as a little lamb was I
Till you came in
My life began when happy smiled
Sweet, like candy to a child
Stay here and love me just a while
Let sadness see what happy does
Let happy be where sadness was (till now)

Where have I been?
What lifetime was I in?
Suspended between time and space
Lonely until
Happy came smiling up at me
Sadness had no choice but to flee
I said a prayer so silently
Let sadness see what happy does
Let happy be where sadness was till now

He will always remain in our hearts.....always the King of Pop....no one can replace him.... :(

A funny incident....

I went back to Alor Setar last week.......to do my blood test, to send some of my things back there and to eat rambutans!!!! It was that time of the year when the rambutans start to ripen and turn bright red in color..... I will talk about the rambutans and my blood test some other time.....as there's quite a number of photos that needs to be edited heheheh.......here's something that happen along the journey from KL to Alor Setar that I would like to share......

Can you believe it???? He was only wearing his helmet for protection! Gosh....I got the chills thinking about his safety.....what if he falls??? His seat was only made of wood and I don't see him wearing any seat belt! Yikes! He sure is one brave fella!!

Lunch date with Kas....

Pushed myself to go out today to meet an old friend.....Kaslina.....I haven't seen her since 2002.....we were housemates in ITM.....back in varsity days :) She looks the same....well almost the same.....slightly more slim now and is expecting another baby.....how lucky! Pregnant and still manage to look slim! Since I am planning on moving soon....I wanted to meet up with her.....I knew after this it might be hard for me to meet any of my friends from KL....so I tried my best to do this.....life is short....do or do not....there is no try :)

Had to take this photo on my own....the waiter at the restaurant was a little too busy to help us out hehhe....my eyes couldn't open because of the flash! Astigmatism! Boo!!

I had a good time even though it was just a brief lunch date....wish she could spend more time with me and chat about old times but she had to work and I had other things to attend to as well..... :(

Fogging like crazy.......

Around 5.40pm today they started fogging the area at my apartment.....they fogged at all the blocks here.....look at that smoke! So smelly....really can't stand it....but what can I do....they are just doing their job! It's all because of the dengue fever..... :(

Reunion .... 5307

Wow....what a day it was! Filled with so many stories...old memories from the past.....present and talks about the future. Never in a million years would I imagine of getting the chance to have this reunion with so many of my fellow room mates from the room 5307, Block E, Jati Siswi, UiTM, Shah Alam.

The reunion was actually done yesterday....but as I came home from the reunion...I was too tired to blog about it.....so I saved the story last night so that I can blog about it today.....hehehe.....We actually spent almost the whole day together....I was a little worried about what I was able to eat there, and how I would feel physically (as this is the first time I get to go out on my own since I started taking my medication).....but luckily we found a few restaurants there that was able to cater to my new diet...LOL! I was not the only one with the problem....a friend of mine who is expecting a baby is also having problems eating due to the pregnancy.....she was feeling nauseous most of the time.....really felt sorry for her.... :( But her spirit to meet up with her friends was strong....and we managed to have loads of fun in our own way!

Some of us who came for the reunion yesterday have not seen each other for more than 10 years!! Imagine that! Some I've met a few times already here in KL and in Alor Setar.....fate brought us together..... :) And of course, thanks to the technology....we are connected again in cyberspace....that's how it all began....FACEBOOK brought us together....funny huh? I actually found so many of my old friends there.....friends from back when I was in primary school....secondary school and even friends from varsity days.....

It's so cool how we can stay connected with this new tool we have at our finger tips.....communication seems to be better and stronger. There is just no more excuses to not connect. The facilities are there for rebonding old ties....and creating new ones as well.

I felt kinda sad to part with my friends during the final hours of the reunion as there were still so much more to talk about....and I'm sure my friends felt the same way too.....but deep inside I know that someday we all will meet up again....God willing....and hopefully the next time, more members of the room 5307 will be able to join the reunion......the more the merrier! ;)

Papaya + bananas + red apples

Had another half of the papaya left today after making the other half yesterday for my mix fruit and salad dish. So today I made another fruit salad....consisting of papayas, bananas and small red apples......diced them up and squeezed the juice from the lime (limau kasturi) on top of them and mix them up. So refreshing and cooling for the hot weather these days...... ;)

I've been enjoying preparing and eating these mix salad dishes lately not only because of the hot weather but also for my health sake. I have been creating a few dishes that does not require me to fry or saute'......just simply eaten raw or steamed.....it's so simple, easy to manage....gets done in a jiffy....and tastes great! Suddenly dieting does not seem so bad after all....hehehe....it can be great if we put our mind to it. It does require us to sit down and think of the menus.....but it's all worth the trouble. Once we know what are the things we can prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner......we can easily do it! No problem at all...... The most important thing is that everything got to be fresh....other wise it won't taste as great....hehehe

Water issues....

Water.........it's so important to drink lots of water.....but why is it so hard to even take 2 liters of it everyday??? I think I only take about 1 liter per day....which is not enough. I need to take more.....

They say that it's good to take at least 2 glasses each morning before brushing your teeth.....it's a natural way of detoxifying....boleh "awet muda" and bla bla bla.....I've tried it before and then found it quite nauseating after a couple of weeks.....hahaha...........

These past few days.....I have only been taking plain water or tea....tea without any milk.....but lately the tea does not seem to taste good anymore....so I just take plain water. Drinks with milk makes me want to vomit.....don't know why.....it used to be a favorite thing to do to add milk in my drinks....but nowadays, it makes me want to vomit. Crazy......must be a side effect from the medication......

So....the only drink I take now is either plain water or I add some glucose in it for taste....and energy....so boring.....but on the bright side maybe I can lose some weight if this goes on hehehehe

Mix salad.....fruits and lettuce...

Thought of preparing myself a big bowl of mix salad today......something I can eat for lunch time. Checked my fridge.....there are some pears, red apples, romaine lettuce, lime (limau kasturi) and some walnuts.....

Heated up the walnuts for a while.....then when it's hot enough, put them in my plate and chopped them up into little pieces.......the pears and red apples I diced them up...the romaine....just shredded them in medium sizes.....and threw everything in the bowl....then squeezed the limau kasturi on top of them and mix them up nicely......

The taste is actually quite nice....refreshing....I guess this new diet is going to be ok after all....as long as I can get the fresh supply then I think it will be ok.....

Packing....

Am in the midst of packing still........there are boxes everywhere in the house now....my studio right is the most messed up place in the house! I can't even walk easily in it without bumping into some boxes and packages on the floor....a total mess! I can be quite blurry when it comes to packing. Can't seem to make a decision as to where to place what......which box is more suitable for which material and labeling them is most important otherwise I will be in trouble later when I need to find things in case of emergency hehehe.....

I've packed up some of my clothes already.......art materials....and stuff.....gave away some old furniture and got rid some of the unwanted things that has been lingering in the store for years....suddenly the house looks a little empty in certain places....so funny looking hehehe....I didn't realise how much junk I have in the house till now......there are just so many unwanted stuff that can be recycled too......

The heat is another factor that's making me blurry when packing.....hahaha....can actually feel the sweat dropping on my skin.....urrrghhh......the hot weather these days is really getting on to me.....crazy weather..... :( Makes me dizzy and lazy and sleepy.....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Food......what I'll miss...

Ever since I found out what was wrong with my health about over a week ago......I started to list down what are the things I can and cannot eat.....can drink and cannot drink....can do and cannot do.....but what I shall miss most is what I cannot eat! I've known this for quite a long time ago but have gone through a hard time disciplining myself to follow this diet. Obviously because it's too much for me to handle......most people who knows me can tell how much I love to eat.....I don't over do it but I do know how to enjoy a good meal.

I try not to complain about this too much especially since it's for my own good......after all, even though there are a lot of things I must avoid taking, there are a lot more stuff out there that I can still take. I just need some time to adjust to this new diet....I've done it before years ago....was so strict with the diet....no matter what people think of it, I kept on with it. And of course I felt so much better with that diet.....felt so healthy too ......but it all changed when I came and live in KL......there were so many great goodies here that I just couldn't resist....and so after a year of that strict diet...I failed to follow it anymore....slowly I turned to the dark side hahahaha.....I also became a coffee addict and ate without even thinking of the consequences (not all of the times though hehehehe)

I tried to do the "mind over matter" thingy.......it worked for a while.....then I went back to consuming what I liked....I felt guilty after that....but then, since it makes me happy, I didn't care.....until it was causing me pain......then I knew I had to do something quick.....

I've always loved to eat fried foods....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them.....and now, I can't take them anymore......I can only steam, boil, grill and poach them.....I love to eat chicken....not much of a beef person nowadays.....but, both of those I can't eat anymore.....the only meat I am allowed to consume now is fish.....and only the ones with scales......hmmmm......well at least I am allowed to eat fish....if it's just vegetables and fruits....I'll just die.....hehehehe......

I'm supposed to avoid taking coffee and tea as well........gosh....that was hard to do.....being an addict and all......but it seems that the "bad coffee" is not real coffee beans....it's the instant ones, like Nescafe and all those 3 in 1 coffee and tea mixture......that is forbidden for me! So if it's from the freshly grind ones, that is not so bad.....but so far, it's been 7 days since I last took any coffee....yay! Did take tea a couple of times though....but tea has never been my favorite anyways, so it was ok to leave that one......it's the coffee that I miss most....huhuhuhu.....

Yesterday I took time to go out and buy my groceries......and boy did I bought a lot of vegetables! My aunt just laughed looking at what I bought.....I guess, I'm beginning to look like a rabbit to her hahaha.....because of all the vegetables I have to eat....I was born on the year of the Rabbit...so eating vegetables has never been a problem....neither is eating lots of fruits....so I think I'll be ok with that...the only problem is I need the meat as well.....but I hate to clean the fish!! hahaha......plus fish is expensive to buy. I am not allowed to eat eggs either...it seems that eggs are harmful for me too....SIGH......so I guess I'll just have to learn to eat fish once a week or once a month hahahaha.....

After 9 days of the "detoxification".....there's already signs of my body healing itself.....apart from taking my medication that is......I do feel the difference.....I just need to keep on telling myself that no matter what....I have to do this for my own good....if I don't stay disciplined I won't be getting better.....so must always be strong and motivated!!!! Chaiyo! Chaiyo!!!

Tak Mungkin Kerna Sayang.....

Tak Mungkin Kerna Sayang

Setiba di persimpangan,
Langkah kita tak lagi sehaluan
Bermula di saat itu
Tidak senada irama dan lagu

Begitu hidup ini
Tiada yang abadi
Yang patah tumbuh
Yang hilang berganti

Chorus:
Kau telah jauh, jauh dariku
Tiada ruang di hati buatmu
Namun harusku akui
Ada ketika di minda kau menjelma kembali

Sekali sekala ada
Ada rindu yang datang tiba-tiba
Tak mungkin kerana sayang
Cuma terganggu oleh perasaan

Begitu hidup ini
Tiada yang abadi
Yang patah tumbuh
Yang hilang berganti

- Alyah

The first time dengar lagu ni....terus syok habis.....mungkin sebab sesuai dengan apa yang I lalui sekarang ni kut hehehe.....macam ada makna je tuuuu.....kuikuikui....and maybe because of the melody...I like it very much hehehe.....and I can sing this song quite well....suits my voice hahaha...perasan!!! Tau takpe! ;)

Masa pergi and balik Alor Setar hari tu.....bus yang aku naik tu asyik kedengaran radio DJ pasang lagu ni jer....kiranya lebih 10 kali la campur trip pergi dan balik.....terus aku layan perasaan....mai tang chorus tu yang tak tahan tu...fuhhhhh.....memang kenalah pada situasinya....hehehehe....Masa tu aku tak tahu sapa penyanyi lagu ni....aku agak-agak je la....boleh bayangkan muka dia....tapi namanya tak menjelma difikiranku....so apa lagi....bila balik ke KL semula...terus cepat-cepat aku buat research aaaaah.....hahaha.....rupa-rupanya si Alyah....sedap gak suara dia ni...I like.... :)

Kau....telah jauh.....jauh dari ku....tiada ruang dihati buat mu..............

It's been a while.......

Gosh....it's been a while since I could blog here.....the PC is fixed BUT not working as well as it should be. Most of the time it acts up! Because of this, I can't take any orders online.....it's just too difficult, especially for the custom made orders........Honestly I'm pretty tired of fixing it.....wish I could get me a new one! But since I can't afford a new one, this old one will do for now. As long as I can use it to check my emails, blogs and Facebook hehehe....

A lot of things has been going on lately, going through a lot of difficulties now......with my ill health and computer problems and plus the other things that has been bothering me and disturbing my peace at home.......I've finally decided to MOVE.....move where??? ahaaaa.....that's a secret for now.....will reveal it when the time comes hehehhee.....

Yup.....I'm spending most of my time now packing my things at home.....doing them bit by bit....there are a lot of things to do, things to settle......my head is spinning! haha! I have not been creating anything for the past few weeks now......I have made something for an aunt of mine though.....but that was it....no creations after that.....boohoohooohooo.......... :(

I really want everything to be settled as soon as I can so that I can resume back to work.....but it does not seem as easy.....there are just too many things to do.....and I just don't have the energy to do them all at one go......kinda feel frustrated sometimes.....but I have to accept the fact that I can only do what I can.....time is running short.....I just hope I can make it on time for the move. Hope everything turns out well, God willing........

Offline blues

It's been a few days now since the PC at my house went "crazy" and had to be sent for repairs. Feeling a little sad about that.....not just because I couldn't connect with my friends and customers easily at the comfort of my own home, but also because I couldn't do work easily as well....huhuhuhu......and every time I want to check my mails, I have to go to the internet cafe.....how boring!

As you know, my work kinda depends a lot on the PC.....printer and bla bla bla......so without those darling equipments, gadgets or whatever you call them....I'm a little lost.....not used to doing work without them....so now I have to learn to do things without them.... for a while....just a while.....hopefully it takes a while to repair it.......it better not take too long!!!!!!!!! (going a little crazy here hahahahahah).

Not sure if you all are aware......because of the load of work I've been getting since early this year, I've been neglecting my health as well.....so I guess I'm also taking this opportunity to take a little break from work for a while.....and since the PC is out....it all works out! hahaha! what a coincidence huh??? oh well!

I've been meaning to take this leave for quite sometime now and I guess now is the perfect timing to do so.....plan to go back to my hometown once all my pending orders are done.....hmmmm.....when when when????????????? soon I hope!!!

Adios amigos!

What I hate most.......

I wasn't able to eat anything tonight after having a stressful conversation with my customer this evening. My hands were shaking not because of hunger but because I was very upset. I just froze there and tears flowed like river.

I never thought I would have to be in this situation again after learning the hard truth a couple of years ago. I thought I was smart enough now after going through similar experiences before. Thinking perhaps I can protect myself from getting fooled again. Boy was I wrong.....

If there is one thing I can't stand is people who take advantage of the artist's hard work. We work hard day and night figuring out how to make our artwork better.....we do a lot of research and brainstorming for new ideas. Then we see our ideas and hard work get taken away by these thieves. It's ok to love our ideas....it's ok that you want to buy the artwork.....but please don't claim that it's yours just because you bought it from me. If I knew in the beginning that the plan was to use my artwork for their project, I wouldn't have done or taken the order in the first place. I'm sorry but that's me. That's how I work. I don't appreciate people claiming my work as theirs and putting their logo on it. It's not like I work for them....I'm not their employee.....I don't get paid monthly to do designs for them....

And what I hate the most is when my customer said that I should have told her about my logo.....that I should have told her that all my artwork has logos on them. I think that goes without saying!! Most artists I know put their logos or brand name on all their artworks.....that's how it works. Too bad that she has no idea about all this. Too bad that she had a hard time taking my logo off my handmade cards. It's just too bad!

Just when I'm starting to feel happy again....and motivated to create... I get this news slapped on my face. All of this trouble for both sides could have been prevented if only she was honest to me in the first place...... :(

An old eraser given a new life.....

Believe it or not, my aunt took the trouble to find her old eraser just so that I can practice my skills in rubber stamp carving! hahaha! So here it is, the old eraser (a Faber Castell brand).....at the mercy of my lino cutter hahaha....LOL!

I was thinking hard about what design I would do on this little eraser.....which is by the way only about the size of my thumb! As I was looking for ideas.....I thought of making a house and a small tree beside it....so that I can use it to make a card for a new home. I have never made a card like that before and was thinking of doing so for quite some time now......so I went ahead with the idea. :) I used a ball point pen to draw the little house and tree....

Here it is after I have dug out the outer part of the drawing....kinda tricky there....especially the area between the house and the tree. I was afraid that I might cut too much and eventually loose part of the roof! hahaha!

Ok....that is the bamboo stick.....I sharpened the ends and use it to drill tiny holes in the tree.....I want it to look like as if the tree has some fruits on it hahaha.....so funny!!! I even drilled a hole on the front door of the house....can you see it??? LOL! ;)

Not sure if you notice this......but you can see from the original drawing to the end result that the house and the tree seem a little smaller......that's because I have accidentally made tones of mistakes and had to amend them....so as a result, they became smaller.....oh well! Lesson learned! :D

So here it is.....tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! My second rubber stamp! :)

Roti tissue rupanya....

Happy Labour Day to all!! Hari ni hari buruh.....so kira cuti la juga for me walaupun kerja sendiri hahaha.......tapi lepaih balik rumah sambung balik wat kerja hahaha cuti menda tu! Cuti separuh je.....

Keluar jalan2 hari ni.......pagi2 pergi makan tosei and roti canai hehehe.....toseinyer sedap gak....tapi tak sesedap tosei kat Restaurant Rasyid di Ampang hehehehe.......so kat restorant baru dekat rumah ni.....Restaurant Nasi Kandar Kayu....fuyooo.....roti canai dia sebijik macam roti canai kat Alor Setar....macam tak percaya ja, at last ada gak roti canai kat KL ni yang sedap hahaha........selama ni asyik jumpa roti canai yang macam plastik ja....hhaha....leper dan liat! eiiiiiii! So apa lagi??? Lepaih ni boleh la pi sana makan lagi roti canai tu hahaha......

Yang memeranjatkan masa kami singgah kat restaurant tu is that ada satu menu kat restaurant tu yang agak peliks la for me......tergezut gak melihatnya......tak pasti la pulak apa nama item tu dalam menu........anyways ada la satu family ni order item tu.......nampak macam roti canai tapi panjang giler roti canai tu.....errrmmmm panjang ke tinggi??? hahaha.....masa mamak tu bawa roti tu....nampak tinggi la sebab cara dia pegang roti tu dalam keadaan menegak! So....bila sampai kat meja makan....dia terpaksa letak roti tu di atas 3 pinggan besar ( pinggan yang bentuk macam daun pisang tuuuu ) .....haaaa....korang boleh imagine tak??? Betapa besar and panjangnya roti tu......nampak very crispy and ada gula bertaburan di atasnya. Adik2 tu dok pikir canna la nak makan roti tu......fuyoooo....ada adik sorang tu siap gigit2 roti tu hahaha macam tikus la pulak cara dia makan hahaha......dia tak guna tangan masa makan roti tu.....it was so funny hahaha......geli hati nengok gelagat diaorang.....I wish I had my camera masa tu.....leh la ambik gambar! LOL! Nak mampus ambik gambar diaorang....sure kena marah!

My aunty tu teringin nak order roti tu next time kami ke sana......tapi I bangkang.....sebab rasanya kalau besar macam tu, tak larat nak makan babe!.....at least kalau 3 or 4 orang ok la nak habiskan roti tu......and satu lagi....roti tu ada gula.....sure sweet semacam jer....tak best lah.....I suka my roti canai with dhall hahaha........cerewet gila la pulak aku ni....tiba2 je hahaha.....selalunya aku ni bantai jer apa pun yang free ahahahaha..........errrmmm tengoklah canna nanti.....sebenarnya malu nak order sebab sure kami akan jadi center of attraction kat kedai tu hahaha....semua pakat tengok nanti.....nanti nak makan pun tak reti.....jadi blur je hahaha......kelakar2...... :D

Sakit perut

Tak tau la kenapa sakit perut sangat hari ni huhuhu.........masuk keluar tandas entah berapa kali ntah.......badan rasa sengal2 habis......lupa pulak apa remedy nya.....dulu dah penah sakit perut teruk macam ni and I berjaya mengubat diri sendiri......tapi hari ni dari pagi sampai ke petang tak ingat apa bendanya......then sebelum magrib tadi baru teringat....rupanya penawarnya ialah teh O tanpa gula. hahaha......

Badan pula rasa macam nak demam......agaknya sebab dok tidor lewat tiap2 hari......kheja bagai nak rak....tak siap2 juga hahaha.....oh tidak tidak....ada yang dah siap huhuhu......tapi yang menunggu pun banyak lagi. Letih juga buat kheja camni....ingatkan dapat rehat selalu, rupanya kheja tiap2 hari, takdak cuti......so kalau nak cuti, kheja kena cuba siapkan cepat2.....then baru dapat free time skit untuk nak lepak. huhuhuhu......

Caucincau.....

No electricity for two hours!

It happened around 2.20 pm today.....I was in the middle of a short nap on my lazy chair.......and suddenly I noticed that the fan above me stopped moving. Oh God! Why oh why.......the hot weather was already killing me and now no electricity????!!!! At first I thought perhaps I didn't pay the bill......so I went to check the electric bill just to be sure.....laaaaaaa paid already la!! Then???? What??? Geram betul!

Luckily after two hours of torture......the electricity came back.....and the ceiling fan started working again.....trying it's level best to cool me down......sigh......I seriously need to get another fan for my house.....the ones available are overworked and desperately in need of a holiday from keeping their master cool hahaha.......

Get a new fan......I must! hahaha!

Chicken sausage with onions

Another recipe for the lazy and no energy people like me hahahaha........I got so hungry today....and I checked my fridge and saw nothing available to cook except for these chicken sausages. So I took them out, chopped them up to smaller sizes and sauteed them with some chopped up onions and olive oil.

I must say it tasted quite nice......probably because there were a lot of onions in it. (or perhaps because I was so HUNGRY????) hahahahah! I added a little dash of black pepper, hot chili sauce (Lingam's brand) and when it was all cooked I ate it with a few slices of Gardenia's wholemeal bread. Yum -O!

Carving a stamp...first time!

I got this gift from an angel in Maine hehehe......I got a lot more gifts that she packed up in a box but this particular gift here, the Speedball carving tool set is my most favorite! Maybe because it was something that I've been aiming at buying for a long time now. Suddenly, one fine day.....there it was, in my own hands.....unbelievable!

I wanted to play with it as soon as I can! So I did! Tried my hand at carving a motif on the rubber or eraser today hehehe..... I did my first rubber stamp and it was for my aunt......carved out the name NORMS......which stands for Norma Mohd Salleh.....heheh......NOR for Norma, M for Mohd and S for Salleh.. :)

Never thought that it would be so hard......maybe I was too ambitious! I should try a simpler motif next time round........need to buy some cheap erasers to do my experiments.....hahaha.....for beginners like me, I know I'm bound to make a tone of mistakes....so why waste the good erasers......use the cheap ones first! hahaha!

I'm just super excited about the whole experience. I never thought I would be doing this new craft this year.....wanted to do it for the longest time, and especially when I received a book about rubber stamping from the same angel some time ago hehee......AND a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon a Malaysian blogger who carves out her own rubber stamps and sells them online too! I felt so inspired to do it......I love carving and have carved out designs on wood before. But that was so long ago when I was in my teens. And the wood block was so much larger. A lot of space to work with. It's a bit different in technique....although at some point, there are some similarity in it.

But when it comes to erasers.....it's a lot softer, breaks easily and I have to be gentle with it. I get so excited about getting it done fast.....a little impatient no? hahaha......just can't wait to stamp it! Thats all! hahaha! I just have to give myself more time to get the hang of it. I hope to do more designs on rubber and play more with my new tools. Wish me luck! :)

Cinta, Jodoh dan Perkahwinan

Got my most anticipated book of the year today.......can't wait to read it!!! I first knew about it about a week ago after watching the program Nasi Lemak Kopi O. on TV9.....the author was interviewed by the beautiful Farrah Diba.....eh betul ke spelling nama dia ni hahah....nasib ler.....anyways, this guy Eddy Rosyadie is the author and he was telling about things that really relates to what I've been searching for all these years......the answers to all my questions.....errrmmm almost all of it haha...

It's such an interesting book to read......a lot of details on what love is all about and it gives us some guidance on how to find your true love......hmmm.....I wonder if it will work for me........will have to read the whole book to find out! Will definitely write a review about it once I'm done reading it. :) Till then!

Wahab's Cendol

*Photograph of the cendol taken with my camera phone....not too clear huhuhu...

This is my second time eating this tasty cendol at Mr Wahab's small little stall in Setapak Jaya.....the stall is opposite the lake......Again I could see there were so many people lining up to get a taste of this delicious cold dessert and to eat some pasembor (rojak), mee ayam, mee rojak and other delicious meals found there.

The one I had before was just plain cendol........but this time around I thought of adding the red beans....the beans were quite small in size though....I was thinking it might be bigger like the ones we usually get when eating ABC.....huhuhu.....(my expectations were too high hahaha).

The cendol itself was a bit salty for my taste.....the coconut milk was fresh (yum yum!) .....but the ice was not finely scraped.....so there were chunks of ice in the cendol that I had to chew.....urrgghh! I prefer the smoothly scraped ice better than this one......because I love it when the ice just melts in the mouth and blends in with the cendol and coconut milk and gula melaka (it's a natural sugar hehehe).

Rating.......I would give.......8/10..... :) Almost perfect.... LOL!

Adding the Italian Ayamas sausage......

Yet another pasta dish I created today! hahaha..........this time around I mixed it with some Ayamas Italian sausage (not sure if it's visible here....I sliced up the sausage and added in the pasta)......just to give some flavor.......and as for the vegetables.....I've been loving the red bell pepper and green bell pepper.......we usually call them capsicum over here.....it's crunchy and so yummy and it gives color to the pasta dish.......

It somehow gives me more appitite to eat it when there is color in the dish.....makes it look more delicious hahaha......

Banana fritters

Want to know how to make banana fritters???? In Malaysia we call them....Pisang goreng......I love eating it....not everyday though.....once in a while when I go back to my hometown, my mom would supply me with some of the bananas that she gets from her edible garden......she has a variety of banana trees at her house........I am currently loving this particular type of banana called Pisang Nipah.....it's bigger than Pisang Abu in size and the taste is so much better...... :)

Here is the step by step process...................

First you mix the batter for the banana........I use some wheat flour and a little rice flour ( depending on how many bananas you are planning to fry, it can be 2 cups of wheat flour plus half a cup of rice flour). Then add just a little amount of salt to it for taste. Mix the batter with water ( do not use hot or cold water) Use water that is of room temperature .....make sure the batter is not too runny.....because we want to dip in the sliced banana in it and the batter has to cover the banana before frying it in the pan....

As you can see here......the banana that has been dipped with the flour batter is then placed in the hot oil for deep frying....LOL....looks like the oil you see here is not that deep hahaha......trying to save my cooking oil here hahahaha!

And here they are!!! All fried and crispy! Very sweet on the inside....and crispy on the outside....hehehe.....

What insect is this????

Got some snapshots of this insect while I was busy working tonight........it was raining quite heavily for a few hours tonight and suddenly I see this insect on the wall of my studio......luckily it didn't bite or harm me.....maybe it was just trying to find shelter from the rain......

At first I thought that it was a small cockroach......but I don't think it is one.......so.....WHAT IS IT???? Does anyone know??? :)

Red bell pepper and carrot pasta

Gosh........how do I say this..........after completing the task of making this pasta dish.....I must say....it needs more improvement!! The taste is not so good.......maybe because I didn't add in some meat in it! Or......I forgot to put in the Italian herbs....I don't know....

Will try making this dish again some other time and improve on the taste.......I do love the colors though....so bright and cheerful.....the carrots and red bell pepper looks very attractive hahaha.....too bad it doesn't taste as good as it looks! LOL!

Restaurant Deejay's

SO YUMMY! I have always been a fan of TOSEI......any type of tosei .....hehehe.....and I love my tosei crispy!! Otherwise I will not eat it! LOL! It has to be crispy and not too sour.

I love eating tosei with coconut chutney (the white paste dip you see at the above photo) ....I don't really like dipping the tosei with fish curry or dhall..... I also like dipping the tosei with the spicy powder that they make especially for eating tosei...but I can't seem to remember what it's called! The thing is, not all restaurants serve that spicy powder with the tosei.....there is only one coffee shop I know in Alor Setar that serves it.....but I haven't gone to eat tosei there for a long long time.......I really miss that spicy powder! hahaha!!

This restaurant we went to knows how to make the kind of tosei that I love..... So if we can find the time to go out for breakfast, this is one of the favorite place where we go to and have our tosei. Oh! I forgot to mention that this place is in Alor Setar, Kedah....my hometown...hehehe...... The restaurant is by the main road, along Jalan Teluk Wanjah. :)

They also serve all sorts of other good food there like Nasi Kandar, Naan, Roti Canai and many other food that the usual mamak restaurant offer.....so if you are ever anywhere near Alor Setar, do drop by this place and give the tosei a try!! :)

Yut Loy Kopitiam

I've been wanting to drop by this place for the longest time.......ever since I knew about it I wanted to come over for a bite! So I finally did! Me and my aunt went to Kuala Kangsar for the first time on the way back to Kuala Lumpur during our short trip to Alor Setar recently.......we decided to drop by and find the place. We did get lost during this adventure! hahaha......but managed to find the coffee shop in the end......( after asking the locals there.... hahahah) .

We were there a little too early and miss eating their famous pau......they only start selling them at 2.00pm. We couldn't order lunch either so we decided to have hot coffee and toast. The bread was smothered with butter and kaya....so yummy! :)

Will go there again the next time I go back to Alor Setar......I really would like to know how the pau there taste like......hehehe.....LOL!

The Coffee Shop

This is how the chicken pau and the green bean pau look like before I steamed them. I bought them from my friend's coffee shop in Ipoh during my trip back to Alor Setar recently.....my friend sells them in frozen form as well as steamed. So since my aunt and I was planning to eat them later in the day, we decided to buy them frozen and steam them later when we arrive in Alor Setar.

This is how it looks like after steaming them for a few minutes......the green bean paste erupted like the lava from a volcano hehehe.....and it flowed out of the pau like a tsunami hehehe! LOL! :D

Savory chicken pau

Sweet green bean pau

Just looking at the fillings inside the pau makes me hungry!! It's so yummy, soft and fluffy! The fillings are quite generous I must say and very tasty. The green bean paste is so smooth and not too sweet. The chicken filling is not too spicy and even has carrots in it!

You can get the pau at my friend's coffee shop in Ipoh.....the other pau flavors they sell there are BBQ beef, Lotus and Red bean. All equally delicious :) Do check out the coffee shop at the website link below. :)

The address:
The Coffee Shop,
23-25, Persiaran SCI 2/2,
Sunway City, 31150 Ipoh,
Perak Darul Ridzuan.

http://dcoffeeshop.blogspot.com/

Trip to Alor Setar

When I was there in Alor Setar recently for a short trip, there was a time when we all went out on that Sunday to get some stuff from the store and it raining so heavily! So much so that it got a little flooded at my Mom's neighborhood! You could see from the photos above that the water level was a little high covering the road......it felt like we were on a motorboat and the water splashing on the left and right side of the car as it was moving hahahaha!! So funny! LOL!

My Mom's rambutan trees are bearing fruits again!!! Yay!!! I always get excited whenever they start fruiting....last year only one of the trees bear fruits....this year both the rambutan trees are bearing fruits! Double joy! Yay!! hehehe! I will have to go back to Alor Setar in late May or early June to enjoy eating the rambutans :) Can't wait!

The photos above shows my Mom and my Aunt Norma cutting down one of the banana tree at my Mom's house......this particular banana is called Pisang Nipah......it's so delicious eaten when fried with flour.....I love banana fritters! Yummy!

Domdal Bakery

Apricot pie

Chocolate muffins

French butter cake

Cheese pie

Don't all of these sweet desserts look super yummy to your tummy??? It sure does for me! hehe! I have never tasted any of these yummy pies or cakes yet but I have tasted a few of the pastries from Domdal Bakery including it's savory pizzas and I must say they all tasted great! I had the privileged to do some food testing recently and I enjoyed them very much!

All these delicious food you see above are from Domdal Bakery. A bakery that's just opened up at Subang Jaya, Selangor. The owner of this bakery, Mr Henrik Domdal is my good friend's brother in law....and that is how I got to know about his lovely bakery. You can view more sweet desserts and pastries that they sell over at the bakery from the website below.

Do drop by this bakery and get some good food for your hungry tummy whenever you are in Subang Jaya......you won't regret it! :)

Address:
Domdal Bakery,
Unit G-05, eTiara Apartments,
Off Persiaran Kemajuan,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Contact number: 03-5622 2351 or 016-6377 684

http://domdalbakery.blogspot.com/

An article about yours truly :)

I got an sms from my dear friend in the morning congratulating me for getting an article written about me in the papers......I got a shock!! I was like.....WHAT!!!!!???? I couldn't believe it......I knew it was suppose to come out in March but did not know exactly when the date would be. The reporter from Berita Harian who did this article about me and my online business was suppose to let me know earlier but she only told me about it around 10 something that morning......and when she confirmed it, I was truly certain that it was out! Gosh! It was like a dream come true hehehe! I quickly informed all my family and close friends about it....they were surprised as well hehehe!

I would like to thank Kak Sha for this sweet gift!!! I can still remember the day she asked me if she could do an interview about me.....I just couldn't believe it.....of course I said yes to the request and followed by the interview itself which was done at my house.

You could read the full article in Malay at this Berita Harian website:

http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Saturday/Ratu/20090321092615/Article/index_html

p.s. I did receive loads of emails inquiring for my handmade cards and bookmarks after the article was out......I'm trully grateful to Kak Sha for all this.....feels like she pay it forward to me....and now I have to pay it forward to someone else......hmmmm.....wonder who would be that lucky person hehehehe!! :)

Jus Manggoda

I got my first bottle of Jus Manggoda today......bought it from a customer of mine. Her sister in law sells them. She herself is taking it for her pimple problems and says that it works really well for her. I am so interested to try it since I read it's brochure......good for the immune system, for skin, for kidney function, liver and so much more......

Will start consuming it starting tomorrow morning......I wonder what it's going to taste like....hopefully yummy just like what my customer told me......it has the sweetness of different types of fruits.

For more info on this product, please check out this link :
http://anismagicfingers.blogspot.com/2009/03/jus-manggoda.html

http://anismagicfingers.blogspot.com/2009/03/jus-manggoda-manggishabbatul-sauda.html

It's all over........or is it really?

I haven't been blogging here for quite sometime......been dying to do so for the longest time but never really had the opportunity to do so because of my tight schedule.......today, I've finished all my small assignments and am ready to go full force with the assignment that's been handed down to me by my Mom.......so far it has increased to 50 pieces of cards, half the size of an A4 paper....it used to be only 35 pieces.....but the participants of the gathering had increased and I had to do more......urrrrggggghhhhhhhhh!

There will be late nights of me cutting paper and gluing them.....punching out flowers and making ribbons hehehe........all for the gathering. It's good that I have work to do.....it's the only way for me to make any money anyways.....no work, no money.......no money, no eat......no eat.....I die hahahaha.......

I just hope I'm able to get it all done on time......otherwise someone is going to be really really upset with me............yikes!!!!!!!!

Rainy days and Mondays....

A view from my window....

It's been raining a lot here lately......so cold...it usually rains sometimes very early in the morning, at dawn or in the afternoons.....so I have to make sure I get things done before it rains.....if I need to go out, or do my errands....must do it before it pours down.....

One thing I can't stand when it rains too heavily is my ceiling would leak....hate it when it happens.....then the floor in my living room would get wet.....huhuhu.....I wish I have enough money soon to get out of this place and rent some place else that is better.....but for now this is all I have and be grateful for.

My long lost bosom friend.....

Today I took the time from work and busy schedule to go meet my long lost friend Lisa......we were bosom friends since we were 9 years old....but we lost contact when both of us went to further studies. Thanks to Facebook, I found her back and we got to meet each other again in person today after more than 10 years being apart.

She's married, has a cute little toddler who's now 4 years old. He's the cutest thing! :) I got the chance to meet the love of her life, her father, but was not able to meet her mother because her mother was at the hospital doing her weekly dialysis. It was a surprise to me to hear about her mother's condition...it's very sad when one has to go through all that pain. I wish there is something I can do to help....... :(.

For the first time ever I got the chance to taste Lisa's cooking.....not bad lah!.....hehehe.....the chicken soup was very nice and so was the other dish (don't know the name) which was made from brinjals....first time I tried that type of dish, and am loving it! hhehe.....her chicken curry was....urrmmm, I shall keep my comments about it to myself hahaha! LOL!

When I think about it, I am sure God has his reasons for getting us back together again at this point in my life and not much earlier.......I feel so grateful for this gift nonetheless. I can't express how happy I am to be able to meet her again......all these years I've never found a friend quite like her.....luckily she's back now and hopefully will always be around :)

Pay It Forward.....got mine already!

I received my Pay It Forward gift from my good friend and sister from Kekaha, Hawaii :) She made a doll for me! Blue in color! My favorite color! She remembered! :) Along with it is a letter she wrote regarding the PIF......very nice, very sweet!

This is the first time I've ever participated in a blogger PIF.....I've already Pay it Forward to the other 3 participants......one from USA and the other two from Malaysia........I do know that the one in USA has already done her part in paying it forward to others, but not sure about the other two from Malaysia though.....hopefully they will keep their promise and pay it forward to whoever participated in their blog.

It is always such a joy to receive gifts from others especially since you know how much time and effort it took for them to make the gifts for you. I never imagine such a thing until I met my dear friends from USA.....they taught me all about giving....random act of kindness and the joy of living. It is not that hard to make people smile and make them happy....it doesn't take a lot of money either......I realise, the more you give, the more you feel happy....I get it now....I really really GET IT! :) My late father used to say....."spend spend and God will send"......I used to think that he was crazy for saying that.......but now it all makes sense. You definitely will not lose anything by giving.....instead you will gain more than what you put out....God definitely will send....I believe it so..... :)

A close encounter with Mat Sentul

Met him at the food court in SOGO today hehehe....LOL! At first I couldn't believe it....but when he started talking and making his funny faces.....I knew it was HIM! But I was too shy to say a word even though I was standing right beside him at the time......He didn't look that old....I think he aged gracefully.....still slim and has the facial features of an anak mami hehehe.....

I remember watching his films when I was little.....Mat Bond one of them....with all his funny stories and his black umbrella that he carries with him where ever he goes.....kinda like his trademark, that black umbrella......didn't see him carrying one at SOGO today hehehe LOL!

Anyways.....he was arguing with the cashier at the drink stall.....it seems he wanted to order fruit juices....4 of them I think....but the cashier didn't seem to get what he was requesting her to do. He specifically wanted the fruit juice without ice or sugar in it! LOL! I don't think anyone there at the time recognized him.....they couldn't be bothered with his requests either....but had to do it anyways coz he wanted it done his way.......after my drink order was ready....I had to go and that was the last I saw of him......I wonder if he got his order right in the end? hehehe!

More CNY decorations.......

Photos taken at the Sogo department store.....decorations of the Chinese New Year celebration.....I love the deco.....the lamps are a bit different from the usual round ones I've seen before.....and the flowers are so pretty too. :) Don't you just love celebrations? All these beautiful decorations just keeps me in a good mood hehehe

Lion dance at the Pavillion

I was at the Pavillion today.........was surprised to see that there was a lion dance performance there at the entrance! So nice! I love watching the lion dance.....very exciting hehehe! Too bad I couldn't stay to watch the whole show as I had to go somewhere else after that.......so in a hurry I took some photos of it with my trusted handphone camera........not that clear but good enough laa hehehe..... :)

KLPAC Open Day 09

Heading to the KLPAC Open Day 09!

The old buildings here are so beautiful! Love them.... :)

A KLPAC virgin no more! hehehe!

Love the landscape sculpture here......ping pong balls I think :)

Cool graphics here

This artwork is funny......."a banana a day keeps the shit away".....that's what it says at their sign board hehehehe!

Plastic straws......imagine that! Hanging from the ceiling.....what an artwork! Doesn't it look so pretty???

KL Children's Choir.......So cute.....such lovely little voices...

Young KL Singers......Very entertaining.....performing a few popular songs.....harmonious and they make you feel like dancing :)

Salsa dance by Darlene and Amar........fantastic!!! Love them! The crowd just couldn't get enough of them!

KLPAC Sinfionetta......their version of the James Bond theme song was superb!

Julian Mokhtar and Nan Blues.....best!!!

Bijou Bazaar - flea market

Not sure of their names but their songs were good.....easy listening... :)

I love the chairs.....so airy hehehehe!

This Koi fish is major big!!! I wonder how old it is.....and how much it costs!!! Must cost a fortune!

Albino Koi fish???

Aren't the ducks major cute??? hehehe

Rojak Bellamy

One fine day, I headed towards the Rojak stall at Jalan Bellamy.....dup dap dup dap.....I can't wait to taste it!!!

This is where the famous Rojak Bellamy is at! Located at the side of the building of Kedai Serbanika Pernama Perdana, very close by to the Alice Smith School, at Jalan Bellamy.........the stall opens at 7am till 3pm on Sunday....but will open until 6pm on other days if I am not mistaken hehehe....

It says here on one of these posters that Rojak Bellamy used to be a special dish served at the palace! Wow!

Definitely served fast and tasty too!! Yummy!

Cheap huh?? Only RM2.80 for a plate of the delicious Rojak Bellamy :)

This is Mamak Fried Noodle.....so yummy...not too spicy and the spices are just right! A must try! :) There are fried fritters in it, eggs too....and the noodles of course....no meat in it...in some places they would add some beef in it....but it doesn't seem to matter as this fried noodle taste great even without it!

I decided to order the Mee Rojak Bellamy instead of the plain Rojak Bellamy....gosh! The peanut sauce is so super delicious! The sauce is thick and creamy and a bit dark in color....Very smooth! It's different from the one I had at the Capital Cafe.....this one is a little spicy but not too spicy and not too sweet either, plus it has an authentic Indian taste to it...very classic. It reminds me of the Rojak I used to eat when I was younger back in Alor Setar.....when people made the Rojak sauce the way it suppose to be and are not stingy with the ingredients! hehehe!

See what's inside it!! The yellow noodles mixed with sliced cucumbers, fried fritters, sweet turnips, hard boiled eggs, chilli squid, soft fried tofu and boiled potatoes.......YUM-O!!

Restorant Rasyid

If you ever want to eat really nice + yummy tosei and roti canai anywhere nearby Ampang area.........this is the place to get them! They make the tosei just the way I like it! It's big, crispy, super tasty and not too sour. It's situated nearby Ampang Point supermarket and also opposite the De Palma Hotel.

The gravy that they serve with the tosei has everything that I love..... the coconut chutney, the chicken dhall and also the fish curry are so yummy! :)

Celery + carrot + tomato pasta

Lately, all I love to cook at home is this pasta dish. Consisting of celery, carrot and tomato as the sauce I mix with the small shell pasta or cocciolini rigati (that's what's stated on the package!hehehe). This pasta dish is for the lazy cooks like me who sometimes just don't have the time to cook even though I am working from home hehehe! I used to make pasta sauce that consists of tomatoes only............or just celery and carrots........but never combined all the three ingredients together......so I thought why not give it a try.....and this is the result!

It only takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get it done.....if I move faster maybe it will take less time :P. But since I move pretty slow like a sloth sometimes especially when I'm so tired.....so I don't think it will take any less time than that! Ha!

All that you need to prepare is the chopped garlic and onions....then saute' it on the non stick pan....adding some coarse black pepper and a little salt over it. Occasionally sauteing it over a period of 5 minutes.....then add in one coarsely chopped tomato.....then I would add in some water, about a cup. After that, I would add in one coarsely chopped carrot and a few stalks of thinly sliced celery into it.........add in some more salt at this point....make sure not to put in too much otherwise it will be too salty! Then I would stir the mix occasionally until it starts to boil........I don't like my vegies to be too soft and mushy.....I like them crunchy. :)

So when the pasta has been boiled al dante....you can add them into the vegetable sauce....stir until they mix well with the sauce. And it's ready to eat! :) Easy right? hehehe........

Q Bistro

Went to this new Nasi Kandar restaurant nearby my house today called Q Bistro, to try out their tosei and roti canai.........people.....do not, I repeat, do not eat them!!!! Why you ask??? Because they tasted sooooooooooo lousy!!! So lousy that I had to take sweets after that to kill off the after taste of the lousy tosei and roti canai! Urrrgggghhhh!! The only reason why I ate the roti canai was because I was still hungry....why?? Because the tosei was so small.....and not even crispy! Plus because I thought perhaps if I ate the roti canai, it will help me forget how awful the tosei tasted.....but instead, it made it worse......oh God! Why oh why did they even make those in the first place....???!!!

I feel so sad when people don't take pride in what they do these days........the only thing they think about is how much money they can make from their customers.....they never think about quality.....shame on them! That's why they can open up so many other branches all over town like those people at the restaurant I went to.......they have opened up so many nasi kandar restaurant using different names nearby my house......it's the under the same management! They really make money from us..... Even though the names of the shops are different, the interior of the shops are different.....but the taste of the their food is the same.....LOUSY! And yet people still go there, because they don't have much choice.....

I've tried their nasi goreng ayam before.....it was "so so".....edible laaaa..........but I didn't want to pass judgement right away and boikot everything else in the menu just because I thought that the nasi goreng ayam was "so so" jer......that's why I tried the tosei.......and I ended up feeling so disappointed......

People go and eat at restaurants or coffee shops not just because they are hungry......but sometimes because they are looking for something better to eat from what they can get at home......if they can cook like the pros....they wouldn't go and eat outside food.....they would have eaten at home instead..... :-<

Handmade soap

I bought this really lovely handmade soap when I visited the Creative Mafia Bazaar yesterday in PWTC...ain't the packaging simply adorable??? They placed the soap in this beautiful handmade pouch ...... Love the business card too! So pretty! :)

These are the examples of the different types of handmade soap....

Photos of how it was produced....all handmade with extra care....

The soap I bought is so fragrant! It can be used for the whole body and including for shampooing your hair.

For more details about this wonderful handmade soap, go to this website and check it out!
http://www.pattybelle.com/

And for those who can understand the Chinese language....please check out this website about the Yuan Soap
http://www.taiwansoap.com.tw/product.html

A visit to the Youth 09 Lifestyle Festival

I went to visit the Malaysia's Youth 09 Lifestyle Festival today.....got my pass online and headed towards the registration center in PWTC to get my free goodies (yang entah apa2 ntah tu) :P, got my left hand stamped with the Youth 09 logo and then I headed towards the festival.....it was a long walk people.......a looooooooooooong walk! :P I think I lost 5 grams! hehehehe!There were different sections of where the activities were held......plus the bazaar was divided too.....some were placed nearby the entrance and some were placed way up in the sky hehehehe.......upstairs, I mean hehehe..... :D

Here are a couple of photos I took of the bazaar, held upstairs......loads of creative minds here.....selling their creative handmade artwork, be it greeting cards, jewelry, clothes, cupcakes, shoes etc etc etc.....the lists goes on and on.....

I managed to catch some bands playing......some were awesome....and some were......uuuuuhhhh....I shall reserve those comments to myself hehehehe.........

My happy song

Everytime I'm feeling down and blue......this is what I listen to or sing to make myself feel good :) It works every time! LOL! :D I knew this song since I was very young.....and I know it so well that I've even memorized it by heart hehehe......it's a song by B.J Thomas...love his voice a lot! :)

You can view his video clip on YouTube.....it's an old one and it's so funny and never fail to make me smile every time!



Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleepin' on the job
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won't defeat me
It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

Pop up flowers

Today I tried to fulfill my promise that I made to myself in my 2009 new year resolutions. With the huge motivation from my friend Michael and a few others who have motivated and inspired me to do more than just popping up lips in my handmade cards, I decided to leave my fears and give it a try.....I followed the instructions given and watched the online tutorial video over and over again till my head got dizzy hehehe.....

The first one I did was a pop up lotus flower.....it was the easiest pop up flower project that I found. Although it was supposed to be easy, I still felt like my brains was too slow to follow the demonstration. After a few times watching it, I gave it a try and walla!!!! I did it!!! I couldn't believe how easy it was!!! And after that, I was hungry for more! I got so excited and told myself, why not do that beautiful 7 pop up flowers???!!!! And so I watched the video......and played it again and again and again and again until my eyes was watery and the blood viens starts popping out hehehehe......

The guy in the video was such an expert! He did it in just minutes!! I had to take one full hour to do it!!! Gosh!!! But once I understood the idea......it suddenly became so easy! Amazing!! All this time I thought it was so hard to do and now I know how easy it can be.....I should have given it a try years ago.....but then again, I guess I am lucky because I could watch how it was done on video as it is much easier to understand that way rather than just learning it from a book. Slow people like me need video demonstrations hahahaha...... :P

This is the paper that has been cut and joined together before pasting it in the card for popping.

This is how it looks after pasting.....it's the top view of the lotus flower

The lotus flower!!! You could only see it looking like a lotus flower from the side view.

This is the 7 pop up flowers I made.....I added the small red flowers inside to make it look prettier....hehehe.....It was so hard to try and take a picture of this one!! I had to position it properly to make sure all the flowers can be seen. I plan on adding more decorations in there soon! Can't wait to get it all done! :)

Malaysian Largest Youth Lifestyle Festival

People! Let's go to PWTC this 9th of January for Malaysia's Largest Youth Lifestyle Festival! This event will be on for 3 days, from 9th of January till 11th of January 2009. Bring along all your friends and family to experience the coolest event of the year!

To avoid the long que....get your free passes at this website! You'll get goodie bags too!!!
www.YOUTH09.com

Cinta Si Penggali Kubur

Hari ni ada peluang untuk tengok cerita Cerekarama, "Cinta Si Penggali Kubur". Barisan pelakon yang membintangi cerekarama ni termasuklah Nasir Bilal Khan, Sheila Rusly, Jauhara Yaakob to name a few......actually I dah pernah tengok cerita ni dulu-dulu.....dah banyak kali dah ditayangkan di TV3....tapi selalu tengok separuh jer. This time around I dapat tengok 3/4 hehehe.....so kiranya almost complete la tuuuu.

Sekali lagi air mata mencurah-curah turun bila tengok cerita ni....tangkap sedih gila!!! Patutlah Nasir menang anugerah untuk watak ni....memang Nasir menjiwai wataknya dengan cemerlang sekali. I really really admire his acting in this one. Cinta Dol terhadap Sarina memang ikhlas, memang jujur sejujur jujurnya dari hati. So beautiful. I memang suka tengok cerita macam ni......simple jer ceritanya.....tapi mendalam sekali message yang ingin disampaikan.

Skripnya pun bagus....tak boring, ending pun tak mengecewakan. Entah kenapa lately banyak betul cerekarama yang endingnya tergantunglah, ada juga yang entah apa-apa ntah kesudahannya. Tak puas hati betul! Itu yang kadang-kadang tu malas nak tengok. Tapi in this story, from begining to the end....everything ran smoothly and I was statisfied. :) Tahniah kepada the skrip writer, pengarah, para pelakon serta everyone yang terlibat dalam produksi cerekarama ni hehehehe.....over pulak I ni hahahah....LOL!

Hello 2009.... :)

The new year has finally come. Hit me right in the face! I thought I had time to think about what my new year resolutions will be this new year, but I haven't had it all figured out yet. I have a few on my list but feel like I need to add more (as if I could actually do all of it in the end! :P). LOL!

Here's the top 10 list...........jeng jeng jeng!
1. B.K. (only I know what these initials mean and I cannot reveal it to the public hehehehe)
2. Loose 5 more kilos
3. Quit eating white flour products
4. Brisk walk everyday
5. Drink more plain water!
5. Get hired to do henna painting on brides...... possible or not????? :P
6. Get myself a BF??? hahahahahhaha! LOL!
7. To learn the art of making pop up cards hahahaha........ :D
8. Learn a new craft every month
9. Learn a new language (Mandarin perhaps?? Anybody willing to give me free lessons???? :D)
10. Learn how to make cupcakes and the designs on it too! (First I need to get myself an oven hahaha)

Well, so far these are the things that I wish to accomplish this year......hopefully I will be able to fulfill them all. If I can fulfill at least half of it, it would be a great accomplishment for me! I was thinking of a lot more........not sure whether to put them on the list.... I don't want to be too ambitious and put too many.....don't even know if I can even do all in this list hahahaha......oh well!

Goodbye 2008......

Today is the last day of 2008. Many memories were made, some are memorable, some I wish I could wipe out from my mind forever. Friends I have made many.....some friendships are made to last, some I wonder why I formed the friendship in the first place, and some ended abruptly for reasons I wish I knew why. Questions left unanswered and answers sometimes came to me even when I did not want to know them.

As I reflect on the journey I went through from the beginning of 2008 till now, I realized how much I have changed and grown. I am once again no longer the same person I was in 2007. I keep on changing and changing and evolving year after year. The learning process I went through has changed me and has made me improve myself in so many aspects of my life. I began to wonder what else I will have to go through in the coming new year that will somehow change me. I know I have a lot more to improve in my personal life and career. All of which I hope will be for the better.

There were a lot of things that happened in my life this year that I wish I did not happened. They were so bad and traumatic that I wish it could have been prevented. But Allah knows best, and as a servant of Allah, I just let it be, just move on, and keep on moving forward.

If I could sum up what 2008 meant to me, I would say that it was full of extraordinary experiences. Bad or good it does not matter, they were extraordinary to me nonetheless. It was a time when I learned more about what love can do to people, the goodness that it brings are endless. What desires can do to people, how it can sometimes bring out their true colors that they have been hiding all this time. How ugly it can be, can really surprise us.

I have done a lot of things I never thought would be possible before. I have managed to overcome certain fears, let go certain desires, became a lot more calmer when faced with difficult times, communicate more, understand more about people, discovered new talents in me and learned new things.

One thing for sure, I realized this year is that, life is so short......time just passes by so quickly. I did what I had to do, did as much as I could, whenever I could, so that at the end of the day, I wouldn't have any regrets. If I had any, it would not have been many....too few to mention.

Goodbye 2008.............I'm leaving all the bitterness and sadness behind and taking all the goodness with me to 2009.

Air kelapa pandan

This is the kelapa pandan tree or the pandan coconut tree at my Mom's house....it's really big and high.....it's so delicious beyond words....I love drinking the coconut water! So refreshing! But can't take too much of it otherwise I'll get sick! hehehe......too much of anything will make us sick anyways hehehe....

My aunt brought the coconuts back to KL in her car......she took some for herself, gave some to my uncle.....and I got two......the one on the left is still young and soft to open up with a sharp knife, but the one on the right is already a little old and has a hard shell. It was kinda tough to open it up to get the coconut water since I don't have the proper equipment to do so.

My aunt taught me to use the knife to slice off the top soft layer of the coconut first before hitting the shell with a pestle......that's how I managed to get the coconut water out of the coconut! :P

Then I proceed to hit it some more to get the soft white flesh inside it.....but since this one is a bit old, the flesh has harden a bit.....but still it tasted really nice :)

Buah jambu air

These are the fruit stalls at Bukit Gantang's RNR......every time I go back to Alor Setar, the bus would stop by this place for a short break after a few hours on the road. We would stop by here to pray, go to the loo and also have our lunch here too. They have all the facilities here for everyone to use. It's just so nice here.....I love stopping by this place especially for the fruits sold here. It seems much more fresh than the fruits found elsewhere. Tastier too! I love visiting this place just to buy those fresh jambu air.... :)

This must be my most favorite fruit this year and will forever be my favorite fruit of all time! It's just so delicious...juicy...not too sweet and not sour either. It's just nice....so full of fiber and so refreshing!

Sweet green bean porridge

I would like to share with everyone the process of making a sweet green bean porridge or bubur kacang hijau. This is how my Mom makes it......so delicious! I remember when I was young I used to grow these green beans at home.....it was so funny because when it was time to harvest them, I was only able to collect so little of the beans from the plants....it wasn't enough to make anything out of it......I would have to grow at least a 50 of these plant to be able to make this sweet porridge hehehe! Oh well.....I had fun though growing them....it was a good experience.....an experience I will never forget!

First you soak the green beans in water for a few hours to soften them.

This is called Sago.....one of the important ingredient of this sweet porridge.....soak this too for a few hours

Then you select which beans to throw away, the ones that did not soften during the soaking period and are still hard as it will break your teeth if you eat it! hahaha! :D

Then you boil it in water with some pandan leaves to make it fragrant.

Bring it to a boil

This is called gula melaka/palm sugar....it is a type of sugar that is made from the coconut palm tree....very sweet and fragrant too.

Smash palm sugar with a pestle and take just a few pieces of it to boil....


Let it boil in water with some pandan leaves....


Once the palm sugar has dissolved.....pour it into the pot of boiled green beans.

Let it boil slowly for awhile until the green beans are tender......test some to make sure it is thoroughly cooked....

Once you are sure that the green beans are thoroughly cooked, you can add in the sago....stir it occasionally and let it bring to a boil until the color of the sago turns clear/transparent...


Then you can add the coconut milk in it.....stir it in occasionally and add a pinch of salt and wait for it to boil....


And it's done!!! Ready to eat!

Yummy!!!!!!

Buncit passed away.....

So sad to find out from my aunt today that her fish, Buncit passed away....... :( I called it Chubby Barby.....I also wrote about it on my blog recently.....never thought that it would die so soon....

Not really sure why it suddenly died....maybe because of loneliness.....

Atan's Nasi Lemak

My Mom and her ex- student :) That's Atan.....well, that's what my Mom calls him hehehe......I don't know what his full name is! I forgot to ask! LOL! He is so shy.....but was kind enough to let me take his picture for my blog hehehe...... :D Such a good sport!

This is his small nasi lemak stall that he operates at Arca Restaurant......his stall is always a hit with the customers.....You got to be there early in order to get his nasi lemak, because it always sells fast!

This is the Nasi lemak that Atan makes.....The rice is served with sambal sotong (chili squid), hard boiled egg, papadom, sliced cucumber and some fried anchovies and peanuts.

The same nasi lemak with papadom, chicken sambal, sliced cucumbers and one fried egg.

This is so nice! I love it! Another yummy food at Arca Restaurant.....It's called Chakoi....crispy on the outside and soft on the inside....eaten with a savory and sweet kaya pandan sauce. Yum-O!

This is Capati! Served with dhall.....I love eating this too! :)

This is called Apom.....it's so crispy and sweet!

All this delicious food are found at Restaurant Arca.....formerly known as Restaurant Pak Tuan....it is situated along Jalan Sultanah, formerly known as Jalan Day hehehe.....it's quite near my Mom's house....so we love to go there and have breakfast whenever I go back to Alor Setar. The food there is quite cheap especially Atan's nasi lemak.....this is because he never fails to give his former teacher special discounts every time we eat his nasi lemak.....sometimes the price he charged us is ridiculously cheap!!! My Mom just couldn't accept it because it's not good for his business if he keeps doing that! heheheh! But he always insists!! Such a good boy with a good heart!

Laksa Teluk Kechai

This is the famous Laksa Teluk Kechai! The best laksa in town! :D Worth driving all the way from KL to Kedah to have a taste of this delicious laksa.

They also sell ABC or Ais Batu Campur.....but we didn't buy it this time around.....it is also said to be delicious! Will do so the next time we drive back to Kedah ehehhehe! :)

This is the rice noodles/laksa that we bought from that place...got hard boiled eggs, toppings for the laksa and the kuah laksa (clear gravy that has a mix of sardine fish, bunga kantan, onions and lemon grass to give it a very distinctive laksa fragrance), yummy!!!

Must cut up all these ingredients first before we can eat the laksa......these are the toppings for the laksa!

OK!!! The laksa is ready to be served!! What's so special about the laksa Teluk Kechai is that it has the "daun putat"(chopped up leaves of putat hehehe) and coconut sambal (chilie coconut). Those two ingredients adds the "kick"!

This is what we call "Pulut Sambal"....glutinous rice with savory topping. It's our dessert after eating the laksa hehehe.....we bought it at the same place....it seems that this pulut sambal is one of Tun Mahathir's favorite!! I think I know why....because it's so super delicious! That's why!! :D

Fish curry and Fried tempeh

This is fermented soy beans or tempe which I love love love so much!!!! Best eaten when it's fried! Check out the link here for some infos on tempe.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh

This is a special fish curry that my Mom made......the fish is called "Ikan Angsa". The flesh is so soft and delicious! The shape of the fish looks similar to a Pomfret (ikan bawal) but slightly bigger I think! This fish is not always available at the market.....sometimes if we are lucky, we could buy one to bring home to cook.....but most of the time it is not easily available and it's quite pricy too. So it's not something that we could eat daily....especially since it's so pricy......we only get to eat it on special occasions and depending on availablilty. I was lucky when I went back to Alor Setar this time, I got the chance to eat this fish dish.....who knows when else I'll ever get the chance to eat this again......

Of course fish curry is best eaten with plain white rice with fried papadom and tempeh...yummy!!! :) I could eat more than 2 plates of rice with all this yummy food around hehehe!!

More henna painting

These are some photos of the before and after I did the henna painting on my aunt's hand. This time around I used the henna paste in cone form. It is much more easier to handle and decorate on the hands......I simply love using it. :)

Uncle Harun's son got married :)

Just came back from Alor Setar today......wow, what a weekend I had. Went back there to attend a wedding.....an extended family from my Mom's side had invited us to attend their son's wedding last Saturday. So my aunt and I drove back to AS on Friday. The weather was great, no heavy traffic jams on the highway, everything went well as planned.

The food served at the wedding was super delicious! I just couldn't get enough of it, it was that good! Talking about it here makes me hungry hehehee.....honestly it was that good! :) They also served desserts but I forgot to take a picture of it!!! Darn it! It was a cold dessert....Ais Batu Campur or ABC...and the best part is that we get to add the ingredients ourselves!! And they also served Rojak buah.....something different from the other weddings I've been to before.

This is the yummy rice served with beef, spicy chicken, papadom, kerabu mango and fried big sized anchovies

This is the wedding favors that we got from the wedding....a ceramic mug filled with a packet of sweets! :)

The bride and groom!

Capital Cafe's Rojak

I was at Jalan TAR again......decided to have some Rojak/Pasembor at this old place called Capital Cafe....I heard that the rojak served there was Tun Mahathir's favorite! Is it really true I wonder....? Rojak is my all time favorite food......and I just couldn't resist trying out the one at this cafe. I have passed by this place so many times before but never stopped by to give it a try.....and I have seen people queing to "tapau" those Rojak for lunch too. It's not 3 or 5 people queing for it.....but more than 10 at a time sometimes! So I figured this Rojak must be really good! And it only costs RM3.30 for a plate of Rojak.... :)

So I gave it a try! And my God!!! It was so delicious!!! The peanut sauce was so delicious I could not describe it people! I have longed searched for a delicious Rojak for the past few months hahahaha.....and now I found one that I really love. I know I am not supposed to be eating it often, but at least whenever I have those cravings, I know where to go to get my yummy Rojak hehehehe! :D

Daging korban......

I received "daging korban" on Eidul Adha......The surau at my aunt's house gave away the "daging korban" to many people on that day and we were the lucky ones to receive them. I can't remember when was the last time I cooked anything at home that has beef as the main ingredient. I don't like to buy beef....usually it's just either chicken or eggs......and tones and tones of vegetables!

So here I got a situation where there's a chunk of meat......and what am I supposed to do with it??? I don't feel like cooking curry.....don't feel like cooking dhall........don't feel like cooking daging masak kicap........or masak lemak......or whatever recipes there is out there. So I just kept the meat in the fridge for awhile until I can figure out what to do with it. :P

It has also been awhile since I last ate brown rice........so I decided, hurmmm......why not cook up some brown rice and eat it with the meat today.....except, what kind of recipe am I gonna do with that meat?? I am the type who only does one dish at any one time......the one dish girl hahaha......don't like to cook many dishes at the same time. I like it to be easy and fast! So, I decided to make something that can incorparate the vegetables in it as well. And that's how this dish came up. It's so easy to make, taste really nice.....and healthy too. I love eating a lot of celery these days.....so I chopped thinly 3-4 stalks of it, one carrot stick, one tomato and some onions and not forgetting the garlic. The only spice that I put in it is coarse black pepper .......and added some salt. See how simple it is?? It tastes so nice when eaten hot..... :) Yummy!

The lonely fat fish

During the recent Raya Haji, I was at my aunt's house and I noticed her aquarium was kinda bare. It used to be filled with quite a few tiger barbs and a few other types of small fish in it. But now there's only one fish left!! The rest of the other fish passed away I guess :D. The one that's left is a tiger barb and it's getting fat in the belly too! Although it is a bit on the chubby side, it is really active in the tank. I had a hard time taking it's picture hehehe! It just kept swimming here and there and won't keep still for one second. I think, taking a picture of a cat would probably be much easier than this!

It doesn't have a name in particular......my aunt doesn't give names to her beloved pets hehehe.....but if it does have one I would prefer that it be called Chubby Barby hehehehe! Since it's a tiger BARB and it's kinda CHUBBY hehehe......get it??? I'm so mean!! LOL :P But it is a cute name right??? hehehehe.......

I just love watching it swim in the tank............wish it had some company though....... It can get pretty lonely there all alone................ :(

Henna painting

*henna painting that I did on my left hand.....the before and after effect*

When I was in Alor Setar to attend a wedding a week ago, I was exposed to the art of henna painting by a wedding planner there. He did the henna painting decoration on the hand and feet of the bride to be. I was so intrigued by the art that I wanted to pursue it myself. I didn't know exactly which henna worked best on the skin, so I just did me some experiments.

I went to buy a tube of henna paint from the local store in Alor Setar and tried to decorated it free style on my own hand. Since I am right-handed, I did the decorations on my left hand. It was quite difficult to do....especially to one self. But since I didn't have anybody to be my model, so I had no choice but to do it to myself hehehe.....

The type of henna I used was the liquid type....it was so hard to control the liquid from smearing each other. Now I know why most henna painters prefer the ones that are in the form of paste, as it is much more easier to handle.

About two days ago, during the Eid Al-Adha, I went to stay at my aunt's house and during my stay there I was able to try out another type of henna paste I bought in here in KL.....I did another type of design which was also free style....I did not copy it from any design book, it was just spontaneously done. The henna paste that I used was also quite watery....but at least it was not as watery as the one I bought in Alor Setar. I'm hoping to get the henna cone type which is better and mostly used by henna painters soon. I would need another model to try it out for me hehehe.....but if I can't find anybody who is willing to let me experiment it on their hands, then I would probably have to do it agan on mine hehehe...... :)

* henna painting done on my aunt's hand....the before and after effect*

Madam Lim's Kitchen

On Eid Al-Adha, or Hari Raya Aidiladha, I had the opportunity to dine at Madam Lim's Kitchen......it's located at Jaya Jusco's new outlet in Setiawangsa. This is the first time for me to dine at Madam Lim's Kitchen.....so I didn't know what to expect. The place is quite crowded, so I'm assuming that the food must be really good :). So my aunt and I decided to give it a try.....

I must say, the food we ordered was really nice! The best thing about it is that it's not that pricy. I think many would agree with me on this. No wonder the shop is always crowded with people, unlike the others there that were not so packed during lunch hours.

I ordered a Cantonese Style Fried Yee Mee, really tasty and it came with a peanut soup (which was quite nice), it's definitely something new to me. It's like eating "kacang rebus" with chicken soup hehehe...... :P My aunt ordered Fried Wanton which they called it as The Golden Monkey Pockets as our appetizers and Malacca Char Mee, which was really really nice!! I had a bite of it to know what it tasted like! And it's super yummy! :) My aunt also got the peanut soup.....maybe it's just a promotion from the shop. They did give us a 10% discount since it's their new opening there at the Jaya Jusco outlet.

The service was good, the food was yummy and affordable too.........what more can I say....I would love to go back there and eat some more!!! :D


Madam Lim's Kitchen
Jaya Jusco
Setiawangsa

Another promise broken....

I promised myself that I won't eat Pasembor/Mamak Rojak anymore this year.......but oooopss I did it again!!!! I went to Jalan TAR again today, it's a place where I get all the things I need for my craft work. But before I went there, I just had to have my lunch first......and where else but at Sogo's food court. As I was looking around for something to feed my hungry stomach, I came across that Pasembor again.....although the Pasembor there is not that delicious, I don't know why I just had to buy it. I felt really bad for doing so, but God knows why I couldn't stop myself for making that move.

Sure enough when I ate it, it tasted lousy.....something was missing....it just didn't came up to my standards hahaha......even the teh tarik there was lousy today, I just don't know why. Obviously the stall operators there did not maintain the quality of the food they sell there. The worst part is that, now I feel like searching for a better tasting Pasembor some place else!! Oh God help me!!!

For those who do not know what MamakRojak/Pasembor is, please have a look at this link below from Wikipedia that explains what it is all about. You can also read about all sorts of other Rojak available from the Fruit Rojak to all kinds of Rojak found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rojak

Chicken Curry with Roti Jala

When I was in Alor Setar recently, I had the chance to eat one of my favorite food :). It's chicken curry with roti jala. My Mom will always order the roti jala from Auntie Juma and then she will cook for me the chicken curry herself.

Roti jala is also known as lacy pancakes in English. These pancakes are made from plain white flour, coconut milk, eggs and salt. I must say this roti jala is one of the best ones I have ever tasted too.....it's so soft and taste so good too. It blends well with the chicken curry.

As far back as I can remember, my Mom's chicken curry has always been the most delicious chicken curry I have ever tasted. But when my Dad passed away years ago, my Mom just didn't feel like making it anymore.....and since my sis and I were staying in Kuala Lumpur, the more reason for her not to make it. Over time, she lost the touch.....her chicken curry was so bad I just couldn't consume it. Maybe she forgot the secret ingredient hehehe......After countless of comments and criticism from me and my sis.....slowly she began to recreate the famous chicken curry. Nowadays, it taste better.....but still it could not beat the one that she made for us when we were small.....I could still remember the taste....it was so incredibly delicious beyond words.

The Sweetest Bride.....

I had the honor to attend a wedding in Alor Setar....a wedding of an extended family on the 29th of November.....we've known each other for years now....feels like family to me. Alhamdulillah....everything went well....the bride was gorgeous (she looked like a doll) :) ...the groom was handsome....the wedding was beautiful and the food was excellent. What more can you ask for? :) Although I took plenty of pictures from the wedding....I adore this one the most, probably because this was taken before she got the title of a wife hehehehe....I couldn't believe that my little sister was getting married that day....it felt like a dream.....it happened so fast and suddenly she is now a "wife".....from Miss to Mrs.... :). Even she couldn't believe it either hehehe......like I said....it was like a dream....a dream that came true for her. These are the moments that I would not miss.....once it's gone, there's no turning back.....Life is short....therefore embrace it and live it.

Potato salad....

:) I really like this combination! Butter head lettuce, potato, tomato and capsicum! Usually when I make my potato salad, I would eat it with a salad dressing. But unfortunately that particular home made salad dressing I got from the supermarket is no available in the market. And the one I bought before is already finished! Argh! So I had to think of something to use as a dressing for my potato salad. What I did was saute'ed some garlic and onions and add in some coarse black pepper and Italian herbs. Then mix those with chopped tomatoes and capsicum....plus, gotta add in some salt otherwise it will taste terrible! hehehe.....so after that is done, I just scoop some and poured it on top of my potato salad. It tasted quite good I must say hehehe......now I don't have to worry about my salad dressing anymore...I'll just make some myself at home! :)

Vitamin B12

Did you know that Vitamin B12 is very important for us? This is what I found out today in the net about the benefits and nutritional value of Vitamin B12 for our body.

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, but unlike other water-soluble nutrients, it is stored in the liver, kidney and other body tissues. It contains the mineral cobalt, and is therefore also known as cobalamin.

The human body stores several years' worth of vitamin B12, so nutritional deficiency of this vitamin is extremely rare. Although, people who follow a strict vegetarian diet and do not consume eggs or dairy products may require Vitamin B12 supplements. Vitamin B12 is not usually present in plant food sources, and it is likely that a vegetarian will not consume enough of this vitamin in their diet.

The elderly are at risk too. Elderly people should also watch themselves for possible deficiency symptoms as cobalamin levels decline with age. Deficiencies in the elderly are, however, usually caused by improper absorption of the vitamin, and not a dietary lack. As the symptoms of a deficiency of this vitamin may not show themselves for five to six years until the body's reserves are completely depleted, it makes sense to consider taking a supplement. If you are uncertain as to whether you are consuming enough, you can have your blood tested.

What are the benefits of Vitamin B12?

• Cobalamin works with folic acid in the formation of red blood cells and thereby prevent anemia.
• Vitamin B12 is important for metabolism. Metabolism within the body includes the processes of energy generation and use; including nutrition, digestion, absorption, elimination, respiration, circulation, and temperature regulation.
• B12 can be used in reducing homocysteine levels - high levels of this substance can point towards possible heart disease, so if you are a potential heart disease candidate, you can use a combination of vitamin B12, B6 and folic acid to help return your homocysteine levels to normal.
• This vitamin it is necessary in maintaining a healthy nervous system. A long-term deficiency, if left untreated, can cause irreversible neurological damage.
• It also helps improve memory and concentration and helps ensure restful sleep.

Required Dosage?
The body only requires a small amount of vitamin B12 - the recommended dosage is 2 to 3 mcg per day. Supplements with 50 to 2000 mcg of B12 are available, which can be used depending on severity of the shortage in the body. No toxicity has been reported, even on high dosages.

Deficiency of Vitamin B12
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can cause serious harm if left untreated for long periods. A shortage can result in nerve damage, anemia, depression and fatigue. It is possible to prevent this damage if the low B12 level is diagnosed early, and supplementation is started before any permanent damage can occur.

Choosing the right supplement
Vitamin B12 works synergistically with other vitamins, like folic acid, vitamin A, C and E, which means that the potency of the vitamin is increased when taken with these other substances. Calcium is necessary for proper absorption of vitamin B12.

* Note : I made it a point to find out about Vitamin B12 today after watching Rachael Ray Show this morning. She was talking about it on the show and got herself a Vitamin B12 injection live on the show! The procedure was done by her guest who is a doctor by the name of Dr. Travis Stork. It seems that there are various ways to take this Vitamin other than by eating food that have Vitamin B12. You can also get it by taking supplements (pills), by injection and by using a Vitamin B12 patch as well. I hope this info will benefit all who read about it in my blog. :) Stay healthy guys!!

Penne with chicken and romaine lettuce

Oh gosh.....I just love this recipe!!! Could it be because it has chicken in it???? Perhaps yes! hahahaha! I haven't been cooking chicken for quite sometime now....nor have I been cooking any red meat or sea food for that matter.....been trying to abstain myself from taking meat for awhile for health reasons. But occasionally I have that dying need to have a bite :). Either I buy chicken that's already cooked from the restaurant or I will have to cook it myself.

Now lets talk about this new pasta recipe shall we? :). It's just so simple to cook....I got myself this new pasta from Tesco....Rachael Ray loves to use this in her pasta dishes....it's called Penne. I love using this pasta because it holds the liquid from the sauce, which makes eating much more satisfying. You get to taste the nice flavours of the sauce in the pasta.

I moderately coated the chicken with coarse black pepper before I saute' it in the non stick pan. I added some Italian herbs to flavour it....which gave it such a wonderful aroma. When the chicken is halfway cooked, I tossed in the chopped onions and garlic. And when the onions and garlic are lightly browned, I add in some salt and water....not too much water though....just enough to cover the chicken.....we are making the sauce , not the soup! hehehe.....Then I let it the chicken cook all the way through. When it's done I quickly add in the chopped Romaine Lettuce....just stir those in with the chicken for a minute or so, not too long because we don't want the lettuce to get too mushy.... and for the finale', toss in the cooked penne together in the chicken and lettuce sauce ....give it a good stir and it's done!! It's THAT simple! And it taste good too.....well, at least for my taste buds that is......I don't cook that well, so.....to be able to make this pasta dish, to me, is somewhat a great accomplishment! HAHAHAHAHA!! LOL! :D

PappaRich Kopitiam

PappaRich? Who? hehehe.....well, actually it's the name of a new kopitiam which is located very close by to where I'm currently staying....Bandar Seri Permaisuri. It's very new and this is the first time I had the chance to drop by to taste the food there. I must say, I just love, love, love the design of this kopitiam.....everything is black (well almost everything, the chair, table,ceiling and even the fan!) and looks so very chic :) Very nice ambiance, soothing music played and they served the food to us quite fast I must say.

Talk about the food.....just lovely! I ordered Chicken chop rice with the good old hot coffee. The coffee was really nice, not too sweet nor was it bitter. At least they didn't add condensed milk in the coffee....coz that would not be to my liking. I prefer fresh milk these days....coz it won't make the coffee taste like somebody accidentally spilled a bucket of sugar in it! hehehe! The chicken was really nice, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside....the black pepper sauce was just perfect for my taste....not too much of black pepper in it that would burn my throat hehehe....I just wish that there were more rice allocated for me to eat with the chicken hehehe :) I looked at the menu and there were so many varieties of cold beverages that caught my eye....they even have Durian ABC...wow! I would love to try that one on a hot sunny day hehehe.....and also they have in the menu which I find interesting is black coffee served with vanilla ice cream on top! That looked superdelicious as well hehehe! Gosh there are just so many to choose from. But of course I took the hot coffee because I don't like to have a meal with cold drinks....it will upset my stomach hehehe. But I will definitely give the other cold beverages a try someday :) . The price of the food there is not too pricey.......I guess the price is reasonable because you are paying not just for the meal but also for the nice place you are dining in hehehe...... :) All in all I would rate this kopitiam - 8/10.

PappaRich Kopitiam,
Dataran Dwi Tasik,
Bandar Seri Permaisuri,
Cheras, KL

Foods that promotes collagen...

I've always wanted to know what are the foods that promotes collagen....I did some research on that in the net and here are some of the facts that I found out.....

To begin with....what is collagen anyways?

Collagen is classified as part of our body's connective tissue. Connective tissue is found virtually everywhere in the body. Our bones and skin are composed primarily from connective tissue, but it's found everywhere, in virtually all of our organs. It's the job of connective tissue to hold things together, to protect other tissue, and provide our body with support. Our tendons and ligaments are all connective tissue structures.

Collagen is one type of fiber found within connective tissue. Collagen fibers are made from protein, and they are somewhat unusual in having large amounts of two amino acids, called hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline. These two amino acids seem to be important for formation of all types of collagen and are needed to provide the different collagen types with their appropriate amount of strength and flexibility.

Unfortunately, we haven't seen any research studies to support the addition of high lysine or high proline foods as a way of promoting collagen formation. Nonetheless, it would seem logical for consumption of foods high in lysine and proline to be potentially helpful in collagen support. Animal foods are the primary source of both amino acids, and all of the World's Healthiest Foods choices involving animal products would be your best options here. We have seen far more research on the lysine content of food than the proline content of food.

With respect to proline, egg whites appear to be an especially good source of proline from amongst the animal foods. And we've found one important exception to the animal versus plant proline rule - wheat germ. This plant-based component has much more proline than would normally be expected from a plant food.

All of the lean meats, the low-fat dairy products, and the fish would be especially concentrated sources of lysine. One plant food category would be an exception to the animal versus plant lysine rule - that category is legumes (and particularly peanuts). Legumes are significant sources of lysine, unlike most of their plant food counterparts.

One final note about lysine, proline, and collagen would involve the importance of vitamin C. This vitamin is required to change proline into hydroxyproline (the collagen form) and lysine into hydroxylysine (once again, the collagen form).

While you are trying to support your collagen tissue, you should remember that overall protein intake - both quality and quantity - is important. You may need to go beyond the RDA protein level of 46 grams (for adult women) and 56 grams (for adult men) to achieve this goal. You may also need to include a variety of foods that provide protein. Nuts, seeds, and legumes would all be food categories to consider.

Some of the diseases involving collagen damage have been found to improve with the addition of certain foods or food components to the diet. However, the research in this area tends to involve animals versus humans, and the experiments have often used food extracts or nutrient supplements instead of foods themselves. In this category, however, garlic has been a standout food, and two sulfur-containing nutrients - the amino acid taurine and the organic acid lipoid acid - have also shown the ability to support damaged collagen fibers.

Finally, you may want to consider two categories of phytonutrients as particularly important in a collagen-building meal plan. Those phytonutrients are catechins and anthocyanidins. In the research literature, the catechins found in green tea have been shown to help prevent breakdown of collagen, and for this reason we would definitely recommend that you consider green tea as a potential collagen support food. The anthocyanidins found in deep-colored, red-blue berries and fruits (including cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries) have been shown to work in a somewhat different way. These phytonutrients help the collagen fibers link together in a way that strengthens the connective tissue matrix.

Macaroni dish!

Oh yeah! This one is a winner :) hahahaha......this macaroni dish with mix of carrots and capsicum is definitely a dish I can digest, especially since it is topped with some scrambled eggs.....couldn't get any better than that! But of course if there was some fried chicken fingers to go along with it, it probably would be even tastier. But the eggs will do. :) This pasta dish does not have a lot of sauce in it.....I made it just enough to cover the macaroni and give it some flavour. A simple pasta dish that does not require a lot of time to prepare and cook it...so simple, tasty and healthy. :)

Hot Cocoa....

Been having chest pains lately......and I think I know why.....it's the coffee again! Every time I take coffee twice or three times daily, everyday.....I tend to get these chest pains....it hurts so bad that sometimes I find it hard to breath......I tried to divert my attention from coffee today.....I forced myself to take hot cocoa instead....they say that cocoa has great medicinal properties that benefits the heart.....so I did an experiment, whenever I get the chest pains, I make myself some hot cocoa to drink....and slowly the pain just goes away.....believe it or not. Will see how it goes....I will do this experiment for a week or so to see if I can change from drinking coffee to drinking hot cocoa instead.

Cocoa does have caffeine but it's very minimal compared to coffee. A typical eight ounce cup of hot chocolate contains nine milligrams of caffeine, while an eight ounce cup of coffee may contain up to 133 milligrams depending on the brand. As such, caffeine is not a major health concern associated with hot chocolate. But....hot chocolate is not as good as hot cocoa though....because hot chocolate is made directly from bar chocolate, which already contains cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. While hot cocoa is is made from a powdered mix of cocoa, sugar and thickeners without cocoa butter. Thus the major difference between the two is the cocoa butter, which makes hot cocoa significantly lower in fat than hot chocolate, while still preserving all the intrinsic health-giving properties of chocolate. Cocoa has antioxidants too. ...much more than antioxidants found in wine or tea.

The explorer Francisco Hernández wrote that chocolate beverages helped treat fever and liver disease. Another explorer, Santiago de Valverde Turices, believed that large amounts of hot chocolate was helpful in treating chest ailments, but in smaller amounts could help stomach disorders. When chocolate was introduced to the French in the 17th century, it was reportedly used "to fight against fits of anger and bad moods", which may be attributed to chocolate's phenythylamine content. Today, hot chocolate is consumed for pleasure rather than medicinally, but new research suggests that there may be other health benefits attributed to the drink.

So for now, drinking hot cocoa is definitely going to be in my list of beverages that I can drink...... :) Slowly but surely, the coffee will have to go!

Auf......

A good friend of mine gave birth to her first born about 2 months ago.....a cute little baby boy named Ahmad Auf Sufyan......I paid a visit to her house today to see her little sweetheart....and went home feeling so overwhelmed by the wonderful hospitality by my good friend and her lovely family......I felt so welcomed there that it just overwhelmed me.....

The funny thing is that she and her family is from the state of Kelantan.....so obviously their dialect was bound to confuse me hehehe.....her mother especially who spoke to me in the Kelantan dialect most of the time, had trouble making me understand what she was saying......luckily my friend was there to help me with the translation, otherwise I would be so confused. Although I do understand some words as I used to learn the dialect from her when we were office mates years ago.....but of course I'm not an expert yet hehehe.....but it was really nice to hear the Kelantan dialect.......I love hearing them talk although I sometimes only understand half of what they say. But it is always interesting to hear.

I actually learned a lot from the visit......things about life......funny how sometimes the little things can teach you a lot about life. As I sit back and reflect I find that God sure does work his magic in the most unexpected ways. We always ask God for guidance in life....... and as for me today he showed it to me through this experience I had with that family. Life can be beautiful indeed......yes it can :)

Plain yogurt with oranges.....

I love love love eating this! Especially on a hot sunny day. It's just oranges with yogurt...take about 2 oranges....peeled and cut them into small pieces and then pour a cup of plain yogurt on it! Then.....I sprinkled some fine brown sugar on the yogurt and the oranges.....just so that it won't taste too sour. So as a result, it has that sweet sour taste to it. Really nice! :) I prefer eating this these days rather than taking ice cream.....this is so much more healthier for the body and taste good too.

I also prefer to buy plain yogurt rather than the fruity ones...because those fruity ones has sugar in it. God knows what kind of sugar they use in the yogurt. I prefer brown sugar. So, I just love buying plain ones and mix it with oranges or apples or any kind of fruits that is suitable to mix with yogurt. The sky is the limit....you can also add in some toasted sunflower seeds in it .....yummy too :) Honey is a great mix as well....whatever you like, you can add them in.....You can create your own special recipe too. It's just much more fun to mix your own combination of fruits to plain yogurt..... :) Well, that's how I love them....

The Juice of Life..........coffee :)

I am loving this mug of Nescafe lately.......I no longer buy or drink condensed milk with coffee at home.....nor any 3 in 1 coffee anymore......coz I know it's not good to take those.......I've been trying to quit taking coffee, but it's useless....I just can't seem to stop doing so. And for the past one week now, I've been taking my coffee with fresh milk! Gosh, they taste so much better.....hehehe...so I guess it makes it even harder for me to quit.

I saw in the Rachael Ray show today.....about some viewers who were trying to quit drinking coffee too.....and to my shock, Rachael Ray said that she drinks about 6 pots of coffee in a day!!!! Not 6 mugs but 6 pots!!! OMG! And all the while I felt guilty for drinking 4 mugs of coffee a day....hahaha.....but I have reduced it to only 2 mugs per day now....so I'm pretty happy with that. :) Anyways, in the show, they wer