Happy Birthday Mag @ Mizu Bangsar

Add: Mizu @ Lot F6, 1st Floor, Bangsar Village, 1 Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, KL
Tel: +603 2283 6988
Location: BV (Bangsar Village) old wing, floor above Cold Storage

Edamame ... RM$10


Soft shell maki (RM$25)


The birthday gal!


Dunno what the 1st sushi roll was called ... The 2nd being the Mizu Maki (RM$35 - really delicious), Potato salad (RM$18), Wakame Salad (Strange seaweed salad - RM$18)



Thanks for the champers, Mag ... Bollinger yummy!
Pity we were charged RM$50 for each of the bottles, for corkage.


Little fried fish ... delicious!

Salmon sashimi (RM$32 each portion, we had two), Maguro sashimi (RM$60 - That's tuna), Foie gras Maki (RM$35) , Mane Aji Karaage (RM$25 - Duh, think this is the tasty grilled salmon fish head)

Dunno how this dish ended in our table ... we returned it, didn't order this strange looking eggplant!

Wagyu beef teppanyaki (RM$100 - Succulent!)

Seafood garlic fried rice (RM$15)


Assorted tempura (RM$36)


Happy Birthday to Mag ...

We had a great time!

ps - We didn't order this, but this La Grand Dame 1990 was on display behind us ... some lucky people must have popped this beauty!

Damansara Hokkien Mee - Yummy!

Add: Restoran Damansara Hokkien Mee @ Damansara Uptown
Located: Opposite the open air carpark next to Uptown One
Opening hours: Open every day ... 05:00pm - 02:00am


The piece de resistance ... Hokkien Mee, RM$5 or 6 for one. Great taste, not too oily, quite prefect actually. Wonder how it'd fare in a blind-test against the mighty Ahwa Hokkien mee along Jalan 222, PJ!?


The fried rice (we ordered a 1 person portion once again) which took ages to arrive, was worth the wait ... really good. Can't wait to try the Chef Onn roast duck next time!

Dr Dre's car - DR3

Is this a doctor's car? Or perhaps Dr. Dre!?

ps - Spotted in the vicinity of Damansara.

Arisu Korean @ Riana Green - Spare ribs soup

Add: T-01 (First floor), Riana Green Plaza, Jalan Tropicana Utara, PJ
Tel: +603 7803 6737
Mobile: +6016 397 2896 (Mrs Kim)

We always enjoy a visit to this homely Korean restaurant, serving authentic fare. Slurp!
Various previous visits to Arisu

Spare ribs soup - Deeeeeeeeeeelicious!


The meal always comes with a whole bunch of tidbits/starters ... Free-flowing!


Bibimbap served in a bowl (Turns out to be BETTER then the claypot variety, which sometimes becomes dry and over-cooked!) ... and Seafood fried rice. Both were excellent!


ps - Rather good value at about RM$65.

Ti-Ratana Orphanage - Special birthday party

It was a brilliant Sunday at the Ti-Ratana Home in Desa Petaling...


El Cerdo gets some publicity :-) The kids each got a goodie-bag filled with colouring crayons etc.


There were THREE Fatman Steamboat carts, along with KFC, cup-cakes from Equatorial Hotel as well as an Icecream Man! SLURP!


The team at Ti-ratana did a great job organising and coaching the kids, who gave us a fabulous singing and dancing performance.


Happy Birthday to that special someone who made today possible!


Fatman Steamboat ... the best!

Burger King & Modesto Hartamas with new friends

Burger King at Hartamas near Shell...
How hungry are you?


We chose a simple BBQ burger.


Not appetising looking, but reasonable tasting mashed potatoes!


Alongside this BK is ... Modesto and Rain. New and old friends :-)
It wasn't really packed as it was booked-up for a friend's family birthday, but the DJ was excellent!

Doggies are cute!

My friend's lovely doggies ... Schanuzer cutey!


The naughty but adorable cocker spaniel :-)


Just a random shot ...

Old Taste Ipoh White Coffee, SS2 in PJ

Located in SS2, PJ and newly opened in June 2008 .... Another 'authentic' modern kopitiam!


The boiled eggs actually came last ... but was really tasty. Kaya toast with Peanut Butter was good though.


I was originally sceptical about yet another 'modern' kopitiam, but I loved the Mee Siam. So delicious, especially the sambal.


The Hainanese Chicken Chop was very good, even though the red sauce was actually simply baked beans :-) 'gravy'.


Truly dissapointing ... watered down and bland Orange Juice.

Stadium Negara Steamboat - Great seafood!

41 years and still going strong ... Restoran Stadium Negara Steamboat!
My original visit here


The really friendly propietor told me that egg is mixed with the chicken so that it is 'smoother', I couldn't argue. It was good!


The prawns are just so fresh! We also got some fried dumplings aka sui kao.


Meal came up to RM$25 for each of us, rather good value. Excellent as always!


ps - Thanks to CCY, BK and J for arranging the makan ... slurp!

Senja Italian, Saujana Subang

Dinner @ The Saujana in Subang ...
Senja is a nice italian restaurant, that doesn't seem to be particularly busy!


Nice setting!


Caesar salad, followed by Roast lamb that was quite exquisite, and finally Tiramisu. A good meal!


ps - We had a bottle of the 2005 Adelaide Hills Shaw and Smith M3 to accompany the food, it was excellent as usual. Priced at just under RM$200.

Saab Estate - Souped up!

WOW, how rare is this!
1) Saab estate
2) Full bodykit
3) Smoked out lenses

ps - As seen in Subang late one evening.

Mini Cooper with checked roof

Spotted in Subang ... lovely little example of a Mini Cooper.
How much does it cost locally? Just shy of RM$200k or over USD$60k!

Bukit Kemuning Golf Club

Round of golf at Bukit Kemuning . Played Back Nine first, a decent 48, but struggled with a 54 on the Front Nine ... sigh! It was good to meet some new friends though :-)

Hmm, what you looking at!?

Bang!....

On the last hole ... there was a bit of a queue!

Ps. Interesting 'WARNING' in the buggy!

Farewell Paul @ Fresh Unique Seafood PJ

Fond farewell for Paul at PJ's finest Seafood restaurant ...

Add: Lot 9B, Jalan Kemajuan, Section 13, PJ
Tel: +603 7960 2088
Opening Hours: 11.45am - 2.30 pm , and 6.00pm to 10.30pm

Motorola Moto Q ' 9h ' Global Smartphone

This is Z's toy ... the Motorola Q Smartphone.



MOTO Q 9h global - A 3G-powered smartphone, which became the first MOTO Q smart device sold in the U.S. with worldwide capabilities.
The MOTO Q global is a high-performance smart device with a new, sleek form factor. The MOTO Q global offers customers a full ergonomic, integrated QWERTY keyboard; outstanding voice quality; downloads at up to 3.6 Mbps via UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect network; Windows Mobile® 6; built-in GPS capabilities; Documents to Go® for document editing; Opera browser; seven dedicated shortcut keys; a 2.0-megapixel camera with flash; and support for both a host of enterprise- and consumer-oriented applications and services.

WIP @ Bangsar Shopping Centre

Add: WIP Cafe @ Lot G 111, Ground floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre, 285 Jalan Maarof, KL
Tel: +603 2094 2789
Update! Gotta check out the resident DJ 'John' spinning the decks ... incredible 80s-90s music, we love it!!!

Post Mataking dive trip get together at Bangsar Shopping Centre's WIP!


Ju checking out A's photos from Mataking :-)


Western cuisine ...


Local fare!


Dissapointing tiramisu ...


Long Island Iced Tea free-flowed all night ... did I have four ... or five ... or ... hmm. Lost count! RM$30 each.

Air Asia - Bad service on the Tawau flight!

Flight: Air Asia AK 5155
Route: Tawau - KL's LCCT
Time: Tuesday, 24th June 2008 @ 06:35pm - 09:20pm (Flight took off at 07:30pm .. sigh!)

Service Complaint! Grumpy and rude Air Asia air stewardress on-board, who not only nearly forgot our Hotdog, but bumped into Jo without saying sorry, and had such an angry face. Shame on you!
Air Asia Complaint! How could Air Asia have so few packs of Nasi lemak and Briyani on-board when it was obviously a late/dinner flight. Not only was the flight LATE by an hour, the customers in the middle of the aircraft had to endure 'Only sandwiches available'. Tsk tsk!

The nasi lemak was bearable ...


Nice Step-by-Step guide on how to prepare your 1901 New York Chicken hotdog!

Air Asia - Flight home from Mataking and Tawau

Here's us heading home after our big dive trip in Mataking on-board Air Asia ...



View of the Airbus cabin

Uncle Chang Dive Lodge shop spotted @ Semporna

Just as we were leaving Semporna ... I caught a glimpse of Uncle Chang's dive lodge shop.
Brings back some interesting memories!

Farewell Mataking - Sun, Sea and Surf

Our last couple of hours at Mataking, we still had to soak up more sun and frolick in the beautifully clear and blue water!


Strike a pose...


Fun fun fun!

I dived with Neo on my previous dive trip to Mataking, and it was good to be reunited again!

Hey dude!

Nearly time to go ...

Our team!

The boat's about to leave for Semporna...

Saying goodbye to Mataking ...

Arrival at Semporna, about 50 minutes boat ride.

And back at Tawau airport ...

Our last morning in Mataking

Last breakfast at Mataking ...


B is still on the Dive Log!


Our copies of the Sipadan diving video shot by James from Bristol ... good job, mate!


Sigh.. nearly time to say goodbye to Paradise!

Canon EOS 40D @ Mataking

E's new weapon ... slurp!



Wikipedia The Canon EOS 40D is a 10.1-megapixel semi-professional digital single-lens reflex camera. It was initially announced on August 20, 2007, and was released at the end of August 2007. It is the successor of the Canon EOS 30D and can accept EF and EF-S lenses, and like its predecessor, it uses an APS-C sized image sensor, resulting in a 1.6x field of view crop factor.

Type Digital Single-lens reflex Sensor 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS
Maximum resolution 3888 × 2592 (10.1 megapixels)
Lens type Interchangeable (EF, EF-S)
Shutter speed range 30 s to 1/8000 s
Exposure Metering TTL, full aperture, zones Exposure Modes Full auto, programmed, shutter-priority, aperture priority, manual Metering modes 35-area Evaluative, Partial, Spot, C/Wgt Average Focus areas 9 user points (cross type)
Focus modes One-shot, AI Servo, AI-Focus, Manual
Continuous Shooting 3 or 6.5 frames/second
Viewfinder Optical / LiveView LCD

Mataking Resort - Welcome to paradise!

Welcome to paradise ... Mataking's Reef Resort.


Well organised dive centre / dive shop.


Makan is great!


Jamu Spa and the outdoor (all you can use, for free!) salt-water Jacuzzi .. fabulous!


A few more shots of paradise ...

Mataking - Drinks on our last night

Our last night starterd off rather sober ...



Then came the Mac :-)


The many faces of ...


It got even more crazy!


Heh heh ... uncontrollable!

Mataking - Jungle Trek

Min Hui, a university student, who was working at The Reef Resort @ Mataking, was our Guide for the night ...


The superstar ... Juvenile Coconut Crab !


Trekking along the beach ... looking for turtles who were laying eggs. We only found the trails, and a cute hermit crab.


ps - Wikipedia
The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is the largest land-living arthropod in the world. It is a highly apomorphic hermit crab and is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers in order to eat the contents. It is the only species of the genus Birgus.
It is also called the robber crab or palm thief, because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents.
Another name is "terrestrial hermit crab", due to the use of shells by the young animals; however, there are other terrestrial hermit crabs which do not get rid of the shell even as adults. These - typically in the closely related genus Coenobita - are the animals usually called "terrestrial hermit crab"; given the close relationship between Coenobita and Birgus the term would generally refer to any member of the Coenobitidae.

The coconut crab is eaten by the Pacific islanders, and is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, with a taste similar to lobster and crab meat. The most prized parts are the eggs inside the female coconut crab and the fat in the abdomen. Coconut crabs can be cooked in a similar way to lobsters, by boiling or steaming. Different islands also have a variety of recipes, as for example coconut crab cooked in coconut milk. While the coconut crab itself is not innately poisonous, it may become so depending on its diet, and cases of coconut crab poisoning have occurred.

Mataking - Having fun

You da man ... Will-I-Am!


We like group pix ... that's us after our last dive!


The Venetian ... oops, Genting @ Reef Resort.


Dive and Snorkle kakis!


One of many makans!

Diving @ Mataking - Post Office Ship Wreck

Hmmm, an underwater postcard!?

E and YT took these great shots of the Mataking ship wreck :-)

Mataking.com

The Shipwreck Post - Sinking Process
Preceding the event, the Mataking team spent many hours preparing the wreck. At five in the morning, at least twenty of the crew started towing the ship to the new wreck site. Mataking 1 was securely positioned above its final resting place.
The new cargo and water launch with the official party and spectators on board arrived at 10.00 am. Sand bags were loaded in the hull to ensure that the ship would sink upright and all the plugs were pulled out. It took nearly 1 hour before finally Mataking 1 gave up its struggle to survive. The sinking, which was officially recorded by Treasure Images was spectacular.

A team of Instructors and Dive Masters went down to inspect the safety of the wreck. Mataking 1 is now lying upright in 12 m depthat the bow and the stern in 24 m. exactly in the position intended. The divers surfaced after the initial inspection and gave the thumbs up, which was received with joyful cheers and a round of applause with lots of “yahoo’s”.
The first divers to mail their post card underwater in a waterproof vacuum sealed bag were a Japanese couple Mr. & Mrs. Wada.

Here are a couple more shots by YT ... great job with a simple Canon Ixus 60 set-up!

YT spotted and shot this amazing juvenile frog fish ... elusive little fella!

One more shot ...

Pulau Sipadan - Chilling in the sun

Getting ready to dive dive dive!


Resemblance?


Jump if you are happy...!


We love Sipadan!


Nasi Lemak was out of this world ... great food brought over by James our Videoman and Neo the DM :-) from Mataking Reef resort. Slurp!

Mataking - Reef Resort serves great food!

Nice, air-conditioned, large rooms for all at Mataking's Reef Resort :-) I was well satisfied!


The food each and every day ... from breakfast, to lunch and of course dinner, ranges from good to REALLY GOOD!

Happy Birthday, Endee @ Pulau Mataking

Hey, Tiger Endee ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Cheers, bro!


Needless to say ... we had a great time!

Diving @ Sipadan

We will never forget our first descent at Sipadan on this dive trip ... At Drop Off, we saw an Eagle Ray. Fantastic! And there were many white-tip reef sharks too of course ...


It wasn't all big stuff!


A bit of surface time ... We also dived Southpoint and Barracuda Point.


Not quite a vortex, but still an impressive sight of schooling jacks and Barracudas!


Here's the view I had from inside the Turtle Cavern / Turtle tomb, looking out at my dive buddies ... I ventured in with Neo the DM, along with E. What a rush!


The friendliest turtles you will ever see!


Dive buddies having a great time!

Wikipedia & Tourism Malaysia writes...

Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 2,000 feet or 600m from the seabed. It is located in the Celebes Sea east of the major town of Tawau and off the coast of East Malaysia on the Island of Borneo.

It was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop. Sipadan is located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem.
Normally rare diving scenes are frequently seen in the waters around Sipadan: schools of greenback turtles and hawksbill turtles nesting and mating, schools of barracuda & big-eye trevally in tornado-like formations, pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks.

A mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the island, formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that have become lost and drown before finding the surface

"The late Jacques Cousteau, the world-renowned oceanographer, described Pulau Sipadan (Sipadan Island) as ‘an untouched piece of art’, while divers around the world voted it as the best diving spot in the world."

This Malaysia’s only oceanic island is very small – only 12ha. in size. A 25-minute walk is all that is required to circle the island on foot. Surrounded by crystal clear waters, this crown jewel is a treasure trove of some of the most amazing marine animals.

Declared a bird sanctuary in 1933 by the Colonial Government of North Borneo and re-gazetted in 1963 by the Malaysian Government, the dense vegetation on Sipadan Island supports a large variety of tropical birds which include sea eagles, kingfishes, sunbirds, starlings and wood pigeons. Exotic crustaceans including the amazing coconut crab (Birgus largo) roam the beaches and scurry among the undergrowth.

Sipadan Island offers some of the best wall diving in the world. The water's edge presents a drop of more than 609.6 metre (2,000 feet) just 9.14 metre (30 feet) from the beach, and all dive sites are within easy reach by boat.

Thousands of marine life, be it big or small, make Sipadan Island their home, making it one of the most exciting dive locations in the world.

Mataking - Fun @ Sunset

We had a great time!


The sun sets at Mataking ...



Strike a pose!

It was another gorgeous evening at Mataking ...

The boys went up the Watch Tower ...

Will-i-am ... CONGRATULATIONS on your 100th dive!

Diving @ Mataking - Shore dive

The Reef Dive Centre at Mataking is well organised :-)


Mr B :-)


J and C ready to dive dive dive!


Time for another sunset shore dive ... Check out C's HUGE yellow torch!

Diving @ Mataking - H's 50th Dive

H celebrated her 50th dive at Mataking ... CONGRATULATIONS!


Hmmm, the last of the sequence of 5 photos below looks like a 'SMILEY FACE'!



Another nudibranch ...


A lone lizard fish ...

Canon G9 - Wide angle WC-DC58B

As seen on our Mataking trip... Will-i-am's Canon G9 with the wide angle converter ... nice!


ps. This Canon converter is known as the WC-DC58B. It alters the lens by a factor of 0.7X, which in a 35mm film camera is the equivalent of a 28mm lens.

Diving @ Mataking - Day Two

Lady M diving at Mataking on Day Two :-)


Leaf or scorpion fish?


Nudibranches everywhere ...

You know I love Lizard fish :-)

Various critters ... including a pretty flatworm. We spotted these bubble coral shrimp :-) Good eyes!

Surgeon fish and his shy friend!

Scorpion fish ... monsters of the deep!

So many crocodile fish!

H spotted this guy on our sunset-nearly-night dive ... Big octopus!

Diving @ Mataking sunset - Nemoes, Scorpion & Crocodile fishies

Hmmm, for months I have been trying to get some depth and colour to the Crocodile Fish .. and I just about managed to on this dive trip in Mataking!


A close-up study of this fella's eyes :-)


Hmm, another Scorpion fish! Don't you love its appendages / beard?


There are nemoes aka Clown fish in Mataking too!



Hee ... Yellow Box fish :-)



Last shot of this sunset dive, Lady M ... Taken at 06:20pm

Diving @ Mataking - House Reef

It was great that we could just shore-dive as many times as we wished on our Mataking stay ... and there were plenty of little fellas to check out at the house reef!

Fire goby ... spotted many of these nervous little fellas at both Mataking and Sipadan!


Tis was a nice check-out dive :-)


M and T found some sports shoes!


Strike a pose!


Scorpion fish :-)

Mataking - Arrival at the Reef Resort

The Reef Resort @ Mataking ... One Island, One Resort

The Reef Dive Resort and Tours Sdn. Bhd.
Add (Sales Office): TB212, Jalan Bunga, Fajar Complex, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia
Tel: +60 89 770 022

Chilling at Seafest Hotel, Semporna, before our boat ride across to Mataking.


First of many choppy boat rides, hmmm ... are the waves always so big in June?


The sight that greeted us! Beautiful ...


We dived with some hard-core divers :-)



Briefing time ... rules rules rules, hmmm! Becareful of thieves!? Duh ...


Here's just the first of many satisfying meals throughout our stay!


Time for our check-out dive at the House Reef :-)

Jusco @ Bukit Tinggi Klang by night

5 second exposure time gives you this shot :-)


ps - Subject is the AEON Bukit Tinggi mall aka Jusco Bukit Tinggi Klang.

Funa Zushi - Japanese, Klang

Add: Funa Zushi @ Unit G-01, Garden Business Centre3, Jalan Istana, 41000 Klang
Tel: +603 3373 6633
Located: Along Jalan Istana, i.e. the road which leads to the palace/Istana, another land-mark is the Royal Klang Club.

Klang's got a humble little japanese restaurant, not sure how authentic the dishes are, but they taste good nevertheless, and its great value. Under RM$150 for all the below ... and we ate a LOT!
Here's a previous review of this place


Salmon sashimi (RM$19)


Unagi avocado roll (RM$7.99) - Pretty good, cheapest unagi sushi I've ever had!
California hoso (RM$3.99) - average
Tuna salad sushi (RM$2.99) - i love 'cheap' sushi, never mind the posh stuff!
Inari sushi (RM$3.99) - average


Satsuma age (RM$12)
Kaki age (RM$16)
Teppan Kinokonomori (RM$20)
Nira tama (RM$8)
Oops ... couldn't remember which japanese-name-dish is which, but I can describe that the fish-cakes were really mediocre, the omelette with chives delicious, teppanyaki mushrooms tasted like 'oyster sauce stir fried with mushrooms' .... eep, and the tempura prawn with veges was like 'cucur udang'!

Average tasting Yakiniku Ramen (RM$17 - beef noodles, I know the price is well-different, but I really miss the one at Shangri-La's Zipangu).

Shake koabuto teriyaki (Salmon fish-head) - Really delicious @ RM$22 super value too!

The ocha (hot green tea) came up to RM$0.50 per head, and the total bill ... a very reasonable RM$141 (after a -10% due to my 'regular' patronage!).

Blog-less 20th - 24th June

No internet (Yes, no Facebook, no ... no ... no blogging!)
No mobile phones
can only mean ... Yes, I am diving Mataking, near Sipadan.



ps. Some of the dive kakis on this trip ... :-)

The Beijing 2008 Olympics is 2 months away

Omega promotion at the heart of KLCC Suria celebrating the Olympic countdown ...

Subaru Impreza - The last saloon version

2006-7 Subaru Impreza spotted at PJ ... love the '555 Rally' blue!

ps - The new version, love it or hate it, is a ... HATCHBACK!

Genji Japanese with funny chairs @ PJ Hilton

Add: Genji Japanese Restaurant, PJ Hilton, PJ

Very nice and comfy private rooms, we had one that sits about 8-9 pax, which was perfect for the six of us.
Funny! Check out the chairs :-) with NO LEGS!


The drinks... Asahi beer (RM$31), Heineken (RM$25), Fresh orange juice (RM$17), Fresh watermelon juice (RM$17)and Evian water - small (RM$16)


Edamame - Blanched japanese beans ... Absolutely fabulous. So sweet and fresh! (RM$13)


Soft shell crab maki (RM$32), Ebi ten (RM$24), Ura maki (RM$38)


Our choice of mains ... Tenderloin set (RM$68), Matsukaze Bento box (RM$95), Garlic fried rice (RM$12), and the Genji Jyo Bento (RM$70) as well as the Tem Mori (RM$35). Shimizu Bento (RM$48) - I think this was the vegetarian set.


Also enjoyed the Matcha ice cream - Green tea ice-cream, rather tasty! (RM$18)
Total for the six of us ... RM$962.
ps- Reef fund donation of RM$1 is automatically added to the meal :-)

Madam Kwan's @ KLCC

Add: Madam Kwan's Resturant @ Lot 420-421, Level 4, Suria KLCC, KL

Tel: +603 2026 2297

Mushroom chicken rice (My choice) @ RM$15

Pomfret Fish Curry (Extra large!!) @ RM$160

Nasi bojari (We had six of them!) @ RM$20.50

Fried rice (Four of them!) @ RM$13.70

Stir fried Mix veges @ RM$17.40

Deep fried sotong @ RM$26

Foo Yong Egg @ RM$25

Nasi Lemak @ RM$14

and various other dishes!

Asahi (RM$12 per can)

Heineken (RM$11 per bottle)

Tiger (RM$11 per bottle)

Banana fritters with Ice cream (RM$10)

Total damage for the 13 pax ... RM$890

VW Golf GTi - White and souped up!

The Mk V Golf GTi has been a real success in Malaysia... Hmm, another white example. But this one has 4 exhaust pipes, nice conversion!


ps - Check out this other souped up example in Hartamas KL.

Porsche Cayenne BDY1

At well over 1/2 million ringgit, it never ceases to amaze me how people can afford the Porsche Cayenne :-) Nice registration too, BDY1.


ps - Spotted near Eastin Hotel, Damansara.

Restoran Dim Sum / Shabu Shabu King, Taman Megah

This was a VERY average breakfast ... Reasonable loh-mai-kai but everything else was so ... uh ... ordinary! BTW, wonder why loh-mai-kai these days have become so 'moist', it used to be a rather dry dish?


Fishcakes ... Brinjals ... Hong Lat Chew (Red chilli stuffed with fish)


Siew mai ... Chee cheong fun ... Char siew pau ... Woo Kok (Yam pastry).

Don't drive and SMS

As seen along the Penchala Link ...

Nasi Kandar @ Pelita, Bukit Tinggi Klang

Add: Bukit Tinggi, Klang


Refreshing teh tarik kurang-manis, and teh o' ais limau ... slurp.


Ask for Roti Empat Segi instead of the box (pun intended!) standard Roti Canai, as the former is made fresh. Gorgeous to have it with Kari Ikan and some Sambal. Delicious!


Maggi Mee Goreng Kosong - Simple and delicious!


Next ... and finally ... the Nasi Kandar with Briyani Rice.


Check out all the good stuff ... Lamb curry (OK), Ayam Masak Madu (Deeeeeeelicious), and really good stir-fried cabbage to complete the Halal Economy Rice / Chap Fan.


This is what makes it special ... the guys tops up the rice with ... combines / fuses together something like 6 different curries, from kurmas, to chicken curry, beef, lamb and fish as well. It works!!

Close-up of a Crow

Saw this little fella in SS14, Subang, and initially I thought it was having a pee ... looks like it is simply air-con condensate water!


Proud crow!

Kon Loh Mee @ Subang SS14

Add: A little Kopi tiam located close to Eat-zy in Subang SS14

Cintan kon-loh mee - I liked the soup and pork/fish bits that came alongside, and the noodles were rather good too.


Fruit rojak - Pretty good!


Wan Tan Mee Soup - Rather good.


Kon Loh Wan Tan Mee - Rather dissapointing on the day.

Funny photography @ Wedding Couture, SS2

Add: Wedding Couture Sdn Bhd @ No 63, Jalan SS2/75, PJ
Tel: +603 7874 0780

Check out the location of this couple's pre-wedding photography!! Yes, cars stopped to look ... haha!


Then the photographer decided to take an aerial-shot! Nice Canon L-lens though :-)

Veuve Clicquot Ice Jacket - Champagne

Price @ Bangkok Suvarnhabumi Airport - THB 2,135 (RM$216)

Keeps the bottle chilled for up to two hours? Cool!


Wine.com describes this as ...
Champagne Veuve Clicquot is offering a bubbly twist to entertaining with the stylish new Clicquot Ice Jacket - an innovative neoprene bottle diving suit that’s portable and impeccably chic. The Champagne Veuve Clicquot Ice Jacket is an ideal accessory for an intimate gathering or a grand party where a chilled bottle of champagne not only sets the scene but also, does it in style.
Fashionably adorned in classic Clicquot "Yellow", the tight-fitting Ice Jacket showsoff top stitch seams, attractive leather trimmings and sensuously reveals the bottle's elegant curves. The tailored insulated cooler bag is soft, light and durable and wraps around the Champagne Veuve Clicquot bottle snuggly with a secure side zipper and a handsome neck-strap.
Slip the pre-chilled champagne bottle into the Ice Jacket and anytime, anywhere, enjoy the sophisticated flavor of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. In the Ice Jacket, the bottle will retain an ideal temperature for two hours, preserving the champagne's aroma, finesse and rounded fruit forward appeal.
Versatile elegance at its best and true to Madame Clicquot's motto, 'only one quality– the finest,' the Veuve Clicquot Ice Jacket delivers practicality and freshness with a twist, combining the couture-inspired art of living with the art of tasting.



ps - Wikipedia says...
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is a champagne house in Reims, France and a brand of champagne, easily recognised by its distinctive bright yellow bottle labels. Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, Veuve Clicquot (roughly pronounced vuhv klee-koh) played an important role in establishing champagne as the beverage of choice of European nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie. Situated in Reims, Veuve Clicquot has been part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy group of luxury brands since 1987.
Veuve Clicquot now owns a controlling interest in New Zealand's Cloudy Bay Vineyards.

Purple flower - Macro shots

Some shots I took one night, aided by the internal flash of my Canon G9.

Perodua Myvi with 4 tail exhaust-pipes!

I had to rub my eyes ... FOUR exhaust-pipes on this little Myvi!!? YES!


ps - Wikipedia ...
The Perodua Myvi is a supermini/subcompact car launched in 2005 by Malaysian car maker Perodua. The Myvi was the result of Perodua's collaboration with Toyota and Daihatsu. Based on the second generation Daihatsu Sirion/Boon, the MyVi is also similar in design as the Toyota Passo. The launch of the Perodua Myvi was significant as it marked first time Perodua competed head-to-head with Proton, the first Malaysian national car maker, which would release a similarly classed Proton Savvy.

Nasi Lemak Bungkus - Street food @ Lorong Gopeng, Klang

Add: Corner of Lorong Gopeng Off Jalan Goh Hock Huat, Klang


Dammmmmmmmn yummy Nasi Lemak Bungkus along Lorong Gopeng in Klang ...


Thought it wasn't too spicy, it was still refreshing to wash it down with some tasty Teh O' Limau. Slurp!


Nearly as tasty Burger Spesial (aka 'Special Burger' ; Check this out ... they use a few drizzles of genuine Lea & Perrins sauce! Makes all the difference!) from the same stall too.


I think we have found a gem here! Can't wait to return again ... but mind you, be prepared to eat road-side, at a stall with no running-water!

Chicken Rice @ Restoran Hong Wah in Klang

Add: Restoran Hong Wah @ 30 Lorong Tapah (off Jalan Goh Kock Huat), Klang
Tel: +603 3342 8528
Mobile: +6012 220 7141
Opening hours: 8am - 7pm (I was there just past 6pm, for dinner)

Wasn't a good start ... the Hakka-style stewed pork with yam was cold and rather bland ...


Ah hah! The main course more then made up for it. Delicious oiled-rice, with a selection of chicken and duck roast meats. Slurrrrrrrrp!

I like this description I found on eatingasia.typepad.com
Hong Wah's chicken, its sweet, crackly skin densely studded with sesame seeds, is roasted to perfection, to that point where the bird is just cooked through, with the teeniest bit of blood barely visible at the joints.

AND ... the soup that came free with the meal was VERY delicious!

New mosque near Goldcourse Hotel, along Klang River

Just further down the road from Klang's Goldcourse Hotel Resort along Jalan Pasar ... is a brand new mosque. Striking! What a location, along the Klang River, one can see it as one travels across the Klang bridge.

Toyota Land Cruiser VX Limited - BG88

Had the pleasure of driving the Ninja King (That's what it is known as!) whilst in Kota Kinabalu... and I always have great memories when I see one in Semenanjung!
The Land Cruiser is a really cool car, both in terms of driveability, go-anywhere-ness, as well as plain ol' cool :-) BG88 as seen in Klang ... what a registration!


ps - This particular model was introduced way back in 2002 ...
2002 – 120 Series (current Prado, Lexus GX 470) introduced
2003 – 4-millionth Land Cruiser sold
2007 – FJ Cruiser introduced
2008 – All-new seventh-generation Land Cruiser 200 series

Made of Honour (2008) : Patrick McDreamy Dempsey

Cinema: Golden Screen (GSC) at Pavilion KL
Event: Malaysian Today Preview Screening
What's cool... I had the pleasure of sitting in the most comfortable and plush double-seats, which could even recline, at Pav's GSC. Fab!


Thanks to J for the chance to join the Malaysian Today preview screening of this comedy ... hahaaa, it certainly takes a real man to become a maid of honor!

Just a simple comedy, that doesn't require much thinking at all, with a brilliant soundtrack ... and hey, it can't be bad when Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's escapacdes are brought to light once again, right from the beginning!!

The key stars ...
Patrick Dempsey ... Thomas 'Tom' Bailey
Michelle Monaghan ... Hannah
Sydney Pollack ... Thomas Bailey Sr.

Peking Duck @ Crystal Jade Kitchen, Pavilion KL

Add: Crystal Jade Kitchen @ Lot 1-17, Level 1, Pavilion, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL

Tel: +603 2148 9115

Thanks to J for the treat :-)

Garlic and pepper sotong ... Sweet and sour pork - Both dishes were of reasonable standard, especially the tasty sotong.


Stir fried beans - Delicious!


Roast chicken - a trifle dry.


What we came for ... a wee bit dissapointed as the wrapping-skins were egg-based, prefered the plain one. The duck was good but not spectacular, here's Crystal Jades interpretation of the traditional Peking Duck.


For a set price of RM$99, you get the meat cooked in one of 3 styles - Either black pepper, minced with cabbage, or 'keong-chung' (Spring onion and ginger, which we chose).


ps - Special note! The service ranged between indifferent and poor, waitresses with bad memories, and those who wouldn't make eye contact. Grrr!

Restoran Sam You - Happy Father's Day!

Add: Restoran Sam You @ Lot 56-58, Jalan 52/4, PJ
Tel: +603 7955 1197
Located: Near HSBC in the State area of PJ

PHEWWwww... got a table, place was PACKED. Guess everyone was celebrating Father's Day :-) Anyway, here's our yummy dinner ... Started off with some delicious pork ribs. Hmm, not much for RM$30?


Steamed Patin - Delicious, perfectly steamed. RM$50.


Check out the guy's fangs!


Happy Father's Day, dad!


Yin Yang Chicken - Served roast, as well as stir-fried with black pepper. Slurpppp! Approx RM$30.


Seng Kuah To-fu ... This was surprisingly good, and the seng-kuah wasn't overly bitter! RM$10.


Here's to all dads ... Happy Father's Day :-)


ps - Total bill, RM$130. A really decent meal!

Honda Civic 2.0 VTi - Delicious stock rims

Here's a stock Honda Civic 2.0s i-VTEC


I think the stock 17" split graphite-like rims on the Civic 2.0 are some of the hottest on any car ... It's cool that Honda actually gives this out as standard on the RM$120k saloon.

Handicap Parking Only - Don't play play!

Spotted at Plaza Mont Kiara's basement carpark ... don't mess with this rustic sign!
Clamp AND RM$100 penalty.

Chakri Palace : Royal Thai cuisine @ Plaza Mont Kiara

Add: B-OG-02, Plaza Mont Kiara, Jalan 1/70C Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, KL
Tel: +603 6203 3770

Thanks to H for the treat, and X for the heads-up on this place ... finally found a half-decent Thai restaurant in KL :-) Slurp!

Deeeeeeeeelicious Pandan Chicken, and good Kangkung belacan with Salted Fish.


Catfish and Mango salad ... Loved it! Stir fried greens ... and stir fried beef.

Toyota Rush - New SUV in town

The Toyota Rush is a rather handsome small SUV imported 'CBU' from Indonesia. Imagine a grown-up Kembara and you won't be far wrong ...


Paultan.org
The new Rush is a 7-seater monocoque SUV based on an adapted Toyota Avanza platform, and is powered by a 1.5 liter VVT-i engine called the 3SZ-VE, installed longtitudinally in the Rush’s engine bay. It drives the two rear wheels. The 3SZ-VE produces 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,400rpm.
Three variants of the new Toyota Rush are available - the manual 1.5G, the automatic 1.5G and the automatic top of the line 1.5S, which is only available in automatic. The manual variant has the 3SZ-VE paired with a 5-speed manual, while the automatic version has a 4-speed auto with a gated shift. The drivetrain is 2WD, which is lighter and offers better fuel economy.
Toyota Rush 1.5G M/T - RM85,888
Toyota Rush 1.5G A/T - RM88,888
Toyota Rush 1.5S A/T - RM94,888

Bernard's @ Centrepoint, Bandar Utama PJ

Add: G9A-14, Centrepoint, Jalan Leboh Bandar Utama, PJ
Tel: +603 7710 3188

A nice and cosy pub in Centrepoint, at Bandar Utama ...



Gathering of friends, new and old!


ps - We were served by the friendly Anna, and we had ...
Tiger draught (RM$8.80), Screwdriver (RM$15), House pouring white wine (RM$15), Haagen Daz ice-cream strawberry/rum-rasin single scoop each @ RM$9. Loved the ice-cream and beer, but didn't think much of the cocktail!

Dansing thru Broadway - Sneak preview at Plaza Mont Kiara

What a treat! Got a preview of the charity musical, Dansing thru Broadway, at Plaza Mont Kiara's Sunday bazaar over the weekend.


These guys are good!


I was particularly impressed by the rendition of All I Ask Of You from Phantom of the Opera.


Title : DanSing Thru Broadway
Venue : Panggung Bandaraya
Add: Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Jalan Raja, KL
Date & Time : Wed 25 - Sun 29 Jun 2008 (8pm; with additional 3pm shows on Sat & Sun) Tickets : Gala Night on 28 Jun: RM100/ RM80;25 - 29 Jun (8pm): RM80/ RM50;28 & 29 Jun (3pm): RM40
Ticket Contact :
Hotline: 03-4149 8600;
http://ticket2u.biz
Synopsis : The geeky and somewhat timid Karim, meets Grey for an interview. Grey, a theatre producer who is looking for a personal assistant, is appalled with Karim's lacklustre demeanour - no wonder the boy has not found work, just look at him!
He tells Karim the story of Hello Dolly where Cornelius and Barnaby present themselves as millionaires to attract their dream girls... and a journey through Broadway begins.
Featuring hit songs from musicals Hello Dolly, Miss Saigon, Annie, A Chorus Line and many more. The musical will be a 90 minute variety show in aid of the Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Hulu Langat.
It is choreographed by Farah Sulaiman and musically arranged by the award winning composer/producer Helen Yap.
Starring Aidil (AF), Peter Ong, Radhi Khalid, Doreen Tang, Tria, Ho Soon Yoon, Nicole-Ann Thomas, Brian Mac, Sabrina Hassan and Johan Yusof. Featuring, Sayang Dancers and Sayang Junior Dancers.

Chawan @ Bangsar - New kopitiam!

Add: 69G Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru
Located: Where Devis' used to be, at the corner of Telawi, opposite Bangsar Village


Really nice simple set-up in an airey environment ... this place is only 2 weeks old! The customer service by the staff and especially the propietor is TOP NOTCH! Pleasant, friendly, really good!


Cool 'order sheet' ... Check out the instructions on 'Buat baru' and 'Handsome MIA' which the propietor says means 'Make a great one!'.


Lin Chee Kang (RM$3.80 each) - Too sweet, and wasn't to my taste.
Fresh orange juice (RM$6) - No complaints!


Nasi lemak bungkus (RM$3) - Spicy, but tasty


Nasi Dagang Ikan (RM$10.90) - Prefer the one at Village Park Damansara Utama , but I believe Chawan will improve theirs!

Kaya Toast @ Hainan Station, Plaza Mont Kiara

Add: Hainan Station @ B-0G-05, Plaza Mont Kiara, KL


Set A : Coffee/Tea/Milo, Kaya Toast, Half-boiled eggs (RM$5.50)
The toast was really good, the kaya tasted rather home-made which is a good thing, and the half boiled eggs were yummy. Good stuff!


Soya Bean and Cincau (RM$3) - Horrid!! Eeeep :-( Did they use Drinho or some crappy brand of soya-bean? EEeewwww...


I much preferred ... Ice Lemon Tea aka Teh O Limau Ais - Good stuff!

Beads Oven - Hand made Bracelets, Plaza Mont Kiara

Check out the cool stuff from Beads Oven ... a handicraft stall located at Plaza Mont Kiara's Sunday bazaar. Everything is 100% Hand-made!

Just some of the cool samples ... Take your pick of Anklets, Bracelets, Mobile Phone Tags, Ear-rings, Necklaces or even Key chains.

La Bodega, Jalan Telawi in Bangsar - Euro 2008 event

Venue: Ground Floor, 14 - 16 , Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, KL
Did you know? La Bodega is hailed as KL's first spanish pub, and opened its doors nearly ten years ago, in 1999!

Free flowing drinks and spanish grub at Hwang DBS Investment Management's football event, to commemorate Euro 2008 (and the Italy-Romania game!). The sangria was slurrrrpy!


J had a great time :-)
ps - Check out that HUGGGGGGGGGGE wok of paella!


Hey! I won some Parkson vouchers and a Carlsbery Euro 2008 mug, from the football bar quiz ... yes, the answers were the tri-color aka FRANCE, and EDWIN VAN DER SAR.

Summer Palace Tai Thong, Damansara Utama

Add: 101, Ground Floor, Wisma Dijaya @ Jalan SS20/1, Damansara Utama, PJ
Tel : +603 7726 8616

German 'champagne' ... sparkling wine, really!


Romanian Pinot Noir which I have kept for the special occassion since 2005! Was too sharp :-( not very pleasant on the pallet!


Meal started off well with the soup (the fried rice and stir fried beans were rather good too), but went down-hill from there ...


These were the 'average' dishes ...



And now ... the TERRIBLE!
The desserts were ALL atrocious, ranged from bad to downright horrid. Grrr ... too dilute, too thick, too bland, a combination of all the above!

Thanks to Team CC for the very generous dinner treat, but RM$370 was too much to pay for this quality of food. We'll be staying away from now on!

Cutie Curls dinner @ Summer Palace Tai Thong

Team CC at Summer Palace, Tai Thong in Damansara Jaya


The team at Summer Palace, Damansara Jaya ...


Time to K!


Really crappy system, that keeps ... skipping! Stay far away from Summer Palace, espesh if you wanna Karaoke!


Hmmm, cha cha!!?

Shanghai -KL on MAS MH387

Flight: Mas MH 387

Time: 10:15am - 03:30pm (Grr ... flight delayed! Ended up taking off an hour late...)

Route: Pudong Bangkok - KLIA

Always love the sound of "To all Malaysians ... Selamat pulang!"

Simple meal ... was surprised how spicy the chicken was!

ps - Tip for MAS! Heat the bread rolls, LAH ... :-)

Pudong Shanghai International Airport

Time to say goodbye to Shanghai ...


I rather like this shot!


The Beijing Olympic 2008 mascots ...


Goodbye Haobei ...

One more breakfast at Holiday Inn, Pudong Shanghai

Simple but delicious breakfast awaits each morning at our Holiday Inn Pudong stay, choice of chinese or western ... of course I had both :-)

Honda Civic, Shanghai-China version

Lets compare the China Honda Civic v the Thai-Malaysia-Singapore version ...





Source: theautochannel.com

SHANGHAI, April 20, 2008
Reuters reported that Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co. said on Friday it expected annual sales in China to increase to around 400,000 units.
Sales in China for Japan's second-biggest automaker jumped 50 percent in January-February to 56,368 units, outperforming the overall market's 26 percent growth, powered largely by its Civic sedans.

Dio Coffee - Terrible! Pudong, Shanghai

Don't ever try the coffee at Dio ... this is a chain across Shanghai, and on our last nite in Shanghai, we stopped by at this outlet near our hotel in Dong Fang Road, Pudong. Eeeeep!


This was meant to be J's latte ... more like cream with a tiny bit of coffee. Horrid!


V's equally gross fruit coffee ... yes, cut fruits with iced coffee!!


ps - Guess who this is!!!?

IWC at Xintiandi, Shanghai

Chopard and IWC have a beautiful centre in Shanghai's trendy Xintiandi ...

Ye Shanghai - Modern Shanghainese cuisine

Add: House 6, North Block, 338 South Huangpi Road, Shanghai
Located: By Taicang RoadXintiandi
(area of renovated "Shikumen" old-style houses, with many restaurants)
Tel: +86 21 6311 2323
Opening hours: Daily 11.30 am - 2.30pm & 6.00pm - 10.30pm

We chose this venue for our last dinner in Shanghai ...


Lovely setting, and rather good service (Found out later the maitre'd was from Kedah, Malaysia!). Rather expensive, very small dishes, at 800 RMB (or nearly RM$400) for the six of us.


Very yummy crackers tidbits ...


Minced garlic with breaded aubergines - Pretty interesting, and tasty!


Shredded chicken with Shanghai cabbage - Bland!


Rice-crackers with seafood sauce - I didn't like the strange textured crackers!


Beancurd ... Shanghai style! Looks like pasta!


Eel ... interestingly crispy! Looks rather 'rude', but tasted oK.


Honey pork ribs - Good!


Sweet and sour pork - Give me the one from Chow Yang in SS2 PJ any-day!


Ps. As in most Shanghainese restaurants, there was a plate of ground chilli mixed with brown bean paste on the table. AND, we washed down the meal with more Tsingtao. Slurp!

Source: best-shanghai-restaurants.com

Ye Shanghai is in Xintiandi, (an area of renovated "Shikumen" old-style houses, with many restaurants and shops). Ye Shanghai is housed in one of the Shikumen houses, made of grey bricks with stripes of red. We recommend that you sit upstairs (although it is not always open) as the ceilings are high and the atmosphere is better there. In the evenings, there is sometimes an excellent Chinese jazz singer who performs on the middle level. Ye Shanghai has a distinct old-Shanghai impression to it. Yet, while it maintains the traditional, it also has a slight modern feel - but not too much.
The food at Ye Shanghai is delicious. The food is not too oily (like many other Chinese restaurants in town), and it is well-presented. Try the thin bread pockets, which you can fill yourself with a tasty chicken-based mix, one of the restaurant's signature dishes.
Ye Shanghai has some nice touches, too. For example, we like the miniature chairs for diners to put their bags on.

Lakeview high-end shopping in Shanghai

Lakeview is a rather high-end shopping area in Shanghai


Taipei's world famous xiu loong bao eatery ... Din Tai Fung


More shops


Dairy ice - cream ... slurp. Free sample!

Taxi bubble shield in Shanghai

I always have a chuckle observing the 'Bubble shields' protecting taxi drivers in Shanghai ...


peavine.blogspot.com describing the Taxi Driver's Bubble ...
China is the only place I've been where the taxi drivers must sit inside a molded plastic "bubble" to protect themselves from attackers and robbers.
Use of the shields became mandatory in 1988. Almost every one of Shanghai's 50,000+ taxis are equipped with the shields that fit around the driver's seat. Most are still made out of reground polycarbonate plastic which scratches easily and yellows - thus making it difficult for drivers to see clearly.
A few taxis are equipped with a better, US-made plastic called copolyester. It remains clear and doesn't scratch easily. So why aren't all taxi shields made from the clear plastic? Probably for the same reason that all taxi companies in Shanghai are required by the government to buy the same model Volkswagen...


Hmm, interesting touch-screen LED advertisement display on the rear of the front-passenger seat. It was showcasing Narnia on this particular ride.

Lassie in Shanghai!

We bumped into a beautiful Lassie ... oops Collie ... whilst in Shanghai. The owners let us play with her for a while :-)

ps - Did you know? Wikipedia says so ... But read the 'comments' feedback, there may be some incorrectness in the below!

The Lassie looks of sable coat with a white blaze, large white collar, and four white paws is legally trademarked. The collies are also intentionally bred oversized so that the males selected can work with older child stars.
All collies playing Lassie have been male, playing a female dog. The female collie loses her coat at least once a year, making it unsuitable for use year-round. Also, the male is larger and a child actor can play opposite the dog for longer before outgrowing him.

Shanghai has a sense of humour!

Here's sights from the shopping experience at ...
Old Jiaochang road
Central South / Central Shanghai

I found this description online ...
An interesting shopping experience for young and old alike can be found on Old Shanghai street and the surrounding neighborhood. Turning west at the end of Old Jiaochang road brings you down a very touristy street with an Old China feel where you'll be hounded to buy chops, old posters, tea and knick-knacks of all sorts. Two expensive but authentic looking tea houses are also on this stretch.

I found plenty of HUMOUR in sign-boards, people and various other sightings as we were doing our walkabout here ...



Hmm, more magnets for my collection!


Beautiful archway at the entrance ...

Shanghai has parks!

Shanghai has some rather picturesque parks :-)


The gang!

Shanghai promoting the Beijing Olympics 2008

I went looking for Olympics memorabilia ... and found plenty!

Shanghai - Life on the streets and more street food along Old Jiaochang Road

Couple of guys sat outside Starbucks along Old Jiaochang Road ...


Such ornate roof tops!


More food ... and even more!


Cool 'floating' tea pot!


Chinese 'wayang kulit' (Shadow-play).


Gotta love the architecture!

Shanghai's finest Xiu Loong Bao

As we approached this eatery in Shanghai, we saw long queues of people...


In order to by-pass the queues we had to eat in, and pay a minimum order of about 25 RMB per person. No problem, we were gonna eat eat eat!


Three types of Xiu Loong Bao were on offer...
Pork (Cheapest of the 3 and my favourite),
Crab,
and some other meat/seafood ... I can't remember! Refer to the receipt below, please!


Kun Tong Kao (Super dumpling with superior stock) ... Slurp! Suck it with a straw, check out the warning label (Contents are hot!).

Please help translate the location and name of this place!

Chefs hard at work at the 'open kitchen'!

Ps. 160 RMB for the six of us, not bad at all for a 'really famous makan place'!

To those who can read / decipher chinese, please could you translate what the NAME and LOCATION of this place is, thanks!

Shanghai where the old meets the new

Shanghai is full of 'old meets new' ... I loved this area!


We went sightseeing ...


You can see the Shanghai World Financial Centre from everywhere ... despite the smog, the giant can-opener is still visible!

Haibao @ World Expo 2010 in Shanghai

This cool ELVIS-like (and Gumby too!) mascot can be seen everywhere across Shanghai!

This is who I think Haibao looks like!

ps - Wikipedia ...

World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. Since 1851 when the Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations was held in London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future.
With a long civilisation, China favours international exchange and loves world peace. China owes its successful bid for the World Exposition in 2010 to the international community's support for and confidence in its reform and opening-up. The Exposition will be the first registered World Exposition in a developing country, which gives expression to the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.

Time: May 1 to October 31, 2010
Location: Waterfront of the Huangpu River between Nanpu Bridge and Lupu Bridge, downtown Shanghai.

Ferrari F430 in Shanghai

Some very lucky Shanghainese was obviously about to take delivery of his Prancing Hourse!


Wikipedia
The Ferrari F430 is a high-performance sports car produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari to succeed the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show.
European left-hand drive sales began in November 2004, but right-hand drive sales did not start until Spring 2005, and the United States did not get the F430 until Summer 2005.


Overview
The F430's chassis is heavily based on its predecessor, the 360. Also, the next car that will be after the F430 will be the F450. Internally, both cars are referred to with the same model number (F131), though the F430 has the Evoluzione tag attached to show that it features some major changes. Internally, the car is simply known as the "Evo".
The MSRP for a Ferrari F430 is between $168,005 - $227,000 in the United States. The F430 is sold starting at about £120,000 in the United Kingdom, approximately €175,000 in the European Union.

Safety issues
While the F430 meets or exceed all NHTSA guidelines, the car reportedly lacks sufficient protection for shorter passengers as well as children. The company requested an exemption from the airbag design requirements, which was eventually granted, allowing the car to continue to be sold in the US.

The F430 has displayed a notable engine irradiation problem for early model years. This issue regards an engine-overheating flaw which caused a fire in the engine bay, usually leading to the destruction of the car. The catalyst for the fire is the sustained high-RPM work of the engine. The massive heat exhaust flowing through the exhaust manifold may come in contact to a variety of hoses or oil perspiration which act as the fuel for the combustion.

Strange rude building names in Shanghai!

Hmm, C C B !? Ask your Hokkien-speaking friends lah ...


That's my colleague's name!!


What an interesting building ... pity about the smog!


Jin Jiang tower sounds like Jinjang!

Chrysler 300M, Lexus ES350 and VW Polo saloon, Shanghai

The Shanghainese have so many different cars :-) from the most luxurious, to more humble cars and even locally branded and manufactured cars.

Lexus ES350 -

Wikipedia about the Lexus ...
The fifth generation ES (GSV40) debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2006, featuring an all-new body in the style of Lexus' new design philosophy, L-finesse.
The new design is sleeker than its predecessor, with a streamlined cabin and character lines across the hood, fenders, and rear pillars. The Lexus emblem returns to the grille for the first time since the first generation, and is now placed at the center of a five-bar horizontal grille.
The new ES, now called the ES 350, features the first use of a six-speed automatic transmission in a front-wheel drive Toyota vehicle along with its sister U.S. car, the Toyota Camry.
The engine is the 272 hp (203 kW) aluminum 3.5 L 2GR-FE V6 engine with variable valve timing. Lexus estimates that this combination will accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 7 seconds, but actual tests have netted the ES 350 as being one of the fastest entry-level luxury sedans available now. 0-60 mph has been acquired in as little as 6.2 seconds by auto magazines
Production 2007-present
Assembly Kyūshū, Japan

Chrysler 300M


VW Polo - Saloon!

Jac (Anhui Jianghuai) mini-van / MPV in Shanghai

This was our daily transport in Shanghai ... Decent Chinese run-about!


Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC), originally called Hefei Jianghuai Automobile Factory came in to existence in 1964, was founded on September 30, 1999.
Now the company employs more than 7000 people with total asset RMB 5.3 billion, covering an area of nearly 4.05 million square meters.
The company listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange on Nov.29, 2001, its stock (code: SH600418) has been recognized as a blue chip.
JAC is the high-new technology enterprise of Anhui province as well as one of key enterprises of the National Torchlight Plan.
The main products of JAC include the manufacture of whole serial commercial vehicles, Refine MPV, 6~12 meters bus chassis, engine, gear-box, auto parts and components etc. Now it has an annual production capacity of more than 200,000 vehicles.

2,000th blog - La Maison in Shanghai

690 days (or 1 year and 11 months) after my first ever post , we now celebrate our 2,000th blog entry!

Back to Shanghai ... Here's a work visit to a really cool business, a ONE-stop-shop where you can completely fit out your home!



Pizza time ... Papa John's of China, and it was good! So were the chicken wings.



I had no idea ... Hey, there are LOTS of B&Q's (a UK based DIY chain) in China!


Ps. A special THANK YOU to all my dear friends and family whose appetites and day-to-day experiences make this blog possible!

Pink bridge in Shanghai

I thought my eyes were deceiving me ... check out this cool PINK arch-bridge over Shanghai.

VW Santanas are the most popular taxis @ Shanghai

Most popular taxis in Shanghai ... the VW Santana!


Jalopnik.com describes this vehicle best ...
Besides Chinese people and hazy air, the most common sight in Shanghai simply has to be Volkswagen Santana taxis. Based on the B2 Passat, the Chinese Santana is essentially a long-wheelbase Quantum, filling roughly the same role in PRC society that the Crown Victoria does in the US. In '91, the Santana was upgraded to Santana 2000 spec, and the Santana 3000 (the first car to be developed by Shanghai Volkswagen) followed in '04.

ps. Doesn't this look a LOT like the Malaysian Chevrolet Optra ... hmm. Another GM rebranding exercise!

Shanghai World Financial Centre in polluted Shanghai

Check out the air quality in Shanghai ... could barely make out the World Financial Centre!


ps - Here's a view of the Shanghai WFC from my hotel room

Safety reminders in Shanghai - Funny!

Found this leaflet in my Holiday Inn Pudong hotel room, there are some REAL eye openers!


1) Follow no strangers to the fun places
2) Be alert against overcharging while shopping
3) Ask for help from policemen when you get lost
4) No prostitution, no porn articles of any kind, no drugs of any kind


More ...
5) Use Internet properly
6) No excessive drinking
7) No fighting
8) No gambling


Here are a few more classics!
9) Dry nothing on the lamp
10) Hotel guestrooms can not be used for other purposes


Ps. This public annoucement was brought to you by The General Brigade of Security of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security.

Breakfast time @ Holiday Inn Pudong, Shanghai

Nice way to start the day ... Fruit and Yoghurt.


The one on the left is mine ... W's is on the right!


Dumplings in soup ... rather good!


What's W eating ... hmm, he said it was good!

Starbucks, The Bund in Shanghai

One of the best Starbucks location anywhere I reckon .. This outlet is located on the East bank of the river overlooking the Bund just opposite the Shangri-La. However, the selection was no different from any other Starbucks in the world!


Pastry selection


Mmmh ... slurp slurp.


Splendid views from our outdoor table! It was cool in Shanghai, barely 20c with a slight breeze, very nice!


Interesting McDonalds kiosk selling sundaes and icecreams along The Bund, near Starbucks ...

Huangpu River - Beautiful view of The Bund, Shanghai

Shot in full manual with camera positioned on a slab of marble, ISO-100, 15 second shutter speed, and F5.6 ...

Shangri-La and Hooters in Shanghai

Add: 33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, CHINA
Tel: +86 21 6882 8888

A magnificent hotel with great views of The Bund ...


I couldn't believe it, Hooters in China! Didn't go in though ... went to Starbucks instead, haha!


Here's an excerpt from the Shanghai Star (November 2004)...
The owl may be the logo found on the sign outside Hooters, which opened recently in the crowded Shanghai City Centre, but the US restaurant chain's true trademark found inside - is its scantily-clad waitresses.
Scantily-clad waitresses in clingy shirts and orange high-cut shorts pose for a group photo.

The first Hooters outlet in China opened last month, offering customers its signature combination of cold beer, chicken wings and waitress with clingy shirts and orange high-cut shorts.

"We know some people will question what we are wearing. But in Shanghai you will see more girls wearing less on the street, " Feng said.

Out of more than 1,000 girls in Shanghai who applied for the position, only 80 were selected.
"The most important thing is their personality," said Jiang. "We are looking for the open-minded girls."

With the help of four Hooters waitresses from the US, the 80 Shanghai workers received an intense two-week training that covered everything from applying make-up to memorizing the menu.

The girls seem to like the part-time job, despite the 8 yuan (US $1) an hour pay, because - unlike most restaurants in China - they can accept tips from customers. The waitresses said another reason they are happy at Hooters is that their work schedules are very flexible.

Ps. A really REALLY insightful and funny interview with a Hooters gal on ...
Shanghaiist.com interview

Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower

View of the rather interesting looking Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower by night ... What do you reckon it looks like!!?