Chelsea Football Club Tour 2011

Yes, the Blues is coming to Malaysia this month. Malaysia will be spoilt for choice this July with Liverpool and Arsenal coming to Malaysia and pitting their strength with our Malaysia team, the Harimau Malaya. Thanks to Noobie and Samsung, I am going to get to watch Chelsea play Malaysia at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil  this coming July 21st.

I am not sure which team I will be supporting as I love watching any English Premier League team but I love the resurrected Malaysia team too. The performance by our national team against Taiwan for the Olympic qualifier on 29th June was totally superb. I actually plan to wear a Malaysian jersey while bringing my Chelsea muffler which I bought when I went to watch them play Everton in 2004. That was in fact the only English Premier League I have ever watched.

However, do you know that you can win prizes where you can sit with the Chelsea team during the friendly match thanks to Samsung? Just purchase any Samsung product worth a minimum of RM300 and follow the instruction as stated in the poster above. You can also win tickets to the match.

If you have no idea what Samsung products to buy, here are some example. As you can see, you can get various Chelsea paraphernalia when you purchase these products within the promotion time : 

Nestle Drumstick Almond Thrill

New ice cream by Nestle ice cream which is true to its name : Almond Thrill. Full of almond and in terms of thrill, that too. Is it tasty? Let me paint you a picture. You are living in a country where after a full blast of storm and rain, the weather can go back to between 35 to 40 degree Celsius. What better way to cool yourself than grabbing some ice cream. Here was the weather on the day we were given a preview of the new ice cream, and we were sitting just below the sun in Sunway Giza:

The event was launched by Mr Chew Soi Peng, Executive Director of Ice Cream Dvision of Nestle Products Sdn Bhd. The new Nestle Almond Thrill drumstick ice cream joins all the other well-known Nestle drumstick ice cream such as Vanilla Got Nuts, Chocolate Blast and Kit Kat. 

In conjunction with the new flavour, there is a contest which you can join and the prize is RM57,000 in total. Convey how you like to live your adventure with Nestle drumstick by Liking the Facebook page of Nestle drumstick at www.facebook.com/NestleDrumstick. After that register as a member of the Nestle drumstick Almond Thrill 'What’s Yours?' Facebook Application at http://apps.facebook.com/drumstick-thrill. 

Then, upload a video  of not more than 2 minutes long based on the theme onto the Facebook app or you can claim a video shot at any NESTLE DRUMSTICK® ALMOND THRILL "What’s yours?" on-ground event listed on www.drumstick.com.my. Just look at the way you can have fun and try to win yourself some money at where we had the launch in Sunway Giza.

Easy isn't it?

Our new addition

Mr. Pudgy is not really a new cat in our household. He has been in our house for nearly 3 months. It is just that he is so kitten-like, still, after all these times that we think he just add to the colourful character that cats have. He had a bad case of scabs when he was still small and that is now healed....

And as a writer, after reading so many quotes from writers of yore about cat and their mischievousness ways, I can relate how watching them makes you unable to work....

Mr Pudgy watching TV

Showing off his big-ass

Helping as we organise our books

Why Mr. Pudgy? Just look at his bulging tummy which is bigger than him....

Being taken to the vet

Showing off one of his skill of chasing some loose cloth

Having a brawl with his best friend, another stray we took in, Wolfie

Like any other kitten, he has a battery life which just makes us mad sometimes. But entertaining... Here's a video of him doing his stuff (sorry for the bad video quality)

Air Campur at Ais Tingkap Taufeeq

Refer to the previous post to read about how I had an enjoyable Penang trip and how this one drink I just had to have over and over again.

Called 'Air Campur' or in short a cocktail or mocktail, if you want to be particular about the existence of alcohol in it. It consists of water and biji selasih and coconut and sprayed lime juice. The stall is exactly on the side of Chowrasta market. There is cucurs on offering too.

Here is a video of how it is made :

Lee Chong Wei can cook!

With some help, our badminton superstar which Malaysia can claim as its own, who has been the No. 1 badminton player for the past 2 years. The icing on the cake with this meeting that we had on 30th September was that he had just won the Japan Open by beating the rival who has been making a mockery out of him for the past few meetings. 

Yes, the person my wife and I met was Datuk Lee Chong Wei and the person that he beat at Japan Open was Lin Dan. And yes, the meeting was not while he was giving us a lesson in badminton but while he was introducing us to the new convection oven by Samsung.

The event was held at Cilantro Culinary Academy and he was showing us how to cook a pizza. He is Samsung brand ambassador and his endorsement of a convection oven is very much evident as who else would need a convection oven more than a bachelor like him who is always on the go for training and games.

With some instruction from a chef from Cilantro, he used the CE103V Convection Oven, other than two other convection oven CE117AE-S and CE107BAF-S, which are already on sale at all Samsung retailers in Malaysia.

So, why Samsung convection oven? Here are some data for you to digest :

1) It has triple distribution system which ensure the distribution of microwave within the confine of the oven which can make sure you get your food fast!;

2) If you hate to clean as much as I do, it is good news with the steam-powered self cleaning system which can clean within minutes;

3) And to make you clean all the grease and oil which is part of any Malaysian cooking, the smooth ceramic enamel interior will make cleaning easier with a damp cloth.

After watching him cook and letting others there took pictures with him, thanks to Advertlets which invited us and arranging us to meet and greet our No. 1 badminton player, it was our turn Advertlets bloggers with him :

South Korean are crazier than us!

I thought when we are always complimented or more like commented by foreigners (mostly Westerners) that we are mad to always go out at night just to eat, we hold the record as a mad nation of eaters who just couldn't get enough of eating (and shopping). Every time I go to Europe or England when the only after hour activity is going to the local pub or theater (which finish at 11pm the most), I always think that we win hands down when it come to after-hour activity. Then, I had the chance to visit South Korea due to work last week.

I consider them as mad as us in having activities which people normally do during day-time. They have more than 10 malls at Dangdaemon which opens from 10.30am to 4.30am (Yes, that is right, until wee hour of the morning) and all shops are in full swing when I went into them at 2am. And yes, unlike us here in Malaysia, which have street vendors selling until 3am, they are in Malls with proper air-conditioned halls and most are 5-storeys  high.

The Dongdaemon area

One of the many malls which opens until late

Clothes being sold all over the malls

The opening and closing time of the mall (0430 hrs)

Buying ramen noodles at 2am

These Koreans are crazy!

The launch of National Geographic store in Malaysia

On a Monday, the 21st June 2010, I was invited to see the official launch of the National Geographic store in Lot 10, a mall in Kuala Lumpur. It was quite an exciting event and to show you how exciting it was, here is a video by dancers immediately after the speeches to officiate the launch of the store.

Some of the VIPs that day were 3 generations of YTL Corporation's founding family comprising of Tan Sri Dato' Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay (the founder); Tan Sri Dr. Francis Yeoh (the Managing Director) and Ruth Yeoh (Director of Investment); The Minister of Tourism, as always smartly dressed in her cheong-sam ensemble, YB Dato' Sri Ng Yen Yen; and Malaysian first astronaut, Dr. Sheikh Muzafar. There was also a representative from National Geographic from Washington in the form of Ms Alison Middleton to see the opening of only the 4th National Geographic store in the world.

Here are some pictures at the event and more can be seen at the Facebook link here.

Where the event was held

The VIPs at the front of the Nat Geo store

The press conference at the end of the event

OUT OF ORDER

I am currently in a condition which I hate to experience again.

I am having night fever and the thing about it is, I waited for nearly a week (a normal Standard Operating Procedure for me when I am sick) and finally on Monday, I went to have my blood tested.

Why I straight away ask for a blood test is due to the area where I live which is notorious for it's high dengue fever sufferer and even death.

So, before I even saw the doctor in the nearest hospital to my house (chosen as I have a strong feeling I may be warded), I straight away ask for the blood test.

Thankfully, there is nothing wrong with me.

Except for the fever and an unexceptional WBC count, there is nothing wrong with me. Bloodwise that is. And I was also pronounced healthy on the checks on the normal throat and chest test.

It is a mystery, except for the telling WBC. WBC is actually White Blood Count, which is the warrior in our blood which fights bacteria or virus which may be attacking one part of my body. More by 0.8 percent than the highest 'Normal' count.

So, am still feverish but still going to work. As for social media event, am a bit selective in making my appearance. Did one on Sunday night and no one is the wiser. As it involves eating, it was easy.

Not sure yet what is this 'mystery' illness and am on antibiotic medication now. If that doesn't work, I was warn of being warded.

Which is another new experience altogether.

But, I am really feeling my age now. And thankful for having a caring life partner.

Cats of Phi Phi Island, Thailand

There were a lot of cats in that 5 days we were there and the pictures I took with each of them serve as memories of them :

Oh ya, one dog picture (looking forlornly, maybe at a cat...)

New Years Eve 2010 : 5 years in the making

This is a personal thing for me. To celebrate new year's eve at the place I have reserved for tomorrow. I have been wanting to do it for quite some times and without even having to say to my wife about it, I only asked her whether she knows where we would be celebrating our new year, without even giving any hint, she already knew it.

It all started when we celebrate our first and last new year ushering 2004 somewhere in the vicinity of KLCC, the twin iconic towers of Malaysia, home to our oil company, which for better or for worse, is the most recognisable symbol of Malaysia's success, in some way or another.We celebrated that year just a few blocks from KLCC. Far from the maddening crowd but close enough to feel the heat of the firework. That was a last minute planning and our room was not even facing KLCC. We had to go down to the floor where the pool is to look at the firework. As we were impressed with the firework, we promised to celebrate it at this one hotel where we think the firework will be much better viewed and hopefully, it can be seen from our hotel room.

The next year, 2005, we were busy moving the furniture from our apartment to our current abode and we foregone all new year celebration. 2006 was our first year in our new home and we just want to experience it there. The next year, 2007, there was no celebration as our ruler, the Yang DiPertuan Agung, our King, had just past away and out of respect, all government new year function was canceled. In 2008, the Gregorian new year coincided with the Haj pilgrimage celebration and in 2009, it was the Muslims new year where we did celebrate in a very neighbourly style with our neighbours.

(Caveat on the dates as I might have mixed up the dates and the events which made us decided not to celebrate)

So, this year is it. A celebration where we want to be a bit special. Not that far from home and no big celebration, except to watch firework at KLCC Park. We just hope that there will be one but I did checked out the internet and found a few websites which promised a celebration of some sort in the vicinity of KLCC. Here are the links to suggestions on how to celebrate new year in Kuala Lumpur by KLUE Magazine and Time Out KL.

Taking picture or posing for a picture?

Random pictures of people taking picture, either near KLCC or within KLCC....

And can someone answer me that question, taking picture or posing for picture?

The twin tower of KLCC is on the right side of my car and this is a fav spot for tourist to take picture of it

And this guy is actually the one taking the picture, but...

Taman Pertanian Malaysia a.k.a. Bukit Cerakah revisted

It seems that one of the most popular search which leads to this blog is my entry about a Sunday I spent exploring the adjacent agricultural park adjacent to my housing estate. That was nearly one whole year ago and to tell you the truth, I have again take for granted how easy for me to go there that I have never been there since then. It is just 5 kilometers from my house but I only enjoy the agricultural park known as Taman Pertanian Malaysia or Malaysia Agricultural Park or Botanical Garden or its original name Bukit Cerakah. All are valid names depending on who you talk to. You can read my entry about my long ago trip there here.

I actually receive a few inquiries about how does one get to the place. If you ask me how to get there in public transport, tough luck. Never had to use one going back to my house. Been living there for nearly 5 years but there is always a car which will send me back home. However, I can give you the link to the map of the area, thanks to Google. I am embedding the Google map search just down below :

View Larger Map

 If you look at the map, you can see my housing estate, Bukit Bandaraya just below the Taman Pertanian Malaysia. It was embroiled in  a controversy in 2006 when some claimed that it encroached on the forest reserve of the agricultural park. And I did mentioned in my blog post, I am living among the native of the area which is more hospitable to us than us being towards them.

So, just ask any taxi driver to take you to Taman Pertanian Malaysia and I don't think anyone in Shah Alam will not know the way. There are signboards showing you the way in most Shah Alam exit, either if you use the Federal Highway or the North Klang Valley Expressway which is actually adjacent to my housing estate and Bukit Cerakah but there is no exit from it. So, go into Shah Alam city centre, look out for signboards and the nearest landmark is the Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Selangor (SUK) building on top of the hill and the Chief Minister (Menteri Besar) of Selangor official resident.

If you are taking a bus, use the bus to Section 8, Shah Alam, which again you can see below the map. You must get down in Section 8 and walk nearly 5 kilometer more before you reach the Agricultural Park.

I will try to get more information in this one week or two as my public service duty to the Malaysian public. I owe this to my friend Ratty in the USA who is an avid fan of nature. You can find more information in these sites :

1) Malaysia vacation guide

2) Sky Tres adventure

The perfect glass of teh tarik

It was a long flight. The transit in Dubai was nearly half a day and sleeping at the airport on the long bench made his body ache. Travelling in business class do have its perks but it was still tiring. How he longed for a massage if he could slot it between his busy schedule tomorrow.

Wait a second. The day full of meetings was today. He looked at his wristwatch and it clearly showed 5am. KLIA was deserted. Except for a few passengers who had landed together with him. Most of them were not going outside the airport. KLIA was just a transit for them.

He waited for his bag and as the conveyor belt spewed out bags after bags, his mind went off to the last 10 weeks of his travel. Travesting Europe looking for new business for his company.

And what he missed most was just a perfect glass of teh tarik.

He did try to do it himself. He did taught the restaurant he stopped by in various cities owned by Turkish, people from India and at some, he even went behind the counters, tried his hands on his own teh tarik. Based on what he had seen how the mamaks of various restaurant in Malaysia had done it.

It was never the one that he remembered. It was either the milk or the tea itself. One of his colleague it may have been the way he pulled the tea. 'Pull' being the direct translation of tarik. But as many in Malaysia know, making a glass of teh tarik was never about pulling. It was about how you make the bubble.

Some hotels in Malaysia have one of the best teh tarik. Just with enough milk and enough bubble on top to make it an appetising drink. Acting as lubricants for conversation to run its course. For doors to open. For friends to catch up. For a simple game of football to be a platform for new friends.

That will be his mission of the day. After loading up his luggage into the airport taxi.

To look for that perfect glass of teh tarik.

So hard to pronounce

I went to accompany my wife to meet a new tenant recently at one of the house she is acting as a real estate agent for. The guy was a pilot with a leading airline in Malaysia. He was not a Malaysian and from the name he may be from Spain.

His name has the word 'Ja' in it which is not pronounce as such. Being Spanish, it is said as 'Ha'.

Being Malaysia, and as a Malay, all our words are phonetic. We said what we write. 'Ja' is 'Ja' and no two ways about it. So, it is hard for us to learn languages such as the English language which is not phonetic. Then give us those Spanish or France and you can see us suffer to pronounce it.

I know, I know. It is the lingua franca of the world at one time or another. But, still....

With all my complain, at least we don't have to cluck or anything to talk to each other...

Beer Car Wash

The top floor sign says

BEER CAR WASH

Anyone? Want to have your car washed using beer?

Actually, if you come to this shop in my office, the bottom shop (which you can see the word Car Wash there) washes cars. The shop on top with the sign which is blurred as the sign is too bright is actually a pub.  Both shops have the same owner. So, the shop's window on the 3rd floor which can be seen quite afar, in order to attract customers has the sign "BEER" which has an arrow on its left pointing up and "CAR WASH" which has an arrow pointing down.

And you get that nonsensical sign which is kind of a great idea too? If Singapore can have their topless car wash, we wash ours with beer....