iamthewitch.com |
- Guest Instructor at the Academy
- Nolita’s Frozen Yogurt and More
- Basics of Catwalk
- Garden Wedding at Passion Road
- An Unexpected Twist
- Breathe Fire with Chilli Pan Mee
- Free Coway Water Softener at Sunway Lagoon
- Bloggers Without Borders
- Sizzling Hot at Star Village
- Thai Boxing & The Story of Erawan Shrine
| Guest Instructor at the Academy Posted: 21 Jul 2011 06:48 PM PDT  First of all, let me apologize for the lack of updates this week, especially on food. The truth is, I have been attending modeling classes for 4 nights in a row that I did not even have the chance to eat.
Warm up session It has been 2 weeks of classes so far and trust me, catwalk is not easy. Many a time, we would look at runway shows thinking that what the models do is just walk, like what every normal human being does. Yes, everyone can walk, but if one is asked to walk in front of hundreds of people, in a pair of killer heels and with confidence, not everyone can do it. I'm speaking from my own experience, because when I'm asked to do a catwalk in front of my class of 12 girls, I would automatically become nervous and stiff. Just 12 persons as my audience and I'm already freaking out, what more with a hundred strangers?
Warming up session So what do we do in our third and fourth classes? As usual, we started our session with warming up our legs. Since we were not able to balance ourselves well on one foot, we had to use the mirror as our assistant. The same routine applies – lift one leg up 90 degrees for 10 seconds, and stretch is straight for another 10 seconds. Continue with the next leg, and repeat the cycle for about 5 times.
Lift one leg up 90 degrees
Stretch it straight Then, we were asked to walk with a pole behind our backs, to ensure that our shoulders would always be pulled back instead of hunching forward.
Doing the basic catwalk – up
Doing the basic catwalk – and down
Look who dropped by? During one of the lessons, we were honoured to have a guest instructor, who is an experienced model called Kit Leu. Standing tall and slender, she had the poise and confidence of an international model when she strutted down the studio. Needless to say, everyone was impressed.
Guest instructor Kit Leu
“Always look at the mirror to check your posture” She analyzed each of our walk and told us what was wrong and what needed to be improved. I was always asked to straighten my leg and to walk in a straight line. Apparently, my left leg crossed more than my right leg when I walked, so I had the tendency to sway to the right.
Personal coaching from Kit We certainly benefited a lot from her, since she gave us very useful tips and comments as someone who's observing us for the first time. Really, guest instructors are sometimes good to give us fresh assessment and a second opinion.
Kit showing us how it’s done Before I end the post, let me share another interview with another modeling student.
Allyson, 24
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| Nolita’s Frozen Yogurt and More Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:10 PM PDT  Mention Nolita to the uninformed, and more often than not, they would relate it to Lolita, the sexy and seductive counterpart. But no, Nolita in fact refers to a neighbourhood in Manhattan, New York, which is short for North of Little Italy. And now, it also happens to be the name of a relatively new restaurant located in the spanking new Viva Home Mall, with their forte being the frozen yogurt. We dropped by for a visit one weekend, and found that Nolita offered more than just frozen yogurt.
Cappuccino (RM7.50) Stepping into the black and white theme restaurant gave me a comfortable and fuss-free feeling without being pretentious. The stack of board games and magazines on the table showed how much the owner cared about customers’ dining experience and would do anything to make them happy. True enough, the owner was indeed friendly, chirpy and full of laughter.
Board games and magazines to keep you occupied We started our dinner with the Grilled Chicken Salad, which came in a sizable bowl filled with lettuce, carrot and most importantly, slices of nicely grilled chicken! The dressing was minimal but I enjoyed eating my salad just bare like that, especially with the addition of some hot meat.
Grilled Chicken Salad (RM9) For something more saucy (pun not intended), the Caesar’s Salad could be a better choice, since it came drenched with what I guessed as mayonnaise and honey mustard sauce. The salad was generously sprinkled with croutons and a whole boiled egg, on a bed of Romaine lettuce. As much as I loved the boiled egg and crouton, I thought the salad was a bit too wet for my liking. But that’s just me.
Caesar Salad + Chicken (RM10) For mains, we had a sandwich and a pasta to share. The Turkey Ham Sandwich was served in brown bread which I loved, layered with lettuce, tomatoes and onions with mayonnaise. Thankfully, nothing overloaded here so I enjoyed the simple delicacy very much. Oh, did I mention this came with chips too? Perfect for catching up with friends over a cup of cappuccino.
Turkey Ham Sandwich (RM9.90) We picked the Creamy Mushroom Spaghetti as our pasta choice and it came topped with plenty of shredded ham and cheese on top! The cream sauce was thick and rich but would have worked better if it was tossed with the pasta before being served. You see, halfway through our pasta, we found that there was no more creamy sauce for the remaining spaghetti at the bottom, rendering the dish to be dry and bland. Or perhaps, customers should be reminded to toss their pasta before eating. Bon appetit!
Creamy Mushroom Pasta (RM12) For dessert, we were treated to one of their latest offerings from the menu, a Pavlova! I heard that this was a hot-selling item and often went out of stock. Lucky for us, we managed to get a piece to try out. To be honest, I’m not really a huge fan of anything too sweet or sour, but thankfully, the pavlova was the perfect combination of the two! The crust was thin, crumbly and melted in my mouth, while the insides remain light and not overly sweet. Well done!
Pavlova Last but not least, how could we leave without trying their famed frozen yogurt? There was only original flavour offered but plenty of topping choices. I picked almond and Oreo bits, while Saucer had the cranberries and almond.
Assorted toppings for frozen yogurt I found the froyo here to be denser and thicker in texture, with a creamy and smooth finish. It was also not very sour, which worked well with me, but Saucer preferred it to be more sour. I certainly enjoyed my froyo and best of all, it’s like ice-cream without excessive sugar or calories.
Frozen Yogurt Large + 2 toppings (RM12)
Dining area of Nolita Although there were some hits and misses, I enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant and the lovely frozen yogurt. Perhaps next time I should get more people to come together so that we could even play the board games!
Nolita Caffetteria at Viva Home Mall Nolita Caffetteria |
| Posted: 17 Jul 2011 07:06 PM PDT  First of all, thank you so much for all the words of encouragement and support from my little unexpected twist! It touches my heart to know that no matter what happens, you guys will be there.
Which are mine? Being the second class, I have to admit that I still have not managed to remember the names of all the girls (13 of them) in the class. But as the saying goes, “A picture speaks a thousand words”! So here is a picture of some of them.
Some of the girls at ACA The class that night focused on Basic Catwalk, the correct posture and the correct way to walk. As Ben puts it, in catwalk, every move of the leg has to be straight. Except for the first step of lifting our leg up 90 degrees, the rest of the moves have to be to be straight. And may I say this – it’s not easy! Especially when we have to do it with super high heels.
Lift your leg up 90 degrees and hold it for 10 seconds During our warm up session, we had to lift one leg up 90 degrees and hold it for 10 seconds. Needless to say, many of us stumbled due to loss of balance. I, for one, had difficulty maintaining the posture without hanging on to my neighbouring classmate. It’s hard enough to stand on one foot wearing flats, it’s even harder to do it with high heels. Still, it had to be done.
Ben making sure our posture was correct
90 degrees during warm-up, 45 degrees during a walk Once we got the hang of the warm-up session, we proceeded to walk. 1) Lift up one foot at 45 degrees – hold – 2) Stretch it straight – hold – 3) Strike the ground – hold. Yes, just 3 simple steps which looked easier than they seem.
Straight legs By the first half of the class, all of us had sore legs. When it was time for a break, all of us did the same thing – sat down to rest our poor feet. For someone who doesn’t wear heels like me, I found the experience of wearing high heels very foreign and uncomfortable. Let’s hope I will get used to them in no time. As they say, “Practice makes perfect”.
Resting the legs
Practicing the basic catwalk What I like about the class is that all of us were given individual attention. Ben would separate us girls into groups of 3 or 4 so that he could observe us and let us know what we lacked of. In my case, my biggest problem was balancing myself on one foot. I always stumbled after a few seconds, which explains why Ben was holding me from the back during my walk. *sigh*
Attempting the basic catwalk
Taking a breather Last but not least, I will end the post with a short interview with one of the students in the class. This is just so we can get to know them better (and for me to remember their names better!
Lulu, 18
That’s it for the second post! It’s going to be a LONG week, wish me luck! |
| Garden Wedding at Passion Road Posted: 15 Jul 2011 07:00 PM PDT  One thing that we can never run away from as we grow older is – wedding invitations. It’s true. Once we are past early 20′s, wedding invites start to flow in, and we find ourselves having several invitations every year without fail. I’m not complaining though. I love attending wedding dinners – the ambience is so romantic, the decoration, the songs, the love in the air and the contented smile from the couple. All these happy vibes are bound to make one smile!
Red carpet entrance Kai’s wife is a Canadian, so they’re looking at having a garden or outdoor type of wedding dinner instead of the traditional Chinese dinner in the restaurant. Having a garden wedding is definitely romantic but when you have it in Malaysia, the biggest concern everyone has is the weather, or more specifically the heat. Malaysia being a country with hot and humid weather all year long, having an entirely outdoor wedding dinner would not be possible, or at least, comfortable. Therefore, not many restaurants organize such a type of weddings, except for Passion Road, which has persevered and is going strong with their forte in providing a romantic outdoor wedding venue for newly-weds.
Romantic flower arrangement Dinner was supposed to start at 7pm, but being Malaysians, the place was barely half-full at that time. The thoughtful Kai provided a cocktail area for guests to mingle around with free flow of drinks while waiting for the rest to arrive.
Free flow of cocktails and beer It was my second time attending a wedding dinner at Passion Road, and the experience just got better. During my first visit there, our major complaint was that the venue was warm and stuffy, even though there were ceiling fans provided. This time around, they added more fans on the pillars, as well as several units of giant coolers surrounding the area. It was a very pleasant environment with plenty of air flow.
The wedding cup cakes
Champagne glass tower As with most weddings, the theme was largely white, with a tinge of red. Very romantic.
Table settings #1
Table settings #2 I always loved the lighting and decoration at Passion Road – the chandeliers and warm orange lights set the right atmosphere and mood for not only the couple but the guests. <3
Warm lighting sets the environment
One of the many hanging lamps Before long, we were seated at our respective tables, only to find a little surprise! Each of us had a little jar of candy! This Sticky Candy was customized with the bride and groom’s names, complete with a nice ribbon packaging. Love the wedding favour!
Sticky Candy as wedding favour
Kaisin & Hannah Soon, the host informed us that the bride and groom were ready to march in, and all of us were asked to stand. Look at the radiant Hannah! It’s true that a girl is most beautiful on her wedding day!
Hannah
Back view One thing different this time compared to my previous dinner was the buffet-style food. If you ask me, buffet style dinners work best for a group of 100 or so guests, so that the queue for the buffet would never be too long. Plus, it’s perfect to give guests flexibility and saves time too. The good thing about buffet spread is that food is always warm, compared to sit-down dinner, where the food served would usually be cold. Also, who can forget the joy of having unlimited food?
Some of the food from the buffet spread
The very delicious and thick mushroom soup Throughout the dinner, we were entertained by a 3-piece band, who were really talented and could belt out Chinese and English songs.
3-piece band Then, it was the customary toasting from the bride and groom with their family. Imagine the surprised look on Hannah’s family when we started screaming ‘Yam Seng!’.
A toast to the bride and groom
Bride and groom giving their gratitude speeches To add to the excitement of the night, Hannah and her sporting family gave us an impromptu performance on stage.
Surprise performance by the bride’s family Before we left, we had to have a customary picture with the bride and groom. What a lovely couple they are. Here’s wishing them an eternity of happiness and joy.
Us with the love birds This is for you, Kai and Hannah! Congratulations! Passion Road |
| Posted: 13 Jul 2011 09:07 PM PDT  For those of you who have met me before, your first impression of me would be “You’re so tall!”. And you wouldn’t be the first. Ever since my teenage years, I have always been the tallest girl in the class. To be honest, I used to be ashamed of my height. Nobody really laughed or made fun of me in class, but I always felt different from the others, sticking out like a sore thumb. Whenever there were dance performances, as much as I wanted to take part, I couldn’t, because my extra height would make the dance formation look weird. During assembly, when we had to queue up at the hall, I always had to be the last one in line due to my height. Also, when we had dance balls during secondary school, no guys would ask me to dance because really, they’d look like midgets next to me. Thankfully, when I started going to university, I got to know more people from different parts of the country, and I was told over and over again that my height was perfect to be a model. Back then, I always thought that models had to be super skinny, beautiful and had lots of fashion sense, all of which I didn’t have. So I just brushed the comments aside. When I started working, I went through the same ordeal again, with people asking me to go and try out with modeling, and some even asked me to join pageants. I guess no one really pushed me or convinced me enough, plus I did not know where to start, so I did not go ahead with it.
with Amber Chia Until one night, a couple of weeks back, I was fortunate to have dinner with Amber Chia, a super model that needs to introduction. Surprisingly she was really down-to-earth and friendly! Before we left the dinner, I asked for a picture and that was when she noticed my height. She immediately said that she loved my height and asked me to see her at her academy, while passing me her card. Of course, to get such a comment from her was flattering, although I still did not have the intention of going down the modeling line. Saucer, who witnessed this, kept asking me to call her the next day, but I was just too shy! Days later, I chatted with my best buddy online and when she found out about the incident, she immediately exclaimed “GO! What are you waiting for? This is a chance of lifetime!”. I guess that was the push needed, for I found myself calling Amber that night, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Amber Chia Academy Therefore, I’m now a student (again) at Amber Chia Modeling Academy (ACA)! It’s such an unexpected twist of fate for me that I have to document it down, so I hope you don’t mind reading through my reflections every week. It’s going to last for just 6 weeks, for now. So bear with me!
ACA lounge How do I feel now? I just went to the first class on Tuesday, and met a group of young and spirited people who inspire to be professional models. Seeing their enthusiasm and excitement fueled me to carry on with this class in an upbeat mood. Due to my less-than-ideal age, I don’t have very big dreams in this path, but just to learn on how to carry myself better, with more confidence and perhaps, to strike the runway at least once.
Make up area The good thing about this academy is that it will accept people from all ages as students. I had a conversation with Amber before I joined the class and her vision is to provide an avenue for people who want to be a model but do not know where to start, as well as to help people build their confidence, regardless of their age. So, if you’re interested, stay tuned to my documentaries every week, where I will be detailing my experience in the classes, with no holds barred.
The 4 colours of basic heels Our first class was taught by Benjamin Toong, who is a catwalk guru well-known in the industry. He is apparently the only person who could walk with a pair of 9-inch heels! Speaking of heels, all of the students are required to wear 5.5 inches heels during class, custom-made from ACA. 5.5 inches! All my life, the highest pair of heels I’ve ever worn was only 3 inches high, and even then I only did so for less than 5 times. I can’t imagine walking in this super high heels for the next few weeks!
The catwalk studio The first class was more to introduction, where we got to know the students and their aspirations, as well as what are the models Do’s and Don’ts. I just have to say, Ben is a funny trainer with a sense of sarcasm. I can foresee classes with him to be very interesting and noisy, filled with laughter. One of his quotes that I remember very well:
How very apt.
The class schedule Did you also know that the standard gown measurements for models is 32″ – 25″ – 36″? Apparently, this is the standard size when fashion designers tailor their gowns, so if you’re not around this size, you’ve got some work to do!
Ben briefing on the runway terms
The difference between the main stage and the runway The first class is over but we’re given some homework to do: To walk and familiarize with our 5.5-inch heels at home! I have tried and let me tell you, it’s not easy. Let’s just hope practice does make it perfect.
Amber Chia Academy heels
My pair of 5.5-inch heels What do you think of my little twist? I hope you guys support me in this decision of mine, for an experience of a lifetime. Of course, posts on food will still be coming in (I still need to eat!
*Studio pictures courtesy of Amber Chia Academy |
| Breathe Fire with Chilli Pan Mee Posted: 12 Jul 2011 07:55 PM PDT  I have officially stayed in KL for 2 whole years and one thing has never changed – my love for Chilli Pan Mee. Thick or thin strands of handmade flour noodles, topped with crispy anchovies, minced pork, shallots and a perfectly poached egg, ready to be mixed with spicy chilli flakes according to your desire. What’s not to like? Did I say like? I meant Love! The thing about chilli pan mee is that you can customize the spiciness according to your comfort level, but for me, I’d say shoot for the moon. It is not chilli pan mee until you start breathing fire.
A serving of chilli pan mee
Umbra juice helps to subside the heat (RM3) In Super Kitchen, every table is equipped with a bowl of fried chillies – dark red, shiny and with an unmistakable fragrance. You can only find this here.
Freshly made chilli flakes How you eat Chilli Pan Mee is entirely up to you. 1 spoon, 2 spoons or 4 spoons of chilli flakes, you ask? If you have low tolerance for spiciness, I’d suggest you to try with 1 spoon first. Mix everything up well, poke the egg yolk, cover every strand of noodle with chilli and then savour it. These chilli flakes might not look very spicy but my goodness, they’re fiery hot! We tried with 2 big spoonfuls and our lips were burning halfway through our bowl. Not to mention beads of perspiration started forming on our forehead, our eyes became watery and our stomachs felt the spicy heat. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Chilli pan mee (RM5.50) Also, you might just want to know that the next morning after, there will be some ‘consequences’ if you have a weak stomach, like me. How do you like the idea of getting to know your toilet better?
Mix it all up! This shop does not only sell chilli pan mee. If you prefer something soupy especially on a cold and rainy night, perhaps the Curry Pan Mee would be a good choice. The curry was thick, aromatic and coconuty but not as spicy as the chilli pan mee, fret not. This bowl also came with a generous amount of ‘liu’ like beancurd, fish malls, meat balls, cockles and beansprouts.
Curry Pan Mee (RM6) Or if you have absolutely no tolerance for spicy food at all, then you could go for the Traditional Pan Mee, although I think it pales in comparison to chilli pan mee. On the bright side, this comes with a whole poached egg as well, together with plenty of sweet leaves and mushrooms.
Traditional Pan Mee (RM5.50) On days that I don’t feel like eating spicy noodles (which is rare), my second best choice would be the Fish Head Noodles. During my first visit here, I was skeptical about having fish head noodles in a chilli pan mee restaurant. But never judge too soon, for their fish head soup was extremely tasty and hearty. The broth had the sweetness from the fish head, with a hint of milk to mask out the fishy smell. I could go on and on slurping the soup!
Fish Head Noodles (RM7) For something to munch on, the Fried Fish Fillet would be good choice. Crispy and piping hot, be careful not to burn your tongue with these! Dip them in the Thai style chilli sauce for that spicy touch.
Fried Fish Fillet (RM8 / RM15) The Thai Style Bean curd was served in a such a grand presentation that it was almost too pretty to ruin it. The bean curd was topped with a generous layer of crushed nuts, sesame seeds and cucumber slices, rendering this dish a very crunchy one. The beancurd on its own was bland but take it with the spicy and sour Thai sauce and a dollop of nuts to make it delectable.
Thai Style Bean curd (RM6 / RM10) Last but not least, some vegetables and Meat Balls to complete the ensemble. These meat balls were sizable and very bouncy, surrounded by slices of fu zhuk (bean curd sheets) and sweet leaves, making this a complete meal on its own.
Meat Ball with Fu Zhuk soup
Vegetables (RM6 / RM10)
Clean dining environment at Super Kitchen Writing this post has just ignited my craving for chilli pan mee again. Old habits die hard, don’t they? If you’re having a bad day and would like to drown your sorrows away, have a bowl of chilli pan mee with plenty of chilli flakes. I assure you, you’ll forget your sorrows, if only for that few minutes while you’re breathing fire.
Super Kitchen Chilly Pan Mee at Sri Petaling *Previous visit to Super Kitchen at Puchong. Restoran Super Kitchen Chilly Pan Mee |
| Free Coway Water Softener at Sunway Lagoon Posted: 11 Jul 2011 07:06 PM PDT  The last time I had fun in the water at Sunway Lagoon must have been more than 10 years ago, when the theme park was new and incomplete. Last week, I was lucky to be invited to the launch of Coway Spa Water Softener that took place in Sunway Lagoon itself. Coway, the leading home-wellness appliances manufacturer from Korea has installed 48 units of Spa Water Softener at the water theme park to enable Malaysians to experience the wonders of soft water for free.
Welcome to Sunway Lagoon
The Coway booth
Coway Spa Water Softener What are the benefits of soft water?
Compare the difference between tap water and soft water The Coway Spa Water Softener claims to transform the tap water to soft water, making it a healthier option for the body while ensuring smoother, softer skin within 2 weeks. The water softener is equipped with a composite filter within to remove chlorine, germs and floating substances from tap water while its Ion Exchange Resin reduces the hardness of tap water.
Coway Spa Water Softener The 48 preview units were installed in some of the shower rooms in Sunway Lagoon and will be available for a period of 3 months. I tried showering with the soft water and indeed, the chlorine level is much lower than regular tap water.
Some other Coway products – air purifier The Coway Spa Water Softener retails at RM1,900 or is available for rental at RM70 per month, including a bi-monthly product maintenance service. If you would like to try it before purchasing, you can sign up for Coway's exclusive 14-day trial period for free.
Best-selling Coway Bidet seat Some local celebrities were invited to the launching event, including Ning Baizura and 988 DJ Sam.
Ning Baizura speaking of her experience with Coway Spa Water Softener
Reflexology for booth visitors
Sand art After the launch, the few of us spent the afternoon at Sunway Lagoon, starting with a hand at Archery.
Eric and Saucer trying out at Archery
Spot my spray-on tattoo! Then, we made our way to the World’s Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge in the world, crossing from one end to the other – 428m! This was where Caroline had to face her fear of height while I took the opportunity to snap some gorgeous pictures from above.
World’s Longest Suspension Bridge
Hanging on to dear To be honest, some of the parts of the bridge were pretty scary because the metal bars on the floor gave me the feeling of insecurity. But of course, it’s all an illusion. We managed to cross it in the end, all of us.
The see-through floor
View from the bridge #1
View from the bridge #2
View from the bridge #3
witch on the bridge We then moved on to Wagon on Wheels, which is a small-scale Ferris Wheel. Over here, you’d see Caroline feeling more relieved and happy.
Caroline & Eric Before we moved on to the water theme park, the guys went on the scary Pirates Revenge – Malaysia’s first 360-degree Rotating Pirate Ship! Needless to say, timid people like me wouldn’t be up there.
Screaming in the ship
360-degree overturned pirate ship It was overall a fun and eventful day, not to mention the water slides that we played after. No pictures of the water park since all our cameras were kept inside the locker by then. The fun in the sun was all thanks to Coway! For more information on Coway, visit www.coway.com.my or contact 1-800-888-111 or www.facebook.com/CowayMalaysia. |
| Posted: 09 Jul 2011 10:53 PM PDT  10 years ago, when I had my first mobile phone, my mother got me a Hotlink prepaid SIM Card. Back then, calling was extremely expensive, at 60 cents per minute. Since the top-up value was RM30 per month, I only had about RM1 worth of talk time per day, which was just a little over a minute! Don't even mention data surfing or even roaming, which was non-existent. Fast forward 10 years later, I'm proud to know that Hotlink has improved by leaps and bounds, by being the first ever telco in the country to introduce Prepaid Data Roaming, allowing Hotlink users to retrieve data while roaming internationally.
This exclusive service currently covers 150 destinations around the world, and still counting. Don't you think this is God sent? No more worrying about being disconnected whenever we travel overseas! With Hotlink's Prepaid Data Roaming, we can go anywhere in the world and still be in touch on Facebook, Twitter and blog! Now to demonstrate the power of Hotlink's Prepaid Data Roaming, several selected bloggers would be sent overseas to Bangkok, Bali or Philippines while staying connected through data roaming. I would LOVE for a chance to go to Philippines myself because that's the only place that I haven't been to in the list! Therefore, may I please request for your kindness to Vote for me as your favourite 'Remote Control Blogger' and send me to the Philippines? Check out the video below and this page for more info! *Note: This is a sponsored post. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:52 PM PDT  Every weekend, Saucer and I would venture to our neighbourhood area to look for new places to dine. Last weekend, we were driving past the Kuchai Lama area and noticed this restaurant called Star Village that seemed to be packed with people. Since we were feeling a little adventurous, we decided to park our car and give it a try. It was 8pm on a Saturday night and the place was full! We had to wait for about 5 minutes to get our table but other than that, service was prompt.
Sizzling chicken chop The place was decorated using mostly old school decorative items, giving it a very retro look. Even the stair case to go up their artificial first floor was ancient-looking, adding more charm to the whole environment. We started with their Signature Sun Tea, which came in a cute pot meant for 2 persons. It tasted like a mixture of Ribena, lemon juice and flower tea, which was quite refreshingly sour. To be honest, this was not my cup of tea (literally) since I’m not into sour stuff but I guess it serves it purpose in whetting our appetite before our food arrived.
Retro stair case Speaking of food, I must say their service was impressively fast. From our order to the serving of our first dish, it must have taken less than 10 minutes. And all the other dishes came and were completely served within 5 minutes. Such a commendable task considering it’s full house that night.
Sun Tea (RM12.90) My niece Heidi ordered the Black Pepper Chicken which was one of the recommended dishes in the menu. The size of the chicken chop was huge, using a whole chicken thigh that was well-marinated and tender. The sauce was savoury and peppery but not overpoweringly so. I think she enjoyed her chicken very much that night for the 8-year-old managed to finish the whole thing on her own!
Black pepper chicken (RM15.90)
Salmon Steak (RM19.80) Saucer had the Sizzling Chicken Chop which was served sizzling hot with a cover on top. The aroma was redolent and appetizing, topped with a generous amount of garlic sauce. Again, the chicken chop portion was sizable, tander and smooth. The only gripe was that the garlic sauce was not garlicky enough, rendering the gravy just savoury and nothing else.
Revealing the Sizzling Chicken Chop (RM21.90)
Topped with garlic gravy My order of Cheese Chicken was grilled chicken topped with a slice of cheese and a layer of ham on top, drenched with mushroom sauce. I loved this! The chicken was grilled to a golden brown with slightly charred edges without stripping off its moisture within. The layer of cheese melted nicely in between the chicken and ham on top, giving it a nice cheesy and savoury taste all in one bite. Also not to forget is the piece of fried bun on the side, which looked harmless but was so good. It was almost like deep fried mantou but nicer.
Cheese Chicken (RM18.90) Last but not least, we shared a serving of Chicken Wings, which arrived in glistening red with a side of chilli dip. The chicken wing was well marinated with hints of honey on top, which gave it a slightly sweet skin. While these did not blow our minds, we found them pretty decent as finger food.
Chicken Wing (RM3/pc)
Dining environment of Star Village The dinner experience at Star Village made us understand why this was such a favourite among the locals. The service was prompt, the ambience was cozy, the food was reasonably good and price was affordable. It’s definitely a place that we would go to for that Western food fix without having to burn a hole in our pocket!
Star Village Western Food Star Village Western Food Steak House |
| Thai Boxing & The Story of Erawan Shrine Posted: 05 Jul 2011 07:00 PM PDT  Visiting Bangkok or any part of Thailand wouldn’t be complete without watching some Thai boxing or going to the famous temples. Frankly, I’m not a fan of boxing but to be able to watch it live in front of my very eyes is an experience that I would like to have at least once! Thai boxing is aplenty in Bangkok, with huge posters displaying the fights on some of the shop lots along Bangkok, as well as boxers demonstrating on moving trucks on the streets. If you’re like me and wouldn’t want to spend money on these shows, there’s a free alternative that you can go to!
M.B.K. Fight Night Every Wednesday from 6 to 8.30pm, head on to M.B.K. Center in Bangkok to witness the MBK Fight Night. We happened to walk past the mall coincidentally on Wednesday and saw a large crowd around this area that we just had to go check out. It turned out that a fight was going on, and most of the audience were cheering for their favourite fighter whenever he scored a point.
Fight about to start We managed to watch one of the fights going on by 2 foreigners. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch some locals in the ring for some of the fights.
Round 1 – start! The beginning of the fight was pretty mild and boring, but as the crowd got heated up, the fight became more violent. In fact, I saw some blood at the mouth of the guy wearing the red shorts towards the end of the fight!
It can get pretty rough To head to MBK Center, just take the BTS (Sky train) to National Stadium station and follow the signs to MBK Center. You will definitely pass by this ring! ****** Moving on, the next day, we visited one of the most talked about shrine in Bangkok – the Erawan Shrine, also known as the Four-faced Buddha statue. Getting here is quite easy – take the BTS to Chitlom station, and follow the signs to Erawan Shrine or Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, and you will see a row of stalls selling flowers just outside the shrine. Along the way, you would have passed by Amarin Plaza, so you’d know that you’re on the right track.
Amarin Plaza along the way Once you see a row of stalls selling flowers and incense, you’ll know that the shrine is just around the corner.
Stalls selling flowers and incense
View from outside – Filled with devotees Even though we went there on a weekday, the shrine was packed with people – devotees and tourists alike, they all seemed to know what to do and where to go. We took a few minutes to observe the situation and find out what we were supposed to do.
The four-faced Brahma Statue: Face of Peace and Health, Face of Good Fortune, Face of Good Relationships and Face of Protection against Evils From the entrance, there’s a booth at the right corner that sells incense and flowers. Each set costs about 30baht, consisting of 4 wreaths of flowers and some incense. One is supposed to pray all 4 sides of the statue, placing one wreath of flower and burn 3 incense sticks at each side while saying one’s prayers. Since there was such a crowd, the smoke from the incense and the heat from the sun made the task quite a challenging one.
Pray all 4 sides of the statue Look at all the garlands of flowers surrounding the statue. It just shows how important and popular this shrine is, so much so that a man that vandalised the shrine back in 2006 was killed by the bystanders eventually. I tried to get a clearer and better shot of the statue but the incessant smoke from the incense made the picture look hazy and blur.
The golden four-faced Brahma statue Now for a bit of history of this statue (taken from the information board):
This is where you should light up your incense After praying, we saw that most people would head to this huge golden urn filled with water. Believed to be holy water, a small bowl was provided to scoop up the water to sprinkle on one’s head, face and hands.
Huge urn filled with holy water Throughout the years, many have said that this shrine has granted their wish. Apparently, when a wish is granted, the devotees thank God by granting classical Thai dancers to dance in front of the God. Some even offered these huge teak elephants which were on display around the shrine.
Teak elephants as a sign of thank you
witch at Erawan Shrine After the whole ritual under the hot sun, one was bound to become sweaty and warm. This was when a sweet and cold coconut drink would work wonders! Located just outside the shrine, there were several stalls selling cold drinks and coconut to quench our thirst especially on a hot afternoon. Each coconut cost about 50baht, slightly more expensive than the usual price but we were desperate!
Thai coconut The experience of visiting Erawan Shrine definitely enlightened us with the Thai culture and tradition. It’s an experience not to be missed if you visit Bangkok. Of course, you get a bonus if your wish is granted! Visiting hours: 6.00am – 11.30pm
Saucer with a cute girl
The Thai Ronald McDonald Ending the post with some shots of cute statues around Bangkok! |
But fret not; I will make it up during the weekend! 
Anyway, this week has been pretty hectic but I'm not complaining because I found that I'm loving the classes more and more, probably because I start seeing a little improvement in myself compared to the first class.
) before they become famous in the future! 
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