The One With The Roasted Chicken

Last night, I decided to make roasted chicken breast and roasted vegies... coz I am kinda sick of marinating chicken...so I decided to go simple...

I started by lining my baking pan with carrots, broccoli,garlic and bay leave...to create a "rack" for my chicken so all the yummy juices will drip down and coat my vegies.

Then...I rub lotsa fresh sea salt and black pepper on both side and drizzle with lotsa olive oil. Oh ya... make sure your chicken is really dry before rubbing coz....

...you need to sear then chicken both side to seal in the juices before putting it into the baking pan to roast. (this is cheat method! )

Then transfer the chicken into the baking pan and roast it at 200 degrees Celsius
for 20-25 mins

 

Tadahhhhh...let it rest before plating.

Tadahhh Tadahhhhhhh.....( I grilled some corn on the side) ok picture quality very bad... lighting all wrong... but taste was yums... especially with my black pepper sauce...BUT, it was a tad dry... I aso dunno what I did wrong...too long?? temp to high??

I would attempt it again with a whole chicken and other kinda vegies... super easy and not messy...gave me time to enjoy my bottle of Cloudy Bay Sav Blanc while it was roasting.

The One With The Pictures Update

It has been a while since I posted up any pics of my "activities"

So I shall "spam" this entry with my face!

 Went all the way out for Halloween

 Played poker

 

Ate junkfood

Played ridiculous amount of WII

 

Chillin @ home

 

 

Attended Lennard and Irene's wedding - all glam up ala Gossip Girl (yes we never grow up!)

 

 

Party like mad cow with my girlies.

 

Celebrated Deb's 30th and...

...Chris' 20 something .

I ate bugs in Chiang Rai

My BFF and her busuk got engaged!!!

Caught up with old friends

 

  

Celebrated Christmas with my staff in Penang while...

...this is how my in laws celebrated theirs in PJ!

I played some funky games at a "Game" cafe in Pee Jay on New Year Day 2010

Celebrated my FIL's 60th Birthday

I organized the company's 30th Annual Gala Dinner (see hard at work!)...

 

  

 

...and I still had time to camwhore...

...then I treated my committee to dinner....

 

...and stuff my face with ribs.... *slurps*

 Party @ newly opened Sixty9ine

So far so good...

The One With The Wet Market

I don't do wet markets!

First of all, its wet.

Second of all, its smelly.

Third of all, they don't have price tag (sure kena chop chop chop one ).

Note: I am a hypermarket /supermarket person - except for when I am back in Melbourne coz its clean there!) *I had to clarify myself so I don't appear snotty*

Unfortunately, I had to go to the wet market yesterday... yes... I dragged the hubs along... he terpaksa follow me... coz I was too chicken shit to go alone and face the constant yelling and screaming and bickering of the market.

I was supposed to buy "ang choh" and whole "geng geng" and also fresh gingko nuts for my CNY prep... so I know only you can get them in the fresh wet market... and since I was there dee, I decided to buy my supple of pork, chicken and vegies ( I leave the seafood to me dad - coz he pro at it).

Conversation with the butcher ( spoken in my broken Hokkien and translated into English):

Me : Can I have pork ribs.

Butcher: How much you want? ( he meant as in how much in $$ I wanted)

Me: urm urm urm...a little bit? ( I just wanted 500 grams, how much is 500 grams?)

Butcher: How little?

Me: You decided la! 

Proceeds to show me amount of pork ribs... then 

Butcher: Anything else?

Me: Pork belly a bit also ( face turns red and breaking out in cold sweat!)

The butcher was very amused with me.... ok first of all the convo sounds funnier in Hokkien and you got to be there to see the embarrassment I had to go thru with all the impatient aunties staring and at me... seriously, how the hell do I know you buy your meat based of the how much in $$ you want? I buy my meat based of kilos and grams. So MALU!! 

Well I did not have the same luck at the poultry department *sigh* nor at the vegies department... I swear to you I paid like 20% more than everyone else! I am such a rookie at this!

At the end we I survived the whole ordeal. Hubs was just standing around. I swear he looked like a lost sheep, and I looked like a fish out of water.

Need I say anything more?

The One Where I Go "tong toh rong tong- chiang, tong toh roong tong chianggg"

"tong toh rong tong- chiang, tong toh roong tong chianggg"

It's just next week!! DIE! choy choy choy....kenot say D.I.E. it's going to be Chinese New Year...and it's the Year of the Tiger ( a fab year for people born in the year of the Goat)

What have you prepared so far?

As for me... well, I finished "pau-ing" ang pau packets and we finally finish buying all or CNY necessities and halfway spring cleaning the house and the anal-ness in me will come out again for the weekend...

So this weekend, on the list:

 - CNY decor must go up

 - Spring clean all my cupboards, drawers and closet

2 things niah? well trust me, it will take the whole day...

so till then, happy spring cleaning, happy baking, happy decorating...

The One If We Were "Hairy-er"

I came across this picture posted on FB of me and my KL girlies having a good time chillin in Bali.

and on the comments section, hubs wrote:

Jack Chan: if you guys are any hairy-er this pic would have looked something like this.... (and then attached this picture)

 

So jahat rite??

The One Where Reality Bites

I am 30 years old.

I found my 1st white hair.

Reality finally bites.

The One With The Wasted Weekend

People know I can get pretty obsess with something with I am totally 100% in it! Well... I was obsess with my TVB drama over the weekend.  Call me crazy but I did not leave the house the whole of Saturday and Sunday cause I was glued on my flat screen with lo and behold... 30 something episodes of Beyond the Realm of Conscience.

So for two days, I was in my pjs and armed with snacks and hubs( translator). I was set for my great marathon.... 

When the "tai kit kok" (finale) was done... I was cursing on the director of the series!!! Super anti climatic....the evil concubine and the evil head of eunuch's fall was super not nice loh... like the eunuch got stab by the evil concubine... then finish... wtf..I was expecting something more interesting on the way he died! The the evil queen just become siau siau and then forgiven!! WTF!! so many people die then like this only...Major disappointment...somemore the Cantonese super flowery loh... don't understand shit... some more subtitles in Chinese! I mean seriously if a person can read Chinese, of coz they know how to listen to Chinese rite?? then what for subtitles in Chinese??

So now... I am like super sleepy cause of the stupid drama... *yawn* and and and...I did not go for my swim for 2 days, and I did not do my groceries, laundry and other stuff... talk about wasted!

OK back to work...

Snap Out Of It!

I wanna thank some of my readers and friends for being absolutely supportive and positive on my recent "emo" phase. I am much much better now and recovering as the days pass.

How did I snapped out of my "emo" stage?

Well I need to thank my mom for "forcing" me to take up a meditation classes ... at first I was kinda ewww about it... I mean I am like one of the last person on earth that can actually blank my mind, relax and sit still for 5 minutes, let alone 30 full minutes!! ( and that is the minimum time) I did give the lotsa shit to the people organizing the meditation class...just cause I am a bitch.... nola...cause they are double standard and refused to speak English! But then good also, I manage to learn a bit of Mandarin, which I have totally forgotten how to pronounce in the proper tone. So ok... after 3 days of learning to meditate and had my chakras open and attuned... I felt like so much lighter... not in weight but "soul" wise... I can think clearly, I am not that easily agitated ( still that does not give anyone a reason to piss me off!) I let things go easily, more focus, more reasonable...basically not so ANAL!

I also started swimming again on a daily basis which helps me to calm my mind and at the same time tone my flabby bits. So now my routine is waking up at 6.30am...water the plants, mop the floor, tidy up the house, have my daily grind, do my no. 2 business, swim, shower and leave for work by 10am. So far so good... I prefer to swim in the morning where there is no one around... I seriously hate doing laps with a pool full of kids with their ginormous flotation devices (which shud be ban!!) and people doing full-on-thinking- they- are -competing in the Olympics freestyle causing tidal waves! Super annoying... not to forget the aunties and uncles swimming in the wrong direction!

So...these two major changes I recently made in my life have made me realized that hey I have actually automatically start on my personal resolutions!

I also have come to terms with my insane obsession over having a baby... I have decided that if it happens, it happens... if it does not...then too bad... my life still have to go on...and not be dictated by the fact that I have to HAVE a baby now...

2010 is gonna be a busy year for me and hubs! We are pretty pack for the whole year. After CNY, hubs and I have decided to learn scuba diving and hopefully will be going for a dive or two in Pulau Tenggol. After that, we will be back to Melbourne for a few months and be back in Penang by June in time to move into our new house. Then it will be off again to Melbourne in August and back by October to attend my BFF's wedding in Bali....then to close the year... we will be heading to South America to bring in 2011! In between all the major "events" we will also be commuting to and fro from Bangkok, KL and Hong Kong and God knows where else. So you see....where got time to have babies??

Life is good when you take your time to see it at a good way...vice versa.

A Fresh Look ....

....for a new start...a new perspective on life...

Emotionally Messed Up

Christmas 2009 and the New Year went by in a daze... I did nothing...why?? coz I keep asking:

Have you ever feel that your life is all good....but actually it's not? But then again it is when there are so much more people worse off....

I had that wave of emotions for the last 2-3 months...

I was happy with my life... what's not to be? I have a fabulous hubby, a good paying job, all material things a person could ever have to be comfortable, friends, a social life, a loving family...everyone is healthy even my mom's dogs and fishes are all fine and dandy.

BUT at the same time I was unhappy... on the surface, everyone who met me would think OH wow!! she is so happy with life.,.. but then what you see outside (or in Facebook) is not what it really is behind close doors.

I was trying to pinpoint what exactly is wrong... I spoke to myself while taking a dump, showering, eating, driving....basically I was having a never ending conversation with myself... at one point I tot I was going insane!!

Then I finally spoke to my mom and hubby... and they made me realized that what was going on was the stress of work and year end performance reporting, the pressure of having a baby for all sides of our family and the clock ticking and the fear of western fertility treatment(coz got needles and all and yes I am a chicken shit!)

Pressure...that was the problem... that was what I was ignoring and did not want to acknowledge...that was when one fine day... I broke down... I hid myself in my laundry room and cried my eyes out and I felt all better after... and decided that sometimes we need to cry and its ok to cry... even when its a small thing...

Emotionally, I am still in a mess... I do not know when I will be ok... but my life still have to go on... I guess... that is what life is afterall.... there will be ups and downs...

I will be fine... I have to be... No I will NOT kill myself!! I just need more time to sort it out...

The Search Begins....

Something is seriously bothering me... and I can't seem to pinpoint what exactly it is. I feel anxious all the time....worried....angry....tired....sad....

I need to get to the bottom of this...

I need to do some soul searching....

Till then....have a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

Chiangmai - Chiangrai Annual Charity Drive 2009

So right now I am too lazy to work or to look at my overdue files... I shall spend my time telling you about the Chiangmai-Chiangrai Charity Drive.

The charity drive was organised by the Lions Club of Bayan Baru which my parents are tai laps active members, so that means I also have to ikut la... don't get me wrong, the member in this Lions Club are actually fun bunch of people... I know I had fun at last year's Charity Drive at Koh Samui.

I also dunno how to write this....so let me just tell you the highlights of my trip.( not in order).. or something something like that  lar...

Before this trip mom told me to buy some sweets to bring over so can distribute to the orphans and street kids... do some good karma la...so I did...hubs and me raided Tesco and bought like god-know-how-many-packs of fake gummi bears - YUPI ( comes in glow worms, mini burgers, sausages, many many diff shapes and sizes)

The orphanage we visited ( Ban Kim Orphanage, Chiangmai ) is home to 50 over kids age 3 months to 6 years old, mostly abandon and some are HIV+. We distributed toys and diapers and made a donation of 200,000.00 Baht which the club manage to collect. I cried...seriously...my heart broke into pieces when I saw the little ones... how can anyone abandon their children just like that... and it hurts me even more knowing how much we want a child and here these irresponsible idiots just dump them like ragged dolls!!

Then we visited some hill tribes ( long neck etc) and once again the club managed to distribute toys and other stuff to the children (did not affect me as the villages are basically self sufficient). When we finally went to Mae Sai border ( Burma/ Thai border) it struck me again when I see all the poverty and desperation of the street kids... some as young as 2 years old begging for food. This time we had to throw the toys and book and clothes over the fence into Burma. It was kinda emotional for me seeing tiny hands through the fences begging for toys and food. It is times like this that I feel totally blessed with my life. I cannot imagine living on the streets...and not knowing when your next meal will be.

The club also did their annual dinner in Chiangmai... as usual Lions' business damn boring until the after party where young, old, wrinkle, fat, thin got together and dance and played games... which my team won!! ( I am damn competitive...Ilost my voice screaming at my team mates!!!!)

The whole trip was also filled with other tourisy activities which was ok only..we visited many many temples but the only temple that took my world was the Wat Rong Khun (White Temple). It was wooowwweeee!!

Oh I ate bugs... it tasted like fried prawn shell to me... if Anthony Bourdain can do it... so can I... no biggie... I think its all in the mind...

Lets see, what else... oh yes... Chiangmai and Chiangrai are totally DEAD at night... so all we did was meet up with Andrew ( my mom's partner in crime's son which is in out age group) for beers at night to gossip about the aunties and uncles...lol

I did not shop.....BOO...

Oh yes... most of the aunties have come to know me as the girl who loves shoes and bags and have a ginormous collection! OLD people talk! - I think that is why I did not shop...hello...I already got a bad repo dee!

I got food poisoning on the way home from Bangkok to Penang... all the bug eating and the floating market and street food and I got food poisoning from  clean rocket leaves... I think I am allergic to it... the last time I ate rocket leaves I ended up in the E.R.puking my guts out!

I remember eating the rocket leaves at the apartment for breakkie then I went to pray at Erawan and by that time I was feeling a bit sick d... then by the time I went back to the apartment, I was green and wanted to puke... but then I tahan and tahan until the airport, the plane and finally reach back at our Penang condo... I let everything out and slept for 24 hours only waking up about 10 times to pee from  my arse and drink 100 plus.

BTW, I am so lazy to put up pics here... coz right... too many... please check out the pics from this trip on my Facebook ok...

Siauness Is Me, Me is Siau D

My life has been "siau" for the last couple of weeks and the "siauness" will continue till next year.

Many ups and downs...so in summary so far,

. I had fun during the annual Charity Drive organised by the Lions Club of Bayan Baru which was held  in Chiangmai and Chiangrai.

. I had a terrible case of food poisoning which lasted more than 24 hours ( hubs sed my face was green and I was peeing from my ass).

. I ate bugs. ( no it did not contribute to my food poisoning)

. My dad's big brother passed away from cancer.

. My period came so that means I am NOT preganant :( really takes the toll out of me!

. In the midst  of organizing my company's annual dinner.

. Year end closing - which means boss bad mood!

. BFF from KL coming so gonna be bz bee.

. Christmas!!!

Siau siau siau!!!!

Ookiebye

Be Right Back....

...my life is...a havoc...

The Realisation

I just realised... I AM HIGH MAINTENANCE!!!! ( I was in denial all this time thinking I was a simple woman!)

Yes I just sat down this morning and I was thinking....damn...I spend a lot on maintaining my appearance ( and still look like SHIT!) by making sure I have my hair coloured (every 2-3 months), hair cut ( every month) maintaning my  nails ( every 2-3 weeks), facials ( every 2 weeks), body massages ( every other month or so) eye and neck treatments, IPL treatments ( every other month). BUT the one thing I don't do is EXERCISE!!!! (that answers the question on why I still look like shit).

I aso spend damn a lot on shoes, bags ( no question about that), bajus ( which I still have new ones hanging from last year!!!)  I aso take health supplements which cost me lotsa moolah (in my defense, they helped me a lot, so I do not need to cut back on that!!!)

Don't get me started on my skincare, body care and and make up!!! wah some more going out for drinks and dinners!! MY GOD...I seriously have to cut down to save more! BUT HOW?

Hubs usual reply to me " STOP BUYING!!!" followed by " Its your money, so do as you like, but don't ask me to support your habits!"

O_O

WTF rite... I am doing this for HIM!!! so I can always look HOT and he will always think and know his wife is HOT!

Question.

Does that  mean I have low self esteem and need to prove to others?

HELL NO!

I am a Libran.... I like pretty things and looking pretty...after all...

I AM A WOMAN!

The One Where Hubby Is On A Diet

So...I am detoxing again! I seriously need to look good this weekend coz we are attending a wedding... and you know la... girls/ladies in Malaysia all damn skinny...hair damn nice...skin damn smooth! What do I have? Boobs..I love my boobs.... that's about it!

Ok so... 3rd day int my detox-ing mode and out of no where hubby decided that he too have put on weight (which he has and finally has come out from denial )and has requested me to cook smaller portions for his dinner or make something light and easily digested ( I think with age, digestion is a serious problem...) So ok loh, last nite I steam 1 corn on cob and a bowl of mushroom soup with vegemite on crackers - trust me sounds horrid but its a few of his fav food!

Then this afternoon after lunch ( he had economy rice) he felt guilty, so he told me to buy milk and cereal ( the healthy kind) and he is gonna have that for lunch! Said to me SURE lose weight one! OK LOH! 

I see how long he can last.... Anyone wanna put a bet one that?

The Movember Movement

November is here and it's gonna be as busy as October.

It started with  a short trip to Bangkok for a Thai Buddist head monk's birthday and to settle the designs for the new condo which ended up as a makan trip and me contributing to the Thai economy!

Will be heading back to Bangkok again end of the month for a bit of R & R after our trip to north Thailand.

During our trip this time, I manage to meet the monk which I met 2 years ago when he told me then that I have problems with my womb which lead me to go for a checkup and we found fibroids in my womb. This time around he told me that I should start seeking western medicine to go with my traditional medication in order to conceive. ooooo...how in the world did he know I have been taking traditional medicine?? He also told me I have until next year to produce, and if I don't then it's a lost hope! OK some people may think this is utter BS (i.e. my hubby) but to me I take it seriously as I believe in this monk, I believe he has a special vision/power and he can "see" things.

Soooo... I did go for a scan and has been consulting a fertility specialist and will start with treatment beginning of next year. Apparently I like this fertility doc, he takes thing slowly and does not push us... he wants to monitor my eggs! (FYI: hubs boys are wayyyyyy healthy!!!!)

I seriously hope that things work out and we don't have to take drastic measures!

*fingers cross*

==============

On other note... one of my BFF just turn 30...she is going thru a phase of denial... which she would snap out of it soon...so Debs.... if you are reading this.. embrace the 30s!!! It's a BLAST!

================

Last night a friend of 20 years did this up for us  (* thanks weels!*) and the tags all of us, his 6 gorgeous ladies! and this is what makes me go all teary and nostalgic...

We have been friends for more than 20 years all 7 of us!!! and we have all been thru to hell and back....MANY TIMES!! and we are all still together!

The One With The Birthday Gifts

Just got back from Bangkok and I was kinda proud with myself when I did not buy anything "major" until I reach the airport!

After the passport clearence and the custom scanning I knew Chanel was in front...so I told myself ok I will just go in and have a look at the Chanel Coco Cocoon collection. I was very dissapointed with it.... hubs said it look like a bag made out of diaper and for almost RM4k for a nylon bag/pillow he rather shoot himself! (the lambskin was about RM8k ) I have to agree with him on that!

So as I thank the girls for showing my the collection my eyes aimed in on a really cute black classic 2.55 long clutch and the red classic flap in pleated calfskin from the fall/winter 09/10 collection . Mom loved the clutch and I loved the red bag...so wihtout thinking too much, I took out my credit card and ask the girls to wrap up the two cute bags and called my dad to thank him for the gifts to me and mom on his birthday! My dad did not say anything and just ask me nice or not... of coz I said nice la!!! ( such a fashionista) Hubs on the otherhand  was  NOT impressed AT ALL!!!

 

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a BLAST!!!

I manage to embrace my inner Harujuku Ah Lian-ness when I went as a Harujuku ghost.... (some people think I was a 80s ghost.... but  I think I rock!! Hub went as I have no idea...but his charater was good as dead!

The One Where The Black Bull Vs The X6....

The black bull won **&%##$^%^()