New Zealand calls

Ho deciso. It will be New Zealand for the year end trip. As much as I hate to leave Luigi in S'pore, I want to get away to recharge my battery and seek greater spirituality and positive energy in a faraway land. What better way than to join the Golden Light Celebration organised by the goddess circle and usher in the first light of 2010 in a very unspoilt country. I will also take time to reflect on the year and jot down my new resolutions. Till the next blog entry, I wish you all a glorious 2010... it's gonna be so zealously fabulous! With blessings and love.

Penang gals

I haven't been to Penang since 2002 - when I had popped into the gran E&O Hotel on the way to Bangkok in the super-luxe E&O train. I briefly remembered it as a child when granny, uncle, aunt, mom and us the kids visited it during a whirlwind Malaysian vancanza (very typical in the 80s). So it was appropriate that I bought air tickets for my fav gals - granny, mom and sista - to Penang so we can spend some quality girly time together. Plus gran was up for it and this was her first holiday since her stroke more than 1 year ago. We had a fab time eating and exploring the streets of Penang which incidentally also shared the UNESCO heritage site as Malacca in 2007.

One cannot go hungry in PG. We ate our way through the famous Penang laksa, char kway teow, old skool wanton mee, rojak, lor mee, chee cheong fun, popiah, hokkien prawn mee, seafood porridge, sarsi-flavoured ice kachang, etc and burnt off the calories walking a fair bit. Penang laksa was the shiokest - silky flour noodles in a fragrant assam-scented broth, singing the notes of chillies, ginger flower, pineapple, cucumber, mint, flaky sardines and generous lashings of hay gor (fermented prawn paste - a local pride).

It was a close tie between the mother and son stall at 99D Lorong Selamat and the family-run stall at Air Itam pasar. Both businesses have been passed down from generations so you can taste the pride and passion in each bowl. When prodded, Mr Loh who runs the L. Selamat stall with his mom said that his dad started the business 40 years ago and he has helped his parents since he was 5. I last met them at the Penang hawker buffet at York Hotel in Singapore in Oct (which they ve been participating for years). Mr Loh used a generous amount of fresh sardines in PG - a glorious bowl just for MR$4 (in Spore the slab of sardine was missing).

At the Air Itam pasar roadside stall, the hawker gamely posed for me as he busied himself with unrelenting orders from passerbys and motorists. He told me that it is a 3rd generation business since 50 years ago. Here, it's MR$2.70 for a small bowl; the taste is more robust compared to Mr Loh's lighter and sprightier version but nonetheless packs a punch. If variety is your game, the popular Gurney Drive open-air food centre starts to pack them in at sunset.

Some locals insist it's too touristy and overpriced (like Newton Circus in Spore) and they avoid it and patronise hawkers tucked away at smaller street corners or coffeeshops. Still, I guess it is worth a visit to see the span of hawker delights. Everyone has their favourites and the best advice came from the friendly taxi drivers. (Tip for travelling: always ask the locals for their favourite eat-outs). One chatty uncle gave us a tour of his food hide-outs, including his wife's fav wanton stall next to the Padang (along Anson Rd) and the row of roadside hawkers along New Lane at Sunway Lagoon Hotel.

He even showed us the new outlet of Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol located at Komtar Walk and we invited him to join us for desserts. The best chendol is still at Malacca but it's not too shabby here. What surprised us was the ice kachang with its mix of fresh red beans, atap seeds, corn, grass jelly, sago, peanuts and a lovely tinge of Sarsi (instead of artificial coloured syrups). He also said that PG has changed a lot over the last 40 years but it still remains very laidback and makes a great place for retirement.

What I like about PG is also a sense of history, particularly the rows of gorgeous seafront colonial mansions at Georgetown. You can imagine the hi-society parties, the horse-drawn carriages, the ballgowns and tuxes, the heady Champagne and the light breeze caressing the balmy coconut trees.

There are many places celebrating PG's rich history from these beautifully restored mansions and monuments to places of worship. We managed to visit Kek Lok Si temple with its 120-feet bronze Guan Yin statue visible from afar and the intriguing blue mansion Cheong Fatt Tze circa 1890. For a bit of nature, we popped into the tranquil Spice Garden and lapped up its serene vibes before lunching on some really tasty beef and chicken rendang at its hilltop cafe. Here, a cooking class was underway under the shady trees and the Nonya instructor spoke to us briefly and asked if I liked to cook. Of course I do!

We loved the magical Butterfly Farm not far away from the Spice Garden. The lush garden enclosure is home to an eye-popping variety of colourful butterflies, some I have never seen before and some as big as my palms. My favourite are the black and white polk-dotted ones which contrast so well with the greenery. At times, these celestials creatures landed on my head and even on my outstretched arm, and I feel very connected to them (I swear they are fairies in disguise!). On the whole, we had a great time at Georgetown (although traffic was terrible with the out-of-town visitors clogging the many one-way roads).

Batu Ferringhi, 20mins away, was more like a beach resort town with many seafronting properties such as Hard Rock and Shangri-La. In the evening, the roadside stalls came to life and it felt like a mini Phuket (without the go-go bars). Here is also the playground for many Middle-eastern tourists - judging from the slew of Arabic and Lebanese restaurants. Afterall, here is one of the few places in Asia where they can be guaranteed of a good halal meal. I guess that's the beauty of PG - everyone gets to eat well.

Grow baby grow

I just have to show off our new babies - the pomodorini are 8 weeks old and range from 10cm to 30cm tall... Oh they do smell heavenly! The first time I was struck by the raw natural profumo of tomato vines was at Casa Lanzarotti, where I twirled happily in the greenhouse and my mouth was gap-open at the glorious bunches of these bright red and orange hued fruits. I can just imagine our joy when the first flower appeared on the vines and bear fruit. Ooooh.

Today I was at the secret garden again and boy was it a hot day! Darwin and I got to fertilising the chili bed with a mix of dried chicken dung, mix of horse dung and rotting compost crawling with maggots. They make their own compost from natural waste and everything came out from their own pockets. Tending to nature is not glam but it's pure passion and lots of hard work! The European herbs patch needed weeding and we definitely could do with more hands. (Let me know if you want to volunteer 2 hours of Sat or Sun from 10am to 12pm - come enjoy the fresh air and sun).

Anyway I've been cooking lately and experimenting with the produce from the garden. Last week, I made a Thai-style salad with a turnip (tomatoes, coriander & lettuce). Today I whipped up a prawn-zucchini omelette flavoured with a type of Chinese herb parsley called Asiatic wormwood (apparently full of antioxidants and good for riding wind). We'd concoct combos of this leaf with that herb and throw in a young papaya and some sugarcane for yummy cooling teas. Anyway I hope to share more of these wholesome recipes using produce from the garden.

For now I shall leave you with my recipe of Fried mee ta baht noodles - L's favourite (his request on his day off last Tues) - buon appetito!

Ingredients - serves 4:

Mee ta baht noodles (500g - pour hot water over noodles in strainer)

Eggs (2)

Fishcake (3 - sliced thinly)

Pork (100g - sliced & marinated with light soy sauce & sesame oil)

Cai xin vegetables (100g)

Bean sprouts (2 cups)

Garlic (3 cloves - crushed)

Chili padi (2 - optional)

Dark soy sauce (2 -3 tbsp dep on how dark you like)

Pinch of salt & pepper (adjust to taste)

Oil for frying

Method:

- Beat eggs and fry as an omelette in wok, then slice and keep aside for later.

- Fry garlic and chili till fragrant, add pork and stir around, then add fishcake.

- Add mee ta baht noodles and mix thoroughly on medium heat. Add half cup of water followed by dark soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

- Add cai xin vegs and sliced egg, mix well for 1 min before adding bean sprouts.

- Stir well for another minute or untill bean sprouts are cooked.

- Serve warm with toppings of chili flakes and fried shallots if desired!

Recipe by Law

Peace be with girl

Sorry for been MIA for the last month since the Thai holidays. Work again has been hectic (not complaining) which left little time for writing. L and I began a 'diet' too as we have put on a couple of kilos from the 2 food trips and a few wine dinners on my part. So far, the diet's working along with plenty of yoga and gardening. L has also began working at a new ristorante italiano and gotten his Employment Pass (so no longer a fugitive!).
And the best news of October is an email from Marina Sands asking if he's keen on the position of a Games Inspector. They'll be in touch again closer to the opening date in Febbraio. Funnily L wasn't that enthu about the IR because the shift work is quite taxing and his sleep patterns would be terribly screwed up again! Anyway we'll see what their offer is then.

Some of you might have heard the bad news - si, our Ah Girl, Ripley, has passed away on 25 Oct. We're quite prepared for it as she has been on a steady decline. The inevitable happened when she stopped eating and peeing/pooing on Sat and Sun. On Sun, she was so weak the poor girl was literally dragging herself around in a stupor. I called mom and asked her to come home early to say goodbye. Ah Girl was her favourite cat and my mom was her pet. They were the best of TV companions for years. Amazingly Ah Girl held on until my mom came back and comforted her in tears. Shortly after, she struggled with 3 short breaths and slipped away.

As we held her lifeless skeletal body one last time, we wished her a safe journey and thanked her for being part of our family for the past 10+ years. I could still remember the day when I found her on the streets of Tiong Bahru. This white scraggy cat was feeding on some leftover rice given by an auntie who said she's been abandoned. My heart melted and I contemplated bringing her home. On a return visit, I coaxed her into my carrier and brought her to SPCA but they wouldn't take her in as 'she's quite old' and might even put her down.

So I took her for a check up at the vet and he confirmed that she's quite old (abt 8 to 9 yrs) and had an ear infection. On that 1st visit, we knew she has a great dislike for vets as she left a bloody scratch on the vet, despite being held down in a straits jacket (this happened at almost every vet visit)! Thus her bad-arse fearless attitude led me to name her 'Ripley' - after Sigourney Weaver's character in 'Aliens'. Ah Girl went on to blossom into a white furball and terrorised Jarvis for almost a decade (haha poor guy) until sweet Mimi came along and kinda loosened up the tension.

Given 'how old' she was when we adopted her, Ripley had lived a damn long life and might be at least 18 to 20 yrs old at her passing. Although it was really sad to lose her, I am also so proud and happy to have given her a safe and loving home, and that I went with my instincts and didn't put her down. She passed away with dignity; surrounded by love and comfort. We cremated her and brought her ashes in a 'Kit Kat Time Out' container (yes, she's only taking a time out!) to bury in my secret garden where we visit regularly.

Ah Girl, you'll always be remembered for your beauty, resilience and strength. Although you're in kitty heaven now, you'll always live in our hearts and we'll see each other again, my love. Baci =^.^=

Pai kias

The 2nd day, we left for Pai in a mini van that was packed shoulder to shoulder with angmoh backpackers. The only Asian passengers were my folks and I. Heeding the advice of a journalist friend C (who warned about the winding 3-hour journey), we chobed the front row behind the driver for a better view of the road while L sat in front. That - unfortunately - didn't prevent mommy from feeling carsick and she was purging into a few plastic bags mid-way. Luckily I had my magic oil with me and rubbed it on her temples.

Dad, on the other day, was having a conversation with himself after I gave up trying to talk to him (becos sometimes his know-it-all tone is damn irritating). The reason why he can't shut up and enjoy the ride like the rest is he believes if no one talks, the driver will fall asleep! C'mon, the guy's a pro the way he's handling the gear stick and handbrake. So you can imagine these 2 old foggies - one puking and the other yakking away in the van as we weaved past the hills and small kampungs. We arrived at Pai in one piece (mom pale and grateful), and L and I immediately went to check out the accomodation. There was no lack of rooms at this time of the year and we could even bargain on the rooms for 2 nights (however peak season is starting soon in Nov and Dec).

I've never heard of Pai until C recommended it to me and after reading up on it, it seems like a nice hippie place for us to just kick back and relax among nature. Located in northern Thailand near the Myanmar border  Mae Hong Son, Pai was once a quiet market village inhabited by the local Shan people. Nowadays tourism is obviously a big industry as you can see from the number of affordable guesthouses, makeshift bars and quaint shops that cater to the droves of backpackers. The whole place kinda reminded me of Vang Vieng in Laos with its lush and rustic surrounds.

Nowadays it also draws Thai city dwellers who wanna do Pai after it's popularised in two local romantic films - 'Jod Mai Rak' and 'Ruk Jung'. Mom and dad seemed to be lapping it up (yay!), esp dad who spoke Thai at every opportunity (he's like me in italia, cannot shut up! ;). After a cheap and satisfying lunch of pad see eu and pad thai with Singha, L and I wished we could rent a motorbike and explore the town on our own. We didn't plan an agenda but just soaked up the 70s vibes and looked out for day trips around Pai to see the elephant camps, waterfalls, hot springs - and even a Chinese Yunan village. Hmmm. Pai is so small that one would feel silly with a map. We made about 4 turns and saw 2 traffic light junctions and were back to square one. Ha.

Luckily for us, there was a night market and some kind of a local rock concert, peppered by various local music/dance acts to celebrate the full moon weekend (it was mid-autumn festival afterall). We woke up from our nap to find Pai transformed. Vendors set up make-shift roadside stalls - outside their shops/ bars, in Volkswagen vintage vans, in every nook - with their traditional tribal wares, self-designed postcards/ badges, 80s masa-masa toys, scarves, shoes, and of course a whole range of glorious food. It was like we were back in 1975. Time stood still. And I went shutter mad.

The market stretched for miles in different directions and we tried not to miss any lane. There was a buzz in the air as the sun set, and everyone came out to play. Kids, old folks, vendors, customers, locals, travellers...

What amazed me the most are how creative and resourceful some of the vendors are, despite the locale of this realtively isolated village. And everyone seemed so contented under the soft glow of the full moon against the clear dark night. All is one; our paths entwined. We were happy picking at various local snacks from sizzling bbq squid and fried mee to deepfried banana and steamed silky rice roll (chee chiong fun) filled with vegs and drizzled with a sweet-spicy thai sauce. I felt like a kid again and was drawn to the tower of gleaming balloons from the balloon-man (imagine how big the pile of balloons must seem to a small kid!)

Wat up in Chiang Mai

Sawadee-ka, welcome to Chiang Mai - the 2nd citta' in Thailand that's nestled in the bosom of the gorgeous lush mountains. I've to say I'm absolutely in love with this Lanna Kingdom which certainly exceeded our expectations. It's not as crazy as Bangkok, and alluring in its unpretentious and laidback manner, from its smiley people to the 300+ gleaming wats (temples) and bustling street markets.

In a way, it kinda reminded me of Vientiane in Laos - which is not surprising as they are close neighbours and the borders just a few hours away. Our Sawasdee Guesthouse is located within the old city's fortified walls and moat. The centre is quite compact and is best explored on foot or bicycle. Just a stone's throw away from our stay is the breathtaking Wat Chedi Luang.

Before we contemplated any sightseeing, our first thought was where to find lunch. Relaying on the recommendations of Ming, the guesthouse's owner and Anthony Bourdain, we headed for Huen Phen at 112 Rachamankha Rd - a local instituiton devoted to northeastern Thai cuisine. The restaurant was packed even at 1.30pm - a good sign. We got down to business quickly and ordered the specialty Khao Soi (Burmese curry noodles). They got chicken, pork, fish or beef versions - all equally tasty and cheap.

My dad and L wolfed down the sticky rice, som tam payaya salad, tom yum soup and laap sausage with a kickarse chilli dip. Of course we had a chilled bottle of Singha. Ahhhhh. The meal was that good we came back again on the last day in CM for lunch and whacked the fried pork ribs, crispy chicken and green chili dip - heaven! (Tip: apparently it turns a bit poshy at night and the prices also go up so avoid dinnertime).

For dinner, I asked our inn-keeper for the best place to find Thai grilled chicken Gai yang and he pointed us to Roomjai Kai Yang - a Chiang Mai institution for Isaan northeastern Thai cuisine. Cheap, good and a relaxed atmosphere - the way we like it. The highlight is of course the freshly grilled chickens fragrant and charred on the open pit at the doors (110 baht). Honestly I can eat 1 whole chicken on my own! We also loved the grilled pork neck, ribs, laap, salads, tom yum and lots of sticky rice. Most tuk tuk drivers would know how to get to Ruam-Chai-Gai-Yang around 100m from Chiang Mai Ram Hospital on Boonrueang Rd (just along the fortified walls). You can recognise the yellow signboard with 2 chickens.

With our bellies full, we could tackle the various wats nearby - starting with the magnificent Wat Chedi Luang (circa 1401) that's dominated by a large Lanna-style bricked chedi; partially damaged by an earthquake in the 16th century. Leading up to the stupa are 4 stairways that are guarded by the mythical hissing nagas and elephants. We also paid our respects to the serene albeit a bit eerie wax figurines of the old monks before posing with the glimmering golden reclining Buddha.


Inside the main hall, we were dumbstruck by the ornate ceilings, chandeliers and gigantic Buddhas at the altar. This was the equivalent of a Duomo in Italia. Many people come to the wats to pray and also be blessed by the monks who are schooled from a young age; as seen by the dozens of boys on the grounds. If you're up to it, you can even chat up a monk - for real - as they have a 'Monk Chat Program' (don't laugh!) where you can debate about buddhism, life's goals, Thai culture and maybe even Obama's recent baffling Peace Nobel prize.

Next to Chedi Luang is the quaint but equally stunning Wat Phan Tao with its unique teak structure and intricate wood carvings in northeastern Lanna-style architecture. At the entrance, I noticed a lady with a few tiny woven baskets of birds chirping desperately away for freedom. It's pitiful but we decided it's wiser not to pay her to release the birds as it'd only encourage the unkind trade.

As the official tour guide, I dragged my uncomplaining entourage to another highlight - Wat Phra Singh (circa 1345) home to the Phra Singh Buddha aka Lion Buddha. The grounds of the temple and monastery are well-kept and one should explore the smaller decorated assembly halls. We gawked at the impressive main hall with its high red roof, white columns and large seated Buddha cast in gold and copper, before cooling down with some refreshing guava, papaya and pineapple from a sreet vendor.

Looking at the slightly weary faces of my parents, a break was in order and we marched past the Three Kings monument for an afternoon nap. Later that night, we explored Chiang Mai's famous night bazaar which spans several blocks spilling over into sidewalks, buildings and temple grounds. It was quite touristy and you must bargain. We preferred the bigger Sunday walking market on Rachadamnoen and Prapokklao Road which is more organic as in the way the stalls are set up in every nook and street corner. There are tons to eat from the khao soi, bbq squid, handmade fishballs and rice balls (like arancini which they squash up with spices and minced meat). We can spend hours just exploring every stall selling plants, arts n crafts, home accessories, fashion etc.  Knock yourselves out!

Secret garden

F1 weekend came and went like the racing drivers' trail of burnt rubber smoke. I hardly have time the last 2 weeks to update the blog as I was busy with projects, proposals and my newfound gardening volunteer gig! Si si, I'm back to nature and getting dirty again every Saturday morning at this Kitchen Garden which is located at Pasir Ris Park. It was always there but recently when I cycled past it, the garden has expanded a lot and thriving with many herbs and veg plants. My prayers have been answered as I was hoping that there'd be a nearby place that I can help out instead of the faraway Lim Chu Kang / Kranji farms.

Darwin, the full-time volunteer /retire there, was more than happy to have me pottering around on Saturdays and my first assignment was to help him with drawing up the signboards to ask people to love and respect the garden (i.e not to remove any plants, soil, etc). He loved the first hand-painted sign and I'm inspired to draw a few more! And 2 weekends ago, a lady saw us busy at work fertilising the garden beds and she decided to chip in. So now, it's me, Darwin and Ming Hua - the Saturday trio in our secret garden. (There are more volunteers that I met in the next few weeks.)

Darwin also handed me many tips - including how to make natural compost from dead plants, eggshells, chicken and horse manure, as well as point out the plants as natural remedies (which I boiled and drank as anti-oxidant brew!). I have to admit it - my body's hurting and aching again from all that squatting and bending, but boy, I love this old feeling! If anyone of you is interested to help out or visit, just let me know. The garden is open to the public and there are many educational tours organised by NParks.

In exchange for my contribution, I got as much chicken shit fertiliser as I want for my growing tomatoes and hot peppers plants, which are thriving well in their own pots now. The thing is I had planted too many seeds and we sadly had to remove some of them to prevent overcrowding. L was a great help and a natural gardener (as you can see in this picture ;) he emailed pictures of the plants to his zio Rino and our amico Michele (both very experienced farmers) for their advice. Every morning L would also move the 10+ pots from our bedroom to the kitchen and balcony to catch the sunlight. With our TLC, I'm pretty sure we'll be harvesting the pomodori soon!

Anyway we'd be off to Chiang Mai and Pai for a 5-day getaway to celebrate L's and my dad's birthday (both Librians and born in year of Sheep!). Reading about the nature activities, hot springs, waterfalls, elephant camps and gorgeous mountain temples makes me so excited already. On top of that, we'll be spending Mid-Autumn's night at this hippie town of Pai. Sarebbe una bella vacanza! Love and respect. Peace.

Tasting Malaysia

L left his job last week after he completed his 3 months' probation because the final offer was too low for the kind of shit and hours he puts in. He's not the kind to slack - in fact putting in 120% - and has done a great job so far, judging by his regular customers. Plus his colleagues like working with him and he has formed an unlikely 'brotherhood' with the Chinese and Indian cooks who are the unsung heroes of many ristoranti. I told L better things await as it's a blessing in disguise. Things always happen for a reason, and I believe for a good one.

We took the chance to get away for the weekend and planned an impromptu culinary escapade to Malacca and KL - L's virgin trip to Malaysia. The VIP coach of Luxury Tours was fabulous; imagine reclinable roomy leather seats, personal TV screens and plenty of leg space ($34 to Malacca & $48 from KL). I've always enjoyed Malacca for its food and have a list of must-trys for L's tastebuds awakening. Also recently Malacca is officially recognised as a heritage site by UNESCO and the local tourism authority is now busy building an airport to cash in on this new-found status.

Anyway once there, we wasted no time and walked from Hotel Equatorial past the A Famosa fortress to the stunning red-facade Christ Church while fighting off the garish trishaws touts who were trying to get us to take a ride in their loud vehicles. L was irritated becos he being the angmoh always kana harassed. We found Jonker Street easily and somehow my antenna led us to our first makan pitstop - my favourite Teochew restaurant in the world - Restaurant Teo Soon Loong Chan.

Being a kitschy little hole in the wall, it can be quite hard to find in a small lane off Jonker Street. Everything about it is so authentically old skool; the garish 50s decor, the outdoor kitchen at the entrance, the non-fuss service and best of all, there's no menu. The jolly Uncle Tan would recommend dishes to customers by pointing out the ingredients on the side counter.

I remembered the feast of 10 dishes on my last trip with my W&D foodie kakis and wanted to order so many more this time but Ah Pek stopped me at the 4th dish ('enough enough for you 2!' he quipped in mandarin). Dammit! Already famished from the 4-hour ride, we slurped on the signature velvety oyster mee in a thick savoury black gravy while chomping on crispy bits of deepfried softshell crabs (heaven!), fried seafood roll, vegs with sambal and or-nee (yam paste) with pumpkin for dessert. The smiling Ah Pek was a very good PR manager (like L) as he went about chatting with customers. I doubt they get many angmoh guests so he seemed extremely curious about L.

Be warned: there are only 9 tables so advance reservations are a must for big groups (we called and pre-ordered the 10 dishes from S'pore the last time!). Other signature dishes to try are the roasted duck, suckling pig, steamed pomfret fish, bitter gourd w braised meat, and prawns balls.
Address: 55 Jalan Hang Kasturi (second cross street) 75200 Melaka.
Tel 06-282-2353. Closed Mondays.
Visit their charming old skool website at www.tslcmalaysia.com to see the VVIP guests from S'pore.

Restaurant Keng-Dom Sdn. Bhd.
In the evening, we trotted down to another fav ristorante at Malacca - Keng-Dom which was an old skool eatery that has recently been renovated by the looks of its mint-condition floral wallpaper. It is on the ground floor of a shophouse within walking distance (3mins) from Hotel Equatorial. I love the auntie waitresses (their warm and efficient service beats the shit out of any 5-star fine-dining crew). The food's also outstanding; just ask the motherly lady manager for recommendations. Try the beef and pork rib curry pies, homemade tofu in crabmeat sauce, 'tong poh lok' (roasted pork loin in a gorgeous sauce served with steamed buns - bestest!) We went back twice and the aunties served L their secret spicy chilli sauce which they don't usually serve to guests. Thumbs up!

Address: 147/8/9 Jalan Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka
Tel: 06-282-6409. Open daily 11am to 2.30 pm, 5.30 pm to 11 pm.

Chop Chung Wah Chicken Rice Balls
Proudly serving the signature chicken rice balls since 1973, this got to be the best chicken and rice balls eatery in Malacca. There's always a long queue even in the early morning or during late lunch hours. I say, go early in case they run out of chicken! The smallish kampung chickens are succulent and juicy, all quickly and expertly chopped up and drizzled with some fats, sesame/soy sauce. We had a half chicken and 3 plates of balls. The coffeeshop is non-descript compared to the colourful facades and screaming adverts of other similar eateries. They don't need any printed accolades from celebs and ambassadors - clearly word of mouth works very well for this humble joint. (It is immediately on the right of the roundabout after you cross the river from Christ Church)

Address: Lorong Hang Jebat. Open daily 7am to 3pm.

Jonker Dessert (Sin Sing Cendol)
Forget about the other cendol stalls in Malacca. This is da bomb and mother of cendols! The gula malaka is pure liquid gold which they drizzled liberally over the pile of shaved ice. Again, you can find it easily from the perpetual long queue on Jonker Street. They also got other good desserts like the ABC ice-kachang (which i thought was ABC stout!). Can also takeaway and eat at your own leisure.

Address: 88 Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker Street), 75200 Melaka
Tel: 016-631-4288. Open Tuesday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday-Saturday till 11pm, Sunday till 9pm. Closed Monday unless PH.

Mr Choo's popiah cart
Best popiah - fresh or fried. L and I were determined to find his holy grail after a failed attempt on day 1 and finally tracked Mr Choo's cart down outside Geographic Cafe at Jonker Street. Apparently he's there from 4pm every day. he's lost a lot of weight and is more wrinkly than before but you can see the man takes great pride in his rolls. L asked for extra spicy and the old chap happily painted his popiah skin in red!

Besides a great place for pigging out, Malacca has also many interesting sights such as the Maritime Museum (in the form of a Portugese ship), viewing tower, oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia, its charming Chinatown zone, quaint local shops and guesthouses. So if you have time for a makan weekend, this is it. Now move your arse!

Bebe time

Auguri to Q and C who welcomed the arrival of their bellissima bebe girl Noemi! She's simply an angel. I bet she'll be a stunner with her Cinese-Italiano roots. Amazingly during the last few months, some of my friends have been popping out babies and many of them are girls. Woo-pee! It's no secret that L and I love kids (esp girls!), and we're looking forward to our own bundle of joy when the time is right. Hopefully by then, my eggs are still ok! I did ask my gynae if I can freeze them but she said it's not allowed in S'pore!? Ma perchè?

Living la vita loca

On Sunday, I was mistaken as a Burmese for the 2nd time in a month! Are there that many Burmese (or Myanmarians?) in S'pore? It turned out there are at least 100,000 of them in Singapore and most usually congregate at Peninsula Plaza where I accompanied L to buy his football boots. It felt like Golden Mile part 2. It seems there is a lot of political-military unrest in the country which drove many desperate folks to flee to neighbouring borders like Thailand and China.

Anyway I was in hibernation during the past 2 weeks; taking a breather from everything, spending time with family, getting back to nature and hitting the books to gain a fresh perspective on life. Basically trying to delve into the ultimate question: why am I here? Life's gotta more than material pursuits and beyond the cookie-cutter of find-partner -get married- home- children- retire- and- addios: death. Do our souls return in new bodies and start all over again to learn new lessons? If so, it seems so tiring to be trapped in this endless vicious cycle of mortality.

Which is why I've been reading up on spirituality-related topics from angels to karma, and I find myself feeling a bit more enlightened and lighter. If you're seeking some guidance that make sense in your life, try Diana Cooper's 'A Little Light on Spiritual Laws' which is a clear and effective guide to help tune into your higher consciousness. There are many Laws which I've subscribed to including Law Of Resistance and Law Of Attraction - essentially you must think positive to receive positive. For e.g you must say 'I am healthy and happy' and you will be so. You can't wish 'I don't want to be sick and unhappy' because you are resisting these negative attributes which will come. And if you keep fretting and say things like 'I know I won't get that job and I'll be so disappointed' - it'll be just like that because the power of your unconsciousness attracts what you expects.

I even applied the Law Of Attraction and Law Of Decree to simple everyday things like getting a taxi. For e.g one night, my friends were waiting quite long for a cab and they decided to call and make a booking. I pronounced happily that I don't need to call because a cab will come soon. And true enough, one arrived within the next minute! Then last week, I asked L what he wants and he said he wants to strike 4D. The next day, his number came out in the consolation section but that fellow didn't buy it even though he's been buying it for weeks! I consoled him. Lesson learnt: don't be afraid to ask for what you want but your intention must be for your higher self and good. In this case, the Law Of Clarity and Attention also apply - L was clear on what he wants but he didn't follow up and pay attention to make it happen. Too cheem? Don't worry, it's an easy book to digest (you can find it at Kinokuniya).

I also finished Diana's 'A New Light On Angels' on working with angels and the elementals, and now polishing a book on 'Karma & Reincarnation'. Funnily what started me off in the first place was 'The Findhorn Garden' - a magical and wondrous book on having faith, working with nature and cooperating with the devas and elementals. All these were passed to me from my sis when I confessed my secret wishes to her (hush; cannot reveal yet). She also gave me readings sessions with her Angels, Fairies and Ascended Masters Cards - and the messages are astonishing! It's also wonderful that our dear amica J is ready to embrace our higher consciousness and we had a fab time at Keane's concerto (I love their new album!).

It's hard to explain all these in a single blog entry but if you want to know more or have a 'reading', let me know. I've listed web links for these books in the side box which you might find useful :) As an experiment to test my cooperation and trust in nature and the devas, I've planted tomato seeds in a box of compost soil on Sunday and constantly send them and my mint, basil and rosemary plants full beams of golden light and love. And guess what? The seedlings started pushing their way out of the soil - only after a mere 4 days, wow! Stay tuned for my gorgeous pomodorini... with blessings and love to all.