ALOR SETAR /PENANG - PART 2

As mentioned before in my last post, A and I went to Alor Setar first before going to Penang for the gathering the next day. On Friday the 30th, we reached Alor Setar at 8.00pm and after having dinner at A's house, we went out to Alor Setar's town. Kedah was celebrating the 81st birthday of its ruler, HRH the Sultan of Kedah. There was a huge carnival near the Alor Setar Mall including a big Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and many stalls that sell all kind of things. In the mall, I bought a trouser and I noticed most of the workers or sales person are of Thai's nationality. I also bought a few CDs before entering a karaoke centre there. I can't remember the name but the sound system was good and choices of song were up todate. We went back to A's house near 2 am.

Saturday morning, I had the privilege of meeting A's uncle, Prof Dato' Dr Azizan Abu Samah of University of Malaya who had arrived last night from Kuala Lumpur. He was in Alor Setar for a live telecast forum scheduled that night in the stadium. For such a well respected academician, he is such a humble person despite being the first Malaysian to be in Antarctica and still doing his research there.

After breakfast, A brought me to Jitra..to a special place where his cousin sells this delicious food below..

Moi is actually a rice porridge..and its soooooooooo delicious...

Two of us but 3 bowls..hemmmm huhu

I did not meet A's cousin but I met both his wives working hand in hand handling the shop. Also seen at the modest shop was the famous Datok Habsah Hassan and her hubby.

In Jitra, A also brought me to a shop that sells all kind of a traditional cookies with a speciality i.e kuih talam..

The shop that sell kuih talam

All sort of kuih talam...

But the best part in the restaurant is this sort thing which resemble a cage.....I have not seen foods to be kept in this manner....but I guess its the best and practical thing so as to prevent it from flies......

One glance, its the place where you put dead body inside...noti me..

While in Penang, the day after the gathering, A and I joined the penang and KL gang for lunch and afterwards, A and I went to Queensbay Mall. We watched "Ninja".. a B rated movie just to kill the time before going to dinner at my favourite place again, i.e Pan Mutiara, Batu Maung.

At Queensbay Mall..

Anxiously waiting for the rest of the food to arrive...still the best fish curry head for me

Later, A and I went across the Penang Bridge to Sunway Carnival Mall, Seberang Jaya. Here, Wan (A's friend), together with Zaif and Lego, Zairul and his two friends, we had a karaoke session in Amp Karaoke ending at 1.00am followed by a late supper in one of the mamak's afterward. Later, A and I headed back to Georgetown i.e Sunway, Hotel, only to check out in the afternoon and going back to KL.

Zairul belting one of his favorite songs...

Kusyuk mendengar lagu.....

To all friends in Penang...thx a million........

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PENANG FRIENDS GATHERING DINNER - 31 OCT 2009

Just like last year, Penang Friends Gathering Dinner was held in Penang but this time it was in Sunway Hotel, Georgetown on the 31 Oct, 2009. On Friday, 30th, A and I went to Alor Setar and we only check-in to the hotel the next day, staying there for two days before going back to KL on Monday, the 1st. There were few places of interest in Alor Setar and Jitra in which I will blog on it later...God Willing...

If last year's theme was Hari Raya..now it was 70's retro and it could be more interesting if only the organiser decided to choose Halloween as its theme since that nite in itself was Halloween Nite. Regardless, respecting the wish of the organiser, A and I decided to dress properly according to the theme. I, with the disco era kinda of dress aka John Travolta (with a big tummy, that is...perasannnn) and A chose to be Elvis complete with a wig. Earlier, I thought of wearing an afro kinda wig but decided against it. 70's was my schooling years... and I know how it was like..Not all of us had that kinda of look.... Out of 60 or more guests, 30% of them, I can say did dress up for the nite...

Same like last year, there were games, lucky draws and performances by groups from KL and Penang.... Dinagogo as an emcee was hilarious....a real performer and entertainer....unlike last year A and I were unlucky for the lucky draws (last year, A won the second last lucky draw, winning a huge hamper full of foods)....this year I won second best dress of the nite. taking home another huge hamper in which I discovered later, also included a rice cooker and a toaster as well as all those foodies..

Thanks again to the organizer....it will a nite to remember as always....

70's retro......

The prize...u have to strut and answer the jugde's question for this....

Nobit..3rd runner up best dress... 4 guests were shortlisted for this

Dinagogo in action...

after the dinner, with the organiser...

Fond memories....

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS & "9" THE MOVIE

These two animations are a must see movies to watch...... I watched Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs in 3 D last Thursday at Berjaya Times Square and "9" DVD at home last night.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.

One of goofiest animated movie I have ever seen. Small to humongous meatballs, burgers, macaroni and cheese falling from the skies....spiral spaghetti storm....this is the most cartoonish animated movie for me but this is one show that I have never seen and can imagine before. Very effective yet creative with a straightforward story. Inspired by Judi Barrett's children's book, it is about an inventor, Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) who builds a machine that converts water into food and becomes local hero when tasty treats fall from the sky like rain. Things went well but goes haywire when the machine spins out of control and threatens to bury the whole world with giants foods and Flint must find a way to stop it. The characters in the movie are quirky as well such as Sam Sparks (Anna Faris), a weather girl with the heart of a nerdy-girl-next-door, Tim (James Caan), the father, the scene where he tries to help his son by sending an email was hilarious and the others memorable characters as well.

The best part after watching this movie, believe me, is that you will suddenly feel hungry for food except chicken...why? you will know the answer after watching it..hehehe

"9"

This is a different ball game altogether. First and foremost, this animated movie is visually stunning. The overall storyline might not be so clearly defined and it is too scary for younger kids for it actions scenes but I truly truly love this movie...awesome...The renowned filmmaker, Tim Burton produced such a distinctively and thrilling tale. "9" stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer.

"9" is basically the story of 9 intricate, beautiful shaped and curious creatures who must dodge metal dogs, fight off a mechanized giant octopus like creatures and unlock a secret in a world where all humans are gone and the machines that roam the earth want to destroy them in the first place. Ermm...sound like the story you are familiar with? (Matrix and Wall-E combined). Each one of the nine creations has a distinct personality. "1" is bossy, opinionated and protective, "2" is a thinker and healer. "3" and "4" are twins who thrive on knowledge and study. "5" represents friendship and family. "6" is madness and secrets. "7" is agility and a warrior, "8" is strength and "1"'s bodyguard. "9".... ermm you have to figure out yourself...I would not be a spoiler for a good movie like this...

Amazing visual effect

Burlap heroes

Why were they created? Who was the inventor??

Fighting the machines..

Calling all hard-core sci fi geek, comic book lover or aspiring animators, go watch these movies ... I am none of those yet I really enjoyed it immensely...what will they think out next???

OPEN HOUSE - MINE AND OTHERS

There were so many raya open house invitations for me this year. Some I did attend, others I can't for some reasons but I made sure that I informed them beforehand as a sign of respect for the invitee... something I learn about simple invitation etiquette from my late father since I was a child....Enough about that....

I would like to thank among others Amri & Leo (Bukit Antarabangsa), Yus & Amir (Bandar Tasik Permaisuri), my relatives and my neighbour, the infamous Berita Harian's reporter, Farihad and his housemate for inviting me. Off course, the sweet surprise came when my friends and I were busy eating the yummy foods in Farihad's house, then came the most sensational couple in Malaysia and my idol no doubt, the two Datoks Siti and her husband...Datok K. Both of them looked dashing and sweet and at ease with all the people around them albeit the gaping mouth of one of my friends...And she did eat a lot...honest....I can't blame her, the mee udang and nasi ayam were mouth watering...plus the delicious homemade karipap made by A's were snapped clean once it were put on the table...

Courtesy of Farihad's facebook..me sitting far end hehe

Farihad's housmates & Siti

At Farihad's....

As for my own open house, it was held on Saturday nite, 10 Oct, 2009 at my house. I would like to thanks those who came especially BB group (thx for the fruits pickles), my close friends, Panzer, Is and Shah (thanks for coming late after giving promise to help., babab nanti..hehehe), Safuan...my relatives, Azman and Eddie, Nasrol & Sid, my neighbour, Farihad, Wan & Sharil. Rostam, Yus and the gangs, Epul and friends, Najib on behalf of Penang's friends, Ajib, Kzul, Heri, Imran from Melaka, Hadie from Jakarta, Amri & Leo and many others I am unable to mention here... A special thanks to Epul who without his help, I could not made it ready on time.....We all had a good time, despite a few hidden drama behind it, jeng jeng jeng hehehe... The last group to leave was at 3.00am after watching, Wanita Berkalong Sorban, a VCD I bought in Jakarta earlier this year.

Here in the pictures from my raya open house...

BB group among first to arrive..

My guests..

Old friends meet new friends...

Ajib entertaining us with few songs...

Makan jangan tak makan...

The foods, Laksa Johor, Nasi Minyak, Nasi Impit & many others..


Epul and friend

With Farihad and his housemate, Sharil..

Heri's cute son...

Happy and sweating as usual...hehehe

Again, thanks to all who turn up to my house the other day...God Willing, I will do it again next year.... I am smiling...my raya wish turn up to be true...ermmm...have a productive day...happy hari raya..........xoxo

OFFICE RAYA CELEBRATION - 2009

On my last post, I did mention that I will talk about my Raya Open House but I decided to post it later and post this instead. Like any other companies be it in the private or public sector, office raya celebration is a compulsory event. This year, because of the H1N1, the management had decided to cancel the annually major raya celebration for the whole staff i.e in the same building but gave permission to any department to hold its departmental raya celebration instead.

Below are pictures of my departmental Raya Celebration which was held on Thursday 8, October 2009.

Waiting for guest arrival

Guests and staffs taking their seats

Doa before eating

Ah..I win yet another small plastic bin for lucky draw.. Lucky me

What is Raya Celebration without the foods?....yummy..

Kenyang perut, suka hati....

Kelas Tadika 2009 huhu...

touch me hold me...my stomach again?? ermmm curious...

KRYPTONITE - PART 2

One wise man did give his view on my post regarding kryptonite and I quot here verbatim,

What makes superman, superman is becoz of kryptonite, not Lois Lane, not anything else. Without kryptonite, he is just another average joe, like any other human being walking the planet earth. Kryptonite is what differentiates superman and everyone else. It's the only thing that defines him as who he is...His weakness. Even if it kills him, the truth about the subject is, that superman is nothing without kryptonite. It is what completes him.

Well, a good viewpoint, I guess....

My next post will be the my Raya Open House which was held last Saturday nite.... till then, have a nice and productive day...hugs

KYRPTONITE

I was watching Smallville the other day and there was one scene when our mighty hero, Clark Kent, howsoever powerful and with his mighty alien superpower got weak when a small green stone were hurled at him. A small green stone? insignificant to all other people, to all other human being yet can be so powerful to only one person? Illogical? What was in the mind of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster when they created this cultural icon character in 1932?

This green mineral debris can nullifies Superman's powers and immobilises him with pain and nausea...prolonged exposure will eventually kill him. And the only thing than can protect him for this green thang is lead which can block the radiation....

If Superman need to be strong and healthy both in mind and body for him to be "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" he needs to be far far away from that green thing call KYRPTONITE...

Everybody does not want to be vulnerable...everyone does not want to be weak... its understandable that if you are in that situation, you will probably run away as far as you can from that thing than can make you weak... Its all about realizing and understanding what can move us or shake us and making the ultimate decision for it...

Another one of my rambling post? XOXO