Ushering in the Year of Fire Rooster 2017 🔥 🐓

A couple of months before welcoming the Chinese New Year 2017 (according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar), traditionally and as according to culture, we would do some spring cleaning around at our homes for the preparation, Cleaning away all those dust is believed to welcome more good luck in our homes. To add to it, cleaning those windows and put up new curtains. 

Something small fr the security guards, pak cik cleaners and auntie cleaners to quench their thirst in conjunction with #cny 2017 #mandarinoranges #packetdrinks How could I forget those simple and genuine smiles and cute waving from the pak cik cleaners everytime they saw me driving into the organisation. A colleague also came to tell me happily that some cleaners got mistaken and thanked her instead~ Indeed, I managed to make everyone happy in a way.  I don't expect anything in return for this purpose 😀

Happy Year of #Rooster 2017! 

Our lucky pick #toyvendingmachine#softtoy costed us rm3 with only 2 games a few weeks before ushering in the new year with ah boy's luck.  😘🐓😍 Playing this kinda game could be at times addictive too~

Pretty purplish yellow hybrid of #daisies -like #chrysanthemum #plant in which I bought fr #cny decoration at home. 🌻 🌿

Not sure how long it would be able to sustain in a small pot after buying from the supermarket. I fancy supermarket pottery flowers can't last long. Maybe the flowers would love to be in an air-cond environment. >.<

My second #Yeesang#lousang of the year! 🎍🎋🎉🎆🎊

#success #health #wealth #prosperity #sushiking #precny #celebration#HappyChineseNewYear

Tossing to prosperity in all aspects: Heng ahhh, Ong ahhhh, Huat ahhhhh!!!!

A Japanese good luck charm. It is traditionally in red, different colours are used to signify good luck in different facets of life. 🎍🎋

#red fr #luck 

#pink fr #love

#yellow fr #business 

#white fr #achievements

On the Chinese New Year eve (27th January 2017), we will be preparing lil' steamboat reunion for our lil' family gathering during dinner. Some family may have bigger group, some may have a smaller group, just like us :) However, our food preparation may look like serving a whole group of giants with a big appetite! hahaha~
Around noon, I helped my mommy to put up the red cloth above the main entrance door to usher in the new year at midnight. I believe that every single Chinese in the world does that for their homes, regardless of whether they are Buddhist or Christian. ;)

After dinner, if there were to have any floors that are dirty, sweep and mop it up before the clock strucked 12am as on the 1st day of Chinese New Year, we are banned from sweeping and mopping the floors to avoid luck from getting out from our home.

Steamboat preparation by mommy is in progress~

Our lil' reunion fr #cny 🍻🍜

#steamboat (soup was pre-boiled with pork bone broth) #reunion 

#precny 🎋🎍🎉 #HappyChineseNewYear #FireRooster 🔥🐓

#fishballs #crabballs #cuttlefish #prawns #greenvege #eggnoodles #tofuballs #friedgarlics #manyotherballs

Lil' giant me had this 3 rounds! :D :D :D

Trying out this #wheatbeer #1664 #France #kronenbourg#precny #FireRooster #2017
Note: Almost similar to Carlsberg taste, but more on a diluted side. Therefore, not so bitter.

#mandarinoranges is a must fr #cny (for praying to the deities aka Gods and for eating.

I don't fancy tis type of fruits 😅 #honeyponkan 🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

Immediately clock strucked 12am (midnight- 1st day of CNY), we prayed to usher the Fire Rooster for the year 2017. 
This is also a custom and religion that mom followed each year, which is to pray to the Gods. 
We worship to God of Heaven, God of Prosperity, God of Kitchen and God of Soil Ground/ Floor Guardian. 
In general, we are Buddhist. But we are more towards the Hokkien culture who follow the Taoist worshiping.Complicated. Don't question ppl's religion! :P
#FireRooster #popipopi #LightgivesusHOPE

Chu yi (1st Day of CNY) which is today (as of 28th January 2017).
Snacking on this (US gift by the boy) while waiting for auntie and cousins to visit the parents! :)

Pesto for dinner, anyone?! ;)

1. Boiling the spiral pasta for about 8 min (add in a tablespoonful of cooking oil and half tablespoon of salt). Drain off the water after that.

2. Then, start cooking the chopped garlics with a tablespoonful of cooking oil. Add in prawns and cuttlefish (leftover from steamboats).
3. Next, open and put in the powdered premix pesto sauce and add a quarter to half cup of water and let it simmer at a medium fire. If it is too watery, add a teaspoon of cornstarch to make the sauce sticky.  Add in a teaspoon of sugar to taste.

4. Switch off the fire from the stove and add in the boiled pasta and toss to mix.

Finally got to find this #Belgian #Belgium #wheatbeer#hoegaarden #hoegaardenrosee#raspberries at places like #tesco 

It was previously sold at limited bar places. 

#happyhour #cnyday1 

Well, it's slightly sweet with fruity berry taste. Thus the raspberries flavour. Alcohol content is also not high, only 3%! Ah boy said ribena alcohol though. But not really that ribena flavoured! 

I love this way better than other fruity alcohol drinks that I've tried.

Cheers~ 🍻

Gong Xi Fa da Chai!

Keong Hee Huat Chai!

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Happyyyyy Chinese New Year 2017!

*cock cock cock cock* ;)

#prosperityinallaspects

Cooking with Jackie: Jackie's Version of Spaghetti alle Vongole

So, I bought a 1 kg fresh clams straight out from the fisherman's net from the office driver at RM5/kg. Since I love #seafood so much, I would buy it to try. Used probably 500grams to cook pasta for lunch. ;) Here's my version of the recipe, without white wine and tomatoes though:

1.Boil water in the pot and put in some salt and an appropriate amount of pasta inside to boil fr 3-4min. Sieve the pasta and remember to reserve 2 scoops of boiled water.

2.Put some cooking oil and fry the chopped #garlic #oregano #shallots#blackpepper #chillis in a pan.

3. Put in 2 scoop of boiled pasta water and clams into the pan to cook. Put in a bit of butter/margerine(can skip this coz unhealthy). Cover with a lid fr ~3 min.

4. Cooked clams will open up their shells, just like magic. 

5. Separate out the clams.

6. Put in the cooked pasta and add in more black pepper, a bit of soy sauce/sugar to add to taste. 

7. Decorate pasta, clams and garnished with some chopped chillis. Food is ready to be served.

Fresh clams really tasted yummy, natural salty n sweet in taste!
#lunch #spaghetti

:D

2016: Valentine's Day Celebration

Walked out frm the house to the front gate today (14th February 2016) and got a surprised Santa standing in front of his car with a bouquet of flowers under piping hot sun.  

I was giggling at heart from a far while walking towards him as my right hand was holding a pair of sandals and another hand was holding my handbag with a pump of lotion in my palm as I needed to moisturise up my skin. 

I wasn't able to greet him properly but deep down I was smiling. 

I was a bit nervous and shy with such treatment and I hurriedly opened the passenger side of the front door and went inside to sit. hehehe~ 

He wasn't the swift talking kind of guy but rather a shy and quiet type. *I thought to myself that he should have greeted me with "My love...tis flowers are for u..." in order to attract my attention* *but then, only a Casanova would do that right? -----LOL*

But he just quietly put the flowers back into the back seat of the car. *aaawwWW* 

What else could I ask for, such a sweet, humble and the quiet kind of guy who always give a smiley face. *smooch*

Honestly, this was my very first time being pampered.

I guess 3 stalks of roses representing "I Love You" and 3 stalks of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. 

After moisturised up myself, I quietly sneaked to take the bouquet of flowers and started selfie with it. ;)
*all smilesssssssssssssss* :D

After he parked the car, we got down the car. I went over to the front of the car while looking at him to remind him to lock the car. However, he went over to the back of the car so slowwwwly giving me that grin in his face.
I told him to hurry up and he told me that he would want to take the bouquet of flowers to the restaurant?! *palm face in embarrassment* LOL~
Luckily, he was just kidding, Then he brought out this little cute paper bag engraved "Pandora" just like a Santa Claus. So many things are hiding at the back of his car.

  Officially today, I've been spoiled, I've been spoiled! 
My first Valentine's Day bouquet of flowers (flowers bought nearby or during this day are crazily expensive) and the lucky charm bracelet gift set surprises~ 
Though I am not a fan of Pandora. No, never have I hinted him on Pandora or walked nearby the shop at the mall. Probably some of my friends are crazy in it. Hehe~ 
But in general, I just love everything. ✌😊
Thanks my sweet cutie!

We ordered Tiramisu @ DCOVA Cafe, 4 Bishop Street in the city centre.
It was so good, the next best tiramisu I've tasted after I tried at Roma, Italy with a hint of alcohol, bitter coffee and creamy too. Not cloying at all as a dessert.

His order:
 Bacon Al dente with a raw egg in it. A bit similar to Miam Miam's @ Gurney Paragon but I would prefer Miam Miam's as there will be more ingredients in it. hehe~

My order:
 Ebikko Alfredo @ DCOVA Cafe, 4 Bishop Street, Georgetown.
Slightly creamy alfredo taste that went well with the flying fish roe and shredded seaweed (fusion of Western meets Japanese). Therefore, the taste wasn't too creamy as compared to Bacon al dente, in my opinion. *yummmmm yumm*

While waiting for our movie to be called. Lucky charm wanted to selfie too. :D
Nice anot? ;)
We went to watch a Cantonese movie entitled From Vegas to Macau @ Gurney Paragon, acted by lots of famous Hong Kong actors and actress such as Chow Yun-Fatt and Carina Lam.
The movie was lame and funny. It was just for the sake of entertainment. ;)

Chinese New Year decoration at the mall.
Valentine's Day coincide on Day 7 (Chor 7) of CNY. Ths the redddd decoration.

Tea break time: Love Potion 31 and Love Potion Dark Chocolate @ Baskin 31 Robbins. 

*rawRRRRR* dragon ball love background I asked him to pose. haha~ So cuteee....

Dinner was eating mee sua as his tummy was suffering from indigestion. *poor boy*.

It was truly such a memorable day in my entire life that I couldn't ask for more. Actually, everyday is already a Valentine's Day. Just the difference is, got gifts surprises :*
#everydayisValentinesDay

Coffee Smith Penang @ Maritime Piazza, Karpal Singh Drive: Dinner Time

Coffee Smith, a franchise from Taipei Taiwan has reached its shore in Malaysia. First outlet in Malaysia, Penang! (That's what I read..) Yay~ But be warned, it's the kind of Western food, not Taiwanese food :P

It has just been opened less than a month. This outlet is located at the newly named drive, Karpal Singh Drive. Therefore, even Google map has not been updated on its map direction.
Karpal Singh is the late lawyer & politician of Malaysia who is known as someone who fought for justice, for the people of all mankind, especially the poor. However, fate did not sided him much and he passed away in a freak accident. Therefore, in the honour for all his fights and kind doings, the local government renamed this whole road Sungai Pinang as Karpal Singh Drive.
Coffee Smith is situated at ground floor of Maritime Piazza, in which it is directly overlooking parts of the Penang Straits Malacca sea.

Persiaran Karpal Singh in Malay language or Karpal Singh Drive in English.



Coffee Smith fully lighted signboard at outside of its coffee shop. So, you won't miss it. It's also at the corner unit.

The lighted ceiling clock at the walkway. Impressive and unique!

Maritime Piazza. The cylindrical lightings at the roof shining straight to the sky looks amazing, as if someone is calling for Batman. LOL~

          The Coffee Smith menu  in a newspaper form.    
         

Looks like one is reading the newspaper, right? 

The internal cafe surroundings.

Pouring the lil' teapot, fat and stout *sings I'm a lil' teapot, fat & stout*

Rose Fruit Tea @ RM15.00 a potty for two cups.
#fragrant #flavourful #healthytea

Seasonal Fish with Pumpkin Risotto @ RM22/plate
Not sure how to describe it in detail. However, I just know how to say that it was "MMmmm...delish!!!"

Hokkaido Scallop Cream with Fish Roe Linguine decorated with cut seaweed @ RM22/plate
Surprisingly, this creamy dish wasn't cloying or rich at all, you'll leave you lickin' its plate and utensils till its last drop cause basically I love fish roe. :P
It was good, but I think the risotto tasted better. I read reviews from other blogger before I went to try it. However, the blogger made it as the food was heavenly great. So, our expectation was so high on the taste, that we were a bit disappointed. But it's still good! 

With my new boyfie, Pasta & I! *peace out* LOL. wtf~

Marble Cheese Cake for Dessert @ RM7.90
#yumyum

That's all for this week! :)

Map directions to Coffee Smith @ Karpal Singh Drive.