On my 21st Birthday, my maternal Grandma gave me this:

Not a diamond but sapphire. Still, I love them to bits. Grandma is turning 92y/o tomorrow. Stay tune for more travel pic as we are celebrating her birthday in Pangkor Island.

Choy Sun Tou – The Prosperity God is here

This morning, I received a snail mail. Woot! It just slip off my mind that the mail is coming in this week. I knew right away the mail is from Leah.

So I quickly rip tear off the envelope and pull out another small red envelope.

Huh? Is she playing a prank on me? Choy Sun is Prosperity God wor and it is not even Chinese New Year.

Then I turn the envelope over…

I’m not seeing things kua. This is memang angpow packet.

Then I digged further into the bigger envelope and pull out another angpow packet….

It spelled as L.E.T.T.U.C.E. Suddenly it rings my bell. Lettuce! The vege and I over look on Choy Sum and not choy sun.

Now all my bells started to ring. Ding, ding, ding. Last week, I’ve requested some seeds from her and without hesitation she complied to my request. That is so thoughtful of her. Thank you so very much!

Looks like this weekend I have a new project to do. A quick trip to Tesco for rectangular flower pots and organic soil. I’ll let you know what type of fertiliser I’m using in my next post 😉

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Unrelated:

Wendy: Aiyor… driving oso wanna take pic…

Jessie: Halo, traffic light, ok

Wendy: Traffic lite oso take pic… u really boh su cho

Jessie: No time to take pic la. Cannot take in the office ma plus i need to upload the pic today. best thing is in the car lor

Wendy: Aiyor…. so vain…

Jessie: err… you no understand wan la

Wendy: Not to the extend of driving stop kat traffic lite take self pic… lol

(wei, at this extend Aunty a bit angry liao, ok!)

Jessie: You no understand wan la. Dunno how to tell you. Being a blogger are lidat wan. We where got time go to beach to take photo. Plus this morning my topic is about my new perm. So ma take photo in the morning lor. How to take photo at home. Usually i rushed out from the house plus the traffic light need to wait so long.

Wendy: ic. new perm. say so la

Jessie: So now can understand or not.

(This explain too why I look a bit blank out or stunt in the pic cos I’m in the car plus the car next to me keep on looking at my direction.)

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Again another unrelated:

Babykahuna was admited to the hospital for a surgery.  Speedy recovery to Baby. xoxo

How do you like your zongzi aka dumpling to be?

I love mine with lots of chinese mushroom, salted egg and very very fat pork belly and a bit of the mung beans (shelless green beans). There is also plain zongzi or the hockkien called it kijang, made only with glutinous rice + alkaline water and to be eaten with kaya, honey or sugar (*drooling*).

Last year, I wrote a super duper long entry on the folklore as how the festival came by.

Making zongzi is a difficult proposition. Even experienced Chinese cooks find it a challenge to manipulate the bamboo leaves into a funnel shape and place the rice inside. But if you want to try, here are a recipe to help you celebrate this truly unique event.

Ingredients:

Long glutinous rice
Pork Belly
Dried mushrooms
Salted egg yolks
Sugar
Soy sauce
Chinese five-spice
Salt
Borad Bamboo Leaves
String

Direction:

Wash sticky (glutinous) rice and soak for three hours. Chop pork into 4cm long and 2cm wide strips. Soak mushrooms until tender, remove stems and cut into strips. Mix soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, salt, and sugar. Let pieces of pork and mushrooms soak in above mixture for two hours. Cut salted egg yolks in halves or leave them whole whichever you prefered.

Thoroughly clean, soaked and softened bamboo leaves and string. Shape two long bamboo leaves into a funnel shape using one third of the length of the leaves. Fill the funnel half with rice and half with pieces of pork, mushroom, and egg yolk. Cover the “funnel” with additional rice, and then wrap the mixture tightly with the remaining portion of the leaves. Tie string around zong zi and cook in a covered steamer over medium heat for two hours.

Please note that making zongzi takes a great deal of patience and free time.

While driving to SS2 for the blogger’s meet, I was thinking to myself, if (touch wood), I met in an accident, with only one phone call, there will be FIVE doctors coming to safe my life. That prove how great and important the Queen is *cough*.

So, which Doctor is in town? Neh, the one and only famous leng chai Doctor from Sg. Petani, Dr. BernardChan. Whether he’s related to LilianChan or not you have to ask them la.

For Starter, let me presents to you…. Mushroom soups & Joseph!

He has lot of funny characters. But you know kids, when they are shy, the tend to do funny things to make you laugh.

And the main dish and dessert….

Ms Titoki – This is her trademark. The James Bond look. Finally I had the opportunity to meet up with her and also camwhore. I would say this is a privillage. We are talking about Ms Titoki, ok. Not some Tom, Dick or Harry.

East Coast Life – She must be Dr. Bernard’s loyal lansi fansee. She flew (let’s imagine a bus can fly) all the way from Singapore to meet up with him (or us?) even tho she had a schedule meeting in Penang to meet up with him in July and not forgetting someone from Italy. I wonder who ah? *rolling eye*

Dr. George – Fuyoh! All this while I can only pictured him in surgical mask and robe. But when he came with his T-shirt, just look at that mascular body. Don’t prey-prey.

Dr. Bernard – Ah, our VIP (Very Itchy People – just kidding. rofl). Good thing we met up earlier as when the crowds pour in, we hardly had the time to chat nor exchanging a wink glimpse as I was busy catching up with Titoki and ECL. He definitely looks much younger compare to his pic in his blog.

Dr. Yenjai – The blue-blue tei is me and green-green tei is of course yenjai :lol:.

Cik Nyonyapenang – I’ve never read her and of course now different story la. She won’t let me post up her pic so I’m giving her a smack on her face. wakakaaa….. How I wished she allowed me to do so cos the three-some pic is my best shot and fav of all – no forced smile, infact all of them had natural laugh.

Dr. Eve Leng Leng – I was told she has skin as white as snow and hair as black as ebony. I can proved them wrong. Where got skin so white like a corpse leh. I can say, she has a porcelain skin – Fair and glowing. If I’m not wrong, she is one of the co-organizer of this blogger’s meet and not forgetting to mentioned Yenjai too.

Who else was there? What a lulu question hor? Of course Lulu and just me was there (pun intended).

How’s the blogger’s meet? Lidat la. Dunno what to say. No food pic cos I don’t like all their food there.

Those were the days where we both sit crossed leg on the floor with a comb on my lap and acessories all over the floor, slowly combing and pleating her hair – making her feel so princessy. Whenever she misses her hair she will plead to me to enroll her in ballet classes so that she can keep her long hair. We’ll see about that. Paying monthly RM80 for a ballet lesson just so she can have long hair? Siao meh! (Crazy)

But actually hor, I also wish she had long hair if not for the ruling of Chinese school. I wonder is there any ballet teacher reading my blog that would be so kind to write me an exemption letter? Pretty please?!

juling mata – cock eye/rolling eye

Do you guys know that you can get free flow of soft drinks when you dined in McDonald? Want to read a pissy entry? You are most welcome, and oh, don’t forget to grab a popcorn and a coke.

Yesterday we bring kids to McD for a bite. We sat next to the counter and since I am not eating, I was watching their staff working behing the counter. Since McD is giving out free flow of soft drinks, hubby went and get a refilled from a staff who is doing her chore polishing the serving tray. She stopped what she is doing and to my surprised, she juling her mata at Hubby RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM! (and of course me cos I’m watching from where I sit). She turn around and grab a jug. This time, her mouth went flat and eyes still juling. I can see she is not feeling happy. Hubby feeling a bit paiseh and pretending to flip the newspaper which was on the counter. Back to that Cik Juling, after her jug was filled with coke, she pour them into our paper cup with her eyes still juling and was looking at Hubby who was pretending reading newspaper cos he doesn’t want to see her *toot* face. WTF! I almost want to go and slap her. And you know what? Instead of using our cup to filled up (that’s what happen usually) the coke, she decided to use a jug and filled in more coke than what is required. She then pour away the remaining. Isn’t that such a waste? I don’t give a damn about that. She then walk away with her eyes still juling. Do I have to mentioned she don’t even bother to nudge hubby who was STILL pretending to read the paper? I stood up and walk over to Hubby and ask if he notice what is going on. He said yes but didn’t want to make a hoo-haa over it.

Don’t mess with the Queen when she is still in her topsy oppsie PMS mood. I walk over to the Supervisor and tell her, “Your staff is showing such a sour face. That is just R.U.D.E!” Ya, when i pronounce the word rude, I go rolling my tongue and do the RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR sound. I just walk out and over heard the supervisor asking, “Siapa service customer tadi?”

Whatever the saying, customer is always right and since I have to pay the 5 + 10% service tax, I demanded a friendlier service from you. Yeah, you!

Remember I mentioned earlier I was not eating and was watching them working? Cos I was craving for Cheese naan! We went to the mamak stall and even the Ah Neh can service us with a smile. Hear this, Ms Juling? And I don’t even have to *toot* pay them any 5 + 10% service tax.

I don’t want to be rude to McD cos I still love their burgers and free flow of coke, I shall keep my International Handsign and give you this instead…

On second thought, maybe a small one?

“School Holidays”

“Genting”

“Saturday”

These three words make me cringed whenever I hear them. Never, NEVER go to Genting Highlands during the school holiday. Just don’t ask me why. If you don’t have a choice (like me), go on a Friday. You may get a cheaper room rates minus the extreme crowd that is going to pour in on Saturday.

My previous trip to Genting was in November 06. Yea, and I went again last weekend despite the school holiday to entertained my sil from Singapore. Must give her face and accompany them wat.

This trip makes me realised that my kids has grown up. Last year Baby Princess who is 18mths spent her day lazying in her stroller. Now that she’s 26mths, I asked her if she wants to go on the ride and she nodded her head.

Boy, she love the rides and has been going back for more!

This is for baby, ok. If you dare to take the challenge go on the Space Shot.

No, thank you. Not my cuppa tea. I don’t pay to scream my head off.

*Pinocchio nose showing*

Ok, ok. I confessed. I tried the Spinner with Princess. At the beginning, I kept my cool but when it started to oscillates and tilts, my adrenaline shot up. I closed my eyes and started to scream and SCREAM and SCREAM! psstt… and you know what? No one is screaming except me. Dang! I heard Princess calling out to me, “Mummy, this is so fun.” From there, with my eyes still shut, I stop my screaming and pray that it will stop spinning at the count of 5. God didn’t answer my prayer. All I can say is, Princess is very daring. This is her first time too going on the Spinner. I praise her for being so brave and suggested she should go on the rides with Daddy. Wah lau, Daddy lagi cringed!

Now that Princess graduated to adult rides and Baby Princess qualified for babies rides, guess what award Prince get. I was told by Daddy that he tried to jump queue at the Bumper Car, when one of them refused to gave him way, he gave them a fist punch in their stomach. I should have given him a time out if I were there with him. *sigh… Looks like everyone is progressing.

Apart from going on the rides countless time, Mamee was there to organized a colouring contest. And guess what? It was a family event which means mother, father, sister, brother all also can join. So I grab a piece of their drawing and start colouring la. What else.

And guess what again? (wah, today so many guessing hor). 1st runner up leh. Not bad huh.

The prize? One big packet of Mamee, Mister Potato and another tidbits. We stay again for some games and in all, we fetched home 6 (SIX!) packets of Mamee and 3 Mister Potatos!

Are we going back there again? Maybe yes, maybe no. It’s been ages since I step foot in Cameron Highlands. I’ve been talking about it since last year. So, macam mana, Chris?

On some lazy weekend when I don’t feel like cooking, this is what I had.

I used to cook a big pot of Jiu Hu Char which can last me about 4 meals and store them in the freezer. Wrap them in a piece of lettuce and shove them in your mouth. Becareful not to choke yourself ah.

You can get the recipe here.

This is my last entry on Las Vegas. Beware that this post is super duper long with 21 pics out of which only 3 are scale down to collages as I can assured you all the photographs is so beautiful and nicely captured. It is such a waste to scale them and squeeze them like a sardin in a collage.

Dinner at Rainforest Cafe in MGM Grand

We spent the last 2 days strolling along The Strip in the evening. No one needs a map as it is impossible to get lost on the street. Do get hold of a pocket booklet as they come handy with all the information as what will be shown in respective hotels and their showing time. Start out your day by walking from one side of the street and back from the other side and you’ve covered the whole Strip.

We set out about 6pm so that we could get some day shots and night shots.

Flowers + Pink = My weekness

City that never sleep but flowers needed their beauty sleep. Better snap-snap before the sky grew total darkness.

Have you seen such a big flowers before?

This is the wonder of what Macro can achieve!

Infact, the flowers are very small only. *ngek ngek ngek*

Want to see something that is really big? Like a big limousine?

Dunno what is big. Big boobs?

Infact…. this is not big. They are……………..

are………………. are………………

L.O.N.GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

The Stretched Limo is all over Las Vegas! The first time I saw them, I go berserk. They charge a fare of US$100 for a maximum of 10 passangers. Even if you are alone, they will still charged you US$100. Just imagine what you can do inside. A wild party maybe? Twosome? Threesome? I’m not letting my imagination run wild here *sticking out tongue*.

Along The Strip, there are 3 major stop in front of Bellagio, Treasure Island and Mirage. These hotel offer free shows by the street side. Like I’ve said earlier, they have their respective showing hour. Check their programme so that you can arrange your time wisely as these hotel is situated quite apart from each other.

Bellagio with its musical fountain. This is not your normal Sentosa musical fountain and something that is 50x 10x bigger and better than our Mines Wonderland (or if you favour the KLCC) musical fountain.

Day show….

Red arrow showing the highest point of the pulsation.

And again, on the way back, we stop by for the night show….

So, you tell me la, such a nice photo how to scale them down jek.

When you are in Las Vegas, everything is double standard. Even their name is double standard like New York New York, Circus Circus or Paris Paris.

The Eiffel Tower loook so real like the one in Paris.

For a person who love art, you will fall in love with Caesars Palace. This is my most photographed hotel. The architecture, statue, taste of Romans….

This is how Caesars Palace looks like during day time. Dressed in white and gold.

When September 11 attacked took place, many people in Las Vegas turned to their Statue of Liberty as show their respect to those who perished in the attacked. People placed flowers and lit candles around the wall the encircled their Statue of Liberty. Firemen, who are famous for their beautifully worked-out bodies by pumping irons and using chin-up bar, are now honored as the heroes of Sept 11.

On this wall, artifacts from fire departments like badges, t-shirts, etc are kept in glass display cases cemented to the wall. Among the contributors are the firemen from Palestine.

Not forgetting to mentioned, the music that was playing from a recorder accompany us while we are browsing thru messages that was left for those who perished. Environment there is a bit sombre. I just stood there, take a moment of silence and say a little prayer.

With this, I concluded my “Malam pun Cantik, Siang pun Cantik” post. (malam = night, Siang = day, Cantik = beautiful).

On the eve before our departure, we learnt that there will be daylight saving at 2am. Which means, all clocks need to be adjusted one hour behind time and we are loosing an hour of sleep. What else can I say? Woohoo!!! I can’t wait to go home to see my babies.

It’s a long journey again boarding Southwest, a budget carrier to Los Angeles at 6pm.

If you are Google Earth user, you might think this looks familiar.

View of Las Vegas skyline – the size of a match-box. Goodbye Las Vegas – The City that Never Sleep.

Hello again Los Angeles.

00:15 – Goodbye Los Angeles.

14:15 – Nice to see you again, Malaysia 🙂 IN ONE PIECE! (Don’t get me bitching as how bad situation in LAX airport.)

Go back to read Day 12 (Part 2) in Cowboy Town here.

Check out Day 1 from KLIA to Taipei to LAX