Tu-Long for Dinner September 28, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking , comments closedAll my trips to KL have been nothing short of phenomenal, especially when it came to food. Last weekend in KL was another food-filled adventure, which has left me guilty as ever for not starting out on my exercise regime just yet.
With a name like Tu-Long, I was worried that we would need to wait for AGES for our food to arrive. I was already starving and my tummy was crying out for dinner. Since we were looking for a nice Chinese restaurant and my BIL mentioned that there was a good one just adjacent to MidValley Megamall, we decided to head that direction. It all happened last Saturday evening and thankfully in spite of that, the restaurant did not have many patrons. Not sure if that’s a good indication, but it could be due to the fact that it was located near a construction site and there were many construction workers loitering outside…you know, the kind that would potentially use wolf whistles?
Anyway, I was rather impressed with the decor of the restaurant. Classic Chinese restaurant and yet elegant in every aspect. We were ushered to the first floor and ordered various dishes, including the siew long pao and the hot and sour la-mien. My tummy did not need to suffer long because the food was served in less than 10 minutes! The siew long pao was really really good, the soup within each one oozing out with each careful nibble and sip, definitely miles better than the ones I have had in Dragon-i. But the most noteworthy dish would have to be the pig shank with mantou. Sinfully delicious, with just the right amount of fat, it tasted so similar to the fei-chee-yoke we got in the regular bak-changs.
I miraculously still found room for dessert, and I must say that the mango sago pudding really was the icing on the cake. It had just the right amount of sweetness to leave me craving for more.
Let’s just say I am thankful this restaurant did not live up to its name (which sounds like “too long” or “tolong”) 
LA Law Revisited September 28, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , comments closedThere is something fascinating about lawyers that makes us non-lawyers want to know more about their profession. A day in the life of a lawyer is made more interesting by television stations who spice up the plots on programs such as Ally McBeal and Kevin Hill. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the cast is almost always eye candy to the innocent couch potato. I think one of the very first lawyer series on TV was LA Law, which chronicled the life of lawyers in a law firm in Los Angeles. I used to wonder how the mind of a lawyer works…. and I still do, sometimes. I’m not surprised that some lawyers keep blogs too, just like this one: Los Angeles Criminal Attorney Blog | California Criminal Defense Lawyers Forum
Besides learning more about court proceedings, this blog highlights some celebrity high profile cases which we would not read about ordinarily in papers or the internet. You call it gossip? I call it broadening my knowledge. 
Kay-Poh-Chee September 27, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Memes & Tags , comments closedThis tag is specially for all the kay-poh-chees out there. Those of you who yearn to see what others’ desktops look like but dare not for fear of being labeled “intrusive”. But since a fellow vainpot mummy has tagged me, I will relent.
Ta-daaa! Here’s what my desktop looks like:
Yup, no prizes for guessing who that cheeky lil fella is. He is none other than Mr Bulat aka Ethan Boy, my precious, cheeky, adorable son, sporting a very mischievous look indeed. Just one look at that face and all my woes are gone, that’s why I have it on my wallpaper
*****
My Desktop Free View Instruction:
A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop.It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by:
[1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).
[2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).
[3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.
B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.
C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.
D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants
People who have already pimped their desktop:
iRonnie – I Set No Corner Thess – Thesserie Rebecca – Skippy Heart Knoizki – A Dialogue With K, Beng – Kauderwelch, Vanidosa Marie, , Vanidosa at blogspot , MyGoodFinds with KK, Dom Lawrence, Rebecca, BluePanjeet, ROSE , KNOIZKI, SARDONICNELL, Girlie the hipncoolmomma, Happy Family with Jacelyn, Mr Bulat on Giddy Tigers
*****
And now, of course I have the right to be kay-poh-chee and find out what these people have on their desktops:
Let’s Hear it for My Ear September 25, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closed
Picture from UCL
It started with a dull earache in the middle of the night. The pain progressed as the night wore on and when morning came, I was sure my right ear was infected yet again. At times, I even felt off-balanced because of the earache. My right ear felt stuck, and the sounds were muted. When I was at work, it hurt when I heard the other voice on the other end of the line. It is a habitual thing that I prefer to hold the phone receiver on my right side.
After lunch, I traipsed to the company inhouse clinic to see the doctor. She checked my right ear, viewing it internally with the ear device, and then told me that my right ear drum was perforated. I almost fainted from shock. The very word “perforated” had me reeling from fright because it sounded really serious! She told me that the top part of my ear drum was pearly white and perfect, but the bottom part had a tear in it, and she could even see streaks of blood! The injury could be caused by trauma (slapping of one’s face, which was obviously not how I got it), swimming or poking, none of which I experienced in the past day. The doctor promptly wrote me a referral to see an ENT specialist immediately.
I then called my hubby and told him about the whole perforation diagnosis, and he came to pick me up to go to the specialist. We drove to the nearest hospital, the Pantai Mutiara. I had already called the specialist from my workplace to let him know that I was coming, but unfortunately my company nurse gave me the name of the eye specialist instead of the ENT specialist there, so we had to reregister to see a Dr Zul, the only ENT specialist in Pantai Mutiara hospital.
The waiting room was mysteriously empty. No patients at all. And we were called in after about 5 minutes. Dr Zul used a device to look into my ear, and then used a probe with a humming sound to (I think) test the vibration of the ear drum. Then he announced that my eardrum was not perforated. Instead, there is some moisture/water bubble caught behind the ear drum. The news that my eardrum was not perforated was music to my ears, but Dr Zul told me that he might need to do some further investigations to ascertain what the reason for the infection could be caused by. He suspected it could be because of flu where the mucus moved backwards into the ear canal from the nose, or perhaps even an allergy to something, be it the environment or food. In order to treat my ear infection, I would need antibiotics, nasal sprays, antihistamines and throat medicine, i.e. treating the root of the problem. Because it was not the outer ear that was affected, ear drops would not help at all. Dr Zul mentioned that in order to perform the investigations, I will need to be admitted into the hospital, and of course, I didn’t want to do that. My hubby, sensing my resentment over the suggestion of admission into hospital, told Dr Zul that I would take the medicine prescribed first and see how it goes.
Dr Zul then proceeded to use a light-sensory probe to show me what my internal ears look like. He then continued to show me my nose canal, using that same probe. That was the highlight of the visit, really. It was the first time I had seen my ears and nose from that perspective. Eeek. My right ear definitely looked very swollen from inside compared to the left ear. I even got a printout!
However, after the nurse gave me the prescription, I noticed that Dr Zul’s fees were exorbitantly high! The consultation with the probe and the registration all cost more than RM400! And that did not even include the medication yet. I was in for a shock. The total bill was more than RM600, and although my company covered the expenses, there was a ceiling amount that was covered. Unfortunately, the total bill exceeded this amount and I will have to pay the excess charges through payroll deduction.
That was my most expensive visit to a doctor ever. That will be the first and last time I visit Dr Zul in Pantai Mutiara Hospital. No wonder there were no patients around. No wonder he wanted to admit me…if I had agreed, the bill would have been even higher, I reckon! I doubt my health insurance would even be able to cover it then.
Ah well…. at least I got to see my ears and nose…up close and personal. Today, my ear still feels slightly stuck and I can’t hear very well yet using my right ear, but I can sense there is some improvement. Eh? What’s that you said? Get well soon? Okay, thanks… And oh yeah, please let me know if I am talking way too loudly, okay?
All About My Porpor September 24, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Close to Heart & Home, Memes & Tags , comments closed
Scrap Design from Anita’s Designs
And the numbers never cease…
Lovely Mummy has tagged me with another number tag, and this time it is “8 random facts about my popo”. Since I call my paternal grandma “Ah-Ma” and I call my maternal grandma “Por-por”, so I will list down the facts about my maternal grandma here.
- She was born on March 29, 1921 and is 86 years old now. According to my Mom, this is Porpor’s English date of birth and it differs from the Chinese one, which we celebrate every November.
- She has a total of 18 siblings; 9 brothers and 9 sisters.
- She stays in Alor Star, Kedah, land of the paddy fields and very very flat land. Very very hot weather too!
- She is very good in tai-chi and has taught many many classes. I have no doubt that my grandma has really strong legs, thanks to her devotion to tai-chi.
- She can play mahjong very well, better than me, cos I can’t She used to cycle to play mahjong with her friends till very late at night. I ought to consult her for some lessons soon.
- She can sing and loves singing. I believe she used to be in some singing troupe too! Oh yeah, and she can do karaoke as well.
- When I was a little girl, she used to tell me bedtime stories when I visited her. They were all peppered with her vast imagination and as a child I thoroughly enjoyed them.
- She has green fingers. All the plants and flowers in her garden are flourishing because of her. I remember I used to take some plants back home, but they would shrivel up and die under my care. SIGH.
Isn’t she a gem?
Now would you care to share how unique your grandma is?
“I’ll be watching you…” September 24, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , comments closed
The last time I attended a live rock concert was when Bon Jovi performed at the Shah Alam Stadium so many many years ago. We had standing room tickets and were jumping up and down on the field throughout the entire concert. The atmosphere was out of this world and it was a really memorable experience, just singing along to the remarkable songs that were performed that night.
Would I do it again? Of course! Well… if I was staying in Europe, I would. And yes, if I managed to get Tickets for the show.
I found out that The Police are currently on tour. They are not exactly my favorite band per se, but I know the lyrics to Every Breath You Take, so that definitely counts, right? I am quite sure that song will be performed. I noticed that they will be covering most of the famous football stadiums in Europe: Saint-Denis, Barcelona, Dublin, Manchester, Cardiff and of course, London. So if I don’t manage to get Concert Tickets to watch them at these venues, I can still harbor hopes of watching a live football match or two there, knowing how convenient it is to obtain Sports Tickets online.
So rock concert or not, live football match or not, it all boils down to the word IF.
IF I am in Europe…. *whisks myself away in a daydream once again*
Every breath you take,
Every move you make,
Every bond you break, every step you take,
I’ll be watching you…
Mooncake or Not? September 20, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking, Relax & Celebrate , comments closed
When is a mooncake not a mooncake? When it looks like jelly!
That’s what I had for dessert just yesterday during lunch. We had our monthly department birthday celebration then. Some of the jelly mooncakes were made from fruits, so it’s so much more healthier than its conventional mooncake counterparts. There were so many flavors to choose from: dragon fruit, lychee, markisa, honeydew (I think), leong fun and also red bean. I was so spoilt for choice! Each mooncake also contain a faux egg yolk in it, also made of jelly! I thought that was a very unique touch to it. Some of my friends actually *thought* it was actual egg!
Although these jelly mooncakes kinda sacrifices its authenticity in terms of having a regular mooncake, it bodes well for the eye. Look at how colorful the array of jelly mooncakes is! Wouldn’t you just wanna sink your teeth into one of them? Mooncakes have become so commercialized nowadays, as have everything else. This year, I have yet to taste mooncake that can be considered delicious, according to my taste. I had a few pieces of Shangri-la’s mooncake yesterday too (the traditional lotus paste with egg kind), but sad to say I wasn’t exactly jumping up and down about it. Perhaps it was because I expected too much from my previous year’s experience with Shangri-la’s… Hmmm….makes me wonder if the mooncake I tasted from Shangri-la Penang is the same as the one Rinnah raved about from Shangril-la KL….
Happy Mooncake Festival to everyone in advance!
A New Addition September 20, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Blogging, Thoughts & Scribblings , comments closedThe idea came to me in a very unconventional manner. Then that very same night, a good blogging buddy of mine announced she was creating a new blog with the exact idea I had in mind. It was certainly déjà vu. And right then and there I knew I had to do it.
So I created the site. Toyed with the thousands of Wordpress themes that were out there. Messed up a few, then shortlisted some more.
Then the procrastination set in. Days and weeks went by without any progress on the site. I thought I spotted some cobwebs lurking there too…eek.
A certain amount of fear then encroached upon me. Would I have the time to add another blog to my name? Was I being overindulgent in this aspect?
I threw caution to the wind and decided to bite the bullet. I picked myself up and started work on the site. Finalized a theme and spruced it up bit by bit.
And now, I am ready to announce the launch of Kaki Shopping, a site dedicated to (what else?) all things shopping!
Was it that hard to fathom, since I am a self-professed shopaholic to begin with? Do visit if you can and drop me a line or two!
A Memorable Event September 20, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , comments closedI love planning for events and functions. In fact, I really had a blast planning my wedding about 3 years back. I started to put my dream to paper the moment I got engaged. Every detail, down to the nitty-gritty of it was planned out to the core.
I remember that one of the challenges we faced was securing a band for our guests’ entertainment, and we did that at least six months in advance. Of course, without the assistance of a professional like the California event planner, my hubby and I had to make an appointment to attend the band’s audition ourselves. But all the effort was well worth it, because we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves that night. The music was awesome and everyone was thrilled with the band’s performance. And it was congratulatory remarks like “That was probably one of the best wedding receptions I have ever attended!” that made me really proud.
Should I be considering a change in vocation?
Would you promise this too? September 19, 2007
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Blogging , comments closedSome bloggers are often led astray when they have been blogging for say months on end, or years… they forget the reason why they started blogging in the first place. It becomes a problem when blogging takes over your world totally and you live as a recluse, not wanting to socialize or have anything to do with the outside world. You forget your bearings and live solely for your blog. Okay, I am not describing the symptoms of blogivitis here, because for some bloggers, they don’t even admit they have a problem.
Last night, as I was doing some blog-hopping at home, I read a very thought-provoking post at Liz Strauss’s site. She wrote about the blogger’s promise, something that was originally posted by Joe. Crystal clear. Precise. Straight to the point.
I want to reaffirm my blogger’s promise today.
My Promise
- I will be sure to comment on other Blogs if I can add to the conversation.
- I will respond to comments on my own Blog.
- I will acknowledge any links to my Blog with a comment on the linker’s Blog.
- I will continue to link to other Blogs that are pertinent to a post’s content.
- I will once again be a part of the Blogging Community.
That is my promise to the Community as a whole, in part, and individually.
If you feel you are losing some of the interaction that is an integral part of Blogging, you may want to join me in this Promise to the Community.
Would you care to join me in making this promise today?
Little Miracles
Our Journey of Love
