Bookworms unite!

I went to the Big Bad Wolf books warehouse sale last week with my daughter and had such an interesting time. If anything ever gets me excited, it's a book sale. Book sales are my retail therapy equivalent to shopping for clothes and other girly stuff. For a time I actually wondered if I'm the weird one out but last week's experience at the book sale put that thought to rest. I met many, many bookworms while waiting for the book people to open their doors to us into book heaven. You know who the bookworms are - we are the ones who are there right at the front of the gates excitedly straining our necks to see what's inside and planning all our strategies. Quite ridiculous, actually. We'd compare notes and share stories, and I was very pleased to find similar-minded people who actually thought nothing of spending huge amounts of money on books because we think it's worth it. Like they say, birds (or in this case, should it be worms?) of a feather flock together ... and there were many birds (worms?) that day. Not only that, we all practically had the same thoughts on lots of other topics too - shopping for clothes, for instance. To us, it seems that if a shirt fits - great! Now can we have all five colors of the same shirt and get this shopping over with! It's so different when we talk about books. The mood changes entirely - everyone gets excited and we're all suddenly talking like old friends. Someone commented that bookworms are not environmentally friendly since trees have to be cut down to feed our habit. That's true, but a bookworm will never give up the joy of holding the book in their hands. Oddly, we just don't find the same joy by reading a book over the computer screen. It somehow takes away a very substantial part of the fun of reading a book. We bought lots of books at the book sale but it just never seemed to be enough. We are eagerly waiting for the next sale again and next time I will be even more prepared! For the time being, I am eager and happy to just lose myself in the books that we purchased last week.

Joe's Place, The Kopitiam @ Plaza Damas

We stumbled onto this little kopitiam recently whilst shopping at Hartamas Shopping Centre. We were looking for a place for lunch and the shops inside the shopping centre did not appeal to us, so we decided to venture onto Plaza Damas and found ourselves at Joe's Place.

They were having a special that day for Mee Bandung Muar @ RM6.90 per set inclusive of a drink. I've never tried Mee Bandung before but my hubby seems to like it. The yellow noodles were drenched in a sweetish peanut-based sauce and served in a claypot.
I had Fish Head Noodles with a request for them to omit the milk. The thin rice vermicelli were served in a tangy soup made with salted vegetables, tomatores, coriander and deep fried fish head pieces. I quite like this dish. The tang in the soup makes it very appetising. At RM6.90 a bowl, it was quite affordable too.For drinks, we had Black Iced Coffee, Ribena Longan and Iced Barley. The Ais Kacang was nice too, with lots of sweetcorn, kidney beans, cendol strips, sago pearls, grass jelly and topped with gula melaka & rose syrup and milk.Joe's Place, The Kopitiam is at Unit No. 1 Block F, No. 6 Jalan Sri Hartamas, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel : +603-62012389.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong has always been a favorite destination for me and my family. We’ve been on shopping pilgrimages there so many times I’ve lost count, yet the discoveries and excitement never ends. Hong Kong, the vibrant, fast-paced metropolitan city, keeps reinventing itself, never remaining the same.

Some people may find Hong Kong too hectic and a little crazed but Hong Kong’s fast-paced lifestyle suited my impatient personality perfectly!

We visited the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong’s equivalent to Hollywood’s Walk of Stars. It was fun looking for handprints of our favorite HK superstars which is probably the closest we’ll ever get to Jet Li! We also caught the magnificent Symphony of Lights show against spectacular harbour views at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade.

Of course, shopping is synonymous with Hong Kong. It’s a shopper’s mecca, an endless strip of shopping malls and outlets, perfect for all budgets, big or small. We love the jewellery shops where beautiful contemporary designs in 999 gold are sold.

Our hotel was located in the Mongkok area so we spent a lot of time just shopping to our hearts’ content. Most people liked the Ladies’ Market at Mongkok but I found it quite boring because every stall seems to sell the same clothes, hair clips, souvenirs. Not my kind of thing. Having said that, it is still worth a visit because although it’s not to my liking, it’s surely a shoppers’ haven.

It’s impossible to visit Hong Kong once and see it all. That is the best excuse, isn’t it? What better excuse do you need to visit Hong Kong again and again?

Driving hazard

Malaysians are no good at parking. Anyone who has ever had to maneuver their cars left and right whilst driving on a straight road will know what I mean.

There’s a morning market 2 minutes away from my parents home. Due to the close location, we have had inconsiderate drivers who park their cars right in front of our gate while they happily go about their shopping, leaving the entrance to our home blocked for hours. There are also drivers who park their huge expensive cars right in the middle of the street while they go run their chores. So a two-lane street for two-way traffic becomes a one-lane street due to these inconsiderate people.

But that’s nothing to what I witnessed this morning. A lady parked her BMW on the street, obstructing traffic flow. With one lane left unobstructed, cars coming from both ways had to take turns maneuvering their cars out of the jam. One unfortunate car grazed the lady’s BMW which caused her to come out of her car and threw a hissy fit worthy of a drama queen. I wonder if she realized that the whole incident wouldn’t have happened if she had parked her car in a proper parking lot, but no, she had to park her car in the middle of the road and then get upset when her car is grazed. The cheek of some people!

Do you think she deserved the graze on her car? I wonder if there'll ever come a time when drivers will show some consideration to others.

Shopaholic heaven

Hanoi is a shopper’s haven, perfect for an incurable shopaholic like me. I’ve read up about their famous handicrafts before I arrived and was really looking forward to buying the famous Vietnamese lacquerware.

Most of the shops selling lacquerware are concentrated at the Old Quarter area. Vietnamese lacquerware products are handmade and make beautiful gifts for family and friends.

At the weekend Old Quarter night market I found these beautiful “balancing” dragonflies! They’re dirt-cheap and best of all, they keep my daughter fascinated!

The night market is filled with stalls selling souvenirs, fresh cut fruits, toys, clothing, lacquerware and even food stalls!

The stalls don’t just cater to the adults. Here’s what they have for kids! I’ve never seen so many types of lollipops at one place, let alone one stall! My daughter is very excited at the prospect of visiting this stall when we go back to Hanoi in October.
Beautiful silk ao dais (Vietnam’s traditional dress), silk embroidery, Vietnamese silk lanterns and masks are also sold in many shops at the Old Quarter.

The famous Vietnamese coffee and drip filters are also sold in the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter is a maze of shops where interesting discoveries await.

Of course, clotheshorses are not neglected in Hanoi either. I found two factory outlets specialising in jackets at amazingly low prices. Imagine a Columbia padded jacket for only USD10! I found the same jacket at a shop back home that went for USD125. The outlets carry brands such as Zara, Gap, Old Navy, Guess, Liz Clairborne and even Oshkosh & Gap Kids for kids. Sizes vary depending on availability.

I'll be planning ahead with a long shopping list for my next visit.

Westin Nusa Dua, Bali

This is our 2nd resort in Bali – the Westin Nusa Dua Resort. It’s located within the secluded Nusa Dua enclave of luxury hotels and great beaches! Security is tight due to the bombings in Bali so at the Nusa Dua checkpoint, security checks are conducted before our car is allowed to drive in. At the entrance to the hotel, we had to go through another security check with sniff dogs. Once we’re dropped at the lobby, we had to go through a security scanner. Phew! 3 checks just to get into the resort. We definitely could not complain about lack of security!

The lobby at the Westin Nusa Dua is expansive and brightly lit. There is an elixir counter where specially made drinks are available to soothe away the stress and refresh and re-energize the guests.

Our deluxe room comes with a view of the ocean! Every Westin room is fitted with their signature Heavenly beds and bath. The beds are so comfortable it feels like we were sleeping on a cloud. It makes waking up so much harder in the morning. And then there’s the shower. The shower heads alternate between massage and rain showers. If that’s not good enough, Heavenly coffee powder are also available in the room so we had our very own cups of freshly brewed heavenly coffee. Ah! It was sheer indulgence!

The pools are the best part of the Westin Nusa Dua. Westin has a free-form freshwater pool with water slides and saltwater pool. The area surrounding the pools were beautifully landscaped with waterfalls, grottoes and lotus ponds.

Nusa Dua has one of the most beautiful beaches in Bali and the Westin’s stretch has white sandy beaches dotted with very comfortable beach cocoons.

There are many activities for guests at the resort such as Westin Kids Club, traditional handicraft making, aquacise and pool volleyball. Our daughter loves the Kids Club activities. One of her favourite Kids Club activity is fishing. The minders take the kids fishing at one of the ponds surrounding the pools and boy, do they have a lot of fun!

However, the best part is the daily procession that takes place during Westin’s Unwind evening ritual. We got to witness a procession to the temple which was both colorful and interesting. Lovely Balinese maidens dressed in traditional costumes balancing offerings on their heads and local musicians took part in the procession from the lobby to the beach. For the shopping addicts, there’s an open-air shopping mall 10 minutes walk away from the resort called Bali Collection. Another security scan and bag check is conducted before we’re allowed into the mall! Traditional Balinese dances by elaborately clad Balinese dancers are performed nightly in the mall. The mall is especially popular at night with diners due to the many restaurants.

Tanah Lot Temple, Bali

The first stop on our itinerary was the iconic Tanah Lot temple which was a 10-minute walk away from our resort. Tanah Lot is a must-visit for every tourist to Bali. It is unique because during high-tide the Tanah Lot temple can be seen perched majestically on a rock in the Indian Ocean, but during low-tide you can actually walk to the temple. I’m told there are poisonous sea-snakes in the waters beneath the temple which adds to its enchantment. It was high-tide during our visit in the morning, so we had to just admire it from afar. We spent a couple of hours at Tanah Lot just immersing ourselves in the beauty of its surroundings. Tanah Lot has a kind of peacefulness that flows over you. It’s the perfect place to just sit down and meditate! Oh … for yoga buffs, the Le Meridien Golf & Spa Resort is also a great place to enjoy this activity! On the cliff adjacent to the temple we could see surfers riding the waves down below. How exciting! On the way into the temple we had passed by rows of shops along the street. So, in true tradition, we did a spot of shopping on our way back. Our daughter got up close and personal with a huge live bat in one of the shops. There are many souvenirs and trinkets and the usual t-shirts in the shops. Some of the souvenirs are quite unique. We bought lots of pencils with animal wood carvings for our daughter’s friends back home. These were very colorful and the kids were very pleased when it was distributed on our return.

Restaurants in Siem Reap - Day 1

Khmer soup at Khmer Kitchen. If it's good enough for Mick Jagger, hey, it's good enough for me!

Before we arrived in Siem Reap, I've found a list of recommended restaurants on the internet. First on our list was Khmer Kitchen which was located next to the Old Market. As there were only 2 of us, we ordered a Khmer soup, a baked potato with cheese and meat and basil salad. My sister liked the baked potato with cheese. The potatoes were sliced before being topped with cheese and baked. The Khmer soup was tangy, reminiscent of a lighter version of Thai tomyam. The meat and basil salad comes with blanched beansprouts. I have an aversion to basil, so I can't say this is my favourite dish.

Best ice-cream ever! The marvelous passionfruit & mango ice-cream at The Blue Pumpkin.

After filling our stomachs, we ventured opposite to the Blue Pumpkin Cafe. This is where we had a taste of the best ice-creams in Siem Reap! We ordered a scoop each of the Passionfruit and Mango ice-cream. One taste and we were very much in ice-cream heaven! The Blue Pumpkin also has a selection of nice pastries. I tried the Tandoori Chicken puff and found it to be just what I expected. The tender chicken cubes was nicely marinated in tandoori spices in a very light puff pastry.

After Blue Pumpkin, we took a short walk to Artisans d' Angkor http://www.artisansdangkor.com/to see the many wood and stone carvings for which Artisans is famous for. Unfortunately, the carvings were too heavy for us to carry back, so we ended up buying a lot of Cambodian silk handbags instead which were simply exquisite. It wasn't too pricey either, compared to something of similar quality in Malaysia. In fact, I would even say it's cheap. Artisans do provide shipping for the stone and wood carvings however, for those who are inclined to buy them.

Shopaholic heaven ... silks and aromatherapy soaps

We also took the opportunity to feel our way around the Old Market area and were surprised with the many shops selling t-shirts, soaps, silks, aromatherapy oils and souvenirs. I found the area here quite enchanting, a mixture of old and new, co-existing peacefully.

Fish Amok for dinner. Way too filling for 1 person!

After storing our loot back in our hotel room, we ventured back to the Old Market area for dinner. This time we settled for Khmer Family restaurant. The restaurant was brightly painted in eye-catching red which probably attracted us. We shared the Fish Amok with rice which was similar to the Malaysian otak-otak. The fish was marinated in spices and coconut milk before being steamed. Khmer Family also serves the Amok sampler for diners who wants to try different versions of the Amok.

At nightfall, the Old Market area comes to live with restaurants filled up with tourists. There was a hive of activity with book peddlers et al on the streets. There was also a restaurant cum dance theatre where you could have your meal and watch the traditional Khmer dances along the same street.