Happy "Niu" (牛）year...

Finish packing and ready to go......
Will be in Malaysia from 23 Jan till 4 Feb....



Gong Xi Fa Cai

DIY nail art...

Had a very long time, since the weather in SZ getting cold, i never had my nail polished. Unable to show my toe with shoe.....

Will be back to hot hot Malaysia tomorrow....wearing sandal most of the time....yippee....so.....

fast fast get it done...
Beautiful??
I myself very proud of it ;p

Although is cheap to do it here, but i prefer Do It Myself. It's kind of fun.... ;D

Reading...

Am finally reading....

The book i am reading, a Chinese translated version bought online.

Earlier on, before i started to stitch, i was waiting for the stock of this book. And when i finally got it, i had to put it aside because i was busy with my stitching....Anyway, book won't expired! Hehehe...

Why i am reading a Chinese translated version?? Well, i always wanted an original version (English), but it is hard to get English Novel in SZ. Been to the bookstore, only limited English Novel available. For this one, the price online seems to be expensive, plus i can't be sure whether it's an original or pirated edition. So, better get a cheaper Chinese version. :D

Now that i have read part of it, i will definitely buy the original version someday. It should be more interesting in it's original version. Got to continue reading.....

Stitching update : Water Lily #4

Sigh!!! Unable to complete the stitch as planned ie. before CNY. Not that i am slow or running out of time, it's because 1 of the color thread provided is not enough!!

My work, beautiful, ya? ;p

Notice which part is unfinished??

Is at the bottom, brown color "leaf".

This is the part, a small part, not really noticeable, rite? But of course still has to complete it. Will have to wait till after our CNY holiday, because i don't know where to buy the thread. I have been to a few shops in our neighbourhood selling stitching kits, they don't sell the color thread separately. Sigh.....I have to get it when i go back to Malaysia.

Work done with the Chinese character at the upper right....
Have spent quite sometime stitching the character.
Is the hardest part to stitch i think.
Partly because the character in the chart look odd to me and i decided to outlined it myself using pencil on the cloth.

Right: character in the chart.
Left: character i outlined and stitched.
Compared both, mine looks nicer, rite? ;D

Soup of the day : 花生大蒜排骨汤

材料：
花生
大蒜
排骨

调味：
精盐




做法：
~花生洗净。大蒜去皮，洗净。排骨洗净，剁成块，沸水焯烫，捞起备用。
~锅中加入适量清水，放入所有材料，大火煮沸。
~转文火炖2小时，加精盐调味。

PS: 此汤能补心安神。花生能降低胆固醇，防止皮肤老化，并增强记忆力。

Counting down to Chinese New Year...

Chinese New Year is coming soon....Joyful red lanterns are everywhere in our neighbourhood....We can see lots of people shopping merrily for CNY....

Soon, Next Friday, we will be back to Malaysia for CNY celebration. It seems like we just got back recently (during Oct), and now going back again. Don't really feel the days passing......But of course, i am very happy because we can meet up with family and friends again especially this time, during festive season.

From now on.....

At this beginning of year 2009, our status is being upgraded.....we become parent!

Oh no, don't make mistake. What i mean here is we have officially become sponsoring parent! Ya, it's the World Vision "Child Sponsorship" program i have posted about earlier.

World Vision Malaysia has confirmed and assigned 2 child under our sponsorship. So, from now on, we will be sponsoring a 13 year old Thai girl living in a district in Songkhla Province, 40km from Hat Yai (very near to Malaysia!) and a 9 year old Vietnamese boy living in a village at South of Hanoi, very near to Laotian Border. From the details we received, we know that their living standard is far behind our imagination. Really glad that we could actually help.

I thought to write to both of the child, but i am not sure how to start....start with self introduction?? asking how are they doing?? hm.......seems odd......i am really not the person who can start a topic with newly known..... ;p

Hongkong "Ding Ding" Trip

What is "ding ding"? "Ding Ding" is the nickname of Hongkong's tram. The nick was given because when the tram departing from a stop, its bell sound like "ding ding ding ding...." will ring. The tram, one of the oldest transport, covered the busiest route and passes by many famous attractions in Hongkong Island. Besides, the fare is only HKD 2.00 flat per person, very economical for today's Hongkong. Therefore, till today, it's still a popular transport within the Island.

The tram looks very similar to a double decker bus. But it is operates on the track. Besides, passengers get on at the back door and off at the front. And the fee is paid upon getting off.

Tram exterior decorated with jewelery advertisement.

Actually, all of the tram exterior is decorated with different advertisements.

Another few trams coming....

Our "ding ding " trip started at Sheung Wan and ended at North Point. We took MTR to Sheung Wan station and get on the tram at the tram stop right in front of the station. The route we choose pass by Central (Zhong Wan), Admiralty (Kam Zhong), Wan Chai, Causeway Bay (Tong Lo Wan) and etc, the busiest area in Hongkong Island. But the tram is very crowded all the time, not really able to take nice photo inside.

Waiting for the tram at the tram stop.

Crowded tram's upper deck.

Poor hubby, been standing since getting on the tram.

Crowd, somewhere at Causeway Bay.

Chun Yueng Street, North Point.
Those who watched TVB drama "Moonlight Resonance", know this street.

Tram stop at Chun Yeung Street.

Empty deck?? Because it reached the terminus and everyone is getting off.

It's still not the end of our trip. We took another tram from North Point and get off at Central to walk around there.

The Goldish Christmas Tree inside HSBC Main Building.

The Giant Christmas Tree at Statue Square.

Lan Kwai Fong

ifc Building in the sunset.

After the walk, we decided to take Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, a cheaper method crossing Victoria Harbour and with beautiful harbour view.

Central Pier, where we took the star ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui.

On boarding....

In the ferry...

Star Ferry Central Pier

Star Ferry Tsim Sha Tsui Pier
Behind it, is the Hongkong Cultural Centre.

Hongkong Convention and Exhibition Center

Pirate Ship??

Sailor at the pier...

we are getting off the ferry....

The Star Ferry we took.

Hongkong Island in beautiful sunset.

Harbour City, one of the famous shopping mall, just next to the Star Ferry Tsim Sha Tsui Pier.

LV....Noticed the queue at the entrance....?

They are awaiting their turn to go in for shopping!!

Who said economic is bad???

Actually this not only happen at LV, but also Chanel, Gucci....and others branded boutique.

Those shoppers are from China Mainland.
The economic crisis doesn't seem to affect them....

Shopping still....

Since we are at Tsim Sha Tsui, i suggested we had our dinner there and then we could take the KCR back to SZ directly from there. Referring to a tourism brochure, we choose to have our dinner at Knutsford Terrace, a nicely decorated street with lots of F&B outlet which offer cuisine from different countries. The restaurant we had our dinner named "Spice", a Thai, Indian and Malay restaurant.

Mango Lassi
Lassi is the Indian style yogurt milk.
I had it before at a mamak in KL and this taste the same as i had before.

Tomyam Kung, with only 1 "kung" inside the soup!

Nasi Briyani
Our nasi briyani is served with gravy on it, but this one don't.
However, it tasted just as fragrant as what we had in Malaysia.

Seafood Char Kuay Tiow
This made me thought of our roadside Char Kuay Tiow.
Yummy....

It was a nice dinner with romantic environment, but hubby keep mumbling that it is too expensive. Indeed, we could have the same food in Malaysia with much cheaper price. But, we are in Hongkong what....Hahaha...

We had a wonderful day in Hongkong, tired though. Taking "ding ding" was a fun experience, the Star Ferry as well (although is my second times taking the ferry).

PS: any friends who come Hongkong, remember to spend some of your time to experience it.....

Soup of the day : 芥菜瘦肉汤

材料：

芥菜心

瘦肉

姜片

调味：

精盐

料酒

做法：

~芥菜心洗净，切片。瘦肉洗净，切片。

~开水煮沸，放入芥菜心，姜片，适量料酒。煲20分钟。

~加瘦肉，适量精盐调味。

芥菜有清燥润肺，化痰止咳，利尿的功效。广东人尤其喜欢。

此汤鲜咸适口，易煮，很不错，试试吧。

Having fun....

Hubby having a continuous holiday for 5 days last week. We have some fun time together and i got no time to update my blog till today....hahahha....

On new year eve, we have dinner with some friends.
Last Friday, we have a "ding ding" trip at Hongkong (will be posting regarding the trip later).
In between, we watched some DVDs bought some time ago....

And yesterday, we went shopping at Dongmen.
I bought a ^cute^ overcoat with cheap price.

Cute, ya? very Japanese feel....

Guess how much is that?? Hm.....not even RM50 after conversion....**super cheap**....
This is what i like about China, "always can get nice thing with unbelievable cheap price". ;D

Well, we seem to have a lot of fun during hubby's holiday, ya? But actually my darling hubby has some worries......He worries about his job, whether is it secured, since his company has retrenched some expat staffs on Dec. Of course no one is to be blamed during this difficult time, but how could he not worry? He might be the next ....###TOUCH WOOD###

My darling, i worry that too. But "to live is to be happy....enjoy every moment.....there's always way out when the time come......"

Last dinner of year 2008

On 31/12/2008, we had dinner with some friends at Ming Tien Coffee Language near our neighbourhood. This is the restaurant, me and hubby had his birthday dinner, a money worthy one.

We were being arranged to a private room for dinner. It's very common in SZ, almost each and every restaurants have sort of private rooms, big or small, for group dinner. The private room we had our dinner is a big one, with an "advance" Mahjong table. We was told we could occupy that room for dinner and Mahjong for 4 hours.

Dining area.

Hubby reading the menu.

The "advance" Mahjong Table. It's an *amazing* creation.

How amazing it is??
Well, it could "wash" and "arrange" the Mahjong accordingly.
Let's see.
We push all the Mahjong into the hole in the middle of the table.

Then, it will starts washing.
When it's done, it will arrange them and the Mahjong will "appear" nicely on the table.
Done....The game may begin.

We are all puzzled how it actually recognised the face and back of the Mahjong. None of them were being arranged at the wrong side (all face down). Besides, another sets of Mahjong can be placed in the "washer" for washing and arranged while people is playing. A new game can starts just immediately after the earlier game over. We believed it's creator is a ^Super Mahjong lover^....

Oops....talking too much about the Mahjong.... :P Here comes our dinner. Me and hubby ordered a valuable couple meal.

It starts with a fruits salad which actually enough for 4 persons.

Then the toasted bread.

Borscht. A little spicy for me.

Glass of red wine. Not really nice, we suspect they mix it with plain water...Hahahaha...

My main course (aiya, forget to pour the sauce...) : Mandarin Duck Chop, stated in the menu.
Weird name..huh?? I also felt stumble, wondering what is that....
Well, it's actually mix chop of chicken and pork.
They named it "Yuan Yang Pa" in Mandarin and direct translated to English.
So it become "Mandarin Duck Chop"!

Hubby's chicken chop in black pepper sauce.

Main course to eat with this tomato sauce spaghetti. Each of us get a plate.

Yummy....

A little Mahjong session after the meal.....

It's definitely a great place for group dinner, with the private room. We will be going there again (to utilised the cash voucher given) hehehe....