Crocs in the family

Crocs have arrived at Queensbay! And I was their first customer. The first pair was for SP, a pink, or Fushia in Crocs-speak, Beach Croc and to make it special, I added a couple of Jibbitz.

The store in Queensbay is wall-to-wall Crocs of every colour. There are many types of Crocs, from the tough and manly Off Road to the cute and dainty Prima. But there's only one Croc in my sights, and that's the odd looking, clog-like Beach.

SP was really happy with her Crocs and a couple of days later, I revisited the Crocs shop at Queensbay and got myself an orange, or Coral in Croc-speak, pair of Beach Crocs.

So if you see a couple walking around wearing brightly coloured Crocs, it could be us.

How I fsck'ed Serenity

Serenity, my trusty Apple iBook, is never turned off. I close the lid and it goes to sleep. When I need to use it, just open the lid and in about 2 seconds, it's ready for me. So every month or so, I'd do some system maintenance on Serenity because prevention is better than cure. I usually use Onyx to automate the task, but the latest version of Onyx does a disk verification at startup. So during this disk verification, it found some errors on my harddisk!

To be extra sure, I ran Disk Utility's Verify Disk and sure enough, errors were detected on my harddisk and to repair, I had to boot Serenity with the Tiger DVD. Since I didn't have my Tiger DVD handy, I did the next best thing. I decided to fsck (file system check) Serenity.

I don't know the technical details behind fsck, but I knew I had to run it to fix the errors. fsck has to be run at the Console at startup. So I rebooted Serenity and pressed Command+S until some Linux-y text appeared on the screen.

There were instructions on the screen on how to run fsck, and since my harddisk is Journaled, I had to "force" fsck, so I entered at the prompt: fsck -fy

I had to keep typing fsck -fy until the message states that the harddisk does not appear to have any errors. Fortunately for me, I only had to do it twice.

Then type exit and press Enter to resume booting into the OS. Everything looked OK until I found out my trackpad wasn't working, my Bluetooth and WiFi was non-existent! Resisting the urge to scream like a wussy, I decided to try restarting Serenity. Luckily the keyboard was still working and managed to reboot Serenity.

A reboot later, and everything was back to normal. Phew...

And folks, that's how I fsck'ed Serenity.

The fuss over a pen

I remember that moment, so many years ago, when I finally reached the age when I could use a pen in school. All the while in primary school we only used pencils, so when I could use a pen, I felt so grown up. Pencils were for kids. Adults used pens!

We were given a list of things to buy before the school term starts, so my Mom and I went shopping together. On the list was the Reynolds FINE blue pen. This was an all blue pen design, and since it was stated on the list, I had to have that pen. We looked and looked but could only find the Reynolds MEDIUM pen. This pen had a beige body, and I made quite a fuss. I wanted FINE and not MEDIUM. It's stated right here on the paper. FINE, not MEDIUM.

My Mom and I must have reached a compromise because we got me the MEDIUM pen first, and later, weeks later, I had my FINE pen. Turned out, the FINE pen wasn't that fine afterall. I think it was too sharp and wasn't comfortable to write with, so I went back to the MEDIUM pen.

Fast forward to the present, and I still like to browse the pen aisle. So many colours, so many brands, types, varieties and sizes. But so far, I like gel pens the best.

Today I claim an accomplishment! I actually used a pen to the last drop. The very last drop. Usually, my pens would either dry up due to neglect, or had a faulty nib and had to be thrown away, or I'd lose it carelessly. But since I started my journal, I've been using the Pilot G1 Grip 0.5mm - yes, I actually know the brand and model number of my pen - almost daily, and it served me well up to today. Good thing I have a refill handy. These gel pens are expensive, and buying a refill is slightly cheaper than buying a whole new pen.

Starbucks, Borders, WiFi... Wow

Here I am, on my day off, lazing the day away at the Starbucks in Borders. Not many people in Borders, but quite a techie crowd in Starbucks. The free WiFi is really attractive. I wonder if I can get reception at Coffee Bean downstairs.

I don't usually do the "WiFi at coffee shops" thing, so I'm pretty impressed that quite a number of people bring their notebooks to surf. Looking around, I can't help but feel that I have the coolest looking notebook around. Decals and all. Yeah... techie vanity.

One guy brought his whole office - laptop, mouse, french press (!), mobile phone, important looking papers. He's on the phone all the time!

Another guy looks like he's listening to podcasts, is staring at his notebook with headphones on. A girl has her notebook on her lap, a big no no for guys, surfing the internet.

Looks like there are power plugs at strategic places for people to plug in their notebooks. The staff doesn't seem to mind that I pay for a cup of coffee and spend hours hanging around in the store. The logic fails me, but it must work.

Stepping back, and remembering

Sometimes I need to take a step back, to remind myself about what's important and what's trivial. Sometimes it takes someone to remind me to take that step back. Sometimes it takes a book. A book written a long long time ago by a girl, about her family, and their life in the prairie. Care to take a guess to the title of the book? Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

1999 and I had just started my work life, in a new place, far far from my family and friends. It was also the year I bought my own copy of Little House on the Prairie. Back then, Penang didn't have a proper bookshop, so I had to buy the book from Amazon. I read the book during my secondary school days and enjoyed reading Laura's accounts of her life in the Prairie. They had a simple life, but how they cherished all the little things they had. I enjoyed reading how Pa asked Ma to put her handprint on the bread she baked and about the little cakes filled with white flour, sprinkled with precious white sugar that Laura and her sister got for Christmas.

8 years later, my copy of Little House on the Prairie is now falling apart at the seams. So when I spotted a similar version of the book a few weeks ago, but this time printed on high quality paper, and with coloured illustrations, I couldn't resist getting another copy. A new copy, for a new chapter in my life.

Of Moleskines and alternatives

I'm just giddy with delight now that Borders is in Penang. Not only are the books more interesting, but they have an exciting selection of journals. There are journals from Moleskines, Paperblanks, Paperchase and other brands that I can't recognise.

Now that my Moleskine is almost due for a replacement, I'm undecided as to which journal to get. The only journals that are close to the dimensions and aesthetics of the pocket Moleskine are from Paperblanks. These journals have a faux leather cover, same pouch like the Moleskine, same elastic band, albeit a few pages less than a Moleskine. But best of all, Paperblank journals are cheaper!

We've read about cars from China looking uncomfortably similar to their competitors. So now that the raw materials that make up the Moleskine journals are sourced from China, why aren't there imitation Moleskines? It's hard to justify spending $50 on a Moleskine...

Timmy and Junior

I never understood people's attraction to dogs... until I met Timmy and Junior. They stay with sp and her family back home, so I only meet them a few times a year. But whenever we meet, a few sniffs and licks is all it takes, and it's like we were never apart.

Timmy is the quieter of the pair, with the patience brought on with experience but isn't afraid to show who's boss when the younger Junior goes too far.

Junior is a flurry of excitement and energy, always eager to play and partake in his favourite pastime - eating.

They're really well taken care of, and in return they take very good care of the family. One can hardly stay glum with Junior prodding you to take his favourite bone and play with him, or Timmy calmly staring at you with those gentle eyes, not asking for anything except companionship.

French Toast weekend

This weekend I had an attack of the French Toast munchies. I ransacked the kitchen and found a loaf of baguette, or also known as the French Loaf that I bought from Jusco on Friday. In the fridge was an egg, some butter and an opened bottle of milk. Pepper... check. Sugar... check. All the ingredients I needed to make French Toast!

I mixed the egg with a generous squirt of milk, several shakes of pepper and a teaspoon of sugar together. Then I cut the baguette into inch thick slices, then soaked them into the mixture. The baguette has such dense texture that I let the slices soak much longer than usual. Gotta let all the eggy goodness soak deep into the bread.

I buttered the pan and fried the slices in low heat. I had to make sure everything is cooked properly, yet not too dry. I wanted my French Toast to be mildly crispy and sweet on the outside, slightly moist, almost custard-like on the insides, and with a thin layer baguette left untouched in the center.

My French Toast turned out pretty good! sp hasn't sample them yet. I'll make a new batch when she comes back.

Misty Mooring

Before I go any further, let me say that I don't know how to appreciate wine. I've read wine reviewers go on and on about the fresh fruitiness of the bouquet, the raisiny, curranty and oakiness of the taste. I'd love to go get a bottle of the same wine and see if I could taste any pears, or raisins. I tried, but they're too expensive.

So with a firm budget in mind, and considerable online research written down on my moleskine, I set off to Jusco, Queensbay in hopes of finding a wine that I could enjoy. And I came back with this - Angove's Misty Mooring - Late Harvest Sweet White.



Quite a plain looking bottle, but the price was right, and since it's a Late Harvest variety, it's supposed to be sweet, ie a dessert wine. Late Harvest wines are normally made from grapes that are left to ripen on the vines. Ripe grapes have a higher sugar content, so the end product is sweeter and generally a higher percentage of alcohol.

Did I like it? Misty Mooring being of the Late Harvest grape variety is a dessert wine, and I enjoyed the extra sweetness. I tried sniffing the wine in hopes of discerning some kind of fruit to describe the smell, but all I could describe is that the wine has a fresh aroma... of grapes.

I found it tastes pretty good after a spicy meal, just like it's recommended by the wine maker. I also find myself enjoying the wine in small sips. It seems to be more flavourful that way.

Hot Cross Buns

Several times I've passed the bakery in Tesco, yearning to buy some Hot Cross Buns, or, as Tesco and everyone else nowadays refer to them as, potato bread. How could a nice and emotive name like Hot Cross Buns be turned into a plain and drab sounding Potato Bread, is beyond me.

They are usually served on Good Friday, although I believe there were raisins in the bread back then. I'm not a fan of raisins, so no big loss. I have vague memories of eating them in church when I was a kid.

I finally bought some today, and they taste pretty good. Sweet, custard-like aroma.

Mobile phone ad I'd like to see

fictional phone advertisement:

Motola CRZY
Features:
Save up to 20% of your call charges!

So how would you react to such an ad? You can save money by using this phone. How is it possible?

By reducing the talk-time! Instead of having mobile phones that let you talk for hours, you can save money if you get a mobile phone that only lets you talk for 10 minutes on a single charge. Faced with rising prices and expenses, I think there would be people interested in such a phone. Judging from the amount of hoo-ha over the new high tech toilets in KL, such a phone could be a runaway success.

I can't take credit for this revolutionary idea. Zin mentioned this in passing while we were on our lunch break.

And in case you're wondering what I'm rambling about, it's just my lame attempt at making a joke. Erm... anyone laughing?

Paddington's House of Pancakes

More Queensbay gastronomic delights. This time at Paddington's House of Pancakes.

The place didn't have much of an ambience - simple decor. But it makes up for it with its extensive menu and comfortable environment. Their menu consists of pancakes from Russia, Holland, America and maybe Germany, if I'm not mistaken. A whirlwind of pancakes (and pies, lasagna, pasta) for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Anyways, speaking of their extensive menus... they don't serve all of the selection. And to make matters worse, their grill was not working that day. So we were limited to the 12-inch Dutch pancakes, the pannekoek.

The pannekoek is 12-inches of thin pancake that's crispy at the edges. Then toppings are added and an array of complements like mashed potatoes, baked tomatoes and in some dishes, spicy wasabi mayo!

My parents accompanied us to Paddington's, and we have a trip around the world! We had the Amsterdam, Seattle, Tokyo, Capri and Venice pannekoeks. Delicious!

A cat's life

A little more to the left...

Pannekoek and Moleskine

I remember -
of family's delight
at Paddington's

Old Town Experience

Queensbay, the largest and longest (why longest when it's already the largest?) shopping mall in Penang. A long, long time ago I thought to myself, would I still be around should the building ever be completed?

7 years later and I found myself walking with SP along the lower floor of the shopping mall. Who would have thunk.

We had dinner at Old Town, a quaint little coffee shop with old style chairs and tables. The ambience would have been really nice had there been walls. Instead the coffee shop is in the middle of the floor, under/beside the escalator.



SP had their famous white coffee. I can't help but suspect they used the same instant 3-in-1 coffee packs that we find in supermarkets. I was not impressed. We also ordered their "famous" kaya and butter toast. Again we were left wanting. The toast was cold with thick chunks of butter and a layer of kaya.

For the main course I had the curry laksa. It looked good but didn't taste as good. It was much too oily and lacked the creamy curry sensation. The yellow noodles were undercooked.

SP had the rendang chicken rice which was basically nasi lemak. It was ok, but nothing exciting.

Our high level of expectation may be because we have another "old town" coffee shop to compare. It's located in Amcorp Mall, KL and their toast and coffee are exceptional.

Would we visit Old Town again? Maybe for some toast and coffee... maybe.

Cute Mr Posey

My tortoise in shining shell

- sp

Bakerzin, a haiku

Night's cloak unfurls -
unable to resist
sweet delicacies' beckon

Little Cottage in the City

SP have been telling me about this restaurant along Burmah Road, and we finally decided (actually she decided) to visit the place.

It's called Little Cottage, and it sure is little. But don't be fooled by the size of the place when you enter because there are more tables upstairs. Little Cottage takes up 1 lot downstairs, but takes up 3 whole lots upstairs.



We had our lunch upstairs. The decor is decidedly cozy. Lots of knick knacks, an almost country-like decor.



How can anyone not like turtles greeting you at the stairway?



There are lots of waiters in Little Cottage, and they are very attentive. There's a lunch set menu with a considerable selection to choose from. Then the waiters will bring each course as you finish them, unlike other places where everything is dumped onto your table.



First there's the mushroom soup. Thick and yummy. The soup comes with a bun and butter. Then the main course. I chose the Grilled Fish with the Little Cottage special sauce. Accompanying the dish are mashed potatoes and a few selection of vegetables. I enjoyed the fish. It was moist and tasty by itself. I hardly needed the special sauce or the dollop of tartare sauce to enhance the taste.

SP chose the Chicken Chop. This is quite a normal dish, so I didn't choose it. But SP let me have a bit and I was surprised. It actually tastes good! The chicken chop had the right crispiness, together with the sauce, made for a very delicous bite.

Then there's dessert and a choice of coffee or tea. If you wish, you could add-on to the lunch set. Only the tiramisu caught my attention. We didn't have the tiramisu because the lunch set was quite substantial.



Little Cottage, a diamond in the rough, along Burmah Road. Parking may be difficult, but the food and the ambience is worth it. Oh... and the prices are very reasonable.

A respite

The past few weeks I have been drowning in a torrent of "we have to meet the deadline!", "stay on schedule!", "this has to be done before the week is over!". What little personal time I had was used for my "cave time" where I would tune out from reality and spend an hour or so in front of the idiot box.

Then, a respite.

I can now allow calm personal thoughts to percolate in my mind.

Just last night, we sat on the sofa and had some quality time together with Amy Grant singing Christmas carols in the background. Our Christmas tree was set up in the living room sans the blinking decorative lights. We'll have to get a set this weekend. The tree just isn't complete without those lights.

This respite also meant I could catch up with my reading. I'm halfway through Michael Crichton's State of Fear. A blurb on the back cover states, "... In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications. ..." How could I resist?

How could I not stop laughing? Why? This deadly hypersonic cavitation generator is made in a factory in Pudu Raya, and is located "just a few kilometers" from "the ultra-modern airport designed by Kurokawa" (read: KLIA). A factory in Pudu Raya? Just a few kilometers from KLIA?

This one factual error aside, I found the book rather interesting. I don't know where facts become fiction, but perhaps that's why I like some of Michael Crichton's books. He takes an idea, and pushes it to the extreme.

A quiet place

at day's end
she finds solace
in a quiet place