Sunday Rendezvous on 08.01.2012 @Straits Quay

2 years back, my weekends in KL usually will be full of self pampering, sometimes reading, sometimes watching movies ... at times wondering and questioning why my life was so "miserable" (hehehe this one usually during the full moon lah").

I am entering my third year in Penang but I haven't quite yet settle to have that special weekend rendezvous apart from breakfast at Ayer Itam market with Aunty Rose or with Daddy at Chowrasta, followed later by sleeping marathon. Kalau rajin ... do my laundry or clean my room. Yes, my free weekends are usually boring. Main reason ... malas nak driving, secondly sleep is such a luxury nowadays. 

Anyway, after reading the Happiness Project book (will share after finish reading it) ... I somehow know that I must fight my "lazy" and "negative" self. Kena overcome lah jugak that "malasness", else the next day menyesal tak sudah ... why on earth I didn't do this or do that. So, after a late breakfast and after doing some houseworks, I decided to go to Straits Quay. My body was aching all over, especially the shoulder area .. these past few days plus my friend Vincent informed me the other day that Thai Odyssey - my favourite massage center had just opened an outlet in Straits Quay. Makinlah body ache tu menjadi-jadi pulak. Sesuatu sangat ...

By the way, Straits Quay is a not so new marina retail area in Tanjung Tokong which belongs to the Eastern and Oriental Group (E&O). It housed few great restaurants, pubs and retail outlets mainly to attract the expatriates, young professionals and the higher income society of Penang. Having said that, from my observation ... the price are quite affordable lah, for Penang standard, especially when people don't come to Penang to shop for luxurious goods.

View of the main retail and apartment buildings from the marina.

With Hazel during her last visit to Penang in October 2011.

The traffic was quite smooth from Ayer Itam to Tanjung Tokong as compared to during the last school holidays. Yelaaa ... nak gi Batu Feringgi, nak gi Gurney Drive, nak gi Botanic Gardens semua pakai jalan yang sama. Poning kepalo den... though I was happy to see tourists flocked the island. Parking spaces were plenty in Straits Quay, in fact I could see many eateries were empty. Couldn't help but love the low season hehehe .. I could also easily locate the Thai Odyssey as the streamers, posters and signages were everywhere. Not much difference from it's other branches that I had frequented in terms of deco and furniture arrangement, except I noticed that all of the treatment rooms (around 6-8 I guess) have proper massage beds.

Streamer .. besar lagi tu kata awarded by Ministry of Tourism as Best Family Spa 2010. 

Poster Iklan.

Some of the treatments and bodyworks offered. Anyway I still think that they give great Thai massages.

Deco along the corridor leading to the spa centre.

Haha terkujat akak masa ambik gambar pintu spa ni.

The signature foot bath before starting the massage session. Posted this on FB and friends instantly recognised the white pebbles.

A proper massage bed.  In fact, for spa rating purposes ... a proper massage bed is a requirement.

The actual deco ... sempat curi-curi snap bilik sebelah hehehe

The therapist whom attended to me was quite nervous, judging from her slow strokes and hesitation. But she got great thumbs. I love the fact that she focused more on pressure points and deep tissue massage than the usual kneading, fast strokes and "eksesai" (my usual masseur Tuk Tuk @Thai Odyssey Mines would said it to refer to the bending/muscle pulling sessions). Maybe because I was already used to Swedish massage of Teratak Spa, that focuses on pressure points which is great for tired muscles. Few times I felt myself "blackout" ... Anyway, I went out from the centre ... satisfied. All my tired muscles were gone.

My next stop was Delicious, a quite well known restaurant with outlets in One Utama and Bangsar Village. I was not really thinking of trying out the dine it menu but was looking for something I had been searching for in Penang for the last few months - the Red Velvet Cake hehehe. 

Anyway, the quest for Red Velvet cake began after watching DC Cupcakes on Astro. In one of the series, during Valentines the shop best seller was the Red Velvet Cupcakes. It sounded so sexy and so I was wondering how it might taste like. After weeks of searching, I finally tasted my first Red Velvet from Buttermilk in Damansara Uptown followed by a cafe in Bangsar Village.Unfortunely, the Delicious Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting was a bit dry and slighty floury ... a let down!

Yeaaaa ... finally. My first red velvet cupcake in Penang. Unfortunately the taste was so-so. Cost me RM 6.90.

Though the search was for Red Velvet Cake (or cupcake) ... something else also caught my attention. I didn't share that I was so into Pavlova and Meringue back in 2007 right hehehe ... I am soooooo going to try that Lemon Meringue Pie on my next outing.

The Berrylicious Chocolate Pavlova ... RM 13.90 each.

I tapau the Pavlova home ... sooo yummy!

Kesan from my expert drift on the way home hehehe

After feasting my eyes to all the yummy dessert I headed towards Papparich Restaurant with the intention to make Pappa richer by having Chicken Rice and White Coffee.

After lunch I felt like having something cool that I could enjoy while watching the view at the marina. It was either gelato or frozen yogurt, but my sudden health conscious self won over and so I headed to Fruuze Frozen Yogurt next door and got myself Mango flavoured frozen yogurt with 2 toppings. Cost about RM 9.00 for a small cup.

I prefer Tutti Fruitti but for now, makanlah apa-apa yang ada.

My Mango Frozen Yogurt with 2 toppings - small cup RM 9.00.

I chosed chocolate pieces and some chopped mango flesh as toppings.

It had been a long day and where else should I enjoy my frozen yogurt other than the marina. The weather was great!

(Sigh ...) Should do this more often!