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AiYaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........ so many events to cover, so little time to blog. My weekdays and weekends are fully booked till X'mas. Huhuhuhu. Not going to complain, better than having lonely days and lonely nights ... Plus my "online" time are well spent in Pet Society and Sorority Girls on Facebook. Thanks to Guy Next Door and Son GoKu ( Mr Energy Saving), they are real darlings! Kira now I dah ada Setiausaha Sulit, Bodyguards, Drivers, Escorts and "Sorority Boys" to shop, attack and slap my rivals hahaha ... aduina, so adik-adik gitew.

Nevertheless, these are some pictures on the coming entries. Guess you all boleh agak lah apa citer2 yang akan disensasikan. This time, the pictures mesti lah highlight blog ownernya. Yes, because I am worth it!

Mie in my Bollywood Punjabi Suit for Deepavali.

Mie The Photographer... enjoying the breeze in Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu.

I could hear Amber Leigh, my niece,shrieking voice in my head if she see me in this so PINK baju kurung worn on Niejah's wedding in Kota Belud... "Auntie Mie... why you wear pink!!!! I don't want to friend you." Hmm... what to do, pink is auspicious for a wedding though it doesn't do justice to my V&C body. Hehehe Mana tau, next year Auntie Mie pulak kawin hehehe, HARUS highlight gitewwww...

Uncle Raja

I had this video for quite sometime but haven't had the time to edit it ... enjoy!

G ... Kekasih "Gelapku"

I have no intention to blog today but after forgetting to pick up my car from car wash which means terpaksalah naik teksi to work tomorrow, I think I need a place to pen my thoughts and unwind. This rare syndrom people is wat we call "Agnesia" ... Agnes juak dapat nama.

Tapi heran jugak ya, setelah bertahun-tahun, sindrom Agnesia ini kembali menghantui diri ini setelah Si Yoyop "mentioned" anak Encik Manogaran. Huh? Siapakah gerangan nya anak Pak Manogaran ini? Pernah kah "dia"menakluki hati ini atau mengisi mimpi-mimpi di malam hari? Macam pernah kudengar nama itu, tapi di mana ya!

Kulemparkan pandanganku ke jendela yang dihiasi dengan pemandangan Kuala Lumpur yang berjerubu. Sejerebu otakku di saat ini ... Tiba-tiba, satu persatu imej-imej bagaikan "flashback" memenuhi mindaku ... Aku dapat merasakan senyuman terukir di bibirku tatkala menghayati saat-saat itu.

Ya! Persis bait lagu Dayangku Intan dan Ramli Sarip ... " andainya dapat kuulang semula, suatu zaman yang bernama remaja". Kenangan di kala remaja memang hebat belaka. Biar saja kunamakan si dia sebagai "G".

"G" sememangnya antara teman-teman lelaki yang paling akrab dengan ku. Andai kata adalah kelas atau kuliah kami yang diambil bersama, takkan sahlah pagi di kelas itu tanpa kami menyanyikan lagu "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". Antara kenangan-kenangan terindah antara aku dan G adalah apabila "G" tiba-tiba tak dapat dikesan apabila "black out". Masa tu selalu jugak lah black out kat bilik kuliah di Kampus Tuaran. So bagi mengatasi masalah tersebut, aku selalu berpesan bagi "G"... "G, kalau black out senyumlah seluas-luasnya supaya I boleh mengesan you". Yelaa, kalau black out, hanya giginya saja yang kelihatan.

Satu lagi kenangan terindah adalah apabila dia berjaya membeli sebiji kapcai hasil bagi tuisyen kat jiran-jiran dia kat area KKIP. Kami round KK-Likas-Menggatal-Tuaran-Inanam-Telipok selepas Merderka Celebration kat Tanjung Aru Beach sambil menyanyikan lagu "Shake Your Bon Bon" oleh Ricky Martin. Sungguhpun begitu, kadangkala hati ini merintih kerana dia akan memakai helmet full face yang hebat tapi wanita cun ini diberikannya helmet buruk. Tapi kadang2 tgh malam bila lapar dia suruh orang panggilkan (time tu tak semua orang memilik h/p) for a chapati or tosey at Sri Latha.

"G" walaupun setinggi 6' tapi dia takut sungguh dengan jarum. When we were in 2nd year, I terpaksa menemankan dia jumpa doktor untuk dressing luka akibat accident atas alasan, jika apa-apa berlaku kat dia I hendaklah uruskan "mayat" dan hartanya. Hmm, sebagai seorang sahabat yang setia, aku hanya mampu berkata "G, kalau hartamu setakat kapcaimu sahaja tak payah lah ko buat pesanan terakhir".

Tapi apakan daya ... "chenta" kami terhalang oleh kasta dan jenis darah yang tak serupa. Dia seorang anak yang taat dan akan menurut kata ibunya. Kalau "Meenachi" pilihan ibunya, "Meenachi lah pilihan G.

Anyway on a serious note, I met up with G again 3 years after we graduated and I started to work in Kuala Lumpur. "G" by that time was working with one multinational company in Penang as an engineer and driving "Proton Wira Executive". So, on Deepavali 2002 we planned to meet and catch up for old time sake.

Kenangan nie memang I tak akan lupa sampai bila2. I dah grand2 sampai kat Penang Airport and tau apa "G" pakai to pick me up? His old kapcai. Nasib lah I bawak back pack. Apa lagi both of us pain the city red dengan lagu Shake Your Bon Bon. "G" brought me to meet his mother and family in Farlim, not far from my grandparents home in Ayer Itam. Pressure jugak nak tunjukkan "kesolehahan" iteww... So masa Deepavali eve, me and "G" pun tolong mak dia buat kuih untuk Deepavali. Now I know why his mother love him so much ... tapi sayangnya masa itew hati ini sudah dimiliki orang lain yang tiada unsur Bollywood.

Cuma sedihnya... masa Deepavali Day he didn't come to pick me up at my house as promised. I called him over and over tapi tiada jawapan. Helmet buruk dia pun dia tak pernah datang ambik that after 6 years my auntie balik2 sindir "your friend's helmet, dia tak mai ambik kah". Funny jugak, if he didn't want to see me again say so ... tapi apa salah I? Kari I tak cukup masin ker? Dhal i tak sedap ker? I pun inginkan penjelasan.

I only knew the real story 2 years later. He contacted me via my email explaining to me that on that Deepavali night his mother felt sick (mum got diabetes) and fell into a coma. Few days later she succumbed to her illness and passed away. He was too distraught to explain to me as he only think about his mum.

Actually I dah lama tak contact "G", I still have his handphone number .... eh BTW suhaila, bukan nama bapak "G" is Sugumaran kah? Yang anak Manogaran ni siapa pulak?

Deepavali Financial Spending ...

Deepavali or Diwali is drawing near and so is my Bollywood spirit. Maybe because I have more Punjabi or Singh friends this year (Tuan Pretam, Bhupinder and Gurdev), so mood instantly lift up everytime I listen to romantic Hindi songs compared to a more fast beat/modern Tamil songs. Nevertheless, my heart still belongs to Surya (wink wink ... click here).

Every year, I will do my Deepavali shopping at Jalan Tun Sambathan area but yesterday tiba-tiba nak check out what Jalan TAR and Masjid India area have to offer. Last year's Deepavali I wore a pink Punjabi suit, this year .... mcm nak try saree hehehee. Auntie Pakiam said, I have enough layers already at my midsection to show off a saree. Contrary to most people believe that only slim people look nice in saree, Autie Pakiam said saree looks nice on voluptous and curvaceous people auwwwwwwwww ... Teringat ngan Celina (the 3R host) during our Toastmaster's Installation Night 1999 ... she panicked and shouted "Oh my belly, oh my belly" on stage when she realised that Shamla tied her saree in a belly exposing fashion.

It was quite a sight when I entered one shop, next to the Madras Textile and saw few Chindian (Chinese-Indian) couples and Malay ladies choosing Punjabi suits. So 1 Malaysia. I was also mesmerised for a second when one Chinese lady emerged from the fitting room in a "banana leave green" (hijau pucuk pisang) punjabi suit. "Santekkkkk" sekali .... Unfortunately, most of the selection of Punjabi suits in that shop suits darker skin tone and less urban. I actually don't like too much glitters in my Punjabi suits as I want it to exude elegance. Simple is more maa ... I did check out few other shops ... unfortunately, mostly not to my liking.

So I took the LRT and head to Jalan Tun Sambathan via KL Sentral to check out the shops there. I frequent two shops in that area ... Jothika and Aarthi. Both offer urban, modern designs ... less Bollywood or Kollywood so sesuai nak bawak ke ofis. This year (again) I found the right Punjabi suit at Aarthi. Tapi takleh lah expose dulu ... yang pasti "santekkkk" hehehe. The saree I reserved for Puvanesvaran's wedding lah next year. Still don't have the gut to wrap myself in a piece of long material, exposing my one pack hehee. No pics from Jalan Tun Sambathan, too cramped with people and weather was hot.

By the time I finished shopping, it was already 5 pm and all the walkings has made me so hungry and tired. I was undecided between my cosy home or Aznul's open house. Yelah, he never miss to invite me to his "exclusive" open house but I pulak never fail to miss all his open house hehehe. So I text him ...

"Aznul, lauk ada lagi ker?"

Within seconds, "Eh, you kat mana? Datanglah ... lauk banyak lagi". ... hehehe save lah my dinner tonight. I sebenarnya nak sangat try lauk pauk Minang dari Padang/Bukit Tinggi especially that Gulai Bukek, after Aznul featured it in his blog last year. Hebat sekali open house Encik Aznul Nizam kita ... siap ada Tengku-tengku lagi datang hehehe. His friends whom I only know via his blog - Brian and Ayie were there too. They are so friendly ... we all chat like dah kenal lama pulak.

Haa ... the yellow gravy is the Gulai Bukek. Aznul said, you should eat it with Nasi Impit like you eat Nasi Impit with kuah Masak Lodeh. But faham-faham je lah ... when you are hungry, everything looks so yummy. Ayam nak, rendang nak, nasi also nak ... Gulai Bukek is made from all the innards of a cow. Sekali rasa like Gulai Masak Lengkuas ... quite famous among the Lahad Datu Bugis community. To me its like the Minang version of Bak Kut Teh (usually made with a pig innards). But typical lah of Asian, jantung, limpa, lidah, kaki , and *tooot* semua boleh makan one ... beza halal and haram only hehehe. Banyak jugak lauk pauk at his open house, siap ada home made satay lagi ... nyummm

Thanks ya Nul for inviting me ... tahun depan jangan lupa jemput lagi and dijamin tak akan sesat next time hehehe. Biasa lah akak kan jarang masuk area-area kampung kat KL nie ...ahaakkkksss.

Confession of A Shopaholic

After months living like a pauper, I decided that today I should do some financial spending hehehe ... Women best secret weapon against stress, aging and boredom. Glory be to the Lord too that after almost a year, I finally manage to get myself out from "the hardcore poor category" (at least now di atas paras kemiskinan).

My destination today was Mid Valley's Megamall and The Garden. Waa so long didn't come here to do actual shopping! Anyway, so sad that despite everyone shouting One Malaysia ... The Festival of Lights mood seemed sombre and gloomy. Overshadowed by Chinese Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival and Moslem's Eid-Al-Fitr. I noticed not many stalls selling Indian goodies this year too. Huhuhu apa sudah jadi! Hopefully Christmas will bring many many Season Greetings ... too bad coz this years festive seasons are so close to each other.

Nevertheless, this stall owner impressed me. Own by a Punjabi family, selling Indian sweets and goodies (look like Northern Indian's) like Jalubi, khalwa .. this lady owner speaks Hindi, Tamil, Cantonese and Malay fluently. I love listening her chatting her way entertaining her multi racial clienteles, urging them to taste her vast selection of goodies. I love some Indian sweets, mostly the milk based variety ... As if knowing that I frequent Brickfield or Jalan Tun Sambathan area, she asked me to take her card and visit her shop next time - Jesal Sweet House. I will definitely will!

Her milk candy with almond slices and gingerish aftertaste ... oh! How shall I describe it ... heaven! Soooo ... Punjab, the land of milk and honey ... As I was savouring each bite, I could here this song ringing in my ears .. "Tujhe deka to i janna sannam ..." a song made famous by Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. So kuch kuch hota hai ...

After paying for my milk candy, something attract my attention! Huhuhu ... Playboy playmates? OOOooo ... this is delicious! Not want to miss a nice "subject" I quickly took out my Ix's (yea yea me and mie ol buddy snapping nice shots again).

Oh yea ... the Nigel Barker in me started working babeh! Okay strike a pose ... yes that's right!

Great! Now smile for mamma ... that's right! Perfect!

Ooo ... this model is so profesional, following my lense. Though I was not using my DSLR. Yes... you are so "pandai" girl. Bloggers will make you famous, not some amateur photographers hehehe!

Next stop was MPH bookstore. Collecting my renewed member's card. So far, am very happy being a member of MPH. Maybe because they always give great discount on best selling titles. However, if i need a free read ... I still prefer Borders. They do have reading lounge for members in MPH but its embarassing to ask the customer service people to unwrap a book and not buying it where as in Borders, most of the books are unwrap so we can take our sweet time enjoying and reading it. It's true, some people said that who wants to buy a used good. But not everyone can afford a good book everyday and have you been to the National Library?

Suna, I just wish there is a Border in KK during our uni time with all our craze and crave over Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood ... hey why are our favourite authors start with J. Will there be a Jaime Kim? But first, Jaime Kim need to experience and master that juicy and steamy scenes first huhuhu. My taste of book these days ....

Hahaha ... so theological and controversial. I love Dan Brown ... no matter what! MPH members got 20% discount for this book.

My next stop is Jaya Jusco. I need airtight containers for my Bryggkaff Mellanrost (I think it means medium roast coffee in Swedish) and Earl Grey teabags. My mum has this wonderful habit of brewing fresh black good quality coffee in the morning, to start the day and later in the afternoon for tea time, the sweet smelling Earl Grey tea. So whenever I miss my mummy, I make myself a nice cup of fresh coffee or treat myself to a tea party of Earl Grey with scones, strawberry jam and cream.

For your information, I am suffering from a severe "Crocs Attack". I just couldn't get enough of these Dutch clogs inspired sandals after reading about it in a travel photographer blog on how these sandals solved his problems for an easy to clean, fast drying, durable, comfortable and hygienic footwear for all his travels. The first time I saw this sandal on Ida's eldest brother (who works in the State), I automatically labelled him as a person in dire need of a serious fashion lecture. Perhaps from someone like Olpic? I was like ... who the hell invented this fashion disaster footwear. But now I am a "convert". The black Mary Jane on the left is my new third pair. I have another purple Mary Jane with spider Jibbitz (love you Tom) in the car. Emel's had a Nemo Jibbitz ... so cute.


My face needs pampering so I stop at the Body Shop to get my Aloe Protective Restoring Mask. So far, I think Body Shop products suit my skin and my soul ... against animal testing, community trade, natural ingredients and love our environment policy. That is why I drive a "green" car hehehe

All these "trans fatty acid" food from all the open house has caused my body to loose it's shapely curves ... hahaha ... I know what you are thinking Suhaila! So I had no choice but shop for a new attire at Marks & Spencer huhuhu ... gambar plastik dia jer la ye.

Highlight of my trip to The Garden@Mid Valley was joinning the World Pink - World Without Breast Cancer Campaign. Can you identify which picture is mine? Saja buat diva pulak when I have no smaller change hehehe ... as shown in the photo below ...

But of all my spendings today ... the one that I am most satisfied is a lifetime membership to D'Aura Spa - One Stop Centre @ South City Plaza. Finally I found a spa that offers facilities like a clubhouse, not heavy on the pocket and various treatments to choose from. Plus, it boast to be the largest spa in Malaysia and very, very near my home. This spa was featured recently in Harian Metro.

I don't like spas that bundle expensive packages and force us commit to it. Whenever I need a treatment or two, its either RM 58 each or RM 118-150 for 5 treatments. I can bring my friends over to entertain and unlimited usage of the facilities provided. They can also use my card for members priviledges. Hmm... guess what, I am treating Nijah to a private bachelorette party cum wedding spa treatments this Wednesday. Oh I just can't wait ...

Jaime Kim Sweet Treats ...

... is one of my many Angan-Angan Mat Jenin. Many years ago, I dreamt of becoming a chef, a pastry chef to be exact, but nowadays ... I could hardly even stand the heat in my mum's or my own kitchen let alone making a career out of woks and ovens. [Sigh!]

I remember introducing the Jaime Kim Sweet Treats brand for the first time during Bazar Ramadan KPKT 2008. That time I was testing the market for my mini trifles, corn puddings and various mini milk puddings (dadih yang diubahsuai - ikut tema pulak tu, Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter). Malas nak bersaing dengan gerai-gerai jual lauk pauk, biskut raya and kelengkapan raya. Lagipun everytime people buka puasa they will normally look for sweet treats first.

Next gerai was a Sarawakian (happened to be my mum's students) who married a local and resided in Klang, selling umai and some of Sarawak "unpromoted" delicacies. I felt so good pretending to be a Chef even for a day hehehe

Taken masa bazar mula dibuka.

Last-last my puddings habis dulu and I tolong orang sebelah pulak jual lauk pauk ... hehehe

Tapi tak sangka lah pulak, my EO betul-betul interested in my cakes for her open house last Saturday. Hopefully from word of mouth lah and not pasal nak ambik hati. Nevertheless after Ramadan, I got a big order for my Summer theme puddings for a wedding. Then order for my kek Holiday Inn and Kek Lapis Masam Manis from lawyer friends. Sedangkan I decided for this year's Raya I only accept order from Ida. Huhuhu ... tak larat den. Sampai terabai seminggu blog akak nie.

I got 3 orders from Kak Zuraidah. One for my Holiday Inn, 2 for any layer cake. Hmmm ... to tell you the truth, layer cake ni jenuh nak buat. Pastu, I don't use electric mixer for my batter. Everything is from the scratch. And 3 cakes ... huhuhuhu, tak tido lah gamaknya. Hasilnya ... TARAAA ...

Kek Lapis Masam Manis

Kek Holiday Inn

Kek Lapis Evergreen - kering sedikit sebab tetido hehehe

Since these cakes were customer's order so I didn't cut it. Nervous jugak nak tahu sambutan kat rumah Kak Zuraidah sampai sanggup heret Mr Energy Saving and Guy Next Door gi open house Kak Zuraidah just for the sake of "cake tasting". Hehehe


Moral of the story, i must be missing all of my kaki - Emel, Jett, Kazen, Agnes (ada juak nama disebut), Yoyop, Nijah and Suna. Sampai terpaksa carik hobi di hujung minggu and dera 2 budak "innocent" jadi food taster. Kesian ho!

My Mid Autumn Festival 2009

On 3rd October 2009, the Chinese all over the world celebrated the Moon Cake or Mid Autumn Festival. The festival is intricately linked to the legends of Chang E, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality. According to “Li-Ji”, an ancient Chinese book recording customs and ceremonies, the Chinese Emperor should offer sacrifices to the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is the day called “Mid-Autumn”. The night on the 15th of the 8th lunar month is also called “Night of the Moon”. Under the Song Dynasty (420), the day was officially declared for Mid-Autumn Festival.

To tell you truth, I had never pay any attention to any Chinese celebrations other than Chinese New Year. But since 2003 when I spent more time with my paternal family ... almost every important celebrations like Chap Goh Meh (boleh baling buah limau dalam laut), Winter Solstice Festival (where people make the Tang Yuen), Hungry Ghost Festival and once Kuan Yin Festival I will balik kampung to Penang just to join the makan-makan. So, on the 30th September, I attended the MCA Ministers and Deputy Ministers Moon Cake Festival dinner in a restaurant in Seri Kembangan when my batch mate who works in the Health Ministry teased me ... "eh you Cina meh?"

So I answered back,"Mau tengok IC kah?" hehehe

But anyway, I noticed this year Mooncake Festival in KL was extra special, maybe because it fell on a Saturday. Even the selection of mooncakes this year pun, you were spoil for choice. Anyway, the best mooncake i had was in 2001 when I was working in FTMS and an ex- colleague of mine from FTMS Singapore brought over yummy mooncakes with milk chocolate and vanilla ice-cream fillings. It was ... as me and Suna would described it .. "was heaven".

Terpanggil dengan persoalan "you Cina meh" so I decided to proof to my fellow Chinese friends that though my Mandarin sucks, I am more Chinese because I know how to make mooncakes ... Haaa suprise!!!

So the whole last week during lunch time I dragged Mr Energy Saving from TTDI to Bandar Puteri Puchong and Seri Gombak looking for the mould. I knew dia masih "terkoma" when I said I going to make mooncake this year. Hehehe ... sedangkan I buat mooncake jelly jer. Jangan main-main ... my jelly mooncake siap ada yolk lagi .... next year I want to try to do the cheese cake version of moon cake ... fuhhh yummy!

This morning when I gave it to my officemates ... ramai yang puji sedap. Mr Energy Saving and Guy Next Door dalam tempoh 30 saat dah habiskan theirs. Hebat ... yelah nak ambik hati boss katakan. Kalau kata tak sedap surelah LNPT dapat markah rendah tahun nie. Yang di atas was honey dew jelly with cream custard fillings as the york. Actually it was a mix of jelly + dadih so that when you eat it, it is a light as a dadih but maintain its structure. The yolk was made with custard so that once masuk mulut, u can taste the filling. Tapi kalau nak tgk all the pictures and how I did it ... feel free to check my Facebook.