Substituting Red Velvet..

Its close to 5pm on the eve of a public holiday, namely Hari Raya Aidiladha with just 15 minutes left to go to the end of the work day so you can just imagine that I'm not really concentrating on the files in front of me. Instead, I've chosen to take a quick moment to update this blog that I haven't been visiting for the last month or so.

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I wouldn't say that the past month was very eventful though it had its share of good times and bad. However, at this point I'd rather not think about any of the latter and instead focus on what has been memorably fun. I did a lot of travelling last month.. My work took me up and down the country and it was really great especially when you get to not only fly to your destination but also be chauffeured around as well. I guess its one of the perks you get with this job. The claims one gets of one of these trips isn't bad either. Unfortunately, myself being hopeless with money usually ends up squandering most of it away on frivolous things.

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Of late, I've been on a mission of finding substitutes.. Substitutes for things I want or have a craving for but can't find here or are just a bit too pricey anywhere. Yesterday, on a whim I ordered through the brilliant creation that is Facebook an entire red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (yummy!) from a former school mate that I don't even remember (oops) because I was suddenly thinking about Cupcake Chic's red velvet cuppies. Needless to say, I was not at all disappointed with this one though its a bit much for such a little craving. Good thing Raya is just round the corner so it can be thoroughly enjoyed by others too. I suppose red velvet is not for everyone especially if you're the kind that has a sweet tooth. The cake though made with cocoa and has a chocalatey base has a very distinctive bitter aftertaste. The texture is dense with just a little bit moisture. Oh, did I mention that the colour of the cake is a beautifully deep dark red. The tangy sweet and slight sourish cream cheese from the frosting also sets it off amazingly. Its truly not like any other normal cake.. so if you are into the different, this is definitely for you.

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Another confection which I had once fallen head over heels for is Bakin Boy's triple chocolate cookie.. So far, I've only found this masterpiece in KLCC opposite of the Kinokuniya Bookstore. Its a oversized cookie (well, it should be for 5 ringgit each) made with dark chocolate dough so again its not very sweet and has a somewhat bitter aftertaste.. The outside part of the cookie is crispy and crunchy but as you continue to bite into it, the texture becomes softer.. brownie like if you would.. and finally your mouth hits one of the chocolate chunks (not chips ya, chunks) embedded in the cookie and warm melted chocolate cascades on your tongue. If I was kinky, I'd say that the experience is borderline orgasmic. Oh, and did I mention there are 3 different type of chocolate chunks in the same cookie: milk, white and dark? Its definitely best eaten when its still warm so make sure its heated up a little bit in the microwave before you eat it. Unfortunately, I have not found a substitute for this in JB yet. I thought I had, with the discovery of Pepperidge Farm's chocolate chunk cookies.. Sad to say, the US made cookies failed miserably when compared to the ones freshly baked here on our side of the earth. They were just too excruciatingly sweet for me and lacked every bit of character that the Bakin Boy's cookies had save for the chocolate chunks (oh, and only one kind at a time too). In fairness however, the Pepperidge Farm ones are heck of a lot cheaper but still its really not worth the price.

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I guess I would have to just carry on with my mission of finding substitutes.. with confection for now.. and soon other things will follow suit. Right now I'm looking for pancakes.. Yes, pancakes.. Don't ask me why, I just wanna find pancakes.. =)

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Happy Hari Raya Aidiladha To All... (yes, I know.. gila tak ada kaitan but hey, its Raya maa)

Be Happy: Plan A Eurotrip

Yet another typical Saturday in the office.. it has been a LONG week.

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I still have a few more files to do for the day but beyond that I'm just waiting for the work day to be over so I can get myself to KL again. I am dire need of a relaxing weekend even if its already tiring enough to get to it. Tempers have been short and flaring as of late.. more so that usual. I'm very surprised at this myself since I haven't really exploded with so many people at the same time. Needless to say it has been a very rough week.. a backstabbing, a misunderstanding and third party interference.. not to mention the carelessness and incompetence of some of the people around me. I am just so bored and fed up with it all.. it all amounts to nothing but matters which cause undue stress for no good reason whatsoever. I am so ready to rid myself with all this ridiculous things and retreat somewhere a little more peaceful to regain a more steady composure.. As always for me, KL is the place to do that.

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Tonight shall be spent with the girls at some KL Bar event because unfortunately (for me.. everyone else seem to be contented as it is), the JB Bar is quite inactive. I would have hoped that the JB YLC ("Young Lawyers Committee") would be up to something once in awhile though for as long as I have been here, there hasn't been any news of such things. There is however a rumour that they are organizing some charity night at the end of the year but I figure that I would already be on my eurotrip by then. Truly, the only thing that is giving me a fairly decent amount of satisfaction these days is planning my eurotrip with the girls despite the fact that it hasn't been going exactly how I wanted it or planned it.. Nonetheless, these are only minor hiccups along the road and should not get in the way of the bigger picture.. that I will actually be travelling through Europe with some of my best friends for the longest time.

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After much thought and deliberation, we have decided to go 6 countries altogether (England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands) which is quite a feat when one's funds are limited. Most of the travelling is going to be made by train and I do believe that its going to take quite a bit of rushing about if when we want to stick to the plan that has already been mapped out (and yet still subject to changes) in good time. Think more Amazing Race than Globe Trekker. Hopefully all of us would still be young (haha) and able enough to go on such an adventure as I have no doubt it wouldn't be anything less. I'm also happy to note that monetary funds for the trip are also currently at an acceptable rate. Unlike the belief of some nay-sayers, InsyaAllah I will not starve or stay in frozen cardboard box on the corner of some street.

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Officially, there are only 59 days left to the trip (and I still haven't taken leave from my boss.. oops). I verily believe that every one of us has already started to get into the mood of going and enjoying this lifetime experience. How it all turns out in the end is anyone's guess but hopefully.. it will be brilliant.

Just another Sunday..

Monday, 1.18am

Technically an hour after the the first day of Hari Raya and neither my mind nor my heart is in a state which I would have liked it to be though not completely unexpected. I really wished that I could be happy yesterday (the 1st day of Hari Raya) but instead the only feeling that was and still is resonating within my chest is deep hurt and anguish. Honestly, I am shocked at how some people can be so hurtful when they are fully aware of how much pain they cause you to go through especially on significant days such as yesterday. Then again, its nothing new. In life, there will be always be people ready to hurt you and bring you down without even so much as a flinch or a nanosecond spent feeling guilty or remorseful. They do it because they are capable of it and because they see absolutely no wrong in themselves. They believe what they do is right and the best way to serve their own benefit and personal interest. Everyone else around them is dispensable and disposable. This kind of people are selfish in their own right and yet in the same instance can remain blissfully oblivious to how their selfishness affects others. Compromise is a foreign word to them. In their world, they are king.. everyone else is just another statistic.

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The next question would then be, how to deal with this sort of person. The answer is direct and simple although not necessarily easy to swallow. Truth be told, there is no use in trying to reach a settlement with these people.. once they dispose of you, they have pretty much made up their minds to get rid of you and there is nothing you can really say or do to change that. You can try, no doubt but after going through it personally and after seeing the experience of others going through it as well, it is best to just cut your losses and sever all ties. However, therein lies the hardest part of all since its sometimes difficult to walk away completely without glancing back once in awhile and wondering why things can't be worked out or why things can't just be talked out to settle all doubts and conflicts once and for all. Unfortunately, this is a major error as at this point, everything has gone past the limits of logic and reason. Whatever you have to say no matter how sincere or heartfelt will not get through but merely fall on deaf ears. In the end, you are just prolonging your own suffering by refusing or being unable to accept the fact that you are now sitting in a rubbish bin.

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The only comfort that one can get in this type of situation is just knowing that time heals all wounds. In time, every wound that is tearing your heart apart and eating through your flesh will begin to subside but one has to be patient in order for time to work its magic. Things might never be okay again with the person that hurt you so deeply (which is probably how you would want it to be a this point) but at least, there will no longer be any more pangs of pain in your chest caused by people that are so self involved with a world that revolves on their own imaginary axis.

Last Day Before Raya Leave..

3.33pm, 18 September 2009

With only 1 hour away from the end of the work day and 2 days away from Hari Raya, you must be seriously joking if you think that I'm actually doing work right now. Work mode is officially off to make way for Raya (holiday) mode and that's how I'd like to be at least for the week. I have a feeling that the sentiment is generally felt as I hear loud country music blaring from my boss' office next door. As they say, if the cats go play, the mice will have its day. I know that's not exactly how the proverb goes but I think its much for fitting this way.

I must say that I had been trying very hard not to go into Raya mode too early as the general feeling right now is only bittersweet. I'm well aware that Hari Raya is supposed to be about stuffing your face, meeting up with loved ones and friends to seek their forgiveness and just overall merry making for at least a couple days. But I think some of us forget that it can also be one tear jerker of a holiday. In fact, my heartstrings have been tugging away for the past few days already. Its usually the norm to perform the mutual act of asking and giving forgiveness from and to the people you know and are close to, regardless of whether you had knowingly done them wrong or otherwise. One asks forgiveness for what can be seen as well as what is unseen.. the physical as well as the spiritual. But what if the person whom you feel you may have done wrong doesn't understand you or doesn't not share the same faith as you? Then, perhaps the act of seeking forgiveness is not as easy as it seems. This is my fear this year. Nonetheless, I wholly understand and concede that if it doesn't go as I hope it would, at the very least I tried my best. It is up to the other person whether they would accept it or not.

Only time will tell if this Hari Raya is going to be as sweet and as joyous as it is meant to be or just leave me in a bitter broken heap on the inside. If its the latter, I will not show it. Instead, I will smile as broadly as I can.. greet my family as well as fellow Muslim friends and acquaintances by taking their hands to salam and wish them all.. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir & Batin.

Friday I'm in love, Saturday I'm Just Bored..

Saturday - 11.31am

Another weekend at the firm and honestly, it is starting to suck a lot. I admit that in the beginning I didn't really mind it all that much but after 3 months or so, the fact that I can no longer sleep in late on Saturday is starting to get to me. Its not that its such a big deal, yet it seems to be one of life's simple pleasures that just has been taken away from me.

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Good news is I do believe that all my outstanding work at the office is either settled or under control. The pathetic part is that most of my time and energy is going to my work and slowly, I am turning into a person that I once (and perhaps still) loathe.. a workaholic. I think my friends have already gotten sick of me in this sense as 80% of the time, I'd call them with a legal question in mind at all hours of the day. Truthfully, I'm getting sick of my life too, the way that large parts of it have now been overtaken and overshadowed by work. Unfortunately still, being in JB doesn't help at all to fix this.

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I must say that I'm really trying to find and make my place here back in my hometown but more often than not, I end up being disheartened and the longing to return to where most of the people I know are comes creeping back. It also doesn't help that its the fasting month right now and all the things that I'm craving for take about 3 hours to get to. Well, no matter. I'm going up to KL next weekend anyway for Dot's birthday. Hopefully, I can influence the posse to go for something I have been wanting since the fasting month started.. really good Italian food at Nero Vivo or maybe even Ciccio but definitely not Italiannes.

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There seems to be some debate among us as to whether Italiannes is actually good or not. Some of us like the big portions served but I must agree with those that find the variety and taste a bit bland or just blah. It must also be noted that you tend to get muak very easily if you go for their cream based items. The desert selection is also yawn inducing.

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Ciccio would be a better option though parking can be hassle as its located along Jalan Changkat Bukit Bintang. Its a restaurant, bar and pizzeria so its simply divine for a late night slice and some vino. The menu is more extensive and to an extent more authentic than Italiannes. The deserts are also gorgeous. The only drawback perhaps is the fact its a fairly small restaurant with limited space. Its perfect for a romantic dinner for two but not so much for a party of 10 and above. Nero Vivo is located very near to Ciccio on Ceylon Hill just before Jalan Changkat. I never been there as of yet as the prices are quite high.. more than Ciccio and Italiannes of course. Nonetheless, I wouldn't mind going once to see what the fuss is all about.

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While I'm on the topic of Italian restaurants, another place that is also note worthy is Caffe 1920 located at the Curve. I would liken the concept and variety of this restaurant to that of Ciccio although I can't recall whether they have a bar or not. Fairly good fare at decent prices and once again.. taste wise, I must say better than Italiannes. In other words, if you are at the Curve and happen to be hankering over something italiano, please.. Caffe 1920, not Italiannes. It is almost more spacious which makes it suitable for medium sized gatherings and parking is much better too.

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At any rate, my guess is we're probably going to end up some where in Curve or One Utama next weekend for Dot's birthday dinner.. somehow, we always do.

Reality Bites.

Tuesday, 4.20pm.

Another the 40 minutes until the end of the work day and I'm counting every second. Truth be told, I haven't seen my desk littered with so many unsettled files in a while now. Usually, I get through them by the end of the day but today I'm just too tired and rather sick to do much. I don't know why but whenever I go on holiday or take a weekend break to KL, I always end up back at work with some sort of flu or cold. This weekend was no exception. I considered taking MC but I had a file to attend to in Court this morning which I had the bright idea to bring with me to KL to save time.

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Nonetheless, I must say that I had fairly good time in the city although undoubtedly.. it could have been far better. Lo and behold, the weekend that I decided to go up to KL was also the weekend that a new tenant had decided to take up residence in my old room and as pathetic as it sounds.. it was a sad moment, something I know quite a number of people would'nt understand. I have lived in many places over the years.. but that place, my old place.. it felt like it was my own, my sanctuary. I especially loved the view of the city from my room.. the Twin Towers, my old offices and such.. It was a view worth waking up to in the morning and an excellent sight at night.

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I also missed the area which I used live in. I especially miss the other people that lived in the area as well. Many fond memories were created in such a short span of time which makes it ache just a little bit more every time I pass by knowing full well that my stay is only temporary. There is one person in particular that I miss the most. In fact, I miss him quite dearly. But the misfortunes created by time and distance can bear a heavy toll on some of us. It can tear even the toughest and strongest bonds that is built between two people, teeth sinking into heart. He was not around the past weekend when I was there. But I remembered the places we used to go and the times we used to share. Lately, there has been a lot of conflict between us but I'm still trying not to give up if only he would try a little to give in.

Ramadhan around the bend..

Well, its another Friday - 3.45pm.

Roughly a little over an hour to the end of the work day but really, being in the JB there isn't much to look forward to if at all. Perhaps I'm being a bit of a downer today but it's not that surprising based on the somewhat screwed up day I'm having. First, no one bothered to tell me that I had a matter in Court today until the 11th hour which caused a frantic dash to ensue followed by my dishevelled (and slightly damp) appearance in front of the Judge in chambers. Second, some pleadings which I wanted to file in Court today are still not ready despite the fact that I've already amended it over 10 times at this point without getting what I want. Its like give instructions to a 8 year old. Truthfully, over a dozen nasty words are popping to mind when I think about the clerk in charge of the file in question but all are too harsh to be mentioned here. Suffice to say that she is quite, nay, excruciatingly slow.. to the point that I feel like just snapping but I'm trying to avoid any scene making here as much as possible.

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Instead, I would much rather focus my energy and thoughts on the fact that the month of Ramadhan starts tomorrow. Hopefully, it would give me more clarity and peace of mind although it has been known to be a very challenging month to get through. Many a conflict and/or crisis has arisen during this time in the past but none that had remained unresolved for long which is a very good thing because when you're fasting, you don't really have the energy to fight or hold a grudge especially if its over something that is trivial. Did I mention that its not exactly the right thing to do during this time? Yea, that too.

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I must also admit that in this moment I've never missed KL more. Feels like it has been ages since I had a proper chill with my friends over there. Ramadhan has always been a fun time for us. Granted, perhaps we could've been more religious during this time but we enjoyed the month in each other's company nonetheless. Going around looking for food with Raya songs blasting from the car's sound system was the norm even from Day 1. The break fast was also more of a social thing for us to get together to catch up and hang out until the next morning for sahur. The Ramadhan Bazaar is also a fun part of the whole month especially to satisfy any cravings one might have for something Melayu.

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Honestly, if I had my way I would be up and driving to KL in 30 minutes from now but I've already planned to go up next weekend so I can't be spending too much on travelling expenses. Besides, the 1st day of fasting would be more fitting if it was spent with family which is what I've decided to do. After all, it's been somewhat of a tradition for me and I would want to break it now. I will still go back to KL soon enough though and I will make sure I'll have the best time despite the short time frame I have to do it.

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In any event, to all Muslims.. have a wonderful and blessed Ramadhan and selamat berpuasa y'all ;).

Long Beach Part Deux

ow

So I spent a weekend on Long Beach in Perhentian Kecil and the only observations I had to make where in regards to the hellish the bus ride and scrumptious seafood? Something is definitely missing here.. Surely, there must be more to the famed Long Beach than that.

Truth be told, I didn't even know that Long Beach had such a reputation until I heard scores of tourist as well as my own travel mates telling the travel agent at Kuala Besut jetty that accommodation on Long Beach is A MUST. Apparently, Perhentian Kecil is much nicer than its sister island, Perhentian Besar and is also a backpacker's haven which pretty much meant that the entire length of Long Beach was packed with Westerners. In a nutshell, it was basically an awesome spot to people watch. It was safe to say that my travel mates and I did our fair share of looking at the heavenly bodies all around and in such concentration.

Despite the beach being densely populated with tourist,it is worthy to note the water was pristine.. clear turquoise as far as the eye can see which gradually turned into a deeper shade of azure that indicated the depth of the water. The water was also shallow for quite a length from the beach itself so I suppose you don't have to worry much if you don't really know how to swim. It was like a huge, salty swimming pool. The light tan sand was also very smooth and fine to the touch although I wouldn't go digging too much in it as a lot of the visitors tend to bury their litter in it. Yes, it seems horrible but that's what they do so you're better off just sitting or lying on the sand rather than building a sand castle as you might dig up more than you bargained for.

My first day on Long Beach was spent literally on the beach for the entire day. For not wanting to waste a moment of our short trip in our electricity-less chalet, we headed for the sea during mid-day.. truly a ridiculously bad idea if you do not apply sun block properly (and by that, I mean a full on thick lather of the stuff). At any rate, we did spend several hours in the water and even managed to chat up other vacationers in the water. When we got tired, we came up to the sand to take a short nap under an beach umbrella which you can rent for the whole day for RM10 and then headed to one of the restaurants on the beach for a teatime snack before heading back into the water again until dusk. Despite being severely burnt that day, I must say that the experience of just hanging out on the beach and swimming (or perhaps soaking) was brilliant and in my opinion, well deserved.

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The next day was spent snorkeling as we had pre-booked a snorkeling package for the whole day with our travel agent earlier. I believe there were 5 snorkel sites altogether. The first snorkel site was pretty deep and I lost my snorkel as soon as I jumped into it because I forgot that it was only loose placed on my head at the time. Thankfully, one of our guides dove in to retrieve it much to my appreciation and embarrassment. The coral and marine life was indeed beautiful but I must say lacked variety and after the 3rd snorkeling site, it was pretty much a repetition of the same things. We were however brought to areas where you can spot sea turtles and sharks. Unfortunately, this involves a lot of chasing with about 20 other people around you. I didn't see much pass the crowd so that was a bit of a disappointment though I believe my mates did manage to get a view of both.

We got back to Long Beach just a little before the sun went down so again.. we went back into the water until the sun had properly set before heading back to the chalet to get ready for a night of further chilling. Once again, we headed to the Palm Tree Cafe but we weren't in much of a mood to dance.. especially on sand which makes you look drunk even when you don't have a drop of alcohol in you. Instead, we opted for card games with a friendly islander who works at the club. God only know who only came up with the ridiculous card game but it got more funny and at times, extreme as the night went on. I think I lasted until about half past 1am until I realized something was wrong with me so I decided to go back to the chalet earlier than my mates but not before stumbling, falling and cutting myself on sandbags cum makeshift steps. Wholly embarrassed, I limped as fast as I could into the darkness back to our chalet. My mates stayed until almost 5am.. our boat off the island was at 6.30am and our bus back to KL was at 8am. Nice.

An insane vay-k? Definitely.. but what can I say, insanity loves its company.. and apparently random holidays to boot.

Finding Random Pleasure on Long Beach

Another ordinary Thursday afternoon at the office with nothing much left to do until the end of the day. Its been an overall hectic and emotional week for me starting with my trip to KL last weekend which didn't turn out exactly as I hoped it would.. but it doesn't mean that it was completely horrible. I did get to catch up with my two BFFs for a bit which is always fun and relaxing to just chill (spoken with the intonation of a Rastafarian lighting up Mary Jane). For me, there is just something about hanging out with really good friends that almost always makes everything feel better no matter what is going on in life at the time. My two BFFs in particular.. Rifhan and Nanee whom I've known for 6 years are just a hoot to be with and exudes as much fun as you can get out of a barrel of monkeys.. Most importantly, they always know how to make me laugh and help me spend my money =P.

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Once such occasion happened only a couple of weekends back when someone (Nanee) decided to go for a weekender at Perhentian Islands. It took her roughly an hour to come up with the idea to go, plan the entire trip and pretty much get everything organized. The hard part I suppose was trying to convince me to go. I must admit it took me awhile before i decided to go on the supposedly random trip. In fact, I did try to avoid the allegedly "gentle" pressure of my BFFs until the very last minute. Truth be told, I was quite worried about my own financial situation at the time with our other holiday plan(a trip to Europe) just looming around the corner. However and happily, I must say that the entire trip wasn't half bad save for the fact that I lost some money (and my wallet) which until now I have no idea ended up where exactly as well as a few nasty tumbles here and there. Oh yes, and perhaps my biggest regret of all which still haunts me every time I look into a mirror.. a severe lack of sunblock!

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It all started with a half day's worth of work for me followed by a somewhat frantic dash to and around KL to make it in time to meet up with my fellow travellers for some odd reason in Greenwood, Gombak to get on the bus heading to Kuala Besut and its jetty. It was my first time to Terengganu and in fact, my first time on the upper side of the East Coast so it was definitely a unique experience.. one which I hope I wouldn't have to repeat anytime soon if going by bus. Word to the wise, if you're to the East Coast.. the best thing is to be fly, don't even bother if going by road. I knew it was going to be a long 8 hour bus ride but what I didn't know was that more than 3/4 of the journey would be on backwater, hilly country roads.

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Our journey started at 10pm with Rifhan and I sitting in the first row with nothing at all to obstruct our view of the road.. and yes, it was like a roller coaster ride in the dark for at least 6 hours.. by far, the scariest ride of my life. The road was nothing less than treacherous.. how the driver can still speed in such conditions is horrifying. Half the time, I tried to just keep my closed as the bus moved rather violently all around according to the hill range the road was on, praying that it would be over soon. Trust me, it was bad but if you like the feeling of having more than a dozen close shaves at a time, then by all means.. go ahead.

We reached Kuala Besut before dawn and still shrouded in the darkness of night, but the peacefulness of the small town did make the bus ride seem less traumatic. We did have to wait for awhile before we actually made our way to Perhentian Island itself because we didn't have any confirmed accommodation at the time.. part and parcel of the trouble you get when travelling in random backpacker mode I suppose. We got to Long Beach on the small island (Perhentian Kecil) just before noon and in the sweltering heat. Unfortunately, our room wasn't ready at the time so we had a quick lunch on the beach as we waited. I can't seem to recall the place that we stayed in but I think it was Matahari. The chalets weren't so bad.. decent digs if you don't mind the fact that they ration the electricity in the chalets according to certain fixed hours which at times, did cause quite a hassle.

The variety of food available on Long Beach could clearly be seen to cater more to the Western palette although the there were some local dishes like fried noodles, roti canai and such. All were fairly priced if you consider the fact that your on an island filled with 90% foreigners. However, if you're watching every sen, then the food is priced slightly above average.. but really, where's the fun if you are stinging on your vacation? Most places serve the same thing but you can never go wrong if you order seafood. You can bet that it's all fresh and very yummy. At night, most restaurants would have a set barbaque menu where you have your choice of grilled seafood with your choice of sauce, side dish and drink (fish lover Rifhan made sure none of us had the shark). A very good deal I must say and the setting was also spectacularly beautiful as you get to have dinner on the sand, by the sea and under a diamond sky (I hadn't seen such a starry night in a very long while). The only drawback I'd have to say is the fact that the lighting at the dining table was quite dim so you can't really see your food. At first, we laughed at the Mat Sallehs' having their dinner with a torchlight but then realized that it was actually quite necessary though silly.

Another good eating spot definitely worth trying out which is more secluded than the restaurants on the beach is the restaurant in Panorama resort.. again, can't really remember the name of it but just head to the Panorama and you wont miss it. The restaurant is probably the best on the island though its location is not as idyllic as the ones on the beach itself. The setting and decor of the restaurant is very Robinson Crusoe-ish, almost like a treehouse or hut on a tropical island with a very earthy feel to it. The food selection is also much more extensive than anywhere else. The prices are still reasonable though service can be quite a pain. It appears that if you're gonna go to Long Beach, the restaurant at Panorama is something that you shouldn't miss out on. After dinner, we usually headed to the Palm Tree Cafe just next to the Panorama and on the beach to either have drinks and dance the night away or umm.. play ridiculous card games?

Overall, it was a good weekend to get high on finger foods (we ate A LOT of sandwiches) and uber delicious fresh seafood of all sorts. However, this is obviously not the best part of the trip. The best part? Is yet to come =)

A Job of Courting

Exhaustion = the only thing that came into my mind as I stepped into my office this morning at about half past 11am after another run around day in court which appears to be more and more the crux of my work life; the daily cycle and drudgery of running around an old courthouse trying to attend to all matters of the day on time (half of which start at the same time) and if possible, in the shortest amount of time necessary. Most of the junior or 'one man show' litigation lawyers are sent (or through their own volition) to go running around in this fashion so its not surprising that you would meet the same people every single day though truth be told.. I barely remember the name of less than a handful.

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I must say that I'm not always resentful of this part of my daily tasks.. Quite often when I take a breather from all that rushing around, I notice the calming sea view front opposite the main entrance which probably makes it one of the more scenic courthouses in the country. The view of the green vastness of the Istana Gardens on the side of the building isn't bad either. I have to admit, I never thought that my hometown could be even remotely scenic before this. The small talk along the corridors of the courthouse is quite interesting as well as I must acknowledge that the lawyers in town are much more friendly and approachable than in KL.. this is an undeniable fact. I suppose in KL, people become more self-involved and rush a whole lot more than those here.. not to finish their cases on time but to beat the traffic during rush hours.. which sometimes seems consist of 20 hours out a 24 hour day. Nonetheless, there are just some days where you can be sick of going to court.. where the waiting is insufferable and the opposition, to put it lightly can get on one's nerves.

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Perhaps it is normal to grow tired and bored of things you do on a daily basis.. such is one of the many pitfalls of working life.. But then again, after being in a semi-monotonous job as well as a job that has flung me all the over place.. I prefer the latter which is more stable.. Perhaps I am more traditional than I ever thought I was or perhaps I am just getting old. Quite possibly, its a combination of both.

Let's Do Lunch..

Another dreary saturday afternoon in the office without a single prospect of anything fun to do.. Not that I'm in the mood for much now at this point as after feeling confident for the past week or so that I had found a legal loophole to help my case that is coming up, I suddenly find that said loophole has collapsed on itself leaving me only with unsettled dust and rubble.. and a case which I have yet to prepare for, all because I was banking on a dismissal based on technicalities. The only thing I would say that I'm looking forward to today is a nice lunch.. by myself. By the way, its not as pathethic as it sounds because sometimes, the best thing to do is just to get away from it all and today is a good day for that not only because I need to nurse a bruised ego but also because my parents have a kenduri to attend so no home prepared meal today.

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As much as I haven't admitted it in the past, there are actually a number of places around town which offer up some pretty decent grub at a not so insanely expensive prince range.. In other words, its not that difficult to find a place that satisfies the rumblings of the tummy without burning a hole in the pocket. The best part is, being in JB which is almost virtually jam free (yes.. after living in KL, I consider JB jam-free) most of the makan places only take 5 or 10 minutes to get to.. bearing in mind, I do live near the town. One such hotspot for a nice lunch would include:

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Mee Rebus Stulang

People say that mee rebus is a quintessentially a Johorian dish although some may disagree. Being a Johorian myself, I would have to agree with the former and that one of the best places of get some is in a shop by the sea on the side of Stulang Laut just before the Singapore Customs checkpoint and the old dilapitated Merlin Inn. I cant recall the name of the shop exactly but since its the only one there that sells mee rebus, you cant really go wrong. Admittedly, despite my status as a born and bred Johorian.. there are certain Johorian dishes which I dont quite fancy.. asam pedas and mee rebus are 2 of them. Simply put, you just wont see me have a hankering for these things but having said that, the mee rebus at Stulang Laut is still quite tasty actually though. Its thick brown gravy is its crowning glory. The hot meat based sauce with just a hint sweetness coats and sticks well to the mee. As the consistency of the gravy is fairly thick, the noodles dont end up too soggy and as such the mee still retains it springy bite. The usuals garnishes for mee rebus would include half a hard boiled egg, some fried tow foo with deep fried onions and kueh just to give it an extra crunch. Beansprouts (unnecessary and does nothing for the taste in my opinion) and a little green chilli are also added especially for those who want to pack on a bit more heat. All in all, the flavours and textures do melt well into each other and make for one very satisying dish.. all for the cost of less than RM5.

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I must say, eventhough I still dont generally "like" this dish.. if I do happen to by chance find it under the tudung saji, I would not really be one to refuse. But this is not where I intend to have lunch today. Instead, I have somewhere else in mind.. yet another landmark of good food in JB as far as I'm concerned. I've visited it since I was a little girl and apparently its been around town for quite a while.. well over half a decade when my grandfather who has since passed used to take his sons and daughters, one of them being my dad. Unfortunately, as the time is almost 1pm and I only work half day on saturdays, I guess I would have to save the details for another day.

Ye Olde Bakery.. they got it right.

Flipping through the local section of a newspaper the other day, I saw a write up on a couple of pre-merdeka bakeries in the old part of the JB town that were supposed to be quite popular among people around town yet me being typically me, I have never heard of either. So one day, while in that part of town after what was a failed attempt to find any tailor that can make a court robe (Note: As far as I know there are none to be found in JB so if you need one, you'd have to go up to KL.. not that I'm complaining) I stumbled by chance on one of those bakeries called Hiap Joo along Jalan Hiok Nee and decided to see what all the fuss was about. Needless to say, the shop was very small and unassuming but it was packed with at least half a dozen workers all crammed up a bunch of sardines in a tin can forming an assembly line from dough preparing, kneading and baking. They don't actually have a counter or any form of proper display for you to pick and choose your bread of choice like other bakeries but they do have a menu listing out the buns they make.. (something I only realized on my 2nd visit). However, as I was a bit early on that particular day and all that was ready at the time was banana cake so I had that.

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Under normal circumstances, I'm not much of a fan of banana cakes but I gave it a shot anyway because alang-alang lah katakan.. Surprise, surprise.. it wasn't half bad at all. Well, actually.. I sort of figured that it would taste good judging from the big basket of ripe yellow bananas I saw which just arrived at the bakery door. (Signs of fresh ingredients denotes signs of fresh food).

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The banana cake was very light and had spongy texture which is not very usual for this type of cake that is known to be kind of dense. The taste of the bananas and butter from the still warm cake fresh from the charcoal oven were ever present but yet not completely overwhelming or overpowering.. just the right combination of flavour to compliment the slightly fluffy cake. All in all, it made for a very satisfactory morning with another hidden gem uncovered.

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Nonetheless, it must be noted the cake doesn't keep well for very long. If you decide not eat it on the same day you buy it (which is a challenge in itself), it must be refrigerated or else it would go bad.. Keep it out for more than a day and you might as well chuck the whole thing in the bin. Unfortunately, this is what happened when I tried to bring it back to some people during a weekend back in KL.. yes, I really cant stay away from KL too long.. its an addiction. But if all your after is a light snack to munch on then a slice of banana cake from Hiap Joo Bakery could very well fix your day.

A New Beginning.

Saturday, 11 July 2009 - 11.14am

So I finally decided to start a blog as a good excuse to pretend like I'm working on something when I have nothing better to do in the office.. Yes, I am in the office. The working hours of my new firm requires me to work half day on Saturdays, at least until the end of probation. To date, it's been almost 2 months since I started working in my new firm back in my hometown of JB.. 2 months since I left my life in KL along with all the people I've known and things that I love.. and 2 months of just counting every single day to when I can get back to KL again. It might seem a bit like an overreaction.. after all, how bad can my hometown be. But truth be told and unfortunately so that when I left it almost 8 years ago, I burnt down a number of bridges behind me. So now, I start from scratch.. learning to adapt to not just for the most part, being on my own but adapt to the different social scene and lifestyle as well. Undoubtedly, it gets very lonely at times but in my situation or at least for the time being, I have no choice but to persevere. It took 2 months but slowly, I wiped all my tears away and I stopped crying and feeling bad for myself about being in such a miserable lonely state long enough to realize that life is what you make of it no matter where you are and that there is always fun and good things to be had if you just take the time to look a little closer for it. This is my new mission.. to rediscover my hometown, to find out what makes it tick and to hopefully find contentment in being back home in that process.