29 February 2008

Listen, Listen Not

I was getting all wet, washing the toilet when this song played in the MTV channel last year. I quickly ran out to see who the singer was and get a glimpse of the music video.

After running a few steps, who is this lady? mmm..hot..? yeah.. (music video end) Then I went to search in youtube. Her song, Bleeding Love caught my attention without second attempt. The code for the video were not available to copy so visit here to watch.

Then after, I started sharing with my friends. Not many people knew her... She is actually The X Factor winner. My sister had fallen in love with this song. She had it on in her mobile phone as the ringtone and message tone. See, how addicted it can be. Hope you enjoy the song as much as I did.

Stop bleeding
Clara Soo







Babysitter

*cough* *cough*

I had been sick for the past few days due to my weak antibody, I caught cold. Then the strong virus react inside me...attacked by sore throat, fever and cough!! I've been easily fall sick recently, what happen to me? *slaps forehead*

Anyway, while I was sick, I spent my Chap Goh Mei at home while people enjoying tossing orange, I don't know where, seeking for their love of life. One of my previous attachment employer told me, just tossed it at the longkang (drain) in front of my house. Laugh Out Loud!

For staying back for most of the days, I've been put into a kid hood because Samuel, which is less than 2 years old had me to play with. So sweet? Yes, it was... to act the cute faces when I'm 20 years old. Don't mind the strength because he pushed my stress away with his SWEET smile and laugh.


He is so cute! He can't speak properly yet...all he said was like " gugu gaga" and he practice hand shakes a lot, what a gentle boy. So, I've been the "so called" babysitter for this boy. The reason why I became his caretaker because his mother was on another delivery. Exactly, another new
family member.


And this is Ryan was delivered during the wee hours, weighing the heaviest among his siblings. He is in the pink of health as you can see the smile craved on his mouth even when he was asleep. I didn't break this happy news to any of my friends...apparently, I received an SMS from a friend wishing me congratulation.


Clueless?! Ka Seng said he was a VIP, that's why he knew it...It's a good news anyway, so I'm sharing it with you here.

Still getting well from sick
Clara Soo






25 February 2008

The Circle, Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu

As promised, this post is dedicated to my soul mate, Rosdiana, also my cousin.

One that I had shared my entire life with, until today, although we are from different colours, different background, different interest but still you hold a piece of puzzle in my life picture. And how did we stick close in heart for such big differences? I, myself didn't understand the chemistry in work, but God brought us here!


A birthday blast were thrown to her in The Circle restaurant, Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu.

360 degree view of the circle restaurant (click image for better viewing)


There's always a reason to name a place or a person, indeed anything on earth, same goes to this restaurant. The story lies behind with the unique shape of presenting cuisines at the middle spot of the restaurant. You may see food are served on both side following its contours, on your right is the main course and your left is the appetizer together with the desserts. On the center, you could have your fruits and kuih-muih. (Malay local delicacies) I like the presentation style, as you need not have to stretch your hands forward to get what you want, all is at your reach yet convenient path.

The whole eating session had nothing to be screamed about because it is just normal to me. 5 stars hotel charging a buffet dinner for an adult at only RM 55++. What do you expect? Salmon? Lobster? *knock your head* The only part that caught me to endless craving - the desserts. There were too nice to be eaten and too nice to be touched!


if you are not worry of calories, go ahead

The same old tradition - Birthday Song. I wouldn't rate them to be outstanding but at least some staff did the singing too. Comparing the Fish & Co. restaurant in Warisan Square which I had my birthday there, they really sing with their own written lyrics of Fish & Co. special birthday song. We occupied 3 tables in the restaurant, actually we could make performance for the night. *Winkz* (Diana, we should make one, maybe on your dad or mum's celebration...hehe with the cucu cicit- grandchildren)


Happy 21 years old Diana!! 2 kilograms of Double Choc Moist Cake

Syokkk..memotong!!!

The cake was a little too dry. But to chocolate fans, this would be surely acceptable. The highly recommended cake is this and Blueberry Cheesecake. ( Diana, we wanted the cheesecake but afraid our nephews and nieces don't take. Indeed I knew you are very much INTO chocolate, so I chose this) RM 70++ per kilo. Ain't cheap huh?! Can you guess how much our dinner cost?!

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RM 1842.88 fed 22 adults and 4 children

Let's look at the decorations around the lobby area.


So when I just about to take pictures around the lobby area...everyone aim directly in me?! Everyone utter "Come come, take picture here, I stand here", ' Come here, I want to take picture with who who..." and there goes the photos.. ( Don't mind the posers okay?)



The lobby - "moi fa" (Chinese name of the flower) with spectacular red light shinning bringing light to the lobby rather than the usual yellow brightness


Upon entering The Circle Restaurant. The "lau sang" (longevity meal)

Just a few captions, the running around kids all gathered below my waist craning their neck to see the Cybershot camera, I'm holding. In fact, they wanted to take pictures so so so much...


Yes, I've got many nephews... but 1 niece! Hehe...

I remembered when we were young, Diana loves to write. Just gives her a pen and a paper. I, on the other hand would scribble poems usually. So before I end my post, here you go a poem that I wrote specially for you ( I really try my best to make it in Malay purposely although I do better in English) some thing that I never do for a long long time.


Dari dunia berlainan,
Bertemu juga pada masa yang diizinkan,
Entah rahsianya apa,
Mungkin jodoh namanya.

Sekali temu, cerita tak berhabisan,
Biar pun jauh, kita ingat hari 13 dan 20,
Tanda kebanggaan kita bersama,
SELAMAT HARI JADI!



Clara Soo

21 February 2008

Responsible Tourism

Going on holiday has become a trend nowadays. Though you are earning little but you would slightly save up some money to opt for a budget holiday. Who doesn't want to get away for awhile from what you are currently doing?

Sunrise, sunset, nothing to worry and surely everything appear to be beautiful in your eyes. Everything is left behind, certainly in search to lay back, relax, enjoy every second to achieve the maximum satisfaction. Who would care to become a responsible tourists? The earth needs people like us to save the world. See what you can do to be a responsible traveler by clicking here.

Due to my profession, I do some tourism readings when I'm boring ( I admit, I only read sites like this when I am left with nothing to do). Somehow, it is quite interesting to know what is happening around us that we didn't spare a minute or two to listen, it is because we used to think there's million people out there who would be giving a hand, minus you doesn't make a big difference. If everyone thinks like this, then minus one by one, how many is left?

Another interesting site; a way to raise awareness to the public and getting involve in the International Ecotourism society.

Okay lahhh...it may be a burden for you to take up a responsibility in any of the organizations. Why don't we start to act responsible in our daily living or during traveling? Example, don't throw rubbish out of your car window even it is only a sweet wrapper (many of us do this!!!). Break that attitude, you are helping much by doing so.

Reward yourself for a better living by practicing your responsibilities.

Do right, think right
Clara Soo



20 February 2008

CNY - Day 10

The 10th Day of CNY, our stomach did not stop saying NO to scrumptious food. Our staring for tonight is my relatives from Australia.



We held a dinner at Mayflower Restaurant, Bundusan.

Chinese are always superstitious about things like no sweeping the floors during the first day of CNY in order to remain the wealth in the house, wearing red underwear during gambling will make you win and many many more...Some are just really funny like ladies shouldn't sing in the kitchen because they would not get married in future.

Since this lunar year is the Year of Rat, I would probably hear; if the rats come into your house, you shouldn't kill them, they bring wealth and joy to your house. Or even more hilarious, we should rear the rats...

In conjunction of CNY, the restaurant served something special. The Buddhist believe in Feng Shui and Fortune Teller. As I watched many Hong Kong dramas before, I remembered the Buddhist practiced the Kau Cim to request answers for the scared oracle lot. Each sticks indicate a meaning.

The restaurant is a bit different. It presents us a Fortune Cookie! The waiters and waitresses would distribute these fortune cookies to each clients on their plate. Each Fortune Cookie has a paper inside. The prediction of your future would imprint on the tiny oblong piece of paper.

Cookie wrapper, looks nice and inviting~ whispering to your ear "Open me!! Open me!!"

The cookie. You can eat it...I'm serious

Inserted the tiny oblong piece of paper

Read "There is a romance and mystery in your future" (that's what I got!) with the lucky number 6818 ( if you are buying 4D, please share the money with me when you won because I blessed you the number :p )

Everyone so excited with the tiny paper with red words typed neatly on it.

My aunt purposely wear spec just to read the future prediction. Keep asking why no numbers on her paper. Laugh Out Loud!! Not all paper consist numbers. Am I lucky? Okay, now you may convince to buy 4D...right??!! (don't be so stingy ahhh if win, divide half..hehehe)

The cookies are presented on the tables to welcome our arrival. Sounds cool, complimentary gifts from the restaurant since it is CNY!! Brought us the Chinese atmosphere for a chinese dinner in a chinese decorated style of dining. You are very WRONG...all of us were so wrongggg...!!! One small cookie with the unbelievable future prediction cost RM 0.45~~ You need to pay...you are charged RM 0.45!! yes, you need to pay although it just cost a few cents!


The dishes for the night.





The stewed pork appeared to be the popular dish for the night (although I didn't like much)

After 15 minutes

Almost everything gone..left some vege and one healthy fat skin

After 5 minutes

All gone

See...pretty fast. Don't you think so?! And I got this part

Fat Fatten Fatty...hehe! If I eat this, I will end up having cholesterol (it doesn't mean I'm skinny, I won't get it..)

Another good dish...

Sandwich anyone?

It's not a sandwich lahh..Layer Beancurd...test like tofu

Makan Makan
Clara Soo




17 February 2008

Clarification

I emailed the writer for TheStar newspaper on the article which I posted few days ago. I insisted him for an answer of the picture taken.

The feedback that I received is what you would have think off in your mind right now. Believe it or not?

I send this to him



The next day, I had this from him



So he still said the picture is taken in Miri. Does he understand my email or was I confusing in the email? mmm...I wasn't quite satisfied with his reply and ....


...I emailed again



In the end, his respond was..



What do you think? Who is suppose to be blame? If the writer is right, then the sub editors would be blamed? To make everything short, he gave the Headquaters number. I reckon if I would to make the calls, no one would raise their hands to admit for the picture editing job.

Since the sub editors happily picked a picture from the files to match the article, for sure we knew they didn't know Miri and Kota Kinabalu well. And...the editors were from the West, as I mentioned in my previous post they can't differentiate the Burung Kenyalang(Sarawak) and Orang Utan(Sabah) states.

I read this article some time last year. I find this blog to be quite interesting. The writer proves how the Malaysians mistaken Sabah and Sarawak and his view on happening issues.

After reading my post on Sabah and Sarawak and also the blog I linked, I hope you did learn something new.

Clear picture
Clara Soo



15 February 2008

Fresh vegetables

You could still see stalls like this in Kota Kinabalu City.





This doesn't mean Kota Kinabalu is mundur okay? It is located along the Jalan Lintas highway, the road to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Typically at the Taman Kepayan housing area.

Don't look down on stalls like these. Fresh vegetables and fruits are tremendously CHEAP!!! Really cheap! You can save much.. Majority the natives conquered the stretch of stalls here.





If you have a big family, big eaters, you could see your monthly expenses spend in fresh vegetables and fruits save much. So if you are living around this area, why not buy here? Convenient + cheap !!:)

Bananas selling at RM 1.50 for 1 bunch

"Choy Sim" for RM 1 each stalk. Here is two stalks

What do you call these in English? -_-


In chinese "Si kua"...in malay "Petula" if I'm not wrong. RM 1 for each!! So cheap lah and its long some more...hehehe

Cucumbers for RM 0.60 each.
Bittergourd for RM 1 each.

If the mothers' know this, I bet they will start doing their shopping here because u could save manyak manyak!!!

Smart shopping
Clara Soo



12 February 2008

Sabah & Sarawak

I couldn't deny the fact, there are still Malaysians that mix up Sabah and Sarawak. Even shocked to know they are some that didn't know how many states made up in Malaysia. How do we address such Malaysians? Are we too ignorance, don't-need-to-know the kind of attitude or we were not taught during our school days or we just don't bother to find out? I really don't know.

Which category of Malaysians would you pin point of them not knowing about their own country? Maybe, low education or either those that are really old in the 80s' or 90s' years old. Of course, we cannot blame them but we do hope everyone understands and knows about Malaysia when they are still living consciously.

Due to Chinese New Year, no Daily Express newspaper in the city for 4 days. My father is a person that couldn't live without newspaper for a day. No Daily Express but at least any newspaper will do. So he bought "TheStar".

Going through the newspaper, I read this short article.

Extracted from StarMetro, 7 February 2008 (Thursday)*click on the image to have a better view and read the article*

Looking at the petite picture at the side of the article, I scrutinized it. From the description, it said taken in Miri for the Sarawak Legal Year 2008. Now it really makes me think, whether this is the Sarawak Legal Year 2008 or Sabah Legal Year 2008. If you really examined the picture, it is obviously taken in Kota Kinabalu City in front of the Kota Kinabalu City Hall office.

Malaysians always tend to mix up Sabah and Sarawak. Is it because both states located in the Borneo Island and they couldn't differentiate the north and the south? Or was it the cause of Sabah and Sarawak are separated by the South China Sea from West Malaysia, too far for them to actually understand? Either the names of the both states starts with an alphabet "S" so they thought is the same place?

Brief introduction on Malaysia. There are 13 states(you can see from the map below) and 3 federal territories; Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya form Malaysia.


On your left side is West Malaysia also referred as Peninsular Malaysia, on your right side is East Malaysia also referred as Borneo Island

Sabah's capital city is Kota Kinabalu while Sarawak's capital city is Kuching. Miri is located in Sarawak on the Northern part.



Could you see how far it is Miri and Kota Kinabalu? How could they just make a news report like this? Confuse the Malaysians that didn't know the exact place?! We are now leave behind with the doubts whether this article is referring to Sarawak Legal Year 2008 or Sabah Legal Year 2008?

-_-'''
Clara Soo





11 February 2008

Eat, Ate, Eaten

Fuuhhh!!! Chinese New Year is also the time not to stop eating~ Since the reunion dinner which fell on the 6 February until today...we are still eating a lot! HEHE! Alas, I still couldn't put on weight! :(

The food that we had for steamboat

After the dinner, I've difficulties in breathing, I'm serious!! It was because too full...Along with the steamboat, we had sparkling wine ( a bit mixture of western style ) to accompany the dishes.





First day of CNY, I went to church for the 8am service. Then proceeded to Promenade Hotel for Dim Sum breakfast. My gosshh... as you would know, it was fully crowded, customers queuing up to wait for their turn to dine. During the waiting, I went to the main entrance to see the unicorns.


The lions were nowhere insight, busy going around the hotel to welcome wealth and prosperity.

My stomach started to play drum inside, the lion dance performance was not on the go yet...at last, we've got our number called.




I wouldn't say the Dim Sum was good. Look, we only got these few...once the trays were pushed out from the kitchen, everything gone before it reached our table. *sigh* Everyone was like fighting for them!!

During the night, we had roasted duck, tofu. Then the following day, homemade Bah Kut Teh (pork cooked with chinese herb) dinner with the relatives.( no picture taken )

Of course all the Chinese wouldn't miss the tradition, red packets!!



As long as you are not married, you will have the privilege of receiving them from the married ones. So, don't ask me for "ang pow" because I'm NOT married yet...FOR NOW.


Neither would we miss playing

Mahjong or "La Mi". My sister, purposely posing there!!

Make sure you put on your red underwear to have overflowing luck! I didn't have one..that's why I lost...HEHEHE!!


Overloaded
Clara Soo




06 February 2008

Blessed Chinese New Year

Tong Tong Chiang!!!

So fast, tomorrow will be Chinese New Year. It seemed like I just celebrated not long ago last year.

I took a walk down KK city last night to have a look of the atmosphere and lights.


Gaya Street lights

Segama lights

There were night stalls all the way from the Wet Market until Segama. It was crowded!!!




People mountain, people sea

I'm going to have steamboat dinner at home.yahhooo~~
BLESSED CHINESE NEW YEAR!! :)

Gong Xi Gong Xi
Clara Soo