Beanspout Blog - Most Popular Blog in Malaysia

Organic farming?

2011-10-09T21:19:00.015+08:00

It is very disturbing to find out what was supposed to be organic farming turn out to watch farmer painting pesticides on stems and leaves at noon while elderly buy his produce in early morning hours. This is how I started trying out my own vegetable growing.

Growing corn is easy to start out. Peel corn kernels from fresh sweet corn, and then watch the seedlings coming out in a week time. Baby corn will start to grow within 2 months and that’s the time to watch out for pests like grasshoppers. I use newspaper to fan the leaves and grasshoppers will start jumping out one by one which I can easily catch them all. I don’t really like to spend time catching pests, so I keep a few frogs and toads around to do the job. They are excellent helpers and amaze to watch them grow such big size in short period of time.

After 3 months, my garden now is flourishing with different plants and more to come :)

Dragon fruit

Tumeric

Black sesame sprouts

Pineapple

Basil

Ginger

Pasley

Kaffir lime

Ghost Month again..

2011-08-06T16:53:00.006+08:00

Why allow this sort of temporary structure to build on already jammed area and to block the public street for one month every year? The structure can also pose danger to pedestrians and customers as some parts tied by ropes only.

Elephant Sanctuary at Kuala Gandah

2011-06-20T23:04:00.005+08:00

It’s about 1.5hrs drive from KL, surrounded by beautiful scenery. Visitors get to feed elephants with peanuts and watch a 10 minutes elephant show, quite interesting. Though, sad to see those undernourished elephants..

Across from the centre is a small deer farm, which visitors can feed deer and take pictures with sun bear. Don’t miss that..

Peanuts factory?!

2011-06-12T21:59:00.004+08:00

Do you dare to eat peanuts after seeing the factory?
Peanuts soaked in salt water and then place on those dusty blue plastic sheets to dry on the floor under sun before roasting.

Keep public toilet clean..

2011-02-17T13:39:00.001+08:00

No no..this is not a public toilet in Malaysia, only reminds me that I'm outside of Malaysia. Why can't we have clean public toilet in Malaysia??

Found puppy

2010-09-21T21:17:00.012+08:00

Local Malaysian mongrel dog

After a month of proper feeding and training, puppy changed drastically. From a really sad look that was found on the street to a more nurture puppy. I am happy to see such a big change in this puppy.

Now the question is, should I keep it or give it away?

One year later..

This is how it looks after a year and now you all know the answer..

Underwater gym

2010-06-09T17:16:00.000+08:00

First time seeing an underwater gym that has all the gym equipments like treadmill, bicycle, stepper..under the water. Neat!

Genting vs Resorts World Sentosa

2010-06-09T17:06:00.002+08:00

I still prefer Genting, which is much bigger in size. Resorts World Sentosa is new and nice, however couldn’t get entry tickets on a Monday afternoon at Universal Studio was a real turn off. I suppose I have never come across going to any theme park by not selling tickets on the same day. Though in general, service in Singapore is really good, very polite and well-spoken.

Nurseries in Cameron Highlands

2010-03-29T12:25:00.000+08:00

There are more and more nurseries set up in Cameron Highlands now. Some are more equipped with automated system that their veggies and strawberries look very appealing.

Rare coins found in Sarawak

2010-02-26T17:24:00.001+08:00

These are my latest coin collections, not sure why there is carving on the Japanese coin. 明治二十七年 means 1894, really amazing and detailed craftsmanship..

Satellite dish in Sarawak

2010-02-21T17:08:00.000+08:00

Almost every household in major cities of Sarawak has a satellite dish installed to receive over 100 TV channels from around the world for free. This is something that folks in developed cities won’t get to enjoy even paying monthly subscription.

Dolphins & Sea Lions show in Sunway Pyramid

2010-01-25T14:00:00.000+08:00

Glue for open wound

2010-01-25T11:54:00.008+08:00

Pic of an open wound on scalp.

Instead of having stitches on open wound to prevent bleeding, there is medical glue that can seal up skin of small open wound. Just make sure the wound is thoroughly cleaned with alcohol.

Eastin Hotel Penang next to Queensbay Mall

2009-11-25T19:25:00.008+08:00

This is a brand new hotel next to Queensbay Mall in Penang. Though I'm quite disappointed with their deluxe seaview room which is facing directly to rows of moldy roof. Wondering why roof can turn so moldy like that.. Baystar condo in front does have really nice seaview with units facing Jerejak Island.

I am quite amazed at the rate of development in Penang. In less than a year, a lot of new houses and condos have been built.

At Gurney drive which crowd throwing mud balls into the sea few months back. Sea still looks very muddy and polluted, doesn’t seem to help that much yet..

Development in Bukit Sri Bintang

2009-11-06T13:10:00.001+08:00

Another gated and guarded community houses built on Bukit Sri Bintang called Bayu Sri Bintang, which is near by Desa ParkCity’s Amelia. Semi-detached and few bangalows are built on a hill with spacious built-up and land area. Some houses up there have nice city and hill view, quiet serene environment.

Aquaria at KLCC

2009-10-27T12:05:00.002+08:00

Aquaria at KLCC is well maintained and clean. It has quite a number of displays with touching pools and feeding show.
Do you know seahorse will grow pot belly when it turns adult? Interesting..

Watch a kid serving badminton

2009-10-13T11:21:00.007+08:00

Children really have great potential in anything only if parents let them expose more. Watch how this soon-to-be 4 years old boy serving over the badminton net.

How to destroy ant colony without using chemicals?

2009-09-05T17:03:00.000+08:00

I did it by vacuumed it all out! See the enormous amount of ants and eggs hidden under the wood deck.

Gemia Island, Terengganu

2009-09-03T10:22:00.005+08:00

Gemia Island is about 15 mins boat ride from Marang jetty. It is a secluded island with crystal clear water and all sorts of sea creatures that you can snorkel along the shore to explore. Though beware that sea urchins are abundant especially during low tide in the late afternoon. It is an excellent island for snorkeling, kayaking and rock climbing. Service and food at Gem Island Resort is good, staff are friendly.

Gem Island Resort

Baby turtles are protected inside the pool at Gem island resort

Baby crown fish hiding in the purple coral

Corals expose out of the water during low tide.

Sea cucumber hiding around the rock.

Flora Festival 2009 at Putrajaya

2009-08-06T13:44:00.003+08:00

There were quite a number of awesome displays at the festival. First time viewing some real hot air balloons too..

STABILO 's move easyergo mechnical pencil

2009-06-23T15:35:00.003+08:00

This new innovative design is so great. Ordinary mechanical pencil’s lead is so thin that it can break easily if you write a bit harder, which children really have a hard time using it. This new Stabilo design with lead being 2mm thick and is similar to a pencil lead. It comes with a special sharpener and lead refill. The price is similar to ordinary mechanical pencil and is environmental friendly without wasting trees, a great product.

Guided Tour at Sentosa Island in Singapore

2009-05-19T10:28:00.000+08:00

It’s fun to spend your weekend with family to Sentosa Island. There are lots of attractions on Sentosa that you can easily spend a whole day there.

Images of Singapore is very informative museum to know more about history of Singapore.

Look at the pink dolphin at Dolphin Lagoon, so adorable..

If you want a closer look at pink dolphins, pay SG$15 to touch and take home a 5R photo.

Attractions in Kuching, Sarawak

2009-05-05T11:16:00.010+08:00

There are quite a number of hotels located along the Sarawak River where you can take a scroll along the river and to bring home souvenirs and famous cake lapis, a traditional layered cake. Attractions in Kuching are scattered in different directions with quite a long distance drive, do ask for tour information and departure time once arrived.

There are a few Sarawak museums in Kuching with Iban and Sarawak history, very interesting..

The best time to go to the crocodile farm is during their feeding time, where you can catch a closer look at crocodiles.

Sarawak Cultural Village is a huge center displaying different type of ethnic houses, along with traditional games, handicraft demonstrations, and dance performances.

Cultural show is very entertaining with blow pipe performance.

Hand burned by hot water

2009-02-23T10:49:00.008+08:00

Hot pot water can cause serious 2nd degree burnt on children, beware.
Dip burnt area in icy cold water. If serious, need to go to hospital immediately and require hospitalization.

Pic of 2nd degree burnt with outer layer of skin came off, yellowish fluid dripping down.

After applying collagen in operating theater, burnt area requires to dry for healing by using hairdryer. Hand requires lifting up high above chest area in order for the skin to heal faster and to avoid rubbing on clothing.

After 1 week, top layer started to dry up and healed.

After 1 month, new pinkish white skin grows out.

Batu Cave in KL

2008-12-29T19:52:00.007+08:00

Looking from afar, it can be quite odd to see Batu Cave is being surrounded by houses and apartments. While walking up the stairs, beware of monkeys attack which they will grab whatever on your hands. Inside the cave are few temples which also come along with very unpleasant smell. I think the cave really needs to do some major cleanup in order to attract tourists..

Across from Batu Cave is Kepong Metropolitan Park which has a lake for fishing, jogging trail and children playground. The lake is quite nice and be able to catch medium size bass.

Christmas decorations in KL malls

2008-12-29T19:32:00.004+08:00

See pictures of really nice X’mas decorations in KL malls. Along came with X’mas songs that really make you want to shop more..

Circus display in Mid Valley MegaMall

Snow falling in Mid Valley MegaMall

Animal sculptures in The Curve

Herbs gardening

2008-11-26T19:13:00.000+08:00

Mint plant is one of the easiest herbs to start out with and it has the fragrant mint smell whenever passing by. You can buy a mature plant in store and then transplant to grow more into garden with soil that tends to be very moist or in pots by kitchen windows.
First, spot for tiny roots, cut out the stem, and then soak in water for few days until you see more tiny white roots coming out. Transplant those into soil by pressing firmly around the plant. Mint plants require moisture and a little sunlight to grow. It is very satisfying to see them bloom with leaves after few weeks of transplant. You can also chew the leaves to freshen your breath.

Developments in Bayan Lepas and Queensbay area

2008-11-25T12:07:00.001+08:00

There are many developments going on in Bayan Lepas area in the past year. The revived Queensbay mall makes the Bayan Bay area look lively.

picture taken in 2006

BayGarden houses have also been completed and OC obtained earlier this year. Among the very few gated and guarded community houses in Penang, it is considered as one of the nicest. Wait till you see the huge master bedroom and bathroom, can hardly find any contemporary layout like that in Penang.

Oh, what is going on there? more reclaimed land? really shocked to see this view while on Penang Bridge.

Rabbit Fun Land at Broga in Selangor

2008-11-07T12:02:00.000+08:00

Rabbit Fun Land is about 30 mins drive from KL if you don’t get lost on the way. For the price of rm50, a family of four gets to pet and feed rabbits at a small excluded area and to dine for rabbit meat.
Scare to try? Just go for rabbit meat sausage, tasty and tender. It tastes sort of like German pork sausage but much better in texture. You can also get addicted to it once you tried..

Cake decoration contest at Jaya One in PJ

2008-10-13T13:26:00.000+08:00

Passionately Pink is having community events this month on weekends for the Breast cancer campaign at Jaya One. We were lucky to win first prize at the cake decoration contest. It was fun..

Spider with a Batman sign!

2008-09-09T11:54:00.000+08:00

I spotted a spider with a Batman sign in the garden. Cool!

Junior Lifeguard program for children

2008-08-28T12:49:00.000+08:00

Junior Lifeguard program is getting more popular in u.s by educating children to recognize potential hazardous conditions. One of the lessons called speed drop which require students to let go at the back of the moving boat and swim back to shore. Students learn different skills thru rescue simulation, swimming under currents..
Parents think this program is very helpful in teaching children of how to handle in water. Though, I felt that programs for children which involved certain degree of risks are just unnecessary..

Quality wood furniture

2008-07-17T12:57:00.000+08:00

While shopping for furniture, I noticed some stores tend to use all sort of wood to make profits. Certain type of wood isn’t suitable for making big bulky furniture but then you are able to find bookshelves made out of durian wood. Seldom heard of mango wood before and nowadays seems to be getting more popular, probably due to depletion of teak stocks.

How to peel grape skin off easily?

2008-07-14T10:57:00.000+08:00

Love grapes but hate to peel the skin of grapes which is often very difficult to come off? I finally found a good method to rinse the grapes so that the skin can peel off easily.
Rinse grapes and then rub grapes with salt and flour. Rinse flour completely off the grapes and that the skin of grapes can come off easily when peeling. This method can also help to get rid some of the chemical toxins from pesticides.

Parking machines in KL, PJ areas..

2008-06-19T13:33:00.001+08:00

For those who have not stayed in KL or PJ areas long enough, do look around carefully if there is any small blue P sign after parking your car in front of shoplots eventhough you don’t see any parking meter infront of you. The small blue P sign means there is a parking fee on hourly basis. You would need to walk to the parking machine to pay and then to walk back to your car by displaying the ticket on your dashboard or else snap with a rm100 fine like what I got. rm20 lunch ended up cost rm120!

Green Environmental event at Taman Lembah Kiara park

2008-06-09T13:21:00.002+08:00

There were quite a few environmental related booths set up yesterday at the park. One particularly interesting item on sale was reusable sanitary pads which are made of cloth. Good effort but who would want to wash them! The roller blade beginner class also attracted some crowds since inline skating isn’t that big of a sport in Malaysia.

On the way back home, we got a pair of skates, a balloon, a tree and more brochures, flyers.. Now I wonder how Green Day event can really help the awareness of the public besides planting trees..

Berjaya Redang Beach Resort at Terengganu

2008-05-15T14:59:00.001+08:00

It is more convenient to go Redang Island by Berjaya Air which lands right on its privately owned beach. Their beach is not that big but clean with white sand and safe with guards patrolling around beach area. During end of April, sea is still a bit rough with red flag posted on beach for swimmers. Part of the hotel was undergoing renovation with nice interior design. Food is excellent at their restaurants. Staffs are really friendly. Resort provides all the necessary equipments and transportation for snorkeling/diving trips. It is an excellent getaway for a short break.

Home Entertainment PC

2008-03-17T12:26:00.001+08:00

Acer’s home entertainment pc fits nicely on TV cabinet with such a small size. The size is just a little bigger than Nintendo’s Wii. It comes with remote control, wireless mouse & keyboard, TV tuner, radio.. It provides all the functions needed for home entertainment by simply pressing on the remote control. It’s a great product for those who like to sit back on couch to surf or watch internet videos on bigger screen.

1 Utama Easter’s decoration

2008-03-16T12:00:00.007+08:00

Those balloons decorated so cute at 1 Utama ground level for celebrating Easter. There are different fun activities for children to join these 2 weeks, such as egg hunt, painting egg contest..

During school holiday, Milo also sponsored games and activities at 1 Utama LG level. For the puzzle competition, it was such a surprise to see children being so pampered with all kinds of toys that they aren’t able to put simple puzzle pieces together..

Sarawak trip photos

2008-02-19T16:31:00.003+08:00

Ferry which carries cars across Sarawak river.

A very nice scenic view if trees aren't being chopped off..even river is brown in color now..

Have you seen a gas storage tank above ground level?

This is the first time that I have seen it and is still functional.

Christmas activities at The Curve in KL

2007-12-12T10:35:00.002+08:00

There are all sorts of Christmas decorations in KL malls. The Curve in Mutiara Damansara has organized quite a lot of activities and contests for children during school holidays. In picture was the clay workshop which is one of children’s favorites, so as skating rink. The best part is that parents can drop off their children to attend one of those activities while free to shop.

Recipe: Mochi with red bean paste filling

2007-10-15T21:04:00.000+08:00

This is my first time trying to make mochi, surprisingly quite easy to make. Just need to take some time to get used to wrap the glutinous rice paste with red bean paste filling inside, otherwise your hands will be all sticky.

1 cup glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup water

Mix glutinous rice flour with sugar and then stir with water until well mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 mins. Cool down for few mins. You will need to hold plastic wrap to scoop the glutinous rice paste by hand, flatten the paste and then put a teaspoon of red bean paste in the middle to seal into a round ball. That's the only difficult part.

Lay all the mochi on plastic wrap with cover. After few hours, you can pick mochi up by hand without sticking to your fingers. You may also blend water with pandan leaves to make green color mochi. Mochi can last in fridge for about 3 days.

Enjoy!

Orang Asli at Senoi Village in Perak

2007-09-15T15:08:00.001+08:00

Senoi Village is an interesting place to visit where you can explore life style of Orang Asli. It is not too far down south of Ipoh. People are friendly and children are really curious of seeing outsiders visiting them. Their life style is very pleasant where you can see children running around chasing each other, adults chatting outside rest area and females getting ready for meals. Close to the housing area are stream with cool spring water, school, church..
Fresh air with different types of fruit and rubber trees around. There are also things that city folks seldom see or know of, huge centipede and guess what they are cooking? see answer below..

Monkey meat!
Yes, they eat monkey, wild boar...

Nintendo Wii Sports game

2007-09-02T15:39:00.000+08:00

Wii Sports game is fun and good for exercises. I like the tennis and boxing games, can really sweat out after playing for 10 mins. Though remember not to stand too close to smash your TV set. If you don’t know Japanese, it’s better to pay a little more to buy the U.S. version.

Beware of Jellyfish at Batu Ferringhi beaches

2007-08-24T14:06:00.000+08:00

Maybe due to global warming and seawater pollution, there are many Jellyfish at Batu Ferringhi beaches. Watch out when you stick your feet in water.
If you stung by jellyfish, do not rinse with water. Soak in vinegar and apply ice to reduce pain. If vinegar is not available, use coke. If you experience severe pain, see doctor immediately.

Beware of dengue fever

2007-08-24T13:58:00.000+08:00

The best way to avoid mosquito bites is to install magnetic mosquito net. Open those windows/doors with mosquito net installed during daytime can effectively stay clear of mosquitoes/insects in your house.

Dengue fever started with slight fever, then getting higher after a day. Usually on the 3rd day, rashes start to show up on whole body and it would take about a week to recover. It requires hospital stay to monitor platelet level and need red blood cell transfusion if platelet level drops too low indicating internal bleeding.

S.H.E. at Queensbay Mall Penang on Aug 11, 07

2007-08-18T14:37:00.001+08:00

Taiwan pop trio S.H.E drew a huge crowd at Queensbay Mall in Penang. I only managed to snap few shots on 2nd floor.

Pastasia restaurant at ground floor Queensbay Mall Penang

2007-08-18T13:00:00.001+08:00

Pastasia serves fusion of Italian and Thai food, mainly serving pasta dishes. My favorite is chicken ham with mushroom white sauce linguine, tasty and rich. Other than that, pasta and lasagna are just so so, home cooked style. I like the environment, pleasant and not crowded. Service is good. It’s a good place to chat with friends or dine for lunch.

My first oil painting on canvas

2007-08-17T15:20:00.001+08:00

Sunrise view, abstract oil painting.

It was fun to paint on canvas and not as difficult as I thought. This one took me 2 days to finish. I had to wait for it to dry before I can repaint mistakes done. It took over a week to dry under Penang weather. I bought all my art supplies at Dynamic located at Sungai Dua Yellow House 1st floor shop lot. They provide all sorts of art supplies including ready made canvas and price is very reasonable.

Even eggs can be fake?!

2007-07-26T12:01:00.000+08:00

Read a report on investigating a school in Guangzhou which specialized in teaching entrepreneurs to make fake food so as to make big profits by selling them. Fake food is made from chemicals and preservatives which is really bad for health. Even eggs can be made fake by adding different types of chemicals in moldings to make them look real. There is also not much difference from real eggs after cooking them, just a little bit more air bubbles on the egg white and doesn’t have any taste of egg. Long term consumption can damage liver and brain. Beware..

Most Effective method to get rid of plant bugs

2007-07-18T13:11:00.000+08:00

It's been ongoing battle for me to save my plants from withered by plant bugs, especially whiteflies. I am totally against using harmful pesticides, which left me with only very few suggestions available on web.

I sprayed soap water on leaves which drowned most of the bugs but they came back again. I rubbed bugs off the leaves but that won’t save my plants either. That’s when I started to notice bugs’ living environment which they like to tuck underneath the leaves by sucking on plants. They like humid weather but yet can’t survive with too much water spraying on them. That’s how I started to water plants by spraying leaves upside down instead of top down. I sprayed water on leaves twice a day to make sure the underside of the leaves were very moist, too moist for bugs to live comfortably. With too much water accumulated underneath the leaves, plant bugs weren’t able to survive.

This is really the most effective method of getting rid of plant bugs. After two weeks of water treatment, my plants now grow beautifully and blooming!

Panasonic Pore Cleanser with Micro-fine Mist

2007-07-18T11:10:00.001+08:00

I saw this Panasonic pore cleanser at Jusco and was tempted to buy. After reading pros and cons from consumer reviews, I decided to give it a try. It works well by sucking out whiteheads and blackheads on nose, chin and little area on forehead. The suction is too strong on face which can get bruises on cheek area. It works best after being in sauna where pores on face are all open up well for suction. It helps to suck out excess oil deep inside the pores so as to control blackheads from forming. You’re able to view the amount of oil being sucked out on the suction cup, which is easy to clean.

The cost is less than one time of going to facial, and you can do it as often as you like at home, not too bad. Actually I don’t really like to go facial where beauticians always like to do extraction by using their finger nails squeezing blackheads out as hard as they could. It’s painful but yet paying them alot to suffer..

I would recommend this cleanser for those who would like to control blackheads from forming on nose, though it might not be suitable for certain skin type. Do read instructions carefully before using it.

Shanghai Ding Tai Feng Restaurant at Queensbay Penang

2007-07-11T15:33:00.001+08:00

上海鼎泰豐 is at the Bayan Bay corner shop lot near Queensbay mall. They serve Shanghai style dumpling, pau, dim sum, handmade noodles...
小籠包 used to be really good there when it was first opened back around Sept last year, but now the quality has really gone down alot and without much crowds around. It is really disappointing especially I like xiao long bao very much. Hopefully they are able to hire a good chef so that I can enjoy my favorite xiao long bao there again...

Pickled Radish recipe

2007-07-11T12:51:00.001+08:00

This is one of my favorite Korean side dishes. It is healthy, crunchy and easy to make. It can also help to clear blemishes on skin. Though remember not to consume together with any ginseng products, would turn hair gray.

Recipe:
Thinly slice white radish and then put it into a glass container filled with apple vinegar and few tablespoons of sugar. Soak in the container and refrigerate for few hours before serving.

Harry's B1 Korean Restaurant at Auto City Penang

2007-07-11T12:39:00.000+08:00

Harry's B1 Korean Restaurant at Auto City is a new branch of Bee Won Korean Restaurant at Sheraton Hotel. Both restaurants serve authentic Korean food as well as barbeque dishes. Food is delicious and has variety of choices. Waitress cooked and served barbeque meat at our table, really good service.

Chili Oil Anchovies recipe

2007-07-05T16:44:00.000+08:00

After reading all sort of news on food with MSG and cancer causing preservatives and colorants, I decided to try making chili oil with anchovies at home instead of buying from supermarket. It’s actually very easy to make and turns out delicious. However, it requires using a lot of oil to soak in the bottle, a bit fattening for health conscious individuals.

Here is the recipe.
- Fry anchovies in hot oil until crispy, then set aside to let it cool down.
- Fry finely chopped onions/garlic/dried chili in hot oil, add salt and stir until onions turn brown.
- After all the ingredients cool down including cooked oil, mix together in a small glass container. Let the ingredients soak well for a day before serving.

Orange Eggless Cake recipe

2007-06-26T20:19:00.001+08:00

This Orange Eggless Cake is very delicious. The recipe is really simple and easy to make. Must try!

Dry ingredients:
240g self rising flour
½ tsp baking soda

Butter ingredients:
1 whole orange peel grind
150 ml fresh orange juice
150g condensed milk
100g butter
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven 170 degree.
Heat butter ingredients on low heat stove until butter melted, do not boil ingredients.
Shift dry ingredients in a bowl.
Mix cooled butter ingredients into dry ingredients until mixture is smooth.
Bake in oven for about 30 mins.
Enjoy!

Language Adventure Camp during school holidays

2007-06-18T13:20:00.000+08:00

My child has just completed a week language camp during school holidays. Two facilitators were from California, a university professor in the English department and an experienced teacher. Participants of age 5 to 12 during the five-day camp were told to learn fun creative activities, science experiments, and singing sessions while at the same time picked up new sentences and enhanced their vocabulary.
I suppose foreigners from western countries are still not familiar with educational level in Malaysia and believe that Malaysian children can’t speak much English. They came up with a daily activity plan which was too easy for my 5 yrs old child. On the 3rd day, my child said it’s too boring, refusing to go there.
Last Friday’s newspaper published an article about this camp. One of the facilitators said “I am surprised and impressed with the children's command of English and also their academic abilities.”
Hopefully, foreign professionals will come up with better holiday camp programs for children in Penang.

Shanghaiese Xiao Long Bao recipe

2007-06-18T13:15:00.000+08:00

Well, after lining up outside the restaurant to view chefs there making Shanghai steamed dumplings for such a long time, I must get my hands on to try making them. Hey, actually not really that difficult.
First, marinate grounded pork meat with salt, corn starch, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, green onion bulbs, sugar, wine…
For making the dough, put 2 cups of flour into bread machine's dough cycle, mix with icy-cold water and some vegetable oil for ~10 mins. Hit the dough on table few times really hard, this is to make it more elastic. Cut dough into very small pieces. Roll it into very thin round shape and then wrap with pork meat.
Boil water first and then steam them for 10 minutes. Don't forget the vinegar ginger sauce. Enjoy!

Dragon-i Restaurant at Queensbay Mall Penang

2007-06-17T16:15:00.001+08:00

Dragon-i Restaurant recently opened its first branch in Penang Queensbay Mall on 2nd floor which we went to try on Father’s Day. When we got there around 1:20pm, there were still unusually many people lining up outside the restaurant. We had to wait for over 1.5 hrs to be seated, first time in my life to do so! Well, those shanghai dumplings made by chefs from open kitchen looked really tempted for us to wait.
Surprisingly, food came really fast after ordered and was presentable. Xiao long bao, Shanghaiese pork chop noodles, braised pork belly, sauteed chicken with dried chili… really delicious. Service is good. It’s really worth the wait afterall.

Sakae Sushi at Queensbay Mall Penang

2007-06-15T11:23:00.001+08:00

Sakae Sushi is located at Queensbay Mall 2nd floor. This Japanese restaurant looks very trendy, with varieties of choices on menu. Each table has its own monitor to browse through menu and place orders. It also comes with its own hot water tap for refilling green tea, very convenient. Food portion is a bit small but nevertheless sashimi is really fresh and food is tasty.This is the first branch in Penang, must try!

Adiva Desa Park City at Kuala Lumpur

2007-06-01T15:44:00.001+08:00

Adiva at Desa Park City looks very nice with lots of greens. It's more like resort style living environment with swimming pool, children's playground, facilities and guards gated 24 hours. Landscape is well maintained and guards are strict on duty. The best is that houses are not directly facing each other, a plus for new developments due to lack of land in KL.

Sheep placenta injection

2007-04-11T15:53:00.000+08:00

There were talks about famous movie stars injected sheep placenta to make themselves look 5 to 10 years younger. However, they all denied doing so during interviews. I am wondering if sheep placenta injection really help to make you look 5 years younger?
For those who have done so, please share your experience with us.

Free games for children to learn English Phonics Math…

2007-04-09T12:03:00.000+08:00

I found this site has some good computer games for children to learn English, Phonics, Math, Arts, Music.. These games are suitable for children in pre-school, kindergarten, and primary school.
http://www.uen.org/k-2interactives/index.shtml

How to prevent hair loss

2007-04-02T15:41:00.000+08:00

To rebuild hair faster & stronger, intake more of below:
-high protein seafood
-drink more water
-seaweed
-banana
-spinach/green veggies
-egg/dairy product
-wheat product
-yogurt
-beans
-garlic
-sardine

To avoid sudden hair loss:
-drink less alcohol
-reduce pressure/stress to avoid less flow of nutrient in blood to hair
-exercise more & deep breathing
-avoid coloring
-avoid imbalance diet
-drink more water

Distinguish between cheap Oilfish and expensive Cod fish

2007-03-28T15:49:00.002+08:00

Picture from Mingpao News

As some of you might have heard from news, inedible cheap oilfish (油魚) is being sold as expensive cod fish (鱈魚) for making big profits. Oilfish and Cod fish seem to look similar, that’s why some consumers can’t tell the difference. Oilfish is banned in many countries due to the fish oil isn’t digestible by human and can cause diarrhea.

Actually it is really easy to spot the difference between Oilfish and Cod fish. Oilfish as in the picture below shows grayish part on both sides, cod fish meat is all white in color. Next time remember to do this quick easy check before spending your money on expensive cod fish.

Wei Zhu Jia Tasty Home Recipe across from Queensbay Mall Penang

2007-03-10T12:47:00.001+08:00

味之家小食馆 Wei Zhu Jia Tasty Home Recipe Restaurant is located across from Friday’s Queensbay Mall Penang. They serve varieties of Chinese and Thai food, more toward hawker’s food style. Food is not too bad, just portion is a bit small. Abalone sauce chicken is tasty, so as fried sotong and Thai style bean curd. Service is okay. It’s a good place for lunch.

Picture of popular Hong Kong singer Joey Yung

2007-03-05T17:09:00.002+08:00

Wait, take a quick look at below picture and plus her dressing style. Just a quick look only!
Do you ever wonder why singer/actress like Joey Yung 容祖兒 is being so popular in Hong Kong?
Is Hong Kong really lack of decent looking female singers or people in Hong Kong start to develop some sort of weird taste?
Same goes to male singers like Hacken Lee 李克勤 in pic below. Gosh, his hair...

(Photo from Ming Pao News)

Jurin Japanese restaurant at Krystal Place in Bayan Baru

2007-02-15T13:57:00.001+08:00

As always, you can find good service at Japanese restaurants in Penang. No so, if you are going to one of them during Valentine’s Day.
Yesterday, we decided to dine at Jurin Japanese restaurant at Krystal Place in Bayan Baru. When I inquired if certain seafood is fresh for the day, guess what she said?!
“All are frozen seafood except sashimi is fresh!” I was like “Huh?!”.
Then our order took them almost an hour to bring our first dish and that the restaurant was only half full at that time. Waiters were busy serving tables which they forgot to serve us green tea and not to mention there aren’t any soy sauce and sauce plates on our table for dipping sushi. Yes, none on the table which we had to wave at waiter for that. Hello, where are we dining at again?!
Wow, what an unforgettable dining experience for this year’s Valentine’s Day!

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Steamed egg with milk recipe

2007-02-14T12:25:00.002+08:00

This recipe is very easy to make and nutritious. It is a popular dessert in Hong Kong namely 鮮奶燉蛋, 冰糖炖蛋, 薑汁撞奶.. Restaurants there charge as much as rm12 just for a small bowl and cost much more if you opt for some fancy ingredients. Here you can simple make it at home and have it as often as you like without costing much. It is supposedly good for the skin if consumed regularly.
First, boil water in steamer.
Scramble an egg in a bowl, add little rock sugar and then add in fresh milk. Stir well.
After water boiled, turn to lowest heat and put the bowl in steamer to cook for 15 minutes.
Enjoy your delicious healthy dessert!

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Homemade roadblock in Penang Malaysia

2007-02-07T18:01:00.002+08:00

Have you ever seen houses with illegal extension blocking one of the lanes on a two-way street? Sounds bizarre, right? In Penang, you can spot quite a few around the blocks slowing traffic. Hey, they even hang clothing out on fences to dry. What a wonderful view!
And yes, pictures are taken in city zone, close by Queensbay Mall. Now you probably wonder why authorities did not demolish them... Hmm, it’s about time for Penang to make some changes.

Restaurants at E-Gate Penang Malaysia

2007-02-05T12:38:00.000+08:00

E-Gate is located directly across from Tesco. It's in a good location, you can't miss the sign.
Few popular restaurants along the ground floor E-Gate are Tao Restaurant, Hongkie Kopitiam Restaurant, Sushi King, Secret Recipe, Starbucks, FLIX Restaurant & Pub...

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Taste is different in the other side of the world

2007-02-01T12:17:00.001+08:00

As you all know mangosteen or manggis in Malay are commonly available in market for rm3-5 per kg. In this side of the world, we only eat the white flesh and throw the rest away. However in U.S., mangosteen isn’t available in supermarket and most people have never seen the fruit before. They only know of mangosteen juice which is high in antioxidant and is commonly sold to patients who need to boost their immune system. Each 25oz bottle of juice is selling for as high as US$35. The juice contains extract from red purplish rind which we normally throw away after eating the white flesh.
Well, enjoy your fresh picked mangosteen without paying a fortune.

Laksa Shack at Queensbay Mall Penang

2007-01-19T13:08:00.000+08:00

This is a chain fast food restaurant which serves different type of Laksa. Besides from common Assam laksa, they serve Sarawak laksa, Singapore laksa, Bali laksa, Curry laksa...
Food is just okay to me, not as tasty as you would see in pictures on their menu. Dining environment is pretty awkward, with tables situated under escalator in an open area.

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Easy way to lose weight

2007-01-19T12:47:00.000+08:00

Do you know the easiest way to lose weight is to laugh for 15 minutes everyday? In a year time, you can lose about 4 lbs. Not bad…Start now :)

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Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at Phuket Grand Tropicana

2007-01-16T15:47:00.000+08:00

There are 4 tourists infected by Legionnaires’ disease lately at Phuket Grand Tropicana.
This disease can be fatal if infected. It shows symptoms of fever, breathing difficulty, headache and diarrhea.

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Cloned meat in US groceries soon..

2006-12-30T12:06:00.000+08:00

FDA has approved the sale of cloned meat such as cattle, pigs and goats in supermarkets without special label, citing it is perfectly safe to consume. Don’t you think it is a bit scary to eat lab tested meat products?

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Avoid touching fresh pork meat with wound on hand

2006-12-29T19:34:00.000+08:00

Contact fresh pork meat with wound on hand can possibly be infected by pig related diseases like Streptococcus suis, brucellosis, Leptospirosis..

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Soft Cinnamon Dinner Rolls Recipe with picture

2006-12-26T16:53:00.001+08:00

Dinner rolls come out to be really soft & tasty. My kids love it.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoon yeast
1 cup warm water
3 1/4 cup shifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 egg (beated)
2 tablespoon butter

Stir sugar, yeast with warm water well. Add all ingredients into bread machine at Dough cycle. After done, roll dough into two round greased baking pan. Let it rise for 30 mins or double in size.
Preheat oven at 375º. Bake for 10-12 mins.

Do not use ceramic cup to make hot drinks

2006-12-21T13:57:00.000+08:00

Do not use ceramic containers to store coffee or ceramic cup to make coffee or other acidic drinks like orange juice. Ceramic contains lead and other heavy metal substances. Pregnant women should avoid drinking hot beverages using ceramic containers to prevent toxic metals from harming fetus.

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TGI Friday’s at Queensbay Mall Penang

2006-12-21T13:31:00.000+08:00

TGI Friday’s is now at Queensbay Mall Penang. Beef fajita is good and tortilla is as good as Mexicans made, just the dish is a bit pricey at rm 32. Hamburger is good, appetizer is okay, steak is so-so. Crowds are there, do expect some waiting time for your table.
Bring your children along, kids eat free. Good deal!

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Soft and Moist Banana Muffins Recipe

2006-12-20T17:34:00.001+08:00

This is a low fat low sugar banana muffins recipe. Taste very good and healthy, for sure kids will like it.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Brown sugar
1/4 cup Butter
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp Honey
1 cup Mashed banana
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Baking soda

Preheat oven at 350C.
Put sugar and butter into mixer until fluffy.
Add eggs in mixer one at a time, and then slowly add honey, mashed banana, vanilla.
Add shifted flour, salt and baking soda into mixer until smooth.
Pour in greased muffin tray to make 12 muffins.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes or less.

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Seoul Garden at Gurney Plaza Mall Penang

2006-12-09T21:20:00.000+08:00

Restaurant is located at the basement across from food court. They served Korean style BBQ and steamboat buffet. Marinated meat is quite good. There are variety of choices with desserts and ice-cream. Service is good. Price is reasonable. Seniors and students get discounts. Crowds are there on weekends.

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Jiu Jiu Szechuan Restaurant at Ideal Avenue Penang

2006-12-09T21:04:00.000+08:00

Food served there isn’t really authentic Szechuan cuisine, tasted so-so. Portion is a bit too small and pricey. We ordered 3 dishes for 2 of us but only half-full. Service is good and friendly.
Will we go back again? hmm...

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Children with brownish horizontal line on gum

2006-12-08T15:16:00.001+08:00

Children who have brownish horizontal line appear on gum, it might be possible cause of high heavy metal level in body. See picture.

Queensbay Mall in Penang opens on Dec 1

2006-11-30T11:51:00.001+08:00

Time to shop for Christmas gifts!
Queensbay Mall has displaced 3 nicely decorated Xmas trees, it's a good place to take some Xmas photos.

Whistle can prevent aging

2006-11-29T12:49:00.000+08:00

In Japan, learn to whistle becomes very popular class. Whistle can strengthen face muscle and with deep breathing can help body to intake more oxygen to prevent aging.

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Recipe: Very Moist Chocolate Cake

2006-11-28T15:24:00.001+08:00

Try this super moist chocolate pound cake recipe, very easy to make & delicious. Cut down on fat and sugar recipe.

1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Butter (softened)
2 Eggs
3 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 cup Milk
2 cup Flour
1 cup cocoa powder or Milo powder
1 tsp Baking soda

Blend sugar & butter in mixer until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time. Put Mayonnaise into mixture. Pour shifted dry ingredients and milk into the mixer and blend in low speed for a minute. Pour mixture into greased pan.
Bake in oven at 350C for 35 mins.

Beware of cheap electric wires

2006-11-27T11:55:00.000+08:00

Due to rise in copper price, some dishonest companies are using impure copper to manufacture electric wires that are unsafe to use. Beware of cheap priced electric wires with poor quality that might catch fire and problems of electricity leakage at home.

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PETROSAINS Twin Towers at KLCC

2006-11-23T11:48:00.001+08:00

Petronas PETROSAINS is a fun science discovery centre located on the 4th floor of KLCC. There are lots of hands on experiments and equipments for children to explore. Prepare to spend at least 2.5 hours to walk through the whole centre. Children under age 5 are free. Centre closes on Monday often.

Cosmo's World Theme Park at Times Square Mall in KL

2006-11-23T11:31:00.001+08:00

Theme park is located on the 5th floor of Times Square Mall. Children's rides are at 7th floor. It's a good place to occupy your children for half a day.

Massage stone road

2006-11-06T10:18:00.000+08:00

Massage stone road that made of pebbles supposedly can stimulates the acupuncture point to improve health and blood circulation, but randomly walk the pebbles can actually lead to Plantar fasciitis. Diabetes, children, seniors and pregnant women should avoid walking on it.

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Eating strawberries can boost long term memory

2006-10-26T15:40:00.000+08:00

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies discovered that fisetin, a flavonoid which is also found in other fruits and vegetables, stimulates signaling pathways involved in the memory process.

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Do not eat dead crabs

2006-10-26T15:32:00.000+08:00

Beware of eating dead crabs served in restaurants, which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Crabs will spoil easily and quickly start forming toxins in the body which is not able to get rid of even fully cooked.

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Little Penang Street Market on last sunday of each month

2006-10-25T12:45:00.000+08:00

Little Penang Street Market was launched on 30 July 2006, at Upper Penang Road and Eastern & Oriental Hotel(E&O Hotel), 10am-8pm.
Arts and crafts market on the last sunday of each month, with lots of arts & crafts, clothings, antiques, food and music..

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Tsim Sha Tsui Gourmet Kitchen Restaurant at Prai Auto City Penang Malaysia

2006-10-24T21:50:00.000+08:00

Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant is at Auto-City, Prai Penang. They serve Hong Kong style western food, noodles, roasted duck and chicken. Whole Peking duck is rm 29, skin is crispy, portion is a bit too small. Overall food is quite good, Hong Kong style milk tea is good. Worth to try.

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Spice & Rice Indian restaurant in Penang Malaysia

2006-10-24T21:23:00.000+08:00

Spice & Rice is at Georgetown area in Penang, 1 Greenhall. Restaurant is renovated from an old wooden house, so you are able to experience power cut off, on and off while dining. Food is just okay, not too spicy and oily. Main entree around rm18, surprisingly has more bones than meat in mutton and chicken dishes, taste is very close to Nasi Kandar. Atmosphere is toward fine dining, pricey..

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Eating vegetables can keep brain young

2006-10-24T10:19:00.000+08:00

24-Oct-06 Associated Press

Eating vegetables appears to help keep the brain young and may slow the mental decline sometimes associated with growing old. On measures of mental sharpness, older people who ate more than two servings of vegetables daily appeared about five years younger at the end of the six-year study than those who ate few or no vegetables.

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Spice Market Café Restaurant at Rasa Sayang Shangri-La Hotel Penang Malaysia

2006-10-22T15:31:00.001+08:00

Food at Spice Market Café is good and fresh, with lots of herbs and spices used in main dishes and side dishes. Saturday international buffet lunch at rm60 has a variety of choices, including sushi, sashimi, Indian, Chinese, western, salad, different side dishes, local delights, and desserts. Restaurant’s renovation is nice and contemporary with open kitchen concept.
After lunch, you can enjoy afternoon walk in lush garden, play golf or sunbath by the beach. It is a great place for family with children to enjoy on weekends.

White bread increases cancer risk

2006-10-21T22:40:00.000+08:00

20-Oct-06 Daily Mail
Those who eat five slices a day are almost twice as likely to develop the most common form of kidney cancer compared to those who have one and a half slices.

Scientists put the cause down to refined cereals triggering a surge in blood sugar and insulin levels, which is thought to fuel cancer cell growth. Opt for wholemeal varieties instead.

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