j e n

Sea World (Part 1)

2011-10-28T22:37:00.011+08:00

the Bf does not fancy Sea World.
"Boring" - he calls it.

However, because I have not been to GC's Sea World (I've been to the one in Florida when I was 12), the Bf had not much of a choice, does he?
:)

Anyhow, we bought an unlimited (one year) 3 park ticket (to Sea World, Wet n' Wild & Movie World) and with 14 days in the GC, there is NO reason why we should not be visiting Sea World.

Tip:

the unlimited ticket cost us AUD $99 per person, which was very much worth it
a single day entry to any one of the parks can cost you up to $70++ per person.

We arrived slightly pass 11 a.m. and the sun was so-so glaring, we could not take an entrance shot!

Headed straight in and was rushing our way to,
the Dolphin show - "Imagine"
:)

One of the main .. or should I say -
the ONLY worth while attraction in Sea World .

And here's why:-

We definitely took much more photos than this!
And some videos too!

You can also get up close and personal with this intelligent mammal!
Unsure how much it'll cost -- but pre-booking is must.

I was so tempted to try but:-

it was winter and I reckon it's too cold; and
I didn't pre-book!

:(

We then headed for some JAWS-capade!~

Mr. Huge Sharky

Our camera battery pretty was critical at this point of our visit.
(thanks to the Bf's smart idea of not charging the camera)

But we somehow managed to snap this not-so-flattering photo of the Bf!
(he is so gonna skin me alive for posting this!)

Bf having some Churros

.: a flourish snack with cinnamon sugar :.
u should definitely try some, if u have not tried 'em before!
Price: AUD $2 per stick

We went for the Sea Lion & the Fish Detectives Show too,
but honestly, preferred the Dolphin Show.

Part II of Sea World coming up soon~
:)

have you tried Max?

2011-10-20T22:34:00.008+08:00

You haven't MAX your taste bud until you have tried Max Brenner !~

the Bf and I were loitering around Robina Town Centre one afternoon.

We did some serious window shopping (teehee) before we decided to give 'em tiring feet some rest.

Our pitstop - Max Brenner.

Absolutely, Totally, Crazily, Superbly Sweetness overload !~

We could not decide what to order,

so we opted for a simple,

Choctails

AUD $7.60

That's equivalent to RM23++

To come to think of it,

we actually paid that much for ice blended chocolate?!

*gulps*

We sat there enjoying our overpriced blended chocolate -

camwhoring of course! :)

whilst watching one customer after the other ordering fondue, shakes, waffles & what not ~

We could not take it anymore - hence we ordered:-

euphoria banana split sundae

AUD $14.50

vanilla ice cream + bananas

topped with caramel & cereal flakes

served with choco balls & choco sauce

sugar at every single bite ...

seriously every SINGLE bite !

You bet we enjoyed ourselves to the MAX

and

sugar coated with a priceless memory!

Versace for dinner

2011-10-16T21:31:00.010+08:00

Since we can't afford a Versace anything - we decided to EAT it!

Day 2 of our visit and we were already being superbly spoilt by the Bf's family!

Aunty Janet treated us to a buffet dinner in:-

Palazzo Versace
94 Seaworld Dr
Main Beach, QLD 4217
Gold Coast
Australia
(07) 5509 8000

There was a wide selection of food,

however we found ourselves only helping ourselves to:-

Oysters and Cold Prawns

Sashimi

Towards the end of our meal,
we were each served a complimentary hot beverage.
Not your ordinary coffee or tea.

But instead I got to opt for some freshly brewed Green Tea!
(only for VVIPs like Aunty Janet)

Overall dining experience -

it's Versace (self-reminder), dare I not give it 10/10?

Well, I suppose it's pretty ordinary.

I am not too sure how much Aunty Janet paid for our meal,
but reckon it was pricey.

After all, it's a 6 star hotel.

Even their plates are branded ~

the back of the plate

A very stuffed us being all touristy in the lobby before heading home!

Spinners @ Jupiters

2011-10-04T22:40:00.020+08:00

We took it easy on Day 1 at the Coast.
We had dinner at the family home. Pan-seared Salmon! *yum*

Then we headed to the Casino. . . for dessert!
yes we had cake & coffee instead of gambling :)

Jupiters Hotel & Casino
Broadbeach Island
Gold Coast
Australia 4218
+61 7 5592 8100

my pick : carrot cake

cousin Del's pick : fruit tart

cousin Grace's pick : tiramisu

the tiramisu's not mine!

The Bf's Granny enjoys visiting the Casino for a game or two of Keno,
and it was my first time being introduced to it too.

It's a lottery bingo game -- it's pretty fun & addictive actually.
But somehow I feel it's all pure luck.
And quite obviously I was not lucky and contributed my share of AUD $10 or so to the casino fund!
*so much of having dessert & coffee only, eh?*

Back to my dessert post --
so yeah, we forgotten to snap photos of the coffee that night. However managed to during our next visit on Day 3.

the Cappuccino

We tried the Spinner's breakfast that morning too and the bacons & mushrooms were to die for!

Priced at AUD $19

Getting around the Coast

The Bf's family members in the Coast are working adults (except for Granny of course), so most of the time the Bf & I traveled around via bus.

The major bus station @ Pacific Fair is just 5 mins walk away and the Bf's uncle + aunty works at the Jupiters, so we pretty much tagged along with them to work every other day unless we are chauffeured by them or the Cousins directly to our destination of the day! :)

To do:-

Purchase a Go Card (the bus fares are actually cheaper with the card - 30% off) from any news stand or 7-eleven.
Top with a significant amount (we went for $30).
If you have a mobile (with Aussie data plan), you can log in to the Translink website and the Journey planner basically plans your entire journey for you by just simply keying in your destination (i.e. road name or point of interest).

**Don't have an Aussie mobile let alone one with a data plan? Don't worry, you can:-

do your research at home first; or
find out your destinations and traveling time on the boards of the bus stop at Pacific Fair. There are 4 bus sections (A,B,C, & D) -- ensure you are on the right section; or
ask anyone (better still ask the bus driver)! (They are friendly!)

the Coast

2011-09-29T21:35:00.010+08:00

A series (and I dare say - a LOT!) of posts from the Gold Coast coming your way! :)

Let me tell you how it all begun!

I have been to rather a handful of places over the past xx years of my life, but I have never visited Australia. The Bf on the other hand have been to Aussie many times since he was a child.

And so he decided to buy me a ticket to the Coast!
yes I am that lucky! be jealous already! ;)

After months of waiting for the trip of the year --
July 2011 finally came along!
We had to take 11 working days off (and my boss was not too happy about it)

The 8 hours flight was not a very pleasant one!!
I hate flying . I have air sickness (to come to think about it - I have sea sickness too! haha)

Fortunately we took a night flight and I practically slept my way to the Coast but nevertheless threw up the minute we landed! (weakling, much?)

The morning of the first day on the Coast was pretty much ruined as I was not feeling too well . . . but hey I have 13 more days to go! :)

We headed for the Bf's family home to rest and within hours I was up and kicking and taking a stroll to the Sushi Bar nearby for a late snack.

the golden shine

It was beginning of winter & the weather was simply chilly ~

1st of July 2011 --
the day I fell in love with Coast!
and it was all made possible by the world greatest Bf ;)

my 26th birthday @ Ribs by Vintry

2011-09-25T22:23:00.008+08:00

My actual birthday fell on a Saturday,
& the family planned a BBQ get together at home --
so the Bf booked me for Friday instead!
:)

That particular Friday --
I had to stay a little longer at work than expected,
and by the time I got home & got ready --
it was 8.30 already!
(I pretty much ruined the Bf's plan for a romantic dinner!)

The Bf then said, "Let's call the Rib Shop . I think they close late!"
Indeed they did !~
:)

Ribs by Vintry
120-122, Jalan Kasah,

Medan Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur.
+(603) 2096 1645

Appetizer #1 - Button Mushrooms
(the Bf knew mushrooms are my favorite so he just had to order this)

Appetizer #2 - Fried Bacon Strips
sinfully awesome

Our main course - BBQ Pork Ribs
finger licking good ! *seriously!*

Mine - all MINE! *not*
the Bf and I have a habit of sharing food :)

I was pretty stuffed by then,
but the Bf insisted on ordering dessert and he picked -->

Pear Crumble topped with Vanila Ice-cream
it was love at every bite!!

I'm sorry the photos did not do the food any justice --
the camera's rusty and outdated (as you obviously can see!)
:(

Oh well, back to dining experience ...
A great selection of Wine is served too -- but I was not up for it that night :)

* * *

Then came midnight and the Bf surprised me with:-

a slice of my all time favorite Strawberry Tart from RT Pastry

AND

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

my birthday Present !!

From now on, my photos will be 100x of better quality!
don't I have the world greatest Bf?
haha

Thank you so-so much, Bf for everything !~

Much love,
Your Gf
;)

sad songs make me happy

2011-09-16T18:05:00.007+08:00

latest track on replay:-

If I Die Young
by The Band Perry

Don't get me wrong,
it's not that I am anticipating to die young -- if I had the choice I would like to live a 100!

It's just a nice song, don't you think so?
:')

Ban Khun Mae @ Siam Square

2011-09-15T21:15:00.008+08:00

my final post on BKK !~

Well, sis #2 and I have been doing some research for a decent restaurant to dine-in (as the ones we visited BKK about 5 years ago have all been closed down! *boohoo*)!

finally we stumbled upon Ban Khun Mae

situated in Siam Square

a 2 storey restaurant (or was it 3?)
=D

They actually serve Buffet for dinner -
but ala carte is available nevertheless !

The following are the dishes we ordered --
and I must say, every dish is recommended and a must try!

dish #1 - tom yum gong spicy level 5/5

dish #2 - panaeng (red curry) chicken
all our dishes are chicken (as the Bf does not take beef)
but you may opt for beef

dish #3 - green curry chicken
my all time favorite

dish #4 - catfish salad a MUST try -- i repeat -- M.U.S.T!
the fish taste like cotton candy n melts in the mouth

dish #5 - stir fry basil chicken

dessert - thab thim throb

Total damage
(if my memory did not fail it -- mind you I went to BKK in May & it's already September now -- please excuse my procrastination in blogging) --THB1200 (pretty affordable huh?)! :)

*****

To end my post(s) on BKK,
Here are some random facts of BKK --

Jam / Car & People congestion is a norm

Baiyoke Sky (left) is a pretty famous & pricey hotel (RM300++ per night)
whilst its sister hotel Baiyoke Boutique (right) is erm .....
(please avoid booking that one unless you would like to have some sleepless n relentless nights)

Tae kae noi & Naraya goodies makes great souvenirs

for my instance, I bought lotsa pocket tissue covers
(& the elephant keychains are from a gift stall in Chatuchak market)

Shopping is must for ladies !!~
Cheap clothes, accessories & bags
(Perhaps the quality is so-so -- but I can guarantee you can at least enjoy wearing them 2-6 months before it wears out!)

Place to shop:-
(for cheap & good bargains -- ranging from as low as THB 100 per piece - THB 450 per piece)

1. Platinum Fashion Mall
(mostly for girls & trust me you will go crazy)

2. Chatuchak Market
(wholesale available)

3. MBK
(for guys)

Oh, btw one of our luxury car(s) here in KL is a taxi in Bangkok !

(!!!)

Nooddi Restaurant @ Bangkok

2011-09-12T20:22:00.011+08:00

more on BKK !~ :)

this has been sis #2's all-time favorite noodle bar everytime she has a business trip in BKK.

Nooddi Restaurant @ Pat Pong
(opposite Silom Complex)
For the address and map, click here

What can be found here?

#1 - fresh juices (blended to perfection!)

*a must try*

thai orange . coconut
we had 2 glasses each! ;)

#2 - our all time favorite,
beef noodle

not a beef lover?

try their pork noodle instead ~

#3 - phad thai ~
*Photo - N/A*

this when the waitress who served us the phad thai practically shouted at me saying "NO PHOTOS!" (and pointed at the notice on the wall)
my bad for not noticing the sign !
but I only meant good (by promoting the restaurant!)
*boohoo*

Oh, and did I mention you can spice up your noodles the way you prefer them with these:-

**they even sell packets of fried pork lard(s) as add-ons

Price range:
Noodles @ THB 80 - 100 per bowl
Juices @ THB 40
Pork lard @ THB 20 per packet

Albeit the bad experience of being shouted at,

Nooddi is a not to be missed stop when you are visiting BKK !~
:)

*****

On a side note, Swensens is yet another must-stop !
:)
Reminder: cannot be compared to Haagen-Dasz or Baskin Robbins (different level altogether)
But Swensens BKK definitely tastes 10x better than the ones back home.

Found almost everywhere and anywhere on the streets of BKK & major shopping malls.

The Oreo rendition (THB 70) was so-so,

the Earthquake on the other hand is highly recommended
(you get to choose your flavors and toppings!)

we chose everything chocolatey + rum raisin (minus the whipped cream)

;)
if my memory did not fail me, this cost about THB 220

the Bf attacking the Earthquake
;)

dining @ Bangkok

2011-09-11T23:41:00.007+08:00

Back from my long hiatus, once again ! :)

*****

As per my previous post, we found a somewhat nice and comfortable place to stay -- and now what about the FOOD?

Food provides energy & thus shopping will be a breeze !

Unfortunately, I find dining in BKK somewhat disappointing
(or maybe simply because I don't know where the good food is!)
*boohoo*

However, here are some of the famous food in BKK - that can't go wrong !
Easily found on the streets & major shopping malls :)

Pork strips
THB 30 (a packet of 10 strips or so)
*street food*

Braised pork rice
THB 40 - 50
*a must try*

Phad Thai
THB 50 (without prawns)

Papaya Salad
THB 40

Minced Chicken with Basil (the middle plate)
*another must try*

Thab Thim Throb
THB 30
*a must try Thai dessert*

Please excuse the unrotated photos !~
Something is wrong with the photo editor ... and it's almost movie time @ home with the bf !
So, good night peeps !
:)

bangkok 2011 - the stay

2011-06-22T23:18:00.016+08:00

how can you resist a sale, especially if it was an airasia sale?

priced at only RM130.00 per person (all-in fare without baggage & meals - bought in Dec 2010), sis #2 + her hubby, the bf & I made our way to Bangkok ("BKK"), May this year.

our chosen hotel;
Centre Point Petchburi
booked via agoda.com

6 Soi 15 Petchburi Road,

Rajthevee, Pratunam,
Bangkok, Thailand

Superior room with breakfast (RM195 nett - differs according to season)
Complimentary wifi
Location: across Platinum Fashion Mall (approximately 100 meters/ 5 minutes walk)

OK I have to admit that some slight renovation/furnishing will do this hotel more justice - it's rather old fashioned!

But then again with its clean and comfy rooms, the convenience (Location) and the price (budget) - a girl could not ask for more in BKK!
:)

our king size bed

the spacious area

the kitchenette and adjoining room

The room came with daily buffet breakfast for two, and the bf & I just could not resist those pork bacon & sausages.

these reminded me of the bacon I had in Bali

practically the only tray we headed for every morning ~
*gluttony*

Overall, I would recommend this hotel unless you are on a higher budget there are plenty of higher end hotels within the vicinity.

More on BKK (actually not really since all I did in BKK was shop, shop, shop) coming soon!~

;)

currently spinning

2011-06-15T21:59:00.008+08:00

I have always doubted the casts in Glee -
claiming that those are not their voices .

but i was wrong - so wrong !

"Get it right"

by Lea Michelle

two word sums it all - simply awesome !~

;)

year 2

2011-05-28T17:42:00.009+08:00

19.11.2010

2nd year anniversary

pink lilies from the love, again !~

in year 1, bf had the lilies delivered to my office by the florist .

and the lilies (not me!) were the center of attention .

last year, he was on leave hence swung by for lunch and the bouquet was waiting for me in the front seat .

again, the lilies got a lot of attention in the office !

;)

hmmm ...

i wonder whether there will be more this year?

secret recipe

2011-04-26T23:11:00.006+08:00

should i share my infamous banana chocolate chip muffin / loaf recipe?

hmmm, I guess not !~

give me a buzz if you would like to have some and I shall consider whether to bake some for you !~

the ambassador
<3

the abandoned

2011-04-17T22:23:00.018+08:00

well, hello there!~

goodness ~

my last post was like a year ago !~

do people still blog when nowadays we all seem to be glued on to Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, instagr.am (to name a few) with constant updates on what we are doing almost every hour of the day?!

and of cos not forgetting chat/messenger systems such as whatsapp & bbm on the smart phones !~

I am without a doubt, ONE of the above people .

which pretty much explains the abandoned blog !~

(not proud, SO not proud)

*hangs head in shame*

will I blog again ?
I wonder too !
:)

bf's new toy

2010-04-18T23:55:00.006+08:00

I guess since women can't have enough of shoes,
men can't have enough of PC?

The bf's newly bought "Spare PC".
only to download movies, games, series, etc. (Private practice. Yay!)

Because his super PC is connected to his LCD which is shared among his ps3 & astro and coupled with the fact that downloads lag his super PC,
Spare PC is for downloads & me watching Private practice & Desperate Housewives!~

On one hand it sure seems that he is being thoughtful & sweet ..
but on the other,
he is finding every possible way to keep me away from hogging his LCD!

hmph!~

me want

2010-04-08T21:24:00.006+08:00

Rachael Yamagata
Happenstance
her 1st album way back in 2004
can't seem to find the full album download
:(
wonder whether available in stores

a little too weak

2010-04-04T22:50:00.004+08:00

My latest addiction;

the boyfriend downloaded all 3 seasons for me.
mainly owing to the fact that he will too busy for me glueing himself to his ffxiii.

I watched season 1 on Astro but my memory seems to fail me,
so I watched it all over again.

Am currently in season 3 and practically glued to it.
I cried the whole 40mins of the this one episode,
and I mean really really sobbing out loud till the bf got pretty worried.

What can I say?
Other than I have a weak heart?

necessities

2010-03-26T14:08:00.018+08:00

My makeup foundation is running low so I need to restock them right?
Girls, & their "necessities"
:)

I have been a loyal user of Loreal True Match,
but lately it seems to be leaving me with a semi-oily skin.

I have always wanted the M.A.C foundation,
(I have a handful of M.A.C cosmetics & would like to add to the collection)
But a bottle of it would cost me RM1xx.00 for 30ml only.
I remember paying RM60.00 for a 12g concealer.

It makes guys wonder what we girls are thinking eh?
Well one word to sum it --> NECESSITIES!~
:)

After looking at my bank account,
the idea of getting a M.A.C was instantly thrown out of the window.

Then I found this;

skin79 bbcream

hot pink

did some research (reading reviews online & etc) and thought what the heck,
why not just give it a try?

Here's MY review on the product:

Does not leave layer of semi-oily skin. In fact not at all! :)

Smooth liquid foundation with a really nice scent

Comes only in ONE shade & many thinks that it would not suit those with tanned/dark skin - untrue. Blends perfectly on my rather tanned/dark skin :)

It however does not seem to provide as much coverage as the review(s) seem to suggest. Supposedly works as a concealer and foundation. But on MY skin, concealer is still needed - perhaps it's just ME :)

Cost only RM55.00 for 40g - bought online from Uber-Stylish (an uber nice & friendly seller) ;))

Overall,
it's a pretty decent product & I'll definitely be restocking these.
There's also a perfect cover/ concealer of the range - guess I'll be trying those when my RM60 for 12g concealer runs out!
:)

flashback

2010-03-23T17:57:00.012+08:00

The very first post of my *newly revamped blog*
is specially dedicated to my crazy alcoholic friends !

We were labeled camels
(whom instead of storing water - stores alcohol)~
sounds lame I know --
ZY came up with it & each of us even had a specific camel nickname.

But honestly, we were very proud to be camels.

the guys
jentzen . marky . leon . alex . kenneth
zhenyang (seated)

the girls

yours truly . phuayean . peipei . liping
lydia (missing from photo)

Those were the days where week after week,

we'll be found either in Zouk, Velvet, Poppy or simply just a house session.

classic
taken @ jentz' crib back in 2008

Oh, and of course
not forgetting the most memorable Penang trip ever.

These were our substitute to drinking water.
Seriously, NO drinking water were found.
=.=

Gone are our camel days (well perhaps to most of us)
but the memory definitely remains.
:)

xoxo,
the retired steady camel jen

you there

2010-03-22T17:05:00.003+08:00

h e l l o !!~
:)

don't know what has gotten into me --
I've decided to revamped my entire blog!

boohoo you may say?
as you would not be able to find my older posts (posts dated back to 2007)
well, I may from time to time refresh your memory (you'll be surprised)!~
:)

in the mean time,
this is jen's newly revamped blog !~
:)