Engaged!

I was excited that WL is finally returning from his business trip. I anticipated a fancy dinner with him cuz he texted me to dress up nicely. He picked up from office & immediately drove straight to downtown KL. For the first time, we were having dinner at a really posh restaurant called Illido KL at Jalan Mayang.

We were the first to arrive at the & was ushered to our reserved seat by the restaurant's general manager. While WL went to the washroom, I took out my phone to snap some pics since no one was looking. Not like the restaurant forbid any form of photographing but the location was so prim & proper that it made me a little wary of do's & don'ts. What I really like the about the restaurant that it's peaceful, making it easier for us to chat among ourselves.

We ordered an appetizer, a pasta dish & poultry for main course. Instead of being a little romantic by drinking wine, I ended up drinking orange juice while WL opted for beer. Cuz I'm a sucker & will always be one at anything alcohols. The waiter served the appetizer dish which looks like a small piece of fruit on an oversize plate in front of WL.

I was expecting for a similar dish on my table when restaurant GM brought the plate & placed right in front of me. Instead of the red piece of fruit, I saw a sparkling diamond ring in the plate. I was stunned & surprise for a moment; barely able to open my mouth to speak. WL came over to my side, knelt down & uttered, "Will you marry me?" with a bouquet of roses.

What a surprise!! Feeling all fuzzy warm inside & almost tearing up, I hugged him tightly & said, "YES!". WL slipped the ring & snugged perfectly into my right middle finger. The diamond gleamed brightly each time the light passes through it. The restaurant staffs applauded & congratulated for our engagement. With that, the waiter proceeded to serve our orders, carefully observing us finishing our meal before serving the next plate.

Our first order was Brodetto all’Anconetana (‘Ancona’ Style Seafood Soup) with huge, juicy clams. Yum! =)

The next appetizer came which is called Fritto di Calamari con Insalata di Patate (Crispy Fried Calamari with Warm Potato Salad).

As for main course, me & WL ordered very two different dishes. I stuck by the usual pasta while he opted for poulty.

Linguine con Vongole e Limone Candito
(Linguine with Little Neck Clams and Preserved Lemon)

Petto d’Anitra con Albicocche e Amarene
(Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Apricots and Morello Cherry Sauce)

After dinner, we went upstairs to enjoy the KL city view. I wouldn't call it scenic cuz it was partially blocked by nearby skyscrapers. Nevertheless, the Petronas Twin Towers & KL tower were still visible.

We decided to indulge in a slice of Tiramisu while enjoying the view. The cake looks delicious but texture was a little too soft to my liking.

The dinner was expensive but what more can I say - it was expected from a fine-dining restaurant. It was a good experience to be able to dine in such a premium location for the first time. Knowingly a common girl like me wouldn't know how to appreciate exquisite dining for the 2nd time. I will always remember this night as the day WL proposed to me. Thanks & love always, my hubby-to-be. =)

Address:
ilLido Italian Dining + Lounge Bar
183 Jalan Mayang (off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng)
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:
+603-2161 2291
reservations@il-lido.com.my

Opening Hours:
Lunch & Dinner
Mondays to Fridays, 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Mondays to Saturdays, 6:30pm - 10:30pm

Bar
Mondays to Saturdays, 5:00pm to 1:00am

Dress Code:
Smart casual

Links:
http://www.il-lido.com.my/

Not really a rest day

Yesterday was the 2nd time I took leave this month in an effort to clear some of my near-expiry annual leaves. It was supposed to be an opportunity for me to take some time off from work & rest.

However, things didn't turned out as expected cuz the metal bar for hanging clothes in the closet had finally gave way. To remove weight burden off the metal bar, I removed some clothes & folded them. Others were hung together with only one hanger cuz I somehow assumed that less hangers would probably mean less weight.

I was wrong. As a result, the metal bar collapsed several times leaving the clothes piled up in the closet. I packed again & repeated it thrice until my back ached. Instead of taking a nap, I ended up tidying the room cuz I couldn't stand seeing dust sticking around.

Being allergic to dust is not doing good either. In the end, I caught a cold - going to bed with a sniffling wet nose was a horrible feeling. Gah! Thankfully Panadol saved my day~ There's only one thing is missing...my baby WL ain't around for the whole week & I feel lonely. =(

Ricetaurant, Bangsar Village II

It was Friday night - so happened that I drove WL's car to work. I finished a little late about 7pm & by the time I arrived at WL's office to pick him up, it was almost 8pm plus due to traffic jam after a heavy downpour.

As usual, it was my duty to think of the location for our dinner. Since both of our stomachs were growling out of hunger, I suggested to eat nearby. And off we headed to Bangsar Village II to dine at Ricetaurant. I've been wanting to try the food here which is part of The Big Group, also known for its Canoodling & Plan b. This restaurant takes on a similar concept with Canoodling that it serves only a certain food - anything rice.

Starting off with the menu, the design is really unusual. The set menu looks like a report card sheet from school.

Take a look at the ala carte & beverage menu...it's an exercise book with small, little boxes that I used to scribble all the complicated Add. Math calculations.

Did it ever cross your mind that a menu would look exactly like an actual exercise book? Even the multiplication table is at the back.

I ordered kung po chicken with rice while WL called for braised ginger duck with rice. I didn't manage to take any pics of our orders as we were too busy gobbling our food. Anyways, the food was mediocre & too pricey. I personally preferred Canoodling's just right next door even though it's not any cheaper.

I'm not sure if I would pay a 2nd visit but I certainly have no doubts about dining at Plan b instead.

Address:
2F-29, Level 2
Bangsar Village II
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:
03-2287 1566

Opening Hours:
12:00pm to 3:00pm daily
6:00pm to 10:00pm daily

Links:
http://www.facebook.com/TheBigGroup
http://www.thebiggroup.co

Birthday surprise

I was invited to attend a birthday surprise organised by WL's "cousins" for their father's 70th birthday. It was held at Marco Polo, a Chinese restaurant at Wisma Lim Foo Yong. Upon arrival, I was equally surprised myself cuz the decor & set-up at a medium size private room gave the impression that it's a mini wedding reception rather than a birthday celebration. I found it amusing =P

The party turned out to be a pretty big affair with families, close relatives & friends being invited; amounting to about 120 people in total. When the birthday "boy" arrived, everyone stood up & applauded loudly. A few of us were busy snapping away with our cameras.

The choice of dishes were the usual 8 course dinner & it tasted pretty okay.

The children of the birthday "boy" prepared a short slideshow to reminisce the good old times. It was short & cheesy but still sweet anyhow. =) I quite a number of pics throughout the night but I'm not gonna upload all here as it's all on Facebook. Nevertheless, I just had to post this pic of WL cuz he looks so adorable. =D *melts*

Cargill-Nestle Sports Carnival 2011

When WL told me that he'll be representing his company together with his teammates to participate in a sports tournament, I was more than eager to provide the ever-needed moral support. He was casually practising for several months with some of his teammates during our weekly badminton sessions.

Tournament day has finally come & I was all ready with my new camera to snap WL & his team in action. We gathered at WL's office at 7am before heading to FRIM, Kepong where the tournament will be held. While waiting for the rest of the members to arrive, I couldn't help but started warming up with my D5100. Indeed shooting at different hours of the day does give the photo a different feeling. See how the early morning blue sky cast a deep blue hue as the sun slowly rise from the east.

When we arrived at FRIM, I was surprised to see so many visitors were there for their morning walks or jogs. While WL & his colleagues went to warm up & prepare for the tournaments, I walked about nearby but not too far from the sports hall in case I got lost. With my camera in hand, I took some random pics of the surroundings.

And then it was WL & his teammates warming up before their badminton game while I busily snapped away.

A group photoshoot before the tournament officially begun.

Sadly, WL & team was shortlived due to lack of practice & this allowed the opponenents to win easily. Without further adue, WL continued with the next sport - table tennis. He & his teammates fully utilised whatever time left to practise as much as possible.

Before the game commenced, all participants were given a short briefing about the rules & who they'll be playing against.

And the the games begun...

Luck was not at WL & his teammates side; or should I say the lack of practice had rendered the team less competent compared to Nestle's stronger team. Anyhow, the 3rd & 4th doubles in WL's team managed to win their opponent...in the end, Cargill was deemed the winner for table tennis category.

The Cargill volleyball team was a strong contender to Nestle's who was lucky to have a group of co-workers showing their never-ending support for each other. Yet again, lucky wasn't on our side as the weather condition was less conducive causing Cargill's team to lose focus. Not ot mentioned, many of them were already exhausted from the earlier games in which they also participated in. Nevertheless, I personally thought it was a good game to watch. =)

As all-round winner for table tennis, team Cargill received a medal! Yay~

Just look at WL's silly grin after receiving the medal. How adorable~ XD

Phew! What a long day it had been...WL kept telling me that if only they came more prepared - both physically & mentally - the outcome would've been more satisfying. They'll have to wait for next year then.

I Am Nikon Fangirl

After months of consideration & pondering, I've finally made a stand to fulfil my wish. Here I am...announcing that I'm a proud owner of a Nikon DSLR! And officially declare myself as a Nikon fangirl from now on.

WL, the sweetest baby accompanied me to buy the camera of my choice at Amcorp Mall. I was so esctatic & couldn't believe myself carrying this woven bag home. Uber cool! XD

Hold your breath! Here's the moment you've been waiting for...my new baby toy, Nikon D5100 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR kit lens~

Before unboxing

After unboxing

The standard purchase came with a free 8GB SD card & a humongous Nikon DSLR bag. Not too fancy, eh? -.-"

I negotiated with the boss to get a Hoya HMC UV filter & he agreed to package it together & offered a great deal. The price was at RM2,370 but due to credit card payment, customers will be imposed a 2% charges. In total, I paid RM2,417 which I felt is pretty affordable.

So it's time to snap all the way~ Can't wait to attend one of their workshops. =D

Nyonya food from Taiping

Being with WL is one of the most fortunate things cuz he's an avid foodie. His hobby is trying out new dishes - in other words, eating is his favourite pastime. He's been buying quite a number of food vouchers online & this time, it's nyonya food set at Taiping Ho Chiak.

The voucher is a set meal for two which includes 2 bowls of rice, kapitan chicken, kangkung belacan, egg omelette with Chinese pork sausage & 2 bowls of ABC soup. The portion turned out to be pretty small but nevertheless, the dishes tasted pretty nice with a homely feel.

We added another dish, considering the dishes turned out to be too small for our appetite. There you have it, fried calamari with curry powder. Too much spices to my liking but still alright.

Overall, food quality is decent but with the such small portion at a slightly higher price, I doubt the restaurant can survive any longer. Even with the voucher promo, I didn't see a huge crowd turnout. Maybe that day was rather quiet compared to other days. Looks like a 2nd visit to this restaurant is very unlikely for me.

Address:
Restoran Taiping Ho Chiak
28, Jalan SS 2/10
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor

What's your number?

So the movie What's Your Number? starring Anna Faris & Chris Evans is finally here, how did it fare? As expected, it's a typical rom-com with a predictable plot. The only factor that had attracted me to watch this movie was the fact that the male lead is sexy hearthrob Chris Evans. I'd must say Anna Faris do have some potential in this rom-com category but it's a pity that the dialogues were bland. Most jokes were forceful but thankfully there were a few slapstick humours to break off the dry spell.

The chemistry? There certainly is but just not enough even with Chris Evans. It takes two to tango, same goes for chemistry. Sadly, it's not the kind of movie that gives u the warm, fuzzy feeling inside. In my opinion, the poor screenwriting didn't do justice to the two talented leads. Else, it would've been an entertaining piece that leaves a smile on my face.

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com

Plan b, Bangsar Village I

This is one of those rare days where my colleagues & I get to travel a little further for a slightly longer lunch. I supposed driving out for a good lunch is a much needed stress reliever for our rather stressful week. We drove all the way to Bangsar Village to lunch at Plan b.

Plan b is a contemporary Aussie-meets-New York deli which serves breakfast sets, salads & a myriad of Western dishes with rustic cakes & desserts. It belongs to The BIG Group of Restaurants which also owned Canoodling, Ricetaurant, Ben's General Food Store just to name a few.

Price is averages at around RM20+ - not too expensive in return for a huge portion. Each of us ordered different dishes to try & I stuck by ordering my favourite food, pasta. Totally love how the marinara sauce envelopes the spaghetti perfectly & not to forget the freshness & abundance amount of seafood included.

Marinara

If you're wondering how huge their breakfast sets look like, here it is. Just look at the beautifully poached eggs & golden hash brown makes drool with hunger.

Plan B Platter

My colleague called for a beef burger & I'd must say it looks equally awesome too. Who can resist the heavily laden sesame bun with beef patty & the sinful fries to complete the dish?

Double Cheeseburger

The meal was indeed a satisfying one & it's a cool place to hang out with such comfy ambience. The restaurant ain't big & it can be quite crowded during lunch hour & probably dinner time too. I would advise you to arrive early or on a safer side, do make reservations prior to your arrival. I have no qualms about returning to Plan b for a 2nd round. =)

Address:
G5, Ground Floor
Bangsar Village I
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:
03-2287 2630

Opening Hours:
8:00am - 1:00am daily