Carnegie's

Finally it's Friday! I have been so busy this whole day. As usual, my manager who has no time managment only started asking me to prepare whatever proposal she needs for the meeting in the afternoon. But luckily I still managed to sneak out in the midst of busy work to have lunch.
We had lunch at this Bistro that is newly opened at the ground floor of our building called "Carnegie's". They have been in the market for quite some time in Singapore, Perth, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The place looks pretty cool with all 70's & 80's posters on the wall and plays good music.
We are the first group of persons went in for lunch (3 persons count as a group right?) I ordered a set lunch that came with a salad, grilled snapper and a drink with the options of soft drinks, coffee, tea, draught beer or wine. Can you imagine? Alcohol over the lunch! It really reminds me of aussie! But at the end, I had only a ice leomn tea.
Overall the food are nice, but the service is slow. In order to beat the lunch crowd, I think they need to increase their efficiency. Buy anyway, besides the food, there are always more interesting things to talk about, like the patrons. hehe....
A lot of "yummy" (a description quoted from a friend) people actually went there for lunch this afternoon. I guess they all work around here, probably just the building next door. It makes me think: why all these interesting and yummy people only exist in other company but not mine??!!! I doubt this is the "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" thinking. This is really true!
Anyway, overall today's lunch is good, a relaxing one to help me to de-stress abit to continue my second half of the day.

In the state of anti-social

When I got up this morning, I feel sick. Today suppose to be a day that I look forward to coming to work. Before I left the office yesterday, they said we will get to know how much bonus and increment we will be getting this year - and it suppose to be a good one! But somehow, I just feel indifferent with 1 or 2 mths bonus( If I ever get so much!) Something is lacking in this job - job satisfaction.
Maybe I'm pmsing + feeling sick (sorethroat & headache) + a little bit grumpy due to lack of sleep. I'm sitting in front of my desk, pretending I'm working hard, in fact, I'm blogging. A bit anti-social since I came in, feel too bored to talk to any of the boring colleagues here. (Am I very mean?) I think I did the same thing when I was at the gym yesterday. I pretended I didn't see those familiar faces and be anti-social to sit at one corner to read newspapers. I stepped into the studio once the body step class started, when the class ended, I go straight into changing room to bathe. I'm so anti-social! I can't believe that I pretended I didn't my friend when I was on my way out from the gym. I think I saw the confused look on my friend's face when he saw me just walked past as if I don't know him.
Maybe another gym class is needed, preferably bodyjam class to uplift my spirit. Or maybe a glass of Chadonnay will do (since it does help Bridget huh)?

"He is just not that into you"

I was flipping through this book named"He is just not that into you"this afternoon when I was at Times Bookstore. Normally, this kind of book is just not my cup of tea, but something attract my attention on the book cover : "Sex & The City relationship consultant - Greg something". Yes, those are the magic words that made me opened up the book and started reading it.
Greg says we are all dating the same men. That's why whatever in the book are applicable to all men.
Chapter 1:
"he is just not that into you, if he is not asking you out"
"he is probably in the midst of busy work, he is probably too shy to call, he is probably does not want to mess up our friendship.....", all these are only excuses to tell you that - He is not that into you.

Chapter 2:
"he is not that into you, if he is not calling you"

Chapter 3:
"he is not that into you, if he is not dating you"

Chapter 4:
"he is not that into you, if he only call you when he is drunk"

Chapter 5:
"he is not that into you, if he is not having sex with you"

There are still whole long list reasons to go.... I have no idea how true are these to reflect on our Malaysian men. But I guess at the end of the day, men are men, regardless of their nationality, skin colour and education level.
From a woman's perspective, I will always ask a guy out, even I'm not into him; I will call up a guy and talk for an hour, even I'm not into him. But I would neither date nor have sex with a guy that I'm not into him at all. I called a guy on the night I got drunk, I wasn't into him, but definitely he is someone special than the others to me.
What do you all think , especially guys?

我的茨场街 “二”游

继上一篇的blog 之后， 心有点不甘，总是在想着很想到茨场街去。终于， 上个周末完了我的心愿。

日期：2005年的第8 天

时间：晚餐时间

上个周末， 和三个老朋友到椰子屋去享用晚餐。 尽管，我们到达目的地时都已经是大约九点了， 可是， 我们都还是满怀期待的要去一尝这闻名已旧， 可是却一再没机会尝试的地方。这是我第一次来到椰子屋，没有抱太大的期望。可是，朋友中尝过它的食物的，都有些许的失望。我们点了两个不同风味的中型Pizza。 蛮有口感， 因为他们的pizza是薄薄的那种，吃起来脆脆的，很过瘾！只可惜，我是嫌它的味道不够浓， cheese 不够多（也真是要感激老板的用心良苦，看到我们的样子，或许知道我们应该要少吃了！）其中我们也点了一道名为Rice Ball stuffed with cheese 的前菜。伺应生告诉我们这道菜很不错，（单看名字也真的忍不住要留口水了！）他形容说：“当你切开那很大的饭团时，里头都是cheese!”听了之后，又怎么能不试呢？只可惜，"name" can be deceived。。。当这道前菜来到时：1. 饭团并没有如他所形容的如此大！2. 切开来之后，根本看不到cheese 的踪迹。3. 把所谓的cheese饭团放入口中也真的尝不到cheese 的味道。4. 饭团的周遭还淋了一些类似奶油的东西，甜甜的，味道和饭团竟一点也不相称。整顿晚餐，就只有名为coconut blended 的饮料还不错， 里头还可以吃到已被打得碎碎的椰肉干，喝在口里还带有香甜的椰肉味！可是，据我的那一位食家朋友， sam 说，还是马六甲的比较好。对于我来说，没有比较，这已经是不错了。在结账之后，大家都觉得价钱公道， 就在这做个小总结。

食物：6.5/10

服务：4/10

环境：7/10

价格：7/10

其实，椰子屋里头的装潢并没有特别的impressive， 只是胜在我们都很享受他们播放的歌。应该都是一些70-80 年代的oldies吧!所以，当一些歌曲我们可以朗朗上口地唱着时，我们都被吓着了，我们是那个年代的吗？服务是真的有待改善，虽然态度还蛮亲切，可是， 确真是让饿坏的我们久等了. 或许还有一点必须一提的是， 椰子屋有点像是城市里的一股清流，坐落在繁忙的Jln Pudu 可是，里头却很幽静，且不让我觉得很商业化，这或许就是它的特别之处吧！

日期：2005年的第8 天
时间：晚餐之后

终于晚餐之后，我们来到了茨场街。虽然，并没有机会真正走到里头去逛，可时，我们也算是在车上饶了茨场街一圈，真是辛苦你了，anne。后来，我们去了民歌餐厅，一个我们很久没去，而且近来有点抗拒要去的地方，哈！里头并没有什么特别之处值得多写，唯一重点也只是：我到茨场街一游。:)

日期：2005年的第9天

时间：电影Bridget Jones Diary 2: The Edge of Reason 之后，晚餐时间

看了一部好电影，我们就开始觅食了。老远从Bandar Utama 驾车到茨场街， 为的就是要吃瓦煲老鼠粉。把车停在老远，我们好不容易才挤进了茨场街， 走在人群里，我紧紧地捉着自己的小提袋，心里超没安全感，可是，却也蛮享受走在人群，看着热闹的夜市，琳琅满目的摊子。终于， 走到了我们要去的地方，放眼一看，不得了，这以前简陋的路边摊，现在竟变成了冷气化的店铺。虽然，他们也保留了原有的路边摊在外，可是，我们还是选择了坐在店铺里。 食物来了，老鼠粉还是很美味！热腾腾的一煲，往煲里望， 看到一粒生荷包蛋漂亮地躺在上面。 朋友动手把蛋捣碎，将蛋和热腾腾的面混合在一起。我暗地里叫了“哎唷”一声。朋友看到我的表情，问我是不是不吃蛋。我说不是， 只是刚才的画面太漂亮了，觉得就这么捣碎有点可惜。朋友听了， 竟然笑起来。结账时，肚子胀胀的，心里也是超满足。虽然，价格是比一般的路边摊贵了一些，可是，付的应该是那一份感觉吧！

我们几时再一起去茨场街呢？

熟悉的China Town

今天下午和老板娘去茨场街做sourcing。当我踏足茨场街时，才惊觉这地方实在是和以前有太大的不同了。我的样子就像是个初次到访的游客似的， 对周遭的事物都情不自禁贪婪地多望几眼。看着身边的一景一物，都让我回想起很多中学时的回忆，例如Hong Leong Bank 前的龙眼水摊子， 坐落在角落的Popular Book Store，有好好吃Nasi Lemak的King's Cafe，或再远一些的紫藤茶坊，Nando's，Burger King 还有好多好多。 虽然刚才所提到的每个地方都还在旧址，可是，外貌全都被翻新了。而且，在那一带也多了很多新式的店铺，如Coffee Bean, McDonald's, 好多家摩登的脚底按摩， 还有最近新兴的港式甜品店-口甜舌滑等等。 虽然翻新后的茨场街比以前更加的整齐，干净了。可是，同时那曾经熟悉的感觉却也随着时间的消逝，变得淡淡的。
尽管如此，我想人总是要随着时代的变迁而调适的。除了缅怀过去之外，我想未来还有更多的未知数值得我们创造及期待的。突发奇想：好想和我所有的旧朋友一起再去这曾经熟悉的地方逛。 这会是什么时候呢？

Compliments

My colleague told me yesterday:" hey mei, I like your shoes, very nice!" I replied her:" thank you. I like this shoes too!" If it was the Mei in years back, I would say:" nolah, this is just a regular pair of shoes". I didn't know how to accept someone's compliment until I start realising that it is a pleasure to have someone to praise you! Instead of denying it, I start accepting it and thank the person as well.
Many people (maybe especially chinese?) might think that it shows that you are humble if you deny compliments from others. But why? Why not accept it if you really deserved it? There is a funny part of it, if I praise a friend, ( yes, you know who you are) she would say:" I know ah!" Emm..... maybe this is a little over confident? hehehe....
It is a real happy to get compliment from someone. So, do the same to people who you think deserve some sincere compliments from you too!

My new year eve - part 2

This new year eve is really unusual. Last year this time, I was at Darling Harbour anxiously waiting for the fireworks. I really miss the fireworks in Sydney so much. I think the fireworks at Sydney Harbour is the most gorgeous one that i have seen so far.
I was at a friend's place to have steamboat on this new year eve. It was .....something different. Anyway, I was home earlier than I expected. At least, this is the only year that i managed to write down my 2005 new year resolution before 2005 came! hehehe...
May year 2005 is a better year for everyone!
*Health makes most things possible, Wealth makes most things work, Love makes all things beautiful. May everyone has all in year 2005!*

My new year eve - part 1

This year new year eve wasn't the same for many people. With the cancellation of most major new year celebration, everyone could probably take this chance to have a quiet new year eve to look back everything happened and plan fot the coming year.
I was truly in deep sorrow when reading every single word on the newspaper regarding the tsunami disaster. I was once thought that we are so lucky to be born in M'sia, a land that free of major disaster. But after this incident, I no longer have the same thinking. At the end of the day, we are all under one "sky".
Some friends spent their new year eve helping up to sort out donated items at a temple overnight. I was there on the Friday afternoon too. I was once quite hesitate to step in, thinking that it might be too awkward to go in to offer help. When I saw the crowd heading to the temple to show their generosity, I know I made the right decision. Everyone was there to help whatever they could. I never seen a scene like this. I'm so proud with our nation. There are some scene which are quite touching. A mid 40s lady drove to the temple alone. On the back seat of the old car, there was a packet of rice, and few bags of old clothes to be donated to the tsunami victims. She was dressed in her working clothes, with stain and dirt on her own clothes. I realised that the financial status does not reflect the generosity of an individual. Some friends of mine who are quite well off don't even give a damn to all the call of donation. Maybe it takes them soem time to realise the "need of givng out the helping hands". The evening when i stepped out from the temple, another question arises in my mind: will all these items reach the victims soon? Dragging my tired and smelly(with sweat) body went into the car, i refused to think further, and wish all these will reach the people in need soon.