Pre CNY

This year CNY was slightly different.  First, we had a pre-CNY family photo session cum lunch since my sis wouldn't be around for CNY.  My bro suggested Tropicana golf club so off we went.  

Happy Rabbit year to all!

The whole gang

We took some photos around until people got too bored/tired/hot and then adjourned to the Chinese restaurant.  Food was ok only lah.  The yee sang cost RM128 and didn't taste that good - mainly it was too dry as in it didn't have enough sauce.  Other dishes fared better.   

The kids and the grandparents

Good start to the rabbit year.  Happy new year to all!
 

Beautiful place

Ending the Melaka series with the most beautiful place, The Baboon House.  I simply love the natural flora theme!  Again another popular place - we reached about 11am which I considered to be early for lunch. but we were informed there would be a half-hour wait.  Guess this is another place to aim for "right-after-opening" time!

I took some pictures while waiting.  There were a couple of these perfectly-set tables as in the pic below.  In a way luckily we didn't get these as I'm sure other people wouldn't be able to resist snapping a picture (just like me hehe)

Not us nor our table

The building was so long inside. This is SE walking to the washroom at the far end... 

Still haven't reached

After using the toilet, continued taking pictures. These are only a small part of the green. Imagine living in a place like this!  This is technically WITHIN the building which has an open indoor courtyard.

Pic 1

Pic 2

Finally it was our turn to get a table. Absolutely love the little alcove we got, it even had a small personal aquarium!  There were actually so many plants that it was difficult getting a clear shot for the camera.

Our table

What bliss!  Until I had to 'sour grapes' a bit and say that well living here, it would be SO difficult to maintain the plants and that much nature at home will be a little creepy.  Suffice to say I was the most excited in our group haha.  

The food?  Oh not bad at all.  The salads had rocket in them (a good sign of quality in my books since rocket is expensive) and the sweet potato fries were freshly-fried.   

Finally food. I'm going barmy already with all the plant talk

Sighhh.  Despite the queue, definitely a must-visit for next time!

Melaka - Food

(Continuing on Melaka posts)

While I did try looking for things to do, there weren't many which suited us.  Which left our main activity as FOOD.  Some places we went to...

Coffee and pastries at The Stolen Cup:  Cosy place with decent food. It wasn't cheap though - the croissant with strawberries and cream cost almost RM18.  The mixed berries pastry was procured by hubby who didn't notice the price.  I estimate it wasn't far off as they did use fresh blueberries and blackberries.  Overall it was good stuff, and I was excited seeing these lovely pastries appearing on our table together with a cappucino, but will probably try other places next time.

Mmmm pastries and coffee!

The Daily Fix was a repeat visit for us.  It is so popular that there's a queue almost all the time.  I gave up on the first day.  Luckily we did stay VERY close so I set an alarm the next morning and managed to get everyone there within 10mins of its opening time hehe.  Talk about kiasu!  

Ordered the big breakfast (okay), the smoked duck sandwich (okay), spicy spaghetti (not good - hubby's choice) and chocolate chip pancakes (will return for this alone!).  Story of the spaghetti:  It tasted like chilli prawn oil from a jar stirred into spaghetti. and was too spicy even for hubby.  I asked for the leftovers to be packed since there was a lot, and got charged 80sen for the packaging haha.  Then I put this into my bag and walked the rest of the morning with it.  The next morning when I opened the box, the contents smelled a bit 'off'.  Ate a bit only as I didn't want to risk a tummy-ache.  Confirmed it  wasn't nice at all so it was with some relief that I tossed this into the bin.  So this spaghetti totally had the last laugh!

Mmm chocolate chip pancakes

The enamel trays deco

After a couple of days of street and cafe food, we finally had a 'usual' meal.  Walked to Atlantic for a nyonya-style dinner.  Only to find that it had a big carpark so we could have easily driven there instead.  Enjoyed the pandan rice, ladies fingers and petai prawns.  The chicken rendang was not bad but rather too heavy for us.  Can consider a repeat visit for this place.

Not bad, not bad

Weekend away

Oh my it's been a new year for some time, I better post up this one already!  I have been so busy both at the home front as my helper has gone back for vacation, as well as the work front.  

Hubby caught Covid after our Melaka trip.  I had to work so was with the kids in our apartment when he tested positive.  That weekend, I decided to drive back home for the kids' art class.  Had to drop by the house for their art stuff and it felt surreal to be a little scared in our own home and having to stay far away from hubby.

Went to 1u after their class.

 

Merry Christmas!

Lots of fishies

So it was a cosy weekend, just the 3 of us, at our apartment.  Hauled them out to go swimming...

Can we go yet?

Checked out a new Korean food outlet as JE wanted to eat kimchi.  Nah, pricey and not that good.

So-so kimchi noodles and seafood pancake

And what was JE carrying in the box around 1u?  

Donuts!

Redeemed FOC donuts from Shopee.  These were nicer than I remembered, soft and fresh.  

Knife Gallery

Jaya Mata knife gallery was right on Jonker Street.  We got free entrance by registering on their site.  It was a fun visit which (to me) wouldn't have been worth the entrance fee.

We are going up to this knife place

JE was in a silly mood which was fine for pictures...

La

And lala

And voila!

Can we bring this home?

The place was small so we took our time to touch ad look at things.  The guide didn't come with us.  She went with a later group and were doing explanations in Mandarin.  That's probably why she didn't follow us as we were speaking English amongst ourselves and she was possibly only comfortable using Mandarin.  The merchandise (knives, nail-clippers, some kitchen equipment, etc) wasn't expensive and we picked up some souvenirs.  Yes the durian knife is one of their best-sellers.

'Inspected' the bathroom and then off we went.

Good bathroom this 

Melaka trip 2022

For the year-end school holidays, we went to Melaka. Just like our previous PD trip, it felt nostalgic as our previous visit 2.5 years ago happened RIGHT when MCO was announced.  When I look back at my previous post, the kids looked so much younger (and cute!).  

This time I didn't bother looking for a place with a swimming pool as they would rather be online instead.  Booked Swiss Heritage as it was available and had parking.  SE complained at first until I had to tell her any more complaints next time she doesn't get to come along!  The place was ok to me - of course not a 5-star, but I am never one to pay a lot for accommodation.  Beds were comfortable and it was a stone's throw away from Jonker Street. 

We are at Jonker Street. Where we are staying :)

We went there on a Sunday.  Made a stop at Baba Charlie first (I found the nyonya laksa so-so only while the onde-onde was nice) then timing was just nice to check in.  I didn't expect there to be a pasar malam but there was. :)  Which was good.  It got REALLY crowded though.  We managed to find a seat to eat our fried radish cake, rojak and various items.  JE got cornered into ordering something by a staff while hubby and me were out procuring other items.  Luckily it was some lobak thing which tasted good.  

Finally found a table

The lobak which JE ordered

SE later totally warmed up to the room.  Here they are playing with the steam on the bathroom door.  Definitely something fishy happening inside haha.

Hehehe

Haircut

Before our helper went home on holiday, one of her tasks was to give the kids a haircut. Well they chose kakak cut instead of going to the hairdresser since apparently the latter would cut too much off.  SE took a before pic...

This is my before

Right after the haircut... wails and tears!  JE's turned out all right so no drama there, but SE.... her fringe is really rather short!  And this girl went on and on and on about it.

1. My hair is SO SHORT!

2. This kakak.  Had to leave me A LEETTLE GIFT before going home.

3. Jojo's is ok but mine is SO UGLY!!

 

Hehe poor girl.  Can't blame amateurs - I'm sure it would have turned out worse if I had been the one cutting!

After oh, a week?, the wailing has stopped.

As you can see, the fringe still needs to grow out.  This pic was at our very first poke bowl lunch which we enjoyed.

Poke bowls are nice!

(nobody mention her hair to her please)