My Birthday with all the pretty akkas

Sweet & Devil Rachel gathered everyone here for my birthday
yeah I know that was last month so I must MUST must blog bout it before July comes...
which is heeee this Sunday? *sheepish smile*


yes Time waits for no one....more like TIME doesn't wait at all
we grow old, we grow fat, we get tired and relentless
and still TIME don't wait a minute/second for us to whine and complain
it just moves on and one and one.....
and Monday become Friday *woohooo*
in a blink of an eye what happened to my Jan, Feb, Mar???
when July is knocking at my door
sigh.....
OR
what happen to my 20's and now I am in my 30's!!!!
>.<


every year I'll tell myself last year was my PRIME
which is good
coz it's testimony that every year got better
I hope I am able to maintain it this way till I past my 50's
wooohooo I am alwiz at my prime :D *evil proud grin*
yes I am a narcissist :P

Beautiful CS and Monkey
she arrived 1st at the venue - Leoarnado's
and kept on complaining to the rest how could they let Birthday Girl wait for them???


well all the pretty akkas had to rush home to prep up and come out in killer heels
as for me....I was on leave that day!!!
so no excuse for me to be late
wuahahahhahahahahaa

Leonardo's is a casual chill out place in Bangsar with good food and excellent ambience
with ample parking in a quiet corner of residential area in Bangsar, u can't go wrong


this was my 3rd time here and the last time was so long ago
during a wine dinner
*click here to read about it*


after 20 mins, everyone arrived and our feast begun
everyone was bz ordering wines, yummy salad
pastas, veal, beef, chicken...
guess wat I had?

wuahahahhaha my wonderful sinful Hokkien Mee with tonnes of pork lard innit!!!!
everyone's eyes were gasping at my plate
"U having that???"


Why not? birthday gal can have anything she wants...
yes even though she's dressed to the nine in full makeup :P


in less than 60 seconds, everyone was so into this plate of Hokkien Mee coz it's really good
sorry I'm Asian so this is wat I do best....gawking and stuffing my face with asian food all the time

I've put on 3kg after my Bangkok trip
there are a few who asked me if I'm pregnant or not
u know it's not flattering to ask a woman if she's pregnant or not??
>.<


anyway I've got a personal trainer now to push me to burn those calories
yea hell wat am I doin with that plate of hokkien me?????
nvm my philosophy is...life is too short....eat first :P
MUAHAHAHAHAHA
JS said I m making it even shorter by burning both ends of my candle
-_-

since I'm a MONKEY
Sweet Devil Rachel got me a sinful slice of heaven - chocolate banana cake with almond
it was really really good!!!!

pressie time!!!
Dear pretty akkas, our friendship is the best gift ever.
so don't kill brain cells to think of wat to get for Monkey


"YEAHHH u've got everything!!!! we didn't know wat to give u!!!"


in the end they got me all sort of relaxation products from superb spa package to home spa remedies and goodies that smells so oooohhhh tantalizing!!!
they got inspired after visited my home and saw the huge ass bath tub :P
this was also signs that I need to relax more and not to over-work myself
hmmmmm okie point noted

standing at the back: Hot Mama Thevi, Million-dollar-smile Encee, Devigaga, Hawt Babe Shen, Sweet Devil Rachel, Sexay Back Maggie

seated were Sal, Beautiful CS, Monkey, BCBG Amy

Thank you for your endless love and friendship

of bitching and "Goss" session!!!!

I never thought that I'll find friendship through ppl I worked with in this industry

wat a kaleidoscope mix of ppl

from oil and gas to fashion, to Legoland :))))))

timepieces jewelries to PR agency and corporate

to ppl who no longer need to work bcoz lil ones took centre stage in life

:)))))))

ok ok promise...my next industry will never be timepieces!!!!

:)))))))

later, we took the partay to Zeta Bar in Hilton Hotel

the new BFF = Beautiful CS and Hot Mama Thevi

since we've never gone there in ages....Beautiful CS thought we should go and recce

:P

some sober shots first before all of us get konked

hellooo akka!!!! when are u gonna teach me to bake pavlova??

Hot Mama Thevi is my baking si fu :)))))

yeah we alwiz need to do BEFORE shots 

coz later all of us tend to b so intoxicated like the aboe

BCBG Amy said she's shy

caption for this pic: Ladies in Laces alwiz ace the men

hahahahhahahahahaha

true????

group picca :))))))))

2 weeks later, I lodged a complain to the F&B director

for using ACRYLIC glassware!!!

how could u??? u are Hilton ok!!! not some Hilltop hotel

*smacks forehead*

ok first I am not trying to be a Drama Queen or Diva

but for charging this prices at such destination

this is not acceptable

it's like eating with plastic fork and knives at a steak house

u get my drift here???

Sal said the nite is still very young and nobody can leave till...

till......till....

hello sista, all of us had to kick ass and work the next day :P

and what's friends are for if they dun play pranks on u

or humiliate u in public

-_-"

sorry I can't rap a birthday song

I can only dance :P

anyway I've forgotten the name of this band...
the blonde singer failed big time
and this I lodged my complaint *ahem* feedback to Oreo Nij
who's now with the PR and Marketing division


"It's horrible singing!!!"
Oreo Nij: "They've alwiz been like this!!!!"
okie nvm....maybe I have horrible ear drums that don't register their pitch
:P

BIG thank you to Sweet Devil Rachel for organising my birthday
she deserved a big fat wet kiss fr Monkey
:))))))

my boss....yes my boss at work was nagging me when he saw this pic
"ur dress is so SHORT!!!! WTF!!!!!"
monkey rolled eyes....then u want me to wear baju kurung menutup aurat at the club??
"it's TOO SHORT!!!!! next time don't wear this anymore"


even my dad dun say that
yeah my boss is my dad at work


and the next thing he noticed..
"ohhh that's a nice Jaeger le-Coultre reverso u are wearing there.."
this is wat I call "Career Disease/Sickness"


if u are in shoes industry, u tend to take notice of everyone's shoes/sole
if u are in fashion, u take note of ppls' apparels
if u are in skincare and cosmetics, u observe ppl's face and the size of their pores
it's true....try that next time on yourself and see wat u take note first when meeting someone


THANK YOU ladies for the wonderful nite
and yes till the next Birthday again 
:)))))))))))

Life's been.....

Please meet Lucas from Czech Republic, seen here he was being prepped up by Editor-in-Chief Reezal
Lucas is such a pretty boy that the entire editorial team were working hard to style him up
standing tall at 6 foot 2.5 inches he makes one good runway model
but his complexion was so flawless so doing fashion spread is a must


as we were prepping him, we were commenting....
"shame on us!!! his skin tone is so perfect, no makeup needed"
yeah usually we apply makeup for male models as well but this one was really flawless...
it spells cheaper coz no makeup artist needed, faster coz makeup can take up to hours


another writer was telling me his skin is so Edward Cullen
-_-"
sorry I'm not into those Twilight zone thingy
anyway pretty boys can't kill me


so Life's been BUSY
I've been working non stop over the weekend
in fact I've been working for the past 11 days
not just any 11 days but hectic ones, dashing everywhere


yesterday Monkey was rushing to office in the mad 7.00am jam
then to the photoshoot with Pretty Boy and then off to a championship golf course for a golf tournament....
I am so so burnt and tired


today another long day of running around
*I better put on my most comfy killer heels*


then this morning as I was on the bed ready to pull myself up I was thinking
"hey this is not so bad..it's pretty exciting u know? I can't imagine if my job is desk bound from 9am to 6pm doing mundane paperwork :P"


and so I pulled myself up, made a cup of espresso, sat on the bar counter and started my usual morning blogging session, replied messages, emails etc before tottering to the bathroom to get ready


yeah the day that I wake up on my comfy bed,  staring at the ceiling telling myself that I don't feel like going to work.....is the day that I'll quit
I think that day is a long way more to go coz I really love wat I do :)))))


Happy Thursday folks and Friday is just around the corner
hehehehehehehhe

Homemade Lasagne by Mr. JS

JS made one big pot of beef ragu
knowing him, it's not just any normal beef ragu but a really awesome one
packed with oohhhmpphhhh
of minced ANGUS BEEF >.<

he had to begged the butcher to mince it for him coz usually they'll get u to buy the normal minced beef over the counter
anyway he's the only customer who'll buy pre-cut angus beef steak and mince them -_-
very ada standard >.<

also in the ragu were lotsa fresh ingredients from herbs to tomatoes to onions etc etc
*etc etc coz I really dunno wat's innit*

the other thing u need to make is the Bechamel sauce *the one in white*
then u layer everything together......pasta sheets, bechamel and beef ragu
and again and again and again

the pasta sheets used here was Rustichella
he only uses this brand -_-"
the pasta sheets were pre-cooked slightly before assembly

Rustichella has a history of 80 years
its pasta were made from the best durum wheat flour and water from the nearby mountain
then slowly air dried for 40-60 hours
with this method, the pasta absorbs the sauces better

*pic stolen from the Web*
this is how the packaging of Rustichella products look like :)))))))))))

then u keep on repeating this until u've forgotten how many layers u've gone through
or until it fills the dish to the brim
:))))))))))))))))

the last step - sprinkle cheeses on top
I no likey cheese...so they were used very very sparingly
here, JS used Grano Padano cheese

Grano Padano is Italy's most famous cheese invented more than 1,000 years ago
it also happened to be world's 1st hard cheese
aged and matured for at least 9 months, so the flavors are pretty creamy
those that are aged up to over 20 months has got a more rounded full flavoured palate

after baking for 45 minutes
TA-DA!!!!
the smell was enuff to wake all my neighbours in the entire 15 floors dwelling
:)))))))))))))))

it shouldn't be dry but pipping hot and juicy!!!!
the bechamel sauce really did make a different
and the beef ragu was so yummy and sweet and spicy
it's spicy coz JS added Hungarian Paprika knowing that I can't eat without chilis
wuahahahhahahhahaahha

and finally u can lick ur screen now :)))))))))))))
this was truly a comfort food for me
anytime anywhere :))))))))))))

so who said Lasagne is Fattening? Remember it's supposed to have only a lil bit of cheese on top and not loaded and oozing with it...unless that's your personal favourite
:))))))))))))))

and wat to do with the leftover beef ragu?
well just make your own Bolognese pasta :P
with tagliatelle from Rustichella......wat else??
hehehehhehe

Working my ass off for this

ok ok ok *ahem*
now u understand why handbags have to take a backseat in my life now?
ahem....

with purple and envy green amethyst
rose and smoke colored quartz
and citrin
All these multi gem stones are put together in 18kt rose gold

since this beautiful necklace has been sold out
I m gonna get it custom made

Bagaholic Tracie was right....jewelries are even more poisonous than leather goods
but it's so pretty~~~~ don't u agree???

RARRRRrrrrrrrrrr
Come to Momma :)))))))))
can't wait to be with you

www.zoccai.com

Bistro a Table

opened in June 2011, Bistro a Table has been a buzz in town since then
owner and chef Isadora Chai is not ur usual chef
definitely not :)))
with a bubbly personality, quirky and hyper.....she attends to her clientele in such a fun way and before u know it...this Duracell Chef is off to the kitchen to whip up more creations from her kitchen

Monkey met Chef Isadora Chai a few months ago at a gatherings
she was being so apologetic bcoz she SAID she smelled like SMOKE
but then we swore we couldn't detect anything at all
it was February then and she was experimenting with "smoking" every single ingredients she could find

a few months later....Peakie D "chupped" Ms Monkey to dine at Isadora's funky restaurant
she chupped me way in advance bcoz of a previous experience whereby we were supposed to dine at another new place, but I was invited by another group of friends much earlier
sorry Peakie D but as promised Bistro a Table has been reserved for you :))))))

Lurve her wall and notice a poster with her name "Isadora" on it?
u'll b surprised that Bistro a Table sat in the middle of residential area
usually lil gem like this are alwiz hidden :))))))))))))

the menu was so exciting!!!! we wanted to try everything :P *super greedy buggers we were*
the above was a deconstructed smoked salmon ice cream!!!!!
how cool was that?
and I was a happy girl to start my dinner with ice creams :)))))))))) *who wouldn't?*
Clever clever Chef Isadora....lady chef does make a difference huh?
coz they know wat a gal wants!!!!!

u may find it weird but it's so yummy
topped with some dill....fish and dill is like a marriage made in heaven :)))))))

maple syrup coddled egg with crouton dust and asparagus
different textures were playing in my mouth like a symphony
the silky perfectly cooked eggs and crunchy croutons
asparagus was dipped in and well coated with egg yolk before it lands in my mouth
ohhh yums!!!!
who doesn't like eggs??? must b a cholesterol counter :P

Gruyere souffle with slipper lobster bisque
ohh yummmsss I like to start my dinner with desserts..
souffle....ice creams....
wat's next???

u gotta be kidding me???
Liver-pop for appetizer????
yes liver-pop as in lollipop!!!!!
:))))))))))))
Monkey was dancing and skipping in her heart by then
the balance between the rich liver and sweet caramel was amazing :)))
even the presentation was pretty impressive...simple but it left a big impact :))


Chef Isadora Chai hopped out like a bunny
she has this energy that's so bubbly it's contagious!!!
makes u wanna skip and hop with her :)))))))))

Off topic:
I met her at another event and she was doing cooking presentation for Miele
decked in her signature Chef suit that she designed herself, matched with a pair of designer jeans, lashes and lips all pretty......

Monkey stared at her funky heels...HEELS!!!!
"Wow u alwiz cook in heels like this???"
"Well if u gonna cook, u might as well look good doing it!!!"
Chef Isadora Chai is ready for the kitchen and fashion runway!!!!
I like :)))))))))))))

I forgot what soup was this bcoz I didn't taste it
tomatoes?? grilled pepper???
with a lemon there and knowing the chef, it might as well be bloody marry soup!!!!

then the Main came
HORSE meat tartare!!!! *NeeeeEEEeee-Haaaaaaa*
it was slightly spicy bcoz of the horseradish??
horse meat and horseradish...hmmmm..

but was surprisingly tasty...
in fact this wasn't the 1st time I had horse meat...the previous one was at a japanese restaurant when Chef served me horse meat sashimi....yes....sashimi
so prollie horse meat are meant to be eaten raw huh??

JS had Australian wagyu ribeye with horseradish cream
it was so good, he was quietly eating there didn't wanna share
-_-

Lyndon and I had a really super yummy rack of lamb with pistachio nuts
really a good combo!!!
Chef decided to be generous and gave us 3 racks each
perfectly cooked and pink on the inside

we were overly ambitious and brought so many bottles and only consumed 3
Peakie D brought a really rare family owned champagne maker Femme by Duval-Leroy
it has got really good vanilla aroma followed by citrus lemon
wat a bouquet!!!

and JS brought our all time favourite Griotte Chambertin by Ponsot
the other bottle was from NSG *Nuit Saint Georges* and I'm not really a fan
even though it's from Leroy
sorry!!!!!! :D:D:D
I totally banned NSG but he has quite a collection there -_-

Chef Isadora Chai makes really ass kicking yummy pickled beetroot salad and mashed potatoes
I know it looked simple but if all of us can finish these 2 bowls of sides
it's either we were COWS LEMBUS or they were extremely yummy!!!

this dessert was copyrighted to the chef
:))))))))))))))

this was how it looked like :)))))))))))))
so first u enjoy your souffle with Tahitian vanilla bean cream that came separately in a sauce cup
and as u eat, u watch the lemongrass ice hemisphere holding the cinnamon and nutmeg ice cream falls into the warm ginger beer
such playful dessert :))))))

chocolate cake with vanilla creme anglaise

Again, I've forgotten wat was this....-_-
coz I didn't have it...so the key is to steal everyone's food on the table :P


wat's a birthday be without cakes and candle???

Merci beaucoup Peakie D pour le inoui diner. J'ai eu un tres bon moment!!!!

:))))))))))))))))

lurve the hand writing  :)))))))))))
it was really a good dinner with yummy food, great champagnes and wines
but most of all it was the company :))))))

JS in his limited H&M Marni collection
and me in my favourite H&M lace dress
I'm sure u have seen it too many times in this blog
time to give it some "rest" in the wardrobe :P

Thank you again Peakie D and Lyndon
we are very very very sure, both of u are having an amazing time now in Paris
:)))))))))

till the next time
a la prochaine fois

Bistro a Table
6, Jalan 17/54,
46400 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: +603 7931 2831
www.bistroatable.com