Painting with Colours

I bought a Groupon voucher recently for about RM50 for a one-day make-up course at Celmonze Aesthetic Academy. Dont get me wrong, I didnt really buy it out of vanity, more of curiosity. Was it worth it? If you have zero-knbowledge on make-up and want to learn the basics, then yes it is worth it. But if you are looking for high level techniques like which style is more suitable for you, or make-up that suits your personality, then you might be terribly disappointed. As for me, I have never been really that great with make-up so this course was a reasonable refresher for me. There are two types of people, warm and cool skin tones. If you understand which type you are and pick the right colours, it will complement your looks whereas if you pick the wrong one, it will make you look more wash out. So anyways, they taught us the basics right from cleansing, toning to applying falsies. It was fun trying out all the colours and knowing the right way to apply make-up.

And here's the outcome: 

In conclusion, I had a fun time and learnt a fair bit, but only because i didnt know much to begin with. Will I wear make-up everyday from now on? No. The reason i went for the course was so I can apply suitable make-up during formal events, not everyday life. Let's hope I can put my skills to the test the next time I have a formal dinner to attend to. :) 

Although I tell myself everyday that I am almost over you, one dream about you moving on and I am confused all over again. Well, even if my dream is the truth, I cannot do anything. I am selfish to want your affection when we are no longer together and when I have other people as my company. Even if you have moved on, I must be happy for you (though maybe part of the reason I am unhappy is because I think nobody can ever be a better match for you than me.)

But then again, everything was a dream. Just a dream, I guess.

The students from Hunan University came on the 21 november 2012. Yesterday, PL, BE and I took them out for bak kut teh at Old Klang Road. The warmth and laughter we shared reminded me so much of the time I was in Guangzhou, where I met my two friends, CL and FC. It seems, with the months that have passed since June, we contact each other less, simply because our lives are different and not likely to converge. But strangely enough, CL and FC always pop up in my mind occasionally and I would so often reminiscent of the days I spent with all my friends in Guangzhou then. And like last night, it was funny that PL and I talked about FC when so many miles away, he and CL were doing the same about us. It's really touching and heart-warming to have these moments in your life. In a way, I am glad I am going to Shanghai this January to visit them. Friends do not always have to be the people you see every day, but the people closest to your heart.  

November Update

With each time we fall and pick ourselves up, we become a little bit more resilient to what made us fall in the first place. Each time I trip, I am more wary of where I put my foot next. And because of that, you cant blame me if I take extra precaution in falling in love.

These months, I feel like I am almost getting myself back. But I can only tell if this is for real several months from now because only then, I know if all this is just a good phase of life I am going through. I hope I have finally started to re-discover myself again. No more hurt, no more unhappiness.

Mid-sem resumes after this weekend. I have completed 2 and 1/4 year of law school already. 1 and 3/4 years of it left. Speaking of which, I have been applying to firms for work during my end of semester break. And it seems, it is really important to know which field I intend on focusing on when I graduate. Personally think it is too soon to decide but was just thinking.. maybe if I had to choose, I will choose commercial law. Though litigation is where all the glory is, I have to be frank with myself and realise that I really am not the type of lawyer you see in court (think Ally McBeal). Anyway, not gonna make any rash decisions on this. Life is all about savouring the moment so I shall not close up my options so soon.

Till then. 

myBurgerLab @ Seapark

I have been eating all sorts of burgers lately, except McDonalds of course. ;) But today, I will be blogging about a burger joint that I have been hearing of a lot - myBurgerLab.

Beautiful Mess (RM18) Fried Portobello, sunny side up, swiss cheese.

Kick In The Face (RM16.50) Horseradish sauce, sharp cheddar, onion&mustard grilled patty, jalapeno.

Burgers asides, I would like to start off with saying how much I admire the three bosses for setting up a place  like this. I think there is something to learn from every single thing they do - right from how they had tasting sessions to improvise their burgers months before the place was opened up right to the way they show how much they love their customers. I like the concept of producing tasty yet genuine-tasting, wholesome burgers in a fast-food kind of way. I like how they reward their loyal customers in the most quirky of manners. I respect that they spend half the day baking charcoal buns and grinding grass-fed beef just so that they can provide their customers with the freshest of burgers in the evening. And even more so, I enjoy their burgers so very much.

Thus far I have tasted three of their burgers:
1. Kick In The Face (RM16.50)
As seen in the description of the picture above, the Kick In The Face is a burger with wasabi infused sauce. Imagine the typical burger but the difference is that the mayonnaise tastes like wasabi. Dont worry, the wasabi strength is tolerable, not too much that it makes you cry. Wouldnt highly recommend it, but if you are looking for a burger that gives a kick, you need not look no more. The beef patty is juicy and the portions are generous. (This last sentence applies to all the other burgers too).
Rating: 3/5

2. Hangover Burger (RM16)
This is my first love. The Hangover I had consisted of one beef patty topped with one hashbrown and drizzled with maple syrup. I know, it sounds weird to have syrup in burgers but honestly, this burger is amazing. It wasnt just the maple syrup and hashbrown that made it good. There was some sauce added to it that really complemented the maple syrup. And the crispiness of the hashbrown makes this burger alllll the better!
Rating: 4/5

3.  Beautiful Mess (RM18)
is really a beautiful MESS. I never really understood why this burger could be in any way messier than the other burgers but when I finally watched them prepare my Beautiful Mess, I could understand why. Beef patty stacked with three wedges of fried portobello topped with one sunny side-up, I think it is more likely you would wonder how this can ever be a tidy affair. What I loved most about this burger was (i) the fried portobello which were so crispy, yet juicy (AND BIG), (ii) the runny yolk from the sunny side-up flowing everywhere, (iii) and the cheesiness that melted and infused itself with the egg. Oh my god! This must be the ultimate creation of the God of all burgers.
Rating: 4.5/5

The next time I come here, I will be trying their A+ burger which I have also heard, is pretty darn good. Also, try their fries which are lightly salted with herbs. They are fried just perfect - not too soft and soggy but neither is it too crunchy. And their Red House (I call it cheese dip) goes so well with the fries.

With all honesty, I love this place. Not just for their food, but also for their concept and the sincerity they have in serving the burgers. But their business has just begun and there is still a long road ahead. I really hope they will continue to make burgers with this attitude, because it isnt just the burgers itself that makes them so delicious but also the people behind them that contributes to the final taste.


This is the place to go if..
You are a cool trendy person looking for dinner. This is still the place to go if you are uncool and boring. Just try their burger and you will know what I am talking about.




myBurgerLab
No. 14, Jalan 21/22,
Seapark, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Open from 5.00pm to 10.30pm.
Closed on Mondays only.

Levain Boulangerie Patisserie @ Jalan Delima

 

Virtual macarons for anyone who can guess the place without looking at the title of this post!  *=*

Mid-semester break has just begun and though it is a one-week break for us all, I think we still have many things to settle. Not much time for fun. Hopefully still can find time to experiment with some new recipes though. 

Today, I went to Levain with M, HF, and PL for breakfast. This is a place that I have heard lots about but always never had the opportunity to visit, mainly because it is in KL and I really am anti-driving KL roads. It isnt really convenient taking the public transport here either, so driving was my one and only option. Ended up getting lost driving all over KL. So for anyone who intends on coming here, some advice for you: Look for Jalan Imbi first, then Jalan Delima. The place is hidden from the main roads of KL though it is in the heart of KL. 

Place-wise, it is the classic cottage house kind of beauty complete with the veins and wooden doors. The cashier counter greets you at the entrance and on your left is the wide array of breads and pastries. Walk a little ahead and there is a cake and macaron counter. My eyes roamed crazily everywhere when I first stepped into the place. There were just so many breads, cakes, pastries and whatnot delicacies to see! 

This is the cake and macaron counter. Look at all those colourful macarons. Such pretty colours. 

Cakes were very tempting too.

A row of breads and pastries. 

I finally settled on the Strawberry Yoghurt (RM8.90, picture below) which was from the cake counter. There were too many breads to choose from that I decided not to choose from any of them! But the Strawberry Yoghurt turned out pretty so-so for its price. It's actually a globe of strawberry and yoghurt mousse plopped on top of some cake. And the cake was not very good; it was pretty dry and compact. Perhaps they needed a more compact kind of cake that could carry the weight of the globe on top of it.. but nevertheless felt that the 'thing' as a whole could have been improved. 

HF took the Mushroom Baguette (cant really recall the name and price). On the appearance, it looked pretty ordinary, not that it tasted extraordinary. But there were loads of shiitake mushromms piled on the bread with cheese. It was a tad too salty. A very savoury bread. 

PL bought the Chocolate French Toast (RM4.80). It looks and tastes gloriously (picture above and below). It has a very light texture of bread and each bite has just enough of a chocolate-y flavour. This is something I will buy again if I come back here.   

Above picture is the Mango Souffle. The bread/cake is very fluffy and light and there is mango cream in the middle (with chunks of not-very-ripe-mango).

And then there were tens of breads and other delicacies I couldnt resist snapping a picture of. M bought the Mango Cheese Tart (RM4.30) but I did not have the chance to snap a picture of it. The consistency tasted a lot like mango yoghurt.

I bought a few selection of breads for my family to try (picture above). Durian Melon Bun (RM3.80), Macha Bean Bun (RM3.50) and Choco Crunch (RM3.30), beginning from top following clock-wise. 

The Durian Melon Bun might be appreciated for its generous durian filling. It's like a polo bun with durian filling inside. Really creamy and durian-like. 

Macha Bean Bun was not  exceptional. Maybe a good choice for the health conscious. It's just some green bean filling in a green coated bun. 

Choco Crunch might be a child's favourite. Bought this with my brother in mind. It's charcoal bread with lots of chocolate crushed crumbs coating the bun. The crumbs ARE crunchy, but what I liked was the fluffiness of the bun. 

And when we were done with the breads, we tried some macarons. Choices were varied but finally choose LeDurian (RM3.90 per piece), Macchiato Coffee (RM3.60 per piece), and Triple Chocolate (RM3.60 per piece), following anti-clockwise from the green.

Le Durian was a little too sweet for my liking but the durian cream filling was very lustrous and satisfying.
As for the Macchiato Coffee, the first bite exuded a strong (almost bitter) coffee taste which was very quickly compensated with the sweetness of the ganache. Triple Chocolate would seal the deal for all chocolate lovers.

All in all, it is a nice place to hangout with a wide assortment of breads to choose from. Unfortunately, getting here is such trouble that it would deter me from coming back here again. *Never driving here again, never!*


This is the place to go if.. 
Bread and pastries are your thing. Very nice environment but parking can be quite a hassle.


Levain Boulangerie Pattierie
No. 7, Jalan Delima,
Off Jalan Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.

7.30am - 9.00pm
03-21426611

Fat Spoon Cafe @ Damansara Utama

A food review for yet another popular hangout. 

The first picture (below) says it all, with the trademark design of Fat Spoon Cafe. 

Fat Spoon Cafe is pretty popular among foodie bloggers. If it isnt for their soul food which reminds one so much of home, it would be their quaint interior design or one-of-a-kind menu (which is in the form of kiddie books). They are also very popular for their desserts and their hot chocolate which I shall further comment later in this entry. 

What's not to love? 

Thus far, I have tried two meals off their menu. The first would be their Spicy Beef Macaroni Soup (RM8.90). Macaroni with soup. You get the idea. With a few slivers of beef slices to go with it, and lots of coriander. To be honest, I expected MUCH more from this dish. It was not even spicy. A better name for this dish would be Comforting-Beef-Macaroni-Soup-on-a-Cold-Day. 

Next contender is the Ulam Fried Rice (RM11.90) which is wok-fried rice with sambal and herbs accompanied with long beans, fried chicken and pappadum. This was a teeny-weeny bit of disappointment to me too, simply because I expected the sambal to be a lot more spicy and mean. Instead, their version of sambal was my version of blended chillis. I also found the rice to be average (in comparison to how deliciously it was described). So that is the down part of this dish. That asides, the chicken was good - juicy, savoury, with crispy skin. 

So obviously, I have a 'spicy' issue with Fat Spoon. If you cant tolerate spicy food, maybe Fat Spoon is just the perfect restaurant for you. But for me, I get a little sad when a menu represents itself to serve 'spicy' food only to have it fall far below my spicy level. To sum up their main meals, the choices are reasonably varied with a number of rice and noodle dishes, all at a fair price for its portion. Especially for their rice dishes, most consists of home-cooked food types like curry chicken, salted egg, long beans, fried chicken, steamed rice etc. 

Dessert, on the other hand, is much better! Cempedak spring rolls with vanilla ice-cream (RM9.90) screams creativity. So does their Passion fruit Crisps (also RM9.90). Cempedak spring rolls with vanilla ice-cream is served in a pan. Thumbs-up for the quaint presentation! 

And last but not least, their ever-so-famous Fat Hot Chocolate (RM9.90). Beautifully presented, it tastes just as beautiful, and sinful, if i shall add. The consistency isnt too thin/watery but neither is it too thick. The smoothness of the drink rolls on your tongue before it goes down your throat. 

This is the place to go if..

You are looking for a cuppa hot chocolate. Or home-cooked food.   

P.S. Their desserts are pretty attractive too. Think chocolate cake with ice cream, red velvets, bubur cha cha, sago pudding, or The Last Polka ice-cream. 

Fat Spoon Cafe
73 Jalan SS21/1A, 

Damansara Utama, 
Petaling Jaya, 

Selangor Darul Ehsan.

03-7728 3323

11.30am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm (Tuesday to Thursdays)

11.30am - 10.00pm (Friday - Sunday)

Closed on Mondays. 

Curry Wan Tan Mee @ Seapark

I am extracting out this food review from my crazy trip with friends about a week ago. We went to this place in Seapark in the wee hours of the morning just to have curry wan tan mee. You dont want to (or rather, you shouldnt) know what we did after that. lol. 

Basically this stall sells curry wan tan mee from 4am to 6am in the morning near the wet market in Seapark. My eyes almost popped out when I saw the number of people EATING at the stall at 4.30am when I arrived! *I thought my friends and I were the only crazy ones!* 

So anyways, they have two sizes - big (RM5.00) or small (RM4.80). We all settled for small but even then, the meal was pretty filling and satisfactory. 

What the stall looks like, with a snapshot of some of the customers eating at 4.30am. 

Imagine a combination of wan tan mee and curry laksa (with the strips of chicken meat, tau foo pok, fishcakes, and fishballs). Darn, it's making me hungry as I write. Maybe a little overrated to the extent that we can only eat it from 4 to 6 in the morning (sometimes it even gets sold off by 5.30am!) But I think the serving is pretty generous and it has that feel-good factor to the noodles, somehow.

This is the place to go if..
You are a student who has just completed a group assignment with friends at 4am and looking for a place to have supper/breakfast. Alternatively, this can also be the place to have a meal in the early hours of the day before setting off for a hike.


Curry wan tan mee stall
Jalan 21/22,
Seapark,
46300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

4am-6am