2nd birthday celebration

After giving Yiu Yiu a shower, sis and I wanted to choose a new dress for Yiu Yiu so that she'd look her best. There were several new dresses in her wardrobe, gifts from her previous birthday and other festive occasions, which were too big for her then. I thought she could probably fit into one of those by now and hadn't bothered to try them on her earlier or shop for a new dress. And as Murphy's Law would have it, she's still too small for them. So we had to settle for a less than perfect mix and match pair of a blouse with capri pants.

The caterer arrived to set up the buffet line at about 5pm. Shortly after, the satay man also came and everything was in good order when our first guests arrived at about 6.30pm. After that, it was a flurry of activities with more and more guests arriving, and numerous phone calls asking for directions to our house. Hubby and I were kept very busy entertaining friends and colleagues, and showing them around the house.

Yiu Yiu was in excellent mood that night, though she started to show signs of tiredness by 8.30pm. We decided that it was time to bring out the birthday cake as some guests had also started to leave by then. There were plenty of happy faces when the children saw the Barney cake. Yiu Yiu was also very cooperative and we managed to snap some really nice photos of her smiling with the cake. After an enthusiastic birthday song, the cake was cut. Despite my complaints about how it looked, the simple marble cake tasted really nice.

Right (top to bottom): With Po-po, Ta Yiyi, Siau Yiyi, Yihao and mummy, Yihao giving birthday girl a kiss, with Aunty Yoke Ling and her family

There were leftover foods, so many of the guests took home some curry puffs and agar-agar (made by Yiu Yiu's babysitter), chai kueh (which we had ordered separately), fried meehoon, fried rice, and black herbal jelly. The last guests left at about 11.30pm and while I bathed Yiu Yiu and put her to bed, hubby cleaned the house. We only settled into bed at about 1.00am, tired but happy knowing that the party turned out to be mighty successful.

Pressies galore - mine, mine, they're all mine....muahahaha

Hotels in Brisbane

I love traveling. I love visiting the places of interests in different countries, experiencing their culture and way of life, and of course, having a taste of their native foods. I have been quite lucky that in the course of my work, I've had the opportunity to travel quite a bit. I've been to the USA, Europe and most of Asia. The one region which I've yet to have a chance to step foot on is the Australasian region.

The major tourist spots of Australia surely include the famous Gold Coast and nearby Great Barrier Reef; Sydney, the capital of New South Wales and one of the most glamorous and beautiful cities in the world, with dozens of harbor and ocean beaches in and around it; and the Ayers Rock in the heart of the Northern Territory.

Brisbane, on the other hand, is not exactly on the top of travelers' priority list. But therein lays its charm. The capital of Queensland, Brisbane is relaxed and laid-back. One needs to spend time immersing oneself in its people and culture to appreciate Brisbane. The major attractions of Brisbane include Australia's largest koala sanctuary and hand-feeding wild dolphins at Moreton Bay. Though Brisbane is not as highly popular as some other Australian cities, if I were to visit Brisbane, I'd still like to ensure I have a roof over my head when I set foot in the city. There are plenty of accommodation choices in Brisbane, ranging from the economical bed and breakfast establishments to  posh 5-star hotels. With the advent of internet, booking a hotel is a walk in the park as I can book them online at numerous websites, including CheaperthanHotels.

Barney birthday cake

Two weeks ago, I wrote about our indecision on whether to have a birthday bash for Yiu Yiu's second birthday. Though there wasn't much time left, we decided to go ahead and planned for the party. I wanted a Barney birthday cake as Yiu Yiu is very much into Barney now. I got the contact for a cake designer from allthingspurple but she was already fully booked. I then looked up the internet and found several, one of whom had this design which I liked very much. Unfortunately, she was also fully booked already and could only oblige if I would settle for a much simpler design.

One of the other cake designers I contacted could accommodate my late order for a fancy design, and I jumped at the chance and placed my order. I was very excited just thinking about how the cake would turn out. This morning, with great anticipation, I went to collect the cake and the moment I set my eyes on it, I was deflated. Barney, Baby Bop and BJ just don't look like the real thing. The shade of purple on Barney was not right, even the size of Barney in relation to Baby Bop and BJ was wrong. I understand that it's difficult to produce an exact replica, but a Barney smaller than Baby Bop and BJ?

Anyhow, I guess I probably shouldn't sweat the small stuff, and spoil my mood for tonight. I think I'd better expend my energy on making tonight's party a success. Wish me luck, and please sing "Rain rain go away" for me.

Chiang Mai - Part 3

Sunday, October 21

Our flight was in late afternoon so we had time to visit the crafts village of Baan Tawai in the district of Hang Dong, 20km south of Chiang Mai. Baan Tawai has traditionally been the centre of the handicraft trade in North Thailand and remains one of the busiest of such clusters in the whole of Thailand. It is the cheapest place in Thailand to find silk, antique reproductions, incense, candles, oil and soap gift packs, ornaments, lamps, bamboo products, wall hangings, frames, vases and much more.

The village has covered arcades packed full of shops selling every imaginable handicraft in all shapes and sizes. The atmosphere is very laid-back and relaxed, certainly not reminiscent of a tacky collection of souvenir stands. There are also plenty of traditional old wooden Thai houses to admire, some lovely show-gardens full of sandstone sculptures and lots of cute crafts at astonishing prices.

Thai woodcarvers are among the best in the world and woodcarving is the specialty of the artisans of Baan Tawai, a skill passed down for generations. The artisans are incredibly versatile, producing exquisite works in an incredibly diverse array of styles, including carved figurines, Buddhist art pieces, décor items and wall hangings. This is definitely the place to visit, if you want to find that one unique piece of art to complement your home décor.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai, where we stayed for two nights

A tale of two abodes

When sis and I jointly bought an apartment shortly after we started working in KL, we spent many weekends trawling around town looking for various things for the house – ceiling fans, lightings, as well as kitchen and bath accessories. Even though it was time consuming, we enjoyed every minute of it as it was a lot of fun seeing the various designs on offer and comparing prices from one shop to another. It also brought us much satisfaction to eventually see those stuff fitted in the apartment.

When hubby and I bought the house we are currently staying in now, I wasn't as involved in the renovation of the house as I'd like to be. Partly because I was just too busy then, and partly because hubby knows so many suppliers so he took charge in sourcing for most of the household things and liaising with our main contractor. Nevertheless, I'm sure he could have saved some time had he known about Farreys, which offers many household items under one roof.

Coincidentally, our house is only five minutes walk away from sis's apartment, so that's really convenient as she'll just pop by for dinner sometime, and to see her niece. And for us, it's just a short walk away for Yiu Yiu's weekend swimming excursions.

Chiang Mai - Part 2

Saturday, October 20

The conference was jointly organized by the Regional Marketing team and the Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. After a grueling day of scientific presentations and workshops from 8am – 5pm, the delegates were treated to a fabulous dinner at the Khum Khantoke Restaurant. Khantoke is a round rattan tray where various kinds of authentic northern Thai food, are served. Khum Khantoke is housed in an exquisite northern Thai house, and dinner is accompanied by a cultural show celebrating dances from every part of the country, including a candle dance, sword dance, hilltribe dance, drum dance and seung kapo.

After dinner, the bus stopped by the Night Bazaar for more shopping. Instead of spending time at the Night Bazaar again, I decided to take a tuk-tuk to the local "Walking Market" held every Saturday outside the Chiang Mai gate of the old city wall. It turned out to be a nice experience as this market is patronized mainly by locals, compared to the touristy Night Bazaar where almost all shoppers are foreigners. Goods sold at this market are also different from that at the Night Bazaar. However, on hindsight, I thought it was quite a dangerous thing to do. There I was, foreign to Chiang Mai and didn't speak their language, taking a tuk tuk which took me through dark alleys alone. However, I guessed I trusted my instincts as I didn't feel unsafe at all. And it's a fact that crime rate is very low in Thailand as Thais are such gentle, loyal and religious people that committing a crime is implausible.

I ended up buying some local handicrafts – knitted floral hair clips and trinket boxes. I also saw some unique photo frames, decorated with small pieces of coloured stones but the price was quite steep. I walked along to see if there's another stall selling the similar items but there were none. Unfortunately when I went back to the stall, the owner had already packed up and left. I'll leave you with a photo of the frames, the one that slipped through my fingers.

Home mortgages

For the average wage earner in Malaysia, owning their own property, be it a simple apartment, a luxurious condo, or a more spacious landed property, is a huge financial goal. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to own that first home as prices of property continue to rise year on year, particularly in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru. Traditionally, banks will only offer home loans of up to 90% of the property price, which means that prospective homebuyers in these cities would need to fork out at least RM18,000 – RM25,000 as initial deposit, which is by no means an easy task for a young person starting out in his or her career. Despite these challenges, many people would still want to own their own home as the cost of renting can be as high as the cost of monthly mortgage repayment. So the logic is, "Why would I pay this amount every month to fund someone else's property when I could have used this money to pay for my own mortgage and eventually owning the home?"

As such, more and more banks are now offering attractive First Time Buyer Mortgage packages. These include waiving the legal fees for the sales and purchase and loan agreements, which can be a substantial amount, depending on the price of the property. Some banks are also willing to offer loans of up to 95% of the property price, thus considerably reducing the initial financial pressure on homebuyers.

Chiang Mai - Part 1

Friday, October 19

I just returned from a 3D2N working trip from Chiang Mai. I arrived in Chiang Mai on Friday afternoon, for a one-day conference on Saturday with five of my customers.

Founded in 1296, Chiang Mai is nestled in a valley some 300 metres above sea level and overlooked by Doi (Mountain) Suthep. Chiang Mai was the capital city of the ancient kingdom known as Lanna Thai, the Land of a million rice fields. Literally translated, Chiang Mai means new city, as it was the new capital city of the old kingdom, the old capital city being Chiang Rai. It is now the second largest city in Thailand and the capital of Northern Thailand. Often referred to as Rose of the North, Chiang Mai offers a picturesque mosaic of mountain scenery, ancient temples, colourful hill tribes and a dazzling array of traditional handicrafts. At the heart of Chiang Mai is the old city of Chiang Mai, a neat square bounded by moats and old city walls, with five main gates. Currently only sections of the old city wall still remain.

Old city wall surrounded by moats

Since we had the whole of Friday afternoon free, we chartered a van to Doi Suthep and neighbouring Doi Pui. On the way, we stopped for lunch at Heuon Huay Kaew. Heuon means house and Huay Keaw is the waterfall that provides a delightful backdrop for the restaurant, nestled amidst the jungle. The food tasted as good as the ambience.

Near the summit of Doi Suthep is Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. Located 3520 feet above sea level, it was first established in 1383 and is one of the north most sacred temples. According to legend, holy relic of Buddha were discovered during the reign of King Kuena (1355 – 1385). The king placed the relics on a howdah on the back of an auspicious white elephant, and vowed that a temple will be built to hold the relics at the spot where the elephant stopped. The elephant wandered freely, headed to Doi Suthep and stopped at the top of the mountain. The elephant died after fulfilling its duty of finding a proper place for the holy relic. The temple can be reached by foot by climbing a 306-step staircase, bordered by a Naga balustrade. One can also ascend by the funicular railways. Inside the temple is a Lanna style chedi covered with engraved gold plates containing the holy Buddha relics, flanked by four ornamental umbrellas. The temple compound also offers an exhilarating view of Chiang Mai city and its surrounding countryside.

The different positions assumed by Lord Buddha on different days of the week

A couple kilometers away, a dirt road leads us to a nearby Hmong (Maew) hill-tribe village. The Hmong are Thailand's second largest hill-tribe group after the Karen. I was expecting to witness the Hmong people in their tradition costumes going about their daily lives but I was grossly disappointed. The village looks like any other villages, with numerous handicrafts stalls, and only a handful of people wearing their traditional black jackets. I bought a pair of Hmong traditional costume for Yiu Yiu and Yihao.

We rounded up the day with a shopping trip to Chiang Mai Night Bazaar after the welcome dinner. The Night Bazaar is a legacy of the original Yunnanese trading caravans that stopped here along the ancient trade route. It is a multi- block area with dozens of street vendors offering a huge variety of Thai and northern Thai goods, as well as fake and authentic designer goods.

Harry Potter trivia

What's the name of Albus Dumbledore's phoenix?
Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe and his alter ego was born in the same month. Which month is it?
Which Hogwarts house does Harry call home?
What is the shared occupation of Hermione's parents?
How is Draco Malfroy related to Sirius Black?
Do you know the answer to all these questions? I've watched all the five movies in the Harry Potter series, from the Sorcerer's Stone to the most recent Order of the Phoenix. However, I'm hopeless when it comes to remembering facts of Harry Potter. Of these five questions above, I could only answer two. Do you consider yourself an expert on Harry Potter? If so, challenge yourself to these Harry Potter quizzes on Quibblo Fun Quizzes. Besides taking part in quizzes from a wide range of topics, you can also create your own quizzes and share them with your friends online. There's even a comment/discussion forum on each topic, where you can debate the merits of your favorite quizzes with other users.

I struck gold!

There were several pieces of mails in the mailbox when I returned from work yesterday. Among the stack of mails which included bills for Astro, hubby's mobile phone, etc was a mail from Enrich. I didn't think much of it as I assumed it was just my quarterly statement.

After dinner, I sorted out the mail and the words on the envelope of the Enrich mail struck me.

The crumpled envelope. I only remembered to take a photo of this as an afterthought.

I am holding an Enrich Silver card and was thinking to myself, "This can't be…I couldn't possibly have qualified for Enrich Gold". I quickly opened the mail, and voila, true enough, I've been upgraded to Enrich Gold. I was grinning from ear to ear, as it was indeed an extremely pleasant surprise.

My golden surprise

My company has this policy that if our flight time exceeds six hours, we are entitled to fly Business Class. And whenever I fly Business on Malaysia Airlines, I always look forward to the Golden Lounge. Malaysia Airlines indeed has one of the best lounges in the world. The variety of food and beverages on offer is unmatched by most other airline lounges. This year, I flew to Seoul, Orlando and Amsterdam on Business Class so I guess I fulfilled the required airline miles to be upgraded to Gold.

And now with my Enrich Gold card, I have access to the Golden Lounge, even when I fly Economy. And that's indeed golden music to my ears.