Saturday, April 30, 2011

Applelic'ous Jam

The apples that I made enzyme with a few months ago been crying out attention since I've finish consume the juice. So, what can you do with the apple-cubes if not jam? Kekeke... It's pretty easy to do and the process doesn't take long either. Just about 30minutes, I'm all done cooking it. Here are the ingredients I used....

*Chopped Apples*

*Cinnamon Ground; this is only available in my fridge*
*Mom asked me to used up all the packed-sugars collected from the Hotels but end-up, I didn't used them because the white sugar from the container is sufficient to sweeten my apple portion*

*1 teaspoon of butter, I simply just used any that is available because I think it helped to glaze the apple from burning while it's on high heat*

*Add the apples into a non-stick pan; Add the same amount of water as the apple portion. In my case is 1 cup of apples and 1 cup of water. Top it with 1 teaspoon of Butter*

*This is after 10 minutes stirring it on high heat. Water dried up and butter melted. When you started seeing it boiling and bubbles, reduced the heat and put it to simmer. Smashed up the apples and add the sugar. After the sugar melted, you can dash some cinnamon ground / powder to your liking. I like the cinnamon aroma.*
*Scoop the jam into mini-beer mug as I've no idea the amount I cooked can fit into what sizes of glass container, so I can only play around with the glass-containers. Leave them to cool while I cleaned up the cookery utensils and pan.*
*Isn't this look simply applelic'ous??*
*Last but not least, chilled it in the fridge.*

I should think the apple jam goes very well with a hot-toast bread.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Goat Milk Diet Kicks Off...

Since several months back, I'm getting very frequent skin rashes especially on my legs. Initially, it was just at my two feet many years back but now, it took a turn and added more upwards to my legs. And most recently, even some parts of my body and arms. *stressed* Tried many lotions and oilments and even stopped lots of seafood but seems situation is not getting any better.

So, Mom suggested I take back goat's milk and see whether my skin condition will improve. We used to get goat's milk fresh from the goat-farm whereby the India uncle will deliver to our house and Mom has to heat up the milk every morning supposely to kill the germs & bacteria before I drink it and for me, the taste & smell are tolerable. The idea of warm milk every morning was not very satisfying so this time around, Mom found a better & easier supplier! Here, every Saturday at the wet market, a lady sells pasteurized goat's milk. Yipee! Cost wise... it has increased tremendously since about 2-3 years back. Now, it's RM5 for 200ml.

Mom bought one bottle for me to try last week and it tasted alright and acceptable. So, this week, Mom got me 5 bottles and I'm suppose to start drinking it every morning from today onwards. And the lady told my mom, she can get them to deliver to our house but I think we have to purchase a minimum of 12 bottles per delivery. So, I tried to call the number given to me but nobody picks up since last week. Strange... Guessed, have to miss a few days without goat's milk then until next coming Saturday to purchase a week's supply.




And this morning, my breakfast are goat's milk and egg tart. *Yummie* Empty bottle from last Sunday's consumption. Pretty bottle but label is pre-printed so, can't actually recycle the milk bottle to be use for other function. Mom checked with the lady this morning, she said can sell back for Rm0.20 per empty bottle. Kekeke... better than nothing!

Friday, April 15, 2011

West End Stars in Concert

Jaime invited me to go with her for this concert about a month ago. This is the second time Jaime asked me to go with her to watch / hear Stephen Rahman-Hughes (Bombay Dreams) live. Of course, Stephen was even more popular this year with the movie Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa debut that I wanted to support our own Malaysian made movie by KRU but since it's in Malay, I changed my mind. But, this time around, there are two other hunks too; Simon Bailey (Les Miserables) and Ramin Karimloo (Phantom of the Opera). Honestly, I've never watch any of the famous musical play because growing up & studying in Malaysia has not exposed me to any of this famous musical play due to many reasons. Not only the tickets are superb expensive but also, they don't come to Malaysia!

I remembered I couldn't afford Mamma Mia but the movie was good enough to watch. And Beauty & the Beast was a free ticket that Jaime invited me along. So, yup... I enjoyed that at KL Conventional Centre.

West End Stars was in Istana Budaya and first timer here, felt the place is tradisionally old and the carpet has that misty smell too. So upon entering the building, my eyes are darting everywhere trying to look for a familiar celebrity or a friend that I know. But... nah... no one. Collected our tickets and we headed our way up to where we should. Honestly, I was a little lost and all I did was just tagged along Jaime's back. She was quick with her steps.


Due to a bad traffic jam, the concert started late as they needed to wait for the VVIPs I guessed. So, while waiting, I took a few shots and play around with my camera settings... while checking at the same time that the ushers are not around to stop me.


Signboards were up saying no photograph and recording and etc... But, before the concert starts, the MC announced that everything is possible, you can take lots of photos and lots of video and blog and twitt about it *chuckled*. So, I was back busy-ing taking some snap shots from the cheapest-seat we bought. From my seat, the three men were just the size of 2cm to me so guessed only their voice and by zooming my camera can allow me to see a better size of them but yet, it's blurry...


I'm surprised they asked us to stand up for the Negara-Ku.

Yet another surprise for the night was Jacyln Victor's appearance and duet with Stephen.

The night just full of surprises; they ended with a Malay song that I've never heard it before but according to Jaime, it's an old-timer.


Personally feels that the backup dancers are a bit too fleshy and not sexy. Maybe, this is Malaysia and so they are not allowed to reveal too much skin. The seat we had, several times the lightings were aim right at my eyes!! Are they trying to blind us who can't really afford the tickets?! Tonight, I'm not here to blog about how awesome they are but merely just how I feel about the overall event and the place. I thought I could mingle around a little after the concert but Jaime is in a rush to go back to her beloved at home. I had better time in Stephen's solo-concert in DFP a year back.

Links: News Straits Times article & A lucky winner's blog

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Saxophone Concert with Sam Hsaio

Any musical instrument or play or concert would have my attention any day or any time if I could attend as long as it's not too pricey. What more when this concert is FOC? How amazing this is, right? First, I invited Yen Lin with me but because of her work schedule, she was unable to attend. Was delighted on Friday night that Dad said he is keen provided I'm too :D Then, Bro said he is going too on Saturday morning... Just wished Mom could have come with us too. She missed it!

Took some video clips but it won't be the same being presence in the concert rather than watching the video on a screen. A little introduction of the saxophonist...

Bro. Sam Hsiao - a multi-awarded Christian saxophonist from Taiwan also known as Mr Saxophone shared his music and life-testimony in our church tonight. In the beginning, his testimony was making some people laughed but personally, I felt sad hearing it. He plays saxophone to earn money as he said he did it for Ah-Mei and the other famous singers before and he stopped after his marriage failed; he turned to God and since blow hymns. His mom disowned him when he became a Christian. He came from very troubled family with his dad being a drug addict that goes in and out of the rehabilitation center when he was growing up. And after his marriage failed, he lost everything from family to all the world materialistic items in his life. But, Praised the Lord he trusted God and He has since bring him around. Sadly, two of his brothers got themselves into acholic and they passed away several years ago. Her sister was depressed and tried to commit suicide by jumping from the tall building but did not died and just paralyzed and needed her mom to take care of her. The saddest thing that he said really make my heart aches when I heard it was; his mom passed away 3 days ago but because he needed to finish his tour; he won't go back for his mom's funeral until the tour ended. After all this that has happened to him and his family and how he touches his mom by taking care of her during her bed-ridden time, his mom has finally come out of her senses and accepted him back. Once again, Praised the Lord! How can we not be grateful for the reunion of this mother & son?

CLIP #1


CLIP #2


CLIP #3


The concert ended with him informing us of his various CDs on sale and we can actually get his autograph too. I squeezed my way thru the counter that sells the CDs and asked Dad for his opinion on which CD to purchase as it's all in Mandarin characters. Got one for RM30 and rushed back to the front pupit where Mr Sam is with Rev. Yeo talking. Surprisingly, I was the first person to get his autograhp. Kekeke... Love to have a photo shot with him but then, my Bro is not around with me. With feelings of serenidity... I left the church to where my Dad & Bro are waiting.

Can you see the autograph on the CD in black-ink on the left side?


While we were waiting for the cars that are blocking us from leaving the church, Dad took me for a surprised when he said he always wanted to learn to blow a saxophone and he was telling us he saw 1 on sale at the Cash Convertor for a thousand plus ringgit. Hhmmm... can my Dad still have the breath to control and blow a saxophone?