Car Loan Affordability

I am currently paying off my car loan of 7 years tenure with 3 more years to go. You can check out car loan affordability by clicking on the link given. So far my new car is an investment in itself. It never breaks down and can transport me safely from one place to another. It is also automatic which makes driving a cruise. I don't have to strain my left leg from pressing the clutch for too long in a snarling traffic jam unlike the old manual cars.

Loving my Work

I love my work at home office very much. For most people, the definition of JOB is Just Over Broke. But for me it is Joy On Board! This is one of the best things that have happened to my professional life and career. I also get paid commissions from the projects that I bring in via my web site or by visiting clients. This is my full time job in a soho or small office home office.

And being able to type fast helps a lot too. I can also moonlight writing articles in my free time for some extra pocket money. I love this dream job of mine since February 2004 until now and will continue to many more years to come.

After Christmas

Today is the 27th December 2011 and it is just a few days before the end of the year of the rabbit. I love rabbits as they are tame and cuddly. After all the hullabaloo, it is finally over and closing of a year. A year has gone by so quickly just as it came. I have sent out all the calendars for the business which I do every year end. I will be 1 year older or wiser as the months pass us by. Time certainly flies and my uncle has just passed away. I did not attend the funeral as I was in KL.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is in 2 days time and I cannot wait as I will be taking a break and go somewhere to chill out. This is time to enjoy and relax from the pursuits of financial rewards. It is time to enjoy the fruits of your labour and to rejuvenate from all the hustle and bustle of modern living. I also cannot wait for my new apartment to complete and perhaps stay there as a holiday home or to rent out for my retirement savings. Now I am spending a lot of my own pocket money on the renovation and this will take some time.

Magic of Making Up

As a couple you not only need to forgive 10 times but 77 times 7 which means forgive all the time if you can to keep the relationship going and strong. This is the Magic Of Making Up and for a lifelong relationship that lasts a lifetime. It is heartwarming to see couples way past their nineties still together in their golden years and enjoying each other's company. The best thing in life that can happen to you is not your graduation but to be in a good company with someone that you love dearly.

So Busy These Days

I am so busy these days. Yesterday was at my new apartment for the whole day waiting for the kitchen cabinet and air-con to be installed and today will be there again for the fixing of plumbing work and installation of the cornice to cover the black ugly air-con tubing. My hall cabinet was also fixed. There will be more work to be done at my apartment as for now. So I have already bought lunch for myself and dad to go there today again and we have to eat in while waiting for the workers to complete their jobs.

Medical Scrubs

It is so easy to spend money but difficult to earn cash. Many people are living from paycheck to paycheck for those who are employed. Times are difficult coupled with the Eurozone debt crisis. But the Yuletide season has arrived and is barely 1 week away. It is time for some gifts for loved ones and friends. If you are in the procurement department of the hospital, then you might like to consider this link >> http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/ where they sell scrubs for men and other medical uniforms of various designs.

I will be taking a break during Christmas and go somewhere nearby to chill out. I think I deserve a good break from the daily chores and labor working in a home office. It is time for some celebration and to usher in the new year. It will be the end of the year of the rabbit which is my friend's year in a 12-year cycle. I love rabbits and have carried them before to take photos for posterity in Bukit Tinggi which is a mountain resort like Genting Highlands.

As I reminiscence the whole year, well, I have been to Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen and Hatyai this year. I also travelled by plane to Terengganu and Kuantan, both destinations taking Firefly airlines. I have been to Kuala Lumpur numerous times for business and it is only a few days to go before the end of the year comes.

Spent USD 997, USD 447 and another USD 994 online

I think I burnt my salary and spend more than I thought. Attended a webinar and got 'conned' into parting with so much cash via the internet. They have already warned me not to tell anyone about this venture of making epic money online and I guess not telling my parents got me 'cheated' in this bull shit scam. And to recommend a host for you, they charged you an arm and a leg at USD 447. I should learn to be contented and not be greedy on this matter!

No Win No Fee

Wouldn't it be nice that you don't pay if there is such as a no win no fee policy amongst lawyers? Yes, that is true! Just click on the link and you will see the services of a law firm that does not accept payment if you don't win. This is a win-win basis for everyone involved. As long as you don't get your compensation in court, you don't have to come up with legal charges and fees.

Lost My Lobster Thermidor Photos

I took a few photos of my recent dining at a seafood jaunt by the seaside and ordered lobster thermidor of 1kg plus vegetables and noodles. Unfortunately while transferring my photos from the digital camera to the computer, it was accidentally deleted together with the sports projects photos. Hence I have to go on site again to snap the photos and upload to the web site. So much hassle for a simple mistake.

Satellite Navigator Reviews Site

As I took up an opportunity, I came across this sat nav reviews - This website is un-biased when it comes to the various makes and model of GPS devices that are available in the UK today. My company uses the Garmin GPS very often as we travel in Kuala Lumpur to meet up with new clients in different places all over town. It is very helpful with voice navigation to guide us while driving. There is also a side picture to show the distance in real time as you approach a junction.

Some Micro Jobs Today

Today is a Saturday morning and I have some micro jobs to complete. These are my personal pursuits apart from my full time job. They create constant income for me and I am pleased to get the opportunity to blog about it. They pay about USD 50 cents a piece, much lower that what I used to get from other programs which are all dried up now. So, with this opportunity, I will take them up soon as they are available online.

Interest Only Mortgage

I took up an interest only mortgage when I bought my apartment some years back. Now, it is almost ready with furniture to be moved in and air con plus curtains installed. By next year, it should be ready and my sisters can stay together with my parents over the weekend. It has a swimming pool and gym on the 5th floor. There are many other restaurants also moved in and renovated their premises with big budget.

Back from Kuala Lumpur

I was in Kuala Lumpur recently and came back last night. Met up with 4 different people during my stay there. Also woke up at around 5:00am or so to do some office work like typing quotations, invoices, etc. It rained dogs and cats along the highway and there were 2 accidents that we witnessed on our way back. There will always be accidents on the highway whenever it rains. So we always take precaution by driving even slower so that the break works well on the slippery roads.

Sports Betting Site

There is a sports Betting site where you can click to try your lady luck in the hopes of winning some money. But to throw caution here, not many people will win in this situation. It is only a handful of lucky gamers who will bring back the money. For the majority, well, at least they tried. More often than not, the system is such that the probability of you winning is less than the company making money out of you. So, you have been forewarned about this already. Don't say that I did not tell you beforehand.

Dream Job

I have a dream job to work from home and am not ashamed to say so. In fact I am proud to be given the talents to work effectively from a home office or anywhere with internet connectivity. I love to take up paid opportunities now and then as I search for them in the internet. This is like milking the internet which is my cash cow. And I save little by little which will accumulate to a lot later on. It is counting my small blessings every day and adding up to my pocket money each month. I will post more food photos when I return to Penang from Kuala Lumpur where I am now for business purposes.

Hot Deals

Christmas is just around the corner, and less than 2 weeks away. I will be going to Genting Highlands to chill out and take a break from work. This is the season to be merry and jolly. It is also time to check out hot deals from the internet and buy Christmas gifts for your loved ones and friends. Now I see a few sales assistants in Sunway Pyramid wearing reindeer horns and Santa's red cap. People are getting their year end bonuses and splurging on gifts for themselves and their families. There is more disposable income this time around and that is why you see many shoppers in shopping malls in December which co-insides with the school holidays.

More Micro Jobs

There are some more micro jobs for me by milking the internet which is my cash cow. These are opportunities that pays you a fixed amount for the tasks that you complete online. As long as you qualify the requirements, you can take up the opportunities and get paid. Anyone can do it easily. Sometimes it is a no brainer type of tasks. As for me, I take up quite a few of the paid posts opportunities using my blogs with page rank of at least 1. I am happy to be able to participate in such tasks and earn some pocket money for myself.

Annuity Rates

Before I retire, I might just compare the various annuity rates from the different policies so that my retirement years will be golden with a monthly income to spend until I meet my maker in heaven. You need to start early and check out before it is too late. This is to ensure that your retirement will be golden years and not woeful years begging in the streets like a vagrant. You also need to have close relations with your kids so that they will take care of you in your old age.

Kitchen Splashback

I was browsing around the web sites when I came across kitchen splashback where you can just click on the link given to find out more about it. It is one of my sources of information by browsing through web sites and being connected to the internet which has produced many millionaires who work from their humble home office to begin with. Now the government has allowed employees to work from their homes and not commute to work anymore for jobs like draughting and those that you can comfortably complete with a computer.

The Benefits of Working at Home

I have been working from my home office since February, 2004. There are many benefits of working from home. You don't have to earn pittance working from home but lots of money doing part time work in your free time. The benefits are plenty like saving money from commuting to work, savings on office attire and makeup, time from waiting in traffic jams, etc. Since I can type quite fast and have learnt how to use the proper keystrokes on the keypad, I work quite efficiently with my laptop. And working from home is a blessing to many people like me.

Glazing Systems

I am currently adding more furniture to my new apartment and may look for glass contractor to add Glazing systems or do other renovation work. Just last month, I designed my own built-in furniture for the living room, study room and 2 bedrooms and got a quotation from a local contractor. But he quoted way above the market rate and I cannot afford it. So, I decided to buy ready-made furniture and have them delivered right to my doorsteps. They are cheaper and classier with practical designs.

I Love my JOB

I love my full time job working at a home office. For some people the definition of JOB is Just Over Broke. As for me, it is Joy On Board! I can work anytime of the day and keep looking for new jobs to complete online and get paid instantly. My full time job is working as an IT executive for a sports surfacing company while I also moonlight par time doing paid posts and writing articles. The money earned is sufficient to pay for the bills and internet connectivity each month. This is God's blessings upon my life now.

Bad Credit Mortgages

With the US sub-prime financial crisis in 2008 and the Eurozone debt problems, the world may be heading toward a recession next year. And if you have bad credit mortgages, you can check out the link given for more information and how to redeem yourself from financial woes. Now a lot of countries in debt are turning to China to be their savior and to loan them money as China is now cash rich - very rich indeed due to international trade. It is now the second biggest economy just after USA and is targeted to overtake the USA in a few years to come.

Making Money Online is Possible

Making money online is possible. You just need to be patient and diligent in looking for it. The internet is like your cash cow where you can milk it every other day. From USD 50 cents a day to more, you can slowly accumulate until you hit your target. It is like a full time job where you have to work consistently and not give up. I am happy to have found my niche and source of income here. This is additional pocket money for me and for saving up towards rainy days. Now my time is profitably spend online with more jobs to complete.

Personal Injury Solicitors

My third aunt was formerly an advocate and a solicitor with her own office in Shenton Way in Singapore. It is the business district where all the offices and government buildings are located. If you need help, you can check out personal injury solicitors to make a claim for you in court. Now my aunt is retired and happily enjoying her retirement with lots of money to spend as she is single with no family commitment. I used to spend a lot of time with her including working on a temporary basis for her as her legal secretary in her office. She paid me reasonably well, but that was in the past.

This Blog has a Page Rank of 1

I am happy that after continuous blogging, this blog has a page rank of 1. Which means that I can accept opportunities and get paid. You might notice that recently, I have posted a lot of short posts that are not related to food. That's because I am generating a revenue from my efforts, regardless of the payment. To me, something earned is better than nothing at all and most of the campaigns are dried up like the desert. So whenever you see a small oasis, quickly grab the opportunity before it disappears.

Bunk Beds

I have attended an international girl guides camp in Douglas Scrub, Adelaide, South Australia way back in 1986. It was my very first trip to a foreign country. It was an eye-opening experience that I will not forget. We did not sleep on bunk beds but in sleeping bags inside huge tents. The weather was very cold and chilly outside as it was near winter at that time. But I love traveling in the plane as it took off and landed safely. My parents sponsored my trip at that time when I was a student and now I can well afford my own trips and holidays overseas.

Making Money is Not Easy

Making money is difficult as most of us know. But spending money is liken to drinking water. That is why, we need to make a concerted effort to save up as much as we can so that our money will last us a lifetime. We need to be financially independent and not rely on other people for cash in our old age. We should endeavor to save up more if possible considering that inflation will reduce the value of paper money over time. The trick is to beat the rate of inflation which is hovering around 4% per annum.

Chicago Auto Insurance Quotes

So far, my family has 4 cars in the garage with 2 parked in the porch and 2 more parked in the public lane beside our house. One each for my parents, one for me and one for my youngest sister. All our cars are insured and we got them by checking out chicago auto insurance quotes. It is good to have your cars insured so that whenever there is an accident, you can be sure that the insurance company will pay for it and you save money in the long run.

Meeting up with a Sports Coach Later

Later this evening, I will follow my boss to meet up with a sports coach in Sungai Petani, Kedah for potential projects that he will bring to us. It will be around 2:00pm. We have known the coach for quite some time now and have previously met up with him at The Curve in Kuala Lumpur where Nicol David was playing squash and won the match at that time. I get to witness her splendid performance for free. She is the darling of Malaysian squash bringing dignity and name to my country.

Furniture

I am in the midst of preparing to furnish my new apartment with tch Furniture and have paid $1,399.00 for an L-shaped furniture which is to arrive after Christmas. My kitchen cabinets are settled, dining table and chairs are paid including bedroom set also purchased. I also bought a 32-inch LCD television and hall cabinet. The lights are also paid in full and now waiting for the installer to come and install the lights for all the rooms and a door bell outside. I cannot wait for my apartment to be fully furnished so that I can chill out during the evenings and perhaps rent it out one day for some income.

Multiple Sources of Income

I have a few sources of income. They are mainly from my full time job working in a home office and also from my portfolio income which includes my Fixed Deposits, Bonds and Gold Passbook Account with Public Bank. On average, I get more than $1,000.00 from my portfolio income, doing nothing at all. This is much better than investing in the share market where you have to know the PE ratios and read lots of financial books and news to know what to invest and sell. At least I know I can sleep peacefully at night and that my money is secure and will increase slowly but surely over time.

Seo Lincoln

You might like to know that Seo Lincoln offers premier SEO services for your blogs and web sites. They use various techniques to create buzz and awareness of your business or web sites so that the world will know your products and services. It does not have to be expensive and could be very affordable. Count this as a form of investment for your online ventures.

SEO Training Videos

As a general rule, you need to allocate one third of your budget for website development, one third for search engine optimization and promotion or advertisement and the final one third for web site maintenance. You can check out seo training videos on how to promote and optimize your web sites for the search engines. This is abbreviated at SEO.

I was a freelance web designer and learnt all my skills by joining an active forum where all the web designers come together and help each other out. Milking the internet is possible if you are equipped with the right skills and have prior training.

Moonlighting at Home

Besides holding a full time job in my home office, I also moonlight now and then by writing articles, rewriting them, signing up for programmes, and doing paid blog posts. I also offer virtual assistance working as an online secretary and doing internet research work. Just the last month, I was paid USD 250 for 25 hours of work at USD 10 per hour from a client in Australia. He was a businessman travelling frequently and he contacted me directly from a VA web site. I don't have to pay anything or bid with fellow competitors as in oDesk or eLance web sites.

This is my additional source of income from the internet. It is like cash cow to me where I milk the internet very often to save up for my retirement down the road.

Health Insurance

I am a firm believer of buying health insurance. This is because I received a lump sum payment for my health condition from my CPF or Central Provident Fund account from an insurance company in Singapore. My doctor wrote a detailed report that was convincing and in the end, they remitted the funds into my account after much deliberation. I am blessed with financial matters and I now work comfortably from my home office while staying with my parents.

Currently, I now have 4 different insurance policies which I pay monthly for around $700 or so. Some of them are endowment plans while others are purely life insurance plans. Both my younger sisters are also well insured and my second sister has gone for a foot operation - all fully paid for by her health insurance company including some bonus as a reward.

Working in My Home Office

I am happy to say that I have been working successfully from my home office since February 2004. And the best part is that my boss found me from the internet. He is also my fellow citizen and is now my business partner. Initially it started out as he being my web site client and I charged him quite reasonable rates for his 15-page web site. He paid me promptly and that is how we progressed from there.

My home office is equipped with a laptop computer that I work on every day, a desktop computer as a spare computer, a LCD monitor, a multi-functional printer with scanner and copier, a fax machine and a digital camera. So, you can consider it as a complete small office home office (soho) setup. I also offer virtual assistance now and then when potential clients contact me via the internet.

Chicago Auto Insurance

I have a company car which is an olive green Myvi that I have been using since 2007. I use it mainly to pay worker's EPF and SOCSO for the monthly contributions. I love driving my company car as it is fully automatic and easy to navigate around. In fact it is one of the best selling models in my country. I also used chicago auto insurance to have it insured against damage and accidents. It is one of the best vehicle that I own and my dad has been using it as well for his church activities.

Off Topic - Cheap Scrubs

I just woke up after catching a late night movie of Arthur Christmas last night. The flick was superb which has 3D effects even though I watched it in 2D as they have the slotted time that I wanted. The graphics were excellent and story line endearing. You should go watch it yourself.

On another matter, I was browsing the web sites and came upon http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/ where you can click on the link to find out more. There are cheap scrubs that you can order and buy online with safe and secure payment gateway using your credit card.

Today, I need to check up on my apartment but it is still not ready yet while waiting for the air con workers to bore a hole for the copper tube to be connected to the compressor. Sometimes I wished I had paid more for the convenience of full installation of 3 units of air con so that I don't have to worry about self installation later on like now with much hiccups.

Medical personnel in the hospital adorn scrubs over their clothes to look more professional and efficient when tending to patients. It also protects their clothes from splutters of blood during operations, et cetera. So, it not only looks good, it is more hygienic.

Locksmith Palm Beach Gardens

Tomorrow I will go to check on my new apartment for the installation of the air-con unit and before that, the workmen need to bore a hole for the copper pipe to connect to the compressor. I will make sure that I have 3 sets of key to the house and in case I lose any of them, I will check out Locksmith Palm Beach Gardens to my rescue.

My condo was bought at $281,000 but is now worth about $480,000 when fully furnished. The capital appreciation has earned me some income and this adds up to my net worth which I tabulate in an Excel file for my own reference.

Locksmith in Palm Beach Gardens is your one-stop solution to your misplacing your key problems or issues like being locked out accidentally from the inside. Just check out the links and bookmark them for future reference.

Air Conditioning Miami

I am now in the process of installing air conditioning for my new apartment and need to bore a hole for the copper tube to connect to the compressor. You can check out Air Conditioning Miami for more information. Today, I am waiting for a call from the company that bores holes through walls for the air con pipe to be installed and it will be a messy job with continuous flow of water draining down to a big tub and provide cooling system for the machine.

AC Repair Miami has one-stop solution for your air con installation needs and repairing work in your area especially Miami, USA. I just bought a 1 horse power air con unit with negative ions emitted and eco inverter to save electricity. Well, I hope this issue will be dealt with promptly so that I don't have to wait too long to move into my new apartment.

Found Micro Jobs Online

I am pleased with my online venture so far because I have found a site offering micro jobs for some payment in US currency. The tasks include rewriting articles, doing paid blog posts, signing up for new programmes, et cetera. It will be paid by Alert Pay and not Paypal which I am already familiar with. I am not too sure how Alert Pay works but I hope it is similar to Paypal so that I can withdraw money without too much charges.

I have also written some articles which were accepted this morning for more than USD 8.00 at USD 1 cent per word. These online ventures will keep me very busy for a long time to come and I love typing out and churning out article after article in a prompt manner from my laptop. I am grateful for God's providence over my life currently.

Off Topic - Calgary Apartments

I just came back from a successful business trip and took a local small airline to visit the remote place and meet up with the potential client. It was a day trip flying in the morning, driving tens of kilometres and then back to the airport at night. In situations like this, you just hope to own or rent Calgary Apartments just to rest in between the journey to recuperate.

I am happy that the trip was fruitful albeit a bit tiring waiting long hours at the airport. That's because we went 3 hours earlier so as not to miss the domestic flight after parking the car at the airport. It was very near our rented apartment. If you are a student or just graduated and found a job, you might like to look for apartments to rend in Calgary which caters to a wide range of people like you and me - from retirees to working adults.

There are various budgets to suit every pocket and your affordability. From family suites to bachelor pads, there is something to cater for everyone. So, just check out the link above and who knows, you might find something to suite your taste and wallet. You can read up more about it from the link above and perhaps find pictures to your liking of the most appropriate apartment or condominium to rent for your family. The web site is neat and easy to navigate. So this post is off topic from the usual food post with lots of photos.

Lunch at a Chinese Restaurant

 

Some time back, I treated dad to a Chinese restaurant in Penang Times Square on the third level of Birch Plaza phase 1. I forgot the name of the restaurant but I must say that it is very popular with bridal couples and almost every week, you can see it is books for a wedding banquet. Above is my order of sweet and sour fish with capsicums, red chillies and onions.

 

Here is my favorite dish - Nestum Prawns. The fresh prawns are deep fried with Nestum cereal flakes and some Indian herbs for that crispy flavor and zing.

 

For vegetables, I usually order the ubiquitous brocolli with Shitake black mushrooms and some garlic and oyster sauce. The ingredients are all stir fried in a wok before serving them piping hot. 

 

Here are all the dishes ordered for just the two of us. My dad drove me to Penang Times Square to oversee stuffs to be done to my small condominium and thereafter, we hopped over to the next block for some sumptuous lunch.

 

Food from Various Places

 

Here is fish fillet braised with almond flakes and poured with lemon sauce from Mizi at Tesco outlet in Straits Quay. Veges such as sliced carrots, a floret of cauliflower, some green peas and steamed potato wedge are garnished to complement this delicious meal. I love patronizing Mizi Bistro for its very affordable and reasonably charged western food. They also offer a fusion of both western and eastern food and there are 3 branches in Penang - one in Prangin Mall, one in New World Park and the latest in Tesco, Straits Quay. The chain of food is owned by a former executive chef with working experience in a 5-star hotel.

 

This is my favorite dish of fish florentine which consists of dory fish fillets on top of braised spinach and topped with cheese powder. The white sauce was just pure ambrosia and heavenly!  I will always order my favorite fish and the waiter can already anticipate what I am going to order each time I come here.

 

As you have already guessed, the dish above comes from a Chinese restaurant - slices of fish stir-fried with chopped spring onions and garlic. It was ordered from Xuan Xin Restaurant in Gurney Plaza, an upmarket shopping mall in Penang which is currently undergoing renovation and expansion. You will be lucky if you can find a car parking bay during school holidays!

 

Also from Xuan Xin Restaurant, this is large prawn omelette and garnished with parsley. Though this meal looks appetizing, the doctor just advised me to cut down on seafood like prawns which has high cholesterol. I just went for a blood test last week and the results were not too good, I failed in 6 categories of the overall test which means that certain abbreviations like HDL, LDL, etc were above the normal range. So now I am taking 1,000mg of Omega-3 fatty acids 3 times a day to lower my blood cholesterol level and to prevent future heart attack or heart disease. My dad already has 3 clogged arteries and it seems this could be hereditary.

 

Here is stir-fried spinach with oyster sauce, from Xuan Xin Restaurant. You can choose a set meal for 2 persons with several choices of 2 main meals and a vegetable meal from a list of 6 to 7 vegetables and different sauces like garlic, oyster sauce, etc. There are 2 bowls of rice with 2 bowls of soup, a drink each for about RM 50 after tax (USD 16.70).

 

As my friend is a member of Chinese Recreation Club, we went to the Chinese restaurant with 10% discount using the member card. Above is steamed fish cooked in Teochew style which is sourish where slices of assam are added to add the zing. Black shitake mushrooms, straw mushrooms, preserved vegetables are added with slices of ginger and carrots and garnished with spring onions. The fish is garoupa and it is quite delicious in this cooking style. Don't throw away the soup as all the flavors are infused during the cooking and this makes it very delicious.

 

This is fried chicken coated with some batter for crunchyness and added with Thai chilly sauce. I have forgotten where I ordered this meal as I normally snap a lot of photos from the various places for posterity.

 

The set meal above was ordered from a Taiwanese Tea Restaurant in Queensbay Mall near Bayan Lepas. If I don't go to Gurney Plaza every night, then I will be at Queensbay Mall once in a while for a change of location. I love the blue champaign milk tea with brown sago pearls or also known as boba. 

 

 The meal above was part of the buffet breakfast in City Bayview Hotel in Kuah, Langkawi. I was in Langkawi last month for business. See the granite table top which makes the ambiance classy and elegant.

Longing for a Hot Cuppa

Today is very hot and to provide some respite from the sweltering heat of the sun, I am craving for my hot cuppa made from instant coffee powder mix with hot water. It would even be better to have your own coffee maker with krups coffee maker parts

You can check out more about krups coffee maker parts by clicking on the links given and read about it. I chanced upon krups coffee maker parts while surfing for information at home. What's more, you can order online and pay with your credit card via they safe and secure payment gateway. And the items will be delivered right to your doorsteps at the click of the mouse or keypad in the comfort of your home. Some of the items offer free shipping within a certain region. The link of the web site leads to many items that you can choose from to complement your kitchen and make it more complete.

There are many kitchen appliances parts of several brands like CUISINART, DELONGHI, HUROM, KITCHENAID, KRUPS and many more. I like the layout of the web site which is well developed for online purchasing with each item on display well photographed and the back ground removed for easier clarity. The site is McAfee secure tested, so you don't have to worry about malware or spamware installed on your computer system. They also have a blog that you can read up more about it and to attract higher traffic.

Off Topic - Repair Water Damaged Ceiling Austin

I was rather busy lately and did not have as much time as I would like to. There's work to be done every day and now we have a few enquiries from the Middle East for sports products. I also just collected our company calendars last night and waited a long time for my colleague to come back. I hope this is going to be the last year we sent out calendars because the task is laborious and time consuming.

Anyway, you might like to check out on http://www.thesteamteam.com/ which I just chanced upon it while surfing sites for information. And if you stay in Austin area, you might like to read up on repair water damaged ceiling austin, just in case you need such services. The best time to work in a home office is when both my parents are away so that I can have complete peace of mind to work uninterrupted.

This post is off topic anyway from the usual post of food with glorious pictures that may make you salivate. I have snapped lots of food photos recently but just did not have the time to process them and upload to my food blog. As you know, for each post, I normally put up 6-8 food photos or even more, so it is going to take up plenty of time with Photoshop software.

I also did not put up the kolam photos taken a few days ago for Deepavali for my other blog. It was just work and work every day - non stop. If I finished one assignment, more will come along my way and I might just suggest to my boss to employ another administrator to assist me in my work.

Virtual Pad

Guest written by our friend Trent Horton

I was watching direct tv Tucson and there was a show that was highlight new and upcoming real estate. The show highlighted the “Esquire Bachelor Pad”. When they call it a bachelor pad, that is exactly what it was. Everything was modern with clean lines. There were no feminine touches in the apartment. They used the newest technology in the Brooklyn Penthouse. Yes, it had a great view, was two stories and beautifully furnished, but some things really turned me off about the apartment. They had something that was like a virtual hologram of a good looking woman that was projected on the walls and in different places in the apartment. It was just so weird. They called the projection “Charlotte the ghost” and said that she “only came out at night”, which was even weirder. If I started dating a guy and went to his apartment where he had a hologram woman show up all over the house, I think I would be scared off. I would think that he was either a total creep or just really weird. The “Bachelor Pad” would definitely keep you a bachelor forever!

Dining Experience

I am blessed to be able to try out different dishes in the various restaurants all over the country. During my dining pursuits, I will snap some photos for my food blog like Best Asian Food. There won't be any food photos for this post as I am currently busy with designing and sending out calendars for the year end, hopefully before the dawn of 2012 next year. The year end is the busiest time for me and my boss has lots of work for me to do each day. Though I work at my own pace in a home office, I still have to place priority over my work and will only blog during my spare time. I have 7 blogs to maintain currently, so you can imagine the time and efforts put in to update all my blogs. In order to maintain this blog, I hope you will consider tipping my jar using the Paypal button on the right side if you love what you read here.

Food from Various Places

I have been busy lately and did not update this blog as often as I should. Anyway, here is a set of 4 gorgeous photos taken from the various dining places recently. Above is taken in Sushi King which was Curry Chicken Katsu which consists of fried chicken fillet, Japanese curry of potatoes and carrots on top of rice and garnished with chopped spring onions. This meal was as delicious as it looked.

Here was our free dessert of chocolate shaved ice topped with Oreo, chopped ground nuts, chocolate powder and some battered sticks. When we dined here on the 7th floor of Xuan Xin Steam Boat Restaurant, it was just the opening for the newly renovated food cafe. Xuan Xin has 3 outlets in Gurney Plaza and is prospering well in its food business. The boss was an award winning chef since the tender age of 18 and has working experience in Singapore. He is now 33.

Here is another Japanese food of noodles soup with seaweed, egg, bits of chicken, vegetables and some special fish ball slices. The meal is easy to prepare - just like cooking instant noodles over a stove.

We also went to Siam Express Thai Restaurant on the ground floor of Gurney Plaza. This is tom yum soup with prawns and straw mushrooms. We decided to change the seafood ingredients which usually have calamari, fish, prawns to just prawns. That's all for my food blog post for today. Later on I have to catch a ferry to Langkawi for a business trip there on a Monday morning and then go to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.



So it will be a busy week for me shuttling here and there for business as part of my work and if I don't post today, I may not have time to post for this week. Till next time, enjoy!

Throwing a Party - Food Items

I have attended a birthday party during my school days that was thrown by my classmate. Apparently she comes from a wealthy family having stayed in a semi-detached home in a landed property. I was quite young then but I remembered the adult guests had italian wine glasses in their hands and were merrily drinking red wine. There were also dinnerware like sango dishes to contain the savory food and desserts plus some finger food like sausages and french fries. We ate using square paper plates which was kind of unusual because most of the paper plates are round for easier dining.

The party lasted quite long and I had to go back before it ended late at night. I was still young, so my family were also concerned about my safety and well being. Personally speaking I have never organized any home party as our terrace house is cluttered with stuffs and there is not much room to move around. So, we normally invite friends to restaurants and have our gatherings there over a cuppa and some scrumptious food. Having good friends around to celebrate momentous occasion is worth the time and money spent. This is especially so during Christmas, Chinese New Year, etc.

Kitchenaid Blender Parts

I used to learn cooking, baking and sewing as part of the syllabus of secondary school long time ago. And I scored an A for the subject which was known as Home Science. It fun was learning how to cook curries, bake cakes, sardine puffs and be able to enjoy them with your family. When you cook at home, it is good to have kitchenaid blender parts to help assist you in your food preparation. The kitchenaid blender parts need not be expensive and can be affordable if you search online and click on the links given. Cooking can be any enjoyable past time while you learn to prepare new recipes using your kitchenaid blender parts.

Now with the internet, it is so easy to look for new recipes to try out by searching online for them. That is the magic of the internet - everything is instant that sometimes you tend to take it for granted. In the past, housewives have to buy cookbooks from the book stores before they can learn new dishes to cook and experiment with. Well, the internet is the answer to most of our problems in this day and age. Which is why we should not be afraid to embrace technology and learn to be internet savvy.

Low Calorie Snacks

I love to binge now and then especially during tea time. I would look into the fridge for some low calorie snacks to staff of the hunger pangs while not putting on extra weight. The low calorie snacks come in handy when I stock them up in my fridge for emergencies like this when I feel lazy to go out and buy food.

Living here in a warm climate, makes me hungry faster and taking a glass of plain water helps. You don't add on any more calories while the water make your stomach full and dilute the gastric juice so that you don't get gastric or stomach ulcer pains. There are many hypermarkets like Tesco selling low calorie snacks and you just need to look out for them. They are not difficult to find when you go to the food section or dry food section. You can check out the links given above to find out more and perhaps to order online if you are a busy person. Sometime, I prefer to buy through the internet to test out the payment system and check the reliability of the site. Not only that, it is also very convenient to make purchases - all at the touch of the keyboard.

Traditional English Afternoon Tea at E & O Hotel, Penang

Here are some desserts during a traditional English afternoon tea at E & O hotel in Penang. The English afternoon tea was free using the coupon voucher for members and is valid for 1 year. E & O hotel was owned by the Sarkies brothers and is a premier lifestyle hotel that was recently renovated.

The sandwiches are served in a 2 tier holder with scones on top. There are cucumber sandwiches, salmon, cheese and beef sandwiches. You can have a choice of various types of tea, and my favourite is orange flavoured tea. Each diner has a tea pot to himself.

A closer view of the sandwiches with whole meal bread and plain white bread.

Fine bone china is used at the cutlery. On the left is strawberry jam while the right side is butter. These are fillings for the scones where you can split into halves using a butter knife and spread the jam evenly.

Food from Various Places

 

Just recently, I had lobster thermidor in Fishing Village in Teluk Bahang, Penang. As seen from the picture, lobster thermidor looks scrumptious with fillings of button mushrooms, onions, succulent lobster meat and lots of cheese. It was garnished with juliened cabbage, carrots and greens. 100gm of frozen lobster is about $13.00 or USD 4.35. This meal was 1kg lobster served on a huge dining plate.

 

Our next ordered meal was baked crabs - we prefer it baked to retain the flavor so that it is not masked by other sauces like chilly crab with eggs, lots of gravy, et cetera. Here, we had 2 baked crabs, one for each of us to fill our hungry appetites.

 

This is curry chicken cheese baked spaghetti on the 7th level of Gurney Plaza, next to Xuan Xin Steamboat that was opened 2 weeks ago. As we were catching a movie soon, it was only convenient to have our dinner on the same floor as the movie screen cinemas as we don't want to be late for any cinema show. I don't like it when it is all dark with the lights turned off and the movie has started while you have to search for your seat numbers. It is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

 

I love this Siamese 'belacan' fried rice consisting of chopped long beans, onions, mango, dried prawns, chicken, egg omelette and sambal. The whole combination was just simply delicious when mixed together and eaten as a complete meal with enough carbo from the rice and roughage from the veges.

 

The same meal together with spicy tom yum soup and a glass of fresh orange juice without sugar and ice - also from Gurney Plaza.

 

Here is coconut ice cream added with chopped peanuts, stripes of mango and water chess nut coated with red jelly-like substance which is typical of any Thai dessert.

 

The black pepper gravy for the fish fillet simply sumptuous. This was ordered at Clinic Cafe on the 4th level of Gurney Plaza. By now you might have guessed that I love to patronize Gurney Plaza, an upmarket lifestyle shopping mall.

Dinner at Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant

 

This is the entrance to Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant where we dined recently over the weekend. It looks decadent with the red Chinese New Year cloth decos, potted bongsai trees, et cetera.

 

This was one of our dishes that I ordered - broccoli with scallops, stirfried with ginger, garlic and spring onions. The broccoli was crunchy and scallops succulent to taste. The chopped ginger added the 'oomph' to the flavor.

 

Notice the comb of genuine shark's fins with dried scallops, chicken plus chinese herbal roots and other condiments. A bowl like this will set you back by $40 as sharks' fins are rare commodity now and sharks are endangered species. The double-boiled soup was just superb and heavenly. 

 

This presentation of this dish was not as nice as what we have ordered before but it tasted just as delicious. This is two styles cooked chicken that's fried and garnished with sesame seeds which give the added flavor to the palate.

 

After finishing our ordered dishes, to our surprise, the waiter brought us free dessert of mooncakes to celebrate the lunar month of the mooncake festival. The middle portions are salted duck egg yolk covered with lotus seed that's been processed into a paste and baked in the oven. Some of the mooncakes are just plain filling while others have nutty fillings and red bean paste.

 

These are the most common mooncakes with brown covering and floral motifs imprinted on them. They are vacuum  packed individually at now cost 10% more than last year, ranging from $12 - $18 a piece. This photo was taken downstairs of the restaurant where there is a supermarket on the ground floor.

 

This is a different variety of mooncakes made from black charcoal powder to give its distinct black color.

 

More colored mooncakes - in this case, they are beige or pastel yellow snowskin.

 

This is the ambiance of Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant and view from our table. Sometimes Chinese wedding banquets are held here with almost the whole restaurant being booked in advance. There are also private function rooms for the discerning wealthy and millionaire diners who prefer to eat in complete privacy and away from the prying eyes of other diners at other tables.

 

I am done with the photos at Hei Yeong Seng Restaurant. Now next to showing food photos taken in Kuala Lumpur where I went for a business trip last week. This 'sui kow' soup was taken at Noodle House in Taipan, Subang Jaya and sprinkled with chopped spring onions. A bowl like this with 5 'sui kows' cost about $6.

 

This is fish fillet baked rice at Kim Gary on the 3rd floor of Gurney Plaza. This is one of my favorite dishes and I don't mind having this every day! I can eat the same food on a daily basis without getting bored.

Gourmet Tea

Today is the first of September and heralds a new beginning of the month. It is also pay day for me. As an aside, I am paid twice a month - one on the first and the other on the fifteenth. And I love to work from a home office. Just last night, I had lobster thermidor which I will put up the picture later on. I also had baked crabs and stir-fried vermicelli in a fishing village food cafe. We had to book a table, otherwise there will not be any place and you will have to wait until the diner finished their meals before getting an empty table. That's how popular the place is, regardless of how ramshackle it looks.

My friend had gourmet tea that came in a tea pot while I ordered 2 glasses of orange juice. The lobster thermidor was succulent! There was plenty of cheese, button mushrooms and lots of onions baked together with the fresh lobster. The bill came to about $190 which was much cheaper than if you were to dine elsewhere in Penang. This particular food cafe is located in a fishing village by the seaside and is always patronized by diners that come from far and near. Singaporeans love this place for its very affordable yet delicious food. That is why it is always jammed packed with people.

The gourmet tea that my friend ordered was a type of Chinese tea called 'pu er'. It is not cheap either and the longer you keep it, the better it tastes just like wine. The older it ages, the more expensive it becomes. There are many types of gourmet tea and you can check out by clicking on the links given to read more about them. My favorite English tea is Earl Grey and Peppermint tea.

I Love T.G.I. Friday's

 

Attention Baltimore area Friday's fans! Head on over to your local Friday's for a great offer of a Dinner and a Cold One for only $10.

Enjoy some of Friday's® delicious entrees including a drink of choice:

• Indulgent Parmesan Crusted Chicken


• Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Sandwich


• Balsamic Glazed Chicken Caesar


• Mouth-watering Black Angus cheeseburger

This offer is available Sunday –Thursday only. For the full menus being offered, please visit:

http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;244940026;55575682;n?http://www.tgifridays.com/menus/dinnerColdOne.aspx

T.G.I.F. means Thank God It's Friday's. There are many outlets of T.G.I.F all over the world and I love the one in Baltimore for its ambience and food. T.G.I.Fserves western food with huge portions - suitable for big people with huge appetite. The ambience is cosy, with dimly lit lights that is suitable for dating couples to dine with soothing music in the background. The waiters and waitresses are also trained to handle your orders with upmost professionalism. On March 15, 1965 casual dining got a serious kick start. That’s when a fun-loving New Yorker named Alan Stillman purchased a bar located on 1^st Avenue and 63^rd Street and named it T.G.I. Friday’s.  Okay, so his main goal was to meet stewardesses, but what he didn’t know at the time was that he was going to create what is now referred to as the casual dining industry.






Today, T.G.I. Friday’s offers a casual dining experience unlike any other, where you can expect great food, drinks and plenty of fun to go around at 928 locations in 44 states and 61 countries.  Just don’t expect a dull moment at any of them.

“TGIF,” an acronym that stands for “Thank God It’s Friday” (or, alternatively “Thank Gosh It’s Friday,” or “Thank Goodness It’s Friday”). The expression, which has been popularized in the last few decades through media, entertainment and marketing, nonetheless represents one of the most deep-seated features of human nature: the universal need to have fun, relax, and hang out with friends and family. And what day better represents this need than Friday, the start of the weekend? I have dined in TGIF a few times and due to the dim lighting, did not take as many food pictures as I would love to. But this is a splendid restaurant to patronize if you run out of ideas of where to eat. The fish and chips were succulent and juicy with the chips crispy to the palate. There's also a generous portion of salad paired with the main meal.

This sponsorship is brought to you by Friday's® whom we have partnered with for this promotion.

Moving Obsession?

Thanks for the article from Jermaine Haynes

There are few things in this world I love more than real estate and that probably explains why I’ve moved so many times. It’s three in the last four years, to be exact, and I think I’m crazy because I actually like packing and unpacking and all that comes with it. I spend so much of my time changing my address and utilities and on WildBlue in Bennettsville websites that I think my boss thinks I’m slacking off but really it’s just necessary stuff! First the townhome I couldn’t pass up came my way and then it was the old farmhouse and my most recent obsession is this old Victorian I’ve moved into. I think I’m going to get a dog the next time the urge to move strikes so I won’t lose so much money on movers and things like that – this obsession is getting a bit out of hand! I know it sounds silly but I think it has something to do with wondering what the perfect house would do for my life.

Food is Nourishing

We work hard to earn an income to bring food to the table for our families and children. We spend most of our waking hours working hard for at least 8 hours straight on end, with some people working even longer hours. Therefore, we need to nourish ourselves with nutritious food to replenish the lost energy and calories. Eating food can also be cathartic. But eat in moderation and not to the extend of being obese that you have to be warded in the medical centre and see the personnel in scrubs uniforms.

On a side note, you might like to check out http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/ by clicking on the link given here to find out more. The lab coats sold here are of premium quality without burning a hole in your wallets in case you are searching for one or work in the hospital. It has long been the tradition to don a lab coat in the course of your duty in the medical centres.

It is certainly time consuming to maintain this blog with many gorgeous food photos that make eye candies to whet the appetite. It is done out of love of seeing my own photos being listed for every new post and see visitors coming back repeatedly.

Free Offer on Recipes eBook

I have gone through Dinner Revolution and read the ebook. It must say, the more than 200 recipes are easy to prepare in this more than 200-page ebook. What's more, there also the number of calories per serving, so you know what you are ingesting here for each meal. To get a free copy for my beloved readers here at Best Asian Food, simply fill in your details by clicking on the link at http://www.dinnerevolution.com/free-offer then download the ebook. Chef Jeff has certainly put in a lot of effort to come up with this amazing ebook with recipes that are easy to prepare and won't take more than 30 minutes of preparation time.

I love each of the recipe that are more catered to Western cooking and reminds of me of the tantalizing food that I have ordered here in Penang where East meets West.

I Love Food

I love food and have studied home science in secondary school from 1983 to 1985 where I scored a distinction for this subject. It includes cooking and sewing. I have copied a thick recipe book of all the food that I have learnt and cooked before which includes baking cakes, making sandwiches, cooking curries and the like. Food will never be out of fashion as people need to eat every day even during recession. You cannot go by without food.

Therefore, the three most wanted things in this world are in no particular order: food, money and sex. Which reminds me, if you like to find out more about http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/, just click on the link given to read more. Medical uniforms or
scrubs for men are used by medical personnel to look more professional as part of their jobs in the hospitals. You can get them from the scrubs stores or anywhere near your location.

The reason I update this food blog here at Best Asian Food is to create an online food album of sorts to remind me of the various places that I have dined and to share with my readers like you. Contact number and address of some of the restaurants are included for your reference.

Lunch at Home from Take Away Food

 

My second sister came back for a month from Suchou during her summer holidays there and mom promptly bought good food for lunch at home. We always buy food back for lunch every day as she does not cook anymore. Above is chilly flower crabs which are my favorite including my sister. The thick sumptuous gravy can be eaten with plain white bread for carbohydrates. The crab meat was succulent and fresh.

 

This is 'otak' or steamed fish with secret blend of spices in coconut milk. For the special flavor and zing, lemon leaves are added.

This is 'jiu hu char' or stir fried dried calamari in literal translation. It consists of julienned yam bean, black Shitake mushrooms, carrots and garnished with spring onion as an option. 

 

Here is stir-fried clams in special gravy. We love clams and will indulge in them once in a blue moon as my sister comes back to Penang twice a year during her college holidays. 

 

Here is a photo of stir-fried potato leaves mixed with 'belacan' or prawn paste which gives extra oomph to the taste.

 

Whenever my parents buy a few dishes from a particular stall, we will be given free soup and for today, it was cabbage soup with carrots. I love the tasty clear soup with chicken bones added to infuse the flavor into the liquid. 

 

Finally, all the dishes are captured in this combined shot for our family lunch of 4 people. Buying food outside is not for everyone or everyone's cup of tea. Some prefer to cook at home to save costs than to buy outside. But my mom is a lady of leisure, going for her exercise on a weekly basis and does not cook anymore as we are subsidizing the family's lifestyle.

Lunch at GEM Restaurant in Penang

 

Just last month I went to Public Bank to take out all my Fixed Deposits from my account to put into RHB bank giving me 3.75% interests for 2 years - the highest FD rate in the country ever. After the banking transaction, my parents and I went to a nearby Indian GEM Restaurant that was just opposite Public Bank. Above is Chicken Thokku with spicy secret recipe in a thick gravy - which consists of Turmeric powder (for marinating), pepper and cumin powder, Aniseed powder, Ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. It is garnished with chopped parsley.

 

For starters, we had Indian crackers that can be eaten on its own or dipped in special green mint sauce or red chilly sauce. There were free flow of Indian crackers while waiting for our main course. After we had finished with the crackers, the waiters replenished the basket bowl with more crackers for us. I had a little, bearing in mind to keep some room for the main dishes later on.

 

This is Malai Khofta - the vegetarian alternative to meatballs. It goes very well with naans (tandoor-baked flatbread). It was potato balls in thick yellow curry that was very tantalizing to the palate and sumptuous. I don't mind ordering the same dish again for its tastiness. It was non spicy but creamy with milk and aromatic blend of spices to seduce the appetite. 

 

 

This was mushroom pepper fry which tastes just as good like the previous dishes. I am amazed how delicious Indian food can be at GEM Restaurant - different from the ubiquitous hot and spicy curry fares. The mushroom bits were crunchy and crispy. 

 

The snapshot above is mango lassi - Indian yoghurt drink mixed with mango ester or flavor in chemical terms. My parents commented that it was the best mango lassi they have tasted and it was thick and not diluted as served in some of the cheaper Indian hawker jaunts. I am not paid to promote GEM Indian Restaurant but to be honest, it has the best Indian food around with premium quality.

 

This is palak paneer - an Indian dish consisting of blended spinach and paneer cheese in a curry sauce. It is a popular vegetarian dish. The taste was so exquisite that I scooped the bowl clean.

 

To complement our main dishes, I ordered butter naan and garlic naan in equal proportion. Naan is a flat, leavened bread of northwest India, made of white flour and baked in a tandoor.

 

 

This photo is a combination of all the dishes ordered as they come together and served at our table. GEM Indian Restaurant is owned by Dato' K. Palaniappan which a string of titles which I don't know what they mean as stated on his name card - (DSPN, PKT, PJK, B. Com). He also has one other GEM Restaurant branch in Kuala Lumpur and two in India. The address of the main office in Penang is below:

GEM Restaurant (PG) Sdn Bhd.

66, Bishop Street

10200 Penang, Malaysia

Tel : 604 262 4070

Fax : 604 262 4070

Hand Phone : 6012 401 2007

eMail : p.krishnan@live.com

Web Site : www.GemRestaurant.com