Longchamp

Logo Longchamps, originally uploaded by Clemaul.

I now drive a tornado red Golf. And what better reason to buy a matching longchamp bag. Coincidentally the current colours available include the red the shade of which would complement the car colour. Time to shop ladies!

What books do I want as gifts?

Borders for all!!!!, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

1. The best kept secret by Jeffrey Archer
2.Attic Term by Antonia Forest
3. ANy book by Angela Brazil ( except the youngest girl in the fifth because I have that already)

Fried rice

Fried rice, originally uploaded by The Food Pornographer.

This isn't a picture taken by me. But It's a lovely one. And I'm borrowing it as a topic for my post this evening. AJ was so sweet today she brought friend rice ( and fried chicken) in a container for my lunch. This was her food during Sahur and as she had some left over she packed some for me. Sweet!!! The worst fried rice I've ever had to pay for was at Ah Tuan Ee restaurant at the curve. It came in lumps which when chewed revealed white bits with zero taste. Obviously made with freshly cooked rice rather than overnight rice. ( See even I....of the can't-cook-cathegory know this basic rule) We've never return since. I'm sure it must have been a once-off and I'm sure their food is still nice. But as I paid quite a bit for that plate of lumpy rice...I've decided they do not deserve me as a customer any more.

To do list.

To do list., originally uploaded by AlwaysGottaBeKay.

Just about to sit down and do my to-do-list. This evening, I met up with 3 out of my 4 mentees. It's a program where you are given a set of students who will travel the year with you as their mentor. There's a file with a time-line and dates with this job so you're not totally left to your own devices.

Part of the discussion was the SWOT analysia: Strength, weakness, Opportunity, Threats. I suggested doing a to-d0-list to solve the lack of time issue. Good advice? Only if the list is a do-able and sensible one.

Reading this will make you run better

Running made simple....(not), originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Found this book at Borders. I haven't been running since the start of the haze. Now that the skies are ( on certain days ) clear...I've lost my drive to clock in the kilometers.

I'll start again soon. Promise!!!

Kek Lapis

, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Kek lapis is a multilayer cake. The consistency is different from the crepe cake. ( speaking of which coffee expresso sells some nice crepe cakes ...okay I'm deviating) First introduced when we bought it from Begawan Solo years ago in Singapore. Then Auntie M shared her recipe with mum and we enjoyed a few years of good kek lapis. It's time-consuming so we didn't have it all the time. Saved only for special occasions as the layering means you will have to take a spoonful of batter each time, pour it gently over the layer before stick it in the oven with an overhead grill and wait for it to brown. Count the layers and that is equivalent to the trips you will have to make to the oven. Hard work indeed!

Traffic stinks

Picture from Istock photo

The traffic jam this week and the week before has been horrendous. On average I spend 1 hour 15 min to 1 hour 30 minutes traversing through town with a distance of roughly 12 km....a journey which can take as fast as 15 minutes on a good day.Sitting in an almost stationary vehicle with the foot periodically on the brake alternating with the accelerator is tiring. My patience is tried with the naughty drivers who drive ahead only to cut in sometimes rather viciously. It would take a very special person indeed to deny them.

Monica McInerney

My second book, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

My first book finished ( the house of memories) I then searched hungrily for a second book by Mcinerney. Very happy when I found the LAST copy of what will be my second Mcinerney book.

McInerney was born in Australia and grew up  in a place called Clare Valley in South Australia. She lives in Dublin currently. Her other books include.
1. A taste of it.
2. Upside down, inside out
3. Spin the bottle
4. The alphabet sisters
5. Family baggage
6. Odd one out
7. Those Farady sisters
8. At home with the templetons
9. Lola's secret
10. The house of memories

Sunday evening in KL

Lovely contrast in colors, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Sunday was an exceptionally sunny day. No hint of haze despite a few haze-laden-days in the week before. Here we are at the Curve, last visit was 4 months ago if my log in at foursquare is accurate.We saw loads of raya cookies, Kek lapis, Baju kurungs ranging from the traditional to the ultra modern peplum versions ( yuck) as well as the bling bling ones ( yay) and for the non-edible stuff...I found the book I was looking for at Borders. ( Next post will be about that) Happy!!

Pale legs

Pale legs, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I've been wearing main baju kurungs the last few months. So I'm guessing the legs would have regressed to the sickly pale colour they once were. ( See picture above).

Showcased are my pale legs in my most comfortable black ecco shoes bought some years back. And still serving me well. One of the rare times I got my size at the shop.

Despite having two Ecco shops ( one at the Gardens and the other newer shop at KLCC) I still can't find my size.

Ecco is a Swedish manufacturer but was founded in Denmark.

Tendon set

Tendon set, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This comprises battered shrimp and vegetables. The rice has fine bits of fried sweet crunchy garlic, I had this for dinner yesterday with WNN. She had the sushi set with sashimi. We called in advance to book. Having being stashed at the very back in those romantic ( snug but claustrophobic cubicles) we have since chosen to be safe rather than sorry.

How do you make a macaroon?

What's the correct pronunciation....first it's a macaron....pronounced "mac-ah-rohhn. It is a airy pastry which is made into a sandwich with a filling which gives this pastry its main taste. The filling may be butter cream (yum) or ganache ( another french term depicting chopped chocolate and heavy cream mixture).I'm still not sure whether I've tasted the best but I will tell you what I like about the Vanilla macaron from Nathalie Gourmet. The main plus point was the lack of ultra-sweetness when you bite into the filling. The pastry was crunchy and when it entered the mouth, it stayed for a bit allowing some chewing before dissolving nicely.

The first macaron I tasted which liked was in Jakarta where we mistakenly took 1-week old macarons which were put for decoration at the milk and cornflakes table. My first macaron was from Whisk at Empire Shopping Centre with KN. That was sweet and I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. Fast forward a few years and here I am, obsessed with finding the perfect not-too-sweet macaron to eat.

For a simple french macaroni, here are the ingredients:
1. Sugar
2.Almond
3 Egg white
4 water

( Looks easy so far....never mind the fact the last time I baked was more than 10 years ago)
When I google Macarons, the word Laduree would pop up. ( A 151 year old Patisserie in Paris) Apparently it's the best place to buy perfect macaroons. But here is the good news: Laduree has open its first shop in South East Asia ....in Singapore. It opened in April 15 2013 ( yay) at Takashimaya. The macarons are shipped from Paris, 3-4 times per week. And one of the two counters is located near the Jo Malone counter. ( Another favourite item) The shop front looks like the orginal in Paris...they kept the same mint green colour.

They cost S3:80 per piece and your minimum order is six. ( Ouch!)

And looky look....they sell such cute tote bags too. I want one for christmas. Anyone?? The price ranges from S30-78 depending on the size. Aren't they something you would carry? I want I want I want

Ladurée is located at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, #02-09 and Level 1, Tel: 6884 7361. Prices start from $3.80 per macaron to $266 to a box of 70 macarons.