Saturday, January 31, 2009

Q-dees Chinese New Year Celebration (Management & Parents)

An fun filled educational day at Q-dees today.

-Hiroshi took us to his classrooms
-Chen lao shi telling us the story behind Chinese New Year
-Performance by the kids
(Hiroshi was busy hugging onto my leg! 
Therefore NO PICTURE of him performing!!
Duhz!!)
-Lion Dance
-Loh Hei Yu Sang
-Buffet
-Tea Ceremony
(This is an interesting bit. 
They taught the children how to serve tea to their parents....
And also taught them to utter 
some 大吉 大利 的 话 while serving the tea!!
Preserving traditions!
I love this part!)
-Games

Hiroshi & Rachel waiting for the Lion Dance troupe
DSC06113.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

The kids went really wild chasing the lion all over the school
Hiroshi finally standing still to take a picture with the lion
DSC_1358.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Hiroshi feeling all happy about 
having his OWN chopstick to Loh Yu Sang
You should have seen the mess the kids made with the Yu Sang
*giggle*
DSC_1361.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Friday, January 30, 2009

大年初五

Hiroshi with his FIRST BIcycle!
DSC06095.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

He learnt to ride it the next day.....


1st home cooked dinner at home

年年有余
DSC06097.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

升財包余
DSC06099.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Hiroshi & Sophia 
enjoying yummy abalone
DSC06105.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0mDSC06107.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Thursday, January 29, 2009

大年初二到大年初四2009

27th January 2009 - 29th January 2009

大年初二
(Mother-in-law & Sister-in-law's Place)
(Johor Baru)

I had the joy of packing my own 拜年 hampers,
and the kids INSIST on posing next to the hampers NAKED!!
DSC05922.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Sophia having Lots of FUN!
DSC05971.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0mDSC05969.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

The Kids
DSC05933.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

  DSC05946.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Family Picture
DSC05948.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Chinese New Year Goodies
DSC05979.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

敬茶, 拜年
with mother-in-law


大年初三: Rest & Relax

大年初四
Lo Hei

The same place year after year....
有記 @ Wong Hou
DSC06064.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

BIGGER Family Picture
DSC06030.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Delicious Food
What is lo hei without the Yu Sang?!?
DSC06034.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

The Yu Sang Ritual!


Yummilicious Char Siew
DSC06040.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Lar Ling Chicken
(I think that is what it is called.... 
I call it Darling chicken!! 
wahahahahahaha.....)
DSC06041.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Green Ginger Fish
DSC06044.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Volcano tofu
(One of the kid's fav. dishes)
DSC06045.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Desert: Nian Gao
DSC06046.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

We all had to carry our bellies out of the restaurant.

One last picture before we leave JB
~Look at all the happy faces~
DSC06087.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Virgin Train Ride to Johor

Our tickets that says "seats are not guaranteed"
DSC05787.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Hiroshi excited about visiting his cousins!
DSC05797.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Sophia was just happy to be sitting in an air-conditioned train!
She was sweating by the buckets!
DSC05796.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

My verdict:
It was far better than I've imagined!
Thank god the trains are properly air-conditioned....
I can't imagine smelling sweaty armpits for 90mins!!
Overall very clean!
Just don't stand/sit near the toliets!
THEY STINK!

Estimated travelling time (including custom clearance): 90mins

Daily Train Schedule from Singapore(Keppel Road Station) 
to Danga City Mall & Kempas Baru
Cost:s$3.00

Singapore >> Danga City Mall >> Kempas Baru
5.35am>> 6.21am>> 6.45am
7.40am>> 8.34am>> 8.50am
2.00pm>> 2.52pm>> 3.10pm
7.10pm>> 8.06pm>> 8.30pm

Daily Train Schedule from Kempas Baru & Danga City Mall to Singapore
Cost: RM$3.00

Kempas Baru >> Danga City Mall >> Singapore
9.24am>> 9.37am>> 11.00am
2.05pm>> 2.19pm>> 4.11pm
6.38pm>> 6.50pm>> 9.00pm
7.57pm>> 8.08pm>> 9.35pm

Monday, January 26, 2009

大年初一 2009

Buddhists believe that consuming vegetables 
on the first day of Chinese New Year 
is considered to be purifying, 
and helps the entire family avoid bad luck and disaster.

Hence, Chef Kitson 
cooks up a storm of 罗汉斋
DSC05881.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Final product
DSC05882.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Mother-in-law's罗汉斋 recipe:
Everything is based on "ARGAR ARGAR".....
(Ingredients)
-White cabbage包菜
-Napa Cabbage 大白菜
-Dried Bean curd sticks 腐竹
-Bamboo fungus 竹荪
-Dried Chinese Mushrooms 冬菇
-Dried Lily buds 金针
-Cloud ear fungus 云耳 
-Glass noodles 粉絲

(Seasoning)
-Minced Garlic 大蒜
-Sugar 糖
-Salt 盐
-Mashed Fermented red beancurd 南乳 
DSC06027.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Preparation:
(1) Cut white cabbage & Napa Cabbage into bite size
(2) Soak Dried Chinese Mushroom, Cloud ear fungus, 
Dried lily buds, Bamboo fungus in water
~After soaking~
-Cut off stem from Dried Chinese Mushrooms
-Take out the hard part from cloud ear fungus
-Cut off the hard end of the dried lily bud,
Tie dried lily bud into a knot
-Take off the hard part from bamboo fungus
(3) Deep fry Dried Beancurd Sticks & Glass Noodles

Method:
(1) Heat up oil in the wok, fry garlic till fragrant 
then add red fermented bean curd, fry till fragrant
(2) Add Dried Chinese Mushrooms
(3) Add Stems of Cabbages, cover and simmer
(4) Add Cloud ear fungus, Dried lily bud, Dried Bamboo fungus
(5) Add leaves of Cabbage, Add a small bowl of water, cover and simmer
(6) Add in Dried Beancurd Sticks and Glass noodles, cover and simmer
(7) Add seasoning, cover and simmer.
(8) Turn off heat

Try it 
and tell me if my argar-la-tion recipe work

~Time to visit the elders 
and earn some extra collage funds for the kids~

1st stop: Uncle Donald's Place

Kitson & Sophia
DSC05889.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Ivy & Myself
DSC05894.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Myself and Cousin Yvonne
DSC05893.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Cousin Yvonne with her son "Mr Bump"
DSC05895.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

2nd Stop: Missy Bo Bo's Place

Family Picture
(With Hiroshi snoring in one of the rooms)
DSC05902.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Sophia saying "恭喜发财, 红包拿来!!"
DSC05901.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Sophia in her pretty Cheongsam
DSC05910.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Brandon & Sophia
DSC05919-1.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Ivy's BUTT!
Very Very HUAT!!
DSC05918.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

祝你们,
恭喜发财,
萬 事 如意,
步步 高 升,
身体 健康,
笑 口 常 開,
萬 字 常 中,
在2009年. 
年头旺到年尾!
旺旺旺!!!

大吉 大利 的 话 都 讲 完 了....
该 是 时候 拿 红包 了 吧!!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

大团圆 2009

1st pitstop: Mother-in-law's place

Buddha Jump Over The Wall
Raw Ingredients!
(tempting isn't it!)
DSC05808.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Our Shifu Master; 
At home with Amy Beh 2 Cook Book
DSC05820.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

THE ONLY PAGE 
we book-marked in the whole book!!!
DSC05822.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

End Product
~BAGUS~
DSC05831.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

年年有余
DSC05829.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

哈哈大笑
DSC05828.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Mother-n-law famous Ratatouille
A combination of turnip, carrots, dried mushrooms & dried cuttlefish
Best served wrapped in local lettuce (Shang Choy)
DSC05827.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

钞票多到不完!
DSC05826.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Chef Kitson's Contribution
"4 corner bean" with sambal balachan
DSC05830.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

2nd Pitstop: Pasta de Waraku @ The Central
DSC05866.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Myself, Mummy & Ivy
DSC05850.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Myself, Sophia & Mummy
DSC05856.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Sophia & Kitson
DSC05860.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m

Hiroshi
DSC05861.jpg picture by fattyb0mb0mb0m