Zhao Heng, being the itchy fellow that he is, loudly suggested during lunch, that we all do down (up) to Genting, for a round of gambling, in lieu of Chinese New Year. Having said it a tad too adamantly, he had no choice but to follow through with his suggestion, and was kind enough (along with Johnson) to drive. Since there was space in the cars, Joyce and I packed our laptops and jackets, and hopped into Johnson's Golf, and at 10.40p.m, together with Kian Siang and Kohilan, sped off to the City of Entertainment.
We stopped at a McD's along the way...
Now, when I say sped off, I literally mean sped off. Johnson has the makings of an F1 driver, and the ride to Genting was pretty much a race (with no one in particular) to the top. The Golf GTI is featured in Need For Speed (a racing game), and I believe Johnson was trying to play the game in real life, along the highway. I bet that if we travelled just a bit faster, we would have travelled through time. We were the first to arrive (no surprise there) and the first to park! (we were fortunate that a car came out right in front of us) The smell of burning rubber was heavy in the air (due to Johnson's skill in taking corners at about 100km/h) but there was a cool (cold) breeze that dissipated the odour, so it was alright.
Happy to arrive (in one piece)
Upon arrival, Joyce and I began to mince about the place, enjoying the cool air, while the rest of the jokers went into the casino. We eventually wandered into a Starbucks (they're everywhere!) and drank hot chocolate (no coffee for me, this time) After walking around for a reasonably long time, I decided to reenact my adventures during my A-Levels trip 3 years back, where I jogged up the path to the carpark in the wee hours of the morning, and waited for a no-show sunrise.
The dinosaur didn't age at all
Genting
Joyce with her laptop
Me with mine
After all the jogging, we met up in the cheap carpark mamak, to have a round of drinks, and indulge in some tomfoolery.
Joey looks very cute here
The Shirtless Run (ask me for a clearer video)
The gang, after having calmed down from the running
Group Photo! (as always)
All good things have to come to an end, so at about 5a.m., we said goodbye to the cold slopes of Genting, and trundled back down to Semenyih.
Even as I type, I can feel the cold (but invigorating) highland breeze whip past my face, and see the Highland Hotels signboard beckoning guests into the warm reception area.
Genting
Joyce, in Genting
In one of those random trips that TCC is famous for, Joyce and I tagged along with the gang to Genting. Since we didn't gamble, Joyce and I decided to stroll around the place, while the rest of the gang tried their luck at the slot machines and card tables in The Monte Carlo. After wandering about for a short while, we stopped for a cup of hot chocolate in Starbucks.
When John and Su Shen invited me to a pancake-flipping event in BLC, Bangsar, the notion was just too interesting to pass over. We arrived just in time to hear the explanation for the whole thing. Read about it here!! (click here)
Starting up the fires.
The master chef at work.
We are all enthralled.
John catches on quick.
I don't.
I really don't.
After the cooking, eating is in order.
Claire, happy chef.
BLC always has something different up their sleeve.
My brother was snooping around Digital Mall, Section 14, PJ, for a new phone, so I took the opportunity to drop by the area, and browse for IT related stuff as well. It was about that time that I popped by Jaya Supermarket, and realized that it was the last day that the shopping complex would be operating.
I recall the old days, when I used to pop by as a kid, with my family, who would bring both of the kids along, for a meal at McDonalds (or the hot and stuffy kopitiam at the corner, which I hated back then), followed by a tour around Jaya Shopping Complex. I remember having my first Dave's Deli meal on the ground floor, and thinking that it was the best chicken I ever had (my opinion has changed since then). I remember walking around Kathy's Toys, the toy emporium on the second floor, the alternative to Subang Parade's Toys R' Us, and going crazy over the latest action figures and scientific toys. When I was a little older, I remember wandering around MPH, and reading entire books while waiting for my parents to finish their shopping. I remember walking down the circular staircase (that was the only way down, other than falling down the building) which seemed so wide and steep, just suitable for tripping my small feet and sending me plunging to my death.
Good times. Sigh.
Well, I was fortunate enough to get one last opportunity to walk around the place again, and I even got some discounts in Cold Storage, which had a 50% closing down sale.
1. "Teacher", in Cantonese 2. Related to Lauren?
Its like "Supersize Me", but in a local context
For some of my marshmallow-loving friends. =)
Goodbye, Jaya. I will miss you, indeed.
On another note, its the 7th of February, so, to all my readers, Happy Chinese New Year!
Nizam's (Mini) Farewell Dinner @ Italiannies, The Curve
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
I was the first to arrive at Italiannies, at 7.30p.m., for Nizam's (mini) farewell dinner. After waiting for 5 minutes, lo and behold, Shanti walks into the place, with her bunch of friends. Talk about coincidence.
The rest of the group arrived not long after, and we set around to ordering. The 5 of us (the rest couldn't make it) basically sat and reminisced about old college times, for 4 hours. The food was secondary; after all, we were too engrossed with laughing about the days when Kanthan walked into a door, when Ek Ming drew cigarette boxes on the table, when Nizam had lunch at Coffee Cabana, when we all just used to stand at the railing at talk nonsense, and a million other things that made the time spent in Taylors so special.
No, I don't have anything to do with demon-worship. Really.
Nizam and Kohilan.
Kohilan tried to pull off his normal camwhore skills. I look blurry, over on the left.
Sigh.
Still, it was a great meet-up. My observation to Sue Ann was, "...for our PE3 people ah, even though we haven't met in ages, when we do get together, there normally isn't any sense of ackwardness at all..." If we had a longer sitting period, I believe we could have gone on and on, talking happily into the night. On another note though, I realise that I haven't seen some of the PE3 members for years. I wonder where they've all gone to? Facebook should really come in handy, for this sort of problem.
Us. =) Us + Weird-Looking Zhao Heng
Well, to Nizam, if you're reading this, all the best over there, and don't fall into the drain.
We really should have a PE3 gathering, one of these days.
Kohilan celebrated his 21st in rather grand style, this week, and in 2 different locations. As the clock struck midnight, the joker promptly suceeded in losing his handphone while playing DotA with the other uni friends, in Semenyih town. Talk about making your birthday memorable. On the birthday night itself, we smuggled a cake into the New Ibrahim, our dinner venue. Alas, that plan didn't turn out too well, so the cake was brought home, where everyone gathered to wish the man of Ceylonese origin many happy returns of the day. Yenli, not satisfied with eating the cake, took the remnants and smashed it into his face, officially making the night a very interesting one.
Sue Ann likes to play hide and seek at mamak outlets. I like to look blur.
Kohilan wasn't surprised at all.
The creamy goatee.
Zhao Heng doesn't look well here.
Yenli Smashes the Cake into Kohilan's Face..
Neither does he look well here.
And we all posed for the group photo at the end.
The next night, we all gathered at Chilli's Bar and Grill, Midvalley, in an attempt to seat ourselves around a table for 25. Seeing as how Chilli's doesn't take reservations, it wasn't surprising that the attempt failed, and we proceeded to our back-up venue; San Francisco Steakhouse, about 3 minutes down the corridor. It had an extremely pleasant ambience, posh enough that most of us spoke softer than normal at the start of the dinner. That, of course, didn't last too long, and by the end of the dinner, we were our usual TCC selves again.
Kohilan.
The table for 30 was quite long.
Han Yang and Matthew...
...just before they turned rabid.
Some of the ladies, that night.
K.C., looking stunned, and Joey, grinning away.
Weng Hoe and Joey.
Kenneth and a happy-looking Kirsten.
K.C. looking stunned yet again.
Me and Joyce.
They brought a cake for him.
Attempt 1# - 10 people
Attempt 2# - 16 people
Attempt 3# - 17 people
The group photo.
I'm perpetually glad that we never fail to be ourselves.
P.S. - You will notice that the photos don't have their usual watermark. I reformatted my computer, only to find that the Photoshop CD wasn't working, so I'll have to wait for a new copy before I can make watermarks again. Does anyone have Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2, that I can borrow?)
I have managed to find a working copy. Thank you to those who volunteered their cds!
