These past few years, I've rarely had the chance to go visiting during Chinese New Year, since I've stopped heading up to Penang. As such, I leaped at the opportunity to pay a visit to Lauren's house during one of the 15 days of the New Year.
We brought along lychee, as a symbol of our respect to the host(ess).
Since there was no yee sang, we made do with lychee.
Lou-ing Lychee.
After a fun time of talking and laughing (and eating lychee), we found a Minnie Mouse doll that doubled as a temporary mask.
Guess Who?
Yup, Chinese New Year is always a good time to do weird things.
This blogger, recently inundated with work and all kinds of things to look into, managed to squeeze some time into typing a short entry about Valentine's Day. The highly anticipated (commercialized, some might say) event saw me bringing Joyce to an 'undisclosed' location for a dinner. At 7.30p.m., I asked Joyce to close her eyes, and started driving down the road from the house. Joyce, thinking that we were headed to KL, was anxious to leave earlier, but I reassured her that we wouldn't be caught in too bad a jam. True enough, after spinning around the same streets and making several unnecessary U-Turns, I pulled into the Semenyih Clubhouse, barely 5 minutes away from our house. I carefully led a cautious Joyce (whose eyes were still closed) into the clubhouse, where I had reserved a table for 2, and prepared the candle and pre-ordered menu. Due to the extremely isolated nature of the place, there wasn't anyone else except the 2 of us (and the cook, and assistant).
Joyce, with her card
The two of us
The swimming pool view, from the dining area
After the meal, we popped by Lauren's place to catch up on stuff, and listen to oldies. Strangely, it was rather enjoyable (and we could actually identify most of the songs), a sure sign that we were approaching senior citizenship all too soon (we listened to The Carpenters, and Chubby Checker*)
A rather casual and relaxed Valentine's Day, this year.
Coming up : Chinese New Year antics! (With Lychee)
*I'm sure most of you would have heard of his hit dance number before.
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!
