What a day!

So yesterday, hubby drove me to Penang about 6.30am for an interview AT which was scheduled at 9am. The company is situated at FIZ (Free Industrial Zone). The company is massive and very impressive. Working hours seem to be flexible too, as I saw many people (mostly of my age) just arriving at work although it was already 8.45am. So, I guess they start work at 9am rather than the usual 8am. Interview went well, the manager seemed to be a  nice person (from my 1st impression).
The interview ended about 9.30am, and Dan and I decided not to linger in Penang, but to go back and stop for lunch at SP. We made our way to Chennai Curry House (was looking forward to going back there after having tried their food during one of the lunch outing during family camp). I had the lamb briyani (1st pic) while huuby had the tandoori nan set. Personally, I felt that the lamb briyani was a let down, rating perhaps 2 out of 10. Hubby loved the tandoori tho'.

Anyway, halfway thru the un-appetizing lunch, I had a call from a company at Kulim which I attended the interview last January. They offered me the job, and the pay is beyond my expectation. I told God in prayer to show me a sign that if I was to accept the job, the company must pay me more than a limit which I've set. And since the offer was good, I told them I would accept. This company asked me when we can go over to Kulim to sign the offer letter. To cut the story short, instead of heading back to AS, Dan and I drove all the way to Kulim, arrived there at 1pm. And after everything, I drove back to AS. Hubby 'kong-ed' out, slept all the way back home. Super tired!

What a day!

Brownie

I thought it will be good to blog about my first dog, Brownie so that one day when I am older (perhaps 20 years from now), I can re-read this post and smile.

 1st day, still scared, according to hubby, Brownie cried when being left alone

Brownie came into our lives on the 27th October 2010. I recalled seeing pictures of Aunty Lee Fun's new puppy (Canon) on facebook, and I immediately asked her where she got it. She said she got it from Aunty Chua's neighbour and there is still one left . After discussing hubby through countless of messages on gtalk, we decided to get the puppy (I also seek Deborah's advice, cos I have zero experience with dogs).  To cut the story short, I called up Aunty Chua and booked the other available puppy. I didn't see Brownie until I finished my last sem (almost end of November). He was bit bigger already by then.

See how handsome Brownie is?

Today Brownie is about 5 months. Long limbs, longer face, tongue which is always sticking out, and is always hungry for food. I thank God for Brownie, because he keeps me company when Dan is at work. When I cook, he follows me around.....very kepoh indeed! Here are some pictures of Brownie:

Spinach and kam-heong chicken

I cooked these today. Wanted to try out kam-heong chicken for a long time, but I always seem to lack one or two ingredient. But finally today, I tried it out, and I think there is still room for improvement. I think I put too much curry powder and too little oyster sauce.

                                 
Here's the recipe if you want to try:
http://www.sloppychic.com/diy-million-dollar-recipe-of-kam-heong-chicken/

Happy cooking!

xoxo,
Em

Another interview...

I just got out of bed when the phone rang. Received a call, to another interview this time in Bayan Lepas Penang.
So surprised cos I just submitted my resume yesterday, and I thought they will take at least a week to shortlist the candidate. Anyway, this company is another MNC, spin off from HP. The interview is on Friday, so hubby and I will go together to Penang for the interview.
Now busy preparing and reading on RoHS.

Tragus

I'm in pain!!

Had my tragus pierced while I was in Kuching. It was an impromptu decision actually. For those of you who do not know what is tragus is: It's  a small pointed eminence of the external ear, situated in front of the concha and projecting backward over the meatus (Source: Wikipedia). Still blur? Check out the picture below.

The piercing was not painful, but after 3 days it starts to swell. And I'm still feeling throbbing pain (and occasionally headache) up to today. Read the forum, should clean with saline. I did, but I mix table salt and water. But experts recommended sea salt not table salt. Tried Dettol last night..hubby was so kind to help with the cleaning process. Anyways, since nothing seem to work, and it's still 'bengkak', I am going to see the doctor later. Hope some antibiotics help.

Sambal tempoyak and sambal serai

These two are my favourite dishes. Watched MIL prepare them, and I think I will be trying them out soon.
For those of you who do not know what tempoyak is, as I mentioned before it is actually fermented durian. Salt is added to the durian flesh, and kept in the fridge for a few days. When you want to cook, heat oil in pan, add chopped garlic and onion, tempoyak, sugar and  some pre-fried anchovies (known as ikan pusuk in Sarawak) and voila! u have samba tempoyak which goes along well with rice. I personally like my sambal tempoyak to be sour (thus u add less salt during the fermentation process).

 

  Sambal tempoyak

The other dish is sambal serai. I tasted this about 2 years ago when I visited hubby and family in Kuching. Sambal serai goes very well with porridge. Unfortunately hubby dislike this dish (I still wonder why). 

This dish is more labour intensive because you have to pound the ingredients (serai or lemongrass, garlic, shallots, belacan, ikan pusuk).  Then you heat up oil, and add in all the pounded ingredients, fry for about 2 minutes or so. Serve with porridge. My bad..for not being able to show you how the dish looks like.

Food glorious food.....

Let me share with you some food we had so far:

Tempoyak (fermented durian)~Tasted sweet and sour, but I'm crazy over this!

Duck cooked with special spices (spices are sold at most of the sundry shops)

Midin ~A famous type of jungle fern found in Sarawak (same family as paku) usually cooked with Belacan.

Wild boar cooked with ginger and lemongrass~Loved this dish too!

Had these at The Spring (also had them at Penang airport last Fri morning). Yummy! The one one the left is black pepper beef + cheese wrapped in paratha, while the one on the right is bolognese beef + cheese wrapped in paratha.You should try!

We also had these Arab white rice and lamb shank curry at The Spring food court. Dan and I heart this set meal. Each time we come over to Kuching, this is a must have!

Last but not least, to satisfy my craving for Tom Yam, we tried this tom yam and rice set. The stall is called Thai Me Up (The Spring food court). 

 

 

Enough of food...I better log off now..3 post in a night..super tired!

Revenge of the mosquitoes and the trip to the paddy terrace

All my life (before tying the knot) I have been staying with my parents in a total closed-up house (netting everywhere). Dad used to scold us if we leave the door open, even for a while. He used to say "Close the door! Mosquitoes! ". The funny thing I realize is, in Semenanjung, mosquitoes hardly come after me, but each time I go to Kuching, without fail, I will be 'haunted' by mosquitoes. Strangely the people around me feel nothing, but I will be scratching myself upside down. Likewise, this trip, I was not spared from mosquitoes. Out of desperation, Dan and I had to stop at Guardian just to get a bottle of roll-on mosquito repellent.

So, when FIL asked me whether I wanted to go to the paddy terrace (padi bukit), I hesitated, partly because ofthe mosquitoes and also because I hated jungles! To cut the story short, I went. And I thank God for a wonderful husband patiently watched my every step, and listen to my grumbling..all the way to, and all the way back. And although I had rolled on some mosquito repellent on my legs, arms, etc, I was still bitten. Super pissed~!

Here are some pics we took:

 Hubby and I

 

Padi huma

The overview of the place

FIL asked me what are these, and guess what's my reply? Biji cempedak....doing! Wrong! Can you guess?

Adorable kids

Dan and I visited cousin Ronald and his family on Saturday afternoon. Here are some pictures of the 2 boys. Aren't they adorable?

 

Hubby and little Isaac, 1 year old

Baby Ian, 3 months old

Later that night, we went over to Kpg. Semeba for a thanksgiving dinner (birth of Mathilda, Totz's baby). Totz is Dan's cousin, mother's side. Here's a pic of Mathilda, so cute. She has lots of hair, for a baby!

Mathilda Kining, 1 month old

So many kids in a day...thinking of having my own soon.....

The Banquet......

Finally arrived at Kuching at 12pm yesterday (after 2 hours flight from Penang). Felt so tired, cos the night before Dan and I only had 5 hours sleep. We crashed over at Ah Yao's place. So nice of him to let us sleep in his room while he slept in the living room...

                                          Had these lovely Kam-heong kappah at Penang

Anyway, we attended a wedding dinner at The Banquet last night. Joe (Dan's church friend) got married in December last year. We couldn't make it to the ceremony and dinner at Sabah that time. The food came in large portions, and were tasted quite ok. The food that both Dan and I liked the most was the mango sago.

                                              Mango sago, The Banquet, Kuching                

                                              The bride and groom, Cindy and Joe

Will post more tomorrow... (if I have internet)

xoxo,
Em

Kuching...we are coming!

Done with the interview. Praying for the best. Now the only thing on my mind  (besides dinner) is my trip to Kuching. Gonna meet in-laws and relatives, and savour the super yummy sarawak laksa, tomato kueh teow, midin. This time must try the tomyam at Pandan Thai..a friend once said it is good. Well, good or not...let me taste first (I am the self-declared tom-yam queen). Speaking of tomyam, lately I've been craving for this particular Thai dish. Over the span of my 26 years of life, the worst tomyam I've tasted was at a restaurant along MBAS. They had taugeh inside...yucks man! There were some tomyam which tasted like asam pedas too.

Better go, leaving for Penang now. Till then..

xoxo,
Em

Stress building up

Arghhhh.....stress...another 4 hours to interview...wonder how to answer if they ask me about CATIA. I actually you-tubed  CATIA tutorials this morning. Looks hard!

Enough of whining, I am so glad that daddy is bringing me over there later. So blessed and grateful for a dad who is so nice to accompany me there.

Ok gtg. Wish me God's blessings.

xoxo,
Em

Anxious about tomorrow....

Tomorrow would be my 4th interview, since I came back to AS. Kinda anxious about this one. Probably because the company is a good one, and its the nearest to home so far. The last interview I attended was before CNY, and it was in Kulim. The company is something like Venture, the atmosphere, the industry...even up to the smock that the engineers were wearing.
Many people have been praying for me, and I am truly thankful for their prayers. If you want to pray for me, pray with me that the job that I get will be the one that God has appointed for me to do, in the place that He intend for me to work. I believe that if the Lord open the door for you, and you accept it, you will do well in the place because He will definately lead and guide you. I am not saying that life will be full of roses, easy-peasy-lemon squeezy...but u know for sure that when the Lord is with you, who can stand against you?

Tomorrow night, hubby and I will be taking a night bus to Penang..will be boarding a flight to Cat city the following morning. Sarawak Laksa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here I come:)) Super craving dy....

xoxo,
Em

 

The birth of my blog

I've been thinking of starting  ablog for a while now. Finally, "Painted Lips" is born. What's with the name, you ask. When I was a little girl, I used to look forward to concerts, plays, events...reason? I love to put on lipstick. I enjoyed having my mom 'paint' my lips with her lipstick. Loved the taste of lipstick on my lips (I am not a lipstick addict!). And as I grow up, lipstick became a  part of my life. I hardly (maybe once in 1month) leave home without painting my lips. Tadaa..now you know  the story behind my blog.
Well this is just an intro to the first post. More to come...hopefully I don't get tooo lazy...

Xoxo,
Em