We woke up late in the morning and went for our favourite chili pan mee in Jalan TAR. Both of us have been visiting this restaurant for almost two years. Thanks to my GF's ex-housemate who brought her here or else we will never get to know this delicious pan mee. Also known as "The poor man's food", pan mee is made of flour and water. The way pan mee is served in Kin Kin is different from any other pan mee out there. The dough is only processed into noodles by using machine upon preparing, before it is boiled in hot water. The mee is then tossed dry, season to taste and topped with minced pork meat, anchovies, spring onion as well as poached egg with runny yolk. Oh ya, a small bowl of potato leave soup with egg white and pork meat is served too.

You will have to add in the home made chili paste by yourself. Normally we only break the yolk and mix all the ingredients thoroughly after add in the chili paste. Be prepared that your tummy will be on fire because it is really VERY HOT! Never ever underestimate the spiciness as we have friend who can go MC the next day after having this chili pan mee.

Ever since the petrol price increased in Jun, the price of this chili pan mee is increased to RM5.30 per bowl. Not cheap though but is really worth it as you can never find this chili pan mee else where. You might come across other shops who sell chili pan mee, but you can never get the same chili paste because it is the secret recipe of Kin Kin only.

Another thing is if you come during peak hour ie. lunch or dinner and weekends, be prepared to wait for at least 45 minutes. Luckily we came at around 10am on weekdays, so we're their only customer.

We continue with our outing after my check up as it was done much earlier than expected. The last time we went for window shopping and enjoy ourself during normal working days was while my GF was still doing freelancing. We spent about 3 hours at One Utama before proceed to IKEA. It's always fun to shop around during weekdays when everyone are busy in the office.

Places like IKEA and One Utama which are normally pack cannot find parking space are very quiet. This is also why we can snapped photos inside IKEA show rooms without disturb by other people, and actually we are doing this to gather ideas for our future 'love nest'.

Since we were already in IKEA, so we must satisfy our stomach with their famous Sweedish food here. We just simply love the food here because it tastes delicious yet cheap.

I have no idea why they serve the meatball with strawberry jam, perhaps this is Sweedish style? Anyway the sauce is really good.

Same goes to the salmon which is only RM11.90.

Our day didn't end here. We went to The Curve and Mid Valley afterwards, really impossible to happen over the weekends or public holidays because my GF doesn't like to go crowded places unless if we are at overseas. As such, it is really not a bad idea at all to take one day off and spend some quality time with your love one...

Restoran Kin Kin Chili Pan Mee, No. 40 Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1, Off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, KL.

In an attempt to be healthy, I baked/roasted them in the oven instead of frying them. Then I simmered them in the sauce for about six-plus hours. Now I realize the error of my ways. If I was going to simply cook them up in sauce for an hour or two, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if you're going to simmer them for as long as I did on Sunday, then they start falling apart and disappearing into the sauce. I'm guessing I lost four or more perfectly good meatballs that way. Now that's not the worst thing in the world when it comes to the sauce, but I was hoping for another round of meatball sandwiches last night and I barely had enough to come up with one.

Now I realize the advantage to frying the meatballs. It gives them more of an outer crust, so they can withstand the rigors of an all-day or multi-day simmer. I've been humbled by the meatball. Lesson learned.

TJ's Butter croissant

Activia yogurt: Raspberry w/ pomegranate seeds
Tea w/ soymilk

Lunch

Whipped cottage cheese w/ pineapples
Wow, the sweetest pineapple ever. Mm, I'm definitely going to buy some more this weekend.

Strawberry banana smoothie w/ whey, soymilk

Dinner

Magic Carpet's Magic Meatball pita sandwich
Sorry, I didn't take a picture. I was eating with a friend so a) I forgot and b) once I remembered, I didn't want to weird them out, heh.

Snack

Ale nuts
Kashi cereal: Heart to Heart
I couldn't finish all my dinner since I had to go to class so I got a little hungry afterward.

Aber nun gehts los mit "Was Sie schon immer über Sex Herrn März wissen wollten, aber bisher nicht zu fragen wagten":

• Wann bist du heute aufgestanden?
  07:45 ;-)
• Diamanten oder Perlen?
  Weder noch (ich bin ein Kerl!)
• Was war der letzte Film, den du im Kino gesehen hast?
  Oje, lange her. "Sissi und der wilde Kaiser" vermutlich :oops:
• Was ist deine liebste Fernsehserie?
  Dr. House
• Was isst du normalerweise zum Frühstück?
  Brötchen, Frucht-Joghurt und O-Saft (in rauhen Mengen)
• Was ist dein zweiter Vorname?
  (keiner)
• Welches Essen magst du überhaupt nicht?
  Alles mit Käse (ausgenommen Pizza) und/oder Essig
• Was ist deine momentane Lieblings CD?
  Ayọ - Joyful
• Welches Auto fährst du?
  mein kleines Auti
• Lieblings-Sandwich?
  Bei Subway: Meatball
• Welchen Charakterzug lehnst du ab?
  Verantwortungslosigkeit
• Dein Lieblingskleidungsstück?
  Eine ziemlich abgewetzte Jeans
• Wenn du irgendwo auf der Welt hinfliegen könntest, wohin würdest du fliegen?
  Immer dahin wo gerade die Sonne scheint (und schöne Menschen wenig Klamotten anhaben)
• Lieblings-Kleidermarke?
  Abercrombie & Fitch? Hilfiger? Benetton? H & M?
• Wo willst du dich zur Ruhe setzen?
  Natürlich in Schönland
• An welchen Geburtstag erinnerst du dich??
  Mami's!
• Welchen Sport schaust du dir am liebsten an?
  (Beach-) Volleball
• Weitester Ort, wo du das hier hinschickst?
  In die unendlichen Weiten des WWW (weiss gerade nicht was weiter weg ist: Italien oder UK)
• Welche Person schickt's dir als erstes retour?
  Keine Ahnung
• Wann ist dein Geburtstag?
  23.01.19██^[1]
• Bist du ein Morgenmensch oder Nachtmensch?
  Definitiv Nachtmensch (Zitat: "Morgens ist nicht mein Tag")
• Was ist deine Schuhgröße?
  44 (aber vor lauter Eitelkeit habe ich fast nur Schuhe in Grösse 43)
• Haustiere?
  Nein
• Irgendwas Neues, Aufregendes, das du uns unbedingt mitteilen musst?
  Nix
• Was wolltest du früher mal werden?
  Maler (Künstler), dann technischer Zeichner, dann Architekt, ... und dann IT'ler
• Wie gehts dir heute?
  Mittel bis gut
• Was ist deine Lieblingsnascherei?
  Alles von Haribo
• Lieblingsblume?
  Keine (netter Versuch - bin aber immer noch ein Kerl!)
• Auf welchen Tag in deinem Kalender freust du dich schon?
  Kommendes Wochenende (für mich einen Tag länger)
• Was ist dein voller Name?
  Herr März
• Was hörst du gerade?
  TV läuft nebenbei (Wirtschafts-Reportage)
• Was hast du als letztes gegessen?
  Chicken Gourmet (aka "Heidi Klum Burger") bei McD
• Wünscht du dir was, wenn du eine Sternschnuppe siehst?
  Nein
• Wenn du eine Farbe wärst, was wärst du?
  Dunkelblau
• Wie ist das Wetter?
  Klar, aber kalt
• Letzte Person, mit der du telefoniert hast?
  Msk
• Lieblingsgetränk(e)?
  Espresso, O-Saft, Veneziano, Mojito
• Lieblingsrestaurant?
  Steakhaus, Pizzeria (aber nur in Italien)
• Echte Haarfarbe?
  Mittel- bis dunkelblond (je nach Jahreszeit)
• Was war als Kind dein Lieblingsspielzeug?
  Lego
• Sommer oder Winter?
  Sommer!
• Küssen oder Umarmung?
  Umarmung (im weitesten Sinne), Küssen finde ich übrigens total anstrengend
• Schoko oder Vanille?
  Schoko
• Kaffee oder Tee?
  Cafè!
• Wünscht du dir von deinen Freunden, dass sie dir das zurückschicken?
  Durchaus
• Wann hast du das letzte mal geweint?
  Ein Kerl weint nicht (bzw. erzählt nicht rum, dass er eigentlich ne Heulsuse ist)
• Was ist unter deinem Bett?
  Vermutlich jede Menge Staub?
• Was hast du letzte Nacht gemacht?
  Zuwenig gepennt (die Begründung überlasse ich dem aufmerksamen Leser - das machts irgendwie spannender)
• Wovor hast du Angst?
  Schlangen!
• Süß oder sauer?
  Süss
• Wie viele Schlüssel hast du an deinem Schlüsselbund?
  Nachzählen... 5!
• Wieviele Jahre bist du schon bei deiner jetztigen Firma?
  2,75
• Liebster Wochentag?
  Samstag
• In wievielen Städten hast du schon gelebt?
  2-3 (je nach Definition von "gelebt")
• Findest du schnell Freunde?
  Nein
• Hast du viele Freunde?
  Handy: 200+, StudiVz: 35, aber im echten Leben gerade mal ne Hand voll
• Wievielen Personen wirst du das schicken?
  10?
• Wieviele werden zurückschreiben?
  5?

---
^[1] Ein bisschen Anonymität wird doch wohl noch erlaubt sein.

TJ's Blueberry waffles w/ whipped cottage cheese, maple syrup; Smart Balance, maple syrup

Banana
Coffee w/ Splenda, Silk creamer

Lunch

Magic Carpet’s Magic Meatball pita sandwich
I wanted something warm so I decided to have the same thing I had yesterday but for lunch instead. It's really good.

Dinner

Whole Foods' Hot/Salad bar
I decided to try out the other Whole Foods that's nearby. I've decided that this one has a better hot bar and fruit section while the other store has a better bakery and salad bar. So I'll probably go to the one I went today since I could always get baked goods at Trader Joe's and I like to eat hot foods more than cold.

Breakfast

TJ's Blueberry waffle w/ blueberries, maple syrup

Raspberry yogurt
Tea w/ soymilk

Lunch

Whipped cottage cheese w/ plum

Orange

Dinner

Magic Carpet's Magic Meatball pita sandwich
The Magic Carpet is a really good vegetarian food truck. These meatballs are made of tofu. I definitely couldn't finish this all because I only had about 10 minutes to eat between classes and I'm a very slow eater.

Snack

Grapefruit
Unfortunately, the fruit here is just not as good as it is back home.

"Please don't hold the meatball in your armpit while you wipe your hands..."

drawn by me, circa 1997-1998

I remember sitting at the edge of the fountain at Lincoln Center...people milling all around me. I remember wishing I was part of it...wishing I knew someone. Wishing I had a reason to be there...somewhere to go. But another part of me enjoyed being unto myself. At that time it was safe for me, being alone and unencumbered. Nobody expected anything of me. Nobody knew who I was. There was great freedom in this, and sometimes the freedom in this allowed the great strain I felt within me to be lifted. Sometimes wonderful things would happen, like the time a man walked up to me and asked if I'd like a ticket to go inside and watch the ballet. He wasn't going to use it, and he wondered if I would. Now, ballet is not my favorite. Perhaps it is too cultural for me. Or too slow. I'm the type who likes to watch tap dancing -- or modern jazz -- that's the stuff that makes me feel alive in my soul. But I walked into that theater, with my newly acquired ticket...dressed in jeans and carrying my leftover meatball sandwich from Subway...and I remember that I enjoyed every second of that performance. It was truly something special, and living proof that the city was as magical as I suspected.

I also remember a large rock that jutted into a lake in Central Park. It was big enough for me to walk out and sit on and I would take a pen and paper with me and I would perch myself on its tip and look out over the water and write. It was such a quiet place...so overwhelmingly peaceful. There were few noises that infested that spot. It was magical in its serenity. I sometimes wonder if I went back now if I would be able to find the same rock...if I would be able to recognize it. I visited it so many times during the time that I lived there, part of me thinks I would easily find it...and another part of me thinks that maybe I would happen upon another rock that looks enough like it to believe that it's the same rock instead.

It's been maybe 12 years since I've been back, but I still remember the energy of the city. I still remember the amazing way it made me feel. I still remember the smell...I loved the smell...especially when rain was heavy in the air and mixed with the scents of concrete and hot dogs and dirt. The city was so alive, it made me feel alive. At a time I so desperately needed to feel alive, it awoke my senses. It was like an architectural, geographical upper. I belonged there. I had no real purpose for being there and I had no place I had to be. Nobody was waiting for me around the corner. Nobody expected me to be anywhere at 5pm. Nobody who was there really knew I was there, too. But, I belonged. It was a feeling I got when I walked down the streets and through the buildings and when I rode under the ground. The energy of the city coursed through my veins and awoke my senses...made me feel necessary...made me feel whole. If I went back today, I know the city would still hold the same familiarity it did when I exited the doors of the Port Authority the very first time in 1996. I instantly knew the city. It held open its arms for me and embraced me like its beloved child. I understood it. And what is more, it knew and understood me. Mutual love and understanding from something that wouldn't hurt me back. The city never let me down. It never promised to be anything it wasn't. It just was what it was and always would be.

UPDATE: It turns out that this is the kitchen of the B.A.D Bistro on Spy Island! :D

Tonight we shared a classic Italian dinner. Amy composed a tortellini and meatball dish with sauteed zucchini on the side. The sauce used was a Chicago exclusive, Dell'Alpe - divine! We listened to Lou Monte play his Roman Guitar.

Tomorrow night we'll have leftovers for dinner. A first for Super Dad.

Next week, Dinnerboy writes from the road. I'll take you to some of my favorites joints in Chicago, Cedar Rapids, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Oh, and if you don't respect chihuahuas--after the revolution, I don't know if I can save you.

Phil

I totally feel Shawty and wouldn't step to him or his goons. Can you issue out interest free loans to need people without worrying about getting paid back?

[The homie Necole Bitchie Is the source]

My Italian sausage paremesan was pretty damn good, this is my favorite italian sandwich but I rarely get it because its hard to fit in the mouth. The flavor of this sandwich was extremely impressive and I'm glad I made the call to get it at this restaraunt.

Wayne got the meatball sandwich, it was delicious, but was the same thing but in ball form instead of tube form.

the sandwiches were great but things went kind of downhill with the garlic cheese bread. The sandwiches came out way before the garlic bread, and that's kind of...backward. Then there was the cheese... just look at the picture and you'll understand:

The cheese on that garlic bread is simply a joke. I would definitely go to this restaurant again, but I wouldn't get the garlic cheese bread.

Enzo's Pizzeria

7261 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 936-3696

Around noon I woke up and ate a fat breakfast, as always, and took a shower. At 1 o'clock, with my hair still sopping wet, I heard the doorbell ring and was not sure who it would be - Lorraine, Ash, and Amanda would not ring the doorbell, and I hoped it wouldn't be someone I didn't know so that I wouldn't have to I explain who I was to some random person.

Lo and behold, 2 familiar faces sprung into view as I unlocked the door...

This fool, Dave Watt! And Nev too! After a brief reunion schmaltzy talk and hugs with Dave, they asked if I wanted to go into the city with them (the city being Belfast). "What are you guys gonna do there?" I asked. "Get Subway!" they answered. In my head, I was bewildered. SUBWAY? As in "Subwayyyy, Eat Fresh!" Subway? So I asked whether Subway was some special place, or just that ordinary sandwich sub shop. "Subway is soooo good!" they replied. "Oh." I didn't have much to say. "You would drive thirty minutes to get a Subway sandwich?!" "YES!" They looked as if I had asked a dumb question. Of course, I had nothing better to do, and they assured me that we would be back by teatime, so I went with them.

Dave had to run a few errands so we stopped by all these random offices where I went in with them and didn't know anyone and looked awkward standing there with my arms folded and legs crossed, biting my lip. Yep.

We finally got to some mall, where they went to go indulge in their delicious subway sandwiches...

Nev raved about the meatball subs and was ultra-protective over that hunk of bread and round lops of meat.

"This is pure heaven, minus the angels and blaring trumpets!"

Mission having been accomplished (and after meeting up with Wally too), we headed over to HMV. Not H-M-V, but HMV, like HMMMVUHH, where I picked up the Duke Special and Foy Vance CDs. They were a bit pricey, at 14 pounds a piece, but I knew that I wouldn't mind sacrificing some food days afterward for this splurge (you'll see that on day 8 I basically ate an entire box of cereal and that's it. And on day 9 I scrounged around for food on other people's plates. All for this thing called music.).

We drove back to Dromore, and there was BaseKids that night.

Yeah? Well I'm staring at you through my camera lens too.

Some days we all want to gaze off into outer space...

Other days we place ourselves in shadows and watch others dance in the light...

Uncanny thing: when I am watching something, I look like that little boy, with my head propped on my elbow and mouth wide open. No joke.

Look at that yellow-eyed dude on his fancy shirt ... WWF or UFC? I wouldn't know.

Life in technicolor

We move around too fast ... do we have a distorted sense of time?

He sang Phantom Planet's "California" everytime he saw me. Remember that one? The O.C. theme song. You know how it goes... "We've been on the run, driving in the sun, looking out for number 1, California here I come ... right back where I started from."

The Asian Connection

Lovely Hannah Clarke, half in a mellow yellow light, half in shadows...

Ginger & Amigo

Coady's already influencing the young'uns.

We dropped off Bob at his house.

And ate Yorkshire puddings, one of my new favorite foods. Yorkshire pudding with orange marmalade are unbeatable. I ate four.

We played hide-and-seek.

Wally hid outside of the house, sitting on the window sill... pretty clever.

Coady tried to join him, only to find that the window sill really only has space for one, unless broken bones and smashed faces are really desired.

Nev and Coady decided to try out the attic. Five minutes in there, Lorraine came home, and they got stuck. The rest of us ran into the living room, where Lorraine kept on popping her head in and asking, "What is that loud noise upstairs?" We shrugged.

The boys. So rowdy. I saw a few too many body parts that night.

Beauty on the inside and the outside.

I watched Lorraine make buns / traybakes. They are so yummy but the most fattening things you will ever ever see. Refer here and here for additional viewing.

Lorraine is one of the most wonderful people in the world.

My Norn Irish momma.

Aero Chocolate Bars used to make Aero buns - so good.

***And about that Viva La Vida CD ... I picked it up today...

PROS
- Delacroix on the front cover
- Brian Eno
- The Violet Hill music video is excellent. Watch it and be amazed.
- Progression of sound from previous albums. Unlike A Rush of Blood to the Head (where after awhile, all the songs seem to meld into one as a result of an almost homogeneous sound shared by many of the songs), each song seems to be a bit more distinguished and has its own character.
- Piano/Synth-drenched infusions (i.e. #5 Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love (especially the beginning, #8 Violet Hill)
- Heavy orchestral / string sounds (i.e. #6 Yes) - sometimes with a bit extra-ethnic influence
- Recorded in a bakery, nunnery, a magic shop, a church

CONS
- Overall feel seems to be a synthetic, maybe even a bit over-edited/produced; there no longer exists that purely raw, connecting, seeking sound that could be found on some earlier works
- Not in-your-face excellent, at least at face value (can be a bit boring, at times; i.e. #9. Strawberry Swing)
- Sometimes Chris Martin's falsetto kills me a little.

NEUTRAL COMMENTARY
- Doesn't have the same ethereal, atmospheric aura as previous Coldplay albums.
- Distorted guitar sound adds a pretty cool touch, once in awhile.
- Historically-aware lyrics - can be good, sometimes.

Best lyrical mistake: I heard "If you love me, why don't you let me go?" instead of "If you love me, why don't you let me know?" It's good either way.

I don't know what to think about it just yet. Give me a few more days. I'm not very good at voicing my critical thoughts about music.

And Happy 15th Birthday to my lovely sister, Naomi!

The organizers feel strongly that its time to give something back. For years people have enjoyed the popularity of street art fusion and tattooing, and now it’s time to make a difference.

The auction is set to run along side an evening of live Bands, Famous DJ's, and celebrity hosts. Acts include D'Face, Dan Gold, Rugman, Glory Charles, Word To Mother, Cept, Eine, I-Lib, Andrew Logan, Zandra Rhodes, Mysterious Al, Cat Johnson, Twinkle Taunton, Junky Styling, Ben Charles Edwards, Meatball, Goldie, Johnny Lazer, Jacob Knill and Pete Doherty.

Date: 12th June 2008

Location: 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane

Here are Meatball and I on our first ride together. 

Meatball was a trooper. He made it the full four or so miles to Home Depot, seemed to love walking around there and did not bark once (yes!). Then we loaded him back up and headed home. Phil, thank you for being the photographer!

Sarah