Enjoy!
Archive | 2006
Talipon Steamboat Buffet & Grill – Kelana Jaya
I haven’t been to this place for ages, we used to go quite often, and got kind of sick of it, felt like a bit of steamboat and was around the area, so headed off to Talipon.
It’s recommended to go early, about 5.30-6pm when they are just opening for the freshest food and as many prawns as you can eat!
What you get is this, a normal steamboat thing, plus around it a tinfoil part on which you can grill things.
Grab some butter to start up the grilling.
Then grab all the good stuff!
The beef is ok, a little chewy, the marinated lamb is very good grilled.
They have all the normal stuff too like seaweed, tofu skin, mushrooms etc (mushroom are nice grilled or in the soup).
So fire on some butter and start grilling.
Yummy beef steak!
My favourite lamb chop!
Then my favourite, prawns!
Get a bowl of chilli sauce, throw the prawns in, splash some beer in and let them marinate for a few minutes, then marinate on the grill with plenty of butter and pour a little of the chili/beer mix over the top while they cook.
Perfect
Ah, happy times, food and beer!
The soup is delicious once you’ve boiled enough things inside (add some baby corn to make it sweeter).
The grill ends up looking like this..
You can ask for some new foil it if gets too black.
Restoran Talipon, I recommend it (remember go early).
Canon 350D (Rebel XT) vs Nikon D70s vs Olympus E500
I’ve gotten more and more interested in photography as time has gone by, and I’ve noticed (as have others) I’m pretty good at it, I’ve always had an interest, but with digital it’s allowed me to experiment with my camera and learn at a lower cost.
I’ve started finding the limitations of my camera, and I’ve started being able to take pictures that push the boundaries of the camera, which means it’s time to upgrade.
I wouldn’t mind freelancing aswell, doing some portraits, events maybe even weddings, so it’s time to get a more serious camera a digital SLR.
As for the camera, ah it’s a tough choice, it’s more down to the Canon 350D
Things like the Canon EOS 20D
I did consider the Nikon D50 at first as a cheaper option, but for the price difference between the D50 and the D70s, the D70s is so much more worth it.
Olympus E-500
I’m not really big on Olympus, even though it seems like a solid camera, and Olympus is of course a favourite of TV Smith, one of our local photo pros. It’s the lighest dSLR in this class, and seems ergonimcally good, feature and lens wise tho, I don’t think it can compete, so sorry Olympus, you are the weakest link.
Buy it from Amazon:
Canon EOS 350D – Rebel XT
At first I swayed towards the Canon 350D (The Rebel XT), as I’m an existing Canon user, with my old faithful Canon Powershot A70 (a mere 3.2 megapixels), but plenty of manual modes.
The main advantage of the Rebel XT seems to be low noise at high ISO, I do like nightshots, so this was a good point, plus it seems like an all around contender, and pros are great fans on the Canon series of lenses.
The best reason I saw to buy Canon was this:
Also funny (Yeah all the white Lenses are Canon).
It can be good with a much more expensive lens, but that’s out of my range right now, and the main reason is the way it felt when I tried it in the shop.
The kit lens (EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 II Zoom) isn’t that great and produces images that are a little soft.
I also read that the Canon (unlike the more expenside 10D/20D/1D etc) has a lot of features hidden away in the menu, rather than having buttons for them (white balance etc), which does make it hard to take shots at short notice, what’s the point in having such a low startup time, if you have to root through the menus to find the settings?
The Nikon doesn’t have this problem.
Canon 350D/Rebel-XT Reviews:
Buy it from Amazon:
Nikon D70s
The best advice I heard is to go to the shop and try the camera, this is ultimately where I made my decision.
Also I found out that the Nikon kit lens is much better, both from reviews and from a sales guy, the Nikon kit lens has a metal mount and has glass components, whereas the Canon kit lens is mostly all plastic. Definately not as durable.
Plus the Nikon just feels so much more sturdy, probably because I’m a big guy with big hands, but the Canon felt a little flimsy, and rather small, something like a toy, not a real mans photoweapon!
Whichever side of the fence you sit on, there are rabid fans, Nikon or Canon, locally though, people seem to much greater fans of the Nikon.
So I’m pretty much decided on the Nikon D70s with Lens kit (Nikkor DX 18-70mm f3.5-4.5G IF-ED Zoom), if anyone can get me an awesome price and some freebies thrown in it’d be great 😉 (Tripod, 2GB ultrafast CF card etc..)
Next up probably a SB-600 speedlight, perhaps a macro and 70-300mm zoom lens.
Nikon D70s reviews:
Buy it from Amazon:
Some reference material here if you are going through the same decision:
Canon 300D vs 350D vs Nikons D50 vs D70
Nikon D50 Image Samples Compared to Nikon D70s and Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT / 350D kit
350D Owners – Why didn’t you buy a Nikon D70/D50?
Nikon D70s Kit Lens Compared to Canon Digital Rebel XT Kit Lens
Of course if anyone has any opinions (owners of either of the cameras, or similar models are welcome to pipe up).
I hope someone finds the research useful 😉
Movie Review – Brokeback Mountain – Moving
Early one morning in Signal, Wyoming, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist meet while lining up for employment with local rancher Joe Aguirre. The world which Ennis and Jack have been born into is, at once, changing rapidly and yet scarcely evolving. Both young men seem certain of their set places in the heartland–obtaining steady work, marrying, and raising a family–and yet they hunger for something beyond..
I know I’m a bit late to the brokeback party, but I was away when the movie came out, and I never managed to get hold of it and sit down and watch it until now..
How often do you see a Western Romantic Drama? Yeah..like never, especially one featuring homosexuals, that’s what makes this film so unique.
The movie is based on the E. Annie Proulx story about a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys and their lives over the years and scores a very high 7.9 at IMDB.
I can see why Ang Lee won an Oscar for the direction, it is beautifully directed, some of the shots are like perfectly framed photographs, and some really stay in your memory.
The scenes with the mountains were beautiful.
As for the acting, Jake Gyllenhaal did very well, he conveyed the emotion and irrational nature of his character very well. Heath Ledger played quite a solemn character, Ennis Del Mar, so he didn’t have quite so much acting to do, but he worked the character very well, showing his life trapped in a marriage of convenience, his quietness was very strong and somehow his solemn attitude amplified his emotions. It was really quite amazing acting by both of them.
Showing his fear of being openly gay, due to what he witnessed as a young child, Jack Twist being more open, but in the end paying for that.
The caution paid off in the end.
It was quite an emotional movie, the direction standing out more than anything else. The score was good and both Michelle Williams and Ann Hathaway put in a brilliant perfomances as troubled wifes, who saw what no wifes should ever have to see.
Really it is a film about love, but it’s something new, something brave and most importantly of all, something difference.
Not the same old formulaic crap we see month in month out.
If you haven’t watched it, I’d definately recommend it.
A strong 8/10.
The Best Steamed Fish Head – Jalan Raja Laut – Ong Lai
If you know Jalan Raja Laut, you should know where Mungo Jerrys place is (good bah kuh teh and great pork knuckles).
If you know where Mungo Jerrys is, this place is just across the road, down a back street, I forgot to take note of the name.
It’s pretty easy to spot though with it’s sprawling tables and jam packed crowd all sitting in a back alley.
It’s famous for the steamed fish head (jeng yu tau I think?), but I noticed everyone was ordering the O Jien (Oyster Omlette), so we had to have some of that.
I have to say it was REALLY good, juicy oysters and cooked just right.
Also had some of this, which is something like Pan Min…but not, I can’t remember the name.
The Hokkien Mee was REALLY good, with loads of big lumps of lat.
Some green vege, as normal (a bit salty, but good).
All cleared up, waiting for the masterpeice..
And then it comes! The monster sized fish head.
It was huge, bigger than most fish you get, cooked to perfection with tender succulent flesh, definately worth a try, I shall go back soon!
We picked it to the bone.
Damn….hungry now.
Sabahan Tapai – It’s Good Stuff and it’s not Tuak!
So one of Pats’ friends came back from Sabah I think, or somewhere over that side of East Malaysia, and brought is a bottle of Tapai, or local Rice Wine (Tuak is from Sarawak right?).
You can buy it for a small fortune in some posh bars in Bangsar, which will give you a headache..but this is the real deal, served in a reused Tiger Beer bottle with a plastic cap!
It’s from Kadazan culture I’m led to believe.
Kadazan culture is heavily influenced by the farming of rice, culminating in various delicacies and alcoholic drinks prepared through differing home-brewed fermentation processes. Tapai and lihing are the main rice wine variants served and consumed in Kadazan populated areas, and are a staple of Kadazan social gatherings and ceremonies.
Pat dishing out the goods, the dirty liquor pimp.
Had trouble remembering the name because of the creative labelling.
Lot’s of glasses, yay!
It’s pretty smooth stuff, it doesn’t taste very strong, but kinda gently knocks your head off and leaves you feeling nicely warm and fuzzy.
It’s got a tangy aftertaste, I guess it’s like a much stronger version of Toddy.
I’d recommend it to anyone ‘Hic’.
Movie Review – Mission: Impossible III – Action Packed
Super-spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has retired from active duty to train new IMF agents. But he is called back into action to confront the toughest villain he’s ever faced – Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience. Hunt assembles his team – his old friend Luther Strickell (Ving Rhames), transportation expert Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), background operative Zhen (Maggie Q), and fresh recruit Lindsey (Keri Russell) – to travel the globe pursuing Davian and rescue Hunt’s love, Julia (Michelle Monaghan).
It’s Mission Impossible, it’s Tom Cruise, don’t expect anything serious or groundbreaking, but do expect a good solid, fairly thrilling action movie.
It does keep you on your toes, and Ethan is a little more human in this movie, plus of course the requisite guns, toys, gadgets, slick moves and explosions we’ve come to expect from Mission Impossible.
It’s running a respectable 6.9 on IMDB at the moment.
The action spans a few continents, has a typically nasty sadistic badguy, not much a plot, but thankfully is less about Tom Cruise (Hello, “Mission Impossible II – I’m Tom Cruise”), and more about the movie.
Not much acting is required for this kind of film, but there is enough there, a little plot development, a little human emotion and a lot of action, that’s pretty much how I would sum it up.
Oh yah, did I mention lots of explosions?
The grandscale set peices are very good, I have to say I didn’t expect much from the movie, but I was pretty impressed nevertheless.
Well worth a watch for a good bit of brainless action.
The end however made me sick, sick sick, it was so wrong, I wanted to kick the screen in.
I’d give it an entertaining trash 6/10.
“Yue May Not Mail Me Anymore”
I have to say, there’s few things in life I hate more than spammers, well spammers pretending to be PR execs, that could perhaps be one of the things.
A couple of people received a mail about a new production at KLPac from the KLPac Marketing and PR Exec, I also received it, but I didn’t realise it as it was 1) in my hotmail account and 2) in the junk folder (after reading it, I found hotmails placement of the mail rather apt).
The fact is, I’d already checked out the production at Kakiseni, and was interested in it.
This unsolicited mail just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, plus the way it was written is rather patronising and leech like.
Who gave you my permission to use my e-mail address for this purpose? Did I sign up to any kind of notification list? Oh…you just thought I might be interested?
Got your contacts from Gavin’s The Homecoming blog. Thought I’d update you guys on the next KLPac production just in case you’d be interested to post it on your blogs. We’ll be having a Philip Ridley play starring Gavin Yap (check out the poster visual below! also attached postcard front / back), Faridah Merican and Joanna Bessey, amongst others. It’ll be directed by Joe Hasham.
It’s the absolutely MUST SEE production for this year, read more below. If you need more info, do let me know or give me a buzz on 012 306 2122. Thanks for supporting theatre in Malaysia!
PS – please help to forward the mailer below to your friends! special promo – flat rate of RM30 on Tues – Thurs!!!
The “Must See” production? Forward to your friends? Hello?
Excuse me, but are blogs a new way to get free advertising? Should I just post any old crap random strangers mail me, to help them profit, to ‘help the local scene’ or some other childish excuse?
This is not an ad directory, this is not a place for advertorials like some stinkaporean slut sites or coconut boy and his Ford sellout.
Nor are any of the people I associate us with, so please don’t treat us like a bunch of kids without nothing to write about that would be really grateful to receive your spam so we can post it on our sites.
I probably would have written about the play, and I was definately going to go, but the fumbled attempt at PR, I’ll probably still go, but I almost definately won’t write about it.
Kimberlycun has also posted about this: Bad Communication
I mailed her back, rather peeved I might say:
Hi,
I just found this mail in my junk folder, I guess that’s where it belongs as it’s unsolicited commercial e-mail.
Please remove me from your list, I do not wish to be spammed with your leech like attempt at gaining some ‘free’ publicity from bloggers.
This is not the way to approach people, trust me.
I am interested in supporting the local theatre scene, and I will continue to do so, I am not however interested in being spammed by you, so please take it elsewhere.
Perhaps consider a line other than PR too.
Cheers
Her massive PR skills gave me an excellent response, and quashed my worries..NOT
Noted
Yeah, that was it, that was her response.
(Name removed and phone number changed to protect the innocent stupid)
Stupid.People.Should.Die.In.A.Big.Hot.Fire
BBC Gets Wrong Man and Gives Cabbie 5 Minutes of Fame
This is a really really funny story, I guess some of you may have read about it already.
A computer expert has described his astonishment at seeing the BBC’s 24-hour news channel interview supposed taxi driver Guy Goma in the mistaken belief it was him.
Guy Kewney – a white, bearded technology expert – was astonished to see himself appear on screen as a black man with an apparent French accent. He was even more shocked to see himself unable to answer basic questions about the legal battle between the Beatles’ Apple Corps and Apple Computer over the use of an apple symbol.
Basically it went down like this..
1) Taxi drivers goes to BBC Studio to pick up some expert on technology (Guy Kewney)
2) Taxi driver waits in Lobby
3) Someone calls out Guy Kewney’s name, to go into the studio
4) Taxi driver responds with “Hello”
5) BBC staff take Taxi driver into the studio and start interviewing him about digital music live on TV
6) Guy Kewney sits in the lobby watching ‘himself’ on TV live, wondering when he became Black and developed a French accent.
See the video here:
His face at the start when she introduces him is PRICELESS, note his answers for the questions are all pretty much the same.
Source: Guardian & Mail on Sunday
The Wedding – Day 2 – Picking up the Bride & Subang
The morning after the night before…I woke up thinking I was about to die, my breath was toxic enough to melt plastic appliances and my blood felt like it was 90% alchohol of some sort..
It was early…my mouth was dry, my stomach was heaving and my head was pounding.
Not a good start to the day.
I sat on the toilet trying to take a dump at the same time, without puking in my own lap…after that I really did want to puke, but my crap was happily floating there…I had to flush 3 times before I could finally puke in peace. Thank the lord..
After some explosive technicolour yawning, I had a shower, got ready and headed out.
There aren’t many photos from the morning…as well I could barely stand up. I’ll try and get some from Cass soon.
We headed over the brides parental home about 10am to pick her up, there was food everywhere, I didn’t want to see anything or smell anything, I just wanted to curl up under the table.
The car was cutely decorated.
