Logging off from hibernation

The miners of Beaconsfield have already come out from entrapment and have been raking millions since, and here we are, still almost under a rock! Hehehe.

Not that there wasn't much to say anymore. In fact, much has happened during our month-long absence that coming here then to diarise them had to take second precedence. But nonetheless, our apologies to those we haven't updated through our phone calls and emails.
April was truly a fully packed month for us, mostly of reckoning events that have finally shaped what we're up to this month-- and, hopefully, the months ahead. May, for a start, followed well on track. :)

The module I was beating to submit before the end of April was finally sent back to the Guild for assessment. Not being modest here, but I really feared I had completed it haphazardly in the three weeks I only had. The final and oral assessment was a 30-minute phone conversation last Wednesday, 16th May. Did I sound too nervous? I must have had, that the lady assessor on the other end had to assure me I couldn't be any worse than how I did on the module. Hmm, sounds good and encouraging. Comprehensive, she said, which at the time sounded more complimentary than anything. Anyway, I guess I did just fine then, with our conversation ending with the same pleasantries we started with.

The chef has decided to look for a second job to beat the lazy cold months-- or should I say, to keep his mind off cycling? Hahaha! Well, the weather has clearly robbed him of this, and his dear dahlings will have to wait until the days grow longer again. (Is someone cheering in the background? Hahaha.) So, on weekends, he gets assignments from this agency which usually places him in aged-care facility kitchens, where our additional income comes from easily stirring soups for the grannies. :) How lovely is that?

A second restaurant is now in the process of convincing the chef to take their offer for the head position. The first step was a 'bribe' dinner a few Wednesdays ago. Hahaha! I hope I didn't sound that bad, because at the sight of the tempting entree, we agreed it was gonna be worth missing the first few minutes of Prison Break. Heavens, that was the best Pesto Chicken I have had in a long while. The chef had lamb served with baked beans served in tomato sauce. I feared he wouldn't like the dish for the sauce, else my poultry delight would have to be sacrificed for his lamb. But it turned out to be just as mouth-watering.

We'll post later how far the temptation goes. :)

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Onto other food blogging...

A few Saturdays ago, we sat in for lunch at Kuala Lumpur Restaurant on Koornang Rd. Well, this time, we decided to reserve our praises. Waiting in line for a take-away during their busy hours is quite understable, but warming our seats for half an hour on a semi-packed lunch venue was a bit ridiculous. And not to mention that we ordered the ordinary in their Chinese-Malaysian menu. Even with his bike 'bible' to bless his boredom, it was obviously a long wait. While I was drowning mine with water, I just assured him that we've never had anything less than yummy here, so we kind of set our expectation to it's-late-so-it-must-be-good-then.

After my fourth glass of water-- I had always emptied it so the waitress would keep coming back to notice us... sadly, she didn't seem to pick up the message and automaton-ishly kept refilling with a smile-- our plates finally landed on our table. Ugh, they were neither hot in temperature nor in appeal. The coconut rice in my Nasi Lemak was pebbles in my palate, and the chef's Singapore noodles was over-fried. We pushed down our throats what we could and lied to the host's "How was it?" on our way out. Hmm, we said our 'goodbyes' like we've never meant before, but I guess, only desperation for now will make me come back for their Mee Siam.

The chef had envisaged a good Saturday then, with lunch and a few shop stops while waiting for our laundry. So not to drag on our unfortunate lunch episode, I treated him for coffee and cakes at Santucci's cafe. Well, it took a bit of convincing to get him in there, because he's sworn before he'd never be caught sitting in that place. From outside, the cafe looks dim, which gave him the notion it's a hang-out for homos. Hahaha! But in actuality, Santucci's is a very cozy place, with a bear-hug (is that the word?) appeal. Well, the setting is truly warm, with it's ecclectic collection of framed images (and sewing machine cases!) hung on the wall to complement the mismatched tables and chairs. There is a full couch set, a mini library of sorts, and a basket of toys for kids to tinker with. It's a known meeting place for mums-with-prams, and yes, a good weekend coffee.

Yes, he was impressed. The latte here is nothing short of perfect to set that lazy weekend mood. The chef said more complements than I could count poppy seeds in his muffin. And I'm just glad I could now come back here-- and yes we have for the last three weekends-- without any hesitation from him.