Sani-amethyst-zing

Been having a stiff neck a few times during the course of a month. I think my pillows are getting old. Then they make me feel old.

This front label makes it all the much easier for me to pick a pillow. I sleep on my back, front and side, all on the same night.

Oh, I kick too.

I call that defensive sleeping.

Last night, my cousin sister burst in through the front door and exclaimed that she just went to a tarot card reader. Apparently the reader asked my cousin whether the owner of my room (that's me T-T) is moody (!!) and whether I have been fighting with TY. He/she then stated that my room is 'not good' and that I should place an amethyst crystal - in the shape of a ball / pyramid to prevent quarreling and fights.

Well, well, well... The inevitable.

Admittedly I am a person with multiple masks. I can be a nice person this minute, then the next I am scathingly giving a jabbing remark. Not entirely proud of it and some refer to it as mood swings. Hmm.

The tiny amethyst crystal ball sitting solitarily by my bedside. Tiny basket in case I get up groggy and knock everything in my path.

We'll see how well that works ;)

Lioness on a Porky Business

Amazing how fast time flies eh? One of the phrases over used.

It felt like just a few months ago when I blogged about Singa's birthday where we celebrated in delicious, KL. That was one of the first birthday celebrations that we had in KL, as that was also around the time after I got back from Houston and a few others also recently transferred to KL.

Anyways, The Sacred Pig! On Friday the 13th (wink, wink, by the way interesting fact, I was born on Friday the Thirteenth. I think that's why I'm a wacko), met up with the other girls at El Cerdo @ Werner's Place, on Changkat Bukit Bintang.

The place has a great lively ambience, a notch too noisy for my liking as you sort of have to raise your voice to be heard but otherwise, it's a comfortable, warm place to dine in.

El Cerdo is The Pig in Spanish. No name can be as simple and straightforward for this restaurant. I doubt there is anything non-pork in the menu!

We were first served with complimentary (I think) soup (which I believe is vegetable) and bread to whet the appetite.

As usual, camera died within 5 seconds of usage so I suggested to Singa that I use her camera to capture the pictures, using my own memory card.

Singa asked us if we wanted to have some veg, salad or something. Hell yes!

Cesar's Salad
Romaine Lettuce, Ciabatta Croutons & Parmigiano on Lemon Anchovy Dressing

Salad is fresh, with a crunchy texture, served with salami slices. The parmagiano cheese is also great, my only complain is that there are too few croutons and, well, everything else except for the romaine lettuce.

Oven Roasted BBQ Glazed Ribs
Glazed with American BBQ sauce, served with Mango Salad

The ribs are oh-so good....! This is the first batch of ribs I have ever tasted that is so juicy and succulent! Beats Tony Roma's hands and both feet down. Unlike TR ribs, whose meat fall off ever so gracefully and easily from the bones, these will require more hand work and ripping off the meat. I know that will sound kind of contradicting, but I'm dead serious!

Unfortunately, I did not get to try the most juicy looking stuffed tomatoes. :(

Ok, don't say I didn't warn you. 13PG rated picture ahead.

Roasted Suckling Pig
Cochinillo Al Estilo Segoviano

This is the epitome of Nose to Tail Eating. In a way it's kinda gross the way they stuffed a stalk of watercress between the jaws the piglet's. All in clear detail, the ears, the tail... Looking back at the pictures now, I feel a stab of guilt, this little suckling pig that wasn't even given the chance to live beyond the few months that it must have been stuffed and fattened.

Must have only been less than a year old. The total length of the piglet is about 80cm.

Tearful stories aside, one of the staffs came to our place and to prove that their cochinillo al estilo segoviano (-_____-) is absolutely soft and crispy at the same time, he used a ceramic plate and 'chopped' across the piglet.

Then the waiter asked us to choose two from our table for the Greek ritual of plate breaking (don't ask me why that is adopted by a Spanish restaurant). For sure Singa was elected, and Jason lol. First they had to knock the plate thrice on the wooden table. Then chop on the piglet. Then comes the noisy plate smashing.

Some interesting facts, there is no known evidence as to how the breaking of plates became a part of the Greek influence. There were beliefs that plates are smashed to commemorate the dead. In a sense, a controlled loss (the smashing of plates) is used to counteract with the uncontrolled loss (of the deceased).

Other theories also involved warding off evil spirits. The sounds of plates smashing can be linked to a violent rage, to fool these evil spirits, even though it may have just been a party filled with food and music.

Oh, I was told that in this case, at El Cerdo, the breaking of plates is supposed to deliver good luck.

The jutting granite center makes sure the plates do break and emits an ear-splitting crash.


Our pork also comes together with a salad, tangy dressing.

Awesome gravy for our roasted piglet.

The traditional paella. Paella is a Valencian signature dish. Consists of shrimps, salami, chicken, beans, rice and seasonings. What I think? I think the rice is undercook.... Well, maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, I'm not very sure but while scooping rice from the pan, the rice sort of gets stuck all over the wooden spoon. I think it's about RM75 for a pan-sized meal.

Our chopped porky comes along..

With pan fried potato mixed with a number of herbs and cheese with flour I presume.

The suckling pig's outer skin crust is incredibly crispy. Just underneath the crunchy skin texture is a centimeter thick layer of pure baby pig fat. Once you get past the fat, the tender meat just melts in your mouth. Surprisingly, I still preferred the pork ribs over this roasted suckling pig. Maybe there was just too much pork in one seating.

Camwhoring friends.






Tapao-ed our leftover paella and it came back to us in this cute little cardboard take-away packaging.

A quick snap of our pressie for Singa. There was a long discussion on FB about what to get for Singa. It went from spa packages to lingerie to chunky jewelries until at the last minute Moyang called me up to stop me from getting chunky jewelries because they decided to get something from Thomas Sabo ;)


Check out the estranged look on the bottom right porkie.

I think there were other 5 tables also celebrating birthdays lol. And a group of the El Cerdo staff would come up to the table, play the birthday song with 'oink's inserted in between the songs. Our cheapskate group always tumpang their song time and replaced whoever's name with Singa's hehe.

Of course, we weren't too cheapo for too long hehe.






Singa also received a complimentary wooden pig figurine from El Cerdo. Sweet!

And finally a group picture.... Wish we could have hung out more often but I'm too paiseh to get someone to pick me up every single time :(



This was taken in a hurry while Yucky was at the loo hahahhaha. The group is always so mean to poor Yucky. Always the one to be drowning in criticisms and teasing.

Andreas Special "A Dream in Chocolate"
Vanilla ice-cream, milk-chocolate mousse, chocolate crumble, bananas in passion fruit and pear in red wine. The passion fruit is a tad too sour for me but I suppose it would offset the sweetness of all the other ingredients nicely. I don't recall tasting the pear in red wine leh :(


Present opening time!


I had wanted the girls to add in a dog bone charm but they said it didn't look nice lol. So instead a black bra and bright red heels. Best part is that Singa loved it. Kudos for the right pick.


Happy 25th!

Starve Yourself Not

It's the month of fasting, and guess what, it's kinda obvious with the 'extremely effective' LRTs and the 'efficient services' by some on puasa. No offense to those who are fasting, but a job is a job. Whether you are sick, or haven't eaten/drank anything for 10 hours, you still got to do what it takes to maintain and perform your duties. Especially so if you work with the government services, customer services ... and most importantly public transport! If you're not fit to work, then go to a doctor and receive a medical certificate!

Anyway, the whole purpose of the fasting during the month of Ramadhan is to experience what it feels like being a poor person and without food. And also to discipline oneself. Well, being poor and food-less also means having more determination to earn food, hence there should be no excuses for any staff to shuffle along in their own sweet time doing work!

I am of course, not bad-mouthing the Muslims, only those who slack.

Another gripe that I have is about this pantry of an office I have seen. There is a microwave in the pantry as well, with a huge sign "Halal food only" plastered over its front opening.

Now, I have no problems with the request. But my gripe is that, if we have to be sensitive about the Muslims' needs, why can't they be sensitive to the Hindus' and Buddhists' needs?

Muslims do not eat pork because the animal is not considered halal. In a sense they can actually live with and without it, so long as pork is not consumed. But the Hindus and also Buddhists see cows as a sacred animal. Cows are given respect and those practising the religion are forbidden to consume these protected mammals. Instead, we live in a selfish world where pepperoni pizzas are ordered, beef rendang and whatnot and heated in the microwave.

You tell me whether that's fair.

Lui Cha

Sigh.... How I miss my camera so very, very much. Well at least having a camera with me and knowing that pictures captured are fine. My cam is still under diagnosis (I think) so.... there's only the camera in my iPhone that's doing a pretty bland job :(

Was at one of the organic restaurants in Sungai Long. Tried googling the name of the place but didn't get anything. Hasn't been commercialized thoroughly maybe, but that doesn't mean that the food is so-so.

In fact, the food is awesome! Just looking at the (albeit bland colors) pictures, I'm already starting to crave for some good ol' Lui Cha!

I always thought that the 'lui cha' means green tea rice or something. But in face it means Thunder Tea Rice. Whatever that's supposed to mean. Anyway, it is a famous Hakka dish rice that is a cacophony of healthy chopped greens, herbs and nuts on brown rice and then drowned in a herbal green-ish tea (which I assume is called the Thunder Tea). Either you'll love it or hate it. Well, lip-smacking for me!

Let's see if I can even figure out the numerous vegetation on these. Chopped long beans, green collards (I think lol) , tofu, siew pak choy (?) ... erm... peanuts, black sesame ... Ok I give up -__-

Mix them all up together. Love the colors on this dish. Very untreated sort of meal. Not the processed stuff you get. Then you drench the mixture of greens and brown rice with the tea. The tea consists of a number of herbs too. Some may find it pungent. Me? Loved it. Uncle and Aunty furthermore requested for a more concentrated tea. Thick it is!

We also ordered an additonal tofu dish. Omg.... I can't believe I can love tofu this much! It's the gravy, I swear. So fragrant and sweet, it totally kicks my tastebuds into gear. The gravy has a mixture of mushrooms, diced peppers, seaweed and more that I can't figure out. Hungry!!

The Georgian Adventure - Hike to Chalaadi Glacier

Our third, and last hike in Svaneti. There are so many more places to hike and explore around Georgia, it was a hard decision to premature...