The Big Bad Wolf Books Sale Is Back!!

The Big Bad Wolf Books Sale is back and this time the venue is nearer to my home. Yeay! Take note, the details of the sale is as follows: 12-17 November 2010, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Ground Floor South City Plaza, Seri Kembangan.

Being an enthusiatic and voracious book reader, I used to burn a hole in my pocket (and my mother's as well) buying books. After discovering BookXcess and its sister company Big Bad Wolf Books, I have successfully saved some of my money to spend on my other indulgences. Well not really that much, since now I tend to buy books in quantity! But after all, buying books from BookXcess and the Big Bad Wolf Sale greatly helped in ensuring my money was well spent on books.

My praise also goes to them for having books which I might not have found at other book stores. So plan ahead by making little notes in your diaries and join in the bargain book-hunting fun at the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale!

The author had so much fun book-hunting during the last sale that her hands were so full after the book shopping trip. Many thanks to her little assistant who helped her carry her books back home!

Ripples: Kickapoo's Less Sugar Twin

For as far as I remember, I have been drinking Kickapoo Joy Juice. Whether it's at a relative's house during Chinese New Year or just an occasional drink now and then during the hot afternoons, Kickapoo had always had been a thirst-quenching drink to me.

Now I've found a substitute for it during last week's grocery shopping trip: another carbonated drink by the name of Ripples. Its label says that it's a cloudy citrus drink, so being the ever adventurous me, I thought of just giving it a try.

The verdict? Well, it turned out less sweeter than Kickapoo. And for those not a big fan of the lemony smell, Ripples is the drink for you.

The author loves browsing through the shelves during her grocery trips to find and try new F&B products.

Vampire Themed Books To Satiate Your Thirst

I strolled into a bookstore today while I was out shopping, and noticed that the books on the shelves were mostly black in colour.

At first glance, I dismissed them as books from Stephenie Meyer’s popular Twilight Saga series, but at closer inspection it seemed that these books were targeted at teens that had not gotten over the Twilight fever yet, and are still eager for more vampire themed titles to satiate their thirst for fictional stories.

Even classics such as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights were not spared by the current publishing craze. These titles have been reproduced with covers that looked like those of the Twilight Saga series, and they do look good, I admit.

But I could not help wondering whether publisher should go till the extent of extorting classics such as Little Women by Louisa May Alcott by adding blood, gore, and vampires into the storyline. Yes, they do draw in the teen readers, but would they get the opportunity to appreciate the real essence of these famed titles?

A quick browse on Google also showed that there were many vampire-related websites which offered more stories for the reader of Twilight who still couldn’t get enough of vampires. Many other book series have spawned from this phenomenon, and my opinion is as long as the content is good, readers will develop a good following, and become fans of the author’s works.

The author thinks that books that are riding on the bandwagon of the Twilight Saga series’ success should try not to have similar cover themes as every book’s cover should reflect its contents.

Carrie Underwood : Country Music's Sweetheart

For those unfamiliar with the country music genre, you might have heard of the name Carrie Underwood through American Idol. A country singer who hails from Oklahoma, her rise to fame is propelled by her win in the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.

Since then, she became a multi-platinum selling recording artist, multiple Grammy Award winner, three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, and ACM Entertainer of the Year, which is a great feat for a singer whose career was launched by a reality television programme.

She had also been bestowed a great honour when she was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee that has presented the biggest stars of the genre for nearly 85 years.

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum. It is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history. Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the country charts, "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Wasted" and "Before He Cheats". Some Hearts was eventually titled the Top Country Album of the Decade.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, produced five number one country hits, "So Small", "All-American Girl", "Last Name" , "Just a Dream" and "I Told You So". She collaborated with fellow country singer Randy Travis, on the song “I Told You So”, which won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration.

“Cowboy Casanova”, the first single off her third album, Play On, was released to country radio in September 2009, and peaked at number one on the country charts, which made Underwood the female country artist of the decade with the most top ten hits on the country chart.

Her huge success is attributed to her powerful vocals, which captures listeners’ attention, and also her songs, which are mostly inspirational.

For such an accomplished singer, Underwood manages to keep her feet on the ground and is actively involved in NGO work, and is an animal lover and a vegetarian. She stopped consuming meat at the age of thirteen as she couldn't stand the thought of eating one of her own animals. She was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA in 2005 and 2007.

She is also a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and has done several public service announcements for the organization. Furthermore, Carrie has also teamed up with Pedigree to shoot a public service announcement on behalf of the company's big adoption drive.

Besides creating music to inspire more people and devoting her spare time in NGO efforts, Underwood also continues to expand her career in film, and hopefully she will succeed in that arena as well.

Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant

During the past Chinese New Year celebrations, I experienced an opportunity of a lifetime when I was treated to a feast that had abalones, scallops and Peking ducks on the menu.

Located in Avenue K, Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant is tucked in a corner in the middle of the bustling Kuala Lumpur city. However, reservations still had to be made in advance since it is famous for its namesake, which is of course, abalones.

Studying the menu, I was surprised to find out that there were many types of abalones. Abalones come from all over the world, such as Australia, California, New Zealand, and also South Africa.

This restaurant also serves a variety of popular and more upscale Chinese dishes, which are very suitable for occasions such as Chinese New Year or an important family celebration. The dishes served at Ah Yat include Abalone with Japanese Mushroom and Vegetable, Braised Shark’s Fin Soup with Bird’s Nest and Bamboo Pith, and Steamed Tiger Garoupa in Hong Kong Style, to name a few.

My personal favourites off the menu are Yoshihama Dried Abalone with Mushroom “Ah Yat Style”, and Baked King Scallop with Garlic. The abalone was so tender till it was effortless chewing it, while the scallop was cooked to perfection. Both dishes are simply delicious, and absolutely left me craving for more.

Since it was Chinese New Year, Yee Sang was also on the menu. The process where the waitress served the Yee Sang intrigued me. As she was pouring ingredients such as syrup, pepper and crunchy biscuits onto the big platter, she said a few words which were supposed to symbolise good luck and wealth towards those consuming the dish. That was something I learnt as I never knew that when you serve Yee Sang, you should also bless the dish.

The service here is good as the waiters are quick to notice when a dish is finished, and they will whisk the empty plate away before you even know it. Even when your teacup is almost empty, the waiters come and refill your tea before you can do it yourself.

If you happen to look for a good place to dine with your family on special occasions, Ah Yat Abalone is the place to go.

Restoran Haeun Khon: A Fantastic Discovery

Tucked away in a corner of Amcorp Mall, I stumbled upon this little shop (well, not very little, but the sort that gives you a cosy and homey feel since it’s not sparse and cold) which serves Korean cuisine.

I would never have stepped in the place if I had not been coming to visit BookXcess regularly to stock up my supply of books. Since I was in the vicinity, my friends and I thought that we’ll just give the restaurant a try as we were also hunting for good food for our lunch.

For a random choice, the food at Restoran Haeun Khon was superb! The three of us ordered the Korean Fried Rice, Cuttlefish and Bibimbap. The portions were big and the side dishes were plentiful.

I had the Bibimbap set, and I the amount of work that goes into my dish was very well paid off as I enjoyed every single bit of it. From the main dish of rice and shredded vegetables topped with fried egg to the side dishes of kimchi, salted vegetable, tofu, soup and cold fruit, my appetite was satisfied and I had a huge problem detaching myself from the chair as I was leaving!

And as we ordered quite early, we had the opportunity of observing the steady stream of customers coming in for lunch. By the time we were leaving, the place was already fully seated.

The service was good and prompt, prices were affordable and the ambience was suitable for those who need an escape from the stress of daily working life (people like myself!)

Do stop by Restoran Haeun Khon for a good Korean meal and BookXcess to satiate your thirst for books!

Restoran Shen Jing Sheng: Food, Glorious Food!

Every time I eat out, I am sort of like a person who is on a quest to identify the best restaurant or stall that serves a particular dish.

An example is assam laksa, a Malaysian favourite, which is served by both food stalls and cafe’s. Just a simple mention of it makes my mouth water, and I am bound to order it!

That if, when I am wearing a dark coloured blouse. Hey, a girl gotta look presentable right? Who wants to walk around town with stains on her beautiful blouse?

But my extended family and I are all very particular when we eat out at restaurants. Good food, topped with good service and ambience (of course at an affordable price too), and I guarantee that you will definitely see us coming back real soon, as well as being loyal regulars.

Tonight I had dinner with my family at one of the local restaurants in my area, and the food was simply delicious. It has been our favourite restaurant for the past few years, as they serve home-cooked dishes, as well as those worthy of a Chinese dinner at 5-star hotels.

And the service was quick too, as we waited around 20 minutes for about 6 dishes, which was also inclusive of a complimentary soup (yeah, we probably love this place so much since they serve FREE soup).

We were served Steamed Tilapia, Marmite Chicken, Yam Basket, Vegetarian Curry, Sweet Potato Leaves with Garlic and Sizzling Plate Tofu. And each one tasted as good as the first. We didn’t order the chef’s special, which is Prawns in Pumpkin Gravy, but for every newcomer, this dish is a must try.

So if you ever come by to my part of town, Bandar Damai Perdana, do give Restaurant Shen Jing Sheng a try!

The writer recommends that a good assam laksa has to have the right amount of bunga kantan, lengkuas, thick stock boiled with ikan kembung, and not forgetting, lots of hae ko.

Shopping in Bangsar: How A Little Retail Therapy Can Help Save Your Life

Girls out there, don’t you agree that shopping takes away your worries and stress? Even just a casual window-shopping trip is surely a relaxing therapy.

Sure, we walk till our feet are blistered and our throats parched, but even if we do come away from the ‘lil shopping trip empty-handed, it feels as though you had satisfied your inner self.

But with a short stop now and then for some refreshments, (oohh, a personal favourite of mine is ice-cream) you’ll definitely be so recharged for more shopping till the security guards have to shoo you out during closing time!

I used to love going to bookshops, scouring the shelves and finding for great reads. And later at home, curled up on the sofa, I’ll unwind myself by reading my new book while happily sipping my hot cup of tea.

Well, that used to be in the past. Nowadays, my days are spent mostly at the office and when I reach home, its dinner and a little television time before dozing off to dreamland.

As this pattern is repeated 5 times a week, when the weekend comes around, I’m usually so stressed out that I don’t even want to move out from my comfy bed when the sun is high up in the sky!

Retail therapy definitely helped me a lot by releasing my pent-up stress at the end of a long day after staring at the computer screen. You should try it out too, since it’s free (provided you do not purchase anything by impulse-lah)!

The writer can be seen from time to time in quaint little Bangsar boutiques, hunting through the racks for great bargains.