JOanna’s Life

   

Bugis, located at the central of Singapore. Besides the buzz during weekends which is a killer, i still couldn’t find another reason why i would choose to go here.

3 years, 5 visits. I considered this as a record.

 

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

So when it comes to food, the overwork auditor who works around the area recommended this place. We, a bunch of innocent-looking, stomach-growling young adults headed to this place after quite a while of you-know-what-reason-that-make-one-late waiting.

   

 

   

Located at level 2 of Bugis Junction, the escalator besides swenson sends you to the doorstep of the restaurant. Walking into Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, i felt as if i have walked into another Crystal Jade branch with better lighting (some CJ’s branches have poor lighting which affect my pics). With the familiar wooden chairs and tables, we were comfortably sitted at the far end of the restaurant.

 

   

Pickles were served while we were flipping through the menu. The pickles were sour and pungent yet delicious. The cabbage and carrot were crunchy and full of flavour, a very refreshing starter.

   

                                 Steamed Bun with Glutinous Rice 糯米烧卖 (3pcs) @ $4.20

   

It looks great on the menu, but the taste was just so-so. Nothing special and i didn’t want to waste my calorie on it. Comment was based on JimJIm’s feedback.

   

 

                                         Abalone Mushroom Noodle 鲍汁菌菇面 @ $7.50

 

The noodle got nothing to shout about except for its soup. The soup was a very clear, subtly flavoured abalone soup with a hint of flavour derived from the thinly sliced leeks. Served with sliced abalone mushroom, it was the carb-source when your meal was protein laden, or should i say, pork-filled? *bleah*

   

   

                                                  Golden Fried Rice 黄金炒饭 @ $8.50

   

They said, " Name reflects one’s appearance & personality".

 

Served with generous amount of pork floss topping, each grain of rice was coated with reddish-golden colour. From the cooking oil, i supposed??? It remained as an unknown. I love fried rice served in such a way. Grains of rice separated. I couldn’t stand sticky-clumpy-sore-to-the-eye fried rice. This is good stuff! The first mouth burst into sweet & spicy flavour before the taste of eggs and dried shrimp surfaced to the taste bud.

   

   

                         

     "What comes to your mind when you see a saucer or vinegar with shredded ginger?"

   

   

                            Steamed Soup Bun with Pork Filling 鲜肉小笼 (6pcs) @ $6.00

                                  

                                  

"YES, You’re right! It’s Xiu Long Bao!!!"

   

   

 

       Steamed Soup Bun with Crab Roe and Pork Filling 蟹黄小笼 (6pcs) @ $11.80 

      

Did i mentioned that i was fascinated by the menu? especially the xiu long bao or steamed bun section? They serve not one, not two, not even three, but NINE TYPES of xiu long bao!!!!!!

   

From pork filling, crab meat with pork to mushroom, vegetables to SHARK FIN CRAB ROE WITH PORK filling~ Talk about looks can be deceiving. If they try serving the whole range of xiu long bao, i wouldn’t be able to differentiate what is what by its appearance.

   

               

There are two categories of Xiu Long Bao, and by the way, they call their xiu long bao as steamed bun here. Special steamed bun and superior grade steamed bun. Price ranges from $6.00-$12.00 for 6pcs. It’s pretty reasonable.

   

Up till now, i’ve only tried Crystal Jade’s xiu long bao. If i am given a choice, i probably will choose here? *uncertain* First of all, i’m not a pork person. When it comes to pork, unless it is sweet and sour pork by my aunty and stewed pork ribs by my dearest ma-ma, i normally would turn it down. I still couldn’t get used to the taste and smell of pork though my grandpa was a butcher and my uncle still is one…

 

Secondly, i don’t chew on pork dish. Again, back to reason No.1. Cos i couldn’t take the smell. So i couldn’t really recall the taste of the filling of the xiu long bao. One thing for sure is, its skin is thin yet able to hold the flavourful soup.

   

   

Spicy Steamed Soup Bun with Crab Meat and Pork Filling 香辣蟹肉小笼 @ $9.80

   

This gigantic steamed bun occupied the whole small bamboo steaming tray. A straw was served together and it was meant to eat, or better known as drink the "gems" using the straw.

 

"Be careful, it’s very hot" said the waiter.

   

We heeded his advice. There were so much xiu long bao on the table so we didn’t mind to save it for the last. Didn’t they say "save the best for last"? Yea, this was what we meant.

   

No one eats the bao here. The whole bao was left intact for almost all of us, except for the two with high level of curiousity (me inclusive).*haha*

   

I’m glad i opened it up cos it revealed the gems: dried scallop, shredded crab meat etc which made the soup luscious and extremely sweet and rich. Full of flavour!!! It is like having a bowl of superior soup in the form of xiu long bao. Erm…It shouldn’t be called xiu long bao, it should be Big Long Bao~ *grin*

   

Now i know where i would head to when i want some xiu long bao.

   

When was the last time we met?

 

Was it this year Chinese New Year?

 

For some of you, yea…We did see each other not too long ago.

But when was the last time WE saw each other? 5 years? or more than that?

 

5 years… How time passes. I still remember, the corridor at Block A where we used to say "Hallo" and i would waved. Or just a gentle smile and nod to acknowledge each other’s presence. Did we study in the same class before? I counldn’t recall. My secondary school days seems like just yesterday, yet 5 years has already passed us by. I couldn’t help but to let out a sigh.

 

"How time flies…"

   

   

But one thing I know. From this day. The night when one linked to another and 6 of us gathered. I know that some things just don’t change.

 

Just like the friendship of ours…

 

Some of characters just marked who we are. Trademark. Soundbox control was lost when one got excited. Even with the 5 years separation, conversation still striked as natural as you can get. Some tired faces after work were inevitable, yet the occasion was joyous.

 

Weren’t we entertain by the fact that You almost got to play basketball with Jay Chow?

Or ain’t we a little surprised by how you got to know an aunty friend when you lost your camera in Hong Kong?

Or maybe, just maybe, we were really surprised by how you know they actually threatened and extore Edison for money before actually releasing the photos on the internet?

Nono, i wasn’t surprise when they told me You have changed. Someone who is more mature and thinks about his future and works towards it. Yet being true to Your friends is the nature in You, in case You haven’t realise.

 

I was concerned when You mentioned steroid content in TCM medication. Not because i’m in TCM line, but of your oedema. I assured you, you don’t look fierce. Your girls are just timid.

 

What about You? It’s been almost a year now since we last met, excluding the time i saw u driving during CNY. Missed the chance of meeting up with You during this year CNY. But we finally met up, didn’t we? *wink*

   

Yes, when You work from 9am till 2am, 5 days a week, SHOPPING THERAPY is the best relief. And something i didn’t tell you, You still look as pretty, or even prettier than before.

 

What about you? It’s already a month now since you came to work in the country where i am currently studying. You are one of the first few to step out in the working society. First official job which will path your career life. New environment, new place, new people. If it true that it is harder to find a true friend when you are out in working social circle? Time will tell. Let me know.

I’m curious.

      

 

   

All good things must come to an end.

   

        It didn’t mark the end of us. Instead, it’s a new beginning…

      

             

                         This picture described a little of how i am feeling right now

   

   

Two weeks ago, received an email from Sharon Natania, SWAP NEEDED!!!~ on 16th March… I didn’t know what triggered me then, to reply here almost instantaneously say, Let’s Swap, for my april serving.

   

Hmm…i knew i will be having my Virology Quiz tomorrow. But then… Ok, the rest is history. We swapped. And so i am, in ROCK KIDS TODAY~

   

"Have a cool week ahead and let our GOD rock you world!!!"

 

I must be thinking that i would have done my revision, or some sort. If not, why would i say yes to the swap which i still couldn’t figure out till now. In the end, i wasn’t motivated to do my revision at all after my Final exam for Exogeneous Febrile (a TCM module), and i was all stressed up this week. Whine and procrastinate, yet not revising. Then i started thinking, "argh, i shouldn’t have swapped, there goes my Sunday…" But you know what, i’m blessed. Truly blessed in Rock Kidz today.

   

In the end, Song Wei and I hosted the pre-service games. It was a success. The kids were supposed to complete twelve tasks in the shortest time. Some of the favourite of mine are "do 10 push-ups", "recite John 3:16" which many of the mind go blank *haha*, "run to the back and get any 3 kids to jump and shout Halleluyah" and the list goes on. It was fun!!! *wink*

 

Pre-service games are fun and exciting when you can get the children attention and participation. And this could be done by giving CLEAR and SPECIFIC instructions. Tonation is also important. Serious! And of cos, God’s grace, favour and annoiting over the teachers is crucial too. i realised too that Kids like games where they can move about and not just that, by they like time challenge. It gets exciting when they have a time limit/factor in the course of the games.

 

Thank you Jesus for His wisdom and annointing over both the services, be it Pre-service games, Praise and Worship, Video Clips etc. Thank you for all the other wonderful and faithful servers of Yours. I thank God that i was part of it! Halleluyah~ I thank God for His peace that is upon me throughout the day. I know i sound crazy when i haven’t even finish my revision (now), and i should be panic (or should I?) but i’m not. When you set your eyes upon Jesus and look at all He has done for you, all your fears are so far away. For i know, God holds the best plan for me and my life is in His hand.

   

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

   

And i shall end with this scripture and constantly be reminded that all things work together for good. Be it what happen in school, in church, in Rock Kidz, in Hall, at home, with Friends etc etc.

   

I love you Lord, and i want more of You.

This is my desire…

   

And now i know, why i was in Rock Kidz today. Because God knew my desire and He already knew i wouldn’t want to miss this.

His way is higher than our way and He’s always so thoughful and loving.

   

Felt so loved and so blessed…

   

As the semester is coming to an end really soon, i’ve less than a month to study for my final exam.

    

The best thing is, i’ll be starting my final year project &%^%& Finaly year? Probably they have to rename it as Final Quater Year project as we only have 13weeks to complete the project and submit our thesis which a poster day a.k.a presentation day in the first week of August. And…

   

   

How come Friendster blog’s layout change? I can’t seem to find my upload photo’s and the rest of the "user friendly" buttons which used to sit right on top of the post body. Argh…I was complaining of not knowing how to edit html in friendster blog and now… Very funny. Is in html and i don’t know how to use it! Talk about IT savvy, i probably is the first to get eliminated.

   

Quiz after quiz, not much time left for my ownself when all days you are having 8.30am-5.30pm lecture&tutorial&work. Yea, I work. I am still working. In school. Wanted to resign but i won’t be having the "luxury" to work when i’m doing my fyp. I intend to pun in my 100% for my thesis. Final showdown.

   

I must aim for the best as God has the best plan for me too. Busy and tired must not overcome me.

No, i won’t let it overcome my decision though sometimes i do hibernate.

My body is so cool. It "auto-regulates" my sleeping requirement. Don’t you think it’s pretty cool? Why work so hard? Study & working. Some might think it’s no big deal. I bet many are doing the same as me but many of my friends have given up working or giving tuition. Taking double degree is no joke especially when one of it is medicine, for me, it’s TCM. The study will not be an one time thing, is an accummulation of knowledge in TCM which we will need in our future practice. No choice, this is the path i’ve chosen and i really want to do my best this semester.

   

Cheong Ar~ At least for now, i know my path.

Concrete plan? We’ll see…

   

 

Despite holding the event in school’s canteen, effort was made to ensure that it would be an evening to be remembered.   

    

         

Leading you in….

      

      

Tea candle on every table, in a bowl of potpurri…

 

   

Multicolour representing the multinationality in various hall…

 

 

A joint effort of 4 halls.

In the effort of engaging the international students in various halls.

 

To make them feel the sense of belonging,

To the hall, To NTU, To Singapore…

To let them enjoy the company of multinationality students in NTU campus,

To share their experience in Singapore,

To share their culture back in their home country,

To make friends with the international students in HALL 8, 9, 10 & 11 !!!

   

   

And who can say no, to knowing a few more friends, with all the good food (mind you, we had four buffet lines, Western, Indian, Thai and Chinese) and free flow of beer???!! ~

 

 

But for me? Why was i there? Ain’t i ever busy?

 

Aiyah, my dearest roommie was the representative of my hall for this event. Give face.

 

To show Malaysia Power? Perhaps.

But something for sure is, Malaysians are really a bunch of dynamic people. And the cohesiveness of being Malaysians, indescribable!

We, Malaysians, truly are one.

I am proud of who i am.

I am proud of where i am from.

I am proud of my country.

 

Ok, i digress.

 

   

                                             Dearie Rommie and Kerry

 

Thanks dearie roommie for keeping me company throughout the event, with our Lao Ban around. I think i did enjoyed myself. Especially with your company.

 

 

                                  Soo Fan, Le Ler, Andy, Han Yong & Mei Yun

 

Not forgetting Andy, Le Ler, Soo Fan, Mei Yun, Han Yong. Of cos, Liang Liang’s help in the "last second" performance.

 

   

       The Malaysian Team! Representing Hall 8 in the performance competition…

 

Although we didn’t win the competition in the end, it was fun to get together with you all again, to sing acapella. I think i do love to sing. But time doesn’t permit, at least for now.

 

   

Many interesting programmes were carried out. The MC of the night was quite a cutie, eloquent too. Treasure hunt was a hit, making people to work together, gathering things that were pretty much able to "hunt-it-down" within the shortest time. " 2 Calculators, 7 Watches and 5 Shirts" was our winning game. We were quite enthusiastic, especially with andy them around, and also the gang of Burmese, not forgetting a couple of PRC too~

   

                          The final contestants of the Best Dressed Award

   

The other highlight of the night was the Best Dressed Award. Finalists were chosen by the hall senior fellow and also the leaders of the working committee. As you can see, I was one of the finalists!!! *grin* Special thanks to Ah Jim, who help to bring back my Baju Kebaya from Kluang and my dearest mummy, who help to pack and send the costume over to ah jim’s place within such a short notice. It only shows how blur and absent-minded i can be at time & also how much my mummy & friends love me. *wink*

   

The floor of audience was the final judge. And by the support from the Malaysians, Burmese & PRCs whom i know from the "Treasure Hunt" ice-breaker games we played earlier on, and also all the "eighters", i was the….

 

   

And i won myself some vouchers!!! Whoo~ Hoo~ *wide grin*

   

Thanks to my new found friend…. Mr. Tessa… If my spelling is not wrong…

 

   

And his Friends….

 

 

   

And once again, I’m a happy girl~ Blessed and happy~

   

 

                                  Preparation of Off-the-Shelf Yu Sheng

   

It is a tradition in my class that we’ll lou hei during CNY. It started in the 2nd Semester of Year 1, when a few friends suggested then during CNY 2006. We wanted to bond and gel, relationship wasn’t strong then and compared to now, after almost 3 years. Since then, my class would organise Lou Hei every CNY without fail.

 

For the past 2 years, we purchased the Yu Sheng from The Quad, which is a cafeteria located at the basement of our school. $24/box if i am not wrong. For the sake of convenient.

This year, we decided to buy off the shelf from NTUC. Cheaper. We can also adjust the amount of ingredients we wanted in it, like reducing the preserved ginger as some of us don’t like ginger, lesser sour-plum sauce etc. With added home-shreded cucumber, carrot & radish from home, perfect! Obviously, the only lack was it’s vegetarian, meaning no Salmon. Yu Sheng (raw fish) without fish, a little ironic huh?

 

Our lesson this semester has been conducted in CR 6, which is quite small compared to CR 7. CR 7 used to be our base and Lou Hei place, but taken over by the juniors as their cohort is bigger =(  We resorted to use the study bench located right outside the lobby of SBS. I bet we were quite a scene and disturbance to the students studying there. Annoyed? Amused? Jealous? I wouldn’t know. But we were quite a havoc. The whole air was filled with our loud laughter.

 

 

                              The higher you toss, the better you’ll be…

 

Common phrases like 学业进步、青春美丽、身体健康 were shouted during the tossing of Yu Sheng. Yup, success in our coming FYP was one of my wish i’m currently working towards. It is still a myth if you toss higher, the year will be better for you. But i had fun. Great fun, tossing and dirtying the hands of the one next to you, looking at the wasted Yu Sheng all over the newspaper…

 

                  My Class Monitor, Ms Goh… A lovely girl~ Who love to take pic~

   

李老师, Mr. Lee was amused by the Lou Hei that only takes place in Malaysia and Singapore. I’m serioud here!!! You cannot find Lou Hei anywhere else other than here. Not in Taiwan, Not in Hong Kong, Not in China. It is only in Singapore and Malaysia. Probably we should start this trend there to make a fortune? *wink*

 

While taking a break for our tired Tuesday, with 7 hours of lecture, we took the chance of taking pictures too~

There is a rumour in our school, spread by BS Yr 3 & 4, that the first batch of BMS (my batch) got lots of beauty. Whenever we go into the lecture theatre, the guys couldn’t resist but to turn their head and see. A little exaggerating, but i’m not sure whether it is true. See for yourself and let me know ok? *giggle*

 

                                         Two cute and pretty ladies in my class….

 

                                                The Only Brotherhood in my class….

 

                                       Evil Twin & I together with the Brotherhood…

   

And Last but not least….

 

                                                      BMS 05/06

 

I love my class, i love my friends, i love all of you~

   

   

A self-declared Friendship Day, at the wee hours in the morning, on an unexpected day.

 

Yup, my dearest Ting Ting passed me this at 7+am in the morning. A lovely morning after a good night rest. With the present on my table, there i went to school. Didn’t open the prezzie there and then, it didn’t matter. I was happy. Not because of the present. Just being delighted.

 

Do you know how much i love my roommate?

 

Do you know how blessed i am?

   

Someone who is understanding, loving, caring & patient.

 

Truly, i am blessed.

   

Okay, i admit, i’m slow.

Chinese New Year, V day… All Slow~

But still, i wanted to highlight something which touch my heart, something not expected.

 

             

                      Ms. ALIEN MADE CHOCOLATE!!!

For all of us…

 

Thanks dear for being so thoughtful. I know this is not your usual act or how you normally express yourself, but this is so SWEET~! XoXo

   

ps: Being able to share it out is good, letting people know you care is even better. Keep it up, my dear!

Busy is not a very good excuse for my absent in blogging when i can make this.

 

    

I sacrifice 2 nights of sleep to make V day gifts. Golden Photoframe for my dearie in Hall, QQ and best’est roommie, Ting Ting. I’ve made one for myself too~ Because i never use spray paint before, needed one to test it out. So i made myself a Valentine’s Day gift too. *wink*

 

Spraying unevenly is inevitable. I couldn’t help it. Beginner in using spraypaint. In the course of preparing my V day gifts, thanks Ting Ting for getting the spraypaint for me (of cos, i didn’t tell her what i was doing) and Mr. Taz for helping me to develop photos.

 

Love is all around NTU. Couples are highlighted with bouquet of flowers. Helium-filled balloons seem to be everywhere too. Unexpected stalk of pink rose was what i got for V day. What about you?

   

   During my previous visit to the Northern Part of my beloved country, i had the chance of going into Penang island during the crazy period, just before Christmas. I felt like, "WOW! The whole world is heading to little Penang Island!!!" We wanted to take the ferry but the jam was like…Hmm…I shall not talk about it. It was beyond my imagination. Anyway, we used the Penang Bridge which we were caught in a jam too. At least 10 cars broke down at the entrance of the bridge (just after the toll) due to over-heating which worsen the jam.

 

But anyway, i didn’t want to talk about the jam. I’m not going to tell you about why we went to Penang in the first place. If you know what we did there, you probably would knock on my head *real hard*!

 

This is about FOOD!!! About authentic yummy-licious THAI food~ Just before we got caught in the never-ending traffic congestion.

 

Located at Bukit Mertajam, at the small town area, hidden among the double-storey shophouses, who would thought of finding gems there?

Yup, i never thought of it either. But i found it, real GEMS! Glorious Thai Food. *drool*

 

 

 

                                                       Mixed Variety Savouries RM 12

 

Anyone who’s a lover of Thai food should know this dish very well. Served as a starter, it resembles the Salad in Western cuisine. Roasted Peanuts, dried shrimp, freshly chopped ginger, onion, lime (all in small cubes) and cili padi served with roasted dessicated coconut. It is to be eaten by dipping the specialty sauce after wrapping the ingredients with the leave. One can add the ingredients according to one’s taste. The trick is, include everything! Anything less (like minus-ing the ginger) will somehow loses its taste. I love mine with lots of cili and sauce! Spicy and sweet at the same time, it sends me straight up the rooftop! Whee~

 

 

                                                            Green Mango salad RM 12 

 

I couldn’t escape the fact that i love Thai green mango salad but this came as a disappointment. The taste of the dried shrimp is over-powering. It has got the fishy-smell, probably due to the same reason. The green mango isn’t that crunchy and doesn’t have the sourish taste. Although i love the taste of dried shrimp, but too much just spoilt it all.

 

    

                                                            Seafood Tom Yam RM 20

 

As the waitress served us with this pot of Tom Yam, we though we couldn’t finish. Served in the traditional chinese steamboat pot, the portion is big, broth is sweet and thick with lots of fresh big succulent prawns, squid, thickly-sliced fish, tomatoes and onions. We drank to the very last bit of the soup. We almost wanted to turn over the pot and shake it all out.Haha…

 

 

                                                       Pandan Chicken @ RM 1.40 each

 

I don’t know whether Pandan Chicken originated from Thailand but it’s a highly sought after dish when it comes to Thai Cuisine (just like Thai Fish Cake). Well-marinated Tender Chicken wrapped with Pandan Leaves, grilled over charcoal fire, infusing the aromatic Pandan smell to the chicken, dipped with sweet and sour Thai Chilli sauce, perfect! Except that i don’t know charcoal fire is involved here and it came soaking with oil, or honey? I simply didn’t know. But it was well-marinated, it was tender, it was pleasing to my palate, these were all i knew.

 

 

                                                                 Otah-Otah RM 12

 

This came as another big surprise, a negative one. Its portion was big & looked delectable. Nope, looks can be deceiving. It is a soft otah, way too soft and without texture. Probably too much santan (coconut milk)? One can find fish meat and prawns in it but it wasn’t fresh. You can only get the strong lemongrass smell and nothing else. Not recommended. Utterly disappointed.

 

                                             Stir-Fried Kai Lan with Siew York RM 12

 

In order to have a balance diet, one must include greens. It is a source of fiber, Vit K (exists in green leaves veg) which is important in blood coaagulation, minerals and anti-oxidant. So we had Kai Lan with the tender lean Siew York as the highlight of the dish. Even for a non-pork lover like me would shout out loud, "The Siew York is delicious!"

 

I was eyeing on the dessert of the day which was the Thai Red Ruby which is only available on weekends but i was stuffed to my max. Who said we have a 20% capacity for dessert no matter how full we are??? I think i had just used up all my space for dessert. Mind you, there were only three of us and all the dishes were whipped clean, most of it by me, of cos.

 

A big THANK Q to Aunty June who drove us to Penang despite the hot sun & expected jam & bringing us around for good food. But your company is actually the best part of the whole trip. *Hugz*

 

May Tip Thai Food Restaurant                                                                                                    No.28, Lebuh Keranji,                                                                                                              Taman Mutiara,                                                                                                                      14000 Bukit Mertajam.                                                                                                              Penang. Malaysia

Tel: 04-5399910 HP:012-4333910

Operation hours:

11.00am-3.00pm (lunch)

6.00pm - 11.00pm (dinner)