Bonjour.

My passport stamped with Roissy-CDG : ) :). Rasa macam mimpi . Sampai sekarang .

Destinasi pertama , Paris. Yeehaaaa. Macam kecoh je kan. Memang pun. Hihi. Over excited.

Until now, still teringat2 cheese & cheese, coffee, croissants & baguettes,cobblestone sidewalks ,small parisian cafes...eiffel tower. Kalau boleh, rasa macam nak pergi balik and just sit in a small cafe with my fav black coffee.There’s so much romance and magic ... in Paris.

Dua beg tu...masa pergi sangat ringan ok ..:). SMS family & kawan-kawan mintak doakan perjalanan dipermudahkan pergi dan balik. Selalu ada feeling yang tak best bila naik flight. Nak pulak long distance macam ni. 14 jam...dalam kepala macam-macam fikir.

a biggggggg THANK YOU  for you...XOXO..

aktiviti wajib kat mana-mana airport...sampai awal, makan2, baca buku cerita, jalan-jalan...supaya tak kelam kabut.

Finally, the rush of excitement that I had been waiting for....

Standing in the middle of the airport... watching as crowds of French people surge past me. Mula2 tu a bit overwhelmed and lost...All signs in French. *Sigh*. Ok. Relax...duduk dulu. SMS sapa2 yang patut kata dah sampai. Tengok semua orang menuju ke arah mana. Haaa...kita follow je :).

Nak share sikit. Sebelum pergi...ramai jugak yang cerita and baca kat forum...kata susah kalau buat trip ke Paris ..kalau pergi sendiri2 without follow any travel package & tak tau cakap bahasa diorang ni.Sebabnya ialah masalah bahasa, ada yang kata French ni tak layan sangatt kalau kita tak pandai cakap bahasa depa ni.Tapi, syukur...kitorang kat sana ...semuanya dipermudahkan. Jumpa yang baik-baik, semuanya nak tolong kalau ada apa2 problem...

Kat mana kita pergi, memang tak sama dengan budaya kita. Thats why kita travel sana sini...nak belajar culture...yang bagus kita ambik contoh. Yang tak elok kita buang jauh-jauh (Selain shopping menyoping la :))Untuk siapa2 yang nak pergi Paris sendiri...tak perlu risau. Semuanya ok. Tapi kena plan daripada awal. Banyak membaca, banyak bertanya pada orang yang dah pergi, search kat internet..belajar daripada experience orang lain.

Sampai-sampai airport...kat Immigration tu...dengan excitednya kitorang terus cakap 'Bonjour'. Suka la diorang walaupun itu je la yang kita fasih.At least kita mencuba.Tapi diorang terus tanya.. 'Do u speak french?'. Hmm...jawab la...ni first time datang. We will learn and try to speak.. sambil senyum lebar kat orang tu.Senang je lepas...takde banyak soal pun :). Dengan excitednya ...suara kuat confident cakap 'Merci!!'. Senyum je orang lain...suka betul budak berdua ni.

Naik taxi pun...orang taxi tu tak tau cakap orang putih. Yang penting tunjuk hotel address & tanya how much? Mesti sampai punya :). Sampai Paris...memang awal pagi. Dalam pukul 6.45 macam tu. Tapi pagi2 dah cerah. Sampai hotel ...letak luggage je dulu. Still tak boleh check in. Jalan2 la dengan muka keletihan + berminyak + jetlagged + kesejukan.

Kat KL nampak Ikea excited...kat sini pun sama :)

I'm here... Finally!!

Next : Our hotel & before check in.

Angan-angan

Semua orang suka berangan. Daripada kecik , dah pasang angan-angan... nak pergi sana, nak beli itu, nak jadi macam tu, nak pakai kereta macam orang tu..Bagi saya, tak salah pasang angan-angan. Bukan kena bayar pun. Diizinkan Allah, dimurahkan rezeki...berkat usaha, tak mustahil angan-angan kita jadi kenyataan.

Betul, dulu-dulu bila berangan rasa macam tak masuk akal.Tapi sekarang...dengan angan-angan tu la kita dapat apa yang ada sekarang.(Kalau masa kecik berangan nak jadi ultraman...tak dapat la sampai bila2 :).Tapi...nak jadi penyelamat dunia tak perlu jadi Ultraman pun kan?? :))

Bab jalan-jalan ni, masa kecik dulu...bila mak abah bawak pergi tasik titiwangsa naik angsa kayuh dalam air tu...dah rasa terapung-apung seronok dah.Bila makin besar , mula la angan-angan nak pergi sana sini. Syukur, walaupun tak semua jadi kenyataan...sekurang-kurangnya bila dah besar...kita dah boleh bawak mak abah kita pulak jalan2 :).

2006: Masa honeymoon, dapat jalan-jalan dalam Malaysia pun, rasa dunia ni ana yang punya. Hihi. Yela...masa tu Pulau Redang pun dah rasa luxury gila2.Bila cerita dengan cik abang...satu hari nanti nak pergi Rome Italy...dia kata..'wuishh...kemain'.Tapi...lepas tu dia kata 'InsyaAllah...takde yang mustahil kalau kita usaha. Tapi...Italy ye...hmmmmmm hmm'...panjang je dia punya hmmmmmmm tu.

Bila dapat opportunity pergi luar negara, company trip...rasa macam mimpi.Cubit2 pipi...ish betul ke aku dah sampai ni??? Selalu cakap dengan kawan-kawan..'Nasib baik company hantar...kalau duit sendiri...jangan harap la sampai sini'. Masa tu, tak ada duit pun nak pergi berdua. Bila kita dapat pergi...dia tinggal, bila dia yang dapat pergi,kita ni melopong la tunggu dia bawak balik gambar :). Tapi...kita terus pasang angan-angan...'Takpe...nanti kita ada duit...kita pergi berdua'.

Pelan-pelan kayuh...percutian luar negara pertama yang kitorang pergi berdua...Bali :).Itu rasanya kenangan yang sangat manis & indah. Walaupun budgetnak pergi sana tak sebesar mana...masa tu rasa lama nak menyimpan untuk sampai sana.Sikit-sikit...jimat-jimat :).Tapi kaya ooooo...bawak juta-juta tau......rupiah.

2011: Walaupun angan-angan ke Rome , Italy....masih kekal angan-angan . Tapi , angan-angan nak ke Eiffel Tower berdua, angan-angan nak pergi Notting Hill (ni Hugh Grant & Julia Robert punya pasal la ni :))......jadi hadiah anniversary buat kami berdua tahun ni :).

Senyum la sampai hari ni..walaupun bulan 5 tu dah 3 bulan lamanya berlalu..*wink wink*

"Shoot for the stars. You may not get the stars--but you may get the moon." Carlton Young

Bye bye dreamers :).

Short.

Yeahh ...I know ..:)

I've been neglecting my blog for so loooong...again :(

I really really miss blogging...tapi masa tak mengizinkan.

Bulan ramadhan ni...lunch hour tak boleh pergi makan...so I am going to try to post a little more often. We'll see how that goes! :). Will update about my London & Paris trip later (Walaupun dah basi , nak jugak update :)).

Buat yang beragama Islam...have a blessed Ramadhan. Syukur kita semua masih dipanjangkan umur untuk bertemu lagi Ramadhan tahun ni.Selamat beribadah..

Small things...

Starting your day right ...with small and simple things.. :)

Salam Jumaat penuh keberkatan dan kemuliaan. Semoga segalanya yang baik-baik sahaja untuk kita semua...amin.

Things to jump start my Jumaat...

I just bought my first MAC charged water ....I am so in love with the scent. It's relaxing , calming and a few spritzes keeps me awake...:).Sesuai untuk muka sembab di waktu pagi...and as a finish for my makeup to avoid looking too powdery ...

Breakfast...breakfast...penting tau



My 'thin crust pepperoni pizza' for our breakfast. U just need wholemeal tortilla, smoked beef pepperoni, pasta sauce , mozarella cheese and fresh basil (fresh from my kitchen herb pot)





..started my day with a cup of decaf coffe and I'm ready to enjoy my beautiful sunny Jumaat....Alhamdulillah.

Lost and Found

I found my precious wedding ring!!

My cinonet diamond ring...but really really meaningful.Sebab apa meaningful sangat-sangat?Sebab masa beli ni dulu...keadaan kewangan tak mengizinkan pun my hb nak beli 'one large diamond' ring . Tapi dia tau , with this simple design pun , wife dia ni boleh rasa sangat suka dan penuh rasa syukur. Dah tentu bila dia tanya masa tu nak diamond ring ke tak I will answer "Definately, don’t break the bank on what you can’t afford….". Tapi bila dapat...I will smile and ucap I Love U. :). You don't have to spend a small fortune to have a beautiful life..

Oppss...actually it's not a wedding ring. Boleh ke panggil anniversary ring? :) Sebabnya my wedding ring dah lama berkubur , jatuh kat dalam toilet bowl @office. And dah diganti oleh my hb masa my birthday. Hilang lagi. Tapi tak ingat hilang kat mana sampai sekarang.It's ok...my hb ganti lagi masa our 2nd anniversary.Hmm...yang baru jumpa 10 minit lalu ni la. Tapi bila missplaced, I senyap aje. Takut kena marah.

Yang kekal ada dalam simpanan , my 3rd anniversary ring (Betul ke...kena check ada lagi ke tak ni).I don’t usually wear my anniversary rings all the time sebab takut hilang lagi. Kalau pakai pun only on special occasions or when I went to some fancy places...tapi itu pun hilang jugak lagi.Bukan tak appreciate, tapi memang I pelupa and kelam kabut. Orang yang rapat semua pun tahu perangai buruk yang satu ni.So...sentiasa kosong je la jari jemari ni.I couldn’t really remember when was the last time I actually wore it. My hb has always warned me about misplacing my rings...jumpa kat tepi sinki la, tepi dapur la.

Today I turn my office up side down searching for another missing things. Tapi terjumpa pulak this ring. Bila jumpa tadi, rasa excited sangat2. Dok raba-raba dalam beg notebook, terjumpa. Wahhh,sukaaaaa.

Lama betul tak ada diamond kat jari ni **wink wink**.I rasa quote ni sangat betul ... 'The ring will be found when you stop obsessing over it'. Time cari beriya-iya tak pulak jumpa.

Mood hari ni : Sangat happy.

**I cari-cari rupanya ada dalam blog masa dapat hadiah cincin ni masa 2nd Anniversary
 http://ikin80.blogspot.com/2008/07/simple-but-meaningful-dinner-what-2nd.html
Itu la keindahan blog kan. :)

I feel good :)

How was everyone’s weekend? Hope you all had a great one and ready to start a new week!
Mine: Gooood...I feel good :). Full of fun

Walk for Autism 2011 .. for sure the best part of my weekend. The feeling is something I will never forget. Being surrounded by families and friends who really understand the struggles and pure love, was an amazingly positive experience for me.
TQ to Eryn..:). You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone...
TQ to my hb, with love and deep appreciation...sanggup bangun pagi-pagi, hari sabtu pulak tu kan...pukul 6.30 pagi mata separuh lelap start enjin kereta nak pergi The Curve.Love u.



Walk for charity



Location membuatkan semua lebih bersemangat :) :). Sambil jalan sambil jeling..

Hmmm...semangat-semangat...



Our hero...Amirul. Faster teacher...faster. Hihi, cikgu dia muka tak larat dah.



REWARD MYSELF. Hihi, Jalan 3 km pun nak reward jugak tau.Lepas walk, dengan tak tukar baju, berpeluh-peluh, terus masuk Ikea.

Reward myself with a 'mini' shopping...

This one for my hb...Spring into Life..woot woot :)



Ada lagi reward..:). Pergi Wisma ICCA Kota Damansar. Bayar fee untuk Wilton Better Baking Program Series 1. Saja snap gambar apron tu sebelah KitchenAid mixer yang dah berhabuk lama tak guna tu. Bagi semangat sikit. Warna dah sedondon dah tu. Kalau malas lagi...saja la.

Penat. Ngantuk. Semua ada. So we take the opportunity , balik rumah mak @ Bandar Tun razak...stay at home for the rest of the day and have some family time together. Best giler..just settle down on the sofa & bed, borak-borak & tengok TV....and tidoo.:). For me, that’s the perfect end to a perfect Saturday ..

Sunday : A quick little project & Great Dinner

Herb Pots for my kitchen. The pots from Ikea...remember the reward yesterday? hehe. And the herbs : rosemary, basil & sage ...from Cold Storage. Fun, quick, and inexpensive...my favorite kind of project! 

I will cut you...I mean  a bunch of you rosemary...to flavor my roasted chicken tonite..

The simple yet succulent Sunday dinner: Roast Chicken (Whole Leg) with Rosemary, Lemon & Garlic + Roast Potatoes.

Rub the chicken inside and out  with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper, lemon, garlic , olive oil and rosemary.Sprinkle some paprika on top.
For the potatoes, Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes , put them into the water with the whole lemon , and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain and toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot . This will make ur potatoes crispy when they roast.

Ambik Idea from Michael Smith - Chef at Home : Chicken Under a Brick recipe.To  make sure your chicken  golden brown and crispy...tapi still juicy and tender + tak kering sangat kat dalam, simply weight the chicken with any benda berat bacam lesung batu :). Dalam rancangan Chef at home tu dia guna brick. It's ok...lesung batu pun jadi.Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

The result : Saya sukaaaaa. Garing diluar lembuttt & juicy di dalam.

Meanwhile...prepare my delicious brown gravy :).Hihihi...

Carefully transfer to the oven. Roast the chicken for 15-20 mins

Serve with the lemon wedges and the pan juices

...and the gravy...

Happy Cooking!

Happy Monday everyone. Have a fantastic week!!

Hot sunny day

Yesterday was hot and sunny!!

Drive balik kerja pun rasa pening kepala berdenyut2. Tapi, dalam kepala..sibuk fikir "Hopefully my little garden will not be too dry...hope hope hope.."

Let's take a look...

Alaaaaa...itu la yang mula2 keluar daripada mulut bila turun kereta..

My Bucida tree dah start dah musim gugur dia..some of the leaves were turning yellow then falling off..hmm,penyapu lidi le nampaknye.Need to clear-up all the fall leaves..

I love this type of bucida...ada setengah orang panggil pokok doa, sebab dia bercabang2 dan bertingkat2.

Opss...yang kat atas tu dah terkulai layu. Kena rescue cepat2 ni..Water Water Water!!

Yang dekat shaded area...nampak OK.

Hmm...yang ni pun ok.

Yang ni ...kena siram cepat2.

Yang ni terlebih ok...or maybe terlebih semak :). My fav ground covers ...yes they are out of control... but I likee...:).

Tapiiii, ni yang marahhh ni. Lama2 tinggal batang. Tiap2 hari pun spray...tapi dia ada jugak. Hisssshhh.

Memang la dia keep berbunga...tapi buruk la rupanya kalau dah tinggal batang je.

The 'kumbang-kumbang durjana' eating the leaves and yellowing the leaves.Grrrr

Tapi terubat jugak hati...yang ni dia tak kacau.

And hati berharap...yang baru beli ni pun kembang mekar :).

Kalau tak...mesti my hb cakap "Hmm...orang dah kata rose kan susah nak jaga"
Tak cuba ...mana nak tau. Kan pernah jadi kita tanam. Dah besar & berbunga banyak kali pun...kan ? Kan?.

Lepas penat rescue pokok2 yang kering..plan asal, nak buat sandwich with this delicious french bread.

Tapi disebab kan panic attack si Kooky sakit...emergency kena cari clinic malam2...so cancel la. Kooky sakit apa? Next entry kita story ok. Byeee...