SWEET HAPPY END TO THE YEAR 2017

22/12/2017
FRIDAY
Wishing everyone a Happy sweet Dongzhi Festival...

Everybody's favourite once a year....a BIG pot of of "tong yuen" (glutinous rice balls) 

The Chan Clan gathering for Dongzhi Festival.. 

When we celebrate this Winter Solstice, we know that the Lunar New Year is coming very soon and...its time for Pineapple Tarts..... 

Before that, it is time to wish everyone a Blessed Christmas 

My sister Vicky and hubby were back for a very short holiday and we have a wonderful time enjoying the Christmas decorations in the shopping malls and bonding together.... 

He (Brother KK) is being naughty, Santa.... just had his cataract operations but still wanted to spend the time with us together for dinner...  

The Three Sisters Bake for Christmas seasons...Golden Orange Fruit Cake.

Thank you for all the support those who have ordered from us.

May you all have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018. 

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS.

7/11/2017

TUESDAY
2D/1N @ Gentings

It had been ages since I went up Gentings.  When the kids were small, my sisters and our families would go for holiday at the Kayangan Apartments as my late sister had a time share package then.  While we adults took the opportunity to gamble, not at the casino but at the square table in the apartment the kids would go for the Theme park. 

So when I came across a cheap deal, it's time to take the ride up....

The rock still stands.....

The crowd pulling logo...

This lobby walk has not changed!  

Musical treat every hour.... lights and music show in the concourse of the Sky Casino.

This is the deal - Mini concert at the Arena of Stars with a night's stay at First World Hotel inclusive of transport as well and you also get a free meal throw in when we signed up for the Gentings Rewards card which give you RM30.00 digital money to start you up!  I also heard there are pick up and free rides up during the weekdays.  

We missed our lunch due the delay of the bus pickup because it was raining that morning and traffic jam every where.  

It was quite a entertaining concert.... mainly "oldies" and evergreen favorites of  Teresa Teng.  

After the concert, it was time to check into First World Hotel and the rest of the evening was free and easy.

After leaving our bags in the room, we decided to have an early dinner since we missed our lunch.  Since some of  my sister's friends decided not to walk any further we then took our dinner at the Lobby cafe using the free meal voucher.  This was not a wise choice, firstly the food is only so-so, secondly we were given only a limited menu to choose from and lastly the service was bad- just because we were using the meal voucher doesn't mean we are not "valued" customers!  Anyway, someone told me that the restaurants inside the casino are much better in terms of food and service.  

  

No waiting lines... ...

After dinner, we decided to go down to the Premium Outlets  

Taking the night skyway cable to the Premium Outlet.. a late night shopping where all is quiet and the crowds have gone indoors...to the casinos!... relaxing and breathing the fresh air... 

I have heard it numerous times, that the rooms at First Hotel is "so small" that you can hardly move around.

Well, our room that night is manageable- we still have space to move around and for our bags and the toilet is infact "bigger" than the one that I had stayed in a hotel overseas. Yes, we did get a good night sleep... nothing "special" happened that night.....hehehe

Our big breakfast the next morning at Rich Dad's cafe in the Malaysian Street.... 

Enjoying themselves first and  lady luck was with us after our breakfast till we were ready to check out. 

Time to leave 

Money money money..... Thank you Gentings for a "sponsored" trip.
We enjoyed ourselves very much....

7/12/2017 & 8/12/2017

Another "sponsored" shopping trip up in the clouds!

Trip down memory lane for my sister Vicky and husband Bill who came back for a short break from Australia. 

This trip was planned by ourselves.  We decided to take the MRT from our house  and interchanged at Pasar Seni to the Gombak LRT Station in order to get the Gentings Bus up.  However we encountered a slight overlook... there were not enough tickets available for 9 of us for the 10.30am bus.  We have checked and noted that we cannot purchase the tickets online otherwise we could have done it. We decided not to wait till 1pm and took up the taxi drivers' offer to drive us up including stops at the chocolate shop and strawberry farm on the way.

At the Strawberry farm... we did not go in as the entrance ticket was RM10.00 per pax and its just look see around only.  So did the next best thing... selfie around LOL

The taxi dropped us off at the Awana Skyway terminal and it was lunchtime before we went shopping at the Premium Outlet.. sale sale sale everywhere! 

After happy shopping, up and away with the Skyway.... definitely very nice views during the day...

 Snoopy Christmas theme...

At the old Casino @ Genting Grand Hotel. 

Although the old casino space was much smaller than the Sky Casino, I loved the design and colourful and  whimsical decor.   

Showtime @ Gentings International Show room.

 Morning view from our room overlooking the Outdoor Theme park which is still in progress and a panoramic view of the city beyond.

Enough of casino, we decided to venture outside via the Gentings Grand hotel....

One for the memories... misty morning after the heavy rain last night.

OLD SCHOOL STYLE DECORATED CAKES.

4/11/2017
SATURDAY

Blueberry cupcakes with pink Swiss Meringue buttercream for a little princess

Drop us a line if you want to order any cakes...The Three Sisters Bake

Since I made extra buttercream, decided to play with it. Quickly baked a plain chocolate and vanilla sponge cakes and this is where the fun started....  

using my limited stock of icing tips.. 

Perfect  tea-time with a cup of Earl Grey tea..

This is the old-school style decorating cakes.  Those were the days when these type of cakes were normally given away during the gift exchange ceremony prior to the Chinese wedding. I think back then these were oily butter cakes.   Here we have made it healthier - sponge cakes and not so sweet icing. 

  

GUANGZHOU-ZHANGJIAJIE TRIP 2017# 4

31/8/2017

Early morning walk around the neighbourhood of the hotel...can see the locals enjoying their morning...

Breakfast @ Hongkong style cafe... popular Polo Buns.... and we were given gloves to eat them... 

How can we miss this... our must have Cantonese style Rice Dumplings.... 

All time favourite ...more Beef noodles... yet to find  yummy ones like this in KL. 

After breakfast, its time again to go free and easy.  While the couples still wanted to go shopping for souvenirs for the young ones, the 3  of us decided to go sight-seeing because we saw the hop-on-hop off bus depot outside the hotel.  It costs us each RMB30 only.  It was relaxing to watch as the air-con bus took us around the popular tourist sites, most of which we did not stop until we reached this....  

yes, our Chan Clan Ancestral Hall.... 

watching one of the artist drawing with his bare hands...

the intricate craving still amazes....

including this... its one whole piece of wood and craving within the crab cage too...truly super amazing...

Not forgetting the beautiful stone decorations on top of the halls...each telling their own story. 

the famous giant ink stone... 

one last step... 

Dessert time and afternoon tea at another Hongkong style cafe in Beijing Road..

Big bowl of ice with condiments to cool us 

We went back to the hotel for a quick shower (it was hot weather!)  before our cousins came to pick us up for dinner @ a village restaurant.   They call it the "Wai village".   Food is "cheap"  and I meant the price according to my cousin's friend who booked the tables and food for us... average price around RMB25 per plate! 

I had the chance to witness the chef cooking his signature dish at this restaurant... 

Braised goose with Chinese wine... oen whole bottle of the above wine is used.  The dish is cook in a wok at the table and you watch as the wine quickly caught the fire and flambe the meat..quite a show 

The clear soup for hours of boiling... dried radish with pork bones... yummy.

This was how the dishes were presented... large platters.. roasted duck and the pork ribs were so delicious, falling off the bones!

Specially made by the chef.... the container of sambal chillies knowing that we are Malaysians! 

Obviously the chef himself always frequent Kuala Lumpur. 

So much food that we could not finish..

Looking out of the hotel window, saying goodbye Guangzhou

One last photo of the Tianmen...precious memories..