when susan writes

A day with Rampant Sailing

2014-07-31T16:35:00.001+08:00

The beginning of 2014

2014-02-28T11:42:00.001+08:00

For the first time since we move to Langkawi, David & I were not here to welcome New Year. We were in Miri, on our extended Xmas holiday. I missed the beach bon fire & beach party.

Jan'14 went by in a flash. We came back on 5th & I was busy with the auditor. We chilled at the beach when I had time. January sunset was amazing. Here are some shots taken near Jeti Pelancongan Kuah:

On of our favourite hangout on the beach is Yellow Cafe. The live band, the sunset, the food & the crowd mixed rather interestingly in this place.

When Feb came, on my birthday which I didn't feel very much like celebrating we went to Yellow Cafe for quiet dinner.

Earlier at work, the girls in the office surprised me with the cake. So sweet of them, as sweet as the cake :)

Another surprise birthday cake awaited at home. TQ hun for the cake.

Belang helped me with the cake cutting !!!

Another birthday surprise from David was Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.

Anyway thing did not always as wonderful and beautiful. After few scares, David was hospitalized. He had been having stomach pain to the back after big meals for the last 2 years. Doctor diagnosed him with gallbladder stone, chronic pancreatitis & his liver reading was high.

We have to start eating healthy & boring.... No more fattening food. No more Fair Cafe which we love so much. The last delicious meal at Fair Cafe:

Anyway, we went out & bought Tefal steamers which by far the best appliance we bought for the year. David lost 7 kg since Xmas holiday, I lost about 3 kg. Good thing!

It's the end of Feb now. I want to make at least once a month journal about our life again. I got the feeling that 2014 is going to be an interesting & wonderful year for both us.

Tea Garden, Langkawi

2013-03-03T16:57:00.001+08:00

It was a nice little place in Pekan Rabu. Nothing to shout about. Decent meal for the price. Big portion. And for the name, of course they have lots of varieties of refreshing tea. Love my choice of Jasmine Green Tea

Black pepper udon & chicken burger for your eyes.

Sunset at Boustead Shipyard, Langkawi

2013-02-19T15:32:00.003+08:00

My everyday working day wrapped up in this serene view of sunset. The breathtaking view of blue water during the day is very calming. I am blessed. It really help to keep the stress level low. Driving back home jam free afterwards make me so relax.

The sunset, towards TLDM jetty

Pulau Dayang Bunting

Ocean Victory docking along the shipyard

Perfect for roller skating?

Ankle Sprain Treatment

2013-02-17T08:42:00.001+08:00

I sprained lower part of my ankle on Fri 8th Feb 2013. I follow the tips below & my foot improved and I was able to enjoy BBQ at our backyard for my birthday on Monday.

Medical Author:
John P. Cunha, DO,

Ankle Sprain Treatment
Self-Care at Home

Care at home can help reduce pain and aid healing. Because most of the pain is caused by inflammation, the goal is to reduce and prevent inflammation.

Remember RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest prevents further injury and avoids stress on already inflamed tissue.

Put the ankle joint at rest by wearing a brace or splint.

More severe sprains may be treated with use of crutches.

Ice is the best treatment.

Applying ice to the injury will help decrease pain.

Ice counteracts the increased blood flow to the injured area.

It reduces swelling, redness, and warmth.

Applied soon after the injury, ice prevents much of the inflammation from developing.

Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Use a towel between the ice and the injury, or use an ice bag. Apply ice for 20 minutes at a time, with at least 30 minutes between applications. This is to prevent frostbite, which can occur if you use ice too much or use it directly on your skin.

Compression (sometimes called "strapping") provides support and helps prevent inflammation.

Elastic wraps such as Ace bandages immobilize the ankle.

Do not apply wraps too tightly.

Elevation (keeping the injured area up as high as possible) will help the body absorb fluid that has leaked into the tissue.

Ideally, prop the ankle up so that it is above the level of the heart.

Sit in a reclining chair or prop your legs up with pillows.

Anti-inflammatory pain medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) and naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn) will reduce the pain and combat swelling.
******************************
Unfortunately, my foot got worst the next day. I need walking stick to move around. It did not improve after 2 days. I had to go to see doctor on Thursday the Valentine day. The good thing was I get to spend all day long with David. A shot, an X-ray & some medication & long rest plus lots of love I have recovered and yesterday the pain was not severe I didn't need walking stick. Today I feel much better.

Hummus Recipe: Chickpeas puree and tahini

2013-02-12T09:35:00.000+08:00

David favorite: Hummus

I recommend this recipe from the Cook Lebanese iPhone App. (http://shahiya.com/shahiyaapp.html)

Enjoy this recipe, and discover many other amazing Lebanese recipes in this App!

CHICKPEAS PUREE AND TAHINI
Hummus bi tahini

About this recipe:
The most famous Lebanese appetizer of all times! It consists of pureed chickpeas blended with tahini - sesame paste -, garlic and lemon juice. It is served with a drizzle of olive oil and pita bread.

Ingredients:
2 cups canned chickpeas
5 tablespoons tahini, sesame paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Cooking method:
1. Drain the chickpeas and blend them in a food processor until you get a smooth paste.
2. In a big bowl, dilute the tahini paste with 1 tablespoon of warm water. Add the crushed garlic, lemon juice and salt. Mix well until you get a whitish liquid sauce.
3. Add the chickpeas paste to the sauce and mix well. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste.
4. Serve in a shallow dish with a drizzle of olive oil and pita bread.
5. Garnish with mint leaves, a sprinkle of cumin or some whole chickpeas.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories: 256
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrates: 33g
Proteins: 9g

Susan via iPhone

Domino Pizza in Langkawi?

2013-02-11T09:02:00.001+08:00

Well, not really! Sorry to disappoint you. The nearest Domino Pizza is in Alor Star, 1 & half hour ferry ride from Langkawi.

Thank you to Tank & Gee for bringing 4 pizzas for my birthday do today.

This pizza is only available in Malaysia:

Banana & kaya pizza for dessert

Cat tails sign

2013-02-10T09:07:00.001+08:00

With 3 cats in the house, this come handy. It is still one way communication. Better than nothing. Belang apparently always gave us the derisive sign when he is not happy. Otherwise he is amicable.

Ashy always potentially aggressive or friendly but unsure. Lol.

Jiuty always friendly & content.

Quickie Easy Dips

2013-02-09T18:06:00.001+08:00

Olive (ok ok this is not a dip, it's a pop in the mouth & explode)

Hickory smoke BBQ

Wasabi

Honey mustard

Chilli

Straight from the kitchen. Dinner is in the oven waiting to be served: Tempura chicken

By Dave Michels

Jom Makan

2013-02-09T17:38:00.001+08:00

The best kuey teow in Langkawi is in Kuah. A place call Jom Makan. The chicken rice is also available here. Reasonable price & really tasty. David always ordered his without kerang & taugeh :)).

The steamed chicken - my favorite

Wild flower

2013-02-09T16:28:00.001+08:00

The wild flower from our backyard make a nice deco on the kitchen table. I have no idea what it's call but with bit of water it stays fresh for few days.

D'Bayleaf, Pantai Cenang

2013-02-09T16:21:00.001+08:00

Our favorite place for pizza is D'Bayleaf. Right across the road from Babylon. Nice pasta too.

Fair Cafe for Arabic Food

2013-02-09T00:23:00.001+08:00

Friday lunch at the mall today. We decided to go to the Arabic restaurant called Fair Cafe.

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas. Everyone favourites.

Hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

Crispy Nan bread to go with hummus.

Nice chicken fried rice

Roti Jala for Sunday afternoon

2013-02-05T18:12:00.001+08:00

Roti jala

Curry chicken

Bon appetit

The curry & rendang also perfect with the french bread.

Ashy & Photo Magic

2013-02-05T13:55:00.001+08:00

I installed new app on my phone & Ashy look amazing in it. Something I would put up on the wall. :) thanks to PhotoMagic.

What is new in Langkawi?

2013-01-13T23:19:00.001+08:00

I would say not much for a Langkawian. Expected to see few more franchises opening. I was at Langkawi Fair this weekend and saw a sign up that Papparich is coming soon to Langkawi. Since we move here, there are more development especially franchised restaurant on the island like Old Town , Secret Recipe, Wakaba, the 2nd McD, the 4th KFC opened their door in Langkawi. All happened in 2012. 2013 will start with Papparich but to be honest I hope to see Burger King, Chillis, TGIF or Carl's Jr or Teppanyaki coming to the island. Or even Auntie Anne Pretzel, Beard Papa etc. Anyway, there are places that closed down too like Big Apple. They opened 2 branches in Kuah & Pantai Cenang and both closed down within a year of its operation. So did the 3rd branch of Artisan (local pizza place in Langkawi) as we do not have Pizza Hut or Dominos here. The sad thing was the closing down of FOS. I thought it should be great here to have a decent place for cheap tshirt etc. Anyway, I think Langkawi Fair need to do drastic changes to draw more people to it. When I was there, since FOS closed down all the shops upstairs seems to get the domino effect from the closing. No one ever go up anymore. The foodcourt closed. I think Langkawi should bring all the nice restaurant like TGIF, Chillis, Burger King. McD do not draw people there anymore since the 2nd branch opened in Pantai Cenang.
If that doesn't happen we are happy with local restaurants :))

Ashkim, Turkish Restaurant in Langkawi

2012-06-18T20:12:00.001+08:00

Ashkim is the second Turkish restaurant opened on the island end of last year. Being working with the Turkish, I tried few Turkish food at the weekend bbq. Ashkim became a regular place for our Turkish colleagues to go for lunch. Ashkim's food is very delicious. David & I last went there in Jan'12. A must try is their chicken shish. Big portion too.

Ashkim is now closed :(

Updated 2013

Tandoori @ Almaz, Pantai Cenang

2012-06-18T19:05:00.001+08:00

Our weekly dinner for tandoori. Indian food became popular in Langkawi. A lot of new Indian restaurants mushrooming here. Almaz is closest to home and we get to go to the beach for evening walk after dinner.
We love their tandoori chicken and naan bread. It is juicy and perfect.

Almost half of 2012 gone by

2012-06-15T00:43:00.000+08:00

Oh wow, it is almost end of June 2012. I couldn't believe how long I have left the blog alone. I have been too busy to write. So many things going on in my life & my work seems to be kicking my ass from one corner to the other. When comes weekend I just want to relax and enjoy the quality time with my husband & cats. Err excuse me?? HUSBAND?? Yeah... I have not posted about that either. Yes I it is official now. That David & I are husband & wife. I am not used to calling him my husband, I still prefer just David.

Since my last update in Jan'12 a lot had happened in the book of my life.

Feb'12 - the month of celebration. On 11th Feb, it was my 40th birthday. We flew to Penang and checked in to Hard Rock Hotel, Batu Feringghi on the 9th Feb. We had a great time. As we were shopping around in Gurney Plaza. David took me to Tomei and asked me to choose a ring.

Fantastic Xmas 2011

2012-01-28T00:18:00.000+08:00

It's been a while. I have been really busy and haven't got time to blog. I am back and hoping to catch up with the last 2 months. Dec'11 & Jan'12. The best time of both year we can have. Plenty of foods, party and get together. New resolutions. The transition to the new year always make us emotional! Will I get to see my families & friends more often this year? Will I make more money? Will I last another year? Will I be striving & more successful this year? Lot of things flashing through the mind. And all I can do is to pray for a blessed year ahead for everyone.

I had a great time as relatives from Sarawak & KL came to Langkawi to celebrate Xmas this year. It was really good to have everyone around. How I miss having them just a drive away. Anyway, we had great time together.

Pool talk

Poolside talk at One Helang

Having relatives around really help to neutralize my homesick. It's my 3rd Xmas in Langkawi. 3rd? Yeah... time flies. I am really grateful that this year has been a good year. Closing the year with fantastic Xmas is all I ask for.

Spent wonderful time touring around Langkawi, shopping, dinner, lunch and sightseeing.

Dinner at Sawadee, Pantai Cenang

May your Christmas
be wrapped in Joy
and filled with Love
Best Wishes for
Peace, Health
and Happiness
throughout the coming year.

Maya Restaurant, Pantai Tengah

2011-11-20T12:37:00.001+08:00

Another local food restaurant along Pantai Tengah street.
Maya Restaurant.
Food was good and tasty. Service was slightly slow when we were there. Overall dinner experience was good.

Browsing the menu

Loves the green

I prefer my mango salad crunchy, this one too soft for my liking

Dave's choice

Grilled Seabass

Yummy

Paintball Tournament in Langkawi

2011-11-17T00:52:00.003+08:00

The Paintball World Cup Asia 2011 was held on 10th till 13th November 2011!! Asia's largest paintball event of the year!! 100++ teams with over 20+ countries from all around the world!!

Kenny Rogers Roasters, Jetty Point Langkawi

2011-11-14T23:07:00.001+08:00

Sunday brunch at Kenny Rogers, Jetty Point Langkawi. Perfect for people watching, it's located right at the entrance to Jetty Point.

Sweet indulgence?

Jacket potato with macaroni & cheese

Rotisserie-roasted to perfection with a unique blend of herbs, spices and citrus, served with our very own signature sauce.

Pasembur Langkawi (Kuah)

2011-11-14T22:55:00.000+08:00

Right outside Majlis Perbandaran Langkawi office, across the road from Haji Ismail Choc Shop & Restoran Almaz in town one can find the open air stall. Must try pasembur. Tasty and perfect for late lunch.

The stall also serve very nice mee goreng mamak & meehun sup. If you want to taste local food, this is the place. You will not get dissappointed.

The Loaf (Telaga Harbour, Langkawi)

2011-11-14T22:35:00.000+08:00

The brunch at Telaga Harbour with David was worth the drive all the way north of the island. Perfect scenery and beautiful weather with great food was perfect to spend the day on Eid Adha holiday (7th Nov 2011).

Coconut curry soup

David enjoyed the coconut curry

Chunky country chicken pasta

Liguini carbonara

It's a great idea and save you a lot of time to choose if you take a look at the online menu here before you go there:
http://www.theloaf.net/menu_langkawi.php

The website: http://www.theloaf.net/about.php

Not in the picture: Quiche, chicken & ham cheese roll, the takeaway breads & sweets choc cupcake from the bakery. I was full for 2 days from the brunch. It was simply delicious.