Crazing into Roselina's stream of consciousness

The Tip of Borneo

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:42:06 PDT

This is actually my second trip to the tip... such an unforgettable scene, with the soft sandy beach, windy breeze... arrived in time for a beautiful sunset... very inviting.

View from the tip... so many huge rocks, big waves as well... wonderfull

Different views of the Sunset

Chon and Tyler... o.O showing off some kungfu? heheChon with the power of light... hahaThe '5' of us together

So, that's the end of our trip from Kibunut River all the way to the Tip of Borneo. Wonder where we'll go next... hmmm... sure to have more adventures to come!!!

Our Journey to Ranau

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:37:00 PDT

Well, after the stay at Keningau... we continued our journey to Ranau by going through an unknown road which Chon is not familiar with... the road to MahuaWaterfall. (Continue from previous post)

Some part of the road was not really good... bumpy... if you're driving a four-wheel vehicle... then you have nothing to worry about, unlike us driving in a proton saga... really have to be careful.

About 2 hours drive, we finally arrived Ranau... drop by Kinabalu Pine Resort for some photo taking.

The Five of us, posing under the hot sun, the breeze was nice and cool though... haha

Fresh breeze, beautiful scenery, peaceful and calming feeling... really mesmerizing.

After relaxing and enjoying the cool breeze, we continued our journey and took another stop at Kundasang to tapau some yummy "Sayap Panggang" which means BBQ Chicken Wings, fruits and Tuhau.

The yummy "Sayap Panggang" corner... hehehe...Look at all the fruits, snacks, flowers and other things you can buy here... awesome.Jane & Tyler getting some Tuhau...

That's basically the end of our trip to Ranau, next stop... The Tip of Borneo, here we come!!!

A visit to Keningau

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:59:54 PDT

If you have read my previous post, this is the part when we were in Keningau. Well, it was a very short visit... by the time we arrived it was already dark. We had Soto for dinner at Rahmat Restaurant, bought some toiletry from the supermarket nearby and crash at Uncle Grey's place for the night... excited about the next day, we slept early to gain energy for the trip to Ranau and Kudat.

Rahmat, famous for their Soto in Keningau

Abigail, chon's little cute cousin

Nice pose by Imelda

Daschund puppies... so adorable.

Tyler, too taking a pose... ^^V hehe

Guess, that's about it. Upcoming post will be the journey to Ranau. I'm taking this opportunity to say thank you to Uncle Grey and Aunty Crispina for letting us stay at their place although it was a short notice. Hope to see them again soon.

Another Day at Kibunut River

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:21:49 PDT

Last Saturday was definitely a lovely day for a picnic, at first we wanted to go for an Island trip but since it's already late middle of the month, some of us are on a tight budget... so, we decided to go to Kibunut river instead... which cost us only RM1 p/pax to enter the place... cheap... hehe...

Mesmerizing view of Kibunut River... ^_^

The beautiful scenery, peaceful and calming atmosphere at the riverGroup pics: Darling chon, Jane, Tyler, myself ^^V, Imelda and Augustine
Imelda posing a sexy lookSabah Top Model in the making... haha...

Jane and Tyler

Girlfriends: Imelda, myself and Jane

Another day of adventure which did not end just here, we headed out to Tambunan at around 5pm, and crash at chon's uncle place in Keningau for the night and ate Soto for dinner at Rahmat restaurant. Well, it's kind of a last minute plan. Chon was in the mood to bring us especially Tyler to ranau and the tip of borneo, Kudat the next day. So, we slept early and continued our journey the next day.

Happy Birthday Geaneve a.k.a. Jane

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:45:27 PDT

Dear sweet Jane,
though you're older one more year, you're still cool and stylin', you're full of life and always smiling. Happy Birthday Girlfriend...friends forever... God bless you always... ^^V hehe...

Celebrated at Novus, Waterfront with Garnesh and Vijay our colleague from India.

Many happy returns and long live Jane D' Great... Cheers!!! haha...

What have I been doing?

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:20:59 PDT

It was kinda boring at night with our routine as a workaholic (chon & me)... so to release our tons of stress we go for dining, movies (sometimes just the 2 of us) and listening to live bands at Waterfront with some colleagues... Just relaxing our minds, chit-chatting, playing pool or sometimes Karaoke.

Just chilling with Tyler, a friend from Alaska

Gurlfrenz: Imelda, me & Jane

Me & Imelda just taking a pose

Tyler & Chon

Trying-out new recipes

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:11:25 PDT

It was the day before returning back to KK after a week of Kaamatan break, I felt like preparing dinner for my beloved family in Labuan. So, i browse through the net and found 2 recipes that I've never tried cooking before: Lechon Kawali and Butter Prawn... and of coz there are other dishes as well as shown in the pictures.

New: Butter Prawn
New: Lechon Kawali
Sweet and Sour Grouper

MixVege with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Well, in the end, it tasted better than just "okay". Did ling ling cook the dinner tonight? asked my dad, and my mum who was observing once in a while when I was in the kitchen earlier nodded yes... surprise surprise that I can be as good as my mum in cooking and finally the thought of "Nothing is impossible" just pop-up in my mind, and I was feeling very happy that I managed to prepare such a finger licking good dinner for my family. If I can do it... I'm sure you can do it too.

Cheers from the chef,

Ferry to Labuan

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:19:57 PDT

Last Friday was a very busy day at the Menumbok ferry terminal. Lots of people queued up to get their tickets to attend the Water Festival which was held in Labuan last weekend. Luckily my mummy booked our ticket earlier... if not, we won't be able to bring our car to Labuan as all were fully booked. Poor chon, he had to wait for a very long time just to collect our pre-book ticket. We were supposed to leave the terminal at 11.30am, but dragged up to 2.00pm. Finally at 3.45pm, we arrived in Labuan.

Labuan view from the ferry

Another view from the Ferry

Passengers waiting patiently while enjoying the beautiful scenery from the ferry.

Filipino Dish II

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:29:50 PDT

After an unsatisfying dinner, we decided to try another eating outlet the next day after attending Sunday mass, which also provide Filipino dishes. We had our lunch here, and this time the price was affordable and the food was very fulfilling. The restaurant is situated at Jati Shophouse near RHB Bank, Labuan. =D

The view from our table.

This time, we let my brother and Ella do the ordering as me, mummy, daddy and darling chon waited patiently for the dishes to be served. Well, they ordered much similar to the ones we tasted at Le Caerau Arms Bistro & Grill, but this time it was tasty... =D

Chicken Afritada

Lechon Kawali

Sinigang Baboy

The Mang Tomas is a special sos for the Lechon Kawali, you should try it... taste sweet. Next to it is KitChai Ping, a cooling drink suitable for a hot weather.

These 3 dishes were enough for the 6 of us, we had happy tummy compared to the 5 disappointing dishes we ordered at Le Caerau Arms Bistro & Grill. King Mark Seafood Restairant, a place highly recommended if you want to try some filipino food in Labuan. -Thumbs up-

Filipino Dish I

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:28:36 PDT

Well, a change of taste during my latest return to Labuan as me and my family decided to taste some Filipino dishes. First off, we tried Le Caerau Arms Bistro & Grill near Utama Jaya Supermarket for dinner last Saturday night. Front View of the placeView from the insideThe place was nice and clean, the waitress was friendly as well as the owner. However, it was pricey and we waited more than an hour for our food which ended up not that satisfying. We ordered 5 dishes:Chop Suey

Adobo Baboy

Sinigang Baboy

Tinulang Manok

Lechon Kawali

If you're thinking of checking out this place, it is recommended to order the western dish and fried rice as my brother and Ella said it tasted good the last time they visited.

California grill

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:13:18 PST

Opened in November 2008 California Grill is located at 1Borneo Hypermall. From the looks of the California Grill restaurant’s interior is enough to lure anyone to come in and find out more about this eatery. It brings a relax and cozy feeling as you enter which complies to the motto of the California Grill which is “bringing together great food and good company in a relaxed atmosphere.”

It was our first time dining here, not to say it is cheap... but well, it's a affordable... looking through the menu which has a wide range of western food to choose from. Starting from appetizers, soup, platters, fish & chicken, lamb and beef, bread, pasta, pizza, dessert, fresh fruit juices, cool & hot beverage, ice blended and so much more.

Enjoying the ice lemon tea
The Portuguese Chicken (As yummy as it looks)
Fish and Chips (It tasted good despite the look of it)

The Origin of Bak Kut Teh

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:10:44 PST

Bak Kut Teh is undoubtedly one of the most popular Malaysian Chinese dish everywhere. Klang is particularly famous for Bak Kut Teh where you can find many shops and hawker stalls selling Bak Kut Teh in its many variations. So, if you're happen to be at Kota Kinabalu, drop by at Gaya Street. You'll find at least 3 famous Bak Kut Teh restaurant around the area. One of the famous shop is "Syarikat Yu Kee".

You're a Bak Kut Teh fan, here's a trivia for you.
Where do you think is the origin of Bak Kut Teh?

Undisputably, most will insist it is a Malaysian dish (perhaps some Singaporeans might differ on this) but where exactly is it from? Some people remarked that it must be from Klang as this is where Bak Kut Teh is most famous. Well, this is partly correct. According to the most plausible version of the story, Bak Kut Teh was invented by a gentleman from Quanzhou of the Fujian province in China. The secret recipe was passed to a friend who later went to Klang and became the first person to commercialise and sell Bak Kut Teh. The dish went on to become a famous dish and was copied and improved many times over. So according to this version the Hokkiens were the inventors of the dish. The Teochews came later and the main visual difference between the Hokkien and Teochew version of Bak Kut Teh is that the Hokkiens use dark soy sauce and thus the soup base is characteristically darker in colour. It is up to the individual's taste buds which one tastes better.

What's your view?

Tiny Orange

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:11:52 PST

I never seen such a tiny orange, this was my first time seeing and tasting one. One of my colleague bought it from Survey Hypermarket. Such a unique type of fruit.

It looks like a ripe lime but it's not... have you tasted this before?

Love Note

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:43:54 PST

Time passes so fast, it's been about 10 days since Valentine's day. I'm so really happy to have someone by my side. Just waiting for that special day... "mind floating away now... huhu" ^^V
A simple note darling chon wrote to me that day, so cute... Thank you darling loving you always... xoxoxo

To my dearest on Valentine's Day

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:56:58 PST

Have I told you how much you mean to me?

Have I told you about all the happiness you bring?
Have I told you that you mean the world to me?
Just in case I haven't, I want you to know that...

Darling, You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!
I Love You!

Last day of Chinese New Year

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:46:48 PST

Yippy...!!! Its the last day of Chinese New Year. Chap Goh Meh (The 15th Day) is also known as Chinese Valentine Day where young-single unmarried women gather to toss tangerines/oranges into the sea/river, in hope that their future spouse will pick up. Long time ago, maybe about 60 years ago, the girls were not allowed out of their homes to mix with boys. However, on Chap Goh Meh, they were let out of the home and they would throw oranges and make wishes.

In Hokkien, it goes something like “Tim kam, chua ho ang” or “Throw Mandarin orange, marry good husband.” For the men, “Tim loh kor, chuar ho bo” or “Throw drum, marry good wife”. Hmm, wonder where would they find drums...??? haha, and “Tim thor tau, chiak lau lau” which means “Throw peanuts, eat till old age”. Nowadays, people seldom throw oranges for that purpose anymore, I think? There is always online dating websites. LOL.

However, heed these warnings,
Throw mandarin oranges : You will get a husband with acne ridden face. As rough as the oranges skin.
Throw drum : You will get a wife which go pi-li-pa-la, pokpekpokpek the whole day, as noisy as the drum.
Throw peanuts : You will only earn peanuts income for the rest of your life.

Haha... just kidding. huhu. Happy Chap Goh Meh everyone... xoxoxo

10 ways to have a better day

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:55:53 PST

1. Wake up 30 Minutes Early.

Get up 30 minutes before the alarm goes off and take the first half hour for yourself. Once you get busy and into the day there never seems to be the time for yourself. Take this time to plan getting the most from the day.

2. Read, Listen, or Watch Something Uplifting.
Make this a daily habit. Get out of starting the day with no mental food. A great day does not begin with the news or the paper, it begins with ideas or energy that will propel you through the day. What you first hear will stay with you throughout the day.

3. Eat a Good Breakfast to Start You Off Right.
Get something good into your body to wake it up and get it going. Think about the energy you will need to perform. Everyday we run a marathon. What would you need to eat and drink to win it.

4. Choose Your Winning Attitude.
There is enough to go wrong without sabotaging yourself. Your attitude is a choice you make. Don’t let it come between you and your success. Be careful to keep it positive all day long.

5. Be Aware of What They are Telling You.
The people around us have a profound effect on how we get through life. Our closest friends and family are our greatest environmental influences. Make sure you have the best advisors you can find.

6. Make the Most of What You Do.
When you get to your work, make it the best place to be. Most people go to work and never think about work while they are there. Focus on your contribution. What would it be like if you were not around. Strive to give a 100% each and every day.

7. Always Remember that People are Listening.
Make a point of talking well of others. Wish others the best in life. What goes around does come around. Don’t talk negative about anyone. Try to understand their circumstances Practice being a support system to your friends and family. They need you.

8. Be Honest and Fair to Others.
It does make a difference. What you give to others is usually what you get from others. Practice integrity that people can see and feel. Be aware of what you say. Learn to walk your talk at all times. The more people trust you, the more of their time they will trust with you.

9. Pace Your Energy to Last All Day.
Be careful of bursts of energy. Pace your energy throughout the day. If you get to crazy early in the day, you will reach a point of exhaustion before the day is over. By planning your entire day before you begin, you will have what you need. You’ve heard the old saying "look alive."

10. Get in Bed Early and Study for the Future.
I have a friend who keeps a journal at his bedside. Every night he writes what he learned new on that day. The only way to keep one step above the masses is to learn new ways to do things. Develop the habit of reading a work or personal development book before you go to sleep. Reading for 30 minutes a day is like a year of college. You can’t succeed if you don’t read. Remember throughout your day that life is what we make it, day by day. Practice having the best day ever. It adds up to a great life.

First Crabby Experience

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:42:15 PST

Cooking crab is not as difficult as I thought it would be. It's quite easy actually. The hardest part for me was to kill the crab and trying not to get clawed by it. So finally in 2009, history takes place, hehehe... I finally cooked my own crab dish... ^^V of cause I've cook frozen crab sticks and crab meat before, but not the ones with shells and still alive. I didn't manage to snap a photo of me stabbing the poor crabs... huhu... but anyway, here are some pictures of the experience.

Clean crabs all washed and ready to be cooked

Simple ingredients such as slices of ginger, big onions, salt and sugar is enough to cook a yummy crab dish. Of cause not forgetting the egg

Crab in chili and tomato ketchup almost cooked

My home cook crab dish

For those who never cooked crab in shell before, you should try at least once. It's a good experience and in the end you get a simple home cook, affordable seafood meal. Happy trying... =)

Laksa Penang

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:47:51 PST

Last Friday, when I was still in Labuan for the CNY holiday... me & my mummy decided to cook "Laksa Penang" for dinner. So, I took the opportunity to learn the recipe...

Starting off with the cuttings

Washing the "Ketumbar" leaf

Preparing the laksa soup, adding Sardin fish

The other ingredients are ready such as hard boiled egg, cucumber, pineapple, tauge, red onion, red chili and laksa mee

Yummy laksa ready to be eaten

That night, we had choir practice for the Sunday morning mass... so after the practice the choir members had the chance to taste the laksa as well.

Back from left: me, daddy, uncle Eddie, Marcel (my 2nd bro), Joshua, Fabianus, Chon darling
Front from left: Mummy, Judy and Josie

Everyone ready to dig-in... =)

The assistant (Me) & The chef (Mummy) =p hehe

Happy Birthday Mummy

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:48:28 PST

My dearest mummy birthday was on the 26.01 which was the 1st day of Chinese New Year. =)
I love you mummy and always will...

You're someone I can count on to listen and care
Never too hurried to give your love
I know you're always there...
You're someone very special who will always be a part
of warm and loving memories
I cherish in my heart.

With lots & lots of love

Good Luck in the Year of the Ox!

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:44:10 PST

Wishing all my family & friends...
新年快乐！恭喜发财！牛年吉祥！

A New Year 2009

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:23:02 PST

2008 has just gone by

And now, it's 2009
Such nice memories together with everyone
We've completed a new chapter; now another has begun

I've grown up so much this year
I'm all matured now, my reflection is clear
I have all my loved ones together with me
And as we welcome a new year,
I'm as happy as can be

I'd like to thank my family members,
& friends offline and on-line,
For making this year something everyone remembers,
And also for making me all so fine

Twenty-oh-eight has passed so fast,
I think I am going to cry whenever I remember it
Cherish all your memories, it's certainly a must,
Because you'll never see it again, not even a bit

Make your new year resolutions,
And remember to keep them carefully
Because motivation depends on emotions
So when you complete one, you'll feel happy
And that's when you truly know you've succeed

You're going to be another year older
So make most of your childhood while you can
Because by next year, you've become bolder
And before you know it, soon you're a woman or man

Here's a parting gift to the end of year
2008; It's filled with such memories,
Wonderful, sad or stuck with fear
Now let's hope this year will have no worries

So make the most out of every year
And maybe, just maybe, 2009 will be better.

Happy Birthday Koten

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:59:42 PST

A special birthday dedication to my beloved 2nd elder brother Marcellinus Nicholas Liew a.k.a Koten. Really sorry I can't make it back to Labuan to celebrate it with you. Hope you had a great day. May God bless you today, tomorrow and always in peace, in health, in happiness and in love.

A poem for you:

My Brother
Born with ten little fingers & ten little toes
A beautiful face with a button little nose
Now 29 years old and a lot more years to go
He is a brother I will always love and know
He is my Present past and future
Even though he can’t get much cuter
So listen to me now
Hear what I’m trying to say
I love my brother in a very special way!

Love you bro... =) xoxoxo

Tarap Fruit

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:00:13 PST

Have you eaten a "Buah Tarap" before???

Don’t know what tarap is? It’s scientific name is Artocarpus odoratissima. Well it’s a jungle fruit found only in Sabah and Sarawak as well as the greater Borneo region. Buah Tarap is one of the famous fruit in Sabah where this fruit has a strong scent. The fruit is delicious, soft flavoured and can be appreciated from the first bite. The fruit is considered superior in flavour to both Jackfruit and Cempedak. When ripe, the outer skin is soft and easily pulled apart to reveal the edible fruit(also known as marang) inside.

The interior of the fruit is somewhat similar to the jackfruit’s, but the colour is whitish. I can’t quite describe the taste, but it is very unique indeed. The seeds are also edible after boiling or roasting.

It is usually sold at stalls beside the main road, from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang or if you are lucky, you can also get it from Tg. Aru Beach at the stall near the entrance to the park.

If you happen to be at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia... don't forget to try it! =)

Kibunut River

roselinaliew@yahoo.com (Roselina Liew) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:15:59 PST

-Last Saturday- It was a wonderful day for a swim and picnic by the river. Me and Chon decided to follow Norah's idea to go to Kibunut River, located at Penampang, Sabah... a place where you will forget that you ever lived in a polluted city. =)

Ok... you'll need a car to get there, it's about 30 mins from Kota Kinabalu. Only RM1 p/pax need to be paid at the small wooden counter. No tourists but during the week-end lots of locals and good weather would be an advantage.

The ever welcoming river.

Shelter where you can sit and relax and enjoy the view.

The beautiful view from the top.

A good massage as well if you need any.

BBQ is also permitted though I strongly recommend that you bring your own small BBQ pit which you can get from the supermarket with a reasonable price.

Excellent place for those who enjoys nature.

Hahaha... feeling the cold water. =)

Me, Norah and Augus relaxing and posing while chon took the picture. =)

The place was so amazing and we'll sure be returning there again soon for another gathering.