Chow Kit wet market

The Boy's family have been visiting for the past week so I have been busy playing tour guide in my free afternoons while he is at the office. Yesterday being the Australia Day public holiday back home, I had the whole day free and decided to take The In-Laws to Chow Kit wet market to look at what I hoped would be some weird and wonderful fruits and vegetables.

Instead of taking the monorail to Chow Kit station, we decided on the scenic option and caught the LRT to Kampung Baru and walked. Despite being just a stone's throw from KLCC, it felt like a different world! Wooden houses with sheets hanging in backyards, so many little food court/mamak stalls I lost count, and a general vibe that here is a peaceful community going about their daily life undisturbed by tourists...until we showed up!

We passed a durian cart on the way, its pungent smell announcing its presence well before we got close, though after our experience The In-Laws not surprisingly passed on the tasting opportunity.

A 5-10 minute easy walk later, we arrived at the bustling Chow Kit market. Heading past the first few fruit stalls into the undercover wet market area, we were greeted with sights and smells that completely overloaded the senses. 

Giant green beans towered over my head

Chillies galore!

There were the familiar - apples, oranges, bok choy and chillies...and then there were the not-so-familar - whole chickens fully plucked with feet still intact, cows' heads, hooves and hides, and other things I couldn't even identify.

Fresh seafood at Chow Kit market

Catfish (very much alive) splashing around

At about 10 in the morning, the place was lively with locals buying their groceries. For the most part the shopkeepers let us take photos in peace, occasionally calling out a greeting. 

Whole chickens with feet still intact

Cow heads for sale made for a startling and slightly morbid sight

Letting nothing go to waste...cow hooves hanging up

Living up to its name, the floor of the market was wet and princess that I am, I pranced delicately around the puddles to avoid getting more fish juice on my feet than absolutely necessary. 

Bags and boxes of crackers at Chow Kit market

After walking the full length of one aisle at least a hundred yards long, we emerged out into the sunshine and fresh air and decided that was enough fresh produce for one day. A quick walk to Chow Kit monorail station (100m if that) and we were heading for Bukit Bintang, where the delicious Heritage Food Court awaited us.

We only saw a fraction of what was on offer at Chow Kit, but I highly recommend paying a visit to see another side of KL!

Ki Ki Taiwan Cuisine, Suria KLCC

Taiwan has been on my mind recently, a combination of the advertisements lining the tunnel from Suria KLCC to the Convention Centre, and the stunning happy snaps my friends R+L took on their Christmas holiday there.

Here in KL where every day is as hot and humid as the one before, the closest I could get to experiencing Taiwan right now was through food. And so on a quiet Sunday night, The Boy and I paid a visit to Ki Ki Taiwan Cuisine on the fourth floor of Suria KLCC.

The staff were friendly and attentive from the moment we arrived and the place was lively with families and walk-in shoppers. The simple decor of wood with floral print glass panels in hues of pink and brown provided a comfortable setting for our meal.

Most of the menu consisted of set meals starting from 19.80RM and The Boy and I quickly made our choices - the Taiwan minced beef sauce noodle set for me and the Fried chicken with rice wine set for him. The side orders all looked so tempting that we succumbed and ordered fried mushrooms to share and I also added an oolong passion fruit tea to quench my thirst.

Everything was served promptly and the cute decorative crockery added visual appeal to our dishes - even The Boy's water came in an adorable mug with a picture of a dog on it! 

My oolong tea was delightfully refreshing - the taste was initially sweet like fruit cordial but the slightly bitter flavour of tea soon followed, pairing back the sugary passion fruit. 

Oolong passion fruit tea

Our fried mushrooms arrived blisteringly hot, coated in a delicious batter. The Boy managed to burn his mouth trying to eat it too quickly, which goes to show how tasty they were. The mushrooms themselves had an ever-so-slightly chewy, meaty texture and the chilli powder sprinkled on the batter gave it a fantastic spice that really added to the overall flavour.

Fried mushrooms

Fried mushrooms and the sweet decorative serving plate

Our meals arrived looking fantastic, each set coming with a main dish and a selection of three small side dishes. My minced beef noodles took me back to a fond childhood memory I have of some 15 years ago of going to a local restaurant in suburban Sydney with my mother and ordering this same dish. I hoped it would be just as good as I remembered and I wasn't disappointed - the slight spice in the beef was offset by the cool cucumber and spring onion, and mixed all together with the noodles, I was content to sit silently and eat, enjoying every mouthful.

Taiwan minced beef noodle set

After The Boy cleared up a small misunderstanding (he thought his set came with rice wine but the chicken was actually marinated in it!), he pronounced the fried chicken to be perfectly crunchy with a subtle aftertaste of the rice wine marinade, while the cabbage was 'the best (he'd) ever eaten' due to the flavour explosion provided by tiny pieces of fried garlic and baby shrimps.

Fried chicken rice wine set

We both had the same set of side dishes and they provided a pleasant variety of contrasting textures - crunchy fried tempura, soft nuts infused with the delicate heat of chilli, and the subtle flavour of boiled chicken. The chicken broth had a delicate flavour and was a nice accompaniment to our meal.

The portion sizes were generous and we finished feeling pleasantly full. Overall, it was a very enjoyable dining experience and we hope to return soon to try more of their menu.

Happy New Year - NYE at The Library

2011 was coming to an end and for the first time in quite a few years, The Boy and I wouldn't be spending NYE with our friends. Back in Sydney, I'd long since given up the trek to the city to watch the fireworks, deciding the crowds and the tedious train trip back home to the suburbs were not worth the few minutes of admittedly spectacular entertainment.

Now living in KLCC, for the first time we were already right near the action with the Petronas Towers and KLCC Park just around the corner being the centre of Kuala Lumpur's midnight celebrations. We were curious to see what KL was like at this time of year so together with Aussie Guy, we headed to The Library on Jalan Ampang for drinks and dinner so we had a good view of the crowds on the street.

The boys ordered beer and I chose a Librarian Margarita, which promised to be a delicious concoction of tequila, pineapple juice and lime. Unfortunately, it was made with too much ice and the flavour all but lost. My next drink - a standard mojito - was much better and our pizzas were tasty too. By the time it got to 11pm, the place was packed and it was getting harder (and slower) to get any bar service. So shortly after 11:30, we decided to venture over to KLCC Park and get in position for the midnight countdown and fireworks.

The Petronas Towers lit up at night

In the space of just a couple of hours, KLCC Park had filled with people and now a crowd was slowly surging from Jalan Ampang around Suria KLCC towards the fountains. Men, women, young families and elderly people, tourists and locals, everyone had that same sense of anticipation and excitement that happens on NYE all around the world. A guy walked around selling horns and judging by the noise, plenty of people had already bought one! For the most part, people just sat and waited patiently.

I thought of my friends and family in Sydney who would have already celebrated midnight, one of the first cities in the world to do so, and my brothers who were in Tokyo and Chicago tonight and wondered what they would be doing to mark the beginning of 2012.

Then the fireworks started. Our view was partly blocked by a tree but we oohed and aahed with the crowd anyway and I joined the thousands of people taking pictures on their cameras and mobile phones.

NYE fireworks above KLCC Park

NYE fireworks above KLCC Park

While not as large-scale and spectacular as those that light up Sydney Harbour each year, there is no doubt that fireworks are always exciting, no matter when or where they happen.

Capturing the moment

After the fireworks were over, we decided to call it a night - The Boy and I were dead on our feet from a day of cleaning and running around for office supplies, and Aussie Guy had an early flight to Singapore the next day. Unlike in Sydney, we weren't faced with a long trip home, just an easy 10-minute walk.

Home in bed by 12:30am, The Boy and I fell asleep to the street sounds of horns and cheers as excited KLites welcomed a new year.

Kate Spade New York opens at Suria KLCC

I've always been a girl who loves to shop and living in KLCC with several massive malls so close and more time on my hands than I'm used to, I've certainly been indulging in a bit of retail therapy!

What's so great about places like KLCC and Pavilion is that because they're so big, a new store is always opening somewhere to keep shoppers interested. The latest to excite me is Kate Spade New York, which opened its KLCC outlet yesterday. Until now there's only been an outlet at the Gardens Mall in Mid Valley. The store looks bright and inviting, the rainbow of colours cheerful accents against the mainly white fit out. 

Kate Spade store at Suria KLCC

And inside? A girly girl's dream - high heels with bows in the prettiest colour combinations, ladylike cardigans straight from Emma Pilsbury's wardrobe and my favourite - cute cocktail rings in jewel colours that come in a cocktail gift box complete with recipe on the back! The perfect gift for one of your girlfriends.

You can find Kate Spade New York on Level 1 of KLCC next to Calvin Klein.

Christmas Day brunch at the Ritz Carlton

This year would be the first Christmas away from home for The Boy and I, so to fend off any bouts of homesickness, we needed a Christmas feast to rival any either of us have had with our families. Around this time it seems that every nice hotel and restaurant puts on a fantastic buffet to help KL-ites who don't want to cook at home indulge in a festive feast. 

Being half-English, Christmas at home has always meant traditional fare of turkey and ham with all the trimmings, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and the like. While I knew ham was going to be hard to come by in KL, I set about finding the buffet closest to what was familiar. I love local cuisine but on Christmas Day, I didn't want to see any noodles or nasi lemak at the buffet!

Eventually we decided on the Christmas Day Brunch at the Ritz Carlton - stylish surrounds and the promise of delights including turkey, roast beef and venison plus an array of seafood.

Beautiful Christmas tree outside Cesar's restaurant, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur

We arrived right on time (The Boy wanted to be first in line for the food!) and were shown to our table in Cesar's restaurant. As I had expected, the place looked wonderful and the food was delicious.

The interior of Cesar's restaurant, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur

I completely overindulged on the seafood selection - tiger prawns, mussels, lobster tails, Alaskan king crab, smoked salmon and more - then moved onto the requisite turkey. Ordinarily, I  find turkey to be a bit bland, but with chestnut stuffing, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and delicious gravy, it tasted just like Christmas. Meanwhile, The Boy raved about the venison next to me - pink and juicy on the inside just like it's meant to be, the meat was tender and flavoursome.

One of my multiple plates of seafood featuring prawns, smoked salmon, mussels, lobster tails, a crudite of pear and blue cheese, marinated eggplant and semi-dried tomatoes.

Soon it was time for my favourite part of the meal - dessert! And what a spread there was. The traditional favourites of Christmas pudding, log cake and mince pies; a chocolate fountain with fruit pieces and marshmallows; an array of miniature desserts from tiramisu to trifle; and the choice of crepes, ice cream and Eton mess made to order. 

Eton Mess

Did I mention the mugs of pure liquid chocolate in milk and white varieties? The Boy decided to try both and they were pure heaven, though the white chocolate was so sweet I could only take a small sip after eating so much food!

It was a wonderful meal and we were both feeling completely overindulged and too full to move - just the way Christmas is meant to be!

The Boy and me in front of the giant gingerbread house in the Ritz-Carlton lobby

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas in KL

I might be in my mid-twenties but I still get excited about Christmas each year. I love the food and the presents (giving and receiving!) and the general sense of festivity in the air.


So naturally, I've been delighted to find out that Christmas does exist in Malaysia! While it may not hold a great deal of religious significance to many in this part of the world, one thing's for sure - the retail sector has embraced this festive time with utter enthusiasm.

No matter what mall you go to in KL right now, you will be sure to see amazing festive decorations to rival any I've ever seen. I particularly like the Christmas Wonderland on display at The Pavilion. Check it out!

Follow your heart

On my last day in the office before I left Sydney, a good friend and colleague said to me,
"Sometimes you just have to follow your heart."

And that really is why I'm here. While others might move overseas to seek adventure and new experiences and challenge themselves, I will admit I was perfectly happy with my life in Sydney just the way it was. So when my boyfriend of 3 years was given the opportunity to move to Kuala Lumpur and set up a new office for his company, I definitely had mixed feelings. On the one hand I wanted to be supportive of something he's wanted to do for a long time; on the other hand...I didn't want to leave home! I didn't want to quit my job! And what would KL do to our relationship?

While KL plans had been on the table for quite some time, things were only finalised at the very last minute giving The Boy literally about a week to sort out his life in Sydney and move. He left in such a whirl that in between cleaning the apartment to put on the rental market and sorting out his travel insurance, there was barely time to be sad about our impending separation. I moved back in with my parents and younger siblings while I planned my own departure, thankful that email, Skype and Viber make long-distance romance slightly easier to maintain.

4 months and one brief visit to KL later, it was me checking in the world's biggest suitcase at Sydney International Airport and hugging my dad goodbye. And here I am. No friends, no car, no office - I'm starting from scratch with The Boy the only familiar thing left from my old life.  

To be honest, until The Boy's job opportunity came up, KL wasn't even really on my radar as a travel destination. The only memory I had of the place was of a late-night stop over at KL airport way back in 1998 en route to London. And it wasn't a particular good memory either - I had managed to lose my camera and was desperately trying to ask airport staff for help finding it. I never did get it back and spent the next 3 weeks in Europe buying a disposable camera in every city.

This time around I'm hoping for better memories. I've followed my heart to KL and I know this will be the biggest test of our love but also the greatest opportunity. We could have stayed in Sydney and stuck to our comfortable routine, knowing exactly what each day, week and month would bring. 

But instead we're here, out of our comfort zones and for the first time really having to depend on the other person to get through. I miss my family and friends in Sydney and KL is full of frustrations, but I know there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now.