Eyesore

There were 47 of them from my office in PJ en route to Kota Damansara. A staggering 98 from KLCC to the same destination, if NKVE was used. Even for a distance of roughly five kilometres, from Kota Damansara to IPC there were 13. And you know that there's one for every other lamp post from KLIA to anywhere. 

They are everywhere (Apple iPhone 4s)

They come in various sizes and shapes and to you and I they are known simply as billboards. But within the advertising community, they are sold as gantries, Unipole towers, overhead panels, arches, wraps and Spectaculars. It’s a multi-million ringgit business, looking rather healthy at the ADEX counter.

They are not pretty (Apple iPhone 4s)

In order to erect the structure, prior approvals and licenses from the authorities need to be obtained. Then the marketing team at the outdoor advertising companies will go and get willing advertisers. Contracts (i.e. rental agreement between the advertiser and the billboard owner) will be signed for a period of time for an agreed amount of money. Creative work and production will kick in now, if not earlier. When the contract’s up, the advertiser has the first right of refusal whether to continue or terminate. If it was terminated, the billboard owner would go to the market and start looking for another advertiser. 

They are pushy (Apple iPhone 4s)

The process can also be reversed in that the billboards may not even be there in the first place. Likelihood of sites not available when the advertisers want it is always high, especially when they are premium locations. Sometimes, the advertisers with their own business reasons, want to make a statement or create a difference with a certain outdoor venture. The advertisers can express their desirable locations to the outdoor advertising company and likewise, the latter would give ideas on possible locations to explore. It's a two-way street. At the end of the day, responsibility still lies with the outdoor advertising company to do the groundwork to make sure that the billboards happen and clients are happy.

They are distracting (Apple iPhone 4s)

Looking at the mushrooming of the billboards, it is safe to assume that there doesn't exist a framework or policy to guide the placement of such advertising that would coincide with the higher agenda of beautifying a constituent. Even if there is one, I'm pretty sure it only pertains to the structure requirement, the authorities license number, its logo placement and slogan of the day, where applicable. 
The authorities need to rethink their approach to outdoor advertising policing. I really hope the proliferation of the said channel is not motivated by sinister reasons.  
Billboard spotting and counting can be fun. Try it. You'll be amazed at the numbers.

A rare discovery in leafy Seksyen 7 Kota Damansara

On a grassy knoll was an oversized gazebo packed with neighbours of various age groups chatting about their daily grind and presumably politics too. Except that they were really patrons of Ayob’s Café, a well-run family-owned eatery situated on a converted corner lot double storey terraced house, just adjacent. A rugged Defender was seen parked nearby.

View from the side. You will not realize that
it's a restaurant (Apple iPhone 4s)

The facade is that of a kampung house (Apple iPhone 4s)

Stepping inside the café was like a step back in time. The owner has amassed a pretty vast collection of paraphernalia from generations ago and brilliantly displayed them in the room. Not all the items were in mint condition but that was precisely the appeal. It was as though they have been lying there from day one and left to deteriorate naturally. The feeling was so surreal that it's not far-fetched at all to suggest that the space has been preserved in a time capsule. 

The last time I saw a classic Olivetti add-listing machine was in the mid 80s at my mother’s workplace. Placed atop a period wooden cabinet, it instantly brought back fond memories because I used to punch the number keys on it with gusto. Sporting the same turquoise colour, unfortunately rusts have formed on some parts of the device.

This was the unit at the café (Apple iPhone 4s)

Everywhere you look, there would be pieces that remind you of the past. Right next to another wooden cabinet was a jumbo glass jar filled with bottle caps. While on their own the bottle caps have no real value, it’s what you do with them that could intrique iPad-totting kids. And so I taught my son how to play chepe, a simple game akin to carom but minus the board. When did you last play the game that made that distinctive ‘ching’ sound?

Matchboxes were arranged neatly in yet another antique wooden cabinet. My son barely glanced at the toy cars that were once upon a time my only hobby. Apart from the English-made Matchboxes, I also collected other brands such as Majorettes (fabrique en France) and occasionally Tomica from Japan. The last make had the smallest scale so their cars appeared 'slimmer' and did not feel 'proper.' Besides, they replicated mostly Japanese brands of which I wasn't a big fan of. I digress.

There were fizzes in the PEPSI crate when they still known as Fraser & Neave (Apple iPhone 4s)

An ubiquitous brown shopping paper bag with bold red Chinese letterings was hung on a gong holder, gently swayed from side to side by the gentle draft. My son's vocabulary was enhanced somewhat by the introduction of bubu (rattan fish trap), beduk (a solid wooden stump used to signal time for prayers or break fast), batu giling (grinding stone) and a few other items that were definitely not featured in his day-to-day conversation. If your young ones have not seen these specimens but have heard of them somewhere, it's not a bad idea to drop by the café.

Pak Ayob has purposely limited the items on the menu to not more than 12, with all of them served on sizzling hot plate. Of course, I only found this out when my fish and chips arrived in it, drenched with a kind of piquant sweet and sour sauce. It’s not how I would like the dish to be prepared but it was surprisingly pretty good. The fish was breaded, rather than dipped in batter and deep fried. The accompanying fries were crispy and chunky.

Fish and chips in gravy... Why not? (Apple iPhone 4s)

My other half ordered the black pepper steak, the meat tender and juicy. Her cousin left the fat that he had skillfully separated from his sirloin steak untouched on the plate, I had to refrain myself from nicking it. Everyone in the party felt that the portion of their meals was just nice for late dinner and I couldn’t agree more.

A manual lawn mower (Apple iPhone 4s)

The drinks were a tad disappointing. I would have preferred for them to be served in large, tall glasses to wash down the greasy, grilled meats. Those who asked for iced lemon tea or variations of it were definitely not getting the ideal temperature as the beverage was way too hot and melted the ice cubes in no time. 

Note the diamond brand wall clock at the back... (Apple iPhone 4s)

Seating arrangement in the café catered to both preferences of sitting on a chair and on the floor. Pak Ayob has built a split level ambin (wooden platform) for those who wish to go cross-legged while enjoying their meals. There is adequate seating area but do ring ahead if you are coming by the busload. Ambiance in the eatery was that of kampung (village) house, replete with furnitures and knick-knacks of old. If I could be completely honest, I couldn't tell who were the customers. The waitstaff and kitchen helpers intermingled so seamlessly. A TV (not of recent model) took centrestage and some eyes were glued to what's on. It really did feel and look like a living room. It felt familial. 

On the way out I managed to steal a look on the kopitiam-origin mirror. Yes, the one with embossed good luck wishes.

The late dinner is thanks to my other half's cousin but we can't express our gratitude enough to him and his wife for filling us in with this little known gem of a restaurant. 

Address: 52 Jalan Nuri 7/22, Sekysen 7 Kota Damansara 

Tel: 019-391 0024 

Pop culture survey findings

Snickers or Mars? 50% chose Snickers. Another 50% opted for M&Ms
Commentary: Who can resist Snickers? Mars is too gooey and sweet. M&Ms are easy to eat.
The Avengers or MIB3? 67% chose MIB3 while the remaining preferred The Avengers
Commentary: While both movies are hot, MIB has got a strong following. The 3rd installment is the weakest but to the fans they enjoyed the slow pace for a change. The comic-based Avengers should be a strong contender at next year's Oscar.
Spain or Italy (for Euro 2012)? All have chosen Italy to win but of course it didn't.

Commentary: OK, there was only one voter but it would've been news if Italy did succeed would't it? I gave the finals a miss but from what I've read, Spain did not play the way it normally did. Abbas Saad, our lovable pundit didn't think that Torres deserve the Golden Boot. Go figure...
Big Mac or Whopper? 100% for the latter.
Commentary: There were only two voters but could it be an indication that consumers are preferring charbroiled patties? The blogosphere is also raving about burger bakar, the local take on 100% charbroiled meat patties. The staple McDee sandwich is dry and staid. Why have they never thought of throwing in slices of tomato?

1997 VW Beetle reinterpreted or 2012 new VW Beetle? 100% chose the 2012 new VW Beetle.

Commentary: Both cars look good but it's the time that has played a role in swaying the vote. You do realize that the reinterpreted model has been around for 15 years don't you? Yeah, start counting with your fingers now. Naturally, the market would get tired of it. Above all, VW has managed to stay true to the Beetle's DNA in both models but the 2012 does look more sporty and menacing. I've always felt its 1997 brethren more curvy.

FCBescola Football Camp 2012

The mid-term school holiday did not give a lot of lull time to my elder son. While others managed to escape to some beach resort or a camping trip, he and the entire primary 6 had to endure a week of extra classes in preparation for the UPSR. This just goes to show how important passing an examination is to the school. Can't we just let the kids study at home?

His one-minute fame (Apple iPhone 4s)

And then from 5 to 9 June in the following week, he had to make the FCBescola Football Camp for two hours in the morning. Reaching home almost one o'clock in the pm and most of the time drenched in his own sweat, he would hit the sack for a couple of hours to recharge his batteries. And he would do this 5 times over.

7-a-side, short matches, winner stays (Apple iPhone 4s)

If my visual estimation was dependable, I think there were more than 50 kids trying to impress the good coaches from the football club. Barcelona have their own brand of football mastery and it was very evident in the methods that they employed while running the camp. It's no wonder that Messi and his cohorts play the way they do because the open style of short passing and dribble-your-way technique has been embedded in the club's DNA. Matches on-play would be halted to tell the youngsters where they had gone wrong on the pitch and then resumed momentarily. So common sense would tell the kids to do it right every time unless they like interruptions. 
One thing that I particularly enjoyed watching was the mini matches. The FCBescola Football Camp 2012 was organized by Sport Planet with the assistance of some select local coaches.


See more pictures here. 

He was looking at my other half's camera... (Apple iPhone 4s)

The apartment

Just in case you hadn’t noticed, the traffic volume around the KLCC area this weekend was heavier than usual. I'm referring to the two-legged traffic and that’s no thanks to the World Gas Conference 2012 that saw delegates from around the globe. The conference which commenced on 4 June culminated on 8 June with a special music and light extravaganza in the park dubbed as the KL International Music and Light Festival.

Not wanting to miss the action, my other half suggested that we take the boys to watch Madagascar 3 (as promised to them that we would) at TGV Suria and time the show to coincide with the show later in the evening.

As we are not what you would call the seasoned revellers, we considered Dome, Chili’s and Ben’s to have our dinner at and enjoy the show without having to compete with the mass for legroom and air to breath. Chinoz did not feature in the mix as it was temporarily shut down for renovation. 


Dome was swiftly omitted because of the ground level disadvantage it possessed. When you are seating down eating you will basically see the bums of the spectators which is not what you are there for. 


I wasn't sure about Chili's or Ben's either because apart from the commanding view overlooking the man-made lake where the stage was located, I didn't think the thick glass panels would provide for a good audio experience.


The decision hung mid-air but not for long before my other half said she's decided on The Apartment.

The vista was great from where we were seated (Apple iPhone 4s)

"But the place is for grown-ups," I retorted even though I have not set my foot there. For some unknown reasons, I had this impression that The Apartment was a favourite watering hole for the white collars on this side of town and therefore didn't think that it would be a family-friendly joint. 


Boy was I in for a pleasant surprise. There was plenty of drinking action alright on the ground floor but the floor above was a decent dining area decorated to look like... emm, an apartment. A bookshelf adorned one side of the wall while miniature chandeliers provided the soft lighting throughout the room. 

The interior felt cosy and homely (Apple iPhone 4s)

Due to the size of our party, we were able to sample the menu on a broader scale and more importantly, I managed to steal a bite from almost everyone around the table so here goes a quick sum-up. Do try the duck confit. The meat was so tender and void of the smell normally associated with the bird. The mashed potatoes were creamy and yummy. My little one enjoyed his spaghetti marinara even though they were all mussels and not prawns as what we had requested for. The dish looked a little on the dry side and you know looks can be deceiving. The meat came off the shells easily, a sign that they were properly cooked. My only problem with it was the tiny morsels stuck between my teeth.

The strawberry peach pavlova is a must-try for those who love meringue with whipped cream and fruits. Go for the cheese platter but bring grapes and extra saltines, if yours was a big group that is, from home. The grapes were frozen to the core so they weren't kind to the teeth while the biscuits were just enough for toddlers.

The pavlova was pretty good looking as well (Apple iPhone 4s)

My elder son asked for the peking duck crepe roll which came in a generous portion. One just need to be content with the sugary crepe. The baked tilapia was filleted much to my other half's chagrin but it did not disappoint her entirely as the fish was extremely delicious. The leafs and the bitter fruit that were part of the chicken and grapefruit salad were at room temperature so they must have been lying on the kitchen preparation table for some time. The chicken bits were shredded too thinly and the chef could have been more charitable with the bloody red pulps on the plate.

The chicken and grapefruit salad was alright (Apple iPhone 4s)

Just as the show was starting to pick up steam, the restaurant's crew opened the door that led to the balcony to allow eager patrons to watch the music and light show a little closer.  Save for the imposing laser works flashing the sponsor logos and country flags of the delegates, I don't know which part of the night constitute the light half of the festival. After a few numbers and tired looking faces from around the table, we decided to call it a day. No one was desperate to wait for the purported fireworks to come on.

Ben's there, done that

The portion in the centre could have been bigger (Apple iPhone 4s)

“How I wished there were rocket leaves in my salad,” my friend’s wife lamented about her crispy soft shell crab salad. From her facial expression, my friend could tell that she was not relishing her meal too much. Not only that the basil and coriander leaves overbearing, the crispy soft shell crab did not live up to its name too.


My friend who has started dieting at the beginning of the month is now slowly getting the habit of eating light and healthy food. So it’s no surprise that he asked for grilled calamari on Asian greens (that’s two salads in a row for lunch) at Ben's KLCC. 

The calamari salad was very spicy. Don't know whether it's the sliced chili or the dressing... (Apple iPhone 4s)

Ben's took over the retail lot from the always crowded California Pizza Kitchen about a year ago. In a direct contrast to CPK where its dining area was bright, airy and spacious, he could not help to notice that the interior of the replacement restaurant was dark and claustrophobic. 

Potted plants and bicycle to complete the look... (Apple iPhone 4s)

Modelled after a kampung house, the furnitures, fitments and finishings were exactly meant to reflect that no-frills and utilitarian style. But the excessive use of things black and minimal lighting transformed the dining area dungeon-like, save for the tiny illumination diffused by the equally small pendant lamp atop each table, whose design was reminiscent of the old kitchen light. 


While researching for this post, I was shocked to read that Suria KLCC described the restaurant as being modelled after a Manhattan townhouse. Surely they can't be referring to the exterior because there wasn't much to begin with. It is after all a retail lot within a mall. So I guess it should be about the interior. If that's the case, what's the retro bicycle doing there?

The green papaya was appetizing (Apple iPhone 4s)

Snubbing his all-time favourite Pad Thai was no mean feat and I’d take off my hat to him for that. Not just that, he told me that he's also forgone another favorite in chicken caesar salad. I asked him what's going on. 

"I was smitten by the Vietnamese salad at The Yogi Tree," was his short answer. 

And with that I take it that he's referring to how good Asian salad could actually be. (read post here)

The calamari salad was very, very spicy but he could not tell where the taste emanated from. Yes, there were sliced chillies mingling with the greens but not that significant for it to seize control of the palate. Garlic and coriander, which were the main ingredients of the dressing should not be that hot either. That was something to think about for the man wearing the tall white hat...

Grilled calamari as the title of the dish was a bit deceptive. My friend was half expecting tentacles covered in burnt batter but they were really just barbecued squids. Hey, let's rename it to grilled squid on Asian greens then! The array of veggies on the plate was simply staggering. Amongst those that he could list out were red cabbage, onions, carrots, cucumber, green beans, basil leaves, coriander and oh yeah, chopped peanuts. 


The presence of the green papaya (in other words, the picked kind or young fruit) added the much needed breadth and balance, complementing an otherwise bland salad. Also, the chef had experimented successfully by throwing in measured chunks of lychees, allowing the occasional sweetness to seep through.

"They were conversation ideas," his wife was referring to the stack of cards on the table. Neatly indexed, the other pile were recipes of select item from the menu. The talking points ranged from the geeky 'what's your favorite food with eggs?' to the philosophical 'is it better to be really good at only one thing, or be mediocre at a few?' It's a noble way of trying to people to talk again, instead of finger-surfing on their mobile devices.


He said he would probably make a comeback.

Emergency lane is for emergency vehicles

That is as possibly plain as it can get. 
I'm very sure there is no beacon on the roof of your souped up Vios. Did your Gallardo sport the blue and yellow police decals? Or are you authorized to stick out one of those magnetic base sirens as Hutch would on his Gran Torino? 
If your answers were Yes, No and No to the above, then you are not supposed to be driving on the emergency lane. And while I'm at it, take note that it is also an offense to pretend to be a policeman or to be more apt in this case, a police patrol car. Or any emergency vehicle at all for that matter. And why do you like to place the PDRM sticker on your car? Is that even legal? Where did you buy it? Did you hope to scare people off? The thought makes me sick. 
Even if you are a real cop, is there a need to tell the other drivers that you are one? Are we supposed to yield when you cut onto our lane? I'm confident that there is no policy to state that a copper needs to have that sticker on his or her ride.  
The evening rush hour after the NKVE toll plaza northbound is usually a slow crawl as cars go into a bottleneck, trying to get to dinner on time. One day while driving home from work on the said stretch, I saw cars going very fast on the very lane they shouldn't get on to. 
These were no ordinary cars too. There was a Bentley, a Merc E-class (current W212 model), a Q7 and a string of go-fast MyVis and Wajas, not necessarily in that order. Some had their hazard lights on too. It is just not cool to switch those lights on when you are already doing something illegal. OK, maybe there are the occasional genuine cases where you need to get to the hospital on a double quick-time but those cars I saw were definitely just being trigger happy with the accelerator pedal. I just knew. 
It is appalling to see drivers (I mean both chauffeur and the owner) of luxury cars behave as though they own the road. They've got to have a bit of class and manners when parading around in flash cars. I believe in that. Shame on you.
Just for the record, emergency lane is for emergency vehicles to get to emergency sites and hospitals as fast and safe as they could. Now, you don't want me to go to cars who tailgate ambulance do you?

Don't hog the fast lane!

Folks, know that you are depriving other drivers of their need to go faster. Don't think that by sticking to the speed limit you have the God-given right to stay on the fast lane.
Even if it wasn't a case of an emergency, you wouldn't know what the blazing Ferrari was up to right, so don't judge. You either move to the slow lane or he will tailgate you until your heart beats faster than it should. Failing to do the latter quick enough would prompt the driver to seize the slow lane and pass you in a matter of seconds, while giving you the dirty look or worse still, the middle finger. All of which are very annoying don't you think? So, save yourself the agony.

Move it, move it (Apple iPhone 4s)

Wait, there's one more. Know that the right lane is always for overtaking and this principle applies to a three-lane ring road or expressway as well. This means if you intend to admire the scenic view or romance the fairer (go both ways) passenger in your car, take the leftmost lane. It is built for those who have all the time in the world. Don't hog the middle lane and create a train out of automobiles.
Once in a while, I do get the thrill of slowing down a fast car but only if I judged that the driver had been driving recklessly. I could tell somehow from experience but don't copycat this action unless you know what you are doing.

Who says organic food is plain and boring?

1 June 2012 marked the day when a good friend commenced on his diet regime, something that he had been putting off for far too long. Without any creator's name preceding the diet, the regime is more relaxed and should be less strenuous in that he doesn't have to follow a certain prescription to produce the desired result.     

It was his wife's cousin who inspired him to start watching his waistline. One day while window shopping at Ikano or IPC if I was to refer to its new name they bumped into the cousin and his wife who looked like they've been hitting the gym everyday for the last three months. (that was the last time they socialized)

Later, the couple revealed that they have been watching what they eat. For example, each meal should not exceed 500 grams. When asked how much food would that value equal to, they said it's one piece of chicken or fish no bigger than the palm and some veggies on the side. Yes, you heard me right. Rice does not feature at all on the plate. 

"It's okay to have extra greens on the dish as they are good for you but try cut down or lose the meat completely if you can afford it," exclaimed the slimmed one.

The total daily calorie intake should not be more than 2000 calories. Lay off the bad carbos such as rice, bread, pasta, noodles but stock up on fruits and water. Speaking of fruits, not all are good for your health because of the high sugar content on some, banana is an example. 

Seeing the fine and real-life examples in the form of his wife's cousin and the wife, my friend decided that it's now or never. For the umpteenth time.

Yesterday, he and the wife had gone to The Gardens Mall to window shop for some furnitures when it was time for the obligatory mid-day meal. Being suddenly health-conscious now, they decided to forgo Italiannies to look for something less sinful like a takeout sarnies or something like that. 

As though it was meant to be, The Yogi Tree appeared in front of them just a few steps away with an A-board advertising its soup of the day's broccoli. They decided that's where they should have lunch and stepped gingerly into the eatery. After perusing its menu, they realized that TYT sold mostly organic food. Not that this was such a big problem but I think he was still getting the knack of adapting to his newfound eating habit. Either that or he just doesn't think that organic food would be you know, sufficient to last him till dinner. I'll reconfirm this for you.

Part of the cafe's interior (Apple iPhone 4s)

According to him, the interior of the shop was clinical and "light" on the eyes. I think he meant that it reflected on the cafe's main food theme. With the blinds rolled down over the ceiling height glass panel, the downcast glow gave the overall effect of a home-like tranquility. One floor down within the same radius was a famous kopitiam (not the one with the old world charm type, you know what I mean...) chain which had patrons bursting at its seams but at TYT, there were only a few customers quietly enjoying their meal. 


Not a surprise that because not everyone has the stomach for organic food or for its perceived high price tag. 

It was 3+ on a Saturday afternoon but they didn't have to queue (Apple iPhone 4s)

He was very excited to see caesar chicken salad on the menu but felt jilted when the waitstaff unapologetically said that it was not available.


"It's available but just finished and we are still preparing it, not ready yet (sic)," the waitstaff correcting my unhappy friend who was quick to suggest the omission of the said item from the menu if it was just a gimmick. 


So he reluctantly ordered, at the recommendation of the same waitstaff, the Vietnamese chicken salad. His wife was dead set on the broccoli soup from the get-go as she always has fascination for anything soupy.

Organic pasta, eggs and such are available to take home (Apple iPhone 4s)

It was the soup that arrived first, looking a tad cumbersome in the cookie jar, while the wife muttered something under her breath. The chic black rectangle platter ensemble looked out-of-place with the garlic bread cutting a forlorn figure, being placed miles away from its partner. I'm just judging by the photo he sent me. 

The presentation was okay... (Apple iPhone 4s)

"There should be broccolis swimming in the soup," he told me what his wife had said. Lifting her spoon upward so that the fluid would trickle back into the jar, she said it was runny too. 

I haven't seen this for myself but I have a feeling it was just green-coloured soup and no chunks of the vegetable it claimed to have been derived from. 

My friend then added that his wife alleged she's tasted much better broccoli soup before. Ironically though after ten minutes or so the jar looked like it had been licked clean. But still, it could mean that she was just famished.

But the Vietnamese chicken salad was an entirely different story. Remember that the salad was not his first choice and it was a reluctant make-up order minutes ago? Well now he would not stop raving about it! Apparently, the condiments were crunchy and the taste very refreshing. It did feel like the ingredients had just arrived from a nearby farm. The piquant sauce was simply extraordinary and its sprinkling easy which meant that the greens stayed crispy and not spongy.

It tasted as good as it looked! (Apple iPhone 4s)

"You too can make it at home," the amiable outlet manager referring to how easy it was to make the dressing. Consisting of peanut butter mainly, I'm sure there's lime juice, sugar, a bit of chili and pepper as well as it was sweet and tangy at the same time, judging from my friend's description of the taste.

To add volume to the salad, TYT tossed in glorious red cabbage, finely chopped long beans, peanuts, green lettuce, fried garlic and sautéed chicken pieces. You could tell from the colours that all the veggies were garden-fresh. A dish never looked so gorgeous.  

What was left of the salad (Apple iPhone 4s)

Some of us need encouragement... (Apple iPhone 4s)

Look it up next time you are at The Gardens Mall (Apple iPhone 4s)

All in all, it was a satisfying outing, more for him I suspect. And yes, perception of most that organic food is still costly I'm afraid remains: the cashier's till took away RM39 from my friend's thinning wallet. Or was it her wife's purse? And that's with two glasses of warm water. But if a dieter's food can be this good, the target to achieve the desired BMI might be a reality after all, for my friend that is. I wish him the best of luck.