Hardwicke House - Colleagues Gathering

First gathering I attended every since I join this company. Been here for more than 2 months now, and there are still lots of people in the department whom I don't really know or actually talk to. I can't even remember most of their names!! zzzz.... I am not really the talk to stranger, or in this case "new people" kinda person so I am not very sociable when it comes to meeting new people. It just feel kinda awkward and I don't know how to start a short conversation even if I wanted to, blek.

Well, luckily enough for me, most of them thought I am only a trainee there or just a fresh graduate, so they actually talked to me first. Which is of course a relief for me, at least it made things a lot easier for me. As long as I don't have to be the one making the first move, then I'll be just fine =P

The gathering was at Hardwicke House, for a buffet dinner. I dined there before, so I am not really that keen in joining initially. The food there is only mediocre for me but for only RM42++, guess I can't really expect that much. It used to be only RM38++, even after the increase, the food showed no improvement, haha. Anyway, I joined in the gathering dinner.

Didn't took much photos during the dinner. Partly because I don't have a camera and my colleague forgot to bring hers. Only took some with my 'cacat' mobile phone =x

The salad section, the only section I never touched =P

Nice brown cup for coffee or tea.

The desserts, most of the time I just like looking at them. Cause most of the time they are just pretty to look at but not tasty to eat. I don't really dare to try any due to several bad experiences, haha.

Our table setting. Our tables were in a so called private section at the end of the room.

After dinner, we had a game of Truth or Dare. Several pieces of papers with all the "Dares" were pre-prepared and placed in an empty chocolate can. We were to randomly draw out a piece each and without reading what was written, we were to decide if we want to go for Truth or Dare. If we selected Truth, the person sitting next to us will need to ask us a question and we need to answer "truthfully". If we go for the dare, then we just need to do whatever is written in the paper we draw out. Simple rite?

I went for the dare and this is what I get. Luckily there are not much choices of drinks there, so the only thing they mixed is Lemon Green Tea, Honey Lemon and Coffee. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be that bad, but when I drank it, I immediately almost vomited. It was really that bad!! It tasted just like spoiled sour milk with coffee, *yuckie yuckie* -.-''

Queenie got this. The youngest and the baby in our department, haha. She is only a trainee there and going to leave us sometime next month to continue her studies T_T She never sang throughout the whole dinner, don't think anyone could or would as well. If me, I would prefer drinking my sour coffee and get over with it =x

Lastly, group photo. Not very clear and with my noob photoshop skill I can't seem to make it any clearer.

All in all, it was not a bad gathering, better than I expected it would be xD

[Late Post] Hard Rock Cafe Penang

Another late post, seems like I procrastinate a lot these days. Need to get back to my blogging mood. Ok, back to the topic. Went Hard Rock Cafe, I think early last month if I am not mistaken. It was actually my second time dining there. My cousins and friend want to come here, so there I was again, haha. It was their big night so don't want to spoil anything xD

I made a reservation earlier but we got there a bit later. It rained heavily that night and the roads were packed jammed with cars. I called while on the way there to inform them we will reach late. Don't want to get there and there is no table for us, haha.

The lighting with the Hard Rock logo. I still remember during my first visit here, spent a long time trying to take a good photo of this. The color of the light kept changing every few minutes, and it was hard to capture the words. And it doesn't help much with my friend rejecting every photos at the slightest flaw =.=''

The bar. The color of the lights also kept changing after every few minutes. Quite nice and it's not even glaring like some cheap lighting.

Pictures of the great artists, spread across the top of the wall.

Da menu~~ There is actually not much choices of main courses to choose from. But then again, maybe they are only serving the best of what they have.

Daniel's electric something alcoholic drink, came in blue color, hehe. Think it cost around RM3x =x The rest of us just ordered lemonade, which was actually only sprite with a small piece of lemon, haha.

Adrena and I ordered this. Can't remember what it's called. It was beef in case anyone is wondering. The meat is tender and flavorful. Not bad but I would still prefer steak or ribs anytime, haha.

Mac and Cheese with slices of chicken breast meats on top. I actually ordered this wrongly for SY. I was having the assumption that it would be a piece of chicken breast meat with mac and cheese as the side dish. So I was kinda shocked when it was the other way round, haha. But luckily enough, SY liked it, stated that it was the best mac and cheese she ever had. So I guess that neutralize the mistake I made =P

Daniel's jumbo beef burger, haha. The burger presentation didn't really said much but the beef patties were made from the house so I guess it was special in that part. Taste wise, Daniel commented it was nice xD

Rock Shop,with lots of drums and percussion instrument hanging above the entrance.

The rocker bears, hehe. My friend told me that all the bears in each Hard Rock Cafe around the globe have their own unique design. You will never find the same design from Hard Rock Penang in other Hard Rocks. But of course, which such uniqueness, the price is not cheap as well. It costs RM70 per bear -.-''

Some of the souvenirs available in the Rock Shop. T-shirts, jackets, key chains are also available. Perfect to be given as gift as well.

We went over to Hard Rock Hotel after our dinner. Looked around and snapped quite a lot of photos. After that we headed over to McD, ordered just drinks *still very full* and talked till very late. Went back after that. Tiring but nice night out xD

PS: More photos are uploaded into my Facebook. Blogger is making it a pain for mass photos upload =x

Spice Market Cafe But 1 Free 1 Promotion is BACK!!

Miss the previous Buy 1 Free 1 promotion? Or can't get enough of Spice Market Cafe International Buffet? Don't fret, cause once again Spice Market Cafe is offering the Buy 1 Free 1 promotion for International Buffet.

Promotion will starts from 23rd May - 30th June 2010.

The promotion is available from Sunday to Thursday

Business Hours: 6.30 pm – 10.30 pm

Buffet dinner is priced at:

RM 104++ (adult)

RM 52++ (child)

Address:

Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa

Batu Feringgi Beach

11100 Penang

Malaysia

Phone: (60 4) 888 8888

Best to call in advance to make reservation to avoid disappointment xD

Template changed!~

After more than two years of using the same template for my blog, and after months and months of procrastinating,  I finally decided to take the time and changed my blog template. After spending a few hours of searching and browsing it comes out to this. Yes, the one you are viewing right now. And after another few hours of adding this adding that, twiddling here and there, I realize that I don't really like it =x

But I was too lazy to find another template and re-do the whole process again and I was even more lazier to revert the whole template back to the old one. So I guess this template is going to stick with me for quite a while. Another thing I kept trying to fix and still can't figure out why is, somehow blogger has limit the number of my posts in my main page. I kept adjusting the numbers in the setting from 20, 10, and 5 but somehow it only displays 2 posts. Anyone else having the same problem? Hopefully after I post this, it will displayed 3 posts.

Anyway, hope you guys like the new layout more than I do, and I'll consider not changing it, period =D

Edelweiss Cafe - Swiss and Western Cuisine

Went out with Jye Yng and Chuah last Saturday. I just woke up when they reached my place, zzz... Really paiseh with them, had to make them waited for me getting ready, haha @_@ Anyway, our initial plan was to head over to the Jail Restaurant for lunch. But when we got there, the place is closed for renovation =.=''

With no backup plan, we struggled for a while not knowing where to go next. I then suddenly thought of this place which my friend brought me during my birthday but was closed. Since we were somewhere around that area, might as well give it a try. Called up my friend to re-confirmed the location and off we went searching for it. It didn't really took us very long to find the place, as Jye Yng is kinda a bit familiar with the area there. We managed to find it by following Jye Yng's instinct and Chuah's sharp eyes in spotting the cafe xD

Edelweiss Cafe, claimed to be the only Swiss eatery in Penang. Housed in a pre-war shoplot, the building was build on the 1860. I think that was the time of Baba & Nyona. Please correct me if I am wrong, hehe. Not only do they serve Swiss, but a variety of western and German as well. And I just recently found out that Edelweiss is actually a name of a flower.

The entrance is decorated with assorted green plants and ferns which make it a bit hard to notice from the road. We actually only noticed the shop from another sign which is at the side of the building. Forgot to snap it, ughh....

The interior design is a mixture of traditional Baba and Nyonya culture with a dash of Western touch. The east meeting the west, creates a very unique and tranquil environment.

This huge antique grandfather clock caught my attention the moment I walked in. Never have I seen such a grandfather clock before, and it's still fully functional. It will ring at an hour interval.

The garden which is actually an airwell. Two tables were placed there, we initially sat there but we moved inside and sat beside the big clock. It was hot and the sunlight was right on us except for Jye Yng who was sitting under the protection of some huge plant as shade, zzz...

We took quite a while to take our order despite all of us were already very hungry that time. We didn't know what to order, lolz. I asked the lady boss for recommendation and she introduced us to a few of their house's specialties. One of the Indian waitress was annoyed with us for taking such a long time to order. She was even very rude when she told us that we cannot take photos of the menu.

I only wanted to snap the front cover. I understand there are certain rules when it comes to taking photos in an eatery outlet, but she should at least be more polite about it instead of showing a very already black face and snatched the menu from our table. Maybe because we are local and not foreigners that she feels there is no need to be so polite to us. Honestly, she just pull down the cafe's reputation due to her bad attitude.

We totally ignored her after that incident and continued to take photos of the place while waiting for our food. The place is so full of old antiques, its like walking into another era. There is so much to see in such a small house. After so much clicking, our food arrived, hehe.

Chuah's hot latte with a heart shape on top, my ice lemon tea comes with the set lunch and Jye Yng's banana smoothies with real small banana chunks inside.

Tadah! First to reach our table is my salad from my set lunch. Surprised that I actually ordered salad? I didn't eat any of it, I gave the whole plate to Jye Yng, blek... The veggies looked very fresh and raw, serve with thousand island sause

Bratwurst sausage. Chuah ordered this. Two sausages served up with salad and mashed potato with cheese. The pasta lookalike was actually mashed potato. Onion gravy and mustard are also provided separately.

Next up, my main course. I can't remember the name of the dish but it was sausages served up with salad and fries. Chili sauce and mustard are also served separately.

Main highlight highlight of the day, *drum rolls* Smoked Pork Belly, one of Edelweiss's specialty. One must prepare to wait for 20 - 30 mins if you want to order this. The lady boss explained it needs to be that long cause they are pressure cooking it. The meat is on the fatty side so those watching their weight, this might not be suitable for you.

When it was placed in front of Jye Yng, the meat looked kinda raw to us, lolz. Its looked like they just steamed or boiled it or something and just placed on a plate and served, hahaha. But of course, that was not the real case. The meat was fully cook and surprisingly succulent and the smoked aroma was very fragrant. It was served up with salad and mashed potato. It was very nice, thumb up xD

More photos below for sharing =D

Some history and facts on the tower clock or Strobi. But I like to call it grandfather clock xD

A photo with the one and only tower clock in Penang maybe, hmmm...

Taken this with the self-timer on the camera. Couldn't take the whole clock but not bad la, hehe...

A very old antique bar. First time seeing such a real antique old bar. Only used to see it in the TV.

Bar counter. Notice the chinese style stool. East meets west xD

"Books/Postcards and Postcard Stamps for Sale" is written on a piece of paper stick on the antique bookshelf.

Noticed our reflection in the mirror? A lot of us are being reflected in the mirror, echoing till the end just like a tunnel

The one and only unique ceiling lamp in the world I would presume. The boss lady told us it was build by her husband. So I guess it the one and only. Priceless.

An antique dressing table. Seen this in TV in those chinese dramas.

Water filter from the old days. This were used by the British. Whenever they collected water from the well, it will be poured in here to filter out all the dirt and stuffs. According to the lady boss, it's still functional, but they are only using it for display now. Cool, huh?

No idea what this is, but I think I took this photo from the wrong angle =P

Some spices that were placed on the bar counter

Want to know what's their specialties? Here, let Jye Yng introduce them to you xD

Opening Hours

Armenian Street is one of those little lanes around the Penang heritage trail, where some of the 'kongsi' are. Khoo Kongsi is just somewhere on the opposite lane, while Yap Kongsi is just further down the lane. For those shutterbugs that tend to explore the area because there are many heritage buildings and lots of beautiful and unique restored houses to see, do pay this nice cafe a visit.

Address:

Edelweiss Cafe

No 38, Armenian Street, (beside Cheah Kongsi)

10200 Geroge Town, Penang.

Tel: +60-4-261 8935

Website: www.edelweisscafe.com