My Very First Blog

I am calling this post Steamboat Potluck Party 2010 because I went for a similar one in 2009. In fact, it's hosted by the same person.

If you've been following my blog since the beginning of last year, you would have probably read about that potluck party. Anyway, to refresh your memory and for the benefit of my newer readers who may want to know about the hilarious Kickapoo joke and how my mom thought I was calling for prostitutes, click HERE.

This potluck party was held two Sundays ago at my friend's home in Sri Petaling.



When I saw what was on the table, my saliva instantly flowed. Haha!



These were painstakingly prepared by my friend, the host.



There were about ten of us and each of us took turns to dip these fresh ingredients into the steamboat to cook them.



Don't you think this way of eating steamboat is more convenient, not to mention more hygienic? Better than everyone dipping his or her chopsticks into that pot of boiling soup, right?

When I saw these prawns, I was like, Oh My God! I must have them! I must!!



And so I took loads of those prawns and cooked them in the boiling pot. And here's my bowl of yummylicious cooked prawns and sui gao (minced meat and prawn dumpling) amongst others.



The soup was so tasty! Later the host showed us what she put into the soup.



No wonder it was so tasty! I gave the steamboat three thumbs up! Haha!

Now since this was a potluck party, everyone would be bringing something. I brought loads of prawn crackers that I bought from Kuala Selangor. Oh! Forgot to take photos of them, but I think you have already seen them in one of my previous posts.

So what did the others bring?

Well, someone brought home-cooked spaghetti.



I can tell you this spaghetti was totally delicious! I took 2 bowls of it!

There's roast chicken.



And chicken wings too!



I didn't get to eat these dumplings as I was too full by then!



But I was not too full for this apple raisin soup dessert! Haha!



Look at those chunks of apples and the generous amount of raisins! The dessert was nice - sweet and sourish at the same time. I went for a second helping!

We also had some cookies leftovers from Chinese New Year.



Believe me, after all those delicious food, cookies would be the last thing on your mind. But I found these cookies delicious and I didn't even know what cookies they were!

Another friend brought some yam cakes, but frankly, I was too full to eat them!



Towards the end of the potluck party, our host came out with a mysterious red box.



What was inside this red box? Quick! Open it!

She opened for us to reveal....



Chocolates from Shangri-la Hotel! Wow!

Most of the chocolates were eaten up already, but fortunately, the remaining ones were enough to go round.



Close up shots of the chocolates.



Don't you think the ones below look like mahjong tiles? Haha!



I didn't really fancy the chocolates though I like the box! I asked my friend if she could give me the box in which she replied with a very firm NO! LOL!

Someone brought some fortune cookies and we had some fun choosing our fortune cookies!



Each of us broke open the cookies and read out aloud what was written on the paper. It was fun!

Here's mine.



Yay!! I love the message! I always look out for the rainbow when it rains cos you all know right, that there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? haha!

Even though we were full, our host continued to serve us ......



Passion fruits! The uglier they look from the outside, the tastier they are. That's what one of my friends told me. Yummy!!

We actually could not finish the steamboat. Look!



The remaining ones were packed into containers which some of us took home for our next day's lunch or dinner. How nice! A potluck party with take-away food!

This must be the best steamboat potluck party for me ever! My friend, the host said she had decided to make this party a yearly event. Yippee!

Before we left, our host reminded us not to leave anything behind. I quickly blurted out, "Oh! Where's my box?"

"What box?" she asked, puzzled.

"That chocolate box from Shangri-la."

She gave me a look and said, "Yeah, right!"

Haha! I am so looking forward to next year's potluck party!

Continued from Part 3

After I changed my blog's layout at Starbucks in First World Hotel, Ed and I decided to have some gambling fun at the casino in Genting Hotel.

By the way, are you familiar with the many hotels in Genting? Here's a map to help you out!


Map of Genting Highlands

When we arrived at the casino's entrance, we were stopped from going in. Reason? We were carrying backpacks which contained our laptops and these were not allowed in. We were asked to rent a locker and place our backpacks inside.

However the lockers on that floor were all fully rented out and so we had to go down two floors below for the remaining lockers.

I was not too keen about placing my backpack which contained both my laptop and camera inside the locker. As usual, there's a notice above the lockers stating that the management would not be responsible for any items stolen or lost.

Besides, they listed out items that were not allowed to be placed inside the lockers and one of these items were laptops!



To open an empty locker, we need to pay first using the automated paying machine as shown in the photo above.

My friend inserted two RM1 notes but as he was about to insert another RM1, I told him I was not going to risk my laptop and camera. Since I was not that keen on gambling anyway, I offered to take care of his backpack for him while he gambles in the casino alone.

The trouble was, we were not sure how to cancel the payment. So my friend Ed called a number listed on the locker and a man came soon after. He told us the RM2 could not be recovered as the machine would not entertain refunds! Great! We just lost RM2 even before we enter the casino! What a bummer!

Before Ed went to the casino, we had our dinner at Good Friends Express in Highlands Hotel. I ate roast chicken rice. It was delicious!



After dinner, Ed went off to gamble so guess what did I do? Well, I went out to enjoy the cool night air for a while. Ooh! How I wish the night air in PJ and KL is like that!



After enjoying the cool weather outside, I walked over to Starbucks at Highlands Hotel. This is not the same Starbucks I went earlier, which was located at First World Hotel. I ordered myself a hot cup of mocha, made myself comfortable and started blogging! Haha!



I wished I could blog till the next morning but of course Ed put an end to that! I was happily blogging away when he called. Time to go, he said. Bummer!

On the way back, Ed related that he had earlier won RM60 playing roulette using the combination of numbers 4 and 8 which was inspired by the cable car no.48 we sat in. But too bad, he continued playing and lost all of that plus another RM50. So no free supper for me! Bummer again!

This concludes my one day trip to Genting Highlands during the recent Chinese New Year. I promise you that there will not be any more post on Genting Highlands....well, until my next visit, that is. Haha!