Finished the competition and watched it as the parchment paper containing three weeks of nothing but work flew out the door at the last minute. It was crazy. Essentially the competition submittal is at about the level of a regular studio submittal (except the plans are slightly less detailed...well the sections are single-lined at least) done in a matter of 3.5 weeks. For those of you who don't know, that's three months of work crammed into three weeks, with only 3 people working on it until last week. Yesterday it seemed the whole office was in on it (granted I sit by all the 3d guys - and gal). Some had been there all night, I was lucky enough to leave by 9.30 or so. We all got a bit loopy the last final days, the situation resembled something like the last few nights before jury. I must admit though, it was quite cool to see the final products. Even cooler to not have to stare at them anymore and send them away.
After the boards went out, a bunch of us went out for food. The place has no name, except for 'behind the parking lot.' They served Malay food. Although I wasn't exactly hungry for spicy food at 10:45 in the morning, I grabbed a plate anyway because I wanted to try what I could. I pretty much loaded my plate with bite sized portions of different sauces and curries, as well as a sweet ayam (chicken) drumstick. Of course, it all tasted yummy. I had some sayur (veggies) with a little bit of chili in it, but it wasn't supposed to be spicy. However, my luck proved to be, once again, surprising and I bit right into a chili seed. My mouth went aflame. Never had I eaten anything so spicy. The unexpected factor didn't help matters. My mouth hurt so bad I was tearing up. Of course, all my Malaysian co-workers were laughing at me. I found it funny as well, I mean here I am, this weird white girl sitting in this rinky-dink (just the way I like it) food stall in an old parking lot, behind a crumbling wall, putting things on my plate that I was told would be spicy and I bite into the one thing that even I know is not spicy and my mouth lights up with heat. Whatever, you win some you lose some.
I also had some sauce made from fermented Durian and I liked it a lot. The smell of Durian (albeit it smells like sewage meets wet newspaper) really doesn't bother me all that much. Maybe it's because I'm in a city and almost expect nasty smells at times. It isn't something I'd wear as perfume, but it isn't the worst thing I've smelled either. I'd still like to try some, I know my time will come, my room mate, F, loves it.
Speaking of F, she took me out to Banana Leaf rice on Sunday night. Best meal I've had so far hands down. The place is pretty well known in KL. It was the first time I was hungry all weekend, and I thought that with a cold some spice might help decongest me a little bit. It worked like a charm and I've been feeling better ever since. Still not well enough to go to the gym, but I'm well enough to make it through the day without medication.
I got the rest of the day off after lunch so I ran a few errands (cashing paycheck, buying stamps, buying my bus ticket to Singapore) and then did some reading up on travel. I'm not too sure where I'm going to go in late July. Maybe Seim Reap to see Ankor Wat? I keep getting mixed reviews about Cambodia though. Laos I think is out because I've heard too many negative things. I don't have time to see Vietnam or Thailand (unless i just went to one place, but is there really a point to that?) Korea is too expensive, and I'm not going to Bali or Borneo with MB (we will be back for that next year). I'm not too sure what will end up happening, but I'm open to suggestions.
The only thing I have left to do is to head to Bukit Butang to Lowyatt in order to see if I can get my point and shoot fixed before the weekend. I've been told by enough people that I have a 'rip me off' tatoo stamped to my forehead so if I don't want to pay a lot to fix it I should go with someone who knows the place. The problem is, the one person I know just pulled an all-nighter so I'm not about to ask him. The other person who could help needs to help my roomie study for the bar so I don't want to disturb him either. We shall see what happens.
Anyways, I'm off, I'll try to post up some pictures on Flickr today. Going to talk to the fams tomorrow.
Laters!
-M
Finished the competition and watched it as the parchment paper containing three weeks of nothing but work flew out the door at the last minute. It was crazy. Essentially the competition submittal is at about the level of a regular studio submittal (except the plans are slightly less detailed...well the sections are single-lined at least) done in a matter of 3.5 weeks. For those of you who don't know, that's three months of work crammed into three weeks, with only 3 people working on it until last week. Yesterday it seemed the whole office was in on it (granted I sit by all the 3d guys - and gal). Some had been there all night, I was lucky enough to leave by 9.30 or so. We all got a bit loopy the last final days, the situation resembled something like the last few nights before jury. I must admit though, it was quite cool to see the final products. Even cooler to not have to stare at them anymore and send them away.
After the boards went out, a bunch of us went out for food. The place has no name, except for 'behind the parking lot.' They served Malay food. Although I wasn't exactly hungry for spicy food at 10:45 in the morning, I grabbed a plate anyway because I wanted to try what I could. I pretty much loaded my plate with bite sized portions of different sauces and curries, as well as a sweet ayam (chicken) drumstick. Of course, it all tasted yummy. I had some sayur (veggies) with a little bit of chili in it, but it wasn't supposed to be spicy. However, my luck proved to be, once again, surprising and I bit right into a chili seed. My mouth went aflame. Never had I eaten anything so spicy. The unexpected factor didn't help matters. My mouth hurt so bad I was tearing up. Of course, all my Malaysian co-workers were laughing at me. I found it funny as well, I mean here I am, this weird white girl sitting in this rinky-dink (just the way I like it) food stall in an old parking lot, behind a crumbling wall, putting things on my plate that I was told would be spicy and I bite into the one thing that even I know is not spicy and my mouth lights up with heat. Whatever, you win some you lose some.
I also had some sauce made from fermented Durian and I liked it a lot. The smell of Durian (albeit it smells like sewage meets wet newspaper) really doesn't bother me all that much. Maybe it's because I'm in a city and almost expect nasty smells at times. It isn't something I'd wear as perfume, but it isn't the worst thing I've smelled either. I'd still like to try some, I know my time will come, my room mate, F, loves it.
Speaking of F, she took me out to Banana Leaf rice on Sunday night. Best meal I've had so far hands down. The place is pretty well known in KL. It was the first time I was hungry all weekend, and I thought that with a cold some spice might help decongest me a little bit. It worked like a charm and I've been feeling better ever since. Still not well enough to go to the gym, but I'm well enough to make it through the day without medication.
I got the rest of the day off after lunch so I ran a few errands (cashing paycheck, buying stamps, buying my bus ticket to Singapore) and then did some reading up on travel. I'm not too sure where I'm going to go in late July. Maybe Seim Reap to see Ankor Wat? I keep getting mixed reviews about Cambodia though. Laos I think is out because I've heard too many negative things. I don't have time to see Vietnam or Thailand (unless i just went to one place, but is there really a point to that?) Korea is too expensive, and I'm not going to Bali or Borneo with MB (we will be back for that next year). I'm not too sure what will end up happening, but I'm open to suggestions.
The only thing I have left to do is to head to Bukit Butang to Lowyatt in order to see if I can get my point and shoot fixed before the weekend. I've been told by enough people that I have a 'rip me off' tatoo stamped to my forehead so if I don't want to pay a lot to fix it I should go with someone who knows the place. The problem is, the one person I know just pulled an all-nighter so I'm not about to ask him. The other person who could help needs to help my roomie study for the bar so I don't want to disturb him either. We shall see what happens.
Anyways, I'm off, I'll try to post up some pictures on Flickr today. Going to talk to the fams tomorrow.
Laters!
-M
Finished the competition and watched it as the parchment paper containing three weeks of nothing but work flew out the door at the last minute. It was crazy. Essentially the competition submittal is at about the level of a regular studio submittal (except the plans are slightly less detailed...well the sections are single-lined at least) done in a matter of 3.5 weeks. For those of you who don't know, that's three months of work crammed into three weeks, with only 3 people working on it until last week. Yesterday it seemed the whole office was in on it (granted I sit by all the 3d guys - and gal). Some had been there all night, I was lucky enough to leave by 9.30 or so. We all got a bit loopy the last final days, the situation resembled something like the last few nights before jury. I must admit though, it was quite cool to see the final products. Even cooler to not have to stare at them anymore and send them away.
After the boards went out, a bunch of us went out for food. The place has no name, except for 'behind the parking lot.' They served Malay food. Although I wasn't exactly hungry for spicy food at 10:45 in the morning, I grabbed a plate anyway because I wanted to try what I could. I pretty much loaded my plate with bite sized portions of different sauces and curries, as well as a sweet ayam (chicken) drumstick. Of course, it all tasted yummy. I had some sayur (veggies) with a little bit of chili in it, but it wasn't supposed to be spicy. However, my luck proved to be, once again, surprising and I bit right into a chili seed. My mouth went aflame. Never had I eaten anything so spicy. The unexpected factor didn't help matters. My mouth hurt so bad I was tearing up. Of course, all my Malaysian co-workers were laughing at me. I found it funny as well, I mean here I am, this weird white girl sitting in this rinky-dink (just the way I like it) food stall in an old parking lot, behind a crumbling wall, putting things on my plate that I was told would be spicy and I bite into the one thing that even I know is not spicy and my mouth lights up with heat. Whatever, you win some you lose some.
I also had some sauce made from fermented Durian and I liked it a lot. The smell of Durian (albeit it smells like sewage meets wet newspaper) really doesn't bother me all that much. Maybe it's because I'm in a city and almost expect nasty smells at times. It isn't something I'd wear as perfume, but it isn't the worst thing I've smelled either. I'd still like to try some, I know my time will come, my room mate, F, loves it.
Speaking of F, she took me out to Banana Leaf rice on Sunday night. Best meal I've had so far hands down. The place is pretty well known in KL. It was the first time I was hungry all weekend, and I thought that with a cold some spice might help decongest me a little bit. It worked like a charm and I've been feeling better ever since. Still not well enough to go to the gym, but I'm well enough to make it through the day without medication.
I got the rest of the day off after lunch so I ran a few errands (cashing paycheck, buying stamps, buying my bus ticket to Singapore) and then did some reading up on travel. I'm not too sure where I'm going to go in late July. Maybe Seim Reap to see Ankor Wat? I keep getting mixed reviews about Cambodia though. Laos I think is out because I've heard too many negative things. I don't have time to see Vietnam or Thailand (unless i just went to one place, but is there really a point to that?) Korea is too expensive, and I'm not going to Bali or Borneo with MB (we will be back for that next year). I'm not too sure what will end up happening, but I'm open to suggestions.
The only thing I have left to do is to head to Bukit Butang to Lowyatt in order to see if I can get my point and shoot fixed before the weekend. I've been told by enough people that I have a 'rip me off' tatoo stamped to my forehead so if I don't want to pay a lot to fix it I should go with someone who knows the place. The problem is, the one person I know just pulled an all-nighter so I'm not about to ask him. The other person who could help needs to help my roomie study for the bar so I don't want to disturb him either. We shall see what happens.
Anyways, I'm off, I'll try to post up some pictures on Flickr today. Going to talk to the fams tomorrow.
Laters!
-M
Finished the competition and watched it as the parchment paper containing three weeks of nothing but work flew out the door at the last minute. It was crazy. Essentially the competition submittal is at about the level of a regular studio submittal (except the plans are slightly less detailed...well the sections are single-lined at least) done in a matter of 3.5 weeks. For those of you who don't know, that's three months of work crammed into three weeks, with only 3 people working on it until last week. Yesterday it seemed the whole office was in on it (granted I sit by all the 3d guys - and gal). Some had been there all night, I was lucky enough to leave by 9.30 or so. We all got a bit loopy the last final days, the situation resembled something like the last few nights before jury. I must admit though, it was quite cool to see the final products. Even cooler to not have to stare at them anymore and send them away.
After the boards went out, a bunch of us went out for food. The place has no name, except for 'behind the parking lot.' They served Malay food. Although I wasn't exactly hungry for spicy food at 10:45 in the morning, I grabbed a plate anyway because I wanted to try what I could. I pretty much loaded my plate with bite sized portions of different sauces and curries, as well as a sweet ayam (chicken) drumstick. Of course, it all tasted yummy. I had some sayur (veggies) with a little bit of chili in it, but it wasn't supposed to be spicy. However, my luck proved to be, once again, surprising and I bit right into a chili seed. My mouth went aflame. Never had I eaten anything so spicy. The unexpected factor didn't help matters. My mouth hurt so bad I was tearing up. Of course, all my Malaysian co-workers were laughing at me. I found it funny as well, I mean here I am, this weird white girl sitting in this rinky-dink (just the way I like it) food stall in an old parking lot, behind a crumbling wall, putting things on my plate that I was told would be spicy and I bite into the one thing that even I know is not spicy and my mouth lights up with heat. Whatever, you win some you lose some.
I also had some sauce made from fermented Durian and I liked it a lot. The smell of Durian (albeit it smells like sewage meets wet newspaper) really doesn't bother me all that much. Maybe it's because I'm in a city and almost expect nasty smells at times. It isn't something I'd wear as perfume, but it isn't the worst thing I've smelled either. I'd still like to try some, I know my time will come, my room mate, F, loves it.
Speaking of F, she took me out to Banana Leaf rice on Sunday night. Best meal I've had so far hands down. The place is pretty well known in KL. It was the first time I was hungry all weekend, and I thought that with a cold some spice might help decongest me a little bit. It worked like a charm and I've been feeling better ever since. Still not well enough to go to the gym, but I'm well enough to make it through the day without medication.
I got the rest of the day off after lunch so I ran a few errands (cashing paycheck, buying stamps, buying my bus ticket to Singapore) and then did some reading up on travel. I'm not too sure where I'm going to go in late July. Maybe Seim Reap to see Ankor Wat? I keep getting mixed reviews about Cambodia though. Laos I think is out because I've heard too many negative things. I don't have time to see Vietnam or Thailand (unless i just went to one place, but is there really a point to that?) Korea is too expensive, and I'm not going to Bali or Borneo with MB (we will be back for that next year). I'm not too sure what will end up happening, but I'm open to suggestions.
The only thing I have left to do is to head to Bukit Butang to Lowyatt in order to see if I can get my point and shoot fixed before the weekend. I've been told by enough people that I have a 'rip me off' tatoo stamped to my forehead so if I don't want to pay a lot to fix it I should go with someone who knows the place. The problem is, the one person I know just pulled an all-nighter so I'm not about to ask him. The other person who could help needs to help my roomie study for the bar so I don't want to disturb him either. We shall see what happens.
Anyways, I'm off, I'll try to post up some pictures on Flickr today. Going to talk to the fams tomorrow.
Laters!
-M
Glad you liked the Banana Leaf and definitely glad it 'cured' your cold!
ReplyDeleteAh yes! I've been craving it ever since we left haha.
ReplyDeleteHey!! I think I came across your post a few times on CS, and then saw your travbuddy.com profile, and was let to your blog. insightful sharing of your experiences in Malaysia/KL. I enjoyed reading them, have always love to know what other people think of my beloved country (no sarcasm. I love the country, the government - that's another story all together) :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I can't help noticing your decision about not heading to Laos because you read a number of negative reviews. I digress. You should not let those reviews put you off from exploring Laos!! Every country has its ugly side; but beyond that, there are so many foreign wonders yet to be discovered. I have not been to Laos personally, though it is marked on my travel map either end of this year, or some time mid-2012 (darn the limited annual leaves!)
Oh, by the way, I think you are the second non-Asian that I know of/came across who enjoys durian. My housemate/friend loves it. She's British. We went for a durian buffet few weeks ago. RM25 all you can eat, literally. I had 15+ (?) durians between the 3 of us (with another mutual friend).
I am in Singapore at the moment too. Not sure if you'll read this on time, but I'll drop a note on your TravBuddy profile too, in case you want to meet up during the day tomorrow.
Sasha
ps: WOW! That was a long comment!