Love Creative Art - Hin Bus Company ( Pictorials )

The entrance......

The interior...shockingly artisitic

I am the greatest......

Dilema of a youth...the old on the left and the modern on the right

Wounded tiger....

At the front line - Love?

Three beauties with their own rendition!

What tomorrow brings?

The arch of life.....

Playful & quite a facade...

Quite a facade.....

Rebellious and colorful girl....

I am out of sync!

Shan's Orphanage Home

Shan's Orphanage Home....

I have always counted my family and I to be thoroughly blessed throughout the year. Never mind if there had been storms in our lives , grueling times, difficult times or even very unhappy times but alas, just being thankful for the little blessings in life were what motivated me to move on in my/our life/lives. Sure, it is hard; very hard when you are in that valley but there is always a rainbow when the stormy cloud cleared. 

Selvi and Appu with SLing....

One of the things I get to do before I end this year was to visit an orphanage home in Penang. My family and I counted ourselves most blessed being able to give a little back to the community in any way we can. I am humbled to say that I have always stuck to my roots that it is good to bless the community not for meritus boot straps or whatever but merely acting as a fellow human being and being there in the unfortunate conditions before. I have had many good moral teachers ( good friends ) who had taught me that it is more blessed to give than to receive. I've not forgotten their words of  wisdom, inspiration and encouragement. 

With the girls...Darshini ( red tee )  Jaya ( far right )

Hence, when Felicia Law of City Light Church asked us if we would like to be of help during their visit there at Shan's Orphanage Home at Siddharta Park at Mount Erskine, the family was more than happy to help out. When I found out from Felicia that the Home's need list were really non-expensive items and mainly daily basis needs, I was floored. These needs were so basic and they did not asked for any luxurious items or over the moon items but merely daily basic supplies. I must commend Felicia for taking the role of the organiser and also the contact person between CLC and Shan's Home. She really took the trouble to find out from the Home Administrator what each children would like for their Christmas presents and she would try to matched them the best they could. Well done, Felicia !

Uncle John, Charlotte , Jethro playing with the children..

CLC members mingling with the children....

JWee, SYuen and my sister, Lee Lee with the children...

CLC members chatting with the children....

Giving out the presents.....

The CLC children singing Christmas carols....

I was really touched when I saw the list of simple needs and also what Felicia had done to garner in the cash for the buying of the items for the Home children. The night before our visit to the Home, my sister, Lee Lee, SYuen, SLing, JWee and myself got the remaining groceries list of items and made orders at McDonalds for the event. 

Children with the McDonald meals...

That morning when we arrived at Shan's Orphanage Home, I noted that it was a double storey property tucked between a Buddhist Home and a Disabled Home. I was told that there are 26 children in the home with 8 boys and 18 girls. As we stepped into the compound, I noted two girls were having capati breakfast with simple dhall curry while four young children were sitting down enjoying their meal with powdered faces! As we unstuffed the things from the car, I chatted up with the children. I immediately went onto the familiarisation mode and chatted up with the children. Selvi, being the older one could converse in English while the rest were too young to understand us except fro BM and Tamil. It was hilarious as it was like chicken and the duck talk but we managed once we could speak BM to them which is universal , of course. Appu, one of the girls, is the youngest of the lot at the front porch area. She was very friendly with Felicia and SLing. 

Children of teh Home with their McDonald's meals....

Being inquisitive in nature, I started asking questions of where are they from, how long they had been the home and where are their parents and so on. They started answering my questions and as the questions kept moving along, my heart was hurting and wrenched. Yeah, poor children were left behind by their parents due to poverty and stories of neglecting parents hurts a lot. One child confided that parents were simply too poor to take care of them while Appu, her sister and brother (Little Messi - I would call him! ) were examples of parents not being able to take care of them. 

Presents time........

As I met up with Jaya ( the eldest girl in the home - she is 18 ), she told me a lot about the situation of each person there. It was never a sob story from her but the very truth of why this child or that child is in the Home. I see her "sisterly" authority over the rest of the children and I am happy that she kinda take charge of the children there. I began to see many families of sisters, brothers, brother & sister combo in the home. I asked a point blank question to some of the teenage girls if they are happy being in the Home and I do get a mixed response. Some told me that it is better than no home while some answered that it is too controlled  environment while the touching one is really " at least, we have shelter and food in which we could call Home". 

Meal time... part of the boys....

Meal time....the girls looking into their goodies...

Meal time....  I got the car, you get the helicopter, didn't you?

Meal time for everyone....

My heart was wrenched looking at these children and yet, I have utmost respect for the caretakers an caregivers who would toiled hard to provide that improvement to these children. We, the donors and givers, come and go each year but these children remained there to build a future of their own. It must be really tough for these people and for the children too. 

Meal time for everyone...

I had the opportunity to pray for the food in BM and I did my part. In the midst of it all, I realised that after speaking to one of the live-in helper, Christina, she is a Christian. As I was at one corner of the home as the children were having their McDonald meals, I was prompted to pray for Christina. Though I do struggled a bit but I strengthened my heart, called Christina over and prayed for her in BM. When I had finished praying for her, she went to the girl's room and a few minutes later she re-appeared. She smiled at me , said "Puji tuhan" and I could see her eyes welled up. I just smiled and told her that she is doing good God's work and she is the light of the home. I sincerely hope she would be blessed taking care of the children even though I knew it would be really tough for her.

I loved the time I spent with the older girls as they spoke their minds of the things they faced in school and what they want to do in life. They were enthusiastic about what they want to do and I gave whatever encouragement I could to them and told them that there are no short cuts in life and they would have to work very hard; never give up and know that hard work does pays off with salaried jobs. I also told them that God is their No.1 priority and No.1 fan in their lives. They should honor that first before anything else. I wouldn't know I had inspired them or not that day but at least, I try to be as practical as possible. Gosh, I really want them to know God first before anything else. I am most afraid that with the overload of presents and things they get from donors, givers and gifts from good Samaritans, they would have the "hand out" mentality and have a different attitude. To me, it is good to be grounded in GOD and knows that in their hearts. 

Organiser, Felicia Law....

Anyway, as we left Shan's Home that day, I brought to my heart the smiles on their faces as they received their gifts/presents. I also brought to my fragile heart that it is so blessed to give to these children and see their priceless expressions. I am thankful that CLC had taken that journey of blessing and giving in the ever present Spirit of Christmas. Let us just not give during the holidays but as often as we could as we blessed Shan's Home and any other homes in need. May it be a continuous effort to continue to bless and do what we can for these children. 

Hey, if you ever find it in your heart that you would want to bless these children, call up these Homes and asked them of their needs. You will never know how much joy and blessing you bring by dropping them off at these Homes. Afterall, you do not need to have an occasion to give to the needy. You do not need to give a RM2.6 billion donation lar but it would be good but hey, a bag of groceries of essentials would surely do a lot of wonders to these Homes, I tell you. 

Little Journeyman Cafe.....WOW!

The signage....

"Dad, we have dinner reservations at Little Journeyman Cafe tonight, " Joa Wee, my son said to me as we went on to do what we do during holiday break - more sightseeing and shopping. "Great! Will see you there then this evening." I replied. 

All I know is that the cafe is opened by a young, upcoming, brilliant and talented chef in the name of LJ. I also did not get his full name but I have met him before. 

The entrance.....

Bespectacled, cool and really hip guy with a cheerful disposition. LJ is very respectful, pleasant, soft-spoken and very knowledgable of the food he is serving to his customers. Good attributes for a cafe owner! I got this by observing how this young man attended to his customers and the way he spoke to them from the time I walked into the cafe and when I was in the cafe. I guess, I can't help it as this is my expertise of the work I do for a living. Nope, not a food critic, though but I love food! Come to papa, food!

The interiors.....

Yup! Son did warned me not to messed his best buddy review and I am gonna be as pragmatic and as straight forward as possible even if it hurts. I make no apologies for what I write as I taste food or see things as they are. I guess, bluntly honest is what I do best. I guess, over the years, I've got my share of courting troubles by being blunt as I am but that is not going to change what I am. Still intact and very much the same.

The family......

Little Journeyman Cafe struck me as a really simple, eclectically rustic & classy place at the same time. I must say that I am very impressed with the rustic, soft tone yet very lovely ambiance of the place. The lights played a major part in creating that soft tone. The place makes you feel comfortable and easy. You feel right at home when you get there and it sets you into the relaxing mode. Yes, the place is a little small but quintessentially comfortable and privy in a way.

The bar counter is absolutely practical and the well lacquered boarding stood out indefinitely against the lighting. The flooring at the front was antiquity stuff which was surprisingly beautiful ( especially for an art enthusiast like me ) while the inside marbled tiles were modern, chic and matching with the lights. 

The front facade was very impressive and just the way I love it - an essential mixture of the old and the modern times. You would probably asked why the emphasis on the building and all that details, right? But alas, need I remind you that good food from the chef comes from working in the full embodiment of a great atmosphere and the great heartfelt touch of a great maestro? Everyone knows that when you have a great place to cook and work in , your heart is in the right place. I believed I captured that essence of serenity, good anxiety over the food and the general hospitality of Little Journeyman Cafe. 

Roasted chicken with creamy mushroom and fettuccine

With such a lovely setting in place, the food comes next. The menu list is truly simple. Our orders were simply the roasted chicken with creamy mushroom and fettuccine, salmon panini, smoked duck arrabiatta , salted fish and tuna spaghetti , truffle oil infused french fries , machiatoast topped with rum & raisin ice-cream and pulled pork panini. I truly loved the pulled pork panini which was served to me. 

Pulled pork panini

The caramelised onions and the tender shredded pork snuggled nicely between the bread together with some lovely sauce made it such an experience for me. It was absolutely an explosion of taste in my mouth and I love it. The arugula dressings was just right and french fries were nice side dishes that comes with the pulled pork panini. In my eyes, the hero was the pulled pork panini. Hey, the salmon panini is as good as the pulled pork panini, I tell you! Felicia had this salmon panini and she sings with delight over this! I swear , I did not make this up! It was simply delicious.

Salmon panini

I also took to taste the smoked duck arrabiatta and the truffle oil infused french fries. The smoked duck was perfectly sliced though I would love it to be sliced thinner to enable it to be thoroughly enjoyed especially the oil oozing from the duck layer of fat from the skin and the smoke infused duck meat smell. It's buttery taste and texture made it all such a gastronomical experience. The tomato and the sauce was too sour for my taste and could use a tinge of lowering down that sourness. Other than that, it was a really good dish. Maybe, a platter of smoked duck slices with a nice heap of arugula salad, quartered boiled eggs/quail eggs, croutons and lemon vinaigrette would be a great starter. That's my take on such nice pieces of smoked duck. Yummy!  

Smoked duck arrabiatta

The grand hero of the night in my mind was the truffle oil infused french fries.  Okay, the calories will rise but die die must try, lor. Truly I say to you, this is a real delight. I am still salivating as I write this post. Yup, I am still thinking of it and I really am very impressed with it. I tell you that truffle itself is pretty expensive while the oil would be the same. For a chef to serve such a fare , he must have the heart and penchant for good food & taste. So, thank you, LJ for this treat!

Salted fish and tuna spaghetti

My sister, Lee Lee and son JWee had the salted fish and tuna spaghetti fare. I took a fork spinned of spaghetti and found it to be delicious indeed. Such wonderful amalgamation of salted fish and tuna in a bowlful of goodness. It is quite a daring move to combine these flavours into the dish as salted fish can be quite overpowering. But I must say it is really a stroke of genius combining the salty taste of the salted fish and the ever sweet & meaty presence of the tuna. The tomato. mushroom and arugula dressing made it all a really flavourful punch of goodness.

Truffle oil infused french fries

Machatoast with Rum & Raisin ice-cream...

SYuen ordered roasted chicken with creamy mushroom and fettuccine. It was the very first dish to arrive. Poor girl, we all walloped her dish even before she could taste it herself. She eventually got to eat it as the "vultures" (us) cleared the skies! hahahahahahahaaaaa.......it was that good. The rich creamy mushroom sauce (with cheese , of course ) made it such a delectable dish. The roasted chicken was perfectly seasoned and tasted real good. This dish comes perfectly good with fettuccine. For someone like SYuen who loves cabonara sauce with her spaghetti , this is just perfect for her. Rich, flavorful, creamy and hearty is what I would describe this dish. No second guessing on goodness for this one. 

Front entrance at night....lovely...

Machatoast with rum & raisin ice cream for dessert comes next. The green spread thingy on the toast can be quite daunting for the eyes but once you get round to the taste of green tea, you'll be surprised with the combo of rum & raisin ice -cream. I like the taste but I don't like the look of it. Yeah, it taste better than it looks, absolutely! 

Front entrance....uniquely lovely and relaxing.....

To top off a fine dinner night, I had a cup of Americano coffee. Oh Yeah, it capped off nicely a wonderful night of great food, lovely ambiance and a great family get together for us. ( Lee Lee, JWee, Felicia, SYuen, SLing and myself ). 

I was told that I had missed out of Rachelette dish which is the house speciality of melted cheese on a platter of goodness. I promised LJ and my son, JWee that we would be back and we would try this soon enough. We were stuffed to the brim that night. 

I must say that the size portions of the food served were good and enough. I am particularly irked by proprietors who are stingy on their portions to the customers and also on their herbs, spices and so on. While I am super respectful of the fact that food wastage is a real problem too, I believe that no matter what, good food & right portions must go hand in hand.  I am proud to say that Little Journeyman Cafe food portions are good size portions and good quality food.  I am happy that I could taste every morsel of herbs, spices, garnish or even the aromatics in each dish. I am particularly irked if proprietor cut corners during food preparations as it misplaced that food or that quality of food. I may not be a rich man but I am always overzealous old man over the good food I partake.

So, thank you , LJ & your crew at Little Journeyman Cafe for a wonderful food gastronomical experience at the cafe. Like the famous quote by General MacArthur, " I shall return! " but mine would be " I shall return for more! " In the meantime, Inspire & may your cafe flourish to continue to entice the palate of the food nomads in Penang, LJ!

BTW, if you are wondering if I got a free meal for writing this, you are nuts coz' I paid for every one  of those dishes we ordered including my Americano and I expect no favours except good food!  I do not believe in getting free meal because I believed that everyone has got the right to earn a living including Moody Cow Cafe's RM 26.00 slice of cempedak cake! 

Botanica Mansion

Mansions have always intrigued me in many ways. It is always about some rich fella falling off the grid due to sudden sharp fall in finances or the death of a loved one or even reasons of their own. To me, it makes no difference as this world and reality are such cold cold facts! Yeah, I mean, I am a sentimentalist but facts are facts. It is a blardy cold cold world we lived in when it comes to people and make no mistake about that! Anyway, my sis thought it would be nice for us to take a good look at this mansion turned posh restaurant and hotel. I wasn't disappointed, I must say though it was a brief stop.

The garden entrance....

I must say, Botanica Mansion looked marvelous on the exterior and the interiors too. Architecturally ; built solidly and yet well maintained and quite quint, actually. The doors, door handles and the hinges looked authentically English and the facade looked very nice, actually. The garden is well kept and groomed.The lush greenery surrounding the mansion makes it quite a place. A seat at the front overlooking the lush greenery and landscape of Balik Pulau makes it quite a view.

The mansion garden....

The garden walkway....

The interiors...lovely settings

My rustic charm in the mansion...

Taukeh neo and taukeh for the day!

I kinda like the mansion feeling of it though I know, I can't well afford to stay here nor eat its food , to be honest. Yeah, just a regular bloke with what I have won't make it here but I'll be game for a visit, though. Got a sneak peek of the interiors as the staff were preparing for Christmas Eve dinner and I ain't part of it. So, it is best to pick up my butt and scoot out of there and see the other parts of the mansion. I must mention with great enthusiasm that the male toilet is super nice in many ways. I like the old English feel of it with the modern twist , of course. Yeah, the women loved the toilets too as we all take a leak before going back to our food trail!

Found this hanging at the door handle....so cute

Toilet indicator on the wall.....female

Toilet indicator on the wall...male

What will I do if I get to own such a mansion? I seriously would not know what to do except to do what the owners of Botanica Mansion are doing, I guess.  They are doing a pretty good job, actually. The fresh air and lovely view are such a change. The hacienda like accommodations looked pretty awesome too..... don't you agree?

SLing, SYuen. Felicia and my sis, Lee Lee.

The hacienda looked accommodations and walkways....