My New "Old" Ride

The deal came through just days ago. My good friend David Lai finally parted with her after the loan documentation and the transfer forms were signed.

The Audi A4 B5, 1.8 litres, turbo-charged! Power on demand with a demeanor of a compact executive! I can't believe I'm in possession of it right now. During my early days of practice, the dream of driving the car with the "4-rings" began to spawn. I've always seen myself in this car. Just something so right about it.

It's a well thought of car. Probably over-engineered, just like the Mercedes Benz W124 generation.

A little wobbly at first, but nothing more than replacing the shock absorbers and tires and completed with a indispensable wheel alignment and balancing. She ploughs through the freeways now. The ride is a tad bit bumpy; can't help it with the 215/40/18 profile, but she's much stiffer now after implementing the pair of Eibach Prokit springs in the front. Then again, nothing unusual to me since my Proton Waja had a similar feel. I kinda like a stiffer ride somehow. It's a more planted feel on the road, especially as she roars through corners effortlessly.

A few things about this automotive marvel in the 90's which really tickled my fancy:-

• The center console comes with an ergonomically placed and adjustable armrest, making driving a pleasure when I can rest my left arm firmly on the plush leather.

• Leather seats!
  

• The delivery of power thanks to the light-pressured turbine is useful for getting out of tight situations or beating the lights before they turn!

• It doesn't guzzle fuel. I get about 420 kilos on a full tank (before reaching the reserve tank) and roughly about 18 cents to a kilometer on RON 95 gas!
  

• The ride is silent and comfortable, even for a 2001 manufactured car!
  

• The multi-display in the dash at a glance tells you the fundamental readings like fuel/100km, engine temp and oil temp. Not to mention the volt meter which most cars I've driven lacks.

• It's a 5-speed automatic transmission which shifts quite seamlessly. The fuzzy logic systems ensure that descends are controlled and acceleration comes in a jiffy!

• The adaptive or variable sensitivity steering instill confidence in any driving condition or speeds.

• The climate control air-conditioning is remarkably adaptive and keeps the cabin cool enough for me in this hot and humid country

• The 90's look of the exterior and interior of the car. Never loses it's appeal.

The Audi is in between the choices of cars which I had in my mind. I was torn between a used 2.0 litre car Japanese car for a little bit more kick whilst running it on a budget and newer continental cars which are renowned for their safety and handling but costs significantly more. Looks like this one came in between. I am contented!

The car is going in for a full check-up on Saturday. Lest I am a bum, I will continue the efforts David expanded to maintain the Audi to make sure she's in tip-top condition!

One Leaves, One Stays

Our colleagues took Kam Thai (that's me on the left) and Izalia out for dinner the night before.

Venue: Madam Kwan's at the Pavilion.
Both finished their long and arduous pupillage as a necessary
'rite of passage' into the ranks of lawyering.

Whilst Kam Thai harbour dreams of joining the AG's Chambers,

Izalia decides to stick around with us

Lip Jeen (left), a young lass joined us not too long ago.
She works under Fon Lin (right) on a regular basis,
sponging up the knowledge in conveyancing practice

Juk Chee and Christine Chan. Our two youngest lawyers on board.
JC is my right hand in shouldering the banking litigation portfolio.
Christine is also coming of age.
Both of whom I love to throw my weight around on. :)

Lan Fang and Jian Min, the corporate department's dynamic duo.
Where there's one, the other is not too far away.

Ordering food is never an easy task for lawyers...

...thanks to a certain Sankar Supramaniam who'd take
ages to decide on his choice to tickle his fancy.

I have to say it was nice of Tuck Hau to organise this dinner.
He's now the youngest pupil in the firm and is almost certainly seen
dispatched to the library for research every day.

Here we have Fon Lin demonstrating the legendary
chicken wing-in-flight fist!
I think she's camera shy...

Poor straw after Lip Jeen's gnawing prowess. Poor girl probably
to stressed up with her Ethics examinations the next day.

Desert time is always my favourite! It always proves the
theory that "there's always room for desert"!
The banana fritters with ice-cream was
Sankar's choice of a sweet tooth indulge.
Observing the phallic symbols, I couldn't help but to diss him ,
"Where God did not give you in length, he gave you in duplicity"

I personally picked out the Sago Gula Malacca.

Madam Kwan makes them really good.
The sago beads do not clump together
and the coconut milk is so rich.
I knew I was sugar high as I was trying to get Kam Thai to give
his farewell speech, I asked him "Any last words?"
Rephrasing didn't help either especially when it came
out as "What do you have to say for yourself?" I
decided to shut up and enjoy the rest of the
evening with this bunch of psychos!

Balinese Dining: Bora Asmara

I first heard about this place when Stanley Tai invited me to his wedding dinner (which I couldn't attend) last weekend. ~ A Balinese restaurant I never knew was tucked away in Kg. Sg. Penchala all this while. This resplendent set-up has been around for some years now. ~ I've been reading blogs of various food connoisseurs with mixed reviews from pricey o downright tasteless food. ~ "A matter of different taste buds". ~ I think the adage of the proverbial meat and poison best applies here.

This place greets your arrival with the sound of a 'gong!' I felt awkward being subject to a small taste of a royal entrance. The ambience is of the place appeals to me. Ambient lightning with al fresco seating (2 air-conditioned dining halls too if you prefer), by the pond with the soothing sound of water or a more private setting in the bisek-bisek (private little huts) with floor seating. I thought the facade was brilliant!

A soothing glass of Saloma, a concoction of water melon juice, lychees and topped with whipped cream is always good to tantalize the tastebuds and on a humid day like last weekend, I can't think of a more cooling beverage. ~ Perhaps a touch of lime juice and a dash of mint leaves might have left it a more "balinese" tasting drink. Then again, that's me.

The ikan tiga rasa (3-taste fish) deep-fried garouper and topped with sweet, sourt and spicy sauce and garnished with capsicum, coriander and onions was certainly interesting, although I thought the chef could have layed off the flour a bit. ~ The fish was fresh. I didn't ask, but I think they could have used this preparation for chicken breast or soft-shelled crab.

The pandan chicken was tasty and not too bad, but I am partial to the ones served at Ampang Yong Tow Foo in SS2. ~ To avoid having a 3rd protein dish, we ordered kangkung belacan (watercrest stir fried in fermented fish paste) which for me is almost mandatory when having rice meals in reastaurants.

All in all, I'd give Bora Asmara a 7.0/10 for decent-priced food, friendly & prompt staff and ambience (at night, that is). Not particular impressed with the limited parking space out front. The variety seems interesting but my taste buds tells me it's not as authentic as it's made out to be. Definitely a place to have a quiet and enchanted evening away from urban areas though.

If you're interested to savour the culinary offers at Bora Asmara, here is the address and contact info:

Bora Asmara
Lot 2933,
Kg. Sungai Penchala
Jalan Damansara
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 - 77260964
Fax: 03 - 7726 9064
Email: baraombak@gmail.com

(To get there: enter the Penchala link on the LDP after The Curve, Drive another approx 1.5 km and bear left. Go down the ramp and keep left at the lights. Take the left and another left at a T-junction. A mosque will be on your right at the junction. BA is approx. 600m from the T-junction from which you turned in)

Surrogates

Synopsis:

FBI agents Tom Greer (Bruce Willis) and Peters (Radha Mitchell) investigate the mysterious murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves – fit, good looking remotely controlled machines that ultimately assume their life roles – enabling people to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

• Razia simply described it as "a stupid movie!"...

• Surrogates rated 40% on the "Tomatometer" with a resultant consensus that though the flick sports a slick look and feel, Surrogates fails to capitalize on a promising premise, relying instead on mindless action and a poor script...

• Movie aficionados and bloggers gave it slightly more than a 5 over a scale of 10 because it's a Bruce Willis flick.
  

• For me, possible one of the biggest waste of opportunity to hit the box office given the plot had so much potential, unfortunately, the development was immensely unimaginative and lack originality.
  

FBI agents (BRUCE WILLIS and RADHA MITCHELL) investigate the mysterious murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to...

This author opines that Surrogates was a result of a lack of two-critical elements in a good movie... a capable director and a good script writer. Although Willis did a fair job in developing Agent Greer's character alongside Mitchell and Rosamund Pike who played his wife, the production of the movie seemed to be an afterthought and a poor attempt at reinventing the same theme.

For me, it was inescapable the movie appeared to bear striking similarities with:

• Matrix where human minds are plugged into in a CG generated world whilst their bodies are used as batteries to power machines which have taken control of the world. The Wachowski brothers commendable work of blending surreality and action gave us the slow-mo panning sequences and gravity defying scenes.

• Terminator mechanized humanoids with grafted human skin on metal endo skeletons programmed to wipe out humanity. The theory of uprising machines over man has always played into our imaginations.
  

• I Robot with the exception the robots here,called surrogates are manipulated by their human owners through a hive network.
  

• would you think of A Nightmare on Elm Street? I could not help it, especially when people who get slain in their dreams actually end up dead! Of course the protoganist in that horror flick was a poorly dressed and badly burnt psycho, but the premise of the linked mind and body experience is nothing so new.
  

If only this silver screen rendition was directed and written by M. Night Shyamalan, Bruce Willis may have had the saving grace of being paired with eccentric director and even if the movie fails to hit the box office marks the audience would have been more forgiving.

Surrogates was an utter waste of time, tasteless and un-original.

2 Birthdays, Several Colleagues and A Dozen Donuts! and Cupcakes

October 5th, my nutty colleagues took it upon themselves to
celebrate my birthday, which was a day before.

A dozen donuts, a candle and a bunch of nutty colleagues makes the
perfect ingredients to make
an uneventful evening, well...eventful!
Observe the macho indian (Sankar) standing outside my room,
trying not to appear to be indulging but still partakes nevertheless!

No surprise to mine, Yee Boon just has to mutilate something...

Fon Lin, Lan Fang and Juk Chee

Observe Juk Chee with her note pad.
I was having a discussion with her actually when
the rest of my colleagues walked...no... barged in :)

Jian Min, Tuck Hau and Lip Jeen (our two pupils) and of course, Mr. Tan's belly...:)

Nothing like having some nice bottled tea to wash down those scrumptious donuts...

Fon Lin, Tuck Hau, Kam Thai, Lip Jee (b girl), Jia Min and Juk Chee

October 6th. Lip Jee's birthday celebration.
Different room, different cake(s) but same office crowd
(with the exception of indian who was occupied with boss).
Creative! A dozen cupcakes of sorts this time.
The girls penchant for sweet things really showed this week!

Yee Boon demonstrating the correct way to execute the
one finger salute!

Sweet confectionary but most important, sweet friends!