Finding Inspiration

Where do you find inspiration? Up in the sky. Down by your feet? On Pinterest? In a strange city, at a strange coffee shop! staring at a man that reminds you of Clark Kent, remembering how the feel of a newspaper is both romantic and informative?

I wanted to share some inspiration with you this morning. Its Monday. We we need it just like we need sunshine, creamy coffee, and frisky red wine. or maybe thats just me.

I love you. No biggie.

Inspiration from my bedroom dresser. Big blue nail polish from Butter London. A domino with my favorite number on it. Dangle earrings from Soledad. A pink fashion clutch from ooooold times Banana Republic.

Inspiration from characters. A man taking tickets on a train from St. Louis to Chicago at 4:30 in the morning. He had a lot of things in his pockets, and his mustache makes me want to make beer so he could drink it and I could giggle at his beer mustache.

Inspirati! on in a middle America sunrise. I want coffee and I want it dirty. What does that even mean? that there needs to be a tractor around? Yea.

Inspiration in colors happening.

There really is so much for us to see we just have to stop and see it.

Inspiration in the greats.

T.S. Eliot is one of my favorite poets.

I stood in front of his teenage home in St. Louis and I cocked my foot to the side juuust so. so my feet would look like those cool fashion bloggers. They always have their toes turned in.

clearly I need to read more Eliot.

Inspiration in old shapes.

This heater makes me crave Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. Right?

Inspiration in friendship. Even in our thirties, we take the time to do each others hair. Its in us. We also speak our hearts, and laugh like monsters thats in us too.

Theres color and beauty in most everything. Lets remember to see it to really see it, let in sink in, let it help us create.

Find more inspiration in t! hese spe cial places on the internet. Take a few minutes youre important.

Baked Bree big.beautiful.bright.food.

A Sweet Spoonful food.words.tenderness.

Design Love Fest girl.you.so.crazy.talented. ..dang..

Hungry Girl Por Vidareal.pretty.life.

Dapper Paper man and wife.paper and such.

Lauryl Laneflowers.greens. weddings so nice.

Bonnie Tsangoh.what.you.capture.

Happy Hour at Al-Amar Express, Kuala Lumpur

Let's Meet Up After Work at...

Al-Amar Express

From 4pm to 8pm daily, Al-Amar Express is offering Happy Hour for cocktails and beers. For every 2 cocktails or beers purchased, you will get 1 free. Wouldn't it be nice to unwind with a cocktail or two after work, for a quick catch up with your friends or simply to people watch (Al-Amar Express is at a great spot right in Bukit Bintang)... (promo valid til end of May 2012). On Fridays and Saturdays, Al-Amar Express is also open til 5am.

There is a good selection of cocktails available - 11 types to be exact. Prices range from RM24 to RM28 each. I tried the Mojito (RM26), Caipiroska (RM24) and Strawberry Daiquiri (RM26) which were all nicely prepared.

Mojito (rum, soda water, brown sugar, mint leaves, lime wedges)

Strawberry margarita (tequila, triple sec, strawberry puree, fresh lime juice)

Caipiroska (vodka, lime wedges, brown sugar)

Strawberry Daiquiri (rum, triple sec, strawberry puree, lime juice) - a pretty ladies drink ;)

Frozen margarita (tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice) - RM24

If cocktails are not your kind of drink, there is always beer.. with the same great offer.. buy 2 free 1. Choose from Corona (RM25), Heineken (RM22), Guinness Stout (RM25), Almaza (RM20) and Tiger (RM22).

Al-Amar Express also stock 3 types of excellent Lebanese wine from Chateau Musar, by the bottle or glass.

Fancy some shis! ha?< /div>

What's a foodie gathering without some food eh? Love the hommos (RM12.90), tabbouleh (RM16.50) and moutabal (RM12.90) appetizers! Delicious, affordable food!

Moutabal (mashed aubergine mixed with sesame seed paste and lemon juice)

Warak Enab (vine leaves stuffed with rice, tomato and parsley)

Both the haloumi salad (RM20) and grilled chicken salad (RM20) are fab. That's not all, we also sampled the small pastries with different types of filling, shawarma as well as the whole spicy grilled (RM38) and roast chicken (RM38). Though the spicy grilled one didn't look as pretty as the whole roasted chicken, I favoured the grilled one in terms of taste and the meat also stayed very moist and juicy. And I adore the fries here (dipped in the garlic sauce of course!). Manakeesh, the Lebanese version of pizza was highly popular with our table, I enjoyed the spicy chicken with cheese - going for a couple of slices myself ;) Read my previous review here.

Grilled chicken salad

Small pastries

Lamb sambousik

Spicy chicken with cheese manakeesh (RM17.90)

Kafta with Cheese Manakeesh (RM17.90)

Whole roasted chicken

Beef and chicken shawarma platter (RM24.90 each)

Executive Chef Mohd Arzouni came out to say hello!

The girls

The Boys

Thanks Ralph and Fatboybakes for extending the invite!

Quay Po, J Chocoholic, Witch and Baby Sumo

Great food, cocktails and company, what else can we ask for? ;)

Join them on Facebook or Twitter for latest updates and promotions.
!
Open ing times: 8am to 1am daily (5am on Fri & Sat)

Pork-free.

Location: Al-Amar Express, Lot G-44 (01), G-44(02), G-44(03), Ground Floor, Fahrenheit 88,
179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2141 3814

Website: http://www.al-amar.com/

Amu Coconut Villa Seafood Restaurant@Kampung Cina.

The predominating Foochow enclave in Sitiawan is not only famous for it's red rice wine chicken and kompiah- fresh seafood / toddy are available in many restaurants in Kampung Cina.

After a visit to the hottest place to visit this year-the new KUAN YIN temple in Pasir Panjang which is a ten minutes drive from Kampung Cina.

We went to Amu Coconut Villa Seafood Restaurant@Kampung Cina for for our late lunch.

Parking is ample.


Steamed Flower Crabs @ Rm40/kg- fresh, sweet and meaty. Deep fried Sha Joi (Silver Whiting)-crisp and sweet white flesh. Fried Tong Fun (glass noodle) with shrimp, squid, beansprout, spring onion, egg-a bit oily.

Oyster omelette- golden brown and very fluffy with tiny oyster-goes well with Kampung Koh Chilli sauce Stir fried Sweet Potato Leaves with garlic-leafy and thick stem. Fresh fragrant young coconut after the meal.
Total bill:Rm73/
Location: Kampung Cina,
Sitiawan, Perak.

Splash Pizza

A laid-back alfresco pizzeria at PJ's Palms Sport Center, perfect for kicking back after work.

Wood-fire pizzas are the highlight; this Big Blue, topped with blue cheese, cheddar & mozzarella, is one stinky thin-crust treat. It's all cheese & all good.

The Bollywood: spicy lamb sausage, spinach & raita. Decent, though some might prefer a pizza loaded with more toppings. Prices are fair; six-inch choices cost an average of RM16, while the 12-inch ones are around RM28.

Need more pizza? Drive 15 minutes to Bangsar's Italian Tomato, where wood-fire wonders also await, including one topped with anchovies, basil, tomatoes, mozzarella & parmesan.

Gorgonzola, mozzarella & cream sauce pizza. Its flavor is surprisingly mild, indicating that the mozzarella-to-gorgonzola ratio is likely 5:1.

This savory-spicy one is another lamb sausage pizza (yes, we like our sausages), but more generously topped than Splash's version, with plenty of grilled peppers, olives, chili flakes & ricotta cheese. RM28++ for a regular serving.

Need more pizza? Drive another 15 minutes to Bukit Damansara, where La Risata's well-laden pies attract full-house crowds on weekends.

Pizza with panache _ a white one, free from tomato sauce but still punched up with flavor, thanks to ridiculously juicy smoked duck, rocket leaves, anchovies, caramelized onions & mozzarella. Definitely the best-looking pizza in this entry.

More pizza! From La Risata, drive 10 minutes to Verona Trattoria at PJ's Section 17, where t! he Quatt ro Stagioni is for folks who can't decide which flavor to order. Of these four quarters, the meaty ones blanketed with chicken & beef seem more satisfying than the vegetarian slices.

And if you're still feeling passionate about pizza, drive to Ampang, where Earth Food serves relatively healthy creations with organic, preservative-free ingredients.

A stone-oven sensation: Going Coconut, topped with coconut kernels, Gula Melaka & mozzarella, broadcasting predominantly Malaysian flavors that a Nyonya grandmother might love.

Panzerotti, stuffed with onions, garlic, mushrooms, basil & mozzarella. Could be more aromatic, but in terms of textural fulfillment, it passes the test.

KWV Pinotage 2008 at Splash Pizza. Gotta have the booze.

Splash Pizza,

PJ Palms Sport Center, Petaling Jaya.