Happy Anniversary Bibik n Wak Joe

Bibik Koyah (her full name is Rudziah) is my mom's sister. I have been really close to her ever since the day I started college in Kuala Lumpur doing my "A" levels. Weekends were spent at her house as I wasn't that keen staying at the hostel - lousy food; no privacy (as you would expect from an introvert) etc....Wak Joe and she would pick me up Friday evenings and send me back Sunday nights!

She was kind enough to let me stay at her house despite the fact that she only had a two-bedroom low cost house. After I left for England, she started her food business and it has thrived by leaps and bounds. Now she has this huge double storey bungalow in Kg Melayu Subang which is quite empty as all her children except for one have moved out of her house....It's one of those paradoxes of life.

Anyway, last Thursday was Bibik and Wak Joe's 34th Anniversary and she wanted to have dinner at Thaba. It was planned that Thursday night would have been their anniversary dinner...What can I say, Man proposes God disposes! Her second daughter, Ulun who's in Johor Bahru gave birth to a 4.2kg baby boy (normal delivery okay!!! According to her husband the birth was an easy one and she was even laughing while delivering the baby). So there Bibik went to JB to pick her daughter and grandson (her 4th grandchild) and we had to reschedule the dinner to last night (my parents had to give it a miss because they had to go back to Muar Thursady evening).

Dinner at Thaba was brilliant as usual except that the celebrated arrived after we had finished our meal because of a massive traffic jam due to exodus of KLites making their way to various destinations for the school holidays.

Happy Anniversary again from all of us!!!!

Our Northern Indian fave

You might ask what's with the map? Our fave northern indian cuisine restaurant must be Thaba Village Restaurant along MRR2 (it's B13 on the map above and click here for the link). I was looking for it's address in the net and found this map which points to the restaurant.

Anyway if you take AKLEH (Ampang Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway) - take the MRR2 exit and as you drive into MRR2 there will be a sikh temple on your left and drive slowly in the most left lane and turn the next left which leads to Kampung Ampang where Mei Keng Fatt fatty crab situates (my partner's friend's [from Brunei] favourite place). As you turn in, Thaba is on your right (a bungalow which is lit with multi-coloured lights).

We are taking out my best friend, Yo and his assistants Yeh & Ajak who were instrumental in running the Ruby Anniversary dinner a success tonight (my sister, her hubby and my brother have been invited along too).

What we normally order are Lamb Shahjahani Briyani (cubed lamb steamed with briyani rice served with hard-boiled egg and kenyan green chilli - heavenly. It's not oily and the lamb is gorgeous! Be warned, the portion can be big for a small eater but Yusof can finish 1.5 portion here. Make sure you order the Shahjahani Briyani as most of our friends and relative whom we recommend do not bother browsing the menu and end up with plain chicken/lamb briyani!), plain dhal, chicken tikka, kashmiri and garlic butter nan and the chapati (perhaps one of the best I have tasted in KL because it's not dry!).

Apparently the crab masala is brilliant too (we have not tried this, though!) Wifey loves the teh tarik here and so does Khadijah and Yusof. The iced lemon tea is done just right here...not too sweet to my liking! And to top it all, ask for banana flambe for dessert (NB: the kulfi is not that nice here).

Whilst you wait for your order, the ladies can shop at this little "bazaar" which carries items from Kashmir like pashmina, table cloth, cushion covers etc...!

Shahjahani Briyani...here I come!

The Dinner

You guys must be bored to death already with my Ruby Anniversary postings. Hey! One for the road guys!

My brother reached Muar at about 5pm to fetch my parents and it was raining cats and dogs along the way! When he arrived dad was cleaning up the porch and driveway because there was a flash flood. Mybrother was sooo hungry that he had his meal first and when he finished, my parents were still not ready yet. When they were finally ready..he was pressed for time to reach Langat 8.30 pm that he had to drive like an F1 driver all the way!

Menwhile, we in Langat had a series of black outs...The resort is powered by a private generator and they were heavily overloaded that night because they had 5 events running at the same time which they admitted (only after our event) that the generator could not cope! Luckily they have a back up generator and power was restored just before my parents arrived. Otherwise I would have sued them personally...Nah...just kidding!

Well the dinner turned out fine. I shall let the pictures below do the talking!

Swarmed with emotions - hugging dear sister.

Hiding actual emotions - that's dad for you!

Looking perplexed and feeling surreal.

Selawat (praises for our Prophet).

Hugging my brother on the way to the main table for dinner

Yusof and Afiq with their interpretation of 60's garb with the opening and welcoming speech.

Dad's brother's wife signing the guest book.

My dad's only brother at the main table.

Crooning "Dealova" - an ode to the couple

Family piccie after cutting the two tier pulut kuning (yellow gluttinous rice)

Concentrating on the video presentation

Speech by the couple - didn't know my father can be sooo eloquent and witty!

Scenes behind the Dinner

I had like 5 hours of sleep the night before the D-day as there was so much to do. Helped wife to sort out the flowers in the morning (as in cut the leaves and thorns etc) and she had to do 12 floral arrangements in the morning.

I drove first to Langat with my friends (the emcee aka Yo, the music man aka Ajak and the assistant aka Yeh) in two other cars at about 12 noon. Followed the usual way through Ampang Point/Bukit Belacan way but whaddaya know...the road was jammed right from Ampang Point. Made a detour following MRR2 through Taman Kencana (I roughly know the way but man....I got a bit lost without my entourage realizing that I was groping in the dark). Eventually made it to the road leading to Langat. Reached Langat close to 1 pm... Not long after that, my aunt from Muar arrived with the telur pindang (eggs cooked with herbs and spices) to give out to guests - a symbol of prosperity and longevity. We started unloading stuff from an MPV and two cars (imagine the amount of stuff we brought along!). My sis and hubby arrived soon after.

Couldn't do much except to place the telur pindang in the netting of the bunga pahar and assembling the sound system.

My heart dropped by the sound of thunder rumbling across the hills...It was looking very bleak but somehow it didn't rain heavily - just drizzled intermittently. Whtever it was, the show had to go on.

We were so annoyed with the resort people...They promised that we could start decorating the tables by 3.30 pm....It was already 4.30 pm and that group which gate-crashed our booking was using the lawn under the canopy for their telematch.....! Complained and complained but fell on deaf ears. We decided to concentrate on decorating the dais area plus working Yusof and Afiq on the speech and of course the rehearsal for the singing etc.

Finally at 6pm they laid the tables and chairs under the canopy. Another heart-dropping incident - the guest tables were draped in blue table cloths . Blue with our red (ruby) theme? I had the management office confirm that they have red table cloths for the guest tables....What now? Apparently they only have a few for that table size we were using! Two hours to go.....no point arguing with an incompetent lot as there were a lot of things left to be completed!

I haven't told you this....The day before the bash my parents' car broke down and they had to order spareparts from KL and they could only get it on Monday (1st April 2007)! Discussed amongst siblings and despatched my bro to fetch them!

But then, with all the odds against us, we braved through it amongst us....Thanks everybody!

Part of the floral arrangements

Telur pindang


The boys inserting telur pindang into the netting egg holder

Emcee/best friend/Yo behind the bunga pahar

Me brother coaching Afiq, his son with the opening speech

Putting the turpentine in to the kerosene lamp

Whilst the preparation was on going, the guests had a gala time frolicking in the stream.

The gynae, teacher and homemaker practising their repertoire giving Kris Dayanti, Titi DJ and Ruth Sahanaya aka three divas, a run for their money!

Menu card

Agenda

The dais prepared by my aunt with the help of my cousins

The favour with a thank you note (lyrics of Where do I begin - my parents' favourite song which is also the theme song for the night i.e. the first song in the video clip posted earlier)

The main table where my parents and their siblings and in-laws sat

The guest table

The registration table minus the guest book

Emotional & tragic but fun

Exhausted but exhilarated - briefly I can say now.....

Full of emotions - Langat flooded with tears.

Tragic moment when my youngest, Umar had a bit of an accident whilst the show was on. He went in to OT today (just because eneeded to be sedated for some 6 fine stitches) - nothing as serious as it may sound, I assure you!

Fun - Yes fun fun fun all the way although wifey and I missed half the dinner.

In the meantime enjoy this video clip which we put up at the beginning of the dinner which made some people cry...(me including despite watching it a lot of times prior to the dinner) prepared by my sister with a wee bit of help from my daughter.

A bit knackered to give full account....So much to say!

D-day

Pretty tiring day for me yesterday. Drove to Langat at about 6.50 pm and man the Friday traffic as usual was horrendous! The drive was brilliant through the hills; the mist and not so dense fog was a sight to welcome (it's not the haze ok.....!).

Reached there at about quarter to eight and immediately performed dusk prayer (Maghrib). I was quite impressed with how the place was lit up at night....exudes a romantic charm which I like!

Pictured above is the building where we are going to have the activities during the dinner bash - bersanding, karaoke etc..

Ironed out some issues which we need Mr PR man to address...Like re-arrange the canopy length wise rather than breadth-wise...in order to get a symmetry to the building (above pic) where the dais is placed.

This is what the canopies erected by the resort look like. I'm quite happy with them....They came for free! Once the table and chairs are laid out with the decor, the total ambience should be just perfect for me (you can't ask for more with a minimal budget). In any event, it's the crowd which makes the difference.

We had dinner after discussing with Mr PR man and one of the dishes we chose was deep fried fish in their three-tastes sauce(i.e. sweet sour and hot sauce). Ordered a medium sized siakap (Barramundi) but was told that it's sold out for the night. Chose tilapia instead - the sauce is rather on the "hot" side but overall - 5 out of 5 for me.

Drove back at about 10 p.m. and zonked out after a tiring day.

BTW....slept about 12 mid night.....had jitters throughout the sleep...And here I'm trying to distract from anxiety attack posting this...! Feel like I'm having a stress-induced gastric attack now...Need to eat something!

Update

Sister came up with a Menu cum Agenda card as in the picture above. I thought it's lovely. Thanks sis! The menu and agenda has jawi (arabic letters) versions next to the romanised words to keep in line with the 60s theme ( jawi prints were widely used in the 60s).

Met up with cousins and my brother separately yesterday to brief and delegate work.....And guess what? Still a lot needs to be done! (sigh)

The PRO of the resort called asking us to fax the agenda to TV9...Huh? Apparently they are interested to cover the event...I don't think it'll past the producer of the intended show....

Wish us tonnes of luck with the event!

Blessing in disguise

Drove all the way to Hulu Langat again Saturday evening to discuss and finalize on the layout of the tables etc for my parent's ruby anniversary dinner. I was told to collect the floor plan from Iskandar who mans the information counter and cashier's booth. I sort of suspected that something was amiss when he said the Marketing people did not leave the floor plan for me....but I just dismissed my suspicion! He promised to contact the Marketing people immdiately and would meet me at the restaurant once he got some news.

And off I went excitedly to the restaurant showing my best friend and his assistant, Yeh, the venue of the bash. Whe he saw the restaurant, from his face, I could tell that he wasn't all too happy! I just ignored and explained to him what we really want and ran the event sequence with him!

Whilst discussing animatedly, this PR person from the resort interrupted us saying that there's a huge problem with our booking.....WHAT? With one more week to go and he said there's a mistake? I almost blew my top........! Luckily, my parents always taught me to be patient and not jump to conclusions.. Listened, I did, to his side of the story...

Apparently, there is a certain political party group of people who had booked the restaurant before us....and even paid before we paid ours! That's a load of bu**! I had cleared with the Marketing people before we paid and the Marketing people has the booking diary with them! Yes they told us that there was another booking by another group but not firmed. I was further told that if we paid first, we got the place...And paid we did! But now.......?????

He suggested I look at the other possible venues within the resort which I flatly rejected as I didn't quite like the rest of the places (e.g. the main hall which has low ceiling and no windows). The only place which I immediately liked when I first recce the place is the lawn which has a pavillion cum stage. But there's extra cost to it like tables and chairs, canopies etc.....if we had boked the lawn. He then suggested that we used the lawn!

He assured me that the resort will subsidize the cost......I said no. It's either full costs to be borne by them OR the restaurant it is!

I was then ushered to see the MD cum owner of the resort who diplomatically said that it'd be nice to have the bash at the lawn area and can have a garden dinner concept etc....I told him, yes of course it'd definitely be nice to have it in the garden rather than the restaurant BUT what about cost? He wanted 50/50 but I said no......Finally he gave in and offered to pay for the 2 canopies, throw in banquet tables nad chairs for free, PA system for free, a couple of staff to hold bunga manggar, a gong (whatever for?), an Imam to recite the du'a, call in journalist from a local wedding magazine to cover the event ( which I doubt.....) and the list goes on.....I have to see their floor plan and what they are throwing in for free tomorrow!

It's really a blessing in disguise, don't you think?

Did a trial run for the main table today, with my daughter, and the above picture is what it's going to be like roughly (without the flowers and tall candles)!

Damage Control to the maximum

My sister frantically called me yesterday whilst I was busy at the office....I just had to take the call despite the chaotic state I was in.

She was panicking..."Mak dah tahu pasal anniversary dinner tuh...!" (Mom knows about the surprise anniversary dinner!)...I felt briefly like my soul was being sucked by Dementors. Our family friend, Auntie Y*n, had called my mom to apologize that she can't make it for the bash as she has to chaperon her daughter whose band is touring Bangkok etc during the fateful weekend.

The conversation went on something like this......

Aunt : Yam, I'm sorry that I can't make it for your anniversary dinner.

Mom : What dinner?

Aunt : (after realizing that we told her not to tell my mom) Owh...you're not supposed to know about the dinner!

At this point of time my other two aunts who were with my mom, Busu and Uteh, stared hard and blankly at each other. And when my mom asked them about it Busu was quick to say "Tak de dengar apa2 pun?" (I have not heard anything about the dinner).

Sis had to make a round of phone calls to warn my cousins, aunts and uncles about the possibilty of a-probe-call by my mom..LOL!

It happens that we were considering the possibility of engaging Auntie Y*n's son to be the official photographer for the night. So the damage control story will be (for Auntie Y*n and all of us siblings) - We invited Auntie Y*n out of courtesy because his son, Ez*d will be taking piccies for the supposedly anniversary dinner (which my parents know about- Background : The only way we could get my parents to drive up from Muar up to KL over the 31st weekend is to tell her that I will be throwing a private dinner party only amongst my siblings and issues at this exclusive place which booking was made ages ago and since this is a popular and exclusive place, it'll be such a waste if we had cancelled it. Of course they had to say yes and had to cancel their plan to celebrate their 4oth anniversary with their siblings in Muar!).

Hopefully she will believe this.....Knowing my mum who's very persistent and who can make anyone break down and confess - the calls may be sooner that one can expect!

What a DRAMA!

Further update - Ruby Anniversary

11 days to go


Total guest almost-final-count - 90 pax (about 20 children inclusive)

Dinner Menu - Thai buffet

Rice/Chinese Fried Rice
Mushroom Tomyam
Beef ginger
Chicken padprik
Dory in special three flavoured sauce
Mixed vegetable
Jelly & Mixed fruits

Entertainment - Music machine and karaoke booked

Lighting - Booked

Accommodation - a total of 8 chalets and a villa booked

Dinner favours - Potpourri and telur pindang (egg boiled in herbs and spices)

Deco and fresh flowers - Agreed

Pelamin (dais) - Arranged

Countdown

It's 16 days to go and everyone is looking forward to it! Read here, here, here and here to appreciate this entry.

Cousins, aunts and uncles have a lot of ideas on what to wear for the anniversary dinner bash but unfortunately yours truly have not even thought about what to wear. Wifey has some clothes in mind - she window shopped last week at MNG and Topshop! Apparently they have a collection of trapezes and tunic in psychedellic prints and plain ones too!

Finalizing the menu and floor plan this weekend with my sister and cousins who are helpin out. Pic above will be the poster at the entrance of the restaurant whilst the one below will adorn the walls of the restaurant for the 60s feel!

I have managed to con my parents to dress up in traditional costumes since they will be up on a dais for "merenjis" and "bersanding"!

Ruby Anniversary - Venue

Well yes, we have decided to hold the Ruby Anniversary at Agrotek Garden and Chalets Resort in Hulu Langat. Decided on the theme as well - Swinging 60's as suggested by TRM (thank you TRM!) since the wedding took place in 1967!

We (wifey, my sis and hubby, my best friend who's emceeing and controlling the event and me)had our first meeting in PJ yesterday - fantastic skeletal programme we came up with. Will share later!

In the meantime enjoy the piccies of the venue.

p/s about 63 adults and 20 children have confirmed attendance. I wont be surprised that it will go up to 100 pax. We have firmly booked a total of 8 chalets and one villa!

Dewan Perdana (multi-purpose hall) located behind Nibong Chalet


Dewan Semungkis (open concept multi-purpose hall) with attached surau (prayer hall)

The stream runing through the property. The restaurant (where we are having the bash) seen next to it. The water was not very clear (it was after a heavy downpour)

Riverside terrace chalets.

One of the fishing ponds with floating gazebos

Another fishing pond with a floating dining area which can fit about 20-30 pax.

One of the many gazebos around the resort

Exterior of a Nibong Chalet

Interior of a Nibong Chalet (only RM90/night with buffet breakfast - cheap or what?)

Ruby Anniversary Update

Just got back from a visit of all sorts from about 3 pm today.

First stop was Agrotek Garden and Chalets Resort in Hulu Langat (Semungkis area; 14th Mile). Had a grand tour of the place with wifey, my sis and her hubby. I really liked the place the minute I set foot on its ground.The chalets are clean and most importantly the bathroom too! Room rates are quite reasonable ranging from RM90 (2 pax with attached bathroom), RM130 (4 pax with attached bathroom) and a two bedroom villa for RM250 (the most expensive). They have three multipurpose halls (one of which is an open concept). This is the only setback as I really like the restaurant at Riverstone Eco Resort, Ulu Yam. We'll see what I can sort out with teh marketing and sales people. The restaurant here is also next to a stream ( I hope my sis will post pics on her blog as I did not bring my camera just now).

I think, we have made our minds as to the venue - Agrotek it is!

My cousin has just confirmed to book 7 chalets for our guests and my family and I will be housed in the villa (what a corny name to the villa - O lala Tropika Villa....).

Need to meet the master of ceremony of the bash for the agenda! He's ever so busy...sigh....! (beggars cant be chosers since he's not charging anything for his sweat and blood)

40 years of marital bliss

Mum & Dad are celebrating their 40th aniversary this coming 31st March (you dont have to remind me that I'll turn 40 next May......!).

My siblings and I are organizing a surprise dinner bash (NB : if you know my parents, hush hush ok? Comprende?) for them somewhere in a jungle retreat in the radius of 30 minutes' drive from Kuala Lumpur. I'm sick of the glitzy and often than not boring functions held at ballrooms! We were mooting the idea of having it at either Tanarimba, Sailor's Rest, Agrotek Resort or Riverstone Eco Resort.

Later today my sister and I are visiting Riverstone Eco Resort together with wifey, of course to check the place out plus a food-testing session. The restaurant, from the website, has this Balinese outdoorish restaurant feel (at least from the pic) and there is a stream running next to it- remains to be seen, though!

I have asked my best friend who has numerous years of experience in emceeing and handling functions for his company to run the show! The music machine plus karaoke system has been booked! We are cracking our heads now to come up with a theme for the bash....

Guests (my parents' siblings and their offspring) have been invited and almost everyone my sister called have indicated that they'd come (about 80-100 pax). Mmm....it'll be fun absolutely!

Will update on this from time to time!