Holding Court: The View we have been waiting for!

 

I like rooftop bars. I like to have a bit of wind around the nose when I sit down to unwind. Staring at a PC all day long, I like to cast my eye to the distance, just gazing. What was missing in Setia Alam was a place where one could be above it all. Finally, with the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott, this gap is now plugged. 

Right smack in the middle of Setia Alam towers the Courtyard by Marriott, which is adjacent to the mall and thus ideal to have a relaxing drink after a day replenishing wardrobe, fridge and getting a fill of action in the movie theater. Majestic is one way to describe the hotel as the developer has been generous with space and marble.

The pool bar is facing East, high enough to overlook most of the vibrant township. It is certainly a counter proposal to the other establishments around, as it is a little less hectic than, say, having a beer in a food court. 

Having seen the rooms, we know where to put visitors from now on and we are eagerly awaiting May 18th, when we host our first company event here. 

Holler if you would like to catch up over a tipple!

Up, Up and Away: The Inaugural Airline Awards Malaysia

 

Now, this should be interesting: The Expat Group (TEG) is organising an Airline Award. Flying has certainly changed a little post-pandemic, hence this should be a good initiative to gauge the service levels offered by the many airlines that are flying in and out of Malaysia.

Following discussions with a number of the airlines flying into and out of Malaysia, TEG have decided to organise annual airline awards to recognise the efforts they make to provide a reliable, safe, and efficient service to the flying public. They believe this will not only mean the better players are recognised, but also help to raise industry standards.

What most people like about the format is that the airlines themselves will not be allowed to sponsor the show, thus eliminating bias as much as possible. Also, it is the public that votes. The very people that would have first hand experience with the services provided. And this is why I got involved.

The award will be presented early next year. For this, the M Resort & Hotel provides the venue. TEG has appointed me as one of their Agents (002) to assists with the sales and marketing of the AAM. Anyone interested in supporting the event may get in contact with me via stefan@launchpad.com.my 

Omakase - Something Different Every Time, all the Time

 
The term "Dining Experience" is usually thrown into any description of an F&B outlet. To me, an experience goes beyond just the transaction of having a meal to feed your body with nutrients and energy. There is more to it. And nothing encapsulates that "experience" part of it than an Omakase (Japanese, I leave it to you / chef's choice). It is the "surprise me" without having to say it. 

So then! Off we are to https://www.tenomakase.com/ to give it another go. And boy! This was truly something else. Each dish was a dance on the culinary stage. Freshness of ingredients, presentation and taste were all top-notch. With Japanese food, the hallmark is freshness and so it is not surprising that many of the dishes incorporate raw items. A sign of confidence and skills.

After six of the eight courses we added a dry-aged Wagyu sashimi, which jetted our experience into the stratosphere. Until that point, it was all seafood and although stunning, something different was needed to cut through that taste profile. 

Ten Omakase only sits 10 or 12 people. There is a Chef for every group of people that dines and one has a dedicated waitress to look after one's every need. One should think that two hours could be a drag, but with that kind of experience, it goes by in a heart-beat while leaving you longing for more. 

Would come back? 9.5 out of 10

#Omakase #TenOmakase #Subang #Eat #Drink #Sake #Food #Japan #DateNight

Luftpumpe

It struck me as odd that we used to have a "luftpumpe" attached to our bicycles at all times when we were kids. How often did we really have a flat? And when we did, then nobody seemed to have an inner tube or the tools to fix the punctured one anyway. So these Luftpumpen ended up as water cannons in the pool, being light-sabers and generally just deadweight.

Nowadays, cars oftentimes don't even carry spare wheels anymore. There is a kit that helps you inflate the tyre in case of a puncture. 

My point: ditch the Luftpumpe as they are only helpful in very rare cases. 

Friday Night is Steak Night

 

It is a bit of a (rigid) ritual: Friday night is steak night. We grab our meat sometimes a week in advance. When we find a nice piece in the butcher's shop we just grab it and think about how we are going to prepare it. 

Then we have a relaxed cook-off whereby we split between the sides and the steak. Sometimes we grill it on a Korean BBQ, other times it is pan-seared and oven finished. We play around with this. 

Photo above is a nice, thick piece we grabbed. The finishing touch here was to cook it in bacon oil, which I had from breakfast making a semi-full English. The roasted garlics go super-well with the meats. As Rosemary is not always available, we substitute with Sage. Weird-isch, but in a nice way.

#Steak #Cooking #Friday #Grill #BBQ #Meat #Beef #experiment 

Weekend Activity

Visiting relatives with a bit of land is always fun. A quick moped ride (my first since my accident in Sydney in 2000....) to the Durian orchard in the morning to harvest ingredients was a lot of fun. We went to harvest Birdseye chili. The red and green. I look a little pained cos there are about 197 ants crawling up my legs, biting me. Why? I don't mean them no harm, they are the aggressors. 

The result: totally worth is standing in an ant hill, fighting off all sorts of flying insects and the prospect of snakes on the bike (what's that movie about?). 

What Shape is YOUR Body?

 

Before we get into any debate about "Over or Under" for the toilet paper, let me ask this: 

Who puts the holder THERE? How would you even be able to reach that?

#Fail #Design #Construction #Autsch #Toilet #Designtoflush