Berjumpa Aweks @ Chawan Bangsar

Inilah pertama kali Syahr El dan Amir ke sini and thanks to my bestest girlfriends, Yaya and Iza for introducing us to this marvelous food place. It was a fine Friday Yaya turun dari JB berjumpa Iza dan mengajak ler dua jejaka tampan ini berjumpa sekali ahaks.

Memang tak menyesal la pi sini. Syahr El suka sangat menu-menu dia especially the Roti Bakar Sambal dan Roti Bakar Kaya dan pastinya yang terbest - Ubi Kayu Rebus. Sambal Kicap untuk Soto Ayam yang Amir order pun sangat mantap, I bet kalau makan dengan pisang goreng pasti meletop punya. Pow! Macam tu lah bunyi letupan kesedapannya. ahahahahah over plak kan?

Yaya ni Syahr El gelar My Sheila Majid sebab muka dia masa kat PPP dulu sangat-sangat ada iras Sheila Majid pujaan hatiku itu. Dia dan Iza ni periang orangnye dan kalau bergosip masing-masing
perrggghhhh suara diorang le paling kuat, especially Yaya heheheh (jangan marah ye Yaya). Lebih seronok lagi kalau ada Yaya dan Shazril dalam satu tempat, maunye gamat! Masa kat Chawan ni pun suara kitorang lah rasanya paling kuat bercerita itu ini heheheheh. Walaubagaimanapun diorang ni spesis kawan yang memang takkan jumpa lagi kat mana-mana lepas ni. Sangat sweet dan caring. Ramai lagi kawan-kawan seuniversiti Syahr El yang begitu sweet dan caring tapi since entry ni citer pasal perjumpaan dengan Yaya dan Iza, maka cerita pasal diorang berdua je lah ye.



Berbalik pada makanan, Yaya ordered Nasi Dagang Ikan Tongkol dan Iza pula ordered Nasi Lemak Bungkus tambah Ayam Masak Merah. Lihatlah gambar-gambar mereka bersama makanan yang diorder - nampak begitu sedapkan?

Syahr El order ABC (hehehe mana bleh tinggal desserts cenggini kan) dan Amir pula Kemaman Coffee Ice Blend. Yaya dan Iza masing-masing order Iced Tea dan Ice Lemon Tea.

Secara keseluruhan, makanan kat sini memang berbaloi walaupun harganya agak on the premium side tapi apa salahnya kalau rasanya sedap kan? Sebelum sempat Syahr El dan Amir sampai ke kereta hari tu Syahr El dah siap-siap beritahu Amir "Nanti kita datang sini lagi ya" - maknanya sedap sangar lah makanan kat situ tu!

Selamat Pengantin Baru Musya & Aishah

Selamat pengantin baru buat Musyawawee dan Aishah, moga bahagia bersama dan jodoh berpanjangan sehingga ke akhir hayat. Semoga dikurniakan anak yang ramai yang soleh dan solehah. InsyaAllah. Amin

Pizza Papa John's @ Berjaya Times Square

Amir, Mahid and I had a chance to try out this pizza outlet in Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur last month. We were picking Mahid up to spend the night at our place in Bukit Antarabangsa sebab esok harinya ada plan nak berjumpa Roy untuk berkaraoke dan kemudiannya ke Lookout Point di Ampang.

Dah lama betul kami tak keluar bersama begini. Rasanya sejak zaman di Universiti dulu, Maklumlah masa aku bekerja dulu amat sibuk sampai tak ada masa untuk kawan-kawan yang rata-ratanya guru ataupun pensyarah yang ada cuti yang banyak. Masa tak bekerja nilah aku ambil untuk spend time dengan kawan-kawan selagi boleh dan berkesempatan. Walaupun dah tak berkerja, ada juga halangan lain seperti terpaksa pergi dialysis 3 kali seminggu.

Berjumpa Mahid di Times Square ni pun selepas selesai sesi dialysis di Hospital Ampang sejak petang hari tersebut. Kali ini Mahid belanja kami (Thank you very much Che Mah) Moga rezeki beliau bertambah-tambah hendaknya dan kami doakan beliau sentiasa bahagia dan sejahtera, Amin.

CheeseSticks with Garlic Sauce

Syahr El suka makanan di sini. Sedap seperti di Vivo juga di Berjaya Times Square. Banyak jugalah kami order walaupun kononnya Syahr El sedang diet Salad. Memang ada order salad tapi yang lain belasah lah juga.. Rezaki dari Allah kan,,,

Baked Meatballs in Carbonara Sauce

For starters kami order CheeseSticks yang amat sedap dicicah dengan garlic sauce. Menjilat-jilatlah SYAHR eL dan Mahid makan dipping sauce tu. Amir tak makan sauce tu sebab dia tak suka garlic.

Cheese Baked Rice

Untuk order individual, Mahid ordered Baked Meatballs in Carbonara Sauce. Sepatutnya menu ini diserve dengan sauce pizza tapi katanya dah abis so tukarlah dengan carbonara sauce. Jadilah... tapi rasanya agak kureng dengan sauce tu. We're very sure kalau dengan pizza sauce it will taste much better.

Chef's Salad

Amir pula order Cheese Baked Rice. Memang kesukaan dia menu ni so sedap lah katanya,

Syahr El pula order Chef Salad. Ada ke patut waiter kami terlupa nak kasi tau chef untuk buat salad. So dapat lambat lah. Alhamdulillah sedap and it was worth the wait.

 All the Meats 9 inch Thin Pizza

We shared two pizzas that night, Super Papa's 9 inch Thin Pizza dan juga All the Meats 9 inch Thin Pizza. Yummy! Itu aja yang boleh dan patut Syahr El katakan... mesti cuba!

Super Papa's 9 inch Thin Pizza

So lepas perut dah kenyang we headed home dengan Mahid menjadi tamu terhormat kami heheheh. Welcome to our home Mahid.

Best of Friends Forever @ Chili's KLCC

 Roy & Mahid

Syahr El telah berpeluang menemui dua-rakan karib;  Mahid dan Roy di Chili's KLCC beberapa minggu lalu. Mereka berdua telah Syahr El kenal selama 17 tahun sejak kami belajar di Pusat Pendidikan Persediaan, Institut Teknologi MARA (PPP/ITM) di Seksyen 17 Shah Alam. Mahid dan Syahr El, we were roomates for about three years semasa kami tinggal di blok 17 di asrama Seksyen 18 Shah Alam. Roy pula tinggal di tingkat bawah bilik kami. Syahr El dan Roy juga pernah tinggal bersama semasa sesi practical kami di Sekolah Menengah Seksyen 18 dan tinggal bersebelahan bilik di tahun akhir kami di Kamsis B UKM. I wish that many more of our best friends were there that day; Shazril Helmi, Wan Irham and Azzuhri - these are my best boyfriends and we have gone through most of our early adulthood together.

I love these people so much. Mereka ni dah macam adik beradik Syahr El sendiri. Banyak rahsia Syahr El yang kami kongsi bersama dan banyak juga susah senang yang kami lalui bersama. Tetapi tidak dinafikan yang persahabatan kami memang sesuatu yang menyeronokkan, terutamanya semasa kami tinggal bersama di Seksyen 18 Shah Alam dahulu.

Kawan-kawan karib Syahr El ini semuanya berjaya dalam hidup dan bidang mereka, alhamdulillah syukur pada Allah yang kami semua dapat menikmati kesenangan hidup atas rezeki yang diberiNya.

Shazril, kawan paling rapat semasa di PPP dulu, beliaulah orang pertama yang Syahr El tegur dan bercakap semasa sesi pendaftaran di PPP tahun 1993 dulu. Dan lebih menarik lagi kami telah ditempatkan di bilik yang sama. Beliau kini bertugas di Bangkok selama 3 tahun.

Wan Irham pula ialah satu-satunya rakan dalam kumpulan kami yang telah berumah tangga dan mempunyai seorang anak. Beliau bersama isterinya Shafinah sedang meneruskan pengajian untuk Doktor Falsafah (PhD) di Kuala Lumpur. Mereka berdua adalah pensyarah di Universiti Teknologi MARA di Sungai Petani.

Roy pula sedang bertugas di Universiti Kuala Lumpur dan telah memenangi Anugerah Pendidikan baru-baru ini dari UniKL. Roy ialah seorang ahli sukan dalam bidang yang handal badminton, basketball dan bowling (Hmmmm semuanya bermula dengan huruf B heheheh) 

Mahid pula adalah seorang pensyarah di Kolej Matrikulasi di Labuan. Mahid ni very special orangnya kerana dia sentiasa happy. Tak pernah menunjukkan dirinya sedang mengalami sebarang masalah dan sentiasa ceria. Oleh kerana kami berkongsi bilik di PPP selama 3 tahun dulu, banyak rahsia Syahr El yang dikongsikan bersama Mahid sehingga kini.

Azzuhri pula ialah sahabta karib Roy. Mereka selalu kelihatan bersama semasa di Universiti dulu. Azzuhri juga seperi Mahid, selalu ceria dan tak pernah menunjukkan jika dia ada masalah. Azzuhri adalah satu-satunya rakan kami yang menjadi guru sekolah menengah dan kini berkhidmat di Kota Kinbalu.

Harapan Syahr El agar persahabtan kami ini berpanjangan sehingga ke akhir hayat. Mereka inilah sahabat sejati yang boleh diharap dalam susah dan senang. Mereka selalu mengambil berat tentang diri Syahr El dan rajin bertanya khabar, terutamanya Mahid yang kerap berhubung melalui SMS walaupun dia jauh di Labuan.

Untuk Shazril, Wan, Mahid, Roy dan Zurry, terima kasih atas pesahabatn selana 17 tahun ini. Syahr El amat sayangkan kalian.

Pada hari tersebut kami berbual sakan sambil makan tengahari bersama. Thanks to Roy and Mahid sebab belanja Syahr El dan Amir sempena hari jadi Syahr EL yang ke 35. Kami telah berkongsi berbagai cerita tentang kehidupan kami yang terkini. 

Sebagai starters kami telah berkongsi memesan Wings Over Buffalo (first photo).  I ordered the Suthwesterm Quesadilla (third photo). Ok la rasa dia, somewhat like Nachos juga. Amir ordered his usual  Country Fried Chicken (second photo) while Roy ordered the Fajita Trio (fourth photo). Mahid pula ordered Mushroom Jack Fajitas (last photo). Mahid's mushrooms looked a bit burnt but he said it tasted fine. 

Thank You Fared & Aleen

I am so blessed with many good and loving friends. Alhamdulillah.

Bila kami berada di Port Dickson tempoh hari kami telah berkesempatan untuk ke restoran seorang rakan suami-isteri, Fared dan Aleen. Sebenarnya Aleen adalah rakan semasa di universiti dulu, kami agak rapat, selalu teasing each other and yes, ada persamaan antara kami, kedua-dua Allahyarhamah bonda kami bekerja di Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Fared pula Syahr El baru kenal pada gathering kami di Marche The Curve pada tahun 2008 (beberapa bulan sebelum Syahr El jatuh sakit) dan ternyata beliau seorang yang baik dan penyayang. Aleen dan Fared juga telah datang melawat Syahr El di HKL bulan Februari lalu dan mereka datang dari jauh semata-mata untuk melawat rakan mereka yang sakit ini dan terima kasih kepada Facebook, kami kekal berhubung melalui laman sosial tersebut.

Kunjungan kami ke restoran Fared sebelum meneruskan perjalanan pulang ke Kuala Lumpur pada hari jadi Syahr El yang ke 35 disambut mesra oleh kedua-dua rakan kami dan juga ibu Fared, yang Syahr El panggil Mak. Heheheh bukan apa, seronok berkongsi kasih sayang ibu rakan sejak ibu sendiri pulang ke Rahmatullah. Hilang lah sedikit kerinduan memanggil seseorang dengan panggilan 'mak' atau 'ibu' mahupun dahulu Syahr El memanggil ibu sendiri 'Mummy'. Agak terkilan juga sebab tak pernah, walau amat teringin untuk memanggil mummy 'mak'.

Kalau sudah di restoran, pasti kami makan. Makanan di restoran Fared ini memang amat lazat. Syahr El yang sememangnya hantu tempe cicah sambal kicap bedal habis sambal kicap dan tempe Fared heheh. Sayangnya Syahr El tak makan ikan, jadi Amir lah seorang belasah seekor ikan siakap bakar.... dia kata sangat sedap! Hmmmm macam rugi je rasanya,

To Fared and Aleen, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the hospitality and thank you very much for the birthday lunch treat. Moga bisness kalian bertambah maju dan makmur. Amin.

Bad News, More Bad News...

Right now I feel numb. I just don't know what to feel anymore. This has become a routine in my life - being diagnosed with diseases, sickness, one after another. Yes, people would say "sabar" and some would say "God loves you" - maybe true but the one who is suffering is this humble superman whom is emotionally drained and grasping on his very thin Iman that he has left to not stray from his beliefs.

The latest news, 2 days ago, I was told that I am having a heart failure with only 44% of my heart functioning. No blockages in the valves whatsoever but the heart is swollen due to the strain from Renal Failure, Diabetes and Hypertension. How do I feel? Yup, saddened of course, otherwise I do not know how to feel anymore.

Partly Contributing to the Shortness of Breath I'm Experiencing

I remember when my late mom had to go for bypass and only survived a month after, she had only 30% of her heart functioning. Mind you 30 and 44 aren't that far. I am scared, yes, but at the same time I couldn't care about it anymore. My life is failing me and all I know now is to be happy and enjoy my life as much as possible. I'm beginning to list down things that I want to do before I leave for good. (I'll post the list someday, hopefully before I go for good).

I went for a CT Thorax again this morning to compare the scan with the previous one to see if the empyema (cavities containing air-fluid) in the lungs are improving. WHAM BAM! I was again served with another bad news, less than a week after knowing that my heart is giving up on me - the empyema has developed into lung abscess which simply means, my condition is getting worse (strangely I am feeling better now compared to a couple of months ago).

CT Thorax SHowing Lung Abscess

Now, with the MRSA gone (according to the latest culture, but according to the doctors it will never be gone - it stays in me for life) I have this burden of heart failure and lung abscess (also caused by MRSA) that would require surgical intervention because prolonged antibiotics (since February) and drainage attempt did not resolve the problem - the cavity is getting larger (previously 8cm, now larger) and has extended into the lungs.

I am not going to think much about my health now as I would like to concentrate on living my life to the fullest - as much as I could as time is getting shorter for me (providing I can still keep my work and have salary coming in every month, sigh!)

Whatever it is I thank God for giving me this opportunity to live life, how short it may be and that He too has given me the opportunity to experience pain - I am sure not many has gone through the suffering like I have (and of course some have definitely suffered more) - I am glad to be able to make friends and have many loving ones around me who has supported me all these while.

I will not and am not giving up easily. I am Superman.

Congratulations Nash!

It was a happy Hari Raya for Nash, Wifey and their daughter. A baby boy arrived bringing joy to the already happy family. Congrats my friend!

(c) Nash on FB

Congratulations Kim!

An ex colleague at the Blood Sucking Sicko Company was recently blessed with the arrival of a cute looking son - congratulations Kim!

Buka Puasa @ Putrajaya Lake Club with Wan

One of my closest friends, Wan or more fondly referred to as WANita Beruang is currently studying for his PhD at UPM. Since he is nearby my work area, we planned to break fast together and the place was at Putrajaya Lake Club in Pecint 8 Putrajaya.

Tukang-tukang Makan Hari Itu - Wan, Amir and Kal El

It was my second time there, the first was a dinner treat and I kind'a liked the food there. The Ramadhan spread too was ok, tak la terlalu banyak melimpah ruah tapi cukup mengenyangkan and the food pun boleh la tahan.

Believe It or Not - I had 2 Servings only - tu pun dah macam nak meletup perut!

There were choices of Nasi Putih and lauk pauk like, fish, lemon chicken, sotong, paceri nenas and two types f spaghetti, roast beef with black pepper and mint sauce, prawn mee, mee goreng mamak, rojak buah, a variety of starters and choices of desserts and fruits an macam-macam lagi lah. Air plak ada la 4 macam plus unlimited coffee and tea.

Putrajaya Lake Club Lobby/Lounge

What I liked most was the open air dining by the lake concept. Kalau on normal days for a la carte menu, they have a small restaurant to dine in. Untuk ramadhan buffet at RM48nett ni, makan ramai-ramai kat the club lobby cum lounge with maginifent view of Putarajaya Mosque and the Prime Minister's office.

Supper @ Secret Recipe Wangsa Walk with Roy

Wangsa Walk while in construction

A new shopping complex within the vicinity of Ampang/Wangsa Maju was recently opened. With banners and buntings all over, attracting me to visit the place, kononnya nak shopping ler sket-sket but sigh, takde apa sangat yang dah bukak except a few kedai-kedai kecik termasuk la Secret Recipe and TGI Fridays. The anchor, Cold Storage pun tak bukak lagi. So, we (Roy, Amir and I) decided to lepak at Secret Recipe for an early supper (padahal baru je bukak puasa) after selesai tawaf dan berterawih di dalam Wangsa Walk itu hahahahahaha.

Roy telah membelanja kami di atas kenaikan pangkatnye... tahniah Che Roy. I am very proud of you. And Amir, apa lagi dengan Roy berbual DSLR la dorang. Aku? Sibuk makan je.... dan satisfying myself guna my iPhone camera - hmmm how I wish iPhone ada 5 MP camera mcm my N95 dulo... huhuhu flash pun tarak but I love this phone because it's from someone I love very much hehehheh.

Kal EL ordered the Caramel Cheese Cake and Coffee Latte.

Kal El, Caramel Cheese n Coffee Lattee

Amir ordered the Butterscoth Pecan Cake with Banana Chocolate Shake (Sunggh tak sedap).

Amir, Bitterscoth Pecan n Banana Chocolate Shake

While Roy, the pay master ordered the Cappucino Expresso Cheese Cake with Hot Chocolate.

Che Roy, Cappucino Expresso Cheese n Hot Chocolate

Hmmmm sedap! Sangat baik untuk kesihatan ku ahahahaha bantai je... Thanks Roy!

All Boys Buka Puasa @ Tony Roma's Cineleisure

Some of the boys from The Eye Co. gathered for buka puasa at Tony Roma's Cineleisure recently. Memang seronok as all of us can be considered 'buruk lantaks' and masing-masing tak reti nak malu-malu mentekedarah. The service @ Uncle Tony's however was not as good as the food (ada ke mamat Bangla ni served us and gosh berbelit-belit la dia cakap) plus the drinks arrived late (mine was the last - sampai nak terkecik Kal El). But all in all we had a good time!

Roti Free with Garlic Sauce - Yummy (Since it's free kan)

Starters

Sirlion Steak with Ribs and Mashed Potatoes + Baked Beans

Sweet Cherry Mocktail for a Sweet Person like me (perasan!)

I ordered the Sirlion Steak with Ribs accompanied with Baked Beans and Mashed Potatoes for mains dan air yang lambat sangat tu was Sweet Cherry Mocktail (i loved it!) For starters, we all shared the Platter consisting of Onion Rings, Chikcen Nuggets and Potato Skins.

Inilah dia Jantan-Jantan Best itu...

The menu has somehow changed since the last time we were there (and that was last year also during Ramadhan - and macam kat Chilli's gak - they have stopped offering Country Fried Steak - damn! Mana aku nak carik menda alah tu la lepas ni? Kat Bubba Gump je la yang ada (I hope this still have it lah)

A Mini Reunion with Ex Roomies

Dalam hidup Kal El hanya ada beberapa orang yang Kal El amat sayang dan anggap sebagai kawan hingga ke akhir hayat. Among them, are my ex roomates semasa Kal El belajar di Seksyen 18 Shah Alam tahun 1993 - 1995 dulu. Pada Kal El, merekalah yang memahami isi hati, perangai, kemahuan serta peribadi Kal El. Bagi Kal El I will go to the end of the world for them. Mereka ini tak lain dan tak bukan adalah Mahid, Wan, Shazril and my neighbours then, Roy and Zurry. Memang Kal El ramai kawan lain tapi this particular set of friends that I have are the most special ones - the people whom I trust my darkest secrets with.

Mahid and I

Last weekend we had a small reunion but too bad only three of us were there; Mahid from Labuan and Roy from Selayang (heheheh). Memang walaupun Roy dekat tapi bukan selalu dapat bertemu. Wan is currently persuing his doctorate (InsyaAllah he'll be the first to hold the title pak Doktor) and had to go back to his wife for the weekend. Shaz who is currently in Bangkok working pulak missed the reunion by a week - only the week before he was here but tak sempat pun jumpa sesiapa. Zurry on the other hand sedang menjalankan tangggungjawab di KK. So last weekend the small reunion we had was a happy occassion indeed walaupun tak cukup curoum.

Roy and I

The day started with Roy and me pergi ke kedai accesory kereta for our Livvy (oh we have the exact same Livina - same colour, same model, same everything!) then we picked Mahid up from the Wangsa Maju LRT station and went eagerly straight to Melawati for durians! Lepas la rindu kawan aku sorang tu pada durian sebab kat Labuan tak dapek katanya. Aku pun dapat ler makan Pulasan yang ku idam-idamkan (ada sejarah buah ni) dan juga manggis - best!

Halim (Roy's Brother), Roy and Mahid at TGV KLCC

Malam pulak we went to KLCC for Harry Potter. First we had dinner kat Signatures Foodcourt and then movies. Mahid spent the night at my place that night (morning sebenarnye, balik rumah at 3am after lepak-lepak at mamak in Melawati). Before sending him off the next day to be with his loved one, Mahid and I had breakfast at McDonalds Ampang.

Mahid, Kal El and Roy

It was a short reunion but it was indeed a happy one. I just hope one day we could all gather - no one missing from the picture, for at least a meal together - for old times sake.

Kal El: I love you Roy, Mahid, Shazril, Wan and Zurry. Thank you for the friendship!

Congratulations Ju & Odows

(c) Fahmi@Mumu

I vote them the sweetest couple when we were back in the Blood Sucking Sicko Company - entah kenapa but I like them being together - they're a couple of very nice and cool people. Congratulations Ju and Odows for making it this far after <> 4 years of bercinta? May your marriage be blessed with happiness and prosperity. Amin.

Congratulations Ee!

(c) Ee

One of our ex-colleague at the Blood Sucking Sicko Company, Fathiah Sariat, better known as Ee got married recently. To both the bride and groom, moga berbahagia sehingga ke anak cucu! Amin...