Halal food in Bangkok: Our favourite chicken rice shop

This is our favourite chicken rice shop. It's run by a Thai Muslim family, located on Prachachuen Road adjacent to the Prachacuen Kasemrad Hospital, Bangkok which is about 1km from our apartment, The Prachachuen Residence. It opens from Saturday to Thursday, from 7am to 1pm. Friday is a holiday for the 'abang' (in the pix) and his family. The food served here is reasonably priced and delicious, too. Beef soup-50baht; Khao mok khai (yellow chicken rice)-35baht; Khao man khai (steamed chicken rice)-30baht; kuayteow (mee sup) with chicken or beef-25baht; Rice only-15baht; cha dtum yen (iced black tea) or cafe yen (iced coffee)-10baht; ice-1baht.

khao man kai kuayteow

cha dtum yen

This is the Kasemrad Hospital.

This is the Villa Market at the entrance of the Grand Canal. We get our groceries and foodstuffs from here. It's connected to the Sports City, which is about 2km from our place. The Grand Canal is an exclusive housing area where the houses are built along a long winding canal. The first phase of the project offers 90 homes, but the estate is expected to hold 500 when completely developed.
Prices for waterfront homes start from about Bt9 million for a three-bedroom house with about 300 square metres of built-up space.
The smaller homes away from the water’s edge go for about Bt7 million.
The waterfront units are grander in design, with views of the water’s edge from the living room.
They also have separate garages, ample porches and gardens. Views from the living area and bedrooms are quite stunning with the stone bridges, lush gardens and water bodies that abound.

The Prachaniwet Sports Centre

The Prachaniwet Sports Centre, Bangkok

Today we found the Prachaniwet Sports Centre which is just about 500m away from our apartment. It has an Olympic sized swimming pool, a football field surrounded by a running track and a gym. It offers many sports sessions/classes such as children and adult’s swimming class, aerobic sessions and others which I’ll find out later after getting the brochure translated from Thai language to English. At the moment, what I can comprehend from the info provided by the officer on duty (in Thai Language) is that the membership fee is 40 baht per year. Members pay 15baht only for each swimming session. Using the gym and the aerobic session (at 1600hrs every day) are both complimentary. The complex is open from 1000 – 2100hours from Mon thru Sat, while on Sundays it opens from 1300-2100hrs. Since it’s not expensive at all (compared to joining the Sports City, which is about 2km away and costs 15000 baht a year for each person), we decided to have ourselves registered there and then. But then when given the registration card….we couldn’t complete it as all the particulars are in Thai. Well, I was smart enough to seek for permission to take the card back so that I could get the apartment manager to help us with the translation. Thanks to Pom. Yeah, that’s the name of our apartment manager, who’s the only one who can speak English well as she was educated in Australia. All the other staff: the receptionists, clerks, technicians, guards, cleaning ladies et al) can hardly speak phasa ungkrit (which is English language in Thai). Later in the evening we’ll go back to the complex to register and Keiron can go swimming while I’ll join the aerobic session.

Short Courses on Publishing

Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera.
Untuk bulan Ogos 2008, Medium Books & Consultancy akan menganjurkan kursus/seminar yang berikut:
1. KURSUS MEMAHAMI PENERBITAN (10-14 Ogos 2008)
2. SEMINAR KESALAHAN BAHASA (19-20 Ogos 2008)
3. KURSUS MEMAHAMI PENYUNTINGAN (25-28 Ogos 2008)

Pendaftaran dibuka sekarang dan layarilah http://www.mediumbooks.net/ untuk makluman lanjut.

___________________________________________________________________________
KURSUS MEMAHAMI PENERBITAN
10—14 OGOS 2008, HOTEL PUTRA, KL

OBJEKTIF KURSUS
· Memberikan bimbingan akan segala proses dalam dunia penerbitan yang meliputi proses editorial, pengeluaran, percetakan, dan pemasaran.
· Menambahkan pengalaman peserta menerusi program lawatan dan berkongsi pengalaman dengan para pengamal penerbitan yang terpilih, seperti pengarang, editor, penerbit, pencetak, pereka bentuk, dan penjual.
· Melatih para peserta dalam membuat perancangan penerbitan yang sistematik dan profesional.

KANDUNGAN P R O G R A M
HARI SATU (10 Ogos)
ü Buku sebagai medium
ü Bahagian-bahagian buku
ü Siapa yang terlibat dalam penerbitan?
ü Proses penerbitan

HARI DUA (11 Ogos)
ü Tugas editorial dalam penerbitan
ü Sesi bersama pengarang
ü Sesi bersama editor
ü Sesi bersama penerbit
ü Sesi dengan pereka bentuk
ü Proses perolehan manuskrip

HARI TIGA (12 Ogos)
ü Memahami perekaan buku
ü Amali perekaan buku
ü Percetakan buku
ü Ekonomi penerbitan
ü Memahami penyuntingan naskhah
ü Latihan dalam penyuntingan naskhah
ü Perjanjian dalam penerbitan
ü Etika dan undang-undang penerbitan

HARI EMPAT (13 Ogos)
ü Lawatan ke pencetak
ü Lawatan ke kedai/pengedar buku
ü Lawatan ke penerbit

HARI LIMA (14 Ogos)
ü Kritikan reka buku
ü Teknologi dalam penerbitan
ü Memahami pemasaran buku
ü Pengedaran dan promosi buku
ü Projek kumpulan
ü Penyediaan projek penerbitan
ü Pembentangan projek penerbitan

PENCERAMAH

PROFESOR DR MD SIDIN AHMAD ISHAK—beliau mengajar bidang penerbitan, penulisan, dan penyuntingan di Universiti Malaya lebih 20 tahun. Beliau yang merupakan penulis buku Keterampilan Menulis (DBP 1993) turut aktif mengendalikan bengkel dan latihan yang berkait dengan bidang tersebut.

PROFESOR MADYA DR HAMEDI MOHD ADNAN—mengajar penerbitan, pengurusan penerbitan dan penyuntingan lebih 15 tahun di Universiti Malaya. Pengarang buku Memahami Penerbitan Buku dan Memahami Penyuntingan Naskhah, beliau telah mengendalikan lebih 100 bengkel penulisan, penerbitan, pemasaran, dan penyuntingan.

PROFESOR MADYA DR MUS CHAIRIL SAMANI—beliau yang juga aktif memberikan latihan dalam perekaan penerbitan telah menghasilkan tesis doktor falsafah yang berkait dengan penerbitan buku teks. Beliau juga merupakan pengarang buku Penerbitan Media Cetak dan telah terlibat dalam pelbagai bengkel penerbitan dan pengeluaran.

PUAN ZAINORA MUHAMAD—Pengarah Urusan Cerdik Publications dan juga Setiausaha Persatuan Penerbit Buku Malaysia (MABOPA). Beliau sering melatih staf penerbitan tentang pengurusan dan ekonomi penerbitan. Memiliki ijazah Sarjana Pengajian Penerbitan dan telah terlibat dalam dunia penerbitan lebih 15 tahun.

ANN WAN SENG—penulis bestseller Malaysia yang buku-bukunya meletup di Indonesia.
JAAFAR TAIB—kartunis dan illustrator terkenal yang juga pengasas majalah Gila-Gila.

PESERTA SASARAN
· Pensyarah universiti
· Pegawai penerbitan
· Penolong pegawai penerbitan
· Calon peperiksaan PTK N41 Pegawai Penerbitan
· Pembantu Penerbitan
· Editor
· Staf penerbitan swasta
· Pegawai perhubungan awam
· Orang awam

KADAR BAYARAN

1. RM1,499 seorang peserta tanpa penginapan
2. RM1,999 seorang peserta bilik berkongsi
3. RM2,399 seorang peserta bilik single

---------------------------------------------

SEMINAR KESALAHAN BAHASA
19—20 OGOS 2008, Hotel Putra, Kuala Lumpur
(Anjuran bersama Ikatan Editor Nasional (IEN) dengan Medium Books & Consultancy)

OBJEKTIF SEMINAR
· Untuk memberikan bimbingan tentang pelbagai bentuk kesalahan bahasa yang terdapat dalam penulisan dan penerbitan.
· Untuk membincangkan pelbagai isu dalam kesalahan bahasa seperti retorik, penggunaan ayat, pemilihan kata, ejaan, dan penggunaan umum.
· Untuk membimbing peserta supaya sentiasa peka dengan perkembangan yang berlaku dalam bahasa Melayu.
· Untuk membimbing akan cara-cara meminimumkan kesalahan bahasa dalam penulisan dan penyuntingan

ATUR CARA SEMINAR

19 OGOS 2008
· 0830—1030: Kesalahan Retorik Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan (PROFESOR EMERITUS DATUK ABU BAKAR HAMID)
· 1100-1300: Kesalahan Ejaan Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan (PROFESOR DR ABDUL HAMID MAHMOOD)
· 1430-1630: Kesalahan Ayat Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan (PROFESOR EMERITUS DATUK DR NIK SAFIAH KARIM)

20 OGOS 2008
· 0830—1030: Kesalahan Kata Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan (PROFESOR DR HASHIM MUSA)
· 1100-1300: Kesalahan Umum Bahasa Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan
· (PROFESOR DR AWANG SARIYAN)
· 1430-1630: Kesalahan Laras Bahasa Dalam Penulisan dan Penerbitan
· (PROFESOR DR AWANG SARIYAN)

BERSAMA LIMA MAHAGURU BAHASA

· PROFESOR EMERITUS DATUK ABU BAKAR HAMID—profesor bahasa, sastera dan penulisan hampir 40 tahun. Mantan Pengerusi Bernama yang kini karyawan tamu di Universiti Malaya ini kini melebarkan sayap ilmunya dalam bidang penerbitan, literasi, dan retorik.

· PROFESOR EMERITUS DATUK DR NIK SAFIAH KARIM—salah seorang pengarang buku Tatabahasa Dewan. Beliau masih memberikan kuliah bahasa di UM dan cukup aktif memperjuangkan kesempurnaan bahasa Melayu menerusi tulisan, kuliah, dan ceramah. Pengarang lebih 15 buku bahasa ini turut aktif dalam organisasi sosial dan budaya.

· PROFESOR DR AWANG SARIYAN—ahli bahasa yang lantang memperjuangkan kedudukan bahasa dalam sistem pendidikan. Beliau telah berkhidmat antaranya di UM, UKM, UIA, UPSI, UPM, dan Universiti Brunei, di samping sebagai Pengarah Jabatan Bahasa di DBP. Kini memegang kursi Pengajian Melayu di Universiti Berjing dan beliau aktif mengendalikan bengkel dan kursus penulisan di samping aktif menulis.

· PROFESOR DR HASHIM MUSA—salah seorang pengarang buku Tatabahasa Dewan dan mantan profesor bahasa UM. Kini berkhidmat dengan UPM, beliau sering menulis dan menyampaikan ceramah bahasa.

· PROFESOR DR ABDUL HAMID MAHMOOD—juga salah seorang pengarang buku Tatabahasa Dewan. Mantan profesor bahasa UPM ini kini berkhidmat di UPSI dan sering menulis dan menyampaikan ceramah bahasa. Beliau dikenali sebagai seorang profesor yang kuliah atau ceramahnya menghiburkan.

PESERTA SASAR
· Guru
· Pensyarah
· Pegawai penerbitan
· Penolong pegawai penerbitan
· Editor
· Penulis
· Pegawai perancang bahasa
· Pegawai perhubungan awam
· Orang awam
· Semua pihak yang berminat

KADAR BAYARAN
· RM500 sahaja yang meliputi kos untuk penyertaan dalam seminar, tempat seminar, dan makan minum, serta bahan edaran yang akan diberikan kepada peserta.
· Penganjur tidak menyediakan tempat tinggal.


---------------------------------------------

KURSUS MEMAHAMI PENYUNTINGAN
25—28 OGOS 2008, City Bayview Hotel, Langkawi

OBJEKTIF KURSUS
· Untuk membekalkan editor dengan idea dan pemikiran baharu yang berguna dalam pemantapan profesionalisme mereka.
· Untuk membiasakan editor dengan sekitaran industri dan teknologi yang berkait dengan profesionalisme mereka.
· Untuk membantu editor memahami tugas-tugas penerbitan yang lain seperti isu-isu perundangan, pengeluaran, percetakan, dan pemasaran.
· Untuk meluaskan pengetahuan dan pengalaman editor tentang isu-isu semasa yang berlaku dalam sekitaran tugas mereka.


KANDUNGAN P R O G R A M
HARI SATU
ü Memahami pelbagai jenis penerbitan
ü Memahami anatomi buku
ü Proses penerbitan
ü Perbincangan projek penerbitan

HARI DUA
ü Memahami binaan medium penerbitan
ü Memahami tugas-tugas editorial
ü Pemerolehan manuskrip
ü Memahami suntingan naskhah
ü Penguasaan bahasa dalam penyuntingan

HARI TIGA
ü Kesalahan laras dalam bahasa
ü Cabaran dalam pemerolehan manuskrip
ü Editor dan perancangan penerbitan
ü Simbol penandaan naskhah dan pruf
ü Latihan penyuntingan naskhah

HARI EMPAT
ü Penyuntingan bahan bukan teks
ü Teknologi dan suntingan naskhah
ü Pembentangan kumpulan

PENCERAMAH

PROFESOR DR AWANG SARIYAN—profesor, ahli dan pejuang bahasa. Beliau pernah mengajar di UKM, UM, UPSI, UIA, UPM, dan kini memegang kursi Pengajian Melayu di Universiti Beijing, China. Mantan Pengarah Jabatan Bahasa DBP ini merupakan pembimbing bengkel atau kursus bahasa yang terkenal.

PROFESOR DR MD SIDIN ISHAK—pakar penulisan dan penerbitan yang sering mengendalikan kursus dalam bidang itu. Pengarang pelbagai buku termasuk Keterampilan Menulis ini merupakan pemegang ijazah PhD pertama di Negara ini dalam bidang penerbitan.

PROFESOR MADYA DR HAMEDI MOHD ADNAN—mengajar penerbitan, pengurusan penerbitan dan penyuntingan lebih 15 tahun di Universiti Malaya. Pengarang buku Memahami Penerbitan Buku dan Memahami Penyuntingan Naskhah, beliau telah mengendalikan lebih 100 bengkel penulisan, penerbitan, pemasaran, dan penyuntingan.

PESERTA SASARAN
· Pensyarah universiti
· Pegawai penerbitan
· Editor
· Pegawai perhubungan awam
· Penolong pegawai penerbitan
· Staf editorial
· Penerbit
· Pembantu penerbitan

KADAR BAYARAN

1. RM1,400 seorang peserta tanpa penginapan
2. RM1,800 seorang peserta bilik berkongsi
3. RM2,300 seorang peserta bilik single

Silalah layari http://www.mediumbooks.net/ untuk makluman lanjut.

H U B U N G I
MEDIUM BOOKS & CONSULTANCY
901A, Kompleks Diamond, Jalan Medan Bangi
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, SELANGOR
Tel: 03-89259085/013-3077722; Faks: 03-82101355
E-mel: mediumbooks@yahoo.com; Web: www.mediumbooks.net

Asia-Pacific Conference on Children's Book Publishing 2008

Asia-Pacific Conference on Children's Book Publishing 2008

1-3 Julai 2008 di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra, KL.

Majlis Buku Kanak-kanak dan Remaja Malaysia (MBBY) dengan kerjasama International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) dan Majlis Buku Kebangsaan Malaysia akan menganjurkan Persidangan Penerbitan Buku Kanak-kanak Asia-Pasifik 2008. Persidangan ini akan diadakan pada 1- 3 Julai 2008 di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra, KL.

Tema: Menginspirasikan Minda dan Kreativiti Kanak-Kanak (Inspiring Young Minds and Creativity).

Tujuan: Persidangan ini akan membincangkan isu-isu penting tentang perbukuan kanak-kanak dan remaja dengan menemukan para penggiat sastera dan perbukuan kanak-kanak khususnya penulis, penerbit, editor, ilustrator, pemasar buku, pendidik, pustakawan, penyelidik dan ibu bapa.

Aktiviti: Persidangan akan meliputi pembentangan kertas kerja, bengkel dan pameran. Penceramah jemputan dari IBBY serta beberapa penceramah dari organisasi lain akan membentangkan kertas kerja. Empat bengkel akan diadakan serentak dan setiap satu akan memberi tumpuan pada bidang-bidang tersendiri iaitu penulisan, ilustrasi, promosi dan aktiviti pembacaan dan pemasaran buku. Ruang pameran disediakan untuk memperagakan poster atau bahan-bahan penerbitan buku kanak-kanak dan remaja. Pada hari akhir persidangan, anda dijemput untuk menyertai acara lawatan ke studio seni dan organisasi penerbitan.

Penyertaan: Pihak penganjur mempersilakan anda untuk menyertai persidangan ini sama ada sebagai peserta atau pembentang kertas kerja. Borang pendaftaran yang telah lengkap hendaklah dikemuka kepada: Urus Setia Persidangan : Pn Suzliana Abd Hamid/Cik Norhafidah Ehawan. Faks: 03-55196045 atau e-melkan kepada: sufiaz27@yahoo.com atau afida_e20@yahoo.com atau secretariat@mbby.org

Yuran Persidangan: USD250.00 (Peserta Luar Negeri); RM600 (Peserta Tempatan). Yuran termasuk kit persidangan, jemputan Majlis Perasmian, Majlis Makan Malam serta jamuan sepanjang Persidangan/bengkel. Bayaran boleh di buat melalui tunai/LO/cek di atas nama: "Majlis Buku Kanak-Kanak dan Remaja Malaysia" atau melalui Public Bank : No Akaun 3132226416

Pertanyaan: Sebarang pertanyaan lanjut mengenai pendaftaran, sila hubungi Puan Suzliana Abd Hamid / Cik Norhafidah Ehawan di talian 03-55197667 ext 128 /202. Emel : sufiaz27@yahoo.com atau afida_e20@yahoo.com

Pembicara Jemputan:

· Ellis Vance (USA): Timbalan Presiden IBBY, penggerak USBBY dan Pengarah Projek California Learning Resource Network.

· Dr Ira Saxena (India): Ahli Exco IBBY, pakar psikologi kanak-kanak, pemenang Shankar Award for Writing dan perintis penubuhan IBBY India.

· Dato' Mohd Nor bin Khalid (Dato' Lat): Tokoh kartunis Malaysia yang telah mencipta nama di peringkat antarabangsa.

· Surekha Panandiker (India): Penggiat Persatuan Penulis dan Pelukis Buku Kanak-kanak India dan penggerak Projek Buku Kanak-kanak.

· Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (Angkasawan Negara): tokoh muda yang memberi inspirasi kepada kanak-kanak dan remaja.

Sawasdeeka

Halal Food in Pattaya

9th May 2008-Friday
5.45pm: Received a call from Keiron giving me two choices to where we would be spending our weekend, either to go to Pattaya or Hua Hin. I told him to come home first and decide later.

6.00pm: He reached home and both of us packed our stuffs and headed for the car. Our friendly neighbours asked, 'Pai nai?' (Where are you going?) and I said 'Mai Ru' ( Dont know), to illustrate that we're not sure of our destination at that moment. They looked puzzled. How could these people dont know where they are going? must have been in their thoughts. We got into our car and drove off leaving Tharvin House, Khlongluang 40 without any decisicions yet. On the way we stopped by at Din Daeng Mosque to perform our Maghrib and Isya' prayers and resumed our journey. By then we had decided to head for Pattaya. On the way we stopped by at a Muslim Restaurant at Assumption Road, Si Racha Town. We had a bowl of delicious kueyteow Radna for only THB35. Si Racha is about 15km from Pattaya. We continued our journey and decided to put up a nite at The Family Holiday Mansion on Soi 13, Pattaya 3rd Road. A room with a double bed costs THB600. It's a three star hotel with a clean and comfortable room and has a swimming pool. It also has a safe car park with 24hrs security. After checking in, we went out looking for DVDs (this is one of the things we do over here). While roaming around, we saw this nice looking place called Keerati Home Stay and decided to check it out. One of the many things that I like in Thailand is that you can view the room without any obligations. We went up to the first floor...and...ohhhh I really like the paintings on the wall. They are painting of various flowers on old wood. The decor made us feel as though we were in a traditional house in Malacca....the floor tiles used, the wooden windows and doors....a four-poster wooden bed and the bathroom was really comfy.We fell in love with the place instantly and were informed that it cost THB900 per nite. Without any serious thoughts, Keiron just blurted out THB800 and the guy who entertained us agreed, told us that we can check in as early as 8 on the next morning. Besides that we could use the facilities ( swimming pool, gym, sauna etc) at the Metropole hotel which is just next door.....and the best part was free wi-fi. We agreed and paid the deposit and left.
Keerati Home Stay
33/40, Moo 10, Soi L.K. Metro Pattaya City, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150.
Tel: +66 3841 6234 email: keerati_home@hotmail.com

10th May 2008
11.00am: Checked in at Keerati and went to have brakfast cum lunch at a Muslim eatery opposite a mosque on Sukhumvit Road, after the junction to Pattaya North Road (Pattaya Nua) if you are from Pattaya town going towards Bangkok. We had Rotii(roti canai) with Kaeng Neua (beef curry) and Kaeng Kai (chicken curry). 2 pieces of rotii cost THB60 and the two bowls of curry cost THB60, too. After lunch we went back to Keerati to lepak and watch the DVDs we bought on the day before. In the evening, Keiron went out to get some thulian(durian) and mangkut(mangosteen), and chocolates, too. We spent the whole evening surfing the net and watching DVDs at our own time as both of us have a notebook each.

11th May 2008
11.30pm: Checked out from Keerati and went to a Muslim restaurant situated at Pattaya Klang (Central Pattaya) Road. Coming from Sukhumvit Road, you'll pass Carrefour on your right. The restaurant is on the left not far from the traffic lights of the junction to Pattaya 3rd road. This place serves typical Thai dishes from kueyteow(noodles in soup) to ala carte rice and other Thai dishes. Price starts from THB40. We had the noodles and they are tasty.

After having the noodles, we decided to have croissant and french bread at a French bakery called La Boulange Pattaya at 245/166 Moo 9, Pattaya 3rd Road; tel. +663 8414914 or visit www.la-boulange.com

After having bread and a cup of cappucino we headed for Toatilla Mosque at Pattaya Tai (South) Road for solat. Then, we decided to have seafood at Bang Saen beach which is about 30 km north of Pattaya, on the way back to Bangkok. There are many Muslim food stalls at the beach road. This is a local beach as most of the visitors are local Thais. This place is equivalent to Port Dickson in Malaysia. Though this beach is popular among the locals, the food is no doubt pricy. We had 6 poo yang (grilled crab)-THB400 and a bowl of tom yum goong (fresh water prawn tom yum)-THB180.

It's Fruit Season in Thailand!

If you love to eat local Thai fruit, April and May are the best months to visit Bangkok as it's the fruit season. They are really cheap and you can get them at almost everywhere in Bangkok. Never buy them at Siam Paragon as they are over priced there. This morning I bought 3 kilos of mangosteen(mangkut) which cost me only THB50(about RM5). Durians(thulian)-be it monthong, channi or kadum- are being sold at as low as THB25 per kilo. Besides these two, there are also mango (ma'muang), lychee (linchee), papaya (malakow) etc. what I love most being in Bangkok is the food served. I lurvvvve food and because of that I realised that I've gained some kilos since I first got here in January 2008. Muslim halal food is not difficult to find as there are many of such restaurants over here. From time to time I shall introduce these eating places in this blog. I've finished reading 'Tears of the Moon' by Nora Roberts, 'West End Girls' by Jenny Colgan and 'The Spellman Files' by Lisa Lutz. Currently I'm reading 'Biografi Muhammad bin Abdullah' by Zulkifli Mohd. Yusoff and Nor Naemah Abd Rahman.

Today is Sunday. We are at Siam Paragon again. Looks like this is where we like to hang out when we dont know where else to go. Keiron is at Kinokuniya, enjoying his free reading session. Yesterday we had lunch at Bang Pa in, not far from Keiron's office. We had tom yam kung-Prawn tom yam(my favourite) and Phad Kaprow nuea(stir fried beef with sweet basil leaves), which is Keiron's favourite. Then we went to check the status of our new place at Prachachuen Residence. We may be moving there next month or July depending on the status of the repair done on the cracked walls.Oh..I have beed called for a job interview scheduled on 13th May. at 10.00am. Actually, if I do get the job only will we shift to this new place, a brand new studio apartment.Last nite we had a marvellous dinner with Din and his family at Aladin Japanese Restaurant at Soi Suan mani, off Pracha Uthit Road, Hwai Kuang. It's a Muslim Japanese Restaurant.Meal for five of us cost Baht1500. Kind of costly but the food served is really good...worth the money spent. After dinner we adjourned to have coffee at Esplanade which is on Rachadapisek Road not far from the Cultural Centre MRT station.We finally got home at midnite. Today, we started at 12pm and headed straight for Keiron's fav Indian Muslim restaurant, Tamil Nadu located at Soi 11, Silom Road.I had tosey massala while Keiron had Briyani rice with fried mutton.Keiron plans to see Iron Man but I'm not really into it.Guess we'll be spending our evening here again.I've just finished reading 'My Sister's Keeper' by Jodi Picoult and am now reading 'Tears of the Moon' by Nora Roberts.Jodi has a marvellous way of describing events, objects, people etc. I may want to read her other works soon.Thanks for the lovely book, Kak Zai.

It's been a while since I created this blog but never really had the chance to post anything. Today, I decided that I have to start posting on it. Today is 1st of May and it's a holiday for the private sector but not the government sector in Thailand. Keiron and I are at Siam Paragon. We've been here since 3pm. We got stuck at Kinokuniya for 4 hours. After browsing and free reading, I finally bought these books: 1. Webster's New Essential Writing Handbook 2. Most Common Mistakes in English 3. Taking Minutes of Meeting 4. Copyeditor's Handbook 5.Little Mac Book 6. Indesign CS3 7.Baeb Feuk Had Kad Thai (Learning to write Thai Letters for Children) and 8.Rian Roo Pa Sa Thai (Learning Thai Language). The last two books are actually for children but I'm using them for myself. Keiron got only one book: Leadership for Dummies. We spent Baht 4400 on books today. I should have applied for the membership card which entitles the holder a 10%discount on purchases of books. I'm now at the Cafe Inn Plus, Siam Paragon. Surfing the net costs Bht40 per hour. It's now 8.24pm and both of us are hungry like wolves. We can spend the whole day here as there is a prayer room for the Muslims. Take the South lift and go down to the basement. It's situated opposite of the men's toilet.