To my surprise, I got an email the other day from a fashion website called Friendly Fashion, asking whether they could feature me as one of their Wonderful Women Bloggers. I said no.

Duh! Of course I didn't! When a Digi Wwwow Award winner asks whether they can feature you, it's such an honour you'd be stupid to say no! Lol.. (Yes, I feel very proud of myself now, and if you are not proud of me then you are not my fwen! ;p) Click HERE to see the entry!


A bonus for taking part in this campaign is the fact that I have now found an awesome fashion site that specialises in pre-loved clothes (all my friends will know I'm not usually the blogshop kinda shopper, so I dont really know many good sites for shopping).

What makes Friendly Fashion unique though, is that they are a community of fashion lovers, and not just a store. Other than selling, members can swap clothes, accessories, bags, shoes etc, and they also organise competitions for their fans to win their favourite items!

A relatively new site, Friendly Fashion is the brainchild of sisters Nadzirah and Diyana Hashim, and was born only 5 months ago. Already loved by 37, 677 fans and counting, the Hashim sisters bring their members daily fashion trends and event info, and interact with everyone on a daily basis in the site's forums, where you can discuss anything, from what to wear for this upcoming Raya, to just introducing yourself and making friends with another fashion junkie! From hair styles to makeup, the latest styles and colours, all the info and photos you need to satisfy your fashion cravings can be found on the page! (And judging by my wardrobe, I think the fashion tips will come in pretty handy.. ;p)

So, for those of you who have a wardrobe full of clothes that you no longer wear at home, why not just log on sell, swap or give these items to others on Friendly Fashion? Remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure! The girls have made it real easy for you to sell or buy too. Basically on the home page itself there will be a gallery of the newest items for you to browse, so if something catches your eye, grab it fast! Just click on the I WANT tab, and you'll be able to communicate with the seller from there. You can also 'like' that person so other people will feel safer buying from them!

To sell, all you have to do is click on the Submit Item tab, and load your photo and info into a pre-set template! Much easier than trying to sell it on your blog or facebook, and then trying to invite the whole world to view the album. On Friendly Fashion, the whole world is already there! Well, at least nearly 40, 000 of the Malaysian population.. ;p

Best part is, you know how you never know what you're gonna get when you shop online? You see a gorgeous dress on a blogshop, wait for it for weeks to come in the mail, excitedly tear of the wrapping paper to that parcel and.. Disappointment. Wrong colour, wrong size, wrong length, doesnt suit you, bla bla bla. So what do you do? Throw it to the back of your wardrobe and write it off as a waste of time, money, space and tears? No longer! Post it up on Friendly Fashion with more precise info that you can now give, and voila! Money back to try your luck on the next gorgeous dress that pops up on your newsfeed! ;p

So instead of yapping on and on and on, here are the details you need to get started:

Website: www.friendlyfashion.my
Facebook. www.facebook.com/friendlyfashion.my
Twitter: www.twitter.com/myfriendlyfash

*While your at it, go like me too at www.facebook.com/CalistaLeahLiew and www.twitter.com/CalistaLeahLiew if you havent already! =)

What are your thoughts on pre-loved items? What is a yes and what is a definite no-no? Drop me a comment letting me know!

xxxxx

If you look beyond the stage and the traditional dances at the famous tourist spot, Kampung Nelayan steamboat in Bukit Padang, just a little to your left is a long corridor leading to a somewhat hidden delight - Beijing Buffet BBQ Steamboat!


Mr. Rikki Ooi, the operations manager of Silverrado Corporation (they also own Kg. Nelayan, Putera Theatre Ballroom, Jaws Seafood Restaurant and Waterworld) showed great hospitality as he told us that there were over 90 varieties of food to choose from, including the cooked food and also desserts! He also helped arrange the food on the hotplate as seen above.. Steamboat that's not DIY!! Hihii.. We're spoilt, we really are.. ;p

Mr. Ricky Ooi (white shirt)

Other than raw beef, chicken, fish, squid, prawns, crab, etc etc, there's also a few different types of marinated beef, chicken, fish, squid... You get the idea. ;p A huge selection of different fish cake, crab balls, hot dogs and other finger foods is also there for the picking..

Before the feast: You can choose to BBQ or steam your favourite food!

A few of the different meat types available: plain, spicy, non-spicy etc.

 Because the worst part of having steamboat is the waiting (much like watching a pot boil, it never seems to cook fast enough), Beijing BBQ also has pre-cooked foods like:

Nasi Lemak

6 types of noodles

Pickles and Kimchi

An array of dishes!

With a choice of aromatic Tom Yam soup or delicious chicken soup for the non-spicy lovers, the different tastes available for your tongue's pleasure is added with a crazy variety of condiments and sauces!

Yes! Fresh vegetables also available at the opposite end!

I told you there's loadsa sauces..!!

And of course, no meal is ever complete without - dessert!!

Sushi was put on the dessert plate cz when we went earlier it had finished, hihii.. Malay kuih, banana fritters, agar-agar (jelly), and man tou (fried bun).

I'd have to say, my favourite is the marinated beef.. I couldnt get enough! Also, if you go with the right person (ie someone who can peel your prawns and shell your crab ;p), I'd definitely recommend filling your plate with those!

For dessert, I'd definitely recommend the banana fritters and the man tou... Yum..!!

Some info on Beijing Buffet BBQ Steamboat:
 -- Participated in KK Food Fest 2012
 -- Price: RM30++ per person
*For other reviews on Beijing Buffet BBQ Steamboat, check out my fellow foodies!
 Alfred www.mejarasakk.blogspot.com
 Angeline www.everydayfoodilove.co
 Monica & Jack www.foodloh.com
 Vincent www.YottaCity.com
 Tom www.rungitom.com

Til the next time I'm hungry!
xxxxx


PS: Thanks for reading my food reviews.. I know I dont have the most amazing photos out there, but I promise you I'll get better with each morsel I stuff my face with! ;p

Last Saturday morning Melisa (of www.foodloh.com) and I were invited to the media launch of the Maggi Mi Goreng on behalf of Everyday Food I Love.


Introducing the new Maggi Mi Goreng Kari Ori, the launch saw celebrity chef Chef Muluk, local singer Clarice John Matha and the finalists of Miss Scuba Sabah 2012 urging the crowd of Maggi fans to Rediscover Mi Goreng, while celebrating yet another way of enjoying the well-loved instant noodles.

Held at Giant Hypermarket in Putatan, members of the media were treated to a short traditional performance, before Mrs Rosalyn Simba, the Head of Nestle Malaysia-Singapore Food Business Unit gave a short introduction speech, in which she told us that the first Nestle product in Malaysia is the Susu Cap Junjung! Wow! And I think most Malaysians still have this condensed milk on a regular basis, right? Nestle also has more than 300 other halal products that have become household names!

L-R: Melisa, Mrs Rosalyn, Chef Muluk, Mr Taku and me!

Mr. Taku Mupfurutsa, the Brand Manager of Maggi (Food Business Unit), explained that the Kari flavour was chosen as the pioneer Mi Goreng flavour, as it has long been Malaysia's favourite noodle flavour, and the aroma is unmistakable. Over the years, Maggi has delivered irresistible new flavours and great tasting noodles that are loved by many. I mean, how many people do you know who dont have a favourite Maggi mi? =D

"The new flavour is made from a unique blend of spices and also comes with a garnish of real fried onions."

With the tagline 'fast to cook, good to eat', Maggi has been bringing families together with tasty, balanced, and easy to prepare meals for over 40 years, and their TVCs show just that - yes, we got to view Maggi's latest television commercial before anyone else! Wanna see it? Sorry, but I guess you'll just have to wait til the 20th before it airs on TV! ;p
The launch was really interesting, combining the cultural dance with Maggi. It gave me the feeling of "Maggi, since the beginning of time". LOL. I know, hahaha.. But it was really cool, I really liked that they had the traditional girls with Maggi packets in their baskets, and one 'queen' being carried in on the bamboo sticks with a covered basket of mi goreng for Chef Muluk to cook on stage.

Here comes Mi!

Goreng, add in flavour, Goreng, Goreng, add in fresh vegetables, Goreng...

Ta-da! Your lunch, ladies and gentlemen!

Chef Muluk is originally from Sarawak, and has been a chef for 27 years. Currently Maggi's Executive Chef, he says that he never wanted to be a chef, but fell in love with cooking when he first put on his chef's jacket. The creator of Maggi's new recipes, Chef Muluk has represented Malaysia in many overseas events, with the latest being in Beijing. He also judges students' cooking in various colleges and unis across Malaysia, such as Taylor's and our very own ATI.

With Chef Muluk and our goodie woks!

Not forgetting the finalists of Miss Scuba Sabah, 5 of the ladies were then brought on stage to do a little cooking demo at the Mi Stations.

Are you ready?

Goreng that Mi Goreng!

See? We can dive and cook! What more can you ask for?

Before lunch, and man was I starving!, we were entertained by Clarice who sang us a few local numbers, and look who joined in the sumazau fun:

Mr Taku and Mrs Rosalyn!

Other than the Maggi that was gorenged on stage, we were also served yummy dishes such as

Chicken!

Yellowfish tuna in sambal sauce - courtesy of chef!

Salted yellowfish tuna - my absolute fave! =D

Raw vegetables with sambal

And bread pudding with custard!

*burp*
*giggles*

Melisa: "Peek-a-boo!"

Trivia: Did you know that Malaysians consume 1.3 - 1.5 MILLION packets of Maggi mi every single day? Wow!

Calista: "See me too!"

Maggi Mi Goreng is now available with an introductory price of RM3.20 for a pack of 5, in Kari Ori, and Cili Lazat. Now everyone can cook! ;p

With Chef Muluk. Hmm.. Melisa and I have tiny heads..

So what's your favourite flavour of Maggi mi? Drop me a comment!
xxxxx

PS: Mine has got to be Tom Yam! And Ayam (chicken).. Hmmm.. ;p

Ok, this is quite an overdue post.. With all that's been happening, I am way behind on some of these posts, so I better get cracking! I have so much to share with you! =D

Mom and I went to Wishbone, which is in Gaya Street for lunch a few weeks earlier, and tried some of their signature dishes. (I did a short post on Wishbone in a previous Super GT post, which you can find HERE.) First up, of course, was their famous chicken rice:

Mama quotes: "Tender, boneless chicken. Very tasty rice, juicy not dry chicken, compliments the chicken. Unique flavour."

The Classic Chicken Rice is Wishbone's, well, classic dish. Often referred to as the Best Hainanese Chicken Rice in Town, the original Wishbone was located at Jesselton Hotel, now Bella Italia. Today, it has moved to Lot 609, Jalan Gaya (Gaya Street). To find it easily, just walk down Gaya Street from Jesselton Hotel, til you see a Guardian store. Wishbone is in the middle of the block right after Guardian.

The chicken rice set comes with a bowl of special Wishbone rice, 3 different sauces, a bowl of clear soup, and of course, the chicken itself, soaked lightly in soy sauce. For the taugeh (beansprout) lovers, just add an extra RM2.50 for a plate of the crunchies!

What makes the rice so special? Well, it's a mixture of 3 types of rice - Normal white rice, fragrant rice, and sticky rice. To give it the aromatic taste that all good chicken rice has, the rice is then cooked in chicken stock! The 3 sauces are also no ordinary sauce, as the soy sauce and chilli sauce are made using a secret recipe from Brunei royalty. In case that's not enough, ginger sauce makes no.3! As for the meat, well you can choose from my favourite, boneless breast meat, which will cost you RM5 for the whole set (medium RM8.50, large RM15) or if you prefer, drumstick is also available at RM7.50. The chickens are all corn-fed and are reared on Wishbone's own farm in Tuaran.

Mom and I shared this, to keep room for other goodies. I have to say, I loved the rice, and would definitely recommend the chicken, but for my personal taste I do prefer my chicken to be soaked in sauce, and I dont mean lightly! I have quite a salty palate.. ;p

Mama quote: "I love the texture, as it's nice and crunchy with lots of nuts etc inside, goes down well as an afternoon snack, with coffee." (My mama always.. Coffee.. =.=")

This out-of-the-ordinary popiah is actually from Kuching, Sarawak, and the recipe was brought over by Operations Manager, Mr Nova. A light, fluffy wrapping, the inside is made up of long beans, sengkuang, fried tofu, nuts, and yau za kuey (deep fried strips of bread), giving it the lovely crunchy texture that my mom, and I just loved!
I didnt think I'd like this, as I dont usually like popiah that much, nor do I like sengkuang, but one bite proved me wrong! =D

Mama quote: "A nice combination, the marriage of the 2 sweets. Couldn't get enough of the ice cream!"

The best banana fritters I've had in a long time, they taste even better when slightly dipped in the melted Gula Melaka (Malacca Sugar) ice cream! The ice cream is a unique flavour developed by Gardenia, specially for Wishbone. A favourite among their regular customers, especially around tea time!

Mama quote: "You need a sweet tooth for this. A bit too sweet for my taste, and definitely way too much! I'll stick with my coffee.. ;p" (FYI, my mom doesnt even have sugar in her coffee, so even normal Milo is usually out of the question.. ;p)

Their signature drink is the Milo Dinosaur - a huge Milo drink (kaw-kaw) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It was a bit too sweet for me too, and if you're planning to order this, I suggest you make sure you bring someone to share it, as it really is a HUGE glass! Definitely worth it though if you are known for having a sweet tooth.. =D

Mommy enjoying her Nescafe C kosong while I struggle with the Milo Dinosaur. Sad to say I failed to finish even half.. Little tummy.. ;p

So. What's the verdict you say? Well, here goes -

Mama's favourite of the day: Kuching Popiah!
"Never tried anything like it before, and it definitely connects with my taste buds!"

Calista's favourite of the day: Banana Fritters!
"Bananas are fresh and sweet, and not too oily. Beats the hawker stalls any day!"

Go check it out! Chicken rice recommended for lunch, the rest for tea time.. =) There are other things that I'm sure are delicious on the menu too, so let me know what's your favourite! =D

KKians should definitely recognise this logo! =)

Wishbone opening hours: 

Mon - Tue:	08:00 - 16:00
Wed - Thu:	07:00 - 21:00
Fri:	08:00 - 15:00
Sat:	06:00 - 08:00, 15:00 - 16:00,
	20:00 - 21:00
Sun:	10:00 - 14:00, 19:00 - 20:00