Neo Strata skin care

I recently started using Neo Strata Illuminating Serum and Neo Strata Pigment Controller.

It was recommended by my doctor! I was there to discuss my annual medical checkup results, when she looks at my face and said, "You are getting more freckles. Why don't you try this line of skin care?" Well, I was game, what with our relentless sunshine here in Malaysia and my thin Asian skin which is practically being fried from all my driving the whole day long.

I already try my best to protect my skin, applying Clinique's City Block before I venture out. Use an umbrella, big shades and long-sleeved shirts/ long trousers. But it just isn't enough....

Neo Strata Illuminating Serum

Is described as "an advanced formula that contains 12 active brighteners that target 6 pigment control systems to help break up and reduce the appearance of existing pigmentation and discourage new dark spots from forming."

As usual, it is to be used once in the morning and once at night. Its liquid texture is smooth and silky, and it glides onto skin easily. Absorption is fast.

Then I pair it with  the Pigment Controller which  has "extracts from alpine plants and SabiWhite® that help lighten existing pigmentation and prevent new stains. Vitamin E protects the skin from further damage."

After 3 weeks, there is improvement in my skin tone: move even and less dull definitely. As for my freckles, I can't say there is any reduction but I wasn't expecting it anyway. I don't think any beauty product can deliver results so quickly, no matter how big their sales puff is. 


For a dramatic improvement/reduction in freckles/ pigmentation, something more serious like laser treatment or major peeling would be required, something I am not prepared to explore yet.

Ching Ming Checklist

The Ching Ming Festival (All Souls' Day for the Chinese) has just concluded.

This year was the first time that I had to play a major role in preparing for this festival which my husband's family observes strictly every year.

As I understand it, for the last 30 years, the eldest daughter-in-law of my husband's Uncle had somehow been burdened with the task of buying all the materials necessary for the ritual as well as preparing food sufficient to feed the horde (about 30 + people) after the ceremony.

Which means that it was the grand-daughter-in-law (my generation) who led the ceremony and not the daughters-in-law, who are still surviving. I had asked my husband why the daughter-in-law was not doing anything (his mom) as it should be the sons and their wives leading the ceremony and not the grandchildren. Of course, my husband has no idea why!  

Anyway, the grand-daughter-in-law finally wanted to retire from this office she has been holding, or at least take a sabbatical. Fair enough, I thought. After all, there are other sons and grandsons who should also help out.

Therefore, the task got handed to my father-in-law's branch of the family this year, and more specifically to me. Again, I do not understand why my MIL wants to have nothing to do with the whole affair (she is after all, the DIL to the ancestors we are conducting the ceremony for). Contrary to her usual know-it-all stance, for Ching Ming, she had no knowledge, no experience and no advice to dispense. In fact, she didn't even turn up on the day the whole family went for the Ching Ming ceremony, citing housework!

I myself have absolutely no knowledge of Chinese traditional ancestral worship, the ritual, the materials required etc. From memory and from many discussions with the "sifu", my cousin-in-law, I came up with this list which will now serve as the guiding document for future preparations.

For those of you equally in the dark about Ching Ming preparations, I hope this list helps you. We are a Cantonese family, so the materials might differ (I don't know!) among the different dialects.

1. Roast pig (above 30 katis in weight)
2. Notes, gold paper and hell money(lots of it) 
3. Joss sticks (big/small) (many)
4. Candles (big/small) (many)
5. Prayer cups, prayer plates
6. Alcohol for offering
7. Chinese tea 1.5 litre
8. Roasted whole chicken x 1
9. Roasted whole duck x 1 
10. Fatt Ko small x 10 
11. Ang ku x 10 
12. Chin Dui x 10 
13. Char siu pau x 20 
14. Egg tarts (dan tart) x 20 
15. Ham Yuk Chung  x 10 
16. Kan Sui Chung  x 10
17. Green apples x 20
18. Oranges x 20
19. Pineapple x 1
20. Banana x1 bunch
21. Lettuce for prayer  x 1 bunch
22. Duck eggs ( hard boiled, shell intact ) x 5
23. Cuttlefish (whole) x 1
24. Fried noodles and fried vermicelli (vegetarian) – 2 kgs each (to feed the human horde)
25. Chilly sauce x2
26. Red firecrackers - 1 or 2 lengths
27. Bunch of flowers
28. Disposable plates, tissues, chopsticks, paper napkins, plastic bags (food/trash), rubber bands
29. Packet Drinks – 2 cartons (24 x2) (for the humans)
30. Mineral Water – 2 cartons (24 x2) (for the humans)
31. Big chopping knife, chopping board 
32. Old newspapers, lighter, matches 
  

The ceremony

• “Chai” foodstuff followed by meats to be arranged in front of main tombstone
• 3 cups tea, 3 cups alcohol, 3 pairs chopsticks each at main tombstone and side headstone
• Side headstone - place fruits and fatt ko
• Place 3 joss sticks alternate with candles all around tomb
• Spread prayer paper onto tomb
• Offer 3 joss sticks for each neighbouring tombstone (sign of respect and neighbourliness)
• Special stack of prayer paper to be placed on headstone
• Pair of big candles and 3 big joss sticks for main tomb
• Smaller pair of candles and 3 smaller joss sticks for side headstone
• Family, generation by generation, offer joss sticks and bow. Proceed to offer tea and alcohol. Also, may lift up plates of food offered (as a sign to invite departed ancestors to eat)
• Elder of each family-branch to burn and offer specially folded stack of prayer papers, then to place burning papers into larger pile of prayer papers
• Wait for all prayer papers to be burnt

Korean food: Bulgogi Brothers

K-Pop, Korean wave, Korean phones, Korean electricals and cars.

Korean food?

My family and I together with my parents and my brother's family had lunch at Bulgogi Brothers in Paradigm Mall recently.

I have to say that Korean food does not immediately grab my fancy.

The signature Korean dish of bibimbap? Sadly, I found it to be over-rated, unexciting and bland despite its purported chili pepper taste.

Wikipedia explains that "the word literally means "mixed rice". Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.^[2] It can be served either cold or hot."

There were not more than 3 thinly sliced pieces of beef in my bibimbap, and for the price of RM20 something ++, it is definitely not worth it.

My husband, my son, my dad and brother only enjoyed their lunch because they chose the barbecued beef set. That is hardly anything to jubilate over as most everyone can do an excellent and tasty barby with the right cuts of meat, yes?

My husband and I came away with the same opinion: Chinese and Japanese food are way ahead of Korean food.
(images from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibimbap and http://www.bulgogibros.com.my/)

Meru Mutiara, Ipoh

A real deal!

Total Investment Sdn Bhd recently launched their Meru Mutiara project with its first batch of semi dees. The houses attracted a great deal of interest because of its extremely reasonable pricing.

Prices for the semi-dees start from only RM398,000.000 for a lot size of 35 x 70.

This in contrast to a neighbouring project currently selling terraced houses with prices in a similar range.

The Meru area is a fast developing part of Ipoh with the state government's push to make it the administrative capital. Mydin recently opened its doors in Meru as did the new bus terminal. Tenby International School is slated to open its new campus in Meru sometime this year.

Maybe take the family to view some show houses in Meru over the weekend?

Update

Wow! The first phase of Meru Mutiara sold like hot cakes! Gone in a jiffy. The following batch of semi-dees launched were priced at RM438,000 and now the current ones on sale are at RM498,000.

Finding a place to live

Known, not so flatteringly, as the "Retirement City", people were intrigued as to why we would move to Ipoh.

In our thirties, at the prime of our personal and professional lives, our friends thought it would not be a rewarding move. "Ipoh is for old folks!", they all chimed.

True.

From my observation, people who move to Ipoh from the larger cities such as KL, usually do so because Ipoh is their hometown, because of family ties. Few do so for the sake of career advancement. Ipoh is famed for not "paying as much" as KL, since the cost of living here is touted to be much lower. That does not hold water anymore, as the cost of living in Ipoh is edging closer to that in KL. But that is a topic for another day.

So, here we are because my hubby is an Ipoh-boy. My first 1 1/2 years were trying, as I learned to navigate a new town, learned to start from scratch again to find new acquaintances/ friends, learned not to rely on my mom for meals or advice or everything else that I used to rely on her for on a daily basis back in KL.

Truth be told, I felt isolated and lonely. Hubby has his job and his own hobbies to occupy him for the "after office hour" time, so it was not a problem for him. This after all, was the place he grew up in .

I was the outsider, to Ipoh as well as the family, I guess, since I am the "daughter-in-law". Even my brother-in-law's wife is an Ipoh girl. So I was well and truly alien.

That was 4 years ago.

As for finding a place to live, we made the usual enquiries from real estate agents and with my parents-in-law. Of course it is all about location, location, location. We wanted the usual hotspots of Ipoh Garden, Canning Garden, Ipoh Garden South, around the Tiger Lane area. These are established areas with old houses or condos you could rent or empty plots of land you could buy and build on.

Today, Ipoh has grown a lot. Not unlike the Klang Valley, people are beginning to live outside of the established central areas. New townships have sprung up in Meru, Klebang, Gunung Lang, Pengkalan and Taman Botani. Townships such as the one in Pengkalan called Tiara Lake Park are well served by stores such as Tesco and AEON Station 18, along with banks, coffee shops and a plethora of other retail shops. People who live in Pengkalan used to have to come way over to Ipoh Garden East to shop at Tesco and Jusco, but not anymore.

If you are looking to buy a home in Ipoh, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that you could purchase your dream home at a realistic and affordable price. Tops in terms of affordability is the recently launched semid-dees by Total Investment in Meru, called Meru Mutiara. The semi-dees start at RM398,000. Unbelievable for KL folk huh??
(imagesofipoh.blogspot.com and tihomes.com)

Changing Schools

Everyone has their own style and own pace for doing things.

The really uptight ones (like me) plan well ahead, and agonise well ahead too! Which isn't always necessary.

The easy going ones just know that the big move is coming up but never really bother up until maybe the last couple of months.

Then there's the in-betweens, the well balanced ones. Who have a healthy schedule yet are able to keep their stress levels down.

My own move

We seriously talked about moving back to Ipoh 2 years before the event.

Then my first born entered Standard One in PJ and we knew for certain the event would take place at the end of that year. So for that whole year I was preoccupied with when to resign from my job, when to start packing up the house, when to apply for a transfer of school. And in the middle of that, we were finalizing our plans about where to live in Ipoh!

Before March of that academic year, I had already spoken to my son's school about his transfer to Ipoh and gotten the relevant information. We had also approached our school of choice in Ipoh about enrolling our son there. The transfer process is a matter between the schools so there is no need to trouble yourself with the Ministry of Education (who in their right mind would go to any Ministry of Malaysia anyway???)

We had 2 overseas trips that year, one in September and one in October. So I only started packing in earnest in October. We moved in late December.

About SJKC

There is something peculiar about transferring from another state's Chinese school to one of the "premier" SJK Chinese schools in Ipoh. Apparently, it can't be done.

You would have to transfer to a "normal" SJKC and then after a little while, reapply to transfer to your chosen "premier" SJKC.

In our case, we had chosen Sam Tet. The principal of Sam Tet had informed us that there were vacancies for year two the following year so there should be no problem. But the final decision was to be made by the Perak State Education Department. Sigh!! That's where the trouble stems from.

Come late November, the State Edu. Dept. informed us that my son had been assigned to another SJKC which firstly, was not our choice at all and secondly, was far from our home. (what did I tell you about government departments??) We wrote in numerous times to the State Edu. Dept. explaining our position and when we were physically in Ipoh, I went personally to see the relevant person in the Dept on a daily basis!

As is the practice with government departments, the relevant person is never there, is having a tea break, is in the lavatory, is sick, or is attending a meeting today and a seminar tomorrow. As late as 30 December, the kerani at the Dept still could not give me a conclusive answer as to which school my son would be attending once term begins in the first week of January!

Being almost a fixture there, the kerani had said to me, "Puan baliklah dulu. Kami akan telefon Puan nanti." (Madam, why don't you go home. We will call you shortly.)
I replied, "Tak apa. Saya suka duduk di sini." (It's alright. I like sitting here.)

Perhaps it was the sight of me sitting right there in front of their counters, sheer persistence or a blessing, but I finally got my answer and the school of my choice. The things mothers have to do!

Have you got questions about moving to Ipoh?

I recently made a new friend. She was one of my blog readers and like me, had moved to Ipoh from KL.

Naturally, she had questions about the ins and outs of life in Ipoh. Having children around the same age as mine, she needed much the same information as I had sought when I first arrived in Ipoh. But back then in 2009, there was no blog writer offering friendly advice about Ipoh.

I have had several more enquiries from prospective Ipoh-residents-to-be, and I am ever so glad to assist in helping newbies to Ipoh transition as easily as possible. I only remember too well how I had to struggle to learn about Ipoh, despite having in-laws here.

This new section in my blog is for Ipoh-residents-to-be.

Welcome to IPOH!


(image from http://seeker-kianhin.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-ipoh-for-rest.html)  

Papaya Leaf Juice as Cure for Dengue Fever

I just saw a friend's "share" on Facebook today on an article about papaya leaf juice saving a patient who was critically ill with dengue fever.

I should have written about this episode earlier but now is as good a time as any.

My own daughter came down with dengue fever in the first year that we moved to Ipoh. Our house was built on virgin land, and all around us was still plenty of empty land filled with large shady trees, tall grass and shrubs. Peaceful and green yes, but also abuzz with wildlife, including mosquitoes.

It was of course harrowing when the diagnosis was made that my daughter had dengue fever. We admitted her into hospital straightaway and she was started on the drip.

At the same time, my maid (bless her) told me that back home in Indonesia, they would drink papaya leaf juice to cure dengue fever. I was game for anything. I have never had any aversion to traditional or folk medicine in the first place.

So at home, my maid plucked several papaya leaves, washed them with tap water and pounded them to squeeze out its bright green juice. Several leaves just yield one or two teaspoonfuls of juice.

We fed them to my girl. We mixed some honey into the juice because it is extremely bitter!

I can't remember what my girl's platelet count was that first night. But it was of course low. Some time after taking the juice it was  time to do another blood test. Her platelet count starting climbing up! She was discharged after 2 days.

We don't know the exact dosage of the juice to consume but my maid said just to drink as much as you can!

After my little girl recovered, I was also asking around on how to strengthen her ("poh" in Cantonese) general health after this episode. I was given advice by our insurance agent who herself recovered from dengue fever.

I was told to buy 2 frogs from the market and 3-4 small bitter gourds.

Double boiled frog and bitter gourd soup

• Clean the frog meat and cut it into medium-sized pieces. 
• Wash, remove the seeds and thinly slice the small bitter gourds. 
• Arrange the bitter gourd and frog meat in layers into a double boiler. 
• Add a small bowl of water and double boil it for about 1.5-2 hours. 
• Add some salt if you like (you may also add a few pieces of goji berry/ wolf berry and Chinese red dates)
• Drink the soup once a week for several weeks after recovery.

Dengue is rampant in this part of the world and there is yet no absolute prevention against it. But God has given us natural ingredients to counter it. I hope this traditional knowledge will help.

There are many other testimonials about the efficacy of papaya leaf juice: dengue-fever-remedy, Top7 natural remedies for dengue, why-pawpaw-leaves-juice-cures-dengue-fever.

>>>  I am updating my post today as I came across another folk remedy for dengue which sounds simple and interesting, and backed by testimonials.

One Filipino remedy is to use a common weed that we can find in Malaysia. It goes by many names - tawa tawa, snake weed, gatas-gatas, patikan - and it looks like this. I am sure you will recognise it instantly. You will probably have battled to pull it out of your lawn or crevices in your cement sidewalk or driveway.

The recipe for the tawa tawa tea can be found at tawa-tawa-dengue-treatment. I have copied it here:
• Take 5 to 6 whole Tawa Tawa plants. Cut off the roots
• Wash and clean
• Fill a pot with clean water
• Boil the Tawa Tawa for one minute in a slow rolling boil
• Cool
• Let the dengue fever victim drink only the Tawa Tawa water for 24 hours
• Sip 1 to 1.5 glasses of Tawa Tawa water every hour

Newest

The Institute for Medical Research in KL recently carried out research into the papaya leaf juice folk remedy, publishing their findings in March 2013, in an Egyptian-based medical journal called, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Hindawi Publishing Corporation.

“It can be concluded that the administration of 'carica papaya' leaf juice in dengue fever is safe and does induce the rapid increase in platelet count. It may play a valuable role in the management of dengue fever in the near future,” the Malaysian team wrote in their concluding remarks of the paper.

The news link for this report: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/papaya-tree-leaves-a-way-to-cure-dengue-062124867.html

(images from wikimedia.org and http://mui25.blogspot.com/2011/07/remedy-for-dengue-fever.html)

General Elections #13

This must be the most eagerly anticipated and longest awaited general election in Malaysia!

Today is March 1st and the leadership has yet to announce anything official. Sure, everyone is saying it has GOT to be this month.

With all the feel good news, good GDP growth for the country, not to mention all the $$ handouts to the rakyat over the last year or so, one would think the ruling government should be confident enough to call for elections.

I think, finally, with cyber-power allowing instant and free communication and dissemination of news/ views/ happenings, we are in a new era of knowledge and enlightenment. Leaders are now constantly kept on their toes. The slightest mistake or fauxpas or stupidity or insensitivity on their part will be immediately made known and shared hundreds of times before any damage control can hope to kick in.

That has got to be scary for political leaders.

As the rakyat, we have the right to expect the highest standards from our leaders.

For all the politicking and fight to win the elections, whether it be Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR), what all Malaysians want is a capable, credible, clean and consistent government that works more than it talks to lead the nation into the future as a developed nation in the midst of economic and social challenges.

If any government of the day just got fat and lazy and didn't do a good job, it doesn't get elected again. A new government is voted in to serve the nation and to prove its worth. If that government doesn't deliver either, then it gets the boot too.

Simple. 

This is democracy.  

There's no need for anyone to get emotional or to whip out the racial card.

Malaysia's strength and unique allure is in its diverse racial and religious makeup.  

Grow your own herbs and spices

We feel like having asam laksa today, that spicy-sour and tangy fish-based soup noodle that's so Penang and so Malaysian! We all love it.

It's challenging to make mainly because of the amount of fresh ingredients required to produce that unique and powerful taste of asam laksa. And if you don't live in the SEA region, it would be difficult to source some of those leaves that are used.

I am slowly nurturing my herb garden so that I may have my own supply of fresh herbs whenever I need it. It's more convenient than having to run to the store or market for 1 stalk of lemongrass, for example!

The daun kesum (polygonum leaves) in the container on top and to the left of the chopping board  is an essential ingredient, otherwise you will not get that trademark asam fragrance. Then there is a large chunk of lengkuas (galangal), against which are resting 2 stalks of lemongrass.The pink buds are the buds of the torch ginger flower (bunga kantan). There's a whole bunch of mint leaves in the colander together with fresh red chilies and dried tamarind slices next to the pineapple.

Of the fresh ingredients, the daun kesum, lemongrass and galangal are homegrown!

It isn't that difficult to grow them, and you will draw immense satisfaction from the spice of your labour.

Growing daun kesum

• After buying a fresh bunch from the market and using the leaves, keep the stalks.
• Stand the stalks in a glass of water about 1 inch in depth.
• Keep them in a place where there is indirect sunlight.
• You may change the water daily to prevent any mosquitoes from breeding.
• After a few days, you should see roots forming. There may also be new green leaves. Let the roots grow to a substantial length (just some guess work will do).
• Transplant your daun kesum into a pot or straight into the ground in a sunny spot in your garden. Remember to water it.

Gingers and lemongrass

• These are easy to propagate plants. 
• Just get a medium sized rhizome to begin planting your collection of ginger plants.
• To ensure your success, choose a rhizome that has already sprouted some roots or shoots.