..... of small town "Kopitiam"

If you have the time, you should cut out of the highway and travel the trunk roads once in a while. You will be rewarded with new sights and tastes. For so many years, Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) locked himself from toll booth to toll booth, hoping to reach his destination in time to start WORK. ( It is a "four letter word" - WORK) Since his retirement Y S has forgotten the meaning of "WORK."

On your way to Seremban, cut out to the small Hakka town of Mantin. Btw you have to get out to Pajar and Nilai, then follow the runk road and you will not miss the small and quaint town of Mantin. This "Eating Shop" is just a stone's throw from the town. It is on the left of the trunk road to Seremban, about 400 metres from St Aloysius' Catholic Church of Mantin

This fried "taufoo" dipped in chilly sauce and served with some stripped cucumber and bean sprouts is a good appetizer to sweat out your taste bud. LOL.

This is always Y S favourite.

Y S' better half never fails to try her curry noodles. Her usual comment is " Cannot beat the one from Batu Gajah (Her hometown !!!) Old taste dies hard. The one served here has very light curry that invites you to drink it.

Y S always snatches the opportunity to get acquainted with the proprietor or proprietress wherever he eats. "Old Mantin" is run by three sisters of the same size, as you can see. Another sister was busy in the kitchen.

Such places serve delicious family cooked food that do not cost a limb.

Eat on ........ The dead don't have to eat.

....... of charcoal grills and Uncle Ronnie

This is Uncle Ronnie at his charcoal grill pit serving his faithful client - Yours Sincerely ( Y S ). This is one charcoal grill restaurant in the truest sense of the word. It is using charcoal. And Uncle Ronnie is so serious about it that he does it in the open for you to witness. No cutting corners because some restaurants advertise as charcoal grilled but the food is electric oven grilled. Don't be offended fans of Kenny Roger Roaster, you are eating electric oven grilled chicken, absolutely not charcoal !!! And there is a big difference in aroma and taste. The charcoal brings out the true flavor of your chicken, beef, lamb or fish.

Uncle Ronnie runs his restaurant "Uncle R" at 49, Jalan Radin Anun, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur which happens to be Y S' haunt as he has an apartment at Vista Commonwealth. If you cannot find his place, just call 012-3392070 or 016-2712070. Uncle Ronnie will be too glad to direct you to his restaurant and if he is free he may even drive you there ! You will surely be delighted with Uncle Ronnie's Chicken Chop, Seafood Grill which includes a giant "Udang Galah," Fish & Chips , and Mixed Grill (Chicken, Beef & Lamb) which happens to be Y S' favourite. O la la.

These are the photos of satisfied customers, so you can judge for yourself the quality of the food.

(Sorry for the blurry photo. It was taken on my handphone's camera.)

Y S Mixed Grill comes with the usual vegetables, the specially baked potatoes and some slices of garlic bread. The most delightful part of the Mixed grill is the special Uncle Ronnie's Sauce which is one of its kind and it makes the meat real juicy. Y S always has to eat his chops, whatever chops, with plenty of Maggie chilly and tomato sauce. THIS IS THE ONLY MIXED GRILL Y S EATS WITHOUT ANY Maggie CHILLY OR TOMATO SAUCE. Uncle Ronnie's special sauce tops up the flavor of the grill and makes the beef, chicken and lamb succulent and "finger licking good." You will miss the sauce.

You will be dinniong in good ambiance and be surrounded by songs from the 50s and 60s.

There is also a variety of health drinks to quench your thirst and very light desserts to savor before you call for your bill. And the best part is that the bill does not cost you a limb !!! It is very reasonable by KL standard.

This is the fascade of "Uncle R" at Sri Petaling. Uncle Ronnie is busy at work. (Look to your left)

Being a Christian, Uncle Ronnie's secret recipe is his "Love" for cooking good food for his customers. He himself meticulously grills the food for you.

Y S seldom fails to visit "Uncle R" every time he goes down to KL. It is a restaurant worth visiting.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Paul of Tarsus, 1st Corinthians.

.....of grand nephew's wedding

Yours Sincerely's ( y s ) handsome grand nephew's and his lovely bride. Y S believes that all brides and grooms are beautiful and handsome, especially in their wedding best. It is the wears and tears of wedded life that take their toll on all the lovely couples for one has to remember that " weddings are made in heaven so are thunders and lightning."

Yours Sincerely was on another round of weddings again. Two weddings in Seremban. Both at the same venue, each one day after the other. The grand nephew's wedding was registered on 09-09-09 - a supposedly auspicious day that had deflowered so many virgins. LOL Grand nephew!!! Well, it shows how age is catching up with Y. S. This was a wedding between a Hokkien and a Cantonese. So, you can easily total up the number of taboos ( I won't call them custom) and timed them by two.

Y S was amused by the bondage of the taboos practised and observed this strange one of bringing a badly abused cockerel which was slaughtered and had its feathers half plucked, leaving those at its head and tail unplucked. And (perhaps in the fashion of the day. LOL) dyed red !!! This cockerel was specially requested by the bride's side and it was offered to their deity, and then retuned to the groom's side to be eaten. Eeeek!!! Talk about animal abuse.

The wedding entertainment was very lavish and hip. Flamingo dances with very high kicks and flaring skirts swirling. It was a great distract from the culinary delights of nine very big and sinfully delicious Chinese dishes. Y S was watching more than eating and was seated on the second row from the stage. O la la.
(Sorry this pic is not so clear.) This was the pre-wedding dinner held at the groom's house. A buffer of thirty spreads. Not to mention the free flow of beer, stout, brandy and whiskey. Enough to feed an army.
This is the groom's entourage, young and fun-loving and all dressed in red to impress the bride's girlfriends.

Another astounding performance which Y S was given to badly understand in Mandarin from the champion performance for ASTRO Performance Championship. Or something like that.

This is the sumptuous buffet spread that was all cooked by the groom's grandmother and his first aunty. Y S could not imgine his beloved sister could produce so many varieties of food.

This is a proof from the "crime scene" to show so much leftovers after everyone had had his fill.
Y S has heard of 5 seasons (meaning 5 varieties) but this one came out with 8 HUGE varieties.


Like in all weddings Y S has attended, his advice is :-

"Don't only exchange the engagement and wedding rings. Do also exchange the Suffer- ring and, of course, if there is true love, also hold on to the Endure-ring."

.... And go forth and multiply.

........ of encouragement

Novelist, poet, and dramatist, the most important of French Romantic writers. Victor Hugo developed his own version of the historical novel, combining concrete, historical details with vivid, melodramatic, even feverish imagination. His best-known works include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831) and Les Misérables (1862).

Hugo is not having a headache but is in deep thought.

Anyway deep thought leads to headache !

" Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. "

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

......... of singing

Y S at the karaoke during the eldest daughter's wedding

For three quarter of his life, Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) was told and so he thought that he could not sing. His family would cringe when he tried to sing, and yet singing is another item from Y S' "Bucket List."

So it happened that one day Y S was seated in front of the church choir mistress. She overheard or somehow Y S ' voice jarred into her tuneful ears, and she caught hold of Y S to sing the responsorial psalm IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION IN CHURCH!!! It was like being sentenced to death. Of course, the answer was No! No! No!

However, there is something special about this lady. She must have persisted in her prayer for Y S. She approached Y S a few more times. Given an ordinary worker for the Good Lord, she would have beaten the dust off her shoes and walked away. But, she approached Y S yet another time, together with a cassette and note for Y S to learn. Y S accepted the offer, thinking that he would return the cassette and note to her a few days later.

However, a small still voice in Y S kept nudging him to listen to the cassette, so one fine morning Y S listened to the cassette, and somehow Y S was convinced that he could do it.

The rest is history. Y S sang before a congregation of about 350 people FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE !!! However, er...er... the organist had some trouble keeping time with Y S.

To be frank, Y S was steady - no heart racing, no dry throat, no knocking knees or sweat for the simple reason that Y S was singing for the Glory of God. Y S was not singing for the congregation, and if you sing for God, He somehow has to enable you. Right?

"The impossible is often untried." Jim Goodwin

....... of golden citizens

Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) could not help noticing this club smacked right at Paramount Garden in Petaling Jaya. It is a club for senior citizens or golden citizens or the grey or the retired to meet their peers and spend their sunset years together gloriously.

Fancy how these people can come up with " V.S.O.P" - Very Strong Old People Club. From the vibrant noise Y S heard through the closed doors, they sounded like a bunch of kindergarten kids full of energy but devoid of cares and concern. How nice ? Y S bet they must be having a good jolly time. Perhaps Y S should start a chapter in Alor Star.

..... of shaping the ageing body

A new attraction at the RKC (Royal Kedah Club) is the new gymnasium with brand new equipment to build stamina and tone up muscles. Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) and his better half have been faithfully wearing out the equipment since the opening of the gymnasium. Going there in the morning, we have the whole place to ourselves. However, of late, more enthusiasts are coming. Anyway, in a gymn two is lonesome and more than that is a carnival.
This is Amzari, the friendly attendant, who is always at hand to give a tip or two. Y S feels that such tips are important for you might be exercising in the reverse. LOL

The human body is a marvelous machine. It is never too old to be toned and shaped up, or at the very least, prevent it from sagging and hanging ugily.

This is excellent for building your biceps. Y S hopes he can still get his hands through the sleeves of his shirts after this. LOL
This can strengthen your chest.

An hour through these machines and also the tread mill is enough to soak yourself in your sweat.
Your mood changes positively. Your breathing is deeper. Your eyes keener. Your ears sharper. Your mind clearer. I only wish I adopted his lifestyle earlier in my life. Is it too late now???