Bella Italiana - 22

David - as resourceful as always, managed to get another engine for the Fiat 850 coupe.

The previous owner owned the engine for his own restored Fiat 850 coupe, unfortunately he crashed the car a couple of years ago.

Fortunate for me. David recommended me to buy it as spares. I buy it - it's not easy to get parts now - in the future it would be more difficult.

Besides, this newly acquired engine has been restored by the previous owner who is also a Fiat enthusiast. I instructed David to open up everything, just to be sure.

David, open everything. I mean EVERTHING.

The first furniture in.

Floor lamp.

White.

This is the space I have to design and furnish so that it will be ready before end of August 2010.

I have some ideas already.

Let us see how it is going to progress.

I am pretty excited, actually.

Mabul - earlier this year - thinking of another dive trip.

Current workload is not permitting.

I recently did food photography for a client (also a good friend - JJ). They sell frozen food – for export market too.

The company is aggressively trying to penetrate international market. They even participate in food conferences and exhibition – international.

The latest one was in New York.

I was commissioned to photograph their products.

So urgent, I even brought my photography work to Kuantan during my weekly business trip and work really late at home.

I ws quite happy with the results – so was my client.

These are some of the them:

JJ sms-ed me from New York: Half of the people who visited his booth during the conference asked about photography rather than the food.....

I guess thats a good sign....

Puasa month is just around the corner.

My friends are planning to get away – perhaps Penang – for a makan trip before we are going to starve for the whole month.

Last year, I ordered room service for sahur.

This was how they served it.

I like it.

Some fruits, nice chicken soup and various lauk pauk in the mangkuk tingkat.

That reminds me - we call mangkuk tingkat - tenong - in Terengganu speak.

Brondong has been naughty lately.

He's got a note from the management for parking at a parking lot I thought was not accupied.

I need space!

Since the Japanese tenant has gone back to Japan, I have to look for another tenant – got it – secured another 2 years of tenancy.

I decided to give the place a new coat of paint and refresh the look for the new occupants. A young couple, husband and wife. Both are teachers working for an international school nearby.

I have met them and they are very nice people.

I have been very lucky with tenants. All of them have been very good tenants. Perhaps I have been a good landlord too... hehe

I don’t like their choice of bedroom color though…..

It’s a bit messy but I know for sire its going to be NICE.

It has been a long 3 months.

I have been busy with a lot of things.

That explains the long silence.

A lot has happened. Good, bad and sad.

I guess that is life. We all have go though it, and learn from it.

I take all of them (good, bad and sad) positively.

It keeps me close to the ground and I think it makes me a better person.

And most of all it makes me closer to God.

Before & After

As requested by one of Choratchoret's frequent flyers - Ms Orange, wherever you are ;-)

BEFORE

AFTER

Just before landing at Subang Airport – the night view of Klang Valley from my little window.

I just remember the fact that I like to watch how the jet-engine in action – and the propellers too.

In the background is Lapangan Terbang Sultan Sultan Mahmud – Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Terengganu.

It looks really good from afar.

But don’t let that fool you. I have not seen a new aiport (or old ones for that matter) badly designed and possibly cost too much for the quality delivered.

This is quite typical government contract and it happens regularly – I wonder why…

Late delivery pulak tu. The VO… I just don’t want to get there – coz I don’t know.

Since i am from Terengganu, I do feel sad about such things.

It was a pleasant surprise in Teluk Chempedak recently.

As usual, I woke up early for my morning walk on the beach to watch the sunrise.

To my pleasant surprise, this is the view I got as soon as I open the sliding door to my room:

WOW!

My friend, SR, an art collector.

His family recently organized khatam Quran for her little daughter. She is still in primary school.

For a khatam Quran, the event was quite elaborate.

SR commissioned me to be the official photographer. I had my nephew to assist with his Canon gears. It was great.

It took me quite a while to deliver the hard copy to the family – a series of albums.

They look like this.

I sent the invoice to SR. He was so happy with my work, he added RM500 as bonus. That made my day. Apparently the family love the albums and the photos.

I am happy.

And this how the albums were delivered.

My Fav Breakfast Joint

located in Desa Sri Hartamas

Since good Nasi Dagang is kinda hard to come by, for years I have been going to this place in my previous neighborhood for the best porridge in the world.

I can eat the porridge every morning, every morning – as Joey Tribiani would have put it.

I normally just go ans sit on my fav table facing the road, on the pavement. Uncle / Auntie will serve me the porridge. I don't have to ask. They know what I want, all the time.

a team - always

Unfortunately, one day a couple of months ago when I had this crave for auntie and uncle’s chicken porridge, I was told they have already retired. But I just saw them a couple of weeks before that.

I was quite sad, and upset (of course! It was almost my daily staple) because since then I have not found the replacement. Trust me I have tried a few but it just not palatable.

uncle is showing me the secret of his delicious porridge

say NO to MSG

say YES to corn on a cob

Do you know any good porridge place worth trying?