First Hand Update From My Instagram

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Chin Swee Temple [Part 1]

Phew~ life after study seems good w/o work ^_^ I took my time off to do a lot of things I never had time to do during my study days. End of last month, I joined a 2D 1N camp called "Embrace Your Potential" in Chin Swee Temple. I had very little idea on what is going to be before I depart.
The not so long but crooked road to Genting highland leads to a mysterious place. Well, at least I never came here (Chin Swee) before. Most of us go to Genting for it's team park, concert, gamble(I do not encourage gamble,k) or what ever fun things up there. But little of us takes time to visit this half-way mysterious treasure. I might not be the best landscape photographer before, but here are some photo I captured during the trip. Enjoy~ ^_^ 





















If you not already know, Chin Swee Temple provide accomodation too!

The minimum donation for single /double bed is RM50 on low/shoulder season or RM110 on  peak/super peak season.
The minimum donation for triple bed is RM70 on low/shoulder season or RM130 on peak or super peak season.

Super cheap right? Since it's not hotel, it has not much room service or facilities, but for me, it's good enough. Cheaper than staying First World or Team Park hotel which is just stone throw distance away! The best part is, you can arrange event in Chin Swee temple too, which is the aim of my visit to Chin Swee this time. 


For more information about Chin Swee temple and it's room rates, please visit: http://www.csc.org.my/



Embrace Your Potential in Chin Swee Temple [Part 2]

 Phew~ life after study seems good w/o work ^_^ I took my time off to do a lot of things I never had time to do during my study days. End of last month, I joined a 2D 1N camp called "Embrace Your Potential" in Chin Swee Temple. I had very little idea on what is going to be before I depart.

Never the less we were warmly welcome by the organizers.


Before the workshop starts, the Facilitator fumigate us with some burning herbs and chants. Mo worries, nothing religious here!
Left: Master David Bao
Center: Chim Li Yen

The session start with an intro of our self. Then Li Yen explain a bit about the energy shield around us and play some activities to let us feel the energy.

[source]
This was one of the activity where we hold a device to sense energy. One of us walk to the other and the wires will change direction, one of them will open, one of them will close. I literally "WOW"

The session continue with Chakras. It might to too complex for me to explain one by one but I found an image from the internet:

If any other these Chakras is blocked/non healthy, we willhave problem in life related to the Chakras.

Then the session before dinner is a introduction of Qi Gong by Master David Bao. Master David is the former 2006 World Tai Chi Champion that immigrate to Malaysia on year 2000.


He start the session with a complete Chan style Tai Chi

Of course, every visitor passed by are attracted by his moves~
He want to eliminate the usual perception of Qi Gong and Tai Chi is for old people. Qi Gong and Tai Chi is for all ages. The earlier you learn, the better is for you. Everything in the world are made from Ying and Yang, so are our body. We have to move the Ying and Yang in our body so it will not block. The usual exercise we did such as jogging only move the Ying and Yang a bit because it is moving too fast and to random, so jogging is not a very good exercise. As for Qi Gong, it moves the Ying across to Yang and Yang across to Ying, so that the Ying Yang movements are maximize.


[source]
After the demonstration, we are teach some simple step as the introduction of the Qi Gong.

After dinner, a Li Yen conduct a simple relaxing session.

This is an Mandala. When we color the mandala, it reveals our soul.


The left one is the personality mandala where we start from the center and coloring it with the color we choose ourselves. The right one is the soul mandala, where er start coloring from the center but we choose the color with our eyes closed.
So the above is my mandalas. What do you see in me?

These are my boyfriend 1.What do you see? Very different right? Hahaha, yeah thats why we complete each others ^_^

Before I go back to rest, I draw a card from the rainbow card. I still have problem to understand it though....

On the next morning, the session is kick start with a series on meditation activities.
[source]
The session include walking meditation, breathing exercise and sitting meditations.Li Yen do not encourage a newbie to meditate our self, it's better to have a guider at the earlier stage of learning meditation.


After breakfast, we have a commentary session on our mandalas. Each of us comment on each others mandalas. Although we are commenting other's mandalas, we are actually learning about our self. Pressty amazing huh? You might find different mandalas in the internet but you might not fully experience the meaning behind it if you have no guidance from a experience facilitator.


A part of that, Li Yen also offers to do a Oracle reading for us.


Since I am a tarot reader too, it's not hard for me to understand the concept. Instead of ppl telling me what to do, I know what exactly happened.


The 2 day 1 night stay in Chin Swee really benefits me a lot. Especially with the experienced facilitator. Thanks to Nuffnang and Resort World Getting for such a excellent experience.

If you are interested in these facilitator, you can contact them via:
Chim Li Yen: http://www.thevioletflame.com.my/
Master David Bao: http://davidbao.com/



For my other experience in Chin Swee temple, please visit:




Vegetarian Restaurant Chin Swee Temple [Food Review] [Part 3]

Phew~ life after study seems good w/o work ^_^ I took my time off to do a lot of things I never had time to do during my study days. End of last month, I joined a 2D 1N camp called "Embrace Your Potential" in Chin Swee Temple. I had very little idea on what is going to be before I depart.

During the stay, all of our meals are prepared by the same restaurant.
As you see, vegetarian restaurant only provides vegetarian dishes. Yes, we had vegeterian dishes for the whole day. It was not a problem for me as I am a vegetarian when I was a student back in Melaka.

They don't just make a restaurant there, they do it with style~

During lunch:
Slice Fish In Thai Style

balone Mushroom In Creamy Sauce

Bean Curd With Ceder Shoot

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Stir Fried Vegetable

Soup of The Day - Carrot soup.


During dinner:
Kung Po Squids

Assam Fish

Seaweed Soup

Salt and Pepper Mushroom

no photo:
Stir Fried Vegetable
Bean Curn With Luffa

Front to back:
Malaysia Fried Noodle
Peanut Porridge
Stir Fried Seasonning Vegatable
Coffee & Tea

Though these are all vegetarian food, the food are presented in a very classy manner. It very flavourful also, which contrary to the usual believes of vegetarian are tasteless. I always knows that vegetarian food taste good, but nobody trust me T____T

Since this is a sponsor trip and these are sponsor food, I can't judge the food and rate it like usual, but I really recommend it ;)

For my other experience in Chin Swee temple, please visit:




Monday, July 9, 2012

McCafe

Are hungry now? Looking for a fancy afternoon tea?
Are you thirsty but can't afford that expensive overrated chain coffee shop?
Don't you just hope the stone throw distance fast food franchised restaurant can solve your coffee addiction?
Or you just simply need a cheaper coffee solution?

If you answer YES to any of the question above, then you will be excited to this!


McCafe is finally landed in Malaysia! With 229 restaurant nationwide, no doubt McDonald's is one of the most easily access restaurant in Malaysia. If you still remember, few years back (2006) McDonald's Malaysia successfully introduce Premium Roast Coffee into its menu offering. With the continuous lifestyle changing of current consumers, coffee is no longer a morning thing. If you fancy, you can get an extensive menu of premium quality beverages such as Cappucino, latte, machiato, expresso, hot chocolate and frappe together with a selection of pastries, cakes, and muffins, ranging as low as Rm4.50 all day long, from 7am to 12am daily from McCafe!



No matter hot or cold, concentrated like Espresso or diluted like Americano, Mc cafe have all you want! Just a heads up to make you drool:


Left to right: Mocha frappe, mango frappe, iced latte


Espresso


Cappucino Coffee



Flat White





Latte



Variety of pastries.

Courtesy to Mc Donald's Malaysia, I was invited to McCafe Blogger's Night at McDonald's Kota Damansa.
The McCafe is establish inside the existing Mc Donald's outlet instead of a new shop lot.

Like I mentioned, McCafe offer a variety choices of coffee and pastries.
Cakes: Black Forest Cake, Mocha Marble Cheese Cake, Blueberry Cheese Cake, RM.90 each.

Brownies and Cakes: Brownie (RM5.50), Banana Walnut Muffin (RM5.90), Double Chocolate Chip Muffin (Rm 5.90), Carrot Raisin Muffin (RM5.90)

Since there are offering various coffee, hence there are various sizes of Coffee cups to cater the needs.

Here are the menu of McCafe as to date:


Pastries:
Pastries Price
Black Forest Cake
RM  9.90
Mocha Marble Cheese Cake
RM  9.90
Blueberry Cheese Cake
RM 9.90
Brownie
RM 5.50
Banana Walnut Muffin
RM 5.90
Double Chocolate Chip Muffin
RM 5.90
Carrot Raisin
RM 5.90


Drinks:

Drinks 4oz 8oz (S) 12oz (M)16oz (L)
Latte
- RM 4.50  RM 5.50 RM 6.50 
Cappuccino
- RM 4.50 RM 5.50 RM 6.50
Flat White
- RM 4.50 RM 5.50 RM 6.50
Americano
- RM 4.50 RM 5.50 RM 6.50
Espresso
RM 3.50  ---
Espresso Macchiato
RM 3.95 -- -
Mocha
- RM 5.50RM 6.50 RM 7.50
Babycino
RM 1.90 ---
Hot Chocolate
- RM 5.75RM 6.75RM 7.75
Speciality Tea
--RM 5.50 -
Iced Latte
--RM 5.50 RM 6.50
Iced Caramel Latte


RM 6.50 RM 7.50
Iced Hazelnut Latte
RM 6.50 RM 7.50
Iced Mocha
RM 6.50 RM 7.50
Iced Chocolate

RM6.75RM7.75
Iced Americano
RM 5.50 RM 6.50
Espresso Coffee Frappe

RM 6.60 RM 7.20
Mocha Frappe
RM 7.50 RM 8.50
Chocolate Frappe

RM 7.95RM 8.95
Mango Frappe

RM 7.95RM 8.95


Extras
Extras
Price
Extra Shot Of Espresso
RM 1.80
Caramel Syrup
RM 1.00
Hazelnut Syrup
RM 1.00

*prices may differ in different outlet*


Le boyfriend and I had order a lot pastries and drinks the other day 



Black Forest Cake

OMG, worse black forest cake EVER! The cream are so mediocre, the berries are like those cheap pickled berries with lots of juicies around the creame. And don't let me talk about the cake, it was so rough and coarse. With that price, I rather go to a local cake franchise cake shop which has larger pieces, less expensive and more tasty! 

Brownie


Another fail product. The brownie breaks into small chucks when you lay your fork down. No very rich in taste and dry as timber #facepalm.

Banana Walnut Muffin

Just like the brownie, the muffin scattered around after the 1st bite. I don't like the taste, texture or the banana. 

Blueberry Cheese Cake
The cheese isn't smooth, the blueberries has an artificial flavor and the topping is too sweet for my liking. The cheese wasn't a failure, but when it is compare to come major cakes store, it's comparably weak.



Since I am not a hardcore coffee fan and I extreme confidence in Mc Donald's coffee (Arabica coffee beans in Mc Donald's breakfast set, anyone?), I order Chocolate Frappe with Hazelnut syrup. The ice are finely blended, very smooth, just like drinking ice chocolate, with a constant chilling temperature of course. The chocolate taste is slightly less thick that what I like, but still in the acceptable range.



Le boyfriend ordered Mocha frappe, I have a few sip. The coffee aroma is great, ice are smooth like the chocolate frappe. I wish it is less biter though~

Not only we have chance to try some of the Mc Cafe menu, we witness the making processing Latte


Don't you just love how classy it looks?
Ho kot~ Imaging the aroma and texture of that latte makes me even harder to sleep now.


Finally, shout out to Najat Fuad, the Director of  Corporate Communication. Thanks for the invitations ^_^



P/S: The good news doesn't stop here. By the end of 2012, 10 more McDonald's restaurant will be fitted with McCafe counters, and another 50 new outlets slated for 2013.

Recommendation: Try McCafe drinks, cheap and nice. Pastries does not worth the pennies.