Pork Meatloaf with Beer Dip @ Betty's Midwest Kitchen

Fancy a typical American Midwestern meal complete with honky-tonk music in the background?

Well, Betty's Midwest Kitchen is just the place. Located in Aman Suria, this place is easy to miss if you don't look closely. Caramel honey and I were thinking of trying someplace new for dinner but we didn't feel like driving too far from Tropicana. That's when I remembered my colleague telling me about these awesome burgers at Betty's Midwest Kitchen and plus, Aman Suria is like a stone's throw away from Tropicana.

My first impression - for an eatery that seems to be doing rather well (thanks to countless reviews in the blogosphere) is that the shop is rather small. However, the decor is quite cute - pictures of pigs everywhere and the USA flag just makes you feel like you're in for an American treat.

If you're an impatient person and get restless easily from waiting in line, I suggest you make a reservation, be it a weekday or weekend. We went on Tuesday night around 7.30pm and there was already a queue forming. We waited about 10 minutes to get a place and that was only after we got bumped up the queue (the ones before us had to wait coz their whole dinner party was not present).

Unlike most blogs that advertised on their burgers (which I admit do look damn good), I decided to try the Classical Meatloaf (RM16.50) that is a succulent, tasty combination of pork meatloaf, mash potatoes, green peas, onion relish and their signature beer-based dip. It was a gastronomical experience!

The mashed potatoes with its mushroom gravy looked and tasted heavenly. I hate mashed potatoes that are too soggy and soft but this one was just right. Portions of the pork meatloaf were generous for the price - can be easily shared by two people. The green peas, onion relish and the *slurp* beer-dip only further enhanced the pork meatloaf's flavour.

We also ordered Soup of the Week (RM10) which was Ham and Tomato and the portion was equally as generous. Clear broth with plenty of vegetables but the ham was nowhere in sight - in fact I could barely get a taste of ham. Though it tasted good, more ham would have added to the flavour. The garlic bread was not that great though - one bite and I thought my teeth was gonna crack.

Caramel honey's Sloppy Joe (RM12) was nothing much to shout about - it was nothing like we expected. Ground pork, onions and ketchup served with buns and fries - tasted good but I think he couldn't agree with the concept. At least, the meal lives up to its name. LOL!

TIP: Go there with intentions of sharing. Unless you can eat a horse, it's gonna be hard to finish one meal by yourself - yes, even the soup.

Switchfoot - Only Hope (A Walk to Remember)

I've always loved the song - right from the minute I watched A Walk to Remember (released ages ago) but I can't decide which version is better - Switchfoot's original acoustic version or Mandy Moore's soulful rendition. Hence, both videos :)

Words of Wisdom

A newfound friend recently told me these quotes from Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian novelist. The quotes are not at all unfamiliar and you've probably heard them before, but every once in a while you need a reminder. 

I think this applies to any sort of past that you're still clinging to, from all aspects of life:

Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person – nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need.

This is my new mantra every morning (I used to look at it the other way around):

Don't live every day as if it were your last. Live every day as if it were your first.

I also saw this post on his blog which I found to be quite a delightful read (it's a tad bit long, I know):

1] Anything that makes us forget our true identity and our dreams and makes us only work to produce and reproduce. 

2] Making rules for a war (the Geneva Convention). 

3] Spending years at university and then not being able to find a job. 

4] Working from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon at something that does not give us the least pleasure, so that we can retire after 30 years. 

5] Retiring only to discover that we have no more energy to enjoy life, and then dying of boredom after a few years. 

6] Using Botox. 

7] Trying to be financially successful instead of seeking happiness. 

8] Ridiculing those who seek happiness instead of money by calling them “people with no ambition”. 

9] Comparing objects like cars, houses and clothes, and defining life according to these comparisons instead of really trying to find out the true reason for being alive. 

10] Not talking to strangers. Saying nasty things about our neighbors. 

11] Thinking that parents are always right. 

12] Getting married, having children and staying together even though the love has gone, claiming that it’s for the sake of the children (who do not seem to be listening to the constant arguments). 

12ª] Criticizing everybody who tries to be different. 

14] Waking up with a hysterical alarm-clock at the bedside. 

15] Believing in everything that is printed. 

16] Wearing a piece of colored cloth wrapped around the neck, known by the pompous name “necktie”. 

17] Never asking direct questions, even though the other person understands what you want to know. 

18] Keeping a smile on your face when you really want to cry. And feeling sorry for those who show their own feelings. 

19] Thinking that art is worth a fortune, or that it is worth absolutely nothing. 

20] Always despising what was easily gained, because the “necessary sacrifice” – and therefore also the required qualities – are missing. 

21] Following fashion, even though it all looks ridiculous and uncomfortable. 

22] Being convinced that all the famous people have tons of money. 

23] Investing a lot in exterior beauty and paying little attention to interior beauty. 

24] Using all possible means to show that even though you are a normal person, you are infinitely superior to other human beings. 

25] In any kind of public transport, never looking straight into the eyes of the other passengers, as this may be taken for attempting to seduce them. 

26] When in an elevator, looking straight at the door and pretending you are the only person inside, however crowded it may be. 

27] Never laughing out loud in a restaurant, no matter how funny the story is. 

28] In the Northern hemisphere, always wearing the clothes that match the season of the year: short sleeves in springtime (however cold it may be) and a woolen jacket in the fall (no matter how warm it is). 

29] In the Southern hemisphere, decorating the Christmas tree with cotton wool, even though winter has nothing to do with the birth of Christ. 

30] As you grow older, thinking you are the wisest man in the world, even though not always do you have enough life experience to know what is wrong. 

31] Going to a charity event and thinking that it is enough to put an end to all the social inequalities in the world. 

32] Eating three times a day, even when not hungry. 

33] Believing that the others are always better at everything: they are better-looking, more resourceful, richer and more intelligent. Since it’s very risky to venture beyond your own limits, it’s better to do nothing. 

34] Using the car as a way to feel powerful and in control of the world.

35] Using foul language in traffic. 

36] Thinking that everything your child does wrong is the fault of the company he or she is keeping. 

37] Marrying the first person who offers a position in society. Love can wait. 

38] Always saying “I tried”, even though you haven’t tried at all. 

39] Putting off doing the most interesting things in life until you no longer have the strength to do them. 

40] Avoiding depression with massive daily doses of television programs. 

41] Believing that it is possible to be sure of everything you have won. 

42] Thinking that women don’t like football and that men don’t like interior decoration. 

43] Blaming the government for everything bad that happens. 

44] Being convinced that being a good, decent and respectful person means that the others will find you weak, vulnerable and easy to manipulate. 

45] Being convinced that aggressiveness and discourtesy in treating others are signs of a powerful personality. 

46] Being afraid of fibroscopy (men) and childbirth (women). 

47] And finally, thinking that your religion is the sole proprietor of the absolute truth, the most important, the best, and that the other human beings in this immense planet who believe in any other manifestation of God are condemned to the fires of hell.

Do you have any favorite quotes/mantras that you live by and have served you well?

Confetti Martini - Shaken, Not Stirred

This was reprinted from Color Me Katie, a blog managed by the creative and imaginative Katie Sokoler. I always read her blog in the mornings because her posts never fail to make me smile, like this one for instance.

Have a fun weekend people!

What you'll need: a fun friend, paper, a blender, and a martini glass.

Put your paper in the blender and set to chop.

chop, chop, chop...

Pour,

and you're done!

Cheers,

Let's get wasted!

;)

Million Dollar Question

Sometimes I question myself: Do I really want what I have right now or should I just let it go and move on with my life?

I can be really accommodating when I want to be, especially when it comes to family and relationships. With family, it's a no brainer - sometimes being accommodating is the best thing to do but with relationships it gets a bit tricky. To what extent do you accommodate? Till the same mistakes are repeated again and you find yourself at square one?

You know those episodes on Oprah where some wife complains about being cheated/abused in her relationship/marriage and the ultimate question was: why didn't she leave? It's weird when you find yourself on the other side for once.  

This post is completely rhetorical - I just feel like posting this out into the void *otherwise known as to-vent*

Bundle of Fur & Cuteness = Maxi

The latest addition to caramel honey's family - a miniature toy poodle named Maxi! He's about 2 1/2 months old and is THE most adorable puppy I've ever laid eyes on!

The clearest pic I could snap of him

It was so hard to get a picture of him coz he cannot stop moving (really pumped with energy!) so I decided to go with videos instead. Here are 2 of the more watchable ones :)

The other dog you see hovering in the video is - gorgeous cocker spaniel named Sandy (who's all of a sudden, very mature when Maxi is around). Sandy used to be jumping and running around in circles whenever we saw her but this time, with a new puppy in the picture, Sandy seems a little bit subdued. Perhaps it takes a bit more time until chemistry sets in :)

Invasion of the Autobots @ One Utama

"Autobots - roll out!"

Last week, the Autobots staged an intervention in the New Wing of One Utama where the stars of the day were put on display for DSLR and car enthusiasts to go nuts.

* Click on the pics for a larger view!

Apparently a life-size scale of Optimus Prime

Highlight of the event: Chevrolet Camero - Transformers Edition

Bumblebee is one gleaming Autobot!

Good promo for the upcoming Transformers movie but I don't have high hopes for it. For one, the 2nd sequel was a total downer - mostly clashes of metal that you could hardly see who was fighting what and I can't even recall the storyline of the movie (that's how memorable it is!). 

I do like this particular teaser, however coz it depicts the actual moon landing. Hope the movie is way better than its previous disastrous sequel.

Cheap Bento Set Lunch - via Delivery!

Lak Zi fish + Fried boiled eggs/chicken salad + slices of Papaya = RM8.80
The fish was tasty (spicy) and the boiled eggs/chicken went well with the sticky rice.
Good combination!

Too cute!

Check out various Bento sets that would just make you go Awwwww! (note: you have to be logged into Facebook)

P.S. Cheap delivery to most places but if you order more than 5 sets, delivery is FREE. Send your order to 016-2199622 (1 day in advance) with details: name, company's name, full add, quantity & date of delivery.

A Weekend Break...

Few hours from now, caramel honey and I will be in PD enjoying a much-needed weekend getaway. We're putting up in Avillion Admiral Cove and I do hope their rooms/service are as good as its advertised to be. I've also purchased this sports package voucher from MyDeal which includes jet ski, banana boat, kayak, etc for the two of us *super excited!*

Plus, this would mark one year for our relationship so that's reason to celebrate :) Have a good weekend people!

When I Grow Up, I Wanna Be...

If you studied meticulously and became either one of your ambitions, that's quite an accomplishment. Nowadays, ambition serves no importance in today's working life. People jump into a job, see if they like it, then stick to it and move up from there. Money seems to be the sole drive behind it. 

I'm not against making bundles of cash but it's very seldom you see someone enjoying their job despite making loads of money. Long gone were the days where we could dream about being something or working a job we're passionate about. 

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to list down my various ambitions that cropped up since wee-kindergarten-days

The Money Machine

Yes, that's what I used to call a cash register back when I was too young to understand the importance of money. Believe it or not, the earliest ambition I had was to be a cashier - simply because I was so taken with the sounds the cash register made when the money drawer came out!

Jet-Setting All Around the World

This was when I was in primary school. Our family used to travel a lot every 2-3 years since my dad was in Sales and I used to look forward to each time we went to a new place coz that meant - flying! I had this idea that being an air stewardess was so glamorous since they got to travel in style (obviously, I completely ignored the fact that they have to clean, serve people, etc).

I Want To Fly!

I've always been fascinated with aircrafts (having been in one ever so frequently at the time) and later on, people convinced me that being a pilot was a lot more beneficial than an air stewardess - and yes, AirWolf inspired me as well :)

On one of our flights from KL to Sabah (think I was about 12 years old then), my dad managed to arrange with the aircrew to let me sit in the cockpit for the landing. I was excited beyond anything! This was my first real look at an actual cockpit and mind you, there was not much space for a 3rd person (lucky I was quite small-sized then!).

It was an amazing experience - sitting in a cockpit of a Boeing 747, while the pilot tells you details about the cloud formations outside and the main controls to pilot the plane.

Space Exploration

Oooo this was the last and probably the most serious ambition I ever had (I know, what are the odds compared to being a pilot, right?)

I was very much interested in the solar system - still am. Astronomy was possibly my most passionate hobby at one point. I used to have a map of the solar system pinned on my wall and marked stars and planets on it. Heck, I even had glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling and walls!

So, these are my most remembered ambitions throughout my studying years. Granted the last one was quite far-fetched but the best thing about being ambitious is that there's no limit, right? :)