Black, Squid Ink Pasta?

This article is not for the weak in heart..

Even while reading the menu, I had trouble making up my mind. How would it taste? 

First time I saw it, Bobby Flay cooked it on the Food Network Channel, and I thought, it reminds me of a Goth Halloween Theme Party Food and the seafood tomato sauce they put on it looks really gory! And I can't believe they actually used the squid ink and saute it with the pasta. I saw this black one before, but I thought that maybe they used some kind of special grain or colouring like green spinach past or something. I never thought that they 'coloured' it.

So I made up my mind and what the heck? I ordered it. Oh yeah, I went to The Garden Cafe in Alamanda. The Garden Cafe has many outlets all around the country, If you wish to try it.

So there it is, the Black Squid Ink Pasta. Yeah, they really extract the dark ink from the squid and mixed it in the pasta that has been saute with garlic and olive oil. They used just one squid for the ink. 

All of you out there must be wondering, 'really Fairus? You really gonna eat that?' Well, for those who knew me and how I am very curious about new food (the one that can be eaten), the answer is, 'YES!' And the pasta is coming at me like, NOW! There's no turning back. I am nervous of trying a pasta, that is black. Yikes!!

Bismillah.. And I took my fork wrapped the pasta around it, with a little bit of the sauce, and a bite went into my mouth. I am chewing, and tasting and enjoying and thinking, and it tasted GOOD! It actually really good. So I took another bite, closing my eyes, enjoying it! It didn't taste like a what I think a squid would taste. The combination of the sauce and garlic and seafood are heavenly! Maybe the Italian created this meal with a squid ink, just for the exotic looks and even the name. (I guess)

The sauce? Oh.. it has the typical delicious Italian sauce taste with scallops, shrimp and of course SQUIDS! And with all the herbs and spice and tangy and sweet and salty taste all combine together, it makes me wanna weep over a plate of spaghetti. Black spaghetti, that might make some people horrified just by listening to it's name.

Ooh, the ending? What do you think? Did I finished it? See it for yourself. I finished it! It tasted so good I feel like ordering another plate. Well, that's embarrassing..

Yeah, if only you can eat the shrimp tail, there might not be a thing left on the plate. 

So, Black Ink Squid Pasta. I dare any of you out there to try this in The Garden Cafe. 

Is That A Diaper Bag?

Having a baby means a really BIG changes in our lives. To me, it effects my routine and even my handbags. I love my handbags so much! But now I find it it's annoyingly uneasy to carry a handbag and a baby bag at the same time. And the baby bag with cute blue, pink and so many cheerful colours with a typical cute designs, sometimes doesn't go with what I am wearing.

(sigh) 

But my solution is solved, when I finally got my Storksak safely arrived at my doorstep, it's like a dream come true, problemo solved! Now I only need to carry one bag and one bag alone. The best parts are, It will still like carrying my handbag, and baby bag in one. And nobody won't know it actually a baby bag until you tell them! Muahaahahahah!! I'm sorry but I wanna look good while outing with my kids. Carrying one bag and only one stylish bag that carries all the thing I need and also what the kids need.

What is it I am talking about? Well.. it's THIS!

Ladies, I present to you..

The Storksak!

Well, does it look good or does it look good? Believe it or not it's not just a handbag. It is also a diaper bag. Comes with many range and design, Storksak is a total solution to mommies who wants to look good while carrying a diaper bag. They even have a design for daddy. Mine is Elizabeth Leather, in Grey Dove. The merchandise is from London and being brought in here by certain online boutique in Malaysia. What makes me crave more about this is, even Angelina Jolie wore it so is Brad Pitt!

The bag has lots of pockets inside an outside so you can put all the things needed in a different compartments and getting it easily. The elegant design concealed the truth and what people see is a very nice handbag.

Do you see the pockets and compartments? I am loving this so much! You can so many things in here. My purse, diapers, spare clothes, wet tissues, wipe cloth etc..

It has a pocket at both sides of the handbag, which I slip in my mobile phone, car keys and other things that I need to get in a hurry at the easiest place I can reach in time.

This bag came with a dust bag (a must), a diaper changing mat and a bottle warmer bag. I bought mine at BEBE TOTZ, they also can be reach at their Facebook and I recommend you to browse their album. There are so many things you can find there.

So, Zara.. the bag is pack. Let's go out with your sisters!

p.s. Fadzil is not around to take photo of me posing with this bag.

'Super Mak'

Referring to the title above, which I chose because my sisters kept calling me THAT everytime we met, on a phone call, or texting.

Wanna know how it starts?

Among us sisters, I was known as the 'MOST BRUTAL'. Why? I manage to do and handle lots of tough things alone. With my kids, and pregnant. Since Fadzil left for China everymonth, I have to do things all by myself until the day before I gave birth. It's a no biggie for me. I guess all ladies did that. Did they?

Well exactly 53 days after the birth, he left again, and I am back to our place after 40 days confinement at my mom's. I have no choice, I have to drive with a 8 years old girl, a 4 years old and a almost 2 months baby back from the airport after sending Fadzil. That moment marked the beginning of everything.

Trust me, it's no fun.

I woke at 5 a.m every morning, 30 minutes of my daily pumping session so I can stock up for Zara's milk once I started working. Woke Fatini up at 6 a.m. Put her KAFA uniform, school bags and other necessity in the car, prepare her breakfast and lunch, gave Zara and Falisha their baths and by 7 a.m everything must be ready and I started the car, put Zara in her carrier, get my other 2 kids in the car, and drives to the school. On the way, I dropped Fatini's afternoon school's stuff (more like I stopped the car and Fatini dropped her things at the nursery she stayed for the afternoon). I taught Fatini to be more independent, as her father not around. I paid the van picking up kids from school to pick her up in the afternoon, sent her and pick her up again in the evening and sent her straight home after KAFA.

Before Fadzil left, I cooked, frozen all the dish for him to bring along to China. A one month stock. Huh!

During his absent, I prefer not to go and shop for groceries. But when we ran out of, important and needed things such as fresh food, the kids milk, diapers and others I have no choice but to go to TESCO with my 3 kids. Knowing Falisha who have some issues of not listening to me, and cannot stay put for a minute plus now that I have a 2 months old baby,it shocked my mother and wonder how am I supposed to shop with them?

Amazingly, I managed. My parents and sisters tried to imagine me with the 3 of them. LOL.

Yeah last Friday, I drove with my sister at the back with my kids to my mom's house. Alhamdulillah, Zara slept all along the way. I wonder will she sleeps again if I drive alone this week?

Fatini had fever last Saturday when she's not improving I took her to the clinic on Monday. It's really a challenge for me. A hot weather, a sick kid and a kid who won't stay put even for a minute. Walking from the car to the clinic, which only 10 meters away made me feel like a kilometer away. :( And at the clinic, there were so many people. My kids are getting restless, we waited until 2 hours for our turn. Luckily Zara behaved, but Falisha kept poking and pestering her sister as usual. That makes me tired. And angry.

After we're finished at the clinic I took the kids for lunch and some groceries shopping, Zara's diapers almost finish, we need milk, bread, eggs and some other kitchen things. All this whiler Zara slept in her ZOLO. When we got back, I felt like taking a pillow and lay down for a few minutes.

I told my sisters about it, and she said. 'Memang la ko ni Super Mak.'

Zara Humaira (backdated post)

My due date was supposed to be on th 4th January 2013. After all the pain I've been through, i gave birth to a healthy and perfect baby girl on 27th December 2012. 5 days after Mr.Fadzil came back from China. Wow, that was closed!

She was 2.9kg, like I expected. And she looks exactly like Falisha! Minus 1/2 kg of her weight. I gave birth at my hometown, Kuala klawang, Jelebu. Why I chose to give birth in Jelebu this time? Well Hospital Putrajaya are packed with people and if I went there maybe they might kick me to another hospital while the baby's head is pushing it's way out.

She is my 3rd one. And giving birth to her is a memory I won't forget. I've been through so much, just to have her. So this is her, Zara Humaira. 

Zara, day 1.

To read more about my experience before I got her go HERE.

Pretty, Polished Nail

It was last week a day before Eid Ul Adha. I took an early leave because my boss is on leave too. So Why not, relax at home (yeah, right!? what's with the cleaning and organizing.), spending some quality time with Fatini, wake up at 6 not 5am.. The thing is Fadzil still went to work that morning, and I prefer it that way.

I finished cleaning up the house, gave a final touch to the kids `baju kurung` that I sew the night before, take a shower and went to Alamanda for my appointment.

What appointment?

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I loved getting my nails done. Especially pedicure for my foot. With my belly getting bigger, it's really hard to get your toes and feet done. Manicure for my hands? Well, I just loved seeing it neatly trimmed and buffed. But my focus is mostly pedicure. Since I got pregnant, my feet, and heels are getting really dry that they started to cracked. I hate it. What's with all the dry skin that sticks to my skirt when they touch each other. I don't dare to rub my feet to Fadzil's, afraid that he might say something about it. I know, because I don't like it if he did the same thing to me.

what you will see before you stepped in.

 bigger Nail Parlour

So where did I go for to solve my problems? it's The Nail Parlour. Ever since it was opened, I am a regular customer. They just re-opened with a bigger place and more station to serve their customers.

I took Fatini along as I promised her before. After her exams, she and I can go out on a mommy and daughter day out. She chose to tag along to The Nail Parlour to get her nail done too.

The new place is huge and prettier. I loved the colour and lighting they used inside the shop. The pleasant feeling I usually had as soon as i entered that place making me smiled as soon as  I stepped in.

Most of the technician (that's what they called the girls that worked on your nail), are from Philippines. So, in some way I felt the familiar feelings that I had when we're staying in Dubai. When they saw us they will greet us and ask what can they do for you. I usually made an appointment before I go there to avoid the frustration of not able to get things done on the spot. People who knew me for so long they knew I always prepared earlier. Maybe it's the nature of a`secretary` or `personal assistant`.

Once you're there, you have to decide what YOU want to do. A regular manicure? Pedicure for your feet? Will you need a buffing for your nail? Besides that, they even have a menu for manicure, pedicure, the manly man service and other services in store. They carry spa products like Zen Spa, nail polish from Jessica besides their own line by their own name.

range of product available.

For my rough feet (that's embarrassing!) I chose a silken smoothing pedicure plus buffing. And Spa manicure for my hands. Mini regulars for Fatini. 

We started out with pedicure. Ah.. what a feeling! To have someone attend to you, pampered you. To really relax! 

they sanitized all station, and this add more comfort to us knowing you're getting a clean service.

trimming and cleaning the toes.

a bigger pedicure station.

I loved the pink seat with those big mirror. 

sink for you to sink-in your feet in a fragrant warm water. 

The Nail Parlour were featured in Berita Harian. 

a nice wallpaper isn't it?

 those familiar font and sign.

manicure station

It took me 2 hours to finished the whole thing. But it was a great experience, now that my `paws and claws` are well trimmed and shiny. I recommend you guys to come and enjoy the experience in The Nail Parlour. Besides Alamanda they too have other branches in Mid Valley, KLCC, Bukit Bintang and others which you can find in the web page.

Now This? I Am Totally Confused!

I just got back from Hospital Putrajaya. I had an appointment with the specialist regarding the twins I'm carrying.

MORE SURPRISES!!

After 1 Gynecologist, 2 specialist in gynecology, scanned and examined my belly, they confirmed their result. I am not carrying 2 'buns' in my oven. Get it?

I don't know what to say, I saw 2 heartbeats before. 2 babies. even 2 doctors have confirmed it. And then the gynecologist explained to me.

'Those doctors that examined you before are not specialist in gynecology. They're just GP or general practitioner. But we're specialized to do this. Only this, so what happened here as we suspected, they tend to see a shadow or reflect of the baby. Just now we found only 1 heartbeat, 1 head and 1 baby. The baby is fine, the placenta is at the topside of the uterus, but we have to observe you again to check whether the baby will move into transverse position after 6 weeks.' she smiled and said I have nothing to worry about. The baby is definitely SINGLETON.

Now that me and my husband has found out about this, frankly it's quite a relief to us. We have been thinking about it in many aspects. How to take care of 2 babies at a time, the nurseries, necessities, their needs, will I able to produce ample milk for them and many other things related to twins. Not that we're not happy to have a twins, but it's the truth that everybody will have in their minds if they were in our shoes.

I am relief too, that now I have a chance to go through a normal birth. Not cesarean as it should be, if I am having twins. (klu cesarean susah nak pantang normal)

Deep down, as a mom I do feel there is something wrong with the whole picture. Me, having twins? My instinct says I am not carrying 2 babies. 1st of all, my belly is small. Not big enough like it supposed to if  I am carrying twins. Deep down, I knew it is impossible. The party inside my belly? Well, my baby maybe kind of too active once in a while, strong kick, everything is strong.

But frankly, when it turned out to be like this, it kind of mystery. What did I really saw last week? What if, suddenly I gave birth to 2 babies instead of 1? 

p.s. I am not in the mood to have put a colourful pictures in my post today. please forgive me.

Not What I Expected

I commented on Syigim's post last week and gave a hint to her about an interesting story I am about to share with her.

She, having a good sense suspected it has got to do with 'the bun in the oven' as she said. Well Syigim, you're RIGHT!

It happened last Tuesday when I went to the pregnancy monthly check-up in the clinic. It went alright all the way until the moment I stepped in the Doctor's room. Oh, it's a different doctor. I was told the usual doctor went for a course and she is replacing the other doctor's place for that week. Ok, no problem to me. I was scheduled for a scanning that day. As usual, I lay down on the bed for the session, the size of my belly is ok, she said. And now she did the scanning. I wanted to know the baby's sex since I found out I am pregnant during 5 months. But, my focus are more to the baby's health and well-being. So the baby's sex was put aside.

SURPRISE 1.

She started scanning the baby, everything looks fine, the growth and everything. Until I was told that the placenta is sitting below the baby exactly at the bottom. I was told it is, placenta praevia type IV. And the baby is breech. Ok, I breath slowly and `istighfar` after the news was told.

SURPRISE 2.

I asked the doctor if she can see the baby's sex, as I really wanted to know the sex. Ok, she said, no problem. Again she scanned, moving around my belly and her face showing a sign of worry, I don't know. She said, 'I'm trying to find her feet, so that we can see her sex, but I am so confused now. I found a placenta just at the top. It's ok, I'll try again.' And finally, she found her feet at the right side of my waist, and it's a GIRL!

SURPRISE 3.

The curious doctor wanted to satisfy her curiosity. As she scanned my belly, we had chat. She asked me why I came in at 5 months for the pregnancy check-up and everything. I told her everything and about how twins runs in my family and Fadzil's family. She said, 'I think I found 2 heartbeats and 2 baby's heads.' I said, 'WHAT?!' That cannot be! I am pregnant with one baby as we checked previously. She said, 'I'll get the nurse and a fetal doppler. While waiting for the nurse to come, she scanned again. This time I can see clearly, the second baby's head, the body but not the femur or legs. It's position is transverse, but I cannot see the sex. It is smaller than the other one. It's on the left-side of my belly. And she scanned the 1st baby again. The breech one, it is bigger than the other one. Once the nurse came in, and I hear 2 heartbeats on the different sides of my belly, it is confirm I am having TWINS! No wonder I felt like there's a party inside my belly everytime it moves!

I was told I am having an unidentical twins, as the baby have 2 separates placentas. The doctor refers me to the specialist in Hospital Putrajaya for further antenatal check-up just to make sure me and the babies is fine. 

From the clinic record, the babies are doing fine. Both are 1.444kg and 1.281kg at 29 weeks of pregnancy. I am so worried. I can't eat much, I even lost 2 kg of my weight, the day I went in for the check-up that day. Will my baby get enough nutrient? I never skipped my supplement, eat nutritious food. I hate rice. I makes me want to throw up, even thinking about it. But still I consume it, for the sake of my babies.

Right until now while writing this, I am still trying to absorb the reality and the great news of having twins. I'll update more about it, soon after my check-up with the specialist.