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.'

Great To Be back!!

Hello ladies!

I know, I know! I've been away tooooo loongg!! 

As most of you aware I am a working mom now. What's with juggling everything with my two hands?? Job, family, me, myself and I.. Huh.!

Anyway, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Maybe, and maybe it is time for me to seriously pursue my dream. But, with one step at a time. Starting with the launch of my new blog.

Check it out, okay? :) www.fairusbasir.blogspot.com

Hugs and kisses from us!

XOXOX

The Ups and Downs of Me

While everybody was talking about new year's resolution, I was thinking about only one thing. My health and my weight.

What I am talking about is, my health and lifestyle. I am always plump as long as I can remember. Being in this shape always makes me low in self-esteem, when it comes to clothes and appearance. But what I remember most, I started to gain more weight when I was in the boarding school. Besides debates, I always passionate about sports and all others extreme and fitness activities. I was 16 when I stopped all this activities. It was then I started to gain more weight. It makes it more obvious when I am 'blessed' with my late grandmothers large hips and bumps. It kind of runs in the family. The funny thing is, whenever I went to shop for jeans, it always stuck at my hips but loose on my waist. Yes, I have a tiny waist.

Enough about that.

Moving to Dubai gave me a great impact when I gain more. I gain almost 30lbs in almost a year since we moved here. My only time that I lose weight was when I am 19 and gain back after I got married. I was in such horror that I am now really, really heavy!! It's like a wake up call for me. My husband is very skinny, but me? I look like extra LARGE pear with two feet. But the best thing was, I may be fat, but I have more stamina and fitter than my dear husband.

With a new resolution (not even a new year), I start searching online about health and lifestyle. YES I want to improve my health and lifestyle first, slimming, second. I changed my eating habits, I even start doing exercise and aerobics at home by myself (as there were no gym available at the apartment I stayed at that time), I started swimming and walking.

The results by the end of one month, I lose 1/2lbs. Not much, but I feel good and more fired up to continue it. And when we moved to this new place, they got a gym. I went to the gym instead. And I continue to lose weight and getting fit. One thing that bothers me was, I didn't lose much but my waistline improves a lot. I went to see a doctor and he said, there's nothing wrong with me. I am healthy and fit, but, my heavy weight is not because of the 'fat'. But, the muscle I had since I was young, from all the heavy activities I was into before. I am used to a lot of calories BUT, with a lot of calorie burning activities. Since I stopped they were stored into FAT.

Anyway,

My other problem is, every time I get depressed, I started to crave. When I started to crave, I eat. A LOT!. Then I started to gain weight again. That what happened to me, after all those hard work. So last year, after I gave birth, I started my mission again. To be as healthy as possible and to lose more weight.

While I was pregnant, I went online and search for any health products and of course my jamu for the confinement. I found them, and I am grateful for the healthy supplement can be mailed to me every month, until now to maintain my health in every way. I never bother about supplement before. But now I do.

Last year, after the birth of Falisha, I make sure I follow all the strict confinement rules and manage to lose 20lbs after 40 days. But still I want to feel better and look better. As soon as Falisha started solid food, at 6 months, I started my diets.

I read about healthy way of weight loss, other stuff that led to healthy lifestyle and eating habits. I started to follow the 1200 calories per day. Using the Calorie Count to measure the food. But I took 1500 calories instead as I am still breastfeeding Falisha. So after 6 months I manage to lose almost 8 lbs. The best thing was, during the Raya Haji, some of my friends that saw our new family pictures said I look slimmer and good! They want to know how I did it. Alhamdulillah, mean it works! It's not just the food intake, it is also exercise, exercise, exercise!

So now, feeling healthier and fitter, I will continue my healthy habits and lifestyle. It's not just about my weight, but the most important is to be healthy and feels good!