Saturday, March 30, 2013

Lunch Pack when kitchen is out of order..and alarm clock ignored

Hi folks! These days while waiting for the kitchen installation to be completed, for the past two weeks, I have been relying on steaming lunch pack(less washing) and bringing sandwiches for 3 of us(much to the delights KY who loves eating bread and snacks than proper rice/noodles for meals!). Once, when the alarm ringing sound got ignored and I am running late for work(besides running out of bread to make sandwiches; only have enough for KY), here's what I improvised as my quickie lunch@work. Two slices of cheese with 4 pieces of organic crackers, a cup of oats that works like a porridge when added with the preserved mushrooms and vege in jar. The thermos of Bak Choy and kelp soup was steamed another day as I missed my vege and soup after two weeks of buns and sandwiches..

Still a satisfying meal..albeit camping-style, reminds me of he time when I just moved out and live on my own during college days..

Hope the kitchen is back in order soon! KY has been requesting for sushi, burger etc. but bless her that able to sustained two weeks on buns and sandwiches without much fuss!

What do you cook when kitchen is "out-of-order"? I guess for many of us in Malaysia, we are lucky enough to have readily available and affordable takeaway ;)

Friday, March 29, 2013

Clarification on Second Bad Experience

Hi folks!

I just feel that I should clarify here...that I am actually not unhappy at the Groupon online deal website but at the particular merchant that promote their service there. In fact the immediate action Groupon took during the air-cond service issue(where I simply couldn't get through the air-cond service phone/ receive no reply at all after following the instruction written to book the deal with promise I will get a confirmation reply but NONE at all!) . Groupon staff called the merchant immediately on my behalf, apologize and return the payment in terms of store credit which I could spent at Groupon for other products and services.

After these two bad experiences for "services" I bought, I have decided enough is enough, no point wasting money and time. It's not that big difference anyway. I would rather pay more to get one which follow my time and keep their promise than paying one at seemingly discounted price at Groupon yet had my money stucked there yet can't get the service I wanted at my prefered time.

The way the merchant told me that they couldn't fit in my time despite confirming my appointment a week earlier is simply cos my house is too far and not on their way! Hello if can't why advertise my area is available on the groupon deal? Now I have made the payment and booking yet I had to suit your convenient schedule so that it's convenient for you!??! What kind of service attitude is this? It is so unprofessional. If they have not confirmed with me earlier I would have find other cleaning services. At such short notice(less than 24hrs) and on a weekend, where and how am I going to find another cleaning service? Am I not wasting my time planning for it? I could have bring the kids somewhere for holiday. They made us, customer felt our time is not important and their time and route are!

Same thing happens with the air-cond service. No confirmation or reply after 2 weeks. A day before the service date booked, only been told not available for that time slot.

I felt let's be fair. If we are only allowed to make any changes 2 days earlier or get our money forfeited, then practice the same, if you can't provide your service, at least have the courtesy to inform us two days before so that we can make other arrangement. Else refund our money.

So yea that's it. I am not saying Groupon is a lousy co. In fact it is the only co. I have been purchasing some good restaurant, products deals...it's just that when comes to things like "services", these two bad encounters are enough to put me off at least from getting any other "service deal" not only from Groupon but for any other online deals from now on.

Sent from my iPhone

A second bad experience with online deal

Hi folks!

The special online deals are so prevalent these days. More and more such companies are mushrooming. Some even sent offers to my mailbox without me signing up(really wonder how they get my details!!).

Thus far I only feel comfortable shopping with one of the company which seems responsive enough. However, that is not the same with the deals they are promoting!!

This is the second time I am experiencing such disappointment with Groupon deal that I will NOT purchase anymore such deal with any them or other site.

First case is with air-cond service. Second time is with house cleaning service. Both are not only not giving any confirmation, not returning calls and then last minute(the day before my appointment) said they can't make it. Do they know we had to specially make that slot of time free for the cleaning.

So utterly disappointment. One word of advice, don't waste your money, time and effort on such deals ..n end up in frustration..especially when we have paid the money yet not getting our service as promised. They either can't cater to the amount of clients they get or taking it easy since money is IN.

No next time...for me...

Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Origins is holding a recycling programme get free product samples

Hi folks!

Some community message:
Origins is holding a recycling programme at Mid Valley Megamall (East Atrium) until Sunday. Those who bring three empty, full-sized cosmetic and skincare plastic containers (any brand) will receive a product sample. The public can also sign up with Recycle&Reward for door-to-door pickup of recyclables."

Check it out and do your part for green!

Cheers!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Bicycle Warehouse Sale, 5-7 Apr

Hi folks!

I have been wanting to get some bikes for the kids to learn to ride..see if this is useful for you p checkout as well ;) can this be tax-exempted for sports equipment..anyone knows?

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

What I have been reading lately

Hi folks!

These days I could be tired before 9pm, sleeping earlier when DH is around...or getting the kids to gather around my room and read/play while mommy catches her zzz(feel slightly safer this way!).

And the middle-of-the-night toilet breaks are at times making me having interrupted sleep...and when this happened, I would be doing some reading to tires my eyes out(so that I could go back to sleep) and not to waste my time tossing and turning and causing more backache. Killing two birds with one stone.

As my kitchen tap isn't working yet, thus the whole kitchen is out of job for the past week. I have been reading up/YouTube-ing on how to organize the kitchen cabinet so that it can function better when everything got settled down.

Besides I have also been reading up on frugal, healthy eating and grocery tips from this mama of 6 kids(amazing!)- http://goodcheapeats.com/

Quite inspirational to me and hope I could try done if her tried and tested tips ;)

Cheers!

Sent from my iPhone

Monday, March 25, 2013

Ordering food at favourite kids-friendly restaurant

Hi folks! My kids and I love visiting this place called MyVege where we get to write our own orders, with wide varieties of food choices (satay, dim sum noodles, porridge, juices, Rojak, u name it!). And KY loves being in-charge to take down our order. She learnt to fill up the menu code(and indicate our preference- less ice/no ice/hot; spicy/no chilli,etc), table name, date and no. of patrons on the table. Giving her a sense of achievement and fun I guess ;)

As for me I love visiting this restaurant cos their food arrived quickly, there's ample of space and high-chairs for kids, it i clean and I don't get stared at when we spent too long time finishing our meal there as this outlet has upstairs space as well when downstairs are fully-booked, patrons will move upstairs. Today I just went there and we spent an hour there ..yea..having a no-rush meal where kids enjoyed their food and mommy enjoyed her "peace". At this restaurant I don't have to force them to eat their food. They can memorize their favourite choices and lick them clean ;)

Which is your favourite kids-friendly restaurant?

What's for breakfast?

Hi folks!

My usual breakfast will be a cup of oats added with cranberries, bananas, raisins or nuts. I simply love the bit of sweet n sour taste that comes with adding cranberries in my oats ;) and gulp down together with my recent craze Korean buns! Have you tried them, the texture is what we call in Malay- "kenyal" thus it's kinda good exercise for the teeth not to mentioned it is made with a special highly nutritional flour and with added black sesame goodness! A hearty breakfast to start my day ;)