Penang (28Feb & 1Mar)

Ok, I'm going to make this really short & sweet! Went Penang for a work trip and stayed over just one night.

A professor on the trip is a Gold member of the SIA Krisflyer and hence he brought me into the SIA Premier Lounge for breakfast. A first time for me! Impressed with the range of food and drinks - ranging from noodles/ sandwiches to freshly brewed coffee and even hard liquor! Yum! The Lounge also offers complimentary use of computer and massage chairs ;)

Stayed at Vistana Hotel, 10min drive from the Penang Airport (taxi fare cost RM26 - standard fee which you pay at a counter before boarding the taxi). The single room cost RM207nett inclusive of breakfast (quite pathetic range ;p). However, you can enjoy free use of internet in-room or at their business centre (can even scan and print FOC!).
My comfy king bed!
Flat screen TV

View from 14th floor.

Took a cab down to Gurney Drive (hotel is at least 20min to Georgetown) for dinner.

Our food!

On the return trip, yup, once again, the Prof brought me into the SIA Lounge at Penang Airport. As expected, it is smaller (both size and range of food) compared to the one in Singapore but good enough, I suppose.

Will be going to Penang and Ipoh in the 3rd week of Mar again.. but this time round, the Prof not going.. so no more such privileges ;(

Pearl River Restaurant @ Suntec City (11 Jan)

Friends and I were deciding between ala-carte lunch buffet at Pearl River or Fullerton but decided on Pearl River after Stephane's "intensive" research. He found Fullerton's to be too gimmicky hahaha!! A quick comparison for everyone's info:

- Pearl River: S$30.80++/pax (adult). Unlimited orders from the list of 54 items (excluding perhaps another 10 options of desserts) from 11.30am-2pm. We were pleasantly surprised that they offered complimentary yusheng for 6 persons and above + one round of sharks fins.. hehe

- Fullerton, Jade: S$28++/pax (adult). Unlimited orders from list of 23 tim-sum items only.

Yusheng
Sharks fins
Either beef or ostrich meat
Cuttlefish
Either beef or ostrich meat
Wasabi fried prawns
Steamed live prawns - one round and only 100g per person hoh..
Pig shank.. don't know why the picture upside down but too lazy to reload lah haha!
Roast pork - the men's favourite dish tim-sum pork ribs with pumpkin - I like!
Chicken feet - only my hubby eats
Siew mai - strange they don't have har-kao in their tim-sum list..
Desserts - everyone's favourite, especially mango pomelo - I had 3 or 4 servings!
The stack of our order slips

Parkroyal on Beach Road (31 Dec)

Not getting enough of holidays (like who does? hahaha!!), hubby asked if we wanted to stay a night out on new year eve at a local hotel. "OF COURSE!" I exclaimed hahaha!! So, we booked Parkroyal on Beach Road which was having promotion - S$180nett for superior room (after 10% discount for online booking) including breakfast for 2, and a $50 spa voucher at St Gregory, Parkroyal's resident spa.

I didn't have to work on 31 Dec (but not hubby.. hehe), so while waiting for him, I went for a haircut, then checked into the hotel, and had my Balinese massage (topped up S$70 after the voucher). Whhhooohoooo!!!

Why twin-bed?? Cos I booked too late and all the King beds were no longer available! ArrrgghhH!!

Bedroom
Bathroom
St Gregory Spa reception.. I think St Gregory is one of the pioneers in the spa industry. The masseur who served me didn't sound like a local and her skills were not too bad.. except I find her a bit rough in handling customer. Not the way she massaged, but little ways that showed she wasn't as gentle as other masseurs I've had... hehe

.. by the pool

After shopping at Bugis Junction, dinner was Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh which is diagonally opposite Parkroyal on the Beach. We didn't quite like the "powdery" soup base which my hubby said has too much herb taste. I find it just a little bitter, but fine by me. The bak kut was quite value for money - S$5/person share, you get 6 pieces of meat - quite tender too ;) I liked the kidney which was quite "fresh" hehe... Overall not too bad but guess we wouldn't go back (so soon). We will continue to hunt for better bak kut teh.. hehe

Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh

BTW, we were supposed to watch fireworks but I was too tired to go out haha!

Breakfast the next day was at Plaza Brasserie. Hmm.. I wouldn't say the range was fantastic but the quality was fine. We took our time to enjoy breakfast and spent 2hrs - our longest time we've spent for breakfast haha!!