Lunch at Thistle Port Dickson

The separate children eating areaThe plumber seems to be taking ages and the boys wanted to go out and play. They wanted to have their fish and chips at Thistle. Definitely worth trying if you are in PD. The main eatery called 'Glass' has a separate area for kids. The buffet was rather average but the a la carte menu is not bad. They also do a separate children's menu - pizza, fish and chips and the lot. The boys favourite is called 'Little Mermaid', basically fish and alphabet-shaped cutlets of fries. There was also a play area outside, and entrance was free until April 2010.

Exercising before food ... a good habit I've been toldDaddy's saladThe aforementioned 'Little Mermaid'Finally the work was done at around 3. We left for KL soon after and only reached home just after 5. The boys will be back to school tomorrow. We were hoping that our driver remembered that it will be school as usual tomorrow. He had a knack for turning up late ....

The plumbers are in

We were anxious to get going as I wanted to attend Fariz's reception during lunch. Unfortunately there were some electrical stuff needed sorting and the plumber had to call his friend in. It looks like they can only do some patch-up job for the the morning, They will have to return later to complete the work. My Mum-in-law will be coming later in the week to let them in. In the meantime, we can't even take the shower and Anita had to go to the hotel lobby to use the toilet. Hopefully things will be sorted out soon.

Back from the Beach

Irfan hitting the PSP as soon as he woke upWe spend the day relaxing essentially and organising some work at the apartment. There have been some leaking in the upper floor toilet for last few visits and it was about time we get the plumbers in. The problem was the management was pretty strick about the who and what kind of job that can be done. We asked one of the neighbours who recommended an Indian fellow from Seremban. He came  to have a look later in the afternoon.

Lunch at AvilionIrfan exploring the marinaHave to ask the skipper where he moored my yatchWe had breakfast in the apartment. We went to Avilion for lunch then went to do some shopping while waiting for the plumber to turn up. We went first to Teluk Kemang to walk by the beach. Then, we went into town centre for a stroll at one of the newer shopping area called PD Walk. It was located right next to Oceanic Mall if you are familiar with PD at all.

Waiting for Mummy to finish with her shoppingNow it was our turn!It was basically a row of roofed walkway, with a bazaar in the middle. There were a few kopitiam there, a computer shop and a few handphone kiosks. There was also a 7-eleven at one end.

PD WalkApparently they cater for all sizesI have just returned from the beach. Unfortunately it was low tide and the beachfront were full of debri. It was fun none the less. Unfortunately I will be missing the football later tonight. There was no ASTRO at the apartment.

Arriving at Port Dickson

I managed to reach PD right after work yesterday, just before the sun set. The plan was for a quick photo moment just as the sun was settin

On reaching there, Idlan was so excited that I made it just in time so he rushed to the door slinging my EOS 400D. The thing just went kabush on the concrete floor. He quickly realized what happened and ran back inside. He was afraid I might tell I might tell him off. After all in his eyes, I am the source of all his toys, with me in a bad mood, the stay over the weekend will be a miserable one. I was cool about it actually until I realised the kind of damage incurred! When the camera hit the floor, it has my main prime lens on it, the 50mm f1.4. My favourite lens. After trying it, the focus ring just stayed at Infiniti refusing to budge. I know I was in trouble.

The 50mm f1.4 stuck at infiniti. You can see it focusing on the background. You can tell the excellent optics from the sweet bokeh!Rest in peaceAfter I detached the lens, it soon made a clicking sound. One of the connectors or electronics may have become loose. The optics still looked perfect. When I tried another lens on, the focus motor was running but it was not giving a sharp focus. Oooops! I can cope with just he damage to the lens but with the focusing mechanism also going AWOL, I may need to send the body in to the shop for them to have a look at. Hopefully it was just somehing trivial. Otherwise, I will be SLR-less until I save enough money for the 7D sometime in June. I willthen have to invest another RM2000 for a replacement prime! All together it was a rather expensive drop!

Definitely One to Avoid

As I mentioned in my previous entry, the lunch at Theobroma Chocolate Lounge is something to be avoided. The decor and ambiance was nice. The cafe was strategically placed on the first floor of the New Wing in 1Utama. Anyone passing by would have noticed it. Certainly a nice place to crash into should you become peckish after a day shopping. So, you better be desperate before you get here.

The place thrive on specialties such as novelty chocolate coffees and chocolate-dipped fruit cutlets and the likes. There we also promotion for roasted chicken with rice and the menu seemed simple but elegant. I went for pasta, as I know you really need to make an effort to mess up an order of pasta. The one that I ordered was something along the lines of 'seafood pasta olio olio' or whatever it meant. So what did I get?

Pot of tea anyone?It was basically spaghetti dipped in chili oil as the sauce, topped with some poached mushrooms and prawns. On the side was a cut of baguette that was hardly fresh smeared with garlic butter, to be passed as garlic bread. As for the roasted chicken, it was a piece of chicken thigh, precooked, then microwaved to warm with a small bowl of rice. For drinks, I ordered iced white chocolate, topped with shaving of cocoa. The chocolate had a hint of vanilla to it, but the after taste was too bitter for my liking. They need to cut down on the cocoa shavings, or use a less concentrated chocolate bar!

The saving grace was the a la carte chocolate pieces that my children had. It was not as nice nor as expensive as our usual Godiva offerings but at least it was an improvement to the food. I think the place should concentrate on simple meals, sandwiches and the likes rather than attempt anything more filling. I am sure the drinks can't be that bad, maybe it was the overzealous barrista being generous on the cocoa shavings. The ambiance was really nice, and if it was not for the food, I would probably go there again. As it stands, it was not worth it! So stay away guys and gals!