Lifesecretspice | Travel • Food • Events • Musings

Busy, busy, busy! Argh, no time ya, well your friend will tell you, 'Everyone got 24 hours'. Yeaah, But, but it is not the same with everyone. We all have our own character and personality, therefore each one deals with their own life in a different way. It also depends on which phase of life are you in...

For example, when I was younger, I can deal with jobs and multi task easily. AND I do not understand why some other people can't. There's a case of a colleague didn't do his task given for over two months and he was mostly in the cafeteria chatting and yakking away. At that time, I just couldn't understand why didn't he just get on the task and finish it first, instead of sitting, drinking and telling everyone that he's very busy, has lots of work and tasks to do.

Now as I am older, I can understand his predicament. I know how it feels .... I can feel overwhelmed by work and just don't know where to start and what to do. I feel tired, disillusion by just thinking of the job. Have you felt like this before?

  Caerphilly Castle, in Wales, is second biggest castle in Britain ( second to Windsor Castle) was built in 1268. Have the gloomy feeling when I get older, most of the time it is dark. 

 Overhelmed by feeling of frustration and surrounded by all sorts of thoughts.... (similar to surrounded by moat all around this castle)

Ya, I have been to meditation centers and know meditation. So friends will ask, " You know meditation, you should be more calm..." But my spiritual level and meditation is at a very shallow level. Most of the time, I can't even have concentrate during my meditation, oh, oh, the secret is out. (shy, shylah)

Photo taken in Australia

So, can you get things done and get on in life? Can every one can get on in life, right? It's how do we get on in life and the quality of life we are living. 

I feel like all around me is dark with a hole for me to crawl in....

At times we will experience phases in life where when it rains, it pours. This is one of the moments in life where I experience this.....with house renovations going on (have to squat temporary here and there, as the whole house is full of dust), hubby in ICU, elderly mother to take care, daughter getting married....

Hmmm......Yup....

I gotta get things done and get on with life.

OK, just carry on right?

Do whatever comes, see to whatever comes first. But as I have said, I can't multi task, so it's do whatever I can do and whenever remember.

It's frustrating, it's slow and it's stressful! Procrastination starts to rear its ugly head. Sometimes, I really feel like giving all up. Have you gone through this stage of life?

How to get things done?

- list out what I have to do

- write down what I am going to do tomorrow

- tell myself go, go ,go

- refrain from the easy way out by playing games, watching TV dramas, going shopping, movies, drinking, or wallow in ice cream or food... (but this is the easiest way to forget everything)

Well, get on with life, Kooi Mei!

Oh dear, my refrigerator just give up on me again! This is the 3rd time the technician came to repair it. I find this very disturbing and frustrating......So looks like I have to change and buy a new one! 

Like a lost sheep.... 

(photo taken in New Zealand)

"Yummy, yummy Italian food! Let's go!" I exclaimed to my girl last week. "You have been to Italy, so you want to go again?" she asked. "No need, now we can enjoy authentic yummilicious Italian cuisine in Sri Petaling at Passione Ristorante Italiano!" I exclaimed. Ya, this Italian restaurant takes you on a journey throughout Italy featuring different cuisines from different parts in Italy bi-monthly. This time around (August-September), it is a journey to Naples/Napoli, Italy thus, I had the opportunity to taste Neapolitan fare. 

City of Napoli is historically and culturally rich, and with the mention of Neapolitan, the first thing that comes to my mind is Neapolitan ice cream which I have been eating since young. Neapolitan cuisine ranges from street food, salad, summer special, soul food and pastas. 

Passione Ristorante Italiano is helmed by a young talented Chef, Chef Stefano Criber. Chef Stefano grows up in Abruzzo, the oldest central region of Italy, and has started his culinary journey at a very young age. Chef Stefano has served in a number of countries and with his fair for gastrononmic creativity and excellence he won acclamation and two awards in Malaysia's MIGF festival for Innovative  Food and Wine Pairing. 

We started our meal with Antipasti, Italian for An hors d'oeuvre, a traditional first course for Italian meal. Our Antipasti is Cuoppo Napoletano, a street food staple of Naples served in paper cone.  

 Cuoppo Napoletano - RM26

The assortment in this appetizer are potato croquettes with mozzarella and honey ham, zeppoline doughballs with anchovies and marinara sauce. 

I love this potato croquettes as I can taste and see the cheese oozing out with a single bite. The shredded ham adds to the overall flavor! What a lovely start to my first yummy dish!

Funghi & Truffle Soup - RM20

Warm creamy mushroom soup scented with aromatic truffle oil. Yup, truffle, I love truffle and had the opportunity to do truffle hunting when I was in Greece. This soup is OK but as a person who likes thick creamy soup, this is a light soup, nevertheless, the truffle oil topping is indeed aromatic.

A delicate platter of cold cuts that can stimulates your palate. The cold cuts are Mortadella, Coppa and Ventricina, and the cheese are Perorino Sardo and Montalsio accompanied by two types of olives and garnishing. I had cold cut platter at Jamie Olivers' Italian Restaurant at Liverpool, UK, last year, and this dish is indeed on the par to Jaime's. 

Italian Board - RM46

Best paired with red wine

My favourite dish of the day : Seafood Linguine!

This homemade linguine pasta was freshly hand made to order by Chef Stefano in the kitchen. This linguine pasta is cooked to perfection, the right percentage of softness (I do not like too stiff pasta as I will consider it under cook). Oh the seafood, so much variety in here: mussels, fresh clams, shrimps, baby cuttlefish, squid and scallop. All this are infused together and served with chilli garlic oil. I was actually not a fan of pastas, but this one is heavenly indeed. Highly recommended!

Seafood Linguine - RM35

Secondi Piatti (main course) is Pork Ribs Al Vino Rosso, another must eat for pork ribs lover. A signature of Passione Ristorante Italiano, this is also one to the best pork ribs I have ever had. (My love affair with pork ribs goes along with my travels in Europe, UK, US and Australia ^-^). 

At Passsione Ristorante Italiano, the pork ribs are well marinated and slow cooked till tender and with flesh easily detached from the bone. It was then grilled to perfection. Topped with red wine and gravy sauce, and served with roasted potatoes and rocket salad. A simple combination but the flavors and taste is divine! Must order whenever you dine at Passione Ristorante Italiano.

 Synonymous to Neapolitan food is Neapolitan pizza, which is also a TSG (Traditionally Speciality Guaranteed) Food product in Europe. (source wikipedia). Pizza Margherita is a well known pizza in Naples, Italy, named after the Queen Consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. 

 There is even a bridge for perfect Instagram photos!

Passione Ristorante Italiano also do food and selected menus for individual or group gatherings, parties or events. Just pre-book and tell the restaurant your needs, budget and choices of food.

Website: http://www.passioneristorante.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/passioneristoranteitaliano/

Have you heard of Virtual Realty (VR) games? If you have played VR before, then I am sure you have enjoyed VR game very much. Ok, for those haven't played VR before, you would ask what is VR game? According to Whatis techtarget.com, Virtual reality (VR) gaming is the application of a three-dimensional (3-D) artificial environment to computer games. You will be totally immerses in the game wearing googles and head phone and everything will be like you are inside the game itself. I had an enjoyable time at my first try of VR games at the launch of VRinity situated at Mall of Medini, Johor last week.

Virtual Centre of Excellence (VRinity), in Iskandar Puteri, Johore, Malaysia, is the latest offering of immersive gaming center quipped with the best virtual technologies from Korea.  This 5,000 square feet gaming center is a milestone and a testament of Iskander Malaysia's strong commitment of driving digital transformation. 

Games at Virtual Centre of Excellence at Mall of Medini

At present, eight (8) VR games are available for ages ranging 8 years above and 12 years above. 

Signature Games are: 

1. Special Force VR: ACE. Consist of 1-4 players. Supports multiplayer PVP with 4 players (including Action packed game is Korea's first VR survival game that requires a high level of strategy, power and concentration in the virtual reality space for 5-10 minutes. Supports multiplayer PVP with 4 players (including AI 8 players). This is Korea's first VR e-sports game!

2. Black Badge : Signal A very interesting game, like escape room that gives you the adrenalin rush. Can be played with 1-4 players. In this game, Black Badge crew escape outpost and disappear with a final signal. You have to carry out the task of finding the shuttles and members of the Black Badge crew who have disappeared. Players will also be on mission to save the doctors. You will have lots of excitement and I saw players screaming with lots of action!

The other games at VRinity suitable for 8 years and above are: 

1. Tobot VR . An action racing VR game inclusive of 2 maps. 

 2. Dynamic Theatre. A VR roller coaster that has 3 maps to choose from. It takes you through a journey of different terrains, twists and turns, ups and downs. 

Our VVIPs enjoying this ride...

3. Taekwon V Reality. One of the very first in Korea, Robot Taekwon V is the older animation in Korea comparable to Tobots (1976).

 I took played with this but mine is an easier version of shooting meteors that fell down from the sky. Well, in the end, I scored got high and managed to save earth, haha, not bad for an old lady!

VR Sports Room includes 6 different types of sports such as tennis, badminton, table tennis, archery, squash and baseball. You can play with a partner or against computer.

5. World War Toons, 

A shooting game similar to  Metal Slug Sega available for all ages.  

6.  VR Room

The genre ranges from rthym, action, shooting, defense, strategy and adventure. Some of the games are Dancing Party, where you can really sweat by dancing, Rock Momen King, Downward Spiral, Lolly Pang, Baan Squad and Toy Clash. Being a novice, I tried Toy Clash and a simple game of throwing whatever I can grab at Zombies as they are trying to climb up through windows to get at me! Oh dear, quick, I have to grab books, chairs, television sets, tables and try to hit the zombies and prevent them from coming inside my room. Oh dear, in the end I lost, sad, not fast enough.....hehe, anyway its a game and it was fun!

Oh ya, if you just want to try a few games or rushing for time, here's the individual games prices:

Promotion rates are until end of November 

This Promo prices are for limited time only, so quick lets go to Mall of Medini ....... Adults and children can just have a go at the VR Room and World of Toons which cause only RM15 ^-^

VRinity, at Mall of Medini: Big spacious 5,000 square feet game centre with a total investment close to USD2 million

VRinity launch was graced by Guest Of Honour, YB Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, Johor International Trade, Investment and Utility Committee Chairman, En. Wan Ahmad Saifuddin Wan Ahmad Radzi, Chairman of Virtua Realm Sdn Bhd, Mr. Kim Hoonbae, Head of New Media Business, KT Corporation, Mr. Kim Youngwoo, Senior Vice President, Global Business Development, KT Corporation, Datuk Ir Khairil Anwar Ahmad, President/Chief Executive Officer, Iskandar Investment Berhad and Datuk Akmal Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer, Iskander Investment Berhad.

Here's a short video on VRinity:

VRinity is just 3 minutes walk to Legoland Malaysia, so it will be a good idea now to go for a holiday at Johor, and kill two birds with one stone.

There are also many restaurants at Mall of Medini,such as Chicken Rice Shop, Absolute Thai, Secret Recipe, Old Town White Coffee and many others for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This 4 (stooges) social media influencers flew down from Kuala Lumpur for the opening launch of VRinity on 28 August 2018. We had a great fun time at the games, thank you VRinity and Iskandar Puteri! 

Opening Hours: 

Monday to Sunday:  10 am - 10 pm

Telephone: +6065678901

Address: 

Lot G27-G29, Ground Floor, Mall of Medini, 

No. 4, Lebuh Medini Utara,

Medini Iskandar Malaysia

79250,Iskandar Puteri

Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

For more details: 

Website: https://vrinity.com/

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