Kuala Lumpur: Becca, Hunter, and Blood Circulation Soup at the Wet Market

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Blood Circulation Soup

Year of the rabbit and Boom's welcome flowers for Hunter

Bec on our nite out in front of my local Buddhist temple

Upscale megamall Chinese New Year decorations for Year of the Rabbit

Chinese dumpling restaurant - one of our favorites

A rare child-free moment for two old friends and moms who collectively parent 6 children,
not including their husbands

January 30, 2011

Becca and Hunter don't cease to amaze with their teflon adjustment to living on the other side of the world. Bec slept more on the KL time schedule than I did. Then she and Hunter joined me and Boom for an early morning trip to Imbi Wet Market -- our local Chinese-Malaysian market with chicken, fish, veges, and hawker food stalls on its last day before it shut down for the Chinese New Year.

I immediately took Hunter to see the stall manning 20 miniature woks constantly being whirred to distribute the crepe batter evenly around the wok perimeter, whipping out 15 crepes for us in minutes. I came prepared with nutella and an IKEA knife to keep Boom and Hunter busy for the more important activity of me and Becca eating my favorite soup in Asia - blood circulation soup. Alright, no Asians call it that, but you may remember my first trip to Imbi market and the Asian couple who told me to try this soup since it's used to help women who've recently birthed babies recover and regain their blood circulation. I nodded patronizingly then proceeded to sweat profusely, like my blood flowed rapidly, when I ate the soup. Ken almost fainted after eating the soup later, maybe more dizzy from the freshly killed chicken smells than the soup. But, I was so dizzy a couple months later while eating it that I had to put my head between my legs. I had to have Becca eat it. She loved it, not eating the chicken necks but enjoying the rich ginger-laden flavor, eggs, noodles, and liver flavoring. She's intrepid, is all I can say.

And, I showed her where they killed chickens in front of your eyes, serving you their breasts soon after. Hunter, while brave until then, couldn't cope with the smell. Then we collected our veges, fruit, and Chinese New Year decorations while the rain started to pour.

We returned home to mellow and decorate, before tomorrow's day of travel to the Malaysian east coast, with beach, river, and possible monsoon remnants.

Ken put all 4 kids to bed while Bec and I walked through the Kuala Lumpur City Centre park in the light rain, almost having the park to ourselves, with me showing off my local Buddhist temple where we are regulars, with me praying/meditating there a few times a week. And, she saw the upscale materialist side of KL, to contrast with the wet market stalls, in the Pavilion posh mall where I took her to our favorite dumpling place where we drank beer and ate TRUFFLE dumplings. YES!!!

Walking home in the light rain, watching the clouds pass low around the lit Petronas towers was downright magical. Talking to an old friend with much-missed sardonic humor and deep knowing each other was transcendent.

Alice's 7th Birthday Party: Princesses, Nail/Makeup Salon, and the Pool

Pinata!

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Getting Pinata candy

January 29, 2011

Alice's birthday party ended with me explaining to her that she will never again have a warm-weather, swimming pool party outdoors on her birthday in January again in her life. She countered that maybe there will be a warm January day in New York when we could have a pool party at Nanny and Papa's house. I didn't add that she will probably never again want a princess party, because it'll seem too "babyish" by next year. Today was the last of the princess parties, in our home.

And, what a princess party it was. Alice envisioned this party 6 months ago when she first set foot next to our apartment pool, before we even signed the lease. Pool and Princess. We had a Nail/Makeup Salon set up with our two babysitters manning it. And, everyone got their own hula hoop and jump rope, which are all the rage at 1st grade recess at Alice's school. Alice is obsessed with jumping rope, the same way she was with the jungle gym in NYC.

The princesses arrived, with an awkward start. All of them seemed nervous, probably after the hype of getting gussied up in their royal finery. But, soon, they got giggly and excited about their nail polish, facial jewelery, tattoos, and sparkly eye shadow. They jumped rope. (Click HERE) They jumped into the pool. You might ask, as we logical adults did beforehand, if they would swim after all that makeup artistry was applied to their faces. They didn't think twice about jumping in. Then, they just ran back to the salon and got makeup again, happy as wet princesses. After that, they got overexcited because they got to apply makeup to Kenny, gigging hysterically at all the cross-dressing implications, not realizing that they gave him more of a makeup job that looked like measles rather than Paris Hilton.

Birthdays here aren't so different here than in the US. The girls ate pizza. They hit a pinata that was unbreakable, only finally beaten to a pulp by Ken (Our Venezuelan friend made the pinata and cupcakes for us, coaching us on the pinata hitting throughout). Click HERE and HERE for the two pinata videos. And, blowing out a candle that looked like fireworks (Click HERE to see). And, the after-party was almost more fun than the party, with lots of water-balloon making and throwing --with near-hysterical letting loose of all that pent-up party energy.

Alice ended it saying it was her only and last birthday in Malaysia.

KL Airporrt: Becca and Hunter Arrive!!!!!

Chinese-Malaysian "Lion Men" come to perform the lion dance for Chinese New Year here.

HOORAY!!!!!

Hunter's first ride on the KL subway.

Bec, Hunter, and the Petronas Towers

January 29, 2011

While I waited for Bec and Hunter to arrive at the airport, a big crew of "lion men" arrived, ready to help all the Chinese-Malaysians in this country celebrate the big Chinese New Year this week. Click HERE to see video.

Can you believe Becca and Hunter flew all the way here to visit, even when they only had a week free to travel? They are amazing. There is some sort of Becca and Jay travel gene that allows them to travel seamlessly, with elegant strength, staring jet lag down. Becca and Hunter arrived looking nearly downright refreshed. Hunter was awake at the equivalent of 6am her time after a 24 hour flight! She was the lucky recipient of the travel gene.

Click HERE to see video of their arrival. I know I'm blogging-addicted when I interrupt my emotional run to greet them with videotaping them for the blog! But, I just knew their sisters and mom/dad would love to see their arrival!

After a pretty smooth connection in Hong Kong -- they held their plane in Hong Kong for them since 10 of their fellow passengers would have also missed their flight if their connection left on time -- they arrived and just walked a few feet to get on a speedy train with me connecting to the subway system that connects to our home. NYC-JFK lame transit system, take that!

Hunter immediately had women giving up their seats for her on the subway and touching her hair, nearly gushing over her, waving to her as she got off at our stop. Sometimes I forget that we live at the Petronas Towers stop and it was fun to have Becca and Hunter immediately see the towers when they set foot in Kuala Lumpur. The towers lit at night are magical, with their byzantine design highlighted.

Bec immediately recognized and remembered the smell and feel of the air as Southeast Asia - muggy, thicker, a bit smoky, a bit polluted, and spicy.

We are so thrilled to have them here!!! Griffin couldn't go to sleep and woke for them immediately. We stayed up talking and skyped my parents and Jay, talking until Bec slammed into the jet lag wall.

Expect daily blogs on their visit, unless we can't when we go to the more isolated beach area on the east coast on Monday thru Thursday.

Dim Sum in Kuala Lumpur (KL): With Faculty Friends

Hera and Bawany

"Porridge" with Cod Fish, delish!!

January 14, 2011

I went out for Dim Sum lunch with me couple faculty friend buddies. What a treat! Last time it was chicken feet they made me try, you may remember. This time I enjoyed watching the banter in Cantonese between my Chinese-origin, Canadian-raised friend, named Hera, with the Cantonese-speaking waiters. She seems to argue and lightly bark at them and they respond with equal enthusiasm. And, I benefit with the awesome spread that magically appears, as a result. And, our conversation only deepened with time to what it's like to be wives and "scholars" at the same time. I really like having Hera and Bawany as friends to pop in on a few doors down from my office at HELP University.

A day in the life of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My ISKL parent friends from France, Oklahoma, Sweden and Norway.

Muslim Men returning from big Friday mosque prayers in KL.

Dining with the Assistant Ambassadors from China, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Their wives are hidden at the end.

January 14, 2011

Here's one Friday in my life, after returning to Kuala Lumpur. Not a typical day but will gave you a taste of the international realm here:

1. Met with Chinese Malaysian leaders of the refugee school. Also met Indian-Malaysian and Burmese refugee Assistant Principals there.

2. White wine and Lunch with other expat moms of kids at ISKL, my children's international school

3. As we sat at a posh Irish bar called Malone's, having white wine on a Friday afternoon, literally thousands of Muslim Malaysian men returned from the BIG mosque Friday afternoon prayers, many of them streaming by, staring at us drinking. It's actually a very tolerant society here -- I think some were just curious. Click HERE to see the hordes of Muslim men leaving the mosque after Friday prayer, near my home.

4. Pizza party by the pool with the largely Southeast and Eastern Asian families living in our building. Alice's new friend is named "Manantika" from India. Her mother is named Varsha. There were families from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, China, and Venezuela. We find it a bit easier to connect with the Latin American crowd, but after 6 months in the building the Asian mothers finally feel more comfortable doing playdates with a stay-at-home Dad, namely Ken, and so our kids are hanging out more with Asian children in the building now.

5. All of us at the pizza party were invited to a buffet dinner held next to us by the Pakistan Assistant Ambassador. I dressed and went at 9:30pm, barefoot but with a dress. I ate excellent Pakistani food with the Chinese and the Sri Lankan Assistant Ambassadors. They were a little confused when I sat with the men, rather than the wives who were seated at the far, other end of the table. They explained the huge amount of trade between Malaysia and China, in the billions of dollars. And, the million Chinese tourists who come every year (maybe because of so many Chinese-Malaysians being here). Then, the Pakistani Asst. Ambassador asked to me sit with his wife, and I ate her homemade dessert while discussing exercise and managing the "help."

Bad-Ass Griffin's Vietnam Duds

January 8, 2011

I had to show you Griffin's bad-ass outfit he designed himself. Well, really, he designed the shoes. Alright, he just chose the style and leather for his shoes and had them made in a few hours in Hoi An, Vietnam. Then, he wore his red-starred Vietnam hat paired with his new shoes and Vietnam Bambou hip t-shirt for the flight home. He loves experimenting with wilder styles in the safety of his family, when none of his peers are around to make fun of him.

Alice's Blog: Hoi An, Vietnam: Handsewn Clothes

January 6, 2011

Alice's Blog: I drew a picture of a dress. I found the material for the dress. I wanted a flower on the top of the dress and a heart with a band around the middle. And another heart on the band around the bottom. They made the dress. It took until the next morning. I tried the dress on in the girls' room. I said that every dress fits, even if it didn't. I did that because I didn't want them to go and fix the dress. I made dresses for my friends too. The day I got my dresses it was really late. And it wasn't even day anymore. I was really tired, ready to fall down on my mom's shoulder. First, we got Griffin's shoes made. He chose the leather and style. Second, we got dinner without Dad because his clothes were taking so long. Third, we got Griffin's shoes. And, finally, we went to get Dad. But, he wasn't done getting his suits made. Finally, he was done. But, we all fell asleep at the sewing shop before he was done. I got carried home by Daddy. I was faking to go to sleep.

Mom's Note: The sewers came to our hotel, did yet another fitting on Ken (after what seemed like 30 failed fittings -- I'll let Ken fill you in on what happened), then they returned late into the night with all his suits.

Our 3 week trip ended the next morning - We flew back to Kuala Lumpur, with a bittersweet taste in our mouth, over ending our travel time together and returning to reality.