Aonang Cliff Beach Resort

 

 Entrance to the reception area

My first impression when I got out of the cab was am I at a spa resort? Such calmness and quietness….Or was it the timing.  Since we arrived at around 3-4pm local time most hotel guests would have been out island-hopping or strolling the streets.  Not forgetting also that it may be siesta time for many.  Nevertheless I can’t stop myself from gushing to my sister that this place exudes such a zen atmosphere!

The relaxing reception area where you will be served your welcome drink

Little knick-knacks at the reception table

Short walkway towards the guest rooms(left) and breakfast area(right) with magnificent cliff view in the background

Another view of the reception area with more rooms in the background.  

The Poolside

Buffet breakfast is served with a wide selection of food though some reviews may say otherwise.  But it  is just my kind of breakfast.

The resort as viewed from the street

The best thing about this resort is of course its location.  As you can see McDonald’s, 7-11 and Starbucks are just right at the resort’s doorstep

All these within a little climb from our room since the resort is situated slightly on higher ground

Stairways that served as a shortcut to access the streets

And the other great thing about this resort is definitely the friendly and helpful staff.  Instead of helping me to order a cake they decided to give us a complimentary cake(with a little thoughtful card attached) to celebrate my sister’s birthday in advance.  Ain’t they just sweet!

Old-styled butter cream cake

So yes we had a remarkable stay at this resort hotel.

Tiramisu@Alexis

After Nosh we continued on our dessert spree to Alexis.

Tiramisu(RM16)

And of course it is for their infamous Tiramisu.  I am truly happy to say that their Tiramisu still manage to maintain their quality after more than 10 years even if the price has inflated over the years.  It is still the best cake in the house(to me at least).  Even Kellogg’s Coco Pops has trimmed down on their generous portion of cocoa which made them not so popping good anymore!

Ginger lemongrass

Nosh

Brunch at Nosh to celebrate BFF’s birthday since we are both big fans of big breakfast.

An explanation of what Nosh means at the entrance.

Chocolate Trinity(RM14) which has quite a rich chocolate taste

Luscious caramel walnut cheesecake(RM18)

Cheesecake texture is smooth and soft.  The caramelized nuts on top go just right with it and are not too sweet.

The Nosh Full Monty(RM28)

Be warned that this is a localized American breakfast.  The chicken sausages is marinated with some spicy herbs reminiscent of Indian/Malay cuisine to me.  I, on the other hand prefer my American breakfast to be American!

 

Chicken Rendang

What better ways to celebrate the festivity than with the ever popular Chicken Rendang!  Even our national carrier serves this aromatic dish on their in-flight menu for the first and second days of Hari Raya( or so I read).

Since this is not a cooking blog nor am I qualified to dispense lengthy advice as this is the first time we are preparing this dish, no such advice shall thus be offered.  Hopefully these pictures will speak a thousand words on their own!

Galangal, turmeric leaves, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger

 Coconut milk and chilli paste(the lazy version)

Inside this small packet is grated, toasted coconut ground into paste.

Simmering slowly over medium fire.

Chicken rendang ready to be served!

Looks too easy to taste good right?  But it is!  God bless us!  😀

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin!

 

Seville:Part 4 Parque Maria Luisa

The spectacular Plaza de Espana.  It is so massive that you can easily spend half a day here just looking at the 48 alcoves(one for each province), two towers, four bridges, a 500-metre canal and a grand fountain in the middle.

Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares

Isleta de los Patos – a gazebo on a lake in the centre of the park provides a serene resting place after all that walking.

Seville: Part 3 El Arenal

Take a stroll along the river Guadalquivir.

Or opt for a river boat cruise.

Along the bank stands the 13th century Moorish tower, Torre del Oro.

The majestic Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza-Seville’s 18th century bullring with Baroque facade, one of Spain’s oldest.

A famous matador

The Baroque church of the Hospital de la Caridad

Seville: Part 2 La Macarena

To the north of Seville lies La Macarena, the less touristy area of Seville.  A myriad of Mudejar-Gothic, Baroque churches can be found in this neighborhood.

Mudejar-Baroque Iglesia de San Pedro.  The church where Velazquez was baptized.

Modern tiles on the front wall of Iglesia de San Pedro.

Mudejar-Gothic Iglesia de San Marcos.

The bell tower of Convento de Santa Paula reflects the ornate Baroque period.

The Baroque-styled Basilica de la Macarena houses the much-loved Virgen de la Macarena.

Virgen de la Macarena

Seville:Part 1 Santa Cruz

The capital of Andalusia is a compact city rich in cultural heritage which is best discovered area by area on foot.

Barrio de Santa Cruz, Seville’s Old Jewish Quarter is a maze of narrow streets and picturesque alleys.  You can find the equally quintessential El Rey Moro hotel here which is just 5-10mins walk from the main sights of Seville namely the Cathedral & La Giralda.

El Rey Moro

Seville Cathedral and La Giralda – the third largest cathedral in the world.

La Giralda at sunset.

Real Alcazar

Archivo de Indias

Night view of Plaza Virgen de los Reyes with the Palacio Arzobispal in the background.

The sign of Seville which you will find emblazoned everywhere from the walls of the Ayuntamiento to the sides of municipal buses.

Ayuntamiento

One cafe that you cannot miss while in Seville is La Campana, its most famous pasteleria.

I wouldn’t mind staying here the whole day sipping hot cappucino with cakes and pastries.

A Sweet Beginning

Sinful temptations abound at the Lemon Garden Cafe, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur.  If one doesn’t know it, one has to know it.

The very reason why it has become our yearly  Christmas celebration venue, apart from the fresh oysters, queen scallops, juicy prawns and of course, the succulent turkey.  For what is Christmas without the traditional roasted turkey.

My favourites – cherries and peaches

A huge lighted Christmas tree at the lobby.

Up close and personal.  How you wish you could eat these too right!

Merry Christmas &  Happy New Year to all!

 

12.12.12

We headed out to start off this auspicious day, which we wouldn’t be able to witness again in this lifetime, with a hearty and healthy breakfast.

Antipodean is an Australian establishment located in the bustling Bangsar neighborhood.  If you decided to drop by during the weekend it is advisable to make prior reservation as it is the current ‘it’ place for the ever chic urban/suburban folks.  Even on a mid-week day the restaurant sees continuous traffic flow compared to its neighbors.

Where is the menu?  A little novelty play here.

It’s written in chalk on one side of the restaurant’s wall.

I just love my big breakfast with toasted bread, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, hash brown and bacon (though the portion is a little on the large side).  The orange juice is actually fresh unlike a lot of places which serve cordial like orange juice labeled as fresh.

Krispy Kreme promo for this special day.

Goes without saying we have to buy some.

Paul Frank T-shirts at 50% off!  Of course they’re going into the shopping bag as well.

At this point the stomach has begun to growl.  Time for some good old dim sum at Pat Kin Pat Sun Cafe.

With this we officially say goodbye to 12.12.12.