Make my toddler a book lover vs iPad lover

How to make my toddler a book lover?

Feeling a bit nostalgic. Remember vividly how my dad use to bring me to the bookstore during his work time. My dad, a single dad, working his ass off to provide for me, have no choice but to bring me along / around shopping mall while he go to the supermarket to take sales orders. That's back then.

Every time instead of bringing me to the supermarket, he left me at a bookstore (yes alone when back then people are kinder and naive and less kids kidnaping or human trafficking so please do not do that in this era) so that I get to read for free while waiting for him to finish his job.

From then, my love to books evolve. I grew up alone so book is my only companion most of them time. Guess how it all started.

Sharing my tips of how to get your toddler fall in love with books, I believe now you catch the first one, START YOUNG. Read on!

• Start them young. As young as possible. Introduce books to your toddler or baby once they can sit up right. My first book to my 7mo is a soft smoochy book. It is very cuddly and bring coloured. Even thou she may not understand what the book is writing - yet, but she love the colours. Once they are always surrounded with books, slowly they will explore them and fall in love with them.

Bought this at BBW fair - MYR15.

• Interactive reading and make books looks fun! When I read to my baby, I will make sounds. If I am reading out a ladybird story, I will act like a ladybird. Even thou not really sure how does a lady bird sound like but so long it is some chirpy sound - able to attract her attention.  

• Do not limit types of books. Let them choose what book they want to read. Even comic won't do much harm. I grew up reading Doraemon and I grew up fine. Also, book do not means it is restricted to only traditional books. Music book is good! FP do have some decent music book like this.

Bought this from FP fair - MYR60.

• Develop a routine, a reading routine. Make it a habit and that is why bed time story is a honoured tradition in the family? My baby love this pillow story book. To an extant she hug it to sleep. 

This pillow princess bought it from Groupon at MYR40. Worth every penny. Good material and colours are so bright. 

• Let book to be easily accessible. Put book at lower rack and let them take it off rack anytime when they want to. Mess can be solved later. It won't hurt.

• Monkey see monkey do. You read and she will do. 

• Limit technology. Do not exposed your kids to iPad too much. After all, who do not love moving cartoon more than books. They sing, they dance. Even I could not resist myself watching youtube nowadays.

• Do not force the child or make reading as a punishment. Never ever let them associate reading to negative thought - punishment. Make reading as a positive fun activities.

Do let me know if it works. Reading is to be nurtured in young mind and it has to be a habit. Keep practise and persistent to introduce the book to your baby. Baby may not like it at first but take a small steps each time. Start with 1 min then 5min and so on. Eventually it will work!

All the best.

Love,

Hot MaMa

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Malaysia dim sum where to eat - Dolly Dim Sum Avenue K review

Dim Sum Cuisine

If there's Cantonese, there will be Dim Sum. That's what my father always say. Even thou Cantonese is not my dialect but my family (father side) pretty much lived like a Cantonese thus, Dim Sum is one of our common breakfast.

Dim Sum origin from Southern China. It is a common breakfast for the Cantonese in Guangdong province. Often, it is served in nibble sized bites to go along with Chinese tea.

Malaysia as a multi-race (multi-dialect too!) is known for its variety of food! The choices are just a long list that you would stunned over for a second which you could not find anywhere else in the world. Even thou dim dum is not something that origin from Malaysia BUT BUT.. try our localised dim sum. I have tried Dolly at Singapore and it do taste a little different.

Dolly Dim Sum Avenue K

Dolly Dim Sum has been around at Avenue K for some times but as lunch hour is merely one hour plus the long waiting time, we always give it a skip.

With the honour of having luncheon birthday with our dear colleague, we decided to give this a try and hopefully our lunch is not more than one hour. 

Drink Menu

We did not try any of the drink above. I personally feel that dim sum still goes well with chinese tea.

Food Menu

My benchmark for Dolly dim sum is to the newly opened Tim Ho Wan or maybe Concorde Hotel. Mainly because it is not a cheap dim sum. Each basket consist of 3 piece price ranged from MYR 7 to MYR 10. Each piece of dim sum is roughly a little bit bigger than 50cent bite size. 

MYR 9.50

MYR 8.80

MYR 8.50

MYR 9.50

MYR 7.00

My review on steamed dim sum:

The prawn sui mai's prawn is visible. Not to say it is big but compared to other dim sum stall it is consider visible prawn. As for the prawn dumpling, each dumpling consist of one prawn. Would give this a credit as most of the dim sum shop usually are not so generous. Then again, judging by the price we paid, I expect it to have a much sophisticated taste.

Ingredient and serving - 4 out of 5

Taste vs Price - 2 vs 5

MYR 8.00

MYR 8.50

MYR 11.00

MYR 8.00

MYR 8.50

My review:

Got a little excited when saw salted fish bun on the menu. It is rare to have that in Malaysia but more common in China and Hong Kong. It is rare because of its unique flavour and also it is not easy to make a nice salted fish bun.

It looks good but taste wise.. nah.. It is a little too dry. As for the Che Cheong Fun, we order prawn, chicken and beef. My advise, skip the beef, it is just too dry. Not worth trying. I wonder if the chef ever tried their own cooking. It is obvious over cooked. 

Yam is good. Well, fried stuff rarely goes wrong.

Ingredient and serving - 3 out of 5

Taste vs Price - 1 vs 5

MYR 3.50 - 8.00 per pax

My review:

Guess the premium paid is for the location and environment, not so much on the food. The environment is good, no oily and stick floor. However, for the money that I spend, I think I have other choices to go for.

Love,

Hot MaMa

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Wedding Cake Review - Klang Valley KL

Wedding Cake 
Should I or should I not?

Every wedding have a wedding cake should so I? One would wonder if this element or what people see as an necessities, would I be a "lacking" bride? Therefore a bride should have one?

Or some would say, since the reception venue provide one why not? But have you wonder where does this weeding cake tradition come from and why is the cake always in tower tall and white / cream in colour?

Tiny bit of history I read

Wedding cake tradition actually started off from Rome (one of them I guess), where in ancient, people would break bread on the bride's head as a sign of blessing to the couple. In England, wedding cakes are then stacked high and the couple are suppose to kiss each other over the cake without knocking them down so that they would have a prosperous life together.

In fact, Chinese do have these wedding cake tradition too. They are known aa dowry cake. Unlike western who serve the cake during the morning wedding ceremony, dowry cake are given out to relatives before the wedding ceremony to inform that the wedding is approaching. In the past, these dowry cake are round shaped and look more like a pastry.

Let see the evolution of wedding cake.

Source: Google

Evolution of dowry cake.

The Malaysian style.

We Malaysian always know for unique culture or what some says a little touch of everything. What is being observed from friend around me, cup cakes are now used also used dowry cakes while wedding cakes are mostly source from wedding planners.

Today, my sharing are on the cup cakes and wedding cakes vendor that I have engaged before for my wedding, my baby full moon and also birthday! Some are my friends who have good review on their products. Hope you find my sharing useful for you.

This wedding cake are very much Victorian style. Ruffles and white cake of this 8 layered cake are just so elegant - By Burst in the Oven.

If you love ruffles and something cute, this cake will just blow you away. Simple classy three layered cake with a fine hand crafted icing top flower, what else can one ask for? - By Burst in the Oven.

Looking for something simple yet a little England touch? This cake fits you well. It is 100% hand craft, home made by a lovely friend of mine, I guarantee you it is one of the rare baker who serve you edible fondant because it is not diabetic-sweet! - By Lace that Cake

Playful couple need a playful theme cake - By I have sweet tooth.

Instead of having layered cake, how about stake up the cup cake on the beautiful tray and have a unique wedding cake that stand out of the crowd? Are you bold enough for the colour?  - By Sweet Ending

Pretty sure a lot of you have seen her in wedding fair (recently at Saujana) or even magazine! Her cakes are highly recommended as they are just too pretty to eat. Guess her good service and reputation among returning customers did the magic. Enough said of that, look at her creative master piece. Originality is something that I want you to see in her - By In the Could Cakes

Fondant and icing top do the work. This baker is a AI designer background who make wonders with his cake. Something that you can rarely see anywhere. I bet he can make whatever you have in your mind, try him, I bet on him - By Eric

My Review

Above mentioned bakers are all review (tasted) by me except for Eric. I personally prefer Lace that Cake because the cake is less sweet and taste good compared to the rest. However, I find that Burst in Oven cake design can last longer (maybe is the icing top material?) compared to the rest. 

However, my last draw come now. I engaged this lady for my party three times. Yes. Three time. Just because her price is so reasonable for the quality that she deliver.

Ready to have a peep?

Photo do the work. Tell her what you want and she can do it like almost identically and she give you her piece of professional advise (i.e. what type of topping, flavour, color) The only con of ordering from her? Location! My third order almost fell off because the cake is melting. Blame the delivery man. They just could not keep my cake cold enough. Other than that, I would give her my little michelin star - By Agnes

Tell me what you think  - By Agnes

Hope you find my sharing useful! Enjoy your planning - once in a life time :)

Love, 

Hot MaMa

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Bricks & Barrels @ Desa Sri Hartamas

A very convenient 2nd round to go after dinner at Naughty Nuri's.
Please follow here to our review on Naughty Nuri's
Bricks & Barrels is just located beside Naughty Nuri's.

Very nice ambiance with nice music.

We ordered Flaming Lamborghini for the 3 leavers.

3rd try to fire up

Disappointing
The flame dah mati lemas before we even started

Overall, a nice place to catch up with the folks.

Address: 76, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

X.O.X.O,  Ms. Lor

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