Weather Sesat...

I've noticed in these 2 consecutive winters, there is one day in this very cold season can be called as "Weather Sesat Day". Why?... B'coz the temperature that has always been below zero degrees suddenly rises to 17 -18 degree celcius on that day. Pernah jadi skali thn lepas... and recently jadi lagi. Ohww... tentunya akak sungguh gumbira bila mendapat hari yg 'hangat' sebegitu setelah berhari2 berada di bawah takat beku!!

It so happen that the Weather Sesat Day for Winter 2008 was yesterday. SUNDAY... yeayy!!!.. so apalagaaa... off we went berjalan2 menikmati kehangatan x panas mana pon.. kena pakai jacket gak ler... angin kuat bebb!! Disebabkan cuaca mendung, and weather forcast kat tv cakap akan ade hujan lebat... we decided melayan Hanna @ John Jay Park tu aje la... yg ade smmingpul tu... yg dah dikeringkan airnye during winter. Haii.. anak aku kalo dah dapat playground... tak ingat nak balik ler... sib baik ade gerimis sket, bleh la paksa... i mean... pujuk dia balik rumah.

aiseymen... terjongket boyan nih... aku yg x sedar diri cas2 sama berat ngan budak 12 thn...

hujan dah turunnn....

More pics in FB... upload dlm FB laju sket... hehehe

Mari Berenang :)

This entry was dated sometimes in Aug 08... hehehe betapa malasnyer aku time tu nak mengupdate. Anyway, me, Shelly and the contigent were exploring the newly discovered play park @ the upper-east side of Manhattan... it's called John Jay Park... very cool!! Imagine in the one big area, there are several playgrounds specially designed for different kind of age... for infants/toddlers, for small kids and preschoolers, and for bigger kids (bigger than my size hehehe... size shj ye.. umurku telah melebihi had kelayakan tidak sesuwaii utk dibuat comparison). Budak2 ni apalagaa... pantang nampak, nak main terus tak nak balik. I like this neighborhood although not as "high end" as our area... apartment area sini ala2 ancient European style... they are old buildings i guess, tp cantik and well preserved... takde la petak2 batu-bata semata. And kat sebelah tu ade tennis and basketball courts (i'm sure Abaji gonna love this)... and the other side kawasan lapang with few benches for picnic... and jengg...jengg...jenggg... kat hujung sebelah sana pulak akak ternampak ini!!!

Yess... yessss... hakak suke!!! It's free... the best public swimming pool in Manhattan, is it??! Dan nampaknye tak ramai orang. Ini sudah bagusss!!!

I LOVE SWIMMING very much!.. Kalau kat KL dulu merata cari tempat nak swimming (yg private and free of course... hehehh). It was easy when I was in UKM coz ade dedicated swimming pool for ladies only. Tak la besar mana... but good enough for me. Then when I started working, rasa2 nak berenang aje, menempel la aku kat condo Mala @ Hill Park, takpun gi BNM swimming pool kat HRDC which always be more men than women in the pool... so akak kurengg la sket nak layan pool BNM ituss. So kalau gian sgt, lari gi Bangi, did few lapses kat UKM's pool. Fee pon murah jer... jauh sket la tapinye...

Years after... (few months b4 I left for NY) Lynn lak offer swimming kat UM... Yess.. olympic sized pool opened for ladies once a week, bayar RM2 ajer... yeayyyy!!.. Apalagaa.. tetiap minggu la aku layann... thanks Lynn for introducing it to me. I had great times swimming with u, buddy :). Sure ko dah terrer free style ko tuh! Skarang tgh master kuak ape lak Lynn?

Kat sini boleh la join health club nak swimming doplohpat jam... hehehe. Cuma sediakan $$$ jer la. I've surveyed, paling murah pun $250 with other facilities which I don't need... ohh.. tidakkk!!!!... aku nih bukannye nak berenang hari2 pon... buat rugi duit jer. Itu pasal la aku dah terover excited bila dicovered John Jay swimming pool yg free itusss... :)

And the very next day, sungguh bersemangat mengalahkan Michael Phelps... aku telah berkobar2 menerjunkan diri ke dalamnye... Fulllamaakkk... sojukkkk gilerrrr air dia!!!! Dah la angin sejuk sepoi2 bahasa dipenghujung summer nih. Laggii lah aku menggigil... and I found my skill deteriorated... huhuuhuhuu :( .... Stamina hancuss.... separuh lap jer aku sudah pancit!!!!... uuwawaawawaaa!!!

Less than 20 mins I decided to get out from that freezing water... aku dah sesak nafas... tak pepasal kang pengsan dek hypothermia!! muskel gak aku org lain releks jer berendam dlm tu... iskkk... Sabar... sabar... aku tunggu next summer 2009!!

Time nak masuk changing room ade la sorang minah ni pangkat makcik gak kot?! tegur aku.

Minah: "Hey... nice attire!!.. i like this very much, especially the weather is getting cold like this, it's good to cover up".

Me: "Thanks, I'm a Muslim. I have to cover up in public regardless what's the weather like. (sungguh aku bermujahadah nak menutup aurat but yet masih tak dapat nak buang keinginan towards fashionable and trendy dressing... syndrome lemah iman... :()

Minah: "I'm a Jewish. You know... we Jewish have to cover too. I normally cover myself when I go out, but not when going swimming. But looking at yours, I think I have to find one for me. Does it come with a skirt?"

Me: "This is the normal diving suit, I know that there's a swimming suit designed for muslim women that is not so tight, with the skirt covering the hip and with full head gear covering the neck. But don't think it's available here. Perhaps u could check in the Internet" (Serta-merta aku teringat Kak Mimi (or Sina?) yg jual muslimah swimming suit kat opes dulu. Rugi lak rasa tak beli. Kalo tak leh gak promote kat dia...).

Minah: "Oh.. that's interesting! For the sake of my health, i need to swim but u know... the pool rules is to wear the swimming suit. I wish one day they'll sell it here."

Me: "Yeah, I know... I'm sure u'll find one that is suitable for u..." (sambil bersalam kenal and borak2 jap before saying goodbye).

Masa mandi dan salin baju macam2 perkara terlintas kat fikiran... Pasal swimming suit, pasal Yahudi, pasal Palestine yg ditindas oleh Yahudi, pasal muslim community living in Judoe-Christian country... hhhmmm.... I'm making friend with Jewish and yet my Muslim brothers and sisters in Palastine are killed by the Jewish... hhmm mcm2 perasaan timbul lepas tu...

Rombongan Cik Kiah...

Bukan rombongan Cik Kiah daaa... ni rombongan Cik Zarina pegi celebrate besday anak dia yg ke 4 thn kat zoo hari tu.

Date: 12 July 08
Day: Saturday
Time: 8.30am to 5.30 pm (echehh... mcm opis hours daa..)
Venue: Bronx Zoo, NY
Weather: Very the hot!!!.. perghh... camna la kat padang mahsyar nanti... astaghfirullah.
Event: Sarah's 4th Birthday Celebration
Ticket: Free (pakai Zarina punye membership)

Who: Zarina's family (Mark, Zarina, Hajar and Sarah), Fiona dan her daughter Grannie (the rest of her anak dara kena tinggal ngan daddy diorang kat rumah), Audrey's family (Hin Ngan, Audrey, Christopher and Mei Mei), Hajar's friend (tah sapa nama aku tak ingat), Hanna, Nenet and me (Abaji taknak join... nak study katanya... elok lah... pastu bleh ajar mak ni yg tak sedar diri... dah nak exam masih merewang ke sana-kemari). Carin's family (Carin, her hubby, David and Natalie) joined us in the afternoon.

Meals: Meehoon nenet masak (tapau), brownies from Zarina (birthday cake takde ye... tak practical nak bwk), big-red-sweet cherries (my favorite), cookies and biscuits, cheese pizza and ice-cream (yg ni beli...)

Activities: Madagascar exhibitions, Camel mask coloring for kids, Amphibians exhibition (akakk geliii....), Congo Village (gorillas... this is a must!!), Face paintings (Hanna tetiba berubah fikiran bila tgk color hitam kena calit kat muka Sarah... apadaaa...), Bugs Caraousel ridding (Hanna paling terkinja2 nak naik ni... tp penakutnye... masyaallah... terpaksa la mak temankan... mak pun apalagaa... enjoyyy!!), makan2 dan minum2... dan berjalan tengok binatang sampai pancitttt!!!!...

Remarks: Frankly... aku lebih suka shopping la drp pegi zoo... hehehehhh... Tp Hanna ni suke sgt gi zoo!!.. But I had fun watching Hanna and the kids having fun... walaupun pancit giler aku petang tuh nak mendukung si budak butat dah tido kepenatan, panjat tangga subway!!.. and fanasss...fanasss..fanasss... the temperature was 36 degree celcius (itam legam aku anak beranak). Katanya it will be hotter in August... oh, duduk di rumah aje lah aku kalo mcm nih... (tetiba jadik 'puteri lilin' ni ape hal??!)

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New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Date: June 24th, 2008
Day: Tuesday
Time: 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue: Central Park (East 80th St)
Who?: Me, Shelly, Kak Wan and Ashraf
Event: NY Philharmonic Orchestra Concert
Ticket: FREE!!.. tuh yg nak pegi tuhh..
Theme: Open air concert ala2 berpicnic gitu...
Meal: Mushroom pizza, cupcakes yummmyy!!, watermellon, lemonade and air masak..
Weather: Perfect summer evening!!

Remarks: Best, best and besttt!!!!.. tak sangka aku bleh layan classical music... Fireworks at the closing event... very the cantek!! cuma setting camera aku yg tak betul... hampehh... can bring Hanna next time :)

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Spring Is Coming....

Grasses are green... (squirrel ni sebok interframe pulak...)

leaves are growing...

flowers are blooming...

... and I'm LOVING it!!!...

The spring is here! Not too hot... and not too cold.. hhmmm lovely!! And we were strolling @ CENTRAL PARK again.... (dgn perasaan ku yg agak cuak sbb syllabus tak abis lagi... exam lagi 2 minggu.. halamakss!!!). As usual... Hanna adalah orang yg paling gumbira.. lalalaa... :)

p/s: Mak Aya... kalo ko dtg time2 mcm ni... tak de la kite menjadi BEKU kat atas Empire State Building hari tu.... hehehehee... I'll put that entry later lah ye...

I'm BACK!!!

Hi!! Miss me huh?... (heheheh perasan). Oh... dah sebulan rupanya tak update blog ni. Was in the long marathon in completing my projects and assignments, just in time when Mak Aya came to visit me. I had great time spending with Mak Aya for almost 2 weeks!! Aku dgn rasminye telah menjadi tourist guide yg tak bertauliah kat sini. Huru-hara jugak nak membaca map subway... Sorry la Mak Aya for any inconvenience while you were here. Just got back form Orlando, Florida recently. Reason being... teman Mak Aya conference kat sana... sambil suka ria... dan menenangkan fikirian (konon...) dan berlepak-lepakkan... dan berindu-rinduan dgn Hanna dan Abaji di NYC.

The original plan was only to visit Seaworld and Universal Studios. Sekali tu... jeng..jengg...jengg... bila sampai sana tengok ade Orlando Premium Outlet dekat ngan hotel. Hehehehe... bak kata one of my friend... "penyakit dah mai dah"... maka tebuntang lah biji mata ku tengok COACH punye la murah... (tak de la murah sgt... but very much cheaper than KL!!!). Oleh kerana teringatkan rakan2 and sanak saudara di Malaysia yg mungkin berminat memiliki original COACH dgn harga yg lebih murah dan berpatutan... so aku telah memborong la setengah dozen handbags itusss!!.. ingatkan nak beli lebih... tapi sendri mau ingat la... excess luggage nak kena bayar... sengatt giler. So hanya ini lah yg dpt ku beli utk rakan taulan di Malaysia. Ingat nak mintak Mak Aya bawakkan balik Malaysia. Ohh.. tak terbawa olehnye sbb dia sendirik telah terhuyung-hanyang nak bwk her belongings. So, nak tak nak terpaksa la post to Mak Aya... mmg menyengat postage cost. But all in all… the bags are still very cheap compared to Malaysia.

So folks, do check out http://discounted-premium-outlet.blogspot.com/ to purchase those lovely handbags.

We had fun under the sun on the snow :)

Date: Feb 24th, 2008
Day: Sunday
Time: 2.00pm
Duration: approximately 1 hour (tak tahan woo lama2...grrrrrr....)
Venue: Central Park, Manhattan
Weather: Sunny, Mild wind, Cool (0 degree celcius)

Weather remarks during winter: -13 to -6 (freezing cold, not dare going out... except for Abaji yg terpaksa pegi keja), -5 to -1 (cold / considered daily average tempreture, pun dok rumah jer la...), 0-4 (cool a.k.a suam2 kuku, keluar bila perlu for some errands), 5-10 (oh.. nice warm weather for a short walk *provided still pakai baju 3 lapis inside winter coat*), 11-14 (perfect!!... very rare to get, ade la few times for the past 3 months), 15 and above (weather sesat.... pernah sekali dapat sampai 17 degree, best giler... lots of mat salehs pakai shorts... and minah salehs took the opportunity going out pakai spegetti stripe... pastu the next day sojukk balik... jangan harap dah lerr...)

Lepas ni it's either salji makin cair or... akan ade blizzard or snow storm yg jadi lagi teruk... so baik kita pegi skarang walaupun sejuk (aku sebenarnye sudah tepu dok rumah ni buat assignments yg tak siap2 tuh).

Moral of the story: Mendung tak bererti hujan... terik matahari tak bererti panas. Don't ever think bright sunlight brings along the warm weather!

A friend gave me a pair of very nice and pretty winter boots for Hanna during fall hari tu. Aku sudah happy lah sbb dah tak yah beli... asked nenet to keep the boots until then, we discovered that it was PIGskin!!!... (againn?!!!). So main redah je lah Hanna pakai kasut nipis dia... Kesian kaki anak aku beku... nevertheless, she enjoyed herself more than ever...

NYRO Family Day

Last night was the Families' Night Out for BNM NY Representative Office (NYRO). Ni kira lebih kurang sama la dgn Family Day kalau kat HQ KL. But instead of going to Sunway Lagoon (Family Day @ Sunway Lagoon almost every year kat KL... mana lagi suitable place yg dekat mau pegi...) kitorang pegi tengok Broadway show kat Times Square (Times Square Manhattan ye.. is very much different than Times Square KL). Since this is the time for kids to enjoy, so we all pegi tengok Marry Poppins the Musical la... *nak tengok Mama Mia kang.. mak2 budak pulak yg enjoy!* And luckily, it wasn't snow that night... 3 degree celcius... not to bad la.... naik taxi lagi pun.

Kakak Hanna enjoyed the show very much... tergedik2 on my lap dia berjoget2... but only for the 1st half time... another 2nd half dia dah tertido... pastu terbangun2 and merengek2... Abaji mmg dah dari awal bermuka kelat. *Unlike me... he doesn't appreciates this kind of entertainment at all!* To avoid Hanna membuat onar in the theater perpaksa la kitorang balik before the show ended. Ape la Hanna ni!.. Suh tido siang tak mau... kan dah rugi mak tak dpt tgk show... $86 per head beb!! (dah start nak convert to RM la tu...). Nasib baik free, Bank bayar... tak de la terkilan sgt!

But for me.. citer budak2 tu... I tak kisah sgt la. I enjoyed PGL more!

Broadway...
Depan panggung....
Abaji and Hanna depan rumah...
Mak and Hanna @ our apartment's lobby...
Min's family
Abaji
Full house...
Sejukkk...
Abaji n Hanna waiting for taxi

Ucop's family
Front row... Mahendran's family
Mak, Hanna & Cash... (Mahendran's daughter)
Daniel's excited face
Just berofe the show start... pastu tak bleh amik gambar dah...

*Not in the pics... Mak Ucop, Bibik and Kiki's family.... seat diorang kat row lain.