August 2010

The Archives

• Shower Cabin

  08.28.10 | Permalink |Uncategorized| Comments Off on Shower Cabin

  I don’t know about you but I like my toilets dry and clean. I really cannot stand people wetting the entire toilet or bathroom after they shower. Why do they have to do that? Isn’t it more comfortable if it is dry?

  In my wish list, I hope to have a “Atlantica” Steam & Jetted Shower Enclosure. Just imagine, you get a water massage while you are bathing. It is so cool. Here is a picture of it.

  
  
  

  With this installed, after a shower the rest of the bathroom will be dry because it has an enclosure. In fact I tried one of these in the hotel and I kind of like it.

• First Impression

  08.28.10 | Permalink |Uncategorized| Comments Off on First Impression

  In Penang, there are quite a lot of vacancies for production jobs because there are a lot of manufacturing plants here. I remembered when I went for an interview to get a job here in Penang, I was shocked to see there were over 100 applicants. I was nervous because I thought my chances are low. However, I found out that they were all looking for production jobs.

  Do you know that I was the first applicant to arrive for the interview? All the managers who interview me remembered that. It is good to set good impression for being punctual. In fact, I was only one who made it through and got the job. If you are looking for a job, think of something that make you stand out from the rest. It helps!

• Efficient Malaysia Immigration

  08.25.10 | Permalink |Malaysia, Penang, Service, Travel| Comments Off on Efficient Malaysia Immigration

  I must say the Malaysia Immigration for passport renewal has improved. Kudos to all the staff there in Penang!! First they sent me a reminder stating my passport is about to expire. I will travel soon so it really helps me to get it renewed. I don’t want to be at the immigration gate only to find out my passport is not valid.

  Secondly, I can download the renewal application form from their website. I remembered I used to queue for that form and also need to pay RM1 for it. It is also a waste of time because a number is given only after you filled up the form.

  It only took me 30 minutes to get everything done. However it still takes 2-3 hours before I can collect the passport on the same day. I collected the next day instead.

  Next is the US Visa application. The online form is driving me crazy. Imagine I filled up half of the form and it all vanished into thin air.

  You can download the form here.

• Freeze It

  08.18.10 | Permalink |Uncategorized| Comments Off on Freeze It

  My iPhone wifi went cuckoo again, I meant it is not working. Well I read a lot of problem with wifi after it has been upgraded to 3.x firmware. It looks like it is looping to find wifi access. I am running out of my wits to fix it permanently.

  I didn’t have this problem when it was 2.x firmware. What is Apple doing? I thought they were improving the operating system but it looks like it is degrading.

  Last approach that I was very reluctant to try was to freeze it. I heard because it is looping, it caused the chip to heat up.

  I had to freeze the iPhone in the freezer for 5 minutes. After that, it goes back to normal. I can detect the wifi and get connected. However this is not a permanent solution. I had the final fix in mind but I do not have time to try it out yet. When I do, I will post it here.

  
  
  

• TNB Online

  08.16.10 | Permalink |Malaysia, Service| Comments Off on TNB Online

  TNB has just provided a way for us to check the payment or status of the usage of electricity in our home. Lately there were some news about tenants not paying their electricity bills and it was amounted up to a shocking RM50K (~USD20K) without the land lord knowing it. After the tenants left, the land lord is left with a great debt. Worst is the land lord cannot sell or rent out the property with money owing TNB. The land lord must clear the bill.

  However, most of us will wonder why TNB didn’t cut the electricity when the tenant didn’t pay the bill. Worst was, one of the case were related to an employee of TNB where he went through the back door to have his electricity re-connected back after it was cut. More stories here for TheStar newspaper.

  If you are a land lord, better go sign up to the TNB Online and monitor the bill of your property closely. You can go to www.tnb.com.my and look for the e-service.

  
  
  

• Designer NeckTie

  08.13.10 | Permalink |Uncategorized| Comments Off on Designer NeckTie

  Wow I liked the neckties on this site, many are affordable designer ties too. Do you know that, if you are into fashion, they have different color for different season? You can find out more from Ties-Necktie.com. Light blue tie is for warm summer days while rose, pink and orange are for spring.

  Ties come in many different colors and pattern. You can find most of it on the website. I wonder how this one looks like on my man. Maybe it can add some charm to his life. Shall I order one?

  
  
  

• Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel & Spa Santa Rosa

  08.10.10 | Permalink |Hotel, Travel, US| Comments Off on Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel & Spa Santa Rosa

  
  
  

  I stayed in this hotel in Jan 2010 on my business trip to Santa Rosa. However my stay wasn’t that pleasant. It had a bad start and finish. I booked the hotel through my company travel agent and it was suppose to come with a free breakfast and Wifi. I was very sure of it because I checked before I booked it.

  On the day of arrival, the front desk told me no complimentary breakfast or Wifi. I should have printed out the reservation info. Anyway I went online with paid Wifi to verify and call the front desk. The front desk verified again but he said I can have the free Wifi but no complimentary breakfast.

  I stayed there for 4 nights and on the second day, I received a notice from the General Manager with an email address. I wrote to him with regards to my complimentary breakfast. He told me to go ahead and order the breakfast, he will have it waive off my bill. Pretty cool.

  
  

  I worked late for a few nights and in the morning, I called room service for breakfast so that I do not have to make a rush.

  At the end of my stay, the bill came but the breakfast was charged. I told the checkout person but he told me that room service was not part of the deal. He also explained to me that I should get the complimentary breakfast vouchers upon check-in and have my meal in the restaurant. I wasn’t given those vouchers upon check in and the GM didn’t say I could not call room service for breakfast. I just didn’t like the way the checkout guy talk to me. Anyhow, he settled it with his GM.

  Another upsetting part was I went for dinner at Brasserie Restaurant, I wasn’t given a menu for ordering. I had to get the menu myself. On top of it, the waitress who saw me didn’t bother to come and take my order. I had to go to another part of the dining area and a waiter serving that area served me right away.

  On the last day, there was a fire drill but there wasn’t any notice given. All the doors were closed. I took the stairs but it led to a lock door. If really there was a fire, I will be dead. I climb back up the stairs. The drill was over when I came out of my room but no one bothers to open back the doors. Ooh there was also a door for the elevator. Elevator was not working too. I had to walk a couple of rounds to get to the exit. Imagine dragging my bags here and there. It was really frustrating.

  There wasn’t any DIY laundry service and I have to go to Marriott Hotel next door to do my laundry. The front desk lady was kind enough to do a electronic key for me to get into the laundry room and provided free WiFi while I waited for the laundry to be done.

  I will not ever stay there again! Of all the Hyatt hotel I stayed, this was the poorest customer service ever!

  Cleanliness:

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  Overall:

• Shabu Shabu At Queensbay

  08.05.10 | Permalink |Uncategorized| Comments Off on Shabu Shabu At Queensbay

  
  
  

  I was thrilled to hear that Shabu Shabu was in Penang. I am not sure if it is the same chain from Kuala Lumpur. I doubt it. It opened in Queensbay mall at the 3rd floor, near the Queens Food Court.

  Shabu Shabu is a place to have buffet steam boat. They have a conveyor belt to serve the food and there are soup pots in the table to boil the food. It is RM31.90+ per pax.

  However this Shabu had a 90 minutes time limit, the KL one doesn’t. The food variety was limited and very small in portion especially vegetables. There weren’t many types of sauce too. Definitely not what I expected. When I was there, I didn’t see any noodles.

  The one in KL and town is much better than this. I will give them a rating of 2 out of 5.

  Rating: