Texas Road House

Well, no. I don't have the chance to go over to Texas yet. Texas Road House is a steak house right here in Des Moines. =p





Anyway, I finally got to taste the famed Texas Road House. It was said to have by far really great steaks, and someone was telling me that their bread that they served as appetizers are great too! Well, it sure did lived up to it's name!





I had prime rib, and how else should it be cooked other than medium-rare? I have had prime ribs at other outlets here in Des Moines, but this is by far the best! Yes, no kidding! It was so tender, well marinated, and well roasted to perfection! Simply amazing.






They even served buckets of peanuts, classic! Just that this time we are supposed to throw the shells into the empty bucket, instead of on the floor. But on my way out I happened to saw that we can actually throw the shells on the floor at the waiting area! Totally into the mood.

Outside Texas Road House. We couldn't find a better spot for a group picture. This was by the entrance. So please ignore the shiny 'disabled parking' sign! =p

Waiters and waitresses do some cheers if it is your birthday, and they happened to line dance to a music while we were enjoying our food. Really, it does get you into the cowboy mood. The place is well decorated also, with deer heads and stuffs like that. There was even a rattlesnake skin decoration!

If you were to ask me where to go for steak, I will tell you the answer, without hesitation. Yes, TEXAS ROAD HOUSE!!

Relays 2008

Finally, some time where I can let my writings loose! =p

As I have said in an earlier post, I join in the fun for the Drake Relays, one of the two biggest event to be held in Iowa annually. Where is it you say? It is held right here at Drake University! And Drake students can witness everything for free using their student ID! Well, we did pay for tuition fees, so I guess technically it's not entirely free? Lol.

Anyway, it was a big event, just like a scaled-down Olympic. Every track and field event was held, and participants from other states come and compete with each other for the championship. Really, talents and young athletes are abundant and it's a great pleasure having an opportunity to watch them showing their talents, knowing that some of them may be Olympic champion some day! The route to stardom!! =p

Everything was great, except for one incident where I happened to witness. It was the men's 4x100 relays. One of the first runner tripped while passing the baton, his team mate was about to continue running when the baton was recovered, but stopped when he saw the state of the first runner. He was on the floor, in pain. The only people there was his team mate, and an official who still hold up his flag stating that they didn't pass the baton legally.

Excuse me official? Don't you know how to get help? Where are the medics? After the whole race, and with the winners making their victory round, help finally arrived. From what I saw, it sure looks like a dislocated shoulder resulted from the fall. Luckily it's just a dislocated shoulder, and not a fracture which puncture his lungs or something of that magnitude. But still I believe Drake's emergency team should have reacted way better.

Anyway, due to the relays, bars and clubs around the area have parties for the whole weekend, and almost all of the places are packed with people. I joined in the fun as well, danced to some music and had a blast of a weekend, admist working in the mornings. =p

Now that relays are over, finals are coming. Yes, that means time for studying and studying and studying. Though I am lazy, I still have to put in effort, right? Lol. Group study for finals anyone? =p

DUNK!!

Here is the picture I promised to upload.

How nice. I get the feel of SLAM DUNK!!! =p

Updates

Yes, I know I haven't been here often enough recently, always with long absence in between posts. But, please don't blame me. I am just too busy, and (I must admit) sometimes just too lazy or nothing to post about. Anyway, just some updates in this post, and hopefully I have more time to write something here after that.

First up, Malaysian Night, themed M-Night, is this Saturday at 6.30pm. I am involved in two performances, which are taking up a lot of time recently. What performance you ask? Well, one of it is Chinese Traditional Flag Dance, and the other one is martial arts, or rather a fighting scene. It's the full rehearsel tonight, and hopefully everything turn out as planned.

Well, that is not all for this Saturday. Drake's annual Street Painting is on the afternoon of Saturday! The Malaysian Society actually got a spot on the street to proudly display their name this time around! Cheers to Tony Chang who came up with a brilliant sketch which won us a spot on the famous street. I can't wait to attend the event!

Another piece of update, I actually got an internship! It's a statistical analyst position, which sort of act as a consultant to the company. I am excited and delighted to get the offer, and I can't wait to start work! =p But the scary part, and also the best part of the job, is that decisions will be made based on my work alone, and the cost can run up till half a million! Gosh, I sense a heavy burden coming down on my shoulders, but then again it will be a great achievement for me to actually make decision for projects which involve so much money. Let's hope I do well and gain invaluable experience!

Besides getting an internship, I actually will be moving off campus as well! Yes, I have actually found a place, and I will be staying with my friend. We had a look at the place, and it was wonderful. Things should be settled after Malaysian Night I guess. =p

Alright, I guess that's all for now. I will post videos of my performances and pictures of Malaysian Night when it's over. =)

Movie time!! Gameplan anyone?

Finally there's something for me to blog about. It has been routine and a little mundane recently, besides the gradually improving weather. =p

I finally managed to get to watch the show 'Gameplan' yesterday, at my host family's house. Yeap, I was chilling out in their place yesterday, after being unable to meet them for quite some time. Anyway, time for my usual movie review. =p

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is the star of the movie. In the movie, he is a great football player, American football that is, and a very self centered person. The movie also show cases his well toned body, which surely will make the girls ooohh and aaahh. Out of the blue, his never known existed daughter showed up at his door step.

Unknowingly, the appearance of his daughter changed his life. From being the self centered superstar, he became a caring father. Things that his daughter does managed to open up his eyes and showed him that football isn't everything in this world. It sure looks funny when such a huge and muscular guy give in to an 8-year old girl. What's more, he even did ballet! Amazing.

Well, the usual plot of the story -- caretaker come find his daughter, take her away because his daughter thinks that herself is a distraction to his career, and then they reunite when he's feeling down during the football game. When they reunite they have a dramatic win, and both of them are happy together.

Yeap, that's about the whole story, just that I left out more details such as joke scenes and touching scenes and stuffs like that. I would say this movie score an 8 out of 10. Even though certain part of the story line is quite cliche, they managed to pull it off perfectly. =)

Alright, that's about all for now. Time to bury my head into assignments and studies again. I have yet to get the picture I took in my host parents' house, but I promise you I will upload it once I get it. It's just one picture, but it's one amazing picture. =p Adioz!!

Chicago -- the Windy City

It's spring break, and off I went to the windy city, Chicago. It's a 6 hours drive there from Des Moines, and it was a great relief when we reached Chicago. Stomachs were grumbling because of hunger, joints are sore due to lack of strecthing, and everyone are tired due to the long journey.

Finally, our first meal in Chicago. Comments about that restaurant was pretty convincing, but I must say that it did not live up to expectations. Even those who gave good review was disappointed. Anyway, we made our way to the hotel and recharged our batteries.

Rise early my fellows, our destination will be dim sum at Chinatown! Reluctantly we dragged ourselves up and made our way to the restaurant. The dim sum was quite okay, but if compared to those we get in New York City, it is a mile off from that standard. Anyhow, we head to our next destination -- downtown Chicago for St. Patrick's Parade.

People were everywhere when we reached the area. Every vantage point for a clear sight of the parade were taken. We compensated for it, and can only blame ourselves for not arriving earlier. Anyway, it wasn't all that important. I took pictures of the parade, but then started to get bored, and so we left.

We walked about nearby, visiting the reknown Chicago Bean (it is call some other name, but it is nicknamed Chicago Bean) and also downtown Chicago. We also managed to take some pictures of the river which was dyed green for St. Patrick's Celebration. Authorities claim that they use environmentally friendly dye, but I still can't help thinking what the fishes in the water think! Maybe something like, "Wow! Plenty of algae floating in the water today? Every fish, open your mouths and start eating!" =p

We went back to Chinatown after spending time downtown. Dinner time, which means we are hungry and food will be served soon! We filled up our grumbling stomachs at a seafood restaurant, again claimed to be very nice. It didn't live up to expectation again, and I didn't eat much. Maybe my expectation was to high, but I doubt it.

Karaoke was the next event, and the place for karaoke looks similar to red light area! They even use red lights to illuminate the area! It wasn't too bad, and the bartender aka technician aka 'one man show' was friendly and we did had some fun time there. Suprisingly, one of us was hungry after singing! So supper was up next. We had some food again and head back to the hotel, a journey where everyone except the driver started to doze off.

We slept till the sun was high up in the sky, then headed out in search for korean barbeque. We spent some time getting the address right and the name of the restaurant, but finally our GPS and friend in Des Moines got us to the place. Everyone was very hungry at that time, but there was only one waitress serving three tables! Patience is a virtue, and finally we were rewarded with food to treat our hunger. It was quite nice, but again, I like New York City's korean barbeque better.

We spend some time walking around the korean village, then head back to Chinatown for snooker and pool session. We cancelled the original plan of buffet steak for dinner due to the price and also the mood, and succumb to walking around Chinatown. We end up spliting into a few groups, and I walked with my dear brother. We had char siew and siew yok fan (barbeque pork and roast pork rice) for dinner. The serving was huge, and we had a satisfying meal. We headed back to the hotel, had just a little booze as we planned to play some games that night, but everyone was more interested with those hilarious commercial which the television was airing, and we called it a day after those commercials.

Korean food for brunch the next day, which was the best meal of the trip in my opinion. I spent quite a lot at the korean mart as well, but it was well worth it I must say. A last stop at Chinatown to get more char siew and siew yok and roast duck and also some pastry like egg tarts and buns, we head back to Des Moines. Rainy weather and long journey isn't pleasant, and napping during the journey was the main event.

Back in Des Moines finally, and dinner was great. Kimchi and korean snacks with siew yok and stuffs is a great match. After sleeping on the floor for a few days, my bed couldn't have felt better! =p All in all, I must say Chicago is a nice city. Definitely I will visit Chicago again one day. But to compare it with New York City, I prefer New York City. And for now, back to catching up with studies for the rest of my spring break! Adioz.

Five sites I must visit, tagged.

Since I was being tagged by Jennifer, I guess it would help me kill some time now. =p

The question was what are the five favorite sites that I must visit every day. Hmm... Let me see.

First up, www.gmail.com. Hahahaa... Well, it's the site where I must visit every day, to check my email of course!! In this era, communicating through email is very convenient and important. Don't you think so?

Next, www.facebook.com. Yes, facebook is getting more and more common, and our university's students organization also use facebook to post events and updates!! I also use it to know when are some friend's birthday and stuffs like that. Keeping in touch with friends all over the world through facebook is also easier now!! =p

Another site will be kennysia.com. Don't know what site is that? Look it up. It is arguably the most popular Malaysian blogger's site. His influence is so big that advertisers look for him to promote their stuffs on his blog! He even got all expenses paid trips to places like the Macao hotel which is like 7 stars! All in the name of advertisements. But don't get me wrong, though there are advertisements on his blog, he made it personal, which, I guess, is why people like his blog because we can relate to him. He's so big that he is now one of the judges for the malaysian dreamgirl search currently on going.

I also visit blueview.drake.edu. Yes, you guessed it. It's Drake University's portal, where I get all the information I need about Drake, and access to my Drake's email and stuffs like that. It's boring but a necessity I guess.

Last but not least, myp2p.eu and footytube.com. These two sites are where I get to watch football, where I get to watch Manchester United winning!! =p Yes, I am a football fan, a Manchester United Football Club fan. I just got myself a Christiano Ronaldo jersey!! =p

Alright, that should be the five sites. Though there are other sites I do visit, I guess these five are my highest hit. Anyone who reads this and feels like doing this tag can go ahead and do it. After you do it then let me know, via comments on this post or just a note on the chatterbox at the side of my page. I am interested in knowing what other sites on the Internet is interesting too! Thanks.