Cakes for all your dreams celebrations !

Its almost a universal desire to celebrate an important occasion with something extra special and for many it often means bringing in a symbolic celebration cake ! Whether its a birthday, a wedding, a reunion or something more engaging like an engagement party, the cake plays a very important main event. Usually it is the focal point of the evening ! And the more beautiful and creative the cake, the better memories can linger on for years to come !

Here in Sabah, the tradition is no different. It seems that everyone loves a piece of cake after dinner or just as a way to enhance an already special event. No wonder then that there are so many cake shops and bakeries to cater for the increasing demand for good quality cakes ! Commercial brands are easily available and in some cases home deliveries are arranged.

One exciting part of this industry is that anyone who wants to learn skills in making pastries, cakes and related activities can do so with relative ease. One can enroll in the many institutions around Malaysia and graduate with the required skills to either set up a cake business or enjoy making cakes for friends and family for the sheer thrill of being appreciated for a job well done !

The availability of cake making hardware and accessories have also contributed to the steady growth of homemade breads and cakes all over sabah ! There is one thing that seperates each homemade cakes .. Its the passion and creativity of the Baker of course!

Emma Lee is a good example of the passionate cake maker who bakes each cake with a very personal touch. What started as a simple hobby has developed into a very interesting home based rewarding career in the creation of designer cakes for whatever occasion you need the cake for !

I was very fortunate to visit Emma on one of her Off days when she is relaxing away from her ovens. Apparently Emma has been baking cakes for more than 10 years ! Its no wonder that she is so passionate about her cakes ! She still remembers her first oven and how it all turned out ! Now she sits in front of her laptop computer reading email orders for her latest designer cakes which is personally crafted and delivered for local weddings, engagements, birthdays and even for special reunions of corporate and industry events ! Her latest cake creations made it to the local paper as a custom designed cake with the iconic Kadazan Gong sitting on top of a beautifully decorated base being admired by members of a Sabahan Cultural Organisation! The cake was made especially for the Harvest Festival Celebration and presented to the TYT of Sabah ( Governor of Sabah , Malaysia )

A very creative person, Emma is always lookng for new ways to enhance her cake making ideas. She has hinted in providing training for interested students as an option for the future.

Conveniently located in Kota Kinabalu, Emma is now available to deliver your dream cakes to your special events to help enhance the gathering of friends, business associates or any other occasion.

For those of you who are interested to get more information of how you can make your event more memorable, you can visit Emma's Website at http://www.pinkrosescake.com/

You can also call Aunty Doris of course !
Click here for a Cake Making Course ?

Beautiful Belian Wooden home in Sabah !

Beautiful Belian Wooden home in Sabah !

Sabah has always been a very important exporter of logs and sawn Timber. However, the timber resources are now being strictly controlled and instead of just exporting raw logs and timber, more local companies are encouraged by the government to get involved with downstream processing of timber products such as doors, furniture and other timber related .

For local sabahans, the availability of timber meant that it was easy to build homes using this abundant material. But that was then. Now it seems, the price of timber has gone up steadily and it is relatively cheaper to construct homes using bricks and cement.

The beauty of timber homes is obvious especially in a tropical setting. The home is much cooler and the elegance of natural timber has a special attraction. An old friend , Jules Stephens recommended that I visit his Uncle Richard Baxter who has a beautiful wooden home in Tenom, Sabah. So I was very fortunate to visit such a home today in the beautiful farm owned by the Baxter family of Tenom, in the interior of Sabah Malaysia.

Mr. Richard Baxter is a very prominent planter based in Tenom Sabah and loves to share his years of experiences in agriculture and outdoor lifestyle .He lives with the family in the beautiful timber home that was built by his father in the 1950’s and to this day is proof of the quality of the native sabahan timber, especially the local hard wood belian which is used as the pillars of the stately home! Belian is known to last for many many years and is the preferred timber for building timber homes in Sabah.

The timber home is surrounded by matured tropical fruit trees such as Durians, Mangosteen, Pamelo and Dragon fruits and many others. Flowers with colorful blooms line the cemented pathways while orchids grow in specially fenced areas around the 55 year old home making it a living paradise ! A cluster of giant orchids grows near the entrance of the home and has been named the 14 sultans orchid ! Apparently this unique orchid was transported all the way to Kota Kinabalu for display at a special event where VIPs were impressed by the beauty of the giant orchids ! The beauty of the place is equally matched by the great hospitality of the hosts, Mr and Mrs Richard Baxter who kindly gave me and my friends a grand tour of the whole property !

We ended the tour with a nice evening of refreshments served on a unique polished table that is made of solid timber measuring some 8 in thick , 3 ft wide and 12 ft long !! Its quite a sight ! We really enjoyed our visit to the Baxters home and learned many great ideas and shared experiences from our jovial hosts. We wish to thank Jules and Anna Stephens for helping to arrange the visit and of course our big thank you to our wonderful hosts Mr. and Mrs Richard Baxter and family !

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Great Computer bargains at Karamunsing Shopping Complex!

Great Computer bargains at Karamunsing Shopping Complex!

Are you looking for the latest laptops? Notebooks? Bargains?

Aunty Doris shopping for notebook computer at Karamunsing Shopping Complexs

Here in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah the best place to go for all your computer needs is no doubt the Karamunsing Komplexs located very close to the city area. This shopping complex is one of the first building that offered shopping mall type of facilities to shoppers offering a great variety of goods and services. But since renovations on the whole complex begun, the format has attracted even many more new shoppers especially those that are into computers and related computer and electronics accessories !

The bargains are really something that attracts many to the revamped shopping area. Indeed, some Vehicle Parking spaces have been converted to more shopping area because of the great demand! Aunty Doris was there recently to check out the latest bargains too..

Aunty Doris shopping for notebook computer at Karamunsing Shopping Complexs

For those of you thinking of buying a new notebook or laptop there are many different brands available and the prices are very competitive as well. A typical notebook can be bargained for anything from RM890-00 upwards !

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Best Pau in town !

Aunty Doris buys pau from her favourite pau seller , Mr. Ah Hui .

How many of you love Chinese buns ? yes those delicious white buns called Char Siew Pau or just the generic name Pau filled with a variety if yummy stuffings from black beans paste to mince pork with eggs !

In almost all towns in Sabah you can find these steamed cooked buns sold at many outlets and now there are also mass produced pau versions that is made and distributed to all the local coffee shops . I have always loved homemade char siew pau somehow and if you know where to look, you can get them while they are still steaming hot !

Ah Hui is my favorite pau maker. And he is very popular with his variety of paus.. He makes Char Siew Paus ( Chinese buns with mince pork stuffing ) , Labu Pau ( Pumpkins stuffing ),Patai Pau ( this one is a very potent stuffing ;)

For those of you who love chinese paus, you must try Ah Hui's special ! Call him for the latest Pau at 019-897 3065 Mention this blog and you might just get a good discount !

If you want to try making some pau yourself you can get some tips from the video below:

Ah Hui makes his pau very affordable at RM1.50 each and gives very generous mince pork fillings unlike some of the commercial versions and that is probably why he is very popular. Assisted by family members Ah Hui makes some 300 pau daily which he sells every morning at 7:00am to regular customers !

Mary and Angelo’s Beautiful Integrated Organic Farm

Mary and Angelo’s Beautiful Integrated Organic Farm (AM AquaCulture Enterprise)

Have you ever wanted to visit a peaceful place that you can feel so at home and free and really close to nature and the natural environment ?

Integrated Organic Farming

Beautiful fresh water talapia farms

With all the rush of daily living, the pressure of meeting targets and deadlines, it is no wonder that so many of us forget to attend to our mental and physical rest and relaxation needs.

It seems that whenever we are making plans to go out somewhere to have a break there are always so many unexpected new commitments that prevent us from going away. But it does not have to be that way if you just take some moments to watch the following video clips we took recently.

Our wonderful hosts are Mary and Angelo Asis ,owners of AM Aquaculture Enterprise from Tambunan deep in the heart of Sabah, Malaysia ! Mary and Angelo are both self employed and self motivated entrepreneurs who know what its like to take a break and relax at their beautiful integrated organic farm located near the cool town of Tambunan.

Its about one and a half hours scenic drive along the highway A3 from Kota Kinabalu and the road takes you on an uphill climb to the highest point at 6,000 ft amsl before it begins the downhill drive to a highland town of Tambunan, home to a very progressive and enterprising dusun community.

The Integrated farm is situated in a very cool site with a clear and unpolluted stream running through the farm making it even beautiful as there is the feeling of being surrounded by the continuous sounds of running water. Flowers, fruits and herbal plants are everywhere ! And although there is now mains electricity available, Mary and Angelo still use the many Solar Photovoltaic electric power systems which they installed some 15 years ago when they first decided to create the nature retreat for their family and friends.

Visitors are always delighted to watch as Mary and Angelo seem to be able to “talk” to their fish and many other animals who help to make the farm a really worthwhile visit!

Integrated Organic Farming

Beautiful fresh water talapia farms

If you are looking for a refreshing weekend break or just a place to relax a trip to this integrated organic farm can open your eyes to the wonders of nature !

Aunty Doris visits Utan Paradise Jungle Lodge

Aunty Doris visits Utan Paradise Jungle Lodge

For many who are looking for the ideal nature adventure and retreat or just a change in their routine, there is one place that is probably the best kept secret in Sabah.. Welcome to Utan Paradise, the secret jungle lodge !

I was invited to visit this beautiful jungle retreat as part of my program to promote off the beaten track type of tourism in Sabah. There are many interesting but sadly not well publicised destinations in Sabah and it is always so fascinating find when you discover them either by chance or on a deliberate venture to look for them.

Restful Jungle Atap cabins

Utan Paradise Jungle Lodge is a dream of one local native Sabahan named Saverinus. Once employed as a F&B manager of a leading hotel,he has brought his experience and expertise with him right to the jungle when his hospitality is just as welcoming as his rustic bamboo and atap cabins. It is a joy to watch this man turn a part of the borneo jungle into a paradise that allows privilliged visitors to learn about issues that should matter to most of us.. like global warming, reafforestation, respect for nature and the environment and protecting our natural habitat.

Combined with such admirable awareness and a strong desire to introduce sabah’s beautiful natural virgin jungle to the world, Saverinus has managed to implement a program for visitors to adopt individual trees in his jungle domain. For those of you who want to make a statement about your belief in saving our planet earth, you can adopt a tree at the utan paradise too. The adoption process is interesting and you will get your name inscribed on a plaque which is then posted on your adopted tree !! Contact Aunty Doris for more details on how you can be a part of this wonderful program to keep our natural heritage intact!

Aunty Doris talks to Saverinus about his dreams for Utan Paradise !

At the Utan Paradise Jungle lodge you can also participate in many activities including real jungle trekking !! Yes feel the buzz of real jungle sounds.. as they say.. you can taste the smell of real borneo jungle at utan paradise ! There is a small beautiful water fall that is prestine and well kept secret because the area borders a region patrolled by the authorities and so the water is as clear as it should be !

Finding Utan Paradise can be a bit tricky, even with a good gps device but you can try taking a Keningau bound Tung Mah bus from Kota Kinabalu and make sure it takes the kimanis highway route to Keningau ! The turn off is marked by an old marker left by the popular Operation Raliegh Project when a group of them visited Saverinus and helped to build some of his huts there.

Welcome to Utan Paradise

Aunty Doris talks to Saverinus about

his dreams for Utan Paradise !

Restful Jungle Atap cabins

Be prepard for some exciting adventure without the props.. you get the real borneo here !

White Water Adventure Rafting at Padas River Sabah!

White Water Adventure Rafting at Padas River Sabah!

When Zainol , a seasoned traveller, and his friends Teresa, Henry, Cecilia and David, all with a passion for outdoor adventures, from Singapore called to ask if I could help to organise a Mountain Climbing trip to Mt. Kinabalu and also White Water River Rafting at Padas River in Tenom, I was not sure if I could get the bookings organised at first due to the very tight schedules and the long waiting list for mountain climbers who are eager to conquer Mt Kinabalu, the highest peak in South East Asia !

There were some moments of initial disappointments.. the travel agents who were contacted did not respond to Zainol’s requests and they also somehow did not indicate that the railway service to tenom had since been changed to accomodate new revamping programs !

Teresa, Henry, Cecilia,David and Zainal (standing with banner) Alfons,Ida and Doris showing active support for Dagu Pinapin Language Preservation Project (DPLPP)

I managed to establish good contacts with the many essential links for Zainol and was finally able to organise what turned out to be a very enjoyable sabahan adventure trip for Zainol and his 4 good buddies.

On arrival at Kota Kinabalu Airport, an arranged 4X4 double cabin Toyota vehicle was on hand to bring them ( Zainol self drive ) all the way to Kundasang where they were greeted with all the beautiful sceneries and the cool freshness of the Kinabalu National Park. They were able to visit many places of interests including the Mushroom farm, Cattle farm and visited Mr. Michael Chin an old friend who also runs Cinta Mata Cabin. They checked into Pine Villa Resort strategically located to have a commanding view of majestic Mt. Kinabalu ! And what an awesome view !

The drive back from Kundasang to Kota Kinabalu city the next day was just as eventful with friends taking time to stop for photo shoots along the route !

Back at the hotel in Kota kinabalu, my husband Alfons and I were waiting to meet the group for a nice and sumptuous seafood dinner at the Ocean Seafood Village Restaurant where the dinner bill was as attractive as was the quality of the fresh seafood ! We really enjoyed it !

The big event was of course the surprise birthday for Teresa, one of the members ! She was clearly touched by the thoughtful gestures as we all lighted candles and sang Happy Birthday at the seafood restaurant, much to the delight of all at the popular seafood Diner.

One for the Album

Teresa ended up paying for a beautiful evening of aromatic coffee at the nearby 5 Star resort of Sutera Magellan. We all asked the talented live band to sing another happy Birthday to Teresa !!

The trip obviously left some beautiful memories and we look forward to the return with much anticipation. The White water Rafting experience at the Padas River was really a thrilling adventure for everyone. The normal Sabah State Railways Train service was undergoing some major changes and the journey to the starting point for the White Water Rafting had to be done the old railroad maintenance trolley style !

Zainol is already planning another trip possibly to the interior region of Sabah where there is a mystical limestone rocky outcrop with steep cliffs called Batu Punggul . Now that is another great adventure for sure ! Sabah has more rare gems to be discovered !

Batu Punggul, a limestone pinnacle in the heart of virgin rainforest