THE GREEN HAT

The bean vadai and the doughnut (“donut” when spelt the American way) vadai (1) was great as a quick brekkie.

It was about 8.30am in the morning. Didn’t know what it was like outdoors but figured the weather was sunny as the house looked brightly illuminated by the sun.

We, the Batik Influencer, Jeannie; and I were set to make our way down (or is it up?) to Amcorp Shopping Mall In P.J. (2) One of the reasons I was eager to get to Amcorp Mall was because I had made arrangements to meet with Mahmud, the hat seller. I met with him last evening and saw a couple of hats that I liked. He told me that he had an orange fedora hat, whether I would like to have a look at it first before I made a purchase. I love colours. An orange fedora? (1) – that would be something. I held my purchase back to today.

I tried the orange fedora on. It was a nice fit, with a wide brim. The bright orange was a clean and “happy” orange. It was nice. The only thing was the hat was rigid, firm. It was not as flexible as the two green hats or the hats that I already own. It would be mean more care in maintaining it. I can be quite rough at times, carrying as many things in both hands as possible so not having to make more trips. I need my hats to work for me. I like the soft hats where I can roll up, and tuck under my arm or in my bag.

My decision was now left to the two green fedora hats. Both hats were made of wool, which is natural for fedoras😉. The olive-green model had a thicker brim, the brim was not as wide as the other one. It had a custom made dark brown, thin leather band with a black and white feather, and a tinge of an orange feather jutting out from it. It looked absolutely cool.

Exceptionally elegant. Mahmud personally custom made this hat with a dark brown leather band, and a black & white feather with an “orange lead end”.

It did not take me too long to decide, really. Naturally, I consulted with my two world renowned fashion consultants, Jeannie and our daughter, Laura. Both of them chose the olive-green over the jungle-green wider brim fedora. I, too; decided on the olive-green model.

In the meantime, the Batik Influencer, Jeannie; was promoting the colours of batik and all its designs in its glory with her “JEANNIE’S OWN” label Batik Cape Creations.

Got chance to be a famous, glamourous movie star?

The many profile angles of me modelling this fedora olive-green mid-size brim, with leather band trim and a black & white feather with an orange accent that made the difference.

The jungle green wide brim fedora, had its attractive pull, too. However, it did not quite thrill me as its competitor did. I loved this hat, too. But only one had to be chosen.

I wonder if my new fedora hat is going to lead me to Indiana Jones type of adventures. The keys on the computer keyboards are being tapped / hit on at a furious pace…We will just have to wait and see.

NOTES
1. Vada, vadai, wada, bara, or bora is a category of savoury fried snacks native to India. In Malaysia, it is more commonly known as vadai (pronounced with the “i” ending [sort of third syllable] and dragging as thought there is an additional “i” or more like “vadai-ii”.
The actual name of the bean or dhal vadai is “Masala vadai”. It is also known as Chana dhal vadai or parappu (dhal) vadai. It is made of chana dhal, spices, onions and herbs.
The “doughnut” type vadai is a South Indian savoury snack made from soaked or fermented pulses moulded into balls or a doughnut shape and then deep fried. The resulting snack is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
2. Petaling Jaya or P.J. (as it is fondly referred to by many Malaysians and those staying around these parts.)
3. What Is a Fedora? (And How Is It Different From a Panama Hat?)The fedora looks precisely like the Panama hat when viewed at a passing glance. Both hats feature similarly proportioned crowns, bonds, brims, and tapers. The main difference between them is the material: a true fedora is almost always made of felt, usually wool. The fedora also has pinched sides and a lengthwise crease down the crown, creating its classic look. They can come in a variety of colors, with the band around the base often matching the color of the felt. Since they’re made from sheep’s wool, fedoras are a very eco-friendly fashion accessory to own.

Panama hats are made of straw.

EVENING AT TAIPAN CITY KOPITIAM

a.k.a. TCP

Being a weekend, one would expect things to be a bit more laid back from its usual uptight, rigid, everything must be done in a hurry to meet ever increasing, closing in deadlines. Even the sun and somewhat the weather; were also on a chill (pun?).

The big, fiery, flame-spewing ball / planet, some 93 million miles away, can be imagined sitting on a long, white deck-chair; donning a pair of C De Cartier Precious Sunglasses (1) (get it? The sun wearing sunglasses!😉😀), sipping on a alcohol-free margarita (alcohol is flammable – the sun), eating kuachi (2); relaxing.

The Batik Influencer, Jeannie; and I, that is “we” 😃; decided on hawker food, at a kopitiam (3) in Taipan, USJ, Subang Jaya (4).

A kopitiam used to be more commonly known as a coffee shop 15 or more years ago. Calling a coffee shop a kopitiam sounds more fanciful and upmarket. However, what seems to be a trend is that the old style “kopitiams” with marble-looking tabletops are more and more popularly identified with owners / businesses who own and even franchise a number (which is growing) of such style restaurants, out.

Here, you can see the drinks counter. The drinks seller is usually the owner of a restaurant like this, sub-letting space to food vendors to operate their stalls.

These kopitiams or coffee shops used to be exclusive to Chinese food. In recent years, the food offerings have widened to include western, Indian, Punjabi and Malay food.

Taipan City Kopitiam is just next to the other coffee chop…er…restaurant (it is part of their name), “New Nanking”. It hosts a variety of different hawker food, mainly Chinese food. It does have one stall offering western food. I had in mind what I wanted for dinner. I have been to this kopitiam several times, but I don’t think I have ever ordered fried kway teow. This time I did.

Milo Ais kaw drink with char kway teow.

When the plate of fried kway teow was served and put in front of me… a whiff of the aroma from it, the hot smoke rising from it as it was just from the cook’s wok to the plate… the noodles were inter-twined with the tougey (bean sprouts in English, kuchai (5) and fried egg. The prawn (6) and lap cheong (7)… it was as though the whole dish was artistically decorated and placed…like one of those top 6 star restaurants whose chefs decorate the sides of the plate with sauces (this one no decoration la. Here you pay only RM9. Those fancy restaurants will charge RM125).

Don’t let it’s looks fool you. Not just another pretty dish. The fried kway teow did not only just look good. It was delicious to the last noodle on the plate.

The meal was finished almost as soon as I started. It was that delicious. I left the prawns and lap cheong for Jeannie, as I am not into that. The meal was good. It looks like there is strong competition between the char kway teow “chef” here, and the one next door at New Nanking.

Here, the lady in green, runs a vegetarian food stall. You can see the owners of the wester food stall, too. For drinks, Jeannie ordered “Limau Ais” (iced lime). I ordered a “Milo Ais Kaw” (iced Milo, strong).

The lady owner of the western food stall, who also serves the food to her customers; is well dressed with jacket, too.

Jeannie’s rice porridge meal.

Jeannie’s rice porridge meal was good, according to her. She ordered a sort of a sweet sour pork, what looks like a big portion of yam and spinach to go with her porridge. And enjoyed her meal, she did.

Jeannie, about to tuck in to her rice porridge meal.

At the back of us, are more stalls, including the one that sells wan tan mee. The wan tan mee here, is really good. You should try it if you get the opportunity.

We finished our meals, minum-ed (Bahasa Malaysia for “drink” in past tense [ed]😊). Jeannie said the next time we come here, we must support the stall that sells vegetarian food. Remember the blond-hair lady in a green shirt? Looks like the “next time” is going to be soon.

NOTES:
1. Cartier Precious sunglasses in rose gold, rimless with rose gold coated lenses. Dimensions: 62 mm lenses, 14 mm bridge, 140 mm temples. Price: US$8,495
2. Guazi (Chinese: 瓜子; Indonesian: kuaci), also called kwasi (Burmese: ကွာစေ့) refers to roasted plant seeds. It is a popular snack in China, Malaysia (kuachi) and overseas Chinese communities, especially in Indonesia. While directly translated as “melon seeds” it usually refers to baked seeds of the sunflower, pumpkin, or watermelon seeds. It is often served as an appetizer during banquets. Wikipedia
3. The term kopitiam in Malaysia is usually referred specifically to Malaysian Chinese coffee shops. Food in a kopitiam is usually exclusively Malaysian Chinese cuisine. Food courts and hawker centres are usually not referred to as kopitiams.
Wikipedia
4. Taipan is a bustling business centre in the vibrant city of Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
5. kuchai is a kind of leek, ranked-scented, green, growing 20 to 40 centimeters high. Bulbs are small, white and clustered.
6. Prawn resembles a large shrimp, many varieties of which are edible.
7. Lap cheong is a dried, hard sausage usually made from pork and pork fat. It is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with rose water, rice wine and soy sauce.

It Had To Be You

“To love somebody…to love somebody the way I love you…” coming over the “airwaves(?)” Bee Gees… and I am taken back to 1971, 1972, when the movie “S.W.A.L.K” was showing.

It was also the time when Susan B**l was the “Wow! The gorgeous Girl” that every guy could only watch from afar. She was 21, we 13. Her boyfriend drove her around in his brand new Ford Cortina 2000 GXL, we…many of us did not even own a bicycle. I saw her a few years ago…she was still a stunner. Oh…and she married her boyfriend of 1971, 1972.

Mid-way through the second day at Amcorp Shopping Mall. The crowds are in, full-swing, browsing, window-shopping (no windows here. We are an open booth😂), shopping.

By the time I got to typing, thinking, tinkering, screen-tapping (was about to use “thumping”. Leave it to your imagination), Bee Gees was over. Either I was a tad slow in typing, Bee Gees was taken off the air, or the song finished. I will go with the last option.

Looks good!

Jeannie has sold her latest creation to a very, very happy customer. She said she will be proudly wearing it during the coming soon Chinese New Year (lunar new year).

And I; I met with a journalist from a leading Malaysian newspaper. I decided to add more pizzaz to the fun I have in writing. I went for the new look.

The writer sporting the “serious Writer Image”.

Towards the end of last evening, at the closing stages of sales for the day; I remembered that there was a booth selling hats. I went looking for it and found it. The booth was on the west side (our booth is in the east wing), 1 floor above us. I saw a couple of hats I liked, one much more than the other. However, I did not want to hold back the hat seller from packing up for the day.

This is Mahmud, the specs and hats seller; with the writer wearing his newly acquired Panama hat.

Today, while I was eager to don a new look with the purchase of the new hat that I had yet to buy; we had a good number of people visiting our booth. Some were friends that we made in our previous outings here. I met an old La Salle Klang, schoolmate, Charles Thomas; too. He introduced me to his younger brother and a friend of his; both from La Salle Klang, too.

By the time I got going to get the hat I wanted, it was way into mid-afternoon. I met Mahmud, the specs & hat seller. He has an excellent selection of hats.

The hat, known as the “Panama hat” was still there. I tried it on again and confirmed it had to be you (the hat). The one I liked. I was sold.

If you are looking for a hat for any occasion, Mahmud’s the guy to see. He runs a booth on the 2nd Floor, East Wing.

My watch band matches my hat.

The Batik Influencer and the writer.

That famous Latino guy that plays the electric guitar looks like me, minus the moustache. Here I, the writer; am with my wife, Jeannie; the Batik Influencer.

While the hat itself has no. Magical powers, it sets the tone for new fun and conversations. For one, as I started wearing this hat, I noticed there were many others who wore hats, too. I mean, besides the common sight of those sporting baseball caps, there were many others who wore hats of all shapes and sizes.

Before we knew it, it was time for us to pack up and head for home. Not everything had gone the way we would have liked it to. I believe that the biggest takeaway Jeannie and I had this weekend was that we made more new friends.

Now, to go home and enjoy Harry Connick Jr.’s “It Had To Be You”.

1st Floor, Amcorp Shopping Mall (1),
Booth 1.16, Level 1
Amcorp Shopping lMall,
8, Jalan, Persiaran Barat, Seksyen 52 Petaling Jaya, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: Jan 27 and Jan 28, 2024
Time: 10.
00am to 5.30pm (can be extended to 7.00pm)