Yew's Cafe

http://www.yewscafe.com

I stumbled upon this recommendation in one of the forums. Have not tried it myself, but it sure looks really yummy! For location and contacts, please check out their website above.

These promotions end 31st July

These promotions end on 31st August 2011

Alright, need to get a few colleagues or friends for lunch or dinner soon! I'll update with my feedback when the food is being digested in my system!

Getting acquainted with JB property developments

In preparation for living in JB, some research must be done...

Yesterday, I visited a few developments for the first time. Started with Nusa Idaman, dropped by HH to chat with the sales people, went over to East Ledang and did a final stop at Setia Tropika. Of course, we recuperated at Old Town Coffee after the Saturday morning over Link 2. This was what I had:

 Ipoh Chicken Horfun

Alright, on with my journey...

Nusa Idaman: Really liked their Semi-Ds. Unfortunately, all sold out. Told sales to keep me updated about the upcoming cluster launch. This development is value for money.

Horizon Hills: They have just launched a row of Super-links (for the unfamiliar, a.k.a. super-sized terrace houses). Prices going for RM 8XXk for the intermediate and slightly more than 1mil for the corner unit. Although these super-links are larger in build-up than my cluster semi-d, I'll still go for the cluster because of the view. Well, that remains to be seen. :) Can't wait to collect the key in 2 years time...

East Ledang: I was really impressed with the security of EL. They really took time to scrutinise each and every visitor before permitting them entry. It took all of 8min before I finally managed to speak to the guard who gave me the directions to the sales office. Haha. I only found out what I knew all along after speaking to the sales person---everything was sold out! Well, except for the Luxury Pool Villas which are bungalows. Even then, there were only 3 units left. Will sit this one out. :)

 I will get one of these for my HH cluster home.

KFC: Mom and I were famished by 4.30pm. We took a much-needed break at the new KFC @ Setia Tropika Connection. There were Macs, Starbucks, Pizzahut as well as a Maybank branch as far as I had noticed. Really convenient place.

Setia Tropika: I was really impressed with their sales office. Very professionally done, felt like I was visiting the typical car showrooms back in Singapore. Anyway, this development was one of the few that really interested me as I did my research online mainly because of the low prices and interesting concepts such as the garage houses being offered (1 more international unit left). Admittedly, I rather liked the of 2 types Cluster homes offered. The Bridge (2.5 storeys) was going for RM 932,500 while The Louvre (2 storeys) was being snapped up at RM100k less. I was told that Singaporeans made up the majority of new home owners here. The figure? 60%. Visited the show houses and these images resulted:

It was a day that I felt was very well spent. First and foremost, it was quality time spent with mom. The bonuses were that I got to get a better overview of the properties and developments in Johor, adjusted my sense of safety and expectations in JB, got to drive my car for almost the whole day (210km) and came home knowing that I had made the right decision getting HH as my future home. :)

Sales persons who served me:

NI - Lee Irene (+6014-315-1618)
HH - Premila Velu (+6016-742-2291)
EL - Spiritu Santha (+6016-791-4688)
ST - Zanareyah Salim (+6012-742-3312)

I booked my first property @ Horizon Hills

Living in JB - Today, I purchased by very first landed freehold property. I left my cheque with the developer and obtained my option to purchase.

Image edited to remove confidential information.

One week was all it took for me to make a decision? Well, let's just say that I had been scouring the internet for information about buying a home in JB from at least a week before the 5th. That makes it a total of 2 weeks of intensive reading and research. Sufficient enough for me, I guess. :)

What did I buy? The most recent launch would be The Hills Precinct. There are 3 products offered in this precinct---superlink/terrace, cluster semi-D and Bungalows. I decided to take the plunge with...

I got the intermediate-cluster (represented on the right) with a south-west facing, hence I'd get the morning sun. I would have liked the corner-cluster unit so much more, if it wasn't already taken. My neighbour is a non-native Singaporean, btw. Shall not reveal his roots in my blog. :)

Yup. I took the plunge. (note to self again)

Some basic information:

• land: 2400sf
• build-up: 2887sf
• RM$3XXpsf
• TOP: estimated end 2013
• 2 years defects warranty
• lifetime clubhouse membership (50 years)
• legal fees absorbed by developer

Horizon Hills

Taken from http://www.horizonhills.com.my/

Went down to view Horizon Hills on 5th July 2011 after reading so much about it from a local forum about living in JB. Upon entering the development, one can aptly describe the drive in as breath-taking. I could not help but to slow my vehicle to a crawl (it's hard to do so, if you know what I am driving) as I stretched my neck to peer out of my side windows. What greeted me were rows of landed properties I could only habour a guess that they were from the Gateway Precinct. As I continued the drive in, I could only feel lightness as I approached the first roundabout. The Golf Precinct found me on both sides. It was a moment of epiphany. I understood why this was such a popular development!

In the next  minutes, I begun to realise I wasn't alone. There were two other vehicles advancing at a very slow pace, and my assumption was that they had bouts of breathlessness, very much like the ailment I had very suddenly assumed. Very soon, I arrived at the Club House. However, if you made your trip there, you would realise too that it will be the designer golf course that would greet you first.

Images taken from my iPhone 4.

Of course, I went straight to the sales office to find out more about HH. I'll skip the details, but suffice to say, those of you who are interested should make your way down to have a friendly and informative chit chat with the sales team at the Clubhouse.

Before I left, I decided to try a western delight offered by the Clubhouse restaurant. I really liked the Fillet of Garoupa with lemon butter sauce shown below. Just RM$32 for this and a glass of fresh starfruit juice!

On 5th of July, I learnt to spell "love" very differently. 

I spelt it H-O-R-I-Z-O-N-H-I-L-L-S.