Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant - 品香点心包点茶室 at Kulai Main Road, Kulaijaya - Johor.

Kedai Pun Heong 品香点心包点茶室 (N1.64570 E103.61609) is the local Malaysia name of the restaurant and if you notice there's a smaller signage before you walk in the restaurant stated 'Chop Pun Heong'. With the name of "Chop", it means the shop or restaurant is having a long history since the 60s or 70s, because during that era and most of the Chinese shop have the word "Chop". Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant had started their business since 60 years ago and this was the first dim sum restaurant I came across that operating in the evening session...

Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant at Kulaijaya

The restaurant is situated along the Kulaijaya town Main Road (Jalan Besar) which is quite easy to locate. As the local called that area is 19 miles of Kulai. It has the rustic ambience and we felt like walking into a time machine...simple and typical 'shop' with no different from the others in year 70s...I believe Pun Heong (品香) must be one of the pioneer Dim Sum restaurant running their business in Kulaijaya.

Typical Chinese type of restaurant

There was only another table occupied while we stepped in (around 7pm), that gave me a chance to had a little chat to the owner who is the grandson of the founder of the shop, he told me that all their dim sum and bao (stuffed bun) are make and process in their shop...that means all are freshly prepare and steam within the same area. And he politely recommended their popular big bao 大包 (pork bun), char siew bao 叉烧包 (bbq pork bun), plate of siew mai 烧卖 and pai-kuat 排骨 (ribs) to us.

My first grabbed was the Da Bao (big stuffed bun), reason was strongly recommended by friends!

Da bao 大包 from Pun Heong

The bao was juicy and tasty! It generously stuffed with plenty of pork, chicken and eggs. The outer flour skin was soft and not thick like others. I like it very much!

The Da Bao was generously stuffed with the ingredients

And surprisingly, the char siew bao 叉烧包 equally good! Filled with gravy and won't feel the dryness of it! Especially the flour skin was tender. Excellent!

Char siew bao 叉烧包 from Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant

Tasty pork in the bun

Beside the nice bao, we did tried out their siew mai 烧卖 (pork dumplings). It doesn't had the colourful deco as others but it was nice and not porky...

Siew mai 烧卖 from Pun Heong Restaurant

The pork ribs was above average and I remember that it was really hot when served on our table.

Small plate of pork ribs

Overall we were satisfied with the dim sum and the bao. The price of above were really reasonable and we can't enjoy the nice dim sum like this with their price at Johor Bahru at all.
Before we left the restaurant, I noticed the shop was full house! Well, realized that the customers mostly are regular here...

I'll definitely drop by again if I'm happen around Kulaijaya.

Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant 品香点心包点茶室

681-6, Jalan Raya Kulai Besar, 

81000 Kulaijaya, Johor

Tel : +607-6631279

Business hour : 6pm-10pm

Rest day : Sunday and first day of the month in Chinese Lunar calender

GPS Coordinates : N1.64570 E103.61609

Location map of Pun Heong Dim Sum Restaurant at Kulaijaya, Johor.

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Korea - Jeju : Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) + Seongeup Folk Village

Korea trip Oct 2013

I have crazed over kpop since 2 years ago and my favourite kpop band is 2NE1. I wanted to go Korea during cherry blossom period but autumn leave foilage period seems awesome too!

Please want to go to Korea Tourism Organisation to get all the brochures you need to know all about Korea!! Very useful and free lol!

Sunrise above the clouds

After 6 hours, we finally reached Incheon Airport!

While waiting for our next flight to Jeju, we found this Hanok-like (Korean traditional houses) viewing gallery where you could watch planes take off, land and park while sip coffee. If you are lucky, you will get to see music performance by their pretty ladies in Hanbok (Korean traditional dresses). 

After first two pieces (that I have not heard before), I whispered to bf, "How I wish they play something that I know, like Color of the Winds" my favourite!" Then next moment, color of the winds tune started playing. My jaw dropped till the floor! This started my Korea trip with a blink of happiness! 

Location :(Public Area) 4F

First dinner meal in Jeju

Typical restaurant set up

Dumplings soup + rice cake (Mandu guk in korean). This is a must-eat-dish during their new year morning. It symbolises age one year older, money and prosperity. 

First day not much itinerary as it was quite late when we reached Jeju. 

There is CASINO in the hotel, can you believe it? They even give hotel guests a head start by giving complimentary first 5,000 won. Tempting, huh?

The room was quite spacous. The only complaint was that the "shower area" (not partition between the toilet bowl nor the basin and also same floor level with the outside) was just next to the door. When you shower, you have to be careful, otherwise, not only you will flood the bathroom, you also will flood the living room. Ok, maybe its just my room...

Jeju Grand Hotel

Address: 80, Noyeon-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

Next morning..

view outside the restaurant

Jeonbokjuk = Abalone porridge. I love the texture of korean porridge. My favourite kind. 

While on the way to the our first stop, our tour guide told us a little history about Jeju. 

Jeju Island is known as "Island of Gods" where you will also see alot of dol hareubang ("stone grandfather"), large mushroom-like statues made from volcanic rocks, all around the island. Dol Hareubang are considered as Gods that offer both protection and fertility. They are placed normally outside the house. 

If you touch their:

- eyes, you want a boy baby

- nose, you want a girl baby

- both eyes at the same time, you want a phoenix twin

- stomach, you wish for a fortune

I touched both eyes and stomach.. ^.^

It is a popular honeymoon destination for Korean newly weds and many couples (including foreigners) have their wedding shots there as well. 

This was our itinerary for Jeju Island.

Star: Jeju Grand Hotel

A: Jeju International Airport

B: Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak)

C: Seongeup Folk Village

D: Cheonjeyeon Falls 

E: Jusangjeolli Cliff

F: Teddy Bear Museum

G: Nanta show

H: Mysterious Road

I: Yongduam Rock

Do you know that Jeju also has a nickname - Korea's Hawaii? The weather is slightly higher than in Seoul but the winds is stronger, hence, the island is wind power generated. You can see many wind turbines around the island.

Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) - UNESCO World Heritage

Seongsan Ilchulbong is the first Korea's UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. 

Jeju Island is also on the list of the New 7 Wonders of Nature!

The ridge provides an ideal spot for walks and for horse riding. Can you spot the horses?

Here starts the climbing..

Although the peak does not look as tall, but it is very steep! I took a few breaks in between before I managed to reach the top. I need to train more..

Doesnt this look like a dog's side view?

The view while I taking a break..

At the bottom of the peak, its a verdant grassy hill that is connected to the Seongsan Village.

I am too near to take full picture.

This tuff cone shaped Seongsan Ilchulbong rose from the shallow seabed after volcanic eruption under the sea 5,000 years ago and now is a grassy crater.

Seongsan Ilchulbong is a perfect spot to catch sunrise. That is why it earns the name "Sunrise Peak".

It looks v peaceful now like a small village can start here by herding sheeps.. I would want to live there... I mean you could enjoy beautiful sunrise every morning, this kind of morning could not be anymore better.  

A "I am here" picture. lol

Now have to get down..

Actually going down is even harder than climbing. *hold on to the railing firmly*

Dol Hareubang souvenir you could bring home.

Credit to The Korea Times

Seongsan Ilchulbong is now one of the hottest attractions in Jeju.

Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak)

Address: Seongsan-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea

Admission fee: 2,000 won

Seongeup Folk Village

Jeju Island has 3 many : girls, winds and stone grandfather

Jeju Island has 3 none: no thief, no beggar and no door

Villagers' houses have no doors. They only have 3 poles as picture below. 1st pole = parents and children not in and will be back in an hour. 2nd pole = only children in. 3rd pole = parents and children not in and will be out for a long time. If all poles are down, means you are most welcome to come in.

Their typical houses are built with volcanic rocks and will not collapsed easily.

If you watched Korean drama 大长今, one time she was sent to Jeju and this was where they had the drama filmed.

Korea black pig

Left hand higher one refers to civil servant (文官) and right hand higher one refers to military officers (武官). Both hands same level refers to civilian (平民)

Then we were brought to a room where the hard sell part comes. 

Horses in Jeju are distinctively shaped with shorter legs and longer body

Seongeup Folk Village

Address: Seongeup-ri, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do

Go to Korea - Jeju : Cheonjeyeon Falls + Jusangjeolli Cliff + Teddy Bear Museum

Hadassah-Brandeis Institute Scholar in Residence fellowship -- call for applications

Candlesticks hands in blessing mark women's gravestones in Gura Humorului, Romania. Photo © Ruth Ellen Gruber

by Ruth Ellen Gruber

The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University  has issued its call for applications for the summer or fall 2014 Scholar in Residence program.

It's a wonderful opportunity -- I was the Scholar in Residence at the HBI in early 2011, when I worked on my Candlesticks on Stone project about the visual representation of women in Jewish tombstone art.

In addition to the creation of the project web site, I present a paper about my project, which has been posted online as part of the Donna Sudarsky Memorial Working Paper Series.

You can view my paper HERE -- unfortunately it does not include the pictures, but you can see those on the Candlesticks on Stone web site.


Here are the details about the Residency and call for applications. 

The HBI Scholar-in-Residence programs provide scholars, artists, writers and communal professionals the opportunity to be in residence at Brandeis University while working on significant projects in the field of Jewish women’s and gender studies. 

Scholars-in-Residence receive a monthly stipend and office space at the Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. Applicants living outside the U.S. and those whose work has an international dimension are especially encouraged to apply. 

Helen Gartner Hammer Scholars-in-Residence Program – Summer or Fall 2014 

Scholars are invited to apply for residency at the HBI to carry out significant research and artistic projects in the field of Jewish women’s and gender studies. Papers written while at the HBI are included in the Donna Sudarsky Memorial Working Paper Series. 

Residencies range from one month to the full academic semester. Scholars may begin the residency in August but should note that not all members of the Brandeis community will be available until the start of the academic year in September. 

Application deadline: January 30, 2014 

A decision will be announced by April 17, 2014 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE 

http://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/residencies/scholar.html