Sunday, January 29, 2012

Malaysia NICI Shop (update)

In August 2011, we blogged about Malaysia NICI shop opening since their revamp and relocation at 1Utama shopping center.

5 months later...

NICI-Mania team sets out to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia this January to finally set foot upon the new NICI shop!

NICI Loulou dogs are the first thing that welcomes us to the shop.

The newly revamped Malaysia NICI shop looks a lot more well organized.

We start exploring the new Malaysia NICI shop in full blown excitement!

NICI Hetch Hogan and NICI Pirates

80cm Jolly Sven and NICI Zebra

NICI Ice Guys Penguin

NICI Frederic Fox and Rob Raccoon

NICI Skunk Calvin

NICI Hamster and Matilda Beach

NICI Wild Friends

And finally the NICI Jolly Mah shelf

An adorable 80cm Jolly Sheebo spotted with the cute Jolly Mah Bus!

We are surprised to see many Jolly Jomo (Jolly Mah brown). Either NICI Germany did a reproduction of this old series or these Jomos are leftover from a long time ago. This 50cm is the cutest of them all

NICI lying crocodiles. These weren't available here so we shipped one from Germany from this post here and now they have 2 of them!

Found NICI minily rabbit and lion hiding at bottom shelf too!

120cm Jill Husky is still here! (as seen from our first Malaysia NICI shop visit). But our 120cm Hugo Wolf is gone! *sobs* happy that he has found an owner..whoever that is out there, please treat him well!

We love these nicely illuminated box design.

How nice if we can also have these on the walls of our house all containing cute NICI plush.

Finally we cashed in the RM50 NICI shop voucher given to us for our birthday.

Guessed who came home with us? ♥♥♥

and some didn't come home with us...(regretting now)

NICI-Mania team hope to be back to the Malaysia NICI shop soon. Its simply paradise for us to be shopping in a shop full of NICI plush.

p.s. we are full of gratitude to the 2 very friendly staffs at the NICI shop. Thanks!!!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Its Chinese New Year and NICI-Mania is on a long holiday break. Spotted, an eccentric creature lurking around our house..

That creature is slithering at full throttle, we have to run faster to catch up to it..

Finally we managed to get closer...

Side view of the creature looks very familiar..

Its a lion dance creature! Our lion dance entry last year will tell you more! Meanwhile, what is this lion doing at our house? As we look under the disguise.....

Its minily Jolly Mah under the lion dance costume!!

Minily Jolly Mah and NICI-Mania wishes everyone Happy Chinese New Year 2012. Enjoy the festive occasion!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Tamsui Old Street (Taiwan)

Hugo Wolf says hi from Tamsui district of Taiwan! Day 1 at Taipei and NICI-Mania's first destination is Tamsui!

Tamsui district is most famous for the Tamsui old street. Its only 4pm Taiwan time and the crowd has already flooded the entire street.

Tamsui is very easy to go, just take the Taipei metro red line and go northbound towards the last station.

Once you get out of the mrt station, turn towards your left

You will see a sign pointing the direction to "Tamsui Old Street"

We kinda followed the sign..WRONG IDEA!! This doesn't look like Tamsui old street

After following majority of the crowd, we reached the famous Tamsui old street. Its very hard to miss because you will see mountains of people and lots of local food stalls.

Tamsui old street first stop - wild boar Taiwan sausages!

Tamsui most famous for fish crackers!! We bought a lot back home.

Its autumn towards winter at Taiwan and 27 degree Celsius is considered too crazily warm for this time of the year.

At Tamsui, you must remember to visit the Tamsui Ah Po shop selling the authentic and most famous "Ah Po Tie Dan", the legendary 'iron egg'!

You must also patron the famous Tamsui fish ball stalls. There are many Tamsui fish ball stalls here all claiming to be the authentic one.

The acclaimed Tamsui fish ball was a huge disappointment. Tamsui fish balls are very different from the usual fish balls we eat here.

Tamsui fish ball stalls always sell "Ah Gei" together with fish balls.

Tamsui ah gei is fried tofu stuffed with glass noodles. Very unique food you can't find elsewhere. Not exactly tasty though.

Then we head out towards the harbor side of the Tamsui old street.

The pier where everyone was waiting at to take the ferry to go to fisherman's wharf, a very well known scenic spot with the famous Lover Bridge accompanied by beautiful sunset.

Instead of going to Fisherman's wharf and lover's bridge..We head for more local Tamsui delights!!

This is a very interesting Tamsui delicacy..they are frying quail eggs with silver fish. Then you get to brush the quail eggs with the special garlic sweet sauce which is very tasty!

Fried quail eggs with silver fish is surprisingly delicious!! A must try at Tamsui old street.

The sun is setting soon, more Tamsui old street pictures coming up!