Sunday, March 05, 2006

The one about winning elections...

We're back from KL. Was a pretty whirlwind trip. I was half hoping that my meeting would finish early and we could then rush home for the Penang Bar AGM. However, it wasn't to be.

March 2nd - the morning started in exciting fashion with my receiving an sms from Taryna that Sitham was calling for an informal meeting to discuss the upcoming AGM. I had two hearings that morning so I struggled out of bed, visibly tired, and finally made my way to the High court. The matters as luck would have it finished rather late and I got home to pick Jo up at only 11.30am. The meeting was at 12noon, so we headed to the office first to settle a few things before going for the meeting.

After an open discussion on several issues regarding the AGM, Jo & I started our trip to KL. Before that, it was decided that Jo would be nominated and will run for elections despite her being absent. I felt it was a risk but then with the support promised of her, we decided to go ahead. We'll see if it all works out...

The trip was pretty uneventful although we had our usual interesting discussions along the way. It was almost 7pm by the time we got into town and checked-in at our hotel. We chose to stay at the Westin Hotel - fairly new place. The whole hotel had this rather sensous feel about it, with tea lights adorning various parts of the lobby and the general lighting dimmed to create that discreet yet classy feel. The "elevator" music was easy jazz vocals, again giving the whole place a very sexy ambience.

Our room was nice indeed - the Westin being known as an "upper upscale" hotel according to its brochures and parking ticket! The usual high end amenities were present but the highlight of the whole room must be its famed and trademarked Heavenly Bed. The term "heavenly" was surely not used lightly and Jo quickly discovered what it felt like if one was to sleep on a cloud.

We went for dinner later with Celina & a friend "Chus" - full name Jesus (pronounced "hay sues") Antonio. We chose to dine at the Starhill's new Feast Village which was essentially a basement of wall to wall gourmet restaurants. We ate at Tarbush, a middle eastern place and were filled to submission with breads, rice, lamb cutlets, salads etc. We retired to an early nite - with Jo not feeling too well and my early start the next morning - as consideration.

The next day I had a busy schedule. The morning meeting went very well and I guess I got the result I was hoping for. However, the meeting ended at around 12.30pm, so the idea of leaving for the AGM in Penang was blown. I met Jo and we went for lunch before I set up another meeting in PJ at 3pm.

I dropped Jo off at KLCC, where she saw the crowds begin to gather for the organised protest on the petrol price hike. There were cops everywhere, Jo said. I got to my next meeting with a little bit of trouble, since PJ was not all that familiar to me.

The AGM was to have started at 3pm after registration and even while at my meeting, I couldn't help wonder what was going on. We had campaigned hard - calling friends old and new to vote for Lalitha and ensure some continuity and stability in the Bar. Also, to vote for Jo eventhough she would not be present.

When I got out of my meeting, I immediately sms-ed Pam and Lynette to find out what had happened. It was already 5pm then. Minutes later Pam replied that the results had yet to be announced.

However, it wasn't long before I got the final results. Lalitha had won the Chairman's post winning by 237 against 103 votes for Darshan. Pretty convincing victory after all. Jo also was voted in to the Bar Committee garnering 215 votes. Truly amazing since she was not even there! The rest - Ramsun, Ram Pillai, Guna, Fareed, Pravin made up the six members elected. Naturally Jo was elated and I'm so proud of her. Hopefully, her time in the Committee will be fruitful and exciting.

After the high from the exciting news died down, I met up with Jo at KLCC and we shopped for a while before heading back to the Hotel to get ready for dinner. Tonight, with Jo's cousin Richard and his wife Kim. Dinner was at La Bodega and we again ate sumptiously, filling ourselves with delicious tapas and paella.

We got back to the hotel around 12.30 midnight, just chilled in the room and of course lying on the heavenly bed. I dozed off to a deep sleep soon after and we awoke at 9.30am the next morning - this morning.

We did a little shopping, then proceeded to this place called Jogoya, a Japanese Restaurant at Starhill. It was recommended by Celina & Kim so we decided to splash out a little and enjoy a good buffet. Nothing could have prepared us for what was to greet us inside the deceivingly subdued looking place. We paid RM68++ each and were then escorted to our seats. As we walked to wards the buffet line we noticed and would progressively realise that the line seemed never ending! There were cooking stations of all kinds, Japanese cuisine, Chinese, Thai and Indian as well. Expensive ingredients were on display. We saw and soon tucked into scallops, oysters, prawns, crab, beef just to name a few. The desserts were also varied and there was Movenpick ice cream too. Needless to say, there wasn't enough time to savour even half of what was available. We were due to check out soon.

Jo in heaven...

Stealing a few moments on that bed again.

Finally, we picked up Jo's sister Abby from Hartamas and we entered the highway around 3.15pm. We arrived around 6.30pm, dropped off Abby, picked up Ethan and got home safe and sound. It was a good trip but we missed little Ethan and were glad to have him greet us with his usual cheery "hi"s.

Just now, we went for coffee at Coffee Bean Bellisa Row, meeting up with Stacy, Mel & Naomi and then later Jinny, KH, Ralph and Celina (she had come back to Penang for the weekend).

An eventful few days indeed and the weekend isn't over yet!

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