days of pebbles

to the moon and back

2012-02-14T00:07:00.001+08:00

Source: designcrushblog.com via Nikki on Pinterest

dear stress

2012-02-12T23:41:00.000+08:00

Source: observando.net via Nikki on Pinterest

The History of Nikola Tesla

2012-02-12T16:23:00.002+08:00

If all history lessons are like this, there would be fewer accountants around... ahem.

Minimalism

2012-02-12T10:55:00.003+08:00

Minimalism by Jeff Smith-Luedke

I looked at a picture painted white with a dot
White, with that black dot and I thought
Why bother painting that black dot in the middle
With the white all around it, makes it so little
Just a little black dot all surrounded by white
And I look at this painting and think that I might
Punch a hole through that painting with the fist of my hand
And show that white painting that I was a man
And it looked like it was made by a child
Who was given a paintbrush and told to go wild
But the child was retarded, only managed to poke
The canvass with the brush with the black with a stroke.

And I was going to do it when the artist walked by
Looked at my fist, the painting, asked why
I would want to destroy the black dot made of paint
Saying, “It's so essential, an essentially quaint
Expression of essential potential in all
Of the people who have a potentially small
Dot of their own painted on their soul;
You see, in the white, there was a small hole
So I covered the hole with paint that was black.”
And then he turned away while I turned back.

I stared, stared, stared til the janitor came 'long
He saw me, stopped mopping, stopped whistling a song
Stopped to ask me, “Hey sonny, been here long, you okay?”
“This is rubbish, this painting, just rubbish, I say!
I talked to the artist. Didn't help in the least.
So I stared for a while but my anger increased.
This isn't art, this white paint and black dot
Oh, it's a picture of a dot, but art, it is not.”
The janitor nodded his head up and down
And cleared his throat and uttered a sound
That was like an agreement, but more like a laugh
And said, “Sonny, you've looked at this more than I have
But whenever I look, I don't see the white
And with that he leaned over and turned off the light.

And with the light off, the dot grew and grew
Til it covered the canvass and he said, “Who knew
That in the dark every painting looks exactly the same,
Same portrait, same landscape, same romance, same shame,
Could be reddish or yellowed or purpley or blue
Or anything, 'cause, sonny, that's what the dot turns into.”
He went off and he mopped and he whistled his tune
And I left and walked out and looked up at the moon
Which looked vaguely and oddly familiar that night,
So familiar — a black canvass with a dot that is white.

where we belong

2012-02-05T16:53:00.006+08:00

| Neopolitan Dreams - Lisa Mitchell |

(haven't done this since 2010 in this post but why not?)

Top MNG

Pink jeans Zara

Belt Guess

Sling bag french connection

Sneakers random shop in Birmingham

Straw hat gift, from Vietnam

Damai Arcadia, Janda Baik, Pahang

4-5.2.2012

Come away with me

2012-01-25T22:20:00.002+08:00

Source: weheartit.com via Megan on Pinterest

Thanks, Kristina

2012-01-24T23:05:00.006+08:00

This talented lady is the reason I started taking card-making more seriously last year. I always thought that craft supplies are too expensive and that you need American products to make your projects work. A year later, I still think the same way and crave for those supplies but Kristina's designs have emboldened me to make use of whatever we have here in KL to re-create her looks or take inspiration from them. Don't limit yourself before you even try!

I am head over heels in love with some elements that she constantly reuses in her cards: stitched lines with white gel pen, rounded corners, popped-up (handwritten) sentiments and pennants. Oh, and I must get my hands on that scallop border puncher, it takes too much time to cut it out by hand! These small details polish up a card in the simplest ways.

1. Scraplifting

Not having much confidence on where to start, these cards were almost exactly the same as this cute little one, minus the stamped image but pretty much similar otherwise. All credit to kwerner design.

2. Floral + Scallop Edge

My favourite part of this is the pattern paper. It was my sister's and back in school, many years ago, she used this paper to wrap all of her stuff, which seemed so cool to the young me. Plus, the watercolour design has a touch of vintage, or perhaps that came from the yellowing state of an old paper.

in colour pencil

3. Lesson of the Rounded Corners

This didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to be. The white string was too thick, the pink ribbon now seems out of place, the yellow part should have been narrower and lastly, the corners were too much rounded because I drew the curves by hand instead of using a pricey corner-rounder. Live and learn. I hope my sister didn't mind too much getting it for her birthday last year. Will have to try harder for the next one.

Of rivers and childhood memories

2012-01-23T19:42:00.005+08:00

My childhood was so simple, it's no wonder I grew up to be rather averse to change. Every day, I take the school bus to and from school. After five o'clock, the neighbourhood kids were allowed to go out and play. I remember watching the clock closely until magic hour came up. School work was slotted in somehow and by nine or so my eyes would fall heavy, signalling the end of the day.

During the weekends, for years it consisted solely of overnight trips to Janda Baik. My uncle had a plot of land there, where he ran an outdoor camp and where my dad indulged in his fruit orchard. There were trees to climb, wild grown flowers to pick from, chickens and goats to chase and ponds to fish from (and also to jump in).

And then there was the river. The river that made my childhood magical. It was just shallow enough for the kids to paddle in yet deep enough in certain spots to leap into, a stream with a perfect pebbled bottom. The sand was soft to the touch and the pebbles were round and comfortable to step on. The softly gurgling water was crystal clear; you can see little fishes darting between the rocks. It was a perfect sanctuary. And best of all? It was private. All along the riverside, it was just us. No strangers showing up with their loud chatter and litter.

We took little Nabila and Adila for their first trip to 'mandi sungai'. The uphill road to Sungai Tekala from Hulu Langat was winding, not unlike the longer journey to Janda Baik. The sun was piercing, warming up the water. The little rocks were more jagged edged than I was happy with but perhaps it's because we're all a bit heavier, no?

There were scores of families but we were comfortably spaced out. As it turned out, Nabila was overjoyed with her first trip to the river and refused to leave. The state of the restrooms is much to be improved but that is sadly to be expected, a little pain to bear with in order to let the kids dip their toes into Nature.

Isn't this place lovely? We passed by this lake or reservoir on our way to the river and couldn't resist a rest stop just to take in the view.

Oh, lesson learnt: It is much easier to wear a skirt of at least some baggy pants on the way back. Skinnies are too hard to wiggle into after a dip in the river, much less in a public restroom!

Transition Cards

2012-01-16T22:17:00.007+08:00

In this post, I'll showcase four cards I made last year when I was still getting into the hobby tentatively. Still short of supplies but gaining more confidence with each one.

1. Tissue Butterfly (see above)

So the story with this card is I have a packet of beautiful tissue papers and they are too pretty to wipe my nose with. However I've learned my lesson too often in the past that keeping your favourite things too long would only end sadly - those things remain hidden away, grow yellow with age and eventually brown spots would appear with a funny smell. Use it up! I wrapped a thin piece of card stock with a sheet and hey presto, we have a card.

2. Daisy Chain

I love the daisy chain puncher that my friends gave me as a birthday present and this is the first card it was used for. The danger of having such a crisp cut is I tend to get lazy about incorporating other elements and instead, rely fully on the daisy chain to tie the look together.

The pattern paper used here is a pleasant surprise from Mazzy. She went on a trip to Australia and brought back some rolls of wrapping paper for me. I love that!

3. Bunting

Here Mazzy's paper made another appearance, alongside the mini popped-up, bunting-style alphabets. Sometimes, simple is best, dontcha think?

4. Pattern

I made this for my sister's colleague. Am quite pleased with the palette and shows that you can survive without store-bought pattern paper by making your own. They were a bit messy because the scraps were only glued and not taped down but we can improve on the next one :)

twenty eleven - twelve

2012-01-15T23:22:00.005+08:00

Happy New Year!

Okay so it's already 15th January as I am typing this but it was so hard saying goodbye to an eventful 2011 that I tried to put it off as long as possible.

At a glance:

1. I started taking ACCA exams,2 papers in June and another 2 in December. The exhaustion made it feel like it's been years since I began.

2. Transferred from my first department to a new one in October. The change has been immense. I'm still gasping for breath to take it all in.

3. Summer in UK and Andalusia. What a homecoming it was, I loved every minute of the gloriously long days, stretched in daylight.

4. First Raya with the Boy :)

5. He also came back in December. 3 times a year, what a luxury!

6. Langkawi in January. First visit to the island and it gave me some of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.

7. Road trips up north with the LSE clan - March and December; great fun!

8. Two new babies in the house - October and December!

9. iPhone, February. Life changer. Who am I without it?

10. Started making cards more seriously with better tools and supplies. I have so many creations to share here, have lost track of what I've made.

11. The triple birthday celebrations. What a treat!

12. Daddy's Kelantanese fiesta, a culmination of his lifelong dream.

13. Started volunteer work on Sundays. It was scary at first because I've never done it before on a regular basis (plus my niggling social awkwardness) but so far it's been great.

14. Bird Park with Nabila small, Batu Caves with KYUEMians.

15. Twins of Faith weekend.

16. Discovered The Big Bang Theory (haha) and the glory of Sheldon. Definitely one of the highlights of the year, despite it being just a tv show.

Phew, it's been a LONG year. I know that 2012 will be even bigger for me (shh, can't let out any secrets yet) and as much as I am scared out of my wits at how it will turn out, you just have to keep faith that things will work out for you. But looking ahead, I don't have any travel plans lined up this year! That's a shame, isn't it? Something must be done about it!

Ta, loves.

Meet Azalea Sofea

2011-12-30T16:53:00.002+08:00

World, here is my new baby niece.

We're so excited that she finally came out, safe and sound.

With Grandma ...

... and Grandpa ...

... and her beloved, garang Aunty!

Congratulations, Nini, Abg Arin and Aush!

Oh my stars

2011-12-30T16:13:00.003+08:00

oh my stars
everything you see is ours
or it could be if you would try
I wish you would
I wish you might

| Andrew Belle |

Good Reads

2011-12-29T11:21:00.003+08:00

Source: masikawa.tumblr.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

To commemorate the near-end of a quiet fortnight in the office (everyone seems to be on leave), here is a list of some articles that I thought are good fodder for thought:

Boy Geniuses of the i-Generation

Nick D'Aloisio, 16, CEO of Summly

Nicholas Schiefer, 17, gold medallist of Canada-Wide Science Fair

Vidocq Society: Cuisine and Crime-Solving

Baby Signing, for normal-hearing children with deaf parents

Obituary of Diana Wynne Jones, one of my favourite children's fantasy author

(note: I love her Chrestomanci series)

A confusing review of The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

This article is funny in a sense that it is a review of a book but you don't get that from reading it. There are many big words for you to get lost in and this forms the basis of most of the comments from readers, which are droll and lacks the usual bile of trolling. And the reason I've included the article here is the brilliant alternative version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star provided by one of the readers:

Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific,

Fain would I fathom thy nature specific,

Loftily poised in the ether capacious,

Strongly resembling a gem carbonaceous!

When torrid Phoebus removeth his presence,

Ceasing to lamp us with fierce incandescence,

Then you illumine the regions supernal,

Scintillate, scintillate semper nocturnal.

The traveller on lustreless perigrination,

Gratefully hails your minute coruscation,

He could not determine his journey’s direction,

But for your bright scintillitating protection.

- Anon

and lastly, some nice images of having a good read (thanks again, Pinterest). Cheers.

Source: olgaduron.blogspot.com via Olga on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Carrie on Pinterest

Source: classy-in-the-city.tumblr.com via Alix on Pinterest

Source: lostinsoho.tumblr.com via Payton on Pinterest

Source: kuriositas.com via Lizzy on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Adila's Aqiqah

2011-12-23T14:07:00.006+08:00

This is our little princess. As we speak, my other sister is at the edge of gifting our family with another sweet pea. Can't wait!

Coming back to Adila, she is the quietest, well-behaved baby you will ever cradle. Please please stay demure and kissable!

The aqiqah i.e. cukur jambul ceremony was held at the mosque near our house. It was such a relief having it at the mosque as any event held at home usually results in chaos.

Regardless of how nice future dessert tables in the family will be, this one marks the first successful venture, made with love. Everyone chipped in to help, putting the candies in little favour jars, tying ribbons, turning an ordinary baby car seat into a mini throne of lush satin sheets and rosebuds, getting cupcakes from across the town...

There is a funny story about these sugar cookies. Once the yassin recital and prayers were over and guests were welcomed to have refreshments, the elderly ladies apparently took over the dessert table in a speed not accustomed to be seen. Aren't these cookies darling? I hope it's as good as it looeds, not being able to snap one up myself.

Lucy Chadwick: A Selby film for ZARA

2011-12-23T10:25:00.004+08:00

Youts isn't supposed to be like any other

But can we all live like that?

In beauty

In ZARA :)

[first seen via mlle milly]

Back!

2011-12-12T00:31:00.001+08:00

It really feels like November just flew by in a misty haze of fear, tummy knots and lack of sleep. I'm finally done with my December exams but somehow age has not made one wiser in sitting for exams. One knows that leaving it too late can be deadly but one always seems to leave it late anyway.

With the new department giving me constant spasms of fright in between worrying about the papers, I'm more convinced than ever that going through both the ACCA and work would eventually leave me with no friends and just tv series to live by. Sorry, friends, for missing out on the important events of your lives :(

How can there be winter blues in sunny old, tropical thunderstorm-ridden KL?

So until Dec...

2011-11-14T00:38:00.003+08:00

Dear friends,

I don't mean to be a little diva but it is the absolute truth when I tell you that I will only be available to comfort you and just to be present (in the present!) for you from Dec 9th onward.

I am entering a very blue period of irregular heartbeat and knots in the stomach because the dreaded exams are less than a month away and I have a very gloomy feeling about both.

If you happen to take a peek, my hair is a messed up tangle of panic and I probably have cookie crumbs on my old koala t-shirt and frayed shorts. Steer clear.

I leave you now, hoping that one day I will wake up and be able to say this:

Third-Eye Blind, Jumper

Weekend with Dad: Books and Beriani

2011-10-30T22:15:00.004+08:00

This is Ayah and his lamb beriani (beriyani?)

But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

The day started quite differently.

I had been hankering to go to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale after missing out on the first two sales. It was tricky because a) the lovable old Kancil aka the White Beast was in the workshop and b) the book sale was in Serdang i.e. major potential of me getting lost. So I sweet talked Ayah to bring me there, which was a struggle because he hates sales and big crowds and this event combined both.

Which also means that he hates IKEA with all his might but that has stopped being a point of contention between us because the opening of the Duke highway meant that I could go there by myself.

Anyway, back to the books, the sale was MASSIVE! I grabbed some for my nieces and nephew to assuage the guilt then spent the rest of the time tending to what I want, me me me- style. The selection of non-fiction material was rather disappointing but it was novels galore. Can't wait for the next sale! (Please have more Diana Wynne Jones magic books, Wolf dearest)

Next, to fulfill my promise of treating him to lunch, Ayah took us to Kafe Beriani Gam Putra-Jaya. The bold blue signboard can be seen a mile away, at the side of the road heading towards Serdang Hospital and MARDI. It's accessible via the little roundabout near Uniten. Sorry for the hopeless direction, this ain't my hood, yo.

They have pots and pots of beriani gam and only that, too. The photo isn't clear so let me spell the menu out for you:

Beriani gam ayam RM12
Beriani gam ayam kampung RM15
Beriani gam kambing kampung RM27 (say what?)
Beriani gam daging RM12
Beriani gam kambing kuzi RM20
Beraini gam ayam merah madu RM10

Ayah had the one with kambing kampung. He wiped it clean although it was an enormous portion.

I had the normal ayam option. Note to self: to share with another person.

I should also add here that the sirap bandung was a great success, which is sadly becoming a rarity in KL these days...

What my brother-in-law bought from the sale.

Such a family selection, isn't it?

What Azy hauled: 19 books for RM160, whee!

It's worth the red marks my bag made on my shoulders.

Here is Gone

2011-10-26T21:43:00.002+08:00

Here is Gone - Goo Goo Dolls

This, and the official video (here), are evidences that men in long-sleeved black t-shirts are hot. Or it could just be Johnny Rzeznik - the original hair flipper.

baby love

2011-10-17T23:03:00.004+08:00

Oh no, she's starting to get cranky...

Okay, okay, Aunty will stop bugging you!

Batu Caves

2011-10-16T22:55:00.004+08:00

Golden statue of Lord Murugan

A few months ago, we had a lot of time on our hands. So much that we actually carried out one of our long awaited to-do's, which was to go up Batu Caves.

It was a quiet Sunday morning with very little crowd. Being with friends tends to make one loud and boisterous but it would be wise to keep in mind that this is a religious shrine and remain respectful. No matter how distracted you are by the monkeys.

We were more paranoid than necessary about the 272 concrete steps. It barely took us minutes to go up all the way (as long as one wears sensible shoes - in fact, some pilgrims were barefooted). In fact, the roti canai I had after the climb probably gave me more calories than the ones I burned in order to earn breakfast.

Thrown

2011-10-16T00:36:00.002+08:00

Do you have a problem with throwing out the packaging of anything you buy? I do.

It appears to be more serious than I thought.

Two-way cake refill box. Lip gloss. And sadly, two Clinique boxes of a lipstick and a lip gloss that have finished ages ago, yikes! These latter two were part of my first ever non-hand-me-down make up, a birthday present from my sisters. I still remember the day that they gave the little set to me. I wonder if they knew back then that I would grow up to be this vainpot who feels downright hideous without any make up on?

An ancient Revlon duo eye shadow from my sister that is probably 10 years old. French manicure set of nail polish, an impromptu purchase that I wanted to experiment with but turned out horrible and a complete waste of time and money. Empty blusher case, another present from sister.

These are just so icky, I don't know what they were still doing in my room. All are several years' old. I remember buying that Ibuleve gel back in first year uni when Iman came for a visit to London and stayed overnight with me (either she or I had a mouth ulcer). The Jojoba moisturizer was a third year uni purchase when my skin was super dry. The other three were even older, right before uni. Yikes.

Let's stomp out the little hoarder in ourselves.

Surely I'm not the only one?

Papier Haul

2011-10-10T23:05:00.005+08:00

One of my favourite (accessible in real life) shop is Papier in The Curve. I love almost everything they have: craft punches, embellishments, stamps and ink pads, embossing powders, etc. But most of all, they have beautiful pattern papers.

I would like to say that a wide variety of designs speak to me but looking at the 6 pieces I bought - they are all of similar hues! I need to expand this narrow creative boundary. Hmm, is that an oxymoron?

Also, '6 pieces' means it's a very generous use of the word 'haul' (passionate crafters usually purchase a whole box of goodies and that, my friend, is the real 'haul') but I am cheap and I am still very pleased with these:

Top: 'Borders', Upcycle collection by Cosmo Cricket

Bottom: 'Manhattan', Social Club, Cosmo Cricket

Top: 'Lily's Bakery', Garden Cafe, American Crafts

Bottom: 'Parkway', Madeline collection, Prima Marketing

Top: 'Honey Honey', Hey Sugar, Cosmo Cricket

Bottom: 'Kite Strings', Togetherness, Cosmo Cricket

These 12"x12" individual pieces were between RM3.50 and RM4.50 each and they are worth every penny. Aren't the names of each of them and the collections absolutely adorable? I can't wait to get more! Will share some of the little projects I've created later.

Papier

Lot 161, 1st Floor, The Curve

Mutiara Damansara, KL

Cambridge with Ju

2011-10-08T22:30:00.005+08:00

I never thought about dropping by Cambridge. Could it be a grain of loyalty to the Boy and Nabs? Probably. Maybe it was because no one ever urged me to go. But Liverpool has taught us that we may not know what we want until we get it...

Leaving very early in the morning from Surrey to Euston and yet another train to Cambridge, the long journey didn't leave us much time to explore the town. I wish we could have stayed longer, especially with a charming hostess to show us around. A little, insignificant little factor is the fact that shops are amazing!

This is my friend, Ju.

Not content with Oxford, she has to add Cambridge to her ever-growing list of credentials. Greedy girl... kidding, I'm proud of her!

She has a million things running through her mind (this being reflected in the rapid pace of conversation, jumping from one topic to another) and she doesn't tolerate wasting time in any form such as walking (I spend more time watching her back than from the side), eating (woe to me again) and making decisions (ditto). Plus, she has an infectious laugh.

Halal lunch, hurray!

Agora at the Copper Kettle

4 King's Parade

Cambridge CB2 1SJ

After a few minutes of bickering with Ju, the Boy eventually conceded that trying to punt "the Oxford way" in Cambridge waters would be asking for more trouble than we could handle. I wasn't prepared to be thrown into the water by an angry mob and spoil our nice little packet of strawberries.

I know a few people who would bludgeon me for this but I must confess that this Bridge of Sighs of St. John's College is the more impressive of the two (the other one hangs over New College Lane in OX). It looks magnificent with River Cam running underneath. If you paddle by furiously without so much as looking up in admiration, you have no heart!

Ah, the sweet joy of being idle (me),

watching others working hard (them)

Thanks for having us!

Happy Birthday to the Boy

2011-10-04T23:54:00.001+08:00

* * * * *

September sweethearts

2011-09-26T23:03:00.004+08:00

September 23rd (Nabs)

September 26th (Massy)

September 25th (Armand)

And lastly, September 19th...

(Spiderman)

Counting the days to number 5

2011-09-20T22:19:00.005+08:00

* * * * *

Isn't Bila the cutest, cheekiest little thing ever? We are waiting with bated breaths for the arrival of a new chickadee (fourth niece!) and I foresee being too caught up with the little one so we better lavish our attention on the soon-to-be big sister. She is quite a handful now that she's speaking a whole lot more. We can't last an hour without fighting.

Bila: Tak nak kawan Dg! *sulks*

Me: Tak nak kawan, sudah! *walks away*

(Repeat throughout the day)

Bila's mummy: Don't play with Tok Ayah's iPad, nanti rosak

Bila: Ni bukan mummy punya

Bila's mummy: !!!!!

Let's pray that it all goes well for Amy, insya Allah :)

* * * * *

The struggle to accommodate time for all the social networks that you are part of is a universal problem. I found myself being too lazy to blog lately, particularly when I've uploaded loads of photos on Facebook.

By the way, why can a 'friend of a friend' comment on your photos when you have set your album to 'friends only'? These are harmless but a tad irritating.

I can't imagine what it's like to be so strongly connected via other means like Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn and the like. I have a passive Tumblr account just to follow some interesting blogs and I am tempted (very much!) to tweet but this blog remains my first love and until I figure out how it can coexist with other virtual commitments, I shall resist the temptation. For now. What name shall I take? Haha. We'll see how long this personal marshmallow test lasts.

The Goddess that is Florence

2011-09-12T23:07:00.003+08:00

This is the most incredible live performance ever!

She has this amazing voice that goes hauntingly well with the heavy downpour. A pagan goddess in billowing robes, summoning the rains. Crank it up and let go of yourselves. Banish your inner demons, self-doubt and stress.

Dance like no one is watching.

Card: Aidilfitri

2011-09-08T23:19:00.004+08:00

The past week of Raya festivities was amazing!

Okay, so maybe I've moaned a bit too much about not celebrating Eid in Kelantan. My family didn't get to meet many of our relatives, which is kinda sad, but we must try to look at some of the bright side:

No traffic rage
Saved on petrol and toll
No travel exhaustion
More time for nuclear family and friends

* * * * *

I only made one Raya card despite niat for many, many more. Finally managed to make good use of my Martha Stewart daisy chain trim, double-edged punch, a birthday present (whee!). It is really fun to use. All I need now is a scallop punch! *dreamy*

I think this card is finally something that looks a bit more polished than my usual amateur pieces. Mostly because I've procured some of the tools on my wishlist. Also take note that no ribbon or doily paper were used :)

Paper trimmer! (around RM20 at Popular). Adhesive tape (so much more efficient and faster to apply than double-sided tape although not as sticky). Clear alphabet stamps and stamping blocks from an art store in Liverpool. The middle part was raised on foam adhesive tape.

But now we have been cruelly shoved back into the reality of normal working days and evening classes. It hasn't been a week and I am already sleep deprived and cranky. Time to gear up for the rat race.

Merdeka

2011-08-31T23:02:00.002+08:00

31 August was a bigger deal back in school. I loved joining the choir and fighting over the favourite pieces. Perhaps fighting to sing about unity wasn't the perfect embodiment of the merdeka spirit but drama comes thick and thin in an all-girls school.

Somewhere along the way, we've forgotten what it felt like to celebrate our independence. Perhaps, because the grown up world has shown us that there remains the oppressed in what is supposed to be a free society. But I won't go there, this is not my strong area.

There are many patriotic songs (or brainwashing, if you sway this way) but this is the one that has the most uplifting spirit:

(old version)

(modern version)

Of all the songs we sang during school, these bring back the memories. Can still sing along after all these years; the lyrics just appear out of the inner depths of my brain, far too embedded to be forgotten.

Flowering Tea @ Leaf

2011-08-25T21:58:00.006+08:00

"Tea to the English is like a picnic indoors."

I seldom order tea in any cafe. There is a churning of the stomach when you get a cup of hot water with a tea bag in it. Of course the prices of all drinks everywhere are hiked up like mad but tea, in particular, really does make me feel like I'm throwing away money, especially the ones you can get from a supermarket.

Until Wai Ying brought us to Leaf on Bold Street.

There was a moment, when we sat down quietly, each with a cup in hand, sipping the hot brew, with the murmur of low voices in the background, when I finally understood that tea drinking isn't merely to quench one's thirst. It is also an experience for the mind, a recollection of your thoughts. It warms you on the inside in the same way that a hug from a friend feels.

We were a little quiet in that quaint little tea room. This was practically the last thing we managed to do together during that wonderful weekend before the boy and I left for London and the thought of leaving weighed heavy in our hearts.

I've grown quite sentimental in my old age, haven't I? Before I start to tear up, let's take a closer look at the flowering teas that we had.

Beautiful, aren't they?

When the teas were served, the flowers were all closed up in their buds. As the warmth infused their cores, the petals drifted open in a little magical dance that was simply breathtaking to watch.

I can't recall which is which but you take a look at their drinks menu here. There are 35 types of loose leaf teas listed but I think there were more than the 3 types of flowering teas it includes.

Source: thisisleaf.co.uk via Azyan on Pinterest

Kesayangans

I don't know how Wai Ying captured the light

in this photo. Isn't it lovely?

This brings us to a close to the Liverpool chapter. In many years to come, I'll look back and remember the good times we had. I'm glad that they allowed me to be such a tourist and snapped photos away non-stop :)

* * * * *

Leaf on Bold Street

65-67 Bold Street

Liverpool L1 4EZ

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Little Red Vintage/ I love brown bags

2011-08-24T23:22:00.006+08:00

I love seeing vintage clothes on other people. But there's a thin line between vintage and lunyai kekuningan mak kata buang ajelah.

Sometimes I suspect that having a good camera is all it takes to make an outfit look great. Even if you wear the strangest things with crazy hair and dirty shoes, a sharp photo (preferably with a blurry, grungy, grubby background - oh, what is the technical term? I'm no photographer), it will look amazing. Street style = good camera. Tu je. Kan senang.

Sorry, I'm not talking about street style today but my thoughts wander so easily. Let me regroup for a second *meditates*

Okay. You may think I was done with Liverpool but you were wrong. This is the second-to-last post! I had to take a break because trying to recall 3 days from two months ago meant that my memories of other places during the trip were slipping away.

We were walking along Bold Street when I saw this display window and felt a magnetic pull. Honey to the bee. Mosquitoes to babies. Cats to my Mama (she hates cats).

There were racks of oddly-shaped, vintage tops and I fought to quell a rising panic. Behind me were three hungry friends and we were on our way to have lunch. There was simply no time to go through each piece. I quickly assessed the pros and cons between maintaining these friendships and scoring a great, one-of-a-kind piece. It was a close call (KIDDING!). Friends over clothes, guys. I turned away to leave. BUT...

❤❤❤ LOVE ❤❤❤

I love the shape of it. I love the chocolate brown colour. I love the fact that it's real leather (my bags are mostly not. Not by choice. They're expensive, yo!) and best of all, it's only £14.99.

I used to lug around a plain old brown polyester bag from H&M (see here, here, here and here) because it's so dirtcheap - £7! - so I wasn't too bothered when running in the rain. It even went up the Eiffel :) Now it's already battered and brown bits are falling off. Come to think of it, shapeless it's still the best shape for me. But the whole point of this paragraph is: I love brown bags. They go with everything.

Gasp. Not made in China. This must be genuinely old.

Another show-off shot. Deal with it.

Little Red Vintage

74 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4HR

(facebook)

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Big Smile

2011-08-22T22:24:00.002+08:00

I passed my June 2011 ACCA F5 and F6 papers!

So relieved to be able to forge ahead with F7 and F8 this Dec.

Kasih

2011-08-22T00:28:00.003+08:00

Am I the last person to have heard of Reza Salleh?

By chance, I saw the music video for his song, Kasih, on tv one day and was instantly hooked.

Sometime later, I went on Royal Brunei Airlines to Europe (and it took so much longer than the direct flight on MAS or AirAsia because of layovers in Bandar Seri Begawan and Dubai) and I listened to his whole album, 'Realize' non-stop. It's soothing. I hope it's a good thing that I fell asleep listening to his voice but I enjoyed it as much being fully awake, too :)

You can listen to his other songs here. My other favourite is Stracciatella.

Self-Reward

2011-08-20T13:29:00.000+08:00

I went to the bank today to transfer some money and walked past Sephora.

Okay, that is not possible.

Of course I walked into Sephora.

This happens when your office is attached to a mall. What started as a little peek turned into a little makeover. I don't like assistants who either talk too much or point out too many problems of your skin in order to peddle their goods. Of course it's their job but some manage to do it in a very uplifting and cheerful way while others make you feel like your skin is falling apart.

The guy at the Make Up For Ever Professional counter is very nice. He was very tactful, easy to talk to and competent in recommending suitable shades.

Very happy with the purchases. I've been using the tinted moisturiser from B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful (silly name, but lovely, really) since day 1 of taking make up seriously but apparently B closed down barely months after my one and only visit to the Oxford Street branch. It still would've been impossible to restock the product outside London so we must be brave and move on.

Farewell, Bambi...

Graduating from tinted moisturiser to foundation is equivalent to a transition into adulthood. While tinted moisturiser feels lighter on your skin and breathes easier for everyday use, the overall coverage of a good foundation makes up for the heavier feel it brings.

I'm quite hesitant to wear it to work every day because by Zohor praying time, you would've taken it off during your wuduk. Sayang okay, nak reapply again just for another few hours. Maybe we should go au natural. I will look like two different people in the morning and in the evening, then , considering how good the foundation is. (I bought the HD Foundation in shade 123 - Desert).

The HD Primer purchase (in 0 - Neutral) is just an experiment. Hopefully it'll last long since you use only a little of it each time.

It does feel silly and slightly ridiculous to spend this much energy on make up but it is part of my self-reward system. Sometimes you need to do something good for yourself once in a while to make your struggles worth going through. I've barely missed a class this term (pats self on the back) and since the last class ended on Thursday, I thought this is a good confidence booster.

Source: google.com via Shannon on Pinterest

I used to be guilty of this! After a particularly long day, I would stop by San Francisco Coffee for a small extreme chocolate frappuchino (I am offended if they ask whether I want whipped cream on top - of course I do. Do I look like I shouldn't, mister?). Other sweet treats are in the RM5 category and include a cupcake from Bisou, a soft cookie or muffin from Bakin' Boys or a sugar cinnamon pretzel from Auntie Anne's. Susah kerja dekat KLCC okay.

Make up is not RM5 by any means but it does not give you a muffin top!

Illustrator: Caitlin McGauley

2011-08-16T21:03:00.003+08:00

I may sound like I have an identity crisis here (after wanting to be Alexa Chung in the last post) but the talent I heartily I wish I was born with belongs to illustrator, Caitlin McGauley.

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via gina

Watercolour illustration is one of my favourite techniques because it requires a dainty hand (which means I can sadly never indulge in it) and it presents such a dream-like finish to real-life scenes. Being a little dense in any gallery, I appreciate knowing exactly what I'm looking at.

My jaw literally dropped when I looked at the array of her sketches. Such bright hues and fine details. Her subject matter - NYC, interior design, fashion - made the pieces refreshing and cheerful.

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via Dana

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via Deirdre

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via Caitlin

Source: blog.lonnymag.com via Kelly

Source: blog.toryburch.com via abby on Pinterest

Source: blog.lonnymag.com via Kyoco

Source: google.com via Cathy

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via Jennie

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via Sally

Her blog is also stunning. Where people insert photos to jazz things up a, she has her sketches to illustrate her little stories.

Source: caitlinmcgauley.com via ADP

Source: trulysmitten.blogspot.com via Elyse

Too lovely for words.

(first inspired by Decor8)

Hair

2011-08-12T22:41:00.003+08:00

I love her hair. I hate mine. Can we swap?

Source: fuckyeahalexachung.tumblr.com via Mary on Pinterest

Source: reasonstobreathe.tumblr.com via Kaylee on Pinterest

Source: obsessee.typepad.com via Bliss on Pinterest

Source: sleepyj.tumblr.com via harry on Pinterest

Source: fashionistimus.zappingnews.net via Mary on Pinterest

Okay, so it's not just the hair. It's the flawless skin. The funny laugh. And the Mulberry bag named after her. Gee, Alexa.

Save LDN

2011-08-10T23:49:00.003+08:00

Quick Chef/ Pesto/ Brew

2011-08-07T16:48:00.010+08:00

During our long weekend in Liverpool (that seems to have spawned a series of posts on this blog, as if I stayed there a month), I can't remember ever being hungry. We ate as soon as we stopped feeling full. This is in contrast with London, where I would walk around with an empty tummy because everything is so expensive in comparison...

Quick Chef

49 Hardman Street, Liverpool L1 9AS

There are so many plus points for this bistro. First, walking there brings you uphill so you don't feel guilty about wiping your plate clean because you worked off some calories beforehand. Second, the place was quiet and there weren't many customers. Third, the portions were huge. Fourth, the price range is very affordable, barely over 5quids per pax. But the best of all? Halal meat!

Massy's roast chicken and Azy's lamb ribs

Wai Ying's. I can't remember the name. But it's awesome.

The Boy's succulent lamb in tomato based gravy

This kept him quiet, for sure.

* * * * *

A dozen assorted Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

We ate more than a dozen, really, because they were really generous with the free tasting portions...haha! This was the most indulgent, reckless, sugary treat. My mouth is watering as I type...

* * * * *

"Piattini is the plural form of piattino, meaning small dish." (source) The food in Pesto came in small portions, not unlike the Spanish tapas. We weren't aware of this but thankfully, we were semi-full when we went there for dinner so it turned out okay. The portions may be small but they were packed with flavour and freshly prepared.

* * * * *

Brew has to be my favourite find - thanks, Wai Ying! We had non-alcoholic sangria, lime peppermint (or something similar, oops, I forgot) and best of all, green smootea (cute name, is it not?). After walking around in the merciless hot sun, these were so refreshing. I could well picture myself getting one every day if I live there.

Brew Tea Company

25 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4DN

* * * * *

Don't think I've seen the X extra extra hot peri peri sauce

in the Malaysian Nandos, have you?

foodlovin'!

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Pseudo Vegetarians at Egg Cafe

2011-08-06T13:00:00.007+08:00

Sometimes, it is difficult to explain the concept of the 'halal' way of eating to those who never heard of it. You can say, "I don't eat meat" and they automatically assume you're a vegetarian but they get puzzled when you prefer a seafood meal instead. And sometimes excluding any dish with alcohol such as white wine vinegar brings the available option down to a pathetic one choice (if not zero).

It makes life much easier to go vegetarian but anyone accustomed to flavoursome Malaysian food would find the dishes rather bland. You eat just to appease the stomach but it is normally cheerless and not fulfilling.

It is a pleasant surprise, then, when Wai Ying brought us to this quaint little cafe that serves vegetarian dishes that are actually good. And they have quite a selection to choose from.

A big bowl of mushrooms, perhaps too much for one person. Steeped in chilli oil (I hope, for my cholestrol level's sake, that it is olive oil based) and served with pita bread, pasta salad and a dip

Potato and leek quiche, served with couscous & pasta salad

I think this is either a bean or lentil soup, served with grilled cheese on thick slices of toast. I love my mushroom above but just looking at those glistening cheesy toasts, I'd choose this dish if I could.

I would've taken a photo of the menu on the wall but the owner is this loud guy with a big booming voice. His personality livens up the place but it unnerved me a little so I hurried through our orders, paid up and escaped.

I love this shot outside the cafe :) Rosak sikit la the bottle...

This place was rather difficult to find because aside from this 'open' board, there's no external signage that indicates the existence of the cafe above. Unless, of course, you are aware of the rich purple paint with its swirling green vines.

The Egg Café,

2nd floor, 16-18 Newington Buildings,

Liverpool L1 4ED

That crazy staircase just calls for photos!

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Ramadhan Mubarak

2011-08-02T00:13:00.002+08:00

The past year flew by without pausing for breath. So many mistakes have been made, lessons learnt, memories created and promises kept.

Fasting makes you a wee bit more patient, just to conserve energy, physically and mentally. So it seems like a suitable time to take a moment and look back on how far we've come and check where we're going.

Source: genpink.tumblr.com

I feel exhausted now compared to the previous Ramadhan but I'm glad to have a job that pays for my classes and I'm glad to be healthy enough to last a whole day in this hectic manner. You see I'm trying really hard to find things to be grateful about! :) When you put your mind to it, it isn't that difficult.

Source: google.ca via Taylor on Pinterest

We have more than enough and what we have may be taken away from us any second. Cherish each day. Have a blessed Ramadhan.

Craftastic Craft Fair at Bumper

2011-08-01T00:20:00.001+08:00

We were walking along Hardman Street when a lady handed us a little leaflet. The usual thing is to give it a half-second glance and discard it at the nearest trashcan (I try to be kind and do this once out of sight of the person, what about you?)

But the pattern and crazy colours on the postcard caught our attention. Is it possible to fall in love with a flyer? Because that is what happened to me and the four of us made a u-turn and went straight inside the little craft fair at Bunker, a cool little hideout place that also play host to various shows.

There weren't many visitors on that sunny Sunday afternoon. I felt a bit hesitant because it was such a random diversion from our quest for food but when you look at these pieces on the wall (and such a rich blue wall it was), you can't help but feel increasingly curious about the place.

I hope it isn't bad manners to walk into a craft fair and stare at the quirky decorations on the walls instead. We did eventually scour through the wares on display: little trinkets and bags, handcrafted accessories, paper crafts.

I love this little stall for children. There was a little blue chef's hat for the budding baker, a lovely set of wooden B A K E, and an assortment of patchwork buntings. If you know me, you'd know I love buntings so I got a little set for my niece for a mere 3 quid. Whee! Such a steal for such a little one-of-a-kind beauty.

We felt more worthy to partake the free refreshments, having made a small purchase. The cookies are divine - enough of a reason by themselves for anyone to walk through the doors.

All in all, I'm glad to discover the Craftastic Craft Fair. It even has its own Facebook page, aww.

What can I say, I love doors, especially ones in bright pink!

P.S. Salam Ramadhan, everyone! xx

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Liverpool's Albert Dock

2011-07-31T01:31:00.001+08:00

Time to proceed with highlights from Liverpool. Work and classes left me with no strength of mind to post in this past fortnight but here we go again.

:: Sittin' on the dock of the bay ::

(maybe not sitting, literally, but the dock fits the song by Otis Redding)

It was hardly our fault, really, that it took us two days to finally visit the dock. We couldn't help being sidetracked into the many shops in Liverpool One shopping district.

Wai Ying wasn't kidding when she pointed out that this port city is very windy, being at the edge of the island. It is pointless to comb your hair because it becomes mad the moment you set foot outdoors. The plus side apart from the shivering is giggling whenever a gush of wind made Massy's dress billow upwards. Very Marilyn Monroe, our chic girl is :)

Low tide

Albert Dock was built from 1841 to 1846 and is considered to be a revolutionary dock of the time, the first structure in Britain to be built entirely on cast iron, brick and stone (source: official site). It was closed in 1972 as fewer sailing ships used the port but was regenerated in the 1980s, becoming the hub of the city's attractions such as Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Beatles Story.

We permitted ourselves to a short visit to an art gallery at the dock but not any other cultural indulgence, I'm afraid.

♥

{1♥}

{2♥}

{3♥}

I can't decide which version of our LOVE photo series that I like the most so I will be overindulgent and treat myself (and you) to the best three.

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

24

2011-07-30T22:46:00.005+08:00

I've had some pretty unremarkable birthdays before. Like this one. So I've always hedged on that by having zero expectations when July comes around.

When summer vacation ended (oh, glorious long two weeks), everything happened all at once. I went straight from the airport to the hospital because my mum had been warded for several days and I ended up sleeping there, on the linoleum floor, for the next few nights. Combine that with jet lag and you become pretty exhausted. (Mum has since recovered, thanks for the concern from my friends, we truly appreciate it!)

This was also waiting for me in the office.

It wasn't a surprise because this is the peak season for my job but knowing in advance didn't lessen the shock.

And of course evening classes started again. 3 to 4 times a week, 6.15-9.15pm. Same old dodgy Masjid Jamek. At the beginning of the term, the construction at the building wasn't completed yet. This is where we had to walk past:

Don't worry, they finished it as I am typing this and it looks more reputable as an education centre, I swear.

One late evening after class, I promised to have drinks with Nabs and Mazzy. Mazzy and her little sister picked me up and we headed to Solaris Mont Kiara. She brought me to the second floor of Meatworks and I saw some balloons at the door. Confused, I didn't want to walk in because maybe some people were having a gathering and started to call Nabs on my cell.

Mazzy shoved me in anyway, to a commotion of 'Surprise!'

I just walked into my first surprise birthday bash. You know how these things seldom work out because someone would accidentally give away the secret? Well not this time. I was utterly shocked. Maybe because it was a week early. Maybe because I just finished 6 hours of audit and governance on a Saturday.

These guys are the greatest :) They even gave me my own halo!

Three days later, on Tuesday, I had dinner with some friends from uni. Thank goodness we scored a table by the windows at Ben's in KLCC because I had 20 minutes to stare at the view of the park whilst waiting for them.

They came in marching with cupcakes and candles and a giant bouquet of white roses, serenading the diners and I with a birthday song. It was an intimate, feel-good dinner with lots of giggles and good-natured squabbles.

The next day (Wednesday), I walked outside the college after another evening session when I heard a,"boo!" I walked faster, convinced that it's just another undesirable character this side of town, when a more persistent "Azy!" called out. I swirled around to find four college friends, determined to kidnap me for supper in Chawan, Bangsar. More cake!

I am very vulnerable after classes, it seems. I am also very messy and disheveled by the end of them, so I must apologize for spoiling my own birthday albums on Facebook (you should bypass those with me in them and go straight to my good looking friends).

Nabs dropped by my house late Thursday with her home-baked apple pie. Does it get any better than this? Kisses to you, my pet.

As the actual birthday dawned upon me on Friday, I've already had such a great week. And my colleagues from work added a little something extra with a trio of pink sparkly gifts during our long lunch in Delicious. To top it all off, all of them were in pink!

I had apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla ice cream and Death by Iced Chocolate drink (which also came with ice cream). Together with some spoonfuls of the others' desserts, I guess turning 24 hasn't really taught me to be less greedy. Lovely lunch :)

Next was a great weekend in Kelantan with my family and just when I thought the birthday celebrations have truly ended, Yunn Yee treated me to a spread of Japanese delights the following Tuesday.

There were also some surprise packages in the post. I love getting mail!

It's been the greatest July. For once I haven't posted too many photos because I need to express all these words to try and convey the warm fuzzy feeling inside. I hope I haven't missed out any key details but you know who you are xx

This pretty much sums it all up for me:

Source: matissecolor.blogspot.com

Thanks for all the love.

Card: tree of life

2011-07-16T02:05:00.001+08:00

The terms 'branching out' and 'extending an olive branch' come to mind when I look this tree. Idyllic in its golden, green and pink hues. These are such happy and warm wedding tones, are they not?

It is difficult to make wedding cards because they have to be refined and not very silly. A good starting place is a muted combination of colours. I prefer colourful pastels rather than delicate whites and silvers because the latter look nice when there are different textures and embossed patterns - and my supplies are not anywhere near as sophisticated as that.

Still, I'm pretty pleased with how this one turned out.

A long weekend ahead; have a good one yourself!

art imitating life

2011-07-15T18:42:00.001+08:00

Baby

2011-07-12T23:21:00.002+08:00

Source: apolkadotblog.com via Eva on Pinterest

I just found out that one of my friends gave birth to her first child earlier today. She's the first amongst us and this feels so strange and unreal.

It seemed but yesterday when we were leaning against an old tree in the park, studying macroeconomics and squealing when a herd of dogs bound up, sniffing our packed sushi lunch.

And now she's a mother.

It feels like the gate has shut the rest of us from this mysterious place and I'm trying desperately to take a peek into it, to no avail.

It seems frivolous to care so much about everything else - work, exams, how much you earn, what car you drive, what shoes to wear, what the guy/ girl said - when you've brought a life into this world, one who depends entirely on you.

The first thought that crossed my mind when I heard the news was, 'her life is so complete. She has all that she needs.'

I can't be happier for her :)

Congratulations xx

Bombed-Out St. Luke

2011-07-10T00:19:00.001+08:00

St. Luke's Church, built from 1811 until 1831, was bombed on 5 May 1941during the Liverpool Blitz, a heavy bombing by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Until today, the frame of the church still stands. It is an imposing building unlike any other, as it has no roof and remains without a window in its shattered window-frames, where you can see shards of broken stained glass.

Charred interior, remnants of the War

Four years ago, eco-friendly musical group Urban Strawberry Lunch became artists in residence at the church. When we peeped into the burnt out shell, expecting moss and stones, we were amazed to find the place taken over by a series of random art installations.

Free paint and a wooden canvas? Bring it on.

We LOVE making a mess.

It was really fun, having a go at the assembled 'musical instruments.' The sound vibrated throughout the place and every whacking brought out peals of laughter. Whoever came up with the idea of putting these pipes and car wheels here is a genius, what feels better than making other people happy?

Unexplained photo, which is why I must post it up :)

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Liverpool in Bite-sized Bits

2011-07-09T14:31:00.008+08:00

Meet my friend Wai Ying.

She is one of the most sweet-tempered person I ever know. Nothing gets on her nerves and her voice tinkles like little silver bells when she laughs. Now that the Northern drawl has crept into her accent after being here for so long, it's simply adorable! Our little cupcake (koop-cake!)

The loft she shares with her friends is to die for: it's smack in the heart of the city centre. Rows and rows of shops and then bang, there it is. Since we got off the train, we just walked around the city without ever hopping onto a bus. It's so convenient and such an affordable to place to live in compared to London!

Pessimist: I lost the game.

Optimist: Now you're a winner

And that's Wai Ying and Massy for you - two strong-willed girls, taking over the world, one cell and one patient at a time. Oh how I miss them!

Liverpool has phrases and statistics like this all over the city. They open up your eyes a little, as you trudge along, absorbed in your own thoughts.

I absolutely adore the bright colours of this wall! Such a sunny disposition after yards of grey concrete and tired bricks.

There is a Chinatown everywhere. Haven't you noticed?

"We are the food we eat."

Conclusion: Eat a skinny person

(read this somewhere, it's TRUE)

"We are the games we play."

--> Angry Birds? Hehe.

And of course, no trip is complete

without some LFC lovin'!

(whether you're an MU fan or not, ha!)

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Massy, Music, Mathew St, Merseyside

2011-07-08T22:29:00.009+08:00

"Liverpool is the pool of life, it makes to live."
- Carl Jung, philosopher

As much as I still wish that I had gone to Preston just to see how my dear Massy runs about daily, I am so, so glad that she made us all spend the weekend in Liverpool instead. How often does the real thing turns out to be even more perfect than the plan in our heads?

Music permeates every corner of the streets. This is, after all, home to the Beatles. Maybe it was the perfect summer weather - slight breeze, clear blue sky, piercing sunshine - that brought out the buskers and the rest of the people, pouring onto the pavements. Maybe I was just biased when I thought, hey, even the street musicians here sound better than average!

Mathew Street is where the Cavern Club is located; it is the music club where The Beatles performed early in their career before their stratospheric rise to fame.

Link to The Beatles - Live at the Cavern Club 1962

(Some Other Guy & Cry for a Shadow)

Look at the people who have performed here!

This is but a small portion of the entire wall

A shocking discovery was the fact that Massy, Queen Mother of the Pout in our circle of friends, has actually forgotten how to pout! What has medic school done to her? When she comes back in July (yayy we're already in July!), we need to bring back The Pout! Or maybe it's improper during Ramadhan? Hmm...

* * * * *

Liverpool Series:

| Matthew Street | St. Luke's (blitzed) Church |

| Albert Dock | Craftastic Fair, Bumper |

| Egg Cafe | Quick Chef Pesto Brew | Leaf |

| Little Red Vintage | Miscellaneous |

Soak Up The Sun

2011-06-15T03:39:00.001+08:00

Summertime, baby

And away we go xx

Ups and Downs of Re-Studying

2011-06-07T22:37:00.003+08:00

Source: etsy.com via Tamar on Pinterest

This is how 'cheerful and optimistic' Azy studies while singing out loud (offkey, of course!)

Source: None (P/S: do tell me where this is from) via Kelly on Pinterest

This is how 'negative and broken' Azy reacts when she answers wrongly (again!) and looks at how much more of the syllabus that remains untouched.

Source: None (P/S: do tell me where this is from) via Brett on Pinterest

This is what 'determined' Azy sternly tells her bed as she tries to stay up another hour.

Source: trendey.com via Tamar on Pinterest

This is what Azy feels like most of the time as she hysterically stuff yet another cookie into her mouth, delaying from doing yet another question.

Source: data.whicdn.com via K on Pinterest

This is what Azy feels like about professional papers and that is ambivalence. What am I trying to prove to myself here?

A Banksy Card

2011-06-02T22:59:00.004+08:00

I've always been intrigued by this particular work of Banksy, 'Balloon Girl'.

It makes you wonder who the girl is. What she felt as she let go. What is her heart's desire. Whether she is content with what she has and is passing on her dreams to fulfill someone else's or perhaps she has nothing worth holding on to.

I've recreated the image with a simple post-it, polaroid look, and kept it pinned up at work, just to remind myself to let my mind wander once in a while.

(image source: banksy.co.uk)

olive loves alfie

2011-05-23T18:34:00.000+08:00

I discovered this whimsical children's store in London after looking through this picture gallery on the Guardian.

The owner of Olive Loves Alfie, Ashlyn Gibson, had such an interesting design eye that I simply had to check out her wares and boy o boy, they are the loveliest array of colours and patterns.

Both her home and the items in her shop are simply inspiring. Each room and space look lived-in, comfortable and achievable, unlike other stylised decor shots (that I still love but find a bit sad because those look unattainable).

The picture shows the selected pieces that I think would still work for grownups. Yes, including the hippie 'peace' frisbee. And Miffy lights.

Olive Loves Alfie

84 Stoke Newington Church Street

London N16 0AP

their blog

(Source: La Cerise Sur Le Gateau cushions,

Rice frisbee, Miffy night lights)

Mat on her doorway

2011-05-20T20:25:00.001+08:00

3AM, Matchbox Twenty

Reality check. The storm is coming.

much more

2011-05-18T22:13:00.000+08:00

Source: tumblr.com via Azyan on Pinterest

Act Okay

2011-05-16T23:54:00.002+08:00

Source: weheartit.com via Azyan on Pinterest

I must warn you that things are going to get mighty depressing around here...

F6

2011-05-12T20:52:00.000+08:00

Less than a month now.

Freaking. Out.

Not For Others

2011-05-12T00:07:00.000+08:00

Mastura Shahrum

Jonker Street, Malacca

2011-05-11T00:48:00.000+08:00

People go on day trips to Malacca to eat. I think I love just walking along this street better than even the best food that the state has to offer.

Just at the corner of the winding street, there was the loveliest secret mosque I've ever seen. It wasn't really a hidden place but it was such a beautiful place yet no one was around. We stopped for afternoon prayers in the still silence.

Masjid Kampong Kling, built in 1748, is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia. The mosque is located on Malacca's busy north-south running Jalan Hang Lekiu, on the corner of Jalan Tanjong, or Temple Street, both filled with Chinese shop-houses. However, when Masjid Kampong Kling was erected, the neighborhood of Kampong Kling, which runs along the coast to the west of the Malacca River, was still primarily inhabited by South Indians or Klings

Source: Archnet

For a good place to eat, look no further than this place.

Easy on others

2011-05-09T00:59:00.000+08:00

Imam Shafi'

Do you find yourself lashing out at other people when you are actually upset with either someone else or even yourself?

Think about how hurt you'd feel if they do the same to you.

The lovely Sofia Vergara

2011-05-03T18:40:00.000+08:00

I'm fairly new to Modern Family. Take a look at this interview of the luscious Sofia Vergara on Jimmy Kimmel and you'll be hooked, I swear.

Favourite Time Keepers

2011-05-02T01:21:00.000+08:00

I am freaking out, you guys! May is a crazy month of reading, reading, reading!

But I've felt bad about neglecting my precious child here. To reassert our theme here of "so much to do, so little time", I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite time pieces from the net.

Source: etsy.com via Azyan on Pinterest

This is by far my absolute favourite piece of all. I love how clean it looks. The scalloped edge makes it a standout design and that robin blue shade is glorious. The numerical font is dead-on perfect and look how charming the little hour and minute hands are.

Source: aspirestyle.co.uk via Azyan on Pinterest

Source: foreveristoday.bigcartel.com via Azyan on Pinterest

Stunning retro pieces. 'How time flies' reminds me of lovely London and the pink one is psychedelic, with the perfect typeface for the numbers. Quirky gold finishes the look.

My head is spinning from all these clocks. These are such great additions to any room and they remind me, cruelly, that I still have so much to do.

Sources:

Black - 1, 2, 3

White - 1, 2, 3, 4

Snowfawn - 1, 2, 3, 4

Uncommon - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

It doesn't feel right

2011-04-27T00:24:00.003+08:00

Somehow these past few days, weeks even, have been rather uneasy. I've felt out of sorts and each passing day seems pointless. I don't want to fall asleep at night being this way but would fall asleep halfway through sorting out my muddled thoughts and spend half the next day in a sleepy daze.

Mum taught me this dua years ago but I somehow always recited it only for exams. I find some peace in knowing now what it means so perhaps it will also help you too.

Rabbanaa a tinaa fid dunyaa hasanah wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qinaa azaaban naar

Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire.

(Al-Baqarah: 201)

And here's another, while we're at it.

Rabbana aatina min ladunka rahmatan wa-hayyi’ lana min amrina rashada
Our Lord give us mercy from you and dispose of our affairs in the right way.

(Source)

We'd grab ours back

2011-04-24T00:40:00.002+08:00

Source: bitsotruth.blogspot.com via Tyjuana on Pinterest

Life is full of little irritants. Things that go wrong out of the blue. Sometimes all you gotta do is get a good cry, a good whine to your friends, a soothing cuddle from mum or a few hours plonked in front of the tv.

It is okay to look at what we lack that others have, to give ourselves some motivation to work harder for these rewards. But most importantly, you need to look at what you have that others don't, and count your blessings.

Westbury White Horse

2011-04-20T00:01:00.000+08:00

I was looking at some old photos of a trip to Bath and found a blurry shot of this mysterious white horse. We left Oxford very early in the morning and were all sleeping comfortably in the train when a jolt stirred me in my sleep. I gazed drowsily at the picturesque countryside flashing past when this odd figure came into view.

It was massive. It covered a great part of an entire hill and I remember my jaw dropping in disbelief. I was super excited but everyone else was asleep and I didn't fancy talking to myself. As we went further away from the magnificent view, I fell back asleep and forgot all about it.

Until the movie Robin Hood was screened sometime last year, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett. I saw the exact same hillside white horse and although many condemned the litany of historical untruths in the plot, that white horse must have some historical significance.

The earliest reference to the Westbury White Horse was in "Further Observations on the White Horse and other Antiquities in Berkshire" by the Reverend Wise, published in 1742. The white horse of the title is the Uffington horse, but the author also refers to the Westbury horse. He relates that he was told by local people that it had first been cut in the memory of persons still living or who had recently died, which suggests a date in the late sixteen hundreds.

Source: photographers resource (CIN page ref: westbury)

That is amazing. Nobody knows exactly when it was built nor the reason behind it but another theory is it could have been a commemoration of the victory of King Alfred over the Vikings at the Battle of Eðandun in 878 but no surviving document can support this. 878? I am astounded. Of course, its present good condition is due to a more recent restoration. It is located on Westbury Hill, an Iron Age hill fort.

I was even more surprised to discover that there is a whole list of historical hillside figures in the UK. The earlier mentioned Uffington horse (now in Oxfordshire, previously in Berkshire - how is this possible?) is more than 3,000 years old and was built in the Bronze Age.

You can read further about them - their locations, how they were built in chalk hills, histories, sizes - and look at more photos here.

(All facts sourced from photographers resource)

Patience

2011-04-19T22:46:00.002+08:00

Hugs, kisses and prayers for Pai

Help. Teenager Sleeping.

2011-04-19T01:34:00.000+08:00

8-to-5 jobs are discriminatory against night owls. Have I written here somewhere? I don't mind repeating myself.

Source: d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net via Tyjuana on Pinterest

Source: liel.tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

It's hilarious. I feel some sort of kinship with addicts (of any kind). You know you shouldn't but you find yourself doing it anyway. Is there a therapy for stubborn sleepers?

Double Card Challenge

2011-04-18T01:07:00.003+08:00

I'm really glad with how these two turned out. Had a double birthday celebration and I was running late as usual. The first card turned out exactly how I imagined it should be (joy! that seldom happens!) and it was a simple cut-and-paste job but boy, that second card was a pain.

Halfway through adhering the colour strips to a white cardstock, I noticed that the card wasn't square, it was 1cm short in height. Grr. I used some foam adhesives so that the sentiment would pop out but the clash of colours and patterns just looked bad. I would have thrown it at that point but we can't have one card for two girl friends, can we?

Voila. Out comes the doily. It manages to pull the look together and I ended up loving it. A lot. So kooky crazy with the patterns and colours.

I usually spend a long time making cards. Looking at the amateur results, you wouldn't believe how long it took. It's time-consuming to get the papers lined up right and cut them manually with blade and steel long ruler (just seconds with a paper cutter like this) and it also takes time when one uses double-sided tape or normal glue (when it takes a blink of an eye with a tape runner like this).

A new week is ahead of us!

KG and Carvela Shoes

2011-04-17T00:24:00.002+08:00

I am sick to death of wearing flats to work but it's been fairly impossible to find a decent pair of heels that doesn't come at a ridiculous height.

If I am chauffeur-driven to the entrance of the office and don't need to go up an escalator, metal detector and two elevators, maybe I can get away with those sky-high shoes without too much foot injury.

Check out these babies from the Spring Summer 2011 Collections of Kurt Geiger and Carvela.

I. Ashley
II. Anita in nude
III. Adalia
IV. Audrey
V. Anita in black

These haven't been inspected for the stringent no-pigskin rule but love the straps. Serious enough yet with nice touches that stop them from entering boring court shoes territory.

It's already Sunday! Maybe work would be somewhat bearable if I can lay my hands on any one of these...

Penang Village, GE Mall

2011-04-16T00:27:00.006+08:00

Disclaimer: This was back on New Year's Eve.

I cannot remember the names of the dishes we had.

* * * * *

The best part about Penang Village in Great Eastern Mall, Ampang is the fact that the restaurant is huge and secondly, the mall is nearly always empty. Put two together and you will always score a seat.

I say that the place falls neatly in the middle of the pecking order. The prices aren't cheap enough that it becomes a reason to go but they aren't high enough to make you flinch when you open the menu. In fact, the sleek black and white decor, set against a huge wall window that overlooks, well, the Jalan Ampang - Jalan Jelatek intersection, gives the impression of a higher price tag.

Starter: Pie-Tee; light and fresh

Three noodle dishes with names that I conveniently forgot (bad blogger ethics, sorry) but they were fairly flavoursome.

The rice dishes were also pretty decent. The calm ambiance, the tasty food, the pretty way they were displayed, the fairly good service, cheap parking rates... these gave us good value for money. It manages to combine the intimate setting for either two people or a bigger party like ours, but it is comfortable for family meals too.

Oh, Afdlin Shauki was dining with his family that evening. Nabs nearly fainted with overwhelming joy. I never saw that lawyer practically speechless, blushing up to her neck.

Oh God that is scary. Who's the little girl behind Hajar?

Best moment of the night: Mazzy and Aainaa having a little beach party by themselves when the waiter came over with their food. Considering the circumstances, Mazzy was perfectly composed and poised, talking to him, with that whipped cream moustache. Classy.

Not at this mall, they're not! It's better for us, though.

Downtown Penang

2011-04-15T00:13:00.000+08:00

No, I didn't go back to Penang but I still had a couple of shots to share. These are some of my favourite ones. You may notice, going back far enough in the archives, that I love kooky, dilapidated, run-down buildings. These were probably ordinary in their heydays but the aging process has definitely given them character.

We were walking around Lebuh Chulia/ Penang Road area in search of Nasi Kandar Line Clear (see previous post). I love how time stood still here. Ain's Honda City looked like a time traveling machine against such a backdrop.

Persatuan Pekerja Rattan? Exciting. Especially love that almost-Moroccan-tile look above the windows.

Imagining I was wearing a faded, vintage kebaya, peering shyly from behind a rattan parasol.

Drury Lane? But that's in LSE!

Wow, Komtar looks so modern.

As Round As Can Be

2011-04-12T23:15:00.004+08:00

"Round = Bulat = Buyat"

I thought that I'd share with you some of the

little presents that I've been getting lately.

* * * * *

Am not generally a cat person but LOOK at him

He's completely round! It's hilarious!

And it turns out that he's also a wee bit vain! Ha!

Also got some adorable craft stickers and a pack of beautiful patterned tissue. That IKEA frame is perfect for displays like this, and it is only RM4.50 when I got it months ago.

Finally have some rubber stamps (SO happy!)

and funny little carved, wooden ones too.

Gorgeous traffic-red choker (with a bow! and a golden key!) from my darling Massy and somethin' of the Fab Four from Baainaa. Also check out the glamorous jewelery stand, Yana's wedding favour.

And my lovely, generous sister saw that exam fees are causing havoc on my skin. Have not been able to replenish my fav cleanser-toner pair for months so this is niceee!

Best thing is: it's not even my birthday yet!

It's true that the little things are the biggest things.

It's nice to be loved.

Crash and Fizzle

2011-04-11T23:57:00.002+08:00

Grenade, Bruno Mars

I'm not generally angry but that is BRILLIANT.

Took me a good few seconds to get that. Yes, I'm slow.

List #2: When I Grow Up

2011-04-10T01:33:00.002+08:00

Did you ever sit down and reflect on how your life isn't exactly how you pictured it would be? I may not remember what I was like 10 years ago or who my class teacher was but just by recalling my evolving ambitions, I remember a whole lot more.

I want to be ... when I grow up because ... :

(age 0 to 6) a doctor - just because
(age 7) a painter - delusion of talent
(age 7) a bank officer - "must be rich with all that money"
(age 8 to 14) an architect - influenced by sister, who actually has talent
(age 15) a psychologist - interest in observing and analyzing behaviour
(age 15) an actuary - delusion of mathematical ability
(age 16 - 20) an accountant - post-elimination of everything else
(age 21 - now) a photojournalist

No. 1 stopped when I got a huge dark wood splinter in my thumb in Janda Baik and went hysterical as everyone tried to remove it. No. 3 was peer pressure at its best - some kid in class said that the bank officers are the richest so all of us wrote that down (my teacher must have been so confused).

No. 4 defines the years when I wanted to be just like my sister but stopped when I realized I wouldn't be a good enough her so I needed to be me. No. 5 is still the most suitable with my character but without sufficient internet access nor support from everyone else, the ambition faded. I dipped my toe into no. 6 far enough to receive a scholarship offer for it but thankfully Fate intervened.

Which brings us to the present no. 7. It pays my bills for now. Practical, safe, zero risk option.

I won't ever be a good enough photographer nor a good enough writer to fulfill no. 8. But this is why I love blogging:

Source: etsy.com via Sharon on Pinterest

Haha, that's right, even the most boring accounts people need to have their share of superstardom. Welcome to mine :)

List #1: my guilty tv pleasures

2011-04-06T00:01:00.004+08:00

I love making lists. I also love Chez Larsson. While I can never live up to her home organizing skills, I can at least begin my own posts of lists.

I watch a lot of tv but I'm hardly as loyal as, say, Pai (hee I love you). There are a tonne of things I want to watch but have never tried hard enough to source.

So these are the ones I happen to be watching a lot of at present, in order of channel loyalty:

So You Think You Can Dance
Criminal Minds
Junior Masterchef Australia
Castle
NCIS
Bones

Meanwhile, these are the ones that lose out to the earlier 6:

(some country's) Next Top Model -Australia wins, hands down
Project Runway (only the final catwalk)
Kimora Lee Simmons: Life on the Fab Lane (*shame* guilty!)
Giuliana and Bill (she's hilarious, okay)

These are surprise omissions and the respective reasons:

Glee (not feeling it right now, maybe later?)
Grey's Anatomy (I cry all the time watching this. So I need to space it out. Shut up.)
Gossip Girl (totally lost interest past first season)
Cooking shows (they make me feel depressed and unfulfilled)
Travel shows (same as above)
CSI. I was obsessed with it when it came out. Now I don't last 5 minutes.

There you go. I don't do half-hour sitcoms. Would love to start on Mad Men and The Big Bang Theory. Hold on, don't I always complain about lack of time? Weird how all of these fit in...

(Source: 1-2-3-4-5-6)

21

2011-04-04T11:03:00.001+08:00

Beautiful video.

Amazing live rendition of the same.

Beautiful, again.

I could listen and look at her for hours.

Coral + Mint

2011-04-02T22:48:00.005+08:00

The combination of pink and green always has an English country feel to it. You can just see the pink rose patterns now, don't you? With gold-rimmed tea cups and biscuits on a platter?

Combining coral and mint, I believe, yields a modern, more summery take on the traditional pink and green. It feels more mature and grown up, feminine without being overly girly. Both shades have a more earthy flavour and would go so well with creamy white and pale gold accents.

Source: strawberry-chic.blogspot.com via Reese on Pinterest

This adorable nursery room sparked my imagination. Seeing that a stronger hue of coral is peach whereas a stronger mint is turquoise, it is crucial to select the softest, most delicate shade for this combo to work. And oh my God, this Happ & Stahns Perfume by Anthropologie is so gorgeous. I think I need it this very second.

Source: unamoscaenlaluna.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: images.google.com via Azyan on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: designeditor.typepad.com via Kaitlynn on Pinterest

Source: google.co.uk via Julie on Pinterest

Source: coricook.net via Azyan on Pinterest

This will work for a room, an outfit, wedding or party colours (baby shower, perhaps?) and also crafting.

My heart breaks a wee bit that while I am completely in love with these shades, I only drink in their beauty from my computer screen (the only mint-coloured piece I own is a flowy top and sadly no coral!). Note to self: it's time to shop.

The right thing

2011-04-02T01:07:00.001+08:00

All at Once, The Fray

Just a little bit

2011-04-01T00:18:00.002+08:00

All I want to do when I get back from work or classes is to plop right in front of the tv and let my mind wander. It sure doesn't help when you watch all sorts of crime fighters like Castle, NCIS, CSI, Bones and the rest because one of it is always on, all the time. Plus all sorts of Top Model franchise in various cycles. And those lovely cooking and travel shows.

Source: thingsweforget.blogspot.com via Azyan on Pinterest

This is our lesson for the day. Sometimes, we wait for everything to be perfect to get on with something. Fulfilling a dream. Doing work. Most of the time, they will never be. And by the time you get round to actually doing it, if you ever do at all, it doesn't seem to be that important as you once thought it was.

I've noticed a growing sense of waiting for things to happen to me instead of going out there and doing all these wonderful things I yearn to do. But nobody owes you or me anything. As long as you sit still, things will always remain unchanged.

It is also the same when it comes to doing things for other people. The more you earn, the more you want, the less you find yourself able to give. It's kind of mean, isn't it?

We live in a loophole, waiting for the perfect conditions. Sometimes, that moment is right now. Don't do nothing.

Card: love love

2011-03-27T01:04:00.006+08:00

It is spring time where I want to be

I can hear the laughter ringing out from the carousel

I can smell the whiff of fresh bread from the boulangerie

I can see the little girl smiling as she walked by the Seine

Wouldn't you want to close your eyes and make a wish?

* * * * *

If you travel somewhere and have the urge to get me something, some nice patterned paper from a local stationery shop or old local maps (with matte finish instead of the glossy ones) would be nice.

Or maybe I've killed the urge with this mengada, nak minta lebih-lebih pulak hint?

It is so difficult to find affordable prints around here. Plain + affordable, yes, but beautiful + affordable is completely different!

For this card, I used two wrapping papers (meant for presents), a recycled ribbon that was used for a costume (that you can find here) and yes, those buttons are the ones you get in the little sewing packet that they give in hotel rooms.

Nice Azy says: Crafting doesn't have to cost a whole lot if you know where to source your materials.

Real Azy says: But I still want those expensive tools and papers!

If anybody knows where I can get a decent white gel pen, raise your hand.

*And a shoutout to wrapper designers: spraying greetings all over the wrapper renders your design completely rigid and inflexible and with a careless font choice, printed greetings cheapen the look. Just sayin'...

Motown #1

2011-03-20T09:02:00.001+08:00

You guys. Just how awesome was the music from that era? Upon a sudden disgust with my current song choices, I turned to iTunes radio and randomly clicked on Gotradio R&B Classics and have been grinning like a fool throughout.

Check out that suit, y'all. And their amazing moves. How did breaking up sound so... dance-worthy?

No list would be complete without a bit of Smokey. 1.12-1.23. Groovy.

The ladies weren't doing that bad either. Note the dance moves in the audience!

1.15! So cute. Enough said!

And of course, everybody's favourite.

Go on and indulge yourself.

Note: Isn't it funny that most of the outfits and hair and makeup are just so current?

Hooked on Manhattan Nest

2011-03-19T11:18:00.001+08:00

I realized that most of the blogs I can't live without are written by ladies of all ages (boyfriends and husbands tend to be their official photographers).

Source: manhattan-nest.com via Azyan on Pinterest

But now that I found Daniel Kanter of Manhattan Nest, this gender inequality gap is closing amidst peals of laughter.

Manhattan Nest showcases his thrift finds and DIY upgrades (of which he is the Grand Master of DIYs) in a modern take on mid-century, vintage design aesthetics. That Bertoia Diamond lounge chair? A cool $1010 USD that he salvaged for $60. Are you kidding me?

This is so refreshing compared to my fluffy comfort zone of Scandinavian-sleek, white furniture (thank you, IKEA) with bright, colourful accents.

The best part? His hilarious, brilliant writing.

When talking about the bathroom:

We'd gone several days without a mirror and were starting to wonder if we even still existed. Or more importantly, if we were still pretty.

(Source)

Now excuse me while I ignore you and read up the archives.

Nasi Kandar Line Clear

2011-03-18T22:19:00.001+08:00

This is turning out to be all about food lately, isn't it? When you work and eat at the same place, day in and day out, meals become routine and unexciting. Once upon a time (re: when I was thin and destitute in uni), I could survive a day with just 4 pieces of bread. And a whole week on grapes and strawberries (no kidding).

I thought that working would open up doors to culinary pleasures but food prices are crazy. They are breeding a whole dehydrated generation because we're too cheap to shell out more bucks for drinks.

Hence, enter Nasi Kandar Line Clear,

Penang Road (near Lebuh Chulia)

We walked for blocks under the scorching hot sun of midday looking for this place. One tip, following a route meant for a car ride (hello, Ain's Garmin) will get you there but following a route for walking would have gotten you there in less than half the time/ distance/ sunburn. Of course, it was my parking paranoia that made us park a mile away (sorry guys!) when we could've parked across the road but it ensured that we arrived with an unprecedented gigantic appetite.

Beautiful, isn't it? The boys and I had the fried chicken, which was juicily awesome, and Ain had honey-coated fried chicken and daging hitam, which were fabulous and just begged to be stolen shamelessly. Also remember to have "kuah campoq" (mixed gravy from different dishes).

I swear this could fit even my enormous head

Pity we don't celebrate Halloween...

Okay, so maybe this place is wedged in a small alley that runs between two old buildings with suspicious-looking drains and sinks but it is actually not dirty, considering the circumstances, and nobody had any tangible comment on the hygiene and nobody was ill the day after. The place was packed to the brim with patrons of all ages and races.

When I came here a year ago (luxuriously driven straight to the start of the queue), I finished half the plate (one portion can feed 2-3 small eaters). With our brisk walking this time, all of us wiped our plates clean. Squeak squeak.

Triple, friple (eh? no, quadruple) thumbs up

So how did the name came about? After scouring some blogs, I'm happy with the explanation that they shout, "line clear!" after clearing a table. Cute.

Here's the map of the location and here's a link to an awesome review of the place.

Craft Room #1

2011-03-16T00:44:00.003+08:00

I have been pining away for an organized craft space (oh such joy!) and here is a peek into one of the many rooms that you can find on the web:

Isn't it darling?

I must admit that these crafters look like they have too many stuff than they would ever use, like a forest of trees' worth of paper, but we should live in moderation in everything (work, food, sleep, clothes, shoes, books, etc.). But I digress:-

To have those stamps and paper cutters and pattern papers and ribbons and alphabet stickers and buttons and other embellishments and embossing tools and markers in all colours...

Oh my, I am doomed to pine away for ever! One simply cannot be:

i. in full-time employment
ii. in part-time studies
iii. an aunt to three nieces and a nephew (with another one in the mail!)
iv. a consistently inconsistent blogger
v. in a hurry to jog while hoping it would rain (ha!)
vi. a fan of afternoon naps
vii. always a wee bit tired or sleepy throughout the day
viii. always a little broke

and then spend time and money on serious crafting. But I want to. Pretty please?