the Series I watch

image from www.mtv.com

I dont really follow that many series religiously. Am certainly not one of those series buffs that can spill the dirt and join conversations on Lost, Entourage, West Wing, 24, Greys Anatomy right down to True Blood. Dont seem able to find enough time to squeeze for too many series.

I follow one or max 3 at a time. Right now, it’s The Hills, Gossip Girl (cos Nasha insist that I watch it), and True Blood. I’ve dropped Lipstick Jungle, will resume that once i get my hands on the box set. The reason why I can watch the above 3 is because

1. The Hills – all i need to do is go to the MTV website and watch it online. Free of downloading hassle. My girlfriends have been pestering me to watch it for the longest time, and alas I am. I’m not going to get into the debate of whether it is really all real or scripted etc. I just love to watch it cos it’s easy on the eyes..l the featured spots in LA, the wardrobe on the cast. Helps me wind down before bed.
2. Gossip Girl – well this is like my sister and I’s sisterly-ritual to pop the laptop, place it on the bed, and watch. But i must admit that after watching the Hills, watching Gossip Girl feels a bit OTT, with the drama and all. Not like the Hills doesnt have its share of drama, it obviously must have drama or else no show la. But somehow with the Hills it doesnt feel too over.  image from www.tvworthwatching.com
3. True Blood – ah yes, age old vampire tales with a 21st century twist. On Astro, so makes tuning in very easy. As you can tell, am not fond of downloading stuff. if its a click away, then am on it.

Am also watching “the City” which is a spin off from the Hills, but  right now waiting for the new episodes to load on MTV..

So there you go..what I watch on telly..or these days, in bed,using my Macbook .

image from http://aletorro.files.wordpress.com

my 27th

By far my 27th birthday was the best ever.Not because it was over the top, but because it was laden with meaningfulnes and love. As cliche or downright romantic as that may sound, but its true. And i love it! For this, I have the New Yorker to thank. We spent a perfect afternoon at Espressamante at Pavillion. We both love the atmosphere there. Each with iced coffee drinks and a slice of apple crumble to share. And since we’re such Scrabble-buffs,we pulled out our Scrabble travel set for a ‘friendly round’ of Scrabble (yeah rite…both of us are so bloody competitive haha – i lost by 5 marks btw tsk tsk) 

I was just totally smitten by the New Yorker, he holds the record for wishing me happy birthday the most number of times and to top it all of he presented me with an unexpected gift. I already had the perfect birthday but the gift just added to its perfection. It was a charm bracelet with the most priceless charm ever! I can tell you its never going to leave my wrist.

We ended the night with dinner at Werner’s with Zoey, Elsie, Lynda and Epool. And also slices of chocolate cake fit with a candle.

What made my birthday this year more meaningful than the rest was the loving company I had in the New Yorker and the endless affection. And what I’m most grateful for is that his company and affection is something I have enjoyed everyday before my birthday and will continue to enjoy InsyaAllah for all the days to come.

Thank you mon cherie..

a night at Betel Box

Earlier this year, I had a wedding photog assignment in Singapore. I was in charge of getting cheap accos for the other fellow photogs, and upon googling I stumbled upon this cosy backpackers hostel – Betel Box I was attracted to the pics of the communal area. Before making a booking, I was pretty sceptical as to whether the place would really be as cosy as it looked in the pics. I was happy to find upon arriving there, that it was. the beds were so-so la. Bathroom too. but if all you need is a place to sleep, shower, grab quick light meals, AND meet interesting travellers..then Betel Box is the place for you.

I still remember, waking up in d morning, after washing my face, brushing my teeth, made my way in my jams to the communal area and had breakfast. Coffee and tea is free flowing, local fruits as well. They have toast, jam etc etc, all on the house, or rather..fitted in with your bed-price.

ahh wouldnt mind a short getaway to Singapore, and staying a night at the Betel Box.

*Pics are from www.betelbox.com

Cappuccino in hand, New Yorker by my side

 

*another entry in the special box*

It was drizzling. Night. From where we sat at Espressamente,Pavillion, we could feel the slight chill from the cafe’s air conditioning and also the natural cool weather thanks to the rain. I told the New Yorker that the whole atmosphere..slight hint of fume in the air..chilly weather,lights from the street, cars lined in traffic, smell of coffee..reminded me of London. Diana Krall’s rendition of Besame Mucho was playing. Felt like we were on foreign land, but still at home. We were sitting,sharing a slice of apple crumble, me and my Cappuccino Vienesse, him and his chocolatey drink (forgot what its called), the New Yorker is not fond of coffee..very not New Yorker-ish but he’s my New Yorker anyway ;p We were talking, laughing over things, simple things. Every now and then just grinning at each other..it was like time stood still. May have been like a scene from a romantic movie, but it was just that perfect. I really couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending to an already perfect weekend.

Flu Bug dropping a visit..hope not!

I feel like I’m coming down with something (God forbid I actually do). I have the following symptoms..which are the famous first few signs that the flu bug will be paying you a visit

1. telan air liur sakit thingy (I hate this the most, cos it hurts to swallow anything..saliva pun sakit)

• sniffles (Kleenex my trusted companion? yes)
• endless sneezing ( I dont bother saying “excuse me” anymore after the 3rd sneeze)

Possible origin of the bug – my dear sister Nasha, who’s feeling better now. Abang is down with fever and flu. Yea la, must be Nasha haha.

Oh dear just when I’m on full speed mode at work, am feeling under the weather. sigh sigh. go away flu bug!

*illustration from www.homeoptah.org

random stuff at 1am on a monday morning

 

1. The presentation slides due this week…eek! have got to start cracking on it
2. John Legend’s PDA “We dont care” song 
3. Thoughts on whether am wasting my time…
4. above: a pic of Nasha, after stepping out of EAT…good healthy food!…saje je. felt like uploading a pic. this is a vertical shot, dont know why it turned horizontal when I uploaded it. and its a full shot – dont  know why also, pic is cropped that what is visible is only a part of her face..ah beats me.
5. hating the break outs on my face…no thanks to the kuah kacang i happily helped myself to during raya
6. eager to hear the sound of the coffee machine tomorrow morning
7. New Yorker

my iTouch

Am contemplating on whether or not to sell my iTouch and get a nano-video instead. My iTouch is under-utilised. I only load songs and pics on it, no movies, games etc.(yea say whatever). But sayang jugak to sell it off – maybe i shud just keep it..hmmm.

Aspa & Azza @ Pak Li’s

I met Aspa for drinks/moreh last Monday. We’ve not met up for about 2 months, despite living so near each other (but driving to Klang is hell, cos traffic is such a b*tch). It was wonderful catching up..loads of updates to share. Dont remember how, but the conversation developed into a ”Aspa sharing with Naddy the 101 of marriage life” session. Aspa shared tons, from the endless bliss that she and Azza are enjoying to their agreed arrangements on finances (of course without spilling the private details). I listened attentively..of course la, valuable pieces of information here haha. We were at Pak Li’s from 8:30 – 1:00am.

Azza joined us later. The only thing Azza had to do to start the talk on health, working out, and other health related matters was the opening question..”so Naddy how are your lunges?” and me confessing that I’ve not been doing that many sets of lunges of late tsk tsk

For background information : Azza is a senior personal trainer with True Fitness. Am going to enroll for some personal training sessions beginning next month. He showed some pics of clients that went from skin and bones to hot and yummy in just 1.5 months! ;p that just sealed the deal for me haha.

It was fantastic catching up with Aspa and Azza. One of these days am gonna pay Castro (the cat Azza and Aspa adopted from me, and yup i named the little feline, Castro ;p) who is now super gemuk a visit, and Aspa said she’ll make her signature nasi lemak for iftar.

Mango Sunday

I was up early one Sunday morning, it was about 9:00am. walked around the house, couldnt find my parents, they were out obviously. I was fasting so I didnt bother checking out the fridge and kitchen table for breakfast. looked out the kitchen window and saw that our mango tree had menggugurkan some mangoes. Since the tree bore fruits- we’ve had endless supply of mangoes every day. Anyway, I wanted to pick the mangoes up before the tupai & family, bird & family eat all of them up. dont worry I left ample for them. then i thought maybe i’d pick up my camera and get some shots of the mangoes. nice bright yellow mangoes. so here are some shots.

titled this pic lonely mango. used the pebbles to provide contrast and clean background to accentuate the color of the mango.

had to allow this mosquito to suck the blood out of me just so that i could get this shot.

two ants on the pebbles

under the tap..wish i had clearer droplets though

Ages

Been so long since I last posted anything. I could list all the reasons for not blogging but why bother. A lot has been happening, Adik left for London, I got promoted , Nasha is not getting any taller (haha – this is just for Nasha), birth of Foto & Fox…etc

There has also been recent developments that I am not yet comfortable to spill all and sundry here, not yet at least. Developments that I’ve welcomed with open arms.

Nasha will be back today, gotta drag her go shoe shopping with me. am wearing out my pumps.

Last Fri Nite*Left for Bandung

eventful*eventful*

Am gonna blog bout my Bandung trip in parts, cos am a bit malas now to narrate the whole thing.

-Gotta feed my blog or Mrs Foo will kill me! ;p -

Was in Bandung last weekend, with Fareez to conduct the pre JOVED (Java Overland Varsities English Debate competition) adjudication and debating workshop.

We left KL on Air Asia on Friday at 12:30pm ( flight was delayed – not yesterday’s news for Air Asia!). Landed in Jakarta 2 painful hours later; was freezing my little a$$ off on the flight cos no-frills Air Asia got no blankets, had tor resort to using my telekung to keep me warm.

We arrived in Jakarta at 2:30am, 1:30am in Indonesia.

Btw, our logistics; flight, acco etc was handled and paid for by the organisers. They arranged for a driver to drive us from Jakarta to Bandung, which was a 2.5 hours drive. I was constantly praying to God  for my life cos it felt as if the car was going to break into pieces for going at the speed that it was going. We were in a  Kijang – favorite choice for Indonesians, its like a mini van-jeep thingy.

When we arrived in Dago,Bandung, we found out that they booked a hotel room for Fareez but not for me – cutting the long story short, there was a miscom. I was told that I will be staying with one of the organisers at her house. I was already tired from the flight and Kijang ride to make a fuss. My hostess Meta is a sweet girl who’s doing her degree at Institute of Technology Bandung and also an aspiring debater.

Okay, since I tot I’d be staying in a hotel, and I wanted to travel light – I only packed my lady boxers and top to sleep in. lady boxers as you know are super short! It would be a bit inappropriate for me to prance around in my boxers at Meta’s place, and I was sharing a room with another debater, Freida from Jakarta. so i had to dengan segannya ask Meta if she has a pair of pants that I could wear during my stay…tsk tsk so segan. 

 When I finally hit the sack, in Meta’s peejays it was 5am. Tired.

Part 2 coming soon.

One for the Ladies

Lady #1

Thanks to Mrs Foo, I’m now listening to the wonderful sounds of Joanna Wang (Album: Start From Here). She’s a Taiwanese artist who’s based in California (if the information I gg-ed is correct) and is just extremely pleasant to listen to. If you enjoy listening to Norah Jones, Corrine Bailey Rae..then you’d love Joanna Wang.

Lady #2

I bought the Best of Roberta Flack. Mum adores her stuff, Dad told me he used to listen to her when he was younger on his old record player. They still listen to her now, but on our burn-your-own CDs. Roberta Flack is one that I would dish out RM43.50 for, and it’s worth it. how can anyone not love “Feel Like Making Love” “The First Time I Saw Your Face” or the classic “Killing Me Softly”

 

Lady #3

What I picked up at Kinokuniya for my reading pleasure last weekend. She’s amazing.

Aspa & Wan turns 27

Just got back from Aspa and Wan’s b’day dins (belated for Aspa, pre celeb for Wan). We made reservations at Neroteca, but after finding out that almost all the dishes were non-halal ( it was either suckling pig, pork ribs, or suckling pig sumore haha), we headed out to 21 (again!..we’re forever there whenever we’re at Changkat) At 21 I ordered the same dish again,chicken with creamy mash.. Elsie ordered the duck salad which was super nice, next time I’m having that.

Oh before that, when we arrived at Changkat, we saw a Ferrari pullover at Somerset, and we were wondering if it was Wan & Zul, it was them! they decided to take the red horsey out!Supern delish! Wait, i’ll post up some pics once Jimmy uploads em. only now I sedar my pic with the Ferrari takde, Elsie and Aspa got. damn la!

Anyways, we had the funkiest b’day cake, thanks to Mrs Foo. Cake was extremely whimsical, imagine stripes and polka dots on a cake. again wait till Jimmy uploads the pics. I know, I’m the photographer, but got no pics, off duty k. Note: Jimmy’s Canon is super cool. and I so tak tahan with Jimmy’s rule: If anyone deletes their own pics from his camera, cos their picture cacat or whatever, he wont take their pic again. Cannot tahan! I hate it when my pics tak jadi, so I like to delete the cacat ones, but cannot la with Jimmy’s camera..;p sigh

anyway,Aspa and Wan lovvedd the cake. yeay! all of us adored the cake so much that we  tak sampai hati to cut it up. cake got the attention of the other patrons at 21 as well hehe.

Well the night ended early, 12ish.. cos Wan has to get ready for her house global warming tomorrow – not a typo, Wan wants to call her house warming, house global warming, dont ask me why ;p That reminds me, need to get something as buah tangan, unfortunately I cant make/cook anything, except for chicken pie which my aunty, Sarah taught me how to make a few years back, but am too malas, so I’ll pick something up on my way to her place.

So that’s a wrap, Aspa and Wan’s party down..a few more to go this year. Now, am gonna catch up on some reading, then go to sleepppp.

Love Actually

I’ve watched bits and pieces of Love Actually, just the ending in fact, by chance. I’ve never sat through the entire movie, till tonight and I am absolutely glad I did!

So many people have told me how it’s one of the best romantic-comedy movie to hit the screens and almost killed me for missing it.

The best thing about the movie, was not because it was witty and romantic (duh! it’s a romantic comedy) but it got me sinking in to every line, really, you gotta watch it to know what I mean.

When little Sam said ” what could be worst than feeling the total agony of being in love?” or when he said “let’s get the shit kicked out of us by love!”

total agony of being in love? haha, yea whoever said being in love is all good eh? and can we get the shit kicked out of us by love? definitely.but do all of us (well almost all of us) wanna fall in love anyway? the answer to that is yes. It’s a yes for me.

What happens in Love Actually, the whole drama, sincerity, impromptu acts, is all that only possible in a movie? Guess so.

Cos it feels too good to ever happen in real life. somehow in real life, not many people actually take chances do they? For 2 people who have a language barrier to fall in love, for a guy to wear his heart on his sleeve and confess his love to a girl he knows he has no chance to be with, or a sister to give up the love of her life for an ill brother? (for those who have yet to watch the movie, what I just described are amongst the plots).

Impromptu acts are very rare and far in between in real life. Except when you’re in a relationship, and there are those little surprises – but that doesnt count. How many of us get caught, without us expecting it, like the scene between Karl and Sarah, when he suddenly asked her for a dance that one night.Maybe some of us do get lucky and actually get to experience the “Love Actually” feeling. Have I?Hmmm…to some extent, maybe.

I wish I could have a guy hold placards outside of my door and tell me that his aging heart will love me forever. Or have him run illegally through an airport just to get hold of me and tell me he loves me and I’m the one. Aah bliss..

(Of course it would only be bliss if the above was done by someone I actually have feelings for and not just some random guy..random guy doing the placard thingy = weird = scary ;p)

I know, quit it Nadia, that only happens in Love Actually haha. Nadia’s on romantico mode tonight, all thanks to the movie.

At the start of the movie it said..Love Actually is all Around. Is it? Dunno la.

If you’ve not watched the movie, please do. Warning: you might experience the all sickly romantic after-effects.

Here’s one of the tracks from the movie, by Sugababes – Too Lost in You. love it.

Pug for Nadia

Part of my lunch chat with Mrs Foo and Sarah J earlier today was about dogs (yes we’re very versatile) . I asked Mrs Foo “if I were to get a pet dog, which dog would suit me?” and she told me it’d be a Pug, and Sarah J agreed with her. I had no clue what a Pug looked like, so upon googling the image, i found Pugs to be pretty comel (cute), although at first sight, I was like “hello like mini bull dog je” but after a while, the Pug kinda grew on me haha.

Jessica Alba and her Pug

the Lady outside the White House

Was just talking bout this lady protestor that I met in front of the White House. She has been going on a 24-hours peace vigil since 1981. Wonder if she’s still there? She made me do the whole peace-sign thingy, apparently that’s her signature pose.

the Beach

It’s going to happen, am going to get proper dose of sun and sea (finally!).Very difficult to round up the gurlfrens for a trip (no thanks to work schedule and other commitments), especially Nigs, the workaholic auditor haha.So when Nigs called just now and asked “Dya when are we going to Bali?” I almost leaped into jumping jacks haha. Told her Lya and I are all set to go, and so we set June for Bali (urrghhh such a long wait). And for teaser, we’ll be going to Perhentian in April. Yeay! Okay that leaves Phi Phi Island..I’ll see if I can sneak that in somewhere. Phi Phi’s a must Can’t wait, can’t wait! 

Quality Time

Dad had a dinner engagement tonight, so Mum needed a dinner date, and since brothers and sister are at Cyber, and I’m the only one left staying at home, I was the first pick. Plus I will never allow my Mum to eat dinner alone.

Mum chose to have dinner at SACC mall, 5 mins from home. she’s not really fond of travelling out of Shah Alam, unless it’s a weekend, or she has cravings for ice cream, then she’d drag any one of us to Swensen’s in Subang Parade, the nearest ice cream joint. Or if it’s nasi lemak, it’ll be the one in Ampang (yes all the way). My Mum and Dad will go anywhere for good food, and they almost always go together. Well wait they’re inseparable, it’s very sweet and romantic. I hope I’ll experience and enjoy the same kinda “togetherness” with my husband.

Back to the night with Mum.

We had dinner at Uncle K’s. A mamak place at SACC mall, was pretty comfy and the food wasnt too bad, our first time there.

Mum and I sat for quite a while, chatting over teh tarik, mine kurang manis, while hers, full blown(she wont budge, not with teh tarik, no such thing as kurang manis haha). We spoke about everything, as usual la. I was talking to Mum about guys, my tough pick between going to Krabi or Bali with the girls, office goss, and sumore. 

I am so grateful that I can enjoy casual moments like just now with my Mum, very Gilmore Girls, except that my Mum is way cooler (haha). I know some people who’s Mums are just too busy, barely at home, or they just don’t enjoy the same open, relaxed relationship with their mothers, the way I do. So yes, thankful, thankful.

She’s upstairs now, reading with a mug of Nescafe beside her. Some people dont get why I enjoy or I dont mind spending time at home. It’s not boring, cos I can chat, talk with my parents, and it’s never dull. Of course like any normal child-parent relationship, we have arguments, but it’s all good.

When I get married, Insya Allah and have my own place, I wont be able to spend as much time with them, as it is I rarely get to do the things I used to do  often, cos of work, social life..like having dinner with my parents (I make it a point to at least catch 2 dinners a week with them), dinner is hard to catch but I if I get home and they’re not asleep yet, you can be sure I’d pop by their room, say hi. And if there was some interesting happenings during the day, I’d definitely share it with them, either for laughs or to get their 2 cents worth. Oh and I’m not the only one downloading, they will give me the whole nine yards of their day too. Which is cool by me ;p

Whether we wanna accept it or not, our days are numbered, we’re not gonna live forever. So when I have the opportunity , I wanna spend as much time as I possibly can with my folks, to enjoy their company and have as many moments with them stored with me for supply during those times and days when I will miss them terribly, or when they will miss me terribly.

So make time for your folks, quality time, it’s priceless.

Hello 08!

Met up with Hicham for some long due coffee and sweet stuff @ Starbucks KLCC last night. I’ve not seen him in ages, so I got updates from everything that was happening at home, in Djibouti to what’s up and rocking with him here. He was telling me bout his new job which is paying him shit loads (jealous jealous) and was giving me the hardest time for selling my iPod video for RM500. He said he would’ve bought it for RM100 more haha. The guy is desperate for something “Apple” ;p He was even pestering me to sell my Shuffle to him, which unfortunately I can’t sell cos I need it for my workouts at the gym.  Glad I caught up with him, we promised to do coffee more often, sorta like a 08 mini resolution.

 have always adored his curls, nice eh

Later the same night I met up with Elsie and Zoey. First at Dome for dins then later we went to Rasa Sayang Kopitiam to meet sumore peeps. They just got back from Koh Phangan, but unfortunately did not spot a nice beach tan cos they barely saw the sun while they were there. But they partied hard welcoming 08- so it’s all good.

We used the Kopitiam’s wi-fi later to check out the pics that Farhan just uploaded through my latest toy, me iTouch ;p and the pics were testimony tat they indeed had a blast. I got a full download from Lychee, it was the craziest but happening trip, their friend Megat got into an accident on the last day of their trip and  the whole gang needed to find RM10k (in cash) within hours to settle the medical bill, accident costs etc, bear in mind, it was already their 6th and last day in Thailand and most of the cash was already spent, but they managed to fork out RM10k. Need to hear the story yourself, too long to spill here, it was a true test of friendship.On a lighter note, they came back with semi-permanent tattoos, which I looked at with envy, Lychee’s was really nice, Zoey has one on her neck, Elsie too.

 Lychee’s

 Zoey’s

 checking out pics on Jimmy’s camera

So while they were partying with thousands of people by the beach, where was I on New Year’s eve?

I was in “hiding” at Sembunyi Spa at Cyberview Lodge Resort and Spa. I booked myself for an 8-10pm slot, scrub and Balinese massage. It was the perfect way to greet the new year, releasing all the stress gathered through different events and happenings last year.

Within the quiet and calm setting of the room, I thought about all that has happened last year and the things that I wish will happen this year. I told myself just before I sinked in, clear my thoughts to enjoy the massage, that for 2008.. I’m going to take it easy…like Mika would say..Relax, take it easy. I’m not going to bother setting resolutions that I may not even keep, there are just too many uncontrollable variables in life..I’ll cross each bridge slowly but surely.

So bring it on 08. 

Holiday

Christmas is over, but the holiday mood is here to stay, till Jan 01 at least, when everything will automtically, like it’s the most natural thing to happen, go full steam ahead, especially at work.

So i thought I’d change my blog presentation, to one that would best desribe the mood. Feel the snow..see the snowman..sorry no snowman..kay maybe the feeling thingy won’t work in KL, it’s either rain or shine here hehe

Am so jealous of Elsie, Zoey and the whole entourage who will be heading to Koh Phangan for a lose yourself, get beach wet, sand on your feet, sounds in your ears 08 welcoming celeb! I can’t go sob sob. But they promised they’d bring back a funky keepsake ;p

Urrghhh I must get some sand and sea before 1Q of 08 is over..must!!

New year plans for me? Nothing at the mo, like Dad always says, it’s not like the sky turns purple the next day, it’s just another day. But I think Mum is planning on a new year family barbeque, we’ll see.

Currently reading & enjoying

Read: How Starbucks Changed My Life

Got it on Christmas eve, finished it on Christmas day- very very easy reading.

It’s basically about this guy, Michael Gill who literally had it all, the to-die-for career, money, his shoulders rubbing against the shoulders of the rich and famous etc. He later, after some unfortunate incidents, lost it all, and ended up being employed at the age of 63 at Starbucks ; cleaning the toilet, arranging the muffins etc. He shares his experience of discovering a new sense of being and happiness at Starbucks.

It’ll make a great, no maybe just good Hallmark feel good, motivating movie. The book’s okay, nothing to shout out loud about.

Am feeding my blog..finally

It’s been ages since I last posted anything on this blog. So here goes, multiple posts.. which was all due a long time ago..

Raoul’s 26th

Refer to my earlier post, the metrosexuald december baby is Raoul. and it was nerve wrecking trying to find him a suitable gift, but I managed to and am soooo glad he liked it. the gurls were giving me a hard time when I told them what I got `Naddy he’s a personal trainer when will he wear a tie!’.

Was a nail-biting moment for me when it was time for him to open my humble-dont-know-if-he’ll-like-it gift. But when Raoul and everyone (including gurlfrens) exclaimed `damn nice’ when they caught sight of the tie, I could feel my heart slowing down its pace from 1000 beats per minute hehe and my face spotting a proud dimpled Naddy smile

oh and it was also a house warming, the apartment was spacious, and aspa being aspa, the place was spic and span, germ free, anthea turner approved.

Click on the pic, the well picked piece of item around Raoul’s neck was my pressie for him hehe

the rocking wifey Aspa who made it all happen, that’s her giving directions to her place

these ladies will set the mood for any partay, especially the one in the middle, Zoey!

Raihan was Back! 

Raihan & Andrew was back for a few weeks last month. Raihan didnt look like she’s pregnant, still slim and wearing heels! (it’s very rare to catch Raihan’s feet in flats actually)

I don’t recall ever shopping for maternity clothes before, but I did, for the very first time when Raihan came back, and  let me tell you shopping while converting prices from RM to Aussie dollars is way more fun, the RM-pricey is now `oh cheap in Aussie dollars’

`here An,this top is cute! take one in purple, blue and pink!’

It was difficult saying bye, but I pacified myself with my plans of visiting Raihan & Andrew next year in summer, and of course baby Sarah or Monkey Magic (that’s Andrew’s idea for a name if it’s a boy haha)

She’s the best-est most incredible gurlfren to have and he’s a wonderful, loving, sweet guy who I know, and can bet my last Ringgit will take darn good care of her. sealed deal.

Miss them, and cant wait to see them in 08. Below shots I took of Raihan and Andrew

must get andrew to eat cendol the next time he’s here and not ice cream!

 

the Family Papparazi

 Went for saturday family lunch at San Francisco steakhouse in KLCC [like a month ago, since this post is long due], cos dad, brothers and mum needed to stock up on some essentials at M&S. I brought my cam along and shutter bugged away..and I realised that my brothers are photogenic, an observation that I will never ever share with them ;p

Abang

 

Adik

 

a Christmas ornament at M&S

The pics are a bit small here, I’ll upload all & more at my Flickr page later. So check em out. And I have no idea why the paragraph alignment for this post went cuckoo hmmph!

I wanna feel sand under my feet

Am longing for an impromptu let’s-drop-everything and head to the beach getaway. Is this a year end syndrome? No, maybe it’s cos I’m half beach whale half human, need to recharge the other half and soak up the sun ;p Although I was in Langkawi a few months back, but didnt get that much beach time. 

My sister was just rubbing it in telling me how much sand & sea fun she had in Maldives, when my whole family except for me, was there for a vacation. At the time I had to attend debate training for the World Universities Debating Championship in South Africa, but I didnt feel too bad bout missing the trip to Maldives, S.A was equally exotic.

Oh yes a dose of sand & sea would really do me good now.

cousins heading to the beach, my sister’s as big as the dolphin she’s carrying hehe [love u Piggy! ;p]

 office peeps made a trip to Langkawi earlier this year to save the mangroves – pic: with Madame checking out flip flops

that’s me getting a free mud bath

Zoey’s

the invite

Ya-ah another party!

As usual highlights:

The Pucci cuppies

Elsie had the best idea – Emilio Pucci inspired cupcakes. We commissioned Mrs Foo for the task and she did an excellent job, it was extreme Pucciness! Birthday cakes are an all time for b’days but for a party of about 30pax, cuppies do a better job, more to go around, smaller bites and they’re more fun!

Palate Palatte

It’s behind hotel Istana. Describe it? Artsy fartsy.giraffe popping out of the ceiling, peacock tiled wall, button latches for the lil ladies room (yes I noticed), horsie on the bar, and cool sounds to go with the ambience. Comfy-ly placed couches, rattan chairs, bean bags gave way to pleasant chats, giggles and more.

 

i love the horsie shot

my camera 101

Having not figured out how to use my brother’s Nikon properly, I was getting pretty agitated when I didnt manage to fix the settings..I wanted to test out my skills, not wanting to use auto mode.. but wasnt successful and pics just didnt turn out right.

I had to make a SOS call to Shuq to ask him how to adjust the flash so that the pics dont look overexposed. But Faesal saved the day, Aspa’s cousin who’s not alien with the DSLR, can tell by the way he handles the machines hehe. Once he placed the settings, gave me some quick tips, I was on full shutter bug mode ;p Merci Faesal! He took some great shots too.

right- Faesal, my guru for the nite

Zoey!

Ah yes, ze b’day chick. It was a surprise b’day partay and she was surprised! She looked like a budding actress receiving her first Oscar..glam + overwhelmed ;p Spotted a new hair-do that looked fantastic on her and reminded me of Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago. She dressed for the occasion too (makes me wonder whether she already knew about the party- did you Zoey? ;p)

Partay goodies

Cuban hats for the guys and double headbands for the ladies. The hats really fitted the mood, and looked great in pics too.

my hand on the hat

Color Splash.

The theme. I wasnt exactly splashy..brown + dark purple + light purple + purple wedges + green tote..ok la. I wanted to wear black, but there was a strict no black and white rule [arent black and white colors too?]. But everyone had colors on..with Elsie as the party planner no one would dare beat the theme hehe.

Parties at this age are way different from the Mc’d parties when we were kids, we’ve all grown and so has our style of celebration. Burgers to baked salmon and salad. Party hats to Cuban hats. We had a fahbulous time! And I had fun shutter bugging away ;p Went back with a slight headache though.. thank God I came with Aspa and Raoul- thanks peeps.

Next party- December!

Check out more pics at my flickr page

Jason Bourne’s Back

Have heard nothing but excellent reviews. I extremely enjoyed watching Identity & Supremacy. I’m not sure whether it was Identity or Supremacy, that I watched with Haris, he’s like a Jason Bourne wannabe haha. He’s back in Bosnia now, or else would’ve definitely dragged him along. 

Well am pretty confident that Bourne Ultimatum wont be a let down. Cant wait to catch it tomorrow!

After the Break

Things I’m looking forward to do once my Raya break is officially over tomorrow:

1. Going out for lunch with Mrs Foo, Tai Tai, Sarah J, and Madame
2. Body Step! Need the workout after all the pigging out.
3. Enjoying rojak and leng chee kang at Mont Kiara’s flea market- instead of take away [see 2nd post on workout, 3rd post on food- so not focused hehe]
4. Going on full speed mode at work, after the Raya fever hit me pretty badly last week ;p
5. Taking food shots for WUPID’s magazine!

White Raya

The first and second day of Raya has always been reserved for family members..of course we still have family friends and neighbors coming over to celebrate. Since I dont have kampungs to go back to, first day of Raya in the morning, I’ll be in Keramat, to celebrate with dad’s side of the family, then later in the evening in Damansara, my aunt’s house, mum’s side. My grandmum stopped hosting at her place in TTDI and shifted the Raya celebration to my aunt’s place- Mama Wa has turned into a pro at playing hostess on behalf of my gandmum!

This year, I noticed a “white” theme in the baju raya. My sister for one wore an elegant white Italian linen with soft grey prints [wished it was mine!] They look so suci murni in the pics hehe!

I didnt have time to buy any materials for Raya, so had to get my baju Raya off the rack. Drove Mrs Foo crazy when she helped me go through some potential outfits. I finally decided to just mix and match what I did manage to buy with some old pieces that I had.

see..all white

nasha with my cousin Iqral-also in white

yup in white..Mama Wa (my mum’s sister, Sarah) looking pretty as always

Did I not get the memo that it was gonna be white this year?? Tsk tsk tsk

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Am so exhausted, the big makan at our house just ended. Naturally, there’s all the cleaning up to do. My sister is hopeless when it to comes to the “after party”, hosting guests she does ok, but cleaning up-nope!

Second day of Raya is reserved for Uncle Din’s open house for the family. The menu is not the usual Raya dishes-we dont serve rendang and the gang- but nasi, ulam, sambal sotong, sup tulang, ikan kembung rebus and mee udang. Yum! I know.. very uncoventional, but after all the rendang and lontong on the first day- everyone looks forward to some ol fashion food to break the taste!

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Well Raya is officially over for me..actually the best time is on the eve of Raya..especially when I hear the takbir and seeing all my family members around me, thankful that they’re still with me in good health and spirit, and thinking of those who can’t be home for Raya like Uncle Man in the States.

After this it’s just the numerous open houses to go to, and picking out dates to host my friends at home.

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Am poofed.Oh yea, the so called accidental theme was white this year, but as always I  had to be extra “special”..I went all black haha. So Yin&Yang!

Arrival of Syawal

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir & Batin

To do List

My to do list on the eve of Raya..short surprisingly:

1. Drive to Mrs Foo’s place in Damansara and pick up gradmum’s cakes + my lemons
2. Drop the cakes at grandmum’s in TTDI
3. Take Piggy [my sister] to Ikea – she wants to buy this cupboard thingy, dont know why it cant wait till after raya
4. Then to One Utama cos Piggy needs to do some last minute shopping for Raya [sigh why cant she be like her sister hehe all done, no actually I might pick up some last minute items myself]
5. Drop by Ponytails for a quick wash and cut [ this is last minute on my part]
6. Home – helping folks with the final touches!

Balik Kampung

I stopped using the NKVE to get home today opting for the Federal Highway instead cos traffic started to get really heavy on the NKVE since yesterday with city folks starting their balik kampung journey. I wish I had a kampung to go back to. TTDI, 5 mins away from One Utama and Keramat,15 mins away from KLCC is hardly kampung.

I envy those who have kampungs, am sure there’s an unbeatable excitement about packing for the trip, hitting the road, and the pumped up spirit just as you draw minutes away from your destination, eager to meet your parents, siblings and the rest of the gang. I’m not sure how much my idea of a kampung is still accurate but I’m imagining, nice papan houses, surrounded by coconut trees, or a paddy field at the back, with ketupat,lemang and dodol cooking in the yard. Okay maybe a bit too Petronas advert, Hari-Raya-music-clip like but am sure there are some kampungs that still fit that bill..I hope so.

Perhaps, I should live really far away when I get married, then I can enjoy the “balik kampung” spirit. I hate having to reply when people ask where will I be celebrating Raya..”Oh just here, I have no kampung” bleech.

 Guess for now I’ll just savour the traffic-free roads of KL.

Raya’s Just Around the Corner

What the house smells of..mum’s freshly baked pineapple tarts

Sister came back frm MMU for Raya today, that’s her doing what she does best-

sleeping at her fav spot..the TV area. She just got a text message.

Some of Dad’s graceful Kois. Hope no kid will try feeding them kuih this Raya.

Last year, one of our guest’s kid did

Triple Dose

Last week I had 3 iftars, 3 days in a row with friends I made at work, during my uni days and when I was a very young girl in school.

Wednesday – Iftar @ Sri Melaka with SC mates

Highlights

1. Celebrating Mc-g and Zul’s new job -they’re both working at the same place.
2. We were a big group- 16 heads, so there was a lot of passing of lauk (dishes) to the different ends of the table
3. Everyone guessed the damage amount ie bill- my guess was RM350, I was waayyy off, Mc-g came closest at RM450..and the tab was a whopping RM470.
4. We were the loudest group there hehe.
5. Watching Alimin count the stacks of notes after everyone passed their share

 

Thursday – Iftar with Uni mates @ Basil, Bangsar Village 1.

Highlights:

1. Met up with part time model- NTV7 staff Hyda whom I have not met in ages. Looking as tall as ever.
2. Ama – I totally miss listening to her laugh. It’s loud, hearty and extremely contagious. Can you hear her laughing through the pic above ;P
3. Nigs lost a lot of weight-she was almost size zero. Can imagine her walking down a couture runway. Workaholic during puasa month..tsk tsk. Poor Nigs, we’ll stuff you with ketupat and rendang soon.
4. The sinfully delicious cheesecake at Starbucks

   

    Hyda protecting her all-the-way-from-France LV

Friday – Iftar at Korean restaurant, Bullgogi with schoolmates.

Highlights

1. Excellent-exciting hot plate and steamboat dining experience! Good pick Zoey!But I was very scared to “cook” the food though cos the minyak sometimes “meletup” [sorry I cant find another word to describe it hehe] Next time I’ll bring a long chopstick with me.
2. Delicious lamb and Korean jelly!
3. Aspa’s fan saved us, we sat outside and it was HOT cos the hot plate was right at our faces.
4. Cooling off session at Starbucks in Bangsar [yes again] where Elsie and Tariq joined us then later Mr PT [personal trainer] Azza [Aspa's hubby] made a special apperance at 12am haha
5. Getting pink-tastic goodies from Wan…thanks babe!
6. Owh and of course, Wan’s multi role as Kak Nita, Oprah, Dr Phil all in one night amazed us, you should hear her thoughts on relationship, men…talk-show material! ;p

the mighty fan at work

 Mr PT, Oprah and Elsie

So there you go, my triple dose.

Raihan Update: Flower Festival

Raihan and Andrew went to the flower festival recently, and she sent me some pictures. Just like Andrew’s office, park and everything else.. the festival was a mere 5 minutes away from her place! Beat that. Oh but her halal meat grocer is a bit far so ok la. Come to think of it, I’ve got quite a number of places that are 5-mins away from home as well, the 3 fast food chains-Mc’d, KFC, Pizza Hut, Cold Storage, MPH, Dave’s Deli, Coffee Bean, Starbucks, British India, Secret Recipe…mmmm not bad hehe.

Above is my favorite pic of the lot. Perfect use for an old piece of metal.

Judging by the pics am sure Andrew and Raihan had a very flowery- romantic stroll :p My dear friends are enjoying bliss bliss bliss

I’m living in a “jungle” of my own, thanks to Mum, Dad and Yanto [our amazing gardener] who tends to the garden so religiously. Folks love to keep it green + we have Dad’s family of Koi (huge fishies) to maintain the plant-animal equilibrium.

Told Raihan i’ll definitely visit her in spring next year when everything is in full bloom.

On a different note, Raihan’s all pumped up for the soccer league which starts this Sunday..yes the woman is playing a game she just found out she’s good at [she won the prize for best and fairest player okay] so Andrew, dont be surprised if she  switches professions for real

Short Drive

Had to run some errands just now.

I dont remember the last time I did this, but I decided to drive with the window down. Driving in Shah Alam is, contrary to popular belief-pleasant [the Istana side of Shah Alam], not that much traffic, very few stop lights,wide roads, doesnt feel crampy and congested.

That made driving with the window down a surprisingly, not-too-bad experience..

Slipped Corinne Bailey Rae in the player, selected one of my fav track Trouble Sleeping [wind down tune after a hard day]

cars shooshing by

suburb night breeze and a hint of fume..

ah yes, my window-down driving experience..

Trouble Sleeping- enjoy

Raihan Update: Her Home

Raihan just got the Internet up and she emailed some pics of her place in Canberra. 

It looks so cosy! Unfortunately I dont have a lot of blogging space left for pics so I can’t upload them all. Here’s a few..

 A comfy couch is a must have!

  where I’m sure everyone enjoys Raihan’s culinary delights

 was teasing Raihan how we dont need a dryer here cos it’s panas terik ;p she says it’s really sejuk there,dont worry An, when you come back we’ll go soak up the sun!

 the kitchen looks spotless! can you spot the lesung? That’s the way An hehe

 it’s pretty outside too

 

Doesnt Andrew look like he’s gained some weight? I got confirmation from Raihan that he certainly did.  Looking good Andrew! Next to Andrew is his dad [the one in blue duh] who just took Raihan around Sydney on his boat last Sunday..nice.

Cant wait to visit them!

What a Day

Didnt have such a great day at work today. Not a great day at all. Dont feel like spilling it here.

Rearing cute fat cows and fluffy little chickens is becoming more and more of an excellent idea by the day. Oh or becoming a larger-than-life cashier at Mrs Foo’s pastry and cake heaven “the Beater”

Needed a good dose of laughter. Second to Kuc, Will and Grace always does the trick. So i watched a few episodes just now.

Jack and Karen always crack me up! I cant stand Grace- hate her. Will is adorable. If you’ve watched it you’d know what I’m talking about. Sigh why do good sitcoms have to come to an end? Cant they just keep running till my eyesight and hearing wears off to old age?

Hope tomorrow will be a better day.

Read : Because She Can

 

What i’m reading at the mo..

Just bought it last Wednesday..On the first page of the book [in the Prologue]  the words Vera [Vera Wang] and House of Lesage appears..

Then in the next few pages..Oscar de la Renta, Vintage Bulgari, Harry Winston..

my review….so far so good *wink*

Furry Friend

I’ve been relying on Kiki and Boo for feline love for a while now [I'm like an aunt to my brother's cats] forever bugging my brother to bring them home for the weekend [they stay with my brothers in their apartment in Cyberia].

 For the longest time, I’ve wanted to get a cat for myself, one that stays at home with me [only stays in the house -very domesticated]. But the only problem with having a cat at home is their poo poo [yes, they can be trained] but still it’s a hassle to clean up the litter box etc. that’s my only bug bear with cats.

oh and an added concern- my house [folk's place] has a lot of wood based furniture not to mention carpets which make great scratching spots for cats [and yes i know i can get scratch posts] but am a bit worried that the cat would get bored of it [of course la, after a while i'm sure it'll be bosan to scratch the same old surface] and hence resort to putting their little claws on the forbidden items.

other than the above, if cats dont poop [will never happen..duh!] and they dont have this scratching habit-im more than happy to have one at home.

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BUT just yesterday while I was in Bangsar , to pick up a birthday balloon for Mrs Foo [was her birthday yesterday - got her a nice clutch from Aldo too] at my favorite balloon place, Balloon Bouquets, i passed by Rainin Cats and Dogs and saw the most adorable pair of blue eyes looking out from the display cage. Brown ears, paws, tail and shade of brown on the face..I later found out that he’s a Persian Siamese mix that’s about 3-4 months old. CUTELICIOUS!

There were also 3 one year old Persians but they’re too common, and when I went back to the office and showed Mrs Foo, Madame and Tai Tai a picture of mr blue eyes-they told me to get him, he’s a rarity and I agree.

So I’ll be getting a cat!

Need to bring him in when Mum and Dad leaves for Umrah, cos it’d allow me to introduce him to the house and should there be accidents [ pray there'd be none] I can deal with it.

And when folks get back, hopefully they wont notice any difference; like funny cat smell,  fur everywhere, or scratch marks on the furniture. 

Only then will I break the news that a little kitten has been staying at home while they were away and has been an angel and did not do anything to disturb the cosy ambience at home hehe

But am quite sure once they look into those blue eyes just like i did – they’d say welcome to the family

So we’ll see.

Picking Castro up [I named him Fidel Castro- lurve it!] on Saturday. Can’t wait.

Merdeka Eve

Merdeka eve was spent at home entertaining some family friends that are down from London. Aunty Norbi and Uncle Mokhtar overwhelmed us with their hospitality when we were in London, now its our turn to membalas budi ;p

Mum and Dad decided to serve steamboat in our pondok. Dad was in his kain pelekat- “casual”host haha. Mum’s steamboat was a hit!

I’m glad I was home instead of stuck in a jam somewhere, got stuck in a jam just as I got out of SC [which has never happened before] but it was entirely my fault for not leaving the office early [could't even if i wanted to anyway]

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Happy 50th Birthday Malaysia!

Good Music

What I bought over the weekend- Corrine Bailey Rae’s Special Edition.

What’s there not to love bout her music. Delish!

Mak Yeop’s Dusun

 

Why was I wearing Phua Chu Kang boots? (I know I know they’re not yellow like his ;p)

Visit my photo blog, Capture-d Mo at

 http://nadiazainuddin.fotopages.com

Bite: Bora Asmara

the art piece in our bisek bisekdinner

Bora through a lenseMadame

“Are we lost?” That was one of the first remarks I made while driving through Kg Sg Penchala for Alina’s farewell dins. We passed by warongs with patrons watching WWF, small kedai runcits and young kids on motorbikes without helmets on [see I had reasons to think we were lost]. 

But Madame assured me that we weren’t lost and indeed we weren’t..just a few minutes after exiting Penchala Link, wheezing through the kampong we arrived at Bora Asmara [got connection with Bora Ombak? maybe] 

Ambience is something that Bora Asmara boasts..and you’d have to be blind to not notice the Balinese influence at Bora ..from the Balinese gargoyle stone lamps to Bali thatched roofs. This Bali inspired garden eatery serves Indonesian, Western and local dishes.  

I was more excited about the setting than the food [wedding reception at Bora Asmara..hmm? ;p]  The place automatically puts one on the romantic-wind down mode- preferred mode after the rat race comes to a temporary halt. 

At Bora, you can choose to dine al fresco, in the Bala Gede [air conditioned], or in the few bisek-bisek [private hut] that sits 6 comfortably [I believe you can request for more sitting pillows if you there are more than 6 of you].  

Unfortunately the food wasn’t able to match the ambience- it’s not awful but not great.But I enjoyed the Lemongrass Chiller..iced serai.If I’m not mistaken Bora is also open for lunch but doubt the feel of the setting will be as great..no night breeze, lamps etc.

It should definitely be your pick if you’re staying/working near the area,dont want to curse while looking for a parking space and definitely a pick if you’re in the mood for some Balinese ambience and coo coo time.

 Directions to Bora Asmara:

Get on the Penchala Link,take the Kg Sg Penchala exit, left at the first traffic light [in front of the mosque] then drive straight on for a bit, it’ll be on your left-you wont miss it.

Go Fly Kites

It was that time of the year again for Dad to take his workers away for a retreat. And as always on previous retreats..our whole extended family..aunties,uncles, cousins, nephews would tag along.So last Thursday night all of us left for Langkawi, for a 3d2n stay at Berjaya Resort.. consistent with our previous sand & sea trips to Redang, Perhentian…

Let me share one of the highlights of the retreat..it was the evening when all of us went down to the beach to fly kites..yup main laying-layang. I can’t remember the last time I flew a kite…must’ve been ages ago.

 My uncle’s Bali workers made them..if I’m not mistaken they made 11 kites in different shapes and colors.[Talented eh?]

 It was fun!

Tugging at it when it looked like it’s about to fall or giving it sumore benang [thread] when there was enough wind and it could fly higher..not easy peasy k ;p

I was proud of my little layang-layang..mine had a slim long tail ;p…it flew wayyyy up there..so way up that it was a bit tiring reeling it in when it was time to wrap up.

The layang-layang idea was a great one..everyone took turns to play..it was a breath of fresh air from the usual beach ball game [though of course that took place simultaneously- ball + sand= auto beach ball game], walk on the beach or making sand castles.

 twin cousins, sister and aunt taking a stab at beach ball!

Nothing but wind, sand, and good ol fashion layang-layang for a spectacular time in the sun!

Can you spot my kite in the pic? It’s the one with the slightly pinkish tail and no the one next to it is not a bird.

My time in Ubud

This time last week, I was on the flight back to KL from Bali. I was there for about 4 days, cos my folks wanted to shop for some paintings, and I thought I’d tag along.

We stayed in Ubud and I fell in love with the place! The commanding scenery, so rich with culture and inhibited by the most sweetest and hospitable people. Now I know why my parents can go again and again to Ubud.

Villas

Mum wanted to savour different villas so the first night we stayed at Artini 3 Cottages and Spa. It had a beautiful garden, was on a small piece of land, very very cosy. The cottages are sandwiched by paddy fields.. in the morning you can see people membanting padi ;p

The rest of the nights we stayed at the Ubud Village Resort. Our villa came with 2 gazebos, a private pool, outdoor shower, jacuzzi and a breathtaking view. Bliss.

view at breakfast

There are countless villas in Ubud, so you’re spoiled for choices.

 Galleries

Cos the main purpose of going to Ubud was for painting-hunting, parents and I visited a few galleries in Ubud. There are generally 3 sections in the gallery, the traditional Balinese painting, the scenery/greenery pieces (will definitely have birds in the pic) and abstract/contemporary art.

Folks bought a few greenery pieces,a black and white piece as well as an abstract painting. The artists in Ubud are very talented, at almost every gallery we went to we saw a few of them painting away.

The Performing Arts

I’m a sucker for the Balinese gamelan. So on one of the mornings, we caught the Barong dance at a puri (temple). I almost cried cos I felt overwhelmed by the sound of the gamelan… listening and watching it being played in its true element and setting.

All along the gamelan doses that I’ve gotten are from the occasional performances by the Rhythm in Bronze led by Sunetra Fernando at the Actors Studio- which is not too bad. My favourite score by them is one titled “20 cents”.

But after hearing the real thing, anything else just pales in comparison.

Unfortunately I didnt have the chance to catch the Legong or Kecak-Kecak (I’m still beating myself up over it), but I’ll make sure I catch it the next time I’m there.

Spa

I suppose you can say that a trip to Bali won’t be complete without a visit to the spa. I made a few visits to the spa. Yes not only am I a sucker for dance/performing arts but also for pampering.

I went to the Bali Ratu spa @ Artini for a body scrub, bath and massage, then again for a massage and a facial. 

It was heavenly. I dont know what’s the obsession with villas in Ubud cos I had a mini villa on my own for my spa appointments, which of course overlooks the paddy fields.During one of the appointments while I was enjoying a massage, I heard the sound of ducks..itik..my guess is they were making their way past my window..haha. Not something you’d hear at a spa in KL.

There are numerous spas around Ubud but I was recommended by my aunt to go to Bali Ratu and I echo her and higly recommend it for anyone looking for a good winding down pamper session.

mini villa entranceout in the sun shower

People

Every village in Ubud is known for a certain skill . This desa will be famous for paintings then the next desa for wood carving. So you’ll see rows of shops or huts displaying their work. And so almost everyone in Ubud has a skill-be it playing the gamelan,pottery or egg painting.

Hardly do you see people lepaking, watching WWF in coffeeshops or sitting on their bikes in groups (like the Mat Rempits in KL).

The people in Ubud are hospitable and courteous too.. they’d greet you at every chance they get and what’s most relaxing about Ubud is somehow there’s no rat race feel to the life there, which is a welcomed change from the hectic, capitalist driven tempo we live in back home.

offerings 3 times dailykids@ Cekingan

I can actually go on and on about Ubud but I won’t be able to do justice. It’s just too beautiful and special to describe with words. You have to be there to feel its magic.

I’ve visited a few countries but Ubud is the only place that I felt “sedih” to leave. It’s the blend of people, art and culture that makes it remarkable. I’ll definitely go there again..this time for a longer stay.

No Labor

My parents are about to go out and look for garden lights, our shrubs and trees have  grown and are shading out the lighting from the existing  lights. Lighting the garden is handy especially because my parents like to entertain their guests outside.

I’m still in my jammie top & cherry boxers that Elsie got for me, dont think I’ll get out of them until it’s 5..haha. Ultra pemalas. Hey it is a public hol. I spend 85% of the year in suits and heels, I deserve to be a bum on these rare and far in between holidays.

 Was flipping through the travel section of the NST, wanting to see if they had any bright suggestions for me and saw an article on climbing up Mount Kinabalu. I was there 2 years ago (not Mount Kinabalu) but Kundasang which is somwehere around it, well I could see Mount Kinabalu so I knew I was close. It was a beautiful sight.. One of these days before I kick the bucket I must make sure I conquer that terrain.

I’ll be spending most of my day today studying (and tutor my sister for her Economics paper) cos I’m due for special exams next week..missed the paper cos of my trip to Beijing..urrghh! But it’s the last set of paper and the only thing pending before I grace the stage for graduation again is to submit my research paper on Community Trade. Yea the trade programme that the likes of Body Shop and Starbucks  partake in with marginalised communities. I’m very proud and glad that I chose that topic,it’s real. it’s more me to write on Community Trade than writting on China or GATTS ;p

Now I’m contemplating whether or not to go for the Body Balance class at Axis. Not that many classes today cos it’s a public holiday..yoga at manulife and the curve. Am pretty comfortable in my jammies..so gym?jammies? Let’s toss a coin.

I think I’ll go to the gym, I’ll set tomorow as a “laze in my jammies day”. Good thing that we’ve got 2 days of hols. Gone are those days as an undergrad when hols were weeks long.

 I can smell the kuah mee udang that my sister is heating up. Mum makes the best mee udang!  save it for when I get back.. it’s not best practice to stuff myself before a workout eh.