Looking forward to 2016

Soon we'll be greeting the new year. 2016 peeps. Wow!

You'd hear the usual " How time flies" and "Here's to a better year ahead" greetings. Of course, not forgetting friends and families sharing their achievements, or lack thereof, of their 2015 New Year resolutions and setting new ones for 2016. I too am one of those guilty for carrying forward a few of my own personal as well as those listed as HusbieWifey 2015 new year resolutions into 2016.

The year 2015 has been tough to most people I am sure. Especially with our country's current political and economical climate, one will surely have been affected one way or another. However, I will leave my personal views, distress, future hopes and everlasting love for my Malaysia another day. After all, my blog is not the appropriate forum to debate on the matter. I do, however, wish that things will improve a lot more for all of us this new year and that, we the Rakyat of Malaysia will be presented with more opportunities to increase our own ability to pave our own success on our own soil.

There are plusses for the year for all of us too I'm sure.

Bear in mind to have ups and downs are our lot in life.

For me personally, I would say I wish 2015 would have been better for me but nothing can change that. All I can do is learn from the experiences gained this year and try not to repeat them.

I look forward to 2016,with excitement and just a dash of anxiety. Cliche' as it sounds, "Here's hoping for an awesome 2016"...oh, and here's to crushing my enemies and seeing them quiver before me...LOL...NO NO...kidding...or was I?

The Majestic, Malacca

Hello Peeps! We just got back from our hols and I couldn't wait any further to write in my blog again as well as do some catching up on my lappie.

For end 2015, we opted to travel locally. In one week, we went to Melaka and Sabah and both trips turned out to be excellent. 

The last time we were in Melaka or Malacca was two years ago for a day trip. This time around, we opted to just eat and chill and stay over for a few nights. We've gone to the usual historical tourist spots before so we decided to give those a miss, eliminating the need to walk and queue as much under the blazing sun.

We stayed in The Majestic Malacca. Among our initial ideas for this year's trip was to have a staycation in Majestic KL. Since that didn't pan out, might as well opt for the one in Malacca. 

The hotel boasts an old worldly charm with a colonial atmosphere. It is situated right across Kampung Morten where guests get to enjoy the river front from the privacy of their own rooms, cross the bridge to visit Villa Sentosa, the living museum or take the river cruise from Taman Rempah. It's a bit far off from the main tourist trail but with an umbrella and a pair of comfortable walking shoes, you'd get to cover a lot of ground heading towards Stadhuys. 

In our case, we're a bit manja and being local has its perks with the ability to drive around town as well as get stuck in traffic jams during this busy holiday season.

Hotel guests are given complimentary drinks upon check-in. I love how they present tea in a cute basket with the traditional Chinese tea set.

The view from our room.

Our lovely room. See that four-poster bed. Arghhh...I had to hold back from jumping straight into bed!

And that lovely clawed bathtub.

Had to conduct a brief inspection on whether I fit. The usual "I fits I sits" policy.

All nice and cozy for the next few days.

The view of our hotel at night. All prepared for Christmas.

The Mee Goreng Mishap

One night, I decided to finally give home-made Mee Goreng a go for dear Husbie. It sounds simple enough to cook. Tumis some shallots, garlic, chillies, dash of this and that, stuff some fish balls in there and waaalllaaaa...

Uh-uh....Seriously NO!

We were already coughing none stop before I even served it.

Hubs: OMG! B! Pedaaasnyeeeeerrrr!!!

Wifey: I'm sooooo sorry. I think I did everything right. Bawang merah, bawang putih, cili padi...

Hubs: How many cili padi?

Wifey: Five.

Hubs: WHAT?!!!

Wifey: Well, when we had dinner at your mum's last night, your mum put in 10 cili padis and it turned out fine.

Hubs: Mama letak to garnish it! Not to tumis!

Wifey: Ok, ok. Please stop eating the damn thing. I pun dah berpeluh makan. Nanti you sakit perut kang!

Hubs: Takper, I makan. (Bless him. He actually ate the whole thing and told me to shut up when I wouldn't stop telling him to stop eating the awful Mee Goreng).

The next morning, while driving to work, both of us were laughing away from the night's debacle. Well, Hubs did most of the teasing with me trying to not bite his head off. I couldn't help but laugh at myself though. One has to admit when it's superbly funny.

"Well, you can include this with your Cili Masak Ayam. Now, dah ada Cili masak Mee Goreng."

"Can't believe you tumis'd the damn thing. People use it to garnish the Mee Goreng. Nih, Cili garnished with Mee Goreng."

#Frust #Cissss #WhenwillIevercooklikeanexpert

The In Colonial - Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak

It's end year, so most work places would be rushing to wrap up the year and ensure they meet their intended KPIs.

Things have been packed for the both of us. 

 I have officially begun my sabbatical leave. I was given leave earlier but work kept on calling as they were not confident in handling this one particular portfolio I left for them to continue. Well, things have more or less settled. Classes are back-to-back and I am now focused solely in completing my studies and achieving success.

 Through everything, fortunately, we both managed to take some time off to meet up for lunch. 

We decided to go to the In Colonial restaurant located in Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak. The restaurant serves Chinese food and is Halal. We've been here before and the food is really good. One thing I have to warn all prospective patrons intending to dine here though, the price is slightly more towards the expensive range. However, you won't be disappointed with any of their dishes. Service is excellent and coupled with the luxurious and old-world charm, you'd be leaving the restaurant with a big smile and totally satisfied.

Hmm...the lighting sure is harsh on Hubs. Here he is happily waiting for lunch with Wifey.

My drink for the day. I decided to order a Mocktail aptly named 1000 Punch. No punch or kick just awesome watermelon-ny goodness mixed with other fruit juices. Very refreshing indeed.

Our fave for the day. The restaurant's crab claw was generously filled with crab meat and prawns and fried to perfection. 

We opted for the Seafood Fried Rice for lunch. If you're a small eater, you can do it like we did and share between the two of us and add more side dishes to sample the rice with. 

So, for those interested, their opening hours are 10.30 a.m. - 11 p.m. everyday.  Definitely a must try. Good food with a chilled enough ambience without having to strain your voice or hearing to enjoy your conversations with your other half and friends. 

P.S. They also have private rooms for private functions. Definitely a place I recommend for family gatherings.

Welcome to the Family, Valorie!

Since I've come on home,
Well my body's been a mess
And I've missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dress
Won't you come on over
Stop making a fool out of me
Why don't you come on over, Valerie?

Valerie [x3]

This was the song which ran through my mind as soon as I walked out of the boutique. Well, to be honest, just the chorus bit alone. Physically, I was swinging both our held hands and couldn't stop smiling away like what we Malays would term as "kerang busuk".

I absolutely am crazy for clutches. Once, right after our honeymoon, Husbie thought I could spare two of the three Indonesian Batik clutches I chose from one of the Batik factories in Bali for his mum and sister-in-law as he thought the Bali shirts we gave as souvenirs weren't enough. 

My response was a dead stare. No way!

Anyways, enough side-tracking.

Crazy for clutches. Some might easily dismiss it as impracticable or only reserve it for special events (Well, I'm partly guilty for the latter. Won't be doing this anymore as much). A clutch is an excellent and awesome way to spice up the wardrobe instantly without having something slinging on your shoulders and taking away the attention from you and your clothes. It can be worn with anything including jeans. 

Behold, say hello to my Valorie Rainbow!

Anya's Valorie is always an instant hint. A year or two ago, I remember holding one of them in my hands and contemplating between the multi-coloured, dark blue and black Valorie. In the end, I didn't purchase either. Only later, when I heard it ran out-of-stock, there was a twinge of regret in not purchasing it earlier on. Oh, nothing to worry about. Just a teeny-weeny bit of regret. Though they were beautiful, they didn't exactly stopped me in my tracks. Unlike this Valorie Rainbow.

We knew that Anya was having a 50% storewide sale so we intended to just pass by and view their collection from afar. Zero intention of buying anything. The moment we passed by their window display in Pavi, I had to back-track. Even Husbie, who usually prefers the classic look and designs, couldn't deny that this is one piece that I must absolutely get. 

Hell yeah!!!

Before this, the only 'near-funky'/fun design bit in my bag/clutch collection is my Anya Valentine clutch which he gave as part of the hantaran for our akad nikah, with my initials and the date of our akad nikah engraved in it. My most 'favourite-test' of them all. Yes, not enough with stating it as the 'most', must add the "est" in my expressions too. Still is my ultimate fave and forever will be.

Next to it, will be my new Valorie Rainbow. Just a dash of "fun" with elegance and class. Arghhhh...just writing about it makes my heart go "dup-dap". Hahah!

For all those other Anya fans out there, you better get it fast. It's not on sale but I heard other regular customers have booked it in the hopes of buying it later at a discount or maybe buying them later with their next paycheck. Don't know how that would work. Don't think you can pre-book and wait for a discount. By then, it would have all flown off the shelves, even at full price. 

I am my Father's Daughter

"I may be a woman, Sir William, but if I choose I have the heart of a man! I am my father's daughter, and I am not afraid of anything."

Annnnnnddd....SCENE.

This was and still is my most favourite quote from one my favourite movies, Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett.

I was supposed to upload another different post today. Instead, I decided to write one where this exact quote ran in my mind this evening and where it is slightly skewered towards the realm of seriousness with a dash of (I hope) inspiration for others out there. This blog, as my regular readers know, is a record of my happy moments. With a recent event and previous ones having similar conclusions, it's impossible to not include this proud moment of mine in my blog today.

I intend to make it clear...

Yes...

I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER

Yes...

I AM THE WIFE TO MY HUSBAND

More importantly,

I AM JANNAH SABRI.

The event which led to this posting was a phone call from D informing that some M.O.N.K.E.Y.S. were trying to poison the well of the firm by using the excuse that this firm hired this person's daughter, me.

D, of course, did not deny it, and made it clear she knows who I am when it all began and it was due to my professional capabilities that got me through. It was clear some people were trying to use this 'tit-bit' to take away some projects the firm was vying for. D and her colleague/ long time friend just laughed away thinking how narrow some people are and how they thought they would garner the reaction they expected from D's friend.

In my case, nothing new. No hal, no problem, no drama.

People in politics have different agendas for doing so. Sadly to state the obvious, but when the subject is Melayu, irrespective in politics, business or workplace, the element of 'dengki (envy)' overrides everything and anything and reigns supreme. A fact I myself had become a victim to such people who basically bathes in 'dengki' vibes. A very ugly thing indeed. Even called me a "Babi (pig)" openly. Oh well, you won't go far for sure. With that ugly behaviour,  directed not exclusively to me alone back then but others in the same place you cari rezeki, and having that important person's ears, can only take you so far. Oh my, ok, enough reminiscing and wasting time thinking about such individuals.

Of course, as a favour to D, I am not to share this recent news to my father due to the risk of offending him.

Growing up in a politically oriented family, has its ups and downs. Not just from outsiders, family members too to be honest.

In the period after leaving a very well established organisation but before joining the firm, I had encountered similar 'treatments' in the workplace and even when going for interviews. In fact, there were three occasions whereby I was outright rejected in interviews because of who my father was. I was called in, prospective employers all impressed with my work experience and capabilities, and then towards the end, "I know, in fact, I was just googling on my phone about your father while this interview was being conducted, but can I confirm, are you XXXX's daughter?" or "I am reluctant to let you go but ...(trail off to something inaudible)."

Hmm, funny but my reaction was never contempt. Looking back, maybe it was more towards sympathy and if such an organisation took such a narrow approach to hiring people, to the point of enquiring how I deal with confidential and secret documents (yeah, disregard the fact that I've dealt with cross-border, international agreements for the country's future for years with no info leakage, intentionally or like other ministry's officers, negligently, leaving info lying about for counter-parties to view), made it even more clear that such organisations were not for me.

Instead, I smiled, confidently answered yes and expressly stated how proud I am of my father.

Yes, I don't have that typical father-daughter relationship. Hell, I can even admit that generally my relationship with both my parents are not THAT great. My father is a hard man. I would even go so far as to label his parenting skills as old school. No hesitation to give me a wallop when necessary. Oh, the types of wallops you only hear what your granddads would experience during their days.

A friend once asked whether I should tell my father.

Why bother? To blame him? Of which I do not. Never even crossed my mind to be so stupid. My parents raised me better. Sway him from his goals? Never!

I will make it on my own. I am myself, I have my father's blood in me, I am a wife to my husband and future mother to my future children.

What I can take away from all these experiences is that my parents granted me the fortitude to handle anything. For that, I am thankful. Yeah, at times things can get depressing or demotivating. Oh my, the level of sadness, THAT you can only imagine. So what? Take the time to cry... a lot or a little, then shut up and get up.

The simple truth is, circumstances will not dilute my potential. Some circumstances will even take a LOOOOOOONG time to overcome or resolved. Nonetheless, I will chart my own path, thankful of my background, where I came from and all those bitter as well as happy experiences.

All this, one day, with Allah's will, will bring me to the best path. I have to at least, believe in that.

Always a Brit at Heart

I can't seem to stay away from Anya Hindmarch. Same goes for the Hubs. 

If we go about in the shopping malls or we go window shopping or even where my supposed 'heart ache' needs to be mended with a new handbag or clutch, our feet takes us to Anya. 

Haiz...and this comes after me telling Husbie that I would like to go for brands other than Anya for my next birthday/anniversary/other special occasions. I've been eyeing another Brit designer since early this year (not available in Malaysia as yet) and I am hoping to grab one of her bags soon. For now, back to Anya.

We always find that Anya's designs can range between bespoke classics and those from the funky side. Of course the Hubs prefer the classic looks. In my case, I can go both ways. I don't mind the classic designs being that it is timeless and easily matched with other outfits. If I ever want to be a bit playful, I can always get the Anya stickers but I find that I'm always reluctant to do that. The bag is nice as it is. Better to get the already embossed designs/stickers on the bags.

Loving the shade of red for this Bathurst Satchel.  It reminds me of chillies. Not too bright and has a bit of a red darkish side. What's even more special is that Anya's signature is on the bag. For now, it's safely tucked in my closet until the rainy season eases off. Wouldn't want the suede in the bag to get ruined now, would we?

Valiram Sale

A few weeks back, Matt invited me and the Hubs to a Valiram sale. I had nothing specific in mind but wouldn't skip a good deal for sure. Once in the showroom, we browsed through the promotion and found many good deals.

Got my first Kate Spade there. Been to their boutiques and even viewed their latest collection as well as the sales when were in HK but somehow I always decided to opt for another. 

There was this huge black leather tote that was on very good offer, so good that you won't believe how much I saved on it, and I've been using it for work ever since. I don't recommend it but it's huge enough to tuck in some of my books or my laptop instead of lugging my bag pack or briefcase around. I don't do it often. I wouldn't want to ruin the bag. It has however, become one of my 'lasak' or casual bags. 

Since we were already there, thought of scoring on one of Kate Spade's flamingo designs. Found out it was sold out on the first day of their sale. Waaaah...economy not so good people can shop like mad ar? Well, I remember the couple behind me, either she was stocking up for her family or boutique, or she and hubs are cray cray.

Nightmare of all Laundry Nightmares!

So, never in my laundry days, have I ever been so worried.

A few days prior to the 'incident',  I soaked some clothes that needed to be handwashed. This was after Hubs told me he will hang it to dry. Two days passed by and in the end, the chore was handed over to me. In that bucket were my baju kurung and floral blouses. Note that my clothes have a white base to it. There were also Husbie's work shirts in different hues of blues and the sin of it all, his red Manchester jersey, the special edition and sold out in minutes kind.

For those familiar with laundry do's and don'ts, you guessed right, there is the dreaded colour run incident. The funny thing is my baju kurung, blouses, his jersey and his workshirts weren't affected except for one.

For two straight days I tried all manner of methods to try and get the pink blotches out. I wasn't about to give up on his work shirt. I googled and browsed blogs. Tried soaking it in warm water with lemon. Tried Vanish with detergent. I read about Dylon S.O.S Colour Run but couldn't find it at the usual supermarkets like Tesco, Cold Storage, Jaya Grocer and Giant. Then I decided to drag Husbie to the closest grocers where I think the mat sallehs or expats would likely to venture. Struck gold at Hock Choon's! Thank God!!!

Results not guaranteed. I gradually tried using the detergent and soaking the work shirt in different temperatures. From tepid to warm, and after, even warmer water. Though it didn't exactly remove the pink blotches, it did  however make them pale considerably. Maybe after a few more washings the pink blotches will disappear totally and life would be all rosy again. 

I definitely will be stocking up on Dylon S.O.S. Colour Run for laundry emergencies from now on.

A trip to Zoo Negara- Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Alhamdulillah, both Husbie and I recently celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. We were both stumped to how we would like to spend the day together without having to venture out of state or country. Between work, house chores and classes, we couldn't afford to take too much time off.

So, we decided to go to the Zoo.

Yes, you read right, THE ZOO. OUR NATIONAL ZOO.

After 10 years of being together with 2 of them of being married together, we finally got a date at the zoo. I remember requesting a visit to the zoo in the early years of our relationship. Well, better late than never!

The last time I went to our zoo was when I was 9 or 10 years old. Now, with my love and better appreciation for animals, I got to enjoy the visit even more. 

Here are some highlights and dislikes of my visit. The 'dislikes' had nothing to do with the special date but some observations I had of our National Zoo and some tourists' attitudes and behaviours.

Highlights

1. The entry fee, including for access to the Panda sanctuary, is in general, affordable. I don't mind contributing to our zoo. 
2. I can see some improvements are being done at the moment. A good sign perhaps that the zoo is looking into improving enclosures for the animals and efforts are underway to make visits for tourists even more memorable.
3. We got to ride a PINK tram, to Husbie's dismay.
4. LOVE the picture souvenirs. There are different types of frames to go with your polaroids. My ultimate fave would be the Panda frames. RM30 each.
5. Many of the animals are generally well taken care of with some exceptions. Further elaborations on the matter will be under my 'Dislikes'.
6. Staff are super helpful and friendly.
7. Mid-way during our visit, my feet were hurting so bad I just had to go back to the car to change into my FlipFlops. The security marked my ticket, allowed me to go to the carpark and come back in to continue with our day. Wohooo!
8. I got to feed the Orang Utan which was good. However, my actions raised some minor confusion with one Australian couple. They thought I was feeding them on my own accord for our own entertainment. The person even narrated it in her video cam for the folks back home! NO WAY OK!!! I know better. They didn't see the caretaker standing next to me and passing me the bananas to feed Maya and Rukiah (the names of the female Orang Utans). The caretaker was not as fluent in English so I had to explain to them that the zoo has a very strict policy in feeding animals and the caretaker next to me was the one who gave permission and passed me the bananas. Hmpphh! Perhaps, the caretakers and staff at the zoo should update their uniform to a green coloured shirt with khaki pants. The black staff shirt clearly doesn't work!
9. We almost got Hippo Poop splattered on our persons. Yes, this is a highlight I guess cos' it was funny. We escaped of course but the Hubs couldn't stop laughing.
10. We got to spend a whole day at the zoo! Due to the rain, we had to take shelter in one of their restaurants. I think it is the only restaurant there ala-ala KFC. Hmm...I remember a KFC or was it an A&W in the zoo when I was little. What happened? Sayangnyer!

Dislikes

1. Finding out that tourists continue to disregard notices and throw ciggies, plastic, aluminium cans and rubbish into animal enclosures and feed the animals junkfood. 
2. Tourists not respecting animals. There was this couple who posed for pictures with their foot on top of the Galapagos Turtles' back. Shame on you!!! 
3. The male lion looked old or sickly. I mean it's well enough and I know the Zoo is trying their best with limited funds. 
4. I observed for myself, for the first time, how animals in the zoo, specifically the Malayan Tiger and the Grizzly Bear in our National Zoo, are suffering from what they call stereotypy. You see, this happens a lot to captive animals. The animal would pace back and forth or in circles continuously. Some may even proceed to self-harm or injury and even excess self-grooming. Major factors to the cause of stereotypy include small enclosures, artificial environments and lack of mental stimulation. There are solutions to stereotypy. Just hope the zoo's veterinary team is in the midst of identifying the best method to help the animals or execution for a solution is already underway. 
5. The food and drinks in the zoo are too expensive. A drink can cause up to RM5. Haiyohh!
6. Repetitive types of animals in different enclosures. I think there were three separate enclosures for tapirs alone at different areas in the zoo.

So, here's a picture of the corny picture with the Panda frame we took at the Zoo. Currently residing at the Hubs' office, hopefully making him smile everyday when he gazes at it.

Do visit and support our National Zoo. It is worth it! In fact, if you can spare the time, they even have volunteer programmes for those interested.

It's Hard to Part Ways

I just had to write this post and publish it today. Deviating a bit from my usual "Happy Jar" focus. I think so far, maybe twice I've written with an angry or somber undertone. Today's post will be a mixture of happiness, feeling blessed, sadness and anger all at the same time.

For those close to me, two of my cats gave birth to kittens totalling to 8 little furries, all male except for one. Husbie wants to keep one so I had advertised on my FB since July for the seven for those interested. With help of friends and my own screening process, we allocated them to lovely homes and loving owners. Alhamdulillah.

This picture where Husbie was holding the Ginger bou-cats sealed the deal. I was relieved cos' I had many queries about the others but very slow response to the Gingers. 

Below is a picture of Aswad, one of the earliest to be adopted. I don't advertise the breed mixture on FB due to concerns that some may just adopt those which are assumed more special than others. I don't charge money either as I believe that a life is not to be sold. My only condition is that one can commit to taking care of it whole heartedly.

Below is a picture of what the new family has called "Blackie". The only female among the lot.

It was hard for me to part ways with all of them but with baby planning on the way and studying part time as well as taking care of household chores, I know I will not be able to manage.

This is Yoda in his new cat bed at his new place. He was the earliest to be adopted.

Same goes for Yogi, the earliest to be adopted.

What grinds me was the update on Yoda and Yogi I received this morning. To cut the story short, though the owners suspect it was the doing of other bigger animals, I am of the view that it is someone sadistic living nearby. Both Yoda and Yogi were found dead, bleeding with scratches and cuts this morning. The new owners and I are of course devastated.  The funny thing was the cage they were kept in was neatly opened and shut. No noise whatsoever, no messed up areas near the cage. The other cats in the cage next to theirs were not even messed about. It was as though they were marked. Thinking how afraid they were at their last moments makes me want to go find the culprit and kick him/her/them in the teeth! Cruel cruel just plain cruel! You will get yours soon!

I warned the owners that they better bring in the other cats into the house today. Whomever might just come back for a source to vent their sadistic nature.

R.I.P. Yoda and Yogi. 

Vanilla Sky - Laksa Sarawak

It was one of those hectic Fridays at work where generally my appetite had gone out the window and the Hubs had to forced me to have lunch. Yes, forced, I kid you not. If not for lunch, we wouldn't be able to have any sit-down meal together that day as in the evening he had a corporate-do he had to attend to.

I couldn't go far from the office and so did he. So, we opted for this new place he heard about, Vanilla Sky, located at G-residence, one of my "dream-to-own" properties. Supposedly famous for their Laksa Sarawak.

I totally fell in love with the ambience. Love, love, love, but Husbie still had to ask me to put down my phone and "take-a-break" from work. Just focus on having lunch with him. Anyways, getting sidetracked here. I absolutely adore the decor and colourful walls. It does give life to the restaurant. Worth the break time. Definitely worked in calming my nerves.

To bring some Sarawak flair to the restaurant, they even have a dedicated corner for tribal masks.

Now, on to the good stuff. Their Laksa Sarawak. I've had Laksa Sarawak three times in my lifetime. The first time was from my Sarawakian Aunty's cooking for raya many years back. The second was during my visit in Sarawak where I got dissapointed, maybe cos' I went to the wrong place or something. The third was again during Raya a few years back at a friend's.

For this, I must say it is pleasantly good. Enough of the trimmings without the thought "Aiyoo, so kedekut one!". The mihun was nicely cooked. The gravy...goodness gracious, NYUMSS! Add some sambal to your liking and walla...PERFECT! I didn't even waste any on my white blouse...must have slurped the whole bowl without any spills. 

If Laksa Sarawak or any kind of Laksa was never your thing, they have other options too. Their lunch promo looks interesting and I see the girls next to my table ordering some of it. They left earlier and I saw that their plates were clean. Definitely a good sign.

Oh, and another plus to their many plusses. See that painting at the corner there? The one where the dude is dressed up in a dress (my fave painting in Vanilla Sky by the way)? If you go further in, you can see that the walls are decorated all the way up to the washroom. Here's the plus, their washrooms are super clean and well managed. I can see no probs in having long girly seshs here.

If you ever want to sample a fusion of Borneo fare or any other comfort food with local flavours, then this is the place to be. The address of Vanilla Sky and opening hours are as follows:

G10 G Village Desa Pandan

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Mon-Sat- 9.30 a.m. - 9.30 p.m.. Closed on Sundays.

Redeeming my #JakelSelfieJumbo prize

Earlier in the month, I had received a message from Jakel informing me that I was one of the lucky winners to have won a prize from my previous purchase and hashtag on insta.

So, I snuck off slightly early from work to stop by Jakel Mall to pick it up. It was already late in the week and my mission was to go in and leave ASAP to escape the KL jam. The prize was basically free 4 metres fabric of my choosing from a designated Room/Section in Jakel. Whilst choosing and sending pics to Husbie for his views, I cuci-cuci mata and surveyed other designs not included as part of the prize to choose from. 

Ooooh, I think my hubs made the right decision to not accompany me. So cantiiiikk!!! 

Takper, takper, next time. Plus, just sent mine to the tailors takkan nak beli lagi?!

Hard day at work can still smile ar!

Adele - Hello

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The wait is over peeps!

Adele is dropping her new album, 25, the first after FOUR years, this 20th Nov 2015.

ARGHHHHHHH! Tak sabaq hang!

Absolutely adore her!

That Time of The Year Again

Hi Peeps.

Just want to inform all that my blog will be undergoing some minor changes specifically to the design. All should be finalised this week, Insya Allah. 

So one minute you might view it in a different format and the next, a different one all together. 

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Thank you for your kind support. 

World Handbag Day

Did you gals know that today is World Handbag Day? I didn't know that it even exists in the first place! 

I generally would categorise myself as one of those ladies with a minimal to moderate collection. Nothing to the point of filling a room to the brim. Among them, I of course have a few that I favour over others. This is referring to handbags alone ok? Excluding my fave clutches and minaudieres.

To commemorate my own personal recognition of World Handbag Day this year, thought I'd dedicate a posting on one of my most precious and cherished handbag, on what I'd like to think as an heirloom. An heirloom usually entails a precious item that has been shared and passed down through several generations. However, for this item, I'm not really sure it has reached that level as yet but Insya Allah my future daughters will take it upon them to appreciate and keep it nicely among their collection.

In the first year back in KL from the UK, I lost my beloved grandmother. My late grandmother was not a rich lady. She had a tough upbringing and an even tougher life. But what she lacked in financial riches, Allah granted her rezeki in many other ways. From her many hardships, she turned out to be a very independent, resourceful and hardworking woman. She was a very special woman in my life and one from whom I will remember the many knowledge, kindness and advice I've counted on throughout.

From her passing, my late grandmother left her whole cupboard consisting of her precious chinas and other memorabilia to me. Among them, is this beautiful leather handbag and pair of shoes. I think it's Crocodile? Or is it Alligator?  Not really sure what they used for handbags and shoes back then. It has that rustic colour to it. With a combination of a few shades of brown and gold clasps. 

My late grandparents from my mother's side were very poor. So when one day, my late grandfather returned home and surprised my late grandmother with these, she obviously cherished it so much that she even kept it nicely among her collection for family and guests to see, many many years after his passing. Among the few of her luxury items in life.

I keep it in a glass cabinet, on the top shelf. Solely dedicated for my late grandmother's handbag and shoes collection. It's so precious that I'm even scared to send it to a Professional Bag Cleaner. Afraid they'd spoil it or claim it's lost or something. It's a piece of family history kot! No way can I take such risks! 

So for World Handbag Day, I'd like to pay tribute through this blog posting of my late grandmother's leather handbag. May it retain its elegance throughout just like my late grandmother.

Happy World Handbag Day!

Kitty Rescue

It was the Friday after Eid Al-Adha. Whilst most were on leave,  I was given the honour of manning the office for a potential meeting that evening.

I wasn't in the mood for Mamak food that morning. So, I went to the only Kakak stall which was opened for breakfast. Whilst waiting for my turn, I couldn't help but look at this white kitty lounging about near the stall. The tail was fluffy and it looked lost i.e. not really sure how to fend for itself. Plus, I've never seen her here before.

I went near her and she didn't run away. The Uncle cleaner nearby gave her some kibble and she was munching away despite having other cats eyeing her portion. She was so hungry that she even chased kibbles which rolled into the grassy patch. I took pics of her and sent it to my friend. Without my knowledge, at first, she even went to put in up on her timeline. What surprised me was that many were eager to adopt her.

So, after work, I went in search for her. Within 5 minutes, I found her taking refuge from the sun under a car. Overnight, we fostered her and the next morning I passed her on to her new family. 

Initially, I thought it was a case whereby she got dumped after giving birth to kittens and the usual 'keep kittens throw mummy' case. It turned out that after a visit to the vet, she's actually mid-way towards her pregnancy. So, the new family will have to find homes for the kittens soon.

What I'm trying to get here is that those who commit to have pets, please understand that your pet is an extension of your family. It is a lifetime commitment. If let's say you can't keep it, take responsibility and find a new loving home with owners who can commit. Believe it or not, animals do have feelings and emotions. For those with children, not only can they teach children to understand and develop empathy but also responsibility that goes to taking care of your extended family.

Out of the Ordinary - Symptoms of UTI

So a few weeks back, I got the cherry berries. Following that incident, I had this persistent pain on my left side for five days straight. So the hubs and I went to the nearest clinic. The doctor concurred that my tummy was just regulating itself post the cherry berries so most likely it's just wind.

A week went by and the pain got worst. It was to the point that I could not even walk. Everytime I stepped on the floor it felt like many needles were piercing my feet. Then the fever came. In the middle of the night, the pain persisted. I was already crying here thinking maybe my appendix burst and if anything goes awry, what's gonna happen to my hubs, my cats and my family. What about all the stuff I worked on for the Firm? Will it all just go to waste? (Yes, drama queen here. Nangis sorang-sorang tengah malam). Through my tears, I navigated google via phone to find out that if there was trouble with my appendix, the pain would be on the right side instead of your left. So that eliminated appendix related issues from my worries.

In the morning, Husbie took leave from work to accompany his wife to the clinic. Did a urine test and lo and behold, I have UTI. There was even a little blood in it. Not visible to the naked eye. 

The thing is I didn't even have problems going to the toilet. 

Previous UTI's I've had was the usual, not drinking a lot of water so I'd have to top up with some citric salts. Even then it was ages ago.

The main indicator would be trouble or pain doing Number 1. Not this time. It was just pain on my left side and both my feet. It's not common to have such a link i.e. the pain at your sides and feet but it does happen. I was prescribed some pain killers and antibiotics.

Fast forward to today, it went away but came back again after two days. This time round, upon another visit to the clinic, Doc sent my urine for lab testing. She suspects the antiobiotics didn't work for the strain of bacteria or something like that.

The point is, you can't take this lightly. Mom already recommended that I visit a gynae soon. May also be beneficial to identify one I'm most comfortable with for future births. For now, waiting for the lab results, guzzling on cranberry juice and surveying on costs for gynae and which hospital to visit.

So ladies, don't second guess when it pertains to your health especially the well-being of your nether regions. 

He Got Soul

One day, on our drive home from work, my current fave song, Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor ft John Legend, was on the radio. It has been my fave for the past few months and I am not sick of it yet. I was already singing along to the song. Nothing is as good as listening to one of your fave tunes to distress and end the day.

Moi' : Why won't you dedicate a song to me on the radio? Cheesy yes but at least it's agak romantic. Do I need to enrol you in How To Be Romantic 101?

Husbie: Hey, I can do better than that. I can sing for you!

 @______@"  (Oh God Nooooo!)

Husbie: (He starts belting one of his supposedly original songs)



"Air Pasaaaang Pagiiiiii, Suuuuuuruuuut Pukul Limaaaaaa" (To the tune of I'm Gonna Lose You)



Moi': Oh my gawdddd, please stooopp! Macam mix RnB and Nasyid!

Husbie: Muahhaahahhahaah

He got soul baby!