Snack Time

The awesome part of being a kid means sitting there with a bowl of your favourite snack, sharing it with your best bud and all the time in the world.

At My Parents

I bring Bubs every now and then to my parents' house for a few hours whenever Hubs is busy with work so:

• They get to play with him
• I get a breather from looking after him
• Hubs gets a break from the both of us 

They love gardening so their garden has quite a number of plants. Aren't these pretty? I've no idea what kind of plant this is but I love how bushy and filled with flowers it is.

Look what I found at their house - their wedding invitation! Considering that they've been married for more than 40 years, the invite is still in amazing condition, albeit a little yellowed, with the original RSVP card still inside. Do you still keep your wedding invitations?

My Favourite Things

No raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens at the moment but here are a few of my favourite things:

Yes, I'm a total lemming. I was smitten by this Zara tulip lace dress after spotting it on Kate Middleton and a few other fashion bloggers. I love the curves of its tulip silhouette and the bonded lace is actually very similar to my other Topshop pencil dress.

We use mainly cloth diapers on Bubs and this is one of my favourites on him, it has such Harajuku attitude complete with ganguro wearing hulas, vampires and sumo wrestlers! It's handmade by the talented and fabulous Mama Sewbulous who unfortunately isn't taking any more orders.

The highlight of living in Penang is having the best assam laksa ever. The soup is a very tangy  balance between sour and spicy, I love the slippery noodles, the crunch of the fresh veggies and (if the seller is particularly generous) the chunks of fish. Hubs got me hooked on the habit of dipping fried spring rolls into the piquant soup. I've also seen customers ordering just a bowl of the soup, leaving their spring rolls inside it to soak before wolfing them down. Do you eat fried spring rolls with your laksa?

How Pretty

Image via Between peace and happinness

Is this nail polish from Deborah Lippmann! Whimsically named Glitter in the Air, this is such a sweet shade.

An Evening Walk

I've been taking Bubs out nearly daily for evening walks before dinner time to burn off excess energy so he'll eat dinner without much fussing and go to bed earlier.

He gets all excited whenever he saw ants, frantically pointing at them and keeps saying "anna".

We found a snail and he stared solemnly at it for a while.

The gardeners planted some vegetables at an empty spot of land. I spotted birds eye chilli, ladies fingers, sugar cane (I think, or is that bamboo?) and papaya trees.

People grew some pretty flowers in pots and flower beds on the pavements. I like how cheerful they look instead of the dreary concrete.

It was a beautiful evening. Bubs wanted to look for dogs and the neighbors had quite a few. He stood in front of the gates going "wov wov" and waved at them. That kid has a fearless streak in him. I don't know where he gets it from. Certainly not me. I plucked him away from strays and carried him kicking and screaming until we were a considerable distance away. I was pondering what would I do if a stray started to attack us. Throw Bubs to safety over the gate of some house without a dog inside and jump on top of a car?

Kebaya

When I was younger, I could remember all the older female relatives of my family donning kebayas for special occasions like weddings and birthdays. Their kebayas were often gauzy, all shades of the rainbow and always intricately embroidered. When paired with colourful mua (sarongs), they reminded me of butterflies, fluttering around the room.

Left to right:
1. Fuchsia one that I wore during our registration of marriage. I wanted to wear a kebaya during our wedding but everyone else vetoed the idea.

2. Bright blue one bought from (all of places!) Sydney. There was a designer collaborating with Australian brand Sportsgirl and they had a range of kebaya.

3. and 4. Mint green and white ones from my Grandma's closet. Dad told me that his mum mostly sewed her own kebayas. Before she passed away, she gave Mum and I all of her collection. They're a bit loose on me so I usually pair them with tighter skirts/jeans.

Say Cheese

This pic makes me laugh out loud each time I see him. We didn't have the heart to tell the budding lil photographer that he left the lens cap on :)

A Sprinkle of Hearts

I literally *heart* this street art project my friends did. They stuck red paper hearts around Penang and watched people's reactions to it.

All photography are by my friends. 

Such a simple and effective way to bring joy, don't you think? :)

If you're wondering about the metal rod sculptures, these are part of Penang's art projects that have been pooping up around the heritage zone based on cartoons. They explain how certain streets got their names and their historical significance in a humourous way.

Little H's 1st Birthday, Salmon and Sequins

EL and I have been friends since college, she was the one that taught me how to walk around in heels and I've fond memories of the time we both decided to skip classes to be mall rats for the entire day *grins* It was her daughter's first birthday last weekend.

All the kids went crazy over the Sesame Street themed cake, particularly Elmo. Bubs kept pointing at it and going "ehmo".

The place had lots of beautiful vases with flowers, they were so pretty but I was terrified that Bubs might accidentally break something.

I wore this gauzy blue tulle skirt with silver embroidery on it. I got it from the kids department at Somerset Bay years ago. My deepest darkest fashion secret is that I love shopping for my clothes at kids stores. The sizes often run big and there are so much cute stuff, not to mention the prices are a lot cheaper!

Whenever we're at a mall and if Bubs is hungry, we always head to Sakae Sushi. I like how Hubs and I can snack on yummy sashimi and we get grilled salmon for Bubs. I like to put heaps of wasabi with soya so tears stream down my cheeks. I'm sadistic, I know.

My Zara sequined clutch finally arrived in the mail! It was sold out everywhere and nearly impossible to get. I preferred the gold version but it was selling for nearly double the price on Ebay so I settled for the black sequins. It's one of the largest clutches I've ever had and can fit all my junk inside nicely without bulging or becoming a weird shape. I love, love, love how it jazzes up a casual tee and jeans outfit and can't wait to rock it with dressier options.

Beautiful Blooms

 How pretty are these flowers from Amy Merrick? Just the best thing to cheer up a wet and rainy Sunday morning. Hope you guys are having a lovely weekend!

Trying Out Rainbow Cake in a Jar

I was inspired by the idea of baking in jars after reading this blog post and decided to give the rainbow cake in a jar a go.

Rainbow Cake in Jar

• 1 box white cake mix made according to package instructions
• Neon food coloring in pink, yellow, green, turquoise, and purple
• 3 one-pint canning jars
• 1 can vanilla frosting
• Rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly wash and dry the inside of each canning jar. Spray the inside of each jar thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Scoop about 1/2 cups of cake batter into five small bowls. It doesn’t have to be perfect, don’t panic if you get a little more of less of one color than another.  Tint each bowl of cake batter with the food coloring until very vibrant.
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the purple batter into the bottom of each jar.  Spoon equal amounts of turquoise batter, then green, yellow, and pink.  Place the jars in a shallow baking dish, add about 1/4″ in water in the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

I used AmeriColor gels and didn't realised that I should have gotten primary colours so I could have done more colours.

It was nerve wrecking trying to layer the coloured batter layer by layer. I was so nervous that it'd all get mixed up. These kind of remind me of those coloured sand in jars that was popular a few years back.

I was really surprised the glass jars didn't crack during baking in the oven. Can't wait to try more baking in jars!

Vanishing Memories: Downing St + Beach St

I've always loved this bit of junction where Downing Street meets Beach Street. Though I'd hate to admit that banks can be anything but bloodsucking, the HSBC and Standard Charted buildings are elegant works of art deco style. Did you know that these two are the first banks to arrive on our shores in Penang, making them the earliest banks in Malaysia? I've seen quite a few wedding shoots at this location.

Happy Days with Grandpa

These photos taken sneakily when both Bubs and my Dad are caught unaware make my heart melt. Special moments of Grandpa bonding with his grandchild :)

Skater Boy and the Weekend

Now that Bubs no longer wears onesies (can't get over the fact that my lil baby is now a toddler) when he goes out, I've been trying out a few styles for him. This is the part where Hubs would go "Style? What style? He'd happily run around nekkid if we let him!" This weekend, I tried skater boy style for him.

This funky tee is from his Australian Godma. Does she have fantastic taste or what.

We colour coordinated our outfits. My top is originally a tunic that was too long to be paired with jeans but too indecent to be worn alone. So I tucked it into a skirt. Voila, a new outfit!

I love coconuts and I love jelly, so there was no way I'd turn down a chance to eat coconut jelly. Have you ever eaten one of these before? The top of the coconut is removed so the swirls of coconut flesh and water inside are mixed with jelly to become the most luscious dessert ever. It is so refreshing, not too sweet and very coconutty. It was so good, I'd two of this at one sitting.

One of the best things in life is mee goreng with sotong (cuttlefish) at Edgecumbe Road Pasembor & Mee Goreng, Kompleks Makanan Persiaran Gurney. You know what's even better than mee goreng with sotong? Mee goreng sotong with pasembur! Describing mee goreng as stir fried noodles is such an understatement. Imagine a plate of wok fried perfection noodles, spicy greasiness, with bean curd chunks, soft potato squares, strips of cuttlefish and garnished with half a calamansi or wedge of lime.

Pasembur on the other hand, is harder to explain, I think it's called Indian Rojak in Singapore. It's like a mixed salad (this sounds deceptively healthy) of julienned turnips and cucumber and this is the kicker, you can add on anything you want: there are cuttlefish, fried boiled eggs (the eggs are boiled first before being fried to get a crispy coating), all kinds of fritters from potato to shrimp and all of these are then drenched generously with a spicy, sweet sauce.

After such a heavy meal,  we burned off the calories by indulging in heavy duty shopping at Gurney Plaza. Well, I was the one doing the shopping, while Hubs and Bubs tagged along. I got this black and white bird print top and gold, glittery ballet flats. Hubs told me to click my heels together 3 times and I'll "disappear to Wonder Land". He got Alice and Dorothy mixed up ;)

Of Sweet Treats and Fit Flops

It's been a really sweet week.

My cousin J gave birth to the sweetest baby girl with a thick shock of black hair. I was so enthralled at the little darling and listening to her birth story (I've a secret fascination for birth stories) that I forgot to take any photos. Sorry.

It was Mum-In-Law's birthday and we went to a restaurant that had the most abysmal service. The highlight of the dinner was this piece of wonder. Layers upon delicate layers sandwiched with vanilla cream. I can never stop at just a single serving of Humble Beginnings mille crepes. Or two. Or three.

MA's birthday was also this week so we celebrated in the office pantry with boxes of J Co mini donuts. These are perfect as you get to taste a bit of most of the flavours that they have, not to mention the tiny sizes are so cutesy.

I was trying to take what I thought would be a dainty bite from the donut and ended up with chocolate all over. I know. Classy.

This is Le Petite showing a close up of her tiramisu donut. She always has perfectly manicured nails.

Have you heard of Fit Flops? When they were first launched, I thought they were hideous and reminded me of a tamer version of what the Spice Girls would wear.

 After seeing the Glamazon wear them, I think I'm a convert now. This pair looks really minimalist and stylish on her. They're supposed to be really good for your feet but aren't exactly cheap which is why I haven't splurged on them. Glamazon reasoned with me saying that I should just get a pair of these and not get any other pairs of shoes for the rest of the year, ever. Which is a good point except that Topshop just called to let me know that the pair of gold glitter ballet flats I've ordered have arrived.

What do you think of Fit Flops? Fashion do or don't?

Good Friend Seafood, Teluk Kumbar

If you're after a seafood experience with a difference, you have to try Good Friend Seafood at Teluk Kumbar. It's a bit of a drive if you're heading from town but well worth the effort.

 

It's in an unassuming village style house with clusters of little houses close by. Coconut trees growing next to houses in Penang are becoming a rare sight. That's the famous satay stall under a coconut tree. It's 80 cents for a stick of awesomeness.

Some people scoff at the idea of eating seafood in a place without air conditioning, with sand as its flooring and trees right next to you. Oh yes, and the occasional fly buzzing around, depending on the season.

Not I, especially when the view is this breathtaking and the seafood is as fresh as it is cheap. Plus the joy of watching your toddler stomping and kicking his feet into sand.

You'll Never Believe ...

The crazy night I had.

Pre Bubs, this statement would usually be tied to wild exploits of the night before and loads of one upmanship.

Post Bubs, this usually involves a combination of in the middle of the night wailing, having to rock or pat him back to sleep or goodness knows what he has has in store for us. But last night really took the cake.

He was having a cold for the past few days, nothing too serious apart from a snuffly nose and a chesty cough. So he decided it would be fun to stay up waaaaay past his bedtime until midnight. At least I think it was midnight. Somewhere between his going up and down the bed for the Nth time, talking to himself and bouncing all over the bed, I know for a fact I passed out before he did.

At 3.30am, Bubs woke up wailing again, this time with a mild fever. It was a nightmare trying to get him to take the paracetamol, he was crying, kicking around, turning his head from left to right to avoid having to swallow it.

When we'd gotten him to finally choke down all of it, he flat out refused to go back to sleep. He ran to the living room and kept pointing at the front door. There was so much fussing and teary protests from him that Hubs and I took him down to the garden for a walk. Yes, at 4am in the wee hours of the morning. After (what seemed like a) long stroll, we went back indoors again.

Again, Bubs didn't want to go anywhere near his bed, screaming at the top of his little lungs that we were debating if we should bring him to the emergency department. So Hubs again had the brilliant idea of taking him out for a drive. Never mind that it was already close to 4.30am and no one was around on the roads. After a few minutes of driving around, he gave a little yawn. We waited with bated breath. His head started to nod down and his lashes swept his chubby cheeks. Success!

As expected, the next day he was still sleepy and slept and extra long afternoon nap. All's well again.

A Stitch in Time

Like many nonyas of their generation, both my grannies were good in embroidery as well as sewing and made their own kebayas themselves. Mum wasn't keen on it and was more interested in cross stitch so I grew up watching her sitting there regularly with her needle in her hand deftly stitching out colourful pictures.

This amazing cross stitch ad brought back many memories. Georg Jensen commissioned artist Inge Jacobsen to cross-stitch 8 sensational pieces of art for the autumn/winter 2011-12 based on catwalk queen Freja Beha Erichsen.

Hearts All A Flutter

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and what better way to get into the spirit than to ...

Proudly wear your heart in all colours and sequins of course at ban.do

Tie a knot around your finger to remember all moments, precious and special at sparklethots 

Literally wear your heart on your sleeve, a DIY here

Love is sweet, literally at Le Cupcake

Gorgeous blossoms, as seen here