January recap!

Busy busy busy! but here I am updating instead of doing an assignment.

So January has been rather packed and interesting. Trying to spend as much time with my Aussie-bound friends before they head back (though half of them already have boo!). Started the second year of my Bachelor of Psychology degree @ HELP and classes have been pretty alright. Taking child abuse as an elective so that's gonna be eye opening and a little hard to swallow. Still haven't stepped foot in the gym this year (I can see Hazel rolling her eyes) and oh, I am officially 100% single after a 5 year roller coaster ride. Sounds like a complete 180 from my new years post but well, it is definitely for the best :)

Besides that, my sister turned 16 on the 6th. I can't believe she's all grown up. So thankful she's not one of those rebellious teens so eager to grow up :') Anyway, we threw her a sweet 16 party at Tropicana's ballroom last Friday. It was a pretty fun night with my huge huge huge family and I surprisingly managed to knock down 8 glasses of white wine and still walk in my 5inch Steve Maddens. What? :p It takes skills.

Tried to pull off a slightly edgy look with the studs & bangs.

Nothing can compare to the love of family.

Besides that, it's been constant cravings and making my tummy happy :)

SS3 pork mee @ Kean Fatt.
I've always ate mine with kuey teow but I tried the meehoon and I think I like that better.
Is it weird that I like pork intestines? Hahaha. Liver is gross, though.

The creators of a bowl of porky goodness.
I went on a weekday at 11 so I only had to wait 20 minutes for my bowl :)

1) I love Fatty Crab for their amazing chicken wings. I can skip the crab :p
2) PANMEEEE. Been a loyal Super Kitchen customer, need to try Kin Kin soon.

Tried out Milk & Butter @ Telawi.
The food was a bit of a disappointment & I doubt I'll head back there.
Shall stick to The Red Beanbag for awesome western brunches!

1) Halal hokkien mee @ Penang Street. I love the sweetness of the sauce.
2) Fusion food @ Wondermama! Definitely heading back there to try out more of their interesting menu.

1) Mahalo burger @ Fat Boys. nomnomnom.
2) My typical dimsum must haves from Jin Xuan, DJ.
If you want dimsum through out the day, this is your place! Opens until 11pm :)

On a side note, I'm performing a set @ Saints bar, The Strand on Saturday night around 10pm.

Set list:

All Too Well - T.Swift.
Red - T.Swift.
I Knew You Were Trouble - T.Swift.

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

The Only Exception - Paramore.

Titanium - Guetta.

Try - Pink

Heaven - Bryan Adams

The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson

Use Somebody - Pixie Lott

If you like those songs (or even if you don't), stop by! :)

Bait.

My new high waisted skirt from Topshop ($32 only!) & Kate Spade bag.

(p.s: please ignore my face in all the pictures, I had not slept for a day).

My first Friday night of the year back in Malaysia and I wanted to try out a new seafood restaurant called Bait on Telawi that I read about on eatdrinkkl. It seemed promising and I've been craving a lot of seafood recently but that's probably cause I had to stay away from it for a month due to my belly piercing.

Our little alcoholic. Ordered two drinks at one go, tsk tsk.

Appetizers:

Calamari.
We were basically eating batter. The squids were so tiny and so disappointing.

Fresh oysters (RM9 each).
Fresh, but some were rather tiny.

Mushrooms w beef bacon.
This was really yummy. I'd go back there to munch on this with a beer/cocktail.

Entrees:

Fish & chips.
The beer-battered Dory was rather good but the chips were bland.

Seafood linguine aglio olio.
Pretty decent. Nothing to shout about.

Butter-poached salmon.

The fish was severely lacking seasoning but I liked the potato croutons.

The bill came up to RM400+ (including 6 cocktails). My meals really affect my mood and for RM110, I left Bait feeling like this:

We went over to The Social for dessert and drinks to hopefully make up for the sad dinner but the desserts were far less from satisfying and after a drink, we were thinking of another place to head to.

We've all been wanting to try Snow Beer for awhile now but that's all the way in Cheras. Read online that Page 2 in Publika had something similar so we decided to try it out.

It's called a Heineken frosty.
Pretty much a beer smoothie that melts really fast hahaha.

Ended the night at Mamak Anderson where we had some really serious talks about the future. Poor Justin, we probably scared him a little seeing how he was the only guy and guys don't usually do serious talks :p

So what else have I been up to since I've been back?

I got a new hair cut. Yay or nay?

Besides that, it's been food food food.

Yet another yummy brunch @ The Red Beanbag. I love love love this place.

 

Mentaiko udon & salmon sashimi @ Zakuro. 

     

Noodles noodles noodles!

There's no place like Malaysia when it comes to food.

354.

2012 to me was just a continuation from 2011. Things were still falling in and out of place and my family and I were still adjusting to life after my mum's death in April 2011. It was yet another trying year for me, but I can honestly say it has taught me so much and I now know exactly what I want and where I want my life to go.

At first I thought of opening up and getting into detail about all the ups and downs that I went through but I decided against it because it's in the past. Despite all the pain, anxiety, heartbreak, confusion and emptiness, right now, I am happy.

I'm the closest I've ever been to my family and it took a breakdown for that to happen but I am so glad because I have the best relationship with my father now. Being able to call him and just cry for 5 minutes about anything that is bothering me has become very comforting and I feel safe. I love my dad for everything he is and how he tries so hard everyday to give his kids everything that we want and keep us happy. I know it's not easy for him to try and wear my mum's shoes but he is doing a damn good job at it. I'm so proud to be his daughter and all I want to do is make him proud in return for all the trust, faith and love he has shown me.

I've come to accept that none of my past relationships have worked because of one guy. One very special guy who despite everything, is still in my life right now. He brings out the best and worst in me and though our situation is still not ideal, it's heading in the right direction. He makes me the happiest and I'm ready to just stay put and make it work.

2013 started off in the most amazing way. Like a dream come true. I am so lucky.
It's hard to think that the year isn't only gonna get better because I can feel it in me. I am ready to be better. Here's to a year with more happiness than sorrow, because it would be delusional to think that the ups don't come with the downs.

Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting.

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/14/us/connecticut-school-shooting/index.html

The world is without a doubt full of psychos roaming around and as a psychology student, I understand that some people have mental disorders and at times, crimes can fall under the insanity defense but to target and kill 20 innocent children is just plain inhumane.

The only question people can ask is "why?"

Watching the videos and reading the different articles surfacing online, I can't help but cry seeing the terror and shock in the faces of the students and parents. You send your child to school for them to get an education in order to have a bright future and school at that young age is a sanctuary to many kids. Now what? How long will it take for these young children to get over the fear and trauma of such a horrible incident? To be able to walk back into those halls without remembering the lives that were taken away so horribly?

How can it not impair their own cognition? They have been robbed of their innocence.

To the children who saw their friends & teachers being killed, who saw the pools of blood on the floor, who's bodies were covered in blood splatter. The kids who had bullets just nearly missing them.

My heart goes out to all you and to the families and loved ones affected. I know what it's like to lose a loved one with no warning, with no chance to really say goodbye. My deepest condolences.

May those beautiful children rest in peace.

Coffee Société #2

All you have to do is throw on a blazer and pumps with your jeans to look classy.

Returned to Coffee Société in Publika twice last week because I simply love it there. Once on my own for a little me time + studying and the 2nd time with Ben for our weekly tea sessions :)

Cappuccino.

Hot Chocolate.

Fish & Chips.

BLT Sandwich.

Creme Brûlée.

Mixed Berry Meringue.

Nothing to complain about anything except that the meringue was very disappointing (Alexis for the win!). The creme brûlée tasted better than the ones I've tried around KL except the custard wasn't think enough, but I can look past that :)

Random things about this week:
1. I pierced my belly & honestly think taking blood is more painful.
2. I got 56/60 for my psych 112 midterms!
3. I haven't gone to the gym in 4 weeks (and I probably won't for awhile longer..)

4. My dad agreed to something that I never in a million years thought he would. EVER.

and the most interesting thing about this week;

5. My first session.

Have a lovely weekend guys!

Coffee Société.

OOTD for a lazy day out :)

Ben and I had one of our usual coffee dates and we decided to just walk around Publika until we found a cafe that interested us. The moment we walked past Coffee Société, the ambiance totally had us.

It's one of those cosy cafes you could expect to find overseas and I'm so glad to see more and more joints like this opening up in the KL area :)

We both had a cappuccino (RM7.50) and shared their grilled chicken (RM19).

Their coffees were awarded Top 5 coffees in Malaysia by TimeOutKL, so that says it.

The chicken was tender. Especially the bed of mash underneath, so goooood!

They also have a selection of cakes, I mean, which cafe doesn't? But Ben and I were trying to stick on the healthy side today so we skipped them. Though, I saw the guy at the table beside mine having a really huge slice of something yummy which I am going back to try! Been looking for a cosy cafe to study as my finals are in less than a month and I'm pretty sure I'll be making Coffee Société one of my go to places.

Also, check out my latest cover:

The XX - Angels.

I've been quite obsessed with The XX recently and their songs just really hit home. The moment I heard Angels, I knew I had to sing it. It may not be one of the best songs to show my voice, but the meaning behind the song overthrew that. Plus, it's my first time on the piano. Definitely something I'm gonna keep to.

Facebook link to watch it in HD :)