A little throwback to Tioman in September


It's a breezy Sunday today, very calm - although the underbelly of today feels like a pocketful of anxiety and a sort of melancholy.


On my grocery run this morning, I decided to get a coffee at a nearby coffee shop to just settle and simmer down for about an hour, on a seat unmarked with an X. To my far right, there were two aunties seemingly having a good chat about their week, joyful. Behind those ladies, a guy in thick-framed glasses had his eyes focused on his laptop, silent. A family of three came in and ordered some bagels and coffee to go. I read through some weekend newsletters in my Inbox, happy about my big mug of coffee. 


I left for home shortly not wanting to stay outdoors for too long, but glad having found a bit of normal on a breezy Sunday outside. 


---


Here are some things that I've found meaningful this past week, and I hope it'll bring you some calm:

  1. The love story that we didn't know we needed: My Octopus Teacher. I've always loved the ocean (minus my severe seasickness). There's just something about going underwater and you're all of a sudden transported into a great wilderness that's so vast and foreign yet inherently essential to the world we live in. In this Netflix documentary, filmmaker Craig Foster free-dives every single day and builds an unusual friendship with an octopus - a cephalopod of immense intelligence beyond our perception. A really good watch! 

  2. Another cinematic gem on Netflix is A Suitable Boy, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Vikram Seth. You know I'm a sucker for period dramas, Indian culture and the eye candy is definitely a massive bonus! 


  3. I don’t want to sound unreasonable
    but I need to be in love immediately.
    I can’t watch this sunset
    on 14th Street by myself.
    Everyone is walking fast
    right after therapy, texting back
    their lovers orange hearts
    and unicorns—it’s insane to me.
    They’re missing this free sunset
    willingly! Or even worse
    they’re going home to cook
    and read this sad poem online....

    Sunset on 14th Street by Alex Dimitrov, the full poem reminded me that in all the triggers and stress I might have due to work, there is a beautiful sunset that I'm currently missing; there's a pandemic still spreading. Zoom out. 


  4. I always have a soft spot for content pieces that are both amazing storytelling and also an interactive experience. And this Spooky Fall Poem by The New York Times doesn't disappoint by bringing the Halloween shivers through poetry. Click on the black and white sketches for the full effects!

  5. A note that I'd very much like to keep for the future: how to best pair wine with McDonalds



  6. An easy recipe (kind of) for my favourite WFH comfort food: Palak without Paneer.

    Step 1:
    Have a blender ready and toss in 1 bag of spinach  
    Half a bulb of garlic, depending who you're kissing
    An onion, see remark above
    A slice of ginger, for that extra kick
    Just enough water to get the blender going

    Step 2:
    Heat up 2 tbsps of olive oil in a small pot,
    Make hot spice party out of star anise, a cinnamon stick, cumin seeds
    1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of curry powder
    Add some water to get the spice party going

    Step 3:
    Once naik bau, pour in the blender party into the hot spice party
    Simmer simmer simmer
    Add salt and pepper to taste,
    Add some yoghurt or milk for that extra creaminess
    And simmer simmer simmer
    I like to add in a small blob of butter, cuz I can
    And voila! You're all set with meal prep for that working lunch for the next 2 days before you won't wanna have palak again for the next week. 



  7. Music plays such an important part in our daily life. I've been curating a playlist of songs that instantly lifts my mood every morning and analysing it, it's a growing eclectic mix of John Mayer, BeeGees, Tom Misch and Ludovico Einaudi.  

  8. Is it possible to feel creatively connected without social media?

  9. I've just found out about RAGE Coffee! Reasonably-priced coffee delivered straight to your doorstep at the click of a button on the app. If you're around the Klang Valley area, use my referral code "9LJP3S" to get RM5 off your first order. They also do a mean Miso Egg Sandwich!   

  10. A little hat competition.

 

What have you been loving? Feel free to share with me in the comments!

Brief Notes #3: Netflix Gems, Palak Recipe and Zooming Out

25.10.20

A little throwback to Tioman in September


It's a breezy Sunday today, very calm - although the underbelly of today feels like a pocketful of anxiety and a sort of melancholy.


On my grocery run this morning, I decided to get a coffee at a nearby coffee shop to just settle and simmer down for about an hour, on a seat unmarked with an X. To my far right, there were two aunties seemingly having a good chat about their week, joyful. Behind those ladies, a guy in thick-framed glasses had his eyes focused on his laptop, silent. A family of three came in and ordered some bagels and coffee to go. I read through some weekend newsletters in my Inbox, happy about my big mug of coffee. 


I left for home shortly not wanting to stay outdoors for too long, but glad having found a bit of normal on a breezy Sunday outside. 


---


Here are some things that I've found meaningful this past week, and I hope it'll bring you some calm:

  1. The love story that we didn't know we needed: My Octopus Teacher. I've always loved the ocean (minus my severe seasickness). There's just something about going underwater and you're all of a sudden transported into a great wilderness that's so vast and foreign yet inherently essential to the world we live in. In this Netflix documentary, filmmaker Craig Foster free-dives every single day and builds an unusual friendship with an octopus - a cephalopod of immense intelligence beyond our perception. A really good watch! 

  2. Another cinematic gem on Netflix is A Suitable Boy, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Vikram Seth. You know I'm a sucker for period dramas, Indian culture and the eye candy is definitely a massive bonus! 


  3. I don’t want to sound unreasonable
    but I need to be in love immediately.
    I can’t watch this sunset
    on 14th Street by myself.
    Everyone is walking fast
    right after therapy, texting back
    their lovers orange hearts
    and unicorns—it’s insane to me.
    They’re missing this free sunset
    willingly! Or even worse
    they’re going home to cook
    and read this sad poem online....

    Sunset on 14th Street by Alex Dimitrov, the full poem reminded me that in all the triggers and stress I might have due to work, there is a beautiful sunset that I'm currently missing; there's a pandemic still spreading. Zoom out. 


  4. I always have a soft spot for content pieces that are both amazing storytelling and also an interactive experience. And this Spooky Fall Poem by The New York Times doesn't disappoint by bringing the Halloween shivers through poetry. Click on the black and white sketches for the full effects!

  5. A note that I'd very much like to keep for the future: how to best pair wine with McDonalds



  6. An easy recipe (kind of) for my favourite WFH comfort food: Palak without Paneer.

    Step 1:
    Have a blender ready and toss in 1 bag of spinach  
    Half a bulb of garlic, depending who you're kissing
    An onion, see remark above
    A slice of ginger, for that extra kick
    Just enough water to get the blender going

    Step 2:
    Heat up 2 tbsps of olive oil in a small pot,
    Make hot spice party out of star anise, a cinnamon stick, cumin seeds
    1 tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of curry powder
    Add some water to get the spice party going

    Step 3:
    Once naik bau, pour in the blender party into the hot spice party
    Simmer simmer simmer
    Add salt and pepper to taste,
    Add some yoghurt or milk for that extra creaminess
    And simmer simmer simmer
    I like to add in a small blob of butter, cuz I can
    And voila! You're all set with meal prep for that working lunch for the next 2 days before you won't wanna have palak again for the next week. 



  7. Music plays such an important part in our daily life. I've been curating a playlist of songs that instantly lifts my mood every morning and analysing it, it's a growing eclectic mix of John Mayer, BeeGees, Tom Misch and Ludovico Einaudi.  

  8. Is it possible to feel creatively connected without social media?

  9. I've just found out about RAGE Coffee! Reasonably-priced coffee delivered straight to your doorstep at the click of a button on the app. If you're around the Klang Valley area, use my referral code "9LJP3S" to get RM5 off your first order. They also do a mean Miso Egg Sandwich!   

  10. A little hat competition.

 

What have you been loving? Feel free to share with me in the comments!

more
Sunset, Zadie Smith, Carousels
Finding joy in the little things


Hi, it's Sunday! You know Sunday. You've met sunny Sunday before, right? 

I started this in month 3 of the MCO when I found myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary daily COVID reports (and the anxiety that came with it) and living in 5 sets of clothes in my aunt's house. It was probably a Saturday afternoon (tbh who remembers anything now?) and as the sun was streaming into the patio, I put together a list of films/reads/music that brought me a momentary jolt of joy.

Such is the ‘new normal’ I wrote. And I believed. Cases slowly plunged, offices re-opened, we went back to morning hikes and evening hangouts - all with our masks on and SOP in our minds. Little did I know, it's been 5 months after my first list and the cases have never been higher. I guess THIS is the new normal, right?  

---

Here are some links that I've found meaningful this past week, for your weekend pleasure:

  1. 1. Everybody deserves a sinful-yet-delectable flourless chocolate cake with salted dark cocoa ganache this weekend. Yes, we absolutely do.

  2. This episode of Netflix's Song Exploder, hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway. Never shying away from some Lin-spiration, I was ecstatic to watch the creative team behind Hamilton unpack how Burr's iconic song "Wait For It" came to be. One can't seem to help but marvel at the brilliance of the show, time and time again. 

  3.  Grocery Store: A Tiktok Musical 

  4. It's never so clear cut, the journey to finding your passion, but all it really takes is taking the first step and being consistent. I'm so incredibly proud of my dear friend, Saloni Miglani who's been featured on the Bold, Brown and British podcast, sharing her journey to finding her passion in writing. Perfect for that Sunday reflection!

  5. Threading along the lines of podcasts, can I just say that I want to go on hawker food trips with Jun from Take a Bao? In each episode, he takes us on an audio expedition of the tastes, sounds, and sights of what Asian food can offer. And trust me, you'll get hungry after. 

  6. "We are not lazy, we are overcooked." - Chanel Miller on how we're reacting to lockdown.



  7. I know I'm a little late to the party but have you seen Bon Appetit alum, Sohla el-Waylly make 18th Century Mac & Cheese? So happy to see her move on to new projects!

  8. We have one of the world's coolest neighbourhood in KL, according to Time Out. (We're at 36, by the way yay!)

  9. I'm currently knee-deep into Zadie Smith's Intimations, a book of 6 essays beautifully written on innocent street encounters, peonies and pandemic reflections.

  10. Emily in Paris on Netflix - Oui, I know it's been receiving a lot of flack about it but it's a feel-good, stress-free TV show and after a longass WFH day, it's good entertainment!


What have you been loving? Feel free to share with me in the comments!

Brief Notes #2: Chocolate Cake, Hamilton and Being Overcooked.

17.10.20

Sunset, Zadie Smith, Carousels
Finding joy in the little things


Hi, it's Sunday! You know Sunday. You've met sunny Sunday before, right? 

I started this in month 3 of the MCO when I found myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary daily COVID reports (and the anxiety that came with it) and living in 5 sets of clothes in my aunt's house. It was probably a Saturday afternoon (tbh who remembers anything now?) and as the sun was streaming into the patio, I put together a list of films/reads/music that brought me a momentary jolt of joy.

Such is the ‘new normal’ I wrote. And I believed. Cases slowly plunged, offices re-opened, we went back to morning hikes and evening hangouts - all with our masks on and SOP in our minds. Little did I know, it's been 5 months after my first list and the cases have never been higher. I guess THIS is the new normal, right?  

---

Here are some links that I've found meaningful this past week, for your weekend pleasure:

  1. 1. Everybody deserves a sinful-yet-delectable flourless chocolate cake with salted dark cocoa ganache this weekend. Yes, we absolutely do.

  2. This episode of Netflix's Song Exploder, hosted by Hrishikesh Hirway. Never shying away from some Lin-spiration, I was ecstatic to watch the creative team behind Hamilton unpack how Burr's iconic song "Wait For It" came to be. One can't seem to help but marvel at the brilliance of the show, time and time again. 

  3.  Grocery Store: A Tiktok Musical 

  4. It's never so clear cut, the journey to finding your passion, but all it really takes is taking the first step and being consistent. I'm so incredibly proud of my dear friend, Saloni Miglani who's been featured on the Bold, Brown and British podcast, sharing her journey to finding her passion in writing. Perfect for that Sunday reflection!

  5. Threading along the lines of podcasts, can I just say that I want to go on hawker food trips with Jun from Take a Bao? In each episode, he takes us on an audio expedition of the tastes, sounds, and sights of what Asian food can offer. And trust me, you'll get hungry after. 

  6. "We are not lazy, we are overcooked." - Chanel Miller on how we're reacting to lockdown.



  7. I know I'm a little late to the party but have you seen Bon Appetit alum, Sohla el-Waylly make 18th Century Mac & Cheese? So happy to see her move on to new projects!

  8. We have one of the world's coolest neighbourhood in KL, according to Time Out. (We're at 36, by the way yay!)

  9. I'm currently knee-deep into Zadie Smith's Intimations, a book of 6 essays beautifully written on innocent street encounters, peonies and pandemic reflections.

  10. Emily in Paris on Netflix - Oui, I know it's been receiving a lot of flack about it but it's a feel-good, stress-free TV show and after a longass WFH day, it's good entertainment!


What have you been loving? Feel free to share with me in the comments!

more

Ever since we've been floating in this quarantine bubble, I've been inhaling more and more content online and feeling inspired by a lot of it. We are what we consume, and I thought it'll be quite nice to assemble and share a list of things I've found meaningful; articles, films, music, Instagram page, etc. 

Brief Notes is a weekly (hopefully!) list of fun and meaningful things I think worth-sharing. Enjoy!

---

  1. The most delightful thing I read last week was Stanley Tucci's quarantine diary of a typical day in 'isolation' in the 4-adult-2-toddler-Tucci-household. He includes a recipe for a quick-and-easy Pasta Alla Norma too, if you're looking for a break from Raya food today. 

  2. Starting my mornings with a cheeky little crossword to tickle the brain before work

  3. This documentary is for all the musical theatre lovers out there. Directed by OG cast member, Lonny Price, this film tells the buildup (and collapse) of the original 1981 Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along, and the cast whose lives have been changed for good because of it. I knew I was easily moved, but man, did I not expect to sob at the end of a documentary!

  4. There is something liberating about clearing up the photo gallery in your phone. Freeing myself from the shackles of competitor ad screenshots, close-up shots of mom's garden, and all those outfit posts that didn't make it on the feed. This essay gets me and the joy of deleting many mediocre photos. 

  5. One of my favourite Instagram accounts, Frame of Mind, highlights incredible documentaries and storytellers of our time. Here is its founder, photojournalist Alice Aedy talking about the project. She inspires me in so many ways!

  6. This gif to convince myself my new haircut wasn't a mistake. 


  7. This difficult-to-stomach-yet-hopeful piece by activist and author, Arundhati Roy on how the pandemic is a portal, a gateway humans break with the past and imagine our world anew. "We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it."
     
  8. This comic strip on how to avoid concall fatigue - which has indefinitely hit me left, right and centre.


  9.  The warm tones of Jasmine Cephas-Jones on the title track of her new EP, Little Bird is mood.

  10. Don't know how I feel about mannequins but I don't mind dining with a cute stuffed panda. Some fun ways restaurants around the world are doing social-distancing right. 

What have you been loving this week? Feel free to share with me in the comments! 

Brief Notes #1: A Weekly List of Things

16.5.20


Ever since we've been floating in this quarantine bubble, I've been inhaling more and more content online and feeling inspired by a lot of it. We are what we consume, and I thought it'll be quite nice to assemble and share a list of things I've found meaningful; articles, films, music, Instagram page, etc. 

Brief Notes is a weekly (hopefully!) list of fun and meaningful things I think worth-sharing. Enjoy!

---

  1. The most delightful thing I read last week was Stanley Tucci's quarantine diary of a typical day in 'isolation' in the 4-adult-2-toddler-Tucci-household. He includes a recipe for a quick-and-easy Pasta Alla Norma too, if you're looking for a break from Raya food today. 

  2. Starting my mornings with a cheeky little crossword to tickle the brain before work

  3. This documentary is for all the musical theatre lovers out there. Directed by OG cast member, Lonny Price, this film tells the buildup (and collapse) of the original 1981 Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along, and the cast whose lives have been changed for good because of it. I knew I was easily moved, but man, did I not expect to sob at the end of a documentary!

  4. There is something liberating about clearing up the photo gallery in your phone. Freeing myself from the shackles of competitor ad screenshots, close-up shots of mom's garden, and all those outfit posts that didn't make it on the feed. This essay gets me and the joy of deleting many mediocre photos. 

  5. One of my favourite Instagram accounts, Frame of Mind, highlights incredible documentaries and storytellers of our time. Here is its founder, photojournalist Alice Aedy talking about the project. She inspires me in so many ways!

  6. This gif to convince myself my new haircut wasn't a mistake. 


  7. This difficult-to-stomach-yet-hopeful piece by activist and author, Arundhati Roy on how the pandemic is a portal, a gateway humans break with the past and imagine our world anew. "We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it."
     
  8. This comic strip on how to avoid concall fatigue - which has indefinitely hit me left, right and centre.


  9.  The warm tones of Jasmine Cephas-Jones on the title track of her new EP, Little Bird is mood.

  10. Don't know how I feel about mannequins but I don't mind dining with a cute stuffed panda. Some fun ways restaurants around the world are doing social-distancing right. 

What have you been loving this week? Feel free to share with me in the comments! 

more
First off, I'm no Samin Nosrat or Julia Child. But I do enjoy making food.

And eating food. 

Inspired by a friend's plans for iftar last week, I attempted to make buttermilk chicken for the first time. And I'm quite glad that it turned out quite well! A few of my friends sent me a dm on Instagram asking for the recipe, and I'm like..."erm sure though a lot of it is 'agak-agak"' as you may later notice.

Everybody's ideal buttermilk chicken is different, like how we like our men music! So, if you're into not-so-creamy buttermilk fried chicken with lots of fragrant curry leaves, this might float your boat!


WHAT YOU'LL NEED

  • Chicken drumsticks / thighs / breasts (whatever you like, really!)
  • Any fried chicken coating mix (we used the Bestari serbuk for this one)
  • An egg
  • Half a stick of butter
  • Evaporated full cream milk (susu cair)
  • Chopped cili padi
  • A bulb of garlic, chopped
  • A handful of curry leaves, or two
  • Salt and sugar for taste
  • A dash of visualization skills and good tastebuds 
  • This Spotify playlist on loop in background

This part is the most therapeutic to me, chopping garlic.

LET'S GET STARTED

It's really a 2-prong approach; first we prep the chicken and then we make the yummy sauce. Alright, let's get to the chicken!

  1. Marinate your chicken pieces in a beaten egg, and get every inch of that chicken nicely coated. It'll act as the glue between the meat and the coating mix.
  2. Once coated with egg, double-coat and massage the pieces with the Bestari Crispy Fried Chicken coating mix.
  3. Let the chicken rest and relax in the mix for 5 minutes, as you heat up your wok for the forthcoming frying action. 
  4. Heat up plentiful of oil in your wok. This is where you'll need to eyeball how much oil you're gonna need for your chicken pieces to completely sink into the boiling oil later.
  5. Aunty Tip (courtesy of my lovely aunt!): To check whether your oil is hot enough, dip a chopstick in and see if there are cute little bubbles around it. If yes, your chicken's oil bath is ready!
  6. Sprinkle some curry leaves into the oil for extra fragrance and taste, then slowly sliiiiiide your perfectly-coated chicken into the oil bath (like you would in somebody's dms) and fry away! Each batch should take around 8-10 minutes, but you do you - flip the pieces around and fry till a nice golden brown.
  7. Once ready, let your chicken rest and relax on a comfy bed of kitchen towel, to suck up all the excessive oil, while we make the sauce!

Ladies and gentlemen, we will have a 10-minute intermission while our chicken catches its breath after an intense oil bath. We suggest you grab a refreshing drink and we'll see you in 10!


-INTERMISSION-


And we're back! If you haven't eaten your fried chicken yet, good job! If you have, don't worry I won't judge. Now let's start making the sauce!

  1. Heat up your wok and plomp in your half-stick of butter until it gets all melty and bubbly. 
  2. Stirfry the chopped garlic, chopped cili padi and the rest of your curry leaves until they naik bau and golden brown.
  3. Pour in the half a tin of the evaporated full cream milk (susu cair). I think the ideal ratio for butter and milk would be 1:2, as it gets quite oily if there's too much butter. But again, you do you! 
  4. Make sure you stir, stir, stir and stir to mix the butter and milk together to make the perfect milk bath for your now-relaxed fried chicken.
  5. Drop your chicken pieces into the bubbling milk bath and season it with sugar and salt until you're fully satisfied and ready to eat!
  6. That's all - your quick and easy no-frills butternilk fried chicken is served!


Bam! Yummy Buttermilk Chicken is served!

Try your hand at it and let me know how you make it your ideal buttermilk chicken. I'd love to exchange recipes and maybe we can do a cookout together after this MCO is over! 

What is a dish that you would love to try making, but haven't gotten to it yet?


Quick & Easy No-Frills Buttermilk Chicken Recipe

9.5.20

,
First off, I'm no Samin Nosrat or Julia Child. But I do enjoy making food.

And eating food. 

Inspired by a friend's plans for iftar last week, I attempted to make buttermilk chicken for the first time. And I'm quite glad that it turned out quite well! A few of my friends sent me a dm on Instagram asking for the recipe, and I'm like..."erm sure though a lot of it is 'agak-agak"' as you may later notice.

Everybody's ideal buttermilk chicken is different, like how we like our men music! So, if you're into not-so-creamy buttermilk fried chicken with lots of fragrant curry leaves, this might float your boat!


WHAT YOU'LL NEED

  • Chicken drumsticks / thighs / breasts (whatever you like, really!)
  • Any fried chicken coating mix (we used the Bestari serbuk for this one)
  • An egg
  • Half a stick of butter
  • Evaporated full cream milk (susu cair)
  • Chopped cili padi
  • A bulb of garlic, chopped
  • A handful of curry leaves, or two
  • Salt and sugar for taste
  • A dash of visualization skills and good tastebuds 
  • This Spotify playlist on loop in background

This part is the most therapeutic to me, chopping garlic.

LET'S GET STARTED

It's really a 2-prong approach; first we prep the chicken and then we make the yummy sauce. Alright, let's get to the chicken!

  1. Marinate your chicken pieces in a beaten egg, and get every inch of that chicken nicely coated. It'll act as the glue between the meat and the coating mix.
  2. Once coated with egg, double-coat and massage the pieces with the Bestari Crispy Fried Chicken coating mix.
  3. Let the chicken rest and relax in the mix for 5 minutes, as you heat up your wok for the forthcoming frying action. 
  4. Heat up plentiful of oil in your wok. This is where you'll need to eyeball how much oil you're gonna need for your chicken pieces to completely sink into the boiling oil later.
  5. Aunty Tip (courtesy of my lovely aunt!): To check whether your oil is hot enough, dip a chopstick in and see if there are cute little bubbles around it. If yes, your chicken's oil bath is ready!
  6. Sprinkle some curry leaves into the oil for extra fragrance and taste, then slowly sliiiiiide your perfectly-coated chicken into the oil bath (like you would in somebody's dms) and fry away! Each batch should take around 8-10 minutes, but you do you - flip the pieces around and fry till a nice golden brown.
  7. Once ready, let your chicken rest and relax on a comfy bed of kitchen towel, to suck up all the excessive oil, while we make the sauce!

Ladies and gentlemen, we will have a 10-minute intermission while our chicken catches its breath after an intense oil bath. We suggest you grab a refreshing drink and we'll see you in 10!


-INTERMISSION-


And we're back! If you haven't eaten your fried chicken yet, good job! If you have, don't worry I won't judge. Now let's start making the sauce!

  1. Heat up your wok and plomp in your half-stick of butter until it gets all melty and bubbly. 
  2. Stirfry the chopped garlic, chopped cili padi and the rest of your curry leaves until they naik bau and golden brown.
  3. Pour in the half a tin of the evaporated full cream milk (susu cair). I think the ideal ratio for butter and milk would be 1:2, as it gets quite oily if there's too much butter. But again, you do you! 
  4. Make sure you stir, stir, stir and stir to mix the butter and milk together to make the perfect milk bath for your now-relaxed fried chicken.
  5. Drop your chicken pieces into the bubbling milk bath and season it with sugar and salt until you're fully satisfied and ready to eat!
  6. That's all - your quick and easy no-frills butternilk fried chicken is served!


Bam! Yummy Buttermilk Chicken is served!

Try your hand at it and let me know how you make it your ideal buttermilk chicken. I'd love to exchange recipes and maybe we can do a cookout together after this MCO is over! 

What is a dish that you would love to try making, but haven't gotten to it yet?


more
Not too sure how to start but I think a simple hello works?

 Hello.

 It's funny to me how easy it was for me to have "To write at last 4 blogposts every month" written as one of my goals in the habit tracker section of my 2020 planner, and it is taking me a global pandemic (and a lot of courage) for me to actually log into Blogger and start stringing words together - coherent or not.  

 It has been quite a roller-coaster ride these past few weeks in Malaysia and the world. We are living in such weird and unprecedented times. A month that's been both restless yet calm, solitary yet together; heading into a new normal and I've begun to slowly ease into a little routine. I feel like a little structure in this uncertainty helps, or at least it makes us feel like we have a bit more control over our lives, when control is probably what we have the least in the grander scheme of things. 

 I wake up at around 8.30am and after snoozing my alarm clock a couple of times, I surrender into child's pose as my brain starts to piece together what day it is and whether it's a work day or not. I get dressed, head downstairs, and have breakfast with the day's NYT Morning Briefing newsletter and a cheeky little crossword - a combo that I hope I continue after this MCO is lifted as it keeps me informed but at the same time, it's nothing too overwhelming.

 I plomp myself in front of my laptop and start work, answer emails, catch up with team mates, look out the window, have lunch, go on another concall and another, and before I know it it's 6pm and a whole workday has just gone by and I feel like I hardly did any real work. It can get quite depressing some days, but hey, at least I finished a crossword in 2 minutes and 9 seconds, right?
Reminiscing sunny walks around new neighbourhoods with new friends (TTDI, 2020)

I was re-reading the At the Front column of Monocle this afternoon and Tyler Brule wrote about him being mesmerized by one of his dinner companion's morning regime of waking up and going for a swim in the nearby lake every morning before heading to work. "There is a certain satisfaction that comes with walking into a morning meeting and knowing that you're the only person who went for a bracing dip. Somehow it elevates you," he said. There it was, Tyler wrote that here was the manifesto for gentler living and reconnecting with life's simple pleasures.

 I reflected on how we (or at least some of my friends and I) feels like we're working more hours now that our offices are shut - concalls all day and execution work all night. And when we're not working, our eyes are always on a screen, consuming as much entertainment as we possibly can or taking a course on computer programming or museum curation. And before we know it, we're bored and burned out and the cycle continues.

 It's quite hard to find inspiration especially when we're all in the eye of the storm, but I try to tell myself it's really about perspective. I am counting my blessings - grateful for being able to stay at home, rest, read, with food on the table and with people I love close to me. I'm grateful for  the frontliners who are risking their lives everyday. I'm grateful for those moments when the doorbell rings and everybody's excited for a parcel. The free plays and shows streaming on Youtube. The return of my favourite podcast ever, The High Low, and discovering new favourite ones like this one about the search for a missing hit, this one about homecooking and this one that's all theatre banter for the theatre junkie. The influx of IG Live sessions that are oh-so-entertaining and informative. And I think most of all, I'm grateful that technology has enabled us to interact and connect with friends and family.  

 I think the goal for me here is to find my groove in this new normal and be the master of technology, communication and newsflow instead of the other way round, as it's easy to be sucked into the internet warp and lose touch of the life that is around us.

Life has taken on a funny shape, one day melting into another. And until we find ourselves on the other side of this storm, I'm hoping for the best and will continue trying to beat my own score at crosswords. 

How are you doing? ❤️

Some Calm Amidst Chaos

19.4.20

Not too sure how to start but I think a simple hello works?

 Hello.

 It's funny to me how easy it was for me to have "To write at last 4 blogposts every month" written as one of my goals in the habit tracker section of my 2020 planner, and it is taking me a global pandemic (and a lot of courage) for me to actually log into Blogger and start stringing words together - coherent or not.  

 It has been quite a roller-coaster ride these past few weeks in Malaysia and the world. We are living in such weird and unprecedented times. A month that's been both restless yet calm, solitary yet together; heading into a new normal and I've begun to slowly ease into a little routine. I feel like a little structure in this uncertainty helps, or at least it makes us feel like we have a bit more control over our lives, when control is probably what we have the least in the grander scheme of things. 

 I wake up at around 8.30am and after snoozing my alarm clock a couple of times, I surrender into child's pose as my brain starts to piece together what day it is and whether it's a work day or not. I get dressed, head downstairs, and have breakfast with the day's NYT Morning Briefing newsletter and a cheeky little crossword - a combo that I hope I continue after this MCO is lifted as it keeps me informed but at the same time, it's nothing too overwhelming.

 I plomp myself in front of my laptop and start work, answer emails, catch up with team mates, look out the window, have lunch, go on another concall and another, and before I know it it's 6pm and a whole workday has just gone by and I feel like I hardly did any real work. It can get quite depressing some days, but hey, at least I finished a crossword in 2 minutes and 9 seconds, right?
Reminiscing sunny walks around new neighbourhoods with new friends (TTDI, 2020)

I was re-reading the At the Front column of Monocle this afternoon and Tyler Brule wrote about him being mesmerized by one of his dinner companion's morning regime of waking up and going for a swim in the nearby lake every morning before heading to work. "There is a certain satisfaction that comes with walking into a morning meeting and knowing that you're the only person who went for a bracing dip. Somehow it elevates you," he said. There it was, Tyler wrote that here was the manifesto for gentler living and reconnecting with life's simple pleasures.

 I reflected on how we (or at least some of my friends and I) feels like we're working more hours now that our offices are shut - concalls all day and execution work all night. And when we're not working, our eyes are always on a screen, consuming as much entertainment as we possibly can or taking a course on computer programming or museum curation. And before we know it, we're bored and burned out and the cycle continues.

 It's quite hard to find inspiration especially when we're all in the eye of the storm, but I try to tell myself it's really about perspective. I am counting my blessings - grateful for being able to stay at home, rest, read, with food on the table and with people I love close to me. I'm grateful for  the frontliners who are risking their lives everyday. I'm grateful for those moments when the doorbell rings and everybody's excited for a parcel. The free plays and shows streaming on Youtube. The return of my favourite podcast ever, The High Low, and discovering new favourite ones like this one about the search for a missing hit, this one about homecooking and this one that's all theatre banter for the theatre junkie. The influx of IG Live sessions that are oh-so-entertaining and informative. And I think most of all, I'm grateful that technology has enabled us to interact and connect with friends and family.  

 I think the goal for me here is to find my groove in this new normal and be the master of technology, communication and newsflow instead of the other way round, as it's easy to be sucked into the internet warp and lose touch of the life that is around us.

Life has taken on a funny shape, one day melting into another. And until we find ourselves on the other side of this storm, I'm hoping for the best and will continue trying to beat my own score at crosswords. 

How are you doing? ❤️
more


With a backpack weighing down on my shoulders, I took a deep breath and traveled to the Perhentian Islands for a weekend off. It was more than just a girls' trip, I was on a personal pursuit of some post-graduation down time. And throughout the weekend, I find myself writing down snippets of interesting thoughts, realizations and epiphanies on my phone.

Waiting for our boat to take us to the islands and gosh, I didn't realize how much I miss backpacking until now.

Sunkissed skin. Salty hair. Thai pants. Sunglasses. 7kg backpack. Glistening sweat. Grimy feet. Life is good.

Always find peace within yourself and not within others.

You think you look horrible in a bikini? Well, nobody cares and you shouldn't too.






Sunset yoga with a German traveller from India who stays on the island for the whole season? YES! There were three of us that evening - Dutch, German and Malaysian ranging from zero to average experience of the yoga practice.  As the sun sets and the incoming night showers you with positivity and solemnity, you know you've had a good day.

Just because you're a swimmer, it doesn't mean you can't get seasick. Seasickness is my arch nemesis.

I realized one thing about traveling alone is that it builds your mental strength and makes you way stronger than you can ever imagine. I learnt it the hard way - throwing up in the sea, over and over again. Here's a look into my mind:

*peninggggg*
Breatheeeeeeee
Look into the distance
You'll feel better after puking
*vomits in sea*
Ooooh the fishies are enjoying my vomit
I don't need to snorkel to see the fishies!
I feel so much better
Look into the distance
Shit, it's coming again
*vomits again*

Breathe. Look into distance. Vomit. Repeat.



I saw a Western lady picking up rubbish at the beach. That warmed my heart.
I saw a Malaysian dude throwing a plastic bottle on the way to the beach. That burnt my heart.

If there's one thing that unites a nation, it's sports. We walked to Ewan's Cafe for both nights for dinner with half of the locals on the islands, cheering on our beloved Olympian, Lee Chong Wei. If anything, we definitely showed foreign travelers what Malaysians are really about. The positive energy is contagious.

On that Olympic note, everything I read from this article became so real.

As the full moon lit up the beach, the party people comes out to play. Good music playing as topless beach boys throw fire-lit torches and fireballs around, people flailing their body around, some attempting to air-grind some which was a little funny to me (haha!). That night was really chill and everybody was having a good time :)

Drink of the island: Orangutan, a light, vanilla-flavoured rum


After a fair bit of dancing to remixed Top 40 hits, I stood at the shore looking out to the sea and sky, taking in everything. After like about 5 minutes of lovely me-time, a guy who reminded me of Nolan appeared from my blind spot. Dillon from Australia (haha of course!) came up to me and asked me whether I was sad. I was taken aback and literally, laughed out loud. Can't a girl embrace the sea and the night sky alone? LOL

The night is still young at 3am. 4am though, the night gets a little old.

Sunrise yoga at 6.30 in the morning? HECK YES!


Do something because you want to do it, not someone else.

Is bad luck really bad luck, or is it just an open door to a better opportunity? I'd like to think of it as the latter.

Although I puked like nobody's business, I'm glad that the girls went down into the sea for the first time. Marina went from being aqua-phobic to mermaid and Adele found her new love - the sensation of floating with a life jacket on!

I do miss travelling with Naomi, Wei and Michelle and Anis. They get me, and I get them. Plus, we look out for each other, in a whole different level that I can't explain. Time for another trip!



Confine yourself in the present.

Travel Notes: Perhentian Islands

26.8.16

,


With a backpack weighing down on my shoulders, I took a deep breath and traveled to the Perhentian Islands for a weekend off. It was more than just a girls' trip, I was on a personal pursuit of some post-graduation down time. And throughout the weekend, I find myself writing down snippets of interesting thoughts, realizations and epiphanies on my phone.

Waiting for our boat to take us to the islands and gosh, I didn't realize how much I miss backpacking until now.

Sunkissed skin. Salty hair. Thai pants. Sunglasses. 7kg backpack. Glistening sweat. Grimy feet. Life is good.

Always find peace within yourself and not within others.

You think you look horrible in a bikini? Well, nobody cares and you shouldn't too.






Sunset yoga with a German traveller from India who stays on the island for the whole season? YES! There were three of us that evening - Dutch, German and Malaysian ranging from zero to average experience of the yoga practice.  As the sun sets and the incoming night showers you with positivity and solemnity, you know you've had a good day.

Just because you're a swimmer, it doesn't mean you can't get seasick. Seasickness is my arch nemesis.

I realized one thing about traveling alone is that it builds your mental strength and makes you way stronger than you can ever imagine. I learnt it the hard way - throwing up in the sea, over and over again. Here's a look into my mind:

*peninggggg*
Breatheeeeeeee
Look into the distance
You'll feel better after puking
*vomits in sea*
Ooooh the fishies are enjoying my vomit
I don't need to snorkel to see the fishies!
I feel so much better
Look into the distance
Shit, it's coming again
*vomits again*

Breathe. Look into distance. Vomit. Repeat.



I saw a Western lady picking up rubbish at the beach. That warmed my heart.
I saw a Malaysian dude throwing a plastic bottle on the way to the beach. That burnt my heart.

If there's one thing that unites a nation, it's sports. We walked to Ewan's Cafe for both nights for dinner with half of the locals on the islands, cheering on our beloved Olympian, Lee Chong Wei. If anything, we definitely showed foreign travelers what Malaysians are really about. The positive energy is contagious.

On that Olympic note, everything I read from this article became so real.

As the full moon lit up the beach, the party people comes out to play. Good music playing as topless beach boys throw fire-lit torches and fireballs around, people flailing their body around, some attempting to air-grind some which was a little funny to me (haha!). That night was really chill and everybody was having a good time :)

Drink of the island: Orangutan, a light, vanilla-flavoured rum


After a fair bit of dancing to remixed Top 40 hits, I stood at the shore looking out to the sea and sky, taking in everything. After like about 5 minutes of lovely me-time, a guy who reminded me of Nolan appeared from my blind spot. Dillon from Australia (haha of course!) came up to me and asked me whether I was sad. I was taken aback and literally, laughed out loud. Can't a girl embrace the sea and the night sky alone? LOL

The night is still young at 3am. 4am though, the night gets a little old.

Sunrise yoga at 6.30 in the morning? HECK YES!


Do something because you want to do it, not someone else.

Is bad luck really bad luck, or is it just an open door to a better opportunity? I'd like to think of it as the latter.

Although I puked like nobody's business, I'm glad that the girls went down into the sea for the first time. Marina went from being aqua-phobic to mermaid and Adele found her new love - the sensation of floating with a life jacket on!

I do miss travelling with Naomi, Wei and Michelle and Anis. They get me, and I get them. Plus, we look out for each other, in a whole different level that I can't explain. Time for another trip!



Confine yourself in the present.

more
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