Fendi Birthday Lunch at The Majestic Kuala Lumpur

BREAKING MY POST-PLASTIC SURGERY CONFINEMENT AND RECLAIMING MY SOCIAL LIFE 

WITH MUMMY'S FENDI BIRTHDAY LUNCH AT THE MAJESTIC KUALA LUMPUR

💐 🥂 🍾 🎂 ✨

Oh, the sweet, orchid-scented air of freedom! What a fragrant, welcome change from the antiseptic-tinged pall of hospital wards and stagnant shroud of self-imposed social fatwa following my cosmetic surgery. As per doctor's orders, I had spent a week convalescing at home with my social life* as existent as my stomach fat post-liposuction - in other words, none at all. It was my mother's birthday week and as you know, fashion brands love to throw birthday parties for their favourite customers (case in point: Dior and Louis Vuitton). I had to miss the birthday lunches/brunches/teas hosted in honour of mummy by Miu Miu, Prada, and Louis Vuitton for the sake of my health, but happily I was well enough to attend the last of her fashion birthday celebrations - hosted by Fendi at the orchid conservatory of The Majestic Kuala Lumpur. 

*I DID GO OUT TO GET MY EYEBROWS AND NAILS DONE THE DAY BEFORE, BUT PERSONAL UPKEEP DOESN'T COUNT - THAT'S JUST COMMON DECENCY...

April 03, 2017

Fendi Birthday Lunch at The Majestic Kuala Lumpur

BREAKING MY POST-PLASTIC SURGERY CONFINEMENT AND RECLAIMING MY SOCIAL LIFE  WITH MUMMY'S FENDI BIRTHDAY LUNCH AT THE MAJ...

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Kuala Lumpur: Mandala-making, meditation, & an introduction to yoga with Yogatara

GETTING MY MANDALA ON AT YOGATARA WITH LINA TARA

SECRET BANDAR UTAMA LOCATION, KUALA LUMPUR

March 28, 2017

Kuala Lumpur: Mandala-making, meditation, & an introduction to yoga with Yogatara

GETTING MY MANDALA ON AT YOGATARA WITH LINA TARA SECRET BANDAR UTAMA LOCATION, KUALA LUMPUR

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Good Co, Bangsar

THE GOOD CO, BANGSAR: HELPING BUSY MALAYSIANS EAT HEALTHIER,

 ONE NASI LEMAK IN AN INSTAWORTHY MASON JAR AT A TIME

March 15, 2017

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Good Co, Bangsar

THE GOOD CO, BANGSAR : HELPING BUSY MALAYSIANS  EAT HEALTHIER,   ONE NASI LEMAK IN AN INSTAWORTHY MASON JAR A...

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Cuba, Malaysia, and Montenegro: 4 Hidden Gems in Turquoise Waters

March 05, 2017

Cuba, Malaysia, and Montenegro: 4 Hidden Gems in Turquoise Waters

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Penang, Malaysia: 4 Historical Homes To Visit (and stay in!)

You guys, I'm chuffed to bits. While looking through my archives for Malaysia-related posts I realised that I've blogged about 9 out of Malaysia's 13 states - no mean feat given that I've been living in London for the past ten years! Add to my 7 Things of 2017 a new resolution: to blog about the remaining 4 states by the end of 2018 - only Perlis, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Sarawak left to go! Ambitious much? You know the saying: Penang wasn't built in a day.  I must say that after Kuala Lumpur, Penang is my favourite state. Founded by the British in 1786, its capital Georgetown is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Chinese clan mansions jostle alongside larger-than-life street art, where the intoxicating aroma of char kuey teow (the best in the country!) rises up to meet the cacophony of Hokkien and English in every accent imaginable, where the relative liberalism of this Northern island state is a breath of fresh air to this wary KL-ite. I hope I'll convince you, dear reader, should you find yourself in Malaysia or even in neighbouring Thailand/Singapore that you find the time for one of my favourite states and visit these 4 Historical Homes in Penang, Malaysia.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS CREDITS: 7 - 10, 11 - 14

January 16, 2017

Penang, Malaysia: 4 Historical Homes To Visit (and stay in!)

You guys, I'm chuffed to bits.  While looking through my archives for Malaysia-related posts I realised that I've blogged abou...

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Summertime Sadness

October 11, 2016

Summertime Sadness

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 3 Hidden Gems in Petaling Street

SPEAKEASY, BUT CARRY NO SELFIE STICK - THE REVIVAL OF KUALA LUMPUR'S 
CHINATOWN THANKS TO 3 NEW HIDDEN WATERING HOLES

October 06, 2016

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 3 Hidden Gems in Petaling Street

SPEAKEASY, BUT CARRY NO SELFIE STICK - THE REVIVAL  OF KUALA LUMPUR'S  CHINATOWN  THANKS TO 3 NEW HIDDEN WATERING HOLES...

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Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix 2016

October 03, 2016

Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix 2016

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Kuala Lumpur: Botanica + Co, Bangsar South

CONSERVATORY CHIC AT BOTANICA + CO, BANGSAR SOUTH

Of all the erroneous assumptions my Western friends make about me, the one that most defies logic is that I should adore heat and humidity or at the very least be accustomed to it. Let me break it down for you - One: Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, Two: By that reasoning, why do you gwai los complain about the cold in winter? Three: Malaysians drive their air-conditioned cars to air-conditioned offices then to air-conditioned watering holes and finally back to their air-conditioned homes. So no, my experience of the searing tropics is limited to the three and a half minutes the valet makes me wait for my car, and my love for all things tropical is best appreciate in the chilly confines of an air-conditioned space. It's the only way to admire palms and fronds without being eaten by Aedes mosquitos, really...

So when I got wind (like an air-con breeze, haha) of a fresh botanics-inspired restaurant arrival housed in an air-conditioned greenhouse, I made my way to the new-ish township of Bangsar South in search of Botanica + Co.

September 25, 2016

Kuala Lumpur: Botanica + Co, Bangsar South

CONSERVATORY CHIC AT BOTANICA + CO, BANGSAR SOUTH Of all the erroneous assumptions my Western friends make about me, the...

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Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Thieves, Bangsar

Breakfast Thieves, Kuala Lumpur's hot new brunch spot, makes its way to Malaysia from Melbourne

STEALING GLANCES AND TAKING BITES AT  BREAKFAST THIEVES, BANGSAR There's a name for the international design language of post-social media cool - reclaimed Industrial chic juxtaposed against Calacatta marble, mason jars, and fiddle leaf figs - the hipster aesthetic of which is designed (that is, according to Kyle Chayka's piece for The Guardian) as a soothing balm for the "wealthy, mobile elite" who want their 'authentic and off the beaten track' with a side of wifi. Chayka calls it AirSpace, and bemoans this globalised style as homogenous. Personally? Hey, if it keeps my Instagram feed neat... In all seriousness though, I'm all for the world being a smaller place especially when said globalisation manifests itself in the form of delicious, delicious brunch. And apart from the New Yorkers nobody does brunch like the 'Strayans. Cafe culture has spread like bushfire in Malaysia thanks to the country's relative proximity to the Antipodes. My second favourite* entity to arrive from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur is the second branch of the new Bangsar café that's got all the Instagrammers and brunch hunters excited - Breakfast Thieves. *my most favourite is arriving today. Boomchickawahwaahhh

September 23, 2016

Kuala Lumpur: Breakfast Thieves, Bangsar

Breakfast Thieves, Kuala Lumpur's hot new brunch spot, makes its way to Malaysia from Melbourne STEALING GLANCES AND ...

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Idaman House at Janda Baik, Pahang

THE SIMPLE LIFE AMIDST THE RAINFOREST TREETOPS OF JANDA BAIK, PAHANG

Idaman (Malay, Indonesian) - n. ideal, craving, desire. 
How wonderfully fitting, as Idaman House was my family's choice for a weekend of fresh forest air.
The Malay kampong (village) of Janda Baik - literally 'the good widow' - is, according to local folklore, named after a kindly widow of local folklore who tended to a wounded mercenary passing through the town. My party of ten enjoyed similar hospitality - a 5-bedroom villa in the mountains tended to by a staff of three who took care of our every need, leaving us free to relax and enjoy our verdant surroundings.

February 22, 2016

Idaman House at Janda Baik, Pahang

THE SIMPLE LIFE AMIDST THE RAINFOREST TREETOPS OF JANDA BAIK, PAHANG Idaman (Malay, Indonesian) - n. ideal, craving, desire.  How...

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Ipoh Bites - Where To Eat In Ipoh Old Town

What to eat & drink in Ipoh that isn't chicken rice or Old Town coffee

While I'm all about the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - or rather "I'll fix it if I only need to use duct tape or WD40" - I am not at all adverse to introducing crazy newfangled ideas to areas where the classics have already stood the test of time. So, in the spirit of the 'something old, something new' of Ipoh Old Town's new retro revival and the 'modern treehouse meets historical house of decadence' of Sekeping Kong Heng, I'm rounding up my Ipoh blog posts with five alternative eateries beyond the city's already-established street food and hawker stalls. 

February 20, 2016

Ipoh Bites - Where To Eat In Ipoh Old Town

What to eat & drink in Ipoh that isn't chicken rice or Old Town coffee While I'm all about the adage "if it ai...

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Sekeping Kong Heng, Ipoh

INDULGING MY INNER PETER PAN AT SEKEPING KONG HENG, IPOH 

______

I've slept around. Literally - I've stayed at 5* hotels, country piles, cruise ships, Airbnb's, and then some. I'd rate myself reasonably well-travelled, even so my recent trip to Ipoh ticked off a first for me - sleeping in a treehouse. A treehouse! You may already know about my dinner party childhood dream plans in progress but what kidult doesn't still nurture Neverland fantasies? Ever since Sekeping Retreats burst onto the Malaysian scene with their dreamy 'back to nature' getaways, sleeping al fresco has never been so en vogue, an especially commendable accomplishment given the tropical climate with all its nuisances.

Sekeping Kong Heng sealed the deal for me when I contemplated making a trip to Ipoh for Henry's birthday. The latest addition to the Sekeping family is a glass and concrete treehouse in newly rejuvenated Kong Heng Square, the heart of Ipoh Old Town's revival. The 3 storey neo-classical building was once a hostel for theatre performers who performed in the adjacent theatre building that was burnt down in the 50s. True to the spirit of celebrating Ipoh's rich heritage and history, Sekeping Kong Heng has preserved as much of the character of the existing building as possible - evident in details like reclaimed colonial shop windows used for the rooms. The result is edgy and hip yet respectful to its surroundings' history: an exhibit you live and breathe - from the heady aroma of white coffee to the cacophony of Cantonese banter between hawkers - in a real Old Town setting. 

______

February 12, 2016

Sekeping Kong Heng, Ipoh

INDULGING MY INNER PETER PAN AT SEKEPING KONG HENG , IPOH   ______ I've slept around. Literally - I&#...

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The New Old: the Retro Revival of Ipoh, Malaysia

Ipoh Old Town, revived with vintage flair 

I chanced upon the most remarkable sight last November when I was in Ipoh to review The Haven.  

In its heyday, the North Malaysian capital of Perak was an icon of the riches of the Empire. But when the mining boom ended, its star faded as the Town Built On Tin became a shell of its former self. All that remained of Ipoh were decaying colonial mansions and shophouses whose weathered bodies whispered of its glory days of British Malaya. As my father did, many of the city’s young emigrated to Kuala Lumpur for bigger prospects, leaving behind a sleepy hollow seemingly inhabited mostly by those old enough to remember pre-independence Malaysia.  

Ipoh, whose star once shone as brightly as Singapore, was now an Adele lyric: “that town where nothing really happened”. Or so I had remembered from my family’s annual Chinese New Year returns to my paternal hometown - it was usually a stopover between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, albeit one boasting some of the best Malaysian culinary fare. Although in recent years Ipoh has become a family-friendly destination for wellness and relaxation, it was not a place I associated with a burgeoning arts and culture scene, and certainly not with the trendy young. 

I was about to proven so satisfyingly wrong.

February 10, 2016

The New Old: the Retro Revival of Ipoh, Malaysia

Ipoh Old Town, revived with vintage flair   I chanced upon the most remarkable sight last November when I was in Ipoh to re...

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Luxury lakeside living at The Haven: Ipoh, Malaysia

There's nothing like a stuffy nose in a smoggy city (I'm lookin' at you, London) that makes you appreciate the luxury of fresh air.

November 29, 2015

Luxury lakeside living at The Haven: Ipoh, Malaysia

There's nothing like a stuffy nose in a smoggy city (I'm lookin' at you, London) that makes you appreciate the luxury of f...

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176 AVENUE, Bangsar: My one-stop beauty destination

All a busy lady's beautifying needs - hair, nails, lashes, and waxes - conveniently located in one industrial-chic Bangsar salon.

November 23, 2015

176 AVENUE, Bangsar: My one-stop beauty destination

All a busy lady's beautifying needs - hair, nails, lashes, and waxes - conveniently located in one industrial-chic Bangsar salon....

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Started From The Bottom Now We Here (II)

Another evening, another intimate dinner with some of Malaysia's most powerful and influential.

November 22, 2015

Started From The Bottom Now We Here (II)

Another evening, another intimate dinner with some of Malaysia's most powerful and influential .

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A family wedding at The Chateau in Berjaya Hills, Kuala Lumpur

 My brother's wedding was a beautiful, evocative affair full of surprises.

November 17, 2015

A family wedding at The Chateau in Berjaya Hills, Kuala Lumpur

 My brother's wedding was a beautiful, evocative affair full of surprises.

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Malaysia Tatler Ball 2015

Follow me for an insider's view of how Malaysia's 1% celebrate the Spirit of High Society.

November 02, 2015

Malaysia Tatler Ball 2015

Follow me for an insider's view of how Malaysia's 1% celebrate the Spirit of High Society.

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PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix Gala 2015

Today marks the 17th year of Formula One in Malaysia, with the teams and cars travelling from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur for the second leg of F1 season. Yesterday I welcomed the 17th year of Formula 1 in Malaysia at the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix Gala 2015 where the teams principles, drivers, and members of several royal families were the guests of honour. 

March 27, 2015

PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix Gala 2015

Today marks the 17th year of Formula One in Malaysia, with the teams and cars travelling from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur for the second...

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