Naked 3!

I bought a Naked 3 today.

That short sentence would actually sum up the entire blog post but you know I like to crap a lot so please bear with me as I share with you the highlight of today's spontaneous short trip to Sunway Pyramid. I have been eyeing this product ever since I saw a makeup guru on instagram posted a picture of her happily and joyfully holding the most wanted product of the century. Okay, now you know that I exaggerate a lot. Anyway, I became instantly interested and suddenly, a few days ago my mom came to town and she brought back a Naked 3 palette with her after a short trip to KLCC. I knew then that I really have to get it. I must.

So after four exam papers that I have done this week, I made those as an excuse for me to purchase a no-so-little treat for myself. Perhaps a way too early birthday present (eheeem). So I went to Sephora, blah blah blah and stayed there nearly an hour or so, contemplating and fighting my inner demons that finally won over me in the end. So here's a little sneak peek of my newest addition to ma trousse de maquillage or as how an Englishman would say, the newest addition to my makeup bag.

The packaging of Naked 3 is okay, in my opinion. Although I was hoping that the packaging would be like the original Naked palette's, furry and fluffy but this packaging is acceptable as Urban Decay still maintained a lightweight, durable and compact packaging that makes it easy to carry when travelling.

I fell deeply in love at the first sight. Naked 3 offers 12 new colors that are just simply drop-dead gorgeous and many of them are rose hued, which I love. They give you a sample package of their infamous primer potion as well as a free crease brush, which I really desperately need. Thanks, UD!
Urban Decay is my still my favorite brand for eyeshadows as they are ultra pigmented and long lasting. I'm a proud self-proclaimed Naked Freak. Really am looking forward to try out this new baby of mine!

Joyeux Anniversaire, Cheri!

It's the birthday of the most amazing boyfriend in this whole wide world! He's turning twenty, time surely passes by so quickly! Tried to surprise him but alas, got caught red handed by him right away hahaha. Despite the pressing time, I managed to bake him a chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream centre filling, covered in nutella ganache and topped with m&m bits. Sorry for the late presents love, glad that you love them anyways! Once again, a very happy birthday to you! May your days be filled with lots of happiness, health and love. You know I love you!

Lethal Combination

Maybe this post just came up because I'm currently having a midnight hunger pang. Nonetheless, lethal in this case means the best food combo ever invented in human history, in my opinion at least. It turns out that writing this post actually elevates my hunger as I nearly drooled when searching for mouthwatering pictures of food at this not-so-waistline-friendly hour. So here it goes!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter

Honestly, who can resist this sinfully perfect combination of sweet and salty? Whether you put it in between a wholegrain bread, turn it into a bite-sized Reese cups or make a cake out of it, this duo made in the heavens would still taste so good!

Peanut Butter and Banana

(paninihappy.com)

Even though I absolutely adore my peanut butter with chocolate, I'd like to involve PB in another affair with bananas. I prefer to have this combo wrapped in a slice of wholegrain bread with extra and crunchy peanut butter. 

Cinnamon and Sugar

(cherrypatter.com)

Churros. Need I explain more?

Honey Lemon

(storyofakitchen.com)

Just had this to alleviate my seemingly uncontrollable midnight hunger pang. To be honest, I was only hooked by this combo earlier this month when I was having steak at my favorite place in town. My mom ordered a hot honey lemon and I was completely head over heels for it. So soothing, tangy and sweet at the same time. It's good for you, too!

Running Must Haves

If you've been running consistently, perhaps you've become an addict of the invigorating 'runner's high' that you got after a great run. The rush of endorphins after a run would leave me instantly energized, refreshed and happy. Let me introduce you to my running must-haves and some of these items are relatively new and you might realize that most of them are from Nike and they are in blue! Yes, Nike is definitely my favorite sporting brand, I totally love their rather streamlined designs and over-the-top materials. And yes, blue is unambiguously my favorite color in this whole wide world.

Let's start with the shirt. I have right here what I would call my ultimate shirt. I am so in love with this Nike dri fit shirt thanks to its enchanting bright blue color and its lightweight material that's keeping me cool and comfy during a run. The sport bra, also in the same color, provides high support that's suitable for high impact exercise such as running. Again, it's really comfortable!
A great track list is my other must-have during a run but it's really important to ensure that you're using the correct earphone specially designed for sports as they are generally sweat proof and they are uniquely engineered to better fit you during an exercise, like my Bose SIE2i. The sound of music played when using this earphone is crystal clear and the unique design fits my ear perfectly (it comes in three sizes, S, M, L when you purchased the earphone), preventing my earphone from slipping away during a run, which is one of the most annoying thing that would disturb your run. As for the shoes, well, I did an extensive review some time ago so feel free to check it out!

Having a great set of workout gears will give you a boost of motivation. Remember, investing in good workout gears is also important! Although they might come a little pricey at first but I swear it's going to be worth it as you'll find your workout more enjoyable!

When Love Arrives.

Here's an extract that I've gotten from Sarah Kay's love poem called 'When Love Arrives', another of my favorite poem by her that she performed with Phil Kaye. Again, the poetry is just indescribably beautiful. I'm still urging you to check her out on YouTube.

Sarah Kay

If I Should Have a Daughter

by Sarah Kay

Simply perfection. Her spoken word poetry is oozing with such delightful metaphor that literally made my heart fluttered, gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. I simply love her spoken word poetry so much! Check out her other performance on YouTube, I assure you they're completely worth your time.

Awesomeness Reloaded.

One thing that had been on the top of my wish list was Nike's strikingly beautiful Free Flyknit 5.0 that is bright blue in color. Yes people, that gorgeous pair of chaussures are just like the ultimate babe for me. I didn't know that it was launched in Malaysia until a few weeks back, where I was just randomly strolling around KLCC's Nike store with a glimpse of false hope still lingering inside of me, hoping that my dream of having a pair of Nike Free Flyknit 5.0 would finally come true. And there it was. The gorgeous pair of running shoes in the magnetizing, eye-catching and heart-throbbing shade of blue. Okay, maybe that was a little over but for me it was true!

 I instantly grabbed it and asked for my size. I was initially disappointed as they only had 39 and didn't have my usual 37-38 size. I discovered that the color was the previous season's that was why the hot sizes were already out of stock. I rushed to Pavilion to see if they had my size and turned out that they only had it in the size of 42 so I ran back to KLCC and tried the 39, fingers crossed, hoping that my dream shoes would fit me. And they fit, people, they fit me so well. I gulped a bit though when I saw the price tag with the digit RM560 on it. But it didn't stop me from buying my long-awaited dream that had finally came true!

Take a look at it! Isn't it goooooorgeous? Now, it's judgement time; was it worth it? 

YES, DEFINITELY! The shoes are super comfortable and it fits like a second skin, literally! Nike Free Flyknit 5.0 fits and follows the actual shape of your feet and you have the option of not wearing socks without having to be scared of infecting your shoes with dreadful smell as the material is washable. But I still recommend you to wear socks especially during your first few runs with these babies to prevent blisters. Another thing that I love about these shoes is their weight. They are ultra-light and give that barefoot run feeling when I run. However, when I ran with these babies for the very first time I didn't wear socks and I didn't really like the feeling when I ran and it got me blisters, I'm still not sure whether it is because the shoes are still really new. That is why I recommend the use of socks! These babies are also relatively costly but I wouldn't mind if it means that my body will get skinnier alongside with my bank account as these shoes are truly good investment. Hahaha that's what I always say to make myself feel better after a purchase. Nevertheless, I am still madly and irretrievably in love with these babies of mine.

A Very Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday to my dearest little angel! Time surely has passed by in a blink of an eye. It felt just like yesterday when we brought a new little bundle of joy back home. Before I even knew it, the little bundle has outgrown her baby steps and is now blossoming into one beautiful little princess. Wishing you nothing but everlasting health and happiness. May Allah always protects you and showers you with lots and lots of love. Try not to spend so much this year on toys and don't forget to keep blowing me your lovely kisses every time we Skype even though you are one year older than yesterday. I miss you so dearly and love you very, very much.

And one more thing. Although I'd give the world to you on this very special day of yours, you still can't have my prince 

HAHAHA

Burgers and Big Hugs

My visit to the burger joint that's located in Subang Square, SS15, earlier today was not only satisfying for the tummy but also inspirational. The name 'Big Hug Burger' itself is inspired by the power of a hug that can transcend all differences among us. 

We were greeted by the warm and cheerful owner of the Big Hug Burger herself, Ms. Aidelle. 

She elaborated about the concept of her 4-month-old burger joint that was one of her lifelong dream that was conceptualize over three decades ago. Big Hug claimed to promote openness, closely-knitted family while offering burgers that are made of top-knotch ingredients at the same time. 

My friend and I ordered two different burgers that was absolutely mouthwatering, one is the house's specialty, The Big Hug Burger, and the one that I ordered was a newly launched menu called 'The Dancing Cow'

This uber-awesome mega goodness with cheese oozing out of is named after the burger joint itself, THE Big Hug Burger and yes, it's with a capital 'THE'. The burger was carefully crafted with fresh ingredients and fried chicken chop that still tasted really moist despite the frying. The tender chicken was perfectly paired with secret sauce, fresh veggies, pineapple, loaded mozzarella and cheddar, all stacked beautifully between the homemade super soft buns . If you find yourself not knowing which one to order, I'm highly recommending you this one. Careful though, it comes it a humongous size. Like, seriously.

The other burger that we ordered was this unique and flavorful baby called 'The Dancing Cow'. It's a newly launched addition to the menu and this burger served with yet another fluffy and almost cotton-like charcoal bun. And in between that fluffy goodness, lay the juiciest beef patty, beef bacon strips, cheese, fresh veggies and also two other ingredients that's rather bizarre to be found in between a burger, PEANUT BUTTER AND SAMBAL! For your information, I am a big and rabid fan of peanut buttery stuff. And Lord, this burger had me in the first bite. Highly recommended for those adventurous soul and foodie like me! Don't you worry because all of the supplies that are used by the Big Hug Burger are certified Halal!

Aside from their mouthwatering burgers, Big Hug also offers a free all-you-can-eat snack bars for their customers to enjoy while waiting for the food and free flow drinks, too! Their lemonade is homemade and is made from freshly squeezed lemon juice with added honey, very refreshing!

The burger joint is also equipped with so many toys, props and huge teddy bears that exceed my own size! I fell in love immediately with this place. Definitely a cozy place where you can hang around all day with families and friends. For a set the average price is around RM20++ whilst a la carte would cost you roughly RM14-RM17. Considering the superior food quality, unique flavor and generous portion, the price charged for their must-have burgers are in fact affordable and they also make the spent calories worthwhile.

Visit the Big Hug Burger for an exhilarating dining experience!

Big Hug Burger

Monday- Saturday 12.30pm-4.00pm (Lunch) and 6.30pm-10.30pm (Dinner)

Closed on Sunday

CT-G-03, Subang Square

Main Entrance Lobby

Jalan SS15/4G, Subang Jaya

47500 Selangor, Malaysia

South of the Border, West of the Sun

Just finished reading another great piece by one of my favorite authors, Murakami!

Seriously, I was already reading this book some time ago but then stopped because I suddenly lost it. Thankfully, I rekindled with it yesterday while rummaging through my old stuff, I sighed in relief when I caught the sight of this 186 pages of goodness. 

The story basically revolves around the life of Hajime, the leading character who has a childhood friend called Shimamoto whom he grew up with until she left at the age of 12. Without Shimamoto in his life, Hajime has always been feeling that something really important is missing in his life. Even until he has married Yukiko whom he also loved, gifted with two lovely daughters and made a really good living out of a posh bar that he owns and manages, called the Robin's Nest. Despite living such a happy life, Hajime has been living his days passionlessly. Feeling that every day is just a repetition of the day before. Then his world changes upside-down when he encountered Shimamoto again and the two started to spend more time together. Hajime is then trapped between the choice of keeping his current happy life or to throw everything he has for the sake of being with Shimamoto, whom he felt was his other half. After months of restraining himself, Hajime finally decided that he wanted to be with Shimamoto and lost his control. However, in the end, Shimamoto disappeared once again from his life. Only this time, she's gone forever without a trace and it nearly drove Hajime mad. I could assume that it's a happy ending though, as Hajime finally reunited with his wife and claimed that he wanted to start a 'brand new day'. 

The existence of Shimamoto herself remains dubious for me. Was there really a special person called Shimamoto? My assumption is that the idea of 'Shimamoto' itself is Hajime's something at the west of the sun. Perhaps Hajime has been suffering from the Siberian syndrome that was mentioned by Shimamoto in the novel. He has been suffering from living his days repetitively to the extent that it has become surreal and drove him insane. Shimamoto perhaps, is something that he chases untiringly yet unconsciously. She doesn't exist.

My Newly Found Loves

Sephora has been the one place that I'd go to when I feel like splurging my pocket money. Although I can't seem to find the necessity for me to stack up my colored liners collection, splurging every penny in Sephora just seem to be a little addiction of mine. Today's post is simply about these three new products that I just came to love, so much! They are Make Up Forever's Waterproof Aqua Smoky Lash mascara, Naked Basics palette and MAC's Coral Bliss lipstick.

First up is the mascara that I find simply amazing! For your information, I have ultra-straight lashes that stretch like the toll. So I desperately need a mascara that's going to give me a boost of volume and long-lasting curls. In addition to that, I really really hate the raccoon eyes effect that bad quality mascara would give me, they simply exacerbate the dark circles that already look dreadful on me. Therefore, I need an all-rounder mascara that would give me the benefit of being a waterproof and smudge proof one too. Make Up Forever's Aqua Smoky Lash is definitely my favorite mascara so far! It curls my eyelashes and it lasts all day long. The only downside is that this mascara is relatively pricey, RM98 apiece!

Aside from that, I finally got my hands on my most-wanted piece of the year, Urban Decay's Naked Basics palette! Yaaaay! I'm a lover of UD's Naked 2 eyeshadow palette, it was my first eyeshadow palette and I was and still am madly in love with it! However, those glittery and sparkly wonders aren't really suitable for a daytime look. That's why I've been dying to try out their Basics palette which turned out just as wonderful. Seriously, they are just simply gorgeous! So perfect for a subtle everyday-no-makeup makeup look! They come in six beautiful shades that are meant for matte and naked makeup lovers. Again, the price for this compact palette nearly made me cry, If I'm not mistaken, I bought it for RM98-99.

And the last of today's review is Mac's Coral Bliss creme sheen lipstick. Seriously, I'm an absolute MAC girl when it comes to lipstick. My favorite MAC lipstick finishes are satin and creme sheen. Coral Bliss has a pinkish coral color and sheer finish. What I love about this lipstick is that it has a soft,  natural shade that you can pull off everyday. Definitely a great addition to my currently growing lipstick collection :D

A Day In Publika

Publika has always been the spot for my little rendezvous with Anin. I love the artsy feel and the niche boutiques there, they're just so unique and you can find really good stuff if you're willing to browse patiently!
We've been trying out different restaurants and today for brunch we decided to eat in Ben's. I was facing a major dilemma, trapped in between macaroni and cheese or pesto spaghetti, both looked so appetizing. In the end, I chose the latter. Anin had this cheeseburger which patty was just so juicy and indescribably delicious!

We shared this Berry Pavlova for dessert. It was heavenly. The berries and cream were so fresh, two thumbs up!

My entrepreneur lecturer always told us this; "cheap thing no good" in his typically thick Manglish. The same goes for the food in Ben's, the price tag is enough to break my heart.

Ancient Japan

I went to Japan earlier this year. It's been two months and I have missed the synchronized environment that reflects a fusion of both modern and ancient time. The contrast between the two is just beautifully laid out in the Japanese surrounding.

I visited a small town in the Shikoku island called Kochi and had my very first Onsen experience there. It's a peaceful place with a rich natural surrounding and down to earth people whose faith in the Shinto religion is still deep-rooted.

They believed that God is summoned when you ring the bell by swinging the long rope at the temple

We also went to Kochi castle and climbed up its steep stairs, as for me, I literally crawled my way up to the summit. The view of the mountains and buildings that are mostly white was spectacular!

Disney On Ice!

Two weeks ago I went to Singapore to watch the Disney On Ice tour. I wasn't surprised when I saw most of the audience were children dressed up in their favorite princess costumes. Surely they made me wanna shrink back into an 8 year-old kid. The child in me was really much intrigued, I could tell that I was behaving eleven years younger that night, I bought a box of popcorn with a fifteen bucks price tag just to get the Minnie crown that came with it. Thankfully, I didn't go extreme and bought a Tinkerbell wand or prince Phillip's sword.

The performance that night was fantastic. I was literally enchanted and captivated. How I missed my childhood! Much to my dismay, I failed to take good pictures on that night as I didn't have my camera with me so I just had to use my iPhone camera that doesn't work well under dark and poor lighting. Sigh.

MAC's Archie's Girls, Betty Bright!

FINALLY. LET ME REPEAT THAT OUT LOUD (I mean, in caps lock), FINALLY!

Yes, finally I got my hands on Betty Bright, one of MAC's Archie's Girls Limited Edition lipstick that I've been eyeing on for months long.

The coral and pinkish hue of Betty Bright is sooooooo gorgeous. I literally got the LAST one in the MAC store nearby, you can't imagine how overjoyed I was when I cradle this baby in my hands. The formula of this MAC's lipstick is Satin, which is my favorite! Very smooth and glides on easily on the lips. I'm quite pleased with the color, however, it looks more of a pink shade on my skin instead of coral. So there's a downside, I wish it'd be more coral-ish instead of pinkish :(

Nonetheless, I'm happy with this purchase! MAC even gave me a tin of free sarsaparilla flavored candy. Yum :)

Another thing that I like the most about this limited edition is the super cute and lightweight packaging! Unfortunately, I do find that there's too little product for a price of RM 75. But whatever, they're cute.

Love, love love love love love love it.

Best Teppanyaki, Ever!

I have been avoiding rice for a long, long time. To be honest, I didn't even remember the last time I had a good portion of rice or beef for my meals. And yes, I avoided rice and red meat for dietary purposes! However, I really had to break my not-so-strict diet regimen for a plate of this highly recommended teppanyaki that I'll be talking about. 

This teppanyaki that I had was cooked before the customers. Watching the chef cooked our teppanyaki in front of our eyes was a spectacular view. I could savor the decadent smell of juicy beef oozing with savory goodness from my seat! Yum! 

I knew that the dish was going to be good. What I didn't' know was that it was THAT GOOD! Yes, just one bite and I was like HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF GOD! Well, perhaps my judgment was slightly biased and exaggerated due to the fact that I missed eating rice and beef so badly. But seriously, it was by far the best teppanyaki I've ever had!

Being a veggie lover that I am, I was super delighted to see the huge amount of veggies that they served. They also gave a generous amount of beef! In case you're wondering, I didn't finish the whole thing haha! I left more than half of the rice because I was super, duper guilty! 

For dessert, I shared this sweet goodness called "Fuji Snow" with my friends. It's something like Es Campur. So cooling and flavorful, a perfect treat on a typically hot and strikingly sunny day!

I swear it was so worth it! I can't wait for my next visit :3

If you're up for a good portion of teppanyaki, visit them here:

Teppanyaki Sdn Bhd
PUB-S1, 2nd Floor, 
Sungei Wang Plaza
50250 Kulla Lumpur

Pencil Liner Obsession!

I'm not a makeup geek nor I'm a makeup pro.

However, lately a soft colored lippy, several dabs of mascara and an easy glide-on colored pencil liner have been my daily essentials to keep me looking wide awake.

Personally, I do find black liner, be it in the form of liquid, pencil or gel, too heavy on me. 

That's why, I fell in love with colored glide on pencil liner. They are super easy to apply and easier to remove as well. More importantly, they come in many different colors! 

My favorite glide on pencil liner would be Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil. Their colors are gorgeous and glittery! So pretty to the extent that I wanna buy them all :(

But despite the glorious beauty of UD's pencil liner, their price wouldn't compromise with my monthly shopping budget. Being a high-end product that they are, a single UD 24/7 pencil liner would cost you around RM 60-70 in Sephora. Sobs.

Therefore, I opt to search for cheaper alternatives. 

That's when I finally met my newfound lover; NYX's Slide On Pencil!

These babies cost around RM35 each in Sephora, half the price of an Urban Decay uber-awesome pencil liner!

NYX pencil liners glide on smoothly on the skin and have a nice, bold and shimmery finish!

However, the downside is that I can't find many colors of NYX colored liners in Malaysia :(

I've been using UD's 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Underground. Earlier today, I purchased two new NYX liners in Tropical Green and Golden Olive. These liners really give your eyes a 'popped' look.

Totally worth it!

The Fault In Our Stars

Finally, I have found another book and another author that would be engraved forever on my 

'Favorite List'

Well, a friend of mine has been crazy about the book and the author since quite a long time ago but I was busy with my other readings to actually make time for this one.

I started reading this tear-jerking tale three days ago and got completely hooked with it!

Basically, the story is about a girl named Hazel who suffered from cancer and a guy called Augustus Waters (Aah, how I love his poetic name). When I read the synopsis for the very first time, I found the storyline rather ordinary and predictable. Although it turned out that my prediction was right, the male protagonist died first, or should I say, the male protagonist no longer suffered from personhood earlier than the girl, but the book wasn't boring nor ordinary at all like what I thought it would be. However, I don't want to blabber and spoil the complete story in this post because this is a book that you absolutely must read!

What do I love about the book? Plenty! Let's see. First of all, I really enjoy John Green's writing style. It has a really nice flow and very light to read, you just simply can't put it down! Once you started reading, you're just going to turn one page after another and before you know it, you're already halfway through!

 On top of that, even though this book is filled with jargons, they don't make the book sounds like one of those pretentious piece of literature, it's still highly readable. In addition, I love the psychological and philosophical aspects reflected in this book. More importantly, the one thing that made me fall head over heels for this book is one of the characters, Augustus Waters himself. I simply love the image of him, the smart remarks he makes and even the little things he does like how he always says "Hazel Grace" every time he picks up her call or how he always proclaims to feel "Grand" every time Hazel asks how is he feeling. I'd be lying to say that my heart didn't break when cancer ate away the very last bit of personhood in him.

However, just like Hazel and her almost obsessive curiosity about the ending of An Imperial Affliction, I also experience the very same excruciating pain when the book ends with an ambiguous line of "I do, Augustus, I do". When I turned to the 313th page which is the last page, I finally understand what Hazel felt when An Imperial Affliction ended in a cliffhanger. Incomplete and unsettled. What will happen to Hazel? When will she join him on the other side? What will become of her parents?

Perhaps these are some little questions that best remain unanswered

Simply a perfection.

I would give all the stars there is if I have to rate 'The Fault In Our Stars'.