Category

Kuala Lumpur

Budget Friendly: Furnishing & Decorating Your Home in Kuala Lumpur
in Expat Life, KL Home, KL Shopping, Kuala Lumpur

Budget Friendly: Furnishing & Decorating Your Home in Kuala Lumpur

Our previous posting in Kuala Lumpur meant that my husband and I would finally get to have our own home. A place where we could call the shots when it came to the furniture and the whole look and feel of the place.

Thankfully, we were on the same page when it came to what we wanted – something classic and cosy. It’s the same view I have with clothes: It should still look good years from now when I look at photos and I should love wearing them. In the case of our home, we must enjoy staying in it. After all, this is where we will be recharging after a long day.

It also must look presentable enough – fit to host my husband’s counterparts, diplomats from other countries. Spoiler alert: the pressure during the furniture and decor hunting paid off. In the span of our 2 years and 10 months stay in Kuala Lumpur, we’ve had over an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, an Ambassador, an Undersecretary, an Assistant Secretary, a couple of directors, and even members of the media. My hosting skills were really put through a major test. It was exhausting but made for really good memories.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Expat Life, Kuala Lumpur, Skincare

Good to Know: The Body Shop Malaysia Launches Online Shopping App

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It’s literally a few days from Christmas and I feel like an exhausted elf working in the North Pole. While buying gifts and wrapping them are fun, I have to admit that it can really take its toll on me, physically. In fact, I’m typing this at 1:30 in the morning after finishing up another batch of gifts.

However, I just know that I had to log in real quick here to share with you some good news. The Body Shop here in Malaysia has launched an online shopping app! You know what this means, right? You can now shop for your favourite shower gels and body butters on the go!

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8 Myths on Life as a Diplomatic Spouse
in Expat Life, KL Food, KL Home, Kuala Lumpur

Christmas 2016 Series: Casual Table Setting for the Holidays

So it begins. The deluge of holiday celebrations has begun! The past couple of days have been busier than ever with work and evening holiday events taking up most of our time.

Knowing that we’ll be hosting a couple of holiday get-togethers at home as well, I thought I’d do a bit of a run through with the table set-up for this season. Since I will be doing a lot of cooking, I want the set-up bit to be quick and easy. My husband and I agreed that we’ll be doing casual get-togethers this year to keep the ambiance relaxed, easy, and fun. However, I still want a touch of elegance.

It’s doable, I tell you.

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in Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur

A 5-Day Gastronomic Feast: Spanish Chef Jose Alonso at The Ritz-Carlton KL

Spanish food has always had a comforting vibe with dishes that are often reminiscent of meals enjoyed with family or a group of friends. Tapas, the small appetiser plates Spain is famous for, are for sharing after all.

Spanish Chef Jose Alonso is a firm believer of keeping that tradition going – even in a formal dining setting. “Fine dining is boring. It’s too quiet and you can’t complain when you don’t like something,” he quipped to a suitably amused group of reporters.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Expat Life, KL What to Do, KL Where to Go, Uncategorized

Kuala Lumpur’s Perfect Zen Hideaway: EOS Wellness (Discount code inside!)

If you know me personally, you must have seen how stressed I have been the past couple of weeks.

Events, write-ups for news sites I work for, marketing work, some freelance work with the United Nations (which I finished today, yay!), diplomat’s wife duties, and there’s also The Binge. 😉  Of course, I’m not complaining. My career is on a pretty good roll, and I’ve never been this fit. Alvin has been constantly reminding me to slow down though since I’m quite overworked. He is kinda right.

My eye bags looked more like luggage and I’ve been experiencing some back pain despite my regular workouts. 😭  My brain is constantly on overdrive that sometimes I even dream of work! I truly needed a moment of relaxation as my husband suggested!

EOS Wellness invited me over just in time and I swear, I made the right choice to squeeze it into my already-packed schedule. A lot of times, we just need to hit the pause button and just relax. I needed a full on reboot and I got it that day in the couple of hours that I spent there.

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D Legends Bar, Kuala Lumpur, TTDI, Taman Tun, Drinks, Bar, Restaurant, Comfort Food
in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

Foodie Adventures: The Best of D Legends Bar’s 2016 Menu

Back when I was in uni, my friends and I had a special hang out. It was a stone’s throw away from our building, in one of the tiny alleys along Dapitan. A totally chill place where, whatever time of day I go, I will definitely find some of my friends there. The menu was simple, the drinks were easy on my measly student allowance.

Having a go-to place is pretty standard. Especially if, like me, you enjoy a good drink and great company. Had a great day? Round up the gang for some drinks and celebrate. Had a bad day? Round up the gang for some drinks and get over it. Life is simple when you want it to be, no?

Recently, my friend Pita and I were introduced to a new go-to for when we want to unwind. A neighbourhood hangout if you will.

Located in TTDI, D Legends Bar is a place that you may be quick to dismiss since it’s surrounded by tons of choices. After all, this neighbourhood has a reputation for having establishments that are approved by local food snobs. Word of advice, my fellow expats: Do not argue with Malaysians about food. They know their stuff.

Although I do believe that this is one establishment you should try when you’re in the area. It’s approved by locals, and expats living in the area are fond of it as well. The great price points are a huge plus as well.

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in KL Home

Expat Life: Trying out Haftarent – Malaysia’s Hassle-Free and Long Term AirBnB

** This is a review of the service. For my article about Haftarent on Forbes, click here.

Being married to a diplomat, I’ve been thrusted into a life that entails periodic moves for the next couple of decades. Not that I’m complaining but I have to be honest here: While moving to a different country may be a fun adventure, the moving process itself is stressful. Those who tell you otherwise, are lying.

All the farewell dinners you have to be in where you’ll feel sad knowing that it will be a while before you see your family and friends, the tedious packing, the journey, and finally arriving at your destination – these can really take their toll on your energy reserves. When we arrived in Malaysia, there was the flat hunting to consider, the furniture, how we would decorate our home, and settling in. Again, fun yet tiring.

We got lucky that our embassy has a go-to landlord and once my husband and I visited the units in his building, we fell in love with the location, the size of the unit, and the view. (A separate post on moving, flat hunting, and buying furniture in KL coming up!)

That part was easy for us, thank goodness. A lot of expats in Malaysia, however, are not as lucky. I’ve heard of flat hunting that took from several days to weeks and people who had to deal with inconsistent deposits.

I was recently introduced to a new service that a lot of expats and diplomats can use for convenience. Haftarent is a service that connects landlords to possible renters and all transactions are done online. I tried it out last month and here’s how the experience went:

Booking and checking in

Booking through the site was a breeze and so was check in during a sunny weekday. I was met by one of Haftarent’s people at the lobby of Vipod Residences where the unit I will be staying in was located. I chose this building among the properties listed on the site due to its location. It’s along Jalan Kia Peng, a street that’s a few minutes from Pavilion Mall, the KL Convention Centre, Suria KLCC, and the Petronas Towers.

Also, I was quite curious with this building. Alvin and I considered renting here but after seeing our current unit, we never looked back. Later on, a Singaporean diplomat told us that her unit in Vipod (which is a new building, only a few years old) has cockroaches. I still went for the Vipod property though since I heard they have a gorgeous pool. I was praying not to see roaches as we went up as I am deathly afraid of them.

Spoiler alert: No roaches. Whew! Thanks goodness for neat landlords.

When I arrived, this is what welcomed me:

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Allove, Allove Diamond, Diamond, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, SK, Engagement Ring, Jewellery, Launch,
in Expat Life, KL Shopping

Jewellery: The Allove Diamond

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Marilyn Monroe once said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. I’m not that shallow but I will have to admit that they are pretty and an un-boring investment to boot. 😉

I was recently invited to the launch of SK Jewellery’s new diamond. Aptly called Allove, what makes this 81-facet rock unique is the perfect pattern of 10 hearts and 10 arrows on it.

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Allove vs Ordinary Diamond

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Madhouse, Madhouse KL, Sheesha, Shisha, Hookah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Drinking Place, Bar, Sports Bar,
in Expat Life, KL Food, KL Where to Go

Foodie Adventures: Mad House KL (Drinks, Chow, Shisha)

Kuala Lumpur is peppered with amazing places to get a good drink and hang out with your friends. Options are way too many and I often find myself in a new place with friends enjoying food as well as a good drink or two.

One of my best friends here in KL, Samia, moved to Canada last month. But before she left, I tagged along with her to a new bar and shisha place in Cheras.

Madhouse KL is located just a stone’s throw away from the new IKEA in Cheras. It attracts mainly a local crowd as this area of the city is not really on the touristy side. Although it’s a place that has lots of restaurants and bars.

Madhouse, Madhouse KL, Sheesha, Shisha, Hookah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Drinking Place, Bar, Sports Bar,

Trippy.

Chairs that light up with different colours give the whole place a fun and eclectic vibe. Going up the stairs, you’ll also see beer pong tables, digital dart games, as well as pool tables. A humungous foosball set is also being built.

There’s loud music, something that I prefer not to have when I’m with my friends so we can talk more and I can enjoy my drink in peace. Man, I really am getting old. However, there’s something in Madhouse KL that will make people want to come back. Even if like me, you’re no longer into the whole noisy, party environment.

Madhouse, Madhouse KL, Sheesha, Shisha, Hookah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Drinking Place, Bar, Sports Bar,

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