Birthday Week

Posting about my 29th Birthday! (I know I said I'd post every week but last weekend was hectic for me so never got the chance to!) 

I turned 29 on the 19th of January 2022. Alhamdulillah. Ever grateful I'm still here with the people I love the most and am having a bloody good time too. Last year we spent our birthdays in lockdown (we meaning Tania and I, her birthday's on the 17th) and while that was just as nice (I had so many treats sent my way and we made the most of it!), I was determined to be out celebrating.

For that birthday week, we booked a hotel at Pavilion for a mini staycation. I'd highly recommend Pavilion, the service was impeccable and we loved the room! It was spacious and they were very generous with their room service, I have to say. Loved it. Of course, it's always convenient that a mall is just downstairs so it was easy for Iman and Papa who stayed put the whole time there. Tania's birthday fell on a Monday and I was working that day. Only managed to see the room when I got back from work. And!! I took the MRT. I always love taking the trains because it reminds me of the daily struggle when I was at Nelissa Hilman. But I love the MRT, just wished their ticket machines take cards! I'll save that rant for another day.

We had dinner at Natalina's at Avenue K. Have always wanted to try out the place so we're happy we found the chance to do so! This household loves a good Italian meal. It's almost our go-to whenever we're sick of local food (hardly ever but ykwim). The food was okay surprisingly. So many people had hyped it up but maybe what I had wasn't great? I don't know. But the pizzas were good and everyone else enjoyed it a lot. My dad who is SUCH a critic, rated it 10/10. Even put up on his Instagram Stories "best Italian restaurant in town". I'm willing to give it another go and maybe try something else on the menu. The place is pretty small and tight but it was packed! Reservations only I'm sure. Mind you we were there on a Monday night! Monday!! Who goes for fancy food at the start of a week anyway??

This was what I had. Maybe I just don't like my pasta al dente?? 

My dad being annoying. You can tell how sweet Hanis is cause she's unbothered and laughing it off. We (Iman, Tania and I) have had enough.

Tania's cute cake was from The Comel Bakes. Link here for their Instagram!

So instead of using flash like a normal person, my dad takes the table lamp for extra lighting.

Tania even texted in the family group chat what she was wearing and asked everyone to ikut theme..... did I also mention she plans her birthdays like easily 6 months before?? 

Good thing the 18th of January was a public holiday so we had some free time. Our previous staycations, we'd pick odd timing of the week so I'd usually be out working and don't really get to have a lie in or make proper use of bumming around in a hotel room. 

We went to have lunch at Lai Po Heen. Of course, my favourite thing from LPH is their durian pancake. Just so damn good. Can't seem to find anything like it anywhere else! We then went around KLCC but got tired of it pretty quickly because with any other public holiday, of course it was so packed with people. 

Currently reading Guy Raz's How I Built This

Flowers by my favourite florist Pretty Bunga on Instagram.

And then!!!! The 19th came. We were watching a movie in bed, I think it was Princess Diaries, when the clock struck midnight and Tania brought out her present for me! This year I was practical with presents. I asked for things I wanted. Which seems like a no brainer but usually people would go "aww you don't have to, tak payah" or "whatever pun ok, I'm fine with anything!"

But this year instead of wasting, I just simply told people what I wanted. That way I know I'll be happy to receive it (not that I'm not happy with any presents given my way because I love all gifts truly) but I definitely know I'll get a good wear out of it. So this year from Tania, I just asked for a pink cardigan I saw because I wanted to wear it for my birthday party. She also chucked in a Dior eyeshadow (!!) and a Nars powder, both that I loved so so so so so so much! It's making me want to go back to collecting make-up. And sweet darling Iman got me a Jo Malone perfume. She was even so sweet to say "Sorry it's the small sized one, it was the only thing I can afford". ????? Excuse me this is not a place to cry. Eeep love them both so much. Zaim and Hanis later on got me a black handbag that I'm obsessed with. I immediately brought it out the second I could haha! 10/10 recommend just telling people what you want. Down to the colour, fit and size. Heck, I even gave some people the link to the thing I wanted! 

We didn't do much actually! I got sooooo much love everywhere from all my friends so that was so sweet and made me so happy. You're always reminded how loved you are when your birthday rolls around. We went for a Spanish lunch with tapas and all that before just laying around in the hotel room. I went for a quick wash and blow at Lot 10 and came back in time to get ready for a dinner at Serai. We were thinking where to go for dinner but for the previous meals, we had been going OUT of the hotel and macam not really taking the advantage of being next to a shopping mall. So I just chose Serai - good food and pretty place. I managed to get the seats by the back which gave us bit of privacy. 

I wasn't planning on getting myself a cake but at the last minute I figured why the heck not! So I managed to get one in hot pink hehe and it was SO good actually. We always have Cecilia's butter cakes as the benchmark but this came pretty close! It's Delicate Cakes on Instagram if you're curious! 

My beautiful birthday flowers were from Pretty Bunga.

The pink cardigan in question hehe

Stopped over to shop for a bit after lunch. Got Iman that bucket hat she's wearing.

Thankful mostly for my parents who brought me here. 

Here's my birthday speech: 

I'm a mix bag of disbelief and amaze that I'm already 29. I remember being at Zaim's costume birthday party when I was 5 and seeing my aunt's friends who came over to help with face paint. They were mid to late 20s and the whole time I was just in awe of them. Not because they could face paint but because they were at the age that felt so far so distant. They weren't as old as our parents but in what I'd call, the age of cool. 

I've had a friend tell me "Stop trying to be an adult so quick, Nadia". I'd like to think she meant well and that I was mature at a very young age but since I was a kid, I've always just wanted to grow up and be cool. Like independent, free, do whatever I want, be cool. 

I've been so blessed my whole entire life; from the get go to the now that I'm living in. All that I've asked for alhamdulillah has been granted to me. In hindsight, all that I've asked but wasn't granted was for the very best for me. It's taken me a bit of time to get to this revelation but I'm here! I've decided that whatever was meant for me will be given to me in due time and that is the happiness that envelops me everyday. 

At 29, I would like to think that my younger self would be quite happy to see where I am now. Like I've got the best family and my relationship with them has always been good and I only pray that it maintains that way. My friendships are ever strong with my closest and dearest and am so loved by the people that matter to me. I'm independent and I do things that make me happy. I've grown out of my shell and developed a bit of fire in me and some sass (something I never thought I'd have cause I'd just be too shy to stand up for myself). I'm happy! That's most important. I've had the best time being in my 20s, had the best time in college and then EVEN BETTER TIMES in university?? And then coming back to work for a for a fashion start up because that's just I wanted to do instead of opting for a safer option??? Guts. I'm proud of it all! 

I'm going to enjoy being in my late 20s and having fun with whatever it may take me. For as long as I know it'll make me happy at the end of the day. 

29 and independent, free, I do whatever I want and am totally cool.

Thanks for sticking around through the years, friends. You've made the journey all the better.

xx