Quick Snaps #4

Last I did a quick snap post was in July so thought I'd bring it back. 

- Hazeem's Wedding -

So, not too long ago, Hazeem got married! Hazeem was our senior in college but he's actually just the same age as us. One of the nicest boys I've met and so when he invited a bunch of us to his wedding, we definitely got excited. And it was really fun because I got to meet so many friends whom I haven't seen in so long. 

I also managed to find an outfit to wear. My prom dress from my senior year in college. It's tight but I persevered through! Sucked in my tummy and strategically placing my clutch over it whenever we took photos. The boys wanted to lepak right after but I was like, "Nuh-uh, no thanks, bye have fun!" because I didn't bring a spare outfit and I wasn't about to go to a mamak wearing a dress that was not my size anymore. But I loved dressing up so ahem, friends, more weddings please!! And let me know in advance so can diet for a bit hahah

With Fatin. Whenever we meet, we're always kinda agonising about work hahaha. Miss this habibi, can't wait for 3 hour lunches again.

With the lovely Ibrahim sisters, Saara and Faara. Both my seniors in KY. Got close to Saara (the one on the left) because she, like me, is a huge Korean fan and we both speak Korean so that was really fun. We bonded over our love for Reply 1988 hehe. KOREA MANIA BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

With the married one here. So cute - Ha and her husband came in matching pink. Shall I subject my future husband to matchy outfits? Of course.

With a high school friend, Hakim, whom I haven't seen in 7 YEARS!!!!! He is such a hermit - he doesn't have any social media that he's active on and he's hardly out and about. He was one of the groomsmen (he and Hazeem were housemates in Canterbury) so this is such a small world but so nice to see this boy again. We're exactly the same since high school btw, we've not changed.

HAHAHAHAHA looking back at all the photos and it's SO funny and dumb that I have my clutch on my tummy in EVERY photo hahahahaha ok next time definitely not wearing tight dresses.

- RIUH IN THE CITY -

This was my first time at Riuh. We had to work because Nelissa had a small booth up for the weekend. It was soooo much fun. I was working but we were free to roam around whenever we were free. And it's actually really fun to meet up with people who are a fan of the brand. But the whole event was so amazing - it was so heartwarming to see people come over to an event that was supporting everything local! Local food, drink, music, clothes, brands, everything! I think we're still not there yet in terms of supporting local (because if we were, we won't really be shouting from the rooftops that "WE LOVE LOCAL PRODUCTS! SUPPORT LOCAL!") but I love that people are coming out to do it as much as they can. It's so nice to see. Or as I like to say it, "Sedap mata memandang" which I think is such an apt and beautiful thing to say. But anyways! Riuh is held every month for a weekend so the next one is going to be on the 21st and 22nd October so stay tuned! NH won't be having a booth then but I'll still definitely go because I had so much fun the last time. Hope to see more and more people at the next one!

I didn't have this because.... it wasn't that appealing to me to have rice and bread in one dish but people say it's pretty overwhelming. Definitely a meal to share around.

Ok talk about an overexposed photo. This is Shiqa, a relative of mine whom I haven't seen in soooo long. Remember seeing she had this huge Barbie house when we were younger and I was SO jealous. This was actually our second time meeting after years and years not seeing each other. The first was at Hazeem's wedding! Like I said, small world.

Tip : Bring cash. And a lot of it because food is quite pricey here.

With Nadira. The ever cute, ever bubbly Nadira. She then told me off for using a plastic straw. She's a strong environmentalist and so inspiring. She carries a metal straw everywhere k! Dedication right here! 

The first day of Riuh was Malaysia Day and it was also the Keretapi Sarong day! So people were riding public transport with their sarong's and we saw so many people come by to the event wearing sarongs. It was such a great day to see people celebrate Malaysia at a locally curated event.

 

Such a smart idea. So simple and yet so fun - for all ages! Something about soap water forming into transparent shiny floating balls is just so timeless. And cheap! But there were a couple of kids who didn't understand the concept so they were just flinging around soap water. Err, parents??? 

- RANDOM -

Anis, bless her heart, bought us all a Tupperware water bottle. She carried one herself and she must've thought we were not drinking enough water at work ('cept for me, I'm the heaviest drinker in the office!) because she got all of us one! Sweet.

Out with Hanna for an ayam penyet lunch (what else, amirite??). And this was her last full day and she spent her lunch with me!!! I appreciated my last few days before going back to the UK and I made sure to spend a lot of it with just family (because a lot of my friends were flying back to the same place) so was really nice of her to reach out to me for lunch! 

Genuinely was curious what app everyone was using for the film-like filter and found out it was Gudak. It's suchhhh a cool concept. Basically, it's like a film camera only on a phone. You can't choose a filter, you can't adjust and edit the photo, you can't even have a full screen view of the photo you're taking!!! It's through a tiny view finder, much like in a film camera. So cool. And you have to complete all 24 (?) films and then ONLY will it develop. And developing time takes freaking 72 hours to complete. And you can't even cheat by adjusting your dates on your phone. It's wonderful. I love film cameras but can't afford to buy one, or at least maintain one, so this would do. You do have to buy the app though but only for RM3.90 and that's a pretty good steal methinks. 

This is random but this is my FIRST milo ais in so long. I'm a serial sirap limau drinker but I haven't had it in so long because I'm trying this new thing where I lessen my sugar intake (also in efforts to save money during lunchtime). So for a change, thought I had a milo ais. Just me or is McDonald's milo ais still the best.com???

Our monthly reunion! We had ayam penyet for dinner at Lekor, The Curve. Upon my recommendation of course (I'm oBSESSED!!!!) and they loved it too which was great! I can't be the only one who hates recommending food places to go because of the unnecessary burden you carry for choosing a place for everyone and the follow-up guilt if the food turned out bad??

Night time with the boys playing Avalon and being the loudest table around. Avalon is a pretty emotional game - you have to be INVESTED in order to win. First time I played this game, I hated everyone and legit wanted to leave the house. So extra.

This was during a Saturday night when everyone participated in cooking a western dinner. And I didn't do anything because I had a pretty long nap and didn't come down to help out. Felt SO bad about it so I volunteered to wash the dishes. But food was great. Thanks to Mama's 3 helpers (not me).

Thing about Gudak is that you have to finish all 24 films before it gets developed so this was really to finish the last few films.

Went to Pavilion last weekend to have lunch at Dolly's before Tania started her academic year. Stopped at Zara and found this jacket AND I REALLY WANT IT. It's so warm and fuzzy and would've totally kept me warm in my years in Bristol. Went to OU yesterday and saw this at a reduced price and I was legit contemplating about it for a good 30 minutes. When will I be traveling to a country during winter??? Do I really need this jacket??? It's a pretty good investment considering it's now so affordable. Is it unnecessary??? Ugh.

Had tea at Ben's. I don't know why I still go to Ben's when it's really just very mediocre. Meh.

Best thing about driving (and not taking an Uber) is that you get to divert to different places on your own accord and time. After watching a movie, lunching, and shopping at OU, I had an intense craving for Coke (or anything sweet really) and because McDonalds drive through was out of the way, we stopped by Taman Tun's famous soya bean van, Jenny Hong. Only the best soya bean ever.

Woke up early to catch this movie. AND I LOVE IT. IT'S SO, SO, SO FUNNY AND SO GOOD! It's a typical bro-cop movie but it was legitimately very funny. I enjoyed it intensely. Also, Kang Ha Neul and Park Seo Joon helped. ONLY MY 2 FAVOURITE KOREAN ACTORS EVER EVER EVER AND ON ONE SCREEN TOGETHER?? Bye.

- - -

That's all I got for this post! Will share more in my next one.

In the meantime, up your water intake (it's so hot out now so hydrate properly!), don't stress, and may the next week be better than the last one. 

xx

Sundaze

It's been an incredibly lazy weekend for me. Haven't seen the outside world for 2 days now which is great. My ideal weekend is being home, on my bed, watching endless shows on my laptop and take several naps. I don't get to do this on the weekdays so I like to busk in sheer nothingness on the weekend. 

I just had a McDonalds lunch and I'm always torn between feeling really fantastic after eating burger and fries or feel really guilty because damn, that's a lot of fast food. Doesn't help that there's a McDonalds just 3 minute drive from my house. I just realised I haven't done the 'one-month fast' that I used to do in the beginning of the year. We're a week to October so maybe I should restart with a No Fast Food month. And I think I need to skip on sugary drinks. I drink way too much sirap limau in a week. 

I've run out of most of my skincare products; cleanser, toner, essence, moisturiser. I hate how they always seem to finish at around the same time, no matter how big or small I buy them! My pay is only coming next week and I'm trying to be more sensible with my shopping these days. I even downloaded an app that lists, calculates and tallies my expenditures. It's such a no brainer app but it's such a useful one - a lot of my money goes into food so I'm trying to see how I can cut down on that. Bring my embarrassing water bottle out for lunch instead of ordering drinks and eating smaller portions of food. And no snacks! Not sure what my app is called but there are plenty for you to check out. They all work out pretty much identical anyway. 

So on Friday, (I know I'm skipping from one topic to another with no flow whatsoever but just roll with it ok) my friends and I made a mini road trip to have dinner at one of our favourite places, Garden Seafood. It's in Tanjung Malim and we got to know of it because we studied at KY. It's AMAZING, they are pretty famous for their honey sotong and it's a must order whenever we go. Ariff left KL for the UK yesterday so as a last gathering, he wanted to eat at Garden Seafood. So we planned the trip and went on Friday. We stopped over at KY with no expectations whatsoever that we'd get in because they've grown to be quite strict with visitors over the years. But they did!!! College was empty because it was a long weekend so the cafe, dining hall and everything else was closed. Would've loved to go to the cafe and see everyone (lol I don't know anyone in KY now). We moved on to Garden Seafood and after stuffing ourselves with homemade beancurd, honey sotong, kangkung belacan, nyonya chicken and ikan tiga rasa, we left for KL. Definitely will make the trip again.

Stopped by at the bus because Zain wanted to take a photo with... himself.

House rivalry is still *such* a thing. 

I think we were all a bit mesmerised being at the Saad Square. We've not only just left KY, we're also all done with university! So surreal to be back here.

My hangout place closed when we were there! Sad. 

Yum, doesn't this just look like a dream!!!!! Can't wait to go back.

I'm all showered and I have clay mask on (from Innisfree) on and I'm getting peckish. Need to find something to make. Have been wanting to eat samyang for so long so maybe that.

Damn it, tomorrow's Monday.

xx

The Intern

So in March, we had a new intern. Her name is Anis. I'll be the first to say she came off very strong. Like she was constantly clinging on to me. And I didn't even know her!! She was a strong presence in an office that otherwise was quite... mellow. But over the time, the whole office felt livelier, noisier, funner, and had more character. I looked forward to my days in the office because I had a friend. Not that I don't love my colleagues, I do, but Anis felt more friend than a colleague. She is not just the same age as I am, she was also born the day after me. Destined.

I love this girl. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not one for PDA and I don't like to be too clingy with anyone. It was my upbringing and I've always been pretty much to myself so when Anis came into my life, I was (like I said earlier) taken aback but I enjoyed it. She's such a ball of sunshine and makes everyone's day. She helped me so much at work and has always helped me get my A-game up. I never thought I'd find a lifetime best friend at work so I'm so glad we chose her to be our intern hahaha. Now I have one more dulang girl candidate! (I'm not getting married soon)

But anyway, she has officially left the company. She interned for a good 6 months and was given the choice to continue with us but she got a better job offer elsewhere and I told her to go. It was so obviously a better choice to leave for this other job she got and I didn't want her to be tied down to this company just because she felt obligated to. As much as I and the team love her. 

I'm pretty sad about it because my best friend left (!!!) but we're all trying to make up for it by doing our best to keep ourselves entertained. We had a good singing fest just now when the boss wasn't in. It's not like we won't see her anymore anyway but it's an absence that is definitely felt by everyone. 

Love you miss you and sayang you more, bestie. Be good, jumpa soon for dim sum or nasi ayam kukus Ilham. 

Thought I had to write this down because although I won't forget Anis (I can't possibly, she's texting me everyday) but I haven't made a friend in so long that I'm this close to so I wanted to immortalise this. For future me to see that I made a best friend at 24. 

xx

Crying missing

I'm in a ridiculously reminiscent mood. I miss the UK. I miss being there with my friends. I miss being a student in a foreign land. I really miss being a 21 year old. It feels so different now. I hardly see my friends who I was so close to back when we were in uni. Everyone's so busy at work now and I never was quite sad about it as I am now.

I'm crying as I'm blogging because I was looking through photos of my time there and I just started bawling. Like, straight up TEARS streaming down my face, uncontrollable sobbing all! It's the time of year where everybody starts going grocery shopping to stock up on their necessities for the UK. Damn, those were some great 3 years. Best I've had. Ever. It was such a wonderful experience and journey and I'm so glad I was so crazy about taking photos of everyone and everything and blogging about it because I get to relive it whenever I have the time.

It's not that I don't like where I am currently but there's just so much I have to think about now that when I was scrolling through my Path feed (where I post some of my UK photos 'cause it's more private there), I had a pang of utter sadness hit me like a ton of bricks. More than just a ton of bricks, really. Can't believe it's already been a year since I've been working. WORKING. Insane. The responsibilities are piling and the routine is starting to get to me.

Bring me back to my first flight (as shit as it was and I had the biggest pimple on my right cheek) to the UK with my friends, swollen eyes from crying, a whole new wash of realisation that this was it. This was what we worked for. This was where we wanted to go. It was an exciting time of my life and I will never, ever forget it.

3 years felt such a long time when I first got there when I was lugging my 2 huge luggages to my house (in which I continued to stay all three years) and clumsily fumbling with £1 coins for the bus fare. I still can memorise my UK address, my UK number, my bus number, my Lloyds bank debit card number, I remember the classes and which blocks they were in, I remember how to get Azam and Zati's houses and I remember that I used to play Arctic Monkeys every bus trip to London and Taylor Swift's album on my bus trips to the grocers. I remember that mushrooms were a pound per packet, and croissants were £0.67 each at McColls just down the road. One of the cashiers there is named Tania and I told her my sister shared the same name. I know the climb up to uni was hell but took 5 full songs to get there. Bus fare was £3 for a full day trip but £2.70 for a student (and just a pound to Morrison's). I spent £30 for a rail way card in my second year and that was when I went to London the most. I remember everything! It's still so etched in memory and I never want to forget my experience. It was the place that saw me grow as a young, independent woman. The first meal I cooked for myself was served on a mint green Ikea plate that I bought a week earlier. It was fussili and I cooked it with store-bought sauce, vege, herbs and spices, mushrooms, everything. It was an okay dish but it was my first ever attempt ALONE at cooking for MYSELF. I had to commemorate and take a photo of it to send to my family. And they were generous with their compliments.

I remember buying myself the then brand new iPhone 5S. For the first week there, I was surviving on a Blackberry and an iPad. I had to wait for my debit card to be ready to buy the iPhone so it was the longest waiting time because I wanted to Facetime comfortably and not with a big iPad.

I remember my Ikea trip with Zati who had arrived about 10 days earlier than I did. I spent so much for my bare room - bed sheets, plates and cutleries, a carpet and so many other things. It came up to £160 and my mum was like, "Err... what the hell did you get" hahaha. I'm so, so, so glad that I had familiar faces with me in Bristol. Like Azam and Zati. Azam came to the UK with his dad and they were GREAT help, especially with my bags and being on completely unknown territory. Zati's first year house was basically my place too. I was there so often because the company was fantastic. I slept there way too many times too. Adda cooked yummy lauk and we'd all sit ourselves in front of the small TV and watch whatever there was. Memoriesssssssssss. I saw Adda and Sofia for the first time in agesssss at a wedding last weekend and I was flooded with good times at their house on Boston Road. I remember sitting with this Asian girl named Lynn who spoke in an English accent in my first ever class. I was the only international student (Lynn was born and raised in Cardiff but her parents are Thai). And I hope to never forget Lynn, my only ever friend in uni who helped me the most in adapting to the new place. I would've not enjoyed my days there as much if not for her. I don't think she reads this blog but sigh, that girl was a gem and I really need to reconnect with her one of these days.

And all my holidays and trips around the UK and Europe were unforgettable. Ridiculous how much fun I had with my friends. This was us prior to commitments and work and crazy hours. Something about traveling with friends in your 20s that makes it unlike any other vacation you will ever take. From the heat in Monaco to the coldest I've ever been in Berlin, traveling with my mates was the best thing ever ever ever. I travelled with a group of 12 and I travelled with one other person but all experiences were divine. I still want to go travel with my friends but there needs to be some major planning because everyone has to be on their off-peak season and can afford to take their leave days.

I'll definitely post some of my favourite photos of my UK experience along with this post but that calls for searching and organising the pictures and I'm not in the mood to do that. I do that enough at work so I'll see if I'm up for it during the long weekend. But I thought I just had to post this because I needed to reminisce just about the best time of my life.

Ok before I start crying again, I'll end it here. Of course I'm so elated to be home but I really can't help but miss my UK experience and Bristol as my home. I can't wait to go back and relive it all.

xx