24 The IKEA bookbook™ - You'll Want One!

I, and many of my friends and family are IKEA obsessed people. My sister-in-law is obsessed with their Swedish meatballs.

"Sharon, meatballs? "

"Huh? But we just had it like ..no. Thank you."

My aunt is obsessed with their kitchen utensils. Jen just about purchased an entire box of glassware for Christmas presents last week.

"Sha, it's too heavy. This is all I can carry! "

I gave Jen the stare, which typically means I'll help but you owe me an ice cream.

Half the furniture that sits in my home was born in IKEA and flown in by a yellow stork on wheels. Several in my circle are obsessed with the bookbook™. What's that, you ask?

This is a commercial that was released earlier in the day on IKEA Malaysia' Facebook. It's so hilarious that I had to share it with you. Meet the bookbook™!

Have you gotten a copy of IKEA's bookbook™ yet? This is my stash. I swipe 5-6 copies from our apartment management office each year to mail out to friends and family.

Ikea Catalogue 2015

Although my people can't lug home half the stuff they see in the store (because they live so far away), they love IKEA's bookbook™ as much as they love their favourite paperback novel. You won't catch them reading any other home magazine - technically, this is a catalogue but for us, it's much more than that.

Some say "ee-key-a", some say it's "eye-key-a". Both are used widely. I'm leaving you with this video where Jake Gyllenhaal mentions that there are only two places where his name gets pronounced authentically. Guess where?

Funny!

12 Ooo... Burnt Some Lanterns!

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also commonly referred to as "Mooncake Day" where I come from. On this day, my aunts gather families for a meal. We eat mooncakes, play lanterns and chat. The festival falls on the 8th of September this year.

Sharon's Fish Lantern for Mooncake Day 2014!

Mooncakes come in amazing variety these days - sugar free, cranberry, chocolate, coffee, durian! The only mooncake flavour I ever saw or tasted in my younger days were the ones with red bean or lotus seed paste filling. Some had an egg yolk in the center, some didn't.

Talking about the festival takes me back to my first year in college. I was left alone in the double storey house where I had rented a room. The landlady was away.

I didn't want to be left out, so I bought myself 10 paper lanterns to hang up. The clothes line outside the house seemed like a great place to hang the lanterns. I hung them up in a pretty row. My face glowed with some sort of pride. Yeah, I was alone and yet, not alone. These lanterns are going to brighten my mooncake day for sure.

Later that night, I lit all the candles in the lantern up. I was so pleased.

After spending some minutes admiring the calm flicker of yellow light, I went back into the house to have my meal. Then, went back out again for another round of oohing and aahing.

To my horror, the lanterns had caught fire! Oh, you should have seen my jaw drop. The clothes line snapped under the heat.

Putting the fire out was easy. A bucket of water did the job. The big question, for any teen, was really how to explain 'all this' to a vacationing landlady.

"Err ...Aunty, ah? Happy Mooncake Day.."  I wished her hesitantly. "Haha..know what? I kind of burnt the clothes line".

Kind of? ... Hah! Long story short. She let me off easy.

Lantern for Mooncake Day

This year, hubs bought us a fish lantern to light up. Isn't it cute? I'm going to celebrate this special occasion with a nice meal, one mooncake and looking out into the night sky. That's pretty much what I do every other year. No, I don't find it boring. Shoo!

14 The Progress Of My Cili Padi Plant

Friday is usually equated to being a fabulous day because it means the weekend is almost here. Well, I think there's something beautiful in every day. Happy Friday, everyone!

This post is about my chilli plant aka the bird's eye chilli.

I'm not known for having green fingers but I do try my best ..... annnd I feel like I'm getting somewhere! I water my plants religiously. I fertilise it regularly and clean off mealybugs whenever I see it. Some died, some are survivors. I'm beginning to understand what plants are suitable for the scorching afternoon sun that shines ever so brightly into my apartment.

This chilli seed (pictured below) was planted on 22nd Feb 2014.

The cili padi seed is planted

Two days later, a shoot appeared!

It sprouts!

Three months later, it seemed to be coming along nicely. Then, the leaves started curling up in a strange way. I knew I'd over-fertilised it. The instructions on the box said this much. I put in thaaaat much. Just thought I'd 'hurry things along ' ..you know. So, I stopped fertilising it for awhile and it got better.   

Except for the leaves, the plant is growing nicely

For the longest time, I checked on the plant each day for a chilli. On 24th July, it finally happened! I felt as proud as a mom over her kid.

Sob! A chilli!

Two to three weeks later, the green turned into a shade of red.

It's turning red

Today (I snapped this picture just hours ago), it is bright red. I guess I should 'harvest' it by now.

My red cili padi

Let me break it down for you:
Day 2 - Shoot appears
Month 5 - First chilli, it's green
Month 5.5 to 6 - Chilli turns a shade of red

That's my cili padi adventure. It has been six months. I now wait for a second fruit to appear. Well, surely there's more!

12 Yoga Pants - Women Love It!

In my previous post, I shared a chat I had with yoga beginner, Bernadette Harry, who gave us some tips on starting out. Regular practice and a good support group is key.

Bernadette Harry in a yoga pose

If you're one of those women who were inspired enough by the post to start on a yoga regimen, then the first thing you should ideally do is to get proper attire.

As you can see in the picture on the right, besides having a good top, a great pair of pants which allows for free movement is also essential.

This post is really all about the pants and why women love yoga pants!


3 REASONS WOMEN LOVE YOGA PANTS

Versatility. Some may refer to yoga pants as leggings or tights but one thing is for sure - it is a fashion item that a majority of women wear anywhere they go!

Yoga pants have a versatility that makes it wearable for many occasions. Women can match it with a tank top, a tunic or a sweater and still appear amazingly polished in casual wear.

As you can see, these pants are not strictly worn only for yoga or workout sessions. It can also be put on for casual day outs. Yoga pants, to me, are the perfect substitute for jeans.

There are different reasons why women worship yoga pants and use them as everyday wear.

The first reason is the fabric used. The snug fit celebrate women's curves, further contributing to a comfortable wear.  On days we call 'fat days', slipping on a pair of our favourite yoga pant leggings is convenient and that's truly a life saviour when we're not in the mood to be dressy.

Travel Friendly. The second reason yoga pants are a must-have for many women is because it is a great piece of outfit to bring along for traveling.

The lightweight fabric makes it easy to be packed along for short and long trips. It doesn't take up much luggage space. That leaves more room for souvenirs!

The elastic waistband screams eat as much as you want, it's a holiday! The stretchy material provides comfort for long rides or walks while sightseeing.

Affordable. The third reason that yoga pants are popular is because it's generally inexpensive. Comfort, style and affordability combined makes yoga leggings the best fashion item a woman can have in her wardrobe and let's not discount that it's long-lasting.

There is a wide range of colours and patterns available in the market. Women are spoilt for choice. Stock up on yoga pants with various colours and prints to match with a blouse or even an oversized tee. Have a variety because it'll also help you on your yoga journey, if you're starting on that. There's nothing more monotonous than wearing the same workout clothes day in, day out! 

Buying Tip! Where can you buy this if you're a woman who's too busy to sneak out of her hectic schedule to get to a store? Shop online, of course!

Zalora is a website that offers a variety of beautiful yoga pants at a reasonable price. Check them out and purchase one for yourself!

This is a sponsored post.
This piece is wholly written by me, and all opinions are my own.
Please read the Disclaimer for this blog under Policies.

10 A Chat With A Yoga Beginner

Bernadette Harry's a natural at yoga. Looking through her Facebook photos, anyone could have mistakenly believed that she'd been doing this for years. She's on a self-taught journey that really began only months ago.

I decided to interview my sister-in-law (yep, we're family!) to find out what drives her passion for yoga.

How did you get hooked on yoga?
I started yoga after seeing one of my friends doing it. She kept posting her yoga photos plus her progress on Facebook. From there, I was motivated to give it a try.

To be honest, I began with no idea how to do yoga. I had no basic training and until today, have never joined any yoga class.

I learned by doing my own reading, watching youtube and downloading pictures of yoga poses. After following a yoga tutorial on youtube for about a week, my body started aching from a muscle sore. I had to stop for 5 days but I felt really good about myself at the same time!

I think I’m getting stronger and healthier. A week later, my "yoga role model”  (the Facebook friend) added me as "Moms Talk Yoga” member, a closed group on Facebook. I got a lot of advice and tremendous support from fellow members. Once in a while, there will be yoga challenges going on and members are encouraged to participate. It was fun and I really enjoyed my “yoga time” with this group.

I guess there's no turning back for my sister-in-law now. It sounds extremely fun!

What do you love about yoga?
I love yoga because it can be a very simple form of exercise and I can do it any time I want. It does not necessarily have to be complicated yoga poses.

For example, I practice my Buddha pose and sit cross-legged in the office while doing my work. Sometimes I do simple stretching or even something as easy as deep inhale and exhale breathing. By doing this, we are actually allowing more oxygen to enter our lungs. It reaches every cell in our body and believe me, you will feel more relaxed and refreshed.

After practising yoga for awhile, I began to understand  and accept myself. I feel more and more comfortable towards my own body. With yoga, I started to see life at different angle.

Advice for beginners
Listen to your body. Do not force yourself to do any yoga poses or achieve any poses in a short time unless / until your body is ready. Practice to make progress and  be consistent.

Practice is the key to get where you want to be! Last but not least, keep breathing and enjoy your yoga! Namaste!

The cute thing is my two little nephews (both under five) have started doing yoga with their mom. It's a great family bonding exercise and keeps them away from mischief.

I hope you've been inspired by Bernadette's sharing.

If you intend to pick up yoga, you're going to need the right clothes too. I'll tell you where you can get some in my next post.

Note: The photos above were provided by Bernadette Harry, and used with permission.

10 My WWE Night

When I heard news that WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) would be performing live in Kuala Lumpur this October, I was brought back to a particular unforgettable life moment.

It was known as WWF (World Wrestling Federation) in the old days. I was no wrestling noob, thanks to dad who owned a video store then. I spent my teen years watching countless WWF shows. In 2002, many Malaysians were ecstatic when WWF announced that they were coming over to our corner of the world. My machoguy, who's also a big fan, got us a pair of tickets.

It was a long drive to the venue.

"Ling, got enough petrol?" I began after noticing that the dial was on low.

"More than ... " he gave a passing look at the dashboard.

The night was as exciting as being told that I'd gotten a job promotion. The stadium was packed with gusto-ic guys. People knew the chants! I was surrounded by 'manly' men and in me, was a call to roar along with them. Now, that would have been awkward since I was technically a rose among the thorns!

The show ended pretty late. There was much exciting chatter as we headed to the carpark and soon, a bit of a car queue ensued. We were stuck smack in the middle but managed to drive as far as out of our parking lot. We were inching over a speed bump....and then it happened. The car sputtered and stalled. This was followed by:

Some guys noticed our car trouble. Like super heroes out of a comic book, they gathered around our car. I swear I could've heard one of them say, "Stand back, ma'am. We'll handle this." They were glowing from some sort of wrestlemania adrenaline rush.

They gave our car a heave-ho over the bump. There were waves and claps all round with "thank you, brother!" and "no problem, man!". All a guy thing...and really amusing.

Machoguy started the engine and the car was running again. Thank our lucky stars! We figured out that when the vehicle was at a slant, this caused the little petrol that was left in the tank to roll back. So, we avoided hilly roads and slopes until we filled up. It was a relief that we had enough to get us to the nearest gas station. 

Well, that's the end of my not-too-dramatic night so long ago. We take better care of the car these days!

12 'Tis the season for Lemang

It's Lemang  season. What's that, you ask? Lemang is coconut glutinous rice, cooked in a bamboo stick lined with banana leaf, over a fire. Cooking this requires a bit of patience because it involves many hours, but the wait is worth it. This fragrant rice is usually enjoyed with a dollop of dry or thick curry.

Lemang and Rendang Curry

The lemang sellers were out in full force on the second day of Raya. For me, the roadside makeshift stalls were a welcome sight versus the quietness that had consumed the city two days before the Raya celebrations.

Many Malaysians celebrating the festival had gone back to their hometowns. Some chose to make use of the long weekend with a short vacation elsewhere. Us? Machoguy and I spent our time catching up with movies and roaming the far corners of the city for something 'special' to eat. Lemang being one of it, as you can see....and McDonald's. Yep, that happened because it was the only restaurant we could find that was open for business. Don't give me that look, now.  

~~~

On one of the days, we headed into Kajang to see if there were any satay stalls open. The shops were all closed and it was eerily quiet...until we drove into a little transportation hub. The streets were full of people. It was eye-opening to see that most of them were Bangladeshis. Why here, I wondered. I could not see signs of ample job or business opportunities. Aah..perhaps I visit the wrong day.

In one corner, I saw a neat long queue for the bus. I looked on in envy.

I wish we all behaved in the same manner at ticket booths...

~~~

The holidays have come to an end. The city will be bustling again. What's in August? Our National Day celebrations! Flying the flag, yes or no?

14 Surprise!.....A Prize!

Remember this post - We Roll ... Into Intel's Movie Night, where I had scored a movie ticket to watch Transformers 4 for free? During the event, we were asked to complete a contest form. I don't remember exactly what it was all about, but I recall writing some sort of slogan.

Last Monday, I received a call from Intel around noon. I was still groggy from being woken up. I'd slept at 5am that day.

Oh, don't blast me for staying up so late..or is that early. It was the World Cup Finals! The man of the house sniggered at my commitment. He didn't think I'd be able to stay awake but guess what? The adrenaline rush gave me the boost I needed to keep my eyes open.

Yes, back to the story. The call was to inform me that I'd won a prize! I was really excited about it. Had no idea what I was babbling about and didn't take the address down although it was repeated to me. Then, I went back to sleep. At 4pm, haha, I dialed the number and sheepishly asked for the details again. Sorry, Justin!            

Two days later, I went to collect the prize. I took a friend along and we decided to park by the roadside along with the other cars. It was a traffic free road. Just as we alighted from the car, we got back in again. Drats those pesky DBKL officers. They zoomed in to our corner and started issuing summons. I reparked the car inside the building, before they could get to me. Phew!

Well, this is what I got, a transformers collectible valued around RM200. Probably more, if I had been given a summons *wink*

This isn't just any toy. There's a guide book included to show you how to transform Optimus into a truck. Neat, huh.

Optimus - Transformers

I did watch the movie three times. So, I guess this is reward for being such a good fan? 

 

8 Floria Putrajaya : The Part 2

The good news this month : DBKL has shaved off approximately a hundred ringgit from our property assessment rate. A penny saved is a penny earned! Who's happy for me?

I'm celebrating it with a post on flowers, the same ones I saw at Floria Putrajaya a month back, plus a couple of neat ideas on home decorating. Both cheerful life events.

Identifying flowers is a bit of a challenge for me. I think these little babies are Asters.
 

Aster Flowers

Below is a beautiful floral sculpture by Brightmark, depicting the green peafowl, which is an endangered bird species. It's one of the best displays at the event.

Brightmark's Green PeaFowl

Brightmark's Green PeaFowl

A row of Marigold Yellow along the way.

Marigold Yellow

The dark red flowers along the road are called Begonias, which is the theme for this year's Floria.

Begonia Red (right, on the floor)

Every corner is a flower feast!

The purple Mona Lavender

This garden showcase (a horse amongst the orchids) was designed by Lawrence Sun from China, who breeds tropical orchids for a living. He is the Standing Vice Chairman of the Hainan Orchid Association and Standing Trustee of Orchid Branch, China Flower Association. What do you think? Neat?

Garden Showcase by Lawrence Sun

See the shutterbugs below? It's very challenging to snap photos during the weekends because of the crowd. That's why it's advisable to visit Floria during the week days.

The sun was really hot that afternoon. So, I moved along faster than I should instead of patiently photographing close-up pictures of flowers.

The Floria Shutterbugs

This white curtained passageway is great for a romantic stroll.

Theme : Romance

I picked up some ideas to decorate my home - Light hanging glassware that can be used to hold small plants. I have the plants, 4 succulents in hand. Now, to find these glasses.

Light Hanging Glassware

Hah! These wooden crates have been recycled to hold flower pots. I don't have wooden crates but I do know what colours I intend to have in my garden.

Recycled Wooden Crates

That's the end of my Floria post, until next year, that is.

12 We Roll ... Into Intel's Movie Night

We were treated to a movie by Intel Malaysia. It was a token of appreciation for their Facebook fans. How neat is that, but it was limited to the first 200 people who registered for the event. I was one of the blessed few, along with two loved ones.

Each ticket comes with one popcorn and two drinks!

The movie? Transformers : Age of Extinction. It was my third time watching it. Thursday night, Friday morning, Sunday morning! You must think I'm crazy but there is no feeling of boredom when one is in good company.

It all started the week before when my girl friend and I decided to go on a movie date. I informed the man that I was going to watch Transformers with said friend on Friday. Friday, because it was the day Citibank offers a Buy1-Free-1 ticket to all their Clear Card members.

"Sure...." an incredulous look followed, typical of my drama king. I thought nothing further of it.

Within the next instant, however, he was scouring the internet for tickets a day earlier than my date with friend.

"There's no way you girls are watching this movie first! "

Okayyyy...he got one for me too. I was too amused to decline.

The early bird gets the best seat!

That's a little about how I landed myself with three screenings, which I enjoyed thoroughly I must add. It was a lighthearted movie that had me tickled in many instances. The only seat cringing moments would be the scenes that include the teen stars - mostly cheesy. But hey, that's just my personal thoughts on it.

As funny as it sounds, I look out for gems of wisdom in every movie I watch. It's become a habit. I share two lines from the movie here.  

You gotta have faith. Maybe not in who we are, but who we can be.
A quiet man today can be an eloquent leader tomorrow, yes?

There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve, but who we are and why we are here, are not among them. Those answers, we carry inside.

It carries some weight.
 

For the Intel movie event, our tickets came with popcorn, two drinks and a small souvenir (photo below). I was really touched by their generosity and look forward to attending more of their events. It was well organised, from seat allocation to distribution of tickets and goodies.

A fridge magnet that can be lighted up

The free popcorn, sealed in an airtight plastic bag

Well, that ends my Transformers movie run. It was an interesting week!

18 Flower Power at Floria Putrajaya 2014

I was adamant about making it to the event this year after having missed the last two. This well-known line rings true:

"When you want something badly enough, nothing can stop you...!"

There were many occasions that gave me reason to miss it - visiting-friends, work, the heat wave, an outstation trip for a wedding. But I kept a steady eye on the goal, as with many things in life.

The 'don't-stop-believing' side of gleeful me has fueled a number of achievements that I have, at first, perceived to be unobtainable. As I write this, I laugh at my silly optimism. All this, over a flower fair!

Floria Putrajaya, a flower and garden festival, is a week-long event which is held annually in Malaysia. It showcases international and local talents in floral arrangements, landscaping and art pieces. The activities are organised to ignite a love for plants. This is also a great place to stalk for special plants to buy I'm told, but I really can't tell as I sit under level 'newbie'.

You can read more about Floria at the official website : http://floriaputrajaya.com.my

Check out some of the photos I took on the last day of the event. The place was a flurry of photographing activities - selfies, wefies, groufies. You get the picture.

I love these colourful umbrellas. It provides partial shade from the scorching afternoon sun and adds liveliness to the atmosphere, don't you think?

Pretty shade of umbrellas

The walking path is lined with beautiful fresh flowers.

The purple flower that is Mona Lavender

This garden of pinwheel flowers, its petals swirling at the gust of a wind, is another popular photo-taking spot.

Picture pretty

Smile!

Behold! A ship in a man-made pond with live ducks, and bubbling water for that bit of realistic-ness.

Real ducks in a man-made pond

A majestic entrance for the royal themed park.

Taman DiRaja

As you can tell by now, this is one outing where you should really bring a camera along, but if you do forget to, there's always a photographer nearby for that souvenir shot.

Photographer on duty

I like this piece, but can't tell if it's part of Floria or if it has been there all along. It lists the names of all the parks that are located in Putrajaya. I intend to visit each one!

A Globe listing all of the parks in Putrajaya

I had an exciting day at the Floria festival and hope to return next year. Hopefully, on the first day to witness the grand opening, and preferably stay until late night to see the firework display and catch the lighted floral floats.

This visit spurs me to improve my gardening skills. If they can grow nice flowers and plants in this impossibly hot and smoke-hazy weather, so can I! I paid RM10, went home with four succulents.