Category Archives: travel

Chinese New Year Celebrations In The Year of The Rat

Hi there.  I am back to the blogsphere after a Chinese New Year break.  Boy it has been a busy one with us travelling back to Ipoh for our annual CNY get-together with my family and relatives.  After we returned to KL, there were more visiting to relative’s and friend’s houses and get-together with friends for a belated birthday and Chinese New Year celebration.  I went back to work last Friday and there was a lion dance performance.  On Saturday, we brought my mother-in-law and brother-in-law who is back from Canada, for a short road trip to Tg. Sepat.  Here are some photos that were taken during the week-long celebration.

 

Loh Sang with friends

A shop near the Lover’s Bridge in Tanjung Sepat

The new Lover’s Bridge. The concrete bridge has replaced the wooden one.

Insta-worthy Places You Must Visit In Sekinchan

I got to know many amazing moms through blogging and we all used to blog hop to each other’s blogs when our kids were toddlers to read about our kids and parenting adventures.  Even though most of them don’t blog anymore, all of us are connected on Facebook and we become close friends.  We even meet once in a while to celebrate our birthdays or just to have dinner to catch up.  So last Saturday, they organized a road trip to Sekinchan to celebrate my big birthday.  Big means I am turning ‘a new decade-old’.

So we left KL at 8am and arrived in Sekinchan at about 9.30am.  First stop was Redang Beach.   We were so glad that we chose last Saturday to go to Sekinchan because it was just after the long school holidays and not many people travelled to this town.  We literally got the whole beach to ourselves!

The colourful Wishing Tree on Redang Beach.  It is a nice backdrop for photos.

Check out the beach.  There is nobody there! How awesome right?

We made a few other shopping stops before we come to the last one which is one of the attractions in Sekinchan.  It is the N16 Cafe, a cafe inside a bus that is on top of a container.  Quirky?

We all ordered ice black coffee and ice tea drinks.  Their drinks come in tequila bottles type and serve in a bucket of ice.

We took lots of photos inside the bus and also laughed nonstop. As you can see, there were only us in the bus after a while as our loud laughter must have driven the other guests away *chuckle*

This is the view of the padi field across the street from Cafe 16. It is very beautiful.

So if you are heading to Sekinchan, don’t forget to check out these Instagram-worthy places and take some nice photos as a remembrance.  Will post more about my road trip to Sekinchan later.

Address:
Jalan Tali Air 4, Tanjong Karang, 45400 Sekinchan, Selangor

Pasar Karat Petaling Street

We wanted to walk around Petaling Street (Chinatown) and check out some retro-inspired hipster cafes along Jalan Sultan on Saturday but we stumbled upon the Pasar Karat in one of the alleys.   Pasar Karat is like a flea market for vintage items.  Back in the 80’s,  it was known as the “Thieves Market” because most of the things for sale there look like they were stolen.  As a matter of fact, most of the items still look like they were indeed stolen.

There were rows of ‘stalls’ selling old phones, old handphones, clothing, accessories, shoes and some old coins and currencies.   Hubs likes to explore and look at the things while I was trying to capture a few photos of the traders and the wall murals.

According to the information I read online, the stalls begin from 5 am until 10 am.  Some of the old-timers have been selling there for over 20 years.

This place is kinda dodgy-looking and missy was rather uncomfortable.  So, we did not spend much time here and head elsewhere.  In the end, we did not visit any of those cafes in restored heritage buildings as the sky was opening up.  We went to look for the famous Madras Lane Chee Cheong Fun after this.  Do stay tuned.

Puku Cafe Cameron Highlands

If you are looking for an Instagram-worthy place in Cameron Highlands, then you must check out Puku Cafe which is located in Kea Farm, Brinchang.   You can spot this cafe right at the entrance to Kea Farm (on the left).  Puku Cafe is known for its homemade fruit ice-cream, especially strawberry (what else eh?) ice-cream.  Other flavours include tiramisu, vanilla, chocolate, green tea and passion fruit.  My family enjoyed the smooth milky ice-cream very much.

How quaint is this?

Check out the yummylicious authentic homemade ice-cream.

(Photo taken from Puku Cafe facebook page)

(Photo taken from Puku Cafe facebook page)

As I did not have any ice-cream, I got myself a cup of latte.   So so good coffee made from real coffee beans.  Definitely a must-stopover when you are doing your marketing at Kea Farm.

Less than 500 meters away is The Sheep Sanctuary.  You can click on the link to read more.  There is another Puku Cafe here, which overlooks the sheep sanctuary.  After you are done feeding the sheep, you can sit down and relax while enjoying some tea or coffee.  It is cooling and breezy here.

Hours:  9am to 6pm

The Sheep Sanctuary Cameron Highlands

We made a short trip to Cameron Highlands last week and visited the latest attraction in Cameron Highlands.  Now we do not have to fly out of the country to see the baa baa white sheep because we can do that in Cameron Highlands at The Sheep Sanctuary.  It is located at the Kea Farm in Brinchang. You cannot miss the big signboard which is next to the Kea Farm market.   Brace yourself before you visit The Sheep Sanctuary because the merino sheep are too adorable.  You may find yourself wanting to bring one home.

This is how the sanctuary looks like.  Once you have bought the tickets, just walk in and take the stairs down.  It’s a beautiful place with nice scenery.  (Photo taken from The Sheep Sanctuary Facebook page)

Look at these faces!  Some of the sheep are in the enclosures because they are too heavy to run around with the visitors.  These sheep are waiting to be sheared.  The owner has hired a shearer from New Zealand to shear the sheep.

This cute fella went up the stairs and followed us.  I wanted to cuddle it but its fleece was kinda wet that morning.  As you can see, the merino sheep have very thick fleece.

Missy and her cousin, Sophie were busy feeding the sheep, one pellet at a time.  Can you imagine how long it took them to finish a packet of pellets?

We really had a great time here.  The weather was cooling and it was not crowded.  Best to go there in the morning.

There is also a cafe overlooking the sanctuary for visitors to sit down and sip some tea or coffee.  I love Puku Cafe as they have very good coffee.  Do stay tuned on my next post on Puku Cafe.

Tickets for the Sheep Sanctuary is RM5 per adult and RM2 per child.  Visitors can feed the sheep with the food pellets which is sold at RM3 a packet.

The Sheep Sanctuary opens at 9.30am.  A must-visit if you are in Cameron Highlands.

Instagrammable Places In Ipoh

Ipoh is filled with tourists every weekend and during school holidays.  Everyone wants to try the famous Ipoh delicacies such as the Beansprout Chicken Rice/Noodle,  Xin Guan Fang Curry Noodles, Sin Eng Heong’s Kaya Puff and Peanut Brittles,  Hong Kee’s flaky egg tarts and shat keh ma and many more.  I can go on and on about the food and snacks from Ipoh but it is making me hungry so I better stop *chuckle*.

Besides going to Ipoh on a foodie trip,  do you know that there are many Instagram-worthy spots for you to take beautiful photos while you are on your food journey?  Check them out below:-

1.   Birch Memorial Clock Tower

The iconic Birch Memorial Clock Tower in old town is a popular spot for photographers.   Located in front of the State Mosque, the clock tower was officially opened in 1909. The steps leading to the tower makes it a nice backdrop for photo-enthusiasts.

2.  Kong Heng Square

Kong Heng Square is located beside the Thean Chun Coffeeshop / Kong Heng Coffeeshop.  It is a major attraction among tourists as it has a rustic blend of old and new architecture, complete with old shady trees here.  There are also a few hipster cafes around this square, giving it an ideal instagrammable place.

3.  Murals around Ipoh.

 

There are plenty of murals located in Mural Art Lane and old town.  Some of the places to check out are Concubine lane and the alleys scattered around old town if you want to find murals by Ernest Zacharevic.

4.  The Mirror Lake or Tasik Cermin

Tasik Cermin is a lake surrounded by limestone caves and it is located in Simpang Pulai and near the famous Sam Poh Tong Cave.  Visitors have to access the lake via a quarry which itself is also a good insta-worthy spot.

This hidden gem is visible after passing through the tunnel.

5.  Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village in Taman Saikat, Ipoh

This man-made tourist attraction is located close to the mountains and lake. Qing Xin Ling Village is about 10 minutes away from Ipoh city and offers lots of photo opportunities.    There are lots of things to see here such as the old memorabilia, old vehicles, replicas of old food carts, barbershops, wishing well and etc.

7.  Old School Coffee, Canning Garden

Fancy some ice cold coffee being served from an old school bus?  Well head over to the Petronas station in Canning Garden.  This cute little bus is parked under a shady tree.  Key in Canning Garden Petronas Station and waze your way there.  A great place to hang out with family and friends and not forgetting, some lovely photos for your Instagram feeds.

Hope you find these places interesting.  Do let me know if you would like to have more information about insta-worthy places in Ipoh.

Note:  All the above photos were taken by me.  Please inform me if you would like to use any of them. 

Every Woman Should Get The Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm

Ever since a dear friend gifted me a Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm a few months ago, I was hooked.  I love the intense color and the creamy velvety texture of this lip balm.  She took out a handful of this lipstick in different shades and handed me a No. 20 Red Pepper which is red with a tinge of earthy tone.  She thinks it suits my skin colour and she is absolutely right!

I am not a fan of matte lipsticks because I find that they make my lips dry but let me tell you this.  Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm does not leave my lips feeling cakey and dry.  This cute little crayon type lipstick glides smoothly on my lips and the color is very lasting.

So when I was in Seoul, I searched everywhere for these Mamonde lip balm.  I find it strange that there are not many Mamonde shops in Myeongdong or other areas.  I see Missha, Etude House, Skinfood and Innisfree everywhere but not Mamonde.  On the last day of our shopping, we finally found the Mamonde stand-alone store in one of the streets in Myeongdong.   We were so happy and started to load up our baskets with lip balms and skincare.

We bought different shades as gifts for friends.  Of course, this lip balm is available in Malaysia (Mamonde stores or selected Watsons outlet) but it is half the price in Seoul.  I cannot wait to try on other shades and I just saw that they have come out with a few new shades called  Red Brownie and Chilli Pepper.   Check them out here.

If you cannot live without lipsticks like moi, I suggest that you give this a try.  You can buy the Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm from Watsons or Althea.

Book Xcess In Ipoh Is So Cool

So we checked out Book Xcess when we were back to Ipoh recently.  What intrigued me is that this bookstore is now inside a historical bank in Ipoh.  The 1st floor and basement of this premise have been renovated but you can still feel like you are in the bank.

Love the minimalist design on the first floor.

In the basement, the bank safety deposit boxes and bank vaults are converted into bookshelves.  How cool is that?  It brings back memories of my childhood, going to the bank with mom and walking into special secret room to check the safe deposit box.

The book store has many neon signs with tongue-in-chic messages too.

Don’t forget to check out BookXcess when you are in Ipoh, whether you are a bookworm or not.  It is now one of the most popular Instagram-worthy places here at the quirky Kong Heng Square.

Shopping Loots from Seoul

Besides the beauty products and the Korean earrings, that I bought during my vacation in Seoul, I also bought some clothes for myself.  How can I not shop eh?  I must say that some of the clothes are pretty affordable like 10,000 Won for a dress which is about rm35.  I have seen similar ones selling at RM80 to RM100 here.

Missy too got herself a few items such as a BlackPink t-shirt which cost about RM150.  It is only a black tee featuring Black Pink’s logo.  Well, what can I say? It’s Black Pink.

She also bought (I chose) a short front-tie t-shirt with fold-up denim pants and a set of purple t-shirt and shorts which she wants to wear to her K-Pop dance class.

Gosh, how I miss shopping in Seoul!

Shopping definitely has a positive emotional effect on individuals which is why shopping is so popular.  It helps to release stress and anxiety.  Have you heard some people say that they wish retail therapy is covered by their health insurance?   Retail therapy may be able to help a person overcome anxiety or depression symptoms but it is only temporary.

Instead of trying to fill the hole of depression by going all out to shop, which only provides temporary relief, it is best to address your problem properly  Find a counselor at Betterhelp and face the problem instead of avoiding it through retail therapy.

Starfield Library Coex Mall Seoul

One of the highlights of our holiday in Seoul is a visit to the instaworthy Starfield Library.  I have seen this lovely library from my Instagram feeds and when my sister told me that this library was in our itinerary, I was ecstatic.  Located inside the COEX Mall, the Starfield Library is an open public library which is home to more than 50,000 books and magazines. What is so unique about this place is the 13-meter tall giant bookshelves.

I tried a few times to go up the escalators and have my sister take a photo of me but failed.

Impressive eh?  It’s dramatic design and location which is in the middle of a huge mall attracted book lovers, selfie-takers and tourists from all over the globe.  There are also ample seating spaces for those who want to study and research.

The Starfield Libary in Seoul is an incredibly instagrammable place. Definitely a must-visit if you are in Seoul.   It is also situated right next to SM Town, a six-floor complex dedicated to Kpop artistes who are signed under SM Entertainment.   This complex includes a market, cafe, museum, musical hall.

The address of Starfield Libary
955-9 Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul