5 Things I Loved About Brisbane

A little outdated but I thought that it'll be great to finally talk about my spontaneous trip to Brisbane. I was going through a dark season at that time: a creative burn-out, the end of a friendship, lack of focus and dealing with rejection. It was an impulsive decision to book a flight just days before landing with my family, since I had initially said no to going with them. Looking back, I really think that it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Here's what I loved about Brisbane:

1. The Laid Back Culture
I loved that the locals would spread out their mats and lie on the grass, regardless if it's a work day or a weekend. It was odd to see people in corporate garb lying down on the grass after having their lunch. It was also odd to me that people walked slower, articulated their words properly and enjoyed simple things like grabbing beers after work and mowing the lawn. I liked that there were birds singing (though it did get a little bit annoying after a while), I liked that the weather was great and that people smiled at you when you smiled at them.


2. The Farmers' Market
One word: amazing! Lots of food (I had the best Danish pancakes and seafood paella), fresh produce, organic soaps/skincare, vintage clothes, old books, coffee trucks, live music, dogs! I looted a bunch of organic hemp seed soaps, a wide brimmed black hat and a book of poetry by Tolkien for the boyfriend. I wish I had taken more photos to capture the scene. Going to a farmers' market like this one was a great refresher from the wet pasar that I was used to back home.


3. The good food (and dessert, coffee, etc)
Swiss ice-cream, Italian gelato, Ben & Jerry's, soft serve. I went crazy with the bunch of ice-cream coupons I had. I found the taste a lot richer than the ones back home, the portions were generous and the variety was nicer. Same went to the food and coffee. It was so nice to be able to grab quality food for a good price, which all came with impeccable customer service. I had coffee every single day of the week that I was there and the best part was that I did not experience any form of acid reflux, lactose intolerance or tremors. My dad insists that it's the milk but I think otherwise.

4. The fact that people were nice and courteous
Growing up in Malaysia, I've been used to being around rude people and experiencing horrible customer service. I actually found it odd that people were generally friendly with 'how are you?'s thrown in almost all the time, even while paying for groceries. I like that the locals were helpful and that the service crew, from the train station staff to the waiter, were respectful and polite. The church that we went to (Anne Street) was beautiful and the people were so friendly. I'm really glad that my sister is plugged in there and growing in her faith with a bunch of people that really know the Word.


5. The overall vibe
I like that the vibe in the city was very liberating. I felt safe wondering alone around Queens Plaza and South Bank. It felt good to see women dress the way they want and speak however they want. It was nice to see a more matured side to a city: no litter, no one spitting by the side of the road, no cat-calling. I saw street musicians everywhere and people actually stopping to spare some change and to enjoy the music. My mom and I went on a Heritage Trail with a bunch of other tourists and it was a great experience to spend 2 hours exploring and learning about the city from a historical perspective. It was quite obvious that my family (especially my dad) had taken quite a liking to Brisbane.

The trip was refreshing, both creatively and personally. I came home armed with healthy ingredients and soaps to last till my next trip. I hope to have the chance to explore other parts of Australia, like Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. As of now, I can't wait to return in 2018 when my sister graduates!

The other side of 'millennial privilege'

'before you experience success, there will be this point where you will experience a lot of shit. but that's just how life works.' 

he said it in a less eloquent and in a more...'manglish' way in the meeting room the other day but it does hit home, at least to me.

i never considered myself a 'privileged millennial' and maybe that's why i've always felt different from my peers.

while my friends went off on holidays with the money that their parents provided them, i, on the other hand, only could travel once i started a regular job. while most of my friends studied abroad on the hard-earned wages inhabited by their parents, i had to complete my American degree at a local school and go on a special scholarship. while most of my 'millennial friends' grew up with iPhones and laptops being gifted to them by their parents, i had to earn my own money through the part-time job that i had whilst at college just to get that beat up Samsung Galaxy Y that only lasted me a year.

and as i cruise through life and see more of my millennial friends get jobs and continue to be spoon fed, i realize that life is unfair. i'm pretty sure that there are people who have it worse than me. i should know, because i've gone on enough mission trips and community outreach programs to know that people are going through stuff, sometimes involving matters of life and death.

once again, during a friendly catch up with my best friends, I felt small.
small because i'm the lowest paid of the group. small because they have embarked on adventures that i could only dream of but never go because i didn't have the money. small because my job in advertising is 'pitiful', that i have to answer to my boss and clients during the weekend or that i am sometimes expected to stay past 6pm and 'not have a life',

i had two ways to go about it: 1) throw a pity party for myself or, 2) work that situation and make the best out of it.

there will be a point in life where we can't blame our circumstances or our upbringing or the past. there will be a time in our lives that we, as adults, need to make choices and take responsibility for those choices. there will be a point in life where we have to suffer because suffering teaches us to be better people. because, in the words of my boss, sometimes you just have to go through shit in order to finally reap success.

and then I ask myself, how do i define success?
is success a four-billion dollar apartment or a Porsche? is success a passport filled with stamps or a Prada-filled closet? i guess success, to me, is not about the externals.
i would define success as that feeling you get when you see a smile on someone's face after you've helped them with something. success would also be achieving my goals that i have set for myself. my goals of community building in different parts of the world and the goal of being a kick-ass writer. success, to me, would also mean a handful of quality, fulfilling relationships where you know you can always fall back on the people you love.

as i finally come to a conclusion, i guess it's pretty simple for me. i was never born with a silver spoon and i don't think my life will get any easier or more luxurious than how it is right now. and i'm okay with that. i'm okay with doing a job that sharpens my skill as a communicator. i'm okay with saving up to travel the world on my own hard-earned cash. i'm okay with helping people, with learning to be humble and giving, to look out for the ones i love.

"Finally, graduates, our greatness has never, ever come from sitting back and feeling entitled to what we have.  It’s never come from folks who climb the ladder of success, or who happen to be born near the top and then pull that ladder up after themselves.  No, our greatness has always come from people who expect nothing and take nothing for granted -- folks who work hard for what they have then reach back and help others after them...

...I encountered students who had every advantage –- their parents paid their full tuition, they lived in beautiful campus dorms.  They had every material possession a college kid could want –- cars, computers, spending money. But when some of them got their first bad grade, they just fell apart.  They lost it, because they were ill-equipped to handle their first encounter with disappointment or falling short.

But, graduates, as you all know, life will put many obstacles in your path that are far worse than a bad grade.  You’ll have unreasonable bosses and difficult clients and patients.  You’ll experience illnesses and losses, crises and setbacks that will come out of nowhere and knock you off your feet.  But unlike so many other young people, you have already developed the resilience and the maturity that you need to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and keep moving through the pain, keep moving forward.  You have developed that muscle."

- Michelle Obama, excerpt from her speech at the City College of New York, 2016. 

Read the full speech here.

Body Painting for The Little Black Dress Project

body painting is a form of art that I've always thought about but kept hidden in the corner of my mind. To bring it closer to home, I've always been enraptured with henna art or tattoos or even just paint. I remember buying a henna cone and spending hours drawing traditional Indian patterns on my hands or for people. Art, in its many forms, has always been something that I've been passionate about. It was something that I couldn't really talk about with people.

but not till I met Sammi Lim. 

Sammi was my 'partner-in-crime' during my year at Time Out magazine and we were the only ones handling Malaysia, Penang and Kids, so we embarked on a lot of adventures together 'for the sake of art' and yes, the paycheck. We had our ups and downs but there was this one thing we've always had in common: a love for art. 

Prior to this, Sammi was a writer and body painter in New York and has exhibited her art in New York and Austria, all while maintaining a job as a writer. I still continue to be inspired by her love for the arts. 

So when she told me that she was embarking on a new body painting project called 'The Little Black Dress', I thought it would be a great opportunity to be part of it. The concept of the Little Black Dress project was to paint a series of LBDs (a staple in every woman's closet) on a few different girls to empower different body types, shed the stigma of nudity in art and to break the traditional mindset of how Malaysians viewed art. 

I was really excited when she asked me to be a part of it, coz I thought it would be cool to be the 'artist's assistant' or the photographer's assistant. Until I found out that I was asked to be one of the models. 

Hold it right there. 

To be a body paint model would mean that I had to bare my body. Part of me was super excited because, hello it's art! and of course, the thrill of doing something risqué that I've never done before. Then there was the other part (a smaller part) that was tuned into the conservative religious background that I came from. For some reason, I felt like I needed to do it. Not for the sake of art but for myself. 

I was never confident with my body. Growing up, I dealt with emotional bullying because I was picked on for being fat, I battled with horrible rounds of an eating disorder coupled with depression and the cycle continued until I left college. I did lose a lot of weight when I discovered Blogilates and followed her workouts but I was still uncomfortable. To bare my body to people other than myself was a scary thought, not because it was 'wrong' but because I feared that I would come across as ugly or fat. Indian women like me are not meant to look like chopsticks. It was time I embraced it. 

Volunteering to be a body paint model meant that I had to come to terms with the fact that my body is not perfect, that it will never be, but it doesn't mean that I can't take care of it. I saw past the fact that I had to be semi-naked in front of a photographer and artist. I saw past the fact that I might get into trouble for being 'cheap'. In retrospect, I'm glad I did it. 

Fast forward to today and The Little Black Dress Project is now exhibited at Penang's prestigious George Town Festival. I'm so proud of Sammi for all that she has accomplished in her journey as an artist. As a fellow art enthusiast and artist myself, I think this is a huge deal. When we met up for drinks yesterday, I found out that she was interviewed on TV for Astro Awani about her body painting story. Amazing!

Check out the George Town Festival details here. 

photo creds: GTF 2016
I'm on the right! (yes, with the cigarette)

The portraits will be exhibited at Chulia Court. That place brings me great memories because it was one of the places that I reviewed for Time Out Penang back when I was handling the nightlife portions. To see myself exhibited there is a surreal feeling that I know I will smile about when I'm 80 and wrinkly and incapable of any form of sensuality.

photo credits: Light Show Photography (Shahril Saifol)

Photo credits: Sammi Lim

I won't be able to make it for the exhibition this month due to the two big campaigns that I'm involved in for work, so I won't be able to see these beautiful pieces of art. If you can, do take a road trip to Penang and support the local arts scene throughout this month for George Town Festival. 

Thank you, Sammi and Shahril (master photographer behind Light Show Photography) for having me in this project. 

Through this, I hope Malaysians will be more open to the concept of nudity in art as a form of expression and not for a reason to judge people and to keep prejudices. 

Thoughts on facing the truth

I guess there are some truths that we've gotta accept about ourselves.

Like me, for instance.
I'm not a marketer or an advertiser. I'm a writer.

I stitch words into sentences with hopes of conveying a message that's filled with some form of meaning. I don't stitch measly words just to sell a product. That's not me. That has never been me. So I ask myself, what happened? What happened between the time when I was fresh out of college and ready to be a writer and conquer the world? What happened when I did eventually become a writer for a magazine that I didn't really wanna work for? And now, I'm asking myself how did I end up as a marketing/advertising creative where there seems to be no meaning in the copy that I write for clients.

I guess I've had enough but truth to be told, I feel stuck. I feel like there is something in me that needs to burst forth. Something that has been hidden for a long period of time. Maybe that's why I started this blog, so that I could reconnect with myself as a writer. I'm a writer. I've always been a writer since I was eleven. Writing, to me, was like breathing. I made up my mind that I was gonna be a writer when I first flipped the pages of Seventeen when I was secretly reading it in high school.

If writing was like breathing to me, why do I struggle so much in the office? Why do I struggle to fork out copy for brands that I feel nothing for? How did I end up circling myself in this line called advertising?

I want to believe that dreams come true. I want to believe that I will be a features writer or a features editor of a high profile fashion & lifestyle magazine. But when I think about it, it all seems so far away. Like a dream that will only retain itself in the dusty corner of my brain. People say that writing doesn't not pay the bills. Who cares about what people think? I've come to accept that writing is an art form that will always be undervalued, underpaid and underestimated. Writing has changed the world yet people refuse to acknowledge its power. I don't need to start on writers who have changed the world with their books, articles and periodicals because it's all out there.

I made a mistake. But at least I've accepted the truth.
Will I ever make it to being a features editor of a magazine? I don't know but I want to believe that I will make it one day. As for now, I press on and do whatever I can to never let that precious dream die because I know that I will sorely regret it.

What is it that you've been hiding lately?
Maybe it's time to look deep into yourself and accept the parts that were meant to be.

Exploring Seoul Through Sulwhasoo

Just barely three days since returning from Korea and I've already booked a flight to my next destination: i'll reveal this soon as the weeks draw closer. 

Korea was a blast. The only reason why I was in Korea was because my team and I had to shoot a special VR (Virtual Reality) project for one of Amore Pacific's brands, Sulwhasoo. If you're ever in Gangnam, go check out Sulwhasoo's flagship store, so intricately designed by Neri & Hu, an award-winning design duo. I didn't take a lot of photos of the store because I was too busy working, admiring the store, trying samples, etc. I think I tried waaay too many samples.

The view right when I woke up! It was 5am and I had woken up from a brief nap. Midnight flights are my favorite kind of flights for long-distance traveling because it's quiet. It does get uncomfortable to sleep on the flight but fortunately, I was too tired from a long day and slept like a baby. 

The rooftop event space at Sulwhasoo's flagship store! I love love love the design of this entire building, but my favorite place was definitely this one. The six-storey store boasts in two spas, VIP lounges, workshop areas and retail spaces. Upon entering, you'll be treated to soothing iced green tea and if you're lucky, an ampoule with ginseng extract for the extra kick.

Of course, the food was awesome! The Korean BBQ was my favorite besides this heavenly piece of Nutella and banana crepe, one of the many street foods you'll find in Myeong Dong, the shopping haven of the city.

I took a bunch of photos but I was too lazy to edit all.

I really enjoyed Korea. It was definitely a country that I had been wanting to tick off my travel bucket list. To be able to travel there for business was a plus, though I believe I would have enjoyed it more if I was there for leisure instead of work. Seoul is pretty safe for solo travel, though the cost of living can be pretty high (if you're coming from Malaysia). I was pretty happy to have had the experience of seeing another country. I doubt I'll be jumping onto the k-pop bandwagon but I must say that external beauty seems to be a thing around here. Be prepared to see an army of well-dressed, beautiful women and a whole load of beauty shops in the city. I hope I'll be able to go back again, perhaps to Busan or to Jeju Island.

P.S. Yes, I bought too many sheet masks (how could I resist a packet of RED WINE sheet masks?) #noregrets

In-flight skin talk and musings on career satisfaction

I'll be leaving to Korea in one day for what I would call a 'workcation', since I'd obviously want to spend time exploring Seoul and Gangnam. It still hasn't dawned upon me that I've reached a point in my career where I am able to travel internationally. Previously, my stint as a travel writer covered local content, so I would be flying off to Penang (mostly) or joining media trips to other parts of Malaysia.

Truth to be told, I miss the media life. I miss being able to brainstorm fresh content for a new issue with a team of creatives. I miss being able to write longform articles instead of the short blurbs that I write now. I also miss meeting new people, attending new openings and gaining fresh inspiration just by researching for an article or conducting interviews and organizing photo shoots.

People say that a job in the media doesn't 'pay the bills'. However, when I look at the very people who say that, those killing it with the formal attire and the high paycheck, I see that they are not happy. After speaking to a few people in my network, I find that most of them are not happy or fulfilled with the career that allows them to have a hefty paycheck. I look at my situation now, with the long working hours, client meetings, occasionally hell-ish circumstances and the high pressure that comes with advertising, I find myself unhappy and unfulfilled despite the high(er) income than what I used to earn when I was in media.

I'll definitely be thinking a lot about satisfaction and salaries during the six-hour flight. In the mean time, I thought of sharing my in-flight beauty essentials. I've never been much of a beauty junkie (until now) but ever since my addiction to beauty vlogs and such, I started an in-flight beauty routine since my last trip to Australia a few months ago. Six to eight hours in a plane is no joke.

Here's what I make sure I have with me:

1. Reading materials. I consider reading as a part of a beauty routine because refreshing your mind and injecting yourself with new ideas and thoughts is part of the beauty journey, at least for me. I think a beautiful mind outshines a beautiful face and I love reading books and magazines that inspire me. One of which are magazines like ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR or PORTER (especially if it's my #KarlieKween on the cover) and a good book. I read "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano on my flight back to KL from Gold Coast and I found it so hard to put down because Mireille writes about french culture, beauty and food in a witty and informative way. More on this when I get back!

2. Hair serum. My hair tends to frizz (#curlyhairproblems) because of the dry nature of the cabin. I decided to try out Botaneco Garden's Organic Argan & Virgin Olive Oil hair serum since I've heard a lot about the power of argan oil to tame flyaways and bring moisture back to the hair. It's less that 95ml, so I'm positive that I will be allowed to bring this in on the flight.

3. Sheet mask. You'll never hear the end of my adoration for this. I only decided to try out a sheet mask in the plane because it's gonna be six hours of flying at midnight, so I might as well fulfill my sheet mask quota (I do it twice a week) for the week. I decided to try the Jeju Lily Face Mask by Guardian, only because The Face Shop is not available at my area. I'm gonna be meeting international media and the Korean clients once I land, so I might as well wake up to fresher skin and feel good.

4. Lip balm. Same reason regarding dryness but I try not to wear lipstick or any makeup for long flights, so I resort to a tiny lip balm for moisture. I've been keeping this Born Lippy Passionberry lip balm by The Body Shop for some time and I find that it doesn't really absorb into my lips but it does the work of keeping lips moist. Oh well.

5. Facial wipes. I keep this in my bag just in case my skin looks dull from the flight and I need a quick fix-it before landing. I usually have this in my bag at all times, regardless of whether I'm traveling or not. I like Simple's Kind to Skin Cleasing Facial Wipes because it's designed for people with sensitive skin like me.


I've not packed but I'm excited because I'll be meeting new people, exploring new places and yes, I'm definitely coming home with an armful of sheet masks and instant kimchi ramen. To be honest, the last thing on my mind is work but I know *fingers crossed* that I'll be able to get the job done.



Till then,
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the one with the outdoor adventures and kbeauty madness

I've not had a proper holiday since I started my new job, so these past five days have been really rejuvenating. i think i've spent close to 70% of the holidays being outdoors and working out while the rest was spent watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. at home and chilling with my parents + boyfriend.

i did cheat on my holiday and went back to the office on Saturday afternoon for about 4-5 hours (#workaholicproblems) but there's this big project coming up for Amore Pacific that I'm highly involved which, comically, has made me a bit of a Kbeauty (korean beauty) skincare convert.

this particular brand under AP is a luxury skincare client and unexpectedly, creating content for them has made me do so much research into red ginseng, skincare, sheet masks, serums, etc which eventually led me into jumping into this black hole of kbeauty that i think i'm never gonna get out of off. i have not purchased a bottle of serum (yet) but i've heard that it does wonders to a basic skincare routine.

as of now, i've been obsessed with sheet masks. i've tried a few brands but I seem to like The Face Shop's Red Ginseng face mask and Bio-Essence's Bio-Energy Snail Secretion Repair Mask. some people have the luxury to do it every night but for me, twice a week is enough.

i don't know if this is a sad thing but i think i've become a victim of my own marketing. writing all these digital beauty content for AP has suddenly turned me into a skincare convert that i now cleanse, tone, moisturize and exfoliate when once upon a time, i didn't even care if there were blackheads on my nose!
the only good thing about wearing the sheet mask is that it forces me to lie down and relax, something I am not prone to do because I'm always doing something and I hate not doing something. to combat my boredom, I decided to listen to guided meditation (I currently love Boho Beautiful) while letting the mask work its magic on my face.


other than that, I've been pushing myself to try out different ways of working out so I've reverted to hiking + body weight workouts. i used to be a gym freak but i realized that i don't have to spend so much money on a gym membership when there's the option of working out for free at home.

i decided to make the most of my neighborhood and popped by the Ulu Kanching waterfall next door (literally 2 mins from my door step) and hiked up the trail. sadly, i was wearing slippers (because i can really be a silly goose at times), so the trail was getting slippery as we journeyed higher, plus my irrational fears of encountering an iguana (or a tiger) made me stop and backtrack.
lesson learnt: 1) wear proper shoes and 2) push through the fear.

i also checked out Bukit Gasing, one of my colleague's brilliant idea, when we planned a hiking trip between the three of us. initially, we wanted to head over to the Commonwealth Park near my house but since it rained at 6am, we changed course and decided to check out this spot in PJ.
[pinching myself now for not taking photos!]

it feels good to be active, especially with great company.
one of the things i love about being active is learning to appreciate the beauty of creation, like the trees, the sky and animals. i hope to get over my fear of reptiles, though. i'm also addicted to the endorphin rush that permeates the body after a really good work out.

also, body weight workouts! i can't seem to get enough of working out with POPSUGAR Fitness. Sometimes, they have a combination of free weights + body weight training but I think what gets me going is Anna Renderer, PF's master trainer who has an incredible amount of infectious enthusiasm.

i sound like i'm doing some marketing over here.
well, if i love something, i'll naturally share it or talk about it.
but really, I highly recommend sheet masks (of the korean variety) and the outdoors as a great way to relax. and if you're ever stuck in a fitness rut (honestly, the treadmill is a waste of time), DO BODY WEIGHT WORKOUTS!

Check out these places in the Klang Valley if you're interested in hiking:
Bukit Tabur
Taman Rimba Komanwel (Commonwealth Park)
Bukit Gasing 
Bukit Saga, Cheras 
Broga Hill
Templer's Park 

I'm sure i missed out a few but if you know of any more places to hike in other parts of Malaysia (other regions in Southeast Asia are also welcomed), just shoot me a comment!