Coffee at Chinoz @ BSC

Spent tea at Chinoz on a Saturday afternoon with two of my friends and the hubs.

Probably one of the highlights of every other day, drinking coffee time. If you asked me about coffee 5 years ago, I'll tell you I absolutely hate coffee and there is no way I will probably drink a cup if you paid me a million but if you ask me to give up drinking coffee now, I'll probably yell NEVER, even before you finish your sentence.

That is how much I need my cup of coffee everyday.

Cappuccino at RM13+. Brewed by illy beans and machine. Lovely.

Anyhoots, coffee at Chinoz was delightful. Other than it was a really humid day, my Saturday was the usual. Oh, wait! Not that usual. We placed a deposit at our wedding venue! One step closer to our wedding and I am getting pretty excited! I promised myself not to be a bridezilla.

I really did.

Chinoz
Ground Floor
Bangsar Shopping Centre

Oats & Fibre

I recently discovered my love for healthy snacks. There are times when my body just happened to feel sluggish and found myself wondering why is that. At my age, I can't help but to start questioning what am I putting into my body at every meal time. Not that I am saying I am old, but it is good to start early.

I am also not saying that I am changing my entire daily intake to all things organic. If I have the money, I will but right now, I am just going to eat more vegetables, fruits, chicken breasts and probably have multigrain snacks or cereals. At least, I am not loading myself with fats and pointless carbs that my body doesn't need.

Anyway, just wanted to share two recent addition to the health conscious section of my cupboard.

Quaker Oats & Raisins Cookies & Tucker's Rosemary & Salt Snacks.

I haven't try Quaker cookies yet but I've finished Tucker's snacks in two days! It is an alternative to chips and other unhealthy stuff. Plus Rosemary is good for the body! If you love herbs, try Tucker's. They have other flavors on the shelf, just wanted to share that this flavor is really good. Even Hubs said so.

I got them both at Jason's Market Hall @ BSC for RM5.90 (Quaker Cookies) & RM12.99 (Tucker's).

Antipodean Cafe

Antipodean Cafe, a really well known food outlet along Jalan Telawi, Bangsar for their wholesome breakfast meals and coffee. Upon reading an article written by Charles Devan from Autogridz, I decided to give this place a visit during the weekend.

It was rumored that this place is packed all the time. During working weekdays, probably lunch hour and also during the weekends. Rumors were right. Hubs and I had to cramp along with 30-40 lunchers at the same time with hardly any space to move our elbows while eating but ( you might never even hear it from a person like me who hates crowds) the food is actually worth being cramped for.

The reason why there's always people lining up to get a seat at this place is because the food is good, reasonably portioned (for me, per meal actually feeds two) and you are not broke at the end of a good meal.

So what I have here is a total of two visits to Antipodean.

This is their menu wall which I found a little bit of an inconvenience if I was sitting away from it. I'll have to walk up to the wall to read what's on the menu and there will be waitresses buzzing by me which really made my whole ordering experience uncomfortable and rushed.

I hope that they can print out their menu for customers who can't really see the board from where they are seated.

Their Big Breakfast at RM19 with a choice of either Pork Sausage or Bacon.

A generous serving of Salad & Fries for the Lamb Burger that I ordered, priced at RM20. You can add a slice of cheese or topped the burger with bacon for an extra of RM5.

Cheese Omelette with Mushrooms at RM17 and an additional order of Beef Sausages for RM9. The Omelette was huge and those sausages rocked!

Cappuccino at RM9 and I love it.

Freshly brewed by Merdeka beans. Not a local brand. If not mistaken, I read that it's from Indonesia.

If you love cookies, give these a try! They are pretty gigantic close up. LOL

My advice, visit Antipodean at least once in your life, try their Big Breakfast if you love having American Breakfast, try their coffee and also their Lamb Burger, if you love lamb. If you would like to avoid the crowd, the best time would be around 2pm on a Sunday.

Antipodean Cafe
20 Jalan Telawi 2
Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur
03-2282 0411

Arenaa Diner : All Night All Day

You know, diners are usually seen on tv, movies, probably on Grand Theft Auto too but they are merely visuals, nothing real, not one where you can walk in, take a seat and order some real diner food in Kuala Lumpur.

Ever wondered what a diner in KL looks like? Well, Arenaa Diner looks exactly like any good ol' American diner you usually see on tv, movies and probably on Grand Theft Auto and the best thing is, the food is delicious and cheap! like how a diner should be.

The main thing that got us wondering when we passed by this place one night were those neon lights. They were lit up at 12am and the signs spelled, "Arenaa Diner. All Night All Day", "Full Meal at RM10" .. and we just had to give this place a try!

Can you imagine? This place is absolutely perfect for clubbers!

Once inside, you'll be amazed at how minimal yet Americanized this place looks and feels. Every corner spells diner. I've have yet to come across any place like this one, here in Kuala Lumpur and trust me, this place is awesome!

We had a little chat with one of the owners of Arenaa Diner and got to know a little about how it all began. Well, long story short, the owner of the diner also owns the hotel, Arenaa Hotel and he wanted to have a place where his employees get their meals at a reasonable price around the area. So, the idea of having Arenaa Diner came to him. Everything from the diner is made fresh.

We ordered fried baby octopus RM5 (yes!) and they are freshly battered right before deep frying. Once done, lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. One of the best, you have to try that.

Mix platter of shishamo (pregnant fish), baby octopus, and shrimps for only RM15 (if not mistaken)

Creamy mushroom & beef bacon cabonara at RM12. It is SO MUCH better than most of the places I've tried and they were really generous with their bacon.

I mean, usually if you realized that the prices are cheap at a restaurant, you'll automatically assume that the food will be average tasting but this place is just .... ridiculous! Food is really good and cheap! I know you don't believe me but if you don't give this place a try, you'll be missing out on something good.

Another finger licking good dish, chilli cheese fries! I think it was priced at RM8. Didn't really note down the prices because I forgot.

Very delicious banana chocolate milkshake. Have to try that too.

The owner recommended their home baked cookies and chocolate brownies for dessert but we were too full by the time we finished our snacks and it was already closed to 2am but if you manage to give those desserts a try, do let me know how good they do taste :)

Arenaa Diner
23, Jalan Tun Perak
50050 Kuala Lumpur

Planning your R.O.M

As my mother once said, Registration of Marriage was never a big thing in the process of getting married. As late as it was in the 90s, couples only went to the government for their marriage to be legalized, like how you go to them to renew your passports now. No big deal.

It was never about wearing a pretty dress, carrying a precisely decorated classic pink and white bouquet, an entourage of friends & family tagging along and hiring a professional photographer to make ROM a special occasion. Today, everything changed. All the way from how precise your earrings matches your dress down to which direction your arm hair must be. Nah, just kidding. It's really nothing that serious. For me at least, not sure about how other brides-to-be are like.

Well, base on my own experience, here are some fuss-free pocket friendly steps to your perfect ROM day.

THE DATE
Always plan ahead. If you have a special date you would like to get registered on, get your date locked down at the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara. I booked mine 5 months in advance, just to be sure that the date is available. Mine mattered because it was around our anniversary date and my wedding day is on the same date a year after. So, plan ahead!

RINGS
The registrar of marriage will need you to present your rings on that day, so be sure to get them in advance. Shop during end of season sale. You would be surprise at how much those rings will be going for. They are still the same rings but at a much cheaper price.

both dresses from www.clothesforfun.blogspot.com below rm100

DRESS & SHOES
Browse the internet for what type of dress/shoes you are looking for. So, this actually eliminates other designs you will come across. Usually white or off white represents the occasion the most but you can pick your favorite colors as well. You don't have to be one of the whites on that day. Every chance you get being out in a mall, look through boutiques and get a good look at as many dresses/shoes possible until "THE" dress/shoes is right in front of you. You really don't need the dress to be so expensive. Budget the dress and shoes to be less than RM100 each. You'll get to find nice ones if you really look. 5 months is ALOT of time.

BOUQUET
I got mine from Cameron Highlands and they are only RM30plus for my bouquet. Instead of getting them at a florist, which they charge a minimum of RM100 per bouquet. They are fresh and can only last a day so my mom got them for me a day before my ROM day. If you are planning to get them from Cameron Highlands, I would advice you to get your flowers, or roses in my case, buds closed. The next day they bloomed so beautifully. After you have DIY-ed decorated them, keep them in a vase or bucket with cold water and in an air-conditioned room the entire time. This will keep them fresh for the big day.

MAKE UP
Remember to keep it simple and light. Mostly go for a basic light eye shadow with eyeliner. If you want to, put on fake eyelashes, they do wonders in photos and in person too. If you've not put them on before, practice 1-2 weeks before the actual day or get a friend to help you with them because putting them on can be quite tricky for beginners.

GROOM
Just tell him to dress well, and he will :)

EXTEND THE INVITES TO THOSE WHO MATTER
Usually ROMs are for members of the family to witness. Choose those who matter and they are all you need on your ROM day.

A MINI LUNCH/DINNER
It is a special day anyway, so celebrate! Although it isn't the actual wedding, like birthdays, group your family and close friends to have a meal together. Trust me, they are the ones who make the day special. You don't need a fancy meal together, have a cozy one in a quiet restaurant or prepare a bbq dinner at your place to make it cost friendly.

HAVE FUN!
Who said planning an important occasion such as ROM day has to be stressful? You will only get stressed out if you let stress get to you. The key is to plan ahead. With enough time, you really find yourself cruising along until that very day arrives. You don't want to look back and remember all that stress you felt and had no fun at all, do you? So, have fun!

Villa Samadhi : A State of Mind

Many would be amazed to find a place as relaxing as Villa Samadhi in the middle of the city, here in Kuala Lumpur. Discreetly hidden from street view, the most distinguishing feature of Villa Samadhi is the massive, soaring atap roof which is the signature of an urban kampong house in Malaysia.

It has been almost a month since my visit to this retreat and I've yet to get over the feeling of utter relaxation and excellent hospitality the place had. Imagine being in a spa, totally relaxed and spaced out. With kind treats, worry-free environment and lovely gestures from the staffs of the place. Soft jazz music as background, lemongrass scent fills the room, chocolates on the bed courtesy of the Resident Manager, dimly lit candles in the bathroom with soft boils of bubbles from the jacuzzi and a super sized soft king bed to end the night with. All that whilst surrounded by trees in total serenity. That was how my stay in Villa Samadhi felt like.

super sized soft king bed

the view from our balcony

english tea bags, hot chocolates, coffee, nuts & chips, homemade cookies all for us to enjoy :)

couple's bathroom basins

This visit was a birthday treat for my better half and I was really glad that I decided on giving both of us a retreat we've never had before. If you would like to visit this place, I should give a heads up now that this place is only meant for couples or adults but only in pairs. They do not allow children, mainly because the place is not children-friendly nor groups because their main purpose of having this place is for couples.

gorgeous view of the pool and surrounding area


enjoying tea on the verandah

bumbung bar

complimentary cocktails for the night

us :)


complimentary canapes of smoked duck

main entrance at night lit up by dozens of candles

our table right by the chandelier at Mandi-Mandi Restaurant

complimentary homemade breads with awesome olive black sauce and something else that we aren't sure of

papaya & banana - good!

lemongrass marinated chicken with mash

marsala marinated skewered seafood with safron rice which was SO SO GOOD!

we came back to a romantically lit room and jacuzzi. Essence and candles everywhere!

A better way to put it is this is a perfect place for celebrating an anniversary or a mini honeymoon. In my opinion, a one night stay is enough if you are local because there is nothing much to do in the Villa, but if you are aiming for some quality time together, then by all means stay two nights. If you are a tourist, then probably a three night stay because Villa Samadhi is just 10 minutes drive from the vivacious parts of town like KLCSS and Bukit Bintang.

complimentary banana muffins, homemade breads and butter cakes with marmalade and butter for breakfast

together with walnuts, salmon, smoked fish, brie, some other type of cheese and seedless grapes

Fruits, watermelon, mango and papayas


my nasi lemak bungkus

baby's egg benedict with spinach, bacon and fried potatoes which was awesome!!!!!

brewed coffee

For more information on Villa Samadhi, do visit their website. My entire stay with Villa Samadhi was beyond perfect. I hope that your stay will be as satisfying as mine did. :D

Tip #1 The place is a little hard to find because they don't carry Villa Samadhi signage, instead they have a sign of Relais & Chateaux outside their bamboo gate. Be sure to lookout for their atap roof when you are nearby, that was how I found the place.

Tip #2 Be sure to include mosquito repellant (for the body, of course) in your luggage.

Tip #3 Rooms with pool view are better. The room that I took was the Luxe Crib which came with an indoor jacuzzi. All rooms have the overhead rain shower.

Tip #4 They provide toothbrushes & toothpaste, floss, cotton pads & buds and shaver too.

Tips #5 Try Mandi-Mandi Restaurant if you are there because they only open to in house guests and it is a chance for you to taste their fine dining delicacies.