Category Archives: Everyday Life

Road trip to Kluang, Johor

Posted in Everyday Life, Food and Drinks, Leisure & Travel, Places to Eat, Reviews by

Once my husband and kids came back from their holiday in Aceh, we went on a road trip to Kluang. On the way there, we stopped at one of the best asam pedas place in Muar, Asam Pedas Kak Yah. They had a lot of dish options with thick, flavourful gravy. Despite its bright reddish hue, it was not spicy at all. If you haven’t tried a dish called asam pedas before, now is the time.

After a hearty lunch at Kak Yah, we continued our car ride to Kluang. Since it was the school holidays, Kluang seemed like a good choice for a low-key family getaway. The main objectives of this road trip are to enjoy good food and a swim in the pool, especially for the kids. We soon reached Prime City Hotel. Mr Husband booked one room for us and another for his mother and nieces.

Prime City Hotel

This is a 3-star hotel that may look non-promising from the outside. However, it gets really cosy and hospitable once you step into the room. The air-conditioning was working fine, and it had the basic amenities. Though the swimming pool area may not look luxurious, the kids still enjoyed it. Just make sure they are under adult supervision. Check-in time is 3 PM. We managed to get our room at about 230PM. The bus station is just beside this building, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. This place reminds me of Jasin.

The breakfast buffet has an adequate spread. It was very basic, yet we are thankful for the great food that was offered. As long as the nasi lemak served is delicious, nothing else matters.

We stayed here for 2 nights. The hotel is located near Ngepot Kabin, an outdoor eatery that’s like a food court. It has a variety of food stalls. I did not take any pictures there. Basically, you scan the QR code and tap in your order. We had dinner quite early on the first day, as we needed a good night’s sleep after that drive from Melaka. Even as a passenger, it is still tiring. Ha ha ha.

Kluang Rail Coffee, Bandar Kluang

What is a trip to Kluang if we’re not going to visit at least one of their viral restaurants? Initially, we went to the Kluang Railway Station itself. The authentic, OG place where everything starts. The winding queue seemed impossible to wait in. After taking a few photos at the station, we headed to their other branch in town. We still had to wait, but it was more bearable. I ordered their Laksa Johor. And of course the coffee. I had an iced cham. It is a drink that blends strong black tea with coffee and milk. You could find it in any good kopitiam.

The portions were acceptable. Not too huge. I also ordered their Kaya Toast. I mean, how could you not order Kaya Toast when you’re in a Malaysian kopitiam? It is almost disrespectful. Ha ha.

Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut

After a scrumptious brunch at Kluang Railway Coffee, we had dinner at Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut. I get that people are saying, ” It’s just nasi lemak, how special can it be?” Indeed, it is just nasi lemak. But if you’re looking for a delightful staple dish worth your money, this is the place to go. The place is tucked in a quite isolated area. A friend told me that I should go to the one at Kota Masai. Even then, the food is still good, although the owner appears a bit nonchalant in his business approach. The rice portion is huge. I could actually divide the rice into 3 portions. The sambal and the fried chicken were nice. The chicken was super crispy and juicy at the same time. My MIL was unable to come with us as one of my nieces was already fast asleep, so we tapau-ed one for her to eat in her hotel room.

Apart from eating, swimming in the pool and sleeping in the room, we did not do much at Kluang. That was pretty much the point of our staycation. We certainly did not plan for a trip to a nearby zoo or theme park. Everything was just low-key, and I pretty much enjoyed it too. I did have to complete my 10K steps in the hotel room, but it wasn’t an arduous task. It forced me to become creative in finding ways to achieve my goal. After 2 nights in Kluang, it was time to hit the road again. Our next destination was Pengerang.

Gotong Royong at school

Posted in Everyday Life, Parenting, Family and Relationships by

Gotong Royong is akin to communal work or a community clean-up activity. In this case, it’s an initiative by the school to keep the school clean and conducive for learning activities. They would get the parents, students and related agencies to get involved for the said purposes.

I have to say, this is the first time I am getting involved. Before this, I might not have been paying much attention to the WhatsApp group, or I may have had something else planned for the weekend and couldn’t commit to it. This year, I noticed the announcement and made an early written commitment in my planner to ensure that nothing else is slotted in on that day. I was intrigued to see whose parents would turn up and what chores I could assist with in the Gotong Royong.

My daughter came with me. She likes these things cause then, she could play with her friends as well.

I was asked to help with the wallpaper. Man, that got me nervous. I couldn’t even cut the wallpaper in a straight line. Eventually, I managed to do it with the help of the kids. The men, the fathers, painted the sides of the walls. The lovely teacher did all the many miscellaneous tasks. I believe there will be another session to help the class teacher with the curtains and the table covers. So InsyaAllah I am in.

The simple math of walking for weight loss

Posted in Everyday Life, Good Things by

To drop 1 kg of fat, you would need to burn 7700kcal. That is 150,000 steps.

Supposedly, if I choose to be ONLY on a caloric maintenance, I will be able to lose 1 kg of fat, IF I WALK;

  • 6K steps/day – I would get there in 30 days
  • 8K steps/day – 19 days
  • 10K steps/day – 15 days
  • 15K steps/day – 10 days

Of course, I would experience faster weight loss if my MEALS are in a calorie deficit and I pick up strength training. Since I have just started to be more consistent with my brisk walking schedule, I think I should stick to that first before I swing my kettlebell. Or maybe I could get going with it over the weekends. I tried doing that before, but it got so tiring that I stopped. Furthermore, I needed the weekend to relax, do my household chores, and spend time with my family. Household chores, such as buying groceries, folding laundry, and the occasional floor-mopping, take up a big chunk of the weekend. Thankfully, I have my Roborock to help with the vacuuming.

Regarding the steps, I am not quite sure whether a focused 10K on the treadmill would be more or as effective as the 10K that includes our NEAT activities. I suppose I should go for the focused session. So far, I am able to get that in spending 100 minutes on my walking pad at a pace of 4.5 to 5. This pace keeps my heart rate at Zone 2. I try not to go too fast, as that will turn my walking into a HIT instead. Thus, burning my carbs instead of my adipose tissue for fuel.

The results are showing tremendously in my husband. To be fair, he is walking far more than myself. He walks in the morning before going to work and after work. On weekend mornings, he would spend more time doing that. He could easily get more than 20K steps with that schedule. I have yet to see a dramatic difference in myself, but I have unwavering faith in this new strategy. Let’s do this.

Ashik Pangadan’s life is Enough

Posted in Everyday Life, Ponderings & Personal Development by

In a world where leading a luxurious life is deemed successful, you have another world where showcasing a wasatiyyah lifestyle is equally successful. Country life, everyday family life, is slowly creeping into social media as the desired lifestyle. Indeed, I aim for such a lifestyle where wasatiyyah is enough. Of course, going for the occasional overseas trip sounds nice. However, daily living does not need to be aesthetic 24 hours a day.

Ashik Pangadan is quite popular on Threads nowadays for portraying a simple life. Yes, he is a lifestyle vlogger with a manager. It is acknowledged that he earns a living through his media presence. Yet, his life seems attainable. That is to have normal, easy-to-make food on the table, a lovely family, a decent job and the luxury of time to just live life in peace. There’s no pressure to hustle and make your first million in 1 year. He was like this other man I saw on Instagram. An American guy who puts his laptop slowly in his bag and works a regular 9-to-5 job. It was just him driving, working and eating lunch. It was simple. I did not follow his account, but his reels do pop up once in a while. Haven’t seen much of him lately. Maybe it’s because I have been watching too many baking and football videos lately.

Anyway, all of us can have that sort of life, too. The life of having enough. I think I am up to 70% of getting to that state of mind. There are just a few more goals I need to achieve. Mostly finance-related, like loans and stuff. The life of Enough need not be extravagant or packaged in a specific thought. It is ok to have mismatched mugs in the kitchen. A living room that is not Japandi themed. Meals may come from one single pot, served in a free Darlie dish. The wardrobe capsule is not pastel but a mix of black with other colours. That kind of vibe.

Poppy Beauty Hair Spa MITC

Posted in Good Things, Reviews by

Before the Japanese head spa existed, one would need to go to the hairdresser’s looking for a hair wash and head massage. The good ones will give you a complimentary shoulder and back rub as well. I believe it is only recently that these hair spa services have emerged, and it definitely got me excited.

I have tried a hair spa service at one of the shops at Bukit Baru. I did not really enjoy that one. That particular spa included basic facials in its service. It was for 90 minutes, but it felt rushed and agonising. Obviously, I did not come back. Later, I came across Poppy Beauty Hair Spa as I was doing my brisk walking in that area.

I looked up the reviews on Google, and I thought it was worth trying. This particular spa has two branches. One was in Semabok, and the one I went to was at MITC. The one located at MITC was a ladies’ only outlet. I WhatsApped the number I got from their Instagram page and made the earliest booking slot at 1030am. Parking was easy, as it was still too early for the crowd at Mydin to arrive.

Initially, I chose the Classic Hair Spa package. Later, when I arrived at the shop, the therapist showed me other available treatment packages. I added the Scalp Treatment therapy. Thus, I ended up with a hair wash, scalp treatment, and head massage, including the shoulders and arms.

The products they use

Before the session, I was asked to change into this lovely towel and robe. My personal belongings are kept inside the locker. My scalp was examined under a special tool, and obviously, it looked bad. They put a heated eye pad throughout my 2-hour session, relaxing music with minimal talking from the therapist. I liked that the therapist, or is it a beautician, did not give me a running commentary on my wrecked hair and oily scalp. After the treatment, my scalp looked better. The lady suggested that I double cleanse my hair when I shampoo and that I should do it every day, given that my scalp was oily. Now that I have been very active in brisk walking, washing my hair daily has become mandatory. Only that I did not shampoo twice because I thought it would dry my hair. Turns out that I should. While my hair was being blow-dried, I was served a cup of calming lemongrass tea. After all that, my hair glowed over my fat face. Hahaha.

The total cost came up to RM 228. With the impeccable service, I thought it was worth every single penny. I am keen to try their body massage one day. They have other treatment packages too, like the Mother and Daughter hair spa package. That is pretty cute. Will check that one out too.