Tag Archives: malaysian bloggers

KidZania – the 1st of hopefully many more visits

Posted in Good Things, Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

Purchasing the tickets online are cheaper but the queue when you buy them at site at its normal price is much shorter. So choose your battle. I think most people can wait. Ha ha.

ALL THOSE WHO ENTER HAS BRACELETS ON THEIR HANDS
BRING YOUR MYKAD & MYKID PEOPLE

This was Ee’s first time going into Kidzania and I was honestly quite excited as well. I could also see young teenagers having fun with their friends. As a first timer, the dynamics of the place does overwhelm you even as an adult. However, the place was a beautiful sight with all the design and spirit of the place. The kids who came were also very confident in how they choose to carry themselves and execute the task given.

THE FIRETRUCK IS VERY POPULAR WITH THE KIDS..

Prior to entering the place, I have received a balance of useful and negative advice. It depends on who is giving the tips. I see Kidzania as a place where kids get to build on their skills and interact with other kids (making new friends – if they choose to) to achieve an objective. The play does not end in just one day as you could frequent the place many times in a year depending on your budget and experience a lot of ‘jobs’ there.

In Kidzania, you either earn or spend your money. Each job has a description of age suitable for play, duration of job and expected wage to receive upon completion of a task. They always have a task for you. Some jobs are quick, some are lengthy up to 20 minutes. The popular ones are of course the uniformed jobs. Some food based industry jobs require spending money as you get to bring the produce home or to eat.

DESCRIPTIONS AT THE DOOR

Kidzania uses English as its main language of communication but if you have a clueless son like Ee – he can still survive the world with his not so great-yet prowess of the English language. But it is OK, I think he needs the exposure to an environment of budak bandar. Where the kids speak English fluently since pre-school. He has become too comfortable in his Malay dominated environment. This is also one of the reasons why I sent him swimming at a non-Malay dominated school. Just so he learns a bit about other people/ race in Malaysia. Come onlah Ee, Mummy used to have a chinese boyfriend in primary school. Ha ha ha.

COURIER, HOUSEKEEPER, CSI INVESTIGATOR, TAX COLLECTOR

It would have been nice to spend the whole day in Kidzania but the other adults were getting restless. Except me. Hence, Ee managed to work at only less than 6 jobs till noon. I am considering to make him a ‘pasport’ to become the citizen of Kidzania on my next visit. It can be an activity I do with my son from time to time. We just need to simpan duit sikit for the trip.

SURGEONS

In Kidzania, there is plenty of toilets and designated areas for adults to rest. There is even a baby room for younger kids to feed and change their diapers. I would advice children to have a good breakfast before they go because once they start working, they are like Energizer bunny’s not willing to stop. One more thing,the place is bustling with people in there. So brief your kids on where to find you or stay put should they go missing in the crowd.As for yourself, have breakfast too, wear comfortable clothes & footwear. You never know if you also need to run around with the kids accompanying them on their job runs.

AS FOR THE VERY YOUNG ONES, THEY POSE FOR PICTURES

Myeongdong Topokki Taman Lagenda Melaka

Posted in Food and Drinks, Good Things, Places to Eat, Reviews by

I think I am in my Korean phase – a phase where I am infatuated with everything Korean from the latest drama, variety show, gossips, songs & food. This phase will pass too but until the enthusiasm wears off – I am on a mission to fulfill that K-void. Even my makeup has taken on a Korean vibe to it.

FYI – I have been binge-watching Youtube videos of Hong Jin-Young with her charming, aegyo personality who appeared in various variety shows in Korea.

On top of that, just last week my family and I tried Korean street food at a new halal outlet called Myeongdong Topokki in Melaka.

Honey Jujube RM7.90
Green Tea RM3.90 ( refillable x 3)

The concept is that it has a counter where you order food and then collect at the kitchen when your number is called. It would have been a better experience if I could see the menu beforehand so that (as first timers) I will not freeze or deliberate too long on my choices upon ordering. It would have been ugly if the queue was long.

I ordered the trending snacks youngsters nowadays seem to enjoy. For my husband, I took the liberty to order him a set of Bulgogi Beef Deopbab. Basically, it is rice with marinated beef alongside side dishes of kimchi, soup and green tea.

Bulgogi Beef Deopbap RM18.90

My son Ee had the regular corndog.

Corndog RM 12.90
Ganjang chicken RM10.90

I ordered a Cheese Topokki. Of course, this is because I have been influenced by the numerous clips I see on Youtube. I find that topokki is not to my liking but at least I have tried. I think it’s the spiciness that puts me off. Koreans really love their gochujang (chilli paste).

Cheese Topokki (large) RM15.90

We enjoyed the Ganjang Chicken most. It is not spicy. I would definitely order a bigger portion on my next visit.

As for drinks, I had iced green tea. Customers can refill their green tea up to 3 servings ! Ee had honey jujube drink which was equally nice.

In short, this is a child friendly eatery. It is clean and exudes the young, cheerful vibe. Food is not bad but a bit pricey for street food. But we have to remember, this is an imported menu after all – haruslah harga mahal sikit. Parking spaces are difficult to come by. Customers tend to double park. Apart from the minor glitches, I think it is worth trying.

End of school season 2019

Posted in Everyday Life, Online Store, Reviews by

.. meaning lots of prize giving ceremonies and class parties.

This time I was more prepared for the class party. I had contact numbers for various homebakers & party people at the tip of my fingers. As of attending my kids prize giving ceremony – that is something that I still have to work on. It was easier while working shifts as you just swap shifts but oh well.. every job has its ups and downs. It would be nice if I could get hold of the schools itinerary for the whole year so that I could plan out my leaves from work.

For Ee’s morning school, I ordered 50 pieces of emoji cheese tarts. This homebaker lives in Bachang. She doesn’t do delivery, so you need to pick it up at her home. Kids love the design of course and Ee did not have to bring back any leftovers.

I also ordered from the same baker, 50 pieces of apam corak for Ee’s evening religious school. He chose the ultraman design and it was beautifully done too. Apam is this spongy cake that has fillings inside.

The total of my order is RM123.00. This is because I also ordered Nutella tarts for myself to eat in the car. Ha ha.

I would definitely recommend this lady for her delicious tarts. I am considering to order it again next year for my many lovely parties. 2020 is the year of celebration.

2019 was a good year for Ee in both schools. He did well in all of his subjects. I just hope that he would be more independent in his studies. My husband had to literally sit with him and leaf through the chapters together as he quizzes my son of the subjects. He would probably not get the same results if I were to just tell him to go to his room and read his books.

Ee is also elected as part of the school’s librarian. He underwent some kind of trial first before he was formally appointed. I am happy for that. I think the role suits him more than being a prefect. He is turning 8 soon. And taller. Similar to Ninie, he will also InsyaAllah have 2 cakes. I cannot wait.

Going through a phase

Posted in Everyday Life, Hobby/Interest by

” She is going through a phase. She will be out of it soon..”

Familiar remark. Heard in almost every household in the world. Even now as an adult, I still go through certain phases in my life cycle. While there is a baseline mood phase which swings from calm to wild/ easily irritable to depressed – I also have an Interest phase which sways from gaming to diligent reading. Some recognizable phases include;

  1. Gaming – There’d be a time when I would just play Candy Crush one after the other or Farm Frenzy. I would actively build rooms in my Fun Hospital and earn some money via my Hotel. Or I would just do a re-run on Boboiboy and see how much points I could gather until my next death, leaping from one place to another.
  2. Shopping – this is a dangerous stint as I would just shop and shop through various apps. It could be a makeup related stuff I need on Althea Korea. Another fujifilm instax pack or some rare food item on Shopee. Very rarely something from Fashion Valet but it can happen.
  3. Studious phase – this usually happens after a particular course or a meeting with my specialist. I would be motivated to study and will sit through lots of online modules at one go. I would make notes. Highlight points. Do a quiz. Sometimes creating a power point presentation just in case I feel like doing some teaching/sharing about a topic.
  4. Youtube binge watching – as of recently I have been hooked onto videos involving Mukbang (but not those ugly , hurried, gelojoh ones), Korean Cafe Vlogs, anything involving journaling, new music videos like Hari Ini by HaeYang couple and short clips of Kdrama.
  5. Blogging – once in a blue moon I ‘d be able to write a few blog drafts at once, ready to be published on their supposed dates. I really like it when that happens for I feel so productive then. I would be making nice IG Stories using the Unfold or Canva app. I would fine tune my pictures using Snapseed or Pixlr. Occasionally, when I feel really creative I would use Zoetropic. I edit my videos for Youtube using Kinemaster instead of Movavi. *remind me to invest in a good camera once I get the hang of shooting & editing videos on top of my already busy schedule. I try to participate more as a butterfly blogger ( in telur stage still) but time and kids are a restraint for now. Ha ha.
  6. Reading – When the bookworm spirit drops by, I could finish reading a book in less than a week.I feel this is partly influenced by my workload in my daily job and who was my partner at work. If my partner reads, I am more likely to read.
  7. I don’t give a damn – as much as I try to avoid it, this phase almost always will appear before my first day of menses. Everything irritates me. I hate the world. I hate my husband. If it gets really bad, sometimes I’d be thinking of getting a divorce just because he didn’t put the bread back into its container or put the trash out. Or when he squeezed the toothpaste the wrong way!!! I will also hate my patients and not bother on further empathetic counseling if he/she refuses insulin for a badly controlled diabetes. “I don’t want insulin!” , the patient would say. “OK. See you in 2 weeks. here is you prescription. Goodbye” I would respond. But of course when I see the patient in 2 weeks, I would feel much better and talk more so that patient would understand why they need insulin.
  8. Religious – I would watch every single Islamic video on Youtube. I would start reading my sirah books. I would recite my Quran more and memorize more dua. Again,this is another rare moment. I am always deceived by the ‘no time’ devil and tend to put off any good, positive religious-like activity. It can be something simple like a prayer and all.
  9. K Drama – once I get hold of a nice series or movie, I would be hooked onto it until it ends. I watch them on Viu for a monthly fee of Rm8.00 so that I wouldn’t have to watch the interrupting adds. Viu does not host all KDramas especially the ones shown on Netflix, but never the less the options are still equally good.
  10. Beauty & self care – I love this phase but it doesn’t come by every often. This would be the time when I’d be dolling myself up with mascara or a lipstick which is bolder than my usual colours. I would wear heels or sport a different colour tudung everyday. At night, I would lather myself with moisturiser or sleep with a face mask. In short, the goddess in me is awakened (for a while).

Do you have a phase you’d like to share with me? Comment down below 🙂

Overnight stay at Swiss Inn, Johor Bahru

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Ponderings & Personal Development, Reviews by

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I captured my recent trip to JB in the vlog above. Check out my other videos on Youtube.

I was in JB a few weekends back to visit my alma mater with the Back To School (BTS) committee. I was just recently absorbed into the team to lead mini projects as they run out of hands to help out. InsyaAllah I will be handling the batch Tshirt and the ‘launch ceremony’. I am happy with my current role. Honestly, I did not expect to contribute this far. I will let you know later.

I travelled to JB alone by bus. I downloaded an app called Redbus and booked my tickets there. Nowadays, bus services are like airlines. You get a boarding pass at the station and everything is so organized now. My journey was a 3 hour ride and I arrived at JB just before 8pm. I was contemplating to have dinner first before I go to the hotel but it’s a bit dark to wander alone in a foreign state.

my Redbus code : rednyyu9

So I hailed a taxi and charged without meter, a whooping RM15. Plus an additional RM2 for parking ticket fee since the cab was parked in the stations parking place. I felt so ripped off.

Thankfully, the reception at Swiss Inn JB was so warm and friendly that I soon forget about being tired and hungry. Check in was quick. They did not require any deposit.

I booked a Cozy Single Room which has Free Wifi and breakfast for two. Other commendable facilities include Free Shuttle Service, a parking space and yezza affordable room service. It was RM140.34 including tax and service fee. As usual, I booked my room through Agoda.com. There are other room options for family and individual travelers alike. One being a Tatami room where 6 people could stay together in a room with matresses laid on the floor – very Japanese like and cosy too.

My room has the basic complimentary beverages set and towels. Separate toilet and hot shower. A bath gel and shampoo with a small bar of soap. A mini hairdryer too. You need to bring your own toothbrush and toothpaste though.

I ordered room service and started unpacking my backpack. For dinner, I had a Deluxe burger. It came in an economic plastic packaging instead of a plate. Lol. That was new. I remembered ordering room service in Kuching’s Telang Usan, they still serve meals in proper plates. Ha ha. But it’s ok. Maybe it was easier to clean up and more hygienic? *thumbs up* After my meal, I freshened up and tucked myself in early.

I was already up at 530am the next day. Sunday is a working day in JB. I went down to the 1st floor for breakfast at the restaurant. The atmosphere was cute but I did not manage to snap a lot of pictures. The options were adequate and fulfilling for a 3 star hotel. It’s not a wonder that this hotel is the accommodation of choice for small group travellers. That morning we had guests from Indonesia staying there which was refreshing. Previously I’ve only managed to see groups from China during breakfast. The ibu-ibu looks so cute and fashionable with their colourful tudung.

After a brief visit to the loo, I checked out of Swiss Inn. I wished I could stay longer. The hotel is so pretty. I could have at least explored the gym.

This time I took a Grab Car to my alma mater situated near to the bus station the night before. The fare was only RM10.

My alma mater, Sekolah Tun Fatimah is an all girls boarding school. As someone who came from a non-priviledged background, it was a life changing moment for me. It was a great opportunity for me to receive structured education in a school said to be for the creme of the creme. On top of formal learning, I also had a taste of interacting with fellow students of different social hierarchy. I was middle class. So I get to mingle or observe those girls who were from upper and of lower class than mine. It was a mind opening and humbling experience.

Despite depending fully on meals at the dining hall, my parents still give me a bit of pocket money – enough to call home on the weekend with a phone card and the occasional splurge of air kotak rumah at the co-op. There were times of course I did not have enough money to buy an RM50 jersey shirt ( I was a player in the softball team) so I quit the team quoting ridiculous reasons like ‘mak suruh belajar’ . The seniors were a disappointed but they accepted my reasons. Since then, I didn’t take up sport because to me sports required money we did not have. So I just laid low and studied. I made a few friends. I don’t recall having any personal enemies. I think. ha ha. Even the teachers have a tough time trying to remember who is this Minci. HA ha ha ha.

Which is why when last year they announced to do this BTS programme, a collaboration activity with the school counsellors – I wasn’t exceptionally thrilled. I had no one in particular that I was excited to see because the ones I love, I am already seeing them or sending parcel kasih sayang from time to time. Notably, Kakjet and my Mimie. I appreciate my teachers and is forever grateful for their kind words and teaching but there is no outstanding personal moments to reminisce on, unlike my super achieving friends or the rebellious ones. I was one of those people who was not interested to join. At all.

until one day

I just felt like contributing. Part of it was driven by my personal agenda to meet Birsilah Bakar and force her to scribble an autograph in my copies of her book. hihi. And part of it is just wanting to exist as a Srikandi without feeling inferior by it. Often I had to conceal the fact that I’m a Srikandi because people expect big things from you – I’m just not keen to be likewise. It’s a personality thing. I am an introvert. Socializing or shining drains too much of my energy. lOl.

Anyway, what started as a volunteer in a mini group to sweat the little stuff led to me being upgraded as a team leader. It’s huge and gonna be one of the big things I’m organizing. So, BTS 2020 – here we go.