It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least

the equivalent of what he takes out of it.

     – Albert Einstein

 

Growing up, charity and philanthrophy has always been an integral part of my life.

Mom & dad used to take me to the Old Folks Home and Orphanage every so often to donate and contribute in our capacity.

 

As I grew older, I continued our family "tradition" of helping the less fortunate.

 

Being a member of the Girl Guides, Scouts & Rangers community back in high school, our fundamental principle was accepting the Promise and the Law based on spiritual values, personal development and commitment to helping others

Our 3rd and 10th law is :

3. A guide's duty is to be useful and to help to others

10. A guide is pure in thought, in word and in deed

 

And until now, I've never looked back.

Charity is the way to go! 

 

TheJessicat.com will be supporting a Guinness World Record Breaking Charity event tomorrow!

 

 

Tomorrow night, ACE Youth in collaboration with Taman Gembira Foundation and Alumni Sri Aman will be organizing a ground-breaking Guinness World Record Charity Event!

BollyforCharity is a Guinness World Record Breaking attempt for the largest multi-site Bollywood dance event.

 

This day, at the same time and exact same moment, 7 countries will be participating and doing the exact same thing around the globe!

 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

New Zealand

Capetown, South Africa

Edinburgh Prison, United Kingdom

Kathmandu, Nepal

London, England

Manipal, India

 

Imagine the number of people that will be involved in this!  

 

We are helping our fellow friends in UK to break the current record of close to 4,500 people by hoping to gather 1,000 people to dance to the track Jai Ho.

 

So.. learn up! It's gonna be fun!

 

Celebrity Leng Yein will also make her appearance at the event !

She will be performing a few songs for us 

 

Apart from many performances, there will be a charity drive and an auction session held during the event.

All the donation funds of Bolly for Charity in Malaysia earned this Saturday will be given to the Agathians Shelther in Petaling Jaya and the Handicapped and Disabled Children's Association of Klang in Selangor.

 

 

 

I hope you will join us in taking part in this truly global event!

It is open to all! Anybody and everybody should be part of this historical world breaking record charity.

 

WHAT BOLLY FOR CHARITY

WHERE SRI AMAN PJ SCHOOL FIELD

WHEN 12 MAY 2012 / BETWEEN 7PM – 11PM

 

Just drop by and put Malaysia in the World Map again….for the right reason! Heh. Heh. 

 

 

Always remember, we live life in a fast pace, reaping the benefits from the efforts we sow. We take on every new day with a new stride, chasing about the gains that matters to us in our journey.

But what could be better than giving back to society?

 

The only gift is a portion of thyself

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

See you there, all you good people!

 

Hollaaaaa! Hope your weekend is going swell, dear readers

Mine has been hectic but fun thus far! I just returned from a full day at the 'Avengers With Harley' event.

 

Many thanks to Harley Davidson for inviting me as their guest!

I had a swell time checkin' out and even riding your buncha sexy superbikes. It an was out-of-this-world experience! The private screening of Marvel's The Avenger's with good company & all the bikers was amazing too

 

More of that in another blogpost!

 

Random photo : sunny skies ahead!

 

   Oooh and here's a Health & Money tip for today! 

Steadfast in my daily routine is lots of gymtime and fresh fruits & vegetables everyday.

 

My gym essentials

 

To complement your healthy lifestyle, blend your own fresh fruit juice at home!

Theboyf and I bought a whole lot of fruits & veggies yesterday at the market and it only costed us 6 bucks altogether.  

 

Imagine buying fruit juice from a juice bar – 10 bucks for a blend of only 3 fruits, sugared, watered down and filled with ice.

Nope, not wise at all. 

 

This morning, we had a power combination of 5 types of fruits & 2 veggies

 

Let's see. Green apples, red apples, oranges, pears, a pineapple, celery sticks & carrots.

100% fresh, pure, concentrated fruit juice including the pulp for only RM6 FOR TWO HUGE GLASSES! 

Apart from the labour of cutting & juicing the fruits by ourselves (and rinsing the equipment thereafter) it is a fun thing to do together, I must say! 

 

Upon taking our 1st sip of our homemade fruit juice, we nodded in approval and high-fived each other for a job well done. 

 

Did some juicing with buddy Pamela at home too!

We used a combo of red apples, oranges, carrots & pears 

 

By the way, some of you have been asking me why I haven't been updating much this month.

Now that you've mentioned, it kinda struck me.  

 

Probably 'cos I'm often out and about even more lately that I hardly have the time to sit at my computer anymore.

Apologies! You can still catch up with me via my twitter page 

 

Promise I'll be updating a whole lot more, aight?  

Oh, and to make up for lost time, here's a back to back of some photos & happenings I've missed out on sharing with you peeps.

 

Saved a kitten from being crushed in the middle of the road

 

Speaking of felines, here are a few latest piccies of my furkid, Chivas.

He's such an adorable ball of fluff, 10 months old now

 

Just got him neutered!

 

Was extended an invitation to Werner's @ Changkat Bukit Bintang to attend a launch party jointly organized by Corset Me, Rarablack and Lovely Legs.

They held a sexy corset party – CANDYGIRL – and it was fun trying out their corsets, leggings and other outfits!

 

The ladies from Corset Me did a live demonstration of the proper & correct way to wear a corset

 

I've personally never worn an *actual* corset before!

I only own those corset-look-a-like tube tops from Guess, Forever 21 and MNG. 

 

This live demonstration was informational & pretty fun to watch

 

They then offered to let me try their corsets. I got to choose whichever corset that suits my style the most!

The kind lady-boss of Corset Me – Jaycee – helped me wear it properly. Thanks again!

 

Before I knew it, I was ushered to the studio area to do a photoshoot with their corset on.

 

My style was evident tonight – an edgy, rockerchick look with a feminine touch 

I picked a black Ed Hardy inspired corset

 

Felt so jittery throughout the photoshoot!

I've always felt more comfortable being the photographer than being photographed. But I hope I pulled it off!

 

Mui Victoria and I during the event

 

Michelle and I just before we left the event!

Two photos : one from my camera & one from hers

 

It was a fun and enlightening night. I had a great time!

 

Attended Carlsberg Where's The Party event

Thanks for the photos, Ed

 

Just some photos from ze clan's Christmas potluck party. I made roast!

Again, thanks for the photos Ed!

 

Brought theboyf back to Penang for the 1st time

 

Had my Industrial Piercing re-pierced because I didn't like the initial positioning

 

Went for a double date with my pals!

Some relaxation + shisha with good Iranian food at Shisha Lounge!

 

Had an amazing & fun-loving valentines!

 

Exchanged gifts! (More gift-exchange that I forgot to take photos of cos he opened mine real fast)

 

Had a milkshake phase

Speaking of which, it's been a while since we last had our dose of Milkshake Factory, ey?

 

Played with food

 

Ate too much good food

 

…….. that it's time for a moneydiet

 

Went to Semenyih for the 1st time to accompany buddy Pam's trip Nottingham University

Photo taken while waiting for her

 

Played and experimented with pretty contact lenses!

Clockwise : olive green, ash, brown, violet

 

Had a random burst of OCD and I started to reorganize my contact lenses

 

Bought new grey diamond ones! Love how they have sucha strong affinity to the eyeballs

 

  Just so you know, all the contact lenses I'm wearing are plano ones.

Zero power, as I am neither short-sighted nor long-sighted.

 

But unfortunately, I have very high astigmatism.

Got my eyes checked!

 

Fell in love with this tiny car with a Union Jack roof!

 

Also fell in love with this random cloud I saw by the display window in the mall!

 

Camwhored in the car while waiting in the bubble jet carwash machine!

 

Attended one of the series of Guinness's St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Jarrod & Rawlins!

Brought along buddy Pam to join in the greeeeeeen Irish fun 

 

Massive retail therapy when I got real moody sometime last month

 

Pampered my nails – DIY at home!

 

Random shot via iTouch at KLCC carpark

 

Random shot via iTouch at The Curve's carpark

 

Also a random shot, this time in Sunway instead!

 

Had a scrumptious dinner feast with the Aussiemates at Souled Out

 

Camwhoring with theboyf with full hopes of getting a nice photo but………

Such is life 

 

Attended the Laura Mercier Spring 2012 Collection & Swatch launch

 

Had my make up done by the professional make-up artists there!

 

Met the amazing Jodi Riley, the official, international make-up artist of Laura Mercier

She's so bubbly and full of personality!

 

Lastly, went back to school with buddy Pam to visit our high school teachers &

eat the famous Char Koay Teow at our canteen!

 

Surely you must miss your high school food after growing up with it for 11 years of your early life

We certainly did.

 

That being said, have a good night (or a party night!)

and enjoy your Sunday ahead lovelies! 

 

Who would've thought a cosy and quintessential British colonial restaurant would be tucked away amongst the lush greeneries; up high at almost 3000 feet above sea level?

Yup, with an authentic British heritage and garden ambience, as well as a bird's eye view of Penang's landmarks and its city skyline, David Brown's Restaurant & Tea Terraces stands tall (literally!) as the perfect, memorable dining spot in Penang

 

The other half and I paid a visit to David Browns for one of our mensiversaries!

(Yes, that's the term for a monthly recurring date of an event)

 

It took us approximately 15 minutes to get up to the peak of Penang Hill via the funicular train

 

I was in for a pleasant surprise upon seeing the train that we were about to take.

 

2011 boasted a new and improved version of the funicular train – and I took a ride on it it last month!

It had air-conditioning, wore a much sleeker design and zoomed so much faster that it previously did!

 

The engineers did an amazing job updating this train.

 

Up up up we go!

Spotted the old train permanently parked mid way whilst zooming up!

 

The cold temperature and his warm embrace do go really well together ;)

 

When we arrived, we were buzzing around – just like everyone else – taking in the picturesque scenery of the entire Penang island and mainland.

Our tummies got the better of us so, we adjourned to the elegant, British-styled restaurant for lunch + tea time.

 

Had to walk past its cafe/bar outlet downstairs first

The view from the top once we've climbed the flight of stairs!

We're on top of the world! 

Approaching the old-world furnished mansion!

 

We stopped by to take pictures by the iconic lily pond…

 

Okay, I get it. You're hungry

 

We initially sat inside the mansion

 

It was not only beautifully appointed, it was baronial – the historical British interior design was lovely!

The dining area was spick and span, spacious impeccably furnished with rustic wooden furniture and a brick-built mantelpiece as well

 

Theboyfie and I found the restaurant to be really warm and cosy!

 

But being the al-fresco enthusiast I am, we moved out into the terrace; on the porch overlooking the garden.

A little bit of sunshine does everyone good!

 

Just us after placing our orders

 

The waitresses were sweet and accommodating We also didn't have to wait long before our meals arrived.

So here they are!

 

French Onion Soup as the starter

 

It was amazing! The buttery hint and rich aroma of onions was to die for. If you're a fan of onions just like us, that is.

We also loved the texture, so thick and chunky not  too creamy at all. Crisp croutons came as an accompaniment.

 

Can't wait for the main course!

 

Our meals came right after we were finished with the soup

 

Mine : Roast Lamb Shank

 

I loved this in its entirety! It was such a delicious and hearty meal. 

The meat had just the right tenderness. It was definitely simmered to perfection, thus juicy and succulent as you sink your teeth into it.

Its rich and flavoursome gravy alongside baby carrots, onions, cauliflower, celery, mushrooms did a magnificent job in complementing the meaty taste. It came with Mashed Potatoes as a side too.

His : Oxtail Soup & Dumplings

 

Despite the flavourful tomato and meaty taste, most of the oxtail chunks had very little meat on it.

It was so difficult to gnaw into whatever little meat that clung onto the bone! Must be a very skinny ox, with an equally bony tail, methinks. Don't order Oxtail before reading how to eat it properly lest you end up looking like a Neanderthal. 

 

Theboyfie struggling to eat his Oxtail when I've been long done with my Lamb Shank!

 

We took a short break from eating – chatting by the lily pond and serene atmosphere

 

Wanting to make the best out of this visit (and being the sweet tooths we are), we ended up ordering some chocolatey dessert!

 

 

Yes, I DID say chocolate. Now wait for the boyfie to return to the table please?

 

Spent some time camwhoring while he excused himself to the loo 

 

So glad we moved outside. It was windy and I just loved the garden scene

 

When he came back, he asked me to go to the toilet to find a very interesting set of toilet rules.

I did as I was told, and had a great laugh!

 

LOLOLOLOLOL

 

When I came back to the table, the dessert was waiting on the table for me! 

Tempting.. tempting..

 

Chocolate Crepe served with Chocolate Ice-Cream & Strawberries

 

 

What can I say? We both love chocolate. This sweet and simple dish suited our tastebuds well

Fork a swatch of the crepe, dip it with the ice-cream and poke into a strawberry – and that's the way to go! 

 

We took a light stroll around the cottage garden after our meal

 

Well fed by David Brown's Restaurant & Tea Terraces, it's no wonder we had to walk around a little bit to ease our over-filled tummies!

Pretty sights amongst nature and walking along the gravel path – count me in! 

 

Heavy wooden latch-door by the brick-built fence!

 

Under a giant lilypad!

 

Took in a last view of the breathtaking scenery

The sun was about to set by then!

 

Great times and great memories atop Penang Hill

Much love! 

 

 

 

Remember the very day which I declared my New Year Resolutions for 2012?

One of them were…

 

 

I decided to make that a resolution this year as I strived to be that well-read bookworm I used to be.

So on one fine day, I bought 11 books in one go – all of which ive always yearned to read.

 

 

And two more subsequently!

Special thanks to the Malaysian government. The 1Malaysia book vouchers rock! 

 

 

With 13 books bought within a week, I feel a tad more intellectual already!

So after approximately a month, I've just finished reading 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', an international bestseller novel written by Stieg Larsson.

 

 

Regardless of the thousands of book reviews it has garnered, I've thought of writing one myself.

Here's a personal one from me (and my cat):

 

 

I'll never be able to grasp WHY the book is entitled 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. Sure, she is a girl and bears a dragon-motived tattoo on her left shoulderblade. But the story really isn't about her, you know?

To me, Lisbeth Salander is just one of the prominent characters in the story with a rather alternative vibe about her. Well, she did play a secondary role in solving an age-old mystery, she did save someone's life and I love how extraordinarily bold and gutsy she is as the plot thickens; nevermind her odd personality.

Apart from that insubstantial bit about her, the story, set in Sweden, really revolves around the journey of a convicted journalist, the ingenious Mikael Blomkvist, in his quest of solving the mystery of a missing girl, Harriet Vanger, whose disappearance gradually formed a link to hideous crimes in the past.

A lot of saddistic, grotesque and revolting parts in the book with paragraphs so sick that it brings chills down your spine. But so full of suspense and brutality that kept me at the edge of my seat. Also be prepared for a lot of hoity toity (and corrupted) details of business empires, giant conglomerates and an insight of how industries really are. Oh and, there's a lot of sex and other scandalous activities within the pages of this book as well. Heh. Heh.

Don't think I'll ever go back to my chic lit novels after reading this marvellous work of art.

Enjoy!  — TheJessicat

 

 

And the movie?

 

Well, although it really captured even the most miniscule details of the story, the essence of what happened and its plot wasn't nearly as convincing nor as graphic enough as to how I had expected it to be. 

Sure, movies are often a poor excuse of the original story but this movie had condensed so much of the main bits – especially the climax – so drastically It turned out to be a major disappointment. 

 

But I have to give it to Rooney Mara as she really protrayed the peculiar and brash character of Lisbeth Salander (pic as below).

 

 

Nevertheless, the movie is certainly worth a watch if you've read the book.

Ya know, just to bring your imagination to life… and perhaps to put a face to the names.

 

 

What's next, you ask?

Why… another one from the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson of course! 

 

 

Now, excuse me while I bury my nose in this book 

Teehee!