Hurrah! Finally found some time to spare to pen a personal diary here on this blog, lest it ends up turning into billboard this month.

Trying hard to keep a balanced ratio of branded content + personal lifestyle content here!

As a sequel to this blog post of The First Quarter (read that first!), here’s The Next Quarter (April-May). 

My month of APRIL 2014 was mostly spent working my days away and hanging out with my buddies & family, attending events by night and turning up the party dial during the weekends.

Out and about with the sis.

On our coffee runs – yep, we’re caffeine addicts!

Hung out with her mates at Coffea Coffee, Bangsar too.

Made some time for a catch up at Solaris Mont Kiara with bestieJoyce too.

Can you believe after all these years of being apart in different states and countries,

we ended up living on the same street!? What are the odds!

Found myself back in Ipoh to visit the family too – here’s our dinner venue for the night.

The very regal mansion called STG Tea House & Cafe.

I took an immediate liking to its British colonial set-up.

A restaurant not only boasting its delightful interior,

but an excellent fusion of east & west cuisines.

I recall that the chocolate pudding was to die for. See the molten lava choc oozing out? 😀

Just had to share this – our adorable Penny watching TV with us.

I guess Fear Factor has got her hooked!

Speaking of pets, here’s babyChivas chilling by the dining room in my old crib.

I used to live in Perdana View Condonminium, Damansara Perdana!

Buddy Ros Marie and her mates came to visit from Cambodia.

Brought them around KL city and to Antipodean in Tun Razak for dinner!

 Been awhile, babe! x

 Attended meetings with my Adrows investment crew.

This investment has earned me thousands of USD so far!

Not going to write about it for now (I would when I find the time to)

but you can ask me personally. 😉

 Adjourned to the Korean Cafe Bene in Solaris Mont Kiara for desserts right after!

Letting my hair down during the weekend, this calls for Zouk nights!

With my Maldivian ladies, Mai & Hiba! Miss you girls x

What’s with girls and bathroom selfies? I don’t know either 😀 😀 Teehee.

 Girls just wanna have fun!

More Zouk nights! With my girl Eileen.

Here’s the interesting bit…

As I was seeing someone else at the time, little did I know I would meet the love of my life right on the dance floor, beside the thumping bass speakers. There he was, on 6th April 2014, we met, spoke briefly and raved together for a few minutes.

I don’t think we even said goodbye.

And that was it. I didn’t even remember his name… nor he, mine.

He was just another cutie on the dance floor to me.

 One of those lunchtime outings with my  former colleagues of Kraken Interactive!

 We headed to Tapperz Cafe. I just have to say – we were slightly disappointed.

Nothing to shout about, IMHO. Just your average go-to place for a quick lunch.

One of our other usual spots for lunch nearby would be…

Oh my goodness I don’t remember this restaurant’s name.

But I recall the owner (and her staff!) being very hospitable and gracious to us!

 Also standard lunch fare of western food, in my opinion.

Speaking of work life, I also headed for an interview with a few MNC organizations which had me head-hunted. Putting my interview-I’m-so-corporate look on. Hi!

Thanks to TGV Cinemas, I was invited to the launch of their luxury concept cinema – INDULGE.

It has its own exclusive dining area, queue/line, waiting lounge and fine dining meals!

Find out more about it at TGV.com.my

 Hello!

At the end of April, I got invited to Mysterious Asia’s

Journey to the Sound rave party at Platinum 21.

Blogged about it here: Mysterious Asia – Journey to the Sound 2014

The rave was fabulous! 

Just like every single rave, I danced my socks off and was euphorically headbanging, jumping and tripping out.

Wait.. what? What could ever be more coincidental??

Remember the cutie I met on the dance floor at Zouk? Fate brought us together again, by chance. We met again that very night.

Again, we spoke briefly, this time a little closer to a conversation than it was the first time.

He asked me for my number, I didn’t oblige. But when I asked him for his instead, neither did he. And again, that was it. But this time, I remembered his name, at the very least.

What a suspense. Moving on…

We’ve come to the month of MAY 2014! Let’s see what’s in store for me…

 Yahoo!! Japanese buffet dinner at Jogoya Japanese Buffet, Starhill Gallery.

 My relatives came to visit, from the USA.

It was granduncle’s birthday, so we decided to throw him a feast.

 Couzzie Kevin and his kid! Too adorable.

 Not sure what got into me, but when the weekend came, I joined buddy Mikey to Jogoya AGAIN.

Don’t know how I stomached two rounds of Japanese buffet in less than a week.

The coconut really got me going….. nuts!

So did all the Japanese delights!

Obligatory group shot!

Maximized my long weekend and jet-set to my lil Penang island again.

These are the things that kept me occupied back home:

And then it’s off to Penang again.

Say hi to mommy!

Celebrated Mother’s Day with my 3 superwomen.

Blogged about it here – Mother’s Day at Mariani’s Italian Ristorante, Ipoh

I’m a friend of the forrest! Yep – never fail to go trekking & hiking in the woods.

Also, gym with lil bro Sim at the OFA gym just beside Queensbay Mall!

 Dragon shisha-time with buddy Paul!

 Hitting my favorite party zone, Soho Gastro at Precinct 10!

 It’s always a swell partay in there with my fave peeps!

And then it’s back in KL. High ho! High Ho! It’s off to work we go!

 With my former colleague and fellow red head, Jane!

 Some days are just meant to wacky. Taking a break at my work desk!

 Was booked for an interview too, about my

blogging journey in Malaysia for the past decade.

Spent time with buddy Anis over lunch at The Apartment, The Curve.

Girl talk is necessary for the soul.

 Went shopping for beanies, but unfortunately…

It’s an uphill struggled to find one that suits me!

I almost bought this cannabis sweater. Pretty cool, eh! Really colourful too.

Became a zombie at Zombie Run 2014!

Blogged about it here – Zombie Run Malaysia

Managed to squeeze some time in to do a thorough spring cleaning for my bedroom.

Ready? 1.. 2. 3…

POOF! 

Yep, that’s more like it.

Woohoo! A neat room makes for a clear and happy mind!

It was so neat, tidy and cosy in here that baby Chivas decided to get in on all the fun too!

 Gymtime every other evening, as usual.

Shot taken at Body Pump class!

 And of course, what is fitness without nutrition?

 Grocery day! Can’t live without whole foods.

Got invited to Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s launch of their new healthy menu!

Blogged about it here – healthy dining at KLGCC

The month of May had also became quite an endearing one for me.

Funny how day by day of endless chats… I started falling in love with a special someone. 

He may not realize it, but all the thoughtful & sweet little things he did for me, all the care he showered upon me, the tender-loving moments, the late-night conversations, and all the laughter we shared got me stumbling, tumbling, tripping and head over heels in love with him.

 Yup. It was that boy from the dancefloor all along.

The very same boy who is still steadfast by my side today.

Blogged about Prodigy KL’s Media Launch – here

Funny how fate brought us together yet again for the 3rd time, this time on Instagram!

I would tell you our special & funny little love story, but that’s another story for another time. 🙂 Promise I’ll dedicate a blog post to us, when we hit our (official) first year anniversary together.

I use the term ‘official’ very loosely, as there isn’t exactly an ‘official’ day we decided to be exclusive.

This time last year, God decided to bless me with a perfect boyfriend as amazing as he is. Couldn’t be more thankful!

This time last year, we were just seeing each other and getting to know one another.

I smile to myself thinking about it, when I thought he’d be just another summer fling.

Word.

Our first (or second?) date.

Moo Cow frozen yoghurt became our thing.

One of those days we walked the streets of Kuala Lumpur aimlessly,

just knowing that we found solace in each other’s presence.

One of those days we snuck out of office during

break time just to spend some time together over lunch!

 Looks like chivalry isn’t dead!

And he still does this for me, a year later. 🙂 I feel really blessed.

That’s enough a story for now.

Hey hey hey and it’s time for the JUNE 2014 chronicles!

How time flies.

 With all my fun-loving former colleagues of Kraken Interactive & Clicks Communication at

A Pie Thing! A pie cafe venture by one of my ex-colleagues, Irene & her mates.

 I’m yet to do a full-blown feature on this joint

but their savoury and sweet pies are to die for!

 Also within the vicinity of my former office, was Miraku Japanese Restaurant.

Sometimes, we’d come for lunch here. Food is good and they have private rooms for private dinings so  that’s noteworthy!

JUNE 2014 – FIFA SEASON HAS COME UPON US!

Look, mom! I’m on the newspaper again! 😀

 Was rooting for Germany all along – and they won!! Go Deutschland!

Got invited to the premiere screening of Transformers 4: Age of Extinction in TGV Cinemas thanks to AllDay Media!

Definitely my favorite scene – Optimus Prime riding Grimlock in his dinosaur mode.

Speaking of movie time, couzzie Maddy and I caught up for some movies.

She’s a real movie buff and collects DVDs of underground films too!

Hi there.

She brought me to her fave cafe in Bangsar, Alexis Bistro!

The Strawberry Pavlova is a best-seller here. Such a melt-in-your-mouth delight.

I’m a huge fan of Arabic food so naturally I was overjoyed when it opened at The Curve!

Sinful chocolatey goodness at Mad About Coco in Publika, Dutamas!

It’s official. I can never have enough chocolate.

I also can never have enough of IKEA!

Just a little styleshot.

And another one 😛

 Joined buddy Haze for Crossfit at Pushmore Fitness Center!

 Safe to say it was my first time doing a different training regime

– crossfit is really different from regular workouts!

Much higher intensity; and interesting terms like WOD and box.

I’d say working out at a crossfit gym is pretty cool experience.

Back at my own gym training with my own routines.

 Tricep Pulldowns

 Overhead Tricep Extension

 Enough of man-time working out like a beast at the gym;

time to look feminine for a night out! 😛

 With lil sis Victoria at our fave playground – Zouk Club KL.

With Hiba! Come back from Maldives, quick! 😀

 It was suuuuuper packed that night.

Got invited to Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2014 featuring Farah Khan’s masterpieces!

 Turned up our party dial. It’s hard to find my match – one that can party as hard as me.

But I’m glad I did.

 Date nights out! No, I don’t know why my silly boo put the plastic cover on my head either 😛

What happened to I-don’t-wanna-have-a-boyfriend and having no strings attached?

Looking back, I’m glad he made me his girl.

Wrote this blogpost (and a poem!) about my dilemma – here

Shall I bore you with more selfies of us?

 Okay, last one. I promise! 😛

And that, ladies and gents, was how my 2nd quarter of 2014 went.

Full of quality time spent with my nearest and dearest, and definitely blessed with love, as I opened my heart yet again.

Reminiscing last year in this blog post really tripped my nostalgic switch. So much feels in this diary! 

Stay tuned for the 3rd quarter of 2014! Yup – it’s my birthday month! 😀

The day I got hit by the mid-twenties bug. No, not anywhere near the mid-life crisis yet but hey….

It’s time to clean happy!

Through all my years of managing sponsorships, I never saw the day I was going to be sponsored home cleaning products. Looks like it’s time for me to get domesticated.

Today, I’m going to take you on a personal trip to my home as you watch me conduct my weekend spring-cleaning around the crib. Intimate, don’t you think?

Not everybody gets to come home with me () let alone see me in my most unglam look getting down and dirty with the household chores.

For some reason, babyChivas always seems to know whenever I plan to clean my floor.

For this is the only time he ever chills on the coffee table!

Giving him a lil lecture, for shedding his fur everywhere and *occasionally*

pooping & peeing on places he shouldn’t.

I always dread spring-cleaning every Sunday fortnight, as needless to say, it consumes a huge chunk of my time and energy.

Besides, who likes to get their hands dirty? And there’s no one to help me either

 But as of late, I have actually begun to look forward to spring-cleaning day,

thanks to method Malaysia.

The good folks of method has sponsored me 3 of their star products.

We’ll be testing that out today!

First up, the Method ‘Lemon Ginger’ Squirt + Mop Hard Floor Cleaner

This is a no-wax, non-toxic floor cleaner that smells amazing!

These recyclable bottles are made with 100% recycled plastic – I’m quite the environmentalist, so I had to make that point.

How to use? Just squirt it onto the floor and mop it with a damp/wet mop.

A thin layer of method is enough to wet and clean your floor superbly well.

Pampered prince chilling on the coffee table, watching me clean the house

You know, you can always make yourself useful like help mommy do the chores?

It actually cleans a lot better than my other floor cleaners.

Chivas actually fancies the smell!

Using method has actually saved me a lot of time and water as I used to wet my floor (first round), then mop it with floor cleaner and finally rinse off the detergent (2nd round).

But now, I do not even need to dilute method with a pail of water and there’s no need to rinse off with water, either.

Pail for sale, anyone? 😛

My hard-floor cleaner is so versatile, as I’d mop my whole house with it!

My indoor tile, faux parquet and outdoor tile flooring – all in one go.

That lemon ginger extracts really make my tile flooring super shiny and squeaky clean.

I can testify that method leaves a much cleaner result and fresh-smelling finish.

No, darling. That sweet smell isn’t food.

After cleaning my floor thoroughly, it’s time to wash my hands thoroughly and clean my dishes, crockery, cutlery & kitchen.

Here are the two limited edition handwash gel that are now a permanent fixture in my bathroom & kitchen sink.

Botanical garden

To have my fingers smell of sprawling manicured gardens, I simply use method.

Sitting comfortably at the edge of my sink.

Wet

Pump

Wash

While washing, you can already smell the strong floral scent coming from your hands.

After drying, take a whiff of your hands and it will be akin to spider lily, water lotus, bamboo and lush moss.

Onto my dishes and the kitchen! 

Mimosa Sun

Right after washing my dishes + hands, the smell of sweet nectar of orange, peach + lily lingers!

Since when did cleaning & hygiene become this fun?

If you’re very used to all the other supermarket brands like I am, you will notice that using Method is a world of a difference!

Also, did you know that Method’s entire product line is safe for use around pets?

They are specially formulated to put the hurt on dirt without harming your furry friends. In it’s R&D, Method is also against animal testing, doesn’t contain animal by-products and is a PETA-recognized cruelty-free company. Excellent job, guys!

It’s products like these that makes me feel at ease and safe with babyChivas around when I clean. No issue with him licking things he shouldn’t! 😀

Armed with its distinctive packaging shape, effective non-toxic plant-based formulation, vibrant fragrances and sustainability practices, method is the real deal!

With babyChivas in my life for the past 3 years now, my house-cleaning habits have clearly changed, as I adapt and accommodate to his presence, the pet-friendly way. This video made me laugh though!

[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/5rO3Q8TVLT8″ width=”500″ height=”400″ full=”no” ]

Looks like cleaning up babyChivas’ occasional ‘surprise’ kitty litter isn’t that hard after all.

I really gotta try this All-Purpose Cleaning Spray! So colourful ahmagawd!

They not only have floor cleaners and hand care, they have all sorts of surface cleaners, dish cleaners, kitchen essentials, bathroom, laundry, specialty, body care, wipes and more.

If you want to own a method for yourself, you can give this contest a try:

Clean Happy Awards at method Malaysia’s Facebook page.

HOW TO WIN?

1. Submit a story and photo of your pet on as comments on this contest post here, or post on method malaysia’s wall.

2. Use #cleanhappy and #methodmalaysia so it’s easier for us to find your photo.
3. Like the contest post
Contest deadline: 19th April 2015

Method will choose six posts/comments on why their pet is the messiest and how method can help clean up the mess. (it could be anywhere in your house!)
Six winners will receive method’s best sellers – 2 bottles of designed for good hand wash gels and 1 bottle of squirt + mop floor cleaner.

Thank you, Method Malaysia for your 3 delightfully smelling, gentle yet power-cleaning products. Now go and join the contest, fellow domestic peeps! 😀

——————————————————————————————————-

To stay updated with Method and their squeaky-clean products, get in touch!

Log on to their official website at: www.MethodHome.com

LIKE their Facebook page at: fb.com/MethodMalaysia

Follow them on Twitter at: twitter.com/MethodTweet

Purchase Method online at: wmsmarketing.com

Stockists of Method:

Disclaimer: Opium KL does not deal nor supply Opium in any way, shape or form.

You need to get those somewhere else 😉

Right after its grand opening mid last year, I was invited to the latest establishment along the vibrant Changkat Bukit Bintang, Opium KL.

And no, as mentioned above, it doesn’t supply the illegal substance, contrary to its name.

Located at the corner of the bustling street, its brick walls boast a deep, crimson red hue

with framed modern portraiture of young Chinese maidens.

First impression: Opium KL’s oriental theme and relaxed al-fresco atmosphere

is a sure pull-factor for all patrons and party-goers of the city (especially Caucasian tourists!)

 Eat. Drink. Man. Woman.

Can’t wait to see what this new kid on the block has to offer!

Walking into Opium KL, I was spellbound by such authentic interior decor, perfectly capturing 17th century China within its four walls.

It was complete with the opium pipes, opium chests and other opium equipments, as well as the ‘lounge-bed’ chairs akin to those of opium dens!

 Whoa. No seriously, WHOA. And that’s not even all of it.

Beautiful. Really a work of art in its class! I felt like I was walking into the Forbidden City

or a museum of illegal artifacts.

They offer separate rooms too, for private dining!

 I was ushered to my table upon arriving.

 Beautifully-dressed waitresses began to serve us our soup & appetizers.

Boy, they really look the part too!

Peppery Lamb Soup

I loved this! Two of my favorite ingredients were made out of it – pepper and lamb!

Its combination of lamb cubes, carrots, potatos, spices, coriander and fried shallots worked well as a starter, to warm my tummy up for the courses ahead.

Not too peppery nor spicy too.

Vinegar was given for us to self-sprinkle onto our dish.

You really can’t go wrong with satay. Opium KL nailed it perfectly too.

Assembled with the standard fare of peanut sauce-cucumber-onion-rice cake combo, there was however, one VERY note-worthy thing.

Each skewer contained little to no fats! If you’re a fitness junkie like I am, you’d appreciate that fact just as much as I did. 😉

Check out how water was served here!

Like the way they traditionally drank rice wine back in ancient China,

it was served in a porcelain bowl too.

Took a stroll around the restaurant while waiting  for my drinks and main course to arrive.

Yes, I found the lavatory signs very amusing and creative.

When I got back to the table, voila! It was filled with Opium KL’s signature house cocktails and twisted classics. Let’s take a closer look at them one-by-one, shall we?

5 fragrance mojito

This refreshing concoction comprises rum, lime, mint, 5 spices & soda.

It’s not your average mojito, I’m tellin’ ya. 😉

50 years storm

A bit of an acquired taste, this consists of cognac, sweet vermouth, angostura bitters, peychauds bitters & sugar

 Shanghailander

For the bold whiskey lovers, enjoy this whiskey, smokey whiskey, honey water, ginger & lemon juice combo!

Silk road martini

A simple yet strong pair of Gin or vodka and Noilly Prat – now served with diced caviar too!

Teatrader

Turn up the heat with this frothy shake of rum, grand marnier,

lime juice, orange juice & 5 spiced syrup!

After the cocktail tasting, I stepped outside to take a breather before the main course.

Dusk slowly easing in.

With Sascha, the outlet manager of Opium KL!

P/S: To all single ladies out there, he’s newly single now 😉

Angus Beef Rendang paired with Lotus Leaf Buns

This Angus beef was tender to taste, simmered to perfection with spices, santan, tumeric leaves and kaffir lime leaves.

Tastey and relatively spicy (but bearable!) the beef rendang was definitely worth coming back for.

 

This Penang girl definitely approves!

We were full to the brim and adjourned to the al-fresco deck to have desserts and a few more drinks, we saw that the patio was booked out with Opium KL’s dinner crowd.

Moo and I just before dessert time.

(At that point, little did we know that we would end up officially together!)

Eat. Drink….. Man. Woman!

Cheesy Banana Fritters

Talk about a strong banana boost! Boyfie and I loved this heaps – we almost went for seconds but unfortunately we couldn’t stomach any more food. Who can resist fried banana and aged cheddar, topped with banana ice-cream?

Unless you aren’t a banana fan, but that’s besides the point.

Last but not least – Melon Ice to wash everything down. 😀

Honeydew melon, sago pearls & coconut milk combo was a great end to a fantastic oriental meal

Thank you so much, Sascha and Opium KL for having me tonight – I had a superb feast!

 Click here to check out KLGCC’s new healthy menu or CHIN’s Stylish Chinese Cuisine, here.

——————————————————————————————-

For more info on Opium KL, get in touch with them!

Log on to their official website: www.OpiumKL.com

LIKE them on Facebook: fb.com/opiumkl

Join them on Instagram: instagram.com/opiumkualalumpur

For reservations/dine-in:

Call them at this contact number: 03-2142 5670

Drop by at this address: 50 Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

On Valentine’s Day, my doorbell rang and the Citylink delivery man showed up at my doorstep with a huge parcel.

“What? No way!,” I thought to myself. Theboyfriend couldn’t possibly have any more surprises up his sleeve after a super surprise the night before, could he? After all, he was still fast asleep at noon when the parcel came.

 Turned out, it was a bicycle sponsored by the good folks of Bojio & Garion Bikes!

I excitedly dragged the huge box in (yes it was quite heavy!) before estimating its weight by trying to do bicep curls with it LOL. 

My first impression of it – boxed – was that it was compact enough to fit my car boot and most likely, slightly under 15KG.

Excitedly woke moo up and together, we ripped the box apart to unwrap, unfold and unveil our new bike! 

Kinda like this picture, as I can somewhat see the definition of my delts & triceps hehe.

Motivation to work harder at it! 

I asked the sis who was watching us unwrap it, if she could cycle, and she answered smugly, “Duh of course I can, everyone can cycle lah.” 

I hung my head in embarrassment and looked at her pitifully, followed by a, “WHAT? YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T??” 

Yes, I absolutely cannot. For the very first time I cycled back in Ipoh, I was chased by a dog and fell off the bike resulting in deep, multiple scratches. The second time I cycled was in Cambodia, and I got hit by a truck whilst on my way to Angkor Wat and ruined my holiday.

And that was the last time I ever I cycled a bicycle.

Call it paranoia, but I affirm that I can no longer cycle a bicycle confidently anymore.

Almost toppled the bike over.

Candid shot that Moo took of me when I was freaking out.

I can, I will, I must. Baby steps – easy does it!

Picking up speed, balance and confidence all over again.

So thanks to Bojio and Garion Bikes, this is my third time attempting to cycle a bicycle again.

Thank you for giving me the incentive to face my fears! 

Also, major credits to the skilful boyfie of mine (yes, he’s doing the wheelie!),

who patiently taught me how to cycle again and rebuilt my confidence. Maybe i’ll even complement Fitology in my workout.

Hey hey hey! Look at me go! Slowly but surely 😀

We had so much fun that Valentines outdoor date,

so much so that we’ve decided to make cycling a weekend affair! 

Want to own a bike like mine? Read on…

Time to win yourself an awesome foldable bicycle by Garion Bikes, as Bojio is running a pretty cool contest!

It’s time to #JomReunion at all your favorite cafes and win yourself a bike worth RM699 while you’re at it!

This initiative aims to encourage people to socialize and see each other face-to-face beyond the screen of their smartphones.

Yup, specifically for these people. 😛

From 12th Feb – 5th March:

ONLY 6 Lucky winners will receive a Garion Folding Bicycle!

Bojio’s #jomreunion is happy to invite everyone to come and join in the mission to make everyone meet & interact outside the online world – attempting to change back how people socialize, appreciate the people around them.

So take this long weekend break and have fun jio-ing your friends out this Chinese New Year #jomreunion. 

In short, this is how you do it:

Step 1 – LIKE Bojio’s Facebook page, Instagram page & Twitter page

Step 2 – Take a group SELFIE with your mates at the participating outlets/cafes

Step 3 – Post it up, TAG the outlet and HASHTAG it with #jomreunion

And voila! You’ll be riding home a Garion Bike folding bicycle! 

The kick-ass Garion G2017-BC

It looks like this when it is all folded up.

Here are some specs for the techy bike-geeks out there:

AVAILABLE COLOURS!

Mine is the adorable Black + Yellow one! Bumblebee will be proud.

It’s really easy to join, right? And the prize is irresistible! 

You can take selfies as easily as this and don’t forget the #jomreunion hashtag.

Contest Terms & Conditions here:

Lastly, I’d like to share a very important public service announcement:

Whenever people jio you for hangouts, don’t disappoint them – MAKE SURE YOU TURN UP!

 

 

—————————————————————————————

For more on Bojio’s contest & their awesome sponsor, Garion, stay updated with them!

Bojio’s Facebook page: facebook.com/officialbojio

Garion Bikes Facebook page: facebook.com/garionbikes

So it’s the end of January 2015 and I haven’t got round to my 2014 rewind yet.

Yes, yes, I’m a late bloomer but this is just one of the things I’d like to share today. The fact that I no longer have the luxury of time to write as frequently as I do on this blog as I used to. 

I tend to update my social channels more often than I update my blog now.

Not even joking. 🙁 I’m lucky if I get to even publish a post once a fortnight nowadays. It used to be 2-3 times a week! How times have changed. The new job has taken a huge chunk of my time and energy from churning out posts every night or every weekend, the way I used to.

Do you even know how many drafts have been abandoned in my blog editor?

At least 30.

Each time I excitedly blog immediately after, say, a food review, an event, a party or a holiday, so many things (mainly work-related) come in the way of my goal to finish it. Bleh. 

The result? A half-finished blog post draft and by the time I finally get round to continuing where I left of, months have passed and I am left dejected… not knowing if there still is novelty anymore.

Think of that and multiply it by 30. *grumbles*

Many a time people ask me: How do you juggle a full-time job and your blog at the same time?

The answer is: I don’t even know how anymore.

Work:life ratio has been hectic last year and I can hardly remember the last time I am able to finish reading a novel, to religiously maintain with my gym-training routines or to keep up with the demands of my blogging mojo.

My desk at the office (at the former workplace).

Anyway, let’s get to the point, shall we?

Every year, I do an annual rewind of the year that was, highlighting my top blog posts and memorable moments.

But last year saw the steep decrease of the number of articles written in this blog – charted at only 45 posts in 2014 alone. That’s more than a 50% decline in quantity! I shouldn’t be upset, but rather endeavour to continue prioritizing what made me who I am today – to continue penning on my very own blog, here on TheJessicat.com. 

So since it is virtually impossible to do a best of TheJessicat.com 2014 wrap-up, I’ll show you what made my 2014, sans the blog posts okay?

Maybe one day I’ll get to it… actually not ‘maybe’. I will get to it. Just you wait. Hehe.

So what did I get up to on the year of the horse?

I aim to continue my The Sunday Times, the second part’s here – a project that I’ve abandoned all of last year.

Let’s welcome the highlights of 2014 (Part 1) First Quarter of 2014!

JANUARY 

New Year’s luncheon with my ex-colleagues of Kraken Interactive!

We had Japanese food at Kura Japanese Restaurant at One World  Hotel.

I’ll always love this crazy bunch at Kraken Interactive! They make my workdays all the merrier.

Solved the Rubik’s Cube in under 3 minutes.

I even wanted to film a video of my cracking it but I never got round to shooting it.

Maybe I will, this year.

Apart from the Rubik’s Cube, I was also very addicted to Guess The Emoji,

a popular word-game app at the time. I wonder if they’ve added more levels yet?

Attended my boss’ wedding

This was what I wore 😀

(Believe it or not, it was my high school prom dress!)

It was held at Mandarin Oriental. Such pretty Victorian decor!

Congrats again, Ron & Jasmine. Hey look, it’s been exactly 1 year now!

Happy 1st Anniversary!

We had our instant pictures printed!

Attended the media launch of Phat Barrels in Publika KL!

Blog post: here

Received an awesome new notebook with my name engraved onto it.

Spent time with the couzzie Maddy.

Thank you dearie, for all your advice on my floundering love life’s (mis)adventures.

Allow me to show you my fluffy furkid, Chivas.

Wait till you see how he looks when I give him a bath…

HAHAHHAHAHAHA.

Ex-colleagues introduced baba-nyonya food to me at Mum’s Place  in Damansara Perdana

And our usual after-dinner nearby watering hole at Tom, Dick & Harry’s at TTDI

Escaped to Genting Highlands for a day.

My heart broke when I saw the childhood themepark I grew up in, disintegrate to debris. 🙁

I love you, Genting!

Can’t wait for your transformation to FOX Studios Malaysia in a couple of years!

Spent time with the sister as always!

Relished in Morganfield’s sticky bones pork & lamb ribs.

SORRY | NON-HALAL meals.

Indulged in their pork ribs!

So that was practically what made up my January. 

Next up:

FEBRUARY 

 CNY photo session with my former colleagues at Kraken Interactive!

 My favorite Krakenites.

The extended family! Kraken Interactive, Clicks Communications & MadLabs

 Company CNY dinner! Gawd I vaguely remember how drunk we got.

 Much love to them!

 Here’s a random picture of my 2-year old furkid, Chivas.

Loyal readers would know him by now. 

Isn’t he the cutest?

He’s mine….. ALL MINE! 

 My blogmates Kounila & Shane flew down to Malaysia for a blogger’s conference.

Here we are after the event!

Aussie pal Jason happened to be globe-trotting around Asia so we managed to squeeze in a meet-up!

 Barbeque session with the former colleagues at big Ben’s house! 😀

 Buddy Erin & I out for lunch at some fish place Aman Suria. 

OR was it Kota Damansara? Nevermind. I’ll find out and edit this space. 😛 

 We adjourned for coffee thereafter at Wood & Steel in Kota Damansara.

 Lil bro came down from Singapore again and off hiking we go!

 Bukit Gasing Hill this round.

 Attended the Skream rave at Providence KL. 

Got a hair makeover from my hair sponsors A Cut Above.

Blog post: here

Got interviewed on the topic of entertainment outlets in Malaysia

Spent Chinese New Year back home in Penang!

Blog post: here

And that was what my February was made of. On to the next month!

MARCH

 Got amazed by gargantuan banana. 

Who even eats this? Godzilla? 😛 

 My girl Tove came to visit Malaysia. 

Spent some girly time over shisha and around the city.

 Hung out with the rest of the European backpacker buddies that came with her!

 Brought them all to Chateau De Caffeinees and showed them around KL too.

 Since I’m such a good host 😛 😛 ahem..

Looking forward for your turn to host me when I *ever* get my arse to Germany/Sweden!

Headed to Reggae Mansion’s rooftop bar for some drinks and quality conversations.

 Guess where we headed to the next day? 😀

They wanted to party in a super club with awesome drinks,  music & crowd.

 Zouk Club KL of course! Where else?

They had a blast there. Especially popping Moets after Moets ala the #RichKidsOnInstagram

HAHAH! Come back soon and I’ll bring ya’ll there again, I promise!

 Though I love to party & rave, life isn’t all about partying to me. 

Spent quality time catching up with the girlfriend, Anis, over coffee the next afternoon.

 Weekdays after work were spent having coffee at Mukha with the ex-colleagues.

Couzzie Nick came down from Australia to spend time with the family here!

Managed to catch up over coffee too. 

Yes it’s coffee all day, every day for me!

Clearly, I’m a massive coffee-nut.

 Also hung out with couzzie Maddy for brunch at The Grumpy Cyclist, TTDI.

Swimtime sessions with bigbro, Michael!

Underwent a procedure sponsored by Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre KL.

Blog post: here

 Here’s another random photo of my babyson.

 You’re getting in the way of mommy’s mealprep, honey.

 Attended a food tasting/review session at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

Blog post: here

 Attended the launch of ‘Weekend Chillout’ sessions at Stratosphere, The Roof!

Blog post: here

 Off to our rave-ground, Zouk right after!

So that was how my first quarter of 2014 went. 

At that point in life, I vividly remember how I never thought I’d fall in love again. I was feeling broken yet living the life as a single girl for the first time in forever… but little did I know that the month of April would be the start of a beautiful journey. But that’s another story for the next quarter of this 2014 rewind. 😉 Stay tuned.

Alrightey, logging off now. It’s almost 11PM – way past dinner time and I haven’t had a bite since lunch!