Ohai there! How are you doing?

My week was rather out of the ordinary – a lot more fun, more beautiful and yet unfortunate LOL.

It's a given, I like to doll myself up whenever I attend events.

My busy week began with Winnie dear's text; inviting me to a very glamorous event in the Grand Ballroom of Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa. Without hesitation, I told her I'd see her there, for sure! 

Jul 10, 2013 | Excited for tonight's #gala! It's renown #Italian haIr brand, #Medavita's 50th anniversary dinner! by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Medavita's 50th Anniversary gala dinner and hair show was a very, very compelling one! 

It was themed 'From Black to White'. Needless to say, I came dressed in black and white from top to toe! 

It also featured duo Urban Nation and hair maestro Mauro Lulli from Italy performing hair transformations..

Full blog feature soon!

Winnie and I 

She was on stage performing an elegant hairstyle transformation too!

Everything was fine and dandy this week, been keeping busy and whatnot but it all fell apart when I was involved in a serious-but-not-so-serious-but-extremely-damaging-to-my-pocket mishap.

So apparently, while I was speeding down the highway, my car tyre exploded. A LOUD rattling sound was heard and before I knew it, I was veering towards the right.  Terkejutnya aku! Tiba-tibe je…

I tried my best to slow down and detour towards the left side of the highway before we called for help.

Help arrived in 10 minutes (but it felt like forever given the sticky situation).

Thank goodness for SPRINT Ronda's efficiency! 

Sent my poor baby to hospital. It didn't only damage him but caused a huge dent in my wallet too.

Why do Ford cars only use special Continental huge, high quality tyres and not regular tyres? 

Another thing causing such an uproar this week amongst my friends is the Minion craze.

Yeah, I don't get it either.

Remember my previous post about the McDonald's minions? 

And what about the children? Adults storming McDonald's to buy and sell those minions at 12am?

I have one thing to say.

Word.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. No offence to the legions of minion-fans out there.

Asalkan sesiapa gemar, ikut suka hati sendirilah!   Whatever floats your boat. 

Perhaps someday I'll find a collectible that renders me crazy too 

In the meantime, here are some workout/progress shots in the gym and my usual post-workout meals.

Flexing those guns after bicep and back day. It's scary when they pop so much! 

Tuesday Tri-set day!

Roasted chicken, cauliflower & carrots and egg white scramble with sauteed spinach!

Seven nut granola with bananas, blueberries and cinnamon!

Honey roasted corn, brocolli & carrots and wholewheat organic fusilli!

Homemade guacamole, cherry tomatoes and pumpkin kernals on toast!

Mashed potato with eggs, bayleaf and black pepper

Roast chicken fillets with homemade hummus, baked potatoes in bayleaf and brocolli & carrots

Proatmeal, sunflower seeds, pumpkin kernals and blueberries!

Snacktime! 3 hardboiled eggs, lettuce, yoghurt and banana!

Muesli with milk, green apples and blueberries!

That's enough food for now. Not sure if publishing food photos by day is frowned upon or not.

Dahla tu, tak elok la kalo banyak sangat gambar makanan semasa bulan Ramadan.

Minta maaf ye, kalo tersinggung! 

Let's move on to other things that made my week instead.

I got my hair done at my favorite hair salon – the undisputed, bar none, A Cut Above!

My new ombre-red hair thanks to A Cut Above! 

After consultation, Winnie told me that my hair was finally ready for red pigments again. 

After the massive hair tragedy that burnt my long red hair, by a hair stylist from a hair salon whose name I shall not disclose (because I don't feel nasty today), I had to be on almost a year-long hiatus from red hair.

The red-head Jessicat is back for the 6th year! 

Full blog feature of my red-head return soon

Had my eyelash extensions done thanks to Pink Passion The Signature Salon

Will be posting up a discount code specially for my readers. Full blog feature soon!

Since it was the weekend, I figured imma shimmy down and have some fun in the city.

At my one and only favorite playground – Zouk Club KL. 

Are we ready? We sure are 

With my girl Pam in Zouk's Phuture instead of Mainroom, for a change. 

Shishatime with Marc – afterparty? More of after-chilling after all that partying.

Random selfie in the mirror

Being a good host to my foreign friends (and no, I am not blowing my own trumpet. If you do know exactly how many foreigners I have brought around KL and Penang over a span of say, a year, you would think I am working as a part time tour guide, I kid you not.), I decided to bring them to one of our less "city" spots in KL. 

They didn't come all this way to Malaysia just to see…… shopping malls. 

Most of my foreign buddies yearn for a taste of culture, something off the beaten track, one that they won't ever see in their homeland. 

And thus, we meet again, dear ol' Batu Caves.

I wrote a blog post about my previous Batu Caves visit here. Trust me, you'll like it. 

As usual, attempting the 300 odd staircase climb with a foreigner is something I deem quite a "hobby" now.

With Frenchboy Marc this time. Say hi 

We all had a great deal of fun!  Watched monkeys, pigeons and…

COCKFIGHTS! Yes, I'm not joking. Actual, cock fights. 

Jul 13, 2013 | Bringing ze #French guest around in #KL, #Malaysia! We've just finished climbing to ze top of Batu Caves. by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Lunch was at Tony Romas Steakhouse Restaurant. What can I say?

I love the ribs at Tony Romas and gave it a five star rating. Check out the previous blog mention last week!

Mine: Lamb RIbs and Bountiful Beef Ribs 

Rating: ★★★★★

A 10 oz. medium-well New York Strip

Rating: ★★★★★

He prefers medium-well too, just like I do!

I think I'd grimace while eating a steak that is cooked anywhere beneath medium. Ugh. 

Gobble gobble.

The ribs were so good; I just had to leave my propriety under the table and eat with my fingers LOL

It's time to shake, rattle, rock n' roll with some strawberry mojitos!

Spent my Sunday in Hard Rock Cafe!

Ahhhh good ol' classic rock, metal and rock n' roll with local rock band 'N the Boys'

Hot Fudge Sundae.  

Rating: ★★★★★

Song of the week. My current earworm; on loop for about a million times now.

Moving on!

Konzy returned from his trip to Hong Kong and bought me these goodies!

Just by looking at the gifts, it's obvious he knows me well. Thank youuuu dear! 

My favorite. Say hi to my new Hello Kitty 'Circus of Life' Magician edition, from Hong Kong!

To end this week on a more serious note, I'm currently in talks about making a very crucial decision. One step closer to my goals. (But I really can't disclose anything yet as of now)

A girl can only dream, yes. But my dreams will not work itself towards me. It is I, who should first be unafraid to take risks and plunge into the depths armed with a level head and no regrets.

If this is what I really want, then hear this from me – I will make it happen.

Yes, I believe in dreams, no doubt.

 I believe dreaming gives you, albeit an altered sense of reality, a strong desire and visions of happiness and success. When one dreams big, one harbours omething to look forward to. A motivation, an inspiration and a drive to work hard towards that very dangling carrot. 

Without dreams and goals, one will be more likely to just fleet aimlessly in the wind. 

As Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States, once said,

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams". 

Pure hard work, dedication, commitment and determination. This are what dreams are made of.  

And I'll get there.

Much love,

Jessicat

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The Sunday Times is a weekly series; published every Sunday night to recap the highlights of my week, capture what piques my interest and to briefly highlight my recommendations for to-go and to-eat places!

Some photos were posted instantly on my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & my LIVE Blog. 

Do follow to get instant updates and pretty photos of the sights & sounds all around me!

You may think having wavy hair is all fine and dandy, but no, not in my case.

If you must know, I was born with wavy, thick and unmanageable hair, which I hated so much. It often looks windswept, sticks out in all the wrong places and having bad hair days began to define me, little by little.

Ergo, I have been straightening my hair ever since I was a 14 years old and has since never looked back.

But with technology revolving around the hair industry, hair revolutionists have been churning out new ways to make the “straightening” procedure and results a little more alluring.

With my one and only hairmaster, Winnie Loo of A Cut Above Group

My previous session at A Cut Above was when I did my Kerastraight Brazilian Keratin Treatment which got rid of the frizz and frayed, dryness in my hair (you can read about it – here).

Following up, my next appointment was scheduled to straighten my unruly mane.

One of the rare days I’ll leave home with such disasterous looking hair,

is ONLY when I’m on my way to A Cut Above!

Today’s session was done in A Cut Above @ Bangsar Shopping Centre 

Before undergoing a chemical hair treatments to structurally modify your curly and unruly hair, I would first like you to know the difference between the two techniques of hair straightening – hair relaxing and hair rebonding. 

Here are a few things you have to know:

DIFFERENCES

Hair rebonding allows breakage of hair bonds, rearranging those bonds and restructures it once again to the desired, straight, state. Using a flat iron, the hair bonds are restructured and then applied with a neutralizing agent that will preserve the newly structured hair bonds.

The tool usedis a flat-iron to flatten/straighten the hair and relatively takes longer than relaxing.

The effect relatively takes longer than relaxing but is more lasting than relaxing and the results of hair rebonding will be a pin-straight, flat-out stick straight hair.

If you like the sleek, super straight look, then this option will be suitable for you. But to me, after many years (and many times!) of rebonding my hair, I find that it looks rather unnatural and closer to a broomstick effect than a healthy straight hair effect. 

Yeah I had this kind of straightened rebonded hair for years!

On the other hand, hair relaxing straightens the hairby breaking down the components of the hair and takes the frizz out of your hair strands. In other words, it ‘relaxes’ curls to a more manageable state, smooth the hair to a straight effect.

Only a blow dryer is used to straighten the hair and the process is relatively faster than rebonding.

However, relaxing may not last as long as rebonding as the natural wave is slightly maintained, although much straighter than the original.

But to me, this option looks more natural than rebonding as it does not give you the uncooked spaghetti-straight hair effect.

SIMILARITIES

Both procedures alter the structure of your hair permanently – duh, you wanted it straight, right?

Certain activities like swimming, too much exposure to the sun exposure, or improper styling tools may have adverse effects. Chemically-treated hair is always more vulnerable and sensitized, so just give your hair extra care and love! 

STEP 1: ANALYZING

So which did I end up underdoing?

Winnie recommended me what she would call, the hair relaxer rebonding treatment.

I’ve always trusted her completely, as she gives me the best advices! 

As such, I’m going to share with you the entire process of what goes behind-the-scenes of a typical hair relaxer rebonding experience at A Cut Above and why this is the best option for your hair if you want the best of both worlds of rebonding AND relaxing.

STEP 2: SHAMPOOING AND PROTECTION

Like all the appointments I’ve had at A Cut Above, my hair was first washed.

Getting my hair washed while checking out the shampoo that they used on me today.

It is the L’Oréal Professional X-Tenso Care Nutri-Reconstrutor Shampoo

This shampoo is has two technologies merged into it – Pro-Keratin and Incell.

Containing anti-breakage and anti-dryness properties, it helps to rebuild and deeply nourish damaged hair.

The hairdresser assigned to me was very friendly and rather informative when I asked questions!

STEP 3: PROTECT AND CARE

My hair was then towel-dried and sprayed with L’Oréal Professional X-Tenso Care Nutri-Reconstrutor Serum.

The former helps to ensure healthy and best results by improving hair’s elasticity during the straightening.

It was then combed straight and separated into sections.

STEP 4: APPLICATION

The relaxing cream was evenly applied underneath and on top of onto my hair layer.

STEP 5: DEVELOPMENT

The cream was then left on for about 15 minutes for chemical reaction to take place.

While developing, the heat helps to open hair cuticles, thus allowing better absorption.

STEP 6: SMOOTHING AND FINAL DEVELOPMENT

After 15 minutes, my hair was smoothened and combed layer by layer.

Then, it was left on for another few minutes for final development

STEP 7: RINSING 

He rinsed my hair very carefully, making sure that ALL residue of chemical creams are removed.

STEP 8: BLOW-DRYING

My hair was gently blowdried as hair is usually in fragile state after relaxer chemicals have been applied

Still slightly damp after blow-drying, the next blow-dry step will take place.

Separating my hair into sections again.

STEP 9: STRAIGHT BLOW-DRY

In the usual rebonding procedures, this step is skipped and instead, straight on to the flat-iron stage.

But this relaxing-rebonding process requires my hair to be blow-dried straight  first. 

Blow-drying definitely gives the straightness a more natural curve to it before the ironing process!

Don’t you agree? 

Reading some magazines on my hairdressing table.

Almost done!

Winnie dear came by to check on the procedures.

It’s all going well! Your staff are very professional and well-trained 

She then advises on the next step.

I was also howing Winnie some of the questions that you asked,

so I could quickly reply all of you with the right answers!

Yup, if you want to know anything at all regarding anything hair-related to A Cut Above, feel free to ask me; I’ll try my best to ask her personally for you 

STEP 10: IRONING

As the straight blow-drying process has already been done, this ironing stage was very brief,

but sufficient to create a straighter, more longer-lasting effect compared to just blow-drying alone.

The flat irons used at A Cut Above is an ideal one, made of either ceramic or titanium,

and regulated to not more than 180-200 degrees celcius.

This is to avoid the hair of getting burned and lead to irreversible frizz of the hair.

I would know, as I’ve gotten my hair burnt many times due to unprofessional straightening in the past! 

Results! No, we’re not done just yet – but we’re almost there! 

Just waiting for my hair to cool off to normal room temperature.

STEP 11:  NEUTRALIZING

After leaving it for 10 minutes, a neutralizer was applied to bond the structure of the hair again.

It was applied on each section of my hair thoroughly.

Sipping some hot tea while the boys worked on ensuring the neutralizer is evenly applied.

The neutralizer was combed gently and slowly.

It was then left to set for 15 minutes to achieve optimum conditioning and nourishing effects.

STEP 12: FINAL RINSE

My hair was rinsed with cold water to remove all the neutralizer left on my hair and conditioned thereafter.

I know it’s a long process, but A Cut Above does everything to perfection,

without compromising all the fine details.

We all want the best for our hair, don’t we? 

When the straightening of my hair was finally done, it was time for a hair cut.

She inspected my hair and asked me how I would like it to be this time.

I asked for something irregular and non-symmetrical! 

Being one that favours the bold, daring & experimental when it comes to hair styles, my brilliant hairmaster Winnie gave me an edgy, non-conventional haircut to suit my personality.

I love the times we spend together during hair cuts!

Winnie is super fun, and it’s always nice catching up with her 

Putting her magic touches and snips to my hair

Her movements were very swift and precise in their swipes.

But of course, her tools of trade is the mighty scissors and her very own fingers! 

After more than three decades, she’s never fails to be extremely meticulous and sharp in her craft! 

That is just one of the things I admire and respect about her. She’s so inspiring.

The accolades and awards won by A Cut Above says it all.

It’s true that despite achieving success, you should never stop what you truly do best because it genuinely

awards you with immeasurable self-satisfaction. I can see how Winnie really embodies that philosophy!

Anyway, she also gave me back my Skrillex-inspired side-shaved buzzcut.

Happy times whenever I see her! 

She’s a fighter too, recovering well after a recent car accident. God bless! 

After all the long hours of hair straightening process and a quick haircut by Winnie,

are you ready to see a BEFORE AND AFTER? 

I know this is your favorite part.. haha!

Most of you always ask me for before and after photos whenever I experience anything. So here they are!

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

LEFT: BEFORE   |   RIGHT: AFTER

Such chemical treatments require tip-top salon skills and knowledge as delayed rinsing, or improper application and execution can definitely lead to hair damage. I’ve been there, done that, and been there, done that, wash rinse and repeat the nightmare again and again.

So this is why I urge all of you out there who is looking to straighten their hair, to go to credible salons or hair centers that are professionally licensed and skilled, lest you get your hair burned and damaged like the ghost of all brittle hairs LOL.

Which is why I always return to A Cut Above!

I”m positively sure that once you come here and experience top-notch services, you won’t turn back. 

Oh by the way, they are currently running a Father’s Day promotion. Check it out:

All the more reason for you to pamper daddykins! 

Thanks Winnie, for a wonderful afternoon and for always making my hair so gorgeous!

See you again soon dearie!

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To book your hair appointments or for more information on this treatment, you can:

Call them at their salon via their contact number: +603-2283 3131

Log on to their website at: acutabove.com.my

They are very active on social media too!

Like their Facebook page at: fb.com/acutabovegroup

Tweet them on Twitter at: @ACutAboveGroup

Follow them on Instagram at: @ACutAboveGroup

It was a night of never-seen-before fashion taken to jaw-dropping wonder and extreme measures.

I gladly accepted the invitation when I received Winnie’s text message one evening. It is my utmost pleasure to be at another one of her marvellous events!

Brought my other half to the party with me.

Celebrating over three decades (34 years, to be exact!) of prominence in the hair industry, A Cut Above threw an out of this world hair X fashion show in conjunction with Mid Valley Megamall Fashion Week 2013. 

The party was aptly named Amazing 34.

She told me that it was going to be an avant-garde and punk inspired evening. So being me, I stuck to the theme as closely as possible. 

Just a little snippet of what I wore (I know my manicure should be black instead of red though!)

Here is my top-to-toe lookbook for the event. I decided to adopt a glam-rock look tonight.

Jessicat wears:

Leopard print corset by Supre | Asymmetrical skirt from a fashion bazaar |

Acessories by Diva | Studded wedges by Vincci+ | Knuckle ring clutch by Nose

We got there just in time! 

The host for the evening, Chui Ling, had just started to give us guests a warm welcome.

Chui Ling looking classy on stage

She then called upon Winnie, founder of A Cut Above Group, to join her on stage to make an appearance.

I was so glad to see her out and about already and making a seemingly good recovery progress (from her recent car injuries). Her speech was short and sweet – as always. 

Looking fine as ever, Winnie thanked us guests for being here tonight and

promised that we will be wowed by what we were about to see.

And oh yes, I believe her! 

I was excited and rushed to the front of the stage

(with my significant other in tow!) to get the best view.

Tonight featured three distinct themes: punk, edgy runway trends with a twist, and the avant-garde.

Let’s take a look at the first one, shall we? PUNK – here we go! 

Local band An Honest Mistake looking mighty punk-ish tonight!

They rocked their original tracks including their latest ‘Giddy Up Horsie, This Chase Ain’t Waiting for You’

I almost couldn’t recognize buddy Leonard, as I’ve never seen him looking like that before 

And with the blue mohawk (wig) hairdo? It goes pretty well on him!

Darren and Leonard rocking the stage on electric guitars!

I’ve always been a fan of punk, alternative rock and easycore music since high school.

Had fun headbanging with them with the crowd! 

While they were performing, a bevy of models began to sashay down the stage showcasing trendy runway coordinates with an edgy twist and attitude to boot! How often would you see a band playing their songs with a fashion show happening in unison?

Yup, definitely not the typical hair/fashion show you would expect.

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Oh and if stylish pieces and latest outfits are your thing, do check out www.enni.net.au.

It’s a online apparel store based in Australia. Yup, that’s your doman of fashion right there! 

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This was one of my favorites! On top of the very unique make-up and silvery mohawk, I

totally love her spiked bralet, the studded leather jacket and the grafitti-print pants 

Awesome combination of dangling chains, paper-frills and blue ringlets in her hair

Another hair-raising glam punk fashion in view! Quite literally too.

With a red-black mohawk, this model featured heavily tattooed arms,

a neon coloured mesh strapped in belts and black liquid leggings with fishnet stockings

Watch the short video we made

Once that was over and done with, a series of avant-garde collection stole the limelight the moment models adorned in experimental fashion strutted the catwalk. 

I managed to shoot each and every style paraded on the runway. Let’s have a look at them, shall we?

This reminded me of a prison inspired uniform with a cushioned overcoat!

A giant velvet bow adorned his collar. His lips were of powdery white, and so was his hair.

This model showcased a side-shaven buzzcut with shimmery silver and black coordinate

(I used to sport this hairstyle too, but in red!)

 Bold and stylishly edgy.

I’ve seen some fashionistas donning this look lately!

This model portrayed a very metro-modern look with

side-combed hair and sci-fi inspired glasses

This model had a dual coloured trojan-mohawk.

Brown on his left and bright red when he turned to reveal his right!

He was draped in brown and black fur, fish net sleeves with marble designs on his tightpants

This model (with an impressive physique no less!) came out in a skin-tight spandex outfit,

long flowing “hair” and looking like a dangerous cross betwen Darth Vader X skull face.

 I honestly don’t know how he can see while catwalking!

This model featured a semi-formal look with a daring twist. Huge ruffles of black frills

adorned his shoulder and netting were binded around his legs

Covered fully in a black cloak, the blonde dip-dyed mohawk

stood out boldly from this look

Can anyone say Avatar with a warm, bronze twist? These ‘conjoined twins’ walked

with an aura of Red Indian braves, the kind that would instil fear and respect from their tribe

In her very high platforms and metallic silver outfit, this model walked precariously

on stage and I even held my breath with every step she took! 

Mysterious and clandestine, this model walked up slowly but steadily on stage

dressed fully in shiny black and large circular tubes in tow

Adapting science fiction fantasy into fashion, this outer space-like model

catwalked on the runway on stilts and threw a few stunts too!

Doesn’t this look like a giant optical illusion? 

The final performance was a very dainty and sophisticated one.

It was interesting to see how ballet and hair were fused together.

While ballet dancing, this nimble and quick artist transformed her white hair almost entirely to red!

Amazing 34 was indeed a visually arresting showcase of both radical hair and fashion works of art. 

I was wowed over completely. It may have taken only a few minutes for each model to exhibit each fashion statement, but the amount of effort, designing and styling by the creative minds at work behind everything we saw tonight certainly deserved a standing ovation.

It is with such creativity and innovation in the hair and fashion industry that commanded a

humongous crowd witnessing the unique display at Amazing 34 that night.

Just when you thought the show was over, A Cut Above had another surprise in store for us all.

The larger-than-life sized red centrepiece which we all thought was just a prop started to move about.

And the final model of the evening emerged!

Everyone, myself included, was startled but pleasantly surprised! 

She reminded me of Queen ‘Padme’ Amidala from Star Wars.

Although appearing mildly menacing, her moves were graceful, and her gestures, elegant.

Check out the runway video we made featuring the avant-garde collection

This wasn’t in the day’s agenda, but looks like the surprise element came from someone else this time.

Guess who decided to surprise our dear Winnie instead?

Her adorable god daughter Crystal Lee crooning Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb’ and Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’ to all of us

My favorite part was when she rapped. Although I’ve heard her sing this song many times,

I can never get enough of listening to her rap that verse

Winnie giving her speech of gratitude for a successful night.

It’s always beautiful to see the mother-daughter love between them; so sweet and moving! 

The event came to a closure with the fashion designers and stylists making their way on stage.

A thunderous applause followed thereafter, for without the entire creative team behind this brainchild, we would not be able to even catch a glimpse of such challenging and meticulously-crafted masterpieces of fashion! 

Winnie was extremely busy buzzing about everywhere but I managed to catch her after the show!

She still looked so gorgeous and glowing even by the end of the day. 

I would be so stressed, frazzled and sweating buckets if I was the one hosting a show as huge as this!

Back to back with my favorite hair personality of all time, Winnie! 

Thank you for a wonderful Tuesday night of a spectacular, out-of-this-world fashion and hair party.

A Cut Above never fails to impact their guests with of the most eye-catching and trend-setting that ever existed.

With the beau, who was my date for this exclusive event

With Edmund of A Cut Above. Thank you too, for the invite!

I’ve known him for a while too, Ed’s such a nice and patient person to deal with

Ohai! Bumped into Josh and Olivia at the party too.

We were standing beside each other during this entire time and I didn’t even realize till after!

With sweet and stunning Amber after the show

We have a funny story. Also, I cannot count the number of times Paul and I

bump into each other whenever we shoot events. Expect a collabo soon! 

Ben and I catching up. It’s been a while! Also, he coaches amazing

catwalks by the way, thus hailing him as the catwalk guru! 

Winnie with the creative team gathering on stage for a final appearance

To me, this party was more than just a celebration of 34 years of excellence. It was no doubt, a hallmark and pinnacle of modernism in the domain of fashion and hair. 

Breaching boundaries and departing from practical guidelines of fashion as well as society’s usual expectations of style and appearance, tonight was hands down, a cut above the rest of all the other fashion week events I’ve attended this year!

Kudos to the mastermind of the entire concept behind A Cut Above’s Amazing 34!

You’ve outdone yourself again, Winnie dear 

One more thing, most of you always ask me where I usually get my hair done.

I have only one answer – where else but A Cut Above? 

Out of all the hair salons that I’ve tried, I only recommend and trust A Cut Above to give you only the best of anything hair-related. From hair cuts,  hair treatments, to hair makeovers or anything at all, rest assured it’s handled by the experts! 

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Hair appointments can be made by:

Contacting them at +603-2283 3131

You can also:

Visit their official website at www.acutabove.com.my

Join A Cut Above Group of Salons on Facebook

Or follow @acutabovegroup on Twitter and Instagram

Writing this from my lovely lil Penang island as we speak.

The past week has been almost entirely focused on family, friends and almost all my loved ones!

Let's take a ride in the car 

This week saw an emotional roadtrip for me as it marked the last time I'll ever drive my good ol' faithful white Perodua Kelisa which ferried me everywhere throughout all my years as a college kid & a university undergraduate.

Yup, six years with my lil one. 

It's now time for a change to something more powerful, stylish & cutting edge… one that befits me better

I present to you, my new precious, big baby, the Ford Fiesta Hatchback Sports Edition in Red.

Full story up soon! A shoot is in progress

What else is new? My hair.

Thanks to the amazing team at A Cut Above, I had another unique technology done to my hair – called the relaxer rebonding process. It's not straightening, nor relaxing, nor rebonding. It's.. a combination of all three!

Winnie dearest and I catching up over some snipsnips! 

Before and after! I'm loving the results! Professional & well-done

*full story soon!

While I was getting my hair done, Konzy bought some cakes from Just Heavenly for us to share

(Honestly I think he hates me and has evil intentions to fatten me up LOL!) I kid. 

Left: Cappucino Cupcake | Right: Death by Chocolate

I personally didn't like the Cappucino Cupcake, especially hated the icing on top.

But for people who love eating cream or icing, that's your treat right there 

Death by Chocolate, on the other hand, was more my cup of tea.

It was rich with dark chocolate mousse with a velvety layer of melted chocolate engulfing it whole

Oh geez, I wouldn't mind having ten more of this!  FULLY RECOMMENDED 

Triple Expresso Brownie

It had the perfect texture, chunky and fudgy but it wasn't as moist or as warm as I had expected it to be.

The taste, on the other hand, was great – coffee and the walnuts were a good combo! 

Lunch at La Bodega @ Bangsar Shopping Centre :

Smoked Salmon with Baba Ghanouj sandwich for me & Chicken Bocadillo sandwich for him

I loved mine. Healthy meals are always my first option, and this proved to be quite a good choice!

His was a little to bland and dry. Only tasted a lot better after layers of tabasco sauce 

Random photo in my new, sweet, sweet ride 

A world phenomenon of an American TV series – Gossip Girl – has finally come to an end.

Initially I was totally against watching something that was titled 'Gossip Girl', thinking that it would be some pretentious girly girl drama show. But I was wrong. Watching it got me hooked since 2010!

After six years/seasons of this, fans never wished this day would come. 

SPOILER ALERT : IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE CONCLUSION – FINAL EPISODE YET,

SCROLL SWIFTLY PAST THIS SECTION OF THE POST

I was so happy that my favorite on-screen couple, Chuck Bass & Blair Waldorf got married! 

All's well, ends well.

When I got back to Penang, my weekends included spending time with old friends, new friends and more friends, left, right, and center.

First up, my high school Class of 2006 reunion gathering at Suffolk House.

We all had to wear 'name tags' lest we forget how each other used to look like. Who is this girl? 

I haven't heard this name in a long, long, time. 

I'll be dedicating a full blog post special for this! A major 'then VS now' photos 

You'd be amazed what six years can do to a girl. We all looked somewhat different than we were since the moment we took our final walk out of the iron gates of our high school premises.

Off to Golden Screen Cinemas @ Gurney Plaza to watch The Hobbit

Overall, I thought it was a good movie, despite falling asleep in the first quarter LOL.

It had many witty punchlines and good ol' humour. Plus, having watched all the Lord of the Rings movies as a kid, I would certainly not give the prequel of it all a miss! 

I also had a dose of my usual Milkshake Factory obsession.

Tried the new Rio Coconut Shake for the first time with Ferrero Rocher in it.

It was absolutely delightful! The shaker recommended this to me and since I was a fan of coconut drinks, I thought, "Hey, why not?" Glad I decided upon it.

The chunky chocolate bits from the Ferrero Rocher blended in fresh, pure coconut water was a sip of heaven.

FULLY RECOMMENDED!! 

When dusk descended, it was time to let our hair down and party like the rockstar Penang-ites we are.

Buddy Minny introduced SOHO Gastro Pub @ Precinct 10 to me!

I'm still a loyal & a frequent at MOIS No 1 Upper Penang Road – my pick amongst the pool of Penang clubs!

But since SOHO was quite a new one and a fairly crazy place to party at, I thought I'd join in 

Ready for some party photos? I always look forward to my Penang homecoming! 

Don't mind us, we were semi bonkers by the end of the night. 

Lin Chong aka crazy dragon, Minny & I

 My babe Minny and I

All of us! We go a long way back… think, 2008? 

Flanked by Jon & Kon

Drunk-selcas with my childhood pal, Jon! 

With Thean Sim  It's been too long, girl!

And Lionel.. again! 

Theresa from our college days 

More of us at the table! 

My date for the night  Konzy & I

After the night was over, we trudged out into the patio to take a breather or two before finally deciding to go straight on to breakfast at 4AM. Why so late, you ask?

Well, it is morning after all. Very, very early in the morning 

This was the only photo I took during breakfast. Was I really that smashed? 

Breakfast was Chiow Lin Steamboat Restaurant at Abu Siti Lane, Georgetown.

We had a private room to ourselves (with the Empire State building framed up LOL) and the steamboat was served with an authentic Zhong Qing soup, which, to me, was unsurpassable by any other steamboat outlets I've dined in. 

Being out of touch from Penang for several years, I can only trust my Penang buddies to bring me to the best places nowadays! Thanks ya'll! xoxo

Massive seafood by the seaside dinner with the family at Hai Boey Seafood Restaurant @ Gertak Sanggul

Amongst the hoards of flags, I caught sight of something fairly interesting.

HAHAHAHAH. Smart.

The flag of Germany & the flag of Japan hung next to each other on the ceiling?

Now everybody knows your political stance! I see what you did there… but don't worry. People who don't know their world history will Nazi it. (Get it? Get it?)

Mom & I. One of the few photos I have of the night. Thanks for the photo, dad! 

Caught Life of Pi in cinemas with the family!

I loved every bit of the movie. It was so personal, eye-opening, reflective and deep! I felt very inspired and had a better perspective at life and its many meanings upon leaving the cinema.

If you're tired of the same ol' Hollywood drama, this movie offers a good alternative.

It made me appreciate the gift of life so much better. Go watch it! 

Decorated the interior of my new car a lil bit.

Recognize this lil red octopus? Once upon a time, it meant the world to me.

And it still does. Some things never change. I guess I'm just sentimental like that 

Thanks for the gift Glad you recognized it on my Instagram haha!

Life is always full of surprises. Isn't it always?

But never run away from your past, it made you who you are today. In some strange way or another, all the memories of my past were beautiful, and I've never regretted a single thing I've done.. ever.

Neither should you. 

Much love,

Jessicat

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The Sunday Times is a weekly series; published every Sunday night to recap the highlights of my week, capture what piques my interest and to briefly highlight my recommendations for to-go and to-eat places!

Some of the photos in this edition are posted instantly on my Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr & Facebook

Do follow to get instant updates and pretty photos of the sights & sounds all around me!

“Charity . . . is the opium of the privileged.” ― Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah.

Tonight certainly made that old adage crystal clear, as A Cut Above Group of Salons was set to deliver a night of love, music and kindness in its finest grandeur.

I was honoured to be invited to this philanthropic celebration, known as 'A Musical Evening for the Children' in Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa's Grand Ballroom.

My look tonight is influenced by the grace of Greek goddesses.

I was aiming for purity, grace and elegance and attended the evening donning white and gold

Here's what I wore to the event:

Accessories in gold & the white sequinned toga dress is from a boutique in Melbourne, Australia

I arrived the venue and was already amazed by the first thing I saw; the decorations of the building!

All set for an ethereal night ahead!

Upon entering the Grand Ballroom

The moment I arrived, Winnie dearest, the Chief Creative Director & Founder of A Cut Above had just begun giving her welcoming speech.

Great! Just in time 

Winnie Loo addressing all her guests

She spoke of her aims of this ball & ultimately wanted us to enjoy our evening with her.

Just by listening to her speak, I knew she had high hopes for tonight and I could also forsee that it will be a successful evening; leaving us with beautiful memories and warmth in our hearts.

I was ushered to my table and took my seat

The celebrity emcees of the evening – Chui Leng and Baki Zainal

He had a really epic hairdo!

It was all shaved around the sides but had some sort of dreadlocks tied up in a long ponytail.

Before gala began, there was a cheque presentation to the Malaysian Children's Aid Society (MACAS)

As expected, the contributions, donations & sales from the charity was a success! 

If you can't see from the mock cheque above, the amount was an impressive figure of RM312,000!

That's an amazing figure, don't you think? But that's not all.

An auction for an exquisite piece of jewellery was held at the end of the gala! More on that shortly!

The main VVIP table

The very first entertainment of the night was a graceful performance of ballet dancing!

The children were decked in adorable animal outfits dancing in a nimble, yet sensual & languid motion

Moving to the rhythm 

These lovely children were from Karen Barnes Dance Studio, who danced to 'Symphony of the Forests'

Their moves were smooth, synchronized and executed in perfect harmony. Well done, kids! 

Next up, was our favorite nine year old songbird Crystal Lee!

She belted out several renditions of popular songs, ranging from the oldies/classics to the contemporary.

It was wonderful to see her wide range of vocals at such a tender age! 

This little songbird wowed us all with her confidence and melodious voice.

She actually looked really tiny singing her solos all alone on the huge stage!

See what I mean? 

But she wasn't going to be alone any longer.

Her mentor, violinist Dennis Lau joined her onstage and performed an incredible duet with his prodigy!

They brought down the house with a mind-blowing version of Jessie J's Price Tag!

I couldn't help but to bop my head to the rhythm & sing along with them too!

A photo with Dennis and Crystal 

A stark contrast of musical entertainment soon followed.

Heavy bass filled the air! All produced not by the speakers or the sound systems of the event, but by the mere sounds coming from one's throat. 

I'm sure you've heard of beatboxing 

Koujee the beatboxer amazed the crowd with his remarkable and rather rare vocal talent.

Koujee beatboxing!

He then burst into a duet with Dennis Lau who once again, made his appearance on stage.

Their breathtaking combination of both vocals and instrumental talent got the crowd roaring for more! It was a very peculiar medley of beatboxing & electric violins but it worked so well! 

Koujee & Dennis Lau performing a duet

Among the tunes I managed to catch were Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, Benni Benassi's Satisfaction, PSY's Gangnam Style and several more others all mashed up together in a seamless duet.

They even got down from the stage towards the crowd and personally entertained some of the main tables

We were next serenaded by Enfinity Academy's 14 student choir group of all ages!

After their heart-rending choir, the Glitterama Ladies Charity Group then stole the limelight.

They were dressed to the nines in embellished and flamboyant ball gowns with decollete necklines! 

The 24 beautiful ladies stood before us, ready to sing their hearts out in unison

Winnie was part of it too! I loved her ravishing mustard-yellow ruffled and bowed ball gown

It reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast

These stunning ladies dazzled with us with not only their alluring beauty, but also their diversely distinct vocals in belting out various alto and baritone/soprano notes 

Singing with passion

We were captivated by their renditions of 'Phantom of the Opera' and a Whitney Houston medley of 'Greatest Love of All', 'Saving All My Love for You' and 'I Will Always Love You'. 

Award winning ballroom-dancers, Cecilia Yong & Alfred Choo complemented the Phantom of the Opera moment

It was plain to see that all the guests of the evening were having a ball of a time. 

What could be better than an exclusive gala of friends, food, music all in the name of good faith?

Sipping on my 3rd pint of Kronenbourg amidst all the chattering and catching up 

The next two notable singers to steal the show and wow us with their impressive voices were Vic Teo and Dina Nadzir of Malaysian Idol (Season 1) fame.

He had a very Michael Buble-cum-Il Divo vibe about him when he sings!

His deep and velvety voice worked the soul, swing and jazz numbers in perfect harmony

Dina performed a very cheeky Malay classic song & vocal pop

She executed it so well, befitting her bubbly personality!

I would know! As I religiously followed Malaysian Idol and loved her voice and demeanour since 2004

I was getting even more and more captivated by the line-up of entertainment for the night. 

It was such a luxurious and sophisticated ball of magnificent talents! 

Dama Orchestra soprano Rachel Tan performing the symphonic 'Think of Me' and a classical 'Time to Say Goodbye'

Just when you thought the next act would be another fine vocalist, the night surprised us with a twist

Next up, was a special appearance by the 16 finalists of the Miss Universe Malaysia  2013 pageant.

They strutted down the runway in a catwalk featuring the elegant, chic and feminine fashion designs of Bill Keith's latest collection. 

Sashaying down the stage

The winner of the Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 was Carey Ng (left) by the way!

She will be representing Malaysia in the Miss Universe pageant next year to compete with other winners from other 89 countries. All the best, and make us proud, girl! 

A bright red expression

The next highlight of the evening was a one-of-a-kind, show-stopping hair & fashion show.

Not even a slight hint of exaggeration! See it for yourself 

I held my breath when they walked precariously on those killer sky-high heels!

The eccentric hairdos I saw left me shell-shocked. They were very unconventional and was certainly a bold prophesy of future fashion conventions and standards. 

This could very well set the bar! 

This avant garde fashion showcase left me feeling like I was in some alter-universe of a galactic fantasy.

It was bold, and many never-seen-before gender-bending styles were brought to life.

The MCs of the evening then announced the results of the silent auction

Throughout the dinner course, a silent auction of an 18K Gold South Sea Pearl Necklace Set With Diamonds from Flower Diamond were being bid for. 

I don't have the exact photograph of the resplendent pearl neckpiece in question, but it looks similar to this

The final call of RM34,800 by Dato’ AK Nathan won the bid, 

contributing another immense amount of money to the proceeds!

He was personally called up on stage by Winnie as she publicly acknowledged his kind, colossal contribution

Winnie's & MACAS' gratitude towards him was expressed with a warm bear hug 

Spread the love!

Here are some photos of the night with friends and associates 

We had a superb time catching up over dinner and the stellar entertainment!

Edmund and I 

Ben and I 

Leo and I 

Gim Ean and I 

Joshua and I 

Leo, Casey and I 

A night of music, talents and merriment steeped in love, kindness and compassion, was all what I had expected from A Cut Above's 'A Musical Evening for the Children' charity ball & gala dinner that night.

And true to its aims, the night was, hands down, certainly a memorable one. 

Here's a short video I made of the night! Watch it 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7XihjSwnQ

Enjoy!

“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” 

― Mother Teresa

Winnie dearest and I   Doesn't she look stunning?! 

(She's wearing the same pearl necklace auctioned for RM30K+ earlier)

I'm so glad all her hard work & efforts with her team was well-worth every sweat & toil for the past few months in planning, coordinating and executing a spectacular night for us all to commemorate 

Tonight was elaborately celebrated, but its sole aim was simple, charitable and remained truest to the heart.

Congratulations to the A Cut Above Group for raising RM346,800 in total,

instantly catapulting this charity gala ball to greater success!