Being a health food junkie known for fastidiousness and a hard-to-please demeanor when it comes to food criticism, it usually would take a lot for me to approve or recommend food marketed as ‘healthy’.

As long as it is not made with my bare hands or by the hands of a fellow fit food/health food enthusiast, I tend to raise an eyebrow when labels on pre-packaged foods and menus proclaim themselves to be ‘healthy’, ‘sugar-free’, ‘fat-free’, ‘low calorie’ and other drivel.

My initial skeptical face. Looking forward to unveil KLGCC’s new Healthy Menu regardless!

But when Malaysia’s premiere golf and country club invited me for a food tasting and review session of the newly-launched healthy menu of their Golfer’s Terrace, something tells me that this has gotta be the real deal. 

Arriving at the entrance.

Bestowed with prestigious awards over the years, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) is an exquisite clubhouse nestled on Bukit Kiara hilltop with a golf course to die for and exclusive VIP lifestyle facilities for its members.

Just a little background info (and to blow their trumpet a little!), here are some of their notable honours they’ve been recognized for:

• 2014 Best Golf Course in Malaysia by US Golf Digest
• Best Golf Experience in Malaysia by Expatriate Lifestyle
• Best Clubhouse in Asia Pacific and #1 Gold Course in Malaysia Asian Golf Monthly Awards 2013 and 2012
• The BrandLaureate Awards 2012-2013 Best Brand in Sport-Golf Course.
• Golf Course of the Year by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards Regional Series 2011-2013

Pulling up into the driveway of KLGCC.

Today’s fashion get-up. Jessicat wears:

Lace button-down blouse in white by H&M / Skater skirt in blue by Topshop /

Tessuto Vitello Daino tote bag by Prada /Jeffrey Campbell inspired boots by Forever 21

Accessories by DIVA.

More often than not, meals at golf clubs and terraces usually comprise selections of club sandwiches, sinful finger food (read chicken drummets, sausages, potato chips, nuggets) and all the other typical snacks that would appease an average golfer’s palate.

However, the exclusive Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC)’s culinary team took a step ahead of its competition to create an additional menu armed with one objective in mind, that is to take our tastebuds around the globe… but with a healthy twist! 

The new menu features a variety of entrees, salads, desserts and more.

Prepared and cooked with the freshest of ingredients by in-house culinary team, this menu is the brainchild of Executive Chef Arnold Kwok, who ingeniously crafted it with good health in mind.

Take a look at some of the masterpieces we were served with that evening. 

From long business lunches to express lunches on-the-go, patrons can savour the light Chicken Romaine Salad from the Western palate to Thailand’s famous and exotic, Green Curry Chicken.

I had the pleasure of indulging in the latter – which you will see in a bit!

Other around-the-world choices are Salmon with Warm Tomato relish, Steamed Sea Bass with baby Bok Choy and Slow Cooked Beef Brisket.

As all healthy main meals would not seem quite complete without an equally healthy drink, diners can opt between 4 of their healthy fruit & vegetable smoothies.

Check out the refreshing (and rather unique, I might add!) blend of smoothies and juices that will tantalize any health junkie.

Clearly I chugged it all down with glee!

To introduce this menu to the public, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club hosted a group of media, lifestyle bloggers and health food enthusiasts to savour and review the new line-up.

Can anyone say, first dibs on all the food? 

I  too, had the good fortune of receiving an invitation to tonight’s dining.

Thanks, KLGCC!

 Executive Chef Arnold Kwok welcoming us and introducing his healthy menu.

With society becoming more health conscious, we also want to serve healthy meals of a good variety that will appeal to all age groups.

We want to encourage patrons to make healthier choices when it comes to food

– Arnold Kwok

In this menu, a variety of healthier alternatives are used to substitute regular ingredients.

For instance, coconut oil replaces the usual cooking oil (high  in cholesterol and saturated fats by the way!), coconut flour replaces white flour and strictly no preservatives or processed food are used.

Instead, Chef Kwok uses ingredients such as  lean chicken, sea salt, unsalted butter and Omega 3 eggs, to name a few.

Fairly convincing, right?
Let’s enter the dining area of the KLGCC’s Golf Terrace now. 

A sneak peak of the interior.

 Tables were reserved for us that evening.

Let’s begin with the first meal of the day!

 What’s the first thing you do when you wake up fresh in the morning? A big, hearty breakfast is what gets me fueled up for the day.

No breakfast, and all you’ll get is a grumpy Jessicat with depleted energy levels throughout the day. Approach with caution. 

For sufficient calories to begin your day, KLGCC’s breakfast is available from 7.30-10.30am. Golfers, start your tee off with these! 😉

Tuna Guacamole Salad

Calorie Counter: 661 Calories

Departing from the standard fare of the usual garden salad or caesar salad,

this meal certainly stands out.

The Tuna Guacamole Salad consists of tuna chunks, guacamole, Omega-3 eggs, tomato, black olives, onion and seasonal salad, topped with creamy pine nut dressing.

The tuna chunks are mashed with guacamole and wrapped up with seaweed lining – just like how sushi rolls would look like! 

This well-seasoned and colourful dish was sprinkled with balsamic vinegar while the slight hint of spiciness from the black pepper in the creamy pine nut dressing is sure to perk you up!

 Moving on…

If salad isn’t up your alley, why don’t you take a look at this oven-baked dish and pastry combination instead? 

Chicken Broccoli Frittata
Calorie Counter: 411 Calories

Care to have a bite?

The frittata really got my nod of approval. 

Bursting with flavours from its fresh vegetable ingredients like broccoli, capsicums, eggplants, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, as well as Omega-3 eggs and herbs, this well-balanced dish had just the perfect light, fluffiness from the baked eggs.

This contrasts well with that crunch you would least expect from the veggies.

Accompanying the frittata, the side dishes of soft and moist zucchini bread and banana nut muffin made this meal a really wholesome and filling one!

Almond Zucchini Bread  & Banana Nut Muffin
Calorie Counter: 109 Calories  & 155 Calories respectively

Baked with almond flour, the Almond Zucchini Bread felt like a perfect breakfast bread in comparison to other breads and pastries laden with butter, bleached white flour and whatnot.

Good to bite into an infused bread which isn’t overly moist and mushy – such is the case for most banana breads, I must point out.

Similarly, the Banana Nut Muffin is baked with coconut flour and no refined sugar. Thus, it did not contain that cloyingly sweet taste like regular muffins (which is kinda the reason I never fancy muffins). 

Loved that hint of banana and mild nut taste in these fluffy and well-risen muffins.

Vegetarians would be delighted to know that the three dishes above – the frittata, bread and muffin – are suitable for them too!

Now that breakfast is over, what would be your healthy accompaniment? I’d usually whirl up a breakfast shake or smoothie.

KLGCC’s  healthy blended juices available are the:

(L-R) Citrus Kiwi, Tumeric Veggie Blend, Mango Berries & Apple Spinach

I’ve always been a fruit smoothie drinker instead of a fruit juice drinker as the former retains the fruits’ pulp and fibre instead of only allowing the consumption of water and fructose (fruit) sugar. Yup, I prefer my drink 100% pure, with every nutrient intact.

Only then the true benefits of the fruit are maximized!

Let’s put them to test!

Citrus Kiwi

The is a zesty, tangy one with natural mild sweetness. Yum!

Tumeric Veggie Blend

 Definitely an acquired taste. This contains tumeric root, carrots, romaine lettuce, cucumber and lemon. Pretty odd concoction but magically works!

Mango Berries

This combo was a tad too sour for me but if you’re a massive berry fan then this would be your cup of tea.

Apple Spinach

Considering the fact that I drink my smoothies with spinach almost every morning, this one was a familiar taste for me.

All in all, I would go for another shot of Apple Spinach and the Citrus Kiwi.

Now… moving on to the mains!

Salmon with Warm Tomato Relish

Calorie Counter: 275 Calories

The buttery pan-seared Norwegian salmon rests atop a sea of interesting Mediterranean styled gravy and bites, namely tomato, black olives, onions, vinegar, capers and basil.

I’m a strong believer of that crispy golden crust with a pinkish surprise centre for every salmon dish I cut open.

And guess what? This one by KLGCC nailed it right down the middle.

With its tasty, soft tender flakes bursting into a symphony of flavours onto my tastebuds, each bite can only attest to its freshness and divine perfection.

 Jessicat loves her fish. Always my first choice in any menu!

Moving onto something from the exotic east…Well actually, not so exotic for us Malaysians, as Thailand practically is our next-door brethren towards the north.

But for my expat or non-local readers, this one’s an exotic gem from the land of smiles.

 Thai Green Curry Chicken

Calorie Counter: 562 Calories

This was mild and led to a rare occasion where my tastebuds and stomach were both nodding in agreement to finally accommodate my love for spicy food. Yay for me! 

Should opt out of eating rice or on a low-carb diet, select from the 3 tasty alternatives above.

Cauliflower Rice, Mashed Sweet Potato and Brown Rice.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat regular rice at all. Not for health purposes – but I just absolutely do not fancy it.

So you bet I loved these 3 alternatives! I often make the first two at home as well.

Moving on to a dish meat-lovin’ fanatics would kill for! 

Seared Beef Strip Loin
Calorie Counter: 488 Calories

This well-done beef steak comes served with steamed vegetables and sits atop a bed of mashed sweet potato.  

Yes, the sides are nothing of those nasty deep fried potato chips/wedges/fries and typical ketchup aka pub food (Some might call it comfort food but all I see is junk) 🙁

The mushrooms were large and juicy too!

I always prefer my steaks medium well, but to each their own. You can always tell the waiter how cooked/uncooked you want it to be.

This dish is very fragrant as I could smell it the moment it arrived my table. The Chimichurri sauce was a refreshing note to the otherwise heavy flavour of this delicious, grilled Australian Grain-fed slab of meat.

Alright… now that the mains are over and done with, still have space for dessert?

You’d better. 😛 😛

Here’s a mixture of seasonal fruits, sweet potato pie, warm mixed berries and coconut ice cream to induce the first drops of salivation. Heehee.

I was served a mini platter of all the desserts available. 

Take your pick!

Warm Mixed Berries served with a dollop of hand-churned coconut ice-cream

This dessert was a sautee  of a variety of berries like strawberries, raspberries and more, with honey and mint.

For the berry sauce, maple syrup and honey are used in replacement of sugar.

The coconut ice cream that came in accompaniment was unlike any other! 

It was smooth with an apparent hints of true coconut taste, yet light and mild – sorbet style! Made with pure coconut milk, this complemented the sourness and sharp taste of the berries so well. 

When served together, the pair was a match made in heaven.

Sweet Potato Pie with a dollop of hand-churned coconut ice-cream

The sweet potato pie had a firm yet soft-to-the-bite crust and made without wheat flour.

It wasn’t the crumbly kind which annoyingly disintegrates with a mere prod of a fork.

The filling was smooth and an excellent combination of almond milk, spices and whipped coconut cream. 

Bravo to KLGCC’s culinary team and masterminds, Executive Arnold Kwok and his sous chef.

Bear in mind that all dishes in KLGCC’s new healthy menu are cooked without processed foods/ingredients.

So if you’re thinking of indulging in some mouth-watering. exquisite food while watching your waistline, you can finally do so!

 I would fully recommend this for any weight-watchers, fitness freaks, fellow health-junkies or any discerning health food enthusiast to relish. Who says healthy food are bland, boring and aesthetically displeasing? Not in a million years.

Being a self-taught clean eating & Paleo chef-at-home myself, I can totally vouch for that.

Always remember, healthy eating is NOT  a fad diet. It’s an active choice, a kind of lifestyle which you choose (or choose not!) to lead.

You are what you eat! It definitely shows.

 So what’s my final verdict on the menu, you ask?

Tried, tested and approved with my seal of healthiness.

GIVE ME MORE OF THAT!  

————————————————————————————————————

For more information on Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, get in touch with them!

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

Call them at this contact number: +603-2093 1111 ext. 3622/3619

Drop by their clubhouse at: 10 Jalan 1/70D Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, 6000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hi loves! Gosh, the past seven days has been such a busy week for me.

I just realized that it's been exactly a week since I've last blogged. Sorry for the absence!

Anyway, I've just got home from a long weekend of work and holiday in Ipoh.

Yeah it's a public holiday again, one of the best things about living in Malaysia, eh? Public holidays come in abundance haha! This time, it's Nuzul Al-Quran, a religious occasion commemorated by Muslims.

Yes, babyChivas, mommy's home.

Have you been a good boy while I was gone? 

So… let's get on with what made my week this time round. 

Was requested to record a video for someone special for her birthday.

I hope you're not reading this because it'll spoil the surprise, I suppose LOL 

Did my charity work for the week. This time, it's for Pathway 2 Society.

A non-profit effort to reintegrate ex-offenders/ex-convicts/ex-juveniles

into society by giving them a second chance at life. Check them out! 

Had a pretty refreshing dip by the poolside.

Random photo on the way for my training at gym!

Those guns are ready to cry!

Another thing that made my week were smoothies.

Ahhhh yes, fruit and veggie smoothies! Can't live without them 

This week's post-workout meals:

Seven nut muesli with green apples, milk and cinnamon

Organic cellentani with brocolli, garbanzo beans, egg white scramble and flax.

Wholewheat bread with peanut butter, almonds and garbanzo beans!

Organic wholewheat fusili tossed with zucchini, olive oil,carrots and flax.

Oven-baked salmon with diced potatoes, capsicums, egg-white scramble and garden peas

Stir-fried carrots, spinach, aubergine and chicken chunks

Peruvie Peruvian Grilled Chicken @ TTDI

★★★★★

Loved it. It gave me a good bang for my buck. Delicious and cheap!

Full blog feature soon.

My furkid Chivas always steals my cushion. Perhaps I should get him an actual pet bed of his own?

But then again, he sleeps and lounges about practically EVERYWHERE. 

Aku rasa, usahlah membelikannya tempat istirahat sendiri dah.

Oh since my cat seems to be very popular now, I figured you might wanna watch his antics for yourself

Weekends are best for your trusty ol' kicks, no? 

I love my worn-down sneakers, the Chuck Taylor Converse All Star high tops.

Weekend outfit of the day with granny. 

I wish I was a stoic as she is. Her pokerface sends me chills down my spine.

Restoran Fai Kee @ Ipoh

★★★★☆

We had brunch here. A very popular place among the locals for noodles of pork, fish and drunken prawn.

I was overjoyed when I found my favorite Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) machine

tucked away in an arcade in Ipoh Parade called 'Molly Fantasy'.

12 rounds back-to-back came as no surprise. I was sweating buckets and panting rather audibly

up till a point where the people around me probably thought I was down with an incurable disease. Erk. 

The Limestone's Fine Dining Restaurant @ Regal Lodge Hotel

★★☆☆☆

Saturday lunchdate. The place was nothing to shout about. And… really? Fine Dining? Not to me.

Full blog feature soon!

Random video after returning home from a long day.

Jul 25, 2013 | Nighty night!! ❤ by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Packed my gear and dressed professionally the next day for a heavy responsibility of shooting a wedding.

While the thought of holy matrimony has always been the last thing on my mind for the longest time, undertaking this task of shooting a wedding and making sure every memorable moment is recorded made me realize a few things that I've probably never thought of.

Prior to this, I've never really seen weddings in this light nor have I envisioned how beautiful a wedding can be.

Biar benar, begitu indah menyaksikan akad nikah mereka sehingga hampir menitis air mata! 

Stole a quick selfie in the bridal chamber before I began the shoot

at Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites, Ipoh

With the stunning couple. Congratulations, Soon and Shirly! 

The very look on the bride and groom's faces, the merriment that filled the wedding reception, the congregration of old friends and long-lost family members coming together to celebrate a wonderful union, the expressions of both young and old, the nostalgia rising from speeches and presentations, the picture-perfect wedding photographs, the grand ballroom, the decorations, the wedding cake… and the whole celebratory shebang. 

Wow. Guess I've never looked at it this way before.

One day, just.. maybe someday, I'll be a beautiful, blushing bride walking down the aisle in my gorgeous white gown, complete with a delicate veil and bridal train cascading behind me.

But it all seems so far away as we speak.

I've not even found my Mr. Right yet (No, I'm not looking for the time being!). Who will I end up spending the rest of my life with? Who will I end up growing old with? Could it be you? I'll never know.  

Walaupun aku tidak mencari pasangan buat masa ini, tidak salah jikalau aku bicara bahawa aku masih menunggu jodoh, kan? 

On another serious note, I've been busy with very important and legal papers this week.

Many were quick to assume when I posted it on my Facebook and Instagram but no, it's not a marriage registration.

Some of you have already accurately guessed but I'll only officially reveal and blog all about it when the time is right.

The end of the long weekend is over and so are the parties.

The long weekend was a perfect respite from the city. But for now, work beckons once again.

WIll be back in office tomorrow!  Have a great seven days ahead, 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, share my personal thoughts, 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!

Hi loves!

This week was filled with friends, love and celebrations. Oh and, a lot of food as usual haha!

So let's see… what made my week this time round?

My seven days began at work (where else?) on a Monday. And as we were chilling outside our office porch, my colleague took this candid shot of me.

Deep in conversation with another colleague LOL.

So I suppose this is my serious face when I pay attention to someone talking.

(Actually I don't even remember what we were talking about anymore)

He took another photo, which I had some fun editing.

Tuesday night went great as bestieJoyce asked me out to celebrate my belated birthday!

She was away on my actual birthday, so I guess this makes up for it. I was thrilled 

Dressed up really casually tonight; I didn't feel dressy for some reason.

The birthday dinner at Picknik,Publika was great! Wonderful conversations my loves over great food

Full blog post soon!

The rest of the week was all about my daily grind at gym and post-workout meals as usual:

Lower back and leg day. Hi!

Blueberry proats with banana and almonds

Organic wholewheat fusili tossed in extra virgin olive oil with

chicken mince, baby asparagus, kidney beans and chia seeds! 

 Experimented with something new on Thursday.
Raw honey baked stuffed capsicums with lean, ground beef, minced chicken breast and vegetable fillings! 

I don’t usually praise my own cookbook creations but this was delicious and tastes just like pie!

Will refine my recipe and hopefully post it up ok! 

Lunch with the colleagues at IKEA Restaurant & Cafe

No prizes in guessing which is mine! 

When we arrived today, I was almost overcome with shock when there were hardly anyone eating at a restaurant which was, more often than not, always 100% full and even people lining up in long queues!

Then I realized it was Ramadan month where the Muslims fast all day. Right, no wonder. 

The next night, Kon and I decided to storm Jalan Alor for some local streetfood.

Actually, he was craving for hot and spicy clams since our last visit. So we caved in.

Yun Lai Restaurant along the buzzing food haunt in Jalan Alor.

We didn't remember which was the store we patronized on our last visit, so we gave this one a try.

Amongst the hoardes of stores lining the main street, one could easily be spoilt for choice.

Here's what we ordered:

Chicken Satay

Black Pepper Baked Prawns

Barbequed Stingray

Sauteed Asparagus

Hot & Spicy Lala (clams)

Grilled Mushrooms

The food was great! We had an enjoyable evening there, despite the presence of aggressive waitresses trying to solicit customers to dine in their stores. She literally yanked my sleeved in a relatively rough manner towards her store LOL. 

Didn't quite appreciate that.  But the food certainly made up for her lack of mannerism!

Come Saturday, I threw a small birthday party with my closest buddies.

Many thanks to The Pool KL for sponsoring my night and Smirnoff Vodka!  Thank youuuuu so much.

Sorry for the bad quality! It happens when the image is sent directly from Instagram 

We also spent the afterparty in Zouk Club KL. That was one hectic night, alright. 

Will be blogging about the night a.s.a.p  promise! x

Just a few things I've pondered about and held for a long time, but only decided to execute now.

When you ask yourself whether or not you are truly happy with the way things are working for you now, what would your answer be?

Are you happy with where you are, what you are doing, how you look, who you are with, and your life in general at this present time? If you're not, or have mixed feelings about your answer, then you probably lack the happiness you have in mind. 

Do something different, for once. Only you can dictate where your life is headed to.

Do something to break free from your current shackles and give yourself the time to re-evaluate.

A re-route. A different path in life. A new direction. 

Sure, you may not be sure if this is really what you want and risk emotional withdrawals but hey, it's only normal. Don't be afraid to embark on something new or shuffle your priorities. It's just the beginning.

Go where you are celebrated; not tolerated!

So if you think you are strong enough to shut your eyes, put your barricades behind you, and dive into the deep for a new adventure, by all means, go for it. I did, with absolutely no regrets.

Much love,

Jessicat

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

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!

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!

Oh hey! It's the month of June already.

If you ask me, this year flew by really swiftly. Before I knew it, we're already almost halfway into the year 2013. 

Where did all the time go?

Hmmm… maybe getting starting my new job made me feel like time had fleeted by so fast.

Cold days at work. When the advertising industry debilitates me whole by the end of the day, all I can do is to curl up with my fave mug of hot chocolate

As keeping busy takes up most of my time, my days aren't as dreary and long as it would probably feel if I were to be jobless or bored at home with absolutely nothing to do. To be honest, I do miss being bored sometimes. 

I could only wish for more hours in my day. 

My life is so fast-paced, especially this year, that I don't even have the time to feel bored anymore! 

Masaku betul2 berlalu dengan laju sangat. Alangkah baiknya jika kita mempunyai lebih masa setiap hari? Katakanlah 30 jam sehari berbanding dengan hanya 24 jam. Lebih banyak kerja yang dapat diselesaikan dalam satu hari dan perkara akan dilakukan secara jauh lebih berkesan, kan?

Ahhh, wishful thinking at best. 

Anyway, this week was relatively mundane with a sprinkle of colour towards the weekend. Okay, recap! 

Daily trainings and awesome post-workout meals.

It was upper body: chest, shoulders, back and arm day

Made organic fusilli pasta bake with honey glazed eggplant, carrots & tomato,

tossed with grapeseed oil, basil and cottage cheese.

Rolled wholegrain oats with soy milk, banana slices and golden kiwi

Organic brown rice with chicken chunks, button mushrooms & flax seeds,

steamed in spring onion, garlic-ginger-onion-herb paste made from scratch! 

Tonight's outfit of the day.

Was invited to Longchamp Paris' Exclusive Preview of their Fall/Winter collection.

Full blog feature soon!

May 29, 2013 | Amazing new release by #Longchamp #Paris! Here are my favorites from their 2013 Fall/Winter collection! ❤ by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Randomly, just randomly, I'm vaguely aware of how my sense of dressing has mellowed so much. Ugh.

Although sexy tops, tight skirts, mini dresses and belly bearing tops still appeal to me, I noticed a paradigm shift in my taste in clothing as of late – probably since the beginning of the year. I have to admit, this "change" scares me a little.

I think this means I'm succumbing to the ravages of time and age. OH NO. 

Aku rase aku sekarang nih dah makin tua.  Jadi, tidak hairanlah apabila aku semakin berpaling kepada cara berpakaian yang lebih klasik ataupun sedikit sebanyak konservatif, jika berbanding dengan fesyen yang biasanya aku dilihat memakai.

Nowadays, classy high-cut tops, demure outfits, long dresses, classic, elegant pieces and the corporate OL (office lady) look strikes my fancy. Umm. really Jess, since when?

What happened to that wild, partygirl look you often portray? 

Date night out in the city. We chose El Cerdo KL Spanish Restaurant, Changkat Bukit Bintang

We had tapas. Gambas Al AjilloCalamares (above) and A La Plancha (below)

Loved its freshness and mild but delightful flavours!

★★★★★

May 30, 2013 | #Night outs! #Dinner in the #city. Drinks by the #bar ❤ by imthejessicat on Keek.com

We also met up with some friends for a bit of Wednesday night partying 

One person is missing from the picture! I guess I'll have to photoshop bestiePam's head in LOL

Bumped into an old friend, Anu, from Penang!

We were squash players back in high school

Excuse my vanity. I don't usually have the time to doll up 

Take two.

I have a new addition to my arsenal of gadgets now. Say hello to my new sexy white thing.

The SAMSUNG Galaxy Camera 

Fancy some cat pictures for the start of the week?

What you are about to see is my furkid, Chivas, in compromising positions

The weekends finally loomed closer; about time it did!

Friday night saw me packing my bags and heading up to Ipoh to spend some time with the family for the weekend.

We had a sumptous family feast. Japanese dinner at

Zento Sushi @ Festival Walk which left us full to the brim and beyond satisfied.

★★★★★

Full blog feature/review coming soon!

Being away for the weekend didn't deter me from carrying out my routines.

Here's a makeshift circuit I did at the porch of my home.

Oh, this Ipoh trip marked my first time boarding the Electric Train Service (ETS) from KL Sentral Railway Station.

I came to a conclusion that I didn't want to drive two hours to Ipoh and another two hours back. I just can't be bothered, really.

The train ride was incredibly smooth and gave me a pleasant experience!

It was punctual – arriving on the dot!

The carriages/coaches were clean, spacious, comfortable and had on-board entertainment (hurray for Mr. Bean!) to boot.

Instead of spending a taxing two hours squinting into the distance when I drive at night and speeding (being me, admittedly) down the highway at 140km/h, all I had to do was to get to the railway station, board the train, pop up my laptop and do my work or leisure for the entire two hours.

Arriving with zero stress.

Sounds like a much better option, no doubt! 

Thumbs up to Malaysian public transportation! 

Architecture-wise, I was pretty impressed by how the railway station looked.

Fringing the railway tracks were high-rise horseshoe and orgee arches plastered in white. It had this British heritage look and feel to it.

You know the concept of crisp-looking whitewashed buildings of moorish designs, pairs of columned porches, symmetrical windows flanking the main, arched entrances?

Yeah the whole train station boasted that entire notion; and I loved it.

It felt as though I was stepping out of the Hogwarts Express train into London's King's Cross railway station.

Before I got too carried away in my reverie, I stopped myself from running into the wall in hopes of traversing into a secret, hidden platform to Hogwarts HAHAHA.

I'm deluded like that.

On our way to the Ipoh Railway Station

Jun 2, 2013 | Whilst on our way to the #Ipoh railway station to head back to #KL #city! by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Farewell, Ipoh Railway Station. I'll be back!

The sunset on the way back was breathtaking

This photo does no justice to the deep vermillion, purple and crimson hues that illuminated the evening sky

Theboyf and I decided to pig out and grab some Mexican cuisine for dinner upon arriving KL.

Actually, it was his idea. We were starving by the time we arrived the city.

Chilis Grill & Bar Restaurant, Bangsar Shopping Centre

★★★★★

The Chicken Club Tacos were superb! 

Wrapped inside the tacos were grilled mesquite chicken breast, ancho-chile ranch dressing, diced tomatoes, mixed cheeses and lettuce served with chopped beef bacon and black beans.

Eating it left me wanting more. It came so juicy, the chicken was tender and it was a perfect burst of Tex-Mex flavour with every bite.

We also tried their new starter, the Spinach Queso.

Those tostada chips were warm and crisp, to be dipped into a spinach-cheese dip and house-made salsa. Just heavenly! 

So that's a wrap! Here's to hoping your weekend was just as eventful as mine. 

Have a good seven days ahead 

I'm going to leave you with a song that's been stuck in my head for as long as ever. Sharing is caring 

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 Mini LIVE Blog

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