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    Local Artists
    Music Festivals/Rave Parties
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    Asian
    Coffee joints/Cafe hopping
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TheJessicat - Extractions of a Disoriented Mind
  • Entertainment
    • Film & Movies
    • International Artists
    • Live Concerts & Gigs
    • Local Artists
    • Music Festivals/Rave Parties
    • Nightlife/Parties
  • Food
    • American
    • Asian
    • Coffee joints/Cafe hopping
    • French
    • Fusion
    • Italian
    • Japanese
    • My Cookbook
    • Others/Fusion
  • Fashion
    • Body Art
    • Cosplay
    • Fashion Shows
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Makeup/Skincare
  • Travels
    • Thailand
    • The Australian Diaries
  • Health & Fitness
    • EatFitSlam: Clean Eating
    • GymJamSlam: Gym/Workouts
    • Sports
  • Current Affairs

The Sunday Times XXXIV: Sights, sounds, thoughts, adventures & eats! My week in a flash ♥

August 4, 2013 by thejessicat

 

Hi lovelies! How was your weekend?

Mine was incredible, as you shall see in a bit!

 

But hey, let’s start from the beginning first, shall we?

First of all, if you’re reading this, you’ll probably realize that you are now looking at the brand new facelift of my blog. Yup, it was relaunched last week during my birthday month but we’re only at Phase One for now!

Credits go to my awesome sponsor, Haze Long of Virtual Misfits!

Will blog  more about this and share our journey towards the launch.

 

Gymtimes as usual

 

Shot before circuit training Tuesdays.

 

My usual post-workout meals (yeah I was told that I eat rabbit food LOL)

 

Oh and due to popular request, I remember I promised you peeps to make a gallery of all the healthy and clean meals that I often make once the new blog is up.

So I guess its time to fulfill that promise, eh? 🙂 Will be working on that soon!

 

Weekday midnight runs and chocolate/coffee times with my girls at Mukha Cafe, TTDI.

 

Ramadan month traffic jams! It took me more than an hour to get to 1 Utama via the LDP highway.

I forsee an equally, if not worse, traffic congestion on our roadtrip to Penang

this weekend due to the festive season of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

 

For those in the know, the past few weeks had been pretty arduous for me. It’s complicated.

In a nutshell, I was distraught and drained, both emotionally and mentally, due to a personal dilemma that left me especially confused, frustrated and troubled. For those following me on Twitter, sorry for the torrent of emotional tweets! 🙁

 

It didn’t help that I had so much work, blog notifications and so many emails to reply.

As it was already the beginning of the weekend, I decided to screw it all and not open any one of them.

It can wait. I need my break!

 

Which was precisely why I packed my bags and left for my favorite island up north – Penang.

 

Ergo, my weekend was a perfect respite from the exasperating times and everything I’ve been going through in the city. I needed that break and it helped me to re-evaluate life with a calmer mind.

And for that I thank you for everything, Marc.

 

Checking out the awesome view of the beach from the 6th floor!

Aug 2, 2013 | Hello from #Penang! ❤ by imthejessicat on Keek.com

Went to Flamingo Hotel’s poolside for an early morning swim.

Fancy yourself swimming to this mesmerizing view:

I know bliss when I see one 🙂

Swimming and chilling in the warm, bubbling jacuzzi over fantastic conversations on a weekend.  I could get used to that 😉

Candid shot on the deckchair while I was just about to take a dip in the pool

 

After swimming, Marc and I headed for some extreme sports. Yup, it’s time to bust out the adrenalin!

As terrified as I was of jet-skiing (no more terrified than I am of roller coasters!), I absolutely love the high-speed, plunging depths of either skyfalls or underwater madness as well as experiencing death-defying moments.

It’s an exhilarating rush, you know?

 

Except from the fact that I screamed and held my breath 50% of the time, I loved it.

A second time jet-skiing ever, it was no doubt, the ride of my life.

 

Having the luxury of owning a car, I realized that I have overlooked my surroundings and all the buzz around Penang – especially in Georgetown! It’s relatively easy to jump into your car and look at nothing but your destination.

But as Marc rented a scooter to get us around town easily, I had the wonderful chance of exposing myself to what I would deem the ‘real’ Penang.

 

Aug 3, 2013 | Scootering ’round #Georgetown, #Penang this #afternoon! Yeaaaaa boi. by imthejessicat on Keek.com

 

The strong wind blowing against my face, the weathered-walls of British architecture, the scorching rays warming me up (a stark contrast to the comfort of my air-conditioned car), the loud chattering of age-old men reminiscing their youth, watching a close-up of locals bargaining on the street markets and more. It was indeed all new to me.

Georgetown was a hive of energy and true camaraderie, between locals and tourists alike!

 

By one of the many comical trivia.

 

Since Georgetown was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status, lots of interesting metal rod caricatures had been erected around town, bringing life to history via art.

I love how humour is injected in educating tourists (and locals!) on Penang’s rich history, community stories and culture.

 

We visited the Camera Museum along Lebuh Muntri.

 

It was a wonderful gallery of all vintage cameras, photography information, a store of all things camera-related and more Check out this adorable handmade crochet Instagram pouch!

Blog feature soon.

 

Look du jour.

 

Mythical creatures and religious icons dot the spacious compound of this 200-year old sacred enclave. Unafraid of the myriad of chimeras and chinthes guarding the temple grounds, here we are at the only Burmese Buddhist temple in Penang!

 

Dhammikarama Burmese Temple.

By the feet of the Reclining Buddha/Sleeping Buddha

at Wat Chayamangkalaram, a popular Thai Buddhist Temple.

 

We also headed to Air Hitam, where the Kek Lok Si a.k.a Goddess of Mercy Temple was housed atop a hill.

Aug 6, 2013 | Bringing a foreign buddy around Kek Lok Si temple, #Penang! #Malaysia #tourist by imthejessicat on Keek.com

 

 

Wishing ribbons hanging atop a Wish Tree in Kek Lok Si Temple.

 

Caught sight of an adorable statue of a pig.

I tried to replicate its expression – rather successfully, no?

 

Sunset on the horizon of Batu Ferringhi beach.

 

Had dinner at the beautifully lit Straits Quay by nightfall.

 

There’s so much more that we saw and so many places we headed to, but I’ll leave that for a full blog feature, aight?

Admittedly, I’ve never experienced Penang Island the way I just did.

 

I was born and bred on this very soil; practically knowing every nook and cranny this island has to offer. Such often breeds a sense of neglect and disregard after a couple of decades, eventually being unappreciative of Penang’s heritage and splendours.

After all, familiarity does breed contempt.

But this weekend, on the contrary, was highly opposed  from “going home”. This weekend, it was as though I had traversed to a different island; an island I embraced with open arms and a fresh panorama from my mind’s eye.

It was an actual holiday, for once.

 

So proud to be an island girl!

You’ll never know life like the way you know the ocean waves of home.

 

I left Penang with a heavy heart and twice the knowledge of my beloved island.

It is only when you show another around that you begin to see this little notion called ‘home’ from a completely different perspective. One of a traveller’s; armed with a ravenous thirst of the unknown and starving for the thrills of adventure.

 

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

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!smiley

 

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A month after Chinese New Year.. better late than never – GONG XI FA CAI!

February 24, 2012 by thejessicat

 

 

So after exactly a month, I've finally got round to finishing the batch editing of all the photos from my 2012 Chinese New Year!

Don't know why I didn't exactly take as much "proper photos" this CNY – all of the photos you are about to see today are all shot with sub-par phone/tablet camera quality. 

 

If I could sum up Chinese New Year for me every year (in no particular order), it  would be :

 

1. Family

2. Food

3. Hometown

4. Angpows! $$$

5. Red

 

So here's what I was up to this Chinese New Year – in photos!

 

So here we go… FAMILY!

Yup, that's my immediate family. Small, but complete nonetheless 😀

 

At 5'7", I believe I inherited my height from my dad.  Don't know if that's supposed to be a good thing, since I'm always b!tching about my height on Twitter. Heh. 

Anyway, roadtrip up North to Penang with my fellow Penangites! :D

 

Penang Bridge during sunset!

 

The moment I crossed the bridge, I felt a tinge of nostalgia sweeping up to me like a morning breeze.

Good ol' Penang; encompassing so much memories of growing up, life, love, friendships and more 

 

KOMTAR: Penang's tallest landmark heritage

 

Brought the boyfie home for CNY. 

Hahahaahah  what does High Expectations Asian Father have to say?

 

lololol just kidding! They got along pretty damn well 

 

Seafood dinner by the seaside with the parents & him for our early CNY reunion dinner. Being islanders, seafood is one of our staples amongst many others!

(Don't say rice. I will smack you) 

Look for cooking classes at www.OnlineCollegeClasses.org and you'll see that there is so much more to the cuisine than simply rice!

 

I daresay this was one of the best dinners I've ever had

 

We had so much delicious, freshly caught seafood on our table!

 

Teluk Kumbar Seafood is the name. 

And that's where you're gonna having your sunset seafood dinner when in Penang

 

Here are only 5 outta 8 dishes we ordered.

 

Where else did we go for our Chinese New Year reunion dinner?

 

To Kok Thai Chinese Restaurant for an 8-course Chinese Banquet dinner! 🙂

This photo doesn't do the food justice at all!

 

3 generations at a round table for dinner 

 

The boyfie stood out tonight; being the only white in an Asian restaurant on Chinese New Year

 

And that's not all..

 

In my family, food comes in abundance as the cooking never stops! 🙂

Delicous home-made reunion dinner meals & yee sang throughout the 1st week of Chinese New Year

 

Spent time with my maid who, if you didn't already know, 

was my nanny & helped to look after me when I was a 3 year old toddler – till now! 

 

Spent time with some friends over Barbeque Steamboat at

Town Steamboat along Macalister Road in the city

 

I was so full & didn't feel like talking. So I got bored. 

 

At Healy Mac's Irish Bar & Restaurant along Straits Quay!

Don't remember what I ordered, most likely along the lines of Kahlua, Baileys, 

Wild Turkey or some other form of coffe-cream liqueurs.

As always.

What's next?

 

It was Australia Day!

Fancy some shisha and a bit of Down Under spirit mate? 

 

Went to the famous Kek Lok Si Temple.

Translated from Penang Hokkien as 'Temple of Supreme Bliss'

 

Welcome to the largest Buddhist temple in South East Asia! 

 

Just for the record, I'm not Buddhist.

So… why exactly did we pay a visit to Kek Lok Si temple this Chinese New Year again?

 

To watch other people pray

 

For pretty lights!  

The elaborate decorations during the festive season were gorgeous!

 

To take photos with Buddha…

 

And take photos with a bigger Buddha…

 

and take photos with Buddha again…..

 

… not just ONE Buddha, but many many Buddhas all lined up in a row…

 

We also wanted to climb up and take photos with the massive Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) statue, but alas we were too late.

 

We had to go as soon as the gates began to shut.

Good lord, I felt as though I've just warped back from China for a second! :D

 

And last but not least….. gambling session with the buddies!

 

Listen up, lucky cat! Bring mommy some good luck aight? 😀 😀

 

Just so you know, he most certainly kicked some ass 🙂

Good job, son!  Black cats aren't harbingers of bad luck after all, in your case, BabyChivas!

 

We caused the banker to be bankrupt and yes, I won double the capital I put in!

 

 

Hope you had a smashing Chinese New Year celebration of the Black Water Dragon just like I did :D

A late post is better than none! There you go, my Chinese New Year this year!

 

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Oh, hello there!

Hi! Welcome to TheJessicat.com - an urban lifestyle blog established since 2005, written from the perspective of a Malaysian blogger. Discover the latest and all that the city has to offer! Do bear with her occasional rants & musings though. Happy reading! ❤

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