Hark! Who goes there!? 

A strange electromagnetic force must've swept through my residence because now there's…

Two of me.

I kid.  Was just playing around with a new photo editing app and realized it gave me this effect.

Pretty nifty, ey? I'll keep making better ones in due time!

My last seven days kept me rather occupied. With New Year's Eve parties, New Year's Day celebrations, running errands, heading out and about, blogging and so much more.

Before that, a shout out goes to my buddy Tammy, for turning a year older on the 1st of January! 

Two kittehs!  Your birthday cake is still in my fridge 

Happy Birthday gurlie! xoxo

For her birthday, she celebrated it with a movie treat – Les Miserables, the musical! 

I've always wanted to read the book first but looks like it'll have to be the other way around now.

Luckily, Konzy has that novel so I'm just going to borrow it from him! 

Loving the movie to bits!  Apart from reducing me to tears at the end of the three hour showtime, I walked out of the cinema hall feeling touched and inspired by its very poignant scenes!

Immediately after the show, I found myself talking to others in a sing-song voice and singing out my responses whenever someone talked to me – leaving them raising their eyebrows in bewilderment. LOL

Musicals, in particular, tend to have that effect on me. The bulk of Konzy and I's interaction throughout the day consisted of lyrical and melodious conversations as well as dramatic hand gestures.

I kid you not.

It started to get really funny at some point – until we ran out of lyrics and the effect, gradually wore off. 

By the lake in KLCC park

We decided to adjourn outside; towards KLCC park where it was hot and sunny.

Wouldn't want to waste a lovely weather like this, yes?  Lunch was at Chinoz on the Park.

His: Pappardelle Meatballs

Hers: Caesar Salad with Smoked Salmon

 It was decently tasty, but commanding such a hefty price for such a simple fare?

That's city living for you, methinks.  We were at the Petronas Twin-Towers KLCC after all.

Just a cute photo of us on the escalator. 'Nuff said 

We were fooling around, talking about everything under the sun as usual and he dared me to fist myself.

Now, now, hold your horses and don't let your thoughts wander off too quickly! 

This is his attempt at fisting himself which I found frightfully amusing 

I wasn't going to do it anyway, but Konzy showed me that it was humanly possible LOL

Over the next few days I was really caught up configuring, setting-up & syncing my brand new, shiny toys.

My new laptop runs on the new Windows 8! Geez, I felt so computer illiterate when I first laid hands on it. 

My new 15.6" ASUS laptop (where I'll be working most of my writing on)

& SAMSUNG Galaxy S tablet (as my PDA/organizer/planner)

This baby has such high-tech fluidity, impressive user interface, works with different commands, new features, new settings, a new Microsoft Windows AppStore where we can download apps too!

Plus, it has a dual OS (Operating System) where I can choose to switch in between Windows 8 and Windows RT whenever I feel like it.

Oh, sweet, sweet, technology.  

Dinner was at another one of my all-time fave restaurants – Food Foundry @ Section 17, Petaling Jaya

His : Wild Mushroom Soup and a Club Sandwich

Hers: Chunky Tomato Soup and Prawn & Eggplant Spaghetti

Regardless of where I live, I will never fail to pop in every so often just to buy my favourite Mille Crepe cake. So the Vanilla Mille Crepe cake you see above, was of course, mine 

It's just one of the things I can't – forgive me – share. Really 

****

Something triggered my motivation and my moods were clearly elevated when I was told that I was featured in the media again.

No, not in a cinema ad nor a billboard this time, but in a newspaper and a magazine :

In Kwong Wah Yit Poh press (a Chinese newspaper)

In The Opinion (a monthly magazine pull-out of The STAR Newspaper)

With me, it is no surprise. My seven days also included, the imperative gym sessions!

Ran 3.15 miles in 35 minutes and the usual weight-lifts & floor workouts

The next morning was a very early start for me – for a change! 

Who wakes up early on a Sunday morning anyway?

Being the night owls we are, it was a total spur of the moment.

But I soon realized that I actually liked waking up at daybreak! Konzy and I then headed out for a very hearty yet healthy breakfast at 8 o'clock in the morning.

To one of my fave food spots in Bangsar, Antipodean Cafe

which serves New Zealand & Australian coffee roasters & cafe cuisine

For him :  Big Breakfast with hash browns, sausages, a fluffy omelette, grilled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and a slice of wholemeal bread.

For her : Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, radicchio lettuce, cherry tomatoes, a slice of wholemeal bread, sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and a piping hot glass of skinny latte.

I've said this over and over again, but Antipodean Cafe is certainly one worth recommending several times!

(You know, people forget…) 

I love this place so much that I even celebrated my last birthday here!

We even managed to have a quick chat with Kiwi-born Alun Evans, the owner of Antipodean Cafe. 

****

Throughout this week, I've also been consciously switching from radio channel to radio channel lately, departing from the usual, repetitive trashy tunes that they call contemporary mainstream pop.

HOW ON EARTH DID lil miss annoyingly-in-your-face Nicki Minaj, Flo-Rida who is apparently a pro at teaching girls how to "blow" his "whistle", a close-to-30-year-old singing bubble gum pop hoping for someone whom she just met to call her, superficial outlook to life of a materialistic "Primadonna Girl", and yes, let's not forget whiny, spirals of despair from Adele, permeate the airways?

Really. It's a million dollar question. 

Come to think of it, it might be the aimless commercialization and lack of substance in today's "music" that has put talented, real musicians and independent artistes to shame. 

Yup, what's new? It's all about the $$$.

Which is why I'm sharing five of my favourite hits from the 80's which I happened to come across during my radio channel surfing AWAY from the likes of contemporary – often unoriginal -mainstream pop music.

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

Christopher Cross – Best That You Can Do

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdj9NRzqC4

Starship – We Built This City

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFPajU-d-Ek

Belinda Carlisle Heaven is a Place on Earth

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk

Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

Like it?  I do. Despite mocking "oldies" music as a rambunctious teenager back in the early 2000s, I now I finally understand how mom, dad, my uncles, aunts and late grandfather came to love and appreciate the music of their era, even till today.

As for me, I wouldn't be proud to say I came from the Justin Bieber-Adele-Nicki Minaj era. 

I don't rant very often on my blog, but when I do… it's about the garbage they call music now.

I ended my weekend by sending my third round of recycling materials/recyclables ever since I embarked on a lil personal project of being more pro-environmentalist and taking the green initiative whenever possible.

To reduce, reuse and recycle! 

I carried four boxes of recyclables – paper & cardboard, plastic, metal and glass.

They took everything BUT ACCEPTED NOT EVEN A SHARD OF MY GLASSWARE!

HEY! If you didn't already know, glass IS recyclable too! 

I was visibly upset but still wasn't given an answer as to why glass is unpopular in recycling efforts

On another note, it's already the second week of 2013!

Schedule's looking pretty busy already.

Have you been keeping to your New Year's Resolutions so far? 

If not, it's not too late! Endeavour to succeed in them throughout the next 51 weeks!

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!

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

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

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!