All natural and no preservatives, there’s no fear if you happen to swallow this sugary scrub by mistake. The blend exfoliates beautifully and layers on a nourishing mask of protection to heal chapped lips.
Tag: personal review
STEAMed – Stardew Valley
You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy.
Daisuke Salon De Coiffure – A New Personal Fave
I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about this salon, so I figured it was high time I checked the place out for myself. A quick glance at the address tells me that it is way nearer than my usual salon for a ‘hair-over’ so that a plus point for me!
Driving there was relatively painless, though I heavily relied on my Waze to bring me there. Parking on the other hand, was a pain. It took me two panicked rounds (the guards were no help lol) to realize that I can only make a semi-full round once I entered the open-air carpark before I’m forced to go down below to the Basement parking (which is yet another maze I couldn’t puzzle). Can’t say that I’m the only one who suffered this though, cause I happened to see two-three cars faltering to a stop when they encountered the sudden ‘entrance’ to the basement haha. But that’s just me, griping about it.
I don’t really have much photos this time, cause my focus wasn’t too much on taking photos. But one thing I really have got to commend this salon is that they sure know how to make one feel extra comfy and right at home!
Seating is unconventional, especially for people like me who’s rather used to the ‘barber shop’ chair style. Instead of resting your feet on two ‘pedals’ stationed below the chair as per norm, each area is given a footstool. Choose whether you want to use it for your feet or *cough* your bag. There’s also a side table for other needs, like putting down your glasses and a hot drink, complimentary of course 😉
if you’re uncomfortable sitting amidst a bunch of people, there’s also private rooms where each section is partitioned off with soft curtains that obscures the prying eyes. I was fine where I was then so it doesn’t matter much to me. To top it off, I met an old friend I had not seen since his wedding a couple of years ago! Small wonder he recognized me when I barely recognized him lol.
You can choose your hairstylist by the way. I selected Amanda based on Arisa‘s recommendation and I admit I like her way of thinking! No hardsell whatsoever, and I sincerely detest those who attempts to shove a whole big bunch of products that are supposedly ‘good for my skin and hair’ down my throat (and wallet!). Not only that, she taught me simple steps in maintaining my hair with minimal to absolutely NO hair styling products involved. Amazing, eh?
Oh one thing I really got to talk about (but didn’t have photos of it cause it was rather dark) is the ‘washing’ station. Brick walls were used as partition between each station, which is perfect if you’re the type who just wants to immerse in the massage and scrub on your scalp. Plus, no noisy chatter! It somehow manages to turn the environment volume down somewhat.
Before: faded, somewhat ill-kept hair with loads of split ends
After: well trimmed, soft and supple hair with a dark purple colour treatment.
What I did based on recommendation
- Hair trimming (needed one so badly heh)
- Scalp treatment with CO2 water (highly recommended. I’m pretty sure you’ll love this as much as I do. I call this the scalp jacuzzi spa 😀 )
- Colour Treatment in Purple (it’s obvious under direct sunlight, but not when it’s dark)
What I plan to go for in future
- Hair trimming (this needs to be a routine!)
- Scalp or hair treatment, I’m not sure which just yet. But I definitely want the CO2 hair treatment again for sure!
Got you curious? Check out their Facebook or Blog today. Remember to call them up or drop them a message on Facebook to book your appointment first, kays?
Daisuke Salon De Coiffure
C-25-01, 3 Two Square
No 2, Jalan 19/1
46300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
03 – 7960 0140
How to survive without coffee…literally
Coffee for energy boost? Coffee for caffeine? Here’s 5 ways to get your caffeine and energy level up without coffee.
Urban Stove : A Food Solution for Urbanites?
Surprise your loved one with these delicious ‘dinner for two’ or a full-fledged dinner meal for your family. If you’re one of those type who wants to eat really good food, but tend to be lazy when it comes to hunting down recipes and sorting out the right ingredients for the respective recipes….well. You should check out Urban Stove then!
Contrary to those ‘food trucks’ and ‘food deliveries’ we get out there like Burger Bakar, Simply Sandwiches etc, Urban Stove caters for those who still WANTS to cook at home, but packing up the right amount of ingredients for each recipe given.
What Urban Stove Aims To Achieve
Our mission is to make home cooking fast, easy and fun. we understand the pressures of modern living adn how it can whittle away our precious time. That’s why we aim to simplify your life by doing the heavy lifting for you when it comes to cooking – from creating recipes, running out to groceries, preparing and pre-portioning the ingredients to delivering all these to your doorstep.
What’s so different about Urban Stove?
In case you’re wondering why am I raving about Urban Stove, here are some of my reasonings (coming from one who loves to cook for others I might add!):
Fresh ingredients all the way
For every meal recipe, ingredients packed and delivered are at tip top condition with the absence of bruises and/or any ‘nasties’. These fresh ingredients are carefully selected and packed in a well-insulated box, layered generously with ice packs to ensure that nothing goes bad on delivery. I had my box for about 6 hours by the way, since I had it delivered to office first! So I can attest that the packaging is a good one 😀
The right portion
Personally, one of the many headaches of cooking for one or two is the amount of ingredients needed. I mean, it is NOT cheap buying ingredients in smaller portion than in bulk at times. For example, feel like having a bowl of cold spinach and spring onions in your omelette? Buying these ingredients would mean that you gotta buy them in a big bunch (most of the time anyway, unless you have the time to head over to a wet market and carefully select your small bunch. But even then, is it worth it traveling all the way to the market for a small bunch of leaves?) and pray you finish them all before the greens start to wilt in your fridge.
With Urban Stove, there’s definitely no worries as they pack just the right amount for a meal for two. It may look like a small amount when you first unbox the packets, but trust me, it is enough. Plus, it also means that you have a bigger room for ‘add-on’ ingredients too! 😛
Recipe Cards
Okay so you have the ingredients in hand for a meal, but what do you do next? Fear not! Urban Stove also includes recipe cards that has pretty pictures and clear instructions on what to do next. Trust me when I say it is THAT simple! The plus side is that you now have spanking great recipe cards for future cookout adventures.
Different Meals Every Week
Last but not least, Urban Stove do not serve the same meal every week! The chefs work real hard to make sure that each meal will be dished out at its finest, and well, to also make sure that you won’t get sick of the same menu every week (oh the horror!)
I am truly sorry because Impatient Me had completely forgotten to take a quick Unboxing video/photos and went straight to making one of the meals I had gotten for the week then. #ImpatientChef
All the same, have a look at one of the meals that I had taken a photo & video of: Beef Shepherd’s Pie.
Gotten you impressed yet?
Head over to Urban Stove then and check out what is this week’s menu!
There are always 5 different menu selection weekly, and you get to choose 3 recipes for a certain price. If you’re worried about the price, my advice is to think back on the food expenses you would fork out every week for a meal for two (family plan is still in the works for Urban Stove) and compare it to this package plan. You’ll be surprised at the amount that you’ll save 🙂
So go on, impress your loved ones with your l33t skillz in the kitchen today! 😀
He Named Me MALALA : A Movie Review
He Named Me Malala….WHY?
First and foremost, thank you groupMAD for inviting me to the private screening of the film documentary “He Named Me Malala”. I admit that I was pretty dubious at first, mainly because I truly am not a fan of any form of documentary films (Sorry, I’m pretty much a cartoon and ‘no-brainer’ movies type of person LOL). However I decided to attend all the same, mainly because the synopsis had caught my attention.
About the film
HE NAMED ME MALALA is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.
An Inspiration
As I watched the film, I find myself admiring Malala’s perseverance and humility, especially in regards to her perspective based on her religion: Islam.
With one simple sentence, she had summed up (at the age of 16) what I have been trying to explain to people everywhere (I’m quite dense when it comes to keeping it short and simple lol):
“Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood.”
Short and simple, yes? Well, she said something else after that too:
“[the Taliban] think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits.”
There are many inspirational quotes that she had spouted throughout the documentary, be in within the four walls of her home in the states or at the UN itself.
Family Comes First
Emotions welled up when the filmmaker, David Guggenheim, panned the scenario where young Malala was admitted to the hospital. Her parents were (understandably) frantic with worry, and were bracing for the worst outcome possible. Miraculously, Malala survived the bloody ordeal. Her first sentence when her eyes fluttered open was, “Where’s my father?”.
The father was overjoyed at, but they were too scared to meet his own daughter. He felt guilty, thinking that his daughter would accuse him for being the cause of this unfortunate ‘accident’, as it was due to him encouraging her to speak her thoughts out that this horror had occurred. Malala, on the other hand, was adamant that her father did nothing to push her to speak her thoughts out. Supportive, yes. Never persistent.
Another view of her family was shown when they had moved to the states. How her mother struggled to learn the English language, and while she wasn’t too happy being in the States, she does her very best to adapt in the neighbourhood. How her two brothers show unconditional brotherly love towards her, but are not blind to her faults. How her father is always there right next to her, to guide and support; he is her best friend.
(Hey this was uploaded only a week ago!)
WHY should you watch He Named Me MALALA?
This documentary film has the potential to inspire people. Let the voice of Malala and move you into action to raise the voices of marginalized groups, particularly girls to go to school; i.e. for their right to education. Remember, even one voice will be heard if silence dominates everyone else.
Will you be one of the few to make your stand? Or are you still thinking that women do not deserve these, and Malala ‘had it coming for her’ when she was shot at the head for even daring to stand up and fight for education for girls? Will you side the ones who warned Malala to never step foot in Pakistan again, lest she wishes to put an end to her life? Or would you see to it that children are given equal rights for education?
Noteworthy Articles & Social Postings
How Malala Spends her 18th Birthday
“I am honored to mark my 18th birthday with the brave and inspiring girls of Syria. I am here on behalf of the 28 million children who are kept from the classroom because of armed conflict. Their courage and dedication to continue their schooling in difficult conditions inspires people around the world and it is our duty to stand by them,” Malala said. “On this day, I have a message for the leaders of this country, this region and the world – you are failing the Syrian people, especially Syria’s children. This is a heartbreaking tragedy – the world’s worst refugee crisis in decades.”
A Birthday Request from Malala: #booksnotbullets
“I urge world leaders to prioritize education because education is the only way through which we can defeat terrorism, fight against poverty and bring peace and prosperity. The money that is spent on just a few guns, if given to a child’s education, can change that child’s life.”
Find out more about the Malala Fund on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Author’s Note
Please understand that I am not a feminist. I am never a feminist, and I doubt I’ll ever be one (I’m too cynical for my own good lol). But I do agree that when it comes to education, no one should have their rights robbed right in front of them. Do not keep people in the dark, do not assume that we are ALL happy to be kept in the dark. While I agree that ‘gender equality’ is a warped concept (I see pros and cons in this), educational rights should never be a part of this equation.
Innisfree Skin Care : Yay or Nay?
Innisfree Skin Care products. Are you a fan or have you always wondered what’s the big deal about them?
I’ve always been rather fussy about my skin care products, particularly when it comes to applying serum, toner and moisturizer. I’m not a fan of most moisturizers cause they generally tend to cause my skin to become extra oily (and eventually pimples will pop out like wee lil noxious mushrooms!) so when folks recommend me Product A and Product B, I’ll be really suspicious! It’s not that I do not trust my friends, but most of the time what works for them doesn’t really work for me 
So when Arisa suggested that I try this Innisfree Green Tea Skin Care range, I was somewhat skeptical too. I mean, what would make it different from everything else? Aside from the price that is lol! I poked and pried around, and several of my other friends declared that this range is amazing and doesn’t cause any breakouts! (I have this thing about moisturizers feeling rather oily and sticky on my face so…)
So I shrugged and went, “Oh why the heck not?”. I jumped in to the Althea bandwagon and decided to buy their Green Tea Serum, Skin and Lotion all at one go; thank you ikanbillys for partially sponsoring this purchase as a birthday gift! ^_^
Onwards to the review!
silvennia 