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Thursday, 6 December 2018

A 21st Birthday Story [Part 2]




a wonderful box of surprise
A wonderful box of surprise from An Qi and Kah Kei: an assortment of overseas food/snacks from Japanese, Korean and Taiwan just because Kah Kei remembered me saying I wanted to do a “taste test” video on my channel. When she entered my room, she told me: “Hey! There’s a huge pile of rubbish in front of your room, go out and clear!” I was seriously shocked because I thought either An Qi or me did not clear out the rubbish. Turned out, they stored all the goodies in a storage box and put it outside my room! Sneaky girlssss. 


a girls' night out with three cheese
At the mo, I also came up with a brilliant plan of hanging out with the girls overnight without coming back to our hostel since I don't always stay back during the weekends. Although I don’t think our parents would be very happy when they find out about this, but it’s totally worth it for the memories. It was damn spontaneous for them to agree to my crazy plan too. Although An Qi was a little hesitant at first but she agreed in the end! We did makeup together and dressed up for a wild girls’ night out. 

It was already approximately 10:45pm by the time we ordered our Grab to fetch us to Gurney Plaza. The reason of us going to Gurney Plaza at this hour of time is of course to catch the latest Harry Potter spin-off series: Fantastic Beasts! It has become a tradition for me and the girls to watch Fantastic Beasts together, and we’re not going to skip this one despite my busy schedule. 

source: Google
At first, we couldn’t find the entrance to go to the cinema since the mall is already closed around 10:30pm. Then, we realized that there was another Malay couple who was finding the entrance as well, so we decided to tag along with them. Luckily by the time we found the lift and reached GSC cinemas, there were still tickets available at the counter. Another sweet surprise was the merchandise from Fantastic Beasts! So. Freaking. Awesome. 

After watching the movie, I kinda don't know how to rate it cause I feel like it doesn't have the Harry Potter authentic magical flavours in it anymore. Personally, I feel like it's a little too cute with the Chinese monster, too much comic relief and too little content and development of plot. I could see how some of you might love it. The main actor is cute tbh, but from the perspective of a die-hard Harry Potter fans, that just wouldn't do it for me :( Comment down below and let me know what you guys think!


after 2am
The movie ended around 1am. We lingered around for awhile before we decided to hop on a Grab to go to one of the hidden bars (which I have forgotten the name). Going to hidden bar has always been on my bucket list and I feel so lame because I saw that my juniors have already been to hidden bars while I still pretty much look and act like an underage. When we reached there, An Qi and I went to check out the venue while Kah Kei remained on the Grab car because the so-called hidden bar looked pretty suspicious. Once we opened the door on the side, the pungent smell of the cigarettes filled our nostrils instantly and we decided we need to come up with a spontaneous Plan B.

vanity time at G Hotel
The kind driver offered to take us to another area in town where he thought would still be active at this hour without charging us extra. We ended up going to @Pokok, which is a very famous bar among youngsters. Since we were newbies, we didn’t know how to order liquor. I order baileys because I had some of those when we were at Langkawi. It was a liquor that tasted like caffeine recommended by Zong Yao. An Qi went with some tequila; Kah Kei got whisky. 

After trying all the liquors, I came to a conclusion that baileys has the most decent taste, followed by whisky and the least unbearable one is definitely tequila, although Kah Kei feels that it's whisky that should be at the bottom of the list. We also came to an agreement that we should just stick to beer the next time. 



When the bar seems to be closing, we left and strolled along the streets in that area. We bought some satays by the roadside and scurried away from the maddening crowd. The satays tasted decent. Around 5am, I was in a devastated state where I feel like I have a hangover – I wanted to sleep but couldn’t fall asleep. We had some light morning breakfast at one of the mamak stall further down the street, where it is more tranquil and secluded. 

By the time the dawn was breaking, Kah Kei and An Qi called Grab and strangled me onto the car and off the car when we reached hostel. I honestly don’t know how some people can stay awake for the whole night, I guess it just simply doesn’t apply on old people like me. Really happy that I get to do this together with the cheese gang, would definitely do something like this again, just not anytime too soon xx need to nap first...



café hopping with Aina @themugshotcafe 

For months, Aina and I have been planning to go cafe hopping together and finally we did! We actually planned to buy a cake for ourselves to celebrate both of our birthdays (although our birthdays are quite far apart since she's a Virgo and I'm a Scorpio). When we reached Wheeler's cafe, which is the cafe Aina raved so much about, it was closed for renovation. So we walked to another cafe that was just a stone's throw away from our current location - The Mugshot Cafe.

This cafe is like the OG among the cafes in Penang. The shop was full of tourists and locals, especially ang moh. People loved their coffee and bagels! I would give this cafe a 4/5 because the menu is really affordable; the coffee and dessert tasted good, but the selection of food on the menu could be more varied. Spent some quality time there with my clique and definitely had a good in-depth conversation with her. Although we didn't really get a cake to celebrate our birthday together, it was still one of the best days I had recently, so I think she deserves a spot in my post-birthday appreciation post hahaha.




Went over to Stephanie’s house for a stay because Saira jio me to Butterworth Fringe Festival (BFF). Wanted to go to the flower place near Ikea as well, so I thought why not kill two birds with one stone? Her family was really hospitable and took good care of me (and my tummy) in those few days. On the first day, she surprised me with a birthday gift from Typo! I loveeeee Typo and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, she got me a Harry Potter calender! Oh. My. Lord. She’s really The Bitch who knows me so well. 



Before I end my post, there's a bunch of people who are very dear to me whom I'd like to thank - my first batch of students! Some of them actually gave me birthday present wayyy in advanced before I left the school I was having my practical at. From the bottom of my heart, nothing beats a good old hand-written note and hand-made gifts that are customised! I've also received a handful of birthday messages from my students. Your kind thoughts and well wishes for me really made my birthday extra special this year. For everything that y'all has given me, thank you!


In a nutshell, my heartfelt gratitude goes to each and every one of you who made my 21st birthday extra special. Thanks for giving me so much memories and teaching me so many lessons in my 21 year of living in this world. 21st to me, is the age of maturity and becoming. I'm not perfect, but I'm learning to become a better person as each day goes by. At the stage where I am at now, I would describe it as full of conflicts (even within myself) and obstacles, but I'm happy. I'm happy that I have finally stepped out of my comfort zone to grow and learn, to reach my fullest potential and develop holistically. I've definitely changed, and am constantly changing, just like each of you who are reading my blog post now. 

Note to myself: Change is painful, resilient and determination. Throughout this process, you're bound to outgrow some of the people you love and it's okay. Just embrace the inevitable gracefully. You'll continue to be better and you'll be grateful to those who stayed. Until you've discovered your greater potential and reach enlightenment, I suggest you take the plunge and enjoy the roller coaster ride. Happy 21st!

Love, J.

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

A 21st Birthday Story [Part 1]

unexpected early gift from bestie

Sze Chyi and I had a meet up that day when she introduced to me a few analog retro camera apps on Apps Store. I find one of the retro camera apps really amusing - it's like a real retro film where you have to shake your phone to make the photo reveal itself faster. I belief it's "KD Pro Disposable Camera" on Apps Store. 

When we were having lunch at Sushi King, QB, she just gave me a really nice paper bag with a gift box in it! When the lid was removed, a pair of Quay Australia revealed itself while I stared back at it in disbelief. If I were to get myself a pair of sunnies, it would either be: Rayban, Gentle Monster or Quay Australia and I couldn’t believe she got one for me despite her busy uni schedule! Love you. 


"old boy"



 new hairstyle, old me

I have always wanted a drastic change for my hairstyle once I turned 21, so what better time than during my birthday month where I had 20% discount hahaha I convinced myself that rewarding myself with a top notch haircut service for all the hard work I've done wouldn't hurt. Turns out when I see my bank account, it still hurts *ouch*

Anyway, my initial plan was to curl my hair ala Korean style. Unfortunately, my hair stylist Hero told me that it would damage my hair furthur as I have already straightened my hair once. So, I took his advice and decided to grow my natural hair in order to curl my hair in the future. I'm still not giving up on my initial plan despite the obstacles. 

STEP 1: I decided to cut, proper dye my hair and do treatment. I cut my hair up till shoulder length because I hate long hair. First, it's hard to manage; second, the rate of hairfall isn't helping at all. So, we chopped off quite some bits. 

STEP 2: As for the colour, he recommended me to dye a sort of green-greyish colour that is quite dark so that it wouldn't be too obvious. For some reason, the colour isn't showing as much as I would like it to. Plus, it looks rather reddish than greenish, but I'm okay cause I love a redhead anyway. 

STEP 3: After dying my hair, I did the "healer" treatment (喜乐), with all the machines and technology imported from Korea. It's a treatment to kill the bacteria on our scalp and lock in the moisture and colour in our hair. And it took only 10 minutes to complete the treatment. And there you have it - a brand new Jia Qi, which doesn't look too different that much tbh :(
healer treatment: mushroom / hot air balloon head

boss & colleague surprised me

As most of you might know by now, I work for Christinna Kuan AKA @mskuan, together with another colleague named Pebbi. Chris told me that we were going out on this particular day to celebrate some social media success. We went to @Neway, Gurney Plaza -> @belleandcream -> @重庆火锅
 
their signature boba cheesecake (RM22) unpopular opinion: it's decent, but not worth the price at all :((

When we were at @重庆火锅, Chris and Pebbi kept going out of the little room but I never suspected anything because I was so excited and confused at the same time from hanging out with Chris. They made some excuses to leave the room once again, only to come back with the most gorgeous cake I have ever seen in my life! The person who was trying to light the fancy candle was so scared of the fire that might blast from the candle that she made us laughed in guffaws. 

At last, we managed to light the candle and had a few photos together as a team. #teamChristinnaK She also handed me a Tory Burch makeup bag where she got for me from the States. My heart is literally screaming: best boss ever! 

blessed & thankful

spread happiness to Scorpio babes & close friends

When I got back to my hostel, I tried to call my dad to see if it was convenient for him to stop by and take the cake home. Unfortunately, he couldn’t. So, I thought what better way to end this magical day by sharing the happiness and joy with a few of my close friends. 

After I put the cake safely in the hostel and accompanied Yong Fong to get some stuff at Tesco, I planned a small get-together and invited my friends to my room for an impromptu party night. I bought a bottle of sparking juice and a packet of colourful balloons just to create the “party” atmosphere. Since I had not cut the cake, I asked my fellow Scorpio friends: Nadine and Zi Yen to cut the cake together with me! It was a very sparkling night indeed. 

so tired cause i've been out for the whole day; happy to see that my pack is happy


nail painting & pressie in the morning


Early in the morning while I was still in a deep slumber, too lazy to care about the time, someone sneaked into my room. She started to paint my nails and the nail polish left my nails feeling so cool that I thought some water leaked. I was shocked when I opened my eyes - Jia Xin painting my finger nails with the biggest grin on her face. Gotcha! It was a transparent coat with glitters and I absolutely love! She also left me a present before I snuggled my way into the blankie and continued my beauty sleep.



intimate birthday luncheon with family

Rumours have it that I have decided to throw myself a birthday luncheon at @Suffolk House. Yes, indeed *yay* Suffolk House has always been my dream place me since I’m very much a British and heritage person internally. There’s just something very beautiful and atas about Suffolk House that never fails to fascinate me. I just really wanted to cross it off my bucket list, hence I opted for this restaurant. Plus, they had a lunch menu promotion that time hahaha so definitely worth it #cheapskate


Every year during my birthday, we would all get together and eat, but I have decided that this year, I wanted to treat my family members as a token of appreciation for their love and guidance for 21 freaking years! I wanted it to be an intimate luncheon where we could bond and talk with each other. Usually, I go for more economical venues but since this year is a treat for my family members, I figured I would just go full force. 

I have started doing a few part time jobs from the beginning of the year since I have been scheming for my 21st birthday for quite some time, so I knew that I needed that money. Though it can be tiring at times, the labour made me feel contented as I am able to be finacially independent and give back to the family that has nurtured me into the person who I am today. With a little bit of luck, I'm happy and humbled that I'm able to pay for my daily expenses and for all plans I have for my 21st birthday, including the luncheon. I'm still working on it and I certainly hope to provide more quality lifestyle to my family and more comfort as well in time to come. Let's work hard together for our future guys!

*Ahem* Anyway, after the very inspirational episode, here are the dishes and side dishes to satisfy all gourmet's tastebuds. I'm not sure where the photos of the main courses are, should I be able to find them in the future I will update in this post to document it. Enjoy.



Haircut & Colour : Hair Story International  
Makeup: Myself hahaha 
Earrings: Taobao 
Necklace: Memory Jewellery (won from Goody25 giveaway)
 Dress: Bardot, Zalora
Watch: Baby G
Handbag: Coach  
Heels: Charles & Keith (stole from mum)

I bought a @bardot dress that was cute and on-sale and a mauve dress for my mum as well to match. Unfortunately, she couldn’t wear it because the sleeves were too big! Bummer... It was also my first time wearing a stick-on bra (damn expensive!) and I’m glad that it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Love the mauvy, dusty rosy, rose goldy colour scheme going on with the assemble of my #OOTD. It just gives a very soft and dreamy vibe.


Mum got me a cake from @brixandbaume in Lychee flavor on the way to the restaurant. It was not only aesthetically pleasing and inexpensive, but it was really delicious, almost melts into your mouth the moment you try to savour it. Dad was the photographer of the day and I have to give him a pat on the shoulder because he did a great job! Love the quality time spent together with mah family that day.




it's mah birthday!

Work. Work. Work. A life of an undergraduate who is in need of money (typical millennial). Chris surprised again @The Hive after the photoshoot was completed; 


When I was back in the hostel, Yong Fong surprised me with three gifts! One of the gifts was handpicked by her brother whom I have never met together with herself hahaha Love all of them as I was really shocked she prepared not only one but three gifts! Lovee you girl, thank you so much; 


Heartfelt thanks to those who wished me “happy birthday” on the social medias as well. One of the most special one was definitely from my alien who screenshotted 11:11 on my phone and left me a length birthday message! At the end of the day, I received a birthday video from Sze Chyi that included a few of my cliques in it: An Qi (the most sia sui), Kah Kei (the most brief), Yee Hang (the most bitchface), Kar Yi (the one who made me cry on my 21st birthday, im an emotional wreck) and Sze Chyi herself! Since I was already told by Yee Hang beforehand, I wasn’t surprised at all, but I thought it was a really well-thought and lovely gift in digital form. Words mean so much to me! Thank youuuu guys. I could safely say that I had one of the best birthdays ever!

PS/ Stay tuned for [Part 2] I'll be posting this week. Hope y'all are having an amazing hols & those who are having finals, all the best!


Love, J.