J'aime le Be Delicious

I have always wanted a signature perfume that epitomizes my personality as modern women today. One that reflects a modern feast for the senses. Like most people today, I love perfume. I believe that people who love perfume tend also to love food and art more than the average person. Perfume lovers adore a story, too, and see their lives as movies in which they’re the star. And it’s freaking true. It’s just my hunch and not a convincing fashion statement. What makes me adore perfume?

It is so simple. I love perfume like all beautiful things around me that twirl me into a rapturous delight. It is more about chemistry, fashion and also a finishing touch to my personality. Moreover, I believe that the more one is attuned to smells in one’s surroundings, the more one can appreciate simple pleasures.

And here we go! DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom is what I was looking for in a perfume a very long time. Indeed, it is!  Now I have found it. What a refreshing and pleasant relief it turned out to be for me.

It is designed to fill in a sleek metal and glass apple bottle, this juicy fragrance combines the scent of apple with a sophisticated blend of exotic flowers and sensual woods. Like the city that inspired it, Be Delicious celebrates individuality with refreshing spirit. I must confess that the very first time I tested this on myself at the perfumery; I was mesmerized by its magic on my mood.  After going round testing on Salvatore, Coach Poppy etc, I was enthralled by Fresh Blossom that I decided to go for.

For me, Fresh Blossom accentuates the floral sensation with sweet lacings of fruity notes, true to its name. The subtle sweet pink color of the perfume oil itself is fresh, dewy with a hint of beautiful floral accents creating some lightness yet distinct. I must say DKNY did a great job in blending up citrus and lovely pink blossoms to give a signature scent with truly reflects femininity. 

J'aime le parfum – I love perfume

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in town

There is really nothing that can get us enough of the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Don’t you think so? Yes, the charm, amiable, humility, grace, compassion and the natural flair they execute are just more than enough to sweep us off our feet. I am definitely one person whom adored the British Royalties for their regal personality and exuberance. The late Lady Diana Spencer (aka Princess of Wales) is a great exemplary. Perhaps that could be the reason behind my admiration for the young Duke and Duchess of Cambridge whom resembles the lovely persona. Just like everybody else, I seem pretty excited at their visit here as I can’t wait to see Prince William and wife Catherine in the person. 

After weeks of intense eagerness, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine Middleton have arrived in Malaysia on the 13th of September, 2012 for their inaugural 3-day trip. William and Kate flew in from Singapore as part of the Britain’s royal couple’s Southeast Asia Pacific tour in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Their arrival were welcomed with hordes of Malaysians who were excited to catch a glimpse of the two as they waved their way to the exit only to be whisked away by a limousine to Putrajaya where a luncheon was hosted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife for the royal couple. 

The couple has a tight schedule on their hands after just concluding their visit to Singapore which will see them through Solomon Islands and Tuvalu stops after Malaysia. Catherine affectionately known as Kate amongst her admirers all over the world delivered her first speech as she settles into her duty as being part of the British monarchy. Her heartwarming speech at the Hospis Malaysia brought a glimpse of hope to the young patients and cheered them up. 

I was overwhelmed when I first knew that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be at KLCC Park for a private tea party and do a walkway around the park to meet the public today (September, the 14th) as it was something I have look forward for a very long time. Unfortunately I can’t due to my call of duty as I have my ad-hoc performance plan meeting at office. Even though it was a huge disappointment for me, yet it will definitely be a memorable event for us, fellow Malaysians, a memory that will be etched in our hearts for decades to come. 

The royal couple will be making their next stop at Sabah, the Land below the Wind. It was an honor for us to feel proud to have them visit our country as one of their destination for their royal visit.
All in all, we are delighted to have the royal couple visit our country and experience the presence of Duke and Duchess in our land.

In the Wake of 9/11, A Time to Reminisce

It’s hard to believe that 11 years has passed since that dreadful day that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent American citizens and awakened many of us to the vulnerability of a country. While some of us watched the devastation unfold with our loved ones from our living room television, there were many that were faced with the reality of their loved ones tragically killed. The nightmare continues as many more lose family members daily who continue to fight for the rest to feel safe in their nation.

God Bless all of those who were directly affected by the terrorist acts on September 11th and for those who have given their lives for the country, you are the true heroes!

September 11th, 2001 lingers in my memory as a day of heartache. Glued to my television set, watching the nightmare unfold, I felt sorrow well up in me. Islamic extremists had reminded America just how dangerous radical religion could be. The hijackers had destroyed the Twin Towers and wounded the Pentagon, killing countless innocent people. All I prayed for was for the healing of those who lost their loved ones.

I grieved not only for the lives lost, but for the horrors that were bound to take place after that dreadful day. I was worried that the West would blindly chastise law-abiding Muslims together with Islamic extremists, and that oppression of Muslims would soon follow. I also feared that the Americans might go beyond indispensable justice in its pursuit of those responsible for this horrible sin. Retaliation was something we all could foresee in near future. In some way we might be in the face of a war. With a heavy heart, I feared that many innocent people would perish in the fighting like what has happen to those victims of circumstance. Ten years after the tragedy, it seems that we are possibly inept of distinguishing Islamic fanaticism from Islam as a whole, spreading fear in their wake. The world looks darker to me now than it did on September 10th, 2001.


Even after 11 years after the attack, still the pain lingers in everyone’s heart. At the crack of the dawn, all of us would be left with delusion of aghast memories coupled with enormous human suffering. The tragedy of September 11th was followed by an era of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, weakened civil liberties, and human rights violations in the name of "security." Still, the past 11 years have brought glimmers of hope as well. On September 11th, people came together and united in the face of horror.

Looking back, I take comfort in the resilience of the people, knowing that there will always be those who face chaos with courage. I know that in times of horror, there will always be people who set aside their differences and help others. There are many voices for human rights, and many people who have condemned extremism without succumbing to blind fury and xenophobia. Many look back on September 11th with a spirit of humility. As a nation, we are more mindful of religious extremism now and awareness of a threat in the best possible way to prevent in the wake of a racial catastrophe.

As we walk into the eleventh anniversary of September 11th, we can take look of what has passed since 2001. There is always a better way to look at things and spread the awareness against the threat of radicalism through knowledge, coordination, and justice. We must understand that war and blind wrath will not extinguish extremism, and may actually inflame it. We can go forward reflecting on ways to prevent religious extremism and create a more just and peaceful world.

The people who died in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 should not be forgotten. The courage of the fire personnel’s should never be forgotten. Nor should their sacrifices, as many perished on September 11th and others live on with the agony. September 11th impacted all Americans, and worldwide regardless of race, gender, or religion, and all of us must remember and draw wisdom from that day. As we remember those families who were touched with the loss of loved ones on that terrible day, let us also remember than we can do nothing more for the dead. We must concentrate our efforts on those still living. The legacy of 9/11 hasn't been particularly helpful for them. The damage done to the collective American psyche seems incalculable.

A quiet weekday

As I drove in to my office vicinity this morning, I was feeling rather austere since I can sense the quiet and still air with only sounds of birds chirping. What’s ahead for me will be a week of hushed ambiance with only a handful of us working here. However, I had my agenda planned out well to fit for the week. Besides my principle project on my schedule which is topping the priority directory, I was assigned to do DNA profiling for a subset of samples shipped into our lab 2 weeks ago to verify its distinctiveness as an air of doubt was clouding us in our recent data analysis performed.
When I finish a project in hand, I find it slightly tricky to right away get started on something new. My mind simply needs a break to refresh and slowly absorb to the new task seamlessly. So after spending days prepping for my next pipeline, I was a bit sluggish getting into the office. Rather than thinking of judgment calls, I spent the morning preoccupied with something that I do not find so straightforward: legal memorandum of understanding (MoU). Especially those part of research information that may be exploited by the service provider. Time to ponder on the nitty-gritty details of confidentiality as we are fast pacing into the crucial element of the work.
Do you see the headache I can get into? Well, I poured myself with some white coffee and made myself comfortable in my chair ready to draw out my framework. The mere thought of the exciting outcome from this project to benefit our plantation counterpart, it drew a smile on my face and a satisfying joy to my heart. As a scientist, nothing is more precious than bringing goodness to mankind.
On a more pleasant note, I made plan for a little celebration in conjunction with my aunt birthday. I am thinking of making her happy as every year is a milestone for her (since she is a cancer patient and in healing stage). The love and inspiration to drive her to make a living that she wanted to.

This will be my aunt’s second birthday which I think I had celebrated for her (the first during her chemo treatment period). I really am looking forward to it.

My long weekend

Speaking of my long weekend, I had no plans on hand since it will be a mad rush travelling out of KL. Coming on guys, it is Eid celebration and our fellow Muslims will be busy packing off to their kampong’s! And I don’t want to vie with them on roads just to spend the long weekends.

I rather spend the weekends getting up late, relaxing, and going for a drive around the city, window shopping and nature hunting. It is also time for family bonding as I enjoy the company of my lovely mom, happy-go-lucky aunt and her naughty little girl.

I only have leave for another day and I am back to work. So I am trying to enjoy my available morning together while we can. It’s those lovely times such as a morning talk with mom that make me look forward to the tomorrow's of my life. Tuesday here I come.

A sluggish day

Today was a rather monotonous day. But I never mind the run-of-the-mill kind of day. All simply because the coming up Eid-ul-Fitr celebration and our Muslim friends are busy packing off to their hometowns. Back in offices, the ambiance is rather stark, quiet and lackluster. It was more of a festivity feel at workplace. The Eid themed songs were filling up the air and by noon, the office was left with non Muslims since our Muslim colleagues was granted half day off to make way for their ‘Balik Kampung’ travel plans.

However halfway through the late noon, my only boss in office gave us a green light to leave early as the traffic congestion will be at its peak today. The exodus of the urbanites will see almost a quiet KL for a couple of days at least. I was glad I could go home earlier and relieve myself from traffic mania (I was tormented by it for the past 2 days). I am glad for next 4 days of Raya break I will enjoy the tranquility of KL.

To end my note, I would like to convey to my fellow Muslim friends and colleagues a very blissful Eid-ul-Fitr with their loved ones and wishing them a safe journey back to their hometowns. May this festival brings them lots of happiness, love and peace. Salam Aidilfitri folks!

Love in the air

After a little hiatus due to exigent work agenda, it is always nice to share an intimate moment together with my handsome. It seems like we were back in our courting days, happily in love and on top of the world. Speaking about love, one of my favorite love quotes is from a movie" When Harry Met Sally (1989); I love that after I spend day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."--Harry Burns.


It was the celebration of my promotion and a step up in the corporate ladder. It was my second celebration in a row as my first one was with my parents and sister. An intimate dinner with my husband was a perfect way of celebration of joy. I love to fine dine at places that are chic, unique and has an air of magic. After having done my online research delicately, I was smitten with the rooftop bar concept with rave reviews captivating me to check this place out. And the best person to be with will be my hubby of course! Obviously an aficionado of little fun getaway, my man was all out for it. Yes, I was looking forward for this not only because I love the vibe up in the air but also to create a little celebration-cum-romantic date with my love. Besides with the photography flair of my hubby, it would be a perfect vista for him to capture. Bingo!


Suffice to say, nothing quite prepared me for the jaw-dropping view of the twin towers awaiting me with the shimmering city skyline rolling away behind them.The moment we stepped out of the elevator, I was swept off the floor and my breath overwhelmed me of the first glimpse of the bar. Skybar is located on the 33rd floor of Traders Hotel right in the heart of KLCC. This is not totally a typical club bar concept but rather a place with a class. I chose this place simply because of its cozy ambiance as I am not a clubbing person.



As we walked in, we were greeted by amiable staffs that showed us to the waiting area as most of the seats are taken up. The first thing that we both can’t help but notice is when we walk in, is the glistening swimming pool that the bar was designed around it coupled up with the splendid sight across the bar with cosy lounges complementing the amazing ambiance. The pool sits in the centre of Skybar with lower seating speckled around it for a wonderful drinking-by-the-pool experience while still feeling like you are somewhere flamboyant. It is rather an exquisite idea, as it adds panache to the already serene atmosphere that I was already falling in love with before I’d even starting eating!

I and my hubby requested for the cosy and romantic feel lounge rather than the tall tables. As we perched ourselves over the waiting counter, I felt a sense of serenity overwhelmed us as we admired the magnificent PETRONAS Twin Tower and the surrounding KL city nightline. There were many people at the bar but still we pretty much had the place to ourselves. This is what I liked most about the place as the music was just nice and everyone were quietly tucked in their personal lounge enjoying the night away without any din. I opt for the night ambiance just for the most breathtaking view and I can’t deny that I definitely got what I wanted. Not to mention that my husband with his DSLR was clicking away beautiful shots before we even ordered our snacks and bites. We were enjoying ourselves already.

Finally we made ourselves at home in one of the cushion lounge with a spectacular view of the twin tower. For awhile both of us became quiet as we got engrossed with the beauty of the glittering skyline sitting there just for us as we sat there chilling out. The music was low enough as we both enjoy our chatting with having to scream. At last as we slowly snap back to reality, we realise that our tummy started twitching. As we glance through the menu, why I must say I am impressed with the myriad choices of cocktails which got me spinning in confusion even before I teased my senses with a little dose of alcohol. And I finally found the Lychee Rose Martini rather lovely to kick-start the night. My hubby got his pint of beer with one free during the Happy Hours. He was as excited as young boy with the idea of glasses of beers to keep him up all night. We ordered some fish and chips which took about 15 minutes to arrive much to our hunger pang. My husband agreed with me that considering the fabulous view and the prime location, the prices are pretty reasonable.


As much as I wanted to savour the fish and chips, I had to leash myself to keep it nice and slow for other items on the menu card. This was definitely a lighter taste that was accompanied by two dips – sour cream and chilli sauce. The portion was medium but the fish and fries servings were perfectly juicy. I was satisfied with the quality of the food and the serving size that definitely worth the money spent. Towards the late night, I was feeling more loved and relaxed under my husband’s embrace with the stars witnessing our loving moments before we decided for another round of food. This time we went for lamb chops on skewers. I must say the lamb was quite raw much to our horror and we didn’t go for more of it. It lacked a little something in flavour to add a twist to the taste bud. A generous portion though. We called in the waitress and told her it was too raw for us as we don’t want to feel like wild lions scavenging on poor little lamb! She felt bad for us and they gave us potato fries which were on them! Very nice of them indeed.

The fact that Skybar has a stunning view, a serene and relaxing aura and a delectable list of cocktails and you really can’t go wrong! Particularly at night, it seems like you can almost reach out and touch the Twin Towers. There is something about the twin towers that has been my favorite iconic landmark in KL and also chic hangout spot for me. It makes for an experience that’s just so much more memorable especially if it’s a celebration, first date or other special occasions. I will come back for another night out in this cool hangout place.

Happiest Moments in My Life

Today when I was having my coffee and long talk with my friend, instantly I was engulfed with moments that I remember being rapturous about. The moments can be a little thing or momentous one that one can never forget the joy it brings to our life. It brings a new breath of life. A million things (literally speaking) were running through my mind when I tried to evoke the memories. There was a mere silence suddenly where I already far into the journey to my past.  All I could recall was the momentous moments but the little moments that have enriched my life has been hiding at the back of my mind. Perhaps it was just too many little things that I can’t decipher in a jiffy.

Graduation with Honors from graduate school by far would be one of the most treasured moments in my life. Looking back now, I strongly feel the tassel was worth the hassle I endured to be where I am today. From the day I walk into the campus till the day I walked away with the scroll, I would recall every second of the journey was precious and it shaped me into who I am today.

Apart from all these, I have to confess that the most cherished moments of my life that I’d been waiting for was my marriage. January this year, I finally had taken the plunge and tie the knot with my prince charming, after four years of love. I felt I was on cloud nine at the time I stood at the marriage registrar office exchanging our oath and nuptial vows to be man and wife. The moment the registrar conveyed the declaration of marriage, as a girl I was over the moon.  That was the happiest moment of my life. A feeling which only I could understand and cherish it till eternity.

However, last week I got a sweet surprise in small package. I believe that good things comes in little package. Guess what, I got my career promotion! After being close to four years dedicated to my passion; research, I was blessed with an opportunity to move up one step in the corporate ladder. It was a euphoric moment for me simply because when I felt my work and efforts were recognized by the organization and the trust in me with the new position in my career. What’s more heartwarming is, it gives me a feeling of being a part of the organization in contributing towards the success of the research programme.

It’s impossible to describe in words about the excitement and encouragement for me to impel forward in what I am doing here at Biotechnology Research Unit. In an attempt to capture the feeling, I took some time off to be by myself and contemplate on the journey I embarked on since May 2008 till today. There are moments I can never explain in the series of hardships, challenges and bittersweet moments endured throughout the journey of my career. I believe it doesn’t matter if you are new or inexperienced in your job, but you must be able to learn things fast and be good in what it takes to be into the elite league on the long run career development. I believe if we keep our mind and heart open for new learning experiences, we will be successful in life.

Whenever a person says the happiest moments, the thing that comes to my mind is the moment that made me joyful while for others it could be more or less a passing cloud. As far as I am concerned, the most happiest moment are countless but it is a gamut from little things to life-size things that had made my life memorable. These happy moments make a mark in my life. This is what makes life meaningful and gives the exuberant feeling of living life to the fullest. This year marks the best of times in my late twenties before I hit the midlife phase.

I find myself in a place of such peace and serenity with where I am today.  Admittedly, life has thrown me some ugly curve balls, but I do believe that I have allowed them to be used to develop my character. I have endured and overcome and am expectant of joy and blessings. I am so looking forward to what lies ahead - My future.

When I look beyond the horizon, I know I am on the journey of fulfilling my dreams to the best of my abilities. Never let fear stop me from what I love doing the best. Life is not a bed of roses but I am happy with the bittersweet journey of mine.