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.