Author

Carol RHM

in Diplomatic Incidents, How-Tos

Career Girl Cooking Series: ‘Malaysianised’ Pasta Dishes!

July 15, 2015

San Remo, San Remo Pasta, Pasta Dish, Malaysian Food, Malaysian Dish, Malaysian Pasta, Malaysian Noodle Dish, Hari Raya, Recipes, Cooking, Diplomat's Wife

This weekend, our Muslim brothers and sisters will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya) or the end of the Ramadan season. It’s going to be a huge celebration among families here in Malaysia. Being ‘that’ kind of foreigner who tries to immerse herself in different cultures to the point of either looking silly or too eager, I found myself quite excited for this year’s Hari Raya.

Last year – only a few weeks after our arrival here in KL – we were invited to a couple of open house celebrations which were the cause of major weight gain for us. Food in Malaysia is just too good and hard to pass up so I’ve been working out to get ready for this year’s celebrations! 😉 (But really, eating more should not be your motivation in working out! Don’t be like me! Haha!)

(Read more about the Career Girl Cooking Series here: Career Girl Cooking Series – Ham, Bacon, and Mushroom Alfredo)

I even found myself thinking as to what should I be cooking for Alvin and I this long weekend. I think it’s a great excuse for me to get myself back in the kitchen and enhance my cooking skills. 😉 While I am not confident that I can make Nasi Lemak from scratch yet, I can truly say that I can impress my husband by making pasta – my field of expertise. But for Raya, I shall be Malaysianizing (is that a word?) my usual pasta dishes!

Thanks to San Remo for teaching me some new recipes btw. They invited me to an event a while back where there was a cooking demo and some tips on how to make pasta that’s perfect for the Asian tastebuds. We even had a cooking challenge wherein the people who attended the event were divided into groups and were tasked to create their own, Asian pasta dish. That was a lot of fun!

https://instagram.com/p/2pnjZTCqeq/

I will be sharing with you two recipes! One that was shown to us during the event and another which is in the cook book they gave us and have already tried myself a couple of weeks back. They are super easy and they take very little time to prepare!

San Remo Angel Hair Pasta in Curry Gravy

San Remo, San Remo Pasta, Pasta Dish, Malaysian Food, Malaysian Dish, Malaysian Pasta, Malaysian Noodle Dish, Hari Raya, Recipes, Cooking, Diplomat's Wife

Ingredients:

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in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Photos: Hair Makeover at Andy Ho Haute Coiffure

July 14, 2015

Up until last week, I can honestly say that I never really had a full hair makeover. I would usually give myself drastic hair cuts or get my hair treated. I even tried experimenting with with hair colour by dyeing my bangs blue or pink (Don’t judge. I was a But of a rebel). But all these happened one at a time – never all at once. I also never coloured my hair in full.

I guess I’ve always been comfortable with my dark brown curls. Brunette through and through here! 😉 It even took a while for me to actually consider highlights!

I love my curls a lot and I’ve always been very particular about who touched my hair. In Manila, there was only one person I’d go to for a hair cut. This is because – being curly haired and all – I cannot afford a bad hair cut. I’ve been told before that dealing with curls is a lot harder than dealing with straight hair. My curls which are composed of big rings and waves, look best when layered and layering curls can be quite a task.

Andy Ho, Andy Ho Haute Coiffure, Hair Stylist, Hair Cut, Hair Colour, Hair Salon, Salon, Kuala Lumpur, KLCC, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Top Stylist, Hair Cut Kuala Lumpur, Hair Stylist Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Hair, Beauty,

I haven’t gotten a hair cut since moving to Malaysia (don’t judge!) mainly because I just didn’t know who I can trust to give me layers that won’t leave me looking like a long-haired poodle. By the time we hit June of this year, my layers which I got exactly a year ago was just all over the place, my curls weren’t swirling to their proper rings anymore.

So when I got the invitation to go to meet Andy Ho (!!) himself for a haircut, I was over the moon. Andy Ho is a name that you hear a lot here in KL – especially in the beauty scene. With two decades of experience plus his own, in-born talent, Andy has become synonymous to classy hair styling here in Malaysia.

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in Uncategorized

Fitness + Video: Win 10 Sessions of EMS Training at Impulse Studio!

July 11, 2015

Impulse Studio, EMS Training, Workout, Quick Workout, Fast Workout, Bangsar, Platinum Sentral, KL Sentral, Electric Muscular Stimulation, Promo, Giveaway, Free

Hi my loves! Since January, I’ve made the decision to be healthier by training regularly and burning all the food I eat (which is a lot, I admit). I tried Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training in Impulse Studio and I never looked back. 😉 I got so hooked, especially with the crazy-fast results and the fact that I only have to do 2 sessions a week for 20 minutes each.

I’ve been writing about my journey ever since and I’ve been so passionate about it that I cant help but tell you guys how awesome it’s been for me through this blog. I look fit and I’m actually stronger that I ever was before, thanks to to this training. I won’t babble too much about it anymore since I have written about this extensively in the past. However, I want to share some good news to my fellow clients at Impulse and lovers of EMS training here in Malaysia.

By sharing your success story to your family and friends, you might just win yourself an extra 10 sessions! All you have to do is talk about your progress and how the training is working out for you so far and share it on social media. Are your arms toned now just by going for a few sessions? Has it helped you over come stress?

Let our friends in Impulse Studio know about your success as well by using the hashtag #impulsing. They will be gathering your entries soon so do view the terms and conditions of the contest by clicking here.

If you haven’t tried EMS training yet, you still have a chance to join and experience the benefits it can give you. I felt the first changes in my body just after 3 sessions! You might just make it to the contest deadline. 😉

And if this hasn’t convinced you enough, I guess you should read more about why I fell in love with EMS training as well as the results that I got just after 12 sessions. You can also watch this video Impulse Studio recently put together where you can see me doing actual training – at my most unglamorous state ever! But don’t worry. It’s totally worth it! 😉

You can also watch this video at Impulse Studio’s blog. They have branches in Jalan Telawi 3 (Bangsar), Platinum Sentral (KL Sentral), and G Tower (KLCC) – and a couple more opening soon!

Hope to bump into you guys at the studio soon!

Love,

Carol

in Beauty & Fashion, Expat Life, KL Shopping, Kuala Lumpur, Skincare

Smart Buys: Bath and Body Works Summer Scents, Sale Haul, and Weekend Raya Promotion! ;)

July 10, 2015

Bath and Body Works, BBW, Bath and Body Works Malaysia, Lotion, Fragrance, Candles, Body Care, Skin Care, Moisturisers, Bubble Bath, Love and Sunshine, New Collection, Sale, Home,

It’s sale season here in Malaysia so that means only one thing – the cheapskate in me is totally bursting with so much happiness! I’m not the type who shops for a lot of things in one go but when I entered Bath and Body Works recently, I came out buying more than I actually planned. I came out with 8 items!

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in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

Foodie Adventures: Coco Ichibanya’s Spicy Japanese Curry!

July 10, 2015

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

I’m a huge lover of Japanese food. From sushi, sashimi, ramen, down to all the -dons you can find on the menu. I will gladly gobble them all. But one thing that not a lot of people know about Japanese cuisine is how diverse it is.

They even have their own version of curry (which tastes quite Westernised in my humble opinion)!

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Recently, I was invited to try out some of the dishes offered by Coco Ichibanya – Japan’s largest curry restaurant chain – which recently opened their first store here in Malaysia. In this restaurant, it’s all about choices – particularly in how spicy you want your curry to be.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the dishes we tried!

BEEF YAKINIKU CURRY

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Tender and flavourful yakiniku beed served with curry sauce that has the ‘standard’ level of spiciness. Despite the chillies in this photo, I didn’t feel that it was one bit spicy. This curry sauce is for people who love the curry taste but can’t deal with the spice – a.k.a. children or me.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Makeup, Skincare

Beauty + Reviews: Win the War Against Pores with Laneige’s New Mini Pore Range!

July 8, 2015

Laneige, Mini Pore, Waterclay Mask, Pore Mask, BB Cushion, Pore Control, Blurring Cream, Pore Tightener, Oil Control, Pore Tightening, Korean, Skin Care, BB Cream, Mini Pore Range, Blurring Tightener

The road to flawless skin can be a tricky and full of side trips when you’re living in a tropical country. It’s hot and extremely humid which makes caring for your skin throughout the day a bit of a nightmare. Even my dry-as-a-desert skin is starting to show a few signs of wear and tear. Of course, that’s enough to send my personal alarm system into overdrive. Great skin is always on top of my list after all. :-S

One thing I also noticed recently was how I can now see some of the pores on my nose which were practically invisible before. Thankfully, they still haven’t reached a monstrous size as of the moment but that’s enough for me to consider trying to prevent any further damage to my skin.

I also noticed blackheads as well as whiteheads popping out on my nose and chin. This resulted to a nasty habit of picking them out using a metal tool used by dermatologists. I know, I know. I shouldn’t be doing this to myself as I might damage my skin more but my OCD kicks in when it comes to my skin. One little ‘irregularity’ and I fuss and worry like crazy.

The problem with picking out your black/whiteheads by yourself – aside from the fact that it hurts like a b*tch – is that you might end up with bigger pores that are left open, making it vulnerable to dirt and new blackheads. Eeep! You wouldn’t want to be trapped in such a vicious cycle.

Thank goodness for products that will actually help me break this bad habit by actually doing the job for me. Who doesn’t want tight, almost-invisible pores anyway?

Laneige, a Korean brand that I’ve always trusted since it was introduced to me here in KL, recently launched the new Mini Pore Range which contains products that will clean, tighten, and make sure you’re looking flawless all day!

Let’s start with the reviews, shall we? 😉

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in KL Shopping, Kuala Lumpur

Expat Life + Shopping: 1 Utama’s Hari Raya Celebrations

July 6, 2015

Hari Raya, Shopping, 1Utama, Shopping Mall, Where to Shop in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Travel, Expat Life, Holidays in Malaysia, Eid al Fitr, Muslim Holiday, Islamic Holiday, Celebration, Festivities

We arrived in Malaysia in late June of last year which meant that it was the middle of Ramadan season. Ramadan is a period of about a month in each year wherein Muslims all over the world fast from sun up to sun down. Each day is ended by an Iftar dinner wherein they break the fast with their loved ones.

Hari Raya, Shopping, 1Utama, Shopping Mall, Where to Shop in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Travel, Expat Life, Holidays in Malaysia, Eid al Fitr, Muslim Holiday, Islamic Holiday, Celebration, Festivities

It’s a hard sacrifice, definitely. And it makes me respect my Muslim friends even more, knowing that I won’t be able to do what they do even if I try – not drinking nor eating for the duration of the day. I am not disciplined enough when it comes to food to be honest. Maybe I should learn from my friends and sacrifice chocolate for next year’s Lenten season? (Err. Not gonna happen.)

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in Asia, Cambodia, Siem Reap

Travel (Photo Diary + Video): Siem Reap Weekend

July 1, 2015

For my husband’s birthday last month, we took a short and sweet trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia. We’ve always wanted to visit the ancient city of Angkor because we’re both big history nerds and I have a crazy fascination with ancient cities. When I was a kid, there was a time when I wanted to be an archaeologist and I dreamt of finding a lost, ancient city on my own – preferably Atlantis but we all know that’s pretty far from reality. 😉

Going to Angkor was the next best thing and though we only had a short time to spend in Siem Reap, I think we were able to maximise our stay.

Our itinerary was pretty relaxed despite having just two full days there. We prioritised seeing the Angkor complex as well as the Angkor National Museum which, I believe, is a must when you visit Siem Reap. It’s pretty modern with interactive displays as well as beautiful artefacts accompanied with comprehensive explanations as to what they are and why they’re important to the history of Cambodia.

I tried my hand at making a travel video of our trip and I hope you guys enjoy it. But I will be posting up some photos here as well to turn this entry into some sort of photo diary.

*Do watch in HD!*

More a lot of photos after the jump! Travel tips/notes to Siem Reap are also at the end of this entry. 🙂

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in Expat Life, KL Home, KL Shopping, KL Tips

[PROMO CLOSED] Good to Know: Bloom This Flower Subscription Box (GET YOUR OWN FOR FREE with this special order code!)

June 30, 2015

Bloom This, Flower, Delivery, Florist, Flower Delivery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Penang, Delivery Service, Flowers, Peonies, Roses, Subscription Box, Flower Subscription I love flowers. I love buying them and I love receiving them. I love them looking pretty in a vase inside our home, brightening up the rooms and letting their sweet scent fill the air.

My grandma loves flowers so much that she has her own, small garden of orchids and other tropical flowers back in Manila. I think I got the flower-lovin bug from her. Though I must admit that patience isn’t one of my strongest suits so growing them on  my own and tending to them daily is something that might just never happen.

In Manila, I had a special relationship with my personal florist. Seeing as we’ve been friends since we were 15, I’ve been spoiled with flowers for a loooong time. (If you’re reading this – Hi Chuckay!)

Since moving here to Malaysia, my husband and I haven’t gotten around to getting flowers for the home even though we often say that we would. This is mainly because of two reasons: flowers are a bit pricey in the KLCC area and we just don’t know where to get nice ones.

Along came Bloom This, a company that offers luxury subscription boxes for flowers and delivers them right on to your doorstep! The moment I learned about this service from my friend Tammy (due to her post and Bloom This’ appearance at the Blogging 101 workshop that Tammy organised), I was over the moon.

The prices are so affordable and the flowers you get are the ones you’d actually like to be in your home – luxury flowers, as the company calls it. Just last week, I was the envy of my friends back in Manila, my mom, and a couple of other friends here in KL when they saw that I have peonies at home. That’s right! Peonies! <3 <3 Continue reading

in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Ippudo’s Limited Edition Ramen + Other Dishes (Available only from July-September 2015!)

June 30, 2015

Ah, Ippudo. The restaurant that launched a thousand #Foodstagrams when it opened in Manila. Of course, seeing the beloved Japanese ramen place when we moved here in KL gave me so much comfort!  I love Japanese food so much and ramen always counts as great comfort food! Especially on rainy afternoons here. 😉

Here in KL, I’ve also noticed that the restaurant industry is quite competitive so you see restaurants come and go while those who stay have one secret: Innovation (particularly on their menu). Of course, it came as no surprise that Ippudo isn’t one to be left behind when it comes to that.

Founded in Hakata, Japan by “Ramen King” Shigemi Kawahara, it’s been around since 1985 and up to this day, the company remains to be fuelled by innovation while staying true to Japanese tradition.

This July until September, the beloved ramen place is coming out with special, limited edition dishes to spice things up here in KL. I was lucky enough to attend a media preview for the new dishes and I’m going to share with you today what’s going to be available so you’ll know what to expect. 😉

TOKUSHIMA RAMEN (RM25)

Ippudo, Ramen, Ippudo Ramen, Japanese Food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tokushima Ramen, Pavilion, KLCC, Restaurants, Where to Eat in KL

The star of the show and the culprit for my recent cravings. This dish is also the star of my recent dreams and has got me wishing for July to come faster. This ramen is composed of chicken and pork broth mixed with dark soy sauce. Its savoury soup is to die for while the noodles are oh-so perfectly cooked.

The ramen is served with a generous helping of pork belly slices (Butabara) which were simmered in onions fused with soy sauce, green onions, and bamboo shoots. The raw egg also makes the broth rich and much more flavourful. It’s my new favourite ramen! Rich, savoury, a bit salty, and slurp-worthy! And yes, slurping is highly encouraged in Ippudo to compliment the chef! 😉

KIMCHI TOFU WITH BOILED PORK (RM13)

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