shopaholic me

Yesterday, after we closed down our booth we headed to Mangga Dua, crossing our fingers that the shops will still be opened at 7 pm. One Singaporean dude from the exhibition actually convinced me that the shops open till 9.30pm (ya rite, only if you're Carrefour that is). We reached Mangga Dua at 7 pm, and there were only 3 or 4 shops that are still opened. Chehhhh!!!! Dissapointed, I made it a mission to go on the next day. Taxi Driver cakap, "Buk, di sini kalau mau belanja kedainya bukak jam delapan, ini namanya Pasar Pagi".

I held on to the Taxi Driver's words. This morning I woke up at 6 am, and left the hotel at 7 am by cab konon nak avoid the macet lah. Amazingly, the road was quite smooth and I arrived at Mangga Dua as early as 7.30 am. Hey, I went alone ok! (Thanks Mat Nor, for giving me a bit of time off from the exhibition).

When I got there, the shops were still closed, so I asked the guard what time they actually open. And guess what, NOT 8AM lah...they open at 9AM. (I got duped again, this time by Mr Taxi Driver). So I waited in front of the mall like one looney woman.

The waiting was all worth it. Well Mangga Dua is one heck of a hectic place, you just have to know where to look, really. (I'll take a photo of the bags that I bought so you guys can drool over it ok).

After Mangga Dua it was straight to the exhibition, I got there at about noon. Thank god for the guys, they did a really good job on the booth even without me. Since it's the last day, we were busy handing out all the brochures. By 3.30 we were quite done, and by 4.30 we were already at Plaza Grande, Block M.

Outside Plaza Grande, there is a labyrinth of small shops selling fake goods, clothes, accessories and the works. The place was quite dodgy and gross but hey, what is going to Jakarta without experiencing a dose of the Third World environment. Here I was with two guys that I was not even close with, Abza and Suffian. These guys were cool. Why? Because they can tolerate my shopping - and they're cool shoppers too, I mean guys usually can't tolerate women when they shop. The best thing is, I actually bought 2 Guess bags for like RM20 each, is that a sweet deal or what?

At Plaza Grande I bought 3 Polo shirts and by that time I could feel that my feet are just dying on me. Here I am at the hotel room, putting my feet up while typing this. I'm going to shower in a bit, just letting my poor feet rest for a while.

Tomorrow we're going back to KL and I must tell you, I had fun! Can't wait to come back again and hopefully next time with my girlfriends to Bandung! Any takers?

too much to eat

This always happens when I go outstation - I OVEREAT. First, cuz we're always moving in groups, so we'll never miss a meal. Then, if I don't eat it's considered something weird (maybe I have that muka kuat makan). Third, once I start eating...it never stops!

Today was the first day of the Indowater exhibition. It was a looonngg day. Was on my feet from 8am till 6pm. The crowd was quite good, although I always get mistaken for being Indonesian, and the looks on their faces when I tell them that I am in fact, Malaysian! I don't really know whether I should feel insulted or otherwise. It was a cool exhibition for the fact that at 6pm they had a special cocktail for the exhibitors - with live entertainment to boot!

Not enough with the cocktail food, my uncle took us out to Garuda for Nasi Padang (again!). We got back to the hotel at about 10-ish and hung out at the lounge to watch the super live band performance. And now I'm in bed and ready to face another tiring day tomorrow.

Observations:

1. My guy friends do not know how to appreciate hot Indon chicks. Are you guys homo or what?
2. There is a disproportionate disparity between hot chicks and hot guys here.
3. The one guy that I thought was hot was actually a MALAYSIAN.
4. I miss my boys at home.
5. I just realized how much it sucks to sleep alone in a hotel room. For 4 nites some more!

hello jakarta (i didn't bring my camera)

Jakarta was exactly like how I remembered it the last time we went there (when was it Za?). Because I'm the only girl in this group of 4 I had to duduk depan everytime we go on a cab. And it's dang scary!

We arrived Jakarta at around 10 am. Straight to The Sultan hotel, then to Jakarta Convention Centre to take a look at our booth at Indowater. When we got there the contractors were still in the midst of working, so we decided to go to Plaza Senayan for our lunch of what else but... Nasi Padang at Sari Ratu!

The lady at the hotel concierge recommended us the Jakarta Fair, since we've got nothing much on our agenda today.

Jakarta Fair was quite cool - big expo and we got to see a lot of stuff from crafts to fashion to the Indon obession with SuperMi. The cab ride back to the hotel was super awful tho, the driver didn't know the way back to The Sultan (or maybe he's just duping us for the extra mileage) and we were stuck in godawful Jakarta gridlock traffic for hours.

My butt fell asleep but the guys were quite funny and entertaining. So okaylah.

Now I'm in the hotel room after a hot shower. We might go for a nightcap later on, if I can prove that I'm still young enough to go out after a long hard day.

Cheers.

bye bye boys

Well, tomorrow I'll be off to Jakarta for work until Saturday. This will be the longest that I'll be away from the boys. Gonna miss 'em and I hope they'll be ok without me around.

Because of Datuk K, I've resorted to wearing my polo t-shirts in non-public places.

The weekend was so-so - went to Alif's birthday party on Sunday, Ali and Yunus had fun. Then as usual on Sunday evening, to prepare for a long week had drinks with Ayu at Alexis. That one was quite sensational! We were seating outside and suddenly we heard, "Tapi you dah tinggal dengan husband I for over a year!" Apparently the diners behind the pillar was actually a love triangle waiting to explode.

I pray to God that I will never have to go through that situation. Ever.

feelgood weekend

Rina goes, "What did I just eat...?" Mind you, it's Satay Perut (and chicken and beef too) and it's way past 10pm... How to digest?

I haven't had the time to post on my blog over the weekend - first, I was busy with helping out A Friend on the new corporate ID for his business(so excited and also at the same time so PROUD of him). Secondly, Saturday nite was the much awaited, most controversial and sensational (drum roll, please)... monthly Not-So-Single-Club (NSSC) get together at Micasa!

Ada berani? Dalina stuffin' her face in that little sinful pack of nasi lemak.

Our NSSC slumber parties are sensational in all aspect - both in terms of topics (unbridled and uncensored) and calories (I think my caloric intake for one NSSC night is equivalent to a normal week's caloric intake).

Mademoiselles Rina et Spena...Awwwww.. so sweet...

And who are the NSSC members? I've known them for the past 20 years - all my buddies from STF, who else!

Yours truly and Hana...Busy gossiping

The night started with me arriving at the room and only Hana (as usual) was there. Dayang and family booked another room since the hubby and two adorable kids came along.

Ms lawyer smsing client from under the sheets...Then charge them a bomb for her air liur... Hehehe

Then the rest of the girls came - Fyn (budak nak buat chambering so she can be a renowned advocate & solicitor), Rina (minah cool and a walking IOI advertisement, the company should pay her royalty), Spena (looking resplendent in her kebaya, back from a no-alcohol-served Indian wedding) and forever making her grand entrance, Dalina.

"Hee...heee..after sms can go to sleep!"

Dalina, listening intently to the woes of the masses...

It's weird but in the company of these people, I find solace. It's like an emotional safe haven where I can be completely and honestly comfortable. And it's funny that we don't even call each other so often, in fact we just really got together this year and some of us were not in contact for many, many years - but when we're together, it's as if we never even left school. I guess nothing beats the 2 decades of friendship.

Ali and Wazif having a blast at the Micasa pool

My son HAD to be the one who makes the funny face :)Aren't they just adorable? L-R - Ali, Shawqi and Wazif (Dayang's two boys). Dayang, I don't have a picture of you!!!

Top 5 Lame Ass Lines from the H

5. I don't want to do it now because I'm worried to leave the kids with a mother like you.
Oh really? And I'm even more worried to leave the kids with a person so vengeful, hateful, spiteful, violent and spineless.

4. Kalau you sembahyang, sembahyang la betul-betul.
Oooh, this really got me. I know I don't do the full 5 prayers, but whenever I do, I feel so close to God I'm most of the time in tears by the time I recite my do'a. Who the fish are you to judge me?

3. Feelings are intangible, you will never actually know how you feel.
Sheer stupidity. So you can't believe in the intangibles? What is love then, or hate? This is a moronic justification for me to stay in this marriage so he can milk me for what I'm worth.

2. Of course my sisters are nice to you, what do you expect?
Your sisters are nice to me because I AM A NICE PERSON like them. How could your own family not like you - ask yourself that, why do they hate you so much?

1. If I have provided for you, tak tau la apa agaknya you akan beli with your paycheck.
If you were so religious, you would know that in Islam the husband is supposed to be the provider for the family. Duh.

Fear not, my friends, I will put up the NSSC slumber party post soon. Just not in the right frame of mind to do it.

pep-talking myself...

Let me tell you why I'm better...

1. I am waaaaaayyyy smarter than her.
Oh puhleaze, let's not even go there. I'm a Notre Dame grad with two semesters on the Dean's List and the reason why I'm not on the Dean's List my final year is because I partied 4 days a week. Sloshed and wasted.

2. She is not as hot as I am.
Haha! Hot is subjective la. But you know I am.

3. I am independent and can work like a dog.
Throw me anywhere and I will find the money.

4. I can live without a husband.
Basically have lived without a husband for the past two years, although still legally married. And I don't really need my parents to take care of me either.

5. I can freaking drive.
I can even drive from KL to batu pahat at full term pregnancy. Even my 50-year old aunt in batu pahat can drive, why can't she? Please get real.

6. I am a drama queen, tapi not tamil drama like her.
Don't mess with my mood swings but I don't bang my head against the wall, I'll bang yours thank you very much.

7. I'm a very holistic person - balanced yin and yang.
I cook, I clean, I nurse and I can also party like mad. Err... it might be bipolar disorder but what the heck, I'm still hot.

8. I can mingle with people from all walks of life.
The poor, the needy, the rich and famous... I will blend in. So take me anywhere with you and I will work the floor.

9. I am loyal and will stick to you thru thick and thin.
Don't ever question my loyalty. I will go all out for the ones I love.

10. I love you more than she does.

God that felt good...please forgive me for being a beeyaatch