Have a break, have coffee

Too many changes in the last 2 months of 2014. I am not sure if I can keep myself afloat till the end of the year. Let's hope I do. 

How I know I have too many things on my plate? When I have 2 notebooks that are being filled simultaneously

Gems in my city: Tanglin Halt

Setting aside some time for a date has always been on my to do list every week. I believe in having a date and not just a 'meet-up'. However work, family has been demanding for a bit more of my time than usual so dates are rare now. What I have are just coffee dates which lasts for maybe about 2-3 hours at most. 

When the better half first introduced me to this area, I was enjoying the laid-back vibe that you get just strolling around the area and of course the good food. The hawker centre that is located near the neighborhood police post serves an array of food that I am sure is able to satisfy any picky eater. From Indian food to Chinese cuisine, one is definitely spoilt for choice. Before this date, we often come back to the area to eat at a certain stall but every trip was deemed wasted as the stall is always close. This time round, Lady Luck was on our side.

Lo and behold the elusive, the amazing chicken rice that seems to sell out all of its wares by 5pm everyday. Just look at those chicken bones hanging from the hook. When we came, there was only half a chicken left. Yes! Just half! How lucky were we! 

The better half was the one instigating for me to try this particular chicken rice. He described the dish as 'simply delicious'. Being a fan of chicken rice (especially Chinese chicken rice), I just got to try.

He is not lying when he say it is simple. It is. Even the price for the set (inclusive of the steamed vegetables) is just 4.50 SGD. Without the vegetables, it is just $3!

As for the taste, no wonder they sold out by 5pm. The rice is hot and extremely flavorful. The chicken is tender and cooked to perfection. No blood, no chewy bits. It is as smooth as the layer of fats found under the roasted skin. The vegetables are blanched just long enough that there is still a crunch to them. The soup is not salty unlike most places I've tried. I have low tolerance to salt so this soup is heaven. All in all, I want one more plate of the chicken rice but I have to think of the others waiting in line. Hmmm trust me, I am already planning an off day just to come down earlier to eat this delicious plate of chicken rice.

Most would think that a plate of this would be enough to fill my tummy. Nope. It was time for desserts! Ice-cream time! 

We walked past the store a couple of times before this trip and always wondered what flavors do they have. When we walked in, we were the only customers which I absolutely love. New cafes tend to be filled with hipster cool kids that at times I feel I am too underdressed to be of attendance. Cafes are supposed to be places to chill or to read a book. I love cafes that is able to offer me such ambiance and I must say, The Milky Way did just that.

I love the decor the ice-cream parlor has and I love that they only sells ice-cream, waffles, coffee and tea. The menu is so fussfree that I find it extremely comforting. Too many things on the menu makes it harder to choose what to try! So we went for a flat white and a cup of Smurf ice-cream and a Smurf and hazelnut combo. I got the combo while he gets the single scoop and the coffee.

I had a great 3 hours walking around Tanglin Halt. The nearest MRT station is Commonwealth. Just walk beyond the Sheng Shiong outlet and you will discover the old charm Tanglin has to offer. I am not sure till when they'll be there as we saw certain areas being cordoned off, signaling some demolition works being done. So have a visit before they are all gone.

Once upon a december

Let me sweep the tiny cobwebs away that formed in between these clouds while I was away.

It was not on purpose, I ensure you. Being sick and involved in a family’s wedding took so much of my time that the flu bug has decided to cuddle up and refuse to budge. So say hello to a nasal Huda that has been around for 2 weeks now… Is there a way to cut of the nose and run it under the tap and fix the nose back onto my bloated face? No? No such procedure? Oh well...

After the wedding for the year (the only wedding for 2014 that involves my family), I am facing a terrible predicament; my messy room. Messy is an understatement. It looks like a landslide of clean clothes with a sprinkle of bags. I am in huge trouble. It has come to a point that I have nothing to wear for work. Yup. Nothing as I refuse to dig that pile of clothes laying on the beautiful emerald tiles. Some are draped over my crisp white Alex drawers and over the metallic rod holding my dresses. I made it sound so artistically pleasing but it is far from such grace.

There are just so many things to do! I have meet-ups with my dearest family, friends and dates with better half that was postponed so many times. I need to start doing writing down the dates on my diary so that I will not forget! December is getting packed quickly and there is still 4 more days to November. I foresee a tired Huda at the end of the year celebrating her sister’s 22nd with her Tigger in her arms, getting ready for bed at 8pm. That sounds just about right.

With time I'll learn

A cup of coffee to soothe the soul and mind

And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him –Al Talaq (65:3)

I’ve not been the best of health lately and getting irritated seemed to be even easier than before. Things being pushed back and running late are one of my most pet-peeve. The better half calls me ‘Kan-chiong Spider’ and I am in no position to deny that.

Control is something I adore and seek. Every single day is planned out to the utmost precision for me to foresee and expect turns and setbacks. I cannot handle setbacks well especially when it is due to my own mistakes or incapability. As I get older, I learnt the hard way that things may not go the way you hope for. I used to cry each time things does not fall the way I want it to be. I will sulk for days before I console myself. I used to question why it was not granted the way I want it to.

With age I realized that HE has his reasons why. I may not see it now, but in time, I’ll know why. I realized that HE may not be putting just me through the trial but also the people closest to me. I must learn to let go of control. I must learn to let fate runs its course. I must have faith in HIM that he knows what is best.

With my health not at its best and anxious news kept on coming in, my anxiety spilled over and I, regrettably, pour it out. Anxiety is not the best of feelings to show others during their most dire need of calmness. Anxiety makes me tremble and cry. Every day is a lesson and opportunity to learn to handle anxiety. I am still learning.

With each new day, I am to strengthen my faith to let go of disappointments and uncertainty.

Letting my mind wander

Ever since I came back from Bandung, Indonesia, my office desk has been decorated with amazing souvenirs that my awesome colleagues brought back from their travels; Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and a few other places. I, on the other hand, have been diligently staying put in Singapore at the request of my Old Man (he is not too keen seeing his oldest travelling out of his watchful eye).

Staring at my desktop/laptop and seeing numbers dance will always make me restless. I won’t deny that my mind wanders to either images of me curling up in my comfortable bed or having coffee with the better half. Often, my mind wonders to places I would want to visit. For the past few months, Jogja has been the subject of my curiosity.



Have a read at Nathariane's Post. If you don't feel that Borobudur is beautiful then you seriously need your eyes check (or maybe you are just not inclined to what I like. Hehe)

What I know about Jogja (or Yogyakarta, as it is spelled) is Mount Merapi and Borobudur. I knew nothing else before I start googling and reading travelogues about this beautiful city. I am inclined towards culture and historical significance when it comes to travelling. My main concerns to travelling are the accommodation and if there are any historical monuments or cultural museums that I can visit. If there is a volcano then that is an awesome bonus (I have a soft spot for these lava-spouting mountains). Mount Merapi and Mount Bromo has always been on my travel list but I have yet to find the courage (and money) to start on those adventures.

Lately, I find myself googling after my trip to Bandung, Indonesia (Yes, 2 volcanos are part of the itinerary) and so many sights starts to creep into my growling list of sights to see in Jogja. I knew about Borobudur but I did not know about the other 2 UNESCO sites; Prambanan and Ratu Boko. Neither did I know of the famous street of Malioboro. So now the search of what is interesting in Jogja begins. Every hour I spent looking at travelogues, my interest peak. It has come to a point that I am planning an itinerary to Jogja as a solo traveler. Yes, I am that desperate to go. I want to soak in the magnificence of Borobudur; I want to face Mout Merapi and see the destruction it caused when it erupted in 2010*. I want to learn a bit more of my heritage; the Javanese culture and food.

Looking at the souvenirs made me yearn for another trip. With God’s will, Jogja will be my next destination as I have finally found a partner to go with!

*Indicated earlier as 2012. My mistake.

Chu! Chu!

It is a Sunday and I finally had time to whip up some Churros for the little sister.

What more could you ask for on a Sunday afternoon? Some hot, deep fried dough with a chocolate sauce. That is just yummy. Looking through cooking blogs, I am envious of how beautiful they came out. Mine is like my fingers. Short and stumpy or 'Montok' as what my better half would say.

I should have just made these!

There is just something about these long, twisty churros...

I had trouble with piping my Churros. The piping bag burst, the dough was not smooth enough and my 2nd batch of Churros brunt. All the trouble you could foresee making this simple dish just happened to me. What luck! The recipe I used calls for Churros that are a bit dense for my liking. No matter how ugly my churros are, I am still proud of them. I may not be as good as my mom (no matter how good other bakers are, mummy's still the best), I will try to be half as good. Of course to cover the browned Churros, I practically did an 'avalanche' of the mixture of icing sugar and ground cinnamon.

Manolo Blahniks would have to wait

Reaching my mid-twenties in 2 years and looking back, I am ashamed to say that I am nowhere near achieving a goal I’ve set myself at 19; To be financially organized.

Confessions time. I am one hell of a shopper. I shop so much when I first started working (back in 2011) that I am literally living pay check to pay check. Terrible isn’t it? Well, it does not help that I was working for one of the two top beauty companies in the world. I can safely say that it fuelled and sustained my obsession with beauty products. Material things became my ‘savings plan’. I save to buy what I wanted. I would not ask for it for birthdays or presents. I rather experience the ‘hard work’ of saving up to get my First Kate Spade Bag (It has friends now; Kate Spade 2, Kate Spade 3, Kate Spade 4, Coach 1, Kate Spade 5. Obviously I love a particular brand of bags) than getting it all for free.

This is the ultimate. Taken from Purseblog

Bags are not the only luxuries I splurged on. I splurged on beauty products and I am still splurging (WHO IN THE RIGHT MIND SPENT $300+ AT SEPHORA IN ONE RECEIPT FOR 3 ITEMS?! Me).I am terrible. Absolutely terrible. The cute gold, sparkly, gold, abstract-ty, gold packaging of these products just makes me go weak. I am like, take my money, just take it! (I am talking to you YSL and Urban Decay)

It is not that I have no self-control (ok I admit. I don’t) or that I do not budget myself each month. I do but I am lousy at making realistic budgets. Looking back at all my scribbling of attempted budgets, I realized that I set a tight budget that I tend to look for ways out of the budget I set. It is funny that I am running away from the budget I set. I see it like a watermelon being held captive with a ton of rubberbands in the middle. You know it will burst anytime soon. It sure did; EVERY FREAKING MONTH.

Go and watch!

I tried to google articles on this but boy is it hard to concentrate. Most of the articles are pages long (to me scrolling down thrice is too long) and wordy. Call me a kid but I love to see pictures and an article should have soul. Most articles that is on this subject matter are set in a matter-of-factly tone that has no hints of friendliness. I came across one that I truly love. It is absolutely short and straight to the point. She gave % to allocate your budget. She is a life saver! Thank you EMILY!

Go and have a read for those who are like me. I am sure her suggestions are easy to follow and sustained. I have been trying stick to the percentages and I am happy to report that I managed to stick to it for 2 months now! Let us see if this manages to last till end of this year.

Gems in my City : Tiong Bahru

Not really a journey. It was just a walk under the hot sun through one of the oldest neighbourhood in Singapore. I've been there twice but I cannot say I've truly explored the place. There are just too many nooks and crannies to go OOO! and AHH! about. So many little coffee joints to sit and soak in their ambience.

I love the architecture of the surrounding apartment blocks. It has the hipster vibe (of course! It is one of the Top 15 hippest neighbourhood in the world according to Vogue Magazine. Anna Wintour is never wrong) to it and the main reason why I fell in love with this neighbourhood was its old world charm. You seldom get that charm here in the modern metropolis call Singapore. The low rise blocks with their whitewashed walls that is occasionally broken by columns of red bricks are pleasing break to the modern buildings that now towers over 20-stories high.

It is hard to explain the vibe of the place in words. You would have to take a walk around the area and you'll get what I mean. Take a day off and walk around the area on a weekday. I am sure you'll welcome the slower pace that Tiong Bahru has to offer. Get lost in the lanes, who knows, you'll find a special shop or eatery that will soon be your favourite place to visit. I know I found mine.

#Flashbacks

I recalled a time when I was surfing the net for hours. That was a time when Facebook was not as important. It was a time when blogs seems to start popping out everywhere. It was a time when Tumblr just started. It was a time when I actually do read plenty of blogs and was quite abreast with the world of make up and fashion. I used to be able to spend hours reading 1 blog and the next hour another blog. Thinking back, no wonder I did not do as well as I should in school. Most of my time would be a picture of me with my eyes plastered to the screen of my Acer Aspire 5920 laptop instead of my books (no. I did not fail any subjects. Had the entire spectrum of passing grades in my report book; A-D). It is either that or me in my shorts with my (field) hockey stick.

This hobby of mine continued through my initial years of working and now, with the increasing demands of the beverage industry, my work seems to exhaust me out at the end of the day and I require the weekends to get back half of my energy thus I don’t really find time to read these blogs. Recently, while Googling for information on a trip I am planning, I came across an old favourite of mine; Seaofshoes.com. Jane is absolutely as stunning as ever. Her wardrobe is still enviable. Her red locks have always been my obsession. I tend to go red often too just ‘cause I want to channel Jane in my life (that phrase is just a rephrase of ‘I want to be Jane. I want her life. If I can’t, at least I can pretend’). If you think I’m exaggerating, just take a look at her blog. Trust me; you would want to be her too.

*taken from seaofshoes.com*

From Seaofshoes.com, I wandered to ClothesCamerasandCoffee.blogspot.com. Gosh I remembered a time when I tried to thrift shop after reading one of her posts. My conclusion after that trip; thrift shops in Singapore is not as ‘cool’ as the one in the UK. Have a look at her wardrobe and you’ll be wishing your mom or grandmom had that foresight to keep their wardrobe for you. I read her blog during a time when all her photos that she posted were taken by her adoring father. None of it were edited either. Reading her posts and looking at her beautiful pictures of the landscape surrounding her humble home made me envious of the country she is living in. Isn’t it great to have pastures and rolling hills at a walking distance from your doorstep? Here, it is either another apartment block or the road.

Everyone will know the next one. Thesatorialist.com is just a wonderful blog to be scrolling through for hours. The last time I read it was when there was a competition ongoing. If I recall correctly it was filled with photos from the past. I am not too sure what it is called. It was years ago. So to rediscover it was great and I foresee myself over this weekend to be scrolling through it to catch up on what I’ve missed. 

Aishah-amin-the-hijab-diaries.blogspot.com is one of the few blogs that I read representing my own Asian roots. She hails from the country across the causeway from where I am from and the similarity to my culture was what brought me to her blog. I read her blog when she just got married and now she is about to be a mother of 2. I totally missed her 1st pregnancy. I know; I am terrible.

This blogger touched my soul. Her faith in our creator is clear whenever she blogged. She was one of the reasons behind my path to change. She never failed to embrace life despite her medical condition and she made me tear on several occasions. Life got in the way for several years and one morning, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw the account of Aishah Amin saying to pray for her, Ami. I clicked the link and I got a shock. She was gone. She had left us that morning. I couldn’t revisit her blog without a heavy heart. She truly epitomizes living life to the fullest (Ami, saya berharap awak diletakkan dikalang orang-orang yang beriman.) 

Many might ask. Do you read any local blogs back then? I do but they are of my circle of friends (most has since shut their blogs down. So I have nothing to read!). That is it. Nope I did not read Xiaxue’s, Bong Qiu Qiu’s or even KahwinKhronicles (now its hellokhronicles.com) till recently. I have been diligently adding local blogs to my reading list also added those from Malaysia. Links are at the side if you are interested.

The past is what moulds our future. It is due to all these reads that evolves my writing and perception. There is always a sense of nostalgia when I read them. I hope you have the same feeling as I do when you clicked through them.

Pictures are not mine unless otherwise stated. Pictures are all link to their respective owner's blog

1-10, I am left with 2

Looking at the calendar, I’ve come to realize that there is only 2 months left to the year.

What have I done in the past 10 months? I am always tired lately. I am unmotivated since the 2nd half of the year started. I have not complete decorating my space in the shared bedroom even though it has already been close to 2 years that we’ve moved. I still have unopened boxes under my bed. I have not painted my bed. I have not bought the skeleton of my open-concept wardrobe. I do not have $3000 in my bank. I did not travel to 2 other countries as planned. I have not purged my wardrobe. I have not decided how long more I am staying at my current work. I have not completed my tasks at work. I have not bake for 2 months now. I think we all get the picture that I have truly been a massive slob. I’ve come across a quote from Zig Ziglar, an American motivation speaker, which hits home.

“Motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing. It is something you should do on a regular basis”

How true. I’ve been sitting on my bum, expecting for my surroundings to inspire and motivate me but I failed to see that it is I who needs to motivate myself. Looking back, there are a lot of things I’ve set out to do this year. Sadly I’ve only done not even half of the list. It is apparent enough that the better half of mine noticed. Maybe it is too late in the year to start achieving what I’ve set out but it is not too late to get back on track to be a better me. It is still too early to say if I’ve truly turned over a new leaf but what I can say is that I am still trying. CrispsClouds is a testament to the effort. I used to write while I was in school and looking at my old blogs (I’ve since deleted them); I cringed at the frivolous articles I wrote. I’ve grown up quite well I must say. Throughout the year, the inspiration to write started to come wherever I was. Be it on the train, at work, having dinner with the better half, out with friends; everywhere. I never had an outlet to write what was weaving through my head as either I do not have my book with me or I am busy with tasks on hand. CrispsClouds came to me while I was at work, approving the orders that came. I logged into my Gmail account and saved this URL before planning out on how this baby will look like.

Technology has made it much easier to share our thoughts. Now, you can share everything with a touch of a button. I love the smell of physical books. I love to write things down rather than typing. I should start embracing the advancement of technology. Hello Mr Laptop! I have this laptop for 3 years now and I can safely say that I use it at most twice a month. Yup, it is a terrible waste of my hard-earned money. Or maybe I should just trade it in and get a Macbook. I don’t own any Apple product (not even an Ipod. I am not getting an Iphone. Just not) but I am itching to try. Let just wait and see where this search for technology goes.

My calendar is filled with scribbles,circles and highlights. I wish I do know what some of the highlights mean though (scatterbrain sometimes). I hope I remember them before the dates come.

Mistakes? A plenty. Regrets? None

“If someone were to ask do I regret anything, I would say only 1”

Question marks appeared in my head. No, not I am not curious of what the person regrets but more of after all he has been through, he still only regrets 1 decision. How is it possible? I, on the other hand, regrettably have a few questionable traits and made a few terrible decisions through these 23 years of my existence. Only recently, I found the answer to my question; Perspective.

You live the life you choose. It is your choices (or lack of) that moulds you into who you are today. Your decisions, your actions brought upon the consequences you are living through now. Good or bad, it all stemmed from your initial choice. I come to realize that regretting your decision is a strong declaration to make. Mistakes are inevitable as humans. Mistakes are common, learning from mistakes is expected but regretting the mistake made is entirely our own decision.

I made plenty of mistakes throughout the 23 years I've lived. Some are minor, some are terrible. I used to say I regret not doing this or that. I used to say I regret not continuing with school after college but as I thought it through, I realized that I should not be regretting anything.

It was a decision I made to realize my sister’s dream before mine. It was a decision I made to reduce the expenses for the family. My sister has graduated and now about to start her dream job. My parents do not worry about my welfare as much. I learnt that things may not go the way I plan it to but things will always be better than expected. I learnt that not everyone is as lucky as I am. I learnt that not everyone has an uneventful childhood like I did. Most importantly I learnt that everyone has their own battle to get through. All these I would not have learnt through school. I learnt through observations of my own to my surroundings at work and through social meetings.

I do not regret losing friends along the way as I am able to see sincerity in those that stayed.
I do not regret loving those from my past as it taught me how I should better myself for my final one.
I do not regret trusting the wrong friends as it taught me that trust should be treated with utmost respect.
I do not regret my rebellious years as it showed me fear and the flip side of the community I thought I knew.
I do regret, however, not saying ‘I love you’ enough. No matter how many times I say it, it is never truly the exact representation of how much love I feel for the other. It took a death in the family for me to realize how inexpressive I can be towards the one I love. To this day, I kept on replaying the last moments I had with my darling cousin in my head.

Maybe the title of this post should be changed. Mistakes? A plenty. Regrets? One (so far)

*Hey you. I hope you’re doing better up there. I know you’re looking over our big family. I know you’re strumming that Gibson guitar. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for waiting to say goodbye. Thank you for the smiles, laughter and memories you've etched in our hearts. Family wishes you’re well up there and we’ll see you when the time comes. We will always love you. Family unites for you. After all, Nothing Else Matters.*