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Days since my last post: 12 

I'm here, I'm alive...and I'm missing the ridiculously lavish experience I had at Villa Samadhi Singapore by Samadhi so much! So the story goes like this...

The life changing contest

On the 25th of October 2017, I'd been casually scrolling through Instagram when I came across this post by Lifestyle Asia KL. If you didn't already know, they're an e-news site for all things finer in life across KL and if you stalk their social media channels enough, you'd probably get lucky with the contests and giveaways they hold. And get lucky I did. Basically all I had to do was to follow their social media feeds - which I already had been doing, then tell them why I deserved a getaway with someone of my choice. 

The best announcement ever

I think it was about a week later when they made the announcement, but I really didn't give much thought to it because I was never THAT lucky with contests after all. When I saw that they had tagged me, I thought it was for passes to the Samadhi Carnival 2017 but boy was I in for a surprise. That...that was me! That's my username on the announcement comment stating that I had won a 2D1N stay at Villa Samadhi Singapore! I scrambled to reply them with whatever details they needed, screaming at my other half that we could go to Singapore and not stay in hostels anymore! 

And to Singapore we went!

We made the trip on the 28th of April this year, the day before his birthday so that we could check-in to Villa Samadhi Singapore on his birthday itself instead of being on the road. Because the voucher we got only granted us a 2D1N stay, we had to make do at an Airbnb on our first night and that stay taught me that staying in the city is extremely important when you're traveling. Never again, outskirts.

It was the first time he played in public for me

Despite how tiring we felt after the entire day of running up and down, trying to pack in as much as we could in the first day because we wanted to make the most of the trip, I'd say going on the getaway was worth it. I learned that my other half definitely had much more patience compared to me and at times of exasperation, he would just say, "That's okay we'll figure it out". 
 
That photography skill

He also excelled in taking photos of me, regardless of how sticky I'd become after a long day of adventuring. The perfect #InstagramHusband material, I'd say. By the end of the day, we'd spent the entire trip just eating Japanese food that it almost seemed like we were trying to tell ourselves we had gone to Japan. Not happening with the current financials we have. 

We also stopped for cake

We had cake on his birthday obviously, and it was at Antoinette - Mandarin Gallery. We were introduced by a friend of mine, Tania and I'd say the cake was really good. It had perfect tinges of cake and Earl Grey mousse - a personal favourite although it's not so much a birthday boy liking. But you know, what I want, I get. 
 
Blessed birthday again, husband

I'd hope as I write about this experience all over again that my husband remembers the time we went to Singapore for his birthday, then went all over the city in a slightly tipsy mode because he had drinks at lunch. I'd hope he remembers the good times we had when we experience the bad in the future, and that perhaps everything is solvable by cake. Really now, let's go have cake in Singapore again.
Days since my last post: 8

*Disclaimer: Epicureo by RP is co-owned by my brother, but it has not affected my opinion in this review in any way.

I think I've spoken quite a bit on hotels and holidays of recent and today I'd like to bring the blog back to an area I quite love: Food. You see, there must be a reason of some sort that I am getting taller...sideways. Some say it's the magic of being married, others say it's just the lack of exercise but I'm just going to say it's all because I love food too much to stop putting it into my mouth. The love for food obviously runs in the family, because my brother - fondly known as Chef in the family is  well, a chef. And today we're going to be talking about the restaurant he co-owns called...

Epicureo by RP 

Chef Lam -  Head Chef and Co-Owner of Epicureo by RP

The branch of which Chef is currently stationed is at Ampang, but they also have a counterpart at Sri Hartamas. I've dined at both, but the Ampang branch is definitely prettier than the latter. That said, Epicureo Mercado by RP (Note the difference!) still serves up food as delicious as the former as Chef stringently looks after his team of chefs even from afar.

An array of wine selections - not including the cellar kept bottles

And other fine picks if that's your glass of choice

Ample seating for 20 downstairs
At Epicureo by RP, seats are divided to a 20 - 20 to comfortably fit 40 pax at any one time and are mostly non-smoking areas except for a designated spot upstairs. They also feature a private room if you come in a company of 8 to 12 pax, so you'll get a sense of privacy or you can feel free to book out the entire floor if that's your thing. 

Smoking area for those who desire a puff or two upstairs

Comfortable sofa seating for anyone who enjoys a laid back evening

And a private room that sits 12 comfortably

Epicureo is also children friendly as again - most areas are smoke free and non-alcoholic drinks are available for the under aged. A special kids menu is also available on request, and is prepared by Chef with his daughter in mind so you'll know that every bite of food your little person is going to get is prepared with love. 
It's also a good thing to note that Epicureo by RP doesn't feature overly noisy music so you can truly enjoy a meal with your friends and family without having to scream at each other through songs you probably didn't enjoy after all. I for one like my drinks over a light jazz so I could focus on the company, and I'd hope you all do too.

Garlic bread starters

Wild mushroom soup

Sauteed wild mushrooms

For starters, I picked out my favourite - mushrooms. I mean really, no prizes for guessing considering I had already ordered a mushroom soup and then decided to also get a plate of sauteed wild mushrooms after. The garlic bread wasn't ordered by us and perhaps was a doing of Chef but if you're there, you might as well ask for it too. Warm and fluffy to bite, even my father who usually avoids garlic bread like a plague fought for slices of it when it arrived our table. I further intensified the taste by dipping it in my wild mushroom soup and boy I wish I asked for more.

Moving on - I have to say that the wild mushroom soup was just as I expected. Creamy and fragrant with bits of wild mushroom selections in the soup itself. My sister in law and I couldn't stop ourselves, and even my niece had several spoonfuls while asking for more. Unfortunately I have to say the sauteed wild mushrooms were slightly oily, but still a great order for mushroom lovers alike. It was perfectly sauteed with herbs and garlic, a true appetite starter if I may say so myself. 

Lamb shank served with mashed potatoes

Bone-in Tomahawk steak, grilled to medium rare and sliced

Tomahawk bone - father not included in menu

For our mains, my mum and I had opted to share the lamb shank served with mashed potatoes and I'm not just saying this because he's my brother but Chef makes the most life changing mashed potatoes ever. The secret is in the way he whips it to its fluffy perfection and I don't even know how he seasons it but boy if I were to be given an entire bowl of mashed potatoes only - I'd eat it all. The lamb shank was prepared slow cooked, giving the meat a tender and soft bite that just melts right in your mouth as you dip it in their house prepared brown sauce. 

My dad however had a large share of the bone-in Tomahawk steak that was shared with my sister-in-law's parents, grilled to the perfection of a medium rare steak. Juicy to every bite, it was quite possibly my first time having any meat that still had blood on it but I regret nothing. Served with Chef's special red wine sauce, the bone-in Tomahawk steak is a dish with an experience that should not and cannot be missed. You could also request for their mushroom or black pepper sauce, but the red wine sauce gives the meat such intense flavours that will make you come back for more. It is recommended that you share between 3 to 4 people per steak, otherwise it does get a little cloying. 

Chef's Tiramisu

Poached pear in red wine served with chocolate shavings

And finally the best time of all meals in my honest opinion - desserts. If there was one thing you absolutely HAD to order from Epicureo by RP, it is the Chef's Tiramisu (Contains alcohol) that's prepared home style. Layered traditionally between of mix of mascarpone, cream, and ladies fingers soaked in a mixture of liqueurs, Chef's Tiramisu is in fact a recipe he had picked up from an Italian chef years ago. First timers at Epicureo by RP may note that the previous version of Chef's Tiramisu contains a stronger taste of alcohol, but I personally enjoy this improved version for its layers of flavours that bursts through in every bite.

Separately, I told myself to forget about the word diet and went ahead for the Poached Pear in Red Wine and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made in life...besides getting married. The sweet pear paired so well with the robust woodiness of the wine, and was visibly slow poached to a point that the pear was fully red inside and out. It had hints of bitterness that perhaps came from the wine but as soon as you pick up some chocolate shavings to your bite, I vouch to you that it just felt like you've entered a whole new dimension. I'm forcing him to teach me how to do this someday, but until then I'm just going to drive all the way for this if I may every weekend. 

To end, Epicureo by RP is definitely the place to be if you're looking for great wines and food prepared from the heart to pair. They also feature limited servings of specials that vary every day, so it's best to ask what's on the secret menu of the day when you visit. And if you do visit, just tell Chef that his sister got you there!
Days since my last post: 7

Tell me I've found my drive to blog again, tell me I have! It's only been a week since my last post but I've been itching so badly to talk about this particular hotel we picked out on a random weekend called...

Hotel Twenty8B

Set just one row away from the bustling Changkat area in KL, Hotel Twenty 8B is one of those quick boutique escapades that everyone should book if you're going out for a night of hard drinking because you wouldn't have to drive after that. Remember folks - don't drink and drive! 

Hello lobby

The building itself isn't very wide, occupying what I believe used to be a home turned into a hotel but it featured 7 and a half floors - half because the rooftop isn't really a floor but accessible for smokers to take a puff from high up there. By the lobby are also work areas if you've brought a laptop of your own, and they feature unlimited plug points along with iconic IKEA table lamps for an extra shine of light where needed.

Loving the brick walls

Despite its shortcomings of not having parking for anyone who drives, or that it is fairly far away from any of the public transport options, (It's about a 10-minute walk from the nearest MRT Bukit Bintang) Hotel Twenty 8B does have its own charm. The first being that it is tastefully done of course, and they had a really friendly lady at the front desk. I appreciate minor touches like these, because it feels like someone truly put some effort into making this little space a home away from home.




A homey touch

We booked the Queen room for a night's stay after we decided to visit Changkat for the evening, and the comforts of the room is actually really pleasing. For one, you don't get the noise from Changkat despite it being right behind the hustle and bustle of the street, so you know that you'll get really good rest for the night. Maybe this is from the fact that the room didn't have a window but it's all good because that meant you didn't have the sun in your face when you're hungover. 



A shower for sobering up

God bless hot showers because at hotel Twnety8B, their showers are not just hot but present themselves with such high pressures I think you could wash off more sins that you can make. The toilet is rather small but you really don't need to much because it's the room you're staying in - not the toilet. They provide all the basics necessary such as fresh towels, shower gel, shampoo, and toothbrush and toothpaste sets and that's already good enough to me, considering it is a boutique hotel after all.



To help you identify Hotel Twenty8B, man not included

And so, to stay or not to stay? Definitely to stay if you're going for a night out in Changkat, but it's not much otherwise. As I've mentioned earlier, they're a bit far from public transports and is about a 10-minute walk away from the Golden Triangle of KL. We'll definitely be back if we're going to have another night out, but until then I hope they'll hold up with what feels like the lack of occupancy rates!
Days since my last post: 10

If there's anything I love more than staycations, it's tastefully done staycations. I love experiencing how the place is done, secretly thinking I could do the same. I love imagining that I could stay there forever but maybe that's the charm of staycations. It's that you're only there for a day or two, drooling and hoping for more.

And one such place, was Tian Jing. 

Tian Jing, or loosely translated as Air Well is located behind the hustles and bustles of Petaling Street. Sharing a space with Lim Kee Cafe, it's one of those places where you'll just want to take a break in and soak up the feelings that it brings. 

And it's hard to see why not.

Because, why would you leave? 

When I first made my booking to Tian Jing, I was slightly worried that it would be noisy and smelly from the fact that it was too close to Petaling Street for comfort. After all, it was a weekend when we were there so the people were out in full force - perhaps looking to snag a pair of fake Nikes or a G-Shock at unbelievable prices. Surprisingly however, this was never the case at Tian Jing. It remained clean and stink free, and true to its name it was really open to bring nature into the room. 

A rainshower, tastefully placed outdoors.

And blinds for privacy, although no one could possibly see you.

The toilet and showers are placed by the balcony of the room, and is fully outdoors so you can feel the cool wind simply make its gusting visit as it likes. Blinds are provided for you to feel safer, although just to be clear there is nothing but a brick wall right outside your room. The hot water shower does take a while to come in full force but once it's there, it could get scalding hot so it's recommended to kind of give the shower some time. I loved the wooden floor panels they put up, possibly to hide away the outlook of drainage but it was a gorgeous touch to the otherwise classical room. 

Such as this old school blue and white tea set.

And a phone like no other!

Tian Jing Hotel does provide basic necessities such as towels, bath gels, shampoos, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. I'm grateful for hotels like these because if I'm out to a staycation then I'd definitely not want to carry all these little things. One great thing about this hotel is also on the location, where food is abundant and you're a mere 7 minute walk away from the MRT and LRT stations. Having said that, would I or would I not come back? I suppose I would, but not on a regular basis. I do find that as a boutique hotel with the most basic of all basic hotels, it is slightly on a pricey side. I have to say it's gorgeous, but boy that price is something to think of. Maybe someday.
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