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Days since my last post: 35 

And so I've done it. I've gone the entire November not posting anything on this blog, and just because I am ridiculously guilty... I've come back with some great news for the beauty buffs! That's right - as my post title suggests, Cutiecle has officially opened up at IPC, Mutiara Damansara!

A bright front for Cutiecle, The Nail Experts

On background: Cutiecle first opened in year 2014 at Giant, Kota Damansara providing professional manicure and pedicure services. Their second branch at the Mines, Kuala Lumpur popped up 2 years later and now they've popped up at IPC, Mutiara Damansara! Located on the 2nd floor right opposite Popular bookstore, it's almost impossible to miss out Cutiecle with their bright and cheery front. They also have friendly beauticians who would tend to your every question even before you step in, and for that I give it 10 over 10 nails. 

Colours aplenty at Cutiecle, The Nail Experts 

According to one of the beauticians, Cutiecle uses only high quality nail polishes including brands such as OPI, Entity, and even ORLY - the breathable nail polish that is Muslim friendly! Colour choices are feel almost at Cutiecle so if you're like me and you have difficulty choosing stuff, you're in for a field trip here. This however shouldn't be a problem because their pedicure seating area is so comfortable, you'd wish you could spend the entire day at the shop anyway.

Bright, clean, and squishingly comfortable

To be honest, this is the first time I've ever had a pedicure and manicure done - but I've completely fallen in love with how it feels overall. On top of that, I also got a Footlogix treatment done at Cutiecle, something no other nail spas currently offer. For those of you who have no idea what this is, Footlogix is essentially the world's first and only pediceutical foot care product that's clinically proven to help with various foot conditions such as callused skin, foot odour, cracked heels, and much more. 

Meet my professionally trained beautician - Theresa!

In this 1 hour Footlogix Callus Treament at Cutiecle, you will experience professional services such as skin exfoliation and dead skin removal. In fact, you may not even know that you need the treatment until you relax and unwind into one of Cutiecle's comfortable seats and let the professionals simply go at your feet. I was really shocked at the amount of dead skin they removed from the bottom of my feet!

Look at all that dead skin just hanging around the cloth!

Sorry about the condition of my feet by the way, I had this ridiculous allergy through November that just wouldn't go away and left rather unsightly scars along the way. But hey, check out all that dead skin they accumulated on the towel from just 1 feet! 

Before on the right, after on the left

My feet, though perhaps not visible in this picture was noticeably softer to touch and I've never felt it so silky smooth in my life. After all, the Footlogix Exfoliating Seaweed Scrub has encompassed premium high grade ingredients to exfoliate my skin without being overly abrasive, and I expected nothing less from a professional treatment as this. Available for RM 108 for ladies or RM 118 for men. You can also pair it with a pedicure session at RM 138 for ladies or RM 148 for men and the treatment takes approximately 1 hour to complete. 

Unshaped nails because ain't nobody got time for that
 
Finally well trimmed, cuticles pushed in place and hands properly exfoliated

For the ultimate pamper package, I also got myself a manicure that day and had the beauticians give my nails a shape after forever. I mean, I'm one of the laziest people around so cutting my nails sometimes feel like quite a chore. As I'm also expecting to make it to a wedding over the weekends, I picked out a gorgeous rose gold colour from ORLY and I've never loved my nails so much since. 

My shining glory

What surprised most however was when the beautician mentioned that ORLY is a breathable nail polish, so water could actually penetrate into your nails even through the polish. This means great news for my Muslim friends because it is then "wudhu" friendly! It's also less harmful to your nails because oxygen can get to your nails and dry in half the time. Officially my favourite nail polish brand now as compared to other cheaper brands I used to simply grab from any other beauty parlours.

Look at all these gorgeous colours! 

Remember when I said you'd have a tough time picking out colours? Now imagine looking at about 4 to 5 of these palettes that I'm holding in the picture above and you'd get what I mean. Honestly, this doesn't even include the beautifully customized nail art that the beauticians can do for you! 

Classy simplicity

And as far as treats go, my mum also got herself a classical French manicure to fit her everyday needs. Perhaps not as obvious in the picture, but mum's nails are slightly glittery and shiny. This is courtesy to the Entity top coat that I picked out for her, and it's definitely going to shine through the wedding dinner she's going to be attending through the weekend too. Prices for a classical Cutiecle experience starts at RM 58 for ladies and RM 65 for men, though you could also get greater indulgences if you simply asked the friendly ladies at the saloon.

A 3-generation treat

Cutiecle also provides quick manicures and pedicures for kids, and because they use only high quality nail polishes, their nails are not harmed through the process. Of course, my niece didn't actually get a treatment that day because she's way too young but the beauticians were friendly enough to play pretend with the cheeky little toddler. Prices for the Little Cutiecle experiences start from RM 5 only!
 
As an opening special, Cutiecle is now offering gel manicures from only RM 88 up while gel pedicures start from RM 98 up. I highly recommend this place for the overall first time manicure and pedicure experience, and maybe you'd fall in love just as I did too! For bookings and queries, I think you can reach out to them on their Facebook page or just drop by Cutiecle at Level 2 of IPC Shopping Mall, Mutiara Damansara from 10AM to 10PM daily!

Days since my last post: 24

Hello blog! I'm back again on the last day of October to talk about...my birthday celebration. I mean, birthdays now last an entire month, don't they? Anyway, I guess you could say I'm not the most diligent blogger out there, but I do try. If you remember reading from my last post, I was in Malacca for this year's 26th birthday celebration and my other half opted out of the regular backpacker stay just because it's a special occasion. This is why we picked...

Modern Cave Boutique Stay

Located about 10 minutes away from Jonker Street on foot, Modern Cave Boutique Stay is a home-turned-hotel that went fairly viral on social media previously. It's gorgeous aesthetics paired with an affordable price became the main points for its hype, and when we first arrived we could actually see why.

A comforting greet

For starters, it's a bit of a walk away from Jonker Street so it's way cleaner and way quieter when you need a grab a shut eye regardless the time of day. Given, it is located in a housing area and everyone else around you looks more like locals than anything so it feels like you're living in a home than a hotel. The "lobby" of Modern Cave Boutique Stay is actually just the lower floor of the bungalow, and shoes aren't allowed to maintain tip top cleanliness on the inside.

It's almost like home, except it isn't

Modern Cave Boutique Stay offers unlimited filtered water, coffee, tea, biscuits, and other simple necessities such as clean towels and toiletries so it's perfect for those who are on an adventure with just a backpack and nothing else. It's not the easiest spot for Grab drivers to find however, and I don't blame them because it is actually a housing area after all.

A comfortable queen sized bed

For this stay, we picked the Standard Private Double Room off Agoda because we didn't actually want to share toilets. The room was reasonably sized - ample for a queen sized bed and just enough space for bags and walking around for 2. To be fair, I always find that the most important points to a hotel is that it is clean and safe, regardless of its size. After all, you're just in there to get some shut eye and grab a shower! 

Which brings me to the private washroom

The washroom featured a rain shower, though I would have appreciated a handheld shower head instead because I'm not a fan of getting my hair wet in the morning. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the water pressure in that washroom and my other half most times refused to get out of the toilet because the water heater was really, REALLY hot even when we only set the temperature at half.

For chilling purposes

If you're not a fan of staying in your room but you're not too keen to walk out of the hotel, Modern Cave Boutique Stay also features hang out areas where you can simply chill about. They're equipped with air-conditioning for comfort and relies on natural sunlight in the day. Of course, you can just turn the lights on at night but they do advocate saving electricity in the hotel so be sure to turn it off when you're done.

More chill areas

As an overall, we spent 2 nights at Modern Cave Boutique Stay and felt it was really rather comfortable for a short getaway. My ultimate love was the fact that they were located a 3-minute walk away from the Sun May Hiong Satay House, a restaurant that specializes in pork satay and a unique pineapple infused peanut sauce. I go there every time we visit Malacca and always end up with about 20 to 25 sticks of pork satay. 

Would I return? I'd say I'm rather torn in this decision because it is fairly far from Jonker Street, especially if you've spent an entire day out and you're too lazy to walk back to your humble abode. I do love that it was really clean and the staff were really friendly and helpful, so perhaps if I'm not looking to hang out so much where the hype and buzz is then I'd definitely re-visit Modern Cave Boutique Stay once again.
Days since my last post: 27 

If it is of any consolation between my last post and this - I'm back 3 days before the "monthsary" since the last time I came around! I attribute it mostly to laziness and a mundane lifestyle of simply going to work and heading home to be fat, but I promise to come around when something interesting happens...which is, I suppose the reason for this post! And as I write this, I'm going to go with a disclaimer that I was not sponsored!

And that is for Encore Melaka
Picture credit: Hype.my

You see, a week back I was in Malacca with my other half to celebrate my 26th birthday and he suggested we catch the local performance known as Encore Melaka. It was a 70-minute live stage show comprising of 200 local performers and art directed by the China-based Wang Chaoge - the lady who made the opening of the Beijing Olympics 2008 a success. Set in Impression City of Kota Laksamana in Malacca, the theater that hosted Encore Melaka was said to be able to fit 2,000 audiences per show and the best part of it was that it had a 360-degree rotating audience platform.

Out of respect for the performers who worked hard to put on a show for the audience, I stood firm in keeping my phone away during the entire show. They didn't have much restrictions for that however, so I think you're most free to snap away as long as you don't distract other members of the public or the performers themselves. I however, opted to source for photos online and leave credit where credit is due for this post that I could not leave unwritten. 

The arrival of Admiral Cheng Ho
Picture credit: Her Inspirasi.com

For starters, Encore Melaka is a separated into a 7-part story that tells of the history of the state. This included how the state was founded by Parameswara and how the name "Malacca" was inspired by the sight he saw while resting under the Malacca tree. Legend and my history books from school tells me that it was how he saw a mouse deer outwit his hunting dog, even kicking the latter into the river. Vicious, but it got Parameswara thinking that the land of Malacca was so strong, even their animals didn't just give up on life. 

Get ready to be mesmerized by the colours that Encore Melaka presents
Picture credit: Her Inspirasi.com

As the story forms, you'll begin to learn how the traditional Baba Nyonya culture came to be in Malacca before it slowly turns to a swirl of confusion. That's right - towards the 3rd or 4th story, the Encore Melaka performance had completely lost me on what they were trying to portray but the beautiful colours, lights, and dances didn't fail to put a smile on my face. I suppose it was from a lot of awe rather than understanding the story. 

Encore Melaka also never failed to surprise
Picture credit: Kaki Seni

Despite minor shortcomings, I must say that Encore Melaka did not fail to surprise and the fact that the audience was seated in a 360-degrees rotating platform meant that you got to see a constant change in background flashing by your eyes. The movement of the platform is rather subtle and you don't notice it that much unless you're extremely sensitive to movement and sounds, but it's not enough to distract you from the beauty of the ever-changing stage. Think of it as that you're taking a gentle train ride that simply transports you from one century to another. 

Catch the performers!

Truth be told,  I was fairly sad when the 70-minutes were up because I truly loved the colours and costumes they had sourced out for the performers. This is why excitement soared as Encore Melaka put in a touch of hospitality to the end of the show, allowing the audience to take a picture with their performers who were still in full costumes. The photo sessions were done in a really orderly manner, whereby a member of their staff would be ready to help you with your phones and cameras and do not cram different groups of public for photos together. 

My favourite 

Performers are usually scattered across the surroundings of the theater and ready for pictures, so there's definitely one or two you can catch for a photo opportunity. My favourite had to be this group that featured the "bride and groom" because of their Baba Nyonya bridal costumes by the ticketing counter. I salute them for putting on big smiles in all the pictures they had to take despite the heat and the costumes they wore, because I for one had to quickly hide in the souvenir shop while waiting for our GRABcar after. 

Tickets are available on the official Encore Melaka website, or you could try your luck by getting them at the ticketing counter right outside the theater. It's definitely a show you should catch if you're in Malacca, because it did feel like a once in a lifetime experience. Prices start at RM 128 for the standard seats and could go up to RM 528 for the VIP seats. I for one think that if you could fork out a little more for the RM 228 premium seats, you'll enjoy the show just a tad bit better. After all, you will get a more wholesome look across the 240-meter long stage but that doesn't mean the regular seats are all that bad. 

Do be warned however that strobe lighting effects are used at one point of the show, which gave me a slight headache and I wish they told us about it before the show began. It's a point of the performance that people who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy should avoid - or perhaps speak to any of their many helpful staff members if you need assistance.
Days since my last post: 30 

And so I've done it again - I've left my blog space to grow cobwebs and get all dusty of sorts. It isn't that I don't love you anymore, but it's just that life hasn't exactly been the most interesting in the past month after all. In between rituals of my every day work life, here's an update on what's been going on as we step into the final quarter of 2018!

I TOOK A BREAK WITH MY OLD ONES

Best travel people ever

At the beginning of August, I managed to steal several days off being a working adult to go on a holiday with my old ones. We had a 3 day 2 night excursion to Ipoh, and we got to do all sorts of touristy things such as taking photos around Concubine Lane and meeting my dad's classmates. I must have gained several kgs after the trip, but when I traded it off with the smiles on my old folks' face - worth it.

I GOT THE KEYS TO MY HOUSE 

If you caught wind of my post in the beginning of 2018 - you'd notice that I mentioned being a home owner. Unfortunately at that point I hadn't gotten to my house YET but hey here's an update... 

Because we finally got it!

It's been a ridiculous wait for our keys, and it kept getting delayed month after month. At one point I was tempted to write in to the consumers' association on how slow everything had been, but before it happened, the developer reached out to say that the house was finally ready. Unfortunately, "ready" is rather relative because we discovered that there is no electricity in our home when we took the keys. We wrote in to complain, and there's an ongoing blame game between the developer and electricity provider on whose fault this is. Until then, it looks like my other half and I are just going to have to keep calling and asking when they'll just give us power. Renovation and furnishing sponsors are most welcome, holla if you're interested to give me something because I'm looking to periodically update on house renovations on the blog! A whole new section now, woohoo!

I TOOK PART IN THE MILO BREAKFAST RUN 

Finally, the MILO medal

That's right, a day before I started work - I joined the MILO Breakfast Run 2018 with Tania from Sugoidays! It's one of the most popular and family friendly runs in KL, and I was lucky to get a spot this year all thanks to her. You can watch how everything unfolded here because Tania took a video from the start to finish but just to give you a heads up...it involves me walking for 5kms around Putrajaya early in the morning to hatch eggs on Pokemon Go. And yes, I still play that. Add me as a friend if you do too: 8071 6398 2505, trainer name Eliephante. Please, I need to complete several tasks!

AND FINALLY, I SWITCHED JOBS 

Little one not included

Yes. Again. After I left Publicis in the middle of 2017, I had switched a total of 3 jobs just to try out what fits best. It was my attempt at experiencing something non-agency in case I could do better. This was after that thought that I had joined an agency right as I left college, and I had a burning desire to know if there was anything else out there for me. With that, I've been to a fast growing startup that offers discounts on services, a local digital marketing company, and decided my final test was at a tech startup. Ultimately, everything was interesting but it just didn't feel right. That's when I decided that maybe my life is all about advertising and now I've joined one of Malaysia's largest advertising companies. Looks like I'm about to live, eat, breathe, and die advertising for the rest of my life. How interesting.

To be fair though, if you read through this then it would seem like I've been doing quite a bit of things across the month. I suppose if you're living through it yourself, it really doesn't feel like much. Most of my other days are now spent either planning for my next holiday (Hint hint!) or just bumming around playing games and building blocks. I mean I could be preparing for our home but hey...what do I without electricity right? Seriously, how long could that even take? 
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