Bitch gratitude

Thank you for announcing to me (in a curt tone) this year, on the first day of the Chinese New Year that you have been begrudgingly giving me angpows for the past two years. Guess what? Starting next year, you can save RM10. Also, I save you the trouble of being a hypocrite every CNY. It's a tiring job being a hypocrite, you know. Have to put on a fake smile and must pretend to like giving angpow to me, Cupcake Queen of all people. Aiyah, so sianlah...

Thank you for telling my dad off for forgetting to give angpow to your then-boyfriend husband, in2001. My dad thinks I'm the world's greatest daughter, after that wonderful incident.

Thank you for bossing and ordering my younger cousins around. They, now, love me more for that.

Thank you for asserting your "moneyed" self by thinking that you and your CEO husband have the privilege to sit at the dining table and start eating dinner before everyone, in my house this CNY. Your very own brother-in-law was appalled and brought two luscious chocolate cakes to my house the next day, to make up for your royalty ways. Tell your brother-in-law that the cakes were heavenly and yummy. We could do with another cake next CNY.

Thank you for reminding everyone in the clan, again and again, that your hubby is one bigshot CEO with a subsidiary in a public-listed company; which is currently in a multitude of lawsuit cases. Hmm, I wonder why you and your CEO hubby join my dad's annual CNY reunion dinner at the swanky hotel in the past three years.

Thank you for insisting that everyone wash their hands before touching your 2 year old daughter. We don't want to spread germs to your precious little girl. So, we don't even dare touch or play with your little diamond.

Thank you for being a bitch to me and everyone in the clan. It makes our lives more interesting. Life becomes a free soap opera viewing when you're around. We don't even have to switch on the tv for entertainment. There's enough drama going on with you proudly acting out your self-centered and unreasonable self.

Thank you for your scathing words and offensive remarks. I really need them to check my conscience and individuality, once a year.

Secret hideaway in KLCC

After being a hermit for the past few days, this morning I finally dragged my ass to KLCC to get rid of the Times Bookstore (20% +RM3 off) b-day voucher. Finally, I decided on a book + CD on Slam Poetry after contemplating on either getting Jamie Oliver's Happy Days or a foreign language dictionary. Also, I collected a RM50 voucher from L'occitane and got a tube of heavenly scented lavender handcream.

So, there I was at KLCC, feeling mighty happy with my purchases, admist throngs of bewildered out-of-towners and foreign labourers miling about. But strangely, I was in a surreal mood, my feet were two inches off the floor. Hmm, some coffee will keep me grounded.

So, I headed to Coffee Club Express, upstairs Kinokuniya. It's a little, secluded cafe on the same floor as Page One. For that reason, I prefer Coffee Club Express to the omnipresent Starbucks and Coffee Bean. Really, even the coffee at Coffee Club Express tastes better in their bowl-sized cups. You can sip your coffee forever and ever. And the sandwiches are absolutely delish - try the honey mustard chicken ciabatta. The crowd there is unpretentious and unhurried, just the way I like it. I could sit there for an hour or two, enjoying my cuppa and meal, not catching anyone giving me the "Oh, she's so bloody single" pitying look. Believe me, I've had people giving me that "look" on a few occasions. I usually react by staring innocently until the guilty party looks away and stop staring.

Coffee Club Express in Kinokuniya, KLCC is one of my favourite place to lunch solo. I'm happy as a lark there, enjoying my cuppa and a yummy meal, surrounded by books. Absolute bliss!

Birthday gift to myself

Cry, cry baby

Sigh.

Been feeling out of sorts for the past few days. So, I've been doing nothing during this long Diwali-Raya break but mulling over this and that.

My cure- listening to lots of angsty music. My choice of music to chase away the blues - Toni Childs and Janis Joplin.

Yes, I'm feeling much better now. Gotta try just a little bit harder to get over it, as Janis Joplin would put it.

Damn.

Random boredom remedy

I'm still farking bored from Wed's lunch. The spillover effect of Wed's lunch has killed my mood for the past two days. I've been mulling over why I can't get over Mr. J once and for all. Perhaps, it's because he told me his birthday and I found out he's astrologically compatible, in both Chinese and Western horoscope signs. And that could be one reason why I can't let go of him.

This afternoon, I had enough of analysing every little detail to death and decided to bake a "Liquer Chocolate Cake" from Donna Hay's 'Flavours' cookbook. And while rummaging through the fridge, looking for baking chocolate, I found a packet of leftover chocolate chips.

Ate the damn lot of choc chips and they tasted unconventionally good. They're meant for baking, so they aren't too sweet, very dark chocolatey and fun to eat - you pop a small choc chip in your mouth, chew and pop another and another and another until you finish the whole bag of choc chip. Even better than Lindt Dark Chocolate.

Doing the unthinkable

I broke my contract today. However, I believe my irrationality was for a good reason. To see him without rose-tinted glasses and to realise that he's not into me.

So, yes, I did the unthinkable and called Mr. J out for lunch. And this time, I was utterly bored. I was bored to tears- with him, his friends, the whole "what shall we do with ourselves?" lethargic conversation.

His friends obviously know he isn't interested in me. They aren't as friendly as before and I sensed they know something which I'm not supposed to know (which I obviously am aware of, right now). A few months back, one of his friends actually hinted to me that I'd make a good match for Mr. J and he sounded optimistic when he told me that. Now, I guess I shouldn't even be hopeful.

Today, Mr. J spoke of dating this girl last week but she wasn't his type. Instantly, this huge red flag just swooshed down in front of me when he said that. And I saw red everywhere. My chest tightened and I felt this pain inside me. During lunch, I dug my nails into my palm secretly, and bit my bottom lip. On top of that, my inner voice was so loud that I hardly spoke during lunch. It warned me to be careful with whatever I was doing there and then. My instincts told me to stop whatever I was doing with Mr. J and move on quietly.

Hmm, I wonder why I even bother, like LMD. Investing my precious time and energy on him and not getting anything in return. I was farking bored today, for crying out loud!!

Someone, please shake me and yell at me repeatedly that I don't need him.

I DON'T NEED HIM IN MY LIFE!

In a cupcake trance

Most women I know enter this sudden trance of shoe shopping mania, at times. Any shoe shop with magic word SALE will have these women in a mad flurry of shoe shopping.

Hmm, I like shoes, yes. I have a collection of each- strappy heels, sling back, ballet flat, sequined sandal and New Balance trainers. But shoes don't cry out Buy me! Buy me! whenever I walk past them. I have this rule - buy a new pair when the old pair has been worn to death. I'm definitely not shoe-mad. Although, I think Jimmy Choos and Manolos are to die for.

Last weekend, I went to KLCC to use the Times Bookstore Birthday Voucher. But found nothing interesting at Times. I must admit the selection of books at Kino is vastly better. And I got these two books from Kino- Fairy Cakes and Little Cafe Cakes. Couldn't resist the beautiful photos. The little cakes look just perfect!

Yes, I love cakes, especially petite ones like cupcakes. Hence, the blogname. Cupcakes (or any small cakes) are dainty, pretty, easy to bake and decorate. They are very special. I know because I've seen how people eyes lit up whenever I bake them cupcakes - they are like whimsical presents. And I simply can't get enough of cookbooks on cupcakes or little cakes.


Fairy Cakes by Joanna Farrow
Loads of pretty cupcakes here.


Little Cafe Cakes by Julie Le Clerc
Very elegant little cakes. Recipes look interesting. Can't wait to try.

Next on my shopping list.


Artful Cupcake- Marianne Miller
Loads of decorating ideas for cupcakes.


Little Cakes by Susan Waggoner
Has interesting vintage recipes like 'Silver Cake'.

Cheapskate reading

My imaginary best friend on tv, Oprah Winfrey has chosen "Anna Karenina" for her bookclub this year.

When I was a college student at Taylor's, my history lecturer had recommended this book as we were studying the Russian Revolution and the World War One. However, the story in Anna Karenina was set in 1877 and this was before both events, but my lecturer felt that it'd give his students a better understanding of Russia during that era. I remember him telling the class- it's a passionate love story.

Wah, how romantic! After class, I dashed off to the college library to get a copy of Anna Karenina but never got past the first few pages. There were just too many of them - 800 pages.

Recently, one of my workmates had read Anna Karenina after Oprah's recommendation, and highly recommended it. Go, go, read it. Leo Tolstoy really knew his stuff about family sagas. Better than all the chinese tv serial drama-lah.

Oh. Okay. I shall go get the book, then. So, I went hunting for the book at bookstores- MPH, Kino, Times. It was RM49.90 and I wasn't willing to dig out money for a book which I'll read once and relegate it to the stack of books collecting dust on my book shelf.

Yesterday, I discovered this website where you can download the entire book and read it online. And it's free! Yay!

I know, I know. A book to have and to hold in your hand is a thing of joy. Reading a novel online just isn't the same. The physical act of reading is missing - the weight of a book on your hand, the texture, the smell and the flipping of pages. But who cares, I get to save money and space. So, I've printed out the first 10 chapters of Anna Karenina.

*shakes head*

I'm such a deliberate skint, sometimes.

Ceylon tea makes my day

Last year, my mum and bro went to Sri Lanka for a holiday while I stayed home to take care of business. They came back with one big bag of tea- in various boxes, different flavours, canisters and even minature box-sets.

What! No sari cloth, not even Indian trinkets for me. I was miffed. I had only tea, nothing but tea and more tea. Really, there was a glut of ceylon tea at home for months.

One morning, I woke up to make a cuppa tea with the usual Boh teabags and discovered there weren't any Boh teabags but boxes and boxes of ceylon teabags in the pantry cupboard. So, with much reluctance, I made my first cup of ceylon tea. And to my surprise, it was good!

Yes, it was not only good but excellent. Never had tea that tasted so good before. It was smooth with a gentle flowery fragrance to it. And best of all, it didn't leave that slight rusty aftertaste in my mouth. Yep, I was an instant ceylon tea convert. No more Boh Cameronian tea for me.

Pretty soon, I finished the supply of ceylon tea. And since, I've been hunting high and low for this particular ceylon tea - Mlesna.

I looked and searched. Everywhere. At every supermarket aisle, even went to sundry shops at Brickfields where Indian shop assistants gave me strange looks.

It has been months since my last cup of Mlesna tea. And I still haven't given up on getting a box of Mlesna tea in M'sia.

Last month, I emailed the Mlesna office in Sri Lanka and they gave me the email of a certain Dr. P of Brinchang, Cameron Highlands. Dr. P emailed back and told me - yes, we have Mlesna tea and you can get them at our shop at Cameron Highlands. Soon, you can get them at Sogo, KL. Maybe we can parcel them to you. So, I emailed back asking how much does it cost to send them to KL? I'm obviously not going to drive 2-3 hours up to Cameron Highlands for a box of teabags!

But Dr. P has not replied.

Sigh.

Here I am, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for Sogo to stock Mlesna tea.

Seriously girlie weekend

Last Friday, my friend LY (who lives and works in HK) came to KL for a biz trip. It has been a year since we last met and I decided to skip class on Saturday to spend time with her. We had yummy bak kut teh for breakfast at PJ State with her parents. I simply love her parents - they are friendly and chatty. Her mum can really yak with me on anything under the sun.

Then, LY and I went to Midvalley Megamall. My god, the amount of money LY spent in 5 hours - Rm1800 for 12 pieces of clothing. I don't have the time to shop becoz of work. And fashion in HK is so "ah lian" with funny twists and unexpected frill on the design.

I got my b-day pressie from LY, too - a pedicure. Now I can't help but admire my pretty feet every now and then :D Later at night, we went to La Bodega Upstairs to have drinks with friends whom I haven't seen for more than a decade.

It was seriously an all-girls' outing last weekend- mad shopping spree, cafe tete-a-tete, getting pedicures, drinks with the girls.

Aaah, life is good.

Oh, oh.. and I discovered mojitos- they are absolutely divine!