Bali Let's GO !

The unexpected year end holiday destination was Bali, Indonesia. Unexpected because I wasn't planning to travel abroad. However my husband suggested on the idea, usually it will be me who makes the holiday plans and arrangements. But the moment he volunteered to organised, I resisted to question and stop myself from being a sceptic. Well, if hubby wants to go to Bali then let's pack up and GO !

I produced a three part travelogue on my you tube channel. Here's the first part, mainly on our arrival and around our Hotel in Nusadua. Do let us know what you think. We love to hear from you.

The Kabin, Pantai Remis, Kuala Selangor

Amboi, nampaknya setiap minggu kami berjalan. Mana tidaknya, ini sajalah peluang saya nak bermanja bersama anak-anak dan suami. Tuntutan di kerja kadang kala membuat saya ingin sekali "break free" dan berehat minda walaupun seketika.

Tapi kadang kala, apa yang kita rancang tak menjadi. Saksikan dalam Vlog kali ini bagaimana kami sesat dan hajat untuk ke Homestay Dorani tidak kesampaian. Tapi , look we found another gem!
Semua ini dan banyak lagi dalam episode Mama O Travel - Kuala Selangor.

If you like the episode do note in your comments tau and do share any of your travel experiences ! Enjoy !

Happy Ramadan 2015 & Yummy Lasagna Recipe for Iftar

Salam Ramadan everybody ! How's you Ramadan so far ? It's the 6th day of fasting and my body and mind is still getting used to the whole routine. Fasting is actually more of a mind over matter, psychological and spiritual. For me the non eating or drinking is not so much the issue because if your mind is set to it, you will do it.

For me, Ramadan is similar to New Year because i often reflect, reset and re strategise life outlook and plans. There's a lot more time during this month to do so, because there's extra time during lunch breaks for pondering, some gap time during sahoor and sunrise plus Terawikh prayers are great time for Dua and seeking his blessings. I hope you've adjusted to the timings and change of routine, it's only the first week, but i'm telling you time will fly and soon it will be Eid. So let's make the best and optimise the month.

Over the last weekend, I had an opportunity to Emcee the opening of Mother Care 13th Outlet in Atria, Petaling Jaya. Wow, this is rezeki Ramadan, and i am so ever grateful that i was invited to host it. On top of all the nice presents, i met so many other Moms and Dads who shares the same interests.

Yasmin Hani, Irma Hasmie, Blogger Ben Ashaari, Anabelle Kong, Winnie and FourfeetNine.
It was a great start to Ramadan, i wasn't planning to shop for Raya for Kaseh and Kefli , but couldn't resist browsing thru their latest collections.

Ok, take a breather , I don't have a specific Shopping day for Raya, and to be honest we have purchased our traditional attire well in advance, but yes might KIV these cute baby tees!

Another headache that Moms get during this Ramadan is - nak machine papa ? Preparing the anticipated Iftar meals for the family. It must be something that everyone would agree too. And Mom don't have much time and energy to spend long hours in the kitchen .

So what's cooking ? How about this 80 kg Grouper i found at Village Grocer will grocery shopping ?

Check it out! You can feed the whole family for year with this 80kg beauty.

Curry ? Steam ? Masak Lemak Cili Padi. I'm kind off afraid to cook this fish, not so sure who will purchase this, or perhaps it will remain as attraction to shoppers. What would be more practical is Yummy Lasagna that's absolutely easy to make ? So here's what we had for our Father's Day Iftar Session. The recipe is below, be sure to try ! 

500grams of minced chicken

2 cans of tomato pasta sauce

Button mushrooms

Full cream milk

Cream

Butter

Flour

Lasagna Sheets

Garlic and Onions

Mozzarella Cheese 

Tomato Sauce

1. Stir fry onions and garlic.

2. Add minced chicken 

3. Add 2 cans of tomato pasta sauce

4. Add 2 cups of full cream milk. 

White Sauce

1. Add some oil and butter in a pot 

2. Add flour and stir

3. Add milk and cream

4. Stir in low fire

Layer the sheets, an alternate between tomato sauce and white sauce.And when you finally done, 

sprinkle loads of cheese and bake for 20 mins in 180 degree. Great for Sahur too. Selamat berbuka ! 

Happy Anniversary and We Celebrated It @ Avillion, Port Dickson.

I know, a wedding anniversary with the kids ? Isn't anniversaries a romantic event and should be celebrated in private ? Plus come on, just for a few day, the kids will be all right. Just go, just spent time together. Well, for us , we've never been away from our children, only if it's work purposes. I've never had the heart to leave them behind, and plus for me a holiday is not a holiday without them.
I know that other parents have different perspective, but yeah , we take ours where ever we go.
Being a mother with a career , it makes it tougher for me , knowing that , the weekend and short breaks are the only time i have with them.

I see anniversaries in a different perspective now. I strongly agree that it should be celebrated. It's time to reflect in the life that you have build together , to celebrate the mile stone and to re-egnite your love for each other. For me, if we teach our kids and include them in this important date , hopefully  they will appreciate relationships and marriage once they are an adult. I hear people say,
hey my parents have been married for 30 years now and most of the time, i hear them say it with pride. And they hope to follow the foot steps of their parents.  Some even go the extra mile and organise a surprise anniversary party. So i hope Kaseh and Kefli will throw a big bash on our 25th, 40th, 50th wedding anniversary and so on and so forth. ( Insya Allah).

Well, i did a short video, i thought , i'd like to move forward with more videos for this blog. So here's a quick review.

The last time we were in Avillion is two years ago. I must say that the customer service has improved tremendously, much friendlier staffs and they are prompt when answering to house keepings requests.
I enjoyed the duplex Beach Studio very much. It give us some privacy from the kids and they have plenty of space to roam around. Booked online and with tax it was all in RM600, without breakfast.
But that's all right, cause eateries aren't a problem in PD.

I ordered a small tiramisu cake from room service. The kids retired early that night (Wohoo) , thanks to the pool and running around the beach, thus gave us parents some quite time together.

On our way back , just before entering the PD highway, i discovered a gem ! This stall sells hot Cakoi and some Malay kueh. I love Cakoi and couldn't get enough of it , plus the makcik is super nice.
You can't get 6 kuehs for RM 2.80 in KL ok. The stall is kind off hidden , it's on the main road , so you gotta keep your eyes wide open.

A short but sweet and memorable trip. So here's to more years to come. Happy 6th year Anniversary !

Phuket, Thailand For Kids Only !

Last year, we re-visited Phuket. Thailand is my favourite beach holiday destination since my Uni days. I love everything about Thailand , the food, the desserts, the beaches, the fashion, their quirky art scenes, the parties and it's just about an hour away from Kuala Lumpur.

The last time me and my husband came to Phuket was in 2010. I was pregnant with Kaseh. Phuket
holds a reputation for being an 'adult fun' island. Backpackers and Europeans love vacationing here especially during winter months. But not much promotes the 'kid" side of Phuket. And after much research , i must say that Phuket is very kid friendly , plenty of things to keep them occupy and
yes i get to enjoy the white sandy beach and crystal clear waters and great Som Tam.

The best time to visit Phuket is mid December onwards. During our visit it was absolutely beautiful.
It was practically raining thunder storm every single day in Kuala Lumpur , and i'm glad we came to sunny Phuket.

We stayed in Holiday Inn, Patong. Patong is not my first choice of an area to stay in. I would normally stay in Kata Beach , where it's quieter and calmer, but because of the kids and we wanted to stay in Holiday Inn ( top child friendly hotel in Phuket) , and this hotel reside on one of the end of Patong Beach.

Holiday Inn, Patong offers the family room , with additional two bunk beds. For about RM 500 plus ,
i think this is absolutely fantastic and the kids love playing in this small corner. It's not separated from our room , it's kind off embedded in the Deluxe room. The only thing is that, Kid's suites are situated quite a distance from the main lobby.

Bare in mind that , Phuket beaches are public beaches, thus most of the hotels are not build on the beach bank itself. It's still beach front, but there's a road that separate the beach and hotel. Thus you gotta cross the road to get to the beach. Pros - everyone get to enjoy the beach , Cons- Crossing the busy road with kids.

Holiday Inn, kid's pool is OK , there's two and one fantastic Kid's club. However , if you have older kids , they will think that the slide at the pool is nothing to shout about. Suitable for younger kids.

The adult pool on the other hand, is just what a mom needs - relaxing and inviting. But guess where i spend most of my time ? Bingo ! Kid's pool!

Generally , i think things are quite pricey in Phuket . The food and shopping wise, almost or slightly higher price than Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps it's peak season , that most good's prices are inflated.
So i didn't shop much , i didn't have anything particular to buy. Tip - Thailand is popular for it's cashew nuts and thai silk , be sure to buy some either for your own consumption or as gifts.

Pancake stalls are everywhere. Great filling dessert , the kids love banana and Nutela flavour.
Thailand is also famous for it's massages. Thai massage uses a different technics, unlike the Malay and Balinese massages , Thais uses acupressure and stretching application. We both manage to go for a massage each , taking turn on different nights when the kids are asleep.

Taking turns are the best way , to enjoy some personal time on holidays. Even though the hotel did offer baby sitting service ( RM 20 per hours), but Kefli and Kaseh , are just not use to strangers . So there you go, time management and plenty of sacrifices.

Walking is the best way to discover Phuket. However on this trip we left the kid's stroller at home.
No , i didn't forget the stroller , but it was a conscious decision not to bring it . We felt that , the kids would very much prefer to go on foot as well. Oh my , never forget the stroller , even if it seems like a hassle , just bring it , or you'll end up having to carry them all the way.

This is actually Kefli's and Kaseh's first time to Phuket. We weren't sure at first, because unlike our Singapore trips ,we actually drove, thus we have the luxury of driving and the convenience of a car.
But getting on a plane to a different country , will take a lil bit of effort on your side. The immigration procedures, the flying in and out - but hey , we did it anyways and it was worth while - nothing like having the kids around.

I know that kids vacations can be tiring , and i do feel like i need a holiday from the holiday , but
the love and experiencing the place with them makes it all special and worth while. So moms and dads, don't worry too much, just plan your holiday and just do it!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my posting. If you think you have benefited from this posting, please, please click the share button. You can just share it on your social media or stumble upon. And if you want to get more Mama's drama and where will we be vacationing next ? My reviews and previews , don't forget to subscribe.

Thanks !

Mee Bandung, Air Sirap Bandung and Nasi Bandung which one really originates from Bandung ?

I can't help to ask myself the above question, Mee Bandung and Air Sirap Bandung are common dishes here in Malaysia. When my husband suggest that we make a trip to Bandung Indonesia during the long Federal Territory and Thaipusam break, the first thing that came to my mind was, i'm sure Sirap Bandung is what they drink there, must be as common as Teh Tarik to us Malaysian. Not so accurate, ha ha ha , instead i got a weird stare from the waiter.

This trip was organised by my husband, my usual choice would have been a beach holiday. I love the sun, sea and sand. So i was a lil sceptical about Bandung. There's no beach , what would we do ? What kid's activities do they have ?

I let him organise , since he did an initial reccee 6 years back before we got married and holidayed with his friend.  I still did the research and book the hotel. We stayed in Bandung for 4D/3N. I opted for a 3 bedroom Condotel - Aston Braga in the Braga area. Not knowing what to expect , i just read reviews and read more reviews and just decided to give it a go.

Bandung Hussein Sastranegara Airport , is really small. Tiny but busy, i totally appreciate small airport like these , saves time on check in and traveling to departure gate. Upon our arrival ,we got a MPV and straight to our hotel.

Bandung is just how i imagine it to be. Traffic is heavy and plenty of small kiosk and small shops along the road side. Street food are apparent every where, selling Bakso and Durian ice cream, they look tantalising but i was warned not to eat by the road side and drink only from bottled water.
My maid felt at home , even though she hails from Jawa Tengah but the city has plenty of similarities to her kampong in Semarang. So i nominated her as our unofficial chaperon, her official tasks is to get us cheaper rates on taxi and haggle for me when shopping.

Our 3 bedroom condo-tel turned out to be really cosy and clean. The deco is acceptable and the pool was refreshing. Bandung, is a city above sea level, thus it's dwellers enjoys cooler weather than anywhere else.

Tip :Staying in a Condotel, offers a spacious area for the kids to roam and play thus does not drive you up the wall. The kitchen is a plus plus, as you'll get to prepare quick easy meals for the family. After one of our excursions, we were too tired to eat out, this kitchen allows me to cook plain rice , stir fry vegetables and sardine. Simple but yet wholesome dinner ! 

Here's my TOP recommendation for kid's friendly places to visit in Bandung

1. Lembang Floating Market
Totally awesome, there's a Rabbit Farm , duck and fish feeding, boat rides and food market all in one place. This is such a great place for the kids and adults too. It's about an hour drive from Bandung City itself, but totally worth it. Make sure it's on your Bandung to do list . You can do the shopping later, but be sure to avoid rainy days. Check the weather forecast !

2. Paris Van Java Shopping Mall - Animal Farm.
Like any other shopping mall , we think PVJ is just like any other mall. But then an again to our pleasant surprise the Animal Farm is pretty awesome. Get up close and personal with the farm animals. Plenty of nice eateries with hipster cafe here. Great for the kids, shopping wise not my cup of tea.

3. Pasar Baru
Shopping heaven and totally cheap. This is the place to get all the local and traditional items such as Batik, cloth, crafts, clothes and much more. It's not your 5 Star Shopping Mall , but Pasar Baru is your one stop centre for almost everything at a wholesale price. I bought "telekungs" ( muslim prayer attire) for just RM 9! What a bargain. Not for kids though, as it is a lil crampy and alleys are narrow. So if you are bringing the family, plan what you want to buy , straight in , attack and out.

4. Cihampelas
Oh wow, another Mall, but open concept with outdoor kiosks and eateries. Need souvenirs ? We got to t-shirts here!

5. Rumah Mode
The factory outlet , which house most of the designer's brand - Zara, Mossimo, Channel, Mango and more. Worth going if you are brand conscious. I totally love the Balinese koi pond and the various nicely decorated cafes and restaurant.

6. Kartika Sari
Our last pit stop before heading to the Airport. Kartika Sari offers you the local cakes and delicacies all nicely pack to take home. I when crazy with the glutinous rice ball ( similar to Malaysia's pulut panggang) , i wish i bought more and the Kerepek Tempe Bakar , is da bomb !

So all in all , i thought Bandung  is an enjoyable family destination. Despite the fact that it isn't a beach holiday , we had plenty to do. Things are also generally cheaper than Malaysia, so that's a plus point. So ya, planning a holiday to Bandung ? I hope this helps!

If you enjoy what you read and found the review useful, do please please leave your comments below. I really would like to know what you think . Or if you would like me to review a family holiday destination , i would love to hear your suggestion. I might just plan a vacation based on your input. For more quick breaks and mommy travel , be sure to follow me on instagram!

Till our next family travel, see ya !

P/s : Phuket is next on our family travel ( teaser....)

Inspired after reading Lean In by Sheryl Sanberg : My story

How are you? I hope it’s not too late to wish you a happy new year ! May 2014 bring us more luck and happiness. Perhaps this is the year to make our wishes come true.  The last 4 months of my 2013, I was lucky enough to be on maternity leave.

During these period my attention and energy was diverted and concentrated on my family.

I spent quality time not only with my now 3 months old son (fully breast feeding – add on to the tired ‘O’ meter) but also my elders daughter who just turned 3 years old last Christmas. They both require different sort of attention and this often zaps out mommy’s energy.

With modern technology and ALWAYS ON society that we are, I did try to “curi-curi” check and reply my work emails and calls. I much prefer whatsapp cause a couple of times during my telephone conversations, Kefli would be wailing away in the background and a few times where Kaseh would be distracting me. I kept apologizing profusely to my caller and request to return their call when it’s more convenient. Unfortunately there’s never a more convenient time. 

Luckily, it’s not always crazy. Occasionally I do get lucky where both of them would sleep simultaneously, giving me some room to bathe, nap and catch up on some reading.  Even though I do have a helper to assist me with my kids, but most often mommy would be the preferred person they want to hang out with (I am glad). So, during my maternity, my maid was kind of left doing the other house chores like doing the laundry and cleaning up the house and I took care of my babies.  It was time well spent and invested on my children.

With the recent ushering of 2014, my maternity leave ended. I started work on the 2/1/2014, after almost 4 months of maternity leave (2 paid and 2 unpaid).  

I am blessed to be kicking off this New Year with a brand new career and a newborn baby boy. Come Chinese New Year, we will be moving to a new place (our current place is getting a bit cramp now).

Somehow a new workplace and a newborn doesn’t usually sound that exciting, new responsibilities at work combine with sleepless night and nursing? I’ am already tired thinking about it. How does mom divide time for both?

Well exhausting it may sound, but we mothers, will always have that extra energy and will power to make that extra effort and pull everything thru.

I don’t know how we do it, but we just do it.

For centuries, childcare and household responsibilities are a mother’s playing field. Some fathers do help out, but more on a voluntary basis, but the core custodian is still the mother. She’ll be the one anchoring, maneuvering, planning, and executing the household day-to-day operation. COO of the house.

However, in the past years, women have been entering the work force as women received better education opportunities and compensation. So, there’s nothing extraordinary about a mother who works now as compared to before, where there are less women in occupation.

Nothing extraordinary? We hell, I think it’s amazing that these women manage to juggle multiple roles and still keep their sanity intact. As Sheryl Sanberg wrote in her book Lean In –

“Give us a world where half our homes are run by men, and half our institutions are run by women. I'm pretty sure that would be a better world.”

― Sheryl Sandberg

In 2014, you might think that the above have materialize but the truth is the scenario have not much shifted since the days of our moms.

I admit, even thought my husband does a lot more than what my father used to do for my mom – like bathing, changing, feeding, playing with our kids and washing the dishes whenever he can, I still wish that he could help out more with grocery shopping, cooking and spearhead some household projects like beautifying the garden or remembering when the kids visit to the doctor should be.

If mothers can contribute their fair share into the household income, can fathers please take charge of the other half of the household chores? It’s only fair right? 

For any working mother, the support system surrounding her is extremely vital and it must come from fathers (who else?) and then family and then friends.

Who will be taking care of the children? Who will ensure dinner is served on the table? How about the daily house chores like cleaning up the house and ensuring the dirty clothes are washed? All these are issues that do not usually effects  working fathers.

My support system may differ from yours but, there’s nothing unusual about it, as I know some friends who shares similar system. And this system is very common in Malaysia (I’m not sure how it works in other countries, but yes I would love to hear from you – please email me).

In Malaysia, there are mainly 4 common supports systems for working mothers.

1.     Daycare centres

2.     Live in maid

3.     Grandparents

4.     Live in maid plus grandparents

I am once again blessed that both my parents are residing in KL. It’s becoming rather common these days for senior citizens to be living in the Klang Valley, simply because they have move to the city to stay with their children. In my case my parents both from Perak , moved to Kuala Lumpur to seek better employment opportunities during their younger years and now have permanently reside in Bandar Utama.  

My mother is 66 years old and my father is 71 years old. At such golden years, I don’t expect them to be running around taking care of my super energetic kids, I hired a maid and send them off to my parent house where, they act as supervisors and keep and eye on the maid and my kids.

My elder sister and my younger brother observe the same system too because their in laws are staying in Johor.  They both send their maids to our parent too.

It’s a mini daycare at my mother’s from Monday to Friday with 6 kids and 4 maids.

We ferry them early in the morning, drop them off at Bandar Utama and go to work and pick them up after work and usually return home after Isya’ prayers and dinner. We reach home almost close to 10 pm, just in time for bed and start the routine all over again at 7 am the next day.

Sounds tiring? Yes it is, but it’s the only system that gives me that piece of mind at work. Knowing that my children are in safe hands and grandma and grandpa

Are monitoring and nurturing them with good values, while we go out there to make ends meet.

I know of a friend whose parent’s houses ten kids and five maids - three are hers and the rest are her siblings.

My parent has been the backbone and pillar to my support system. They have given me the best education that they can provide (equal opportunities given to my brothers too), push me to excel and now take care of my kids so that my sister and i can Lean In.

Thanks Mak and Abah ! I don’t know if I can do the same for my children. But I know in order for my daughter to Lean In and rise in her career, I need to do the same for her. Not only I aspire for her to be in the workforce but to hold a leadership position in the field of her choice.

I also pray that when her time comes to juggle between a career and family, we can see a significant shift in roles and major support from policy makers, society, husbands and companies so that more women can strive at the work place.

Note :

I am blogging this after getting a chance to read Sheryl Sanberg – Lean In. My boss, Lina was the one who urged me to read it.  She is so inspired by Sheryl’s

experiences and thoughts on how working mothers can strike a balance – work and family and how women can get ahead in their career.  I picked up the book the next day at Borders Mutiara Damansara.

The views and opinions of the above are solely the views of the author.