Zhongsan Building | 25 Principles Decide What You Want | Petaling Street Yong Tau Foo | MidValley Christmas

Brayden 8Y9M11D

Bevlynn 4Y6M4D

Day 2 in KL, we woke up early to grab some coffee and cake at Piu Piu Piu in Zhongsan Building. It was a small cafe on the 1st floor. The old rustic vibe of the cafe complements the building very well. 

At that time, something amazing happened. Hub was not able to board the flight from Penang to Singapore due to our last minute decision to travel to KL. We had to burn the flight ticket. But I suddenly received a message that morning saying that the flight was very much delayed, and I could request for a full credit refund. Such a good coincidence and surprise. I believe it was the attraction happening. 

During this trip, I was reading a book by Jack Canfield. In one of the chapters, it is about Deciding What You Want in life, giving it a clear vision and imagining already having it.

That night, I sat Hub down beside the swimming pool overlooking the Merdeka 118. It was calm and cooling. The wind was blowing the trees and the leaves were dancing with a gentle rustle. 

There, we imagined our dreams and goals. It was a lovely vision and it is achievable when we set our minds to it. 

Day 3, we explored Petaling Streets for breakfast. There is a small hawker selling handmade bee tai bak noodle + yong tau foo in a hidden alley. I would have overlooked this place, and probably would not have tried if I were to travel there on my own. It felt like a very run-down place, even some of the tables were set underneath construction scaffolding. A very old hunchback auntie was busy cooking behind the stand. She had been selling it for years ever since Hub was a young boy. His Mom brought him to this place long ago... 

When the food was served, it looked rather ordinary. I had the first taste, it was actually pretty good and I liked it. A simple, non-complicated dish. 

We walked explored more at Petaling Street and sat down for a good cup of coffee. 

After shopping and taking photos with the christmas decoration in Midvalley & Gardens, that marks the end of our KL trip.

We left KL in 2 separate buses. Hub travelled to Singapore, I travelled to Penang.   

 

 

Lalaport | Rex KL | Book Xcess | The Deceased Bar

Brayden 8Y9M4D

Bevlynn 4Y5M28D

It was a short weekend trip just the two of us; Hub & I.

We booked a bus from Penang to KL. It took 6 hours. As soon as we arrived, we dropped our luggage and went to Lalaport Chef Kecik Boulangerie @ Tuah 1895 for lunch. It was such a nostalgic spot. We often walked pass the entrance on the way to Times Square. It used to be the entrance to the Pudu jail. 

Before they revamped this place, I remember years back; At night I used to feel a sense of creepiness crawled up my neck as I walked down the road under the occasional dim street light. The front path was narrow, filled with holes, and under-maintained. Every time I passed it, I couldn't help but often imagine the torture or the solemn faces of the prisoners as they served their time. The faded paints of the mural (done by an inmate) reduced the gloominess of the area. Still, it was a place I would walked in a much faster pace. 

Now it stands as a history piece. Looking much better. The restaurant served good aglio olio, nasi lemak and crispy croissant.

It was black Friday - there was a special sale at night from 10pm to midnight. We shopped around for some house furnishings and electronics. 

We took dinner at Petaling Street - a good claypot rice from a street hawker in front of Rex KL. 

After that, we crossed the road to the old Rex building. 

We found some nice eateries, Book Xcess, a small art market, old antique stores. That night, there was a DJ that transformed the building to a loud musical. We can hear the {thump thump thump} beats and the vibration on the floor of the building. Definitely felt a different vibe with all the music. It felt livelier, with more excitement from the crowd dressed in party clothes entering the hall. 

It reminded me of the old cinema that used to be here, it used to be a popular spot in the past as well. 

Hub showed me to some hidden bars. There were a few~~ How some doors on the walls led us to secret passages. We ended up choosing a bar with horror, eerie theme. The Deceased. It was our first time there. The place was near a guesthouse. The names of the cocktails has some funny ring to it. It was at first scary for me when I walked into the bar, but slowly as we sat there drinking our cocktail, the eyes from the many dolls on the shelves weren't so creepy anymore. Probably getting drunk was a good way to calm the nerves. Maybe it was also because Hub was there, and I can feel the silliness and childishness from the theme; which reminded me of our younger selves who were more adventurous and with more willingness to try new things. Okay, probably I am just getting really tipsy... 

Holiday | Cats | Animals | Kidland | Jaemi Wonderland | Kids Adventure | Baby Shark Adventure | Heritage House

Brayden 8Y9M9D

Bevlynn 4Y6M2D

It was the last day of school and the start of a long year end holiday for the children. 

We were in Penang. 

THE food haven - where bellies were getting rounder, pants were getting tighter but the mouths just couldn't resist.

Georgetown 1

We were exploring some parts of Georgetown. It was easy and convenient to walk around town. 

We wanted to have the classis toast bread and half boil egg at Toh Soon Cafe but there was with a long queue.

Walked down the street and found a quaint cat cafe, Munchkin & The Gang Cat Cafe. We ordered brunch. With meal + drink orders, the entrance is free. The children loved playing with the different variation of cats; furry ones, short-hair ones, short legged ones, big ones... I do not know the species names, but there are so many variations which I have not seen before. 

I left the children with Hub as they continued to play with the felines. They wanted to go to Prangin Mall's Kidland indoor playground after that. RM25/child. 

I walked over to the next street Rainforest Bakery to get a surprise cake for a friend. 

With a big cake in a big box in hand, I walked again to Gilda and turned up as a surprise to some friends. We had a nice lunch together. 

After that, we walked again to Catfeine Coffee for some nice coffee and good laughs. 

I went to Prangin Mall to find Hub and children. 

There is a lot of cats around us this trip. The stray cat that stays at our home had delivered 2 new kittens. Bray wanted to name them "1) Meow Meow 2) Meow 3) Meow" (Sad cat tone). 

Georgetown 2

Met Uncle at Lorong Chulia. 

He wanted to show me a heritage house which was under renovation. The house is exactly 100 years old. The unit was bared and tiles were removed. The timber flooring on the second floor had some large holes in them - termites were the issue. 

Renovating a heritage building was not easy and costly. 

I like the long, narrow house structure. And since it was bared, I can see one end of the house to the back kitchen. The air well in the middle of the house gave it some nice lighting. 

We walked around the streets nearby and saw very nice exteriors of other heritage houses. 

Stopped to have lunch at 20 Chulia Lane Cafe. The meals took some time to be served but the passion fruit drink was a good thirst quenching option. 

We head over to Jaemi Wonderland. RM35/child. This is a new indoor playground. The children played dressed up as a frog and a rabbit. They loved the balls game and sandpit. There is also a running wheel.

While waiting, I managed to catch up on my reading and written some goals for next year.

Air Itam

We went to KW Aquatic to buy some supplies for the cat. 

Children loved the hamsters and fishes. Right opposite there is a reptile shop. There we saw some iguanas, tortoises, snakes, spiders and meerkats. 

Had lunch at Hock Chuan Heong restaurant. It was no longer as good as before. The uncle made the 

Took the children to Kids Adventureland Playground at Sunshine Central. We waited for 5pm to get the Happy Hour rate - RM25/child. They loved this playground the best. 

We wanted to have dinner at Esplanade but it was under construction. So we headed to La Chica Mexican Straits Quay to have some tacos, paella and some platters. Loved the food. We even played some trivia cards. Bray was good at guessing the pictured words. 

Bayan Lepas

While Me and Hub were in KL for our we-time, Ah Mah and Bro Max brought them for a movie. They watched Zootopia 2. Also, they went to Baby Shark Adventure Ville at Queensbay Mall. 

Bro Max wanted to train Brayden to swim. We wished to put him into the next competition in January 2026 but he was too slow by 3 seconds to qualify. More training was needed. 

Pokemon GO Wild Area | Team Bonding | Food Playground | PickleBall | Black Harvest | Dead to Rights

Brayden 8Y8M28D

Bevlynn 4Y5M21D

It was almost 3 weeks ago that we went to Harbour Front. 

Hub wanted to bring Brayden around for Pokemon GO Wild Area : Global event. Off they went. 

I had a great time with Bev. We went to the outdoor playground, she was sliding down the slide over and over. After that we headed to the animal store, there we saw some rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters and fishes. We went to the library next. I asked Bev to choose some books. She walked around and pick one booked at a time. 

Hub called on the phone and we agreed Marche for dinner. Since it was a Sunday, it should be very crowded. I was thinking wouldn't it be nice to be seated near the playground. When Bev and I arrived, it was already our turn to go in and we were led to the seat right in front of the playground. Wow, a seat where just as I wanted it. We enjoyed our salmon crepe and seafood paella.

That same week, my company had a team bonding event. We had colleagues from different countries within the region flew in. In the morning, we were at Food Playground - a cooking class. We were split into 3 different teams. We named our team "Uno", No 1 for Italian. 

We were given instruction cards to cook pumpkin soup, pizza and tiramisu. The theme of the competition is Christmas. 

I was standing right in front of the big bowl of flour for making pizza dough. I just made myself useful with adding some sugar into the flour, the lady host came and told me that the sugar had already been added before. Oops, first mistake! I tried to scoop out as much as possible to reduce damage. Then, I looked over the other side of my table, the two male colleagues were given the task to decorate the pizzas. They were questioning whether they know how to do it. I told them, let's switch. I can surely think up some butterflies, flowers, Christmas tree or Snowman. 

Our pizza took the longest to cook because we had cheese overload and the dough was too thick (a little too greedy with the cheese and ingredients). But We still WON! Our decorations were the most Christmas-like.

While we were waiting for the next activity, a group of us went to Tea Chapter nearby to enjoy some slow tea drinking ceremony. 

Next, came Pickleball. It was a fun 3-hour with the team. I am no good with serving the ball, I still like the game though. It is easy to pick up and less straining than other sports. 

Time to say goodbye to all colleagues.

This week I finished a book, talking about the Great Famine in Ireland. One part of the story described a woman who had to give away a dead baby to get some food at the groceries in order to save the two other surviving children. It is fiction, however, I can sense the great difficulty existing from those hard times. 

I also finished a movie "Dead to Rights" - a movie depicting the Nanjing Massacre during the Japanese Occupation. It was a heavy and emotional movie. The family, hiding and living in fear under a basement was a tough watch. They were a family of 4; with a teenage girl and a baby. The parents tried to protect their children as much they could. With some light of hope to escape, ended up tragically for the family. Only the baby survived (but due to the father's great sacrifice).

Both stories, different timelines; showed families living under stressful and tough conditions. One due to infestation on food and greatly reducing the food supplies; another through the act of war. Both had great number of deaths and casualties, both had people living in fear and suffered, both are now history but it had changed the lives of many. 

We are NOW living in better times.

Northpoint City Playground | West Coast Park | Switch Deleted Games | Mommy Story Telling

Brayden 8Y8M22D

Bevlynn 4Y5M15D

The hot sun these days was scorching and unforgiving. A dip in the water playground at Northpoint City playground can be of help. Bev loved the water slides. Just a few months ago, she was not a big fan of water slides. Now, look at her go down the longest tunnel slide! 

I saw another girl her age who was afraid to go up the slides. I wanted to tell the little girl the same thing I told Bev months ago: "You are one brave girl, and you just need to tell yourself that", same words of affirmation and encouragement. After many trials and tears, Bev overcame her fears. 

It was a fun day playing with friends. 

The next day, we went to West Coast Park. We met J and friends for a short picnic at the sand playground. There were a pair of hornbills on a tree near our picnic area, such a rare sight. 

The children digged a hole and build small sand castles, run around the different play areas, and ride on their bicycles and had a race. Bev was very cute, being the youngest and only girl in the group of children, she was often left out. 

In the competition for the fastest challenge to climb the playground, she had the worst timing among all boys. Then she tried to convinced me to create another game which is her playing level and easier; but then the boys left and ignored her request. Her tears almost began to welled up her eyes and she looked to me. "Aww, it's ok. Mommy will play with you".

Good conversations with Bray and Bev this week: 

1. Bev accidentally deleted Bray's Harvest Moon games on the Switch. Bray was already crying at this point. 

Bray: "Mommy, she deleted my game" 

Bev: "But Mommy, I don't know."

Bray: "Then why do you touch my game"

Bev: kept quite... 

Bray: "and Mommy, she not only deleted my game. She even deleted my backup game. All I see is Bev games overwrite all my games. Worst part is all the games has the same time (timestamp)" 

Mommy couldn't help but laugh at this point. Bray also laughed at the silliness. 

Mommy: "Ok, Brayden go shower, cool down. Mommy talk to Bev"

After sitting down with Bev alone. "Why did you delete gor gor's games"

Bev: "I don't know how I delete it what" Started to pout and looking like she was wrongly judged

"I'm only a baby" Started to cry at this point "I am only 4 years old Mommy, nobody teach me"

Mommy: "Oh no, so it was an accidental mistake and it is not that you wanted to delete it on purpose?"

Bev: "Uh-huh..." 

Mommy: "Aww.. Let's get Daddy to become the judge ok? Let's see what he says"

Bev and Bray sat side by side on the bed, with the pillows as the podium. Mommy the lawyer, Daddy the judge.

Mommy: "Bev, so what happen?" 

Bev: "I delete gor gor's games"

Mommy: "Is it on purpose or accidental"

Bev: "Accidental"

Bray: "No Mommy, it is on purpose." 

Mommy: "Do you admit your mistake?"

Bev: Nod

Hub: "Then I'll need to give punishment"

Mommy: "Gor, what punishment do you think we should give Bev?"

Bray: "No punishment. It's ok Bev."

Bev: "Sorry gor gor, thank you!"

Mommy: "I am so proud of both of you. Bev, dont click and delete gor gor game again ok? Bray you did so good"

 2. Mommy's story-telling 

Mommy loves to tell stories each night. Without books but using the children's imagination. One day will be about the nutcracker prince, another day about the monkey king, next day will be worms. Each one usually has a character which is 4 year old and 8 year old. They loved it because they will often ask, is it me? That's me!

But this night, Mommy decided to try an entirely different story. A story told in 5 different languages; English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, Hokkien. Bray was so frustrated and demanded the story to be told in English, but I told him, during our times Daddy and I, we can converse in different languages and it will end with us if we do not teach it down to our children. Languages represent such beautiful diversity and history, it is part of us.

Bev nod. Bray just fell asleep in between. Mommy was impressed with her story-telling skills (with different languages too, with Hubs help of course).