There's always something in store for you

My trendy cousin blogged about "the boyfriend fit" . It's the way to wear your jeans these days but i will definitely be frowned upon if i were to don the look since you're suppose to roll up the cuff. I mean it looks cool but just not very suitable for me. Maybe without rolling up the cuffs, but that wouldn't be the same now, would it? Apparently loose (and masculine) is in! I normally go for the classic and timeless look (mostly because following fashion will cost you.. hehe) but not wanting to be left out, i googled for a more suitable style for those with the tudung (hijab) on and found these. Pretty chic too, won't you say??

A-Pant (high-waisted flare jeans)
though, i believe this look is suitable for those with long legs.. but hey, go look for that jeans that best suit you. I bet there's something in store for everyone ;)

Amazing what facebook can do

I'm sure most of you are familiar with facebook and have found that long lost friends, or distant relatives on the network. Last February, my high school friends had a reunion planned via facebook (after changes and more changes were made to the dates, venue and food prep). It was a simple, loud (as expected) and out of control affair i must say, "camwhoring" was more of the main event besides catching up and gossip sessions, of course :) It was fun to see everybody again after some 12 years. I didn't realise it has been that long. Time really flies but most of us didn't really change that much..

Class of 97
The theme was "turquoise & white" (the colour of the school uniform)

And about a month later, i was reunited with another set of friends. The primary school group. You heard me right, the PRIMARY SCHOOL friends why of course, via facebook. I am still in touch with one or two people from this group and had remain good friends with one for 22 years!

It all started when i found one familiar name on the network. After he confirmed that he was indeed my ex-classmate, he said he had no idea where the others had gone to. And from there one found the other, the other one created a group and now we have found almost everybody! After almost 17 years of no contact whatsoever! Isn't that amazing?? I was so excited to have reconnected with these guys. We have so much memories, the ups and downs, funny incidents.. We were like brothers and sisters back then, we bicker almost everyday (especially between us girls and the boys) but we were close. Playing games like the belon acah and kejar-kejar was a routine. Then the getah and batu seremban with the girls, ceper (bottle caps) with the guys when we got older.. The good old days :) We drifted soon after we left school. Now that we've found most of us, we are planning for a reunion but this time it is going to be more challenging since everybody seems to be everywhere! Not just KL and JB but Singapore, the UK, California, China, Hawaii.. so i guess we shall find out. Let me share a class photo which i have not seen for ages and had lost mine somewhere along the growing up process. See if you could spot me. Heheh..

Standard 1 class photo in 1987.
Can you guess??

Now, going a tad sentimental here (you've been warned). To the friend of 22 years, who has always been there for me no matter the distance (or traffic) that kept us apart all these years. I've known you since the main kejar-kejar and ceper phase to you playing the guitar and talking about our jobs. We may be worlds apart but we have always been able to set aside our differences and remain close. Thank you for being honest about everything, for not caring when it comes to trivial things and cared more than ever when things need be. Thank you for being there by my side on the happiest day of my life (not forgetting the night before too helping with the prep and all). I hope you know why you sat there on that day. You are more a family to me than most of them.. i mean, you are more a family to me than a friend. Oops :)

Love you, babe.

Curiosity frustrates

Ok get this, Kate Spade is now in town. Ok that's not very recent. But it was my first time to visit the store. As i was browsing, i spotted a familiar leather material that is similar to the one i bought for mum in Hong Kong a few months back (read post here). But it's labelled "Pig skin". Of course there wasn't such a label in Hong Kong but i did ask the girl if it was pig skin due to the tiny spots on the material. But she said no, it was made of buffalo skin (i wasn't so sure because i was told that pig skin has this 3 consistent dots close together which is not the case here. That leads me to believe it was indeed buffalo skin). So when i saw the pig skin bags at the store here, i couldn't help but ask the assistant if they have buffalo leather bags for me to compare. She said that they do not bring in buffalo leather bags here in Malaysia and so there is a possibility that the bag was made of buffalo skin. She suggested that i bring in the bag for them to check since i couldn't recall the name of the bag. I know i could just close one eye and believe that it was buffalo skin but being the strong conscience person that i am, i simply couldn't leave it alone.

Went home, looked for the receipt and the name of the bag was there. Went online and the description says "Boar skin"! I went back to the store and showed them the invoice and the sales assistant confirmed it. Urgh.. it's either the gal was clueless or i was duped!

So allow me to stop beating around the bush here, i am seeking you readers' kind help to please ask any of your non-muslim friends if they are interested in this beautiful boarskin bag. (But i'm afraid i won't be able to pay any commission for the help, sorry). Mum only used it once. Price negotiable. For details, please email me @ azra.ar@gmail.com.

I feel terrible to have to take it back from her or that i had given her the bag in the first place. [Please insert colourful french word of your choice for the Hongkee sales lady on my behalf here].

(Will try to get better photos if required, since these were taken on my mobile. My cam is not available - long story).

On a jet plane - 18/03/2009

Let me explain why i was away for so long.. I attended my high school mini gathering not long after I came back from Toulouse and had meant to write about it but the idea was shelved after I was put off by streamyx's precariousness and the interest had then gone down the drain together with the "brilliant" connection.

I'll write about it later if time (or the connection) permits. Anyways, I was on board en route to KUL from Hong Kong (again). I had a book to accompany me but honestly, I find Mitch Albom’s book can be pretty boring but I had brought it due to the small number of pages (i like to travel light). Lesson well learned. A more exciting book next time and so the hubby handed me the notebook. Perhaps so that he won’t have to engage in small talks or worse, a lengthy conversation with me and that he could slip in a journey to dreamland in which he had boarded its train right when i reach this point. Hmph.

The one night stay in Hong Kong had turned into a 2 nights stop since the morning flight we intended to get on was cancelled so they had to give the priority of the next flight to the morning passengers (the joys of travelling on concession tickets, it’s the risk you are bound to expect). The (supposedly 1 night) trip this time around was to collect an order that was made during the last visit (and making additional purchases, of course) which was supposed to be done in February but did not happen due to the rather last minute announcement of his training abroad.

Well, people often thought that when Hong Kong was mentioned, it was a trip for ME to shop. So let me tell you, MEN SHOP TOO and women CAN just be the spectator. No kidding. And this woman is one who actually went on a trip merely to help carry her man's stuff besides accompanying him because she loves him and that's what you do when you love someone. You help them. Carry (quite heavy) stuff if it requires you to. Haha.

Perhaps some photos now since it's just a short trip and apparently i have not much to update :)

Can you see the shortcut path we took to get to the store?
& we spent 3 hours in that small Kingston store..

I could very much enjoy the food this time, though. Alhamdulillah. I couldn't the last time because of the food poisoning.
Ho, ho sik wor!!

It really is hard to say "I'm sorry".

KLM flight. AMS-KUL. A cabin crew was attending to a passenger, spilled water on me. Not literally, but spilled some water on my sleeve nevertheless. I didn't really mind (i did not expect her to wipe my wet sleeve and blanket or anything but i did expect her to at least hand me a tissue paper or a plain "i'm sorry" would have sufficed). Nothing. I thought maybe she didn't realise it. When i looked at her, all she said was "It's just water, madam".

I'm shocked.

p/s: to my cabin crew friends out there, please DO NOT take after the bad example shown by the (very) rude cabin crew. Though i'm sure u guys are not like her.

What's cooking??

Before we got here, we were kind of worried that it would be difficult for us to cook our own meals because we will be staying at a hotel (for 3 weeks) instead of the apartment the Mr. had stayed the last time he was here. But luckily enough, we got an apartment room at the hotel. We did some grocery shopping on the very first day we arrive, stocking up all the basics to at least sate our hunger in between meals.

The first meal i cooked for dinner was supposed to be Chinese fried rice. We bought a box of rice. Inside, were 4 packets like those u get for instant nasi impit in Malaysia. I boiled 2 packets (as there were 3 of us) according to the cooking directions with the assistance from babelfish (because obviously it's in french). It says to boil for 10 minutes. But after 10 minutes, i saw some grains that still seemed uncooked. So i boiled it for another good 5 minutes or so.

After it has cooled, i surveyed the rice packets and poke it with my bare forefinger. It was hard! Dang it! I panicked for a while... thinking what i should do.. i put it up on my fb status and some of my friends suggested to make kuah kacang. One even said they have lots of pistachios here, maybe i should use that instead of peanuts for the sauce, try something new. (But i thought, takkan dinner makan nasi impit and kuah kacang je.. unless i can make juicy satay to go with it! Memang tak la kan). If only i can make rendang.. but that would be too much as i don't have the right ingredients and i couldn't waste the rice. It's time to get creative. I made chicken soup to go with the "nasi impit" like the Malaysians eat their Soto. It seems doable since i have got some chickens from the Halal store we stumbled upon while we were out exploring the city. Plus, it's much easier to make chicken soup! It was of course improvised with whatever i can get from the fridge, and no rempah Soto or bergedil lah.. So, goodbye Chinese fried rice and hello "French Soto"!! It turned out to be okay.. (Nobody had stomach upset or worse, diarrhoea, means ok la tu ;)).

Some of the stuff i used and dishes i prepared..

Tomato Basil Farfalle, Chicken Paella ala moi, Not-so-french Fish & Chips (this is of course due to laziness) and yes, the "French Soto" (bottom right).

Wife @ work.

Where we get our halal supplies.

The day i was already 30 before i even turn 29.

I was out looking for stuff to buy for the men in my life. Don't get any funny ideas, they are my dad and the brothers (2 of my bro's birthday falls in January so i was looking for a present for them because i'm a sweet sister ;)) but i ended up with a pair of jeans for myself instead. U may think that this is just an excuse, but honestly, i was turned off by the sale in the men's department. I think i can get better bargains at the ladies', seriously.

I'm a jeans person. Always been. I like the bootcut. To tell u the truth, i used to love Levi's and swore by it but of late, i think they are much too overpriced and with all the low waist, slim cut, super low waist, flare, washed, wrinkled, frayed and what not, i gave up. The designs are much too hip for me. I just want my basic comfy jeans!

I loved the Levi's 505 but after the last pair i own was damaged during a track day a few years back, i was told by the Levi's girl that they no longer carry the 505. I bought the 501 instead. Those days i prefer the straight cut.

Nowadays, i just go for the RM40 jeans at Jusco, seriously. They are a bit thin, but they do work for me. They have a suitable cutting, nice colour and the length are just fine. I own 3 of them to date but i hate to tell u that the colour do run a little (well, quite a bit actually). So i thought maybe i'd get a new pair since i couldn't find anything interesting for the guys (if i can find a decent pair, that is). And i was lucky enough to find one. The color was nice, the length would be just right if i were to wear heels (not that i wear them that often anyways). Nonetheless, i just couldn't believe it that i had to take one size bigger than the biggest size i've ever worn. The number is too foreign for me as i have always been in the 20s range. Always!! (I even thought maybe i'm a 28 because it's Europe :P). Though actually the vintage denim fits me nicely in size 29, i had to take a 30 for the dark denim! 30! Yup, THREE Zero! I decided to get the darker colour (yes, the size 30) because the vintage shade was similar to the RM40 jusco one i was wearing. I have to wear a belt for the jeans, but that doesn't change the fact that it still is a size 30!! Mannnn..... But hey, as long as i feel comfy and look good in it. That's what counts, right? (err.. right?)

Btw, why don't Levi's have sale in Malaysia? They seem to offer discounts in other places.

[useless info: author would love to own a Rock & Republic jeans..]

"For Toulouse, always more" - indeed there is!

That's the motto of the city i'm in right now. It is located in the southwest of France, known as Europe's capital of aerospace industry. Which is basically why i am here. (The other half is attending a training at the Airbus headquarters).

At first i thought it was a small city but when i read more about it, boy was i wrong. It is the 4th largest metropolitan area in France, after Paris, Marseille and Lyon. Not only Toulouse is the capital of the Haute Garrone department, it is also the capital of the Midi Pyrenees region, which is the largest region in metropolitan France. And what's more, it is where one of the oldest university in Europe is located (founded in 1229), which ranks the third largest university campus of France after Paris and Lyon with more than 97 000 students.

Haute Garrone department


Midi Pyrenees region

According to Wikipedia (it's obviously where i am getting all these info), born during the Roman Empire, Toulouse was once a major metropolis of western Europe, but it sank into a sleepy regional-level status in the 18th and 19th centuries, completely missing the Industrial Revolution. In the 20th century, relocation of key military and aerospace industries in Toulouse by the French central government have awakened the city again. It was once the capital of the former province of Languedoc but provinces were abolished during the French Revolution.

Former province of Languedoc

U can get more information about the history, demographics, and more on Toulouse here. I can put it here but that will merely repeat everything in Wiki ;)

Anyways, here's a slide on our first day in the city of Toulouse where of course, there's always more. :)

[As a kid, being a teacher's daughter always require us (my brothers and i) to get educational facts about the places we visited. These days, i say thank god for Wikipedia :)]

More of the Sunday commotion

These are the photos of the demonstration took place in front of our hotel last Sunday. Shots are taken by our friend whose room is overlooking the front part of the hotel building. There's a small roundabout in front of our hotel and so, they did one round and moved to the main road not very far from our hotel. I had no idea there were that many people because when we saw the crowd, they were already at the main road and we couldn't see as much (well, i didn't dare really).

According to my friend, one of the guys tried burning the Israeli flag (on the ground) and another was against it so they were fighting among themselves for a while there.

We missed the bus...

We were supposed to go on a tour to Albi-Cordes-Gaillac but somehow, they (the partners) got mixed up with the timing of the pickup bus. So, i'm here in our room in front of my notebook instead. Grr.. I can't say i am not disappointed because it will cost us 45 euros for an unguided tour (just to Albi) and 90 euros for guided tour for each person to the 3 places (rugi, rugi..), oh well. We'll have to think of something else to do later today.

Looks like it's just a tour to the bus stop for us this Sunday.. haha.
(waiting in vain, almost frozen too!)

We went for a Saturday walk yesterday, it was a good one except that we were approached by a man, flashing his police i.d. asking for our passports at the train station. This was after we spent almost half an hour going back and forth looking for directions and information on how to get to the airport (and to check out the train fare from Toulouse to Paris). The people there were not of much help since they don't speak English so we had to find our own way. Maybe that's what made them suspicious of us. A policewoman then joined the man to check on us. We were dismissed a few minutes later after they were convinced that we are harmless and sweet (teehee). The lady said that we could take the bus directly to the airport. And so we did. The bus ride took only about 20 minutes.

We then took the metro (for the first time) from Jean Jaures, very near to our hotel to St. Cyprien to go to Les Abbatoirs (a contemporary art gallery) and Chateau D'eau (a photo gallery of those taken by some of the greatest names in photography) situated on the other side of La Garonne river. I decided to come back to Les Abbatoirs next week because they are currently preparing for an exhibition and that we could only visit the first floor. Chateau D'Eau was very interesting. The building was gorgeous and though we do not know much of photography, we were very impressed with the photos, beautifully taken in the 50s and 60s.

Later when we head back to the hotel, we then understood why we had been approached by the police at the train station. There was a demonstration going on that evening near our hotel due to the war between Israel and Hamas. I dare not get near that crowd so the husband took some photos and we went straight back to the hotel.

The demonstration

Some of the Saturday walk photos.

Have a good week ahead, now!