“Discover my current favourites – from delicious eats and places visited; to must-see entertainment – in my monthly roundup.”
I have this faint memory from when I was a little girl, maybe five or six years old, sitting in the backseat of my friend’s Mums car; she must have picked us up from somewhere, and my friend and I were most likely chattering away as kids do when my friend’s mum made this comment, which may have been in response to whatever we were up to and for some reason it stuck, it was along the lines of “at this age, your life moves slow, but as you get older it will start to move fast”.
It was not the most profound message; however, I am sure it is one most of us can resonate with.
I hope I didn’t kill anyone’s mood in that first paragraph; It’s more of me reflecting on life and how it aligns with the here and now and understanding that time is used to measure can also carry a heavy weight of expectations, which is not always helpful, especially when it comes down to the creative process; this topic is just one of many things I have been pondering about lately, feel free to share your thoughts on this.
There was a basis for my little intro following my last Monthly Round-Up for June: today’s post was supposed to be for July, which I have chosen to share with you as all the places listed below can still be visited, purchased and listened to.
Enjoy!
Arts & Culture
Being a tourist in your city.
Since there was no travel this month, we chose to explore a few spots in the city, one being this beautiful Buddhist Temple called Thean Hou Temple.
“This Buddhist temple is dedicated to Thean Hou, a patron goddess of the Hainanese community believed to watch over fishermen.”
The intricate carvings, red lanterns and vibrant colours against the blue skies made every corner of this temple absolutely stunning to photograph.
We took our time to walk around and take it all in, as there are a couple of floors to cover, and each one has a different perspective.
Entry: Free
Tip: Take a bottle of water with you as it can get extremely hot walking around; there are places to sit in the shade to cool down and a small food court in the basement.
Location: google/maps
I stumbled upon this ceramics market whilst dropping by a store on the same street; this is just a little shoutout to small business owners; honestly, there were too many cute items to choose from If I hadn’t just bought a bougie room spray from said store, I would most certainly of been walking away with a couple of mugs, plates and trinkets.
Featured Business from Left to Right:
For the Foodies
Food plays such a significant role in the culture here; it is a source which brings people together from all walks of life; living here has shown me how to enjoy and appreciate food in a way that I had never experienced before; both hubby and I love to explore as there is an abundance of all kinds of cuisines to choose from; we are without a doubt spoilt here.
Featured Restaurants from Left to Right:
📍Big Leaf BLR, Petaling Jaya: We have tried several banana leaf restaurants, and this, by far, has been a top favourite next to Sri Nirwana Maju.
Our faves from the menu are fried chicken, mutton masala and Teh Tarik.
Location: google/maps
📍Tommy Le Baker, Kampung Attap: Tommy Le Baker is the go-to when you are in the mood for a sandwich, from Sourdough Sandwiches, Open Faced Toasties and Baguette Sandwiches (with cheese is my go-to).
Location: google/maps
📍Contour, PJ Old Town: A no thrills spot serving baked goods from pastries to sweet treats and apparently ‘Home of 4-time Malaysia Barista Champion’.
Out of the four featured restaurants, this would be my least likely to go back to, as it is out of the way for me to get to and the coffee and cakes we had were okay’ish.
Location: google/maps
📍Torinana, Petaling Jaya: A quaint Ramen Restaurant, and like Big Leaf BLR and Tommy Le Baker, we have been here a few times now, and each time, it’s not been super busy; the service is good, and the food is enjoyable. Is it the top Ramen spot in KL? In short, no. But… it is certainly not the worst, and it goes to show as we continue to come here.
Location: google/maps
Beauty
Yes, I am going to start this sentence off with “I discovered this brand on TikTok” YES, TikTok, and, after, I then went down a rabbit hole of reviews, which then led me to my local Watsons, which is equivalent to Boots or a Superdrug in the UK and purchased my first ever Japanese skincare product, well two actually and both from the same brand HADA LABO.
My skin type: Combination (oily t-zone, normal/dry cheeks)
Premium Hydrating Lotion – contains 7 types of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) to provide deep and intense hydration all day long.
I have since repurchased this product and bought the travel size. It does what it says on the bottle; it’s hydrating and easily fits in with the rest of my morning and evening skincare routine.
Would I repurchase? Yes
Hydrating Cleansing Oil – Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleansing Oil infused with 5 types of Beauty Oils.
Still using the first bottle I bought, as a little goes a long way. I only apply it in the evening to remove the day’s makeup; I was initially hesitant as I heard oil-based cleansers can dry out the skin, but so far, I have not been left with dry patchy skin and no breakouts.
Would I repurchase? Yes
Fashion Fave
This is my second purchase from the fashion label Whimsigirl. It is a local brand selling effortless, everyday, oversized pieces from single items like shirts, trousers, and dresses to a modern take on Baju Kurung sets.
Due to the oversized fits, I have not struggled to find items which fit comfortably, and I, love that most of their clothes are made from natural materials like linen and cotton, which work a dream in tropical temperatures.
Their sizes run from XS (UK8) to XXL (UK18)
The Modernist Linen Set in Dune
What I’ve Watched
It seems to have been a sci-fi theme in July with Star Wars The Acolyte and Supacell.
I rarely read reviews of shows before I watch them, and all I can say is “can’t wait for the next season”.
YouTube – The Acolyte | Official Trailer
YouTube – Supacell | Official Trailer
Podcast
Join friends since birth Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver twice a week for their transatlantic catch-ups, discussing everything from the highs and lows of their lives to the biggest cultural moments of the week.
For the past few months, I have been listening to a Podcast called Miss Me?, with hosts Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver.
Every episode covers different topics, and for the most part, it brings lightness and fun to my mornings on the way to work and familiarity with Lily and Miquita, both coming from London and having grown up seeing them on the TV screen.
What’s up on Socials
I have been focusing all my efforts on tidying, adding to and updating this website A Twist of Create; I can’t lie; it has been challenging; I basically moved from Squarespace to WordPress, so yeah!
For the perfectionists, I guess our websites will always be a work in progress, and the creative in me appreciates the play on themes, colours, fonts and layout.
Either way, I am invariably happy when I’m writing and sharing my words with you, and my goal with this website is to eventually have other budding writers/bloggers to share their stories here.
And that is my July Round-up!
You can also find me on IG and TikTok,
Till Next Time
x
