Tag Archives: shopping mall

Short Excursions

4 Jul

The weekend routine has become so predictable that we decided to do something about it. Week in, week out, we were either playing golf or at shopping malls, and it wasn’t so exciting and monotonous.

So for the past two weekends, we went away on short excursions, driving out of town to discover new places and food to eat. The drives are not that long, within an hour or so. It only took longer when we were diverted from heavy traffic and traveled on the trunk roads.

And when unsure where to go and what to do, the internet is the best place to do some quick research before embarking on something new. Last weekend, we decided to drive to Janda Baik because I found that there are some nice cafes located there.

The drive was long and windy because the navigation app diverted us to take the toll-free road instead. Oh well, we were not in a hurry.

The Pineyard at Janda Baik

When we got to The Pineyard, our lunch stop, the place was packed and bustling with activities. We walked into a garden wedding being set up for probably a late afternoon wedding to take place, followed by dinner in the main dining area. The decor was pretty, and the surrounding made the ambiance very romantic.

The cafe was packed and had a long waiting line of patrons, either walk-in visitors like us or wedding guests. We had to change our lunch plans, for it would take forever before our turn for a table. Our tummies were protesting already when we saw the crowd.

Fresh figs were very good
A pleasant discovery

We drove off, intending to go to another place when we saw Figgy’s Cafe and decided to have lunch here instead. The local food was delicious, and the Fig Farm beside the cafe was a bonus discovery. Now I know how figs grow on trees! After lunch, we checked out another cafe for coffee before heading home.

Coffee at Pinto Coffee

We never realized a simple initiative to drive off to a nearby town to discover new things would give us such pleasure, and I think we may do this more often because it’s not that tiring a drive, and it’s delightful to see places and try new food.

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Oh My Hedwig!

9 May

We were out at the mall one day, and the display caught my eye. An owl specifically, Hedwig, the owl from the Harry Potter Charms Collection Series 1. How cute it looked! Although I love owls, I am not a Harry Potter fan per se, so I took a photo of it instead of making an impulse buy.

A few days later, I looked at the photo again to admire the cutie pie and thought, why not try felting it? And within days, my version of Hedwig came about. I think mine looks as good, if not better than the original!

My cutie pie Hedwig

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Indulgent Shopping

25 Jan

The Lunar New Year is next week, my goodness! There are a lot of last-minute preparations to usher in the Year of the Tiger. Like shopping for new clothes, for instance!

The last two years, with the pandemic and lockdowns, we were homebound and did not venture out to the malls at all. There were grocery runs to our local grocer nearby, and basically, essentials but not indulgent shopping.

During the MCO phases, online shopping was my go-to if I wanted to buy non-essential things. And even then, it was mostly to buy my miniature sets and carving tools. But no clothes.

So over the weekend, we took the opportunity to go on a shopping spree to buy new clothes as it is the last weekend to shop. With no more restrictions on interstate travel, it will be a traffic nightmare next weekend when city-dwellers begin the exodus for Reunion Dinners with the family and loved ones afar.

I, for one, who usually buy golf clothes, suddenly find myself buying Chinese New Year clothes. I bought not one but two Cheong Sam outfits! It must be the festivity in the air or the sudden freedom to be able to go out and try clothes on.

My two lovely and elegant outfits

For someone who does not wear or buy dresses often, the purchases were an incredible feat by my standards. Well, lockdowns change people and their outlook in life, I suppose. I look forward to wearing the outfits to welcome the Year of the Tiger with good vibes and have a roaring celebration, pun intended.

Lion Dance at the mall

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DIY Project #21, Part 2

2 Nov

I decided to work on the micro-miniature-in-a-box for my 21st DIY project. After the experience with project number 17, which resulted in me deviating to several other projects, a small and easy miniature is logical to maintain my interest in crafting these little things.

And so far, it is going well. Although I stopped a couple of days for golf and even went out for meals and shopping, the pace is not lost. I should be able to complete the set before the weekend is here! Yay.

Slowly but surely, it’s coming along!

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Five Months Later

12 Oct

Over the weekend, we had our first dine-in at a restaurant after five months of staying home in a lockdown state. And it was a strange feeling yet, at the same time, liberating.

We chose to have Japanese food because this was one food that we never ordered for delivery nor prepared at home. Sashimi is something one must eat fresh and served on a mountain of ice to stay fresh. To even think of having it delivered is out of the question – what more attempting to prepare sashimi at home. So it was a good choice.

I downed half my beer before remembering to take a picture! Oops.

Getting into the restaurant at the mall was according to the protocol: face mask on, check-in with the locator app for contact tracing, taking our temperature, and being seated one meter away from another table.

It was nice to sit in a restaurant, instead of at home, with a cold beer and enjoy a different menu, but will we do it again, eating out, that is?

I guess we will as cases are on the decline and most of the population are vaccinated already. The government has also declared that the country is now in an endemic stage. With the economy fully opened and interstate travel now being allowed, dining out in fear is a thing of the past. Life must go on with as much normalcy as possible from here on.

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Which DIY Set Next?

12 Mar

Last week, I caved and bought another two DIY sets from my favorite online shopping site! Unbelievable, considering I already have two DIY sets in queue plus a third set, which was a Christmas present.

The latest two purchases
The plan to combine two sets into one

I had this sudden ambitious plan to combine two sets into one unit, hence the two new sets for this purpose. I think it’s just an excuse for simply wanting to buy something. It’s been too long since we last went shopping at the mall, and like I always say, grocery shopping does not count. The need to purchase something is too strong to deny, so online shopping is the best to quell the urge.

And now that I have five sets, I have to decide which one to work on next. Once I get going, I should also have to be disciplined not to buy any more sets as spares.

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My Waldo Covers

1 Dec

During the various MCO and CMCO phases in the past eight months, we hardly ventured out to the mall (except that trip to IKEA) for any indulgence, be it dining or shopping. And grocery shopping at our regular grocer does not count as shopping.

So I find myself doing a fair bit of online shopping instead to suppress the occasional urge to buy something, which is kind of nice sometimes. There’s so much to explore with just a flick of the fingers from the comforts of home.

It was this act that I discovered the world of DIY miniature sets. Besides my obsession for this–I’m currently on project number eight with two more in the queue–the two things I find myself buying a lot are baking gadgets for hubby to use and golf-related items.

The recent 11.11 purchases, besides the two DIY sets, are golf paraphernalia, specifically, covers for my golf irons. They are rather cute and reminds me of the fictional character, Waldo.

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A Timely Purchase

28 Apr

It was supposed to end today, the third phase of our Movement Control Order (MCO) but no… the government has decided to extend it again. Another two weeks from tomorrow until 12 May for Phase Four.

Well, we have gotten so used to staying home, being in partial lockdown for six weeks already, what’s another two weeks, right? We’ll just continue with our home routine. No problem.

The home routine revolves around food – what to cook, what to bake, when to cook, when to eat because these activities are the highlight of each day while house chores are definitely not. We can skip sweeping or mopping the floors but we certainly can’t skip a meal.

Two weekends ago, I decided to buy a stand mixer from my regular online shopping site. This is one kitchen appliance I don’t have because I’ve never had a use for it before so the thought of owning one never came about. But now, it’s a much needed appliance since hubby’s baking so much.

Since we cannot go to the stores to shop, online shopping was the way to go and the box arrived a week later. Never have I been so excited by a kitchen appliance before, what more a stand mixer! Little things in life now thrills.

It’s a timely purchase because with the MCO Phase 4 in place, our baking endeavors or should I say hubby’s is about to be more exciting. He can now try all those recipes that require intense mixing with the addition of a stand mixer now. Bring on those recipes!

Not the most high-end appliance but sufficient

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Impulse Buying

16 Mar

Sometimes the act of impulse buying is merely to appease the buying urge than the need for the item itself. That’s why it’s called impulse buying.

Once in a while, I succumb to this impulse when I am cooped up too long doing the daily routine and feeling like a robot. Life has been without excitement lately, and especially so given the pandemic Covid-19 that has gripped the whole world and crippling all sorts of movement and activities.

Like everyone else, we have been keeping abreast with the daily development of the situation and have been dutifully avoiding crowded places. Practising social distancing to stay safe, we haven’t gone to the mall for ages. So much so, routine has become so predictable, dull and boring.

Over the weekend however, I was at my golf club and there was a golf equipment sale and I bought a Maruman Conductor 5-wood! Honestly I don’t really need it because I already have my XXIO MP 900 golf clubs complete with the 3- and 5-woods plus a U-5. So why did I buy it?

Well, the impulse buying urge for one. Secondly, I haven’t bought anything of late and grocery does not count. So the purchase was for some form of gratification to excite the otherwise predictable, dull and boring life.

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My shiny new 5-wood to complement the other two clubs of the same series!

The new 5-wood complements the Maruman Conductor 3-wood and U-4 that I already have and had been retired for some time. Maybe from here on, I might change my XXIO MP 900 woods for this set for variation to make golfing more interesting.

This—my game that is—has been too routine and boring as well; there’s no excitement anymore approaching the game. Same routine, same mistakes, same near misses… so predictable.

Well, put it this way, this impulse buy may be just what I need to vary the mundane, predictable and dull, be it my golf game or my daily routine, the story of my life now.

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Beginnings and Endings

3 Jan

The new year started off rather quietly for us. We stayed home that evening and had a fun time cooking together, preparing dinner for a very leisurely paced New Year’s Eve meal. I felt this was better quality time instead of going out and be squashed in the crowds.

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Ushering in 2020 with some wine and cheese!

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Sautéd mushrooms, baked potato wedges, honey-glazed carrots, pork steak, greens and a pasta. Quite a meal!

By midnight after seeing some of the fireworks that we could see from our windows, we continued to watch Netflix, waiting to Skype with M2. After we finally heard from her, we went to bed after that! No revelry beyond as it felt just like any other day.

The new beginning is supposed to bring new excitement. We have not even fully digested the spirit of Christmas, New Year’s mood, suddenly at the turn, Chinese New Year things popped up! Decorations at the mall were updated, along with cookies, clothes especially Cheongsams and all things Chinese New Year related were on full display. I am so not ready yet for the next festive celebration.

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Roaring display of the lion dance at the mall

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The new beginning means an ending for us. The food trail is coming to an end as M1’s time with us is ending soon. It’s not sadness all over again but acceptance.

As we cherish the next two days before she leaves, we hope to spend quality time with her again in the future. It has been truly wonderful. Maybe we will visit her in the US again? Who knows? The year 2020 will be full of surprises.

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