Dealing with a Serial Liar

Very recently I had the opportunity to file a tribunal claim against a company in Kuching. I am not going to go into the details of the case, but instead I would like to highlight a particular experience, which is dealing with a serial liar.

So after being lied to for the umpteenth time, we (both me and hubs) have come to the conclusion that this person is trying very, very hard to create an illusion that he has the right not to repay our money. Obviously there is no intention nor effort at all on his part to refund our money. We came to realise this two days ago when this person tried to fake a bank transaction with the intention to trick us into thinking that he has transferred to us money from his bank account.

We had requested for the company to fabricate a grill similar to this design. Inspiration photo taken from Bob Mubarak's instagram.

An image given to us via WhatsApp saying that the grill we ordered is almost complete. This image was only sent to us after we had requested for a refund. Not only the design is wrong, the material and colour is also very, very different. Until today there is no delivery for the item that we requested.

As a person who tries to learn and take heed from life's experiences, I told myself that I should at least benefit from this situation by taking heed. So this is what I learnt.

First, you will feel mad.

I think in our case, we were initially frustrated when we realised that we would not be getting the grill on time, which also meant that we had to delay buying household items and are unable to move into our new home. Then we got angry because without fail he would say that he would refund our money that very week and then make the same promise the following week. I have realised now (after 5 months of repeating the same promises) that this particular individual loves the attention that he is getting and maybe he feels important that his words/ promises are taken seriously by others.

Secondly, you might feel like taking action i.e. you should do something about this situation that you are in.

This I totally agree. After all, you would be disappointed in yourself if you do nothing. Therefore we decided to think of our options.

Option 1 - File a claim at the tribunal. Which we did. The first hearing was on the 25th of September. Unfortunately the person did not come to the hearing. He told us that he was in Kota Kinabalu for a training with Honda. I don't know how true this statement is because I later found out that he is working with Perodua. Regardless, inshaa Allah the next hearing is set for next month.

Option 2 - File a police report. Which we also did. We decided to file a police report against him in relation to his fake bank transaction. The police report can be used to request for his bank statement as proof that he did not make any funds transfer to me. The report will also be used as part of the evidence for our second tribunal court hearing.

Option 3 - Write a review on google about the company. Most companies are searchable and listed on google map. You see, before we employed the services of this company, as my usual practice, I would check on google to see if there were any bad reviews on the company. I found not a single information on the company other than it's address and location. No good or bad review. So today I made a review. For future customers, if they were to google this company, at the very least, my review would be there to inform them of my experience and they could make an informed buying decision.

Option 4 - Have faith and put your trust in Allah. I believe that our rizq has been determined by Allah and if these funds are meant to come back to me, it will. If not, then it will not. I am not any poorer if this person adamantly refuse to refund my money nor is he any richer by holding on to it with dear life.

What have I benefitted from this experience?

I found that I am able to manage my emotions and allow myself to think rationally on what to do and what not to do. Admittedly at times, I do feel huge waves of anger coming over me and trying to take over my emotions. Ever since Tuesday, this person has been calling me (which I did not pick up), dishing out the same empty promises and even saying that I am lying and creating stories/ fitnah over him on this matter. Being angry means that this person is able to exert their influence over your emotions, so I told myself, I could choose to be angry on the matter or I could choose not to be affected emotionally. Obviously, I chose the later. Whenever I felt a wave of anger coming in (obviously this happens after receiving this person's messages over WhatsApp), I decided to do zikr and ask Allah to forgive me instead. Might as well cool my emotions and gain reward from Allah at the same time.

I have also discovered that both me and hubs regard finding peace in our hearts to be of greater importance. I have since blocked this person's number - empty words and promises are not worth our time. We have followed the legal channels so let the future take its course in this manner.

A hadith referenced in the book Al Adab al Mufrad states that, 'Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You must be truthful. Truthfulness leads to dutifulness and dutifulness leads to the Garden. A man continues to tell the truth until he is written as a siddiq with Allah. Beware of lying. Lying leads to deviance and deviance leads to the Fire. A man continues to lie until he is written as a liar with Allah."

At the end of the day, I have also discovered what a cursed habit lying is and what an unfortunate life a liar has. A habit and a life which I do not want. May Allah protect us from the desire to lie and keep our hearts on the straight path. Ameen.

Updated: The individual has refunded our money on the same day that this blogpost is published. We have dropped our claim against him under the tribunal court as this matter is now considered as settled. 


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Petroleum Nasional Berhad (Petronas) vs the Government of Sarawak

Earlier today, Petronas announced that they have filed an application with the Federal Court seeking to declare that Petronas is the exclusive owner of petroleum resources throughout Malaysia (click here for the media statement from Petronas) based on an Act called the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (click here for a copy of the Act).

In response to the announcement, the Sarawak state government have announced that they are willing to go to court to defend their rights to petroleum resources that are found within the jurisdiction of the state (click here for the response by the Sarawak state).

In the PDA 1974, it is mentioned under Section 2 (1) that "... the exclusive rights, powers, liberties and privileges of exploring, exploiting, winning and obtaining petroleum whether onshore or offshore of Malaysia shall be vested in a Corporation to be incorporated under the Companies Act 1965...".

Based on the Act under Section 3(1), the company is Petroleum Nasional Berhad or Petronas.

Also in the same Act under Section 3(2), "The Corporation shall be subject to the control and direction of the Prime Minister who may from time to time issue such direction as he may deem fit."

Under Section 3(3), the direction issued by the Prime Minister is binding on Petronas.

However, I am not a legal expert so I will not go into legal technicalities in this post.

I have no doubt that the current state government under Barisan Nasional will fight for the right of Sarawak over petroleum resources found within the state's jurisdiction.

However, that is not enough.

The people of Sarawak also have to push their representatives under Pakatan Harapan to also fight for their rights. Under Pakatan Harapan's manifesto (click here for a copy of the manifesto), Promise 41 (page 91) states that "The 1974 Petroleum Development Act will be scrutinised to review Petronas's monopoly on national gas and oil products, especially from Sabah and Sarawak. This is to enable Sabah and Sarawak to set up their own oil and gas companies, and not limiting their role as a contractor to Petronas only."

Based on the recent election results, there are 12  parliament seats (10 from Pakatan + 2 independent who later joined Pakatan) in Sarawak held by Pakatan Harapan representatives (click here for the election results). Therefore, the people of Sarawak should demand Pakatan representatives to fulfil the manifesto as mentioned under Promise 41 which is to ensure the prosperity of the people of Sabah and Sarawak by enhancing the states' economic growth.

The campaign and election period is over.

For Sarawak to be able to protect their rights over petroleum resources found within the state, all leaders (from whichever party they may be) should work towards defending the state's rights.

And because the current Malaysian government is held by Pakatan Harapan, now is the time for the 'wakil rakyat' or representative from Pakatan Harapan to work and uphold the promise made in Pakatan's manifesto.

To the state government held by Barisan Nasional, hire the best legal team to fight for the rights of the state and do not let your people down.

To the people of Sarawak, this is not the time for you to be a spectator (or keyboard warrior). Demand proof that your representative is working in the best interest of the state and their people. And to those with legal expertise, you can also contribute your knowledge and experience by assisting those who are directly involved in the case.

This is Malaysia Baru.

But... Is it really?

Let's prove it really is Malaysia Baru by being informed, well-read and intelligent citizens - proactive Malaysians.


xoxo Fareiny

Ps: Some have mentioned that the Malaysian Agreement 1963 may be relevant to this case. I have not read the agreement (as I said, I am not a legal expert) but you can read the agreement if you like (click here for a copy of MA63).

Happy Mother's Day!

When I think of Mother's Day, I am always reminded by this quote by Abraham Lincoln:

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." 

Me and my mum in Yogyakarta. She came to accompany me for an academic conference because hubs wasn't able to join me.

As a mother myself, I am always reminded of all the joy and love I feel for my daughters. The hopes and dreams that I have for them, the prayers that I make so that they are not only be successful in this worldly life, but also be good and pious Muslims, and attain success in the afterlife as well. Which is why I was affected by a post on social media which I read a few days ago from a daughter who is obviously unhappy with the relationship that she has with her mother.

As Muslims, we learn that we should always strive to maintain a good relationship with our parents (especially to our mothers). This is apparent in a number of hadith by the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.:

A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet (PBUH) said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim)

A man once consulted the Prophet Muhammad about taking part in a military campaign. The Prophet asked the man if his mother was still living. When told that she was alive, the Prophet said: “(Then) stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

On another occasion, the Prophet said: “God has forbidden for you to be undutiful to your mothers.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

However, not everyone are blessed with a good relationship with their mothers or even with their parents.  There may be times where we may not be at the best of relationships with our mother (or both our parents). For some of you, like the post on social media that I read, may be estranged or in a difficult relationship with your mother (or both parents or other family members).

Do you know that our Prophets also have been tested with strained family relationships? Here are some examples:

Prophet Adam a.s. had a son who killed the other.

Prophet Nuh a.s. who even as his son was in the water did not accept his call to Islam. His son later drowned.

Prophet Nuh and Lut whose wives are non-believers.

Prophet Ibrahim a.s. whose father threw him in the fire.

Prophet Yaacob a.s. whose sons had a hatred so deep against their own brother i.e. Prophet Yusuf that they would lie to their own father so that they could kill Prophet Yusuf.

Prophet Yusuf a.s. whose brothers conspired to kill him and threw him in a well with the hopes that he would die.

Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. whose uncles (Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl) constantly mocked him and also conspired to kill him.

The thing that I've learnt from our Prophets is that, they have never wished bad things for their family members whom they are estranged from. Prophet Ibrahim a.s. tirelessly prayed for his father to accept Islam (Surah Maryam, verses 41 - 48) while Prophet Yusuf a.s. forgave his brothers and invited them to stay with him in Egypt (Surah Yusuf, verse 99).

We are not perfect and nor are we prophets. But we do strive to follow from the best example and the best example that we have is our Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.

Let us take heed from this hadith by the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.:

"The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best amongst you to my family."

May Allah protect our Mothers (and our Fathers too) and make them among the people of Jannah. May Allah protect our relationship with our family and forgive us all for our wrongdoings and keep us on the straight path. Ameen.

Alexa's handwritten Mother's Day card which she gave to me yesterday. Thank you to E'en and Eqa for helping her with the card =).

Happy Mother's Day everyone!


xoxo Fareiny

What would it take for you to renounce your religion?

This post is inspired by the apostasy cases which were heard in the Federal Court today. If you'd like to read about the case, you can read about it [here] and [here].

For some reason, the cases made me wonder: what would it take for us to renounce our religion?

I am somehow reminded by the story of Salman the Persian, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. He was born and raised as a Zoroastrian who then converted to Christianity (after meeting a Nestorian Christian group) and afterwards converted to Islam after meeting the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.

Three different religions in one lifetime.

For Salman, the decision to renounce the religion of his family, Zoroastrian, was of his own making. And it was the same when he decided to again renounce Christianity.

Can we influence someone to convert to another religion?

A number of examples have shown that we cannot. Point in case: Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. died without embracing Islam despite being a strong supporter of the Prophet and even though the Prophet asked him to pronounce the shahadah on his deathbed, he did not do so.

Even in the case of Salman the Persian, he was imprisoned by his family (which he escaped from later) after he converted to Christianity.

Why? Matters regarding faith rests in the heart of man, for we cannot lie to ourselves and bow down (prostrate) to what we do not believe in. We have been given free will, hence we have the freedom to choose and decide in which faith do we want to profess to.

"... And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered." (Surah Al Anfal 8: 24)

In a hadith the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. mentions, "Verily, the hearts of all the sons of Adam are between the two fingers out of the fingers of the Compassionate Lord as one heart. He turns that to any (direction) He likes." Then the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. said: "O' Allah, the Turner of the hearts, turn our hearts to Thine obedience."

Thus we could say that matters of the faith is a reflection of the heart of man. If your heart turns to another faith, perhaps then, that is what it takes for you to renounce your religion to another.

I pray that we all be guided and may our hearts be kept steadfast on the straight path. Ameen.


xoxo Fareiny

Defining Me

What kind of person would you say you are?

A few days ago I saw a post on my Facebook timeline. It was a video of a socialite, showcasing her collection of designer handbags, shoes and clothes.

Seeing the video, I felt a huge sigh of relief... Because material things such as handbags, shoes and clothes does not define who I am. Perhaps it may have when I was younger (or I perceive it to be a definitive part of me then), but it certainly does not define who I am, now.

Who I was, but no longer am. Alhamdulillah.

So let's revisit my first statement: How do you define the person that you are?

I am going to be turning 40 in a few years and one of the things that I am grateful for is the ability to be comfortable (very comfortable, really) in my own skin, accepting me for who I really am (flaws and all) and not really bothering about what people say/ think/ talk of me. It does not bother me if people do not like me, because really, there's no pleasing everybody and no matter what happens, I will be the same person unless and until I decide to change. Besides, what people say/ think/ talk is actually a reflection of the person that they are so it is always best to let them be.

Back to the question of defining oneself.

Some people define themselves by the career that they have, the kids that Allah has bestowed upon them, the friends that they have around them or even the amount of wealth that they have amassed. I have discovered that as much as I love my career, my family, my friends and money (or the amount of comfort that money brings), I do not want to be defined by those things, for indeed they are fleeting.

Allah give what He wills and Allah can take back what He wills.

So, let's do a stock check, and find out:

(1) How do you feel about yourself?
(2) Are you happy with the person that you are/ becoming?
(3) If yes, Alhamdulillah.
(4) If no, then why aren't you happy with yourself?
(5) Is there anything that you wish to change about yourself?

Social media is a huge influencer in our lives. The purpose of this blogpost (and the main reason why I've decided to reactivate my blog) is simply because of how much social media has taken over our lives and how some people (especially the younger generation) are influenced by the amount of 'likes' and 'comments' that they have on their social media accounts.

One of the defining moments of my life, reaching the top of Mulu Pinnacles. The climb up and down Mulu Pinnacles took me 13 hours (a friend of mine completed the whole climb in about 9 hours). 

You are defined by the things that you do, and what you commit your mind to.

What people think of you and your posts should not be a benchmark of who you are. And besides, life is never about having a '5 seconds of fame' moment or being viral on the internet. It is so much more than that. It's about making a mark on this world and leaving a footprint of who we are - for which we will be judged upon by Allah in the hereafter.

So, define yourself carefully. You are unique. And don't let who you are be defined by someone other than you.

Love and positivity, always.


xoxo Fareiny

New year, new blog and a not-so-new, me!

*cough*cough*

Hello there! 

It's been a year and here I am dusting the cobwebs on my blog, trying to figure out whether I should continue blogging or just continue leaving it as it is and pursue my other non-interests such as wiping snot off Alexa's nose or changing Isabel's diapers now that she's pooped for the third time in the same day (kidding!).

It's challenging being a working mom. Though in good times and bad times, Allah's plans are the best of plans, Alhamdulillah.  May Allah protect them from all that is evil and make them strong like Khadijah a.s. (the wife of our Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.). Ameen!

Anyway, since I've been away from the blogging space, my thoughts on I should be writing this and that, unfortunately, refuse to leave me, for I do love writing. So here we are, back here, with me thinking of the things that I should write more of and trying to fit blogging into my already packed schedule. 

Ah well, I've made up my mind and hopefully you'll see more of me (my writing at least), in this space. 

Until then, love and positivity always!

xoxo Fareiny

Introducing Raden Isabel Asiya

So I've been busy lately. I haven't been able to update my blog due to me having shifted my priorities and making my PhD my number one priority these days. Any other events, have to take a backseat, unless of course, it involves birth and labor, which, like it or not, have to be the number one priority when the time comes.

Us in Sri Lanka, June 2016.

Anyway, we (me and hubs, obviously) discovered that I was pregnant after we came home from our trip to Sri Lanka in June. Alhamdulillah we've always wanted another child and we are extremely grateful to be granted another opportunity. Fast forward months later, just like my pregnancy with Alexa, the baby is 40 weeks overdue and there is a high chance of me undergoing a caesarian as not only the baby is overdue, but I also have gestational diabetes, which poses a risk to the baby.

Since I was overdue, and although the baby was already engaged, my cervix wasn't dilated as yet. My doctor suggested that I go for a balloon catheter induction which is available at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) which would give me a chance to proceed with normal delivery. Otherwise, the alternative would be a caesarian delivery.

Because we were rooting for a normal delivery, we decided to try the balloon induction and my ob-gyn proceeded with a referral letter for SGH. On Thursday, 28th January I packed my stuff and then proceeded to SGH for the induction, and prayed for a normal delivery. Registered at the labor ward (Level 4) at 9 pm and my condition was examined by a doctor a few minutes later. She reported the results of her examination to a senior doctor about an hour later. The senior doctor conducted a vaginal examination and declared that my cervix was 3 cm dilated and that I did not need an induction. She even declared that I would deliver the following morning. Little did I know that she was right in her prediction.

The tiny person who's hijacked my sleep (for now).

At 12 midnight, I was wheeled to Level 5, given a bed and a change of clothes and was informed that if I felt any contraction or feel that I am nearing labor, I could request for a vaginal examination. If (based on the examination) my cervix was dilated to 4 cm, I would be brought to the delivery room at Level 4. By 2 am I was ready for bed; I had performed my prayers and there were some Braxton Hicks, but nothing to be alarmed about. By 4 am, the pain started to get more intense, so I asked the nurse for a vaginal exam. The nurse said that I had already dilated to 5 cm and would be wheeled to the delivery room once they had an available bed. 20 minutes later, I was in the delivery room, strapped with to a fetal monitor and by that time, the contractions were quite intense that I actually had asked the doctor for epidural.

The nurses proceeded to fill in some forms, asked me a couple of questions which (in my dazed state) some I was able to answer while the rest, I mumbled incoherent words. With almost zero sleep, an empty stomach and parched throat, I wasn't exactly on cloud nine. At 6.30 am, the anaesthetist came and proceeded to warn me the risks of an epidural. I insisted that I wanted an epidural. She then told me to sit up (I was lying down all this while), to which I tried to do with much difficulty. I then told her that I can't sit up properly because I felt a strong urge to poop. She told me to lie down and then informed another doctor to perform a vaginal exam to check if my cervix was fully dilated. Surprise, surprise, it was fully dilated to 10 cm and I (apparently) was in labor. Obviously, I did not get the epidural (much to the relief of the anaesthetist).

All of a sudden the delivery room was filled with nurses and they proceeded to cheer me to push when I feel a contraction coming. As a newbie (my first born was delivered via c-section), I wasn't able to push well, and the lack of sleep and lack of food obviously did not help my condition. The baby came out after three or four pushes later at 7.16 am, weighing 3.47 kg. Alhamdulillah, I only suffered a second degree tear and did not require any episiotomy. But I do need some stitches.

Raden Isabel Asiya, three hours after birth. Hubs liked the name Bella so we decided on Isabel which means devoted to God and Asiya is the wife of the Pharaoh and one of those who is promised Jannah (refer to the Quran, 66:11) or you can also read a Facebook post about her (click here).

Hubs came in to the delivery room a few minutes later. He wasn't allowed to come in during the delivery because at 7 am, nurses and doctors would change shifts and while they hand over their tasks to the incoming medical team, no visitors are allowed until the new shift has settled in. Post birth, the nurses proceeded with allowing me to breastfeed Isabel right after the stitches were done.

Our first selfie, Day 1 of Raden Isabel Asiya.

So all praise be to Allah for granting me the VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarian) which I so desperately wanted, granting my wish of a vaginal delivery without episiotomy (which I kept praying for as well) and allowing me to breastfeed Isabel after birth as well.

And for those who are preparing for birth, here are some of the things that I did to prepare myself for birth:

1. Exercise - Towards the 9th month, I'd walk a couple of kilometres (almost) every day to ensure that my body is in optimum condition. Exercising not only helps during birth (we need our muscles to push), but also helps us to recover faster. Other than walking, in the final month, I did squats 100 times a day and also kegel exercises to ensure that my pelvic muscles are strong.

2. Educate myself - I have attended a hypnobirthing class before with Sister Nadine Ghows, and proceeded with a short refresher with Cikgu Chris in December. This really helped me to practice deep breathing (during the initial Braxton Hicks and in between contractions). The visualisation technique from the class also helped and without it, I do think I would be in a different state during birth.

3. Make dua'a - I made a LOT of dua'as during my pregnancy and even the night before delivery. I am a firm believer that Allah will grant you what you ask for (unless it is not the best for you, of course) and Alhamdulillah, I got what I asked for and more.

4. Perineal Massage - Unfortunately I did not do this enough. I only managed to attempt a perineal massage a couple of times before delivery. I personally think that if done consistently, you could avoid (or minimise) the tear in your perineum during delivery.

5. Aromatherapy oils - I am extremely grateful to Cikgu Chris for providing me with aromatherapy oils a couple of weeks before the delivery. I used them everyday and I do think they helped to quicken the labor as well as help me to be in a calmer state of mind during delivery.

6. Proper diet - I read somewhere that pregnant women who eat (at least six) dates everyday have shorter labor than those who didn't. So I included dates in my daily breakfast and although I am not sure how short is a short labour, mine was a little over 3 hours so to me I suppose the dates did help.

And that is my birth story with Raden Isabel Asiya. Those who would like to know more about hypnobirthing, you can check out Nadine's class at Gentle Beginnings (click here) or Cikgu Chris's class at Borneo Bellies, Birth and Babies (click here). Inshaa Allah once I have the time, I'll update my review on giving birth at SGH soon (I hope).


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Hotel Review: Memoire Hornbill Hotel

Holla!

My internet connection has gone a bit bonkers the past few weeks (I had limited internet connectivity but wasn't able to upload photos due to the line disconnecting every 10 minutes or so), so am only able to complete and upload this blog now that I've settled things with my internet provider. My humble apologies on the late posting of this blogpost.

Anyway, a few weeks ago we had the opportunity to tour around one of Kuching's boutique hotels, the Memoire Hornbill Hotel located at Jalan Keretapi (3rd Mile, next to McDonalds), and here's a photoblog of the visit:

Hotel lobby. We were warmly received by Mr Chanthy and Mr Rock.

Rattan swings and lounges at the lobby. Such a relaxing ambience. I could hang out here all day!

One of the bedroom suites at the hotel. Each room depicts the warm Cambodian hospitality, with earth and natural hues decorating its interior.

Facilities and basic amenities available in the bedroom. 

Twin-sharing room. Plush comfortable pillows and snuggly blankets, what more could a traveler ask for?

Another bedroom suite, this time decorated in blue and yellow. I am sure kids (and adults too) would love the rattan swing =).

They have two bedrooms which can accommodate those with special needs. The room and bathroom is comfortable enough to fit a wheelchair. 

Bedroom suite. 

Food stalls in front of the hotel. 

Various choices await (they even have ice-cream!). 

Big screen, perfect for football matches and other sporting events. 

So what do I think about Memoire Hornbill Hotel?

For one thing, I love the fact that it's so convenient to get food. The availability of various food stalls within a few steps of the front door of the hotel. There's also a large screen tv within the compound which is perfect for football matches, the world cup or even the Olympic games. If you came to Kuching in a car, or if you have a rented car with you, there's plenty of parking spaces within the hotel's vicinity. What I found to be impressive about the hotel is the availability of rooms for those with special needs. There are not many hotels who are able to cater to their needs and provide specially designed bathrooms so that a wheelchair can comfortably navigate in and out of the bathroom. This makes it very, very convenient for those with special needs to attend to their needs. Other than the lobby, there's also waiting areas on different floors complete with rattan chairs for guests to hang out and chill.

Alexa trying out the swing. Don't worry dear, I don't think you're that heavy =P.

The hotel has other facilities such as a function room which is perfect for small and intimate functions, weddings and gatherings so do give them a call at 082-413551 if you want to check their other facilities.

One for the photo album! Thank you Tressa for inviting me, I absolutely loved the hotel and how it caters not only for the usual travellers, but also to those with special needs as well. 

Would I recommend the hotel? Obviously! A comfortable boutique hotel, with a huge selection of food (and McDonalds if you love the fast-food chain), charming and attentive staff and a very economical price, you can be sure that you're trip to Kuching will be a great one. Do check out the hotel's website [here] and Facebook page [here] for more info.


Happy holidays!



xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: Grill Wine Cafe (GWC)

The other night we were invited by our friends at Memoire Hornbill Hotel to try out their new eatery, Grill Wine Cafe (GWC) at Jalan Keretapi, Kuching. Obviously we were excited, as the cafe does not only serve western food, but Cambodian cuisine as well. Having visited Siem Reap a couple of years ago and Phnom Penh about four years ago, I absolutely love Cambodian food. The Cambodian beef are tender and juicy and their dishes are simply scrumptious!

Here's a photoblog of our visit:

The exterior of the cafe. It has a very distinctive masculine design, the whole ambience was quiet and very private. The setting is great for a quiet and romantic dinner for two.

The interior of the cafe. The chairs and tables were very comfortable, the servers were absolutely polite and they catered to our every need. 

The interior of the cafe. Love, love, love the decor and ceiling of this cafe. As Cambodian food is one of their specialty, we asked for Cambodian food and these are what we had...

Cambodian Beef Lok Lak. 

A famous Cambodian dish, it is served with steamed rice, salad and sunny side up fried egg. What I love about this dish is that, it's not too spicy (because Alexa had some as well), the beef was tender and juicy and I love the gravy. Yummy!

Cambodian Red Chicken Curry. 

I unfortunately had a sore throat, thus was not able to fully enjoy this dish. Hubs loved it, by the way. The curry was fabulous, it has just the right amount of consistency, wasn't too thick and slightly spicy with just the right amount of curry. 

Cambodian Amok Fish. 

I also wasn't able to enjoy this dish due to the sore throat unfortunately. Hubs however, proclaimed this as his favourite dish in the cafe. The dish is has a slightly spicy taste, with a rich and creamy consistency.

 Us with Mr Chanthy, Operations Manager of Memoire Hornbill Hotel. 

So, what can I say about the restaurant?

As someone who loves eating out, I love both the food and ambience of the restaurant. In terms of Cambodian food, we were hoping to try Lembu Naik Bukit (a Cambodian dish that we had in Siem Reap) but unfortunately they didn't have it on the menu. Although we were told, you can try to ask the chef nicely if he can accommodate your request, and you might just be lucky! Anyway, the food was awesome, ambience, even more so. The place is a perfect setting I suppose for either a date night with hubs or even a catching up session with my girlfriends (can't wait to bring them there!).

Do take note that, all food are sourced from halal sources, but, they do serve wine and alcohol.

The restaurant is located in the same building as McDonalds (3rd Mile), just walk along the pathway from McDonalds and you'll find the restaurant to your left.

To know more, do visit their website [here] or their Facebook page [here]. For reservations, you can call them at +6082-413551.

Will definitely be back to try their steaks. Bon Appetit!

Did I mention that they have a hotel too? I'm going to blog about the hotel next. Wait for my next post!


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

To vaccinate or to not vaccinate, that is the question

Last week I brought my lil' bub, Alexa, with me to KL. While walking towards the Arrival Hall in KLIA, we stopped at an ATM kiosk, and (it's weird how a mum's brain tends to notice the strangest thing) nearby, a lady sneezed. I thought to myself, if this lady is carrying any viruses, Alexa could get infected. True enough (although I am not in any way blaming the lady), Alexa developed signs of fever the very next night. Her body temperature rose to 37.4 degrees celsius and we were worried enough to bring her to the doctor the very next morning.
At the doctor's office, we found that she only has a mild fever, and her throat was slightly inflamed (her tonsils were okay). So the doctor prescribed some paracetamol and gave some probiotics for her. We fed Alexa the paracetamol as scheduled (she rejected the probiotics) and gave her as much liquids as she can manage. That night, her temperature soared to above 39 degrees celsius.
The very next day, she started developing a cough. We gave her some honey to help with the cough, but by this time, it was obvious that she was not well. She did not want to speak. All she did all day is sleep (in between bottle feeds) and the only food that we managed to get into her was porridge. We decided to bring her to another doctor the next day. That night, her temperature had also risen to above 39 degrees celsius, she was clearly uncomfortable, she kept tossing and turning (she clearly couldn't sleep) and we tried our level best to make her comfortable.
By this time, it was already day 4 of her fever and day 3 of her cough. We brought her to a specialist this time. The specialist confirmed that she had fever. Body temperature was 39.4 degrees and her tonsils were swollen. The specialist prescribed a new set of meds (along with coughing syrup and antibiotics) and we stopped giving Alexa the previous doctor's medicine. That night, Alexa's temperature had still risen to above 39 degrees celsius (her body temperature seems to increase at night and it stays that way until wee hours of the morning) and because she had to fly back to Kuching with hubs the next day, we decided to hold against giving antibiotics until they were in Kuching (Doc told us to keep the antibiotics in the fridge once it's mixed with water, so we decided we could wait for a day before giving her antibiotics).

Day 5, Alexa still had the fever and cough and by now she had developed a bit of the flu as well. I told hubs that if it continues, perhaps, he could bring Alexa to another doctor the next day. That night, Alexa's body temperature had still risen to above 39 degrees. To be honest, this is the worst fever that Alexa has ever experienced in her whole life.

Day 6, hubs brought Alexa to another doctor (3 doctors in 6 days, I know) and he told Alexa to continue with the meds that the specialist had prescribed. Alexa's body temperature remained at 39 degrees. Alexa was still weak, all she did is sleep and rest all day. At night her body temperature continued to rise and her coughing was getting worst.

Day 7, hubs decided to bring Alexa to the emergency department at Normah Medical Specialist because her condition looked to be quite serious. We had both agreed that if it is necessary, perhaps Alexa is better off being warded in the hospital. The doctor inserted some medicine into her bum to reduce her body temperature and they also used the nebuliser on her. Four doctors in 7 days. Alhamdulillah from this moment onwards her body temperature slowly improved, she was still slightly feverish, but never above 39 degrees celsius.
Day 8, body temperature reduced significantly to 37.4 degrees and she started behaving normally at certain moments during the day. The cough unfortunately was still there.
Day 9, no more signs of fever *hurrah*. Until today (Day 11), it seems she is back to her usual self, body temperature is normal. However, there are still random bouts of coughing but it's not as serious as previously. Inshaa Allah, she will be in tip top condition by Eid.

Now, with the news on Diphtheria in Malaysia (here's a link to the news on Diphtheria), you must be wondering, is Alexa vaccinated?

Yes, she is. However, the child specialist (the 2nd doctor that we visited) pointed out that we forgot to give her the 18 months vaccine. In our defence, we actually did go to the doctor for the vaccine but at that time, it was out of stock and we eventually forgot to follow up with the doctor.

Second question, was it Diphtheria?

No, it was not. She did not have any signs of thick gray membrane covering her throat and tonsils and she also did not have any difficulty in breathing. Do take note that other than for that one vaccination that we forgot, Alexa has received all her vaccinations in full as recommended by the health ministry.
And if it was, Alexa would definitely had been warded (and be part of the statistics). And that was the motivation behind seeing all those doctors. You might think that it is a waste to see a doctor every two days but for us, firstly, for several days, her body temperature had actually risen to 39.4 degrees. And Diphtheria symptoms usually show 2 - 7 days after you've been infected. Although she has been vaccinated, we wanted to confirm that it was not Diphtheria (hence the different doctor visits just to make sure that we had a second, third and fourth opinion) and secondly, we also wanted to be sure that she did not need to be warded.

To this day, when I think about her condition and what she had been through, a thought goes through my mind:

If she wasn't vaccinated, could it have been Diphtheria?

In all honesty, I don't know. But one thing I do know, I don't want her to have it.

So lately there's been a lot of discussion going back and forth between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine parents. To all parents, I respect your choice, either to vaccinated or not-vaccinate your children. I am sure you have a good reason for it. And your reasons may be justified by valid claims. However, I would like to highlight one thing:

It was so easy for Alexa to get caught with this fever and cough. Admittedly it could be due to the fact that Alexa travels a bit more than other toddlers her age. But then again, don't you think your child interacts with a lot of people throughout the day? Some may justify that their kids are homeschooled and they stay indoors all day long. But is that healthy (staying indoors all day) and the right thing for a child's development? Your child will be in contact with different people and especially for kids who are in daycare/ kindergarten, there's a lot more interaction involved.

I believe that all parents are pro-life. That's why you decided to have children in the first place. But would you be willing to risk that life? You may be able to control the food that they eat, the environment that they are in when they are at home, but you are unable to control all other various factors such as the people that they come in contact with and the environment outside your home.

This reminds me of a beautiful hadith by the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. which was reported by Anas ibn Malik,

"A man said, "O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I untie her and trust in Allah?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him said, "Tie her and trust in Allah."

If we were to follow that hadith, it could be adapted to the current situation as, vaccinate your children, and put your trust in Allah.


xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: De' Bams, the new name in Kids Fashion

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the beautiful ladies at De' Bams, inviting me to try out their kids apparel for my lil' bub, Alexa. Naturally I was excited because, for one thing, I am a strong supporter of the local industry and for another thing, these are two lovely mothers who create beautiful products while at the same time supporting local Malaysian businesses, just like I do.

De' Bams was established by two BFFs (what an innovative partnership, I must say) who draw inspiration from their own children. They specialise in statement onesies and t-shirts; all designs are originally designed by themselves and the best part is, they do collaborations with other stay-at-home moms in the creation of some of their products. Masha Allah, I am definitely envious of how much girl power that these super-mommies emanate. All designs have one common theme, to channel a positive and playful vibe from the clothes that they make; perfect for growing up kids. And *drumroll* all products are 100% Made in Malaysia *hurrah*.

So the package from De' Bams arrived last week and I was fortunate to have Alexa with me in KL at the time, so, perfect timing to see how the clothes would fit her.

The unboxing. 

The package from De' Bams came in a brown box, complete with a round turquoise sticker with De' Bams label on it. Inside were two statement t-shirts, one blue and white "I'm feeling awesome" shirt and another bright pink "Playful and Cheerful" shirt. There were two flared cotton pants as well, and I absolutely adore the frills at the bottom of the pants. They add style to the outfit, without restricting a child's movements (i.e. Alexa would be able to run, walk, sit and stretch comfortably in the pants without any impediment). 

What I really love about De' Bams is the quality of their material. The choice of material that they use for the clothes are high quality material. Both the shirts and pants are made of 100% cotton. The material is thick (i.e. not the usual flimsy materials that you would get for children's clothing). To compare, I would have to say that their material is slightly thicker than the material used by Pumpkin Patch. Why I am emphasising on the material is because, for one thing, kids (especially toddlers) tend to get themselves into various situations and if they aren't careful, they have the tendency to tear (or at least make a hole) in their clothing. With the quality of material used by De' Bams, I am very confident that these clothes will be able to weather Alexa's antics. And because it's made of 100% cotton, the material is cool and breathable, perfect for hot summer days (which we have all year round in Malaysia). 

I'm Feeling Awesome.

We brought Alexa to the playground to test out how comfortable she would be in the outfit. As you can see, she's enjoying herself, and in all sincerity, her facial expression along with the statement shirt just made my day!

Love 'em frills at the bottom of the pants. Retro is definitely the way to go. 

We tried the second outfit a few days later, just in time for her flight to Kuching. Unfortunately she was slightly under the weather on that day so we wanted her to be in something that is comfortable, breathable and at the same time thick enough for the plane ride.

To see how comfortable she is in her outfit, we've made a video of her trying her best to give her first YouTube tutorial. Do let me know what you think of the video =).

In all honesty, I love De' Bams and I do recommend mothers out there to try them out. I believe that, yes, it is necessary for us to support the local industry but even more so when they create such beautiful and high quality products. They have more designs available (and for various ages) so do visit their website [here] and you can also stay current with them by following them on their Facebook page [here] or Instagram [here]. 

Proud to be supporting a Made in Malaysia product.

xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Fashionista's Review: Kuehpedia, Bringing the Groove Back to Old School Kopitiams

I had meant to write this post sooner but unfortunately Alexa had gotten sick right after we landed in KL and when she had left for Kuching last Sunday, I was swamped with deadlines and had to complete some errands before I leave for my Eid break. Alhamdulillah I had finally completed my work earlier today and now I am (almost) on Eid mode. I'll be singing Eid songs all the way to Kuching this Sunday, woot! woot!

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of breaking fast at Kuehpedia with my pal, Farhah. I've heard of Kuehpedia before (believe me, Kuehpedia has been trending on my Facebook timeline), but unfortunately, as I haven't been back to Kuching for a while, I had not had the chance to visit and try out the cafe. Luckily Farhah called us up for their breaking fast session and let me just say that it was absolutely awesome.

Don't believe me? Let me show you some photos just to show you how awesome Kuehpedia is:

They had a Ramadhan buffet promotion when I was there. I had all the traditional Malay food such as ulam, ikan tahai, sayur nangka, midin belacan and sayur keladi along with some of the modern Malay food such as butter chicken and daging masak kicap. Let me just say, they were all scrumptious. I loved every bit of them and I especially love their sambal belacan. It was the perfect iftar for me!

Some of the traditional cakes that we had. We actually had more but they made it to the tummy first before I managed to take a photo of them. And by the way, the fried fritters next to that Kueh Perahu is actually kurma goreng. Yummy!

Ended my dinner with a cup of teh tarik =).

Buffet spread.

Some of their buffet spread.

Buffet spread for the cakes. I loved the fact that they had loads of traditional cakes. 

Let me just add a few comments about their buffet spread before I show you some photos of the interior of the cafe. Firstly, I love the fact that they cook fabulous traditional Sarawakian food. Some of the food are not easily available in Kuching, such as ikan tahai, thus Kuehpedia definitely offers something unique to their customers. I also loved their traditional cakes. They are delicious and those such as kueh bongkol and kueh perahu were absolutely scrumptious!

The Ramadhan buffet were priced at RM30 per person (for adults) and RM15 (for children) which I think is an absolute steal with the array of food that they are serving. The place was filled to the brim with customers and they even had to reject walk-in customers because there was no more space, masha Allah.

Unfortunately, the buffet promotion is only available in Ramadhan (I imagine there will be a long queue for next year's Ramadhan) but after Eid they will be open for business as usual. I actually would love to try out their breakfast spread. Soon, Fareiny, soon =).

Here are some photos of the cafe:

Food and drinks counter.

Cafe interior. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page.

Trinkets and cakes.

The Iban warrior. I absolutely adore this mural.

The set up at the first floor. Photo taken by Farhah. 

Kuehpedia has a private room available for private bookings and functions on their first floor. On the day that I came for iftar, they had a private booking where the guests requested to eat and sit on the floor (traditional style). Uber cool!

The first floor set up. Photo taken by Farhah.

Decor in the private room. Photo taken by Farhah.

Thank you Farhah for inviting me over and Kuehpedia is such a gem. I can't wait to come over again. 

Kuehpedia exterior. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page. 

Kek Lapis Citrawarna. Photo courtesy of Kuehpedia's Facebook page. 

For now (until Eid), Kuehpedia will be focusing on their Kek Lapis business and those who are looking for cakes and other delicacies to be served to guests this Eid, do drop by and check out their selection of scrumptious cakes.

If you're wondering where Kuehpedia is, it's located at Wayang Street (not far from Medan Pelita, some locals used to call the building Star Cineplex). If you're unsure of where it is, feel free to call them at 010-9710606. 

For more info on Kuehpedia (and to be updated on their promotions) do follow their Facebook page [here]. Let's support the local industry (especially the yummy ones) *wink*.

xoxo Mrs Fashionista