I live for the weekends (I’m sure I’m not the only one!) and even more so now. You see, a colleague who’s also a friend has just left to perform Hajj and in her absence, her portfolio is divided between myself and another colleague. So my portfolio for the next seven weeks is increased by 50%. Actually, some work has already been passed to me since the end of the past week.
I’m always determined to make the most of my weekends so much so that while most people would prefer to have a lie-in, I actually don’t mind getting up early to maximise the waking hours of my weekend. Yes, I know I already wake up early on weekdays but it feels a shame to wake up late on a Saturday or Sunday. If I wake up after 10 or 11 even noon as some people do, well, that’s half of the day gone already or 1/4 of my weekend. It’s just like when I’m away on holidays: I get up early to make the most of my time away (of course I also have my siesta on weekends and holidays) to get the most out of my break.
Last Saturday, I went on a day-trip to Singapore. There was a JetStar offer - zero fare and the turn trip cost me only RM120. I ended up around Orchard Road only and yet I almost ran out of time. While Singapore, unlike KL, doesn’t have prayer rooms in hotels or shopping complexes, there’s Masjid Al-Falah, just across the side street from Paragon where I went to perform prayers. My initial plan when I bought the ticket was to browse look for some winter gear but I may return there again soon so apart from a quick visit to The North Face store, the rest of the trip was spent traipsing up and down Orchard Road as far as Paragon from Orchard station. I did end up spending on something - I thought long and hard about it and debated many times with myself before buying it - but no regrets. I will suffer a bit of a financial impact but it’s a very good investment in the long run. Besides, the price of this product will rise as the brand keeps revising its prices every couple of years or so.
Actually, as I’ve found over the few trips to Singers, branded and luxury goods cost a lot less in Kuala Lumpur than in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila - this is based on my voluntary research and hours of browsing in stores like Marks & Spencer, Furla, Gucci, Prada and Chanel, and on products (e.g. SK II). I cannot understand why some people say things cost less in Singers when they definitely don’t and especially not without the current exchange rate.
That said, there are places where you can find good bargains. These places are frequented by the quite sizable foreign workers over there, namely Far East Plaza and Lucky Plaza. In the Far East Plaza for example, you can find a shop that sells clothes, toiletries and food at very competitive prices (it’s near some ATM machines), shops that sell souvenir products also at competitive prices (that would save you a trip to Mustafa, a wholesale store akin to our Mydin, at Little India), fragrance shops (one of which stocks fragrance at very competitive prices) and a store that sells branded goods (Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi etc) at 40% off the store prices - I believe they source the goods direct from Europe.
Similarly, Lucky Plaza houses stores akin to those you can find in Sungai Wang Plaza here. There are also a lot of money changers, remittance companies and eateries that cater to the foreign workers (e.g. Filipino food, Indonesian food). And I found, or rather stumbled upon, BagZaar, a store that sells almost new, gently used branded goods (Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and even Hermès). There’s another store at Level 3 which operates similarly; however, I found the display messier than that of BagZaar.
I returned home late that night - flight out was at 10 pm and my, it was such a bumpy ride. There was no way you could doze off at all with all that turbulence. We landed at 10:50 pm but the earlier train I could catch was the 11:20 pm express train so I reached home close to midnight. Well, I’m no Cinderella (though yes, besides the long hours at work, I also have to juggle household chores in what little spare time I have left).
On Sunday, I took a little walk to a massage place and had a hot stone massage. It was all good and relaxing; however it didn’t manage to help me get rid of wind.
(Sunday evening was spoilt by the stupid Gunners who lost to the bloody Spuds. Damn you, Arsenal. I was in a bad mood on Monday and Tuesday because of this. Thanks to Audrey and Zack who helped me see perspective and of course, the ever brilliant Arseblog).
Besides tackling the never-ending household chores (lest you think I do nothing but twiddle my thumb and not lift a finger at home. In fact, I cleaned two houses this weekend: micasa and my parents’. So, yes, cry me a river. But I also believe in delayed gratification), I went for a movie and did some shopping. I headed to Isetan Lot 10 (didn't buy anything substantial) during lunch and Isetan KLCC after work (didn’t spend a sen!) but I ended up buying a movie ticket for Saturday morning so at least it wasn't a wasted trip to KLCC on Friday evening. I was luckier on Saturday and managed to buy some things after the movie (The Three Musketeers). It has indeed been a long time since my last movie outing. My last movie was Captain America, back in July!
Akak and family came in the evening so I spent the rest of the weekend with la familia. And while I didn't get to read as much as I would like to, I spent some quality time with my nephew and niece, tutoring and supervising them in their school revision.
I can’t wait for the next weekend. Bring it on!!! (But yes, there’s the small matter of having to get through the week first. Sigh.)
I’m always determined to make the most of my weekends so much so that while most people would prefer to have a lie-in, I actually don’t mind getting up early to maximise the waking hours of my weekend. Yes, I know I already wake up early on weekdays but it feels a shame to wake up late on a Saturday or Sunday. If I wake up after 10 or 11 even noon as some people do, well, that’s half of the day gone already or 1/4 of my weekend. It’s just like when I’m away on holidays: I get up early to make the most of my time away (of course I also have my siesta on weekends and holidays) to get the most out of my break.
Last Saturday, I went on a day-trip to Singapore. There was a JetStar offer - zero fare and the turn trip cost me only RM120. I ended up around Orchard Road only and yet I almost ran out of time. While Singapore, unlike KL, doesn’t have prayer rooms in hotels or shopping complexes, there’s Masjid Al-Falah, just across the side street from Paragon where I went to perform prayers. My initial plan when I bought the ticket was to browse look for some winter gear but I may return there again soon so apart from a quick visit to The North Face store, the rest of the trip was spent traipsing up and down Orchard Road as far as Paragon from Orchard station. I did end up spending on something - I thought long and hard about it and debated many times with myself before buying it - but no regrets. I will suffer a bit of a financial impact but it’s a very good investment in the long run. Besides, the price of this product will rise as the brand keeps revising its prices every couple of years or so.
Actually, as I’ve found over the few trips to Singers, branded and luxury goods cost a lot less in Kuala Lumpur than in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila - this is based on my voluntary research and hours of browsing in stores like Marks & Spencer, Furla, Gucci, Prada and Chanel, and on products (e.g. SK II). I cannot understand why some people say things cost less in Singers when they definitely don’t and especially not without the current exchange rate.
That said, there are places where you can find good bargains. These places are frequented by the quite sizable foreign workers over there, namely Far East Plaza and Lucky Plaza. In the Far East Plaza for example, you can find a shop that sells clothes, toiletries and food at very competitive prices (it’s near some ATM machines), shops that sell souvenir products also at competitive prices (that would save you a trip to Mustafa, a wholesale store akin to our Mydin, at Little India), fragrance shops (one of which stocks fragrance at very competitive prices) and a store that sells branded goods (Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi etc) at 40% off the store prices - I believe they source the goods direct from Europe.
Similarly, Lucky Plaza houses stores akin to those you can find in Sungai Wang Plaza here. There are also a lot of money changers, remittance companies and eateries that cater to the foreign workers (e.g. Filipino food, Indonesian food). And I found, or rather stumbled upon, BagZaar, a store that sells almost new, gently used branded goods (Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and even Hermès). There’s another store at Level 3 which operates similarly; however, I found the display messier than that of BagZaar.
I returned home late that night - flight out was at 10 pm and my, it was such a bumpy ride. There was no way you could doze off at all with all that turbulence. We landed at 10:50 pm but the earlier train I could catch was the 11:20 pm express train so I reached home close to midnight. Well, I’m no Cinderella (though yes, besides the long hours at work, I also have to juggle household chores in what little spare time I have left).
On Sunday, I took a little walk to a massage place and had a hot stone massage. It was all good and relaxing; however it didn’t manage to help me get rid of wind.
(Sunday evening was spoilt by the stupid Gunners who lost to the bloody Spuds. Damn you, Arsenal. I was in a bad mood on Monday and Tuesday because of this. Thanks to Audrey and Zack who helped me see perspective and of course, the ever brilliant Arseblog).
Besides tackling the never-ending household chores (lest you think I do nothing but twiddle my thumb and not lift a finger at home. In fact, I cleaned two houses this weekend: micasa and my parents’. So, yes, cry me a river. But I also believe in delayed gratification), I went for a movie and did some shopping. I headed to Isetan Lot 10 (didn't buy anything substantial) during lunch and Isetan KLCC after work (didn’t spend a sen!) but I ended up buying a movie ticket for Saturday morning so at least it wasn't a wasted trip to KLCC on Friday evening. I was luckier on Saturday and managed to buy some things after the movie (The Three Musketeers). It has indeed been a long time since my last movie outing. My last movie was Captain America, back in July!
Akak and family came in the evening so I spent the rest of the weekend with la familia. And while I didn't get to read as much as I would like to, I spent some quality time with my nephew and niece, tutoring and supervising them in their school revision.
I can’t wait for the next weekend. Bring it on!!! (But yes, there’s the small matter of having to get through the week first. Sigh.)
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