To Love With Love

A big thank you to my half for this one last birthday gift— a cake-holding bear made out of crystal. This adorable teddy is meant for Aquarians like me, and now sits on my bedside ladder. He reminds me of how loved I am every day.

The Sweetest Things

My baby sister, who's a makeup artist, gave me this foundation set from Benefit. I've always loved their retro-inspired packaging and witty copies. They double as home décor in my books. My ma went back to her hometown recently and came back with these stylish boots meant for me. She has great taste in shoes. I am soled. A Nora Ephron book about aging is perfect for all the ladies celebrating their birthdays. Having said so, I bought this for myself. That's just my sense of humor talking.

Birthday Night

One of my family’s traditions for birthdays is to hold a dinner gathering with our partners invited. I had mine at Latest Recipe, a fancy hotel resto with my ma, sister, her man and my better half (who “serendipitiously” as he called it, wore baby blue tie that matched the blouse I was wearing). That moment was my favorite. We had lively conversations at the dinner table over good food (the teriyaki meat was, to say the least, divine). I look forward to being a year older and spending more good times like this with those I love. 

Salmon Pink

I’ve had a lifelong affair with salmon. I first tasted the fish when I was living in London as a child. It was a smoked salmon sandwich with a thick slice of cheddar to savor with. As I bit into the sandwich, I imagined the salmon as ham. Both share that same intense pinkness. I was the only child in school who practiced eating kosher. The rest brought their ham sandwiches for lunch. So I guess that explains the odd imagining. That was almost twenty years ago. I remember the story perfectly as I prepared dinner on the eve of my birthday. I had fresh salmon chunks with me in the kitchen. I whipped up my very first pan-fried salmon with lemon parsley sauce. Did I mention that I wore my pearls and little black dress as I chop and fry? I succeeded with the apron as my witness. I invited my half over for dinner and our night looked like this. Nothing tastes better than adulthood.

My Grandmother's Antic

My grandma has been staying at my ma's place for the past couple of weeks. She lives in Johore, but she often takes a train ride to Kuala Lumpur so that she could visit us. I’ve been visiting her at home every weekend, and her presence has brought more jouissance in the house. We just love watching her dramatizing each memory that she recollects from her distant past (she’s a natural thespian). She also tends the garden very well, and insists upon cooking every single meal for us. I’m grateful for every moment I get to see her and listen to her stories.

Ég Elska Hann

My half visited me at home this morning in a trench coat. He reminds me of Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything, minus the boombox. He's the kind that would make sure you don't step on any broken glass. And the best part? My Lloyd is far from fictional. 

In Company of Cats

Meet Zoë and Mousch. She’s my cat and he’s my ma's. When Zoë was a baby, I took her to my ma's often. Mousch would be the most curious cat alive whenever she was around. First they bit each other, with a few scratches here and there but as months rolled by, the viciousness changed into friendlier nips. They played hide and seek and tag and other feline games. Soon, Zoë and Mousch became inseparable. She cried whenever I pack her into a carrier to go back to our place. My ma told me that Mousch would look for her whenever she was gone. One day, I took her back to Mousch and as they were playing, I noticed how happy she looked. I told myself, why not? If you love her that much, you let her go. And ever since then, Zoë has been with my ma and Mousch, much to her delight.

Veg Lover

I consider myself lucky for having a partner who gives delightful surprises every now and then. Today, my half came over and took care of all the things in the kitchen for a late lunch. The man’s a fabulous cook-- the kind who takes pleasure wielding knives, chopping onions and squeezing the pulp out of lemons. He made sure I eat all the colorful vegetables that I'd stuffed in the fridge (but never touched). They tasted heaven.

PS You must be wondering about the dirt on my palm. That's just mascara.