The 13 Online Shopping Websites I SWEAR by

"Crying is for plain women. Pretty women go shopping" ~ Oscar Wilde

Hello readers,

It is Merdeka Day.

This post is written because of requests.

I shop online a lot for almost everything under the sun, so readers ask me my top websites where I do my shopping.

Here goes:-

13. Hulala

Gadgets here are awesome. I am currently crazy about their fitness equipment. Can be found here. Check it out.

12. Dealmates

Check out the details for Mydeal as it is powered by the came company now. It sells some branded bags which are pretty cool. For instance the deal for Prada is here.

11. Milkadeal

It has some really good deals on pretty much everything. For instance I am in love with these deals at the moment:-

~ Adjustable wardrobe with wheels at only RM247 here; and

~ A cute 20 inch luggage bag at only RM160 here.

10. MyDeal

I pretty much go to the Clearance section everytime I come here. My fave clearance deals are currently these:-

~ Akemi King Fitted Sheet Series for RM90 here

~ AkemiUchi Art Plant Toiletry Gift Set for RM39.90 here. 

9 . Zalora

Clothes and pretty much shoes and accessories are the staple here. There are some really good brands which I absolutely love and swear by. My absolute fave is Zalia. I bought like a bunch of their tops and dresses.

8 Fashion Valet

Just like Zalora, this website is about clothes, shoes and accessories. Some of the cutest muslim dresses are found here. Celebs like Nora Danish have collaborated with fashion valet.

7. Groupon

My most fave discount website ever. Simply because it has some of the best travel deals you can get your hands on and I am a Fernweh sufferer as those of you would know. And they have some of the wackiest activity groupon deals like this current skydiving deal here. Absolutely awesome.

6. Mysale

I absolutely love this website. It has flash sales from assorted brands happening at certain times. I have bought a number of jeans from james jeans and true religion here at rock bottom prices. My current fave sale they are holding is on the comforters!! ahhh. Can be found here.

5. Lazada

This website has everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. At rock bottom prices. I cannot even begin to describe how much I love this website. Think of something or anything and chances are you can find it here. Be warned and enter at your own risk haha.

4.  Hishop

Hishop sells skincare, cosmetics, haircare. I can just go for hours and hours on this website scouting for products. It focuses mainly on Asian brands but other european brands are available as well. I usually buy my masks here.

3. Luxola

Like Hishop, Luxola sells skincare and haircare, makeup. It doesn't focus on Asian products only but has a wider range of international brands. Check out their website here. Mesti gatal tangan nak click LOL.

2. Reebonz

Bags, bags and more bags. Feeling lazy to walk into Dior or Chanel or LV at malls (which always happens to me because Airiel will ALWAYS steal the show...hufff) I just buy my bags here. Some nice vintage bags as well, which you can find nowhere else.

1. Net A Porter 

Net a Porter has everything from luxury designer clothing to bags to accessories to shoes to lingerie. I buy a lot of stuff here as well. Absolutely awesome with top notch service. Heck some of this stuff you can't even find in Malaysia.

And there you go.

My go to online website for almost everything.

Happy Birthday Malaysia.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Lets Get Lost 2014 - Part 6 - Hotel Eiffel XV

"And if my heart be scarred and burned, The safer, I, for all learned" ~ Dorothy Parker

Hello readers,

It's a Friday.

I am resuming my Europe travel updates. Long overdue I must say.

When I first reached Paris, I stayed at Hotel Eiffel XV. Totally new and with stellar reviews on booking.com.

All hotels in Paris are pretty small save for the luxury crazy expensive ones okay, but I have to say this hotel was spacious.

Quirky deco on the wall

The comfy twin beds in my room 

This was actually taken lying down on my bed. There is a cute wardrobe as you can see, complete with the standard tea and coffee making facilities. The bed light was super sheek! 

Mirror and lighting

Flat screen TV with French channels, of course (It's not called the French experience for nothing okay?)

Love you cute toiletries!

I absolutely loved the bathroom. For Paris this is pretty spacious. It has a bathtub and everything. 

As usual, I made the reservation via booking.com and my review is up there somewhere.

Please note though that as my train for Amsterdam was in the morning, I did not really have time to sample their breakfast spread so I wouldn't know anything about it.

The facebook page is here.

I also have to share this with you guys.

The views I had of the sunset from my London train to Paris. Priceless...

I miss traveling solo. I miss it.

Have a good long weekend ahead readers.

Salam Merdeka. 

Remember, this is the only country I know of where we can actually speak the languages of all the races in the country in one sentence. We say 'Macha, you want to makan here or tapau?' LOL. 

I love this country, for better or worse.

It is mine... It is home...

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel

"My soul is impatient with itself, as with a bothersome child; its restlessness keeps on growing and is forever the same. Everything interests me, but nothing holds me. I attend to everything, dreaming all the while. I'm two, and both keep their distance - Siamese twins that aren't attached" ~ Fernando Passoa

Hello readers,

It is a Monday.

I promised Airiel a weekie since before raya. So last weekend we went for one.

I made the reservations via booking.com

I liked the concept of the hotel. It was made up of different blocks, with different themed rooms for each block.

Familia and I stayed at the Jasmine block, with Indian and Moroccan inspired accents and rooms.

Loved the decor and little details in the room.

We had lunch at a place nearby, with my family opting for the 1 Malaysia menu (it was not bad they say).

How's that for a view during lunch?

It was raining bucketloads up until malam so the rest of the familia opted to stay in. Once the rain subsided, I was feeling the fernweh itch so I decided to take a walk around the lake area near the hotel.

But a snack and coffee was absolutely necessary before my walk. Ngee 

Beautiful views of the area 

It was nice and windy. The views were really beautiful. I stumbled upon a water thingy too!

It's a nice getaway. Nearby too.

It's also disabled friendly, with ramps and lifts everywhere.

The link to Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside can be found here.

I am sorry if I have been slow responding to emails from you guys. I will do it I promise.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

The Darker Days...

"Forbidden to remember, terrified to forget; it was a hard line to walk" ~ Stephanie Meyer

Hello Readers,

It is a Monday.

I must state from the very outset that this post is about Akif.

I have shared with you Akif's story from the moment I found out about his hydrops until the day he took his last breath.

I have shared with you how I have faced the days since I buried him.

There are okay days. There are dark days. And then there are days where I cannot see the light at all. The darkest I call them.

Last week was one such week.

There is always a trigger for things turning darkest I find.

For last week, it was this.

Airiel woke up last week with an obsession. He wanted to see his little brother. I relented after the 37th time he pestered me (Yes, I counted because I am anal like that).

So I brought him.

It amazed me to no end to see how grown up and mature he acted. He amin all the prayers I recited. He insisted that he pour the water over his little brother's grave. He helped me pull out all the weeds. He was talking to his little brother. He brought along his current favourite toy at that moment (because it changes pretty much every week). A bat mobile which he 'showed' Akif.

And then he said something which astounded me and killed me at the same time. He said 'I hope you have better toys in heaven brother, we cannot play together'.

It felt like a samurai sword had just sliced me in half and then chopped my heart into little pieces. And then it felt like someone tried to force feed me the chopped little pieces of my own heart.

He was pleased with himself that he visited.

I was okay initally. The grief of it only kicked in a few days later. When I realised how messed up things are.

How messed up it was for Airiel to be having a conversation with his brother at his brother's grave.

How messed up it was for Airiel to be facing this when he is only 5 years old.

How messed up it was for me to watch my son grow up too fast. How I could not protect him.

How I could not protect Akif. How I could not save him.

How messed up things are.

How its just so messed up.

And I know Akif is in heaven, and he visits me in my dreams. How it is a much better place to be. No pain, no suffering. Things are all beautiful and peaceful.

But in those days when the darkness consumes me, I do not want Akif to be in heaven. I want him to be here with me.

I do not want Akif to be in a better place. I want him to be here with me.

I don't want to settle for seeing Akif in my dreams. I want him to be here with me.

Screw the beautiful, peaceful place. I want him here with me, with Airiel.

I want him with me and everything else can be damned.

I am such a human. So flawed, so greedy, so damaged.

I am so damned, blessed. Depending on whichever way you look at it.

Let this darkness pass, like everything else.

My dearest Almighty, janganlah Kau sesatkan cintaku.

Mama rindu Akif.

Rindu.

Beautiful Jubah - Sierra by Fabulous Heejab Boutique

"To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest..." ~ Mahatma Gandhi 

Hello readers,

As I have promised you, I am uploading one the outfits I wore for Raya this year.

This is the Sierra jubah by Fabolous Heejab Boutique.

I am in love with the material, cutting and worksmanship. Falls just nice on the figure.

There have more varieties of clothes at their online store.

Their FB page is here.

Their online website is here.

Find them on IG with the name - Fabulousheejab.

Inquire within on where their physical store is. It's in Padang Jawa if I'm not mistaken.

Am rushing off for a meeting now.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Boycott Israel 2014 - Part 4 - BDS Movement Malaysia - Alternative Product - Aktif Air Mineral

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, they were all who ever have.."

~ Margaret Mead

Hi Readers,

An update on the BDS campaign in Malaysia.

Please follow BDS Movement Malaysia blog at http://bdsmovementmy.blogspot.com/

I hope everyone has downloaded the Buycott app. Please pm or email me for your queries or if you have any comments or questions.

I have been at this for 3 years + now and it has become a way of life and I find it is not a hindrance at all.

By the way, just to recommend this mineral water next time you are buying one.

Completely local.

Israel and Zionist free.

More updates later.

Some of my readers have been complaining I have not been updating on my shopping escapades. Okay, sorry guys.

I promise I will.

Just give me some time.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Fernweh...

"There was something wrong with her. She did not know what it was but there was something wrong with her. A hunger, a restlessness. An incomplete knowledge of herself. The sense of something farther away, beyond her reach" ~ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Where to next restless heart?

Where to next restless soul?

We will see...

I hope everyone is coping well with their Monday and post Raya blues.

Much love from Airiel and I

Peace and love to everyone.

Further updates soon. I am planning my next trip.