The Mask behind The Face

There are days and nights when the struggle is real. During the days,you wear a mask, pretending to be you are alright. The mask is like a language expressing the emotion that you choose to create.

The people around you may be seeing the mask depicting a happy expression, but they never know the genuine feeling behind the mask.

Masks could serve many purposes. It is inevitable to see people wearing masks in front of others. The mask serves the purpose of hiding the weakness of someone in front of someone he cares. The mask can make someone to build up his confidence, finding his courage to battle in life. During ancient times, the Roman tournaments soldiers wore masks on their helmets to protect themselves against dangers during the war. The masks are worn during the contemporary age is to protect from emotional and physical danger from the most dangerous animal of the world i.e. human. Some use masks to hide their fear. Some use masks of coolness to hide their loneliness. Some wear masks depicting the happiness to hide the sorrow.

Also, the answer " I am fine" will be said when people asked if we are okay. 

Conversely, the heart is wounded.

The sound of the heartbeat dominates the still air during nights, where you finally have to admit the feeling deep inside your heart - unhappiness. The cycle of depression becomes a norm where you wake up from the shattered dreams with teary eyes. You have to force yourself to return to sleep or suffer insomnia till morning, and begin the day with a fake smile.

 Fake smile is on the face, 

because you still have to face others whom you don't hope them to know your genuine feeling.

But, most people say the the best make up for girls is smile.

So, I have to mask a smile!

Something that you didn't notice...

the story from my eyes.

Could you see the tears that hold by my eyes?

One day, let's take our masks off. 

Clear the throats and mention that all the nonsense dramas are over.

We become ourselves again. 

Expectation.

Past.

Sadness.

Let it go~

Peter Sedlacik and Zuzu Galova-Lens Between Us

Lens Between Us is a famous website which feature the pair of sweet couples named Peter Sedlacik and Zuzu Galova who creatively documented their travels around the world. It is known as a project entitled Lens Between us, where the camera was focused on the each's half during their travels.

I was impressed with their ways of snapping memorable shots. Awesome photos where you could see Peter Sedlacik and Zuzu Galova traveling the world taking photographs of their locations while facing one another. This was different compared to the batch of photographs of a girl's hand which was held by another half that were frequently shared in Facebook. Peter Sedlacik and Zuzu Galova stand opposite of one another to capture what is in front of them at the same period. In other words, the loved one is always in front of their eyes whenever they travel.

Below are some of the fantastic photos found through the website:

Awesome photos!

Sweet romance and I do hope that this project will be continued. 

After thought:

Sometimes, I wonder would you able to spot me when I am in the crowd.

Will I remain in the lens of yours? In the lens of yours, would my best and worst be accepted because that's me? 

Lens between us

completes an awesome photography of you and me

because

my lens have you,

and

your lens have me.

*you're my better half and we make each other as a whole*

Image source: http://lensbetweenus.tumblr.com/ 

Information source: http://petapixel.com/2014/08/01/lens-us-couple-travel-world-capturing-simultaneous-portraits/

S&W Western Cuisine Spaghetti and Pork Noodles Soup @ Restoran Jalan Tanjung Dua

Honestly speaking, Italian cuisines and sushi are often appeared in my minds most of the time. The serene Sunday was kick-started with a short walk around my housing area, and I was hungrily searching for something to munch before the siblings woke up for breakfast.

Restoran Tanjung Dua; Bandar Menjalara had become our frequent selection for weekend brunch. It has a large variety of foods from western cuisines, fried koay teow, fried noodles and etcetera. The S&W Western Cuisine Spaghetti which offers a fair selection of western dishes like grilled meat (lamb, chicken, ham and etcetera) with the specialty fried spaghetti.

The cook

Crowds in front of the stall proved that the foods were delicious!

The stir fried version spaghetti was totally different compared to the spaghetti we used to have in Italian restaurants. The spaghetti was stir-fried with onions, black pepper and basil with their specialty tomato sauce. The bouncy perfection with generous portion of grilled chicken meat which was succulent and tantalizing . The drawback was the calories of the meal provided to you (me).

The set of fried spaghetti with black pepper chicken chop tantalized my taste buds.

If you are looking for impressive selection of contemporary western (Italian) cuisine as breakfast, lunch or brunch, you shall not miss the famous fried spaghetti here. You can opt for spaghetti topped with tasty enriched tomato sauce, matching with choice of side dishes.

Another choice was the fried koay teow which had enough "wok hei", yet it's a bit salty to my family and I.

The pork noodles vermicelli soup opposite the S&W Western Cuisine Spaghetti was very famous too.If spaghetti is not your choice of meal, you could opt for having a bowl of long-simmered, flavorful soup infusing with cloves garlic,garnished onion slices, vegetables, shredded pork meat, internal parts of pork, minced pork, ladled over the choice of rice noodles. I usually order the pork vermicelli with minced pork meats and the soup  has rich and satisfying flavor (not due to MSG) as I don't feel thirsty after finishing up the meal.

“Dai Chow” stall was available here and each plate of noodles/ fried rice was made-to-order, hence patience was needed. It might not be the most delectable noodles that I had tried, yet it's still a platter of noodles which passed the expectation.

Last but not least, I was impressed with the "cham" (coffee mixed with tea) here and I noticed that Chinese was the one who made the drinks. *Most coffee shops had been hiring foreigners to prepare drinks and the quality of the drinks were significantly dropped, yet I didn't need to worry of my drinks' quality when I dined here. Remarks (Add-on on March 2017), the sifu whom made the drinks had left the restaurant, the coffee drinks here weren't that nice and over sweet.

Address:

Restoran Jalan Tanjung Dua (KL)

Jalan 9/62A

Bandar Menjalara Kepong

Kuala Lumpur

Penang Food in Kepong @ Restoran Tong Siang 同乡美食坊

I often proud to say that staying in Kepong is like staying in food heaven as its strategic location has attracted many restaurants and food businesses over here. Some nice foods that I had taken to tame my stomach were at Chew Jetty Penang Chiak and Bel Pasto Italian Restaurant. After moving into new housing area, we had come back for good food in Aman Puri area;Kepong. Restoran Tong Siang for their nice penang delicacies. 

At the entrance,a banner was found on the wall stating that mom's recipe including crumbed fish and chips, signature nasi lemak, penang delicacies and etcetera. 

The menu

The signature Jawa mee was definitely worth a try! Its taste closes to the one we had eaten in Penang. The flavorful potato gravy with spicy chili paste and ingredients like crunchy prawn fritters, boiled egg, bean curds and generous spray of peanut powder. 

The asam laksa which is a spicy-sour, fish-based soup.Prawn paste /"heh ko" in hokkien and a handful of peppermint leaves enhances the asam laksa.A fulfilling, familiar feel, yet the fish is significantly lesser than last time.

A closer look of asam laksa

Hokkien Mee

If you dislike having Penang cuisines, you may consider ordering a plate of nasi lemak. The sambal is delicious!

Choices of desserts

cendol

八宝冰

The cendol is nice, yet 八宝冰 Ais Kacang Eight Wonders presumably have 8 different types of toppings has disappointed me much as I could only find mainly red beans.

To rate the foods (3.5 out of 5), I shall say that asam laksa, jawa mee and prawn noodles are worth to be tried here. The signature nasi lemak is one of the famous dishes that locals order too.

Address:
Restaurant Tong Siang
2-13A-A, Jalan Desa 1/3, 
Desa Aman Puri,
52100 Kepong, 
Kuala Lumpur.
HP: 012-6555351
** Will be moved to opposite of 兰姐蒸鱼 aman puri in July 2015

Hari Raya Puasa Potluck

Hari Raya Puasa is a religious festival that commonly celebrated by Muslims every year. This year, Hari Raya Pusa potluck was organized by my Malay colleagues. Simple dishes like chocolate brownies, lemang, ayam rendang and ketupat rice were served.

Lemang which is a traditional Malay (Indonesia and Singapore Malay) food. It's made of glutinous rice, coconut milk and salt, and cooked in a hollowed bamboo stick lined with banana leaves to prevent the rice from sticking to the bamboo. My family used to buy the plain lemang, however my Malay colleagues mentioned that lemang tasted better along with meat particularly ayam rendang. Well, the price of lemang has been increased incessantly till RM12 or more for one bamboo of lemang.

Ayam rendang slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices until the chicken meats absorb all the condiments.

Ketupat rice is like dumpling as it's wrapped inside the woven palm leaves. It reminded me of satays. Oh yea, why satays are not included? :P

The chocolate brownies which was handmade by Leen were definitely a great pleasant to us.

Chocolate brownies

Lemang and ayam rendang

Ayam rendang which is best matched with ketupat rice and lemang

My stomach was almost exploded with delight! Oh yea, today is Friday!!

Happy weekend ahead.

Today my dad had brought back nice vegetable buns and fried taro puffs.The fried taro puffs has crispy skin which looks similar like crispy curry puffs. The delicately crisp exterior with the seasoned pork make these taro puffs having epicurean taste. Note: Calories**

巴生小食館

地址：10, Jalan Lima, Kaw. 16, Taman Intan, 41300 Klang, Selangor.

Songs Lyrics and Sketches

Have you find any song' lyrics that is similar to your own life stories? It's not the songs which make you emotional, but it's the people and things that come to your mind when you listen to the songs. A great afternoon with old love songs streaming, I found beautiful quotes and introspective song lyrics which made me decided to have some sketches which match the songs lyrics. Sincerely speaking, a song become famous partly due to the singer who expresses well through singing, and the essential part is the song lyrics produced by the song writers.

The drawings are sketched using Paint and with the aid of Microsoft PowerPoint:

Dean Martin's I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles 

Pretty bubbles, no more troubles

Pretty bubbles in the air

The Summer Set 's Can You Find Me

Can you find me, 

In the midst of a crowd, 

And do you dream of me when the lights go down...

楊宗緯《洋蔥》

如果你願意一層一層一層 的剝開我的心

你會發現 你會訝異

你是我 最壓抑 最深處的秘密

如果你願意一層一層一層 的剝開我的心

你會鼻酸 你會流淚

只要你能 聽到我 看到我的全心全意

伍思凯《我真的很不错》

要做就做最好的 

不要明天才说真的可惜 

我知道我能做到的 

就是不停不停不停 不停不停不停的努力 

哦~~ 我 真的不错　我 真的很不错 

我的朋友　我想骄傲的告诉你 

哦~~ 我 真的不错　我 真的很不错 。

满文军之《懂你》

把爱全给了我把世界给了我  

从此不知你心中苦与乐  

多想靠近你  

告诉你我其实一直都懂你

《天空》

天空藏着深深的思念 

我们天空何时才能成一片

伍思凯之《最爱是你》

我承认在心中我最爱的人是你

孙楠《你快回来》

你快回来

我一人承受不来

你快回来

生命因你而精彩

你快回来

把我的思念带回来

别让我的心空如大海

没有你

时间寸步难行

我困在原地

任回忆凝集

Tribute to MH17 and MH370 's victim families, be tough!
Also, a reminder for all of us, 

appreciate your loved ones as you never know when would be the last goodbye.

王铮亮《时间都去哪了》

半生存了多少话

藏进了满头白发 

记忆中的小脚丫

肉嘟嘟的小嘴巴

一生把爱交给他

只为那一声爸妈

《特别的爱给特别的你》

A song which had been repeatedly sung by different singer.

As same as the song title itself, it sang my heart out" Special Love for the unique you".

《特别的爱给特别的你》

沒有承諾卻被你抓得更緊

沒有了你我的世界雨下個不停

我付出一生的時間想要忘記

An inspirational song from WHITNEY HOUSTON - Greatest Love Of All

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

It is the greatest love of all

Bruno Mars' Talking to the Moon

Talking to the moon, trying to get to you

In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too

Or, am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon

逃跑计划《夜空中最亮的星》- I knew thing song from 我是歌手二-sang by 张杰。

夜空中最亮的星 

能否听清 那仰望的人 

心底的孤独和叹息

汪峰之《当我想你的时候》

那一刻仿佛回到从前

不由得我已泪流满面

張學友 之《我等到花兒也謝了》

我睡不著的時候 會不會有人陪著我

我難過的時候 會不會有人安慰我

我想說話的時候 會不會有人瞭解我

我忘不了你的時候 你會不會來疼我

蔡琴《心中的彩虹》

讓我為自己畫一段彩虹

在這個只屬於自己的天空

也許一點溫暖的顏色可以在我心中

帶來一點希望的感受

The most satisfied art was the final sketch.

Wishing that August would be awesome, may my life been painted colorfully :)