Japanese confectionary and savoury snacks have always been top of my list of favourites, more than any other type of chips. They somewhat seem healthier, perhaps because they are mostly baked not fried although the MSG levels inside are something else altogether! It used to be really hard to find places selling a wide variety of Japanese food and snacks but now thanks to Shojikiya, KLites finally have a one-stop Japanese shopping outlet for all their Japanese food! Read on below to find out where the Shojikiya outlets are.

Shojikiya is the first Japanese specialty outlet store in Malaysia. I love their variety of products which total over 1,000 different imported varieties direct from Japan! Any Japanese food lover is truly spoilt for choice with fresh food ingredients for cooking, ready to eat Japanese snacks and confectionery, Japanese green tea and liqour and even fresh Japanese fish!

The prices are surprisingly quite affordable for some products, considering they are imported directly from Japan. However, if you don’t mind buying products that are closer to the expiry dates, look for the frequent promotions Shojikiya runs where you can pick up Japanese biscuits and crackers at discounted prices.

Most Shojikiya outlets are located next to the popular Sushi Zanmai and Pasta Zanmai outlets. In the Gardens outlet, you can actually purchase fresh fish from Shojikiya to be cooked by the Sushi Zanmai restaurant for a small fee! Nothing beats freshly cooked fish!

For Japanese food lovers, Shojikiya Outlets in Malaysia are:

The Gardens, Mid Valley
LG-205, Lower Ground Floor, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingakaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone No: (03) 2283 6160
Mobile No: (012) 480 6162

Midvalley Megamall
F-051, First Floor, Mid Valley City, Lignkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone No: (03) 2288 1420
Mobile No: (012) 420 1220

One Utama Shopping Centre
G210B, Ground Floor Promenade, One Utama Shopping Centre, No 1, Lebuh BU, BU Damansara, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone No: (03) 77280390
Mobile No: (012) 7720390

One Utama Shopping Centre (New Wing)
SK9A, 2nd Floor High Street, One Utama Shopping Centre, No 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone No: (03) 77270310
Mobile No: (012) 2170130

Hartamas Shopping Centre
Lot P-17A, Plaza Ground Floor, Hartamas Shopping Center No 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone No: (03) 6201 3730
Mobile No: (012) 281 6270

Sunway Pyramid
1st Floor, Japanese Street, Oasis Bouvelard 2, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Center, No 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone No: (03) 7492 0020
Mobile No: (012) 371 9720

Desa Park City
GF-07, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, No 5, Persiaran Residen Desa Park City, 52200 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone No: (03) 62808130
Mobile No: (012) 3288130

I have always passed Dome Cafe and heard of their good food and coffees but only recently tried their lunch menu. Their lunch menu was pretty extensive with a good mix of local and Western food and their cafe bright and breezy with waiters in cute French peaked caps. However, I don’t think I’ll be back there in a hurry. Read on for my review of Dome Cafe.

Good service at Dome Cafe

I went to the outlet in Bangsar Shopping Centre. Being used to bad service from waiters who pretend not to see you, I was pleasantly surprised by the waitstaff in Dome who were quite attentive and quick to come whenever we needed something. They took our orders quite quickly and the food came quite fast too. Unfortunately, while the service and food wasn’t too bad, the bill wasn’t!

Dome Charges Extra For Additional Sambal!

I ordered the nasi lemak at RM19. It came with a good portion of chicken rendang, a whole egg and a small saucer of sambal. Nasi lemak is best savoured with lots of sambal and I did just that and found that the sambal wasn’t quite enough for the huge portion they gave. So I asked for some extra sambal which is usually provided without any fuss from any restaurant, cafe or even roadside makcik. After all, what is the cost of sambal when the nasi lemak is already RM19 (without tax)?

To my horror, when I got the bill, I found that Dome charged me RM1.50 before tax for that tiny plate of sambal! I don’t like paying for overpriced food and even more so when it does not seem its worth. RM1.50 for a little saucer of sambal which barely costs 10 cents is definitely not the way to make money from your customers! Any nasi lemak makcik will be happy to dole out the sambal for free since it is hardly any cost to them! For the record, a similar request at Kluang Station was smilingly met with no additional costs!

Will I be back at Dome again? Will I recommend Dome? Definitely not in a hurry despite their good service and food. Do beware when you dine at Dome and request for additional sauces or sambal to go with your meal.

Don’t you envy people with flawless skin with nary a pore in sight? I do because I have been been battling enlarged pores and the occasional acne since teenage days. I once read that once your pores are enlarged it is really hard to diminish again so I used to be a little sceptical of products promising to reduce pore size through application. However, when I recently tried the Vichy Normaderm Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence, I came away quite impressed with its abilities. Read below for my review.

Vichy Normaderm Refine Essence Micro-Exfoliates And Firms

Enlarged pores are caused mainly by excess production of sebum. Vichy Refine Essence combats this by working on the pore surface and inside the pore itself to reduce its size.

It contains Salicylic Acid and Lipo Hydroxy Acid (LHA) to eliminate dead skin cells and optimize cellular renewal on your skin surface and Intra Pore Technology containing Totarol and Glycyrrhetinic Acid inside your pore to unclog pores and soothe the skin. It further firms your pore area with its Sebustop formula which has astringent and antiseptic properties and Zincadone which reduces sebum production.

All these promise visible reduction of pores by at least 14.3% over a month together with clearer and smoother skin!

Does Vichy Refine Essence Work?

I have been applying it diligently for two weeks now and I have to admit that my skin does feel smoother and clearer. The Salicylic Acid does a great job of clearing up any pimples that surface especially during that dreaded time of the month!

My pores, especially around the T-zone area has reduced a little and have become a little less obvious especially when I use my foundation.

It does a good job with oil control as well and my skin has less shine towards the end of the day which is great as my makeup now stays on instead of melting!

Vichy Normaderm Refine Essence is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. It even works well for men!

Apply it before your moisturiser on cleansed skin, taking care to avoid the eye area. However, if your skin is on the dry side, apply it on your oily areas such as the T-zone instead of all over your face.

Vichy Normaderm Essence retails for RM110 for a 30ml tube which can last you at least a month with daily use twice a day and can be found at most large Guardian and Watson pharmacies.

What comes to mind when you hear organics? For me, it used to be images of healthy mung beans, alfafa sprouts, vegetarian tree-huggers and premium prices for everyday products. However, I was a little surprised to see that organic food goes beyond that when I was recently in a Justlife Organics shop.

Justlife Organics is a successful organics business in Malaysia that goes beyond simply selling organic food. They are trying to create awareness of a sustainable lifestyle inspired by their love for nature and respect for life. Read on to know more about organic products in Malaysia.

Organic Food in Malaysia

When I was browsing around Justlife, I was surprised to see that they carried quite a good variety of products from organic food, organic household cleaners, organic skincare and even recycle-able paper plates! They also have a good stock of organic and healthy eating books you can buy if you’re planning on embarking on an organic lifestyle. I even saw a setup of a bed with what I believe was organic cotton bedsheets! However, I was a little surprised that I did not see cloth sanitary pads for sale. For me, that together with cloth diapers are the height of sustainable and organic living!

I was quite impressed to see that they had a small selection of gluten-free bread and baked products. Finally, people who suffer from gluten allergies can buy and enjoy bakery products specially catered for them. In Malaysia, there is still a lack of special foodstuff for allergy sufferers and I thought this was a good step in the right direction especially with the rise of allergies in children today.

Organic Food Can Be Expensive

As expected, organic food is expensive which is ironic. The lesser you put in, the more expensive a food becomes! Eating healthily should not cost a dent in your pocket but with a box of organic soymilk going at RM19 instead of RM2.50, it isn’t hard to see why many people are not making that switch to organic foods.

The fresh vegetables are surprisingly more affordable with a small bunch of leafy vegetables going for less than RM3. However, fresh apples and bananas are at least three to four times more expensive which can put a financial burden on your marketing bills.

Personally, I think going organic is good and it might just be the preventive measure for allergies and health diseases. However, it is expensive and I believe, beneficial only if you eat all three meals at home with organic food. If you are like the average urbanite who eats out at least once a day on chemically infused food, it might not bring you much benefits at all.

If you are looking for Organic Shops in Malaysia, Justlife shops can be found at Ikano Power Centre, Queens Park, USJ 14, SS2, Puchong, The Gardens Midvalley, Seremban, Melaka and Penang (link to shops).

Eye creams are essential in getting rid of those tiny fine laughter lines around your eyes. Thanks to the H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment I bought, I got a chance to try their H2O+ Eye Oasis Moisture Replenishing Treatment which came as a set together with the cream.

I use it diligently every night before bed and find it pretty good. Read on for a more detailed review.

Non-Greasy Intensive Eye Cream

The H2O+ Eye Treatment comes in the same pretty aqua blue as the cream! I like! Some eye creams, especially intensive ones for night use, often tend to be a little greasy to seal in the moisture. However, the H2O+ Eye Treatment is oil free which means no greasy feeling. Instead, like what its name claims, it feels light and refreshing each time I use it.

It promises to hydrate and flood your skin with moisture which is great for the delicate eye area. If your skin feels extra dry, you can even use it like a mask by applying a thicker layer.

I find that my eye area feels less dry and has fewer lines now after several weeks of application. I love using it every night and especially love the lightness and non-greasiness it has. Definitely recommended!

Liquid foundation did not use to be a part of my make-up regime as I was always concerned of blocked pores from the thick liquid. However, when I recently had a chance to try the newly launched Lancome Maquiliquide UV Infinité foundation, I found I had to revise my previous prejudice about liquid foundation! Read on for my review of the Lancome Maquiliquide UV Infinité below.

Lancome Maquiliquide UV Infinité Is Available In 11 Shades

This new liquid foundation by Lancome comes in a pretty glass pump bottle. I was rather impressed by the glass bottle as you don’t find many cosmetics in glass bottles now!

When choosing a foundation, it is very important to ensure it matches and blends into your natural skin tone colour. The Lancome Maquiliquide comes in 11 different shades specially formulated for Asian women so finding the right shade should not be too difficult. I was lucky to have Lancome’s national make-up artist, Zamri Zainol, choose the right shade for me and it was an amazing match! The foundation blends in seamlessly everytime I use it!

The glass bottle makes the foundation appear a little darker than what it is so do not hesitate to consult the make up artists or Lancome counter girls for help in selecting the right foundation colour.

Light Foundation That Does Not Clog Pores

The Maquiliquide is a delightful water-based foundation that is light and best of all, does not clog pores! Instead, its special formulation tightens pores upon application to help you achieve a smooth finish to your skin.

Lancome Maquiliquide contains SPF20 and Aquafix which is a unique ingredient that counters oil and shine to ensure your make up remains fresh until late night. I personally liked this as my skin tends to turn a little oily towards the end of the day and but with the Maquiliquide, my make up did not melt as much as it normally does. If you have oily areas like mine, lightly pat the foundation in instead of rubbing it on to help it last longer throughout your busy day.

I have been using it for at least a month and am pleased to find that it also cleans off quite easily with cleansing oil.

You can purchase the Lancome Maquiliquide UV Infinité at any Lancome counters for RM130. Use it together with the Maquicake UV Infinité compact foundation and Maqui Loose Powder for a perfect and flawless face.

I grew up watching Transformers and singing the Transformers song. Secretly, I thought Optimus Prime was rather lumbering and clumsy while Megatron was super-cool! And I think I still do!

I caught The Transformers Movie when it first launched last year and came away a little disappointed in how they potrayed my favourite robots. Giving Michael Bay a second chance, I recently caught Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. Was it good? Read on for my review below.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Observations

• This time, the bad Decepticons are so much badder and the Autobots have strangely reduced in number to less than 10, most of which are small cars instead of the huge mean machines the Decepticons had! Talk about being outnumbered!
• Again, the Autobots don’t transform as well as the Decepticons do. Megatron transforms mid-air while Optimus took forever to transform!
• I really liked the tongue in cheek humour they had. When they were in a meat freezer, Sam’s useless sidekick Leo Spitz said “Ugh, pigs…swine flu, not good!” That was hilarious!
• I think Megan Fox was just there for eye candy for the guys! The robotics and metal would probably have been enough to attract guys though! 

• I found it funny how they said Obama has now been safely put in a bunker when the war between Autobots and Decepticons started.
• The fight scene got really messy after a while and I lost track of who was fighting who. But for once, the humans actually had a big role to play in helping the Autobots against the Decepticons.

• At some points, I felt like I was watching a Westernized version of Godzilla tramping through a cardboard Tokyo city!
• I like the human side of Bumble Bee!
• The Fallen looked huge and seemed to be in pieces all over. It was hard to imagine what he actually looked like.

Synopsis Of Transformers 2

Megatron was happily buried deep in the sea after Transformers 1 and the Autobots have formed some alliance with some special secret force to fight the small outbursts of Decepticons around the world, wrecking havoc in their search for the Energon and Sun Harvester. If you thought Megatron was bad, the robot behind this new evil is The Fallen, a fallen member of the original Primes who covets the Sun Harvester to gain the sun’s full power for his Allspark (The Transformer’s life force) which will mean an end for Earth.

It comes back down to a college-going Sam Witwicky to once again save the world, despite his reluctance to do so initially. It takes Optimus Prime’s death (oops spoiler!) and Jetfire, an ancient Decepticon turned good, to make him realise that he is the only hero who can save Earth from falling into the hands of The Fallen. So the race begins to find the Matrix, the key to The Sun Harvester, across cities and the deserts of Egypt. Will Optimus survive to fight Megatron another day? Watch it to find out!

Autobots, transform and roll out!

I love Changi. It has been voted one of the best airports in the world many times over and I never really knew why until I once had to spend an 8 hour transit there. If you cringe at the thought of having long transits and not having anything to do or anywhere to sit, then you simply have to try Singapore’s Changi Airport! Read on below for my review of Changi Airport and why I love it so much!

What Is There To Do In Changi?

Changi Airport is huge with 3 terminals connected with an efficient and very regular train system. Terminal 2 is the largest with the most number of duty free shops however newer terminals such as Terminal 3 comes with a host of its own attractions which promise to keep you entertained for hours! The number of shops and brands offered at their duty-free shopping are mind-boggling with all kinds of luxury brands and cosmetics. Whatever you are looking for, you definitely can find it in Changi! If shopping isn’t really your cup of tea, you can choose to unwind in their superbly comfortable airport chairs dotting the whole terminal with TV entertainment or in a quiet corner. Or relax with their unique indoor koi garden which is lush in greenery – you might even forget you are in an airport terminal! Children absolutely love Changi Airport with their free X-Box Games, Wii Games and activities to keep them entertained for hours. I personally love the free internet terminals they provide all over the airport that comes with a 15-minute cut-off time so kiasu people can’t hog the computer!

If your feet hurt from the shopping, there are lots of free Osim foot massagers to relax your feet with. Its so much fun!

Free Cinema Screenings In Changi Airport

As we had lots of time to kill, I was thrilled to find that Terminal 3 has a cinema, absolutely free! It is just like the normal city cinemas with extra large lanes so bulky luggages can pass through and be “parked” while you catch your movie. Several screenings are shown throughout the day so you may choose to come in halfway or start a new movie.

What amazed me most was the digital clock next to the big screen. Its a gentle reminder to passengers so they don’t miss their flight times! How thoughtful!

Enjoy The Butterfly Garden In Changi Airport

For some fresh air, head over to the beautiful outdoor Butterfly Garden right in Terminal 3. It is a large two-storey area that is beautifully landscaped to resemble a tropical garden and filled with a myriad of colourful butterflies. It even has its own mini waterfall to boot!

It can be a little warm out there if the temperature is hot but a refreshing break if you are tired of shopping and artificial lighting. The butterflies are fed fruit and flowers and are so tame that they will even perch on your fingers for that perfect photo opportunity!

Wouldn’t you love Changi Airport too with their free internet, fantastic duty-free shopping, free movie screenings, free foot massages and relaxing Butterfly Garden? Try it the next time you have a trip scheduled!

I have a love for Kanebo skincare but as much as I like their skincare, I love their makeup even more. Maybe its because they are Asian and have a range of colours suitable for Asian colouring and are sufficiently shimmery enough to add some highlight to my face. One lipstick I particularly like from their range is the Kanebo Testimo Serumdrape Rouge Lipstick which I have reviewed below. It is unfortunately discontined but you might still be able to find it from some online stores.

Colour And Texture Of The Kanebo Testimo Lipstick

My lipstick is in the RS-228 shade which is a pleasant rose shade. It isn’t too dark and presents a really nice sweet look for women with fair skin. The texture is soft and I found that it had a bit of tendency to melt and smoosh around the edges after some time which made it a little messy to apply sometimes.

The colour is nice and sparkly which I so love! It has a nice shimmer when it goes on your lips which can take you from day to night easily! The shimmer means you don’t need to add another layer of lip gloss which some people may find too sticky.

The shimmer and soft colour creates a very pretty and sweet touch to your face!

What I Don’t Like About Kanebo Testimo Lipstick

I found that the lipstick tended to make my lips a little dry and flakey. My lips started peeling towards the evening after a full day of using it. However, it could have been due to the fact that my lipstick was a little old so please do share if you experienced something similar with yours.

All in all, it is still a great little lipstick!

ParisB did a great review of it in her 30 Lipsticks In 30 Days posts!

I have always been a little wary of using scrubs as I had a bad experience with a rough scrub that left my skin feeling raw instead of cleansed. However, lots of beauty experts recommend using scrubs regularly to cleanse your pores and exfoliate dead skin cells for that glowy look. Recently, armed with some samples of Kiehl’s fruit scrubs, I decided to give scrubbing another try. Read below for my review of the Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub.

Kiehl’s Facial Scrubs Are Made with Real Fruit

I love fruit and it is nice to know that Kiehl’s makes their facial scrub with real fruit. Pineapple and papaya have always been known for their powerful enzymes to naturally and gently exfoliate skin to leave your skin feeling refreshed, soft and clean. The main ingredients in the Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub is bromelain and papain, both of which are found in pineapple and papaya respectively. Bromelain is a protein in pineapple used to break down dead surface skin cells whilst papain gently exfoliates through its protein digesting properties. It sounds scary but trust me its no flesh-eating bug! It’s just a natural and gentle exfoliator!

How To Use Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub

I use the scrub with damp hands on a wet face. Squeeze a small bit on to my fingers and gently rub all over the face upwards, avoiding the eye area. The packet said that it can be left on for an additional minute or two for maximum exfoliating effects but I usually wash it off almost immediately. I then follow up with my toner and moisturiser as usual.

Effectiveness of Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub

Perhaps due to its use of natural fruit, I found the scrub quite gentle on my skin instead of feeling like I was sandpapering my skin! The scrub had a light fruity scent that was pleasant and left my face feeling refreshed. I used the scrub twice a week and was pleased to note that my skin felt cleaner and clearer with fewer blocked pores.

Kiehl’s Facial scrub is suitable for all skin types with the exception of acne-prone skin and very sensitive or irritated skin. Visit their stores at Midvalley or 1 Utama to find out more or to try a sample.