Johor Bahru

GOODBYE 2018, HELLO 2019

January 3, 2019 by Little Miss Honey 825 Comments

I am so glad 2018 is finally over. I am looking forward for 2019. I guess I can say that 2018 has been a trying year for me. I decided to take the challenges, tears, sweat, anxieties and heartbreaks of 2018 as lessons for the future. They say all experiences even the bad are opportunities for learning.

Goodbye 2018

Source

My start of my year bled me dry. Have you ever felt like every part of your body experienced thousand of papercuts, slicing you unexpectedly over and over again? I guess that what it feels like when a glass gets shattered into broken pieces and in spite of the attempt to piece it back together, it will never be the same again. Then I realised something. I prefer brutal truths than sugarcoated white fibs. How sad it is to look back at your life when you realised that reality is uncovered and what you thought what was before is just a reflection of your unreliable rose-colored glasses. But then I surged on and prayed with my family by my side, my skin thickened from the pain in spite of its occasional throbbing of papercuts. God whispered in my ears a secret and a promise so I smiled and accepted my fate.

Expectations is the mother of all frustrations. Have you waited & waited for something and it never came? I would tell myself maybe it is my fault. Things or opportunities never knock twice. I was a fool for saying “No” when fate beckons and now in my waiting, I am being punished for waiting for something that will never come. I now understand people who been waiting for years to get out of unlawful imprisonment, that positive sign on the pregnancy test, the call from a dream company, the appearance of the elusive prince charming, the ring on your finger from a man who been dating for 10 years, etc. I totally get them now. I am one of you. And by the end of 2018 as I put another stick to number of the days, it never came. Will I be luckier in 2019? When I get it, will it taste sweeter because I been wanting it for so long or it would taste like a foul stale bread inside my mouth?

So with my little hearbreaks throughout the year, it gave way to what will be my theme for 2019. I decided to just let go. I am letting go of:

expectations

anxieties

negativity

paranoia

materialism

self-deprecation

comparison

I am ready to let go of the reins. I can never have a full grip of control on the heavy waves of life on where it will lead me. So I let God do the steering and I will just trust in Him.

Gratefulness List of 2018

My 2018 wasn’t all that bad. It had its great moments and a wonderful bonus in the middle part of the year. This list made me realised that 2018 weren’t as stingy in blessings after all.

1. Our Zeke

The arrival of Zeke made my 2018 bearable. I was around 6 months pregnant as 2018 enters and I gave birth to Zeke on 9th May here in Singapore. He is so cute! He was born with dimples on both his cheeks with twinkling eyes. I fell in love with him instantly as I saw him. I just felt with Zeke, my little family is complete. A family of five just felt right and didn’t feel the need to make it a family of six.

2. Wonderful Experience Delivering Baby Zeke in Singapore

I was having apprehensions delivering Zeke in Singapore. I gave birth to Naj and Fynn in the Philippines. I was worried about how my caesarean operation would go, the hospital bills and many more if I give birth in Singapore. I heard horror stories of mommies incurring large amount of debt in hospital due to complications occurring during the delivery. But my worries was laid to rest when my operation went smoothly, baby is ok, we managed to pay the hospital bills without a hitch and we had a wonderful hospital stay in KK Hospital.

3. Longer Maternity Leave, More Time with the Kids

Since I gave birth in Singapore, I didn’t have to fly to the Philippines early in my pregnancy and didn’t have to rush back to Singapore to work. I had longer days with Zeke and my two toddlers at home. I was happily breastfeeding Zeke at home and I get to have playtime with Naj and Fynn. I would tutor Naj after his daily playtime at the condo playground. I get to make breakfast for Fynn, my always hungry monster as well as for my hubby. I got the needed rest at home.

4. Maternity Shoot with Wein

I never have done any maternity shoot with my two older kids. I was thinking it is too wasteful and expensive. I was also looking like a hippo when I am 7-8 months pregnant which made me not even think of anyone taking my photo. But then with Zeke, I decided to have an amateur photo session with my creative friend, Wein. She visited Singapore for a shortwhile and we made it happen. I was happy with the results.

5. Friendships

I was overjoyed to have create deep connections with women who are struggling with life just like me. It was nice to share, support and laugh with genuine friends. I am grateful that I have a tribe here in Singapore that I can run to for a shoulder to cry on and who would cheer you on and pray for you.

6. Successful Big Event I Organized

One of my big stresses of 2018 was organising this big event for work. It took a year of planning and very detailed execution. I wanted it to be a success and not a total failure so I was under a lot of pressure and stress. It was my first time to organise an event and at a big scale. But my efforts paid off and it was a huge success. My boss complimented me for a job well done.

7. Amazing blogging collaborations

I am amazed at how my blog has grown. I would received constant emails of blogging engagements from wonderful brands and companies. I felt blessed with the opportunities that was showered upon me. Some of the brands that I have worked with last year and some are ongoing this year are MilkyWay Maternity & Nursing Wear, Cynbolic Nail Bar, Lucky Lash Brow, La Vie Aesthetics, Tayo Station, Pororo Indoor Playground, Alfero Gelato, Pink Parlour, Kkkboats Cruise and many others. It is humbling to know that these brands and companies trust me to feature them in my blog.

8. Trips to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

I didn’t get to travel much this year but my family and I have been to nearby Johor Bahru for staycations. One of the brands that I have worked with last year was Cynbolic NailBar in Johor Bahru had arranged for us a night stay in Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour. The kids enjoyed the trip so much and Hotel Jen is etched in their memories, they keep repeating anecdotes of our stay there. So on Naj’s birthday, we went back to stay in Hotel Jen in Johor and spent a day in Legoland Malaysia.

9. Naj & Fynn

I can never stop being grateful for my two big boys. They have grown up to be so sweet and loving. They are very talkative and inquisitive now. It is fun to talk to them. They say the funniest things. They always show their concern for me and rest of the people in the house. They would always tell us, “Be careful!” if we are standing on stools to reach objects, “Are you okay, Mommy (or Ate Dar)?” if we are not feeling well and lots of “I love you”s all day. They are self-reliant by always putting their cups & plates in the sink after they finished drinking & eating and they put back their shoes in the shoes rack after going out. They love to build cool block creations and would tell me cartoons stories. They pray before eating and before sleeping. They do fight a lot everyday just like my sister and I before. I hope one of these days they will they will stop fighting and be best of friends.

10. Fun Christmas Party

My hubby and I hosted a Christmas party with our friends. My hubby grilled a mean perfectly- marinated Pork Belly and I cooked KareKare, a peanut butter beef stew which is my dad’s recipe. Our dishes were guests’ favorites! The rest of the visitors brought potluck dishes. All the wives who were organizing planned games for the party. It was so fun! Boys vs Girls. We laugh so hard throughout the games. We also had games for kids.

11. Discovered my colors

I wanted to stop at 10 but this is a bonus. Late of last year, I discovered Color Analysis. It is what most image consultant use to determine what colors works for you in clothing and makeup. I been hoping that I would look good in pastels, dusty rose, blush pink and dusty blue but I look so washed-out. I discovered I am a Clear Winter and I look better in bright saturated color. So instead of blush pink and pale green for my fashion color, I will be sticking to White, Black and Blood Red. I throw in sometimes some emerald green, bright fuchsia, hot pink, lemon yellow and icy blue. Just think of Audrey Hepburn’s wardrobe in Funny Face.

Thank you 2018 for the blessings. Thank you for the lessons. And especially thank you for giving us Zeke. I am letting go of my heavy baggage of 2018. Hi 2019! I want to face you, 2019, lighter (emotionally & hopefully, physically too – 1.5 to 2 kg to be exact.) and baggage-free. I am letting go of expectations, anxieties, negativity, paranoia, materialism, self-deprecation and comparison. I am all yours, naked & free. Do me as you will. Take me in a new adventure. You have my full attention. Surprise me and please promise me, make this a good one to make up for 2018. Thanks in advance!

10 THINGS TO DO IN JOHOR BAHRU

July 10, 2018 by Little Miss Honey 2,234 Comments

One of the great things in living in Singapore is its proximity to neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. So if you are living in Singapore, you are just several minutes away from Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Surprisingly, this proximity hasn’t been taken to full advantage by people residing in Singapore. I have been to Johor Bahru approximately 5x. In my recent trip to Johor with my family, I got better acquainted with the place after a local gave us some recommendations of things to do and places to go.

Here are a few things you can do in Johor Bahru, Malaysia:

1. Stay in Hotel Jen

Staycations are a trend right now. People like to book a hotel and just enjoy the amenities & comfort of a hotel. We loved staying at Hotel Jen at Puteri Harbour. It is very kid-friendly with its spacious space for kids to play in the lobby with big pillows, a large TV, several iMac to use while I check in the hotel. I am happy that we get to do an early check-in when we upgraded our room to the harbour view. We loved our room and the aesthetics of the hotel. Our kids were particularly happy and comfortable at Hotel Jen.

We love that our room is overlooking the harbour and kids enjoying seeing the yachts below. We like the location of the hotel. There are lots of nearby restaurants and there are pharmacies, convenience store and boutiques as well. The hotel provides free shuttle bus to Legoland and it is just walking distance to Hello Kitty Town and Thomas & Friends. The hotel staff were all so friendly and accommodating. When we plan to stay for a night or two in Johor Bahru, we know that we will be staying at Hotel Jen.

2. Enjoy a day of fun & rides with your kids at LegoLand

Of course, when you speak of Johor Bahru, it is often synonymous to Legoland Malaysia. So you must visit Legoland when you have young kids when you are in Johor Bahru. Our eldest celebrated his birthday there twice when he turned 2 years and recently when he turned 4. Kids would surely love it there. For younger kids below 4, they will enjoy the playgrounds while 4 years and older will love the rides.

If you opt to stay in Legoland Hotel, it would be an awesome experience too. Their themed hotel rooms are so cool and spacious with a treasure box for you to figure out how to unlock. We had a fun time when we stayed in Legoland Hotel too.

3. Ride the Thomas & Friends train or Have a Nice Afternoon Tea with Hello Kitty

Thomas & Friends Train is currently our kids’ favourite cartoon especially our second-born. Naj and Fynn were so excited that they get to ride the Thomas & Friends’ Train. Thomas Town is found 3rd and 4th floor of building while Hello Kitty Town is at the 2nd floor. We are happy that it is just a few steps from Hotel Jen. Since we got boys, we didn’t visit Hello Kitty and opted to just visit the Thomas Town. There were several kiddies rides. Afterwards, our kids get to enjoy the large playground while my hubby and I stayed at the Parents’ Lounge to enjoy some armchair massage.

Hello Kitty Town

Thomas Town

4. Go shopping at Johor Premium Outlets

If you like shopping branded stuff, try visiting Johor Bahru Premium Outlets. You will find great deals there. You will enjoying spending a half day walking around the area searching for items that would attract your fancy.

Credit: sgtojb

5. Enjoy some cakes & hang out at TreeSea by 3C Cafe

Someone from JB suggested this cafe to me for its yummy cakes. It is found inside Horizon Hills. The place looks very instagrammable. People would love to hang out there for a chill afternoon away from the sun. My family and I had lunch there before we headed back to Singapore.

6. Have a tall glass of Old Town White Coffee

If I don’t reach out for my favourite Singaporean kopi peng, my next best thing is the 3-in-1 Old Town White Coffee in Hazelnut. In Johor, they have cafe that serve the Old Town White Coffee bought as 3-in -1 here in Singapore. They also serve meals for their customers.

7. Buy some yummy breads at Lavender

If you want to buy some breads to munch on going back to Singapore, I suggest you drop by Lavender bakery. You can find one in City Square. Must try their Pandan Sponge Cake, Macaroons, Corn Peppers and Chicken Ham & Cheese Bun.

8. Pamper your nails at Cynbolic Nail Bar

You can also have a pampering treat at the lovely posh Cynbolic Nail Bar. It is definitely worth the trip. My nails looks so pretty and nice after they did their 5-step Cynbolic Treatment on my poor nails.

I love how pretty the place looks and that they are very particular with their hygienic practices to provide clean and high quality service to their customers. They also serve refreshments for their customers. They have a mini-retail store area upfront, selling cute stuff that you would be tempted to buy.

9. Stroll around to shop or eat at JBCC Komtar or City Square Mall

If you are in Johor to just shop and eat, visit City Square Mall or JBCC Komtar Mall. You can just stroll around and enjoy your favourite boutiques and restaurants that are usually half the price cheaper than in Singapore. Once my galpal and I chance upon a sale in Padini and shop ’til we drop. It was perfect time because it was near Christmas season and we bought our Christmas gifts to our families there. My gall also love the KFC in Johor and would always buy a bucket of chicken there. She says it takes way better in Johor than in Singapore for some reason. While my family and I would often have dinner at Tony Roma at JBCC.

10. Enjoy a beach stroll or the evening lights at Danga Bay

Danga Bay is a a new recreational park in Johor which was opened in 2017. We noticed it on a taxi-trip back to our hotel when we say bright lights from what looks like a carousel. Danga Bay got a theme park for families to enjoy. Nearby also is the Dang Bay Beach which you can have a quiet stroll or you can take a cruise ride which can accommodate up to 12 people. There are nearby cafes and restaurants too.

Credit: blog.tunehotels

So for the next long weekend, you might consider trying out exploring Johor Bahru, Malaysia if you are living in Singapore. Let me know if you have other discoveries in JB too.

CYNBOLIC NAIL BAR: A WORTH-IT NAIL-PAMPERING DESTINATION TO JOHOR BAHRU

June 22, 2018 by Little Miss Honey 4,555 Comments

One of the great things in living in Singapore is its proximity to neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. You can go on a quick visit to these countries as easy as 1-2-3. Early this month, my family planned a trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia for a little relaxing get-away – a pampering treat for me, a fun day at an indoor playground for the kids and a chill day of no work for hubby.

After giving birth, I always look forward for a pampering treat like a manicure & pedicure or hair colouring. I heard of lots of Singaporeans travel to nearby Johor Bahru for their mani-pedi session. But I didn’t just want to go to any nail salon. I wanted a nail salon that emphasizes on hygiene. Being a doctor, I am aware that you can contract infections through unhygienic practices in salons. Who would want that, right? It would be a plus if the place is aesthetically pleasing and relaxing. I would love my pampering sessions be it a nail, hair or facial treatment to be an experience and not purely service.

So on our trip to Johor, I came to know of a nail bar in Johor Bahru that delivers what I been looking for in a nail salon. I was excited to visit Cynbolic Nail Bar. We stayed for a night at Hotel Jen at Puteri Harbour. So in the afternoon while my hubby & kids are taking a nap in the hotel, I booked a Grab vehicle to Cynbolic Nail Bar which cost me only RM 8 ($3 SGD). It is just nearby Legoland Malaysia, Hello Kitty Town, Horizon Hills and Leisure Farm. As my Grab vehicle was almost reaching Cynbolic Nail Bar, I was impressed with the vicinity. The area looks so posh with a neighbouring good-looking estate. The place have several cool shops beside each other. There were still a few spaces that are vacant. And of course, there was a Starbucks in one corner.

Cynbolic Nail Bar is a stylish nail salon that just open early this year. They require you to book appointments for nail services. I rang the bell of the shop and left my shoes outside the shop with the rest of the shoes of the customers. I was loving the vibe of the place as I entered. It was like entering into a posh cool summer resort. The place is very spacious and aesthetically on point like magically fairy of interior design showers her fairy dust all over the place. Upon entering the front area of the nail bar, there is a space for retail products displayed that was carefully curated. There were lovely accessories, rattan bags that are so in right now, slippers and beauty products.

I was greeted by the owner of the nail bar, Cynthia, who gave me a little tour of the place. There was a long rectangle table for manicure and inner part of the salon, are comfy chairs with pretty circular basins for pedicures and foot soaks. The theme of the place gives out a sanctuary for relaxation and pampering. I was asked to choose from the menu of refreshments. There were choices of hot beverages for me to choose from. I chose the Just Jasmine Tea (RM 10).

I opted to have a gelish manicure and a regular manicure for my toes. I was given choices of what Aroma Soak I prefer for my fingers and toes. They have Peppermint, Lavender and Rose. For my fingers, I opted for Rose Soak while I chose the Lavender Soak for my feet. They use Young Living Essential Oils to provide customer the therapeutic experience. Being a fan of essential oils, particularly Young Living, I was happy to know that they are incorporating it in their treatment.

I met the two lovely therapists who did my manicure and pedicure. They made sure I was comfortable as they were doing my manicure and pedicure. They introduced me to the 5-Step Cynbolic Treatment for my nails that ensures nourishing treatment for weak nails with application of keratin, macademia serum, centella rapid, ecrinal vitamin and ecrinal fortifying cream.

I truly enjoyed the service. The therapists were very meticulous and careful while during my manicure and pedicure. I somehow can tell if therapists are rushing and are not attuned with their customers. I was satisfied with their service. My treatment included nail shaping and buff, cuticle care, lotion application and gentle massage. I loved my candy-coloured nails.

I was surprised that after my mani-pedi, they gave me the file, buffer & toe separators they used on me placed in its pre-sterlised plastic. They have a strict use-once policy on file, buffer & toe separators. I can keep the file, buffer & toe separators and bring along in Cynbolic Nail Bar when I come back. They showed me their steriliser for their nail tools. They ensure that all nail tools that are to be used are pre-sterlised.

I hang out for a while at Cynbolic Nail Bar, drinking my tea and indulged in some snacks that was offered to me. I browsed around their mini retail area and chatted with the owner and therapists. Besides their regular and gelish nail services, they also have nail spa. manicure & pedicure for kids under 10 years old, nail extension and nail art. They also provide waxing services, eyebrow trimming and henna art. The place looks great for a bachelorette party or girly-pampering birthday party.

I am so glad I got to visit Cynbolic Nail Bar. I would definitely come back again. I highly recommend it to people living in Johor Bahru and for those living in Singapore, planning a day trip to Johor or if staying a night of two in Johor. If you are coming to Johor to visit Legoland or Hello Kitty Town, I suggest you pre-book an appointment with Cynbolic Nail Bar as well. It would be a wonderful treat for you to visit Cynbolic Nail Bar .

Their services and prices are shown below:

Manicure/Pedicure & Spa

The Cynbolic

Here are a few things you can do in Johor Bahru, Malaysia:

Manicure/Pedicure & Spa

Nail Spa