A Little Party

If you follow me on Pinterest, you'd know that I've been looking for inspiration for my outfit to a Great Gatsby-themed party. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/126593439499140406/

Being rather time-poor in addition to my baseline laziness, research consisted of Pinterest and YouTube.

And no, I've never seen the movie. Or read/seen/heard the story in any form except for the Wikipedia summary. Go ahead, gasp.

So here's the Pinterest board. Once I started, though, I couldn't stop. Who can resist shiny stuff??? I love the dresses!

Follow Ink's board .style: Gatsby party. on Pinterest.

At Party-8days I'd still yet to figure out how I'm going to find a dress that fit the theme, and didn't make me look like a big round disco ball. And also preferably, not pay a bomb it. And also not spend hours and hours going to various malls to look for it.

So after work, Seoky and I were on a mission - find me this dress that fit the theme, wasn't too expensive, and could be found before Kenny joined us for dinner.

Ta-daa!

Shiny. Check.

Lace. Check.

Fit me. Check.

Below RM 100. Surprisingly, check!

Did Mac ask me to get her one as well? [my usual benchmark for whether something looks grownup/dressy enough]. Check.

Paired with a pearl necklace, and I was pretty much done!

Except that I hadn't thought about what to do with my hair. That's usually a big problem for me - short of lots and lots and I mean lots of heat and so much hairspray it could freeze a bear in its tracks, my hair doesn't stay curled or styled. Ever. 

At this point I'm at Party-5 days and strongly debating if I should bother with those elastic hairband things that are more on-theme, but never seem to stay put when I wear them, or a regular hairband. 

Was about to give up after shopping all afternoon, being distracted (and tempted) by loads of other cute hairbands that didn't really fit the theme.

Then I finally decided to take a walk around the department store while my shopping buddy was trying on more dresses. Up the escalator, passing the kids section...and I found it!

Yes, in the kids section.

Moustache Houze

Over the past year or so, the whole idea of quaint little cafés seems to have caught on and there seems to be a new one to explore every time I go home. 

The latest one I've checked out: Moustache Houze. 

I love fads. Either going all out and being totally into them, or just being all snarky about how dumb most of them are. But one of the fads I've taken the latter disposition to has to be the whole moustache pattern thing  - I mean seriously what is with wearing a top with moustaches printed all over it? It just makes no sense...and makes me feel a tad squeamish. 
But then again who am I to talk when I put this little pic together? 

So back to the cafe. Seriously how does one build a business around a passing fad? I went doubtful and with my most cynical mindset in play. 

It's still pretty beyond me why people are all so ready to engage with these props & photo ops that don't really mean anything to me. But what the heck, I didn't really like how crowded the counter area was - so I sat around and took pictures while the guys ordered for me.

Because I was there around Halloween.

Am I the only one who finds the floating books with moustaches a little bit of a weird force-fit?

And what quirky little cafe in Penang would be complete without the furniture made from vintage doors or grilles?

Moh Moh Instagramming his drink & cake (green tea and, I think, red bean..ick), while KW and I attempt selfies celebrating our BRFs.

So, this is supposedly the specialty here - their "Special Ice Cube". The lack of the plural form in the name, when there are several flavours available, and two cubes in a glass, totally bugs me. But okay, whatever. It was pretty awesome. These are the kiwi and pineapple ones. 

Pretty much a fruit popsicle in a glass.

Pour soda water into the glass, and voila!

Not particularly loving this place. But would totally go back again to just hang out in the smaller rooms upstairs. Oh yeah, the bathrooms, as we found out from the super cute waiter, are upstairs. You'll need to take your shoes off, and climb up the steep and narrow staircase. Remember to stay clear of the people carrying trays of their drinks and food up to the rooms. And, you know, give people the "Will you walk faster?" look as they balance their trays up the stairs, and you wait practically forever for them to get to the landing so you can go back downstairs. 

Disclaimer: Recently went to dinner with a couple of friends - one an actual food writer, the other a chef. The writer lamented how many a blogger out there writes a lot about food, without knowing head or tail about food at all. My silence led to both of them looking at me while the writer very carefully asked, "Nobody at this table is a food blogger, right?"

"No. Not a food blogger," was what I choked out.

So here it is - read for your own entertainment only. 

My relationship with food solely revolves around eating - in a super normal, don't care what drink goes with what food to be eaten with what piece of cutlery sort of way. And I'm unapologetic about it.

Yum.

Sometimes, all you need to do is ask

So, here's a short post before we all head out for another awesome weekend.

I'm pretty sure it's happened to all of us at some point or other. Or we might have even been guilty of this once or twice.

You're supposed to have a relaxing boardgames night in with the gang, when suddenly one in the group brings along someone they fancy, and keeps letting them win.

Or an awesome girls' night out. But someone brings her guy along as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Well that didn't happen last weekend. 

Because, trivial as it may be, there are times I think most of us forget how to be more considerate people. So much so, I hadn't even realised that there was this very simple solution to situations like this. Until a friend of mine, one half of a very happy couple, presented the solution I didn't even know I needed.

She asked if she could bring her guy along. 

That was when we bought our tickets to Tiesto. 

Which was shortly after a disastrous evening where I thought I was headed out for a movie with my two friends, and a girl one of them had recently started seeing. Only when we met up did I find out that the other friend had brought someone along, too. Nevermind that he didn't have a shot with her. I could've at least been given a heads up. And maybe brought along someone I didn't have a shot with either. At least then I wouldn't be the odd person who didn't have someone sitting across from me at dinner. And I'd have someone to offer half of my humongous pile of mashed potatoes to without it being awkward.

"What? Are you crazy? Of course we'd never say no!" was our response when she asked. 

But the point is, she asked.

The result?

No surprises.

No awkward moments.

Lots of partying to awesome music. 

Everyone's happy.

Cheers to that.

Have a great weekend, everyone!