I’m mainly a shower gel girl but there are times when I simply can’t resist soaps, especially pretty and luxurious soaps which contribute to an enjoyable shower experience. I used to pop into stores such as Lush Soaps simply to admire their beautiful soaps and bath bombs which came in delicious flavours such as Lemon, Raspberry and Strawberry which often sounded good enough to eat! Unfortunately, Lush is on the pricier side and I often could not bring myself to pay so much for just soap!

Luckily, there are now lots of great options available for handcrafted and luxurious soaps and one online store I particularly like is Southern Pleasures which specialises in handcrafted luxurious cold-processed soaps made in the prettiest colours! Southern Pleasures soaps are olive oil based and sometimes adjusted with almond oil or shea butter which are famous for their great moisturizing properties.

See more beautiful soap designs below.

I find Southern Pleasures’ prices rather reasonable as their soaps retail for approximately US$4.25 a bar up to US$23 for a variety of 6 different soaps. These prices are much cheaper than those in Lush which tend to be sold by weight.

They make great gift packs too if you are looking for a gift for a friend. A pretty little pack like the Last Minute Gift below (retails at US$10) which comes with a soap of your choice, a sisal cloth to exfoliate while showering and a rustic wooden soap dish. Simply indicate the type of soap you want and the colour of ribbon you prefer and let Southern Pleasures surprise the recipient of your gift!

Southern Pleasures does a variety of fragranced oil and essential oils soaps, some in delicious sounding flavours such as Black Raspberry and Apple Fruitasia which are simply bursting with fruity flavours guaranteed to leave you refreshed and sweet smelling after your bath.

For those who suffer from chapped lips, do try their variety of lip balms which come in a choice of Creme Brulee formulated with avocado oil, Buttercream lip balm which is a delicious sounding combination of avocado oil and cocoa butter and Black Cherry lip balm with the aroma of sweet black cherries. These lip balms will not only provide lasting moisture for your lips but have you licking your lips

There are some great soaps on sale at only US$3 a bar which make great gifts or a little luxury for yourself at inexpensive prices. Shipping information is available on Southern Pleasures’ site and they are happy to refund any difference should you be overcharged for shipping!

The Taiwan High Speed Rail train is a fantastic public transportation system marvel linking North and South Taiwan. It provides a great and inexpensive means of transportation around Taiwan in a fast, safe and clean manner instead of taking internal flights. Unlike our terrible KTM train service, the Taiwan High Speed Rail service is efficient, timely and very convenient.

The great experience of taking the Taiwan High Speed Rail begins right at their stations. The High Speed Rail stations are tall modern steel and glass structures which resemble airports and there are lots of food and service outlets available for busy and hungry commuters. Ticket purchases are mainly done through one of the many automated ticketing machines available. The ticketing machines are very modern and even allow payment via your credit card so one does not have to fumble for loose change. At the machine, you have the option of purchasing designated seats or free seats. The free seats are slightly cheaper and have separate carriages where some commuters might have to stand if the seats have run out.

If you are a tourist with a planned itinerary, you can even opt to purchase your tickets online here.

Read about the convenience of the train service below.

It was very impressive to see how frequent their train services are to all the major towns around Taiwan. Their trains run with an average of a 20 minute frequency and are incredibly punctual which means no long waiting times or uncertainty about when the train might arrive.

Once you have bought your ticket, take the escalators or elevators to the platforms to wait for your train. The platforms are very clean and brightly lit. The train is incredibly quiet and as the carriages have been seperated according to your seating arrangements, there isn’t much pushing or shoving to board the trains. The train stops for just a few minutes for commuters to board and often, there will be a friendly attendant standing outside if you require any help.

The interior of the train is also very clean with seats that resemble airline seats. An empty area is provided in front of each carriage for bulky luggages while overhead compartments are available for smaller luggages. There are electronic boards at the front of the carriage which will display the name of the coming station so commuters can get ready to disembark. Despite having top speeds of up to 300 km/hr, the high speed is hardly felt within the carriage due to the stability of the Shinkansen series train. Safety features are top priority with a good fireproof design and excellent traction and brake power.

Toilets are also very clean and men have the option of using designated men toilets which are probably smaller than the conventional toilets. Shortly after the train has taken off, attendents will come by to sell refreshments and drinks and pick up trash to ensure the carriage remains clean. Commuters are, however, allowed to bring their own food on board and the train is usually filled with the delicious smells of food!

Currently, the Taiwan High Speed Rail has a total of 8 stations in service from North to South Taiwan.  An additional 4 will be added and are expected to begin service in 2010.

• Nankang*
• Taipei
• Banciao
• Taoyuan
• Hsinchu
• Miaoli*
• Taichung
• Changhua*
• Yunllin*
• Chiayi
• Tainan
• Zuoying

* To commence in 2010

The Taiwan High Speed Rail is a great way to get out of Taipei city to take in some beautiful sights and sounds around the other areas of Taiwan. It is an easy and convenient mode of travel, even for tourists and at a top speed of 300 km/hr, you can be assured of reaching your destination quickly and safely.

I previously reviewed Kenko Fish Spa in Pavillion KL, The Garra Rufa Fish Therapy spa in Bangsar and also the Kampung Fish Therapy Garra Rufa Spa in Singapore. Comparisons between real and fake Garra Rufa fish (Chin Chin fish) was also discussed here.

These fish spas have been popping up all over Malaysia and Singapore like wild mushrooms as everyone tries to take advantage of these little fish whom many claim are highly effective in eating away dead skin cells and aiding skin repair and regeneration. However, the hygiene of these spas are often questionable especially when some merely offer a big tub of water filled with little fake Garra Rufa fish where the bottom is dirty and the water is not filtered and cleaned. They charge very little for a 5 to 15 minute “treatment” but the thought of infections or skin diseases spreading through these fake Garra Rufa and dirty tub water is indeed scary.

The health risks and questionable effectiveness of fish treatments has led to the closure and shutdown of fish spas in Singapore and Dallas, US. Read below to find out more.

The Spa Association Singapore has said that banning fish-spa treatments such as Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa and Qian Hu Fish Farm is the way to go and it did not encourage its members here to provide the service for safety and hygiene reasons.

More reputable members use filtration systems and ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in the water and also check that their customers are clear of wounds.

At least two complaints have emerged this year against fish spas - the Consumers Association of Singapore received one, and The New Paper ran a report on two sisters who caught fungal infections from a fish spa. (source)

On the other side of the globe, this treatment of letting live fish give people pedicures is now banned in Washington and Texas.

Ms Christine Anthony, spokesman for the Washington Department of Licensing, said it was impossible to sanitise live fish. ‘You can clean the tank, you can clean the water, but there’s no guarantee that the fish aren’t carrying something from the previous customer,’ she was quoted as saying by Seattle Times.

Officials also said the foot baths and holding tanks, because they are home to live fish, cannot always be properly cleaned and disinfected.

Hence, although it might be a novel pedicure that is the current rage, do exercise caution before you dip your feet and legs to be nibbled by those little fish. This is especially so if the place you frequent uses fake Garra Rufa fish such as Chin Chin fish which can bite hard enough to even cause cuts or wounds, as experienced by some customers.

It is always best to ensure that you only visit reputable spas which have excellent filteration systems and ultra-violet rays to kill whatever bacteria that might be present in the water. Otherwise you might find yourself picking up a nasty infection or skin disease from an irresponsible customer.

Ask any woman and she might tell you that going for a gynecological checkup or Pap smear is one of the most uncomfortable experiences one would have to endure, apart from childbirth! Nevertheless, it is a small discomfort to put up with compared to the risks of developing gynaecological problems without regular checkups.A good gynecologist might not be so easy to find as each woman would tend to recommend the doctor they frequent and are comfortable with.

My company recently had a Health Awareness Week where women’s health was given some emphasis and we were first introduced to PrimaNora, a private specialist medical centre dedicated to helping women lead healthy lives. What makes PrimaNora unique is that they are a centre which was founded by a woman, are run by women and are focused on women’s health needs. The founder of the clinic, Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar, founded this clinic with the objective of providing women with total healthcare, screening and diagnosis in one easy location by trained specialists.

Read my review of PrimaNora clinic below.

The first thing that struck me about PrimaNora clinic during my first visit there was how well designed the place was. It was clean, comfortable and did not have that horrid antiseptic smell one tends to associate with hospitals and clinics. Comfortable chairs are provided for one to wait while being attended to with lots of magazines and cable TV for entertainment. From the pretty tiles on the floor to the bathroom, it is clear that lots of thought has been put into the design of the clinic to make it a comfortable place for women.

The team of doctors there are mainly Malay women which makes PrimaNora a great place for Malay  abd Muslim women who may be less comfortable with male gynaecologists. I found them to be very professional and friendly. As this was my first visit there, I appreciated the fact that Dr Marsitah, the specialist, took some time in explaning the impotance of health screening tests and providing more information on how the screening test will be done so there will be no surprises.

I found their equipment to be rather impressive. The bed in the doctor’s area came equipped with a video TV and ultrasound screen which allows patient to view it together with the doctor as she performs the screening. As they are a relatively new clinic, everything is rather new and clean. The doctor also took her time in carrying out the screening to ensure a thorough test is done without rushing it as some doctors might do, especially if they have a long waiting list of patients.

Overall, I found my experience there to be relatively pleasant. PrimaNora also offers the HPV vaccination, Cervarix, against the HPV virus which has been found to be a cause of cervical cancer. I would especially recommend it for Malay or Muslim women as they are assured of great care by Muslim women specialists at PrimaNora. Although there are now quite a large number of private medical care available in the Klang Valley, it is good to know that women’s needs are now taken care of with a specialist centre specially for women, especially since women are now becoming more conscious of the importance of prevention and early detection.

PrimaNora is located in Taman Tun at the following address:

PrimaNora Medical Centre Sdn Bhd
B1-13, TTDI Plaza, Jalan Wan Kadir 3,
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur.
Phone : 03-77282886
Fax : 03-77262886
Email : info@primanora.com
Website : http://www.primanora.com

There are quite a number of hotels to choose from in Taichung, ranging from the high end luxury hotels to the budget hotels. However, if you are looking for a decent hotel which is relatively close to conveniences, do consider the Ful Won Hotel in Taichung. The Ful Won Hotel is very conveniently located on the main Zhongguang Road and easily accessible to many department stores and the ever popular Taiwan night markets. For travellers who require inexpensive snacks or a quick meal, the hotel is located right next to a Geant Hypermarket which offers groceries and freshly cooked food for less.

Read more about the Ful Won Hotel below.

Ful Won Hotel has a nice lobby furnished with a lovely set of rosewood furniture. A stand containing  tourist information and brochures are readily available in the lobby in both English and Mandarin for tourists and travellers. Their receptionists and concierge are generally quite helpful even if you do not speak much Mandarin and are always smiling which is a pleasure to see after a long day.

The hotel rooms in Ful Won Hotel aren’t very luxurious but they are clean and offer the basic necessities. Although it is not a five-star hotel in Taichung, all TVs in their room offers over 100 channels of cable television in English, Mandarin and Japanese! In the local hotels in Kuala Lumpur, this many channels sometimes do not even come with our luxury hotels!

Breakfast is provided in their restaurant on the Ground Floor and is a mixture of Western and Chinese cuisine with an emphasis towards Chinese dishes. This might make it a little difficult for guests who are not used to Chinese breakfasts as Chinese tend to eat more heavy things such as fried rice, fried noodles or porridge for breakfast. Those who prefer a Western type breakfast could consider nipping out to the nearby cafes in the Geant Supermarket for a quick bite.

The hotel is within walking distance of the popular Shin Guang shopping centre which houses the popular Japanese store, Mitsukoshi which is a great place to shop for cosmetics, makeup and fashionable clothes. It is also closely located around restaurants, cafes and all kinds of food and pharmacies to tempt a hungry traveller.

Directions and a map to the Ful Won Hotel, Taichung can be found here.

I would recommend this hotel for its convenience and easy access!

Tiffa by Kanebo was a brand I did not know much about despite being a fan of Kanebo products. it turns out that Tiffa is actually the cheaper sister of Kanebo which produces drugstore cosmetics. Although cheaper, the quality is not compromised in anyway and consumers are still assured of the high quality makeup that Kanebo has become famous for.

Personally, I find using eyeliners quite difficult. One eyeliner that worked for me for a while was the Bobbi Brown Liquid Eyeliner which although was good required a good brush to apply it properly. I tried other pencil type eyeliners such as the Clinique Quickliner for Eyes but found that it hurt the delicate skin of my eyes when I applied it on and for all that pain, the colour just did not come out right!

Plus I’m all about packaging so when I saw the Kanebo Tiffa Liquid Eyeliner pretty pink packaging, I knew I just had to try it! Plus it was available in a brush eyeliner form which promises easier application. Since I don’t have a liquid eyeliner yet, I decided to add it to my collection. Read my review of the Kanebo Tiffa Liquid Eyeliner below.

The Kanebo Tiffa Liquid Eyeliner is available in a slim auto pen with a fine-tipped brush. You have to turn the bottom of it for the colour to come up and when you initially open it, it would take several turns before the colour actually appears on the brush. The colour usually comes up in a little blob or bead and that is one grouse I have as it will totally screw up your make up should you apply it directly. Instead, what I usually do is to dab the bead of eyeliner on my hand and to apply it from there so it smoothens out a little.

Application wise, I found it surprisingly easy to use considering my apprehensions about liquid eyeliners. The tip of the brush is always sharp and fine so you don’t have to worry abouut your eyeliner smudging. It takes a bit of practice initially as the eyeliner can be a little too thick with an uncontrolled hand. However, with practice, I find it really easy to draw on the liquid eyeliner now! The beauty of the brush is that it allows for varying levels of thickness of eyeliner, depending on the occasion you’re wearing it for.

The liner is quick drying and rather long-lasting. Unlike some eyeliners, I find that it continues to remain relatively fresh till the end of the day and does not leave me with panda eyes by the time the day is over! A good tip to applying eyeliner I was taught is to look up in the mirror when applying it so you can ensure the bottom of your eyelids are properly filled with the eyeliner. It’s relatively easy to use for beginners and I would recommend it if you are looking for a quality yet inexpensive liquid eyeliner.

Marrybrown is a Malaysian owned fast food franchise offering a range of fried chicken and burger meals, similar to McDonald’s and KFC. Being Malaysian, they offer a host of local food as well such as fried chicken rice, chicken porridge and the ever popular nasi lemak, all served with their own fried chicken pieces.

Their outlets are usually found in smaller shopping malls or smaller areas and have a unique swing-type bench seating arrangement which will definitely appeal to children and teenagers. I have always been curious to try their food and finally got the opportunity to when we visited their outlet in Gentings. Read more about our experience below.

We ordered two value meal sets which came with 2 pieces of fried chicken, a cup of soft drink and a pack of fries. We told the girl behind the counter that we did not want any wings and were told that we will have to wait over half an hour as they had to fry a new batch of chicken as there weren’t many pieces left! One wonders how they can cope with large groups!

When we brought our chicken to the table, we were quite shocked to see how small their chicken pieces were. The drumstick was only the size of a drummet!

The picture below was taken with the saucer of tomato sauce next to it for comparison.

Their fries were freshly fried and didn’t taste too bad. However, considering that each value meal costs over RM7, the sizes of chicken served definitely does not justify its prices!

I’m not sure if the other outlets are the same. Anyone had a similar experience with Marrybrown before?

Genting Highlands is not only famous for its casinos but also for the many international artistes and performances that make their way there every year. Located over 6,000 feet above sea level, the Genting Arena of Stars is truly a unique entertainment venue.

The Arena of Stars has played host to world famous international singers such as Sir Cliff Richard, Tony Orlando and Jim Brickman. Even the internationally acclaimed Vienna Boys Choir has sang to a full audience here. On the Chinese scene, stars such as Alan Tam, Aaron Kwok, Sally Yeh, Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung have crooned here to the delight of their many Malaysian fans.

I was recently in Gentings for the Tony Orlando “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” tour and visited the Arena of Stars for the first time. Read more about my experience in this unique entertainment arena below.

The Arena of Stars is located near the Genting theme park and is built in a huge amphitheatre style which is capable of seating 6,000 people. Access to the arena is through some turnstiles where your tickets for the show will be checked and chopped. You will then be ushered to some open doors which resembled tent flaps which leads the way to the seats.

There are a different range of seats available, depending on the price of the ticket you hold. The cheapest tickets gets you seats all the way up to the back and the highest part of the amphitheatre which is also the further point of the stage.

A wide area in front of the stage is left empty to accommodate performances which require a wider space or to accommodate the premium seats, which was the case when I was there. It was rather interesting to note that while the seats around the Arena of Stars were tiered to provide better visibility, the VIP seats right in front of the stage was on flat ground. However, these were the lucky ones as Tony Orlando actually went right into the crowd there to shake their hands and encourage them to sing along!

The stage was surprisingly quite big and impressive with two big screens by the side to ensure the performance can be clearly seen by everyone. The sound systems were also loud and clear all around the arena and Tony’s great music and famous “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” soon had everyone singing along and clapping. We found it quite funny that quite a number of songs sung by Tony Orlando were from The Beatles! However, the audience which were mainly the older adults absolutely loved this blast from their past and were standing up to sing and dance along with him!

I’m not sure if there was inbuilt airconditioning in the amphitheatre or whether the cool air inside was from the cool mountain air on Genting Highlands but it made it a pleasant change from the heat of the city. Overall, the Arean of Stars provided an interesting experience! Do try it for yourself with your favourite star!

Photo credits

I never knew how difficult it was to find a place that makes curtains until it was time to make some for my home. I looked everywhere but it was not easy to find a professional curtain designer who can custom make curtains according to your window size. I am all for buying ready-made curtains if I could especially since ready-made curtains from Jusco or Ikea will definitely cost a whole lot less. Unfortunately, my windows are huge which necessitates made to measure curtains and hence this curtain hunt.

I surveyed some cloth shops which provide sewing services but I had some apprehension about buying the cloth and engaging their sewing services as they did it based on our own measurements. This can sometimes be a little tricky as there is a high risk that your measurements might be a little wrong which means your curtains might not be made according to the correct size and could end up looking quite ugly.

Ikea is actually a great place to get curtains as their curtains come readily cut in the standard measurements. However, their curtains are usually used together with the Ikea type rods which can be a problem is you already have readily installed curtain rods which are not to the Ikea standard specifications. Read more to find out where I finally found my curtains at one of Kuala Lumpur’s best curtain makers.

Based on some recommendations, I decided to try SSF Curtains. SSF Curtains is popular for having the well-knowned Malaysian interior designer, Eric Leong, as their spokesperson. It promises high quality curtains at wholesale prices and are so confident of their prices that they have a money back guarantee of twice the amount if you are able to find the exact same fabric somewhere else for less!

I went to their newly opened outlet in Ampang and was attended to by their friendly and knowledgable sales assistants. Each of their showrooms comes designed with the finest interior finishings to showcase their curtains which range from pretty scalloped curtains, French pleated curtains and roller blinds. It is made with some of the fabric available in the showroom so customers interested in that fabric will be able to get a better idea of the fabric by looking at the ready made curtains.

What I liked about SSF was their variety and quality of materials. They have a wide range of high quality materials to make curtains with an option of solids or prints. They also have a small range of blackout curtains for homes who wish to have darker curtains to keep out the sunlight. Each of their curtains can be matched with an equally wide range of sheer curtains or day curtains also available at the shop. SSF also provides a range of curtain rods to hang your curtains on and it is advisable to purchase the rods and curtains from them as a package. Customers who purchase both rods and curtains from them have the benefit of having their curtains properly hung by their consultants whilst those with existing rods will have to hang them up themselves.

Part of the services provided by SSF is a complete measurement of your window area by their consultants to ensure a proper quote is provided before they commence tailoring of your curtains. That way, you can be assured of getting properly measured curtains and will not have to deal with the trouble of too little or too much material. So if you are looking for curtains, SSF is a great place to start. Just a note of warning, regardless of where you choose to do your curtains, do be prepared to spend at least a thousand ringgit on them as curtains do not come cheap!

SSF curtain showrooms are available at the following locations:

SSF Sdn Bhd Sungai Buloh HQ,
2601, Off Jalan Welfare,
Kg Baru Sg Buloh,
47000 Selangor
Phone: 03-6140 2020, Fax: 03-6140 1010
Hours: 9am to 6pm

SSF Curtain Puchong,
24, Jalan Puteri 4/2, Bandar Puteri,
47100 Puchong, Selangor
Phone: 03-8060 7020, Fax: 03-8060 7017
Hours: 10am to 7pm

SSF Curtain Shah Alam,
8, Jalan Mesra 1, Batu Tiga
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor
Phone: 03-5512 5020, Fax: 03-5513 5020
Hours: 10am to 7pm

SSF Curtain Ampang,
Opposite Ampang Point Shopping Centre
Hours: 10am to 9pm

Have I mentioned how much I like lip glosses?

I find it such an easy and convenient way to brighten up your face and it is quick to apply when in a hurry.

I am also a big fan of Japanese cosmetics and makeup brands as I tend to find them more suitable for my skin and colouring. Not to mention the really cute packaging they come in! Hence, I was quite thrilled to find a nice little lipgloss in the form of Canmake Lip Essence.

Canmake Tokyo is a Japanese brand which carries a range of cosmetics for your eyes, face, nails, lips and fragrances. It is a Japanese drug store brand and provides a decent quality makeup range for a reasonable price. It is not currently available in Malaysia but can easily be found in Japan drugstores and Watsons in Taiwan. Their makeup tends to seem more muted and appealing to younger girls as they have a wide variety of products in pretty cotton candy pink hues.

The Canmake Lip Essence comes in a sleek and pretty container with a nylon tip which provides easy application. The lip essence comes with a light scent depending on the colours you buy and is available in 3 different colour ranges:

• 01 - A light sheen which turns into a polarizing pink; has a cherry scent
• 02 - Cassis Pink; a pink which melts into red for luscious lips, has a cassis scent
• 03 - Milky Pink; a cute and sweet cherry-blossom pink, has a strawberry scent

The scents are not very strong and I found them to be quite pleasing and sweet. As a lip gloss, they promise that it can prevent chapped lips with a beauty fluid to protect your lips. I am not sure about this as I don’t usually have chapped lips but I did find that it glided on smoothly onto my lips without any thick or sticky feeling. I personally found the colours a little light but it would be great if you are using it as a base under your lipstick to give it some shine or as a gloss stick for weekends

Canmake Lip Essence promises to plump your lips up and add volume to it. I am not sure about this but I did find it rather moisturing and it felt quite pleasant on my lips even a few hours later.

Canmake lip essence retails for approximately 680 yen (RM27) which makes it a really cheap and nice lip gloss if it was available in Malaysia! For those of you lucky enough to have access to it, do give it a try!