Of Brainstorming Ideas for Kitchen - Part 1

While brainstorming this, my husband keeps reminding me not to dwell myself too much on achieving what he-thinks-I-and-I-myself call My Dreamyyy Kitchen.

"A dream is a dream, dunya (the world) is a dream, what is most important is the Hereafter. If you think kitchen, sleep kitchen and bath kitchen, when do you think of Allah?"

Astagfirullah, his words at that time sliced me deep, and I was hurt. But he was right, and the truth always hurt. So, I want to remind myself that I CANNOT be obsess with the kitchen, even though I know I had been obsessing over them since forever...*cough* it even gone through several phases... *cough*

This obsession started during my final year of study in 2010 when I started to save images of kitchen inspiration into the lappy and harddisk for my personal collection. At that time, I love chalkboard paint and dreamt of blackboard-ing some of the walls or cabinet doors. For example; 

     

   

(note that as they were all saved into the harddisk, I lost the reference links)

I had that vision where I will scribble things and notes in the kitchen. Groceries shopping, recipes, to-do-lists, labeling, family schedules etc. But in practical world, specifically in my Asian world, kitchen is a whole lot more messy than I can imagine. It's oily and people don't do much stuff other than cooking and eating in the kitchen compared to the Westerners. I don't like my chalkboard wall/panel gets oily. And I specifically don't want chalk dust to be added to my cleaning task.

More importantly, I don't know how long will the jitz of having some 'blackboard' to write on will last. My experience of having a cheap blackboard in the kitchen only lasted a month.

April 2010 for the whole 2010. Did not bother to write-off and write on again =p

But still, chalkboard paint is so dreamyy =(

Then it came the white kitchen and solid wood counter top phase.

               

(note again that as they were all saved into the harddisk, I lost the reference links)

Ahh... so drooling.. White kitchen makes up and brightens a narrow and limited space. It will be a bit more work on the maintenance side, especially when our menu are mostly fried, curry and sambal. But white kitchen makes up and brightens a narrow and limited space. There, I said my love to white kitchen. I'm willing to work hard for an airy and bright space.

Until then.

Of The Third Jab

The nurse said that I can graduate from mitten and booties. So, Umi enrolled me to University of Socks Only. I'm such a big baby now.

Of Laptops Free

During breastfeeding, it's important that the mother stays calm and happy. Don't stress over stupid thoughts. Perhaps it's better not to think.

Watch a movie perhaps?

Of Living (Sun)Room

Both my husband and I love this.

Source: Elledecor

High ceiling. Straw blinds. Concrete-cemented floor. Glass wall or perhaps open air ventilated room.

I wonder if this room will be too hot to handle in Malaysia's climate.

Of 3 Months Old Ruhi

This is what I wrote on the second week of 2012. 

Time flies by so fast, work mounting up (as always), I had resolutions, some I already failed to maintain, some I haven't start.

Biggest plan so far this year? I don't know. We would like to have a baby. We would like to live in the same house to raise the baby. Meaning, I am (very soon) applying for a quarters. I never imagined to be living in the very heart of capital city. But it looks like it's the best option so far, so my husband wouldn't have to travel another 50km to reach me. And I wouldn't have to travel far to work.

But am I ready to be a mother?

With preparations, I could.

What a year that has passed!

We had a baby exactly a year after I wrote them. I applied for quarters, called them somewhere during October and said the application was being processed (and some more that the 2008 applications were still being processed).

We bought a house.

Not yet bought, anyway. Just had paid the deposit and in the middle of loan processing. More on that later.

And Ruhi to turn 3 months old next week. Alhamdulillah. Our girl is healthy, and kicking. She loves to kick her legs in the air, that is.

Ruhi 7 weeks old

Ruhi 10 weeks old

And she's still exclusively breastfed. She's turning 3 months old means that my paid maternity leave has come to its end. And welcome to another 3 months (unpaid) leave. This has become one of my life's major decisions - to take a half year leave to exclusively breastfeed my first child, to care for her within my eyes, to live as a family. 

To our Ruhi, you are such a brilliant child. A pleasant to our eyes. Umi and Abi cannot wait for more happy months and years with you.

Of Serambi

I was inspired by this scene of a Korean drama "If In Love Like Them" a few weeks ago. I pointed this scene out to my husband and said I liked this architecture (well, it's not so much architecture - it's just how people create the space and use the space - it's architecture in some way). My husband said that I was fooled by the production team. The things I learnt from dramas or movies are not real.

"Mostly are make-ups. They do not depicts the real culture and lifestyle of the people." He used to live in Japan for 6 years and he saw them with his own eyes. Ookay... (-.-'). But they still might be doing what I thought they are doing. You didn't see everything (so do I!)  After all, culture and perceptions of culture are different for every person.

So, I'd like to keep the good interpretation of things I have with this scene.

Raised deck.. people congregate together.. one washing clothes.. one making kimchi.. one exercising.. sandals and shoes tucked under the deck.. woven mat spread on the deck.. sliding door opened for good ventilation..

If any Malays in Malaysia can recall, we also used to have serambi (deck) in our traditional Malay home. It's the place where people sit down in the afternoon, sipping coffee and munching kuih muih while chatting with the neighbours. I remember my father's grandparents' house where we used to live. The serambi was the forefront of the house, and anything forefront was considered formal so Boyot (or moyang - great grandparents) had a pangkin (big, elevated bench) constructed under the house. Everyday in the morning, after Zuhur or Asar, she would sit on the pangkin, doing stuff. Sometimes, we even ate lunch there. 

I couldn't remember much as I was only around 7 to 9 years old at the time.  

Serambi, or pangkin is considered a core point of a traditional home. The similarity I saw in traditional Malay house, Korean houses and Japanese houses depicts the culture of these locals. Visitors are sometimes entertained in this area, so it leaves the interior private to the family. Informally, it is used for doing house chores such as preparing meals.

In a scene of Ombak Rindu movie, the pangkin was made from old wooden bed frame. Such an old school, and a great way of recycling or redefining furniture.

I'll make myself more observant while watching movies after this and collect more scenes which reminds me of my culture.

Of Our Ruhi

Alhamdulillah, gracious to the Almighty Allah, on 5 January 2013 at exactly 2.30am, I had safely delivered a baby girl into our tiny family. A tiny girl she was, with weight of 2.5kg. But her legs, oh so long. She's our Ruhi (my heart in Arabic), our Spiritual Joy.  

The journey of motherhood then begin. And so this blog.

Of Melaka Part 4 - Villa Sentosa, Kampung Morten

The highlight of the Melaka trip for me was the visit to Villa Sentosa in Kampung Morten. It was the last destination we went, abruptly decided just before we drove back to KL. Situated next to the river, it was easily seen during our boat cruise, but was a bit tricky to find on land. 

The house, initially a living house was converted by its owner Tuan Haji Hashim bin Dato Demang Hj Abd Ghan into a living museum. When we went to visit, his son, whom I regret to make the effort to know his name, welcomed us into the house and made a little tour. 

I fell in love with the internal courtyard as soon as I entered the house. For a whole year of observing plans of traditional Malay house, the experience of actually stepping inside the space is beyond words. Flashes of memories how the traditional Malays use the internal courtyard to do their house chores such as washing and drying laundries, afternoon talks, socializing with their neighbours just coming inside my head non stop.

I vowed to myself that someday, my future home would like to have this traditional internal courtyard as part of the concept.

Entering the interior, many antiques await us to appreciate. 

Rumah Ibu - Mother of the House

Bride's room

Anjung

Serambi depan

Most of the stuffs are from personal collection, and personal memorabilia, such as the pictures of Tuan Haji Hashim himself, his wife and the whole siblings. Apparently, the son is still living in the house, and offering free tours during the day for the visitors. Living true to its name, Villa Sentosa is a living museum as one should expect, and not mundane and static like other museum.

Of Melaka Part 3 - Melaka River Cruise

The next day, my husband and I played tourist by getting the River Cruise to enjoy the river scene. Initially I would prefer to walk along the river bed but we didn't have all the time in the world. So much to (re)visit and see, but so little time, and little willpower. The fee is RM10 per adult, for a 45-minute ride. 

If anyone is to ride the boat, I would suggest you be prepared to be splashed by some river water (which at some areas are smelly!) My, we sit at the very front to take some good photos and that was also the bad water-spot.

Other than Kampung Morten, the ride passes along the back of the shophouses, with nice graffiti on the wall. These in one way, has complimented the unique characters each houses has. Too bad, the ride was too fast for some appreciation of details. For this, I'd suggest taking a walk for better view and better camera angle.

Kampung Morten 

Of Melaka Part 2 - Melaka Zoo

Badak sumbu - Rhinoceros

Of many things I learnt from our trip this time, one of them is that my husband loves going to the zoo while I enjoy looking at buildings slash architecture slash culture. I have nothing to say to my defense, in fact I confess that I regret I don't love animals like he does and that I did not let him spend more time in the zoo. I'm such a terrible wife, if only I love and love animal, we would have more things in common. 

But then, because he loves thing that I normally take for granted, I'd get the opportunity to appreciate them more. And to appreciate life. Because animals are God's creatures, while building and cultures are man's creations and exaggerations. Learning God's and man's creation should be an opportunity not to be missed. InsyaAllah.. So I would be happy to go to other zoos in the country with him next time, and especially with our children.

The first place we went as soon as we arrived in Melaka was actually Taman Mini Asean (because I like to see the house miniatures? yes) but the place was closed due to construction so this first-place trophy goes to Melaka Zoo. RM7 per entry for adult during day time and RM10 for night time. 

Because I haven't been to the zoo for so long, which the last time was the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre, I was actually quite amazed with the landscape. Despite its location next to the main road, the zoo is canopied by the huge and tall trees, hence the shaded and most importantly, breezy environment. 

Top left clockwise - Zebra; deers, Malayan tiger, bears.

Top left clockwise - Orang Utan; Orang Utan baby; Chimpanzee; Wildbeest

Capybara

Tapir

Some bulls I can't get to remember the names

Crocodiles sharing man-made pond. A bit too crowded I think.

Can't help taking this picture. Hornbills should remind me of Sarawak, but what I could remember was Luffy and their adventure to Skypea

Baboon?

Although it's fun looking at the animals, it is actually not fun looking at some of them living in the habitat they are not familiar with. Plus, with the constraint of cages, fences etc limiting their natural activities. And being fed with food from the foodtrays. Truthfully, I feel sorry for them. I would prefer them to be let free in their natural environment. Like the safari in Africa. That one, I would LOVE to go and see. 

Overall, the zoo was awesome. Despite many people coming, it didn't feel crowded. Kids would love this place very much. We might come back later.