last day, lasting memories

It's Wednesday morning in KL and I'm writing this as we zip up our luggage and get ready to go to the airport. Though one and a half years flew by in a blink of an eye, I leave feeling 100% fulfilled with our experience. It was quite the adventure with its many ups and downs but man did this place steal my heart.

London was a good teacher but in this jungle town I feel like I've really grown into the person that I'm meant to be for the next chapter of my life. That goes for us as a couple, too. There's nothing like experiencing changes, challenges, and moments of joy together to keep you on your toes and ready to take on the world.

I also leave with a very happy heart when I think about the beautiful friendships we made with locals and other expats who call KL home. They are wanderlust and adventurous just like us and I know that this is not goodbye, rather a 'see you later'.

One of those friends is the witty and talented Clare, who took the amazing photos above. I'm so thankful that she was able to capture these moments of Joe and me at KLCC park by our apartment just before we left. We don't have any photos like this as the ones we take ourselves usually only feature our heads and an outstretched arm in the frame! Such great keepsakes, thank you Clare!!!

Alright it's time to go ... see you later, KL. You were a treat.

melaka

Hello from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil! Can't believe that we're on the other side of the world. It was a twenty four hour trip but all things considered, it's freaking amazing that it's possible.

These are some pics from our recent overnight in Melaka, Malaysia, just a two hour drive from KL. Melaka is a World Heritage City so all of the touristy things you'd expect were present: loads of tour groups and buses, souvenir shops, and of course, a Hard Rock Cafe (we skipped the t-shirt).

From a local's standpoint, we've heard that you only really go to Melaka to eat Nyonya food (a mix of Straits Chinese and Chinese/Malay cuisine) but we thought it would be interesting to see what a World Heritage City in Malaysia looked like. The food was as amazing as promised (we went to Riverine, a Nyonya kitchen, twice!) but the architecture was what stood out for me.

In KL there are sadly far too many beautiful old buildings rotting away or being torn down to make room for new luxury malls or condos. The condo we live in is on a street where there used to be traditional homes and I can imagine how gorgeous they must have been based on the last remaining structure on the street. I feel like such an a-hole for lamenting the past while living in modern KL but if I ran the city, I would find a way to do it all better.

In Melaka, the heritage buildings seem to be a priority. Not all of course but a decent amount. It was awesome to see the different influences in design based on the location and date that the structures were built. Being the key port city of the Straits way back when, Melaka has buildings that reflect the Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese, British and of course, Malay aesthetics. I loved the colonial stuff but my favorite was seeing the mid-century modern influences in their Chinatown and government buildings. It made this LA girl very happy.

Now here in Rio, I've already spotted a ton of cool old buildings that I can't wait to check out. I'm not sure I'll take my camera out too much since I'll be exploring solo most of the time but I'll capture and share what I can. Have a great week!

comfort food to-go

In Malaysia, food is everything. Food is the center of family and friend gatherings, celebrations, and everyday conversation. It's such a hot topic that even while you're enjoying a meal, you're already discussing what and where your next one will be. Malaysians are serious about their makan-makan - or "eat-eat" - and we've happily joined them, full bellies and all.

But now that we're leaving Kuala Lumpur soon, we've been loading up on our local favorites like roti canai, nasi lemak, char kway teow, beef rendang, chicken curry, and pandan flavored treats. What will we do when we can't simply walk down the street to grub on our newly adopted comfort food? The only option is to make it ourselves!

Enter LaZat, a local enterprise offering Malaysian home-cooking classes set in a typical Malaysian home nestled in the trees just outside of KL. I took an Indian cuisine class with them last year so when Joe said that he couldn't leave Malaysia without learning how to make his beloved beef rendang and curry chicken, I knew exactly where to go.

From the moment you arrive, you feel like family. Owner Ana and home-cook chefs Sue and Saadiah are warm, welcoming, and are equally excited to learn about where you're from (and where you've been) as they are to share their passions and skills in the kitchen. They take great pride in using fresh ingredients and have a way of making even the most intimidated wannabe-cook feel at ease. Everything for the day's menu is pre-measured and pre-arranged, laid out beautifully on woven straw trays and decorative dishes.

As soon as I saw (and smelled) the colorful and fragrant spices, I was ready to get down to business, work that mortar and pestle, and heat things up in a traditional brass wok. We spent the next few hours switching from watching how it's done to getting it done all while teasing our grumbling stomachs every time the wind picked up the aromas coming from our stove tops.

All of that teasing was worth it. We had our grand feast in the end but the true beauty was in the process. The simple things like remembering that some of the greatest food takes the longest time (patience is key), learning that it's okay to throw in whole spice seeds, rather than ground or crushed, and realizing that for any meal to be Malaysian, it probably has to have a decent dose of coconut milk (yum and yum).

Now that I'm a LaZat alum, I'm excited to take the confidence I got there and bring it into my own kitchen. I'd love to push my boundaries beyond olive oil and salt and pepper and get more creative with spices and herbs. I took a baby step a few nights ago while making applesauce and I was quite proud of my small kitchen victory. Instead of adding ground cinnamon for flavor, I let the apples boil and reduce with whole cinnamon sticks, a few star anise, and lemon juice for preservation. The results? Amazing. The Malaysian recipes we learned have a bit more to them but I think I'm on my way to being able to prepare the dishes we've come to love. We have a brass wok ready to go so the next step will be to buy a mortar and pestle. Hopefully we get a chance to use it before we have to pack it in a box but regardless where that box ends up, we'll know that we have the tools to satisfy our cravings and makan-makan our honorary Malaysian hearts out.

introducing the love malaysia collection

Hi guys, I hope you had a great weekend! Today is Malaysia Day so what better day to share the launch of my collaboration with Kuala Lumpur based bag company Gin & Jacqie: the Love Malaysia Collection! It's been nearly one year in the making and we are SO excited to see it come to life.

I met owner Jacqie soon after moving to KL and we were instant friends. We share a love of travel, design, and entrepreneurship so when she found out about my graphic design and growing love for my new home, she asked if I'd like to create a few prints that represent Malaysia...something that could pique the interest of tourists, expats, and locals alike. I jumped at the opportunity as I've always wanted to do product prints and I loved the idea of playing with images that were recognizable and unique to the country.

Not only did I get to design the prints but I also got to help design the bags that would be created for the collection! Since Gin & Jacqie is focused on making life a bit easier and more organized while on-the-go, it was easy to decide on the final products. We went with multipurpose pieces like zip pouches that can store anything from makeup to electronic choards, and a handy wrist pouch that can be kept in a larger bag and used separately when you only need to carry a few essentials. As you can see by the photos above, I took a few pieces on a trial run during our holiday last week and they were great! They kept everything tidy and easily accessible at all times...just right for making traveling easier.

Now, about the prints! The prints symbolize three main things that are standouts in Malaysia: food, heritage, and landscape.

For food I designed a pattern of the ubiquitous pyramid-shaped packaging of Nasi Lemak - Malaysia's unofficial national breakfast consisting of coconut rice, dried anchovies, hard boiled egg, rendang or curry chicken or beef, roasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. I'm obsessed with it now and crave it more than I crave tacos (!!! I know). But even better than the taste is the little pyramid shape created when all of the contents are folded into a large banana leaf - a true on-the-go meal!

For heritage I went with the iconic Wau kites. The origin of the name - pronounced 'wow' - is Arabic, the kite tradition is Chinese, and each Malaysian state has their own unique design. It seemed the perfect representation of Malaysia's diverse cultures.

And for landscape I created a tropical leaf pattern that represents the jungle greenery that is everywhere in Malaysia. Even in the city, it's never really a concrete jungle. It's the real deal here and it's awesome.

It's been a great experience to work with the Gin & Jacqie team and I'm beyond thankful for the opportunity to create something that represents a country that I've grown to love so much.

Now it's time to share the goods with you! We're giving away the product of your choice to one lucky Anamu reader. All you have to do is "like" or comment on your favorite product photo in the Love Malaysia Facebook photo album + leave a comment here to let me know that you've done so. We'll pick a name next week, Thursday, and announce the winner on Friday the 27th.

Even if you don't enter to win, I'd love to hear what you think!

hump day island hop

The rainy season has come early so before it gets too wet to enjoy Malaysia's beaches, we're taking advantage of a last minute deal and heading to Redang Island off the east coast. We haven't been to that part of the country yet but we're told that the snorkeling is some of the best in the world. While in LA I bought this adventure camera (I was beating up my DSLR waaaay too much) so I can't wait to give it its first dip in the sea.

I'll be back here on Monday with an exciting announcement and giveaway but in the meantime you can come along with me via Instagram. Have a great rest of your week!

photo woven wall, bali  by Ana Maria Munoz

mirrors mirrors on the wall

Every time I leave Malaysia for a while I return with a renewed ambition to see and do everything on our "hit list". It's embarrassing that our list is as long as it is (since we've been here for a year and a half) but the good thing is that with time comes more understanding and appreciation of the things around you.

Friends of ours recently went to the Islamic Arts Museum and highly recommended it for peeks at mosque architecture around the world and of course, artifacts with designs and patterns that are uniquely Islamic. We didn't hesitate in making a date to go the next day.

I was in awe of a miniature model of the national mosque I visited in Abu Dhabi (how do they make it so small?!) and was fixated on a section where the mosaic designs were broken down to basic geometric sketches of shapes from beginning to end. It made me think that had I learned geometry through the art of pattern making I would have enjoyed my math classes much much more!

The main stand out for me was this impressive razzle-dazzle wall of mosaic mirrors. Though situated in the restaurant, it's definitely a piece deserving of its own "Modern Islamic Art" section. I don't know if mosaic mirrors are a new thing in Islamic design but it sure feels fresh and I love love love the looks of it for a modern interior. Future home DIY project perhaps?

old school brunch

Yut Kee is a KL institution and now that we've finally given it a try, we're wondering why on earth it took us over a year to do so. It was simple, charmingly old, and the kind of place that has its routine so down that even in the chaos of seating throngs of patrons and serving their coveted pork dishes faster than you can say non-halal, you feel like you're in someone's home enjoying a good meal.

I think our timing was just right for our first visit ... like maybe now I can appreciate the beauty of such an institution in a different way. I'm more in love with the food, the people, and can better understand how special it is to have such a long-lasting place like Yut Kee in KL where so much comes and goes and continues to move towards the more western and modern. You'll never hear me complaining about those western and modern necessities (and indulgences) being here when I need them but at the end of the day, I love enjoying the original bits of KL that make living here the unique experience that it is. You know, like wearing skirts made out of kampung house curtains. That sort of thing.

one year in lumpy land

This time last year we packed up our home in London and moved to what we lovingly call Lumpy Land. Kuala Lumpur was definitely culture shock after living in LA and London but one year later, I don't feel like such a stranger anymore.

To round up the anniversary I thought I'd share bits of what I love about this place and the things that I could do without.

Let's start off with the bad things. I could live without ...

• the lack of pedestrian right-of-way and safety considerations from motorists. the reasons there are so many overpasses in the city is so that pedestrians are taken out of the equation completely, i'm sure.
• the illegal/bribed buses that blow nasty smoke onto everyone on the sidewalk as they clank by.
• the lack of consistent walkable sidewalks. every building owns the property all the way to the street so each block can be totally different. some developments opt to go without proper sidewalks altogether.
• the fact that I walk 1,000 times faster than most locals and it makes a regular trip to the mall to run errands feel like a game of pac-man just to dodge everyone.
• litter that eventually gets packed between the new "nice" landscaping and fences on the street. i know that litter is a problem in most places in the world but london was so on top of it that it spoiled me.
• illegal taxi drivers who take advantage of tourists and charge RM10 or RM20 when it's really a RM3 ride on the meter. never ride with a driver who won't take you on the meter - they're jerks.
• mosquitoes gone wild after a really heavy rainfall.

As you can tell, most of my pet peeves have to do with getting around the city by foot. It's just that KL is small enough that it could be a really walkable city if they wanted it to be but, unfortunately, city planning and pedestrian safety are just not happening. To its credit though, there have been many city-center sidewalk improvements since we moved here so I'm thankful for that...can't hate on them too much now.

Now on to the things that I love about living in KL!

• the lack of street laws that allow us to jaywalk wherever and whenever we want.
• the warm and friendly locals who, when introduced personally, act as if you're family.
• the predictable afternoon thunderstorms that fill the sky on a daily basis. such a great show.
• wearing sandals and summer clothes while it rains because it's so warm out.
• fresh fruit and veggie juices available everywhere. it's almost unforgivable if a restaurant doesn't offer them.
• the standard script from new and friendly taxi drivers that goes like this: "where you from?", "you stay here?", "you work?", "you married?", "have children?".
• learning to enjoy spicy food. unlike the american version of spicy (which is really just hot) the indian and malaysian versions are more flavorful.
• drinking out of coconuts like it's no big deal.
• seeing giant green rain trees and furry looking palm trees everywhere you go.
• the way so many expats from around world call this place home, too. most are here with kids who are getting the experience of a lifetime.
• the sweet security guards in our building who barely speak english but always greet with a smile and are helpful when needed. thank god for universal hand signals.
• the little grocery truck that parks on our street two times per week for a pop up market.
• the street food that is so plentiful and yummy even though half the time i have no idea what i'm ordering.
• the fact that i now often point with my thumb over a fist (think bill clinton giving a speech). that's how the locals do it so i figured i should too, out of respect.
• driving down the highway and seeing a buddhist temple, a hindu temple, and a mosque all within thirty seconds.
• hearing the calls to prayer throughout the day even though i have no idea what they're saying.
• seeing the parade of colorful prints worn by local women on their traditional head coverings and dresses.
• the craftsmanship that is so exciting for a foreigner like me. my taxi driver laughs at me every time i get excited about a rattan store or talk about wanting to learn how to paint batik.
• the fact that living here can often feel like we're living on vacation (climate, scenery). my wardrobe has definitely started to reflect this.
• the way joe looks so relaxed on the weekends when we can just be outside in the warm weather, wearing flip flops, year-round. having a nice pool certainly helps.
• meeting incredibly good and solid people who we now call friends. so thankful to be carving-out a social circle.
• and most of all, i love joe for being patient with me as i figure out this new place, how to live in it, and enjoy it.

weekend, we

Hi guys, how was your weekend? Ours was the kind that "home" is made of. We spent time with friends, went out on the town, relished in lazy lounging, and simply enjoyed the slow pace that comes with Saturday and Sunday.

In just a few days we'll be marking our one year anniversary of living in KL (say whaaa?) and just like our time in London, this place has really become home. I don't think I'll ever feel the same way about living here permanently as I did in London (apples and oranges, I tell ya) but I do love what we've been able to make for ourselves so far. On Wednesday I'll be sharing a little KL anniversary round up where I'll spill my loves and dislikes about living here. It's not all fun and palm trees sometimes but it has been amazing.

And with this anniversary, I was reminded that my sidebar photo was two years old and in dire need of an update. I honestly couldn't find a decent "profile" photo that didn't involve me wearing a hat and/or sunglasses so this one from Cartagena will have to do for now!

weekend, we

Hey guys, how was your weekend? I've been trying to balance working on the computer and resting my eyes since I got LASIK done several weeks ago. I guess my sensitivity is taking longer to clear up :/. So, in efforts to get away from the screen we spent a lot of time out and about in KL enjoying new-to-us cafes and shops. I was thrilled to find a vintage furniture shop since I've been aching for the thrill of the hunt lately. We didn't leave with anything but just getting the heart flutter of excitement was plenty for the day. God I miss flea markets and vintage shops! For now, I'm just happy that we continue to find new nuggets of things and places to enjoy until one day we may be back somewhere where I can get my treasure hunting fix.

weekend, we

Hi guys, I hope you had a great weekend.

Things got so hectic that I wasn't able to do a Friday post but if you follow me on Instagram, you know that we snuck away to Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo.

We're on a mission to take advantage of living in Southeast Asia before we wake up from this dream and realize that it's too late to explore it all. So, we're trying to do and see as much as we can during the weekends while still enjoying our home in KL. Not the worst challenge in the world, right? Game on!

Kota Kinabalu, or KK as locals call it, is the capital city of Sabah. Because of that I expected a big city like KL but to my delight, the downtown area where we stayed was really small, walkable, and best of all, right by the ocean. We've heard amazing things about hiking Mount Kinabalu but since we only had two full days there we decided that we'd save the jungle trekking for another trip and enjoy the islands.

And enjoy we did! There are five islands just off of the mainland and with one main jetty to book a water taxi from, it was super easy to get to and from any of them. A fifteen minute ride on a speed boat took us to Pulau Sapi, or Sapi Island. Most of the people there were part of package deals that include a catered BBQ so with all of them crowded by the main beach, Joe and I set off to find a place of solitude elsewhere on the tiny Island. Our first attempt at following a designated trail was a miss so we decided to try something different. Instead of walking through the jungle we made our way through the rocky shores around the southwestern part of the island. It was easy to do but we were definitely thankful to have our Ring Cozies on since we had to climb up and over some really rough rocks (yes - had to plug Ring Cozy since it works SO well!).

All was good until Joe pointed out a cool prickly aloe-type plant growing out of a rock wall. I looked, said "wow", and then my eyes instantly went to a GIANT lizard right underneath it!  I'm talking 6ft long, prehistoric, big bodied, long-tongue looking lizard. I flipped out and ran into the water. It took Joe about ten seconds to see it because when I screamed "lizard!" he thought that I meant a small one like we're used to seeing - that's how well camouflaged that thing was. Once Joe saw it too, we were both outta there and he said that I should have yelled "GODZILLA!" instead.

Godzilla was immediately forgotten as soon as we walked a few more feet and found a slice of heaven. Aside from a woman who swam up from her privately chartered boat for a bit, we had a little stretch of sand all to ourselves. We joked about all the suckers we left behind on the crowded main beach. But, it wasn't total perfection. There were jellyfish particles in the water that stung like a really bad case of razor burn when I swam for too long, so I stuck to beach-side lounging.

When it was time to leave I was on high lizard-alert and while we didn't see the big one we first saw, we saw another one in the water just beneath the rocks we were climbing (eeekkk!!!). Joe took some photos as I pleaded "okay hunny, I think you got the shot. Let's gooooo!". It was only after that, on our return back to the main beach, that we saw an old rusted sign on the ground that read "AWAS" which means "BEWARE" in Bahasa Malay. Whomever put that sign there probably knows about the Godzilla family that stalks the shores...

At the end of the day were lucky that we got to enjoy that gorgeous little private beach without any real problems. Otherwise, we could have ended up being the suckers who left the main beach! Totally worth it. During lunch at another island, Pulau Mamutik, we Googled 'the lizards of Sapi' and learned that the ones we saw were Monitor Lizards. I think we'll stick with calling them Godzilla.

one year, two different worlds

I didn't think that we could top last year but as I look back on 2012 I realize that we're only just getting started. We truly lived in two different worlds so I wanted to collect the most memorable moments, places, things, and thoughts into one post. I don't really use Facebook so I'll think of this as my "timeline" :) Travels will be on Thursday! Here we go....

Enjoying a rare sunny winter day in London. Primrose Hill was Joe's favorite place to fly his kite.

A soothing cup of coffee and spot in the sun after my first (and thankfully only) mini-seasonal breakdown.

Street art in our hood, W9. I loved walking past this everyday as a reminder of how much we had made London our home.

Back on Primrose Hill after the first snowfall, Joe proposed. His kite stayed home but he brought a gorgeous ring instead.

Experiencing my first winter-to-spring transition felt so magical. I'll never forget how this warm day felt and how good that cold beer tasted. Can I just say how badly I miss London's pubs?!? Nothing else comes close.

Watching Feist bring the house down at the beautiful Royal Albert Hall. It was so cool to see her rock out in such a proper and classic venue.

Recapping our first year in London

...and then having to say goodbye shortly after

... and hello to a new landscape. Hello, Malaysia, you beautiful tropical place!

Moving into our new apartment. Happy to have a few simple furnishings provided by the landlord.

Checking out our first wet market and being amazed by all the different varieties of fruit and fried food. I'm still learning what all of them are.

Indulging in all said fruit. They're so nice to have after experiencing the blandness of the ones available in London.

Receiving love scribbles from my nieces in LA just as I was feeling homesick.

Snapping out of my homesick funk and breaking in our building's BBQ for a little Fourth of July celebration of our own.

...and then doing it local style with the most amazing satay and peanut sauce ever.

Having front row seats to awesome thunder and lightning storms that happen nearly every afternoon. Even if we're outside when they occur, it's so warm out that it doesn't matter.

Finding beauty in KL's nooks and crannies.

...and in more obvious and opulent places like the Petronas Twin Towers.

and last but not least, the feeling of growth that comes from exploring new territories both physically and mentally. 2013...bring it on.