UP

I've been sitting on these photos for so long that I can't recall when they were taken. Over which ocean, country, continent? Does it even matter? The view is pretty much the same once you get up to a certain elevation ... a beautiful reminder that we're all part of the same world below living under the same sky above.

I'm flying to LA tomorrow for my baby shower and I cannot WAIT to see friends and family. I look a whole lot different than the last time they saw me so it'll be fun to see their reactions and get some good belly rubs. See you in LA via Instagram!

cross country for a new chapter

We moved to Raleigh via a cross country road trip in late August/early September. It was my first time crossing so many states in one trip (Joe has done it multiple times) and I'd do it again in a heart beat.

We set off from LA with a loose schedule, giving ourselves plenty of time to drive, stop, and enjoy the small towns and cities along Interstate 40. We drove through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas (Panhandle), Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, finally arriving in North Carolina - our new home state. One of the coolest parts was seeing the landscapes transition from the dry Southwest region to the lush scenes of the Southeast. Every state border and visitor center had its own feel - some more welcoming than others - and the cultural differences in the Southern states were extremely obvious. Everyone was so much friendlier! 

I loved the exploratory aspect of the trip but what I treasure most looking back on it was the solid time spent with Joe. We talked about everything and anything, sang our favorite songs, set up and broke down camp, stayed in funky motels, worried about running out of gas during extra long stretches of highway, and dreamt up what our new home and lives in Raleigh would look like. Especially with a little one on the way.

I knew that I was pregnant almost immediately but it wasn't until we were in Nashville, Tennessee that a pregnancy test confirmed it. That was a little over halfway into our trip so all the previous bathroom stops and general feelings of exhaustion were fully justified. It felt fitting that our baby was already a little traveler (first Colombia then across the USA) since we of course plan on taking her everywhere we possibly can as soon as we can. Oh, the places we will go with her.

The road-trip was truly a beautiful start to a new chapter in our lives. But even if you aren't moving or making a big life change, a good road trip will make you feel .... good. 

Photos top to bottom:  / 1 Winslow, Arizona  / 2  New Mexico  / 3  New Mexico  / 4 Somewhere with a pretty sunset  / 5 Tennessee Big Hill Pond State Park  / 6  Inn Around The Corner B&B, Black Mountain, North Carolina

Colombia Cravings

Several months ago we took a three week holiday in Colombia to visit my parents. It had been over a year and a half since we got married there and we were itching to be back at the finca. I of course, was missing my mom and dad like crazy, too.

It was a perfectly leisure time with family and some fun DIY projects on the side. All of the photos above are from the Zona Cafetera, Colombia's coffee region, from a small batch coffee plantation and the colonial town of Salento. You can see past photos and experiences here and visit my folk's airbnb page here. 

It's such a beautiful place, already counting the days until we can go back.

ferry good

Ahhh ... a city by the sea. And a lake. I'll take either as long as it's a big body of water.

We took advantage of Seattle's ferry system and spent an afternoon on Bainbridge Island. We had drinks by the marina at Doc's Grill and a last-meal-worthy dinner at Cafe Nola. Both were great but the real treat was simply being out on the water in the sunshine and during sunset. It was so peaceful and scenic - definitely wouldn't hate calling this my daily commute as so many others do. 

Until next time, Seattle!

seeing seattle

Some snaps from our walks around Pioneer Square (where the old Seattle is making a comeback), Belltown (where the Olympic Sculpture Park is top-notch), and around Pike Place Market (no explanation needed).

What an interesting, beautiful, and easy city to explore by foot. If we weren't already moving to Raleigh, North Carolina, Seattle would be it. Hands down.

road trip

When a friend mentioned that she wanted to drive her car to Seattle when she moved from LA (and didn't want to do it solo), Joe didn't hesitate to offer our company.  He knew that I'd been dying to drive up to the Pacific Northwest and as you know, we love any excuse to get away. The road trip was a quick but restful 3 days and 2 nights and we took a mix of the 101, 1, and 5 highways. It was gorgeous. From the cliffs and crashing waves of Big Sur, to the charm of wine country, to the winding roads lined with majestic redwoods ... we saw it all and soaked it up as much as we could within our daily mileage/time goals.

Our first night was spent in San Fransisco with another friend who had just moved (we're all leaving LA, one by one apparently). We met for dinner and had a sleepover in an Airbnb apartment in the Mission District. Airbnb has been so good to us - if you haven't used them yet, do consider it for your next trip.

For our second night we stopped in Crescent City and got a room at the Curly Redwood Lodge. I was obsessed with this place from the moment we pulled up. The structural lines, the color and grain of the wood - it was all too perfect for a road trip crashpad. Even more perfect was that the entire lodge was made using one single Curly Redwood tree (!). Pretty much the coolest place in town.

That's the great thing about road trips. There is cool stuff out there and different roads will always lead to new experiences and ways of viewing the world. The perks of doing it via your own vehicle is, of course, bottomless snacks and unlimited coffee stops. Oh to be on the road ...

PS:

Before any more time passes - and a new trip takes center stage - I want to share these snapshots from a getaway to Palm Springs with Joe's parents last month. We stayed at the new Sparrows hotel and loved every bit of it: the contemporary rustic design, the property's quiet nature, and their comfortable make-yourself-at-home approach to service. It was just right for showing the Snowbirds (aka my in-laws) how restorative and enjoyable a stay in the desert can be.

I wish that we could go back before moving (more on that later) but our summer is already packed with work and other travels. So what's next? A road trip from LA to Seattle! It'll be a quick one since we're helping a friend move up there but we'll definitely make time for sightseeing and fun. I'm really excited for the drive. I've never driven north of San Fransisco and have never seen the Redwoods ... can't wait to wrap my tiny arms around a giant tree trunk. Yes, cliché photo-op but hey, at least I'm getting back to taking pictures! New adventures await and my spirit, and camera, are ready.

mountain getaway {mammoth}

"Going to the mountains is going home". This John Muir quote was posted on a sign for departing visitors of Mammoth and as we drove past it - leaving behind an incredible weekend of reconnecting with friends and nature - I smiled and thanked Mr. Muir for the reminder. The mountains have never felt more like home than they do right now and I'm really relishing the opportunity to enjoy them while we're in LA. For Christmas they were just one and a half hours away and for this long weekend, it was six. One day I want to actually live in the mountains, but for now our current proximity is just right to satisfy my nature longings.

It's been a very dry winter so there was hardly any snow in the area and the snow on the slopes was mostly man-made. Not perfect for avid skiers but perfect for me as a newbie. I had only snowboarded four times prior to trying skiing on Saturday and since I never quite got into having my feet strapped into one single unit while facing sideways, I figured that skiing was worth trying. Joe, being the pro that he is, spent the day with me playing instructor and after only four runs (with breaks in between because my legs were giving in!) I think I'm on a good track. I have some balance and speed issues to deal with but at least the giant tennis ball size bruise on my left hip proves that I tried.

When we weren't on the slopes we relaxed at the condo/cabin. There were ten of us so it was perfect for playing a variety of card games, one of which was totally new for me: Cards Against Humanity. Have you ever played that? It's pretty awful/hilarious. You really need to be in comfortable company for it, and that we were.

On day two we took a break from the bindings to watch the US Snowboarding Grand Prix for the Olympics. There's nothing like watching pros to make you realize how much of a beginner you are...it all would have been so simple had I learned when I was five like all the other kids doing the "pizza" stance with me...

Luckily the rest of the day included a hike around Convict Lake, something that I felt very comfortable doing on my feet. It was beautiful and just the right time of day to watch the light change on the lake and surrounding formations. I say formations because every side looked different from the other - one with pine trees, one with jagged rock walls, and the other like an uphill prairie. We took our time making the loop, oooing and awwing with every turn that we made. Unfortunately on the last leg there were multiple stretches where the trail was covered in ice, and I slipped and fell on my right hip. Had to balance out the bruise from the previous day, right?! It was worth it though, to get that time in nature with friends, to be out breathing the fresh air, and to simply be surrounded by something so majestic.

Can't wait to go 'home' again.

a cozy cabin christmas

Hi guys! How have your holidays been? We spent our Christmas in the mountains just outside of LA and it was perfect. We booked a great little cabin via Airbnb, rented a car, and loaded up on firewood and groceries for plenty of cooking, drinking, and snacking. The plan was simple: relax and indulge.

Other than driving ten minutes to Lake Arrowhead for a brief visit, we stayed cozied up inside with a roaring fire (Joe is a great Boy Scout) and ate whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Christmas Eve dinner was just right but the food highlight of the holiday was my batch of Colombian buñuelos. I made them for Christmas in London but last year we sadly had to go without the traditional fried cheese balls of goodness since the cheese we needed simply didn't exist in KL. However, it only made them taste that much better this time around, especially since I got to share them with my family! My sister, brother-in-law, and nieces joined us on Christmas Day, just in time for my girls to help me roll the maza into little balls. After tamales and buñuelos, my nieces and I did Christmas arts and crafts and roasted marshmallows with Tio Jojo using sharpened branches he collected. Needless to say, those girls were two very happy campers!

And so was everyone else. Joe had been happy since we arrived because he finally had an excuse to use the hatchet I bought him three Christmases ago (couldn't take it to London with us) while my sister and bro in-law were happy to kick up their feet and relax while Tia Mu (me) entertained the girls with activities.

It was absolutely perfect. The family time, the quiet time, the nature time. I can't think of a better Christmas gift than the gift of an experience with the ones you love. So happy.

sedona rocks

We're back from our mini road trip where we drove on the Historic Route 66, stopped in a few towns along the way, and took in the beauty of Sedona, Arizona. At first I thought "I can't believe that I didn't take more pictures!" but then I realized that I was enjoying just being there too much. The red rock formations, the sun light, the blue sky ... everything was awesome in every sense of the word and I didn't want to interrupt the moments by taking my camera out. However, during our hike on the last day I did make sure to get some snaps in. We had hiked at least four miles every day since arriving so by that point I felt more comfortable taking the DSLR out knowing that the trails were easy to navigate.

We had the most gorgeous morning sun and the air was perfectly crisp and cool. It was so nice to be outside and be active, a far cry from our activities in KL. There were groups of locals running along the paths and whizzing by on their mountain bikes ... can you imagine having Sedona as your back yard playground? What a treat.

I was surprised with how small the city was (and how sleepy it was at night) but they have done a great job at keeping the area's spirit and beauty in tact despite it's growth and popularity. With imposed height restrictions for buildings and signs, paint colors, and very few commercial chains, you can hike up to any vista point of the city and barely notice the city beneath it's famous rocks. For example, Sedona is so committed to maintaining its natural beauty that the city forced McDonalds to change their Golden Arches into the worlds only Turquoise Arches in order to open!

Also surprising was how much of a forest Sedona is. I had imagined just the red rocks and then maybe red desert sand everywhere else but no, the area is covered in trees. Mostly evergreen types, and of course varieties of cacti, but even more surprising was the location of the wedding we attended. It was creek-side and between the scores of ducks swimming around and the yellow leaves falling off some of the trees, it felt like we could have been in Colorado or anywhere else that wasn't (what I thought) just a desert. Sedona was full of surprises like that. Beautiful beautiful beautiful surprises. Pack your bags and road trip there asap.

blue & sun for the jet lagged

Hello from LA! We arrived to bright blue skies and plenty of sunshine with a side of cool breeze, just how I like it. It's been a whirlwind of couple of days between settling into our current crash pad, running errands, attending a wedding, looking for a new temporary apartment/sublet, seeing family, and trying to get a solid night's sleep. I have never been so off before - jet lag usually hits me on the way back but since there's no return this time maybe I'm getting it all upfront. All of sixteen hours of it, making my eyes look and feel like I've been partying for days.

I'm hoping that this week brings a bit more calm and order to my schedule, emphasis on hoping. We leave for a mini road-trip to Arizona on Thursday for another wedding so if I can get just three days of productive work time (and good sleep) I'll be a happy camper. I'm happy now but very tired, definitely looking forward to feeling refreshed and on top of things again. Until I get there, please keep those blue skies and that shadow-play sunshine coming!

show & tell (japan part III)

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Just as we prepare for movers to pack everything on Monday morning, I'm admiring all of the new pieces we've added to our home. Japan turned out to be quite the haul of goodies even though we knew we'd be boxing it all up for at least two months. It was so hard to say no!

Looking at each piece I realize why we couldn't help ourselves ... they're all made out of natural materials. Paper, wood, ceramic, glass, enameled cast iron, cotton, and wool - the type of goods that when held feel familiar, comforting, genuine, and that much more special.

I've added descriptions to the caption 'dots' on each image so make sure to check those out. I also searched for websites to share in case you were interested in doing some shopping of your own but the only product I could find sites for was the Noda Horo Tea Kettle. And wow, what a price difference between buying it from Japan and from the US! Luckily there are plenty of Japanese-made treasures worth browsing through this weekend, too. Here are my fave sites to find them:

Analogue Life

Claska

Plam

Fog Linen

Okay it's time to pack these babies up! Have a great weekend!

taking takayama (japan part I)

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We've all heard that sometimes it's not about the destination, but about the journey. In this case, visiting Takayama, Japan was about both. The high-speed train ride up the mountains showed glimpses of rice paddy fields, communal and family farm plots, homes with traditional glazed clay tile roofs, and some mountain scenery to rival anything we've seen in places like Alaska. I could have just done the train ride and been happy!

We chose Takayama by accident. Finding an available ryokan in Kyoto proved challenging (and grossly overpriced) so we expanded our horizon and looked for a similar, culturally charming town with easy rail access. Takayama fit the bill perfectly on paper and exceeded expectations in experience.

It was a quiet time in Takayama: mid-week, after the popular autumn festival, and before the colourful fall foliage. I can only imagine how gorgeous the city looks when the leaves turn to bright reds and yellows. The backdrop of Edo Period homes and shops, all in shades brown and black, would really make those autumnal colors pop. But even lacking the seasonal changes, Takayama was breathtaking. During our first walk in town we went to the main temple, but got sidetracked on an older, obscured stone stairway.  It led to a smaller and more modest temple perched on a hill surrounded by tall cedar trees and peek-a-boo views of the city. After reaching the top, the wind started blowing, leaves started bustling, and music started playing on loudspeakers mounted in the trees. It sounds silly but it felt like such a magical spot. I know that the music was for the ceremonial performances happening down below but it felt like it was meant just for us to hear at the top of that path. From that moment on we knew that we were in for a great couple of days.

We spent the rest of our time strolling the streets stopping to indulge in local specialties like Hida beef, sweet dumplings (mitarashi dango), buckwheat soba noodles, and lots of locally brewed sake. We drank sake like water and it was wonderful. Also wonderful were all of the shops filled with locally produced goods in wood, ceramic, and paper. We didn't hold back in buying souvenirs as we're big fans of the Japanese design aesthetic. Okay, we did hold back a little because there were plenty of hand-crafted chairs that I would have liked to take home with us. It's amazing how they work natural materials so beautifully, everything is treated with the utmost respect and love.

That's the way the entire area felt. The locals were proud of their heritage town and treated it with respect and love. Everyone from our ryokan hosts to the cashier at the riverfront snack shop showed genuine interest in, and gratitude for, our patronage, offering nothing but smiles and good cheer. The streets were pristine and clean, centuries old homes and shops were well maintained and revered, and every effort was made so that visitors had all the info they needed for a positive visit (i.e. directional signposts, tourist info desks among the shops). Even with all the helping hands, Takayama didn't feel overly touristy. It was just right. Just the right amount of traditional charm, ease, and comfort.

At the end of our trip I couldn't help but think "Thanks, Kyoto, for being so popular that we couldn't book ya'". Takayama, may have been a second choice but it sure came out on top.

happy friday

We arrived in Takayama yesterday. Tired from the red-eye flight and multiple train rides but happy to find a peaceful, friendly, and charming town. Our Ryokan is perfectly traditional and modern with everything we need for a Japanese home stay experience, low door frames and all. I don't know how Joe has managed to go this long without a few bumps on his head, old Japan just wasn't built for a man of his stature (he's 6'3")!

We just finished a traditional breakfast of fish, miso, and local veggies in the room, while sitting on tatami mats and wearing our yukatas. It's all been pretty great so far so I can't wait to have a full day of exploring. Maybe we'll even wear our yukatas out as the locals do ... or save them for a sake pub crawl tonight ;)

Have a great weekend!

reminiscing rio

Back from Rio and major jet lag aside, it was a great trip. We went for Joe's work so we stayed in a business hotel in the old part of Centro, far from the more recognizable beach side spots like Copacabana and Ipanema. I was hoping to be by the water - not gonna lie - but our location ended up being perfect. Had we stayed in a tourist hotel by the beach I might have never been forced to use my Google translator app to speak Portuguese with the staff.  I might have never had lunch with local office workers in a tiny well-kept restaurant overlooking a building facade of decorative hand painted tiles. And on Joe's day off, we probably wouldn't have spent an entire morning walking around the downtown city streets discovering little alleyways full of old European charm. It was quite the surprise. We never expected to come across such a neighborhood in Rio since all we've ever been shown are the parts of Zona Sul that look more like Miami Beach with a tropical backdrop. We went back for dinner and what a different scene it was from the morning...tables and chairs filling the alleys, office workers enjoying beers and baskets of fries, and every other restaurant blasting their stereo or showcasing a local band - we opted for the spot with live samba music. As we ate, I danced in my chair, shoulders shaking, making elaborate plans to be in Carnaval one day (I did say elaborate). It was a short and sweet trip but I'm already longing to spend more time there exploring its many facets. What an interesting little big city...I'm sure it's full of surprises.

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!

a walk in the park

Happy Friday, guys! Did you know that Bangkok has a giant park in its city center? It was a nice surprise during our visit last week. Our awesome little hotel was just up the street from Lumphini Park so we took a morning stroll through it on the way to the metro station. There were school groups playing games on the basketball court, three old couples dancing to swing music underneath a giant tree, and plenty of locals getting in their tai-chi exercises for the day. It definitely felt like a proper civic park.

Aside from people watching, a few colors, patterns, and textures caught my attention. Particularly a large type of palm tree that was unlike any I had ever seen. It looked like the palm fronds were cut off as it grew, leaving sturdy slanted stumps begging to be climbed. And yes, I did climb one. Just a few feet up (ssshhh)!

If you can this weekend, do take some time to go for a walk and see what you see. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed doing that.

Something I can't forget - announcing a winner for the Gin & Jacqie Love Malaysia Collection giveaway! Congrats to Alicia - you're the lucky pick! Please keep a lookout for an email with details.

I'll be Instagraming (and blogging) from Rio next week...hopefully I'll have some news to share after that trip. Have a good one!

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.

redang-culous sun and sand + here we go again

Hey guys, I hope you had a nice weekend. I know I know, it's Tuesday already but I'll explain why I'm so off with regular posts in just a moment. First, these are a few snaps from our recent trip to Redang Island off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. The hotel's food and density were disappointing but the real reason we were there exceeded expectations: THE BEACH! The sand was unreal, completely white and soft like flour, while the water was incredibly clear. It was warm, calm, and the snorkeling was the best we've had yet. We swam with turtles, saw a baby shark, and found ourselves following (or being chased by) schools of tropical fish of many varieties. All that beauty just a one and a half hour flight from where we live...so crazy, so lucky, and so we better take of advantage of it while it lasts.

And by "while it lasts" I mean until the end of October - yep, we're moving once again! Not sure to where just yet but until our boxes are packed and our apartment keys are turned in, we're fitting in as much travel and local activities as we can. That's why we rushed to make a trip to Redang as soon as I returned, did a quick two nights in Bangkok last week, will be in Melaka this week, and have more planned. I know that traveling is a crazy luxury so I'm not complaining, but it does make keeping a solid work (and blog) schedule pretty difficult. But I'm here and I can't wait to see where the next several months take us, on and off-line!

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!