Chatty Lass

While sorting out my haze of email bookings and hurricane of printed travel itineraries today, I decided to list them out in order for easy reference. When I was done, I gave it a thoughtful look, took a deep breath and surveyed the room for a nearby wall (to bang my head on). 

Perhaps, you may think I’m being a little melodramatic. While my tendency for exaggeration may venture off course occasionally, I assure you, this isn’t a joke. 

December has been an insanely busy month, even for my standards. What I failed to realise was how the first two months of 2017 will exceedingly surpass it, in terms of hectic-ness.  

Just take a look at my weekend schedule: 

December 2016 (Week 1) - Freelance work from home. 

December 2016 (Week 2) - Staycation in the city. 

December 2016 (Week 3) - Weekend trip to Singapore. 

December 2016 (Week 4) - Penang for Christmas. 

December 2016 (Week 5) - Penang for the New Year. 

January 2017 (Week 1) - Back in KL for work. 

January 2017 (Week 2) - Penang for D's wedding. 

January 2017 (Week 3) - KL for A’s solemnisation / Weekend event. 

January 2017 (Week 4) - Penang for A’s reception. 

January 2017 (Week 5) - Penang for CNY. 

February 2017 (Week 3) - Trip abroad. 

*gulps* 

Talk about ending and starting the year with a bang. Living out of a suitcase for the next few weeks should be fun...

I’ve been living in KL for a little over a year now (a return since my university days) and I’m embarrassed to admit this - I don’t wander around much in the city during the weekends. Primarily because I work there and have had enough of it during the week (no thanks to you, traffic jams), plus my after-work appointments mostly take place around the area. Come the weekend, I can usually be found in the toasty embrace of my bed or on the other side of town.

However, I am proud to announce that I am now a city gal, through and through. The prestigious induction happened over the weekend and I’m pretty sure I’m still radiating its lustre. 

So….. How does one achieve this coveted status? I’m glad you asked. Here’s how:

*opens the door to our room at JW Marriott and gapes in awe*

*mutters to myself* So, this is how the other half lives… I’m never checking out. 

The weekend that was, was truly a treat, for my senses and palate.

Cinderella arrived in the city (with a flying carriage, no less) and made the executive decision to doll up for dinner. So, we did.

We then met up with two friends at Nobu for our 8pm reservation. And Nobu… It needs no introduction.

The Japanese-Peruvian restaurant is an ardent favourite of many celebrities (Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Drake, the entire Kardashian/Jenner clan, just to name a few) and this food writer senses a certain Stone-Portman kinship after a fabulous meal here.

When it comes to the delicate art of balancing flavours, Nobu is a masterclass. The fusion of elements was impressive, the service was impeccable - knowledgeable staff, my plate was changed after every dish, my water and wine were thoughtfully topped up throughout the evening - and the freshness of the seafood was outstanding. I am ruined for all else.

What we had:

My take: An interesting dish that came into existence by accident, the cheeky inclusion of heat from the jalapeño quickly enlivens the milder taste from the yellowtail. Nobu's signature appetiser perfectly sets the tone for the gastronomic experience.

My take: I would have never imagined the pairing of raw salmon with the nutty notes from sesame oil to ever taste so delicious. This dish was the sublime example of breaking the rules to create something legendary.

My take: The creamy yet tangy glaze complemented the scrupulously fresh shrimps perfectly. Though simple, how the tempura batter managed to stay scrumptiously crispy after the glorious slathering deserves a huge mention.

My take: The pleasantly firm scallops drew me in, but it was the stunning wasabi pepper sauce that made me go all moony-eyed. No points for guessing, I wiped the plate clean.

My take: Nothing too fanciful here, just sheer seafood satisfaction (alliteration game: strong) and my all-time favourite sushi (uni).

My take: I almost weeped tears of joy when I had my first forkful of the miso-marinated slice of haven. The fish was tender, flawlessly flaky and impossible to fault.

My take: Not only was the dessert visually appealing, it was also elegantly crafted and divinely delectable. The assortment of textures and intriguing showmanship ended the evening on a high note.

It’s amazing what liquid courage does to you. As a sworn enemy of dance (two left feet, by birth), I protested gallantly but was dragged out of my seat regardless. I ended up staying on the dance floor for quite a bit.

And here’s the thing - Indian weddings are the bomb-jiggity. The dinner was officially over at 10:45pm and the after-party commenced 15 minutes later. It only got better and louder as time went by. Supper was then served, at 3:30am. Eventually, all of us crawled back to our rooms at 5am; sapped of any energy and happy as can be.

Our alarms blared less than 4 hours later, and it took a heroic amount of effort to be parted from our impossibly plush beds. 

*Not the fairytale Cinderella, obviously. The name was coined after a certain brilliant purchase (inside joke) involving a pair of gold - instead of glass - shoes.

Oh wait. Not this week’s Monday because it’s a replacement holiday. Tuesday, I’m looking at you... 

P/S: Here's a picture of the gaily decorated, statuesque Christmas tree at the lobby of our hotel to make you feel better.