Michi Photostory

TGI Fridays is an American restaurant chain that has been around since 1965 and now they have more than 931 restaurants around the world including the Philippines. I don’t know how long they are here in the Philippines but one thing for sure, matagal na talaga. Yes, matagal ko na ring niyaya si hubby na kumain sa TGI Fridays pero lagi niya sinasabi na hindi naman masarap diyan e.


Last week, my friends and I went to Southwoods Mall for our birthday celebration. Marami kami August celebrants kaso not all are available on that date pero tinuloy na rin namin bago pa matapos ang August. We’re choosing between two restaurants pero sarado pa pala ang isa so we ended up at TGI Fridays.

As the years go by, I realized that I’m really getting old because of my life problems, challenges, and struggles in life are no longer simple. It is hard to accept that my son is no longer a baby and few years from now I have a teenager. I can’t stop my white hair from growing and I can’t deny the fact that even I have a skincare routine, my skin is still aging. But I have no problem getting older because as the quote says “Do not regret growing older, it is a privilege denied by many”.


I know that life is short, we don’t when is our time but I always pray that I will live long because I want to grow old with my two boys, I have so many things that I want to do and I have so many places that I want to visit on my travel bucket list.


Speaking of the bucket list, I wanted to travel for my birthday celebration because I have a new motto “Travel before you run out of time”. In addition, we have a long weekend. My son and I have 4 days free so I suggested it to my husband. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t like the idea because he has an upcoming business trip, instead, he wants us to join his trip to Jakarta, Indonesia.

So I told my son about it but my son doesn’t want to be absent for 3 days. I even told my son, wala naman kayo lessons for that week, cheering practice and competition lang. Remember, we did this 3 years ago, we went to Singapore. My son still said, NO. I cannot persuade my two boys and at that time, I don’t know if I would be happy or sad.

Sad because no one wants to travel with me and few days from now, our passports are about to expire. Happy because my son chose school instead of a trip to Indonesia. At least kahit wala lessons, ayaw niya umabsent and he wants to be part of their cheering competition. Good thing that they won in their Cheers & Yells Competition. Yey! Back to back champ.

Anyway, sulking on my birthday will do no good for me. Even my plans did not materialize, I still have reasons to be happy. I celebrated my birthday in Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant, we had a birthday staycation at Sheraton Manila, and my friends and I had a food trip at TGI Fridays. More details on a separate post.

When I started baking, my husband gifted me a Philips Stand Mixer and I’ve been using it for 12 years already. It is still working fine and madami na kaming pinagsamahan. But when I attended a bread baking class and started making dough, I find that my current mixer is too small for my bread recipe and nahihirapan siya sa pag knead ng dough.

And because of that, I wanted to replace my mixer. Of course, I want a KitchenAid mixer, I’m sure I’m not alone in this dream, every baker wants a KitchenAid. My only concern is the price, yes, we all know that KitchenAid mixer is not cheap so I was hesitant to buy this.

Two years ago, my husband went to the USA and when he visited an Outlet, he started sending me some KitchenAid photos. He asked me if I want a mixer but at that time, our oven is not yet fixed so I declined.

Now, we have a new gas range so last week, my husband told me na bumili na daw ko ng KitchenAid mixer, birthday gift daw niya sa akin. I saw KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer at Landers, the price is P24,5999.75. My husband wanted to buy it na so I can have it before my birthday but I told him, I will check Rustan’s first.

So last weekend after my Birthday Staycation at Sheraton Manila, we went straight to Alabang Town Center. From the parking lot, we saw Anson’s so we checked kung may KitchenAid sila kaso wala. Then nagCR break ang mag-ama ko and while waiting for them, I saw the KitchenAid store and may sign na SALE.


When my two boys went out from the CR, my husband called me and tinuro niya yung way na pabalik ng Anson’s pero hindi ako lumapit, sila pinapunta ko sila sa pwesto ko. Hehehe! My husband was also surprised na may KitchenAid store sa ATC.


So all the mixers are on sale, may 15% and 20% discount kaming nakita. I saw the Artisan Mini Stand Mixer at P19,995 only from P31,195. I was tempted to buy this mixer because I can choose colors but I reminded myself that I need a bigger mixer. I can choose 5QT but I chose the 4.5QT Classic Mixer kasi ito yung pinakamura and konti lang naman difference sa size. The only disadvantage lang is the color, White or Onyx Black lang ang meron. I chose the Onyx Black because I don’t like white colors at dumihin.

KitchenAid 4.5 Quart Classic Stand Mixer

Flour Power Rating: 6 cups all-purpose flour

Features:
0.33 horsepower DC motor is designed to run longer and delivers optimum torque with less heat build up.
Tilt-head mechanism for easy removal of bowl and accessories.
Patented planetary mixing action provides the highest beater to bowl ratio for faster and more thorough mixing
All metal construction ensures many years of dependable service
Seamless design cleans up easily with a soft damp cloth.
Fits all attachments available.

Accessories included : 4.5 QT Stainless Steel Work Bowl, Coated Flat BEater, Whire Whisk, COated C-Dough Hook.

I’m not sure kung sino mas happy sa amin ni hubby, happy ako sa bagong mixer ko or mas happy si hubby kasi sobrang nakamura siya. He bought this for P17,245 and he saved P7354.75 kasi hindi ako agad bumili sa Landers. He even went to Rustan’s to check the price, naka-Sale din sila pero mas mura pa rin sa KitchenAid store mismo. I checked online and may sale din, the staff said until end of August daw.

August month was so overwhelming, there were so many life events happening from left and right. In addition, I enrolled in an online class last month so since July I have been busy studying and finishing my project. Today, I received an email that I passed my final exam. Yey, at last makakahinga na rin ko. To keep me sane, let me reminisce about our travel to Copenhagen last summer. I already blogged about our Day 1 and Day 2 so let me share our Day 3 in Copenhagen.

Read: Day 1 in Copenhagen 
Day 2 in Copenhagen 

Day 3 in Copenhagen 

It was snowing in the morning so we’re praying for good weather because it is so hard to walk if it is so cold. And because of that, we left around 10AM so it is a little bit late but we’re thankful that we were able to visit 5 tourist places kahit naligaw-ligaw pa kami sa paglalakad. Hehehe! From Urban House, we just walked to the City Hall then the Strøget Shopping Street until we reached the Round Tower.

Read: Where to Stay in Copenhagen

The Round Tower 

If you are reading blogs or forums, then you are familiar with The Round Tower. It has been a popular structure in Denmark since 1642. King Christian IV built the tower for astronomical observatory purposes and to continue the Tycho Brahe research. It is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe.


Now, The Round Tower is famous because you can enjoy the 360-degree view of the old part city of Copenhagen. You need to walk around the building until you reach the spiral staircase. It is about 209 meters walk to reach the top which is only 36 meters tall.


Halfway to the top, there is a Library Hall too which was a university library until 1861. Today, it accommodates art exhibitions, souvenir shops, and restrooms. Han Christian Andersen, the famous Danish writer used to visit this library too.


We’ve been to Copenhagen City Hall Tower so I can say that The Round Tower is an easy climb, hindi kami napagod dito. We were not able to try the telescope in the observatory because it was closed. The panorama view was nice but I prefer the bird’s eye view of the City Hall. You can also visit The Church of Our Saviour if you like to see some views too. I’ve seen that church during our Canal Tours in Copenhagen.


Admission Price 
Copenhagen Card - Free
Adult - 25.00 DKK
Children (5-15) - 5.00 DKK

The King's Garden 

From The Round Tower, we went straight to The King’s Garden or Rosenborg Castle Garden. It is the oldest royal garden in Denmark which was established in early 1600 by King Christian IV. The garden is home to a large herbaceous border, a rose garden, a lime tree (Knight’s Path and Lady’s Path), a cherry blossom tree, and some famous statues. The King’s Garden is popular for tourists because there is no entrance fee.



I’ve been meaning to revisit Japan because of Sakura so I was really happy when I saw the cherry blossom trees in The King’s Garden. My husband even told me, hindi na tayo pupunta ng Japan, meron naman pala dito. Hehehe!

Rosenborg Castle 

You can already see Rosenborg Castle from The King’s Garden, we just had snacks at the garden then we went straight to the castle. Denmark does not have many castles and I think the majority of the castles are free using the Copenhagen Card.


It was 400 years ago when Rosenborg Castle was built by King Christian IV as a pleasure palace and became the King’s favorite residence. Now, it is where you can see the oldest, finest, and rarest objects of the royal family. Visiting the castle is like traveling back in time and having a glimpse of wealth, status, and how the royal family lives their life.


The Rosenborg Castle is indeed an art treasure, the castle has five floors for you to explore. Take time to visit each floor because the entrance ticket is not cheap.

Read: Rosenberg Castle 

Admission Price

Adult - 115.00 DKK
Child (0-17) - Free
Copenhagen Card - Free
Park Museums - Free
Student - 75.00 DKK

After our visit to Rosenborg Castle, we moved to the Botanical Garden because according to the map, it is near Rosenborg Castle but we could not find it. I was so tired looking for it and was already hangry (hungry and angry, hehehe!) so I suggested to my mom to let go of the garden and we just go to Amalienborg Castle.

Lunch at Diamond Rice Restaurant

Of course, we had to eat first so we just walked and walked until we saw the Diamond Rice Restaurant. At last makakapaglunch na rin, is one of our dilemmas if we are traveling abroad because rice is life so we always look for an Asian restaurant.

Read: Food Trip in Copenhagen

Amalienborg Castle 


After lunch, we went straight to Amalienborg Castle and we were surprised that we only have less than an hour to explore the castle because their closing time is 3PM. I’m not aware that they changed the schedule because the last time I checked, 4PM is the closing time. But we’re still thankful that we’ve made it, sa dami ng nilakad at ligaw namin from Rosenborg Castle. Hehehe!



We saw this castle too during our Canal Tours Copenhagen. Amalienborg Castle is a sister museum of Rosenborg Castle and it exhibits the royal history from the mid 19th century until today. It is the continuation of your journey through time from Rosenborg Castle. The museum is not that big so we were able to finish it before 3PM.


Admission Price 
Adults - 0 DKK- 95.00 DKK
Children - Free
Copenhagen Card - Free

Frederik's Church or The Marble Church 

Frederik’s Church is just few steps away from Amalienborg so it is impossible that you will miss this church. It is also known as the Marble church because the church is made of Norwegian marble and Danish Faxe marble.



The Marble Church is a regular parish church, part of the Danish State Church, and an Evangelical-Lutheran church. During the summer months, you can go to the church dome every 1PM to check the view. We did not experience it because we visited last April so it is not summertime yet.

Admission Price 

Visits to the Dome (Child) - 20.00 DKK
Visits to the Dome (Adult) - 35.00 DKK

Tycho Brahe Planetarium 

After the Marble Church, my companion wanted to go back to the hotel but I told them that we could still visit Tycho Brahe Planetarium but nobody agreed with me and nobody allowed me to go alone. So goodbye Tycho Brahe Planetarium, we went back to our hotel and rested. We packed our stuff because we would be going to Stockholm, Sweden the following day.

Read: Cruise from Oslo to Copenhagen
Day 4 in Copenhagen

It’s been a long time since the last time I baked and sa sobrang tagal, feeling ko nakalimutan ko na gumamit ng oven. According to my blog, 2017 pa yung last bake ko ng bread and hindi ko pa oven, we baked pandesal when we were in Norway.

Read: Baking Pandesal with Filling

It was funny because few years ago I took a Bread Making Class and hindi ko pa totally napractice ang bread making skill ko, bigla nasira oven ko. Waah! My husband called the customer service and if I remember it right, we need to pay a minimum of PHP7500 for the service, pwede pa mag-increase if they need to replace something. The problem is the oven thermostat is not working, lahat ng niluluto ko kahit nasa lowest temperature pa, nasusunog.

Read: The Day I Learned How to Bake my Own Bread 

Of course, I don’t want to pay the fee kasi naman makakabili na ko ng brand new electric oven sa presyo na yun. I decided not to buy oven na lang kasi magdiet ako, less sweets na for me. Nadiet naman kami pero hindi rin nagtagal because we have sweet tooth. I stopped baking pero bumibili naman ko ng cakes and pastries. Hehehe!

Hanggang nasanay na ko na walang oven, I just cook food na hindi need ng oven. But few months ago, my son told me “Mommy, namimiss ko na yung brownies mo. When ka na bibili ng oven?”. We were planning for a kitchen makeover kasi so dun na sana kami magpapalit para isang gastos na lang. But my son misses my brownies so we decided to buy a new gas range. Hindi siya yung dream oven ko pero para sa ikaliligaya ng anak ko, go na lang.

Since last month, I started baking again, I baked my son’s favorite brownies and roast chicken. I tried a new recipe which is Nutella Puff Pastry but I don’t have a nice picture so I will blog about it next time, kapag nakagawa na ulit ako. And yesterday, I baked Oatmeal Cookie.


Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie Mix 

Ang nobela ng intro ko, hehehe! I saw this cookie mix na nakasale sa Landmark supermarket, it was only P141.75 so I bought it. I tried other Betty Crocker instant mix na before so I’m sure that this oatmeal cookie will be a hit.

Read: Betty Crocker Chocolate Chips 
Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chips


Just like the other Betty Crocker cookie mix, you only need to add few ingredients like 1/2 butter, 1 egg and 1 tbsp of water. Just mix the wet and dry ingredients and bake it for 10-12 minutes at 350F.



My son likes to add chocolate chips but we don’t have stock at home so I just add Freia Chocolate on top of it. I remember, few years ago my son dislike oatmeal cookie but now he loves it, binaon na rin niya maski yung plain oatmeal cookie.


Next time, I will try to bake oatmeal cookie from scratch, I hope it will taste good too. Medyo bitin kasi yung cookie mix (24 pieces). Kasi paglabas pa lang sa oven, kinain na agad ng mag-ama ko. The oatmeal cookie is soft and chewy, kahit galing sa fridge, soft and chewy pa rin siya kapag kinain.

I’m feeling overwhelmed these past three weeks, hence I have no blog post. I’m physically, mentally, and emotionally challenged. True enough when it rains, it pours. I just hope that blessings yung bumuhos but it wasn’t.

My son even told me, ”Mommy, we had three funerals in one year”. At first, I said, why three? Then I realized, we really had three funerals in less than a year, it started last October 2018, when my aunt-in-law passed away, then my grandmother last February 2019, and just this month, my sister-in-law left us too.

To be honest, hindi pa totally nagsink-in sa akin na wala na siya because it happened so fast. It also started in October and I can still remember that day because it was my grandmother-in-law’s 80th birthday. We’re on our way to Pangasinan and she still attended the birthday party even she was not feeling well.

On our way home, my husband kept on telling her na didiretso na kami ng hospital but she declined and sa apartment pa rin siya nagpahatid. In her mind, dysmenorrhea lang yun and kaya na ng pain reliever. The following day, I was surprised when I saw her Instagram Story, na-admit na pala siya and the doctor advised that she needs to undergo D&C.

I told her that I experienced that too when I had a miscarriage and I know some friends na nag-undergo din ng D&C because of heavy bleeding. I thought that she will be okayed after the D&C procedure kasi naging okay na naman ko after pero kahit nakalabas na siya ng hospital she was still not feeling well.

After a week, she went back to the doctor to check her biopsy and we were all shocked when we learned about the result, she has Uterine Cancer. Woah, who would ever think na yung pagiging anemic niya, abdominal pain and heavy bleeding pag may menstruation are signs of cancer na pala.

Even we know that is already stage IV, we did not lose hope because we know that there is nothing impossible and we knew that there are cancer survivors kahit stage IV pa. We are not rich and cancer treatment costs a fortune, but my husband together with my in-laws find ways to make sure that my sister-in-law will get her treatment.

From November, she underwent a series of radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, tomotherapy, and brachytherapy. She was not able to finish her last two therapies because she was not feeling well last month. And because of that, she was admitted to the hospital until God called her home.

OldTown White Coffee is a pride of Malaysia which was founded in the year 1999. They are the largest and halal-certified kopitiam restaurant chain. Kopi tiam or kopitiam means a traditional coffee shop that is mostly found in Southern Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia. These coffee shops offer toast or kaya plus coffee or tea. Some kopitiam in Malaysia offer extended menus where you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.


Whenever my husband goes to Malaysia, he always eats at OldTown White Coffee and at the same time, he buys OldTown White Coffee instant beverage mixes. Yes, the company is not just a coffee shop but they also manufacture instant beverage mixes. It started with a desire to serve the finest coffee at home or in their 200 outlets across Asia.


OldTown White Coffee is a perfect blend of three types of coffee beans which are Arabica, Liberica, and Robusta. OldTown White Coffee has different variants, they have Classic, Hazelnut, Less Sugar, Mocha, Cane Sugar, Coffee & Creamer, and Extra Rich. They also have OldTown White Milk Tea, Nan Yang White Coffee O with sugar added, Nan Yang White Coffee O Kosong, Black Series Coffee with sugar added and Black Series Black Coffee.

Among the flavors, we have tried the Classic, Hazelnut, Mocha and Extra Rich. Since I’m not addicted to coffee, my favorite variant is Mocha but my husband prefers the Classic one. My husband bought a lot of this coffee during his trip in Malaysia last December so this coffee was our gift to colleagues and friends.


Just this month, my husband went back to Kuala Lumpur and bought a few boxes of coffee. He also bought OldTown White Coffee Extra Rich, we haven’t tried it yet so I’ll just update this post.


So if ever you are going to Malaysia and you are a coffee lover, don’t forget to eat or drink at OldTown White Coffee shops or buy their instant beverage mixes, instant coffee, ready to drink OldTown White Coffee or even milk tea. This coffee is made from premium beans so expect that the price is not budget-friendly compared to the brands that you see in the supermarket.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic
A perfect smooth blend of the original white coffee. Rich, creamy and aromatic, it has a heightened lingering mouthfeel.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Hazelnut
A rich fragrant Hazelnut flavored white coffee blend. Creamy, nutty and unique, it leaves a tantalizing mouth feel.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Natural Cane Sugar
A satisfying blend with the great taste of natural cane sugar. Smooth, tasty and milky, it delivers medium strength coffee aromatics.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Less Sugar 
25% less sugar compared to OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Classic.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Mocha 
An irresistible treat- the perfect union of cocoa and OldTown White Coffee Blend. Indulge yourself with a creamy rich and full of depth OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Mocha.

OldTown White Coffee 2 in 1 Coffee & Creamer 
A great alternative for the health-conscious. A full-bodied white coffee minus the sugar.

OldTown White Coffee 3 in 1 Extra Rich 
Bolder and richer in taste and aroma, created using coffee beans that are roasted at a special high temperature. Stronger overall coffee enjoyment with our signature creamy and smooth texture.

OldTown 3 in 1 White Milk Tea 
A flavourful combination of milk and tea. Aromatic and calming with a smooth creamy mouthfeel.

OldTown Nan Yang White Coffee O with Sugar Added
White coffee “o” with sugar added, roasted to perfection! Strong, dark palette with a nice bittersweet balance.

OldTown Nan Yang White Coffee O Kosong 
Distinctive and strong- just like the good old days!Thick and bold with full-bodied white coffee “o” aromatics minus the sugar.

OldTown Black Series 2 in 1 Black Coffee with Sugar Added 
Features deep rich flavors with a hint of caramel, satisfying aroma and a lingering sweeter note. 

OldTown Black Series Black Coffee 
Features irresistible, deep intense flavors with a well-balanced hint of caramel.

OldTown Black Series Enrich Freezed Dried Instant Coffee 
Feature a both and smooth flavor made possible only from our premium freeze-dried coffee beans. Enjoy a 100% gourmet-style black coffee or brew it your way!

OldTown White Coffee RTD Can Drink 
Perfect for people on the move. Now you can truly enjoy the great taste of the original white coffee anytime, anywhere… chilled!

Read: Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 

It was only last year when I learned about Ben’s Halo-Halo Ice Cream, I watched their story in one of the TV shows. Then I saw Ben’s Halo-Halo Ice Cream branch on our way to Tagaytay and I told myself that I will eat there next time. Pero ang tagal ng next time ko kasi naman December pa yung last Tagaytay trip namin so hindi ko na siya nadadaanan.


Ben Pasco is the owner and founder of Ben’s Halo-Halo Ice Cream. He used to be a domestic worker in Italy for 11 years but he was not contented with his position so he decided to return home and start a business in 2013. He started a small bakeshop but it was not successful. The business was closed after six months but he did not give up and he opened Ben’s Halo-Halo. Now there are 29 stores already, one owned which is located in San Pablo Laguna and 28 franchises all over Luzon.

Anyway, last weekend nagugutom ako so my husband suggested na magmerienda daw kami sa Ben’s Halo-Halo. My husband went here before and he likes the halo-halo so off we went to Viewfort Carmona where the store is located.

I thought it was just a small halo-halo store pero in fairness marami din tables and chairs. You can sit inside or outside the store. Of course, we chose the tables inside para malamig. We got the menu and surprisingly, madami din pala food. They offer coolers, sandwiches, pasta, rice meals, pika-pika, and hot and cold drinks.

For coolers, you can choose halo-halo, spicy winter, salty summer, macapuno, banana con yelo, mais con yelo and gulaman. You have to go to the cashier to order and of course pay. We ordered Halo-Halo P90 and French Fries P40. While waiting, they served water.

After several minutes, ou order came and I’m just a little bit disappointed with the fries kasi hindi same sa picture na punong-puno ang lagayan, Expectation vs Reality. hehehe! Good thing the halo-halo did not fail us, it is true that they serve creamy halo-halo. The secret is they mix gelato in the shaved ice.

It is quite similar to the popular Razon’s Halo-halo na pino ang ice shaved but the difference is, mas marami ingredients and mas mura sa Ben’s Halo-halo. After trying the halo-halo, I’m happy na may bago na kami kakaininan, if we are craving for halo-halo.



Read: Razon’s of Guagua 

There are so many hotels, hostel, AirBnB, and backpackers lodge in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia so choosing accommodation is not difficult. Two things that you should ask yourself are, “How much is my budget? and Which part of Kuala Lumpur is best for my trip”. Knowing your itinerary makes it easy for you to narrow down your choices.


You can stay in Bukit Bintang, KLCC, Chinatown, KL Sentral, Bangsar, Chow Kit, Petaling Jaya, or Subang Jaya. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is famous because of Petronas Tower so if you plan to visit the iconic tower, I suggest you stay in Bukit Bintang or KLCC area because you can visit Petronas Tower by walking.

Read: Petronas Twin Tower 

Anyway, If you are looking for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, check the following hotels that we have or my husband tried in the past. It ranges from budget accommodation to expensive accommodation. Checking the rates of the hotel, it is quite similar to Philippines rates so it won’t hurt your pocket unlike in other Southeast Asian countries.

1. Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang 

Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang is the first hotel that we have tried in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a budget hotel that is strategically situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city center. It is few minutes away from transportation, shopping, entertainment, and even business district.


We booked a room only package so no breakfast for us but since it has a good location, fastfood, restaurants, and even cafes are within reach. If you love street food then visit Jalan Alor where you can eat different Asian cuisines. Petronas Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC and Menara KL Tower are also walking distances.

Read: Sky Hotel Bukit Bintang Review

2. Saujana Hotel and Resort 

Saujana Hotel and Resort is far from the Kuala Lumpur City center so if you are after relaxation or you just want to have a staycation then stay in this resort. It is a 5-star resort in Malaysia that is ideal for business and leisure traveler.


It sits on 160 hectares so it is really huge, a different type of resort where you can see squirrels, monitor lizards and even monkeys within the resort premises. They have golf course, swimming pool, fitness center, spa and sports area.

Read: Saujana Hotel and Resort Review

3. Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel 

Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel has excellent location in KLCC because it is close to LRT, monorail stations and Petronas Twin Towers. My husband even said that he can see Petronas Towers from his room. It offers a gym, spa and an outdoor pool. My husband likes this hotel because they know how to value their loyal guests. They always upgrade his room to Club room but unfortunately, room only and no club lounge access.


Read: Sheraton Kuala Lumpur Hotel Review

4. Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Hotel 

Intercontinental Hotel is also located in the heart of the city so it is few minutes walk away from Petronas Twin Tower, Suria KLCC, Bukit Bintang and LRT station. They provide complimentary shuttle services for your comfort and convenience.


The hotel offers fitness center, spa and swimming pool. The rooom looks old but big and clean. I guess, there are already renovated rooms but my husband stayed at the old room. According to my husband, there are a lot of Filipino staffs here and service is good.

Read: Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Hotel Review 
DIY Kuala Lumpur City Tour 

My mom is an expert when it comes to crochet, so we always have potholder, handmade doll, and other crochet projects. I always see her crocheting since I was a kid but in my mind, this is not something for me. It looks so complicated so I have no plans of trying it.

But during our summer vacation in Norway, out of the blue, I asked my mom to teach me how to crochet. Of course, she taught me the basic stitches which are single crochet and slip stitch. Then my son told me that his classmate knows how to make a bracelet. Waah! Mas nachallenge ako, if a 10-year old girl can do this, mas kaya ko ito. So I told my son, I can also make a bracelet for you so I made a simple chain bracelet. Lol.

1. Cellphone Holder 

But of course, I challenged myself to make my first crochet project. I don’t want a potholder because I have a lot of potholders from my mom so I make a cellphone holder for my son. Every day, I crochet several rows and I realized that it is not easy to crochet kasi masakit sa kamay. So now, I will never look at a crochet potholder the same way again. I know that it takes time, effort, and love just to finish a crochet project.


After a week, I was able to finish my crochet cellphone holder. I know some people can do this in one sitting but it took me a long time because there are times that I have to undo it and repeat because my project was not straight. But I’m proud of my first project and I’m happy because my son was using it. He can put his cellphone and power bank inside the cellphone holder.

2. Handmade Dolls 

My mom always makes a handmade doll, if you are a regular reader of this blog, you've already seen some of her works, but you if you miss it, check it here and here. I also took some photos of her handmade dolls. My mom made these for displays, gift for family or friends and sometimes she sells it too.




Looking at these handmade dolls, feeling ko hindi kaya ng power ko and I’m not sure if I can finish it during our summer vacation. But of course, nothing is impossible when you believe. So for my second project, I will make a handmade doll so I can give this to my husband on his birthday.


My mom has a lot of crochet books and magazines so I just choose the pattern that I like. The pattern was in Norwegian language so my mom assisted and guided me until I finished the project. My first handmade doll was not perfect because I can only make square or rectangle, pagpabilog na medyo mahirap pa sa akin. But after finishing my first handmade doll, I decided to repeat the project para may kapartner.


I just crochet part by part of the doll and after that, I joined them. I’m so happy that I finished these handmade dolls in one month. The blue handmade doll looks good na compared to my first one. Sometimes, I still can’t believe na gawa ko ito. These were my birthday gift to my husband and he was surprised when he opened his gift last month. He knew that I have crochet project pero hindi niya ineexpect na ito yung ginagawa ko. I will make another one if I have the yarn para family of three na.