265: Japan 2015 - Rinku Premium Outlet @ Osaka

Hi there! After 2 years of procrastination, I am finally updating about my trip to Osaka! Yes, it might be of 2 years ago but I'll make it as informative as possible to assist in your next trip planning to Osaka! <3 

There's many flight options but I've always pre-book my flights to Japan with Airasia because the promotion fares may be reasonably cheap. It could range around RM600+ to RM800+ for a 2 way flight. 

Flight arrival at Kansai Airport is usually in the morning 9.30 a.m. so it's good for the young and energetic because you can start exploring once you touch down! I planned to drop by at Rinku Premium Outlet because there was a convenient Sky Shuttle bus service that goes directly from the airport to the premium outlet. It was also located on the way to the city and I had some time to burn before my Airbnb check-in time which is after 4.00 p.m.

You can view the Sky Shuttle timetable here: http://www.kate.co.jp/en/timetable/detail/SKYB

Do not worry about your luggage during travels in Japan as locker is a common convenience that's available in most shopping outlets and also train stations. My mom brought a big ass luggage but it's all good because they have a big ass compartment locker for it too! <3

It was end of March 2015, weather was slightly cooling so it's good for travelling but could get slightly colder when it rains.

They have about 210 branded outlet stores combined from the main side and the sea side. Yes, as if there wasn't enough to shop, there is a small extension across the pedestrian bridge called the sea side.  Unintentionally, we have spend almost the whole day there going through the shops! The place opens from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. so there's plenty of time to shop!

The place has  a beautiful view overlooking the Daikanransha - Tempozan Ferris Wheel. I'm not sure if there's a lot of pople fascinated by huge ferris wheels but I'm one of them! It's always a bucket list to ride one in Japan. I'll make it come true some day. Some day. :)

Hong Hu Jiao Zi Fang. This shop sells mostly Chinese cuisines, which is all good for mom! Mom always prefer to have something familiar to the taste bud during travels. So we opted for this Chinese Place for a meal. You can even notice it as a Chinese place from the interior. :)

We ordered the pork & mustard gravy on rice (950 yen) + a set consisting fried rice / a bowl of ramen and small chicken karaage (1150 yen). It taste fine but there was nothing to shout about. Other than this, you can always opt for western / japanese / korean cuisine or even express meal from Family Mart! <3

It was dark before we knew we have shopped too much. Hehe.. but it does get dark quite early there, say about 6.00 p.m., it was already gloomy dark. We asked around and finally took the JR train at nearby Rinku-Town Station to Teradacho Station, where my Airbnb stay will be. 

Sneak peak on purchase. Mostly are mom's but I'm happier when mom shops a lot instead of myself because they rarely buy things for herself. So I'm a happy girl when I can make her happy. :)

Stay tune for my next post on the trip!

Important links:
Rinku Premium Outlet map: http://www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/en/rinku/brands/pdf/rinku.pdf
Sky Shuttle from Kansai Airport to Rinku Premium Outlet: http://www.kate.co.jp/en/timetable/detail/SKYB


Read about my other Osaka Travel Posts here:
265: Japan 2015 - Rinku Premium Outlet @ Osaka
266: Japan 2015 - Teradacho to Shitennō-ji Temple @ Osaka
268: Shitennō-ji Temple + Flea Market @ Osaka.
269: Shinsekai + Eats @ Osaka
270: Dotonbori Night + Eats @ Osaka
281: Sakura Trip at Osakajo 大阪城 @ Osaka 1/2
284: Sakura Trip at Osakajo 大阪城 @ Osaka 2/2
293: Tenryu-Ji Temple, Arashiyama District @ Kyoto
294: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama District @ Kyoto
295: Kinkaku-Ji Temple of the Golden Pavilion + Gion @ Kyoto
296: Osaka + Kyoto Food, Omiyage & Shopping Journey

Rinku Premium Outlet

a: 3-28, Rinku Ourai Minami, Izumisano-Shi, Osaka, Japan 598-8508

h: 10.00am - 8.00pm

w: http://www.premiumoutlets.co.jp/en/rinku/

f: https://www.facebook.com/premiumoutletsjapan.en

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264: Parcel from Sephora Online!

So, I've got a parcel from Sephora! *yay* It's actually my first order from Sephora online! Let's unbox and find out what's inside, shall we?

As I unbox, I've got all these love and kisses flowing out! So much overflowing love from Sephora. ^^

I am actually slowly trying to explore products by Estée Lauder because I'm really impressed with Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair which I got recently last year. Read about it here! 

So this time I got myself this Estée Lauder's Nutritious Vitality8 Night Radiant Overnight while trying out the Sephora Online platform. It's simply convenient!

"Power up your skin. This Nutritious Vitality8 detox treatment is enriched with concentrated pomegranate powder, which works with skin’s natural renewal cycle while you sleep. It removes toxins—helping to purify accumulated damage from pollution and other aggressors—and creates softer, smoother brighter skin. Activate the eight key dimensions of healthy-looking vitality for skin that’s nourished, hydrated, energized, calmed, supple, refined, smoother and radiant."

Estée Lauder's Nutritious Vitality8 Night Radiant Overnight (RM340) caught my attention because it is yet another product which I can use for skin repair overnight. I'm in love with the idea of overnight detox treatment while I sleep. 

I have just unpacked it and I'm loving the first few application with it. 

It is advisable to use it for 28 consecutive nights at the beginning for every season. So I'll be trying this product for about a month and share my thorough thoughts about this product with you after this! <3 Be patient and stay tuned for my update!

While waiting, you can check out other Estée Lauder products conveniently available at Sephora Online! It's an alternative shopping method I love because to be honest, I dread going to the mall to get an item or 2 nowadays because it's packed with people everywhere. 

So, yea, shopping online ftw!

Sephora Online

w: www.sephora.my

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263: Iberico Black Pig Bak Kwa!

Chinese New Year is all over now :( That's some 15 days of crazy gathering, card games, sobering up with alcohol and also munching on all sorts of good food which includes the oh-so-delicious Bak Kwa.

Every year without fail, the Bak Kwa shops will get flooded with Chinese who can't loose out to get their hands on these yummilicious Chinese New Year delicacy! Even the internet has it comparing the Malaysia Sun Weng Heong vs Singapore Lim Chee Guan Bak Kwa.

I saw a video sharing the crazy long queue of people waiting in line to buy from Lim Chee Guan. So long, it reminds me of those people queuing up for some limited product launching the very next day! It made me want to try it some day but my urge died down when I saw the comparison of it which doesn't look better than our local winner!

BUT! This year I get to taste a very special and super EXPENSIVE Bak Kwa in my whole freaking life! Presenting the IBERICO Bak Kwa! The price will definitely scare you away, no kidding. I would not have bought it myself and would never had the chance to try it if some one have not bought it for me :D ( thank you :} ) because it cost a freakin' RM50++ !! Yes, that's like more than RM10 for an effin' piece! That's like the price of a super premium imported Japanese Ichigo.

So what's so special about this Black Pork from Spain? Iberico pigs are actually well-known for being a very healthy source of pork as they roam around freely and also feed on acorn which produces healthy fat in the pig itself. Well, that was a milennia ago. Now, they are domesticated but are fed on good healthy natural diet which makes them more of a high quality and prized meat product. Simply said; it's imported organic pork.

The Iberico pork meat is said to be more delicious so let's see how it fares in form of bak kwa. In comparison, on the left I have this local Seremban produced bak kwa and on the right is the Iberico bak kwa.

Iberico bak kwa is larger in piece but thinner is slice. It also looks less oily. Taste wise, I actually prefer our local Seremban bak kwa as it taste more fragrant and also chewy. The Iberico Bak Kwa was made too thinly and that actually affects the pleasure of eating it.

In my honest opinion, Seremban bak kwa definitely wins all round! It's cheaper and more delicious! The Iberico bak kwa to me, is just a highly priced imported organic pork made into bak kwa. 

I have not tasted Iberico porks made into other dishes hence I can't really say that there's nothing special about Iberico pork but in terms of bak kwa, I feel that it is a waste to use such a high grade pork and make it into something less delicious and seems overpriced. 

Anyway, should you still want to have a try at this overpriced bak kwa, you might want to try your luck in Village Grocer but I am not going to promise anything! 

Share your thoughts with me if you ever tried it. :)

Iberico Bak Kwa

w: http://www.spanish-passion.com

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262: Birth of C88 Swavorski Zirconia Jewellery

HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd, a gem itself in the industry, has been delivering outstanding craftsmanship since year 1985. As of today, they supply to over 600 jewellery retail shops across Malaysia. 

On 25th January 2017, a new milestone was achieve with the collaboration of HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd x Swavorski. I was a pleasure to witness the signing ceremony of two giant branding partner in the jewellery industry of Malaysia by the Director of HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd, Mr. Low Soon Tian and Vice President of Operations from SEA Swavorski, Mr.Kurt Zbinden,

In line with HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd's corporate vision, "Eternal Sparkles" the company are always on the path to identify high quality and ever-lasting jewellery pieces into Malaysia in addition of manufacturing jewellery of high precision and fine handwork and fineness.

The fine quality of a ring is based of the craftmanship work which produces prongs which are not sharp but with smooths edges identical shapes as it is what affects the grip of the stone and also protection of the stone from being scratched but still being held with a tight grip.

There are 9 featured ring designs but this Princess Athena Crown Ring stole the heart of many during the display including me myself.

They might not be diamonds but they are stones you can count on to make heart melts. Ahemm.. that's a hint for you guys this coming Valentine. 

Once again, thanks to HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd for the invitation to witness this exclusive event in the field of fine jewellery.

HWL Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd x Swavorski

w: http://c88.my/

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261: Number76 Starhill

Hi guys! girls! This is going to be the last post before the Chinese New Year! One of the important task in the to-do-list besides getting new clothes before the Chinese New Year would be get a hair cut!

I got to say that Number76 is what comes to mind whenever I am in need of a salon. By the time I look forward to my salon visit, almost all branches has been booked up. I would visit Number76 Bangsar branch but they were fully booked.

So I decided to have a try and made a booking with a senior stylist, Wendy Ng at the Starhill branch. I have not had any session with senior stylist from Number76 (past visits here: Number76 Bangsar with Amy / Number76 Bangsar2 with Yamamoto-san) before but I thought to myself that a simple layering trim can't go wrong with a trained stylist from this salon branch from Japan (assuming it's Japan standard). Initially decided to get a trim just to strike off this  Chinese New Year must-do ritual every year but opted for more mid way through the appointment. 

Insta story of my visit.

I don't remember when was the last time I set foot into Starhill. Interior layout has definitely changed but the place remains quietly exclusive, looking like a gallery instead. 

Back to my hair story..

So I asked for a layered trim and in the midst of it, I asked if I would add-on a colouring service and she agreed to it. The hair cut was done in a jiffy. Really quick session but from my observation, it wasn't really a layering cut but instead it looks like a horizontal with slight layering instead. 

Refer to the picture above to what I meant by horizontal layering. The stylist also asked for the length I wanted for my fringe and we agreed on the chin level but the cut I got was what is shown in the picture above. I have to admit that it was some what unsatisfactory.

There was not much communication initiated by the stylist. All she spoke of was straight forward questions;

1.  what tea would you like to have? (the tea didn't come by the way. It came after another staff asked me for my choice of tea later on.)
2. how would you like to have your hair cut?
3. how long would you like your fringe to be?
4. what colour would your like? (for hair dye)
5. would you like your hair to be more curly? (hair curl at the end was done by another staff and it looks like half effort job because I answered that I was going home after.)

That's probably most of what she conversed with me.

This is what my hair looks like without curling them. So unruly. To be honest, got to say I'm a little upset with the result of this appointment because of the haircut outcome and also the attitude of the stylist which doesn't seems to care much. Perhaps I should ask for a straightened finishing touch at the end of haircuts to actually verify if they did a proper job.

When I asked for a blue hair dye, she did not ask for the shade I was looking for. Neither did she show me how the colour was going to turn out. I had to take the initiative to ask her when I saw the prepared dye because I really don't want my hair to turn into some other colour which I'm looking forward to. Especially when it's for the Chinese New Year. 

The last I heard from the stylist at the end of the session; if you only wash your hair twice before the Chinese New Year, it will possibly last till the Chinese New Year.

Mind boggling indeed.  :O

I miss layered hair like these.

Gone were the curls when I got home.

It's only blue dye but the mid section looks green, doesn't it? Not that I'm complaining :)

The colour seems to be on little uneven level on both side but not very noticeable so it's all good ^^

I wake up the next morning, looking at my unruly hair. Put in some effort to curl and style it, I'm glad my hair looks fine.. Looks horrible if I straighten my hair though coz of the hair cut.. =/ Seems like I'll probably be looking forward to another hair cut after the Chinese New Year.

I'm not sure if it's the hectic pre Chinese New Year packed schedule or this is the standard of senior stylist of Number76. (my first time booking with a senior stylist) but I makes me think twice for future bookings.

Total damage done: RM372

RM296 for long hair colour. Ah.. it's a compliment for finally labelling my hair as 'long'! No bleaching. Just colouring.

RM76 for senior stylist cut.

In the end, just keep calm and eat soft serve.

Number76 Starhill

a: S4, Pamper Floor, Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.

t: +603 2141 6676 / 7076

f: https://www.facebook.com/number76.starhill/ 

w: http://www.number76.com/

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