The Butterfly Project X NARS Malaysia @ Gurney Plaza, Penang

Event Date : 23rd January 2015

Welcome back lovelies, for those who are celebrating, how is your CNY celebration going on?

Any frequent shoppers of Gurney Plaza?  You guys might have already spotted NARS in Parkson.  I believe beauty lovers will be jumping in excitement that NARS has finally opened its second outlet in Malaysia and it is in none other states than Penang!!!  Proud to be Penangite since most of the brands are gradually expanding their empire to our island which made shopping much more convenient for us. :D

I was in absolutely delighted and excited to be chosen as one of the Butterfly to participate for this session organized by The Butterfly Project which is a Beauty Community in their first ever Penang project.  Initially I thought I was not able to join since it is around my finals and might clash with my tripping plans but lucky thing things turned out well.  

Long story short, since this project is a collaboration between NARS Malaysia & The Butterfly Project as the title of this posting suggest, we were given a makeover by the skillful makeup artist and of course using non other products but NARS.    

Note that, as I have already known that I will be given a makeover of course I did not bother doing much makeup myself (yes I'm lazy just like that).  Simply wore a little base makeup just for the sake of protecting my skin from the harmful UV rays, SPF is a must!   Eyebrows to frame my face, mascara just to show that I have lashes and a bright lip to make myself look more awake that is all and I would say I have shown some courtesy for not going bare face LOL.

Pre- Makeover

Voila!

Post makeover 

See the difference?  As compared to the cheating makeup I have done, meet the professional NARS makeup artist Alan Choong who does wonders to enhance my look even more.  What he did was apart from concealing my zits, contouring, adding blush and highlighting my high points was he focused on accentuating my eyes by tight lining them (my fave way of wearing eye makeup yet I hardly like doing it myself because I have the tendency to prick into my own eyes) and adding more coats of mascara yet not making it look super heavy which explains why I love my eye makeup lots till I was reluctant to remove my makeup as soon as I reach home like I usually do.  Not to mention that I was surprised that I actually love how my least favourite colour aka the orangy tone lipstick  from their Audacious range compliments and brighten up my entire look.  

Lip colour defines you, do not be afraid to try on colors that you are curious of how they will look on you.  Head over to their counter swatch them and try wearing them on.  Sometimes how you perceived the color to turn out on you may not be the way it is.  You will not get a full picture of it till you give it a chance and there is no harm trying! ;)

Had a pleasurable time experimenting their wide array of makeup collections that will get you full face covered from eyebrows, eyes, face, lips and the list goes on.  

Many thanks to NARS Malaysia & The Butterfly Project for having me

In action, testing 123

*Drum rolls*

Spring 2015 Color Collection

Girls being girls and of course being one myself I was at cloud nine to try out their products.Many thanks to NARS Malaysia for handpicking this collection for us which consists of 3 eye products, 2 lip products and a blush and having an awesome sharing session.

Incorporated NARS products for my look during my bff's birthday celebration.  Did this look in a hurry and was using the smokey hunter green and sheer white shimmer for my eyes.  Also used their eye paint as based before blending in the shadows and my eye look just lasted so well for the entire evening.   

INOUBLIABLE COUP D'OEIL EYESHADOW PALETTE 

RM 190

From left to right - Top Row: Dalliance Eyeshadow - dusty lilac stone, 
                                                 Pyla Eyeshadow -smokey hunter green, 
                                                 Sidi Bou Said - blackened grape  
                          Bottom Row: Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (left side) - sheer white shimmer, 
                                                 Luberon - iridescent sand with rose gold sheen, 
                                                 Pandora Duo Eyeshadow - matte black 

Although I do not exactly like all the colours in this palette as I personally prefer warmer and brighter tones I have to say that their color payoffs and pigmentation is amazing and is super buidable.  Not only that but then as compared to my personal collection of eye shadows NARS shadows are finely mill and velvety smooth which allows it to blend easily upon application.

Just an extra information, I know this is an eye shadow palette but then for a person who do not really follow the rules as usual I do not limit the usage of eye shadows to eyes only.  Personally find the Dalliance Eyeshadow which is a dusty lilac stone or somewhat taupe shade really suitable for contouring and creating shadows for a more 3D look.  Yes despite its dull tone, it is still one of my most used shade in the palette followed by the Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (left side) - sheer white shimmer which is often used for highlighting.  

NARS SPRING 2015 COLOR COLLECTION

LIGURIA LIPSTICK - NUDE CARAMEL

RM 91

Needless to say NARS lipstick is already remarkable for its superb quality.  For this nude shade it is lightweight, not too attention seeking but just an ultimate natural and minimalist shade which could be used as an everyday staple in my opinion.

PORTO VENERE EYE PAINT - SOFT PALE PINK

RM 96

If you guys were to ask me what is a must have from NARS, I will definitely give a shout out to this magic pot!  I suppose this is a cream based eye shadow that could also be used as a base or eye primer.   Of course for a person who either do not wear any eye make up or only wears waterproof eye makeup to spare the risk of ending up like a panda, this really helps to hold on to my eye shadows longer and also boost the lasting power of my liquid eyeliner which tend to smudge once my eyelids starts to grease (sad fact of living in a humid weather country).   

Never fail to impress every time I layer it underneath my shadows or eyeliners and it definitely works way much better than the eye primer I have in my own makeup stash.  Not telling you guys which brand it is but here is a hint, like NARS it is also a brand which is packaged in black and white with a mid to high price tag as well.   

VALHALLA SINGLE EYESHADOW - SOFT SHIMMERING PINK PEACH

RM 93

RECKLESS BLUSH - SHEER PINK SHIMMER

RM 121

Due to its shimmer, sheerness and rather a pale color, I find myself using this more as highlighter and eye shadow to make my eyes pop more often than as a blush for my vampire like pale skin.

VENT SALE LIP GLOSS - SILVER HIGHLIGHT

RM 89

Have yet to have a picture with this gloss on since I tend to eat up my lip products before snapping pictures very often LOL.  Aside from that, I have to confess that I am not a lip gloss person anymore even tough lip gloss was the very first cosmetic I have ventured into.  I am rather a lip balm or lip tint kind of person who prefers a sheer natural tint and products that ain't shiny, greasy or sticky and I have always wish for my lip product to be moisturising, non sticky yet can last forever even if I eat.  Any recommendations of such lip products?  

Come back to the point, I will update you guys once I put this glass to good use.  Stay tuned via my Instagram ok?  @rachael_imm

 It was also nice to meet and mingle around with all the beautiful ladies and skillful makeup artists.  :D

Meet Tammy Lim, the Founder of The Butterfly Project!  Nice meeting her in person!

Signing off!

I accept sponsorship, event invitations and advertorials.

If you have any queries, kindly reach me via my email

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Elmural Cafe @ Lebuh Cintra, Georgetown, Penang

Invited Review/Advertorial

Ever since I have resume back to college hardly go for cafe hunts anymore. So, when I was told about Elmural Cafe I did not know which part of the island this cafe is situated at all despite it is just situated at a place I am frequent to.  However for those who hardly go to that area it might be a little tacky to locate the cafe since its sign is not so noticeable.  Elmural Cafe could be easily located if you manage to locate the famous De Tai Tong Dim Sum as it is just humbly housed within that area, it could be spotted on your right if you follow the flow of the one way street.  

Many thanks to Elmural Cafe for hosting us that evening

These murals might be familiar to those of you who have already went to explore the hidden gem in the heritage area of Penang.  Anthony, the owner of Elmural Cafe features several self-photographed well-known murals in his cafe in order to preserve this great artworks which he believed might be neglected over time.  

For those who have yet to explore the nostalgic artworks and are afraid to fight the scorching heat walking from streets to streets to hunt for these treasures, why not dine in Elmural Cafe?

                                       Address: 83 Cintra Street, George Town, Malaysia

Soup of the day (Mushroom soup) with toasted crutons

RM 7.90

Their soup is decently flavored and its a always great to start your meal with such comfort food.  Aside from the consistency which was slightly dilute during my visit, I really love how they topped this bowl with crutons instead of giving slices of conventional garlic breads which might filled up the tummies of small eaters leaving less room for mains.   

Leftover Park Salad

RM 10.00

Yes this is a salad but for those who are super concern of your waistline, this is not something that I will recommend to you guys since it is a little bit too oily to be considered as a healthy option to go with.  Other than that, I would say this is a great option especially when you are not at your big appetite mood but still wanting something that is porky and toothsome.  For those who hold on to the practice of eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.  This is a great choice for you to go with without tucking too much into your tummy.

Lamb Chop with Yogurt Mint Sauce

RM 22.70

Even tough the taste of this dish was rather mild, it was still delectable as its fork-tender and were not overly chewy and the most important thing is it does not have the bothersome lamb odour.  Served with yogurt mint sauce instead of the traditional mint sauce made this dish unique in its own way.   I personally like drizzling the yogurt mint sauce over the salad and dipping my fries into it.  

Pork Ribs Baked with Hot Chipotle Sauce

RM 33.90

Here comes the star dish of the evening that most of us have chosen to highlight as the best dish.  The pork ribs were well-marinated and the hint of spiciness made this dish enticing. Having my favorite greens aka the asparagus as side made this dish extra satisfying and it makes it a well balanced portion of nutrients.  

Pork Ribs with Roasted Cheesy Tops

RM 35.00

Out of all the pork dishes this were my least favorite. Do not get me wrong this was not distasteful its just I find it too heavy and cloying to have melted cheese on top of such a huge portion of meat since I am an absolute small eater according to majority of my friends.

Pork Shoulder Chops with Brownie Sauce

RM 23.90

Elmural Cafe really upholds its signature dishes well.  They specialized in pork dishes which is why if you take a closer look at their logo it is of the shape of a piggy.  

This dish received as many comments as my most liked dish.  The meat were succulent and flavorful and beautifully glazed with brownie sauce.   

Besides pork, Elmural Cafe also specializes in Gelato and they have many funky flavors available.

Gelato - RM 7.80 per scoop, RM 13.90 for double scoops 

Italian Coffee flavoured with Espresso Base

The texture of this was very smooth and the aroma of coffee made is a dedication to coffee lovers.

Kalamansi flavoured with Tea Base

The sourness of the Kalamansi made this dessert mouth-watering and the icy sorbet made it refreshing.

White Chocolate 

Oreo

Chocolate Chili 

Saving the best for the last, no you guys did not read this flavor wrongly, it is a combination of Chocolate and a spice - chilli.   Ordered this as I have heard of such blend through travel programs and was curious how this will turn out like.  I'm glad that I did not make the wrong choice as most of us find this an interesting flavour.  Chocolaty at first but then ended with a hint of spiciness.  Definitely a dessert for people to expect the unexpected. ;)

I accept sponsorship, event invitations and advertorials.

If you have any queries, kindly reach me via my email

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JAPIN Bandar Sunway

Invited Review

Mikkusu - Yakiniku - Jyu
RM 17.30

A healthy source of nutrients being packed into a box, bento (Japanese lunch box) is such a convenient and homey meal to have especially if you are on the go.  Japin included beef, chicken, fish, egg and cabbage here which made this box a perfect tummy filling meal.  However, most of us felt that they should reduce the amount of salt or seasoning added to be a perfect hearty meal. 

Katsu Kimuchi Ramen
RM 18.80

The ramen tasted like kimchi and is something that is not usually get to taste in a Japanese restaurant in my opinion as the level of spiciness is hardly found in Japanese cuisine that tends to offer more of the sweeter side of spiciness than straightforward spiciness if you get what I mean.   The side dish aka chicken katsu was fried to a perfect crisp and I highly suggest you to dip it in the ramen soup to make it extra flavorful.  

Salmon Yaki Set
RM 18.80

Fish has always been my favorite order to go with rice set like this whenever I am at a Japanese restaurant.  Their salmon yaki set is fairly price for such portion but taste wise I will still prefer a mellow taste rather than having sauce overpowering this healthy fish.  

Chasyu Japin Ramen

The broth of the ramen was decently tasteful but what I would like to highlight for this dish is the flavorful Chasyu and the soft boiled egg that is nicely done.  

Dorai Udon

Saving the best for the last, this is my ultimate favourite dish out of the five dishes that I got to try.  Take note those who dislike raw vegetables might not like it as much as I do.  Their Dorai Udon may seem like it is just a simple bowl of udon but for a person who loves her vegetables, having minced meat, soft boiled egg and shredded fresh cucumber and carrots all mixed together with the springy udon, it's a simply delectable nutrients all-in-one bowl meal to fill the tummy if you are in the mood for noodles.  

Address: No. 75, Jalan Todak 6, Pusat Bandar Seberang Jaya, 13700 Penang

I accept sponsorship, event invitations and advertorials.

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Eastin Hotel Penang 2015 CNY & Valentines Menu

Invited Review 

Appetizer

Blue Crab Green Apple Celery Panna Cotta 

served with 

Baby Salad & Watermelon, Orange Salsa

Soft and melt in the mouth panna cotta packed with seafood flavors and balance with some crunchy garnishes makes this dish an appetizing serving to kick start a meal.

Soup

Cream of Agaricus Bisporus with Truffle Oil & Milk Espuma

We were told by the sous chief that Agariicus Bisporus is actually a scientific name for mushroom.  Put away the unfamiliar name, this is a bowl of chunky mushroom soup which is also the another alternative of mushroom soup that I personally savour besides the creamy ones.  Suggested to be enjoyed with butter and bun, the blend of micro bubbles steam milk and consistency of this bowl is satisfying.  However, I find it to having a bitter aftertaste or else this would have been a perfection.

Main Course

Oven Baked Gadus fish with Squid Ink Sauce served with 
Pumpkin Puree & Vegetables

Gadus fish or more well known as Cod Fish is one of the main course option available.  I am glad that Eastin did it well in baking this precious piece to its optimum and despite looking crisp on its skin and solid on the outer, the inside is still juicy and packed with the most natural flavors of the fresh cod.  Although I personally do not really buy the idea of using squid ink as a complimentary sauce, the pumpkin puree and vegetables have already made this dish harmonious.

OR

Lamb of Rack served with Vegetables, Potato Souffle & Coriander Leaf Sauce

For those who prefers meat than fish, here is the second presentable option available for main course. Always like it when lamb are served with refreshing sauce like the coriander leaf sauce. The aroma of lamb rack was enticing but then mine was a little overcooked and some parts were slightly burned which cause it to be overly chewy and tough.  The potato souffle and vegetables as sides course made this serving extra pleasurable. 

Dessert

Dark Layer Chocolate Mousse with Crumble

Spice Chiller Cheese Cake served with Berry Compote

The chocolaty mousse of the Dark Layer Chocolate Mousse with Crumble is heavenly and portion is just nice and not overpowering nor cloying.  To add a side note, the berry seeds at the jammy layer makes it a hassle to enjoy it wholly.  Overall, it is simply a palatable and straightforward slice. 

As compared to the aforementioned, their Spice Chiller Cheese Cake served with Berry Compote impressed me with the hint of spice to add some kick to the heart shaped cheesecake to go with the berry compote.  

There are four types of package to choose from:

Little Cottage Valentine  ❤  RM 888++

• Dine at our Soho Duplex Suite
• 2 hours couple massage session voucher
• 5 course romantic set dinner for two in the suite
• A bottle of 37.5cl champagne
• Complimentary photo with frame
• Chocolate gift

Danai Valentine with Pleasure ❤ RM 788++

• 2 hours couple massage session voucher
• 5 course romantic set dinner for two by the pool
• A bottle of 37.5cl champagne
• Complimentary photo with frame
• Chocolate gift

Valentine Under the Sky ❤ RM 488++

• 5 course romantic set dinner for two by the pool
• A bottle of 37.5cl champagne
• Complimentary photo with frame
• Chocolate gift

Romantic Semi-Buffet Dinner ❤ RM288++

• Romantic semi-buffet dinner for two at Swez Brasserie
• A bottle of 37.5cl champagne
• Chocolate gift

 Chinese New Year 2015 Menu

Prosperity Yee Sang Salmon Fish

Here comes the traditional dish of Chinese New Year, despite the variety of vibrant colored ingredients, the salmon and some crispy crackers are the only few things I eat on this plate.  The joyous part of this dish is when everybody surround the table to "Lou Sang" for a new year to flourish.  

Eastin Hotel Penang do provide dine in as well as nicely packed Yee Sang set for takeaway.

Price:

Salmon Yee Sang – RM78++ (S), RM98++ (L)

Abalone Yee Sang – RM88++ (S), RM108++ (L)

Vegetarian Yee Sang – RM78++ (S), RM98++ (L)

Time: 10am – 8pm

Reservation at least 2 days in advance is recommended.

18-Feb-2015 (CNY Eve)

8 Course Family Reunion Yee Sang Dinner 
RM1088++ per table of 10 persons

Family Reunion Buffet Dinner
Price: RM108++ per adult and RM55++ per child.

19-Feb-2015 – 20-Feb-2015

“Season of Spring” Hi-Tea
Price: RM78++ per adult and RM39++ per child
Time: 12pm – 4pm

CNY Buffet Dinner
Price: RM98++ per adult and RM49++ per child
Time: 6.30pm – 10.00pm

18-Feb-2015 – 28-Feb-2015

Follow Eastin Hotel Penang's Facebook Page here

or

Visit them via http://www.eastin.com/pg/ for more details

I accept sponsorship, event invitations and advertorials.

If you have any queries, kindly reach me via my email

Rachael.shiningGEMINI@gmail.com

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