723#Love Note ~ Bertemu Penulis Noor Suraya

Minggu yang agak sibuk. Sibuk dengan kerja dan menulis. Hana tengah tulis cerita baru harap-harap dapat siapkan dalam masa yang terdekat. Dah lama tak tulis cerita penuh macam novel. Biasanya tulis kisah pendek aje. Bertemakan thriller, sains dan cinta. Tak sabar rasanya nak share kat Wattpad. Alhamdulillah sehari boleh siapkan satu bab even sibuk dengan kerja. Sekarang dah masuk Bab 6. Doakan Hana ya :)

Pagi Jumaat tadi, Hana ajak abah ke Pesta Buku Pantai Timur & Karnival Jualan 2017 kat Balai Islam Lundang, Kota Bharu. Dah lama tak ke sini. Last time zaman sekolah dulu. Biasanya pesta buku kat Kelantan akan diadakan di Balai Islam Lundang atau Dewan Jubli Perak.

Tak terfikir pun nak ke pesta buku ini. Tapi sebab nampak Kak Su post kat Facebook katanya beliau akan ada di sana, Hana terus ajak abah. Penulis bernama Noor Suraya atau lebih mesra dengan panggilan Kak Su ini adalah antara penulis kegemaran Hana. Kisah-kisahnya dekat dengan masyarakat. Bahasanya juga puitis tapi bukannya yang macam jiwang melampau tu. Selalu ada pantun dan kata-kata yang menarik dan boleh jadi inspirasi dan motivasi dalam buku-buku Kak Su.

Bila bertemu empat mata dengan Kak Su, rasa seperti bertemu empunya suara bila baca buku-buku beliau. Setiap buku yang Hana baca ada gaya suaranya dalam fikiran tapi kalau baca buku Kak Su, kebanyakan naratif dan perbualan watak Hana bayangkan dengan suara yang lembut, kena dengan penulisan Kak Su :)

With Kak Su and Kak Yah :)

I haven't read all of her books yet. Rasanya pertama kali baca kisah pendek dalam Gurindam Jiwa atau Pelangi. Lepas tu baca novel Jaja & Din pula. Terpaut hati dengan penulisan Kak Su. Hana ada Gadisku, Wan Adnin dengan Kekasih Waktu aje. Yang lain tu baca buku kawan. I bought Pelangi, lepas tu minta sign Kak Su juga ;)

I was giddy with excitement actually despite the calmed face :p

Kak Yah (Mariah Mustapha) ada sekali. Selalu juga Hana komen kat status mereka. Kedua-duanya baik dan ramah. Tak sangka dapat juga jumpa Kak Su dan Kak Yah hehe padahal ofis Jemari Seni kat Kajang aje, dekat dengan tempat Hana study dulu. Memang selalu lalu tapi tak sempat singgah pun. Tak sangka mereka ingat juga Hana walaupun tak adalah kerap sangat komen kat status mereka, bila sempat aje :)

I only bought Pelangi and One Minute to Midnight. Dah baca Pelangi tapi sebab pinjam kawan, kena beli juga sebab Hana suka ketiga-tiga kisah dalam Pelangi. One Minute to Midnight pula memang dah ada dalam wishlist. Kak Su beri buku nota Dewi lepas sign buku-buku Hana. Lepas bergambar tu Kak Su beri satu lagi pada Neesa. Memang Neesa buat lukis-lukis lah hehe.

Kekasih Waktu membawa Hana ke Kashmir yang indah. Daripada penulisan Kak Su, Hana rasa macam memang betul-betul ada di sana. Teringin nak ke Kashmir, kalau tengok kat Google atau filem memang cantik sangat tempatnya! Kisah ini sedih, tak sangka endingnya macam tu. Tapi banyak pengajaran dalam Kekasih Waktu. Bertemakan kasih sayang dan kekeluargaan.

Selain Kak Su, penulis Hlovate dan Syud juga penulis kegemaran Hana. Rindukan karya Hlovate yang baru. Buku terbaru Syud pula Hana tak baca lagi. Tadi nampak kat bahagian buku-buku Jemari Seni, tapi bajet tak cukup sebab beli buku Neesa yang banyak. Takpelah, lain kali boleh beli lagi.

Gadisku, Wan Adnin adalah sebuah naskah yang agak nipis. Kisah ini berlatarkan negeri jelapang padi, Kedah. Ada review di SINI. Geram betul dengan Tok Bonda yang berkeras nak jodohkan Adnin dengan lelaki berdarah biru sedangkan semua insan sama sahaja di sisi Dia. Alhamdulillah. Pengakhiran yang tidak mengecewakan. Banyak pengajarannya dalam buku ini.

Banyak juga buku-buku yang Neesa pilih. Buku-buku latihan Tahun 3, novel pendek Ana Muslim dan komik Shootz! Komik Ana Muslim tu percuma dapat kat kaunter bayaran.

Happy sangat dapat jumpa Kak Su dan Kak Yah tadi. Insya-Allah kalau ada jodoh kita akan bertemu lagi :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

722#Love Note ~ [Product Review] LipHop k:uv care Aqua SPF50 PA+++

I just bought a new sunscreen last week to replace my old one. Mula mula rasa nak beli Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence sebab sunscreen ni famous dan banyak baca review yang memuaskan hati. Masa tengah usha bahagian suncreen kat dalam Guardian tu, ternampak barisan produk jenama LipHop. Hana dah perasan sebelum ni masa first time nak beli suncreen, tapi tak tergerak hati nak pilih. Bila tengok LipHop tengah ada promotion, I chose the pink tube one and so far I never regret my impromptu decision ;)

Name: LipHop k:uv care Aqua SPF50 PA+++
Type: Sunscreen
Net weight: 50ml
Price: RM21.68 (on sale)
Availability: Guardian (I can't find any LipHop products at Watsons and AEON Wellness)

This Nano-ActivTech made in Korea product claims that it's a sunscreen with moisturising effects. It's a water-based sunscreen yang sesuai untuk semua jenis kulit terutamanya oily and combination skin. This sunscreen contains hyaluronic acid which is known as a powerful moisture-binding ingredient in most skincare products and with the help of Nano-ActivTech it would enhance the absorption. And the unique k:uv care Complex would help brightens and soothe delicate skin. Sounds like a good news to skincare lovers, isn't it? I've fallen in love with this sunscreen upon my first application before exposing my face to the sun. 

It's white like any other sunscreen but it's seriously light. Excuse my new scars. Occupational hazard, I guess.

Sunscreen ni rasanya tersangatlah ringan dan tak melekit bila dipakai. The absorption happens within a short time dan kulit memang serius tak ada rasa melekit malah lebih lembut . My skincare routine in the morning is water-based cleanser, toner, moisturiser and suncreen. Hana skip pakai eye cream waktu siang, malam aje pakai. Sekurang-kurangnya apply your sunscreen 20 minit sebelum keluar rumah.

Right after applying the sunscreen. It won't take you long before it's fully absorbed! 

It's light-weight and gel-like texture is different than SunPlay and Guardian sunscreens. Biasanya kalau pakai sunscreen mesti nampak sangat the application macam the white casts etc but this LipHop sunscreen tak akan buat muka korang warna putih semacam. Lepas ratakan pada muka, tengok cermin nampak macam pakai krim biasa aje. And your skin would feel cool when applying it. Best aje rasa sejuk semacam :D

Biasanya lepas solat Hana akan apply moisturiser dengan sunscreen tapi sejak beli LipHop sunscreen ni Hana skip pakai moisturiser. The moisturising effects provided by this sunscreen is enough for me. But, for dry skin users you probably need moisturiser too instead of depending on this sunscreen. I don't think this one offers enough moisture for dry skin users.

Kalau ada sesiapa yang tak tahu lagi nak guna sunscreen apa, Hana cadangkan LipHop k:uv care Aqua SPF50 PA+++ ni. Insya-Allah korang tak akan menyesal ;)

By the way, korang guna sunscreen jenama apa?

Till then.

Wassalam. 

721#Love Note ~ Outing Dengan Sepupu

Sebelum solat Jumaat, my cousin kak Anah WhatsApp kata nak pergi AEON Kota Bharu sebab An ajak ke sana. An is her youngest sister, lagi muda juga daripada Hana. Sebab dah lama tak pergi sana, I asked abah to drive me and my siblings there. Masa Hana tengah praktikal kat KPJ dulu, boleh kata hampir tiap Jumaat juga Hana dan adik-adik ke sana, saja jalan jalan. Abah tinggal aje kitorang kat situ dan terus balik rumah, katanya tak larat nak jalan jauh dah tua tua ni. Okay fine.

Abah hantar ke sana dalam pukul 2:20. Hana dan dua adik, Neesa dan Haikal yang sampai sana dulu. We went to Delica, duduk kat situ lepas beli Auntie Anne's punya chocolate stick dan air. Kitorang tak nak makan berat lagi, lagi pun sementara tunggu Kak Anah dan An sampai aje.

Neesa senyum aje dapat Aunti Anne's 

Bila mereka sampai, kitorang ke AEON Wellness dulu sebab Kak Anah nak survey eye cream. I just bought Safi Rania Gold eye cream kat Guardian lepas kerja semalam, tetiba nampak harga kat AEON Wellness ni lagi murah, rasa nak teriak kat situ juga hahaha drama pula tetiba. Takpela, beza dalam RM2 aje pun (sedapkan hati).

Then we went upstairs sebab Hana nak ke Watsons. Haikal dah jalan seorang diri, maklumlah takkan nak ikut kami yang perempuan ni pula? Dahlah masing-masing nak beli skincare products (okey, kecuali Neesa kecik). Hana dan Neesa masuk Watsons, Kak Anah dan An pula ke The Face Shop.

Haikal jadi tukang ambil gambar aje :p

Nak dijadikan cerita, masa Hana tengah usha barang kat Watsons tu Neesa tunjuk selipar dia tercabut. Tak jadi nak usha lama-lama. After I paid for the items, terus pergi cari kedai kasut. Nasib baik ada dua kedai kasut dekat dengan Watsons tu. Masuk kedai pertama, ada banyak pilihan selipar tapi Neesa tak nak. Ajak dia masuk kedai kedua, dia berkenan dengan sandal warna pink dengan manik manik. Okeylah, ikut ajelah budak kecik ni nak apa. Terus pakai situ, selipar lama letak dalam kotak.

Then, we went to The Face Shop nak jumpa Kak Anah dan An balik. Mereka beli toner and cleanser. We went to Kaison first and I bought a tote bag. Lama juga jalan jalan dalam tu, maklumlah barang barang Kaison ni kebanyakannya comel. Siapalah yang tak tertarik?

Lepas tu, Kak Anah kata lapar. I suggested Oochid Bistro since I loved eating there. Memang dah selalu sangat makan kat situ. Me, Kak Anah and An ordered mee goreng mamak satu set sekali air, mushroom soup and dessert of the day. Neesa dan Haikal pula makan chicken chop dengan set yang sama.  

Sambil makan sambil borak padahal selalu jumpa. Since Hana kerja dekat dengan kedai emas Mak Su, memang selalu jumpa dengan Kak Anah sebab Kak Anah tolong Mak Su kat kedai sejak Ayah Suf sakit. Tiap-tiap hari tak jumpa memang tak sah. Tapi sebab ni first time kami outing sekali jadi terlebih excited pulak. Biasanya jumpa kat rumah Kak Anah aje.

Sedap!

Lepas makan, Hana bawa Kak Anah ke kiosk tudung sebab dia nak cari brooch panjang macam jarum tu tapi tak ada yang berkenan. Hana ajak ke Mr. DIY sebab biasanya ada jual pin kepala bulat tu kat atas. Malangnya tak ada. Tapi sempat lagi Hana beli mist spray bottle dan cotton buds. Beli spray bottle pun sebab Kak Anah nak share Dixy Face Mist dia tu sebab banyak sangat. 

We went our separate ways lepas singgah AEON Wellness sekali lagi. Kak Anah beli juga Safi Rania Gold eye cream tu. I went to buy abah's favourite nuts bun kat La Boheme sementara tunggu abah sampai. Tiba tiba aje abah call, mintak tolong Hana belikan baking paper yang habis. Nak baking lagi lah tu~

We arrived home around 6.30 PM. Lepas solat, Hana terus kemas barang. So, this outing costed me some money since I bought a bubble shawl, Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera, Watsons Compressed DIY Facial Mask, Kaison tote bag, cotton buds and mist spray bottle (not in the picture). Tak campur lagi dengan RM30 beli sandal baru Neesa hahaha gelak ajelah memikirkan duit yang dah habis. Dahlah baru semalam Hana belikan Neesa dua baju baru. Tak apalah, bukan selalu (pujuk diri sendiri).

I enjoyed every moment I spent with them today.

Till then.

Wassalam.

720#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Jika Aku

Hana baru aje review Hello, It's Me so sekarang nak share pasal Jika Aku pula. Like I've mentioned in my previous post, Jika Aku ni ada kaitan dengan Hello, It's Me. Duta akan muncul untuk selesaikan masalah dalam Hello, It's Me. But Duta is not the hero here. You'll meet Maliq ;)

Tajuk: Jika Aku
Penulis: Anna Lee
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 341

Jika aku mind reader, adakah ia satu keistimewaan atau ketulahan?”                                                                                                       
Teja, gadis mind reader yang terpaksa memecilkan diri kerana kelebihan itu membuatkan dia takut hendak mendengar setiap pemikiran orang lain yang ada saja menyakitkan hati. Sehinggalah hatinya terpikat pada seorang jejaka. Jejaka yang penuh misteri dan sering menimbulkan tanda tanya. Tetapi, demi untuk tidak mengecewakan diri sendiri, cukup dia meminati lelaki itu dari jauh. Namun, lain yang dirancang lain pula yang terjadi. Demi menghalang sebuah jenayah berlaku, Teja terpaksa mendekati lelaki itu. Sudahnya, kehidupan Teja yang menjadi huru-hara. Semakin dia mengenali lelaki itu, dia semakin keliru. Ada rahsia disembunyikan. Ada rahsia perlu dirungkaikan. Antara realiti dan ilusi, yang manakah kebenarannya? Yang pasti, dia perlu cari kebenaran itu. Kerana... Hanya kebenaran jalan keluarnya.

Teja gadis yang tiada kawan kerana kebolehan mind reader miliknya. Hidupnya hanya pergi kerja dan balik kerja. Sampailah dia terjatuh hati dekat Maliq, a man she meets in the KTM. Sejak hari tu hidup Teja bahagia tapi dia takut nak dekati Maliq sebab dia tak berani. Sampailah dia fikir ada jenayah akan berlaku so dia kenalah bertindak sebab nak halang jenayah tu.

To be honest, Jika Aku is so much better than Hello, It's Me and Mesej, my top favourite books by Anna Lee. Jika Aku terbahagi kepada tiga bahagian dan bonus. Memang confuse bila dah sampai akhir Bahagian 1. Bila baca Bahagian 2, makin confuse jadinya. Hana asyik terfikir apa yang jadi tu ilusi ke? Sampailah Bahagian 3. Akhirnya terjawab juga semua persoalan.

Gaya bahasa, pace cerita, plot dan twists memang superb. Bila dah sampai akhir buat Hana teringat Detektif Conan pula hahaha serius best walaupun boleh mengelirukan. Bab psikologi pun banyak bila dah masuk Bahagian 2. I love the ending. It makes me smile and believe that everyone can change if they are being sincere towards their loved ones.

Maliq sama saja seperti Duta, tapi rasanya Maliq lebih sarkastik kot hahaha kesian Teja asyik terkena aje dengan Maliq ni. I love him for being protective when it involves Teja. Betullah kata Maliq, walaupun dia tak dapat mengubah dunia tapi sekurang-kurangnya dia boleh mengubah dunia Teja.

Apa yang akan mengelirukan:

• Rahsia Teja sebagai seorang mind reader
• Identiti sebenar Maliq dan Puan Lola
• Apa yang sebenarnya berlaku di airport

Bacalah kalau nak tahu ;) Memang tak menghampakan.

One customer saw me reading this book lepas tu dia tanya best ke buku Anna Lee? Senyum aje Hana masa cerita pasal buku-buku Anna Lee. Katanya dia selalu nampak buku tulisan Anna Lee tapi tak berkesempatan nak beli lagi. I asked her to try one and hope it'd suit her. Harap sangat kakak tu baca. Katanya nak cari kelainan dalam bahan bacaan.

Tahniah, Kak Jue. Buku ni memang best. Words can't describe my feelings when I read this book. Menanti sekuel Mesej pula hehehe cepatlah terbit.

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

719#Love Note ~ [Review Buku] Hello, It's Me

Sebelum ni Hana dah review tiga buku terbitan Prolog Media. Ada lagi buku yang Hana belum review macam Rooftop, Parut dan Magisial. I just finished reading Hello, It's Me written by Anna Lee. I'm a fan of Anna Lee since her books aren't the typical local books. Semua buku Anna Lee masih berfokuskan cinta dan keluarga tetapi biasanya elemen urban fantasy and suspense tetap diterapkan. Cumanya untuk Hello, It's Me ini daripada romantic comedy bertukar kepada action thriller. Dan dekat bab akhir ada urban fantasy sikit, itu pun as a prolog for Jika Aku, her next book.

Tajuk: Hello, It's Me
Penulis: Anna Lee
Terbitan: Prolog Media
Muka surat: 319

Apa yang anda sanggup lakukan jika 'nyawa' anda berada di tangan orang lain? Telefon adalah nyawanya, rahsianya, gambar, idea, manuskrip, nota, diari, password... Akaun sosial media, segalanya di telefon pintarnya. Tiya dan Duta tertukar telefon. Dalam sebesar dan seluas dunia macam mana telefon yang sama jenis, sama warna, sama casing, sama password dan sama wallpaper, boleh tertukar? Mustahil! Tetapi itulah yang terjadi pada Tiya. Mulai detik itu kehidupannya yang aman damai mula huru-hara. Tiya bukan saja terperangkap dalam masalah cinta dan jodoh Duta tetapi dia juga terperangkap dalam masalah lain yang lebih besar. Yang menyebabkan kehidupan Tiya berubah 360 darjah. Yang menyebabkan dia terpaksa melawan diri sendiri. Ada rahsia yang tersembunyi. Ada jiwa yang akan terseksa. Ada hati yang akan terluka. Masih wujudkah happily-ever-after dalam hidup Tiya?                                                                                              "Hello... it's me."

Macam tak masuk dek akal bila dua orang bertukar phone model yang sama, wallpaper, password, dan susunan apps yang sama. Bila dah dua hari barulah Tiya perasan, itu pun sebab Duta call. Rasa nak gelak guling guling baca buku ni sebab memang kelakar habis Tiya, Tiya. Dah dapat macam macam mesej daripada orang yang dia tak kenal takkan tak syak apa apa lagi? Dahlah tersilap balas mesej mama Duta hehe.

Awal awal Duta sarkastik dengan Tiya sebab salah faham. Memang kena sebijiklah dengan Tiya sebab it's Duta's fault. Padan muka Duta. Judging someone by something he doesn't hear properly.

And then, Duta and Tiya start to conversing frequently. Phone masih tertukar sebab Duta kat Holland. When Duta updates Tiya's Instagram with beautiful photos of Holland and sweet captions, I was melting hahaha Hana boleh bayangkan betapa cantiknya Water Village kat Holland tu. It only mentions Steenwijk but I believe the water village is Giethoorn which is located in Steenwijk.

Tiya has agoraphobia. What happens after the phone swapping lead her to embrace her fear without growing doubts. Bila Duta ajak Tiya ke Holland, I smiled from ear to ear. Duta encourages Tiya to face and befriend her fear, to make something better from her fear. Tapi apa yang jadi kat Holland memang agak mengejutkan. Kat situlah turning point from romantic comedy to action thriller.

Duta is a mysterious guy but he is kind. Memang hero-hero buku Kak Jue ni boleh kasi orang melting ke? :p

Plot twist memang best. Apatah lagi apa yang Duta rahsiakan ada kaitan dengan Jika Aku. There's a brief appearance of Jika Aku's main character and I believe Duta and Tiya will make appearances in Jika Aku too.

Dekat akhir memang ada sedih, tambah lagi bila Hana sangka Tiya teruskan rancangan dia. Memang mengalir air mata baca bab Duta ke rumah Tiya tu hahaha macam lawak aje bila fikir. Nasib baik ending best. Kalau tak best rasa nak baling aje buku ni kat dinding sebab dah main-mainkan perasaan Hana letih kot dok gelak gelak lepas tu sedih aje.

And, brace yourself for page 216. Hana rasa nak lempang lempang aje Tiya sebab decide something tanpa fikir panjang. Nasib baiklah Tiya ni memang tak wujud, kalau tak Hana tak taulah apa yang Hana akan buat :p Sebab tak tau nak lepas geram macam mana, Hana mesej FB Kak Jue hahaha kenalah lepas geram kat author kan kalau lepas geram kat social media nanti risau bagi spoiler kat orang lain pula. Nasib baik Kak Jue layan aje geram Hana ni :p Kalau tak nak Hana lepas geram macam ni lagi kena pos Cosy, Rebel dengan Qabu ke sini. Boleh peluk peluk diorang, reda sikit geram tu.

Buku ni sebenarnya misteri sejak awal lagi. Banyak sangat persoalan yang muncul bila dah mula baca.

Kenapa phone Duta dan Tiya tertukar?

Siapa Duta sebenarnya?

Apa yang Duta sorokkan daripada Tiya?

Macam mana Tiya atasi fobia dia?

Hana menyeru korang semua baca buku Hello, It's Me kalau teringin nak tahu apakah yang berlaku sebenarnya.. Kalau tak nak mula dengan buku ni pun, mulalah dengan mana mana buku terbitan Prolog Media. Insya-Allah, tak akan mengecewakan ;)

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.

718#Love Note ~ [Resipi] Daging Masak Merah

Bila dah masuk Aidiladha ni, bekalan daging korban kat dalam peti ais mesti banyak berbanding sebelum ni. Hana tak pernah beli daging lembu. Biasanya beli daging ayam, kambing atau ikan. Daging kambing memang perap sos BBQ aje sebab abah suka makan macam tu. So Aidiladha is the month I could polish my cooking skills involving meats hahaha kalau tak mahal nak beli sendiri. 

Me and my family love daging masak merah. Kalau pergi restoran masakan Thai biasanya akan order tomyam ayam, daging masak merah, kailan ikan masin dan telur dadar. Sedap makan panas panas dengan nasi. So I thought to make daging masak merah hari ni. Lupa pula nak buat telur dadar sekali. Kalau tak lagi best rasanya.

I used Puan Azie's recipe. Ada sedikit berbeza sebab ada bahan yang Hana tak ada kat dapur dan ada Hana tambah bahan lain. Kena pandai pandai adjust sendiri. Puas hati juga dengan rasanya. Lebihan daging korban lain Hana macam teringin nak buat bihun sup. Insya-Allah kalau sempat.  

Kredit: Puan Azie

 Bahan-bahan:

• 500g daging lembu (hiris)
• 3 ulas bawang putih (ketuk)
• 1 sudu besar cili kisar
• 1 sudu besar sos tiram
• 2 sudu besar sos tomato
• 1/2 sudu kecil lada sulah
• 1/2 cawan air
• 1 batang lobak merah (hiris)
• 1 biji capsicum (hiris)
• Pewarna merah
• Garam dan gula

Cara-cara:

1. Rebus daging yang telah dihiris dengan sedikit pewarna merah. Rebus sehingga empuk.

2. Goreng daging di dalam kuali sehingga kuning sedikit. Ketepikan.

3. Tumis bawang putih sehingga naik bau. Masukkan cili kisar. Kacau sehingga garing.

4. Masukkan sos tiram, sos tomato dan lada sulah. Kacau hingga sebati. Masukkan air.

5. Masukkan daging, lobak merah dan capsicum. Kacau. Masukkan garam dan gula secukupnya.

6. Hidangkan bersama-sama nasi putih.

Masakan ini senang dan boleh dibuat sesiapa yang baru belajar masak. Daging tu sebenarnya Hana nak hiris nipis nipis sebab suka macam tu tapi abah dah potong dadu hahaha guna ajelah mana yang patut, takkan nak membazir pula.

Apa yang korang cadang nak masak dengan daging korban tu? :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

717#Love Note ~ Abah dan Kek Coklat

Hari Rabu minggu lepas, macam biasa abah datang ambil Hana kat tempat kerja. Biasanya janji nak jumpa depan Parkson KB, rupa-rupanya abah dah lama sampai sebab nak beli barang kat Giant. He bought a few things and then said he couldn't find chocolate powder for baking. Mulanya fikir abah nak beli to make chocolate drink, tapi ada rahsia lain di sebalik tu hahaha.

We went to Pantai Timor, a supermarket dekat area tu juga. Hana dah pelik bila abah tanya tepung kat rumah banyak mana, cari gula lagi. I asked him nak buat apa tapi abah senyum aje sorang sorang sambil baca something atas kertas.

I asked him again, abah just jawab "Just wait and see."

Okayyyy.

Lepas Isyak, tengok abah kat dapur dengan barang barang nak buat kek. Abah nak buat kek coklat yang guna resipi sukatan cawan. He asked me how much flour entitled to 1 cup and a quater. Lepas tu abah halau keluar dapur kononnya tak nak bantuan sebab nak buat sendiri :p

He blended all the mixture and asked me how to operate the oven. The recipe said the temperature should be around 180 degree Celcius but I said our oven would become too hot. Biasanya Hana paling maksimun guna 120 degree tak kiralah masa baking kek atau biskut. Pizza pun guna around tu juga. Tapi degilnya abah ni hahaha berkeras juga nak guna 180, tak nak percaya dengan anak dia ni lah ish sekeh kang. Tu pun abah tolerate nak guna 150 hahaha.

And then my younger sister called our home number. She took culinary and currently is in Kuantan for her practical. Bila Angah kata boleh guna sampai 100 degree aje barulah nak percaya. Ish ish ish geramnya. Selamat jugaklah kek tu daripada hangus terbakar. 

Abah's first time baking a cake was a success! Kek coklat tu lembap dan sedap. Gebu semacam. Tapi kita sebagai anak ni kenalah sabar dan tahan telinga dengar abah dok puji kek buatan abah tu memanjang. My aunt who is my abah's elder sister pun tak percaya abah buat kek hahaha ni kalau mama ada lagi mesti terkejut ni :p

Dan semalam bila dah sampai rumah, ada nampak sebiji lagi kek coklat atas meja. Abah cuba lagi hahaha kali ni lagi sedap dan moist, katanya kurangkan gula sebab sebelum ni macam agak manis. Okeylah, not bad.

And again, dok puji puji kek buatan sendiri. I just rolled my eyes hahaha tadahlah telinga dengar puji pujian tu semua.

So abah lepas pencen ni bolehlah buat bisnes kek pula hahaha. Dapat income lebih lagi selain daripada duit pencen. Bolehlah belanja kakak dan adik adik :p

Till then.

Wassalam.

716#Love Note ~ [Book Review] Anna and the The Swallow Man

I took almost two months without reading any books because I wanted to catch up on some Korean dramas, movies and new anime. Anna and the Swallow Man is my first book in September 2017 and I enjoyed it so much. I bought this book during my trip to Kuala Lumpur early August. It costed me RM10 since I bought it from SunMag at eCurve. SunMag is one of my favourite used bookstores.

Anna and the Swallow Man tells the story of a 7 year old girl during the beginning of World War II. It's been ages since my last read which centered around any war. Unlike The Storyteller which centers around World War II and The Girl You Left Behind which focuses on World War I, Anna and the Swallow Man didn't depress me with the war context. 

Title: Anna and the Swallow Man
Writer: Gavriel Savit
Published by: Bodley Head
Pages: 240

Anna and the Swallow Man is a stunning, literary, and wholly original debut novel that tells a new WW2 story. Kraków, 1939, is no place to grow up. There are a million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. And Anna Lania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father and suddenly, she’s alone. Then she meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall. And like Anna's missing father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous . . . 

This story starts when Anna Lania being left by his father to one of his friends. Anna's father is a professor and speaks several languages effortlessly, which Anna learns too. Little does Anna know that her father has been escorted to a concentration camp which involves a group of academicians. Professor Lania leaves Anna to Herr Doktor Fuschmann, a German man who owns a pharmacy in their city. The pharmacist refuses to bring Anna to his home and ushers her out when she comes again after spending a night without her father. I believe his new behaviour is due to some German soldiers in the city. Even though Anna's origin isn't being told specifically, I believe she is a Jew. Being around even a Jew would lead to a disaster during the time.

 Anna meets a thin man outside of Herr Doktor Puschmann's pharmacy. She is enticed by the strange vibe emitting from the thin man. When the thin man speaks Bird and a swallow flies down from the sky and the thin man shows Anna the swallow to reduce her sadness, Anna knows she would follow wherever the man would go. The thin man speaks many languages like his father, and he even speaks Bird. 

So, their journey begins.

Anna's childlike innocence isn't being robbed away during the midst of the war. The Swallow Man (he doesn't tell Anna his real name with reasons a name would make him to be found) protects Anna with his own methods. The Swallow Man is an interesting character. He knows how to answers Anna's questions with great analogies and tells her what he would deem important. The Swallow Man seems like he knows all the secrets of the universes. His identity remains a mystery even though there's a bit of revelation at the end of the book. I won't spoil the details here.

“I know it's not good for a girl to be without a father these days. But is it any better for a father to be without a daughter?”

“A river goes wherever the riverbank does. It never had to ask which way, but only flows along. Yes?”

This book is so poetic. I think it has the least dialogues among all the books I've read but the narration is simple due to Anna's childlike mind.

The ending leaves me hanging. If it is possible, I want the author to write the sequel and from's The Swallow Man's point of view. I really hope to know what happens next to Anna, the Swallow Man and their new journeys. However, I believe to stay alive during a war is not an easy task. They are alive yet the journey is still continued to a new future, a future we wouldn't know.

“Men who try to understand the world without the help of children are like men who try to bake bread without the help of yeast.”

“The practice of lying is concerned with attempting to overlay a thin paper substitute atop the world that exists in order that it seems to suit your purposes. But the Swallow Man didn't need the world to suit him. He could make himself suit whatever world it pleased him to agree existed.”

So, my rate is...

Till then.

Wassalam.    

715#Love Note ~ August Guardian Haul

I rarely venture to Guardian since I have Watsons member card so of course, I want to put it on use. But since Giant Tunjung has Guardian and I'd go there to buy my weekly supply of fresh meats, vegetables and some other things, Guardian becomes my primary choice for now.

Walaupun drugstore haul kali ni tak sebanyak bulan lepas, it's still using a lot of my money. Well, I'm a cheapskate hahaha walaupun masa ni Guardian ada sale sempena Hari Kemerdekaan yang ke 60. Setakat ni Hana berpuas hati dengan my recent drugstore haul.

Guardian Daily Sun Protection Cream SPF50

I used Sunplay as my sunscreen tapi kalau pergi pantai atau pool aje. But, since I want to include using suncreen in my daily skincare routine, I have to find a good sunscreen. Asalnya Hana nak beli Biore  Aqua Rich Watery Essence tapi ternampak pula Guardian line suncreen ni. Terus ambil tanpa fikir panjang. I love it but won't repurchase since it only has SPF50 without PA+++. Tak berbaloi guna suncreen tapi hanya ada SPF protection. The price was RM9.90.

Nano White Fresh Aqua Sleeping Essence

My Syahirah Korean Secrets White Glow night cream dah tinggal sikit so I feel like purchasing another night cream or sleeping mask cream. I came across this product on beauty blogs. Since the reviews are convincing, I thought to give it a try. At first, you'd get a cooling sensation. Serius best produk ni. It gives me moisturising effects too and didn't cause breakouts. The price was RM19.92.

Cosmoderm Vitamin E Toning Lotion

I never use a toner sebab rasa tak perlu. Tapi toner penting juga walaupun kulit sihat dan tak ada masalah pori besar. While wandering aimlessly in Guardian, I spotted this product. Cosmoderm always has good reviews on the products so I thought, why not I just give it a try? I love the smell and how it feels on my skin. Dab dab aje kat muka tak perlu guna cotton pad. Since I still didn't have a moisturiser, I feel like buying Cosmoderm Vitamin E Cream 1000 i.u to match my toner. The price was RM14.00.

Dr. Mist Body Hygiene Floatation Daily Spray

I'm prone to sweating even though it's just a bit hot around me. I'm very concerned over my body odour especially if I have intense and vigorous activities during the day. So far, I'm in love with this product. It'd take hours before I noticed my body odour and the smell isn't too noticeable either! I'd spray it on my back too and my usual body odour didn't stain my clothes at the back. I just bought the 50ml bottle as a trial. I should go and buy the bigger one. Thank you for the innovators of this product. You're a saviour. The price was RM9.45.

What's your recent drugstore haul? :)

Till then.

Wassalam.

714#Love Note ~ Minggu Yang Produktif

Last week is my busiest week so far. Hari Selasa lepas Mak Su contact Hana, tanya nak kerja kat kedai kawan Mak Su tak. I just said yes since I didn't get any call from the place I went for an interview. Kedai kawan Mak Su tu kiosk makanan. Keesokan hari, Hana terus ke sana sebab nak belajar cara bancuh air dan sediakan makanan semua before one of the staffs resign.

Sebab Hana ada pengalaman kerja kat kiosk makanan MESTECH dulu, Hana dah tahu serba sedikit macam mana nak uruskan kiosk makanan yang ini. Tapi sebab ada banyak menu, ambil masa jugalah nak ingat semua benda ni. Tak apa, kita belajar aje.

The kiosk itself is clean. Kebersihan memang terjaga. Kiosk ni dekat dengan kedai Mak Su and her husband, jadi tak kekoklah nak kerja kat sini. Lagi pun masa Hana intern kat KPJ Perdana sebelum ni pun, Hana selalu singgah kedai Mak Su setiap hari Khamis. So agak biasalah dengan kawasan ni.

I'd take a bus to go to work since I still didn't have a driving license. Insya-Allah akan mula belajar dalam masa yang terdekat. Buka kedai pukul 9 so Hana naik bas pukul 8. Dalam 8:30 dah sampai Kota Bharu. I could use the remaining time for preparation. 

Hari kedua, Hana balik dengan Sandy, my elementary-to-high-school friend. Rumah kami pun dekat so Hana tumpang Sandy sebab abah pergi Terengganu nak ambil adik kat Unisza. I could take a bus but I was afraid it'd raining or getting dark already by the time I reached home. Satu family tak ada kat rumah so memang risau nak balik rumah lambat. Sandy kerja kat KB juga so senang boleh tumpang dia. Tapi agak jauh jugalah tempat kerja kami. 

The monthly wage is below RM1k but I'm satisfied with it. Bolehlah daripada mereput kat rumah tak buat apa. At least dapat juga duit poket. Tak adalah nak meminta duit dengan abah hahaha. Cari pengalaman banyak banyak. Walaupun kita ada diploma atau degree, jangan memilih kerja. Mana tahu dengan pengalaman kerja yang biasa biasa tulah boleh asah our soft skills lepas tu jadi aset masa pergi interview kerja.

Till then.

Wassalam.

713#Love Note ~ Aildiladha Tahun Ini

Aidiladha tahun ni tak terasa meriah sangat. Syikin, my younger sister tak balik sebab tengah praktikal kat Pahang and since September 2nd would mark my mama's first year since she was gone for good, we didn't really feel like celebrating Aidiladha.

Lepas solat raya, pergi rumah Mak Idah, my abah's elder sister. Mak Idah buat nasi kerabu for pagi raya. Makan sikit aje sekadar nak alas perut. Lepas tu pergi rumah Mak Ani, my late mama's eldest sister. Kebetulan Mak Su ada sekali, meriah sikit rasanya dok bercerita hahaha. Memang Hana lagi banyak bercerita dengan my mom's side. Rapat lagi dengan sepupu belah sana juga. But I don't have bad relationship with my dad's side, it's just an okay relationship. Entah kenapa ada awkward sikit dengan sepupu belah abah padahal ramai perempuan juga.

My cousin, Kak Anah tengah menggulung roti jala. Mak Ani tempah roti jala tapi kuzi ayam buat sendiri. Memang tak sah kalau tak ada roti jala dan kuzi ayam kat rumah Mak Ani. Rumah Mak Ani sama aje dengan rumah Mak Su, banyak kucing so seronoklah main dengan anak anak bulus tu. I love to have a cat and I got to live with Jamer and Baby for a while kat rumah sewa tapi teringin juga nak bela kat rumah but my mama was always afraid of cats so sah sah lah tak boleh bela. Pujuk juga abah bela konon bagi alasan ada kucing teman abah nanti tapi abah tolak mentah mentah hahaha tunggulah I'd keep a cat or two in the future :p

I don't know why tapi Neesa suka sangat senyum camtu hahaha macam konon konon malu nak senyum :p

I'd get back to work on Saturday. I'll post a short entry about my first job. It's a temporary job but I think it's better than I'm lazing around doing nothing in my home. Hope you guys have a blessed Aidiladha! Jangan makan daging banyak sangat, nanti ada juga yang sakit kalau makan tak berjaga-jaga.

Till then.

Wassalam.

712#Love Note ~ Would You Rather Book Tag

I read Would You Rather Book Tag on Kak Sha's blog. Macam tertarik pula nak buat book tag ni, boleh buat new post for my blog. Kalau ada sesiapa yang teringin nak buat, buat aje. It's free to anyone so I guess I want to leave it without tagging it to anyone. So here it goes ;)

My precious. Abah ordered this custom made book shelf before I finished my study to accommodate all the books I've bought during my 4 years in Kajang. Since my room is quite small, having a wall shelf is a bliss. Thank you abah :)

1. Read only trilogies or standalone?

I'd prefer standalone actually. But I read trilogies too hahaha it's hard to decide. Kalau boleh trilogi aje sebab kalau dah lebih 4 buku in a series, I won't read it unless the books are separated from the main plot. Contohnya, ACOTAR trilogy. There's gonna be a new book (actually, more books) but it won't center on the original plot and would focus on supporting characters in the previous books. Jadi, buku tu tak adalah panjang berjela. 

2. Read only female or male authors?

Both. I don't mind as long as the books are good.

3. Shop at Barnes & Nobles or Amazon?

Maybe I'll try Amazon but Barnes & Nobles is a heaven! I watched a video about B&N and it looked so tempting.

As for now, I'd shop from Bookalicious or find preloved books from Carousell or Instagram. Sometimes I'd buy new books from Popular too. 

4. All books become movies or TV shows?

Movies. Because I can't stand TV shows with many seasons. But please stay true to the books. The movie adaptation could be made into four or five parts, I don't mind. 

5. Read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?

Read 5 pages per day. I don't enjoy speed reading. But usually, I'd finish a chapter of two within a day, or more if the chapters are short.

6. Be a professional reviewer or author?

Author. I love writing since I was a child.

7. Only read your top 20 favourite books over and over again or always read new ones that you haven't read before?

Both. I have my fair share of favourite books which I'd indulge whenever I'm in a book slump. Usually, The Girl Who Chased the Moon is my number one book.

8. Be a librarian or a book seller?

Book seller. Who knows if I could make a bookstore cum bakery?

9. Only read your favourite genre or every genre except your favourite?

I enjoy anything but I'd avoid horror and LGBT books if possible. But I could tolerate minor references of them.

10. Only read physical or e-books?

So far, I only read physical. Reading e-books is convenient but my eyes won't agree with me. And I'm the type to arrange and see my books on the shelves. So, e-books isn't really an option unless I'm so desperate to read the book but I can't get the physical one.

Done! I enjoy every questions. Ada sesiapa nak buat soalan book tag yang lain? I'd love to answer it ;)

Till then.

Wassalam.