club med finolhu, maldives

Truth to be told, it's hard to put into words exactly about my experience when staying at the new Finolhu Villas by Club Med in Maldives.  For me, the mere mention of the beach conjures up just the sort of staycation haven I dream about escaping to everyday.

I have a particular weird habit of waking up early every time I travel and especially in Maldives. Imagine waking up to the soothing sounds of waves crashing on the white sand beach and the beautiful warm sun beaming through the light-filled room, one can easily find solace, rejuvenation and warmth here at Finolhu.

My assigned G.O. (Gentil Organisateur/ host/ butler), Jean-Michel was wonderful and accommodating, yet allowing total privacy.

There were 21 of us Instagrammers from across South East Asia. Many of whom I have never met before. The island was a mere half an hour boat ride, upon which gave us time to be acquainted. I was pleasantly surprised at how diverse the talents were on this trip - from photographers to actresses, and social media entrepreneurs.

After stepping out of the boat and through the solar powered bridge, my heart sank, not in disappointment, but because I only have five days. For me Club Med Finolhu was absolute hotel nirvana. Beach culture, nightlife at Finolhu's counterpart - Club Med Kani, bottomless beers, yoga and meditation by the beach, spa and massage... the entire experience was pure bliss.                                      
       
Wanderlust. How I wish I could rewind time!

Big thanks to Club Med for the generous sponsor and the superb team at Vibes Comm PR!

T.

adventures with sarah pour

I cannot say this enough but I just love the idea of how Instagram inadvertently connects people from around the world. Pictured here is the lovely Sarah Pour, a bright and lovely graphic designer based in Cologne/Bonn who so sweetly proposed to meet up for a photowalk/tour around Bonn a few weeks ago.

Bonn is a town not far from Cologne, the city I currently reside. It was a quiet Sunday the day we met. We started the day by visiting her to-go local coffee shop where we found ourselves connecting over unlikely topics of conversation, like religion and human slaughter. By then, I've concluded that Sarah is not just a pretty face. This girl's definitely something else (in a good way, of course). The day went on with a short walk around Bonn's housing area and for lunch, we indulged ourselves in pasta at Vapiano. As if that wasn't enough, we took the train back to Cologne where I introduced her to this whole new world of Sushi at Sushi Ninja and ended up chugging our 3rd, 4th? cup of coffee at my favourite cafe called The Coffee Gang. 

It was so hard to say goodbye to this lady even though we live just a train ride away from each other. I'm already looking forward to our next meet!

T.

sunday suppers, the cookbook | in bed

I have always loved stories of gatherings and love it even more when I get to be a part of it. Whether it’s a tea for two, a family reunion or even an office potluck, the best memories often come from these events. 

So when Karen of Sunday Suppers asked if I would be interested in hosting a gathering to celebrate her new cookbook, I was beyond ecstatic. I have always enjoyed reading stories of gatherings held by the SS team and gave ample thoughts to hosting one myself. This just couldn't be more timely.

Here's a little description of Karen's beautiful new cookbook, 

Sunday Suppers

celebrates the magic of gathering and bringing together friends and strangers to connect over the acts of cooking and sharing meals. 

The Cookbook is a beautiful, simple selection of seasonally-driven recipes that forms a roadmap to creating community in your own kitchens and in offbeat locations.

fika at acme bar and coffee

Time surely flies.

One minute we're talking about September and that Green Day reference, and the next we're talking about October passing by swiftly. Studies have been overwhelming and my juggling skills are unparalleled. I suppose this is life and everything is alright. Mind over matter, right?

Last week I had the honour of hosting Pei of @skeletales from Singapore for a lovely three days vacation in KL. We visited some of my favourite cafes and managed a quick stopover at Acme for coffee and a shared slice of banana caramel cake (which was divine!). On her last day, we missed her a.m. flight because obviously, I couldn't let her go.

On a different note, a big THANK YOU to raedysethome for the short and sweet mention. This couple is a gem!

T.