43rd Diamond: Crazy Rich Asians

Here goes a drama story of crazy rich asians

Kevin Kwan, I must say you have a talent in writing books. Crazy Rich Asians would be his first published book and to be honest, I enjoyed reading it. Perhaps it's because I live in Asia to a Chinese background family so some of the things in this book are totally relatable. No I am not crazy rich, but Asians, especially Chinese, have similar worldview and base. Let's just say when the characters in this book judge people by their parents or grandparents, I can totally relate to them.

Now let's continue with the story

Isn't the cover just fabulous! Okay let's continue. Setting:

The story mainly takes place in Singapore, and several scenes in America, Paris, Hong Kong, and a private island somewhere in Indonesia. YES, you did not read it wrong, private island. As for the time, it's in the 21st century. There was a scene of a maid playing with her tablet yelling "Stupid birds!" so I'm pretty sure it's Angry Birds or maybe the oh-so-popular rage game Flappy Bird. I don't get that game, it's so easy yet so hard. WTF.


Plot Overview:

The story starts in New York City, America, with Rachel Chu and her boyfriend Nicholas Young (or  just Nick). They have been dating for a while and Nick, who's family and relatives are in Singapore, is invited to be the best f man of Colin, his best friend. So, Nick decided Rachel should come with him to Singapore to meet his friends and family. Dun dun duunnnnn. After dating for years, Rachel finally gets to meet Nick's family. What does that mean?? I hear wedding bells! Well Rachel thought Nick was about to finally propose to her in the near future, but Nick didn't thought so. He only wanted to introduce her to his family and friends.

Back in Singapore, Nick's family who turns out to be conglomerates along with his uncles and aunts, have heard the news that Nick is bringing home a girl. Of course, hearing this, Nick's mother did what any normal rich mother with one son would do. Panic and stalk the girl her son is interested in, well in this case dating. Words spread really fast and everyone thought Nick and Rachel will definitely get married. Words spread that Rachel is into Nick for the money, etc. Little did they know that Rachel knows nothing of the world she's going into or even Nick's background.

the family tree in this story. Click on picture to enlarge.

A few weeks later, Rachel and Nick arrived in Singapore. This is where the drama gets even bigger. Nick's mom started stalking and using her sources to make sure that Rachel will not marry Nick cause she found out that Rachel did not come from a royal or rich lineage. Some girls who wanted Nick bullied Rachel on Araminta's (Colin's friendly bride to be who grew close to Rachel first thing when she landed in SG) bachelor party. And the list just goes on.

A side story to the drama that's going on (like there isn't enough drama already) is regarding Nick's cousin, Astrid Leong. Astrid was described as the most gorgeous and perfect woman in this story. Her drama was around her husband. She had a husband named Michael and a son named Cassian. The drama is that Michael was intimidated by the lifestyle and Astrid's family that he ends up making up a story that he is cheating on her. Of course, along the book Astrid was shown to be devastated because she thought that her husband is cheating on her. Regardless that, she still wears the most awesome dresses and outfits in every event in this story. As the story comes to an end, Astrid's drama also comes to an end as she got help from a former husband-to-be whom his heart she has broken. Just look at how complicated the relationship and drama in this story is.

Back to the Rachel and Nick story. In the end, through the turmoils and also Nick's mother + grandmother, Nick finally proposed to Rachel. This is after weeks of Rachel not eating and crying in her best friend Peik Lin's house because she found out about her not so dead father that was discovered by Nick's mom. It's kind of a complicated story Rachel's background... So her mom was married to some powerful guy in the government but she bore a daughter (yes it was that important for some families to have a son back then, considering the rule in China that one family is only allowed one child) so the family was about to hurt the daughter in order to be able to have another child. Finding out this, the mother ran away with Rachel. But there's a catch. Rachel's mother's husband was abusive, so she was rescues a lot the neighbor.Now Mr. Neighbor (I forgot his name) was the one who is the real father of Rachel.  

And after that, they live happily ever after.

Fin

Honestly after reading that book, I'm so glad all the drama is over but I am also kind of sad that I have to say good bye to the story. It has an interesting flow and although the drama can get a lil bit too much, I like how a lot of worldviews in the book is relatable. I kind of disagree of how some people choose their spouse only because of the lineage or power but I guess that's how things are in this world. I just don't agree with it. Anyways, if you're looking for a book that is quite long, funny, and contains lots of drama with the setting of a fab life, then I would recommend this book to you. 

As for the next book, I am already reading another book which is the sequel to The Dark Heroine: Dinner with a Vampire by Abigail Gibbs. Yep, the sequel is finally out! I've just read 40 pages and honestly, I still have a hard time adjusting to the world of Dark Heroine series again. Perhaps because I've been reading books that are quite realistic lately....yes perhaps that. Or maybe because it's the uncorrected version hahahaha. Don't ask how I get this version, you know I torrent sometimes. 

That would be it for this post. Thank you for reading and I'll see you in my next post!

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

42nd Diamond: The Kite Runner

Good afternooon

Today I would like to talk about a book entitled The Kite Runner. I was actually assigned to read this book for American Literature class and I had to say, this book is frikkin emotional. I cried and laughed and cried again then laughed again, then cried again. Why? CUZ I'M A SENSITIVE PERSON. 

The setting of this book is in Pakistan and USA. Our main character is named Amir and his loyal servant/companion is Hassan. This story revolves around Amir's guilt and wanting to retribute for his sins. I would say this book is rated as an adult book, it is definitely not a young adult book. Trust me, I know very well how a young adult book would be. Now let's begin. 

Plot review (spoiler alert)

It all started with a boy, Amir, who lived with his father, called Baba, and his loyal companion, Hassan. Amir can actually be considered as a moderately rich boy as he had a house with a spacious garden and he had servants. Amir however, have never experience the warmth of a mother as his mother died giving birth to him. Because of this, Amir thought that Baba hated him, because he took away his mother's life. 

c: therunkiterfiles.wordpress

The first parts of the book revolves around Amir's and Hassan's friendship. How Amir was always rescued by Hassan, and how Hassan would do anything for Amir. The times they spent together, Amir teaching Hassan how to read while reading him stories, and of course, playing kite. So in Amir's hometown, there is this kite competition tradition. The game was, whosoever cut the last kite flying and caught the kite will win. That's why there are those who were called "kite runners." Hassan was known as the best kite runner in town. While other kids will run around, chasing after the kite, Hassan will just wait in a place and the kite will fall there. He just knows where the kite will land.

c: ncowie.wordpress

One day, there was a big competition and Amir really wanted to win so he can win Baba's heart. All this time, he was jealous of Hassan because Hassan was also given Baba's love. Such as an operation to fix his hare-lip and gifts on his birthdays. Amir also rreceived gifts, but he always felt that Baba is cold towards him. So one the day of the competition, Amir was controlling the kite, with Hassan supporting him. Then when he cut the last kite, Hassan ran for the kite, saying "For you, a thousand times over." As Hassan ran for the kite, he was caught by the 3 bullies hated Amir and Hassan. Hassan was then sexually abused and Amir watched as it happened on an alley. Hassan ran and then late find Amir limping as he was returning to give the kite.

After this event, their friendship started to go downwards as Amir felt really guilty and was mad at himself at the same time; however, he vent it out on Hassan. There was even a scene where Amir threw pomegranates on Hassan. Poor Hassan...not long after that, Hassan and his father Abi decided to get out of the house and went to another place. Of course Baba dodn't agree with them leaving, but there's nothing he can do. 

Then the war came and Baba and Amir had to smuggle themselves out fo Pakistan. They then went to  America. And here comes te second part of the book. In America, a lot of things happened. Amir became a writer, he met his wife, and long story short Baba died out of cancer. But Baba died a happy man. Amir then became a successful writer. Then one day, Baba's assitant, Rahim Khan, called from Pakistan, telling Amir that he might have a chance to retribute for his sins.

The third part of the book focuses on Amir's trip to Pakistan. He searched for Hassan's son, Sohrab, who was lost. He found him, captured by the Talibans and also sexually abused. It turns out that the leader of the Talibans who captured him was Assef. What a coincidence! Amir had to fight to get Sohrab, and he was badly beaten. They would not make it if Sohrab did not slighshot a metal ball into Assef's eyes. Then they ran away and Sohrab was then adopted by Amir and his wife.

Long story short, Amir told Sohrab

 "For you, a thousand times over."

The end

I really love the book. It's really emotional and touchy! At first, I hated the book because it's really tragic and sad and it made me cry A LOT. But when I got to the ending, I find the book really good. I actually gave it a five star out of five on goodreads. This book has a clear and consistent historical background as well as the Islamic culture. I actually learn a lot of things from this book. But nevertheless, I must say goodbye to this story and move on to another book. Wiiii

Yes I did watch the movie. It was good, but just okay. The movie is 6.5/10. 

I am already reading another book right now and it is entitled Crazy Rich Asians. It's a Singaporean book and the drama revolves around Singaporean high socialites. And I do mean the high and regal socialites. The ones that were rich and influential since their great grandfathers. So far, I have reached part 2, and I'm convinced that this is a drama book. Do look forward to the book review. It would most probably come in April. Thank you for reading and I'll see you in my next post!

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

41st Diamond: Tuesdays with Morrie

Good evening everyone

Here's a little book I was recommended by a friend. I am actually on my fifth book of the Percy Jackson series, but hey, Tuesdays with Morrie is a short book and I figured I can finish it in no time. Well friends, I WAS WRONG. I did not finish this book in one day. It actually took 2-3 weeks...well normal books are usually 300-600 pages, this book is only 180ish. See! It's short!

Without further complaints, I'll now talk about this book. It is actually a memoir, which means there was someone whose name is Morrie and is the teacher of our author, Mitch Albom. He's an interesting man I must say. He thinks differently. He's wise. To be honest, I have heard all the ideas before. I swear I've read them somewhere, but nevertheless, it is still a good book and it actually serves as a reminder for me. 

I was reminded of a lot of things from this book. One is to listen to the person you're talking to like it's the last time you guys will be talking together. Giving your full attention to someone means a lot to them. I am the type of person who tends to be distracted so this is gonna be a challenge but I'll do my best. Another point is about money. People always focus on money, and it became the highest goal of their life. To have more and more money. Mainly it's because they want to impress others. While here is how Morrie lay it out. If you try to impress those who are higher than you, then you'll never make it. Why? Because they will always be higher than you. And if you show off to those who are below you, they will do nothing of help and will only envy you. The right way is to have an open heart and be nice to everyone. One thing he didn't mentioned though (or maybe he did but I forgot he did) is that you can't please everyone. It doesn't matter how nice you are, there is always someone who will talk bad about you. It's just how it is. But that does not mean that you shouldn't be nice to everyone. The golden rule: Do to others what you want others to do to you. Another important point is that everyone needs a teacher, a mentor to guide them because nobody is created to be alone. Well I pray that all of you guys will found your mentors :)

c: mitchalbom.com

What I don't like about this book, it's sad. It's a good book, great infact! and I'm pretty sure a lot of people can learn a lot from this book, but I am never a fan of goodbyes. In this book, Morrie is slowly dying. And Mitch Albom, being his student, came to visit every Tuesdays to talk about a lot of things. I guess when a person is dying, all you can do to help him is to spend time with him. At the end of the book, Albom described his last goodbye and I cried. THIS IS WHY I DON'T LIKE THIS BOOK. IT MADE ME CRY. I guess it is a great book to read. It's one of those books you would want to read when you're in need of something deep. 

Overall I would give this book a 4 out of 5. It's sad, but still a good book I must admit. It's not my cup of tea for now though. Thank you to my friends though for recommending me this book. Reading this book is like going through a journey. 

Now I would be continuing my Percy Jackson reading. Yeaay! Thank you for reading and I'll see you in my next post!

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

40th Diamond: LIN Artisan Ice Cream

So long midterms

Yes, I have been busy with midterms. But hey, now that it's all in the past, it's time for another review! I knoww, this review might be a little late...I mean, the nitrogen ice cream rave in Jakarta has been on for quite a while. Nevertheless, I shall still write this review. Yep, it's about LIN Artisan Ice Cream!

I LOVE the interior. It's all so clean and simple. Plus, you can observe how the ice cream was made because their kitchen (can you call it a kitchen?) is small and just beside the entrance. Trust me, majority of us who comes to a nitrogen ice cream parlor, comes only to watch how the ice cream was made with all the puffy white smoke! You just gotta admit that it's fun! Okay now ON TO THE FOOD:

1. Ultimate chocolate (39k)

I am a BIG chocolate fan. When it comes to flavors, it's either chocolate, coffee, or those with alcohol in it. Call me a girl with old grandma tastebuds, but hey, it's called preference! LIN's ultimate chocolate was superb. It was not like other chocolate flavored nitrogen ice cream I've ever tasted. It's not too sweet and also not too bitter. Maybe it's made out of old cocoa beans. Surely tasted like it. As for the texture, it's soft but not that creamy. The chocolate chips is a perfect addition. If you prefer some creamy and not-too-sweet chocolate ice cream, I recommend Haagen Dazz chocolate ice cream. 

2. Mandarin Orange Sorbet (39k)

I heard that LIN has the best sorbet it town, and I'm really not disappointed. It's one of the softest sorbet I have ever tasted in my life! And it actually really tasted like mandarin orange! Refreshing and sweet! I'm sorry I didn't get to take a photo, we were too busy talking :P

3. Lemon Sorbet (36k)

Now this one...I have mixed feelings. I swear, it's REALLY REALLY REALLY sour. It tasted like unsweetened lemon juice. YEPP. If you're looking for something really refreshing and sour, here goes the perfect ice cream for you. As for the texture, still as soft as always. Smooth sorbet~

Honestly, I might come here again to try their alcoholic ice creams, but then again, the prices are quite expensive in that area. 60k-70k for alcoholic flavored ones. I'm still considering...as for the place, it's simple and comfortable. Perfect for an afternoon break. If I happen to try any new flavors, I'll post it here :)

As for book progress, I'm still in the Percy Jackson series. Nope, still not done with it because I have American Literature class where I have to read To Kill a Mockingbird for class again....haven't got some me time lately to read books. Assignments just keep pouring and that's all I do at night. In the afternoon, when class is done, I'll just hangout. Good grades and social life will result in no me-time. I'm not complaining, but sometimes, a little bit of me-time would be nice. 

There goes my post for today! I'll see you in my next post and thank you for reading.

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

39th Diamond: Genki Sushi

There's a new sushi place in town!

Well okay fine I pretty much spend most of my time in Tangerang, but I still spend my weekends at Jakarta. And it's fun that way! Now last weekend, I went to Senayan. Actually I went to f(x) first to buy some shoes at Nine West outlet (which girl doesn't love quality shoes at discounted price?!) THEN I went to Senayan. One of the reasons why is because there's a new sushi restaurant!

The name's Genki Sushi and it's not just any ordinary sushi restaurant, you know what makes this place special? Your food comes in mini express trains! HOW CUTE IS THAT!?! So when you're seated, you're given an ipad mini and all you need to do is choose the food you want from it. Then they'll deliver the sushi to you via mini express trains!

the ipad mini from which you order your items

the train-road for your food

One thing I know is that this sushi restaurant actually has a lot of branches in several countries already, but I'm so hyped that it finally opened here!! HOW IS SUSHI DELIVERED ON MINI TRAINS NOT CUTE?! 

I didn't took a lot of pictures...mainly because my camera kind of sucks and yeah my camera sucks ;D teehee. I promise, if I get a better camera, I'll take lots and lots of pictures. One food I took a picture of though, is this aburi salmon sushi over here! 

Salmon Supreme Nigiri - 16k

Just look at it! That's some generous serving of fish roes. I also tried the cawanmushi, udon, and some other dishes. I had to say the cawanmushi (24k) was not the best cawanmushi I've tried. I'm guessing it was because the broth was a bit bland. The one in Ippeke Komachi is still the best so far. The kake udon was all right. It only costs 19k, but the portion wasn't that big either. If you ordered the one with tempura, the price is gonna sky rocket. Now the sushiii. The aburi salmon (salmon supreme nigiri) was my favorite. One reason is because they are quite generous with the fish roes, but it is also because their sushi rice is nice and the salmon is just fresh and chewy. I also tried the normal salmon sushi (19k), but didn't really find anything special about it. Another menu I tried was the "Seared Salmon with P...." IT'S GOOD. DEFINITELY GOOD. I'm sorry I forgot the name, but it was similar to salmon mentai but with roe on it. Price is 24k. 

Another thing I like about this place is how you can make your own ocha. They actually provide the green tea powder in each tables and the hot water tap is also free flow. One cup costs 8k. 

As for the whole review of the place, I might come back because the food is nice and the service was also cute. But the place was a bit hot...maybe because of all the lights. There goes my simple review of Genki Sushi. 

As for book progress, I'm still reading the Percy Jackson series. It's definitely fantasy and really light to read. I love it! Will review it once I'm done with the series. :D Thank you for reading and I'll see you in my next post!

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

38th Diamond: Take Care of Oneself Girls!

It seems that I am on my way to womanhood...

No, I'm joking. Sort of. I do think I've taken a step, although for a girl, it's a little bit late.

Can you guess what I'm talking about? Yepp, girly stuff. Taking care of myself.

Yes I had those times when I would choose my own styles and clothing, paint my nails in colors I deemed worthy, go to salon to blow dry my hair, use eyeliners, and all things a girl would try. But I forgot one thing. MAINTENANCE. Yepp, a girl's body should be maintained properly, and I just started doing it now...a little bit late I must say. Hey, I'm a late bloomer at times.

First of all is the HAIR.

Have you ever wanted to do a fabulous hairflip or walk with the wind blowing your hair like it's out of a shampoo commercial? Well girl, THAT WILL NOT COME FREE TO YOU.

My parents never agreed with long hair, alas, I have never had a hair that flows longer than my shoulders...until now. One thing they're right about is that short hair is easier to maintain. Once you grew long hair, you would actually need to give a lot of attention to it, or else it won't look as beautiful. 

Beautiful = shiny + not dry + smooth + thick + Pantene commercial hair. 

When I started growing my hair longer, I need to maintain it by using conditioner every time I washed my hair and go to the salon to cream bath or hairspa once a month. OH and I also need to cut it periodically. IT'S A HAZZLE. But hey, it's part of being a girl. And I actually contemplate on doing creambath alone at home so that I wouldn't have to spend extra allowance...

One thing I might also try is hair mask. This one is easier and it's for those dry hair types. Pretty sure my hair is dry. Will try it out one day. My friends also recommend hair vitamin, but I think creambath or hairspa will do. Another thing about creambath and hairspa, hairspa is to smooth the hair, which is why if you have smooth hair, it is not recommended because it will make your hair looked like it's really thin and oily. Creambath is recommended for those with smooth hair. 

Second is the skin.

The skin is the biggest organ in our body. It has the largest surface area (I never thought that term from biology would be proven useful). You know what that means? IT NEEDS A LOT OF LOVE. I have never been diligent in wearing body lotion. Nope. Just nope. Once I finished taking a bath, that's it. Now that is wrong. The skin actually needs to be maintained in order to keep its moisture and elasticity. 

The thing about the skin is that it will be like savings. The things you do now to maintain it will have a great effect in the future. Such as body lotion, body scrub, etc. There's actually a lot but  body scrubbing once a week to exfoliate the skin is quite okay. Then take a bath. Then use body lotion and voila! After a while, your skin will feel softer, and it surely smells nicer ahaha. 

Another thing that is a part of the skin is the facial skin. Yepp. Now I know a lot of us has a lot of problems regarding oily skin, acne, and a lot more. I used to have the same problems. What I did was wash my face 2-3 times a day. Use toner afterwards. And if I'm having outdoor activities, I'll use sunblock before I go out of the house. At night I also use moisturizer because I sleep in an air conditioned room. 

Lately I have been in love with face masks. Not the traditional one, the practical sheet one. A lot of Korean brands sell these and they are actually not that expensive and has a lot of effect. Before, I only used Biore pore packs occasionally to take care of my nose's blackheads. 

Now once a week I use face mask sheets. So far I've only tried out faceshop's lemon face mask. The results are amazingly better than I expected. Before using the sheet, I washed my face and put toner on it first. Then I used the sheet. Maybe because it's lemon, I feel a little bit of tingle and sting. The result: face feels more moisturized and elastic. IT'S SO SOFT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED. I just got 3 more packs of face sheet, but this time I'm trying out Etude House's product. Will tell how it works later.

Third is the food.

Fruits and veggies are a must and nooooooooo junk food I'm sorry. Once in a while it's allright, but always remember to eat fruits and veggies everyday as it will effect your whole body. Drinking a lot of water would also moisturize your skin in way. Remember to drink lots of water!!

So far, those are the things that I started doing lately. Well being a girl is a mouthful but I'm not complaining either. Lotion smells nice and the face sheet also feels kind of like a spa at home. If I have some more updates regarding taking care of ourselves girls, I will surely update. Keep in mind that I am purely a beginner though. 

Thank you for reading and I'll see you in my next post!

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V

37th Diamond: Sumoboo!

Semester 2 is here!!

Hello everyone, I am actually alive in my first week of semester 2. Hopefully, I'll stay alive until the end, cause the schedule is like a pandemonium...I meant it. It's crazy. Semester 1 was like heaven. 

Well enough about complaints. Today is another food review! Yeay I just love food. It's a dessert store in Pantai Indah Kapuk/PIK called Sumoboo. Not sure why everyone is so hyped with desserts theses days. I like Hong Tang and their pudding, but seriously, I had enough after a while, but still...there's still a line until now. One store I want to eat at is SeoRae, but it's always full. Dang....

Now Sumoboo! It's a dessert store with a unique concept. I browsed the menu and they had nutella bombs, ice nutella, hot nutella, Boo! Kakigori (shaved ice), dessert bowls like Hong Tang, pudding, coffee, snacks, main courses...and much more. I'm actually quite amazed at the number of things they have on the menu. It's quite a lot. 

The interior is cheerful, I like it. But I recommend more tables because the line is growing and it WILL GROW EVEN MORE I TELL YOU. The service is as expected of a new spot, slow. But they're nice. Sorry no pictures, I was too busy talking when I was there and it was soo crowded I forgot to take pictures. Tee hee.

I ordered the Matcha Boo! Kakigori and my friend ordered the ice nutella because he was so curious what does it taste like....well he said it taste like milk and nutella mixed together. It's something you would drink when you're still a child. And then he dropped the glass...the whole restaurant went silent...don't worry we didn't break anything. :D Excuse us though hehe

The Matcha Boo! Kakigori though was better than I expected. I thought it's just an ordinary shaved iced, but noooooo, it's a tad bit better than that! And it's cute!!! It's shaped like a puppy's face or a bear's face. Not sure which one. The price is 30k (excluding 5% service and 10% tax). Reasonable. I could only eat half of it...it's served in a glass with pudding on the bottom, shaved ice, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. Oh and the ice is drizzled by matcha syrup. It's good. 

Oh and I forgot to mention that the ice nutella is 30ish, after tax and serv. 

I took a peek at the table beside us and they ordered the nutella bun and nutella bomb. Yes, BOMB. It's basically just mochi with nutella powder on top...or maybe I was mistaken. Well peeking is not a good habit after all. 

The name came from "sumo" and "boo" which is actually a guy named Sumo and his dog/puppy named Boo....I realized this when I was looking at the menu. I really like the concept XD IT'S CUTE!

Well then that's about it. Sorry for the crappy photo tho...not a professional photographer here

Oh books update. Almost forgot! I am done with You Had Me at Hello by Mhairi McFarlane. Can't say I love it, but can't say I hate it either. It's clearly a book full of sarcasm and wits. That part I enjoy. And the story is actually romantic in a way, but one problem though...I am not a supporter of divorce. Call me old-school or anything, but just NO. I might review about it later. Currently reading the Percy Jackson series. YES, it's a children's book, but hey, once in a while it's allright.

I'll see you in my next post then! 

Sincerely yours,

Alicia. V