A Coupon So Pretty You’ll Struggle to Spend It

by Arnaud | Jan 13, 2026 | Taste

5 min read

A Coupon So Pretty You’ll Struggle to Spend It

At Nala, we believe beauty should live everywhere. Even in something as simple as a cash voucher.

So we designed one that’s as stunning as ever.

LISETTE

Not a throwaway coupon, not a flimsy slip of paper, but a beautifully illustrated cash voucher you will love receiving, love using, and very possibly want to keep. Because why should something functional not also be beautiful.

From this Saturday onwards, our new Nala Cash Vouchers will be available in all stores in Malaysia and Singapore.

There are three voucher values:

Malaysia :
Spend rm150 and above and receive a rm10 voucher
Spend rm250 and above and receive a rm20 voucher
Spend rm500 and above and receive a rm50 voucher

Singapore:
Spend $50and above and receive a $5 voucher
Spend $100and above and receive a $10 voucher
Spend $200and above and receive a $20 voucher

Each voucher is valid for one month from the date of issue.

The paintings began exactly one year ago. Each vase holds flowers with meaning. The chrysanthemum for long life and devotion, the dandelion for resilient women, the yellow saraka for joy, the heaven lotus for purity, the magnolia for quiet strength, and more still waiting in my studio. They began simply as paintings, but one year later they have found their place.

Instead of photographing the artworks, we translated them into layered illustrations so the colours could be separated, chosen and silkscreened. It means the skirt carries the soul of a painting and the precision of a print. A long process, an experiment, and something I am genuinely proud of. You will see a picture of me with the originals.

The production is very limited and each skirt carries its own quiet story. And for those who love the paintings but prefer not to wear them, we created a small number of limited edition prints, available in all our stores.

My Sister, My Best Friendby Kee E-Lene

by Arnaud | Jan 12, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

My Sister, My Best Friend
by Kee E-Lene

Some books slip into your life quietly and stay there. My Sister, My Best Friend did exactly that for me.

LISETTE

E-Lene wrote it for her sister’s, Shih-Lene’s, 60th birthday, sparked by a very real thought most of us prefer to avoid. What if time runs out before you ever properly say the things that matter. Not out of drama, just out of habit, busyness, and the assumption that there will always be another moment.

What I love about this book is that it never tries to be emotional for the sake of it. It is warm, observant, and often very funny. There are small moments that stay with you. One of them made me laugh out loud. She writes about dropping out of the car, an image so unexpected and absurd that it catches you completely off guard. It is those kinds of details that make the book feel honest rather than polished.

What makes that even more surprising is knowing E-Lene herself. She is strong, grounded, and assured. You would never imagine that insecurity had ever played a role in her life, and yet here it is, acknowledged with humour and ease.

When you don’t know both sisters, what strikes you immediately is how different they are. They look different, think differently, move through the world differently. And yet they borrow each other’s clothes, which somehow says everything. I see them as friends rather than “sisters” in the conventional sense, and that is exactly what makes it work. They complement each other without trying to be the same.

That is what makes this such a good example of how sisterhood can function. Not through sameness, but through contrast. Through acceptance. Through letting the other person be fully themselves.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Mulaika and available at Book Access.

At its core, this book is not about grand statements or perfect relationships. It is about saying things while there is time, allowing yourself to be seen, and finding humour in moments you might otherwise gloss over.

Milan, Miami, and a Palm Tree State of Mind

by Arnaud | Jan 11, 2026 | Design, Travel

5 min read

Milan, Miami, and a Palm Tree State of Mind

Palm Patio is a print that quietly carries a lot of places at once. A little bit of Milan, a little bit of Miami, right here in Kuala Lumpur. How cool is that.

LISETTE

I have always loved Milan because, in many ways, it reminds me of KL. It is a city that is slightly chaotic and a little messy in the best possible way. You need to know where to go. You need to know which streets matter, which restaurants are worth returning to, and which ones you quietly forget. It is a city learned through trial and error.

Friendships matter there. Food matters even more. The food is incredible. And once you understand the rhythm, everything clicks. Milan is not polished in an obvious way. It is ad hoc, layered, and alive. Apart from the fact that you can walk everywhere, it has the same big city energy that makes KL feel so real to me. I feel like a fish in water there. After my travel ban(self imposed), I cannot wait to go back.

Palm Patio was inspired by a hidden Airbnb apartment courtyard in Milan, filled with tall palm trees and soft light. Sitting on the terrace, eating my pineapple bars, which truly deserve a comeback, I found myself just looking up. That moment became the print.

The lines hint at Art Deco Miami, with its optimistic curves and sun soaked attitude. But the soul of the print is Milan. Observant, relaxed, and quietly confident.

Palm Patio is a classic. At first glance, it might look like it does not match anything. In reality, it matches everything. The pink and blue palette works effortlessly, which is why this print remains beautifully underrated.

Finished with real leather piping, the bags are designed to be lived with. And if you want to carry a little bit of Milan and Miami with you, without leaving Kuala Lumpur, this is it.

Palm Patio bags are currently available at 50% off in all stores and online. Sometimes the best journeys are the ones you do not need a plane for.

Little Prairie on the Hill, Minus John Boy

by Arnaud | Jan 10, 2026 | Food, Travel

5 min read

Little Prairie on the Hill, Minus John Boy

There are very few places where I can genuinely slow down. A Little Farm on the Hill is one of them.

LISETTE

I went with my daughter and immediately felt like I was home. The kind of calm that comes from people knowing exactly why they are doing what they are doing. The experience is a feast, not only for your stomach, but also for your eyes. Everything feels considered. Nothing feels forced. Everything has purpose. Pure wabi sabi.

I have enormous respect for Lisa Ngan and Pete Teo. Before this, they lived a completely different city life. Lisa Ngan is an architect by training, deeply attuned to structure, space, and detail. Pete Teo is a musician and filmmaker. Together, they decided to step away from the city and build something entirely new in Janda Baik, just a 45 minute drive from Kuala Lumpur. Neither of them had farming experience. They had never run a farm, grown vegetables, or operated a restaurant. They learned through trial and error, from books, friends, and sheer persistence. What they have built is both a working organic farm and a farm to table restaurant, rooted in sustainability, soil health, and respect for process.

Having run a restaurant myself, I know how difficult it is to get everything right. The food, the timing, the atmosphere and the team. Here, it all works. The food is exceptional. Thoughtful, generous and beautifully cooked. It is also one of the best places I know for pescetarians and vegetarians, with a menu that adapts effortlessly and never makes you feel like an afterthought.

The staff are incredible. Confident, warm and very present. They look you in the eye. They crack jokes. You can have a conversation with them and my San Pellegrino was served like a bottle of champagne.

What stays with me most are the conversations. The genuine interest in you as a person. The curiosity and inspiring energy. The way Lisa and Pete engage, ask questions, listen. You leave feeling nourished in more ways than one. Even the flower arrangement in the toilet is beautiful, which tells you everything you need to know.

This time, my daughter asked Pete why they started all of this. The answer was simple. They wanted to do something completely different. Something they did not yet know how to do. They learned by doing.

If you want a long, slow, South of France style brunch, this is the place. If it were up to me, I would go every weekend. Malaysia would genuinely not be the same without A Little Farm on the Hill.

Good night, Lisa.
Good night, Pete.
Good night, John Boy.