Some places do not shout. They whisper. They welcome you with warmth, soft charm, and an easy kind of beauty that feels almost handwritten. Liten Cafe is exactly that kind of place.

Just around the corner from my house, it has become one of my favourite spots in the neighbourhood. My sister even said it was the best coffee she had during her entire stay in Malaysia, which tells you everything you need to know. One sip and you understand why people fall in love with it.

Liten is beautifully designed in the most humble way. Nothing loud, nothing trying too hard. The people are lovely, the space is cosy, and the atmosphere has that gentle balance of calm and creativity. On weekends, this is where I love to sit and work. Something about the light and the quiet hum gives me clarity.

It is also one of those walking distance treasures. When you need a reset or a tiny escape, you can simply wander over, take a breath, and enjoy an excellent coffee before stepping back into your day.

In many ways, Liten feels like the younger sibling of Ghost Bird, our beloved coffee corner at home. Both places carry soul, sincerity, and a kind of simple beauty that makes you want to stay a little longer.

A small cafe with a big heart. A perfect pause. A little universe of its own.

One of my new favorite spots at The Campus is a restaurant called Pizza Duo. It’s beautifully designed, especially the outdoor seating area that looks out over the football field. The whole place has a wonderful relaxed vibe that feels instantly welcoming. The pizza was genuinely delicious, and the design was just as impressive. Every detail feels thoughtful, from the furniture to the colors to the way the space flows.

It’s refreshing to see more and more beautifully designed places appearing. You can feel the creative energy in the air. For someone like me, currently under a self-imposed travel ban, finding a place like this feels like a small holiday. It reminds me of Milan, good pizza, good atmosphere, and that perfect balance between style and comfort.

If anyone knows who the interior designer of Pizza Duo is, please tell me. Whoever did it deserves a round of applause. It’s elegant, warm, and perfectly executed, the kind of place that makes you want to linger just a little longer.

In our universe flowers will always be in fashion.

Rethinking food, fasting, and feeling good

I’ve been on quite the journey with food lately. From Dr. Stacey Sims’ “Women are not little men”, which firmly dismissed fasting, to Dr. Mindy Pelz’s ‘Eat Like a Girl’, which says fasting, even for three days, can actually reset your entire system.

Dr. Mindy Pelz is a leading voice in women’s health and fasting. She’s a doctor of chiropractic, a nutrition and wellness expert, and the author of several bestsellers including Fast Like a Girl. Her work focuses on helping women understand how hormones affect metabolism, energy, and overall wellbeing, and how syncing food and fasting with your cycle can transform how you feel.

I’m still somewhere in the middle. I haven’t tried the full three-day water fast yet, but I’m intrigued by the idea of giving my body a complete reboot.

The book itself is an absolute winner. The writing is honest and intelligent, and the recipes are surprisingly good. I made the first protein bar recipe and it was amazing, truly delicious. A few others were hit or miss, but that’s part of the fun.

If you’re curious about how women’s bodies really respond to food, hormones, and rest, and you like experimenting in the kitchen, this one’s worth picking up.

Eat Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz is available now at Kinokuniya.

Yoshinari is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. It is small, simple, and beautifully understated, often filled with Japanese diners who know that the truest expressions of flavor need no fanfare.

The chef believes in seasonality, not spectacle. Every omakase is affordable, changes monthly, and is guided by what is freshest and most inspiring that season. There is something profoundly honest about that. The food is clean, precise, and deeply satisfying, each bite feels like a moment of quiet.

I go there alone sometimes, just to breathe. It is where I celebrate, where I unwind after long weeks. And there is a little magic to the ritual, when you order sake, you can choose your own sake cup. Each cup is unique, paired with delicate handcrafted plates that frame every course.

Yoshinari reminds me that restraint can be luxurious, and that simplicity, when honed with care, can feel as rich as the most extravagant banquet.

Visit them on Instagram to see their beautiful, seasonal dishes and the quiet art of Japanese dining done right.

Life feels like a blur: takeaway boxes, dinner dates in loud restaurants, calendars overflowing. Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten that the simplest, most meaningful act is to cook for each other.

So often, people meet in restaurants, families gather outside of their homes, and cooking is left to someone else. But it is different when you open your home and invite people in. Cooking a meal, laying a table, sharing fresh food, these are gestures that create true comfort. They carry a love that no restaurant can replicate.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s new book Comfort is a beautiful reminder that food is more than fuel. It is how we connect, how we slow down, how we show love. To cook for family, for friends, or even just for yourself is sacred. It is giving with love, and it makes love and appreciation tangible.

In our bat-shit crazy world, this book calls us back to the table: to cook, to share, and to find comfort in food made with care.