styling: Laura Laine for Muse magazine

A colleague of mine introduced me to the works of 24-year-old Finnish fashion illustrator Laura Laine.

Whimsical yet hauntingly beautiful, her drawings are just spectacular on their own. But when paired with irresistible fashion products in a fantasy editorial for Italian fashion/art mag Muse? Sublime!! I can look at her drawings over and over again, at the waves of hair and fabric, eyeing her precise attention to detail.. hypnotic is what they are.

and here's one wearing Balenciaga from a few seasons back:

Scoot over to here for more.


A.

Birthday 2009 - part 8: gift from the parents

From sister Marge:


Feb 1, 2009
Been having really shit personal problems (as per usual) so forgot your birthday. Sorry. Looks like you had a pretty good one nonetheless :)


And Pap is in town -- finally -- but he will be staying at the hotel for a month while I get the apartment ready in time for him to move in. And though it's been years since he did so, he got all smiley as he presented me with a box.
"Since it was your birthday, so I got you this when I was out buying a new bag," he said.

I have not worn a watch for all these years, thinking that one day I would get to wear the Baume & Mercier Pap once allowed me to wear as a teen. But that was stolen more than a year ago so I never did wear another watch because the ones that I do like, I can't afford - yet.

But this (left)? This is a beauty!! All I can say is: I thank God for giving my dad a sharp sense of style. I believe that's where I got it from. As for the more flamboyant side of my style sense, that's all Mam.

Speaking of which, we called her during dinner.
"Did you get the watch?"
"Yes, Mam, I did."
"Do you like it?"
"I really like it, thanks!"

The last time the parents gave me a gift to commemorate a special occasion was perhaps a pen or mobile phone (that belonged to Mam) when I graduated. That and a laptop. And now this, this is the kinda timepiece that I would probably get for myself. Unpredictable, classy, distinctive. So this is pretty cool. Way cool. 32 is a good age alright :)



A.

Birthday 2009 - part 7: party #3 at Delicious

Zai roped in Ezwan, Zaki, Neyna who was in town for his dad's medical procedure, Mijie and Adly for the dinner he organised in Delicious, Bangsar Village II. Guy and Yanie couldn't make it and I invited Fari and Kast -- who was coincidentally in town -- along. A small crowd, because one, I didn't want it to be too big a party, and two, because Zai didn't have all the numbers of my dearest (sorry, Jas!!).

'Twas a simple gathering of fabulous peeps peppered by Ezwan's bimbo moments and Neyna's loud personality. And then there were the gifts:



Ezwan got me this (left) a couple of weeks back when we were checking out Bimba & Lola in Pavilion. I have a lot of bags already but I've always been on the look out for something resembling a traditional briefcase. And when Ezwan saw this, we went all gushy. The corduroy pattern reinterprets the look and the colour is just alluring. And it comes with a shoulder strap to turn it into a messenger. I love!!











Kast and Fari got me this cutie (right). Though I don't associate myself with stuffed toys anymore, this one is just so adorable. I'm guessing he's a bear but the ears look like they belong to a mouse. I am calling him Bolhassan for now because I like that name for some reason. He looks kinda sad, like he has issues. Which is part of the reason why I can relate to him hahaha...








Mijie excused himself in the midst of dinner to drop by Dude & the Duchess to get me these (left). I've been eyeing these since they first came out but thought they were a bit much to spend on something I won't be wearing as frequently as most other items of clothing. Rather unconventional colours, but hey, it's me we're talking about here :)






I really didn't expect Zaki to get me anything because he's not wired that way and I'm okay with that. So it was cool that he still got me these. Simple gifts but I gotta tell ya, I love socks (right). I can never get enough of them particularly because my shoe collection is expanding now and I need more socks to mix and match with. These are cool.






Sometime halfway through dinner, Zack called. Remembering the rather uninventive text message he had sent, I chose to be difficult.
"Give me one good reason why I should be talking to you right now...," I began.
Then out came his voice, "Happy birthday to you, happy bithrday to you..."
I could tell he was smiling the whole time, and when that was done he switched to 'Allah selamatkan kamu.' Sigh. I melted there and then.
"Sorry lah, I've been busy," he explained later. I could never did get mad at him for too long.

There was another message or call I was hoping to get before the night gave way to a new day. True enough, at around 11:55pm, Guy called.
"So you had a good day?"
"I was wondering when you would call!" I hollered. "You almost missed it by 5 minutes."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. And Zack called me earlier and made up for a lousy SMS by singing me birthday songs. I was hoping you would be more creative."
"Great. You're pressuring me now. Surely nothing I can do can beat his singing?"
"Good point. So are you going to tell me your leaving my sister for me kah?"
"Iye deh! Funny lah you."

I really have a soft spot for Guy. We met exactly 14 years ago, on my birthday, at the airport where we ended up sitting in the same aisle on the plane, then lived in the same dorm, mucked about in the same class for two years in Muar followed by another three months in an English academy in Cheras before meeting up with each other again during matriculation in Kulim, Kedah, followed by those crazy years in USM, Penang. As far as best friends go, he is my most constant. We were in the same debate team, briefly 'formed a band' together (hyuk hyuk) and get up to crazy things that I don't do with my non-hetero friends.

"Oh hey, before I forget," he said as we were ending our conversation, "happy birthday, Ziz."
"Thanks, Guy. I'll catch up with you soon yeah?"
"Alright. Goodnight now."
"'Night."


A.

Birthday 2009 - part 6: FB shout-outs

On January 29, 2009

Toge (Jakarta/photographer friend) - 1:46am
HAPPYYYYYYY B'DAY...........................................................MWAH MWAH

Zai (BFF/USM,Layang Sari/roomie) - 7:52am
hAPPY fABULOUS bIRTHDAY hOMMIE!
bEAUTI-FOOL aLWAYS!
gOD bLESS U!
XOXO
aLWAYS hAVE aLWAYS wILLZ.

Neyna (BFF/KL-Kuching/sisters/ex-roomie) - 8:27am
I just want to wish you a happy b-day, may you are blessed with so much love, endless prosperity, eternal success and peace & happiness always...Stay gorgeous & stay fabulous!

Aidot (USM,ex-classmates) - 8:34am
Happy Birthday Aziz! That's right; I still remember yours is 1 day after mine! May you have a great day!

Yanie (USM/KL, partner-in-crime) - 8:42am
Darling...Wish you Happy Birthday yang ke-23! Erk!! I Love you..Muah Muah Muah....My Parents dah tgk gambar you...They like you so much..approve..so anytime you blh masuk minang i!!! Hahahahhahaha!!!! ;-)

Fari (BFF/KL, sisters) - 8:56am
Babes!Happy Birthday! ur fancy oven cum foam machine tu dah siap pasang ke?hehe

Jerry (KL) - 9:09am
Happy Birthday Dear. May you achieve as many goals and look fabulous doing it at the same time!

Kri (BFF/Kuching, sisters/photographer friend - might steal your boyfriend) - 9:49am
another year, another birthday. have fab one then.xxx

Milin (USM/KL, photographer friend) -10:05am
Happy birthday Aziz!!!Wishing you happy days all thru the year.. murah rezki and dirahmati Allah selalu :)

Azman (KL) - 11:01am
Happy BIRTHDAY!!! Here's a toast for many great years to come!Enjoy your day.. :)

Lucy (BFF/JAZINO/Penang, fellow supermodel) - 1:28pm
HappY bDaY C... God GivE You anOther woNdeRful yEar..EnjOy yoUrseLf anD looKInG foRwarD foR oUr tRiP toGeTher..

Ghea (BFF/JAZINO/Lucy’s alter-ego) - 2:10pm
hAppY bDaY to ThE mOsT lucKieSt Kid in ThE woRld

Sya (USM, ex-classmate) - 2:24pm
yello... happy birthday aziz! :-)

Mazri (Dubai/USz/best friend with benefits hehe) - 2:31pm
Happy Birthday dearest!!! May you age gracefully :-P Senyum sokmo!

Nazim (USM/KL, partner-in-crime) - 2:37pm
happy birthday Ziz!always keep that smile k...

Rizal (USz/Doha) - 3:18pm
Happy birthday.. mabrouk!!!

Ezwan (BFF) - 3:27pm
Panjang umurnya..panjang umurnya..serta muuuuliiiiiaaaaa....serta muuuuliiiiiiaaaaa...

Aidid (Dubai) - 3:46pm
Happy birthday Aziz.. semoga lagi tua lagi handsome

Kast (Kedah) - 5:07pm
darling, happy birthday to you!
here's a poem i picked up from d net especially fo u.
I’m wishing you another year
Of laughter, joy and fun,
Surprises, love and happiness,
And when your birthday’s done,

I hope you feel deep in your heart,

As your birthdays come and go,How very much you mean to me,

More than you can know.
By Joanna Fuchs

Sham-sham (KL, ex-colleague turned partner-in-crime) - 5:52pm
happy birthday azizah and where the party at? Xoxo

Zack (BFF/LOML) - 11:13pm
HAPPY BDAY CAYANG

Emma (USM/Layang Sari) - 11:35pm
I hope its not too late to wish happy birthday! Hope you had a great day today

Elymaton (USM/Layang Sari) - 11:43pm
Salam... happy birthday & many happy returns!mmuuaaahhhhhh!!! XOXOXO

Jiman (KL) - 11:55pm
Like oh am gee!! Like seriously, have I like forgotten to, like wish you?? Like I really should already right? I mean, like, duhhh! But like, I kinda hope it's not like, too late or anything. So anyway, like happy birthday to you. Here's wishing you all the love, and success, and wealth and health, and laughter and like, all good awesome stuffs! Like, cool. Take care okay.


On January 30, ’09

See Ming - 5:48am
Happy birthday!!!

Lan (USz) - 10:43am
babes, happy bday. i cant believe i missed it! :D anyway, u had fun i'm sure. when's our private session again - dinner i mean. hehe. btw, remind me to get the toy story book from you when i see u. cheerio.

Happy 32 bday to one of my best supermodel pal. Stay gorgeous and al the best to you.. love, Linda E.

Sam (Kedah) - 11:09pm
aziz, happy birthday to u dear, many happy returns =) .. mwah

A.

Birthday 2009 - part 5: when the SMSes start coming in..

Neyna called sounding chirpy and all, which was a good thing 'cause it forced me to wake up and get ready for work. She's a God-given, that girl. Checked my phone and no messages came in. The phone was obviously all jammed up due to Yus' texting. Sigh.

Got to the office and logged on to FB and Asri ping-ed me:

10:52am
ajiz :D
don’t shoot me if I got this wrong .. isn’t it your birthday today?
10:55am
haha
yesh it is :)
10:55am
ahhh ... happy birthday then :D
10:55am
thanks, big guy :D
10:55am
actully my wife reminded me .. hehe .. yeah i know .. its pathetic :P
10:55am
haha, cemane dia tau plak?
10:56am
zack was mentioning it to her

I was in a jolly mood to be productive so got some work done. As the day was coming to an end, messages backlogged from last night started coming in simultaneously. Got off early because I was psyched about cleaning up my new apartment and even went out for a swim in the pool. Zai was planning a dinner with a group of friends to celebrate later this evening so I went to get my hair cut. Told my barber to go all punk with my head but instead of the usual rectangle in the middle, he asked me to try something a little more unconventional, shaving off my sides in a circular kinda cut, leaving a somewhat aerodynamic centre. I like it.

Then my phone came to life and the messages started pouring in.
[NOTE: message - person (affiliation)]


Though the first official SMS that came through the night before was Ezwan's, judging by the time it was sent, this was the actual first SMS sent to me:

Happy bday - Nas (ex)
I didn't expect him to remember, so as succinct as the message was, it warmed my heart a bit. It could've been more personal but I wasn't surprised that it wasn't. Sweet still nonetheless.

Happy birthday to u, happy birthday to u, happy birthday to aaaziiizzz, happy birthday to u!!! - Nisa (USz)

Happy bday! - Zack (LOML)
I did not expect this one to be impersonal, so I was a tad pissed by that...if anyone was supposed to make me feel special, Zack was it. Bastard.

Hapi birthday my fren.. ;-) wish u panjang umur murah rezeki - Milah (Agensi Milah)

Happy birthday u royal gorgeousness!have a good one today! 32 is such a beautiful number so enjoy it. speak to u later k. lots of luv xxx - Kri (BFF)

Happy birthday! muah :)
xdpt ku merik bingka kinek tok, kch banjir lagik. Kelakku molah bingka Oreo. My new recipe! - Epen (JAZINO/BFF)

Aziz, happy birthday!!! Semoga panjang umur, murah rezeki & bahagia selalu. - Sarah (USz)

Mmm.. Let's see.. Happy 32nd birthday. May your dreams come true & may you find happiness always. Wekkk.. Skema tak? Hahaha... - Yus @ Awang (BFF/USz)

Happy bday dowh! dtg umah k sabtu tok. - Yus @ Adly (BFF)

Happy birthday 2u, Happy birthday 2u, Happy birthday 2 Aziz, Happy birthday 2u! Best wishes & hope that u have an enjoyable celebration. - Joe (HC)
This was from a colleague of mine - easily the message I least expected, if expected at all.

Wishing you a wonderful and happy birthday today! :-) Is it your birthday??
I guess it is your birthday, so.. Happy birthday sweetie!!! :) muahs! - Andre (MP)

Happy birthday! - A-ah (sister)

Babe, happy birthday! I've transferred to the new phonw but didn't transfer the birthday reminder! Happy birthday again! - Zaki (USz, BFF, ex-roomie)

Happy birthday toots! And happy moving house - Viv (Hyper gang)

Z! I'm driving! Happy birthday bitch! - Geek aka. Sam (Hyper gang)


A.

Birthday 2009 - part 4: party #2 at home

Yus was the first to call. He phoned at the very stroke of midnight, which was also the very moment Zai and Mij broke out into song.
"Berapa orang yang nyanyi tu??" Yus asked.
"Dua orang!"
"Hahahaha! Bunyi macam ramai je! Well, happy birthday, dear.. nak aku hantar SMS ke? Well, since ko selalu post kat blog kau, aku hantar jer lah yer? hehe"


To my surprise, Mij and Zai had bought an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins and somehow managed to smuggle it into the house without my knowledge when Mijie dropped by earlier. It was a banana strawberry Oreo cake. Tasted a tad..peculiar.. but it was sweet all the same.

Zai decided to record the celebration and Mij was trying his best to be butch -- needless to say, to laugh-out-loud results. Having to laugh my ass off with close friends is the perfect way to celebrate, if you ask me.

Mul went out to see dek Ya at the clinic because his back was giving him trouble again but they came home together to join the 'party'.

Zai presented me with this:



I knew what was inside because I picked it out, heh. But to take effort in wrapping it up and all, that was golden, but then again, that's Zai :)


I was thinking about getting this for myself but Nora then offered to get it for me as my b-day gift. I know I have quite a number of zipped-up jackets already but this one was different; more biker jacket, less structured and brimming with attitude. The striped lining sealed the deal for me.

Then my phone beeped and I thought it was Yus with his text message.

Happy bday! Hope im d 1st 2wish! Have a great one babes. may Allah bless u alws..lots of love.. - Ezwan (BFF)

I felt all mushy inside :) And then I realised something.

Though it works perfectly most times, my phone would start misbehaving the moment Yus or Nas tries to text me. I have no idea why those specific two are singled out, but such is the fact. And seeing as Yus' message never came in, I thought, Shit. Now all the wishes people are sending me this very moment are going to get clogged up and I'll only get them tomorrow noon.

Oh well.

I feel great though. And I thank God for that :)



A.

Birthday 2009 - part 3: cards and gifts from the 'family'

This was the card the 'family' got me:

The messages:

ZZZZZZ! Oops, fell asleep there. HAPPY B'DAY Ah Boy! - E

Love you really! Happy 22nd... - Lena

Z BABE,
Happy sweet 18 again...how many sweet 18 ar?
Love, J

Dear Miranda,
Happy birthday!! - Weelie

Much love - Ro-ro

Z Darling,
There's noone else I'd rather have as a lesbian lover!
Love ya, Jen-jen

Happy birthday ya beautiful bitch. - Sam

They got me the dress shoes, of course.

This was from Francis:

A.