Book : Carloz Ruiz Zafon

I found this from Amanda Patterson,

on Carloz Ruiz Zafon, one of my favorite writer :

His trilogy The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game and The Prisoner of Heaven are my favorite. It's hard to find a writer who writes about the love for books and appreciates it like any other love. He wrote in such a way that the art of reading itself is something so pure, beautiful and deserves to be mentioned. Like writing about the love for between human, art or food, and explaining it in a way that touches someone's heart.  

As a book addict, I feel connected with what he wrote.

The Top 10 Ruiz Zafón Quotes About Books :-

1. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. 
2. Few things leave a deeper mark on the reader, than the first book that finds its way to his heart. 
3. I was raised among books, making invisible friends in pages that seemed cast from dust and whose smell I carry on my hands to this day. 
4. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend.
5. I stepped into the bookshop and breathed in that perfume of paper and magic that strangely no one had ever thought of bottling. 
6. I had never known the pleasure of reading, of exploring the recesses of the soul, of letting myself be carried away by imagination, beauty, and the mystery of fiction and language. For me all those things were born with that novel.
7. Bea says that the art of reading is slowly dying, that it’s an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day. 
8. There are worse things than a prison of words. 
9. That book taught me that by reading, I could live more intensely. It could give me back the sight I had lost. For that reason alone, a book that didn’t matter to anyone changed my life. 
10. I leafed through the pages, inhaling the enchanted scent of promise that comes with all new books, and stopped to read the start of a sentence that caught my eye.

Other books on the love for book & the art of reading :

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Events : Sept & Oct 2013

Caffa & Fuyoh Art Bazaar -
Coffee and Art Fringe Festival 2013
Publika, Jln Dutamas
28, 29, 30 Sept 2013

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Art for Grabs -
Annexe Gallery, Central Market, KL
28 & 29 Sept 2013

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Zanubah's 5th Solo Exhibition -

Matic Gallery, KL

3 - 30 Oct 2013 ( 5th Oct : Launching )

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Tempatan Fest 3.0 -
Dataran DDEC, Jln Kia Peng, KL
5 & 6 Oct 2013

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Zakka Fest -
Pipit Zakka Store, Taman Connaught, KL
11 - 27 Oct 2013

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Mini Escapism : KL City on Foot

Remember the previous posts on my Melaka mini escapism several months ago ? 

This time it's KL city, a stranger in her own city. 

I finished my Kuala Lumpur city tour on foot. It took awhile because I only got to do it once a week, but it was definitely worthwhile. I've always wanted to do this and to see my KL map finally filled with drawn lines, the feeling is very fulfilling :D 

The last time I walked almost as much as this in the city was about ten years ago, after my high school years. Things didn't changed much and while I was exploring I saw a lot of things from my past and a lot of new things as well. I put a list in my mind on things I love and places that I want to remember. I found some places that I love sooo much that I want to go there often :F

I always thought that I need to go far to find my solace and learn about life. But I learned that it is not something in the future that will teach you about those things, it is something in the present, right at this moment. 

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KL City Tour on foot.

PS : Only for explorers and travelers by heart.

If you want to try it out, what you need to do is :

1) Buy a city map, plan ahead the route you want to use, and if you are not sure about your location or which way to go, go ahead and check your map again - like a tourist :D And if you found a precious gem like an old bookshop : Junk Book Store or perfect hideout in the city, mark the place. I know it's easier to use your smartphone, but it will defeat the purpose of exploring. 

2) You will be using a lot of public transportation, so reload your Touch and Go. I used around RM 10 each time I went out for the whole day. Public transportation is the quickest way to arrive at the destination but you'll be missing a lot more on local roads, so I prefer walking.

Plus, walking distance depends on your strong will and feet. 

I probably walked around 4 - 8 km on outing days, and it was very different from the previous running events I went to due to the awful heat and city traffic. 

3) Bring water, with a lot of walking under the hot sun, you'll be dehydrated.

4) Bring umbrella, for heat and rain. Most days were okay, the weather was nice and hot, drenching in sweat was normal. And there were hot days, my head was exposed under the heat for hours and resulted with a heavy headache until I came back home and rested for the night. So, it's Malaysia, prepare for the sun. It won't be comfortable, if you are okay with sweat and a walker by heart, it shouldn't be a problem. 

5) Take pictures, take mental notes, remember routes and have fun.

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Doodle : Totebag Outing Day

Hello, explorers ❤

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Buy the bag here : Etsy 

Read more : Previous post

Mini Escapism : KL City

If the story of an old tree ever leave me at all, 

I'll be exactly the person I am not today. 

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Pictures were taken by using :

iPhone 4s

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Thank you for feeding my hunger 

with what the world has to offer.

Little Things 92 : Pain

I am not sure how cold my heart is to be able to handle this much pain in my life. I look at pain like it is a part of me. I breathe with broken soul and I am aware of it. Once in awhile I crave for tears that would ease the pain, like it does when one pops in an aspirin for headache. And I feel fine.

Is learning about life creates an emotionless person or the understanding makes me underrate my own feelings? 

Do I need to be in pain to feel pain and if I no longer feel it, am I in denial or am I already free ? Sometimes I know that I am in pain, but it doesn't bother me much anymore. But I see people around me struggling and I feel left out for not being in such state of mind anymore. 

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Event : Art Expo Malaysia 2013

Yesterday I woke up early to go to Art Expo Malaysia, in Matrade Kuala Lumpur. I checked their website for the shuttle bus schedule and aimed for the 10 or 1130 am bus from KL Sentral. After missed the bus and train, I arrived at KL Sentral 1/2 hour late than what I planned. 

Hurriedly bought something to eat for late breakfast in the bus *which is pau kacang and went to the bus stop at one of the entrance. After several minutes of bus ride, we arrived and excitedly went into the exhibition area :F 

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I actually came especially for Fadilah Karim - whom I adore so much these couple of years and missed several of her exhibited works. I was hoping to at least buy her postcard to add onto my wall :

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The best part about going to an art expo is having a glimpse of a lot of people's soul through their artwork. I adore quite a lot of artworks displayed while I was there. These works came from all over the world and even though I am not much of an art lover, all these works surely inspire me a lot. 

I want to know they thoughts and what they felt while creating it, or how they chose the colours or if there were any stories behind it.

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It was so much fun and inspiring :D

PS : I bought Fadilah Karim's postcard !

Mini Escapism : Junk Book Store, KL

I was searching for a second hand bookshop in Kuala Lumpur when I came across Junk Book Store in Google. The first time I went there was on the Malaysia Day several days earlier - I was hoping it opens on public holiday but it was not, and the second attempt was after several hours spending my time at the Art Expo event yesterday. 

The old shop reminded me of so many stories in novels I read about old bookshop. It reminded me of Mo in Inkheart trilogy, spending his time in such bookshop to find old books to mend. It reminded me of Daniel Sampere in the Shadow of the Wind when he found the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. It reminded me of Paris and England, where old bookstores scattered all over the city. 

There's nothing more exciting then finding an old bookshop in the busy city of Kuala Lumpur. 

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I opened the wooden door and greeted the old lady in the shop, being excited gives me a cheerful mood and make me somewhat chatty to strangers, plus I always imagine people who work in bookshop are all friendly and nice. Phew. 

She asked me about the book I was searching for. I got nothing in my list at that time, because I love finding something to buy instead of searching for a specific book. The search itself is exciting enough. I tried 'Haruki Murakami', 'John Green', 'Paulo Coelho' and 'Susan Sontag'. All were 'not available', 'sold out', 'I already read' or 'never heard of the author'. I was a bit disappointed but continued with the searching.

There were thousands of old books, with musty smell and yellowish paper. I found children books I read when I was in my teenage years, I found old books published when I was not even existed, I even found several Moravia's books ! When I was about 16 or 17, I read one of his book called The Woman of Rome, I didn't know it was a book meant for grown-ups, which I preferred to call - soft porn aka romance genre. The book was in my dad's library and it was a long school holiday so I gave the book a shot. Later the book changed me a tiny bit because :

1) I never read any romance book at that age so I was a bit shocked learning about the-grownups world

2) the book was beautifully written, I loved it ! 

I never found any of Moravia's books in any book stores ever, so finding several of it in Junk Book Store was a bit exciting ! 

Excerpt from the Woman of Rome :

If the hurt changes me at all, I do not show it in my conduct and outward appearance but far more deeply in my soul which closes in more down and upon itself like healthy flesh attempting as soon as possible to heal a wound but scars remain and there. These unconscious wounds in the soul are always permanent. 

I gave up the unequal struggle against what appeared to be in my fate, indeed, I welcomed it with more affection. As one embraces a foe one can't defeat and I felt liberated.

- it's not even available if you Google it , I just added the quotes in Goodreads ! 

So do you know the rarity level of such books? 

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I was in the book shop for awhile. By 5 pm , the old lady said the shop was closing soon, I didn't found what I wanted and went out with empty hands.

Maybe someday soon, I'll come again and find something.

Details :

Website

Facebook

Google Map

PS : I am famished.

Little Things 91 : Yang Berat

Jika segala yang wujud di dalam hati dan di sekeliling arasy keluasan semua ciptaanNya,
diletakkan di penjuru hati manusia sempurna,
dia tidak akan merasai beratnya. 

- Bayazid Bastami

Event : Zanubah's 5th Solo Exhibition

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My mom's 5th solo exhibition, will be held in Matic Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, next month. 

She spent several months preparing for this event and I hope it goes well as we planned. We will be exhibiting a collection of her artworks. There is a reason why my mom is my top 3 in my inspiration list, it's worth coming and seeing :D

Along with that, she asked the four of us to exhibit any works related to our art - and because I am the only one 'staying at home and free', I'll be exhibiting my works as well. So there will be a small-tiny part of the exhibition for me. Doodle stalker, please come and support us !

Do come to the exhibition, the launching will be on the 5th of October, this is the event page in facebook. 

PS : I'll be taking care of the exhibition for the whole month. 

And we also need volunteers on 29th and 30th September, text us at 011.23849649.  

Doodle : Etsy & the World

I sold 99 104 items using Etsy since I opened the online shop,
and they went all over the globe to addresses I can't even pronounce.
For that, thank you again dear Etsy-bitsy.

US : 36 times
Malaysia | Australia : 8 times
UK | Canada : 5 times
Singapore : 4 times
Greece : 2 times
Russia | Poland | New Zealand | France | Denmark : 1time

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And they love free gifts & notes I sent as well, you can read their reviews here.

Visit my Etsy here.

Event : Art for Grabs Sept 2013

Hello,

I'll be opening a booth at Art for Grabs ,
Annexe Gallery, Central Market
this 28th & 29th Oct ( Sat & Sun ).

If you missed the previous event, KLAB & Art for Grabs last June, here is your chance. There will be a lot of independent book publishers again and also our local artisan & crafters.

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Check out their Facebook event, to see the whole program for those two days.
:D

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Little Things 90 : Time

There must be something small that lead to bigger things in life. 

Those little things that you hardly notice, they hold your balance, while you are too busy focusing on the future life. They don't attack you right away, they take much longer time, months or maybe even years. 

Those missed dinners,

those cancelled plans,

those silent sorries,

those ignored talks.

It bits you off little by little, parasitic.

Until you are completely vanished.

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I remember what time does to me, to us.

I saw the consequence of life spent for the future.

So I promised I'll try to avoid living it twice.

Outing Days Mini Project

Hello !

So this little project started when I was disconnected from the internet early this week for a couple of days. I've been collecting a lot of pictures from my outing days and I figured I should make something out of it. I did a lot of illustrations based on those pictures, especially on plants and insects. 

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You can view it from my Behance.

Little Things 89 : Petite

It's ridiculous.
Ever since I stayed at home for over 2 months+ , I've been losing weight. I am 160 cm - normal Asian height, and weighing 45 kg.

I am typing this while munching food.
Awesome metabolism.

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Reckless Life 6 : 3rd Month

Third month :

There were days I spent exploring new areas and paths, and there were days I spent at home working in front of my Mac. It's either the nature or the work to sustain my living financially. The experiences I had in these few months will be forever imprinted in my mind. 

I wish I can tell everyone how living a simple life will change your life. How needing basic things in life and worrying only for today and tomorrow will give you happiness. How not comparing and trying to be the best in everything will satisfy your need. How caring for yourself and only to those matter to you will calm you down. How doing things that you want and pursuing your dreams will make your days much meaningful.

Everyone is constantly running, it is exhausting.

Slow down, shut your ears to the society and listen to little things you can't hear anymore.

Especially if you are working in the creative field, go outside.

Because there's nothing more inspiring than what God offers to you out there.

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PS : I've been sharing a lot of outdoor pictures recently, I decided to make my Instagram public for awhile, I hope you get inspired and find your solace :

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Little Stories 60 : Internet

Almost 2 days without internet and the whole house went berserk.
We should probably consider going to an AA program,

"Hello I am Azreen, I am an internet addict":D

PS : I focused on illustrating and managed to finish 17 pages of illustrations.
See how good it is if you just learn to turn off the internet every once in a while?