The Pleasure Is All Mine...

How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?

Busy schedules aside,

we eventually set a date for dinner one night,

a couple of months ago.

Primarily to catch up, take photos 

& 

savour home-cooked food

that's part of our 

culinary heritage

here in 

Malaysia.

And I was not disappointed.

Dusk was upon us as I made way,

in a taxi,

towards this up-market enclave

in 

Petaling Jaya

a suburb

of

Kuala Lumpur.

Bungalow houses surrounded

by high fences

dot the street,

with guard dogs barking ferociously as

we drove by.

Well kept gardens 

&

imported cars line the driveway

of each house.

"Curiosity 

is the

 Mother of Desire."

As the tall auto-gate opened smoothly

 to reveal the

 home lit in a 

warm glow,

my friends were there to greet me with a

warm embrace that was 

simply welcoming.

Tall trees 

stood out in front as if

to guard those within.

The air was perfumed with a fragrant

smell from some

 tropical evening bloom.

The sky was a shade of "that" blue,

you know...with the last few minutes of light left in the sky.

 I call it the

"Hour of Return".

The couple have been living here for the last 
9 years.
And it shows.
By this I mean,
it's become a
home.
Not something freshly painted
 or
smelling "new".
It's generous proportion,
all
 400 sq m of it,
has been modified to suit their
needs.
This is the abode of people who
work, live
&
enjoy
life as it comes.
Of course,
it's now a family of 3,
with adequate accommodation for the 
maid as well.

Sue D'Cruz,
wife of Terrence,
mother,
daughter
&
Communication Brand Consultant.
To me...she's simply
 Sue.
I was of course,
happy to be invited home.
That puts the "S" into
Special!
A close up of anything generally
 reveals
 everything.
Upwardly mobile
&
well spoken,
the views of this lady is 
a stream of 
conscious
versatility.

Sparkling bubbles 

in hand signals

 the end of the week.

We conversed warmly about their

 private space.

In the tropics, 

you can

invite the outside in,

throughout the year.

And their

"Casa"

is

 airy & open.

Taking center stage is of course the living room, 

but what was surprising was 

the enclosed terrace, 

running alongside the house.

This added considerable amount of 

living area

 to the already large house.

Bravo!

Style implies a 

commitment 

to 

"getting it right."

And here's a brief glimpse

of

Sue D'Cruz.

What's your favourite colour?

Yellow.

Which trait in a person you most deplore?
Selfishness.

What motivates you?
My child.

Favourite song?

There's this song by Luther Vandross...

Morning or night person?
Early morning.

Jeans or skirt?
Jeans.

Describe your style?
Clear 
&
 straightforward.

Red or white wine?
Red.

Argentina or Australia?
 Australia.

When making a purchase, what is your number one
criteria...Brand, Performance, Functionality or Price?
Performance & Functionality.

George Clooney or Hugh Jackman?
George Clooney.

What's your hobby?
Reading.

Favourite cuisine?
Asian - it's simple & light.

French or Italian fashion?
Italian.

Favourite museum in the world?

Tate in London.

When did you last laugh out loud?
Over the weekend.

What is your life philosophy?
To live for the moment.

Which trait in  a person you most respect?
Kindness.

Favourite Ad campaign of all time?

Fruit Of The Loom 

out of Toronto.

It's happy & fun-

based on the song

"Stuck In The Middle With You."

What were your last thoughts?
I really like Australia!

In the midst of preparing for a trip to
 Paris & London,
we exchanged thoughts
on the joy of travel.
And the exposure to new
 trends & ideas.


"Travel is the university of life."
Peter Hoe

Sue
comes across as a woman
with an innate sense of
"knowing."
There's no second guessing.
And it shows in their surrounding.
The decor is
 calm
with
 everything in it's place
&
 a place for everything.
If I had to describe their home,
I would say it's a
 perfect balance
 of
 harmony,
marrying colonial touches 
with 
modern aesthetics.
Antique furniture from when
the country was called
Malaya,
sits comfortably with
contemporary art.
Italian styled lamps
throw a warm glow across
the interior,
while the gurgling
sound of the water feature in the furthest reaches
of the garden,
soothes & relaxes.

She certainly have all the five

C's!

Charm, Confident, Clarity, Collected 

&

there's even  a

 "C"

in her name!

" The Experience 

makes a brand, a brand.

Basically, it's what the consumer takes out of it...

Two different users may have

 two different experiences.

A brand is nothing 

more 

than the experience."

Sue D'Cruz

"Let us always meet each other
with a smile,
for the smile is the beginning of love."

Mother Teresa

Night was already half -passed itself,
and we were all comfortable
&
merry.
Good company never goes out of fashion.
Their home had a
hold-on-us.
That's an obvious outcome of
a cosy space.
Pretentious
you can smell
a mile away.
But in this house,
where the heart is...
you feel you belong.

Dinner was a
splendid & delicious
selection of
 Indian curries,
set upon a fuchsia table.
Our hosts were
generous,gracious
&
thoughtful.
In Malaysia,
we are extremely fortunate to have been 
at the
crossroad of several cultures.
And from this blessing,
comes interesting cuisine.
Tonight was no different.
Good
 food & conversation
laced with
 wit & humour,
took the evening to another level.

As day turns into night,

 somewhere 

half a world away,

we bid adieu 

&

said our

thank you.

Sue & Terrence's 

"pas de deux"

for the evening

made the outcome so enjoyable...

and so inclusive.
As the tall auto-gate opened to let us out,

amidst hugs,

the early morning was upon us.

Quiet enveloped us like 

an expensive cashmere shawl.

The sheer pleasure of dining with friends

is escalated when

it takes place within the confines

of an intimate setting...

a private home.

After all,

"sensational"

is not for the

novice!

Am I right?