Wednesday, June 24, 2015

s o f t s r v e : Minimalist Ice Cream Parlour in Klang Valley

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

After what seemed like a long, hectic weekend, we decided to take a break, go out in the noon to find ourselves a sweet treat. We have been searching hi and low for soft served quality ice-cream and finally discovered one when Soft Srve followed me on Instagram.

In a hot sunny afternoon, to be served by Soft Srve is the best thing I could ever asked for. Especially since, as a self-employed, all I do is just work all the time. We deserve a treat! And a break of course, to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

I normally don't write about food, but after visiting this place and noticing a few things, I told myself, "okay I have to share about this!".

We truly appreciated the warm welcome from the lady over the counter (thank you very much) as she patiently explained to me every single flavour in the menu. She recommended a unique treat, Soft Srve's Oolong Tea flavoured ice cream. I know, it isn't something out of the ordinary, but because I enjoy green tea ice cream, I figured I would enjoy this just as much too. I was right!

While I selected the Oolong Tea ice cream, he chose the deep chocolate with nuts. It was just as tasty as well. 

The two servings came with a cup stacked into another cup with dry ice underneath to keep it cool. It was lovely!

If you are wondering about the ice cream, the amount given was just nice; not too much, not too little. A good amount to give you the right experience so that you don't end up feeling overwhelmed. The texture of the ice cream was smooth and glossy. It was not too sweet at all, yet at the right level, which is the perfect treat for a hot day. 

I was mostly amazed by the atmosphere and interior; though it may seem simple, but as the saying goes, "simplicity makes complex!"

Minimalist design has been fitting in quite well in the art & design trend these days. When 'Less is More', this concept leads to beautiful results.

When I set foot into the cozy ice cream parlour, I immediately recognized their style & element, and was impressed by their design direction.

How did I know?


It was easy; I noticed the neat logo and design printed on their paper cup. Secondly, it was their interior with earthly tone of light brown bench and tables, long windows for natural light to come in, and white throw pillows on the bench.


Lastly (this is the one that I was impressed the most after staring at it for 10 minutes), it was the serif typeface on their shop's signage. The lower case letters, with just the right amount of space in between followed by the next letter.

Simple, elegant, artistic and neat. And I must say, I am impressed by the name of their shop; they "broke the rule" and went beyond creative boundaries by removing the letter 'e' in the word 'serve'. Dare to be different without worrying if fellow Malaysians would asked if it is was a spelling error.

All in all, though I was only there for a quick half hour treat, I enjoyed myself, both ice cream and atmosphere.

s o f t s r v e is located in Damansara Uptown at No.31, SS21/1A, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Meet Creative: Jean Lynn Chang of Hidden Rainbow

Sunday, June 21, 2015

One of my favourite part about my blogging experience is that I get to feature up and coming talented people from the creative scene. It isn't always easy to approach them about being featured in the blog, because not all of them are open to being interviewed or would respond to my request. So, when humble artists like Jean Lynn herself said yes to being featured, I am truly, truly honoured and grateful.

Being able to feature these talents is like being able to share "goodness" with the world. I started the interview section on the blog because I wanted to provide another form of inspiration for readers through the talents that I interview. I believe everyone is an inspiration; and you definitely don't have to be some kind of superstar or a guinness book of world records person to inspire others. Our lives and who we are, are some kind of inspiration too in our own way.

Jean Lynn is a remarkable young lady. I admire her humble spirit, and she is incredibly passionate when it comes to art. She creates beautiful paintings; one of my favourites, of course, was a Facebook photo cover for The Artsy Craftsy (below). Until today, I am forever grateful for her submission during my 2-week canvas project. Thank you, Jean Lynn.

The Artsy Craftsy Facebook photo cover by Jean Lynn Chang

Jean Lynn paints under the name Hidden Rainbow, and her paintings are magical. Her technique is unique, pastel like with a mixture of whimsical style. "The girl from Rainbowland!," described Jean Lynn about herself.

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Links: Facebook | Instagram: @jlynnppg | Deviant Art

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1. What is your day-to-day like as a creative person? How do you juggle your tasks, projects and personal life?


I work at a cafe as a barista/waitress during the day. Then, I sleep in the evenings, and i paint/draw at night. I will take a day off or two from the cafe whenever I have projects or commissions to focus on.

2. All creative people have their own toolbox. What’s in yours and what are your favourite tools?

In my painting bag, i have different kinds of paint brushes and different kinds of color materials. The flat paint brush is my favourite; it is my lucky paint brush, or a mini broom for eraser.



3. Fill in the blanks and complete this sentence: "Whenever I am creating ____, I am ____."

Whenever I am creating craft works, I am literally a rubbish collector."


4. Describe your creative work with just 3 words:

Cheerful, sometimes gloomy.


5. They say creative people are eccentric. Sometimes they are called “weird”; so, how weird can you get?

Sometimes, my logic is kinda off; sometimes, I make perfect sense to me, but to most people, I don't seem to make any sense at all. Often I get told to "go back to my Rainbowland"; that's how it became my description, 'the girl from Rainbowland'. haha!
6. Name your top 3 favourite books for ideas:

Art books (aimated movies/games), craft books and magazines.


7. Music mixes are awesome! What’s your music playlist when you are creating & making art?

Slow contemporary /soothing songs  usually calm me down and help me concentrate on my work. (I usually can't seem to sit still and think too much) 




8. How do you organize your creative ideas & inspirations for reference?

I snap photos and save in my phone or computer. But if it is interesting cutouts from newspaper/ magazine or anywhere; i will stick on the board.


9. What is your favourite place to go to for inspirations?

Tumblr; I like browsing poems, quotes and pretty photos


10. I SPY with my little eye:  Who’s your favourite creative person (artist/crafter/baker, etc.)?

Geninne! She is an artist living in New Mexico. I want to be like her someday. 

11. If you didn’t discover this creative interest, what would Life be for you?

I don't know. I think this is all i have now.


12. How your has your creative passion inspire you?

Be a person who stand up for herself and hold her dream a little more tighter.


13. What was the most difficult part of running a creative biz?

Amazing artists are everywhere now. So, standing out is something i’m still figuring out now. And i’m still not confident enough to sell my artworks.


14. What sort of lessons have you learned from this creative experience?

Even though it's nice to be paid to do what I like to do, but sometimes is not all rainbow n sunshine. Sometimes, clients would insist to do it their way. I’m still learning how to compromise with client's requests without clashing with my art style and what I believe in.






15. What is your Kung Fu style to fight creative blockages?

If i’m in hyper mood : I scrub toilet or organize my stuffs or go out.

If i’m in lazy mood : I just sleep, or watch YouTube videos, movies or drama series. (sometimes, I have the urge to create fan arts too)


16. Give the readers some love! Do you have any tips, advice or words of wisdom?

I would like to share my favourite quote:

“If you want something really bad enough, you just have to keep thinking how badly you want it, and work towards it. One step at a time. Slowly but surely."



17. Daydream mode ON! How do you visualize yourself 5 years from now?

A full-time painter or illustrator, painting on bigger walls, and living in a small town with her animal friends.