Ethel Da Costa

Ethel Da Costa Editor-in-Chief - www.etheldacosta.com
Author - The Stiletto Foodie, A Blog Binge in Malaysia (2020), Eve's Revenge: Stories of Nemesis (2008).

Award winning International Lifestyle Journalist-Influencer-Writer | Author | Media & PR Ninja
Founder & CEO Think Geek Media

www.etheldacosta.com
www.thinkgeekmedia.com
Malaysia | India International Lifestyle Journalist, Columnist, Destination Influencer. Founder & Managing Director, Think Geek Media Inc. Malaysia | India
www.thinkgeekmedia.com

22/12/2025

Closures only upset those who realise they can no longer manipulate you.

As I wind down the year that has been very gracious to me a truth comes with razor clear clarity that 2020–2025 has been my best years.
Also my worst.
And most definitely, my most transformative years.

These were the years that stripped me bare — of illusions, people, patterns, versions of myself that survived on approval and over-giving. The years that forced uncomfortable pauses, brutal truths, and long conversations with my own shadow, and higher self.

I lost things I thought I couldn’t live without. Looking at attachments and detachments within and outside of me. I let people reveal themselves, and some did.
I gained a deeply loving relationship with myself I will never abandon again.

I learned that self-love isn’t candles and affirmations — it’s boundaries.
Self-acceptance isn’t softness alone — it’s accountability.
And independence isn’t loneliness — it’s freedom with discernment.

I stopped explaining.
I stopped shrinking.
I stopped reopening doors just because someone knocked louder.

Closure didn’t come from conversations.
It came from clarity.
And clarity is dangerous to anyone who benefited from your confusion.

Here’s to the years that broke me open, not down.
Here’s to choosing myself — fully, fiercely, finally.

Growth doesn’t ask for permission.
And neither do I.

Merry Christmas and a huge THANK YOU if you were part of my blessings✨️✨️😊😊

Video courtesy @


22/12/2025

In between hectic work errands, this Goa visit after 6 years is a nostalgic food rewind.

So much has changed over the years in this sunny State - not all for the better - but I'm glad that some old food establishments continue to inspire a cultural storytelling through ingredients and recipes passed down by generations.

A few food binges later, missing Malaysia 🇲🇾 ❤️
Seeing you back soon.

Video courtesy


If you are HAPPY, you are truly RICH.My state of mind and soul is a mindset of ABUNDANCE. So, whilst I am airport hoppin...
18/12/2025

If you are HAPPY, you are truly RICH.

My state of mind and soul is a mindset of ABUNDANCE. So, whilst I am airport hopping - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) - Phnom Penh (Cambodia) - Bangkok (Thailand) - Mumbai - Goa (India),The Stiletto Foodie awakens for 2026, alive and kicking as I experience flavours of culture and conversations told over generations through recipes, ingredients and hospitality.

Best of all, I am waiting to eat my mom's food after 5 years of being away on my own adventures and growth.

See you soon, Goa 😊 ❤️✈️




15/12/2025

Walk The Talk: The Power of Expat Women with Big Hearts and Real Impact 🔥

There’s a clear distinction between talking a good game and walking the talk. In a world full of performative gestures, I believe in actions over optics—and some women, especially the dynamic expat women who call this country home, embody this beautifully.

We're talking about Big Hearts and Real Impact.

The Latin Women’s Association of Malaysia (LWAM) doesn't just host the most fabulous, stylish events in KL—they show up for the local community, consistently, and with profound purpose. This isn't just "giving back"; this is a masterclass in committed, sustained action


Case in point: This year, LWAM made a powerful statement by donating an incredible RM60,000 to the IDEAS Autism Center. Why is this so crucial? Inclusion, fundamental care, and unwavering support for every child should never, ever be optional. This is how you change lives.

And it was a proud moment to see The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic step up as the Gold Sponsor. They didn’t just sign a cheque; they transformed partnership into purpose, underscoring their commitment to giving back to underserved communities across Malaysia. Year after year.


Supporting communities.
Style with substance.
Action over words.

Now that is impact 🔥





Only look back to see how far you've come - Benjamin Franklin        ✈️
14/12/2025

Only look back to see how far you've come
- Benjamin Franklin


✈️

06/12/2025

Celebrate the woman you were, the woman you became, and the woman you’re still becoming.
You did beautifully this year 💗

Note to you, dear friends, fans, followers
We’re in charge of ourselves and how we want our story to go.
Write it with self-love and self-confidence.

Video credit : Diane von Furstenberg




Chai, courage, and conversations that matter.That’s what went down at Chai With Shalini on Nov 22 — a beautiful afternoo...
03/12/2025

Chai, courage, and conversations that matter.
That’s what went down at Chai With Shalini on Nov 22 — a beautiful afternoon where we stripped away the noise and got real about Self-Parenting and Self-Coaching. ☕✨

In our cozy corner at Bijan (thank you for the love, venue partner), every guest showed up with open hearts — sharing anxieties, unpacking fears, and naming the limitations they’re ready to release.
And let me tell you… the poetry, the journaling, the honesty — whew. Magic happens when you feel safe enough to be human. 🌿

Guided by the ever-warm, ever-wise Shalini Keswani, we journeyed inward to meet the child within and the parent within — because healing starts when we learn to hold ourselves with compassion and lead ourselves with clarity.

This gathering also marks one powerful year of EMPOWER in Malaysia. A year of building spaces where we celebrate courage, curiosity, and community. A year of showing up — for ourselves and for each other.

Grateful. Expanded. Inspired.
Here’s to more conversations that shift the soul.

Photos by



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