Thursday, March 29, 2007

.: next project :.

Unlike a particular friend of mine, I am not very fond of shweet shtuff. Bittersweet or semi-sweet is ok, but cakes-so-sweet-you-gotta-chase-with-bottles-of-water-asap are not for me. I'm all about french fries and whichever way they cook potatoes. I do have a weakness for cupcakes, though... especially the pretty ones. Magnolia Bakery in West Village-New York is one of the well known cupcake-bakery. The other one, introduced to me by my roomie, is Sprinkles in Beverly Hills, California. I bought half a dozen since they all looked good, but in the end I gave them all up except this one:
Now I don't know why all those bakers in Bandung don't make cupcakes, so I have been planning to make them for a while when I shtumbled upon this bloggy : It has many pictures & recipes of cupcakes!!! YUM!! Maybe this can be my sunday baking project? I'll keep you posted!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

.: Luv Japanese Snacks :.

I looove to snack more than eating regular meals (making me wider day by day - hello, lane bryant!) And all I love, I looove japanese snacks. Cannot imagine how those pretty japanese girls can stay so skinny with the many variations of snacks they have available in their supermarkets. There are some I cannot get in Indo's supermarket and I found them when I went on my trip to Singapore a few days ago. A friend of mine is so addicted to anything greentea so she asked me to buy her a pack of greentea powder at Takashimaya-Singapore, therefore I got some for myself and tried to make myself a cup of tea today. It did not taste as good as I imagined, and the color is a bit scary... practice makes perfect, I guess... And my ever popular mom got another cake as a birthday gift! Not as yummy as the strawberry/chocolate one, but it's a cake nonetheless! Yesh!
As I planned to nap this afternoon I realize my bed is totally not nappy-friendly and created such a sight. My friend believed that a messy bed can cause nightmares. Ooohkay, gotta clean that up then. Goodness grief, how did I let it go that far? I had so many things due at the same time (as always) and need instant inspirations, thus all the mess... I also running out of space for my ever-growing book collections; shall I start a private library? Borrow my books, anyone?

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

.: 5 0f ... Tuesday 280307 :.

After a flushot and countless antibiotics I've had last week, the cold symptoms haven't disappear just yet... Which in a way is good so I can have an excuse to have extra hours of sleep (muhuahahaha) These 5 items are what I need when I caught a cold (L-R obviously): Strepsil Lozenges special for suppressing cough (works 10 times better than my usual cough drops-no brand dropping here); packets of instant miso soup (since I'm too lazy to make real miso soup, give a sick girl a break!); Antangin JRG (traditional jamu here...); LoHanKuo (chinese fruit tea for soothing your throat); and Vitamin C. Aaand, warm little pink socks...

Monday, March 26, 2007

.: sweet tooth :.


I dedicate this yummy pic of my Mom's birthday cake, one big chocolate cake with glazed strawberries and dark chocolate frosting, for my friend who have very sweet tooth. If I can't be mad at you, at least let me torture you with picture of delicious cake you're wishing to eat now. Mkay? Reverse psychology won't work on you, so I'll try hunger psychology. Have a good afternoon! =D (kidding boss kidding... don't be mad at me, yesh? little pink sock, little pink sock... )

.: Back in Business :.

Hi everyone! I'm baaaack... maybe enough vacations for the month? (LOL) Am still groggy from lack of sleep & cold medicine. Got swollen feet after walking around for hours dragging shopping bags, my cold worsened since it never stops raining in Singapore, a few measly dollar left in my wallet, but still I had the greatest time! Singaporeans do know how to live! They got good food, 24hrs enormous department stores where you can find almost anything available in this world, coffeeshops in every corners (starbucks-coffee bean-seattle's best-gloria jean's-kopitiam), adorable local designers clothes & shoes, fantastic modern & classical architectures, good transportation system, dozens of cute cafes and lounges... Also most Singaporeans speak at least 2 languages... either english & malay or english & mandarin, very heplful... After one day you'll be speaking singlish too leh... right ma? =D And for my own muse, bookshops & music stores selling stuff I cannot get in Indo. Despite the hot and humid weather, I can't stop thinking that this is such a romantic place to visit... We pass by a young man in suit, with his laptop playing romantic music, a video camera on a tripod ... proposing to his girlfriend on a street by Esplanade Opera House! She was so shocked (and so did we! We even stopped to watch!). There's still such a man in this world, eh? Applause to the guy in suit. Also spotted a couple with bottles of wine and glasses, snuggling by the river ... Aww... For food ... I didn't get the chance to shot all the food we ate (some days we were so hungry, we dived in within seconds after the food arrived...)I actually went to Singapore to see The Phantom of the Opera from London, and it was totally worth the trip. I've never saw it, and completely impressed with everything; the singing, stage decors, how they move in such precision...It was a moving performance, I actually cried a bit towards the end.. :p clockwise L-R: nicely packaged chocolate liquors for souvenir; very very cute summer shoes I got (am officially shoes freak now, but what kind of women don't like shoes?); ; Phantom's program book; my messy suitcase after the trip.
Okay, enough Singapore story for the day, now I'm back on business, back to workin' hard, all refreshed! =D Have a nice day everybody!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

.: 5 0f ... Tuesday 200307 :.

Like always, every Tuesday I have my 5 of... and today I'll show you the 5 beauty items that changed me ... literally. I just got the cosmetic syndrome lately; previously the word cosmetic only meant Olay moisturizer and Neutrogena lipgloss. Now I expanded my horizon, so ladies, here's 5 items I can't have enough of...
clockwise L-R: MAC Studio Fit Liquid Tint, iD Bare Minerals compact powder, Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner, NARS Lipgloss in Positano, NARS Bronzer in Laguna
Aannd.... I'm all pack for my next trip to Singapore this coming Thursday, look at my suitcase! I packed light just in case,uhm, you know ... gosh I feel like a major vacationer this month! I'm still a bit nervous with flying... so wish me to come back alive. Oh, and I will see some of you in Indo next week! Can't wait !! Let's do crazy stuff!

.: Oopsie :.

Uh, okay. Sorry for the lack of update lately. I caught a severe cold last weekend, so life wasn't much fun. But I did get to see Paris Je T'Aime and 300. Totally recommended guys! I love them. From what I read, Paris Je T'aime will be launched in the US on May 4th, 2007. It's a movie about love in Paris, all kind of love. Quite nice!Being sick does not mean I don't eat well, hello! I tried a new Korean restaurant in Ciwalk called Ju Ju En. Considering the size, I think it's a bit overprice. Usually Korean restaurant gave free appetizers such as kimchee, potato salad, etc; and here we have to pay, not cheap!The food is good tho'... I ordered the Isiyake Bibimbap (I hope I spell it right) Meat was good, veggies very tasty... overall it's not too bad.
Now this, is more to my liking. It is called Nasi Ruwet (Messy Rice?) from a growing little place called Bakmi Djogdja. Basically it is a combination of fried rice & fried noodle. Also tasty is their gizzard fried rice. Yum!

Friday, March 16, 2007

.: Show & Tell Friday :.

Ooh do I have the right item to show today. Look what I just got:How about that, eh? Swwweet isn't it? It's not blue, but hey, pink is indeed the new black! Just got it from a friend who came from HK, thx luv! It is as adorable as I imagined... I'm still getting used to it. My fave games are Nintendogs (got a beagle named cookie), Cooking Mama (i can't cook rice!!), and Tamagotchi Connection(keep on burning those takoyaki...sigh). Hmm, why I'm drawn to all those cooking game, curious ... :D I'm so looking forward to get more games! Yay!!! Speaking of food, this is what I ate today... Jakarta people call this meal as "Siomay Bandung" while we Bandung folks call it "Baso Tahu". I present this pic for my friend who used to crave siomay bandung sooo bad, he's willing to ate it at Dufan! Am i right? Mwahaha ... You still crave for this, huh? :p

My internet connection wasn't working properly this morning and when I report it to TelkomSpeedy call center, they said probably my modem / router was broken. I was so upset since it is quite new and seems to work just fine. I tried and tried to reinstall & re-register the modem/router without any result. A few hours ago I tried to connect again, and it works! Ha! Never, ever trust TelkomSpeedy people... bah,humbug. :p

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

.: bali bali :.

Oookie dookie ... here's a link to several of my Bali pics ... uhm, maybe only for multiply owners only? sorry guys :p too embarassing to be post in public...

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

.: Bali Yummies :.

1st row : Bebek Bengil restaurant at Ubud - hot & sour soup - Nasi Bebek Bengil ... which translate as dirty duck, really.

2nd row: Warisan at Krobokan - Baked Scallop with Asparagus - Foie Gras with cranberry sauce

3rd row: Suckling Pig with Mixed Rice from Warung Pak Dobil,Jimbaran - Balinese mixed rice from Warung Teges,Ubud -
Singapore Style Crab

.: 5 0f ... Tuesday 130307 :.

It's "5 of" day! Today I want to show off my 5 purchases I made in Bali that I just pulled out of my packed suitcase! And that big straw bag is my other favorite purchase! Very summer-style!Bali stores have so many tchotchkes to pick! Beaded sandals, straw hats, bags, sarongs, etc etc. They're all done in a stylish way and very affordable! And I still can't get enough of their beaded sandals... :p 1. hair elastics using Japanese kimono fabric from Bochi-Bochi
2. stripey straw tote from Guwang's art market
3. Beaded belt from a store in Legian
4. Red beaded sandal from Guwang's art market
5. Dirty gold intertwined bangles from Jacques Ruc

And I just took this pic for fun to show how 'interesting' indo is ... In the airport, they have premium taxis just like in Singapore, using luxurious cars to attract foreigners. Fancy, eh? Keep that in mind, those who plan to visit indo next week! Maybe ask the chauffeur to drive you guys to Bandung using S-class! Okay, I'm very sleepy now, I will upload more pic later on! Enjoy!

.: island of the gods :.

I'm baaack ... with hundreds of pictures and more stuff to add into my already packed closet. We almost did not make it to the airport on our departure date! We got caught in a traffic jam because of a collision between several cars on the highway, and everybody slowed down to watch, as usual. We managed to reach the check-in counter 15 minutes before departure after running like crazy, shoved several people, cut people in line for the baggage screening and leaving my parents' colleagues behind. We were very hysterical! Obviously the counter was closed but my mom forced them to reopen. The power of mothers! Truly amazing :D After they let us checked-in we ran into the boarding gate, completely ignorant of other people, and arrived into the gate at exactly 08.10AM. Lo and behold, the plane was not there YET. Ashamed, we apologize to the colleagues that got left behind, but now they know how selfish we are :p oopsie, don't want to miss out on Bali!! More stories to come ... and more pic of Bali's yummy dishes!

Thursday, March 8, 2007

.: evil evil :.

ok peeps... it is reported that Bandung will be very windy for the next 2 weeks... 20 knot! And I already feel the effect of it: drowsiness... :D (a.k.a laziness, same difference...) I just made a major life chaging decision so I think deserve to eat this:
It is vermicelli with several meatballs and... uhm .. let's just say it in indo: jeroan. One of the best in Bandung, can be found across Miki Salon in Jalan Veteran. So very rainy day meal.
I also got a few pics for you Aloy graduates who haven't seen it in 5yrs or more: Not much difference eh? Same street hawkers, same choices of food (pen, mang ikin masih dagang!!). The difference is, now the teacher drive a VW Beetle! Who owns that pretty blue bee?

I'm all pack for tomorrow's trip, still very nervous. If anything happens, will somebody take care of my prince charming of a dog? If you still want to see me do pray for me, peeps! :D Makes me wonder who will miss me when I'm gone... hmm... But look, I packed my suitcase so neatly!If anyone wants anything souvenir-ish, just text msg me ok .. u know where to find me. Otherwise, till next week!

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

.: new project :.

I just got a book called 'IdeaSpotting' by Sam Harrison, and before I even open it, I spotted an idea! Wow, what a fantastic, magical book! :D I just realized how very colorful & decorated becaks are. Some have colorful flags, horns, ruffles, ribbons and stuff. What I noticed was the airbrush on some of those becaks. Now that's my new project: The Art of Becaks... I'll try to capture fancy becaks around Bandung and if I'm lucky enough, around Denpasar. Do they have becak in Denpasar? I have no idea.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

.: 5 0f ... :.

Morning y'all! It's Tuesday! From now on, every tuesday I will have a '5 0f ...' , it will be a showcase of either 5 items or 5 pictures that relates to the theme... What do you think? Anyone wants to contribute your own '5 of' ? Please do! And I'll start simple, here's 5 of the most essential items inside my purse (aside from my wallet) :
L-R: my N73 phone; cosmetic case (filled with oil blotter paper, lipglosses, compact powder, brush and mini moisturizer); tissue pack; notepad holder (it's actually a pasport/ticket holder but I modified it when it's not in use)
to jot down ideas and Smint.And I forgot to put my 'torture' pictures of what I ate yesterday, so here goes : L-R: Ayam kalasan from Ayam Djogja, Soto Kudus, and Crab with Spicy Sauce.

While I'm writing this I heard that Garuda Indonesia airways en route to Yogyakarta crashed this morning. What is it with Indonesian Airlines, really? They're joking with people's lives! Seriously!! And the funniest of all is I'm supposed to fly out to Denpasar with Garuda this coming Friday. Please pray for me since I still want to live & write more blogs... :p My condolescence to those who died in this crash & wish a speedy recovery for all the injured... and curse you all who's responsible for all the crashes due to lack of maintenance!!!

Monday, March 5, 2007

.: Monday Madness :.

Click here for my architecTour pic collections . It takes too long to upload them to Flick'r (indo internet.. bah humbug) so I just upload them to my multiply site. Oh here's a cute pic of my friend Tohir's coin purse:
And my recent mania: shoes, shoes, and shoes. My favorites are from Charles & Keith because they're affordable & chic, and also Malaysia's Vincci coz they're ... affordable & cute. Luv shoes!! The chocolate for my feet!!

.: Tandas :.

When you're in Kuala Lumpur and desperately wants to pee... just for a few cents you don't have to worry about dirty, disgusting public restrooms anymore! Fully air-conditioned! Hmm maybe they will have coupons and you can win something as well! :D

.: Psychological Monday :.

Live life to the fullest! Do unto others! Love thyself! Haven't you heard those words everyday from everywhere? TV commercials, self-help books, insurance ads ... You'll be like, yeah, yeah whatever... But have you actually try it? Without any excuse like don't have the time, no money, etc? Yesterday my family found out that a man who used to take care of our customer's car lease has passed away: suicide. We're shocked coz he's so young, his career is striving, he has a seemingly wonderful family. Why suicide? Apparently he has several reasons that he wrote on his sucide note and I won't disclose them here. I think there are several people that I know were raised to be 'quiet' : a child should not be seen and heard. And they tend to be that way until they grew up, hard to communicate with others, kept problems to themselves, building a bomb within. And they lived in the surroundings that sometimes crushing them before they even have the guts to open their mouth. This is just my theory but maybe, just maybe, if he got a bunch of people willing to listen to his problems, he might still be alive. But what's passed has passed, let's wish his family a condolescence, and do try to live life to the fullest. Thank you for those who has been there in my times of troubles & happiness, coz I know real friends are those who - without any pang of jealousy - stick with you in both times. Thanks guys!

Sunday, March 4, 2007

.: Live from MudCity 01 :.

Okay, this trip is totally unplanned, I had a family emergency last Thursday and we left for Kuala Lumpur on Friday. I spent 2 days making friend with a coffee vending machine. :D But all our worries went away so we went shopping & sightseeing. Kuala Lumpur is a lot like Jakarta, minus all the pollution (coz they have so many trees, parks & gardens, and they're creating their own version of NYC's Central Park). Traffic jam is everywhere, that's the main excuse for taxi driver to charge higher price. Malaysia is growing rapidly and becoming more and more like Singapore. They have Starbucks & Coffee Bean in almost every corner, with free Wi-Fi access (that's where I hang out after shopping). Malaysian spoke Cantonese waay better than they speak English. However I can't help laughing when I read these inside a taxi. I also found an Indian store in the mall 1 Utama with outstanding window display. Isn't it beautiful? And the last pic I shot inside Taman Tasik Perdana, which is a big complex consist of a lake garden, butterfly garden, and the world's largest covered bird park. They also let monkeys run around the park. I also got the chance to do some architecTour, and I will post the link here asap. Oh, btw, here's what I ate:
Now that is the must-eat of Malaysia! The left one is rice meal which consist of rendang padang, briyani rice, fish fillet & string beans. It taste heavenly! The pic on the right is almond-tofu with longans & cherries that I got at a chinese restaurant. Ok, that's it for now!