:: revisit Seattle ::

 I'm so happy to be back in Seattle again. I just love the city! This time I'm taking my time exploring the city. The transportation system is so much better than San Francisco and they're three times cleaner. The commuters are polite and well-behaved. It was a pleasant ride from Tukwila (where we were staying). Saw a lot of fun murals, gorgeous houses that looks a bit like they belong in European countrysides, so many trees and flowers! Love this city!

.: Seattle :.

When my parents were here for the holiday we took them to Seattle. I absolutely love Seattle; not only because I love the weather, but it also reminds me a lot of San Francisco. Funny how I use to hate San Francisco with a passion :D Seattle is gorgeous. Too bad we didn't get to explore Bainbridge island, it sounded lovely according to this book that I read after the trip. I hope we can visit it again in the near future :)

 A grand welcome at the airport

 Gingerbread house exhibition at our hotel

Pikes Market at night

There IS another way...

Piroshky Piroshky delights

Best. Glazed. Donut. Ever @ Top Pot

First Starbucks in the world!!! Of course I have to go although 

we have to wait for a while... in the rain...

Fresh shrimp!

Fresh fruits & veggies.

.: lazy, lazy bum :.

I think I've lost you all, since I never posted anything lately :p  I'm too lazy to transfer pictures from my camera because my computer HD is getting full, and I'm too lazy to transfer files to my external HD. Basically, it's a lazy summer. Plus it's been wedding madness this month. I went to Milwaukee for hunny's cousin's wedding. Then I went to my friend's friends' wedding... because she needed a girly date. And my roommates' wedding is coming soon! I can't believe how fast time flies. While both of them went crazy with entertaining family who flew all the way from Indo, me and my roomie's sister are taking care of the household: cleaning, washing dishes, folding laundry, organized boxes to take to the venues... All the while roomie's Grandma is cooking for us :D (yess!) So let me entertain you with some pictures from Milwaukee while I'm making the beeline to the kitchen.

.: trippin' :.

Singapore Airlines' new 737-700 with front controller & personal wide LCD screen.

My happy place in HK airport - open 24hrs almost 365 days a year
New Louis Vuitton store in the newest mall in Singapore: ion
Orchid displays in Changi
And what greets me at Indo's rest area

.: Vacation Story :.

I'm finally back from my vacation! Whew these past two months have been filled with many trips... Many things happened on this last trip. First, when I got into Batam (still in Indonesia), I found out that my luggage, along with 40 others, were left in Jakarta. The airplane employees told us that they decided the plane was overweight so they removed several suitcases and distributed them among the next flights into Batam. Nice. Finally, after 10 desperate hours, I got my suitcase back. Phew... Then the hotel's concierge cheated us on taxi fare; they told us all taxis cost the same. Later we found out that we can actually bargain the fare. Not cool! And what made us feeling totally uncomfortable was, whenever we walk on the sidewalk, people in private cars & motorcycles honked at us, offering to drive us around Batam! I was so glad when we reached Singapore. Despite the fact that some of the people are rude, they won't cheat on you. Their taxi drivers are courteous, knowledgable and friendly. Suitcases won't go missing. And shopping is always fun (although you don't really buy anything) My must visit shops are the regular Mango-Zara-Forever 21-Topshop (my faves; slightly more expensive but better selections), Charles & Keith (fab shoes!!), Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City, Borders, That CD Shop (they sell their own audiophiles mix CD), and Level One underneath Far East Plaza for HK-style boutiques. The Japanese Dept Store Takashimaya is also my fave since they have wide selections of Japanese products for food & goodies.Aren't those stuff so cute? And also affordable! The drawstring bags are made of thick tissue paper. The stuff on the right image are gift pouches, business card holder (the one with birdie on it), photo album, and coasters. I think I caught a Spring Fever because lately I'm crazy about cheerful floral patterns in spring colors (orange,yellow,red) and cannot stop buying stuff with in this colorful patterns! This is a chiffon top from Forever 21, just looking at it makes me feel cheerful already!Those are basically what I got in Singapore aside from several US magazines & books I cannot get in Indonesia.(somehow Indo magazine stands don't have Domino & Blueprint, maybe not yet?)

.: 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!

.: 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...

.: 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!

.: 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