The Last Lecture

"The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're here to stop the other people"
- Randy Pausch in "The Last Lecture" -

I just *heart* the book. You could read it as the inner kid in you, as an adolescent, as a future parent, or even as a seasoned parent. This gotta be my favourite non-fiction book ever... I hope to read it again & again.
The video of last lecture is in YouTube as well (1hr16mins).

the Blue Sky

You know you are a photo geek when you look at the sky & see the clear blue backdrop with spots of white cloud, and all you could think of is the 3-letters-word "CPL".
In Jkt, it is so hard to get a glimpse of this, that everytime I see it, I pause & just be thankful for the day.

Heroes.... !!!

"Forget your thoughts. What is your heart telling you to do?"
Parkman, Heroes Season 3.

Tips from an inspiring parent

Couldn't sleep at my proper bedtime. too much adrenaline running after a long meeting-run at work. Zapped the tv on & watched a dad's math olympiad winner daughter being interviewed. From the instant he answered questions on TV, I knew he was a good educator. What he said, and he really did say it nicely:
- Raihlah cita-cita itu, selama cita-cita itu gratis.
- Lihat ke arah mana interest si anak dan kembangkan, bukan kembangkan interest yg dimaui oleh orang tua, tapi interest si anak.
- Kembangkan interest si anak, agar dia bisa pakai itu sebagai arah dalam hidup.

Now, I realized I have quoted this not 100% exact wording, cause the interview sounded much better than the words I have typed in. But more or less, that was the meaning & I thought it was just good to note it down here, for me to remember...

And the little daughter, a probably 12 year old kid, the mathematics whizz actually said:
Matematika itu tidak dihafal, tapi dimengerti. Kalau mengerti, maka sendirinya akan hafal...

Hah...! It's really good wording, I shall say it if I meet someone who has difficulty in Maths. I really believe this, because that's what i've always (tried) to do for maths & physics :)

1 year after

- Looking back, I am grateful that we could celebrate the one year ocassion over the weekend trip he made.
- We had a shared foie gras at a resto next door, which was sublime :) nyam - nyam. i still can remember how the soft duck melted in my mouth :)
- After one year, we discovered that both of us had much saving ... in kilograms of weight, that is... hehe. he couldnt fit into his pre-wed shirt anymore, and me, of course u can instantenously see it from my cheeks :)
- We have a wish for next year. Well actually 2 wishes. not to tell out loud for now. but I do hope both will happen smoothly.
- Mundane Conversation we had:
A: Honey, how much do u love me
B: As much as the US Bailout plan
:)

Happy Anniversary Darling!

Retro Colors

Love how the colors by Kate Spade (1-3) and Paul Costello (4) interact with each other.
I would probably only dare to wear the 4th combination though.
Still, each of these pics speak for themselves beautifully.
ps. note the Palin hairstyle & glasses.

Scent of a Woman

I kinda have a soft-spot for lovely smell these days.
Some smells do lift me up and what I like best is fragrance that lasts longest across all my different moods
(Hence my favourite Summer of Kenzo).

Just browsed thru People's website & discovered SJP has launched another new perfume called "Covet - Pure Bloom" in a purple amethyst-topped bottle. Quote:
"The fashionista adds ultra-rare royal Indonesian pikake flower to the fragrance's tuberose heart, mixed with top notes of purple plum, fresh mandarin and coconut water and base notes of amber and creamy musk"

I was wondering what pikake meant & googled it. And it's actually jasmine flower. why dont they just call it jasmine, duh...

Anyway, I can't wait to smell it. Would it be as lovely as "lovely" (ooohhh this one is also very nice, but i think it doesnt cover as much mood as Summer).

ps: Tuberose = Bunga Sedap Malam. wow, this perfume seems to smell more like an aromatic javanese spa :)

Flight of the Red Balloon

Just finished watching this movie. My kind of movie when I feel I need something calming & refreshing...

Some notes on the movie:
- Like many other french non-action movies, the pace is slower compared to Hollywood movies. I feel that slower-paced movies give you enough time to connect & feel the characters in the movie.
- This movie reaffirms my believe in the difference btw general american & french movies... americans like to produce more adrenaline-wrenched movies, caters to most markets & easy to watch. While many french movies are little bit more poetic, the enjoyment of watching comes from implicit meaning of the stories. I'm not saying one is better than the other, I actually enjoy watching both, just depends on what mood I am on.
- I enjoyed this movie because, one, it reminds me of everyday's Paris. Many movies are set in Paris, but few show the 'daily' part of this. The setting chosen in a small old parisian apartment really gives you the smell of it. The apt is so small that the camera shoots were always taken from the same angle. It also gives you an attachment feeling to the movie.
- Second reason, probably, because I can connect to the main character. A busy woman, trying to juggle between finding money (work) and family. Sometimes, I wonder if I could be good in both, once I have more members in my family :)
- I thought the ending song "Tchin Tchin" (as in sound of 2 glasses clinking), by Camille, wrapped the movie beautifully

The Inheritance of Loss

Currently reading this book by Kiran Desai, and so far it's been a good read.
Excerpt:
"... The greatest love is love that's never shown."
"You say anything that suits you." (Sai)
"Yes, I've found it's the best way" (the cook)

Cream au Caramel

I finally baked my first desert using my oven. After trying out making grilled banana au caramel with dried raisins last Tuesday, I decided it is now the time to make something milk based. My mind unfolded to cream caramel memories, my mum bakes really good ones when I was small & she always said it's easy to make.

So I searched in the internet for the recipe & there is the result.


I dont know how it tastes yet, as it's still cooling off & I will put it in the fridge, before savouring it cold. So far, the smell is good & the look does not fail. Hmmm... I hope it's good enough to share with people in the office :)

last update as of 27 Sept: The cream tasted as much as I wanted it to be :) Yippee!

Dinner is served

Cooked myself snapper fillet a la bonne femme. Just took the recipe randomly from the internet and replaced the bay leave with italian herbs. The look was great but my fish was sort of tasteless. Shoulda have sprinkled lots more salt.

Dream come true

Gili Trawangan was beautiful.... I was in awe when for the first time I saw so many fish in front of my eyes dancing in the clear blue water. It was a real get-away island and I hope it remains a little hidden paradise for a little bit more time.
More photos of the 10 day holiday trip to Bali/Gili/Lombok in http://picasaweb.google.com/Iniakupake/200809BaliGiliLombok

The value of things

Some things cannot be bought by money. And happiness is one of them.

Today was my mum's b-day & it's not the treats that made me happy for her, but it's the fact that we could just spent the one day together as a family. That is priceless :)

Trip to Ujung Genteng

Although this was dry season & that means waterfalls were dry in Ujung Genteng, we anyway took a 3 days trip to the cape. The travelling was marvellous, passing thru beautiful unheard plantations. The beach had strong waves & were rocky. The best thing we did was hunting for the 2 waterfalls, Cikaso & Cigangsa. Cigangsa setting is breathtaking and it was just located behind someone's yard. No roadsign on how to reach the place. we just had to ask around on how to find this hidden place, that deserves more recognition. Then again, slighter more buzz on it would probably cause too many litters/garbage around the beautiful area.
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Iniakupake/200809UjungGenteng#

Gili Trawangan

hmm... where to stay?

Beautiful Sydney

Love this city!

Last day of Xenia

Today is a bit sentimental. I let go my first car to a family living in Southern Jakarta. I never had thought that I could feel some sort of sadness in my last few moments with this car today. The car carries a lot of memories and for me it's just like my faithful dog. My companion when i'm alone, driving me to places in the City, during worst times, sad times, happy times, tired or not tired, traffic jam or flawless traffic, finding a house, choosing wedding vendors, dating my ex-boyfriend (now husband), and carrying me home safely every night. It energizes me every morning and calms me after a busy day. If it was a living thing, it would be able to read my mind and would be my best friend.
The car that never failed me. The car that carries many stories.

KL-Malacca

Just came back from a 5-days trip, tx to AirAsia, really everyone can fly!

Birdpark, Petronas Tower, Malacca Old Town, Sunway Lagoon. Basically those were the highlights of the places we went to. Ow, and a blind desperate try to reach Desa Srihartamas, instead we wind up in Bangsar Village.

KL envies me & really puts Jakarta to shame. The roads are clean, highways all over the place make travelling feel smoother. Then again, KL does not have as much population as JKT.

Trip to Jogja

A trip to temples with my loved ones:
- Candi Cetho, Karanganyar
- Panoramic view of Borobudur, Desa Seganan
- Gedong Songo, Bendungan, Ambarawa

Wonderful 10 days

What I love when he's not around:
- Listening to his voice over the phone.
- Smelling his odour trapped in my car's aircon. I swear sometimes the blower just blows it onto my face time to time.

What I loved when he was around for 10 days this month:
- Playing paintball with his workmates & savouring ayam goreng brebes Lembang.
- relaxing at cafe Jasmine, with a plasma tv cornered on its saungs.
- discovering pork noodles from mangga besar.
- romantic dining at Toscano Kemang. We always wanted to go here & finally this month. It wasnt us that were romantic of course, it's just the atmosphere.
- him allowing me taste Steak21 (not bad!)
- accompanying me & friends to Bandar Ancol. Yummy seafood under the torrential rain!
- and just being able to hug and hold him close.

April Trip to Yogya

The moment I landed in Adi Sucipto, my Dad drove me straight to Keraton Area & I started taking pictures... I also did a dawn search of the sunrise, which wasn't too successful as it was cloudy everyday (& also raining). Anyway, I still loved what I was doing :)

The gift of life

My 2 last watched movies (both of which I've enjoyed much):

Knocked Up (starring beautiful Katherine Heigl) & Juno (featuring energetic Ellen Page)

Commonalities: Both revolve around the pregnancy topics.

I am not sure why, but this topic has come by to me quite a few times recently (maybe because I'm married, duh... ?)

Let's see.... what are the 2 most common annoying questions u ever get, on your personal life, once u have a partner... It will be in ascending order:

1. When will u both get married?

2. When will u have a baby?

Not that the question itself is annoying, but the fact that everybody asks this question is what makes it. Repetition kills, my friend (and I dont know yet what is the 3rd question after this).

For me, getting married was not a difficult step for me. It was like, I've wanted to do this, since long time ago. It was a dream to be fulfilled. But getting a baby is totally a different thing for me, a person who likes to be prepared for all kind of things. State of mind, mentally, and the knowledge of it. It's a totally different ball game I need to adjust to & to get to know of, I've thought. Since I'm not a person who go crazy over those little kids you know....

However, what people say turn out to be rite... The want of it comes naturally... I guess we dont have to make something simple complicated.

I pray that God will grant us this gift soon. The gift of life.

Goals Achieved

2006: I achieved what i had thought would be a life-time dream: see the Gaudi Sacrada Familia church in Barcelona.

2007: CK & I got married, which is a milestone for every little girl and boy that exists in our heart.

2008: I bought my first SLR & took up a photography course. Something I always thought was expensive, but I thought it was now or never (while no kiddies in the house yet :) ).

Verdict:

Gaudi's work: unimaginative creativity. Loved it.

Wedding: never regretted every step of it & each thing that comes afterward.
Photography: I can only hope this would be a wise & fruitful step as my previous goals.

Quote

It's been some time I havent't come across with Calvin & Hobbes...

"You can present the material, but you can't make me care"

27 Dresses

- Loved the movie

- This is so my favourite type of movie, romantic comedy with a down-to-earth character & it may be for this year :)
- I love Katherine Heigl eyes & how all the different eye make-ups look great on her.
- I also love her character's wardrobe, neat, but a little bit bohemian.

- This movie is so Aline Brosh McKenna's signature, I felt the plot speed is very simlar to Devil Wears prada, whose scenario she also did.

- Sadly, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ only rated it at 37%. I guess most of the voters were guys & they just dont get it :)
- Another great romantic comedy I loved is Sweethome Alabama. The similarity with 27D is that the male protagonist is also very down-to-earth. And I just notice RT rated this at 38% :)

Dinner

Tonite, I made my ayam jeruk limau again with sayur daun singkong.
Kali ini sayur daun singkongnya gak dibobor, tapi dikasi bumbu campur2 yg standar itu lhoh.
ternyata lbh enak.
Jadi ramuannya: bwng merah, putih, kunyit, jahe, garam diulek. dimasukin ke santan cair + tambahin daun salam + lengkuas. masukkan sayur daun singkong + teri.
lbh enak diginiin daripada dibobor. :)
Terus darurat bikin sambel yg pake terasi gitu. biar lebih nendang :) alhasil nasi jatah buat besok pun dah 1/2 habis, kemakan hari ini pula.

Grey

Am currently watching Grey's Anatomy Season 4. Lovely beginning. Just makes my sleeps smooth after watching them. Always love it when McDreamy & Meredith are together.

Destination

Fish Sauce

Hmmm.... finally found the secret for the perfect taste for my pan-fried oyster-sauced vegetables. Just add 1 spoon of it and it just gives the needed extra flavour

Free Wifi!

I'm so happy. My crib has been officially pimped. Yup, I can get free wifi here, in my room.
The only thing is that it works only at nite, when there isn't so much signal interfering i guess.
Nevertheless, viva the wireless age!

Reading Status

Tonight I finally finished "Norwegian Wood". I didnt like the first half of the book as I thought it was too slow, but when I continued reading it last night after more than a month stopping, I didnt stop reading it & finished till the end.

He is a wonderful writer & I liked the ending. I will read more of his books...

I have also bought 2 new books this weekend:

- Lonely Planet Thailand (hint hint...)

- The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

Thoughts of the Day

There are times when your days feel grey and you lose focus in giving thanks. Luckly, these past few days, I have been able to feel a little bit like a rainbow. When I sat down on my couch last night, I stayed calm for a moment & a thought came to me: I am blessed. I have a house (despite it is a floating one), I have a car, I have a husband (despite being far, but still tries to accomodate my complaints, when i have one), a loving family, and a wonderful job.
Sometimes you just have to stop your daily routines, take a deep breath & sit down, to feel this way.
Thank you Lord for the life You have given.

Healthy dose of garlic

Konon, kata Pak Bondan Mang Maknyus, orang Itali suka sekali masak dengan bawang putih.Jadilah malam ini saya bikin spaghetti, dengan daging cacah saos tomat, tak lupa saya kasi bawang putih. Cukup satu siung, dan biar lebih nendang saya ulek dulu di cobekan sebelum dicampur ke daging cacah.

Nyam2. Klo sudah begini rasanya udah sprt makan spageti paling enak di dunia hehehe.

Gulping for my saliva

Best food to try...
1. udang bakar madu mang engking jogja
2. sosis bali rm bali jogja
3. mi item anaknya Pak William Wongso di Kemang Food Fest
4. pork ribsnya bebek bengil Ubud
5. Nasi Campurnya Bu Oka Ubud
6. Fried Shrimp with Cereal No Signboard Esplanade Sg. (Ada jg sih cabangnya di Pacific place)
7. My mamma's udang whisky
8. My mamma's ayam dimasak pake anggur merah & fresh cream
9. Kangkungnya d'cost Kemang
10. Sambal Borehnya om Rudy di Rumah Warisan. Gak terlalu pedes, berminyak, tp ada jeruk nipisnya gitu.
and sbg bonus: Es Krim Haagen Daaz Belgian Chocolate.
Hoehoe... langsung inget lagu "ooo.. heaven is a place on earth...."

The Nature's wonder

Ever wonder how a doctor can exactly predict at what date a baby is gonna be born out of his mother's womb? I still cant get the logic. When i have the ocassion i will ask the expert.

burning need

Did pilates on my own, following a video by Dianne Ramirez, to work on my abdo. Desperately need to flatten my tummy. I could pinch my fats on my stomach while driving home, not 3 rows of proud muscle, but 3 rows of glycerols & fatty acids. Urgh.
ps: What constitutes body fat?
Fats are organic compounds that are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are a source of energy in foods. Fats belong to a group of substances called lipids, and come in liquid or solid form. All fats are combinations of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. (according to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/)

Cooking with Santan

Setelah minggu lalu saya memasak lauk ala bumbu santan perdana saya (Ayam Jeruk Limau* or i prefer to call it Ayam Jeruk Purut, sprtnya lbh nempel aja... :) ), hari ini saya memasak sayur ala santan yg pertama kali.
(Drum roll pls)Ini dia Sayur daun singkong bobor...

interesting factsnya adalah:
- Ini gak murni daun singkong, tapi ada sdkt bayam juga, sisa yg masih segar dari segepok yg sudah mengering di lemari es...
- Menurut contekan resep, harus ada sedikit kencur di dlm sayur ini, walo saya gak trlalu tau rasa khasnya di sebelah mana.
- Sayur ini dimakan dgn ayam goreng sambal boreh Om Rudy. Nendang deh!
- Kurang sedikit gula sih rasanya, mgkn krn daun singkong aga pahit. lain kali musti dibanyakin.
- tangkai2 daun singkong itu keras yah. lain kali musti dibuangin deh.
- sayur ini bisa dicampur dng labu siam juga loh. atau klo om rudy, dia tambahin sama semacam ikan teri yg kecil2 gitu. enak juga.- santannya santan Kara. Aga kental gitu & baunya aga beda sama santan asli.
- terus terang ada rasa yg agak aneh sih masakan ini, saya gak tau ini kebanyakan kencur or kebanyakan laos or kurang gula ya. hehehe...
ps: btw my ayam daun purut was much more successful & it was IMHO delicious :

Corners of my habitat

After years living in a rented place, It feels good to actually finish your day by knowing u will reach a place u can call home.Some corners of my sanctuary that i love:
- My salmon kitchen tiles matching with my pinkish light brown wooden laminate.
- My antique-look-alike shoe cabinet. Love the handles, they come from Jepara
- My japanese style wallpaper (luv it)
- My dried flowers, complimentary from Lia
- My horizontal mirror. Makes the room look wider
I am not exatcly in love with my TV cabinet. But since the big speakers are already available as my husband property, my judgement says that it is best to make use of them, rather than watching them sitting carelessly in the attic of a sibling's house. I feel this is the best adjustment, in terms of design, that can be made to accomodate these bulky speakers :). And now i can watch my fake dvds in 5 audio channels mode. Yipee!

About Roads in Jakarta

About roads in jakarta that give me joy:
- Driving in Jl Rasuna Said at 80kmh, when the road is empty at 9pm, it gives me a high!
- Seeing the old tree in Jl Erlangga blossom behind the florist house, red flowers among the falling tree ligaments, makes me smile. It's like finding hope in an unexpected place.
- Finding myself driving in Tebet or Santa or Kemang Area. These places feel so homy, with shops stored in houses, rather than malls.

Road things in Jakarta that I wish didnt exist:
- Full car parking lots in Malls in the middle of the day, esp those malls with hyperstores in it. Just make my groceries shopping harder.
- Thoughtless drivers taking up my safety space between my car & the one in front of me :(
- Surprise holes on the asphalt roads. and boom! there goes your shock absorbers.

Lovely Sky

Love the skies. Rarely see these clouds in town. Medco Tower in Progress. Photo taken after a dose of heavy rain poured on Jakarta.

Nice!

This one is my favourite designer http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/ . Love her line: feminically elegant yet simple and wearable. and she does make fabulous wedding dresses!
She's actually filipino but lives in the US.

Retro Decor

Lovely retro lamps & the beam roof support of a hall.First one was in GKI Cibunyut Bandung & Second one was in GKI P.Polim Jkt.Looks like these 2 churches adopted the same architecture era style, not really sure when.