New people

I have know idea whats wrong with all of these new people in my office. First of all, they all call me Mbak or even worse Ibu! I know I always wear excessive make-up, but do I look that old to you to deserved to be called Ibu? I'm a Mom, I know, but an Ibu? I dont think so. The next thing is that there's only a handfull few that have the right to call me Mba, and even them only few years younger than me which Im sure not more than the sum of my left fingers. So please I let you to set the politeness aside and skip the Mba! When you are younger, you feel flattered if people think you are more mature than your age but when you are older and with one child I dont think it is as fun as it used to. We tend to prefer people to think that we looked younger and fresher. See ... women are complicated we tend to hope for the contrary.

Secondly, whats with the new person that I only met once on the induction that I ran into and said that I need to blow dry my hair or even better, suggest me to go to the hairdresser to let them do it for me. Oh,did you just rub on my new scar? The hairdresser that proudly stated that he once cut for Toni & Guy buthchered my hair a few weeks back. Am pretty sensitive about the topic! I only have time for one thing in the morning, its either the face or the hair ... hair seemed hopless and I felt naked without the make up. So I choose make up!

Next time, bobbi

Next time I'm flying out, I'm definitely will buy myself at least one thing from the Bobbi counter. I'm determined that I will not leave the counter empty handed. I will also going to try one of those make over from Bobbi, to learn the most au naturale make up from the best. On my list for Bobbi are:

1. Sun kissed palette, or any eye shadow/combination sets that are worth buying. Espescially those travel special which is very value for money.

2. Lip gloss or lip tint, but preferably lip tint cause I love the packaging ... you apply the gloss directly from the tube hence you didnt have to deal with the wand applicator and its less messy.

3. Creamy concealer kit or corrector, depending on how the make over goes. I'm still searching for the perfect concealer. Im pretty satisfied with my Laura Mercier secret camouflage but maybe Bobbi will do better on concealing my eyes? Im pretty impressed with Bobbi's Living Beauty book where she said by correcting your eyes imperfection with concealer it already help alot in enhancing your look. Which is true, I saw the picture of before and after on real people and the concealer affect really do them wonder!

4. Long wear gel eyeliner in espresson ink or maybe in darker color to replace my Blitz n Glitz MAC Fluidline that starts to dry.

5. A nice pink blush, cause im running out on my MAC blush and not too keen on my current Clinique which seemed to last on me for a lifetime.

Life's a beach

Espescially if you cannot aford your own private beach. How lovely it is if you can lay on the white sand all day, you and only you is there, cause the whole beach is all yours! LOL! Picture is the courtesy of someone who own his own private beach.

Weekend in Paris

I didn’t quite finish the title yet, no I did not go to Paris last weekend, instead I went to Paris van Java that is Bandung with Mom & Dad, my aunt, uncle & cousin. I still didn’t get the idea why they named Bandung the Paris in the island of Java? It does have alot of old colonial style building and the air is cool and so much more refreshing than Jakarta, but to compare it with Paris? I dont think so! I mean do you really think that Paris is as dirty as Bandung? One of the arising problem in Bandung is the uncontrollable household garbage, you can practically see garbage piling on every corner of the city. Apart from that Bandung is actually a great city with a lot of nice building.

Left Jakarta on Fri at 1 o’ clock, it took around 2 hours drive from Jakarta to Bandung and we arrived at around 4 and went straight to Ma Uneh in Setiabudi for late lunch. I was told that this restaurant was among the first that came up with the concept of so-called Sundanese fast food restaurant, hence the steeper price amongst the rest. Raysa seemed to enjoy the nice weather in Bandung.

On the afternoon we went down to Dago for abit of Factory Outlet hopping. Went to Level and bought a nice GAP jeans hat (as seen on the pic) and a pair of Cherokee flair jeans for Raysa. We went to Happening afterward, which was connected to Rich & Famous but now they closed down. I usually checked Happening when I went to Bandung, but I guess they’re not as good as they used to.

Feelin abit tired from the FO hoppin, we head down to Paris Van Java. It looked like Citos from outside, but IMO its way better! They have row of café facing to the street which also have outside seating as well. With the weather like Bandung I think you can actually manage to sit outside comfortably. On the inside, they have shops that looked like small shopping arcade without the rooftop. It looked really nice and cozy, if only they have better shops selection. Raysa really enjoyed PVJ though, she get really pissed if we stop! When we had coffee in Oh La La she couldn’t stop jumpin all around the place. She even make friend with the waitress on the café and smiles with the bunch of ABG on the other couch.

The next day we went for some more FO hoppin with Rumah Mode first on the list. They have wide selection of Children, Men & Women wear. Lots of nice dresses with nice cutting, some of them are price reasonably but there are some that ridicilously expensive! Found a nice Giordano Bolero and fake Seven & MNG jeans which looked awful on me. As for the top, they're quite similar to those you can find in ITC, only pricier! Found several H&M tops as well priced at 200k, this is H&M we're talkin about! They're like Target or Supre in Oz, so I very much mind paying 200k for a H&M top that I found in FO!

What I love about this place is that they have a cozy café, several restaurants and playground for the kids. The coffee that they serve is really nice, although they are not for the faint hearted cause the acidity of the coffee is really strong. I took my caramel latte without sugar and they taste just perfect, what’s better is taking your latte with single shot instead of double. Warung Bali also serve nice Nasi Campur and Lotek. Apart from that, they also have Eaton and Bumbu Desa which is another Sundanese fast food restaurant with a better price compared to Ma Uneh. Raysa love it here, cause the place is crowded and she can watch the kids playin at the playground. Two shops from Rumah Mode they have another FO called Natural, nothing fancy, but they have nice selection of children wear. Heritage & Cascade was pretty good as well, lots of local brand like Transform, Atmosphere and Ciel. I also went to Glamour & Raffles Hill in Dago afterward, but they’re not that good.

Leave Bandung on Sunday and the traffic wasn’t bad at all. It’s been a great long weekend. Meanwhile, R was spending his long weekend at a friend’s house that has a view to his own private beach. Wouldn’t you like that? Your own private beach? Will add the picture of the beach later.

I found the bracelet

I've been wanting this kind of bracelet eversince I saw Nicole Richie sporting one of the CC Skye woven bracelet from a long time ago. Never find a good copy in Jakarta for ages, and when I went to Bangkok, I accidently found one in white (my favourite color) and they only have 1! Actually it looked really nice the way Nicole Richie wear two of them at the same time.

The bracelet is the one on the top. I bought the one on the bottom for my mom, which is kinda classic and cute with a heart charm to finished the pearl looked. I'm also lovin the white loop earring, its so me!

If only, In an alternate universe

If you werent who you are today, if you could change your career to a totally brand new one in an instance ... what profession do you want to do?

1. As insane as it might sound, I actually want to be a DJ. I always love the extra loud music pumping your heart whenever I visited the club. I always take notice of the music that the DJ playin and of course the level of coolness when they're actually playin. Both the guys and girls DJ they always look extra cool when they seemed to have fun with the crowd and playing good music. I can actually pictured myself spending my weekends spinning in my knee hi converse with the dresses. Whenever I imagined myself doin sumtin, the first thing that came to my mind is what outfit I will be wearin.

2. Which bring us to the second profession that come to my mind, which is to be a fashion designer. I want to be the newly discovered Tom Ford, you know that designer with an egde! Or the new Marni, I always love her sporty design that yet looked so chic. If other people dreamt to be the supermodel that showcase the designer collections, I grew up wanting to be the person dressing the model.

3. As most people already know, I'm a make up freak, so its not a surprise that I want to be a Make Up Artist. I mean I'm known as the person who did the make up for everybody among my friend. So mine as well do it professionally rite?

Lunch today

Today I have the nicest lunch with a plate of baked squid with aioli salad with an extra scramble eggs on the side at Bakerzin. I know I'm an egg maniac, but I couldnt help it. I could never pass a nice plate of scramble egg!

Appropriate breakfast

Im so hungry, didnt have breakfast this morning. I miss all the hotel and/or restaurant big continental breakfast. I'm an avid fan of scramble egg! This is how an appropriate breakfast should be served, two scramble eggs with 2 sausages and a basket of bread with butter and raspberry jam. BTW I have the oddest habbit of mixing the scramble eggs with the raspberry jam. The mixture between the melting scramble eggs and the sweet rasberry jam actually taste really nice. Oh dont forget a cup of coffee with extra warm milk on the side and a glass of fruit juice.

8 Months and standing

Raysa in Pancious after monthly visit to the doctor. Weighted at about 7.96kg.

Finally sightseeing

After several days here, finally got the chance to go around Bangkok for sightseeing. Went to visit the huge Wat Pho with its famous extremely huge reclining Buddha. Afterward I went to the Royal Palace as well, which of course being the palace it is extremely huge and grand, in a very Siamese architectural way you can imagine. We have to walk around the palace to find the entrance gate, phew that was tiring.

Had lunch in MBK, nothing fancy just a fast food thing. Stroll around the MBK abit, its huge at around 5 floor with so many stuff to buy. Theres couple of shop that sell really good designer watches fake, they quote me for 2000 Baht, but I suspect they cost way cheaper than that. Good place to find some souvenirs as well, they have wide selections at the upper floor.

Head down back to the sport complex to pick up my luggage in the afternoon and transfering to Ibis for the rest of my stay in Bangkok. The Hotel is small but its really clean and minimalist, its right in the middle of the city. Most of the shopping centres are 15 min travelling distance (by car). Had dinner in overly huge newly renovated Central World, the Japanese food is not superb but its alrite.

What I liked the most about the place is that they house Zen department store in which they have every brand that you can think of, both clothing and cosmetic ... that you barely can afford. The first floor have every brand that you can think of, NARS, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, MAC, Stila, Philosophy, Origins, Lola, Shu, and the big one that you always find here. When I step foot at Zen I felt like I was dreamin. The only problem is that most of the SA doesnt speak english really fluently, so I'm really reluctant to asked for a makeover. God how would I know what they put in my face if I barely understand what the heck are they sayin!

Just realized that most of the stuff there is more expensive than in Indonesia. They have nice selection of shoes though in the department shoes. I wouldnt mind having few of them, if only I can afford them!

Postcard from the camp, 3rd day

Wake up early again for aerobic which is of course exhausting! I forgot that I can sweat this much, haven’t really had any proper exercise since I was pregnant. Bfast was great, had porridge with Chinese donut and sumtin that cooked like serabi but used coconut milk instead and they’re smaller in size. Actually come to think of it, its very similar with serabi Solo.

Went straight to Khao Kheaw open zoo which took about 1hr drive from the resort. If to compare it with Taman Safari, IMO the zoo is smaller in size and have less varieties of animals. You can take the door less tram though to go around the zoo, but there’s still some barrier between you and the animal. We make a stop in several places in which in two of them I take a picture with an animal that looked similar to skunk and the other one was my mom’s fave animals which is elephant. I never much of an animal person, I’m even afraid of the cat … so you get the point rite! So it took a huge leap of faith for me to actually take pictures with these animals.

At the end we watch a bird show and went around the zoo school which mostly exhibits the snakes & lizard family. I witnessed a small mouse waitin to be eaten by the snake, how horrible! I’m not a mouse fan but the mouse is so tiny and the snake was huge!

Have a chance to catch a ½ hours sleep after the trip and the dinner tonite is pretty formal where the servant served us all the food. We had so many things for dinner and all of them are delicious! After the dinner was the group performance, the topic revolves around the sustaining of our environment. Most of the shows are fun, funny, fresh and entertaining.

As a closing, the organizer turns off the light and every participant was holding a candle light and waving them in the air as they sang the ASEAN song. And of course taking pictures are in order! Vanity is very contagious!

Everyone were dancing and singing at the end. I was jumping all around and sweatin like hell. I’ve forgotten how fun dancing was. These boys & girls have reminded me of my own youthful days which that chapter of my life have already passed. Will update wif pictures later when I received them from the other participants.

So I guess this is the last nite of the camp?

* Photos, clockwise: 1. Me with whatshisname, 2. The elephants, 3. Manmade savannah land, 4. The baby leopard named ASEAN, 5. The view from the top, 6. Me with the big elephant

Postcard from the camp, 2nd day

Slept pretty well last nite, the room is more comfortable and not as creepy as the one in the sports complex. I think the place is sort of a beach resort owned by the Navy and plus they also have TV! Wake up pretty early for some aerobic, and oh my god … its extremely tiring! Of course being tired from the aerobic and all I took a big breakfast!

We depart at 9 for the sea turtle conservation centre at the Royal Thai Navy based where they briefed us on marine environmental awareness. They played some background information on the sea turtle and we got to see the turtle in the nursery, most of them are couple of days old with couple of bigger one. At the end of the visit we got to release 5 turtle into the sea.

Had lunch in the resort and afterward the participants were separated into group to prepare for their group presentation tomorrow nite. Most of them head down to the beach afterward but since it was raining today and I felt a bit dizzy already I decided to skip the beach and took some medicines and slept during the entire afternoon.

*Photos, clockwise: 1. Posing in front of the conservation wif the turtle statue, 2. Sea turtle aged less than 10 days, 3. The big one in the aquarium, 4. The beautiful view to the sea from the base, 5. That way to the sea!, 6. Bye bye we're off to the sea