Party dresses

Just an update.. here is new pict of the girls (and their hubby) in awesome dresses at our engagement party yesterday.
I will upload more photos from the party in my other blog. 

Dinner week?

I feel really happy could finally meet one of my former colleague from Perth office, Paul Bryant, here in Jakarta. We used to chat via YM discussing about work and sometimes other stuff too. Found out years ago that his wife, Erin, is from Jakarta and her parent's house is near mine. I told Paul to contact me whenever he got a chance to come back to Jakarta to visit Erin's family. 

So, finally they are here for family visit and had the after wedding dinner and photo shot that they haven't had since they exchanged their wedding vows a year ago on Sydney bridge! Yes, on top of Sydney bridge. How cool was that!

I had a lovely dinner with Erin's family, updating my self with everyone that I get to know in IDF from Paul and speaking english again (?!). This is great, had two dinners in two days!  

33B33/22 - hang out with GF (first attempt)

Finally we actually had The Dinner, after rescheduling three times. This is my first attempt to hang out with the girls.
Yes, we are living in the same city but probably we are busy with our own family and jobs so we don't hang out much anymore. So this was a good thing to do, I hope we could do it more often.

Went out with the girls and their princesses, met with one of our uni friend - Freddy - and his family.
Grace, got her slim body back after 10 months. I met Nicole (10 months) for the first time, she so cute with her three teeth and big round eyes.
Pricil with her big baby bump looking fresh as usual. Keiko (almost 2) is taller now and getting prettier. Still has not talk yet but she's very good in mimicking any kind of sound and very adventurous.
Patsy still glowing very patiently talking with Giselle, the most well behaved princesses today in her pink outfit - her own choice.

Most of the time we were talking about their daughters, exchanged a little tips here and there about the baby food, took some cute pictures and just once talking about my wedding shoes. Yes, I'm still talking about shoes while they already talk about kindergarden or school. I need to catch up really quickly!  

CengBoyz

How to spend a weekend with a bunch of 20-ies:
- Life music
- Smoke
- Beer
- Nibbles
- BB
*Please pay attention to the BB part. I assume because of the music was too loud so it's a common policy here to interact through thumbs and screens.

My brothers and me have been living in this tiny street in a rural area away from the city central. It was a really quite area, where 20 years ago you could walk on the rice field and goats would stop by in front of our house just to chew my dad's trees. So, everyone grown up. All those children who used to play hide and seek every evening in their childhood now busy with their full time job. Thanks to the "advance" technology from BB, they now still keep communicating via BBM and have their own group - CengBoyz

I had a privilege to join with them (and their partners) last night and spent the rest of the night at Cafe Pisa.  I had lots of fun, mostly was looking at seven of them BBm-ing and the band singing Keong Racun -- please insert smile emoticon here --
☆ †h♌nk γ☺u ☆

Here are some pics from last night. 

Pisa Kafe - Cafe Pisa??

Definitely because I'm new (so I called myself) and the city changed a lot in 6 years. We went to Pisa cafe and bistro at Puri Indah last night but this is not the same Pisa cafe at Kemang, tho they both bring the same typical Italian Gelato and ice cream.

Oh, and this place provides life music on the upper floor with AC and apparently you can smoke there. It's like a small cute little smoke bag, a good place if you want to develop lung cancer and quick eye irritation.

Here are the gang, some of us were upstairs enjoying the life music and the smoke accompanied with Heineken and Bintang.

Nearly There....

I left Adelaide on the 20th Feb and was in Singapore for 5 days, mainly just walking around the city – can I say Orchard road as a city?
So glad I saw Mr Chai waiting for me at the Airport gate with his new hair cut. A little bit like highschool-style I may say. Oh, and I've got a special request not to post any of his picture in this blog.
The second day we met friends from uni, the famous PawPaw and the lovely Meryani – 7 years seems just like yesterday. She hasn’t changed much, but absolutely look pretty with her makeup and cute voice. It’s too cute – I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when she speaks.

Pawpaw walked us around from Ion Orchard and walked to Chijmes. It was like a walk-marathon – Shopping walk, China town walk and A little bit of Colonial District Walk.


I love love love the Chijmes area and The Raffles. sorry I'm not a big fan of shopping in Singapore. The courtyard with small fountain in centre and all the old details, it was so perfect IF the weather is a bit cooler – say uhmmm 26-28° Mediterranean weather!
Here is photo of my feet after 3 days walking nonstop. Notice all the inflated fingers! Never in years I have this kind of feet. They look like bear-foot.

I miss Adelaide already...

Fringe10 - parade night

Well, last day shouldn't be staying at home packing. We decided to end my last night in Adelaide with a bang - or something like that.

Thank God The Fringe Festival was officially opened today. We went to see the parade. To me, the parade was a kind of resume of every festivals and everything that happen in Adelaide. From the Indigenous, Enviro people (eat vegie y'all!), GLBT, youngsters, Emos, Dancers, Geeks, Disable peoples etc. Here are some highlights from the parade. Suprissingly, no Nayima Hassan!! ppffeeewwww....


and here are some photos of the lovely gurls....

Comedy night

I intend to spend my last days in Adelaide enjoying the festivals which start to kick in this February. Not much but I still could see 2 comedy shows last night.






Justin Hamilton's Idiot Man Child was hilarious. His first review just came out at dbMagazine yesterday and seems not bad. I cant stop laughing when he said "you are not as interested as you think you are". That was a joke about the tram with 3 people sitting next to him. And the vibrating!! hahahahahahaha hilarious!



Second performance was Red Bastard from USA. Eric Davis act as The Bouffon, first thought cross my mind was.. gosh this guy look like deformed red capsicum. We might not had the greatest audience (only 65 people out of 350 seats) but we had fun because that means The Red Bastard could touched every single of us.
Check the website, I learnt alot about Eric Davis and The Bouffon there.

Red Pinky day

It's a Confusing day.. Even my mobile screen-saver tend to choose Valentine's day than Chinese New Year. It has floating hearts since morning and no sign at all for fireworks. It needs to know that her owner prefer CNY than Valentine's.

Anyway, Marie+Neil and I went for lunch at House of Pearl. It's a new restaurant just opened a week ago in China Town. Food are alright, we all love Eggplant with garlic and chili! Battered small cubes of Eggplants deep-fried together with lots of minced garlic and chili. It's crunchy but soft inside. I think should be easy to cook this.


Then we went for a walk in the city, dropped by to Garden of Unearthly Delights. Remind me that I should see at least 1 performance before I fly back.

Gong Xi and Happy Valentine's day
XOXO

Last dinner with Wright girls

After my 'Open room' sale today, all 4 of us (+Neil) went for last dinner coz Connie probably wont have time to see us anymore since she is really busy juggling with work, school and finding new place.

All dinner are on Marie! Rarely happen.. but i think she just miss the whole girl-bound-thingy. I know I'll miss them too. When I asked where they would be in a year time.
Connie said she will be in Adelaide just finishing her school and looking for job while waiting for her graduation ceremony.
Shaniece said she will be either in Adelaide or in Melbourne to continue her 2nd year college. Neil said.. where else he will be, Adelaide of course.
And for Marie she will be where Neil will be. so sweet....

Anyway, no time for mellow.. Dinner was at Bombay Bicycle club - Gungadins restaurant near our house. We've been planing to go there since 2 years ago. Exterior was nice, interior even better. But I found that only some areas in the restaurant have "that" atmosphere. I recommend to come here in a small group (2-3 people), then they will take you to smaller room where you can feel that warmth ambience. Big group wont have a nice place except if you book at the centre room in front of the bar.
Food were alright, but Jasmine might be better.

Australia Day

Weather was absolutely perfect! This time instead of typical BBQ lunch we went to Victor Harbour to celebrate Australian day. Well, actually not really celebrating, it was more about getting out from the heat at home.
We made some stops on the way. First stop was just a look out where we can see a nice warm golden yellow open field with sea on the back ground. So typical of Australian scenery.
Second stop was a breathtaking water dam. that's probably we were standing quite high above the water dam. I totally forgot the name.
Next was Selwyn's Rocks in Inman Valley. A small glazier rocks which prove that much of South Australian was covered by ice in Permian period. Don't expect a huge impressive rocks here.. it is actually just a small area, but Neil said in winter it was really beautiful. The water level will be a bit higher and all the trees are just lushly green. We had a quick lunch there. Marie's famous tandori chickens and some bread.
After that we reached Victor Harbour. We didn't go to Granite Island as usual but instead we went to the other side of Victor Harbour where we can see from distance a UniAde research boat was floating above the water, I hope they are working...
Neil took us to the end side of the Murray River. He usually come here to take some fishes for his research. It was a nice place, all open, wide quiet river with clear sky. Compare to where I work: small room facing red panel everyday with unpredictable AC above your head. Totally different world. Marie managed to do some yoga here but ended up doing that super hero pose.
On the way back to Adelaide, we passed a bunch of Angus cow. I just knew that these are the famous angry angus from Hungry Jack's. I always thought that Angus is someone's name..
I had a great time and look forward for the Great Ocean Road trip next month!

Joyeux Noel!!

OOhhh.. best lunch ever! Not just because everything was seafood, but lots of things! Xmas lunch this year hosted by Marie and Neil as the BBQ-chef. Start from Abalone soup, Garlic Prawns, Pickled Octopus, Stuffed Squid, BBQ Snapper, Yummy Oysters and Marie's delicious Mussles.

Some peoples are not in this photos but they surely came home with full stomach~~

We even had Tiger Moment! John T-16 months tot- taught us how to swing.

And of course Gift time!! from Rua, Ahmed and Yafa. (I didn't even gave them presents - shame on me!) All the things that I love - except the "very personal" one.. cant even mentioned it here, because it is too personal. Who's hair was that???!!! eeuuwwwwww
But Thank You So Much!!! I feel like I received xmas presents from the whole Adelaide!
Guess what! So coincidence that I have Camilla Morton's first book! Thanks for giving me her second book, I will read it through for year 2010.
Like people say... What has been started can not be stopped. I should go hunting her third book!
Now, I'm officially one of those Legally Blondes chick.. double Yay!! - err.. with dark hair who hates pink, totally blind about fashion brands and pretend that Victoria Beckham was her twin sister!

Bday dinner

Small but essential!! That's the words I would say about my Bday dinner this year. Only with my housemates and some closest friends.
Definitely crazy about the Bohemian style interior and ladies room of Boho bar. Fun and Fascinating! - even the juggler somehow hypnotized us to fall asleep looking at his magick balls
I think I will have 1 last high tea next year here..


Thanks guys for coming, although some of you were/are not feeling well. I'll make sure WengWeng settles in at his new home in Jakarta.

Lucky Beer hunting - completed...

My first b-day gift this year from Neil and Marie... I'm wondering why they gave me empty bottle? but datzokey!! I HAVE LUCKY BEER BOTTLE!!!!!! yay!!!

SARDI open day

A day full with Seafood!! Not really.. we went to SARDI Aquatic Centre Open Day. Mingle together with kids and their parents also friendly staff. We saw oyster larva under the microscope, different type of fish, lobster (yumm), touching starfish, staring at Abalones etc..
But at the end, I was more interested on the building. Simple and straightforward design of concrete, glass, metal and little bit timber. Still finding out the architect...

Yafa's 1st

Either she grows so fast or time fly so quickly.. from baby bump to tiny tot to cute curly hair girl. Yafa is turning 1 this week.

Great orange party eventho we had gloomy weather. Nice foods and lots of cakes!! Congratulations Ahmed+Rua.. cant believe it's been almost 2 years already since you guys said "we are quiting sushi for the baby". Now.. let's have some sushi next week!! LOL

And yea.. here are some photos of marie,neil and me eating mulberry waiting at wrong gazebo...

BBQ at Neil's

Ok, I think this is Marie's way to say "ok, we are officially official as a couple now..". Shaniece and I were invited to Neil's place for BBQ - of course indoor. too hot for outdoor BBQ.
We love the Lemon pepper fish!!

No photo of the host. camera shy...

Hotaru

No need special reason to have a big dinner. We went to a Jap restaurant, Hotaru, tonight and ended up with a big dinner suit for 8 person.
The food was fantastic, but the reason why this dinner will be remembered is a non-stop annoying crowd sat next to our table. I cant imagine how you able to shout for 3 hours without loosing your voice tomorrow morning.


no picture of those crazy crowd. my mobile is too good for them.

RAS 2009

Amazingly I'm still here to see RAS 2009. i thought last year will be my last RAS.

So just to make the visit different with last year, today we came in the morning to see all indoor stuff. My fave is Jenny Gillies Wearable Blooms, too bad not allowed to take any pictures or movies. Oh well.. at least we still can see the pig racing and pig diving!!