Another Victoria's Secrets

my prayer for the day went with an offering to the sea

Guess I was still in the mood of Nyepi (Hindu's Silence Day that happened last week on Mar 9th) so I decided to spend my 32nd birthday just by myself. I turned my birthday notification in Facebook private and started the date by midnight in silence. It was surprising to see who really remembers and without any notification. Some of the close family forgot but unexpected friends remembered. It just so random it's fun to know. Ironically, none of the people that I meet daily here knows/remembers my birthday. Well, it's okay tho.

to have someone who looks up to you like this is the most precious birthday gift ever

I also just figured out that I share the same birth date with two new friends: Ratna whom I met casually few months back and Dhea Seto, the young artist. The latter one I found pretty hilarious, because I think we are admiring each other. Dhea said that I inspired her and I think she's an amazing talented young person herself. She's just 18 while I'm 32.

another lovely & touching birthday greeting that I got from my cousin <3 i=""> <3 br="">

I woke up earlier than usual to enjoy the 'silence' and as the day went by I had fun having unexpected people greeted me. But at around 2-3 p.m. people started to broke the silence and posted on my timeline, on Whatsapp groups and suddenly messages were coming in. After working at home like usual, at 4 p.m. I decided to go to the beach and so I went.

Sanur beach

I went to Sanur beach instead of my favorite sunset spot, Petitenget. Sanur has its own beauty and magical force that I picked it as I really needed the magic back then. The calm beach really made my day, and I spent my grateful moment there for another 30 minutes enjoying the bluish scenery before I had to go back home.


The rest of my birthday was just like any ordinary day, only that I got some surprises as the day was ending. An old friend came unexpectedly and he brought a lot of laughter to brightened up my night. The next day, an ex told me that "awesome people celebrate birthday in one week" so therefore I extended the celebration for the next day, which made my last 3 birthdays really blessed and complete.

wonderful birthday dinner by the beach at Mano<3 i="">

So for everyone who greeted me a happy birthday, I thank thee. For someone who took part in celebrating my day and complemented it, I am forever grateful, loved and naz*. And for everyone who's reading this, I wish you the happiness that I feel now--may the odds be ever in your favor!

Thank you!<3 i="">
<3 i="">

<3 i="">

<3 i="">*) Naz (n.) means the pride that comes from knowing that you are loved no matter what you do.

 
It's been a while for me to write stuff for my own pleasure. I'm now writing articles daily for Brilio.net and just found the pattern that works for me as I am working remotely. Last night, a scriptwriter friend invited me to his friend's place (where he stayed for Nyepi) and we chatted from 11 p.m. until almost 4 a.m.--the time when he had to be heading to the airport and go back to Jakarta.

I think among all of the character studies, the most interesting one is when someone is giving their perspective on you. You will always hear something new about yourself, the sides you didn't see before. And last night, along with 2 cans of Bintang beer, I got myself zapped back to the literary world. We discussed a lot about life and its many perspectives.

Last night Ipang (famous with his real name M. Irfan Ramli) said some interesting stuff about me, exactly the same thing an Uber driver said to me just about a week earlier. It's just interesting to find two different people say about the same thing, isn't it? He said that I am a structured person, both from my gestures and words. I guess that also makes me a quite conservative person, which he also said. And that I was a very calm person, which made me wonder how restless the people he'd met.

I don't really like to labeling something, especially to describe myself--the thing I often have trouble with. People say you can trust people you can have conversation with until 3 a.m. because they will talk the truth. And you just got to trust your gut in trusting a person. Your radar will warn you if it's the otherwise.

Anyway, it's not that I'm taking all that people said about me, and neither should you. I'm just saying that it's interesting to hear how people see you from their perspective. Sometimes new adjectives are given, making you wonder if your character/personality is really like that. But most of all, the discussion really intrigued me to write about something other than the Nuswantara trilogy and articles for Brilio. So I guess I should thank him for the time and worth discussion!

I am currently in Jakarta now since Friday night, caught the night flight back to hometown. I have planned this trip but was quite burdened to have to go but I did anyway--after being soaked wet in rain on the way for lunch at Whale & Co. that day. So long story short, I'm home. My brother also came home so we were gathered that weekend, with my sister and her husband coming the next day.

brother, Mom, in-laws, sister and me

On Saturday we had lunch together with my sister's parents-in-law at Pondok Kemangi, then had some coffee at Living World mall. It was an all-day family day and it felt really good to be together again with the people who love me. I felt the love, really. And to celebrate the lovey dovey day, we had a Black Valentine's Movie Night at CGV Blitz for Deadpool with Mom and my brother. Perfect!


The next day I went with my brother and picked up Alif, my schoolmate, on our way to Kempinski Grand Ballroom at Grand Indonesia for Jovita's wedding with Chris. This was my first reason to come home this time. It was a romantic Valentine's wedding full of pink flowers and lots of meat. LOL. Yes, that's the romantic part to have great meal on this particular day (;

Alif, Alex, Sandria, me and Natalie

I was happy to have attended this wedding because Alif is going to go to Japan for 2 years and Jovita is going to Australia with her newly-wedded husband, while Alex will be busy preparing his wedding with Sandria. This might be our last reunion (of my Jakarta schoolmates) for some time now. And in the party I had a chance to meet Natalie, another schoolmate I didn't remember. That was also a nice thing to have.


I had some business meetings on Monday and all work at home on Tuesday. But I got to visit IKEA store on Tuesday night (and this morning as well, for it is never enough to visit it for only 1-2 hours. We need at least 4--especially when you just moved in to a new home. You must be agree with me!) So basically I'm happy to have found the stuff I'm needing in Bali.

Tisa, Angelika, my aunts & Mom, me and Lauren

Andreas, Toba and me

Later today, I went to The Foundry No. 8 at SCBD with Mom. There I met my big family (aunts, cousins and girlfriends) and also my childhood friends Andre and Toba. It was Toba's band Zealspeaks' album launching with Dimas (drum) and Danny (vocal). Andre and I came to support Toba (guitarist) and also Hizkia--my cousin--for some of his paintings were displayed there.

Gilang, Samuel, David and me

I also met Dimas' friends Gilang (bassist), Samuel and David (the latter two were also supporting) so I felt more like a reunion with old friends there. I do have a lot of new friends but old friends always feel like home. I guess you know what I mean. Perhaps if you know someone long enough, although you don't get to meet them so often, they become a part of you that irreplaceable. Especially childhood friends.

the famous St. Marc Café from Japan

yummy chococro that you must try!

www.twitter.com

Oh My God! Really, I was that shocked when I read that Twitter notification I got from National Library of Australia this morning saying that my book Gateway To Nuswantara is now available in their catalog in Canberra. I'm all excited, glad, proud, happy and can't help but think "how could it be" but be so grateful for this opportunity not all Indonesian writer could get. I believe I'm not lucky but blessed! _/|\_ #thankyou #millionthanks

www.brilio.net

By the way I apologize if I haven't posted on my blog for a while. I've been writing articles for Brilio.Net (which is part of KapanLagi.com) since last week and have been working remotely from Bali (their offices are in Jakarta and Yogyakarta). I find this is really fun: doing the things I love (which is writing) in a place I love (Bali, definitely) at anytime that I can, and getting well paid for it!

I guess God has finally answered my prayer for a perfect job, and here it is--comes to me just as the new year started. I hope I can have this job for a long period because the demand is quite high, too!
So if you want to check my writings, tips and tricks, stuff about Bali--everything that comes up in my mind--just check here. Stay tuned there, guys!

me and my new friend at my other new friend's café

New Year Eve dinner with Mom at Nirvana, Seminyak

before counting down to 2016

wardrobe: LBD by Forever21, slip-on by Toms and kaftan outer by NurZahra

I thought I was going to spend my Christmas alone here in Bali because I couldn't go home and my friends here are mostly Muslim/Hindu. But last Saturday I met this girl Christine who would spend her Christmas alone, too, so we agreed to spend it together this year. I picked her up on Dec 24 afternoon for Christmas Eve mass at FX Kuta Church at 6 p.m.

Metis Restaurant with garden view

me, ready to finish my big lunch!

my lunch: roasted turkey with pork stuffing, cranberry sauce and potato gratin

me, James and Mba Liz at Metis

James, Mba Liz, me and John at Mano

Due to my book writing project of "NurZahra: A Grateful Ode to Nature and Culture" (published by Afterhours Books), I have to do a photo shoot for the author profile so I asked a photographer friend to capture me wearing the outfits from NurZahra. Rina Ng is a longtime friend of mine. We knew each other since elementary years in Bandung and she has been living in Bali for almost 8 years now. She is an interior design graduate from ITB and focusing in photography now. Check out her works here.


For this photo shoot I was wearing NurZahra's indigo shibori chiffon kaftan outer and the matching NurZahra's indigo shibori chiffon shawl. The white sansan singlet and white viscose pants are from Nyaman Boutique, Bali. Photo location is at Ramada Encore, Seminyak.
Visit Rina's other works also here.

Sometimes you have money, but sometimes you must live on budget. Still, eating is a must and finding great food in budget has its own glory. Here I list the food under IDR 20k (the food alone) but taste great that you'll crave for more.

1. Warung Roti Canai & Teh Tarik Bunana

you can see how they make the roti canai and teh tarik from behind the glass

Been my favorite since 2012, the small parlor from Jl. Raya Kerobokan is now moved to Jl. Sunset Road for a bigger and easier to find location. My all-time favorite is the Roti Egg Keju (egg and cheese bread) with iced Teh Tarik (Malaysian thé au lait or milk tea). The small portion of roti canai is around IDR 11,000-13,000 and for the large one is IDR 17,000-20,000. It's really worth the money, isn't it?

the roti canai comes with curry soup

They have some branches all over Badung regency in Bali:
- Jl. Sunset Road No.28, Kerobokan; across from KZU near T-junction with Jl. Raya Kerobokan.
- Jl. Danau Poso No. 1, Sanur; just at the T-junction with Bypass Ngurah Rai.
- Jl. Uluwatu 2 No. 32x, Jimbaran.


2. Warung Bali (Ibu Ketut Nari)

food display

For lawar and Balinese rice lover, this one shouldn't be missed. The betutu chicken, corn, lawar (some Balinese-style vegetables with beansprout and coconut), pork and satay--the taste of Bali in a very affordable price. It is only for IDR 15,000 and you'll get this 'nasi campur' (a little of everything in one dish with steamed white rice) to make your tummy happy. They also have ayam betutu (chicken cooked in betutu style) and other food by request.

the Balinese 'nasi campur'

 
A very humble place right across the Kerobokan Traditional Market, Jl. Tangkuban Perahu (50m from Lio Square), this one is surely not to be missed (when you're on budget).


3. Warung Sate Madura Pak Ayex

chicken satay and lontong with gulai (curry) soup

It is not really easy to find a nice Sate Madura, with options for chicken or lamb, with rice or lontong (rice cake). But for a portion of 10 pcs of chicken satay with 1 lontong, it will cost you only IDR 12,000--the lamb curry is Rp 10,000 and the lamb satay is only IDR 17,000. The portion is indeed small but for people on diet like me, it's just perfect.

This simple parlor is located at Jl. Tangkubang Perahu, across of the east corner of Kerobokan jail, right at the intersection of Jl. Pengubengan Kauh, and open from 10 a.m. till 11 p.m. Call them at +6287 861 161 033.


4. Kedai Mie Cici

yamien manis ayam pangsit (sweet noodle with chicken and wonton)

If you love yamien (Bandung-style noodle) and can't find a good one anywhere in Bali, go to Kedai Mie Cici. Either sweet or savory noodle, they have a great taste for this and especially great wonton (that filled with lotsss of chicken meat inside) for only IDR 20,000. If you don't like noodle, they also have this batagor (baso tahu goreng or fried fish cake-and-tofu) or banana fritters.

batagor kuah (soup of fried fish cake and tofu)

This small parlor is open from 11 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. from Sunday to Friday, at Jl. Beraban No. 66, Banjar Taman, Kerobokan. Their phone number is +62 878-2355-6065 if you need.


5. Buka Baju (Gubuk Makan Bakso Keju)

bakso kuah campur (7pcs)

If you would like to try something a little different, this one can be an option. They have this bakso (beef or chicken meatballs) with cheese inside that makes it unique. But my recommendation goes to bakso keju, bakso goreng and siomay. The others are quite standard, but everything is under 20k. I haven't tried the grilled meatballs tho. Well, perhaps on my next visit (;


This one is located at Jl. Tangkuban Perahu, on the east of Jl. Gunung Salak intersection. Call them at +6281 2330 8668.

Yesterday was the remembrance that it had been 6 year since my Dad passed away. So I went to the traditional market in Jl. Basangkasa, Bali, to buy banten (offerings) and 5 stems of white and red lotus as a sign for the 5 of us--our family member; then off to the Petitenget beach to say a little prayer before I put the banten on the sand and let it washed away by the seawater.


It was indeed a simple, small commemoration, not even a ceremony, but it is nice to have that brief intimate moment on the beach. This was the reason why we wanted Dad to be cremated and his ashes to be spread on the sea--so we can always "meet" him wherever the sea is. And it is much more calming, relaxing and peaceful than to go to a graveyard to "have a talk" with the departed.


I stayed on the beach for about 15 minutes there--or more, I didn't see the time--and watched the waves that came and played with my banten--made it move here and there... but I couldn't stay longer because it was hot. I was certain it was cloudy when I went there but it became really hot with no grey cloud at all after I put the banten there--believe it or not. Yet it made me uncomfortable to stay too long in the heat with full and long clothes on, so I went home. But I was glad, this was the first time again I greeted my dad by the sea after 2013 and I was happy for this moment.

Until next year, Dad!

Coloring Book: BALI by IBG Wiraga

Being all alone in paradise can be pretty boring, no matter how beautiful the landscape is, how cool the people are and how peaceful the entire island is. It's just simply boring when you're on your own and don't have anything to do but writing (which can be blocked sometimes) so I think I was pretty lucky to buy this coloring book about two months ago and had it sent here last week to accompany me to fill spare my time.

the first image we colored--I had this collaboration work with my cousin Goldi and her boyfriend Agung

This coloring book is indeed copying the concept of other adult coloring books from all over the world that are booming and trending now. I bought this especially because I know the artist that did all the illustration, IBG Wiraga, a true Balinese guy whose nickname Hege, and hadn't touched the book since I bought it because I hate coloring--since the elementary school till Color Theory classes at the university. But being alone in Bali now, I asked Mom to send it to me.

the first image I colored all by myself in Bali--color pencils allow us to play with color tint and tone

There are 65 pages of beautiful hand-drawn Balinese illustration in this book ready to give us enough spaces to boost our creativity on colors. The latest study said that coloring can kill boredom. It is one of the therapeutic activity available for us to do (but different to art therapy). Coloring for adults is also proven to give benefits such as more focus on the moment and in doing other things, more relaxed and calmed, vanishing negative thoughts--it works like a meditation (read more here).

trying to color with markers--which incredibly fast yet more even result to save time

Art therapy is good for people to express things they cannot put into words. Also it is helpful for dealing with a variety of other conditions, such as depression, dementia, anxiety, and PTSD, even to cure cancer! My aunt said this coloring stuff is being famous within old people in Dutch. I think it's suitable for all ages, especially for people who are more stressed, feeling lonely and simply bored. So let's color up our life!

Well I just gotta post this here, don't I? Here is a review the Jakarta Post had about me in their "On The Shelves" column. This was posted on Monday edition, Nov 23, 2015. The interview itself was done in Grand Indonesia, Jakarta, last August. It was Aug 13, 2015 if I'm not mistaken. And the girl who interviewed me was still in college in Boston, USA. Sekar Krisnauli T. was on internship in Jakarta Post during the summer holiday and had the chance to meet me.

There are some minor mistakes on details that she wrote about me however, but it is okay. Still, this is like the best article someone has ever done about me--giving another perspective about who I am and what I've been doing from another point of view--the things that I've never thought about before. You can read the article here.

Still about books, I was lucky that I got this Andy Noya's book "Kisah Hidupku" written by Adhi KSP. I read the whole book during my boring nights alone here in Bali (this is my fifth week here now and had spent most of the nights alone although I was staying at a friend's place) and had no idea that a biography book could be this interesting.

The book writing process took years, including the Saturday interviews the writer had with this now famous TV host. That is why the book tells all details about Andy F. Noya's life story, from the war time of his grandparents' to present time that he is a success person. Every single details were told, including his hard childhood and rebellious moments to the ways he climbed his career ladder.

I see the resemblance of Andy Noya's life story to Ajik Cok's--the previous biography book I read. Both of them came from very poor family that they had to struggle to get through their childhood and teenager years. Both of them are witty and stubborn but remain honest and hold strong moral values and principles in life. Both of them are champions in life--and they did it because they got the characters since the beginning.

This is a great book to read, especially if you are a fan of Andy Noya. But even if you're not, it's still interesting to know how life were in Maluku, Surabaya and Papua back in the 60s, 70s and 80s--and how it was in Jakarta in the early 90s or to simply peek on the situation inside the editorial offices, the newspapers, magazines and TVs. An inspiring story, usually, hides behind it a hard struggle indeed!

I finished reading this book months ago but hadn't time to update so here it is. The Indonesian title is "Seperti Bulan dan Matahari" but I got this autographed English copy I bought from my publisher (we have the same publisher) and surprisingly enjoyed reading it. At first I thought it was a political book but it also has personal touch as well as romance. The book mostly describe Indonesian diversity from the eyes of a US diplomat.

Pak Stanley first came to Indonesia on a state duties but he soon fell in love with an elegant Javanese woman, Bu Henny Mangoendipoero (I met her in person and talked a lot with her on Ubud Writers & Readers Festival last month and turned out she was the sister of my aunt's schoolmate and yes, she's a truly lovely and open-minded intelligent woman for sure!)

This book tells all of Pak Stanley's experience about blending with Indonesian traditional yet modern family and its culture, the politics in the governments and the world during the 20 years he worked, and his trips from Sabang to Merauke. This is an interesting book one should read, especially when you are interested on knowing what happened in your own country, from the perspective of other country's diplomat!