A BREAK-UP LETTER TO MY BLACKBERRY

My old Blackberry with its perennial white screen…

Dear Blackberry,

I fell in love with you the moment I laid my eyes on you.  Your perfect keyboard helped this large-thumbed woman create perfectly spelled texts every time.  You and I knew each other so well, I didn’t have to think which punctuations or emoticons to use.  We’ve been through a lot together. We made travel arrangements, sent messages to family and friends, read news (and gossips) from across the globe.

That’s why what I’m about to say is very difficult.

I’m breaking up with you.

I know there’s no easy way to say it but you’re all business and I wanted to cut the chase.  You seem to be powering down a bit… no, a lot, lately.   My daily routine of rebooting you has caused my entire phonebook to go kaput. It was fine, I just had to update all my contacts manually. I’m a very patient woman.  But must you make me do this everyday? I didn’t give up on you but I gave up updating my phonebook and handle the embarrassment of  sending out a “who you?” message.

When you asked me to upgrade my Facebook to version tra.la.la,  I said yes.  But you conked out again and made the whole app disappear.  You know very well that Facebook, together with Twitter and Instagram, are my connections to the “outside world”.  I need them to stalk, uhm, to keep up with everyone.  You didn’t have Instagram but I remained devoted to you.

And because of my fondness on your alarm features, I let you sleep on my bedside so you’d be the first one I would see when I wake up.  Why did you choose to stop working and sleep like a log on the morning that Little Boy had a performance in school?! Had we not made it on time, I wouldn’t have forgiven you.

Out of respect for you, I’m telling you that you’re being replaced by the iPhone.  Dear Hubby gave it as a present to me on Mother’s Day, who says no to that?   I’ve flirted with the iPhone on my mind but you know that  I’m a Blackberry in a world of iPhones.  Please believe me when I say, “It’s not you, it’s ME.”

I’ll terribly miss you even when others made fun of you.  You know I hate those fingerprints on my screen!  This new guy is pretty intimidating, I hope it will be just as patient with me as you were when I was just learning which buttons to press.

I hope we can still be friends.  I’m putting you in a safe box and shall bring with me anywhere a new sim card would be required and we’ll still reconnect.  Thank you for your years of service and dedication, I will always treasure our time together buddy.

Thanks again,
A

DOMESTIC DIVA DAYDREAMS: Home Office

I know, I know… One might wonder,  I have long been away from the corporate world and have become a housewife so what would I need a home office for?  Guess what. I’m not “just” a housewife or a “stay”-at-home mom, I’m a WORK-at-home mom.  Yes, we work and you know as they say, “Every mother needs a cockpit”.

This is where we run the show, our very own mission control center where we make our grocery lists, prepare the weekly menu, update budgets, pay the bills, write our blogs, and a gazillion other things that a mother like me are preoccupied with.  When I work at home and I hop from one work area to another (our dining table, the living room, my bed, the guest room), I can’t help but daydream of having a space like this…

image courtesy of Houzz.com

Isn’t this the sweetest home office you’ve ever seen? I can’t help but lust over this, look at those walls!  And the color scheme, feminine but not juvenile.  I’ve always been drawn to fun and bright spaces, white furniture and chic chairs.  Such a perfect place where you can clear your mind, gather your thoughts and just be creative.  It’s a sanctuary.  But I must admit, I might not do actual work in this space but just look at it the whole day admiring this beauty… and do a lot of cleaning and organizing in this understated glamor.

I really really REALLY want to have a space like this.  If men can have their man-cave and the kids can have their study area, I need my glammed-up cockpit as well… and I will have it.  I’m saving up for it.  Someday, this home office will no longer be a daydream. Someday .

ORGANIZING A 7th BIRTHDAY PARTY IN JAKARTA

The last time we threw a birthday party for Little Boy was when he turned one.  They say turning seven is a milestone to any child because this signals the start of  “growing up” hence, a party.  With barely three weeks to prepare and a specific theme as a guideline, I began flexing my event-planning muscles.

This should come easy for me as I’m used to organizing and supervising big and small, corporate and family  events.  From product launches, sales conventions, weddings, birthdays, etc.  Yes, it should be easy…. IF we were in the Philippines… where I knew the right people to call and the right places to get most bargains from.  BUT we are in Jakarta, a galaxy far far away, and therein lies the challenge!  How do I throw a simple party in a country where its wealthy families stage lavish kiddie parties that are more expensive than my wedding?!

Push the right buttons, you can’t do it alone.

GOODIE BAGS & CUPCAKES
Mary Ramba (which I think should add ANGEL to her name), my co-mommy since kindergarten, had been a lot of help.  She made our personalized Star Wars pillows for giveaways despite the short lead time.  Her workshop is located in Bandung but shuttled every now and then from Jakarta to oversee the production.  She also made the customized cupcakes that were a hit at the party.  If she didn’t become busy entertaining visiting guests from abroad, she would have made the birthday cake as well, but she referred me to a very reliable cake maker.

BIRTHDAY CAKE
Dominique (Monique) Sanda of Sugamom Cakes was my “it” girl for the cake.  It was originally her partner Herawati  who I first called but she was out of town and graciously referred me to Monique.  I never had a difficult time dealing with her because first of all, she speaks good English and secondly, she was willing to work around our own idea and design.  If there would be any issues, she would communicate them with me right away.  I also appreciate her resourcefulness when, on the day of the party, her delivery guy didn’t show up and she delivered the cake herself.  That was the only time that I met her in person, our communications have always been thru emails or BBMs only but she got my instructions to the dot. The cake was exactly how I envisioned it to be and tasted heavenly!

His toy as a cake-topper brings a personal touch to his birthday cake.

These girls can’t resist the chocolate fondant cake!

Happy with their dessert.

SNAPY
Dear Hubby designed a special birthday banner for the Little Boy but the challenge was to look for a supplier who can print it well.  I came across Snapy when I was dropping off Little Boy to school.  It’s easy to find a Snapy center in Jakarta because it’s everywhere!  In fact, there are two branches just along Jl. Mampang Prapatan, I picked the one closest to the school for convenient logistics.  My 225cm x 300cm vinyl (tarpaulin) banner was done overnight and without any revisions needed.

We maximized this banner by making this a photo wall too.

With our Pinoy friends.

with Pak Dahryanto and family

TAMANI KIDS KAFE
An ideal place for playdates, Tamani Kafe is also a perfect venue for birthday parties.  The indoor playground provided enough space for kids to run around which made me decide not to have parlor games anymore.  Based on experience, kids wouldn’t want to get pulled out from the playground just to join in some boring games and watch the scary clown do his tricks.  We just let the kids play while the parents are free to catch up and/or get to know each other.  Andriani, the party coordinator in Tamani, was very helpful which makes all these party preparations quite easy for me.

boys will be boys

girls know how to have fun too!

Thank God for friends (and friends of friends) and reliable suppliers! Because of them, the first birthday party that we ever had here in Jakarta, Indonesia had been stress-free.  I’m grateful too for the presence of Little Boy’s closest friends. We didn’t need a grand celebration, just their gift of friendship made everything more fun and memorable. Thank you everyone, may the force be with you!

DIRECTORY:

MARY RAMBA
HP:  +6287 8851 41640
email:  maryramba@gmail.com

DOMINIQUE (MONIQUE) SANDA of Sugamom Cakes
HP:  +6281 8855 992
BBM pin: 2355F579
Facebook:  Sugamom Cakes

SNAPY
Click here for the list of their branches

TAMANI KIDS KAFE
Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 – 18:00
4th floor Jl. Kemang Raya No. 5
Mampang Prapatan District,
South Jakarta 12730
Tel. No. (021) 719 8077

TRAVEL DIARIES: Free Fun & Cheap Thrills In Santa Monica

Body clocks adjusted, suitcases unpacked, routines revisited.  Much as I didn’t want our long holiday to end, everything gets back to (crazy, fun) normal. And before my blog site gets stale from being away for too long, let me share with you my travel diary of our first U.S. trip as a family. Heck, MY first U.S. trip!

Dear Hubby was scheduled to do a photo shoot in L.A.  and since it was Christmas season and December is a special month for us (it’s our wedding anniversary and Dear Hubby’s birthday month), Little Boy and I tagged along on this trip and later on headed to two other cities for some more adventure.

SANTA MONICA (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA)

At the risk of sounding overly emphatic, I have to say this… I absolutely looove this part of L.A.!!!  I like the relaxed vibe in Santa Monica, it makes you feel that you’re in a REAL vacation.  I don’t know about you but I have this thing about scheduled tours that stress me out, the crowds, the long queue, high ticket prices, etc.  We never felt that in Santa Monica at all! No crowds, no tourist traps,   and best of all, it’s FREE FUN! This is such a big deal for us cheapskates .

PALISADES PARK
You can just chill around the famous PALISADES PARK which is right across our hotel… It is a laid-back beach community within a major city attracting both families and single people.  While Dear Hubby was working on location,  the Little Boy and I explored this area and fell in love with it instantly.  It would’ve been a shame if Dear Hubby didn’t get to see this gorgeous site, I’m glad he extended his stay for a couple of days after his official business to get around Santa Monica with us.

This is a great walking path on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Great view of the Santa Monica pier!

Amazing view, gorgeous path, and fresh and crisp air. What’s not to love?

You’ll see many locals running, walking, biking, working out, or simply just hanging around enjoying the sun and the view. Lots of people stroll along this park with their dogs too. In my case, I had a grand time people-watching .

Little Boy never hesitated making friends with the dogs’ owners just so he could play with them. He did this the whole time and this “trick” never failed!

Palisades Park is also a perfect place for picnics. It has table sets around the park that give you a breathtaking view of the beach and the ocean while enjoying your packed lunch.

SANTA MONICA BEACH
On days that we’re in for some more walking, we would take the steep trail going down the Pacific Coast Highway to get to Santa Monica Beach.

Since going up and down this trail is quite a workout (think 4kms on an inclined treadmill), we made this stroll at the beach part of our regular morning routine.

But you wouldn’t mind the long walk if you have this as your view, would you? Eye on the prize!

Finally, ze Beach!

A few more steps and you’ll reach the famous Sta. Monica Pier.

 Although California doesn’t exactly have a freezing winter in December, the temperature at that time was at 16°C.  To any Asian who comes from the tropics, you would be crazy to be at the beach in this weather.  But I guess we’d be more crazy if we miss the California beach experience. Besides, 16°C was to be the warmest temperature we would face in this entire U.S. trip so we might as well.

Little Boy had been nagging us for a swim, he backed out because of the freezing water.

If you’re not into walking, there’s the famous Perry’s bike rental shop to help you get around the stretch of Santa Monica Beach.

This beach is a perfect spot for frolics, packed breakfast and even making out.  See? Free fun and cheap thrills!

‘Til my next post, see ya!

PORKGASM IN JAKARTA

Living in a Muslim country has somehow made us shy away from pork for a while, something our arteries have to thank us for.  Out of respect to our help’s religious beliefs, we never serve pork in our household or if ever we do, it’s got to be on a weekend when she’s on a day off.  There would be times when  we would go to any Chinese resto and break this self-imposed pork fasting just to satisfy our sinful cravings.

So when our Pinay friend Phoebe invited us to a Lechon Lunch for only 250,000 IDR which includes lechon, drinks and desserts, my reply was “You had us at LECHON”.  Who can say no to a chance to see our Filipino friends and of course the authentic Pinoy lechon  which was prepared by a Pinoy chef!  So off we trooped to Alex’s in Kuningan to taste the three little pigs.

I GOT YOU BABE!
The superstars of the lunch were three little suckling pigs slow-roasted in the oven at 75°C for 16 hours(!) then re-roasted in wood-fire oven just minutes before serving.  The latter is the essential step in making that crispy skin layer good enough to give you multiple porkgasm. The crackling skin and the tender succulent meat seasoned with just the right herbs and spices just melt in your mouth. It was so good I think I died and went to swine heaven.  Okay, a little exaggeration there but any lechon lover will get what I mean.

And the FUN begins…

This little piggy went straight to our tummies

THE CAST OF THE FOOD PORN

Thanks to the gorgeous Phoebe of Asian Tigers Mobility for the overflowing wine!

 

THE COMPANY

THE BIG BAD-ASS WOLF
I’ve always known Raj Abat as a New York-trained Filipino chef who is now based in Jakarta.  He’s a cool guy who warmly accommodates us when we dine in his previous resto posting.  He would join us and the other Pinoys for some beer and potluck and would watch the Manny Pacquiao fights with us.  He and his lovely wife are expecting their first baby soon.  This was all I knew about Raj until I Googled him for some info in this blog entry.  Whoah, I didn’t know there was a rock star in our midst all along! Check out an excerpt of what I found.

“At a glance, Raj Abat’s lean, austere and tattooed appearance might trick us into thinking that he’s chief of some gangs. Well, a bunch of gangsters indeed, but these are experts with knives, laddles and forks, and their territories are not the streets, but the kitchens. If you didn’t know Raj Abat, you would probably never guessed that he is a Filipino-born New Yorker and is a Corporate Chef who has a long list of experience working in some of the most desired celebrity chefs’ kitchens like Jean-Georges in New York City and Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. “
–Culinary Bonanza

If you’re a Pinoy in Jakarta or a pork-starved food lover, or all of the above, it’s a shame not to sample Raj’s specialty.  He’s currently a Corporate Chef at the Alila Hotel (of the Alila Chain of Properties) but you can visit his Facebook page, RAJ ABAT COOKS to check out what’s cooking and when his next Swine Feast will be.

No toques and uniforms, just a bandana. No bad celebrity chef temper, just bad-ass tattoos.

HILOT AND OTHER DRUGS

I’ve lost count how many times this annoying flu bug has bitten me this year. It sucks when you’re stuck in bed with your itchy throat, runny nose, fiery eyes, sore body and worst of all, conked out taste buds!  Thanks to this tried and tested combination of meds and massage,  I was blissfully knocked out in coma for a few days and hardly minded any pain:
Bioflu (from the Philippines), Berocca (double dose),  and a wintergreen hilot (traditional massage).  The latter is my favorite as I am a sucker for massages and I’m happy to share with you one of our best discoveries here in Indonesia: Balsem Otot Geliga.

We fondly call this badass babe “Otot”

Our Indonesian helper uses this on her joints every night and once had me try it during one of my migraine attacks, that was the beginning of our love affair with Geliga.  It’s actually an ointment for muscle pains but it somehow has magical effect on me when used as a massage ointment for my headache, even Dear Hubby keeps a bottle on his bedside table because it relieves him of muscle pains from his sports and workout.  Now this may sound funny to the Filipinos as “otot” has a different meaning to us, it may mean “muscle” in Indonesia but it means “fart” in the Philippines.  However it elicits a smile on our face every time we mention the word, this mean babe is everything but a joke.  It means serious business and we swear by it.  It feels hot(!) when rubbed on your skin but eventually gives that soothing cool feeling afterwards.  Any massage with Geliga leaves me in deep slumber and gives me a refreshed feeling the next day.

At a risk of this blog entry sounding like an advertorial, I still highly recommend it.  If you’re in Indonesia and suddenly felt a need for your good old Katinko or Vicks but don’t have it, pick Geliga from the nearby drugstore for that guaranteed body ache relief.  It’s the best smelling “otot” too .

ONE NIGHT IN JAKARTA

What would you do if you have twenty-four hours to spend in Jakarta?  I had to answer this recently for a visiting friend.

I’ve known Mike for almost two decades now, we met at a small advertising agency where we both had our first jobs. We eventually  left the company and have not seen each other since, he moved to Dubai while I took on two more jobs before I got based here in Jakarta.  Last week, Mike took an Indonesian holiday and went to the famous Bali and Borobudur.  And even if Jakarta is not exactly a popular tourist destination, he extended his stay to the city just to see me.  Well, he sort of didn’t have a choice after my constant  F.O. (Friendship Over) threats. Never mind if it was only an overnight stay, just having someone around thrilled me big time.

I met up with him after I dropped the Little Boy to school and Dear Hubby to his office on Thursday morning.  It was nonstop chatter and laughter since then. Here’s what we did for the next twenty-four hours:

LUNCH AT KOI KEMANG
Koi is a chic restaurant in the Kemang area, South of Jakarta.  Aside from its great food and ambiance, Koi is conveniently located near the Little Boy’s school. This made us maximize our brunch time and saved us travel time when we did our school pick-up later on.

SCHOOL PICK-UP
Yes, Mike obliged to accompany me to my mommy duties and sat through Little Boy’s soccer trial that afternoon.  We laughed at how we never imagined we’d be babysitting a child together eighteen years ago.

Goofing around after school

A brief timeout from all the chatter

DINNER AT FOOD LOUVER, GRAND INDONESIA
My first restaurant of choice for dinner was at Social House but there was an ongoing event that night and they couldn’t accept table reservations.  We went to Grand Indonesia’s food court, The Food Louver,  instead which had elegant interiors that’s unlikely of a regular food court in a Philippine mall. Since Mike is into design, he appreciated the design details and found it interesting.

The entrance to the food court

The hallway that leads to the food stalls

Hand wash area

And the food selection begins

Wall art

The eating area that’s been witness to our juicy stories that night

DRINKS AT SOCIAL HOUSE

Dear Hubby met up with us later on that evening.  We went back to Social House (the event was done by that time) so he could have dinner while Mike and I have some drinks.  There were more catching up stories between Mike and the Hubby.  I went to bed that night exhausted from all the talking but couldn’t wait ’til morning for our next chika session.

The vast selection of wines at Social House

MORNING SKYPE

Pardon the poor photo quality but this was the highlight of the day

The next morning, Dear Hubby was kind enough to bring the Little Boy to school so I could spend time with Mike who’s leaving after lunch. We just stayed at home and Skyped with another good friend, Jurizz.  She worked with us in the same company and is now based in New York. It was a R-I-O-T, just like the old times!  I swear I can’t remember when I last laughed that hard, the kind that makes you tear a little and hurts your rib cage.  It was an entire morning of laughter, banter and reminiscing.  Too bad we had to say our goodbyes as Mike had to catch his flight and Jurizz had to put her kids to sleep.

Aahh, I miss my friends! I miss being crazy with them.  I love how we haven’t seen each other in a long time and things haven’t changed.  Thank you, Jurizz (and husband Oliver), for staying up late to chat with us.  Thank you, Mike, for including Jakarta in your itinerary, even for just one night.

***

Directory:

KOI KEMANG
Jl. Kemang Raya No 72 – Jakarta Selatan
Phone +62 21 719 5668,
kemang@koiindonesia.com
next to Pertamina Petrol Station

FOOD LOUVER
Grand Indonesia Shopping Town,
Sky Bridge, 3rd Floor (Jalan Mohammad Husni Thamrin No. 1),
Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta 10310, Indonesia

SOCIAL HOUSE
Grand Indonesia East Mall
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No.1
Jakarta, Indonesia 10320
Phone +6221 235 81818; +6281 3877 02008
info@ismayagroup.com