Red Velvet Couch

Kampoeng Tempoe Doeloe: A Flashback of Childhood Memories

2011-05-24T05:07:00.011-05:00

La Piazza yard was transformed into (what feels to be) a big schoolyard full of jajanan pasar*, bringing some of my fondest childhood reminiscence back.

I wasn't born that long ago, I had to admit, compared to some of my peers. Therefore I'd like to claim no expertise in talking about the oldies Jakarta. Yet, I can claim that I have a pretty solid memory of the street food snacks I ate growing up in the city.

Kampeng Tempoe Doeloe is a part of the Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival held in La Piazza, Kelapa Gading on May 14-29, 2011.

I've never really been a fan of a site that makes me do a lot of scrolling, so here are the pictures in a slideshow format (no, no tacky ballad song that auto plays simply when you didn't ask for it).

*jajanan pasar = street food snacks.

Going Back to My Roots Pt. 1

2011-05-08T09:00:00.014-05:00

A plate of roasted duck from Grand City Restaurant located inside Sunlake Hotel, Jakarta

It's been pouring cats and dogs lately-- which almost works like a curse sent by nature. The city's traffic is already detrimental and inescapable by default. A lot of times my evening plans are at the clemency of the weather; that particular factor itself has potential to increase my already-uncivilized- travel time by double.

The all-time classic black pepper beef

In case it's not obvious enough, finding the drive to putting my fingertips to work and writing again has been tricky. Oh yes I have been taking pictures of food. I just haven't been putting it up for consumption. My taste buds are spoiled more than ever, mostly with grubs that take me back and remind me of the family festivities I used to go to when I was a little kid (sans the annoying aunties and uncles part).

Szechuan-style string beans

These photos were not recent, I'd have to say. These were taken during the Chinese New Year weekend in which several family gatherings took place. These were exactly the kind of food I had missed during my stay in the U.S. My relationships with these folks go waaay back.

Breaded pork ribs with slices of orange in a cointreau sauce

Seafood soup with mushroom

A cup of melon sagoo dessert with little sago beads, chunky melon balls, and coconut milk.

A smile-generating mango pudding-- with its tanginess as a refreshing wrap up to the entire meal.

Nevertheless, I'd like to make it clear that I would never whatsoever recommend anyone to spend a fortune at this place. It's unwise to judge the way these folks taste from the way they look. It will do an injustice to some street food out there that truly deserves to bear the 'mouth-watering' title. The restaurant service was outstanding yet too bad the price tag doesn't reflect the quality of the food.

Starting up the engines...

2011-05-02T11:12:00.014-05:00

A beautiful work of art by Sapto Djokokartiko, Indonesia's young and talented fashion designer -- a souvenir from Elle Style Awards, edited by my partner in crime, Clarissa Kwok.

Ok- I guess five is the magic number here. It's been five months since the last time I blogged. FIVE whole months. That equals to about 150 days. Which is lots of hours. Enough time to train for a half- marathon. Or to build a Japanese garden complete with a gazebo in it in my mom's case. Have I been hibernating? Not physically neither mentally. I went through a few changes and just needed some new air.

I am now back in my hometown. That's Jakarta, Indonesia, the mall and traffic capital of the world. I started my new job about three months ago in which it takes me a painful 90 minutes to get to my downtown office. And I have rekindled with my old friends. All in all, everything's good. Some things are better. And by some things I meant food, food, and food. But not all of them. Some are still better back in the States. There, I said it.

I have also been thinking to change my blog name, but still haven't found the one that fits me the most. Some that I thought do, happen to have been taken by other peeps that, I guess, are faster in doing things in life than I am. Thoughts?

As for now, I am having a good time running and hopping around with Jakarta as my playground. There will be more proofs. In less than five months I promise.

They wished me many happy returns..

2010-12-30T09:43:00.007-06:00

The 24th of this month, Christmas Eve, was the day I got older. I have no intention whatsoever to whine aimlessly about the worrying thoughts of quarter-life crisis that's going to hit me soon, though it might require a great deal of self-control. To be safe, let me just cut it off right here. Here's my birthday cake, courtesy of Yoshiko of Cakebelle. Ain't it lovely? Thanks so much, Yoshiko!

Sugar Coma Festival {Better-Late-Than-Never Ed.}

2010-12-18T09:00:00.058-06:00

First of all, hooray, my blog is featured as this week's Featured Blogs by Foodie Blogroll.

Second, I know this is totally lame that I am just now posting this, but in the heat of lavish! event this past weekend in Atlanta (which I wasn't able to attend because I thought I was going to be somewhere at that time but I apparently I didn't have to be -- and of course, by the time I realize that, it's all too late, the tickets are sold out. Oh life.), this was another swanky soiree held by The Broke Socialite (she's such a nice and funny lady by the way) called Sugar Coma festival and I was lucky enough to snag a ticket at the time.

Third, I'd have to admit, this quick post is my way of cutting corners. It has something to do with the very fact that everything in my life is such a whirlwind right now. I haven't been eating at cool places and have taken zilch pictures lately. Plus, it's the week before Christmas and I am far from being done with Christmas shopping. That's how bad it is.

Anyways, hope this would make a feast for your eyes.

These cupcakes are from Cami Cakes. I got to meet little Camille herself, such a cutie! Also, as a self-proclaimed connoisseur of red velvet cakes, I actually adore these babies. Moist, velvety, and topped with rich frosting.

Caramel-filled. Chocolate-drizzled. Cheerful taste buds.

Margarita cupcakes. Need I say more? FYI, the margarita did not get baked off. Let me repeat once again that it did not get baked off. Ahemm, I had mine straight up. These sassy treats were provided by Pink Cupcake Dreams and Peachy Treats.

Caryn's Cakes ' strawberry cupcakes are one of the best strawberry cupcakes I've ever had. It's such a simple goodness and the frosting is just right: a tad sweet, not too rich, and still maintains that classic strawberry flavor. I actually bought a few to take home with me.

Sip the Experience is what would happen if Barnes & Noble got married to Starbucks and had an affair with your full- of- homemade- goodness neighborhood bakery. I wouldn't mind sitting there all day getting some work done. It'd be kinda hard to focus with all those luscious desserts calling out my name every five minutes though.

We had to take a break to prevent our glucose levels from going through the roof: by showing our savory spot taste buds that we still care about them. Chicken skewers by Bradford on Bishop on the menu.

See these gorgeous vanilla custards topped with fresh blackberries? Yum. Chris Arpante's mad dessert skills are responsible for them. It's ok to judge the book by its cover this time - because it fully represents the quality of the content.

Nah, these are not jello shots. They're even better.

I didn't actually get a chance to try these, but I'm guessing they're molten lava chocolate cakes?

This Cuban espresso flan is a work of art by private chef Bren Herrera. If you're a coffee lover like I am, you'd appreciate it very much. It's very fragrant and ahh, the texture - it sort of just glides in your mouth.

In the name of (sugary) festivity we trust.

A Jolly Slice of December

2010-12-08T09:15:00.018-06:00

I can't believe it's December already. I was just talking to my friend about this the other day: the moment it actually occurs to me that the holiday season has arrived is when I see Starbucks red cups popping up all across town. For some reason, it's like they bring out the holiday spirit in me. And strangely enough, they gently provoke a lot of beautiful memories, those little cups. But really, this mini post has nothing to do with Starbucks or their effective seasonal branding. It has something to do with all the little things that - however fast life's images flash through our eyes due to our crazy busy schedule dominated by everything that has a screen and buttons - can still make us stop for a second, look around, and smile. Because 'tis the season to be jolly.

Here are some of the things that make me smile (and scream for joy). I don't have a whole lot explanation for these beauties other than they're available at the White Windmill Bakery in Atlanta. Thanks to Yoshiko of Yoshiko Photography for sharing some editing tips!

Culinary Treats I'm Thankful For {Thanksgiving Ed.}

2010-11-26T09:00:00.067-06:00

Durian. I know. A little bit intimidating, ehh?

Thanksgiving weekend has always been exhausting for me. The dinner part, the gathering part, and the part where we all religiously participate in a glorified commercial conspiracy by purchasing goods that we're not even sure we need - called Black Friday. So I think it's always nice to step back and count our blessings.

As for me, I'm immensely thankful for the strong network of support I have. Personally and professionally. Be it my family, friends, mentors, or professional acquaintances, I truly am grateful for the inspiration and comfort they have provided me. Without them I would be nowhere near where I am today.

Now that I'm done with the sarcastic and the mellow part, here are the twelve most amazing culinary treats ever created in this world (that I was lucky enough to have tasted) that have constituted a gastronomic euphoria in my dictionary. I am thankful for the very existence of:

1. Roasted Peking Duck. This one needs no introduction. With its crispy skin sheltering a generous layer of melts-in-your mouth fat, supported by a vulnerable bed of succulent meat on the bottom, this one is a true winner.

2.Chasiu/Barbecued pork meat. It's an undoubtedly pure form of beauty.

3. Bakut Teh/Pork Bone Tea Soup. Great-tasting, traditional ingredients nurtured by long hours of labor and love. This dish is very comforting - almost sacred - to me.

4. Kepiting Saus Padang/Crab in Padang Chilli Sauce. Hot and spicy. This one's pretty similar to Singaporean Chilli Crab.

5. Nasi Padang. A traditional Indonesian rice dish accompanied by a myriad variety of options: ayam pop (chicken cooked with coconut water, ginger, lemongrass, etc), gulai ayam (chicken curry), telor balado (eggs cooked with chili and shrimp paste), rendang, krecek (gelatinous crackers made of cow skin), daun singkong (cassava leaves), cabe ijo (green chili), etc. I also take pleasure in having a generous pour of the curry sauce all over my rice.

6. Sharkfin Soup. Oh gosh, don't even get me started on this one.

7. Chinese-style Seafood Hotpot. A piping hot claypot of fried Japanese silky soft tofu with squid, sea cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, fish, and vegetables swimming in a very tasty, thick broth.

8. Fresh, glistening slivers of sashimi. The list includes sake/salmon, toro/fatty tuna, awabi/abalone, mirugai/geoduck/giant clam, hotate/scallop, uni/sea urchin, and ikura/salmon roe. And a side order of ankimo/monkfish liver, please.

9. I love veal, especially when cooked with good wine. And its leg, loin, shank, brisket, cheek, rack, liver, and chops. Not so much of the scallopini, though. Braised, stewed, sauteed, stuffed, you name it. And oh- did I mention braised? A phrase delivered by a server at one of my favorite Italian restaurants that immediately won my heart was: "Anything that can be done to veal, we can do it for you."

10. Bouncy, good- looking sea scallops. Grilled, sauteed, in a hot pot, or simply raw.

11. Martabak Manis. My favorite dessert of all time, with its crunchy crust and indulgent, shiny butter gushing out from the middle when you put pressure on the top. No mousse, souffle, cheesecake, flan, or tart can beat this.

12. Durian. So Andrew Zimmern can't stand it, so what? If they sell durian scent in a form of air freshener, I'd get one. Or three.

Cakwe: Fried Little Goodness Filled with Memories

2010-11-10T09:03:00.042-06:00

If I were a Southerner, these would be my precious little hush puppies.

I'm fully aware that by this time of the year, I should be writing about fried turkeys already. But nope, I decided to defy the norm. Besides, I've never really been a big fan of turkey. Definitely not compared to honey-glazed ham. Or roasted Peking ducks for that matter. I do love stuffings though. Anyways, last week I stopped by at a Chinese restaurant nestled in the strip of Atlanta's mecca of ethnic food, Buford Hwy, called Bobo Garden. And that's when I spotted these little guys. They bring back a lot of remarkable childhood memories. These are the things that I grew up eating almost every single day long before the days my taste buds got acquainted to zucchini, eggs benedict, or even pizza! They are a great complementary to what I call comfort food, a weighty fragment of my family's Sunday brunch rituals and the street food culture of Jakarta.

They're called you tiao (Mandarin) or yau ja gwai (Cantonese) - very common in Chinese cuisine especially to be eaten with rice congee or soy milk. They're also called by a bunch of different names here in the U.S such as chinese crullers, chinese doughnuts, fried bread stick, fried dough, etc. Oh well. The Indonesians call it cakwe. On another note, it always amuses me how the Indonesian language tends to try adapting foreign languages and sort of adding their own twist to it (read: butcher savagely). I take great pleasure in eating my cakwe Indonesian style though: drenched in peanut sauce.

Of course, the quality of these cakwe that I had at Bobo Garden was far from those that pretty much summed up my childhood. The skin should boast some satisfying crunch like it just comes out of the fryer, and the inside part should be pillowy soft. There are also some stuffed versions out there. The original shape is supposed to look like they're made of two pieces joined in the middle. Read this Wikipedia entry under folk etymology to find out the myth behind the shape.

Le Triskell Creperie - A Strong Blend of Nurture and Culture

2010-11-07T08:20:00.048-06:00

It was a lazy Saturday and I was looking for a brunch place. Like many people, I turned to Yelp for this kind of guidance. Not that I have so much faith in Yelpers, but at least they can give me ideas of places to go. I found a place called Le Triskell Creperie and decided to give it a try. This little place is located in Buckhead, inside a building called Tuxedo Atrium. And it's tiny. As in it looks like a little cafeteria where you just go in to grab your sandwich for lunch, pay at the register, and take it to go. But something drew me in right from the very moment the French lady smiled at me. Her name is Rose- Marie, by the way. She and her husband, Michel, run this place - just the two of them. I could feel the love already. Plus, hearing them speak French made me feel like I was in the set of Amélie.

Their crepes are called galettes, a type of pancake made of gluten-free buckwheat flour. You know how Michel sold it to me? He said, "The French love it, you should give it a try." There. I'm sold. So I went ahead and got the La Bastille, which had eggs, ham, and Swiss cheese. The eggs were a little bit too runny for my taste, but it might just be me. Truth is, it's not bad at all. The slightly-melting cheese added a nice texture to the merriness of the savory ham and the eggs . The galette itself was crunchy and gave you a familiar taste of wheat flour. It's not as tasty as anything that's made of all-purpose flour - a little bit more on the humble side - and definitely would do a lot more good to your body. My friend got La Pacifique which had smoked salmon, soft white cheese, lemon, and dill in it. The cheese was rich and the dill added some kind of kick to it.

Our visit there was full of surprises. It started when I asked Rose- Marie where in France she's from. She calmly answered, "Paris. And you?" Normally when I'm not so thrilled in carrying further conversation with a person, I'd say Bay Area, California, which holds some truth to it. But I decided to give her an honest answer instead. Hearing that, her eyes lit up right away. She said "Terima Kasih" and yelled "Indonésien" to Michel who was standing in the kitchen at the time. He responded by screaming something in French that I can only tell by its elevated tone that it was indeed full of excitement. Then he came out of the kitchen and started telling us all these stories of how they've been to Indonesia, had stayed in Hong Kong for almost 13 years, and the fact that they're both musicians. How cool is that?

Michel sat with us the whole time and we had a great chat about a lot of eye-widening, heart-warming things. From how the Southern part of France, including the French Riviera, would be one of the best places to go due to its friendly weather and breathtaking scenery, to how the French and the Chinese bear some similarities when it comes to their cooking and how they treat their meat.

Sometimes I think the world is just way too small. Michel was telling me about the hotel that they stayed at in Jakarta. I asked him if he noticed there's an all-girls school right across from it. He went, "I saw them all the time getting out of their cars." Imagine his surprise when I said I was one of those girls wearing the green-checkered uniform skirt and knee-high socks. That I went to the very same school for 6 years. This time it's him screaming some high-pitched, full-of-excitement phrases in French to his wife.

Ahh, it was wonderful meeting them. To top it off, they insisted on treating us to some sweet crepes to-go: the caramel and chocolat maison (homemade chocolate) crepes. Wow. At the time I must have looked like a 5-year-old being treated to her first cotton candy. Or as we Indonesians call it, gulali.

"The Third One said, 'I don't care'" {Halloween Ed.}

2010-10-27T08:15:00.001-05:00

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said, "My, it's getting late.
The second one said, "There are witches in the air."
The third one said, "I don't care."
The fourth one said, "We'll have a lot of fun.
Let's run and run and run."
"Woo-oo-oo" went the wind.
And out (clap) went the light
And the five little pumpkins rolled right out of sight

(From classic children song "Five Little Pumpkins)

Image courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.

Halloween is just around the corner. I don't know if you care much about it, but I don't. I've never been a really big fan of it. There's nothing cute about it, everything's so "scary" (read: ugly) and lots of purple and orange. I love purple, but purple and orange? I'm also not a big fan of dressing up. I do, take the pleasure of seeing other people acting stupid in their costumes, though, especially after a good amount of some liquid courage. But ok, enough with the negativity. Sorry for being such a party pooper. As suspected, I won't be making anything for Halloween this time so I thought I'd just compile some of the (semi) cute-looking treats that I discover online.

For those semi scary-looking cupcakes above (Of course they have been censored, I only pick the ones that still maintain their cuteness factor just a tad bit) and their recipes, go here.

Image courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Classic whoopie pies! And I honestly think that haunted house cake is such a neato. Pretty cool, ehh? For recipes, click here and here.

Image courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Here comes the most important part: Halloween liquid treats for the adults. From eyeball martinis to the classic root beer float, take your pick. Click here for recipes.

Food Network has their own collection of Halloween desserts as well. And of course, you can count on the almighty Bakerella for everything baked and everything cute. For her Trick or Treat cake pops, click here.

Image courtesy of Geek Sweets bakery under Creative Commons.

I was scouring the net and bumped into these Death by Chocolate cupcakes by Geek Sweets. Thought I'd share. I think these are the prettiest Halloween cupcakes I've seen.

Happy Halloween!

These images are courtesy of those stated below each of them. I own no rights to any of them. Nothing. Nada.

Tortillas, Steaks, and a Smackdown

2010-09-29T08:16:00.002-05:00

Hot- pink walls covered in luchadores paraphernalia and illuminated by spinning disco balls?

They say time flies by when you're having fun. I'd say there's a lot of truth to it. I had a chance to reunite with a Taiwanese friend of mine whom I met when I was still going to school in Bay Area, California four years ago. She drove down from Irvine to meet me in San Diego. We went for a stroll in in downtown La Jolla and spent hours and hours reminiscing the past. I felt like hours just didn't cut it anymore. I needed days. Or months. It was a lot of remembering what my first few months arriving in the U.S were like. A lot excitement and a lot of adjustment. A lot of laughters and a lot of tears. Who knew, five years later, here I am, ready to leave and see what the other parts of the world have to offer.

Anyways, my friend and I decided to grab a few bites at Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop. Lucha means to fight or wrestle. Libre means free. La Lucha Libre commonly refers to the type of professional wrestling in which fighters are normally masked characters named by a pseudonyme. The term is used in Mexico and other Spanish- speaking countries. The movie Nacho Libre (with Jack Black in it) might ring a bell a little, yes?

Notice that it says "Reserved for Champions." I found out later that apparently you can make a 24-hour-in-advance reservation to self-proclaim your "champion" status.

I had Surf and Turf taco filled with marinated steak, shrimp, & avocado slices, smothered in a special sauce and Queso taco, which was grilled crispy cheese filled with steak and topped with more cheese and avocado slices. Other things on their menu include Tap Me Out, Undefeated Seafood Tacos/Burritos, Smackdown Quesadillas, and TJ Hotdogs (beef hotdog, wrapped in bacon!)

Like most taco shops, Lucha Libre has a small bar at the corner where you can spice up your tacos by making your own sauce. Their cilantro- lime sauce was phenomenal while their steak, on the other hand, was pretty dry. The fresh avocado slices seem to slightly make up for it, though.

I can't believe it's almost October already. I'm now back in Atlanta and trying to post all the San Diego entries as fast as I can before they get outdated. That is if I don't get distracted in between salivating over those winter squash soups that will start popping up all over the blogosphere and ahemm..figuring out what I'm going to do for Halloween.

Buttery Lobster Tails (with Edible Shells)

2010-09-22T08:07:00.062-05:00

I might have made it clear in the past that I'm no way a fan of MTV show Jersey Shore. I did write a blog post about the show though. This doesn't mean I have something against Italians (or what they call themselves - guidos and guidettes). I actually love a lot of things about Italians. Well, to be exact, their food. And the size of it.

We stopped by in Little Italy in San Diego because E had been craving for sfogliatelle (some people call it lobster tail) for a while. Sfogliatelle is a seashell- shaped Italian pastry filled with cream. There's a bakery in town called Cafe Zucchero that's really famous for their cannolis and happen to have sfogliatelle as well. We had to call in advance and asked them to save the sfogliatelle for us. They would've run out of those buttery babies had we not done that. Trust me, the person right in front of us actually asked for them and the wait staff swiftly shook her head.

Here's a video from the TV show Cake Boss showing how they make sfogliatelle:

It was such a bummer. The sfogliatelle turn out to be not impressive at all. It was slightly unacceptable to be honest. The pastry shell was not at all soft nor flaky. The cream isn't the freshest and it's a tad bit on the sour side. It tasted like it had been sitting in the counter forever.

The cannolis on the other hand, were such superstars. The ricotta filling was more on the refreshing side, especially with the endearing presence of the succade (candied citrus). And the chocolate morsels added some kind of depth to the flavor of the cream. Dusted generously with powdered sugar, the shell was quite crunchy judging on the fact that these cannolis might have also been sitting in the counter (I'm guessing - for a shorter period of time than the sfogliatelle did?) for quite some time. The crisp texture could've been brought up a notch but it was far from being soggy.

We couldn't help but noticed the long line that's coming out of Filippi's Pizza Grotto. After changing a few words with some people with some foreign accents, we decided to join the crowd. We were in line for over in hour and decided to take our food to go. Not that the old-fashioned, red-checkered tablecloths didn't entice us enough, but I guess the weather's just too beautiful to pass up. It's a good thing that the pizza (or pie, however you want to call it) was actually worth waiting for.

The bread was insanely good. It must have been a really elastic, stretched, and nurtured with love kind of dough. Please note that I might be a little biased since I'm a sucker for thick, hand-tossed crust. The crust had just the right amount of crunch on the outside and once you dive in, it's pure soft, pillowy goodness. And the cheese, it was the freshest, silkiest, best- tasting mozzarella I've ever had sitting on top of my pizza. The toppings and the sauce weren't bad at all but really, the bread and the cheese outshone everything for me.

The goodness buried under the tomato sauce was a meat lasagna. Look at the size of that meatball. Oh my. I can't really say anything about the lasagna since I didn't take a single bite of it. And oh- the pizzeria is also a delicatessen, it has a good selection of Italian gastronomy from dried salami, specialty pasta, to Sicilian olives.

Ocean Beach's Farmers Market in San Diego

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Standing in the U.S Airways check-in line at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on my way back from San Diego to Atlanta, I was constantly scrolling my way down the streaming tweets on UberTwitter. There, I finally saw it. A tweet from Atlanta's local meteorologist saying that it was hailing and pouring like crazy. He used a different kind of terminology of course, a more civilized one. At that very moment, I wasn't feeling so glad that Georgia's on my mind. Humid, sticky weather? The non-existence of sandy beaches within 20 miles? Ah, not exactly my favorite place on earth.

So let me indulge myself again by reminiscing all the good times I've had for the past few weeks. Last week I went to Ocean Beach Farmer's Market in San Diego, thanks to E for taking me. A farmer's market isn't all about organic, locally grown produce. It's also about the community and supporting local businesses. And of course, for me, when is an occasion not an occasion to pig out?

These Kyoto grapes were the best grapes I've ever had in my life. If Concord grapes and konyaku jelly got married and had babies, it would be these grapes. They're so plump, soft, juicy, and melts in your mouth type of delicacies. They're not necessarily sweet, but still would be a treat to your taste buds.

This was my first time trying out homemade blinis. I had one osweet with jam filling and the other one was savory with cheese and potato fillings, prepared on the spot by a middle-aged Russian lady. She found it funny that I made several serious attempts on taking pictures of the food. Well lady, obviously we haven't met.

I don't want summer to end too soon. Stay here a little longer, please?

The Hillside Spoils of Bogor

2010-09-08T02:36:00.013-05:00

Another post from Weigy Widyanputra who's kind enough to share his culinary experience during his stay in Jakarta, Indonesia. Thanks, Weigy!

Hop in a car, drive away from the urban jungle that is Jakarta and in 2 hours, you will find yourself in Puncak, Bogor.

Skyscrapers get replaced with hills, rice paddies and clouds. Shopping complexes get replaced with store-houses selling local food, crafts and daily necessities. The only constant seem to be the traffic; seasoned drivers in both Jakarta and Bogor navigate like lions after gazelles.

The first hour of the drive you will still experience similarity but keep driving. Soon enough there will be only tiny shacks by the side of winding roads, with undulating greens, gently nudged by a cloudy sky.

If there is a consolation to the way we Indonesians drive, Bogor's traffic is sparse on the weekdays. This being the month of fasting also meant a lot of the places were closed in the day. Still, a family run satay shop waved us down, to signal that they are open.

We took a step in and was amazed by the view. This was a concrete-based, wooden-floored shack hanging off the side of a hill. Before us was an unobstructed view of the hills, a calming breeze and a blanket of fog.

Their specialty is "Sate Kelinci", that means "Rabbit Satay / Skewers" and "Sate Kambing", which means "Mutton Satay / Skewers". We ordered both, sat down and took in the view. In my head, I honestly couldn't stop thinking that if we were in any other place, this location would have been capitalized on, made into a fancy restaurant, charging exorbitant prices for a view coupled with okay food. In reality, satay is already served as overpriced, bland, appetizers at misguided fusion restaurants.

The skewers come topped off with fried shallots, bits of red onion, chopped fresh tomatoes and assorted chillies. Basking in both the light and sauce it's resting on, the view got even better.

The rabbit was cooked perfectly, the rabbit was springy but not chewy. The judgement to serve this not drenched by the sauce was also a great move. The consistency was top-notch, the presentation was appetizing and again, it tastes great. The way the meat has been treated matches and in some ways, exceeds some fine French chophouses I've been to. If you are looking for ways to try rabbit as a delicacy, this would be a great way to start. Simple, tasty and unobstructed.

The mutton received the same respect and care, at a glance it is impossible to tell the difference. The aroma sets them apart. The mutton had a more prominent aroma, strong but not overpowering. The fact that the garnish was identical reminded me that the strength in these dishes is in how they've showcased the flavors of each meat. The usual gamey aftertaste of mutton was noticeably smoother and not obtrusive at all. The slight tinge of blackened tips, coupled with a tender core, this is great mutton.

I asked the store-owner / chef if his is the best around here, he humbly replied in Indonesian, "Ah, all are the same, we've all been at this for years and years". It reminds me of a fact: simple eateries in Asia that specializes in one dish excels at it simply because they've been improving on a family recipe for decades. Simple eateries in Asia usually starts as sources of food for the locals who aren't of high or middle-level income brackets. Every ingredient is used to the most, in consideration of nutrition, taste and conservation. There is a delicate balance in the way the food is treated that you won't find in Outback or such.

All this cost me a meager $ 5.00 US. There is no name to this place, you simply have to look for a small turquoise barbecue shack with a great view when you are on your way to the peaks of Puncak (which means peak, by the way).

Love,
Weigy

Photo Credits: Weigy Widyanputra

"No Shirt- No Shoes- No Problem"

2010-09-01T16:24:00.003-05:00

Sounds very So- Cal- ish to me, yes?

Ahh, summer will be over soon. At this point I am still in San Diego, California, with every cell of my body persistently making its own case of telling me not to withdraw myself from the Sunshine State. These days I've pretty much been pampered by the friendly sun and the refreshing ocean breeze that almost emulate a rejuvenating sanctuary - I mean, it helps me clear my head and refrains myself from fulfilling my every-5 second urge to tweet from my Blackberry. But really, what's been doing wonders to me is the constant company of a great girlfriend. Yes, you know who you are E (*wink).

Today E took me to Ocean Beach to try out one of the most popular burger joint in town which boasts more than a thousand reviews on Yelp. We met up with another friend of ours on the spot, who previously warned us about how the waiting line could be quite intolerable. Turned out it wasn't that bad. We waited for 15-20 mins and got seated right away. As you can see, it's got a very laid back, surfer shack kind of ambiance with all the surfboards hanging from the ceilings and the license plate-covered walls.

"No Shirt- No Shoes- No Problem" is their motto.

This is Hodad's that first opened on the beach at the end of Santa Monica Avenue in the very laid back neighborhood of Ocean Beach (or as San Diegans call it, OB) in 1969. Rumor has it they serve the perfect American trifecta: burgers, fries, and shakes. A very generous portion of them. This place is definitely not for the faint-hearted, at least portion-wise. It even got the thumbs up from Guy Fieri on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" on Food Network, agreeing that their bacon cheeseburger is quite a show stopper.

A basket of huge and crunchy deep fried battered onion rings arrived first on our table. A bountiful of them. But really, how many pieces of onion rings can you actually eat? There were four of us but we ended up finishing only half of it. They're not bad, but they're not the best. Especially with the breading looks a little bit darker than it should be, then you know how many times they've reused the oil for frying.

I got the smallest option on the menu called mini cheeseburger, which in my honest opinion, was far from being minuscule. It's almost the same size of an In-n-Out burger, only slighttttly smaller and a lot messier. Perhaps the fact that it's not the biggest burger on the menu has something to do with my patty being just an ok patty. Not juicy enough, not rare enough, not thick enough for me. Things might've been different had I gotten a bigger one, I can't say for sure. But they give you a lot of pickles to go with the burger. I normally like to have everything on my burger and end up eating all of it. But I actually had to get rid of some of them because it was just a little too much. I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply to most of my guy friends.

I didn't get their shakes - I'm not a milkshake person in general. I heard people are raving about it, though. I also heard that they have a pretty good beer selection. I happened to find a recipe of their famous bacon cheeseburger here on the internet. I don't know how close it is to the real thing, since I haven't had the real thing anyways. I'd love to come back for it though. But whatever, the recipe makes me salivate already.

Special thanks to E and A for taking me to Hodad's!

The Roadside Spoils of Jakarta

2010-08-04T10:00:00.013-05:00

Photo credit: Weigy Widyanputra

Today's post comes from Weigy Widyanputra, who's currently vacationing/being completely pampered by such culinary blessings in Jakarta, Indonesia. Thanks so much for sharing, Weigy!

In South East Asia, luxuries come in big, small, humble and extravagant situations, one simply has to be ready to eat his way accordingly. I came very prepared.

I got off the plane at approximately 10.30 p.m. Jakarta time, got out of the airport by midnight. The time excludes the extravagant settings but the luxuries of great tasting food is still around. I relied on Char Kway Teow and Martabak Keju to fill my jet-lagged stomach.

Char Kway Teow is known better as Kway Tiao Goreng. The word "Char" means "Goreng" means "Fried". The words "Kway Tiao" means "Ricecake Strips". It's a dish you will encounter served at almost any hawker center in South East Asia and as an overpriced alternative in fusion restaurants. Personally, I have never found one from a fusion restaurant that can beat the roadside options I've had here in Jakarta. You will be most welcome to prove me wrong.

What is interesting is the choice of protein included in this dish. Jakarta style means getting beef and tripe as your main protein, other South East Asian territories such as Malaysia and Singapore serves it with shrimp and clams. The Jakarta one leans more towards a salty-kind of savory while the Singaporean one is noted for leaning towards the sweeter-kind of savory. The vegetables generally are left up to the preference of individual hawkers. The Char Kway Teow isn't a light contender, it's cooked in animal fat: pork, beef or both. Each bite is packed with flavor yet trails off quietly, never too heavy. How they do this with such a high fat content is a mystery and a quality I appreciate.

Photo credit: Weigy Widyanputra

The other guest we have here is Martabak Keju. "Keju" means "Cheese". The word "Martabak" I can't translate, but I guess it would be somewhere along the line of "Pancakes," only 100x better and 100x fattier. I simply have accepted its glorious existence since I've been alive. Martabak comes in several variations, the most prominent: "Keju", "Coklat" and "Telur". That's "Cheese", "Chocolate" and "Egg". My personal favorite is the cheese option.

Martabak Keju is packed with cheese, condensed milk, butter and some kind of delicious crust I have also simply accepted as a fact of life. Each bite is a springy heaven that drowns you in intense flavors. If you've ever dreamed of how it feels like to drown in tasty, savory, springy cake, this is your chance. There is also no possible or humane way of eating a whole box of it by yourself.

If this were a boxing match, it was a fair fight. Both were certified heavyweights and knocked me straight to the dreamland.

Much love from Jakarta,
Weigy

C'est Magnifique Lunch on a Rainy Day

2010-07-28T10:00:00.037-05:00

My 3rd anniversary with the boy is coming up next week. Unfortunately, by that time, he'd be halfway across the world already. So we decided to celebrate early. He took me to a little French place on Piedmont in Atlanta called Atmosphere for lunch. The price is pretty fair and the food actually goes beyond my expectation. The place itself is a cute little house with a little bit of a Southern touch and a nice outdoor patio. It was slightly raining when we first got out of the car, so we went for indoor seating.

The server brought us some fresh complimentary bread, piping hot from the oven, which I honestly didn't even touch (I try to do this whenever I'm not that starved). We started off with the cocktail de crabe et avocat, which is crab lump and meat with avocado Napoleon, diced tomatoes, and mango chutney. We were going to order the foie gras poëlé but they didn't have it at the time. But oh boy, our pick was far from disappointing. I had no idea that mango could create such a magical effect when paired with the right ingredients.

My main entree was moules marinières, mussels cooked in white wine, shallots and garlic butter. The mussels were cooked to perfection, very plump, juicy, and flavorful. I really like it when the white wine sauce isn't to buttery sweet and still has the wine flavor that slightly kicks and fully complements the mussels. Perfect balance.

The boy opted for a confit de canard atmosphère, which is duck leg confit with wild mushrooms raviolis, baby carrots, red wine reduction sauce. The duck meat simply falls of the bone. So tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I honestly think that duck meat is one of the sweetest and most savory kind of meat by nature. This dish still maintains a little bit of its sweetness and combine it with flavorful herbs and a subtle kick of the red wine flavor. And oh- FYI, the boy isn't a huge fan of pasta. Want to know what he thinks of the mushroom ravioli? "It tastes like meat," he said. His favorite pasta so far.

The desserts list for lunch isn't all that grandeur, but we went with the server's recommendation of apple tart fine with vanilla ice cream and Calvados caramel. It was pretty good, but not exceptional. And oh- they use real vanilla beans, which is always a plus. The boy actually offered to come back here for dinner but we went to Fogo de Chao instead. Oh well, there's always a next time.

PS: The pictures were taken using iPhone 4G's camera. Apology for them being a little fuzzy.

"I Know a Place Where the Grass is Really Greener.."

2010-07-24T09:07:00.031-05:00

Not sure about that, but I can vouch that the food is better.

This post was prompted by the fact that it was 70 degrees in San Diego yesterday and it was an almost heat-wave like weather here in the South. And also, I haven't gotten the chance to show some of the beautiful things that I encountered during my brief stay in the sunshine state. It was a really short trip actually, one of those over-the-weekends. The purpose of it was to attend my cousin's wedding in Del Mar. But we stayed a couple extra nights just so we could make the best out of our $400 plane tickets.

What I miss so much from California is the constant indulgence my taste buds experience when it comes to food. But I won't explain further. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Mitsuwa's tonkotsu ramen has always been a winner. It comes with a bowl of rice topped with ikura (salmon roe) and eggs.

I don't know how Mitsuwa (the little stall is called Kayaba) does it, but every broth that they have in each of their soup dish tastes pretty amazing. This one is a very simple niku (beef) soba that most Japanese places would have but theirs is no doubt the best.

What I really like about this katsu don (chicken bowl) is the fact that the chicken is still so crispy on the outside (juicy on the inside) although the whole thing, including the rice, is really moist. A lot of places don't do it this way.

Oh yes, you recognize that logo. The best fast food chain in the U.S, IMHO. During our 4-day visit, we ate there 3x.

I don't think I've had that many shrimp crepes in my life, but this one was pretty good. We had this for brunch at Opera Patisserie which is pretty famous for its desserts. No, seriously, pastries, cakes, tarts, macarons, truffles, in the most delicate form you've ever seen. Don't hate me for not having any pictures of it. I got 2 boxes of macarons in which I ended up giving to others. Ok, back to the shrimp crepes. The baby shrimps were very-well cooked. I know, the crepes don't look very appealing here but the sauce (which I'm not sure what kind) was incredibly subtle but tasty.

A little touch of Spring awakening to go with my shrimp crepes.

Our friend opted for tomato and spinach quiche. It was slightly (note the word slightly) bland, in my opinion, but maybe because it's all veggies. It just needs a little kick, just a little bit. The crust (my favorite part) is very tasty and crunchy. The boy had salmon eggs benedict with perfectly cooked poached eggs and salmon. The hollandaise sauce had the right level of creaminess, I think. I'm not a big fan when it gets too creamy or too thin and lemony.

I only include pictures are that at least decent enough to post here. Most of the places that we went to don't have bright lighting so most of the pictures we took turned quite dark. We went to Ristorante Arrivederci in Hillcrest for dinner once and the boy had black linguini with shrimp, scallops, in a creamy sauce and I had some serious sea scallops with spinach in a white wine sauce. That was delish. We also drove up to LA, had lunch at Orochon Ramen in Little Tokyo, and had Indonesian food at Ramayani for dinner. Hands down to Orochon ramen's chasiu (pork belly) which I think is the best I've had in the U.S. As for Indonesian food, Ramayani is the most expensive one of all the Indonesian restaurants in the U.S I've been to (note that I've never been to the ones in Houston) but so far is the best and most authentic. And yes, I'm credible enough to talk about authenticity when it comes to Indonesian food. I could talk on and on about this but I hate it when I have no photos to show. Anyways, thanks for treating us to dinner there, my amazing fellow alumnus! It was really nice seeing you and your lady.

Check out the boy's blog for more!

How I Like My Meat: with Rice

2010-07-10T09:06:00.000-05:00

Image courtesy of Real Simple (Romulo Yanes)

This past weekend I was just sitting at Seattle's Best Coffee inside one of the Borders around where I live. And oh yuck, that savory herb and cream cheese pretzel was quite a disaster. But the guy who was working at that time looked like somebody's grandpa who looks like they deserve more to be doing some golf outing rather than serving lattes to a bunch of twenty-something bookworms. He's just way too nice and I didn't have the heart to tell him about how even Bess and Russ don't deserve a pretzel with that quality.

Anyways, that was totally irrelevant. While I was sitting down and flipping through the pages of some of my favorite magazines, I found this recipe. It is so easy to make and if you're like me, meaning you love to impress your significant other, this lamb chops and curried rice recipe I found on Real Simple would be a perfect fit. It' summery and still very hearty with the tenderness and succulence of the lamb chops.

You can always substitute the rice with some pantry potatoes with fresh thyme, parsley, and parmesan cheese. As for me, I'm a rice person - can't live without it. I thought of actually testing the recipe myself and taking pictures of it before writing this post, but I have no access to the camera at this moment. Oh well.

Enjoy!

Michael Michael Kors and Leola Couture on Ideeli

2010-07-07T13:26:00.010-05:00

Michael Michael Kors

Leola Couture

Just stopping by for a quick announcement. Ideeli will be having Michael Michael Kors and Leola Couture on sale tomorrow (Thursday). As usual, the sale starts on 11:00 AM for 1st Row members and at 12:00 PM for 2nd Row members. The sale will run for 40 hours, or until it sells out. And trust me, normally the good ones are gone by 12:15.

Images courtesy of Ideeli

Burberry Trench Coat Sale!

2010-07-01T08:02:00.011-05:00

Image courtesy of Fashion Rules.

So it is summer and the heat is blasting out there. The last thing that you would probably need is a coat. But so what? Burberry is having a sale for their Spring 2010 collection. I could care less about how it's like a sauna out there, I'd find just any reasons so I could show one of these babies off. They are G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. They would probably be your best investment ever since smart phone!

But remember, early bird gets the worm.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Where I come from, we don't really celebrate Father's Day. But I don't think there's a reason my dad wouldn't love the idea of it. Here are my top 5 picks for Father's Day gifts. I only have 5 because: 1. I honestly don't think there are other gifts out there that could beat these. 2. I'm swamped with work and have 1,001 things to do today.

1. Treat him to a weekend getaway, whether it'd be a golf outing, relaxing spa therapy, tour to the wineries, white water rafting, or even healthy gambling, take your pick.

Image courtesy of the beautiful Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.

2. Get him this lounge chair & ottoman by Herman Miller, available from Room & Board. Trust me, it's as comfortable as it is gorgeous. It also comes in white.

Image courtesy of Room & Board.

3. Take him to Megu Japanese Restaurant in New York City for some serious real men treats: meat. Their Kobe beef come in carpaccio, skewers, stone grill, slow-cooked, or sashimi style, among many others. Want something fancier? They have a 9-ounce chateaubriand with few different choices of flavor. If you don't live in New York, any place that specializes in meat such as a churrascaria would be a good option.

Image courtesy of Megu Restaurant.

Image courtesy of Megu Restaurant.

4. Keep him within your reach, give him an iPhone 4G so you can "see" each other through video calls. Ordering one might be a little bit of a hassle right now but still, who has the heart to say no to this pretty little thing?

Image courtesy of Apple.

5. If you're more like me, meaning none of the above options fits your budget, or/and your dad lives on the other side of the world, this last option would be your best bet: cards with sounds! Yes, a paper card with your handwriting on it. I know it's cheap and can be slightly cheesy. But guess what, it's also very sweet.

Image courtesy of Hallmark

Image courtesy of Hallmark.

To Dwell in Design

2010-04-29T19:41:00.001-05:00

Another lecture that I went to during SCAD style was To Dwell in Design: DwellStudio's Christiane Lemieux. Christiane worked for Gap and Isaac Mizrahi before founding DwellStudio, a $20 million-a-year furniture and bedding empire. A Canadian native, Christiane first studied art history and fashion design before actually realizing that her expertise in pattern-making can take her places.

A few tips for aspiring designers out there from Christiane:
- Get a diverse experience, internships, and talk to a lot of designers.
- Keep your eye on the lucky break.
- Create a website, open up an Etsy store. This way you'll get feedback and see what you need to tweak. Target and Crate & Barrel are on Etsy all the time scouting for new talents.
- Social media can help you branch out
- Diversify your products (furniture, apparel, etc)
- Licensing, yes. Selling, no. "Rent" your loyalty to manufacturers.
- Do strategic partnerships.
- Sell products directly to consumers, through stores, and trade shows.
And yes, Christiane is a true definition of an all-around designer in this business. DwellStudio is designed to meet various demands through its myriad of different, charming styles.

Photo credit: Buck Ennis of Crain's.

And if you ever feel like you're stuck in your design career? Christiane says not to worry."You develop an eye and that eye you can use for a lot of things," she says.

PS: Catch up with the DwellStudio crew via their blog and Twitter. Crave for a more intense dose? Request a catalog. I just did.

The first two images in this post are courtesy of DwellStudio and its fabulous founder, Christiane Lemieux.

The Beauty of Custom-Made Gucci Shoes...I mean, What You Need to Know about Retail

2010-04-28T07:50:00.012-05:00

For the past few days, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has been having a special series of events called SCAD Style including lectures, exhibitions, panels, discussions, book signings, and workshops in both Savannah and Atlanta.

Shelly Musselman and Brian Bolke at a Forty Five Ten Fall party, courtesy of SocialWhirl.

The first panel discussion that I went to in SCAD Atlanta is called Design with Retail in Mind. I've always been interested in design and anything that satisfies the eyes, there's no doubt. There's also no doubt that I have no talent when it comes to utilizing my hands to physically create something beautiful. Retail could be my one of my chances to partake in the design industry and use just my eyes and brain without my fingers. To my surprise, SCAD Style brings some of the big names in the industry. At Design with Retail in Mind, the speakers were Brian Bolke, Jaqui Lividini, and Robert Rufino.

Brian Bolke co-owns Forty Five Ten boutique in Dallas which collection includes Givenchy, Lanvin, Alexander McQueen, and Alberta Ferretti. Oprah and Gwyneth Paltrow are among his customers.

Jaqui Lividini, the moderator, is a partner in LWP, New York-based fashion marketing/public relations company, representing clients such as Coach, MaxMara, and Diesel. She's named as one of NY Daily News’ “100 Most Influential People in the Fashion Industry.”

Jacqui Lividini at The Fashion Group International "NIGHT OF STARS" 2008 Gala: The Alchemists, courtesy of Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com

Robert Rufino is the former VP of creative services for Tiffany & Co. He began his career at Henri Bendel and has worked in visual merchandising and creative direction for various national publications. He is now the senior editor-at-large for House Beautiful. FYI, Rufino owns 6 pairs of custom-made Gucci shoes.

Rufino and Sarah Lyne, courtesy of El Observador Solitario

Who has the role of educating the customers?
Brian: Customers see the same collection everywhere. How a retail store interprets the collection and makes it different is what matters. Display and merchandising are the keys. One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started was to want everything to look a certain way. It's most important to know how customers really feel. It's a balance of knowing who has what in their closets.

Does retail validate fashion/design?
Brian: If you're a design student and you have the most beautiful collection and nobody buys it, how is it successful?
Robert: Customers see well-designed windows. It really helps.
Brian: The most amazing thing is seeing who the real customers are.

How important is visual merchandising?
Robert: You have to know your customer. It takes sometime to realize. Then you have followers and you'll know. But you need to also take chances.

Examples of collections that marry design and commerce?
Brian: iPhone. But I really like anything Hermes. Then again, I also have an Hermes iPhone holder.
Robert: I have a shoe fetish. I have six pairs of white Gucci shoes in black and 6 pairs in white. They're all custom-made.

For designers, how should they entice buyers to carry their lines if they're not Chanel?
Brian: Who am I approaching? Everyone is approached by 50 designers a day. Really do your research, talk to your associates. I'd open an email that says "You're really good client Ms. Smith told me this would be very good in your store."

What should you do at the beginning when you don't know what people want and have no followers?
Brian: You make one million mistakes. It's one of those if-it's-easy-everybody-would-do-it. You also need to walk around places and do your research. Hire somebody to get the right kind of press and be creative when it comes to dealing with clients. We know our clients have the money to spend but some of them would say, "My husband can't see anymore of Forty Five Ten charges." So you figure out a way to use different methods of payment and help the clients.

These might not be the exact words they used, but I can guarantee you I had the concepts right. And yes, can I have a pair of Gucci shoes custom-made just for me, please?

Spring Starts with a Sweet Finish

2010-03-31T11:29:00.042-05:00

I've been putting off writing this post for a while now. Today was unusually warm and it's quite a definite that spring has sprung. So I thought either I write about this now or it's going to be next year until the topic will be relevant again. I'd like this post to be a celebration of the first day of spring. Since I turned 21, I have always been celebrating this very occasion by going to a winery. This year, the decision was much of an impromptu one, though. A friend of a friend from Chicago was in Atlanta for a visit. So, this year, North Georgia's Dahlonega is my California's Napa Valley and my Mid- Missouri's Hermann. Unfortunately, we only visited Wolf Mountain Vineyards since we didn't leave until late in the afternoon. But let me tell you, it was a very good decision to go.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards has that warm family log cabin feel that makes you want to cuddle up on a rustic cedar log loveseat with your significant other (or your dog- while sipping a glass of zin or cab, of course) by the fireside.

We had a wine tasting and my pick was a tall, sleek bottle of Delicieux (French for "delightful"). It's the winery's first port-styled, full-bodied red dessert wine listed as private reserve. It has dark berry fruit flavors with a finish that fully satisfies your sweet tooth.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards uses mostly French and Hungarian Oak Barrels. Those types of barrels allow the oak flavor to not overpower the rich fruit flavors.

Approximately 3 tons of red wine fruits are fermented in each of these 800 gallon stainless steel tanks.

Photo Credit: Weigy Widyanputra

Photo Credit: Weigy Widyanputra

The winery lost its wolf 'muse' named Nootka last year. Is Nootka the wolf that inspires the winery's name? I'm not exactly sure, but I highly doubt that he isn't.

I snapped a shot of these charming little creatures on my way to the parking lot. Anyways, happy blooming, everyone!

ps: You don't have to visit the winery to get a taste of the wines (although for sure visiting the winery gives you more of the visual and psychological benefits), the wines are also sold in stores throughout Atlanta.

"Some Wonderful, Magical Animal"

2010-03-28T01:00:00.016-05:00

The Simpsons
Lisa: “I’m going to become a vegetarian.”
Homer: “Does that mean you’re not going to eat any pork?”
Lisa: “Yes”
Homer: “Bacon?”
Lisa: “Yes Dad”
Homer: "Ham?”
Lisa: “Dad, all those meats come from the same animal”
Homer: “Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!”"

I spent the entire Saturday writing about the so-called Google vs China war. I'm taking a break until I finally start an entirely new and unremitting chapter called proofreading. You would think that taking a break would involve something like getting a drink (or two) or watching a re-run of Kell on Earth, right? Don't get me wrong, I AM taking a sip of my sauvignon right now as I'm writing this, but the entire living room is being occupied by a dozen of thirsty gamers, a.k.a Weigy's friends from work. Therefore, I'm pretty much tied to my desk. So, I decided to write a post dedicated to a celebrate the arrival of Sunday, the day where I can take a break from Lent. That only means one thing: I am allowed to chow as much meat down my throat.

I'm pretty sure you hear this all the time, but it's a pleasure for me to serenade it again to your ears: Bacons are better in chunks than in slices. As you know, bacons are most often derived from pork bellies. Our friend Richmond, likes to cook his pork bellies Chinese-styled using Chinese five-spice powder. I am most grateful of that fact. Sometimes pork bellies are intimidating for some people, especially when they come in huge chunks. The truth is, pork bellies are like diamonds in the rough!

We (by we I mean Richmond) slow-cooked the pork bellies for more than 5 hours and it just got more and more tender. We stir-fried it first before slow-cooking it. The broth turned out to be very rich, fatty, and sweet. We ended up chopping the pork bellies into pieces. I don't like the fatty parts, I always pass mine to Weigy. I guess it's a matter of preference. Knowing that my guilt of eating a generous amount of pure fat might result in some head-banging action, I'd rather take some prevention act in advance. As for the meat, it simply just glides in your mouth, very juicy and soft.

I like to eat the richest and fattiest thing with rice. Rice seems to neutralize everything. Plus, a little bit of that silky and shiny fatty broth on top of the rice? Mmmm...

PS: Yes I know, I need to get one of those nicer wooden cutting board. Blame it on IKEA for being so budget-friendly.

Take a Slow Bite, No Chugging Involved (Late St. Pat's Day Ed.)

2010-03-21T21:29:00.032-05:00

The thing that I remember the most about St. Patrick's Day is how every year someone always asks me, "why aren't you wearing green?" Well, that's because I don't have anything in green in my closet. Olive, maybe, but not shamrock-ish kind of green. I just don't like the color on me. That's simply the same reason why I don't have anything in red (and people have the same question also, every year, on Chinese New Year's Eve) or yellow (whoever goes/went to Mizzou knows that not wearing yellow/gold on a game day is pretty much a sin).

But I've been cooking and baking a lot for the past two months. And yes, I'm a beginner, therefore there's a legitimate reason why I had not documented my cooking journey in the past. It simply wasn't pretty.

For this past St. Pat's Day party with the Anthem crew, I followed Smitten Kitchen's recipe for chocolate whiskey and beer cupcakes. These are simply Irish car bombs (I apologize if you find the term offensive) in the form of baked goods sans the alcohol effects. I left out the ganache filling because most of the guests were guys and it's been proven in the past that their sweet tooth isn't as adventurous as girls'.

Since I didn't have much time and my Proctor Silex hand mixer is getting rusty, I used a cake mix (Duncan Hines, never anything else) instead of making my own. Sorry, I know that's just not right. I used Guinness instead of water as instructed for the cupcakes and I followed the recipe to make Baileys frosting. The frosting didn't turn out to be that great, it's a little thin for me (I'm pretty sure that's mostly mine or my Proctor's fault). But when I realized that, that's when the mixer started acting out so I just let go of it.

Weigy has been joking about getting a job as a fortune cookie writer. I thought why not give him the chance to do it. So I let him write "fortunes" for the cupcakes, in which I slipped it in the little shamrock decoration I've made in advance.

Oh and these cute little bottles? Michaels' has them. I picked up the last bag in the store. It says "95% drunk and 5% Irish" if you can't see it.

Unfortunately the Guinness is mostly baked out and you can't really taste the alcohol on the frosting. Adding more Baileys would've made the frosting become thinner and thinner. But still, at least there's something to brag about.

We did the real Irish car bombs that night, but seriously, I have fuzzy memories about that.

ps: This time I don't have to credit anyone for the pictures, I took them myself. But I'd like to credit the camera owner for his generosity. That is, Shawn Borsky of the Anthem Design Group. Thanks, Shawn!

My Little Feet Couldn't Stop Dancing

2010-03-13T11:23:00.020-06:00

To Rodrigo Y Gabriela music.

*My detailed, long-form elaboration on why I haven't blogged for the last 6 months will be in the next post, promise.

I went to see Rodrigo Y Gabriela in concert at Center Stage in Atlanta last night. The tix wasn't that pricey and I thought I've seen them on YouTube and they sounded pretty great, I mean, why not? Well, it turned out that I made the best decision of the year 2010. They were amazing. It was one of the best concerts I've ever gone to in my entire life.

The best thing about them is, like Weigy said, "There's no gimmick. It's just two people playing music. Really good music." To be honest, I don't know much about guitar music and therefore, here's a disclaimer, I can't talk that much about the quality of their music technique wise. I just know that I've never heard that kind of music being played with that kind of energy and passion. Very charming, fast-playing, rhythmic acoustic guitar that transports a very strong, trance-like, happy energy. One thing for sure, like Rodrigo and Gabriela said, "This is not flamenco." But really, they are THAT good.

Weigy broke the news to me that Rodrigo Y Gabriela started out their career by playing on the streets of Mexico City. Then they moved to Dublin till they got discovered by Damien Rice, who asked them to open for him. I like it how they didn't mind having a chat with the audience whenever their magical fingers were getting some much-needed rest. You just know that these people are good people who have made their way by staying true to the never-worn-out credo of working hard. And yes, you can tell that they're having fun while doing it.

I would love to see them again. I don't know that watching people having fun can be this much fun. Thanks, Weigy, for introducing them to me. My little feet couldn't stop dancing.

Hidden Treasures in the Sunny Shores

2009-08-31T23:55:00.014-05:00

So apparently, Miami isn't only about beaches and trumptinis. I mean, from someone who has spent the past few years living in the Midwest, how am I supposed to know this?

With warm hues and inviting atmosphere, Fly Boutique has a touch that's thrift-storey and a hint of luxury. You can find some designer stuffs here such as Chanel for under $200. Some others are Pucci, Gucci, and Dior. The owner even has her own line called Puglia.

And I honestly don't think any caption will suffice.

Oh how you'd just love to linger around, sitting on the sofa, while watching your girlfriends trying out on the cutest pair of shoes and the most delicate dresses. See..vintage doesn't always have to be dusty..

Photo credit: Fly Boutique

Comic Con '09 highlight: James Jean

2009-07-27T11:42:00.012-05:00

So...Comic Con in San Diego. Yes, this is related to my internship in NBC San Diego and a long, whirlwind story behind that.
I didn't have that much to post because mostly everything that I recorded was in a P2 card through the station's video camera. But Comic Con was pretty crazy, packed, filled with the most creative costumes you can imagine. I got to talk to a handful of celebs which was never bad. But yesterday on the last day of comic con, me and the boyfriend bought Kindling, a painting portfolio of James Jean, had it signed, and had our picture taken with him.

Kindling is a beautiful piece of artwork. It's all about surrealism - ravishing, way beyond words kind of surrealism. Add a little tidbit of gore wrapped in dreamy strokes- although my artist boyfriend says the renderings couldn't be more realistic- but hey, I'm a commoner.

He personalized the first page for us. He did it in less than 15 secs as far as I could remember. Every print in Kindling is a high quality print in which you can take off and display wherever you want.

One of my favorites painting in Kindling: Shattered.
And I have always like the colors that James Jean uses and their effects: marriages of color that no rainbows can't make a statement of; they bring an alluring wave of fantasies and a little chill down the spine.

James made a joke about my name and what it stands for. For all of you who don't know, my name is pretty much the same as an acronym of a high profile government agency, though I believe it mustn't be my parents' intention to do that. Anyways, James was really nice and I was pretty nervous when I got the chance to talk to him.

Have a cupcakey Saturday!

2009-03-28T22:47:00.000-05:00

Today is cupcake day! I woke up around 11am simply because the sky was really dark that I couldn't tell it's a new day already. It was pouring hard this morning. We were still in St. Louis and had to drive back home to Columbia. I've been craving for cupcakes since the day I got to St. Louis (although the day before that I just made some at home) and there I was putting out my best little girl attitude of whining how I really wanted some cupcakes (the cupcake place isn't only a few minutes away from our friends' place in St. Louis) to my boyfriend. He was craving for dim sum instead. Not really the exact same thing, eh? But apparently our friends wanted to go to U-City Grill instead (they have the best, pretty authentic Korean food, for such a friendly price) which is located in Delmar Blvd, where Jilly's Cupcake Bar also is.

Jilly's is one of the very first pioneers of cupcake shop in St. Louis. We were all stoked when we got there (including the boyfriend- which is rare when it comes to cupcakes), the cupcakes are HUGE! They are seriously a lot bigger than normal cupcakes are! And yes they are serious when it comes to the frosting. It is tremendously thick, rich and they put all kinds of finger-licking things in it.

This one is called Missylicious. I bought one but accidentally knocked it over (heh) so it's not pretty anymore to take a picture of. It's a vanilla cake stuffed with whipped cream and topped with Tahitian vanilla buttercream. Photo: Jilly's Cupcake Bar

This one I couldn't resist and ate it in seconds at the shop, shared it with the boyfriend. It's a chocolate devil’s food cake, stuffed with marshmallow buttercream and topped with a chocolate ganache, drizzled with dulce de leche, praline pecans, a toasted marshmallow pretzel stick and a chocolate dipped graham cracker. I couldn't even tell them apart anymore of which one is which, they're all just so pretty together! But really, the cake and the marshmallow buttercream inside are just a perfect match-made. Photo: Jilly's Cupcake Bar

These last two, I sat them down on my IKEA carpet (now everyone gets to see what I've been talking about for years) and took pictures of them. We had them to go so they're put in a cute little space ship-like container of their own. This one is white chocolate strawberry. It hurts for me to eat it because it's just so beautiful to gaze at. I haven't had it yet till now.

This is Bee Sting (vanilla cake infused with lemon and honey syrup, stuffed with a honey lemon curd, topped with lemon cream cheese, toasted almonds, lemon candy dust, a sugar bee and white chocolate). Yes, I know, stupid camera, sorry..

Just fur is not enough

2009-03-27T00:41:00.000-05:00

Spring Break is here, the month of March almost ends, now where has the sunshine been? Welcome the midwest. Throughout my blog, it's obvious to see that I'm going to use this as a common theme to constantly whine about. I still haven't gotten over this fact although I'm on my 2nd year of my stay here. So here where weather is not exactly our best friend, I can totally see why our furry friends need some comforting too. This etsy shop called Beantown Handmade has the cutest pet apparels for quite an affordable price.

Photos: BeanTown Handmade

These pictures are amazingly cute and it's either the photographer is really good at his job or the dogs are just such divas! But of course, the product itself contributes a lot. I showed these pictures to my girlfriends and it's just an endless parade of "aww" after "aww" for every picture after another.

A tribal vintage beauty

2009-03-24T23:53:00.000-05:00

To be honest I wasn't really familiar with Native American jewelries until I looked at this month's Marie Claire and went through Mandy Moore's photo shoots. Yes, sorry, that's how ignorant I was. My potential defense would be that I didn't grow up here in America. Ok...I don't think that'll work out. Apology proposed.

I have, though, known for a fact that turquoise stones are gorgeous but they're a bit tricky to wear as accessories. They just seem to carry such bold manner, especially when they come in such big shapes, that if you mix them with not-so-simple outfit, I don't think it's going to be too easy on the eye. At least that's how it is for me.

But this Large Navajo Necklace from Southwestern Jewelry is just breathtaking beyond words. It still carries the bold manner that I was talking about, but it's also the same thing that constructs such magnificent aura in it. It's so grand, it's almost mystical. Still very traditional in its tribal vintage elements, but so bewitching it can still be paired up with anything contemporary.

Photo: James White/Marie Claire

Photo: Southwestern Jewelry

"Darling it's better down where it's wetter"

2009-03-08T10:49:00.000-05:00

Fancy a scuba diving experience without getting wet and having your ears suffer due to the water pressure (the latter one is my case)? Well, a Florida mansion brings you nearly the same experience while still having all the luxuries that you can get off water. Florida real estate artist Frank McKinney, known for his oceanfront artistry, decided to name the 1.6 +/- acre eco-friendly mansion "Acqua Liana" which means "water flower" in Tahitian and Fijian.

Located in Palm Beach county, Manalapan beach, Acqua Liana is blessed with a "water floor" with a Lotus garden illuminated underneath the glass, 7 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 2 glass elevators, 2 laundry rooms, a glass wine cellar, an oceanfront grand salon that opens to the beach, a dining room that opens to the pool, swimmable water gardens, a classical lounge and lap pool, a waterfall spa w/ fire feature, and a yacht dockage. The list is much longer. And the visual is breathtaking.

Twenty-four foot water wall peering through glass staircase

A grand salon and oceanfront lanal at sunrise

Guest house bath with glass tiles looking through to waterfall

The water garden: A tropical mini laguna that's actually located in America

Waterfall overlooking tropical water gardens

It's almost like a tiny little village of its own!

And guess what? even pop corns can still fit in the big picture. The home also features almost a more personalized version of AMC movie theater in it. Although the pop corns they have might be organic, whole wheat, locally grown, or infused with vitamin boosters? I don't know.

The house is up for grabs for $29,000,000 USD.
It is obvious that my problem is highly interconnected with the last statement.

Photos: Frank McKinney

Rugging it in

2009-03-06T19:19:00.000-06:00

The Rug Company has the most beguiling rugs I have ever seen. I have always been a big fan of rugs and have always agreed that they add so much accent to a room like magic. The Rug Company has a designer collection line which pretty much blows my mind. And I don't know how they can pull off matching each rug and come up with the most breathtaking roomsets. Ok, first thing first, I need to get an apartment that is not the size of a chinchilla cage.

Goodbye bland whole wheat pastas, for now.

2009-03-05T21:37:00.000-06:00

It started out with me giving up meat for Lent without being considerate with my stomach and my taste buds. It's almost like a double whammy since I'm not at the very privileged point of where I can be very choosy of what I eat due to me being very active of skipping my daily job (Yes, again, my broadcast class is the culprit). Meaning I'm also currently broke. So, since seafood is almost unaffordable, non-meat food would translate only to one thing: veggies. Spinach, brussels sprouts, and broccoli are my BFFs.

As a result of my appetite ennui, I plan to do some cooking this weekend. Might I emphasize that it takes a well-constructed PLAN in advance for me to cook, due to time constraint and my slothful desire to just lay in bed surrounded by my mags, tv, and macbook. Trust me, this is quite a rare occasion. I guess I'll just stop by at a grocery store tomorrow and I have these delicious recipes that I have my eyes on:

Spinach-stuffed mushrooms

Photo: Kraftfoods.com

And Asparagus Frittata with Creme Fraiche and Chives

Photo: The Food Channel

And of course they combine the best of best veggies: spinach and mushrooms. Asparagus is great too! My boyfriend usually pairs them up with baked salmon; one of his specialties. So wish me luck for this weekend as I move one step forward in my cooking quest. I'm just gonna store them in a tupperware and have them for the next few weeks (seriously I don't think this condition is going to improve at all after I graduate from college) for an hors d'oeuvre before I move on to my pita bread with grilled veggies for my entree.

I'm gonna google what a creme fraiche is now.

Milan FW '09: Ballantyne

2009-03-01T02:53:00.000-06:00

Milan Fashion Week kicked off this passed Wednesday and Ballantyne just had to show off this playful, frolicsome collection dominated by pink and purple for its Ready-to-Wear Fall 2009 which pretty much reminds me of my room, hehe.
It's almost Barbie-like with a preppy twist. Wait, Barbie IS preppy, isn't she? With Lily Pulitzer and all...?

The scarf adds so much accent to this one!

Photo by Giovanni Giannoni, courtesy of WWD.

So Ms. Tomei, can I....

2009-02-27T23:17:00.000-06:00

I know it is sad that it took me a week to post this entry about Oscars. I literally sat in front of E! since 1 in the afternoon waiting for the Oscars to start though. I was accompanied by Lisa Rinna and Joey Fatone while flipping through my communication law notes for today's test. And of course, I didn't get that much done. Anyways, here's my pick of the best Oscar dresses!

Marisa Tomei wearing Versace Atelier.
This one is actually my favorite of all. I love the train and how the pleats all over the dress look so neat!

Angelina Jolie wearing Elle Saab.
It's never wrong to go with the classic. Humm..I don't know about the earrings though.

Evan Rachel Wood wearing Elle Saab
I like how the flowy skirt is just so..flowy and the criss cross top gives the dress so much structure. And her make-up does play the part as well.

Freida Pinto wearing John Galliano.
traditional with a modern twist. gotta love it.

Taraji Henson wearing Robert Cavalli.
The white-tiered dress gives a mermaid silhouette which looks amazing. I also like how there's a flowy layer on the outside that adds up to an even more beautiful construction.

I guess it's not hard to tell that mostly I like the ones with a more classic touch of subdued pearl or champagne satin hues. Even for dark colors, my vote goes for the bold, classic ones.
And oh- what's up with the bridal-like gowns that SJP and Pen Cruz were wearing? Not a really big fan of those.

So, Ms. Tomei, ahemmm, can I borrow that dress for my future, although unplanned yet, engagement party?

the luminescence' charm

2009-02-21T13:10:00.001-06:00

I'm not a really big fan of bright lamps. Those giant T5 fluorescent lamp sticks turn me off. For some reasons I always think of Home Depot when I see one. Now don't get me wrong, Home Depot is great. But living in a place that looks like it wouldn't be the prettiest thing, would it? I'm not a big fan of the kind that's attached to a fan either. The exact same thing that comes with my furnished apartment, heh. They just look unattractive to me. My most reliable source of light in my room is my desk lamp with its 40 watt type G bulb that I got for Christmas 3 years ago (Heh, I know). It's got this warm, illuminating and sort-of-inviting kind of brightness. Not mention how it's been proven to be very cooperative and accommodating during hard times such as writing a 3000 word article in a night.
But really, I would be the luckiest person on the planet if I happen to have this kind of drop-dead gorgeous lighting from Ligne Roset in my apartment:

my hierarchy of needs

2009-02-15T16:37:00.000-06:00

Ok, while I still can I'm just gonna go ahead and post one more entry before I gotta go pick up my guppies from an Indonesian friend of mine who has been baby-sitting them for the last two months. She said all the guppies are doing great and but I'm just tad worried either that's true or the bitter truth just lies under the gravel where she couldn't see the dead guppies buried in them.
Enough about guppies. I got a really cool gift for Valentine's Day. It's the one that I've always wanted since the year of monkey. It's nothing too fancy, not a ravishing diamond necklace or some sort *hint hint*. It's a red hard shell case from incase for my macbook. Now that my mac is comfortably wrapped in a sturdy, incredibly soft on the outside, and still looking cool armor, I am on to the next quest to find the best laptop sleeve out there. (Well, think of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and how it is normal for a human being to move on to the next level of the pyramid if his basic needs are fulfilled -that's my justification pretty much.)
Back to laptop sleeve. I stumbled into Janine King designs and found some good stuffs there.

My favorite is the zebra pattern just because I think it'd be a match-made in heaven with my red hard shell case. Yeah, one of these days when I stop spending money on curry-flavored instant noddles then maybe I can save up for one. Maybe.

my Valentine's Day passion potion

2009-02-15T15:01:00.000-06:00

Yeah I know it's kinda too late to do anything about Valentine's Day. Sorry I'm a day behind, I had my own celebration of Valentine's Day too, you know. *wink*. For me, Valentine's Day only rings two bells: Victoria's Secret and Agent Provocateur!!
Here's my pick:

I always like them with a vintage and sultry but not too girly touch. Lace is quite crucial at times. Although yeah I have to admit that the last one, the balconet push up bra, is a little bit girly with its fuchsia pink twist. But hey, there's nothing wrong with embracing the feminine side of you. The first two is from the Virgins Collection by Agent Provocateur and the last two I found under Sexy Lingerie by VS.

Hail to Ben

2009-02-08T22:23:00.000-06:00

So, this pretty much happened yesterday after 8 hours of churning out banal work called store inventory. I went home, feeling almost mentally deranged as a result of mind- destructing ennui. I was looking for some comforting so I picked up the latest issue of Nylon with Camilla Belle in it. It's been laying on my purple-hued IKEA carpet for a while. Blame Missouri School of Journalism and its relentless abundant work so I haven't had time to read it. And oh on the first few pages I spotted a Ben Sherman ad. *Breathe*. They have a website for their die-hard fans to shop online now! (Ben Sherman USA) I'm not crazy about British mod look, to be honest. Ok, I guess, not TOO crazy about it. But after being reminded by who they really are again, I gave in. The brand and it's heaven of button-down shirts have been there for decades. Not sure where they've been recently but the button-down- shirts-plus- jackets -and -coats heaven is still open! Sophistication...

I love how the women's outfits always have a tiny bit androgynous, sophisticated, yet simple touch.

And oh how I would love to fill my man's closet with each one of those masculine state-of-the-art coats! But sorry boyfriend, no bright colors for you, ok? Just a personal preference of your girlfriend's.

Here's a reason why I don't wanna grow up

2009-02-05T23:05:00.000-06:00

My roommates always tell me that my room is too pink. I deny that because I wasn't intentionally decorating the room with all kinds of pink stuffs that I could find. It just happens that everytime I pick something, it happens to be pink. And all together, they happen to be very pink. Although some of my favorite stuffs in my room actually have no pink in them, but apparently they still share the pink hue. But I guess yeah I wouldn't deny it. Pink is my comfort color. It sort of allows me to unleash my inner childhood all over again hehe. Anyways, while I was looking for products for NewParent.com, I couldn't help but drooling over this nursery. Yes, it's a nursery. For babies. But it's just unbearably cute.

The satin ruffles, the pink polka dots, and the Victorian patterns melt me. I wonder if they can make a bed in an adult size. Sometimes I just don't wanna grow up. Especially once I found that once I do, I have to pay my own bills..

Carousel Designs have the prettiest baby beddings ever!

iWant

2009-01-31T00:43:00.000-06:00

Ok, I don't care what you say, I don't care how many abundant reviews there are already out there. This thing is awesome and I want one. Did you hear that, boyfriend? I want one. I want a 16GB iPhone 3G. It's not just about the look (oh, please), the convenience and luxury of being able to check my email every 5 mins wherever I am (including while I'm standing in a bus, gripping a hanging strap with my other hand) is just amazing. And uber helpful. I'm not a big fan of applications in any ways for simply the same reason why I never really play pool with the phone that I have right now, although I do occasionally shoot ducks, pigs, and rats in this game called Hunter when I'm bored. But the staggering fact that iPhone has 1,500 applications (and counting, they say) just blows my mind. And this is so gonnabe my iPhone skin (if I have an iPhone, of course).

Pretty isn't it? The skin is called "Shore" by Lawrence Yang from Gelaskins.

And I guess with its function as an iPod as well (duh!), I can actually choose the song I'd like to play now since it's been a guessing game all along with my shuffle.

Build-a-table

2009-01-16T23:20:00.000-06:00

When it comes to tables, have you ever seen a nice table top you like but wish that the legs are sturdier? Or you like the tough aluminum legs but think the top is just lousy? Well, I hope that when you hear the word "build", there's one store that comes to you bubbly mind right away. I am amazed again by Ikea this time with their VIKA system of table top and legs mix and match. You can custom choose a desk you like with a handful of selections of different lengths and materials. Whether you want it to be glass, wood, or stainless steel, go satisfy your need. They give you the glorious freedom to mix and match with a selection of legs made of different materials, shapes, and even functions!

Live in a cramped up tiny apartment where space means the whole world to you? Some legs can also function as storage for you to keep all the junks inside the cool trunk.

I tried to play some mix and match and build my dream desk. I got a couple of "products cannot be combined", but I managed to survive and still drool over the final product that I "built". Go to IKEA to build a coffee table/work desk/desk+storage you really really like this time.

My couch's friends are my friends too

2009-01-12T17:46:00.000-06:00

Does your beloved couch have cushions to accompany them so they don't get so lonely? Do you have a hard time finding the ones you like on the store because you're not the shabby chick, Queen Anne, or anything Victorian- inspired type? First, don't go to Linens N Things or Bedbath and Beyond. Hehe, just kidding. I found some pillows that are modern and very unique in design on Design Public. These are art works of street artists featured by Upper Playground. They each have their own cute personalities with although some have potentials for raising an eyebrow.

The first one reminds me of Anna Sui for some reasons, the second one in the middle is just plain simple about two people on top of each other (with clothes on), and the third one is a match-made in heaven with a red velvet couch (hint!hint!). Each pillow costs $40. Go to Design Public to see the Upper Playground pillow collection.

My eco-friendly Agyness Deyn-inspired water bottle

2008-12-31T19:44:00.000-06:00

To be honest, I'm not a really big fan of water bottles. I do have a couple at home which I never take with me simply because I just never remember to. But I'm starting to think that it is quite necessary to have a water bottle for several reasons:
1. The money you spend on bottled water might as well go to help fight the food crisis in Africa.
2. Save the environment, stop buying bottled water!
3. I don't exactly think that the atrocious taste of tap water is tolerable.
So I've been looking for some visually appealing water bottles which also serves its function. Sigg came up with these eco- friendly water bottles with cool attitudes:

You know what those big, bold letters remind me of? Agyness Deyn. Well, House of Holland too, of course. The funky British clothing line is pretty famous for their trademark of using such letters on bright neon- colored shirts.

Oh, they also have "FLICK YER BEAN FOR AGYNESS DEYN" shirt. Check out Sigg and House of Holland websites to see what I'm talking about. Now I just have to remember to take my Agyness Deyn- inspired water bottle with me wherever I go.